ABIANS SAY NO TO TYRANNY: NO TO T.A ORJI

Tinubu And Amaechi Clash Over Senate President Position

These blocs are said to be: the Buhari/Northern bloc which is made up of the president-elect and his supporters who have been with him for 12 years and collapsed their structures into the APC during the merger process; the Tinubu/South-west bloc led by the former Lagos state governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who decamped to APC in 2013, led by the Rivers state governor, Chibuike Amaechi, and Senator Bukola Saraki.

The battle for political positions is now being championed by these three blocs.

The Tinubu bloc is said be behind the Senate minority leader, Senator George Akume, for the office of the Senate president, while the Amaechi bloc is pushing hard for the emergence of Saraki.

One source deep in the camp revealed that Akume has the backing of Tinubu and his group, which is believed to be the strongest bloc in the party, but may not have the numbers in the Senate to push through their goal.

The bloc has three reasons why they want Akume in the position.

First, the source said that Akume has been with Tinubu’s group since its days in the ACN, culminating in his emergence as the Senate minority leader.

Second, he said Akume is senior to Saraki in the Senate, having been in the Senate since 2007 while Saraki became a senator in 2011.

Third, the source said Tinubu and his men understand Akume far better than Saraki who he said is not close to the bigwigs in the group as is Akume.

“The Tinubu group is backing Akume because Saraki seems to be more or less an outsider (to the group). Besides, Akume has long been in ACN and he is a senior to Saraki. He is also better understood by Asiwaju than Saraki,” the source said.

We also learnt that one other factor not in Saraki’s favour is his tribe as a Yoruba man, though geographically located in Kwara in North-central Nigeria.However, the APC thinks they would have a tough time selling a Yoruba Senate president to the nation due to the vice-president-elect, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, is also being a Yoruba man from Ogun state in the south-west.

A source added that it would be a hard sell for two Yoruba men to become number two and three citizens respectively, even though they are from different geopolitical zones.

Despite this, Amaechi’s group wants Saraki in the position, while the agitation of north-east senators to produce the Senate president is said to have had the backing of the former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.

The senators had demanded the APC zone the position to their region, saying they are the most marginalised zone in the country.

This position is being supported by the former Gombe state governor, Danjuma Goje, who represents Gombe Central in the Senate, and by his counterparts in Yobe East and Yobe North, Bukka Abba Ibrahim and Ahmed Lawan respectively.

A senator from the south-west, Professor Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central), has also indicated interest in the race.

We also learnt that given different contenders’ interest in the office, it may be difficult for the power brokers in the APC to reach a consensus with the contenders on who will become the next Senate president.

Hence, the source said if a stalemate prevails there may be a repeat of the episode in the House of Representatives in 2011 when members of the House opted to elect their speaker and deputy in violation of the ruling PDP zoning agenda which had zoned the two offices to the south-west and the north-east respectively.

It was against this background that Aminu Tambuwal from the north-west and Emeka Ihedioha from the south-east emerged the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.

Given the emerging scenario, a source told us that the Senate might be forced to decide who leads them through an election that is based on the coalition built by each of the contenders for the post of Senate president among their colleagues.

The Senate president position had been held by David Mark but as the APC are now the majority, they have to find one of their own.

JOIN ‪APC‬ - ABIA YOUTHS TELL ‪KALU‬

Following the massive rigging that characterised the March 28 Abia North Senatorial election, youths comprising students, artisans and traders under the auspices of Abia Youth Alliance Forum (AYAFY) besieged the Igbere country home of Dr. Orji Kalu on Tuesday to woo him to join All Progressives Congress (APC) in the interest of the state.

The former governor, who contested for Abia North Senatorial race on the platform of Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) had challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC officials of manipulating the election result in favour of the PDP candidate, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa. The group condemned in strong terms the maltreatment meted out to Kalu and other opposing parties by INEC and Abia State government officials during the National Assembly poll.

Speaking with journalists during the visit, the group’s Coordinator, Mazi Obiajulu Okonkwo explained that Dr. Orji Kalu was a respected Igbo son, whose contribution to the social, economic and political development of Nigeria was deeply appreciated by all irrespective of age, religious and political differences.

According to him: “ We believe in change and we need the likes of Dr. Orjii Kalu to come on board in the interest of Ndigbo. We know he has a close relationship with General Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu but we are here today to persuade him to join the party that appreciates him. “ Abia State is in a mess because Governor Orji had been dropping the name of President Jonathan’s wife in running the state with impunity. We are glad that this will stop with the new government and Abia State will regain its lost glory,” he said.

“At the March 28 poll, INEC officials connived with Abia State officials to change the people’s will by ensuring Orji Kalu was rigged out of the race,” Okonkwo added.

The activist berated the Governor Orji-led administration for failing to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Abia people, adding that the current administration had committed a crime against humanity.

According to him: “ It is unfortunate that Abia State is in a sorrowful condition, a trip to Aba will explain better. The governor and his family have mortgaged the future of Abians by using tax payer’s money to acquire property all over the world. We will wait to see if the ill-gotten wealth will make them stay in office beyond May 29, 2015.”

The group’s coordinator maintained that for the state to progress, there was a need for leadership change and appealed to the electorate to come out en masse to vote APC candidates in the April 11 poll.

Okonkwo, while urging Nigerians to support the incoming administration of Gen Buhari, urged them to remain calm and committed to the new Nigeria project, adding that the country would be a better place if collectively we join hands together to support the new government.

In his remarks, Special Adviser to Dr. Kalu, Chief Ugochukwu Obialo, who received the youths thanked them for identifying and appreciating his principal and promised to convey their message to him.

Obialo used the opportunity to call on the youths to maintain peace and order during and after April 11 elections.

Meet John Dumelo, Majid Michel’s secret admirer

Up and coming actress, Princess Abigail Yonwuren who acted in Zeb Ejiro’s latest film, “The Merciful” has confessed to secretly admiring two Ghanaian star actors, John Dumelo and Majid Michel.
The Delta State-born actress made this revelation while in a chat with HVP recently in Asaba. According to Abigail, “I like John Dumelo’s acting prowess. I am one of his secret admirers. From the first day I watched his movie, I fell in love with his acting skills.
It was an epic movie and he played the role of a king. I like his carriage and the fact that he is a good actor. Then I didn’t know he was a Ghanaian. But he’s indeed, every ladies’ man. I also like Majid Michel. He is a good actor too. I look forward to acting alongside these actors.”
The actress said she ‘s looking forward to playing a romantic scene with either John Domelo or Majid Michel. However, despite having a crush on these two actors, Abigail said she’s in Nollywood to carve out a niche for herself.
Revealing that she developed passion for acting while she was a child, the Asaba- based actress frowned at those rising actresses who take pleasure in exchanging their bodies for movie roles. She declares, “I will not subscribe to exchanging my body for a movie role. Rather, I will believe in myself and the stuff I am made of as a rising actress.”

Tanker drivers advocates stringent legislation for pipeline vandals

The Petroleum Tanker Driver branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG,  has advocated for a stringent legislation that will checkmate the activities of pipeline vandals across the country.
File photo: Pipeline fire
File photo: Pipeline fire
In an interview with Vanguard in his Ibadan office, the National Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Comrade Otunba Salimonu Akanni Oladiti said the ways vandals are treated when caught leaves much to be desired.
Oladiti said that anybody caught vandalizing pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) should treated as one who wants to sabotage the economy.
He suggested a 30 year jail term without any option of fine for anyone caught in the act of vandalizing pipelines.
He told Vanguard that billions of Naira are lost to the unscrupulous Nigerians who are out to make quick money without caring about the consequences on the economy.
“What can solve the efficient distribution of petroleum products is for the government to tackle the issue of NNPC’s right of way, if they want to privatise, it is fine and good.
“There should be a strict law that will guard and guide these storage facilities including the pipelines.
“The law should be such that anybody caught damaging property belonging the Federal Government should be arrested and charged for economic sabotage but there are no such laws that can take care of vandals for a long time
“The damage these vandals are causing Nigeria and Nigerians is more than the havoc of Boko Haram; in a situation whereby the government is losing billions of Naira to vandals on daily basis is unacceptable.
“I believe that if the government wants anything done, it will be done.
“If the President calls the General Officer Commanding, (GOC), and the Assistant Inspector General of Police in any of the zone and tell them that if there is theft of any drop of petroleum product in their domain, they will be held responsible, the issue of pipeline vandalism will stop.
“Our security is very efficient; all they need is directives and funding to protect these pipelines.
The law should be such that there will be no option of fine and anybody caught should be given 30 years in prison so as to deter other from going into such unwholesome business,” he said.

No hike in LASU fees, Ambode pledges

By Dayo Adesulu
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress APC, in Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode has stated that if voted in this Saturday, he will not increase the school fees of Lagos State University LASU. LASU school fees had been reduced by governor Babatunde Fashola administration from N198,750 to N25,000.
Ambode who disclosed this during a radio programme at UNILAG on Sunday said: “‘I want to assure all the students of LASU, we would not increase school fees.”
Asked his plan for higher education in Lagos State, the accountant and alumnus of UNILAG who lamented the deplorable state of higher eAMBODE-AND-OGUNSANducation in Nigeria noted that it is not in a state which all of us are proud of. He said what is worrisome now is the quality of graduates Nigerian institutions of higher learning are churning out.
According to him, the kind of attention government has been giving to higher education necessitates the low quality of graduates churned out every year. ‘’I am happy we have taken over the centre now, he added.
Speaking in a radio programme anchored by the Chairman, Executive Trainers Limited, Dr Ayodele Ogunsan, Ambode said: ‘’We have a major programme for higher education in our manifesto; we will pursue that together with the national government when we win the election on Saturday. On LASU fees, he reiterated: ‘’If there is anything we must do, we would sit down together and see what can be done, and even review the fees they are paying now.
I am a product of a lot of Ivy League schools, I have been to different schools, and I understand and know the kind of standard and quality of education I have been able to benefit from those schools. ‘’If we say Lagos is a centre of excellence, we must then strive, deliberately, to ensure that whatever it is we are providing in terms of infrastructure, curriculum and content, the students actually benefit, because they are actually the future leaders of this country.
“The truth is that if we don’t start a succession plan from our higher institutions, then we are joking, because it is not about the people who are almost getting to 50 or 60 years and are going away. It is actually about the younger one whose capacity we really need to start to build and then allow them to take over from us.
‘’I am going to take advantage of my social capital, being in the party as the centre, combined together to allow us use it for the improvement of higher education in Lagos state.’’ Amode said. With the passion Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan has for higher education in Nigeria, over the years, he had trained vice chancellors, rectors, provosts and top government executives to be more proactive.

Broadband Council okays 4 coastal states for cable landing … tasks NCC on incentives

By Emmanuel Elebeke
The National Broadband Council, last week, approved the building of fibre optic cable landing points in four coastal states to ensure widespread penetration of high capacity internet bandwidths in the country. The project according to the Council, is expected to be financed by the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF). The four states approved in the plan includes: Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Ondo States as part of government’s effort to encourage telecommunication operators to establish cable landing points across thbroadband-cablee country.
This is in addition to Lagos State, which houses international submarine optic cables from Main One Cable Company, MTN’s West Africa Cable System (WACS), SAT 3 from the NITEL and Globacom’s Glo 1 cable, Chairman of the council and minister of communications technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, explained that the cable landing points will promote the rapid establishment of recovery and restoration agreements among the cable companies and delivery of additional landing points for national security and resilience purposes.
For her, additional landing points in the country would make it faster and cheaper to lay terrestrial cable from these points to other parts of the country and reduce vulnerability and  risks associated with a single point of failure in the system. Against this backdrop, the Council urged the nation’s regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and the USPF to look into the possibility of providing financial incentives to accelerate this.
Meanwile, the executive vice chairman of the NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, has assured that the current arbitrary, predatory and discriminatory pricing inherent in the transmission line market segment would be reversed with a new regulation and enforcement on cost-based transmission cable pricing.

Marital relationships linked to mortality, high blood pressure risk

By Chioma Obinna

Scientists have again discovered how marital relationship affects couples’ health. While other studies have shown that stress and negative marital quality can influence mortality and blood pressure, there has not been research that discussed how it might affect married couples over time.
With systolic blood pressure as a gauge, researchers assessed whether an individual’s blood pressure is influenced by their own as well as their partner’s reports of chronic stress and whether there are gender differences in these patterns.
The findings published  in the Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences titled, “Stress and Negative Relationship Quality among Older Couples: Implications for Blood Pressure”, addressed several questions including; does chronic stress predict blood pressure?
Does the association between chronic stress and blood pressure vary between husbands and wives? Does negative relationship quality predict blood pressure?
Other questions addressed includes; does the association between negative relationship quality and blood pressure vary by gender? Does negative marital quality moderate the stress-blood pressure link? And does the moderating effect of negative marital quality differ for wives and husbands? The findings however supported previous research that asserts stress and relationship quality has both direct and moderating effects on the cardiovascular system.
The study also indicated that it is important to consider the couple as a whole rather than the individual when examining marriage and health.
Most importantly, the study revealed that wives’ stress has important implications for husbands’ blood pressure, particularly in more negative relationships. Specifically looking at the effects of negative relationship quality, the researchers found that effects weren’t recognised when examining individuals but there were when examining interactions between both members of couple.
Reacting to the study, the lead author Kira S. Birditt said:“We were particularly excited about these findings because they show that the effects of stress and negative relationship quality are truly dyadic in nature.”
“An individuals’ physiology is closely linked with not only his or her own experiences but the experiences and perceptions of their spouses. We were particularly fascinated that husbands were more sensitive to wives’ stress than the reverse especially given all of the work indicating that wives are more affected by the marital tie.
“We speculate that this finding may result from husband’s greater reliance on wives for support which may not be provided when wives are more stressed.”

Danjuma’s comments confirm genocide against Igbo – Achuzia

By Clifford Ndujihe, Charles Kumolu & Peter Okutu
Some Igbo leaders, yesterday, blasted former Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd) over his comments that if former Biafran Leader, late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, had conceded defeat quickly during the 1967-1970 civil war like President Goodluck Jonathan did after the 2015 presidential polls, Nigeria would have been saved one year of bloodshed.
OJUKWU-2aDanjuma spoke on Wednesday shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Jonathan, who visited him at his Abuja residence. He said the President averted civil war in the country by timely conceding defeat and congratulating Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move he said Ojukwu failed to make and thereby causing the country avoidable blood shed.
Coming at a time the Igbo are still seething over Oba of Lagos, HRM Rilwanu Akiolu’s threat that Igbo living in Lagos would drown within seven days in the Lagos Lagoon, if they did not vote his governorship candidate in tomorrow’s election, Danjuma’s comments elicited caustic criticisms.
Reacting to Danjuma’s comments yesterday, some Igbo leaders accused him of ridiculing the president, insulting Ojukwu and continuing the genocide against the Igbo by other means.
Among those who berated Danjuma are former Secretary-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo and officer in the Biafran Army, Col Joe Achuzia; Second Republic Politician, Chief Guy Ikokwu; botched Third Republic Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife and former Deputy National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Abia Onyike.

He is no longer strong mentally –Ezeife
Piqued at the comments, Ezeife said: ‘’I know Danjuma is not very well. So I am not surprised.’’

Igbo will respond – Ikokwu
Alleging that Danjuma killed Nigeria’s first military Head of State, General Ajuiyi Ironsi (an Igbo), Ikokwu said General Danjuma will get a full response after the elections because by talking about Ojukwu, he is talking about the South-East and South-South geo-political zones, which constituted most of the former Eastern Region and later the defunct Biafra.
His words: ‘’I don’t think we should take issues with Danjuma until after the elections. Jonathan went to him and not him to Jonathan. We shall respond to him.’’

Danjuma’s comments confirm the genocide against Igbo – Achuzia
In his reaction, Col Joe Achuzia said: ‘’I am happy that my friend Danjuma owned up that there was bloodshed and pogrom against the people of Biafra. I don’t understand what he meant by Ojukwu conceding defeat. If the Federal Government had implemented the Aburi Accord, the bloodshed would have been avoided.
‘’Ojukwu believed in Aburi as the road map for peace at the time of the crisis but the Federal Government reneged on the agreement reached in Ghana. One does not concede defeat half way into a battle. Doing that would have amounted to cowardice. I don’t know where Danjuma got the idea of Ojukwu not accepting defeat from. He has little knowledge of the intricacies of the war. He didn’t even know the terrain of the Enugu that he talked about. If the necessities of capitulating were there, why did the war last for three years? I fought the war for three years and I know that the necessities were not there. Sometimes people talk for talking sake.
‘’The President’s visit to him was a private one and he should not have used that opportunity to insult all that Ojukwu stood for. To say publicly that the President was defeated was even a mockery of the President. It does not portray the President in good light. Of course what he said was an insult on Ojukwu. His reference to the fall of Enugu is laughable because the war was just starting then. Which military officer will surrender in that kind of situation even before firing a bullet? When some people make wrong comments on the civil war, I wonder what often inform their judgement. Ojukwu was a General and was right on all the decisions he took in the interest of the Igbo.’’

His comments ‘re diversionary – Onyike
In a chat with newsmen in Abakaliki, Onyike, one-time commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ebonyi State, said it was most unpatriotic of Danjuma to make such comments at this point in the country’s political history.
He alleged that Nigeria’s problem now is not from the Ndigbo but from Danjuma’s North-Eastern zone occasioned by the Boko Haram and Hausa/Fulani herdsmen insurgency, insisting that the General’s comments were mere diversionary tactics deployed to denigrate the integrity of Ojukwu.
Onyike said: “In the first place, it was Danjuma that backed the spilling of the blood of the Igbo, with the killing of Aguiyi Ironsi in Ibadan in 1967 and we want to say that Danjuma belongs to the group of Army Officers who led the gruesome genocide and massacre of over three million Igbo during the Nigerian civil war.
“We want to say that the problem with General T. Y. Danjuma is mainly psychological because at a time when some of them felt that they had become great statesmen and patriots for presiding over the attempted extermination of the Igbo, unfortunately for them, the Igbo people survived and have come to assert themselves and their identity in the Nigerian federation.
“Secondly, a twist emerged in the Nigerian scene where people like Danjuma and the minority group where he comes from in the Northern have been subjected to the same gruesome murders by militant elements of the same northern oligarchy which they serve, and to that extent Danjuma cannot go to his village.
“So, let him go and resolve that problem first because when Ojukwu was making them understand the nature of the Nigerian federation and the dangers inherent in the politics that was emerging, Danjuma preferred to be a surrogate. So let him stop using the Igbo to hide his inadequacies.”

24 hrs to governorship election: PDP, APC trade words over plans to rig polls

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke
ABUJA — Barely 24 hours to the governorship and houses of assembly elections, the two major parties, All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have engaged in a war of words, trading accusations over alleged plans to disrupt and rig the elections.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, however assured on the preparedness of the police to ensure hitch-free elections even as he approved the immediate redeployment of senior police officers to the states.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, also warned voters in tomorrow’s elections against going to polling units without genuine Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, accusing a governor of a North Central state of directing voters to disregard PVCs.
Large turnout of voters in Surulere, Lagos last Saturday.Insert Suleiman Abba,Lagos CP
Large turnout of voters in Surulere, Lagos last Saturday.Insert Suleiman Abba,Lagos CP
The APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretaty, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, alerted the security agencies to alleged moves being made Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State to disrupt tomorrow’s elections in the South-West by instigating widespread violence.
PDP plotting to disrupt polls in S-West —APC
The party said the governor has already met with the thugs, who have been trained specifically for the purpose of disrupting the elections, at Akure and Iro in Akure South Local Government Area, giving the group of thugs at each location N350 million for their devilish assignments.
According to the party, “the strategy is to deploy these thugs to various parts of the South-West with the express instruction to violently disrupt elections through sporadic shootings and stealing of ballot boxes.
“This is the governor’s answer to the massive defeat he received from the electorate in the region in general and in Ondo State in particular during the March 28 presidential elections.
“The fear of the thugs have already sent many APC leaders, who have been targeted for attack, scampering for safety. While some have gone underground, others have relocated either from Ondo State or from the region entirely.
“These developments do not augur well for a free, fair and peaceful elections, hence the need for security agents to face the challenge posed by the hired thugs squarely.”
APC said the thugs had already started unleashing violence, killing one person at a rally in Igbara-Oke in Ifedore Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday
“It is important to alert the sponsors of terror and electoral malfeasance that whether or not they have immunity from prosecution, ultimately they will be made to face the full wrath of the law to account for their unbridled penchant for violence,” the party warned.
It called on all APC members and supporters to be vigilant and to document all cases of brigandage and rigging across the region, while also alerting local and international observers to pay close attention to the conduct of the elections in the region, as well as in other flash points like Rivers State, on Saturday.
APC jittery over imminent defeat —PDP
Responding to APC’s allegations, the national leadership of the PDP said the APC was already jittery of what it described as imminent defeat.
The PDP also dismissed as frivolous, APC’s allegation of plots to disrupt the elections in the South-West, adding that the APC was merely crying wolf for fear of defeat at the polls.
In a statement signed, yesterday, by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh, the PDP stressed that the false alert by the APC was part of its plot to heighten tension in the zone and scare away voters from exercising their franchise, having realised that the wind of change blowing in the region will sweep them away tomorrow.
Metuh said: “This latest false alert is in continuation of APC’s desperation which made it drag the revered traditional institution to rain death threats on people ostensibly to sway the voters.”
According to PDP, such antics would not save the APC in the zone. It, therefore, urged its members and supporters in the region, especially in Lagos, not to be deterred but completely disregard APC’s gimmicks.
Only those with PVCs will vote —INEC
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, warned prospective voters in tomorrow’s elections against going to polling units without genuine PVCs.
This was even as it reassigned the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kogi State, Alhaji Hussaini Halilu Pai, to supervise the conduct of tomorrow’s elections in Kano State, following the tragic demise of the state REC, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi, last weekend.
In a statement yesterday from Mr Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the commission explained that its warning was against the backdrop of alleged statement from a particular state governor from one of the North-Central states directing voters to go out to vote with Temporary Voters Cards, TVCs, even if they do not have the PVCs.
He said: “A particular state governor in the North Central geo-political zone is reported to have assured voters in the state that they could go out to vote on election day with Temporary Voter Cards, TVCs, if they do not have the PVCs, and that INEC will not be allowed to insist on the use of SCRs for voter accreditation.
“The commission reaffirms that only voters with genuine PVCs should come out to the polling units on the election day, saying that guidelines issued on the use of SCRs for the April 11 elections will be strictly applied.
“Any action infringing these guidelines will be an electoral offence, and security agents will be on hand to apprehend offenders.”
INEC said it was in possession of “reports that some political leaders are asking members of the public to disregard its stated resolve to use PVCs and Smart Card Readers, SCRs, for the April 11, 2015 governorship and state Assembly elections.
“Members of the public are strongly advised to disregard false assurances that contradict the regulations INEC has outlined for the governorship and state Assembly elections.
INEC commends voters
“The commission commends voters for their peaceful conduct and exemplary resilience, even in the face of minor challenges during the Presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28, 2015.
“It, however, considers it unfortunate that some leaders would misguide the public and thereby prepare ground for needless disruptions to the polling process on April 11.
“INEC hereby warns that any obstruction to the processes it has put in place for the elections by any person, no matter how highly placed, will constitute an electoral offence punishable in law,”it insisted.
IGP redeploys senior officers
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, has ordered restriction of vehicular movement in the 36 states from 8 a.m. to 5p.m.
A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, yesterday, in Abuja explained that the measure was to ensure safety and security during the polls.
“There is no restriction of vehicular movement in the Federal Capital Territory as there is no election taking place there on the said date,” the statement said.
It added that the restriction excluded “vehicles on essential duty such as fire service, ambulances and vehicles used by INEC and law enforcement/security agencies.”
The statement assured that adequate security logistics and manpower had been strategically deployed to achieve conducive atmosphere for the polls.
It said that policemen on election duty had been properly briefed on their roles as stipulated in the Electoral Act.
Those deployed
In addition to the deployment of six Deputy Inspectors-General of Police to co-ordinate Police activities in the six geo-political zones, the Inspector-General of Police, has also deployed Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to supervise tomorrow’s elections.
Those deployed to states are AIG   Usman Gwary, Abia; AIG Olufemi Adenaike, Kwara; AIG Mbu Joseph Mbu, Ogun; AIG Patrick Dey Dokumor, Kaduna; AIG Tambari Muhammed, Jigawa and AIG Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar, Gombe.
Others are AIG Ikemefuna Okoye, Oyo’ AIG Tunde Ogunsakin, Rivers; AIG Jubril Adeniji, Bauchi; AIG Yerima Irimiya, Imo; AIG Baba Bolanta, Akwa Ibom; AIG Lawal Tanko, Lagos; and AIG Ballah M. Nasarawa.
Also redeployed are AIG Musa Abdulsalam Daura, Edo; AIG Aderele Shinaba, Plateau and AIG Bala Hassan Sokoto.
Affected in the ranks of the Commissioners of Police redeployed for the elections are CP Sam Okaula, Anambra; CP EJ Ibine, Ekiti; CP Adamu Mohammed, Enugu and CP Valentine Ntomchukwu, Osun.

Governorship Election: Nigeria Police deploy AIGs to Rivers, Akwa Ibom, other flashpoints

The Nigeria Police on Thursday deployed senior police officers to oversee governorship and state assembly elections in states considered as the likely flashpoints on Saturday.
Assistant Inspectors General of Police will supervise elections in 16 states, including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Lagos States, and other potentially troubled spots, a statement from the force said Thursday.
Elections in four other states, including Ekiti, Anambra and Osun, will be overseen by Commissioners of Police.
In addition, a Commissioner of Police has been deployed to command each Senatorial Zones in Gombe, Bauchi, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Benue, Edo, Plateau and Sokoto states, the statement by police spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said.
In Rivers State, the Special Units of the Nigeria Police Force have been deployed to address security concerns.
The units are the 32 Units of Police Mobile Force, 4 Units of Counter terrorism Units, 4 Units of Special Protection Units and six Crack Teams of Detectives from Force Criminal Investigation Department and complements of Intelligence officers.
The police had earlier deployed six Deputy Inspector Generals of police to the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria to coordinate election activities.
Opposition candidates in several states, including Akwa Ibom and Rivers, had demanded the redeployment of Commissioners of Police in their states, accusing them of colluding with the ruling parties to rig the March 28 presidential election.

OBA OF LAGOS RUNS MAD: SHUTS IGBO SHOPS IN IDUMOTA, ORDERS THEM TO AMBODE’S CAMPAIGN

Today,  hundreds of shop owners, especially of  Igbo, were reportedly forced to shut-down their shops at the Idumota Market, Lagos Island and ordered to go and join the APC candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode .

This is coming when the Lagos monarch is under heavy criticism for threatening to deal with Igbo residents of Lagos if they ddid not vote for his APC candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.

One of the traders in an sms message to reporters said, “We arrived Idumota market to our shops as early as 8am. Shortly after, some thugs came, ordering us shut our shops on the orders of Oba Akiolu. They gave us 10 minutes to hurriedly close shops and join the waiting vehicles parked in front of his palace, and heading to Orile, venue of Ambode’s campaign led by the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.”

Some of the Igbo traders who deal on pharmaceutical products in the market said when they arrived the market, some messengers informed them that Oba Akiolu ordered everyone to close shop and join buses numbering over 100.

A Pharmaceutical products dealer, said: “We were shocked at what happened today (Tuesday) in Idumota market. When we got to the market, we were caught unawares by a purported order from the Oba of Lagos, directing all traders to close shop and join a bus heading for Ambode’s campaign.

“We were shocked by this directive, because we were never informed the previous day (Monday) about this directive. More worrisome is the fact that I lost millions of naira because of this self-serving coercion by the Oba.”

Another pharmaceutical products dealer, said: “I feel this recent forceful directive by the Oba is in fulfilment of his recent threat to deal with Ndigbo if they fail to vote for his preferred candidate. But as far as I am concerned, no amount of threat or coercion will deter me from making my choice at the forthcoming governorship election in Lagos State.”

Some Igbo traders view the monarch’s order as not unconnected with the campaign of Ambode in the Orile axis of the state. President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and other APC national leaders were in Lagos today to lead the campaign train.

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Ojukwu would’ve saved Nigeria one year of bloodshed if he had behaved like Jonathan – Danjuma

Abuja — Former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (retd) declared, yesterday, that President Goodluck Jonathan averted civil war in the country by conceding defeat to the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) even before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced the final result of the March 28 presidential election.
VISIT: President Goodluck Jonathan (left) with former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd) during a visit by the President to the General's House In Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday.
VISIT: President Goodluck Jonathan (left) with former Defence Minister, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd) during a visit by the President to the General’s House In Asokoro, Abuja, yesterday.
Danjuma, who spoke shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Jonathan, said if former Biafran warlord, late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, had done what President Jonathan did by conceding defeat, the Nigerian civil war would have been avoided. Danjuma said the President had set a record in the history of the country by conceding defeat.
The meeting between Jonathan and Danjuma took place at General Danjuma’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja.
According to Danjuma, if Ojukwu had done the same thing after the fall of Enugu, when his government had to flee into the bush, he would have saved the country from bloodshed.
Said he: “The outcome of the election and the manner in which President Jonathan conceded defeat to Buhari, is totally un-African, it is very important in the history of Africa.
“If Ojukwu did the same after the fall of Enugu, and conceded defeat to the federal troops he would have saved the nation one full year of bloodshed.
“President Jonathan has made history, set a record to be emulated by the rest of Africa and indeed the whole world. It’s an excellent thing he did.”
At the end of the meeting, Jonathan thanked Danjuma for his fatherly support during the election.
Jonathan’s meeting with Danjuma was part of preparations for handover of power to President-elect, Buhari, on May 29 this year.
Jonathan had been making wide consultations with relevant stakeholders across the country for a smooth transition.
Since the announcement of Buhari on March 28 by INEC as winner of the 2015 presidential election, Jonathan has been having private meetings with high profile citizens in the country.
He had also met with Buhari at the Presidential Villa last Friday to discuss the transition of government.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/ojukwu-wouldve-saved-nigeria-one-year-of-bloodshed-if-he-had-behaved-like-jonathan-danjuma/#sthash.nB1ZAczl.dpuf

5 Habits to Help Your Hair Grow More Quickly

Having a long hair is often considered as a sign of beauty: It also means youth and vitality and many people associate it with health as well. Most of women, if not all, would love to be able to grow their hair to a long, flowing length.
The hair of an average healthy person will grow about half an inch per month. This means that you can expect about six inches per year if it doesn’t break or slow down due to any of the factor.
You can encourage fast hair growth by:
Handling your hair with care: Yes, over-styling and rough handling of your hair may be the reason you are not experiencing proper hair growth.  Hair must be handled with extreme care because hair is very fragile.
Avoiding washing it every day: Washing hair too often can leave hair dried out, leached of its natural oils, and may damage your hair. Aim to shampoo your hair at most once day or even only twice a week.
Trimming hair regularly: The best way to get rid of split ends is to trim them. Take some hair shears and attack the split ends about 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) above the splitting. Many women with perfect hair never have split ends because they make it a priority to get their hair trimmed, or trim it themselves, every 6-8 weeks.
Massaging the scalp:  Adding a scalp massage to a hair care regimen stimulates the scalp, improves circulation and reduces stress. Those looking to promote hair growth should consider performing scalp massages regularly.
Eating healthy: eating healthy gives your hair the right amount of vitamins. Since hair is made of proteins, eat a balanced diet rich in lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet will ensure hair that looks and feels better.
Make sure you get plenty of vitamin C. This vitamin strengthens hair.In addition, iron helps transport oxygen to blood vessels, zinc grows and repairs tissue, and omega-3 fatty acids grow healthy hair.
Give your hair some time to show new brilliance. What you eat will not have an immediate difference on the hair you already have, but it will help with hair that is newly growing.

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Economy: Stakeholders list options for Buhari

Business executives and sectoral groups in the economy have made a list of 23 recommendations to the President-elect, Major General Buhari (retd) on the management of the economy under his administration.
 President-elect Muhammadu Buhari (L) waves in Abuja on April 1, 2015. Nigeria's new president-elect Muhammadu Buhari hailed polls that will lead to the first democratic change of power in Africa's most populous nation as "historic" hours after he secured a decisive victory. AFP PHOTO
President-elect Muhammadu Buhari
Speaking to Financial Vanguard in separate interviews, the stakeholders comprising operators in the capital market, industry, maritime, insurance, trade and industry, e-business and advertising advised the President-elect to start from where his predecessor stopped and build on its achievements.
The recommendations are as follows on sector by sector basis.
Capital Market
Capital market operators called on the incoming government, to address the infrastructural gaps in the economy by using capital market instruments.
The operators said,  “The capital market can finance the entire infrastructural gaps if the government can deploy fiscal incentives to deepen the market by encouraging the companies in the telecoms, power and aviation and oil and gas sectors of the economy to get listed on the securities market.
The coalition of capital market operators under the aegis of the capital market alliance, which comprises Albert Okumagba, President Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Mr. Emeka Madubuike, Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, ASHON and Mr. Victor Ogiemwonyi, Chairman, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria, AIHN noted that, “At present, the Nigerian capital market is underutilized relative to its absorptive capacity. Therefore, the Federal Government’s goal of diversification of the economy would be reinforced if the capital market is deepened to enable it fund the capital expenditure over the short term to medium term period.
Speaking, Okumagba said, “The core capital market operators should work with the regulators to come with pragmatic timetable which will be endorsed by the Federal Government for the commencement of viable commodity exchanges which are either privately owned or government owned. The commodity market should be developed in such a way to provide underlying instruments on which other structured products in the financial market can be developed to increase the number of tradable instruments in the capital market. For instance, futures, options and other derivative instrument on the underlying assets available in the commodity market.”
He further stated that promotion of national savings is better achieved through comprehensive review of the rules and regulations guiding the Collective Investment Scheme, CIS.
“In the same vein, there is a need to amend all clauses that are affecting the operations of the Pension Commission, to ensure its developmental impact on activities in the capital market,” he added.
Suggesting how to attract companies to get listed on the Exchange, Mr. Madubuike said, “Incentives should be given to listed companies and prospective companies to be listed so as to have some advantage over unlisted companies. We propose some tax incentives for listed companies and those that are in the process of getting listed.”
Continuing, he said, “Policies that would promote marketability of agricultural products should be enunciated and implemented to boost operations of the commodities exchanges. Also governments at the highest level must continue to make positive statements and assurances that will engender investors’ confidence.”
In his own comment, Mr. Ogiemwonyi said, “Government borrowing rate in the capital market should drop to avoid crowding out of funds in the capital market so as to make the market attractive for private sector to raise funds. We are ready to support the Federal Government in advisory capacity at any time the need arises on how the capital market can be fully utilized to drive economic growth and development in Nigeria.”
He further stated that the Federal Government should accord regulatory support to the two existing Over-the Counter, OTC Markets- National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and FMDQ platform to enhance expansion of their operations in the financial market.

Trade and Industry
The Lagos Chamber of  Commerce and Industry, LCCI on its part, urged the incoming government to ensure acceleration of reforms on the Oil and Gas sector in order to attract more private investments in both the upstream and downstream segments of the sector.
Reacting to the implications of Buhari’s election for the economy, the Chamber in a communiqué signed by its President, Alhaji Remi Bello, commended the President-elect, Mohammadu Buhari, for his victory and President Goodluck Jonathan, for his demonstration of statesmanship and nobility.
The LCCI urged the incoming administration to ensure acceleration of reforms on the Oil and Gas sector in order to attract more private investments in both the upstream and downstream segments of the sector, as this would save the economy the current huge foreign exchange used for importation of petroleum products.
“Ensure the blocking of all fiscal leakages and wastes in Government, especially in respect of the management of petroleum products subsidy, immediate review of JTF activities in the Niger Delta area where revenue is being lost daily due to oil theft, pension funds, import duty waivers, ghost workers in the MDAs, Service Wide Votes and crude oil theft. Prioritise government expenditure to boost investments in critical infrastructure. Address the challenge of high cost of governance, collapse of the rail system, poor power supply also demand urgent attention,” he said.
He said the chamber urges the incoming administration to address the fundamental of the high cost of doing business and low productivity which could be ascribed to macroeconomic factors, institutional challenges and structural issues, adding that, there is need to sustain the momentum of the war on terrorism and insurgency in parts of the country.
“Ensure a level playing field for all investors across all sectors with regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, tax incentives etc. Ensure the sustainability of selected policies and programmes of the present administration which currently offer value to the economy. Ensure robust consultation with the Private Sector bodies for inputs into policy formulation processes. Improve the scope and depth of financial intermediation for the benefit of all investors in the economy irrespective of size. Guidelines for accessing intervention funds should be reviewed and made less stringent. Investment incentives should be of universal application to all investors in a given sector,” he stated.
He said the Council urges all aggrieved candidates in the electoral process to channel their grievances through appropriate channels in accordance with the electoral law, stressing that, peace and tranquillity is paramount for the progress of any economy, and any society for that matter.
According to him, the chamber also wants the new administration, to give attention to the plummeting oil price and the impact on the fiscal outlook present a significant challenge to the incoming administration.
“It is therefore critical to manage expectations at this time. The outlook for many macroeconomic indicators is not bright with foreign reserves dropping below $30 billion and persistent pressure on the naira exchange rate. Meanwhile, the success of the presidential election will definitely mitigate the anxiety and uncertainty that characterised the business environment before the elections. Investors’ confidence will be positively impacted by these developments,” he said.

Maritime
National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, also called on the incoming government to look into reports of various committees set up by the current administration instead of setting up new ones.
He said, “All the reports of all the committees that have been piling dust, whether seen or unseen but without any action taking place should be looked into. It is not a matter of setting up further committees but they should look at previous committees.”
Shittu also expressed hope that the Buhari administration would review the implementation of the controversial national automotive policy.
Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, on his part said Buhari’s emergence as President-elect clearly showed the desire for a different approach to governance by Nigerians.
He said, “What is happening in Nigeria is not about Buhari but a march towards sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
“It is not about Buhari, it is not about Goodluck . It is about good governance in Nigeria, it is about Nigerians becoming critically aware of their environment, economy and their well being.
“From what we have seen now, we can see that Nigerians are consciously and deliberately becoming very very interested in what happens around them. The emphasis right now should be sustainable attack on the issues of corruption.
“What should we do to stem corruption in Nigeria as the cankerworm  and what I will say to Nigeria is that it is not that Buhari is an angel but it is the perception that people have about him with an intent to really stamp out corruption in Nigeria.”
Chairman, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders (AREFF), Dr. Frank Ukor was however unhappy with the outcome of the election.
He however called on the All Progressives Congress and the newly elected president, General Muhamadu Buhari to focus more attention on the maritime sector because of its importance to the economy.
“We expected the new President to pay attention to the maritime industry because that is the second highest revenue yielder. I hope the people there will not steal all the money,” he said.

E-Commerce
The President/CEO
Shoptomydoor.com, an international online shop, Nduka Udeh said the President-elect must through his anti corruption stance, bring more transparency into the business landscape in order to drive foreign direct investment.
He said: “While it is still too early to see and know what the future holds for the economy until the incoming president lays out his economic agenda, foreign investors are typically more impressed and confident in a society with little or no corruption. With the no nonsense stand of the President-elect, we expect to see a much bigger interest in investors wanting to push funds into Nigeria. Stability in the exchange rate will also definitely lead to more companies resuming trade as before and this we hope to see with the emergence of not just the APC candidate but mainly due to the peaceful nature of the transition.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/economy-stakeholders-list-options-for-buhari/#sthash.vpXLRupy.dpuf

INEC‬ REJECTS ‪‎T_ORJI‬'S SENATORIAL RESULT

UMUAHIA AGOG AS ‪#‎INEC‬ REJECTS ‪#‎T_ORJI‬'S SENATORIAL RESULT
Umuahia, the Abia State cap­ital, was agog on Monday evening following informa­tion that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the result being paraded by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as being that of Abia Central District.
Daily Sun gathered that Gov Theodore Orji was roundly beaten at the poll including in his polling unit, ward and local government by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ahamdi Emmanuel Nweke, but that PDP in connivance some Independent National Electoral (INEC) officials allegedly manipulated the result in favour of the governor.
It was also gathered that following complaints lodged at the INEC headquarters, Abuja, a three-man committee was set up to look into the allegation of result manipulation.
“Although the committee’s report has not been made public, but a source revealed the APGA candidate won the election and members are taking their findings back to the INEC headquarters.
When news of the development filtered into town, the capital city went agog with residents saying that at last, the man they voted for, would represent them in the Senate.
A prominent Umuahia chief, who hails from the same area with Gov Orji, was said to have held an elaborate party to celebrate the development.
Addressing newsmen, Chief Nweke said there was no time he had doubt about his ability to defeat Gov Orji at the poll, stating that his non-performance in office made victory easier for him.
Nweke said it was not only that he defeated Orji, but that he beat him at his (governor’s) polling unit, which, according to him, meant his kinsmen rejected him and that he also defeated the governor at the wife’s polling unit.
He said: “If I could beat the governor at his polling unit and that of his wife, all in Umuahia, which means total rejection by his kinsmen, where else could he get the votes that will make him to defeat me? Could it be from my own ward and local government? It’s impossible.
“How could people have voted for APGA and they are writing a different result? That’s why I like what INEC at the headquarters is doing; it will restore people’s confidence in the system.
“T.A Orji should emulate President Goodluck Jonathan and concede defeat so that peace will reign in the area. If President Jonathan with all the powers at his beck could concede defeat, why shouldn’t T.A Orji?” While thanking the outgoing President for his statesmanship by not allowing the blood of innocent Nigerians to be shed in the pursuit of self-satisfaction and urge for power, he called on President Jonathan to call to order one of his ministers, who he said had been using the military and other agencies of government to rig elections in the state and also intimidating opposition party members.
He also called on the chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega and other stakeholders to ensure credible polls on Saturday, alleging that they have obtained reports on the plot by the PDP to hire thugs from Abala Ibeme in Obingwa LGA and Rivers State to unleash mayhem on Abians in the nine local govern­ment areas of Ngwaland, set the famous Ariaria International Market ablaze as well as cause confusion among voters on the day of the election.
He also alleged of an ongoing thumbprinting of fake ballot papers in an undisclosed location in Ngwaland, plans to rig the election among other hidden agenda including the planned mass arrest of APGA senior officials a few days to the gover­norship poll.

Make robo-planters re-using home junk

Whether you feel constrained by space or are just looking for new ways to display your garden, "Creative Container Gardens" is for you!  You'll find unique ways to display your plants using everything from bottles, to walls, to imaginatively re-purposed household objects. For more details on making this project, send a message on the chat box below

Israel: The Apple of His Eye

In looking back upon the Jewish nation; the fact that it still exists today is a miracle in itself, for the Jews have been more persecuted than any race on the face of the earth. They have been conquered by seven different nations and yet survived each of these alien cultures. Any student of history will tell you that it is an impossibility for a people to retain their identity in the midst of a nation who demands that it be given up. Yet the Jewish people, through centuries of persecution and dispersion, have sustained their own identity.

Out of the four billion people living on our planet today, only fourteen million are Jewish. That is less than one-third of one percent of the total population. Yet although small in number, the Jews have made many significant contributions to the world.

In the last few years, twelve percent of the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry and medicine have been won by Jews. In every field, Jews have excelled and great men have emerged: The great scientist, Einstein, was a Jew. Sigmund Freud, the man responsible for modern psychoanalysis and psychology, was Jewish. Spinoza was a Jew who took psychology into other realms of the spiritual aspect of man. In diplomacy, Henry Kissinger stands out. Phillip Roth, Saul Bellow and Leon Uris are well-known Jewish authors. The great songwriter, Irvin Berlin, was Jewish. Jack Benny, Al Jolson, George Burns, Milton Berle, Steven Spielberg and Woody Allen are well-known Jewish entertainers. Even the father of Communism -- Karl Marx -- was Jewish.

A few years ago while traveling through the Mideast, I saw the ruins of many civilizations that have come and gone, leaving behind rock, rubble and debris. Whereas the Jews have left behind many of the ideas that impregnate our society today. Here in the United States, as a result of the Hebrew philosophy of recognizing man's individual rights, we have inherited our democratic form of government and society.

Scripture traces the historical roots of the Jews to the seed planted by God in Abraham, the father of the nation.

From Abraham came two sons: Isaac and Ishmael. Scripture tells us that Ishmael was born after the flesh and Isaac was born after the Spirit; the son of promise. Ishmael was banished with his mother, Hagar, into the desert, where it was prophesied that he would become a wandering nation. Today, Ishmael's descendants are the Arabs.

The Jews emerged from Isaac, who fathered two contentious sons, Jacob and Esau; Esau sold his birthright and Jacob, the younger brother, inherited it. Out of the Isaac-Ishmael, Jacob-Esau relationships has come the intense conflict between the Arabs and Jews, that is at the heart of the present-day Mideast conflict.

Psalm 83:2-3 says,

"...For, behold, Thine enemies make an uproar; and those who hate Thee have exalted themselves. They make shrewd plans against Thy people, and conspire together against Thy people, and conspire together against Thy treasured ones."

In 1957, ten years before the Six-Day War, Abdul Nasser said, "We are going to drive the Jews into the sea and wipe them out as a nation." In that same year a war exploded in the Sinai. To the surprise of many, Israel won--within a few days. But again in 1967 Nasser said, "We are going to grind them into the ground. We are going to push them into the sea. We're going to wipe out Israel--no one will ever remember them again." Even in this Abdul Nasser was fulfilling Scripture:

"And they have said, 'Come and let us wipe them out as a nation. Let the name of Israel be remembered no more'" Psalm 83:4

This hatred is explained by Paul in Galatians 4:29:

"But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh (Ishmael--Arabs) persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit (Isaac--Jews), so it is now also."

Ezekiel 35:1-12 also prophesies:

"...Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out My hand against you, and I will make you a desolation and a waste."

Ezekiel is here referring to the Arab nations;

"I will lay waste your cities, and you will become a desolation. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Because you have had everlasting enmity and have delivered the sons of Israel to the power of the sword...therefore, as I live, declares the Lord God, I will give you over to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you...I will deal with you according to your anger and according to your envy which you showed because of your hatred against them (Israel)...Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard all your revilings which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel..."

Other scriptures state that the Arab nations will go down into the dust and will never again be known as a great nation. In some ways this has already come to pass. In traveling through many of the Arab countries, all that is visible to the eye is the barrenness of rocks and sand; land that is quite useless in growing anything. But as one travels into Israel, there in the arid desert, green plants are growing alongside cabbages, lettuce, and banana trees. It seems impossible, but the Bible says that out of this dry and thirsty land, God is going to bring forth rivers and bring fruitfulness to the land.

The Lord has also spoken in a very personal way concerning Israel, calling it His land. The prophet Hosea talks about this as the land of the Lord, and in Hebrews it is referred to as the land of promise. The Lord says that this land was given to Israel forever.

But 597 BC was the last time the Jews actually resided in Jerusalem. Since the time, Gentile nations have ruled Israel, and the city of Jerusalem (which means city of peace) has been torn by war, while Jews have been slaughtered inside its walls. This city has been desecrated and torn down many times, only to be raised up again.

In the period of time we are living in now, many prophecies predicting a final return of the Jews to Israel are being fulfilled. In Deuteronomy 4:27-31, the Lord talks about the dispersion and then the gathering together of the Jews. Speaking through Moses, God says:

"And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and you shall be left few in number...But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul...For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them."

Many Jews might think that God has forgotten them, but He hasn't.

In Isaiah 11:11-12 the Lord speaks: "Then it will happen on that day that the Lord will again recover the second time with His hand the remnant of His people...and will assemble the banished ones of Israel, and will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."

God is bringing His people from the four corners of the earth--He is gathering the dispersed.

Again in Jeremiah 24:6-7 the Lord speaks concerning the Jews:

"For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not pluck them up."

A very dramatic event occurred in June of 1967, after the Jews won the Six-Day War. For the first time since 597 BC, they marched into Jerusalem and stood trembling before the Wailing Wall, a remnant of Solomon's temple still standing after thousands of years, and through tears of joy proclaimed, "This is our land; this is our city." The Jews are resigned to this--Israel is their land and they are not going to move. If they have to die for it they will. What more can be done to a people who have been slaughtered for thousands of years; what more can be done to a people after six million died in Hitler's gas chambers? They are determined to keep what they believe is rightfully theirs.

Although the Jews are returning to the Promised Land, peace remains far from them. Trouble, war and rumors of war continue to plague Israel, and will increase as Israel comes into a time of what Scripture calls "Jacob's troubles"--a time of bloodshed and persecution such as they have not yet known.

Jeremiah 30:5-11 says,

"For thus says the Lord, 'I have heard a sound of terror, of dread, and there is no peace...Alas! for the day is great, there is none like it; and it is the time of Jacob's distress, but he will be saved from it...And Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you, 'declares the Lord, 'to save you; for I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you, only I will not destroy you completely. But I will chasten you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.'"

In the midst of this time a counterfeit messiah will rise to prominence and attempt to deceive the Jews and the rest of the world.

But ultimately this false messiah will be overthrown by the Lord Himself, and all the nations of the earth will bow before the true Prince of Peace! Then there will be peace for Israel.

Isaiah 32:18 says,

"Then My people will live in a peaceful habitation, and in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places..."

And Isaiah 66:12 says, "For thus says the Lord, 'Behold, I extend peace to her like a river...'" The fact is, that peace cannot come to the nations of the world until it comes to Israel, to Jerusalem, when Jesus rules there. In light of this, it is important for God's people to support Israel and to, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you" (Psalm 122:6).

In the end, God's design for Israel will be fulfilled. Jerusalem will truly be a city of peace, and the Jews will live in prosperity in the land God promised to them thousands of years before.

"Ho, Zion!...he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye" (Zechariah 2:8).

By Scott Ross
The 700 Club