ELECTION RESULT SO FAR....

Presidential election results so far - APC now leading

The presidential election results for 18 states plus the FCT has so far been announced. The APC has 10 states, while PDP has 8 states plus the FCT, Abuja. It's a very tight race.

So far APC is leading with 8,520,436 votes while PDP has 6,488,210 votes.

The election result announcement has ended for today. The commission has reconvened till 10am tomorrow. Goodnight folks, I'm exhausted. Kisses

Presidential election result for Plateau state - PDP wins

As announced by Prof Emmanuel Kocha, VC University of Agriculture, Makurdi, RO for Plateau
AA - 178
ACPN - 391
AD - 279
ADC - 406
APA - 618
APC - 429,140
CPP - 237
HOPE - 56
KOWA - 138
NCP - 693
PDP - 549,615 (PDP wins)
PPN - 554
UPD - 54
UPP - 29
Total valid votes - 982,388
Rejected votes - 18304
Total votes cast- 1,000,692

Presidential election result for Imo state - PDP wins

As announced by Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, former VC of UNILAG, collating officer for Imo state
AA - 533
ACPN - 956
AD - 757
ADC - 1617
APA - 2236
APC - 133,253
CPP - 733
HOPE - 157
KOWA - 158
NCP - 784
PDP - 559,185 (PDP Wins)
PPN - 414
UDP - 264
UPP - 1917
Total valid votes -  702,964
Rejected votes - 28,957
Total votes cast - 73192

Presidential election result for Akwa-Ibom - PDP wins

As announced by Prof James Epoke, VC, University of Calabar, the returning officer for Akwa-Ibom
AA - 1,600
ACPN - 443
AD - 474
ADC - 608
APA - 384
APC - 58,411
CPP - 412
HOPE - 192
KOWA - 160
NCP - 381
PDP - 953,304 (PDP wins)
PPN - 327
UDP - 224
UPP -144
Total valid votes -1,017,064
Rejected votes - 11,487
Total votes cast -1,028,551

Presidential election result for Abia state - PDP wins

As announced by the VC of UNN, prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, the collation officer of Abia state
AA - 315
ACPN - 2194
AD - 448
ADC - 569
APA - 2766
APC - 13,394
CPP - 1046
HOPE - 125
KOWA - 173
NCP - 745
PDP - 368,303
PPN - 424
UDP - 213
UPP - 330
Total valid votes -391,045
Rejected votes - 1004
Total votes cast - 401,049
10mins recess. To be continued...

Presidential election results for Anambra state - PDP wins

As announced by Prof Asiabaka, VC of FUTO, who is the returning officer for Anambra state
AA - 547
ACPN - 1,259
AD - 475
ADC - 534
APA - 2303
APC - 17926
CPP - 1279
HOPE - 357
KOWA - 311
NCP - 887
PDP - 660, 762
PPN - 537
UDP - 286
UPP - 1121
Total valid votes - 688584
Rejected votes - 14,825
Total votes cast - 703,409

Presidential election result for Kaduna state - APC wins

As announced by prof. Zuru, the returning officer for  Kaduna state
AA - 218
AD - 273
ACPN - 424
ADC - 546
APA - 1611
APC -1,127,760
CPP - 824
HOPE - 105
KOWA - 176
NCP - 754
PDP - 484,085
PPN - 549
UDP - 79
UPP - 78
Total valid votes - 1,650,201
Rejected votes -32,719
Total votes cast -1,617,482

Presidential election result for Kwara state - APC wins

As announced by the returning officer for Kwara state
AA - 248
AD - 520
ACPN - 817
APA -1165
ADC - 438
APA - 1,165
APC - 302,146 (APC wins)
CPP - 910
HOPE - 118
KOWA - 214
NCP - 394
PDP - 132,602
PPN - 325
UDP - 81
UPP - 102
Total valid votes - 440,080
Rejected votes - 21321
Total votes cast - 416,401

Presidential election result for Katsina state - APC wins

Presidential election results for Jigawa State - APC wins

As announced by Prof James Ayatse VC, Federal University, Katsina, who is the RO of Jigawa state
AA - 394
ACPN - 540
AD - 587
ADC - 375
APA - 2527
APC - 885, 988
CPP - 1,553
HOPE - 337
KOWA - 423
NCP - 548
PDP - 142,904
PPN - 853
UDP - 338
UPP - 197
Total valid votes - 1,037, 564
Rejected votes - 34325
Total votes cast -  1,071,889

Presidential election result for Kano state - APC wins

As announced by the Returning officer of Kano state...
AA - 426
ACPN - 778
AD - 708
ADC - 657
APA - 2,770
APC - 1,903,999
CPP - 1,552
HOPE -292
KOWA - 288
NCP - 697
PDP - 215, 779
PPN - 485
UDP - 234
UPP - 156
Total valid votes - 2,128,821
Rejected votes - 43,626
Total votes cast - 2,172, 447

Pic of Gov. Fashola glued to his TV set watching announcement of INEC results

Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola paying rapt attention to his TV set as INEC announced results of the presidential election today. His official photographer shared the pic on instagram...

Presidential election results so far! PDP in early lead...

INEC has announced results for 8 states and the FCT, Abuja - (total 9) and so far PDP is leading with 2,322,734 votes while APC has 2,302,978 votes, though APC won five states and PDP four states.

The commission has reconvened till 8pm tonight to allow sufficient time for other states to bring in their results. We are still expecting results for 27 states. We will continue by 8pm. Stay tuned!

Presidential election result for Nasarawa state - PDP wins

As announced by Prof. Findadi VC of Federal University, Lokoja, who is RO for Nasarawa state
AA - 40
ACPN - 95
AD - 74
ADC - 105
APA -310
APC - 236, 838
CPP - 131
HOPE - 4
KOWA - 48
NCP - 222
PDP - 273, 460 (PDP wins)
DPN - 164
UPD - 23
UPP - 33
Total votes cast - 511,547
Rejected votes - 10,094
Total votes cast - 521, 641

Presidential election result for Oyo state - APC wins

As announced by Prof Ayobami Salami, the Dep. VC (Academics) of OAU, returning officer for Oyo
AA - 6,331
ACPN - 8,979
AD - 6, 282
ADC - 5,000
APA - 4,468
APC - 528, 620 (APC wins)
CPP - 6, 674
HOPE - 839
KOWA - 1,312
NCP - 1,895
PDP - 303, 376
PPN - 2,842
UDP - 1,069
UPP - 3,665
Total valid votes - 881, 352
Rejected votes - 47, 254
Total votes cast - 928, 606

Presidential election results for FCT, Abuja - PDP wins

As announced by Prof. Michael Faborode, former VC of OAU, Ile Ife, the returning officer for FCT
AA - 139
ACPN - 342
AD - 240
ADC - 288
APA - 674
APC - 146, 399
CPP - 347
HOPE - 83
KOWA - 165
NCP - 473
PDP - 157, 195 (PDP wins)
PPN - 269
UDP - 95
UPP - 96
Total valid votes - 306, 805
Rejected votes - 9210
Total votes cast - 316, 015

Presidential election result for Ondo state - APC wins

As announced by Prof. Olusola Oyewole the VC, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
AA - 386
ACPN - 2406
AD - 1,237
ADC - 1,227
APA - 1139
APC - 299,889 (APC wins)
CPP - 1,012
HOPE - 184
KOWA - 223
NCP - 846
PDP - 251,368
PPN - 734
UPD - 184
UPP - 221
Total valid votes - 561, 056
Rejected votes - 21,379
Total votes cast - 582, 435

Presidential election result from Osun state - APC wins

As announced by Professor Isaac Asusu, VC of the Federal University, Oye, Ekiti, RO for Osun state
AA:377
AD:1667
ACPN:1731
ADC:937
APA:1306
APC: 383,603
CPP:1029
HOPE:132
KOWA:255
NCP:767
PDP:249,929
PPN:599
UDP:124
UPP:159
Total votes cast - 663,373
Rejected votes: 20,758
Valid votes - 642,615

Presidential election results for Kogi state - APC wins

As announced by the VC of University of Abuja, who is the Returning Officer for Kogi state
AA - 700
ACPN - 1,089
AD - 427
ADC - 761
APA - 1,001
APC - 264,851
CPP - 967
HOPE - 144
KOWA - 190
NCP - 399
PDP, 149, 987
PPN - 476
UPD - 180
UPP - 156
Total valid vote - 421, 328
Rejected votes - 17, 959
Total votes cast - 439, 287

Presidential election results for Enugu state - PDP Wins

As announced by the VC of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Prof. Hilary Edoga who is Returning Officer for Enugu state..
AA - 441
ACPN - 479
AD - 269
ADC - 478
APA - 715
APC - 14, 157
CPP - 237
HOPE - 110
KOWA - 203
NCP - 761
PDP - 553, 003 (PDP wins)
PPN - 407
UDP - 1,623
UPP - 290
Total valid vote cast - 573, 173
Rejected votes - 12,459
Total vote cast - 585, 632

Presidential election results for Ogun state - APC wins

As announced by Prof. Duro Oni, Dep. VC of UNILAG, who is the Returning Officer for Ogun state 
ACPN - 3072
AD - 1927
ADC - 1364
APA - 1930
APC - 308, 290 (APC wins)
CPP- 978
HOPE - 332
KOWA - 432
NCP - 815
PDP - 207, 950
PPN - 4339
UDP - 562
UPP - 597
Total valid votes - 533, 172
Rejected votes - 26, 441
Total votes cast - 559 - 613

Presidential election results in Ekiti state - PDP wins

Graphic pics: man shot dead as violence breaks out at INEC office in Bauchi

The man in the photo above was allegedly shot dead by a soldier this morning at Bauchi's INEC Office after the military tried to gain access into the office. Residents of the state had blocked the military from entering the office as results were being collated and this sparked the violence. The residents had held a vigil outside the INEC office to await the announcement of last Saturday's election when the military showed up. Another man was hit by a stray bullet. See the photos after the cut...

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Pics: PDP House of Reps aspirant allegedly caught with 4000 PVCs in Enugu

Dr Chukwuemeka Ujam pictured here was a PDP House of Representative aspirant in the just concluded 2015 elections. The former Commissioner for Land in Enugu State contested for the Nkanu East/West seat. He was allegedly caught with 4000 PVCs in Enugu yesterday by the military, who paraded him. More photos after the cut...

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Obanikoro congratulates Jonathan ahead of his 'expectant victory'

Hmmm....we await the results!

Photos: Women in Rivers state protest Saturday's election

Women in Rivers state took to the streets this morning to protest the conduct of the election in the state on Saturday March 28th. The women who wore black walked through Aba road towards INEC office to register their displeasure, alleging that there were some irregularities during the election. More photos after the cut...

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Graphic pic of the man stabbed to death by lover in Lagos yesterday

Left is the photo of the man who was stabbed to death yesterday March 29th at his Lagos home by his lover. Read previous story here. The initial report was that they fought over disagreement about APC/PDP presidential candidates, but a source close to the couple told LIB it was a quarrel that she should take the Okra outside and not politics. She stabbed him in the chest with the knife she was using to cut the Okra and tells police she had no intention of killing him. And you used a knife?

The guy's name was Maduabuchi Akunne and he was not married to the woman. His family in Aba have been informed of his demise. Photo of his corpse after he was stabbed after the cut...

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Buhari wins in Jigawa and Kogi States

APC Presidential candidate, Gen Buhari has been declared winner of the presidential election in Kogi state. The Kogi INEC Collation Officer Prof. Adikwu Michael while making the announcement at the state's secretariat in Lokoja this morning said Buhari pulled 264,851 votes out of the 439,287 votes that was cast in the state. President Jonathan pulled 149,987 votes. Gen Buhari won in 15 of the 21 LGAs of the state while President Jonathan won in 6 LGAs. In terms of percentage, Gen Buhari had 60.3% votes while President Jonathan had 34.1% votes.

Meanwhile, Buhari has also been declared the winner of the Presidential election in Jigawa state. The INEC returning officer, Professor James Ayatsa who is the Vice Chancellor of Federal University Katsina announced his victory and said Gen. Buhari pulled a total of 885, 988 votes while President  Jonathan pulled a total of 143, 904 votes.

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Jonathan, Buhari renew peace deal

President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gen. Muhammedu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday signed another peace deal for violent-free elections.
The duo are the top candidates for the March 28 presidential elections.
They had signed a similar agreement along side other presidential candidates on the 14th of January, 2015. The agreement then was popularly called the Abuja Accord.
The meeting on Thursday at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja was facilitated by‎ the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar‎’s led ‎National Peace Committee on 2015 Elections.
Just like the first meeting, they again shook hands and hug each other at the venue.
They also renewed the accord in January by reassuring Nigerians and the world that the country is more important than their own aspirations.
The accord signed on Thursday by the two candidates and read by Bishop Mathew Kukah was titled ‘Renewal of our pledges to peaceful elections. Joint statement issued by His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammad Buhari on Thursday, March 26, 2015 ahead of the 2015 presidential elections.’
It reads: “You may recall that on 14th January 2015, both of us, long with nine other party leaders signed what has now come to be known as the Abuja Accord. The substance of that Accord was our commitment to free, fair and credible elections in our dear country.

“In the Accord, we agreed to, among other things, run an issue-based campaign and pledged that our electoral campaigns will not involve any religious incitement, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and all agents acting in our names.
“Now that the campaigns have come to an end, we meet today to renew our pledge for peaceful elections. We therefore call on all fellow citizens of our dear country, and our part supporters, to refrain from violence or any acts that may in any way jeopardize our collective vision of a free, fair and credible election.
“In addition, we call on INEC and all security agencies to ensure strict adherence to their constitutional roles. We also pledge to respect the outcome of free, fair and credible elections.
“Today, we again renew our commitment to a united, democratic and prosperous Nigeria. We want to all Nigerians to stand together at this critical phase of our nation’s history.Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria. God bless you all.” It stated
In his remarks, Abdulsalami Abubakar said: “This committee has been working round the clock to assist the parties and Nigerians to ensure that there is peace and harmony before, during and after the elections this time around.
“Mr. President was kind enough to see us yesterday (Wednesday), one he is the President of the country and secondly he is a contestant. And this morning Gen. Buhari despite his late arrival last night or early arrival this morning, was kind enough to meet with this committee.
“In essence all the meetings were held to brief them the current situation of the country and what we expect of them as stakeholders and as presidential candidates.
I want to thank both the President and Gen. Buhari for finding time to meet with the committee. And I want to thank both party chairmen for the support received in trying to send this message of peace.
“I’m happy both parties, the contestants are committed to free and fair elections, free of violence. And this morning a document to reiterate their commitment for this peaceful and for the forthcoming elections,” he added

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Hehehe:- Luiz Suarez Caught Teaching His Son How To Bite

 

The recently Banned uruguan Footballer Luiz Suarez Caught Teaching His Son How To Bite. We all know what he is famous for, but judging from the picture above, does it mean luiz suarez is teaching the innocent kid how to bite? :) Luiz suarez just made a record breaking transfer of 75million pounds from liverpool to FC Barcelona weeks ago inspite of his bad image from the just concluded Fifa World Cup in Brazil.

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Election 2015: Land and sea borders to be shut Thursday to Saturday

The Federal Government has said all land and sea borders will be closed from midnight on Thursday to midnight on Saturday, to allow for a hitch-free poll.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration Service, David Parradang, who announced this in Abuja on Wednesday, said immigration personnel had been deployed in land borders to ensure that no illegal migrants come into the country during the elections.
A statement by the NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, said the CG stated this during a meeting with some embassy officials and leaders of ECOWAS communities from Niger Republic, Senegal, Chad, Cameroun, Guinea and Mali.
Parradang cautioned foreigners resident in Nigeria against coming to vote during the elections, adding that any Non-Nigerian caught voting would be prosecuted for violating the electoral laws and jailed.
He advised the embassy officials and community leaders to ask their nationals to keep off polling centres, noting that the warning had become necessary to ensure that the existing robust relationship among member-states in the sub-region is not undermined by unnecessary meddlesomeness in the internal electoral affairs of other states.
The statement reads, “The CG announced that effective midnight March 26 to midnight March 28, 2015, all land and sea borders across the country would be closed to allow for a hitch-free elections slated for March 28, 2015.
“He also enjoined the community leaders to advise any of their nationals in possession of Nigeria’s Permanent Voter Cards, National Identity Card or Passport to surrender same immediately as anyone caught with any of them shall be brought before the law.”
The CG further stated that the Nigeria Immigration Service would soon embark on biometric registration of all ECOWAS and other African citizens resident in the country to build a reliable database of all non-Nigerians resident in the country.
According to him, a total of 2,066 irregular migrants who were rounded up across the country have been deported.
Meanwhile, the CG has approved the deployment of five Deputy Comptrollers-General and Command-Comptrollers to different parts of the country to monitor the polls.

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UNICAL expels 45 over exam malpractice

University of Calabar has expelled 45 students for various examination offences during the 2012/2103 session.
The vice chancellor, Professor. James Epoke, who disclosed this while explaining measures adopted to instill discipline in the institution recently, said his administration had zero tolerance for examination malpractice.
He warned that further disciplinary measures could be taken against any member of staff who aides examination malpractice.
Prof. Epoke further disclosed that out of the 45 students, 27 were expelled outright for impersonation, 10 for re-writing examinations at an external satellite centre, one  for submitting fake medical report and another for assaulting lecturer during examination.
Ten other students, he said, were suspended for one year for entering the examination halls with extraneous materials and 9 others also caught with extraneous materials during examination but refused to appear before examination malpractices committee were suspended indefinitely.

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We’ll soon bury APC – Mrs. Jonathan

 

The wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, yesterday in Enugu advised the women of the state against being deceived by the antics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which she said has nothing good to offer the people.
Mrs. Jonathan who was in Enugu to mobilize the women for the President,  described the APC as a group that keeps changing their names in a desperate attempt to hijack power.
“By the time they lose again, they will definitely change their name again. We will wait until they change their name to Ebola, then we will bury them,” Mrs Jonathan said.
She told the women that Buhari as Head of State, never recognized the women, rather he jailed Sam Mbakwe and his wife.
She therefore queried; “Will you vote a man who jailed a husband and wife?”
Mrs. Jonathan, who danced with the women for several minutes at the Okpara Square Enugu, stated that President Jonathan has great respect for women and the youths, he appointed women into his cabinet and has been building schools, instead of prisons  as she alleged the opposition will do.
Also speaking the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu recalled that Enugu voted massively for Jonathan in 2011 and will repeat same on Saturday, insisting that there is no other alternative to the President considering his relationship with the people and what he has done to improve their lives.
Speaking in the sane vein,  the PDP governorship candidate in Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, listed the various projects the President sited in Enugu including the Enugu International Airport, and urged the people to come out en masse and vote for President Jonathan and other PDP candidates.

In his speech Minister of Power Prof. Chinedu Nebo said no other president compares to President Jonathan in the provision of infrastructure and other amenities and the improvement of the power sector

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Abia sacks commissioner over rape

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Ebola crisis: Sierra Leone lockdown to hit 2.5m people

 

Sierra Leone is to enforce a three-day lockdown of key parts of the country to try to contain the Ebola epidemic.

There have been 3,325 confirmed deaths from Ebola in the West African nation.
A three-day curfew in September, keeping people at home under quarantine, was hailed as a success by authorities, despite some criticism.
The country's National Ebola Response Centre says a new lockdown will come into place next week. It will affect close to 2.5m people.
While the number of cases has slowed since the peak of the outbreak, the virus is far from eradicated.
In the seven days leading up to 15 March, there were 55 new cases in Sierra Leone, and 90 in neighbouring Guinea.
The number of new cases in Liberia - where most deaths have occurred - has not been registered.

Palo Conteh, the head of the NERC, told the AFP news agency that the curfew would take place across the Western Area of Sierra Leone, a part of the country that includes the capital, Freetown.
The districts of Bombali and Port Loko will also be affected.
"The lockdown will be conducted from March 27 to March 29 and will be like the one we conducted in September last year," said Mr Conteh.
"The government and partners are hopeful that latent cases that are now not being reported or recorded will come out."
Mr Conteh said that health workers will visit every house in the areas affected by the lockdown. They will remind people about the dangers of touching corpses and taking patients to traditional healers.
There have been 10,179 deaths due to Ebola, according to the World Health Organization.
The majority of those deaths have been in three West African countries - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

A previous lockdown in Freetown in September was hailed as a success

The economic effect of the outbreak has been severe in Sierra Leone.
The World Bank estimates that the revenue of some parts of the population has dropped by as much as 40%, and that close to 180,000 people have lost work as a result of the crisis.
Despite dozens of new cases every week, the government is determined to meet a target to eradicate Ebola by 15 April

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How we survived Boko Haram hell, by displaced persons

Mrs Wasini William, 24, a mother of one, had a harrowing experi­ence that has haunted her in the last seven months. It was her encounter with the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.
A native of Askara Uba in Adamawa State, William and her aged grandmother were forced to live in the bush with reptiles and other wild animals for six weeks. It was their only option if they were to avoid their throats being slit like many of their neighbours.
Her husband, a cripple, had to also take his fate in his hands. While in the bush, Mrs. William, in company with her grandmother, lived on raw beans and vegetables. They joined cows to drink from a makeshift water source. She survived the inhuman condition but she would quickly inform anybody around her that hundreds of her close friends and relatives were not as lucky.
Mrs. William is now one of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) residing in Yola, Adamawa State. Narrating her experience to Daily Sun, she told of how the insurgents visited her community twice. First was when they came to give loans to the residents as a way of recruiting them, especially the men. They came again to distribute guns to the men who benefitted from the loans. Even those who did not benefit were compelled to take the guns or have their heads severed. They unleashed terror on the community, burning houses, raining bullets on those who took to their heels and slitting the throats of those they laid their hands on.
“What I saw was deadlier than hell,” she recalled. “Men, women, children were killed like animals. Our house was set on fire as a warning to us. They told us that they would wipe off the family when they returned,” Mrs. William recalled with tears rolling down her cheeks.
She said it was at that point that she and several other lucky women managed to find their ways to the bush.
“All of us cannot explain how we managed to escape to the bush. Only God knows how He directed our steps to the bush. They were shooting people who were running, people were crying, there was no intervention from anywhere,” she said in Hausa.
The heart-wrenching narration of Mrs. William was not different from that of Mrs Hawa Aliyu, a 31- year-old mother of six. In Bama where she hails from, she escaped death by the whiskers. According to her, the insurgents came to their house on a Friday and informed that they would return the next day to take her to the dreaded Sambisa forest. The reason for the trip to Sambisa, she was told, was to help her learn “true Islam.” She said: “I agreed, but when the men left, I ran to the bush.”
She was pregnant at the time this was happening. For five days she fed on leaves in the bush. Her husband escaped to an unknown bush and was there for several weeks. Till date, she is yet to reunite with him.
“I don’t know where my husband is and he does not know where I am. The only time I heard about him was when somebody told me that he saw him in Maiduguri.”
In Yola, where she is now with her children, she disclosed that life has not been easy. “We are suffering but it is not like what I went through in Bama. God will not allow me to go through it again,” she prayed.
For Mrs. Maryam Ado, an indigene of Michika in Adamawa State, she not only saw hell, she survived by the grace of God.
“I don’t want to remember the hell I passed through because it is better imagined. I was pregnant and did not taste anything called food or water for days. I trekked in the bush, several kilometres. The worse part of it is that I did not know where I was going. The only thing I knew was that I was moving.”
She had nobody to assist or encourage her. Her husband had fled to an unknown place, and they have not set eyes on each other since then.
On life at the camp, she said: “Sometimes, we do not see food to eat but I thank God that I am alive. There are many people who were killed by the insurgents.”
A look at the multitude of women that gathered at the Jamaatu Nasril Islam headquarters in Yola clearly told the story of what they were passing through. Some of them said they had been battling with diverse challenges. In the camp, food is not always available, and there are health issues to contend with.
Hawa and Ado said: “The best way to know what we are going through is to spend a night at the camp. Some of us are not living at the camp but with our relatives or friends. Even at that, you have to depend on others to live. We don’t always have food, and our children fall sick often. We live in perpetual fear. We sleep and wake up with the shadows of all that happened. Sometimes you go to a corner and start crying.”
The internally displaced persons might be going through some pains, but they are grateful to some individuals and organisations for their interventions. Such organisations include the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), JNI and some churches.
“I have to tell you the truth; many of us would have died but for the gifts from good people,” said one of the displaced persons.”
Penultimate Sunday, the leadership of AUN brought smiles to the faces of the IDPs. The university authorities led by the President, Prof Margee Ensign, supplied multi-million naira worth of food items and other relief materials to the IDPs at JNI, Yola. Some of the women could not control their emotions as they broke down in tears. They lavished praises on Prof Ensign, describing her as God-sent.
“I have not seen somebody like her. She has taken our welfare as her responsibility. This is not the first or second time she would come to our aid; she has been doing that regularly,” Mrs. Hawa said.
Prof Ensign doubles as the Chairman of the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), a group that has placed it on itself to alleviate the pitiable condition of the IDPs.
The warm reception she got when she entered the JNI clearly showed how appreciative the women were over her series of interventions. They clapped and waved at her.
Riding on the convivial atmosphere, Prof Ensign said the community had a responsibility to join forces to address the plight of the IDPs. She challenged every Nigerian to come up with ways of bringing a lasting solution to the IDPs. She noted that doing that would bring an enduring peace to the ravaged areas and the country generally.
On the relief items, the AUN boss disclosed that the founder of the university and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was the force behind the items. She noted that the former Vice President was always in support of any initiative that could ameliorate the poor condition of the IDPs.
Speaking on behalf of JNI, Alhaji Gambo Jika described the AUN President as an exceptional person and urged all Nigerians to emulate her. He said her commitment to peace and a lasting solution to the situation of the IDPs was second to none.
On what was being done to resettle the IDPs, Jika revealed that a parcel of land, measuring 200 plots, was being made available at the district of Mayoille. He also revealed that there were other efforts being made to resettle the people.
Within Yola, one thing that is clearly noticeable is the influence that Prof Ensign commands among the people. Several children rely on the meal tickets she hands to them to eat in some eateries. They hail and praise her anytime they see her. She is also using the AUN platform to train hundreds of youths in the state on ICT.
She said: “We have to empower thousands of people on ICT. This will equip them to live a normal life. The university believes that it exists for the people. I would like the government to also come up with ways of helping these people who are displaced.”

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Drama as 107-yr-old man takes heartthrob, 95, to altar

For 70 years, Elder Dikam Garba Dabo’ok and MrsKa’a Nafung had lived together as husband and wife. But the couple, now 107 and 95 years respectively, have found a new sparkle to rekindle their marital love in the church.
The church ceremony in Plateau State, has remained the talk of the town in the social diary of the state and may remain so for a long time. This is particularly so because the celebrants are the first couple in the history of the state to be administered marital vow at such unusual ages.
At 95, the bride is well past her menopause. Her surviving first child is 65 years old. The groom, popularly known to many in his neighbourhood as Baba Dikam, is 107 years old and may no longer be sexually active. But all that is not enough to discourage the couple from walking down the aisle arm-in-arm for a new marital oath.
The ceremony, which was held at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Chizu village in Bwai, Mangu Local Government Area of the state, was a delight to watch as it was packaged in the manner that young grooms and brides would walk down the aisle. The groom was dressed in black suite and a red neck tie to match, while the bride stepped out dressed in a pure white wedding gown with a neatly made hair to match. They drove to the church in separate vehicles, as if they never met before. The groom was accompanied by cutely dressed men and the bride by a long bridal train.
They had a procession and matched into the church separately as if they never met before. They only came together after they were wedded by the officiating pastor. The officiating pastor of the church, Rev. Tongwe Sale, congratulated the couple and admonished them as if they were young couples. He said: “Marriage is ordained by God and it should be kept sacred.” He charged them to keep faith in God since they are still alive, noting that although they are old, they can still be important in the lives of their children and grand children.
Taking his message from Genesis 1:26-27, Rev. Elisha Pam spoke on the topic, “Marriage: Highly mysterious” and pointed out that when God created Adam, the woman was already in existence in the body of man, after which she was brought out in a mysterious way and Adam named her Eve. He noted that the grounds for a solid marriage are patience and obedience through Christ as he read Ephesians 5:21
They happily took the oath that they would love themselves until death do them apart. They also vowed not to allow a third party in their marital life. They signed the marriage certificate after the service and marched out of the church dancing to the admiration of their guests.

When they got outside the church auditorium, the newly wedded couple posed for photograph in various styles and angles. After the photograph session, they moved in a car and zoomed off to the reception ground accompanied by their guests, children, friends and family members.
When it was time to cut the wedding cake, the couple walked hand in hand to where the colourful cake was placed. The groom continuously gazed at his wedding ring in a manner that suggests that the occasion was a dream come true for him. Like marksmen, they held the knife firmly and on completion of the spelling of Jesus, they cut the cake and feebly smiled at the guests. They trilled their guests with the ceremonial culture of couple feeding one another with the cake and non-alcoholic wine. After feeding themselves, the newly wedded couple danced to the music blasting from the loud speakers in “old school” style to the admiration of their guests.
It was celebration galore at the reception for the family and friends of the couple. The couples told their excited guests at the reception their true life stories. They said it was the grace of God that allowed them to solemnise their marriage in the church.
The groom narrated his life story thus: “I had seven wives and 32 children during my younger days, but I did so because I did not know Christ. But that made me great among my contemporaries as only those who were wealthy could do that. But in spite of that, God remained faithful and merciful for me. I have a lot of testimonies to show that God was so faithful to me. I am now in a better position to advise my children and my well wishers to live the life of Christ. I don’t want any of my children to emulate my past life style, because you may fall out of the grace and mercies of God. But I’m so pleased because my children are committed to Christ; they lived the life of Christ, they were the ones that insisted I must come to Christ and take their mother to the altar.
“Before now we lived our lives outside Christ, but from today, we are now confirmed children of Christ. It would have been worse for us if we had died without Christ. But God has protected our lives up till this moment to come to Him.”
One of the children of the couple, Barr. Zephaniah Garba was full of appreciation and praises to God when he spoke with our reporter. He said: “I am full of joy today because my father has come to profess Christ at his old age. I have been looking forward to this day and I thank God they were able to make it. I want to encourage those who did not conduct their marriage in Christian way to try and do so; it is never late. My father’s own should be an example to others, you can still do it”.
There were goodwill messages from the Chairmen of PCC Kabwir, Rev. David Musa, and Langtang North LG Chairman elect, Hon. Daniel Dandul, while various dance groups added colour to the event as the couples cut their wedding cake.

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INEC testruns Card Readers in 12 states

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will, on Saturday, conduct a field test of Card Readers in 12 states to verify their functionality, ahead of the general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.
According to a statement signed by the Secretary, Ishiaku A Gali, the field testing will take place in two states in each of the nation’s six geo-political zones, pointing out that it will take place simultaneously.
He revealed that the selected states are Ekiti and Lagos for the South-West, Anambra and Ebonyi, South-East, Delta and Rivers for the South-South, Kano and Kebbi, Northwest, Bauchi and Taraba, NorthEast, Niger and Nasarawa for the NorthCentral.
The statement noted that the meeting between the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega and the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) earlier scheduled for today, has been postponed to enable them supervise test-running of the cards.
Gali charged the RECs with the responsibility of selecting registration area with full compliments of the PVCs and with appreciable distribution level of such Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) for undertaking the field test, to be thorough.
“They will also ensure that the register of voters in respect of all polling units in the selected registration areas is printed for the conduct of the exercise. They will carry out engagements with key stakeholders in the selected registration areas where the exercise would be conducted to ensure massive participation by registered voters
“The National Commissioners are to supervise the conduct of the exercise in their zones while the RECs not selected for the exercise should observe the conduct of the exercise in their zones in conjunction with the National Commissioners,” Gali noted.
Meanwhile, INEC has said it will take delivery of the remaining one million hitherto unprinted PVCs this week, adding that the cards will be deployed in the various collection points for onward distribution to the owners.
The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode Robert Idowu, who disclosed this yesterday, however, noted that he could not confirm whether the commission will shift the March 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs.
“I can confirm to you that the remaining one million PVCs that were not printed before now are ready and will be delivered to the commission this week for onward distribution to the owners. However, I cannot confirm to you if there will be another postponement after the March 8 deadline for the collection of PVCs,” Idowu noted

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'It's going down to the last day' - Van Gaal on Man Utd's top-four bid

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Mar 4, 2015 10:35:00

With Arsenal, Liverpool, Southampton, Tottenham and the 13-time Premier League champions all vying for third and fourth place, the Dutchman is expecting a dramatic finale

Louis van Gaal expects Manchester United to be in a race for Champions League qualification until the last week of the season.

The Dutchman has attracted criticism for the club's tactics this season but United currently lie fourth with 11 games left to play, while Arsenal's form has seen them overcome a worst ever start to a Premier League season to sit third.

Sixth-placed Liverpool are the form team in the top flight, having taken 26 points from a possible 30 over their last 10 games while Southampton's win over Crystal Palace sees them a point adrift of United in fifth.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are seventh and lie six points behind United, though Mauricio Pochettino's men have a game in hand.

Arsene Wenger previously predicted that it would take 72 points to guarantee a top-four finish this term, which Van Gaal is unsure of, but he is not expecting anything to be confirmed until May.

When questioned on Wenger's comments, Van Gaal told reporters: "I don't think of how many points. But he is more experienced in the Premier League so I want to believe him.

"It is going to the last week, I know that."

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