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Sunday, 4 September 2016

Photos: VP Yemi Osinbajo, his wife and children attend service at Aso Villa chapel

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, his wife Dolapo and two children, attended church service at the Aso Villa Chapel today September 4th. More photos after the cut.

Man who named pet dog 'Buhari' names newborn daughter 'Aisha'

Lawyer/Human Rights Activist, Inibehe Effiong (left) shared this interesting new update via his twitter page. Effiong was involved in the case of Joachim Iroko Chinakwe (right), who was was arrested when a neighbour filed a complaint against him for naming his dog 'Buhari'. See the tweets after the cut.

Photos: Monalisa Chinda and hubby share a kiss at the poolside

Monalisa and her husband Tonye Coker, kiss as they relax at the pool side in Santorini, Greece where they had there white wedding few days ago. See photos of Monalisa and some of her friends at the poolside after the cut.

FG replies US congressman, Tom Marino, says his comments against Buhari are out of tune with reality

The Federal Government has described the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration, as sadly out of tune with reality.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’.

The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues.

‘’Insecurity anywhere is insecurity everywhere. Had Congressman Marino understood this, he would not have made the kind of call he made concerning the US security assistance to Nigeria. The Boko Haram insurgency that Nigeria has decisively dealt with under President Muhammadu Buhari is not just a Nigerian problem but a regional and international crisis,’’ he said.

Lai said Congressman Marino definitely did not have Nigeria in mind when he wrote that the US should withhold security assistance to Nigeria until President Buhari ‘demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech’.

''An Administration that operates purely on the basis of respect for the rule of law and a strict adherence to constitutional order is not one to deny the citizens of their constitutionally-guaranteed rights. This Administration therefore does not need the goading of Congressman Marino or anyone for that matter to do what is right. Concerning running an inclusive government, had Congressman Marino done his home work before dispatching his letter, he would have realized that no part of the country is left out in the distribution of political appointments, for example, or in the appointment of Ministers, which was done in accordance with the Constitution that mandates that the President must appoint at least one minister from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Had the Congressman sought information from credible sources before engaging in a flight of fancy, he would have been presented with a comprehensive information on the appointment of CEOs for Federal Government’s parastatals, agencies and commissions that shows that the appoints were almost evenly matched along the line of the six geo-political zones in the country: With the North West having 51, North Central 46, North East 45, South East 41, South West 45 and South South 45,’’ he said. ‘’The Congressman may wish to note that each geo-political zone comprises 6 states, with the exception of North West (7) and South East (5).’’

The Minister described Congressman Marino’s description of the Administration’s anti-corruption efforts as ‘selective’ as a tired argument that clearly shows that the US lawmaker must have appended his signature to someone’s concocted line.

''That line was invented by those seeking to cause an unnecessary distraction from the Administration’s anti-corruption efforts, and it has been roundly rejected. Congressman Marino’s decision to exhume the dead postulation without an iota of proof is a reflection of whose side he has taken in the ongoing efforts to rid Nigeria of corrupt elements. Needless to say that the anti-corruption battle will continue unhindered, irrespective of whose ox is gored. And in this fight, only the guilty needs be afraid,’’ he said.

Lai said Nigeria is delighted that US Secretary of State John Kerry, to whom the Congressman addressed his letter, is more knowledgeable, better briefed and definitely more hands on concerning Nigerian issues.

Pope Francis says the church should ask forgiveness from gays for past treatment and Christians should apologize to gays

Despite the bible condemning Homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22, ‘You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.'(NIV version), the leader of the Roman Catholic church Pope Francis has made some controversial statements saying that the Roman catholic church should apologize to gays for offending them.
While on a press conference aboard the Papal Plane on his way from Armenia, Pope Francis responded to a question from a journalist about a German Cardinal who said the Catholic Church should apologize for being “very negative” about gays.
The Pope was also asked, by the same journalist, whether Christians bear some blame for hatred toward the LGBT community, as horrifically demonstrated in the Orlando massacre at a gay night club that killed 49 people on June 12.“I repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that they must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally,”
“The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times — when I say the Church, I mean Christians! The Church is holy, we are sinners!”
“I believe that the church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended,” he added, “but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons.”
“One can condemn, but not for theological reasons, but for reasons of political behavior…Certain manifestations are a bit too offensive for others, no?
“But these are things that have nothing to do with the problem. The problem is a person that has a condition, that has good will and who seeks God, who are we to judge? And we must accompany them well.”
He told reporters on the plane “there are traditions in some countries, some cultures, that have a different mentality about this question (homosexuals)” and there are “some (gay) demonstrations that are too offensive for some”.
The pope did not elaborate on what he meant by seeking forgiveness for the Church “having blessed so many weapons”, but it appeared to be a reference to some Churchmen who actively backed wars in the past.

14 oil workers kidnapped in Rivers State

Fourteen workers with Nestoil in Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State were abducted by unknown gunmen on Saturday, September 3rd.

The workers were reportedly returning from their work site at Omoku area enroute to Port Harcourt when they were ambushed by the kidnappers. The gunmen forcefully diverted the staff bus to an unknown destination under heavy gunfire.

The Public Relations Officer of River State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incident stated that anti-kidnapping teams are combing the bushes in efforts to rescue the workers, according to Sahara Reporters.

Mr. Omoni said police have located the company's Costa van and expressed optimism that the workers will be rescued.

Photo: Between Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Media Executive, Ayeni Adekunle

Photo: Between Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Media Executive, Ayeni Adekunle

Lol...........seriously.................

US Congressman writes to US Secretary of state, John Kerry, accuses Buhari of autocratic tendencies, selective Anti-Graft war

A member of the United States Congress, Tom Marino, has written a letter to Secretary of State, John Kerry, asking the US government to withhold security assistance to Nigeria until President Buhari demonstrates a “commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech”.

According to Thisday, Marino in his two-page letter, accused President Buhari of autocratic tendencies and selective anti-graft war. Marino asked the State Department to stop selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusion of other opposition members.
His letter to Kerry reads:

“Dear Secretary Kerry, I am encouraged by the personal interest you have taken in aiding Nigeria and its administration as it takes on endemic corruption, multiple insurgent movements, and a faltering economy. However, I believe there are a number of warning signs emerging in the Buhari administration that signal “the man who once led Nigeria as a military dictator might be sliding towards former autocratic tendencies. I would urge the U.S. to withhold its security assistance to the nation until President Buhari demonstrates a commitment to inclusive government and the most basic tenets of democracy: freedom to assemble and freedom of speech. A logical start towards this commitment is for the Nigerian government to hold accountable those members of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Military complicit in extra-judicial killings and war crimes. Human rights groups like Amnesty International have widely documented torture, inhumane treatment, and extra-judicial killings of defenseless Nigerians since President Buhari took office.”

Quoting Amnesty International Report, he wrote, “in the last six months, Nigeria’s military has unlawfully killed at least 350 people and allowed more than 168 people, including babies and children, to die in military detention. The Secretary to the Government of Kaduna State even admitted to burying 347 of those killed in a mass grave. And while President Buhari promised swift condemnation, his words rang empty. Instead of swift reforms, Buhari chose to reinstate Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, who Amnesty International revealed was in charge of the Nigerian military unit that executed more than 640 unarmed, former detainees. Also, in separate incidents concerning the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Nigerian Army has killed at least 36 – the real number is likely higher – people since December 2015 in an attempt to silence opposition and quell attempts by the group to gather publicly.”

Describing President Buhari as a former military dictator whose administration as military head of state was cut short by a coup, he stated that the President has continually shunned inclusivity in favour of surrounding himself with advisors and ministers from the north of the country and the region he considers home.

“Of President Buhari’s 122 appointees, 77 are from the north and control many of the key ministries and positions of power. Distrust is already high in Nigeria and favouring Northerners for key appointments has only antagonized the issue. These appointments are also primarily Muslim in the north and Christian in the south, adding a religious aspect to long-held regional biases. Of additional concern is President Buhari’s selective anti-corruption drive, which has focused almost exclusively on members of the opposition party, over-looking corruption amongst some of Buhari’s closest advisors. Politicizing his anti-corruption efforts has only reinforced hostility among southerners,” he claimed in the letter.

He said the Obama Administration would advance justice by urging the Buhari Administration to act decisively to hold accountable members of the police and military.
The congressman said, “This is a logical first step in making a demonstrable, sustained commitment to inclusive democracy, with distributed power in Nigeria. Until President Buhari establishes a track record of working towards inclusion, we ask the State Department to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to the country. The State Department should urge President Buhari to form a government that represents the diversity of its citizens and allows dissenting voices to be heard. Democracy can thrive only if people are free to assemble, to express their beliefs, and voice their concerns.”

Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to destroy Nigeria. The pro-Biafra champion who has been incarcerated since 2015 explained that he plans to destroy Nigeria not with explosives but with truth.
Read more: https://www.naij.com/955152-plan-destroy-nigeria-nnamdi-kanu.

– Nnamdi Kanu vowed to destroy Nigeria by saying the truth – The IPOB leader who have been arrested since 2015 described Nigeria as a British contraption – He said the union was forced which was the reason for the agitation for Biafra Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to destroy Nigeria. The pro-Biafra champion who has been incarcerated since 2015 explained that he plans to destroy Nigeria not with explosives but with truth.
Read more: https://www.naij.com/955152-plan-destroy-nigeria-nnamdi-kanu.html