If Jonathan loses, Nigeria will break - Tompolo insists

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Former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) has restated the resolve of the Niger Delta warlords to make Nigeria ungovernable if President Jonathan fails to return as president in next month's general election.

In a statement released by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Bebenimibo, in Warri yesterday January 29th, Tompolo attacked Gen Theophilus Danjuma for calling for his arrest alongside Asari Dokubo and other Niger delta warlords. He said the treaty that merged the Northern and Southern protectorate of Nigeria expired last year and everyone should be grateful to President Jonathan for keeping Nigeria together. Part of his statement after the cut...but meanwhile, the presidency has condemned this war threat from Tompolo and others..

"Gen. Danjuma and his cohorts should know that I remain resolute on my position in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that President Goodluck Jonathan must win this election for Nigeria to continue to stay together. Gen. Danjuma should be reminded that the devilish treaty that brought the Southern and Northern Protectorates together in 1914 expired last year. Danjuma and his likes, such as Gen. Buhari, Gen. Obasanjo and Mr. Bola Tinubu, should be grateful to President Jonathan who has been keeping this country together. If not for President Jonathan, Nigeria would not have been any more.  Danjuma and his cohorts should be reminded of the saying that ‘those who live in glass house should not throw stones’. The call by Gen. T.Y Danjuma (rtd) to arrest me and other agitators for a better living for the people of the Niger Delta region is an indication that he is behind terrorism in the North eastern part of the country as well as the stoning of President Jonathan’s convoy in Kastina and Bauchi states, because he has never condemned those acts, even though Boko Haram attacked churches and mosques in his home town. Is Gen. Danjuma not aware of the peaceful atmosphere when Gen. Buhari visited Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa (home state of the President) states for campaign?  Why is it that President Jonathan’s convoy was attacked in Kastina and Bauchi states without any provocation? Who is Gen. Danjuma if not for the oil wealth he is enjoying from the Niger Delta? He should be rather arrested for being behind terrorism in the North. Where was Danjuma when Mallam Ciroma Adamu threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable, if President Jonathan defeated the All Progressive Congress Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammedu Buhari?  Where was this so called statesman when the APC campaign Director General (DG), Mr. Rotimi Ameachi threatened to form a parallel government if President Jonathan wins the 2015 elections?  Where was this hypocrite when Dr. Junaid Muhammed, Muhammedu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar all said in separate interviews that the nation will boil if Jonathan won the election in 2011? Is it the interest of Nigeria Gen. Danjuma is protecting or his oil bloc in the Niger Delta?  Is it the interest of Nigeria Danjuma is protecting or his 50 million dollars donation to Gen. Buhari for his campaign? Let Gen. Danjuma and his cohorts know that they will not see any Ijaw man, the Igbos and others to fight on their side if the war that they are planning broke up,”.

In a related development, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), also released a statement signed by its spokesman, Eric Omare yesterday January 29th where they faulted the call by Gen Danjuma to arrest the Niger Delta ex-militants.

"We are surprised that General Danjuma swiftly called for the arrest of Tompolo, Asari and other Niger-Deltans, whereas he has neither condemned nor called for the arrest of those who have been consistently attacking the convoy of President Jonathan in the northern part of the country. General Danjuma’s call is not deserving of an elder statesman who is supposed to be unbiased rather than his obvious bias against the Niger-Delta people. Only yesterday, in Gombe State a supporter of President Jonathan who was pasting his posters was attacked and seriously brutalised. Why has General Danjuma not condemned this dastardly act if he is really an elder statement? There was no time at the meeting the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, with youth leaders and ex-Niger Delta freedom fighters where it was resolved that Niger Delta people would destabilise Nigeria, if President Jonathan fails the February 14, 2015 presidential election. This did not form part of the resolutions of the meeting, which were read out by Hon. Kingsley Kuku for Governor Dickson to transmit to Mr. President. The meeting was called by the Governor of Bayelsa State, to solicit support for President Jonathan from Niger-Delta youths and ex-freedom fighters. However, the meeting frowned at and  its dissatisfaction with the persistent attack on the campaign convoy of President Jonathan in some northern states when General Buhari, his main opponent, was protected and campaigned freely in the south during his campaign tour. Hence, the meeting condemned in the strongest terms the attack on President Jonathan and resolved that nobody can intimidate President Jonathan out of the presidential race. At the meeting, all the youth leaders and ex-Niger Delta freedom fighters resolved to put their grievances aside and agree to work for the re-election of President Jonathan. Therefore, the report on ex-militants threatening to destabilise Nigeria in the event of President Jonathan losing the 2015 election is not part of the resolution of the meeting. The meeting could not have discussed that as we are confident that President Jonathan would win the February 14, 2015 presidential election. We, therefore, call on Nigerians and the security agencies to disregard the call for arrest of Tompolo, Asari and others, which is based on a misleading report. The accusation levelled against President Jonathan by the APC is also unfounded,” the statement said.

Reno Omokri shades Buhari for refusing to participate in presidential debate

And they were keeping tab? These politicians sef. Lol. See the rest after the cut...

Pics: Gen. Buhari at Governor Fashola's Lagos residence today

Buhari is currently in Lagos at governor Fashola's residence. They are campaigning in Lagos today I think. See more photos after the cut...

Fashola and Fayemi's wives amongst others getting ready to head out...

Dear men, please come and explain this. How do you guys reason?

So according to reports, Johnny Depp, 51, is getting ready to marry his girlfriend, Amber Heard, 28, next weekend on his private Bahamian Island. According to Page Six, the wedding will hold over the weekend of February 7-8 and about 50 guests have been invited to the wedding.

Johnny began officially dating Amber Heard in 2012, a few weeks after he announced his separation from French actress and singer Vanessa Paradis, the mother of his two children.

Johnny was with Vanessa for 14 years and they had two children together but he never gave her a ring. During an interview in 2009, Vanessa said she'd never been married, that it was something she was looking forward to one day...hopefully with the father of her children. Johnny later did an interview saying he'd been married once and now understands you don't need a paper to define your relationship with someone you love, so it wasn't something he was eager to do again.

So two years after dating Amber, he's now ready to try marriage for a second time, but not with a woman who was with him for 14 years. Men biko, oya explain how you people reason...:-)

Guess their beef is officially over!

Nice one!

Buhari finds Amaechi trying to wear his APC sunglasses hilarious

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Cute! Amaechi in his sunglasses after the cut...

Governor Fashola dancing shoki? Lol (photo)

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Governor Fashola pictured dancing at APC rally in Lagos today...

Youth Corper shares essays she got from her sec school students on social media

Indeed, education in some schools is just not it. Might be hilarious but these are Junior Secondary School students not primary school kids. Read and be amused! See more after cut...

Credit: @260two

Did Flavour just share a photo of his daughter?

Are we finally seeing Flavour's daughter with Sandra Okagbue? The high life singer, who's been very discreet about his daughter who was born in September 2014, posted this pic on his instagram page

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe named new African Union chairman

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90 year old Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe has been named the new Chairman of the African Union. He took over from Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz at a ceremony which held at the Union's secretariat in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia this morning. Why is this man at this age taking on more responsibility?

Prof. Pat Utomi writes on the controversial Charles Soludo article

Professor of political economy and former presidential candidate Pat Utomi shared this on his Facebook this morning. Read and tell us what you think... 

The firestorm generated by Chukwuma Soludo’s well reasoned commentary on the place of issues in the 2015 electioneering campaign has somehow become the core of the campaign. What a way to come from outside and define agenda.

Of course I do not agree with all the points marshaled by the erstwhile CBN Governor and Patito’s Gang member, but not to commend his citizen duty of engagement or indicate as reprehensible the resort to ad hominen bashing of the former Economic Adviser instead of providing Facts to counter the views he had raised. 

That is issues based campaign. I will myself raise logic to support and dispute some of the points in the Soludo intervention.

I do agree with Soludo that issues matter. I also think that those who turn to divisive emotion-laden typecasting of others rather than issues pertaining to the well being of the Nigerian people do a grave disservice not only to democracy but to the long term common Good of all.

The Soludo thrust of criticism sounds like an attack on the statist perspective that intervention can generate jobs and economic growth. Even as one who likes to see government out of the way, I find the approach worrying because beyond the Keynesian logic that brought the ultimate capitalist state, the US, out of the Great Depression with initiatives like the Tennessee Valley Authority in Infrastructure, there is more recent example of post 2008 global financial crisis and the stimulus packages of the Obama Administration, and now Europe turning to Quantitative Easing, not to knock the wall street / Main street tag team approach to ensuring prosperity. Soludo’s solutions sometimes sounded like Deepak Lal on the poverty of Development Economics. I think that if we see current oil price slum as an opportunity rather than a threat then we have to see a role for government in the way Lee Kuan Yew used state intervention when Singapore was prostrate in 1965, as Nigeria is today.

This leads to another point I am not in agreement with Soludo on. He talks about cost of programmes and the fact that low oil prices mean you cannot finance a big idea. In 1965 Singapore’s main revenues came from rent for the British Naval Base and the British had decided to shut all bases east of Eden. The decision of leaders of the United Malay, National Organisational (UMNO) to eject Singapore from the Federation that was thought to be the only hope left. Singapore, out of pocket, and all dressed up with nowhere to go. Then they rolled up their sleeves, got creative, transmitted the right values and found leadership that inspired and had integrity. Today the small country probably has the largest concentration of billionaires per capital on earth.

Here in Nigeria, shortly after self government, in the 1950’s, Nnamdi Azikiwe as Premier of Eastern Region was anxious to match the free education policy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Palm Produce did not fetch as much as Cocoa in the Market. The civil servants led by the new Permanent Secretary in Finance, Chief Jerome Udoji thought it could not be done because of limitations of money. Zik insisted and accused Udoji, in Parliament, of trying to sabotage his government. After 40 percent of the Eastern Nigeria budget of 1957 had gone to education and was still inadequate, the Ugoji team suggested the introduction of fees for Primary 1 and Primary 5. But leadership kicked in. A philosophy called “Ibu anyi danda” raised a formula that created a partnership between government, the communities and missionaries that enabled the East leapfrog the gap in education between the East and West.

In both cases the difference was leadership. At the centre in Abuja for some reason that may be from exposure, or whatever, does not inspire as Lee Kuan Yew, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Okpara did. Money is not everything in making dreams come through.

Among the many lessons we will learn, if we begin to operationalize the cash transfers initiative of APC, a concept that helped Inatio Da Silva pull Brazil out of ‘potential’ into a global economic powerhouse, is that we may not need as much cash as Soludo projects and that corruption and goal displacement is so high in a bloated public service that the savings will more than be adequate. Besides from Kayode Fayemi and Rauf Aregbesola we learn that with such programmes in Ekiti and Osun that the numbers projected are often exaggerated. Given our abuse of census we are likely to find much fewer people in those brackets. Check with the Bill Gates Foundation on satellite imagery studies of target population groups.

Having stated my major point of disagreement, it is useful to reflect on some other points raised by Soludo.

His broadside on austerity measures pronouncement and the road to austerity is a true, fair and proper read. No question that we walked with our eyes open into a repeat of 1982. In many of my speeches and my 2006 book WHY NATIONS Are Poor, I recall how the Iranian revolution pushed oil prices into the stratosphere of USD 40 a barrel. We went reckless with champagne and even importing sand and big men bought Rolls Royces. We managed to borrow ourselves into a dept trap. On this round we moved up private jets and buying up Dubai.

When this current boom started with India Rising and China producing I recall on several occasions calling for fiscal responsibility compact in which flows into the distributable pool, the FAC account, not go above $40 a barrel, with additional revenues up to $70 a barrel price going to a stabilization fund. This fund would be available were prices to drop below $40 to be used to ensure a constant budget funding up $40 in lean times. Beyond $70 it should flow into a future fund. I have been singing this song for several years but the technocrats say the politicians insist on sharing the whole money and say of talk about saving for a rainy day that it is pointless planning for the rain when it was already pouring torrents. My retort was what is so wrong in resigning to make a point and force public conversation to educate the people because these politicians may be greedy but they surely do not hate their children. They have only acted in ignorance. I point them to young Mahathir Mohammed in Malaysia who disagreed with the position of the then Prime Minister and spoke up. He was dropped from the government where he was a junior minister, and expelled from The United Malay National Organization (UMNO) the dominant party at that time. Out of government he wrote a book: The Malay Dilemma. That triggered soul searching that finished with the resignation of the Prime Minister. He was brought back into the Party. Not long after Dr Mahathir Ibn Mohammed became Prime Minister and the history of Malaysia changed for good.
What does it take to lead such change- Genius? No. I draw from the Ronald Reagan experience in the US. President Reagan was not a genius. Some think he probably already had Alzheimer disease when he entered the White house. But his values were clear as was his vision. He found the right people and an America, in retreat, was revitalized, opening the way for teen and twenty American young stars to create a new industry with the .com revolution. Ironically, I have said elsewhere that the Buhari movement somehow reminds me of the coming of Ronald Reagan.

Let me close with a caveat. My response is a citizen response. My prism on this is not partisan. But I am a card carrying member of the APC. The emergence of the APC is a culmination of my life’s quest as an institutionalist to see the dynamic of two balanced political parties. I was sure that without competition between parties that are equals progress would continue to elude Nigeria So I longed for and worked for the scenario we have today. But I see in the torrent of abuse on Chukwumah Soludo for speaking truth to power and worry this thing we have worked hard for, not in any pursuit of any self interest, but for the advance of the common good, could be threatened by those who fail to understand the very idea of the public squares and the triumph of the ideas rather than emotional outbursts that result in tension and violence.

I have read unprintable things on line and in so many e-groups, some more offensive than Charlie Hebdo cartoons from both sides. This is poison we must curb. It is a double blow when those who follow this track are well educated. So let us leave this business of certificates and uncompleted PHDs and hateful portrayals of opponents in caricature from the cross to throw backs of earlier life of candidates that seem like Hitler’s Goebbels at work let’s examine vision of society of challenges and the record of incumbents. Lets ask people, regarding incumbents, is your life better today than it was four years ago and to the challengers how can you make these same lives much better four years from now. To win elections from intimidation, a shower of insults and trying to diminish opponents rather than engage their minds can only produce pyrrhic victory. 

The worst such “victory” would be to win an election and lose a nation through bitterness that makes it difficult to get people to work together to advance the shared good of the people. For people like me the public sphere is about the pursuit of the elevated immortality. This comes when you do what is right and if providence beckons, as it did for Mahathir Mohammed, lee Kuan Yew and Ronald Reagan then you live a name that time cannot find an eraser to rub off. Those who negate the opportunity for progress to blossom and the triumph of the human spirit to bring progress deserved die a thousand times while they still inhale and exhale no matter the title they get for their place is in infamy.

PU

Jordan 'says it will hang all ISIS captives' if group kills Jordanian pilot captured in Syria

Jordanian pilot First Lieutenant Mu'ath Safi Yousef al-Kaseasbeh was captured by ISIS militants in December after his plane was shot down while he was conducting airstrikes over Syria. Now Jordan has threatened to kill all ISIS prisoners in their country if Mu'ath is killed by ISIS.

From Mail Online

Jordan has threatened to fast-track the execution of a would-be suicide bomber ISIS is trying to free if the terror group kills its captured pilot, it was reported today.

The government has apparently warned that Sajida al-Rishawi and other jailed ISIS commanders would be 'quickly judged and sentenced' in revenge for Muath al-Kaseasbeh's death.

It comes after a deadline for a possible prisoner swap allegedly set by ISIS passed yesterday with no clue over the fate of al-Kaseasbeh or fellow Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.

Intelligence sources said ISIS's refusal to prove that al-Kaseasbeh was alive meant any deal with the militants was doomed.

Now Jordan has reportedly stepped up its rhetoric by warning of its intent to retaliate if the negotiations end in bloodshed.

Elijah Magnier, chief international correspondent for Kuwait's Al Rai newspaper, told MailOnline: 'I have reliable contact in the Jordanian government who says a message has been passed to ISIS. It warns that if they kill the pilot they will implement the death sentences for Sajida and other ISIS prisoners as soon as possible.' 

Shortly after reports of the ultimatum emerged, Jordan issued a statement saying they were still waiting for proof that the captured F-16 pilot was still alive.  

Jordan had agreed to an ISIS demand to free al-Rishawi who failed to fulfil her Al Qaeda mission as a suicide bomber.

In return, ISIS said it would not execute the 26-year-old pilot, who was seized in December after crashing near its HQ in the Syrian city of Raqqa. 

In its latest audio recording, ISIS threatened to kill al-Kaseasbeh if a deadline was not kept for the release of al-Rishawi by dusk Iraq time yesterday - around 5.30pm (2.30pm GMT).

But it appeared to make no promises to release him, another condition the Jordanian government is demanding.

Jordan has threatened to speed up the execution of a would-be suicide bomber the Islamic State is trying to free if the terror group kills its captured pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh, seen above in a picture being held by fellow hostage Kenji Goto in a video posted by ISIS last week demanding the release of an Iraqi terrorist.

It was not clear from the recording what would happen to Mr Goto if the deadline was missed

Seun Kuti wants a debate with Gen. Buhari

Maybe they can make this happen? :-)

Suge Knight arrested after killing friend in Hit and Run

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Notorious former music exec Suge Knight has been arrested after fatally running down a friend on the set of the movie, 'Straight Outta Compton' after getting into a fight with security. He reportedly then backed up over the men he hit as he fled the scene. Full report from TMZ below..

Multiple witnesses tell us a movie shoot -- involving Ice Cube and Dr. Dre -- was going down when Suge pulled up in his car. We're told security told Suge to leave and that's when trouble began.

A fight broke out between Suge and 2 men. Suge got back into his car, took the wheel and threw the vehicle in reverse ... and ran over a man who suffered fatal injuries.

It's unclear at this point if the victim was connected to the movie. A source close to Cube tells us production had wrapped when the fight went down ... and he and Dre were not on set.

Sources connected with Suge tell TMZ ... the 2 men who fought Suge were the instigators. Our sources say Suge was scared because he's in frail health -- in addition to being shot 6 times last summer, he recently almost died from a blood clot.

The victim is Terry Carter, who we're told is a friend of Suge's who arrived with him at the scene. Our sources say Carter was in the process of walking to the passenger door of Suge's vehicle, but happened to be in the rear when Suge gunned it.

Two other men were also hit ... including Cle "Bone" Sloane -- who's appeared in "Training Day" and "End of Watch" -- and suffered non-life threatening injuries. Both men are in the hospital.

Suge has been placed under arrest and is being held on $2 million bail

Photo: Jide Kosoko’s wife, Henrietta Kosoko in car crash

Wife of Nollywood actor, Jide kosoko, Henrietta Kosoko, was involved in accident along Sagamu Abeokuta road this afternoon. She was traveling in her grey color SUV when her car veered off the road and hit a standing PHCN pole. Residents came to her rescue and and rushed her to the hospital.

"She's been taken to Lajoro Hospital in Abeokuta. God took total control". Her husband confirmed!

Photos from P-Square's father's burial in Anambra state

The Okoye brothers are burying their dad in Anambra state today. Paul Okoye shared some pics...

Shopkeeper who saved lives at Paris supermarket terror attack given heroic welcome to Mali

Lassana Bathily, the 24 year old Malian-born employee who saved the lives of several shoppers at Kosher supermarket during the Paris attack that left 4 dead on Jan. 9th was given a heroic welcome in Mali yesterday, 9 years after he left his birth country for France.

Lassana was welcomed by Malian government officials led by the Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cheickkna Kamissoko. He and his father later had lunch with the Malian French Ambassador at the french embassy in Mali.

Awesome fresh talent alert: Loria - Hello

'Hello' is a fresh pop and upbeat sound by the new kid on our music radar Loria. 'Hello' was produced by the talented E Kelly, together these two have created musical and lyrical magic. Loria is definitely one to look out for! To keep up with this talent, follow @cocoloria on twitter and become a
part  of her Facebook fam on Facebook.com/pages/Loria-Nnam.  https://soundcloud.com/loria-5

Obanikoro, 6 others make new ministerial list

Former Minister of state Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, who resigned his position in October 2014 to pursue his governorship ambition in Lagos state which he lost, and six others have been nominated to be Ministers by President Jonathan. A list of the seven nominees was sent to the senate earlier today for screening and confirmation. Kenneth Kobani from Rivers state and Patricia Akwashiki from Nasarawa state also made the list.

50cent's ex-girlfriend accuses him of abuse after he mocks her on instagram

So here's what happened. A few days ago, MTO did a post on one of 50 Cent's former girlfriends, named Holly. When the rapper saw the post, he reposted it on his instagram labeling her community Puzzy. When Holly saw what 50cent put on instagram, she got into a nasty fight with him and made some shocking claims. She said 50 Cent physically assaulted. When some followers didn't believe her, Holly then posted messages between herself and 50 Cent where she threatened to release pictures of her battered body. See it after the cut...

Last year rapper 50 Cent was arrested for attacking his baby mama Daphne Joy so this is easy to believe!

Lol. See what Osun governor did on his way to APC campaign today

That’s Osun state gov Rauf Aregbesola, on his way to the APC campaign this afternoon, throwing cash and recharge cards to his supporters. He actually sat on top of a moving bus...lol

Exclusive: Official photos from P-Square's father's burial today

Chief Moses Okoye, the father of Peter and Paul Okoye of P-Square fame was buried today, Friday, 30 January, 2015 at his hometown in Ifitedunu, Anambra State. His last journey home started on Thursday with a Service of Songs. After the event, P-Square paid a courtesy visit to the monarch of the village. On Friday, the burial mass was held at St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Ifitedunu. Security for the event was marshalled by Golden Events Solution team led by Mambo Adeniyi, P-Square’s official bodyguard. See the photos after the cut...