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•Jonathan, aides review ceasefire
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VOL. 9, NO. 3008 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014
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2015: Jonathan’s stance deepens crises in PDP 2015 succession crises get worse
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The whole incident is not a pleasant one; it is traumatic. We were highly stigmatised due to rumours and side talks...
From Yusuf Alli and Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
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PRESIDENTIAL intervention to stem the crises of succession in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) states has failed to do the magic. President Goodluck Jonathan at a meeting at the Villa in Abuja warned the governors elected on the party’s platform against fielding unpopular candidates. He said such a development could affect the party’s fortune in 2015 as PDP may lose in some states. But, the governors left the meeting, insisting on having a say on who their successors should be. The President and the governors also agreed to wait till former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari emerges the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before coming up with “appropriate response” to issues the aspirant raised last week. Gen. Buhari lashed the ruling party for “destroying the economy and failing to unite and secure the country”. The President, the governors and PDP leadership are to meet soon on how to tackle the challenges associated with the governors aspiring to be senators. According to a source, who spoke in confidence, although the President said there was nothing bad in the governors having interest in their successors, they should put the party’s interest and survival above personal issues. The source quoted the President as being very blunt, telling the governors that since most of them are completing their two terms in office, he would be the one to work with
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WHEN WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15 BE FREED?
’ •MY ST OR Y: Ebola survivor Chinyere Enemuo speaking in Abuja...yesterday. STOR ORY
PHOTO: AFP
WHO declares Nigeria Ebola-free
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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday pleaded against lowering of guards as the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Nigeria Ebola-free. This is after 42 days — or two incubation periods — without any new confirmed cases of the deadly virus. “The virus is gone for now. The outbreak in Nigeria has been defeated,” WHO Country Representative Rui Gama Vaz said in Abuja. “This is a spectacular success story that shows to the world that Ebola can be contained.”
•Survivor relives ordeal
From Vincent Ikuomola and Augustine Ehikioya and Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja
“The war will only end when West Africa is also declared free. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to use this opportunity, on behalf of the WHO Director General, Dr. Margaret Chan and WHO Regional Director for Africa, to congratulate the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria through His Excellency, President Goodluck
Jonathan, the people of Nigeria and all stakeholders that made it possible to contain the Ebola virus in Nigeria.” The arrival of Ebola in Africa’s most populous nation, leading economy and top oil producer sparked fears of its rapid spread throughout the country of 170 million people. But the doomsday scenario did not happen and health experts involved in tackling the outbreak praised the authorities for their rapid response and
comprehensive contact tracing. In all, eight people died, of the 20 confirmed cases in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, and the oil hub of Port Harcourt. Nearly 900 people were monitored for signs of the disease. Nigeria’s official Ebola-free status comes after Senegal was given the allclear on Friday. Both countries are coming under close scrutiny from public health specialists looking to contain the spread of the disease around the world. More than 4,500 people have died Continued on page 4
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