Olusegun Obasanjo Former president is regal in portrait by Ty Bello

TY Bello recently launched a series of portraits with iconic men and women of Nigeria, who have impacted the country in one way or the other and this time, she set her lenses on Olusegun Obasanjo.

TY Bello recently launched a series of portraits with iconic men and women of Nigeria, who have impacted the country in one way or the other and this time, she set her lenses on Olusegun Obasanjo. »
The ace photographer captured the former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo » , dressed in a regal looking aso-oke agbada. The something year old man looked absolutely stunning in the photos.
Rather than going on and on about the portrait, which she posted via her Instagram account, she simply stated; “ OLUSEGUN OBASANJO » : This is a session I’ll always remember.”

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

Source: Pulse

Goodluck Jonathan Buhari lied to Nigerians – Ex President said

GEJ said this during an interview at the Bloomberg studios in London, today, Monday, June 6, 2016.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said President Buhari was not telling the truth when he announced to Nigerians that his administration met an empty treasury.
The former President said this during an interview at the Bloomberg studios in London, today, Monday, June 6, 2016.
He also said “That is not true, there no way he would have inherited empty treasury and at the same time, give a bail-out to the states.
“It is not possible.
“Nigeria is a fairly robust economy, But sometimes, we over politicise certain issues and make it look so bad, but it was not that bad. No! Not at all.”
Buhari, on Monday, June 22, 2015, during a meeting with members of the State House Press Corps, said he inherited a “virtually empty treasury” from the Goodluck Jonathan administration. »
The minister of finance, Kemi Adeosun,
on Thursday. May 5, 2016, while being interviewed on a Channels Television program, Sunrise Daily, also said the Buhari administration inherited an empty treasury. »
The former Minister/Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Abubakar Suleiman, however
debunked President Buhari’s claim.
Suleiman, in a statement released on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, said
Jonathan’s administration left behind $30 billion, » as at May 29, when he handed over to Buhari.

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

Source: Pulse.ng

Goodluck Jonathan ‘I never contemplated going on exile,’ Ex-President says

Jonathan said he returned from the London last week and not from Cote d’Ivoire as reported in the media.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described media reports that he returned from Cote d’Ivoire last Wednesday, where he had planned to go on self-exile for fear of being arrested, as insensitive and tendentious.
Jonathan said he returned from the London last week having visited many countries including United States , United Kingdom, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire on a six-week long international engagements and speaking tour.
This was contained in a statement signed by the former president’s media aide, Ikechukwu Eze .
The statement said: We are inclined to proclaim straightaway that this claim or any insinuation to Dr. Jonathan’s contemplation of exile is not only false, tendentious but inciting.

“We maintain as Dr. Jonathan has himself stated, that the former President has no intention of turning his back on Nigeria, a homeland he served diligently as President, to the best of his abilities.
“It is instructive to note that while This Day continues to insist that Jonathan came from Cote d’Ivoire, the former President actually returned to the country last Wednesday evening from London, after visiting many countries including United States, United Kingdom, Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire on a six-week long international engagements and speaking tour.”

Jonathan had visited President
Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Saturday, June 4, and according to report, Niger Delta violence was top on the agenda of their meeting.

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

#Rotimi_Amaechi #Jonathan_refused_to_come to #Ogoni_land

Amaechi said he asked GEJ to clean-up the area, but he refused, adding that the former President turned deaf ears to the sufferings of the Ogoni people.

The minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi told people present at the flag off of the clean-up of Ogoni land on Thursday, June 2, 2016, » that former
President Goodluck Jonathan refused to come to Ogoni.
Amaechi said he asked GEJ to clean-up the area, but he refused, adding that the former President turned deaf ears to the sufferings of the Ogoni people.
The minister who acknowledged the presence of the Rivers state Governor,
Nyesom Wike, also thanked President Buhari for implementing the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report and fulfilling his campaign promise. »
Amaechi also said “We did everything possible as a sitting government to make the president implement the UNEP report, everything. But the report was not implemented after all.”
President Buhari was expected in Rivers state for the flag=off ceremony, but he cancelled his trip, » due to assassination threats, according to reports.
Governor Wike had put security measures in place to ensure that the President’s visit was hitch free.
Some Nigerians expressed their disappointment on social media, » over Buhari’s decision to cancel his visit to Ogoni land.
The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) also thanked the President for fulfilling his promise to the Ogoni people.
President Buhari was represented at the flag-off by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

#Goodluck_Jonathan #IYCW #debunks #claim that #Ex_President_Sponsors #Niger_Delta_Avengers

The Niger Delta Avengers have claimed responsibility for the recent bomb blast on two offshore facilities recently.

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYCW) has debunked claims that former President Goodluck Jonathan is the founder of the new militant group, the
Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).
The national President of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators
(NCNDE-A), Israel Akpodoro, alleged that GEJ is behind the new militant group. »
Punch reports that IYCW spokesman,
Eric Omare, issued a statement saying
“The attention of the group has been drawn to a statement issued by one Israel Akpodoro, who claimed to be the National President of National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators alleging that former President Jonathan founded the Niger Delta Avengers.
“The initial reaction of the IYC was to ignore the said statement considering the fact that the said Akpodoro is unknown and has no pedigree in the Niger Delta region.
“However, we have consistently been inundated with calls and messages by concerned Nigerians all over the world as to the true position as far as the allegations are concern. This response is to set the records straight for the benefit of the reading public.”
The statement also said “The allegation that the NDA was formed by Jonathan in a meeting he attended in January 2015 preparatory to the 2015 general elections to make the country ungovernable for his successor is absolutely untrue.
“It is nonsensical to imagine that former President Jonathan who conceded defeat and congratulated his opponent, current President Muhammadu Buhari, even before the final result was announced would make such a plan.
“In the first place, the January 2015 meeting of ex-Agitators and stakeholders in the region was not attended by Jonathan and the meeting never resolved to make Nigeria ungovernable for President Buhari.
“The IYC leadership also attended the meeting and the President of the IYC, Udengs Eradiri was one of the speakers at that meeting. The meeting was called to calm down the youths of the Niger Delta who were aggrieved with the attack on former President Jonathan in some northern states during the campaign for the 2015 Presidential elections.”
The Niger Delta Avengers have claimed responsibility for the recent bomb blast on two offshore facilities recently.
The group has also vowed to cause more havoc » if the federal government does not meet their demands.

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

Source: Pulse.ng

#Buhari #Jonathan’s phone call to #concede #defeat #shocked_me,’ #President says

He said he kept quiet for a while on the phone before responding.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, May 30, said former president Goodluck Jonathan’s telephone call to him, conceding defeat while votes were still being counted during the 2015 election was unbelievable and shocking.
He said he kept quiet for a while on the phone before responding.
He stated this at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Aso Villa, Abuja, when he hosted the State House Press Corps to a lunch as part of activities marking this year’s democracy day.

“When he made that famous call at 4:45 pm and said ‘Good evening Mr. President, I have called to congratulate you and I concede defeat’, I was silent for quite a while because I was surprised and he said ‘did you hear me?’,” the President said.
Buhari said for someone like Jonathan, who had served as a deputy governor, a governor, a vice president and a president for six years to concede, showed his “great sense of patriotism”.
He said another former military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar , advised him to visit Jonathan for his “statesmanship and decision to save the Nigerian state”.
The President said further that Jonathan belonged to a party that was in power for 16 years and for him to still go ahead and concede “was definitely not an easy decision”.
He added that during the visit to thank Jonathan, General Abdulsalami again advised that in order to smoothen the transition process, he (Buhari) should set up a committee to meet with the outgoing ministers of Jonathan to begin the process of handing over at that level.
“Jonathan sincerely agreed to the suggestion and I got one of the best bureaucrats, in the person of Ahmed Joda, and told him to look round the country and come up with a team for the task.
“However, when Jonathan told his government this is what I have decided, they simply refused and said how can you hand over to Buhari when he has not been sworn in.
“That was the end of that good intention,” Mr. Buhari said.
The President recounted that when he assumed office he trimmed down the number of ministries from 42 to 24, while many permanent secretaries were also dropped for various reasons.

He however said, his government was still shocked when it realized that ”those below were still living in the past” which, he said led to the infamous “budget padding.”
“The budget padding was our nasty experience, for me and many ministers who were not in government.
“We had to work day and night to correct the ills and I noticed that some of them were actually losing weight,” he said.
Speaking on why he changed his mind on releasing the list of those who looted the nations treasury, the President said
“we realized that we can’t talk too much or technicalities would come in and we may realize what we should have realized.”
Buhari advised the reporters covering the state house to always conduct research on those visiting him whenever they plan to ask them questions, ”so that when next they come, they will do some research themselves”.

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

Source: Pulse.ng

Niger Delta FG to employ ex militants to secure crude oil pipelines

Kachikwu also assured the stakeholders that the Amnesty Program will be re-organised to ensure that the agitations of the Niger Delta people are met.

The Federal Government has called on all aggrieved parties, including militants in the creeks to drop their weapons and come forward for dialogue.
The government has also agreed to hand over the responsibility of securing the crude oil pipelines in the Niger Delta to indigenes of the various communities.
Leadership reports that the spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Garba Deen Muhammad, told newsmen that the government also promised to work with stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to ensure security and economic development of the area.
Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for petroleum, who spoke to news men after a meeting with stakeholders from the Niger Delta region, said “all the states in the region would nominate four or five representatives that would work hand-in-hand with security agencies to secure oil facilities in their respective states.”
He also said “The Niger Delta governors must be involved in providing lasting solutions to the resurgence of pipeline vandalism and there is urgent need to create business opportunities for the locals in the region.”
The minister also assured the stakeholders that the Amnesty Program will be re-organised to ensure that the agitations of the Niger Delta people are met.
A new militant group the Niger Delta Avengers has been blowing up offshore facilities belonging to major oil companies in the Niger-Delta.

Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam

Source: Pulse.ng

Goodluck Jonathan ‘GEJ not on exile, he’s visiting children in London’ – Associate

Amange described the report as a figment of the writer’s imagination.

Following media reports » that former President Goodluck Jonathan has fled to Côte De Ivoire to avoid arrest, one of his close associates, Senator Nimi Bariagha Amange, says the report is false.
Amange described the report as a figment of the writer’s imagination, noting that he still spoke to the former president on Friday, May 20.
Speaking in an interview with Vanguard, the Senator said: “I spoke with the former President on Friday. He told me that he was going to London to spend some times with his children. He did not indicate that he was under any stress and did not tell me that he was going on exile. What he said was that he would have loved to be at the Peoples Democratic Party convention in Portharcourt but he couldn’t make it because he needed to be with his children. He told me that he was in touch with the leaders of the party across board and assured me that the crisis in the party would be resolved. It is not true that he is on exile.”
In further defence of Jonathan, Amange said the former president should be getting commendations for serving his country diligently.
“The president has no reason to go on exile. He has not committed any offence. Please ignore the report about his exile. He will certainly come back to the country when he is through with spending time with his children,” he said.

In the report, which was first published by a national newspaper, Jonathan was alleged to have gone on exile to avoid a possible arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over some alleged fraudulent deals during his administration.
Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam
Source: Pulse.ng

Ngozi Okonjo Iweala ‘Nobody has asked me to account for N30trn,’ Ex-minister says

The court order was said to have been issued in connection to a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

Former finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has denied reports that she was asked by a Federal High Court to
account for N30 trillion » which “went missing” during the Goodluck Jonathan
administration.
The court order was said to have been issued in connection to a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
Okonjo-Iweala’s denial was contained in a statement released by her media aide,
Paul Nwabuikwu .
It reads:
Our attention has been drawn to media reports regarding a court judgment alleged to have been entered against the federal government of Nigeria and Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in respect of an action by the Socio-Economic Rights Agenda (SERAP) pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.
The high court, according to the media reports, ordered the Federal government and Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to provide information relating to N30 trillion Naira allegedly unaccounted for. Dr Okonjo-Iweala hastens to state that she was never served with any court processes in relation to the said matter.
She has not read the judgment and would therefore defer any comments on the matter. However from the media reports, the case was instituted in February 2015 but was not served until July 2015 after Dr Okonjo-Iweala had already ceased to be the Minister of Finance. By the date the said papers were purportedly served Dr Okonjo-Iweala was no longer a public officer and could therefore not be the subject of a request for production of any documents or information under the Freedom of information Act.
The court processes must have been served on others because the attention of Dr Okonjo-Iweala was never drawn to the matter in which she appears to have been sued personally. She therefore did not engage any lawyer to act for her in the matter. The decision of SERAP to anchor its case on a baseless and unsubstantiated allegation by former CBN governor Professor Charles Soludo that N30 trillion – about seven times the total annual budget during the Jonathan administration – is missing confirms SERAP’s dubious motives and its role as a tool for politically motivated actors.
It is curious that the first time Dr Okonjo-Iweala is being made aware of a matter filed against her in court is in news reports reporting the delivery of judgment. She has instructed her lawyers to take steps to set aside the judgment as it affects her.
Follow us on Facebook @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan
Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/ikemsam
Follow us on Instagram @ http://instagram.com/ikemsam
Source: Pulse.ng

Patience Jonathan pictured with some politicians in Rivers state

Former First lady, Patience Jonathan pictured with some politicians in Rivers state today May 22nd. Another photo after the cut.

Follow us on Facebook and like our page @ http://facebook.com/ikemdan