U.S. TEAM FOR NIGERIA TO JOIN BOKO HARAM FIGHT

The United States (U.S.) is set to join forces with the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the battle against Boko Haram.
The Obama administration will send a team to Nigeria in the next few weeks to discuss with the government ways to renew cooperation in the fight against the sect, a senior U.S. diplomat said yesterday.
In N’Djamena, the capital of Chad yesterday, President Buhari and his host President Idris Derby pledged to pursue the sect members “everywhere”.
They spoke after a bilateral meeting on the activities of the sect, which has been operating across the borders.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was at Buhari’s inauguration last week. This underscores U.S. interest in working with his government.
Tensions emerged between the former government of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Obama administration last year over corruption and human rights abuses by the military in its campaign to crush Boko Haram.
In his inauguration speech, Buhari vowed to defeat Boko Haram and called the group, which pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq in March, “mindless” and “godless”.
”With the new government, we are optimistic we can reset the relationship,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a congressional hearing. “We want to work with him and have expressed that to him.”

FAYOSE: BUHARI NOT INVOLVED IN PLANS TO OUST ME

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari in the attempt of lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the fourth assembly of the state parliament to oust him from office. Speaking on Friday during the inauguration of the fifth assembly, Fayose described the development as a distraction, saying he was able to survive the plot through the support of the people. “God did not allow them to prevail. They don’t know that they are making me popular,” he said. “The more you write about me, you are making me popular. People notice it that every day, they were writing inside the paper, every day they will put it in front page of [the papers]. Fayose went, went for what? Every time attacking; the Lord has made me a light in the midst of darkness. “Let me tell you that this is not about me, it is about you. You put me here and if you cannot remove God, you cannot remove me. Before you can remove me, you must remove God. “I am your boy boy in Ekiti state; what is the meaning of governor? A governor that cannot help his people, what is the meaning of a governor that is not popular, that cannot go to the market place? I am a local politician. “What is their problem? Jonathan handed over a Nigeria with true democracy, where are they starting from? They went over publishing different things, saying Buhari said this and that but through security information, I confirmed that Buhari had no hand in it.” He urged the members of the newly inaugurated assembly to be humble in their approach to their legislative assignments, adding that “only humility can make one win battles”. “I plead with you our new honourable members, always remember that whatever you do today will become history. Do not disappoint the people that voted you in,” he added. “This is the right time for Nigeria, particularly a time for hardship but we have to endure the spirit so that we can

STOP SEEKING FOREIGN ASSISTANCE, BALARABE, FALAE TELL BUHARI

About 14 political parties from the opposition, under the aegis of Credible Alternative Alliance, on Thursday in Abuja stated that “it is it too early” for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to be relying on foreign countries for support and direction on certain policy issues pertaining to governance.
The organisation, which also includes 13 civil society organisations, restated their resolve to provide a credible opposition to the All Progressives Congress.
The parties under the umbrella of CAA include the Social Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Fresh Democratic Party, Nigeria Advance Party, Peoples Salvation Party, Change Advocacy Party, United National Party for Development, Peoples Progressive Party and Action Party of Nigeria.
A former Governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa; elder statesman, Dr. Tunji Braitwaite; and former Minister of Finance, Chief Olu Falae, expressed these feelings at a press briefing read by the National Coordinator of CAA, Dr. Damian Ogbonna, on Thursday in Abuja.
According to them, while they wish the new administration well, “its ability and readiness to meaningfully govern Nigeria remain in doubt.”

JONATHAN GETS NOMINATION FOR NOBEL

A public policy organisation on African affairs, the Africa Political and Economic Strategic Center (AFRIPOL) has recommended former President Goodluck Jonathan for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The organisation noted that the will of Alfred Nobel, the progenitor of Nobel Prize stated that Peace Prize be awarded to whoever “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.
Accordingly the organisation the ‘peaceful way President Jonathan conceded to President-elect Buhari deserves the attention of Nobel Peace Prize committee. He may have not promoted “fraternity between nations” but he surely promoted fraternal peace among Nigerians by conceding power.’
The group maintained that the “concession speech by President Jonathan averted bloodshed, violence and imbroglio in the most populous country in Africa. This gesture by Jonathan [sic] buttressed to the whole world that Nigeria has joined the comity of civilized nations”.

Special Government Announcement-Abia State.

The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has formally directed that the appellations; His Excellency and Executive , be dropped in all official and informal communication with him.

He would rather prefer to be addressed simply as Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Governor of Abia State.

The Governor wants all public communication to be concentrated on the work and policies of the state and not on the person of the Governor and has therefore directed all contractors, political groups, individuals and party loyalists not to put his portrait on billboards, posters and signages but to ONLY use the pictures of ongoing projects in their billboards and posters.

The Governor has also directed the general public to remove all congratulatory posters and election billboards littering the environment as these public posters are defacing the environment of the state. He has further charged the people of the State to be partners with Government in ensuring a healthy and beautiful environment.

He is also, by this directive, re-assuring the good people of Abia State of his mission of service to the people and therefore urged the citizenry to key into the new vision.

Signed:

FAYOSE CLAIMS VICTORY OVER APC LAWMAKERS, SAYS IMPEACHMENT PLOT OVER

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said he is now prepared to concentrate on the development of the state following the victory over lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress, who plotted his impeachment.
The tenure of the lawmakers came to an end Thursday.
In a broadcast to Ekiti State citizens on Thursday, Mr. Fayose commended his supporters for their unflinching support and their eventual thwarting of the attempt made by the lawmakers to impeach him.
He said although it was a very traumatic period, the people with one voice stood and protected the mandate given him.
The Governor noted that the period of the crisis could have been used for the development of the state, saying, “With the victory against the attempted impeachment, I will now squarely face the business of governance”.
He said he would embark on fulfilling his campaign promises, despite the current financial situation and make the welfare of the people his priority.
“The last few months have been traumatic, especially this week. I was not given room for concentration, but I had left the battle for God to fight. I told those planning to impeach me that they will succeed if they can impeach God,” he said.

Dog meat, Ogogoro death toll rises to 32

Rivers State government has banned the consumption of local gin popularly called Ogogoro, following the death of about 32 persons, 15 from Bonny Island and Woji in Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, and the reported death of another 11 persons in Gokana Local Government Area, which included seven male and four females.
The ban by government was due to the increasing death toll from consumption of the alcoholic liquor and dog meat delicacy alleged to contain poisonous ethanol, which now stand at 32.
Five persons reportedly died in Woji area of Obio/ Akpor after consuming the local gin, although Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, for Rivers State Police Command, Ahmad Mohammad, said only one death was recorded.
Rivers State government through the Department of Disease Control said the ban had become necessary to forestall further consumption of the toxic substance. Director of Disease Control in the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Roland Obed Whyte, who disclosed this, however, expressed concern over difficulty in getting samples of the particular gin popularly called Ogogoro or Kai-kai for thorough clinical analysis.

TINUBU: THE FAULTY PIN THAT MIGHT RUIN APC

By Nosah Ikharia

On May 29, former President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) handed over power to the Muhammadu Buhari-led opposition All Progressives Congress party (APC), and then, kick starting a new look and APC dominated 8th National Assembly.
A need therefore arises for Nigerians to critically examine the factors that are likely to play out and point to the direction of leadership and largely determine the progress or otherwise, to be made by the new administration.
In all democracies, beyond the passion by politicians to positively impact on the populace through people-centred policies and programmes, the equitable distribution of political offices plays critical part in determining the speed, shape and manner of progress by any administration.

Little wonder from ages, no society allows power, whether it be economic, social or political, to be concentrated on one person or political party. Experience has shown how absolute power can corrupt even the saint and ultimately ruin the entire system, the people and leaders.

BUHARI’S GOVERNMENT AND THE SUDDEN “CHANGE” IN POWER AND FUEL SUPPLY

It has been one week the acclaimed change agent President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office as the president of most populous black nation in the world, Nigeria.
Before his takeover, Buhari, who was one time Head of State in Nigeria’s inglorious military era was associated with the change mantra, which differentiated him from his main rival in the build up to the 2015 presidential election, the then President Goodluck Jonathan. While some who are against his coming to power mocked him with the change buzzword, the fans of the Katstina –born retired army general eulogised him with the mantra.
It was not unusual to hear such words from Buhari’s antagonists as “everything must change in Nigeria the day Buhari takes over, or else; from May 29, electricity supply in Nigeria must not blink, and from day one of Buhari’s administration, Nigeria must be placed in “Eldorado.”
But Buhari supporters, while agreeing that change is urgently needed, said Buhari’s kind of change would not be meteoric but gradual. Even Buhari, knowing the huge expectations from Nigerians, later came out to say that he was not a miracle worker, noting that he would bring the desired positive change gradually.

PHOTO OF NIGERIAN LADY SHOT DEAD BY HER EX-BOYFRIEND IN THE US TWO DAYS AGO

What a beauty! And she was a college graduate. This is the 24 year old graduate of University of Maryland who was shot dead on Monday June 1st by her ex-boyfriend, 27 year old Donald Bricker. Mariam Folashade Adebayo broke up with Donald a few months ago but he refused to leave her alone. On the night of the murder, he'd told her to meet him so they could talk, saying he would harm himself if she didn't come. She went to see him and they began arguing in his car in a parking lot at Target. When Mariam decided she'd had enough, she got out of the car and that was when Donald followed with a gun in his hand and fired at her...twice