Editor’s note: More and more Nigerians feel inclined to agree that President Muhammadu Buhari should deal with frictions that have prevented him and his party, the APC, from demonstrating tangible results in the first month of governance. The Naij.com columnist ‘Yomi Kazeem goes even further and says that President Buhari should first focus on his spokesmen — the ‘bridge’ between him and the people — instead of trying to battle some external forces, incuding the PDP which is now in the opposition to the ruling APC.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of  Naij.com, its editors or other contributors.
Amid the various criticisms Goodluck Jonathan faced over the course of his presidency, one particular criticism remained constant: the poor choice of media handlers. Jonathan’s spokesmen won him little support as, gaffe after gaffe, they turned out to be one of the biggest reasons for the disillusionment with the his presidency.
On social media, these men — the mouthpieces of a president — were often seen engaging in abusive exchanges (the online version of fisticuffs) with regular Nigerians. Their ‘ability’ to read the tone and mood of the nation was infamously horrible. They became notorious for publishing photos of President Jonathan dancing and being merry a day after bomb explosions and deaths of Nigerians.
As far as presidential spokesmen go, the last set was a clear manual of how not to be a presidential spokesman.
Given the widespread belief that President Jonathan’s handling of the media and choice of spokesmen might have cost him the presidency to some extent, everyone assumed it would literally be impossible for his successor to repeat the same mistakes. Nevertheless, one month into the Buhari presidency, the murmurs of his ineptitude considering media handling are becoming more and more audible.
Primarily, the job of a presidential spokesperson is to relay messages from the president to Nigerians. But their job often goes far beyond that in many ways. One of their biggest roles is to forge, build and tweak the general perception of the president. So far, President Buhari’s media handlers have done little in that regard. The lack of a crisp and coordinated communications strategy since President Buhari’s taking over the office has resulted in the shaping of different perceptions of his presidency to fit various narratives. With social media accounts of his spokesmen sometimes silent for days, many, including international media, are steadily drumming up the perception that nothing is going on.
Coupled with Buhari’s lack of appointment of key government personnel as well as his cabinet, this narrative becomes easier to push with little resistance from the president’s ‘last frontier’ — his spokesmen.
Recently, one of the president’s advisers was in for a hard time on social media following an unfortunate tweet:
Predictably, the responses from Nigerians showed their displeasure:
Similarly, there are question marks over their ability to relay the president’s empathy amid the spate of recent bombings in the Northeast. Having been another crucial failing of Jonathan’s spokesmen, it is worrying that it is a reoccurring error.
President Buhari came into office on the back of an excellent and coordinated campaign which had excellent communication and clarity of purpose as one its defining hallmarks. Since taking office, however, this key component that won him the presidency has disappeared. As it stands, Nigeria could well be on its way back to the period where the president’s spokesmen were the first thing with which he was attacked instead of being his last line of defence.
On May 29, it appeared those days were over; we might have been wrong.
‘Yomi Kazeem is a media professional based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Madman in China took a cleaver and attacked eight children at the school playground.
A middle-aged man attacked children at the school playground with a cleaver on Tuesday in China, 8 got injured and are being treated in hospital.

*Chen Zuihang approaching school
Horrible pictures taken by CCTV have emerged after the police identified the suspect who injured 8 kids on school playground. 35-year old Chen Zuihang has been confirmed as the official suspect, he was detained shortly after the attack at Macheng school, Hubei province, China.

*Chen Zuihang attacking a student with a cleaver
According to the officials of the city, the police are investigating the motives.
According to the reports of news agencies, there were series of attacks in China on kids in grade schools and kindergartens, often made by people who were mentally ill or were angry at society.
After the attacks made a month ago and a year ago, school officials have tightened security at schools.

*Teacher carrying injured kid after the attack
A month ago, China was shocked by the attack made by a man armed with knives, who slashed at students on their way from school, killing one and injuring another 2 in the Ankang city.
A year ago, another man armed with a kitchen cleaver attacked 6 students and one parent in Maoming city.

*Kids in the hospital after the attack
This news of the attack in Macheng school was followed by another attack on Wednesday, by a man that stabbed 7 people to death in a village in central province. The attack happened at 4 a.m., the attacker was arrested shortly after.

*Parents with kids who got hurt

The attack was caused by disputes with neighbours of the attacker.

Pandemonium broke out in Sule-Tankarkar Market in Sule-Tankarkar Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Thursday when a lunatic allegedly burnt no fewer than thirty stalls.

 * A file photo of fire outbreak that happened recently
According to the Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Corps in the state, Mr Muhammad Gidado, the fire started at about 3pm on Thursday.
He said the fire was caused by a mad man who set fire close to the stalls.
Gidado added that: “It took more than 30 minutes for men of the fire service and the NSCDC and other residents of the area to put out the fire.”
The commandant advised people to be mindful and extra careful of lunatics who roam the markets and residential areas.

A pregnant woman who was in labour and an unidentified man were killed last Saturday by a mad man in Warri, Delta State.
According to report, the pregnant woman, said to be in her early thirties was waiting along the notorious Mac-Dermott Road for a taxi to take her to the hospital, when the suspected lunatic rushed at her and attacked her with a knife. A young man who wanted to shield the woman from her attacker was stabbed first and died instantly.
The woman was rushed to a nearby hospital but she later gave up the ghost.
It was gathered that people were ‘scared stiff’ of the assailant as he also had other dangerous weapons with him.
The remains of the victims have however, been deposited at a hospital morgue.

A popular mad man in Ketu area of Lagos state, on Wednesday, July 1, received his sanity.

According to an eye witness, who mailed Stella Dimokokorkus, the people around the location where the mad man gained his sanity were astonished as they saw something that could have passed for a scene in a Nollywood movie.
READ ALSO: Mad Man Spotted Preaching The Gospel In Jos (PHOTOS)
It was made known that a pastor was passing through the road and saw the mad man who is said to be very popular in that area. The pastor was said to have approached him but the mad man charged at him, putting up a defense. This did not debar the pastor from coming close and praying for him.
To the surprise of all, the mad man regained his sanity, shouting amen to the pastor’s prayers. New clothes were given to him to wear. See photos below:
     
It would be recalled that not long ago, a mad man reportedly stabbed two policemen in Alakija area of Lagos state, as they tried to evict another mad woman from the premises of a Redeemed Christian Church of God in the area.

President Muhammadu Buhari is not a happy man, the recent in-house crisis of his party, The All Progressive Congress has disrupted what was supposed to a fresh start for him.
Buhari was also irked by the emergence of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member as deputy Senate President in the current dispensation.
Buhari was angry that members of his own party had easily allowed the PDP to sneak into a major part of the administration.
Buhari made this known at a meeting with a delegation of the Unity Forum at the Aso Rock Villa on Friday night.
A source who attended the meeting said that Buhari doesn’t want the party to be divided over who heads the National Assembly.
“The President gave us audience and admitted that the development in the Senate was a setback but he expressed confidence that APC will overcome it,” a source at the meeting said.
“He said there was no basis for the split among APC Senators which led to the concession of the Office of Deputy President of the Senate to the PDP. He said PDP did not give the opposition such an opportunity in its 16 years in power.

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“Buhari told Lawan and others not to take the law into their hands as the leaders of the party explore reconciliation options. He said peace and the survival of the nation’s democracy should be paramount more than any other thing.”
READ ALSO: Buhari Angry Over House Of Reps Fracas, Set To Delay Ministerial List
When asked about Buhari’s mood, the source said: “He was not happy about the development in the Senate but he was hopeful that the situation is redeemable if some leaders can sacrifice their ambitions for the survival of APC and his administration.”
Another source said: “The session was cordial and reassuring. The President interacted with us individually and even had time to crack jokes with us before we receded into the business of the day.
“As for the Lawan group, it was Senator Barnabas Gemade who spoke on behalf of the 51 aggrieved Senators.
“Gemade said the Unity Forum is after justice since its members have demonstrated their faith in APC leadership and having been loyal to the party to a fault.
READ ALSO: APC Crisis: Ekweremadu’s Emergence Might Be PDP’s Comeback Strategy
“Gemade restated the six demands of the group and the need to prevail on Saraki and Dogara to abide by the directive of the party on the nominees for principal offices in the Senate and House of Representatives.”
The source quoted Gemade as saying: “When the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo called a meeting to address the looming challenge, it was only our group that responded; we were the only group which participated in the party’s straw poll and even on June 9, we deferred to the party’s invitation to a meeting at the International Conference Centre.
“Before anybody knew it, the Like Minds went for the inauguration of the Senate and elected Saraki.
“We have proved our unflinching loyalty to the party. This is the time for the party to assert itself and enforce discipline or else members will continue to take the leadership of the party for granted.”
The APC National Executive Committee had on Tuesday after a meeting said they will no longer tolerate the defiance of the party by the two leaders.
A member of the NWC said: “We are expecting a stormy session on Tuesday. Saraki and Dogara will have to choose between loyalty to the party or self-serving agenda.
“The only condition for moving forward is for these leaders to accept the list sent to them by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
This comes after Senate President Bukola Saraki earlier today revealed that he was almost kidnapped during inauguration day.

The Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki has finally addressed his controversial election. He revealed that his opponents at the poll had gone as far as to try to abduct him to prevent him from emerging as Senate president.
The Senate polls on Tuesday, June 9, were highly controversial, with Saraki elected against the wishes of his own ruling party.
Saraki during an interview with reporters from Vanguard revealed that on that day, when he heard of the abduction plot to keep him away from the National Assembly, he immediately altered his schedule by arriving at the parliament car park at 6am, stayed in his car and then trekked at quarter to 10am into the chamber.
READ ALSO: Oyegun’s Resignation: What APC Has To Say
He rejected the idea that he had promised the PDP the deputy position if he was to win, and said that the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy was merely because there weren’t any All Progressives Congress (APC), senators in the chamber.
He also explained that he was well aware that the emergence of Ekweremadu will make things difficult for him, and said“Never in our wildest imagination did we envisage that some senators would not be present on the day of the inauguration.”
Saraki made sure to note that he never received any invitation to attend a meeting at the International Conference Centre (ICC) with President Muhammadu Buhari on the Senate inauguration day. “First of all, as regards the meeting (at ICC), on the morning of the inauguration, I didn’t finish at a meeting until 4:00am of that day and I had got information that efforts would likely be made to make sure that I didn’t get access into the chamber”, he said.
The Senate President narrated further: “So, as early as 4:00am and 5:00am, I had made contingency plans that I must get into the National Assembly because the plan before was that senators-elect should go to Transcorp Hilton Hotel around 8:00clock and 9:00am to proceed to the National Assembly.
“But I was advised that it would not be safe or it would not be secure for me to do that because if some people made sure I didn’t get into the chamber, it would not be possible for me to be nominated, for the nomination to be seconded and for me to accept the nomination.
READ ALSO: Why We Will Oppose Buhari – NLC
“I can tell you today that I was in the National Assembly Complex as early as 6:00 in the morning and I stayed in a car in the car park till quarter to 10:00am. That is the truth. I stayed there and I was there with no communication whatsoever.
“So, anybody who said he spoke to me to go to the ICC was not being truthful because I didn’t even know what was going on. All I was monitoring was how people were arriving the complex.
“It was just before 10:00 that I got information that the Clerk to the National Assembly had entered the chamber. So, I got out of the small car I was inside, stretched myself and put on my Babariga because I didn’t have it on before then.
“I walked from the car park into the chamber. That was why some of you would have seen that I looked very tired that morning.
“Even when I was in the chamber, I didn’t know what had transpired earlier. The only thing I observed was that it appeared that some of our senators were not in the chamber, but because the fact that my colleagues arrived in batches, I had the opinion that they were on the way and, by 10:00am, the programme started.
“Before I knew it, my election had come and gone. Even my people were worried; it was only when I got into the chamber that they were relieved.”
He then addressed the emergence of Ekweremadu as the deputy Senate president. Saraki said, “In my own view, and, in the view of some of those who worked closely with me, I worked hard for my election. I had direct contact with every single senator, one on one; weeks leading to the election, I did not rely on anybody. I worked hard; both in our party, the APC and out of it.
“I approached every senator, I talked to them, we built confidence, not only in the APC, but, also, in the PDP. I talked to them. That was why I laughed when people said I had a deal with Ekweremadu or I had a hand in the emergence of Ekweremadu.
“I didn’t need any deal to win. I had penetrated, there was no deal; I didn’t need any deal in the first place. I had worked hard such that everybody who was a Senator, I campaigned hard and canvassed for their votes and won their confidence.
“At one of the meetings held at Transcorp Hilton which Senator Godswill Akpabio co-chaired with Senator Ibrahim Gobir and a few others, which had both APC and PDP members, if you heard most of them there, the position they took was that ‘this is the Senate President they want.’
READ ALSO: Why My Support For Saraki Is Not Disobedience – APC Senator
“Across party lines, that day they believed in me and that this is the Senate President that can lead us, there was no deal.
“Sometimes, I wonder how some of our colleagues found themselves at the ICC. If it had been a case that the Clerk of the National Assembly had made an announcement and the event had been postponed or it was no longer holding, plus, the invitation, I’m sure some are asking now, what really happened?
“First of all, the PDP senators had announced to the public that they were supporting me without even meeting me because, in their own meeting, majority had decided to vote for me.
“In their own interest, strategically, they decided that, `look, this is a fait accompli’ because 30 of their own senators were going to vote for this man anyway and the remaining felt it was better to join.
“It wasn’t until 2am that they called us to tell us their decision. With regards to the deputy, when they told us that they had a candidate, we, too, told them we had a candidate for deputy Senate president in the person of Senator Ali Ndume!
“After our own meeting, it was our thinking that it was after the election of the Senate President that the two groups in APC would meet and we would agree on a candidate. We never in our imagination thought they would not turn up. By the time we got there, we were only 24 while the PDP was more than 40.
READ ALSO: Archbishop Tells APC What To Do For Solving Crisis
“In an election, there’s no way they would not have defeated us and that was what happened? And now, when people say it was a deal, I say that if the CNA had started the procedure in the House of Representatives first, and moved to the Senate, thereafter, today, we, the APC, would have had a deputy Senate President.
Saraki’s recent victory at the senate polls was one that the APC hoped not to face as they had handpicked Senator Ahmed Lawan as the party’s choice.
Party elders had been against Saraki’s choice from the beginning but the former Kwara state politician outsmarted his own party.

Senator Tayo Alasoadura, representing central senatorial district of Ondo state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims that voting for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, despite the party’s directive constitutes disloyalty.

Alasoadura has reiterated his loyalty to the party, stating that he has never been found wanting of disregarding the party’s directive on issues that benefit the people he represents, The Nation reports.
READ ALSO: The House Apologizes To Nigerians For Ugly Events
Recalling an instance where he has proved his commitment to the party and to Ondo state, he said he nominated Ajayi Boroffice, his counterpart from Ondo North senatorial district as Chief Whip at the APC caucus of the senate against the move to have a colleague from Osun state.
He however regretted that Boroffice, who is a ranking senator from Ondo state chose to side with persons he said had interests that were inimical to that of Ondo state.
READ ALSO: APC Watchdog Calls For Immediate Resignation Of Oyegun
Senator Ahmed Lawan was the party’s preferred candidate for the post of Senate president, but Senator Bukola Saraki controversially beat him to the post, a move that has been described as a tactical coup against the APC.
Senator Alasoadura was the only senator from the South West who voted for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, this  has made some tag him as disloyal to the party’s ideologies

The former Chairman of Kano state Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), Sani Lawal Malumfashi, says the emergence of Senator Saraki as Senate president will affect the country negatively.
Malumfashi, in an interview with Leadership, warned that Saraki’s political ambitions were in sharp contrast with that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is to redeem the country from the political and economic decay caused by the past administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
READ ALSO: APC’s Letter Was Not Geographically Balanced – Dogara
He described the alliance between Saraki and the PDP members in the Senate as a union capable of undermining the progress of the ruling party.
“For APC to succeed, it must have a dominant say in the two houses of Senate and House of Representatives, simply because it requires a like- minded people who have similarities of foresight, commonalities of vision and shared understanding about the true situation of the country and how to rescue the country from where it was to where it wants to be,” he explained.
In the same vein, former chairman of the APC Bisi Akande has alleged that some persons opposed to president Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to fight corruption influenced the emergence of Bukola Saraki as senate president.
READ ALSO: I Regret Ekweremadu’s Emergence As My Deputy – Saraki
He called on the president and governors on the platform of the party to intervene in the continued crisis within the  party before it collapses.

Korede bello’s ‘Godwin’ as expected went viral after its release on January 28, 2015.
Nigerians with open arms welcomed the much awaited music video which became an instant hit in the space of 12 hours after it was released. Mavin Records dramatically heightened the suspense of the release of the video leaving people to wonder why it wasn’t out earlier considering the financial and artistic strength of the record label.
READ MORE: Korede Bello Takes Selfie With President Buhari’s Daughters
The delay brought brands running to the Mavin camp with boisterous deals in order to be part of the opportunities that the prospect offered.
According to a source close to the Mavin, it was a tug of war between companies and brands especially between Access bank and GTBank on whom would be branded in the introductory line of the song: ‘I don get alert #Godwin’. Access bank eventually got the deal which is expected to be lucrative.
READ ALSO: How I Got My Parents’ Support On Music: Korede Bello
Lekki Gardens also got the nod for the line: ‘I don pay my rent, #Godwin. Adasa Cookey handled the shooting of the video which was done in Lagos.
Meanwhile, Korede Bello recently performed at the presidential inauguration gala in Abuja, which ushered in the new administration of Muhammadu Buhari

In a recent interview, Korede opens up about his music career, and how he met the popular producer and Mavin Boss, Don Jazzy.
The African prince, as he is fondly called by his fans, also talks about why his parents supported his musical career.
How did you get into Mavin group?
I must confess, it was God’s doing. If I tell you that I expected this in 10-years time, I will be lying. But one thing I know is that people should never relent on doing what they know how to do best. A friend of Don Jazzy actually brought us together after Don Jazzy listened to a song of mine titled, “Forever”. He loved it and he asked us to go to the studio to record some songs. That was it.
Did your parent support your career in music?
Well, I can say my parents are one of the best in the world because they were very encouraging. I won’t say I got their support on a platter of gold because I had to keep up with my studies. I was able to convince them that music will not take away my attitude towards education. However, they always love to see me happy especially when it is something I have a passion for. They have always supported me because right from my primary school I have always had this thing for music, rhythm and art. They dressed me up and bought me stuffs so that I can participate in social activities in school and they were there to give me support when I needed it.
READ ALSO: Korede Bello’s Easter Performance In A Church Sparks Debate 
How do you feel starting your music career with Mavins Records?
It feels awesome because, it exposes me to a lot more than I can imagine. Aside from learning on the music aspect, I have also gained the love and affection one can pray for in a business environment. Working with the likes of Tiwa Savage, Dr.Sid, Reekado Banks, Di’Ja, Da Prince e.t.c is really a pleasure. They are all very humble and easy to get along with. The family is a very strong unit and it’s a big learning field for me. I feel great working with each and every one of them because they all have their impacts in Korede Bello’s brand.
How have you been able to combine Education with your music career?
To be honest I never thought it would be this challenging because one of the reasons why my parents supported my music career is because I am good academically. My education and music are things I have passion for and I can’t take one over the other because I love education, I love educated people and I also have passion for music, music drives me. The truth is you can never serve two masters at the same time, I can’t get the best of both but I have been grateful to God for my understanding and I have been working twice as hard as an Artiste and as a student as well so I make sure I don’t lag behind in any area of it. When I have to be in school I make sure I am in school.
Most times we do night recording and in the morning I find my way to school and rest later in the day. It makes me feel I’m doing something worthwhile that’s going to pay off in the future, I will always have something to fall back on later in life.
READ ALSO: I Will Perform ‘Godwin’ In Church Again- Korede Bello
How do you relax yourself from your day-to-day activities?
I play games, watch movies and sleep off.
What is your selling point because your fans refer to you as African Prince?
My smile, hair, eye lashes and I have sexy lips.
Can you describe yourself?
Korede Bello is a fun loving person, youthful, socially responsible (laughs) and very funny. I am that person that any parent wouldn’t mind taking their daughters out. I am very confident in myself I love to dress well and smell good.
How have you been able to cope with the fame?
To be candid, it is not easy but I try to manage it. I don’t see myself as different from every other person, I try as much as possible to remain humble. When people see me they say is that not Korede Bello? They expect me to be flamboyant and extravagant in my dealings but I like to be simple, I like to be a mega super star, I like the feeling of it and I also like fame but I want to be humble about it as well. It makes me feel like I have something that other people are wishing to have and the only thing I can do is not to be pompous about it or in any way intimidate them.
Apart from Mavins crew, which other artiste would you like to work with?
I will love to work with the likes of TuFace Idibia and Asa. Apart from this people, I won’t mind working with any Nigerian artiste so far we can give the audience what they want.
READ ALSO: NEW MUSIC: Korede Bello – Godwin Prod by. Don Jazzy
How was growing up like?
Hmm, growing up for me was really a pleasurable one. I had the opportunity to learn from people around in any giving opportunity. It was a blend of generation for me. I was exposed to foreign music and local music like Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Michael Jackson. Everything was diffused into me and it made me who I am today. The kind of exposure I have in music, I owe it to my days of growing up. I attended Doctor Soyemi nur/pry school, Tai Solarin, and child’s foundation respectively. I also attended Obey College in Mazamaza and Cabil College in Festac. I graduated from Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Ogba, and presently an associate fellow at Institute of Information management.
About a month ago, Korede was a guest minister at HICC (Harvesters International Christian Centre) in Lagos, where he performed his smash hit single, ‘Godwin.’ It quickly sparked controversy as some wondered why he would perform in a church.
A US-based pastor, Olusola Fabunmi of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of Faith in Maryland, said that the church was wrong to have invited Korede, who is not a gospel singer, to perform at their altar.
In reaction, the Mavin artiste had said he did not regret performing in church and if the opportunity presented itself again, he would gladly do it all over again.

Mavin act, Korede Bello has once again performed at another church service despite the critics from the previous appearance. 

He performed again last weekend after Chidinma Ekile invited him to sing for them at her church, Embrace International Assembly in Lagos. this time, he was blessed by the man of God.
READ ALSO: Have You Seen These New Photos Of The Mavin Crew?
Korede first appearance as a performing act in a Church was at HICC(Harvesters International Christian Centre) where he sang Godwin.

After criticized for his actions, the Young singer said that he was going to perform in a church again.
Meanwhile,  US-based pastor, Pastor Olusola Fabunmi of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of Faith in Maryland, had used Korede’s performance to question if secular musicians should be allowed to perform at gospel concerts, saying that the church was wrong to have invited Korede, who is not a gospel singer, to perform on their altar.

A suicide bomber today, infiltrated a local branch of Redeemed Christian Church of God killing six people including himself.
The explosion occurred at Redeemed Christian Church of God along Bauchi road in Potiskum Town, Yobe State.

One eye witness told reporters that the bomb went off at a time worshipers were observing the Sunday service.
The resident said “six persons died” from the blast.
READ ALSO: How Popular Mad Man Regained His Sanity In Lagos Yesterday (Photos)

Yobe State police have confirmed the explosion and the number of casualties reported.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Yobe, Toyin Gbadegesin, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Damaturu that among the dead was also the suicide bomber.
READ ALSO: Those Who Invested In Buhari Will Be Disappointed – Coomassie
“A male suicide bomber detonated a bomb at Redeemed Church at Jigawa area of Potiskum, killing five on the spot,” Mr. Gbadegesin said. “A female member of the church who sustained injuries also died while receiving treatment in the hospital.”

He revealed that all the injured are currently getting rehabilitated at various health facilities in the area.
Potiskum last suffered a twin suicide attack on June 15, in which 10 people were killed and several others injured.
Potiskum last witnessed a suicide attack on June 15, the attack left 10 people dead and several others injured.

Doyin Okupe, the senior special aide to the President Goodluck Jonathan on public affairs, has listed the probable reasons more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls were kidnapped by the terror Boko Haram sect in April, 2014.
Okupe via his personal Facebook and Twitter pages supposes that schoolgirls were abducted to show the government of Jonathan as incapable.
The presidential aide also alleged that the#BringBackOurGirls group was founded in order to “sustain and internationalise” the agenda of incompetency against the outgoing government.
READ ALSO: Minimah Assures On Getting Kidnapped Chibik Girls Back
He said: “One of the reasons the Chibok girls were kidnapped was to present Jonathan’s administration as incompetent and hold it to ransom against 2015 elections.
“One of the reasons the BBOG was formed was to sustain and internationalise the embarrassment.

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“One of the reasons President Jonathan lost the election was a national and international conspiracy predicated on this carefully choreographed and assiduously sustained perception.
“One of the issues that will be in the handover notes will be the missing girls.
“What is reasonable and expedient for well meaning men and women of good conscience is to dialogue with the incoming administration on what best new approach to employ to find and rescue the Chibok girls.
“Not much can be achieved, except mischief, by continuing to flog this administration on this matter. I REST MY CASE.”
READ ALSO: Nigerians Demand Action From Buhari On Chibok Girls
The Сhibok schoolgirls were kidnapped on April 14, 2014, and the failure of the federal government to rescue them has been one of the talking points of the Jonathan administration.
Since the general elections were postponed by the electoral commission on February 7, the military has achieved success in the war against the Boko Haram insurgency. But despite all the efforts, the girls are still missing.

The Peoples Democratic Party has described the ongoing attacks on foreigners in South Africa as “barbaric” and “primitive”.
In an official statement signed by Olisa Metuh, the PDP national publicity secretary, and released on April 18, Saturday, the party insisted that such attacks “cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever”.
According to Vanguard, the party also said it was “unfortunate and disheartening that South Africans by this attitude have shown that they are not appreciative of the roles played by Nigeria and other African countries in liberating their nation from the clutches of the obnoxious apartheid system.
“Whilst we are aware that this unfortunate incident is a fallout of incendiary utterances by certain leaders in South Africa, we call on the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and South African government to take urgent practical steps to stem the tide and guarantee the safety of lives and property of Nigerians and other nationals targeted by the xenophobes.
READ ALSO: Another Nigerian Attacked In South Africa
“All well-meaning world leaders especially Africans should stand up and condemn this dangerous trend, which is a clear threat to the much desired unity, cooperativeness and development in the continent.
“We recall that this disgraceful act had taken place in recent time in the same country. As such, we charge South African leaders to do everything humanly possible to halt this wickedness and forestall a repeat in the future.
“Africans and indeed all citizens of the world must be allowed to visit, live or work in any part of the continent without fear of attack as long as they meet local statutory requirements of the country of their sojourn.”
Meanwhile Muhammadu Buhari, the general-elect, commended the federal government for the steps taken to protect Nigerians in South Africa.
At the same time it has been reported that the Nigerian authorities will start evacuating the nationals from the country affected by anti-immigrant attacks.

President Muhammadu Buhari, has welcomed negotiations with the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists, according to his spokesperson, Femi Adesina. This seems to be against the earlier stance of Buhari, who during his campaign promised not to negotiate with the insurgents if elected as president.
“Boko Haram is not interested in peace — if they are interested in peace, how can they kill 13,000 Nigerians?

Nigeria’s president-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that his incoming administration would have a small cabinet that may go into action even before the swearing-in.
In this interview with journalists he explains his plans for the future of the country.
There has been an influx of defectors from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to your party, APC, since after your victory at the polls. Many think the development may destabilise the APC. How do you intend to manage the situation?
I think this is a question meant for the party. I wish John Oyegun was here to answer you because we have a system. Just because I am the presidential candidate and the president-elect, I don’t think the system has allowed me to usurp the power of the party executives. But, certainly, in a multi-party democratic system, fundamentally, it is the number that matters for the people. But for the party, what matters is the ability to manage the number so that the majority will have its way and there will be justice. No matter what happens to the PDP by May 29, I assure you or I assure them through you that there will be justice in the APC.
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A new government, which you will head, will soon be inaugurated. Can you tell us what criteria you will be using in selecting those who you will work with?

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It is a difficult time for Nigerians as you all know. I have said it in the past that, in the last 16 years, Nigeria has never realised the amount of revenue it received. The price of a barrel of crude oil rose to about 140 dollars and then crashed to about 50 dollars. During the 16 years, we know what happened to some big companies that employ a lot of Nigerians and give them training facilities like the Nigeria Airways, Nigeria National Shipping Line.
Even Nigeria Railway is managing to be on paper with some refurbished engines moving from Lagos to Ibadan and a few other places. If you go to their stations all over the country, you will realise that they are in a terrible shape. The important thing in a country with a huge population of youths with more than 60 percent of them under the age of 30 who are unemployed is that you need these institutions to give jobs and training to them. It is very disappointing that the PDP government virtually failed to use those resources to grow the economy.
I think the worst thing is the lack of accountability and the terrible budgetary system. Imagine that over 90 percent of Nigerian budget is on recurrent. How can you sustain development in a country like Nigeria with only about 10 percent of your income? Things just have to change. There must be more money available for infrastructure, for investment in getting the factories back, employment and getting goods and services for the population. I think the sins of PDP will be coming out for several years to come.
Do we expect a government of national unity?
Again, you want me to encroach on the party’s main power. Even if I, as president-elect, want to form a broad based government, I think that the executive of the party will have some influence on that decision. So, for me to maintain a good rapport with the leadership of the party, I want to keep your question in abeyance until further notice.
The 2015 elections did not go without pockets of violence here and there. Does that strike you in any way?
I think there are less disruptions in the second leg of the general elections on April 11 than we had during the presidential and National Assembly elections. I hope it was as a result of the bandwagon effect because APC had the upper hand during the first leg of elections. But what happened in the South-South and the South-East cannot be compared to what happened on April 11.
What I saw was that there was a few ballot snatching in some local government areas of Bayelsa State and a few disruptions in Adamawa, but that is nothing near what happened on March 28. I don’t think what happened on 11 is up to 25 percent of what happened on March 28? I think that after the elections, both parties, APC and PDP, will perhaps make their representations to INEC or the courts and then more details will emerge. Maybe we had less infractions on April 11 because the turnout was much lower. Maybe the people just wanted a president and once they got one, they just walked away. They are Nigerians and there is nothing we can do, but to convince them that they have to use this weapon which is the permanent voter cards (PVCs)
Reports from Rivers and some states on April 11 indicated violence. How do you feel about this?
I think we should allow INEC to give its comprehensive report. Meanwhile, as you mentioned in some of the states, especially in Rivers and Lagos, the two parties slugged it out. I think we have to take our time and let us get as much report as possible in accordance with the Electoral Act. I personally want to be legal about this so that people will appreciate that we believe in a system. What we need to do is to modify the system according to the law if we don’t like it, and no one should come out and do to the system whatever he likes. For what happened in Lagos, I think that for whatever political reason, the PDP wanted to have Lagos by all means.
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I have a lot of respect for the governor of Rivers State for his courage. At a certain time, the Commissioner of Police virtually hijacked the state and the governor was virtually sentenced to the streets fighting thugs without law enforcement agents while the Constitution makes it very clear that the governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state.
So, a lot of lawless acts of the PDP are on record and we intend to make the PDP understand it and make sure that, according to the law, those who are responsible for that are taken to the court and properly charged. We are in this system because we believe in it and we want it to stabilize because it is good for our country. If Nigerians have the confidence that their votes count, then they will mind their business and I assure you that there will be more security in the country.
But when people feel that they are abandoned, then they will resist. I think that by nature, human beings are rebels especially in Nigeria. You must try and placate them, convince them and show them that their rights are respected or you will not have peace. On what we hear about the money that changed hands, it would have been impossible for APC to win anything in this country because we don’t have the treasury in our pocket. There was no amount of money that could convince Nigerians this time around.
A lot of them took the money and did exactly what their conscience wanted them to do, while some even returned the money. Somehow, Rivers and Lagos were seen as strategic to the PDP. Otherwise, how could APC have a marginal 100,000 votes over APC in Lagos which is virtually the capital of the APC in the South- West? A lot of things will come out, but we want to do it basically on facts which can be verified and quantified.
To some extent, the general elections are seen by many to be credible. Will you try to retain the INEC Chairman to build on the successes recorded even though he said he wouldn’t accept another term of office?
I think Prof. Jega knows exactly what to do. He has already said that he is not going to accept a renewal of his tenure in June. I believe that he has learnt enough and will submit a comprehensive hand over notes some of which he seems to have written. At the last National Council of States meeting, he submitted a document of INEC activities right from the 2011 general elections to date with attachment showing the personnel trained, acquisition of election materials, the distributions, security, among others, and I don’t think that such that report can be faulted.
In fact, INEC was forced to accept the six weeks extension by the Office of the National Security Adviser. Luckily, those six weeks were accommodated within the constitutional time limit within which election must hold. The law says election must hold 30 days before 29th of May. So, INEC did not have much trouble to agreeing to the six weeks extension. As people say, it has come to pass.
For many years, Nigerians have been clamouring that something be done to punish those involved in election rigging. The Uwais Committee recommended a special court to try electoral offenders, but government has refused to implement that recommendation. Will your government set up a special court to try electoral offenders?
No matter how you the media try, you will not catch me undermining the authority of the party. I will look for understanding and cooperation from the National Assembly when a change of the Constitution or the Electoral Act is necessary. So for me to make up my mind here and later try to lobby is out of it because, some of them, if they are very hard, they will give me a tough time.
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I will say that I haven’t read the Uwais Report, but l have read a few extracts from news papers. l think it is a good thing and we will encourage it. But we need to get a comprehensive report from the field. The running battle in Rivers, South-East and South-South, especially by Governor Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha and governor of Edo state with INEC officials and law enforcement agencies and the army is remarkable and I think it has to be totally exposed so that Nigerians will know which of the law enforcement agencies and at what levels is undermining the Constitution of Nigeria because the Electoral Act is derived from the Constitution of the country so that, in future, those who are in position will know that they are not above the law. I think that is what will bring more stability into the system. In view of that, I will try and work with the National Assembly to make sure that we do something about it.
There are speculations that looting of public treasury is ongoing in the land. What do you intend to do to check this problem?
I will like to work within the system because we believe in it. I have just told you about three governors and the battle they have with law enforcement agents in their states. We discussed and I advised them to try and document these things so that they can be taken before the court and we will make sure that we register the cooperation of the court so that people who work against the law are prosecuted, especially those who have lost their immunity because this is the best way to stabilize the system.
People must not benefit from being lawless. You can’t be in a position by virtue of the Constitution, subvert the Constitution and continue to enjoy the privileges offered by the Constitution. I don’t think that will be acceptable by the APC. So, whether you are in the opposition or government, you have to behave yourself. I think that is the way we can make progress.
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APC preaches transparency and accountability. But a lot of people with apparent questionable characters are moving into the APC. Don’t you think they will also pollute the APC?
For those that are coming into the APC, I have no fear because we have our party structure. The fact that you were a party Chairman or you were a minister before you joined the APC, we appreciate the fact that you remain relevant in your immediate locality. But when it comes to the centre, there is equality in the way the government will handle you.
If we win majority of members of the National Assembly and House of Assembly in the states, it means that it is with the agreement of their constituencies that the Federal Government has the power that it has. If the Federal Government is insisting on accountability and being responsible, even if they go back to their constituencies, there is nothing they can do about the decision of the government. We are banking on that. I will give you an example of my state, Katsina.
In 2011, the CPC won all the senatorial seats and 13 out of the 15 House of Representatives seats but lost the governorship. Who did the election? Did people from space come to do the election? That is the bad thing about lack of cohesion in a party. Leadership at all levels must work in concert. Otherwise, what Katsina State suffered, any state or the centre can suffer same. Those who were chief executives from local government, to states will be encouraged to work together.
So, those that are coming in, I hope they will accept that they are coming to join those who succeeded and they should cooperate with them. They can’t come and say that because they were once ministers under PDP, they will join APC and become ministers the following month or so. I don’t think that it will be acceptable even by their constituencies.
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You introduced War Against Indiscipline, WAI, as the military Head of State in 1984 to fight indiscipline. Years after, the cankerworm has remained? How do you intend to handle this?
I will mention how it came about. When we had our first Supreme Council meeting and governors were appointed, in my office, it was only me and the late Tunde Idiagbon, we discussed and agreed that the main problem of Nigeria was indiscipline. If we could get majority of Nigerians to accept, which ever level they were, we will make a lot of progress. I could recall that I advised that we should go to the Ministry of Information because there were a lot of people with first degree, masters and Ph.D who were sociologists and criminologists just warming their seats.
They should get together and come up with a programme that will last for years and not just for six months and fizzle out. That was how we came about WAI. It was very well thought out. It was a military system. In democracy, people want a lot of freedom, but if they see the restraint in advanced democracies in Europe and America, they will realise that discipline is forced on people. There are things that, no matter how much you want to do them, you can’t do them.
I think that we have suffered enough as a people and I think that people are more prepared to behave properly now. About two years ago, I made some remarks in Hausa and people felt, now, some senior civil servants who are Directors either at the state or federal can’t educate four children because the level of education has gone down so much. Those that can afford will rather send their children to Ghana or Sudan and those who can afford it more send theirs to America and Europe because the educational system in Nigeria has virtually collapsed.
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Therefore, we feel that, by voting APC into power, Nigerians are placing confidence in us. On security, economy, especially unemployment and corruption, I believe that Nigerians will give us the understanding to make sure that we get our priorities right. Education is going to be very important because when you educate the people, you solve half of your problems because there is a level that an educated person will not accept. But when people are sentenced to illiteracy, when they are exposed to all manner of social vices such as ethnicity and religion so that people don’t move forward, they are used to fight themselves.
During your campaigns you promised to declare your assets if elected. Now that you have been elected, will you stick to your position?
I made a statement which has not been correctly captured by the media. I said that our generation, from the Murtala, made sure that those who had appointments must declare their assets and this was later articulated in the Constitution.
It is up to government to make sure that those who borrow money to build a house and end up with another house somewhere else with 50 bedrooms and 20 living rooms should explain to Nigerians how they got the money. I could recall that I declared my assets three times. First was when I got my first political appointment as governor of Borno State; secondly, when I was leaving government to go to the United States War College. I declared my assets then because I was closing my political chapter then technically. I could recall that Gen. Jemibewon was the Adjutant General of the Nigerian Army then. I had to declare my assets, deposit it there to be taken to court before I was allowed to proceed to the United States for my course.
The third one was when I became Head of State. From General Obasanjo down till now, those of us who were in the Supreme Military Council, Council of State, Executive Council and even those who were Permanent Secretaries, at the time we got our appointment, the courts should be made to produce our declarations. So, all the noise about people being rich and nobody is saying anything about it, why can’t you prick the conscience of the existing government or are some of you part of the cover up?
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There have been reports that you promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency within two months, but your media team reacted saying you never said so. Can you now set the record straight?
I think I am too experienced in internal security to give two months deadline on Boko Haram. I don’t think I would have made that mistake because I tried to look at some of my experiences even when I was in uniform with the rebels from Chad when I was GOC in Jos and with Maitatsine. So, for me to say that when I come into office, I will get rid of Boko Haram in two months, I don’t think I would have made that statement. I didn’t.
As I have mentioned on several occasions, we that have, at one time or the other, wore Nigeria military uniform felt terribly embarrassed that for six years, the military couldn’t bring order to 14 out of 774 local governments in the country after Burma, Zaire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Dafur where Nigerian military earned respect internationally for their performance.
To fail to secure 14 out of 774 local governments. I still can’t reconcile myself with that disgrace. We will try and work with our neigbours such as Chad, Cameroon and Niger who are fighting Boko Haram for us. Look at Chad helping Nigeria or Niger, or Cameroon itself. This nation has been humiliated by the PDP. God willing, with our experiences, we will quickly marshal support and we are asking Boko Haram to pack and go.
Can we know when your Transition Committee would be in place?
We have started discussing about it. Personally, I will make sure that it is not too big because if it is big, they will start thinking of how to influence the choice of ministers either for themselves or those they want to be ministers. But my idea is to get knowledgable and experienced technocrats who are really patriotic to study the handing over notes by ministries and make recommendations.
I want them to be completely detached people who are patriotic Nigerians, who are knowledgable and experienced. If we get majority of politicians involved it will lead to a lot of row and we may end up with inconclusive recommendations which are not very helpful in our condition.
When I get it ready and before it is published, I will show it to the leadership of my party and the terms of reference as well as the time limit and the result of their work, we will quickly study before the inauguration so that before we are sworn-in, we get into action.(Vanguard)
General Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to keep his cabinet small comes as no surprise after news that Ahmed Tinubu and Rotimi Amaechi are at logger heads over the Senate president position.

All Progressives Party’s presidential candidate for the 2015 national elections, Muhammadu Buhari has said that terrorist group Boko Haram are not interested in peace. In the interview he granted BBC, he began by talking about the postponement of the Nigerian elections by six weeks.
He said: I don’t believe it was a good idea, because elections can be conducted in Afghanistan in Pakistan, in Syria, why elections can’t be held in Nigeria.
Where only 14 local governments are rarely involved, only 14 local governments were involved, and if law enforcement agents including the military can’t secure the  14 local governments in five years, how are they going to secure it in six weeks?
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The he spoke about Boko Haram.
He said: Boko Haram are not interested in peace, if they are interested, how can they kill 13,000 people.
Why should they go and kill children when they are sleeping in their domitories, why should they bomb churches and Mosques and market places and motor parks., They are not interested in peace.
As for the issue regarding his health, he said: I am as fit as a fiddle, i have just finished a tour of 35 states.
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I have conducted town hall meeting in Lagos, Kano and Abuja.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode has said that Buhari failed to tell his audience in the United Kingdom how much he loves the extremist group, Boko Haram.
Fani Kayode in a press statement said: “We wonder whether General Buhari told his foreign audience whilst he was in London how much he loves Boko Haram”.
‎Mr. Fani-Kayode also said he wondered whether the former head of state told his audience that he once said that he believed that ”an attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the north” and that the Boko Haram terrorists should be appeased, pampered, resettled and paid allowances.
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“We wonder if he told them that he was once nominated by Boko Haram to be their spokesman and representative during proposed negotiations with the Federal Government,” he said.
FFK said he was surprised Mr. Buhari did not reveal that he was the one who ordered and organised the “violent injecting, crating and disgraceful kidnapping of a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the name of Alhaji Umaru Dikko from the streets of London 31 years ago when he was in power”.
He said “stage-managed show of shame at Chatham House at a later date” and, that at that time, more details would be provided.
“For now, all we can say is that it is truly pitiful that a former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria believes that it is more important to win the hearts and minds of the British than it is to win the hearts and minds of the Nigerian people.
“General Buhari can run to any foreign country in the world to say anything that he likes but at the end of the day the decision as to who will lead Nigeria as from May 29th this year will be determined by no one else but the Nigerian people. The game is on here and not in London,” he said
Buhari was in London, today to address the Chatham house and foreign press to build international support for his message of change.