₦airaland Forum

Besides the sale of weapons and illicit drugs trade, human trafficking is one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal businesses. CHRISTIANA NWAOGU writes that since law-and-order approach to solving this problem has failed , new strategies are needed to halt the atrocity and help victims.

Trafficking in human beings touches on many issues: human rights, inequality, discrimination, the rule of law, crime control, law enforcement, corruption, economic deprivation and migration.

Any state can be a country of origin, transit or destination. Clearly, fighting this trade requires a concerted, multidisciplinary international approach.

It is no longer news that of the around 700,000 persons trafficked across the world every year, Nigeria’s notoriety in the act has become an issue of international concern.

This is because, thousands of young Nigerian ladies are routinely trafficked to Europe and Asia for sexual exploitation.

Confessions has shown that they are taken from Nigeria to other West and Central African countries, primarily Gabon, Cameroon, Ghana, Chad, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Gambia for the same purposes.

In the same vein, Children from West African states like Benin, Togo, and Ghana – where Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) rules allow for easy entry – are also forced to work in Nigeria, and some are subjected to hazardous jobs in Nigeria’s granite mines. Nigerian women and girls are also taken to Europe , especially to Italy and Russia , and to the Middle East and North Africa , for forced prostitution.

Disturbingly, the concern over this menace, goes beyond the shores of Nigeria as the United States recently accused the federal government of failing to do enough to put the scourge under control.

Recall that on June 30, 2018, a 51-year old Edo State-born Nigerian woman, Josephine Iyamu, was convicted in the United Kingdom for trafficking five girls from her homestead of Edo to Germany for sexual exploitation.

Ms Iyamu, a nurse in Britain and the first person to be convicted under the UK anti-modern slavery law was formally jailed on 4th July. Prior to her arrest and trial, she was said to have compelled her victims to swear to oaths that they would deposit all their earnings with her once they started working.

Some of the rituals she reportedly performed on her victims included eating chicken hearts and drinking blood containing worms, and powdering incisions.

Iyamu’s conviction was preceded by the earlier sentence of another Nigerian, Franca Asemota by the UK Crown Court to 22 years imprisonment for attempting to traffic some Nigerian girls to Europe through the London Heathrow Airport.

Asemota, who was arrested in Nigeria and extradited to the UK for trial, was convicted of a 12-count charge of sexual exploitation, trafficking in persons outside the UK and engaging in unlawful immigration, among others.

In the last one year, the International Office of Migration (IOM) said it has spent huge sums of money to evacuate back home hundreds of Nigerians most of whom were trafficked to Libya enroute Europe with promises of better life.

Several of them lost their lives while those who survived went through anguish and trauma before the federal government came to their rescue.

These are despite the countless numbers of Nigerians who regularly lose their lives on the Mediterranean Sea while being trafficked abroad or engaged in illegal migration.

To our collective shame these kind of deaths have become a recurring decimal on account of which the Mediterranean Sea has become the cemetery where Africa’s future, which our young represent, is buried.

LEADERSHIP findings reveal that the deaths are under-reported, as the figures more often than not do not take into account those deaths for which the corpses are not recovered. It must be noted that in most cases some of the immigrants are deliberately dumped into the sea like bags of weed.

To add salt to injury, humanity’s conscience was recently jolted by a CNN report of auctioning of black African migrants as salves in Libya where these migrants are normally held in servitude in human cargo holding facilities.

For those who wonder why these criminals would strip fellow human beings of their dignity in such a beastly manner, the answer is simple-Money.

They do it for the money. Slavery is so lucrative especially now that it involves human organ harvesting. It was and it is still a money spinner. In the past, it was so lucrative that a part of the sweet Land of Liberty fought a vicious Civil war to keep slavery until the Abolitionists won.

Very worrisome too, is the fact that, several young Nigerians are also being trafficked within the country by money mongers who recruit them from ravaged homes in rural areas with promises of improving their living standard or grant them access to education in the city.

As we are aware, the root of human trafficking in Nigeria is tied to endemic poverty which has been been utilised as a tool in the hands of traffickers to lure their victims into illicit jobs with promises of improved living.

Some of this victims are lured by false promises of jobs in hotels, night clubs, massage centres, hospitals or domestic service, they instead have their passports confiscated and are forced to work as prostitutes. It is a heinous crime, and perpetrators should be dealt with severely.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that Human trafficking, itself a human rights violation, can lead to other crimes: debt bondage, forced labour, rape, torture and murder. Treating human beings as commodities grossly ignores the basic rights of autonomy and dignity. The problem therefore demands a solution that punishes the perpetrator but also seriously addresses its root causes.

Trafficking grows from a combination of political, social, economic and legal failings. To tackle it effectively, we must see it as a labour problem, a migration problem, a human rights problem, a law enforcement problem and a political problem.

Poverty, discrimination and unequal access to schooling and jobs all make people vulnerable to trafficking. A human rights approach to the problem would aim to identify its root causes, combining the insights and aspirations of law enforcement bodies, civil society, professionals, governments, NGOs and Little wonder, seventy percent of those recently evacuated from Libya narrated how frustration forced them into the journey.

On this ground, the federal government is therefore urged to address the prevalent poverty ravaging the land and offer meaningful hope of livelihood to frustrated young Nigerians, particularly the youths, who easily fall prey to traffickers.

Dishearteningly, women and children who embark on such journey, according to UNICEF, are forced to live in the shadows, unprotected, reliant on smugglers and preyed upon by traffickers.

This is also as transport used by women and children according the survey by UNICEF were mainly trucks, taxis or private cars. About one third indicated that they had travelled long distances on foot or by motorcycle, boat or animals.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that travel through the desert usually required traversing rough sand roads leaving them exposed to heat, cold and dust. Nearly one third of the women interviewed reported that they had experienced fatigue, disease, insufficient access to food and water, lack of funds, gang robbery, arrest by local authorities and imprisonment.

Children also lamented they did not have access to adequate food while on the journey, according to the source.

The aside hunger, other hazards encountered which further worsens their travail include sexual violence, extortion and abduction. Nearly half the women and children according to the survey had experienced sexual abuse during migration – often multiple times and in multiple locations.

“It (route) carries children and women from the hinterlands of Africa and the Middle East, across the Sahara to the Mediterranean Sea in Libya”, the UNICEF report said.

“Every day, thousands travel this route with the hope of reaching safety in Europe. They flee war, violence and poverty. They endure exploitation, abuse, violence and detention. Thousands die. It is not only a risky route taken by desperate people, but also a billion-dollar business route controlled by criminal networks. “

UNICEF better describes this route as “It is called the Central Mediterranean Migration Route. It is among the deadliest journeys in the world for children. A lack of safe and legal alternatives means they have no option but to use it.”

The report disclosed that “In 2016, over 181,000 migrants “ including more than 25,800 unaccompanied children “ put their lives in the hands of smugglers to reach Italy. “

According to the report, most dangerous part of the route is a 1,000-kilometre journey from the southern border of Libya’s desert to its Mediterranean Coast combined with the 500-kilometre sea passage to Sicily. It added that in (2015), 4,579 people died making the crossing or 1 in every 40 of those who made the attempt. It is estimated that at least 700 children were among the dead.

Only recently, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), revealed that it had concluded plans to repatriate over 50 Nigerian girls trapped in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Director–General NAPTIP, Julie Okah–Donli, said this on Thursday in Abuja while briefing Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, on the outcome of the investigation on Nigerian girls trafficked to Saudi Arabia.

The director general revealed the nation’s youth are often been innocently trafficked to Saudi under the guise of getting jobs for them.

“When the team visited Saudi Arabia, we met with more than 50 girls who were interviewed and we were told that there were many more girls who were stranded in various part of Saudi Arabia.

“One of the victims was brought back and she is here to recount her ordeal,” she said.

She said there were a lot of Nigerian girls who were stranded in Saudi working under slave-like conditions in people’s home.

According to her, most of them are raped while others are made to work 18 hours out of 24 hours.

She said many were made to sleep in very poor condition and not paid in accordance with what the fraudulent trafficking agencies promised them.

“There is a very big cartel that works with embassies, who secured visas for the victims because those who have genuine businesses don’t easily get visas but the trafficked,” she said.

Responding to her then, the minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama said there was a report that had a serious and a very negative impact on the country and the people.

He said, “The report showed that this is a real scourge and it is just too pervasive now in our society and a lot of work is being done by the NAPTIP which is commendable.

According to the minister, “Human trafficking is about trafficking beyond our border and this concerns the ministry of foreign affairs; we are also very much worried.”

“We need to sensitise our country and our people and to bring the issues closer to home through a personal experience,” he said.

He said the ministry was in the process of having inter-ministerial meetings with all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to really address the problem and tackle the issue once and for all.

“We want to put in place mechanism to tackle this issue, it is a crime against humanity, our youths are suffering and it is not something we can tolerate. he acknowledged”.

“And, every effort would be made, that nothing would be spared toward eradicating this menace from this country and from the face of the earth,” he said

You would also recall the story of a certain girl , who spoke in English fluently but didn’t reveal her identities, said she left for Saudi Arabia with other girls on December 30, 2017 before being rescued by NAPTIP through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Narrating her ordeal, the rescued victim told, “It all started through a friend who claimed she was living in Dubai; she introduced me to a woman agent in Abuja, I was living in Lagos and latter invited me to meet her in Abuja

“Everything was processed through her and when we got to Saudi Arabia it was a different thing entirely, my passport was seized and I ended working as a house help.

She said when the condition was unbearable she called the woman and said she could no longer cope but the agent said she could not leave.

According to her, “ the agent said, I must pay N1.7 million before I would be released. And if I could not pay I would have to work for two years, so I contacted a journalist friend who contacted NAPTIP. This committed agency in turn that contacted the Nigerian Embassy through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

The girl, who said she almost committed suicide before luck smiled on her appealed to the federal government to come to the rescue of thousands of Nigerian girls trapped in Saudi Arabia.

Her words, “I want government to assist those other girls that are stranded because it is not easy, Nigerian girls are passing through hell in Saudi Arabia and in other countries , there may not be work in Nigeria but it is better to stay back”

Only recently, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has as part of its commitment to fight the scourge of human trafficking to standstill launched a-one-in-all platform.

The application was launched during a press conference in Abuja.

According to the Director General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, the app is to “scale up the visibility of the agency”.

Mrs Okah-Donli said the development is to prompt reportage of issues relating to human trafficking as well as increase the participation and interaction of the general public in human trafficking matters.

With this, “NAPTIP is just a click from you,” she added.

Celebrating the 2018 World Day Against Human Trafficking and the 15 years of existence of the agency, the official said the media has become a formidable partner with unwavering commitment “as far as the fight against human trafficking is concerned”.

Reeling out the achievements of NAPTIP, she explained that the agency has ten, (10 )shelters, “every office of the NAPTIP has a shelter attached to it where they (victims) are given medical care, psycho-social support and then enrolled into schools for those interested and teach those that want to acquire some skills and afterwards reintegrated with their family.

The DG said the fight against human trafficking is not a fight just for the federal government but a fight for all of the society and government.

She also urged Nigerians to be security conscious.

“Nigerians should be their brother’s keeper and to parents, they should take care of their children, do not allow anyone to traffic your children and do not get trafficked yourself.

“Once human trafficking related issues is reported to the appropriate authority which is NAPTIP, they would get appropriate response; but if they report to the inappropriate authority, they may not get the response they should get because it is only NAPTIP that is mandated to fight the crime against human trafficking,” she added.

Similarly, the President Business and Professional Women (BPW), Dupe Utsalo, condemned human trafficking.

“One of the things we do as a group is networking, mentoring young ladies, women, girls, and widows, standing up for what is right. We have seven clubs in Abuja and we are ready to say No! anytime,” she said.

In the words of American Secretary of State John F Kerry, “We find perhaps no greater threat to human dignity, no greater assault on basic freedom, than the evil of human trafficking.” Human trafficking is rightly called “modern slavery” and governments in the United States, Jamaica and across the globe are increasing their efforts to combat this crime and hold perpetrators to account.

Human traffickers often prey on those who seek a better life, whether it is a young girl lured away from her family only to be trapped in sexual slavery, or an aspiring man seeking better wages to support his family only to become a victim of forced labour. We all recognise modern slavery when its features are visible — workers locked in a factory, or denied wages, or subjected to physical abuse. But many more instances are not so easy to detect.

It’s a known fact that one of the biggest challenges in the fight against human trafficking is holding perpetrators accountable through criminal proceedings, convictions and tough sentencing.

While it can be difficult to build a strong case because many trafficking victims are too afraid to testify against their former captor whereby they fear reprisals and may have to live in hiding until the end of the trial.

Though identifying victims can also be a challenge, many trafficked victims are often reluctant to contact law enforcement, to this ends, civil society groups. therefore has critical role to play.

The relationship of trust that non-governmental organisations, churches and other civil society groups have built within communities is also key to identifying victims. Civil society to this end, can also play a critical role in reintegrating survivors into society.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/human-trafficking-atrocities-against.html

Lanre Issa-Onilu has been appointed the new National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Issa-Onilu’s appointment was ratified at the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja on Friday.

He ran for the position at the party’s elective convention in June, but lost to Bolaji Abdullahi.

Abdullahi later resigned from the position and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Both men are from Kwara state.

The new spokesman was said to have been backed by President Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the party, at the convention but however he lost, coming second.

Yekini Nabena was appointed acting national publicity secretary after Abdullahi resigned on August 1.

Issa-Onilu has worked as journalist for 15 years and is a specialist in strategic public communications planning.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/lanre-issa-onilu-appointed-new-apc.html

The Board Chairman of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr Usman Sandamu is dead.

Malam Lawal Ado, a cousin to the deceased, who confirmed the news of his death, said Sandamu died late Thursday evening in a Turkish hospital in Abuja.

Ado said the deceased was 68 years and was survived by a wife and three children.

He said his remains were expected to be buried on Friday in Kaduna or Sandamu, pending the final decision of his family.

Sandamu was among the pioneer commissioners in Katsina State and one time chairman of the Jebba Paper Mills.

Sandamu was in Daura last week during the just concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/nigerian-railway-corporation-chairman.html

The Police Service Commission, PSC, has highlighted reasons 1,500 policemen who benefited from the special promotion exercise carried out by the office of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris will be demoted.

There are reports that some top police officers including the Force Spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, Abba Kyari of the Intelligence Response Team and others will be demoted after gaining double promotion.

The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC, Musiliu Smith has faulted the promotion of the officers, hence the need for it to be reversed.

Displeased by the planned move, Idris wrote to Smith wondering why the promotions of the officers should be reversed.

In a letter to Smith with reference number: CE:2300/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.27/46, dated September 23, 2018, the police boss insisted that the planned demotion was discriminatory on account of its arbitrary selection of officers to be affected.

Idris contended that the Commission lacked the power to review the promotions of the affected officers.

He also stressed that PSC’s power of promotion was only exercisable on his own recommendation, adding that the planned demotion could lead to multiple litigations.

Responding to Idris’ query, the PSC Chairman pointed out the Commission’s powers of appointment, promotion and discipline as enshrined in Section 6 of the Police Service Commission (Establishment) Act No 1 of 2001.

A letter by Smith with reference number PSC/CH/2.18/13/VOl.1 dated October 5, 2018 stated that the Commission had the overall supervisory function over the Nigeria Police Force.

Smith claimed that Idris’ appointments and postings of Commissioners of Police contravened Section 6 of the PSC Act which says, “The commission shall be responsible for the appointment and promotion of persons to offices (other than the office of the IG) in the NPF.”

He reminded the police boss of their discussions during his September 14 visit where the issue of large-scale special promotion without following due process was raised.

Smith insisted that an officer must have spent at least two years on his substantive post and should not have benefited from the special promotion in the last three years before he could qualify for the special promotion.

According to Smith, “The police rules and regulations established the fact that all unconfirmed Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Police must be made to sit for and pass the mandatory confirmation examinations.

“Never in the history of the force have special promotions been this cheapened and trivialized. It will be difficult to explain a situation where senior officers without any pending disciplinary matters are skipped perpetually while junior officers will be receiving double promotions within very short intervals.”

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/igp-idris-psc-clash-over-planned.html

Two months after declaring the seat of the immediate past Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Umar Ahmed Imam vacant, the House on Wednesday reversed its decision, and call him back into the hallowed chamber.

Recall that, the seat of the former Speaker who is currently representing Lokoja I was declared vacant on 7th August 2018 following his defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the eve of the Kogi State bye-election.

The decision of the House was followed by two separate letters sent to the Assembly by the former Speaker and the Kogi State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Bello, announcing Imam’s reunion with the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Imam in the letter which was read by the current Speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole noted that, his decision to rejoin the ruling All progressive Congress was born out of a genuine reconciliation with the leadership of the party in the State.

He thanked the executive Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for his role in ensuring the internal wrangling is put to rest for the success in the forthcoming general election.

While supporting the house for reversing its earlier decision, the Majority Leader, Kogi State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Hassan Bello, told his colleagues that the former Speaker deserves to come back into the hallowed chamber, adding that, his wealth of experience is needed for the progress of the party and the state in general.

” Be it, therefore, resolved by this Honourable House that, the resolution passed on Tuesday, the 7th day of August, 2018 vacating the seat of Lokoja I State Constituency be accordingly reversed and made officially ineffective,” he noted.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/kogi-assembly-makes-u-turn-accepts-ex.html

Standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has pledged to build a better Lagos, if elected in 2019.In a statement yesterday, Agbaje promised to empower the local government system to make it deliver necessary service to people at the grassroots.According to him, the third-tier of government has been bastardised, and needs to be revamped to make the people determine who to elect at the local council level.

He condemned existing approach by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), where individuals handpick council chairmen and councilors, while promising to unveil proposals that would make up his vision and plans for the state.

Agbaje, who promised to do his best in meeting all stakeholders to explain these plans, beliefs and convictions, stressed that he would not build another government from the scratch, because his vision is a going concern and would remain so. He also promised to run a working government that would reduce wastes, while focusing on areas that are critical to the welfare of the citizens.

The PDP candidate pledged to address the unpopular issue of a few vested interests in the state, who act against the will of the people to determine who becomes the state governor.According to him: “Who is to be imposed as governor of Lagos State isn’t important, but what is very important is who the people desire to rule them.

“My government will be a government of minimal interference and influence. This would enable the free market to operate and flourish on the forces of demand and supply.

Agbaje said he would empower all arms of government from the local governments upward. “The Local government is crucial and must be the first point of call for the people. We will promote a Lagos State that is accountable to the people,” he added.

Also, his counterpart in the APC, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed his areas of interest, if he wins the governorship poll in 2019.He said he would solidify the symbol of unity among the critical stakeholders across the state.Sanwo-Olu promised to take Lagos to a greater height of development, along the paths that his predecessors had laid.Both candidates agreed that there was no need to re-invent the wheel, but run government that would be people-oriented and inclusive in nature.

https://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/agbaje-sanwo-olu-unveil-agenda-for-lagos.html

Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney has unveiled his “best ever” world footballer.

According to Spanish newspaper, AS, Rooney’s best ever footballer in the world is Argentina and Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi.

Rooney, who played against Messi in the Champions League during his time at Old Trafford, believes the Barca No. 10 has “a bit of everything”.

He, however, said that Messi can score goals even when he is playing deep in the midfield.

“Messi has a bit of everything. Ronaldo has gone from being a winger to a forward. He is more of a one-touch, two-touch to goal forward, but Messi has a bit of everything,” Rooney said.

Rooney added, “right now, I am here and I am walking on the pitch, but he continues to score goals from deep positions. Therefore, he is the best.”

Messi has scored a total of 11 goals in 11 games playing behind the striker in a more deeper role for Barcelona this season.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/rooney-names-his-best-ever-world.html

Outgoing Ekiti governor Ayo Fayose, has regretted the failure of Sokoto Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, to emerge as the PDP presidential candidate at the party’s national convention held in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Fayose, in a statement on Monday in Ado Ekiti, said that he supported his Rivers counterpart, Nyesom Wike, to ensure the emergence of Tambuwal.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that former Vice President Abubakar Atiku picked the PDP ticket for the presidential race after scoring 1,532 votes to floor Tambuwal who got 693 votes.

Fayose, while reacting to the outcome of the primary election, said that he was reconsidering his membership of the PDP because of Tambuwal’s loss.

“We have no regret aligning with Governor Wike to support Governor Tambuwal for the presidential ticket. We have no apologies either.

“We kept the party alive and strong when most men became ladies. We never compromised. If any group feels it can do it alone, we will see how far they can go

“I may renounce my membership of the party, if the need arises

“In the main time, myself and others will continue with our consultations while watching the turn of events.

“We cannot but appreciate leaders that have intervened so far, but this release became necessary to avoid fresh crisis or misrepresentation,” he said. (NAN)

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/fayose-threatens-to-dump-pdp-over_9.html

There are indications that presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has narrowed his search for a running mate to the South East geo-political region.

LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that the search for the party’s vice president’s slot has further been narrowed to Enugu and Abia States in the zone. The PDP has till October 18 to submit the names of its presidential candidate and his running mate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in line with the commission’s timetable.

A PDP source who is privy to the decision at a meeting of the South East caucus of the party held in the build up to the presidential primaries said the position was further narrowed to the two South East states.


The source added that deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; former minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe were mentioned during the meeting. The space was also open to persons from other state in the zone, with former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, tipped as a possible choice in the event where those considered from the two states are rejected.

It was learnt the former vice president was open to work with the former minister of finance who has represented Abia State in the past but, stakeholders from the state opposed his choice. A move to replace the minister with the incumbent governor was also resisted by “other governors and party chieftains at the meeting who said he was not qualified for the position.

“The Enugu people put forward a serving Senator (Ekweremadu), while the name of a serving senator from Abia (Abaribe) was also considered. But so far, no name has been adopted. These are just names that he was presented with. He has to submit the names today.” It was also gathered that the South West has also launched a lobby for the position on grounds that it would serve as compensation for the way the region was sidelined during the national chairmanship contest last year, which went to the South South. Ohanaeze Gives Conditions For Support Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Ndigbo yesterday insisted that only a running mate from the South East will be a suitable pair for PDP to win the 2019 presidential election in the zone.

Reacting to the victory of former Vice President Atiku, Ohaneze Youth Council Worldwide led by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro said Atiku is the right man for the job.


The youth wing of socio-cultural group warned however that Ndigbo would work against PDP if Atiku fails to pick his running mate from the Igbo extraction. Isiguzoro said, “Majority of Igbos believes in Restructuring and majority of Igbo youths wants referendum because of the economic hardship in the country.

We believe that Atiku campaign for restructuring will win the hearts of Nigerians and a possible pair of running mate from South East will quell the quest for referendum by agitators and Igbo Youths. “We insists that any betrayal of denying Ndigbo the vice presidential slot of PDP will make Ndigbo dump PDP in the presidential election, but vote PDP in the gubernatorial elections in Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu”,. The group further said that the zone has better personalities like Peter Obi, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who are fit for the vice presidential job. The group warned that it will work against the PDP by mobilising youths in the zone to vote for another party if Atiku fails to pick his running mate from the South East.


Atiku on Sunday defeated 11 other aspirants to pick the party’s ticket. He is main challenger to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in next year’s presidential election. Meanwhile, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), the umbrella body of over 40 opposition political parties, has congratulated the PDP and all other coalition parties in the grand Alliance for their successful primaries. Spokesperson of CUPP, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, in a statement said, “The end of the primary process of the individual parties today marks the beginning of the main work of the CUPP, which is to select a consensus candidate from the over 15 presidential candidates that have emerged from parties that are members of the CUPP grand alliance. “The process that will lead to the emergence of the grand coalition candidate of the CUPP will start in earnest this week. Sending the incompetent President Buhari-led APC government to the political dustbin of landslide electoral defeat is a task that Nigerians are eagerly waiting to accomplish with the CUPP come 2019”.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/atiku-shops-for-running-mate-in-south.html

Former Commissioner for Information in Ekiti State, Kayode Otitoju, has narrated how a political thug attacked him at the State Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he had gone to challenge alleged fraud in the Ekiti North Senatorial primaries.

Speaking with journalists on Sunday at the Ajilosun Office of the party after submitting his protest letter, Otitoju alleged that there were no primaries held in Ekiti North .

Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi said to have polled 21,763 in the controversial direct primaries has been declared winner by the Dr Ibrahim Sule-led APC Senatorial Primary Committee in the State, on Friday.

“The electoral officers came to Ikole that day and when they heard that some people were shooting, they took cover at the Area
Commander’s office and by the time normalcy returned around 4 pm, heavy rain started and the officers returned to Ado Ekiti.

“When I saw that they were going, I gave them a hot chase to our Secretariat and I lodged a complaint with the Committee’s Chairman and the State Chairman of our party, Barrister Paul Omotoso. I was even slapped by a thug for daring to stay to confront the panel. Two journalists who tried to interview me were also beaten and their phones and iPad were smashed.

Three House of Representatives aspirants from the district; Bimbo Daramola, Bunmi Ogunleye and Femi Ajayi, had on Saturday expressed similar protest, saying the election was allegedly manipulated by the committee sent from Abuja to conduct the primary, in cahoots with politicians and security agencies.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/how-i-was-beaten-for-challenging-ekiti.html

Blac Chyna attended the 2018 BET Hip Hop Awards last night in a sheer outfit.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/blac-chyna-flaunts-curves-in-sheer.html

A trailer conveying heavy container from Aba to Port Harcourt, yesterday, somersaulted, killing three persons and injuring several at Oyigbo Market in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Guardian gathered that the deplorable state of the road led to the incident, as the Oyigbo axis of Port Harcourt/Aba Express Road has totally collapsed and could no longer accommodate heavy vehicles.

Currently, the sorry state of the road in the area is forcing vehicles coming from Aba to Port Harcourt to divert to the left lane.

It was at the point of diversion that the container-laden trailer somersaulted and killed the three traders.

This happened barely 24 hours after a petroleum tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), skidded off its lane and fell at Garrison Junction, Port Harcourt.

The spilled product has continued to cause serious accidents in the area.

Efforts to reach the State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni were futile, as his phones were switched off.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/bad-road-trailer-kills-three-injures.html

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has said the party is a ruling party-in-waiting considering the fact that the leadership of both the Chambers of the National Assembly are under the party.

Secondus, who disclosed on Saturday night at the Adokiye Amaesiamaka Sports Complex, Igwurita-Ali, Port Harcourt while declaring open the 2018 special national convention of the party, stated that the three main campaign promises of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has been anything but successful.

The convention stated at about 9:00pm following the arrival of the PDP National Chairman and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) Secondus said: “In my acceptance speech in November 2017 when the current National Working Committee was inaugurated, I promised that we will take steps to avoid past mistakes. 10 months after, the PDP of today has migrated from opposition party to a ruling party in-waiting. “The Peoples Democratic Party is no in control of the leadership of the National Assembly.

This is an unprecedented feat in the history of the country. The Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are with us today. “The governors of Benue, Kwara and Sokoto States are all with us today.

Our reform process is on and it has yielded meaningful dividends.” The PDP National Chairman regretted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was one of the anti-graft agencies established by the PDP-led administration, has become a willing tool in the hands of the APC against the opposition.

Secondus said: “20 years ago, our party gathered in Jos to elect a presidential candidate and we restored democracy to Nigerians.

We inherited a divided people but were able to bring all back again. We were in government for 16 years without any blame-game like the government of today is doing.

“We rebuilt the economy; we repaid both the London Club loans and the Paris Club loans. We fought corruption by setting up the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

“The three main campaign promises of the APC -corruption, security and economy has been anything but successful. APC has become a haven of asylum for underhand politicians. The EFCC that was by the PDP has become a willing tool in the hand of the APC-led government.”

Also speaking, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, said the greatest challenge facing the country is not the killings or kidnappings going on in the country, but the right leadership. Dogara, who said it is the duty of the PDP to provide the right leadership that will tackle the challenges Nigerians are facing under the leadership of the APC, appealed to the presidential aspirants to accept the outcome of the exercise.

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the PDP and former President of the Senate, Senator Adolphus Wabara, said the era of impunity and imposition of candidates in the party is gone.

Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee and Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, said the convention started late because the party wanted all its delegates to be in Rivers State first.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/pdp-convention-we-are-ruling-party-in.html

... 224 Bills, 1, 458 Motions, 21 Constitution Amendment Bills Passed The President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has declared that the legislature plays a critical role in democratic systems and remains the nucleus of democratic systems across the world. Saraki made declaration recently while speaking on the successes of the Eight Assembly in fast- tracking development and building stronger institutions in Nigeria.



He said the National Assembly’s roles in the democratic space is mainly to legislate for good governance, peace and welfare of the people while also serving as a check on the executive arm of government. “In the journey towards proper representative governance and democratic development, we have not failed in providing quality leadership and bringing governance closer to our people,” says Saraki. According to Saraki who doubles as President and head of the National Assembly, “the Eighth Assembly has remained the most audacious and the most visible from previous ones.



Having shown maturity in turning all the rancorous and disquiet atmosphere into that of peaceful co-existence in Nigeria. Thus, laying a good foundation for the Senate to face its core mandate is a positive score for democracy. This legislative intervention led to the passing of 224 Bills, the passing of 1, 458 Motions and the passing of 21 Constitution Amendment Bills.



Some of the major Economic Reform Bills include the Bills on Economic Intervention, Employment Generation, Ease of Doing Business and the Demutualization of the Nigerian Stock Exchange Bill and the Currency Conversion Freezing, others Amendment Bill. “Other notable ones are the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief), the Value Added Tax Amendment Bill, the Stamp Duties Act Amendment Bill the Minimum Wage Act Amendment Bill the Avoidance of Double Taxation Bill and the Nigeria Immigration Act Amendment Bill among others.



Some of the other bills include: the Electronic Transaction Bill, the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Amendment Act Amendment Bill, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Establishment Bill, the local Content bill”. The Senate president who has fallen out with the leadership of APC and has defected to PDP, believes that these bills represent a watershed in economic and business legislations in the country.



While the passage of the ‎Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, which seeks to reform the country’s oil and gas industry is another serious issue that enabled the Upper Chamber to boost its image after decades of corruption and lack of transparency. Speaker Yakubu Dogara-led lower legislative chamber believes it has achieved many firsts as far as the business of lawmaking in the nation’s history is concerned. “We have made considerable efforts at promoting parliamentary openness and greater publication participation in governance and decision-making.



This promotes greater transparency and accountability on the part of parliaments through easing access to parliamentary information through electronic communication; and promoting direct citizen engagement”. He noted that there was a gap in public perception of the legislature and the reality of their functions as an arm of government. “Like with most parliaments around the world, public perception of the National Assembly has largely been negative based on misinformation about the function of parliament, emoluments of Members, scandals, etc.



It is against this background that the National Assembly recently hosted the Open Week to open National Assembly to the public. It has helped in broadening public understanding of legislative functions among others”. Similarly, the Executive Director of NILDS, Professor Ladi Hamalai, said through it activities, NILDS has systematically improved the technical capacity of legislative staff, committee secretaries and political aides to process appropriation bills and assist in policy oversight of the executive among others. Its programmes cover training for legislators and their staff, researches, bill drafting, analysis and scrutiny as well as information services.



Her words, “As a world class facility, NILDS has improved the capacity of Legislators and promotes best practices in legislative activities. This has served as a unique opportunity to drafters, legal officers, policy makers and those interested in the process of law making in Nigeria and the sub-region”.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/eight-assembly-remains-most-audacious.html

Kebbi State Police Command has arrested more than 100 political thugs for carrying and brandishing dangerous weapons during political campaigns.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim M. Kabiru who confirmed their arrest to journalists at the police headquarters in Birnin Kebbi said the police would also go after their sponsors.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/100-weapon-carrying-political-thugs-in.html

Ahead of Saturday’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential primary, a former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel on Friday highlighted reasons why a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar will emerge as the party’s Presidential candidate.

Daniel said the Waziri of Adamawa was the “most competent, most capable aspirant, the best option and the man who is ready for the task of getting Nigeria working again,” hence he should be PDP’s Presidential candidate.

The former governor, who is the Director General, Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, insisted that only Abubakar can guarantee PDP’s hope of defeating President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 and “restore power back to Nigerians.”

In a statement he personally signed and obtained by DAILY POST, Daniel said, “I have the greatest pleasure to present Atiku Abubakar, GCON, the Waziri Adamawa, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the most competent, most capable aspirant, the best option and the man who is ready for the task of getting Nigeria working again, as the candidate for our political party in the February, 2019 Presidential election.

“In the next few hours, PDP delegates from various destinations across the country will be saddled with the responsibility of saving our dear nation; you will be expected to choose for the Peoples Democratic Party, and of course the whole country, the man who will take over as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“This is a great historical responsibility which Providence has thrust upon you all to help save the ship of the Nigerian state; to put right some of the things that we all know, think and acknowledge that are wrong with this country. My passionate plea, however, is that we should consider ourselves as patriots who out of a population of close to 200 million people, just 4,000 men and women have been selected and elected as delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the 2018 National Convention. What this means, in essence, is that we are the pathfinders for a troubled nation in its time of great need. We should bear in mind, that we are not just choosing a presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party but we are bestowed with the responsibility of choosing a President for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“As we cast our votes, what should be most important in our minds sincerely, leaving every other consideration is, “Who can help Nigeria at this critical time? Who has the capacity to deliver? Who can defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) and incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari truly on behalf of our great party?

“I am persuaded without any iota of doubt that our party, being an Opposition, needs a strong candidate like Atiku Abubakar to face and confront the ruling APC.

“A highly successful businessman, the largest employer of labour in the country, who knows and has the wherewithal about creating jobs and employment

“A detribalized Nigerian who can unite every segment of the country

“Capable of providing Security through massive employment and job creation; coming from a paramilitary background, he is clearly not a novice about security.

“Empathic to the plight of ordinary citizens. He is humane.

“He has the intellectual wherewithal to make Nigeria work again. Nigerians love him, Nigerians want him.

“The destiny and future of Nigeria is in our hands! The citizens are waiting for us to do the right thing by electing Atiku Abubakar so that we can write our names on the golden page of history.”

Abubakar will on Saturday slug it out with the like of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, Senator from Kano, Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Governor of Gombe State, Dankwabo, ex-Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi among other presidential aspirants for the PDP’s ticket in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/pdp-presidential-primary-why-atiku-will.html

For placing him on watchlist and directing that he should be arrested if he attempts to travel out of the country as a sitting governor conferred with constitutional immunity against any criminal proceedings, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has demanded N20 billion as damages from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a written apology from the commission to be published to all Security Agencies in Nigeria, three National Newspapers and the Social Media as well as withdrawal of the request/directive to Security Agencies to place him on security watchlist.

He threatens that, “unless these demands are met within 72 hours of the date of this letter, we shall not hesitate to carry out our client’s firm instruction to proceed forthwith to institute legal action against you to seek appropriate remedies before the law court without any further recourse to you.”

Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement issued on Thursday that the demands were contained in a letter by his counsel, Obafemi Adewale, dated September 3, 2018, which was received at the Abuja office of the EFCC yesterday.

The letter reads; “By a letter Ref No: 3000/EFCC/ABJ/EG/TA/VOL.59/010 dated 12th September, 2018, you instructed all Security Agencies in Nigeria, including but not limited to the Nigerian Customs Service, NCC, to place our Client on a watch list and to arrest him at sight upon ‘suspicion’ that he might be attempting to flee the country. In your exact words, we quote: ‘The under listed suspect is under investigation in connection with the above mentioned offences and
there is reasonable suspicion suggesting that he may likely leave the country either through the land borders, airport, or seaport in order to invade investigation. Hence, you are kindly requested to watch-list and arrest him.’

“By these words, you have not only fallen foul of the clear provision of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic which grants our Client, as an incumbent Governor, immunity from any criminal process/proceedings, you have also exposed our Client to ridicule, opprobrium, odium and hatred in the eyes and opinion of the ordinary man on the street and falsely and mischievously portrayed him as a common fugitive, a run-away from the law who could/should be arrested at sight like a dangerous criminal.

“By this act and words, particularly coming after our Client had by his letter of 10th September, 2018 duly received in your office on 11th September, 2018 voluntarily without any prompting by you or anybody else, offered to report in your office in Abuja on 16th September, 2018, the very next day after his tenure as Governor, Ekiti State would have ended and his immunity lifted, you have demonstrated premeditated mischief, open hatred for our Client and contempt for his office as Governor. This is even moreso when considered against the background of your earlier threat on your official EFCC twitter handle which was widely circulated on the social media and published in the Punch Newspaper of 16th July, 2018 where you mocked our Client in the following words to the whole world: ‘The parri is over, the cloak of immunity is torn apart and the staff broken, Ekiti Integrated Poultry/Biological Concepts Limited N1.3bn fraud case file dusted off the shelves. See you soon.’

“In the light of the above, our Client has directed that we demand of you and we hereby demand as follows; a retraction and withdrawal of
the aforesaid request/directive to Security Agencies to place our Client of the security watch list and arrest him at sight even whilst he still enjoys immunity as Governor forthwith.

“A written apology to our Client published to all Security Agencies in Nigeria and in 3 National Newspapers and the Social Media for the flagrant mischievous and deliberate attempt to breach his
constitutional rights and malign him in the eyes of right thinking members of the society.

“Payment of the sum of N20bn as damages to our Client for the flagrant, deliberate, pre-meditated and reckless libel and unprovoked attack on his character and reputation and breach of his constitutional right/immunity as an incumbent Governor.

“Take notice that unless these demands are met within 72 hours of the date of this letter, we shall not hesitate to carry out our client’s firm instruction to proceed forthwith to institute legal action against you to seek appropriate remedies before the law court without any further recourse to you.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/fayose-threatens-to-sue-efcc-demands.html

Management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has released the departmental cut-off marks in preparation for the admission exercise for the 2018/2019 academic session.

While Medicine has the highest merit cut-off point of 76.5, the score for the educationally less developed states (ELDS) stands at 75.25, according to a publication on the university’s website.

See full list…

PROGRAMME MERIT ELDS

AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 55.625 50

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 51.125 50

AGRONOMY 50.75 50

ANIMAL SCIENCE 52.625 50

CROP PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY 51.5 50

ARTS

ANTHROPOLOGY 59.125 53.625

ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 56.25 50

ARCHAEOLOGY 60 50
ARCHAEOLOGY 56 50

BOTANY 51.62 50

CHEMISTRY 54.25 51.87

COMPUTER SCIENCE 64.37 61

GEOGRAPHY 53 50

GEOLOGY 51.25 50

INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY 58.87 51.87

MATHEMATICS 56.12 53.87

MICROBIOLOGY 59.5 57.25

PHYSICS 53.12 50

STATISTICS 52.12 50

ZOOLOGY 51.75 50

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT

ARCHITECTURE 52 50

ECONOMICS

ECONOMICS 64.375 58.5

THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

GEOGRAPHY 52.625 50

POLITICAL SCIENCE 66.25 66.125

PSYCHOLOGY 51.125 50

SOCIOLOGY 64.75 64.25

TECHNOLOGY

AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 51.25 50

CIVIL ENGINEERING 64.75 62.87

ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING 71 69.62

FOOD TECHNOLOGY 51.87 50

INDUSTRIAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING 62.12 57.5

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 71.12 69.5

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING 65.87 64.87

WOOD PRODUCTS ENGINEERING 53.37 50

VETERINARY MEDICINE

VETERINARY MEDICINE 60.25 60

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/university-of-ibadan-releases-20182019.html

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has picked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket for the Enugu West Senatorial District.

In the Senatorial primary conducted at the Enugu West Zonal Headquarters, Awgu, on Tuesday, Ekweremadu polled 690 votes to beat his closest rival, Mr. Isaac Okah, who garnered 84 votes.

Mr. Ogochukwu Onyema polled 61 votes to place a third, while Mr. Uche Onyekwelu and Mr. Oscar Egwuonwu polled 22 votes and 5 votes, respectively.

Declaring Ekweremadu the outcome of the exercise, the Returning Officer, said: “By the powers conferred on me as the Returning Officer for the PDP, Enugu West Senatorial District primary election, I, Hon. Innocent Ezeoha, hereby declare Prof. Ike Ekweremdu, having scored the highest votes cast, as the duly nominated and returned candidate of the PDP for the 2019 senatorial election in Enugu West Senatorial District”.

In his acceptance speech, Ekweremadu declared the primary election as the best in the country and an example in free, fair and credible election.

He praised his co-contestants for joining the race, noting that he had absolutely nothing against those, who contested against him.

“This is the true spirit of democracy and, as a person, I like peaceful contests. I salute and urge them to join hands with me to ensure that the PDP works as a family to win the main election and continue to deliver quality representation to our people. I will continue to be fair and equitable to all”, he assured.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/ekweremadu-picks-pdp-senatorial-ticket.html

Former Sole Administrators (SOLAD) in Lagos State have declared support for a former commissioner, Babajide Sanwo-Olu ahead of Tuesday’s primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The group also denied receiving money from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to vote for him.

The body, under the aegis of Conference 57 of Past Sole Administrators, described the allegation as “malicious and mischievous.”

In a statement by Abiodun Taiwo, former Ikeja Local Government sole administrator, the group said it had at no time allowed monetary inducement by any aspirant to influence its decisions.

Taiwo urged the public to disregard “such false information, as it’s the work of some sponsored politicians, whose intention is to tarnish the reputation of our group and discredit the party’s decision”.

“We strongly support the party’s decision as ardent political disciples of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We refuse to be distracted from the wishes and decisions of our leader.

“Should there be those who have truly collected any money on our behalf, they should kindly return same.

“We warn that no politician should soil the good name of sole administrators with any scandalous and detrimental act, as our choice is in tandem with that of our leader.

“We are determined to ensure victory for our party’s choice, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. We are going to work for his victory in the primary election.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/ambode-ex-sole-administrators-back.html

A senior Pastor of the Awaiting The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ in Akure, Ondo State, Pastor Adewale Giwa has stated that the political travails of Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode was caused by the sack of Presiding Chaplain of the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Venerable Femi Taiwo.

The cleric advised him and his wife Bolanale, to beg God for forgiveness over the matter.

Venerable Taiwo had angered the governor’s wife, Bolanle Ambode, who visited the chapel on Sunday, May 14, when the church held an anointing service.

Mrs. Ambode had reportedly claimed that she was not given any preference during the service, and this development infuriated her.

She was reported to be visibly angry and allegedly shunned entreaties from the women, which included the wife of the presiding chaplain.

The cleric got the sack the following day, a situation that led to outrage and attracted condemnation from the Christian community.

In reaction, Rt. Rev. Adeyemi, head the African Church, Ifako Diocese, who supervises Venerable Femi Taiwo, condemned the sack and eviction in strong terms.

The cleric compared Bolanle Ambode, to Abimbola Fashola, the heartthrob of ex-Governor and current Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.

Similarly, Rt. Rev. Adeyemi, head the African Church, Ifako Diocese, told Bolanle Ambode to seek counsel from RCCG leader, Enoch Adeboye, over the incidence.

“Mrs Ambode is a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, let her go and ask the RCCG Pastor, Enoch Adeboye, whether what she did was the right thing to do to a minister of God,” Rt. Rev. Adeyemi fumed.

However, Pastor Giwa in a statement sent to DAILY POST, said, “God cannot let a sinner go unpunished. I will advise Governor Ambode and his wife to seek God for forgiveness.

“Their action to remove the person called a Man of God from office is uncalled for.

“From my findings, I was told that despite pleadings from church leaders and other reputable elders, Governor Ambode insisted the cleric must leave the church.

“Can you imagine that some church members reportedly contributed money to buy gas cooker and other household items for the family as they vacated the vicarage?

“Do power and recognition take you to heaven? This is what is happening virtually all over the churches today.

“The moment they see powerful persons in their midsts, they quickly give honour to them. In the case of Venerable Taiwo, he did not do that and got sacked.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/10/apc-primary-god-punishing-ambode-wife.html

Chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi state, Chief David Umahi has insisted that the South-East geopolitical zone must be allowed to produce the next vice president of Nigeria in the forthcoming 2019 general election.

Umahi, who made this known while addressing PDP faithful at the Pa Ngele Oruta township stadium in Abakaliki, said the zone will only support a presidential candidate in PDP who will allow the South-East produce the vice president in 2019.

“We are good people. The leaders of the South-East will meet and never again shall we be marginalized and we must speak with one voice. And whoever we are supporting, the vice Presidential candidate must come to south east. We cannot compromise that” he said.

The governor also called on the independent national electoral commission, INEC, not to compromise in the forthcoming 2019 general election, adding that the continuous existence of Nigeria lies in the hands of INEC and security agencies.

He said that INEC must be born again to avert crisis in the forthcoming election.

“I just want to appeal to INEC at the national level and to our security agencies. The continuous existence of this country is in the hands of INEC and security agencies, especially in the 2019 general election.

“I read on newspaper where INEC is complaining about violence and insecurity of the lives of INEC officials. When you keep your hands clean, when you make promises of no compromise, expect no violence. It is when you compromise before coming to the field, that you can expect problem.

“But it can’t work in Ebonyi state. I see the opposition in Ebonyi, especially the nine governorship aspirants, some of them are not qualified to even be a councillor. They are boasting that they will write result of election in Abuja but they can’t do that in Ebonyi state.

“And so, they are expecting to write results and they will continue in wrong doing. At the right time they shall reap their fruit. Let them continue to deceive themselves that they will write result of election but they have been rejected by Ebonyi people,” he stated.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/2019-south-east-must-be-allowed-to.html

Wizkid’s first baby mama, Shola Ogudu has tweeted about how she feels after getting the past of her chest.

Recall that she last week called out her singer baby daddy with claims that he is a deadbeat dad. This was in reaction to Wizkid apparently labeling his first and second baby mamas as money hungry hoes.

However, a new tweet from Shola Ogudu shows she’s now feeling free with so much happiness.

“I Feel so Free.. Happiness back on a 100. Old things have passed away, all things have become new through Jesus our Lord and Savior .. Thank you Lord for the strength & knowledge to keep keeping on. Greatness from here on.. #NewChapter”, she tweeted.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/i-feel-so-free-wizkids-first-baby-mama.html

The missions of the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom have given their appraisals of the governorship rerun election in Osun State.

The missions, who were on the ground to monitor the exercise on Thursday, said they have received reports incidents of harassment and intimidation of voters during the exercise.

Reading the missions’ joint report on the election, the US Consul General, John F. Bray, said, “The missions of the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom observed voting at polling stations in Osun today (Thursday).

“We witnessed what appeared to be incidents of interference and intimidation of voters and have reports of harassment of party monitors, journalists and domestic observers.

“We are very concerned by these reports and we will be checking with stakeholders to determine the facts. We call on all stakeholders to remain calm.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/osun-rerun-us-eu-uk-speak-reveal-what.html

The industrial action embarked upon by civil servants in Cross River State was total as no worker was found in any public office in the State.

DAILY POST correspondent, who visited various offices in the state, observed that workers were harassed and intimated as well as barred from entering their offices by members of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

Speaking with our correspondent on phone on Thursday, the Chairman of Trade Union Congress in the state, Comrade Clarkson Otu said the strike was total.

“We are very satisfied with the compliance; we have gone round to enforce compliance in virtually all government offices. We are in a meeting with the deputy commissioner of Police, to brief him on the strike” he stated.

Reacting to the strike, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Hafiz told our correspondent on phone on Thursday that immediately the command got information about the strike; he mobilized the patrol team to move round the metropolis with a view to maintaining peace.

“Immediately we got wind of the industrial action, we mobilized our men and briefed them on strategy to curtail breach of peace and destruction of government’s property.

“I have informed all the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) about various steps to ensure that peace are ensured and nobody was disturbed from going about their normal duties.

“As far as we are concerned, Calabar is peaceful; we have to ensure that government properties are not carted away by hoodlums in the name of strike.”

He said over 500 Police officers have been deployed to various strategic and flash locations, including government establishment while several others are on patrol.

“All these measures are to ensure that nobody is harassed or molested and people are allowed to go about their normal duties,” the police commissioner stated.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/minimum-wage-nlc-tuc-strike-records.html

The General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan would have arrested, prosecuted and possibly jailed key members of the then opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.

The committee said Jonathan would have jailed Muhammadu Buhari, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and others for committing treason against the Nigerian state but decided against it, citing national interest above any other.

It also revealed that Jonathan conceded defeat in the 2015 presidential election to the winner and candidate of APC, Buhari, without its (the committee’s) knowledge.

The revelation was contained in the report the committee unveiled Tuesday, in Abuja, after a peace meeting it held with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, heads of security agencies, and representatives of the country’s 91 political parties.

The report was tagged: “2015 General Elections: The Untold Story”, and published by The Kukah Centre, the National Peace Committee.

In the report, the committee said it did not convince Jonathan to concede defeat to Buhari in 2015, contrary to popular media reports.

The committee said its primary concern “has always been how to get the defeated candidates to accept the outcome of the election by conceding promptly and unequivocally so that the winner would naturally have a much easier task to be magnanimous in victory.

It further disclosed that “the committee in the evening of March 31 requested audience with President Jonathan at the Villa.”

The report added, “As it awaited confirmation for the meeting with the president, the Committee Chairman, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, GCFR also put a call through to General Buhari who informed him that President Jonathan had only minutes earlier called to concede the elections.

“He [Buhari] particularly asked the Committee to please convey his good wishes to President Jonathan for his great act of statesmanship.

“Shortly after that, members of the committee, who were greatly relieved, headed to the Villa where they met privately with President Jonathan and thanked him for his great courage.

“At this point, members of the Buhari Campaign team were yet to address the press on the historic development and as such, many Nigerians got the news of the concession from General Abubakar’s brief media scrum with State House Correspondents which perhaps helped create the wrong, but widespread impression that the committee sat with President Jonathan at the Villa as the results came in and had directly prevailed on him to concede.”

The report further disclosed how Jonathan, in a meeting with the committee which had Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar as chairman, religious leaders and media mogul, Sam Amuka, as members, cited “national interest” as reason he stopped his earlier decision to press home with treasonable charges against the then APC presidential candidate, Buhari and other leaders of the party, over threats to form a parallel government if they didn’t win the election.

According to the 51-page document, Jonathan jettisoned the plan “in the interest of peace and national stability.”

Part of page 13 of the report reads: “A meeting with Jonathan was held at the Aso Rock Villa in the afternoon of Wednesday, March 25, 2015. At the meeting, he (Jonathan) raised some issues concerning the state of the nation, the threat of violence by the opposition (APC then) based on allegations that he (Jonathan) and his party were planning to rig the elections.

“He (Jonathan) noted that he took very seriously the threat by leading members of the opposition to form a parallel government in the event that they didn’t win the elections, but that he chose not to react to such apparent treasonable acts in the interest of peace.”

The report also detailed series of meetings held with leaders of the two major political parties in 2015- APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/why-jonathan-refused-to-arrest-jail.html

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and former National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmed Markarfi, says that Cross River governor, Prof Ben Ayade, through his laudable achievement in the state, is investing in the future.

Markarfi stated this at the executive council chamber, Governor’s Office, Calabar, when he paid a courtesy visit on the governor as part of his consultation with party faithful in Cross River ahead of the October 5 and 6 presidential primaries.

“You are investing in the future because we must restructure Nigeria and restructuring of Nigeria involves fiscal federalism. In the immediate, states without oil can be affected in one way or the other, but the foundation you have laid will key in that gap and with support from the centre, you will benefit double as you will join the league of states that have these God given natural resources and it will be well with Cross River,” the presidential aspirant remarked.

Noting that he was not surprise with what he has seen under Ayade’s leadership in the last three years, the former Kaduna State governor stated: “I am not surprised because at your age you have made yourself, so, you must be seeing the future, for if you are not seeing the future, what you have laid on ground and laying on ground in Cross River, you will not do that.”

Listing the various industrial interventions initiated by Ayade and the benefits, Markarfi said: “The Rice seeds and seedlings factory will be a source of foreign exchange,” the garment factory with over 3000 employees is aimed at creating jobs,” even as the cocoa processing factory and banana farm will boost export and generate revenue for the state.”

Other projects he listed were, the power plant aimed at boosting industrialisation and making factories self reliant, the deep seaport which will make export business easier and the superhighway which will serve as a corridor while linking the state to the rest of Nigeria.

Impressed with Ayade for his inclusion of non Cross Riverians in his cabinet, especially the appointment of Kano-born Musa Maigoro, as the Special Adviser, Non Indigene Affairs, the presidential aspirant remarked: “How I wish the presidency was zoned here this time around because you have shown that you are a true Nigerian and a nationalist,” adding, “on behalf of all the non indigenous communities, I commend you for accommodating them in your administration.”

Touched by the alarming security issues leading to wanton killings and kidnapping in the country especially in the North-East region, Markarfi assured that: “I will be a no nonsense president as far as security and other issues in Nigeria are concerned.”

Continuing, the former PDP helmsman affirmed: “I believe in PDP but I believe in togetherness, democracy means coming together, doing things together with mutual respect for each other, that is what you are and what I am, power comes from God, God has given us the brain and knowledge, have clean mind, go in the right direction and he will lead you,” adding, “I believe you are one of our leaders that have the capacity to pilot us to get to where we should be in 2019.”

Responding, Ayade recalled the role Markarfi played when he was the party’s national chairman during his case at the Supreme Court, where the party’s lawyer turned his back on the matter, a situation the governor described as “a great and grave injustice,” as well as “politics that was too huge.”

The governor who at some point broke into tears said: “I cannot forget that night where the forces of darkness conspired to hurt an innocent person. If God did not put him there at that time, it would have been a different story. How on earth would a man prepare to appear before a Supreme Court only to get to the court and see that his lawyer has been changed?”

Ayade further revealed that Markarfi stood on the path of truth and justice and never succumbed to pressure on him as he was also not ready to hurt his conscience,” adding that, “nobody can be more qualified to be a president than that man who believes in what is right.”

To the party delegates , the governor said: “I don’t need to say any more to you. If you have your conscience you know that I have spoken a lot,” and prayed God to continue to bless and reward the aspirant in his endeavors.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/ayade-is-investing-in-future-makarfi.html

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has appealed to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the Osun State governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, to join Peoples Democratic Party in the re-run election.

This followed the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Sunday that there will be a rerun on Thursday, Sept. 27 after it declared the poll ‘inconclusive’

Omisore is the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the election in which the candidate of the PDP, Senator Ademola Adeleke, came first with 254, 698 votes while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, came second with 254,345 voters.

Atiku while predicting victory for the PDP ahead of Thursday’s rerun, called on Omisore to remember when PDP believed in him in 2014.

The Wazirin Adamawa wrote on his Twitter page: “I am confident PDP will win in Osun, no matter the ulterior motive of APC. I call on Senator Omisore to remember the PDP, which believed in him and gave him its ticket in 2014.

“I urge him to join with all who want to deliver Osun from negative change and support Adeleke.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/osun-election-atiku-begs-omisore-to.html

Mr. Kassim Afegbua, a former Special Adviser on Media to the immediate past Governor of Edo State and current national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has defected with thousands of his supporters to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Afegbua, who was also Commissioner for Information in Edo, was received by the party’s Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih at Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

The former aide to Oshiomhole said he took the “bold step” in rejoining his former party, because of the infrastructural deficit in his community.

He said that though he served under the APC-led administration in the state for 8 years, he felt dissatisfied, because of the state of roads and lack of development in Okpella community.

Afegbua also lamented the absence of electricity in the community and complained of high inflation and rising costs of commodities across the local markets.

He said, “the APC members are defecting to the PDP over poor roads and neglect of the community by the state government, ”NAN quoted him as saying.

He added that the PDP was sympathetic with flood victims in the locality and blamed the state government for what he termed “slow response” to the problem.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/oshiomholes-former-aide-kassim-afegbua.html

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday reiterated that he has no problem with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Abubakar, who is a Peoples Democratic Party presidential aspirant, made the statement while addressing the Nasarawa State Working Committee and delegates of the PDP in Lafia, the state capital.

“I don’t have any problem with former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, but if he says he has a problem (with me) that is his problem,” Atiku said.

He noted that insecurity, poverty, and hunger are some of the factors affecting the progress of the country adding that Nigerian youths are not lazy people.

According to him, available records have proved Nigerian youths to be excellent sportsmen and women, astute businessmen and women, among others

“If elected President of Nigeria, I will restructure Nigeria by empowering the youth, eradicate hunger and poverty, as well as fight insecurity.

“I promise to develop all the states sharing boundaries with the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“This is because most of the people working in the FCT reside in communities located in the neighbouring states.

Responding, the Nasarawa State PDP Chairman, Francis Orugu, commended Atiku for the visit.

He promised that delegates from the state would vote for a credible aspirant that would be able to represent the party in the 2019 presidential election.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/2019-what-atiku-said-about-obasanjo-in.html

Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing in a chat with Saturday Beats, spoke on her rise in the movie industry and also the attention she gets due to her endowed body.

“Whenever I am passing by, a lot of people shout, especially because I am endowed. I understand because it is a part of my personality . It happens daily and it is a normal thing. I have a very beautiful bum and I cannot feel embarrassed about it. I cannot feel embarrassed about what God gave to me.

“I know that I’m talented and people tend to see my natural endowment but it is okay because it is very obvious . You cannot hide God’s glory and blessing. He gave me this endowment so you have to see it first before you see the other sides of me . It is very obvious that I’m a curvaceous lady. I have always been comfortable with my body.

“While I was growing up, I was skinny but I had big buttocks. I got bigger and everything was in the right proportion. I cannot complain because God gave me a perfect body. He gave me the perfect fat legs to carry the big buttocks ,” she said.

Nkechi Blessing also revealed that she was aware that some people thought she was new in the movie industry; however, she said she had been in the game for a decade.

“A lot of people think I am new to the movie industry but the truth is that I have been in this movie -making business for about a decade. If you notice that I am in a lot of movies recently, it does not mean that I just came from nowhere to dominate the movie industry, I have been working for over 10 years and I worked hard to be where I am today .

“I would say that the social media helped a lot in making me popular, especially Instagram because I talk a lot. I disturb a lot and people call me a drama queen but I do not care as far as I am getting the attention that I need. I would say that the social media has played an important role in my career.

“The truth is that I am a drama queen and I accept the title . I am a drama queen everywhere because I do not like to be cheated . However, it does not mean that I am not submissive or I cannot be tamed. To tame a girl like me, the man would need about N 500 m and I would become a fool for love,” Blessing said.

On her new movie Unsane…

“The movie, Unsane, is about a man who has medical issues but is unaware of it. Most times, he acts like an idiot; however, I would not want to say much about the movie other than to note that it is a fantastic piece of work which I believe would keep movie lovers glued to their seats all through. I did not make the movie title – Insane – because that has to do with someone who is not mentally stable. The main character of the movie is not about that but about someone who acts like a fool. I wanted a unique title and that is why I coined the word, Unsane,” she said.

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/to-tame-girl-like-me-you-need-about-500.html

The Minister of Communications, Adabayo Shittu, has said that he has no case to answer, for not participating in the mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

He argued that his case is different from that of the former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

Shittu, who spoke to journalists on Friday shortly after undergoing the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship screening exercise in Abuja, insisted he had not broken any law.

He has been accused of not participating in the NYSC scheme as required by law, even though he graduated from the University before the age of 30, when he would have been qualified for exemption.

According to Shittu, whereas that of Adeosun was the presentation of a fake exemption certificate, the Minister said he didn’t even obtain any certificate.

He said: “I left (University) in 1978 and left law school in 1979 and the constitution says anyone who qualifies to contest an election or who has gone through an election and wins, he is obligated to move through the House of Assembly which I did for four years, so it is a form of higher service as far as I’m concerned, and even now, I am still in service.”

On whether he agrees that he has violated the provisions of the NYSC Act, the Minister said, “I don’t see… and I’m not worried. Do you see any worry on my face? I don’t think so, except someone has a superior argument and prove it.”

Stressing that his case was not like that of Adeosun, Shittu said: “There is a world of difference. Unfortunately, Kemi had a fake certificate, I didn’t present any. I didn’t have one; I simply followed the constitutional requirement that if you are qualified to contest an election, it is compulsory for you to serve the nation in the capacity that you won an election.”

http://www.mcebisco.com.ng/2018/09/nysc-my-case-is-different-from-kemi.html