Ogun primaries: Court strikes out Bankole loyalists’ suit

A State High Court, sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday threw out an application by some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the delegates’ list of the party in the state for lack of jurisdiction.

Six members of the party, believed to be loyal to former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, led by one Ganiu Mustapha, had approached the court, challenging the delegates’ list that was compiled after ward congresses conducted by the party in the state on November 1.

Reading the judgment in a suit number AB/315/2014, the judge, Naheem Durojaiye, maintained that the delegates’ list, under contention, could only be determined by the party as “it is an internal affairs of the party.”

The ward congresses were supervised by Saka Balogun, who was the returning officer of the party.

But the complainants, through their counsel, led by Afolabi Fashanu (SAN), argued that the state executive council led by the Chairman, Bayo Dayo, and the Secretary,Semiu Sodipo, the 4th and 5th defendants, were planning to substitute their names on the list.

Breaking News: Dubem Obaze Emerges As APGA Anambra North Senatorial District Candidate

The final gladiator is out as Chief Dubem Obaze (Ife Aka Chi) clinches the Anambra North Senatorial ticket for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)
Result from the APGA primary election held at the Mini Stadium, Onitsha reads as follows:
Okafor Ogugua - 13
Onubugwu Nelson - 26
Areh - 39
Patrick Obianwu - 145
Dubem Obaze – 219

APC primary fallout: Tinubu angry with Fashola

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is angry with the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, as a result of the latter’s conduct before and during the just concluded APC governorship primary in the state.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Tinubu became angry when Fashola initially told him that he did not have a particular candidate for the APC primary only to emerge much later with a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Mr. Olasupo Shahore, as his (the governor) preferred candidate.

Nigerian Military Intercepts Chad Bound Russian Plane Loaded With Arms

The Nigerian military has intercepted a Russian plane loaded with large amount of arms and ammunition, bound for neighbouring Chad, a security source has told PREMIUM TIMES.
The plane was seized early Saturday at the Aminu Kano International Airport.
The aircraft, which was headed for N’djamena, the capital of Chad, landed in Kano at about 2a.m. Nigerian time, the source said.
All crew members of the aircraft have been detained by Nigerian forces.

Am still single because no man has proposed to me- Shirley Igwe

Shirley Igwe doesn’t belong to the category of women who have to be padded, made-up and wear different masks to be beautiful. She has beauty bequeathed on her by nature, so much so that, before she left school she was already the beautiful face of Delta Soap.From modelling, she naturally metamorphosed into acting and now the Principal Protocol Officer to Governor of Imo State not to mention her prominence as a blogger.In an interview with VANGUARD, Shirley talked about each stage of her life, putting the wrongs right; shedding light on issues and generally allowing us a drive through the beautiful mind that adorns the Imo State House:.. When asked why she is still single here is what she said..Why are you still single?

Oritsefemi Buys Range Rover Exec 2015 Worth N40 Millon

~This is definitely not the best of time for Nigerian musician, Oritsefemi Majemite Ekele, popularly known as Oritsefemi.

Latest report informed that the ‘Double Wahala’ crooner was involved in a horrendous motor accident Friday’s night on Ikorodu Road, Lagosin.

According to the publicist of the musician, the tragic accident happened around Surulere area of Lagos (Barracks side) when the singer was trying to run from a group of robbers who were chasing them periodically in abid to snatch his just acquired 2014 Range Rover Evogue, which was given to him recently by his new record label, Avatar.

Masari Defeats Yar’adua's Brother, Emerges APC Guber Candidate In Katsina

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, was on Saturday declared the gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, for the 2015 elections. The Chairman, Katsina Primaries Elections Committee, Adesina Aderibigbe, who announced the result in Katsina, said Mr. Masari scored 2,470 votes to defeat his rivals.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 5,266 delegates from the 34 local government areas were screened for the gubernatorial primary election in the state.
Mr. Aderibigbe said Kanti Bello, a former senator, polled 1,327 votes; Sada Ilu scored 468 votes; and Abdulaziz Yar’adua, a retired colonel, and late President Umar Yar’adua younger brother, had 243 votes.

REVEALED: ‘How Okija shrines kill liars, fraudsters’

Prominent indigenes of Okija community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, have risen in defence of the dreaded shrines in the area popularly known as Alusi Okija in Igbo parlance, saying that the shrines do not kill innocent persons, as being portrayed. Chief Edwin Azubuko who spoke on behalf of the community said that the shrines kill only those who are liars, cheats and the fraudulent, particularly those who cheat or defraud their business partners along their business lines or their relations.
Azubuko who spoke in reaction to Crime Guard expose that jobless youths have taken over the management of the shrines, to the extent that they have almost desecrated the shrines, explained that the shrines, particularly the Ogwugwu Akpu and Ogwugwu Isi Ula stand for truth and nothing but the truth, insisting that it is only God that knows the purity of the hearts or otherwise of the present day priests of the shrines.

Breaking News: Lagos State Governor, Raji Fashola Concludes Plan To Decamp To PDP

The Governor of Lagos State and APC major stakeholder Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has released a shocking statement to our journalists with the executive governor revealed that the governor has concluded plans to shift camp to the ruling party.
The Governor who has played a major role in garnering votes and support for APC in the Western Region of Nigeria through his reformative policies and constructive style of governance in Lagos State and can be rightly said to be one of the fundamental reasons why the APC enjoys the support it has in the West.

Speech by His Excellency, the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano on the occasion of the Launch of OCHA Brigade, ATMA and the Anambra State City Cab Scheme

A Speech by His Excellency, the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano on the occasion of the Launch of OCHA Brigade, ATMA and the Anambra State City Cab Scheme on Friday, December 5, 2014.
Your Excellency, the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke
Your Honour, Secretary to the State Government, Oseloka Obaze
Your Lordship, the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi
The Chief of Staff, Prof Joe Asike

2015: The masses will enforce free and fair elections – Aregbesola, Oshiomhole

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state and his counterpart from Osun state, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday declared that Nigerians will enforce free and fair election in 2015, saying that the developmental strides of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in its controlled states will sack President Goodluck Jonathan from Aso Rock come 2015.

The duo declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led Federal Government has lost focus therefore the need for Nigerians to vote the alternative party which is APC come 2015 general election. The governors declared this in Benin City during the Commissioning of the 12 blocks of 31 classrooms at Asoro Grammar School Benin City, Annunciation Catholic College Irrua and Isua-Uzenema Road Uromi by Governor Aregbesola. The projects were constructed by the Governor Oshiomhole led administration.

Jonathan can't end Boko Haram, they will continue if he returns —Governor Okorocha

This is what you get if a President is not assertive and his government uses kid gloves on terrorists.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that Boko Haram insurgency would not end if President Goodluck Jonathan gets returned as Nigeria’s leader in the 2015 general elections.
Okorocha made the declaration in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during a visit to the state’s secretariat of the APC with his team to woo delegates to back him for the party’s presidential ticket.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan had proved incapable of handling the Boko Haram insurgency, and that the terrorists threat was becoming worse than the Nigerian civil war. He accused officials of the Jonathan administration of using the anti-insurgency campaign as a “commercial business like buying and selling.”

OBASANJO BOMBS FAYOSE

....Ekiti Gov’s apology letter released 
Fayose condemns colleagues for visiting Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, to shut up and seek God’s forgiveness for abusing him barely two years after he begged him in a letter over previous insults.
Governor Fayose had last week in Ile Ife, Osun State, lambasted Obasanjo for what he called Obasanjo’s unnecessary outbursts on President Goodluck Jonathan.
But Obasanjo, through one of his associates who craved anonymity in Abeokuta on Friday, said that Fayose who wrote him a letter, begging him two years ago to facilitate his (Fayose) return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could be attacking him again so soon.
The Obasanjo associate asked Nigerians not to take Fayose serious as he would soon write another letter of apology to the former president.

Effect of Free And Fair Elections In Nigeria

APGA National Assembly Primary in Awka: Failed to hold!As Women threatening to protest Naked in the street of Awka!The election could not hold even till 9:30pm as the people resisted the attempt to use the wrong list that is different from the Authentic list of the delegates that emanated from the ward delegates election .You may recall that APGA on last week held ward congress for the purposes of electing delegates that will elect the party candidates during the election .Early as 8AM yesterday (4/12/2014) the elected delegates and other party faithful were already in the venue of the election (BanHill Hotel, Awka) waiting for the panel that will conduct the said election .The panel came around 6:50pm , but tension went up when they brought out the delegates list that contradict the list of elected party delegates .Most of the party faithful especially those elected by the party members protested and insisted that Party must use the list of those emerged from the various wards for the election since it was the same Party that conducted the delegate election where party members were elected for

You’ve not shown leadership, Kolade tells Jonathan

A former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, on Thursday condemned President Goodluck Jonathan for not showing the right leadership in the manner he had been handling his responsibilities as the nation’s leader.

He spoke at the sixth Christopher Kolade Symposium organised by the Nigeria Leadership Initiative, an organisation he was a pioneer patron.

He made specific reference to Jonathan’s decision to honour a political rally in Kano shortly after a bombing that killed several people early in the year, saying the best he could have done was “to postpone the political event.”

For choosing to continue with the programme, he said, the President did not demonstrate that he was sensitive to the pains of the people.

Tambuwal, Ambode, others win APC governorship ticket

FOR the All Progressives Congress the 2015 contests got underway on Thursday with state chapters electing their governorship candidates.

The APC governorship candidates for the 2015 polls, as they emerged on Thursday, include Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto); a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and public administrator, Akinwunmi Abode(Lagos); a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna); and second-term-seeking governors, Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Abdulfattah Ahmed (Kwara) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).

Why We Cancelled US Training For Soldiers – FG

The federal government yesterday said the training of Nigerian soldiers by the US was cancelled due to some logistical components needed for the training which the US failed to provide.It said that the US instead relied on Nigerian military equipment which is currently in use in the troubled states in the north east.

The coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, who stated this when he briefed journalists in Abuja said Nigerian soldiers had concluded two phases of the training out of the three phases before the cancellation.

“The training that is being mentioned were supposed to be in three phases, two phases have been concluded, the next phase requires some logistical components and I don’t think it’s wise to take equipment from the field and keep them in Jaji for training when our soldiers are out there needing the equipment.

World's fattest man, Keith Martin is dead

A Brit who was officially the fattest man in the world has died, it emerged today. Martin - who weighed an astonishing 70 stone at his heaviest - died from pneumonia following a lengthy battle with his weight.

His death at the age of 44 came just eight months after Keith had undergone a successful gastric sleeve which removed three-quarters of his stomach.Speaking today, the surgeon who tried to save his life with life-changing weight-loss surgery is calling for the government to swiftly impose a fast-food tax.Unemployed Keith admitted much of the weight had come from eating huge amounts of super-cheap fast food.

Ganduje Wins Kano APC Gubernatorial Primaries

Kano State Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Monday emerged winner of the APC gubernatorial ticket in the state.
Dr. Ganduje scored a total of 5,588 votes of the total votes cast, defeating the only other aspirant, Brig. Gen. Jafaru Isa (rtd.) who got 126 votes.
Two other contenders, Rep. Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila and Alhaji Usman Alhaji stepped down for Ganduje shortly after the primary elections commenced at Sani Abacha Indoor stadium in Kano City.
Announcing the result after the election, electoral officer Bello Ayuba disclosed that having has satisfied all the party and INEC conditions, Dr. Ganduje was duly elected.

ABACHA VISITS JONATHAN, SAYS APC WILL LOSE KANO

A gubernatorial aspirant of the People's Democratic Party in Kano State and son of former Head of State Sani Abacha, Mohammed Abacha, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) will lose the 2015 general elections in the state.
Abacha said this in an interview with State House journalists on Friday after a two-hour closed door meeting he had with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He said despite the defection of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso to the APC, the PDP remains the dominant party in Kano State.

President Jonathan appoints new Comptroller General of Prisons

A new Comptroller General of Prisons, Dr. Peter Ezenwa Ekpendu has been appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan. Until his new appointment, Ekpendu was Deputy Controller General (Administration). A native of Ibeku, Okwuato in Mbaise Local Government area of Imo State, Ekpendu has served in various capacities in the Nigerian Prison Service as Deputy Commandant, Prisons Training College, Lagos, Officer-in-Charge of Umuahia, Officer in charge of Owerri Prisons, and Deputy Controller of Prisons Training, Prisons Headquarters 1999 among several other top postings.

A graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ekpendu, an alumni of the Prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategy Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, is a doctorate degree holder.

Why PDP Governors Prostrate For Obasanjo To Support Goodluck Jonathan's Re-election Bid[Photo]

More than seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors this morning arrived the Abeokuta, Ogun State, hilltop residence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to persuade him to work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in next year’s presidential election.
Two of the governors, Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, arrived Obasanjo’s residence at 12.55 p.m. and swiftly moved into the house without any banters with journalists who were there.

Why Nigerian Ladies Worry Over Scarcity Of Real Men

The recent alarm raised by the Catholic Women Organisation that husbands would become scarce in Nigeria in 2023 may just be right as P.M.NEWS can confirm that many Nigerian spinsters are currently witnessing the no-husband syndrome. Within the last few weeks, some of the ladies who spoke with our correspondent reported serious apprehension, pressure and a total lack of peace as the consequence of their inability to get married.One of the ladies, who preferred to be simply called Titi said she had taken the issue of marriage as a do-or-die affair due to “internal pressure” but that as much as she had tried, frustration had often been the result.

Nigeria Will Not Survive If Jonathan Remains President, says Nda-Isaiah

An All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, has stated that Nigeria will not survive if President Goodluck Jonathan is allowed another four years in office.
According to Nida-Isaiah ,who made this known in Minna, Niger State, during the APC governorship primaries, the APC has a divine responsibility to win the 2015 general election to save the nation from further decay.
“If President Jonathan is allowed to rule for another four years, Nigeria will not be able to survive it again.
“The country cannot survive another four years of incompetent administration.
“APC has a divine responsibility to win the 2015 elections. Even if it be by default or an act of omission or by anything we do on our path to make Goodluck Jonathan continue, even if we allow him to rig, Nigeria will not be the same again for the four years he will rule.

Fayose Wants Obasanjo Suspended, Says PDP Govs. Visit To Him Unnecessary

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the visit of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today, to former President Olusegun Obasanjo as unwarranted, unnecessary and uncalled for.

The governor said PDP as a party must stop condoning indiscipline, saying; “nobody should be treated as being bigger than the party.” He added that Obasanjo who does not appreciate others deserve no respect,

adding that “no amount of mudslinging from him will stop President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection.”
The governor said visiting Obasanjo to plead with him to rescind his decision not to participate in the party’s activities was capable of encouraging other members of the party to openly disrespect the office of

President and Commander-in-chief of the Armed forces of Nigeria as being done by Obasanjo.Governor Fayose, who called for immediate suspension of the former president from the PDP, said; “A man who has refused to respect the office of the President of Nigeria that he once occupied does not also deserve respect from anyone.”

Ambode, Bola Tinubu’s Candidate, Wins In Lagos As 10 Candidates Abandon APC Primary

Akinwunmi Ambode, the candidate handpicked by All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, Bola Tinubu, has won the Lagos State gubernatorial primary.
As many as 10 of the candidates vying for the opportunity left the venue angrily, and it is unclear if the large-scale disaffection that compelled them to take that action will precipitate further crisis within the APC in Lagos that might lead to the party losing the key state. Although, the primary elections had just been officially concluded with vote counting starting about now, Mr. Ambode is projected to win with a landslide.

Nigeria Police To Restore Speaker Tambuwal's Security

Police authorities are set to reinstate the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives,  Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, weeks after it was withdrawn in the wake of his defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A source at the Nigeria police headquarters in Abuja indicate that the police will hinge its decision on the emergence of Tambuwal as the governorship candidate for the APC in the forthcoming general election.

Barr. Kenneth Okonkwo Backs Out From Contesting For House of Reps

Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo backs out of PDP primary as the state chapter of the PDP jettisons zoning in Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency.Following the Nsukka/ Igbo-Eze South stakeholders meeting at the Governor’s lodge on the 3rd of December, 2014 where the Governor openly endorsed the former chairman of the party, Vitta Abah who is from Nsukka East in contradiction to the zoning arrangement which ought to zone the House of Reps ticket to Nsukka West.Barr. kenneth Okonkwo (Andy) who is from Nsukka West has withdrawn from the PDP primary election.Talking to Diamond Celebrities, the talented actor disclosed the reason for his action. “Am insisting that the zoning arrangement be maintained or I will not participate in the primaries”He thanks all his fans, friends and family for their support during his campaign.

Okorocha kicks off cleanliness, beautification competition in 637 communities

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, yesterday, kicked-off the cleanliness and beautification competition among the 637 communities in the state, to revive the culture of village and community sanitation exercise.
It is also to be used to re-awaken the consciousness of keeping a clean and healthy environment in the rural communities.

2015: Opposition could kill Jonathan to take over govt — Clark

IJAW leader and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, has expressed fears over President Goodluck Jonathan’s safety, preparatory to the 2015 presidential election, saying the opposition politicians could go all out to kill the president in order to be in power.
The elder statesman said recent statements from the party’s chieftains were worrisome, suggesting that they would stop at nothing to harm the president to get to the seat of power.
Clark said this yesterday, in Abuja, at a conference organised by a group under the aegis of Peoples Democratic Party Ward2Ward Initiative.
He alleged that the opposition politicians in the APC were celebrating the heightening of insecurity in the North East, with the belief that such development would not only degenerate into anarchy but make the president and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led administration unpopular so that their dream of winning the hearts of Nigerian electorate to get into power in the forth coming elections could be realized.

APC gov primaries: Tinubu begs Lagos aspirants •Jubilation over Ambode •Tambuwal, Umana , Ajimobi, Ahmed, Amosun win

A national leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, assured governorship aspirants in Lagos State that losers would be rewarded.
He admonished the losers to support the eventual winner as voting was underway at Onikan Stadium to pick the standard-bearer for the 2015 election.
Tinubu, in his address delivered by state spokesperson of the party, Joe Igbokwe, described the day as historic and another steady march in democratic journey in the country, saying that it was a day members gathered to pick a candidate that would fly the APC flag for governorship post in 2015.
The national leader, who recalled that it was the desire of all the aspirants, based on the meeting he had with them, to have a candidate freely chosen in a fair contest, expressed the belief that such desire would be accomplished at the end of the exercise.

INTERVIEW---Rivers: Why they’re against me — Wike

MR Nyesom Wike, a former local government chairman, erstwhile chief of staff to Governor Chibuike Amaechi and until recently, minister of state for education is a leading aspirant for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview, he speaks on allegations by 16 other governorship aspirants of his party that he was behind their initial disqualification by the South South zonal screening committee of the party and other topical issues. Excerpts
What is your reaction to the claim by your 16 rivals that they were unjustly disqualified from the contest? 

Nyanya Suspect Wants N100m Compenstion

Less than two weeks after the alleged mastermind of the April 14 bomb blast that killed over 75 persons and wounded 100 others at a crowded motor park in Nyanya, Abuja, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, was set free, he has filed a suit against the Federal Government asking for compensation.
According to the suit filed by Ogwuche at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, he prayed the court to compel the Federal Government to pay him the sum of N100million as damages.
The suspect insisted that his continued detention in the custody of the Department of State Security, DSS, amounted to ‎a gross abuse of his fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution
Ogwuche contended that ‎the Federal Government, having breached his constitutional rights, ought to be compelled by the court to pay damages to him.

Ali Baba plans new year gift for Nigerians

In a bid to give Nigerians a most memorable start to year 2015, Nigeria’s King of Comedy, Ali Baba, is set to organize a unique comedy show laced with music on January 1, 2015, at the prestigious Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The show, which is aimed at giving fun lovers a wow moment, will feature 24 popular comedians as well as sensational music acts in the country.

Tiwa Savage, Kcee, others shine at Channel O Music Video Awards 2014

So Channel O Music Video Awards 2014 went down in Soweto, South Africa last Saturday night.
South African rapper Cassper Nyovest stole the show beating Diamond Platnumz’s “Number One” and Davido’s “Aye” to bag the Most Gifted Video of the year Award. Cassper Nyovest also won Most Gifted Male award and Most Gifted Southern Award. Also winning big was Diamond Platnumz with the Most Gifted Newcomer award, Most Gifted Afro Pop award and the Most Gifted East award.

Lady Gaga reveals rape as teenager

Lady Gaga has revealed that she was raped as a teenager and said that it took her years of therapy to acknowledge and start to recover from the trauma.
“I don’t want to be defined by it,” the pop star said. “I’ll be damned if somebody is going to say that every creatively intelligent thing I ever did is all boiled down to one dickhead that did that to me.”
Lady Gaga, 28, said that the rape took place when she was 19 and that she has gone through years of therapy. She did not go into detail but said that the aggressor was 20 years older than her.
“It happens every day. It’s really scary and it’s sad and it didn’t affect me as much right after as it did about four or five years later,” she told radio host Howard Stern.
“I didn’t tell anybody — I didn’t even tell myself for the longest time,” she said. “Then I was like, you know what, all this drinking and all this nonsense, you have to go to the source, otherwise it won’t go away.”

‘Gangnam Style’ gallops beyond YouTube counter

Just how big a hit was “Gangnam Style”? So mammoth that the Internet literally wasn’t ready to handle it.
YouTube said that the 2012 song by South Korea’s Psy — accompanied by a horse-riding-like dance that became a global sensation — this week reached the maximum number of views that its counter had imagined to be conceivable.psy-gangnam
The video-sharing site shows that the official version of the video has had more than 2.15 billion views — the equivalent of one-third of the world’s population, although of course many people watched more than once.

Nigerian film industry can generate N1bn annually – TAMPAN

The newly founded One Love Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers’ Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) on Tuesday said that the Nigerian film industry could generate N1 billion annually.

Mr Debo Alexander, the Interim Governor of the Association made the statement at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly- elected executive members of the association in Lagos.
Alexander was elected the Governor of the association.

Impeachment Plot: Presidency pleads with senators

FOLLOWING reports that the impeachment notice against President Goodluck Jonathan will be presented on the floor of the Senate when it resumes from the recess on December 16, the Presidency yesterday pleaded with the Senate that the interest of the country and the protection of the nation’s democracy should be paramount.
Reacting to the purported impeachment moves by the lawmakers, the Presidency noted that the country was at the moment facing some challenges and impeachment will not be required to address the mirage of  problems adding that political problems would require political solutions
In a statement issued yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, the Presidency urged the law makers to  continue with their work of nation building for the development of the country and well-being of the people saying, “the Senate in the last four years has conducted its legislative functions and responded to issues that are of great national importance with commendable political sagacity.

Breaking News: Speaker Tambuwal Wins Sokoto APC Gubernatorial Primary

The Speaker of House of Representatives,  Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has emerged as the Sokoto APC Gubernatorial candidate in a keenly contested primaries that lasted several hours with about 4,000 delegates from 23 Local Government Areas in the state.
The screening of the delegates commences at about 11 AM Nigerian time while voting started as soon as the screening was over.
Chairman of gubernatorial election committee, Bolaji Khalil stated in his speech the  need to adhere to rules of the election and said all the contestants will be given equal treatment throughout the primary election exercise.

Cement truck crushes police inspector in Kaduna

Tragedy struck on Thursday in Kaduna when a Dangote cement-bearing truck with a Jigawa  number plate,  XA874GRK, crushed a Police inspector to death with scores of others injured.

Also, a camera man, Shehu Usman, with the Kaduna State Television, had his legs broken in the same accident. He was among those rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention.

The inspector, whose name was given as  Obed Ezra, was among those deployed to maintain law and order at the venue of the All Progressives Congress governorship primary holding at the Kaduna International trade fair complex.

It was gathered that the trailer lost control as a result of break failure. It destroyed  over eight  vehicles and no fewer than 12 motorcycles.

Breaking News: Ambode leads in Lagos APC gov primary

A former Accountant General of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, seems to be leading the governorship primary election which held at the Onikan Stadium, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Although the results had yet to be collated as of press time, Ambode seems the likely winner as hundreds of youths gathered around him to celebrate while the only other aspirant present, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, left the premises.

In Epe Local Government Area, 291 delegates voted while in Badagry, 305 voted while eight registered delegates did not vote.

In the Ikorodu LGA, 498 delegates voted while in Ibeju-Lekki, 189 delegates voted.

In Ojo, 237 delegates voted while 15 registered delegates were absent. In Agege LGA, it was 193 while in Ifako-Ijaye it was 214.

3,000 delegates to pick APC Lagos gov candidate

At least 3,000 delegates of the All Progressives Congress will on Thursday (today) pick the party’s Lagos governorship candidate.

The party, in a statement by its state chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale, said the voting would take place at the Onikan Stadium, Ikoyi instead of its headquarters on Acme Road, Ogba.

The party assured residents of the state that the exercise would be conducted peacefully and would be transparent.

APC picks presidential candidate in Lagos Dec 10

THE All Progressives Congress has named Lagos as the venue of its December 10 presidential primary.

Eight thousand delegates are expected to participate in the convention, scheduled to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

The APC four other presidential aspirants –former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, and Leadership Newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah – had jointly asked for a venue outside Lagos, said to be favoured by Buhari and a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu.

Atiku and the three others wrote the APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, on Nov 27, “advising” the party chairman to retain Abuja as the convention venue.

Onabanjo’s daughter resigns from Amosun’s govt

In what appears to be almost a recurring decimal in Ogun State, another political appointee of Governor Ibikunle Amosun,   Ms. Olubukunola Onabanjo, has resigned her appointment.

She is the daughter of the late governor of the state, Chief Bisi Onabanjo. Before her resignation, she was the chairman of the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.

In the letter of resignation dated November 18, and addressed to Amosun, she said the governor had accused her of having a ‘soft spot’ for a former governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba.

The resignation took effect from December 1.

13-year-old flees home with suspected lover

The police in Lagos are battling to find a 13-year-old girl, Chikwuo Ezennia, who reportedly fled her house with a yet-to-be-identified man, suspected to be her lover.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ezennia, who is in Basic 4, had come to Lagos from Nneni village in the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State to spend her holiday with her relatives.

Our correspondent gathered that the girl, however, fled her relatives’ apartment on Ishola Bello Close, Iyalla Street, Alausa, Lagos, in the afternoon of Thursday, November 20, when the family had gone out.

It was gathered that when the girl’s aunt, Mrs. Ambrose Okolo, and her husband returned from work at about 6pm, Ezennia was nowhere to be found.

Synagogue: TB Joshua’s application stalls coroner’s inquest

The coroner probing the September 12 Synagogue building collapse in Lagos, Magistrate A.O. Komolafe, on Wednesday suspended further sitting till Friday, December 5, 2014.

Due to the abrupt suspension of the court’s proceeding on Wednesday, Komolafe could not take the testimonies of all the witnesses that had been invited to appear before the court.

The decision to suspend sitting came after the Founder of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations, Prophet T.B. Joshua, through his counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, had informed Komolafe of a pending application before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.

PDP Suspends Its Former Chairman, Bamanga Tukur

The People Democratic Party has suspended its former chairman, Bamanga Tukur from the party.

 A terse press release issued by the party today stated that Bamanga Tukur was   suspended after the party National Working Committee to reviewed his activities in recent time agaionst the current chairman, Adamu Muazu.

Bamanga Tukur
See full text of press release below:

 

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) at its 395th meeting held yesterday, December 3, 2014 reviewed recent national developments as they affect the party.

Among others, the NWC deliberated on the court case instituted against the National Chairman of the Party, Ahmed Adamu Mu'azu by the former National Chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur.

We are not aware of any foul play - APGA ELECTION MONITORING TEAM.

STANLEY EZE

Amidst the tension associated with the party's primaries election of the day for House of Assembly, a monitoring committee from APGA national body led by Hon. Prof. Ifeanyi Bernard Odoh has said that the rumors making rounds in some quarters that the APGA primary elections has been doctored is novel to them.

 Speaking to newsmen at the venue of the Awka South 1 primaries election ground on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, the chairman of the committee explained that they were with all the documents for the election including the certificate to be issued to the candidates that come out victorious at the end of the day after the electorates' vote has been conscientiously counted.

Senate probes IGP For N’Assembly’s invasion

The impasse between the executive arm and the legislature took a new turn on Wednesday when the Inspector General of Police (IG), Suleiman Abba, insisted that he does not recognise Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Abba told the House Committee on Police Affairs that Tambuwal’s position was still unclear as the case was before the court and it would be subjudice for him to comment on it.

The IG also referred to the legislators and their aides who jumped the 12-foot gate of the parliament last Thursday, as thugs.