2015 VOTE RIGHT for a greater Nigeria - Dr. Emeka Kanu Uche

As the 2015 elections draw closer, the Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Emeka Kanu Uche, has called on Nigerians, especially Christians to vote rightly without being influenced by money.

The prelate, who made the call during an education/election observation event by the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), advised that as Nigerians, especially the Christians prepare for the coming elections; they should ensure that they are registered, noting, “That this is the bullet we have to exercise our franchise and bring the rightful people into power.”

“No Christian should accept money but they should exercise their franchise and vote the right people into the right positions. If you accept money to vote, such money is cursed and you have sold your future to the devil by doing so. So let us vote according to our consciences and bring in credible people because if you bring in a bad person, you have succeeded in enslaving yourself for the next four years”, he noted.

While wishing Nigerians hitch a free elections and buoyant economy, he also went further to say,  “I have gone around the country and I felt happy with places like Akwa Ibom State. If you go there you would see a performing governor but in some other states, you would regret ever voting in such a governor. You wonder if such states are part of Nigeria as everything is dilapidated with no infrastructure to show that government exists in such states.

“The people live in sorrow and salaries are owed in some states. I don’t want to mention names and that is callousness on the part of such government, it is wickedness in its highest level and should not be condoned in the present Nigeria but the ball stops on the table of the voters.”

The prelate, who also wished the country a happy Christmas and New Year celebration ahead, noted further that it is not actually the voting that matters, but Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) should ensure that the citizens’ votes count. “They should record correctly, count correctly and announce results correctly,” Uche noted.

He said the workshop was relevant at the moment, as it will educate Christians on how to vote properly and make the right choice of people for leadership positions. He said this was important as it determines the welfare and wellbeing of the people.

“This workshop is apt and timely. And it is a step in the right direction,” Uche noted.

The Executive Director, Community Life Projects and the Coordinator of Reclaim Naija, Ngozi Iwere, co-organisers of the event, said the workshop, which was targeted at top clerics and senior church leaders of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) focused on civic and voters’ education, preparatory to their leadership role to oversee voters’ education at the grassroots towards 2015 elections.

Explaining why the workshop was focused on clerics, Iwere said, “We work on electoral transparency and post elections governance issues. So we are focused on popular participations, which is active citizens participation and not just voting and election but in making sure that there is electoral transparency and that the people’s mandates are protected and that their votes count. 

“We also equip the citizens to cooperate with the electoral body INEC on election day to help the electoral body know where there are issues on election day so that it can sort things out on time and allow people to vote freely on election day and also check some of the anomalies that have always been talked about during the elections,” she said.

Ebola: 1 out of 15 airport contacts down with Ebola Virus Disease

THE Lagos state government has however allayed fears that some of the contacts may have been manifesting symptoms of the virus. Already, medical personnel from Canada are already in Nigeria working with their counterparts at the hospital where the victims died on how to control the spread of the virus. Hotlines have also been provided to enable members of the public pass information on any suspected case of the virus.
Victim of the deadly Ebola virus disease, Patrick Sawyer wth wife, Decontee

Victim of the deadly Ebola virus disease, Patrick Sawyer wth wife, Decontee

INDICATIONS emerged,   yesterday, that one of the 15 airport contacts that assisted the late Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, that died of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, may have contracted the deadly virus.
Unconfirmed reports revealed that already the contact has begun to manifest symptoms of Ebola Virus.

According to a member of the Joint Federal and State Team on Ebola outbreak who preferred anonymity; one of the persons who accompanied late Patrick Sawyer is already showing signs of Ebola.

The reliable source confirmed receipt of a short message service, SMS, text that the person who assisted late Patrick Sawyer to move out of the plane is presenting symptoms, identifiable with EVD. “In fact, I just got a text that the person who helped Sawyer, the Liberian, to get out of the air plane is down with a suspected case of Ebola. You can see we have to be very careful. I cannot say specifically whether he or she is a Nigerian or in Nigeria right now. He is still being monitored as we speak,” he said.

He added that the latest victim was among those who were being quarantined for having first contact with the victim.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government in a swift reaction through a text message said that no one of the 59 contacts is sick for now. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina who responded through a text message said: “It is not true. We are doing routine surveillance, no one is sick.”

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Government, Monday, disclosed that not less than 59 persons that had contact with the victim of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, Patrick Sawyer, who died in Lagos last Thursday have been identified and that the Joint Federal and State Team in collaboration with other health organisations on prevention of Ebola outbreak in Lagos, have begun close monitoring of the 59 persons.

Also, the Ogun State Governor; Senator Ibikunle Amosun has said that all health and other relevant officials in the border areas of the state have been put on red alert to forestall the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

He also appealed to doctors to end the lingering nationwide strike embarked upon by members of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, barely a month ago. Meanwhile, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute Medical Research, NIMR, Professor Innocent Ujah, has appealed to the federal and states governments as well as good spirited individuals to support the institute in its quest to upgrade its Human Virology Laboratory, HVL, to appropriately conduct research into the disease.

Ujah who spoke during a symposium to mark this year’s World Hepatitis Day in Lagos said apart from conducting new research into the disease it would also help the institute to generate new information about the deadly virus. “We must invest in health research if Nigeria must make any headway in quality healthcare,” he stressed.

On steps taken by the institute since the outbreak of Ebola, Ujah said “ever before the first reported case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria last week, our institute had instituted proactive measures by repositioning the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team and Research Group for national response, in case there is an outbreak in Nigeria.

Proactive strategy
Our proactive strategy, in my opinion, has placed us in an advantaged position for national response. “Right now, some of our staff are on training with the National Response Team at the Mainland Hospital on the prevention and control of the disease, using internationally designed protocol. We are intensifying research on Ebola in Nigeria.”

Ujah allayed fears that EVD was not an African issue, stressing that because majority of the victims were Africans did not make it an African disease.
He, however, noted that “most animals in Europe are under surveillance and are well taking care off. The reason why we are victims is because these animals are also in Africa and not under surveillance. But that does not make it African issue.”

On how possible a person can be screened on Ebola, he said: “It is difficult to hide the symptoms. The ports authority needs to be at alert. Travellers must consult their doctor at the port before departure.  And no matter the measures put in place at the port, some people will still slip through.”

Speaking on way out of the problems, he advised that hygiene was the solution and could save anyone from contracting the disease. “People should embrace hand washing. The virus is very small but with hygienic life style one can still stay healthy,” he added.

Ebola: Quarantine Jim Iyke, social media critics cry

Following an earlier report on how Nollywood Actor, Jim Iyke fled Liberia’s capital city, Monrovia over Ebola virus desease outbreak -

Jim who was in Monrovia, Liberia for business, hurriedly left the country following the worsening Ebola virus disease crisis in the country that has led to closure of schools.

A social media commentator, Maxwell Eze writes on Vanguard facebook page that, “they should please quarantine Jim.” Bimbo Odususi begs that Lagos State Health officials should isolate and place him under serious observation.

“Life has no duplicate…. better run like Ben Johnson, but then go for check up as soon as you arrive Nigeria or your next destination… expect thorough screening” One commentator named, Lixxymore tells Jim.

Speaking on the deadly disease, one commentator with the handle ND asked” why are all these ‘odds’ always associated with Africa First?”

Suicide bombers hit two mosques in Yobe

Suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Yobe state late Tuesday killing at least six people and injuring several others, witnesses told AFP blaming the Boko Haram Islamists.

The first explosion rocked an open air mosque belonging to a Shiite Muslim sect in the Dogo Tebo area of the town of Potiskum around 7:55 pm (1855 GMT) leaving four people dead.

The second blast five minutes later at a mosque within the compound of the chief imam in the town’s Anguwar Bolawa area killed at least two worshippers.

“A suicide bomber we believe was from Boko Haram blew himself up at the open air mosque used by Shiites which they name Saqafa shortly after saying their evening prayers there,” witness Balarabe Dahiru said.

“We took four dismembered bodies of the victims to the hospital along with five others who were injured,” said Dahiru who was sitting outside his house when the blast happened.

The body of the suicide bomber was left untouched by residents in protest, he said.

Resident Awwal Maikusa who gave a similar account said a second blast occurred five minutes later.

“They are obviously the handiwork of Boko Haram,” Maikusa said of the two attacks.

“We were trying to deal with the suicide blast in our neighbourhood when a second explosion was heard which we later learnt was from the chief imam’s compound,” he said.

A suicide bomber went inside the mosque while Muslim faithful were saying their evening prayer, said Sheriff Abdullahi who lives in the area.

“There was a loud explosion moments after the suicide bomber entered the mosque,” Abdullahi said.

“I saw two dead bodies whom I recognized being taken out of the mosque,” he said.

The town was locked down by soldiers following the attacks, with residents ordered to remain indoors.

Potiskum, Yobe state’s commercial hub, has been the scene of repeated deadly Boko Haram attacks in the last four years although they have become rarer in recent months.

Ebola: Liberia places senior officials under observation

The Liberian football association LFA said Tuesday it has suspended all activities in the country as a measure to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

LFA had decided “to cease operations of football activities considering that football matches are contact sports and Ebola is spread through body contacts with an infected person,” LFA chief Musa Bility said in a statement.

Meanwhile the finance ministry in Liberia, where 127 people have died of the disease, said it had placed several senior officials under observation for three weeks after a top ministry official died from the virus.

Patrick Sawyer was on official business in Nigeria last week when he contracted the disease.

“All senior officials coming in direct or indirect contact with Mr Sawyer have been placed on the prescribed 21 days observatory surveillance,” the ministry said in a statement.

Since March, there have been 1,201 cases of Ebola and 672 deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ebola can fell victims within days, causing severe fever and muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding.

Boko Haram: Jonathan should exchange prisoners for Chibok girls — Evah

By Azu Akanwa
 

BOKO Haram bombing is getting deadly by the day, what is your opinion?



In fact, it is full blown war that we are witnessing and I am ashamed of our Northern leaders that they are helpless. Northern leaders should be ashamed of themselves that they can’t call their children to order. They thought they had the mandate of their people be Nigeria military rulers and civilian presidents. So what is happening? Why are they all running and hiding in Abuja? It is a shame if Niger Delta political leaders entered canoe to move into the creek why are these Northern leaders staying back?

What is your advice to President Goodluck Jonathan now?
President Goodluck Jonathan should use the Ramadan fasting period to exchange the prisoners of war now. He should bring out prisoners of Boko Haram and exchange them with the Chibok girls now. I am appealing to the president to go the extra-mile as an African statesman to do this for the sake of peace. Let the world know that President Jonathan means well.

Americans and Britain recently exchanged prisoners with the Taliban fighters, if America can do that we can try something similar. In fact, Israel did that with Hamas few years ago before this their current war. We want our girls to come out this period and I believe if we take this approach some of the Boko Haram fighters may report and help this nation in the peace process.

How will you describe the attack on General Buhari?
Let me tell you the truth the survival of Buhari in that bomb blast was the greatest miracle from God this year. It was not General Buhari that was lucky, it was Nigeria that was actually lucky that Buhari survived the attack. Some people don’t know the implications because they are ignorant of history. The killing of two political leaders in a plane crash that was bombed in Rwanda was what led to the worst genocide in Africa history.

In some families in Rwanda, there is no generation to tell the story. Let me tell you how the scenario will look like, if the bomb had succeeded, the same people who organised it will use their propaganda to say President Jonathan has killed Buhari and that his body has been taken away to Aso Rock or Niger Delta and the local people who are ignorant will start the killing that will spread like harmattan fire across the North and the Southern part will not be able to control their tempers.

So what I am telling Northern leaders who now appear helpless in this Boko Haram crisis is to say whether they don’t want Nigeria to remain together. Nobody wants to stay in any forced marriage. If they want us to end this marriage called Nigeria, let us go our different ways peacefully instead of pretending in the name of Boko Haram and telling us that your children (Boko Haram) are faceless. God we thank you for the miracle that Buhari is alive. Those who are boosting that if this bomb had killed him nothing would have happened need to re-examine their heads learn from history and pray against such calamity.

If you see the army killing themselves in the barracks what can anybody do? This is the senerio we are talking about that happened in Nigeria before Gowon took over. In Abeokuta barracks, no Igbo officer stayed alive to tell the story, almost all officers were killed with their wives on the bed. That is the power of propaganda and rumour in a crisis period.

Even now some abnormal people are already saying President Jonathan is behind the attack. Can you imagine such careless and dangerous talk?

The new states proposed by the National Conference did not include any Ijaw states. What is your reaction?
We reject the insult on us. Frankly speaking it was an insult that Niger Delta people were not considered for a state.