President Jonathan swears in new ministers

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday swore in the new set of ministers cleared by the Senate.
Embattled former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, (Lagos) was sworn in as the Minister of State Foreign Affairs II, while Nicholas Ada (Benue) is now the Minister of State Foreign Affairs I.
Mr. Obanikoro had resigned his appointment to run for the Lagos governorship ticket under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, but lost to Jimi Agbaje.
Mr. Obanikoro’s nomination and final clearance by the Senate had been embroiled in controversy as he was fingered in the Ekiti State rigging scandal evidenced by an audio recording.
Nigerians including the major opposition party, All Progressives Congress, opposed his nomination but the Senate President David Mark, said Mr. Obanikoro’s clearance was constitutional and in line with the Senate’s tradition.
Cabinet re-shuffle
Mr. Jonathan also made minor cabinet reshuffle as he named Alhassan Khaliru‎ the Minister of Health while Fidelis Nwankwo, is now the new Minister of State for Health‎.
Other ministers sworn in the presence of Council members, friends and family members include: Patricia Akwashiki ‎ (Nasarawa) as Minister of Information; and Augustine Akobundu (Abia State) as Minister of State, Defence.
‎Others are Hauwa’u Bappa, as Minister of State Niger Delta Affairs; Kenneth Kobani (Rivers) as Minister of State Industry, Trade and Investment; Joel Ikenya (Taraba), Minister of Labour.
President Jonathan also swore in two Federal Civil Service Commissioners – Jonah Madugo, who will represent Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states and National Population Commission, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyi.
The President told the new Ministers that they were coming in at the “injury time”. He said Nigerians will be watching their moves.
“For the ministers this is an injury time. It is like bringing a player when you have just five minutes to go in a football match. So everyone wants to know what that player will do, the magic the player will perform within that short period. The player himself will be struggling to at least kick the ball before the end of the game.
“So you are coming in at a quite challenging period and I believe that a number of people will not envy you because government is coming to a close.
“For the member of the Federal Civil Service Commission, civil service is key; is the engine room of government.
“The greatest problem that people complain about is the issues of discipline in the service.‎ I believe that with you coming to join others, you will continue to modernize the federal civil service.
Mr. Jonathan said the National Population Commission team is qualified to hold office.
“For the National Population Commission, we are thinking of how to go for another head count. And every country wants to know the exact population for the purpose of planning and all that. I believe this is a good team and listening to your citations all of you are eminently qualified to hold any office in this country. And we believe that you will join us to serve our nation.” he said.
The president congratulated the new appointees and expressed hope that they will join to serve the nation.

Premium Times

D&G criticized for promoting rape in adverts

Old highly controversial campaign adverts for Dolce & Gabbana in Spring/Summer 2007 which was banned in Italy, US, Spain and other countries have resurfaced and awakened fresh new criticism for the brand in the midst of their IVF scandalous comment. The advert depicts the gang rape of a woman.

One of it shows a woman being restrained by a bare-chested man as a group of men in various states of undress look on.

See the other pictures.

Show of patriotism: Nigerian donates N1m to support war against Boko Haram

A Nigerian, Dotun Oyetunde has donated the sum of N1 million to support the military’s fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who received the donation on Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, ahead of a closed door meeting of the Security Council commended the gesture and advised that the nation's security forces should be appreciated. He described the attitude of politicians who politicize the ongoing war against terror as reckless.

“We must continue to commend men of the Nigerian armed forces, a nation must honour men of its armed forces. All the nations that we emulate and build our democracy after do not insult their military”.

“They must be appreciated and insulated from politics. I feel bad when leaders rope military into our day to day political activities. That is reckless. These men stay in the rain while we are under roofs. They stay awake for us to sleep well,” Jonathan said.

He applauded the support the military currently enjoys from Nigerians. He appealed to other Nigerians to emulate Oyetunde and others, who have been donating in cash and kind to members of the armed forces, advising that such assistance could be routed through the Chief of Defence Staff, National Security Adviser or the Minister of Defence.

While speaking, Oyetunde said he and his wife were motivated to make the donation by the plight of members of the armed forces fighting Boko Haram insurgents.

He expressed surprise that people are criticising the troops while also seeing Boko Haram as a political issue, wondering whether the insurgents normally request for party affiliation before attacking their victims.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who introduced Oyetunde informed the President that other people had donated various items such as drugs, bags of rice and cartons of instant noodles among others to the military.

Bolivia denies Nigeria a Freindly Match

The international friendly football match between Bolivia and Nigeria has been called off.

The friendly game which was due to take place at the new Akwa Ibom International stadium in Uyo on March 26^th was called off amid security concerns in Nigeria.

At a press conference in Santa Cruz today, the president of the Bolivian Football Federation, Carlos Chavez said armed conflicts in Nigeria as well as political tension forced them to cancel the match "The armed conflict in Nigeria and the tense political situation forced the cancellation of the game" Chavez said