Tompolo: Buhari will not know peace, if…

Niger-Delta war-lord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will not know peace if the Niger Delta region of the country knows no peace.

Tompolo, disclosed this while reacting to allegations that he attacked oil installations in Warri area of Delta state threatened the number one citizen of Nigeria after stating his readiness to corporate with the federal government.

The reasons why the ex-militant drew the Niger Delta region into his differences with the federal government is unclear but the influential warlord might be on collision course with the government over his statement.

“Well, I am sure this is what President Buhari is looking for. He should allow the people of the Niger Delta Region to know peace, otherwise he will not know peace as well,” Tompolo said in the last paragraph of his statement issued by Paul Bebenimibo, his media aide.

Group to drag Fr. Mbaka to Pope Francis over prophesy on Buhari

A pro-Democracy Non-governmental organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, has dismissed Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka’s “prophesy” of an assassination attempt on President Muhammadu Buhari by corrupt politicians.
HURIWA described it as sensational and rumour peddling.
The group said the prophesy therefore should be seen for what it truly is: delusional fantasy.
Mbaka, the Head of the Adoration Ministries, based in Enugu, Enugu State, had in his New Year message said some corrupt politicians were after Buhari.
Against the backdrop of the prophesy, HURIWA asked the Nigerian Catholic hierarchy to sanction Mbaka for abandoning his sacred vocation and deviating into the profane and mundane roadside career of high wire politics hiding under the canopy of his Catholic’s  Priestly vocation.
The Rights group said it has resolved to drag Mbaka to Pope Francis if within 21 days the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria fails to reprimand him and stop him from associating actively and notoriously with politicians at both national and regional levels.
HURIWA accused the Catholic priest of engaging in cheap and childish rumour mongering and sophistry.
It said said the Catholic Church’s leadership must call him to order because he has become a political loose canon who can’t separate sermons from partisan politics.
HURIWA said Mbaka’s prophesy lacks scientific and empirical evidence and smacks of sensationalism and therefore qualifies as an unmitigated emotional fallacy and a misdirected outburst, which should be disregarded.
In a statement signed jointly by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said Mbaka should cover his face in shame for displaying gross ignorance of the workings of the democratic and law based tenets and provisions of the constitution, which deems suspects brought before the court of competent jurisdiction as totally innocent in the eye of the law until contrary determination is made by the Court in line with due process of the law.
The statement said: “Fr Mbaka is putting his priestly calling and office to the pecuniary services of the All Progressives Congress of President Buhari because it is barely two weeks he was photographed smiling with his Political host in the Presidential mansion President Muhammadu Buhari that he emerged from his delusional hibernation to manufacture cock-and -bull story about some plots to assassinate Mr President by corrupt politicians.”
Dismissing the prophesy as delusional and empty, the Rights group added: “Is Fr Mbaka a judge who has passed presiding over cases of alleged graft involving  any immediate past political office holder and adjudged them  guilty of corrupt practices? Is Fr Mbaka unaware that as the Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces that President Muhammadu Buhari is the most protected citizen in Nigeria now with hundreds of well armed and highly trained professional guards drawn from the Nigerian Military and the Secret Police headed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Kinsman?  Is Fr Mbaka unaware that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari is waging a counter terror war and that the armed Islamists have vowed in several media recordings to kill not just the Commander in chief but officials of government? This MBAKA’S whitewash must be consigned to the dustbins without further delay.”

Advice: I think these writers are either Muslims or have been bought by some corrupt politicians to distract the nation from a genuine warning from a man of God.Any positive thinking citizen of this nation will know Rev. Mbaka as a very honest man of God who fears no one in his delivering any message from God. I sincerely advice that we should desist from attacking genuine men of God and the works of the Holy Spirit through their Ministry, so that we don't attract the wrath of God. I have never seen or heard any prophesy of God on earth proven scientifically, it is purely a spiritual affair.

Bayelsa: Nigeria under Buhari is becoming a shame – Fayose

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has raised the alarm that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari was fast becoming a shame.

Fayose described the alleged failed attempt by the All Progressives Congress to manipulate the Bayelsa State governorship election as clear invitation to anarchy.

The governor, who said it was shameful that the two elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission under Buhari’s kinsman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, were inconclusive, called on all well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to rise up in condemnation of the APC government’s plot to destroy democracy in the country.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose who said everything under Buhari was becoming inconclusive, adding: “If in three days, INEC could not conduct credible election in Bayelsa State of just eight local governments, one wonders what will happen during the general elections in 2019. The simple reality is that INEC under this Buhari’s kinsman, Prof Yakubu, who is fast becoming the classical example of incompetence cannot guarantee free and fair elections in this country.”

He saluted the courage of the people of Bayelsa State, describing them as “worthy heroes of democracy that stood their ground against agents of darkness that were prepared to short-change them by imposing a governor they do not want on them”.

Governor Fayose also congratulated the Bayelsa State Governor and the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Seriake Dickson, for having the people of the state behind him, adding: “The people of Bayelsa have shown that their power is more than that of the Abuja political oppressors.”

He urged the governor and the people not to lose their guard, saying: “Now that they have failed in their bid to use one local government to rig themselves to power, they will surely go back to their evil drawing board to plan fresh assaults.

“Therefore, Bayelsa people must henceforth sleep with their two eyes opened because the APC thieves come not only to steal, but to kill and that can be seen in the way and manner they murdered over 20 people just because they wanted power at all cost.”

While warning on the consequences of destruction of the legacy of free, fair and credible electoral process bequeathed on Nigeria by former President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Fayose said: “Nigerians, especially we in Ekiti State are already taking a cue from the Kogi and Bayelsa States experience and are getting prepared for future elections.”

Court of Appeal nullifies Mark’s election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State on Saturday nullified the election of the former President of the Senate, David Mark.

The court also called for fresh election in Mark’s Benue South Senatorial District within 90 days.
The appeal panel, presided by Justice Memson Domgbam, agreed that the appellant, Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress, had proved his case beyond reasonable doubts.
The panel said Onjeh proved that the Electoral Act was substantially breached in the conduct of the election.
The jurists said it was wrong for results to be declared while collation was ongoing in most polling units.
Reading the lead judgement, Justice Olabisi Ige said it was evident that the lower tribunal did not consider the issues that were raised by the petitioner/appellant.
“The lower tribunal also failed to make any findings on the appellant’s claim about the day of declaration, which was in contention,” Ige said.
Ige, therefore, said Onjeh’s appeal was meritorious, set aside the judgment of the lower tribunal and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh poll.
NAN recalls that Onjeh had taken Mark elections petitions tribunal on account that the conduct of the polls, which he said were in contravention of the Electoral Act.
However, the lower court had dismissed Onjeh’s petition on the grounds of failure to prove his case ad merely dumping materials on the court.
Onjeh had contended that INEC declared Mark the winner of the poll while collation was ongoing in most polling units contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He also alleged electoral malpractices and averred that the Electoral Act 2010 as amended was substantially breached.
Onjeh’s grounds for appeal were that the tribunal failed to consider and make necessary findings of fact on all the vital issues raised in the petition.
He argued that tribunal erred by departing from its earlier decision on similar matters in which it had declared that collation of votes after declaration and return on certain votes is substantial irregularity.
He also said the tribunal erred by failing to consider his final written address and determine the relevant arguments proffered in it and that there was miscarriage of justice by deciding against the evidence before the tribunal.
He, therefore, urged the appellate court to invoke the provision of Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act and review the evidence in his petition so as to overturn the decision of the lower court.
NAN.

Suicide bombers disguise as worshippers, kill many in Borno mosque

Dozens of worshippers were killed on Thursday when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a mosque in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, Borno State, witnesses said.

“All the people in the mosque died. Not a single one escaped,” said Muhtari Ahmadu, a trader near the scene.

“We counted 42 dead bodies outside the mosque,” added Amadu Marte, a vigilante supporting the security forces in the fight against the Islamist Boko Haram group, which has carried out repeated attacks in the region.

The Borno State Police Command confirmed that the mosque was hit by twin bombings but gave a lower toll of about 14 dead.

Following the explosions, the mosque collapsed and injured “many people praying”, the police said in a statement.

“Casualties have been evacuated to UMTH (University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital) and specialist hospitals in Maiduguri,” it added.

The bombers slipped into the mosque disguised as worshippers, witnesses said.

One of the attackers set off the first blast when he entered the mosque, they said.

The second bomber detonated his explosives soon after, when many had rushed to the scene to help the first victims.

“When rescuers and sympathizers gathered in front of the place, the second one went off, killing many of them,” Marte said.

The blasts occurred around 6:30pm (1730 GMT) in Molai, in the western suburbs of Maiduguri, where worshippers had gathered for evening prayers, the witnesses said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but suspicion fell on Boko Haram, which was founded in Borno’s State capital, Maiduguri, in 2009.

The city has been hit repeatedly since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power on May 29with a vow to crush the insurgency.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for three suicide attacks in the satellite towns of Kuje and Nyanya outside Nigeria’s capital Abuja on October 2, which killed a total of 18 people and injured 41.

Nigeria’s military claims the Islamist militants are a spent force and that troops have driven them from their camps and occupied territory in the remote region.

But guerrilla-style attacks have continued, including across the border.

At the weekend, 41 people were killed in triple explosions in Baga Sola, on the Chadian side of Lake Chad, where Nigeria meets Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The four countries have launched a joint offensive against the Islamists.

Their mission received a boost on Wednesday when US President Barack Obama said he was deploying up to 300 military personnel to Cameroon for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations against Boko Haram insurgents.

At least 17,000 people have been killed and more than 2.5 million made homeless since Boko Haram began its bloody campaign.

Bayelsa confirms death of ex-Gov. Alamieyeseigha

The Bayelsa State Government has confirmed the death of a former Governor of the State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Alamieyeseigha, 63, died on Saturday evening at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He was said to have died of cardiac arrest.

He reportedly slipped into coma on Thursdayand was rushed to the hospital.

Two officials of the Bayelsa State Government on Saturday confirmed Alamieyeseigha’s death.

Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview.

Iworiso-Markson said the government would issue a statement later.

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Esueme Dan-Kikili, also confirmed the death of Alamieyeseigha to to Channels Television.

Alamieyeseigha was born on November 16, 1952 in Amassoma, Ogboin North Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

He attended the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa.

He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer in 1974, then joined the Nigerian Air Force, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply.

He held various air force positions in Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja.

Alamieyeseigha retired from the Air Force in 1992 as a Squadron Leader.

After leaving the Air Force, he became the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies, Port Harcourt.

Later he became the Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company.

Alamieyeseigha was impeached on allegations of corruption on December 9, 2005 during his second term as governor of Bayelsa State

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha is dead

The first Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is dead, The Nation is reporting.

Alamieyeseigha was said to have died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State.
Calls made to the mobile telephone of the Daniel Iworiso, the Chief Press Secretary of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State,  unanswered.
More details on this news blog soon.