OBLONG MEDIA GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE is where independent minds meet to dissect politics, society, power, and global affairs without fear or filters. This is not mainstream media.
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“Buhari should hold a broad view of Nigeria. No action has been taken against the 12 northern states that declared Sharia in their domains in obvious violation of Nigeria’s secularity. Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution states, “The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion,” but the President is threatening to crush those who are agitating for resource control. Why would states that promote Islamic Sharia share in the Value Added Tax revenue, which is generated partly from selling alcohol, when they are opposed to people drinking? These are enough grounds…
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The government of General Muhammadu Buhari has clocked one year in office having being sworn in on May 29, 2015; and the leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has identified at least 125 Constitutional Breaches & Regime Atrocities committed by the hostile administration in the past 365 days or one year. The breaches and atrocities covered the process through which the administration was brought to civilian presidency to its policies and conducts in the past 365 days or one year. This simply means that in each of the past 12 months, the administration…
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From indications within the guerilla group the Avengers, their mission is far from over as they renew their intentions to blow up every oil pipeline or super structure that is within the Niger Delta. The leader, captain Olotuowei speaking from a secured location in the creeks, said the Avengers are more determined than ever given Buhari’s proclivities and his stance on the confab resolutions and restructuring of Nigeria. “So, Buhari thinks every part of Nigeria is existing to serve the Hausa/Fulani. Anyway, here in the Niger Delta, we rather fight to the death than be conscripted into that internal slave…
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday failed to give specific details of recovered loot as part of his anti-corruption war during his Democracy Day speech, consequently reneging on an earlier promise he made to that effect. Mr. Buhari had on May 14 said in London that he would personally provide specific details of all recovered stolen public funds because he believed that what Nigerians were being fed through the media were not detailed enough. “So far, what has come out, what has been recovered in whatever currency from each ministries, departments and individuals, I intend on the 29th to speak on…
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BE THE JUDGE; The presidency has released President Muhammadu Buhari’s “achievements” in the last 12 months, ahead of tomorrow’s (Sunday) marking of the administration’s first year in office. The list as published by the News Agency of Nigeria contains the following: SECURITY: The relocation of the Nigerian Military Command Centre to Maiduguri, since May 2015, contributed to the success in the fight against insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country. As at February 2016, the total number of persons rescued by the Nigerian troops during the ongoing operations in the North East came to 11,595 …
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Niger Delta Avengers late Thursday night simultaneously bombed several pipelines operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation around Batan community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. Local residents told THE PUNCH on the telephone that multiple explosions were heard, a situation they said threw people of the area into serious panic. The damaged pipelines are said to be operated by the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Ltd.,which were subsidiaries of the NNPC. It was gathered that both crude and gas trunk lines were severely affected in the attacks. Investigations reveal that…
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Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, yesterday disclosed that his country home has been sacked by Fulani mercenaries who also killed over 50 of his kinsmen after which they razed over 200 hectares of his rice farm. He lamented that the incessant killings and destruction of lives and property in the Benue had created a 25 year retrogression of development in the state. The Governor made this known when he received the All Progressives Congress, APC Governors’ Forum led by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, who paid him condolence visit over the invasion of Agatu and other parts…
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Oil prices on both sides of the Atlantic have pushed above $50 a barrel for the first time this year as investors weigh the impact of supply disruptions and US figures showing a decline in crude inventories. ICE July Brent crude rose as much as 1 per cent to $50.51 a barrel on Thursday in London and US benchmark West Texas Intermediate also topped $50, rising 0.7 per cent to $50.21. They later pared gains and dropped below $50 a barrel. Michael Wittner, analyst at Société Générale, said: “We expect global crude markets to continue to be driven by supply…
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Abdullahi Salame, the lawmaker representing Gwadabawa/Illela federal constituency, Sokoto State, has dismissed insinuations that his controversial pro-Sharia bill is aimed at expanding the Islamic legal system across a secular Nigeria. Mr. Salame said his constitutional amendment proposal is actually designed to protect Christians from wanton attacks in Northern Nigeria. The long form title of the bill is: “A bill for an Act to alter Sections 262 and 277 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to increase the jurisdiction of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory and Sharia Court of Appeal of a…
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– Have you forgotten the The EASTERN REGION EXPORTED PALM OIL and the likes back in the days? – Go back to history the NORTH REFUSED to be joined with other States because the groundnuts pyramid makes more money than the rest. – Ahmadu Bello KBE clearly stated it that THEY CANT USE THE RESOURCES FROM THE NORTH TO DEVELOP other part of Nigeria. – He said it’s not even enough for them, he employed only Northerners or British. When it was time for COCOA from the WEST, Chief Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo, GCFR the great insisted that it will…
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United Airlines will stop flying to Nigeria next month, ending the carrier’s only route to Africa because of weakness in the energy sector and difficulties in collecting money from tickets sold in that country. The daily route from Houston to Lagos had underachieved for years but was kept alive because of its importance to Texas-based customers, United Continental Holdings Inc. said in a note to employees on Wednesday. The last flight will be June 30, after which Delta Air Lines Inc. will be the only major U.S. carrier flying to Africa. Nigeria has restricted the amount of money that can…
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– debts could undermine hub status, IATA says. – Government asks carriers to accept ‘realistic’ payment plan. Nigeria owes airlines more than half a billion dollars in outstanding air fares as the oil-price slump depletes reserves of the U.S. currency and prompts the government to limit the amount of money that can be moved abroad. Some $575 million was due to carriers as of March 31, according to the International Air Transport Association, even after the Central Bank of Nigeria released funds to pay off part of the backlog. Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo told IATA Chief Executive Officer Tony…
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This apology was posted on Facebook yesterday Morning… Dear Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, I write to apologize on behalf of myself and the many repentant Nigerians like me who ganged up against your government in 2012. Your government’s policy to remove subsidy on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as patrol was completely misconstrued by us. I was personally deceived by my overzealous comradely towards millions of Nigerians who had traveled to various locations at that time to spend Christmas with their loved ones. I was particularly concerned about NDIIGBO who traditionally returned home in droves during this period…
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Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged that the state government spent N3.2bn in preparing for the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, who turned out to be represented by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, in the working visit to the state on Monday. Buhari was scheduled to commission various projects embarked upon by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, but this was carried out on his behalf by Osinbajo. Reacting to the development, the PDP said the purported preparation for the visit of President Buhari to Lagos State was “a fraud and another expose that the APC is too…
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The Result of the Research about Fulani herdsmen. “FULANI HERDSMEN KILLINGS; MODUS OPERANDI, THOSE INVOLVED, AND THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. The most significant problem that African nations face is lack of leadership. Normally, Leadership should be an intentional conscious effort to attend to the people’s needs and aspirations. But in Africa, even though many of those that are thrust into the position of leadership mean well, they lack the capacity to lead and meet the people/s hopes and aspirations. Apart from lack of adequate preparation for leadership, one other notable factor that had inhibited good leadership among African leaders is…
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President Muhammadu Buhari recently claimed that herdsmen causing mayhem and committing terror acts all over the country are foreigners, specifically Libyans and not Nigerians. I completely disagree with this narrative from no less a figure as our Commander in Chief and Father of the entire nation. His comments amount to pure propaganda and image laundering for his kinsmen. This is nothing but tribalism. And tribalism is a very perverse form of corruption, in fact, the infrastructure on which corruption thrives. This negates his government /party’s vow to defeat corruption. Unfortunately, this propaganda has now become a refrain/chorus sang by several…
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At least the taxi drivers in Lagos are happy, even if businessmen in Nigeria’s commercial capital are not. A year after becoming president, Muhammadu Buhari pulled out of his first official visit to Lagos on Monday, averting citywide gridlock but angering business leaders who said the 73-year-old former military ruler is deaf to their plight. With Africa’s largest economy now contracting, the foreign exchange market frozen by red tape and a new Niger Delta insurgency sending crude oil output to a 20-year low, it is a plight that gets worse by the day. Yet businessmen say Buhari, who swept…
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The current senators who once served as governors are; Bukola Saraki of Kwara Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano Kabiru Gaya of Kano Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom Theodore Orji of Abia Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa Sam Egwu of Ebonyi Shaaba Lafiagi of Kwara Joshua Dariye of Plateau Jonah Jang of Plateau Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto Ahmed Sani Yarima of Zamfara Danjuma Goje of Gombe Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe Adamu Aliero of Kebbi George Akume of Benue Isiaka Adeleke of Osun. The former deputy governors in the Senate are; Ms Biodun Olujimi of Ekiti Enyinaya Harcourt Abaribe of Abia…
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The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, announced a flexible exchange rate regime assumedly and supposedly aimed at making foreign currencies more accessible. With this action, the CBN has eventually nullified the official exchange rate regime of N197/dollar. CBN announced a free floating forex regime where the exchange rate will be determined by supply and demand. “Official rate” as we know it has effectively been abolished. On the surface, the move may seem to be a welcome “hands off” by government but in actuality, the move has very serious and dire consequences as it may usher in an era of…
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Despite the ‘relief’ from the pains of scarcity, following the increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit, PMS, also called petrol to N145 per litre, and liberalisation of sourcing for foreign exchange, FOREX, majority of the oil marketers still depend on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, for their supplies. Dependence on NNPC supplies follows challenges being faced by petroleum products importers and oil marketers in sourcing for the requisite forex to enable them bring in refined products. Nevertheless, with the gains of the pump price increase, marketers are now more willing to expand investments in downstream operations,…
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The Minister of State for Petroluem, Dr Ibe Kachikwu is of the opinion that the Federal Government may resort to dialogue with the Niger Delta Militants in a bid to end the activities of militancy in the region. Speaking in Lagos on Monday, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said using military might to fight militancy will not end the restiveness in the area. Kachikwu said, “The military barrels cannot stop or solve problem of militancy in the Niger–Delta region. I will have to go back to my brothers, they are our brothers; we will go and…
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By Adiele Samuel Ikwerre youths have stated that, according to history, the people of Ikwerre are actually Igbos. The youths, in a letter signed by one of their leaders, Adiele Samuel, explained that the reason they were forced to deny their Igbo roots was to avoid persecution and being disadvantaged in Nigeria during and after the Civil War. Read for yourself: “We, the youths of Ikwerre descent from Rumuigbo, Omarelu, Elele, Etche, Ubima, Isiokpo, Ogbakiri, Omademe, Obiri Ikwerre, Rumuigbo, Rumuola, Omagwa, Apani, Rumukurushi, Rumuokwuta, Igwuruta, Rumuadolu, Rumuobiakani, Rumuokoro, and others, wish to clarify our position regarding the Biafra movement. Ikwerre…
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Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has said even though he was one of those who supported the former acting national chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, he had no option than to support his removal so as to forestall disintegration of the party, adding that, “We cannot sacrifice the party for any individual.” This was made known in press released by the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, in Ado-Ekiti on Monday. The governor, in the release, urged Sheriff to accept his removal in good faith and join others…
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As the country burns and boils in the vortex of lawlessness, civilian dictatorship and maladministration, emergency armchair analysts have started with their psychoanalysis of the Avengers. The Avengers, the new militant group who seems to have taken over from where MEND left off, are now joined by other similar groups in the region. The evolving conflagration is sure to cripple the Nigerian economy further, exactly what the Avengers promised in no unmistakable terms. While many who lack the knowledge of a concise history of the Niger Delta think the Avengers are criminals, miscreants and good for nothing jobless youths, the…
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Our attention has been drawn to media reports regarding a court judgment alleged to have been entered against the Federal Government of Nigeria and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in respect of an action by the Socio-Economic Rights Agenda (SERAP) pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. The High Court, according to the media reports, ordered the Federal government and Dr. Okonjo Iweala to provide information relating to N30 trillion Naira allegedly unaccounted for. Please note the following: – Dr Okonjo-Iweala hastens to state that she was never served with any court processes in relation to the said matter. She has not…
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As a staunch GEJ supporter, I want to help Buhari with trillions of naira for the sake of my countrymen and women who are bearing the brunt of Buhari’s poor economic policies. Dear President Buhari, 1.) Go to the 36 governors that served with Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 – 2007. Offer them immunity from prosecution if they will all return N2.5 billion naira each for every four years in power. Those who spent eight years in office should return N5 billion each. After all, most of them were facing charges totaling over N100 billion before their files disappeared from the…
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Niger Delta Avengers is the name of a new group of militants in the Niger Delta who claim to be different from the former agitators and militants who operated between 2006 and 2009, largely under the umbrella of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). The title of this group may well serve as the thematic and definitive umbrella for the resurgence of low-level insurgency in the Niger Delta, for in the last month alone, more groups have joined the NDA to wage war against oil installations, the Buhari government, and the Nigerian state. These include the…
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If Nigeria experiences another negative growth in the second quarter as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) for the first quarter of 2016, we would officially be in a recession. For some of us already groaning about the harsh economic climate in the country, I would advise we brace up for harsher times, if President Muhammadu Buhari doesn’t change his stand on the economy – those guys I saw in Kano, who were supporting the latest increase in fuel prices, might turn around and start cursing the President when these imminent hard times come. Let’s be clear, Nigeria…
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The Federal Government of Nigeria under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan announced plans to end the regime of fuel subsidies in Nigeria. It led to public protests and an organized action led by the political opposition to challenge Jonathan’s oil policy with regards to subsidies. Among the key figures that publicly opposed the removal of fuel subsidies were the now incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, one-time minister of Petroleum in his military administration, Dr. Tamuno David-West, a former Professor of Virology at the Ibadan Medical School, Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos, and of course, the current regime spokesman, Lai…
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*The Borno state government also refused to relocate the students from Chibok to safer places like Maiduguri. The kidnap of over 250 schoolgirls in Chibok may not have occurred if the Borno State Government had heeded the advice of an examination body, fresh facts have emerged. Aware of the poor security situation in Borno and worried about the safety of students, the West African Examination Council, WAEC, declined to conduct its Senior School Certificate Examination in unsafe parts of Borno, including Chibok. But that was until the state governor, Kashim Shettima, assured of adequate security measures, an official has said.…
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After taking a critical look at the leadership of Nigeria from the 1960 independence to the present Nigeria, Prof. Pat Utomi, president of Lagos Business School, described Nigeria as an embarrassment to the black race. According to him, Nigerian leaders have failed the nation, maintaining that in the ranking of failed states in the world, Nigeria is miles away from Ghana, its next door neighbor in the West African sub-region. He said Nigeria has strong men but what nations needed to develop is strong institutions and good policies and not strong men with weak and toothless institutions of governance. Prof.…
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1. The first president of Sierra Leone was an Igbo by the name of Christopher Okoro Cole. Before then, Okoro served as the Governor-General of Sierra Leone. His ascendancy into the presidential seat took place on April of 1971. 2. In April of 1992, an Igbo by the name of Captain Yahya Kanu became Military Head of State of Sierra Leone. 3. In 1857, an ex-slave of Igbo extraction, Simon Jonas, wrote the first manuscript written in Igbo language, ‘Isoama-Ibo Primer’. This was done in Sierra Leone for emancipated slaves from Igboland in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The Igbo dialect spoken…
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In years past, you could feel the roar, thunder and lightening of Prof Wole Soyinka from a television interview. Kongi as he was fondly known was a lion. When he sat before Christianne Amanpour of CNN, the themes were about corruption and the tyranny of power. In the process his latitude to rain curses on any leader was lengendry. He Christianed former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as Nebuchadnezzar and the first lady Patience Jonathan as hyppopotamus, plus other equally wonderful names befitting a first lady. Down the line current president Buhari too didn’t escape his tongue lashing. He called Buhari…
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Immediately following the closed door meeting between president Buhari and governor Wike of Rivers State, there is growing apprehension in many quarters that the presidency is planning to place not only Rivers, but perhaps the entire southern states under emergency rule. For discerning observers, this is another inelegant way of lording over the region by placing it under APC control from the back door. While no details were issued after the meeting, persons familiar with it say Buhari had issued a warning to that effect if politically motivated killings in the state do not abet. However, many find it curious…
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Some months ago, President Muhammadu Buhari travelled to Saudi Arabia to convince the kingdom to cut production in order to stabilize the price of oil – this was one of his reasons for going to Saudi Arabia, as reported by his media aide. I’m surprised that he didn’t know that what he was asking the Saudis to do would soon be done by his country. Didn’t the President get some security reports, or intelligence briefings, before these Avenger guys started causing havoc? Last week, the minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, told the House of Representatives that the nation…
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*Demands release of Kanu, Dasuki *We are not militants- Tompolo’s monarch The Federal Government now has a new group of militants to contend with, following the emergence of the Red Egbesu Water Lions, which has vowed to team up with the Niger Delta Avengers in ensuring zero production of oil and gas in the region. But it wasn’t clear as at Wednesday whether it was a resurrection of the Egbesu Mightier Fraternity Of Izon (Ijaw) Land and The Water Lion, a group which became prominent five years ago when its members threatened to eject people of northern origin from the…
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Former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife has warned the Federal Government that any attempt to crush Niger Delta militants may spell doom for the country. Speaking with Daily Sun on the state of security in Nigeria, Ezeife urged President Muhammadu Buhari to engage militants and other aggrieved people from the South-South and South-East in dialogue. He lamented that the security situation in Nigeria has collapsed despite the president’s efforts in combating Boko Haram in view of the actions of herdsmen in the South and the reawakening of the Niger Delta militants. “Buhari might have conquered Boko Haram but,…
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To keep to our promise, the three (3) days ultimatum given to Chief Government Ekpemupolo has elapsed and he has failed to apologize to the Niger Delta Avengers, at 2200hours Thursday, May 5, 2016, our strike team 4 hit the Nigerian National Petroleum Coperation (NNPC) crude and gas lines The Crude line feeds the Warri and Kaduna refineries respectively, while the gas line feeds the Lagos and Abuja electricity power supply. With this development the Warri and Kaduna refineries will be shut down and all cities that depends on the gas line for power will all be in total darkness…
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1. The Federal Government through the Minister of state and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Wednesday last week withdrew PETROL or premium motor spirit (PMS) subsidy, raising the price from N86 to N145 per litre, an increment of over 67 percent. 2. This neo-liberal policy of government is unacceptable and contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s earlier declaration mid-2015 after the people’s mandate when he said: “I have received many literatures on the need to remove subsidies, but much of it has no depth.” He said that lack of security, sabotage, corruption and…
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Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court has ordered the Federal Government to justify the detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd) in one day. The court also ordered the detained retired army officer to make out his case against government challenging his detention since December last year in one day. Presiding Judge of the regional court, Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke, gave the order in Abuja on Tuesday at the resumed hearing in a legal action instituted by Dasuki to challenging his alleged unlawful detention, unlawful seizure of properties and infringement on his fundamental…
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Only three members of President Buhari’s Federal Executive Council have access to President Buhari, investigations have revealed. The three ministers, former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazzau and former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, we gathered are the privileged trio who barely enjoy access to the President. More recently, Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma has been seen at frequent meetings with the President owing to the 2016 budget scandal which portrayed the Nigerian presidency as incompetent and uncoordinated. President Buhari’s style of governance has built a…
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Father Ejike Mbaka has allegedly made a new prophesy about President Muhammadu’s administration. The controversial priest stated that the beginning of Muhammadu Buhari’s Government will be difficult. He added that there will be suffering and crisis but the end it will be joyous and great. Below is what Mbaka Said. “Listen fellow Nigerians, as it is right now, most of what we are suffering now and we are going to suffer were caused few years ago but the Lord asked me to encorage you. “Suffering is coming but it is not suffering unto damnation, there is solution, it may take…
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RE: THE CONTINUOUS DETENTION OF BARR. ROBERT AZIBAOLA FOR A WHOPPING 52 DAYS WITHOUT CHARGE BY THE EFCC. Dear Mr. President, I write to you with profound respect and inestimable concern for your office and person. As a Nigerian, one of your subjects, I feel it would be most unpatriotic if I fail to draw your attention to certain administrative inconcinnities in this nation of ours; after all, Nigeria is the collective property of Nigerians – region, colour, and language distinction notwithstanding. I may not have the toga of acclaimed celebrated writers in Nigeria, even though I must execrate that…
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The founder and President of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and National Chairman of the Unity Party Of Nigeria (UPN) Dr Frederick Fasehun has said that since the coming of the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria has degenerated and that the the change the APC government promised was having a negative effect as Nigeria’s domestic issues has been amplified and magnified negatively. Fasehun made this known during a press conference Tuesday in Lagos. Below are text of the press conference ‘FUEL HIKE AND OTHER MATTERS’ Gentlemen of the Press: It is out of the depth of concern for…
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The south west media handlers must be wondering about their journalistic acumen as the country dives in a tailspin. They must be wondering what sort of hypnosis they were under when a favorite son was hammering on the “million sins” of Buhari. The south west media, acting like drunken sailors danced, sang hymns of drunken sailors, mocked and hyped on the messiah called Buhari. They refused to read the nauseating contents anthoured by their son. In the “million sins” of Buhari, the future of Nigeria under Buhari was in stark black and white. Today, those who naively thought by bankrolling…
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As part of its intimidation and harassment of lawyers in the country, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission last week bore its fangs this time, on a human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, over what is at best described as ‘spurious’ allegation. In what many have seen as clampdown on lawyers in the country, especially those defending suspects alleged to have committed various offences, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last week arrested and arraigned a human rights lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, before a Federal High Court in Lagos on a one-count charge bordering on a lease of a forfeited in…
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Ebonyi State Government yesterday banned the arrival of cattle into the state by herdsmen. Governor David Umahi told newsmen that the decision to stop cattle rearing in the state was because there is tension in the state over the recent activities of herdsmen in the country. He made this known during a meeting with security chiefs in the state at the state Police Command. He further stated plans to implement laws that would restrict movement of cattles and other animals such as goats and sheep. Umahi added that those who have been resident in the state for years as cattle…
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Christine Lagarde President, IMF 1900 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington DC, NW United States May 16, 2016 Dear President, 1) There is every likelihood you missed a lot of what’s driving Nigeria on your most recent visit. This was expected given that on a strictly business trip you couldn’t meet with ordinary Nigerians to feel their pulse, what they think about their lives steadily going down the tubes. Against the backdrop of great expectations, you missed the disillusion and despair that’s taking over the nation. Sorry, you couldn’t see the faces of fear and desperation up close and personal. 2) Permit me…
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When America saw the killing in the north in 2011 just because GEJ won the presidential election, they predicted the disintegration of Nigeria in 2015 knowing and believing that there would be another presidential election and GEJ will again win and the war will begin. 2015 came, they analysed and interpreted the Dogs and Baboons soaking in blood statement. America got prepared, they waited in Ghana and observed the happenings, the world tuned their ears listening for the sound of bombs and watched expecting the first attack. The “clock stood still” tension walked through the cities, terror became neighbours, everybody…
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Ex-governor is alleged to have, amongst other offences, while he was the Governor of Abia State in 2003, procured Slok Nigeria Limited to retain its account domiciled with a commercial bank in the sum of 200 million Naira and that the sum formed part of the funds illegally derived from the treasury of Abia State government through another commercial bank. However,his trial was stalled by Justice Anuli Chikere who said she could not go on with the case when an aspect of the matter was still pending at the Supreme Court. Justice Chikere adjourned the case to June 30. …
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The elected president of Nigeria is Muhammadu Buhari but there is a power behind the throne that many Nigerians are not even aware of. This person is so powerful and influential that he is said to have the closest ear of the president, more than anyone else. His name is Mamman Daura. The two men are related by blood: President Buhari is Mamman Daura’s uncle although Daura is two and half years older than the president. The nephew-uncle relationship is described as extremely close and dates back to childhood years. Now that Buhari is in power as the Commander-in-Chief of…
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By this time last year, those who claimed to have massively voted for Buhari and his party APC knew that the presidential campaign theme, change, with brooms as party logo was one of the most expensive political gimmicks ever in the history of Nigeria. After six months and what passed for a charade as ministerial screening drama at the not-so-hallowed chambers of the national assembly, it dawned on Nigerians that Buhari wasn’t the messiah heralded to take the country to dizzying heights of self-rediscovery, that the renaissance promised Nigerians was only a pipe dream. For the second time in their…
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For a long time many pundits knew a war-monger and over confident president would try to rumble military hardware into the Niger Delta, thinking that would annahilate the people of the region. However, such a military tactician failed to factor-in the fact that a well oiled guerilla outfit stands to give the invading forces a run for their military might, a run for their war chest. The war of attrition that will evolve as a result could eventually consume not only the Niger Delta but the invaders as well. So, a reminder here may come handy: there will…
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The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently retool, refocus and aggressively lead by example on all fronts or risk plunging Nigeria into a state of despondency. In a statement released by the Director of Social Communications of the Diocese, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Okogie accused the president of waging a shoddy corruption war and acting disdainfully towards the judicial authorities while millions of Nigerians were left to face unimaginable social problems. “He must retool, refocus and aggressively face the social, economic (fiscal and monetary) problems we have head…
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* Muhammadu Buhari seen by some as leading the battle against corruption. *But worrying allegations swirl around one of Nigerian leader’s close allies. *Rotimi Amaechi accused of misappropriating £338m commission probing sale of state assets. *Also accused of diverting £140m of state funds into Buhari’s presidential campaign. When David Cameron was caught on camera last week before an anti-corruption summit describing Nigeria as ‘fantastically corrupt’, the African state’s president rallied to the Prime Minister’s defence by agreeing with him. But although Muhammadu Buhari is seen by some as leading the battle against corruption, worrying allegations swirl around one of his…
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By October 2016 we will display our Currency, Flag, Passport, our ruling Council and our Territory to the world. To the United Nations, we are not asking for much but to free the people of the Niger Delta from environmental pollution, slavery, and oppression. We want a country that will turn the creeks of the Niger delta to a tourism heaven, a country that will achieve its full potentials, a country that will make health care system accessible by everyone. With Niger delta still under the country Nigeria we can’t make it possible. So we are calling on the Ban…
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BREAKING: Fresh crisis in PDP as Jerry Gana and others allegedly ‘sack’ party chairman Modu Sheriff.
Fresh crisis has erupted in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party after a former Minister of Information and a founding member of the party, Jerry Gana, led a group of other leading members to announce the takeover of the party from its national chairman, Ali Sheriff. Mr. Gana, who appears to head a group within the PDP called “Concerned Stakeholders”, met on Thursday at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja. After the meeting, which was co-chaired by a former Deputy President of the Senate, Ibrahim Mantu, a former Minister of Education, Tunde Adeniran, and media mogul, Raymond Dokpesi, a communique was…
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Francois Hollande President of France 55 Rue du Fraubourg Elysee Palace, Paris France May 2016 Dear Sir, The upcoming bilateral terrorism talks _____________________________________ 1) Kindly permit me to salute you through this open letter whose season started some years ago and made popular by no other than our own former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. You might have read his latest book, “My Watch”. The Nigerian people will be happy to have you this coming weekend, more so in these times of heightened insecurity not only here in Africa, but all over the world. Like Ghanaians say in Twi, Akwaaba, you are…
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NIGER- DELTA Avengers, Thursday, listed some oil blocs allegedly owned by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma, ex-Minister of Petroleum, Alhaji Riwalnu Lukman, other Northerners and South-Westerners in the Niger-Delta region and issued them a two-week ultimatum to shut down operations and evacuate the workers from the locations or have them blown up. The militant group, pressing for a sovereign state of the Niger Delta, in an electronic mail statement by its spokesperson, Col Mudoch Agbinibo, forwarded to Vanguard at 8.27 am, warned: “If at the end of the ultimatum and you still…
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THE recent statement by H.E. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to the effect that the Second Niger Bridge has gulped N140 billion in consultancy services is misleading; the facts prove otherwise. How could a project whose total cost is put at N108 billion spend N140 billion in consultancy alone? Unfortunately, the statement has raised much dust and is capable of putting Nigeria in bad light. By giving the erroneous impression that corruption has crept into the newly conceived mega bridge project, the international community, especially, willing investors in the project, could be scared away, which is not in our…
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What point was the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, trying to make when he responded to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who had described Nigeria as “fantastically corrupt” and as “possibly one of the two most corrupt countries in the world” (along with Afghanistan)? Shehu’s swift comeback to this diplomatic gaffe was to suggest that Cameron was working with an “old snapshot” of Nigeria, that things had changed since the coming of Buhari. This is a rather disappointing response from Nigeria, one that does not add any sauce to the power dynamics at…
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Olusegun Obasanjo says though President Muhammadu Buhari might not be grounded in the economy, he is doing well in his fight against corruption and the battle against insurgency. According to The Nation, Obasanjo said this at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state, during a conference on African Development. “PMB served under me and I know him a little bit. He hasn’t deviated from what I knew him for. Actually he is not a perfect man, indeed no leader can be perfect,” Obasanjo was quoted as saying. “Buhari might not be grounded in both the economy and foreign affairs, he is doing…
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The Federal Government has finally removed subsidy from sale of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol with immediate effect. NNPC sources this afternoon said marketers are now free to bring in cargoes and sell, subject to meeting standard quality control. It however added that a benchmark of N145 per litre, as a recommended pump price, at which any trader, irrespective of the source of foreign exchange used to import cargo is guaranteed adequate profit. Details later…
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David Cameron: calls Nigeria fantastically corrupt. President Muhammadu Buhari should read this before jumping on his presidential jet for the journey to London. He may shelve the trip and if he insists on going, he may not shake hands with Prime Minister, David Cameron. His host, Cameron has demonstrated no iota of regard for him and his country Nigeria, dubbing it a ‘fantastically corrupt country’. Cameron was caught on camera giving this description of Nigeria and Afghanistan when he met Queen Elizabeth last month. during a ceremony to mark her 90th birthday. The anti-corruption summit is scheduled to hold in…
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“I got a visa, I am travelling tomorrow.’’ I kept a straight face, at first. Then I realised the implication of keeping a straight face. “Oh wow!!! Congratulations. I am so happy for you.” I said that several times so as to convince the person. It’s not that I wasn’t happy for this person but how will I interact with a person every single day for the last few years and bare my heart to this person and the person NEVER mentions once any intention of travelling abroad. Now that the journey is a day away, this person is announcing…
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– Nigeria has been secretly exchanging its crude oil for refined petroleum products to the detriment of revenue accruing from sale of crude oil – This development was reportedly induced by government’s efforts at closing the gaps created by the inability of oil marketers to import fuel. Nigeria has been secretly exchanging its crude oil for refined petroleum products to the detriment of revenue accruing from sale of crude oil, Signal.ng is reporting. According to the report, rather than generate revenue through the sale of its crude oil, the Nigerian government is now importing and paying for imported fuel with…
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President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to investigate the $16 billion spent by the Olusegun Obasanjo and the Goodluck Jonathan administrations in the power over the years. Despite the huge investment in the sector by the previous administrations, Nigerians are still grappling with poor power supply and most companies have closed down or relocated to other countries, due to non availability of electricity for production. President Buhari made this known in an interview in Katsina monitored on radio and television. While reiterating his administration’s desire to improve power supply in the country, President Buhari disclosed that he would look into…
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Oblong Media is bringing you live updates as hearing resumes in the landmark case of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal headquarters in Abuja. Today’s proceeding was expected to commence at 10:00 a.m., but the tribunal chairman has not arrived. Mr. Saraki arrived at exactly 10:00 a.m with his aides and supporters, who include his colleagues from the National Assembly. .The courtroom is already filled with mostly lawyers for both prosecution and defence teams, as well as reporters. What you need to know: The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) is a pioneer anti-corruption agency set up…
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History was made yesterday at Howard University 148th Commencement convocation in Washington D.C. Out of 96 graduating Doctor of Pharmacy candidates, 43 were Nigerians. Out of 27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians. President Barack Obama was awarded a honorary Doctor of Science degree. Delivering the keynote speech at Howard University’s commencement ceremony, President Obama found himself lecturing the young African American graduates on the lessons he had learned of how to create change in their communities. Obama closed out his lecture on “change” by evoking another one of his signature campaign slogans, reminding students, “Yes we can.”
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Do not turn your personal businesses into an ethnic or regional political affair. Do not make your personal business one in which all Nigerians must bear your costs while you milk the profits for yourself. And when the people cry over the destruction of their own income, when they mourn the still warm bodies of their dead, do not warn and threaten them. Following a recent meeting, the Northern Senators Forum issued a communique threatening that there would be no country called Nigeria, if other parts of the country asked Fulani herdsmen to leave their communities and states. The communities…
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A prestigious United Kingdom, UK, Newspaper, ‘The Mail’ has on Sunday, May 8, released a report exposing luxurious mansions owned by some Nigerians, including those standing trial for corruption, while subtly exonerating the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of any crime. The report came against the backdrop of a summit to be attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, on Thursday, May 12, in London. In a report titled: ‘Palaces of Corruption’, the newspaper published pictures and locations of houses in the UK, belonging to…
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Spokesman of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-kayode, who appeared before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the receipt of N840 million campaign fund last year, was questioned today for many hours by operatives of the commission. The former minister, who arrived the EFCC headquarters on Formella Street, Wuse 2, at 9:45 am, was still being quizzed at 7pm on Monday, although sources said he had been granted administrative bail on condition that he produces two sureties who must be serving directors in the federal civil service. As at the time of filing the story, Fani-kayode was yet…
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Emeka Ezeife, a former governor of Anambra state was embarrassed alongside Pat Utomi in Awka recently by officials of the Department of State Security Service (DSS). They were stopped from speaking at a book launch by the officials who claimed to be acting on an order from the presidency. In his words, Emeka Ezeife said: “The President does not seem to have some conscience by doing certain things against some people. He does it without thinking back as if there are some people that should be suppressed and some people who are above the law. Let me tell you what…
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The Panama Papers affair has widened, with a huge database of documents relating to more than 200,000 offshore accounts posted online. The database became accessible from 18:00 GMT at offshoreleaks.icij.org. The Panama Papers have shown how some wealthy people use offshore firms to evade tax and avoid sanctions. The papers belonged to Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca and were leaked by a source simply known as “John Doe”. The company denies any wrongdoing. Last week it issued a “cease and desist ” order to prevent the database being made public but the organisation that has the documents, the International Consortium…
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The Nigerian government has directed the country’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to launch full investigation into the alleged misappropriation of Global Fund Grants Nigeria received from 2010 to 2014. The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said, “President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR gave the directive as part of government’s effort and commitment to fight corruption in the country. The President has also directed the Secretary to the Government of Federation to review earlier audit reports from the Office of Inspector General (OIG)”. Consequently, the Secretary to the Federal Government has set-up two investigative panels to look into…
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Niger Delta militants have launched another attack in the oil-rich region Royal Dutch Shell has been forced to evacuate most of its staff from the Niger Delta area. News coming out from the area says a shell facility has been attacked but details are sketchy and Oil and Gas People are waiting for more information. The news of this latest attack by the group comes after a Chevron facility suffered a similar assault last week. The Niger Delta Avengers, the newest militant group in the oil-rich region, has forced Royal Dutch Shell to evacuate most of its staff from a…
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“…president Buhari’s anti-corruption war is a sham!” Found this report on UK Daily Mail this morning. Ahead of the anti-corruption summit to be hosted by David Cameron, MailOnline has claimed that president Buhari’s anti-corruption war is a sham. They claim that his 16-year-old daughter, Hanah attends a top UK school at £26000 (N11.9million) a year, while £150000 (N69million ) has been spent on Zahra’s education. They also point out that the UK doles out foreign aid to Nigeria despite our government officials being the highest paid in the world. Read the report below… The presence of Nigeria’s president at David…
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The Panama Papers scandal will deepen around the world today when the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists puts most of the digital cache of documents online, accessible to all. The ICIJ said it will release the documents in a searchable database at 1800 GMT on Monday accessible to the public at offshoreleaks.icij.org. The US-based organization said the release “will not be a ‘data dump’” of the sort the Wikileaks group became known for. But it will reveal names and information on 200,000 offshore entities set up by wealthy individuals around the world. The documents are from 2.6 terabytes of…
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As Minister denies wrong-doing President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to respond to an allegation that he refused to recover N300 billion allegedly hidden in some Nigerian banks after his attention was drawn to the money by Dr George Uboh and his company, Panic Alert Security System (PASS) engaged by the minister to trace the money. The president’s query followed two letters of complaint written against the AGF by Uboh and his company, PASS, accusing him of frustrating efforts to recover already identified funds. In his response, Malami…
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“Nigeria is awaiting receipt from Swiss Govt. of $320 million, identified as illegally taken from Nigeria under Abacha” When twitter addicted Nigerians stumbled on this posting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Twitter handle last week, the whole Internet went abuzz, with most people expressing their dismay at Buhari’s refusal to call a spade by its correct name. Before we go on, let us try to reason out the meaning of this statement, especially against the backdrop of its nexus to our history where Abacha and Buhari’s paths crossed. It is obvious why the President or the operator of his Twitter handle…
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Niger Delta Militant, under the aegis of Concerned Militant Leaders (CMLs), have described governors in the region, particularly those in the South-east, as cowards, for keeping mute, in the face of repeated provocation by Fulani herdsmen. Also, they have threatened to bomb more oil installations in the region. The militants yesterday, lambasted state governors in the region, for cowardly allowing the Federal Government’s indirect war against their domains without any resistance. Spokesperson of the group, who preferred to be addressed as General Ben, said that their men were embittered that governors of the affected states could not rise up in…
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This is good news, but what I don’t understand is why Buhari always gives Nigerians important information only when he’s interviewed abroad? We have waited 11 months to get details of recovered loot and to know who returned them but neither Buhari nor the Finance minister could say a thing on it. We are Nigerians and we know that looting of public funds dates back, further than Jonathan’s regime, so the President should be kind and fair enough to bring all looters to book, irrespective of their party affiliation. We also want to know how those Governors who sponsored Buhari’s…
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Nigerian FLORENCE ESHALOMI has been confirmed as a newly elected member of the London Assembly after the final result confirmed her early lead delivered a Labour hold for the Lambeth and Southwark constituency. The proud mum of one and long standing Brixton resident quickly celebrated the good news with followers on social media tweeting: “Feeling proud 2be elected Assembly Member 4 Lambeth & Southwark. Thank u 2all 4voting & 2the fab campaign team. Now let’s turn City Hall Red!” Florence polled 96,946 votes while Robert Flint came second with 34,703 According to the official account for the London Labour assembly,…
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Since the All Progressives Congress (APC) made it to the seat of power in 2015, it has been doing what it knows how to do best: bristling and spewing propaganda. The unfortunate thing here is that while it got away with it as an opposition party, it is proving a different kettle of fish as the party in power. Its self-assured hubris and the potency of its magical abilities sold on a hypnotic propaganda are being challenged every day by reality. But the party is yet to come to terms with this reality and has continued to fiddle and…
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The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has sided with Fulani herdsmen over the lingering violent clashes between them and landowners across the country, wondering where Nigerians expect cattle breeders to keep the over 20 million cows in the country. They spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during a meeting MACBAN had with the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Gabriel Olonisakin represented by the Director of Administration at the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, Major General Fatai Ali. Senator Alkali Jajere, who spoke on behalf of the group, regretted that Nigerians have refused to pay attention to…
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The Integrity challenged government of President Muhammadu Buhari has suffered another blow, as the President himself has declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) that he will no longer make a public declaration of his assets as he promised Nigerians during the election. Buhari who has distanced himself from the over 201 campaign promises he made to Nigerians, reneged on his promise to make specific details of his assets public,and said that he will not release comprehensive particulars of the assets he filed to the CCB. The CCB claimed that the president intimated them that he would make…
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The All Progressives Congress, APC, caucus in Imo State House of Assembly, has summarily removed the member for Onuimo state constituency, Mr. Chinedu Offor, as the Deputy Majority Leader of the House. Announcing the change during plenary, the Speaker, Chief Acho Ihim, also said that the member representing Obowo constituency, Mr. Kennedy Ibe, is the new Deputy Majority Leader. Meanwhile, a six-man panel headed by the Deputy Speaker, Chief Ugonna Ozuruigbo, has been set up to investigate the activities of the three lawmakers recently suspended by the Assembly. The other members of the probe panel includes Marcel Odumze, Arthur Egwim,…
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“Spinning” is a police public relations methodology, designed to reduce deceitfully, the gravity of casualty figures, property destructions and distortion or suppression of general facts associated with social vices or disturbances; for the purpose of manipulating public opinion and saving police image or sustaining its mechanical legitimacy. In other words, it is a sustained distortion or corruption of facts of the matter or information by the police. “Spinning” is very common among policing entities of the third world or developing countries, owing to their failed intelligence, gross incompetence, lack of effective preventive policing, graft and inability to carry out their…
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Goodluck Jonathan was the vice president during the administration of Yar’Adua who was the President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010 and he (Yar’ Adua) died on May 5 shortly after he returned to Nigeria following the treatment of pericarditis in Saudi Arabia. Umar Musa Yar’ Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. Jonathan was made acting president during his boss’ prolonged exit out of the country for medical treatment and later sworn in as president following his demise. Jonathan took to his facebook page to express regret at Yar’Adua’s exit who he described as a servant leader. He also prayed for his…
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Governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, arrived Enugu State Tuesday afternoon to commiserate with the people over the recent attack on Ukpabi Nimbo by suspected Fulani herdsmen. News media reports state that the Governors were led by their chairman, Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Kashim Shettima. They assured Nigerians that the Nimbo killings would mark the end of such criminality in the country. Okorocha, who addressed Enugu State stakeholders at the Government House said the delegation was in the State to re-assure the residents that they were greatly…
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The detained cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola, has urged a Federal High Court in Lagos to declare as unlawful any attempt by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to force him to cook up an indictment of the ex-President. In a fresh suit filed on Wednesday, Azibaola’s lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, claimed that any attempt to torture his client into falsely indicting the ex-President was a violation of Section 7 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, “which has outlawed the practice of arresting a citizen as ransom for the alleged offence of another citizen.” Azibaola, who claimed…
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. 1. Akwa Ibom – N8,945,542,072.36 2. Delta – N6,520,473,654.16 3. Lagos – N5,806,821,749.32 4. Rivers – N4,887,442,606.31 5. Kano – N3,613,387,002.51 6. Kastina – N 2,845,760,627.20 7. Kaduna – N2,803,408,785.61 8. Borno – N2,665,210,123.06 9. Jigawa – N2,563,114,698.48 10. Sokoto – N 2,327,122,322.29 11. Anambra – N2,313,676,693.37 12. Kogi – N2,294,573,542.45 13. Bauchi – N2,257,201,944.88 14. Oyo – N 2,209,928,509.99 15. Enugu – N2,207,795,207.12 16. Yobe – N2,202,678,657.54 3 17. Kebbi – N2,195,741,092.43 18. Bayelsa – N2,165,038,996.96 19. Adamawa – N2,032,039,683.90 20. Ondo – N2,063,521,671.24 21. Niger – N2,062,793,026.06 22. Edo – N1,997,007,555.15 23. Nasarawa – N1,993,193,531.74 24. Ebonyi…
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In an explosive interview, former CBN governor and current Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has revealed that former governor of Rivers state and current Minister for transport, Rotimi Amaechi was responsible for leaking Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to Jonathan over a missing sum of $20 billion to the media. Sanusi had written to Jonathan to raise the alarm over billions of dollars from oil sale not remitted to the federation account. Obasanjo then followed suit with his own letter titled “before it is too late”, and the letter was published in full by online newspaper, Premium Times.…
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A bill for a law which prescribes five-year jail term for lecturers who engage in sexual relationship with students passed its first reading in the Senate on Wednesday. The bill, sponsored by Ovie Omo-Agege (Labour-Delta Central) and co-sponsored by 46 other senators, seeks to completely prohibit any form of sexual relationship between lecturers and their students. Briefing journalists after plenary, Mr. Omo-Agege said that the nation’s institutions of higher learning must be sanitised to rid them of lecturers who saw female students as “prize’’. According to him, when the bill is passed and signed into law, any lecturer found guilty…
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The Economic and Financial crimes commission,(EFCC) has nabbed a former governor of Imo state, Achike Udenwa for collecting N350 million of the so called arms fund through embattled ex-minister, Esther nenadi Usman. Nenadi was detained by the EFCC for allegedly receiving N2.5 billion of the N4 billion taken out of the Central Bank of Nigeria, on the orders of the ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, ahead of the 2015 election. Nenadi was the Director of Finance of the Peoples Democratic Party. UPDATE : Udenwa was seriously interrogated by EFCC investigators for several hours at their headquarters. He admitted receiving the…
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It is official: Lagos state has finally become an oil-producing state, and will join states who get 13 percent derivation from the federation account. Reports confirm that Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Company Limited (YFP), a wholly-owned indigenous firm and operator of the OML 113 offshore Lagos, on Tuesday announced the commencement of production of crude oil from the field. This is coming 25 years after the company was awarded an oil prospecting licence. Tunde Folawiyo, YFP chairman, was quoted to have said: “The attainment of this milestone is indeed a laudable achievement not just for the YFP, but for the Nigerian…
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The claims by a government-appointed recovery agent, George Uboh, that the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, is undermining efforts by the current administration to recover stolen money have degenerated into a dogfight, with the attorney general saying Mr. Uboh deceitfully obtained federal consent for the job by concealing his criminal past. At a press conference in Abuja Tuesday, Mr. Uboh, however, offered a different take on the matter, saying two weeks after he obtained a mandate to “trace, recover and remit Federal government’s funds that are allegedly trapped in Nigerian banks,” he was able to trace N324 billion…
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Moody’s Investors Service, better known as Moody’s, has finally downgraded Nigeria’s long-term issuer ratings from Ba3 to B1. B1, B2 and B3 are judged to “have speculative elements and a significant credit risk”, while Ba1, Ba2 and Ba3 are seen as “speculative and a high credit risk”. Moody’s has also assigned a stable outlook after concluding the review for downgrade initiated in March 2016. Announcing this on Friday, the company, which ranks the creditworthiness of borrowers, said the downgrade is based on Nigeria’s increased external vulnerability “brought about by the prospect of lower-for-longer oil prices”. The rating was also affected…
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Justice Mohammad Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered President Muhammadu Buhari to hold all successive administrations since the return to civil rule in 1999 to account on the spending of the recovered loot” – Are you aware that in addition to the four refineries in Nigeria – Portharcourt I and II, Warri and Kaduna, that this country also had a 30 per cent interest in West African Refinery Sierra Leone, which was handed over to President Obasanjo’s government in 1999? Are you also aware that Obasanjo has so far failed to account for that national asset…
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