THE sudden decision to merge the PDP and the APC has caught everyone by surprise. When the announcement first came up last night, I thought it was a big joke. But then I saw it on BBC and CNN and quickly had a rethink. When I also heard it announced by Reuters, I concluded that what we are experiencing in Nigeria is nothing short of a miracle. Just when you think they are going to drag the country into the ditch, Nigerian politicians pull back from the brink and come up with the most unexpected solutions.
Same old, same old
Many of us have always maintained that these politicians are all the same. It does not matter what party they belong to, they are the same disreputable lot. That is the reason they are able to cross-carpet with amazing ease. Take Atiku Abubakar, for example. Yesterday he was PDP; today he is AC. Tomorrow he is PDP again; the day after he is APC. Only God knows what he will be in the future.
Under normal circumstances, if one of the arch-enemies of your party decides to cross over and join you, you would be wise to be suspicious of him. He could very easily be a Trojan horse. He might be joining you in order to gather inside-information about you and hand it over to the other side. Therefore, you might not be inclined to accept him into your ranks. Or if you did, you would make sure he is excluded from the main organs of your party.
Not so in Nigeria. A PDP member joins the APC and he immediately takes over the party’s political machinery in his state; no questions asked. The PDP president decorates APC Buhari with some medal of honour, and Buhari bows and smiles in loving admiration. The irate Obasanjo, who lampooned Goodluck Jonathan in a public letter, comes to Aso Rock to shake hands with the same Goodluck Jonathan. Suddenly, you realise that these people are not just friends pretending to be enemies. As a matter of fact, they may actually be members of the same family. Buhari might actually be a distant cousin of Obasanjo, while Obasanjo might actually be Jonathan’s uncle on his mother’s side.
PDP/APC merger
This kind of conclusion has been proven right by the announcement that the PDP and the APC have decided to form a grand coalition ostensibly in order to lay the foundation for the rebirth of Nigeria in this centenary year. Who would have thought it? Frankly, there were already some tell-tale signs. The first one was when some PDP Governors who had hitherto excoriated members of the APC, decided to cross over to the APC. The second was when the APC big-wigs went cap-in-hand to invite former President Obasanjo of all people to join their ranks. The third was when members of the APC also started migrating back to the PDP. And now these Tweedledee and Tweedledum parties have decided to merge.
Just listen to these hypocrites. In announcing the merger, President Jonathan said: “This new mega-party shows that the leadership in Nigeria is forward-looking. We are practitioners of politics without bitterness. Nobody can now say we don’t have the interests of the Nigerian people foremost in our hearts.” What poppycock! Even Muhammadu Buhari chipped in with his own white-wash: “Our various followership can see that we are now determined to forge a one Nigeria. One Nigeria united in vision and purpose. One Nigeria that will create a great Nigeria that will be the envy of nations around the world.”
Who is going to believe this kind of pious balderdash? Even former President Obasanjo, at whose residence in Otta the merger was announced after barely three days of intense negotiations, declared: “I am glad to have midwifed this rebirth of Nigeria. It can only be appropriate that as we are celebrating one hundred years of Nigeria’s amalgamation, we begin the next one hundred years with truly a new beginning. All the doubting Thomases should now know that God truly loves Nigeria. Long live one Nigeria!” Long live Nigeria indeed!
Strange bedfellows
What are the implications of this merger for Nigerian politics? Is it not likely to make us into a one-party state? With these monstrous PDP and APC parties now becoming one, will there be any viable opposition now in Nigerian politics? Have we not opted erroneously for the South African one mega-party model which is increasingly proving to be misguided?
I am of the opinion that those who conducted this strange marriage don’t have the interest of Nigerian at heart. They are only interested in ensuring that, whatever happens; the different strands of the Nigerian political class will partake in booty-sharing after the 2015 elections. As a matter of fact, this merger has made the forthcoming elections next year politically irrelevant. Of course, the billion naira question is who will be the presidential candidate of this new mega party?
There is no doubt in my mind that the decision about this must have been made before this merger was announced. Otherwise, the entire project will collapse in the acrimony that will arise if that is to be decided at an open convention. My understanding is that a decision must be been taken to sacrifice the current Vice-President, Namadi Sambo. In short, Buhari will become President Jonathan’s running-mate and thereby he will become a shoo-in as presidential candidate in 2019.
Merger problematic
Such a decision will create a number of problems in my view. In 2015, Buhari will be way too old to be an effective president. He is now 71 years old. In 2019, he will be 76 years old. That means, should he be elected and should he contest for a second-term, he would be still be president at the age of 80. That is way too old. The kind of president Nigeria needs in this new dispensation is a man half that age; one that is vibrant and open to new ideas.
The second problem I envisage with this new merger has to do with the presidential aspirations of the Igbo. Any deal they may have come up with must have entailed the sacrifice of the Igbo. Eight years of a Buhari presidency from 2019 means the Igbo will have to wait until 2027 before they can get a realistic shot at the presidency. How can this be acceptable to them? Did they really approve of this merger or are we going to see their imminent withdrawal from the PDP and from this new mega-party? My forecast is that the withdrawal of the Igbo will be in a matter of weeks as opposed to months.
Then there is the question of Bola Tinubu. Was he really part and parcel of this merger? Why was he not present at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding? Why has he not made any statement about it? What is in this new mega PDP/APC party for him? The only benefit I see for him is that he can now be secure in his South-West stronghold. There will now be no PDP candidate fighting to dethrone him in the states he is currently controlling. Beyond that, it means Tinubu is now irrelevant politically. Nobody really needs to bother about him again at the federal level. He has been effectively nullified.
Unending good luck
There can be no doubt that the principal beneficiary of this PDP/APC merger is President Goodluck Jonathan. Contrary to all expectations, it seems the man’s good luck is never-ending. By this merger, he has secured his primary ambition: an easy passage to another four years come 2015. He has made all those who say the country will go up in smoke if he even contests to eat their words. Now his arch-enemies will have to deal with him for five more years. There is no guarantee that the fears of the de-camping nPDP Governors of being handed over to the EFCC will not now come to pass, unless if their non-prosecution is an integral part of the merger deal.
There is also no guarantee for Buhari that the merger will not collapse in 2019, even if at that time he is sitting Vice-President. By agreeing to defer his ambitions for another four years, Buhari is taking a big risk. After four years as Vice-President, will he still be seen as the Teflon anti-corruption crusader he is now touted to be? Will his grassroots talakawa supporters in the North not come to regard him as a sell-out? One thing is for sure: the Buhari who is vice-president in 2019 will not have the same allure as the Buhari of today, even to his die-hard supporters.
In the meantime, there is opposition already emerging against this new PDP/APC merger, although it is not likely to amount to much in the context of the next elections in 2015. Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar, a man who is determined to be president of Nigeria at all costs, is already a declared opponent of the merger. As a matter of fact, he has announced that he will be seeking recourse in the courts to declare the merger null and void. Atiku’s position is that the merger is a blatant attempt to truncate democracy in Nigeria. But what is more self-evident is that the merger is yet another nail in the coffin of Atiku’s presidential ambitions.
As can be expected, the APGA and Olu Falae’s newly formed UPN are also implacably opposed to this PDP/APC merger. However, there seems to be nothing they can do about it.
Prognosis
It remains to be seen if this merger will survive until the 2015 elections. A major landmark will be the National Convention at which the new officials of the new mega-party will be announced, and the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the party will be ratified. Then such questions as the role of Bola Tinubu in this new merger will be answered.
By Femi Aribisila
Monday, 31 March 2014
I accept forgiveness by Obasanjo—Atiku
Preparing for the canonisations of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II
Atlanta archbishop apologizes over $2.2M mansion
Cardinal Onaiyekan: "Boko Haram insurgency is an anomaly in the socio-religious environment of the Nigerian nation which does not truly reflect the Country’s Muslim/Christian relationship"
Abuja - Nigeria is "the greatest Islamo-Christian nation in the world" where the two major religions in the Country live in harmony with each other and with the faithful of other religions. This was stated by Cardinal John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, in a paper presented during a seminar on religious freedom organized by the German Bishops' Conference, recently held in Muenster.
As a result, says Cardinal Onaiyekan the Boko Haram insurgency is an anomaly in the socio-religious environment of the Nigerian nation which does not truly reflect the Country’s Muslim/Christian relationship. "Because of our occasional and sporadic outburst of ethno-religious violent clashes, there is the unfortunate tendency to overlook the very important fact that in the normal lives of our people, there is a commendable measure of peaceful and harmonious living together across religious lines" the Cardinal added. According to Cardinal Onaiyekan, the answer to the violence carried out by Boko Haram cannot be just military, but must also include political and religious dialogue. The policy, according to the Cardinal, has its share of responsibility because some political parties have facilitated group actions or have deliberately refused to assist the central government in dealing with the situation that has arisen in the north-east, Boko Haram’s land of action.
"But it seems that the situation is changing," said the Cardinal". "All the political forces have now realized that we are facing a common menace and all need to join hands to deal with it".The Nigerian authorities have announced that in the first three months of 2014 more than a thousand people have been killed in attacks carried out by the sect, and in the same time period, 249 446 people have fled their homes.
culled from news.va
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Lewis Hamilton won the Malaysian Grand Prix with a pole-to-flag victory...
Djokovic beats Nadal to win 4th Key Biscayne title
Osaze: I'm in the form of my Life
Okonjo-Iweala disappointed me
DR. (Mrs) Okonjo Iweala is a world acclaimed personality in the professional fields of economics, banking and finance. She has been listed as one of the 100 most influential persons on earth and had risen to the heights of the World Bank presidency. If not for the intervention of the United States of America, she will be there today as the number one World Bank personnel, as she was perceived as the better candidate for the position, by those who are in position to know, including the influential Economist magazine.
She was in Obasanjo’s government as Finance Minister and hugely credited with the successful negotiation of the Paris Club debt that put to an end the debt albatross that was, for a long time, threatening the nation’s economy.
It was rumoured that she left the Obasanjo government because of her uncompromising stand against the financial recklessness exhibited by the regime of that time and not a few people were disappointed at the manner she exited.
President Goodluck Jonathan, while explaining the reason for re-inviting Iweala into his government, revealed to the press that anywhere he visited, all over the world, people were singing her praise and the country would be lucky to have her for the needed rapid transformation, especially in using her international clout to engender sound financial management and control of the Nigerian economy.
It was also rumoured that before Okonjo Iweala agreed to take up the position, she gave conditions that will guarantee her an oversight supervision of other departments of government as co-ordinating minister.
Her request was granted and there was joy in our hearts as she assumed duty for the second time as Finance Minister, with the additional port-folio of Co-ordinating Minister.
But few refuse to get carried away by the euphoria that accompanied her return; they pointed to the not-so-smooth manner, the debt settlement was arrived at, especially as it concerns percentage commission for those involved in the negotiations, and also her inability to do anything amidst scandals besetting the government – PDTF, Halliburton, Siemens and others.
Nevertheless, we happily welcomed her back and with the additional job of co-ordinating, it was expected that all the financial recklessness associated with various government ministries and parastatals will be a thing of the past.
Alas, four years into this government, those of us who rooted for Okonjo-Iweala are heart broken. Pessimists are now gloating and saying: ” we told you so “.
The question we are asking now is: If Dr Okonjo-Iweala is the Co-ordinating Minister of this government, what has she been co-ordinating? Can she, in all good conscience and performance standard, absolve herself from blame for all the rots and variegated scandals assailing this regime? Or, is she just a figure head who approves and endorses what people bring to her? From her antecedents and credentials, Dr Okonjo-Iweala can never accept to be a figure head. If this is so, why has she decided to risk all these lofty credentials in the sordid Nigerian political waters?
Our recurrent expenditures has reached the 80 per cent level and she has done nothing about it.
She is the Co-ordinating Minister for all organs of government, including the other arms like the National Assembly and the judiciary. Reverend Peter Adebiyi, writing under the title ” Who says Nigeria unity is not negotiable” in the Vanguard of March 19, 2014, claimed that in 1999, the overall budget for the National Assembly was N7 billion, today it is above N155 billion. With no additional constituencies, it is mind-boggling. Under Okonjo- Iweala this is happening and she has done nothing about it.
The Finance Ministry is the supervisory ministry to the Central Bank of Nigeria. In recent times, the Central Bank governor was placed under suspension for gross misuse or abuse of resources placed under his care. Sanusi has been there for over four years; in fact, his tenure is already completed; he claimed that all through this period, the Central Bank has been sending its audited reports to the Presidency. Why are we just discovering Sanusi Lamido’s excesses? What is supposed to be the responsibility of Okonjo-Iweala in this matter? We are blaming the opposition for trying to bring down the government, whereas those in government provided the perfect tools for the opposition to use against them. We expect Dr Okonjo-Iweala to institute a culture of transparency in the running of our finances. Four years into the regime, we are still grappling with this simple procedure- true transparency that the World Bank has been preaching since Okonjo-Iweala’s time at the institution.
It was embarrassing watching Okonjo-Iweala during the NNPC and Sanusi’s shadow boxing over the now $20 billion unaccounted for oil revenue. She could not offer any clue. Is the Finance Ministry not supposed to have records of the country’s incomes and expenditures, independent of the Central Bank? If they do not have, then we have in position, a sleeping Finance Ministry. Whose responsibility is it to ensure proper accounting standard for the country? We expected the ministry to demand for clean financial statements, free from ambiguities.
Now, in the midst of these conflicting statements, the Finance Ministry seems not to be anywhere. Why are they just requesting for a forensic audit of the NNPC account? Has NEITI not done enough in the past to call for action? If Sanusi did not raise the missing fund alarm, would the Minister had requested for a forensic audit? The Accountant General, Auditor General and the Governor of the Central Bank are all under the direct supervision of the Finance Ministry, yet all of them could not agree on the true position of the nation’s finances, too bad.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala disappointed me on account of the wastefulness in fuel subsidy, the NNPC, pension fund, SEC, National Assembly, aviation, immigration, and many other government ministries and agencies. Unemployment rate presently hovers between 23 and 27 per cent, and our foreign reserve is steadily depleting; we have gone back into borrowing. It is a shame.
For Okonjo-Iweala, we demand a better performance, please. It is not too late.
*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.
I have Forgiven Atiku and Co - Obasanjo
Lukoil begins output from giant Iraq oilfield
BASRA: Russia's Lukoil began commercial production from one of the world's largest untapped oilfields in Iraq yesterday, as the country raises output to record levels.
Production from the giant West Qurna-2 is eventually expected to reach 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd), from an initial 120,000 bpd.
The field is one of several that form the backbone of Iraq's plans to revive its oil sector and lift the economy after decades of sanctions and war.
At a ceremony to inaugurate the field, Iraqi Oil Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi said output of 400,000 bpd from West Qurna-2 by the end of the year would help Iraq reach a production target of 4m bpd for 2014.
Output from Iraq, already the second-largest producer in Opec, averaged 3.5m bpd in February.
The launch of West Qurna-2, with recoverable reserves estimated at around 14 billion barrels, will allow Lukoil, which holds a 75 per cent stake in the field, to more than double its overseas output.
"The start of production at West Qurna-2 is strategically important for Lukoil," said chief executive Vagit Alekperov in a statement.
Russia's second largest oil producer saw its production rise 1.1pc last year and is aiming for a 1.5pc rise this year with the boost from West Qurna-2.
The world's leading oil companies have been expanding other giant fields in Iraq's south - Rumaila led by BP, West Qurna-1 run by Exxon and Zubair operated by Eni since 2010 when they signed a series of service contracts with Baghdad.
Iraq has set an export target of 3.4m bpd for 2014, including 400,000 bpd from the Kurdistan region, implying output of 4m bpd, including oil used domestically.
Oil experts still see that as optimistic, but growth is returning thanks to the expanded capacity at southern export terminals and further rises from the fields of Majnoon, led by Shell and Halfaya, where PetroChina is the operator.
Iraqi exports are also due to get an additional boost next month from Kurdistan, which recently agreed to resume pumping 100,000 bpd as a "gesture of goodwill" aimed at easing a dispute with the federal government in Baghdad.
Kurdistan stopped exporting via the national network more than one year ago due to a row over payments for oil companies operating in the region, and has since finished building an independent pipeline to Turkey.
Baghdad claims sole authority to manage all the country's crude and refuses to cover the costs of companies that have signed contracts with the Kurds, rejecting those deals as illegal.
"We hope the differences will be solved and exportation of the oil produced in Kurdistan will begin next month," Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussain Al Shahristani said at the inauguration.
Security Forces Foil Attempted Jail Break at SSS Hqtrs
Sporadic gunshots erupted in the early hours of Sunday at the Headquarters of Department of Security Service when detainees attempted to break free from their facility.
The Deputy Director, Public Relations, DSS Ms Marilyn Ogar who confirmed the development, said the incident happened around 7.15am when one of the terrorist suspects tried to disarm DDS officer in charge.
Ogar said: "Attempted jail break 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects.
" One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff".
She added that the suspect's attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.
According to her, "the gun shots attracted the attention of the military with whom we have an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat".
The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators.
Pope Francis Confesses His Sins in Public
Pope Francis continued his rock star turn yesterday by breaking with tradition and publicly confessing his sins while leading a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica.
''The pope, dressed in a simple white alb and purple stole, spent about three minutes kneeling before the priest's open confessional and received absolution. The priest also clasped the pope's hands and kissed his simple silver ring''.
The Video is below,
As we noted, just days ago, Pope Francis, who had made the cover of Rolling Stone, promised Jersey Vargas, a ten-year-old girl, that he would mention immigration reform in his meeting this week with President Obama. Specifically, Vargas was appealing to Francis on behalf of her father, Mario Vargas, who is in the process of being deported.
The plea, at least in the short-term, worked. Around the same time that the Pope was confessing his sins, Vargas walked free.
''Mario Vargas was freed from a detention facility in Louisiana after he posted $5,000 bond. A relative who saw the girl on television pleading with the pope during a public audience helped with the funding, said his wife, Lola Vargas''.
Vargas will reunite with his family for the first time in two years while they await the ruling of an immigration judge in the outcome of his deportation case.
Saturday, 29 March 2014
Chelsea boss Mourinho: PSG can have Oscar and Hazard...
Djokovic in final after Kei Nishikori withdraws
Novak Djokovic advanced to the Sony Open final when Kei Nishikori withdrew less than two hours before yesterday's semifinal because of a groin injury.
Nishikori won a grueling three-set match against Roger Federer on Wednesday night and also won a three-setter against David Ferrer in the fourth round, when he saved four match points.
Nishikori tweeted the news after he tried to practice before the match.
"Very disappointed and I am obviously very sorry for any fans," he said.
The No. 2-ranked Djokovic will bid for his fourth Key Biscayne title tomorrow against the winner of the other semi-final match between No. 1 Rafael Nadal and No. 7 Tomas Berdych.
Djokovic also received a walkover in the third round and has played only six sets in the tournament. He won the Indian Wells title two weeks ago, when he beat Federer in the final.
Regardless of results the rest of the week, Nadal will remain No. 1 and Djokovic No. 2 next week.
Former No. 1 Martina Hingis and Sabine Lisicki advanced to the final in women's doubles by beating Cara Black and Sania Mirza 6-3, 6-4.
Early yesterday, Li Na advanced to the women's singles final beating Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3.
Li improved to 7-0 against Cibulkova. She won despite being broken seven times and committing 40 unforced errors, closing out the victory at 12:33 a.m. when Cibulkova hit a final forehand wide.
Today, Li will play top-ranked Serena Williams, who beat Maria Sharapova 6-4, 6-3.
The No. 2-ranked Li is only 1-10 against Williams, but she leads the women's tour this year with a record of 21-2, including the Australian Open title in January.
Manchester United deny $3bn Qatari takeover bid
Reports that former Manchester United star David Beckham is to front a Qatari buy-out of the faltering English champions have been dismissed as "rubbish" by the club.
According to reports in the British media, ex-England captain Beckham and fellow former United players Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt - all members of the celebrated 'Class of 92' that came through the club's youth system - had met to discuss the idea of getting involved in a $3-billion takeover by the Qatari royal family.
Beckham played for Qatar-owned Paris St Germain before retiring last season.
However, United officials said they were unaware of any takeover bids and that that, in any event, the current owners, the US-based Glazer family, had no interest at all in selling the club.
One takeover that is going ahead, however, is the purchase of non-league Salford by Giggs, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers.
Salford, near Manchester, was home to The Cliff, United's training ground until 2000 and the place where the 'Class of 92' took their first steps in professional football.
Currently, Salford play in the Evo-Stik First Division North, the eighth tier of English football.
For Giggs, still playing for United, it means a direct involvement with his home town club.
"Everyone knows how important Salford is to me, so this is an exciting acquisition that is right at the heart of what we all believe in," the midfield star said.
"We want to engage the football community, use our football experience and knowledge to aspire and nurture young talent and being able to do that in Salford makes it even more exciting."
Facebook drones to spread Internet
Two-thirds of the world population does not have Internet access. Facebook already has more than a billion users on its service, but before it can sign up the rest of world it needs to get them online.
The social media company announced a new step in its ambitious plan to bring affordable, basic Internet access to "every person in the world." Facebook's new Connectivity Lab will research and test experimental technology including drones, satellites and lasers to spread the reach of the Internet to isolated locations that currently do not have Internet.
"We've been working on ways to beam Internet to people from the sky," said CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a post announcing the new effort.
Last year, Facebook announced Internet.org, a coalition of major tech companies working together to lower barriers to Internet access using more traditional methods, such as making it cheaper to get Internet on cell phones. Those efforts have been responsible for getting three million more people online, according to Zuckerberg.
This new initiative focuses on experimenting with new technology. The group is working with drones that can stay in the air for months at a time, bringing Internet connections to suburban areas. In more rural spots, satellites will be tested as a way to beam connections to the people on the ground. The group will attempt to make speedier long-distance connections using invisible infrared laser beams.
The developers who keep redesigning your Facebook news feed will not be dabbling in satellites and drones. Facebook has brought on aerospace experts from Nasa and the team who built the Zephyr solar-powered drone.
Internet access is a cause major technology companies can easily get behind. It's a smart business investment that doubles as a charitable cause.
Google announced plans to tackle the issue last summer with its own ambitious Project Loon. Instead of drones, the company is testing giant balloons that travel in the earth's stratosphere for 100 days at a time. Using specialised antennas, the balloons will deliver Internet at 3G speeds.
Both companies frame their plans to bring the Internet to the entire world as altruistic, not as a land grab. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates dismissed some of these efforts in an interview with Bloomberg in 2013, saying "when a kid gets diarrhoea, no, there's no website that relieves that."
In many of the world's most remote areas, poverty is a more pressing concern than Internet connectivity. People cannot afford electricity or clean water, let alone phones.
Friday, 28 March 2014
Minister of Justice demands Abacha's Assets
Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke has demanded that the $458 million worth of assets that former dictator Sani Abacha stole should be returned to Nigeria.
The assets were recently frozen by the United States.
Capital FM reports that the Nigerian government had been silent about the freezing of the asses until now.
According to the report, Adoke said he was impressed by "the efforts of the United States to recover the (funds) for the benefit of the people of Nigeria".
Sahara Reporters reports that funds from the forfeited assets are to be used to fund development projects.
FG allocates N74bn to NYSC scheme annually
Mr Kamil Akinlabi, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Youths Development, says the Federal Government allocates over N74 billion to the National Youths Service Corps ( NYSC) scheme annually.
He made the disclosure on Friday when he led members of the committee on oversight visit to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Wamakko, Sokoto State.
According to him, the money, which is being regularly released, is for the payment of corps members’ allowances and other recurrent expenditures of the scheme.
“The Federal Government and the National Assembly members are fully committed to the sustenance of the scheme, which has immensely helped in cementing unity among youths in the country.’’
The committee chairman expressed happiness with “the excellent state of facilities at the Wamakko NYSC Orientation Camp’’ and urged other state governments to emulate the Sokoto State Government.
The state NYSC Coordinator, Mr Thomas Yamma, also commended Gov. Aliyu Wamakko and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, for their sustained interest and support for the success of the scheme. (NAN)
70 year old man dies having sex with a married woman
BENIN CITY – IT was a shameful death for a 70 years old man identified as David, yesterday, when he slumped and died after having marathon sex with a married woman in a hotel in Benin City.
He died at one of the hotels in the Government Reservation Area, Benin City.The incident, according to reports happened at about 1pm. A son to the deceased who did not give his name said his father left home 45 minutes earlier.
The son said they were called by the police to come to the Benin Central Hospital only to see the dad’s corpse.
Doctors on duty said David was brought stone dead to the hospital. The woman was also present at the hospital but policemen ferried her away to prevent her from being mobed.
The corpse was deposited at the Central Hospital mortuary.
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Chelsea scouts saw Diego Costa hit Atletico Madrid winner
Chelsea are stepping up their pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa.
Blues boss Jose Mourinho has made the Brazilian-born Spain forward his top attacking target for the summer market.
Representatives of the Blues watched Diego Costa on Wednesday night as he scored in the 1-0 win over Granada.
Soldiers kill 11 insurgents, apprehend others attempting to escape to Cameroon
Abuja—The military said yesterday that 11 terrorists were killed when the troops engaged the terrorists in a gun duel while some of them were apprehended as they attempted to escape to Cameroon through Taraba and Adamawa borders.
The Director, Defence Information and Coordinator of Joint Information Centre, Counter terrorism Campaign Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday
said the insurgents were attacked by troops on patrol of the areas in the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign.
Suspected terrorists arrested while attempting to escape into Cameroon through Taraba and Gumti, Adamawa State.
Suspected terrorists arrested while attempting to escape into Cameroon through Taraba and Gumti, Adamawa State.
According to him, “the terrorists were trapped following the ongoing offensive launched by troops along the borders. Some of them could no longer bear the hunger in their make-shift camps at the forest. Those apprehended led the troops to some hideouts where fierce fighting ensued and seven terrorists died, while Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, rifles and 70 motorcycles were recovered.”
The director said “a similar encounter in Gumbi also led to the death of four other terrorists.”
He added that sustained patrols and searches by the Joint Task Force had led to the arrest of more insurgents, including a heavily armed suspect, who claimed dual nationalities of Chad and Burkina-Faso. Olukolade said the suspect was arrested with different calibre of arms along the Chad border.
The defence spokesman said members of the task force were patrolling areas around the Lake Chad, including Kwatan, Kanwa, Kwatan Yobe and other areas to apprehend more of the insurgents.
In a related development, fear has gripped Yola, the Adamawa State Capital following the discovery of 102 live ammunitions and two guns tucked in the perimeter fence of Damare Secondary School in Damere Ward of Yola, South Local Government Adamawa State.
The development has created anxiety among residents who said they sleep with their two eyes open following the intensification of armed robbery in Yola and environs in recent times despite the state of emergency and curfew imposed in the town.
The weapons were discovered by children who were playing around the area according to eyewitnesses.
“Some children who were playing around the area spotted the ammunitions tucked deeply inside the block holes and quickly raised alarm”, a resident stated.
According to him, “When residents observed that they were live ammunitions, they called the police who came and demolished the fence leading to the discovery of large number of live ammunitions and guns,” the source said.
Cast-wife-Saudi-king-begs-Obama-help-free-four-starving-daughters-whove-locked-away-palace-13-years
A cast-off wife of Saudi Arabia's billionaire king has appealed to Barack Obama for help freeing the four adult daughters she says have been held in a Saudi royal palace against their will for over a decade.
Alanoud AlFayez, 57, made her public plea to the president on Thursday, just a day before he's scheduled to visit King Abdullah for just the second time.
'Mr Obama should take this opportunity to address these grave violations committed against my daughters,' said AlFayez.
AlFayez, who's lived in London since Abdullah divorced her in 2003, said her ex-husband's treatment of their daughters has worsened lately after 13 years in confinement.
She told AFP that their already rare trips outside to buy food and medicine for themselves and their pets have now stopped.
'Since 13 years, my daughters Sahar, Maha, Hala and Jawaher are being held captive,' AlFayez said. 'They need to be saved and released immediately.'
AlFayez has written to the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to say that her daughters are 'imprisoned, held against their will, cut off from the world', according to a report in The Sunday Times.
Sahar and Jawaher told the newspaper in an email that they are kept alone in a house most of which they have closed off as they have been left to fend for themselves with nobody to help them with the housework.
They've not revealed how they've gotten access to internet.
'We have no passports or ID, we are under house arrest, with little food left for ourselves and pets,' Sahar, 42, wrote to AFP.
'On their orders, they have been literally starving us since last Wednesday. We are now living on one meal a day, leaving the little remaining meat for our pets and sipping little water in this heat, to save up. Our energy is quite low and we are trying our best to survive.' she wrote.
Abdullah became king of Saudi Arabia in 2005. The oil-rich state is a key ally of the U.S. in the Middle East and its extensive royal family enjoy massive wealth, with the king one of the world's richest men.
Ms Alfayez was only 15 years old when she married King Abdullah, who was then in his 40s, but he divorced her just over a decade later.
The king, who has 38 children by a number of wives, has placed his four daughters with Alfayez under the control of three of their half-brothers, according to Sahar.
Under Saudi law, girls and women are forbidden from travelling, conducting official business, or undergoing certain medical procedures without the express permission of their male guardians.
Sahar said that the sisters had enjoyed a pampered adolescence but that animosity towards her and her sisters had grown after they began to complain to their father about the poverty endured by most of the Saudi people.
Prince Muqrin appointed Second Crown Prince
Saudi Arabia's Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a former intelligence chief, has been appointed Second Crown Prince, state television reported yesterday.
The appointment makes Prince Muqrin, the youngest son of the kingdom's founder King Abdulaziz Al Saud, second in line to the throne after Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
"Prince Muqrin is granted allegiance as Second Crown Prince, a crown prince if the position becomes vacant and to be given allegiance as king of the country if both the positions of Crown Prince and King become vacant at the same time," the official Saudi Press Agency said, quoting a statement from the royal court.
Prince Muqrin, who was born in 1943, is a graduate of the British Royal Air Force Academy and a former military pilot.
He is currently Second Deputy Premier and Saudi King Abdullah's adviser and special envoy.
He has also been governor of Hail and Medina provinces.
Crown Prince Salman and the Allegiance Council have accepted Prince Muqrin as the Second Crown Prince, SPA reported.
Shell declares 'force majeure' on crude exports
Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell said Wednesday it had declared a "force majeure" on crude oil exports from Nigeria as it struggles to repair a sabotaged pipeline.
Shell's subsidiary in Nigeria said the force majeure was effective from Tuesday "due to ongoing repairs on the 48-inch crude export line at Forcados Terminal in the Western Niger Delta".
"Force majeure" is a legal term releasing a company from contractual obligations when faced with circumstances beyond its control.
Shell said the subsea pipeline was shut when a leak was discovered on March 4, leading to suspension of crude oil exports through the terminal, which can produce up to 400,000 barrels of crude per day.
Shell has blamed repeated oil thefts and sabotage of key pipelines as the major cause of spills and pollution in the oil-producing region.
Crude oil theft or "bunkering" is a major problem in Nigeria, with estimates that the country loses some $6 billion in revenue every year because of the practice.
Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, accounting for more than two million barrels per day.
Brazil 2014: NFF and Keshi at loggerheads
The Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, and his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, are again at loggerheads with the latter querying the coach.
The NFF is questioning Keshi’s alleged acts of insubordination.
The seemingly frosty relationship between Keshi and the NFF turned worse on Tuesday when supposedly the former snubbed a meeting with the technical arm of the federation to attend a media parley in Lagos. He reportedly did not receive permission to do so.
A query, signed by the Director Technical NFF, Emmanuel Ikpeme, was subsequently issued to Keshi on Wednesday. He was asked to respond before the close of work on Thursday.
Excerpts from the query letter, which surprisingly is trending on social media, read: “It is important we draw your attention to previous actions whereby you travel out of Nigeria without NFF’s express permission. Specifically, you travelled out before February 13, 2014 the day President Jonathan received the CHAN team, causing us huge embarrassment. Your request for leave approved by the NFF was from Feb 15-March 10, 2014 but you left before Feb 13 and returned March 26.”
Before the latest public show of disaffection, the NFF and Keshi had a running battle on why the Eagles Coach went to the press to declare he had a backlog of unpaid salaries. The arrears have since been cleared.
The Eagles boss had threatened to resign after the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. At the media parley in Lagos, he stated that he would only stay on after the World Cup in Brazil if the conditions were right.
Already, he is reported to be on the wish list of some countries, chief of which is South Africa.
It is yet to be seen how the latest impasse will pan out, particularly as it affects the World Cup preparations of the Super Eagles for the Mundial in Brazil.
Stoke striker Odemwingie open to Nigeria recall
According to tribalfootball.com, Stoke City striker Peter Odemwingie admits he's eyeing a late run for Nigeria's World Cup squad.
Odemwingie admits certain issues would need to be ironed out before he returns to the Nigeria fold, but he would jump at the chance to grace a Brazilian showpiece if given the opportunity.
He told The Sentinel: "I had a stressful 2013. Now I just take it week to week. I have a son who will be born in the summer and I have another already making me really happy.
"It's how I think now after last year, that things can always be worse. Today I already have more than I wanted three months ago.
"Everything else is a bonus, but every player would love to go to the World Cup.
"If things seem right for me and, most importantly, I am made to feel like I could help the team, then why not? We will see."
Dangote Declares N190 Billion Profit in 2013
Leading cement manufacturer Dangote Cement Plc has declared its 2013 financials recording an upsurge in its Nigeria sales volume to the tune of 13.3 million tonnes leading to a 40.6 per cent increase in profit before tax over the previous year.
The company declared a profit before tax of N190.8 billion for the year.
A statement from the company yesterday said its audited results announced in Lagos indicated that the pre-tax profit is 40.6 per cent higher than that of the previous year while consolidated revenue grew up toN386.2bn, representing an increase of 29.4 per cent.
While the results celebrated the increase in the company's sales volume, it showed further that total Nigerian cement market grows by 15.6% to nearly 21.2 million tonnes.
Dangote Cement attributed the increased sales volume to its direct-to-customer delivery strategy and described it as proving highly successful and accounting for more than 50 per cent of sales, with its Obajana plant sales volumes up 37.2% and Ibese up by 40.4 per cent.
Consequently, the company recommended a dividend increase of N7.0 per ordinary share as against N3 paid out in 2012, an increase of 133 per cent.
Dangote Cement's Group Chief Executive Devakumar Edwin expressed satisfaction at the performance of the company, saying the impressive run was as a result of strategies deployed of sound management of the prevailing economic situation.
"Our financial strength has allowed us to increase our dividend by 133% to N7.0 per share and the coming year will see our new factories opening across Africa as we begin to deliver on our promise to become Africa's leading cement producer, generating strong and sustainable returns for our shareholders."
Dangote Cement, which is Africa's leading cement producer, is a fully integrated quarry-to-customer producer with production capacity of 20.25 million tonnes in Nigeria with three in the country and plans to expand in 13 other African countries with new operations beginning to come on stream across the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.
The Group plans to have around 60 million tonnes of production, grinding and import capacity in sub-Saharan Africa by 2016.
Dangote Cement's Obajana plant in Kogi State, Nigeria, is the largest in Africa with 10.25mta capacity across three lines and a further 3mta capacity currently being built.
The Lower Chamber of the National Assembly summons Alison-Madueke over $8 billion Crude Oil Swap Deal
The joint committees on petroleum resources (downstream & upstream) and judiciary have summoned Diezani Alison-Madueke, minister of petroleum resources, over alleged under delivery of petroleum products worth $8 billion under the crude oil swap arrangement.
Other corporate bodies expected to testify at the ongoing hearing are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Ontario, Aiteco, Vitol, PPPRA, Mercuria Energy and Eterna Oil and Gas.
Muraina Ajibola, chairman, House committee on petroleum (upstream), issued the directive on Wednesday.
According to Ajibola, “I have not heard anything from her (minister). We will give her a date to appear before us and that will be the last.”
Lagos State expects 263 days of Heavy downpour
Lagos State government, yesterday, declared that the state is expecting 263 days of rainfall this year and this may be accompanied with strong winds, lightning and thunderstorms.
It added that rainstorms would be common over the coastal cities areas with occasional flash flood and ocean surges that would greatly affect persons living along the flood plains but the magnitude of devastation shall depend on the activities of the people.
It would be recalled that the state government last year, announced rainfall of between 249 and 275 days with intermittent stoppages.
The state Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, stated this at the presentation of year 2014 annual seasonal rainfall prediction and socio- economic implication for the state as earlier predicted by Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, held at Ministry’s office, Alausa, Ikeja.
“The Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, SRP, rainfall onset date for this year began in the first week of March in the southernmost part of the country and late June in the far northern parts. However, rainfall onset in Lagos Stare has since commenced from 14 March, 2014 in Ikeja, with a three days marginal error was given.
“The strong winds, lighting and thunderstorms which are regular phenomena during the onset and cessation of rainfall was also predicted to occur in stronger magnitude during this year’s raining period,” he stated.
Valdes collapses
Barcelona now have the destiny of the title in their own hands as they host Atletico on the final day of the season.
However, their joy was tempered by Valdes' injury that will keep him out of the World Cup for Spain.
Valdes collapsed to the ground holding his right knee whilst making a routine save and was in tears as he was stretchered from the field.
"Victor Valdes has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will require surgery," the club confirmed via its official Twitter account.
"It is very bad luck and a very costly injury, too much for a game that means just three points," Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta told Barca TV.
And midfielder Andres Iniesta admitted it was difficult for the Barca players to concentrate on the game after the injury.
"It was an uncomfortable situation on the pitch. The players weren't the same, the fans weren't the same. Everything seemed a bit strange.
"The important thing now is that he recovers well."
Neymar had already put the hosts in front before Valdes' injury as he tapped home Alexis Sanchez's cross.
Lionel Messi continued his fine run of form to make it 2-0 from a wonderful Iniesta pass on the half hour before Neymar rounded off the scoring 23 minutes from time.
It was a quieter evening at the Vicente Calderon as Atletico continued to demonstrate their title credentials with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Granada.
In a game short on clear-cut chances, it was once again Diego Costa who made the difference for Diego Simeone's men as he headed home Jose Sosa's corner 27 minutes from time to register his 32nd goal of the season.
Real Madrid losing the Title Race
Madrid (AFP) - Real Madrid suffered a huge blow to their La Liga title hopes as a 2-1 win for Sevilla sent them crashing to a second defeat in four days on Wednesday.
Colombian striker Carlos Bacca struck twice to give the hosts a sixth consecutive league win after Cristiano Ronaldo had opened the scoring.
League leaders Atletico Madrid now lead Real by three points and have a better head-to-head record against Los Blancos as they beat Granada 1-0.
Barcelona moved into second place, a point behind Atletico, with a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo at the Camp Nou thanks to a double from Neymar.
But it was a bittersweet night for the Catalans as goalkeeper Victor Valdes may have played his last game for the club after suffering cruciate ligament damage that will rule him out of the World Cup.
Real were looking to react from a first defeat in 32 games on Sunday as they lost a thrilling El Clasico 4-3 to Barcelona and they started brightly with Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema going close inside the first 10 minutes.
Ronaldo did open the scoring 14 minutes in as his free-kick cannoned off Ivan Rakitic to leave Sevilla goalkeeper Beto helpless.
The lead lasted only four minutes as Bacca finished off a fine move by converting Jose Antonio Reyes' pass from close range.
Reyes could then have put his side in front as Bacca returned the favour, but the former Arsenal man dragged his shot just wide.
However, Sevilla were grateful to Beto six minutes before the break as he brilliantly turned Ronaldo's piledriver over the bar.
Ronaldo was somehow denied his second of the night moments later as this time he lifted the ball over Beto, but the ball struck the inside of the post and rolled across the line before being cleared by a Sevilla defender.
Madrid continued to press after the break, but were struck on the counter-attack 18 minutes from time when wonderful play by Rakitic took him past Pepe and the Croatian played in Bacca to fire home his second of the night.
Beto was called into action once more to deny Ronaldo moments later, but for all their possession Madrid failed to carve out another clear opening and their hopes of salvaging anything from the game disappeared when Bale's free-kick flew over in the final minute.
And Real boss Carlo Ancelotti lamented his side's inability to deal with Sevilla on the counter-attack.
"In one sense the defeat could be deserved because we didn't prepare well for the counter-attack which Sevilla had and they scored two goals," he said.
"We conceded two goals in the same way on the counter-attack when we needed more balance."
However, the Italian still believes his side have a chance to redeem themselves in the final eight games of the season.
"We need to concentrate on our own games, it is true we have lost two games in a row and that is not good at this point in the season.
"We need to believe that we can win it still. We are three points behind Atletico and two behind Barcelona, everything is still possible."
Djokovic beats Murray in the quarter finals of Sony Open
Novak Djokovic benefited from an erroneous call and claimed he didn't realize he had broken the rules. When Andy Murray walked to the net and challenged him about it, Djokovic responded with a shrug and a sheepish smile.
Murray lost the dispute, and the match. The pivotal ruling against the defending champion helped Djokovic win 7-5, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the Sony Open.
The point that aggravated Murray occurred at the start of the 12th game, when he was serving at 5-6. Djokovic charged forward to volley a short ball and hit it for a winner.
Murray argued — and TV replays confirmed — he should have be awarded the point because Djokovic's racket was on the far side of the net when he hit the ball. Chair umpire Damian Steiner declined to change his call, and such rulings can't be appealed for video review.Murray briefly discussed the matter with Djokovic.
"I went and asked Novak, and he told me he was over the net," Murray said.
"Look, it might be my mistake," Djokovic said. "I think I crossed the net with the racket. I didn't touch the net. Maybe the rule is that you are not allowed to pass on his side with the racket. I'm not sure. You tell me."
That is indeed the rule. Djokovic said that if he had understood it correctly, he would have conceded the point.
A flustered Murray committed unforced backhand errors on the next three points to lose the game and the set.
"Obviously, that distracted him mentally, and after that he gave the set away," Djokovic said.
Murray took a lead in the second set but lost the final four games and the last 12 points. Afterward, he downplayed the bad call.
"I'm not angry," he said. "It may be I had a slight bearing on that game, but I was still up a break in the second set."
Djokovic's next opponent, Nishikori, will be playing in only his second ATP Masters 1000 semifinal, and his first in 2½ years. He advanced by breaking Federer five times, including in the final game.
"I thought I really played well, especially in the third set," Nishikori said. "I was hitting balls deep and striking well. Everything was going well."
Federer was the runner-up to Djokovic at Indian Wells two weeks ago, and said he's pleased with his start to the year despite the latest loss.
"I just couldn't find my rhythm on the serve today, which was surprising," Federer said. "It's a bit frustrating, but Kei did well to stay with me. He was more consistent in the second and third, and in the end it's to his credit."
Li Na became the first Chinese woman to reach the Key Biscayne semifinals when she beat Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 7-5. Li's opponent Thursday night will be Dominika Cibulkova, who erased three match points in the second set — one when a call was overturned via replay — and beat Agnieszka Radwanska 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Six-time champion Serena Williams will play five-time runner-up Maria Sharapova in the other women's semifinal. Williams has beaten Sharapova 14 consecutive times.
Murray won the Key Biscayne title in 2009 and 2013 but wasn't at his best against Djokovic. The Scotsman committed five double-faults and 32 unforced errors, including a flurry down the stretch.
He took a 3-2 lead in the second set with his only service break, then double-faulted twice to give it right back.
But it all might have been different if not for the call that made one point stand out from the other 125. Djokovic had won praise for his sportsmanship when he conceded a point following an erroneous call in his match Tuesday, but against good friend Murray, he left the verdict to the umpire.
A sideline reporter told Murray that TV replays showed he was correct about the call, and during the ensuing changeover he questioned Steiner.
"His racket was over the net," Murray said. "It's quite clear. You can see it on the replay."
"I have to make a decision at the moment," Steiner replied.
Any hard feelings on Murray's part didn't carry over after the match, when he shook hands with Djokovic and Steiner.
"It's a hard one for the umpire to call," Murray said. "Just frustrating."
And Djokovic said the call was the umpire's to make.
"It's not my fault," he said. "I mean, I was never lying on the court. I always try to be fair to whoever I play against."
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
West, Russia signal line drawn in Ukraine crisis
THE HAGUE/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and the West drew a tentative line under the Ukraine crisis on Tuesday after U.S. President Barack Obama and his allies agreed to hold off on more damaging economic sanctions unless Moscow goes beyond the seizure of Crimea.
Describing Russia as a "regional power" and not the biggest national security threat to the United States, Obama said Russian forces would not be removed militarily from Crimea, but the annexation of the Black Sea region was not a "done deal" because the international community would not recognize it.
"It is up to Russia to act responsibly and show itself once again to be willing to abide by international norms and ... if it fails to do so, there will be some costs," he told a news conference at the end of a nuclear security summit in The Hague.
After scoffing at a decision by Obama and his Western allies to boycott a planned Group of Eight summit in Sochi in June and hold a G7 summit without Russia instead, the Kremlin said it was keen to maintain contact with G8 partners.
"The Russian side continues to be ready to have such contacts at all levels, including the top level. We are interested in such contacts," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told Interfax news agency.
Obama said he was concerned at the possibility of further Russian "encroachment" into Ukraine and believed Putin was still "making a series of calculations". He insisted Russian speakers faced no threat in the country, contrary to Moscow's assertions.
He urged Putin to let Ukrainians choose their own destiny free from intimidation, saying he was sure they would opt for good relations with both the European Union and Moscow rather than making a zero-sum choice for one against the other.
"Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbors, not out of strength but out of weakness," Obama said. "We (the United States) have considerable influence on our neighbors. We generally don't need to invade them in order to have a strong cooperative relationship with them."
Asked what was to stop a further Russian "land grab", the U.S. president drew a distinction between an attack on members of NATO, covered by its Article V mutual defense clause, and on non-members where the West could apply international pressure, shine a spotlight on those states and provide economic support.
A senior administration official told reporters traveling with Obama on Air Force One to Brussels that "there's no question that NATO is prepared to defend any ally against any aggression."
The official said that in Obama's talks on Wednesday with NATO's secretary general, "we'll be discussing very specifically what more can be done in terms of signaling concrete reassurance to our Eastern European allies."
Previewing Obama's speech in Brussels on Wednesday, the official said the president "will speak about the importance of European security and not just the danger to the people of Ukraine, but the danger to the international system that Europe and the United States have invested so much in that is a consequence of Russia's actions."
The ruble firmed and Russian assets climbed on Tuesday after Obama and fellow G7 leaders held back from new sanctions and investors took the view that the crisis had been contained for now.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the United States and European Union allies were aligned in their response, contrary to media reports that Washington was pushing reluctant Europeans fearful for their economic interests to get tougher.
Moscow made two conciliatory gestures on Monday after its deputy economy minister said up to $70 billion in capital may have fled his country in the first quarter of the year.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Deshchytsia, for the first time, even though Russia does not recognize the Kiev government.
Moscow also allowed monitors from the pan-European security watchdog OSCE to begin work in Ukraine after prolonged wrangling over their mandate, which Russia says excludes Crimea.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Deshchytsia protested at the annexation of Crimea. Lavrov said Russia did not intend to use force in eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, and "the two sides agreed not to fuel further escalation in the Crimea problem that could cause casualties", it said.
Ukraine ordered its remaining forces in Crimea to withdraw for their own safety on Monday after Russian forces fired warning shots and used stun grenades when they stormed a marine base and a landing ship. There were no casualties.
That order came too late to save the job of interim Defense Minister Ihor Tenyukh, sacked by parliament on Tuesday over his handling of the crisis, after it emerged that fewer than a quarter of soldiers in Crimea plan to stay in the military.
Lawmakers elected Mykhailo Koval, head of the Ukrainian border guard, to replace Tenyukh.
In the Perevalnoye base, 25 km (15 miles) southeast of the capital, Simferopol, somber-looking Ukrainian troops loaded a freight truck with furniture, clothes and kitchen appliances.
"We are not fleeing, but leaving to the mainland where we will continue to serve," said a soldier who identified himself only as Svyatoslav. "One cannot be a soldier without a country and we have to relocate," he said.
But in the Belbek air base stormed four days ago, officers and soldiers refused to leave until the Russian military releases their commander, Colonel Yuliy Mamchur, who became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance in Crimea.
According to his aides, Mamchur is being held in the Russian Black Sea Fleet's home port of Sevastopol.
IMF DEAL SOUGHT
Ukrainian Finance Minister Oleksander Shlapak said he was negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a loan package of $15 billion to $20 billion because the economy had been severely weakened by months of political turmoil and mismanagement. He forecast a 3 percent contraction in the economy this year.
Obama also urged the IMF to reach agreement swiftly on a financial support package for Kiev, which would unlock additional aid from the European Union and Washington.
Increasing the chances a Ukraine aid bill will get through the U.S. Congress, Senate Democrats agreed on Tuesday to drop language in their measure containing reforms to the IMF. There had been stiff opposition to the IMF measures in the Republican-led House of Representatives.
The legislation backs a $1 billion loan guarantee for the government in Kiev, provides $150 million in aid for Ukraine and neighboring countries and requires sanctions on Russians and Ukrainians responsible for corruption, human rights abuses or undermining stability in Ukraine.
The measure is now expected to pass through Congress relatively quickly and be sent to Obama to sign into law, as long as another dispute over whether to include increased natural gas exports in the bill does not hold it up again.
Both the West and Russia sought to woo other key nations present in The Hague.
Obama, who discussed the Ukraine crisis with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, met President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, which is part of a customs union with Russia but is also seeking to join the World Trade Organization.
Nazarbayev, a ruling politburo member before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, expressed understanding for Russia's position in a telephone call with Putin on March 10.
Lavrov sought support from foreign ministers of the BRICS grouping of emerging economic powers - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
In a joint statement that did not mention Ukraine or take a position on the annexation of Crimea, they said: "The escalation of hostile language, sanctions and counter-sanctions, and force does not contribute to a sustainable and peaceful solution ..."
European diplomats said tentative signs that Putin may have decided to go no farther than Crimea in his campaign to protect ethnic Russians in former Soviet republics may reflect concern about the mounting economic consequences.
The crisis is also taking a toll in Western Europe. German business morale dropped for the first time in five months in March as firms in Europe's largest economy began to worry that a standoff with Russia and further sanctions over Ukraine would hurt them in a key market, the Munich-based Ifo institute said.
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