Rivers: What Odili Did Not Tell Amaechi

When this piece was first published in November 2008, no serious interpretation was given to the issues raised. But today, five years later, this piece has been fully confirmed as will be shown in Part two of the article.

From the manner the two last governors including the interim one emerged in Rivers state, it could now rightly be said that it is a state that gets its governors strictly by divine intervention.

Peter Odili became governor of Rivers state by divine intervention after the forces of light in the churches defeated the forces of the “anti-Christ” that originally won a landslide victory in the first run of the 1999 governorship election.

Subsequently, both Omehia and Amaechi also came by divine transportation though through very different vehicles.

Truly, when Odili became governor in 1999, he came with the spirit and genuine zeal to really serve and deliver the dividends of democracy to the ordinary people of Rivers state and he was bent on achieving that.

It is on record that he was the only governor in the entire country who developed a comprehensive work programme as policy document. And the implementation of projects and programmes as set out in the master plan was carried out with utmost sincerity and frugality.

Odili’s independent power project was innovative and the first in the entire country. At the onset, the project was pursued on strict budget discipline and “utmost frugality,” though much later, it became the worst drain pipe and arena of fraud. But that’s not the issue here.

His metro rail transport service was the grassroots’ delight because it was strictly targeted to help them.

In the housing sector, estates were built in all the local government headquarters in the state. Though most of the houses were cited in evil forests which made it easier for people closer to the spirit world (psycha) to occupy than normal human beings, the fact remains that at least he built and they exist till today.

Odili, early in the life of his administration preached and pursued the gospel of “utmost frugality” in the use of state funds. And because he had nothing to hide, every month, he gathered representatives from all the national, local and even foreign media. He was asked direct uncensored questions and the media interactions were transmitted live even beyond the state.

However all these changed when Odili started dancing the “na who be the mani-yiooo” regae tune towards the end of his first tenure.

He suddenly stopped dedicating Rivers state to God and metamorphosed into an “Ogbuagu (killer of lion) in the Knight of saint something”. And from the “utmost frugality” gospel, he switched over to “in tandem with the thinking of the administration.”

He co-opted the “anti- Christ” from the pit of hell into his work programme to execute his Total Root Out campaign (RTO).

The reckless devouring of state funds assumed a criminal dimension when the former governor became blindfolded by his inundated ambition to grab power at all cost at the centre. Rivers state stopped being his constituency and primary area of service.

Though the state’s annual budgets moved from few billions of naira to hundreds of billions, the Rivers people became more deprived in terms of service delivery. Infrastructures depreciated to laughable standard to the point school pupils sat on bare floor to receive lessons in roofless classrooms.

Matching both Odili and Amaechi’s early years in office, it seems there is a replay. And thus it has become imperative to berate Odili for not telling

Amaechi certain crucial facts that could stop the son from committing the same sins of the father.

As a governor, Odili virtually lived in churches and surrounded himself with men of god and men who want to be like god as the church was instrumental to his defeating the “anti-Christ”. Throughout his stay at the Brick House, these men of god with their anointing for signs and wonders did not see a single thing wrong with the way he ran the state until the day Amaechi came into office.

Odili should have told Amaechi that the same men of god who benefited heavily from his largess singing praises and powerful prayers throughout the eight years only turned around to call for his crucifixion right from Amaechi’s first day in office.

Publicly, even in the media especially the (web-based), some people have severally referred to Amaechi as an Igbo man merely because the Ikweres can be accepted to be pure Niger Delta when it suits some people while at other times, they become more Igbo than Niger Delta.

Odili did not tell Amaechi that part of his problem in the state was because of the part of the state he was born. Some sections did not see him as a pure blood riversman. Rather they saw him as a pure Igbo man who became “riversman merely by state creation.” This was part of the fight he faced.

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NAPTIP Uncovers 300 Human Traficking Routes

About 300 illegal routes used by human traffickers to ferry their victims out of the country have been discovered in Katsina, northwest Nigeria.

The Zonal Commander of National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, Hajiya Khadija Bello, who spoke through her spokesman, Malam Aliyu Abba, said Wednesday in Kano that NAPTIP is not taking chances in its resolve to stamp out human traffickers and their nefarious activities.

She said at least 1,800 victims have been rescued and rehabilitated while 40 persons have been convicted for various human trafficking and child abuse offences in recent times.

She identified lack of manpower and logistics as part of their major challenges, and called for concerted efforts of individuals to complement the anti-human trafficking agency’s efforts.

Meanwhile, the North West Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Musa Ilallah has reiterated the need for better emergency response skills among stakeholders in disaster management in the country.

Ilallah stated this during the opening ceremony of a two-day Training Programme on Modern Day Techniques to further educate the officers and men of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps in Kano.

Also speaking at the event, Zonal Coordinator of NEMA North-West, Aliyu Shehu Kafindangi said better emergency response drastically reduces the loss of lives and property during emergency situations.

In his comment, the Commandant of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Kano State Command, Ahmed Alhassan Muazu, noted that the programme will further equip officers and men of the command on rapid response skills.

Odua Group Lambast Obasanjo

A patently pro-Goodluck Jonathan group, Odua Elites Solidarity Movement, has come down hard on former president, Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ).
In a one-page advertorial titled OBJ: The Familiar Path and published in some national dailies Wednesday, the group, which statement was signed by Olanrewaju Ajeigbe Thompson, upbraided Obasanjo over his recent attacks on the President Jonathan administration.
The group lambasted Obasanjo for calling for the replacement of Jonathan’s administration barely one year into his 4-year tenure because “Jonathan had resisted his (OBJ’s) ruling of Nigeria through him.”
According to the group, Obasanjo “runs down anyone he cannot control, and kills any idea that is not baked by his confines.”
The Odua Elites Solidarity Movement also carpeted Obasanjo for leaving the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway worse in 2007 than when he met it in 1999, as well as the Benin-Ore road, yet he went to Jigawa State on 29 May, 2013 to praise the State Governor, Sule Lamido for doing a good job on road construction.
The group said it was during the Obasanjo administration between 1999 and 2007 that there was massive retrenchment of workers following the privatization of companies, yet he is now crying out that the prevailing unemployment in the country is a time-bomb.
“His banking reforms instead of generating jobs at the end of the day created plea bargainers. Many customers died of the shock from crashed banks. He encouraged Nigerians to go into cassava farming without any commensurate policy on commercial evacuation of produce. The children of those farmers are now living to tell the stories of their late parents who invested either borrowed funds, pension and gratuity or their last savings in cassava cultivation without buyers,” the group said.
On Obasanjo’s comment that “corruption is endemic in Jonathan’s regime” the group said: “that is a perception. Well, when the time comes, Nigerians would ask how twenty thousand naira in 1998 (said to be Obasanjo’s total savings) allegedly grew to trillions in 2007.”
The group also took up Obasanjo on his holier-than-thou attitude and concluded by saying that “May God keep us alive so that we see past 2015 and the dividends of these recycled antics. It is a familiar path. Nothing new.”

June 12: Abiola’s Memory Unforgetable –Ajimobi

Governor Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has described the June 12, 1993 presidential election as a watershed in the annals of the country
He said the supreme price paid by the acclaimed winner of the election, the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, can never be forgotten. He stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo.
The governor expressed regrets that 20 years after the election adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria, the ideals which Abiola stood for had yet to be realized.
While describing the late politician and business mogul as a symbol of democracy, he praised him for his strong conviction that ordinary Nigerians must be freed from the shackles of oppression, poverty, penury and squalor.
It was this conviction that the masses of this country should be freed from their oppressors and that the destiny of the whole nation should not be held to ransom by a cabal that propelled him to stand by his mandate and to defend it to the last.

TB Joshua Thanks Followers For Their Prayers & Support

The Founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet Temitope Joshua, has called on members of his church to find ways of reducing graduate unemployment as he marks his 50th birthday today.

 In a “Message from Prophet TB Joshua at 50,’’in Lagos on Wednesday, he thanks his followers who he says have been praying and supporting him,adding that the number one project for his 50th birthday is getting jobs for people who are jobless.

 

‘’I am going to pursue it. Graduates are everywhere without a job. If you can employ 10 graduates and provide a good job for them and I see them going home, putting on a suit and tie, I will be very happy,’’  he says,

 

He adds, “The best way to celebrate this birthday is to be on your knees and thank God for the life of T.B Joshua, pray for the church of God for a strong bond of love. Pray for your nation and the whole world.

 

“Rededicate yourselves to the act of giving, be a father to the fatherless, a benefactor to the needy. That is the way the Lord wants us to celebrate this birthday at 50.’’

Mass Protest in Benin over Motorcycle Ban

Thousands of operators of commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, took to the streets of Benin City, capital of Edo State Wednesday in protest against the ban on their activities by the state government.

The State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had in a state-wide broadcast on television stations in the state Tuesday, announced the ban of the use of okada as a means of transportation in the three local government areas of Benin metropolis, citing security reasons.

The protesters who turned out in large numbers, elicited the sympathy of people as youths and others joined them in the protest at Ring Road.

Human and vehicular traffic was disrupted by the protest, as all entrance to the ever busy Ring Road were barricaded with every available objects.

Workers and other commuters who had planned to beat the early hour rush were, however, disappointed as they could not overcome the heavy traffic jam caused by the protest.

A team of security operatives comprising soldiers and anti-riot policemen later dispersed the protesters.

One of the protesters, Emmanuel Okobia, who spoke to the newsmen at Ring Road, said the government erred in the ban of their activities without serving them notice early enough.

“Oshiomhole got this one wrong this time. How can he announce a ban on Okada after just one week notice? We are all family men and bread winners, where does he want us to get our daily bread from?

“Criminal activities in the state have gone down considerably. There is no more kidnapping and armed robbery, so his argument that it is because of armed robbery and kidnapping does not work,” Okobia said.

The protesters further lamented losses they were made to incur, saying that just two months ago, they were forced to pay the sum of N2000 each for jackets that were never given to them.

“Just two months ago, they forced us to pay N2000 for a jacket which they claimed will identify real riders from hoodlums, which they did not even give us. At the end of the day, it was stickers that they gave to us. So who is deceiving who now? Oshiomhole should think twice.”

As at the time of filing this report, traffic around the Ring Road had eased as soldiers and anti riot policemen were everywhere around the area and adjoining streets.

The Okada riders, however, vowed to take their protest to the Government House to see Governor Oshiomhole.

What We Saw in Boko Haram Camps

Driving through the dusty road that led to Sambisa forest where the infamous Boko Haram terrorist group pitched some of their camps was one hell of a bumpy ride into a thickset of arid forests that characterize the savannah region.

Bumpy, jarring and dangerous as the bush paths were, the tour of the sacked camps provided anyone with the trained eye of a reporter, a great deal of insight on the true colour and character of the so-called Islamic Jihadists.

The Sambisa forest, which they turned into a recruiting ground and operational base is a vast expanse of nature, which was designated ‘Games Reserve’ by government. The intention was to keep, protect and preserve our priced species of wild animals and other elements of nature in their natural habitat. As it has turned out, the Games Reserve now seemed to have been reserved for a band of misguided blood-thirsty fiends who slip in and out of the belly of the forest to wreak havoc in the northern part of Nigeria.

Without doubt, Boko Haram’s violent campaign in Nigeria since its emergence has carved out a bloody trajectory, etching its gory sense of agitation in our wounded hearts and leaving the rest of humanity outraged. What manner of shocking violence has the Boko Haram group not visited on Nigerians since their violent campaigns? From bombing innocent worshippers in the sanctuary of their churches and mosques to beheading of defenceless citizens, kidnapping women and children and detonating Improvised Explosive Devices(IEDs) in workplaces; name it, they have carried it out in Nigeria. Their campaign of violence has so far claimed over 3000 innocent lives yet they are baying for more blood of fellow Nigerians!

Known for their defiant posture and grim determination to hold on to actualize their nihilist agenda, the terrorist group stepped up its intransigence by actually sacking institutions of government in a number of communities in Borno state. The so-called Jihadists, who claim to be fighting on behalf of Islam, took over communities and forcibly conscripted young men into their fighting force and made women - their sex slaves! They violated Nigeria’s sovereignty, burnt her flag and hoisted theirs, strutting around those hapless communities like an all-conquering force. That was before their nemesis arrived.

On proclamation of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States by the President and Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Special Forces of the Nigerian military moved in and dislodged the devils from their camps; the troops are currently ‘sweeping the forest clean’.

As our escort vehicles meandered through the forest path to reach the sacked camps, the gory sight and eerie feeling that now characterize the desecrated grove was inescapable. The first thing that assaulted our sensibilities was the sight of charred vehicles, refrigerators, sewing machines, coolers and such other items, which were apparently stolen by the terrorists. We were told that as the terrorists retreated, they destroyed any item they could not run with.

Then we saw fresh shallow graves of gang members who were summarily executed by their kingpins. We stumbled severally on strange stuff, which bespoke the true colour and character of our so-called Jihadists. In almost all the camps we visited, we saw countless number of syringes, hand gloves and test tubes obviously for administering narcotic drugs; also scattered in their camps were used and unused condoms! In fact one of my colleagues couldn’t help asking no one in particular, “…so these devils are even afraid of venereal disease?”

From the accounts of their victims that were rescued by troops, the insurgents repeatedly raped women they abducted from various communities. According to one of the rescued children, “the terrorists are always injecting themselves with something after which they will be behaving abnormally as if they are in a trance”. It is certainly not surprising to learn that the insurgents engage in substance abuse to put them in the right state to perpetrate the atrocious crimes they carry out against innocent Nigerians. Indeed, what could be deadlier than the combination of drug intoxication and evil indoctrination?

It was also gathered that whilst the kingpins of the evil association live a life of luxury in the camps, their foot soldiers endure subservient condition with instant death awaiting any dissenting voice or suspected mole among the zombie-like subordinates.

Tucked away, therefore, from the prying eyes of frightened locals and outraged country, the Sambisa forest and other camps hitherto provided this deranged group a sanctuary where they met their various kinds of weird fantasies, all in the name of fighting for the Islamisation of Nigeria. The question is, are these moral degenerates and blood thirsty fiends actually fighting on behalf of Islam? The answer is certainly no because Islam abhors all that the terrorist group indulges in or stands for. Will they win this war they are waging against Nigeria? Against, the answer is resounding no.

By Chidi Omeje

Theft Of $1.55 Million Nigerian Embassy Tax Refund: US Court Of Appeals Rules Ugwuonye Cannot Appear Before It

The appeal case filed by Emeka Ugwuonye, a Maryland-based attorney accused of stealing $1.55 million in tax refunds to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, has suffered a setback as the United States Court of Appeals in the District Columbia has told the embattled lawyer that he is not qualified to file papers in the court.
In a letter to Mr. Ugwuonye obtained by SaharaReporters, the appellate court told the lawyer that his name was not on the list of lawyers permitted to appear before the court.
Signed by Mark Langer, a clerk of the court, the letter noted that inquiries carried out by the court showed that Mr. Ugwuonye was not a member of the bar of the court. Citing the D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Internal Procedures 6 (2011), the letter warned that the court does not allow non-member attorneys to practice before the court. The clerk therefore asked Mr. Ugwuonye to seek admission to the court not later than July 3, 2013.
 Mr. Ugwuonye had rushed to the Court of Appeal shortly after a US District Court in Washington, DC gave a default judgment against him that held him personally liable for embezzling a $1.55 million tax refund that was meant for the Nigerian Embassy. Judge Barbara Rothstein of the DC District Court also dismissed Mr. Ugwuonye’s counter claim against the embassy. Mr. Ugwuonye had sought more than $3 million in the counter claims.
In an earlier ruling, the court had found Mr. Ugwuonye's law firm, ECU Associates, also liable for embezzlement of the embassy’s tax refunds.
Since obtaining the two verdicts, the embassy has filed claims before the court asking for at least $6.2 million against Mr. Ugwuonye in accumulated damages, attorney fees and interests.
Mr. Ugwuonye claimed in court filings that he was being owed by the embassy and the Nigerian government for legal services rendered for both entities, but Justice Rothstein said he had failed to provide credible proof of those claims. Mr. Ugwuonye practically abandoned his claims towards the end of his trial, missing several court deadlines, disobeying court orders, and refusing to partake satisfactorily in discovery and court-ordered depositions, for these infraction the judge also imposed fines on the controversial attorney.
Despite the order of the Court of Appeals that Mr. Ugwuonye rectify his admission to represent himself before the court, a legal observer told SaharaReporters that the controversial attorney’s odds of receiving permission were slim. “There are underlying factors against Emeka [Ugwuonye],” said the observer. “He was once suspended by the Attorney Grievances Commission in 2008. And the DC and New York Bar reciprocally suspended him after he was suspended for 90 days over the way he handled clients’ fees, particularly relating to a bizarre case involving a US citizen, Michael Etheridge,” added the source, also a DC-based attorney.
Mr. Etheridge had asked Mr. Ugwuonye to help sue the Maryland Crime Solvers agency to recover $25 million ransom placed on former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, after a plaintiff claimed he had provided information about Saddam Hussein’s whereabouts. Despite knowing that the client had a case that had initially been dismissed by another court, Mr. Ugwuonye took $3, 500 from Etheridge but failed to diligently prosecute the case. He was found guilty of negligence, accused of depositing an unearned retainer in his operating account, and suspended for 90 days.
Mr. Ugwuonye is also currently facing an investigation by the Attorney Grievances Commission over his handling of the embassy’s tax refund. There is also a complaint by a Nigerian citizen, Sola Adeeyo, that Mr. Ugwuonye stole $94,000 of payments recovered from a US bank that Mr. Adeeyo successfully sued.
Our legal observer suggested that Mr. Ugwuonye ran to the Court of Appeal with the aim of putting road blocks on bar investigations that could earn him disbarment.
 Meanwhile , Judge Barbara Rothstein of the DC District Court has rescheduled the hearing for determination of damages, fines, and interests sought by the Nigerian embassy  till July 2nd 2013.

How Ezu River 19 Were Killed, By Senate

The mystery surrounding the 19 floating bodies found in Ezu River in Anambra State has been uncovered.

Senate Joint Committee on Police Affairs and National Security and Intelligence looked into the case of the mysteriouse dead bodies on the Ezu river

The committee gave some very insightful and gruesome details
The committee, chaired by Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu and Senator Mohammed Magoro, presented shocking autopsy reports of the bodies
According the autopsy reports, 15 of the 19 bodies were seen.
Six bodies had evidence of gun shots.
The weapon used for all the shots is one type-long range rifle.
Aimed areas of the body: Legs up to the knee cap and some up to the hips.
All the victims dressed alike – boxers or pants.
Suspected cause of death – Hemorrhage resulting from unattended gun shots.
Though the committee submitted a detailed report, it could not establish who did the killings.
The true identities of the victims were also not established by the committee. The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB) told the committee that the victims were its members who were in police custody. The police denied the claim.
The Inspector General of Police told the Committee that on January 19, there was a report of 19 bodies floating on River Ezu, a boundary between Anambra and Enugu states, and that the Commissioners of Police in the states were informed through a phone call.
He said the bodies were found to be clean-shaven, able-bodied young men but that they were already decomposed.
Four of the decomposed bodies were displayed for eight days before they were taken for autopsy.
Nobody or community has complained that they have lost anybody, the IG said, but assured that the police were working with other Security agencies to get to the root of the issue.
The Director General (DG) of the State Security Service (SSS) told the committee that on January 19, 18 bodies were found floating on Ezu River.
He said the Anambra State Governor, who was informed immediately, cut-short a foreign trip and returned home to order the bodies to be removed from the river.
He said the strange development led to several conjectures, such as that they:
Were dumped by security agencies;
Were hired to fight in a war between Cross River and Ebonyi State where they were killed; but there were no signs of bullet wounds;
Were cultists;
Must have died from generator fumes in factories and were dumped there by private multinationals; and that
They were kidnappers who decided to kill others to carry the ransom.
“All these were mere conjectures and that the result of the autopsy being awaited would expose the possible cause of deaths,” said the DG.
The SSS said the bodies could not have been thrown into the river without the knowledge of the communities.
On alleged complicity of the police, the DG told the committee that the service advocated an audit of suspects in police custody in Anambra and Enugu states.
When asked by the committee whether they ever went on joint operation to Onitsha, the SSS chief said “they went and arrested about 17 persons who were charged to court, the following day and were granted bail.”
The Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, corroborated the account of the Director General, SSS.
On the number of bodies found, “security chiefs were unanimous that they were only 19, not 30 as was being speculated”.
On whether they actually wore identical clothes, boxer shorts and t-shirts, “they responded that they were actually not wearing identical clothes as some wore wrappersa and pants etc”.
According to the report, “the Igwe of Amansea told the committee that the bodies were first seen in the morning of January 19, by some indigenes who went to the river to fetch water.
“The person who actually saw the bodies first could not be identified, the committee said.
The Committee was shown the two graves where some of the bodies were buried but later exhumed.
The Deputy Governor, Mr. Sibeudu, who represented Governor Peter Obi, told the committee that as a result of the seriousness the governor attached to the issue, the government announced a cash reward of N5 million for information on the mystery, but that nobody came forward.
The Committee visited the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Enugu, where they inspected detention cells and facilities.
The Committee noted that after interactive sessions with several stakeholders and thorough investigations into the issue, it found:
That Ezu River flows down from a town called Agbaogugu through Ogwuoba and Amansea communities and empties into the River Niger. It is a boundary between Aniansea community in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State and Ugwuoba community in Oji River Local Government Area, Enugu State.
That the river is the main source’ of drinking water for the two communities.
That on the 19th January 2013, 18 strange dead bodies were found floating on the river. One more body was found on the 23rd of January, bringing the total member of bodies found to 19.
That the bodies were already decomposed at the time they were found, suggesting that they must have died some days earlier before they were dumped.
That all the bodies were brought out of the river on the instructions of the Governor of Anambra State.
Some were taken for autopsy; others were buried along the river bank, but were later exhumed for autopsy.
That there is a police check-point just about 100 metres away from the river on Anambra State side and another one five kilometers on the Enugu State side, and that this check point had been in existence for the past three years.
The Committee recommended “that further forensic analysis of the bullet still lodged in one of the bodies should be carried out so as to ascertain the exact type of gun that fired it and where it is commonly found.
“That the Anambra State Government should also be encouraged to carry out a more thorough DNA test on the bodies as requested by the pathologists.”

June 12 Changed Nigeria’s History, Jonathan Admits

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday admitted that June 12, a day late Chief M.K.O Abiola won the nation’s freest and fairest election 20 years ago has changed the history of the country for good.

Speaking shortly after inaugurating the chairman and members of the re-constituted Police Service Commission, Jonathan said June 12 was a unique day in the nation.
The President said although the Federal Government has yet to recognise the day as public holiday, some state governments were already doing so.

Forget 2015 Presidency, Northern Youths Tell Buhari

Jibril Vatsa, son of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the late Major-Gen. Mamman Vatsa, leading other northern youths under the aegis of the Concerned Northern Youths Forum, on Tuesday asked former Head of State and presidential candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to forget contesting the 2015 presidential election.

Vatsa, who is the Coordinator of the forum, noted that the former military head of state could no longer be trusted with power because of his unguarded utterrances.
He also asked Buhari, whom his late father worked with as FCT minister, and his new party to “not drag President Goodluck Jonathan and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, into their affairs.”
The forum, in a statement on Tuesday in Kaduna, was reacting to a statement in which the former head of state accused the CAN president of working for the Presidency ahead of the 2015 presdential election.
The CAN president had earlier called for the arrest of Buhari over some comments credited to him, where he said the Nigerian military personnel in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States were killing innocent civilians and destroying their homes.
Vatsa also described as unforunate comments credited to the former head of state, accusing CAN of working for Jonathan too realise his presdential ambition in 2015, saying Buhari could no longer be trusted.
Vatsa, “In 2003, when Buhari was reported to have asked Muslims to vote for only Muslim candidates, he claimed he was misquoted.
In 2011, after the presidential poll, when his inciting statement forced some northern youths to go on the rampage, Buhari claimed he was misquoted. Again in 2012, similar things were said by him ahead of the 2015 elections, if they are not free and fair, he claimed he was misquoted. Buhari can therefore not be trusted.
“We disagree with General Muhammadu Buhari that Oritsejafor’s statement “is lacking in facts” as presented by him. As northerners, who are concerned about the terrible state of the socio-political and economic activities in the North, we expect to see northern elders sit up to put their house in order.”8

Beyoncé Tells Serena Williams To "Stunt On Them" In Open Letter

Grammy-winning singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has shown a knack for penning open letters and made no exception with tennis superstar Serena Williams following an impressive French Open championship win last weekend.
A hand written letter from Bey to Williams has started to circulate across the Internet. "Stunt on them Serena. 31 and in your prime. You have no idea how much you inspire all of us women. Im so proud of you. All my Love and Respect. Beyoncé".
The note reportedly came shortly after Williams added more gold to her name by winning the French Open. Beyoncé wrote a lovely note to Serena Williams after the tennis star won the French Open on Saturday. Yes, it has a girl-power vibe to it, why do you ask? Did she send this message via snail mail? Transcribe it from a text after lip-syncing it? Or was the note written solely for the purpose of posting on Facebook?
It's most likely the last one, even though that sounds phony and shallow and we all know Beyoncé and her team are neither of those things.
Last year, Bey inked an open letter to First Lady Michelle Obama. "Michelle, is the ULTIMATE example of a truly strong African American woman. She is a caring mother, she's a loving wife, while at the same time, she is the FIRST LADY!!!! No matter the pressure, and the stress of being under the microscope - she's humble, loving, and sincere. She builds and nurtures her family, while also looking out for so many millions in so many ways. Michelle, thank you so much for every single thing that u do for us - I am proud to have my daughter grow up in a world where she has people like you to look up to. Love, Beyonce."
Her comments did not go unnoticed and sparked a reaction from Mrs. Obama.

REVEALED! Late MKO Abiola's Personal Doctors Reveals Shocking New Details About His Death

This is the first time a detailed analysis of the issues leading to the June 12, 1993, election and detention and subsequent controversial death of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, winner of the election, is outlined by an insider who is very close to both Abiola and late Sani Abacha to know the secret details.

Below is Dr Ore Falomo, Abiola's personal physician's exposé. It is a must read...

Can you recall your last meeting with M.K.O Abiola. When was it, and what was the state of his health?
It was about two weeks before he died. But the visit before the last was more remarkable. It was arranged by the military government to dispel the rumour that Abiola had died in detention. They quickly arranged a meeting for me to go and see him.
They sent one captain from Aso Rock to me to tell me that I was needed urgently in Aso Rock. This was the penultimate meeting to the last meeting with him. I found the message strange because my previous meetings were arranged by the commissioner of police in Abuja, under whom Abiola was supposed to be. Whenever I visited him, I usually returned to Lagos by 6pm, but that day, it was not possible because immediately I got into the car, they started driving round Abuja to waste time so that it would be dark and I won’t recognise where they were taking me to.

 

When we got to the place, Abiola was there. It was a new place; I had not seen him there before. It was a bungalow. As soon as they opened the door and Abiola saw me, he came towards me and we hugged. We sat and unlike before, none of the guards waited to listen to our discussion. We spoke Yoruba all the time. They objected to it at first, later on they agreed. That day he was behaving like he was in the spirit. I told him there was a rumour that he had been killed. He said, ‘I know that I’m dead. They have dug the grave. They have put me in the grave except that they have not close me up.’ I asked, ‘What happened? Have they injured you or injected you?’ He said no, but that he just knew.

That means he had the premonition that he was going to die in detention.
Yes. As he was talking, his mood changed. He told me he had forgiven those who caused his incarceration; that it was left for them to ask for forgiveness from God. He said he forgave them because he wants God to forgive him his sins. All these were strange, because in my previous visits, he was always asking about the things that were happening in the country. Then he started singing, ‘Nearer my God to thee, nearer to thee.’ He used to sing Christian songs. After signing the song in English, he started singing it in Yoruba. Then he got up; hugged me and we began to cry. It was very emotional. I tried to calm him down, because I didn’t know what he had seen. All through this period, the guards did not come to say time was up. I told him I will tell the story to the people, which was normal after every visit.

But did you observe any sign or symptoms of illness in him?
No. He was neither sick nor injured. You could say his spirit was low, but his body was good. There were no signs and symptoms of any illness. He spoke from a very conscious mind. That was the most poignant visit. The last visit was routine; to change his toiletries and so on.

The then Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, recently told us that when he visited Abiola few days to his death, he was in high spirits, because he was happily awaiting his release. How did he overcome the depression?

 

About two weeks to Abiola’s death, Abdulsalami Abubakar had started to send out word that Abiola might be released. So, the whole town started to rejoice. I don’t know how that one was done. They even got to me and said my trips to Abuja would soon end. I knew the government was not going to try him. Chief Rotimi Williams had already told us that they did not have any evidence against him. There was no point going to court. As far as I knew, Abiola knew that they would not allow him to come out just like that since they would not take him to court. Every time, they were asking him to denounce his mandate and prepare himself for another election, but he refused. During my last visit, I told him I had the rumour that Abubakar will release him but I did not want him to believe the rumour until there was concrete evidence.

How did you receive the news of his death?

That day, I was in the sitting room here. A call came from the personal physician of Abubakar. He said, ‘Doctor, get yourself ready and start coming to Abuja. The Head of State has sent his personal jet through Governor Buba Marwa, it would be at the VIP section of the airport.’ Of course, I was not going to enter that aircraft. But I asked him, ‘Why are you sending for me? I was given about two weeks appointment to come and see Abiola, so tell me what has happened that warrants me to come urgently.’ He didn’t want to tell me that Abiola had died, so that my reaction would not be, ‘Alright if you have killed him; eat him. I’m not the doctor for the dead, but for the living.’ That could have been my reaction, which was exactly my reaction when I finally learnt that he had died. After that, I called Kola Abiola and told him that something bad had happened but that I didn’t know the extent. The doctor also told me not to come alone; that I should bring any of my colleagues. I then thought, maybe he had not died. I told Kola and he said, ‘Doctor let’s go to the airport and take the plane to Abuja.’ I didn’t know Kola had heard. We boarded Kola’s car and he tuned to BBC news. At that time, it was about 15 minutes to 6pm. Then they announced that Abiola had died. I asked Kola, ‘Is that true?’ He wasn’t crying, I knew he had heard. I told him to turn back. And just before we got to Maryland, people had started rioting. We were lucky to escape without the car being damaged.

Did you eventually go to Abuja that day?
I refused to go. When we got back to the house, Kola asked me: ‘What is going to happen next?’ I said, ‘Nothing; I’m not going to Abuja.’ Then he said he must go. I said ‘Yes; go so that you take care of the body. One thing I want you to tell them is that they must not bury him because he is a Muslim. There must be a post-mortem.’ They were already talking to Abiola’s two wives about burying him immediately. 

 

 

REVELATION!

 

They arranged for them [the two wives] to come and see Abiola the day before he died. That was of course for them to say goodbye. They did all of these without my knowledge. Up till that time, I was the only one in five years, who was allowed to see Abiola. 

 

 

Then I received another call. This time, the governor of Lagos, Marwa, said I should come, that the pilot and others were waiting, that he would send a car to pick me. I declined the offer and asked them to wait. I called Prof. Oye Adeniran to represent me. I told him to tell Abubakar’s physician that I want a post-mortem. When the doctor heard my request, he then called me back and said he would advise Abubakar that there must be a post-mortem. Then he said, ‘These are two deaths too many.’ He was referring to the death of Sani Abacha and that of Abiola. You remember in Abacha’s case, there was no post-mortem. How can a Head of State die so suddenly and he was hurriedly buried without a post-mortem. I told him that I would assemble a team of international pathologists to conduct the post-mortem. So, the body was embalmed and kept in the morgue waiting for the pathologists to arrive.

Some said Abiola was beaten to death, others said he was poisoned. As his doctor and member of the team that conducted the post-mortem, what were your findings?Abiola was not beaten. He died shortly after the American delegation got to Aguda House by 3pm. According to the written press conference given by Ambassador Thomas Pickering, who led the American delegation, Abiola died between 3:20 and 3:40pm that day. Nobody told Abiola that he was going to have visitors that day. So, they woke him up and he just brushed his teeth and came out to meet with them. He had not had his lunch. These were facts borne out of the autopsy. His intestine was clear. They exchanged banters, he told Susan Rice, who was part of the delegation, what she wore the first day he met her. Pickering said Abiola’s brain must be sharp to remember all that. 

 

According to them, their mission was to convince Abiola to denounce his mandate and go for another election. By then Abacha had gone, one of their problems had been solved. Abiola was left.

 

They had brought that suggestion before and Abiola rejected it. So, their mission was unnecessary because they were not going to get him to say yes. It must have been for another purpose. When they came in, the chief guard that usually stayed with Abiola was not there because they didn’t tell him some people would be visiting. Abiola came unaccompanied to that meeting. Of course, they had been told he was a tea drinker. They brought a special flask, which Hamza Al-Mustapha described as multi-dimensional. They poured themselves tea and poured tea for Abiola. There was no precedence of a visitor bringing tea for the host. It is unconventional. It is not done anywhere in the world. Not only did they bring it, they offered someone in detention tea, with no guard around. 

 

 

And Ambassador Pickering said in his press conference that shortly after he had taken the tea, he complained of pain in the chest and grabbed his chest. And later, he felt uncomfortable and then, he went to the convenience to ease himself, but he did not come back as expected. They called on him and he told them he was coming. By then, he had started feeling weak. They asked him if they should call the doctor but he said they should ask the guard to get his pain tablet. But he died before the pain tablet arrived. By the time the doctor came, Abiola had already died. They took him to Aso Rock clinic, where they tried to jerk his heart back to life, but he was gone. That was how he died.

Are you saying that the US had a hand in Abiola’s death?

Yes. It is necessary to note that death followed Pickering’s missions. A notable personality usually dies after his mission to any country. You can go and read about him. The question was: Why did he come? We know him as Central Intelligence Agency man and he was not the serving ambassador in the country then. 

 

Abubakar was the one who gave them the appointment. During a cocktail to celebrate the US National Day, I asked the US Ambassador why they brought Pickering and others. I told him that Abacha, who was occupying Abiola’s position had died and why did they bring another military? We should also note that after Abiola died, Abubakar went to White House to visit the sitting American President and he went in military uniform. Can you recollect anybody who entered White House in military uniform? It is not done. He was given that exception. Up till now, nobody has repeated the precedence. What did he do? How long had he been on the throne here that he was received by the American President? Abacha was gone, Abiola was gone and they thought Nigeria’s problem was solved. But here we are. 

 

The current American President has not found it important enough to come to the same country in which the previous governments took very big roles in taking those two actors out. I think it high time US apologised to Nigeria for the roles it played in the death of Abiola. The US also insisted on sending at least two pathologists just to protect its image, because there were rumours that it was the US that killed Abiola. Tony Blair sent a message to me through the British High Commissioner here that he was nominating Dr. John Shepherd, one of the top pathologists in England, and we made him the team captain. Human rights groups from Chicago sent in a pathologist. America insisted that they wanted to be well represented. So, they sent one Muslim doctor and one Christian doctor to me. I was there; Abubakar’s doctor was there; Dr. Coker, the owner of that hospital on Victoria Island was there and the team.

You believe Abiola was poisoned, but how come this team of highly qualified doctors, including yourself conducted the post-mortem and concluded that Abiola died from natural causes?

 

No, what they said was that there was not enough supply of blood to his heart because there was a collection of fatty materials in the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. His heart did not get blood supply; that was why he died eventually. The question is, why did that happen? How could that happen to somebody who just woke up, had not done anything and was not doing any exercise. There are people who have worse conditions than that and they are still alive. Something must have engineered the heart to behave the way it did that Abiola could not survive more than 10 minutes. We took specimen from his intestine, took his blood and sent it to toxicologists in Canada and in London.

 

 

Another question to ask was where did Pickering type his press statement? Abiola died around 3:40pm and by 4pm, Pickering read his typed-written press statement and said he must have died of heart attack. The doctor that took Abiola’s body to Aso Rock clinic had not come when Pickering addressed the press. Could something have triggered the heart attack? The answer is yes. We also know that there are drugs that can affect the rhythm of the heart. Such drugs can disturb the rhythm of the heart to an extent that the heart can stop pumping blood. If you give it to anyone to drink in tablet or liquid form, it can make the heart to stop within minutes. Does this leave traces in the blood? Yes, because medical science has perfected all that now. They just conducted the post-mortem of Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian man that died about five years ago. When he died, nobody suspected, but now they believe he was poisoned and they are trying to find out what type of poison it was.

So, you believe medical science can detect the poison now?

Yes, and that is why we are calling for a more detailed investigation into the cause of Abiola’s death. Why are the human rights activists here not pushing for further investigation into Abiola’s death? Our government did not even want to say that the man won the election, until President Goodluck Jonathan came.

But did Abiola have any health condition that could have resulted to sudden death?

Tell me who had a better health than Abiola. Before he was detained, Abiola was a globetrotter. If not because he was very healthy, he wouldn’t have lasted five years in detention. He was not exercising, not seeing people and so on. They even tried to injure him once in the office of the Commissioner of Police in Abuja. A police officer that came from Aso Rock threw Abiola against a pillar and he hit his back and his spinal cord protruded. We gave Abiola a newspaper, and the policeman wanted collect it from him, but he refused. Then we looked for CT scan and there was none in Nigeria but Abacha was ready to let him go abroad for treatment. But many people feared that if he left, they would not have allowed him back into the country. This was because he had gone once and the then interim President Ernest Shonekan, did not allow him back into the country. It was the same Abacha that ensured that Abiola returned. Abacha had to change the guards at the airport, replaced them with his own guards and asked them to fly Abiola in from Cotonou. I was close to Abacha to know all these. Abiola landed and trouble started. Then there was the afternoon coup, Abacha took over from Shonekan. As far as Abacha was concerned, his reign was not to be permanent, he had to remove Shonekan to foil Ibrahim Babangida’s plan to come back. Babangida’s intention was to transform into a civilian president.

Mario Balotelli Shuns Mum, But Buys N250 Million Engagement Ring For His Girlfriend

Mario Balotelli’s girlfriend Fanny Negeusha has appeared to confirm their engagement by posting a picture of herself wearing a dazzling diamond ring on her Instagram page.

According to reports, the 22-year-old footballer popped the question with the £100,000 (N250 Million) jewel this weekend.

Belgian model Fanny later confirmed the news by posting a picture of the diamond, alongside the caption: ‘It’s official!’Fans were quick to post their congratulations to the couple both in English and French following Fanny’s post. Mario and Fanny, who started dating six months ago, are now said to be putting plans for the lavish ceremony in action.

The pair had apparently spoken about getting married before, but the timing hadn’t been right.

However, now the pair are planning to take a luxury holiday in the near future to discuss details for their big day.

The engagement comes after the pair split briefly last month following allegations that Mario had made lewd comments about his model girlfriend.

According to reports, the sportsman told his Real Madrid teammates that they could sleep with Fanny if the team beat Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their Champions League clash. But Fanny was quick to forgive Mario, and the pair were seen enjoying a romantic day out together at an Italian park last week.
Mario spoke of his love for Fanny during a magazine interview earlier this year, saying: ‘In a short time she found herself in sync with me. I could spend my whole life with someone like this.’ The footballer had previously been in a relationship with 25-year old presenter Raffaella Fico who claims her four-month old child Pia is his daughter.

 Mario reportedly denies the fatherhood claims, and has asked for a paternity test to prove it before he sees the baby.

Nollywood Actresses Struggling To Get Pregnant – Husbands Threaten Divorce

They continue to deny but recent information indicates that few Nollywood actress are not having it rosy in their matrimonial home due to the fact that they've not been able to get pregnant and give their husbands children, months and years into their marriage.

However, two actresses stand out from the pack; Ini Edo who got married to Mr Philip about 4years ago and Stephenie Okereke who got married to Mr Linus about 14 months ago...
While Ini Edo is in her first marriage, Stephenie Okereke was married to a footballer but it ended in a messy divorce before settling with her new man in a fairy tale wedding. However, there has been no fairy tale kids in their homes thus far and both of them are not known to be pregnant, yet.

Sources say Ini's case is worse as her husband is already under immense pressure from family and friends to go for a divorce and marry a woman who would give him children. As for Stephanie, her husband doesn't understand "the stories" she's telling him about her inability to get pregnant. The guy is not happy!

Both ladies, said to be "wild" back in the day, are now going spiritual and are always saying they are hoping that the babies will come soon. But how long can these men wait?

PHOTOS: Tonto Dikeh Complains About Mosquito Bites In London

Tonto Dikeh posted these photos on Instagram today showing off the spots on her face and claiming they are mosquito bites.

And instead of her followers to be sympathetic, one of them told her:

It's a reaction to one of your skin care products especially the ones that bleach. 

Another one asked her:

Mosquito in London? Sure you are not still high on ukwale Igbo that made you crash on stage!!!

What do you think?

Abiola’s Betrayers Still In Govt – NADECO

National Democratic Coalition on Tuesday said those who connived with the military to annul June 12, 1993, presidential election reportedly won by business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, were still in government.

Chairman, NADECO, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi  Kanu (retd.), stated this during the 19th anniversary of June 11, 1994 Epetedo Declaration by Abiola.
Kanu, in a speech entitled ‘19 Years After the Epetedo Declaration: Where is the Sovereign Power of the People?’, said, “Many who connived with the clique in those debasing and disenfranchising years are in power today, even masquerading as champions of democracy.
“Such people include those who chaired Abiola’s winning party, the Social Democratic Party, now today sitting atop party’s board of trustees.
“Some reign at the pinnacle of the legislative arm of government in Abuja. There are numerous others in the arms of government and even among the progressives, who ought really to search their conscience, if the survival, well-being and progress of Nigeria is truly in their agenda.”
He restated the call for a Sovereign National Conference, saying the conference remained the panacea for the country’s socio-economic and political development.
He said the 1999 Constitution was imposed on Nigerians in utter negation of their sovereignty.
Another NADECO leader, Chief Ayo Opadokun, urged pro-democracy groups to do more to liberate the country.
He said, “We need to do more than we are doing. We need to get ourselves organised in our streets, wards and various levels and constitutionally engage those in power that have turned us into servitude.
“This is a country that exports what it does not have and imports what it has. Nigeria has oil, yet the leaders are importing oil for domestic use. Statistics available to me is that over 18 million graduates in Nigeria are jobless. This should not be if those in government could block wastage and eradicate corruption.”
A  lawyer,  Fred Agbeyegbe, spoke on the need and modalities for an SNC, saying the conference was the business of Nigerians.
Also, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State described the proscribed poll as a watershed in the annals of the country.
He said the supreme price paid by Abiola, could not be forgotten.
In a related development, the Osun State government has declared Wednesday (today) a public holiday in commemoration of the anniversary.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chief Sunday Akere, on Tuesday, said symposia, rallies and a documentary on the life of Abiola would mark the event.
Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate,  Prof.   Wole Soyinka, has said May 29, which the Federal Government branded Democracy Day, lacks the credibility of the June 12 presidential election, won by Abiola.
Soyinka stated this in a statement on the 20th anniversary of the June 12 election on Tuesday.
He said, “We need to remind ourselves what June 12, 1993 represents. It is neither mere date, nor sentiment. It is simply – Human Spirit. What a futile undertaking it is then, when some individuals attempt to deny or crush it. Yet it was the power of this very spirit that brought such out of relegation or obscurity, even from the jaws of death, and bestowed upon them relevance and prominence.
“What June 12 possesses is exactly what May 29, or any other day, lacks. The former was a spirit of unified purpose, the latter simply an egotistical appropriation of the gift of the former.  June 12 embodies unity of purpose, equity and justice, the manifestation of the sovereign will of a people. It remains forever a watershed of Nigerian history, no matter what the future holds.
“I urge you to try a simple experiment: narrate the story of May 29 to a child and watch his or her reaction. On that day – that child would concede – an individual was installed as a compromise president following a compromise election. So, what is new?”
Soyinka added, “Now move on to unfold the tapestry of June 12. Run your finger along its traceries of citizen resolve, upheavals, of individual and group heroisms, of sacrifices and martyrdoms, the timeless narrative of human resilience. Watch the difference in that child’s responses.  Yet, even the beneficiaries of that day persist in their futile effort to kill the date and supplant it with another. Why should we be surprised?
It is that unprincipled game of substitution that they have carried even to subsequent elections, substituting names of the rightful winners of elections with others who were never even in contention. “It is this same mental compulsion that moves them to attempt to rob even a calendar date of its significance, its history, its potential for character formation and sense of national formation – and transformation.”

Woman Crushes Ex-Boyfriend To Death With Her Car

A woman has been charged with murder after police said she ran down her ex-boyfriend with her car and crushed him against a cinder-block garage wall.
Cherelle Baldwin of Connecticut was arraigned on a murder charge in state court in the death of 24-year-old Jeffrey Brown, the father of her toddler son. Baldwin, 21, was detained on $1 million bail. She was arrested Monday after a three-week investigation.
Baldwin's relatives defended her actions Tuesday, saying Brown choked her with a belt and she drove at him May 18 to try to save her life. Baldwin and Brown had a history of domestic violence and Baldwin, Baldwin's cousin said.


Brown's family denied that he tried to choke her.
"My son never threatened to kill her," said Jeffrey Hines, the victim's father. "She took my only son away from me."
Baldwin's car traveled 100 feet before striking Brown, apparently accelerating the entire time and with no signs of braking, police said. The impact pushed the wall back more than 10 inches, police spokesman William Kaempffer told the Connecticut Post.
"Murder was the appropriate charge," he told WFSB.
Brown was pinned between the car and wall when police and firefighters arrived. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, police said. Baldwin suffered a leg injury when the car hit Brown and the wall, police said.
Police Chief Joseph Gaudett Jr. said it took a few weeks for authorities to determine that criminal charges were warranted.
"Work by the crime scene unit and accident investigators was key to getting to the truth," Gaudett said in a statement.
Police said they are treating the case as a domestic homicide.

Merging Parties Apply For Registration - APC

The leadership of the three merging political parties on Tuesday announced that they had finally approached the Independent National Electoral Commission to merge into one under the name, All Progressive Congress.

The three merging parties are the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party and the Congress for Progressive Change.
But the merging parties failed to announce interim officers as speculated.
Spokesperson for the merger committee of the three political parties, Chief Tom Ikimi, told journalists in Abuja that the national chairmen, secretaries and treasurers of the three parties had submitted their letters of intent to merge to INEC on Friday.
Ikimi spoke at the end of the committee’s meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
He, however, refused to disclose the names of the interim leaders of the yet-to-be registered APC, saying they would not be stampeded to do so.
Rather, he said they were satisfied with the submission of letters of intent to merge and that the request was already pending before the electoral body.
Ikimi was flanked at the briefing by the both the former Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, who represented the ANPP and a former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Gadi, who also stood in for the CPC.
He said, “The final document for registration in accordance with INEC regulations has to be signed by the National Chairman, National Secretary and National Treasurer of each of the merging parties.”
Ikimi debunked the insinuations in some quarters that the merging committee was unable to agree on who should lead the APC in the interim.
He said the names of prospective interim leaders were being discussed and that representatives of each merging party and some sections of All Progressive Grand Alliance and the DPP had been mandated to report back to the leaders of their group on the matter.
An APGA faction led by Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha  has been romancing with the merging parties but it could not formally key in to the process because the different faction in the party have not been able to agree to hold their convention.
Ikimi said, “That is being discussed and it is being worked out and we need to consult further with our various parties in order to agree with those names.
“There are no disagreements and we as merging parties are working and we had a fruitful meeting this afternoon and we have made fundamental decisions.
“One of the decisions is that we should now consult further with our various parties (on the names of those to lead the newly formed party).”
He said he was happy that the Merging Committee had been able to conclude work on the choice of name, logo, slogan, symbol, constitution and a manifesto of the new party, saying this had made it possible for the merging parties to hold their conventions.
Ikimi said he was happy that  Nigerians were waiting for the final registration of the party so that they could avail themselves the opportunity of joining the APC.
He assured Nigerians that the new party would be broad-based, open and truly belong to all its members equally.
He said, “To this end, we have all subscribed to our new constitution (in the APC) and it defines, quite clearly, the leadership structure of the party.
“This principle underscored equality and fair play among party members without prejudice.
“We will therefore strive to guarantee transparency and internal party democracy, particularly at this stage of registration.
“We expect all of us involved in the process to also subscribe to and respect the fundamental principles.
“Everyone committed to providing our country this platform of change must be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice.”
Spokespersons for the ACN and CPC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Mr. Rotimi Fashakin respectively, assured Nigerians that there was no crisis within the ranks of the members of the merging political parties.
Mohamed said the leaders of the new party were confident that INEC would soon issue them the letters of registration and that the non-submission of the interim leaders of the party to the electoral body would not have any negative effect on its registration.
Asked if the leaders of the merging political parties had agreed on the sharing formula of those that would make the list of the interim committee, Mohammed said, “You will know in due course.
“Let me tell you one thing, nobody would stampede us and no amount of pressure would make us do what we know is not proper.”
He said the merger would be the first time such would happen in the country, adding that its promoters would not be distracted with criticisms because “we know we are on the right course.”
At the meeting were Okorocha; former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; and a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Audu Ogbeh.

Aregbesola, Sagay Fault Call For LG Autonomy

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Itse Sagay, have faulted plans by the National Assembly to grant total autonomy to local governments as the third tier of government.

Both of them spoke in Lagos on Tuesday as part of the discussants at the second edition of the National Public Discourse, with the theme, ‘Local Government Authority: How Autonomous?’
Aregbesola said local governments were merely administrative units, subject to the states.
He said, “The federating entities are the states and the centre.
“The states are federating units, while the local governments are merely administrative units; centres of development in the states. Local government must not be seen as anything outside the total authority of the states.”
The governor described as an aberration, the situation in which the Federal Government distributes money to state and local governments, stating that such practice is found in other federal republics.
He added that the creation and funding of local governments under federalism lay within the powers of the states.
Sagay listing local government areas in the constitution as an aberration.
He said, “Every state should create, fund and run local government as they deed fit. Why should we even have a Federation Account? Why not Federal Government account and state government accounts?
“Why can’t a state decide the structure it wants to run for its local governments?
“How can the National Assembly dream that the Independent National Electoral Commission should start conducting local government elections? They say it is because the state governments are rigging the local government elections. Then I ask: Is the Federal Government not rigging the election conducted by INEC?
“If you want autonomy for local governments, then you should kiss federalism goodbye.
“What the National Assembly should be doing is to make the zones into powerful regions to reduce the powers of the federal governments and make Abuja less attractive. As it is the Federal Government is the most inefficient government and that is because it has too much money and too much power.”

'West Was My Slave Name, Yeezus Is My God Name' - Kanye West Talks About Equating Himself To Jesus

Kanye West debuted "Yeezus," his sixth studio album, to a crowd of critics, fans and celebrities on Monday night at an event equal parts listening party and public art exhibition.
The festivities took place at Manhattan's Milk Studios, but rather than following the countless PR and fashion events that Milk has hosted before, West instead chose the Meatpacking District building's loading dock. Attendees were let in one by one, a slow process that would have led one to believe that only a select few were being given the privilege of the record. That was not the case: The venue was open to the street, so anyone within earshot could hear the album which had hitherto been shrouded in secrecy, and anyone within eyesight could see the basic video imagery that went along with the audio.
That's in keeping with West's public -- and global -- debut of "New Slaves," but there's more to the theme than a simple stunt. Though the likes of Jay-Z, Beyonce, Busta Rhymes, Theophilus London, Timbaland and Q-Tip stopped by, West seemed most pleased to see that his work had the potential to be heard by passersby. Long after Jay-Z and Beyonce had stopped their all-out, hands-in-the-air dance-along to the vibrant album, West became excited when a city bus drove by and grabbed the microphone to remark on the fact that the event was "out here in the middle of New York City blasting music and nobody is shutting us down."


West also put one matter of confusion to rest: "I want to explain something about the album title. Simply put, 'West' was my slave name and 'Yeezus' is my god name."
By this point, near the end of the second spin of the album, West was decidedly free-spirited, dancing and shaking hands with fans. It was easily his happiest public appearance in months, a period during which bloggers noted West's perma-scowl. At the start of the night, West seemed more antsy, rattling off a series of somewhat curious justifications, saying he didn't release singles because he didn't enjoy seeing his work on YouTube next to "related artists" ("When you buy a Louis-Vuitton bag..."), reminding fans that his father was in the Black Panthers and letting the crowd know that didn't hear Joy Division's music when he was growing up. It made sense at the time, but it was certainly a stream-of-consciousness diatribe.
"I had to learn about giving, this whole album is about giving -- this whole process is about giving ... no f--ks at all," West said after memorably explaining his new outlook as such: "I have a new strategy, it's called 'no strategy.' I have a plan to sell more music it's called 'make better music.'"
All in all, it was a triumphant night for West, who made sure to give every member of his team a shout-out and reminded the audience to surround themselves with the best. "If I'm standing next to someone, that means they're smarter than me," he said, shirt soaked with sweat, before leaving a bit past midnight. "If I'm standing next to someone, that means they're better at something than I am."

Dangote Flood Committee To Publish Defaulting Donors’ Names

Prominent Nigerians, who have failed to make good their last November’s pledges towards addressing the plight of flood victims, have been given up till June 30 this year to do so or have their names published in national newspapers and social media blogs.

Co-chairmen of the Presidential Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee – business mogul, Aliko Dangote, and a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, – issued this threat in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
It was learnt that many of the defaulters had been enjoying the tax incentives accompanying their pledges, while they have failed to fulfil their own part of the bargain.
In a statement titled ‘Public Notice: Redemption of Pledges’, the committee advised the defaulters to “respect themselves and maintain their honour and integrity”, by promptly redeeming their pledges.
The statement read in part, “The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation expresses its profound gratitude and appreciation to all who answered the clarion call to be our brothers’ keepers through their generous donations and pledges at its Fund Raising Dinner in November 2012, for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in Nigeria. We thank you immensely.
“As we proceed to the implementation stage of the planned rehabilitation projects, we hereby call on all those who have not redeemed their pledges to please do so on or before June 30, 2013, as a mark of honour and integrity, as names of defaulters will be announced in all national dailies and social media blogs.
“Once again, we thank you and look forward to receiving the proceeds of all pledges made.”
President Goodluck Jonathan had, last October, set up a 34-man committee with the target of raising a sum of N100bn to provide reliefs for the flood victims.
At the fund-raising dinner held at the Presidential Villa on November 8, 2012, eminent citizens pledged about N11.35bn for the task.
The Federal Government and Dangote made the highest donation of N2.5bn, while co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, and former UBA Group Managing Director, Tony Elumelu, donated N1bn each.
Minister of Petroleum, Deziani Alison-Madueke, and her counterpart in the Telecommunications ministry, Omobola Johnson, had pledged to mobilise the indigenous oil companies and telecommunications firms, which were invited but were absent at the dinner, to also donate to the committee.
Jonathan had announced tax incentives for all corporate organisations that would donate to the committee as encouragement.

FG To Use Space Technology To Enhance National Development – Jonathan

The Federal Government is rolling out plans to use space technology to enhance national security, communication, industrialisation and sustained socio-economic development.

President Goodluck Jonathan made this known on Tuesday when he inaugurated a 13-member National Space Council (NSC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that given the critical place of space technology in national security, communication, industrialisation and sustained socio-economic development, the need to properly structure and drive the national space programme could not be over-emphasised.
“This informs why our administration has constituted this council with high calibre membership.
“We must evolve clear cut initiatives that will not only fast-track our industrialisation process, but one that will also see us, within the shortest possible period, to be able to build our own motor vehicles, our own boats and our own aircraft.
“We should also be able to launch our own satellite manufactured in Nigeria from a launch site in Nigeria on a launch vehicle made in Nigeria.”
Jonathan said this was a challenge not only to the members of the council, but to all Nigerians.
“We should rededicate ourselves to building a better, technologically advanced, stable and prosperous Nigeria for our children.”
He reiterated government’s unwavering commitment to the actualisation of the goal of the programme, and urged members of the Council to evolve measures that would enable the country to maximally benefit from the huge investments in the development of space technology.
The Council is chaired by the President, while Vice President Namadi Sambo is the deputy chairman.
Other members are the ministers of science and technology, communication technology, education, defence, interior and national planning.
The attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice; professors Elijah Mshelia, Vincent Olunloyo and Francesca Okeke, and the director-general, National Space Research and Development Agency, are also members of the Council.
The National Space Council is the apex body charged with the responsibility of developing policy guidelines for the country’s activities in space, in addition to monitoring the implementation of the National Space Programme.

UNILAG Students Protest High Food Prices, Shut Shops

For the third day, students of the University of Lagos continued their protest on Tuesday over the high price of food items in the school, saying they must have their ways.
In the frenzy, the students had shut shops in some of the school halls of residence and others within the school, insisting on a drastic slash in prices of food items.
The protest had started on  Sunday after one of the student leaders in Mariere Hall, named Seun Lari-Williams, refused to pay N110 for one pack of noodle, and N10 for a sachet of water.
It was learnt that the food seller had refused to reduce the price which made Lari-williams to mobilise students in the hall to embark on a protest against unfair price of goods in the school.
A final student of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Timothy Quadri, said, “The protest started on Sunday at Mariere Hall. It was the President of the Law Students Society, Seun Lari-Williams, who wanted to buy noodle (hungry man size), and he was told it was N110. But he disagreed with the lady at the counter, saying the price was N100 outside the campus. Later, he decided to get the N10 balance from his room.
“But by the time he returned, the lady had decided that she would not sell for him again, which started a quarrel.
“Angry Lari-Williams quickly summoned fellow students in the hall who came down to shut the shop and started a protest against unfair price of goods on the campus.”
Another student from the Department of Mass Communication, Adeola Scott, said the protest had been peaceful.
She said, “It has been peaceful. On Sunday, the students moved round Mariere and Jaja, and on Monday, they moved shut all the shops in Science, Engineering and New Hall. They were joined by the deputy dean of students’ affairs who monitored the students to ensure it was peaceful.”
The Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Olukayode Almond, was said to have ordered that all stalls and supermarkets be shut pending the time the crisis would be resolved.
Meetings were also held with the deputy Dean of Student Affairs and Head of Counselling Unit to end the protest and pacify the warring students.
However, a communiqué at the end of the meeting, obtained by our correspondent showed that students’ leaders, school management, and representatives of sellers of goods and services on the campus had agreed on prices for goods and services in UNILAG.
For instance, a small bottle of soft drink is to cost N50, while washing soap prices ranged from N50 to N120. Toothpastes are to be sold for between N100 and N200. Stationery will now go for minimum of N70 and maximum of N100. The particular noodles that caused the problem will be sold for N90.
The school said one spoon of rice would be sold for N400, while three spoons must not be more than N100.

UNILAG Students Protest High Food Prices, Shut Shops

For the third day, students of the University of Lagos continued their protest on Tuesday over the high price of food items in the school, saying they must have their ways.

In the frenzy, the students had shut shops in some of the school halls of residence and others within the school, insisting on a drastic slash in prices of food items.
The protest had started on  Sunday after one of the student leaders in Mariere Hall, named Seun Lari-Williams, refused to pay N110 for one pack of noodle, and N10 for a sachet of water.
It was learnt that the food seller had refused to reduce the price which made Lari-williams to mobilise students in the hall to embark on a protest against unfair price of goods in the school.
A final student of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Timothy Quadri, said, “The protest started on Sunday at Mariere Hall. It was the President of the Law Students Society, Seun Lari-Williams, who wanted to buy noodle (hungry man size), and he was told it was N110. But he disagreed with the lady at the counter, saying the price was N100 outside the campus. Later, he decided to get the N10 balance from his room.
“But by the time he returned, the lady had decided that she would not sell for him again, which started a quarrel.
“Angry Lari-Williams quickly summoned fellow students in the hall who came down to shut the shop and started a protest against unfair price of goods on the campus.”
Another student from the Department of Mass Communication, Adeola Scott, said the protest had been peaceful.
She said, “It has been peaceful. On Sunday, the students moved round Mariere and Jaja, and on Monday, they moved shut all the shops in Science, Engineering and New Hall. They were joined by the deputy dean of students’ affairs who monitored the students to ensure it was peaceful.”
The Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Olukayode Almond, was said to have ordered that all stalls and supermarkets be shut pending the time the crisis would be resolved.
Meetings were also held with the deputy Dean of Student Affairs and Head of Counselling Unit to end the protest and pacify the warring students.
However, a communiqué at the end of the meeting, obtained by our correspondent showed that students’ leaders, school management, and representatives of sellers of goods and services on the campus had agreed on prices for goods and services in UNILAG.
For instance, a small bottle of soft drink is to cost N50, while washing soap prices ranged from N50 to N120. Toothpastes are to be sold for between N100 and N200. Stationery will now go for minimum of N70 and maximum of N100. The particular noodles that caused the problem will be sold for N90.
The school said one spoon of rice would be sold for N400, while three spoons must not be more than N100.

UNILAG Students Protest High Food Prices, Shut Shops

12 June, 2013
Local

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For the third day, students of the University of Lagos continued their protest on Tuesday over the high price of food items in the school, saying they must have their ways.

In the frenzy, the students had shut shops in some of the school halls of residence and others within the school, insisting on a drastic slash in prices of food items.
The protest had started on  Sunday after one of the student leaders in Mariere Hall, named Seun Lari-Williams, refused to pay N110 for one pack of noodle, and N10 for a sachet of water.
It was learnt that the food seller had refused to reduce the price which made Lari-williams to mobilise students in the hall to embark on a protest against unfair price of goods in the school.
A final student of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Timothy Quadri, said, “The protest started on Sunday at Mariere Hall. It was the President of the Law Students Society, Seun Lari-Williams, who wanted to buy noodle (hungry man size), and he was told it was N110. But he disagreed with the lady at the counter, saying the price was N100 outside the campus. Later, he decided to get the N10 balance from his room.
“But by the time he returned, the lady had decided that she would not sell for him again, which started a quarrel.
“Angry Lari-Williams quickly summoned fellow students in the hall who came down to shut the shop and started a protest against unfair price of goods on the campus.”
Another student from the Department of Mass Communication, Adeola Scott, said the protest had been peaceful.
She said, “It has been peaceful. On Sunday, the students moved round Mariere and Jaja, and on Monday, they moved shut all the shops in Science, Engineering and New Hall. They were joined by the deputy dean of students’ affairs who monitored the students to ensure it was peaceful.”
The Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Olukayode Almond, was said to have ordered that all stalls and supermarkets be shut pending the time the crisis would be resolved.
Meetings were also held with the deputy Dean of Student Affairs and Head of Counselling Unit to end the protest and pacify the warring students.
However, a communiqué at the end of the meeting, obtained by our correspondent showed that students’ leaders, school management, and representatives of sellers of goods and services on the campus had agreed on prices for goods and services in UNILAG.
For instance, a small bottle of soft drink is to cost N50, while washing soap prices ranged from N50 to N120. Toothpastes are to be sold for between N100 and N200. Stationery will now go for minimum of N70 and maximum of N100. The particular noodles that caused the problem will be sold for N90.
The school said one spoon of rice would be sold for N400, while three spoons must not be more than N100.

Oshiomhole Bans Okada In Benin City

The Governor, who announced the ban to newsmen on Tuesday afternoon after the weekly security meeting, said the ban is limited to the three local Government areas which make up Benin City including Ikpoba Okha, Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas.

Governor Oshiomhole said it is now increasingly evident that many of the kidnappers in the state are Okada riders.

He said that the state has become a haven for criminals and other Okada riders who migrated to Edo State following similar ban in other states.

The Governor appealed to the Okada riders to bear with the government as they were compelled to make this decision.

The Governor also said that the security agencies have resolved to commence random checks of the private security personnel employed by residents in the state to determine if they are Nigerians and have valid papers to reside here as it has been discovered that they have largely been the informants in cases of kidnapping.

He advised residents of the state to properly scrutinize those they employ as helps and security personnel.