The Nation Newspaper

Tag: form

  • Sylva submits form ahead of deadline

    •Accuses Jonathan of ousting him in 2012

    Former Bayelsa State Governor and the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Timipre Sylva, submitted his nomination and expression of interest form at 4.40pm yesterday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to beat the deadline.

    There had been speculations about Sylva’s interest in the governorship race.

    But he was said to be undecided between contesting the party’s primary and getting a national appointment.

    Addressing reporters after submitting his form, Sylva accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of opposing his government from the beginning of his tenure in 2007.

    The APC chieftain noted that despite the opposition from the Presidency then, he delivered some high quality projects to the people of Bayelsa State.

    Such projects, he said, were not inaugurated before he was ousted by “impunity and wickedness in high places”.

    Asked about the driving force behind his ambition, Sylva said: “There is always a driving force behind an ambition. For me, it is very simple. I went into Bayelsa State Government House in 2007 under very difficult circumstances, having a central government that was interested in ousting me from day one.

    “If you noticed, from day one when I entered the Government House in 2007, the Vice President – as he then was – headed my opposition. When the state apparatus was summoned to run you out of office, it was a very uphill task. Despite that, we were undaunted and we carried on.

    “I went into Bayelsa State at the height of the militancy problem. A few years into my administration, I designed a strategy, which I called the Triple E Strategy. That led to the end of militancy in the Niger Delta. I can single-handedly take credit for that; even my opponents will not begrudge me for that.

    “I also did a lot of roads. No other governor in the history of the state can say he has done more roads in Yenagoa than I did. I started the senatorial roads leading to Okporoma and started the road leading to Brass. In the area of power, what we did was seen by all.

    “In 2012, we were preparing to celebrate in 2013 one year of uninterrupted power supply in Yenagoa. I had installed turbans, and there is a turban that was 93 per cent complete when I was ousted. The outgoing (Dickson’s) government refused to commission it because it did not want me to take credit for it.

    “I built a hospital that would have been one of the best in Nigeria. It was to be inaugurated in May 2012. The outgoing government has refused to go near that hospital since I was ousted.”

     

  • Balewa slams PDP for denying him form

    Balewa slams PDP for denying him form

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa has condemned the party’s failure to give him a nomination form after paying the stipulated N22 million.

    Explaining that the party’s officials had been “dribbling” him, Balewa told reporters in Bauchi State that he met with the PDP financial secretary, who told him to see the party’s treasurer, who also directed him to the National Chairman, Ahmadu Mu’azu.

    Balewa said: “They said only Mu’azu can approve a presidential candidate for the party. There is nothing like that in the PDP’s constitution that a chairman, and in this case an appointed chairman, is the only one that approves who gets a nomination form.

    “I paid N2 million as retention fee and N20 million for the nomination form. I have receipts and tellers for both payments. When are they going to give me my form?

    “We waited too long because the President was not forthcoming on whether he is running or not. I went to the party secretariat and asked for the form and they told me that they printed only one, but they did not reject the money; it is still with them.”

    Chairman of the Bauchi State Youth Movement for Democracy Philip Gumex said: “Whenever Balewa goes there to pick the form, it is one story or the other. There was a day we went there together and they took us from one office to another, only to say that the order for the release of the form should come from the national chairman.”

  • Ogbonna counts on Juventus’ form

    Ogbonna counts on Juventus’ form

    Angelo Obinze Ogbonna is insisting Juventus are unshakeable despite seeing their Serie A unbeaten record ended by Genoa.

    The Bianconeri lost 1-0 at Marassi on Wednesday, and that allowed Roma to catch them at the top of the table on 22 points.

    “We are mentally solid and unshakeable. We are only in Week 9, as last season we had 22 points and Roma were five in front of us Ogbonna told Jtv.

    “It is only normal that there are big expectations around us, but we are relaxed, knowing we must be concentrated on the finish line.

    “We slipped against Genoa,but we immediately have a game against Empoli to make up for it.We will find the same difficulties we had at Genoa,because smaller teams clam up against us and it’s difficult to find spaces.We must therefore be wary of counter-attacks and become more clinical.”

    The Empoli tie is brought forward today so that Juventus can prepare for their Champions League clash with Olympiacos in Turin.

    “We have a good chance of qualifying and must give our all, but the help of the fans will be fundamental and on Tuesday I really hope they can be our 12th Man”

    Juve lost 1-0 in Athens and are three points adrift of Olympiacos and Atletico Madrid in their Champions League group.

  • Kaita hoping to return to form

    Kaita hoping to return to form

    Former Enyimba midfielder  Sani Kaita has stated that a switch to FC Saxan, Moldova is not a step backwards in his career, having turned out for teams in Holland, France and Russia in the past.

    Earlier this month, the Nigeria international appended his signature to a one – year contract with Saxan Ceadîr Lunga , who occupy the Divizia Nationala table after five rounds of matches.

    “Of course, the championship of France or Russia far exceeds Moldovan. However, as I have already said – football is the same.

    “At the same time I think that I should go back to the previous level, and for this it is necessary to work hard,” the 28 – year – old told the official website.

    The ex Sparta Rotterdam defensive midfielder made his league debut last weekend against Zimbru, lasting 68 minutes on the pitch before he was replaced by Nicologlo.

  • ‘Nasarawa Utd’s form down to Al-Makura’

    ‘Nasarawa Utd’s form down to Al-Makura’

    Silas Agara, the Special Assistant to the Nasarawa State governor on Sports has attributed His Excellency, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura’s kind gesture to the state owned team for its brilliant form in the Federations Cup.

    Nasarawa United Wednesday made it to the quarter-final of the competition after they defeated Sunshine Stars 1-0 at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja with Malachy Iloh making the headlines for the Lafia team.

    Agara while speaking with SportingLife said: “The victory was a massive one for the people of the state and credit too must be given to the governor for paying better interest on Nasarawa Utd.

    “Beating Sunshine Stars at this stage of the Federation Cup was not an easy one but at the end the team lived up to the billing.

    “If you must know, he has done well for the team in terms of welfare as only recently a gave the team a new bus with the view to ease their transportation.

    “He also approved the payment of 50% signing-on fees for the players and technical crew. This is course a way of motivating the team, little wonder we are riping results.”

    The Lafia team now has another mammoth task ahead as the quarter-final fixture pitch them against inform Enyimba FC of Aba who defeated Shooting Stars 3-1 in the round of 16.