Middle Belt and 2015: Jonathan crosses the bridge

The North-Central serves as a bridge between the North and the South and would prove pivotal in the resolution of the 2015 presidential contest. The recent rally by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Minna was an opportunity for the ruling party to up the stakes in the unfolding battle for the soul of the nation.


WITH six states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja serving as a bridge between the far North and southern parts of Nigeria, the North-Central geo-political zone is easily one of the country’s most strategic political pies.

It is therefore not out of place for political parties to jostle for political footholds in the area.
Last week’s unity rally of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Minna, Niger State could thus be seen as preparing grounds for party in the zone ahead of the 2015 polls.

Held at the Trade Fair Complex along Minna Paiko Suleja road, the caliber of PDP stalwarts that attended the rally indicated that the party meant business.
The mammoth crowd of PDP faithful included President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, National Chairman,  Adamu Mu’azu, PDP governors from across the country especially North Central states, members of the National Assembly and a host of other party stalwarts and supporters from within and outside Niger State.

As early as 7 am, party supporters had started trooping to the venue which had been turned into a beautiful arena with posters of President Jonathan, Sambo, Mu’azu and Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of the state.
Right from the “State Box” which was reserved for the president, his vice, senate president, past and present national chairmen and officials of the party and other dignitaries was a long wooden pathway laid with red carpet and elevated above the pavilions to enable the crowd catch a good glimpse of the speakers while walking to the podium or delivering their speeches.

PDP stronger without defectors –Jonathan
Speaking at the rally, President Jonathan described those who left the PDP recently for the All Progressives Congress (APC) as retrogressive, adding that their departure was good and would not have any adverse effect on the party.

JonaMinnaAccording to him, the defection of the governors, legislators and some of their supporters to APC was a good omen for the PDP because since their defection, PDP has been waxing stronger and stronger.
His words: “If some people have been with the PDP for 14 years and now they said they are leaving for the progressive, the question is where are they progressing to? It means in the past 14 years, they have been involved in retrogressive activities in PDP and were problems to us and you will agree with me that now that these retrogressive elements have left, PDP will progress more.”

He called on Nigerians especially the PDP supporters not to be moved by anybody who uses the media to preach violence but rather should be focused on what PDP had done for the country in the past years.

PDP has done well, ‘ll do better –Sambo, Mu’azu
Vice President Sambo, in his brief remarks, thanked the people of North Central for their support for the party in the past years and called on them to remain loyal and dedicated to the PDP and government of the day.

Also speaking, the national chairman of the party, Dr. Mu’azu described PDP “as the only party that has given hope to the hopeless, given life to our wives, given hope to our mothers, given life and hope to our youths and we promise to do even better.”

He called on Governor Babangida Aliyu to finish the job he started with his colleagues by bringing them back into the fold (PDP).
He thanked him and his colleague, the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido for coming back after seeing the light but the job they started has not finished because now, they should go back to convince their colleagues and let them see the light and come back to PDP and they will be treated equally when they return.”
He however ruled out automatic tickets for any aspirant for any political office.

2015: With our governors’ support Jonathan ‘ll  win – Mark
Senate President Mark in his address assured President Jonathan that with the governors in the North Central states, Nigeria will be delivered to him in 2015.
He described the Transformation Agenda of the president as one of the best things to have happened to the country pointing out that Kwara, Nasarawa states in particular will be recaptured.

We’re behind Jonathan –Akpabio
Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, who is also the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Godswill Akpabio noted that despite the challenges and distractions in the country, Nigeria is still moving forward, adding that as foot soldiers at the state levels, all the PDP governors are solidly behind President Jonathan and will deliver the country to him in next year’s elections.

He enumerated few ongoing and completed projects across the country especially in Niger State, which include the on-going Zungeru Hydro electricity Dam, the dualization of Suleja -Lambata road, ongoing Bida – Mokwa road, ongoing Kontagora – Sokoto road, dredging of River Niger and the construction of Baro Port, which he said are practical testimonies to the fulfillment of  Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

Anenih, Aliyu speak
BOT chairman, Tony Anenih called on Nigerians to appreciate what God has given Nigeria in the person of President Jonathan whom he said deserves all the support needed to further transform the country into an enviable nation.

He described the crowd at the rally as assuring and a good testimony to the fact that Nigerians are solidly behind the president and the PDP.
Governor Babangida Aliyu described the occasion as not a campaign rally but a gathering to showcase unity and solidarity and to galvanize the people and tell them that PDP is intact.

Looking into future elections, Dr. Aliyu cast his mind back to how the president eventually cinched the office saying, “when many people never thought you will be president, you eventually became president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by God’s grace, your days have not finished, our days at PDP have not finished because we are aware of what you have done, what you are doing and what you are going to do and this is why we will support you beyond 2015.”

He assured that despite what is happening in Kwara and Nasarawa, the two states and other states formerly belonging to the PDP will be recaptured in 2015 because we will not rest on our oars and take things for granted as we will go to the villages, hamlets and we will not spare anybody and even those who said they will not vote for us, we will talk to them and leave our doors open for them to return.”

Dr. Aliyu called on his colleagues to ensure that they not only retain their states but gain more states saying, “by 2015, we hope to get back our 28 states by the grace of God and the place to start is the June/August governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states because if we can get these two states, at least the message would have been clear to everybody.”

Test of political might
The event was not only a solidarity rally but also an opportunity for aspirants in the zone eyeing various offices to test the political waters as their placards were carried from one spot to the other at the venue with their supporters singing and drumming in defiance to pleas from the masters of ceremony not distract the audience.

More disturbing is the shameless exhibition of some hooligans who gained access to the venue disguised as party supporters and caused panic at the tail end of the rally.
As President Jonathan was addressing the gathering, the hoodlums started removing the tarpaulins used as roofing and decoration of the pavilions. Their actions made the crowd to hurriedly vacate their seats in fear as most people including the security agents on ground watched without any intervention.

One of the spectators at the venue Alhaji Adamu Mohammed who looked so worried over what was going on simply said “assuming these boys have invaded this venue with the intention to unleash terror and cause havoc, this is how they would have had a field day with our security personnel watching helplessly.”
However, the rally ended peacefully without any causality.

Hillarious! The snake with a seprated personality: Meet the python born with two heads

 

The mutant black and gold python regius - royal python or ball python - was born in Villingen-Schwenningen, southern Germany, with two heads. 

Twice the bite: This python regius, or ball python, was born with two heads in Villingen-Schwennigen, Germany Which way next? The one-year-old snake is now 20in long and appears to be coping well with its mutation 

Snake breeder Stefan Broghammer said the slippery customer is around one years old and has grown to around 20 inches. 

He said the creature is only the second python known to be born with two heads. 

The snake is non-venomous, found in Africa and are a popular pet. 

Adults generally grow up to around 4ft and when threatened their instinctively curl into a ball to defend themselves. 

Rare: Snake breeder Stefan Broghammer, pictured, said it was only the second time on record of a python being born with two heads 

Between Wizkid & Tania Omotayo!

Are things still really right with Wizkid and his girlfriend, Tania Omotayo? Well, it first appeared that Tania posted a picture on her instagram page which read 'Just because you love someone so much, does not mean they are the right one for you' and just few days after, tonight, wizkid posted a photo on his instagram page where he choose ‘In the studio’ over ‘In a relationship’. Then went ahead to post another one that had this caption ‘The face you make when you first slide in’... Trying to mock her? Oh well… find the photos after the cut.

Below is what Tania first posted that brought this whole drama we assume...

N12m Is Not Enough, Pay For Our Aides Too, Delegates Tell FG

Some delegates at the on-going National Conference in Abuja have been saying in hush tones that the N12m the Federal Government plan to pay them for the duration of the conference is not enough, and they ought to have made plans for their aides too.

The N12m fee includes transportation, accommodation and feeding, even though they will always have free launch at the venue of the conference, but some of the delegates still believe the money is not enough for them  to start paying their aides from it, so they want it addressed, a source said.

Report from EFCC on how Lagos state Speaker Spent funds on foreign trips and his wife.

EFCC today March 18th revealed how Lagos Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji, squandered money on his wife, foreign trips and how on August 1, 2011, N4.4m was paid to him as “cost of allowance”; and his personal assistant and orderly pocketed N1.2m and N1.1m respectively.

Premium Times reports

The trial of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, continued Tuesday with the prosecution witness detailing how the defendants allegedly laundered millions of Naira.

Adebayo Adeniyi, the EFCC witness, told the court how the defendants collected N13.5 million for honorarium, N4.5 million for renovation of the Speaker’s residence, and N1.5 million for the Speaker’s Guest House every month for six consecutive months.

Mr. Ikuforiji and Oyebode Atoyebi, his aide, are facing a 54-count amended charge of money laundering amounting to over N600 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accused the Speaker and his aide of receiving the money from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution.

The trial was adjourned last January for the prosecution to provide a summarized version of the monies collected by Mr. Ikuforiji and his aide.
But on Tuesday, Godwin Obla, counsel to the EFCC, said that he would rather continue with his previous method to avoid any grounds for appeal.

It was a painstaking effort that required Mr. Obla to go through each of the transactions with the witness. The judge admitted that, but overruled the defence’s plea that the prosecution tabulate the relevant sections of the transactions.
“We’ve lost time. We vacated three days for that exercise to be done,” said Ibrahim Buba, the trial judge.
“What I understand the prosecution to be doing is trying to go through the records viz a viz each count of the allegation. They are entitled to do so.
“It is indeed difficult, if not laborious,” Mr. Buba added.

2011 TRANSACTIONS
Mr. Adeniyi continued his testimony by stating how the Lagos House of Assembly paid millions of naira to Mr. Ikuforiji; his wife, Mayowa; his orderly; his personal assistant; as well as the state’s Deputy Speaker.

All the monies were collected by Mr. Atoyebi and paid for in cash, the witness said.
On July 14, 2011, N5.4 million was paid to Mr. Ikuforiji for a trip to San Diego, California; his personal assistant and orderly collected N1.3 million and N1.2 million respectively, according to Mr. Adeniyi.

On August 1, 2011, N4.4 million was paid to the Speaker as “cost of allowance”; his personal assistant and orderly pocketed N1.2 million and N1.1 million respectively. Two days later, N10 million was paid to the Speaker for Ramadan, the witness said.

On August, 2011, N6.4 million was paid to Mayowa Ikuforiji, the Speaker’s wife; and N1.3 million to the wife’s orderly, the witness said.
Between January and June 2011, N13.5 million was paid as honorarium, every month, to the Speaker, Mr. Adeniyi added.

He said N4 million and N1 million were also paid monthly, within the stated period, for the renovation of the Speaker’s official residence and guest house respectively.

Asked why there were columns with Cheque Numbers in the cash register, Mr. Adeniyi responded that: “What they do is that a cheque is raised in most cases in the name of the Permanent Secretary and cashed from the bank.
“It is this cash that is eventually paid and registered in this document, the details of payments.”

2010 TRANSACTIONS
“Basically, these cash payments are supposed to be made through a financial institution, paid to the beneficiaries, not through cash payments. Cash payments stall the tracing of the monies.
“We discovered that some of it was paid into the account of the first accused person. Some of it was used for his credit card and other personal matters,” he added.

During cross examination by Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Mr. Ikuforiji, Mr. Adeniyi said that he was not aware what the Speaker used the monies for.

“Our investigation is not focused on knowing whether he spent the money on his personal house.
“From our investigation, we did not go in depth into who approved the disbursements, we were particular about the cash disbursement which was above the threshold of transactions by a Permanent Secretary.

“Any payment must be made through e-payment, most especially when it is above the threshold,” Mr. Adeniyi said.
When shown one of the cash registers by the defence lawyer, Mr. Adeniyi said that he could not “remember seeing it.”

Mr. Obla objected to that line of questioning, insisting that the defence must tender the cash register as an exhibit before it court be used for cross examination.
The judge, however, said that the defence was at liberty to use any document that had been brought before the court.

“You cannot file a document and your witness said he cannot remember seeing it. If it was filed by the defence, it is a different ball game altogether,” the judge told Mr. Obla.
“Once you have provided this document, it is for them (the defence) to use it at their own time during the trial, not at your own time,” the judge added.
The trial was adjourned till April 28 for continuation of trial.

So Sad! Photo: Woman Killed During Job Screening Stampede Buried

One of at least 10 people that died in Port-Harcourt during the Immigration job screening exercise stampede, Lucy has been buried today by her friends and family. Lucy who was preparing to get married was buried amidst tears.
Where is this our Country heading to, in terms of Corruption.
God Save us All OOhhhhh!

Dr Frabz has been crowned The New Music Director On Nigerian Idol

Africa’s biggest music reality show, Nigerian Idol has announced a new music director for its fourth season as the competition gets set to separate the wheat from the shaft for the Top 30 rounds.

Acting as the music director this season is, Award winning producer/singer Ayo Faboro, who is well known as Dr Frabz. He started his own music production company called N'sayne Entertainment and has produced smashing hit songs like Chuddy K's Slow Slow, Shank's Too late and Weird MC's Riranwo among others.

“I expect that this season we will be able to help the best of the contestants to shine,” said Dr. Frabz.

Nigerian Idol airs on Saturday and Sunday’s on HIP TV, STV, Various Startimes Channels, DRTV Warri and CRBC Calabar.

Man Rapes 8-Year Old Boy In Jigawa

The Jigawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested a 20-year old boy in Jigawa for raping another boy who is 8.

The suspect was arrested on Sunday when they were hinted about the incident. A medical check-up was also carried out and it confirmed the little boy was raped.

The suspect later confessed to the crime and said he usually gives the little boy N20 each time he wanted to lure him into the act.

Quen Whithenious! Lol! (Dencia) threatens to sue American blogs

 

Lol, the girl dey vex sha. Ok, so I remember American blogs like Ebony, Mediatakeout, Perez, etc has written one or two things about the singer. Dunno which blog she's talking about. Good thing be say, we for Naija still safe. lol. More of her tweets after cut…

Ekiti State commissioner arrested for beating up NYSC member

Police in Ekiti has arrested the state’s Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Kayode Olaosebikan, for questioning over the beating up of a NYSC member at a registration unit in Otun Ekiti, Moba LGA of the state, Vanguard reports.

Olaosebikan (pictured above), who is also the Chairman, NYSC board in the state, was seen at the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, making his statement.

Olaosebikan allegedly beat up a youth corps member, Mr. Thompson Enobong, NYSC number EK/13c/1859, who is one of the NYSC members assisting INEC in the just-concluded registration.

Enobong was subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Ido Ekiti, where he is said to be receiving treatment.

Olaosebikan, however, denied beating up the corps member, saying he merely protected him.
Vanguard also gathered that a soldier, Private Clement John is being interrogated by the police for disrupting the exercise in Emure Ekiti.

The soldier, who claimed to be serving in an Army unit in Borno State, was reportedly over powered by others at the registration unit and handed over to the police. John has equally been transferred to Ado Ekiti for further investigation.

Also one Paul Ezekiel was arrested in Ikere Ward 2 for allegedly threatening officials of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, during the rush for registration.

Spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the two cases, said the soldier would be handed over to the Army formation in Ondo State to ascertain whether or not he is a soldier.

Meanwhile, the Director-General, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement, PAAM, the political organisation of one of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial aspirants, Bisi Kolawole, has called on the relevant authorities to protect NYSC members.

Source: Vanguard

I Will Not Accept A Penny From FG For The National Conference As A Delegate - Pastor Bakare

The General Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare has said he will not accept a penny from the Federal Government for accepting to be a delegate at the three-month National Conference which started today.

The Pastor while explaining this to his church members said he will be doing so, so that people will not think he is there for the monetary aspect.

Each of the 492 delegates to the National Conference would be paid N4m per month for the three month duration, which means they will go home with N12m each at the end of the conference.

Though some Nigerians have condemned this , saying N12m each for 492 delegates for three months is outrageous.

Pastor Tunde Bakare will be representing Ogun State at the conference.

Willie Obiano Sworn-In As Governor Of Anambra State

Dr. Willie Obiano has been sworn in as the new Executive Governor of Anambra State. The swearing-in held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, and was conducted by the state Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi, in front of a mammoth crowd today as Governor Peter Obi bowed out of office after 8 years.

12 die while using local boat to cross to 6th Avenue Estate in Festac

Last week Tuesday March 11th, Twelve people unfortunately lost their lives while trying to cross a canal with a local boat to 6th Avenue Estate in Festac, which they say is the shortest (not the only) route to the estate. There was a 'Kpako' bridge there but when it got bad about 2 years ago, the local government didn't bother building another one, so commuters were forced to start using boats to cross the canal which usually takes less than four minutes and they pay N10 to cross.

Unfortunately that day the boat, with about 13 people on-board, capsized around 7pm and it took about two hours for rescuers to recover the bodies from the canal. 1 survived. The local government chairman came with an ambulance to convey the deceased to the morgue.

Today, some residents of the area took to the streets to protest the deaths as angry relatives and neighbours say the deceased have been abandoned in the morgue without care and that the govt has refused to allow relatives claim their loved ones. They are also asking for a new bridge to be built to avoid further deaths.

President Jonathan summons Interior Minister, Immigration boss

President Jonathan this morning summoned the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro and the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, David Parradang, to explain last Saturday's unfortunate incident at the poorly organized NIS recruitment exercise where over ten people died during stampedes at various test centres.

The two ministers both arrived at the office of the Chief of Staff where they spent sometime before being invited into the President's office where they spent about 30mins. Both men declined to speak to reporters on their discussion with the President when they came out. Hopefully, someone will explain to us why the government would ask jobless youths to pay N1,000 to write employment test.

Sule Alao Malaika & Sikiratu Sindodo Admit Dating At Last

Fuji act Alao Malaika and actress Sikiratu Sindodo have both admitted they are in a relationship. Though they have both denied the relationship at different times, the actress in a recent interview for the first time admitted and said yes, they are dating. The fuji act, last week also admitted in another interview. It will be recalled that the actress, was in a serious relationship with NURTW State Treasurer, MC Oluomo who was very close to the fuji act.

Some people even alleged that, Alao Malaika was a major reason the two love birds broke up. A source said when MC confronted Malaika about the relationship, he bluntly denied it.

While their love was ‘hot and steamy’ MC bought the actress a Murano which he customized as MC Baby and she was also on a monthly salary.

                     

Malaika already has two wives and he says he is not ruling out marriage with the actress, but for now they are only dating.

So Sad! Immigration Recruitment: Pregnant Woman, Three Others Die In Port Harcourt

According to Premium Times, hospital authorities at the Rivers government-owned Braithwaite Memorial Hospital in Port Harcourt have confirmed that four candidates died during a stampede at the Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment which took place at the Liberation Stadium this morning.

A source at the hospital said, 12 people were brought in, but a pregnant woman and three others were confirmed dead and another four are still unconscious, while the other remaining four have been discharged. According to NAN, about 20,000 job seekers were present at the stadium.

It will be recalled that at least seven people also died in Abuja this morning and several others injured in the same exercise. In Benin, The Nation Newspaper reports that three women died in another stampede and 20 others are currently receiving treatments. See a photo of the Port Harcourt incident after the cut. Viewer discretion is advised.

Bishop Dies After Wife Forced Him To Confess His Infidelity To Congregation

A Connecticut Bishop who heads the Miracle Faith World Outreach Church has died in front of his congregation last week Sunday after his family reportedly publicly confronted him about a past act of infidelity that his wife of 50 years, Christine, pushed him to confess in the presence of his congregation.

The Bishop confessed to his wife that he had an affair long time ago, and he felt it was right to tell her now because he wanted to be ‘clean’. 

The wife after the Sunday service announced to the congregation that the Bishop has a message for them.

Soon as he walked him, not knowing what was waiting for him, his wife said, ‘tell them what you told me’, the shocked Bishop didn’t know what to say and he made the confession.

But his congregation were glad he did, and they started echoing the same words, ‘we forgive you, we love you’. But it seems his immediate family weren’t pleased as one of his sons attacked him, and his daughter poured him water.

The bishop who couldn’t look up immediately suffered heart attack and was pronounced dead at the hospital he was rushed too.

The Police have been invited to look into the matter, but they said there was nothing criminal about it.

A church member said the matter should have been handled privately, and the Bishop who doubles as a certified marriage and family therapist was shocked his family treated him that way, and that was what led to his sudden death.

A close church member also said his wife had asked him who the lady was, but the man replied that it does not matter any more because she is no more.

 Ministry...Miracle Faith World Outreach Church, which the pastor and his wife founded together in Bridgeport, Connecticut

Photos: Immigration Recruitment! Lagos Job Seekers Protest, Halt Traffic

Meanwhile in Lagos, thousands of job seekers who were invited to take an aptitude test by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) seized all roads leading to the National Stadium venue of the test in protest, shortly after they were told it has been postponed. The young job seekers asked that their N1000 processing fee be returned to them, hence they won’t be returning back home any time soon. The protest took place for several hours with the candidates chanting anti- government songs and blocking major roads.

According to reports, at least 100, 000 job seekers came out for the screening test which was supposed to hold at the 45,000-capacity National Stadium.

Meanwhile, some people have called on the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro that the N1000 processing fee was uncalled for, and with about 6,000,000 candidates they will be making N6,000,000,000.  But the minister explained that the N1,000 was charged by the consulting firm to defray cost of accessing the website to fill forms.

See more photos from the protest after the cut.

NIS Test: Impatience led to applicants’ death - Minister of Interior

Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, has reacted to the craziness that happened yesterday during the Immigration Service Test which took place across stadiums in Nigeria. The number of people that died during the recruitment exercise has increased from 6 to about 9. The deaths occurred in Abuja, Lagos and Minna but instead of commiserating with families who lost loved ones, Mr Moro said they died as a result of their impatience...

“The applicants lost their lives due to impatience; they did not follow the laid down procedures spelt out to them before the exercise. Many of them jumped through the fences of affected centres and did not conduct themselves in an orderly manner to make the exercise a smooth one. This caused stampede and made the environment unsecured.”

He also contradicted the number of applicants that participated in the employment test. The initial number we got was 2.3million, but the minister says that only 520,000 participated and only 4,556 would be recruited. 520,000 x1,000 =?

Female banker defrauds Emir of Kano of N17million

A female banker identified as Amina Magaji, who works with one of the old generation banks has reportedly defrauded the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, to the tune of N17million.

The Emir reportedly opened the account with the said bank in 1967 but left it dormant over the years and the amount in the account grew to N46million. Amina who is highly placed in the bank got tempted and deceptively requested for a cheque book, claiming it was for the emir. She started operating the account and withdraw monies from the account to the tune of N17million.

Her immediate boss eventually noticed the difference in the signature of the Emir they have in their file and that of the signature on a cheque Amina presented and alerted the authorities.

Amina who is said to be married to a top staff of a broadcast organisation is currently in the custody of the EFCC alongside 12 colleagues who have been identified as accomplices. The bank has however raised the 17million from the accounts of Amina and her other accomplice and returned to the Emirs account.