On Ebonyi State University's 4th-6th Convocation.

There was a comprehensible atmosphere of celebration at Ebonyi State University as it held a combined convocation ceremony covering three years. But this weeklong event was not just about refreshment and cheers. It was an occasion to come to terms with its challenges as well as celebrate its hard-won achievements.

At a pre-event briefing, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Francis Idike reeled out those achievements and challenges.

He said the school expelled a total of 131 students for various offenses ranging from exam malpractice to cultism between 2011 and 2014. The institution also suspended 459.

“Also sixty-one staff of the University were dismissed for misconduct, fifteen of them demoted, twenty-five had their appointments terminated while forty-two were warned,” he said.

He said a total of 7,956 students of the institution who graduated from 2011 to 2014 will be convoked during the 4th-6th convocation ceremony.

Prof. Idike revealed that eight persons will receive Diploma certificates while 7,316 will get Bachelors Degree. Also 122 graduates will bag PGD and 341 will receive Ph.D certificates.

The Vice Chancellor said the school has been receiving a monthly subvention of N245m since April 2011 from the State Government. “But this one single line subvention is hardly enough to carry our current salary bill of over N354m apart from overhead and running costs of the University. The University is in dire need of additional funding from within and outside”, he added.

Michael Moore: Disarm all Cops; we'll survive

On April 30, Michael Moore tweeted his “demand” that police be disarmed and “every African-American currently incarcerated for…non-violent offenses be released from prison today.”

In the first tweet, sent at 3:16 a.m., Moore wrote: “Imprison u, shoot u, sever your spine, crush your larynx, send u to war, keep u poor, call u a thug, not let u vote. But u can sing for us.”

In the second tweet, sent at 4:03 a.m, he wrote, “Here’s my demand: I want every African-American currently incarcerated for drug ‘crimes’ or non-violent offenses released from prison today.”

In the final tweet, sent at 5:05 a.m, Moore added, “Next demand: Disarm the police. We have a 1/4 billion 2nd amendment guns in our homes 4 protection. We’ll survive till the right cops are hired.”

Don’t forget me - Suswam to Benue State Governor-elect, Ortom

Having lost grip of the prop for his Senatorial bid, Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, yesterday reached out to the Governor-elect, Chief Samuel Ortom, with a request not to forget him when he assumes office on May 29.

Suswam, who congratulated Ortom on his victory at the polls on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, begged the Governor-elect to look after him after his exit from office next month. The governor stated this yesterday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Makurdi, when he played host to Ortom.

He said, “When I leave (office), I will be a burden on you and you must take care of me.” Suswam told the people of the state that his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would not challenge Ortom’s mandate in court, stressing that litigation was an unnecessary distraction.

Remembrance: Nyanya Bomb Blasts and Kidnapped Chibok School Girls

On this day. Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, was thrown into deep sorrow as Nigeria’s terrorist group, Boko Haram bomb a popular motor park at Nyanya. The attack was considered as one of the worst ever carried out by the Islamic Militant Group as it left hundreds of people dead and several others with diverse degrees of injury.

That same day, by dusk, more than 250 Chibok Government Secondary School Girls were kidnapped at night from their school by the same Boko Haram group. The kidnapping raised voices from all over the world. The hash tag #BringBackOurGirls was introduced on social media to put more pressure on the Nigerian Government to rescue the school girls from the Islamic faction.

Today, this blog and the entire world remember those directly or indirectly affected by the Nyanya bomb blast and the kidnap of Chibok School Girls. Everyone (Government, NGOs, individuals, etc.) who had in one way or the other promised to see to the plight of those affected, especially in the Nyanya bomb blast should deliver their promises.

APC floors PDP in gubernatorial and state legislative elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded an overwhelming performance in the April 11, 2015 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, retaining all of its states and taking over a few others from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in results released so far.

As a result, intense anxiety on the part of some governors who sought re-election for a second term at last Saturday’s gubernatorial and state legislative polls ended yesterday as they were declared winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

All of them emerged on the platforms of APC and PDP. They included Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State, APC), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun, APC), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara, APC) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe, PDP).

Obama commends Jonathan, Buhari and Jega

United States President, Barack Obama has commended President Goodluck Jonathan and President-elect Muhammadu Buhari for their public commitments to non-violence throughout their political campaigns and election.

In a statement on Wednesday, Obama congratulated General Buhari on his election and President Jonathan for conceding defeat.

He says:

The last few days have shown the world the strength of Nigeria’s commitment to democratic principles. By turning out in large numbers and sometimes waiting all day to cast their votes, Nigerians came together to decide the future of their country peacefully.

I commend President Goodluck Jonathan and President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari for their public commitments to non-violence throughout the campaign.  President Jonathan has placed his country’s interests first by conceding the election and congratulating President-Elect Buhari on his victory. 

I look forward to working with President Jonathan throughout the remainder of his term, and I thank him for his many years of service and his statesmanlike conduct at this critical juncture.  I urge President-Elect Buhari and President Jonathan to repeat their calls to their supporters to continue to respect the election outcomes, focus on unifying the country, and together lead Nigeria through a peaceful transition.

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Attahiru Jega, deserve special recognition for what independent international observers have deemed a largely peaceful and orderly vote.  I commend INEC for its extensive efforts to increase the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.  Looking ahead to the gubernatorial elections on April 11, it is imperative that national attention turn to ensuring isolated logistical challenges are overcome and peace is protected, even in the most hotly contested races.

On behalf of the American people, I extend congratulations to the people of Nigeria and to President-Elect Buhari and look forward to continuing to work with the newly-elected government on our many shared priorities.

Buhari: I will serve but never rule over you

President-Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that he will be a leader the nation need and not a maximum ruler, saying the change Nigerians are yearning for has finally come.

Addressing newsmen on Wednesday morning, shortly after he was formally declared winner of the Presidential election, Buhari also assured that he will work closely with President Jonathan to ensure a smooth transition from one government to the other.

With the elections gone he said, the time is not for confrontation, but a moment to begin to heal the wounds and work towards a better future for the country, adding that this can only be done by extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political divide.

While describing President Jonathan as a statesman, he said, “At exactly 5:15pm this (Tuesday) evening, President Jonathan called to congratulate me on my victory.” For this, I want all Nigerians to join me in congratulating and appreciating Mr. President for his statesmanship.