Again, Jonathan Loses Poll Organised By Own Aide

President Goodluck Jonathan has once again lost to the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress [APC] Muhammadu Buhari, in a tweet poll organised to test the popularity of presidential candidates.

The poll was organised by one of Mr. Jonathan’s aides, Reno Omokri.
Using his Twitter handle, @Renoomokri, Mr. Omokri asked two questions.
“Who will be more tolerant of criticisms? Retweet to choose GEJ. Favourite for Buhari. Answer honestly with the fear of God! #WhyIwillVoteGEJ”.
“Who will respect the rule of law .Retweet to choose GEJ, Favourite for Buhari. Answer honestly, with the fear of God! #WhyIwillVoteGEJ”.
Reno Omokri's tweet pollReno Omokri’s tweet poll
His first question got 18 Retweets and 61 Favourites.
The second, got 43 retweets for President Jonathan and 153 Favourites for Mr. Buhari.
Mr. Omokri stopped the poll after an early lead by the opposition candidate but continued tweeting with his #WhyIwillVoteGEJ hashtag.‎
He also deleted the tweets.
The poll was the second failed survey conducted by Mr. Omokri to burnish the image of President Jonathan.
In the first poll in October 2014, Mr. Omokri extended the poll duration after it became clear Mr. Buhari was in the lead. He later abruptly terminated the online poll almost immediately President Jonathan overtook Mr. Buhari marginally.
At the end of the poll, the president got 13,111 votes representing 49.3 percent, while Mr. Buhari got 12,875 votes, representing 48.41 percent. The president had less than one percent lead over Mr. Buhari.
Reno Omokri's second tweet pollReno Omokri’s second tweet poll
Earlier, Mr. Buhari led in the polls for three days in what was seen as an embarrassing outcome for the president’s camp.
Insiders said at the time several aides and loyalists of the president were later mobilised extensively to reverse the trend in the last 24 hours.
The October poll was ostensibly to counter a survey conducted by Sahara Reporters, in which Mr. Buhari won.
In his poll, Mr. Omokri asked almost the same questions posed by the news website.

PDP Fine Tunes Strategy To Win Polls, As FG May Soon Announce Rescue Of Chibok Girls | Empowered Newswire

With a few days to Nigeria’s presidential polls, an online news agency, Empowered Newswire, is reporting that the Federal Government may be on the cusp of announcing the release of 219 Chibok schoolgirls abducted April 14, 2014 in a final dramatic push to sway voters to support incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.  Logo of the PDP

The newswire service reported that its sources in Abuja disclosed that the surprise rescue of the schoolgirls, whose abduction a year ago sparked global outrage, “is meant to swing the electioneering tide of things in favor of PDP’s presidential candidate and incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan who faces a stiff opposition in Saturday’s election against his APC contender, General Muhammadu Buhari.” Newswire stated that the “pre-arranged” release of the kidnapped schoolgirls was seen as a winner.
Empowered Newswire stated that the Jonathan administration and PDP had been considering a variety of strategies to ensure that Mr. Jonathan is reelected, or at least to thwart the electoral triumph of Mr. Buhari. According to the site, one option the president and his party have considered is “the idea of an Interim National Government.” 
Citing sources close to the military, Newswire reported that “there is a buzz in military circles that sometimes during the week, the military may announce the release of the girls.”
The newswire added that the leaders of the BringBackOurGirls campaign were aware of the development “as they confirm[ed] that words have been sent to the parents of the girls located in Borno, Kano and Kaduna states that they should be prepared to identify their children and wards sometimes this week. It is in fact believed that the parents might be asked to report in Abuja to facilitate the identification of the girls.”
According to Empowered newswire, some of the leaders of the movement for the girls’ rescue said they would rejoice if the girls return, but added that such suspicious timing of the girls’ release would indicate “the wickedness of our government.”
The news service quoted some political observers as questioning the government’s reported plan to use the fate of the girls for political advantage.
“The argument is that if the release of the girls is being planned that might suggest foul play somewhere,” stated the website, adding that its US sources were skeptical about the speculated plan. 
Even so, Newswire quoted a BringBackOurGirls official as declaring that, if the government planned to announce the release of the girls in order to bolster the president’s electoral prospects, “that would amount to… the worst form of aggrandizement. And it is God Himself that will punish such wickedness on the part of some of our government officials.”
The website added that there were also unconfirmed claims that the Federal Government would announce a salary increase sometime this week as another measure to build a political momentum for the PDP in the presidential and national polls. Newswire noted that several Federal Government agencies were already behind in the payment of workers’ salaries. 
Newswire reported that President Jonathan’s threat late last week to arrest those talking about an interim government seemed to put the final lid on that idea. It noted the president’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, had mentioned the idea in a public statement where he claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to be the head of an interim government.
Newswire reported that President Jonathan, the PDP and their political allies were “yet to perceive a water-tight strategy to win Saturday’s election regardless of some of the public show of bravery.” It added: “Besides, even the party Chairman last week ruled out a landslide, in what observers say is a revelation of real fears and worry within the ruling party circles and Aso Rock.”
In the report, Empowered Newswire linked last week’s violent protests in Lagos by the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) demanding the removal of Attahiru Jega, the chairman of Nigeria’s electoral commission, as “indicative of the fact that PDP is still very unsure how the elections would end up on Saturday. It is believed that PDP and friends of the president are behind those OPC protests in Lagos where the protesters were displaying different weapons.”
Newswire reported that international sources were confident that Mr. Jonathan would respect the results of the election, adding, however, “many hawks around the president have been identified as those responsible for developing ideas on how to ensure a decent way to rig the election or just prevent Buhari from becoming president.”

Spill Blood If Necessary: Decamped Rivers State Deputy Governor Ikuru Urges Rivers People To Fight APC

The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, on Monday asked the Peoples Democratic Party faithful to fight and redeem the state from the All Progressives Party, even if it means shedding their blood.  

Rivers State Deputy Gov. Tele Ikuru

Mr. Ikuru made the call in Port Harcourt to a crowd of PDP supporters who turned out to welcome him after his defection from the APC.
“It is necessary for the sake of your fathers, for the sake of your mothers, for the sake of your brothers and sisters and for the sake of your children, every Rivers man must stand up to fight this evil among us,” Mr. Ikuru said. “If it demands your blood, so be it.”
The deputy governor also told the PDP supporters how his friend and boss, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, deceived him into leaving the party in 2013.
According to him, Mr. Amaechi made him to believe that joining the APC was the new order.
“I was deceived, I must confess,” he said. ” I was told that it was a new order. I did not know that it was all about the ambition of an individual. I say big thank you to you all PDP members because, when I was deceived out of PDP, if all of you had not stood your ground to keep the party alive, where would I have returned to?
“In our darkness, we thought that we were in the right place. What is happening in Rivers State today will haunt all of us if we allow it to go unchallenged.”
He announced that his supporters across the 23 local government areas of the state have agreed to dump the ruling APC.
Mr. Ikuru, who said genuine peace will return to the state after the March 28 presidential election, introduced some of his top supporters who defected with him including the former Deputy Mayor of Port Harcourt City, Victor Ere, APC Secretary in Andoni Local Government Area, Kingston Silvanus, amongst others.
Meanwhile, a source has told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr. Ikuru has started moving things out of his official quarters barely two days after he dumped APC for the PDP.
The embattled deputy governor is said to have started moving his personal belongings from his Old GRA official residence on Monday night.
According to the source, Mr. Ikuru is moving to his personal house located in Eagle Island, one of the water locked areas of Port Harcourt city.
“We saw people moving things out of the residence in the night and it is likely he is moving back to his personal house,” the source said.
The deputy governor might have decided to flee from his official residence to forestall being thrown out by Governor Amaechi.
Mr. Amaechi was sacked from his official quarters in 2007 when he would not yield to the PDP’s decision to replace him with his cousin, Celestine Omehia, as the PDP governorship candidate for that year’s election.
Mr. Amaechi was the speaker of the state house of assembly from 1999 – 2007 and was tipped to take over from the then Governor, Peter Odili.
However, during the PDP’s South-South zonal rally in Port Harcourt, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, told party faithful that the gubernatorial ticket Mr. Amaechi won during the primary had a “K-leg”.
Instead of handing Mr. Amaechi the party’s flag, it was given to his cousin, Mr. Omehia, in a move that pitched the two brothers against each other.
When Mr. Amaechi challenged the party’s decision in court, his boss, Mr. Odili, immediately ordered security operatives to throw his personal belongings out of the speaker’s official residence.
The spokesperson for the Deputy Governor, Edna Alete, declined comment when PREMIUM TIMES contacted on whether or not Mr. Ikuru has moved out of his official residence.

Boko Haram Kidnaps 400 Women In Damask

Boko Haram militants have kidnapped more than 400 women and children from the northern Nigerian town of Damasak that was freed this month by troops from Niger and Chad, Reuters quoted residents as saying on Tuesday.  

 

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau in a video released by the Islamist group AFP/Getty Images

There was no immediate official confirmation of the figure, but the Islamist group has previously carried out mass kidnappings. Boko Haram in April 2014 adopted over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok.
“They (insurgents) took 506 young women and children (in Damasak). They killed about 50 of them before leaving. We don’t know if they killed others after leaving, but they took the rest with them,” a trader called Souleymane Ali told Reuters in the town.
Troops of the African joint force last week found the bodies of at least 70 people in an apparent execution site under a bridge leading out of Damasak, where the streets remained strewn with debris and burnt-out cars after the fighting.
Ali said his wife and three of his daughters were among those seized.
“Two of them were supposed to get married this year. (Boko Haram) said ‘They are slaves so we’re taking them because they belong to us,’” he said.
Mohamed Ousmane, another trader, said the militants took his two wives and three of their children.
A 40-year-old resident who gave her name as Fana said fighters had rounded up captives in the main mosque before taking them out of town. She said she saved her two children by hiding them in her house.
Credit: Saharareporters

Don’t Repeat Ekiti Rigging Strategy Under Any Guise, APC Warns Jonathan, PDP

Gentlemen, we have additional information to give you on what has now become Ekitigate. Contrary to the general belief, it was not just the military that was involved. It was the entire gamut of the nation’s security agencies: The police, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Civil Defence. They were all constituted into a task force that was deployed to each local government and placed under the command of the PDP. We have the names of all the servicemen involved in the criminal act, as well as their service and telephones numbers. On the morning of the Ekiti election, not one APC leader was a free man or woman. They were either in detention, in hiding or on the run, because the task force carried out its duty with brutal efficiency.

Lai Mohammed Sahara Reporters

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the Jonathan lead administration and the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it should not repeat Ekiti rigging strategy under any guise.
This was made known, Monday, during a press conference by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos.
The Statement read thus
As you are very much aware, the final countdown has begun to the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, March 28th.
As the clock ticks toward the D-Day, we are compelled to alert Nigerians, local and foreign election observers and indeed the international community to the strategy being employed by the PDP-led Jonathan Administration to manipulate the elections, using what we call the Modified Ekiti Rigging Strategy.
It is no longer news that a Captain in the Nigerian Army, Sagir Koli, has exposed how the Administration used the military to rig the Governorship Election in Ekiti on June 21st 2014. According to Capt. Sagir, soldiers were put at the behest of designated PDP officials at each of the 16 local governments in the state to work with the officials to rig the elections.
Once the PDP officials pointed out any APC leader in a particular local government, such leader was either arrested and detained or simply hounded into hiding. APC leaders who were arrested also had the funds in their possession, including money to pay party agents and for other logistics, confiscated as they were detained till well after the election.
Gentlemen, we have additional information to give you on what has now become Ekitigate. Contrary to the general belief, it was not just the military that was involved. It was the entire gamut of the nation’s security agencies: The police, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Civil Defence. They were all constituted into a task force that was deployed to each local government and placed under the command of the PDP. We have the names of all the servicemen involved in the criminal act, as well as their service and telephones numbers. On the morning of the Ekiti election, not one APC leader was a free man or woman. They were either in detention, in hiding or on the run, because the task force carried out its duty with brutal efficiency.
In view of the global outcry over the Ekiti show of shame, there is a plan to slightly modify it for Saturday’s election, hence what we have now termed the Modified Ekiti Rigging Strategy. Since indications are that the military is no longer willing to be used for such an illegal act, and other security agencies know they will be under the searchlight on election days, those who are averse to a free, fair, credible and violence-free polls have simply come up with the plan to sew military and police uniforms for their party thugs to wear on election day so they can rig the elections for the PDP! A large number of uniformed personnel on election day will be those donning fake uniforms and ranks, and their mandate will be to rig for the PDP and terrorize opposition members and supporters.
They have also mobilized ethnic militias across the country: MASSOB in the South East; OPC in the South West and ex-militants in the Niger Delta. Mobilized under the pretext of a 9 billion Naira pipeline contract, the marching order given to the ethnic militias is to destabilize the election in their respective regions, thus rendering it inconclusive. After all, the PDP knows it cannot win a free, fair and peaceful election. The highly disruptive and armed protest by the OPC in Lagos last Monday was a dress rehearsal for the plot.
Also, thugs have been trained in several South Western States, particularly Ondo and Ogun States, to disrupt the coming elections. In Ondo State, training was organized by the PDP new leadership in Ilaje/Okitipupa zone. These thugs, numbering over 300, were given two weeks training in weapons use under a Commander/President called Miti. They have now been moved in 12 buses to join the Ogun State Group from where they will be dispatched to other states in the South West, with arms.
For the Northern part of the country, the plot is to deploy the Special Forces, who were trained in Belarus, to the liberated territories in the North East, ostensibly to hold the liberated territories but in reality to rig the election for the PDP. Also, Vice President Namadi Sambo has met with security chiefs in Kaduna with a request that they must deliver 2 million votes to the PDP anyhow, with promises of mouth-watering incentives include cash and promotion
Gentlemen, the Inspector-General of Police and the Service Chiefs are also part of the plot. You will recall the unlawful warning issued by the IGP urging voters to cast their ballot and immediately leave the polling units. A similar order is expected to be issued by the Chief of Army Staff ahead of the election, and the orders are aimed at harassing and intimidating voters as well as ensuring they do not stay around to prevent the PDP rigging plans. We urge Nigerians to ignore such unlawful directives which are not grounded in the Electoral Act, as pointed out by the INEC Chairman. Nigerians must not only vote, they must stay behind to protect their votes. Without being disruptive, they should use their phone cameras to document proceedings at the various polling booths, so that no one will tamper with their votes. All they are required to do is to conduct themselves peacefully.
We are here to sound the alarm loud and clear: We will not accept accept a repeat of the Ekiti rigging strategy in any form, modified or
not. Voters must not be harassed or intimidated and they must be allowed to defend their votes, as supported by the Electoral Act. Those who are bent on rigging the elections must know that Nigeria will be under a global spotlight on election day. No polling booth, no matter where it is located, will escape that spotlight.
In this regard, we want to commend the international friends of our country, Nigeria, in particular the United States and Britain, for their support in making sure that the forthcoming elections are free, fair, credible and violence-free. Many of you must have read the OP-ED page article jointly written by US Secretary of State John Kerry and British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Phillip Hammond.
We at the APC associate ourselves with that timely article, in which the authors urged ”all eligible Nigerians to vote, resist those who attempt to incite violence, and to come together as one country to defend the country against terrorist threats”.
They went further: ”There are good reasons why the international spotlight is firmly fixed on Nigeria during this critical period and why we have come together to support an open and credible electoral process. Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and what happens there will have an impact well beyond its borders. A successful election, free from violence and with wide participation, accurate vote counting, and responsible leadership from the candidates would inspire the region and spur future progress and prosperity. It would also be a historic show of support by
Nigerians for democratic values and an equally firm rejection of the brutal terrorist group, Boko Haram, and others who advocate or perpetrate violence.”
We urge all our members and supporters, and indeed all Nigerians, to show uncommon courage and patriotism by doing whatever it takes, lawfully, to defend their votes. We urge them to repudiate those who are planning to foment chaos or rig the polls.
To those planning to disrupt or rig the elections and instigate violence, we ask them to heed the warning signals from the international community, as aptly conveyed by Mr. John Kerry and Mr Phillip Hammond, that ”any person who incites violence at any stage in the electoral process, or who seeks power through unconstitutional means, should be held accountable and should understand that the consequences will be severe, both domestically and internationally”.

Falana Warns Of Military Coup, Says Elections May Not Hold

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has warned that the March 28 and April 11 elections may be sabotaged by anti-democratic forces, which could lead the military to stage a coup d’etat and set in place an interim government.set in place an interim government. 

Femi Falana

Mr. Falana, who stated this in a speech delivered at the Foursquare Gospel Church owned Life Theological Seminary, Ikorodu, on Sunday, said despite assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission, there was no indication that the election will hold as billed.
He also warned of the likelihood of post-election violence should the vote go forward.
Both President Jonathan and the Independent Electoral Commission chair, Attahiru Jega, have maintained that the new election dates are sacrosanct.
“There is no indication that the election will hold,” he said. “If the INEC goes ahead with the conduct of the elections there are fears that the exercise may be sabotaged by anti-democratic forces. If the election holds the results may be rejected leading to a post-election violence which may threaten the corporate existence of the nation.
“In the circumstance, an interim government may be established and be saddled with the task of preparing the country for another political transition. In the alternative, a coup d’etat that may be staged by the top echelon of the armed forces under the pretext of restoring law and order and fighting the menace of insurgency. The military wing of the ruling parties succeeded in Mali and Burkina Faso. But having divided the country along ethnic and religious lines, the masterminds of the political crisis are not likely to profit from the perfidy.”
He therefore, asked Nigerians to prepare “for a long drawn out battle for the liberation of the country from political and economic predators”.
In his speech, the lawyer commended the renewed onslaught against the deadly terror group, Boko Haram, in the North-East region of Nigeria by both the federal government and the Nigerian military.
He, however, asked the military to discontinue the court martial of several solders who had earlier complained about lack of sophisticated weapons to face the insurgents.
He said the government’s admittance that it purchased new equipment for the fight to succeed, meant that the soldiers were justified in the earlier protest.
He also asked the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the Ambassador Usman Gilmatiri presidential panel on insurgency in the north east region and embark on a special programme to address the problems of child education and youth unemployment in the region.
On the state of the nation’s economy, Mr. Falana said the bulk of the intervention funds created by the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration was for the rich.
According to Mr. Falana, the funds including- Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (N69billion); Commercial Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (N200billion); the Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (N200billion); Small and Medium Enterprises Credit Guarantee Scheme (N200billion); the SMEs Restructuring and Refinancing Scheme (N200billion) and Power and Airlines Intervention Fund (N300billion) are yet to have effect on the economy.  
“Sequel to the crash in the price of crude oil the Federal Government announced that austerity measures would be imposed on the hapless Nigerian people,” he said. “Because of the gross mismanagement of the economy by the government and its allies workers are now salaries for months. After the elections the people are going to be made to bear the brunt of the looting of the treasury and costs of running the government.
“But in spite of the grinding poverty in the land Nigerian legislators are said to be the highest paid in the world. The country’s public officers equally receive the highest estacodes in the world. With over 10 aircraft Nigeria has the largest presidential fleet among the developing nations in the world.”
The lawyer also accused the Central Bank of Nigeria of “dollarization of the economy”.
“In a bid to dollarize the economy and destroys the Nigerian economy the CBN supplies millions of dollars to the foreign exchange market on a weekly basis,” he said. “Although Nigeria has become the largest importer of the United States dollars in the world neither the International Monetary Fund (IMF) nor the World Bank has ever questioned the reckless devaluation of the economy. Even, the National Assembly which is debating the 2015 Appropriation Bill has not deemed it to consider the deleterious effects of the increasing devaluation of the national currency on the implementation of the Budget.”
The media was also not left out as Mr. Falana accused the media of diverting attention from Nigeria’s problem of youth unemployment, infrastructural decay, insecurity, corruption, currency devaluation to giving undue prominence to the campaign of calumny and character assassination embarked upon by some politicians.
“The media have thrown caution to the winds by colluding with certain politicians to divert attention from the crises of youth unemployment, infrastructural decay, insecurity, corruption, currency devaluation etc,” he said. “Thus, by giving undue prominence to the campaign of calumny and character assassination embarked upon by some politicians the media have denied the Nigerian people the opportunity to make informed decisions on the candidates of their choice.”

Abubakar Shekau Invites The President To A Peace Summit By Sabella Ogbobode Abidde

Just before noon on February 14, 2015, the President addressed the world press. It was well-attended with journalists from countries like Haiti, the Comoro Islands, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Belize, Papua New Guinea and Iceland.  Abubakar Shekau

How I ended up at Aso Rock is a gist for another day. For now, however, may I just tell you that I was an invited guest -- waiting in the north-by-northwest corner of the refurbished media room when the press conference was taking place. 
I listened to the President as he made promises. For instance, he promised to end corruption in the oil sector by 2019. He promised to create 25 new federating states and build 15 new universities. He promised to build new prisons for petty criminals. 
He also promised to invent new technologies to eradicate stealing and abuse of power. Furthermore, he promised to build Atlantis before the end of 2015. 
Two of the most notable promises he made was to (a) end the ruthlessness of the Fulani herdsmen; and (b) to capture the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, before the March 28 2015 election.
“That trouble-maker,” the President assured, “would be captured, and his ragtag soldiers decimated before the election.” 
The President spoke with passion. He spoke with confidence. He pounded the table and his chest as he made those promises. 
He’s had it! He’s mad as hell! What went undone in six years, he doubly assured, would be accomplished in the next four. 
Praise the Lord… Hallelujah?? Hallelujah!!! Amen?? Amen!!!! Eyin oluwa logo! Ogo ni fun Eledumare!!!!!!!!!
The President then told his audience and the listening public that he was tired of being disrespected by a public who knew nothing about governance. He said he was tired of not being loved by the Nigerian media. Pounding the table harder, he said he was shocked to know that no one feared him. 
Rhetorically, he wondered aloud: “Why is it that that no one love, fears, or respect me in spite of all the good and great things I have done for this country?” 
Turning to his Chief of Staff, he asserted: “We have 100% steady power supply; in just five years, I created 10,000,000 jobs; we sent dogs to the moon and men to Mars; we mapped the Indian and Atlantic Oceans; arrested Osama bin Laden; and increased Nigeria’s population by 75%. And I have been declaring my assets every year since 1999. The EFCC no get wahala with  my wives.”
Some of the Oyinbo people in attendance were dumfounded, flabbergasted, by the president’s remarks. They wondered: “What’s the source of these assertions and promises and newfound confidence and bravado?” Others simply laughed and walked away.  
But not the Africans. Oh no, not the Africans! The Africans, thirty-six in all, exchanged glances and asked: “Na wetin him dey smoke, drink or sniff? 
Later in the day, the president tried out his newly minted Commander-in-Chief Uniform. He looked sharp, very sharp!
This President means business. No more joking around. No more stammering and stuttering. No more ojoro, no more wayowayo. He found his cojones, really big and mighty cojones. Or perhaps, he simply borrowed them. There are some Nigerians who can’t tell the difference between real and fake cojones. 
In any case, Shekau has been freely roaming the Sambisa and other woodlands for more than five years without fear. Without fear or hesitation he’s been attending meetings in Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Once, he was spotted in Timbuktu. At another time, he was spotted at Mount Kilimanjaro. 
All of a sudden, the President is threatening him with arrest and prosecution? Chai, thank god for those cojones.
Within minutes of the President’s threat, Mallam Abubakar Shekau sent a reply through the Chadian Intelligence Unit: “YO JONA, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.”
The President could not believe the speed with which Mallam Shekau responded. After all, the Mallam was hundreds of miles in the Sambisa forest – nowhere near Aso Rock.  Abi?
Within minutes of the President expressing his shock, another message came by way of the NSA: “Nnamdi, no fear…I dey Abuja where I sometimes enjoy Isi Ewu…finger licking spicy goat head” 
“Mallam Abubakar Shekau is in Abuja…Really?”
“Na lie…who born monkey?” the NSA assured him. 
Even so, the President was not going to take chances. He summoned the Service Chiefs. And within an hour the Army, the Police and the SSS effected a quick closedown of Abuja while the President was whisked away to Yenagoa. He was accompanied by 36 prayer warriors. 
According to reliable sources, “This quick dash to the village accounted for why he did not address the nation as to why the election was cancelled.” 
“The fear of Shekau,” I was told “is the beginning of wisdom.” The only thing they fear more, I was told “is ending up in Kirikiri”
While in Yenagoa, Shekau invited the President for a “meaningful dialogue on the way forward…on how to build and rebuild this country of ours.”
The President was shocked that Shekau spoke English. 
Shekau then promised the president that, as a Mallam and a true Muslim, he had no reason to lie to the president. He promised to be honest. He promised to tell the truth. He promised to adhere to international standards and conventions. And he promised to “do no harm.”
He told the president that he had no ulterior motives and promised to attend the meeting alone -- and suggested that the president come alone.
The President, not directing his question at anyone in particular, sheepishly asked: “Him think say na today them born me?” 
He downed a glass of something. Then another. And another. And of course there were traces of smoke and whiff of this and that and that and this in the air.  
This time he looked at the first of his five wives and whispered: “The man of God, Shekau, invited me for a meeting…Make I go?”  
Looking stern and with voiced raised, she said he could but only if 10,000 soldiers and security personnel joined his 2000-men security detail. 
When he called his Chief Security Officer to forward the request to the NSA, he was asked: “Oga, have you secured Mama’s permission?”
As of press time, we still don’t know if the president would honor Abubakar Shekau’s invite and make the trip to Sambisa Forest. Stay tuned!
Oh, would there be an election on March 28, 2015? Abi na katakata go burst before and after?
And where in the world is Abubakar Shekau?

Why Wouldn't I Vote For Change? By Abu Bilaal Abdulrazaq

I graduated from the prestigious Ambrose Alli University in 2005 (approximately 10 years ago), and most of my school mates that graduated in the same year are yet to find gainful employment. I was moved with awe and pity when one of them who studied Business Administration and graduated with honours begged me to help him get even a security job in my place of work, just to make ends meet. The guy had tried out every other thing, other than stealing.

It's true that most of the problems on ground were not created by Goodluck Jonathan, rather he inherited them from past inept governments like his. But the fact is that he knew these problems beforehand as well as the overwhelming majority of Nigerians do, and he was elected to solve the problems, having presented himself as a capable hand.

However, since it has become manifest that he cannot deliver on that mandate, it's a moral obligation upon him to honourably step aside for someone else to help out. The Presidency is a job, not a chieftaincy title. Sentiments apart, Goodluck Jonathan simply cannot do the job.

As it is today, there's no better opportunity to opt for a better leadership than the coming election. The contest is clearly between GEJ and GMB. The good news is that they both have track records by which they can be assessed. While GEJ should actually be crucified for the little he has done and the much he has not done within the space of 6 years he's been in charge, GMB's record for barely 2 years and 8 months as the Head of State witnessed drastic changes in the moral, economic and social lives of Nigerians. In fact, GEJ cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with GMB in terms of record of performance. Those who are saddled with the responsibility of selling GEJ to the public have been having a pretty herculean task carrying out the ignominious assignment, as it is a lot easier to sell shit than to sell Jonathan on the record of his achievements.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in humanity, fellow countrymen, for the sake of accountable leadership, for the sake of ours and our children's future, and for the sake of good conscience, let's keep sentiments aside and vote for change. It's a moral duty/responsibility for which posterity will hold us accountable. Integrity has been so scarce amongst humanity, and more so amongst politicians. How lucky we are to have found this scarce commodity free of charge in General Muhammadu Buhari, who's had it as his hallmark throughout his public service. This chance must not be frittered away. This is a contest between integrity and moral bankruptcy... between superlative performance and mediocrity.... between truth and falsehood... and between light and darkness. The true definition of foolishness is to do the same thing repeatedly and expect a different result. We need a total overhaul. We need change. We need to change the way of governance, we need to change the attitude of the entire citizenry of our country, and we need to change the standard of living and quality of life of Nigerians. We can't always settle for the next best. We too deserve the very best and it's time to go for it.

In the words of Prophet Muhammad, as rendered in simple English, "a day under a just leader is better than sixty years of worship..." (Bayhaqi/Tabarani).

It's 7 days to the presidential election, and 70 days to the May 29 handover date. With Allah on our side, victory is certain.

I like to end by borrowing a slightly modified tweet from my dear brother, Dr. Perigrino Brimah:

#BabaWhenYouGetThere Pls launch the Nigerian manned mission to the moon. Before you send humans, experiment first with Femi Fani-Kayode, Doyin Okupe and Ayodele Fayose.

Abu Bilaal Abdulrazaq bn Bello bn Oare
Kaduna, Nigeria
sahaabah@aol.com

Why I Dumped APC — Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Ikuru

The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru, has given reasons for dumping the All Progressives Congress to join the Peoples Democratic Party, saying the APC is of rebels, insurgents and anarchists.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported the news of Mr. Ikulu’s decision to return to the PDP in a move that is considered a betrayal of his boss and friend, Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Rivers State Deputy Gov. Tele Ikuru

Mr. Ikuru, who was one of Governor Amaechi’s major ally, is said to have announced his defection in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Sunday.
The decampee was first elected deputy governor to Celestine Omehia in 2007, before the duo was removed by the Supreme Court less than six months in office. When Mr. Amaechi was sworn in as governor, he retained Mr. Ikuru as his deputy and the duo fought against the interests and allies of the former governor of the state, Peter Odili.
At the time Mr. Amaechi fell out with the leadership of the PDP and defected to the APC with majority of his aides, Mr. Ikuru remained loyal to the governor and fought on the same side.
But in his formal defection statement titled, “A call on the Conscience of the People of Rivers State,” Mr. Ikulu said he is compeled to address the people out of the fullness of heart.
Recalling events in December 2013, he said he, alongside other disillusioned people of the state, joined the APC out of extreme loyalty to his friend and boss, Mr. Amaechi.
“Ever since, as the true nature and motives of APC are unveiled, I have continued to twist and turn in extreme mental and emotional agony. The more I struggle to belong, the more the Rivers man in me rejects the APC,” Mr. Ikuru said.
"After carefully studying, interacting and analyzing the leadership of the party, I have come to the sad conclusion that the APC is a party of rebels, insurgents and anarchists, clothed in robes of pretense and deceit. APC is a party founded on deception and it thrives on unholy propaganda and falsehood.”
Based on these, Mr. Ikuru said he and his supporters have decided to denounce the APC and have jointly and severally resigned their membership of the party.
“My dear people of Rivers State,” the deputy governor continued,  “we of this generation will not in good conscience expect forgiveness and compassion from our forebears, posterity, and the spirit of our unborn generations if it is recorded in the annals of history that after 48 years of Rivers people supporting leaders from all other parts of this country with our votes and resources, we were the same that witch hunted and hounded down the very first ever President from this region, granted us by providence. I wash my hands off this treachery.”
He, therefore, urged his supporters and the people of the state to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Nyesom Wike.
But in a swift response, Mr. Amaechi said he only received news of his deputy’s resignation from the APC on Sunday evening.
Mr. Amaechi, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari, said Mr. Ikuru’s resignation remains unofficial since he is yet to notify his principal of the move.
While wishing his estranged deputy all the best in his future political endeavour, Mr. amaechi noted that the reasons adduced by Mr. Ikuru for dumping the APC are shocking.  
“Deputy Governor lkuru has consistently been the one driving political activities in his local government area of Andoni,” Mr. Amaechi said.
“He has also been the second in command driving politics and governance in Rivers State.
On a personal note, Governor Amaechi has accorded Engr Ikuru all the privileges and respect due the office of the deputy governor and has treated him with love as a friend and brother.
“Though the governor had hoped that the numerous rumours of Engr Ikuru’s double-faced membership of the APC and open romance with the PDP were not true, he however appreciates the fact that every individual has a right to pursue his political dreams, as he deems most appropriate.”
Mr. Amaechi said it is regrettable that Mr. Ikuru has chosen the dishonourable path of bare faced lies and name-calling rather than the more honourable path of simply retracing his steps to where he has always been. 

The Anti-Corruption Czar, Goodluck Jonathan? By Tundun Sofoluke

In the last two months, we have seen a resurrected government, a government that suddenly, miraculously found a way to get weapons to tackle Boko Haram, a President that miraculously found the courage to visit a region that he has neglected all along. We have a government that suddenly woke up to being a ‘welfarist’ regime, a 50% cut in electricity tariff, compensation for families of dead NIS applicants, reward for outstanding NYSC members—and the list can continue. We see a president doing all he can, not to advance Nigeria, but to ensure he is re-elected at all cost.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Aljazeera called him badluck, the Economist termed him a failure, but as far as we are concerned, Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (GEJ) is our anti-corruption czar, a revered one at that.
Yes, Goodluck hasn’t made a single prosecution of a corruption case worthy of note, but that is simply because he allows and encourages proper and utmost ‘due’ process. He believes that even thieves should be pampered and protected to any level and should be jailed only if there is no escape route. Of course, he doesn’t believe corruption should be punished with jail term, but if by mistake such an ‘anomaly’ occurs, he is always available to bequeath his magnanimity by granting a presidential pardon to such special people a la Bode George, and Diepriye Alameseigha.
It is definitely not news anymore that Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) has proven over and over again that corruption isn’t stealing! He explains, presidentially, that corruption is the tactical way of earning undue advantage or earnings from a venture—which is to him far more honorable than petty theft. Our anti-corruption czar is completely opposed to the maxim that a thief is a thief, be it an executive one or local! He sees the sentiment carried in the maxim above as reminiscent of dictatorial tendencies, and affirms that all that refuse to tolerate stealing in the guise of corruption are the dictatorial devils that should be fled from.
True, a lot of GEJ’s people have been linked with corruption, like Alllison Maduekwe, Stella Oduah, Abdulrasheed Maina, Governor T.A Orji (CON)  amongst others; but the president forthrightly lives up to his word of making sure they go scot free—a ‘good’ leader protecting his own. Especially when they are corrupt in an intelligent and civilized manner, especially if they inflate price of official cars, have an unbelievable expense budget, or institute white elephant projects. He is particularly pleased with people possessing the talent to make expenses like fuel subsidy quadruple in just one year.
Our anticorruption czar has an affinity for people who can make twenty billion dollars disappear without any trace, a really amazing tendency if you ask me!
But, he sincerely abhors people that expose the sins of others (bloody gossips). He despises people that cast aspersions or blow whistles. He has hated whistles since when he had no shoes. He is capable of disgracing and sacking people that fall into the above ignominious group. In fact he would rather promote the ‘blowee’ and dispense with the ‘blower’. And to teach the ‘blower’ a lesson, our anti-corruption czar will limit the ‘blower’s’ movements and prosecute him/her on any spurious charge.
Our anti-corruption czar makes sure that he has the army in his grip as the authentic Commander-in-Chief. He periodically threatens them (the army) with career stagnancy unless they rig elections for him. He makes them desert their primary responsibility, of conquering Boko Haram, to take up a more important job of rigging an election. He has a special place in his heart for Generals that love to profiteer from the death of Nigerians.
    Really, Nigeria is in a mess with this ‘anti-corruption czar’! And I can’t keep a straight face (or is it write up) under a satirical ruse anymore. Or how can I be satirically sane when I am in a country where we can only listen to presidential speeches if we have generators. A country where a president promised to tackle power decisively by the end of 2011, four years after, the story largely remains the same.
I have a president, a supposed anti-corruption czar, who would rather face the menace of ringworm, while ignoring the affliction of a leprosy epidemic.  GEJ has made it a habit of caring about semantics, and dancing around issues. He doesn’t even care enough to pretend to be tackling them.
President Jonathan presided over the kidnapping of hundreds of girls (it’s almost a year already), scores of boys, and the death of tens of thousands in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. We have a president who refused to take responsibilities of his office till electoral defeat began staring him in the face. Unemployed youths died while scrambling for very few and far between jobs under him, and imminent election defeat also had to remind him to fulfill his promise of compensating the bereaved families.
The issues we had when President Jonathan was elected in 2011 include; corruption that was threatening to render our country insolvent, poverty that was threatening to render citizens destitute, lack of infrastructure that was rendering the self employed jobless, and insecurity that was turning Nigeria into a refugee nation. Sadly, all these issues have assumed higher dimensions presently.
In the last six years, we have seen so much indecisiveness in our supposed C-in-C, we have seen an encouragement of corruption from our ‘anticorruption czar’, and the pampering of plunderers of our resources by the one who is meant to ensure the funds are used judiciously and appropriately. We have been ruled by a man who allowed Boko Haram to thrive and waste lives, someone who couldn’t care less, till he had to make a political point.
In the last two months, we have seen a resurrected government, a government that suddenly, miraculously found a way to get weapons to tackle Boko Haram, a President that miraculously found the courage to visit a region that he has neglected all along. We have a government that suddenly woke up to being a ‘welfarist’ regime, a 50% cut in electricity tariff, compensation for families of dead NIS applicants, reward for outstanding NYSC members—and the list can continue. We see a president doing all he can, not to advance Nigeria, but to ensure he is re-elected at all cost.
Nigerians are not fools; we can see that the recent surge in governmental responsibility is a ruse to con us into re-electing the worst president Nigerian has ever had. Fellow Nigerians, I implore us all not to fall for this cheap gimmick; old , young, male, female, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Hausa, Fulani, Urhobo, Itshekiri, Kalabari, Ikwerre, Ogoni, and all tribes should rise up and say no to Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP. Let us all shun tribal and religious sentiments that is always used to divide us, let us embrace change.
I can assure you that it cannot be worse, and we can be hopeful that it would be even far better. Please vote Muhammadu Buhari and let us embrace a change for the better. Our power is our PVC, let us make it count against our oppressor GEJ. Let’s kick out the ironical Anticorruption Czar, and elect a true, honest and forthright man in GMB, let us elect a true corruption-averse president in GMB.
God bless Nigeria.

APC: How Jonathan, PDP Frittered Away N1 Trillion Of Tax Payers' Money On Hate Campaign Trying To Defeat Idea Of Change

President Goodluck Jonathan receiving the flag as the Presidential flag bearer of the PDP yesterday in Lagos State House Photo The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign today declared that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  government has wasted one trillion Naira that belongs to the Nigerian people in his desperate quest to remain in power.  

“We had expected that a President that has spent about 6 years in office with the revenues more than what all governments before him had received will run on a record of performance rather than peddling lies and hate media campaigns that are accentuating ethnic and religious tensions in the country,” it said in a press conference in Abuja addressed by Mallam Garba Shehu, its Director of Media and Publicity.
The APC Campaign observed that a panoramic view of how much of Nigeria’s resources Jonathan and the PDP have spent on print, broadcast and social media campaigns just to damage the unassailable credential of Gen Buhari’s integrity would confound any casual observer of the polity in recent times.
Among them, it noted: “An average cost of a wrap around in Tier 1 and Tier 2 newspapers in Nigeria is between N15 million to N20 million and the Jonathan campaign buys average of 5 wrap around and front pages in a day in the last 3 months coupled with the hundreds of billions that have been spent on negative TV exposures on AIT, NTA and other television and radio stations across the country.”
It further noted that President Jonathan has been criss-crossing Nigeria, giving an average of N50 million each to traditional rulers, most especially in the South West and the Northern parts of Nigeria.
“This week, the President’s campaign money is being shipped to the North. Letters in English and Hausa backed by millions in cash are being dispatched to willing rulers in the region. Religious leaders, trade unions, youths organisations, professional bodies, entertainers are not ruled out of the money sharing jamboree of President Jonathan.”
It recalled in that regard that one pastor recently confirmed that N7 billion was given to Pastors to spread unfounded allegations of Islamaphobia and scare mongering against Gen Buhari and other APC leaders.
“A president and his depraved political party that finds it convenient to lavish billions of Naira on political propaganda spins, but finds it difficult to remove the corruption surrounding the access to kerosene for millions of families in this country should not deserve the votes of Nigerians,” the Campaign said.
It noted that the entire oil industry in Nigeria stinks of corruption, and rather than investing its energies into how petroleum products will be accessible to Nigerians, the Jonathan government busies itself blindly spending money to confuse Nigerians about the electoral choices they make.
It recalled that in various Nigerian states over the past year, in all the geopolitical zones, teachers have gone on strike on account of unpaid salaries, leaving millions of children idle and without access to formal education for months at a stretch.  Similarly, many Nigerian teachers went for the Christmas holidays without having received their November and December salaries, it said, and many earn less than the agreed minimum wage.  
“Mindless looting of our national treasury to fund hate campaign and rent crowd at home and abroad like the case of rudderless Nigerians at Chatham House in London, arming ethnic militias for election purposes will not save this incompetent and clueless government being presided over by President Jonathan and his party from defeat on Saturday at the polls,” the APC Campaign Organization promised.
It reiterated that the issues in Saturday’s election are massive corruption in the conduct of government business, insecurity, unemployment and systemic decay in all sectors of our economy.
“They are the issues this government has been found wanting by Nigerians and for which they are ready to cast their votes for APC and our Presidential Candidate, Gen Buhari.”
  Text of the press statement:
Gentlemen of the Press you are welcome to this very important press conference.
We will like to bring to your attention and that of Nigerians how the President Goodluck Jonathan led Peoples Democratic Party government is wasting one trillion Naira that belong to Nigerian people in his self-serving and desperate bid for a re-election at all cost in the midst of grinding poverty his party and government has subjected Nigerians to in the last 16 years.
It is unconscionable and height of betrayal of public trust that a government and a President who should preside over the husbandry and judicious use of our national patrimony is superintending over its massive squander in a futile attempt to stop the idea of change. Let us sound a note of warning at this point that no amount of sponsored negative media propaganda can stop this idea whose time has come.
The APC Presidential Campaign and the acceptability of our candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has become a peoples’ movement and Nigerian masses who are the drivers of change are the major stakeholders.
  A panoramic view of how much Nigeria’s resources Jonathan and PDP have laboriously and wantonly spent on print, broadcast and social media campaigns just to damage the unassailable credential of Gen Buhari’s integrity will confound any casual observer of the polity in recent times.
  An average cost of a wrap around in Tier 1 and Tier 2 newspapers in Nigeria is between N15 million to N20 million and the Jonathan campaign buys average of 5 wrap around and front pages in a day in the last 3 months coupled with the hundreds of billions that have been spent on negative TV exposures on AIT, NTA and other television and radio stations across the country.
We had expected that a President that has spent about 6 years in office with the revenues more than what all governments before him had received will run on a record of performance rather than peddling lies and hate media campaigns that are accentuating ethnic and religious tensions in the country.
President Jonathan has been criss-crossing Nigeria giving an average of N50 million each to traditional rulers, most especially in the South West and the Northern parts of Nigeria. This week, the President’s campaign money is being shipped to the North. Letters in English and Hausa backed by millions in cash are being dispatched to willing rulers in the region. Religious leaders, trade unions, youths organisations, professional bodies, entertainers are not ruled out of the money sharing jamboree of President Jonathan.
Gentlemen of the Press you will recall that a Pastor recently confirmed that N7 billion was given to Pastors to spread unfounded allegations of Islamaphobia and scare mongering against Gen Buhari and other APC leaders.
We are very much concerned as a campaign organisation that this hundreds of billions that have been sunk into bottomless pit of illogical and unreasonable negative campaign of calumny can conveniently provide basic amenities and social services that will improve the standard of living of our people through improvement in our healthcare delivery system, education, road, access to credit by rural women, improve our national electricity grid to save businesses from collapsing under high cost of generating their own power.
  A fraction of the trillion naira hate campaign expenditure will fund the APC programme of feeding primary school pupils in Nigeria on one nutritional meal a day, comfortably pay N5000 monthly to 25 million very poor Nigerians for a year and pay unemployment benefit for one year for graduates who can't find gainful employment one year after NYSC which are core to the social welfare programmes of the APC Federal government Gen Buhari will lead.
Today, we are all witnesses to the excruciating pains our people go through to purchase kerosene - a daily household need of millions of families in Nigeria.
The government officially puts the price of kerosene at N50 per litre, but every household that purchases the product daily knows that they spend more than N150 for a litre of kerosene. Any businessman allocated kerosene by the NNPC returns a handsome margin that goes into the Jonathan campaign.
A president and his depraved political party that finds it convenient to lavish billions of Naira on political propaganda spins, but finds it difficult to remove the corruption surrounding the access to kerosene for millions of families in this country should not deserve the votes of Nigerians.
The entire oil industry in Nigeria stinks of corruption, and rather than government investing its energies into how petroleum products will be accessible to Nigerians, the Jonathan government busies itself blindly spending money to confuse Nigerians about the electoral choices they make.
In various states around the country over the past year, in all the geopolitical zones, teachers have gone on strike, leaving millions of children idle and without access to formal education for months at a stretch, owing to unpaid salaries.  Many Nigerian teachers went for the Christmas holidays without having received their November and December salaries.  Many earn less than the agreed minimum wage.  
  Mindless looting of our national treasury to fund hate campaign and rent crowd at home and abroad like the case of rudderless Nigerians at Chatham House in London, arming ethnic militias for election purposes will not save this incompetent and clueless government being presided over by President Jonathan and his party from defeat on Saturday at the polls.
The frustrations of Nigerians on the Jonathan government are very manifest – you can almost touch it on the back of your wrist. Therefore, this election is not about how much the incumbent president and the ruling party can spend to dubiously keep itself in power. And let the PDP make no mistakes about it: this election is clearly a referendum on the performance of the Goodluck Jonathan administration and millions of Nigerians going to cast their ballot in this Saturday’s election will be going there to write an epitaph of the PDP and Jonathan government.
We want to reiterate that the issues in this election are massive corruption in the conduct of government business, insecurity, unemployment and systemic decay in all sectors of our economy. They are the issues this government has been found wanting by Nigerians and for which they are ready to cast their votes for APC and our Presidential Candidate, Gen Buhari.
Thank you for your kind attention and for attending this press conference at a very short notice.

Mallam Garba Shehu
Directorate of Media and Publicity
APC Presidential Campaign Organisation

You are Not Needed Around Polling Stations- Court Tells Military

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Monday, restrained the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government from deploying the military to supervise the coming general elections.The presiding Judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, in his ruling, declared that it is unconstitutional to deploy military for the supervision of election without the approval of the National Assembly.  

Nigerian soldiers on patrol in Maiduguri Premium Times The ruling of the court, was sequel to a suit filed by Femi Gbajabiamila, a member of the House of Representatives representing Surulere Federal Constituency 2 under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC against President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief Of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Attorney General of the Federation.
In his argument, Seni Adio, lawyer to the plaintiff, argued that there was an allegation and evidence that the military inhibited free movement, free access and intimidation of voters in of Osun, Ekiti, and Anambra where the military were deployed during the governorship elections in those states.
In addition, Adio argued further that it is not ideal to deploy the military to supervise election in a democratic setting. Consequently, considering what happened in Osun and Ekiti in 2014 and Anambra in November, 2013, he urges the court to restrain the defendants from using the military in the coming elections.
Mr. Dele Adeshina, SAN, opposed the application on the ground that the President being the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, is empowered under Armed Forces Act to deploy the military to maintain law and order.
In his response, Adio said the Armed Forces Act is subordinate to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Monday’s ruling tallies with that of the Federal High Court in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria, which had on Thursday, 29 January, 2015,  outlawed the use of the military for election duty across Nigeria.
The court ruled on the lingering controversy and declared the use of soldiers as unconstitutional.
Justice Mohammed Rilwan Aikawa ruled that other than for the purposes of protecting the nation’s territorial integrity, no constitutional provision allows for the deployment of the military for elections.
The suit challenging the deployment of military for election duties was instituted by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Bello Goronyo, representing Goronyo Constituency in Sokoto State.
Justice Rilwan added that for the Federal Government to do so, it must have taken recourse to the National Assembly, which would enact such law.
The presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari had early in January warned President Goodluck Jonathan against further deployment of soldiers to cities and towns during elections.
He said that the soldiers were meant to defend the territorial integrity of the country and not for policing elections.
Whereas few military men have been deployed to tackle insurgents in the north east, he said a large number were deployed to monitor elections.
Also, in its February 16  letter, APC drew Jonathan’s and the INEC’s attention to the January 29 judgment of Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Sokoto and the February 16 decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which outlawed the President’s unilateral deployment of soldiers for the June 21, 2014 Ekiti State governorship election. It urged them to obey both decisions.
In the letter signed by the Director, Legal, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), the party argued that by virtue of both decisions, it had become illegal for the President and INEC to involve members of the armed forces in electoral matters without the National Assembly’s permission.
Justice Aikawa restrained the President and INEC “from engaging the service of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria, without an Act of the National Assembly.”
Justice Abdul Aboki , in his lead judgment in the Ekiti State Governorship Election appeal delivered on February 16, held that “even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian Armed Forces and to unleash them on peaceful citizens, who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.
“Whoever unleashed soldiers on Ekiti State disturbed the peace of the election on June 21, 2014; acted in flagrant breach of the Constitution and flouted the provisions of the Electoral Act, which required an enabling environment by civil authorities in the conduct of elections.”
Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution makes the maintenance of internal security, including law and order during elections, the exclusive responsibility of the police.
According to Lagos lawyer Mr Femi Falana (SAN), it is erroneous for Prof Jega to say that only the military could guarantee security during the elections.
To him, once INEC has discharged its constitutional duty of fixing election dates, the onus is on the police to provide security and maintain law and order.
Falana recalled that the courts have consistently enjoined the Federal Government to desist from involving the armed forces in elections.
He cited the leading judgment of the Court of Appeal in Yussuf v Obasanjo (2005) 18 NWLR (PT 956) 96, which the court held: “It is up to the police to protect our nascent democracy and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarized. This is not what the citizenry bargained for in wrestling power from the military in 1999. Conscious step or steps should be taken to civilianize the polity to ensure the survival and sustenance of democracy.”
The court, Falana said, reiterated its views in the case of Buhari v Obasanjo (2005) 1 WRN 1 at 200 when it stated: “In spite of the non-tolerant nature and behavior of our political class in this country, we should by all means try to keep armed personnel of whatever status or nature from being part and parcel of our election process. The civilian authorities should be left to conduct and carry out fully the electoral processes at all levels.”
Upholding the judgment, the Supreme Court stated in Buhari v Obasanjo (2005) 50 WRN 1 at 313 that the state is obligated to ensure that “citizens who are sovereign can exercise their franchise freely, unmolested and undisturbed.”
Falana said going by the verdicts, Prof Jega should ensure that INEC is not further blackmailed by the military hierarchy.
“On their own part, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Service Chiefs should desist from usurping the constitutional responsibility of the INEC and the Nigeria Police Force,” Falana added.


Credit: Sahara Reporters