Photos: Buhari meets fmr British Prime Minster, Tony Blair in Abuja

 

Former UK prime minister, Mr Tony Blair paid a courtesy visit to Nigeria's president elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja today May 13th. More photos after the cut...

 

 

 Photo credit: Debola Williams/Bobo Omoboriowo

Burundi army general declares coup against the country's president

 

According to reports, Burundi's army general Godefroid Niyombare (left) has announced a coup against President Nkurunziza (right). Says he no longer recognizes Pierre Nkurunziza as President following massive protest and unrest over his bid to be re-elected for a third term.

According to the army chief, the army is working with civil society groups, religious leaders and politicians to form a transitional government. He told reporters at a military barracks that the president had violated the constitution by seeking a third term.


In a radio broadcast, Niyombare said;

“Regarding President Nkurunziza’s arrogance and defiance of the international community, which advised him to respect the constitution and Arusha peace agreement, the committee for the establishment of the national concord decide President Nkurunziza is dismissed, his government is dismissed too.

The masses have decided to take into their own hands the destiny of the nation to remedy this unconstitutional environment into which Burundi has been plunged.

"The masses vigorously and tenaciously reject President Nkurunziza's third-term mandate President Pierre Nkurunziza has been relieved of his duties. The government is overthrown." he said.

In a swift reaction, the office of the president has rubbished the general's declaration, calling it “a joke”. The president is in Tanzania at an African summit to discuss the crisis in his country

After the army general made the announcement, crowds who had earlier been out on the streets of the capital protesting against the president began cheering and celebrating his dismissal.

“It’s time to stop lying”, PDP tells APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed

 

PDP press statement below...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has admonished the spokesman of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to learn to be truthful, honest and desist from fabricating lies that could be injurious to democracy and peaceful co-existence in the country.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Wednesday said “but for the maturity of President Goodluck Jonathan and the head of the APC’s Transition Committee, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, who cleared the air, the country would have been thrown into crisis over the false alert by Lai Mohammed that the Presidency was frustrating the transition process.

“After Alhaji Joda debunked Lai Mohammed’s false statement and denied that his committee was being frustrated by the PDP-led Presidency, we waited for forty-eight hours expecting the APC spokesman to apologize to the nation, but this has not been done.

“It would be recalled that Lai Mohammed in a press statement last Thursday alleged that the Presidency and the PDP had ‘bluntly refused to cooperate’ with the APC to ensure a successful transition and that the Transition Committee of the Federal Government had refused to hold any meeting with that of the APC.

“Even after the PDP through a statement last Friday debunked the false allegation with facts showing that the committees of the two parties have been holding fruitful meetings, Lai Mohammed vehemently stuck to his position, only for the head of the APC’s Transition Committee, Alhaji Joda to confirm on Tuesday that the two panels have been meeting and operating on the same page and that at no time did his team complain to anybody that there was no cooperation.

“The APC spokesman must realize that his style which is anchored on lies has negatively impacted the polity, especially hundreds of young Nigerians who now engage in insults and fabrications in the media thinking that such is what party publicity is all about.

“Lai Mohammed should know that the campaigns with its attendant propaganda are over and that Nigerians expect a more mature and patriotic behaviour from the political class. He should therefore learn to get his facts right and be truthful in his statements at all times”, the PDP said.

Calling on all Nigerians to be wary of actions that are capable of causing disunity in the land, the PDP reiterated its resolve to focus only on purposeful criticism while presenting credible alternatives to the policies and programmes of the in-coming administration in a manner that will promote democracy, unity and the well-being of Nigerians.

Let's zoom into Manny Pacquiao's diamond watch as he receives hero's welcome in Philippines

 

Boxer Manny Pacquaio, who reportedly made about $100m from his fight with Floyd Mayweather on May 2nd wore this diamond encrusted watch as he spoke at a press conference in Manila following his return home. I can imagine how much that watch costs. Dayum!

The boxer was received to a hero's welcome as he and his family returned to Philippine yesterday. See the photos after the cut...