Robert Mugabe becomes the new Chairman of the African Union at 90 years of age

President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has replaced Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, as the Chairman of the African Union.

90-year-old Mugabe, on Friday, January 30, was elected as Chairman of the union at the AU summit in Addis Abbaba.

Mugabe thanked African leaders for electing him, saying: “By electing me to preside over this august body, with full knowledge of the onerous responsibility that lies ahead, I humbly accept your collective decision.”

Jonathan’s campaign slams Soludo for rating President F9, says ex-CBN chief confused

President Goodluck Jonathan campaign on Monday reacted angrily to the criticism by the former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN governor, Chukwuma Soludo, that his administration failed woefully in its handling of the country’s economy.

In his widely publicized assessment of President Jonathan’s handling of the country’s economy in the past five years, Mr. Soludo, gave the administration an ‘F’ grade in the management of the economy, describing it as the worst in Nigeria’s political history.

Ex- Petroleum Minister vows to lead battle against Patience Jonathan in Bayelsa

A former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dan Etete, has said he would lead the battle to stop the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, from meddling in the politics of Bayelsa State.


Mr. Etete, who was allegedly involved in the million dollars shady Malabu Oil Deal scandal, stated this at an event to mark his 70th birthday at the weekend in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Mr. Etete said rather than being preoccupied with her husband’s re-election matters, Mrs. Jonathan was busy planning to abort the re-election of the state governor, Seriake Dickson, in the 2016 governorship election.

The First Lady, an indigene Rivers State, has allegedly been strategising to stop Mr. Dickson’s re-election. She is reportedly rooting for the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters, Waripamowei Dudafa, as the governor’s replacement.

However, in what appears a move to stave off Mrs. Jonathan’s offensive, the governor recently sacked two of her allies from his government. Those sacked were, Marie Ebikake, former commissioner for local government and Remi Kuku, special adviser on Federal Government projects.

Mr. Dickson also banned the activities of a pro-Jonathan group, Transformation Association of Nigeria, TAN, accusing its members, including a former deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Werinipre Seibarugu and Remi Kuku, of “promoting politics of subversion and needless division” in the state.

Some youth groups had also warned Mrs. Jonathan, who had last October resigned as permanent secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service, not to accompany her husband to the state for the presidential campaign rally on February 5.

“I am using this opportunity to warn the First Lady not to make the mistake of trying to dislodge Governor Dickson to impose a thief and a criminal as Governor of Bayelsa State,” Mr. Etete said at the event also attended by Mr. Dickson.

“It is a known fact that Dickson has performed beyond the expectation of most Bayelsans, and that out of nothing but sheer jealousy the First Lady and her cheerleaders want him out to pave way for their selfish interests.”

The former minister in the administration of the late Sani Abacha, said Mrs. Jonathan was merely being jealous of Mr. Dickson’s performance as governor since 2012.

Stating that despite staying away from the state in the last 15 years, Mr. Etete said he had full grasp of the politics of the state. He insisted that at no time did it become a norm that the First Lady should dictate who governs the oil-rich Bayelsa State.

He lambasted Mrs. Jonathan for failing to appreciate Mr. Dickson’s efforts to assist her husband (Mr. Jonathan) succeed as president.

He said, “We have Governor Dickson working his heart out to galvanize support for President Jonathan’s second term in office. On the other hand, the First Lady is aligning with all the opposition elements in the state to create crisis for the young governor.

“Her aim is to return to power the same thieves and criminals who failed the state in the past, and turn back the hands of the clock for this great state,” Mr. Etete said, adding “we won’t allow such to happen”.

Also speaking at the event, a former Minister of Information, Edwin Clark, a close-ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, said “By God’s grace, I’ll celebrate my 90th birthday here in Bayelsa in 2017, during Dickson’s second term in office”.

Mr. Dickson, who expressed gratitude to Ijaw leaders for their support since he assumed office, said everyone who truly loved Nigeria should support the president’s re-election bid.

Apparently referring to Mrs. Jonathan activities in Bayelsa State, the governor said it was an irony that some people would claim to be rooting for the president’s re-election bid and at the same time causing confusion in his (president) home state.

“You can’t claim to be for Mr. President and yet be sabotaging his home state,” he said.

El-Rufai moved Zaria

The ancient town of Zaria in Kaduna state on Monday stood still for the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Nasir El-Rufai.
Mr. El-Rufai, who was conducting his gubernatorial campaign, was received by thousands of Zazzau Emirate residents at Eid Praying Ground in Zaria.

The candidate said the significance of the crowd that ushered him proved that change is inevitable and a new dawn beckons for development and purposeful leadership.

Oyedepo asks God to open hell gate on Jonathan’s opponents

President Goodluck Jonathan praising God at the Winners Chapel, Ota

President Goodluck Jonathan has joined Nigerian worshippers at the Winners Chapel, also known as the Living Faith Church to pray for peace in Nigeria.

The service was presided over by the general overseer of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo, who reportedly beseeched God to open hell-gate for the political opponents of the president.
According to a report by Pulseng.com, Oyedepo declared his unflinching support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.

Boko Haram Terrorists release 192 hostages in Yobe

Some Chibok girls who escaped from Boko Haram after being abducted in April (Sahara Reporters)

The 192 hostages were said to be among 218 people abducted by the insurgents from Katarko town in the Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Terrorist group, Boko Haram has reportedly released 192 people that it had previously taken captive.

The 192 hostages were said to be among 218 people abducted by the insurgents from Katarko town in the Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Goni Katarko, a notable politician who hails from the area told Vanguard that the militants had asked them to pick up their relatives at Woron Yinwa village.

King Abdullah's half-brother Salman inherits throne after royal dies at 90 ..

Late Kin Abdullah(right) New King Salman(left)


Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz - the powerful U.S. ally has died aged 90.The royal had been in the hospital since December, battling pneumonia.Abdullah will be buried today following Muslim tradition that a burial should take place within 24 hours of death.
King Abdullah's half-brother Salman, 79, has become king.A statement released by the new king read:

Water scarcity hits Abakaliki

The residents of Abakaliki are presently experiencing serious difficulties in accessing water either from the public water supply or private sources.
A correspondent who monitored the situation in various areas of the town, reports that some residents, especially youth carry as many as four ‘jerry-cans’ in wheel barrows in search for water.
A student, Chika Ubah, said he fetches water up to five times every morning from a borehole several kilometres from his residence to meet domestic needs.

APC rejects PDP’s denial of Fayose’s controversial Buhari advert

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation has dismissed the rebuttal by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of a newspaper advertorial by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State.

The advertorial published on the front pages of the Punch and Tribune Newspapers on Monday suggested that if elected into office, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, may die while in power like past northern leaders such as Murtala Mohammed, Sani Abacha and Musa Yar’Adua.

Will this election be peaceful ? See what people did to a newly mounted billboard of GEJ in Katsina

How peaceful will this election be? 

Buhari to speak Wednesday over his qualification for election

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, will speak to the media Tuesday on details of his qualification, amid a raging controversy on whether he is fit to stand for the February 14 election, his campaign office said.

The Buhari campaign office said Tuesday that the former military ruler will speak to the media at 9a.m. in Kano, where he is currently canvassing for votes.

The announcement came hours after the Nigerian Army denied having Mr. Buhari’s Senior Secondary School certificate, casting a doubt on whether Mr. Buhari met the basic qualification to be enlisted into the military in 1962.

Photos: See the crowd that came for Buhari's campaign in Kano

APC held their presidential campaign in Kano today and the crowd that came out was massive. More pics after the cut...

PDP disowns Fayose over Buhari “death” advert

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDP, has distanced itself from a newspaper advert sponsored by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, suggesting the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, will die in office if voted president.

In the advert published by Punch, Mr. Fayose compared Mr. Buhari to past heads of state and president who died in office.

“Osinbajo is my problem” says Jonathan in secret meeting with pastors

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January 19, 2015Empowered Newswire



Apparently ruffled by the momentum generated by the nomination of Yemi Osinbajo, a professor and pastor, as the running mate of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress [APC], Muhammadu Buhari, President Goodluck Jonathan is asking a group of Pentecostal pastors to help him avert what he fears could be a loss in next month’s presidential polls.

Mr. Osinbajo, a prominent cleric with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria [SAN] emerged APC’s presidential running mate last month giving President Jonathan and the ruling party, PDP, what sources described as sleepless nights.

Specifically last Thursday, the President held a meeting in Abuja, with a number of Pentecostal pastors led by Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, with the main agenda being how to fashion out ways to solve the “Osinbajo” problem.

INEC needs 11,000 ad-hoc staff in Gombe

The Independent National Electoral Commissioner, INEC, on Monday said that it needed more than 11,000 ad-hoc staff for the conduct of the 2015 general elections in Gombe State.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the state, Kassim Gana-Gaidam, made this known in an interview in Gombe.

Ex-Military ruler, Babangida, declares support for Buhari

Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, on Monday declared his support for Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate in the upcoming elections.

OPINION: ENUGU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SCAM: ANOTHER 419 ON THE IGBO NATION

The Enugu International Airport also known as Akanu Ibiam International Airport is another 419 on the Biafran Igbo citizens of Nigeria because there is yet nothing international about the airport. It is instructive to note that late President Umoru Yaradua was the one who in 2008 approved the upgrading of the airport to International status in line with his administration’s policy that each geopolitical zone will have at least one international airport.

Buhari: Cancer medical report about me is fake, addresses debate on his educational qualification

APC presidential candidate Gen Buhari says the cancer medical report that surfaced online yesterday January 18th is fake and has also been refuted by the authorities of the Ahmadu Bello Teaching hospital who purportedly issued the medical report.

The Wife of Oyo state Guber aspirant Teslim Folarin allegedly shot

As written by Timilehin Bankole. See the rest after the cut...

5 strong questions Obasanjo asked Jonathan @ Abeokuta

(1) Did you agree to run for only one term or not?

(2) What did you tell me was your reason for not going after Boko Haram insurgents even when I told you this will boomerang?

(3) What happened to Nigeria’s external reserve and Sovereign Wealth Fund?

(4) Did you give licence to Niger Delta militants (Dokubo and Tompolo) to import arms in the name of their privately owned companies? If so, for what reason?


(5) Did you not get correspondence from the United States consulate that a certain citizen named Buruji Kashamu is indicted for drug trafficking? Why did you appoint the same Kashamu as South West leader of PDP rather than hand him over to the US? And did the PDP give automatic Senate ticket to a wanted and convicted drug baron?