MARIO BALOTELLI SINKS GERMANY

Balotelli, destroyed the Germans

Ghanaian born Italian striker Mario Balotelli sent Germany out European Championship as his two first half goals was enough to move Italy into the final of Poland and Ukraine 2012. The 21 year old striker scored the first goal in the 20^th minute of the first half and added a second in the 36^th minute of the same half with a thundrous shot that found the top right corner of German post.

Faced with a third straight semi final in major competiton, the Germans fought hard to come back into the game but the Italian defence proved to tough to crack. But their persistence paid off in the injury time after an Italian defender handled the ball inside the 6 yard box to gift the German machine a consolatory goal.

The Italian victory now sets up a mouth watering final match with Spain who got the better of Portugal in a penalty shootout.The final match will takes place on Sunday in Kyiev, the Ukrainain capital city.

HOUSEHOLD OF GOD RELEASES PRESS STATEMENT ON REV. OKOTIE`S DIVORCE.

Okotie and Stephanie, when the going was good

After announcing to his flock about his second divorce on Sunday, June 24, 2012, the senior pastor of Household of God, Rev. Chris Okotie has been avoiding the press. Journalists have been trying to get him to speak more on his failed marriage to Stephanie Henshaw, whom he married four years ago, but the man of God has refused to say anyyhing. Nevertheless, his church has officially released a press statement concernig his crashed marriage which unfortunately, is the second Read the statement below.

"The Pastor of our Church, the Household of God, Oregun, Lagos, Rev Chris Okotie announced his separation from Stephanie his wife of four years, at the end of last Sunday`s service.

Both parties arrived at this decision after careful review of the prevailing circumstances which pointed to the fact that it is the best option for them at this time. They also agreed not to divulge details of this incident for personal reasons.

Rev Okotie thanks concerned friends and well-wishers and asked for understanding. He also expressed the hope that their decision would be respected as no further details would be given on this issue.” - Household of God spokesperson, Mr. Ladi Ayodeji

Mainstreet Bank sacks 800 workers

Faith Tuedor-Matthews GMD Mainstreet Bank Plc

LAGOS —THE management of Mainstreet Bank Plc, formerly Afribank Plc, Friday, sacked no fewer than 800 workers despite the Federal Government’s directive to the management of the bank and organised labour to maintain status quo pending resolution of labour issues between the management and labour.

It was gathered that the sack came few days after the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour and Productivity at a meeting in Abuja with the organised labour and management of the bank on the outstanding gratuity of staff of the defunct Afribank Nigeria Plc.

Meanwhile, organised labour, yesterday, asked the management of the bank to immediately reverse the termination or labour and its allies would shut down its operations nationwide, describing the management’s action as illegal and unprocedural.

we gathered that of the 800 affected staff, over 650  were members of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, affiliated to the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, while the rest were members of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Employees, NUBIFIE, affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

we gathered that the management just locked the affected workers out of the bank’s network, denied them access to their offices and asked them to wait for their termination letters through their email boxes.

Labour demands immediate reversal

Organised labour described the management’s action as unprocedural, illegal, and anti-labour, demanding immediate reversal or all the bank’s operations nationwide would be shut by labour and its allies.

At a briefing, yesterday, Secretary-General of TUC, Chief John Kolawole, said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) views this act of Management of Mainstreet Bank Ltd as the height of provocation and lawlessness which is condemnable.  Consequently, TUC unequivocally states and demands the reversal of these terminations and other anti-labour acts immediately, failing which TUC will mobilise all its affiliates, allies and resources to shut down completely the operations of the bank nationwide.”

He added “We are therefore appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians, Hon. Minister of Labour and  Productivity, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Director-General, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Cooperation (NDIC), The Managing Director, Asset Management Company of Nigeria(AMCON), Acting Inspector General of Police to prevail on the Management of the Bank before the bubble bursts.”

 

Why I sacked Azazi – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

 President Goodluck Jonathan, on June 24, 2012, evening stated the reason for the sack of his erstwhile National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi, saying it was to conform with the changing tactics of the Boko Haram insurgency.

He also vowed that the Islamist sect would not bring his government to its knees as he pledged last night to change the face and structure of the administration to combat what he described as the varying strategies of the insurgent group.

Speaking during a presidential media chat, President Jonathan gave reasons why he removed Gen. Andrew Azazi as the National Security Adviser, NSA; why he traveled to Brazil last Tuesday despite the carnage in Kaduna and Yobe states and the administration’s response to the recent scandal involving the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy management.

For the first time President Jonathan also opened the lid on the differences between him and former President Umaru Yar‘adua on the public declaration of assets, noting that no one can blackmail him to now disclose his assets just as he affirmed that he would not dabble into speculations of his ambition concerning the 2015 presidential election. He, nevertheless, revealed that he would not reveal his plans until next year.

The live media chat was anchored by  Ohi Alegbe with  Tribune Editor, Edward Dickson; Ishak Modibo Kawu, Vanguard columnist and Maupe Ogun of Channels as panellists.

Giving reasons for the recent sack of Azazi as NSA and Dr. Haliru Bello as Minister of Defence, he said that the security challenges faced by the administration has overtime evolved through various stages and forms necessitating changes in the administration to combat the growing insurgency.

Jonathan said his decision to change his National Security Adviser is to conform with the changing tactics of the Boko Haram sect.

According to him: “if you study the evolution of Boko Haram, they are changing their tactics every day, so you also have to change your staff and personnel to beat their styles.”

Why I traveled to Brazil — Jonathan

Responding to public criticism on his travel to Brazil despite the troubles in Kaduna and Yobe, he said the government would not allow the threats from the Islamic militant group to cripple the machinery of government.

“It would have sent a negative signal to the international community, and the Boko Haram sect would have been seen to have achieved their aim of strangulating the government.

“The aim of terrorists all over the world is to strangulate government and ensure that government does not function. If they know I did not travel because of their activities, they would rejoice. If I do not travel because of Boko Haram activities, why should foreigners want to travel to Nigeria? My inability to travel would send a negative signal to the international community,” he added.

He thus vowed that the activities of the sect would not stop government functionaries from moving around or from doing their work, adding that it is committed to ensuring that all the arms of government keep faith with their various international commitments.

“Boko Haram can not bring us to our knees, this government must keep faith with our international business allies, notwithstanding the threat of the sect. We must do all in our powers to stop them and we must stop them.”

Boko Haram aiming to destabilize my government

Jonathan further stated that the aim of the Boko Haram sect is to destabilize the government, saying that the various attacks on churches are aimed at instigating religious violence.

He also alleged that if Christians do not retaliate, the sect would adopt a change of strategy by attacking mosques, in a bid to achieve their aim. However, he promised that his government will surely bring the Boko Haram menace to an end.

“Boko Haram aims to destabilize the government. By attacking the churches, they hope that Christians will retaliate against the Muslims.  If the Christians fail to retaliate, the same sect will start attacking mosques, hoping the Muslims will attack the Christians.”

He said that the government is ready to dialogue with the sect, but that the only problem was that the sect is faceless  and the government cannot dialogue with a faceless body or group.

Asset Declaration

For the first time the President responded to critics on his failure to publicly declare his assets as he did when he was Vice-President.  He explained that while he was Vice-President he disagreed with former President Yar‘adua on the principle of public declaration of assets saying that it was an unnecessary step. Describing it as an anomalous action, Jonathan said that he told the late President that they should not start something that they could not control saying that they could not as well compel all other senior officials of government to follow their action.

He, however, confessed that he had to declare his assets publicly then because he was under President Yar‘adua, but affirmed that no one can now compel or intimidate him to do so, saying that would not “improve the economy, would not stop the Boko Haram menace and would not advance governance in any way.”

“When I was Vice President, I declared my assets, because the President then did. In any case, between the time when I was Vice President and President was just a few months, so what would I have acquired within that short time?”

He however, stated that he has nothing to hide and could even decide to declare tomorrow, if he so wishes.

Speaking on the fight against corruption, he defended the government’s decision to sack the former boss of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, saying: “When I give people work and assignment, I give them time and the latitude to do the job. It is when they are not performing that I take action. Everybody likes the new boss, Lamorde, people like his mode of operation and I do too.”

He, however, noted the procedural difficulties in bringing corrupt persons to book. “To arrange a case file to prosecute corrupt criminals is difficult and it would be wrong to convict an innocent person. It is better for nine criminals to go scot-free than to convict one innocent person.”

He urged the public to allow both Lamorde and the Acting Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC to do their job.

Fuel subsidy probe

On the fuel subsidy probe scandal in the House of Representatives, he said the reference to patrons of the PDP as being  behind the scandal was uncalled for.

“The PDP has a board of trustees and since the fuel subsidy probe report was made known, no PDP member was indicted in that report. So the claims that PDP was indicted are wrong. All the noise that the President is part of the Farouk sting operation is wrong. Yes, I have heard about the Farouk issue and the matter is being investigated by relevant agencies. As a president I don’t have  time for that. Femi Otedola is a business man, why would I be involved in the sting operation?

“The questions on Farouk are questions you have to take up with the SSS. One thing I discovered is that criticising Jonathan and Jonathan’s administration is a serious business among Nigerians. People don’t know that I initiated the subsidy probe before the Senate and the House of Representatives started it.

“Just yesterday I read a story in Punch Newspapers and I have directed the EFCC to start investigating Nigeria’s accounts in the United States following the newspaper report.”

The President also asked Nigerians to give him time to fix the country’s epileptic power situation.

He disclosed that some power transformers to address the issue were already on ground but regretted the absence of some needed infrastructure.

“Some of the basic things needed before the importation of more transformers were not put in place. For example, the pipelines that would bring gas to the turbines have not been put in place. Where the transmission lines would pass are not ready also. However, with time we would get over it.“The gas Nigeria is depending upon belongs to multinational companies and they have invested heavily on it. It takes time to address this issue with the multinational companies, with time it would be addressed. Periodically, the Minister of Power will brief the country on this issue.”

Increase in PHCN Tariff

On the increase in electricity tariff, he said: “Nigerians have been paying tariffs before now. What we did was to adjust the tariff for Nigerians to pay more. Those with low income will pay less than what they were paying before now, while higher income consumers will pay more.

“If we can generate electricity freely and distribute it freely without it affecting our economy we would have done so.”

On the time frame for steady power supply, he said the government is working to improve the power situation in the country, adding however, that the government cannot give a specific time frame.”

The President also spoke on his administration’s efforts to revive the railways saying that his government should be praised for what it has done.

2015 Presidency

Asked on his plans for the 2015 elections, the President said that it was quite early to make a declaration saying that he would not allow himself to be distracted on the issue. Pressed on the issue, the President said he would not make his public intention until two years into the lifespan of his administration.

“When you ask me about 2015, I will say that it is not proper for any president given our circumstances. If I say so, whether left or right, people will misinterpret it.

“We have just spent one year. If I say I am running, the polity will be overheated. Allow us at least the next two years before we start talking about 2015.

“I said so during one of our PDP meetings that we should concentrate now and forget about 2015 debate. If we start campaigning now, we will end up campaigning for the next four years.”

UNILAG

Defending the process in renaming the University of Lagos after the late democracy icon, Moshood Abiola, he said that there is no law compelling him to send a proposal to the National Assembly before declaring the name change. “In establishing a university, the university is set up first, before it is sent to the National Assembly to ratify. In name change, we have to declare the new name before sending it to the National Assembly.

“There is no law that says that we must first of all consult with the National Assembly or the Senate of the University before coming up with the new name.”

Boko Haram invades Damaturu Prison, frees 40 prisoners

Police spokesperson, Mr Frank Mba, confirmed the incident

Damaturu— Suspected members of the Jam’atul Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad otherwise known as Boko Haram,on June 24, 2012, staged a daring attack on the Damaturu prison on Gashua Road, and set free 40 of their members who were being detained.

A fleeing inmate was said to have been killed while a prison warder was injured during the attack.

Police spokesperson, Mr Frank Mba, who confirmed the incident, said unknown gunmen staged a jailbreak yesterday in Damaturu and freed about 40 inmates, adding that  a prison warder was injured and that one fleeing inmate was killed in a gunfight.

In another development, spokesman of the Boko Haram sect, Abu Qaqa, has said the sect was not responsible for bomb that was found in a mosque in Kano, on Friday.

Qaqa in a statement, yesterday, said: “In respect of what we heard in the media yesterday (Friday) that some people attempted to detonate a bomb in a Juma’at mosque in Kano, this movement Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad hereby dissociates itself from this act.

“We are fully aware of this kind of conspiracy by the SSS, following a similar pattern of their counterparts in other countries to tarnish the image and reputation of Islamic fighters, they will not succeed, God’s willing.

“Everyone knows that we are waging Jihad to restore the supremacy of Islam, which is why we are labelled ‘Muslim fundamentalists’,  how on earth can we then attempt to destroy a Muslim place of worship. This is, therefore, a conspiracy by those that are averse to the enthronement of an Islamic state, and they will not succeed by God’s grace.”

 

Chris Okotie ends second marriage

Rev. Chris Okotie and Stephanie Henshaw when the going was good.

Rev Chris Okotie’s second marriage has ended after only four years. The Head Pastor of the Household of God announced in church on Sunday June 24, 2012, that he has separated from Stephanie Henshaw whom he married in August 2008. He told his congregation that he wanted to be the one to break the sad news to them and hoped for their understanding. He also said there was no going back,that the marriage was over!

This is Rev Okotie’s second failed marriage. It would be recalled that a lot of controversy trailed his marriage to Stephanie, a widow and mother of three. Pastor Okotie had earlier divorced his first wife Tina, who is now living in the United States of America.

The marriage between the estranged couple started during a thanksgiving service held in his church on August 10. Okotie created a stir when he told his congregation that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that his bride had never been married before. The woman, who was married, was dead and this one is born again, a new creation and quoting the bible, he said, “old things had passed away”- so also was the fact that she was once married. Okotie had also dispelled the belief that the bible is against re-marriage after divorce in a situation where the spouse is still alive. “There is a difference between a man abandoned by his wife and the one that divorces. The only thing that breaks a relationship is a divorce and even when there’s a divorce, the bible says you can re-marry,” he said.

It was gathered that Okotie ignored opposition from his church members and other relatives concerning his decision to wed Stephanie, claiming he had heard God clearly this time. Members of the church had even organised secret vigils and prayer sessions for their pastor to change his mind, but when their prayer did not materialise, some relocated to other churches. Some of his followers claimed his actions were contradictory and confusing.

At a press conference, Okotie said his new bride was destined to marry him from her birth and that people really did not appreciate what love is. He said he began ‘walking closely’ with Stephanie in 1999, a year after his divorce and he had asked her to marry him many times. “She was not particularly certain whether it was what God wanted for her. So I had a situation where I had to get the Lord to persuade her that he is part of this agreement,” he said.

Italy beat England on penalties to reach Euro 2012 semis

Gigi Buffon

Italy beat England 4-2 on penalties on Sunday after their Euro 2012 quarter-final match as both sides failed to produce a goal after 120 minutes of play.

The Italians won through to a semi-final against Germany in Warsaw on Thursday thanks to the winning penalty from Alessandro Diamanti after Ashley Young and Ashley Cole missed for England.

Italy had the better of the chances throughout – a swerving effort from Daniele de Rossi hit the post after just two minutes setting the tone.

And they had a goal disallowed late on in extra-time when Antonio Nocerino saw his close-range header chalked off for offside.

England did have their moments and Italy keeper Gigi Buffon made a fine early stop from Glen Johnson.

Mario Balotelli then fired a close range effort too close to Joe Hart before Wayne Rooney astutely found Manchester United teammate Danny Welbeck, who leaned into his effort and fired over.

After the restart England had a let off as Hart saved from De Rossi and Balotelli before Riccardo Montolivo put the rebound over from point blank range.

England threw on Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott for Welbeck and James Milner on the hour in an attempt to regain the initiative in the face of increasing Italian pressure but neither side could find a way through.

There were few chances in the first-half of extra-time with Diamanti going closest with a cross hitting the post.

I’ll be president for all Egyptians – Morsi

Mohammed Morsi

 Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi, the first Islamist to be elected to the presidency, said on Sunday he will be a leader “for all Egyptians.”

“I will be a president for all Egyptians,” Morsi said just hours after he was declared president following a deeply divisive race against Ahmed Shafiq, the last premier to serve under ousted president Hosni Mubarak.

Morsi also pledged  to honour international treaties, say wants peace but insisted that the revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak would continue until its goals were met, in his first address after being declared the country’s next leader.

“The revolution continues, until all its demands are met,” he said in a speech broadcast live on state television, hours after the election commission declared him the winner of this month’s run-off vote.

Blast rocks Abuja highbrow district

Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II district of Abuja

 Blast rocks Abuja highbrow district

A “mysterious” blast yesterday tore through the Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II District of Abuja.The blast which occurred at barely a few minutes after midnight set two jeeps and two other cars ablaze but did not have any major impact on the buildings in the area.

The explosive device was planted under a tree at the front of Hanan Plaza just opposite Kryxtal Lounge, a night club, in the area. The plaza shares a fence with the headquar-ters of Etisalat mobile network in Abuja.

Manager of the Lounge, Alex Toor, dismissed insinuations that the explosive was planted in his club. He said although the club was in session at the time of the explosion, there was no indication that his club was the target.“I am not a bomb expert but from what happened here, I do not think it is a bomb blast”, he our source.

A resident of the area, Laide Oshinowo, said the loud bang which was heard at about past midnight shook his building even as his electronics immediately stopped working.

“The blast shook my room and my TV stopped working. It has not worked since then,” he said.

Confirming the incident, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aderenle Shina-ba, said no one died in the incident.

He stated that: “What happened at this spot you are seeing is that a vehicle parked and some other ve-hicles parked and another vehicle was just moving on the highway and threw an object at the vehicles that were parked.

“The next we heard was a sound. It was not a very serious issue, no life was lost and nobody was injured,’’ he said.

Shinaba did not say the type of explosive used and added: “I am not a bomb expert.”

He, however, said that men of the ``Explosive Ordnance Department’’ of the police had commenced investigation into the matter.

The commissioner said the investigation would prove the type of explosive used and the motive of those behind the explosion, adding that no arrest had been made.

He assured residents of FCT that their security was guaranteed.

Although, field workers of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were on ground, they declined speaking on record.

One of them, however, clarified that there was no casualty recorded and that security operatives had towed the affected vehicles away.

Only on Friday, the Zone 5 area of Wuse District was hurriedly deserted and offices and commercial complexes evacuated over fears that an Improvised Explosive Device had been planted around the area.

Barely an hour after the Islamic Jumaat prayers, the Zone 5 area of the district became chaotic as motorists and passersby hurriedly fled

 

It’s in the interest of North not to field a candidate against Jonathan in 2015 – Asari Dokubo

Asari Dokubo

Alhaji Asari Dokubo, a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council and leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF).

In this interview with Asari Dokubo, he bared his mind about current political situation in the country, saying that the people of the South South are prepared to protect the Presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, and warned the North against fielding candidates in 2015.

He insisted that after the tenure of Jonathan, the presidency must move to the South East for the interest of peace and harmony.

Ahead the July 14, governorship election in the state, he expressed optimism that President Jonathan will ensure a free and fair election.He also warned that the people of Edo State and the Niger Delta will resist any attempt to rig the election in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Excerpts:

Few months ago the PDP in Edo State threatened to take you to court after you endorsed Governor Adams Oshiomhole,and warned against rigging?

They say clear conscience fears no accusation. The warning was not directed to any particular party. It was made in the direction of any body who attempts to manipulate the election. But if the PDP believe that it was directed at them so be it because the people of Edo State cannot afford to go through the trauma that they went through the last time when their mandate was stolen and it took them time, as they went through pains and people even died to reclaim the mandate. I think the PDP should be calling for free and fair election. If there is no PDP Federal Government I don’t think the PDP will be playing God in Edo state or else where.

The truth is that without a PDP Federal Government I don’t think the PDP can contest election in Edo state and hope that they can win up to five per cent of the votes because of their antecedent in the state. Benin City is like my second home after Warri. For eight years that the PDP was here they destroyed the state, there was nothing to show that there was government. Today, the people can see the difference between Adams Oshiomhole and the rest. After Dr Ogbemudia and Alli the state was dead, every body went to sleep.

But Adams has rejuvenated the state, he has woken the people up. If it was in a society where opinion polls matters, by now we would have known the loser and the winner. Oshiomhole would not even go through the rigours of campaigning. There is a new Edo State today and any body who cannot see it is not fair to the people of the state and the people of Edo state should reject such person.

So the PDP knows that they do not have any locus to take any body to court, I am free to say any thing I want to say, go any where I want to go to as long as I don’t flout the law of the land. And what I have said in this particular situation is very very true that no body should attempt or even think of rigging this election. The people will not allow this election to be rigged, the peoples votes must count.

But there is this talk about Jonathan deploying the Federal Might in Edo state to capture the state for his party the PDP?

I am a supporter of Goodluck Jonathan and the Goodluck I know cannot do such a thing. However, some people change when they get into office. But it is not to the advantage of Goodluck to rig the election in Edo state for PDP because it will cause a serious problem in his base if he allows the unity that was there before his election to be eroded due to pressure from  few cabals.

The whole people of the South South got up to say to hell with tyranny, they look at arrogance eye ball to eye ball and told them you don’t have the powers to stop us and they voted for Jonathan. We said we will stand you and any thing you bring we are ready to bring to fight.

Even though Oshiomhole is an ACN man,  though Alhaji Dokubo is not a PDP man, came together with one voice and brought Jonathan. It was not PDP that brought Jonathan to power, Jonathan enjoyed the popular vote of the people. Our people in the South South did not protest during the fuel subsidy removal because we are aware that some people said if they don’t produce the president they will make the state ungovernable for Jonathan and they have been doing that.

We did that because Jonathan is our own. And if Jonathan with all these now decides to support those who want to steal the mandate Edo people will freely give to Oshiomhole, then I think people like us will start to question our support for Goodluck Jonathan.Then he will no longer be representing the collective interest of the people of the South South and the Niger Delta and the South East and all the oppressed people.

Our support for Jonathan was not because he is Jonathan, our support was that look for the first time after June 12, we are confronting tyranny and telling tyranny that you cannot cross this line.For the first time after June 12, we are confronting arrogance that we are born to rule, that this line you cannot cross it, we dared them and they could not cross the line. Jonathan may not be the best in the South South but he represents the symbol of our freedom.

If after the people made this sacrifice, then Jonathan will now turn round and connive with some people who for ten years, held the people of Edo State hostage, held the people in darkness, poverty and penury, then some of us will say no, you are no longer representing the interest of the South South, the oppressed people.

Look when people talk about money, I laugh because Jonathan will give me more money than any thing I can get from Edo state or Oshiomhole. But the battle we fight people don’t understand, some people sat down some where to say we are minority and we asked, where have scientific census been held to determine who are minority and who are majority.

That you have the right to perpetually subjugate us, to take our resources, to destroy our environment, murder our leaders and nothing will happen. Jonathan did not fight to become President, it was the collective struggle of the totality of the people of the South South, the people of the Middle Belt, the South East who has been considered as second class citizens in a country that belongs to all of us.

And it will be  very wrong for Jonathan to pay back to the people of Edo State, by backing any plot to rig Oshiomhole out of power when the entire people of the state appreciate his performance. If that happens, people like us will say you no longer represents our interest so go and use your federal might to confront those who think that they are born to rule, they have the exclusive preserve for power, if you can go and confront them without our support we will say okay go.

I don’t believe that there is any might that can stand against the might of the people when the people have spoken. And I don’t think Jonathan will buy that because he is too intelligent for that.

Of what political value are these so called god fathers in Edo State other than they will manipulate the electoral process to rig election. Will Jonathan be interested in seeing the blood of the people who voted for him to flow? Because I know that the people of Edo State, the people of the South South who sees what Oshiomhole represents will resist them. I don’t think Jonathan is ready to gambel with the good will he enjoys from the people, he will not.

June 12 and renaming of UNILAG after MKO Abiola

I think the renaming of UNILAG is a very small start. It is a step in the right direction but one comes to question the sincerity of those who has been crying all these about Abiola. Some of us now come to see that the MKO who we supported with out lives, that some people especially his people were only using his name, to get power. The decision of President Jonathan clearly exposed their hypocrisy. But I think it is not enough.

For those of us who believe in what Abiola did, some body who was close to MKO Abiola, I believe the President of Nigeria should go on and restore to MKO the status of a former President and pay all his entitlements for four years to his family.

Then June 12 should be declared an Abiola national public holiday and it is easy to do it through an act of parliament. This will not totally remove the injustice but it will go along way in mitigating the injustice that was done to MKO Abiola and Nigerians. And again those who are responsible for the annulment of June 12 election should be brought to book.

President Jonathan will take his two terms

Ordinarily it will be too early for any one of us to be talking of 2015. But I was the first to say in public  that Jonathan has no right to say he was not running because we in the South South are entitled to two terms. And Jonathan is in the best position as a sitting President to run for that two term.

That is the tradition every where. But I want to say it is premature for any one to start talking about 2015 now, Jonathan has just been in government for one year and he has to show reasons why the people should re-elect him. and these reasons will be based on his developmental achievements, fighting corruption, enhancing democratic values, for me these are the issues.

But for now because of the arrogance every body has taken a very rigid stand, we have been forced to take a stand. Jonathan is from the South South and as his people we have been forced to take a stand. So you now find out that judging Jonathan’s administration based on performance is no longer there, people are now saying since you have decided we have decided too.

The situation has come to monkey no fine but the Mama like am. You cannot ask me now to access Jonathan’s government based on performance, we have passed that stage because the day we decided to be fair, the Northerners are not ready to be fair. And you cannot sell your brother. So all of us have staked all that we have, all that we have laboured for all these years because we believe that the collective interest of our people is greater than our individual interest. And Jonathan today represents the collective interest of the Oshiomholes, Timi Sylva, Peter Odili, Dokpesi and so on, the collective interest of our people.

For over the years people have been feasting on us and insulting us. Now instead of discussing about our economy, no what they are saying is the right of the North to rule. No no, it is not your right. You don’t contribute any thing to this fraudulent union.

These are the issues, but Jonathan has been there in one year and you expect him to clear all the rots of over 50 years. He is not Prof. Peller or TB Joshua, he is not a miracle worker. The rot has been there, but that does not mean that we are encouraged by what is happening no, but we cannot come out to say it because the battle line has been drawn. We cannot leave our flanks open because the enemy will infiltrate.

They said Boko Haram, how does Boko Haram affects me? If they are doing Boko Haram where they are and they don’t come to my place to do their Boko Haram, that is not my business. But if we are living in a good society where every thing is fine, then we would have started making some comments that this thing is wrong or this is good. But we are no longer there. The North has created an atmosphere of a failed society where every body now is in the trenches to defend his or her territory.

I am not apologetic about it. So until the North goes beyond the stupid arrogance we cannot be united. No body will accept this arrogance. As far as I am concerned if there is a realistic census the South will be five times more populated than the North because there is no where in the world where the desert part of the world will be more populated than the tropical savanna, it is not possible.

As long as I am concerned there are more Ijaw people than Fulani people in this country because I have traveled to see Ijaw people every where. Ijaw people are migrant people as the Fulanis are also migrant people, so why should they call us minorities. So for me, 2015 Goodluck Jonathan does not have the right to say he is not running for presidency. It is our right to have two terms and they have to respect that right.

They have to wait for us to run our two terms but if they want to disrupt the polity by saying that they want to run, let them go ahead, we are ready for them and we are waiting for them. We are not going to let our right go because some people think they can kill, are they the only people who can kill? This killing business there are professionals in it o, if they feel they can kill we too can kill, we are not afraid of that.

It is to their interest that they should not disrupt the polity and that they don’t attempt to run in 2015 because we the people of the South South must complete our two term and Jonathan is in the best position as the sitting President to ride on.

But are you not scared the insecurity will be worst if Jonathan decides to run for another term?

If we are living in a normal society, yes every body should be bothered about the carnage being masterminded by Boko Haram, it is lives of our brother and sisters that are being lost every day. But we are now living in a very rigid society where every body is standing on his own, you can no longer see what is right or what is wrong. For us the people who instigated this crisis in the North are there and I think the government of Jonathan has not done enough to bring these people to book.

These people openly told us that if you win the PDP primary we are going to fight you and that if you win the general election we are going to make the country ungovernable and that is what is happening. There is no smoke without fire. So when Azazi said that PDP is part of the problem, people started criticizing him but it was actually PDP that started the issue of zoning. The North said if they don’t have power back every body will die but we confronted them that we are all human beings, if you have life and we have life so if we are going to die you too will die, there is nothing you can do.

The senseless  killing in the North does not represent Islam, it represents the narrow interest of a section of the North which I feel does not represent the totality of the interest of the people of the North.

It is the interest of the people of the North after criminally seizing power, appropriated the totality of the power of the people for over 30 years, it is in the interest of the North to relinquish power to the people of the South South and South East who has never tasted power in a country where they contribute over 80 per cent to the sustenance.