SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE NIGERIA'S $15MILLION THAT WAS SIEZED TO BURST THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AFTER IT WAS RUBBISHED UNDER GOODLUCK JONATHAN ADMINISTRATION.

The South African law enforcement agencies seized $15million in two batches: $5.7million that had been wired to Standard Bank and $9.3million in cash, which was confiscated. It was brought into the country through Lanseria airport in Johannesburg in three suitcases by a delegation said to represent the Nigerian government. In both cases, the money was suspected to be for illegal use. Now South Africa wants to use the money to extend an olive branch to Buhari’s government and mend relations between the two countries, which became strained during the tenure of outgoing president Goodluck Jonathan. “The positive thing about Buhari is that, one of the people who supported him is Atiku Abubakar. That makes him our man and he will automatically work well with President Jacob Zuma,” a government source said. Atiku Abubakar is close to Jacob Zuma. He was Nigeria’s deputy president during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, at the time when Zuma was Thabo Mbeki’s deputy. “Also, this man; Buhari is a retired military general. It is true that the military needs some beefing up to fight Boko Haram and we should help,” the source added. So how will Nigeria know that it stands to benefit from an otherwise controversial transaction that had exacerbated tensions between the two countries? Diplomatically you send a signal. Obviously they will have to make a request once they receive a positive signal, but the request will just be an official step to finalising the transaction.” General Buhari is due to take over the leadership of the country after winning the recent elections. Formal talks have not yet begun, but South Africa has apparently started sending “positive signals” through its diplomats in Nigeria and to the Nigerian embassy in Pretoria.  To ensure that the process of returning the money or regularising the sale of arms looks as clean as possible, the Hawks investigation will continue, the source said, but will be managed politically to reach a conclusion that is diplomatically favourable. “One way is to make the investigators say: ‘Yes, a law has been broken, but it’s true that the government of Nigeria is the owner of the money and genuinely wanted to buy arms legally. They might have flouted the rules, but it’s a genuine transaction. We will say this money does not come from dirty hands or rebels or arms dealers,” the source said. “We will find a way to regularise the transaction and either return the money or give them arms.” Nigeria wanted to buy arms such as helicopters and ammunition to strengthen its fight against Islamic extremist group Boko Haram. Last year, the M&G reported that the head of the national conventional arms control committee, Jeff Radebe, who is also the minister in the presidency, was blamed by his colleagues in government for taking a unilateral decision to try to regularise the sale of arms to Nigeria to facilitate the release of bodies of South Africans who were killed when the TB Joshua church building collapsed in Nigeria. At the time, Radebe denied it and said the committee had met in October and decided to propose unlocking the Nigerian arms trade. The M&G quoted from two letters that Radebe had written to JP “Torie” Pretorius of the Hawks and Dumisani Dladla, the head of the arms control committee’s secretariat, in which he said the failed attempt on September 5th to pay an arms dealer in South Africa “was, in fact, a legitimate requirement from the government of Nigeria”. “Although the required administrative processes were not adhered to at the time, the government of South Africa deems it a bona fide error,” he wrote.  This week a government source told the M&G: “What Jeff did may have been unilateral, but it is now an avenue that South Africa is willing to explore. Even when we were doing damage control after your story, the discussion centred around how we can get a positive outcome out of this.” The committee apparently met after the article was published in November last year and decided to return the money or the sale of arms to appease the new government of Nigeria after the elections. “After the story, they had to regroup and say: ‘How do we deal with this situation?’ You cannot let it hang forever; you must find a way to conclude it in a way that will satisfy both sides,” the source said. Zuma has apparently been briefed by ministers who serve on the committee and has warmed to the idea. Efforts to get comment from Zuma’s spokesperson Mac Maharaj and from Radebe were unsuccessful. Relations between Nigeria and South Africa have not been at their best, particularly between the Jacob Zuma and Jonathan Goodluck administrations. By returning this money you get friendship, loyalty and an opportunity where he General Buhari is willing to work with us to lead the continent and speak with one voice. “Instead of Nigeria second-guessing us all the time, we will compare notes and stop fighting for things like the United Nations Security Council seat that’s not even permanent,” the source said. “Nigeria is a strategic country that South Africa cannot ignore. It’s a big market. It’s possible South African companies make more money in Nigeria than in South Africa.” When Buhari won election against Jonathan in last month’s elections, Pretoria was already positioning itself for refreshed relations with Federal Govt of Nigeria. The M&G has seen a letter that Buhari wrote to Zuma a few days before the elections, in which he complained about Jonathan’s alleged delaying tactics over the poll and the use of violence in an attempt to sway the vote in his favour. “I thank your government and your mission in Nigeria for your contributions to Nigeria’s democratic process. While Nigeria’s democracy must be established and secured by the commitment to fairness and the rule of law of Nigerians, the goodwill and positive influence of your government have helped us on this difficult yet vital journey,” Buhari wrote. “It is not your business who wins elections in Nigeria, but we seek your help in making sure the election is a free and fair one for us to win or lose according to the people’s will.” He is expected to hold a one-on-one meeting with Zuma on the sidelines of the African Union summit that South Africa is hosting in June, and it’s anticipated that the issue of the seized money will be discussed. Either Zuma or Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will attend Buhari’s inauguration in May. Asked for comment, department of international relations and co-operation spokesperson Nelson Kgwete said the department had not been in talks with Nigeria over the confiscated money and knew nothing about a proposal to either return the money or sell arms to that country.

Global Spotlight is Firmly Fixed on Nigerian Elections - Op-Ed by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. Press release March 21, 2015.

Nigeria’s more than 70 million voters will soon go to the polls to choose their country’s leader for the next four years. Whether the victor is incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan or opposition challenger General Muhammadu Buhari is entirely for Nigerians to decide. Around the globe, Nigeria’s friends will be united in hoping that the vote will be peaceful, transparent, and fair and that—win or lose—all sides will respect the outcome. There are good reasons why the international spotlight is firmly fixed on Nigeria during this critical period and why we have come together to support an open and credible electoral process. Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and what happens there will have an impact well beyond its borders. A successful election, free from violence and with wide participation, accurate vote counting, and responsible leadership from the candidates would inspire the region and spur future progress and prosperity. It would also be a historic show of support by Nigerians for democratic values and an equally firm rejection of the brutal terrorist group, Boko Haram, and others who advocate or perpetrate violence. As friends and democratic partners of Nigeria, we urge that the voting for president and parliament go forward as scheduled on March 28; there should be no further delay of this crucial vote. We are heartened by the fact that Nigerians from across the political spectrum appear to recognize the necessity of inaugurating a new president by the constitutionally mandated deadline of May 29. Obviously, we share Nigerians’ concerns about violence, both related to elections and more generally. In 2011, more than 800 people died in post-election clashes, and a recent survey shows that half of Nigerians are concerned about political intimidation this time around.  The good news is that President Jonathan and General Buhari have repeatedly and publicly stressed their commitment to nonviolence before, during, and after Election Day. Both candidates have affirmed their intent to act solely through legal channels in pursuing any concerns that might arise regarding the fairness of the vote. It is imperative that they—and their backers—live up to this pledge. Elections should be decided at the ballot box and, if necessary, in the courts; not through efforts to coerce others. Respect for the constitutional process and the independence of Nigeria’s Independent National Election Commission, INEC, is the right approach, and the only one that offers a sustainable way to address Nigeria’s many challenges. The countries we represent, the United States and the United Kingdom, strongly support the pledges articulated by the Nigerian candidates. The elections must be decided in accordance with the rule of law. It follows that any person who incites violence at any stage in the electoral process, or who seeks power through unconstitutional means, should be held accountable and should understand that the consequences will be severe, both domestically and internationally. After an election, it is natural to focus attention on the winner, but in any democracy, the unsuccessful candidates also have critical roles to play. No one expects any political leader to retreat from firmly-held policy positions or beliefs, but a losing candidate owes it to his or her country to acknowledge defeat as soon as the popular verdict is clear, to urge supporters to accept the outcome, and to advocate unity in the face of national threats. That is the kind of leadership Nigeria needs. A free, fair, and peaceful presidential election does not guarantee a successful democracy, but it is nevertheless an essential ingredient—especially now in Nigeria. This is a country rich in resources and blessed by a creative and dynamic population. Its leaders can be extremely effective as evidenced by their swift action to prevent Ebola from establishing a foothold in their nation—thus saving thousands of lives. Overall economic growth rates are healthy and parts of the country are doing well. And yet, Nigeria has been held back by local tensions, a wide disparity between rich and poor, the lack of an adequate safety net for the disadvantaged, shortages of electricity, a rigid bureaucracy, and widespread corruption. These challenges have made the country vulnerable to internal conflict including the kidnappings, murders, and other atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram. Nigeria’s next government will need the support of all its citizens to address these challenges, and its unity will make it easier, on the security side, for regional neighbors and the larger international community to provide necessary help. We urge all eligible Nigerians to vote, to resist those who attempt to incite violence, and to come together as one country to defend against terrorist threats and to build the shared prosperity and enduring freedom all Nigerian citizens deserve.

WE SUPPORT INEC TO USE CARD READER -US

The United States government has thrown its weight behind the Independent National Electoral Commission to use the Permanent Voter Cards and the Smart Card Readers in the March 28 and April 11 elections. The introduction of the PVC and the card reader for use in the general election has been a subject of hot debate and several litigation in Nigeria. The American government on Wednesday through its Vice President Joe Biden, spoke with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj Gen Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) on the forthcoming presidential election. On Thursday, in a statement issued by the US Embassy in Nigeria and made available to the media, the US Vice President commended President Jonathan and General Buhari for signing the Abuja Accord in mid-January as a show of their commitment to non-violence throughout the election process. The statement read in part, “The Vice President further expressed the United States’ support for the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission and its work to deliver free, fair, and credible elections, in part through its essential efforts to distribute Permanent Voter Cards and help ensure that electronic voter card readers are in place and fully operational.” Biden also noted his concern about the violence during some recent election-related events and re-emphasised the need for both presidential candidates to make clear that such violence has no place in democratic elections. The US vice president stated further that the American government would stand with the Nigerian people in support of credible and peaceful elections, and would continue to stand with the Nigerian people whatever the outcome of the presidential poll.

WE SUPPORT INEC TO USE CARD READER -US

The United States government has thrown its weight behind the Independent National Electoral Commission to use the Permanent Voter Cards and the Smart Card Readers in the March 28 and April 11 elections. The introduction of the PVC and the card reader for use in the general election has been a subject of hot debate and several litigation in Nigeria. The American government on Wednesday through its Vice President Joe Biden, spoke with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj Gen Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) on the forthcoming presidential election. On Thursday, in a statement issued by the US Embassy in Nigeria and made available to the media, the US Vice President commended President Jonathan and General Buhari for signing the Abuja Accord in mid-January as a show of their commitment to non-violence throughout the election process. The statement read in part, “The Vice President further expressed the United States’ support for the Nigerian Independent National Electoral Commission and its work to deliver free, fair, and credible elections, in part through its essential efforts to distribute Permanent Voter Cards and help ensure that electronic voter card readers are in place and fully operational.” Biden also noted his concern about the violence during some recent election-related events and re-emphasised the need for both presidential candidates to make clear that such violence has no place in democratic elections. The US vice president stated further that the American government would stand with the Nigerian people in support of credible and peaceful elections, and would continue to stand with the Nigerian people whatever the outcome of the presidential poll.

BLESSING OKAGBARE SLAMS JONATHANS' CAMPAIGN GROUP FOR USING HER IMAGE IN POLITICAL ADVERT.

Track & field queen, Blessing Okagbare is not happy over the use of her image and footage by a body said to be working for President Jonathan. The advertorial by GoodHouse Nigeria has been running on various electronic media in Nigeria and also on Youtube and the athlete is infuriated over the use of her image, especially because they didn't even ask her permission to use the image or footage. According to Punch, Blessing Okagbare said in a statement sent by her agent that; “Now, I am here struggling on my own to pay my coach, nutritionist, doctor and others to make sure I am in good shape for the All African Games and the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China later in the year, and some people back home are using my image and footage for presidential campaign ad without seeking for my approval. This is fraudulent because I am totally not in support of it. We called the people (GoodHouse Nigeria) and they denied using my image and footage for PDP presidential advertorial. Who did it then? Why are they lying?” Blessing also told Punch's correspondent that she was condemning the act not for financial gain or support, but because of two reasons. First, 'It is about me and what I represent,' she said and also because those involved were not doing the right thing for sports to grow in Nigeria.