HOW APC SUPPORTERS ATTACKED ME ON MY WAY TO BUHARI’S INAUGURATION — MARK

SENATE President, David Mark, Tuesday, revealed that unknown to many people, he was attacked by supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, while on his way to the Eagles Square, to attend the inauguration of General Muhammadu Buhari, following his victory in the March 28 presidential election.
Senator Mark, who condemned the action of those he called “hooligans”, said it was against the spirit of peaceful transition from the then ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to an opposition party, the APC.
The Senate President spoke while commenting on a similar submission made by Senator Boluwaji Kunlere, PDP, Ondo South, on physical assaults visited on some politicians across the country last Friday, during inauguration ceremonies for new governors across the country.
Kunlere had, in his contribution to a motion seeking the Senate to congratulate President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on their successful and peaceful assumption of office last Friday, drawn the attention of senators to attacks meted out to some politicians at some of the inauguration ceremonies in some states level by followers and supporters of those being inaugurated.
The motion was sponsored by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, PDP, Cross River Central and 101 other senators.

NAN correspondent kidnapped in Imo

Media correspondents serving in Imo State, are now living in palpable fear, following the reported kidnap of the head of the reportorial team of News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Miss Chidi Opara, in Owerri.
Vanguard investigations revealed that the armed hoodlums that whisked her away, either trailed her to her home or laid ambush for her.
“Miss Opara was abducted at about 8.30p.m Wednesday night, as she made to enter her house located at MCC/Uratta Road, Owerri”, one of her colleagues told Vanguard.
It was also gathered that Miss Opara was taken away in her Sports Utility Vehicle, which has not been seen at the time of going to press.

NIGERIAN SENATE PASSES 46 BILLS IN 10MINS

The Senate Wednesday passed 46 bills into law in less than ten minutes. The passage was done immediatly the bills were presented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang.
But the passage of the bills caused an uproar in the upper chamber, even after the voice vote by the presiding officer and Senate President, David Mark, who announced, ” the Ayes have it.”
Senator Mark, told those who were not satisfied with the passage of the bills to come tomorrow, being the next legislative day with their names and signatures for consideration.
Before the bills were passed, the Senate had suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders and deemed all the Bills as having passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the Senate.

Popular Rhythm 93.7 FM OAP, Iphie, shot dead in Port Harcourt

I'm absolutely sad to report that Rhythm 93.7FM PH on-air personality, writer and motivational speaker, Iphie Aggrey-Fynn was shot dead by armed robbers along Aba-Port Harcourt expressway yesterday. The Ghanaian-born OAP and blogger had gone to see her parents in Aba and was on her way back to Port Harcourt when their bus was attacked by armed robbers. As the driver attempted to speed away, the gunmen open fire on the bus, killing Ifeoma. May her soul rest in peace, Amen.
She was once the host of Rhythm-&-Soul programme on Awka radio that kept my families awake all night before her tranfer to the Port Harcourt office of Rhythm FM.

ANXIETY IN MILITARY OVER LIKELY SHAKE-UP •Buhari meets NSA, heads for Chad, Niger

There was anxiety yesterday in the military over the impending shake-up of the country’s security apparatus by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was heightened after the president met with National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki. The President has summoned the service chiefs to a meeting today.
Col. Dasuki arrived at the Defence House, where Buhari is still operating from, at about 1.51pm yesterday for the meeting with the President. He left at about 3.00 pm without saying a word to anxious reporters.
But sources said the meeting was part of a debriefing on the country’s security situation. President Buhari is being briefed by the NSA and the Service Chiefs before unfolding his plans of overhauling the security apparatchik.
Yesterday’s meeting might also be to prepare the President for his visit to Chad and Niger Republic to discuss the Boko Harm challenge with the neighbouring countries.
Apart from security, fighting corruption and fixing the economy are the other priorities he listed as priorities during the campaigns.
The President will from tomorrow make his first foreign trip – a two-day visit to Chad and Niger Republic.

Shekau missing in new ‘Boko Haram’ video dismissing military’s claims of success

Boko Haram rejected claims from Nigeria’s military that it has been routed by a four-nation offensive in a video released online on Tuesday, which does not show the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau.
The unidentified speaker, his face obscured by a headscarf, instead called Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, who have been battling the Islamists, “the lying coalition partners”.
“Most of our territory is still under our control,” said the speaker in the 10-minute message which was posted on the video-sharing site YouTube.
The video bears the logo “Islamic State in West Africa” and follows the Nigerian militants’ pledge of allegiance in an audio message in March to the IS group, that has overrun large parts of Syria and Iraq.

LET ME NOMINATE YOUR MINISTER, FAYOSE URGES BUHARI

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give him the privilege of nominating an Ekiti State indigene for appointment into Buhari’s cabinet.
Fayose, who was one of Buhari’s biggest opponents in the run-up to the March presidential election, said this in a statement on Tuesday.
The governor said he had written to Buhari and was hopeful that the President’s reply would be favourable.
Fayose said, “I shall be happy to nominate a worthy and competent professional, who can always oblige Your Excellency and your cabinet the benefit of a second opinion in the serious business of governance.”
He noted that he wrote the letter based on the declaration made by the President that he would put the overall interest of the country above every other particularly political partisanship and bias.
He said even former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, appointed the late Chief Bola Ige as the Minister for Justice despite Ige being a chief of the opposition Alliance for Democracy.

Breaking News: Blatter resigns as FIFA president

Sepp Blatter on Tuesday resigned as president of FIFA as a mounting corruption scandal engulfed world football’s governing body.
The 79-year-old Swiss official, FIFA president for 17 years and only reelected on Friday, said a special congress would be called to elect a successor.
Blatter said that the scandal-tainted FIFA needs “profound reconstruction” and that he had “thoroughly reconsidered” his presidency since his reelection.
He added that the vote “does not seem to be supported by everybody in the world of football.”
His resignation came less than a week after Swiss police arrested seven FIFA officials, including two vice presidents, at a Zurich hotel.

CABINET APPOINTMENT: ‘APC IS HOLDING BUHARI HOSTAGE’

Three days after his inauguration, President Muhammadu Buhari has not been able to make key appointments due to a crisis of confidence that has pitted him against power blocs in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This has made the National Coordinator of the Concerned Northern Professional Forum (CNPF), Dr. Mohammed Junaid, to accuse a section of the APC leadership of trying to arm-twist Buhari to make some appointments against his wish. He accused the APC of trying to use zoning to hold Buhari captive, saying resorting to allotting positions on zonal basis is inimical to good governance.
The president, which on Sunday named Managing Director, Sun Newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina and head of media of his campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, as spokesmen, is yet to unveil names of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chief of Staff, among others.
But New Telegraph learnt that intense pressure, as well as insistence on certain government positions from intra-party and regional power blocs, might have stalled further announcements of sensitive appointments by Buhari. “There is more to what you think, the president is not keeping the party guessing, rather, a brewing cold war has to be stemmed from getting out of hand”, an insider said yesterday. It was gathered that some powerful Northern power brokers had impressed it on the president to restrict his search for the headship of certain sensitive positions to the region.

How Police Uncover Den OF Fake Currency Hideout In Oyo State

In the bid to mop rib of the state from all criminal activities and instill saninity in the people's Psyche, the Oyo State Police Command has discovered a place in a remote village of Ibadan, where thousands of fake pounds, euros, dollars and other foreign currencies were being produced.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Katsina, said that the discovery was made by the command’s ambush squad in a village called Ojoku in Badeku, Ona-Ara Local Government Area of the state. The police described the area as fast transforming to an abode for criminals, having earlier served as a kidnappers’ den.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene of the crime on Monday, discovered that the police had cordoned off the compound shielded by tall trees and thick bushes.
Two Toyota Camry cars with number plate AA 125 DK and AA 207 DH and a Nissan Almera lift back model with number plate AGL 882 DF were found in the compound, which was fenced with corrugated iron sheets.