BlackBox Nigeria

Chief Olabode George, a national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party , said in an interview that he would flee Nigeria if APC wins the presidential elections.

While he was addressing some National issues, he was asked the reason(s) why the military surround former Governor Bola Tinubu's house.

In responding to the question, he said,‎
"If Bola Tinubu finds his way into national government, I will go on exile. He hasn't the temerity and the calmness of mind. They don't even know what to do in power. Because the vice-president is his boy, he will just order that Bode George should be picked up. He said soldiers came to him but he must have been dreaming.
When he said soldiers had surrounded his house, I drove down there because my house is not too far from there. I know the hierarchy of the military and its behaviour. That they surrounded his house is lie number one because on either side of his house are two buildings. There is also one at the back. So, I wondered where the soldiers were hiding. Why would you lie for public consumption? So when I got down there, I knew that his spin doctors were working.

These days people go on the social media and the story went viral. Why would he (President Godluck Jonathan) from Abuja, be running after Bola? Let them be very careful about the statements they are making. More so, if Obasanjo is now linking Jonathan with what happened in Cote d'Ivoire and the coup; not in this 21st Century. That is past and gone forever.

No nation goes through this kind of tribulation twice and survive. We have had our own experience of Civil War and I pray that God does not direct our minds in that direction and our people have to watch their mouths".

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

Twenty four hours after former President Olusegun Obasanjo resigned his membership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the pioneer National Chairman of the Labour Party, Dan Iwuanyanwu, has resigned from the LP, albeit, in a less dramatic fashion as the former.
‎
Iwanyanwu announced his resignation in a letter dated February 13 to his successor, Abdulkadir Salam, alleging misappropriation of party funds by the incumbent.

He did not however say if he was joining another political party as he was silent on his political future.

Mr. Nwanyanwu stepped down as the party's national chairman last year after 10 years in the saddle and was appointed Chairman of its Board of Trustees at the Akure convention.

In the letter, the former chairman accused Mr. Salam of turning himself to the "biblical Pharaoh" in spite of the genuine advice given to him.

He also alleged that the recent nomination of the party's candidates for the forthcoming general elections lacked integrity, transparency and accountability and that Mr. Salam could not exonerate himself.

The letter reads, "I regret to observe that events in the Labour Party especially with regard to the handling of the recently concluded nomination of candidates on the platform of the party for the 2015 general elections are not in consonance with the integrity, transparency and accountability for which the Labour party had achieved reputation over the years.

"I have had cause to confront you personally with the information available to me regarding these matters of concern and I must admit that your incoherent answers created more doubts in my mind about your innocence.

"It is sad for you to use the good name of security chiefs in this country to justify your unpardonable action in connection with the huge funds that came from one of the South-South states as nomination fees for the party thereby denying the party its legitimate funds.

"Did you consider this same security chief becoming aware of the criminal use of his name and consequently arresting you and your collaborators? What image would you have left of the party? This is very sad and I do not want to be part of this mess amongst others".

He stated further, "I am unable to continue to hold the office of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party or continue to associate with the party as a member.

"Consequently, I hereby tender my resignation both as Chairman of Board of Trustees of Labour Party and member of the party. I have already taken steps to effect my resignation as member of the party at my ward as required by the party constitution".

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

Dayo Adeneye, popularly called 'D1' has shared his experience in politics. The soft-speaking showbiz personality said he did not lose out the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in his Odogbolu constituency, but he was prevailed upon to support the eventual winner of the party's slot.
He described himself as an 'elephant' that shook the environment of Odogbolu during the primaries. The co-founder of Kennis Music group said he was ready to work for the party's success over personal success.

Speaking with Yes! International Magazine, he said, "We ran a very, very successful campaign. The short time we were in it, I mean, Odogbolu was shaking. They knew somebody, an elephant had entered the town and we thank God for that.

"My people are yearning for change and in as much as we did not get the ticket; we were prevailed upon to support another candidate and I believe the interest of the party is bigger than the interest of any individual.

"When the party succeeds, we all succeed. What we basically want is change. So, the journey has been tremendous. I am very convinced that I made the right decision, because I have thought about it over the years."

He however gave credit to the campaign team that tried to make his political dreams come through during the internal electoral process in the APC.

"It is also a very expensive process, but I thank God that with the help of God, my able wife (Caroline) and some friends, we were able to run a very, very successful campaign. And I dare say, we have no shame. It is the grace of God.

"I cannot take all the credit. I have to give a lot of thanks to all the people that supported me; people like yourself and all my friends in the media, my wife and so on," he said.

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

An Indian man Mr Vishwanath Mishal has arranged for his own kidnap. Mr Mishal travelled to Enugu, got someone whom he paid N3000 to make the calls from his employers demanding for N10million for his release. Later he changed it to N7m and the money was paid.

He personally went to the bank to cash the money with Keke Marwa and asked the Keke Marwa to wait outside the bank at UBA Opara Avenue,Enugu He was caught and after the keke Marwa driver waited for a while as he was promised and decided to go into the bank and he was also caught by the police.

The Enugu police command who got wind of the incident stormed the bank while Mr Mishal was about to cash to the money and got him arrested. On interrogation, he confessed hatching the plan because he has some pressing needs he want to sort out with the money.. The Nigerian police and Immigration are now working on getting him deported back to India..
CKN‎

@blackboxupdate

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, has apprehended a pastor, Prophet Michael Raji, for drug trafficking. Our correspondent learnt that Raji, a resident pastor of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim at Agodo-Egbe, Ikotun Lagos, was arrested at about 12pm on Monday while he was trying to smuggle 174 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs to South Africa. The agency said three international passports bearing different names were also recovered from the pastor. It was gathered that an NDLEA team led Raji to the church, where bags containing 91kg of Methamphetamine and 83kg of Ephedrine with an estimated street value of N609m were recovered. It was also learnt that a jeep was impounded during the operation. Our correspondent gathered that a preliminary investigation indicated that the suspect was a member of a wanted drug syndicate operating in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. The 60-year-old pastor told investigators that he was tempted to the act by the devil. He said, "I received the drugs from my friend and I kept them in the church since October 2014. This is a great temptation for me and I pray to God to overcome it." The NDLEA Commander at the airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, described the suspect as a "smooth operator." Umar said, "The drugs were brought to the airport for export to South Africa. Investigation eventually traced the movement of the drugs to his church premises where he was arrested. "He had three international passports bearing his photographs with the names Michael Raji and Kadigun Ola. "One of the passports bears the name Michael Raji while the other two bear the name Kadigun Fatah Ola. It was equally discovered that the church premises where he ministers also serves as a warehouse for narcotics "It was equally discovered that the church premises, where he ministers, also serves as a warehouse for narcotics. "The seized drugs, concealed inside large bags of foodstuffs, were found to contain 91kg of Methamphetamine and 83kg of Ephedrine with an estimated street value of N609m. "We also recovered a Mercedes Benz jeep during the operation." The Chairman of the agency, Ahmadu Giade, said the seizure was phenomenal and promised that the suspect and his fleeing accomplices would be brought to book. The NDLEA boss further called on members of the public to continue to support the agency by providing useful information on drug trafficking syndicates. @blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, has denied rumours that he is suffering from mental illness or is a patient of a psychiatrist, Lanre Adeoye.‎
He urged Lagosians to disregard the rumor in its entirety.

The APC flag bearer denied this in a statement signed by the Director, Media & Communications of the Akinwunmi Ambode Campaign Organisation, Steve Ayorinde.

According to Mr. Ayorinde, the report is a smear campaign in a bid to contain the soaring popularity of the APC governorship candidate, describing the report as "wicked, baseless and cowardly lies being circulated about our candidate for the Lagos State Governorship Position, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode".
"We know the source of this evil story as well as their despicable trumpeters. Well, we've got news for them… April 11, 2015 is almost here and it's a date with history, when the good people of Lagos State will once again reject the evil machinations of those political marauders trying so hard to hijack their destiny.
"For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Ambode neither suffers from any ailment nor has ever met or been treated by a certain Dr. Lanre Adeoye. This fictional tale should be disregarded in its entirety. With a clear focus, sound mind and in good health, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode shall be unwavering in his campaigns and strategic consultations to retain Lagos State for the All Progressive Congress (APC)", the statement read.

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965
Why they couldn't relax for themselves and probably draw a time-table to share the goody goody of this sugar daddy still remain a mistery. Anyway, these two Lagos big girls (pictured above) clashed in a hotel room of their rich sugar daddy and the ensuring drama cannot even be explained.

The man in question had no choice than to stay away and let them disgrace themselves because according to Aproko sources, he's a married man who didn't want a scandal.

The shameless ladies had to be evacuated by the hotel security before they cause more damage.

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

The All Progressives Congress (APC) national legal adviser, Dr. MuizBanire  is of the opinion that, fact checking is no more in the media, judging from a story that went viral on the internet a few days ago, claiming that he was given a cold shoulder by his leader and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu while he visited the latter's Ikoyi, Lagos home.

Banire is not refuting he visited Tinubu, he has denounced the wicked and malicious claim by an online magazine that he was stopped from gaining access into Asiwaju's compound.  The knowledgeable scholar termed the rumour as senseless and baseless and considers it as 'clear falsehood'

In the words of watchers of events, the online story was 'a wake-up attempt', giving that Banire, recently was believed to have fallen apart with Tinubu over a piece of opinion he wrote advising his political party, APC, of which Asiwaju is the leader, against its imposition style of the past.

The matter was made worse by those who put themselves forward as Asiwaju's foot soldiers who became 'emergency warriors' on the side of Asiwaju.

Now, Banire has reacted to the story, saying 'it is just the creation of the writer who sat at a corner to conjure stories from the moon.

"I do not have any problem with my leader. Yes, I've been to Bourdillon two times this year and I have people that were with me. Let the writer(s) inform the world the people that were present when I was turned back. The first time I went there, there were various people including Zulu Baba Ewe, Rotimi Agunsoye and many other people. The second time was the day our presidential candidate Buhari came to campaign in Lagos;  I went there with Governor Aregbesola, ex- Ekiti governor, Segun Oni, Hon Bayo Osinowo, Tunde Balogun, Mr ibukun Fakeye  and many others.

We even ate together with the likes of Dele Alake and some other people thereafter we left together for Asiwaju's private office within the house. Asiwaju is still alive also for further clarification.. So, you can imagine the level some people could go to write rubbish because they want to create hostility that's not there. It is wicked to want to denigrate the man (Asiwaju) in that manner. My supplication to God is that what they wish for me will continue to be their portion at every step of their journey in life including that of their unborn generation.", submits Banire, a Notary Public and erudite legal school.‎

@blackboxupdate

Following former President, Olusegun Obasanjo's public destruction of his PDP membership card yesterday, this act seems to now be another trend among politicians.
Others are beginning to join this Obasanjo-Trend and one of such is Abdullahi Muhammad, the Senior Special Adviser on Security to Gombe state governor who publicly tore his membership card yesterday.‎

@blackboxupdate

Gay/HIV brand expert, Kenny Brandmuse is not a happy man that the government of Nigeria frowns at same sex affair or marriage. SO, on Valentine's Day, this handsome Nigeria who is so bitter about the law said he should be able to display his affection for his partner, gay, if the other people, heterosexuals can display theirs too publicly.

He shared this on his facebook page; "One of my closest siblings who accepted me as a young gay man would often tell me: as long as you love behind the curtains, it's ok, just don't love another man in the open. Then, she would go ahead and shower love and affections on her boyfriend right in front of me and in our shared public space. Even though I took to her advice for many years, something inside me felt wronged by that attitude towards same gender loving people. Love is Love. If you can put up your own in the window, I might as well put up my own in the doorway. Happy Valentine's Day y'all."

@blackboxupdate

The Nigerian Entertainment Conference which is fast becoming the umbrella conference for the Nigerian entertainment sector is set for a 2015 edition.

The NEC which debuted two years ago, ‎is set to focus on the business angle of the entertainment industry with the them "BUYING AND SELLING NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN‎"

Session moderators include Bukky Sawyerr-Izeogu (Classic FM), Zainab Balogun (Ebony Life), Osagie Alonge (Pulse), Oreka Godis, Dayo Odulaja (NET), Olamide Adedeji (Soundcity), Ehiz Okoeguale (MTV Base) and others. The event will be hosted by Tee A for the third year running.

This year's conference, according to Nigeria Entertainment Today(NET) Publisher and NEC founder Ayeni Adekunle is set to create a platform for realistic deliveries.
"We're moving the conversation beyond rhetoric this year, and actually providing a platform for individuals and companies doing great stuff to come and show the world what we're about'.
This year's sessions will be more about what practitioners have done in the past years, using case studies to deliver presentations everyone can learn from. 
All sessions and exhibits will also be accompanied by master-classes by the visionaries plotting the future of the industry", Ayeni disclosed.

The conference will hold at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos on Wednesday April 22.

This year's conference will mark the fifth anniversary of the debut of Nigerian Entertainment Today (NET) newspaper.

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

A two-man robbery gang has attacked a man suspected to be carrying a huge amount of money in a polythene bag.‎
The robbers were said to have killed a motorcyclist, while a policeman is feared dead.
It was learnt that the incident occurred on Thursday in the FESTAC area of Lagos.
According to sources, the robbers trailed the man from an unknown destination and accosted him at Apple Junction, where they dispossessed him of the money.

While some sources said a civilian and a policeman, attached to FESTAC police division, were shot and killed in the process, others said a commercial motorcycle operator, who was at the scene of the incident was killed.
A car wash attendant, who spoke to our correspondent, said two people were killed during the operation ─ a policeman and a commercial motorcycle rider.
According to him, the police man was gunned down when the robbers were escaping from the scene of crime.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said, "The robbers came on a motorcycle. They robbed the man and then killed the motorcycle rider who tried to help the victim escape with the money.
"The policeman was not killed at Apple Junction; he was shot at Durban Junction, while they were trying to escape."

A police source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, however, said no policeman was killed, adding that the policeman only sustained injuries while running to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
He said, "Robbers on a motorcycle accosted a man, who had some money in a polythene bag at Apple Junction. The man threw the bag away and took to his heels. A motorcycle rider, who was at the scene, took the bag and attempted to escape. The robbers opened fire and killed the rider.
"They started shooting sporadically in an attempt to escape and everybody started running helter-skelter, including some policemen in the area. One of the policemen fell and sustained injury while trying to escape."

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said a policeman was shot and was responding to treatment.
In a text message sent to our correspondent on Monday, Nwosu said, "The policeman, who engaged the armed robbers, is responding to treatment.
"We are on the heels of the hoodlums with a view to arresting and prosecuting them."

@blackboxupdate

Wole Soyinka, a professor and Nobel Laureate, has described Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the most brutal face of military dictatorship after Sani Abacha.

The revered professor, who spoke to the BBC, suggested that Nigerians are in a serious dilemma with lack of alternative.

When asked about his comments about the general as a brutal devil, Soyinka said he did not exactly call him the devil, but a brutal dictator.

"I didn't exactly call him a devil, but of course I talked about dinning with the devil with a very long spoon, but he (Buhari), I didn't even want to dine with him at all," he said.

"After Abacha, he represented the most brutal face of military dictatorship, there's no question at all about that.

"I've got to the point whereby I look at the possibility of a genuine internal transformation with some individuals. I have been disappointed before, and we must always be ready to be disappointed again."

Speaking about deepening democracy in Nigeria, the 80-year-old said: "There are many, many actions, especially by the government in power which I won't say are exactly democratic. Let's have a fair war, it's not yet deep enough."

He went on to speak about the abducted Chibok girls, branding insurgency in the north-east a failure of leadership by Jonathan and his predecessors.

"What happened was a clear failure in leadership. One cannot hold the government solely; the responsibility spreads, because the Boko Haram thing began in various ways a long time ago.

"There was a time when they announced the Islamisation of Nigeria; they should have been stamped upon by the constitution, using the constitution as a weapon.

"While definitely, the responsibility of what is going on rests with Jonathan, the bigger problem began with previous governments."

On the options before Nigeria in the coming presidential elections, the erudite scholar urged Nigerians to be prepared to go back to the trenches if the wrong choice is made.

"Basically, for me, anything which so smells of soliciting permanent incumbency or littling the options is not palatable. But you know, the environment changes, the circumstances change and then even the worst military can become demobilised, self-internally demobilised if you like.

"All I know is that if a wrong choice is made, we must all be prepared, we should start preparing to go back to the trenches, whatever it takes.

"Let's put it this way: the way you fight a civilian misrule is different from the way you deal with people like Sanni Abacha.

"So I'm saying Nigerians should be prepared to deal with any new betrayals by any ruler with the same kind of passion, commitment and understanding of a lack of alternative as they did with Sani Abacha, because we cannot continue this cycle of repetitious evil and irresponsibility."

@blackboxupdate

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday upheld the judgment of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal which affirmed Governor Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party as the winner of the June 21, 2014 poll.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared that Fayose polled 203,090 votes to defeat the then incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of the All Progressives Congress who polled 120,433 votes in the election.

Though the Justice Abdul Aboki-led five-man panel dismissed the appeal filed by the APC, it found merit in the appellant's complaints that the military was used to harass and intimidate its supporters and leaders during the polls.

In a unanimous judgment, the appellate court held that the Justice Siraju-Mohammed-led tribunal in its verdict delivered on December 19, 2014, "hurriedly" dismissed the appellant's allegations of harassment by the military on the grounds that it lacked jurisdiction to hear such.

He held that though the tribunal had rightly struck out the names of the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector General of Police as respondents in the petition in accordance with provisions of the Electoral Act, it ought to have determined the appellant's complaints and considered the two parties as agents of INEC or individuals working on behalf of the commission.

The court, however, held that the entire appeal lacked merit since the main issues of alleged forgery of Higher National Diploma by Fayose and request for his disqualification on the grounds of his earlier impeachment from office in 2006 had been resolved against him.

It, however, reiterated that the use of Armed Forces in the conduct of elections was in violation of section 217(2)(c) of the Constitution and section 1 of the Armed Forces Act.

It cited and relied on a judgment delivered by Justice R. M Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Sokoto on January 29, 2015 barring the use of the Armed Forces in the conduct of elections.

The appellate court therefore barred the use of the Armed Forces in the conduct of future elections in the country as such constituted a violation of both the constitution and the Electoral Act.

Justice Aboki held, "Even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian Armed Forces to unleash them on peaceful citizenry who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.

"In the event of insurrection or insurgency, the call on the Armed Forces to restore order must be with approval of the National Assembly… as provided in section 217(2) and 218(4) of the Constitution as amended.

"The question is that who ordered deployment of military or soldiers at the Ekiti governorship election? Was there any act of insurrection to warrant the call on the military to restore order? And was such deployment in accordance with sections 217 (2)(c) and 218(4) of the constitution?

"There is nothing before us in the records in answering the posers positively.

"With this, 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.

"We resolve that although the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the 4th and 5the respondents (Inspector General of Police and Chief of Army Staff), in the circumstances, that did not stop it from making a pronouncement on deprecating the unlawful role of the military in the conduct of election in Ekiti State.

"Since the tribunal had made a finding that pleading by parties revealed a consensus that soldiers were used in the conduct of the election. It must be stated, by way of emphasis that the Armed Forces have no role in the conduct of election must not be involved except perhaps, in the area of providing logistics services to the agencies of government in the preparation for the election."

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, has criticised the two frontline candidates in the March 28 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party and Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the All Progressives Congress.
Soyinka, in an interview with the BBC on Monday, insisted that the political parties should have come up with far better options than the two leading candidates.
He described President Jonathan, who is running for a second term and the opposition leader, Buhari, as "problematic candidates."
"There is a huge albatross hanging [around] the necks of the two main candidates. I can understand the dilemma which many voters have," Soyinka said.

He added that "one contender is troubled by the present, the other by the past."
Soyinka also decried the lack of fair play in the election, saying the spirit of "let's have a fair war" was not yet deep enough.
He faulted Jonathan for the failure to rescue the more than 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in April 2014.
"What happened was a clear failure of leadership – a slow reaction, an inadequate reaction and response," Soyinka told the BBC. He stressed that while responsibility for the Boko Haram crisis rested with President Jonathan, the government could not be held solely responsible for the entire jihadist problem as it began under previous governments.
"Buhari and his partner, the late Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, after (former military head of state) Sani Abacha, I think they represented the most brutal face of military dictatorship. There is no question about that," Soyinka said.
"But the environment changes, circumstances change and… I look at the possibility of a genuine internal transformation in some individuals. I've been disappointed before and we must always be ready to be disappointed again," he added.
Soyinka, however, said Nigerians should be ready to "go back to the trenches stand up against misrule from whoever wins the election.
"Nigerians should be prepared to deal with any new betrayal by any ruler with the same passion and commitment…. as they did with the late Sani Abacha because we cannot continue this cycle of repetitious evil and irresponsibility."
On what to do to counter the Boko Haram sect, whose activities was cited for the postponement of the election, Soyinka called for "an aerial bombardment with weapons of the mind" in addition to the military offensive.
"All kinds of propaganda leaflets should have been raining in those areas because not all members of Boko Haram are convinced. They need to know there is an exit and the state will take care of them. Then the waverers' minds have to be reinforced on the positive side – on the side of humanity.
"The kind of propaganda being used now between the political parties, just a fraction of that should have gone into attacking Boko Haram," he added.

Asked whether he believed the nation could be dismembered in the next 10 years, he said, "I doubt it very much. The threats of dismemberment have been going on so long that one of these days there is going to be a wish fulfilled.
"The idea of either dismembering at the cost of human lives, as the Boko Haram people are trying to do with their caliphate delusions or to force people to stay together as happened in the case of the [1967-1970] Biafra war, doesn't make sense, it's an abuse of intelligence.
"Arrangements can be made in which people stick together under protocols of association which allow some kind of autonomy for certain issues and other cases centralised policies," he said.

Soyinka also noted that the huge amount being expended on campaigns would inevitably lead to broken electoral promises.
"What does this make of the incoming government? This money came in from somewhere. It means such candidates are going to owe, they are obliged to interests which are not necessarily in the best interests of the nation.
"So, a lot of the electorate will be disappointed at the failure – the reneging on electoral promises – because there may not be funds for the fulfilment of those promises," he said.

@blackboxupdate

THE Presidency, yesterday, described as insincere and mischievous, the launch by BringBack Our Girls group of a countdown for the Chibok girls to regain freedom, saying fighting terrorism and insurgency is not a football match where commentaries were run for the delight of spectators.

In a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, it said President Goodluck Jonathan in his media chat never promised that the girls would be freed within six weeks, noting that the count-down by the former minister and her group was unnecessary.
‎
Okupe said: "Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to former Minister of Education and a leader of the Bring Back our Girls Group, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, to the effect that President Goodluck Jonathan has made an affirmative statement that the girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State would be freed within six weeks, hence the beginning of a count-down by the organisation.
"We wish to state that the statement by the President during his last media chat was that the combined efforts of new offensive by the Nigerian military and its allies as well as improved capacity in the operations have made the chances for the rescue of the Chibok girls brighter than ever before.
"This statement cannot be construed as putting a six-week time-frame for the delicate task of freeing the girls alive which the President remains very committed to and would definitely wish that would even happen in a day.

It's insincere, mischievous
"It is, therefore, insincere and mischievous on the part of Dr Ezekwesili and her organization to launch a countdown which from all intent and purpose is meant to score cheap political points rather than encourage the military and help the cause of the girls and their depressed parents.
"President Jonathan's commitment to the rescue and safe return of the Chibok girls is unwavering. The Nigerian military and its allies have as part of their mandate, the rescue of the girls and all others who are in custody of the Boko Haram terrorists as well as securing the safety of Nigerians living in areas ravaged by insurgency.
"No responsible organization would seek to make a gain of this unfortunate incident and constantly twist facts and pronouncements in order to appear as if government is incapable of meeting its timelines.
"Fighting terrorism and insurgency is not a football match where commentaries are run for the delight of spectators. It is a much more serious exercise and we expect Dr Ezekwesili to understand this in view of her global exposure and stop being a pawn in the chess board of some desperate political actors."

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

Sounds of gunshots charged the air on Monday at the presidential campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Maiduguri, Borno state, as security agents tried to control the wild crowd at the Ramat Square, venue of the rally.

The crowd hailed Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of APC, as he arrived the venue in the presence of Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state, and other top APC members in the state, after which he made his way to the podium.

But he had hardly sat for 10 minutes when his security aides escorted him out of the venue for unknown reasons.

Angry to see him leave, the crowd went on rampage, attempting to force their way into Buhari's convoy in a manner to prevent him from leaving.

At that point, his security aides began shooting into the air, while the crowd responded by pelting the soldiers.

Buhari's campaign team had dithered over the choice of a date for his campaign rally in Borno due to security concerns. When Monday was eventually picked, the state governor declared a holiday, saying it wanted to afford citizens the opportunity to welcome the retired general en masse.

@blackboxupdate

Add BBN on 2BAFB965‎

The Defence Headquarters has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an embarrassment to the military institution.‎
The Defence Headquarters made the comment in a statement posted on its Facebook page while reacting to a statement credited to the former President that the General Elections were postponed to enable the President to use the Service Chiefs for tenure extension in an electronic mail on Monday.
The Defence authorities accused the former President of politicising serious national security and military issues.
It was said that while Obasanjo's intentions remained unclear, his motives for making such utterances were less than noble.

The statement stressed that Obasanjo's claims were false.
It was also said that it was rather surprising that Obasanjo opted to ignore the assurances by the Defence authorities in a statement that the military would continue to be apolitical.
The military said that while it had the desire to accord some respect to Obasanjo and his views, the statement credited to him did not reflect the standard of discipline expected from a former General of his status.
The Defence authorities said that the world had moved beyond the mentality of Obasanjo, insisting that the military personnel of today were better equipped in the area of training, education and exposure to have a better appreciation of democracy and its importance to national prosperity.
"The Defence Headquarters has noted the remarks of a former President,   Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as reported in the media stating his views on perceived state of the armed forces and   the roles being allegedly played by the military in the nation's political process in recent times…
"It is however noteworthy that most of his utterances lately indicate an attitude of playing to the gallery or indulging in politicisation of serious national security or military affairs. For instance, the comments credited to Chief Obasanjo alleging that the postponement of the General Elections was to enable President Jonathan to use the Service Chiefs to plot a tenure extension is to say the least, very surprising.
"It is surprising indeed, considering the fact that the retired General chose to ignore the clarification and emphatic assurances of non-partisanship of the military as declared in a DHQ statement on the position of the Armed Forces in the ongoing political activities. His motive as usual remains unknown but it is certainly less than noble or well intentioned. We dare say again that Chief Obasanjo's assertions are false.
"Much as the military desires to respect the old General and his views, it has become necessary to point out that his conduct and unguarded utterances of late have fallen short of the standard of discipline expected of an individual who has had the privilege of service in the military and risen to the status of a General.
"The behaviour of retired General (Chief) Obasanjo has been so unbecoming and continues to constitute a serious embarrassment to the military before all who have reasonably and rightly adjudged the essence of military background in terms of the high value and standard it tends to contribute to statesmanship.
"We feel constrained to remind the old General that the world has moved beyond that parochial and self-adulating reasoning and mindset which he seems stuck to. Indeed, he needs to be told that by virtue of their better training, exposure, education, assessment and environment, the military personnel of today are already far beyond his level in their appreciation of democracy and its indispensability for the stable and prosperous society which Nigerians cherish," the statement read in part.

It was further said that the military institution bequeathed to the country had developed beyond where he left it and was more committed to the maintenance of the ethos of service of the military, valour, subordination to civil authorities and adherence to non-partisan discharge of their responsibilities.

The DHQ stressed that the military was not inept and could not have been misused in the manner presented by the former President.
The statement added that the military had such a strong belief in democracy and its structures and institutions that it would not do anything to undermine it.
It challenged Obasanjo to indicate genuine interest in the growth and sustenance of the nation's democracy.
The statement urged Obasanjo to improve his understanding of complex issues involving the military and to encourage the services rather than imputing ulterior motives to security efforts.
"The Defence Headquarters will like to encourage Chief Obasanjo to be genuinely interested in the growth and sustenance of Nigeria's democratic credentials. He is also enjoined to endeavour to improve in his understanding of intricate issues and try to encourage the military rather than continue with this tendency to indulge in imputation of ulterior motives to every effort, all for the purpose of discrediting well-thought-out policies or decisions related to the military's roles in the polity.
"The support of all well-meaning elderly Nigerians remains vital in the onerous duty of working for the stability, defence and peace of our country under duly constituted authorities in a democratic environment," the statement added.

@blackboxupdate