Why I torn my PDP memebership card- fmr President Obasanjo.

LAGOS—A mixture of relief and raging indignation swept through the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, after former President Olusegun Obasanjo publicly tore his membership card of the ruling party.
Obasanjo’s theatrical renunciation of the party on whose platform he was twice elected president, was laced with another drama hours later when the state chapter of the party announced his expulsion from the party.

OBASANJO—Ex-President Obasanjo (left) watches as Alhaji Usman Oladunjoye tears the PDP membership card. Right: Obasanjo’s card after it was torn, yesterday.

In three tweets, last night, Obasanjo gave as his reasons, his uneasiness in abiding in the same party with a president who he said was determined to use corruption to destroy the country. He also said he would not abide in a party that is led by a ‘drug baron’, saying his action had freed him to comment on national issues as he felt.
The subdued relief in the Presidency which has been the butt of Obasanjo’s stinging criticism in recent times was manifest, yesterday, when senior Presidency officials calmly referred responses to the development to party officials. Chief Tony Anenih, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and once Obasanjo’s trusted aide, led the reactions with his dismissal of the action, saying the party would not miss him.
A number of other party officials including members of the board of trustees, state officials in Ogun State, Governor Ayo Fayose, Chief Buruji Kashamu among others reacted to the development yesterday.
Why I tore myPDP membership card— Obasanjo
In three tweets, yesterday night, explaining his decision, Obasanjo said: “I’d rather sacrifice my political party for the interest of Nigeria than sacrifice my country for a political party led by a drug baron.
“I’d rather tear the PDP membership card than sit down and let Jonathan use PDP and corruption to tear my beloved country apart.
“I have national and international standard to maintain. For this reason I’d rather stand alone than be in the same political party with Kashamu.”
Obasanjo said that the party card he tore was one of the considerations to him in the bid to project Nigeria, pointing out that there was nothing he could not sacrifice for the interest of the nation.
He boasted that despite the destruction of his party card, he would not be cowed by anyone, as he was still ready to comment on any matter that required his comment or view.
He said: “If there is anything that requires my comment, position or views, I will say it. It is only when you kill me that I will stop doing so.”
The former leader, who is known to have spearheaded the emergence of the Jonathan Presidency, explained that being patriotic demanded the will to sacrifice anything, including his life for the interest of Nigeria but not his life for a political party.
“My first preoccupation is what is best for Nigeria: Nigeria first, party second and anything third,” Obasanjo said.
On the Military
He also accused the Presidency under Jonathan of politicising every public institution in Nigeria, including the Nigerian military.
“It’s no longer news that the Presidency has politicised every institution in Nigeria. Even the military has chosen to be another arm of PDP,” he alleged.

Members of the court martial sit during the inauguration to try soldiers accused of mutiny tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants in Abuja on October 2, 2014. Nearly 100 soldiers tasked with fighting Boko Haram militants in Nigeria’s far northeast appeared at a military court martial on Thursday, facing a range of charges including mutiny. The hearing comes just weeks after a tribunal sentenced 12 soldiers to death following their conviction for shooting at their commanding officer in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, in May. AFP PHOTO

Vanguard learnt that Obasanjo might have taken his decision to tear his membership card and voluntarily quit the party before the leadership, apparently upset by his tantrums against Jonathan moves against him.
The move to suspend OBJ
It was reliably gathered that the party had mooted the idea of formally suspending him from its fold but was restrained by the leadership which had hoped he would soft-pedal over time, only for Obasanjo to unleash more caustic assaults last week, alleging a determination of the president to win the forthcoming presidential election by hook or crook.
Obasanjo early yesterday, announced his exit from the party while hosting members of the PDP from his Ward 11, Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State, who called on him to enquire on his continued membership of the party following what they claimed as the no love lost relationship with the president.
The members were led by the ward chairman, Alhaji Usman Oladunjoye who asked him to explain where he belongs.
In his response, Obasanjo said he had his ears close to the ground and said that he, too, had heard of the plan by the PDP leadership to sanction him.
He said: “You asked me two questions and I will answer them comprehensively. This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed. This is my PDP’s membership card, where I am standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody including babies. We must not allow anybody to destroy it wherever they come from, whatever they have and if they destroy it, it becomes our burden to our children and incoming generation.
“The question asked is that which party am I? I belong to the group that believes that Nigeria must not be destroyed. Those of you that are marketers you observed that there’s inflation in the market. The bureaux de change operators exchanged dollars with N150 then and is (now) going to be N250 to a dollar.
“What it means is that, what you’ve been buying for N150 will be bought for N250, this is not the kind of country we dream of. There’s no job, employment. Some people have started destroying Nigeria and I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria. Perhaps, you don’t understand that it is because there’s Nigeria that is why PDP exists. Without Nigeria, there will be no PDP anymore.
“What some of us should be concerned about now is how to make Nigeria stronger and our economy would witness economic growth.
I won’t join another party
“They said they want to expel me from PDP, although I have not been told but I have my ears on ground. We’ve been trying to run away from a man but he pleads we wait for him at the other side of the river. I have told you before that I became president on the platform of PDP. Once I leave PDP, I will not join any party.
“I will only be a Nigerian, I’m ready to work with anybody regardless of political affiliation. Why would some people say they want to send me away? They don’t need to bother themselves, here’s your membership card, take it,” Obasanjo said as he handed over the card to the ward chairman.
“From today on, in the presence of all of us and with your support, I am not going to be in any political party in Nigeria. I am no more a politician but a statesman both internally and externally. Once you people are with me what other people am I looking for?
“And on the day of election, whatever it takes”, the PVC must be obtained, you don’t need to be a politician before you get your PVC. On the day of election, you can vote for your choice, but I will vote for those who will repair Nigeria and not those who will destroy it.
Tears the card
“What is important is that we should hold Ward 11 community together, what we are going to do now is that I don’t have the burden of PDP again. Help me tear into pieces my membership card”, he said as the ward chairman dutifully carried out the directive.
Obasanjo also dismissed claims by the Jonathan campaign organisation that he was planning the installation of an interim national government.
“How can anybody in his right senses talk of ING in a democratic setting? Some of them are working for it (but) God will not allow it. In my ward, we’ll be meeting from time to time to discuss and interact on whatever you want and what I want.
“I don’t want to be carrying membership card around but you can do that but when election comes, we’ll pray God would direct us to vote rightly. Nigeria will be okay, Ogun will be alright,” Obasanjo said.
Ward members jubilate
Immediately after Obasanjo’s card was torn, his ward members rose in jubilation and started praising him for the action.
Before now, scores of Obasanjo’s loyalists, including the sacked PDP National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha; the sacked National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former governor Segun Oni, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, Chief Jide Awosedo and others had defected from the PDP to the APC, on the orders of the former president.
The former Board of Trustees chairman had also, about a year ago, written an open letter to President Jonathan, expressing his displeasure about the state of the nation and the need for him not to continue to associate with the likes of the Chairman of the Organization and Mobilization Committee of the party in the South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu.
Expulsion drama
Shortly after the development, there was a mild drama when the chairman of the state chapter of the party, Adebayo Dayo said the chapter had expelled the former president from the party over alleged “unabated anti-party activities unbecoming of a highly celebrated party man”.
Dayo at a news conference yesterday, said his Ward 11 Abeokuta North LG had earlier sent in a letter dated February 12, 2015, expressing serious concerns at his numerous anti-party activities and uncomplimentary utterances targeted at the leader of the party, President Jonathan.
Obasanjo’s exit: We remain focused— PDP
Reacting to the development last night, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement said the party received the news with shock but would remain focused.
“While we concede to the inalienable rights of every citizen to hold opinion and to decide who to associate with, we are however deeply saddened that Chief Obasanjo, a revered leader of our party, our first presidential flagbearer, whom the PDP offered the platform to rule our nation for eight years, could decide to abandon this party at this critical point in time.
“This is especially as Chief Obasanjo, who was also the Chairman of the highest advisory organ of the PDP, the Board of Trustees (BoT) discountenanced all pleas by elders and leaders of our great party with regard to his reservations on certain issues within our fold. Many Nigerians are still bewildered as regards what manner of provocation that could have led a former President to lose his composure and go to the extent of tearing the membership card of the party that he once led.
“Indeed, the PDP is hugely at a loss as to how the decision and action of the former President who had enjoyed the benefits of being elected to the highest position of leadership will assist in deepening our democracy and stabilizing the polity.
“It is our considered opinion that no matter the provocation, a statesmanly disposition from a person of Chief Obasanjo’s status could have encouraged our citizens and progress stability in the system. We believe, however, that what this country needs now is patriotic actions that engender national unity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence of our people irrespective of political, ethnic and religious persuasions. The overall interest of our nation and well being of our citizens must remain paramount and above all personal and group interests.
“Finally, we direct all our members across the country to remain focused on our campaigns and not to be distracted on this issue. With an array of credible candidates led by our Presidential flagbearer, President Goodluck Jonathan, we are sure that we will emerge victorious come March 28 and April 11, 2015 general elections.”
We will not miss him — Anenih
The chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, yesterday, dismissed Obasanjo’s decision to dump the PDP, saying that “leaders will not miss” his departure.

Chief Anthony Akhakon Anenih

In a brief interview with State House correspondents after meeting with President Jonathan, Chief Anenih said it is within Obasanjo’s right to dump the party.
“He (Obasanjo) has the right to leave any party, and he has the right to join any party, he is a Nigerian” Anenih said.
When he was queried by reporters whether PDP would not miss Obasanjo, Anenih replied: “Why should we miss him?”
Asked if the former president was not a big loss to the party, the BoT chairman said “to us leaders it is not a loss.”
Senator Walid Jubril, Secretary BoT
The secretary of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Walid Jubril said that as a former Chairman of BoT, who knows the procedure of resigning, the former president should have a re-think and resign properly.
“If I were him, I will not behave the way he did, there are procedures of leaving the party. He was Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of the party and with his position, he would have followed the procedure.
“There is nothing to celebrate there, it is not worth it, that is his palaver, not our own. As he left, millions have come to the party, many people like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar left before now. We are facing our Transformation Agenda for the people of Nigeria. Obasanjo should have a re-think and do the right thing by following the procedure of the party which gave him the platform to become the country’s president for eight years.”
Big yoke off PDP’s back — Babatope
Another member of the BoT Chief Ebenezer Babatope said, yesterday, that with the exit, a huge yoke has been lifted off the necks of PDP.
“Obasanjo leaving the PDP has come as a happy and welcome development. With Obasanjo’s exit, a huge yoke has been lifted off the necks of PDP. I congratulate the PDP for being patient in dealing with former President Obasanjo’s offensives against the party without embarking on wild and unproductive conclusions.
“Though Obasanjo is a hard fighter, his exit will have no effect of any kind on the PDP. The PDP will by God’s grace win the March elections.”
Olabode George, others
Former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George; former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe among others, lampooned former President Olusegun Obasanjo for dumping the PDP.

George: Soon, FG will resolve Diya, others’ rights issue

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by members of the South-West Presidential contact Committee including Chief Olabode George, Senator Seye Ogunlewe, Maj. Gen. A.T. Olanrewaju, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Elder Joju Fadairo, Otunba Adebisi Omoyeni, Amb. Toye Olofintuyi, Sen. Adefemi Kila, Chief Segun Adegoke, Prince Nekan Olateru-Olagbegi, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, Olayinka Omilani, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, Sen. Olu Alabi, Dr. Saka Balogun and Alhaji Mustapha Omokunmi.
The group condemned Obasanjo’s recent remarks saying it was “too personalised and provocative.”
The South-West PDP group said “the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the current national challenges is distorted, unstatesmanly, too personalised and provocative.
“Former President Obasanjo cannot and must not assume the role of the Nigerian overlord with infallible wisdom.”
The committee also said “former President Obasanjo has descended into the bitter fray of a common partisan actor without the distinction and dignity of a rallying unifying leader.”
The group noted that Obasanjo has been “very inciting, precipitous and violent in his utterances and, therefore, likely to provoke untoward events in this nation.”
It, however, condemned “vigorously with all sense of patriotic candour any attempt by former President Obasanjo or anybody else, to provoke the collapse or vitiation of our democracy.”
Calling for the removal of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, the group said the Commission was unprepared to conduct free and fair elections.
It’s unbecoming of an elder-statesman—Obanikoro
Former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday, said the actions taken by former President Obasanjo was unbecoming of an elder-statesman.
Obanikoro said this at a youth interactive session organised by the Directorate of Youth Mobilisation of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation.
The former minister said: “What Obasanjo did is unbecoming of an elder-statesman. In the history of democracy or in any part of the world, I have never seen a situation whereby a former President on the platform of a party did what Obasanjo is reported to have done. If he did that, it shows the level this society has degenerated into and it is evident that such people, cannot be trusted with power.”
He was frustrated out – Ihonvbere
Prof. Julius Ihonvbere who worked as Special Adviser on Policy and Programmes Monitoring in the Obasanjo presidency said that the former president was frustrated as “baba never wanted to leave the PDP”.
Ihonvbere who himself left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC, and is presently the Secretary to the Edo State Government (SSG), said “the manner at which he tore his PDP card and asked his ward chairman to do the same simply expresses his frustration with the PDP. A man who has been two term president under PDP, who has been chairman Board of Trustees of the PDP, for him to take that step means he has seen very many things that the average Nigerian has not seen.
“The PDP is busy insulting people, lying with statistics and documentaries while the APC is telling Nigerians what they want to do. So Baba is just expressing his dissatisfaction, and his belief and if you know him, that is him, that is his style, he does not pretend for too long.”
Obasanjo did nothing wrong—David West
“Obasanjo did not tear his membership card. He told his ward chairman to tear it. Obasanjo has a right to join a party of his choice. I have never joined any party in my life. As a statesman, if he did anything despicable, he should not be cautioned by the military. He was the chairman of the PDP board of trustees. He is a statesman that should be respected. He is a disciplined Nigerian and Nigeria should copy the discipline in the military and extend it to Obasanjo. He has done nothing wrong. He has the right to express himself politically and as a former Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, he should be treated with the respect he deserves.
He is a double dealer— Owie
Also, yesterday, former Senate Whip, Senator Rowland Owie who described former President Obasanjo as a permanent double dealer, said: “I urge well meaning Nigerians, President Jonathan, and PDP, who believe in the unity of Nigeria, freedom of religion, not to be distracted by Obasanjo’s antics, for the Word of God says, “Why this uproar among the nations, this impotent muttering of the peoples? Kings of the earth take up position, princes plot together against Yahweh and his anointed, Now let us break the fetters! Now let us throw off their bonds! He who is enthroned in the Heavens laughs, Yahweh makes a mockery of them, then in His anger rebukes them, in His rage He strikes them with terror Psalm..2..v,.1-5..”
NPP reacts
Also reacting, a group under the aegis, the Nigeria Posterity Project, NPP described the exit of Obasanjo from PDP as good riddance to bad rubbish.
A statement by its National Coordinator, Louis Ebodaghe, read: “For a man who ran the PDP as his personal estate during his tenure as president, a man who brooked no opposition and was intolerant of opposing views, his unquenchable desire to control the apparatus of the PDP even after he had left office is legendary.
“Chief Obasanjo has by his self-conceited nature displayed his lack of decorum by publicly tearing his PDP membership card; an act we consider childish, dishonourable and portrays him as someone who subscribes to the principle of pull him down syndrome if he doesn’t have his way.”
He is a mistake to the PDP — Ogundipe
South West Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe on his part described Obasanjo as a mistake to the PDP.
Speaking with Vanguard, Ogundipe said: “Obasanjo is a mistake to PDP. When you find an elderly person abusing his junior, he is looking for trouble. I want to be quoted that when Obasanjo was in office, no one did what he is doing to Jonathan. Obasanjo will soon tell us what he has done for the Yourba race.
“Under Obasanjo, the Lagos-Ibadan expressway was a death trap. If you want to measure any government by achievements, Jonathan is ahead of him. Whatever opinion Obasanjo has, as far as I am concerned, it will have no effect on the coming elections. I won’t be surprised if Obasanjo is already acting the script of a foreign government that wants an Interim government in Nigeria. The Southwest people will not be deceived, we are solidly behind President Goodluck Jonathan and by the grace of God, he will be returned as president of Nigeria on March 28″.
Good decision – Benue CNPP
The Benue state chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, Mr. Baba Agan on his part lauded Obasanjo’s action saying “it is a step in the right direction.”
Agan, who spoke to reporters, yesterday, in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, said “the decision was also the mark of a true statesman.”
He said the former president “should be commended for his decision rather than being vilified by those who feel that his exit would be injurious to their political fortunes.
“Honestly, I think that what Obasanjo did was much expected, what he did was right and proper, because if you agree with me, at his level he shouldn’t be identified with any party.
Yoruba leaders, PDP chieftains react to Obasanjo’s exit
Speaking on the development, a former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, said: “Obasanjo has laid that foundation before now. He did that through his actions and comments. We are not surprised that he did that. It is better for him to go than to remain a mole in the party.”
Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr. Fredrick Fasheun said: “There is freedom of association and Obasanjo has just exercised that. I would not like to suggest the implications for the Yoruba people but it is not every Yoruba leader that can be followed by the people. A leader who does reasonable things will be followed. But when you do unreasonable things, you will not be followed.”
A former acting National Secretary of the PDP, Dr. Remi Akitoye said the exit of the former president will not affect the chances of the PDP especially in the South West.
Akitoye said: “Obasanjo is a responsible member of this society, he is a founding member of PDP. If there is any disagreement, time and space will resolve the issue, there is internal mechanism in the structure of the PDP that allows for dispute resolution. His exit will not and it cannot affect the chances of the PDP in the South West. What I am very particular about is that, we have a mechanism in the party to resolve this kind of disagreement. Time and space will reveal all this.”
He’s a wounded lion—Kashamu
On his part, Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the PDP South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu called for the immediate investigation and arrest of Obasanjo on grounds of alleged corruption.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Kashamu accused the former president of making unguarded utterances capable of heating up the polity.
He said: “My immediate reaction when I heard of Obasanjo’s latest outbursts were when did this pseudo-democrat become a defender of democracy? Who has corrupted our electoral and democratic firmament more than Chief Obasanjo? How can the architect of Third Term Agenda accuse anyone of trying to scuttle democracy? Obasanjo still wants to continue in power because if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins, he will be the one that will control everything. All that is going on now is hypocritical, how can a pastor work with a fanatic?”
Accussing Obasanjo of working to subvert the will of the people, he said: “Let us not be deceived. As well-intentioned as Chief Obasanjo’s homily may seem, it is all lies. It is any open show of his manipulative skills and his well-known egoistic craving for power and relevance. Obasanjo is a wounded lion that should be caged to preserve the nation because he yearns to be ruling Nigeria through the back door.”
Obasanjo’s decision, wise but belated—Tsav
A retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said: ‘’I think the action taken by Chief Obasanjo in dumping the PDP is honourable and in order. You will recall that when Obasanjo singularly nominated Jonathan as the running mate of late Umar Yar’Adua, many of his townsmen objected to that. On his part, Jonathan described Obasanjo as his benefactor next to God. Jonathan later referred to Obasanjo as motor-park tout.”
Fani-Kayode who was a minister under Obasanjo is today calling him names. This reminds me of Hubert Ogunde’s song, titled: Yoruba Ronu. Fayose has become so wild and undisciplined and has resorted to abusing Obasanjo. The PDP has degenerated into a party of thugs and desperate persons where truth has no place. No decent and responsible person will belong to such an organisation. I hail Obasanjo for his wise and belated decision.’’
He acted unstatesmanly — Austin Opara
On his part, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austin Okpara, said: ‘’It is very unfortunate that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has acted unstatesmanly. Some of us believed he has behaved as if he is out to destroy. He should have been a nation builder and not a destroyer.
His approach is not in the best interest of this country and it is very unfortunate.

Vangaurd

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Dissecting Bishop Oyedepo’s Support For GEJ And Sambo’s Anti-christ Outburst Against Churches.

Dissecting Bishop Oyedepo’s Support For GEJ And Sambo’s Anti-christ Outburst Against Churches And Pastor Osinbajo At The Jigawa State PDP Presidential Rally By Bunmi Awoyemi I was shocked when a man of God, Bishop David Oyedepo who I respect so much said in his church some days ago that his members should slaughter any one that looks like a terrorist.

Bishop David Oyedepo While I am 100% in support of self defense, I abhor tribal profiling and targeting. When this happens, innocent lives are bound to be lost. Then in the 3rd service of his Church on Sunday, January 25, 2015, attended by President Jonathan, my dear Bishop Oyedepo said in a comment directed at President Jonathan “We will open the gates of hell on those who oppose you.When God enthrones you no one can dethrone you”
My Bishop’s support of Jonathan is anchored on the false premise that Buhari is planning to Islamize Nigeria. Nothing could be further from the truth. IBB not Buhari registered Nigeria as a member of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). IBB, Abacha and Abdusalami Abubakar attended OIC meetings. No President of Nigeria has attended OIC meetings in the last 15 years until President Jonathan attended an OIC meeting in late 2014. Buhari never attended any OIC meeting and refused to join the OIC even though he was a military Head of State possessing immense powers. How can the same Buhari now Islamize Nigeria in a democratic setting which has the checks and balances of the National Assembly and the Judiciary?
Is my Bishop aware of what happened a few days ago? At the Presidential campaign rally of GEJ/Sambo in Jigawa state on January 21st, 2015, in the presence of President Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo stated in Hausa : “Buhari ya dauko pastor a matsayin mataimakinsa kunsan coci nawa yake dashi? Yanada coci 5000, don haka karku zabesu. The translation is – “Buhari has selected a pastor as his running mate, do you know how many churches he has? He has 5000 churches, so based on that, don’t vote for them”.
My Bishop, Sambo used religious sentiments in his attempt to divide the country and incite Muslims against Christians. Sambo also said at the rally that the PDP is the most Islamic Party in Nigeria because nobody can be more Muslim than him. He said that his name is Namadi which is a derivative of Namadina, meaning someone from the Medina in Saudi Arabia. At the Rally in Jigawa State Sambo also stated that he goes for the Hajj every year.
My dear Bishop, in Sambo’s determination to whip up religious sentiments and divisions, he stated at the Jigawa state rally that all the security chiefs in the Jonathan administration are Muslims and based on that, those alleging that Jonathan is supportive of Boko Haram are not being fair. He mentioned the names of some key ministers in the Jonathan administration including Defence Minister, Aliyu Gusau, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, Inspector General of Police, Abba whom he emphasized are all Muslims. He also mentioned all the Muslim ministers from Kano, including Aminu Wali, Foreign Affairs Minister and Shekarau, Minister of Education.
Bishop, Sambo then asked if anyone could claim to be more Muslim than him Namadi Sambo. Then he shouted Allahu Akbar (Allah is great several times). To close his speech he recited the AlFatiha, (The Opening, the first seven verses of the Holy Quran, which for Muslims is the Mother of the Book, highly revered by all).
My dear Bishop, Sambo’s outburst against Christians and Pastor Osinbajo would not surprise close watchers of political events in Nigeria but it does reconfirm the outcome of late General Azazi thorough and extensive investigation of Boko Haram and in which he concluded that the PDP founded Boko Haram and finances its terrorist activities.
MY ADVISE TO CHRISTIANS WHO RESPECT BISHOP OYEDEPO
To Christians like me who hold Bishop Oyedepo in great esteem this is my advise to you;
Don’t let any pastor tell you who to vote for. Does Bishop Oyedepo experience the effects of misgovernance? Bishop is on 24-hr power generators and he does not even know when there is power outage. You bear the brunt of misgovernance daily and you should know that voting GEJ is a guarantee of another 4 years of no electricity, corruption galore and insurgency that will claim more lives and disintegrate Nigeria. Vote based on what you know not on religious or tribal sentiments!
Currently, 70% of the territory of states like Borno, Yobe and Adamawa are under the firm control of Boko Haram. This is the first time this is happening in Nigeria. Boko Haram bombing and genocide has targeted both Christians and Muslims, churches, mosques and schools attended by both Christians and Muslims. Because of Boko Haram’s control of about 5% of Nigeria’s territory, Nigeria’s map has been redrawn.
When a bomb goes off in a market place it does not discriminate between Muslims and Christians. When the village of the Chief of Defense staff close to Mubi was attacked he did not rescue his fellow christian villagers but he airlifted his relatives out of danger and leaving his fellow Christians to be slaughtered by Boko Haram. The “polithievians,” “executhieves,” “legislooters” and “judishare” officers of Nigeria have only one religion that unites them and that religion is stealing and looting with impunity.
How many of the Pastors that are telling you to vote for Jonathan have children who are unemployed graduates sitting at home; bear the brunt of insecurity; send their children to public school; patronize government hospitals like you do or understand what the members of their religious organizations go through on a daily basis?
Did Bishop Oyedepo speak out when ASUU and ASUP were on strike twice in 4 years thereby leading to the loss of almost 2 years in the academic calender of Universities and Polytechnics?
Did Bishop Oyedepo speak out to condemn the manner in which the almost 300 Chibok girls were kidnapped? Did he condemn the manner in which the President refused to acknowledge that they were kidnapped? Did Bishop Oyedepo condemn the failure of the President to rescue the Chibok girls 9 months after they were kidnapped by the insurgents?
Did Bishop Oyedepo speak out when medical doctors went on strike twice in 4 years leading to the death of millions of Nigerians.
Has Bishop Oyedepo spoken out against the ongoing strike by health workers and judicial workers in Nigeria?
All these strikes have to do with the inability of President Jonathan and the PDP government to abide by industrial agreements signed after extensive bargaining among stake holders and their insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians.
Did Bishop Oyedepo speak out when 16>19, 5>26 and 7>19 in the Governors Forum election, Rivers state house of Assembly and Ekiti State House of Assembly in clear and reckless violation of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria?
Has Bishop Oyedepo spoken out to condemn the legalized looting of billions of dollars of Nigeria’s money taking place under the watch of President Jonathan? Did Bishop Oyedepo speak out to condemn the beating up of a state High Court judge in Ekiti state by the Chief Thug of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and his gang of thugs?
Did Bishop Oyedepo speak out to condemn the deliberate flouting of court orders by President Jonathan which has become like a recurring decimal in his administration?
Let Pastors like Bishop Oyedepo who don’t know what their members are going through or who are unable to feel the pulse of the masses, stick to what they know how to do best which is feeding Chist’s sheep as Christ commanded them, but let them stay out of politics. Bishop Oyedepo should not try to influence Christians to vote for a failed President like Jonathan. I urge all Christians to vote their conscience to free themselves from the 16 year bondage of the PDP led administration.
Section 95 (3) of the Electoral Act, states that “places designated for religious worship, police station and public offices shall not be used for political campaigns, rallies and processions or to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates, their political ideologies or programmes.”
Let my darling Bishop note that his actions on the pulpit violates this law and as a man of God the scripture expects him to obey the laws of the land. We are to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.
Bunmi Awoyemi, Ph.D, the author of this opinion piece, writes in from New Orleans, Louisiana and is a public affairs analyst, lawyer and entrepreneur.

Nass

Boko Haram Raids Monguno Barracks In Maiduguri

NAIJ- Reports just reaching us from Maiduguri, Borno State capital reveals that, members of the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram has overwhelmed the 243 battalion of the Nigerian Army stationed at Monguno Barracks.
Sahara Reporters said a top military official confirmed that the extremist on Sunday killed an undetermined number of soldiers and wounded the brigade commander of the Brigade as well.
The military officer further revealed that soldiers who tried to repel the invading insurgents were killed, a situation that resulted to other soldiers fleeing to different directions. The source said no ewer than 1,400 soldiers were stationed at the barracks at the time of the attack, saying the Nigerian military authorities does not know the exact whereabouts or how many of them had been killed. “We still don’t know what has happened to them [soldiers], but we know that Boko Haram now controls the barracks and Monguno town,” one officer based in Abuja confirmed,” he said. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Defense Headquarters has hinted that the military was conducting air raids around the attacked barracks, explaining that soldiers needed to tactically withdraw from the town because of the injuries the brigade commander and others sustained in the attack. However, this recent information is contrary to the one earlier reported that Nigerian troops had overcome attacks on the barracks, but sources claim that the barrack had fallen into the hands of the terrorists. “They [Boko Haram] have gained full control of the barracks, together with all the weapons there,” a senior military source revealed on phone.
Another source within the military in a statement said the terrorists killed many soldiers and a huge number of civilians in Monguno town.
Monguno town which is about 85 miles from the state capital has reportedly been under attack since last night. It was gathered that Monguno and Maiduguri were sacked simultaneously but Nigerian troops succeeded in repelling the Islamist from Maiduguri after a fierce gun fight that lasted for several hours.
It was reported that the Nigerian troops were able to repel the terrorists attack as they allegedly killed no fewer than 100 Islamist fighters during the offensive.
It would be recalled that several people were reportedly killed as Boko Haram insurgents continued their attacks on communities in Adamawa State, especially those in Michika Local Government Area of the state.
Meanwhile, this recent attack is amazing as the insurgent group had earlier freed 200 kidnapped captives, who had returned to their community in Yobe state.

Naij

Pump Price Reduction(MY TAKE AWAY)- Gov. Fashola

It is no longer news that the Federal Government has announced a reduction in the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol. While I have made my position known on my Twitter handle that ‘a little over 10% reduction in cost of the final (crude oil) product (PMS) in response to an over 50% drop in the cost of the raw material is a good try and that Nigerians can get a better deal’, I am constrained to make this further intervention for a few reasons.
1.There is a sense in the public space that this reduction is politically motivated, given the reactions that have followed it. To the extent therefore that there is a political nexus, it deserves further interrogation because it is an ECONOMIC issue and this is a major issue in the elections as canvassed by both parties, especially at the Presidential candidacy level.
General Buhari had seized the moment and the importance of the economic issue earlier this month. Through his campaign council he said: “Stop stealing from Nigerians and allow them enjoy the relief that has come to consumers of petroleum products globally.
“For the Nigerian consumers, unfortunately the collapse of crude oil price since October 2014 has not translated into any change in diesel, kerosene and PMS prices across the country.”
2. The second reason for my intervention is also economic, and it goes to interrogate POLICY, particularly this PRICING POLICY, and the consistency of the party in Government Vis-a-Vis their credibility before the Nigerian public.

THE ECONOMICS OF OIL
It must be obvious to any discerning mind that you cannot have a viable democracy without debating the management of the economy.
This is because the real issue in elections is the way people’s lives have fared during the tenure of the incumbent.
The question, sometimes spoken, sometimes not, but never forgotten, is this: – Has my life been better in the last few years or not?
This question always involves an examination of the record of service of the incumbent and many have lost their seats in a bad economy.
So, the present government must defend its record on the economy and this involves its management of prices and consumer indices.
The cost of energy, fuel, gas, electricity for transport, cooking, heating and manufacturing is a direct determinant of the cost of living and how far people’s wages can take them before the next pay day.
It is not therefore surprising that in the last decade and a half, many western countries have gone to war “in order to make peace”, especially in the Middle East, so that there is no scarcity of petroleum (crude oil) supply.
The reason is simple. Scarce crude means high prices of crude oil, translating to high fuel, gas and production costs, leading to restive domestic population, which can translate to electoral defeat.
If one remembers Iraq, Libya and Egypt; in spite of the democratic masks that those military interventions wore, it is difficult to dismiss a domestic, political (electoral) self interest in them.
In the aftermath of these interventions and investment in shale oil as an alternative, leading to the crash of crude oil prices, what have these western countries done at home for their people in terms of oil price management?
Let us look at a few examples:
i.U.K
Drop in Price (dollar per litre): 0.52
Percentage of price drop: 23.75%
ii. U.S.A
Drop in Price (dollar per litre): 0.39
Percentage of price drop: 36.57%
iii. SINGAPORE
Drop in Price (dollar per litre): 1.79
Percentage of price drop: 21%
v. NIGERIA
Drop in Price (dollar per litre): 0.03. Percentage of price drop: 10.3%
My take aways: a) It is poor economic management to import the final product of a commodity whose raw material (crude oil) we produce in abundance.
b) A refinery in Nigeria, such as the 400,000 barrel refinery we are supporting by providing land for the Dangote Group in the Lekki Free Zone will keep jobs at home, (instead of in foreign refineries), create income for the Nigerian Government by way of companies income tax, and give us better control of pricing by eliminating subsidies and demurrage charges by port delays paid to ship owners in dollars against a weak Naira; and it will eliminate many other charges that are passed on to ordinary Nigerians.
c) Clearly, an inefficient Port Management that escalates shipping costs, a devalued currency, and an exorbitant interest rate on borrowing, which are economic failures of the current Government, are part of the reasons why Nigeria cannot get a better deal from an over 50% drop in Crude Oil price.
Interrogation of policy
In announcing the reduction of fuel pump price, the Honourable Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, stated the reasons for the Government’s decision in her own words as follows:
“As you may be aware, there has been a lot of volatility in the price of petroleum products, particularly crude oil, over the last few months. Invariably, this has meant that the price of the product in Nigeria has also been greatly impacted.”
When addressing journalists she added: “After watching the price per barrel drop over the last few months, we have finally achieved parity… therefore this would be the best time to actually reduce the price. We have been watching very carefully over the last two weeks to ensure that the volatility did not destabilize this reduction in price and we think it’s safe to implement it at this time.”
Please note she used the words (1) “price per barrel drop” and (2) the “achieved parity” in the oil price regime to justify the reduction.
(i) Price Per Barrel Drop
As I have pointed out, I doubt that a 10% reduction is the best that we can get in response to a 50% drop in oil price, and this is simple common sense.
If a product is manufactured at X price and the price of the raw material drops by Y%, I think it is simple economics to reflect that Y% drop in the price of the final product without doing any damage to the cost of packaging or transporting the product. And this should happen vice versa if the price of the raw material heads in the opposite direction.
But let me be quick to acknowledge that these price changes may not necessarily be effected overnight in a period of volatility; and this is the relevance of the Honourable Minister’s point about “parity”, which I will come to later.
But the quick additional point to make is that Diesel has not enjoyed any subsidy for a long time and there is a loud silence on this product, as far as pricing policy is concerned; and nothing is said about Kerosene.
So, if this was really meant to bring relief to the people, I think Diesel, which impacts on production costs, power costs in homes through generators, and Kerosene, which ordinary Nigerians use to cook, would have been the place for Government to demonstrate that it understands the plight of the people.
This would have afforded some cushion against the austerity measures indicated by the Honourable Minister of Finance.
My take away
This price reduction is not far reaching enough. It demonstrates a knee-jerk reaction to a serious economic issue where the majority of ordinary Nigerians are concerned.
When we factor the fact that the majority of Nigerians generate their own power at 4 (four) times the cost of public power, and they mostly use diesel, a reduction there would have reduced the pressure on their disposable income.
Achieved Parity: My understanding of the Honourable Minister’s use of these words is that Government now believes that oil prices will hover around the current prices of $50 per barrel, so that, according to her, “the entire country will benefit immensely from this reduction.”
If this is correct, then who are we to believe?
If we go back to the statement of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on December 17, 2014 when, while defending the oil budget benchmark of $65 for the 2015 budget which some observers felt was too ambitious, she said:
“This is what we have done by proposing a benchmark of $65pb. We recognise that prices might still fall further but we do not intend to revise the price further down as price intelligence indicates that prices might average between $65 and $70pb in 2015.”
If the Finance Minister expects oil prices to get to $70 and the Petroleum Minister says we have “achieved parity,” there seems to be inherent contradictions within the same Government.
My Take Aways:
a. Are Government departments talking to themselves?
b. Who is co-ordinating the economy?
c. Why was the Honourable Minister for Finance not part of this major Pricing Policy briefing?
d. Was this price reduction provided for in the 2015 budget?
P.S. As I concluded this intervention, my attention was brought to a response by Governor Peter Obi to a contribution I had made, in which he said in This Day Newspaper that: “The president showed that the sound economic policies of his government have brought about macro-economic stability. This has been acknowledged by the renowned economist and former Chairman of the Asset Management Division of Goldman Sachs Group, Dr. Jim O’Neill, who coined the term BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey), recognising these countries as the world’s fastest growing economies.”
Fastest growing economies
I have no issue with Governor Obi, because his role in Government and policy making is still unclear to me. If he speaks as a party man, it is a measure of credit to him that he knows more about the programmes of a party he joined a few weeks ago, than those he met there.
But for the record, the same Jim O’Neill, whom he quotes in support of this Government’s policy and the leadership of President Jonathan, said:
“If he (Jonathan) doesn’t get re-elected, and it’s because of Nigerian people wanting something different and something better, I think the markets would be happy with that. Foreign investors are pretty negative about Nigeria, so I don’t dismiss the possibility that if he lost, people actually might react positively.”
Those who seek the truth should simply visit this link and verify the facts of what Jim O’Neill actually said: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-08/o-neill-says-jonathan-vote-loss-may-be-seen-as-nigeria-positive.html
MY TAKE AWAY
I think Jim is right. Nigerians want “something different and something better.” They want CHANGE.
Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, is Governor of Lagos State

Vanguard

Revealing! Shocking News About Anal Sex!

Whether you love it, hate it, have tried it or have thought about it, anal sex seems to be less taboo these days. But a new British study found that young women aren’t always doing it for the right reasons. The research, published in the medical journal BMJ Open, attempted to collect information about when anaI sex occurs and the reasons why men and women engage in it.

Using a sample of 130 Heterosexual men and women from the cities and suburb of English, Scientists conducted Personal and Group interview to know more about their sexual practices. It resulted in differences of the male and female gender view of the abnormal practice.

While Men tend to enjoy it as a sign of pleasure and macho sexual achievement, women's views were entirely opposite as a way of physical pain and damaged reputation.The male wanted it as a act of mimicking Pornography while women see it as a way to please their partner!

Quite shocking is that both gender have mutual understanding that its a sign of domination, women will have to begged and forced into submission and if not by refusing they are seen as been uptight! Then the idea of if you try it, you will like it!

Unfortunately, many are so unaware that STIs can easily be transmitted through anal sex!
Chris Milrod, liscence sex therapist P.HD had this to say about pornography that it is not sex Education that most of the things being done are unrealistic and it should be something you are not forced to do!

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