Today's National Newspaper Headlines - 15/4/2015

Good Morning,National Newspaper headlines just for you!

PUNCH

POLL FRAUD IN RIVERS WONT STAND - DAKUKU PETERSIDE

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Rivers State governorship election, Dakuku Peterside, has expressed confidence that the electoral fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party during the elections will not stand.

Dakuku, who spoke in a telephone interview with punch correspondent on Tuesday, explained that it was too early for the PDP to celebrate because the era of people getting away with electoral fraud was over.

He also described claims by the PDP campaign that media organisations, civil society groups as well as foreign observers who issued reports based on their observation were induced.

Dakuku said, “Are they saying that the European Union, the Embassy of the United States in Nigeria and several well-meaning friends of Nigeria who witnessed the sham in Rivers were induced?

“You cannot cover the sun with one finger. Everybody who witnessed what happened in Rivers knew what happened. What about our party leaders and members that were murdered?

“The blood of these innocent Nigerians and the tears of their widows and orphans will surely speak. On our part, we are going to court to seek justice for the Rivers people.”

*SUPREME COURT AFFIRMS FAYOSE'S VICTORY

The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed Ayodele Fayose as the winner and the duly elected governor of Ekiti State in the June 21, 2014 election.

In a unanimous decision by the seven-man panel led by Justice John Fabiyi, the apex court upheld the earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Ekiti State Governorship Election Tribunal, both of which had earlier ruled that the petition challenging Fayose’s victory lacked merit.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, the apex court dismissed all the grounds of appeal filed by the petitioner – the All Progressives Congress – and resolved all four issues arising from the appeal against the party.

“All the issues having been resolved against the appellant, the appeal is devoid of merit and it is my order that the same be, and is hereby, dismissed in its entirety,” Justice Ngwuta ruled.

Justice Fabiyi and other members of the panel – Justices Suleiman Galadima, Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Clara Ogunbiyi, Kumai Aka’ahs and John Okoro – all agreed with the lead judgment.

*I’LL RESTORE MILITARY TIES WITH US –BUHARI

The President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday said his administration would restore military cooperation with the United States of America.

In an article published by the New York Times in its Tuesday edition, Buhari promised to among other things reformed the military.

The outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration had cancelled the training component of its military cooperation with the US citing a lack of sincerity on the part of the Americans for its decision.

But Buhari said, “My administration would welcome the resumption of a military training agreement with the United States, which was halted during the previous administration. We must, of course, have better coordination with the military campaigns our African allies, like Chad and Niger, are waging in the struggle against Boko Haram. But, in the end, the answer to this threat must come from within Nigeria.”

Buhari also said he would deploy additional troops in the battle foul away from civilian areas in the south and the north central parts of the country.

In the article, the President-elect said, in the fight to end the Boko Haram insurgency, “We must start by deploying more troops to the front and away from civilian areas in central and southern Nigeria where for too long they have been used by successive governments to quell dissent.

“We must work closer with our neighbours in coordinating our military efforts so an offensive by one army does not see their country’s rid of Boko Haram only to push it across the border onto their neighbour’s territory.”

*Jonathan rejects amended constitution

*World remembers Chibok schoolgirls

*Mimiko planning impeachment of deputy, Borofice alleges

*Election observers decry electoral violence in Delta

*PDP’ll bounce back in Edo —Orbih

*INEC fortifies offices against attacks

*Bauchi governor-elect promises fairness

*INEC declares Ebonyi assembly elections inconclusive

*APGA calls for cancellation of reversed results

*APC rejects Ondo Assembly election results

*Election observers decry electoral violence in Delta

*Gov candidate seeks election cancellation

*Go beyond asset declaration

*No fresh Ebola case in Lagos, says LASG

THIS DAY

*The World Remembers Chibok Girls

*Buhari to End Fuel Subsidy, Rationalise MDAs

*Chibok Parent Speaks on Life Without His Daughters

*S’Court Verdict: Fayose, PDP Celebrate, Ask Opposition to Forgive Him

*IMF: Oil Price Decline will Have Severe Impact on Nigerian Economy in 2015

*Amnesty Int’l Report: 2,000 Girls and Women Abducted Since 2014

*Buhari: We will Stop Boko Haram Insurgency

*Lamido, Kalu, Sheriff Meet in Dutse

*FG Submits N299.5bn 2015 NDDC Budget to Senate

*Ibori: Udoamaka’s Defence Team Not Ready to Entertain Case, Further Hearing in December

*House Speakership: Jibrin Asks APC to Jettison Zoning for Merit

*Note Shortcomings of Card Readers for Improvement, Mark Tells INEC

*Court Upholds Dismissal of Ex-leader of Assemblies of God

*Domestic Observers Fault Calls for Cancellation of Rivers, A’Ibom Guber Elections

*Devt: Elechi Promises to Cooperate with Ebonyi Governor-elect, Umahi

*House Urges FG to Find Chibok Girls

*FG Not Committed to Rescue of Chibok Girls, Says Falana

*I Prayed Thrice Before Jumping Out of Vehicle, Says Escaped Victim

*Soyinka, Utomi, Others Urge Incoming Administration to Rescue Chibok Girls

*Fayemi, Group Urge Buhari to Make Recovery of Abducted Girls Priority

VANGUARD

*I didn’t mean to kill my childhood friend, 17-year-old girl laments

*Alison-Madueke denies seeking asylum anywhere

*CBN limits overseas usage of debit cards to $50,000

*PDP chieftain abandons agbada, jumps fence evading arrest

*Edo PDP vows to challenge state Assembly poll result

*INEC considers April 18 for run-off elections in Imo, Abia, Taraba

*House of Reps: The S-South quest for Speakership

*Drogba dismisses retirement talk

THE NATION

‘Oando’s 82% reserves increase good for shareholders’

*Olanusi sues Mimiko for stopping allowances

*Ladoja heads for tribunal

*Expedite action on Orekoya kids rescue, police urged

*Ashafa congratulates Ambode

*Japan’s N1.6b grant for Oyo primary schools

*Three feared dead in Kaduna fracas

*Violence: PDP chief declared wanted in Kano

*Enugu APC rejects result

*Ex-Oil Minister Etiebet accuses INEC of fraud

*Ministry moves to curb poultry diseases

*I’ll ensure economic independence, says Niger governor-elect

*Praise jam holds next week