JONATHAN: I’M ELIGIBLE TO RUN 2015

JONATHAN: I’M ELIGIBLE to run 2015

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President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has said he is eligible to run for reelection in the 2015 general election but stopped short of declaring he wpould do so.

The president said this in New York Sunday at a luncheon with Nigerian professionals in the United States.
His party, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now almost split down the middle with so many influential governors and key party members saying he is bound by an agreement reached before his election in 2011 that he would serve one term.
Jonathan has not commented on his but his close aides have been insisting no such agreement exists.
Jonathan, who is in New York for the 68th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, stressed, however, that just like Nigerian constitution allows a president or governor to seek a fresh mandate, Nigerians equally have the right to vote against him/her if dissatisfied with his/her style of governance.
He cautioned politicians against fanning the embers of disintegration, urging them to consider national interests greater than theirs.
The president asked them to shun “do-or-die” approach to politics and allow him to focus on governance which, according to him, is the mandate given him by the electorate.
He said: “Already, we have a constitution that makes a provision for a maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a president or a governor. There is no president or governor that all citizens vote for, but at the end of the election, if somebody emerges, you must allow the person to work. If you love your country, you would want your country to work. That does not mean that you will not vote against the person if you don’t like the way he works, but you must allow him to work”.
Apparently referring to the internal wrangling rocking the ruling PDP, Jonathan charged the nation’s political leaders, especially those eyeing his position, to be mindful of their utterances and actions in order not to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty.
According to him, those aspiring for the 2015 presidency should not bother about who is there at the moment as power itself is transient and temporary.
He said, “No matter how you feel about the political situation, consider the interest of your country first before yourself. If you are struggling to enter a house, you must not put dynamite to destroy the house. By the time you get there, there will be no house for you to stay. So, first and foremost, we must collectively build our country. Don’t bother about who is there now, because power is transient, very temporary”.
The president said his administration is making a tremendous progress in the ongoing privatisation of the power sector.
He noted that the $3 billion privatisation exercise had so far been conducted in the most transparent manner, saying “Yes, we have not yet reached where we want to reach, but we are making progress”.
Reiterating his commitment to the fight against corruption, Jonathan queried the parameter being used by critics to score his administration low in this regard.
“So many people are saying that we are not doing well in fighting corruption and before you say that, there must be a parameter for judging us. What are the yardsticks they are using to judge us? Before the advent of this government, the Federal Government was spending a whopping N25 billion on fertiliser with only 11 percent reaching the farmers, but since the coming on board of this administration, the  government now spends between N5 to N6 billion on fertilizer, and we are getting 80 percent reach. If we wanted to continue to steal money or look for money for election, we could have continued,” he said.
The president added that his administration had achieved significant progress in reviving the nation’s transportation and aviation sectors as well as other infrastructure, contending that “The team that I am working with, we are doing our best to make sure that our country works”.

Exotic Delicacies Exclusive to Northern Nigeria

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Exotic Delicacies Exclusive to Northern Nigeria

The list will be incomplete without the famous snacks like;
Kuli-Kuli: this is one famous Nigerian snack that has its origin indigenous to the Northern Nigeria. It’s eaten by all tribes and can be found everywhere in Nigeria. It can simply be snacked on alone or enjoyed as supplement to semi-liquid foods like garri and akamu.
Kuli-kuli is made from ground peanut and seasoning, hardened and given a shape, mostly long, round and thin.
Masa: made from soaked and ground rice, prepared with clay forms with heat source from beneath. It is traditionally served with ‘miyan taushe’ or ‘yaji’ (Suya Pepper). Sugar and salt are added to Masa in its paste form to enhance taste, and yeast is also added, among other ingredients. Its flat variety is called ‘Sinasir’.
Suya: this is the famous thin barbeque meat you find on almost all streets in Nigeria. Its origin is the North, and it’s a business you see majorly northerners doing in those parts you find a Suya spot.
Kilishi: when you are travelling down from the north, everybody expects you to buy the delicious Kilishi. This is simply meat made into paste and heavily seasoned to taste, before dried. It’s usually brushed on both sides.
One notorious drinkable that makes the list is:
Fura De’Nunu: this is the first drinkable meal that comes to mind at the thought of Northern Nigerian delicacies. It is basically cow milk mixed with cooked and ground millet or sorghum. It is highly nutritious and can be taken alone as a whole meal.
 

Kenya Attack: Nigeria’s Shopping Malls Beef Up Security

ecurity has been beefed up at shopping malls in Lagos, Abuja and Kano.

Al Shabab terrorist group based in Somalia has claimed responsibility for the Kenya attack, which has claimed 68 lives with hundreds injured. The group is fighting for an Islamic state in Somalia, and Kenya has led a multinational force to stop it.

At some shopping malls in Abuja, LEADERSHIP saw more security personnel than usual as well as increased surveillance of the surroundings.

Shopping malls like Shoprite at Apo District, Ceddi Plaza and Grand Square, both at the Central Business Area, Abuja, have increased security personnel placed at strategic places to scrutinize prospective customers.

At the popular Shoprite located at Apo District, our correspondent saw over 10 heavily armed soldiers who were at the entrance of the shopping mall searching vehicles and women carrying bags while some policemen also stood around.

The branch manager of Shoprite in Apo District, Mr Samuel Asegiemhe, declined to speak to LEADERSHIP.

“I am not permitted to speak with the press.  There is actually nothing I have to say about what the management of the mall is doing to avert such thing because I am not in position to speak. You can speak to our head office in Lagos,” he said.

Some customers at the mall told LEADERSHIP that they were happy with the increased security there.

A customer at Shoprite, Mr Martins John, expressed satisfaction at the presence of armed security personnel at the shopping mall which, he said, is a good development following the recent happening in Nairobi, Kenya.

He told LEADERSHIP, “Nobody knows what this world is turning to, because you do not know where you will go to and be safe.  With the presence of these armed military men, you feel safe when you are inside the mall. But the question is how long they will keep these military men here to avert any attack. Although we do not pray for such a thing to happen, we are scared. Because, the truth now is that if such dastardly act can take place in Kenya that is close to us, what can we say about Nigeria where the security situation has been questionable for such a long time? We are appealing to operators and managers of plazas and shopping malls not to relent in ensuring proper security because nobody can predict anything.”

Another customer at Ceddi Plaza, Ms Chidimma Igwe, said, “When I was asked to stop by a security personnel so that they could check my bag, I was worried because my bag had never been checked before I entered the plaza.  I was wondering the reason for such tight security, until I heard about what happened in Kenya.

“It is unfortunate. I like coming here to shop and sometimes relax to enjoy myself.  When I came and saw these security guys, I felt safe and I pray they should continue with this security search.  I hope this kind of thing does not happen in Nigeria.  Our security agencies should please stay at alert because everybody is very scared presently.”

Also at the NEXT shopping mall in Kado, LEADERSHIP gathered that the management of the mall had adequate security plans on the ground to detect suspicious persons around the large shopping area.

When contacted, the general manager declined to speak much but acknowledged that there was enough security apparatus to provide sufficient security for the mall.

However, LEADERSHIP observed that despite the presence of police and internal security operatives at the entrance to the mall and the car park, people still moved into the place without scrutiny and cars were not checked.

When contacted, the force public relations officer, CSP Frank Mba, said that the Nigerian police were not unprepared for such terrorist attack if it occurred here.

Mba said, “I believe that other security agencies and the Nigeria Police Force are watching the events unfolding in Kenya. Looking at it both from operational, strategic and public sector perspectives, we will not want a similar thing to happen here, so we will rather take proactive measures. But however the measures, the details and extent of these measures, we will not disclose. We will do everything -- working with other security agencies in the country and ensure that such incident does not happen here.”

LEADERSHIP checks showed increased security presence at some of the shopping malls in Lagos and Abuja. In Lagos State, our correspondent visited Ikeja Mall located along Obafemi Awolowo Way and saw increased police presence there. Also, at one of the Shoprite Shopping malls in Ikeja, the number of armed police officers normally deployed increased significantly.

Our correspondent gathered from a police officer attached to the Lagos State Task Force near the mall that the state government has instructed the police formations in the state to beef up security around the mall.

He said, “The number of people that come to this place is much and Nigeria is now one of the countries known for violent attacks. This place is too close to the secretariat’ the governor and his deputy offices are nearby. In fact, this is the seat of power in Lagos State.

“It takes less than a minute for disaster to happen. So the best thing is to always be prepared to combat terrorism. Those people that went to the Westgate Mall in Kenya never knew terrorists would strike.”

Although the management of the mall refused to disclose measures taken so far by it to secure lives of the people that daily throng the mall, some of the customers urged the management to take proactive steps.

Andrew Efehi, who came to shop at the mall, lamented that the country was still using old methods of security surveillance, saying developed countries like the United States and the United Kingdom succeeded in keeping terrorism out of their countries through routine undercover and “sting” operations exposing terror plans before they are executed.

“This idea of keeping police officers at checkpoints no longer help in combating terrorist attacks. These people have gone far in their evil way of attacking innocent people,” he added.

All efforts by our correspondent to speak with the police public relations officer, Lagos Command, Ngozi Braide, met a brick wall, as two of her mobile phones were switched off.

Speaking on the issue, the president of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Goodie M. Ibru, urged his members to be on the alert and take preventive measures, saying “we should not wait for the enemy to attack us”. He said that the Kenya attack was a wakeup call for the government and citizens of Nigeria to be vigilant and strengthen the security of the country.

Also, the director-general of Lagos, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Muda Yusuf, called on Nigerians to be vigilant, stressing that the federal government should strengthen the security of the country. He added that the citizens have a role to play in this regard by giving timely quality information to the security agencies.

In Kano State, the managing director, Country Mall, Alhaji Abdulfatah Muhammad, said security is the responsibility of the state. He told our correspondent that his mall has police surveillance 24 hours a day and there has been no lull in patronage for business in the mall due to any fear of insecurity. 

ASUU STRIKE: Group Drags Union To Court

THE strike action embarked upon by university lecturers has assumed another dimension as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been dragged before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) over the lingering strike action.

The suit, with the number NICW/Abj/242/2013 which also has ministers of labour and productivity, education, finance and justice, as well as secretary to the government of the federation as defendants, was instituted by the registered trustees of Golden Women of Integrity and Vision Association and Mrs. Florence Uche Ojieh.

In the suit, the claimants are asking the court to determine whether the strike action embarked upon by ASUU is not illegal and contrary to law and whether members of the union are not bound by the policy of ‘no work no pay’ and therefore not entitled to their salary during the period of the strike.

They also asked the court to determine whether members of ASUU are entitled to continue to retain their employment, having abandoned or deemed to have abandoned their work in the universities; whether or not the union complied with the mandatory provisions of Section 4 and 5 of the Trade Dispute Act CAP T8 LFN 2004 before embarking on the strike; whether the union has complied with the provision of Section 8 of the Trade Disputes Act CAP T8 LFN 2004; whether or not the minister of education is not entitled to determine the employment of the union, same having abandoned or deemed to have abandoned their work in their universities and whether or not the doctrine of collective bargain or the purported 2009 agreement can be the basis for the strike action by ASUU same not having been incorporated in their contract of employment between it and the federal government.

The reliefs sought by the claimants include a declaration that the strike action embarked upon by ASUU since July 2, 2013 is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

Other reliefs are an order of mandatory injunction directing the union to go back to work immediately and unconditionally; an order directing the union to return or refund all monies paid to it by the federal government in error or otherwise; an order directing ASUU to return to the negotiation table and a declaration that the strike action is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void.

2015 ELECTIONS: Presidency Campaigning In US

Notwithstanding his constant denial that he has made up his mind to seek re-election in 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan has already kick-started his campaign in the United States.

A major outfit, the Goodluck Jonathan Support Group (GJSG), run by his foot soldiers has berthed in America.

The group’s national coordinator is President Jonathan’s political adviser, Ahmed Ali Gulak, and it is oiled by the chairperson of a federal government agency. GJSG was recently inaugurated in Abuja.

The launch of the US chapter of GJSG by Gulak came three days to the visit of President Jonathan to the country where he had gone to attend the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. But the presidency has denied that it gave its blessing to the move, just as it re-iterated that President Jonathan was focused on providing quality leadership to the country.

Gulak, accompanied by his deputy, Dr Eddy Eniola Olafeso, on Friday launched the US chapter of the Dr (Mrs) Temitope Ajayi-led GJSG at the Millennium Hotel at the United Nations Plaza in New York with a charge to the members of the body to serve as good ambassadors of President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

“We are not telling anybody that we are campaigning for the 2015 re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan; what we are here for is simply to tell Nigerians what the president is doing back home and to charge them to be good ambassadors by propagating the ideals and achievements of the Transformation Agenda,” he said.

"ASUU Strike Is Not Politically Motivated"

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says the current nationwide strike by the union is not politically motivated.

The Zonal Coordinator of the union in charge of Calabar Zone, Dr. Charles Ononuju, made the clarification at a news conference on Tuesday in Umuahia.

“We wish to emphasise strongly that our struggle has no political undertone as being falsely and mischievously propagated, those saying otherwise are being economical with the truth.

“No amount of blackmail will make the union jettison our resolve to get the government implement the 2009 agreement and MoU of January 24, 2012,” he said.

He said that the unions’ position was for the proper funding of education because Nigerians deserved quality education.

Mr. Ononuju described the insinuation as part of the misinformation intended at causing disaffection.

He said that the union had rejected the offer of N130 billion made to the Pro-Chancellors and Vice Chancellors of universities by the Federal Government.

The zonal coordinator said that the arbitrary release of money by the Federal Government negated the 2009 agreement as well as the 2012 Memorandum of Understanding.

Mr. Ononuju urged the Federal Government to honour the 2009 agreement it freely entered into with the union, adding that the union was not making fresh demands.

He said the union was not insensitive to the plight of students and parents but that the strike was meant to salvage public education through proper funding.

The briefing was attended by the chairman of ASUU in MOUAU, Uzochukwu Onyebinama, and James Okpiliya of the University of Calabar.

Other members present at the news conference were Nwachukwu Anyim of the University of Uyo and Nsing Ogar of the Cross River State University of Technology.