Power Not Substitute For Blood, Gumi Warns Jonathan

Sheik Ahmad Abubakar Gumi today in his comment marking Nigeria’s 53rd independence anniversary warned President Goodluck Jonathan that power is not a substitute for blood.

He also said that the best Jonathan can do in 2015 is to organize free and fair election and go in peace, rather than be deceive by power mongers at all cost.

Gumi in a statement said, “Today Tuesday is another milestone in the history of the nation Nigeria. The mere survival of Nigeria as a unified entity is the only successful story in the 53 years of its independence. Like Boko Haram, Nigeria can only boast of its success on its survival. We see despite heavy fatalities and injuries of thousands of people and the grounded economic life of the north east, the purported Boko Haram leader can only boast on his ability to prove he is still alive. Just like Boko Haram, Nigeria is real but unrealistic, naïve and self-annihilative. Why? Just because those that lead the two phenomena are dehumanized of all human sensibilities. They trade blood for power!

According to the fearless cleric, Jonathan is economical with truth regarding security issues, “Two years ago, regarding the 1st of October 2010 Abuja bombing that killed 12 innocent Nigerians, carried out by the terrorist organization M.E.N.D, President Jonathan exonerated them and tried to castigate the northern politicians inferring to IBB. A new strategy never known in Nigerian politics came in to play i.e. by calling a dog a bad name to hang it. Then IBB was foreseen as the most formidable obstacle to deny Goodluck power. They forgot IBB left the power to save Nigerian blood. This the best deed of IBB Nigerians should not betray.Yes, from the onset, Mr. Goodluck was apparently in a struggle to grab power and to cling to power even if that is at the cost of innocent Nigerian lives. Well it turned out that his people were the culprits.”

He continued that “after his ascension to power and the affect of strategic replacements in the Nigerian security apparatus that favored the South South and South East regions, the ‘Boko Haram’ bombings became incessant, powerful and more sophisticated. Bombings in Sokoto, Daura, Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, Maiduguri, Abuja, Damaturu, Bauchi, etc. in fact the whole northern region was virtually on fire. ‘Boko Haram’ a ragtag group of peasant al-majiris were then abruptly well-equipped to carry out highly sophisticated military like -clandestine operations. It is to insinuate that they were triggered as a reaction of the northern region to reject Jonathan’s rule. This is the calling a dog a bad name to hang him strategy again. This time not against individuals but a whole region and religion. Then Azazi and Yakowa died abruptly. The bombings also suddenly abated to a halt.”

Gumi, who also argued that recent killings are new tactics, said, “gradually a new strategy sets in. Massive killings of civilians in villages, schools and road sides by unidentified people or recently workers squatting in uncompleted buildings by security agents. All happening in states supposed to be either under state of emergencies or the capital city where security alert is at the optimum. Gen. Shuwa was gunned down and murdered under the very eyes of his army guards that didn’t react. And no military panel to investigate the killing of such a national hero that fought to keep Nigeria one was officiated. And you dare say the military now is demoralized and also paralyzed by its own mechanism. In brief, these killings in Nigeria from the 1st October 2010 to date are largely a script play and a plot unfolding. In it, even some of the active accomplices like the naïve almajiris are not aware they are pawns. “In Nigeria today nobody is safe. Anybody can be attacked and killed, or framed up and arrested.

You see or hear of law and order is only in books and the compromised newspapers and media. Journalism is dead, justice in the court of law is absent, intellectuals are neutralized, and the populace is largely left poor and uneducated. Mr. Jonathan has only one option left for him. Let him conduct a free and fair election in 2015. From PDP primary elections to the national elections. Let him not be deceived by those wolves that want to push him to his expiration for their corrupt lifestyles. Mr. Jonathan should know that power is no substitute for blood i.e. you cannot spill other people’s blood to stay in power and remain flourishing. You should ask Assad about that. You can call Sisi in Egypt and ask him about that. The psycho-trauma is enough to finish one’s life. “Please Mr. Jonathan, if Nigerians don’t want you please go in peace.

My advice to Nigerians is that the struggle in Nigeria is wrongly termed religious or ethnic. It is all about a clique who wants to monopolize money and power. The day Nigerians reclaim their government, military and resources, that day they will realized that boko haram, MEND, OPC and also the so called ‘influential’ religious organizations are all hijacked for the same goal by this clique to perpetuate the status quo. As for Islam, I can speak for. Islam calls for peaceful co-existence, progress, mercy and compassion on all humanity. "And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the world." Q21/107

Sahara Reporters

Tinubu’s airline bounces back, resumes flight operations - NewsExpress

More than a year after it suspended flight operations, First Nation Airlines owned by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has bounced back. The airlines resumed operations on Monday, September 30.

“The first flight of the airline took off to Abuja from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), Lagos about 11.15am on one of its new Airbus’ A319 aircraft,” says a report in The Nation, also owned by Tinubu.

“The passengers,” according to the report, “were welcomed with smiles by the elated members of staff of the airline, who assured them that the state-of-the-art aircraft would provide alternative and better flying experience for those who want to fly in them.

“Many of the Abuja-bound passengers who were aware that the airline would resume flight operations yesterday had either booked their tickets online or had arrived at MMA2 very early in the morning to procure their tickets.”

News Express had on October 26 last year exclusively reported the collapse of First Nation Airlines in a story entitled “Exclusive: Tinubu’s airline collapses”. According to that story, “Nigeria’s latest airlines, First Nation, has collapsed less than a year after it began operations. Owned by former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, First Nation started operations early last November but ran into trouble shortly thereafter.”

The story quoted an authoritative source close to First Nation as saying: “The staff who didn’t leave on their own were asked to go on compulsory leave; so, in effect, there are no more operations.”

News Express also reported that the airlines had also lost its fleet of three A320s to the lessor, Aviation Capital Group.

It quoted the blog Aviation in Nigeria as saying: “The aircraft (5N-FNA, -FNB and -FNC) are likely repossessed; they were re-registered to the US FAA register as N409AG, N466AG and N997AG earlier this month. First Nation Airways suspended its flight operations in June 2012, and ferried at least two A320s to Istanbul for maintenance.”

Nigeria Will Not Break Up in 2014 or 2015- Clerics Tells Biafra, Oduduwa, Ogoni Separatists

Clergymen from different  denominations under the aegis of Nigeria Prayer Project gathered  at the National Christian Centre, Abuja on the eve of Nigeria’s 53^rd independence day celebrations and eve of 100  years of the nation’s forced amalgamation, to declare the counsel of God that Nigeria will not break up either in 2014 or 2015 as predicted.

The occasion was a night vigil to usher the nation into its centenary year and prophetically declare the counsel of God concerning Nigeria. The clerics unanimously agreed that the proponents of break-up of Nigeria will fail as the nation is yet to fulfill its prophetic agenda.

In the sermon delivered at the occasion, the President of Gethsemane Prayer Ministry, Ibadan, Dr Moses Aransiola declared that “the strength of Nigeria is in its present geographical make up and unity.” According to the cleric BIG UNITED Nigeria is better than a little Odua Republic. a little Biafra Republic, a little Ogoni Republic, or a little Arewa Republic”. Dr Aransiola stated further that what Nigeria needed at the moment is “a united spirit like the United States of America and United Kingdom. Such an entity can become an African Super Power like Britain and America” 

Declaring Gods counsel about Nigeria, Dr Aransiola said that God has been making known his prophetic agenda for Nigeria to his servants and prophets for many years now at different gatherings both within and outside Nigeria. Some foreigners who received prophetic words for Nigeria include late Pa S.G. Elton (England). Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke (Germany), Prophetess Cindy Jacobs (America), Robert liardon and Rohan Smith (Americans) among others.

According to him, some of Gods prophetic declarations for Nigeria include;

1. Nigeria is my battle axe and weapon of war

2. Out of this nation shall men and women arise who will be my chosen vessels to bring millions to me

3. Nigeria shall fulfill my counsel for the black race, the race that has been despised and enslaved.

4. I will visit and purify my church in Nigeria so that she may fulfill my purpose

5. I will raise Daniels and Josephs who will know how to build, plant, preserve and conserve Nigeria.

6. Son of Man say unto Nigeria and Nigerians ; though you have passed through the valleys of the shadow of death and shall yet pass through the valley of the shadow of death, thus saith the Lord, you shall not die but you shall live.

He described break-up proponents as fatalists and posited that Christianity is about recovery and redemption and not destruction.

Pastor Offodile Nzimiro, the new vision co-ordinator of Throne Room Ministries, Kafanchan, who represented Emmanuel Kure, led the congregation in the blowing of the chauffeur of liberation. Seven chauffeur was blown seven times signifying liberation of the nation while the covenant of salt and water was enacted for the nation signifying that anything that has held the nation backward for ninety nine years shall be healed by the mystery of salt and water according to how Prophet Elisha healed the land of destruction at the urging of the prophets. 

The service started by 7pm and ended around 1.30 am but between the hours of 11.55-12.55 an interval of ten minutes, there was unusual divine presence inside the auditorium and the expectant congregation went into wild jubilation before the cloud lifted.

Earlier during the service the address of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor on the state of the nation was read on his behalf. Pastor Austin Ukachi, Dr Emeka Nwankpa and Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon prayed for the nation.

Addressing news men after the occasion Apostle Martins Atanda of Zion World Prayer and Missions, Sokoto asked clergymen to shun corruption and lead in the move to emancipate Nigeria.  Rev Obinna Akukwe, a human rights activist, observed that the unusual  presence of God just before and after midnight at the event is a sign that God has not abandoned Nigeria and that divinity has  come to either bless, judge or curse the enemies of Nigeria and asked politicians and looters to beware of judgement ..

In a similar vein the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja, Paul Enenche has decried the decay in the university educational system in Nigeria. Speaking at the October 1^st service, Enenche told the congregation that the decay is such that Ghanaian Medical Graduates can practice in Europe without further examinations while their Nigerian counterparts have to write examinations and rigorous tests before being certified to practice overseas. He led the congregation to bind the spirits plaguing the education sector and also prayed for the strengthening of the naira, lamenting that the once prestigious national currency has been grossly devalued.

source

Media Chat Shocker: Jonathan Shocks Nigerians, Says ‘I Don’t Know If Shekau Is Dead Or Alive - PREMIUM TIMES

President Goodluck Jonathan shocked Nigerians on Sunday when he declared that he did not know if the leader of the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, was dead or alive.

The Joint Task Force, JTF, in Borno State, had said in a statement August 19 that Mr. Shekau might have died of gunshot wounds he received in an encounter with Force’s troops in one of their camps at Sambisa Forest on June 30.

However, Mr. Shekau appeared in a new video last week, claiming that he was not dead.

He also claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed several civilians on September 17 in Benishek, Borno State.

The military vowed to investigate the claims as well as the authenticity of the video.

Mr. Jonathan, our Commander-in-Chief, who receives briefing from security agencies daily, repeatedly said during the media chat that he could not say if the Boko Haram leader had actually died.

“I don’t know whether he (Shekau) is dead or alive,” the President, said in a response to a question tweeted to the panel of interviewers but read to him.

“I don’t know whether Abubakar Shekau is dead or alive. I don’t know him. I have never met him. You journalists know more than us, “some of you always talk to them (Boko Haram).”

Mr Jonathan noted that the Boko Haram saga worsened because it was not “properly handled in the beginning.”

On the killing of some students at the College of Agriculture in Yobe State, on Sunday, the president debunked the claim that such acts were due to widespread poverty in the country.

“Can poor people buy AK47?” he queried.

The president said some of those arrested in the uncompleted building in the Apo District of Abuja where security forces killed no fewer than seven squatters, were member of the Boko Haram sect. According to him they confessed to terrorism.

He said the crisis in Plateau State “is more of ethnic rivalry about who controls land, but Boko Haram is different.”

Mr. Jonathan assured the people that his government would try its best to protect Nigerians in order to forestall the type of incident that occurred at a Kenya Mall recently where over 60 persons were killed by suspected Al Shabaab insurgents.

He said, “We will try our best to ensure Kenyan mall attack is not repeated in Nigeria. If the drum is changing we must change steps. I assure Nigerians we’ll continue to do what is required to protect them.”

Mr Jonathan said there would be no elaborate ceremony on Tuesday to mark Nigeria’s 53rd Independence Anniversary, because government had already planned the Centenary ceremony next year, to celebrate the amalgamation of the defunct protectorates in the country.

He added that the decision to have a low-keyed Independence celebration was not because of insecurity, insisting that most parts of the country were now safe.

According to him, “We are not going to do any elaborate ceremony until 2014″…the low key celebrations are not because of security.

“Most parts of this country are safe now for any celebration, even in Maiduguri.”

Jonathan offers no plan to resolve ASUU crisis, says strike politicized

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday offered the clearest sign yet that his administration was in no haste to resolve the three-month-old strike by university lecturers, calling their demands “politicized” and urging the lecturers to return to work for the sake of the students.

On his fifth presidential media chat on the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, the president said the nation’s bitter politics had crept into the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and was responsible for the refusal of the lecturers to suspend their action despite the government’s effort.

“In the past, they did not go this far when strikes were called off; but now politics has gone into everything,” the president said. He did not elaborate when pressed further by a five-member interview panel on his claim about ASUU demands being politicized.

Mr. Jonathan said his administration had made concessions for the strike to be resolved, and has demonstrated remarkable commitment to addressing the massive infrastructure in the universities, one of the key demands ASUU has made.

He said the lecturers have refused to accept the government’s explanations that broad range reforms cannot be achieved instantly.

“ASUU strike is very very unfortunate,” Mr Jonathan, himself a former lecturer, said. He said crisis in education, in developing countries would always continue.

The president said the biggest indication to his government’s commitment to such reforms was the decision to catalogue the perennial rot afflicting all the universities.

“Throughout this time, no government has taken inventory of all the problems in federal and state universities,” the president said. “We said this must change. But it cannot change overnight. So for ASUU to go on strike over infrastructure, they need to understand that we are serious about intervening starting with N100 billion.”

The president’s remarks on the strike was his first since lecturers downed tools in June, asking for improved pay and better funding for universities. They vowed not to resume until the government fully implements the last agreement both sides reached in 2009.

The lecturers have vowed not to accept partial implementation of the agreement, with multiple intervention by the Senate and the House of Representatives stalemated.

The government said the challenges of improved funding requires more time, and claims it has made concessions by providing initial funding.

As the negotiations deadlock, millions of students have remained stranded at home with each claim of quick resolution to the crisis turning out unrealistic.

Mr Jonathan’s comments on Sunday provided the strongest indication yet, that, save a change in decision, students will remain at home longer as the crisis stretches without a resolution.

Asked specifically what the way forward would be for the strike, the president said he was calling on the lecturers to resume work for the sake of the Nigerian children and to realize that the government was committed to improving education.

He said the 2009 agreement which ASUU has harped upon, was negotiated by officials incapable for such a responsibility as the agreement was “not implementable”.

“Even if we have all the money in the world we cannot change things overnight,” he said. “The members of ASUU are our brothers and sisters, they should look at these young people and look at the commitment of govt.”

source

APC accuses PDP of plotting to rig 2015 polls, destabilize Nigeria

The PDP has denied the allegation, saying the “guilty are afraid”

The All Progressives Congress, APC, on Sunday, said it has uncovered a grand plot by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the presidency, to rig the 2015 general elections, especially the presidential poll, and also destabilize the country.

In a statement issued in Lagos, on Sunday, by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, APC said a multifaceted strategy that was being employed by the PDP and the presidency in a desperation to win the 2015 general elections at all cost, include the suppression of votes in areas where the president’s chances were slim, using police and the military.

But in a swift reaction, the PDP dismissed the claim, saying the APC was not only distracting the party and the president, who were focussed on the development of the country, adding that the opposition party was merely accusing it of what it was planning to destabilize the country.

According to the APC, the PDP and the presidency planned to use what they have tagged “a Third Force” to deceive Nigerians and project the image of a performing presidency, even when they admit that the current public perception of government was less than salutary because of its weakness and lack of vision.

The opposition party further alleged that the ruling party and the Presidency planned to engage in destabilization it (APC), using moles and fifth columnist, instigate chaos in the South-West geo-political zone, using what they called the ”Old Afenifere Guards” as well as infiltrate and weaken socio-cultural and socio-political organizations in areas they deemed to be unfavourable to the president.

The party claimed that the PDP and the Presidency’s grand plot also did not exclude even the PDP itself, as they were pursuing a strategy of decisively and ruthlessly purging from the ranks of the party’s inner decision-making caucus all recalcitrant members, including governors and House of Representatives members.

”The dogged pursuit of this action of dealing with supposed recalcitrant members has led to suspensions, expulsions and alienation of some PDP members, and it was the immediate trigger of the collapse of the party of tattered umbrella. ”After all, it is said that a house divided against itself cannot stand,” APC said.

Elaborating on the plot, the opposition party said the North-East and the North-West geo-political zones had been singled out as areas where votes must be suppressed in 2015, by creating an environment for the deployment of ”special forces” in the run-up to the 2015 elections.

“Simply put, they intend to launch police/military actions in the run-up to 2015, to ensure most of the registered voters in the zones are disenfranchised.

”The reason these two geo-political zones have been singled out for ‘vote suppression’ is because of what the PDP/Presidency called the ‘voting demographics’ in the zones in 2011.

“The North West had 18,900, 54 registered voters in 2011 while the North-East had 10,038,119. By contrast, the president’s ‘safe support base’ of South-South and South-East had 8,937,057 and 7,028,560 respectively, the total of which was less than that of the North-West alone!

”The PDP/Presidency therefore believe that unless the votes in these two zones are suppressed, and those of the South-West (14,298,356) stifled one way or the other, the chances of the President winning re-election are very poor. Needless to say that these three zones (NE, NW and SW) are considered to be hostile to the President, hence must be tamed,” APC said.

On what it called the Third Force, APC alleged that it would involve rail-roading unsuspecting credible and independent-minded Nigerians with deep knowledge of, and extensive penetration of the media, civil society, labour, youth, women and ethnic nationalities into the plan, in which they will be given scripts written by the government and sent out to inundate the airwaves and the print media, posing as experts and public analysts to peddle lies and reel out statistics that have no bearing on the standard of living of the average Nigerian.

The party noted that perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the plot is the determined attempt by the PDP and the Presidency to constrict the democratic space by moving against the main opposition party which they regard as a ”real threat” to the President if it (party) does not implode or forced to break up before 2015.

It added, “The strategy to achieve this is multi-pronged: The PDP/Presidency will use those they called fifth columnists, disillusioned party members and ‘deep cover plants’ to fracture the APC; play up clash of ambitions among its leaders, as well as create and empower a new anti-APC political force in the South-West, comprising the old Afenifere guards whom they described as spent and disillusioned forces, but who can be manipulated to achieve the desired objective of neutralizing the APC, and to revive some dormant political forces.

APC said while it was not bothered by the desperation of the PDP/Presidency to engage in unfair and foul means to win elections, it is astounded that a democratically-elected President will resort to actions that are far from democratic just to retain power at all cost.

”The PDP/Presidency should know that no power in the world can stop an idea whose time has come. For Nigeria, this is the time for change, and change will come in spite of the shenanigans of the devilish duo. Our hope is that these desperadoes do not destroy the country in their rabid ambition,” the party said.

The party called on Nigerians “to be vigilant in the days, weeks and months ahead as the PDP and Presidency begin to roll out their grand plot.”

However, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Jalo Ibrahim debunked the allegations, saying the opposition party was the one planning to rig the polls and destabilize the nation.

“It is not true. The APC is overheating the polity; they are prophets of doom. Instead of focussing on development, they are talking about rigging of elections. This is a case of ‘the guilty are afraid’. It is what they have made up their minds to do that they are accusing PDP of doing,” Mr Ibrahim told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Sunday.

The PDP spokesman said President Goodluck Jonathan was busy trying the fix the nation, including the providing efficient power supply and would not have the times to waste on election rigging as claimed by the APC.

Mr Ibrahim said, “Jonathan is busy trying to see that the issue of electricity supply is tackled. He is trying to see that those companies that bid for the power formation start working in October, and so he will not waste his time thinking of election rigging.

“As far as PDP is concerned, APC is like ACN before the amalgamation. The marriage has not been tested. Let them solve their internal problems. PDP is mindful of pushing the country forward in terms of development.

PDP is not afraid to go into electoral contest let alone, doing so with APC which comprises politicians who are not prepared to move the country forward. We were with some of them in PDP – people like Nasir el-Rufai. You know how Gani Fawehinmi tried to prosecute Bola Tinubu over his certificate scandal.

“So, APC should go and give Nigerians their programme and line of action. We are not distracted by what they are doing. We will continue with what we are doing to move this country forward. The focus of the president to move the country forward is very solid. Mr President is a democrat. I know him right from the days he was deputy governor. He is patient and does not habour ill-feeling against anybody.”

source

New York Judge Orders Jimoh Ibrahim To Pay $10 Million For Defaulting On Aircraft Lease

US District Judge Katherine Forrest has ordered a controversial Nigerian businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, to pay over $10 million for failing to meet his obligations on two aircraft he leased for the operations of his Nigerian air traffic business that is now grounded. Mr. Ibrahim had personally guaranteed the leased aircraft on behalf of his defunct airline, Air Nigeria.

SaharaReporters obtained a ruling by Justice Forrest in which she ordered the shady Nigerian businessman to pay up the initial $8 million owed to Aersale Inc., the owners of the leased aircraft. In addition, the judge ruled that Mr. Ibrahim must pay interests on the lease as well as legal fees.

Delivered in the form of a summary judgment, the ruling criticized the Nigerian businessman for seeking to find loopholes to enable him to disown the lease guarantee. She ruled that his legal schemes could not invalidate the lease agreement.

Mr. Ibrahim had challenged the authenticity of the lease document he had personally signed on behalf of Air Nigeria. He claimed that some pages of the lease document were not initialed. He also claimed that the passport number used on the document was from one of his expired passports. In addition, he tried to shift the blame for his business decisions on the moribund airline’s former managing director, Kinfe Kassanye, claiming that the former MD misled him into signing the lease.

But an unimpressed Judge Forrest dismissed Mr. Ibrahim's pleadings, describing the case as a straightforward issue of breach of contract. She added that Mr. Ibrahim did not deny that he signed the lease and was well aware of its implications.

The judge also denied Mr. Ibrahim's request to have Air Nigeria named as the main defendant in the case.

The ruling has been certified, and Judge Forrest has asked the plaintiffs, Aersale, Inc., to file papers in the form of a motion detailing the full scope of the company’s interests and costs. The firm’s filings are expected to include how much it cost the company to hire attorneys to file and pursue the lawsuit against Mr. Ibrahim.

Air Nigeria collapsed a few days after a Dana Airways flight crashed in a Lagos suburb, killing all passengers on board as well as some people on the ground.

A whistleblower who worked for Air Nigeria, John Nnorom, provided SaharaReporters with detailed information of the depth of the airline’s financial and technical crises. Mr. Nnorom and other anonymous staff sources told SaharaReporters that Air Nigeria would have sustained a tragic air crash because Mr. Ibrahim was more interested in carting away profits than in maintaining the aircraft in his airline’s fleet. They also revealed that he owed numerous service maintenance providers and lessors huge sums of debt.

The revelations compelled the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to revoke the airline’s air worthiness certificate, leading to its collapse.

A New York-based lawyer told SaharaReporters that Aersale, Inc. would likely seek the seizure of Mr. Ibrahim's private jet as part of a broader strategy to recouping debts owed to them.

source