APGA guber candidate in Abia begs APC

Abuja -  The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State, Alex Otti shocked many as he attended the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, reports Daily Trust.

He attended the meeting to solicit for the party’s support in Saturday’s re- run election in the state.

Otti held a closed- door meeting with some leaders of the APC before the caucus meeting started.

Although the APC has a candidate in the re-run election, the race is between Otti and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okezie Ikpeazu.

Source:news24

Jeremy Clarkson 'will return to the BBC' says BBC Two boss

Jeremy Clarkson "will be back on the BBC", according to the head of BBC Two and BBC Four.

Kim Shillinglaw, who has the task of finding Clarkson's replacement after he was dropped from Top Gear, said the host had not been banned by the BBC.

"It's serious and unfortunate what happened but there is no ban on Jeremy being on the BBC," she said.

"It's a big deal what happened and Jeremy, as any human being would, needs some time."

Clarkson was removed from presenting duties on Top Gear after assaulting producer Oisin Tymon.

The decision caused an outpouring of support from Top Gear fans, with more than a million people signing an online petition to reinstate him.

'Open book'

The row, which took place in a North Yorkshire hotel, was said to have occurred because no hot food was provided following a day's filming.

After an internal investigation in March, BBC director general Tony Hall confirmed Clarkson's contract would not be renewed.

In his latest Sunday Times column, Clarkson revealed he thought he probably had cancer at the time he hit Tymon.

He said the incident came on his "most stressful day... in 27 years at the BBC" - but added other people facing stress "manage to cope better than I did".

Shillinglaw said the challenge of reinventing Top Gear without Clarkson was "creatively exciting"

Shillinglaw said it was an "open book" on who might replace the 55-year-old, following rumours it could be a woman.

She said: "We'll definitely look at some women but it's not a driving priority."

The executive also confirmed Clarkson's final Top Gear scenes would be screened later this year

"No way would I want the available material not to be seen by viewers," she said.

However, there is not enough footage to piece together the three remaining episodes of the series, which was pulled off air in the aftermath of the altercation with Tymon on 4 March.

Bookies' favourite

Sue Perkins, the host of BBC One's The Great British Bake Off, was named the bookmakers' favourite to replace Clarkson a fortnight ago.

Bookmakers Coral said she was the front-runner for the job, followed by Dermot O'Leary and Jodie Kidd.

The news prompted a barrage of abusive tweets for Perkins, whose Twitter timeline was filled with "blokes wishing me dead", including threats from someone who "suggested they'd like to see me burn to death".

She later quit Twitter, leading Clarkson's co-presenter James May to suggest those who sent the abusive tweets should "do the world a much bigger favour by killing yourself".

"Obviously I don't actually want people to kill themselves but, really, we don't want them as fans," May added.

source;bbc news

Japan-China: PM Abe offers 'remorse' but no WW2 apology

japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed "deep remorse" over his country's actions during World War Two, stopping short of the fresh apology demanded by Japan's neighbours.

Mr Abe was speaking at a summit in Indonesia, where he also met Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

His speech included a warning against mighty nations using "unchecked force" - an apparent reference to China.

Mr Abe has been accused of playing down Japan's wartime atrocities.

China and South Korea say he has pursued a "revisionist" approach to history, placing a further strain on ties already weakened by territorial disputes and regional rivalry.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, quoted by the Associated Press news agency on Tuesday, said Japan should "squarely face and reflect on the history of aggression" and "gain trust" from its neighbours.

Japan's military invaded much of eastern Asia during WW2

At the speech at the Asia-Africa summit in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, Mr Abe said Japan felt "deep remorse over the past war" and promised to avoid aggression and settle international disputes peacefully.

The statement is unlikely to please China or South Korea, which have demanded a full apology from Japan over its military's conduct when it occupied their territory during the war.

Mr Abe's speech also warned against the "unchecked use of force by the mightier to twist the weaker around" - terms he has often used to describe China.

"The rule of law should protect the dignity of sovereign nations, be they large or small," he said, speaking after Mr Xi.

Mr Xi and Mr Abe met on the sidelines of the summit later on Wednesday, raising hopes of warming ties between the two nations.

The meeting, which lasted almost 30 minutes, was only the second time the two men have held talks. The first was after an awkward handshake at a summit in Beijing late last year.

Indonesian PM Joko Widodo was flanked by Mr Abe and Mr Xi at the summit photo-call

The Japanese leader's stance on WW2 is under close scrutiny this year, the 70th anniversary of the end of the conflict.

He has said he will uphold past apologies by Japan but also intends to make fresh remarks of his own - leading some to fear that he may revise previous acknowledgements of guilt.

Next week, Mr Abe is due visit the United States, where he will become the first Japanese leader to address a joint session of Congress.

He is also expected to pay his respects at a memorial to US soldiers killed during WW2 - many of them by Japanese forces.

The move will seek to soothe growing criticism that he has failed to face up to Japan's wartime past.

Pep Guardiola: Bayern Munich's victory was about 'life and death'

 

Guardiola's side scored five goals in a thrilling first half at Allianz Arena.

"I know how very important it was," the 44-year-old ex-Barcelona boss told ZDF Television. "It is about winning just like at Barcelona."

He added: "It's easy to love my players now. I am the coach of extraordinary players. I didn't expect such a first half.

"We can still play better. We lost the ball here and there and we can improve on that. We had a few problems in the second half. They had only a few chances in the second half but you should never relax in the Champions League."

Speaking before the game, Guardiola admitted the expectation at the Bundesliga club was to win the Champions League, and not just settle for domestic league and cup glory.

Striker Robert Lewandowski scored two and Thiago Alcantara, Jerome Boateng, Thomas Muller and Xabi Alonso also netted as Bayern dominated their Portuguese visitors.

Porto barely troubled Bayern in the first half, and Guardiola added: "We played a different game. We knew Porto better after the first game.

"Now we have to fight otherwise we will not achieve what we set out to do.

INEC’s only option is to declare me governor-elect, says Ikpeazu

Contrary to plans for a supplementary election in some wards and polling units in Abia State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said the Professor Attahiru Jega led Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will encounter a credibility and integrity crisis if it fails to declare him winner of the April 11 governorship election.

Ikpeazu, who pulled 248,459 votes against Chief Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, who scored 165,407, argued that with 83, 053 votes ahead of Otti, that he was already a winner and should have been declared winner by the election umpire.

He also said that it was obvious that both the INEC’s Resident Electoral Commission for Abia State, Professor Celina Oko and the Returning Officer, Professor Benjamin Ozumba, did not hide their bias in declaring the Abia governorship election inconclusive where there was a clear winner with a wide margin.

According to him: “The case of Abia State governorship election result will definitely raise so much credibility and integrity questions against Professor Jega and INEC.

“It is unheard of that in an election where the winner has 83,053 votes against loser is declared inconclusive.

“INEC has accepted and announced result from the 17 local government areas of Abia, and I scored 248,459 while Alex Otti got 165,407, which means that Otti has 83,053 votes deficit, instead of declaring me winner, the Resident Electoral Commission for Abia State, Professor Oko, who I later got to understand is a relative of Otti, got a willing partner in the person of Professor Ozumba.

Speaking on the call by Otti for the cancelation of result from Obingwa, Dr. Ikpeazu said: “I do not blame Otti because he lacks the knowledge of the voting strength of each local government area in the state.

“Otti has never bothered to ask why is that since 1999, all the deputy governors that Abia has had are either from Obingwa, Osisioma or Ugwunagbo local government areas. These three LGAs formed the former Obioma Ngwa Local government. These are the most populated LGAs in Abia. And the three LGAs are politically active.

In a related development, a coalition of Civil Society Organisation and Election Observers, yesterday, called for cancellation of the governorship election in four local government areas in Abia State.

The local governments include Obingwa, Osiioma, Ugwunagbo and Isialangwa North.

While giving report on the Abia governorship election, the coalition called for total cancellation of the election as it accused the state government and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of interference and malpractices in the polls.

The coalition led by David Anyaele, of Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, CCD, accused the PDP of thumb printing ballot papers in their homes and snatching ballot boxes.

Anyaele, who urged INEC to redeploy all erring INEC officers found culpable in the controversial election in the state, said: “We demand for total cancellation of the four local government areas, Ugwunagbo, Osiosioma, Obingwa and Isiala Ngwa North; not some polling units or wards in those areas because reports from our teams of observers show there was no election in these areas.”

Why Jonathan fired IGP, Suleiman Abba

THE Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, yesterday, became the first major casualty of the just concluded general elections, which President Goodluck Jonathan and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lost to the opposition.
The police officer, who was elevated to the post only last year, incurred the wrath of the Presidency on the eve of the governorship and House of Assembly elections for allegedly arguing with the government officials over the directive to recall the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in Charge of Zone 6, Tunde Ogunshakin, from Rivers State.
DIG Solomon Arase replaces Suleiman Abba as Inspector General of Police
DIG Solomon Arase replaces Suleiman Abba as Inspector General of Police
Abba, it was learnt, had deployed Ogunshakin from his base in Calabar to Port Harcourt to oversee the governorship election in Rivers State following complaints by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, that the police had collaborated with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the PDP to intimidate APC members and rig the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
His refusal to pick calls over Ogunshakin’s recall
Another source said the former police boss reportedly ignored presidency official’s objection to the deployment of Ogunshakin to Rivers State on the allegation that the police officer was sympathetic to Amaechi and his party and would, therefore, not allow the PDP win the state.
A Presidency source told Vanguard that on learning that the IG had defied its order by redeploying Ogunshakin to Rivers State to supervise the governorship elections. A presidency official called the former police boss to recall the AIG with immediate effect from Rivers State or face the consequences.
The source said the presidency felt slighted when it could not get through to Abba.
The former police boss reportedly told the Presidency that AIG Ogunshakin was a formidable Police officer whom he described as a ‘no-nonsense officer’ feared and respected in the Police Force hierarchy and capable of ensuring law and order in the place of new assignment.
Vanguard learnt that although the sacked IG reluctantly recalled Ogunshakin from Rivers State, forcing him to quit Port Harcourt by 5 am on the election day, Presidency did not forgive Abba for redeploying Ogunshakin reluctantly.
Presence at Buhari’s certificate of return presentation
Another sin of the former IG was his presence at the presentation of the Certificate of Return to Muhammadu Buhari at the International Conference Centre on April 1, 2015, which convinced the Presidency that the IG was actually working for the opposition and it moved quickly against him.
Arase replaces Abba
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, could not also be reached for comments on the development.
Abba’s sack was announced by the president’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, in a statement yesterday. No reason was given for the sack while a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, was appointed to act in his stead.
Abati’s statement read in full: “President Goodluck Jonathan has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, of his appointment and duties with immediate effect.
“President Jonathan has also appointed Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as Acting Inspector-General of Police, also with immediate effect.
“Until his appointment as Mr. Abba’s replacement, Mr. Arase was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.
“Mr. Arase holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Law, as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees in Political Science and Strategic Studies.
“He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College.”
Mr. Abba, 56, became acting Inspector General on August 1, 2014 following the retirement of his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, after 35 years of public service.
He was confirmed substantive IGP on November 4, 2014.
Abba was, until that appointment, an Assistant Inspector General, AIG, in charge of Zone 7 Command, a position he occupied since May 25, 2012. He was also an Aide-De-Camp, ADC, to the wife of a former military Head of State, Maryam Abacha.
With his removal, Mr. Abba will proceed on forced retirement, four years before he attains retirement age.
He enlisted in the Nigeria Police as Cadet Inspector on December 31, 1984 and is actually due for retirement on March 22, 2019.

source ; naijanews 

ABIA GUBER: GROUP RAISES ALARM OVER OTTI'S ALLEGED PLOT TO RIG APRIL 25 RE-RUN ELECTION

...Seeks Removal of Returning Officer, REC
A group known as Abia Progressives Initiative(API) has raised the alarm over alleged plot by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA) Dr. Alex Otti to rig the Saturday April 25 re-run polls in connivance with some INEC officials and the military.
In a statement signed by Ugochukwu Onwukwe and Edwin Ugochukwu Coordinator and Secretary of API and made available to newsmen, the group demanded for the immediate removal of the returning officer, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, the Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC), Prof. Celina Oko, non-deployment of military and effective policing of the affected polling units during the rerun polls.
It reads: "Out attention has been drawn to the clandestine moves by Abia State Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance(APGA), Dr. Alex Otti to unleash mayhem on innocent Abians in connivance with military and blood-tasty thugs in the forthcoming April 25 re-run election in the state.
After a failed attempt to hoodwink the Gubernatorial Returning Officer into annulling the duly collated results from Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa LGAs, Otti in his desperation has resorted plans to instigate crisis in most of the affected polling units using soldiers and thugs to scare away voters, cart away electoral materials and thereafter concoct outrageous results that will cancel Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu 83,053 lead.
"This perhaps informed the reason why Otti has continued to boast that the April 25 re-run election has already been concluded. He claims to have the Army and INEC by his side as well as enjoy the full support of the Returning Officer, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba who conferred on him the honorary doctorate degree at the University of Nigeria Nsukka(UNN) and his cousin whom he also claimed to have facilitated her redeployment to Abia as the Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC).
For instance, since after the April 11 election, Otti has not stopped boasting about how he brought one Brigadier-General Amosun from 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu to chase away PDP agents, Transition Committee Chairman Obioma Ekpem and other security agents, arrest and unlawfully detain some PDP supporters, took over Aba South LGA headquarters which also served as the collation center and finally rig the election to prove that he remains in control of Aba.
"It is in view of the foregoing that we request that appropriate measures be put in place to ensure a credible rerun election devoid of harassment, intimidation and rigging in the affected polling units.
These measures include removal of the Returning Officer, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, the REC, Prof. Celina Oko, non-deployment of the military to the polling units and collation centers and effective policing of the affected polling units.
We also demand immediate investigation of the military involvement in rigging the election in Aba South and North LGAs as well as the activities of one Brigadier-General Amosun of the 82 Division.
These decisive steps including INEC purging itself of the corrupt officials that had earlier connived with some security agents to rig the April 11 election for Otti in some local governments will largely prove the umpire's preparedness to conduct a credible and acceptable rerun election come Saturday April 25".

I won’t disappoint Rivers people – WIKE

Wike, yesterday in Port Harcourt, after receiving his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said that his administration will reach out to the needs of the entire Rivers people without bias, irrespective of party affiliation.
He promised not to witch-hunt anybody in his administration, stressing that he will not use the time meant for the development of the state to witch-hunt his political opponents.

Meanwhile, the former vice chairman of the PDP, Rivers State, Ohuondu Onuchukwu, who expressed happiness with the victory of PDP in the state, has said that the party has survived four years of estrangement.
Onuchukwu said that Rivers PDP has regained its stolen mandate through a stiff battle. He urged the All Progressives Congress, APC to concede defeat in the interest of the state.

Below is the results already accepted by INEC from the 17 LGAs in Abia.

Isialangwa south: PDP = 7133
Apga = 5686
Arochukwu: PDP = 3032
APGA= 11383
Bende : PDP= 5164
APGA= 14263
Aba north: PDP= 6000
APGA= 24000
Isialangwa north: PDP=19798
APGA= 6853
Ugwunagbo: PDP= 17788
APGA=1022
Osisioma : PDP= 42122
APGA= 1017
Ukwa east : PDP=4261
APGA= 3140
Ukwa west: PDP=9154
APGA=4890
Umunneochi: PDP=4324
APGA=7349
Isiukwuato: PDP=5913
APGA= 8275
Umuahia north: pdp=18215
apga=15752
Umuahia south: PDP - 4,580
APGA - 5,973
Obingwa: PDP =82, 240
APGA=1952
Ikwuano: Ikwuano. PDP= 2465
APGA =4295
Aba south: PDP= 4871
APGA= 28823
Ohafia: PDP= 11,729
APGA= 17,690

Total for PDP= 248,459
Total for APGA= 165,406

Okezie Victor Ikpeazu of the PDP is the Abia State Governor in waiting..,This is why by Sam Hart

Okezie Victor Ikpeazu of the PDP is the Abia State Governor in waiting..,This is why by Sam Hart

The Abia State Governorship elections held on Saturday April 11, 2015. The elections have been declared inconclusive as INEC was unable to hold elections in several Polling Units spread round the state and the number of registered voters in the polling units where elections could not hold exceed the number of votes separating the leading candidates. 

The Electoral Act, the Law guiding conduct of elections in Nigeria, is explicit that where for some reasons, elections do not hold in some polling units on the day of election and the number of registered voters in those units exceed the margin of victory of the Candidate with the highest number of votes, a winner cannot be declared until a rerun election is held in those polling units where elections could not hold. 

The rationale behind this proviso is the contemplation by the Law of a situation where the runner up may get enough votes to overturn the lead margin of the leading candidate.

Thus, in  Abia State, a rerun election has been tentatively fixed for Saturday, April 25, 2015 pending ratification by the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) in Abuja. 

From the results announced so far by INEC, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP polled a total of 248,459 votes while his closest challenger, Dr. Alex Otti of APGA polled 165,406 votes.

From the above, Dr. Ikpeazu is leading Dr. Otti by 83,054 votes going by results so far collated and announced by the returning officer for the Abia Governorship elections Professor Benjamin Ozumba, Vice  Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 

The total number of registered voters in the polling units where elections could not hold on April 11 was given as 177,000 and since this number obviously exceeds the winning margin, the final winner of the election cannot be announced until a rerun election is held in those polling units where elections could not hold on April 11. 

That being said, the announcement of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as winner of the Abia Governorship elections is an inevitable eventuality which will still happen after all said and done. 

Here is why. 

The number of registered voters in the polling units where elections could not hold on April 11 amount to 177,000. Number of voters who collected their Permanent Voters Card in these units amount to about 130,000. 

The trend in the Abia Governorship elections show an average voter turn out of 30-40% of holders of PVC which amounts to about 55,000 voters expected to come out and vote on the day of the rerun. We will be generous and assume that 60% of the voters with PVC will vote on that day. That is about 75,000 voters. 

Even if by some miracle, all 75,000 voters on the day of the rerun decide to vote for Dr. Alex Otti, the figure will still be short of the 83,000 votes required to upturn the PDP margin of victory. 

Note also that by tradition, there is usually voter apathy on rerun days as voters are tired of queuing up repeatedly moreso when they know that their votes will be a mere formality. 

Again, rerun elections will hold in Polling Units spread in 12 Local Government Areas of Abia State. Half of these LGAS are PDP strongholds while the other half are APGA strongholds. 

The implication of this is that at the very least, both parties will share votes that accrue on the rerun day 50-50 meaning that the eventual result of the election will not differ much from what we currently have in terms of winning margin. 

With the above reasons, I urge supporters of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to remain upbeat. Victory has not been denied. It has only been delayed. 

Victoria Ascerta.

Breaking News: Alex Otti bribe money tears INEC apart

The 300 Million Naira given to Prof Celina Oko, the INEC REC in Abia State by Alex Otti has become a source of quarrel between the REC and the State Collating Officer Prof Ben Ozurumba. Our source gathered that Professor Ben is not happy with the sharing formula, according to him, it's unacceptable to him get meager share of the money considering the risk involved in the assignment. Prof Ben was given 20 million Naira which he said is too small. Our source in the INEC hinted us that two senior staff of INEC have already petitioned Jega accusing Prof Ben Ozurumba and Prof Celina Oko of compromising, thereby causing problem in Abia.

Meanwhile, students of UNN yesterday booed their VC Prof Ben Ozurumba over the 300m Naira saga. The incident took place inside the school premises as the VC was addressing the students over constant water shortage on campus yesterday.

HIS EXCELLENCY’S ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE OF ABIA STATE ON THE 2015 GUBERNATORIAL AND STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN ABIA STATE

My Very Good People, Abians.

 

On Saturday, the 11^th day of April, 2015, elections were conducted in Abia State as well as in other parts of the Country for the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly seats in the ongoing national elections.

 

Abians were encouraged to go out on the said date to perform their civic responsibility of electing persons of their choice without let or hindrance.  This they did and were hopeful that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the body entrusted with the constitutional duty of conducting the elections would announce the results on time, as they did in the previous elections conducted on the 28^th of March, 2015.

 

Surprisingly, the events of the last few days, since the conduct of the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections, point to the fact that Abians may have to wait for an unduly long time to get the results of the 11^th of April elections.

 

The dashed expectation of Abians of an early result, as has happened in other states, has heightened tension in the state and raised emotions.  Abians are known as peaceful citizens and have creditably conducted themselves peacefully since the build-up to the 2015 elections till the present time.  We have not recorded any political assassination or killing in the state; which is commendable and should be sustained.

 

INEC must remain alive to its constitutional responsibility of conducting credible elections and must at all times be conscious of the fact that citizens attach so much importance to their rights to choose their leaders which right should not be denied in any form.

 

There are guidelines guiding the conduct of elections in the Country and ample electoral laws on the subject of our elections which must be strictly applied in the interest of all participants in elections and the citizenry.  A deviation from these guidelines or an attempt to subvert the will of the people as expressed in their votes may lead to unpleasant consequences.

 

It is in that light this I call again on INEC to be conscious of their conduct and live above board.  Politicians should emulate the enviable attitude of our President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, in not taking the election as a do or die affair.  Candidates in this election are advised to turn off the garb of desperation in their quest for political office as power can only come from God through the people. Our youths are advised not to make themselves available as tools in the hands of desperate politicians to create chaos and mayhem in the State.  I hereby advise parents and guardians to rise to the occasion and direct their wards and young people under their care to the noble path of rectitude and good conduct.

 

I advise all Abians and the general public to be patient and law abiding at all times and especially in the days ahead as we expect INEC to do the needful by announcing the outcome of the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections conducted in the state on the 11^th of April, 2015 or on any subsequent date, without further delay, in accordance with the extant laws and guidelines on the subject of elections in the country.

 

The security agencies are also enjoined to live up to their responsibility by ensuring that peace is maintained in Abia State without favour.

 

Long live Abia State!

 

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!

 

God bless the good people of Abia State!