US Ambassador Says USA Should Adopt INEC PVC

Mr. James Entwistle who is the Ambassador of the United States of America, to Nigeria, on Sunday praised the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to deploy technology for the conduct of the general elections which commenced on Saturday.
According to The Punch, the ambassador said this while speaking with journalists at the International Conference Centre, venue of the National Collation Centre of the polls results.
He said Nigeria’s Permanent Voter Card involved superior technology which his state of Virginia in the US needed to copy.

Voters Cards on Display before distribution

He said, “I am very impressed by the decision of INEC to use technology in this election. The Permanent Voter Cards are very high-tech.

 

“They are more high tech than my voter card from the state of  Virginia in the US. My voter card does not have biometric. It does not have my fingerprint. The  high-tech gives the process more integrity.

 

” I congratulate INEC on taking the part of High-tech. I think we need to come and study it so that we can use it in my country.”

He expressed hope that INEC would address the the challenges experienced in the use of card readers and move forward.

Entwistle, who said he monitored the elections in Abuja, expressed satisfaction over Nigerians’ patience and dedication to the smooth conduct of the exercise.

He said, “I was extremely impressed.  Saturday I went to a number of places in the FCT. Every place I went, I was impressed by patience and dedication of the Nigerian voter. I found that inspirational.”

Entwistle further said Nigerians had reminded the world of how beautiful democracy was. He said the expectation of the American government “is that he Nigerian people will win.”

He added that his nation’s government would be willing to work with anybody emerged as winner of the presidential election.

He said: “I mean they (people) will get what they want which of course is a transparent, credible and non-violent elections. We look forward to working with whatever government emerges from the elections.”

 #NigeriaDecides

Senator Bukola Saraki returns to Senate

Senator Bukola Saraki returns to Senate

INEC Nigeria declares Bukola Saraki winner Kwara Central Senatorial District to return as Senator. Total votes 195,304 Total valid votes 187,585. APC votes 118,879. PDP 66,864.
congratulations to him.

Muhammadu Buhari Wins In Ondo State

General Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, has secured victory in Ondo state.
The results were provided in the early morning of March 30, Monday, Premium Times reports.
Both Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan won in nine out of 18 local government areas of the state. The APC candidate received 299,889 votes, while the PDP candidate polled 251,368 votes.

The total number of eligible voters in Ondo state stood at 1,501, 549 while the total of valid votes cast was 561,056.
Interestingly, it had been expected that the former military head of state would fail in the PDP-controlled state, where the South West co-coordinator for the Goodluck Presidential campaign Gov Olusegun Mimiko hitherto held sway.
The results were announced at the INEC office in Alagbaka, Akure.

Babangida Loses His Senatorial Ambition In Niger State

As the results of Saturday’s elections continue to trickle in from all corners of the country, reports reaching us say the governor of Niger state, Babaganida Aliyu has lost his bid to be a member of the senate.
The governor who was contesting on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the Niger-East Senatorial District was trounced by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), David Umaru by a wide margin.
According to Today.ng, in the results announced by the returning officer for the district, Ali Jigam, at the Senatorial Election Collation Centre, College of Education in Minna yesterday, Umaru scored 49,519 votes while Aliyu got 17,209 votes.
The APC candidate scored 18,887 votes in Gurara local government area while the governor had 6,520. In Shiroro LGA, the APC candidate polled 27,191 votes as against 7,519 votes by his PDP counterpart.
In Tafa LGA , the collating officer, Emmanuel Daniya, said that the governor recorded 8,151 votes while the APC candidate had 17,596. Also in Bosso LGA, it was a land slide victory for the APC candidate. He scored 36,250 voters over Aliyu’s 7, 060 votes.
Umaru also won in Munya LGA where he polled 13,666 votes over Aliyu’s 6,635 votes. In Suleja council area, Babangida got 12,648 while his APC counterpart scored 34,326 votes At the time of filing this report, results from Suleja, Paikoro and Rafi LGAs had yet to arrive at the collation centre.

Photos: Women in Rivers state protest Saturday's election

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.

they said the election was amidst rigging.

Photos: Buhari arrives Abuja to await declaration of results by INEC

Photos: Buhari arrives Abuja to await declaration of results by INEC

Buhari pictured arriving Abuja this morning to await the announcement of the results of Saturday's general election by INEC.

2015 Presidential Election Results So Far

please note,that this is not the final result.

Counting of the ballot papers has commenced in different states across the country and was still continuing into the late hours of Saturday, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting until Sunday, March 29, in states where card readers failed.
UPDATE: Attahiru Jega, the INEC chairman, took part in a press conference in the evening of March 29, 2015, Sunday.
The key quotes from the event regarding the announcement of the results are given below:
“We will use the same collation method we used in 2011 for this election.”
“We will not commence collation unless stakeholders are informed. The media will be there when we start collation.”
“We don’t know if we will do collation tonight or tomorrow. When they come we will take them in batches.”
“As I speak, very very few results have been collated. The info we have is that only 2 states have finished collation.”
“We are not under any pressure to declare elections inconclusive.”
“We will release results as soon as they are processed, within 48 hours, as promised, countdown started on Saturday’s eve.”
“It is only the INEC that can make the final declaration of the winners of the election.”
DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS RESULT BELOW IS NOT THE FINAL RESULT OF THE ELECTIONS, AS IT COULD BE UPDATED ANYTIME
Results from different local government areas across the country so far.
LIVE UPDATES, March 30
TOTAL VOTES
States: 26
LGAs: 294
Total votes processed: 9,389,460
Buhari (APC): 6,317,366
Jonathan (PDP): 3,072,094

Total preliminary votes, Buhari (APC): 6,317,366 Jonathan (PDP): 3,072,094

State                           Buhari (APC)       Jonathan (PDP)
Adamawa State    28000                     33966
Bauchi State           135588                     7652
Borno State             42612                       3698
Delta State               2457                         89990
Ebonyi State           9319                         159614
Edo State                  78501                      124827
Ekiti State                115791                     176466
Enugu State            1539                         73584
FCT                              68192                     57357
Gombe State           74976                     1076
Imo State                  57756                      193665
Jigawa State            331445                   43872
Kaduna State         929617                   257036
Kano State              1034176                 118064
Katsina State         637074                   5025
Kogi State                109827                   84505
Kwara State             291781                   129315
Lagos State              497834                  335108
Nasarawa State     46855                     41241
Niger State              58239                     9436
Ogun State              246488                  165649
Ondo State              299889                 251368
Osun State              5382527                259918
Oyo State                 528311                   303376
Plateau State          99502                   278611
Sokoto State           254698                 54934
Kebbi state              488302                 78248
KWARA STATE

Kwara State preliminary results: Buhari (APC)291 781. Jonathan (PDP) 129 315.

KOGI STATE
The results of 11 out of the 21 LGAs have been made available, while the information from the remaining 10 councils is yet to be obtained. Buhari has so far garnered 109,827 votes and Jonathan received 84,555.
See the figures by local government areas, as released by the INEC Sunday night:

Kogi State preliminary results: Buhari (APC) 109 827. Jonathan (PDP) 84 505.

EDO STATE
The votes of 8 out of the 18 LGAs have been counted. Jonathan leads in seven Edo areas.

Edo preliminary results: Buhari (APC) 60 101. Jonathan (PDP) 94 490.

ONDO STATE

Ondo preliminary results: Buhari (APC)299 889. Jonathan (PDP) 251 368.

---

March 29 Updates
LAGOS STATE

Lagos preliminary results: Buhari (APC) 444 273. Jonathan (PDP) 300 806.

The collation of results of Saturday’s election in Lagos is still ongoing at the various collation centres across the state. At the state INEC secretariat in Yaba, few people are seen moving around in the premises. But there are over a dozen armed security agents stationed around the secretariat. An official said the place would become a beehive of activities in the evening when final results from all the centers would start coming in.
FCT ABUJA

FCT Abuja first votes: Buhari (APC) 52 844. Jonathan (PDP) 44 266.

OGUN STATE

Ogun state first reports: Buhari (APC) 239 412. Jonathan (PDP) 157 586.

OSUN STATE

Osun state estimated results: Buhari (APC) 239 412. Jonathan (PDP) 157 586.

BORNO STATE

Borno state preliminary results: Buhari (APC) 42 612. Jonathan (PDP) 3698.

Most of the votes in the above-given LGAs were casted in internally displaced persons’ camps across the state.
EKITI STATE

Ekiti state results: Buhari (APC) 115 791. Jonathan (PDP) 176 466. 16 out of 16 LGAs for the incumbent president!

KADUNA STATE

Kaduna first results: Buhari (APC) 211 626. Jonathan (PDP) 25 884.

KANO STATE

Kano state estimates: Buhari (APC) 727 813. Jonathan (PDP) 97 494.

OYO STATE

Oyo state preliminary figures: Buhari (APC) 240 596. Jonathan (PDP) 129 627.

KATSINA STATE

Katsina state possible votes in 13 LGAs: Buhari (APC) 564445. Jonathan (PDP) 3942.

JIGAWA STATE 

First info from Jigawa, 10 LGAs: Buhari (APC) 291 097. Jonathan (PDP) 37 768.

---

Below, see some of previous results that emerged in the morning of Sunday/ night of Saturday:
PU 061 Agege Lagos.
Presidential APC – 101, PDP – 44,
SEN: APC – 95, PDP – 58,
Reps: APC – 88, PDP – 58.

Ibeju Lekki Ward. Ibeju 1
Presidential: APC – 223, PDP – 201. PUs Reported: 3.
Ondo Presidential Elections
Akoko South-East
PDP – 6,769 APC – 7,245
Idanre
PDP – 12,290 APC – 12,654
Unit 047, Alausa, Ikeja, where Mr. Tinubu voted.
President APC – 180 PDP – 55
Senate APC – 181 PDP – 53,
Reps APC – 178 PDP – 53.
Polling Unit 008 Epetedo, Igbosere Street, in Lagos Island:
President APC – 62, PDP – 61.
Senate APC – 70, PDP – 52.
Reps APC – 61, PDP – 52.
Eti-osa Lekki
House of reps: APC – 105, PDP – 91, KOWA – 1, PPA – 1,
Senate: APC – 101, PDP – 99, AD – 2, Labour – 1,
Presidential result: APC – 103, PDP – 99, AD – 1.
Ward 09, PU 013 Sabo, Yaba
Presidential: APC – 83, PDP – 38, Void – 1.
Ifako-Ijaiye Ward C, PU 032
Presidential: APC – 83, PDP – 77,
Senate: APC – 88, PDP – 72,
Reps: APC – 78, PDP – 66.
Ile Agege PU 003
Presidential: APC – 84, PDP – 31,
Senate: APC – 79, PDP – 32,
Reps: APC – 84, PDP – 28.
Akowonjo Egbeda – Lagos
Presidential results: APC – 18,907, PDP – 2,691, Kowa – 71.
Rogo bustop – Ishaga Lagos
Presidential result: APC – 614, PDP – 23.
Unit 32 (aladesuru street,papa ajao mushin)
House of reps: APC – 52, PDP – 40,
Senate: APC- 55, PDP – 37,
President: APC- 56, PDP – 29.
Ikoyi (Musiliu Obanikoro Polling Unit in Ikoyi)
Reps: PDP – 38, APC – 56, APGA – 1,
Senate: PDP – 44, APC – 58,
Presidency: APC – 62, PDP – 38.
Ademuyiwa (Lagos mainland)
Presidential: –  APC – 107, PDP – 56.
Ward 006, Aguda Surulere:
House of Reps: APA – 1, APC – 59, PDP – 156,
Senate: APC – 57, PDP – 159,
Presidency: APC – 63, PDP – 156. Igwe Isaac
PU 034 Theo Okunnusi Street, Alapere, Ketu (Accredited 149)
President: APC – 109, PDP – 36,
Senate: APC – 109, PDP – 36,
HoR: APC – 111, PDP – 34.
Ota Ward II, Afobaje Unit
Total Votes count: 380.
Presidential: PDP: 291. APC: 87. Void: 2.
Oyemekun Street in Ogba (Unit 16)
Voting commenced 4pm and counting ended 7:30pm.
Presidential elections: APC – 120, PDP – 95.
Nepa Bustop Jakande Estate Isolo
Presidential election: PDP – 87, APC – 400, Kowa – 2.
So far, APC is leading  in Lagos State.
Ekiti
PDP has won 15 LGAs out of the 16 LGAs in Ekiti State in the presidential election. Senate and Reps to be declared at the councils affected.
PDP   5,699 APC   3,103
Ido Osi LGA
APC  7,433 PDP  12,479
Moba LGA 
APC 7,492  PDP 8,687 ACPN 22 AD 26 ADC 19
Oye LGA
APC  8,574, PDP 11,262
Ikere LGA
APC 7,990 PDP 14,091
Ileje Meje LGA
PDP 3,799 APC 3,000
Irepodun Ifelodun
APC 7,970 PDP 11,395
Emure LGA
APC 5,352 PDP 6,822
Ado Ekiti
APC 14,414 PDP 25,411
Ekiti South West LGA
APC   7,195 PDP 10,220
Ekiti West LGA
APC   8,001 PDP 10,003
Ise Orun Local Government
APC 5,675 PDP 9,158
Ikole LGA, Ekiti
APC 10,036 PDP   13,306
Gboyin LGA
APC 6,334 PDP 8,792
Unit 09, Ward 11, Isan Ekiti [Former Governor Kayode Fayemi's polling booth]
Presidential Election: APC – 140, PDP – 24
Senate: APC – 135, PDP – 21
House of Reps – APC – 142, PDP – 22
Ijero LGA
PDP 13,420, APC 9498
KOGI
Shabayaji old market polling unit Lokoja
Presidential: APC 416, PDP 32
Senate: APC 355, PDP 41 Acord 28.
Rep: APC 375, PDP 46, Accord 17.
Idanuhua polling unit 11 Adavi local govt
Presidential: APC 215, PDP 43
Senate: APC 205, PDP 48
Rep: APC 205, PDP 48
Idnuhua polling unit 6 Adavi LG
Presidential: APC 133 PDP 19
Senate: APC 83, PDP 57
Rep: APC 79, PDP 72
BAYELSA
Collation is still ongoing in some LGA across the state, as we await the digits, we shall keep you updated.
Nembe Ward 3, unit 4
REPS: APC-3; PDP-39; Void votes-5
SENATE: APC-15; PDP-32
PRESIDENCY: APC-1; APA-1; ACPN-1; PDP-44; Void-Nil
NEMBE WARD 3, unit 6
REPS: APC-12; PDP-82; Void-5
SENATE: APC-35; Labour-1; PDP-59; Void-4
PRESIDENCY: APC-3; NCP-1; PDP 94; Void-1
WARD 3, UNIT 2
REPS: APC-9;Labour-1,PDP-101; Void-3
SENATE: APC-30;Labour-4; PDP-79; Void-1
PRESIDENCY
APC-5;CPP-1;Labour-1; PDP-106; Void-1
WARD 2,UNIT 4
REPS: APC-11; PDP-287; Void-2
SENATE: APC-20; PDP-278; Void-2
PRESIDENCY: APC-1; PDP-297; Void-2
WARD 2, UNIT 13
REPS: APC-7; PPA-2; PDP-42
SENATE: APC-11; PDP-41; Void-Nil
So far PDP Leads in all LGA areas in Bayelsa
Ogun
Counting of votes has commenced in many polling units in Ogun State. As at 4.30 p.m., many of the centres had started collation and counting of the votes while voters waited patiently to witness the process. Agents of the various parties were also seen at the polling units. Long queues of voters were, however, still seen in some polling units at 4:45 p.m.
According to PM news, All Progressive Congress won in four councils while the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP won in the remaining three.
Ijebu Ode
APC 14,043 PDP 8,972.
Total valid votes in the area was 23,473 with voided votes recorded 1,160.
Obafemi-Owode
APC: 15, 207 PDP: 5,786
Valid votes in the area were 21,708 and the voided votes were 897.
Odeda local government
APC: 11, 102 PDP: 4,456
Total valid votes was 16,152 with 775 votes voided.
Ewekoro local government
APC: 9, 626 PDP: 3,227
Valid votes were 13,189 and the void votes was 504.
Imeko-Afon
APC: 7,657 PDP: 12, 153
The valid votes in the area is 20,466 with 1,122 votes voided.
Sagamu
PDP: 17, 263 APC: 15, 761
Remo North local government
PDP: 9, 278 APC: 6, 164
So far, Buhari has polled 79,560 votes to Jonathan’s 61,135 votes.
Osun 
Ayedire LGA
Presidential APC 8,280; PDP 6,323
Obokun LGA
Presidential APC 10,506; PDP 9,325
Ilesha West
Presidential APC 11,714; PDP 5,145
Ayedade LGA
Presidential APC 13,560; PDP 9,466
Olaoluwa LGA
Presidential APC 8,125: PDP 5,910
Oriade LGA
Presidential APC 12,724; PDP 10,490
Egbedore LGA
Presidential APC 9,577; PDP 6,507
Ifelodun LGA
Presidential APC 17,040; PDP 9,847
Irepodun LGA
Presidential APC 12,485; PDP 7,750
Isokan LGA
Presidential APC 10,187; PDP 6,974
Orolu LGA
Presidential APC 8,466; PDP 6,360
Odo Otin LGA
Presidential APC 13,351; PDP 10,230
Ife East LGA
Presidential APC 12,513; PDP 15,532
Olorunda LGA
Presidential APC 23,342; PDP 7,958
Atakumosa West LGA
Presidential APC 6,639; PDP 4,734
Ife South LGA
Presidential APC 9,793; PDP 9,283
Ife North LGA
Presidential APC 8,369; PDP 7,921
Boripe LGA
APC 12,152; PDP 7,457
Ila LGA
Presidential APC 11,576; PDP 7,647
Ifedayo LGA
Presidential APC 3,824; PDP 3,786
Atakumosa East LGA
Presidential APC 8,668; PDP 5,418
Ilesha East LGA
Presidential APC 13,229; PDP 5,740
Oyo
Result at Unit 32, Ward 2 Ibadan South West LGA
House of Reps: APC – 23; LP – 9; ACD – 3; PDP – 9; Accord – 20; AD – 2; null and void – 6.
Senate: Accord – 25; PDP – 8; Labour – 8; APC – 25; null and void – 6.
Presidency: APC – 39; UPP – 1; AD – 3; AA – 1; ACPN – 4; PDP – 19.
Nasarawa
Keffi LGA
PDP: 9,735 APC :26,797
KEBBI STATE
So far, results from 7 LGA in Kebbi state has been turned in.
Pampo in Ribah , Danko/Wasagu Local Government,
Presidential APC polled 112, PDP 13
Senate APC got 108, PDP 23
House of Representative APC: 109 and PDP: 16.
Rafin Zuru PU,one of many in Zuru LGA
Presidential: APC: 568  PDP: 16
For Senate APC: 533, PDP: 54
Reps:  APC: 527, PDP: 40
Shadadi 2, Wuro G PU,result in Kalgo LGA
Presidential: APC has 92 and PDP 1
Senate APC 85, PDP 5
House of Representative: APC 82, PDP 11
Sunday Kola Tarasa PU, Badarariya, in Birnin Kebbi
Presidential APC: 907, PDP: 37
Senate APC: 616, PDP: 140
House of Reps APC: 807, PDP: 93
Basaura/PU: Babban G in Jega LGA
Presidential APC polled 526, PDP 4
Senate: APC 325, PDP 209
Reps: APC 329, PDP 199.
Dandi Marafa II/PU: Tudun W, in Arewa/Dandi LGA
Presidential: APC 118, PDP 11
Senate: APC 79, PDP 51
Reps: APC 83, PDP 33.
So far is 7 LGA in Kebbi State, APC is leading with huge pace.
ABUJA
AP plaza polling unit PU 37/06/04/180
Reps: -161 APC-232 APGA-21 FRESH-1 LABOUR PARTY-11 APA-1 ADC-1
Senate: PDP-178 APC-237 APGA-5 ADC-1 PPA-1
Presidential:  APC-235 PDP-200 KOWA-1
Abuja Polling Unit 017 in Life Camp, Abuja. Voting has been concluded but counting could not continue because of darkness. But a patriotic voter volunteered his generator. Lighting has been set up and ballot sorting underway.

Benue
Polling Unit 004 HUDCO II North Bank Makurdi, Benue State HOR
Reps: APC: 164 PDP: 73
Senate: APC: 171 PDP: 75
Presidential: APC: 178 PDP: 65
Anshange Apa polling station, Gboko:
REPS (APC:190, PDP:22)
SENATE (APC:186, PDP:28)
PRESIDENT (APC:187, PDP:23)
Akwa Ibom

OYO
Result from Unit 26, ward 11 Ibadan north east‎ LGA.
Presidential: Apc 155; Pdp 39; SDP 1.
‎Senitorial: ‎Apc 112; Pdp 25; SDP 8; LP 16; Accord 56‎.
House of Rep; ‎Apc 116; Pdp 34; SDP 4;Accord 42; LP 8
At Unit 9, ward at Sabo, an Hausa community,
Presidential result is APC 152, PDP 28.
Result from Unit 26, ward 11 Ibadan north east‎ LGA. Counting of result ended by 8: 05pm.
Presidential: Apc 155; Pdp 39; SDP 1.
‎Senitorial: ‎Apc 112; Pdp 25; SDP 8; LP 16; Accord 56‎.
House of Rep; ‎Apc 116; Pdp 34; SDP 4;Accord 42; LP 8
KATSINA
Daura LGA, Katsina State, Buhari’s LGA
President APC 69,632, PDP 117
Mai’adua LGA, Katsina State
President APC 51,003, PDP 214
Baure LGA, Katsina State
President APC 43,691, PDP 109
Misau LGA, Bauchi State
President APC 38,330, PDP 1167
Senate   APC 30,565, PDP 7816
Reps   APC 30,221, PDP 7596
KADUNA
Nasir El-Rufai wins own polling unit [Polling Unit 024 Anguwar Sarki Ward, Kaduna North]
Presidential Election: APC-430, PDP-11, APA-1, AD-1, VOID – 3
BORNO
Collation of results of Saturday’s presidential election is underway at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. Residents of most of the local government’s areas, which results have been announced, voted at the internally displaced people’s camps in Maiduguri.
The result for the two major contending parties -APC and PDP is as follows
Marte Local government
Presidential: APC scored 4262 and PDP got 242 votes.
Kala Balge local Government area
Presidential:  APC – 1766; PDP – 98 votes
ASKIRA-UBA Local government
Presidential: APC – 5220 and PDP – 1308 votes
Ngala Local government
Presidential:  APC 2,764; PDP -241 votes
Kukawa Local government
Presidential: APC scored 5662; and PDP – 230 votes
Mobbar Local Government
Presidential: APC polled 4487; PDP – 108 votes
Abadam Local government area
Presidential:  APC scored 2657; PDP – 70 votes
Nganzai Local government
Presidential: APC got 3,521; and PDP got 211 votes
Kaga Local government area
Presidential:  APC scored 6133; PDP got 202 votes
Mafa Local government area
Presidential:  APC polled 7,140; and PDP got 178 votes
Sokoto

Jigawa

Gombe

wow the incredible is happening.
change is coming,as APC wins in most areas.

#SAYNOTOVIOLENCE
 Violence can never give the desired victory
 Lets say NO TO VIOLENCE 
 Go out and VOTE for the candidate of your choice.

THIS GUY IS NO DOUBT THE BEST FOOTBALLER LIVING
There is no dispute. There is no battle to consider. Cristiano Ronaldo was a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or but Lionel Messi is currently playing better football than any other player, ever.

"Lionel Messi is better than Ronaldo," the former Barcelona star David Villa told Goal this week. "He is the best player in the world. Everything about him is the best."

Earlier in 2015, Ronaldo's performances were so stellar that Real Madrid Castilla coach and club legend Zinedine Zidane described him as being "an alien". But barely six weeks later it is Messi who is the extraterrestrial.

The story of how Messi has ended up on top of the world ahead of this weekend's decisive Clasico at Camp Nou begins in defeat; Real Sociedad on January 4. Barcelona had failed to take advantage of Real Madrid's loss against Valencia earlier in the day and missed out on top spot in La Liga. It was a blight on what had been a solid, if unspectacular, season under Luis Enrique for the Catalans.

Real had decisively vanquished their rivals in their only previous meeting of the season back in October and momentum looked to be with them after a run of 22 successive victories. On a personal level, the momentum was with Cristiano too.

He was putting the finishing touches to his Ballon d'Or winner's speech after unveiling a statue dedicated to himself in Madeira. Ronaldo had found the net 25 times in the league before that Valencia loss. Messi had only scored 15.

Messi's standards dropped for the best part of 18 months while Ronaldo gobbled up the individual prizes. The Argentina captain played unhappily. He was unwilling or unable to do what Tata Martino asked of him. He did not cut the same figure as the player who demolished all in front of him for Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova. That sense of unease Messi brought with him spread like a virus among other players and lingered until that night in San Sebastian was over.

Messi was a substitute that evening, annoyed that coach Luis Enrique would not start him after a delayed return from his winter holidays. The next day he missed training. Reports of an upset tummy were easily dismissed. A wedge was driven between Messi and his coach. Luis Enrique gave nothing away though, insisting to the press that all was well. Untrue. Messi and a cadre of senior players were dissatisfied with the coach's methods. The past few weeks, then, have been an exercise in crisis management at Camp Nou.

Messi and Luis Enrique are not singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to their accounts of what occurred around the time of the Sociedad defeat. Luis Enrique carried on as normal. Messi demurs when it suits him but has been forthcoming about changes which have taken place since the defeat at Anoeta.

"Luckily, after the match against Real Sociedad, where we didn't start the year very well, everything changed," the forward said in an interview with Mundo Leo. "Now there is a different dynamic to the team, everything we do comes off. The team has a lot of confidence and we've changed the attitude and drive. That's why we're playing like we are at the moment.

In other words, Luis Enrique has been left under no illusion about who the boss is at Barcelona. It might not be an ideal working scenario but Messi is playing the football of his life. Barcelona have since won every game bar one.

"This year I tried to get to my best form as quickly as possible," he revealed. "I knew I was coming off the back of a not very good year, during which I went through a lot of problems on and off the field."

There is that tax case, there was the deep disappointment of losing the World Cup final when he was expected to deliver, and he saw his friends in the Barca dressing room, namely Cesc Fabregas and Pinto, depart.

Messi has excelled in the circumstances and enjoys the full backing of his board and colleagues. It is Ronaldo who is snarling at his team-mates and walking off the field unappreciative of the thousands who come to catch a glimpse of him. Real Madrid's ordinary form has given Ronaldo questions he will not, or cannot, answer.

Ronaldo has had a lot on his mind since winning the Ballon d'Or and conditions have not been ideal for him to maintain his performance levels. There has been a high-profile split with his partner and he had to deal with the fallout of his ill-conceived birthday party, but one thing will hurt above all else.

Messi, the man by whom Ronaldo defines his own output, is making a well-worn argument redundant. It was once Ronaldo and Messi vying for top spot and then the rest falling in line behind. Messi is now leaving Ronaldo in his wake.



"For me Messi is the best player ever," former Madrid and Barca star Robert Prosinecki told Goal. "Chapeau to Ronaldo, but Messi is someone special. He's an incredible player; it looks like you’re watching him on a Playstation. It’s impressive to see how he did it for many years, also Ronaldo, but Messi is better in my opinion."

The only question now is whether or not Ronaldo can do anything to match his great rival. It is unlikely that Ronaldo will show either the aptitude or patience to keep up.

Look how Messi has evolved. He drops deep. He makes the play. He nominally occupies the right side of attack but the entire field is his domain. The nutmegs, the one-twos, the shimmies, the feints... the tricks are not only back but they are better than ever. He looks brand new.

"It was a challenge to change the image that I had given out last season and to be the player I had been in previous seasons again," Messi said. "That was my objective and that's how I came out at the start of this year - really up for it."

How things change. It is true that Messi is no longer the same player who won four Ballons d'Or. He is better and so are Barca, suffering just one defeat - to Malaga - since the Anoeta loss. Real have been beaten four times and drawn twice. There are mitigating circumstances in the sense that Sergio Ramos, James Rodriguez and Luka Modric have all been injured. They have not been able to count on their favoured XI. In these times of difficulty, Cristiano has not been found.

He has scored only five league goals since that Valencia loss and that dissatisfaction with team-mates, the surliness in his dealings with the press, have all betrayed a fed-up figure.

Ronaldo cannot conjure the play for them like Modric or James. He is a goalscorer, first and foremost, stationed on the wing. The relentless consistency with which he found the net and the ease in dismissing any defender in his way ensured he was regarded as the best.

Real Madrid had won the Spanish, European and world titles before that day they lost to Valencia; they were brought crashing to earth before they went intergalactic. Since then Cristiano Ronaldo has been unable to emulate his intergalactico form from earlier in the season, and it is Messi who is playing like he is from another dimension.

Politicians there they go again!

Buhari, In Massively Attended Campaign In Bayelsa, Promises Development Ignored By President Jonathan

General Muhammed Buhari, presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday took his campaign to the doorsteps of President Goodluck Jonathan in Yenagoa where he pledged to revamp the agricultural and power sectors if elected next month.

General Muhammed Buhari, presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday took his campaign to the doorsteps of President Goodluck Jonathan in Yenagoa where he pledged to revamp the agricultural and power sectors if elected next month..

Addressing a massive crowd, the APC flag-bearer noted that Bayelsa was blessed with a suitable climate and fertile land for large scale agriculture which will be harnessed to drive economic development. 
He regretted the inability of the Jonathan administration to develop even Bayelsa, his own home state, and promised to reverse the trend.
He said that power was critical to unlock the potentials of Nigerian entrepreneurs and will be a cardinal part of his economic programme.
Buhari also pledged to embark on skills acquisition and empowerment schemes that would benefit the teeming unemployed youths in the state. 
He was accompanied on the campaign tour by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Chairman of APC; Chief Timiprie Sylva, former Governor of Bayelsa; campaign coordinator Amaechi, the governor of Rivers State, and many top officials of the party.
On corruption, the former Head of State reiterated that under his government, anyone caught stealing public funds will be punished and compelled to return it.  
He urged registered voters in the state to collect their Permanent Voters Cards before the February 14 general elections.
Speaking earlier, Governor Amaechi expressed satisfaction with the impressive turnout of party loyalists and expressed optimism that APC will be victorious at all levels of the elections.
Amaechi stressed that the elections will be merit-based and called on the people to protect their votes, reiterating that APC was poised to reverse the underdevelopment of Bayelsa.
In that regard, he joined the presidential candidate in wondering loudly why President Jonathan could not develop his home state.
“In the case of Rivers they said he refused to develop Rivers because he is quarrelling with me but let me ask you: is your son Jonathan (also) quarrelling with [Governor] Dickson?
“Why do they say “charity begins at home?” he asked rhetorically.   We expect Bayelsa to be a model state,” Amaechi said.
Also speaking, Bayelsa State APC chairman, Chief Timipa Orunimighe declared that the successful hosting of the presidential rally marked the beginning of change in the history of the state.

Poor Turnout As Jonathan Takes Campaign To Kaduna 

 (what do you expect? A large turnout?)

President Goodluck Jonathan waving the crowd at the campaign

President Goodluck Jonathan waving to supporters in Kaduna today State House Photo A half-filled stadium marked the presidential campaign rally of President Goodluck Jonathan  at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, as the President rounded off his re-election campaign in the North-West zone of the country on Saturday.

The 25,000 capacity stadium was half filled as many supporters shunned the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate’s rally.
A visibly angry deputy governor of the state, Amb. Nuhu Bajoga, was spotted by our correspondent at the rally, complaining bitterly to members of the local organising committee at the main bowl of the stadium.
He reportedly told the committee to “go and bring the crowd.”
It was gathered that the ‘welfare package” for supporters were allegedly diverted by some unnamed officials of the local organising committee.
Curiously, a section of the stadium, rather than praising the president, started singing “sai Buhari,” a situation that forced security operatives to chase the disgruntled supporters out of the stadium.
The president, who arrived the stadium at about 1.30pm, went round the scanty stadium, before taking his seat.
In his speech, Jonathan said Kaduna was one of the major beneficiaries of the Federal Government and as such, it was payback time for the people of the state to re-elect him in the February 14 election.
He said the state was the focus of the Federal Government in the next four years if elected.
He added that the collapsed textile mills in the state would be revived, so as to create jobs for the teeming youths in the state.
Jonathan noted that the state must work with the party for the development of the state.
Vice President Namadi Sambo had earlier, in his speech, said the people of the state appreciated the gesture of the president for his(Sambo) choice as his running mate in the February poll.
He described the president as patriotic and detribalized and therefore urged the people of the state to vote the party in all the elections.
Sambo said the president loved the people of the region, pointing out that the president was determined to bring back the collapse industry in Kaduna State through the establishment of the 215-megawatt Kudendan Power Plant in the state.
Also, Senate President David Mark said Kaduna was important to the party, as according to him, if the state leads, other parts of the North would follow in the forthcoming election.

 I'm having strange feelings with what Dr.Jonathan said.

Jonathan Tells BBC: I Will Surely Win 

President Goodluck Jonathan says he will “surely” win the 2015 presidential election which will hold on March 28. Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Jonathan said categorically: “I’ll surely win.” The election is generally expected to be very tough, with many analysts concluding that Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), would win.

President Goodluck Jonathan says he will “surely” win the 2015 presidential election which will hold on March 28. Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Jonathan said categorically: “I’ll surely win.”

The election is generally expected to be very tough, with many analysts concluding that Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), would win.
President Goodluck Jonathan The postponement of the election from the original February 14 date was attributed to the fear of losing by Jonathan, but the president told the BBC he is confident of winning the election. He also spoke on the Boko Haram insurgents, admitting for the first time that they were initially underrated by the government. But now he said they are getting weaker and all territories under their control would be retaken within a month. “They are getting weaker and weaker by the day,” he said. “I’m very hopeful that it will not take us more than a month to recover the old territories that hitherto have been in their [Boko Haram’s] hands.”
While admitting that the authorities had “under-estimated” the militants, he also reiterated that the military lacked the resources to fight them until now. Jonathan said that newly acquired military equipment, as well as co-operation with neighboring countries, had helped push the insurgents out. On the Chibok girls, he said he was hopeful they are still alive and some of them may be at the Sambisa forest. Kenneth Minimah, a lieutenant general and chief of army staff, said during the week that there were no traces of the girls yet in all the towns and villages retaken from Boko Haram.

 Lols  what a strange world!

Woman puts house on sale, offers to marry buyer

An Indonesian homeowner, Wina Lia, has come up with a unique strategy to find matrimonial bliss. The 40-year-old has put up her house for sale and also offered to marry the buyer.

Lia owns a two-bedroom home in Sleman, a district near the city of Yogyakarta. The house comes with a small fish pond and spacious backyard.

The online advertisement had the house listed for a asking price of $76,500 but also mentioned a unique bonus: “Buyers who don’t negotiate the price can ask the owner to marry (terms and conditions apply).” The ad promptly went viral, with local news agencies tracking Lia down to check if the claim was genuine. Interestingly it turned out to be real.

The house owner, according to Coconuts Jakarta, who is a widow and a single mother, told local journalists that her realtor came up with the idea after she had expressed a desire to find a partner again. She revealed that she has had trouble finding a suitable man after her husband passed away in 2000. Even though, Lia has gone on a few dates since then, finding the right man has been quite tough.

“My agent suggested I put up the tagline ‘Buy the house and marry the owner at the same time,’” she said. “And I agreed to it. I’m looking for a husband anyway.”

“My goal is that this house be sold. But if I meet another partner, it is important that he be single, whether a bachelor or a widower, responsible and mature,” she explained.

Experts warn against Jonathan’s Boko Haram ‘victory’ claims

President Goodluck Jonathan

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday said the military hopes to recapture towns seized by Boko Haram within a month, in what would be a swift victory after six years of bloody conflict.

But experts warned against any premature declaration of victory, with the militants still proving capable of carrying out deadly hit-and-run strikes and indications of coalition lapses.

Jonathan, who is seeking re-election on March 28, said Boko Haram was “getting weaker and weaker every day”.

“I’m very hopeful that it will not take us more than a month to recover old territories that hitherto have been in their hands,” he told the BBC.

Nigeria has claimed major gains against the Islamists with the help of coalition partners Cameroon, Chad and Niger, achieving in just over one month what for years it had failed to on its own.

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Two out of three of the worst-hit northeast states — Yobe and Adamawa — have been declared “cleared” while the third, Borno, is expected to be liberated “soon”, the military said this week.

Major towns such as Bama and Dikwa are among some 36 localities recaptured, with just three said to be still in rebel hands.

National security advisor Mike Omeri said on Wednesday that “the final onslaught” was under way.

More than 13,000 people have lost their lives in the conflict and the main opposition candidate, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, has campaigned hard on the government’s security record.

Mark Schroeder, vice-president for Africa analysis at security risk consultants Stratfor, said announcing victory before March 28 made political sense for Jonathan as part of the election campaign.

“The risk he runs, however, is that the insurgency is not really defeated, only disrupted temporarily and for political posturing,” he told AFP.

“It would be akin to the ‘Mission Accomplished’ declaration by (US) President (George W.) Bush in 2003 that was a premature symbol of victory in Iraq.

“Clearly, Iraq is still today struggling with an Islamist insurgency.”

Until this year, Nigerian troops had appeared unable — even unwilling — to tackle the better-armed militants, who have allied themselves with the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

Jonathan acknowledged to the BBC that a lack of resources was to blame.

Nnamdi Obasi, senior Nigeria researcher at the International Crisis Group, attributed the sense of urgency to the prospect of defeat by Buhari.

“That urgency facilitated the delivery and deployment of new military hardware, including assets more relevant to counter-insurgency operations,” he said.

Improvement had been seen in command and deployment structures, including the use of senior officers to lead combat operations, special forces and co-operation with local vigilantes.

The involvement of foreign military contractors, many of them South Africans, to provide technical expertise may also have made a difference, he said.

“Offensives by the military forces of neighbouring countries have helped to overstretch the insurgents and thus undermine their ability to withstand Nigerian military offensives,” he added.

A Boko Haram attack on the border town of Gamboru on Wednesday and Thursday killed 11 civilians and gave an indication of the difficulties in bringing a definitive end to the violence.

The incident highlighted possible co-ordination problems among the allies, as Chadian troops, who had recaptured the town, had withdrawn but were not replaced, according to residents.

The Nigeria Security Network of analysts on Thursday meanwhile warned that Boko Haram would revert to its guerrilla campaign of bombings and suicide attacks in the face of military pressure.

Fears remain about the safety of voters on polling day, after a spate of suicide attacks in the north in recent weeks and after Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed to disrupt the election.

In the short-term shattered lives and infrastructure needed to be rebuilt, while longer term, Nigeria needs to tackle the root causes of the insurgency to prevent it flaring again, experts said.

The Borno Elders Forum on Wednesday warned that it was “too early to even start talking about any of the (1.5 million) displaced going back to any of these reclaimed territories”.

The forum’s chairman, Usman Gaji Galtimari said many areas appear to have been mined, while there have still been repeated attacks in areas said to have been recaptured.

adapted from PUNCH

12,000 INEC ad-hoc staff take neutrality oath in Taraba

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Taraba State on Saturday administered the oath of neutrality on its 12,000 ad-hoc staff  trained for the March 28 and April 11 polls.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Magistrate Yazeedu Aliyu of the Chief Magistrates’  Court, Jalingo,  administered the oath on behalf of the commission.
Speaking on the occasion in  Jalingo, INEC’s  Head  of  Public Affairs in the state, Mr Fabian Yame, explained that the exercise was aimed at  ensuring that the ad-hoc staff were unbiased.
Yame said the exercise  was being carried out  in all the local government headquarters across the state.
The spokesman, who also added that  INEC was fully prepared for the elections, urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the commission to ensure a peaceful, free, fair and acceptable polls.

Elections around the corner,dear reader please let's stay out of violence.Thanks.  from admin.

2015 Forbes Billionaires List Out - 5 Nigerians Make The Cut

2015 Forbes Billionaires List Out - 5 Nigerians Make The Cut

The 2015 Forbes list of billionaires is now out. Five Nigerian made the cut - Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Folorunsho Alakija, Femi Otedola and Abdulsamad Rabiu. Orji Uzor Kalu and Tony Elumelu who made the list last year were dropped off the list this year.

Bill Gates is still the richest man in the world. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is now the 16th richest man in the world. The youngest billionaire in the world is 24 year old Evan Spiegel, the co-founder of photo- messaging app, Snapchat. Aliko Dangote is the year's biggest loser, hi fortune dropped to $14.7 billion from $25 billion last year. Read the rest after the cut..


From Forbes

For our 29th annual guide to the globe’s richest, we found a record 1,826 billionaires with an aggregate net worth of $7.05 trillion, up from $6.4 trillion a year ago. The total includes 290 newcomers, 71 of whom hail from China. Youth are on the rise: A record 46 among the ranks are under age 40. One earthward note: The average net worth of list members came in at $3.86 billion, down $60 million from 2014.

Bill Gates is once again the richest person on the planet, a title he’s held for 16 of the past 21 years. His fortune grew $3.2 billion since last year to $79.2 billion, despite a gift of $1.5 billion in Microsoft MSFT -0.47% shares to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in November 2014. Carlos Slim Helu of Mexico comes in again at No. 2 while revered American investor Warren Buffett took back the No. 3 spot from Spain’s Amancio Ortega (now No. 4); not even the largest IPO in history was enough to beat the Oracle of Omaha this year. Buffett was the list’s biggest gainer, up $14.5 billion to $72.7 billion, thanks to Berkshire Hathaway’s rising share price.  Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg moves up 5 spots to number 16, his first time ranked among the world’s 20 richest. Ma and three other Chinese are among the the biggest gainers and appear among the 50 richest on the list.

Zuckerberg is also the leader in a youth revolution that has minted 46 billionaires under the age of 40. The youngest billionaire on the planet is Evan Spiegel, 24, co-founder of photo- messaging app Snapchat. California, driven by Silicon Valley tech companies, has spawned 23 new billionaires, including cofounders of car-hailing service Uber cofounders Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, and their first employee Ryan Graves. Elizabeth Holmes, who runs blood-testing firm Theranos, debuts on the global list as the youngest self-made woman at age 31. The state now has 131 individuals with 10-figure net worths, more than any other country besides China and the U.S.

The year’s biggest loser in dollar terms is Aliko Dangote of Nigeria, whose fortune dropped to $14.7 billion from $25 billion last year, propelled downward by a weaker Nigerian currency and shrinking demand for cement, his largest asset. He still retains the title of Africa’s richest man. The country that was lost the most ground by far was Russia, which now has 88 billionaires down from 111, less than not just the U.S. and China but now also Germany and India.

One hundred thirty-eight people from the 2014 list dropped out of the ranks altogether including fashion designer Michael Kors, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Zulily’s Mark Vadon and many Russians. Guatemala has a billionaire for the first time, and Iceland returns to the ranks after a five-year absence, the result of a comeback by Thor Bjorgolfsson, who’s now the only billionaire in Iceland’s history.
There’s no doubt that entrepreneurship is thriving globally. Fully 1,191 members of the list are self-made billionaires, while just 230 inherited their wealth. Another 405 inherited at least a portion but are still working to increase their fortunes.