5 Major Questions Obasanjo Asked Jonathan During Meeting With Bishop Oyedepo & Pastor Adeboye

When Obasanjo showed up at President Jonathan’s daughter’s wedding in Abuja last weekend uninvited, GEJ took it as a friendly gesture unknown to him that some top PDP leaders begged Obasanjo to show up as a sign of support for Jonathan.

OBJ obliged and was captured bowing for Jonathan, a picture Obasanjo reportedly ordered Aso Rock photographer to delete from his record.

At the meeting, President Jonathan reportedly asked Obasanjo for support as he planned to campaign in Abeokuta the following week.

Jonathan used the opportunity to pay a courtesy visit to the elder stateman’s mansion.

One of the sources, who was present at the meeting, said Obasanjo merely welcomed Jonathan and other PDP chieftains in his home as a mark of respect to the office of the President and not to make peace.

We learnt Obasanjo deliberately requested the presence of two top Pastors Oyedepo and Adeboye to act as  witnesses at the meeting to prove the point that it is Jonathan who actually caused disaffection between them by reneging on previous decisions they jointly reached.

Why The Meeting Ended Abruptly

The source said Obasanjo was irked by last Sunday’s statement in which Jonathan referred to some elder statesmen behaving as ‘motor park touts’, a classification, Obasanjo reportedly took in bad faith.

Obasanjo however allegedly asked Jonathan some salient questions, saying if he (Jonathan) could answer them truthfully before everyone present, then peace could be reached.

Some of the questions allegedly asked were:

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 insurgent even when I told you this will boomerang?

3. What happened to the 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 reasons?

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?

A security source who requested anonymity said Jonathan refused to answer Obasanjo’s question and so the meeting was called off by OBJ with no peace agreement reached between the two.

Bird Flu Hits Lagos And Kano

Accordng to Punch the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, yesterday, announced that there has been unusual high mortality in two poultry farma and live bird in Lagos and Kano States.

It said samples forwarded to the National Veterinary Research Institute tested positive for H5 strain of Avian Influenza Virus, otherwise known as bird flu, adding that confirmatory samples were sent to the International Reference Laboratory in Padova, Italy, for further characterisation.

Avian influenza, known informally as Avian flu or bird flu, refers to influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds.

Influenza, commonly known as ‘flu’ is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus.

The ministry, in a statement, noted that it had taken some measures in the affected sites to contain the reported outbreaks.

According to the FMARD, it had quarantined the infected premises and placed restriction of movement of poultry and poultry products into and out of areas around infected premises.

It said, “All state directors of veterinary services and the Federal Capital Territory, Poultry Association of Nigeria and other stakeholders have been informed and advised to be on alert with intensified bio-security measures to avert possible spread of the disease to other states.

“The World Organisation for Animal Health and Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resource and development partners have been appropriately notified in compliance with our statutory international obligations.”

It added that it had ensured immediate reactivation of all animal health component of the Emergency Preparedness Plan on bird flu for Nigeria, adding that the conduct of surveillance activities around infected areas to determine the level of spread of the disease was being undertaken.

FMARD said, “All stakeholders in the poultry industry are urged to enhance hygienic practices (bio-security measures) which include, but not limited to, regular disinfection, proper disposal of dead carcasses and poultry products and timely reporting of mortalities in poultry and other bird species to veterinary authorities.

“We wish to assure the public that, given our experiences in handling previous outbreaks and with your full cooperation in the implementation of containment measures, we are determined to contain this disease again within a short time. We will keep you informed as events unfold.”

Elections may not hold in troubled North east states - Jega

Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega says it may be difficult for them to conduct elections in three north-east states - Borno, Yobe and Adamawa next month. The states have been under Emergency rule for a while now
"A place like Borno state, unless something is done about those that have been displaced, even the time of the governorship election may be very very difficult, if not impossible under the circumstances. We are been realistic. We must say that it may be impossible to do elections everywhere and in every local government in every constituency in those three states" he said at a forum in Abuja today.
On the possibility of internally displaced people casting their votes during the elections, Prof Jega said
"First and foremost, we know that there are many Internally displaced persons in Nigeria on many causes but our focus is going to be on the North east zone and it will only be for internally displaced persons that are in that states" he said

Cristiano Ronaldo wins FIFA 2014 World Footballer of the Year

The Portugal/Real Madrid player beat Argentina/Barcelona Lionel Messi and Germany/Bayern Munich, Manuel Neuer to win the 2014 FIFA World Footballer of the Year. You think he deserves it?

Actor Jackie Chan’s Son Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Drug Offense

The son of actor Jackie Chan has been sentenced to six months in jail after pleaded guilty in a Beijing court to providing a venue for drug users.

Police seized more than 100 grams of marijuana during an August raid at Jaycee Chan’s Beijing home, while he and Taiwanese movie star Ko Kai both tested positive for the drug, it was reported.

His imprisonment comes amid a major crackdown on illegal drugs in China, and is particularly embarrassing for his father, who in 2009 was named an anti-drug ambassador.

 ‘I violated the law. I deserve to be punished. When I return to society, I won’t do it again,’ Chan said in courtroom footage aired on state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV).

Police arrested more than 7,800 people last summer in Beijing over illegal drug use.

Other celebrities, including actor Gao Hu, were also among those detained in what was described as the biggest such crackdown in two decades.
Illegal drug use has ballooned in China in recent decades, after being virtually eradicated following the 1949 communist revolution.

Official News Agency Xinhua said the maximum sentence for the charge against Chan was three years in prison.

The trial and sentence were especially sensitive for Jackie Chan, who was named an anti-drug ambassador in 2009, and sits on China’s top national political advisory panel — the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

The actor has told Xinhua that he did not use his connections to interfere with the case and that he hopes his singer-actor son will eventually become an anti-drug ambassador.

CCTV had aired video of the police raid on Jaycee Chan’s apartment, in which Chan was shown identifying marijuana in his possession. Ko testified on camera that he had used drugs at Chan’s home.

CCTV also said Chan told police that he has been using drugs for eight years.
Ko, whose real name is Ko Chen-tung, has been released after a 14-day administrative detention for drug use.

Saudi Arabia Blogger To Be Flogged 1000 Strokes Publicly For Insulting Islam

Saudi Arabis has lashed a liberal blogger 50 times in public, despite the widespread of international outrage and calls for clemency from human right group.

Hillel Neuer, the Executive Director of UN watch, said on his twitter handle that blogger and activist, Raif Badawi, was lashed outside a mosque in the Red Sea Costal City of Jeddah on Friday.

Amnesty International says Badawi, who started the “Free Saudi Liberals” website, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes on charges related to accusations he insulted Islam on the online forum.

He was also ordered by Jeddah’s Criminal Court to pay a fine of $266,000.

“It is horrifying to think that such a vicious and cruel punishment should be imposed on someone who is guilty of nothing more than daring to create a public forum for discussion and peacefully exercising the right to freedom of expression,” Philip Luther, Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Director, said.

“Saudi Arabian authorities must immediately halt all plans to carry out this brutal sentence,” he said.

The United States had also appealed to Saudi Arabia to cancel the sentence.

State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said the US was “greatly concerned.” She called the 1,000 lashes an “inhumane” response to someone exercising his right to freedom of expression and religion.

“The United States government calls on Saudi authorities to cancel this brutal punishment and to review Badawi’s case and sentence,” Psaki said.

Around 14,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Saudi’s King Abdullah to pardon Badawi.

Rights groups and activists say his case is part of a wider clampdown on dissent throughout the kingdom.

Those Accusing President Jonathan Of Corruption Are Father Of Corruption – Oba Of Lagos

The traditional father of Lagos state, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, has said that all those who are accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of corruption are the father of corruption.

The Oba Of Lagos was speaking in his palace when President Jonathan led a delegation of PDP officials to receive his blessings just before the flag-off of the PDP presidential campaign in Lagos state. Oba Akiolu raised issues of corruption with a mention of the Harliburton scandal and the killing of former Attorney-General, chief Bola Ige but prayed that in the end only the best candidate would emerge in the 2015 general elections.

In his speech, President Jonathan thanked the Oba for supporting his administration. He also described Lagos as the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria that should be of improtance to any well meaning politician and which needs the right persons to govern..

The President added that his administration has much to show in the area of transportation, agriculture, road construction and wondered why anyone would say that his administration had not performed.