Elders, leaders of socio-political organisations and key stakeholders from the northern part of Nigeria, have scored President Muhammadu Buhari low and rejected him as the candidate to run for the 2019 general elections.

The leaders who met on Saturday in Kaduna, insisted that Buhari must be replaced by competent persons.

Those present included the leaders of the Northern Elders’ Forum, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Borno Elders Forum, Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, among other groups.

In a communique read by a member of the Northern Elders Forum and Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s Senate President, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the northern leaders stated that the current administration had not demonstrated enough strong will to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency and herdsmen/farmers’ clashes.

Northern Leaders Score Buhari Low Ahead Of 2019 Elections – 01:16
— Channels Television

“We demand immediate and decisive steps to improve the security of lives and economic assets in the North by the federal and state governments. Too many communities are at the mercy of attacks from sundry groups of criminals who appear to have unchallenged access to space and weapons.

“The Summit noted that despite notable successes by the administration against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, many Northern communities still live under its threat. In many other parts of the North, communities are routinely exposed to attacks from shadowy killers, and suspicion and anger at known and suspected killers are pitching Northerners against each other. Armed bandits terrorize rural communities almost at will, while kidnappings and abductions have assumed alarming notoriety as crimes.

“The nation’s security and law and order assets are stretched beyond points where they can’t provide even the most elementary confidence and protection of citizens. The North has rarely been so exposed to multiple and varied threats.

“Since 2015, Northerners have occupied positions with the potential to make decisive differences in the economy, security or political fortunes of the region. The hopes that leaders who have exercised power since 2015 will reverse the abuse and neglect of the region in the previous decade have been betrayed. Weak governance, gross insensitivity and unacceptable levels of incompetence have been compounded by battles of attrition in which northerners have sapped each other’s’ strength. Weak and incoherent responses to provocations from other parts of the country around the imperatives of re-visiting the foundations and structures of the Nigerian state have created the false image of a North without its own positions beyond survival as the parasite of Nigeria.”

“The Summit, having undertaken a thorough analysis of the state of the North and our communities, therefore urges all leaders, elders and communities to seek peaceful resolutions of conflicts between and among communities. Lives lost, injuries suffered, and losses incurred in any community must be redressed firmly and fairly. The roots of co-existence and inter-dependence in all Northern communities are much deeper than the barricades being erected around communities. All persons who are involved in killings and crimes against communities must be brought to book.

“The summit warns that no Northern politician should expect to be voted for in the next general election unless they demonstrate a willingness to champion a massive assault on poverty and underdevelopment in the North. In this regard, most political office holders from the North are hereby served notice that they have failed the test to lead the region towards economic recovery and growth.

“The summit asserts the rights of all Northerners to examine all options in political choices they will make in 2019. The leadership selection process must be critically interrogated to present the best leader to Nigeria as a whole. No one should take the North for granted, and it is not for sale. It will resist shedding its blood for any candidate and will critically scrutinize all politicians who will seek our mandate. At this stage, all options are on the table, and politicians who have betrayed the hopes and mandates of our people should be prepared to suffer rejection, in the same manner, the votes of the North rejected the attempt to continue with impunity, corruption and indifference of the previous regime,” Baba-Ahmed stated.

Source: Dailypost.NG

Retired Lt. General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma has urged Nigerians to defend themselves from killers across the country instead of depending on the armed forces.

Danjuma, a former chief of army staff from 1976-1979, said this today in a live telecast programme of the 10th anniversary of the Taraba State University, Jalingo, as he also made a grave accusation against the armed forces, accusing them of providing cover and defending the killers.

“You must rise to protect yourselves from these people. If you depend on the armed forces for protection, you will all die one by one”, said a visibly angry Danjuma.

“The ethnic cleansing must stop now. Otherwise, Somalia will be a child’s play. I ask everyone of you to be on the alert and defend your country, defend your territory, defend your state because you have nowhere else to go.

“The armed forces are not neutral. They are conniving with the armed bandits that are killing people,” he said.

Danjuma described Taraba as a miniature Nigeria with beautiful cultures which the bandits were doing everything to destroy.

Taraba, the home state of the retired general, had witnessed, like the Middle Belt states of Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, clashes between herdsmen and farmers, leading to many deaths. Herdsmen alleged that about 800 of them were killed on the Mambilla Plateau, a charge the Taraba state government has denied.

There have also been the problems of banditry and cattle rustling in some North Western states, especially Zamfara, which President Muhammadu Buhari visited on Thursday. There he ordered the armed forces to stop the killings all over the country.

Across the country have been reports of either banditry, herdsmen killing farmers or their hosts and kidnapping.

Danjuma’s advice was that all Nigerians should protect themselves, rather than waiting for the armed forces alone to protect them.

Gov Darius Ishaku expressed joy over the growth of the university within a short time, and commended its founding fathers for their foresight.

“The institution has made it possible for many Taraba residents to access tertiary education,” he said, andpledged government’s support toward making it a model.

Prof. Vincent Tenebe, the Vice Chancellor, commended the state government for its continued support which had ensured the growth of the university.

Tenebe said that 5,900 students from five sets were graduating, and urged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that honorary doctorate degrees were conferred on Danjuma, Sen. Jeremiah Useni and Gov. Ishaku.

Also honoured with doctorate degrees were Dr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Tony Elumelu Foundation, and Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, former Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

Danjuma had earlier inaugurated the 6.75-kilometre Magami link road constructed by the Taraba government.

Source: NAN

Yolanda Renee King, the nine-year-old granddaughter of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. brought many to tears on Saturday with a surprise appearance at the Washington D.C rally by American students calling for gun control from Congress and President Donald Trump.

My grandfather had a dream that his four little children will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, Yolanda told a rapt crowd.

I have a dream that enough is enough, she said, referencing her grandfathers famous 1963 I Have a Dream speech on ending racism.

And that this should be a gun-free world period..

Watch Yolanda speak:

Martin Luther King Jr.'s granddaughter, Yolanda Renee King, speaking at the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C.

Democracy Now! (@democracynow)

Demanding action on gun control from lawmakers, more than one million Americans turned out for emotional nationwide protests on Saturday fuelled by teenagers at a Florida high school where 17 people were shot dead last month.

Politicians, either represent the people or get out, Cameron Kasky, a 17-year-old from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, told the crowd at a huge rally in Washington.

Stand for us or beware the voters are coming, said Kasky, one of the leaders of a dynamic and passionate student movement which has emerged following the February 14 shooting at his school.

Large crowds also turned out for demonstrations in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Seattle and other cities more than 800 in all according to the organizers of the March For Our Lives.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said 175,000 people took part at the New York rally, tweeting: These students WILL change America.

But the largest protest was in Washington, where organizers told NBC News the crowd was estimated at more than 800,000 people, the largest gun control rally in the United States since the Million Mom March in 2000.

The main stage for the event in Washington was set up near the US Capitol and lawmakers were the target audience as speakers delivered blistering warnings that the time has come for stricter gun laws.

The people demand a law banning the sale of assault weapons, Kasky said.

The people demand we prohibit the sale of high-capacity magazines. The people demand universal background checks.

We are going to take this to every election, to every state, and every city, said another Stoneman Douglas student leader, David Hogg.

March organisers included a link for people to register to vote on their MarchForOurLives.com website as they seek to transform their nascent movement into a potent political force.

Signs carried by protestors lambasted lawmakers who oppose tougher laws and the National Rifle Association (NRA), the powerful US gun lobby.

These kids are right, said Jeff Turchin, a 68-year-old retired garment manufacturer who came to Washington from New York to attend the rally.

Theyre basically saying the NRA is paying off these Republicans, Turchin said of the party of President Donald Trump, which controls the Senate and House of Representatives.

The Washington rally kicked off with Andra Day singing Rise Up and also featured a performances by Jennifer Hudson, whose mother, brother and seven-year-old nephew were shot dead in 2008.

Holding a poster reading Never Again, the slogan for the march, Miley Cyrus performed the song The Climb.

But the most riveting appearances were by the Stoneman Douglas students.

Emma Gonzalez, 17, took the stage wearing a green military-style jacket and ripped jeans and delivered a eulogy for the 14 students and three adults slain by 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz.

Tears rolling down her face, she then stood in silence at the podium for a full four and half minutes as the crowd fidgeted and some cried out Were with you Emma.

Since the time that I came out here, it has been six minutes and 20 seconds, Gonzalez finally said the exact amount of time Cruz spent spraying bullets inside her school before fleeing.

Fight for your lives before its someone elses job, Gonzalez said. Get out there and vote.

*AFP

Source: NAN

Some leaders from South, West and Middle Belt at a rally on Saturday restated their call for the restructuring of Nigeria.

The leaders are from South-South, South-West and the South East and Middle Belt influential have reiterated the need to restructure the country.

The mega rally was organised by Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in Yenagoa, where they jointly announced their resolve to work together for the realisation of the goal.

They contended that restructuring was the best solution to the current challenges confronting the nation.

President General, Igbo Apex Organisation, Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who said he was in support of restructuring, stated that such move would go a long way to better the lives of all Nigerians.

What we mean by restructuring is fair treatment and justice; restructuring is a called for new Nigeria, which will enhance unity and justice of the people.

Our people need unity, equity and justice as citizens; restructuring implies the structural and a physical paradigm of Nigeria to give all sections a sense of belonging, Nwodo said.

Dr Bala Takaya, President of Middle Belt Forum, who decried the level of security challenges in the country, stressed the need for restructuring of the nation.

According to him, the alliance between the Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt is for inclusive Nigeria to effect the restricting of the Nation to a federal system of government, where each and every federating unit shall hold equal and coordinate powers.

He said: We hereby, invite fellow Nigerians, desirous of equity, fairness and justice in the affairs of our dear country to join us in the task of moving the country forward.

Our desire and commitment is that our dear country may resume her delayed journey towards the fulfilment of its manifest destiny, Takaya said.

In his remark, Chief Edwin Clark, Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), said the leaders of the region were strongly in support of the move for restructuring of the nation.

According to Clark, nobody is more important than any other person in this country, every Nigerian is equal and all we are asking for is fair treatment for all citizens.

Chief Ayo Adebayo, leader of Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, said Afenifere also supported the move to restructure the country

The host and Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson, commended his guests and their renewed call for restructuring of the nation.

We gathered here in Bayelsa, the heart of Ijaw Nation today, for a course for an egalitarian and prosperous Nigeria, Dickson said. (NAN)

Source: NAN

In line with the judgement of the Court of Appeal, recall process embarked upon by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would begin on March 27.

According to the schedule released by INEC, the notice of verification would be displayed in the constituency in Kogi state.

INEC said that April 4th will be the last day for the submission of application by interested observers.

It listed April 20 as the last day for submission of names of verification agents for the member sought to be recalled and the petitioners.

The electoral umpire is also invoking sections 69 and 110 of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 116 of the electoral act as amended.

Voters in Kogi West senatorial district of the embattled senators appended signatures for the recall of the senator.

INECs Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, had earlier said: For now, all legal hurdles as far as we are aware have been removed so the commission should proceed as if the case did not occur.

The recall process was commenced by INEC, but Melaye headed for the court to halt it, but he lost at the High Court and thereafter appealed.

At the appeal court last Friday in Abuja, the three judges, led by Justice Tunde Awotoye, dismissed the appeal filed by Melaye against the judgment delivered by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba at the Federal High Court in 2017, on grounds that there was no cause of action.

Justice Dimgba had on September 11, 2017, dismissed the suit filed by Senator Melaye, seeking to stop INEC from initiating his recall from the National Assembly.

He held that senator Melayes complaints were hasty, premature and presumptuous and therefore ordered INEC to go ahead with its planned verification exercise of the 188,588 registered voters who were said to have signed a petition in support of the recall process.

Unsatisfied with Justice Dimgbas judgement, Malaye proceeded to the Appeal Court two days later, arguing that the Federal High Court judge erred in law when he validated the petition presented to INEC for his recall.

But the Appeal Court in dismissing the suit held that the Federal High Court ought not to have entertained Melayes suit ab initio.

The court held that the 90 days stipulated by the Constitution within which a recall process could take place has no time limitation, stating that the lower court ought not to have entertained Melayes suit ab initio.

Asked about the specific steps INEC would take in continuing the process based on the judgement, Mr Osaze-Uzzi said the commission would get in touch with Melaye and ask him to give it an agent after which it would conduct a verification exercise for the signatories to the recall petition.

The electoral body will also release a timetable informing Nigerians of every step in the process and the date for each.

Source: NAN

Theodore Mukoro, 89, the pioneer Headmaster and lead character in the now rested NTA soap, Village Headmaster, is dead.

My father, late Theodore Mukoro, was never ill to the extent of being on admission for once until the last one where he died on March 7.

Even, when he had cataract surgery he came home the same day, Mrs Angela Ajetunmobi, one of the two surviving children , said.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that late Pa Mukoro, the first person to act the `Headmaster role in the popular but now rested soap had a brief illness that led to his death.

This illness before his death was very brief, now I know what people mean when they say, died after a brief illness.

He took ill on Saturday, was admitted in hospital on Sunday and he gave up in the of Wednesday , March 7 in the arms of my sister-in-law, the wife of my fathers only surviving son.

The doctors were wondering why and asking what was the relationship between Uncle Ted and his daughter-in -law.

They were very close and it was like he had waited for her to arrive in the hospital that morning. He was said to have held her hand and took his last breathe.

He just slipped away while we were planning his 90th birthday for October, Ajetunmobi told NAN.

In terms of broadcasting, the late Ted Mukoro was one of the first 10 people to appear on WNTV screen as newscasters when it was set up by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the premier of Western Region at the time, she said of her fathers career.

Uncle Ted was the first person to play the role of the headmaster in the popular soap opera called The Village Headmaster usually transmitted on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) some years ago.

He was also one of the first persons to write scripts for the soap opera.

I recall that the first two or three scripts of the Village Headmaster Series were written by him as well as produced a few episodes. He coined a few of the characters names such as Jigabi and Bassey Okon.

He was very much involved with production of the now defunct household name opera.

Ajetunmobi said that her late father also feature in Dinner with the devil alongside popular actress Omotola Jolade Ekeinde.

According to her, Uncle Ted continued to work till the week before he died; he was consulted widely for the advertising world when many advertising agencies were working on new projects.

We were used to seeing them come here and give him briefs to write. He would be up till 4 a.m. He had a great work ethics; not a lazy man.

Ajetunmobi said that in every job his father did while alive, he always left his mark and was very famous. In advertising he retired as the first indigenous creative director of Lintas Communications Nigeria Ltd.

He worked for Star Beer where he coined the phrase Shine shine bobo andBlack tin good o for Guinness Beer.

I remember Patti Boulaye, OBE, who also featured in the Lux Soap advert he shot in Miami, Florida in the US.

He had a lot of achievements in the advertising world. We, including my late mother, grew up in front of the television participating in adverts, Angela Ajetunmobi told NAN.

She added that her father was great with the pidgin language as a Warri boy as well as the Queens English.

He would get angry with corrupted pidgin English.

He was a typical Warri boy and he also considered himself a typical Lagos boy because he had lived and worked all his life in Lagos, she said.

Ajetunmobi added that her parents were originally living in Warri from where they moved to Ibadan where she was born.

They finally moved to Lagos, ending up at the Nigerian Television then NTV where he was employed as a news caster.

My father was a very interesting person. He never stopped educating. That was something that I found very interesting about him.

Whenever he was watching my interviews on the television, he wasnt listening to the thrust of the conversation, all he was listening to was how I was pronouncing my words, the tenses and things like that.

Those were the things he focused on. He was a perfectionist in that regard. He was a great wordsmith. Words were his life.

He impressed that upon us. One of the things we his children are really good at is communicating with words.

Ajetunmobi added that because of her fathers love for words, the family house was and still is full of books. He was a books person, he read until his last day.

Before he died at 89; I was planning to set up a library in his honour and that of my mother who died in 2010. I would still do it in their honour

Source: NAN

More than 20,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State at the weekend defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Led by the Director General of the APC State Campaign Organization in 2015, Chief Sunny Udom, the defectors lamented the state of the country and vowed to return PDP to power in 2019.

At a reception in honour of Governor Udom Emmanuel, and wife Martha, organised by youths of the old Abak division comprising five local government areas, Chief Udom said that APC stood no chance in the next elections in the state.

“I brought these people, I came from APC; APC does not have a candidate.

“I was the Director General of their Campaigns and I know that their house is not in order.

“We heard about change but the change turned out to be from frying pan to fire.

“At least let us come back to the frying pan, the umbrella is a very good symbol,” he said.

He said that he and his people were under obligation to support the governor who is married to a daughter of the Old Abak division, maintaining that the Governor has served the state well.

Among those who defected were former chairman of Abak local government area, Arc. Okon Obot, former House of Representatives member, Chief Nkereuwem Dan; ex local government chairmen and some ward coordinators of APC.

Speaking, Governor Emmanuel appreciated the people of Old Abak Division for the honour.

He promised to continue his industrial drive in the state, through the provision of critical infrastructure to in the state.

Chairman on the occasion and National Legal Adviser of PDP, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem, said that his people in Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Oruk Anam and Ukanafun have agreed that the Governor should continue in office.

Source: Dailypost.NG

The Nigeria Police Force said on Saturday that the Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye and Alhaji Mohammed Audu would be declared wanted if they refuse to comply with court order.

Melaye and Audu are expected to appear before the Federal High Court, Lokoja, on March 28 to answer criminal charges against them.

Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood in a statement said the duo’s refusal to appear in court would force it to obtain warrant of arrest or declare them wanted throughout the country and on INTERPOL platform.

DAILY POST recalls that a political thug, Kabiru Saidu, A.K.A Osama, had confessed that Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the sum of N430,000.00 for him to share with his boys.

Moshood giving update on the investigation, said the indictment of both politicians has led the Force to invite them for questioning.

He said: “Working on actionable intelligence, the Kogi State Police Command personnel and operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad trailed and arrested two suspects – Kabiru Saidu a.k.a Osama, 31, From Dekina local government area of Kogi State but based in Anyagba (Leader of the gang) and Nuhu Salisu a.k.a Small, 25, (a member of the gang), after a gun battle with the police team that lasted for some hours on the 19th January, 2018 at Ogojueje in Dekina LGA.

“During investigation, they confessed to the various criminal roles they played in the commission of several kidnappings and armed robbery, murder and other violent crimes in different parts of Kogi State for which they have been on the wanted list of the police for more than two years now.

“The gang leader Kabiru Saidu revealed that he and his gang had been working as a political thug for one Alhaji Mohammed Audu, a politician in the state and that Alhaji Mohammed Audu invited him to Abuja and introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye and they met on Airport Road, Abuja, inside the Senator Dino Melaye’s Car in December 2017.

“Saidu further confessed to the police investigative team that Senator Dino Melaye handed over a bag containing one AK47 rifle, two Pump Action guns and the sum of N430,000.00 to share with his boys.

“The police conducted investigation into the criminal indictments against Melaye and Mohammed Audu and discovered that the two of them have case to answer.”

Source: Dailypost.NG

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, on Saturday confirmed that the Boko Haram terrorists was set to release Leah Sharibu, the only Christian Schoolgirl still in captivity.

IGP Idris made the revelation while speaking to reporters in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“I was suppose to be in Dapchi today but I couldn’t go because l learnt that Leah Sharibu may be released today by the Boko Haram terrorists.

“I would have gone to Dapchi today but by the time I fly in with a helicopter and police escort, they(terrorists) may think I’m trying to break the arrangement”.

Meanwhile residents of Dapchi are excited over the news that the insurgents have agreed to free Leah Sharibu.

“We are very happy about this development but for now we are waiting patiently to receive Leah Sharibu” a resident told Aledeh.com

“Some residents have ran out of Dapchi for fear of the unknown by the time the insurgents bring Leah Sharibu back,” Kachalla Bukar, Secretary of Association of Parents of Dapchi missing school girls also stated.

Source: Dailypost.NG

Nigeria’s Super Eagles on Friday demonstrated their intention to impress at the 2018 FIFA World Cup by defeating Poland 1-0 at the Stadion Miejski, Wroclaw.

Victor Moses’ 61st minute penalty kick made the difference as the Eagles fought hard to earn a win over world number eight Poland.

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr made the most difficult call between the sticks, as he eventually went for Francis Uzoho.

The selection earned the youngster his first full debut for the Super Eagles and he gave a fairly good account of himself as proceedings went on in the match.

Elsewhere in the Eagles team, Joel Obi was given his first Super Eagles cap since his last outing in a friendly against Scotland in May 2014.

The Torino of Italy midfielder partnered Wilfried Ndidi in the middle of the pack, while Brian Idowu was also chosen ahead of Elderson Echiejile at left-back.

Eight minutes into the game, the Super Eagles were culpable, as hosts Poland almost took the lead after Robert Lewandowski hit the post from a sliding pass.

However, it was a physical contest between the Eagles and the Poles, leading to the removal of Polish Karol Linetty before the Nigerian side tried their bit to threaten their hosts with Moses picking himself up to curl a free kick past Lukasz Fabianski’s post in the 34th minute.

The Eagles had much to worry about between the sticks but Uzoho overcame his jittery start to the encounter and got down well to deny Lewandowski’s point-blank effort in the 51st minute to keep the hosts at bay.

However, it was the Super Eagles who had the upper hand as Moses was fouled in the area and the Chelsea man slotted in his spot kick perfectly to give Nigeria the lead which eventually took them to the end of the game.

With the morale-boosting win, the Super Eagles will now take on Serbia on Tuesday in London to consolidate their fine form en route the 2018 World Cup in Russia.