GASSA 'CRACKED' MUNGA

I have been listening to comments and reading analyses on the 2015 presidential election with rapt attention. There is nothing unanimous in the predictions and projections, but I am sensing a trend in the analyses: that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) fields Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) against President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then it will be a piece of cake for the former head of state. A Buhari supporter, in a recent newspaper interview, said Buhari’s votes in the North plus Bola Tinubu’s votes in the south-west equal automatic victory for APC. Slow down a bit, guys. I have no intention of raining on anyone’s parade or pouring cold water on exciting calculations, but analyses do not have to be this simplistic. If the history and politics of elections in Nigeria are to be of any use in these postulations, the safest bet will be to say there are still many rivers to cross. My intention today is to draw attention to sev

I have been listening to comments and reading analyses on the 2015 presidential election with rapt attention. There is nothing unanimous in the predictions and projections, but I am sensing a trend in the analyses: that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) fields Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) against President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then it will be a piece of cake for the former head of state. A Buhari supporter, in a recent newspaper interview, said Buhari’s votes in the North plus Bola Tinubu’s votes in the south-west equal automatic victory for APC. Slow down a bit, guys. I have no intention of raining on anyone’s parade or pouring cold water on exciting calculations, but analyses do not have to be this simplistic. If the history and politics of elections in Nigeria are to be of any use in these postulations, the safest bet will be to say there are still many rivers to cross. My intention today is to draw attention to sev

Abuja – Here We Come ABUJA is threatened by its fame as the place where all the opportunities are, especially for making quick money. Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have their eyes set on Abuja. They have heard that once there, they can make something for themselves. Whether it is a myth or not, there is little anyone can do that would convince those with their minds made up that relocating to Abuja was the panacea to their personal challenges. They have examples that testify to the abilities of Abuja to cure all cares. Before their eyes they have seen village upstarts step into Abuja in some political role and return as lords. Nobody can tell them that being in Abuja would not change their lives similarly.Abuja would continue to draw people in their droves. In the midst of the conflicts tearing the North East, North West and North Central into shreds, Abuja appears an oasis of peace. Where else would those hunted in their own homes go? Its central location to the actio

NORTHERN STATES DO NOT WANT TO SEE A CHRISTIAN PRESIDENT FROM THE SOUTH SUCCEED IN RESOLVING THE CRISIS. The man negotiating for the release of the 200 kidnapped schoolgirls in Nigeria, tells about his frustration over the chaos surrounding efforts to free them. Stephen Davis, an Anglican clergyman from Western Australia, who has advised three successive Nigerian presidents and brokered a truce with militants in the Niger Delta a decade ago, said he is confident that negotiations with Boko Haram will succeed. He has fostered links with the group over the past eight years. But Dr Davis has slammed the general handling of the hostage crisis, saying his team had "come within a whisker" of brokering a release three times within the past month, only to have each handover scuppered at the last moment. He, and others we have spoken to, allege that powerful figures with "vested interests" have sought to sabotage a deal. The 220 missing girls are, Dr Davis believes, be

1. Let me on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, the gallant officers, men and women who served in the Armed Forces and those still serving, welcome you to this Press briefing. As you are aware, the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is an event organized by the Ministry of Defence in honour of our fallen heroes who laid down their lives in service to humanity during the First and Second World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War, Peace Support Operations, various Internal Security Operations and particularly the current war against terrorism and other security challenges in the country. 2. In remembering these fallen heroes, we also call to mind and appreciate their loved ones who they left behind. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration is one of the ways of reassuring them that the nation is with them by paying respect annually to their departed relations. The celebration also reaffirms the fact that their death was not in vain and the nation remains gratef

Your Excellency, let me congratulate you once more on your victory at the Federal High Court which declared you as the substantive Governor of Adamawa State. In case you missed it, your ascension came at the time when Ganye Chiefdom has one of its own sons as the Secretary to the State Government (Prof Liman Tukur from Jada) and Chief of Staff to the Governor (Prof Maxwell Gidado from Ganye) all of whom are successful in their fields of discipline. The former as a geographical expert and the other as a constitutional mechanic. With your ascension to power, all these vital positions were gone in that Alh Chubado Tijjani and Mr. Ibrahim Welye have replaced Liman and Gidado as Secretary to the State Government and Chief of Staff respectively. As it is now, Ganye Chiefdom, populated mostly by the Chamba tribe are not represented in your government. I hereby apply to you for a rethink. Politically, Ganye Chiefdom cannot be toy with because of our numerical values and u

Balling things. Mr handsome and wealthy Davido dropped almost $8,000 (about N1.3m) for a suite at the luxurious Wynn Las Vegas and Encore hotel for his birthday weekend next month. He paid that money for only three nights, November 21st to 24th. These things usually have to be paid in advance. He shared his booking confirmation on his instagram page. #living!

Adamawa State is like a house divided against itself, held hostage by a cabal and unless a leader dances to their tune, governance becomes difficult. Nyako was able to neutralise the influence of the Adamawa Mafia but he fall out with Abuja and the cabal used Abuja to unseat him with Fintiri as the tool. Fintiri on the other hand, rode on the back of the tiger(cabal) and ended up in its mouth. The worked it out for Ngilari in court not because they like him but because they felt Fintiri is growing out of control. What led to Fintiri's down fall is his popularity posture which seemed to have posed a serious threat to the survival of elitist wing of Adamawa politics. Ngilari will have to learn a lesson here, drawing inferences from the lessons of Nyako and Fintiri. The masses seem to have no place in this drama but come in only as spectators who have little or no impact in the political drama unfolding everyday in the land of beauty.

Photo: Okonjo-Iweala named African Finance Minister of the Year Nigeria's Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been named African Finance Minister of the year 2014 by leading investment & international group, African Investor. Dr Okonjo Iweala is pictured above right with her husband Dr. Ikemba Iweala. Okonjo-Iweala was announced winner today October 10th from a shortlist which included Finance Ministers of Kenya, Angola, Rwanda, Liberia, Seychelles, Zambia and Kingdom of Morocco. In her acceptance speech, Dr Okonjo-Iweala said; "I am delighted and honored to have been picked as African Finance Minister of the Year 2014. Africa has come a long way from decades of economic stagnation to steady growth that has seen the continent make a huge leap for the better. In Nigeria, we are marching on. The building blocks for a greater future are being laid. I want to thank you for this recognition and I want to

IT'S BY GOD! AMEN.

Adamawa: The Way Forward:- To progress, all stakeholders must see reason to form a united front with a view to supporting and mobilising all the citizens of this state both at home and at the diaspora to unite under a sole aim of moving this state forward. We must see the emergence of His Excellency, Barr. Bala Ngilari as a will of God whose will and wishes are supreme over all beings. Some may feel uncomfortable with this development but if we advert our minds to the believe that Allah gives and takes and no mortal decides for Him, then Bala Ngilari must be embraced as a will of God. I hereby pledge my unflinching loyalty and support. (What about you)? Our major problem in this state is not that of ethnicity but religion. We are always afraid and often shy away from the reality and pretend about this menace and dangerous trend which Adamawa politics is drifting into and this development has regrettably eaten deep into the fabrics of our politicking and social engagements. A

Adamawa: The Way Forward:- To progress, all stakeholders must see reason to form a united front with a view to supporting and mobilising all the citizens of this state both at home and at the diaspora to unite under a sole aim of moving this state forward. We must see the emergence of His Excellency, Barr. Bala Ngilari as a will of God whose will and wishes are supreme over all beings. Some may feel uncomfortable with this development but if we advert our minds to the believe that Allah gives and takes and no mortal decides for Him, then Bala Ngilari must be embraced as a will of God. I hereby pledge my unflinching loyalty and support. (What about you)? Our major problem in this state is not that of ethnicity but religion. We are always afraid and often shy away from the reality and pretend about this menace and dangerous trend which Adamawa politics is drifting into and this development has regrettably eaten deep into the fabrics of our politicking and social engagements. A

We have noted with consternation the listing of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan by a website – RichestLifestyle.com - as the sixth richest African President with an estimated net worth of $100 Million U.S. Dollars. The Presidency condemns the totally unwarranted inclusion of President Jonathan in the publication titled “Africa’s Richest Presidents 2014” as another attempt to unjustifiably portray the President as a corrupt leader and incite public disaffection against him. We categorically assert that there is no factual basis for ranking President Jonathan as the sixth richest African Head of State with a net worth of about $100 Million U.S. Dollars. As is well known, President Jonathan has never been a businessman or entrepreneur, but a life- long public servant. The President has held public office since 1999 and has regularly declared his assets as required by Nigerian laws. He has had no personal income since 1999 other than his official remuneration as dep

On Wednesday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will be on the march again as he begins the process of taking another possible shot at the Nigerian presidential seat. Mr. Abubakar will, in a few hours, formally declare his intention to contest the 2015 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr. Abubakar’s decision to declare his presidential bid was based on months of consultations with his political associates and supporters, the last of which was a meeting held in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, his home state on September 1. At the meeting, the associates of the former vice president critically analysed his chances in the impending contest, not just in the APC, but also in the main presidential election fixed for February. Although, Mr. Abubakar, who is Turaki of Adamawa, and had been linked with the registration of the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, was away in Imo State where

“Or should we just leave it as Liz and friends?” T-barz continued. “No ooo, use Lines” Liz objected. Startled, I shouted “lines”, the three idiots echoed after me, “Lines” “Okay Lines it is then but the list isn’t out on paper so it’s our secret till then shey” He mouthed before taking his leave. “Liz, why nah, you don start o” Liz and friends was better o” I protested. “Okechukwu and daughters nii” Bola said almost immediately. “Lines sounds good, we could just change the spelling. you know” Vivian said. “Sure, nah” Bola added. I couldn’t hide the little joy in my heart. Liz noticed “eh, eh, see you blushing o, don’t sha let those lines fall from your cheek ooo” she said. They all giggled. “You all are jealous of them abi, don’t worry I’d take you all to Ibadan, you get even thicker lines from there, nonsense, e go fit your yellow face Viv, mumu, see as she dey laugh” I joked. We caught up on the old gist and Bola gave the ratings of he

WING COMMANDER CHIMDA HEDIMA 1975 - 2014. On 11/09/14, a company of NA soldiers attempted to overrun a Boko Haram position in Borno. Due to the low altitude, the plane suffered significant damage from the terrorists' gun fire. Wing Commander Hedima and his partner realized that they were going to crash. Instead of hurriedly parachuting to safety within Nigerian controlled territory, they chose to embark on a mission to destroy as many terrorists and their weapons as possible. They parachuted out at the last minute but not before ensuring their plane slammed into a column of terrorists in which 63 Boko Haram members were killed as a result of their bravery. Wing Commander Hedima was captured. On 12/09/14, he was killed by the Boko Haram. He chose Nigeria, he chose all of us. We cannot forget him. Please share his story. His name should be known by everyone. Rest In Peace Commander, we are grateful. May you find eternal peace in the bosom of the almighty God.

These ones in my room don’t even seem like they missed me, for them, it would be better if I never came to school at all. As soon as I dropped my bags and picked my phone to check updates, I fell asleep, waking up with an headache. Guess who came knocking on my door synchronizing to make “Wizkid’s don’t dull” beat with the ones in my head, Ridwan. Thank God for the headache, it just was at perfect timing to get the whole act running. “How are you feeling now?” He asked “Just this headache but I’m getting better” “Sorry I couldn’t make it, how was your term paper?” I replied putting on my most sorry face. “Just there jare but I’m still sorry about the way I talked the other day.” He apologized and we talked a little. I still believe that visit had something to do with Liz or rather Liz’s mouth* matter for another day*. I escorted him out of the hostel making to buy Panadol for my headache where I met Chike [funny how you don’t know that some people really exist un

A new video is reported to have been released to AP by Boko Haram men showing the beheading of a man said to be a military pilot who co-piloted the missing Naval air force jet. The video also shows burnt out plane parts with Nigerian military markings. Two pilots and an Alpha jet have been missing since Sept. 11. Below is the report from AP… A new video allegedly shows Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau disputing claims of his death, and the beheading of a man who identifies himself as the pilot of a missing Nigerian Air Force jet. It shows burnt out plane parts with Nigerian military markings, the first indication that Nigeria’s homegrown Islamic extremists have the capability to shoot down aircraft. The man beheaded with an axe identifies himself as a wing commander, saying he has not seen his second pilot since the jet was shot down. Before his beheading, the pilot reportedly gave his name, rank and date of birth, which is 1975 and also said “I’m a pil

A new video is reported to have been released to AP by Boko Haram men showing the beheading of a man said to be a military pilot who co-piloted the missing Naval air force jet. The video also shows burnt out plane parts with Nigerian military markings. Two pilots and an Alpha jet have been missing since Sept. 11. Below is the report from AP… A new video allegedly shows Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau disputing claims of his death, and the beheading of a man who identifies himself as the pilot of a missing Nigerian Air Force jet. It shows burnt out plane parts with Nigerian military markings, the first indication that Nigeria’s homegrown Islamic extremists have the capability to shoot down aircraft. The man beheaded with an axe identifies himself as a wing commander, saying he has not seen his second pilot since the jet was shot down. Before his beheading, the pilot reportedly gave his name, rank and date of birth, which is 1975 and also said “I’m a pilot of the Nigerian air-force

ADAMAWA DECIDES; COME OCTOBER 11.

APC chieftain and presidential aspirant Atiku Abubakar has counseled co-aspirant, Muhammadu Buhari on the qualities Nigerians expect from political leaders in the 2015 contest. In a statement issued to welcome Buhari to the race for their Party’s presidential flag in Abuja, yesterday, Atiku told his colleague that to qualify to fly APC’s flag, such an aspirant must be someone who is a unifier, bridge-builder and not someone who bears ethno-religious bias. Atiku Abubakar said, “I believe that the next president of our country, who by the grace of God will be produced by our great party, must be someone who is a unifier, bridge-builder and not someone who bears ethno-religious bias. Above all, he must embody a vision of a Nigeria for all.” According to the statement titled: “Atiku Welcomes Buhari, Says He’s Committed To Free And Fair Presidential Primary”, Atiku said the task of rescuing Nigeria is a duty leaders of the APC are committed to and, “the more individuals

I hung up before he could even say goodbye. “Vantage view, you would not like mug shots mumu”. I thought of his annoying choice of words. I was already expectant when his call came in at around 3:30pm on Friday; he obviously thought I was going to be fashionably late. “Hey I quickly rushed home for something this afternoon, I would have called you but I have been very busy,” I answered without even hearing his voice on the other side. “Hope all is well sha?” He asked. I told him it was not serious and we rescheduled to Monday morning. Before midday on Monday, I called him to tell him that I was not feeling too well. “If you wouldn’t mind I’d just take it from my phone and send them to your mail,” I asked. “Ok but I need the straight view and pictures of both sides” He replied waiting a few seconds before he said both sides. As soon as he sent me this email address(please who still uses hotmail?), the evil genius got to work, sending a screen shot “page loading” a