Democracy has returned to Rivers – Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, declared on Sunday that democracy had returned to the state after years of political bondage.

Wike made this declaration during a thanksgiving service organised by his political support group, the Grassroots Development Initiative, at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church, Rumuola Parish, Port Harcourt.

The governor attributed the democracy being enjoyed currently in Rivers to the contributions of the GDI, describing it as a group that came out when people were not allowed to air their opinion in the state.

Represented at the occasion by Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea, Mr. Desmond Akawor, Wike hailed the doggedness of the group for excelling in the face of intimidation.

“GDI is an instrument that came out at a point when nobody was allowed to air his views or hold meeting in Rivers State. The leaders of GDI came, exhibited courage and determination.

“Through this group, today, we now have democracy in Rivers State without anybody challenging you on whichever group you want to belong. We now have a Rivers State that is born again.

“Now, we have the judiciary back after a year. These men and women worked tirelessly to give us hope. Now, we have the State House of Assembly sit inside their chambers to discuss issues about Rivers State.”

“It is difficult to describe where they are coming from, the Dark Age, when our traditional rulers were not allowed to air their views on Rivers State. The traditional stool was balkanized just to despise those who decided to give advice,” Wike added.

The governor, however, charged members of the group not to relent in their determination to uphold democracy and ensure that the state was not returned to the era of political crisis.

“Now, we have taken the leadership of the state, the expectation from us, Rivers people, is high while a lot need to be done. Every GDI member is a vanguard to this crusade.

“It is our duty to ensure that no loophole is left. Remember what the Bible says, ‘When the hedge is broken, the serpent will bite.’ They are doing all they can to see that they bring you back to the Dark Age.

“So, it is our duty as GDI members to work hard and ensure that never again would Rivers State be returned to the Dark Age,” Wike added.

In his remark, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Ikuinyi Ibani, observed that the group contributed immensely to the existing democracy in the state.

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IN PICTURES: Buhari arrives Germany

President Muhammadu Buhari arrives Munich residence

 Shortly after arriving Germany on Sunday, 7 June 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari attended the reception hosted by the Minister-President of the State of Bavaria, Germany as part of the activities of the G7 Summit.

Up Close And Personal: Buhari and Horst Seehofer smile for the cameras

UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon, President Muhammadu Buhari and Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the cocktail reception at the Munich residence

UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki Moon, President Muhammadu Buhari and Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the cocktail reception at the Munich residence

President Muhammadu Buhari in a group picture at the Munich residence. In the picture are Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalgn of Ethiopia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Ellen Sirleaf of Liberia, Secretary General of the UN, Mr. Ban ki Moon, Minister-President of the State of Bavaria, Mr Horst Seehofer, Chairperson AU commission, Mrs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, President of World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim and others

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REVEALED: Buhari's 9-point demands to G7 Summit

President Muhammadu Buhari is presenting a 9-point demands to The Group of Seven (G7), an informal bloc of industrialized countries of the world. He arrived Munich, Germany, yesterday, to honour the invitation of the G7.



Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement from Germany, said President Buhari was armed with the “wish list” of Nigeria in line with the demand of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries.

It will be recalled that immediately after Buhari’s victory at the presidential elections, the G7 requested the then President-elect to prepare a shopping list and come with it for their consideration in what is seen as an excellent goodwill gesture towards the new leader and the country.

Malam Garba Shehu in the statement said top on the list of the requests President Buhari will tender before the G7 leaders is the problem of security.

He quoted the president as saying that “we have a problem which they know.”

He quoted the President as saying that he had used every opportunity at his disposal ahead of this meeting to discuss the country’s needs with specific reference to terrorism and development needs at person-to-person meetings and phone conversations with some of the G7 leaders.

According to him, apart from terrorism, the president will also need the support of the industrialized nations in the area of economy, infrastructure, power and energy, and corruption. Other areas the president is asking for G7 meeting’s assistance include increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), enhanced transparency in elections, environment and good governance.

President Buhari had announced that the leaders of the industrialized nations have shown a preparedness to work with Nigeria to help the country out of her problems.

Meeting with world leaders

President Buhari will hold meetings on the sidelines with the host, German Chancellor Angela Merkel; the French President, Francois Hollande; Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper; the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe and the World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim.
On his arrival in Munich, President Buhari, who was accompanied by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State; former Governor Babatunde Fashola, Gen. A. Dambazau (rtd.) and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul B. Lolo.was received by the Vice Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs. Inge Aigner.

The statement added that “before leaving Munich for home tomorrow, President Buhari will hold bilateral talks with the Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 Outreach Programme.

“He is also expected to meet President Barack Obama, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, and other G-7 leaders in the course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch at the Elmau Castle.”

Other invited Heads of State and international institutions who will join President Buhari at the working session with G-7 leaders tomorrow at Elmau include President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.

Others are Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mr. Angel Gurria, the Managing Director of the IMF, Mrs. Christine Largarde; the President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim; the Director-General of the International Labour Organistion, Mr. Guy Rider; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation are also scheduled to participate in today’s Outreach Session with G-7 leaders.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal bloc of industrialized democracies comprising the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The group meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.

It will be recalled that after his victory, a letter of invitation to a meeting with the Group of seven (G7) countries in Europe and America was handed to him by the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Zenner.

Zenner, who was at the Defence House in Abuja to felicitate with Buhari on his electoral victory, said that the letter of invitation was officially written and signed by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to Buhari.

Speaking to Journalists, Zenner said: “I am here to congratulate the President-Elect, Gen. Buhari on his election and handed over to him the letter from the German Chancellor inviting him to Germany.
“We have a very deep and intense relationship with Nigeria and there are lot of areas where we can deepen our relation and develop them further such as in the area of economy, energy among others.

“We have a bi-national commission with Nigeria and we are one of the countries with which Nigeria has this Bi-National Commission and it covers the whole range of political, economic and security areas. There are many areas in which we can move further and deepen our very close cooperation”.

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We ‘ll go to War if You Prosecute Ihejirika —Ohanaeze

The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned that another ‘Ojukwu’ will go to war if former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, whom it described as an illustrious Igbo son, is prosecuted as being clamoured by the Amnesty International.

Amnesty International had on Wednesday, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands to investigate some former and serving Nigerian service chiefs for war crimes.

The crimes, according to AI were perpetrated during the fight against Boko Haram in the North-East between March 2011 and 2014.

It said in a comprehensive report, entitled, “Stars on their shoulders, blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian military,” that no fewer than 8,000 persons were “murdered, starved, suffocated and tortured to death “in the North-East during the period.

AI in the report said that it had “compelling evidence” for the investigation of the former and serving Service Chiefs as well as “mid-level and senior-level military commanders.”

But in a swift response, National President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro , described the report and AI’s call for Ihejirika’s trial as “utter rubbish”.

He accused some Northern elements of trying to use the international body to revenge on Southern military top brass, who staked their lives in defense of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

Isiguzoro said “the last insult Ndigbo can take from those who think they are the owners of Nigeria is to allow them touch Gen. Ihejirika, who served his father land meritoriously”.

He said “what Ihejirika and other military personnel who staked their lives fighting Boko Haram deserve is commendation and not politically- motivated prosecution”.

His words: “Where was amnesty international when Boko Haram fighters were annihilating Christians in Northern Nigeria? Where was Amnesty International when Boko Haram was throwing bombs inside churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, etc and killing innocent Nigerians?

“What efforts have amnesty international made to bring sponsors of Boko Haram to book? Or will they claim they did not hear when some people threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable should ex- President Goodluck Jonathan win the 2011 presidential election”.

Ohanaeze accused Amnesty International of “bias, hypocrisy and playing double standards”, and warned President Buhari to disregard its report “if he wants to lead a united Nigeria”.

“Buhari should choose between leading a united Nigeria and supervising the fragmentation of Nigeria”, Ohanaeze fumed.

Ohanaeze further said: “They killed Igbo first General, Aguiyi Ironsi and nothing happened but this time around any attempt to touch another Igbo General will be vigorously resisted with our last drop of blood.

“Why did Amnesty International close its eyes and seal its lips when youth corps members from the South were being killed in the North after the 2011 presidential election result was announced? Why did amnesty international not call for the prosecution of those who supervised the genocide against Ndigbo before, during and after the civil war?”

Ohanaeze said apart from over 1 million Igbo killed during the war, Boko Haram and religious clashes had claimed over 200, 000 Igbos resident in the North with property worth over N2 trillion destroyed.

“Why is Amnesty International turning a blind eye to the systematic genocide against Igbos in the North and the gradual annihilation of Middle Belt communities by Fulani cattle rearers?

“That power has returned to the North does not mean that other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria will become slaves. Nobody should use amnesty international to intimidate any body unless they have agreed that we are tired of this forced union called Nigeria”, he said.

He further said: “We cannot become beggars because Jonathan lost election, and we have no regrets making our choices in the last election. South East and South South are integral parts of Nigeria and cannot be treated as slaves”.

The Ohanaeze leader also warned General Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), and noble laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka against their “serial anti-Igbo comments”, saying that “we have been carefully studying these unwarranted attacks and will take a position very soon”.

Ohanaeze “said no amount of jealously can stop Ndigbo from succeeding even in deserts because of our Jewish gene which our enemies cannot suppress”.

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IN PICTURES: Disaster hits Ghana, Flood, Explosion kills 150 at fuel station (Viewer Discretion advised)

About 150 persons were killed after a gas station they ran to for shelter during heavy downpour went up in flames in Acrra, Ghana on Wednesday. According to Ghana's Fire Service spokesperson, Billy Anagate, the fire started at the Neoplan Bus station at about 5.00pm and then quickly spread to the Goil gas station, causing an explosion which killed all the people taking refuge there. Bodies of the victims are still being evacuated from the scene of the incident.

Flood that resulted from the heavy downpour submerged some buildings and vehicles causing people to take refuge in the gas station. Most buildings that had caught fire from the explosion burned away into the night as 'floodwater around the site hindered recovery attempts.

More pictures below... (WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

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Seven feared dead in Baga explosion, fifth Boko Haram attack since Buhari became president

Suspected terrorists have killed Seven people, while eight others sustained injuries in Maiduguri, Borno State.

An eyewitness account said the bomb exploded late Wednesday night at a military check-point near a mechanic workshop, opposite sector one Military Base and NNPC mega station, Baga road in Maiduguri.

According to reports, some suspicious looking young men in a vehicle were seen approaching a check-point. They were stopped by soldiers who tried to search them, and in the process a bomb was detonated leading to the death of some people and destruction of vehicles around the check-point.

This will be the fifth attack by Boko Haram and second this week since Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on May 29 2015.


Earlier on Tuesday, A bomb blast occurred at a busy meat market in Maiduguri, killing at least 30 people.

The bomb, said to have been concealed under a butcher’s table in the market, went off around 1pm local time, killing shoppers and travellers, a military source said.

Nobody has claimed responsibility for the explosion, but the Boko Haram sect is suspected to have carried out the attack.

Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to crush the group which has killed thousands of people in the North-East.

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Nigerians react to suicide bomber who allegedly shouted ‘Sai Buhari’

Following the revelation by Aderemi Opadokun, the Commissioner of Police in Borno State that a suicide bomber shouted “Sai Buhari” as against “allahu akbar” as he killed five people after he detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

Many Nigerians reacted to the statement very differently.


Some of the responses from Twitter below...

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