A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Dr Chidi Lloyd, a former Rivers House of Assembly member, has called on security agencies to protect his life and that of his family members that were allegedly in danger.
The Rivers Police Command have confirmed arsonists attack on the village home of the former House of Assembly Leader in Akpabu, Emohua Local Government Area.
Lloyd told reporters in Port Harcourt on Sunday that his family was in the peril because of his political beliefs and association.
He said that the unprovoked attack on his residence had consumed his personal belongings such as library and other valuables.
"I have tried to imagine what might have been the cause of this unwarranted attack but cannot readily think of any.
"The only thing is, since the 2013 crises that engulfed the Rivers House of Assembly in which I participated, I have been living in great awe,'' the ex-lawmaker said.
Lloyd said that he was arrested, detained and charged to court for attempted murder but the trial was discontinued by the then Attorney-General of Rivers, Mr Worgu Boms.
"When the former attorney-general in the exercise of his constitutional powers took over the prosecution, he discontinued the trial because the police authorities then made it impracticable for trial to continue.
"This was because the complainant approached the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court, seeking for an order to stop the police from releasing the case file,'' he alleged.
According to Lloyd, the current Rivers Attorney-General, Mr Chinwenwo Aguma, in May 2016, filed criminal information in the Rivers High Court, before Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikaran, seeking to review the "nolle prosequi'' entered by his predecessor.
"The trial is currently going on with an interlocutory order to the police to produce me to take plea even when no process was served on me.
"In spite of the pendency of the matter at the Court of Appeal, Justice Iyayi-Lamikaran, has refused to stay proceedings in the matter,'' he alleged.
Lloyd also alleged that on Sept. 21, at about 10 a.m., Aguma was boasting in open court that they would produce me without the police.
"Since the police, a non-party in the matter had refused to produce me, they, the prosecution will ensure my appearance in court to take plea their own way.
"Just six hours later, my house was razed. I have painstakingly drawn this analogy so it will be clear to the world who my tormentors are,'' he said.
Lloyd said that in spite the efforts to frustrate him from excercising his constitutional right, he had appealed the order for police to produce him in court and also written a petition to the Chief Justice of the Federation.
***Says 60-day cessation of hostilities has not elapsed, there is no justification for further bombing
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA- LEADER of the Pan-Niger Delta Coastal States Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark has condemned in very strong terms, the bombing of the Bonny Export( 48) inch pipeline on Friday by members of the Niger Delta Avengers.
In a statement he signed and made available to Vanguard, the Elder Statesman who noted that there was no justification for the renewed bombing against the backdrop that the 60-day cessation of hostilities as articulated by Pan-Niger Delta Coastal States Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum had not elapsed.
Chief Clark said, ” It has come to the attention of the Niger Delta Royal fathers, Elders and leaders of thought that the Niger Delta Avengers have claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Bonny Export( 48) inch pipeline on Friday, 23rd September, 2016.
” We condemn in totality this il- motivated and I’ll- advised rampaging in the bombing by the Niger Delta Avengers. Even though the Federal Government has not constituted its negotiating team as articulated by the Pan-Niger Delta Coastal States Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum, the 60-day cessation of hostilities has not elapsed. Therefore, there was no justification for further bombing, such as the one that took place last Friday.
“We repeat our appeal which was contained in our collective response to the summit on the Niger Delta convened by the office of the Vice President published at page 8 of leadership Newspaper of Saturday, September 24, 2016, and at page 9 of Saturday Vanguard of September 24, 2016 that “all the armed agitators to continue with the cessation of hostilities and remain calm and peaceful, even in the face of obvious provocation. We shall maintain this position.”
Benin – All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Edo Godwin Obaseki says the present economic recession in the country is a lesson for Nigerians to think fast and secure a brighter future.
He spoke in Benin on Sunday at a forum where some members of students union in tertiary institutions across the state said they wanted to endorse him as their candidate for the state governorship election slated for Sept. 28.
"To me, I will say the present economy crisis is a good omen for us. We need to think and act fast.Obaseki
"Spending more than17 billion dollars on food importation yearly should not be for country such as Nigeria because we have the resources.
"We have the land and human resources that can produce same food we import, only if we can evolve policies that will make it for the youth to be effectively deployed to production,'' observed.
He said the youth constituted the larger productive segment, insisting that policies that would engage the youth productively was necessary to fight crime and improve the economy.
Obaseki said he wanted to be the governor of the state to make the state better and improve the standard of living of the people.
"I am not in the race to acquire more wealth, because am already blessed. I want to be successful by translating what I have attained to those who need it.
"We are in a race against time, population is growing rapidly, but infrastructure is not growing in a corresponding way.
"There is need for us, as a state and people, to plan ahead before we are caught in the web. I want to be part of this plan, which account for the reason why am seeking to be governor of this state,'' he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced the postponement of the election on Sept. 9 to Sept. 28, citing security issues.
But the spokesman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr Dayo Adeyeye has described the postponement of the polls as a coup.
Political analysts, however, observe that the contest is keen between Obaseki and PDP's governorship candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.
By Sola Ogundipe The World Health Organisation, WHO, has set in motion the process of electing a new Director General in to take over from the current Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan, was appointed in 2006 and will complete her second term on 30 June 2017. The new DG will assume office July 1, 2017.
In a statement over the weekend, the global health body released the names of six candidates short listed from nominations submitted by the WHO’s 194 member states in the past five months.
Four of the proposed candidates are from Europe: Dr Flavia Bustreo (Italy); Professor Philippe Douste-Blazy (France); Dr. David Nabarro (United Kingdom); and Dr. Miklos Szocska from Hungary.
Others are Dr. Sania Nishtar (Pakistan) and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus from Ethiopia.
Five of the candidates are medical doctors, and four have served as health ministers in their home countries.
Nabarro is a special adviser to the United Nations on sustainable development, Bustreo an Assistant Director General at the WHO and Osterholm, a director of the University of Minnesota
The Director-General is WHO's chief technical and administrative officer and oversees WHO's international health work.
On 1-2 November??, a forum will be held for candidates to present their visions to WHO Member States, and the public, and answer questions from Member States on their candidacy. The forum will be webcast in all UN languages on the WHO website: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
In January 2017, WHO's Executive Board will draw up a shortlist with a maximum of five candidates. Executive Board members will then interview these candidates and nominate up to three to go forward for consideration by the World Health Assembly in May 2017, when Member States will vote in ?a new Director-General.
Members of the National Assembly (NASS) from Ekiti State have hailed the State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose on the State's first position in this year's National Examination Council (NECO) Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), saying the feat was a confirmation of the governor's total commitment to the return of Ekiti State lost glory in the education sector.
The National Assembly members said they were particularly happy that Governor Fayose was able to perform the same feat that he performed during his first tenure, adding that coming from 10th position in NECO in 2015 to 1st position in 2016 as well as from 34th position in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2014 to 11th position in 2016 was an achievement that all sons and daughters of Ekiti State should be proud of.
Rising from a meeting with Governor Fayose on Saturday, the NASS members, which include Senators Biodun Olujimi and Duro Faseyi as well as House of Representatives members; Hon Akin Awodumila, Hon Segun Adekola, Hon Kehinde Agboola, Hon Ayodele Oladimeji and Hon Thadeus Aina saluted teachers in the State for collaborating effectively with the Governor Fayose-led government to revive education in the State.Fayose
They said; "Our teachers know who their true friend is and they cannot but give their best when they have Peter Ayodele Fayose, their friend as governor. They once experienced a government during which they were not sure of what will happen to them in terms of security of their jobs the next day.
"To us in the NASS, we are happy that in NECO, Ekiti State was able to move from 10th position with 74.5 percent performance in 2015 to 1st position with 96.48 percent performance in 2016. This to us is not a mean feat, and it must be placed it on record that Governor Fayose is always associated with success in the education sector in the State.
"It should be placed on record that the immediate past government of Dr Kayode Fayemi met Ekiti State performance in WASSCE at 33 percent.
The performance however went down to 22.9 percent in 2012, 29 percent in 2013 and 25 percent in 2014. In 2015, Ekiti performance rose to 37 percent and now 42 percent in 2016.
"As he did during his first tenure, Governor Fayose's commitment to the education sector made him to organise an education summit early last year and we want to place on record the role of our leaders like Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Ademola Ajakaiye and others in making the summit successful.
"Today, we are happy that results of the education summit are being seen and we salute our teachers' friendly governor, Ayodele Fayose and the entire teachers in Ekiti State.
"We are sure that with the continuous strict adherence to the recommendations of the education summit and the various intervention programmes already introduced by the Fayose-led government, which aided the State's impressive performance in external examinations, Ekiti State will totally regain its lost glory in education soonest."
By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – Acting National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank has asked Nigeria’s former firstlady, Dame Patience Jonathan to go clear her name before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC rather than resorting to under-hand tactics to armtwist the anti-graft agency into doing her bidding.
Frank in a statement issued Sunday in Abuja said the immediate-past firstlady is not above the law, describing as shameful, threats by a Niger Delta militant group and the protest at the Port Harcourt zonal office of the EFCC in support of Mrs Jonathan, over the freezing of her dollar account containing about $31.4 million.
“My candid advice to Mrs Patience Jonathan is to apologize to Nigerians for the current economic hardship which Mr Jonathan’s regime could have easily averted instead of sponsoring shameless protests against the government; anyway, Nigerians are still waiting for the apology”, he said.Ex First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan
The statement warned the youth to desist from such shameless act of defending politicians for a pot of porridge, adding that the present APC administration is fighting corruption so as to secure the future for them.
Frank, a native of Bayelsa state, said it is surprising that Mrs Jonathan had such an amount of money in her custody while people from her region were dying from water-borne diseases, saying, it took President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for example, to recently commission a water project even in Otuoke, Bayelsa state, the hometown of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“The show of shame called protest at the Port Harcourt office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC to demand the unfreezing of Mrs Jonathan’s dollar accounts was uncalled for and there is nothing wrong if the former first lady explains the source of $31.4 million to the anti-corruption agency.
“The country is at present going through recession as a result of the mismanagement of the economy left behind by Patience Jonathan’s husband-led administration which APC is working hard to correct as soon as possible.
“It should be made clear that there is nothing wrong for EFCC to invite Mrs Patience Jonathan for questioning if the organization suspects a foul play in accumulation of such big amount of money.
“Again, the era of being above the law is over. This is a change government of accountability where the rule of law is paramount. The number four citizen of this country today, Senate President Bukola Saraki, whose office is prominently recognized by the constitution is facing trial not to talk of one former first lady which the Nigerian constitution does not recognize.
“Again, we should also remind those who have forgotten that a national leader of APC, who was once the vice president of this nation, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was once investigated. So, why must Mrs Jonathan’s case be different?
“We call on the leadership of the EFCC not to feel threatened in carrying out its official duty and ensure that whoever is caught in the web is properly brought to book”, he concluded.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Federal Government to the Federal High Court in Lagos asking the court for "leave to apply for Judicial Relief and to seek an order of Mandamus directing and or compelling the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against former first lady Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan over $15m unexplained wealth frozen in four companies' accounts."
The organization is also asking the court "for such order or other orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance."
The suit with number FHC/L/CS/1318/2016 dated 23th September 2016 was filed on behalf of SERAP by Adetokunbo Mumuni. SERAP's suit is coming against the background of the request last week by Mrs Jonathan for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to defreeze her accounts and offer her a public apology within 14-days.
SERAP's suit brought under Order 34, Rules 1 (1) (a); 2, Rule 3 (1) and (2) (a), (b) and (c) of the Federal High Court Rules, 2009 and Inherent Jurisdiction of the Court reads in part: "The Attorney General of the Federation has a duty to prosecute intentional illicit enrichment, that is, a significant increase in the assets of a public official that he or she cannot reasonably explain in relation to his or her lawful income."
"By virtue of Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) the Attorney General of the Federation is constitutionally empowered to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person in Nigeria in respect of any offence created by or under any Act of the National assembly in superior courts in Nigeria."
"The Attorney General of the Federation has failed, neglected and or refused to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan over $15m unexplained wealth frozen in her accounts."
"Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the constitution is a desideratum to good governance and respect for the rule of law. In a democratic society, this is meant to be a norm; it is an apostasy for government to ignore the provisions of the law and the necessary rules made to regulate matters".
"Mrs. Jonathan is a politically exposed person under anticorruption standards. She is also covered under the definition of 'public officials' contained in the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. Under article 2 of the convention, public officials include Mrs. Jonathan or any other family members of the former President Goodluck Jonathan who exercised official duties while he was president."
"This matter is presently generating a lot of public concern and discourse and is presently in the front burner of national discourse thus germane to Nigerians and that the alleged crime is in our society at the moment regarded so serious as to be a bother on daily life. By the nature of the case, it ought to be heard urgently. It is in the interest of justice to grant this application."
SERAP is asking for:
A DECLARATION that the failure of the Respondent to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan over $15m unexplained wealth frozen in four companies' accounts is unconstitutional and unlawful as it contradicts and in conflict with the duties and obligations of the Respondent under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000
AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS compelling the Respondent to urgently institute and undertake criminal proceedings against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan over $15m unexplained wealth frozen in four companies' accounts.
"Nigerian laws allow for criminal penalties and forfeiture if in the course of an investigation there are reasonable grounds to believe that a corruption offence has been committed, that is, the failure to explain the origin of the $15m given present or past emoluments, and other relevant circumstances."
"By a letter dated 13 September, 2016, requested the Attorney General of the Federation to urgently institute and undertake criminal proceedings against one Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan over $15m unexplained wealth frozen in four companies' accounts. But since the receipt of the letter, and up till the filing of this suit, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has so far failed, refused and/ or neglected to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan."
"Mrs. Jonathan has admitted that the four accounts belong to her and that she is the sole signatory to these accounts. The four Companies and their directors have since pleaded guilty to the commission of the offence. The fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs. Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes a duty on Mrs. Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15m."
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
By Olu Adebayo Also,a former Governor of the Central Bank and now Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, threw cold water on some of the assumptions used. His words: "When I was the Governor of the CBN, the economy was growing at 37 per cent. The oil sector was not adding anything to GDP growth. The growth was coming from agriculture, services and trade, which is also very revealing.”
If we are now saying we are in recession, because of the collapse in oil price, we are not being sincere. You can't be in recession because a sector that is 15 per cent of your GDP has declined".
It is pertinent here to ask why our economic experts, who had never been in short supply in all the administrations that we have had in Nigeria, did not find it professionally correct and patriotic to advise the powers that be, that what we were doing was wrong and could eventually lead us to the brink?
They didn't do this. Rather, some of them tutored in the hallowed chambers of the mighty World Bank, were present and actually anchored the shipment of our $12 billion in raw cash, to some European countries to pay off a disputable debt, which some highly alarmed patriots declared, was a "suicide mission", during the Obasanjo administration. It is not on record that any other country in the world,had done this in recent history.
The debt stock of big third world countries like Brazil, Argentina, India, etc., are said to be triple that of Nigeria, but none of their creditors had put any serious pressures on them because, according to international financial experts, they know it will not be in their best interest to let them go bust.
There were well debated expert suggestions at the time, that, if all that cash had been deployed to fixing our derelict infrastructure, especially power, roads, schools, etc., investors from those same creditor nations would be falling over themselves to come to Nigeria, because of its huge market and that we couldpossibly have made them to take a large chunk of our debt stock in a negotiated a trade-off.
Now, back to the real issue of this write-up, the first question to ask is, why a nation abundantly blessed with one of the best soils in the universe, is importing nearly everything that its people consume? The answer is: we are hungry because it is a choice we made starry-eyed. We decided to join our bandit leaders who eat imported rice, cooked with imported pots and gas, served in imported plates, eatenwith imported stew (we import tomato pastes), gulped down with imported wine or water and its debris taken out with imported tooth picks. How's that for a people who desire greatness?
Official figures reveal that Nigeria had been spending $22 billion annually on food imports, an unflattering testimony to the descent of a once vibrant respectable nation to the abyss despondency. Uncontrolled importation of goods have turned Nigeria into zombies of other nations, including those that should, under normal circumstances, have no guts to look us in the eye, if not for what years of depraved leadership had done to our reputation in the comity of nations.
A visit to our supermarkets will show, in full spectacle, how shamelessly profligate we have become as a nation, overtime. They are usually stacked with all sorts of junk packaged food items, some expired and re-validated, from every part of the globe: Europe, the Americas, China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Korea, even Afghanistan! Sometimes, one had to check a map to find out where some these countries are located on the planet.
The most crucial questions that needed to be answered, really, include: when did imported rice become Nigeria's major staple and its price, the benchmark for measuring the food price index in the country? How nutritious is rice, especially the imported brands, some of which available facts reveal, may have expired, re-bagged and could be dangerous to health?
What has happened to good old Eba (garri), Amala (yam flour), pounded yam, Tuwo, Fufu or Akpu (cassava), etc., which we cherish eating with richly delicious and nutritious green vegetables, Okra, Ogbono or other localized, traditional soups that are known to be medicinal, immunity boosting and shield us from life threatening diseases? What, also, happened to tubers like Yam, Cocoyam and protein and carbon-hydrate laden stuffs like, beans, plantain, potatoes, Ogi (pap), Akara (bean cakes), etc?
All these we have always cultivated and produced in large quantities from our very rich and fertile soil that our country is hugely endowed with by the Almighty. So, what had suddenly changed that we became net importers of rice from thousands of miles away from our shores? The question again: ARE WE TRULY HUNGRY? This is a question that our 'experts' must answer.
Available facts show that less than 4% of the US populace is engaged in farming, yet, food is one of the cheapest commodities in the world's most powerful nationand the country's food reserves ensures that, it is the first to reach any part of the world that is in urgent need of assistance, either as a result of natural disaster or conflict. Also, despite the country's trademark capitalism and free enterprise, the US subsidizes agriculture and the farmers have a guaranteed market for their produce.
If highly industrialized nations of the world pay such quality attention to the strategic value of a well fed citizenry to the healthy development and growth of their countries, it is difficult to comprehend why a poor country like ours, had over the years been sleep-walking in this critical area, because we were flush with cash from a wasting natural resource which, foolishly, we did not we did not apply sensibly, for the sake of our tomorrow.
Now that we are belly-up as result of the collapse in the price of crude oil in the international market, compounded by local political brigands, who blow up oil and gas pipelines, which had cut the nation's crude oil export by half, we are all groaning and putting the blame on those that have little to do with our predicament. What a pity.
Instead of blowing hot air on issues that have little or no substance, Nigerians, especially the very noisy elite, must shed their present lynch-mob mentality and collaborate with an administration that is doing its best under very difficult circumstances, to rebuild this thoroughly broken nation. Its vigorous pursuit of economic diversification from oil, with particular attention to agriculture is already beginning to show signs of a turn-around in local food production.
According to a timeline that the government is determined to meet, no grain of rice will be imported into this country as from next year and thousands of people are already at work on farms nationwide to achieve this goal. If we all play our roles, our nation will soon have no business with hunger. In the witty words of the Agriculture Minister, Dr Audu Ogbe, "the most powerful legislative chamber in the world, is the stomach".
The embattled leader of jihadist group Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, resurfaced in a video posted online Sunday, rejecting assertions by the Nigerian army that he had been seriously wounded.
“You have been spreading in the social media that you injured or killed me,” Shekau said in the 40-minute video released on YouTube and dated September 25.
“Oh tyrants, I’m in a happy state, in good health and in safety.” The Nigerian army said on August 23 that Shekau had been seriously wounded in the shoulder in an air raid in which several commanders were killed.
The army’s claim was bolstered when Boko Haram released a video on September 13 without Shekau in it.
That video, also posted on YouTube, shows an unidentified man who says he is representing Shekau, who had allegedly been ousted by the Islamic State group to which Boko Haram pledged allegiance in March 2015.
Nigerian soldiers, with the support of regional troops, have recaptured swathes of territory lost to the jihadists since they launched a military campaign in February 2014.
The mass kidnapping of schoolgirls from the remote town of Chibok provoked global outrage and brought unprecedented attention to Boko Haram and its bloody quest to create a fundamentalist state in northeastern Nigeria.
Turkish-born man suspected of shooting five people dead, including a teenaged cancer survivor, at a shopping mall in the US state of Washington.
Police named the suspect as Arcan Cetin, a 20-year-old resident of the nearby town of Oak Harbor, saying he was arrested late Saturday about 24 hours after the killings.
The FBI office in Seattle said it had no evidence the shooting was terror-related.
The gunman opened fire with a rifle in the makeup section of a Macy’s department store late Friday, killing four women and a man, according to police. He later left the store on foot, triggering an intense manhunt.
A weapon was recovered at the scene of the violence, Cascade Mall in Burlington, a town of about 8,000 people some 70 miles (110 kilometers) north of Seattle.
Police are still trying to establish a motive.
The youngest victim was named as Sarai Lara, 16, who survived cancer as a young girl. Relatives named another victim as 52-year-old Shayla Martin, who worked as a Macy’s makeup artist.
“We’re really having a tough time right now,” her sister Karen Van Horn told The Seattle Times.
– Details emerge on gunman –
Authorities had initially described the suspect as a Hispanic man in his late teens or early 20s.
Members of the public called in with numerous tips that helped lead to the arrest, police said, adding that Cetin’s family was cooperating.
While Cetin was born in Turkey, he is a legal permanent resident of the United States, said Lieutenant Chris Cammock, criminal investigations chief for the Mount Vernon Police Department.
He is due in court Monday.
A Facebook page that appeared to belong to Cetin — and which has since been taken down — said he was born in the southern Turkish city of Adana.
It also said went to Oak Harbor High School, which is about a 30-mile drive from Burlington, and had worked at a grocery store on nearby Whidbey Island.
In February, he posted a link to a “Call of Duty” first-person shooter videogame practice session, in an eerie foreshadowing of the real world violence he is suspected of perpetrating.
YouTube users posted lewd comments on that page and Cetin’s Twitter page in response to the mall shooting.
Police said Cetin had one prior arrest, last year, for assault.
– ‘Changed forever’ –
It was the latest chapter in America’s epidemic of gun violence.
Burlington Mayor Steve Sexton’s voice trembled as he noted that the randomness of gun violence in America — which causes an estimated 30,000 deaths a year — had hit his small town.
“We suffered a devastating loss of five treasured members of our community who had done nothing more than what we all would have done on any given day: gone to the shopping mall,” he said.
“It changed those families forever. And we keep them in our prayers. It changed our community, I’m afraid, forever.”
The shooting came amid fierce debate in America over gun control laws. It is a hot issue on the campaign trail ahead of the November 8 presidential election.
“We are united in knowing that the status quo is not good enough when it comes to violence in our community,” said Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
“Passivity in the face of this scourge of violence is unacceptable.”
The shooter had walked in without a weapon, and appeared on security cameras about 10 minutes later with a rifle.
The mall was evacuated, police swarmed the area and medics rushed to the scene after the mall was initially placed on lockdown.
Local and regional law enforcement from up to 27 agencies responded to the scene, with about 200 officers on site at the height of the incident.
Police took hours to clear the sprawling building.
“We are devastated by the tragic events that occurred last night at Cascade Mall,” Macy’s said in a statement on its Facebook page Saturday.
At a vigil held for the victims Saturday morning in Burlington’s Maiben Park, Kelly Couture, who exited the mall through a Target store as the chaos was unfolding, told The Seattle Times there were “just sirens and people were yelling and running out of the building.”
The mall was closed Saturday as a mark of respect for the victims.
A suicide bomber killed six people in western Baghdad on Sunday, a security spokesman said, a day after bomb and gun attacks hit a city north of the capital.
The bomber detonated an explosive belt in the Iskan area, also wounding 18 people, according to a statement from security spokesman Saad Maan.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State group frequently carries out suicide bombings targeting both civilians and security forces in Baghdad and other parts of the country.
The Baghdad attack came a day after militants killed 12 people in gun and bomb attacks claimed by IS in the city of Tikrit.
Iraqi forces are preparing for a push on Mosul, the last IS-held city in the country, after regaining much of the territory the jihadist group seized in June 2014.
But even as it loses ground, IS retains the ability to carry out deadly attacks in government-held areas, and is likely to increasingly turn to such insurgent tactics if it loses Mosul.
Chief Lucky Igbinedion is one of the pillars of the opposition party, the People's Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, and was a two-term governor of the state. In this interview with some select journalists, he sheds light on a number of issues from the postponement of the Edo State governorship election to the performance of his administration as governor.
How would you react to the postponement of the governorship election in the state?
I take INEC by its word. INEC has promised a free, fair and credible election and I don't' have any reason to doubt the Commission.
How prepared is your Party? There have been comments that you have not been campaigning with the party's candidate?
I wonder why people would be reading meanings to my silence. I think I am a very dignified person in the sense that I have served the state as a local government chairman and as a two-term governor and our own candidate is matured enough. He does not need to be baby seated. He doesn't need a feeding bottle. As far as I am concerned, our party is well grounded and our party chairman is very versatile and very capable. He has been doing very well. He has my full backing. He has my endorsement and support.
Are you still in PDP?
I have never left the PDP. That is one thing for sure. I have remained a staunch member of the PDP since inception. We were the founding members and I have never denied being a PDP member. It is true that I have not been active the way people expect me to be because I believe that after serving the state, it is better to take the back seat and I am not a political jobber.
I have other things to do. I have my business to run. I have my family life to live as well. I believe that once you have served the public, there will come a time when you will have to take the back seat and allow new hands to come on board.
The PDP candidate is matured. He is well grounded and he knows the state very well and has gone through the mill all through the local government to the state level. I am playing my role as a PDP chieftain. And you know that experience counts. From time to time I volunteer my wealth of experience. I speak with the party chairman and other party members. It is not about making noise.
Igbinedion
Sir, ever since you made the comment that the next governor of the state will come from your political family, the state governor has seen this comment as an opportunity to renew his attack on your person and even your administration?
I don't have the same background with the incumbent governor. We come from different backgrounds. I have never criticized this government and that is not my style. It is now time for the people of Edo State to really look inwards and search their souls and ask, under which administration have they lived a more comfortable, prosperous and secured life, a more people oriented life.
I leave the people to make that judgement. But him, he believes in listening to himself. I believe in watching and listening to other people rather than making unnecessary and vile, rude statements about other people. Without mincing words, the condemnation of the Igbinedion administration seems to be the greatest focus of the present government. Of course, what comes out of the mouth, it is like an egg, once it is broken, you cannot put it together again.
Can you tell us some of your achievements as governor?
Oh, several, several and that is why when I listen to some people ask what did the PDP achieve in the past 10 years, I just laugh because it is either the people that are talking conveniently forget the facts of where we were before 1999 when we took over or they are just deliberately propagating falsehood. This was a state that was purely known as a civil service state.
This is a state that we brought about industrialization, this is a state we revived the educational sector, this is a state we turned into a centre of sporting activities, this is a state where we inherited a wicked self-sustenance policy handed down to agencies and parastatals and we moved away from it. this is a state that workers and pensioners were being paid as at when due, this is state I left in 2007 without owing a single debt whether local or foreign.
This was a state that people were happy to wake up and go to work. When I came, there were no banks here except Union bank and First bank but with the enabling environment that I created, the security level that I created, various companies started coming in but because of the wickedness of some people the propaganda they decided to employ, they say no, PDP has not done anything and I challenge them that the PDP government did far better than many administrations before us and better than this administration by far. PDP did fantastically well.
Your administration was accused of laying off workers prematurely?
In any work environment, when you get to the retirement age you retire. When we came on board we discovered that our wage bill was over bloated and for one reason or the other we had to do some restructuring but we also employed many teachers. Like any organisation, companies retire and employ. The federal government retires and employs, so it is a continuous exercise but we were not owing anybody.
Sir, how do you feel knowing that the PDP candidate Pastor Ize-Iyamu left your party for the then ACN, later APC and back to PDP?
Like I said, he is above fifty and everybody has the right to associate with any political party and you know that our politics is very fluid. Our politics is not really based on ideologies as of today. People dump one party for the other for different reasons but for whatever decision someone takes there must be a reason.
Are you in support of his candidacy?
Hundred percent, I am hundred percent in support of Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is the candidate of my Party, the PDP.
Sir the issue of plea bargain you opted for how do you react to this?
It depends on what you mean by opting for plea bargain. You don't know who initiated the plea bargain, whether it was me or the EFCC. I just felt I should move on with my life first and foremost. What happened had happened but I can tell you that I never stole Edo State money, I never mismanaged Edo State money. I was never charged for money laundering locally or internationally. As far I am concerned those talking are just talking out of ignorance or malice. Did we have the money to be stolen? We were receiving one of the lowest allocations in the federation. I can say categorically that my administration was one of the best and I impacted positively on the lives of our people.
Any regrets?
I have no regrets whatsoever. I did my best and my best benefited the people of the state.
Did you achieve all you set out to achieve as governor?
It is not possible to complete all you wanted to do, otherwise, America would have stopped working, and Britain would have stopped working. That is what I mean by continuum. When people believe they can just come and stop what you have been doing. If I say I did all I wanted to do, I would be lying to you. If any government says it has done everything it is lying. No government can do everything. You do your best with the resources at your disposal and I think we did our best with the resources available to us then.
The priorities at that time were different from the priorities of today. If I had not paid those pensioners, setting up the foundation for industrialization, created environment for security and peace, education, sports all that, they will not be talking about what they are talking today, the cosmetic projects that they are doing. The Ambrose Alli University was formerly known as Edo State University. I was the one that converted it from Edo State University to Ambrose Ali University. I renovated and renamed the Ogbe Stadium to Dr. S. O Ogbemudia Stadium. I did that because I believed in continuity.
There is no area my administration did not touch. When you invest in the people they will not be a burden. My administration did perfectly well in human capital development and the evidence is there for all to see.
Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker of the House of epresentatives, Yakubu Dogara and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, are among key stakeholders lined up to discuss possible reforms of the budgetary process as a path of getting Nigeria out of economic recession.
MINISTER OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING, SEN. UDOMA UDO UDOMA
The forum is the Gallery Colloquium organized by OrderPaper.ng, Nigeria's premier independent parliamentary reporting newspaper set to hold on Monday, September 26, 2016 at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Gallery Colloquium which is convened to address contentious issues on the Budget will feature members of the National and State Assemblies, Heads of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), members of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the Media, Development Partners, and the private sector, among others, all of whom would share ideas, perspectives and experiences on the Appropriation process as dictated by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
By Dayo Johnson, Akure THE first runners up in the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship primary in Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Abraham, said, yesterday, that the party may lose the November 26 election if the truth is subverted on its choice of candidate.
Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, who won the primary, beating Abraham with 34 votes, was declared the party's candidate by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party.
But two other aspirants, Chief Olusola Oke and Ajayi Boroffice, together with Abraham rejected the choice of Akeredolu.
They lambasted the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for his "undemocratic behavior in over-ruling the report of the Appeal Committee which ordered for fresh primary".
Abraham, in a statement in Akure by his media aide, Sayo Aluko, said: "We can't win the main election by subverting the truth, especially not among the kind of Ondo people who relentlessly dislike injustice.
"We must not play into the hand of the opposition, who have been seemingly empowered in the little time our primary election has remained inconclusive" .
Abraham, who said he would not defect to another party because of the injustice, described Oyegun's move as "inexplicably unexpected, unjustifiable and unacceptable".
He claimed that he is the "winner of the election on the count of voiding the ineligible/padded votes and rightfully re-enfranchising the disenfranchised votes".
The aspirant said he has "carefully weighed constitutional means" to "seek redress and reclaim his mandate".
"Our petition noted that 157 fake delegates were injected into the delegates' list in 12 of the 18 local governments areas (LGAs).
"This includes 54 delegates loyal to our mandate in at least three LGAs of Akoko North West (13), Akoko North East (26) and Idanre (15), who were disenfranchised and substituted with fake delegates.
"We have sought that these disenfranchised votes should be added to my poll (635), after the fake and substituted ones have been removed from votes polled by the acclaimed beneficiary.
"It is on these two tenable fronts, that is, the NWC's verdict of an annulment and rerun, but, more importantly, the reconsideration, re-enfranchising, recount and rightful allotting of the amount of eligible delegates' votes, that I seek a reclamation of my mandate to be declared as the flag bearer of our party in the forthcoming general election in Ondo State".
*We will charge him with sacrilege, malicious damage - Police
By Daud Olatunji, Abeokuta
A pastor, identified as Wale Fagbere, got stuck in a shrine in Ketu community in Ayetoro area of Yewa North local government, Ogun State while destroying the traditional worshipers' items.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that the pastor, whose church could not be ascertained as of the time of this report, became unconscious in the shrine.
Fagbere was reported to have earlier told his congregation that he had been directed by God to destroy all the shrines in Ketu community.
An attempt to destroy the shrine boomeranged as he got stuck in the place, prompting residents to raise the alarm.
Further findings showed that the priests in charge of the shrine insisted that until they performed some ritual on him, he could not be let off the hook.
It was gathered that intervention of the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun, saved the cleric as he was treated by the priests before he regained consciousness.
Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said the man might be charged for sacrilege and malicious damage.
He said: "The police got the report in Ayetoro that one Evangelist Wale Fagbere went to Ketu to destroy a shrine. After the destruction, the man became unconscious.
"When policemen visited the place, the traditionalists claimed that the subject could not be taken away until some spiritual exercise had been performed. "The Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba AbdulAzeez Adelakun, waded into the matter which led to the release of the man.
The victim has been revived and has been handed over to his family for more spiritual cleansing".
When asked who the police would charge, the traditionalists or the victim, the PPRO said the latter would be charged for sacrilege and malicious damage after he gets well.
He said the police next step would be determined by the traditionalists lodging of a complaint against the pastor. "Everybody has right to worship anything he so desires", Oyeyemi said.
Ahead of the September 28 rescheduled Edo State governorship election, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has assured that the health sector would also be major focus in his administration if elected.
Ize-Iyamu
The Governorship hopeful made this known while speaking at an interactive platform (Thinkers nest politico) by Independent Leadership Idea Exchange (ILIX) under the aegis of Benson Idahosa University.
The two-day political event had the PDP, Ize Iyamu present to answer the question "Why You" at the second day of the program.
Responding to the question from the host Bishop Feb Idahosa, on his health plan for the state, he said a comprehensive healthcare policy will be formulated and implemented to replace the current healthcare system of the state which according to him is in shambles.
He said that the comprehensive health plan would ensure that primary health centers across the state were duly rehabilitated so that they would be more accessible.
"As critical as health and education are, they have not been accorded any significant attention in the past seven years" he said
He alleged that the state has only two surgeons serving about 4 million persons in the state, adding that there are currently no pathologists, psychiatrists or dermatologists on the states payroll.
Ize Iyamu however promised that all existing primary health centers in the state will be duly equipped and adequately staffed with qualified personnel
The PDP candidate added that present general hospitals all over the state will be given face lifts to meet the increasing health challenges faced by our people.
He further stated that his administration would encourage important stakeholders to provide free health programs and services.
The candidate also took time to respond to questions from the University's management, as well as the students.
The International Leadership Idea Exchange (ILIX), 'Thinkers' Nest, is a platform created by the President, Bishop F.E.B Idahosa, to bring together thought leaders, industry experts, practitioners, researchers, and young innovators to dialogue and proffer solutions to global issues.
By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South and Egufe Yafugborhi
*Why we rejected Niger-Delta summit -Clark, others *S/South leaders to U.S.: Tell Buhari we want dialogue THE rejection of Federal Government's two-day Niger Delta Summit, initially planned to hold tomorrow (Monday) and Tuesday, by the Pan-Niger Delta Coastal States Consultative Forum, led by former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, may have forced government to postpone the talks, Friday night.
Secretary of the Planning Committee of the Summit, Mr. Donald Wokoma, in a statement announcing the postponement, gave no reason for the action, but sources said government got intelligence that the summit could be massively boycotted by the mainstream Niger-Delta leaders and ex-agitators.
Amid the confusion dogging the summit, Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, was said to have invited some persons to a separate conference on the initiative for peace and governance in Niger Delta, yesterday, but some of those spoken to by Sunday Vanguard said they would not attend.
Meanwhile, the reason for the South-South leaders' rejection of the summit came to light, yesterday, when they told a delegation of the United States (US) government that visited the oil-rich region that they would rather prefer that the Buhari government enters into a dialogue with them.
Also, yesterday, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) indicated that the ceasefire it unilaterally declared some weeks ago to enable government address pressing issues concerning the region had collapsed.
The militant group's spokesperson claimed the Bonny 48-inch crude oil export line in Rivers State was blown up, saying it was a signal to President Muhammadu Buhari over his administration's ambiguous attitude to the proposed Niger-Delta dialogue and negotiation with stakeholders.
Before government postponed the summit last Friday night, information was alleged to have leaked that Clark; a former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Roland Owie; Ledum Mitee; a former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Brodrick Bozimo; Air Commodore Idongisit Nkanga (rtd.); Chief Isaac Jemide; Dr Monday Okonny; Chief Timi Alaibe and Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw, would not be part of the summit.
Indeed, the leaders, including a former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Idada Ikpomwen (retd.); Col Paul Ogbebor(retd.); Chief Francis Doukpola; Prof. Lucky Akaruese; Mr. O'MacEmakpore; High Chief Johnson Opone; Prof. G. G. Darah, Hon; Chief T. K. O. Okorotie; Dr. Efiong Edunam; P. Z. Aginighan and Prince Maikpobi Okareme, had prepared a position paper.
Other leaders against the summit were Chief Douglas Naingba, Chief Simeon Efenudu, Dr. Emmanuel Akpanobong, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, Mr. Tony Uranta, Nella Ewa, SAN and Chief Ogar.
The Niger Delta leaders said in the position paper: "We reaffirm our collective resolve to only engage the Federal Government through a credible dialogue process with accredited representatives of the Niger Delta region to proffer long lasting solutions to the protracted Niger Delta insurgency and not a summit of this type.
"They said the summit is organized to down play the factor of serious dialogue between the critical stakeholders, who have the mandate and authority to negotiate with the Federal Government.
"That due to the cessation of hostilities on our national assets by the armed agitators of the Niger Delta, oil production has increased to 1.7mbpd and if the peace process is further deepened, with proper negotiation, the possibility of reaching national oil production targets, is very realistic.
"Therefore, this should serve as an impetus to commence the negotiation process, rather than engaging in frivolities and trivialities. We are of the opinion that the Federal Government should not unnecessarily take steps that could lead to a relapse to insurgency by its inaction.
"The same Federal Government that feigns ignorance of whom to interface with is seen actively orchestrating false flag operations and sponsoring diverse bodies with the intent of dividing the region's already unified fronts and justifying a continuation of the balkanisation of the region to facilitate uncontrolled access to its resources."
The leaders stated that any leader of the Niger Delta invited to the said summit was free to exercise his democratic right to association. "However, such attendees do not represent the Pan-Niger Delta States Stakeholders' Forum and are not authorizsed or mandated to speak or represent same", they said.
The Niger Delta leaders went on: "The Niger Delta calls on the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, the United States President Barrack Obama, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and all African countries, to get Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to see himself as President of all Nigeria, to give peace a sincere chance in order to expedite the escape of all Nigerians from the obvious economic hardship that has befallen Nigeria since the resurgence of armed agitations within the Niger Delta."
"We also appeal to all the armed agitators to continue with the cessation of hostilities and to remain calm and peaceful, even in the face of obvious provocation.
"The attention of the leadership of the Pan-Niger Delta Coastal States Stakeholders' Consultative Forum has been drawn to the circulation of invitation letters to some Niger Delta indigenes to a Niger Delta stakeholders' summit slated for the 26th- 27th September, 2016, at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja."
"Whilst we do not begrudge the right of any authority or persons to convene any talk shop, we feel concerned that serious issue of the Niger Delta should not be trivialised into some academic exercise. We also hold the view that the holding of such summit at this time is clearly contrary to the expectations of all right-thinking persons worldwide.
Cessation of hostilities
"The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Federal Government, for over six weeks, since cessation of hostilities as a result of the intervention by the traditional rulers, elders and leaders of the Niger Delta, have not deemed it fit to respond to the demands of the peoples of the Niger Delta for a credible and proper dialogue process.
"We note with happiness that the region has been relatively quiet and stable following the cease fire brokered by the leaders of the region with the expectation that the Federal Government will urgently interface and commence negotiation with accredited representatives of the Niger Delta region. "Rather than doing the needful, the region has, however, been over militarised which has resulted in claims of rapes, brutalisation, incidental deaths and undue harassments suffered by our innocent sons and daughters during this period of the ceasefire. However, a significant achievement of the ceasefire is the increase in the quantum of oil production of 1.7 mbpd, according to the Hon. Minister of States, Petroleum, and Dr. IbeKachikwu.
"We wish to state that almost a month has elapsed since militant groups in the region agreed to a 60-day cessation of hostilities without the Federal Government constituting a negotiation team.
"Any reasonable person looking at the title and composition of attendees, officials, subjects and speeches at this so-called summit, will discern that it is possible to replace the term Niger Delta with any other area of the country and it will not look odd.
'Summit speakers are govt officials'
"There is no Niger-Deltan of any level of representation there. Worse still, the speakers at the summit are mainly government officials, who should at best of times be listening to the people, instead of talking down on the people. In such a gathering, there are definitely no spaces for any meaningful discussions.
"The point to note is that the Niger Delta crisis predates the present administration. In all the previous administrations, we never engaged in futile and cosmetic academic exercise as this Summit, to proffer solutions to the Niger Delta agitations. It would be recalled that in 2008, a conference of this nature was proposed and which was to be chaired by Prof Ibrahim Gambari of the United Nations..
"Leaders and stakeholders of the region rejected the conference due to the fact that there had been series of Reports of such Conferences, Summits and Technical Committees on the Niger Delta not implemented by the Federal Government. This was what led to the setting up of a 45-man Technical Committee, under the chairmanship of Barrister Ledum Mitee to collate and align all the various Reports on the Niger Delta. But after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, that exercise never saw the light of day".
"We wish to state in unambiguous terms that the issues confronting the Niger Delta do not require an academic exercise of this nature, masquerading as a Summit to proffer solutions to the Niger Delta issues. Rather, a credible dialogue process between the Federal Government, the oil companies and the accredited and authorized representatives of the region."
Speaking to Sunday Vanguard on phone on the meeting convened by the Minister of Transport, Clark said last night: "Hon. Amaechi sent an invitation to me to attend the meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Saturday (yesterday), but I want to say that it is an insult for Amaechi to invite me to such a meeting.
The Amaechi meeting
"Amaechi is one of the problems of the Niger Delta. He sees himself as next to the President, why is he calling a meeting now, he knows our position as leaders, and he has not shown any concern to the plight of the people since. Where was he when the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and others went around trying to solve the problem?
"Is he the Minister of Niger Delta? On what platform is he calling his fathers to a meeting? In fact, no reasonable Niger Deltan will attend such a meeting called by Amaechi.
"The youths have ceased fire and waiting for us to discuss on their behalf. Is it now that he will call for dialogue. He is not the type to call for peace.". Clark said the people of Niger Delta were ready to work with Buhari, but he should not listen to people whom he accused of confusing him and telling him things that are not true about the region.
N'Delta leaders to U S govt: Tell Buhari we want dialogue, not summit
In a separate development, the Niger Delta, yesterday, pleaded with the US government to prevail on President Buhari to create genuine dialogue and avert renewed militancy in the region.
The Clark group spoke to a three-man delegation of US officials who visited Warri, Delta State after a first visit earlier in the month. Unlike the first visit, the US officials, made up of the Political Officer from the US Embassy in Abuja, one official from Washington and one security detail, opted for a closed-door session with the stakeholders, denying journalists access.
Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, a former Police Affairs Minister, who represented Clark, told journalists at the end of the meeting: “It is timely that the US government has come again on a fact-finding mission. We just told them that we want dialogue and not the summit that Federal Government had intended to convene."”It is equally a wise decision of government to have suspended that inappropriate summit going by reports we have received. We believe that the answer is not summit. The answer is dialogue. "”An incongruous gathering of nearly 500 persons with government officials talking to themselves in Abuja which would have been the experience with the summit could not have addressed the key issues. "”We have faith in the U S fact-finding team. Members of the team have come to see things for themselves. And we take them for their word to take the feedback to their home government who will then be in a position to advise the Federal Government on the overall goal of resolving the current situation.”"A member of the US team, who spoke on why they declined comments on the visit, told Sunday Vanguard: “We can’t talk to you on this visit. It is the Consul General or the Ambassador that could have spoken to you if they were here. We are sorry, don’t feel offended.”"Also present at the meeting were Jemide, Ikpomwen, Darah and Akaruese. "Others include King Jerry Perebor, Dr. Sylvester Piniki (Gbaramatu), Chief Mrs. Margaret Unukegbon, and Francis Obule, Chairman, Forum of Contractors to the Delta State Oil Producing Development Commission.
Resumption of hostilities
Signalling renewed bombings in Niger-Delta, yesterday, NDA claimed to have blown up the Bonny 48-inch crude oil export line in Rivers State, saying it was a warning signal to Buhari and the Federal Government over their ambiguous attitude to the Niger Delta dialogue and negotiations with stakeholders. Although the claim could not be independently confirmed, spokesperson for the group, self-styled Brigadier General Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement, said: “On the 23rd of September! 2016, our strike team, at 20:40 hours, brought down oil production activities at the Bonny 48 inches crude oil Export Line. “This action is a signature to the over dramatization of the so-called dialogue and negotiation process on the side of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government.
“Since the cessation of hostilities and the commitment of the Pan- Niger Delta Elders and stakeholders team, the Nigerian government and her agents have turned the expectations of the Niger Delta to shameful scenes obtainable in Nollywood acts and intimidation, blackmails and continuous profiling of Niger Delta sons and daughters. This is only a wake up call; we may not have other way to say it better.
“We are still in favour of dialogue and negotiations but we are warning against ‘the peace of our time’ ! We want the ‘ peace with honour’.
“We will resist all actions undermining the ceasefire from the side of government and its security agents/ agencies. The world is watching, time is running against the Nigerian state; while we were promised that the concerns of Niger Delta will be addressed once a truce is declared, the activities of government and her agents are not assuring enough.
“There has been no progress and no breakthrough. We cannot be continuously fooled. Government cannot justify the indiscriminate targeting of Niger Delta youths while glorifying victimization of law abiding citizens of the region.”
By Femi Aribisala In death, the disadvantaged lose all their disadvantages; while the advantaged lose all their advantages.
Jesus says: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45).
However, Christians honour this injunction more in the breach than in the observance. How can we possibly love our persecutors? Is this not asking too much of believers?
Imagine a situation where an unbeliever viciously attacks a Christian. He kills his wife and children and destroys all his property. Nevertheless, the attacker is allowed to go scot-free. Moreover, during the burial of his family, the Christian is counseled: "Vengeance belongs to God, leave the matter to him." (Deuteronomy 32:35).
To add insult to injury, at the end of his life on earth, the bereaved man meets his attacker in heaven. They have both become heirs of salvation. I ask you, how acceptable would this be to him?
Consolations of God
What kind of discussion do you think Uriah would have if he were to meet David in heaven? How do you think he would feel meeting in heaven of all places the very man who slept with his wife, got her pregnant, and had him killed to cover his tracks?
Moses says: "(God) avenges the blood of his children." (Deuteronomy 32:43). But does the Lord really repay? Can God give the offended true satisfaction? You have been used and abused; you have been spitefully treated and you take the matter to the Lord. What type of satisfaction are you likely to get?
The Lord would preach the gospel to you. He would tell you to forgive and forget. And if you don't, the Lord himself would deliver you, the aggrieved person, to tormentors who will torment you until you forgive the offender. (Matthew 18:34).
But what about the offender; what would the Lord do to him? How would the Lord take vengeance on him? The Lord might simply ask someone to go and preach the gospel to him as well. If he receives it, he is pardoned. Would that be acceptable? Thus, Eliphaz asks Job if the consolations of God are enough for him. (Job 15:11).
Jonah's predicament
Of all people to send to preach to Nineveh, God chose Jonah; a Jew. The Assyrians had oppressed the Jews for a long time. Nevertheless, God decided to send Jonah to them, not to destroy them, but to preach to them the gospel of repentance and salvation. Jonah would have none of it. He took a boat and headed for Tarshish instead; the exact opposite direction from Nineveh.
God would have none of that but decided to take Jonah to Nineveh against his will by a "submarine." Jonah's shipmates throw him into the sea and then God arranged for him to be swallowed by a big fish. Jonah did not need persuading after surviving that ordeal; he had no choice but to preach to his enemies. His preaching was so effective that everybody in Nineveh repented and God's judgment on the city was revoked.
But Jonah was greatly displeased with this outcome. He complained: "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, one who relents from doing harm." (Jonah 4:1-4).
God's unacceptable mercies
Jonah was so angry, he wanted to commit suicide. In spite of all the atrocities of the people of Nineveh, they received God's free pardon. How can this be fair? You simply can't get retributive justice from a God who is gracious and loving; whose mercies endure forever.
But is there not something strange about being upset with God because he is gracious and forgiving? Does this not put us in the same place as those evil Pharisees who persecuted Jesus because he healed a man on the Sabbath? (John 5:16). Since we are really telling it like it is, let us pull no punches here. Do you know the greatest injustice of all? The greatest injustice of all is if you, reading this here and now, end up as one of the heirs of salvation.
You, who were a crook, a liar and a cheat. You were a fornicator and an adulterer. You were an idol worshipper, a drunkard and a drug addict. You were proud, vain and riddled with deceitful lusts. Why in heavens name should God forgive someone like you? In the name of justice, it would be absolutely unfair for a sinner like you to spend eternity in heaven.
So let us call a spade a spade. If we are going to insist on justice, let there be justice for all. Since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, justice without mercy means judgment for all. Therefore, I would rather have a merciful God than a God of judgment. Even if this means I have to spend eternity in heaven with Idi Amin or Adolf Hitler; so be it. Heavenly Father, let your mercy triumph over your judgment in my case. (James 2:13).
Redemptive calculus
Life is so unfair. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Some die young; some live to a ripe old age. Some are handicapped; others are bed-ridden with sickness. Some are handsome; some are ugly. Some are smart; some are stupid. Some are fast; some are slow. Some are successful; some are failures.
But life is unfair because what we call life is not the life of God. What we call life is precisely what Jesus came to redeem us from. He came to redeem us from a life of injustice; a life of up and down; a life of situations and circumstances; a life of sickness and health; a life of sin and death.
Life is unfair, but death is fair. The poor die and the rich also die. Moreover, when the rich die, they lose all their wealth. When the poor die, they lose all their poverty. When the sick die, they lose their sickness. In death, the disadvantaged lose all their disadvantages; while the advantaged lose all their advantages. Every valley is exalted and every mountain is made low. (Isaiah 40:4). Therefore, the fairness of God is revealed, not in life, but in death.
The believer is a dead man living a resurrected life. No matter what we go through, we can no longer talk of injustice. The word does not exist in the language of the kingdom of God. Neither can a believer insist on vengeance. To do so is to be in danger of revoking his free pardon.
Dearly beloved, you can no longer make a case about somebody's injustice to you and demand retributive justice. Should you insist on satisfaction, God will also insist on satisfaction. A Christian who still insists on retributive justice is someone who refuses to understand or appreciate the pardon he has received from God.
Jesus says: "Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8). Therefore, since you received pardon freely; pardon freely.
Apostle Johnson Suleman is the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Int'l. In this interview, he shares his views on Christianity and modern challenges.
There are a lot of Christian teachers who introduce ideas that are not biblical even as there are pastors who teach the word faithfully. What is the cause of this discrepancy?
There is nothing we can do about that, it must happen. Christian teachers who introduce ideas that are not biblical is a fulfillment of bible prophecy, it is the sign of the end time. End time prophecy speaks about the good and the false teachers according to 2Timothy 4:3-4. The only thing we can do is to pray that innocent souls should not fall a victim. Every genuine and godly teacher should do their best to teach sound doctrine of Christ always.
When you ask that enemies be scattered with prayers, do you really mean that one should not pray for his enemies?
When we talk about enemies, it is deep in the sense that several meanings are attached to it. We have different categories of enemies. We have known enemies who curse or abuse you, or hate you or despise you. All these happen because they are short sighted. You should pray for them to change as Jesus put it in Matthew 5: 43-45. And in Deuteronomy 28:7
You were recently in Italy with your crusade; tell us about your experience there.
On instructions from God, I have been teaching, healing, delivering, restoring and imparting preachers and people of the world through the conferences and crusades. Yes, just as it has been happening with us by the special grace of God, the Restoration Crusade at Bologna in Northern Italy was a galaxy and compendium of power and testimonies. At the Bologna crusade, countless cases written off by the doctors and forgotten by medical science, through Jesus' mighty power, were reversed and given a new directive to live and function again. There are other conferences coming like the Restoration crusade at Ibadan, the International Ministers Conference in October, which is a 2-day conference for Ministers of God from over 70 nations around the world, the Raw Power USA in October, the Restoration train in Liberia in October, and the Onitsha Restoration in November.
When the people are subjects to the government, how should they react when the government begins to act in contrast to their expectations?
Government exists because there are people to govern. In the first place, if there are no people, who would the government rule over or lead?. People of a community or a nation are to obey the government of the land. In democratic setting, every government comes to power because the people voted them based on the sweet promises made to the people. If it happens that there is deviation, the people should write the government through their representatives, but if that fails, they should cry to God who owns government to give them a better government because the bible says God raises one up and brings one down. Psalm 75:6-7.
Why are you returning to Lagos so soon with another crusade? Was the last result below expectation?
Lagos is work in progress. The last time was a huge success, but when we came with Raw Power Lagos then, we promised to return with the next bigger part of the crusade, which we tagged National Fire and Miracle Night. We are fulfilling that promise by October as we are storming Lagos with the biggest revival vigil the city is yet to witness in recent time. It is going to be an all night long of testimonies to His power, grace and miracles. These conferences are ordained by God and are packaged in such a way that they deliver on the divine promise of manifestations, healing, deliverance, restorations, accurate prophetic utterances, and more.
We have in place a government that promised change. What should real change be and how can christians enjoy change in truth?
The only thing that is constant on earth is change. Change may be for the better or for the worse, whichever one, it is change. In my opinion, a real change in Nigeria should be that: There were no job opportunities before for graduates but employment opportunities are everywhere now. Roads were very bad before but all road networks are good now. Government functionaries were looting the treasury and corruption is everywhere before, but no more looting of treasury and corruption now. We used to import nearly everything before including toothpick but our country is now a producing nation and that our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased. People are dying before because of inadequate health facilities but things are improving now because there are well equipped hospitals now etc. All these would be a change to me. As for how christians can enjoy change in truth is by following after righteousness in truth which exalt a nation including Nigeria, according to Proverb 14:34.
How does attacks on churches and church leaders encourage peaceful co-existence among Nigerians?
In Christianity, our God fights for us, but in other religions, they fight for their gods. We do not look for trouble but if you trouble us, we will trouble you. Naturally, human beings are meant to stay together by default but when there is no peaceful harmony altogether, it might be difficult.
How do you prepare yourself for the pulpit and the large audience because there are pastors who get before the crowd and become tongue-tied?
When a man is sent on assignments, he is empowered or endowed with the necessary resources needed for the success of the assignments. We enjoy door of utterances from above. That is the major difference. Another factor is when there is no adequate preparation towards facing such large crowd, such minister may become tongue-tied on the podium. In all, performance enhancements on stage are the function of the Holy Spirit at work.
Despite glaring samples, some are still not convinced about the efficacy of miracles, do you have a word on that?
Over the years, we have had many misguided information and opinions about prophets and the Word. But the truth is, God uses His prophets to corrects, directs, instructs, encourage and imparts His children. Where there are no prophets, there, confusion reigns. Prophetic encounters bring answers to all forms of want as God opens the root causes as well as the solutions to several life-long and generational challenges through His prophets. The world cannot do without prophetic intervention.
What are your greatest challenges and achievements as the spiritual head and founder Omega Fire Ministries?
The greatest challenge so far is, wickedness in the hearts of men everywhere, though not a challenge to God. Men of God called to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in truth cannot be separated from having challenges in their various assignments as challenges are part of the call. The general challenge in respective of the call is the flesh and the devil. If these two things are removed, there won't be any challenge. As for the achievements, we have several daily, weekly, monthly, yearly achievements but the greatest of it all is that we have the Most High God with us in all our ways.
By SIMON EBEGBULEM BENIN CITY – THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by its President, Abdulwahed Omar, yesterday held a rally in Benin City, in solidarity with the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Godwin Obaseki, urging all workers in the state to vote for the party in Wednesday's governorship election.
Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says the former governor of the State, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, cannot walk freely in the state owing to the failure of the PDP government which he led.
Speaking at the rally yesterday, Comrade Uche Obigwe who represented the President of the NLC, said labour had decided to adopt Obaseki due to the developmental strides of the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led administration in the state.
Ize-Iyamu, Obaseki and Oshiomhole
According to him, "For those who are new in the labour movement, they will not understand but those who are old in the movement will know that Adams Oshiomhole has taken Edo State to a new level. When I was at the airport, I remember 8 years ago, if you want to come to Edo State for a meeting, the flight that comes to Abuja is about three times a week because nobody was coming to Benin.
"But today, two aircrafts land in Benin from Abuja every day. I remember when there were no hotels to lodge because nobody could invest in hotels in Edo State. Today Edo has so many hotels and people now come to Benin because somebody has transformed Benin. So we are backing Obaseki so that Edo will not go back to the dark ages. He has to continue from where Oshiomhole stopped" he stated.
Governor Oshiomhole, who spoke at the commissioning of the 22-kilometre Iguobazuwa-Umaza-Siluko road in Ovia South West Local Government Area, shortly after the NLC endorsed Obaseki, said Igbinedion is regarded as the sponsor and godfather of the PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and had said the next governor of the state will come from his political family.
Oshiomhole said: "by some co-incidence, this location is just adjacent the market and I decided to walk round the market, and I felt good seeing the real Nigerians, the real Edo people, the real Edo women smiling, dancing, waving, showing joy and happiness.
"This, for me, is my testimonial of service because if almost eight years on the job I can go to any local government and walk into a market that you find all kinds of persons and they are all clapping, expressing joy, showing gratitude, then to God be the glory. There are those who have governed this state who cannot come to this market, and they are there. The people's verdict will reflect on their faces."
Oshiomhole continued, "I want to thank all of you for standing by us for close to eight years. You have voted for me and re-voted for me. You have supported our party. You have helped us to defeat the forces that underdeveloped this state and this local government. It is the result of your power that enabled us to assume office, without which I would not have been able to do this job. As you can see, this is a typical example of our standard: well-built roads with concrete side drains, not blocks so that the water can flow out, so that we can have a place such as this even when the season for rain starts.
"So, whereas you appreciate what we have done, I am the first to say the gratitude goes to you for voting wisely and ensuring that those you have voted for used the money for the purpose. My heart is gladdened as I was driving through Oba market, through Siluko road to Upper Siluko Road and I was looking for the mammy water and I couldn't find her; in a matter of minutes, I got here."
He said, "And today, I am proud that we, the anti-mammy water forces as symbolised by our broom in unity, we have brought hope, joy and the renewal of our confidence in our state as the heart-beat of Nigeria. I am sure the economy of this part of the state cannot be the same again because these women don't need to pay – empower women. We will continue to empower the youths, and together, we shall sustain the tradition of service to our fatherland."
Speaking on behalf of the Ovia communities on the Iguobazuwa-Umaza-Siluko Road, Hon. Christopher Adesotu said, "We have thirty-three communities starting from Evbuoba, Igueogun, Ikotakpa, Ukuzuwa, the Yoruba camp, Ogbobaifo, Umaza and many others and Siluko, the last community on this road. We want to thank you for what you have done for us because there was a time when we were coming from Benin, it would take us four hours right from Textile Mill Road junction to Siluko, but today it is just one hour. So, we have to thank you for that."
GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole has declared two days public holidays to enable people of the state participate in the Wednesday governorship election.
Oshiomhole stated that the purpose of the holidays is to enable workers travel to where they registered as voters to exercise their franchise. The two days are Tuesday, September 27, and Wednesday, September 28.
