Why 2015 Elections Will Be Tough- Buhari

A chieftain of the All Progressives congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that the 2015 general election would be tough.

The former military head of state made the revelation on Tuesday, at Lokoja township stadium, Kogi State, during the formal reception of Kogi PDP decampees to the APC, Vanguard reports.

READ ALSO: APC Denies Buhari, Others Automatic Ticket

Buhari, who is also a presidential aspirant under the APC, urged party members to collect their voters’ card and hold on to them. He pleaded with Nigerians to also vote out those he termed “treasury looters,” and promised that APC would provide free amenities and improved infrastructures like water, electricity and improved education system for Nigerians.

He further hinted that the 2015 polls are expected to be tough as the APC is bent on taking over the government, from councillor to presidency.

“The next five months will be very tough. Next election is going to be different and next year is going to be tough because APC is ready for change in Nigeria. We will stop corruption; no more will anybody put government money into private pockets” Buhari said.

Speaking also at the event, the party’s National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, who received the defectors accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of giving Nigeria a bad name. He said Nigeria is terribly asleep and is having a serious nightmare.

The party’s national chairman, who is also the former governor of Edo State, further stated that Nigeria will continue to experience nightmare except the ruling PDP is voted out of power.

“There is hope for Nigeria if Nigerians wake up fast and vote for APC which is becoming the fastest growing party in Nigeria, and has come to remedy the ills meted on the country”Odigie-Oyegun said.

READ ALSO: Atiku Reacts To Automatic Ticket

Similarly, former Vice- President, Atiku Abubakar, advised Nigerians to protect their votes, noting that several elections have been rigged because voters failed to protect their votes.

It would be recalled that the former head of state, Buhari, on September 18, 2014, said his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) will put an end to corruption if elected into power,while Atiku Abubakar, who is a strong contender the former, last week called on Catholic Bishops in Nigeria to pray for the country to overcome the many challenges currently threatening security, freedom of religion and citizenship in many parts of the country.

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Ebola: Rivers, FG Clash On School Resumption Date

The Rivers State government and the Federal Government have clashed over the September 22, schools resumption date as the state government insisted that schools may not yet resume.

According to Vanguard, the state commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker, who made this known on Wednesday, explained that schools in the state may not resume because of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD.

READ ALSO: Hold Jonathan Responsible If Ebola Spreads – APC

The commissioner also revealed that currently, there were about 340 persons under surveillance in the state. He said they want to be certain that the situation had been completely brought under control before schools would be allowed to resume.

In a related development, Nicholas Brunet, the Deputy Managing Director, Total E&P, Port Harcourt district, who donated an ambulance and two pickup trucks to the government on behalf of the oil company, described the outbreak of EVD in some West Africa countries as a big challenge to the world.

Meanwhile, Daily Independent had earlier reported that the commissioner for Health, Sampson Parker, said the state government, in collaboration with Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) on Ebola in the state, has earmarked a whooping sum of N1 billion to combat the dreaded Ebola virus disease in the state.

READ ALSO: EBOLA: My Survival Story – Dr. Ada Igonoh Recounts Ordeal

The EOC comprise state Ministry of Health and international partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC).

Meanwhile, Dan Nwomeh, the Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Minister of Health in his tweets below confirmed that Ebola Virus has been brought under control in Nigeria.The deadly Ebola virus was brought into the country by the late American-Liberian Patrick Sawyer. It would be recalled that Federal Government had earlier announced that primary and secondary schools across the country should resume academic activities on 22 September, 2014. The disease has so far killed seven people across the country. The Nigerian Ministry of Health on September 2, 2014, announced the death of an elderly woman who contracted the deadly virus in Port Harcourt, while on admission in the same hospital wherelate Dr Enemoah died.

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Ebola: We Are Yet To Receive FG's N200m assistance - Rivers Govt

Nigeria has been battling with the Ebola virus for over two months now since  Liberian-American ECOWAS Diplomat, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, brought the virus into the nation.

Since the virus crept into River state, The Rivers state government has said that they have not seen the N200m assistance the FG promised them despite Lagos State receiving the sum.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Advises FG To Immortalise Adadevoh.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, Rivers State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Sampson Parker said that the Amaechi led government has however allocated a budget of N1bn from Emergency Operation Committee to fight EVD in the State.

He said: “Well, I am still waiting; the Minister (of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu), has visited us and he said he was going to do something. So, I am waiting”.

He said that even though its early to start accounting the amount spent on fighting the virus.

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has already given about N300 million and will continue to do more.

READ ALSO: Ebola: Fashola Clears Air On School Resumption

He said:“The Governor will continue to release more funds; we are paying salaries daily. We are paying allowances daily. The expenditure is a daily occurrence. We will continue to spend. We have a budget of about N1bn combined. It is not just Rivers State Ministry of Health.

“It is from Emergency Operation Committee, comprising the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and Centre for Disease Control. That is the EOC, it is not Rivers State. So, that is what we are budgeting. That is our projection for Rivers State. The Governor has promised us that whenever we need resources, he is ready to make them available.”

READ ALSO: I See No Reason Why Schools Should Remain Closed – Health Minister

The Commissioner however said it is not yet time to start celebraing the end of Ebola, and said that as long as there are cases out in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

When asked if the Rivers State government had any plans to screen potential visitors, he said: “We have a very robust set up, not only for treatment but also for prevention. All the points of entry, coming in by bus, by air and by sea are all covered. We can do just that much, I always say that no matter how careful you are, a bad man is always a bad man; just as Ibukun (Koye) escaped Lagos and came to Port Harcourt. And, there was somebody that gave him a room.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Economy Triumphs Over Ebola

“In war, where everywhere is tight, you see people escaping tough gun battle and going to another country. It is like that. And, again, that brings the fact that it is not yet time to celebrate until we sort out the issues in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Those are human beings; and, in every human being, the survival instinct is high. If anyone escapes in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the place they will think of is Nigeria.

“No matter how tight we put our security, they will find a way to break through. The best way to prevent this disease from coming into Nigeria is to go there; the international community, Nigeria, West Africa community and Africa should go there and solve their problems. If you don’t solve their problems, one way or the other, they will break through into other countries.”

Last Week, Health minister Chukwu said: “We know now that there is no place in Nigeria now that we are treating anyone for EVD, but we have not started celebrating yet for the simple reason that we have not yet won the war.

We do not want surprises. “No one for now has active EVD in Nigeria, but that is not to say that will be surprised if we have one tomorrow”.

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Emir of Kano Wants Law To Punish Divorcee

The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II on Friday, called on the state government to pass a law that would punish people who divorce their spouse over flimsy excuses.  

According to Premium Times, the Emir, who condemned the increase in divorce in Kano State, reiterated the need for disciplinary actions to be meted on perpetrators

READ ALSO: President Goodluck Jonathan Welcomes Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

Sanusi further explained that the punitive steps are to be taken to halt the development, adding that people now end their marriages on questionable grounds.

The Emir, who pointed out that women are often the most affected after divorce, stated that the worst hit amongst such women are the uneducated and the economically-disadvantaged ones. He said most of their husbands end marriages over matters that could have been resolved.

Sanusi warned that anyone found guilty of unnecessary divorce without reasonable reasons for such an action would be appropriately punished in order to serve as deterrent to others nursing the same thoughts in their head.

The Emir expressed optimism that the decision would help reduce the alarming spate of divorce cases in the state. He also warned residents, district heads, ward and village heads against drug usage and addiction, assuring that he will not relent in expelling anyone found in drug mess.

It would be recalled that on June 8, 2014, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was an expelled Central Bank of Nigeria Governor was chosen to become the new Emir of Kano, to succeed the late Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero.  The decision, however, sparked a negative reaction from the people of the state.

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