Saturday

INEC Restores Hacked Website

INEC Restores Hacked Website
INEC Restores Hacked Website
INEC Restores Hacked Website

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Who Becomes Nigeria’s First Lady: Patience Or Aisha?




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US Sends Marines For Post-Election Violence In Nigeria

As voters accreditation continues and Nigerians prepare to start casting their votes in less than two hours, the United States government has deployed hundreds of US Marines to be stationed in Ghana in anticipation of post-election violence in Nigeria.


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Nigeria Goes To The Polls Amid Boko Haram Threat

Nigerians have begun registering before polls in the most hotly contested campaign since the end of military rule.


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IBB Condemns Documentary On former Military Generals

Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday described as callous and wicked the attempt by promoters of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid to undermine the military institution by

General Babangida, who spoke while referring to an alleged one- hour documentary aired by Silverbird Television on Tuesday night; March 24, 2015 in a statement issued by his media office in Minna, the Niger State capital, said President Jonathan’s campaign handlers were out to demonize and stigmatize former military leaders and cast aspersions on them in order to malign their




reputation.embarking on mudslinging campaigns against former presidents and leaders of military background.
‘Documentary demeaned OBJ, Abacha, Buhari, Abubakar, myself’
He said the documentary “deliberately impugned the integrity of Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, my humble self; Ibrahim Babangida, late Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and T.Y Danjuma; all of whom have had the privilege of presiding over the affairs of this great country at various levels. It is either that those promoting the hate documentary are intellectually delinquent or they suffer memory loss; or a combination of both.”
“Apart from promoting hate campaign, which clearly undermines the modest contributions of these former presidents, the commentaries in the documentary against the former presidents leave a sour taste in the mouth,” he said.
According to the statement “In clear attempts to whip up support for President Goodluck Jonathan, certain persons, groups and individuals have embarked on several campaigns of calumny against former military Heads of State and presidents who have had the opportunity to govern this country.
“Of particular reference is a one-hour documentary aired on Silverbird Television on Tuesday night; 24th March, 2015 that deliberately impugned the integrity of Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, my humble self; Ibrahim Babangida, late Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and T.Y Danjuma; all of whom have had the privilege of presiding over the affairs of this great country at various levels. It is either that those promoting the hate documentary are intellectually deliquent or they suffer memory loss; or a combination of both.
“I have my very strong reservations about the contents and thematic focus of the said documentary. Apart from promoting hate campaign which clearly undermines the modest contributions of these former presidents, the commentaries in the documentary against the former presidents leave a sour taste in the mouth.
“Nobody is stopping anyone from campaigning for their preferred candidates contesting various positions in the elections, but to do that at the expense of the reputation, contributions, patriotism, loyalty and sacrifice of former presidents to the Nigerian state is, to say the least, immature.
“For record purposes, and without sounding immodest, the idea of a PDP that has now become the “largest party in Africa” started in my home, here in Minna. With the support of my fellow colleagues, we prepared the way for this democratic process that has now led us to where we are presently. We built the democratic infrastructure.
“Those who are parading themselves as democrats today, all participated in military governments. As a deliberate principle of remaining unsung, or blowing my own trumpet, I have elected over the years to maintain dignified silence on so many issues concerning Nigeria while I cultivate my access to each sitting President to pass across my advice in whatever form.
“It is on record and this is incontrovertible that the government I ran paraded some of the best brains this country can be proud of. I still remain eternally grateful to those wonderful brains who participated in our government to fashion a new roadmap for re-engineering the country.
…Lauds policies made by military
“Some of our policies have remained unsurpassed till date and most of what the country enjoys today was a creation of the Military. From primary healthcare to good roads, DFRRI, Better Life for Rural Women, housing, river basin authorities, MAMSER, new airports, agricultural development and other economic infrastructure, to mention but a few, were platforms where our interventions were felt.
“We achieved that much with very slim resources. If we had the several billions of dollars that are flying around today, we would have turned Nigeria to the Dubai of Africa.
“The military is an institution that is so dear to my heart. It is an institution that nurtured my growing up and my achievements in life. I am not only sold to the military institution and by extension the Nigerian state, I am betrothed to it.
“As a profession, retirees are bound to participate in politics and democracy as an all-inclusive process, same way that Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers, Nurses, and Civil Servants get involved in it. It is the reason why I ventured into politics in 2003 before I quit in 2010. It is the same reason why General Obasanjo participated and got elected; and now General Buhari.
“It is therefore very curious that promoters of President Goodluck Jonathan’s aspiration would attempt to demonize and stigmatize former military leaders and cast aspersions on them in order to malign their reputation. This is very unfair.
Praises military over Boko Haram
“Fact is; the military fought a civil war to keep this country together. What I suffer today is a consequence of the injuries I sustained during the Nigeria Civil War. I am not sure there is any patriotism that is more than that. Some of us were prepared to die for the country.
“The military is presently combating the dreaded Boko Haram sect to restore Nigeria’s territorial integrity. What law under a democracy forbids retired military personnel from participating in politics and presenting themselves for election?
“Over 90 percent of American Presidents have military background. Leadership training is better grounded in the military than any other profession. And the military parades some of the best brains in any country, including Nigeria. In fact, some of my military students that I tutored have Doctorate Degrees.
“It is therefore callous, wicked, out-of-sync, cynical and a show of crass ignorance for anyone to undermine the military institution by embarking on mudslinging campaigns against former presidents and leaders of military background.
While those campaigners are pointing their accusing fingers at us, they forget to recall that the present Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization is actually a retired Military Officer.
“It is this form of demonization and stigmatization that often compels us to exhibit espirit de corps amongst ourselves in support of our military institution and colleagues when the stakes are high. As disciplined military officers, we are patriotic Nigerians and must be treated with utmost respect and decorum.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/jonathans-men-out-to-demonize-ex-military-leaders-ibb/#sthash.oFualUem.dpuf
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Tuesday

International research firm favours Buhari to win March 28 election

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7 money moves for the 5 years before retirement

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KIDNEY DISEASE PREVENTION

PREVENTION

1 in 3 American adults is at risk for kidney disease. What puts you at risk for kidney disease? Major risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney failure and being age 60 or older.
Kidney disease often has no symptoms, and it can go undetected until very advanced. But a simple urine test can tell you if you have kidney disease. Remember, it's important to get tested because early detection and treatment can slow or prevent the progression of kidney disease.

2 Simple Tests To Check For Kidney Disease


Urine Test

You could help save your kidneys with a simple urine test. Ask your doctor about Albumin Creatinine Ratio (ACR)which estimates the amount of a type of protein, albumin, that is in your urine.

Blood Test

The Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) tells how well your kidneys are working to remove wastes from your blood. It is the best way to check kidney function. Over 90 is good, 60-89 should be monitored, less than 60 for 3 months indicates kidney disease.

Major Risk Factors Include


Diabetes

High Blood Pressure

Age 60 and older
Attend a free KEEP Healthy Screening near you


Kidney Basics

  • Your Kidneys: Do You Know These Facts?
  • Why Are the Kidneys So Important?
  • What is Chronic Kidney Disease?
  • Six-Steps to Healthier Kidneys
  • How To Communicate With Your Healthcare Team
  • Track Your GFR and Albuminuria Numbers

Other Risk Factors

  • Minorities and Kidney Disease
  • Contrast Dye and the Kidneys
  • Which Drugs are Harmful to your Kidneys?
  • Overuse of Pain Medicines (Analgesics)

KEEP Healthy

The NKF offers free kidney health checks in communities across the country. Find one near you.

Prevention Tips

  • Quit Smoking
  • Alcohol and Your Kidneys
  • Lose Weight if You're Overweight or Obese
  • Follow a Healthy Diet
  • Lower Salt in Your Diet
  • Understanding Food Labels
  • Exercise

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10 Signs You May Have Kidney Disease

More than 26 million American adults are living with kidney disease. Most don't know it -- Over 90 percent of people with signs of kidney disease are unaware of it. March is National Kidney Month, and one of the best ways to observe this health awareness month is by getting tested if you're at risk for kidney disease. Major risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of kidney failure and being age 60 or older.
While the only way to know for sure if you have kidney disease is to get tested, there are a number of physical signs. Sometimes people attribute these physical symptoms of kidney disease to other conditions. This is because those with kidney disease tend not to experience symptoms until the very late stages, when the kidneys are failing or when there are large amounts of protein in the urine.
Here are 10 possible signs you may have kidney disease:
  1. You're more tired, have less energy or are having trouble concentrating. A severe decrease in kidney function can lead to a buildup of toxins and impurities in the blood. This can cause you to feel tired, weak and can make it hard to concentrate. Another complication of kidney disease is anemia, which can also cause weakness and fatigue.
  2. You're having trouble sleeping. When the kidneys aren't filtering properly, toxins stay in the blood rather than leaving the body through the urine. This can make it difficult to sleep. There is also a link between obesity and chronic kidney disease, and sleep apnea is more common in those with chronic kidney disease.
  3. You have dry and itchy skin. Healthy kidneys do many important jobs. They remove wastes and extra fluid from your body, help make red blood cells, keep bones strong and work to maintain the right amount of minerals in your blood. Dry and itchy skin can be a sign of the mineral and bone disease that often accompanies advanced kidney disease, when the kidneys are no longer able to keep the right balance of minerals and nutrients in the blood.
  4. You feel the need to urinate more often. If you feel the need to urinate more often, especially at night, this can be a sign of kidney disease. When the kidneys' filters are damaged, it can cause an increase in the urge to urinate. Frequent urination can also be a sign of a urinary infection or enlarged prostate in men.
  5. You see blood in your urine. Healthy kidneys typically keep blood cells in the body when filtering wastes from the blood to create urine. However, when the kidneys have been damaged, these blood cells can start to "leak" out into the urine. In addition to signaling kidney disease, blood in the urine can be indicative of tumors, kidney stones or an infection.
  6. Your urine is foamy. Excessive bubbles in the urine -- especially ones that require you to flush several times before they go away -- indicate protein in the urine. This foam may look like the foam you see when scrambling eggs, as the common protein found in urine, albumin, is the same protein as in eggs.
  7. You're experiencing persistent puffiness around your eyes. Protein in the urine is an early sign that the kidneys' filters have been damaged, allowing protein to leak into the urine. This puffiness around your eyes can be due to the fact that your kidneys are leaking a large amount of protein in the urine, rather than keeping it in the body.
  8. Your ankles and feet are swollen. Decreased kidney function can lead to sodium retention, causing swelling in your feet and ankles. Swelling in the lower extremities can also be a sign of heart disease, liver disease and chronic leg vein problems.
  9. You have a poor appetite. This is a very general symptom, but a buildup of toxins resulting from reduced kidney function can be one of the causes.
  10. Your muscles are cramping. Electrolyte imbalances and cramping can be caused by impaired kidney function. For example, low calcium levels and poorly controlled phosphorus may contribute to muscle cramping.
Be sure to mention any symptoms you're experiencing to your healthcare practitioner. Request simple urine (ACR) and blood (eGFR) tests for kidney disease if you're at risk. For more information about protecting the kidneys and detecting kidney disease, visit the National Kidney Foundation at www.kidney.org.
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Friday

Distractions Must Not Deter Us, Jega Tells RECs

Two weeks to the 2015 general elections, scheduled for March 28th and April 11th, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday charged his Resident Electoral Commissioner (RECs) to be steadfast in the face of distractions as the Commission will settle for nothing but the best elections.
The INEC chairman, who spoke at a meeting with the RECs, held at the Commission’s headquarters, demanded focus and resilience in the face of those distractions. He described the meeting as an opportunity to examine closely whether there were still gaps in the commission’s preparations that needed to be taken care of within the next two weeks to keep on adding value to the elections.“
We need to do everything possible to make sure that the elections scheduled for March 28th and April 11th are indeed substantially much better than those we conducted in 2011 and the subsequent bye-elections in some states”, he declared. Professor Jega called for continued engagement with stakeholders in order to meet the aspirations of Nigerians.
He said: “We need to continue to engage all stakeholders, to inform them, provide information, enlighten them and carry them along, because the contribution and support of everybody is necessary for having the best elections that Nigerians want”. The INEC boss reiterated the need for all hands to be on deck, and again urged contestants and parties to play by the rules and abide by the peace accord, which was signed at different levels.
“Everybody has a role to play in ensuring free, fair, and credible and peaceful elections,” he declared. “In particular, we want to urge candidates and political parties to contribute and engage in the process, within the legal framework and in the context and code of conduct which they have all signed”. He reassured that Nigerians that the members of the commission were all doing their best, and expressed the confidence that will be good enough to meet the aspirations of Nigerians in terms of free fair and credible elections.
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Nigeria Faces Post-Election Gloom: Treasury Emptied, Oil Marketers Owed N450b, Mass Retrenchment Looms

A disaffected insider within President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as well as several banking executives have said that  Nigeria faces a deep economic crisis and massive social gloom after the 2015 general elections. Speaking from different perspectives, the sources said President Jonathan had virtually vacuumed the Nigerian treasury to serve his re-election campaign, leaving Nigerian banks in dire straits and many states on the verge of failing to pay salaries this month.
“The truth is that Mr. President has almost emptied the treasury, and some of us close to him are even beginning to get worried about what will happen after the election,” said the political insider.
The bankers echoed the sentiment. “The reason the naira has taken such a dramatic plunge over the last three or so months is that politicians moped up the hard currency for elections,” said one banker. “I have never seen anything on this scale, where politicians snatch up every hard currency in sight, whether dollar, Euro or pound sterling,” he added. Asked who was primarily responsible for the situation, the banker said he would not engage in partisanship. “All I know is that this country is now in a frightening economic position—and all these politicians running up and down to retain or take power have created the situation,” he asserted.
But another banker was not shy in pointing a finger at Mr. Jonathan. “The president has been indifferent to the economic crisis caused by the ongoing campaigns. And the reason he is indifferent is that he is the major culprit,” said the executive. He added that the distribution of largesse by Mr. Jonathan had now become “one of the few lucrative businesses in Nigeria.”
The bankers said massive layoffs were inevitable in the banking and other sectors of the Nigerian economy. They said numerous companies that depended on imported machinery or other components sourced from abroad were bleeding cash. “Many Nigerian companies are experiencing severe cash flow problems. Many of them are defaulting on long and short-term loan repayments. So the banks are suffering heavily as well,” one banker told SaharaReporters.
Two of the bankers disclosed that the banking industry would have laid off thousands of workers, but that officials of the Jonathan administration pressured them to wait until after the elections. “It will take a long time before banks recover from the current shocks in the system. There’s no bank strong enough not to retrench staff,” one said.
The stress in the banking sector, with the prospective job losses, will be compounded by massive retrenchment in the civil service at the Federal and state levels, one source predicted. Our source inside the Presidency revealed that Mr. Jonathan plans to follow former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s style by removing fuel subsidies as one of his first economic acts. “The truth is that it’s a must that fuel subsidy has to go because the money is not there to continue [paying for] them,” he said.
As part of an arrangement to receive slush funds from oil marketers, Mr. Jonathan and Ms. Alison-Madueke allowed numerous marketers to make fraudulent claims and get paid for importation they never made. That criminal collusion has put Nigeria in a situation where the oil marketers are being owed N450 billion. “Nigeria will have to deal with this and other debts from fraudulently inflated invoices once the elections are over,” one banker said.
The scam also helped create a recent fuel scarcity in the country. As the fuel situation threatened to become a politically costly crisis, Mr. Jonathan asked the oil marketers to offload fuel they had been “round-tripping” in order to collect unearned subsidy payments.
Bankers agreed that the government would find it extremely difficult to pay that debt after the election without rolling back or eliminating subsidies altogether. In recent months, oil marketers as well as operators of the privatized power sector received massive financial handouts from the Jonathan administration. In turn, they donated billions of naira to Mr. Jonathan’s re-election campaign.
President Jonathan has gone on a dollar-spraying spree since the general elections were postponed by six weeks. Our sources disclosed that the president had doled out more than $200 million, using generous cash gifts to entice various traditional rulers, politicians and activists, especially those in the southwest and parts of the north, to endorse him.
Several sources said much of the president’s campaign cash is from shady oil deals brokered by Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke. The massive theft of Nigeria’s crude oil remains an open scandal, and one of the richest sources of funds for the campaigns. Last September, Al Jazeera reported that the theft of Nigeria’s crude oil was at its highest rate in years, adding that several hundred thousand barrels of crude are stolen each day.
The continuing crisis of crude oil thefts has persisted despite the Jonathan administration’s security contract to Global West Specialist Agency, a company owned by Government Ekpemukpolo (popularly called Tompolo). The contract to Mr. Tompolo’s company was for the supply of 20 patrol vessels to enable Nigeria’s military authorities to better secure the coastline and stem oil theft. Mr. Tompolo’s firm was also engaged as a consultant to prevent crude oil heists.
The rating firm of Standard & Poors yesterday said that the Nigerian economy faced a clear and present danger. Nigeria’s external reserves have been significantly depleted in the past year, said a banker, adding that many state governments were already looking for loans to pay workers’ salaries.
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