Peace gradually returns to North

The violent protests that greeted the announcement of the results of the presidential election on Monday have simmered down in many cities across the North. State police, on Tuesday, confirmed the deaths of four National Youth Service Corps members and two police officers in Bauchi. The public relations officer of Saint Gerald’s Hospital in Kaduna, John Aliyu, also confirmed that 20 bodies — victims of the protests — had been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary while about 400 injured persons were receiving treatment. There were other unverified reports of deaths and injuries across Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Adamawa and Gombe.

Standard Bank Graduate Trainee

Standard Bank (Stanbic Bank) is a leading African banking group focused on emerging markets globally. It is the largest banking group in Africa (by market capitalization) and operates in 33 countries worldwide.
Stanbic Bank is recruiting for Graduate Trainee Programme
Job: ID5329
Location Nigeria – Lagos
Employment Type: Full Time – Permanent
Position Description
The Graduate Programme has been designed to build capacity and create a sustainable pipeline in our Bank by developing young, talented, trained professionals for our future. It is an intensive programme and one of a kind opportunity for young people who are serious about a career in banking to get on the fast track.
Full Job details

Rita Dominic, Mercy Johnson face off on T-Chidi TChikere's set

Prolific Nollywood movie director Tchidi Tchikere is back from his one year hiatus from the Nollywood scene.  Tchidi has just finished shooting a film in Enugu which reunites Rita Dominic and Mercy Johnson.

Nigerian Pastor convicted of sex scandal in the UK

Dr Albert Odulele, the 'charismatic' head of a London-based evangelical church, faces jail after admitting two sexual assaults.
Odulele, who runs use Glory House International, admitted indecently assaulting a boy aged 14 and sexually assaulting a 21-year-old man, both former members of his congregation.
He entered the guilty pleas at Bexley Magistrates' Court in southeast London and was committed for sentencing at Woolwich Crown Court on a date yet to be set.
Magistrates granted him conditional bail at the brief hearing.

Buhari dissociates self from riots

The presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday condemned the spate of political unrest in the northern part of the country following last Saturday’s presidential elections and absolved himself and his party from any alleged involvement.

INEC declares Jonathan winner

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Attahiru Jega has formally announced the presidential election results at the Commission's office in Abuja.n

The results showed that the incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the race with over 22 million votes (22,495,187) and 58.89 per cent beating his closest rival, Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) who got over 12 million votes (12,214,853) and 31.98 per cent.
Nuhu Ribadu, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate came third with slightly over 2 million votes (2,079,151) and 5.41 per cent. A total number of 39, 469, 484 votes were cast but 1,259,506 votes were rejected as invalid votes.
The election results were announced under a peaceful atmosphere though amidst worries over the violence which broke out in some cities in the northern part of Nigeria that many though will hinder the announcement. After the results were announced, the different party agents were called upon to sign the result sheets and collect copies of the result.

‘Be accountable'
Meanwhile, a development agency, Action Aid Nigeria has warned Nigerian politicians against what it described as "preventable eruption" in the country. "The Nigeria political class has to realise that it cannot continue to waste the lives of the people it seeks to lead".  said in reaction to violence that broke in some parts of Nigeria yesterday morning.
In a statement issued by the organisation, it condemned the violence and called on politicians to urge their supporters to embrace peace; saying that the worst hit of these sort of violence are usually the poor.
Hussaini Abdu, the Country's Director advised the contenders of the elections to seek measures other than violence in seeking redress for cases of election rigging.
He said that "Democratic contest should rather be characterised by exchange of ideas, healthy political rivalry and a genuine commitment by politicians to work towards the one gal of eradicating poverty and placing Nigeria on the path to genuine greatness and nationhood."
ActionAid also called on security agencies to guarantee the safety of lives and properties and ensure that all the cruelty perpetrators are brought to book to serve as deterrent to others. The organisation also commended INEC for its efforts at achieving a free and fair election.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has advised political leaders to influence their supporters to stop all human rights abuses.
Tawanda Hondora, Amnesty International deputy director for Africa, urged the Nigerian military not to use excessive force to douse the mayhem hitting the north.
"We are extremely concerned about the escalation of violence in northern and central Nigeria by protestors and urge the Nigerian authorities to ensure that excessive force is not used against protesters."
"The security forces' response to this unrest must not lead to further human rights violations. The police and military must respect human life and use proportionate means to police demonstrations," Tawanda  Hondora said.

Election: No victor, no vanquished – Jonathan

Abuja -  Every Nigerian is a winner in the presidential election results announced by INEC on Monday with no one as victors and no Jonathan

one as vanquished, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.
He stated this in his acceptance speech broadcast to the nation shortly after INEC on Monday in Abuja announced his return as the winner of the contest.
“My brothers and sisters, fellow citizens, we are all winners. In this context, there is no victor and no vanquished.
“Nigerians have proved to the world that we are capable of holding free, fair and credible elections.
“With the evident national spread of our victory, we have demonstrated that even in our diversity, the progress of Nigeria remains paramount to all,’’ Jonathan said.
The President thanked Nigerians for the great sacrifice and overwhelming national mandate given to him through the polls and assured them that he would not let them down.