Jonathan’s land grab an “abuse of office, corruption” – APC

Like

Comment

Share

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said President Goodluck Jonathan committed a serious error of judgement, abused his office, violated the Constitution and engaged in corruption through his Abuja land grab that fetched him 90.04 Ha of land in the Aviation Village, barely seven months after he was sworn into office.
In a statement issued in London on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said nothing can justify the indiscretion of a sitting President acquiring such a huge swath of land, as contained in a newspaper advert and yet unrefuted by the President.
It said the claim of the President’s apologists that he grabbed the land because he wanted to engage in farming, which it said is allowed under the Fifth Schedule Part 1 (Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution, and the disingenuous justification of the land grab on the basis that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did the same while in office, missed the point.
APC said the issues involved go beyond the fact that a public officer is legally allowed to engage in farming, adding that the provision quoted by the President’s apologists is a weak and untenable defence.
”The Fifth Schedule Part 1(Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1 states that ‘a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’ But that’s exactly what the President did by leveraging his high office to grab a prime land in Abuja. Would Goodluck Jonathan have been given 90.04 Ha of such a prime land were he not a sitting President?
”What happened in that Abuja land grab is nothing but the height of indiscretion and abuse of office, and cannot be justified or explained away just like that. Without mincing words, it also amounts to corruption, which is defined in part as a perversion of integrity, and a glaring instance of bad leadership” the party said.
It said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, was emboldened to also grab 40.40Ha of prime land in Abuja, under the facade of using it for farming, because his boss, the President, has done so.
APC slammed the President’s apologists for seeking to justify President Jonathan’s action because Chief Obasanjo, according to them, also acquired land for farming during his own presidency.
”Those pushing this kind of argument are worsening the President’s case and insulting Nigerians. When did one bad act become a justification for another? Does a thief escape punishment by saying he stole because someone else has stolen? If indeed Chief Obasanjo did it, does that make it right? Is this not part of the reasons this President has been unable to fight corruption?
”It is also important to point out that the Aviation village, under the Abuja Master plan, is meant only for Aviation-related activities and not farming. The President knew this, yet he went ahead to apply and was allocated land for farming in the Aviation Village. Perhaps his intention is to subsequently apply for a change of use. How many other people were allocated land for farming in the Aviation Village?” the party queried.
APC asked President Jonathan to apologize to Nigerians for engaging in such a brazen abuse of office, act of corruption and violation of the Constitution and immediately give up the land he has grabbed.
APC, lawyers attack Jonathan over 90-hectare farmland
by John Alechenu, Olalekan Adetayo, Adelani Adepegba and Ade Adesomoju
The All Progressives Congress and some lawyers have faulted President Goodluck Jonathan’s acquisition of 90.04 hectares of farmland at the Aviation Village in Abuja barely seven months after he was sworn into office.
They said his action was a clear breach of the provisions of section 138 and 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, Parts 1 and 2.
The APC, in a statement on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, therefore asked Jonathan to apologise for abusing his office and engaging in corrupt practices by acquiring the farmland as a sitting President.
It said nothing could justify the indiscretion exhibited by the President in acquiring such a swath as contained in a newspaper advert which had yet to be refuted by him.
A group, the Purpose Driven Initiative, had in the advertorial claimed that Jonathan incorporated Ebele Integrated Farms Limited which he used to acquire the land.
The APC said the claim by the President’s apologists that their boss got the land because he wanted to engage in farming and that a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, did the same while in office, missed the point.
According to the APC, the claim by the apologists that the 5th Schedule, Part 1 (Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the constitution empowers a President to engage in farming, was also not tenable.
It stated that the issues involved went beyond the fact that a public officer was legally allowed to engage in farming .
‘The Fifth Schedule Part 1(Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1 states that, a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’
“Would President Jonathan have been given 90.04 hectares of such a prime land were he not a sitting President?,” the APC asked. It said the President leveraged on his office to “grab” the land.
The APC statement partly read, ‘‘What happened in that Abuja land grab is nothing but the height of indiscretion and abuse of office, and cannot be justified or explained away just like that. Without mincing words, it also amounts to corruption, which is defined in part as a perversion of integrity and a glaring instance of bad leadership.”
It said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, was emboldened to also grab land in the area because the President had done so.
The APC said, “Those pushing this kind of argument are worsening the President’s case and insulting Nigerians. When did one bad act become a justification for another? Does a thief escape punishment by saying he stole because someone else had stolen? If indeed Chief Obasanjo did it, does that make it right? Is this not part of the reasons this President has been unable to fight corruption?
“It is also important to point out that the Aviation Village, under the Abuja Master plan, is meant only for Aviation-related activities and not farming.
“The President knew this, yet he went ahead to apply and was allocated land for farming in the Aviation Village.
“Perhaps his intention is to subsequently apply for a change of use. How many other people were allocated land for farming in the Aviation Village?’’
The APC asked Jonathan to immediately give back the land he has grabbed.
Some lawyers – Jiti Ogunye, Festus Keyamo and Monday Ubani – in separate interviews with The PUNCH in Abuja, also faulted the acquisition of the land by the President.
Ogunye argued that act of corruption was not limited to dipping hands into public treasury but also “includes all forms of illicit conduct in office in violation of the code of conduct and other laws of the land.”
Ogunye likened the President’s action to an attitude common with Nigerian leaders, who he said, “are involved in primitive acquisition of capital, including fixed assets, like land.”
He added, “Land belongs to the people, so says the Land Use Act. The Land Use Act says, the President, a governor or the Federal Capital Territory minister is a trustee of the land for the people.
“When that trustee then uses his position to acquire public resources, including fixed assets, which in this case is large expanse of land, which he ought not to have obtained while in office, it is condemnable.
“The critical question is that what kind of farming is he going to use that large size of land for? Is it for cocoa or groundnut?
“This act is condemnable regardless of who is in power – be it Obasanjo or Jonathan.”
Keyamo on his part said though the law allowed a President to be involved in farming while in office, Jonathan had no defence for acquiring the land since he had not started using it for the purpose for which he claimed to have acquired it.
Keyamo said, “Farming is an exception. Public officer can acquire land for farming. But the President has not started the farming. Since he has not started it, there is no evidence that he wants to use it for farming.
“The issue of farming is an exception for public officers, but the truth is that we don’t know what he wants to use it for. He can later build an estate there or use it for a big business. We don’t know what it is meant for. It is what you know that you can defend.”
Ubani, a former Chairman, Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, said the President and many state governors were guilty of illicit acquisition of land.
He said, “They all abuse powers. Even in Lagos. It is something that happens across all the states of the federation. It is not limited to the federal level.
“The Land Use Act says land should be held in trust for the people. But the manner in which these public officials abuse their powers shows that they are not holding the land in trust for the people but in trust for themselves.
“They acquire land meant for public purposes and sometimes revoke the land of citizens and allot it to their friends, cronies and even to themselves.”
The Presidency had on Sunday said that Jonathan had not done anything against the laws of the land by owning a farmland in Abuja.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said, ‘‘It is not against the constitution for either a civil servant or a public officer to engage in farming.
“One APC-funded, motivated and inspired NGO placed an advert in a newspaper, alleging that the President and the Minister of the FCT have farms somewhere in Abuja. They were alleging conflict of interest.”

Obasanjo’s exit is PDP’s death warrant, says Kwankwaso

Like

Comment

Share

Kano State Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a dying elephant.
He said the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo is an indication that the party is dead.
According to him, the resignation of Chief Obasanjo confirmed the evil ongoing in the PDP.
Kwanwaso said: “Obasanjo has got supporters not only in Ogun State, not only in the Southwest, but across the country. For him to come out and say what he said (because most of us, who have worked closely with him, know that he is somebody who always tolerates a lot of things.), I have not seen him since he decided to leave the PDP, but I can comfortably say that so much must have happened in the party for him to come out to tear his card, saying he has left the party.
“Some of these people who made those mistake at the time of our exit, now, they are making the same mistake, and I hope they will handle it in such a way that it doesn’t create more problems for them and even for the country. So, I think PDP has a serious challenge now.”
Fresh facts are emerging on the issues, which led to the break-up of the G-Seven Governors, who protested at the 2013 PDP special convention when Bamanga Tukur was the chairman.
Leader of the G-Seven, Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who is now the Northwest coordinator of President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential campaign, described his five colleagues, who left the PDP in sustenance of the struggle, as non-issue to the progress of the party.
He said the exit of Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) and the impeached Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State from the PDP remained inconsequential and of no effect to the success of the party in the coming elections.
But Kwankwaso took a swipe at Lamido’s utterances, describing him as a betrayer.
His words: “I don’t want to talk too much about the Jigawa State governor. Everybody knows that he was part of us. He worked so hard. In fact, he was the leader of the group. He took us to a level that we felt there was no going back, and we were surprised that he had different things in mind. He stayed in the PDP and we felt we had no business being in PDP.
“I think if there is anybody who should criticise our exit, I believe it shouldn’t come from him or the Niger State governor. I don’t want to join issues with any of my colleagues. Nigerians are the best judges on our actions and utterances; and of course what we have done. I believe that that judgment will be part of what will happen at the next election.
“What we have done is not a secret, it is not something that anybody can hide; and I believe we have done the right thing, we have deepened democracy. PDP is no more the monster it used to be where nobody was important, where people were not respected, even the governor of the most populous state who won election almost single-handedly in the party to come back as a governor.
“I was not being respected and they see me as an irritant and so on; but I can tell you, now if there is anything they can do under the sun to take me back to their party, I can assure you that they know the importance of Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso in Nigerian politics—I have no business talking about my colleagues. You can bring another topic.”
Kwankwaso described Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose’s recent statements against General Muhammadu Buhari as reckless and unguided, saying it was unexpected of a person who called himself a leader.

Kwankwaso Claims Buhari is Healthier Than President Jonathan

Kano state Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso on Sunday evening told newsmen in Kano state that Muhammadu Buhari,presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC is healthier than President Goodluck Jonthan. 

Kwankwaso made the comment in response to rumours of ill health trailing Buhari's campaign. 

The Governor said, ''By my judgement, since we finished our party primary elections, he is sound, hale and fit to rule this country. In fact I feel he is healthier than the incumbent occupier of the seat because he went to all the states on campaigns in addition to other engagements that come in between''.
 

Jonathan in trouble over Abuja land deal

Pro-govt coalition says constitution allows farming
•President, Obasanjo in proxy war

Despite moves to improve his sliding campaign fortunes, President Goodluck Jonathan is battling  to explain all he knows about  a multi- billion dollar farm which a non – governmental organisation (NGO) says belongs to him in alleged violation of the 1999 Constitution.

But a pro-Jonathan group, New Generation Coalition says the constitution allows a public officer to engage in farming. It also alleged that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo also benefited from Abuja-Land -For-Farms grab while in office to engage in farming.

According  to an NGO , Purpose Driven Initiative (PDI), the farm was incorporated on December 30, 2011 barely seven months after he was sworn in as president for his current tenure which he wants Nigerians to renew.

The farm is about 94,04 hectare plot of land along the highway leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The group said in adverts in some papers last Friday : “  Let us talk about corruption. This is how the Nigerian government conducts business and fights corruption.

“A sitting President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, incorporated a company, Ebele Integrated Farms Limited in which he is a major shareholder on December 30, 2011.

“Ebele Integrated Farms Limited applied for and was granted 94.04 hectare plot of land, 1689 in Cadastral Zone EOS Aviation Village, Abuja on January 13, 2014.

“Under the Fifth Schedule Part 1( Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1, ‘a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’

“Do we need any more evidence of how the Jonathan administration has been fighting or will fight corruption.”

Investigation revealed that crocodiles are some of the livestocks  being reared at the  aquatic farm.

A source said: “The farm house sits on a hill top overlooking the airport at the nation’s capital with rest chalets and presidential conference rooms.

“I think the farm may worth about $500m when completed. It is believed to being managed by some Israeli experts. As part of the plans, a helipad may be established on the farm, which may be solely export-oriented.”

The whistle-blowing group also alleged that the Minister of FCT, Mallam Bala Mohammed, has abused his office and violated the  1999 Constitution by incorporating Bird Trust Agro-Allied Limited on May 31, 2012.

“The company, Bird Trust Agro-Allied Limited then applied for and was given(by the same FCT that the major shareholder, Bala Mohammed, heads) a 40.4 hectares, plot 1683 in Cadastral Zone E05 of Aviation Village in Abuja on April 11, 2014,”the group said.

Rising in defence of the President and the minister, the pro- government coalition said Obasanjo enjoyed the same perks while in office.

It said: “Is it corruption?As a sitting President, Olusegun Obasanjo incorporated a company, Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited. Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited applied for and was granted a 100.12 hectares of land, Plot No.1 Cadastral Zone E09 Kuje, Abuja on June 27, 2005.

“The sitting Minister if FCT, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai(now APC chieftain) allocated the land and signed Certificate of Occupancy no. 17c2w-1b99z-9d15r-cb2au-34u3 certified to Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited on July 24. 2006.

“Just  like Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited, Ebele Farms and Bird Trust Agro Limited are companies in which the sponsors engage in farming and other allied agriculture production and processes.

“Under the Fifth Schedule Part 1 Code of Conduct for Public Officers of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1 states that ‘a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’

“Section 2 states that without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph …, nothing in this sub-paragraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming.

“Is it corruption for a public officer to engage in farming as stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 with the view to making Nigeria self-reliant in food production?”

Findings confirmed that the presidency has decided to go for broke against Obasanjo for allegedly claiming that Jonathan is corrupt.

A presidency source said: “Let them reveal more, we will also expose more. Whoever lives in a glass house must not throw stones.

“The battle line is drawn, no one can rubbish or stain President Goodluck Jonathan. We have records of personal demands by these so-called anti-corruption saints in the country.”

It is not clear why the coalition dragged Obasanjo’s name into the allegation by the NGO.

On Friday  , Jonathan declared that Obasanjo was still  his godfather, notwithstanding the ex- president’s resignation from the peoples Democratic  Party. 

Jonathan tackles Obasanjo: ‘Your utterances ridiculing Nigeria, scaring investors’

President Goodluck Jonathan has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of ridiculing Nigeria before the international community and of scaring investors away from the country by his consistent criticism of his administration.

In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Mr. Jonathan said Mr. Obasanjo, by his utterances, was creating the impression that Nigeria is a country on the verge of collapse.

Mr. Jonathan therefore advised the former president to be civil in his criticism so as not to create the impression that the country is in crisis.

“For one reason or the other, Obasanjo may disagree with me as his first political son. You can even disagree with your own biological children, as a human being, not to talk of disagreeing with your political children. So, he can agree or disagree with me, but the utterances have to be managed in a way that it does not affect the economy and security of this country.

“But I will use this opportunity, because you asked, to just plead with my father that he is a leader, a former president of the country. He has led the country more than anybody — eight years of democratic governance and almost four years of military governance. No other person has that kind of record.

“The stability of this country is critical in terms of the economy of this country. Rating agencies downgrade countries that are going into elections because the feeling is that there would be crisis. When you paint the colour of instability for your own nation, you are doing so much injustice to the country because it affects the economy of the country, not just affecting the country in terms of security and social issues alone. It affects the economy directly. So, I plead with very senior citizens that Nigeria is dear to us; we don’t have any other country than Nigeria.

“So, actions and inactions, or utterances, should be guarded so that we don’t expose our country to the international community as if it is a country in danger, a country that is about to collapse. You are frightening investors, especially those who invest hot cash, to pull out their money from the country and that would affect the stock market and it would affect the economy.”

Mr. Jonathan however insisted that he remained a political child of Mr. Obasanjo, saying he owes his rise to political prominence to the influence of the former President.

“First and foremost, Obasanjo is a father to me. By divine providence and the grace of God, I am the President of Nigeria today. It is not by my strength. But God uses human beings to actualise His own blessings on human beings. And he used so many Nigerians, including former President Obasanjo, to play one role or the other for me,” he said.

“I became the deputy governor of a state, became the governor, the vice president and president. I have no issues with him, and I really don’t want to join issues with President Obasanjo. I think it is not necessary,” he added.

The relationship between both men worsened after Mr. Obasanjo’s wrote an 18-page open letter to Mr Jonathan on December 2, 2013, blaming the president for failing to deliver on his promises to Nigerians. He also accused him of making no effort to check the growing corruption in the country and allowing insecurity to degenerate.

In the letter, Mr. Obasanjo also accused Mr Jonathan of hounding prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party opposed to his second term ambition.

Since then, Mr. Obasanjo has relentlessly criticised the Jonathan administration and all efforts by party chieftains to reconcile both of them have failed.

Matters got to a head last Monday after Mr Obasanjo, who apparently got wind of a plan to expel him from the party, dumped the party before the plan was executed. On the occasion, Mr Obasanjo, not one to leave without creating a spectacle, asked the PDP ward leader to tear his membership card.

He also announced his retirement from active politics and expressed his desire to be a statesman.

Buhari: Call Fayose to order, APC tells Jonathan

The All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to call the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose to order over his continued pestering of the party’s candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari with falsehood and death wishes.
In a statement issued on Saturday signed by Malam Garba Shehu, APC Directorate of Media and Publicity said the Party had learnt on good authority that Governor Fayose has hired people in London who have been trailing the movements of the General Buhari while on his working visit in London.
“Let it be on record that knowing Governor Fayose’s antecedents, we are not leaving anything to chances. The Governor who has published death-wish advertorials on Buhari will stop at nothing.
” If anything should happen to General Muhammadu Buhari while in London or anywhere, the authorities over there in the UK and at home should know who to hold responsible,” Shehu stated.
Shehu confirmed that he will honour his speaking engagement at the Royal Institute Of International Affairs, Chatham House in London scheduled for Thursday, February 26.
He said Chatam House will post the event and send out invites on Monday, February 23.
According to him, General Buhari as part of his ongoing engagement in the United Kingdom, had an interview on Saturday with a local medium, the “All Eyes on Africa TV Show” with Kemi Fajodutimi and met with Tony Blair on Saturday, February 21 morning.
Shehu disclosed that Buhari left the London residence of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona at about 1.30 pm UK time and returned to his rented flat in the city.

Racism: We Feel Ashamed Over What Happened In France -Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho

Chelsea Football Club have issued an apology to a French-Mauritian Souleymane S, who was racially abused by some of their fans.

Souleyman was blocked from boarding a train on Tuesday, with the fans chanting racists slur on him.

The incident occurred in Paris, France after Chelsea's Champions League game which ended in a 1-1 draw .

"I'd like to make clear, on behalf of everyone at the club, our disgust at the incident. We were appalled by what we saw,'' a club spokesman said on Friday.

"The club would also like to apologise unreservedly to Souleymane for the behaviour of a small number of individuals and their unforgivable action towards him. We're writing to him to apologise and to invite him to come to a game as our guest.''

And Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said that he feels "ashamed'' by the incident

"We feel ashamed but maybe we shouldn't because I refuse to be connected with these people,'' Mourinho said. "I'm connected with Chelsea and the many good things this club defends. I left Chelsea in 2007 and I couldn't wait to be back.

"I felt ashamed when I knew what happened, but I repeat I'm a proud Chelsea manager because I know what this club is.''

SPORT - EPL: Weekend's Fixtures, Preview And Reactions From The Top Managers

The English Premier League is back this weekend after last week's break in the FA Cup competition.

Chelsea and Manchester City were not in action having been knocked out of the competition, but the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool were all engaged last weekend.

Now all the teams will be back competing at different fronts for their respective goals come the end of the season.

Chelsea are in control of their destiny, with five points ahead of Man City, they can only be the ones to press the self-destruct button.

However, it is not a done deal yet. Over the years teams have proven that they can haul back from a huge deficit to win the league, so Chelsea will be on their guards not to let that slip.

But with Champions League games now in play, you wonder if the teams involved will not be sapped out.

City would be glad though, to have Yaya Toure back in their team and also their new signing Wilfried Bony, who both were away to help their country win the African Nations Cup tournament.

In the absence of Toure, City struggled and only won one Premier League match, with his return they are sure to motor on.

But will they also be affected by Champions League fixtures, especially as they have Barcelona to contend with in the second round?

Meanwhile, so many teams like: Manchester United, Southampton, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs all seem to be vying for the last two places in next season's Champions League competition.

At this stage of the season, any slip up is costly as there are so many others queuing to take advantage.

Below are the comments of the managers with regards to their fixtures this weekend:


*Arsene Wenger (Arsene Wenger )
The Arsenal manager said that some of his players are back fit with Jack Wilshere set to be in the squad that will play against Crystal Palace.

Meanwhile he noted that Aaron Ramsey is still "10 days away" from full fitness.

On the team they are playing and also their former player, Maroune Chamakh, Wenger said: "They have found confidence again and have got positive results with their new management," he said. "Chamakh lost confidence at Arsenal. I'm happy he's got a good career at Crystal Palace now."

Wenger also revealed that the club's legend, Thierry Henry, is learning the ropes of management with their youth team.

"Thierry Henry is making his first steps as a coach," Wenger said. "It's good for our youngsters to be coached by him. He's been here once or twice.

"All our former players are welcome to come back here and get their coaching badges. We're happy to have Thierry."

On the reports linking Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla with a transfer move to Atletico Madrid: "He extended his contract last year," Wenger said. "I don't think there's anything to worry about, we've not been approached."




*Louis Van Gaal (Manchester United)
Van Gaal revealed that only Michael Carrick is still out with an injury as both Robin Van Persie and Phil Jones have been passed fit for the game against Swansea.

With so much criticisms trailing United's play this season, Van Gaal said that he is not worried.

"When you see the score of the last 19 or 20 matches, we are the best team in the league.

"I am never 100% happy. We can play better than we are now, but the main thing is to win games.

"We've shown our team spirit many times this season. It's good for the fans and for me, as you see a player wants to follow you."

"We have lost a lot of points in spite of being the better team, but you have to score at that moment," says van Gaal.

"I believe that every player knows the philosophy of me and my staff and everyone wants to follow that philosophy. Our team spirit is unbelievable."

United lost their first game of the season at home to Swansea at Old Trafford and Van Gaal admits that:"Swansea are a very good team.

"I like to see them playing. They want to play football. They want to make the game a passing game like we do, so I like that kind of football. I hope it shall be a match like that on Saturday."

On his constant changing of playing formations, Van Gaal said: "When we change the system during the game we always surprise our opponent and that's why it's also a good thing for our team. Of course, it is not always that we improve our game but mostly we have improved and won the match, so that's important."



*Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
Mourinho started his press conference by condemning in strong terms the racism incident that some of their fans were involved in during the week, after their Champions League game against Paris Saint Germain.

"I felt ashamed when I found out what happened but these supporters do not represent the club," he said.

"The dressing room reacted as I did - with disappointment and they condemn the situation and support the gentleman involved and they feel ashamed but maybe we shouldn't because these people involved do not belong to Chelsea Football Club."

On the FIFA Presidency, Mourinho backed his country man Luis Figo for football's top job.

"I am proud of him - I knew him as a kid and I am proud a good friend like him can reach this level," he said.

"I told him yesterday that he can win or lose the election but one thing he has won already is credibility by a nice campaign polite clean without being offensive and I am proud of him."



*Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City)
Pellegrini said that he hoped his side can bounce back from their poor form in the league which has seen them trail Chelsea by six points.

"I hope tomorrow(Saturday) we will recover our normal performance at home - we will have to play well with intensity.

"If we win tomorrow(Saturday) we will have the same amount of points we had at the same moment as last season."

On the injury front, Pellegrini noted that James Milner will miss the game against his former team, Newcastle, but that new signing, Bony could be on the bench.

"It's not very, very serious but [Milner] couldn't work all week. All of the other players are fit," he said.

On his new Ivorian striker, he said: "Bony is an important player - he's on the squad list for tomorrow," adds Pellegrini. "We'll see if he starts or if he's on the bench."

On the return of Yaya Toure from the Nations Cup: "It's important to have Yaya back, he's an important player for us. For him and for Bony to come back after winning the Africa Cup of Nations is better," added Pellegrini. "We're sure Yaya will be the same player as he was before he left.

"We didn't win a lot of games without him but there were other problems too. We had players coming back from injuries and when you put both together, maybe that explains it."




*Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool)
The Liverpool manager had to start his press conference responding to questions on the penalty controversy between his two players, Mario Balotelli and Jordan Henderson.

Balotelli took the decisive penalty that helped Liverpool to a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Europa League last 32 against Besiktas.

"Jordan Henderson showed his maturity and what a team player he is as he respected that Mario Balotelli is an outstanding penalty taker and was happy to give it to him to take. Mario had the coolness and calmness to score the penalty.

"You can see the respect and commitment the players have towards each other. I don't like it when you see at my team, or any other team, four or five players around the ball all trying to take it.

"What has not been mentioned is what a great performance it was and one that puts us in a strong position for the second leg."

But Rodgers further added: "There has been a lot more drama made about it from you (the media) than us. It's very clear who the penalty takers are. When Steven plays he is number one. With the players on at the start of the game Jordan was nominated penalty taker."

"But if Jordan, Steven and Mario are on the pitch at the same time then we normally have Steven or Mario take penalties."



EPL Fixtures:
Saturday 21 February 2015
Aston Villa vs Stoke 4:00pm
Chelsea vs Burnley 4:00pm
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal 4:00pm
Hull vs QPR 4:00pm
Sunderland vs West Brom 4:00pm
Swansea vs Man Utd 4:00pm
Man City vs Newcastle 6:30pm


Sunday 22 February 2015
Tottenham vs West Ham 1:00pm
Everton vs Leicester 3:05pm
Southampton vs Liverpool 5:15pm

Indonesia Postpones Execution Of A Nigerian and 7 Other Drug Convicts

Indonesia, on Friday [Feb. 20], announced the postponement of the execution of eight drug convicts on death row for up to three weeks, citing a delay in preparations. Attorney-General spokesman, Tony Spontana, said the executors surveying the facilities on Nusakambangan penal Island, off Javafound, discovered that it was not ready to handle the executions.

“The execution plan is still on schedule since the inmates’ clemency appeals have been rejected,” he said. Spontana said because of the technical reasons, the executions are likely to be postponed for two or three weeks. “We have not decided on a date yet, but once the renovation is finished, we will immediately transfer them; maybe next week or two weeks,” he said.

The convicts are Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

They are the ringleaders of a group of nine Australians arrested in 2005 for attempting to smuggle 8.3 kilogrammes or 18.3 pounds of heroin to Australia from the Indonesian resort Island of Bali.

Other convicts expected to be shot by firing squad in the second round of executions in 2015 include one each from Brazil, France, Ghana, the Philippines, Nigeria and Indonesia.

The Australian government has repeatedly appealed to Indonesia to show mercy to Chan (31) and Sukumaran (33), saying they have been rehabilitated. Chan and Sukumaran were the ringleaders of the ‘Bali Nine’ who were arrested in Indonesia in 2005 for trying to smuggle 8.3 kilogrammes of heroin to Australia.

This week, the family of the Brazilian drug convict, Rodrigo Gularte, also appealed to the government to spare him, saying he has been diagnosed with mental illness.