Father arrested for raping own 12-year-old daughter in Ogun State.

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a class="irc_mil i3597 iHTZNdnJIOEQ-zixyDjKkw5M" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwjgh5n2u7XQAhUFJMAKHTh4CJ8QjRwIBw" href="http://english.pradesh18.com/news/bihar/man-arrested-with-leopard-skin-866675.html" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for arrested man" class="irc_mi iHTZNdnJIOEQ-pQOPx8XEepE" height="420" src="http://static.english.pradesh18.com/pix/2016/01/arrest2.jpg" style="margin-top: 12px;" width="630" /></a></div> <div class="irc_mimg irc_hic iHTZNdnJIOEQ-lvVgf-rIiHk"> </div> One Mr Adisa Olayide, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly raping his 12-year-old daughter.<br /> <br /> Police said the 45-year-old committed the offence in Ilaro Town of the state.<br /> <br /> The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Saturday in a message to PREMIUM TIMES said the suspect was arrested following a complaint lodged by the victim.<br /> <br /> “The suspect was arrested on Wednesday 16th of November following a complaint from the daughter,” he said.<br /> <br /> Mr. Oyeyemi said the victim had cried to the police station to report her father.<br /> <br /> He said the girl narrated that her mother is late, and her father had remarried to three women.<br /> <br /> “Upon her complaint, the Divisional Police Officer Ilaro Division detailed police detectives to effect the arrest of the suspect,” the spokesperson said.<br /> Investigation into the matter continues.

Father arrested for raping own 12-year-old daughter in Ogun State.

One Mr Adisa Olayide, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly raping his 12-year-old daughter. Police said ...

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Read This Hillarious Application Letter

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pidbHadIvIiAC7OpPLxvC9kzOq8datyg8ULkfbmVdDLAf5uF-NW9NTWXsJw4L2NuIV2dTvDyROuxr8JqJ7PBdf19vo8CzBX3iLdXcHV0whKoc97mXNsIeTMKWuPy9UEGj8HpW23o305F/s1600/non.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9pidbHadIvIiAC7OpPLxvC9kzOq8datyg8ULkfbmVdDLAf5uF-NW9NTWXsJw4L2NuIV2dTvDyROuxr8JqJ7PBdf19vo8CzBX3iLdXcHV0whKoc97mXNsIeTMKWuPy9UEGj8HpW23o305F/s640/non.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">This hilarious application letter was shared on Facebook by </span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Precious O . I almost had heart attack reading through the letter<span class="_5mfr _47e3">.</span></span></span>

Read This Hillarious Application Letter

This hilarious application letter was shared on Facebook by Precious O . I almost had heart attack reading through the letter .

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MMM-Nigeria donates N5m relief materials to IDPs

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3Ur9TOAZUUOyCet7AmO7l3FoTILVhtEC8WUhmRxXvi8QpeIIr7U13MnRYReqC5_X1cFN2HFfNXMezYLa-eByiJDvQQ6deJFCytR1SGt6VtvsaDy9ooP544u8ltDwS5U6KzAPP2zmQRi4/s1600/MMM-Nigeria-Logo-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3Ur9TOAZUUOyCet7AmO7l3FoTILVhtEC8WUhmRxXvi8QpeIIr7U13MnRYReqC5_X1cFN2HFfNXMezYLa-eByiJDvQQ6deJFCytR1SGt6VtvsaDy9ooP544u8ltDwS5U6KzAPP2zmQRi4/s640/MMM-Nigeria-Logo-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> ‘MMM-Nigeria’, a community of mutual financial aid and donations, on Saturday donated relief materials worth N5 million to two Internally Displaced Persons camps in the Federal Capital Territory.<br /> <br /> The gesture was part of the community’s humanitarian week tagged ‘MMM cares’ to mark its first anniversary.<br /> <br /> The Gwoza and Bama IDP Camps located in Durumi area and the New Kuchingoro IDP camp were the two beneficiaries of the relief materials.<br /> <br /> Bags of rice, beans, garri, as well as cartoons of beverages and noodles, were some of the items donated by the group.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The group also donated clothing, drugs, and educational materials to the pupils among them.<br /> <br /> A Guilder in the ‘MMM Community’, Mr. Seyi Bello, said the donation was motivated by the desire  of the group to affect the society positively, especially the less-privileged.<br /> <br /> He said, “We are marking our first year anniversary and we have decided to come and celebrate it with our brothers, mothers and children in the camp.<br /> <br /> “As a community, we do not only provide help to our members, we also extend that to the larger society as part of our social responsibility.<br /> <br /> “In these times of economic challenges, the IDPs are the ones that need help and support more than any other person; that is why we visited them today,” he said.<br /> <br /> Bello explained that besides providing help and donations to its members, humanitarian service was a flagship programme of the group.<br /> <br /> He said that the relief items were bought from free-will donations of members in their quest to touch lives positively.<br /> <br /> He said, “The N5 million was raised from voluntary donations my members in the FCT.<br /> <br /> “That is what defines us as a community of people providing financial help to each other on the principle of reciprocity and benevolence.<br /> <br /><br /> <br /> “In MMM there are no lenders and no debtors. One participant asks for help, another one helps.’’<br /> <br /> Bello appealed to individuals, groups and corporate bodies to always remember the IDPs across Nigeria, since government alone would not be able to provide for them adequately.<br /> <br /> He said, “They are our brothers and sisters who have left the comfort of their homes and are now struggling for survival here.<br /> <br /> “No matter how little, let us always extend a hand of help to them to complement what government and other donors are doing.”<br /> <br /> The General Secretary of the IDP camp at New Kuchingoro, Mr. Enoch Yohanna, who received the items, expressed gratitude for the gesture which he described as `timely.’<br /> <br /> He said, “The Christmas season is very close; we thank MMM-Nigeria for bringing these items to us.<br /> <br /> “We hope to share them satisfactorily among us for everybody to be happy and have a happy Christmas celebration.”<br /> <br /> The visit to the IDPs camps was preceded by a two-hour environmental sanitation by members of the group on Nyanya/Mararaba route, a suburb of the FCT.<br /> <br /> Members of the group came out in their numbers to clear garbage from drainage and streets in the area.<br /> <br /> (NAN)

MMM-Nigeria donates N5m relief materials to IDPs

‘MMM-Nigeria’, a community of mutual financial aid and donations, on Saturday donated relief materials worth N5 million to two Internal...

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Lecturers fire back at lawmakers over sexual harassment bill

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a class="irc_mil i3597 iHTZNdnJIOEQ-zixyDjKkw5M" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwia9sWwirXQAhWGOhQKHQC4BdUQjRwIBw" href="https://www.google.com.ng/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwia9sWwirXQAhWGOhQKHQC4BdUQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nigerianmonitor.com%2Ffull-list-of-telephone-numbers-of-the-109-senators-of-the-national-assembly%2F&bvm=bv.139250283,d.eWE&psig=AFQjCNHy5GzG3Ns8LHChjZSYQaEZXwfgcw&ust=1479653861101633" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for senate nigeria" class="irc_mi iHTZNdnJIOEQ-pQOPx8XEepE" height="399" src="http://www.nigerianmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Senate.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="irc_mimg irc_hic iHTZNdnJIOEQ-lvVgf-rIiHk"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Sexual harassment, as an act, is as old as man. But until recently, it was learnt, there was no law, in the country, specifically targeted at tackling the menace, which has remained a recurring decimal in virtually all universities’ campuses, without exception.o</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Alarmed at the rate of the menace on campuses, the Senate recently, passed a Bill, which would in the thinking of the Senate, helped stem the tide of the menace.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But some lecturers think that the issue was being over-exaggerated, as such, they are asking the Nigerian lawmakers to concentrate their energies on other worthy ventures, and not mundane ones, like sexual harassment.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Bill, known as the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institution Bill, prescribes a 5-year jail term for lecturers and educators convicted of sexual harassment of either their male or female students, just as it made provisions for a fine of N5 million, should the accused be convicted by a competent court of law.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> And taking into cognisance, the fact that some students may just take advantage of the law, to raise false alarm, the Bill, it was further gathered, has also provided cover, for this category of lecturers, but not without a caveat. The caveat is that the lecturer, so falsely accused, must be acquitted by a competent court of law. Once that happens, the Student, who raised the false alarm “shall be expelled or suspended, as the University deems fit.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to the lecturer, Dr. Aniekan Brown, who is a Senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, University of Uyo, the law was a case of vendetta from the Senate, against the academic community, since the Senate has not told Nigerians what constitutes sexual harassment.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “As we speak, officially, I don’t think that we have up 150,000 people who lecture in the Nigerian universities. And out of about 181 million Nigerians, the Senate, in the myriad of laws available for them to evolve, will target academic staff, something tells me there is something vendetta about that.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Granted,   it is their responsibility to make laws; but I wished they had started with themselves, by beginning to query how much of harassment they have offered to women as Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria before getting to deal with some other Nigerians.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “I’m not saying that there may not be harassment here and there. It happens in banks; it happens everywhere.  But it shouldn’t be particularised to any sub-sector of the Nigerian economy; it should be full blown. But for them to zero in on the Nigerian lecturers, it means there is something personal about it. So, what happens if somebody doesn’t harass from the university, but begin to harass from the bank point of view, from church, from Senate, from mosque and every other place?</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “So, when you sit back, you realise that it was myopic for them to want to close in on lecturers. In any case, I don’t expect any lecturer to fall prey to such a farce. And on the whole, I think the Senators would have thought of better things, instead of coming to deal with this minute issue,” Brown, said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> On her part, a female lecturer in the Communication Arts Department, Dr Nevelyn Bata, said there was need to be careful, because, some of the sexual harassment claims, students make, are spurious.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “But if the claims are verifiable, I think, there should be some restrictions to help bring down the incidences, if at all it exists. I’m saying if at all it exists because,  all the time I had stayed in the University  as a student,  I wasn’t  harassed.  So, when you hear of claims of lecturers harassing students, it sounds strange to those who never had the experience,” she added.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> She said further that most of those who raise the alarm are those “who have issues, who don’t sit down to read; they have issues in their academics and when they fail they begin to cook up all stories. Well, for lecturers, who would condescend to harass students who they are old enough to be parents to, I think, the law should catch up with them.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Like his colleague, Dr. Aniedi Ikpang, who is the Dean, Faculty of Law of the University of Uyo, also argued that there were more pressing things in the country that the National Assembly could have legislated on; since, by his own claim, he has never received any report or experienced any sexual harassment since becoming a lecturer more than 15 years ago.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Read More: <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/" target="_top"><span>The Sun News</span></a></div>

Lecturers fire back at lawmakers over sexual harassment bill

Sexual harassment, as an act, is as old as man. But until recently, it was learnt, there was no law, in the country, specifically t...

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Nigerians React To The Lynching Of 7 Year Old Boy

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="brutal" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="467" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/brutal.png" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Nigerians have expressed shock and disapproval over an incident where a young boy of about seven year-old was burnt to death in Lagos, Wednesday, for allegedly stealing cassava flakes, otherwise known as “Garri,” describing it as “barbaric.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The alleged boy was reportedly lynched for stealing by yet to be apprehended perpetrators.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Residents who reacted to the incident have called on Nigeria Police authorities to go after the perpetrators and bring them to justice to serve as deterrent to others.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> One Ms Sharon Samuel reacted thus: “If the killers of this boy are not brought to book then there is no more hope for anyone in this country. Garri seller, may be your garri is meant for ritual purpose else why should you raise an alarm that caused the death of this boy. Don’t blame Buhari but blame our wicked world. The end is more than near,” Sharon said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Another who identified simply as Queen Chi Chi, said, “What about those bank armed robbers, what about Nigerian politicians that are busy stealing and syphoning Nigeria’s money into their private accounts, are they not thieves? Why beating the boy to death because of ordinary garri, dastardly things to do.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Ebere Chidima, another resident, said, “Those that burnt that little boy for merely stealing garri and even those that stood by and watched the sin being committed are guilty of the same offence. Jesus Christ said; he who is without sin let him cast the first stone.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The Police authorities should go after these perpetrators of this dastardly act.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Read More:</div> <blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="hfhpyrOiXV"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/lynching-7-yr-old-boy-residents-fume-want-perpetrators-brought-book/">Lynching of 7-yr-old boy: Residents fume, want perpetrators brought to book</a></blockquote>

Nigerians React To The Lynching Of 7 Year Old Boy

Nigerians have expressed shock and disapproval over an incident wh...

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Another Suicide Bomber Gunned Down, this Morning

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="374" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1-132.jpg" width="640" /> </div> <br /> <br /> <br /> Nigerian security operatives have intercepted another suicide bomber who attempted to penetrate a Transit Camp of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) along Muna Garage.<br /> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Suspecting ulterior motive of the suicide bomber because of his strange behaviour, the security operatives attempted to accost him.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, in his attempt to detonate the explosive device, he was gunned down by the security.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> PRNigeria gathered that the Transit camp is used to check and screen potential displaced people before being allowed into any of the IDP Camps in Maiduguri and others in Borno State.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Spokesperson of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the North-East, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulkadir confirmed that the mangled body of the suicide bomber had been evacuated.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Credit: <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/news/general/another-suicide-bomber-gunned-down-saturday-morning/172377.html" style="color: red;">dailytrust</a></span></div>

Another Suicide Bomber Gunned Down, this Morning

Nigerian security operatives have intercepted another suicide bomber who attempted to penetrate a...

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#Pendulum: The Second Coming of Goodluck Jonathan

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90lL0nT7jl5i86DilFkBFlS1gSq1BeZQH6XfppheGgWUN5ybZlGEnAG0JMFx7cnRSG3IqVQkPwE3TfSldlUFEscFKPKTVG1yU8cMurah1ndKQSZ9TTMKOuCcXjPczQ0YBqfK715Yf_OSn/s1600/jona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90lL0nT7jl5i86DilFkBFlS1gSq1BeZQH6XfppheGgWUN5ybZlGEnAG0JMFx7cnRSG3IqVQkPwE3TfSldlUFEscFKPKTVG1yU8cMurah1ndKQSZ9TTMKOuCcXjPczQ0YBqfK715Yf_OSn/s640/jona.jpg" width="422" /></a></div> <br /> Dele Momodu<br /> <br /> Fellow Nigerians, before I get into my main gist of today, let me quickly apologise for my inability to write this column last week. Truth is I had a mental block, pure and simple. Contrary to speculations that I couldn’t write because my great heroine, Hillary Clinton, lost her election, I was just so physically and mentally fatigued because this is one year that I’ve worked so hard on every project at hand. There was no doubt that I was solely disappointed that Donald Trump won the American presidential election but I was able to adjust quickly. My darling mum had taught me about the wisdom of the ancient. You can put your all into any project but the results ultimately remain the exclusive preserve of God. Only God determines the winner or the outcome.<br /> There is so much to learn from the political trajectory of Nigeria. What happened in America had happened repeatedly in our dear beloved country. I will explain in a jiffy. Who would have expected Alhaji Shehu Usman Shagari to defeat a political colossus like Chief Obafemi Awolowo? Who would have expected a Shagari to beat a political philosopher like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe so black and blue? Who would have expected a stupendously wealthy man like Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, without any political experience to take on the likes of Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and come out victorious?<br /> What Abiola did in Jos at the National Convention of the Social Democratic Party in 1993, when he mesmerised and hypnotised the party chieftains was what Donald Trump did recently in the United States of America when he razzle-dazzled the Republicans and virtually hijacked their party. Trump was lucky that he and Abiola belonged in different realms and climes. Abiola was not able to realise his dreams of running government like a business but Trump is set to take power and display the wizardry he flaunted endlessly before the elections. The world is waiting to see if Trump would plunge America into the abyss or perform the miracle of turning water into wine.<br /> The main reason many of us non-Americans opposed Trump so vehemently was because of his supposed bigotry and divisive rhetoric on all fronts. But on a personal note, I’m not too bothered. I have learnt my lessons. Politicians can tell any ignominious lie just to grab power. Voters can believe obvious scams and vote for artful pretenders out of foolish emotions and live to regret it. There is nothing we have not seen before. It is very obvious even this early that the millions of Americans who voted for Trump may never get a quarter of what he promised. Every man has the right to change his mind or beliefs and no one can hang him for it. Trump obviously knew what the Americans wanted to hear and knew how to sell a dead horse at a premium. That is politics. His message resonated with his core base no matter how retrogressive it sounded. As a matter of fact, it became even more attractive the crazier it sounded. Politics and religion are quite similar in that they thrive on pure faith.<br /> The same Trump that appeared a rabid hater of President Barack Obama has since visited his “sworn enemy” in the White House. You would have expected both former warriors to exchange some terrible blows but far from it; they came out behaving like two newly joined love birds. Trump now says Obama is actually a nice guy. Obama also reassures a jittery nation and a confused global community that Trump would actually behave decently and that their allies have nothing to fear. The two opponents must have known that it was all a game all along while their followers actually believed and embraced the charade. One of the things I love about America is the ability of its leaders to rise above pettiness. Every leader comes in after a bitterest electioneering campaign to embrace the one who lost. I do not hear sing-songs of wasting too much energy on the past. Who would have thought Obama and Bush would become as close as they are now? American leaders are wise enough to know that we are all actors and must quit the stage after playing our assigned roles. We may have sharp differences but we must be able to calculate the cost of war-war against the price of jaw-jaw.<br /> When tomorrow comes, I’m sure Donald Trump would have calmed down and welcome everyone in the true tradition and character of America. No American leader can ever be allowed to transfigure into an Adolf Hitler or a Benito Mussolini. Americans collectively are stronger than their leaders. This is one of the major reasons I’m not worried about Donald Trump and his tantrums. If he returns to the giddiness of his pre-election period, Americans across party lines would know what to do. That is the power of their democracy.<br /> This now brings me back home. I have been reading about the rising profile of our former President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and wish to state without equivocation that no one should rule him out of the 2019 presidential race. I first hinted this possibility about two months ago and wish to reiterate that Nigerians should prepare for the shock that awaits us. The story of Donald Trump should bring us back to our senses. Nothing is impossible. The second coming of Goodluck Jonathan may be so far-fetched or even belong in those categories of impossibilities but I wish to plead with our government and my fellow citizens not to rule it out. As one of those who made our modest and humble contributions to the coming of this Buhari government, I’m pleading with trepidation.<br /> Jonathan’s popularity is rising not because of anything he has done to atone the sins that must have led to his waterloo but as a result of what our change government has failed or refused to do. The obsession of our government with going all out after Jonathan is the main reason the Otuoke man is beginning to smell like roses after the odoriferous position he landed himself last week. Only if our government had succeeded in maintaining the economy it met, Nigerians would have been ready to enter fire with Buhari. But there are just too many unresolved problems and challenges. The excuses that Jonathan and company left this peculiar mess behind has refused to fly. The groans might not be loud enough to reverberate all the way to the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, as of now, but trust me it may become deafening, sooner than later. I do not care if men and women of power dismiss my submission with a wave of the hand but they should mark my word, there is a thickening conspiracy in the clouds. It would be a shame if we inadvertently play into the hands of those hovering and ready to pounce on Buhari.<br /> I read about “persecution complex” long ago and I understand how it works. If you beat your own child so ruthlessly as if you want to kill him, the tilt of public opinion would always go against you. Many would wonder why you want to kill your own child. In our anger, let us pick our fights. There is too much tension in the land. I would be delighted if anyone could educate and convince me that Nigeria has gained much more than we’ve lost to this war of attrition. If we haven’t, we may need to retrace our steps urgently.<br /> The BBC reported on Friday how Jonathan caused a stir in Sokoto State during his visit to the state to pay his respects to Ibrahim Dasuki, the late former Sultan of Sokoto. According to the report, Jonathan was received by a large crowd of admirers, some holding banners bearing the words “Come Back Baba Jonathan”. The same voices that chanted “Sai Baba” and “Jonathan Must Go” are now fiddling with the tunes of the possibility of a Jonathan to stage a comeback. Here lies the irony of political triumph and the paradox of high expectations.<br /> <br /> The euphoria and momentum that saw the exit of Jonathan and the emergence of the Buhari change administration has since begun to wane following the inability of the new government to hit the ground running with the tenacity of a government in a hurry!<br /> <br /> There are many who believe that the poor management of the ensuing economic recession didn’t help matters. Suddenly, Nigerians who had high hopes and voted massively for change are now caught in a limbo between confusion and uncertainty. As it stands today, the average Nigerian is confronted with the reality of an economic recession they never planned for; a situation they did not experience under the Jonathan administration and under previous governments.<br /> <br /> Many of President Buhari’s supporters are worried that the humongous goodwill that engineered the Buhari change mantra is now being frittered away at the speed of light. The unfolding plot has now thrown up former President Jonathan as a new protagonist in Nigeria’s theatre of the absurd. For many of us who are ardent students of history, we have since learnt that nothing is impossible in the game called politics. Will history repeat itself again? Time is pregnant with answers!

#Pendulum: The Second Coming of Goodluck Jonathan

Dele Momodu Fellow Nigerians, before I get into my main gist of today, let me quickly apologise for my inability to write this column...

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Messi Rescues Cash-Strapped FA, Pays Six-Month Outstanding Salaries

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24i9MORaI7eq7Um4UNhguORCfkf1PdmKrJ8Lcq_jkY_Mmp4btrjuwZfVJDYiAfa85S_hkeBCJUWKVqyukemxc03IyKnGd-ji7Ub8ysnlW6ZdrXISwS0CBym7B080_PoJ1pUQH-e9diLYV/s1600/mess.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24i9MORaI7eq7Um4UNhguORCfkf1PdmKrJ8Lcq_jkY_Mmp4btrjuwZfVJDYiAfa85S_hkeBCJUWKVqyukemxc03IyKnGd-ji7Ub8ysnlW6ZdrXISwS0CBym7B080_PoJ1pUQH-e9diLYV/s640/mess.jpg" width="622" /></a></div> The Argentine Football Federation is experiencing an economic crisis due to certain irregularities,  and Lionel Messi has stepped in to pay the salaries of three members of the national team’s security staff.<br /> <br /> <span id="more-33807"></span>Tata Martino and other employees have also suffered the same problem but the security guards had worked for six whole months without payment.<br /> <br /> According to Radio Metro, Messi made a call to his father to ensure that the trio were paid from his own pocket.<br /> Source: Marca

Messi Rescues Cash-Strapped FA, Pays Six-Month Outstanding Salaries

The Argentine Football Federation is experiencing an economic crisis due to certain irregularities,  and Lionel Messi has stepped in to ...

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81 More Nigerians On Death Row In Malaysia, 15 In Indonesia For Drug Offences

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLX1j6B-6qlASZdfz4qPgCthCC3Kk-eczccZq6rTDS3Cq59daCw5OlEeXMgiOjXU-KCLR3dbEkxk6RRdfe-3_lpoF2oYR_EXZLi4cl4hMlYIIoSL8ITvCb-dxLK0zuDRF-SnAxLvKzKb5/s1600/Cambodia_drug2-700x494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLX1j6B-6qlASZdfz4qPgCthCC3Kk-eczccZq6rTDS3Cq59daCw5OlEeXMgiOjXU-KCLR3dbEkxk6RRdfe-3_lpoF2oYR_EXZLi4cl4hMlYIIoSL8ITvCb-dxLK0zuDRF-SnAxLvKzKb5/s640/Cambodia_drug2-700x494.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p1" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p1" style="text-align: justify;"> 81 more Nigerians in Malaysia and 15 in Indonesia are awaiting execution after they had been convicted on drug related offences in the two countries just as one Chijioke Stephen Obioha was executed in Singapore yesterday.</div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p1" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> Drug offences in those countries carry the death penalty.</div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> It was reliably learnt from sources in the Malaysian Embassy that the Malaysia government had repeatedly complained to the Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria of what had become almost an epidemic proportion of Nigerians who traffic in the deadly cargo but all appear to have fallen on deaf ears as the number of arrests had been on a steady increase.</div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> Last week, Indonesia executed another Nigerian without fanfare as was contained in notes exchanged when Nigeria’s drug law agency officials visited Indonesia recently.</div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> Obioha’s execution was inspite of global cries and appeals which followed the failure of his appeal to their apex court after conviction. The apex court threw out his final appeal.</div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="m_-9000094875893342584gmail-p2" style="text-align: justify;"> Malaysia complained that the new tactics that the Nigerians were using to traffic and vend hard drugs was through chat groups on social media.</div>

81 More Nigerians On Death Row In Malaysia, 15 In Indonesia For Drug Offences

81 more Nigerians in Malaysia and 15 in Indonesia are awaiting execution after they had been convicted on drug related offences in th...

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Bobrisky arrested and detained in Lagos, for allegedly beating up a girl

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_4QrfA6QmYy274gPEZknW9B-JyLr0Lw_5Vf-59XTQ2bOJ1wI7TidVGbBGszSBVR-vi-794i0zc4X-tx67mmxzokbIWZW1dimvWFS7Q1jeojaXuDwDwwTkxHUpvhuQW-tkqEPHd6rZ1U/s1600/Bobrisky+arrested+and+detained+in+Lagos%252C+for+allegedly+beating+up+a+girl+whom+he+thought+was+taking+his+pictures.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_4QrfA6QmYy274gPEZknW9B-JyLr0Lw_5Vf-59XTQ2bOJ1wI7TidVGbBGszSBVR-vi-794i0zc4X-tx67mmxzokbIWZW1dimvWFS7Q1jeojaXuDwDwwTkxHUpvhuQW-tkqEPHd6rZ1U/s640/Bobrisky+arrested+and+detained+in+Lagos%252C+for+allegedly+beating+up+a+girl+whom+he+thought+was+taking+his+pictures.png" style="display: inline;" width="640" /></a></div> Nigerian bleaching specialist, Bobrisky, has been arrested and detained by the Lagos State police for an alleged assault on a girl.<br /> <br /> Instablog9ja<b> </b>reported that he beat up the victim because he thought she was taking pictures of him<br /> <br /> An image posted on Instagram showed Bobrisky looking sober.<br /> <br /> In another picture, it was also believed that he was put in a police vehicle supposedly from the scene of the assault.

Bobrisky arrested and detained in Lagos, for allegedly beating up a girl

Nigerian bleaching specialist, Bobrisky, has been arrested and detained by the Lagos State police for an alleged assault on a girl. In...

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Nigeria would never win the trophy, there is issue of bribery and favouritism - Dalung

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOC6xkSDKPYrAPKjhXcRnFqrA7IsI6Ulf5KcRvq1xEFMP3gC1CdsW5bCFc7CHj0SLsrXKal43i5Hde97tckaEREtUyZF_8Yh7YIsnsmg7PVtoqgyYrrpceo00yb4rW0UfxI3Rkw9_7DuY/s1600/Solomon-Dalung-426x328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOC6xkSDKPYrAPKjhXcRnFqrA7IsI6Ulf5KcRvq1xEFMP3gC1CdsW5bCFc7CHj0SLsrXKal43i5Hde97tckaEREtUyZF_8Yh7YIsnsmg7PVtoqgyYrrpceo00yb4rW0UfxI3Rkw9_7DuY/s320/Solomon-Dalung-426x328.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Solomon Dalung, Minister of Sport and Youth Development yesterday stunned all when he told the Voice of America that he was against Nigeria’s participation at the World Cup.<br /> <br /> Dalung, a lawyer by training, said Nigeria should be content with playing at the Nations Cup, Olympics, Commonwealth Games.<br /> <br /> According to Dalung, “The cup that we can win is the African Cup of Nations. There is nothing again that will take us to another man’s balcony in the name of the World Cup. We already have the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. For these, we can attend such meets. But I am opposed to the World Cup. We don’t agree to it. Conspiracy in the World Cup is too much,” he said, a statement that could upset the world governing body, FIFA. He was not done.<br /> <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “There is the issue of bribery and favouritism. There is also the issue of corruption before you are even given the hosting rights. We are here suffering from hunger and we don’t have money for such things. That is why, even if we try many times, once it gets into the politics of the game, we can never win.<br /> </blockquote> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “That was why this year, we had to tackle him (FIFA President, Ginani Infantino) and we said, ‘you , Infantino, if you win this election, you have to give us a position. If not, we shall not agree.’ And you see , by the grace of God, he even picked an African as his Secretary-General.  That means he has started taking honey and rubbing on our lips. That means that one day, we shall get to really lick the honey.”</blockquote>

Nigeria would never win the trophy, there is issue of bribery and favouritism - Dalung

Solomon Dalung, Minister of Sport and Youth Development yesterday stunned all when he told the Voice of America that he was against Nige...

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Eyitayo Jegede Calls For Calm Over Appeal Court Verdict

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuYs9kGpLQqR4xOWh4HHFxdKVNgl80y_L6-FxZ0a_V_uZ6jvrGZp4vuMImZIj3WNm7h0PDkpBB4nMWLWkjwmkjHi2xLlDYohyAPdkbeJflxmlGC1lPUVozwvNTqFWnC-CYdLicWZ5h6_1/s1600/Eyitayo-Jegede.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuYs9kGpLQqR4xOWh4HHFxdKVNgl80y_L6-FxZ0a_V_uZ6jvrGZp4vuMImZIj3WNm7h0PDkpBB4nMWLWkjwmkjHi2xLlDYohyAPdkbeJflxmlGC1lPUVozwvNTqFWnC-CYdLicWZ5h6_1/s640/Eyitayo-Jegede.png" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 26, 2016 Governorship election in Ondo state, Eyitayo Jegede SAN has called for calm among his supporters following the decision of the Appeal Court Justices sitting on party’s governorship candidate tussle to adjourn its judgment earlier scheduled for today.<br /> <br /> The three man appellate justices headed by Justice Ibrahim Salauwa had announced to the parties that some set of applicants who had before now submitted a petition against the previous panel, had again filed a motion against the new panel at the Supreme Court seeking to stop further proceedings in relation to all matters touching on the Ondo State PDP governorship candidature.<br /> <br /> It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal had fixed Friday 18th November 2016 to deliver judgment in respect of an appeal filed by Eyitayo Jegede SAN against the decision of Hon. Justice Okon Abang of the  Federal High Court  Abuja which ordered the substitution of his name with that of Jimoh Ibrahim for the Ondo November Governorship Election.<br /> <br /> Jegede in a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of his Campaign Organization, Kayode Fasua said he was not unmindful of the fact that the temporary setback is the handiwork of some anti-democratic elements hell bent on truncating his mandate for the November 26, 2016 polls.<br />  source: <a href="http://leadership.ng/news/560143/ondo-guber-jegede-calls-for-calm-over-appeal-court-verdict?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter" target="_blank">Ledershipng </a>

Eyitayo Jegede Calls For Calm Over Appeal Court Verdict

The factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 26, 2016 Governorship election in Ondo state, Eyitayo Jege...

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Mr Ibu has Identify with Atiku's Vision 2019, Says "Atiku Is A God Sent To Humanity"

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFNvW1u2CBaVTf_Zn7sOFypkgrm4tOdqx6uPHcvhpoAfCNUbkeRd3e7XQ0qW1obp-mi_tTrN5SvZKH42l3QNa3dVal4WSzcvqbXw7Z3ebtU45S7IE5p6RzVongyRB_Aps_U_tS-lj7lc1/s1600/John-Okafor-and-Atiku-Abubakar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFNvW1u2CBaVTf_Zn7sOFypkgrm4tOdqx6uPHcvhpoAfCNUbkeRd3e7XQ0qW1obp-mi_tTrN5SvZKH42l3QNa3dVal4WSzcvqbXw7Z3ebtU45S7IE5p6RzVongyRB_Aps_U_tS-lj7lc1/s640/John-Okafor-and-Atiku-Abubakar.png" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> John Okafor, the popular Nollywood comic actor, popularly called Mr. Ibu has said that Nigeria’s former Vice President, <strong>Atiku </strong>Abubakar is a “god sent to humanity”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Okafor shared on his Instagram account @realmribu on Friday that the formal VP of Nigeria is a God sent to humanity.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Read his caption below... </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <div style="text-align: justify;">  “Atiku Abubakar is a God sent to humanity. He keeps saving souls from pains.”</div> </blockquote>

Mr Ibu has Identify with Atiku's Vision 2019, Says "Atiku Is A God Sent To Humanity"

John Okafor, the popular Nollywood comic actor, popularly called Mr. Ibu has said that Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar ...

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NNPC About To Commence Production Of Aviation FueI In P/Harcourt

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhC1mZ0grWjsTh6X_Vu77XI5O9L4EPJqZn9K6oHgdFltab7kNBGG4DwY7Mu2Wqqqy6YWwOYzAbBfNXCAU-KgUW2OaXhCz56yRNOn2AG6x8q77TRNggBZIyaEqtHPads3HlW_BLgqF_dZx/s1600/nnpc2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhC1mZ0grWjsTh6X_Vu77XI5O9L4EPJqZn9K6oHgdFltab7kNBGG4DwY7Mu2Wqqqy6YWwOYzAbBfNXCAU-KgUW2OaXhCz56yRNOn2AG6x8q77TRNggBZIyaEqtHPads3HlW_BLgqF_dZx/s640/nnpc2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The Managing Director of PHRC, Dr. Bafred Enjugu, who disclosed this in a presentation made to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, during an official tour of the 210, 000 barrels per day facility, said the refinery has met all the international parameters for the production of aviation fuel.<br /> <br /> This is part of efforts the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to reposition company for profitability in line with the 12-point agenda. <br /> <br /> “The good news from our stand point is that we have scored 24 out of the 24 parameters for the production of aviation fuel and I must say that this is made possible because of the never-give-up attitude of workers of the great PHRC,” he said.<br /> <br /> Dr. Enjugu said the refinery has successfully blended ATK and was only waiting for appropriate conditions to commence full scale production of the product in response to demand of the aviation sector.<br /> <br /> He said at a town hall meeting with staff members of the refinery that...<br /> <br /> <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “We cannot under-estimate the importance of refining because that is our identity and we shall do whatever it takes to ensure that your two plants are running at all times and work to tackle whatever could militate against your achieving set targets and objectives,”</blockquote>

NNPC About To Commence Production Of Aviation FueI In P/Harcourt

The Managing Director of PHRC, Dr. Bafred Enjugu, who disclosed this in a presentation made to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. ...

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No one in my family has ever lived up to 70 - Atiku

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yeHY3f9a8Z3n-8XCRhUROTfuKLvSEb1mCwMdc9ty_ms2XBeZOEwM7j31ACqjabtZSsAeZnmZbJcK2qKZTGjko_GpJll3LGSwWLL9bdFtDrNN9vjs9RAkxa9SxsAVlHS1MSRFeH-3v-3z/s1600/AtikuOfficial-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4yeHY3f9a8Z3n-8XCRhUROTfuKLvSEb1mCwMdc9ty_ms2XBeZOEwM7j31ACqjabtZSsAeZnmZbJcK2qKZTGjko_GpJll3LGSwWLL9bdFtDrNN9vjs9RAkxa9SxsAVlHS1MSRFeH-3v-3z/s640/AtikuOfficial-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President on Thursday revealed that non of his family member has ever reached the age of 70.<br /> <br /> The former Vice President would clock 70 on November 25th. Atiku disclosed this when he spoke at a surprise birthday party organised for him by students of his private school, American University of Nigeria Academy and Primary schools.<br /> <br /> <br /> He said...<br /> <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “It is a milestone in my life because nobody in my family has ever lived up to 70 years”</blockquote> </blockquote>

No one in my family has ever lived up to 70 - Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President on Thursday revealed that non of his family member has ever reached the age of 70. The former Vi...

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Luis Enrique Dismisses Messi Move Speculations

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaSIXDWyn6a4Cc7vUx6HFC7uuezKITH7pxzjMWV0YSs5pdZtfrrDs5wseL06J9S4TnoVHS_YxJq9PKfJIXK7-qh753vAgtKVFWFO-LkMFR_J6LAfOPyYywxk_JUPivTl-XBD4l4CSOa8Y/s1600/luis-enrique.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyaSIXDWyn6a4Cc7vUx6HFC7uuezKITH7pxzjMWV0YSs5pdZtfrrDs5wseL06J9S4TnoVHS_YxJq9PKfJIXK7-qh753vAgtKVFWFO-LkMFR_J6LAfOPyYywxk_JUPivTl-XBD4l4CSOa8Y/s640/luis-enrique.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> FC Barcelona boss, Luis Enrique insists Lionel Messi will remain at the Catalan giants for many years to come, but was less explicit over his own future when quizzed on Friday.<br /> <br /> FC Barcelona President, Josep Maria Bartomeu claimed on Thursday that he remained confident the 29-year-old would end his career at the Camp Nou, despite having just 18 months left on his contract.<br /> <br /> “I also imagine that Leo Messi will remain for many years at Barca,” said Enrique ahead of his side’s clash at home to Malaga on Saturday.<br /> <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <i>“It would be beautiful for a player that left his homeland at such a young age and with such hope that he could finish his career as undoubtedly the best player of all-time at the club that gave him the opportunity.</i><br /> <i>“For me it would be the perfect story.”</i></blockquote> <br /> After extending Neymar’s deal to 2021, Barca hope to tie down Luis Suarez to a long-term contract before concluding a new deal with Messi.<br /> <br /> However, there has been no such rush to extend Enrique’s deal, which expires at the end of the season, despite an impressive haul of eight trophies in just over two seasons in charge.<br /> <br /> “I have suddenly lost my imagination,” he replied when pressed over whether he saw his own future at the Camp Nou beyond the end of the season.<br /> <br />

Luis Enrique Dismisses Messi Move Speculations

FC Barcelona boss, Luis Enrique insists Lionel Messi will remain at the Catalan giants for many years to come, but was less explicit ove...

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Falz and Adesua Etomi to host Headies 2016 Award

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUK-ZsU8BvkkGLLwEGcOwymBdPS_bI8HRtXO88L_HDNeBpuCV96QgYvh5X-NenX2rkYxySlzQHt45s5CSVNyreNA038McHrSe63sVBq-VXEQYgDEtc0TgcrgHLsLeWkW5CdPEEyNr_PJff/s1600/falz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUK-ZsU8BvkkGLLwEGcOwymBdPS_bI8HRtXO88L_HDNeBpuCV96QgYvh5X-NenX2rkYxySlzQHt45s5CSVNyreNA038McHrSe63sVBq-VXEQYgDEtc0TgcrgHLsLeWkW5CdPEEyNr_PJff/s640/falz.jpg" width="510" /></a></div> <br /> The headies 2016 award organisers have announced Falz the bad guy and Adesua Etomi as the hosts for this year's Headies Award.<br /> <br /> Falz and Adesua Etomi both shared the video of the announcement on their Instagram.<br /> <br /> The date, time and venue  of the event is yet to be announced. iBasam will keep you posted when that is out.<br /> No mic drops this time please!...lol

Falz and Adesua Etomi to host Headies 2016 Award

The headies 2016 award organisers have announced Falz the bad guy and Adesua Etomi as the hosts for this year's Headies Award. Falz...

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Some National APC Leaders May Leave Party Soon – APC Chieftain

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-igaRvpTgaMZJefCKvEWAUOPkX-LvIBhzWVlYIJmdv6VaXKHxsFFxfxlI7qhHBUbdIC1ZelrgYygdEHiY5CYgJA7OOjac3FkbnNyK0f59Ri9dB0L-mzz6Z5kgq0-9kJ_BO_UBXWbuAW2I/s1600/ap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-igaRvpTgaMZJefCKvEWAUOPkX-LvIBhzWVlYIJmdv6VaXKHxsFFxfxlI7qhHBUbdIC1ZelrgYygdEHiY5CYgJA7OOjac3FkbnNyK0f59Ri9dB0L-mzz6Z5kgq0-9kJ_BO_UBXWbuAW2I/s640/ap.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Jackson Lekan Ojo, National Coordinator of the Yoruba Youth Alliance (YYA) and member of the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS). In this interview with CHIBUZO UKAIBE, he spoke on some pressing national issues ranging from speculations around the emergence of a new political party, the state of the economy and Niger Delta situation.<br /> <br /> <b>It seems things are no longer moving in Nigeria the way they should, considering the current state of the nation’s economy.  What is the way forward?</b><br /> <br /> Honestly, we are gradually collapsing as a nation.  Enough of blaming the last administration. It is time we forge ahead. This is almost two years of this administration and there is almost nothing visible on ground that we can call an achievement. I am one of the few Nigerians that have been saying that President Buhari is building a very solid foundation for a strong edifice called a better Nigeria  but using two years out of four years to build a foundation is not a good calculation. APC as a party is not in charge as Mr President and few relatively unknown persons are in charge whereas, those known as political and administrative giants in the party have been ignored and sidelined.<br /> The voices of those that would have contributed to the economic revival of this nation have been silenced. The ministers and advisers are pseudo appointees as most of them have no clue as to what is required of their offices. Most of the machinery running this government are just catapulted to the position of authority and they are doing on-the job training, this is inimical to the growth of our country. A situation where you call on a trainee doctor to revive a dying patient, what do you expect as result? My advise to Mr President is this; let Mr President run an all inclusive government even if he is limiting it to his party members only. Appointing only those that are close to him irrespective of their knowledge, skills and or experience will further aggravate our economic problems as a nation. Nigerians are not happy at all and fighting corruption has almost lost any relevance. There are only high profile arrests, no prosecution or conviction. Our fight against corruption is almost becoming  a laughing stock.<br /> <br /> <strong>There are indications that some APC national leaders and their loyalists may float a new political party ahead of 2019 if the current crisis in the APC is not resolved. What is the truth?</strong><br /> <br /> Yes, it is possible for them to go out of the party if they are no longer getting the level of respect they deserve. Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar are the two major political giants we have today in Nigeria and they are the engine room of the ruling party, the APC. By the time their views and pieces of advice are no longer welcomed in the party they co-founded, it means the key to the exit door has been given to them. But on a more serious note, if Tinubu and Atiku desert APC as a political party today, the multiplier effect of their exit will leave the party virtually empty. They are not truly involved in this government. How many nominees do they have in the pseudo cabinet of this government or how many board members and chairmen are their nominees? This government wouldn’t have been in place if the ideas and views of these two men were ignored during the formation of the consortium called APC. They contributed energies, finances and it was their political dexterity that brought about the present administration of Buhari.<br /> But it is crystal clear that the two leaders may form alliance with an existing political party and they will coast home to victory in 2019. The political structure, especially in the presidency, mainly in the Northern Nigeria, may have been hijacked by some political jobbers. If President Buhari does not wade to this building imbroglio in the APC, it may not help this administration as a lot of people will work against his government. President Buhari should call all the leaders in the party and listen to them and let them suggest to him what should be done to rebuild a better Nigeria. Buhari as an individual mean well for this country. I recommend the sack of most of his ministers and for the party to be allowed to have contribution in the formation of a new and better cabinet.<br /> <br /> <strong>Do you think some aggrieved chieftains in the PDP are also part of the ‘secret’ arrangement?  </strong><br /> Yes, the so-called reconciliation in the PDP cannot be productive. The party is already polarised beyond repairs, the factions you are seen today are like two parallel lines that can never come together for any reason. There will be an emergence of another political party that is sponsored by some faction of the PDP and some disgruntled elements from some other political parties. I am too sure that a mega party will emerge very soon. PDP will remain but those that make things happen will no longer be members. Alignment and re-alignments are going on now and PDP may be badly affected and if the ongoing crisis in my great party, the APC is not swiftly controlled, some giants will also jump out of APC to another party. PDP is divided into two major factions today and they can’t come together but very soon, one faction may join force with the APC to outdo the other faction.<br /> <br /> <strong>President Buhari’s Ambassadorial list has generated concerns nationwide with the APC governors writing to the President. What are the wrongs in the list? </strong><br /> Why won’t the presidency consult with the APC governors and some top lawmaker’s and other eminent Nigerians before the nomination? Ambassadors are the representatives of Nigeria, in the various countries of the world and we cannot as a nation, send a mediocre to represent us just because the person is selected by someone close to the President. Presidency has killed the principle of supremacy of the party by making appointments all alone without the party. I support  the Senate’s rejection of most of these relatively unknown personalities in the diplomatic world.<br /> <br /> <strong>What do you make of Senate rejection of President Buhari’s proposed external borrowing of $29.9bn?</strong><br /> The Senate’s rejection of Buhari’s external borrowing is not for the good of this country. They rejected not just because the executive did not attach the breakdown of how and what they want to spend the money on but because President Buhari did not corner the Senate to agree on a deal and the sharing formula if the money is approved. Nigerians should watch out, we will all be surprised that the same Senate will approve it whenever the President is ready to play games with them.<br /> <br /> <strong>Governor Nasiru el-Rufai of Kaduna State has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is already running for 2019 presidency. What is the implication of this?</strong><br /> Governor el-Rufai proves or claim superiority over any other person. Atiku brought the Kaduna governor to the political limelight when he was the head of economic team as vice president under Obasanjo. If you flash back during Obasanjo’s administration, the same governor made many vituperations against Buhari. Atiku should be calm to reply el-Rufai ‘s political outburst. If for instance, Atiku becomes president in the future, he el-Rufai will celebrate him. What is wrong in Atiku or any other Nigerian Politician strategizing for 2019 presidency now? Honestly, the attack on Atiku over his political direction which is yet to be disclosed is going to boomerang as people are not happy with the present state of affairs. By the time people allign and realigned and people like Atiku leave this party and some other political heavyweights join forces against the government, there will be too much pressure for the government to concentrate. Look at the situation on ground where the ruling party controls the majority in the National Assembly and requests from the Executive are being rejected, all is not well. I also advise governors to concentrate and govern their states. Atiku is more than qualified for the first office in Nigeria and when the time comes, Nigerians  will speak, if he decides to contest. Buhari needs the likes of Atiku and others to put heads together and remove Nigerians from this economic situation.<br /> <br /> <strong>What is your assessment of the current security situation in the country?      </strong><br /> Boko Haram is gradually going into extinction but I believe we must not relent in our efforts until the sect members are totally crushed in the land.  The Niger-Delta Avengers kind of insecurity is a big threat to our economy and we cannot afford to allow this last for a long time but we have to be tactical the way we handle them because they are not terrorists, they can be called upon for negotiations. We cannot war-war with them we can only jaw-jaw with them. Finally, President Buhari should quickly proffer solution to the high level of poverty in the land because nothing promotes insecurity anywhere in the world than poverty. When people have no options than to take to self help, it is the mother of all insecurity. But I know Buhari is working to stop all these and we all need to support him and it shall be well with this country again soon and very soonest.<br /> <br /> <strong>The Niger-Delta elders recently made a 16-point request from the federal as conditions for peace. Are your comfortable with these demands?</strong><br /> The 16-point request from the leaders of Niger-Delta is not too much. We should understand that all is not well in that area and people must cry out. I don’t support the way the Avengers are blowing up oil pipelines but some people believe that they have to revolt over the situation in the region. The requests have been made and the federal government must begin to look into them. Let the FG begin with employment of the ex-militants that were trained by the former administration.  Invite the leadership of the various militant groups and make a promise to them directly because most of the elders there have lost the confidence of the militants.<br /> <br />

Some National APC Leaders May Leave Party Soon – APC Chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Jackson Lekan Ojo, National Coordinator of the Yoruba Youth Alliance (YYA) an...

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Nigerian DSTV subscribers have always paid lower rates - DStv

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TSOi-W72CWocsfBreOJNY8COfbX6giDf0Kk-dJP9xiEF-woVoxqzuHcrEgsVfW5nP5CxHHzp-N-1FgLah_bppFOHNRC_C1oiMkvZBwPefhXsCm9hAuZyLYj1LegFsNMXmdGX1kI8BOA3/s1600/dstv.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TSOi-W72CWocsfBreOJNY8COfbX6giDf0Kk-dJP9xiEF-woVoxqzuHcrEgsVfW5nP5CxHHzp-N-1FgLah_bppFOHNRC_C1oiMkvZBwPefhXsCm9hAuZyLYj1LegFsNMXmdGX1kI8BOA3/s640/dstv.png" width="640" /></a></div> MultiChoice (DStv) Nigeria has described as misleading and inaccurate recent media reports accusing it of unfairness to Nigerian subscribers.<br /> In the last few weeks, there have been media reports purporting that MultiChoice effected a 20 per cent slash in DStv subscription in countries which it operates, leaving out Nigeria and South Africa.<br /> In a statement signed by Caroline Oghuma, Public Relations Manager, DStv, the company said that subscription rates across countries are easily verified, and that all the facts are on the internet for all to see.<br /> While admitting that DStv bouquet subscriptions were slashed in other countries, as reported, she explained that reduction was way below the 20 per cent claimed by the authors of the reports.<br /> On the exclusion of Nigeria from the list of countries affected by the slash, Oghuma said Nigerian DStv subscribers have always paid lower rates than subscribers in the affected countries and, despite the recent reduction, still pay lower.<br /> “For two years, prices were not increased in Nigeria until April, 2015. Even when they were increased, they remained substantially lower than in other countries.<br /> MultiChoice made a decision to absorb costs on behalf of the Nigerian subscriber because the company recognizes that the country is passing through a difficult economic phase,” she explained.<br /> On the agitation for “pay-as-you-view”, Oghuma said there is no such model in pay-television, blaming the demand on misinformation, which makes the public confuse pay-as-you-view with pay-per-view (PPV).<br /> Pay-per-view, she explained, is a model used in the telecast of one-off, usually, high-ticket events in sports and entertainment.<br /> She said the pay-per-view requires a subscriber to have an active subscription on top of which an amount is paid for the specific event the subscriber desires to watch on pay-per-view.<br /> “A good example of this was last year’s world boxing title bout between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. The two-hour fight was exclusively on pay-per-view in the United States, where boxing fans paid $99.5 to watch the fight in addition to having an active subscription. In Nigeria, boxing fans watched it on DStv’s SuperSport as part of their Premium bouquet. Pay-per-view is considerably more expensive and is for one-off events,” she said.<br /> She added that the company remains committed to providing improved services and customer-focused initiatives because it values its subscribers.<br /> Recently, she said, the company made available toll-free lines on all the mobile telephone networks in the country to ensure that subscribers can reach its call centres at no cost when they have issues with the service.<br /> The operating hours at its call centres, she further said, have been extended and is now 8am to 9pm daily, including on weekends and public holidays.<br /> In addition, Oghuma said, MultiChoice is the first pay-TV service provider to allow customers to switch off their accounts for seven days twice a year when they are not at home. The company also announced the Nigerian Television International (NTAi) channel as the Free-to-Air channel for subscribers when their subscription expires.<br /> “These initiatives received a nod of approval from the Consumer Protection Council (CPC),” she concluded.

Nigerian DSTV subscribers have always paid lower rates - DStv

MultiChoice (DStv) Nigeria has described as misleading and inaccurate recent media reports accusing it of unfairness to Nigerian subscri...

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Court of Appeal suspends judgment in PDP disputes in Ondo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="image-container" itemprop="image" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a class="irc_mil i3597 iPbY5ZOs2c5M-zixyDjKkw5M" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwi6nOHk-bPQAhUBWBoKHRv8C9AQjRwIBw" href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/pdp-tamed-opposition/" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for pdp" class="irc_mi iPbY5ZOs2c5M-pQOPx8XEepE" height="464" src="http://d19lga30codh7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PDP-rally-ok.jpg" style="margin-top: 73px;" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="irc_mimg irc_hic iPbY5ZOs2c5M-lvVgf-rIiHk"> </div> </div> <br /> <br />  Abuja Division of the Appeal Court on Friday suspended all pending matters relating to the ongoing judicial battle for an Ondo State governorship ticket, pending the determination of applications at the Supreme Court.<br /> A three-member panel of justices at the appellate court, led by Ibrahim Salauwa, gave the ruling in a brief session on Friday.<br /> Mr. Salauwa noted that the matter had been affected by unfavourable motions from the applicants at the apex court; and the panel set up to address the crisis, under his leadership, would not want to further complicate the matter.<br /> “We will await the decision of the Supreme Court in all the processes; no matter what they are worth.<br /> “We hereby rule that this matter and other matters awaiting decision by this court are hereby adjourned sine-die pending the decision of the apex court,” said Mr. Salauwa.<br /> The appellate court had planned deciding on the authentic candidate to represent the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State.<br /> Two candidates, Jimoh Ibrahim and Eyitayo Jegede, both from the PDP had emerged from different factions of the party for the election.<br /> While Mr. Ibrahim emerged candidate from the faction led by former Borno State governor, Ali Sheriff, Mr. Jegede was picked to be flag-bearer of the party from the camp led by Ahmed Makarfi.<br /> The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Okon Abang had on October 14 ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognise Mr. Ibrahim as PDP’s flag-bearer in the election.<br /> Mr. Abang’s decision was based on a previous judgement delivered by his court on June 29, where a faction of the PDP led by Mr. Sheriff was recognised as the authentic camp of the PDP.<br /> Subsequently Mr. Jegede approached the appellate court with a request that it sets aside the decision of the lower court.<br /> When the case was slated for hearing and determination on November 1, a factional chairman of the party from Mr. Sheriff’s camp, Biyi Poroye, accused the former panel led by Jummai Sankey of corruption leading to the introduction of a new panel led by Mr. Salauwa.<br /> Dissatisfied with the decision of the Appeal Court President, Zainab Bulkachuwa in setting up a new panel, Mr. Poroye’s lawyer Beluolisah Nwofor asked that the panel be dissolved.<br /> When the application was refused, he approached the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the appellate court and demanded that the Appeal Court stays proceeding pending his application at the apex court.<br /> In his ruling on Friday, Mr. Salauwa said his panel had taken all its previous decisions in the interest of justice and felt it was only right to suspend sitting, given the current application at the apex court.<br /> With Friday’s decision, Mr. Ibrahim remains the authentic candidate of the PDP for the election.

Court of Appeal suspends judgment in PDP disputes in Ondo

 Abuja Division of the Appeal Court on Friday suspended all pending matters relating to the ongoing judicial battle for an Ondo S...

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your husband death is the will of God – Kogi governor’s wife to Lt. Abu-Ali’s widow

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="abu-ali-wife" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="548" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Abu-Ali-Wife.jpg" width="822" /> </div> The wife of Late Lt Col Muhammad Abu Ali, Mrs Abu Ali has been urged to submit to the will of God concerning the loss of her husband.<br /> <br /> Wife of the Executive Governor of Kogi State, Her Excellency, Mrs Rashida Bello gave the advice during a visit to the wife of Late Lt Col Muhammed today with the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Arike Ayoade and the Honourable Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Bolanle Amupitan and wife of the Accountant General of Kogi State, Mrs Momoh.<br /> <br /> While Mrs Rashida Bello observed with regret that Lt Co Muhammed was still a young man at the time we lost him, she consoled Mrs Abu Ali that the Late Army officer had lived a life of purpose and died for a worthy cause, adding that he is one citizen that Nigerians will never forget as he spent his life time pursuing the safety of the Nigerian citizenry.<br /> <br /> Mrs Abu Ali who expressed her appreciation to Mrs Rashida Bello, Kogi State government, the people of Kogi State and Nigerians for identifying with her at this trying period, also expressed hope and prayed that the Boko Haram insurgence would soon become a thing of the past.<br /> <br /> In a related development, Mrs Rashida Bello expressed her condolences to the mother of the slain soldier Hajia Ali, encouraged her to hold unto her faith, and prayed for the protection of God on other members of the family.<br /> <br /> Mrs Rashida Bello called on family, friends, and relatives to rally round Mrs Abu Ali to help ease the pain of this terrible loss and prayed God to grant Late Col Abu Ali Aljannan Fridaus.

your husband death is the will of God – Kogi governor’s wife to Lt. Abu-Ali’s widow

The wife of Late Lt Col Muhammad Abu Ali, Mrs Abu Ali has been urged to submit to the will of God con...

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My Relationship With Rodgers Was a Disaster - Balotelli

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="i" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="415" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/i-1.jpg" width="738" /> </div> <div dir="ltr"> Italian striker, Mario Balotelli during the summer left Liverpool on a free transfer to Nice in France after a loan spell at AC Milan and has scored six goals already, helping the southern club to the top of French Ligue 1.<br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a> Although the striker was overlooked by the Italian national team selectors in the Europeans series of Russia 2018 qualifiers, he returned to Milan on Tuesday to watch Italy face Germany.<br /> The striker known for his arrogance both on and off the pitch, has played for Inter Milan, Manchester City, Milan and Liverpool by the age of 26.<br /> He told Gazzetta dello Sport about his coaches, and described his relationship with former manager at Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers as a disaster.<br /> He said, “In truth, I had the biggest disappointment with Rodgers. I enjoyed myself with him in training but our relationship was a disaster.<br /> “For me, the one most on the ball remains Mancini: fantastic, I owe him so much.<br /> “In second place I put (Lucien) Favre (of Nice) with (Jose) Mourinho: the Portuguese is talented and motivated, it is a pity that we had a falling out.<br /> “The worst? Not Klopp, I am not angry with him. If he has created a certain situation at Liverpool, maybe he should have had more patience with me.<br /> The 26-year-old was signed by Liverpool after the sale of Luis Suarez in 2014, but managed only one League goal for Rodgers before loaned out to Milan the following summer.<br /> Balotelli, who said he will always be available for Italy, is enjoying his time on the Cote d’Azur, with Nice currently topping Ligue 1.<br /> “Now I am calm.<br /> “There is less pressure, clearly. Some autographs, nothing more,” he added.</div>

My Relationship With Rodgers Was a Disaster - Balotelli

Italian striker, Mario Balotelli during the summer left Liverpool on a free transfer to Nice in Fran...

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Fayose urges ICC, Amnesty International to look into Shi’ites killings.

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="fayose1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="342" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Fayose1.jpg" width="609" /> </div> Governor of Ekiti Ayodele Fayose, says the killing of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) should be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Amnesty International (AI), <em>Daily Trust </em>reports.<br /> <br /> Fayose who spoke on Thursday through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said, “The murder of over 300 Nigerians, who are members of the IMN in one day and their burial in mass graves, as well as continuous murder of the Shi’ite sect should attract the attention of the ICC.”<br /> <br /> He queried the use of firearms by the police during the recent clash in Kano, saying, “Under international human rights law governing the use of firearms during policing operations, the intentional use of lethal force is only permitted when strictly unavoidable, to protect life.”<br /> <br /> Fayose said the detention of Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the sect since last December as unacceptable.<br /> <br /> “In a month time, it will be exactly one year since Ibrahim Zakzaky was arrested and detained without trial. This is unacceptable in a democratic society where there should be strict adherence to the rule of law.”<br /> <br /> He added, “Democracy guarantees freedom of religion, movement, association, opinions and thoughts. It is, however, worrisome that inspite of these inalienable rights, members of the Shi’ite Muslim sect are still being persecuted and alienated.<br /> <br /> “Therefore, the ICC, Amnesty International and other relevant international organisations must intervene in the killings of the Shi’ite Muslim group with the aim of bringing those found culpable to justice, thereby putting a permanent stop to the inhuman acts,” the governor said.

Fayose urges ICC, Amnesty International to look into Shi’ites killings.

Governor of Ekiti Ayodele Fayose, says the killing of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN...

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Abike Dabiri: Execution of a Nigerian in Singapore, heartbreaking

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a class="irc_mil i3597 iEwIosJOZihY-zixyDjKkw5M" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwiskZOvyq_QAhXEPhQKHXOxBwYQjRwIBw" href="http://www.247nigerianewsupdate.co/2016/11/drug-trafficking-singapore-confirms.html" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for Chijioke Obioha" class="irc_mi iEwIosJOZihY-pQOPx8XEepE" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwYjzS5DQIUBVee2ecKbHOZGUG9QXv7tmKPP3tOp-5mnCHT3pnNR1-3ijO9UQLOpkdfwQRTHEOPOPWxvgkNpFp7WE4Gay9terxx1nQY9k4nNm8F19A-0a7z8O64Ddqt-ON9Vqjtfa5Cvv/s640/79397-f19b359e021d4413278fcbb887a88464.jpg" style="margin-top: 85px;" width="640" /></a></div> The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa has described the execution of a Nigerian in Singapore on Friday for drug related offences as heartbreaking.<br /> <br /> In a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun in Abuja said that the planned execution was heartbreaking despite repeated warnings to Nigerians to obey the laws of the land of their host countries.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Dabiri-Erewa said since Singapore determined to enforce its laws as a deterrent to drug trafficking, which has reduced as a result of its stringent capital punishment , nothing much can be done </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">"While we regret the death of the Nigerian, we once again appeal to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug trafficking with most countries especially in Asia declaring zero tolerance for drug trafficking.", Dabiri-Erewa stated.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">She reiterated her appeal to Nigerians to avoid drug peddling in their host countries as laws of countries, whether acceptable or not, will be difficult to influence.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Nigerian, Chijoke Obioha was caught in Singapore trafficking in hard drugs on December 30, 2008 with his execution slated for Friday November 18.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Obioha was arrested with more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams presumed as drug trafficking in Singapore on April 9, 2007</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The Amnesty International had called on Singapore to immediately halt Friday’s planned execution of Chijoke Stephen Obioha, a Nigerian national on death row for possession of drugs.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obioha’s family was informed that his appeal for clemency has been rejected. </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rafendi Djamin, Amnesty International’s Director for South-East Asia and the Pacific, said: “The Singapore government still has time to halt the execution of Chijoke Stephen Obioha. We are dismayed that clemency has not been granted in his case, but remain hopeful that they won’t carry out this cruel and irreversible punishment against a person sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for a crime that should not even be punished by death. “</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">"The death penalty is never the solution. It will not rid Singapore of drugs. By executing people for drug-related offences, which do not meet the threshold of most serious crimes, Singapore is violating international law.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A Nigerian, Chijoke Obioha was caught in Singapore trafficking in hard drugs on December 30, 2008 with his execution slated for Friday November 18.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Obioha was arrested with more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams presumed as drug trafficking in Singapore on April 9, 2007.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under Singaporean law, when there is a presumption of drug possession and trafficking, the burden of proof shifts from the prosecutor to the defendant.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This violates the right to a fair trial by turning the presumption of innocence on its head. Drug-related offences do not meet the threshold of the “most serious crimes” to which the use of the death penalty must be restricted under international law. </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal"> <span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">International law also prohibits the imposition of the death penalty as a mandatory punishment and Amnesty International opposes the use of the death penalty outright, regardless of the crime. ####</span></div>

Abike Dabiri: Execution of a Nigerian in Singapore, heartbreaking

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa has described the execution of a ...

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HIV positive man who ‘had sex with 104 women and girls’ to face verdict this week

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="Eric Aniva" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="447" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Eric-Aniva.jpg" width="690" /> </div> A verdict is expected this week as a man with HIV who claimed he had sex with 104 women and girls as part of an “initiation ritual” faces trial.<br /> <br /> Eric Aniva, an HIV-positive Malawian man, who was arrested after he confessed to raping girls and women as part of sexual cleansing rituals in Malawi, will appear in court on Friday for his expected verdict.<br /> <br /> Aniva was taken into custody in southern Nsanje district after President Peter Mutharika ordered his arrest in July.<br /> <br /> In his confession in an interview with BBC, the notorious sex worker claimed he had sex with 104 women and girls as part of an ‘initiation ritual,’ despite being HIV positive.<br /> <br /> He had confessed that most of those he had sex with were girls, school-girls, and other just about 12 or 13 years old. He said he preferred them older, adding that he had sex with newly bereaved widows as part of the ‘cleansing ritual.’<br /> <br /> After his arrest, none of the girls he assaulted came forward to testify against him until two women provided evidences during his trial.<br /> <br /> Aniva who is also being charged with having sex with bereaved widows, which is outlawed under Malawi’s Gender Equality Act, will know his faith on Friday, November 18.<br /> <br /> If he is convicted, he would face possible jail terms, Nyasa Times? reports.

HIV positive man who ‘had sex with 104 women and girls’ to face verdict this week

A verdict is expected this week as a man with HIV who claimed he had sex with 104 women and girls as ...

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Toke Makinwa looks radiant on the cover of Essays of Africa magazine

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnm8Pt-jK1lQUFwsxedqGtN1zYtK51nxyjOBDM6SEyx6_V49KJAZhPckPOHrvOO8uIJ_4xIpT_b1I32Qw_fKB9Gq4XZioiGHiEtAGRvNZt5dhMWLbEtmpetrlA3MYV2DyP4p2HCcWK-MFr/s1600/toke2-322x220.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnm8Pt-jK1lQUFwsxedqGtN1zYtK51nxyjOBDM6SEyx6_V49KJAZhPckPOHrvOO8uIJ_4xIpT_b1I32Qw_fKB9Gq4XZioiGHiEtAGRvNZt5dhMWLbEtmpetrlA3MYV2DyP4p2HCcWK-MFr/s640/toke2-322x220.png" width="640" /></a></div> Toke Makinwa covers the  Essay of Africa magazine. The popular TV personality took to her twitter page to express her gratitude to the Essays of Africa magazine and to the people of South Africa for the love lavished on her. Read are tweets below....<br />    <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> Thank you South Africa  home of my twin <s>@</s><b>bonang_m</b>. You have shown me nothing but love. I'm on the Cover of <s>@</s><b>essaysofafrica</b> magazine</blockquote> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU-tBG3p-EuvBQ8B5kn-nF1_GNnkGNWjeUSfHVrkfEPcVGw7N4vPsABrSPe2Edl9NoaaK56fMVMWP3YFh33PoPr3FEViKMSltGPPqubfc8FYYGW5Rhpj_hu_dJfO0FybkQWHXW3qE1jze/s1600/toke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKU-tBG3p-EuvBQ8B5kn-nF1_GNnkGNWjeUSfHVrkfEPcVGw7N4vPsABrSPe2Edl9NoaaK56fMVMWP3YFh33PoPr3FEViKMSltGPPqubfc8FYYGW5Rhpj_hu_dJfO0FybkQWHXW3qE1jze/s640/toke.jpg" width="478" /></a></div>

Toke Makinwa looks radiant on the cover of Essays of Africa magazine

Toke Makinwa covers the  Essay of Africa magazine. The popular TV personality took to her twitter page to express her gratitude to the Es...

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Kaduna gets new Police Commissioner

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aU-KUj26NKJ9tZH2m-VZ0Q1OkB8czwDSkot5l4RV3efanx1Sv2JcmAVTqHREj9h4S17pGSoLUUg6ZOVGzoDYfl8CWlVHjJgX2e0Ci58FLGEr0_Hs-5TmoGBorRG6OICOwkS2ZiqTxuJ7/s1600/poli.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9aU-KUj26NKJ9tZH2m-VZ0Q1OkB8czwDSkot5l4RV3efanx1Sv2JcmAVTqHREj9h4S17pGSoLUUg6ZOVGzoDYfl8CWlVHjJgX2e0Ci58FLGEr0_Hs-5TmoGBorRG6OICOwkS2ZiqTxuJ7/s640/poli.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div> Agyole Abeh has been appointed as the new Kaduna State’s Commissioner of Police.<br /> <br /> Abeh, who assumed office on Nov. 14, took over from Mr Sanusi Lemu.<br /> <br /> The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Aliyu Usman, in a statement on Thursday said that the new CP hails from Ibi Local Government area of Taraba State.<br /> <br /> The new commissioner was enlisted in the service on January 1, 1984 as pioneer cadet inspector and was trained at the Police College in kaduna.<br /> <br /> Abeh holds a Bachelors Degree in Art (Philosophy) from University of Lagos and Advance Diploma in Law Enforcement Administration from same university.<br /> <br /> He also attended Intermediate Management Course at Centre of Excellence, Police Stability Concentrate Vincentia, Italy.<br /> <br /> Abeh attended Senior Leadership and Strategic Course, Police Staff College, Jos, and Senior Management Course in ASCON.

Kaduna gets new Police Commissioner

Agyole Abeh has been appointed as the new Kaduna State’s Commissioner of Police. Abeh, who assumed office on Nov. 14, took over from ...

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FG Begins Release of N100bn for Constituency Projects

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oHdFndYYRwNzzoONvrKasGIHDHSUo1lRx2MHm0RMK5x9Mcp7hE11UVB64iJdeqYRHnXtCOmW0uEa8Q9qLzIJ7fDB_B1pMiEhBDkdZ2JBiLWDGRcqkY2lrgR_LD5tWZovx2n2SbbiuPQ0/s1600/national-asssembly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oHdFndYYRwNzzoONvrKasGIHDHSUo1lRx2MHm0RMK5x9Mcp7hE11UVB64iJdeqYRHnXtCOmW0uEa8Q9qLzIJ7fDB_B1pMiEhBDkdZ2JBiLWDGRcqkY2lrgR_LD5tWZovx2n2SbbiuPQ0/s640/national-asssembly.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The presidency may have finally caved in to the demands by members of the National Assembly for the release of N100 billion meant for constituency projects before they consider and approve any request from the executive arm of government.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Several legislative approvals sought by President Muhammadu Buhari have suffered defeats or delays in recent weeks, particularly the request for the $30 billion external borrowing plan, the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), and virement of N180 billion in the 2016 budget.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It was gathered that so far, about 50 per cent of the constituency funds have been quietly released through the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, National Commission for Refugees and other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Sources said that the leadership of the National Assembly secured commitments from the presidency for the release of the funds.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Recall that the Senate President met with the president several times last week. So the commencement of the release of the funds would smoothen the path for the approvals being sought by the executive,” a source said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The source, however, noted that while the lawmakers may soft pedal on their initial stance, many of them remain sceptical that the funds would be completely released by the finance ministry.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The sour relations between both arms of government lingers, so both view each other with suspicion and do not trust each other. Many of the lawmakers are however not convinced that all the money will be released, particularly when considering utterances of the executive.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Maybe only some lawmakers will eventually benefit,” the source explained.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Another source, who confirmed that the constituency funds were being released, however noted that the executive arm of government is currently making efforts to repair its fractured relations with the legislature.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Before now, only Dogara (Speaker) and Gbajabiamila seemed to be the sort of balancing forces in the legislature, but obviously the Senate carries more weight.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “If the president cannot have his men there, he has to find a way to work with whoever is there. The House alone cannot pass his requests,” the source said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Indications that the lawmakers may be somewhat appeased emerged as the leadership of the House of Representatives yesterday passed a motion mandating its Committee on Appropriation to consider the request for the virement of N180 billion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Other committees to which the virement are related to would also serve as sub-committees of the Appropriation Committee to consider the request. These include the Committees on Nigerian Air Force, Youth Development, Niger Delta and Works, among others.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The motion was sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, who recalled that the communication from the president requesting the virement of the funds was read on the floor of the House on October 25.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Presiding, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Sulaimon Lasun put the question on whether the prayer should be accepted. The motion was not subjected to debate as is normally the practice.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A few lawmakers uttered the “ayes” and Lasun hit the gravel before allowing any dissenting voice to register a vote.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-6154652480104730" data-ad-slot="7042430138" data-adsbygoogle-status="done"><ins id="aswift_1_expand"><ins id="aswift_1_anchor"></ins></ins></ins></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> No protests, however, followed the action, indicating that some lobbying by the House leadership might have worked.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Gbajabiamila was observed also engaging several members, including key members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in discussions before he read the motion.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The request would however be returned to the floor of the House for consideration of the committee’s report. At this stage, the request could be accepted or rejected.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Presenting the motion, Gbajabiamila stated that N180 billion appropriated for special intervention (recurrent) and special intervention (capital) is to fund some critical recurrent and capital items.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Gbajabiamila added that the request is intended to address shortfalls in the Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation scheme, and military operations in the North-east, among other projects.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The Nigerian Air Force needs to cover the foreign exchange differentials in the procurement of its critical equipment and augment the contingency vote, and also to provide for the inadequacy in the provision for the NYSC programme in the 2016, among others,” he said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Gbajabiamila further explained that several MDAs presented issues pertaining to salary shortfalls as it affects those that are not listed on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Also, the House resolved to summon the Director General of the Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze, over his directive to heads of agencies of government to remit treasury capital funds already released to them.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The DG allegedly directed the management of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to remit N8 billion to the treasury out of N10.3 billion released for the execution of capital projects, leaving the agency with N2.3 billion only.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He is expected to appear before an ad hoc committee to explain what the House said was a worrisome trend.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Hon. Agbedi Frederick (Bayelsa PDP), who highlighted the compelling need for FERMA to repair and maintain dilapidated roads across the nation.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He recalled that the sum of N21.8 billion was appropriated for the agency in the 2016 budget, of which N10.3 billion was released in October.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The lawmaker added that the agency had prioritised its capital projects, and contractors who had submitted tenders were bound to lose by the directive of the Budget Office.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The directive of the DG, Budget Office of the Federation, cannot be said to be virement, as virement can only be approved by the National Assembly, which has not done so in this case,” Agbedi said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He warned that the planned execution of capital projects by agencies would be crippled if the directive is allowed to stand.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Just like the House, the Senate yesterday also commenced legislation on the president’s request for virement of N180.8 billion from the 2016 budget.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Accordingly, the Senate mandated its Committees on Appropriation and Finance to expeditiously treat the president’s request and submit its report within one week for final approval.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Buhari had asked the National Assembly to approve the virement of N180,839,254,439 billion from N500 billion appropriated for the Special Intervention Programme in the 2016 budget to finance other key projects.</div>

FG Begins Release of N100bn for Constituency Projects

The presidency may have finally caved in to the demands by members of the National Assembly for the release of N100 billion meant for...

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Saraki to Fayose: Don’t trivialise “serious national issue”

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a class="irc_mil i3597 i2bXAgSvJcc4-zixyDjKkw5M" data-noload="" data-ved="0ahUKEwiMtPyx_a_QAhXGbxQKHWUiBAwQjRwIBw" href="http://thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2016/02/bukola-saraki-supreme-court-throws-out-appeal-over-cct-trial/" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><img alt="Image result for saraki" class="irc_mi i2bXAgSvJcc4-pQOPx8XEepE" height="360" src="http://16745-presscdn-0-7.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Senator-Bukola-Saraki-copy.jpg" style="margin-top: 79px;" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="irc_mimg irc_hic i2bXAgSvJcc4-lvVgf-rIiHk"> </div> <br /> The Senate President is a general response advised politicians not to trivialise a “serious national issue.”<br /> <br /> Mr. Saraki responded just a day after the Ekiti State Governor alleged that Senate President Bukola Saraki was being blackmailed by President Muhammadu Buhari on the proposed $30 billion loan.<br /> <br /> The Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose in a statement by his spokesperson <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">on Wednesday</span></span> advised Mr. Saraki and the Senate to remain firm and reject the loan request despite meetings between Mr. Buhari and the Mr. Saraki.<br /> <br /> The senate president advised politicians to stop peddling speculations about his recent visits to the presidency.<br /> <br /> The statement by Mr. Saraki’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja <span class="aBn"><span class="aQJ">on Thursday</span></span> said that politicians were linking the visits to President Muhammadu Buhari’s yet-to-be-approved $29.9 billion foreign loan request.<br /> <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “In all his recent meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the issue of the proposed loan never came up for discussion,” the statement said.<br /> <br /> It, therefore, said that the comments by some politicians on the loan issue, without any factual basis, were “unfortunate.”<br /> <br /> “Like I once told the media, these politically-motivated commentaries are trivialising a serious national issue.<br /> “They are presenting it as if it is a personal matter that can be decided at meetings between Saraki and Buhari.<br /> <br /> “The National Assembly which I head as Senate President has taken a position on the issue as required of it by the laws of the land and legislative conventions,’’ the statement quoted Mr. Saraki as saying.<br /> <br /> Mr. Saraki was also quoted as saying “the present National Assembly will make decisions based on national interest and will always act in the interest the people.<br /> <br /> “That is why in spite of the fact that members belong to different parties, when national issues come to the floor, we forget about party affiliations and act as Nigerians elected to protect the interest of Nigeria.<br /> <br /> “A visit to the Presidency by the Senate President is a normal thing because we need to consult, discuss, exchange ideas and make suggestions to each other from time to time.<br /> <br /> “More importantly, at this time, when the nation is facing economic crisis, there is need for frequent engagements by the Presidency and the National Assembly.’’</blockquote> <br /> The statement added that “Saraki, nonetheless, urged politicians to stop playing to the gallery or drawing political capital from all issues.<br /> <br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> “Similarly, the media should exercise restraint in their reportage and commentaries in order to properly serve our people.”</blockquote> <br />

Saraki to Fayose: Don’t trivialise “serious national issue”

The Senate President is a general response advised politicians not to trivialise a “serious national issue.” Mr. Saraki responded jus...

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SERAP ask Obaseki to Withdraw Oshiomhole’s N200m mansion retirement benefits.

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="obaseki2" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="548" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Obaseki2.jpg" width="810" /> </div> The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki to withdraw the N300m mansio retirement benefits for his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole and his deputy, Pius Odubu.<br /> <br /> The Edo State assembly had amended the state’s pension law providing residential buildings worth N200m and N100m for the governor and his deputy at the expiration of their tenures.<br /> <br /> But SERAP in a statement on Thursday through its executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni asked Obaseki to withdraw the benefits and pay pensioners instead.<br /> <br /> The statement read in part, “SERAP is aware that the Edo State government is not the only state passing such obnoxious pension laws to provide outrageous retirement benefits to former governors and deputy governors and that many of them are already in the National Assembly receiving multiple benefits and putting their personal bank accounts ahead of the common good. SERAP is finalising a comprehensive legal strategy to challenge these unjust laws and to name and shame those who continue to benefit from such laws.”<br /> <br /> “Nigerians should not be made to subsidise these bloated pensions and clearly undeserved perks. Governor Obaseki should not see disadvantaged Nigerians and poor pensioners according to Orwell’s Animal Farm dictum: ‘All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others’. Approving the amendment by the Edo State House of Assembly will amount to a fundamental breach of the governor’s constitutional oath declaration to serve the interest of justice, common good, transparency and accountability.”

SERAP ask Obaseki to Withdraw Oshiomhole’s N200m mansion retirement benefits.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki to withdra...

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NAS endorses use of GMOs in food production

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/timeline-gmo/gmo-tomato/" rel="attachment wp-att-234821" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="gmo-tomato" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-234821 disappear appear" height="500" src="http://thenationonlineng.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/gmo-tomato.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="feature-img wp-caption"> <div class="wp-caption-text"> <br /></div> </div> <div class="entry-content"> The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) on Thursday endorsed the use of Genetic Modified Organisms (GMOs) to boost animal crop production, tough poses no risk to human health or the environment.<br /> MO is a modern biotechnology of using appropriate molecular tools by genetic engineering to transfer one or more desirable genes even among unrelated species, to obtain new products with specific benefits in plants and animals.<br /> The Academy, which is the umbrella body of all scientists in Nigeria, spoke in Lagos through its President, Professor Oyewale Tomori, said that GMO is necessary to enable Nigerians and the world meet up with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation’s mandate to grow more than 70 percent of food by 2050 to keep up with world population growth and sustainable development.<br /> The Professor of Virology and Vice Chancellor of the Redeemer’s University, Ogun State, noted that GMO is necessary to address the problems of food nutrition insecurity and to increase agricultural production is safe for human and animal consumption as it is not only good micronutrient that enriches bacterial, fungal and viral resistance, it has the ability to survive in harsh conditions of drought, heat, acidic and salty soils. Thus, it will support conventional agriculture.<br /> He said: “The Academy supports a science-based regulatory policy governing GMO technology even though the technology may not have met expectations in Africa.”<br /> According to Professor of Plant Breeding and crop biotechnology, Prof Effiom Ene-Obong, genetic crops are grown in more than three-quarters of the world with only soy bean, cotton and maize being adapted in the country.<br /> In Nigeria, crops under such research include: cassava1; cowpeas; rice; guinea corn and maize if improved in production will give lots of economic gains; though they are yet to be commercialised.<br /> NAS called on the government to prioritise funding of biotechnology laboratories and agencies across the country for double assurance as well as recruit more human resources to test and monitor at entry points. Also, GMO foods still need to be subjected to further testing and reviews in preparation for the future.<br /> <br /> <div id="adcode"> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-5089981496810613" data-ad-slot="6482008575" data-adsbygoogle-status="done" style="display: inline-block; height: 90px; width: 640px;"><ins id="aswift_2_expand" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: inline-table; height: 90px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 640px;"><ins id="aswift_2_anchor" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: block; height: 90px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 640px;"></ins></ins></ins> </div> </div>

NAS endorses use of GMOs in food production

The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) on Thursday endorsed the use of Genetic Modified Organisms (GMOs) to boo...

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