Participatory politics: Emulate Cross River –Ita–Giwa

Former Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo on National Assembly Matters, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa in this chat with journalists analysed the political situation in Cross River and described it as a Gestapo where elders are being disrespected but explained why she remained in the PDP.

Why I remain in PDP
I’m in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  because of the tremendous support and respect I enjoy at the national level in spite of the fact that I have never occupied any party position since I joined the party from the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) 15 years ago. If I were still to be there, by now, I could have risen to the post of the Deputy National Chairman.
The ward congress in Cross River
I commend the impeccable conduct of the ad hoc delegates election panel and the appeal panel that followed immediately. The panel members were made up of credible individuals. I thank the party for allowing due process and true democracy to prevail for the first time in Cross River State even as other states are crying foul that the process was hijacked by their leadership. I want to add that the peace that had existed in the state were graveyard peace because the people had been suppressed for so long and I make bold to state that Cross River remained the only state where party elders are disrespected and treated shabily.
Party Elders and their structures
“As I speak now, there are psychological intimidations and palpable fear in Cross River State as people are scared of even making political conversation on phones let alone gathering in their private homes to discuss politics because of the fear of political punishments. I describe this as a gestapo situation and a steady shift into a state of anarchy. “How come those that are challenging the system for the past three years have now gone into hiding? I want answers to this question. All opposition members have gone into hiding.
Private political arrangements
There was a private arrangement which ensured the Ikang zone produce the Chapter Chairman while I remained the caucus leader to sustain the political process but without informing me,  I was removed but instead of abandoning my people, I remained undaunted and continued to provide credible leadership to the people especially at the riverine area of the state.
Why structures are hijacked
The purported hijack of all the structures were meant to satisfy their selfish ends but politics is a spiritual thing and  nemesis would always catch up with those who trample on others.  I am surprised that the same leadership that takes away and add names are the one crying over party congress. This reminds me of the popular soap opera;  The rich also cry. The rich should also cry because the poor had cried for too long. “For me as a forthright leader who has paid her dues at all levels, the issue of governorship resides with the people. Legitimacy is their rights and at their prerogatives, they should decide who will govern them. I have nothing personal against any senatorial aspirant because of their pedigree but in my opinion, Senator Prince Bassey Out has done well and I am supporting continuity and I wish to state for the umpteenth time that in the interest of peace, that list of congress results should not be tampered with.”
She called on other states to emulate Cross River State in allowing a level playing ground for the people to choose leaders of their choices as against impositions.

Read More

Coal City taxis shut down Enugu for Ugwuanyi

Over 1000 taxi cabs took over the major streets and roads of the Enugu Coal City yesterday when the Enugu Unity Forum, an association set up for good governance in the state in conjunction with the taxis held a mega rally that almost grounded activities in the state capital.

The road show which lasted for over five hours was a rare show of solidarity as the taxi’s reportedly agreed to take a day off to drum up support for the House of Reps member who has been adopted as the PDP guber consensus candidate for the 2015 elections.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the rally, the leader of the forum, Hon Tahil OchiI expressed satisfaction with the turnout which he noted is unprecedented.
Said he; “I thank God that Enugu people have again spoken to show solidarity for Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. I don’t know how to describe the crowd today but I must thank the almighty God for the overwhelming support for Sullivan Chime because it is a support for the governor as well as the incoming governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
“We organized this mega rally for Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi the consensus guber candidate of the PDP in Enugu State in conjunction with Enugu City Cab. I am highly impressed and all glory must go to God.
“It’s a support for Ugwuanyi, a popular candidate, the choice of Enugu people and we said it will be good to organize a rally for him to show how popular he is amongst the populace. So, the Enugu Unity Forum with Enugu Taxi came out enmasse and joined hands to have a road show round the whole city of Enugu State to show solidarity with the man that we know will be the governor of Enugu State.
On those who are still kicking against the consensus, Ochi said; “Of course, they must accept the decision of the party because we are all party members and if you even look at what happened in the presidential nomination too, everybody came together and said okay; let the president contest as a consensus candidate. And if you have looked around, even some people that went to buy form, they have all dropped because you must respect the party because the party has the final say.
“In Enugu State, the PDP stakeholders have endorsed Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi but that doesn’t mean that you have to shut out people from showing interest to contest but they are in the minority and I believe they will queue up.
“I don’t know what you mean by political maneuvering; the PDP has spoken and whoever disagrees has an option to go to another party but we are not praying for that. Since the party has come out open to say this is our consensus candidate, I am only preaching as the leader of Enugu Unity Forum that all our brothers who in one way or the other feel they should have been the governor should queue up and respect the party.”
The Enugu Forum President expressed conviction that Hon. Ugwuanyi will make a good governor saying; “he is going to build on the legacies laid down by Governor Sullivan Chime. I want to also tell you that Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, I know him very well, I know his pedigree, and our people in Enugu State know that this man will be one of the best governors in 2015.
He described the PDP guber consensus candidate, Ugwuanyi as a philanthropist, a team leader, a politician who has been in the system for almost 12 years as a member of the National Assembly. “He knows that politicians exist and we believe he will perform wonderfully well.
“As I talk with you today, you can verify from the streets of Enugu, he is the most popular candidate in the state. There is nowhere you mention his name that people will not say ‘that good man.’ It’s not for me to start telling you what he has done for the people but if you go down to the grassroots, and ask, the down trodden will tell you that this man has touched their lives in one way or the other without being a governor. So, if you give him the leadership of the state, he is going to build on the existing infrastructural development that the present administration has put in place in the state.  And I know he is going to do better in 2015 as a governor.
Ochi noted that the forum which pushed for the realization of a power shift to Nsukka zone has always believed that for the sake of equity that power should go to Enugu North.
“We don’t have any problem in the state whether it is going to the North or East, everybody in the state has agreed it is for the North and more than 90 per cent of those aspiring to be governor are all from the zone.  And when the stakeholders met, you discover that more than 99 per cent supported the emergence of Ugwuanyi from the zone.
“So, we are not afraid that the zoning is on-course but in politics, there is need to carry the message to the grassroots again to tell them yes, this is the decision of the stakeholders. So, we are not afraid of anybody contesting the election because majority will always have their way.
He maintained that; “there is a pattern in PDP; and the party has not shut anybody out from contesting but at the appropriate time, and before the primary, I assure you that Ugwuanyi will be the sole candidate.”

Read More

Air Force helicopter crashes as Boko Haram mount raids

The Nigerian Air Force on Friday said it had lost another helicopter in the restive northeast, after Boko Haram rebels raided two more towns and vigilantes and hunters clawed back a key militant stronghold.

The second crash in a week happened late Thursday in Yola, the capital of Adamawa, which is one of three states that has been under emergency rule since May last year.
While there was no immediate indication that the armed Islamist movement was responsible for the crash, there has been an increase in Boko Haram activity in the state in recent weeks.
Boko Haram has reportedly taken over more than two dozen towns in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, including the commercial hub of Mubi, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) from Yola.
Last week, the extremists, who have been waging a five-year insurgency to create a hardline Islamic state, renamed Mubi “Madinatul Islam” or “City of Islam” in Arabic, residents said.
Nigeria’s chief of army staff, Major General Kenneth Minimah, told a Senate defence committee on Thursday that the loss of territory was “painful” but promised that troops would recapture lost ground.
Locals and a government official said later that about 200 vigilantes and hunters armed with home-made guns, spears, clubs, bows and arrows, and machetes took back Mubi.
“It is true Mubi has fallen back into the hands of Nigerian soldiers with the help of local vigilantes and hunters,” Chibado Bobi, chief of staff in the Adamawa state governor’s office, told AFP.
“It is however too early for residents who fled to move back to Mubi because the security and vigilantes need to mop up all remnants of the group that may be lurking in nearby areas.”
Boko Haram had introduced its strict version of Islamic law in the town, including amputations for accused thieves, according to residents who fled.
The hunters captured the Boko Haram-appointed emir, or leader, of Mubi after the attack, while militant fighters fled.
But instead of being pushed back to other territory it is reported to control, locals said Boko Haram invaded Hong, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south on the way towards Yola, and Gombi, to the northwest of Mubi.
In both Hong and Gombi, the militants were said to have razed the towns’ police stations.
The move towards Yola will raise concerns about safety in the city, where thousands of people have taken refuge to escape the violence.
The chopper crash near a hall of residence at the Modibbo Adama University of Science and Technology caused panic among students, as weapons said to be on board apparently exploded.
“We heard a huge thundering sound which made us rush out of the hostels, thinking the school was under Boko Haram attack,” said one student, Harisu Abdulaziz.
Another student said there was chaos as residents at the hostel tried to flee but were prevented by soldiers guarding the gates.
The university has been under military protection after a spate of Islamist attacks against schools in the region.
Kyari Mohammed, a lecturer at the university and a specialist in Boko Haram, said the helicopter that came down was one of two that flew over the campus.
“The crash was followed by a series of intermittent explosions inside the chopper, which people believed to be from weapons the chopper was ferrying,” he said.
Air force spokesman Dele Alonge confirmed that one of its aircraft had crashed but provided no details as to the cause or casualties.
On Monday, the military said another helicopter made an emergency landing near Yola airport, with no casualties reported.

Read More

Military confirms 3 dead in yesterday's helicopter crash in Yola

The Nigeria military has released a statement
confirming the crash of its patrol helicopter
yesterday night in Yola and also revealed
that 3 crew members aboard the helicopter
died in the crash. Find the statement below
"At about 2200hours yesterday 13
November 2014, a ground attack
helicopter on an armed patrol crashed
around the Federal University of
Technology Yola, Adamawa State. The
crew of 3 was lost in the ill-fated
accident. Rescue party worked
throughout the night to preserve the
wreckage of the aircraft and scene of the
accident for proper investigation to be
carried out. Further details would be
made known later."

Read More

CAF names Equitorial Guinea asnew host of AFCON 2015

The Confederation of African Football has
announced Equatorial Guinea as the new host
of the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 following
the decision of the football body to drop
Morocco 3 days ago.
CAF dropped Morocco as host of the football
tournament on Tuesday November 11th
following the nations request for
postponement of the tournament in their
country over Ebola fears.
A statement released by CAF this afternoon
says the dates for the tournament will remain
from Jan. 17-February 8 2015 and that four
cities will be used for the tournament:
Malabo, Bata, Mongomo and Ebebiyin. Find
the full statement by CAF after the cut...
The Head of State and President of the
Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro
Obiang Nguema Mbasogo this Friday 14
November met with the President of CAF
Issa Hayatou concerning the possibility
for Equatorial Guinea to host the Africa
Cup of Nations Orange 2015. Following
fraternal and fruitful discussions, the
Head of State of Equatorial Guinea has
agreed to host the tournament from
January 17 to February 8, 2015.
Therefore, the Executive Committee of
CAF confirms that the Orange Africa Cup
of Nations 2015 will be held in
Equatorial Guinea on the dates agreed,
and the national team of Equatorial
Guinea is qualified for the final
tournament as a representative of the
country host. The four cities selected for
the finals are Malabo, Bata, Mongomo
and Ebebiyin. The draw for the finals will
take place Wednesday, December 3,
2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. The
Executive Committee of CAF and
President Issa Hayatou seize this
opportunity to express their sincere
thanks and deep appreciation to the
people of Equatorial Guinea, its
government, and particularly to His
Excellency the Head of State and
President of the Republic Equatorial
Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Mbasogo.

Read More

Photos: Super Eagles playersarrive in Congo

Super Eagles players arrived Point Noire
airport in Congo early this morning
November 13th on a chartered Discovery-Air
plane led by NFF President Amaju Pinnick.
The footballers are in the country to play
against their Congolese counterpart in the
AFCON qualifying match which will hold
tomorrow. See more photos after the cut...

Read More

Scores killed as Boko Haramattack Chibok again

Boko Haram reportedly launched an attack
on Chibok community in Borno state
yesterday night November 14th killing several
people.
Some residents of the village who spoke with
Sahara Reporters said that the sect members
shot several people dead and injured many
before heading to the village square to
announce that they have taking over the
town as one of their caliphates.

Read More

'All is not well with Nigeria'Catholic Bishops say as theymeet with GEJ

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, a
body of Nigerian priest, paid a visit to Pres.
Jonathan yesterday at the State House to
express concern over increasing attacks by
Boko Haram members in the North East.
The groups president and Archbishop of Jos
diocese, Bishop Ignatius Kaigama, who spoke
with newsmen after their closed door meeting
with President Jonathan, said they were at
the state house to talk about lack of security
in Nigeria and find out what the government
is doing about it...
"We feel that things are not right.
Territorially, our land is being taken
away; the people we look after are
displaced, their homes, their villages
and towns are captured and they are
internally displaced, being refugees in
their own land.
We thought this is not right. We have
families that are just stranded. We
thought that the President should know.
As Catholics, we have laid a good
structure for relief and taking care of
such situation, we want the government
to collaborate with us. We just wanted
to remind him of things he already
knows, there was nothing we said that
was new, we just wanted to lay
emphasis and we wanted him to know
we are concerned. The President is
already doing his bit; he has assured us
that he is on top of the situation"
Bishop Kaigama argued that although
muslims have also been killed during the
various attacks, the primary aim of Boko
Haram is to wipe out Christianity and
islamiatize Nigeria
"When we admit that some Muslims are
also targeted, we want to believe that
the principal aim and concern of Boko
Haram is to eliminate Christianity and
pave the way for total Islamization of
the country" he said

Read More

Another military helicopter crashes in Yola

Another military helicopter crashed last night
between Girei & Modibbo near the Federal
University of Technology Yola, Adamawa
state. Eye witnesses said the helicopter
stopped abruptly midair while flying then
crashed into a ball of fire. The Nigerian
military are yet to say anything about the
crash

Read More

Nigerian couple jailed in the UK for moneylaundering and human trafficking

Nigerian couple Lizzy Idahosa, 24 and
Jackson Omoruyi, 41, have been sentenced to
prison in the UK. Lizzy got 8 years behind
bars for sex trafficking and Jackson got 2
years for money laundering.
The mother of one, who is currently heavily
pregnant with Jackson's second baby, was
found guilty of trafficking women to and
around the UK as well as inciting prostitution
and money laundering.
Her partner Jackson, charged £50,000 for
travel from Nigeria and false documents from
the ladies they brought and made them work
in brothels where they had sex with 7 or 8
men a day to pay their debts.
Their victims said that before traveling to
London on the promise of a better life, they
had been subjected to 'juju' rituals in which
they ate snails and snakes, had their hair
shaved, drank dirty water and were cut with a
razor. They were also threatened with illness,
madness, infertility and death if they ever
spoke up.

Read More

Photos: ISIS announces its own currency

Islamic terror sect ISIS is planning to mint its
own currency in gold, silver and copper: two
gold, three silver and two copper.
Its aim is to stay away from the "tyrant's
financial system," ISIS said in a statement
broadcast on CNN last night. The group also
said another statement will be out soon to
explain the new currency's exchange rate, and
where it can be found.
According to ISIS, "the move is purely
dedicated to God and will remove Muslims
from the global economic system that is
based on satanic usury"
The wealthiest terror organisation, which calls
itself the Islamic State, has seized large
expanse of territory in Iraq and Syria and
seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate there.
And world leaders are watching?

Read More

Photos: ISIS announces its own currency

Islamic terror sect ISIS is planning to mint its
own currency in gold, silver and copper: two
gold, three silver and two copper.
Its aim is to stay away from the "tyrant's
financial system," ISIS said in a statement
broadcast on CNN last night. The group also
said another statement will be out soon to
explain the new currency's exchange rate, and
where it can be found.
According to ISIS, "the move is purely
dedicated to God and will remove Muslims
from the global economic system that is
based on satanic usury"
The wealthiest terror organisation, which calls
itself the Islamic State, has seized large
expanse of territory in Iraq and Syria and
seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate there.
And world leaders are watching?

Read More

Wendy Williams says Kim & Kanye aregrooming North to follow in Kim's footsteps

Talk-show host Wendy Williams thinks Kim
and Kanye are grooming their daughter, North,
to follow in Kim's footsteps. She said this
during her Hot Topics segment yesterday.
Wendy explains,
“A lot of people are like she’s a mother why is
she still doing stuff like that? I look at it and
say, 'Well North is being groomed to do the
same thing...so to North this is going to be a
big deal in terms of looking up to her mom.'"
"I look at it say, 'Well you're somebody’s wife
now.' But I get it, cause Kanye was probably
in the corner [clapping] talking about Yaaass!
Yaaaas Hunty! Pose Girl!"
Starts from 4.00mark

Read More

Graphic pic: Trader kills man for "under-pricing" his goods

A trader at Alaba International Market Ojo,
Lawrence Ikonne has been arrested for
allegedly killing a buyer, Isa Yaya over the
price of his secondhand air conditioner.
According to reports, the incident happened at
Ikonne’s house at Afromedia Estate,
Okokomaiko, Lagos where Ikonne had invited
Yaya to. When they got to the house, the two
of them went inside a room to bring out the
air conditioner, and then they started haggling
over the price. Yaya allegedly insisted on
buying the air conditioner below N5, 000- a
price which did not go down well with Ikonne.
It resulted into a fight and Ikonne allegedly hit
Yaya with a plank resulting in his death...
During interrogation, the suspect said:
“I had not met the young man before. I met
him that morning at the Alaba market, and
asked him to buy one of my appliances: an
air conditioner. He actually looked like a cart
pusher. When we got home, we both went in
to remove the product, and we brought it
outside for negotiation. As we continued, he
said he would pay less than N5, 000. I
replied that he should assist me to return it
to where we took it from, but he refused. In
the process, we started fighting. He even
asked me to pay him for helping me bring it
out. I was mad, and I hit his belly with a
plank. When I realised he had fainted, I tied
him with a rope and dragged him into a
corner. I also fled the house.”
It was one of Ikonne’s co-tenants who noticed
Yaya’s tied up corpse, raised an alarm, and
reported the case to the Okokomaiko police
station.
Source: Punch

Read More

Oh wow! What kind of tattoo did ChrisBrown just get? (Photo)

Erm...what kind of symbol is that? He shared
the pic (on the right) on his instagram page
today. Left is what is neck used to look like.
See up-close pic after the cut....

Read More

Hunters kill over 75 Boko Haram men,recapture Maiha town in Adamawa

According to reports, about 75 Boko Haram
men were killed this week by local hunters in
Maiha town, which is about 25km from Mubi
town in Adamawa State.
The hunters also recaptured their town which
was captured by the insurgents this past
Monday. The local hunters, armed with rifles,
machetes, bows & arrows, ambushed the
insurgents as they came to fight with the
Nigerian military in their town and killed as
many of them as they could.
Following the attack, many residents of Maiha
fled to Yola over fears of reprisal attacks from
Boko Haram, who are known to re-group and
take revenge when their members are
slaughtered.
But the hunters and other vigilante groups say
they are no longer running, that they have
decided to stay and fight to keep their land
and family safe. Thousands of youths have
since signed up to confront Boko Haram
insurgents in the state.

Read More

Boko Haram: Nasir El-Rufai mocks PresidentJonathan with cartoon

Lol. The former minister mocked the Federal
Government's handling of the Boko Haram
crisis with this cartoon he posted on Twitter...

Read More

Oh my! Man survives being pierced by 15- inch piece of wood (pic)

How did he survive this? The medical staff at
a Polish Emergency ward were surprised when
40 year old Kamil Podwinski calmly walked
into their medical centre with a 15inch piece
of wood stuck right through his head.
According to New York Post, Mr Podwinski
was renovating his home in Konin Poland
when the freak accident happened. He
reportedly told the nurses he was working
when he slipped and fell face first onto a
sharp piece of wood. The wood entered his
face just below his eye socket and came out
through the back of his neck. And he survived.
He actually took himself to the hospital.
At the hospital, the staff had to call the fire
service department because they'd never dealt
with something like that before and were
scared they might cause more injury trying to
remove the piece of wood out of the man. The
fire service arrived the hospital and helped the
medical team remove the wood without
causing further damage.
The incident has since been described as a
miracle as the man who was calm through out
the ordeal, didn't suffer serious injuries and is
recovering in the hospital.

Read More

Man accuses Nigerian soldier of killing his friend & stealing his car

A Nigerian man, Abdullahi Hassan Ali, has
accused an unidentified Nigerian soldier of
allegedly killing and stealing from his friend,
Mohammed (pictured above), who was kind
enough to give the soldier a lift in his car. Ali
claims the soldier killed his friend, threw his
body out of the car and drove away in the car.
Possibly a robber in a military uniform. See
what Abdullahi posted on his Facebook page
after the cut...*graphic pic when you
continue...*
I can vividly remember those days when
Mohammed was in my office as a student on
industrial attachment (IT). He was such a
gentle being will high hopes for the
future.Although he appeared to be a quite
and gentle person,but he is the kind of
person that speaks alot when actualy says
nothing at all.Moreover,i used to like him
because he was a physics student from the
same department i graduated in UNIMAID.It
is so unfortunate that his life was cut short
by a Auto-theft soldier that shot him and got
away with his car.
Mohammed, being a generous and gentle
soul gave the soldier man a lift in his
car,and the soldier man shot him,threw him
out of the car and ran away with it. Some
good samaritans found Mohammed beside
roadway bleeding to death and hurriedly
decided to rush him to the nearest hospital,
but poor Mohammed never made it to the
hospital gate. Mohammed struggled and
managed to narrate the unfortunate incident
to his helpers before he died.The soldier man
was later arrested with the car, and is still
under custody. May almighty Allah forgive all
his mistakes and grant him Aljannah.Ameen.

Read More

Photo: Mikel Obi and girlfriend loved up in newphoto

Read More

It's getting interesting! Speaker Tambuwaljoins presidential race

The Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, who recently joined
APC, has joined the 2015 presidential race.
According to reports, he picked up his
presidential nomination and expression of
interest forms this past Monday November
10th.
He joins former Head of State Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari, former VP Atiku
Abubakar, Kano State Governor, Rabiu
Kwankwaso, and the Publisher of Leadership
newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah, in the APC
presidential race. Any of them of interest to
you?

Read More

Klint Da Drunk sends lovely shoutout to hiswife on instagram

Klint and Lilien have been married for seven
years and have two kids together. How sweet
he's still mad about her! :-)

Read More

Photos: Fashola meets with SA govtofficials, approves repatriation of deadSouth Africans in Synagogue tragedy

Governor Fashola yesterday met with
representatives of the South African
government who were in Nigeria to facilitate
the repatriation of the bodies of 54 South
Africans who died in the September 12th
Synagogue building collapse.


Addressing the South African delegation led by
South Africa's Minister in the Presidency Mr
Jeffrey Radebe, Governor Fashola said the
DNA test on 70 bodies out of the 116 retrieved
from the scene of the incident have been
concluded and gave the go-ahead for the
release of the 54 South Africans identified by
the DNA test results.
The governor apologized for the delay in the
release of the bodies, stating that the state
government was being careful in releasing the
bodies so as not to hand the body of any
victim to a wrong family.
Briefing the delegation, the state Chief
Medical Examiner, Prof John Obafunwa, said
of the 116 persons that died in the tragic
incident, 70 of them have been positively
tested and identified. Out of the 70, 54 are
South Africans while the remaining were from
Nigeria, Benin republic, Togo and other
countries.

Read More

Photos: Fashola meets with SA govt officials,approves repatriation of dead South Africansin Synagogue tragedy

Governor Fashola yesterday met with
representatives of the South African
government who were in Nigeria to facilitate
the repatriation of the bodies of 54 South
Africans who died in the September 12th
Synagogue building collapse.


Addressing the South African delegation led by
South Africa's Minister in the Presidency Mr
Jeffrey Radebe, Governor Fashola said the
DNA test on 70 bodies out of the 116 retrieved
from the scene of the incident have been
concluded and gave the go-ahead for the
release of the 54 South Africans identified by
the DNA test results.
The governor apologized for the delay in the
release of the bodies, stating that the state
government was being careful in releasing the
bodies so as not to hand the body of any
victim to a wrong family.
Briefing the delegation, the state Chief
Medical Examiner, Prof John Obafunwa, said
of the 116 persons that died in the tragic
incident, 70 of them have been positively
tested and identified. Out of the 70, 54 are
South Africans while the remaining were from
Nigeria, Benin republic, Togo and other
countries.

Read More

2face Idibia celebrates wife Annie as she turns30 today

Read More

2015 elections in Benue will be bloody unlessthe illegal arms in circulation are withdrawn-DSS

The Department of State Security (DSS) in
Benue State has said that the forthcoming
elections in the state would be bloody unless
the illegal arms in circulation are withdrawn.
According to the DSS, the quantity of firearms
in circulation in the state which has had a
number of farmer-herder clashes recently, is
scary and is dangerous to the 2015 elections.
Deputy Director of the Service, Frank Obi, who
spoke during a meeting organized by the
National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Makurdi,
said there is a need to address the issue to
ensure a peaceful election next year.
"Nobody is worried about retrieving them.
The arms are mostly in the possession of
youths and must be totally mopped up in-
order for next year’s elections not to be
turned into a battle field.” he said.

Read More

Boko Haram has declared war on Nigeria'-Senate President, David Mark

...and what is Nigeria going to do about it?
Nigerian Senate President David Mark says
recent attacks by Boko Haram members is a
clear indication that the sect group has
declared war on Nigeria. Mark said this at the
senate's plenary session yesterday.
"Clearly, Boko haram has declared war on
this country and we must fight this war with
all the resources at our disposal. There is no
half measure in it. Its not a matter of state of
emergency anymore, It is a total war and we
must bring all our war resources to bare on
Boko Haram" he said.
In a related development, the Senate
committee on Defence has summoned the
Security Chiefs over the security challenges
being faced in the North. They are expected to
give inventory of weaponry at their disposal
when they appear

Read More

Another fallen hero: Lieutenant MUmar Man

As much as we can celebrate these men
laying their lives for us, we will. Lieutenant M
Umar was killed by Boko Haram members
during an attack on Mubi in Adamawa state
on Tuesday November 11th. May his soul
rest in peace... Amen.

Read More

Court orders Lagos PDP to pay lawyer N10m

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ike­ja has ordered the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pay N10.5 million pro­fessional fees due to a legal practitioner, Mr. Debo Adeleke for services rendered to the party. Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye gave the order yesterday while deliv­ering a summary judgment on a case between Adeleke, the national headquar­ters of PDP and its state chapter.

The court also ordered the party to pay a N50, 000 cost in favour of the claimant.
Adeleke had dragged both the national headquarters and Lagos State branch of the PDP to court over their failure to pay him his outstanding legal fees.
The lawyer had sued the PDP for failing to pay the balance of his legal fees after he had made 180 representations for the party.
The matter, which commenced in Febru­ary, saw only the national leadership of the party being represented by a counsel, Mr. Chukwuma Nmesirionye.
In an application dated October 6, 2014, counsel to Adeleke, Mr. Benson Akeredolu, had drawn the attention of the court to the continuous absence of Lagos PDP or its representative from the court proceed­ings, saying the state chapter of the party had been served with all the processes but chose not to respond. He, therefore, urged the court to enter into a summary judgment against the state PDP.
In her ruling, the judge held that the sec­ond defendant (Lagos PDP) breached the provisions of Order 11 Rule 4 of the High Court of Lagos State Civil Procedure Rules.
She stated that the proof of service before the court showed that the party was served with the court processes but refused to file its response to the claimant’s affidavit.
Ipaye said the non-compliance with the court rules had shown that the party was not interested in defending the suit.
She said the court was more than satisfied with the totality of the unchallenged facts of the claimant and therefore entered judgment in Adeleke’s favour.
Justice Ipaye ordered the Lagos PDP to pay the sum of N10, 550, 000 to Adeleke as outstanding legal fees at an annual interest rate of 10 per cent.
Adeleke’s counsel stated that his client had handled seven cases for the PDP at the Lagos State Local Government Elections Petitions Tribunal between November 2011 and August 2012.

Read More

Journalists scheme to take over from Akpabio

Two brother jour­nalists from Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Pe­ter Esuh and Mr. Chris Abasi Eyo, have perfected plans to take over power from the state Governor, Godswill Ak­pabio, in 2015.

Esuh, with a doctorate degree in mass communica­tions from the University of Uyo, and until recently, a senior lecturer in the same department, and Eyo, a for­mer broadcaster with the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation and former com­missioner for information in Obong Victor Attah’s ad­ministration, had concluded necessary documentations as gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ironically, the duo, though from different local govern­ment areas are from Oron Federal Constituency in Eket Senatorial District, assumed to have been zoned the 2015 gubernatorial slot.
Esuh told Daily Sun on Tuesday that for fairness and equity in the zoning of governorship to Eket Sena­torial District, Oron should take the governorship in line with previous arrangement of targeting the majority ethnic group in each senatorial dis­trict.
He said the issue of zoning had been laid to rest in 2006 when the former governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah addressed the leaders of the state that power should shift to Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District with particular refer­ence to Annang, afterward, it should shift to Eket Senato­rial District, with particular reference to Oron.
He said though he was not coming out to represent Oron interest, as his aspiration was for the benefit of the entire state, it would amount to im­morality to scheme Oron out of the governorship by zon­ing it to other ethnic groups in the senatorial district.
“We need to make one capital state like Lagos. We don’t need to come to Uyo to feel governance. We need the kind of leadership that would harness the resources. The concept of where you come has been one of the problems we have in this state,” he said.

Read More