I won’t discriminate against any tribe – Ambode

                                                                                   Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Akinwunmi Ambode, has promised not to discriminate against any tribe if he is voted into office, a statement on Monday said.

Ambode was quoted as saying this barely a day after the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, reportedly threatened the Igbo voters in the state to either vote for Ambode on Saturday or be drowned.

The APC candidate, while receiving 20 buses from a group, Nigeria Progressive Ambassadors, in Lagos, said, “Every group in Lagos is safe in my hands as governor. I will not discriminate against any religious or ethnic group. It is our Lagos and we must build it together.

Presidency silent on Patience Jonathan’s whereabouts

                                                                                   Mrs. Patience Jonathan

The wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, has not been seen in public since President Goodluck Jonathan lost the March 28 presidential election to Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the All Progressives Congress.

The President had last Tuesday conceded defeat and called Buhari on the telephone when it became clear from the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission that he had lost his re-election bid.

Some dignitaries including serving and former government officials had visited Jonathan to commend him for conceding defeat and solidarise with him on his loss.

Obasanjo visits market, tells traders to vote on Saturday

                                                        Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged Nigerians to go out in large numbers on Saturday and vote in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections as they did in the presidential and National Assembly elections on March 28.

He said this on Saturday during a surprise visit to Itoku Market in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State, while interacting with the traders in the market.

Dressed in blue adire, Obasanjo moved from the adire sellers’ section to herbs sellers’ section, among others, felicitating with them on the spirit of Easter season.

Saraki, Akume, Goje, others eye Senate Presidency

                                                           George Akume, Senator Bukola and Danjuma Goje

Some members of the All Progressives Congress in the Senate who won the recently concluded National Assembly election have refused to make comment on their preferred candidate for the post of Senate President in the eighth National Assembly.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central ); Senate Minority Leader, George Akume ( Benue North West); and Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), have started making moves to contest the post.

However, one of the outgoing PDP senator, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent on Sunday that Mark might recontest the seat “because there is no section either in the constitution or the Senate rules that says only members from the majority party could emerge as president of the upper chamber.”

Militant group threatens Shell over surveillance contract

                                                              President Goodluck Jonathan

A militant group in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the Iduwini Volunteer Force, has given Shell Petroleum Development Company a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the community or face unpleasant consequences.

The militants accused Shell of unilaterally terminating a N8.2m annual surveillance contract it signed with the group in 2007.

In a letter addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Yenagoa on Sunday, the group said the ultimatum became necessary after all attempts to make the oil giant see reasons on the need to restore the contract had failed.

It threatened that at the expiry of the notice, if Shell failed to rescind its decision, the militants would be left with no alternative than to commence immediate attacks of its installations, adding that all its unit commanders had been put on alert.