Why Akpabio, Mimiko, others claim Amaechi rigged Nigeria Governors Forum election

Mr. Amaechi won re-election as governors’ forum chairman.
More details have emerged as to why the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; his Ondo State counterpart, Olusegun Mimiko, and some others claim the Nigeria Governors Forum election was rigged in favour of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers.
Shortly after the announcement of the result of the elections, which showed that Amaechi scored 19 votes, against 16 votes scored by his opponent and Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang; Mr. Akpabio addressed reporters rejecting the result, with the allegation that the election was rigged.
He claimed the ballot papers were not serialized and that Mr. Amaechi did not step down prior to the election.
In documents circulated by the Akwa Ibom governor, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that prior to the election, Mr. Akpabio and 18 other governors in attendance at a meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party governors had taken a resolution proclaiming their support for Mr. Jang as the new Chairman of the Forum. Curiously, the document was also signed by at least two opposition governors, Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe (All Nigeria Peoples Party); and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State (Labour Party). Mr. Akpabio claimed it was inconceivable that after voting, the outcome would be in favour of Amaechi.
In the resolution of the 19 governors that Mr. Akpabio also presented before the NGF meeting, they stated that: “We the undersigned Governors of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum having taken cognizance of the state of the nation and the perception of the Nigerian people, do herby resolve as follows:
1. That we thank the out-going Chairman, His Excellency, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Governor of Rivers State for his leadership and achievement.
2. That we strongly agree for a change of leadership of the Forum from May 2013 to May 2015.
3. We hereby, therefore elect His Excellency Jonah Jang of Plateau State as the new Chairman of the Forum.”
The signatories included Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe); Serike Dickson (Bayelsa); Garba Umar (Taraba); Gabriel Suawan (Benue); Peter Obi (Anambra); Idris Wada (Kogi); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Mukhtar Yero (Kaduna); Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); T. A. Orji (Abia); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe); Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Abdul Ahmed (Kwara).
Mr. Amaechi insisted that despite the majority signatories (19 out of Nigeria’s 36 governors), the elections should still proceed; apparently knowing that not all the 19 would vote for Mr. Jang.
In his post-election speech, Mr. Amaechi thanked the governors for upholding democracy, reassuring the people of the commitment of the Forum under his leadership to support President Goodluck Jonathan “realize the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and insecurity in our beloved country.”
“Today our democracy was tested and proven,” Amaechi said. “Democracy is about participation. The aim of democratic governance is for everyone to partake in winning. Today the governors have spoken with one voice reaffirming our faith in democratic governance as the hope of Nigeria’s future. I must thank my colleagues for their tenacity and determination to ensure the unity of the forum but more importantly of our nation.
“We remain committed to supporting our leader, the president and commander in chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to realize the development dream of all Nigerians by reducing tension, uncertainty and insecurity in our beloved country. We want to pledge our steadfastness and resolve working alongside Mr. President to better the lives of our people as we render transparent and accountable stewardship.
“Finally our thanks go to all those who have patiently endured these times especially our constituents and members of the fourth estate of the realm who have followed these elections with keen interest. We promise that we will not betray the confidence you have reposed in us.”

Understanding and managing relationship problems

Most of us want to find a partner to share our lives with. When we finally fall in love and commit to a relationship that we believe will last us to old age, we have expectations that we will act together to realise our dreams. Inevitably though, every couple will experience relationship difficulties.
Couples will always be confronted and sometimes overwhelmed by challenges they face, but mostly they are able to deal with them and move on.
However, sometimes these challenges leave each partner feeling alienated and alone and unable to sort out the issues, no matter how hard they try.
The same old arguments occur, with the same frustrating outcomes, and both partners can feel stuck. As time goes on one or both may start considering separation. Sadly, separation and divorce statistics are high, yet many of the difficulties that threaten the survival of relationships can be sorted out, with the right help.
This information may be a starting point for you.

What causes relationship problems?
Recognising when there are relationship problems
Seeking professional assistance
Ten tips for a happy relationship
Other resources for relationship problems

Neglect of the relationship
Research shows that the foundation of a happy relationship is friendship. Put simply, this means that you can enjoy each other’s company, share values, interests, friends and extended family, and believe you care, support, understand, and in every way are ‘there’ for each other and work together as a team.
This friendship needs to be nurtured, because if neglected it will inevitably deteriorate. This means couples need to be regularly spending time together doing things, talking about things that matter to each partner, and making plans for the future.
This seems obvious, but work pressures and other personal issues, the demands of parenting, and the general busyness of life mean that we too easily put off spending the necessary time together to stay connected.
As a result couples drift apart. This is often the case for high achievers, parents of teenagers, or ‘empty nesters’ who have neglected their relationship earlier on.

Conflict
Staying friends is more difficult when there is ongoing conflict which leaves you feeling angry, disappointed, frustrated or hurt. It is really important that this conflict is dealt with in a way that doesn’t drive your partner away or leave a build-up of resentment.
Conflicts often begin early in the relationship when those differences that we knew were there, and may have admired or managed in the early stages of our relationship, become challenging. Each thinks all would be well if only the other partner would change.
The blame game begins. Although change can happen, we are less likely to consider changing if we feel we are being misunderstood, misjudged or attacked for who we are, how we behave, or what we want or need.
Research shows that when one partner’s request for change in the other becomes criticism, the other partner is likely to become defensive. When the conflict grows over time, criticism can become contempt, and is likely to be met by the other partner blocking it out or ‘stonewalling’.
These behaviours can be deadly for the relationship. Therefore it is really important to find ways to manage the issues that are leading to conflict.
The distress that accompanies arguments leads to behaviour that often brings out the worst in us, and that is certainly not to our advantage when we are dealing with our partner for life. When we are worked up, we don’t think straight. We can say or do things that we later regret, and cause growing damage to the relationship. It is really important to calm down before tackling difficult situations.

Poor management of differences between partners
Differences between partners will always be there as we are all individuals with different values, priorities and ways of dealing with issues. Examples include attitudes to money, where we like to spend holidays, how much time we spend with extended families and friends, how much time we spend together or alone, how we show our love, how to discipline children, where we send our children to school, how we drive the car, how tidy to keep the house, how much effort goes into buying presents and the list goes on.
We of course tend to see that our way is the right way, and that means that our partner is wrong and should change. However it is more sensible to find a way to manage these differences rather than try to wipe them out.

Withdrawing care
We tend to become stubborn in our determination to have our way. We often try to let our partner know how wrong they are by telling them, and as that usually does not work, we then punish them by removing things from the relationship that we know our partner values - for example a man may stop discussing issues with his partner, or a woman may stop showing interest in sex. As talking and sex are two important ingredients for feeling close to our partners it is not surprising that both partners end up feeling lonely, despairing and misunderstood.

Loss of compassion
All of us like to feel that our thinking, feeling and behaviour is understood by the other, and not judged as being wrong. Understanding does not mean agreeing. Unfortunately if partners don’t seek to understand, good will can disappear. Until each feels the other is willing to understand them, they are unwilling to understand the other. Empathy and compassion for how the other is feeling is lost. Acts of care and love vanish. It is not surprising then that a partner may consider separation, or find value elsewhere - such as spending more time at work, on committees, with the children, on the internet, or with someone else. It is also not surprising that behaviours that result from a relationship under stress - including anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug use, eating disorders and gambling - can add to the difficulties.

Times of crisis
Understanding, compassion and friendship are particularly important when life sends along a crisis. Individuals act differently to issues such as a retrenchment from a job, death of a parent, infertility, miscarriage, a child’s disability, fire or drought, and these differences need to be understood.

AMAECHI MUST GO PROTEST IN PORT HARCOURT

Reports reaching our newsroom from Port HarCourt, the Rivers State capital said some ex militants are demonstrating right away.Some of those protesting include those known as Ateke boys,Asari boys and Sogboma Jackrich boys.
Eyewitnesses in Port Harcourt told Newsdiaryonline.com that the militants are chanting “Amaechi Must Go” among other slogans.
One source claimed that the ex militants’s protest may have been masterminding by a prominent politician in the state who wants Governor Rotimi Amaechi to go.

10 Dangers to Any Marriage

You walk down the street in a neighbouring suburb and you see your spouse hand-in-hand with someone else. So the story about the business trip to Durban wasn't true after all. You feel devastated – and foolish.

Can you ever completely affair-proof your marriage? Can you say with 100% certainty that neither you nor your spouse would ever have an affair?

"If you really think there is no chance of this, you may be deluding yourself," says Ilse Terblanche, Cape Town psychologist. "No marriage is ever completely affair-proof. People get married for different reasons, they can move apart, they can lose sexual interest in one another, they can feel weighed down by domestic drudgery – the list is endless."

"Sometimes it really isn't something that one of the partners has done or not done – it is quite possible that if someone is a serial philanderer, their behaviour might not have all that much to do with the spouse at all."

"And then it is also not a good idea to watch every move your spouse makes jealously. People do need a bit of private space. In fact, obsessive watchfulness could actually make your spouse feel uncomfortable enough to consider leaving of their own accord – whether there is someone else on the scene or not."

"People have to decide to make a commitment to each other and then they should be prepared to make an effort in order to make things work."

But there are certainly things that could put marriages at risk. But that doesn't mean to say that everyone will go ahead and get involved with someone else if given the chance.

Forced marriages. Often, when people get married very young, or they get married because of a pregnancy, the marriage can be quite vulnerable. The spouses' personalities, values and interests may not yet be fully formed, and five years down the line they may feel that their partner is not suitable for them. People change a lot between the ages of 19 and 25. Just take a look at how your circle of friends can change during this time. And it may be at this point that someone interesting comes along.

Working away from home. A short stint in another city certainly doesn't mean your marriage is over. But if you are spending six out of every seven months in Secunda and your wife is living in Stellenbosch, alarm bells should be ringing. And let's face it, phone calls and e-mails are just not the same as fact-to-face contact. It is inevitable that both spouses will have to socialise on their own – it is unreasonable to expect your spouse never to see anyone or go anywhere. And it is only human to have more than a passing interest in the sexy new guy in Marketing or the interesting new neighbour in the block of flats.

All work and no play. If you are doing hours and hours of overtime, it could be killing your marriage. If it's only for a week or two, it shouldn't be a problem, but if it stretches into months, your marriage could be heading for skid row. Spouses need to spend lots of time together – quality time is just as important as falling asleep in front of the TV together. If work is taking over your life, you have to ask yourself what it is that you are running away from. And no, except for short periods of time, it is not usually about the money. Better time management could also often result in less time spent working.

Domestic drudgery. Keeping a household going seems to be a never-ending task. Dishes, laundry, dusting, tidying, minding the kids, cooking – does it ever end? If one person is doing too much of it, it could spell problems for the marriage. These tasks need to be shared and done together. Who wouldn't rather go to the movies than do the ironing? Or pick up the kids' toys? If tasks are not shared, one person could quickly start feeling used, unappreciated, overworked and resentful. The scene is set for someone else, who does make your spouse feel appreciated, to make an entry. Or, if you are both working fulltime, consider getting in an extra pair of hands – even if it is once a week.

No together time. If you never have time to have fun (and sex) together, trouble is looming. For a relationship to grow, you need to do more than wash the dishes together or change nappies. You need to do things like go away for weekends (sometimes without the children), go to the movies, see friends together and sit down and have adult conversations. If these things are not happening, your relationship could be in static mode and the next time you see your spouse, he or she might be enjoying themselves – with someone else.

Lack of approval. Withholding approval is a very destructive thing to do in a marriage. Some people feel it puts them in a position of power, and makes the partner grovel and take the blame easily. This is not a long-term workable solution to problems. Neither is constant nagging. The worst display of this kind of behaviour is if the partner is constantly cut down and made to look stupid in front of others. It makes people feel supremely uncomfortable and could make your friends stop visiting you. If a spouse constantly feels as if they have to work harder and harder to gain that elusive approval, there comes a point where most people give up. And this often comes in the form of a new partner who is kind and accepts them as they are.

Opportunity for straying. This is a big one. Are you creating an opportunity for your spouse to get involved with someone else, by never being available when they need or want to see you? Did you refuse to go to the last three staff functions to which your spouse invited you? Are you quite happy if your spouse spends evening after evening doing things without you (This does not include the odd night out with the boys or girls)? You could be creating an opportunity for someone else to make a move on your partner. After all, you're not around anyway, so why not? Cultivate some joint interests and some joint friends. Make the effort.

No communication about sex. Talking about sex is difficult at the best of times. When you feel that there are problems that you would like to discuss, it makes things even more difficult. But communicating about sex and sexual needs is essential if you want to have a healthy marriage. It is also important to communicate new ideas, or thoughts about your changing sexual needs. There's no getting around this one. If you don't find a way to do it, your marriage could find its way onto the endangered list.

No shared interests. If you have no shared interests, cultivate some. Find something to talk about, other than the house and the children. You need to do something together on a regular basis outside the home – whether it is playing bridge, going to the gym, taking part in a pub quiz, a book club, joining an athletics club. Anything. As long as you are doing it together. If you share no interests, it doesn't take a genius to work out how easy it would be for a third person, who did share interests with your spouse, to wheedle their way into your marriage.

No 50/50 contribution. If one partner is slaving away to keep everything going, and the other one is glued to the TV on a more or less permanent basis, trouble is in the air. Contributions to the marriage need not be in kind – if one of the spouses brings in 75% of the money and the other does 75% of the housework, it does cancel out. But if one person does the lion's share of everything, it is only a matter of time before he or she starts feeling unappreciated. An ideal scenario for a third person to make an entrance on centre stage

Man bathes girlfriend with acid

23-year- old victim begs for financial assistance to go to India for treatment

IF anyone had told Blessing Ikhumhi that Okosun Cyril, the man she once loved, would turn around and bath her with acid, she would not have believed it.
Neighbours and friends used to see the duo as Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’.  But they were wrong.
Even Blessing once saw him as “the best thing that could ever happen to her,” because she never believed the words of William Shakespeare, which asserts that, “there are daggers in men’s smile.”
Their romance turned sour with tragic consequence for Blessing, a 23-year-old student of Edo State School of Health Technology. If she would ever regain her sight she would see all men as “monsters” because she has seen “hell” in the last three months as a patient at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City.
Doctors in the hospital believe she may never see again except she is flown to a specialist hospital in India, where her sight could be restored.
Blessing’s story is a sad one. Her ordeal began when she told his boyfriend, who is now in police custody in Benin, that she was no longer interested in what she described as “uninspiring relationship.”
The news did not go down well with him. He visited her house and asked for a talk.
The victim had gone outside to meet with the man whom she thought might have come to settle with her and probably, persuade her to continue in the relationship, but to Blessing’s shock, she was bathed with acid.
From that fateful day, she has seized to see and has been on admission at the UBTH.
“He was my boyfriend and we had arguments in February. He beat me to the extent that I was not able to go to school for three days. I told him I was no longer interested in the relationship. He later tried to forcibly take my telephone, but I refused to give it to him. I told him he was not the one who bought it for me.”
“On March 23, he called and asked me to meet him in front of our house. I refused initially, but he insisted, so I came out. He asked: “Do you mean you don’t want me again?” I said:  “No! I was no more interested in the relationship.  And immediately, he poured the acid on my face. Since that day, I have been on admission at the UBTH and the doctors say I might not see again except I am flown to India where my eyes could be restored. “
She noted that Cyril was the last person she expected to treat her so badly.
“I never knew he would have the heart to pour acid on me. I made a mistake. I have learnt the biggest lesson of my life. My prayer now is that God should touch kind-hearted Nigerians to come to my aide so that I would be able to get treatment abroad, since my parents cannot afford it.” Ikhumhi, a native of Fugar, Etsako Local Council of Edo State, has pleaded with public-spirited Nigerians to come to her aid.
Domestic violence has been on the increase nowadays as aggrieved lovers have been pouring acid on their estranged partners.
In March 2010, Oluwatoyin Safiu Morufu, from Oyo State, was reportedly bathed with acid by his wife of over 16 years, Uloma Beatrice, from Abia State.
In 2011, a suspect, Samson Igbinomewahin, 47, was arraigned at an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate‘s Court, Lagos, for allegedly pouring acid on his wife, Mrs. Susan Jeremiah, 31.
Also, a 35-year-old man, Ndubisi Okoro in 2011 allegedly bathed his wife, Anthonia, with acid. He was arraigned before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, charged with attempted murder.
In November 10, 2012, a jilted man in Ikotun, an outskirt of Lagos, bathed his wife with acid. Men of Ikotun Police Division immediately arrested him. The list keeps rising everyday as acid bath has become a weapon of revenge.

2015: Nothing can stop Jonathan’s second term —Clark, Alamieyeseigha

LEADER of Ijaws and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, in Lagos, on Monday, said President Goodluck Jonathan will continue in office for a second term in 2015.

Also, former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepriye Alamieyeseigha, said there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2015, adding that northern agitators would, at the appropriate time, join the moving train to vote Jonathan for a second term in office.

Both Clark and Alamieyeseigha spoke with newsmen at the third conference of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, held at Eko Hotel and Suites.

Clark, who described the clamour by the North to have the slot in 2015 as improper, said Jonathan would not be laying any new precedent if he was returned to office for a second term.
According to Clark, the Nigerian constitution was clear on the number of terms every president could contest, arguing that Jonathan’s second term bid, in the opinion of the people of the South-South, was in the best interest of the country.

“Movement of power or power rotation is not proper at this time. In the constitution of Nigeria, every president has two elections to contest. Shagari did it in 1979 and in 1983, he did it again; in 1999, Obasanjo did it and in 2003, he contested again. In 2007, Umaru Yar’Adua of blessed memory did it and if he had remained alive, he would have done it again in 2011. So, Jonathan is not a different person. He’s a Nigerian and he has the right to contest again,” he further said.

Chief Clark said Nigeria belonged to all citizens, adding that there was no need for anybody to feel that he had more stake in the country than others.
“We are all equal in this country and anybody can aspire to the highest position in this country. So nobody has the prerogative to rule others,” he added.

Alamieyeseigha, while asserting that there was no vacancy in Aso Rock, gave an assurance that Jonathan would remain as the president in 2015, contrary to feelings in other quarters.
“They may have their opinion, but I can assure you that President Jonathan will remain as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, come 2015,” he said.

The former governor said the recent presidential pardon granted him by President Jonathan was a negotiated deal, saying that it was in order. 
According to him, the negotiation commenced since the era of the late President Yar’Adua, adding that he had fulfilled his own part, while the government later fulfilled its part.

Woman Escapes Rape By Madman In Asaba

A mild drama orchestrated by a middle-aged man believed to have been demented unfolded yesterday in Asaba, Delta State at the popular Ogbeogonogo market when he allegedly attacked a woman selling palm oil and attempted to rape her but was stopped by local security officials.

Eyewitness said the mad man emerged from nowhere and entered the market where he met the palm oil trader(name withheld) attending to a customer and allegedly grabbed her from behind trying to remove her wrappers when the local security officials descended on him, beating him to stupor.

LEADERSHIP learnt that the mad man’s attempt to rape the housewife attracted hundreds of traders who rushed to the scene to catch a glimpse of him but met him severely beaten with injuries all over his body. One of the local security officials, Stanley Mokogwe, confirmed that the mad man was taken to the “A” Division Police station where it was established that he was mad.

 At the “A” Division, some of the police officers who did not want their names in print confirmed that upon close examination it was discovered that the man was mad and was later released.