The 2014 FIFA World Cup draw took
place in Brazil today and Nigeria will
play against Argentina, Iran and
Bosnia. Nigeria's
opening game will be against Iran
and even though Bosnia looks like it
will be an easy game for us, the
country is ranked higher than
Nigeria in the world. They are
ranked 21st, while Nigeria is ranked
36th. Nigeria should qualify
alongside Argentina.
The Federal Government has
reacted to the news that they
ordered 53 gold gold-plated iPhone
5S for N682million. The report went
viral after the CEO of Gold and Co.,
UK, Amjad Ali, told UK newspaper,
The Independent , that our
government ordered these phones
from his firm as part of the
memorabilia for the nation’s 53rd
Independence anniversary on
October 1, 2013. Jonathan's
government has denied this and
issued a statement. Find it below...
We consider the reports in a
section of the media claiming
that the Nigerian government
had ordered customized gold
iPhones from a Dubai-based
company to mark the
country’s 53rd independence
anniversary in October not
only false and misleading, but
utterly mischievous.
It is instructive that despite the
refutation of the story by the
company, which ought to have
laid the mischief to rest, a
number of politically-minded
news media continue to insist
on promoting the blatant
falsehood. We deplore their
antics as yet another attempt
to use any trick or means
possible to discredit President
Jonathan’s well-meaning,
hardworking and focused
administration.
The company, Gold and Co., has
since explained that what was
written on Independent was
different from what the CEO actually
said. They explained that the
phones were not ordered by the
government but by a Nigerian who
asked them to put the crest of the
Nigerian govt on the back.
Continue..
The statement continues...
It is certainly a matter of public
record and knowledge that
since his assumption of office,
President Jonathan has
ensured that October 1
independence-day
anniversaries are low-key,
without any pomp or
pageantry. Ironically, even this
prudence generated criticisms
from a cynical and
opportunistic segment of the
public which alleged, in 2011,
and again in 2012, that the
President was either too
scared to celebrate or that the
government was broke.
This administration has no
intention to depart from its
established habit of prudent
management of resources and
modest celebration of the
country’s independence
anniversary. This year, the
public should be assured that
the October 1 anniversary will
also be low-keyed. Neither the
Federal Government nor its
agencies has ordered any gold
iPhones to mark the
anniversary.
We do not see any justification
for such extravagance either
now or at any other time. The
Jonathan administration’s gold
standard is to continue to
provide responsible,
committed, and result-
oriented leadership, not to
engage in the purchase and
distribution of party gifts.
We urge the Dubai-based
company, which has since said
that the order for the said 53
gold i-phones was placed by a
private individual and not the
Nigerian Government, to go
ahead and disclose the
identity of that individual. We
appeal to the public to beware
of the increasing desperation
of those with politically vested
interests, seeking to pull down
this administration. Their
moral bankruptcy is
condemnable.
The Jonathan administration
will remain focused as it
continues to serve the
Nigerian people diligently.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the
President
(Media & Publicity)
September 12, 2013
President Jonathan's administration
has sacked nine serving ministers.
They are: Education minister -
Ruqayat Rufai. Minister of State for
Power - Zainab Kunchi. Minister of
State for Agriculture - Buka Jinani.
Minister for National Planning -
Shamsudeen Usman. Minister for
Science&Technology - Ita Okon.
Minister of Foreign Affairs -
Olugbenga Ashiru. Minister for
Lands - Ama Pepple, Minister for
Environment - Hadiza Mailafia and
Minister of State for Defence -Erelu
Olusola Obada.
Mr President wants to re-shuffle his
cabinet. More details later...
Y'all know there are two PDP factions
now so to distinguish them we have
to call one - President Jonathan's PDP
and the one that broke away last
weekend - former VP Atiku Abubakar's
PDP. So the chairman of President
Jonathan's PDP Bamanga Tukur today
held a press conference in Abuja
where he threatened members of
Atiku's PDP with suspension, called
them impostors and said the police
should regard them as such. Lol. 2015
will be interesting. What he said at the
press conference below.
Our reason for being here is to
neither inform you without any iota of
doubt that the Peoples Democratic
Party has no faction and there is
neither room nor reason whatsoever
for such a claim under any guise.
The PDP has only one duly elected
National Executive Committee (NEC)
under my Chairmanship. I wish
therefore to state with all emphasis
that any group of persons parading
themselves as leaders of NEC or any
other organ of our party are
impostors and I urge all Nigerians,
especially the security agencies and
other institutions of democracy to
regard them as such.
Let me state categorically that the PDP
as the sole custodian of the sacred
mandate of over 160 million Nigerians
and who in the last fourteen years
has lifted high the banner of
democracy will not fold its arms while
some undemocratic and unpatriotic
elements destroy our common
destiny by causing divisions and
confusion among the people.
Consequently, we shall ensure that
any person who is not duly elected
into any leadership position in our
great party and has not been duly
assigned any role but goes ahead to
arrogate such to himself will be made
to face the full wrath of the law.
Similarly, all persons elected on the
platform of our great party at all levels
who identify with these enemies of
the oneness and greatness of our
party shall have their seats declared
vacant as required by law.
We shall leave no stone unturned to
ensure that such persons and indeed
any other individual who attempts to
subvert the leadership of the PDP shall
reap in full, the consequences of such
actions.
I wish to emphasize that the PDP has
adequate mechanism for internal
conflict resolution. All party members
are therefore advised to ventilate their
grievances through this medium.
There is only one lawfully recognized
PDP and I am firmly in charge,”
Bamanga Tukur declared.
Meanwhile 26 Senators and at least 57
members of the House of
Representatives have declared loyalty
to “The New PDP” chaired by
Abubakar Baraje.
The first ever Nigerian Entertainment
Conference which held yesterday,
April 26th at the Eko Hotel and Suites
was attended by a host of top
industry players.
A total number of nineteen awards
were given to select honorees who
were deemed to have performed very
well in their respective fields. G.O.O.D
Music ‘s D’banj , Mavin Records CEO
Don Jazzy and African icon 2Face
Idibia were just a few who picked up
awards. Others included veteran
music producer Nelson Brown and
Afrobeat legend, Femi Kuti.
The theme of yesterday’s conference
was ‘Building the Industry of our
Dreams’.
This are full awardees:
Music Superstars, Dbanj and
Don Jazzy
Music Label and Media Bosses,
Kenny Ogungbe and Dayo
Adeneye
Music Producer, Nelson Brown
Afro beat legend, Femi Kuti
African pop icon, 2Face Idibia
Juju legend, King Sunny Ade
Godfather of Nigerian comedy,
Ali Baba
Fuji icon, K1 De Ultimate
Movie Makers, Amaka Igwe and
Tunde Kelani
Distinguished publishers, Kunle
Bakare, Mayor Akinpelu and
Femi Akintunde Johnson
Showbiz Practitioner, Edi Lawani
Nigeria’s number One DJ, DJ
Jimmy Jatt
Nigeria’s most notable
entertainment practitioners
receiving NET honours
(Honorary awards).
