Oyedepo opens Abuja Winners Chapel

The Federal Capital Territory was agog on Saturday when Bishop David Oyedepo inaugurated one of the biggest branches of The Living Faith Church, popularly referred to as Winners Chapel in Life Camp District in Abuja.

The church, which accommodates over 4,000 worshipers every Sunday, was built in less than one year.

Thousands of worshipers gathered to witness the unveiling of the cathedral, which is estimated to be over N300m.

Oyedepo, who was represented by a Senior Pastor, Dele Bamgboye, revealed that with the dedication of the branch, Life Camp and its environs were set to experience a spiritual rebirth.

He therefore charged the congregation to always have faith in God, as only Him can supply all their needs.

Top clergymen and some senior  government officials in Abuja and in other northern states under the Winners Chapel family, were on ground to witness the official inauguration.

Resident Pastor of the church and younger brother to Bishop Oyedepo, Gideon Oyedepo, told journalists that the church project gulped millions of naira.

Pastor Oyedepo opens Abuja Winners Chapel

The Federal Capital Territory was agog on Saturday when Bishop David Oyedepo inaugurated one of the biggest branches of The Living Faith Church, popularly referred to as Winners Chapel in Life Camp District in Abuja.
The church, which accommodates over 4,000 worshipers every Sunday, was built in less than one year.
Thousands of worshipers gathered to witness the unveiling of the cathedral, which is estimated to be over N300m.
Oyedepo, who was represented by a Senior Pastor, Dele Bamgboye, revealed that with the dedication of the branch, Life Camp and its environs were set to experience a spiritual rebirth.
He therefore charged the congregation to always have faith in God, as only Him can supply all their needs.
Top clergymen and some senior  government officials in Abuja and in other northern states under the Winners Chapel family, were on ground to witness the official inauguration.
Resident Pastor of the church and younger brother to Bishop Oyedepo, Gideon Oyedepo, told journalists that the church project gulped millions of naira.
Culled: Punchng
- See more at: http://247nigerianewsupdate.com/pastor-oyedepo-opens-abuja-winners-chapel/#sthash.2lCBffNN.dpuf

Pastor Oyedepo opens Abuja Winners Chapel

The Federal Capital Territory was agog on Saturday when Bishop David Oyedepo inaugurated one of the biggest branches of The Living Faith Church, popularly referred to as Winners Chapel in Life Camp District in Abuja.
The church, which accommodates over 4,000 worshipers every Sunday, was built in less than one year.
Thousands of worshipers gathered to witness the unveiling of the cathedral, which is estimated to be over N300m.
Oyedepo, who was represented by a Senior Pastor, Dele Bamgboye, revealed that with the dedication of the branch, Life Camp and its environs were set to experience a spiritual rebirth.
He therefore charged the congregation to always have faith in God, as only Him can supply all their needs.
Top clergymen and some senior  government officials in Abuja and in other northern states under the Winners Chapel family, were on ground to witness the official inauguration.
Resident Pastor of the church and younger brother to Bishop Oyedepo, Gideon Oyedepo, told journalists that the church project gulped millions of naira.
Culled: Punchng
- See more at: http://247nigerianewsupdate.com/pastor-oyedepo-opens-abuja-winners-chapel/#sthash.2lCBffNN.dpuf

OBJ, PDP elders to Jonathan: Sack Tukur, Baraje; hold new convention

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
LAGOS—The Kawu Baraje and Bamanga Tukur factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP were last night poised for a long standoff, following apparent efforts by the Presidency to fight off proposals being articulated by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led elders’ committee.
The elders committee which met at the weekend following meetings with the two factions, it was learnt, had made some proposals towards resolution of the crisis in the party. Among the recommendations were dissolution of the executives of the Tukur and Baraje-led factions of the party and the scheduling of a fresh convention for the election of a fresh and united executive.
Under the arrangement it was learnt the office of National Chairman will be conceded to President Goodluck Jonathan; Deputy National Chairman conceded to either the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, or Governor Godswill Akpabio, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. Both Anenih and Akpabio are from the South-South where the office of Deputy National Chairman is zoned to.

Obasanjo favours Ladoja as National Secretary

The office of National Secretary and other offices zoned to the South-West it was learnt, would be conceded to President Obasanjo who, it was learnt, was already set to shove his new-found friend, Senator Rasheed Ladoja for the prime position.

Proposal for Amaechi’s return

 Under the proposals, the Adamawa and Rivers State executives of the party that were put at abeyance on account of the lingering crises in the party will be restored just as Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who was suspended would be reinstated upon expiration of the 30-day period as provided by the constitution.
Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh has fended off insinuations of a role by the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC in the crisis in the party. Metuh, in a session with newsmen in Lagos, said the APC is too insignificant and minuscule to be a factor in what he described as an intra-party dispute. He also put in a robust defence of  Tukur’s leadership of the party, describing the National Chairman as the kind of elixir needed to manage the PDP at this time.
The Obasanjo panel included Anenih and former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
The report is yet to be presented to President Jonathan who is the leader of the party.
In proposing a fresh convention, sources disclosed that the Obasanjo panel was not unmindful of the financial implications of holding a new convention but as it was learnt, panellists were said to have affirmed that “money should not be a hindrance to doing the right thing.”

Jonathan 2015

The panel report did not touch on the sensitive matter of President Jonathan contesting another term in office. Vanguard learnt that the panel decided not to touch the issue because of both parties’ strong positions on it.
However, there were indications that President Jonathan may not acquiesce to the proposals as raised by the elders.
Presidency sources disclosed that dissolving the Tukur executive and going with most of the other recommendations would mean the Presidency losing its present advantages.
In an apparent effort to bolster its forces in the ensuing battle, it was learnt that three ad-hoc committees were constituted by the President before he travelled to Kenya last week to articulate possible solutions to the crisis.
The committees it was learnt include Legal, Political and Contact. The committees are now working on ways of quenching the crisis in the party and to contain the Baraje forces. Presidency sources disclosed that the committees are to propose their recommendations to the President tomorrow.
The President, it was learnt, was inclined towards a holistic solution of the crisis to restore order in the party without condoning indiscipline.
In that direction, the President it was understood, may not give in to the demands of some of the governors that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC be pulled out from investigating some states. Some of the seven governors aligned to the Baraje faction of the party were alleged to have bitterly complained of being harassed by the EFCC purely on political grounds.

We give no attention to APC

Meanwhile, the Chief Olisa Metuh has dismissed insinuations of the involvement of the APC in the unfolding crisis in the ruling party.
Metuh in an interview in Lagos said:
“The APC as currently constituted has no capacity, no power to have any influence whatsoever in the challenges in the party and they are of  no consequences whatsoever and we do not pay any attention to them. They have no power, no influence, no position, no capacity to influence anything that is happening in the party.
“The APC is insignificant and they are unimportant in the scheme of things. What is important to us as a party is to resolve with our brothers and to have a final resolution of this matter, to be in one accord and have unity with our brothers so that the PDP can continue to rule. But the role of APC is non-existent in this matter. They are unimportant, they are insignificant and of no effect and we do not pay attention to the APC as a body and the individuals therein. They are of no consequence whatsoever.”
Culled: Vanguard
- See more at: http://247nigerianewsupdate.com/obj-pdp-elders-to-jonathan-sack-tukur-baraje-hold-new-convention/#sthash.vbeGwO0X.dpuf

Jonathan may reject PDP elders’ peace terms

Democratic Party (PDP) may be far from over, as there are strong signals that the presidency may reject the demands and peace terms allegedly presented by the Abubakar Baraje-led faction, which was adopted by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led peace committee.
The terms allegedly set before the Obasanjo-led elders’committee included reinstatement of Rivers State governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; sack of PDP chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; resolution of Adamawa party executive in favour of Governor Murtala Nyako, among others.
Although it was not a part of the five-point action plan, a source said the aggrieved governors gave a commitment to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid if he so desires, provided they would be assured with an undertaking that the president would not victimise any of them.
These terms, it was gathered, may be adopted by the Obasanjo-led panel at a meeting slated for tomorrow in Abuja.
Impeccable source told the Nigerian Tribune that the peace term was asking the president to surrender to the Baraje-led faction, even when it had failed to act within the party’s constitutional framework, declaring that “this president will not surrender to blackmail.”
While reaffirming the readiness of President Jonathan for reconciliation, it was learnt that the peace terms may be rejected if they were one-sided and presented as if the Baraje-led group had done nothing wrong.
Sources in the administration told the Nigerian Tribune that the presidency had questions to raise on the emerging report of the elders’ committee, adding that the report was one sided.
“When you take a look at the report, there are questions agitating the minds. The question is what is the other faction that calls itself New PDP giving back?  Resolution of crisis are achieved with a give and take approach. A resolution cannot be one-sided. How come all the recommendations appear to indict the PDP hierarchy and the government?
“Are they saying Governor Amaechi is completely right, both in the crisis in Rivers and that of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum? Are they saying Nyako is right by holding a congress that excluded other leaders of the party in the state? If the president’s side is to concede to all the peace demands, what is the Baraje faction giving in return?”
Another presidency source pointed out that there could only be peace when both sides were seen to be putting something on the table, asking “how can there be peace when one side is asked to surrender to its opponents?”
According to the source, “we agree there are issues to be addressed. We agree there must be horse trading. What they propose is unacceptable and the president is bitter that such one-sided proposals could be contemplated at all.”
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the development had led to the non-compliance posture within the president’s camp, with a group said to be having the upper hand on how to tackle the crisis.
The group was said to have submitted a comprehensive plan to handle the uprising, but was overruled by the president and other liberals, who reportedly canvassed for negotiation and consensus to resolve the matter.
As put by an administration source, “the group may be having its way with the reported peace terms. Consensus is growing that the president should apply the stick rather than just relying on carrots.”
Jonathan sets up 3 strategic committees
In a bid to fashion appropriate responses to the grievances of some members of the party, including the G7 governors, President Jonathan has set up three committees.
The committees, legal, political and contact, were put in place shortly before the president departed for a state visit to Kenya, on Thursday.
“The committees are working. I am aware they were mandated to immediately fashion out ways of containing insurgency within the party and also to state appropriate response to contain the aggrieved members, especially if they continue to resist peace options,” a source said.
2015: Nobody can dictate to Jonathan —PDP spokesman
The national publicity secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, has said nobody can dictate to President Jonathan on whether or not he should contest the 2015 election, adding that the president had a right to take the decision on his own.
Metuh, in an interview, said it would be undemocratic for anyone to start agitating that President Jonathan should deny himself his right to contest, adding that the president should take a personal decision on that matter.
While reacting to indications that some aggrieved chieftains of the party were of the view that Jonathan should not contest the 2015 election, Metuh said such a demand would be undemocratic.
“It is completely in his own purview to decide whether to run or not. For anybody to give it as a condition, the person is not being fair as a matter of right. We frowned on such condition. Peace move should be given things that are attainable,” he said.
The PDP chieftain also insisted that the crisis rocking the PDP was a storm in a tea cup, adding that opposition parties in the country were not on the ground.
“The PDP remains strong and the party will be strong. As our chairman stated, whatever happened, we are willing and able to pilot the affairs of this party with loyal, committed and dedicated members and we believe that with what we have seen of commitment of our members, we will win the 2015 election,” he said.
He also stated that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was not a threat to the PDP, even in its crisis state.
No compromise —Saraki
Former governor of Kwara State and one of the leaders of the New PDP, Dr Bukola Saraki, has insisted that there are fundamentals his group would not compromise in the ongoing negotiation to resolve the crisis within the ruling party.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, on Sunday, Saraki said his group would insist on the entrenchment of the principle of fairness and equity in the affairs of the party.
The senator, who said he was in Ilorin to brief his followers on development within the party, dismissed claims by any group to the leadership of the party in the state, pointing out that it would be impossible for any politician to use “the tactics of 1999” to handle the political strategy of 2013.
“My assurance to all my people since I came for this series of meeting with the various levels of leadership is that negotiations are still going on, but we won’t compromise some fundamentals; we won’t compromise on fairness and equity. And what the people are telling me is that they are with me wherever we go.
“Politics is all about people, how many people are with you, not a matter of nomenclature or press statements. You can see all the members of the house of assembly, the CWC of the party, the executive of local governments, etc are here with me.
“The politics of 2013 is different from that of 1999. What could be done then cannot be done now. Now you have to fight for the confidence of the people,” he said.
Also, the media office of Saraki expressed concern over the withdrawal of security personnel attached to the former governor, pointing out that the development was a breach of the law.
In a statement signed by Bamikole Omishore, the media office said “Yesterday, the Inspector General of Police directed the immediate withdrawal of Saraki.
“The security personnel withdrawn are from the senator’s residences in Abuja and Ilorin. The inspector, who carried out the exercise, when confronted, disclosed that it was an order from above.
“It should be noted that the withdrawn security men are legal rights as prescribed by virtue of Kwara State Pension Law of 2010, Third Schedule, Section 2 (3) paragraph H. The security details attached to Senator Saraki are, therefore, formally processed, approved and dispatched to his residences not out of favour or luxury demands.”
The office said it was clear that the act could not be unconnected with the recent political activities going on in the country.
How we planned New PDP —Oyinlola
Former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on Sunday, in Okuku, said he pitched his tent with Alhaji Baraje-led faction of the party because of what he termed excesses and anti-democratic dispositions of the national chairman, Alhaji Tukur.
He alleged that the many excesses of Alhaji Tukur and his penchant for running the national secretariat of the party from his home culminated in series of crisis rocking the party.
Oyinlola, while addressing a rally organised by his supporters from the 30 local government areas of the state, at Odo-Otin Grammar School football field in Okuku, his hometown, said the Yar’Adua Centre, where Baraje-led group met after staging a walk-out from the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the PDP mini convention, was originally booked for a wedding reception.
He said the five governors, including the Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, who walked out of the mini convention at Eagle Square, were fighting the injustice of his removal as the PDP’s scribe.
“Tukur was engaged in too many excesses and all my efforts to make him realise this failed. When our executive council came on board, he was doing the party meeting from his private house rather than from the party secretariat.
“It was not true that I left their convention under the pretext that I wanted to go to the toilet. It was not easy for me to stay there and watch what they were doing there. They locked out the Adamawa State governor and his people. They doctored the lists of delegates from Anambra and Rivers states,” he added.
According to Oyinlola, “the current crisis rocking the PDP commenced in 2010, when President Jonathan declared his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election, as some serving PDP governors were not favourably disposed towards his ambition.
“President Jonathan called me at about 1.00 a.m sometimes in 2010 and requested that I should come to see him in Abuja. I honoured him and when I got to him, he told me of his ambition to contest the presidential election and sought for my support
“The president later told me that he knew that my hands are tied, but I told him immediately that I am not a goat so no one could tie me. His belief was that I would give maximum support to General Ibrahim Babangida because of my relationship with him and interestingly, Jonathan had 99 out of 100 votes cast by delegates from Osun State,” he added.
He accused the president of taking sides in the process that led to his removal as the national secretary of the party, adding that all peace meetings called by notable leaders of the party to resolve the matter were deadlocked.
Oyinlola, who was accompanied to the rally by his wife, Omolola and former state chairman of the party, Alhaji Ademola Razaq, said he was the recognised national secretary of the party and remained the leader of the party in Osun State, contrary to claim by some leaders of the party that he would be disciplined.
Oyinlola said he had not flouted any provision of the constitution of the party by teaming up with like minds to form a parallel faction, contending that “the PDP constitution does not prevent anyone from teaming up with like minds.”
Recalling the genesis of his travails, Oyinlola said “my problem with my former boss, Alhaji Tukur, started right from my first day in office. He introduced some strange things like creating the office of the chief of staff and others. I kicked against this development and he took offence to my action.
“Tukur ruined the PDP when he started fighting everybody. He fought the governor of his state and other northern governors. He believed he could do everything on his own without the support of other people. Now, he has ruined the party.”
He said President Jonathan was aware of his face-off with Tukur and did nothing to settle it, adding that “even when the president called both of us to a parley in Abuja, nothing meaningful was achieved.”
Oyinlola lamented that the South-West was marginalised in the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP, stressing that the new leadership of the party under Alhaji Kawu Baraje would do justice to correct the anomaly.
16 govs attend post-mini convention dinner
Sixteen PDP governors, on Sunday night, attended the party’s post-mini convention dinner hosted by President Jonathan.
Also in attendance were party leaders and chieftains, including former PDP chairmen, Barnabas Gemade, Dr Haliru Bello and Ahmadu Alli; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha; Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Senator Ken Nnamani; Chief Bode George, Senator Andy Uba, among others.
Former governors at the dinner were Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (Bayelsa), Boni Haruna (Adamawa) and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi). Also in attendance were Professor Jerry Gana; chairman, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih; PDP chairman, Alhaji Tukur, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa and Ambassador Aminu Wali.
Governors in attendance included Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Hassan Dankwabo (Gombe) and the acting governor of Taraba State, Garba Umar.
Also in attendance were Governors Usman Dakingari (Kebbi), Emmanuel Udua-ghan (Delta), Theodore Orji (Abia), Gabriel Suswam (Benue) and Jonah Jang (Plateau).
Others were Governors Idris Wada (Kogi), Mukhtar Yero (Kaduna), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) and Isa Yuguda (Bauchi).

Girls Education: Gordon Brown visits Nigeria

Former British Prime Minister and UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown will tomorrow attend  an education summit in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
According to a release by the organisers, President Goodluck Jonathan will lead cabinet ministers, states governors and state education commissioners , as well as, global development partners to the event where measures to get Nigeria’s ten million out-of-school children into education will be discussed.
Also, leaders will assemble from USAID, Qatar’s Educate a Child, the Global Partnership for Education, and from the global business community led by the Global Business Coalition for Education. Each will pledge additional support to the efforts to ensure that every child in Nigeria is in school. The UK is also ready to boosting its help this year with a visit from the Permanent head of DFID coming soon.
“On Monday they will discuss how we can allocate new financial support for school building, teacher recruitment, teacher training and for new technology with tablets, phones and online school courses; this is part of a global initiative to get every boy and girl to school by the end of 2015. The movement will build a world where for the first time no boy or girl is denied their right to education.”
The release noted that despite the violence and attacks on education from extremist groups, Nigerians are signing a petition to support President Jonathan’s commitment to education, and are calling for safe schools for all of Nigeria’s children and for state level implementation of plans for universal education.
“All want to applaud the President’s initiative and give practical support to the Nigerian government and states in their renewed drive to expand education opportunity for all children. This is to move from the country with the world’s largest population of out-of-school children in the world to universal education.
“10 million children are yet to go to school because there is a teacher shortage of nearly 1.3 million, and we are missing 1.2 million classrooms. Child labour, child marriage and child trafficking prevent thousands getting to school. And for those that do find ways to get their children into school, there is doubt as to the effectiveness of the courses. Approximately 52 percent of young women who complete primary education remain illiterate. Illiteracy is standing between Nigeria and its deserved success as an economic powerhouse of the world.
“But in the midst of the education crisis, President Jonathan is prepared to take unprecedented action. He realises that getting every child into school and learning is feasible and achievable, and the key to Nigerian prosperity.
Learning from what works best, financial incentives must be fine-tuned to help state governments deliver; teacher training and professional development must be effectively taken to scale by leveraging technology. The curriculum of all schools must be strengthened to develop literacy and numeracy skills and families must be supported in their demand for education through conditional cash transfers.”

Oyedepo opens Abuja Winners Chapel

September 9, 2013 by Friday Olokor, Abuja 60 Comments

   

Founder, Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, a prolific writer

The Federal Capital Territory was agog on Saturday when Bishop David Oyedepo inaugurated one of the biggest branches of The Living Faith Church, popularly referred to as Winners Chapel in Life Camp District in Abuja.

The church, which accommodates over 4,000 worshipers every Sunday, was built in less than one year.

Thousands of worshipers gathered to witness the unveiling of the cathedral, which is estimated to be over N300m.

Oyedepo, who was represented by a Senior Pastor, Dele Bamgboye, revealed that with the dedication of the branch, Life Camp and its environs were set to experience a spiritual rebirth.

He therefore charged the congregation to always have faith in God, as only Him can supply all their needs.

Top clergymen and some senior  government officials in Abuja and in other northern states under the Winners Chapel family, were on ground to witness the official inauguration.

Resident Pastor of the church and younger brother to Bishop Oyedepo, Gideon Oyedepo, told journalists that the church project gulped millions of naira.