₦airaland Forum

Ankara tops paired with a jeans has been around for a while now, and i must say this combination really make when it rock with good nice color jeans both long and short this depend on you

They can be worn as office or casual wears, the Ankara tops are quite unique as they can be made into, Ankara Peplum top, Ankara jacket, Ankara shirt tops, Ankara off-shoulder tops and more.

Here are collection of African styles and dresses, We’ve published over 1000+ collection of Ankara Styles, which included Ankara styles gown Ankara Skirt and Blouse styles, Ankara Jumpsuit styles and many more African styles and dresses already right on maboplus.com.

Kindly scroll down for Best Ankara Tops on Jeans and make your choices

See More Photos: https://www.mcebiscoo.com/best-ankara-tops-on-jeans-that-make-sense/

Remember The Baby Boy That Was Born Holding Quran, See What Happened After His Birth

Some mysterious events has happened in the past here in Nigerian the ‘miracle baby’ was one of it. This article talks about what happened to the mother after she gave birth to him. Here is a brief story of what happened before his birth and after his birth

Like the popular saying “all things work collectively for our good,” so it become for a 32-year-old single mother, Mrs. Kikelomo Ilori, who after making numerous tries to abort a pregnancy, ended up giving birth to a baby boy in a Cherubim & Seraphim Church, allegedly clutching a Holy Quran

Her words: “I repeatedly attempted to abort the baby, but, instead, the baby in me started getting stronger via the day, which made me to surrender on abortion. Then I commenced carrying a cross round my waist to defend the baby and myself however the cross saved cutting. When the pregnancy was close to 11th month, I informed my friend, Kenny Ogunlana, about it and she now took me to Morning Star Church (Cherubim & Seraphim) in Ejigbo where I delivered of the infant or child.”

When Sunday Vanguard visited where the child was kept at 1 Shonde Street, Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos, the area had really become a vacationer centre, with a large crowd converging to catch a glimpse of the child. In the group were broadly speaking Muslims from exceptional elements of Lagos, chanting “Allahu Akbahu”.
after giving birth to him.

It was announced that the mother of this child and some members of kikilomos later converted to become Muslims. The miracle baby’s mother is now called “SHERIFAT”.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/remember-the-baby-boy-that-was-born-holding-quran-see-what-happened-after-his-birth/

Muslim women can be fashionable too in beautiful ankara pieces and these stylish ankara gowns for Muslim women will show you this.

Muslim women dress conservatively and their outfits need to properly covered up.

We have decided to dedicate something for the stylish Muslim women who know what fashion is without them looking drab or frumpy.

These stylish gowns for Muslim women can be worn anywhere and they are just the perfect balance of comfort and fashion.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/these-stylish-ankara-gowns-for-muslim-women-are-bae-style-diva/

No fewer than 12 persons were on Thursday burnt to death in a road accident along Tombia-Amassoma road in Yenagoa local Government Council Area of Bayelsa State.

While nine persons were reportedly burnt to ashes on the spot following an explosion that accompanied the accident, four others later died on arrival at the Niger Delta Teaching Hospital in Okolobiri.

It was gathered that the accident involved a 14-seater passenger bus and a diesel tanker truck believed to be conveying chippings to a construction site around the Ammassoma area.

Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred at about 8.45 pm on Wednesday.

“The bus and diesel truck collided and the bus burst into flames. Everybody in the bus was trapped and burnt beyond recognition. Four persons rushed to the hospital gave up the ghost,” one of the eyewitnesses, who craved anonymity, said.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that the passengers were burnt beyond recognition.

“When we arrived at the scene at about 10 pm there was nothing we could do,” they said.

They said the preliminary investigation showed that the accident was caused by speeding on the part of the diesel truck driver.

“We believe the truck driver removed the plate number and escaped from the scene of the accident. But the passenger bus carries plate number VA6243,” they said.

Spokesperson for Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.

He said the scene was gory and horrible.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/12-person-burnt-to-death-in-road-accident/

Former Deputy Senate President and Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial district, Mr Ike Ekweremadu has concluded plans to dump his political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2023 Enugu governorship tussle.

Ikwuano weekly gathered from a source close to the former deputy Senate President that Ekweremadu has renewed his high-level negotiations with the top echelon of the APC from the South East.

The source told Ikwuano weekly that Ekweremadu’s defection to the APC has nothing to do with disagreement with his own party, the PDP, but solely on his desire to pursue his governorship ambition in 2023.

It will be recalled that Ekweremadu is one of the longest-serving senators in the national assembly having represented his senatorial zone for 16 years and still counting. During his re-election in 2019, Ekweremadu has promised his constituents he would not be seeking another term in the Senate come 2023.

He was first elected to the senate in 2003. In 2015 he attempted to run for Governor but the then Governor, Sullivan Chime denied him the ticket insisting it was the turn of another zone. This prompted Ekweremadu to renegotiate his way back to the Senate.

Ikwuano weekly learnt that Enugu PDP has insisted on following the zoning arrangements of 1999. Enugu East produced Governor between 1999-2007, followed by Enugu West (2007-2015) and now Enugu North (2015-date ). The tenure of Enugu North is expected to elapse by 2023. But Ekweremadu’s close aide told Ikwuano weekly that since all zones have benefited from the zoning arrangements, it doesn’t matter which zone produces the next governor.

Meanwhile, Enugu East which has former governors Chimaraoke Nnamani and Jim Nwobodo have made it clear that they are leaving no stone unturned in producing the next governor and the incumbent governor, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is strongly in support of Enugu East, this Newspaper still learnt.

With Ekweremadu leaving no stone unturned on his interest to occupy the Lion Building ( Enugu State Government House ) and without the support of the incumbent governor, his alternate vehicle to achieve his long time dream is through the APC.

Ikwuano weekly has confirmed that Ekweremadu has activated all his governorship structures and is on the verge of concluding all necessary measures before he finally announced his defection to the APC.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/breaking-news-ike-ekweremadu-to-contest-for-governor-under-apc/

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Samson Ayokunle, has asked state governments to reopen churches.

He said the continued lockdown order on the places of worship was no longer acceptable and justifiable.

A statement on Tuesday by his spokesman, Bayo Oladeji, said that despite the directive Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, states like Lagos and Ogun were yet to allow worship places reopen.

“What sin have the places of worship committed?”, CAN quipped.

The body recalled that when coronavirus broke out, it agreed with the government on the need to close down the places of worship, schools and others.

CAN said with the reopening of the economy, some markets, airports and schools, the closure of churches anywhere must end.

“Is it not our members in the places of worship that go to markets and other sectors? Is it that people cannot contract the virus in the markets and airports?”

CAN reminded the authorities that the Church too has a role to play by seeking for divine solutions as well.

The statement added that while the Christian leadership believes that COVID-19 deserves attention, state governments should not “turn a deaf ear to our quest”.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/can-challenges-the-government-warn-state-governors/

Aminu Adisa Logun, the chief of staff to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara has died, the state government announced Tuesday evening.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, “With total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah, we wish to announce the passing of the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Kwara State Aminu Adisa Logun (min).

“Logun, an industrialist, a public intellectual, and an elder statesman, died Tuesday evening of complications from COVID-19. He died only a few hours after the test of his result returned positive.

“The entire government and the people of Kwara State have lost an outstanding public servant who diligently served the state at various times, including as Chief of Staff to the Governor from June 7, 2019 until he returned to his Lord.

“The Governor has declared a seven-day mourning in honour of the late Chief of Staff.

“The Governor commiserates with the family of the late Chief of Staff and the entire Ilorin Emirate for this tragic development.

“We pray the Almighty Allah to grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus and give the family the fortitude to bear the huge loss.

“Details about his Janazah will be made public by the family and the government in due course.”

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/trending-news-kwara-governors-chief-of-staff-dies-of-covid-19/

An extremely tattooed and modified young woman, who goes by the nickname “Dragon Girl”, has spent $120,ooo on her modifications because she hated her old “boring” look.

25 years old Amber from Australia has a very unique look. But believe it or not Amber hasn’t always looked like this.

Check below Amber’s look just a few years ago before she decided to take the plunge with her first body modifications.

In an episode of TV show Hooked On The Look, Amber explained how it all started. She described how she hated her “old, boring appearance.”

“I know it sounds very materialistic that I wanted to change myself but imagine hating yourself so much, you couldn’t even look in the mirror?”

And Amber generally felt bored with her life due to her “normal” appearance.

It all started when she was 16 years old that her fascination with tattoos and extreme body modifications began.

She embarked on her body-modification journey by getting her tongue split in half, her ears pointed, and breast implants.

Her ideal image is to be “fully covered in tattoos”.

Amber is not even sure of the number of tattood she has but she guessed that there are roughly around 600 tattoos on her body to date.

Last year, Amber underwent a procedure to tattoo her eyeballs. Despite the looming risks, Amber was confident in going ahead to achieve her desired look of having blue eyeballs.

Just like you could have guessed, the procedure nearly blinded the young woman.

“I can’t even begin to describe what the feeling was like, the best thing I can give you is once the eyeball was penetrated with the ink, it felt like [the tattoo artist] grabbed 10 shards of glass and rubbed it in my eye,” she said.

“That happened 4 times per eye… that was pretty brutal. Unfortunately, my artist went too deep into my eyeball, If your eyeball procedure is done correctly, you’re not supposed to go blind at all. I was blind for 3 weeks in total.” ” she explained.

Thankfully, Amber’s vision is almost back to normal. This experience has put Amber off extreme body modifications, with her saying, “I don’t plan on getting any more body modifications that are extreme in that manner.”

This hasn’t put her off future surgeries and tattoos, and the young woman has just undergone a “Brazillian butt lift.”

She was told to gain 10 kilos for this procedure, which took fat from her stomach which was injected into her buttocks.

If you are wondering how Amber can afford all of these surgeries and modifications. She said “A lot of people are giving me scrutiny for this because ‘why not just go to the gym?’ but I’m lazy… I’m freaking lazy. I’m sorry, I’d rather pay the $15,000. If that makes me materialistic, then so be it.”

She revealed that she has so far spent around $50,000 on tattoos and a further $70,000 on surgery and body modifications.

Well Amber has an OnlyFans account, where she charges people a specific amount to watch her display her body parts.

And she has an impressive following of 113,000 people on Instagram, so she’s clearly making an impact in the social media world.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/dragon-girl-model-who-spent-over-%e2%82%a6480-million-to-change-her-entire-body-configuration/

Everyone should be mindful with the way we speak English everyday, we all know that English is not our mother tongue, we have our own respective native Language.

For us to look different, unique and presentable from others, we should be able to pronounce Some words correctly, for instance.

1) We have Moi-Moi

which is called Bean pudding.

2) We have Akara

which is called Bean cake.

3) And we also have Pap/Akamu

Which is called Corn flakes.

In this Article, We are going to be looking at the original name of Egusi Soup.
Egusi soup

is a kind of soup

thickened with the ground seeds and popular

in West Africa

, with considerable local variation, which you can enjoy with Starch like Eba, FuFu or With semo depending on your choice. Egusi is an benefit oil seed with more than 50% of oil. It’s a good source of essential amino acids, vitamins and micronutrients, so to avoid embarrassment the original name for Egusi Soup is Melon Soup.

Within your home you can call it Egusi soup but when you’re outside or Restaurant, be unique and different by calling it Melon Soup

.
These are Some ways to enhance your spoken English.

1: Always read books, like novel, magazine, Newspaper etc.

2: Always Check out for new words you come across with your dictionary and jot it down.

3: Always watch educational And English movie series to learn new grammar.

4: Always make out time and practice those words Remember practices make progress so always practice what you learn.

I hope you learnt something new, if you feel there is something that should be added to the list you are free to add yours. if you do not agree with the corrections made above, you’re free to share your opinion in comments Boxes.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/avoid-embarrassment-stop-calling-it-egusi-soup-it-is-wrong-see-the-correct-word/

Former glamour model Katie Price, 42, has spoken candidly about her fears for her 18-year-old son Harvey Price after his recent health scare
Katie Price

has opened up about her fears for son Harvey Price

if she dies before he does.

The former glamour model, 42, has always stood by her son through thick and thin and his recent health scare which saw him taken to the hospital has left the mum-of-five with food for thought.

Harvey, 18, was taken to hospital after complaining about chest pains which were later diagnosed as being due to a chest infection and he was allowed to return home.

However, Katie has now revealed to The Sun

that doctors have warned that her son needs to lose weight due to his currently being at high risk of a heart attack.

Harvey, who has an excessive appetite caused by his Prader-Willi Syndrome, currently weighs 27 stone and wears size 5XL clothes.

Katie Price has shared some difficult feelings she experiences with son Harvey

Katie told the paper: "I know it’s horrible to say, but I wish he’d go before me because he wouldn't cope without me.

"He’d be so heartbroken and wouldn't understand where I’d gone."

Her son's recent health scare left Katie fearing the worst for her eldest child.

However, Harvey being left without her appears to be her biggest fear as he wouldn't understand why she wouldn't be there.

She added: "The thought kills me. I hate it."

Katie was left frightened by Harvey's recent health scare

Harvey is Katie's son by her past relationship with Dwight Yorke, who has remained largely uninvolved when it comes to parenting his son.

Katie has already taken to YouTube to explain what led to Harvey's visit to hospital, citing "pins and needles" sensations he was feeling during his younger sister Princess' 13th birthday party.

In the clip, Harvey said: "I feel good, and of course, I am so happy to be home."

"I called an ambulance, because obviously, Harvey has got complex needs anyway," Katie added.

Katie has opened up about how difficulty parenting Harvey can be

Katie told the publication that while she loves her son and would never change him, his condition can be "exhausting."

BBC audiences will soon see how Katie must parent Harvey in an upcoming documentary called Harvey And Me, which she hopes will let people at home see what living with his condition is like.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/katie-price-hopes-harvey-dies-before-her-amid-fears-he-cant-cope-without-her/

Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God has once again backed the extension of lockdown on worship centres.

Adenoye, who spoke while delivering a televised message at the July Holy Ghost Service of the church titled: ‘Let there be light 7’, said his church would obey and support the government's decision.

He assured Christians that the lockdown would turn out to be a time of greater blessings.

He said, “If people know that this lockdown will lead to greater achievement and prosperity, they will embrace it with joy.

“God has been closer to someone more in this lockdown than ever.”

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/trending-news-pastor-adeboye-takes-a-final-stand-on-closure-of-churches/

Back in the day, marriage was taken more seriously than today. Parents groomed their children with a direct motive of getting married at a certain age.

This meant giving extra time to the children, most especially girls, to be good wives and mothers.

However, today people start dating or hook up while at school, night clubs or pubs, in taxis or buses and probably move in without their parents’ knowledge. Girls in Buganda were given extra preparation for marriage to avoid disappointments and breakups.

According to Charles Lwanga Busuulwa, a ceremonial spokesperson, at the age of 15, girls were taken to the paternal aunt’s (ssenga) homes for training.

“Away from the general conduct, love and respect, there are certain rituals paternal aunts perform for girls to become real women. While at the aunt’s place, a girl is taught about the good and bad side of marriage, how to deal with marital issues and then cautioned to be resilient in case of challenges,” he says.

“The kitchen and bedroom habits are vital aspects during the ssenga’s training,” mentions Annet Nandujja, a commercial ssenga and counsellor. After the training, the bride’s parents along with the family elders would start looking for a man to marry their girl.

This is after they are well-informed about the behaviour and background of a certain family that they wished to relate with.

The search for a husband or wife was headed by elders from both the bride and groom’s family but the proposal came from the man’s side. Apart from the elders, the girl had no hand in the preparation or discussions whatsoever, according to Busuulwa.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/shocking-in-this-tribe-girls-are-taken-away-from-their-parents-at-age-15-see-why/

Ramon Olorunwa Abbas a.k.a. “Ray Hushpuppi” now faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in a US federal prison after being extradited from Dubai to the United States.

In a statement released by the US Department of Justice, the suspected Nigerian fraudster was accused of conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from business email compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams, including schemes targeting a U.S. law firm, a foreign bank and an English Premier League soccer club.

Hushpuppi made his initial U.S. court appearance this morning in Chicago, and he is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in coming weeks.

Federal prosecutors who filed a criminal complaint filed on June 25, alleged that the suspected Nigerian fraudster is “one of the leaders of a transnational network that facilitates computer intrusions, fraudulent schemes (including BEC schemes), and money laundering, targeting victims around the world in schemes designed to steal hundreds of millions of dollars”.

It was also alleged that Hushpuppi finances his opulent lifestyle of designer clothes, wearing expensive watches, posing in or with luxury cars and charter jets through crime.

The statement partly read;

“BEC schemes as often involving a computer hacker gaining unauthorized access to a business’ email account, blocking or redirecting communications to and/or from that email account, and then using the compromised email account or a separate fraudulent email account to communicate with personnel from a victim company and to attempt to trick them into making an unauthorized wire transfer.

“BEC schemes are one of the most difficult cybercrimes we encounter as they typically involve a coordinated group of con artists scattered around the world who have experience with computer hacking and exploiting the international financial system,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “This case targets a key player in a large, transnational conspiracy who was living an opulent lifestyle in another country while allegedly providing safe havens for stolen money around the world. As this case demonstrates, my office will continue to hold such criminals accountable, no matter where they live.

“In 2019 alone, the FBI recorded $1.7 billion in losses by companies and individuals victimized through business email compromise scams, the type of scheme Mr. Abbas is charged with conducting from abroad.

“Technology has essentially erased geographic boundaries leaving trans-national criminal syndicates to believe that they are beyond the reach of law enforcement. The success in this case was the direct result of our trusted partnerships between the Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement colleagues. These partnerships helped dismantle a sophisticated organized crime group who preyed upon unsuspecting businesses. It is thanks to these partnerships that the American people can feel a bit more secure today.”

Hushpuppi and his suspected co-conspirators were accused of spearheading a BEC scheme that defrauded a client of a New York-based law firm out of approximately $922,857 in October 2019. Abbas and co-conspirators allegedly tricked one of the law firm’s paralegals into wiring money intended for the client’s real estate refinancing to a bank account that was controlled by them.

He was also accused of conspiring to launder funds stolen in a $14.7 million cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution in February 2019, in which the stolen money was sent to bank accounts around the world. Abbas allegedly provided a co-conspirator with two bank accounts in Europe which he expected to receive €5 million (about $5.6 million) in each.

The suspected Nigerian fraudster also allegedly conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club, the complaint alleges.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anil J. Antony and Joseph B. Woodring of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section. If convicted of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, Abbas would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/revealed-see-how-many-years-hushpuppi-is-set-spend-in-prison-for-fraud/

The newly elected president of Malawi, Lazarus Mccarthy Chakwera has revealed how his personal experience with God redirected his life towards becoming not just a minister but the president of the country.

The president who just assumed office on 28 June 2020 made this known in a video posted June 30 on Facebook monitored by Scooper News. He also affirmed that his life was a result of God’s grace.

He said “you know I look at my life and all that I’ve become as a result of God’s Grace. I was born with some kind of impediment, I couldn’t talk to people, you know if there were 3 or 5 people I just shut down.

“I wasn’t able to communicate but God changed my whole life and future after I met him personally and he redirected my life towards the ministry. I have seen God’s grace, I have preached to 5, 50, and more than 50,000 people. It has just taken God’s grace. There is no way I could have ever dreamt that was gonna be possible”.

Lazarus who had been a theologian and leader of the Malawi Assemblies of God disclosed that he had to argue with God over the direction in life as running for president didn’t seem natural to Him and was a struggle.

He explained further that he had to talk to God a lot, read the scriptures until God spoke to his heart on a particular day.

“God was not saying I’m pulling you out of ministry, God was saying I am extending your ministry so that you are able to pastor a whole nation,” he said.

He said God was choosing him for a purpose, whilst saying that God also chose Israel to be a nation that would be an example of a relationship with God and his people.

“God was saying, I want you to get in and get involved,” he said.

He then emphasized that he only got to this position as a result of God’s grace and that he would never have become the president if God hasn’t chosen him.

“It has been another point of grace in my life because I never dreamt for a day that I would be running for public office after I’ve been in ministry all my life. So to me really, grace is spelt, Jesus.

Grace is what the Lord has done and taken and considering a person like myself becoming a part of His family. I cannot claim or lay claim on any good thing that I did to bring me this favour. That is grace to me because I understand that I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am if it hadn’t been for Jesus. So grace Is Jesus” he said.

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/shocking-i-never-dreamt-i-would-be-president-after-being-a-pastor-all-my-life-newly-elected-malawi-president-confesses/

Popular Nigerian Singer Tiwatope Savage, otherwise known as Tiwa Savage is a very beautiful woman and the mother-of-one barely passes up a chance to show it off.

Sharing a no make-up photo of herself, the award-winning singer revealed that her skin is glowing and making her standout despite not brushing her hair.

She shared a video on her instastory with a caption that reads ;

Didn’t even brush my hair today but my skin though

https://www.mcebiscoo.com/didnt-brush-my-hair-today-but-tiwa-savage-shares-beautiful-no-make-up-photo/

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State yesterday ordered security agencies to arrest the robbers, who attacked a bank on Monday at Idoani in Ose Local Government.

Seven people, including a policeman, were reportedly killed during the robbery.

Security operatives said they have arrested a suspect.

Akeredolu spoke yesterday when he visited the Alani of Idoani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, at his palace.

Represented by his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, the governor described the incident as unfortunate but urged security agents to fish out the perpetrators.

Akeredolu assured the people that his administration would partner security agencies to tighten security.

He urged residents to assist the security operatives by giving them information, to reduce crimes.

Oba Olutoye said the hoodlums also entered his palace by damaging the entrance door, “but their efforts eventually became fruitless.”

He appealed to the government to assist the bereaved families.

Due to the robbery incident, economic activities at the neighbouring Akoko area were yesterday paralysed as commercial banks in the four local governments, especially in Ikare-Akoko, were shut down.

Many people, who came for transactions, returned home without achieving their aim.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/10/ondo-robbery-gov-akeredolu-gives-security-agencies-marching-order/

A wild boar was reportedly killed by some group of hunters on Sunday, 7th April, 2019.

According to the reports, the hunters tracked down the wild pig and killed it at Rounder area of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

After the kill, the hunters displayed the slain animal in public as residents gathered in their numbers to catch a glimpse of it.

See photos below,

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/09/wild-boar-killed-by-group-of-hunters-in-ogun-state-photos/

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will on Tuesday host UK Prime Minister Theresa May for talks.

This will be held on the eve of a crucial EU summit when the British premier is hoping to convince the bloc to grant her a new Brexit extension to June 30.

“The chancellor and the British prime minister will have an exchange of views on Britain’s exit from the EU as well as on Wednesday’s special summit of the European Council,” said Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert.

Seibert noted that the final decision on May’s request will be made by all 27 remaining members of the EU.

But there are “always good reasons in such difficult and highly charged situations in Britain and the EU 27 to first talk to each other before the first deadline,” he added.

According to AFP, Berlin also stressed the importance of the bloc’s remaining members to speak with one voice on whether or not they will accept May’s request for a new extension.

“Decisiveness and unanimity is essential at the European Council summit of government leaders,” stressed Seibert.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/08/brexit-merkel-set-to-host-may-on-tuesday/

OAP Tolu Oniru aka Toolz, has taken to social media to share her experience at the passport office. According to
Toolz, the officers refused to capture her photo due to the color of her hair.

In her words;
‘Today I found out that they won’t do your picture at the passport office if your hair is coloured! �’

This is coming after Cool FM OAP Do2dtun, also took to social media to reveal how he was forced to change the color of his hair to black to renew his international passport at the same office

Do2dtun had written;

“This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever experienced. How the hell does the colour of my hair have to do with me getting a passport? Absolutely stupid! Who comes up with these rules?”

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/07/they-refused-to-capture-me-at-the-passport-office-over-my-hair-toolz/

Though the 2019, general elections may have come and gone, history would no doubt record, the exercise as a peculiar one.

This may not be unconnected with the negatives that overshadowed the intent of the elections nationwide.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had given the world assurances that the election would be free, fair and credible.

This was aside the chest-thumping by the electoral body that it was ready for the elections as scheduled. Indeed, nobody had cause to doubt INEC in view of the fact that the nation was conducting its most expensive election in history.

Even INEC chairman, Prof Mahmud Yakubu, told the world that the commission had enough funds to undertake the poll.

Alas, the world was taken by surprise when INEC told a shocked world that it had postponed the presidential election scheduled to hold February 16 to 23.

Curiously, the announcement was made long after Nigerians had gone to bed with the hope of exercising their franchise the next day.

This was no doubt due to the fact that Nigerians had put their hope in an electoral umpire in dire need of help.

Even President Muhammadu Buhari who had landed in his home town of Daura to vote was peeved by the development, as he assured the nation that a probe would be launched into the incident after the polls.

Two weeks after, when the presidential election held, INEC’s inefficiency was again laid bare before the world.

From Lagos to Kano, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Ondo and many more, it was complaints galore over different impediments arising from faulty card reader machines to poor voters turnout, late arrival of materials and many more.

When the governorship election eventually held, things went from bad to worse across the states.

On the said date, INEC ad-hoc staff staged an early morning strike to protest non- payment of their allowances among others, leading to late take off of the polls.

In Akwa Ibom State, apathy was a major tool deployed by the people to express a vote of no confidence to protest the glaring partiality of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC), Mr Mike Igini, who from day one had aligned himself with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

In fact, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had told the world that it was uncomfortable with Igini superintending over elections in the state months before.

This was to no avail as the electoral body’s hierarchy in Abuja looked the other way despite this glaring injustice.

Even when the APC chairman in the state, Mr. Ini Okopido, raised a weighty allegation in a petition, that Igini told him point blank in a telephone conversation that this party would never win in the state, this was never investigated.

In other climes, a thorough investigation of such petition would have been carried out, but mum was the word from the Mahmud Yakubu-led INEC.

Even when other political parties under the aegis of forum all registered political parties in Akwa Ibom State through their chairman, Kingsley Akaiso, corroborated the APC chairman’s claims, INEC refused to budge.

Akaiso who is also the chairman, Fresh Party said “in the political process in the state, INEC has portrayed unbridled partisanship through the selection of its ad-hoc staff, some of whom are drawn from the employees of the commission, contrary to extant practices and institutions requirement.

“Through connivance with the state government, all the ad-hoc staff of the commission is made up of loyal members and supporters of PDP.

“In addition, the commission has acted as though it were part of the Government House, Uyo. In spite of our representations to the head office of the commission in Abuja, nothing has been done to allay our concern that INEC office in Akwa Ibom state is not a fair umpire and cannot deliver a free, fair and transparent election because it is partisan and in bed with the ruling PDP government in the state. This anarchy must be looked into”

With the pictures painted, it was therefore unsurprising that Akwa Ibom state recorded the least voter turnout in her recent history as only about 600,000 turned out to vote despite the fact that no fewer than two million PVCs were collected.

Worse perhaps was the fact that despite wide spread cases of faulty card reader machines in the state, manual voting was the order of the day.

This was contrary to assurances by INEC that nobody would be allowed to vote if not captured by the card reader.

No doubt, this gave INEC in the state a window to partner with its allies in the PDP to seize the moment by using the opportunity to their advantage.

Even after the election, there are panicky measures been employed to cover the tracks in order not to further expose the charade that played out during the elections in the state.

Already cases of vehicles loaded with thumb printed ballot papers said to have been found in the forests came up and this must be investigated and the culprits brought to book.

This is the least anyone would expect in view of the fact though APC was declared winner at several collation centres, with such eventually changing in favour of PDP, even as electoral officers of such places were suspended, including that of Ikot Abasi, for no just cause by Igini.

Even in Obot Akara, home stead of former Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor Chris Ekpeyong where elections could not hold, results of a non-existent election was declared.

However, the beauty of it all is that the APC in the state has not embraced violence in any form as a way of fighting the carefully scripted fraud in the name of election.

That it has toed the constitutional option in its attempts to right the wrongs as provided for in our constitution is a welcome development. This, it must continue to do since whatever has been stolen from the people by the way of their mandate can still be retrieved using the instrumentality of the law.

The APC, nay the people of Akwa Ibom State must therefore rise to the occasion by seizing the opportunity to retrieve their mandate through legal means instead of resorting to any form of violence.

Like the famous Poet, Ngugi Wa Thiongo, wrote in one of his poems “the raving clouds shall not be long. They shall not be long victorious.”

– Umohinyang, social commentator and political analyst, wrote in from Lagos.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/06/2019-polls-and-the-akwa-ibom-charade/

Moves by Governor Rochas Okorocha to secure an interim injunction to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to issue him a Certificate of Return as the Senator- elect for Imo West Senatorial District, suffered setback on Friday.

Okorocha had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/296/2019, which he filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, maintained that INEC lacked the statutory powers to withhold his Certificate of Return, saying he was validly elected to occupy the senatorial seat. He urged the court to declare that the electoral body acted in error when it refused to recognise him, even after the returning officer had declared him winner.

At the resumed proceeding on the matter on Friday, Okorocha, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, prayed the court to order INEC to in the interim, issue him Certificate of Return pending the determination of the suit. However, though INEC was cited as the sole defendant in the suit, however, four candidates that participated in the senatorial poll, approached the court to be joined as interested parties.

The applicants, through their respective lawyers, said they were vehemently opposed to the issuance of Certificate of Return to Okorocha. Those that secured leave of the court to file processes to counter Okorocha’s suit were Mr. Nwachukwu Clement of KOWA party, Precious Nwadike of United Progressive Party, UPP, Dr. Uche Ibeh of Labour Party, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. The court had earlier joined Hon. Jones Onyeriri of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Senator Osita Izunaso of APGA as interested parties in the case.

All the parties that were added as 2nd to 7th Defendants in the matter, notified the court that they would filed preliminary objections to challenge the competence of Okorocha’s suit. Likewise, INEC, through its lawyer, Mrs. Wendy Kuku, also queried the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit which it argued raised post-election issues.

Meanwhile, Justice Taiwo .O. Taiwo has adjourned the case till next Tuesday, even as he directed all the parties to file and exchange their processes before the date. The court held that it would no longer admit any interested party that failed to approach the court before the adjourned date.

It will be recalled that INEC had declined to issue Certificate of Return to Okorocha who was the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, after the returning returning officer alleged that he was forced to declare him winner under duress. The Returning Officer for the election, Prof Francis Ibeawuchi, declared Okorocha as the winner of the poll, having polled 97,762 votes ahead of his closest rival, Mr Jones Onyereri of the Peoples Democratic Party, who had 68,117 votes.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/okorochas-bid-to-secure-order-against-inec-suffers-setback/

The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA), Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), on Friday appealed to Luxury Drivers Union in Kano, to shun consignments of illicit drugs from drug peddlers in the state.

He made the appeal while interacting with the drivers and Kano chapter of Nigerian Association of Patent Medicine Dealers, in Kano.

Marwa explained that the session with the drivers was because most of the illicit drugs were transported into the state through commercial vehicles, especially the luxury buses.

He, therefore, appealed to the union to always ensure that their drivers and assistants were responsible persons and could not connive with the drug peddlers, adding the drivers should undergo drug test before they were engaged.

The committee chairman called on patent medicine dealers to always ensure that their members were registered, and were not into the supply of illicit drugs.

According to him, the meeting is part of the committee’s working visit to Kano and it is aimed at finding ways of tackling the rampant cases of drug abuse in the country.

He told the people that the committee was set up by President Muhammad Buhari to try and identify causes of drug abuse in the country and get suggestions of stakeholders on measures to check the menace.

“The fight against drug abuse will not be achieved if its ways of supply into the country is not traced and blocked,” he said.

On their parts, the union and the drug dealers pledged to give the committee all necessary support to carry its duties of sanitizing their businesses and ensure that drug abuse became a thing of the past.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/drug-abuse-committee-alerts-dealers-bus-drivers/

Aggrieved politicians have so far filed a total of 736 petitions before the various election tribunals established over outcomes of the last general elections.

A breakdown of the number, made public on Thursday by the election petitions coordinating office at the Court of Appeal, revealed that four petitions have so far been filed in respect of the presidential election.

The office, headed by Mrs. Rabi Abdulazeez, also revealed that 43 petitions have so far been filed in relation to the governorship elections.

Court of Appeal’s spokesperson, Sa’adatu Musa Kachalla, revealed that 207 petitions have been filed in relation to the Senate elections.

A total of 101 petitions are pending in relation to the House of Representatives polls while 381 have been filed in respect of the state Houses of Assembly election.

As regards the presidential election, the first was filed by Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and Ambrose Owuru, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

The petition marked: CA/PEPC/001/2019 was filed on March 7 this year.

The second was filed on March 8 by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar. It is marked: CA/PEPC/002/2019.

The third marked: CA/PEPC/003/2019 was filed by the Coalition for Change (C4C) and Geff Ojinika, who claimed to be the party’s presidential candidate.

The core contention of the authors of the third petition is that the election, held on February 23 this year, “was vitiated by substantial non-compliance with mandatory statutory provisions, which irregularity substantially affected the election, such that the 1st respondent (Buhari) was not entitled to be returned as the winner of the presidential election.”

The fourth petition, marked: CA/PEPC/004/2019, was filed on March 19 this year by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and Pastor Aminchi Habu, listed as the party’s presidential candidate.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/736-petitions-filed-nationwide-against-2019-elections/

Upon being re-elected, President Muhammadu Buhari endeared himself once again to the citizenry when he promised to show significant improvement in his second term. Buhari had also attributed a great deal of his first term setbacks to a dysfunction in the Legislature where the opposition seem to dictate the content and pace of his change agenda. However, any sober analysis of the executive-legislative crisis will show that a perceived injustice towards a section of the country during Buhari’s first term had a huge impact. The injustice had incurred the wrath of a diverse mass of Nigerian socio-political elites which emboldened the leadership of the Legislature to prevail. Unfortunately, however, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) does not appear to have learnt its lessons.

Recall that the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, recently declared that the party has adopted Ahmad Lawan from the North-East as the next Senate President. So, is APC really thinking?

Either way, the glaring implication of latest zoning order is that, with the seemingly replacement Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the North is set to produce the heads of the three arms of government: Executive, Legislature, and the Judiciary. Combine it with the reality that the region currently controls virtually all critical government agencies, including the Police, Army, Airforce, State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Immigration, Custom and Exercise, National Population Commission, INEC, EFCC, NNPC, and much more.

These developments are utterly insensitive, shameless, and fundamentally contradict Section 14 (3) of the Constitution, which states that, “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria…”

It has become imperative, therefore, to zone the Senate Presidency to the South. The proponents of the North retaining the senate presidency have inclined their logic to a prevailing assumption which has its origin to Buhari’s gaffe in 2015 that government patronage under his regime would mirror voting preferences. But those peddling such notion are in stark conflict with democratic virtues, as well as the Nigerian history.

First and foremost, free choice, opposing voices, and the right to dissent are treasured virtues of democracy. In short, any government or system without dynamic opposition activity is another name for totalitarianism. Therefore, instead of ceaseless threats of vendetta, the government should learn to show tolerance towards those who oppose it. But if the party must witch-hunt for electoral shortfalls, it ought to start within itself – and from the main culprit at the top. The APC chairman, Adam Oshiomhole, is on record to have brazenly imposed unpopular candidates, particularly in the South; heightened crisis within the party; and orchestrated arguably the worst party primaries in national experience; thereby not only losing the national elections in his home state of Edo, but also losing seven governorship seats – the party had won in 2015 – to the opposition, namely, Oyo, Imo, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Zamfara, and Sokoto states. Needless to hint that Osun State hangs in balance.

Second, while President Buhari may not have bad intentions, it is important to point out that, besides his first tenure (2015-2019), the recent Nigerian history has not recorded any instance where a zone or region was blatantly targeted because the people freely exercised their democratic franchise. A fitting analogy are the dynamics after the presidential election of 2003. Though the North-West zone voted massively and steadily for the then-candidate Buhari over PDP candidates, such free choice did count against the region in producing the Speaker of the House after the 2003 polls nor factor in the party’s nomination of Umaru Yar’Adua in the elections of 2007. The North-West opposition posture definitely did not preclude the zone from producing the PDP vice-presidential candidate under Jonathan in 2011. It also did not deny the zone its fair share of powerful portfolios after the 2011 elections, for example, the Speaker of the Federal House, Minister of Defence, Mines & Steel Development, Education; and National Security Adviser, among many.

Further, at no time throughout the years power resided in the South under Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan did any region – North or Sought – controll all the three arms of government. It is also worthy of note that President Yar’Adua did not show any discriminatory tendencies towards any zone. Of course, zoning is not the sole panacea to national problems, but there is the need for equity and fairness. Lest we forget, the plausible reason President Buhari was adopted as a sole candidate of the APC in this electoral season was predicated on an unwritten zoning arrangement between the North and South.

Let justice prevail. The new generation of Nigerians yearn for a progressive country – diverse, equitable, just, and free. Many in the APC ranks understand it. But their stoic silence on the absurd zoning order is understandable. This is a transition period with a lame duck president. Political opportunism and sycophancy have taken over public interest. If President Buhari does not get the gist, he is doing so at his own peril.

Buhari must also not forget the following parting words to him from the late Maitama Sule: “Justice will bring about peace. Peace and stability are the pre-requisites of development…Behind every crisis anywhere in the world is injustice and the solution to that crisis is justice… do justice, irrespective of their tribe, religion or even political inclination.” It goes without saying that the brewing injustice in APC – based on political inclination – is bound to provoke another set of executive-legislative crisis. With the opposition likely to produce about 42 senators out of the 108 members, it will not be out of place if 13 patriotic APC senators decide to align with the opposition to upset the apple cart towards the greater good.

The crux of the matter is that Nigeria’s richness lies in her diversity, voting not excluded. This diversity is reflected in Nigeria’s federal system. It is also evident in the national revenue which is accrued from the federating states endowed with remunerative resources. Therefore, any attempt by any central government to perpetrate injustice towards any state, zone or region merely because of voting preferences is to fan the embers of crisis.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/05/senate-presidency-is-apc-really-thinking/

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), on Thursday, said explosive remnants of (war) of the Boko Haram conflict might have killed about 565 persons in the North-east in 2018.

Lionel Pechera, UNMAS Programme Coordinator, disclosed this during a campaign to mark the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action in Maiduguri.

He lamented that the presence of explosive hazards was a barrier to accessing the majority of land for agriculture activities, which in turn increased food insecurity in the area.

Pechera also said that some of the displaced areas were highly contaminated by explosives, indiscriminately, injuring, maiming and killing civilians.

Pochera, who said that the figure was believed to represent only a portion of the actual number of incidents, noted that a large part of the territories in the Northeast were inaccessible.

He said that the campaign became imperative to protect life and property as well as support the voluntary return of the IDPs to their homes.

Pochera said that the long term impact of such a threat could jeopardise effort of the Nigerian government and the humanitarian actors to return IDPs to their liberated communities.

“In line with the Protection Strategy of the Nigeria Humanitarian Country Team, there is a need for expansion of humanitarian mine action operations.

“This is to enable safe return of refugees and IDPs and freedom of movement of individuals for delivery of humanitarian assistance.

“UNMAS’ effort is to enhance existing national capacity by providing targeted training for frontline policing service in Northeast Nigeria.

“In this context, the UNMAS and Danish Demining Group and the Advisory Group are currently engaged in reducing the impact of explosive hazards.

“This is primarily done through conducting risk education sessions for the civilian communities and humanitarian actors in the region.

“In the absence of large scale decontamination campaign, because of the conflict, risk education sessions are proving to be critical in mitigating the risk of injury.

“This is through the adoption of safe behaviour in explosive hazards communities,’ he said.

He, who noted that available resources for UNMAS for mine action in the northeast were not sufficient to scale up its emergency response, urged stakeholders to support funds mobilisation for the programme.

Speaking earlier, Mohammed Mustapha, the NEMA Disaster Risk Reduction Officer, said land mines and remnant explosives of war killed as many as 15,000 people every year, globally.

Mustapha lamented that many explosives that had not exploded were left untriggered, posing a serious risk to the civilian population.

He said that the campaign would go a long way in protecting the newly returning populace and others that were yet to return.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/04/explosive-remnants-kill-565-persons-in-north-east/

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has again suspended collation of results of delayed election in Rivers state.

INEC had on Wednesday started collation of results after suspending the collation of Rivers elections on Tuesday till 9 am, Wednesday.

However, the Commission by 1pm again suspended the collation of results till 3pm.

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike of the People’s Democratic Party PDP is leading with 426,279 collated votes in 15 LGAs out of 17.

Meanwhile, the major opposition AAC Gubernatorial candidate, Biokpomabo Awara followed with 129,855 collated votes.

http://mcebiscoo.com/2019/04/03/rivers-guber-again-inec-suspends-collation-of-results/