The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship flag bearer in Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government in the state of squandering over 600billion naira federal allocation accrued to the state within a period of seven years.

He made the allegation while addressing a large crowd of supporters and party members at a rally held at the International Trade Fair Complex in Kaduna, the state capital on Tuesday.

The rally was to commence his electioneering campaign across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state and there he promised to make judicious use of the state’s resources to offer qualitative free education for primary and secondary school students, and also empower teachers with further trainings and incentives.

El-rufai also promised to promote Agriculture and Food Security.

He gave an assurance that his government would be committed to security of lives and property by tackling the roots of intolerance and communal violence, improving human capacity, delivery in Health, Education and Social Welfare and also re-energizing and empowering the civil service.

According to El-rufai, the coming election would be the time to kick the PDP government out of power and enthrone a new government that would take Kaduna State to the next level.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Oyegun, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Lawan Shuaibu, said that El-Rufai is a competent and tested leader, who would bring about positive change in Kaduna State.

He further stated that the APC offers Nigerians sacrificial and result oriented leadership that would bring about national rebirth and genuine development.

El-rufai and the PDP candidate, Governor Mukhtar Yero are both Muslims from the ancient city of Zaria, while the Labour Party governorship flag bearer, James Magaji, is from the southern part of the state.

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The Nigerian Senate President, David Mark, has urged INEC to ensure that no eligible Nigerian is disenfranchised in the forthcoming general elections.

Addressing federal lawmakers at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday, Senator Mark said that the wishes of internally displaced persons who have expressed their desire to have their votes cast and counted must be taken into account.

He asked for support on behalf of the electoral umpire towards achieving free, fair and credible elections.

Senator Mark, who expressed concern about the worsening security situation in the North-East, also expressed disappointment at the utterances of politicians especially highly placed ones as the February general elections get closer.

“Politicians must desist from provocative and inciting utterances. We may be in different political parties but we are not enemies. We must educate, caution and guide our supporters and followers. Election should be an asset to democracy but where it leads to violence or acrimony, it becomes a liability.

“We must, irrespective of party affiliations, do our best to ensure free, fair, transparent and credible elections. At the risk of stating the obvious, I would like to emphasize that for us to hold an elective office, there must first be a nation.

“I urge all my distinguished colleagues to continue to set example for conduct in the public sphere. I am disturbed and saddened by the war songs emanating from many quarters, particularly from highly placed Nigerians who are threatening fire and brimstone.

“Elections need not dissolve into theatres of war. It is my belief that war mongering will only result in a legacy that we will all regret,” he said.

During the speech he had also detailed areas which the Senate would be giving priority attention to.

He assured Nigerians that the Senate would pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the end of the 17th assembly.

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Tanzania outlaws witch doctors in a move intended to stop the killing of albino people for their body parts. …read more      

Thousands of Israelis gather to mourn the four men killed in Paris when they were taken hostage inside a kosher supermarket.

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Juventus coach, Massimiliano Allegri, has denied media reports linking Liverpool’s under-pressure striker, Mario Balotelli, with a move to the Turin giants in the January transfer window.

The Italy international has scored just two goals since joining Liverpool from AC Milan in a £16million transfer in August and has yet to find the back of the net in the Premier League.

Allegri told Italian TV station RAI: “I think this is a made up story. Balotelli has done very well with me but he belongs to Liverpool and he is not a player that can arrive at Juventus.”

Allegri had coached Balotelli at AC Milan before taking over at Juve in July.

Balotelli’s agent, Mino Raiola, has, however, thrown his weight behind the 24-year-old, who has also been linked to French club, Paris St Germain.

He insists that despite Balotelli’s slow start to life at Anfield, the former Inter Milan striker will come good at Liverpool.

Also speaking to RAI, “Mario has been out for almost 10 weeks with an injury and you cannot judge him until he is 100 per cent fit. It’s not easy to go abroad and adapt quickly to a new team.”

“Now he is not doing well at Liverpool for different reasons but Mario is calm and he is working to return to be in top condition. I do not regret this transfer and Mario’s departure from Milan.”

Balotelli is under contract with Liverpool until June 2017.

The striker played almost three seasons at Manchester City before joining AC Milan in January 2013.

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Cameroon says it has killed 143 Boko Haram militants who attacked one of its army bases near the Nigerian border in a battle lasting five hours. …read more      

Surviving members of Charlie Hebdo work to release the satirical paper’s first issue since ten of their colleagues were killed in an Islamic militant attack. Mana Rabiee reports.

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A former Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr Kofi Annan, has urged Nigerian politicians not to jeopardise the future of Africa because of selfish political interests.

According to him, the future of the African continent is in the hands of Nigeria and the success or failure of the February elections will mean same for the African continent.

Mr Annan spoke at a forum held in Abuja organised by civil society groups on peaceful conduct of the February general elections.

Having expressed dissatisfaction over the way democracy is run in most African countries, Mr Annan, who was the guest speaker at occasion, urged Nigerian politicians to do their best to ensure that the elections were free, fair and credible.

According to him, the elections provides an opportunity to confirm Nigeria’s progress in the eyes of the international communities.

Other guest at the forum identified corruption and conducts of politicians as responsible for past elections violence.

The group called on the international communities to sanctions anyone who compromises the peace of the country during and after the polls for selfish political interests.

This is the first time, since 1998 that the former UN Secretary General is meeting with Civil society groups to amplify the voices on the need for politicians to ensure that elections are peacefully conducted in February.

There have been several calls on Nigerian politicians to focus their campaigns on issues needing solutions and avoid statements that could trigger violence, the kind experience after the 2011 elections that led to the loss of lives and destruction of property in the northern part of the nation.

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Zimbabwe’s High Court orders a halt to the eviction of farmers who say they have been targeted to make way for a game park for First Lady Grace Mugabe. …read more      

A Strategic Security Consultant, Max Gbanite, has asked Nigerians to exercise a level of trust in the security operatives in order to boost their morale to deliver their best in the election period and ensure a violence free election.

Mr Gbanite was a guest on a Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.

Giving his opinion on what Nigerian should do in order to have a violence-free election, he mentioned that Nigerians needed to provide the needed information to the security agency during the election and also rely on their ability to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.

“It is because of lack of that trust that we are having issues in the north-east. We must support our policemen, we must support our DSS,” Max Gbanite said.

On the raid of the data office of the All progressives Congress, which the party had said was unjust, Mr Gbanite maintained that the raid by the Department of Security Service (DSS) was unbiased because the agency acted on a tip off.

“The DSS placed surveillance in the building, got proof and obtained a court order for the action, which in turn made it possess incriminating evidence against the APC that could be presented in court.

“The DSS is never compromised, and can never be compromised,” Gbanite insisted.

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