APC deserves to rule Lagos again –Ambode

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, has said that the party has made remarkable achievements that qualified it to rule Lagos again.

Ambode spoke on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the Chief Henry Ajomale-led executive council of the APC at the party secretariat in Ikeja.

He said the party had demonstrated openness and internal democracy that was worthy of emulation by other political parties in Nigeria.

He said, “It is a clear message that not only can other parties learn from us, but that the APC deserves to retain our dear state Lagos and take over the federal structure in 2015. No one can be in doubt any longer that as our members converge on Lagos today for our national convention, the same spirit of openness, fairness and camaraderie will prevail in choosing our presidential candidate.

Ambode commended Ajomale for the success of the primaries, noting that the exercise was done credibly in the state.

He said, “I congratulate and express my gratitude to the leadership of our party in Lagos for the successes recorded so far in the primary conducted by the party in Lagos State. The rancour-free, open and transparent manner in which the primaries to the State House of Assembly, National Assembly and for the governorship slots were conducted, in the full glare of the media and various observers, made the All progressives Party to be a party worthy of emulation.

“Unlike elsewhere where parallel elections are being held by different factions; where the aspirants are constrained to wear bullet-proof vests and casualties being recorded, the APC primaries under your watch have recorded no violence whatsoever. Not a single candidate has threatened to leave the party on account of the conduct of the primaries. Instead, aspirants are congratulating winners with a promise to ensure victory for the party at the February 2015 elections.

“APC in Lagos State has demonstrated strength, popularity and acceptability as the preferred choice of the people. We have done this through the huge number of delegates that voted at our primary last Thursday. Our competitor could only muster a fraction of our delegates, even at that, their figures could barely add up.

“In line with its progressive orientation, our party has shown to the world its sterling qualities; that ours is a unified, non-acrimonious, and accountable party. We have also shown that internal democracy can thrive and be well communicated to the whole nation. This is what your leadership has achieved. This is what has been clearly communicated and which is being applauded even by critics.”   

PUNCH.

Political risks shake global markets

Political risks are big threats not only to the Nigerian stock market, but to other markets across the world, a report has showed.

Beyond the falling crude oil prices and the devaluation of the naira, the Nigerian equities market has had a poor year with the Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index year-to-date return currently 22.08 per cent negative.

Analysts had predicted earlier in the year that considering that the build up to general elections would affect the market negatively.

In September, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema, had said the country’s equities market would see stronger movements after the general elections.

“We anticipate that once the elections are out of the way and we have a better clarity on the security and health situation, you should see a more definite movement in the market,” he said.

According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation, the big risks to markets and the global economy right now are political risks, or decisions by governments that spook investors.

One event that had spooked investors this year, according to market operators, was the sudden removal of Lamido Sanusi as the Central Bank Governor. Another was the regulatory headwinds that led to a drop in the profits of Deposit Money Banks.

In China, on Tuesday, the BBC report noted that the price of shares on the Shangai stock market dropped by more than five per cent “seemingly prompted by a new restriction on how investors can borrow – which raised anxieties about the sustainability of the country’s debt-financed growth.”

Synagogue: TB Joshua loses bid to stop coroner’s inquest

TB Joshua

The coroner probing the September 12 Synagogue building collapse, Magistrate O.A. Komolafe, has dismissed an application seeking a temporary suspension of the inquest.

Komolafe, while dismissing the application on Wednesday, described it as an abuse of court processes.

The Founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua, filed the application asking Komolafe to put on hold further inquisition into the cause of death of the victims of the collapsed building.

No fewer than 116 persons lost their lives while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the tragic incident.

Joshua’s application for stay of proceedings, dated November 11, 2014, came on the heels of an application he had filed before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.

In the said application before Justice Lateefat Okunnu, Joshua asked for a judicial review of the coroner’s proceedings, which began on October 13.

Falana, LEDAP ask Nigerians to demand for security

Mr. Femi Falana

LAGOS-based lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), and a civil society group, Legal Defence and Accountability Project, have asked Nigerians to continue to demand for adequate security of lives and property in the country.

They made the call on Wednesday in separate statements to mark this year’s celebration of the international human rights day, an annual event which holds internationally on December 10.

LEDAP in a statement by its National Co-ordinator, Mr. Chino Obiagwu, decried the inability of government to rescue the over 200 Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram since April 14, 2014.

The statement read, “LEDAP is deeply concerned that the issue of the abduction of the Chibok girls and other abductions remains a mirage. Worthy of note is the incessant bombings and the spate of kidnappings across the entire polity, which till date; no ascertainable action has been effected by the Government.

“LEDAP in line with this year’s theme ‘Human Rights 365’ supports the fundamental proposition in the Universal Declaration that each one of us, everywhere, at all times, is entitled to a full range of human rights; that every day is a Human Rights Day and that human rights belong equally to each one of us and bind us together.

“LEDAP reiterates that the Federal Government owns Nigerians a duty to ensure that there is a free and fair election in the upcoming election. The vote of its citizens must count.

“The government is reminded of its commitment to ensuring that Nigeria as a country stands in agreement with the United Nations to ensure that the rights of the citizens are protected and in occurrence of any infringement, the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Falana on his part, said ordinary Nigerians had been deprived the enjoyment of fundamental rights guaranteed them by the constitution.

He said, “The police and other security agencies have been regularly indicted for subjecting suspects to torture and other forms of indignity. Many innocent persons have been extra-judicially murdered. Detention without trial is a common phenomenon.

President Jonathan’s acceptance speech at PDP convention

Acceptance Speech by

His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR

On His Victory at the

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2014 National Convention

Eagle Square, Abuja

Wednesday 10th – Thursday 11th December 2014

PROTOCOLS

1. Mr Chairman, our dear delegates, today is another great day in the history of our great Party; The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and indeed in the history of our great Nation.
2. Nothing gives me greater joy, as leader of our party, than such an opportunity as presented today, for direct interaction with so many enthusiastic and dedicated fellow party members, and may I add, all proudly dressed in our party colours and regalia.
3. It is also my pleasure to be here as a delegate today and I welcome whole heartedly all our delegates, party members and all Nigerians, from across the country and beyond; including those joining us by television and online, as we gather here in the Eagle Square, to reaffirm the noble democratic traditions and foundations, that bind us together.
4. I thank the Party and the Organizing Committee for a successful convention. I thank all the delegates for a smooth nomination process.
5. Let me congratulate, the Chairman of our great Party, the game changer, Alhaji Ahmed Adamu Muazu. I have no doubt that the democratic process we have witnessed here today, and his confirmation as Party chairman, are both pointers to the consolidation of democracy in our country as a whole.
6. There is no doubt that his commitment to the ideals of our party, his consistency and hard work, has helped to reposition the party. And today we are stronger, bigger, and more in tune with the yearnings of our people. Let me also congratulate Professor Wale Oladipo and Alhaji Adewale Adeyanju whose appointments as National Secretary and National Auditor, respectively, have been ratified at this Convention.
7. Nigeria is undergoing great changes at this time, and also experiencing great challenges; so, political parties must rise above the fray, to provide hope and clear direction, to propel the development of our country.
8. As expected in every contest, especially political contests, the journey to this convention has not been without issues in some constituencies. Indeed, Party Congresses from the ward to state levels, and the legislative and state primaries, have produced both triumphs and some misgivings.
9. Without prejudice to various on-going resolution mechanisms, we will take steps, after the elections to review and refine the candidate selection procedures within our party. An appropriate committee will be set up to work on this, with contributions across board.
10. I commend the efforts of the supervising and appeal committee members, who travelled across the country to conduct and oversee the primaries and congresses. I appreciate also the dedication of the various working committees and special committees engaged in organising and delivering all aspects of the election season programmes.
11. Fellow delegates, dear party members, while we congratulate our candidates who have emerged at the primaries, we must reassure all our members, that our party remains a large, accommodating and responsible party.
12. We will make sure that conflicts are amicably resolved and that the genuine interest of every member is respected and assured.
13. As party members, we must be conscious of the responsibility we hold to our Nation. The political party is the vehicle for national organisation, and the PDP is the foremost political party in Nigeria.
14. For the sake of the entire nation, we must, at this time, more than ever, stand together as one united party. We are all joint stake holders, this party belongs to all of us.
15. What we have achieved today should be a lesson to all who care about Nigeria. What we have done exemplifies our unity. What we have done exemplifies our determination. What we have done exemplifies our purpose.
16. We are a Party that accepts challenges. We are a Party that confronts those challenges. But above all, we are a Party that resolves challenges. And it is exactly these qualities that will lead us to victory.
17. Distinguished Delegates, ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you as your humble servant, to accept your nomination as the Presidential candidate of our great Party, the PDP.
18. Having placed great faith in me and chosen me as your candidate, I assure you, that I am truly honoured tonight, to lead another electoral contest.
19. This will be a campaign, and an election, that will serve to consolidate our successes.
20. I will give my all.
21. I will not let you down.
22. I will not fail the PDP.
23. I will not fail you.
24. Above all, I promise, I will not fail our great nation, Nigeria.
25. This convention shows that we are ready.
26. The PDP is ready.
27. Nigerians know we are ready.
28. And today in Abuja, we begin the next phase of our mission.
29. Our mission is to secure Nigeria’s future.
30. First of all, let me give gratitude to God Almighty who has sustained the nation.
31. There is much to say, but permit me some special words of gratitude. These last four years have not always been easy, but through it all, my wife has effortlessly taken care of our home. So to you, my companion and my foremost supporter, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
32. I also want to thank, the Vice President, my brother, Arch Namadi Sambo, and his dear wife. You have both provided loyal support and commitment to this presidency; working with you for our people, has been a pleasure.
33. The work and progress recorded these past four years has been possible because we have had the best team possible. The Ministers, Advisers, Assistants and staff that have formed the Transformation team, have shown great dedication, creativity and loyalty.
34. They have put in extra hours when necessary, and always gone the extra mile to ensure delivery. Today, I thank them fervently for their patriotism and hard work.
35. Our Party, the PDP, has been the foundation of our Transformation Agenda. I thank the Chairman and Party Executive at all levels, the Board of Trustees and National Working Committee, the PDP Governors Forum, Federal and state legislators, Secretariat Staff and volunteers, across the country. You have played your part well, and I am indeed very grateful.
36. It is not a mere coincidence that our National Convention this year starts on the same day as the United Nations World Human Rights Day. This government, led by our Party, has made the respect of human rights and individual freedoms, the cornerstone of our administration.
37. I did say during my declaration on November 11, 2014, that we are proud that no Nigerian has been exiled or imprisoned on our watch, for holding contrary views. We must ensure that we continue to water the tree bearing the fruits of freedom, for our beloved people.
38. In the last 16 years, the PDP has kept faith with the Nigerian people by promoting and projecting a united nation, under God. We have united our people around common national goals for the good of our citizens and the development of our nation.
39. Through its years of office, our great Party, the PDP created the Anti-corruption agencies, that is, the EFCC and the ICPC, the Excess Crude Account, the Pension Reforms, Fiscal Responsibility Regime, the Sovereign Wealth Fund and various privatization programmes.
40. We initiated Debt Relief, the Amnesty Programme, the Presidential Jobs Creation Board, Power Sector Reforms and the National Infrastructure Master-plan; the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan, the National Automobile Policy, the Freedom of Information regime, the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company, and the Infrastructure Bank, amongst others.
41. At the advent of democracy in 1999, Nigeria’s GDP was 35.9 billion US dollars. Today, it is 510 billion US dollars – and we have become Africa’s biggest economy. In 1999, our debt to GDP Ratio was 93.1%. Today, it is 13.6 % of which external debt to GDP ratio is 1.89%.
42. As at 1999, only 400,000 telephone lines were active in our country. Today, we have about 120 million lines, which have created many more jobs for our youths.
43. This administration is also working to revitalize our insurance industry. Compared to other emerging economies, our insurance industry has not achieved its full potential. Today, only 3 million of our citizens are insurance policy holders, and overall insurance penetration is less than 0.5 percent of our GDP. We want to transform this sector, just as we have done for our banking sector and our pensions industry.
44. Our goal is to grow the total insurance premiums in our country from 300 billion naira currently to 1 trillion naira in the next three years. And to increase the number of direct jobs created in this sector from about 30,000 people today to over 100,000 people in the next few years.
45. My brothers and sisters, the PDP as a party has delivered on its promise. In the last decade, it has seen to the largest expansion of the middle class in Africa. Certainly, our Party has a rich history of enduring legacies.
46. For those who defected from the PDP, I enjoin you to tell the truth in your campaigns. Many of the developments in your States were initiated by the PDP. So be honest with the voters and give credit where it is due.

Bangladesh oil spill ‘threatens rare dolphins’

Bangladesh officials warned Thursday that an oil spill from a crashed tanker is threatening endangered dolphins and other wildlife in the massive Sundarbans mangrove region, branding the leak an ecological “catastrophe”.

The tanker carrying an estimated 350,000 litres (75,000 gallons) of oil collided on Tuesday with another vessel and partly sank in the Sundarbans’ Shela river, home to rare Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins.

Although officials are unsure how much oil has spilled, they warned the slick has spread to another river as well as a network of canals in the vast Sundarbans delta.

“The oil spill has spread over a 60 kilometre-long (37 mile) area in the Shela and Passur rivers,” Amir Hossain, chief forest official of the Sundarbans, told AFP.

“It’s a catastrophe for the delicate ecology of the Sundarbans. The oil spill has already blackened the shoreline, threatening trees, plankton, vast populations of small fishes and dolphins,” Hossain said.

“The symptoms of environmental damage will be visible soon as the water quality has already been damaged,” he added.

Authorities have launched a small-scale clean-up, but warned they lack the hardware and experience for a major effort. Navy boats and government officials were en route to salvage the tanker.

“We’ve not started any major clean-up efforts yet. In fact, the forest department doesn’t have the technology to deal with this kind of disaster,” said Hossain.

Bangladesh’s state-run petroleum corporation was using buoys to restrict the slick, while local fishermen have been ordered to use nets to try to stop the oil entering small canals.

Spread over 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 square miles), the Sundarbans is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site and home to hundreds of Bengal tigers. The delta comprises a network of rivers and canals straddling Bangladesh and India.

The accident occurred inside one of three sanctuaries set up for the dolphins, said Rubayat Mansur, Bangladesh head of the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society.

The three areas were declared dolphin sanctuaries in 2011 after studies found they are home to some 6,000 of the animals. Fishermen are banned from making catches there, but tankers and other boats are allowed to pass through.

Speaking to AFP from the accident site, Mansur labelled the spill a “national disaster” and accused authorities of not doing enough to contain the damage.

“There are no coordinated efforts to tackle the disaster. The air has become toxic and we got news from fishermen they’ve seen dead fishes. Crabs which make up the largest single group in the forest are facing the biggest threat,” he said.

“And if crabs are hit, the dolphins and tigers will be affected. Dolphins will find it very difficult to breathe this foul air,” he added.

Buhari, Atiku, others battle for APC presidential ticket

Atiku and Buhari

The race for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress climaxed early Thursday morning with none of the five aspirants heeding entreaties by the national leadership of the party to have a consensus candidate.

Findings showed that several meetings by the leadership of the party failed to yield a consensus candidate as each aspirant expressed readiness to go the whole hog.

It was reliably gathered that an attempt by the party’s leaders to get the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, to step down was turned down.

The arrival of the aspirants- Maj. Gen. Mahuammadu Buhari, Rochas Okorocha, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Atiku Abubakar, and Sam Ndah Isaiah – elicited cheers from their delegates.

A former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu; ex-Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, governors Rotimi Amaech (Rivers), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Abiola Ajimobi(Oyo), Babatunde Fashola(Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun(Ogun), Ahmed Abdulfatah (Kwara), Rauf Aregbesola(Osun), Kashim Shettima(Borno), Umar Al-Makura, Aliu Wamako, Ibrahim Geidam were all seated at the VIP section of the stadium when the aspirants started arriving,