Must Read: Shekau may be captured in a week to election - Politics - Dhabworld

The messages have been going viral on bbm and WhatsApp. It might be true or one of those cock and bull stories. Believe it or not, the judgement is yours!

According to the writer:

 It came from one of our reliable sources in Nigeria. It is one of the most disturbing stories that we have yet received. Read it and make your own judgement!

“I have it on a strong ground that there is a plan to capture Shekau before the week to elections. And the captured Shekau who is currently undergoing training on what to say and do will mention Buhari as one of their core sponsors. The target according to the source is to discourage Southern voters and the Northern Christians (from liking Buhari). The confession is alleged to be so perfectly planned that Buhari may even be arrested and even those who love him may think twice (about his sincerity). The sum of 4.5 billion Naira is purportedly budgeted. The purpose of this budget I am told is for bribing some Northern clerics so when the time comes, they will pacify their followers (to reject Buhari as he is BoKo Haram sponsor). There will purportedly be audio of phone calls (between Buhari and the Boko Haram leaders). Buhari will not be able to sue the government since it will be an arranged confession of a captured terrorist. Now, I am not saying this (leak) is true. But knowing how desperate these PDP people are, they can do just anything to get Buhari out of the way. Honestly, I am deeply, deeply, deeply, worried. In fact, I am troubled. Kindly share this and let the world know about this evil machination of the PDP before it is too late. Kindly do it. The person who gave me this information is an Intelligence officer with the Army. He looks worried too.”

May God save Nigeria and Nigerians. Amen.







Tuesday, 24/02/2015

**We’ll catch Shekau before elections -- Jonathan

**FG plotting to “create” a  fake Shekau – APC

**Missing $20 billion: Publish forensic audit report, Buhari tells Jonathan

**Jonathan begs aggrieved PDP Reps

**Obasanjo holds crucial talks with Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh

**Military arrests terrorists disguised as women in Baga

**Buhari will never rule Nigeria again – Fayose

**Buhari fit as fiddle, says Kwankwaso

**Buhari is stronger than Fayose - Gov. Amosun

**I Met Buhari Saturday — Tony Blair

**Oil Price Slip: Diezani may call emergency OPEC meeting

**Kaduna Guber: Sambo meets PDP leaders, vows to win race

**Ekiti Rigging Plot: Omisore confesses in Ghana

** Rivers violence: Hold Jonathan, Wike responsible -- APC

**Former Anambra Governor,Mbadinuju dumps PDP to APC.

**Buhari is healthier than Jonathan - Kwankwaso says

**Obasanjo holds crucial talks with Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh

**Taraba PDP members reject ministerial nominee

**Imo Guber 2015: A three-horse Race between Okorocha, Ihedioha, Ihenacho

**106 illegal immigrants arrested in Kaduna

**Senate petitioned over Obanikoro’s nomination as minister

**Court discharges Babalakin over N4.7 billion fraud charge

**Court adjourns Fani-Kayode’s money laundering trial

**Conjoined baby twins separated in World's first successful operation

**Central Africa to join fight against Boko Haram

**Putin says war with neighbouring Ukraine "unlikely"

**Ex-Boxing Champion, Bash Ali, arrested over row with bank

**Ondo FA suspends Sunshine Stars, Rising Stars over fraud

**Lagos ITTF World Tour: Injury stops defending champion

**NFF President visited

Wonders shall never end! PDP Clique Wants Jonathan Out As Candidate, As Party Faces Deepening Schisms - Politics - dhabworld

"We are the ones who started the push for six months delay in the elections to enable us [to] put in place an interim government which would then enable the party to change its presidential candidate to somebody that is more competitive,” one official confessed. He added that Mr. Jonathan’s faction also sought the extension for their own designs, which was to explore ways of rigging the elections.

 

We learned of a new twist in the desire of some top officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a six-month postponement of polls in Nigeria, with several sources saying a faction of the party would work to replace President Goodluck Jonathan as the party’s presidential candidate. 

In separate interviews with SaharaReporters, numerous PDP officials disclosed that many founding members of the party had lost confidence in Mr. Jonathan’s viability as a candidate, adding that a faction within the party had discussed easing the incumbent president out of the presidential race, and replacing him with another candidate from the Niger Delta zone.
“The only obstacle to the plan is that the South-South might kick against it, so we have arrived at a consensus to find another candidate,” one of our sources, a northerner, said.
“If elections could be postponed for six months, we will definitely replace President Jonathan as our candidate,” another member of the faction confirmed.
In a clear sign that the party was crumbling was within, several high ranking PDP members said they regretted letting President Jonathan carry the party’s flag as a presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections. Some of them confessed to being aware that the party’s prospects looked dire with Mr. Jonathan holding the presidential ticket.
“We are the ones who started the push for six months delay in the elections to enable us [to] put in place an interim government which would then enable the party to change its presidential candidate to somebody that is more competitive,” one official confessed. He added that Mr. Jonathan’s faction also sought the extension for their own designs, which was to explore ways of rigging the elections.
Our interviews revealed that many PDP governorship candidates in the north and elsewhere in the country were secretly working against Mr. Jonathan’s re-election or quietly distancing themselves from him.
One party leader revealed that some candidates in the northern area were all but campaigning for Mr. Buhari, the presidential flag bearer of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, some PDP officials told SaharaReporters that, while they hoped that President Jonathan could be sidelined to increase the chances of the party in the upcoming elections, they also wished that the APC would also dump Mr. Buhari as its presidential candidate.
The party officials claimed that key political figures across Nigeria continue to view a Buhari Presidency with mortal fear because of his stubborn personality and his promise to punish the corrupt.
Several of the PDP officials told SaharaReporters that the rift between Mr. Jonathan and a large faction in the party that wants him dumped was reflected in the responses to former President Olusegun Obasanjo who two days ago dramatically announced his resignation from the PDP, publicly tearing his membership card. Two of the officials disclosed that, while Mr. Jonathan’s aides launched direct attacks on Mr. Obasanjo, the officials at the party headquarters in Abuja adopted a more cautious and subdued tone, regretting that the former president had decided to leave the party.
Some officials stated that the party hierarchy viewed Mr. Obasanjo’s public departure from the party as a dangerous signal and as a major threat. “Chief Obasanjo doesn’t just come out swinging the way he has done recently unless he is privy to the existence of some third forces that are against President Jonathan. And to the best of our knowledge, the former president has never fought a battle like this and lost, no matter how long it takes him,” one of the officials said.
“The truth is that many senators, honorable members of the House of Reps and governors are loyal to Baba, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. So they are doing Baba’s bidding even though they are giving Mr. President [Jonathan] the impression that they are with him,” another party official in Abuja said.
The party officials acknowledged that the statements of former President Obasanjo in the last three days had caused a major havoc on the party’s plans to work towards an interim national government.
Several of the PDP officials attributed the fractiousness within the party to the way Mr. Jonathan and his wife, Patience Jonathan, imposed unpopular candidates on the party in various parts of the country. Even though they agreed that Mr. Obasanjo had imposed candidates on the party in the past, one PDP official said the Jonathans consistently backed candidates who were extremely unpopular within the PDP and unelectable.
Asked if President Jonathan was aware of plans to replace him, some of our sources said the president knew that many powerful members of the party were not satisfied with his style and low performance. One source said former Vice President Alex Ekwueme and even the party’s chairman of the board of trustees, Tony Anenih, were far from enthusiastic about Mr. Jonathan’s re-election.
“President Jonathan’s candidature and unpopularity are damaging the party,” one official stated. He added that the party’s electoral prospects in the general elections had dwindled dramatically. “We are only sure of carrying about 11 states in the country, according to our internal polls,” one party official disclosed.
Party officials also said they were determined to change numerous candidates for governorships, the Senate and House of Representatives in several states if the six-month postponement ever became a reality. “The way President Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan picked many candidates has now weakened the party across the country,” one top official in Abuja complained.

Teenage suicide bomber kills at least 16 at Nigerian bus station - Terrorism - dhabworld

 

A teenage suicide bomber blew herself up at a crowded bus station in northeast Nigeria on Sunday, killing at least 16 and wounding 30 others.
Witnesses said most of the victims were children who had either been selling peanuts or begging for money at the time of the explosion.
The bomber managed to get through the security check at the entrance to the bus station in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state, and detonated herself at 1pm local time.
“It was an eyesore looking at the scene which is littered with chopped flesh and battered bodies of victims,” said witness Hassan Umar, who added the bomber was a teenager and that he had seen her remains.
“The girl that carried out the suicide should be around 16 years old, because her face was a bit matured,” he said.
At least eight of the bodies were taken to the mortuary at Damaturu specialist hospital, a hospital worker told the Associated Press by telephone. The worker insisted on anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing, but it fits the pattern of violence by Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown Islamic extremist group that caused an estimated 10,000 deaths last year and is fighting to impose sharia rule over Nigeria.
Boko Haram began using teenage females as suicide bombers last year, likely because they can evade security by hiding explosives under their hijab garments. In April, the extremists kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls who remain missing.
This is the first suicide bombing in Damaturu. The city of about 90,000 people in northeastern Nigeria has suffered several attacks by Boko Haram in past three years. On 1 December Boko Haram attempted to seize Damaturu, but was repelled after a lengthy battle with many casualties.
In recent weeks Boko Haram has attacked the neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Those countries and others are planning to form a joint force to help Nigeria battle the extremists.
 

Crude Oil Prices Rise for Third Successive Week - Economy - dhabworld

This is rising by $2.24 or 3.8 per cent to settle at $61.52 a barrel, marking the highest price at which it has been sold this year.

CRUDE OIL

Ejiofor Alike with agency report

Crude oil prices at the weekend continued to climb for the third week in a row, with Light Brent crude, which had not settled above $60 since December 24, rising by $2.24 or 3.8 per cent to settle at $61.52 a barrel, marking the highest price at which it has been sold this year.

Similarly, US crude oil futures rose $1.57 or 3.1 per cent, to settle at $52.78 a barrel, up about 2.1 per cent for the week.

The rise in oil prices was fuelled by spending cuts by oil companies and further declines in the number of active US oil rigs, which fell by 98 to 1,358 on Friday, representing 406 rigs less than the figure recorded the same time last year, according to weekly data from Baker Hughes Inc.

According to the oilfield drilling contractor, the number of US active rigs for oil and gas was at a five-year low as at the week ending February 6.

Speaking on the likely trajectory of oil prices in the short to medium term, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of International Energy Services Limited, Dr. Diran Fawibe, told THISDAY at the weekend that the current rise in the price of crude oil was as a result of the strategy of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) not to cut output so as not to lose market share to non-OPEC members.

He said the OPEC strategy was aimed at forcing high cost producers of shale gas in North America to curb output so that the market would stabilise.

According to him, OPEC, particularly Saudi Arabia and the Gulf producers that produce oil at a lower cost, used the strategy to force the high cost producers to reduce their output as oil prices sank below their cost of production.

“It is a strategy that was largely being promoted by Saudi Arabia and some gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and it was an attempt to force the US to stop dumping oil into the market.

“But whether it is the best strategy in the current situation is another matter. To my own mind, I feel that it can only work in the short run. Of course, we are beginning to see some evidence of that working squarely against North American shale oil producers, who are now reducing their activities in the market,” he said.

On whether the oil price would recover to $100 per barrel this year, Fawibe said it was very unlikely except there is a major upheaval that disrupts supply from one or two of the major oil producing countries.

“You see, in the past, one of the drivers of oil price in the world market was not just the economic situation in the consuming countries. You may have some major developments in some oil producing countries that will disrupt supply and lead to speculation.

“The speculation in turn, will lead to the rising oil prices. For example, if certain things happen in a major oil producing country that disrupts the flow of oil to the market, it can lead to price escalation.

“But now, because there are so many companies trading oil in the international market, you cannot expect such a thing to happen,” Fawibe said.

“But without such a major upheaval or development, if we leave it to the forces of demand and supply, nobody should expect to see the price of oil hitting $100 per barrel.

“As a matter of fact, one only hopes that it does not remain at $50 to $60 and continues to rise. But the best we can achieve this year is about $70 a barrel,” he added.

History of Valentine’s Day - Event - dhabworld

Every February 14, across the United States and in other places around the world, candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint, and where did these traditions come from? Find out about the history of this centuries-old holiday, from ancient Roman rituals to the customs of Victorian England.

The Legend of St. Valentine

The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and–most importantly–romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Origins of Valentine’s Day: A Pagan Festival in February

While some believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial–which probably occurred around A.D. 270–others claim that the Christian church may have decided to place St. Valentine’s feast day in the middle of February in an effort to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. They would then strip the goat’s hide into strips, dip them into the sacrificial blood and take to the streets, gently slapping both women and crop fields with the goat hide. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed the touch of the hides because it was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city’s bachelors would each choose a name and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage.

Valentine’s Day: A Day of Romance

Lupercalia survived the initial rise of Christianity and but was outlawed—as it was deemed “un-Christian”–at the end of the 5th century, when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine’s Day. It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance.
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, though written Valentine’s didn’t begin to appear until after 1400. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. (The greeting is now part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England.) Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

Typical Valentine’s Day Greetings

In addition to the United States, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia. In Great Britain, Valentine’s Day began to be popularly celebrated around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th, it was common for friends and lovers of all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes, and by 1900 printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one’s feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine’s Day greetings.
Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. Howland, known as the “Mother of the Valentine,” made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as “scrap.” Today, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, making Valentine’s Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

Flavour - Ololufe ft Chidinma [official Video] - dhabworld

So lovely video. I still contemplate the type of intimacy between Chidinma and Flavour