BUHARI :DON'T LOSE HOPE IN MY CHANGE AGENDA

President Buhari made the appeal today in his Easter message to the nation. He thanked Nigerians for their patience and understanding in the first ten months of his administration, assuring that he was working very hard to overcome the challenges he encountered on assumption of office. The president also assured that he was moving on with an "unshaken" resolve and determination to deliver on the mandate Nigerians gave him on March 28, last year. He said: "Faith, belief and the fulfilment of expectations are also key themes of the Easter celebration. I urge you all, therefore, to continue to have faith in the future greatness of our country and to believe that the CHANGE my administration promised will surely come to fruition". Buhari, however, stressed that the change which all Nigerians yearned for, would certainly occur more rapidly "if we all place the love of our country above selfish personal and group interests". The president also assured that the 2016 national budget would be efficiently and successfully implemented. He said: "The National Assembly has just passed the 2016 budget. I assure all Nigerians that we will do our utmost best to ensure that the budget, the first since my election as president, is efficiently and successfully implemented towards achieving our objective of faster economic growth and development". He said Nigeria would make faster progress towards achieving the desired peaceful, united, strong, progressive and prosperous country if the citizens eschew all divisive, "parochial, ethnic and religious sentiments and rivalries" as well as begin to live more harmoniously with their compatriots, as Jesus Christ and the founders of the world's other great religions enjoined mankind. According to him, "Our unfortunate notoriety in recent years as a country where the blood of men, women and children are wantonly and callously shed in frequent orgies of criminal, political, ethnic and religious violence has become very embarrassing and utterly unacceptable". Buhari, who said his government was determined to achieve greater peace and security across Nigeria by ending the avoidable conflicts and crises hindering the nation's progress, asked for greater support from the citizenry in that regard. President Buhari also maintained that the country must put a stop to politically motivated killings, saying "Our communities must be made safe again for all inhabitants to live together in peace and harmony." He said the armed forces, police and other security agencies were being progressively "reformed, repositioned and empowered" to win the war against terrorism and make mass killings, abductions and other criminal atrocities things of the past in the country. He urged all Nigerians to also play their parts as patriotic citizens and do all they could to make the country a safer, more peaceful and happier place for its people and others. The president said: "I rejoice with you all, especially our Christian brothers and sisters, as we celebrate Easter. For Christians all over the world, this celebration is in commemoration of the supreme sacrifice which Jesus Christ made for the salvation of mankind. The Gospels also tell us that during his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ repeatedly urged his disciples and followers to 'love one another as I have loved you'. "As we celebrate Easter this year, I sincerely believe that it will serve our dear nation very well if we all imbibe this essential message of Jesus Christ and truly learn to love  our countrymen and women as we love ourselves". President Buhari wished all Nigerians very happy Easter celebrations.

BOKO HARAM THREATEN TO ATTACK DAILY TRUST,VOA,GUARDIAN OTHERS

“This is a message from the public awareness department of the Jamatu Ahlis sunnah lil daawati wal jihad, a group engaged in jihad in Nigeria. “We wish to explain about the attack we carried out on Thisday Newspapers. Some of the reasons why we decided to attack some Media Houses, especially Thisday, is because the paper was used in dishonouring our prophet, Mohammad (SAW) during a beauty pageant in Kaduna in November 2002. “At that time, some people who called themselves leaders of Muslims came out to say they have forgiven those who committed the offence. “But based on our knowledge, we know that no one has the power to forgive anyone for an offence that God himself has given judgement, especially on an offence that has to do with dishonouring Prophet Muhammad (SAW). “No one has the power to forgive this type of offence, and the judgement is for such persons to be killed. “This lady that committed this crime, the judgement on her is to be killed at any opportunity; and the media house is also supposed to be driven out of existence whenever there is a chance to do so. “We are just getting the opportunity to attack the media house, and we are hoping to continue these attacks until we drive them out of existence. “It is our hope that Allah (SWT) will help his religion. “We know that any genuine Muslim must have been deeply touched by the Thisday incident.   “Thisday newspaper is also leading in helping the government in fighting us, alongside other media houses that we will mention soon. “Some of the offences of Thisday and other media outlets include: firstly, during the botched attempt to rescue some kidnapped foreign nationals in Sokoto; these media houses asked us if we have anything to do with the kidnap and we said we have nothing to do with it, yet these media houses reported that we were responsible for the incident, that was a lie against us. “Secondly, when we sent a video of our leader, Abubakar Shekau, the media houses reported things that our leader did not say, such as that in response to the president’s threat to finish us in three months, we have also threatened to finish the government in three months. But the truth is, nowhere in the video did our leader said what they attributed to him. “Thirdly, on the purported arrest of Abu Qaqa by the SSS, we have come out to tell them that the person arrested was not Abu Qaqa,yet the media continue to potray us as liars, and even said that our leader had ordered for Abu Qaqa II to be executed, and we are now searching for Abu Qaqa III. “Recently too, they came out with another lie that one Mohammed Awwal Kontagora was the Abu Qaqa II that was executed, and that even his parents confirmed it, that was just a big lie to convince the world. “The media also said that we have killed the father of Abu Darda, so as to pass a message to him, because he had leaked our secrets after his arrest by security agencies, and they  wanted him to know that he is one of our targets. “These are all lies, and they are many. “These media houses have committed a lot of offences that is detrimental to Islam, and we don’t have the power to forgive them. We will take revenge on them by God’s grace, some of these media houses have been categorized into three groups. “The first group is the likes of Thisday whose offences are big. “The second group we will also attack soon are Punch, Daily Sun, Vanguard, Guardian, Nation, Tribune, and National Accord, which are all newspaper houses. “There is also VOA Hausa radio. All these media houses we will attack them including their staff and offices, by God’s grace. “VOA Hausa for instance have recently started campaigning for people to support the government against us by exposing us, “The next group that are on the verge of joining this list who if they are not careful we will attack very soon include, Leadership, Daily Trust, Peoples Daily and RFI(Radio France international) “There is an online medium known as Saharareporters who have their office in New York, and who have made their site as a platform for attack against Islam. So we are warning them to stop making their site an avenue for attacking Islam, otherwise we will find a way of attacking them too. “We resorted to using this medium to send our message instead of the normal tele-conference because of the fear by journalists; which made them refuse to conduct the conference. “We are grateful to God for the success recorded on the attack on Thisday, and we hope to continue such attacks. “Finally, the government has now resorted to arresting our wives and children and also demolishing our houses, like they did in Biu recently, that is why we have also resolved to start attacking government schools, especially, tertiary ones. “We promise to demolish 500 buildings for any one of our houses that the government destroys.

A TRAGEDY OF LIFE

Have a story to tell after now.There was a tennage boy called miracle,miracle was born in a family of 3 (three) which three of them are boys miracle been the first born of his mother .The father to miracle married four(4) wives,my focus is going to be on miracle and his humble home ,the mother to miracle is hospitalized of mental problem this made her does'nt come in public because of her mental beheaviour she says irrelevant things when ever this illness comes she destroy things that worth millions eg properties and every valuable things around her,the father is sick of swollen legs he does not walk without support also the dad have some litttle mental
problem of which his own makes him talk without control or without been tired he can talk 365 days without shouting his mouth up.Imagine the tennage boy taking full responsibilities of his family etc,miracle took this decission because there was no other better options for him than this,boy miracle and his sick father with the two younger brothers live in a dilapidated and abandoned house,if boy miracle didn't bring money home that means no food for the family that day,this is how the  struggling continuous for him,he face his challenges and took it upon himself never to get tired or discourage about his condition.

NUMBER BASE SUPPORT

This is an undisputable fact for the support base.The keyworld -the people never seize to build walls because it was made to keep you out,never force your way in you may never find walls within walls.There are doors to the heart and mind they have small or tiny holes,finding the keywords will help you open the doors have access to this without out-cry

I'M OJUKWU'S LEGAL WIFE BIANCA TELL'S COURT

The widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Bianca, yesterday appeared before Justice Abdulfatal Lawal of a Lagos State High Court, insisting she was the only legal wife to the late Igbo leader. Bianca, while giving her testimonies in the suit she filed on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu against her husband’s brothers and Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL), maintained that she was the only wife that the late Biafaran warlord legally married among his wives. The suit was over an alleged move by the family to eject her sons from the company’s properties located in Lagos. “Ojukwu did court wedding for me, took me to church to solemnise our wedding. Besides, we also did traditional wedding”, she told the court. Mrs Ojukwu while under cross-examination admitted that neither she nor her children was a shareholder or directors in OTL. She also admitted that Ojukwu had eight children, which including the claimants; Afamefuna and Nwachukwu but the suit was filed for her children only. The witness further informed the court that some of the OTL properties in question had been in the possession of her late husband before his demise, adding that the rent of those properties were being collected by her husband. She had asked the court to declare that her children were entitled to the possession and occupation of one of the properties known as No 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos until the harmonisation of the management and administration of the assets of the first defendant (OTL). The defendants in the suit are; Prof Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr Patrick Ojukwu, Arc Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs Massey Udegbe (doing business under Massey Udegbe & Company). In the suit, Bianca, and her two children, had in their statement of claim, prayed the court to declare that the threat of forceful ejection from 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street by the defendants was illegal. She is also asking the court for a declaration that her children are entitled to possess the following property, namely: No 13 Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now known as No. 13 Ojora road); No 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; No 30 Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; No. 30 McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi. According to her, the properties were under the possession of late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu-the father of the claimants from the time the properties were released from government acquisition till date.

FOREIGN AIRLINES REPATRIATE N1.7bn ON TICKET SALES

Airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have sent a position paper to the Federal Government on the need to review the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) it had with other countries. President of the association, Capt. Nogie Meggison, said that about N1.7 billion leaves the country yearly through ticket sales. He urged the Federal Government to address all the BASAs with foreign countries, lamenting that Nigeria has over 50 BASAs with nations. Most of the pacts are yet to be reciprocated, leading to lop-sidedness in the agreement and leading to huge capital flight from the country. This also came as the operators denied reports that they had increased air fares. To them, the carriers had continued to charge travellers fares below N18,000 despite the sliding of naira as against major currencies around the world, especially the dollar. Meggison explained that it became expedient for government at this time of dwindling crude oil prices in the international market to address the situation, stressing that some unscrupulous persons in government had signed “out our future generations for peanuts at the expense of about 80 million Nigerian youths.” At present, the Federal Government has about 80 BASAs with other countries, but only 29 of these BASAs are active while 16 of them are based in Africa, seven in Europe while the other five are in the Middle East/Asia and the United States of America (USA). The AON president insisted that rather than protect Nigerian carriers, government had been favouring foreign carriers who had continually repatriated resources generated into their own countries without any tangible project in the country. According to him, “it’s obvious that we as Nigerians need to sit down and start to look inward. You can’t feed other people’s children when your own children are suffering from kwashiorkor. Nigerian government must review all BASAs. “BASAs must be mutually beneficial between two sovereign countries and not as a big brother approach. With our geographical location, there is no reason for our aviation industry not to contribute 12 per cent to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a target of 20 per cent. Emirates is contributing 27 per cent to its GDP. Nigeria needs to look at aviation as something that can contribute to our economy.” Meggison noted that the airlines were yet to increase fares and called on government to intervene in the dwindling fortune of naira as against major currencies. He noted that over 80 per cent of transactions in the country’s aviation industry are directly affected by foreign exchange, urging government to create a window of negotiation with the operators in order to cushion the effect of the current economy on the operators.

MBAKA'S TRANSFER NORMAL PROCEDURE:CATHOLIC CHURCH

Sequel to reactions that trailed the transfer of Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka out of Christ the King Parish of the Enugu Diocese, the Secretary- General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Reverend Father Ralph Madu, yesterday said the transfer of priests within the Catholic Church is a “normal church procedure.” In an interview with an online medium, Premium Times, Madu said: “Mbaka’s own is not an exception. The bishop has the right to post any priest wherever he feels his service would be more useful to the church.” Reactions had trailed the Enugu Diocese’s recent decision to transfer Mbaka out of Christ the King Parish, GRA, where he had served for over a decade and had established a popular prayer ministry, the Adoration Prayer Ministry. Mbaka is to resume immediately at his new post at the Our Lady Parish, Emene. The embattled priest was quoted to have described his re-posting by the church as a ‘calculated move’ to make him suffer. “I know we are going to suffer within now and few months to come,” the priest said. I am going to suffer and suffer; I know that. I’m going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Adoration Ministry’s assets. I know I’m going to suffer,” he said. Similarly, the South- East zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged that Bishop Callistus Onaga, was manipulated by external forces into effecting Father Mbaka’s transfer. According to Father Madu, “His posting should have been a privilege, not a punishment, which the bishop can do because he has the power. “If he (Mbaka) says it’s a punishment, then it’s open for further investigation. Posting is a regular thing, a priest can be transferred after two, three, four, or more years, it depends on the discretion of the bishop. “That ministry (Adoration Ministry) is his private ministry; it does not belong to the church. Overseeing a parish is a full-time job. Overseeing a ministry is a bigger task. If the church decides to take him somewhere where he’ll have more time to carry out his ministry, how is it punitive? That should not be the language.” The Catholic scribe said Father Mbaka had done things that were unacceptable to the church in the past but received no punishments for them. “He is supposed to be a missionary. What if the bishop had closed down the ministry, which is within his power to do? Sometimes, transfers can be for the good of the priest as something can be going wrong, which he might not be aware of. The bishop is free to move any priest at any time; it is his prerogative,” Madu said.

NO GOING BACK ON NEW ELECTRICITY TARIFF

DESPITE public outcry against a new electricity tariff regime which is set to take effect today, distribu­tion companies across the country have said there was no going back on its imple­mentation. Recall that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Com­mission (NERC) had on De­cember 20, last year, rolled out a new tariff regime under its MYTO 2.1 for residential and industrial consumers, just as it equally abolished fixed charges. Under the new tariff an­nounced by NERC, R2 cus­tomers covered by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) who cur­rently pay N13.91 per kilo­watt-hour (kWh) will wit­ness an increase by N9.60. Consumers under the Eko and Ikeja electricity distribu­tion areas who currently pay N12.87kWh and N13.61 kWh respectively will wit­ness a N10 and N8 increase respectively in their energy charges. Electricity consumers cov­ered by Kaduna and Benin Discos who currently pay N16.90 kWh and N12.54 kWh will witness an increase of N11.05 and N9.26 respec­tively in their energy charges. For commercial consum­ers in Ibadan and Enugu who currently pay N25.18 kWh and N24.01 kWh respec­tively, their energy charges will increase by N12.08 and N13.35 respectively. But the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Association of Nigerian Electricity Dis­tributors (ANED), Mr. Sun­day Oduntan, explained at the weekend that power sec­tor growth would have re­mained elusive under the old tariff structure. He said that the old tariff was not cost reflective, hence the operations of the Discos were almost grinding to a halt before the intervention of NERC with the new tariff structure, which, he said, was the only way to ensure that they remained in business. Oduntan lamented that some Nigerians were not en­lightened enough to see the good intention behind tariff review, saying any attempt by consumers and other stakeholders alike to resist the implementation, is akin to retuning the power sector to dark ages. He hinted that, contrary to the belief that tariffs will con­tinue to escalate, consumers, he said, will begin to heave a sigh of relief from the third year of the implementation of MYTO 2.1 because tariff rates, would begin to drop, because of improvements in power infrastructure across the power sector value chain, which included; generation, transmission and distribution And to move the sector forward, the ANED helms­man, urged those that have litigation against the imple­mentation of the new tariff regime to have a rethink and withdraw such cases, which he described as frivolous. He noted further that con­trary to the belief that Discos were making a lot of profit without the commensurate level of service, only 25 percent of revenue gener­ated ends up with the Discos, with generation companies taking 60 percent, transmis­sion 11 percent and another 4 percent to NERC and Nige­ria Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET).

FUEL SCARCITY AT KADUNA AND PH REFINERIES

Nigeria’s petroleum products users’ dream of sustained supply may soon be cut as the recentclosure of Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries by the government have raised anxiety over another round of fuel scarcity across the country. Fears of a possible relapse to the days of long queues came recently when the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced that two refineries in Kaduna and Port Harcourt, were shut due to inability to pump crude following attacks and vandalism on oil and gas major facilities at the Escravos pipelines in Delta State by some suspected militants.  The NNPC had cited sabotage to crude oil pipelines and breaches to the Bonny-Okrika supply line to Port Harcourt and the Escravos-Warri pipeline to Kaduna as reasons for close of the two plants, on January 20, 2016. “In response to the unexpected setback, we have activated comprehensive remedial measures to sustain the prevailing stability in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country,” Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation stated in confirmation. Before the closure, Port Harcourt Refinery was producing over 4.1 million litres while Kaduna Refinery was posting about 1.3 million litres of petrol production daily.  Of course, that is different from other by-products of fuel accruing to the government.  As it stands, only the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company, (WRPC) is producing a little above 1.4 million litres of petrol per day for local consumption of millions of Nigerians. A detailed analysis of the figures shows that Nigeria is losing a whopping sum of N435, 034,800 to the closure daily. A flip to the other side would reveal that the over 2000 people estimated to be working directly or indirectly with the plants are also going to be affected. There are fears that the closure might bring back the winding issue of fuel scarcity in the country. Even the power generation from the major  gas plants ‎across the country at the moment are badly affected.  Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing had raised the alarm over the development saying that the country was losing some $2.3 million (2.1 million euros) a day to attacks on gas facilities and lost electricity production.  But Nigeria’s military however has said it would no longer tolerate the sabotage, which blamed on criminal elements bent on destroying the nation’s strategic assets.

UNDER PRESSURE TO STOP 2015 PRESIDENTIAL POLL OVER IRREGULARITIES:JONATHAN

former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was in Geneva, Switzerland, where he was honoured by an association of international diplomats, the Cercle Diplomatique, based in Geneva, for the roles he played during the smooth transition of power in 2015. As part of the activities lined up for the event, he addressed a press conference, where he answered questions from a group of Swiss and international journalists. ONUOHA UKEH is one of the journalists present.  Could you tell us your relationship with African leaders since you left office, as it concerns your foundation and others? I thank you for the issues raised. First, you wanted to know if I am in touch with some other leaders in Africa over my passion for the need to deepen democracy on the continent. I will say yes and even go ahead to state that there is another area of intervention that is of equal importance to me; and this is the area of wealth creation through special programmes to encourage men and women to get involved in medium and small-scale enterprises. We intend to be doing this by assisting them through training to acquire capacity in their areas of interest as well as help them with access to funding. There are good investment areas that are beckoning to them, like food processing, light manufacturing as well as exploring the agriculture value chain. We did this in Nigeria during my time in office and it was quite successful. These are areas that are of interest to me and we will be intervening through my foundation. In terms of consultation, it is an ongoing process and I have so far been talking with people. I have been to the United States, where I visited some former presidents and the foundations of former presidents, especially Virginia, which is home to many former presidents. Back home, we are also make a lot of consultations, talking to other African leaders on what we intend to do. So, we are actually on track such that by the time we take off, we would hit the ground running.  What do you think about security in ECOWAS? On the issue of security in Africa, especially the specific issue of kidnapping in Nigeria and other West African countries, which you raised, this is also of concern to all of us. I just left office and I knew what we had done as ECOWAS leaders to combat the ugly trend, especially during my time as the Chairman of the regional bloc. Then we had challenges in many countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and others. I personally visited these countries in search of solution and we executed intervention programmes that worked. Yes, we still have challenges, but definitely progress is being made and we would get over it. Yes, there is the issue of terrorism, which Nigeria and other countries are facing, like we recently had an incident in Ouagadougou. On this, I will say that there is an effective collaborative mechanism being evolved in the region and I believe that we will get over it too. In Nigeria, the issue at stake is the alleged diversion of the $2.1 billion arms purchase fund. Could you tell us your side of the story? Thank you very much for that question. I would have loved to speak extensively on this issue because even back home, I had read in the papers where a few people are saying that President Jonathan should add his voice to this controversial issue. But you know, in our country, there are laws. When a matter is already in a court of law, the people who had one thing or another to do with the matter are not expected to make comments because such would be considered as prejudice. As a former president, any comment I make at this point would affect the witnesses and ongoing proceedings in court and I would be going against the law of my country. So, I will not make any comments at this point until all these are sorted out. But definitely I will speak on it. One thing I will want Nigerians to know is that we had issues in the country. On my part, I tried to build institutions. I strengthened the judiciary and that is why I wouldn’t want to go into areas that are not in line with standard judicial practice. I encouraged the separation of powers among the three arms of government because that is the standard practice in any true democracy. I reformed the electoral system by strengthening the electoral body, INEC, making it possible for it to seamlessly conduct the 2011 and 2015 elections. Subsequently, the election was adjudged transparent, free and fair, by local and international election observers. Some of you still remember the tension that had built up before the 2015 elections, so much so that doomsday predictions emerged from many quarters, including from agencies in the United States that Nigeria would disintegrate in 2015. The country became even more polarised along the North and the South divide and also between Christians and Muslims. Don’t forget that we still had issues of terrorism then. So, to conduct election along the whole length and breadth of the country, given the circumstances was going to be difficult. But still we were able to conduct a peaceful, free and fair elections. So, to answer you directly, I would not want to speak on the controversial $2.1 billion issue. But I will speak my mind on the matter at the appropriate time.  It appears that Boko Haram gained strength at a time. What happened? Boko Haram started in Nigeria about 2002, not really quite recent. It started off initially as a religious group. Although they were fanatical about their belief, they were not terrorist from the very start. But over time, just like any of the other terrorists groups the world knows about, they became radicalised, may be through some local and even foreign interests and influence. We just discovered that a group that was just being fanatical about their belief started resorting to extreme cases of violence and assuming all the characteristics of terrorism. As a government, we worked very hard to combat them. It started when I was a vice president. The first major clash that happened between the Boko Haram agents and the Nigerian military was in 2009. Then, the first leader of the sect was killed by the police. From that time, we started having more challenges and don’t forget that the country’s security architecture was not designed to combat terrorism at that time. You and I know that combating terror requires different approach, with new technologies. This is because they are not ordinary criminals like armed robbers, who would not want to die. Terrorists are a strange group that is not afraid of death; they are not frightened by the sight of the gun and other weapons. The security forces can manage armed robbers and other criminals better because the criminals are also being careful not to lose their lives. But for terrorists, they even have suicide bombers who have already made up their minds to die, especially after inflicting maximum damage and killing as many people as possible. So given this challenge, you need a different security architecture with superior technology. At that time, Nigeria had not developed that superior technology. When I became the President, we had to start by building the capacity of various security outfits in terms of intelligence, monitoring and interventions to enable them develop the capacity to take preemptive actions. We built that capacity over time. That was why we were able to push Boko Haram back and degrade them to a level that we were able to conduct elections in all parts of the country. And I believe that with commitment of the present government we will be able to get to a level when Boko Haram will no longer constitute any obstruction to our social and economic life. There is the issue of Syrian and African migration to Europe. What’s your message to Europe? This is a serious and unfortunate situation that needs to be tackled. If you look at Africa, for instance, you can divide the continent into three key areas: the precolonial, colonial and post- independence. Of course, during the colonial period, Africa was designed for commodity trading. It was not really designed for real development. Then of course, we had the independent era. During this time, there was not so much progress recorded also because of instability occasioned by the military through frequent coups and counter coups. We have now moved to the post-1990s, which can be classified as the democratic era, where most African countries are governed by elected representatives. There is more stability now and the economies of these countries have begun to grow. There is also a lot of urbanisation going on, with unrelenting pressure from a teeming population requiring jobs. And as you know, economic activities are still too low to cope with the pressures. So this also speaks to the issue of many young Africans wanting to leave home for the West. I think the solution lies in the West working with us to ensure that we create more wealth within the continent. If we don’t, the tendency for people to move will continue. Africa cannot be a continent that will be perpetually encouraged and prepared for commodity business. Africa must evolve and be supported to go into manufacturing, to be able to add value to the raw materials they produce. Currently, the condition for global trade is not controlled by Africa. It is controlled from outside the continent and I can tell you that the conditions are not favourable to Africa. And that is not helping in terms of wealth creation. Africa needs to get to the stage of having robust economies, not necessarily to compete with any other part of the world, but to get to a stage where the economic needs of the people must be taken care of. Africa needs policies that will encourage growth and investments. If you have such policies in place, the pressure of Africa wishing to migrate to Europe and other places will, indeed, reduce. A people migrating are mainly unskilled people. But we have also many well-educated young Africans with skills leaving the continent. If we don’t build the kind of economy that will create opportunities to absorb this category of people, the migration train cannot then be slowed down as we wish.

APGA HOPEFUL OF OTTI'S VICTORY AT SUPREME COURT

All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from the oil rich area of Asa in Ukwa West Local Government of Abia State, are hopeful that the party’s governorship candidate in the 2015 general elections, Dr. Alex Otti, would win at the Supreme Court.  Recall that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had faulted the judgment of the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State that nullified his election,  and approached the Supreme Court to seek redress. In a prayer session held at Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government Area, the people described Otti’s victory at the Appeal Court as divine, stressing that the victory marked a new dawn for democracy in the area. One of the coordinators, Chief Dominic Ofoji, said they organised the prayer session to thank God for Otti’s victory at the Appeal Court and to also ask Him to uphold the victory at the Supreme Court. “This prayer session was organised by the people of Ukwa West Local Government of Abia State to give thanks to God and to celebrate the victory of Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) who was unanimously declared the winner of the April governorship election in Abia by a five-man Court of Appeal panel.”   “The prayer session was also used to ask God to uphold Otti’s victory at the Supreme Court.”   Earlier the APGA Local Government Chairman of Ukwa West, Chief Nduka Anyamele had explained that  the prayer and thanksgiving service was to ask God to accomplish what he had started for the good people of Ukwa. He regretted that development had continuously eluded the area despite being one of the oil producing areas, and prayed that God would use a God fearing leader like Alex Otti to rewrite their history. The prayer and thanksgiving service saw the people march round the venue holding hands  in a symbolic destruction of evil altars that had been holding the people down. Leading the people in another round of prayer, the State Chairman of APGA Rev. Augustine Ehiemere told the audience that God had been provoked and that he had come to do a new thing in Abia through Alex Otti whom he described as a true child of God.

buhari trip pic

BUHARI STOP UNNECESSARY TRIPS IT BLEEDING NIGERIA'S ECONOMY:FAYOSE

Governor Ayodele fayose of Ekiti state advised PMB to stay at home govern the country each trip cost nigeria 1million dollars, he said most of the trips embarked by the President were unnecessary, added that ministers or at best the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo could have been made to attend most of the functions being attended abroad by the President. According to a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said that “the President should rather listen more to those of us who criticize him instead of those hailing every of his wrong steps either because of what they intend to gain or for fear of persecution.” The statement read: “Conservatively, about $1 million goes into every of the foreign trips and the way the President is going, foreign trips alone might gulp 20 percent of the Federal Government budget and that will be disastrous for the dwindling economy of the country. “It is even more worrisome that while the economy is already in shamble and insecurity pervades the land with Boko Haram burning Nigerians, including children alive in the North East, our President is busy globetrotting. “From available records, in June 2015 alone, the President travelled to Niger Republic, Chad, Germany and South Africa. Also in 2015, the President travelled to United States of America in July, Benin Republic in August, Ghana and France in September, India in October, Iran, France and United States of America in November and in December, he travelled to South Africa, Benin Republic. “This year alone, President Buhari has travelled to the United Arab Emirate, Kenya, Ethiopia and he is leaving for France and United Kingdom today to spend four days abroad. “In most of these trips, about $500,000 is spent on estacode, transportation, accommodation, honorarium, media coverage, contingency and other expenses on accompanying Presidency officials. The Presidential Air Fleet, which includes fuelling of the planes and allowances for crew members as well as the President’s estacode per night and those of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his aides is said to be in the range of $500,000. “Out of his eight months as President of Nigeria, two months have been spent outside the country, and one wonders how a country like Nigeria can progress with its president spending the better part of his time abroad. “Mr President is therefore advised to focus more on governing Nigeria from home because foreign countries won’t solve our problems for us. He should fulfil his promise of leading the fight against Boko Haram from the front. Most importantly, the President should pay more attention to the ailing economy of the country while he carries on with genuine fight against corruption.”.com.com

COURT_RULING ON ANAMBRA PDP EXCO

On  January 29, 2016, the Supreme Court made a landmark, and  now a highly controversial ruling recognizing the Oguebego  faction of the Anambra PDP Exco as the authentic party  leadership in that State. Since that ruling, there has been a rash of divergent interpretations, the most notable being the postulation that the elections of all the legislators (Federal and State) issuing from the felled Emeakayi faction have been nullified; and the candidates rejected from the Oguebego faction shall now be sworn-in. Of all the interpretations of the true reach of the judgment, this particular one is too broad, and therefore wrong – for the following reasons:   First, at page 37 of the judgment, the Court stated that the case “was not about the conduct of a primary election nor a dispute over which organ of the political party i.e. the PDP that has the authority and competence to conduct a primary election”. For avoidance of doubt, this very statement was gleaned, and adopted by the Court from the pleadings filed by the Counsel to Oguebego – the lead appellant and beneficiary-in-chief of the judgment. Under the doctrine ostare deceases, this very part of the ruling constitutes the ratio of the judgment and should therefore form the kernel upon which the true reach or limits of the judgment can be  determined.   Second, the ‘candidates’ now seeking to cash-in on the judgment, most notably Annie Okonkwo, Chris Ubah, and Prince Emeka were not parties to the suit. It’s only Oguebego and his Exco that were parties to the suit. Thus, the judgment bears benefits only to Oguebego and his Exco – going forward, and thus cannot relate back to, willy-nilly, award the legislative seats won by PDP to the extant candidates produced by the Oguebego faction. Third, Chris Ubah, etc,  (non-parties in the suit), and even Oguebego (the party-in-chief) never requested the Supreme Court to declare them the duly elected legislators. So, given that a court never gives a relief not prayed for,  the judgment stayed true to its limits by tellingly stopping short of declaring the Oguebego candidates the new occupiers of the legislative seats in question. The sole departure – in recent times – from this universal rule was the case of Amaechi, but which later was repealed by Section 141 of the  Electoral Act, and thus is no longer the lex loci (the law  of the land).   Fourth, and to be clear, Section 141 prevents the Courts  from declaring a candidate a winner if he didn’t participate  in ALL the stages of the election. None of the candidates  springing from the Oguebego faction participated in the  general election, either factually or legally, even though  they have argued that they continued with their ‘campaigns’  as non-candidates. This argument is a fallacy because the  ‘participation’ contemplated under Section 141 is one in  which the candidate is the ‘statutory’ and contemporaneous  candidate on the ballot, not a non-candidate who engaged in  a self-serving ‘token’ campaign in the expectation of, later in time, thwarting the fell consequences of Section 141. Fifth, it’s not the State Exco, standing alone, that  finally, exclusively or ultimately determines who gets the PDP federal legislative nominations. It is, instead, the PDP  National Exco; or at least in conjunction with the State  Exco, but with the National Exco having the upper hand. That  much has been upheld by the Courts in all cases in pari  material, including, most recently, the Court of Appeal in its judgment nullifying the election of Uche Ekwunife.  On the basis of the foregoing, it is my considered opinion that INEC should immediately seek the legal opinion of the  Attorney-General of the Federation on whether it can overreach the judgment and proceed with a whole-scale  administrative (not judicial) nullification of all the  legislative seats affected. If the AGF’s gavel falls in favor of such nullification, INEC shall then proceed with a  re-run poll in Anambra South and North only, but not in Anambra Central which is still subject to another primary asordered by the Court of Appeal. Conversely, it is quite  plausible that the AGF might instead wax conservative (and  legally more sound) and thereby bear on the side of new primaries, instead of a straight re-run sans primary. Failing AGF’s timely intervention, parties may be emboldened to re-approach the courts with a flurry of new suits seeking interpretations that are advantageous to their divergent  positions. If this happens, the easiest injunctions that  will ensue will be the ones seeking to stop a free-run  swearing-in of all the candidates from the Oguebego line-up; and a return of Annie Okonkwo as the candidate, without a  new primary, for Anambra Central. To be sure, this later one  is still a subject of a subsisting and potentially  meritorious suit by Dr Obiora Okonkwo, one of the combatants  for the Anambra Central PDP senatorial nomination. Plus, Victor Umeh of APGA will most likely proceed to court and  will, in all likelihood, quickly succeed in stopping PDP  from submitting Annie Okonkwo’s name if it turns out that he is not a product of a new primary participated in by all or  any of the still-interested aspirants from the ill-fated PDP primaries of late 2014.

WIKE'S ELECTION VALIDATION:SUPREME COURT

That Governor  Wike  is the most popular  politician and statesman  from  Rivers State  is no longer  in  doubt. Even his worst enemies agree that he has a link with  the  people, who love him for his pro-people politics and programmes.  The confirmation  of  Governor Wike’s  election  has completed  a renowned  trinity of sorts in the face of unnecessary  and  baseless  propaganda  engineered by the Rivers  State  APC. These unpopular  politicians  used the media to create the impression  that  the governorship  election  was marred by violence  and  irregularities. In Court,  they tendered no evidence  to  prove their outlandish  allegations.  For a political  party  that  claimed that  the  governorship  election  did not  hold in the state, it was shocking that the Rivers  State  APC  called only three voters to prove that  elections  were marred by irregularities  in 4442 polling  units spread across 23 LGAS.  Of these three voters, only one claimed he was disenfranchised. The Supreme  Court  has been consistent  in insisting  that  you can only prove electoral fraud on a polling  unit by polling unit basis. Proving electoral fraud is not an issue of propaganda  and political blackmail.  The Supreme Court seven-man panel headed by the  Chief Justice of Nigeria,  Justice Mahmood Mohammed with  Justices  Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed, Kumai Bayang Aka’ahs, Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-kun,  Syvester Ngbuta , John Inyang Okoro and   Amiru Sanusi as co-panelists enthroned  the  Supremacy of Law over the conflicting  opinions of the lower courts. Apart from  this obvious lacuna  in its case, the Rivers State APC all through  relied on the  card reader report which only reflected  accreditation  via card reader without  mentioning  accreditation  via the manual process as recognised  by  the  Electoral Act.  Expectedly,  this failed them as the Supreme  Court  had on several  occasions  made its position  known on the legal process  of  accreditation  recognised  by  law. It was shocking  that  the  Rivers APC thought  it could  rubbish  the mandate of the Rivers people by relying  on  documentary hearsay  as exemplified by the report by the INEC staff it directly  subpoenaed  who visited a few local government  areas, but reported on the whole election,  though he was never a direct participant in the  conduct of the election at the polling station.  Aside the media drama sponsored  by  the  Rivers APC, there was nothing  before any of  the  courts to prove the stories they published  about the election.  There is a  need to recall that the Court of  Appeal  struck out over 100 paragraphs of the  Rivers State APC petition  wherein the  party made wild allegations  against  named and unnamed security  personnel  who  participated in the  election.  Despite  this fatal blow to  the  petition,  the  Tribunal and the  same Appeal Court  relied on these security  agents to reach  their perverse judgments . These security agents had in open court admitted that they were not participants at the respective polling units and therefore  only heard their testimonies from other interested parties.  Nigerians will further recall that  at the middle  of  the  sitting of the  tribunal for inexplicable  reasons the first chairman, Justice Pindiga, was removed and replaced with Justice Suleiman Ambrosa. The Supreme Court has reinstated  the  confidence of Nigerians in the judicial process by interpreting  the law in line with the tenets governing the  elections.  They have confirmed  what all the people  of  Rivers  State  knew as far back as April , 2015 when INEC declared  Governor Wike  the winner of the Rivers State Governorship election. There has never been  APC  in Rivers State.  Those who  pretend  to  be  APC  leaders are not on ground  in Rivers State.  They are more at home in Lagos and Abuja,  where their media associates build political  castles in the air for them.  While Governor  Wike campaigned in all the wards of Rivers State  before the  April 11 and 12, 2015 governorship election,  the Rivers  State  APC  wallowed in propaganda,  having photo sessions in studios, thus neglecting   the people.  The confirmation  of  Governor Wike’s  election  will further enhance the  ongoing  development  process already  entrenched in the  state.  With the conclusion  of  the  legal challenge to the people’s mandate,  the Governor will consolidate  on the gains of his superlative performance.  The calm and  jubilant  acceptance  of the judgment  across the 23 LGAS of Rivers State is a further proof that external  forces can never shake the resolve of the people to stand by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, the very best  in this dispensation.  Intimidation  and other techniques  have failed as the will of God and the preference  of the people have been  enthroned.  Since May 29, 2015, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike played host to several men of God from different denominations  of the  Christian faith and leaders of other religious persuasions. Like the people of Rivers State,  all the religious  leaders, hearing from God, declared that Wike was ordained by God for a time as this. The Rivers APC in several statements and releases made mockery of Governor Wike’s association with the clergy,  claiming  that 1000 high profile Preachers would not save him from their devilish onslaught.  As they say, the rest is now history. The horse and its rider have been  thrown into the  sea by God. Rivers State  is set apart by God  for this trying phase in the history of Nigeria and it will  always weather  the storm of manipulations in high places. It is necessary to  highlight  the  issue of the appellation  of ‘caretaker governor ‘ introduced in our political  lexicon by Rivers State APC whilst the legal tussle lasted.  I find this interpretation  by the Rivers  State  APC  quite interesting  and  thought provoking.  Though, in concert with their ever pliant  media  associates,  the Rivers State APC sought to malign Governor Wike with the ‘caretaker governor ‘ description,  they inadvertently  aptly described  him.  Governor Wike  was voted into office  by the good  people  of  Rivers  State for his political, managerial and administrative  skills  of taking care of people. Like the traditional  caretaker,  Governor Wike  is not the landlord since the people  of  Rivers State collectively  own the state. He was only elected because  the people found him worthy to effectively take care of the state. This caretaker  governor  will continue  to develop  Rivers State  as that is what the people  asked him to do. It is about Rivers  State.  It has nothing  to  do  with PDP or APC.  It is about the preservation  of  the  ideals of the state  and the promotion  of  her dignity  and  interests. Nobody would be  allowed to rubbish the state on the altar of servitude and financial  greed. In his state broadcast titled “To God be the Glory” after the  judgment of the Supreme Court, Governor Wike praised God for the feat, commended the  Judiciary  for its independence  and  commitment  to  the  rule of  law and  extended a hand of brotherly fellowship  to the leadership  of the Rivers APC and her governorship candidate,  Dakuku Peterside in the quest to develop the state.  He assured the people  of  the  state of his determination  to continue with its massive development as he has done in the past eight months  despite  the  distractions of the legal tussle.  He said : “The New Rivers Vision seeks a balanced development and enhanced quality of life for the present and future generations through responsive governance guided by the fear of God. I assure them that no one will be excluded from the governance process because, working together, we will certainly achieve more.  “We thank the Almighty God for His Grace. For without Him, we are nothing and we could have done or achieved nothing.  “As children of God, we pledge to continue to run a just and equitable administration that will hopefully lead to greater development for our State and the happiness of the greatest number of our people.” It is imperative  to conclude that the Supreme Court by its well considered judgment  in the Rivers State Governorship election tussle  has returned power back to the  people of Rivers State. 

ZIKA OUTBREAK INT'L EMERGENCY:WHO

The World Health Organisation has declared the Zika virus outbreak an international emergency. It came amid mounting fears the mosquito-borne disease is linked to birth defects and spreading rapidly. The WHO said the spread of the Zika virus in the Americas was an “extraordinary event” and there could be up to four million cases in the region this year. Brazilian researchers are convinced Zika is the cause of 3,700 confirmed and suspected cases of newborns with brain defects in South America’s largest country, said Health Minister Marcelo Castro. Mr Castro said the virus cannot be transmitted from person to person, only by mosquito, but claimed the epidemic is worse than believed because in 80% of the cases the infected people have no symptoms. The Brazilian doctor who first spotted the possible link has warned of a second wave of malformed babies in her country by the end of 2016, if the infection’s not contained. Dr Vanessa van der Linden, a paediatric neurologist in Recife in north-east Brazil, said she noticed a dramatic increase in the number of babies suffering from microcephaly or small head last August. Many of the mothers had also contracted the Zika virus in the first few months of pregnancy. He said: “In the same day in August, I saw three patients with microcephaly…that is with 27cm or 28cm head circumference”, she told Sky News (the normal circumference for a newborn is 34-37cm). “And I thought, this is something strange because it’s not normal.” The infection is usually mild, causing flu-like symptoms and sometimes a rash. Brazil first suffered from an outbreak around this time last year. “We then noticed about six months later, after the Zika epidemic, there was a big rise in the number of babies being born with these brain abnormalities,” Dr van der Linden said. Many mothers complained of having Zika-symptoms in the first few months of pregnancy. Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has declared ‘war’ on the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The WHO last declared a global health emergency over the ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014. Zika was first identified in 1947 in a Ugandan forest. But until last year, it was not believed to cause any serious effects as about 80% of infected people never experience symptoms.

GOVERNORS ARE EMPERORS:OBASANJO

Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday lambasted some state governors in Nigeria for living like emperors while demanding sacrifice from the citizens for Nigeria to survive the hard times. Obasanjo chided the governors while speaking as the chairman at the inaugural conference of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy, held at the University of Ibadan. Obasanjo said when he became Nigerian president in 1999; he recognised corruption as a major impediment to the Nigerian state, setting up structures like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to fight the rot. However, he said that after he left, corruption returned to Nigeria with a vengeance, draining billions of dollars from the nation’s economy that could hardly afford to lose even a million dollars. He said, “Leaders who call for sacrifice from the citizenry cannot be living in obscene opulence. We must address these foundational issues to make the economy work, to strengthen our institutions, build public confidence in government and deal with our peace and security challenges. “We must address the issue of employment for our teeming population particularly for our youths. Leadership must mentor the young, and provide them with hope about their future as part of a process of inter-generational conversation. “Nigeria is a country where some governors have become sole administrators, acting like emperors. These governors have rendered public institutions irrelevant and useless. “Is there development work going on in the 774 constitutionally recognised local government councils, which have been merely appropriated as private estates of some governors? “Some governors have hijacked the resources of the local governments and this has crippled the developments of the local government councils in the country. The National Assembly must also open its budgets to public scrutiny.” The former president said drastic fall in the price of oil in the international market had exposed the weakness of governance in Nigeria, while also saying that Nigeria was racing towards becoming a nation of debt with its attendant burden on the citizens. “The drastic fall in the price of oil in the international market has unraveled the weakness of governance in Nigeria. The Minister of Finance has recently announced that the 2016 budget deficit may be increased from the current N2.2 trillion in the draft document before the National Assembly, to N3 trillion due to decline in the price of crude oil. “If the current fiscal challenge is not creatively addressed, Nigeria may be on its way to another episode of debt overhang which may not be good for the country,” Obasanjo said. On the establishment of ISGPP in Ibadan, Obasanjo said there was clearly a need for schools of its kind that would focus research and teaching on implementing policy and making the government work well in Africa. “I hope it will generate ideas that will lead us from thinking to doing. It must not only generate ideas, it must foster a willingness to use those ideas within government and non-government sectors,” he said.

IGBO WANT TO COLONISE SOUTH SOUTH

Those Indigenous People of Biafra have a hidden agenda. Their hidden agenda is to declare Biafra and then go recolonize the South-South. They would go and within a question of less than one month they would capture all those South-South and colonise the oil fields that is the agenda of IPOB. If you look at the East, it is land-locked; they don’t have any serious minerals apart from coal. Even the geography and geology of the East is so poor that even to build a good house they cannot unless you build a house in a bush because it’s all bush, it’s all forested and that is why you find the majority of the elite Igbo are now half of the owners of the houses in Abuja. If the Indigenous People of Biafra are now saying that they want to have Biafra what are you going to do with more than three quarters of the Igbo who are outside the East? Those in Kano, those in Lagos what are you going to do with then? Will you take all those people back to Biafra? They have no houses to live, they have no means of livelihood. They make money outside and not in the East so you find that they are crawling into fantasy world. They were talking vaguely during former President Goodluck Jonathan administration but what is really happening is they still say that Nigeria is not fair to the Igbo. One, up till now they do not have an Igbo President.

SATURDAY: ENGLISH F A CUP RESULT

Fourth round Colchester 1 (Davies 80-og) Tottenham 4 (Chadli 27, 79, Dier 64, Carroll 82) Playing later (1500 GMT unless stated) Arsenal v Burnley, Aston Villa v Manchester City, Bolton v Leeds, Bury v Hull, Crystal Palace v Stoke, Liverpool v West Ham (1730 GMT), Nottingham Forest v Watford, Oxford v Blackburn, Portsmouth v Bournemouth, Reading v Walsall, Shrewsbury v Sheffield Wednesday, West Brom v Peterborough

I'M NOT SACK BY SUPREME COURT:SENATOR ODUAH

I was not sack by supreme court Oduah stressed,the lawmakers from Anambra state have not been sacked by the Supreme Court contrary to media reports. ‎``It is pertinent to note that this is a mere misinterpretation of the Supreme Court rulings and‎ should be disregarded in all entirety‎. ``The Supreme Court did not order the withdrawal of the Certificates of Return issued by the Commission. ``It did not hold that the faction of the PDP had the right to sponsor candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). ``It did not equally authorise the Commission to substitute our clients with the individuals whose names were on the list improperly allowed by the Commission, ``Series of judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria states that it is only the National Executive of the party that has the vires to sponsor candidates,” she said. Meanwhile, the solicitors to the nine lawmakers allegedly sacked, have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to also fall into the folly of misunderstanding the judgment. The letter signed by the lawmakers urged the commission not to allow itself to be misled by its legal department just as it was initially misled to accepting the list presented by the state chapter of the party. The lawmakers stressed that separate rulings of the Supreme Court including that of Jan. 29, upheld that only the list submitted by the National Executive Committee was valid. ``This correspondence is aimed at setting the record straight so that your good self will not again be misled by your legal department into unjustifiably occasioning an unnecessary confusion in the process.

SEPP BLATTER ATTEND APPEAL HEARING FEB 16

Blatter will attend an appeal hearing at on Feb 16, at the home of FIFA, and we expect the decision as soon as possible," his advistor Thomas Renggli told Reuters. Blatter's case will initially be dealt with by FIFA's own Appeal Committee. Renggli said that, if he is unsuccessful, he will go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne. Blatter, 79, who has denied wrongdoing, was banned for ethics violations over a 2 million Swiss francs ($1.96 million) payment FIFA made to European soccer boss Michel Platini with Blatter's approval in 2011. Platini, who had been the favourite to succeed Blatter, was also banned for eight years. The election for the new FIFA president will take place in Zurich on Feb.26. A total of 41 individuals and entities, including many former FIFA officials, have been charged with corruption-related offences in the United States as part of the wider scandal.

2.29M SCAM WITNESS: THREAT TO LIFE EFCC ALLEGES

A witness brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to testify against former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim yesterday told Justice Adeniyi Ademola that his life was in danger. Ohakim, who was Imo State governor between 2007 and 2011 is facing a three count charge of money laundering arising from his alleged purchase of house 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Plot No 1098, Cadastral Zone A04, Asokoro District, Abuja with cash payment of dollar equivalent of N270m in November 2008. He was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets when asked by EFCC. The prosecution said the offences bordering on cash payment of N270m violated section 15(1) (d) and section 14(1) (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004. At the resume hearing yesterday, prosecution counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo said the EFCC witness, Mr. Abu Sule, who had testified before the court on how he allegedly helped Ohakim to acquire the huge edifice, called him on Monday and informed him about Ohakim’s second son, Emeka, who came to the witness’ office at Asokoro and made enquiries about his (Sule) residential address. Keyamo said: “The witness called me around 9 a.m. yesterday that the second son of the accused person came to his office at Asokoro and made inquiries about the residence address of the witness. “He asked three people, one Itakpo, Okoh (taxi drivers) and one Architect Sola, which they refused to show him. He said he wanted to consult the defence, but that the matter was not the issue of counsel to counsel because the defence cannot protect the witness. “It is the court that can make words of caution to the other party,” Keyamo said. In his reaction, Okakim’s legal team led by Prof. Awa Kalu, SAN, vehemently opposed the allegation raised by Keyamo. Kalu said: “We want to register our approach to an issue that should have been settled somewhere. “I have no doubt that this allegation was meant for the purpose of destabilising the defence. When the court stood down, he had the opportunity to discuss the issue with either the counsel or the father of the son, but he didn’t raise any caution. “In African tradition, when a young boy misconducts himself, the attention of his parents should be drawn to it. “We find this issue very disturbing. It is on record that the PW2 testified on November 2, 2015 and only yesterday, the young man would go and find out the residence of the witness. “Since Keyamo refused to give the defence opportunity to investigate the matter, we urge the court to dismiss this story.” As tempers flared between both parties, Keyamo stood up and loudly said: “I will not sit down and watch him cast denting words against me. I will never treat the issue of threat to life in private. That is my position.” In his intervention over the disagreement that ensured, Justice Ademola said the issue ought to have been brought to his chambers. “Let us adjourn this matter till tomorrow (Wednesday) when tempers are calm at 12 p.m. “Having regard to what transpired in court, this criminal charge is hereby adjourned to January 27 for trial,” Justice Ademola said.

WE WILL VOTE FOR TRUMP: TALTE,BRODY AND TURNER

Three Nebraska teenagers will vote for the first time in 2016. And they're looking forward to supporting Donald Trump. Meet Brody, Tate and Turner. read more...

WHAT IS ZIKA VIRUS IS ALL ABOUT?

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the causes and symptoms of the Zika virus, and how you can protect yourself. read more...

I WILL RESPOND TO YOUR LETTER FORMALLY-SARAKI

Senate President, Bukola Saraki,Wednesday, acknowledged receipt of a letter from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, drawing his attention to alleged corruption in the National Assembly. But Saraki,who said he was still studying the letter hinted that he would formally write a reply to the former president in no time. This came as the Senate spokesman,Aliyu Sabi, feigned ignorance of the presence of the letter in the Red Chamber just as he said he would not comment on it until his attention was drawn to the letter. The Senate President,responding to inquiry on whether he was in receipt of the letter, confirmed that the said letter was presently on his table. Speaking through his Special Adviser,Media and Publicity,Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki,insisted that he would officially communicate the former president on the issues he raised. “The Senate President has acknowledged that he has received the letter and that he would formally communicate the former president,”Olaniyonu said. But the Senate spokesman, Aliyu Sabi claimed that he was not aware of the said letter to the Senate President. He, however, said if there was to be a letter, it would be communicated to senators through the Senate President,adding that he would speak when such was done. “As far as I am concerned, I am not aware of any letter to the Senate President from the former president,so I cannot comment on what I am not aware of. “We have a constitution on this country and any communication to the National Assembly must follow the laid-down rules,so like I said, when I am informed of the said letter,I can now speak,”he told Vanguard. The former president is said to have written the National Assembly,through the Senate President,Bukola Saraki, accusing the lawmakers of corruption, impunity and greed. The former president specifically accused the lawmakers of fixing and earning salaries and allowances far above what the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, approved for them.

RIVERS PDP CELEBRATE VICTORY TO GOD

Mr Felix Obuah, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in Rivers, has dedicated Gov. Nyesom Wike’s victory at the Supreme Court to God. Obuah made the statement on Wednesday in Port Harcourt while reacting to the Supreme Court judgment which upheld Wike’s election. A statement issued by Mr Jerry Needam, Obuah`s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, urged Rivers people, irrespective of party affiliations to join hands with the governor to move the state forward. It congratulated the people of the state for their prayers and commitment in the face of provocations. The statement also quoted Obuah as commending ministers of God from all denominations across the country for their prayers and support for the governor. It said that Wike’s administration was built on the foundation of God. It said that hge PDP state chairman thanked the Supreme Court for protecting the mandate Rivers people freely gave Wike. (NAN)

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APC SEEK BAYLSA HOUSE SPEAKER REMOVED

The all progressive party (APC)Baylsa state said it took public outcries and efforts of whistleblowers, including the legal team of the state APC, to unearth the illegality perpetrated in the House. It called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Speaker for contempt, adding that Benson should be convicted and committed to prison for disobeying court order. The party also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate the financial dealings of Benson within the period he disobeyed the court order. The APC said the anti-graft agencies should make Benson account for December and January salaries and allowances he collected including other disbursements he made against the provisions of the constitution. The party appealed to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to look into the Bayelsa situation in the interest of judicial integrity. Meanwhile, a High Court sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, has ordered the APC and its state Chairman, Mr. Philip Shekwo, to pay a team of six lawyers the sum of N92.7m being the balance of professional feels for defending the party at the 2014 Local Government Election Petitions Tribunal. The APC lawyers, led by Mr. Shikammah Sheltu, had sued the party for its failure to pay the balance of their professional fee. Delivering the judgment in Lafia, Justice Umaru Dikko, said the case was introduced under the undefended list procedure in line with Order 15 Rules 4 of the state High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2010. Justice Dikko, however, maintained that the APC was provided with all the basic court processes and could not respond accordingly by serving a notice accompanied with an affidavit to state its defence. The judge granted the plaintiff relief for the defendant to pay 10 per cent interest on the judgement sum from the date of delivery till the sum is fully liquidated.

OLISEH UNHAPPY WITH SUPER EAGLES DEFENDER

SPORTS Nigeria’s head coach Sunday Oliseh has said their last Group C game against Guinea in the on-going Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) will not be an easy task. “I personally rate Guinea highly because they are a good team. We shall need to be at our best to be able to get a good result so that we top the group,” Oliseh told AfricanFootball.com on Friday. Tunisia held the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw on Friday in a game played at the Nyamirambo Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda. Oliseh said although he is happy with the attitude of his players, he will need them to be more focused and hungry against Guinea when they face-off on Tuesday. Oliseh said although his team settled for a draw against Tunisia, he was happy with the performance of his players. “We need to be a little tighter at the back because the kind of goals we have conceded in the tournament are all because of some lazy movement,” he added. He said he will continue to ring chances in the team because it is the best solution in such a tournament. “We need to expose our players as much as possible,” concluded the coach. The Super Eagles and Guinea will have to travel 144km to the Rubavu District where their last group game will take place, while Niger battle Tunisia in the other group game at the Nyamirambo Stadium on the same day.

ARSENAL ON THREAT :EPL CHASE

All attention today will no doubt be focused on the Arsenal, Chelsea EPL clash at the Emirates. Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger says his side must be prepared to battle Chelsea striker Diego Costa. Costa was at the centre of controversy in their last meeting earlier this season as his first-half scuffles with Laurent Koscielny and Gabriel eventually led to the Brazilian being sent off for retaliating. Gabriel’s red card was later rescinded, but the defender was given a one-match suspension for failing to leave the pitch quickly enough, while Costa was slapped with a three-match ban and both clubs were fined for not controlling their players. “We have to be prepared for a battle because Costa gives you a fight. After that, it’s down to the referee,” Wenger told British media. “We have to focus on our performance. It’s another game where people look at us and see how we behave. “It will be an intense game, as usual in the Premier League. Overall, I think because of the qualities of the players on the pitch and what is at stake for both teams, it will be a very intense battle.” Costa seems to have recovered from his slump, having scored five goals in his last five appearances in all competitions for champions Chelsea, who are 14th in the table after 22 games. Talking about yesterday’s games, Nigerian international, Odion Ighalo rediscovered his scoring touch as his 14th minute strike saw him net his 14th EPL goal of the season as Watford managed a 2-1 win over struggling Newcastle. The win is the first for the Vicarage road landlords in six games. Manchester United playing at home suffered a humiliating defeat in the hands of Southampton with fans of the club calling for the immediate sack of Luis Van Gaal. In fact the fans at the Man United theatre of dream-Old Trafford booed the coach as he made his way out of the pitch. Elsewhere at the Kings Power stadium, team of the season, Leicester returned to the top with an emphatic 3-0 bashing of Osaze Odemwingie’s Stoke City.

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DAVIDO AND SONY DEAL

ENTERTAINMENT Happy times are here for David Adeleke aka Davido. According to reports, the hip hop artiste has just signed a multimillion deal with Sony BMG in New York. The OBO singer posted pictures of himself posing in front of the Sony BMG building in New York with the following message: “Thank you God! I’ve worked hard all my life for this day! This is the day that The Lord has made!”

US based Nigerian player, Jeremiah Mordi said the world should expect surprises at Rio 2016 Olympic Basketball event. He stated while on a visit to Nigeria during the yuletide that he believed Nigeria would make a marked improvement from the London 2012 Games. While declaring that he would be grateful to have an opportunity to be a part of the squad if given an opportunity, Mordi stated. “I am ready to give my contribution to the national team and if given an opportunity I am ready to make sacrifices to help get Nigeria to a podium finish.” The Queens College senior guard said his desire to return to the country after acquiring experience was to assist develop the game in the country. Mordi explained that the D’Tigers, who are current champions of Africa in basketball, needs more exposed players to win more laurels at world championships, adding that basketball would continue to grow in Nigeria if foreign–based players returned to the country to share their experience with their local counterparts. Mordi also believed the Nigeria Basketball league has the capacity to rise to the NBA standard if the basic infrastructure were put in place, just as he posited that if African American players can shine in the NBA, Nigerian players also have the potential to do well. “After leaving Nigeria when I was five years old, I am now back to the country now that I am 23 years to play for Nigeria and develop the game. My target is to play for the Nigeria men’s basketball team in the Olympics. “Getting the right training in all the age grade championships and my college experience has prepared me well for the challenges ahead. I can play in all departments if given the chance,” he said. Mordi was named the All Met, Second Team, best player during his Queens College career. The Delta State born basketball player also became the 12th player in the Queens College basketball history to surpass the 1000-point plateau in his career. His best moment was when he finished with 1243 points, passing QC Hall of Famer Geoff

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Few can deny that leaders are as good as the advice they get. Wise counsel, taken and implemented, leaves the leader on the warm side of history and of their people's hearts, long after they have moved on. Bad advice, on the other hand, does not merely cut off the leader's name; that would amount

WAJE'S DAUGHTER OF AGE NOW

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EX-NIGER DELTA MILITANTS ABSOLVE THEMSELVES,TOMPOLO

Former creek militants from six Niger-Delta states yesterday dissociated themselves from the renewed bombings of oil and gas installations in the region as recently experienced in Delta State. They insisted that none of them including Chief Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, was involved in the recent destruction of oil installations which has reduced electricity supply by over 600mw and has already led to the shutting down of Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries. The attack on the pipelines began shortly after a high court issued a bench warrant on Tompolo after failing to appear to answer charges of money laundering and fraud leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali has already led a team of Defence chiefs to the site of the pipeline sabotage in Warri South, Delta state and vowed to deal with those behind the attacks. However, the repentant Niger Delta warlords, under the aegis of the Leadership Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, LPCDI, blamed the act on unknown criminal elements bent on causing disaffection between the region and the Federal Government. Making this denial in a statement signed by their leader, Chief Reuben Wilson, popularly known as General Pastor, the group said they were ready to partner with the government to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. According to him, “What happened was not carried out by ex-militants. The world should not label the ex-militants with evil deeds. These attacks were carried out by criminal elements. “Some people claim Tompolo did it but he has come out to clear himself. Tompolo is a man known for his words. If he is involved in such things, he will come out to say it and give reasons. But he is not behind these recent attacks.” Wilson, who noted that their investigations absolved Tompolo of the bombings, said no ex-militant leader would send anybody to blow pipelines in the region. His words, “We call on the Federal Government to key in the ex-militant leaders into the protection and surveillance of oil pipelines in the region. “The ex-militant leaders have important role to play with their knowledge of the creeks and water channels. Because we don’t carry arms, we expect that such security job will involve the security personnel.”

THE FORMAL NSA,COL.SAMBO DASUKI BID FOR DISCHARGE AT THE HIGH COURT OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ABUJA,WHERE HE IS STANDING TRIAL FOR ALLEGED MISSAPPROPRITION OF N32bn ARMS FUND.

The trial of national security adviser,col.sambo Dansuki before an FCT High court was stalled yesterday following his application to stop the trial,in asking for a discharge dansuki argued that the discharge could not be lawfully prosecuted by a government that is in brazon disobedience of a lawful court order.Alternatively the ex-NSA asked for an order staying the proceedings until he has exhausted available remedies for the enforcement of his right to liberty as preserved by the bail order granted him.Rotimi Jacobs (SAN)the prosecution counsel,opposed the application on the grounds that the povission of section 306 of the administration of criminal justice ACT (ACJA)do not permit the court to entertaining any application in course of criminal trial.He submitted that the application was meant to delay the trial justice Hussein Baba yusuf adjourned the case to february 4 for ruling.

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LASSA FEVER HITS EKITI, FEMALE PATIENT PLACED IN ISOLATION WARD- SAID , STATE COMMISSONER FOR HEALTH

Ekiti state government on monday discovered a case of lassa fever in the state.      The state commissioner for health, Dr Olorutimi Ojo said the index case; A female student of the federal University teaching hospital, Ido Ekiti was receiving treatment . She was taken to the hospital on saturday after been treated for malaria typhoid fever with high profile antibiotics without positive responds, hypechie news update recorded that the current out break of lassa fever has killed 40 people since november 2015 , including a doctor. Ekiti now, marks the 12th state were the case has now been confirmed. Dr Ojo said there was no cause for alarm, sayin the situation was under control as the patient has been placed in the isolation ward.

PDP DEFECTORS WANT TO KILL ME-TOMPOLO

Former Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has
alleged that there are plans by defectors from PDP in Delta and
Bayelsa states to kill him.

According to Tribune, Tompolo made the allegation in a letter he
wroteto President Buhari. ‎In the letter, Tompolo reportedly said the
PDP defectors, who are now members of the APC, from Warri South West
Local Government Area of the state had resolved to link him to the
renewed vandalism of oil installations in the state.

He alleged that the APC new comers were planning against him in
connivance with a lawyer attached to the EFCC who is also a member of
the APC. He also questioned the moral rights of the EFCC counsel
handling the alleged N13 billion land fraud in which he is involved
in.

According to him, the EFCC lawyer who is after him was doing so
because he (Tompolo) rejected an offer to buy choice properties from
him.
"The crux of this letter is to let you know that they are dubious,
mischievous, desperate, pretentious, manipulative and corrupt,
therefore they do not share the same vision and mission with you as
well as do not believe in good governance," he stated.