₦airaland Forum

Newly appointed National Chairman of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali Modu-Sheriff
has denied having any ties with the dreaded
Boko Haram terrorist sect, stressing that
President Muhammadu Buhari would have
arrested him if he had any connection with the
blood-lust group.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with ThisDay,
Sheriff stressed that speculations about his
sponsorship of terrorists exist only as a figment
of the imagination of those blackmailing him and
wondered why those behind the rumour did not
raise the matter when he was in the All
Progressives Congress, APC.
The former Borno governor, who claimed that it
was immediately he left the APC that he was
labelled a Boko Haram sponsor, reminded
Nigerians that he had also been a victim of the
Boko Haram attacks which led to the death of
his blood brother as well as other relations.
According to him, “Boko Haram wanted to kill me
at a time because they believed that I was the
one that reported them to President Umaru
Yar’Adua to destroy their enclave. It was after I
left government that they moved to their
different camps and bushes. Why should they kill
my brother? Why should they kill my family if I
am a sponsor of Boko Haram? Is there anywhere
in the world that you sponsor people to kill you?
“Let me give you a typical example. Just a week
ago, all the social media planted my picture
showing me with the card of APC joining the
party. At that time, nobody wrote that I was Boko
Haram.
http://www.globalnaijablog.com/2016/02/20/if-i-had-ties-with-boko-haram-buhari-would-have-arrested-me-modu-sheriff/

Apple has said sorry to iPhone customers whose
phones were disabled after third-party repairs,
and issued a fix for the problem.
Some users found that their iPhone stopped
working following servicing by a non-Apple
technician and saw an "error 53" message in
iTunes.
Previously, Apple had said the error was a
"security measure" taken to prevent fraudulent
transactions.
Now, the company has released a software
update to fix the error.
In a statement, Apple said that "error 53" occurs
when a device fails a standard security test
designed to ensure that the Touch ID fingerprint
scanner is working correctly.
However, the company added: "We apologise for
any inconvenience, this was designed to be a
factory test and was not intended to affect
customers.
"Customers who paid for an out-of-warranty
replacement of their device based on this issue
should contact AppleCare about a
reimbursement."
A software update has now been released so
that iPhone customers with disabled phones may
restore their device via iTunes on a PC or Mac.
Apple 'prodded'
"To me, there was a lot of logic in what they
said around the 'error 53' element," said mobile
analyst Ben Wood at CCS Insight.
"If you're using your fingerprint to unlock
sensitive data or make payments and there was
the ability for someone to replace the screen
and modify the module to take control of your
phone - that's not a good thing at all."
Mr Wood added that Apple faced something of a
backlash over the error after it appeared
"retrospectively" on repaired phones following a
software update, and was not something iPhone
users had expected.
Apple had even faced a class action lawsuit led
by a Seattle-based firm over error 53-disabled
phones.
"I think it's a sensible decision by Apple," he told
the BBC.
"If they've found a way to allow people to do
repairs to the phone without that error occurring,
that's great news."
Some customers praised the company's decision
on Apple's discussion forums .
"Perhaps my sentiment of a week ago or so
(that I would not buy an iPhone 6), which
generated so much complaining by people with
huge numbers of posts, in its small way helped
to prod Apple into fixing this," wrote one user,
risandy, following news of the fix.
"Glad to see Apple have back-tracked on this
one," added Jay 75.

http://www.globalnaijablog.com/2016/02/20/apple-apologises-for-iphone-error-53-and-issues-fix/

It was due to the two front tyres that got bursted suddenly

Hmmmm

The 2016 edition of the very coveted Grammy
awards went down 2 days ago, and it’s that
time once again to not only admire the best
musicians of the past year from an
international standpoint, but also check and
reflect on who among our current crop of
Nigerian artists can win a Grammy. Which
Nigerian artist is most likely to win it first?

While Mali, South Africa, Senegal, and Benin
can all boasts of having Grammy winners (in
some cases multiple), we don’t have any yet
especially being a country that produces so
much music on a yearly basis. Most recently
Femi Kuti was nominated four times at the
Grammy Awards but has come up short each
time.

So who’s likely to win a first Grammy for
Nigeria?
► Many Nigerian artists sing about it in their
lyrics and talk about it *coughs.9ice, Skales,
Burna*, but do they really think they will?
► Do they make the music that will take them
to that podium?
► Are they getting the international PR and
promotion they should?

History suggests Femi Kuti, who has 4
nominations across previous years, has the
best chance of winning one first, but time is
against him. Other names that get thrown
around a bit are Asa, Darey, Lagbaja, Timi
Dakolo, Nneka, Praiz, and Brymo. But these are
just the names that get associated with the
award quite a bit. It could be anyone quite
honestly. So I ask;
Which Nigerian Artist Is Most Likely To Win A
Grammy First?

http://www.globalnaijablog.com/2016/02/20/which-nigerian-artist-is-most-likely-to-win-a-grammy-first/

Please drop comments and share your
thoughts. Let’s discuss.

A student of the University of Jos has been killed by a man described as her boyfriend for allegedly turning down his invitation for a date last Sunday- Valentine day.

Miss Nanchin Zakariah of the Psychology department of the university was allegedly strangled to death by Badung David Dele on Monday,the day after Valentine at her Angwa Rukuba apartment.

A source close to them said they been in an intimate relationship for quite some time until a misunderstanding set in shortly before the last Valentine day.

Badung was said to have reached out to Nanchin apparently to settle their differences and invited her out for Valentine.

An unimpressed Nanchin reportedly smelled a cat and declined the invitation outright.

She felt that there was no basis for any dating between them having parted for some time.

The following morning,the suspect stormed Nanchin’s apartment demanding an explanation why she failed to make the outing.

He reportedly grabbed his victim by the neck and strangled her to death.

After completing his evil act, the suspect left the apartment and told a neighbour he met outside that he wanted to go and get some drug for his ‘ill’ friend.

He gave his phone number to the woman and asked her to call him in case of any emergency.

The woman perceived danger immediately and proceeded to Nanchin’s room only to find her lying down on her bed unconsciously.

“I called her name but she did not respond,” the woman called Mama Joy said.

“I moved closer and I discovered that she was dead.

“I ran out, screaming to alert the people around. I was shocked that the boy managed to kill this girl without a gun .There was no blood on her body.”

The Plateau State Police Command confirmed the incident and the arrest of the suspect.

The Police Public Relations Officer DSP Abu Emmanuel said Badung was arrested on the same day “ and after some interrogation, he confessed to have committed the crime.”

The police,according to him, “are making necessary arrangements to arraign him in court soon. The Police Commissioner is using this opportunity to caution ladies to be careful who they date.Some of these boys are criminals and you might ignorantly fall into their hands like this girl”

The body of the deceased has been transferred from Bingham University Teaching Hospital to the Jos University Teaching Hospital JUTH for autopsy.

…in bid to save Sheriff

•Mimiko sends chartered jet to Abuja • Embattled party chair pleads with ex-Minister Turaki
•Ex-ministers meet Tuesday

Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State yesterday, on behalf of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, launched a fresh initiative to save Senator Ali Modu Sheriff from being humiliated out as National Chairman of the PDP.

Mimiko, who doubles as chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, invited some former ministers in the cabinet of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan to a meeting to beg them to accept Sheriff who was picked by PDP governors as the party’s new national chairman.

Many influential members of the PDP, particularly ministers in the Jonathan Administration, are uncomfortable with Sheriff’s leadership of the party, and are threatening to dump the party if the governors’ decision is not reversed.

The party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) is not disposed to confirming Sheriff’s nomination either.

The governor dispatched a chartered jet to convey the ex-ministers to Abuja for the parley but some of them declined to honour the invitation.

They opted to meet on Tuesday decide their next line of action.

The Forum of ex-PDP Ministers may be expanded to include those who served under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua .

Mimiko, investigations revealed, is greatly disturbed by the negative reactions sparked by Sheriff’s selection.

A well placed party source said: “In the last 72 hours, Mimiko has been personally reaching out to all the aggrieved ex-Ministers, state chairmen of PDP, Senators, members of the House of Representatives and members of the Board of Trustees(BOT).

“Today (yesterday), a chartered jet was provided by Mimiko to bring the aggrieved ex-Ministers to Abuja but some of them shunned the sudden invitation. A delegation led by ex-Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki (SAN), however, left for Akure.

“Mimiko is trying to pacify all groups in order to allow Sheriff to be in charge. He does not want the crisis in the party to degenerate further.

“The governor has been making calls to all those who are against Sheriff. He asked them to sheathe their swords. He is trying to save Sheriff. The truth is that Governors Ayo Fayose and Nyesom Wike led us to this mess.

“The ex-Ministers are however adamant. They have fixed a meeting for Tuesday to decide the next line of action.”

Sheriff himself has embarked on reconciliation shuttles to strategic leaders of the party.

For a start, he has paid a surprise visit to Turaki, who is coordinating the Forum of ex-PDP Ministers.

Another source said that Sheriff seemed to be monitoring the ex-Ministers’ meeting.

There were indications on Thursday that the House of Representatives might invoke constitutional provisions for the National Assembly to take over the Kogi State House of Assembly, owing to the brewing crisis in the state assembly.

Investigations showed that both the majority All Progressives Congress and the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party caucuses in the House of Representatives began discussions on Thursday on how to prevent a possible breach of peace in Kogi State.

Tension had mounted in the state since Monday after five out of the 20 members of the House announced the ‘impeachment’ of the Speaker, Momoh Jimoh-Lawal.

The five also sacked the Deputy Speaker Mr. Alih Ajuh, and the Majority Leader, Mr. Kolawole Matthew.

But on Wednesday, Jimoh-Lawal and 14 of his colleagues protested the “illegality” of the impeachment by filing a petition at the House of Representatives in Abuja.

The petition was submitted to the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, for transmission to the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara.

Findings indicated that the petition would be formally laid before the House on Tuesday next week.

“What the House is going to do is to prevent a possible breach of law and order in Kogi State.

“From what we have heard, the crisis will deepen and the House has a responsibility to invoke our laws to contain the situation before it gets out of hands,” a senior National Assembly official told The PUNCH on Thursday.

The official noted that “the 1999 Constitution (as amended) under its general provisions in Chapter One”, made a provision for how the National Assembly could intervene whenever any state assembly was in crisis and could not perform its duties.

Meanwhile, fourteen out of 20 members of Kogi State House of Assembly have summoned Governor Yahaya Bello to appear before the House.

The 14 members are said to be loyalists of the allegedly impeached Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Mr. Momoh Lawal.

The governor is to explain reasons why he sent permanent secretaries, directors, accountants, cashiers of parastatals, agencies, ministries and council areas on compulsory leaves.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria cannot afford to fail in view of her vast human and natural resources.

Also, former President Olusegun Obasanjo described Nigerians as “not a reading people.”

Speaking at the launch of a book, “The Nigerian Century,” edited by a seasoned journalist, Dare Babarinsa, at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, on Thursday, the President, in his prologue to the book, noted that the nation needed to nurture writers, scientists and statesmen.

Buhari, who was represented by a former Ekiti State Governor and the Vice-Chairman, South-West, the All Progressives Congress, Chief Segun Oni, said that Nigeria had been in adversity, but was nurtured by the furnace of colonialism.

He paid homage to the founding fathers of Nigeria who “hoisted the banner of freedom we are enjoying.

“Nigeria is indebted to the founding fathers of the anti-colonial struggle who hoisted the banner of freedom we are enjoying. Each of our past leaders had modulated and moderated the turbulence of power and Nigeria has no reason to fail,” the President, who was the special guest of honour, said.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said past Nigerian leaders who enriched themselves with the nation’s commonwealth acted in a shameful manner.

He said the kind of corruption the nation experienced in the recent past was the kind that would be considered as a crime against humanity in other parts of the world.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President spoke when he received a delegation of Remo Traditional Rulers and Chiefs led by the Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Michael Sonariwo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Osinbajo therefore urged traditional rulers in the country to raise their voice against those who have stolen public funds and engaged in corruption.

He said, “As leaders, we must condemn corruption in the strongest terms. It is right that we condemn corruption in strong terms, more so that traditional rulers do not belong to any political party.

“The kind of corruption we experienced in the recent past is the kind that in any other part of the world it would be considered as a crime against humanity. What the leaders did in the past few years is very shameful.

“Corruption is such a terrible thing and I don’t think it is a matter of politics. I think its one thing everybody should be ashamed of, if you consider what the leaders of this country had done.”

He added that such corruption could completely cripple the nation.

The Vice-President said the current administration was fully committed to its anti-corruption crusade.

He said it was the desire of the Federal Government to ensure that everybody knows the consequences of corruption.

He said the government would hold those who have served to account for their stewsidship.

Osinbajo said the anti-corruption fight of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was hinged on transparency.

He said, “We are trying to put in place a system that ensures that there is consequence if you do wrong, so that the people you serve are not treated like animals. I think that one of the major problems that we have faced is just that the level of corruption is high.

More on
http://www.globalnaijablog.com/2016/02/19/past-leaders-acted-shamefully-says-osinbajo/

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