In Filipe Luis, Chelsea Have Signed the Most Complete Left-Back in Football

Chelsea have confirmed an agreement has been reached with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of star left-back Filipe Luis.

The Brazilian dynamo, still yet to complete formal personal terms, will be their third major signing of the summer after previously adding Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas to the ranks.
With Thibaut Courtois returning from a loan spell at the Vicente Calderon to mind the sticks in West London, a strong Colchoneros/La Liga presence will be felt throughout this Blues side for the 2014-15


 
Despite acquiring three world-class players in addition to the January haul of Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah, Chelsea's net spend is close to just £40 million following the astronomic sales of Juan Mata and David Luiz in the last six months.
Jose Mourinho is working the transfer window superbly.
Given his age (28, turns 29 in August), Luis isn't quite the steal Matic was. The Guardian speculate he will cost the Blues between £15-20 million. Nevertheless, his transfer represents an absolutely excellent piece of business.
Ideally, he will come in as the first-choice left-back and take the reins from stand-in wrong-sider Cesar Azpilicueta. The Spaniard can then move to his natural right-back slot and compete with Branislav Ivanovic for a place in the XI.
Luis was a top-three left-back in world football over the course of the 2013-14 season and is arguably the most complete of them all. His remarkable engine and combination of defensive and attacking skills make him a general all-rounder, and he's comfortable in every area of the pitch.
First and foremost, he tucks in expertly when his centre-back asks him to, defending his corner well. Last season, he averaged 4.1 tackles per game, per WhoScored.com. Many of those were in his own third.
Considering his side won the league and scored 77 goals in the process—suggesting Atletico were not under the defensive pressure a relegation-threatened side would be—his tackle rate is absurd.

2014 FIFA World Cup: Power Ranking Top 100 Players

Welcome to Bleacher Report's closing FIFA World Cup argument: A final run-down of the top 100 players to have graced sport's most honourable stage.
We've been running round-by-round power rankings to chart the rise and fall of our performers after every game, but this final set will rank the top 100 based on their overall showing in the competition.
The scores are collated by grading each player out of 10 for every game they play, though it's worth noting a heavier weighting is given to the latter rounds and therefore players who made it further are ranked higher.
A reward for sticking around, you could call it.

With thanks to Sam Rooke, Karl Matchett, Eduardo Mendez and Chris Atkins for the assistance in compiling the rankings.

Filipe Luis to Chelsea: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

 


This is Jose Mourinho's second summer signing from the Spanish champions after Diego Costa's deal was confirmed, as reported by Sky Sports. Tiago Mendes is also expected to complete the same switch, as noted by the London Evening Standard's Simon Johnson.
Luis completed a medical on Tuesday, according to the Times (via Jack Wilson of the Daily Express), who notes Diego Simeone's club have already replaced the outgoing defender with Granada's Guilherme Siqueira.


Chelsea have finally captured left-back Filipe Luis from Atletico Madrid, as reported by the English club's official Twitter account:   
Simon Jones of the Daily Mail describes a "drawn out" transfer that will cost Chelsea in the region of £20 million. Luis was reportedly ordered to train with the reserves after expressing his desire to leave, but as the 2014-15 season approaches, he will begin the pre-season working with Mourinho's developing Blues squad.
Luis offers an instant replacement for Ashley Cole, who joined Roma after becoming a free agent, as reported by The Guardian.
The Atletico favourite, who was left out of Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazilian World Cup squad, will go head-to-head with converted right-back Cesar Azpilicueta for a place in Mourinho's starting lineup. His hefty £20 million fee appears necessary after Atletico "refused" to let him leave until Chelsea agreed to meet the player's buyout clause, as per Jones. 

 

Debate: Would You Rather Chelsea Land Cavani or Pogba?

 

The Blues are rumored to be interested in two huge targets.  Which one would you rather land?

JUMP INTO THE DEBATE AND HAVE YOUR SAY.

Agree with someone's comment? Vote for it to make the Debate Highlights section. Disagree with a comment? Reply and voice your opinion. Happy Debating!

Diego Costa to Chelsea: Latest Transfer Details, Reaction and More

Updates from Tuesday, July 15

Chelsea confirmed the signing of Diego Costa on a five-year contract in a release on the club website.

Costa also spoke about his move to Stamford Bridge in the statement:

Costa said: ‘I am very happy to sign for Chelsea. Everybody knows it is a big club in a very competitive league, and I am very excited to get started in England with a fantastic coach and team-mates. Having played against Chelsea last season I know the high quality of the squad I am joining.
‘I would like to thank everybody at Atletico who made me into the player I am, it was an incredible time for me, but now I am starting a new adventure and I hope to win many trophies with Chelsea.’

Original Text

Diego Costa is heading to Chelsea after they reached a transfer agreement with Atletico Madrid for the talented striker.

The Blues announced the deal on Tuesday:

Chelsea Football Club can confirm an agreement has been reached with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Diego Costa, with Chelsea meeting the buy-out clause for the Spanish international.

Costa was somewhat of a late bloomer. He always possessed the potential to become a valuable member of an attack in one of Europe's best leagues, but it took some time for everything to click for him as he bounced around from club to club on loan.
Finally, after an encouraging loan stay with Rayo Vallecano, Atletico gave him a more extended look last season and he broke out with 20 goals across all competitions. He proceeded to put together an even more impressive campaign to back up that success with 35 goals.
One of the main reasons for his success is his strong play at home during La Liga play. Squawka Football notes only one player scored more goals in front of a club's faithful supporters in league action than the Colchoneros star:

Power Ranking Top 30 Clubs by World Cup Performance

 Matches of the 2014 World Cup


 

Club football is largely put on the back burner over the summer when international tournaments take place, with the 2014 World Cup occupying the attentions of almost everybody with a mind toward football over the past five or six weeks.
The managers, scouts and fans of some clubs, however, would be casting a keen eye over the form and fitness of their own players during the tournament—as well as prospective transfer targets, of course.
Just like four years ago when a core of Barcelona players provided the Spain squad which was successful in South Africa 2010, certain clubs have seen their stars enjoy more success at the 2014 finals than others. Here are the 30 top clubs, ranked by how well their players fared and how far they went during the World Cup.
We take into account those who participated at the finals, not unused substitutes, with more emphasis on those who appeared more frequently and went further in the tournament, not just appeared at the group phase. Players are assigned to the teams they played for at the end of last season, not their new clubs if they have made a subsequent transfer or their parent clubs if they were out on loan in
 


Four members of the Greek national team came from Olympiacos, with central defender Kostas Manolas impressing the most.
Midfielders Giannis Maniatis, Andreas Samaris and left-back Jose Holebas also played a big part in the Greece side's run to the round of 16.

2014 World Cup: Final Team Rankings

 

Welcome to the last edition of our FIFA World Cup 2014 team power rankings, where we order the sides competing based on their overall performance in the competition.
The semi-finals threw up a pasting and a bore, with Germany smashing Brazil 7-1 and Argentina limping past the Netherlands on penalties.
The finale was a classic, as Germany and Argentina battled through 90 scoreless minutes. Mario Gotze finally struck the winner in the 113th minute to give the Germans their first World Cup title since 1990. It was a European side's first triumph on South American soil.
Read on to see how the world's top 32 teams shaped up after the epic tournament in Brazil

20 Best Matches of the 2014 World Cup

 

It's all over, and as Germany celebrate the victory in the Maracana that crowned them as world champions, we are left to look back at a tournament that provided a huge amount of thrills, spills and memorable moments.
Everyone will have their favourite moments from the past four-and-a-half weeks, and some goals and incidents will mean more to some than others. But what about the best and most memorable matches?
Here we take a look at the Top 20 games of the 2014 World Cup.

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50,000 flee Nigerian state amidst escalating violence Published 08 July 2014 | Carey Lodge

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(AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

In this photo dated 6 June 2013, soldiers stand guard at the offices of the state-run Nigerian Television Authority in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The radical group Boko Haram once attacked only government institutions and security forces, but now increasingly targets civilians.

A bomb was set off Monday at the School of Hygiene in Kano, Nigeria. At least eight people were killed, and a dozen more injured.
Police reported that a suspect was taken into custody, and his vehicle was impounded. The bomb was planted around 1 p.m. local time.
Although no classes were being held on campus due to the end of the semester, the AFP reports that new students were on site registering for next term. The explosion occurred in a parking lot near the provost's office.
Terrorist group Boko Haram is under suspicion for orchestrating the attack, as they have targeted learning institutions in the past. The group once targeted Kano on a nearly daily basis, but law enforcement authorities and the military have been more successful in quelling the violence. Access to the college is now heavily restricted by military personnel.
A Christian area of Kano was attacked by a suicide car bomb on May 19, killing four. Boko Haram is also suspected in the attack on Koronginim, Borno state on Saturday. Homes were destroyed and several people were killed. A witness said that the assailants yelled, "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) before firing upon the villagers.
"Two of their leaders were giving orders that they should shoot anyone on sight ... I crawled into the nearby bush and fled from there," the witness told the Nigerian Tribune.
Boko Haram was founded in 2002, but has become increasingly violent since Abubakar Shekau assumed leadership in 2009.
The group became internationally known after kidnapping over 270 children from an all-girls school in Chibok, Nigeria on April 14. A second mass kidnapping occurred on May 4 in Warabe.
During a speech at the Nigerian State House on Friday, President Goodluck Jonathan said that they have not given up their efforts to rescue the girls. Over 200 kidnapped students remain missing.

• An estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
  A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
  With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
  Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
  The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
  JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
  "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
  "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
  "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
  Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
  The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
  An estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
  A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
  With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
  Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
  The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
  JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
  "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
  "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
  "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
  Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
  The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
  
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
    A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
    With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
    Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
    The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
    JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
    "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
    "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
    "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
    Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
    The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
    
    • Share on Facebook
    • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
      A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
      With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
      Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
      The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
      JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
      "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
      "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
      "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
      Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
      The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
      
      • Share on Facebook
      • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
        A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
        With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
        Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
        The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
        JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
        "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
        "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
        "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
        Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
        The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
        
        • Share on Facebook
        • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
          A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
          With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
          Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
          The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
          JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
          "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
          "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
          "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
          Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
          The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
          
          • Share on Facebook
          • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
            A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
            With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
            Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
            The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
            JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
            "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
            "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
            "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
            Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
            The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
            
            • Share on Facebook
            • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
              A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
              With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
              Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
              The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
              JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
              "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
              "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
              "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
              Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
              The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
              
              • Share on Facebook
              • Share on TwitterAn estimated 50,000 people have been forced to flee growing conflict in Benue state, Nigeria, as increasing violence threatens their livelihood.
                A long running land dispute between local farmers and the Fulani community – nomadic cattle herders – has recently resulted in a fresh outbreak of violence, and has fractured the north central state even further.
                With no official camps set up for refugees of the conflict, those who have been forced to flee are reportedly taking refuge in any available buildings, including schools left empty by the recent teacher strike.
                Christian Aid partners on the ground in Nigeria – including the Jireh Doo Foundation (JDF) and the Anglican Diocesan Development Services (ADDS) Makurdi – are therefore working to provide vital aid and humanitarian assistance for those seeking shelter.
                The distribution of food, water sanitation devices, mosquito nets, cooking utensils and hygiene equipment has begun, while psychological counselling and health education is also being offered to those affected by the crisis, amidst fears that diseases will spread quickly.
                JDF and ADDS Makurdi are now urging President Goodluck Jonathan's government to respond immediately, before the situation worsens further.
                "Farming is the primary occupation in Benue state and the main source of income for most households," explains country manager for Christian Aid Nigeria Charles Usie.
                "As well as people losing their lives, violent attacks during this conflict have destroyed farmlands leaving people homeless and jobless.
                "This is another example of the growing insecurity in the country but we must put pressure on the authorities - they cannot ignore the crisis in Benue."
                Northern Nigeria is rife with tension as Islamic extremist group Boko Haram is continuing its bid for power.
                The militant group – whose name translates as 'Western education is forbidden' – is responsible for thousands of deaths since its uprising in 2009, including over 2,000 this year alone. Members have declared intent to cleanse the country of Christians, eradicate Nigerian democracy and replace it with an Islamic state guided by Sharia law.
                
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Ife Bombing, PDP And Boko Haram (Part 1) By Ola’ Idowu

 

We are living in desperate times now and it’s becoming clear as the days go by that the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan’s burning ambition to be re-elected would come at all cost even with the blood of Nigerians. The recent bomb explosion in Ife, Osun state has all but exposed the hands of the PDP and shown that Boko Haram is of three types- There is the religious Boko Haram led by Abubakar Shekau which all know, there is the criminal minded ones and there is the political Boko Haram which in the run-up to the 2015 elections everyone would find out is the militant wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In my article some months back on Boko Haram I mentioned the three forms of the terrorist group including the political one. I gave the example of Kano during the 2012 fuel subsidy protest and reminded Nigerians of the church worshippers who were killed according to eyewitness account with semi-automatic rifles, the type issued to government secret service agents, that together with other incidences including the Boko Haram suspects that were arrested in an abandoned Bayelsa state government building in Ijora-Lagos state, plus the bombing in Ife penultimate Tuesday shows for a fact Boko Haram has a political arm used by faces in this present government to terrorise Nigerians (see my article titled Musings on Boko Haram and its Sponsors as published on this medium: http://saharareporters.com/article/musings-boko-haram-and-their-sponsors-its-time-stop-them-or-they-stop-nigeria-ola%E2%80%99-idowu).
The PDP has set the stage for its tactics ahead of the elections in 2015 and its simple- bomb parts of Nigeria and indeed Nigerians and place the blame on the door of the opposition APC. Men like Femi Fani-Kayode are being used to attack them in the press and various online media as sponsors of terror. Isn’t it queer that days after Fani-Kayode accused the APC without proof of having a militant terror wing and an evil character in Musiliu Obanikoro accusing Bola Tinubu and his friends as starting Boko Haram that suddenly Ile-Ife was bombed? Coincidentally, the crown witness in Fani-Kayode’s EFCC corruption case was nowhere to be found when the trial resumed last week, an obvious step towards throwing out the case by the judge for lack of diligent prosecution as scripted by the Presidency and the PDP in exchange for his recruited job of blackmailing the APC and its leaders. The same Fani-Kayode who has no known political constituency and has never won an election as a politician is the one castigating the APC and pontificating for the people of the South-West and indeed Nigerians. He defected to the APC and called the PDP all sorts of names but came back to the same PDP and now the APC is the evil party. A man who called President Barack Obama of the US the Antichrist prior to his re-election in 2012. In a sane and civil society such a man would not be taken seriously and would have been forced to have himself checked to prove his mental sanity but in Nigeria such people bestride our airwaves feeding us with garbage. Obanikoro on his part I wouldn’t blame too much, I lay all the blame on Tinubu’s shoulders. Tinubu it was in 1999 who brought back such dubious anti-democratic element from exile in the US claiming he wanted technocrats and ‘sons of the soil’ in his government.
Tinubu did this against all the advice of Lagosians then who cited how Obanikoro burnt down the ancient landmark City Hall building in Lagos during the Sani Abacha regime when he was the chairman of Lagos Island Local Government and a popular campaigner for Abacha’s life presidency at a time Tinubu was in exile fighting for democracy with NADECO. He didn’t listen and rehabilitated Obanikoro politically, going on to make him a senator in 2003 under the Alliance for Democracy (AD) banner and today his fingers are being burnt with those decisions. Of all the so called technocrats Tinubu brought into government, its ‘non-technocrats’ like Babatunde Fashola and Rauf Aregbesola that are still standing strong by him today. Most of the rest have since bitten the fingers that fed them. I lay the blame on Tinubu for not identifying and even up till now talents amongst the die-hard party supporters who have stood with the party from AD, AC, ACN and now APC and are the foot soldiers who have the grass-root appeal but I believe things are changing now.
An Obanikoro who after leaving the AD for the PDP did not win its governorship primaries in 2007 losing out clearly to Hilda Williams (the widow of the late Funsho Williams) but the ticket was still given to him by Bode George and then PDP chairman Ahmadu Ali. His campaign in 2007 proved to be the most violent in the history of Lagos state perhaps in the entire South-West. Every single campaign he held from Idumota to Ojota to Ikeja, at least five AC supporters and innocent bystanders were killed in hails of bullets. It was the darkest time I ever witnessed in the history of Lagos state not even Abacha’s regime was that terrifying in the state. It was so bad, Lagosians were asking themselves if Obanikoro’s thugs kill everyone, who would be left to vote for him on election day? Not surprisingly he lost the election by a handsome margin. Now, that same terror template is being imported into the West ahead of the elections in Osun state on August 9th and the elections in 2015.
In the lead up to the elections in Osun state, Ile-Ife (where PDP candidate Iyiola Omisore hails from) has been bombed and obviously it would be pinned on APC by the likes of Omisore, Obanikoro and Fani-Kayode. The plan is to get Omisore interacting with the masses eating pop-corn and climbing iron horses (okada) and claiming to the popular with people, then the political Boko Haram, the militant wing of the PDP would be bombing parts of Osun state including Ife and claim its the APC doing it because they are jittery of him winning like Fayose did in Ekiti state and they are trying to stop him campaigning especially in Ife where he hails from.
Its the same template they would use across the whole South-West so as to win sympathy for President Jonathan and claim the APC are the demons who have prevented him from performing and that is where I worry. The real Boko Haram promised to bring their campaign of terror to the South particularly our oil refineries and oil installations in Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta state but definitely not Ife. Everyone remembers Akure prisons was attacked by people suspected to be Boko Haram but it was to release their members jailed there, but they have no reason to bomb Ile-Ife. Lagos state naturally is a target for any terror organisation as its the commercial nerve of the country but the state government has done well so far to limit attacks there through prompt intelligence operations and arrest of suspected extremists and aliens including the ones arrested in the Bayelsa state government lodge in Ijora but to bomb Ile-Ife is far-fetched for the real terrorists as it gives them no political mileage. The APC governor in Osun state, Aregbesola, cannot bomb his state as that would be senseless. The bombers were clearly the militant wing of the PDP, the political Boko Haram who would soak the feet of Jonathan in blood so as to get re-elected.
There is clear danger for the Yorubas, Nigerians and indeed the opposition APC as this PDP government of Jonathan is ready to turn their terror machine on everyone. The signs are as clear as daylight, and places where they feel they would struggle for votes like in the South-West would be the epicentre of bombing campaigns. Expect to see their activities increase in Osun state, then they move to Lagos, Ogun and Oyo state with more bombings as all those places are controlled by the APC. On standby would be the likes of Fani-Kayode and Obanikoro to blame it on Tinubu and APC and try to turn the people against him rather than against Jonathan who has shown generally, he does not care about Boko Haram believing they are killing Northerners anyway so its none of his business. But for me these terror war has become personal as I have families in Lagos and Ogun, lots of friends in Oyo and Osun state. Its also time Tinubu, APC governors and stalwarts organise a high-powered emergency security meeting (call it the COBRA meeting like the UK Prime Minister chairs when there is clear danger) and face this new threat from the PDP’s Boko Haram militant wing who are hell bent on bombing Yorubas and indeed Nigerians in the South-West to death.
In part two of this article I would highlight why the life of the Ooni of Ife is in danger and he needs urgent security protection before his cousin allegedly kills him and pins it on Boko Haram, APC and Tinubu who was reported to have generally made some remarks against some Obas in the South-West. I would also explain why the lives of Obas in Yorubaland are at risk (Boko Haram has killed and attempted to kill Emirs in the north ,so its easy to kill an high profile Oba in the west by PDP’s political Boko Haram and blame it on Tinubu), while I would give my recommendations to the APC on what needs to be done urgently before things gets out of hands. Also I would give my one pence advice to President Jonathan and hopes he listens, as he has surrounded himself with immature, power hungry and evil men who would assist him in bringing our country to the end.
Ola’ Idowu a Management Consultant and Researcher writes in from the UK.

BreakingNews 14/7/14 - Ministerial Appointment: Why Obi lost out

 
 




Masterweb Reports: Vivian Onyebukwa reports ] - A few days after President Good­luck Jonathan for­warded two names to the Senate as ministe­rial nominees, facts have emerged on why immedi­ate past governor of Anam­bra State, Mr. Peter Obi, lost out in the appointment.


Jonathan had last Thurs­day nominated Corps Mar­shal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (NYSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka (Anambra) and Dr. Suleiman Abubukar (Kwara) as ministers rep­resenting their states in the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Chidoka is expected to be confirmed Minister of Aviation, while Abubakar would become Minister of Sports.

Sources close to the Presi­dency told Daily Sun that Obi, who was reportedly tipped to be appointed Min­ister of Aviation, to replace Princess Stella Oduah, who is also from Anambra State, lost out owing to stiff oppo­sition from PDP stakehold­ers in Anambra State. He also lost out for refusing to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as suggested by the Presidency and others.

It was gathered that stake­holders in Anambra PDP ve­hemently opposed the plan to nominate Obi as minister representing the state, say­ing a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) should not repre­sent them.

Daily Sun learnt that apart from opposing Obi based on his party membership, those against him also used all manner of argument to dis­courage President Jonathan, especially telling him how non-appointment of the PDP members into key positions was affecting the fortunes of the party in Anambra State during elections.

They were said to have used subtle threat to remind Jonathan that the people op­posing Obi were those who would contribute meaning­fully to his re-election pro­gramme.

In the midst of opposition, it was gathered that support­ers of Obi, in the PDP, had written to Jonathan saying the former governor’s ap­pointment had the blessing of the Anambra PDP.

They argued that their support for Obi was owing to his popularity in Anambra, stating that in Jonathan’s re-election campaign, the for­mer governor would be more useful.

The PDP members push­ing Obi’s nomination stated: “He is at home with the com­mon people, the Church and market people, the critical mass that actually vote dur­ing election.”

Sources revealed that President Jonathan had stuck to his guns to appoint Obi. To douse the opposition, the Presidency had asked the former governor to join the PDP.

“He (Obi) was actually in the Villa on this. At this point, everybody that wanted him pleaded with him to join the PDP rather than allow the opposition have a field day,” our source revealed.

Vivian Onyebukwa reports.

*Photo Caption - Mr. Peter Obi

A British journalist has denounced a recent British Broadcasting Corporation interview wherein recently deceased human rights activist Nelson Mandela was compared to Jesus Christ.

Dominic Lawson wrote in a column published by the UK Daily Mail on Sunday that it was "absurd for the BBC to compare him to Christ."
"Mandela's greatness is not in doubt. His ability to work with and, apparently, forgive those who incarcerated him for 27 years in appalling conditions does conform to behaviour we might characterise as saintly," wrote Lawson.
"He also had a radiant presence in public, one that entranced all who witnessed it. Yet political history should also warn us never to confuse the public and private man. They are very different – and Mandela was a spectacular example of this disjunction."
Lawson quoted Richard Stengel, who helped Mandela write his autobiography, in noting the personal flaws Mandela, especially regarding the relationship he had with his family.
"He was warm with strangers and cool with intimates. The smile was reserved for outsiders. I saw him often with his son, his daughters, his sisters; and the Nelson Mandela they knew appeared to be a stern and unsmiling fellow not terribly sympathetic to their problems," said Stengel.

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Lawson's piece was in response to a BBC program that featured multiple experts and commentators, including former United States President Jimmy Carter.
Centering on the life, work, and legacy of Mandela, BBC radio presenter Evan Davis argued that Mandela should be put on a par with Jesus in the "pantheon of virtue."
When asked what he thought of the comparison, former President Carter dismissed it, noting that there was no comparison given Jesus' divinity.
"I look upon Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as God himself, and I certainly wouldn't compare any human being with Jesus," said Carter.
While the focus of his column, Davis is not the only commentator drawing the parallel between Mandela and Jesus.
Peter Oborne of the Telegraph wrote a column last week where he argued that Mandela was one of the few human beings who "can be compared to Jesus Christ."
"There are very few human beings who can be compared to Jesus Christ. Nelson Mandela is one. This is because he was a spiritual leader as much as a statesman," wrote Oborne.
"His colossal moral strength enabled him to embark on new and unimaginable forms of action. He could lead through the strength of example alone."

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/british-journalist-stop-comparing-mandela-to-jesus-110454/#edVoCPcWcgLGozzz.99

Nigeria: Nyako Impeached - Faces Treason Charges

ABUJA-- There were indications last night that the impeached governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, might be arrested by security agents and charged to court for alleged treason.
While the treason charges against the former governor is billed to take off in one court, the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, would be prosecuting Nyako in another court for allegedly looting funds of the state said to have been stashed in a local bank.
The governor and the North-East Region manager of the said bank will be charged with another top official of Adamawa State Government, who is being held by the anti-graft agency for aiding and abetting the looting.
A competent security source told Vanguard that the Presidency has already ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, to file treason charges against the governor, who lost his plum job yesterday.
The charges, according to the source, had been prepared by the Federal Government even before the impeachment process against Nyako started and would merely be completed with the governor's removal from office.
Nyako to face treason charges
Findings by Vanguard revealed that Nyako is to be tried specifically for levying war against Nigeria and inciting Nigerians and the international community against the person of President Goodluck Jonathan by accusing Jonathan of committing genocide against Northerners under the guise of fighting terrorism.
One of the sources said: "The AGF is ready with the treason charges against Nyako, who never showed any remorse over his letter to the Northern Governors Forum and refused to retract the contents and apologise even when he had the opportunity to do so.
"The AGF has since been directed to file treason charges against the governor, who was fired by the Adamawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday (yesterday) because what he did was levying war against the nation and inciting the world against President Jonathan.
"If the former governor is lucky, he will survive the legal onslaught against him but he may be in for many years in jail if convicted for his indiscretion and deliberate action to malign the President of Nigeria," the source said.
Why Presidency dumped Ngilari
On why the Presidency withdrew its earlier support for the Deputy Governor to succeed Nyako, the source explained that Ngilari lost out because he tried to join forces with Nyako and work against the interest of the PDP stakeholders in the state.
He explained that Ngilari lost the support of the Presidency and the PDP stakeholders in the state when it was discovered that he had accepted to take over from Nyako and make Nyako's son his deputy.
"Ngilari lost out when the Presidency got information that he had reached an agreement with Nyako to resign for him to take over as governor and make his son deputy governor so as to continue to protect the former governor's interests. He thought he was smart," the source said.
Vanguard further learnt that Ngilari, a Christian, was prevented from succeeding Nyako, a Muslim, so as not to stoke ethno-religious crisis in the state and worsen the security problem in the North-East.
His removal from office notwithstanding, Nyako remained boisterous, yesterday, insisting that he accepted the action against him in good faith, as it was merely a judgment by man and not God.