As Nigerians face economic challenges as a result of dwindling revenue, mismanagement of resources - Dogara

Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara

The Speaker of the Nigerian House of Representative, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara today congratulates Nigerians as the nation marks one year in office of President Muhmmadu Buhari led APC government in in the country.

Accoding to the speaker Dogara, "today marks 17 years of uninterrupted democracy; this milestone calls for sober reflection on achievements we have since recorded, and on those things which we have been unable to."

INEC RELEASES SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS FOR CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released additional guidelines to the existing 2015 Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of elections in the country.

Having approved the pilot of the Continuous Accreditation and Voting Procedure at elections, for the time being, the Commission has decided that the following shall constitute a supplement to the existing guidelines and regulations at elections.

APC uncovers plan to relaunch acronym battle against party ahead of 2015 elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised the alarm over a plan by unscrupulous and apparently-hired hands to relaunch the acronym battle against the party by seeking to register three new parties that bear the acronyms of the same parties that merged to become the APC.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said those behind the phantom parties, who are apparently working at the behest of people who have a mortal fear of the APC, have applied to INEC to register the Allied Council of Nigeria (ACN); Advanced National Patriotic Party (ANPP) and Conservative People's Congress (CPC).

As President GEJ branded bags of rice flood the country

As President GEJ branded bags of rice flood the country, towards his re-election bid in the forthcoming 2015 general elections... Sigh!.

Indeed, nothing is expected to behoove our comprehension having studied the psyche of both present and past leadership of the country and the arrow heads of each political party in the country and I don't stand to be corrected that the level of shamelessness of our leaders seeking either a re-election or a fresh election into public offices has skyrocketed beyond normal or our imaginations as a people of the 21st century, which gave birth to the picture attached to this update.

Nigeria at 54, is expected to have grown above the height of campaigning to the populace with cheap food stuffs, sewing machines, motorcycles, hair driers, barbing hair clippers, helmets, hoes and cutlasses for small scale farmers, and branded tops for motorcyclists among others but this does reveal the inability of our government from the inception of democracy to eradicate poverty in the country to their advantage...

Don't plunge Nigeria into crisis over 2015 ambition - APC warns Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress, APC has condemned the violence unleashed on peaceful members of the party at Ado Ekiti on Sunday by the police, apparently acting out a script written by the Presidency
and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to foment trouble in the South-west ahead of the 2015 general elections.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party put the blame for the violence squarely on the shoulders of the Presidency and the PDP, wondering why the police, who are paid by taxpayers to maintain law and order, would turn their weapons on the same defenceless citizens they are paid to protect.

INEC PROCEDURE FOR 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS: Only those with Permanent Voters' Cards will be allowed to vote

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said only those with Permanent Voters' Cards will be allowed to vote during the 2015 general elections.

According to the INEC, Voters are expected to check their names in the displayed voters' register. Those who registered before but do not see their names in the displayed register are to re-register during the Continuous Voter Registration process.

The CVR exercise is not for those who wish to transfer. Those wishing to transfer should write to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in their new states of domicile well before the election, as no transfer will be approved less than 30 days to the election.

PDP South-East Rally: Armed thugs attack Enugu party chairman’s residence

As the Nigerian President, Dr.  Goodluck Jonathan is scheduled to attend the South East zonal rally of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, holding in Enugu today, suspected heavily armed thugs have invaded the Enugu residence of chairman of the party for Udi Local Government Area, Mr. Uche Ogbodo.

The report has that the armed men forcefully removing his private car and a PDP bus in his custody. Ogbodo said, armed men numbering about 12 entered his compound in the GRA area of Enugu and attempted to force their way into his house, saying  that he was inside when they were making all their forceful attempts, but noted that when they could not gain entry because of the iron doors in the house, the invaders took the keys of his private car, a KIA-RIO with Reg. No. AGW 35 AAA, drove it away and used a towing van to tow the PDP bus from his compound.

VIDEO: What is Corruption? - APC

Obasanjo lied on me and God will be the judge between me and him - Al-Mustapha

The Chief Security to the late Maximum Military dictator General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, yesterday refuted an allegations that he beat up former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his (Obasanjo’s) incarceration in prison. 

Al-Mustapha, the Abacha's Chief Security Officer, was a well-feared military officer during that military dictatorship era.

Al-Mustapha who affirmed that he rather helped OBJ with his personal upkeep at the various prisons, due to the respect he had for him as a former military head of state and an elder statesman.

Buhari’s convoy in Road accident

The convoy of former head of State General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), was on Wednesday, involved in an auto crash along Kachia – Kaduna highway. 

No life was lost.

GMB who Led the delegation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on a condolence visit to the Chief of Marwa, Malam Tagwai Sambon in Kaura Local Government of the state, while returning to Kaduna, one of the Vehicles in his convoy, a Prado Jeep crashed after it has somersaulted several times while trying to avoid wrecking more havoc to the on coming vehicles. A member of the team and Leadership Newspaper Correspondent, Ibrahim Ibrahim, said how they escaped unhurt was a miracle.

Also, he said that they had given up hope when the somersaulting Jeep suddenly stopped.

“We were lucky to escape the accident unhurt” Ibrahim stated.

US rejects Crimea vote

US rejects Crimea vote held under 'threats of violence and intimidation' by Russian military

White House says it rejects referendum in Crimean region of Ukraine says Russia's actions 'dangerous and destabilizing'

INEC Chair: BUYING OF VOTERS’ CARD WOULD BE FUTILE IN 2015

The Nigerian Politicians who buy voters’ cards from unsuspecting members of the public would not be able to use them in the 2015 general elections, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega has said.

Jega said this is because plans have been concluded to issue all duly registered voters with chip-based permanent Voter Cards swiped with card readers to ensure 100 percent authentication and verification of voters.

Buhari to INEC : Conduct 2015 elections same day

(NAN)- Former Head of State, Retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct 2015 general elections on the same day.

Buhari gave the advice in Daura, Katsina State, while answering questions from newsmen after he obtained APC membership card.

He said that conducting the elections in one day would help in reducing election malpractice and save cost.

He added that the litigations that trailed the 2003, 2007 and 2011 general elections would be avoided if the elections were held on the same day.

“If all the elections are conducted on the same day, there will be less cases of snatching of ballot boxes and use of political thugs to rig elections,’’ he said.

Buhari, who urged party members to come out en masse and register with the APC, expressed optimism that the opposition party would win the 2015 general elections in the country. 

INEC releases Time-Table for 2015 election, Ekiti, Osun governorship elections hold June and August this year

The first step towards the conduct of the 2015 General elections has been set in motion with the release of the election time-table by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

In a statement released on Friday, INEC announced that the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on February 14, 2015, while the Governorship and State Assemblies election will hold on February 28, 28, 2015.

INEC further stated that the Ekiti Governorship election will hold in June 21,2014 and Osun August 9,2014.

The release of the time-table finally defines the electoral process heading to 2015.

With the Anambra governorship electoral flows and maladies, INEC faces a major test and unprecedented challenge in conducting next year’s general elections. 

The upheavals in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well as a dramatic rise in the rhetoric of supporters and opponents of President Goodluck Jonathan have provoked speculations that a rigged election could precipitate a level of post-poll violence that has not been witnessed in Nigeria in a long time.

Security Operatives Storm El-Rufai’s Abuja Home, Force Their Aay In To Arrest The Former Minister Of Federal Capital Territory

Armed operatives of the Department of State Security Service  are currently at the Abuja  residence of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, trying to force their way in to arrest the former minister, Mr. El-Rufai has told PREMIUM TIMES.

The operatives did not produce any arrest warrant, the former minister said.

Mr. El-Rufai is currently not at home but he said he would rush back home after picking his children from school.

The SSS had on Thursday invited Mr. El-Rufai,  the Deputy National Secretary of the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] in connection with a statement credited to him that there might be violence if the 2015 general elections were not free and fair.

The former minister made the comment while speaking at the Transformed to Transform, T2T Nigeria, Conference and Career Fair, a leadership and empowerment initiative for the National Youth Service Corps members in Abuja on Wednesday.

He was reported to have said the 2015 elections could be marred by riots and other forms of violence that might lead to loss of lives and properties unless the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the security agencies ensured they were free.

The former minister however refused to respond to the SSS’ invitation on the ground that he had a pending suit against the agency over his detention in a hotel in Awka, Anambra State,  during the governorship election in that state last November 16.

He also told the Director General of the Service, Ita Ekpeyong, that he was willing to meet with him in his home or office or that in the alternative the SSS should produce a warrant of arrest.

Spokesperson of the SSS, Marylyn Ogar, declined comments when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday night.

But she had earlier issued a statement Thursday warning those making provocative statements ahead of the 2015 general election to desist from such or face the full weight of the law.

Ms. Ogar said the attention of the service had been drawn to incessant provocation statements by some Nigerians threatening violence ahead of the election. She did not mention any name

“Such comments are offensive, misguided and directed at stirring hate among Nigerians,” she said.

“This service and other law enforcement agencies have the mandate to protect the country and its citizens.

“We, therefore, warn all subversive elements that are bent on promoting divisive and disruptive agenda to refrain from such as the full weight of the law shall henceforth be brought to bear accordingly.”

She urged Nigerians to remain law abiding and assist security agencies in ensuring the safety of all