Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Nigeria shuts all borders ahead of Saturday's election




Nigeria has announced the closure of all land and sea borders ahead of Saturday’s presidential elections, the Interior Ministry announced Wednesday.
All borders will effectively be closed from midnight March 25, to midnight Saturday, March 28, the ministry said in a statement.
The release, signed by the permanent secretary, Abubakar Magaji, said the borders would be closed “to allow for the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming national elections”.
It also said the Nigeria Immigration Service has been directed to ensure that non-Nigerians do not participate in any part of the election process.

Buhari’s escapes disqualification




In what seems to be an escape for Buhari, the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned hearing in all cases questioning retired General Muhammadu Buhari’s eligibility to contest in the 2015 presidential elections, to the 22nd and 23rd of April.
The court also dismissed the application filed by two other parties one Ebunoluwa Adegoruwa, a human rights activists and another Chukwuma Ochu seeking to be joined in the suit.
Trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola said the applicants are no more than meddlesome interlopers seeking to waste the time of the court and as such their applications concerning Buhari’s eligibility are frivolous and is thereby struck out.
The two parties before the court had approached the court to be joined as defendants in the suit.
While Mr Adegoruwa premised his application on the grounds that he is a pro-democrat who wants to ensure that all parties are granted equal rights, Mr Uwa told the court that his application is on the grounds that General Buhari is his candidate in the 2015 presidential elections and if he is disqualified he will be disenfranchised.
Buhari’s eligibility to contest in the forthcoming elections has been a bone of contention since he emerged the All Progressives Congress’ candidate.
On March 19, the court reserved ruling till  March 23 to decide whether it has jurisdiction to hear the suit filed by one Chukwuwike Okafor and Donald Daunamigba challenging Buahri’s eligibility to contest the 2015 general elections.
At the resumed hearing of two suits filed by Chukwunweike Okafor and Donald Daunamigba, their lawyer Mike Ozekhome (SAN) told the court that he had received a number of preliminary objections and applications for joinder in the suit.
He, however, asked the court for accelerated hearing in view of the fact that the general elections are barely a week away. According to him the court should consolidate all applications in the suit and decide on it, together with the substantive suit.
On March 24, the court ruled that all pending applications and the originating summons would be taken together in the suit challenging Buhari’s eligibility in the forthcoming March 28 presidential election.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Mike Ozekhome, who replied on point of law, argued that the parties seeking to join are interlopers and he canvased for accelerated hearing.
While counsel to the APC, Lateef Fagbemi, faulted Ozekhome’s position, he maintained that the mode of service on his client is faulty, stating that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Counsel to Muhammadu Buhari , Mr Abubakar Malaki, also aligned with the position of the APC.
After listening to all parties, the presiding Judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, fixed the 25th of March to rule on the application for joinder.‎‎

Chilling Story!! Edo women should forgive Aisha Buhari, she’s a victim of rape




Concerned Nigerian gender activists have called on the women of Edo State to forgive the unguarded comments recently credited to Mrs. Aisha Buhari, wife of the APC Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
Mrs. Buhari had in a campaign rally for her husband’s presidential bid in Edo State over the weekend described the women of Edo State, as “prostitutes” claiming her husband’s administration will stop the prostitution by Edo women abroad.
In a swift response to Mrs. Buhari on Monday in Benin, Sarah Obozuwa, Founder of the Edo Women for Change (EWC) called on Edo women to forgive Mrs. Buhari. “Aisha Buhari was born on September 29, 1979. As of today, Mrs. Buhari is only 35 years of age. She was married to Buhari in August 13, 1989, at the age of 9. This means that Buhari at age 47, in 1989 was having sex with Aisha Buhari at the tender age of 9, an underage according to the constitution of Nigeria. So Mrs. Buhari is a victim of sustained childhood rape and her outbursts are understandable”, she said.
Speaking further, Mrs. Obozuwa said: “How Buhari got Aisha Buhari pregnant at age 13 is a chilling story of a Buhari who defiled Aisha as a little child while she was visiting Zulai, Buhari’s eldest daughter who was her playmate. It is ironic how such a traumatized woman now stands at the vanguard of stigmatizing fellow women.”