DAYS WHEN POLITICANS CAN MANIPULATE OUTCOME OF ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA ARE GONE FOREVER - PRESIDENT JONATHAN

DAYS WHEN POLITICANS CAN MANIPULATE OUTCOME OF  ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA ARE GONE FOREVER - PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declared Monday in Washington DC that the days when a few politicians, acting in concert with their hirelings and thugs, can hijack voters cards and other electoral materials, and manipulate the outcome of elections to their personal advantage are gone forever in Nigeria.
Speaking at a meeting with Nigerian professionals in the United States, President Jonathan said that he remained fully committed to keeping the promise he made in 2011 that he will do everything possible to ensure that the elections in Nigeria become very free, fair and credible.

The President assured the gathering that in keeping with that pledge which has been fulfilled in recent elections in Edo, Ondo and Ekiti States, the Federal Government will take all necessary steps to ensure that no individual, group or political party is able to thwart the legitimate choice of genuine voters in Saturday's  governorship election in Osun State.

PHOTOS: PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN ARRIVES IN ABUJA

ARRIVAL 1 From left the Commander Brigade of Guards Maj. Gen.

 Emmanuel Atewe,  Ambassador Samuel Hart, Inspector General

of Police  Alhaji Mohammad Abubakar,  Minister of Police Affairs,

Mr  Caleb Olubolade, FCT Minister of State Oloye Olajumoke

Akinjide, and the Chief of Staff to the President Asiwaju Mike

Oghiadomeh welcoming President Goodluck Jonathan on his

arrival  back to Abuja after attending the 2014 World Economic

Forum  in Davos 24/01/2014

ARRIVAL 2 From left the Commander Brigade of Guards Maj.

Gen. Emmanuel Atewe,  Ambassador Samuel Hart, Inspector

General of Police  Alhaji Mohammad Abubakar,  Minister of

Police Affairs, Mr. Caleb Olubolade, FCT Minister of

State Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and the Chief of Staff to

the President Asiwaju Mike Oghiadomeh welcoming

President Goodluck Jonathan on his arrival back to Abuja

after attending the 2014 World Economic Forum  in Davos

24/01/2014

President Jonathan bans same-sex Marriage

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has approved a bill banning gay marriage and same-sex partnerships that sparked international condemnation, his spokesman said on Monday.

"I can confirm that the president has signed the bill into law," Goodluck Jonathan's spokesman Reuben Abati told AFP, without specifying a date but adding that it happened earlier this month.

Abati said Jonathan signed off on the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Bill 2013 because it was consistent with the attitudes of most people towards homosexuality in the west African nation.

"More than 90 percent of Nigerians are opposed to same sex marriage. So, the law is in line with our cultural and religious beliefs as a people," he added.

Another Open Letter: Obasanjo an egomaniac, says Edwin Clark

Edwin Clark

The season of letter writing may not be over in Nigeria yet as elder statesman and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark joined the fray to excoriate former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.
In his 10-page delayed response to Obasanjo, titled: ‘Let The Truth Be Told Before It Is Too Late,’ and made available to P.M.NEWS this morning, Chief Clark described Obasanjo as “a mischief maker” and “an ego maniac who always want to play to the gallery.”
Obasanjo wrote his letter to Jonathan on 2 December last year, titled ‘Before It Is too Late’, triggering a political tremor that is yet to quieten down.

The Ijaw pre-eminent chief and political godfather of President Jonathan, condemned Obasanjo for writing what he called a treasonable letter to the president, adding that Nigeria does not belong to Obasanjo as pointed out by Iyabo Obasanjo in her open letter to her father.

PHOTOS: QUEENS BATON RELAY CEREMONY FOR THE 20TH COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN GLASGOW SCOTLAND

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN RECEIVING
THE QUEEN'S BATON FROM THE MINISTER OF SPORTS
MALAM BOLAJI ABDULLAHI DURING QUEENS BATON
RELAY FOR THE 20TH COMMONWEALTH GAMES
IN GLASGOW, SCOTHLAND ON MONDAY
(6/1/14) IN ABUJA

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN RECEIVING
THE QUEEN'S BATON FROM THE MINISTER OF SPORTS
MALAM BOLAJI ABDULLAHI DURING QUEENS BATON
RELAY FOR THE 20TH COMMONWEALTH GAMES
IN GLASGOW, SCOTHLAND ON MONDAY
(6/1/14) IN ABUJA

PHOTOS: FAREWELL AUDIENCE FOR THE OUT-GOING AMBASSADOR OF CHINA

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (R) WITH THE
OUT-GOING AMBASSADOR OF CHINA TO NIGERIA,
MR DENG BOQING AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA
ABUJA ON MONDAY (6/1/14)

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (R) WITH THE 
OUT-GOING AMBASSADOR OF CHINA TO NIGERIA,
MR DENG BOQING AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA
ABUJA ON MONDAY (6/1/14)

Iyabo's Letter to ex-President Obasanjo

Iyabo’s 11-page letter to her father,Gen. Obasanjo

“It brings me no joy to have to write this but since you started this trend of open letters I thought I would follow suit since you don’t listen to anyone anyway. The only way to reach you may be to make the public aware of some things. As a child well brought up by my long-suffering mother in Yoruba tradition, I have been reluctant to tell the truth about you but as it seems you still continue to delude yourself about the kind of person you are and I think for posterity’s sake it is time to set the records straight.

“I will return to the issue of my long-suffering mother later in this letter.

“Like most Nigerians, I believe there are very enormous issues currently plaguing the country but I was surely surprised that you will be the one to publish such a treatise. I remember clearly as if it was yesterday the day I came over to Abuja from Abeokuta when I was Commissioner of Health in Ogun State, specifically to ask you not to continue to pursue the third term issue.

Jonathan after our lives — Buhari, Akande, others

-President not after anyone's life - Presidency
Former military Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; a former Osun State Governor and Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande; and a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of being after their lives.

In separate interviews with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, they accused the President of having their names on a sniper list.

President Jonathan performing better than Obasanjo – Presidency

President Goodluck Jonathan has again taken a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying the ex-President left Nigeria in darkness after his tenure.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this during an interview on Sahara TV on Saturday.
During the interview, Abati responded to questions on the several issues involving the Presidency, and tongue-lashed the opposition for attacking the President on almost all issues.
On the proposed national conference, which was scheduled to hold this year, Abati praised the President, saying it would be better than the political reform conference that was organised by Obasanjo.
He said, "The last political reform conference, organised by Obasanjo failed. It ended up the discussion of tenure elongation and third term ambition."

Nigeria Takes Seat at Security Council

Security Council was kick started Thursday, making it the fifth time its permanent representative sat on the powerful seat on the basis of election.

Nigeria had earlier been elected into the Council on October 16, the fourth time after independence with 186 votes out of 193.

Among the five permanent members that sat on its deliberation led by Jordanian Permanent Representative Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zedi Al-Hussein are China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the U.S with the other 10 non-permanent members who are to serve for two-years by the 193 members of the UN General Assembly.
At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA68) meeting last September, President Goodluck Jonathan had put up a vigorous campaign why Nigeria should be given a slot for the fifth time running pointing to the country's peace keeping efforts in Africa with emphasis on the sub-region.