Obasanjo, Jega Corrupted Ghana’s Electoral Process- CPC spokesperson, Fashakin

By Sani Tukur and Mohammed Lere
The CPC spokesman, Mr. Fashakin, said Messrs. Obasanjo and Jega contributed to the crisis in Ghanaian elections.
The spokesperson of one of Nigeria’s largest opposition parties, Rotimi Fashakin, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC of corrupting the Ghanaian electoral process.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Rotimi Fashakin, said the two men are the cause of the protests that followed the recently held presidential election in Ghana.
In the first part of an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Fashakin said “The opposition (in Ghana) should complain because people that came from Nigeria went to corrupt their system.”
“Of course when Jega went there, they knew that election manipulation and rigging has come. When Obasanjo went there, they knew that the generalissmo of do or die politics has come, they knew that their election may be fraught with dangers.
“So they should now know better the kind of people they invite to monitor their elections,” the opposition spokesman said.
Mr. Fashakin also spoke about corruption in Nigeria and the on-going merger talks by opposition political parties and how the ruling Peoples Democratic Party “hired IT Consultants” and disguised them as Youth Corps members to rig elections.
Saharareporters

Atmosphere of miracles: N20bn pensions fund discovered in secret account

by Akan Ido
Abdulrasheed Maina, the chairman of the pension reform task force has announced the discovery of another N20billion stolen pension funds stashed in secret accounts.
Maina told journalists that the money was stashed in dormant accounts but reports have not been made because investigations are still ongoing.
According to the chairman:  “Recently, we discovered some money hidden in other accounts, apart from the N221billion we have recovered and sent to the government.
“I did not disclose this earlier because we are still under investigation. The money is over N20 billion.”
He reportedly continued saying, “The amount has been hidden in some accounts that are dormant for over three years… As soon as we get through with our investigation, we will report to the Minister of Finance to instruct the Accountant-General to move the money.”
YNaija.com

Bayelsa helicopter crash: I suspect foul play – Governor Suswam

There seems to be no end to insinuations that Saturday’s helicopter crash, which killed a serving governor and a former national security adviser, was a sabotage.
Fingers have pointed at incumbent National Security Adviser, who has since denied any involvement. The Navy’s pronouncement that the crashed helicopter was airworthy also lent credence to the sabotage theory, which was further fueled, Monday, by comments attributed to Gabriel Suswan, the governor of Benue State, who alleged there was a plot to annihilate Christian governors from the North.
Suswan alleged that there were plans by the Boko Haram Islamic militant sect to attack him, and called on Christians in the country to pray fervently for him.
Addressing communicants of NKST Church, in High Level quarters, Makurdi on Monday, he decried a situation where only four of all the governors in the north are Christian.
“With the demise of Sir Patrick Yakowa and the almost hopeless condition of Suntai, only two of them are left standing,” he said. “I went to Germany to see Suntai and I could not believe what I saw.”
Only last month, Governor of Taraba State, Danfulani Danbaba Suntai, a Christian, was involved in a ghastly chopper crash and he is still in a very critical condition at a German hospital.
The death of Gov. Yakowa was greeted with jubilation in the street of Kaduna by Muslims, who had been unhappy that a Christian was at the helm of affair in the state, thus corroborating Suswan’s claim.
DailyPost

Third Class Degree, SSCE Holders Barred From Police Recruitment

In a bid to sanitize the Nigeria Police as well as carry-out far reaching reforms in repositioning the force to achieve its mandate of effectively securing lives and property, the Police Service Commission has said holders of Secondary School Certificate would no longer be accepted into the Nigeria Police Force as constables.

Inspector General Of Police: M.D Abubakar

It said the minimum entry requirement now was Ordinary National Diploma.
In the same vein, Third Class degree holders would no longer be accepted as Cadet Inspectors, in line with the reform in the force.
PSC Commissioner and Chairman, Public Affairs Committee of the commission, Ms. Comfort Obi, who stated this at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, explained that the commission had reviewed the recruitment process into the police.
According to her, the PSC has over the years formulated policies aimed at the efficiency and discipline of the police force, adding that background checks are now carried out on applicants to separate bad eggs and discourage shady characters from joining the police.
To achieve some of this lofty objectives, Obi stated that polygraph tests were also carried out on applicants to determine drug users, alcoholics and liars that could tarnish the image of the force.
She said, “The mechanism put in place by the commission is in line with police regulations to ensure that bad eggs don’t find their way into the force. We are focusing on the recruitment process and have raised the minimum entry requirements.
“SSCE holders can no longer join the police as constables; even a third class degree holder cannot join the Cadet Inspector cadre. The minimum qualification for a constable is OND and it must include six credit passes in SSCE including Credit pass in English and Mathematics.”
The PSC Commissioner in charge of Strategy, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, explained that written examinations had been introduced for applicants, adding that promotions in the force were based on merit rather than Federal Character.
InformationNigeria.org

Gasoline Pipeline Explodes In Lagos- PM News, Lagos

NEMA officials say they could not fight the fire due to insecurity in the area

By Cyriacus Izuekwe & Ayodeji Dedeigbo

An explosion occurred at the site of a vandalised NNPC oil pipeline yesterday in Lagos. Some oil thieves were feared to have been burnt to death while scooping fuel at a vandalised pipeline at Ije-Ododo, near Ijegun in Iba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.

According to a witness, the raging fire started around 9 p.m. yesterday when about 30 oil thieves loaded in two canoes arrived the scene and started scooping fuel into hundreds of 50 kilogramme jerry cans.

However, nemesis caught up with them when fire was ignited and consumed the whole environment, including the thieves, their jerry cans and other materials.

A source told P.M.NEWS at the scene of the fire that the oil thieves usually came to the area in canoes and after scooping fuel, they travelled on the stream to the Festac axis.

As at the time of filing this report, the fire was still raging and a thick smoke enveloped the area. No fire fighters were available. But some men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) and NNPC officials were at the scene to assess the situation. The NSCDC leader, who identified himself as Baiye, said his team was facing serious challenges. “You can see that the fire is still raging. We can’t go far to examine the damaged pipeline or know the number of people killed because the pipeline is buried under water,” an NNPC official stated.

Some residents of Ije-Ododo who spoke with our correspondent claimed they suspected oil thieves who vandalised the pipeline in the community conspired with the police in their nefarious activities.

The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, at Isheri-Oshun Division could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.

Some churches located near the scene of the fire have been moving their movables out of fear that it might spread to their churches and consume them.

When P.M.NEWS visited the Area Commander, Area ‘E’ Police Command, ACP Dan Okoro, he was not available in his office.

Speaking with P.M.NEWS, the Information Officer, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, for  Southwest, Ibrahim Farinloye said NEMA was informed of the fire at about 9 p.m. on Monday night. Farinloye said both state and federal fire fighters called at the scene of the fire but could not do much because it requires a technical way to handle. He likened the manner of the fire incident to the vandalisation of the NNPC pipeline at Arepo in Ogun State.

According to Aluko Olanfemi, leader of the Apostolic Church at Festac, the residents got wind of the plan of pipeline vandals activities because such fire occurred in 2002 and the people have always been at the alert. Aluko said residents have contacted the police and State Security Service, and even wrote the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola to assist nip in the bud the nefarious activities of the bunkerers.

P.M.NEWS correspondent reported this morning from the fire scene that there was sporadic shooting by the vandals while the fire was still raging and security agents had to seek reinforcement.
Saharareporters

Navy Helicopter Tragedy: Visits To Mrs. Yakowa

Saharareporters

Nurse reveals the top 5 regrets people make on their deathbed

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality.
I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’scompanionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthierlevel. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again. When you are on your deathbed, what  others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.
InformationNigeria