TWO members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, were feared dead, yesterday, while few others sustained various degrees of injuries in Onitsha, Anambra State while running away from some army personnel on patrol in the commercial city during a sit-at-home call by MASSOB to mourn Igbo killed in northern states by the Boko Haram Islamist group.

An eye witness said the incident happened at Bida Road in the town when, on sighting the soldiers, the MASSOB members sped off in their vehicle which skidded off the road and somersaulted severally.
There was also a clash between the police and MASSOB members at the Oba Junction near the Tansian University, which left three vehicles burnt, including one belonging to the police. No fewer than ten people sustained injuries during the clash.
Sunday Vanguard noticed that there was partial compliance of the MASSOB sit–at-home order in Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi and other towns in the state as many people, out of fear, stayed indoors for the better part of the day. There was also partial compliance in Imo and Ebonyi states while Abia and Enugu residents ignored the MASSOB call.
Most of the shops located along the streets in many towns of Anambra remained closed in the morning hours, although some started opening around noon.
The Onitsha Main Market, Ochanja Central Market also in Onitsha, Relief Market in Ogbaru, the Building Materials Market in Ogidi, the New and Old Spare Parts Market in Nkpor, the Nkpor Main Market, the Mgbuka Obosi Old Motor Spare Parts Market were not open for business, although some of the traders stayed close to their shops to attend to customers who came to make purchases from distant places.
Most streets were deserted, although movement was free as transporters were doing their business unmolested.
There was heavy presence of the army, the police and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on the streets of Onitsha to ensure the security of lives and property.
At the industrial town of Nnewi, there was partial observance of the order as some companies opened for business, while some of those located along the major roads were shut. The major Nkwo Nnewi market opened for business though there was not much of the usual bustling.
The ever busy Zik’s Avenue in Awka was deserted with soldiers patrolling the city. Many filling stations in the city did not open for business in the morning, but later commenced when they felt the situation had become normal for them to operate.
MASSOB director of information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said in a statement that the group viewed the presence of the large number of the army, police, SSS and NSCDC personnel on the streets as an act of cowardice.
Reports from Ebonyi said Onueke, Afikpo, Amasiri, Oso Edda, Akaeze, Ishiagu, Ezzamgbo and, environs were relatively calm even as markets, motor parks, shops/business places were closed. We recorded some percentage of disobedience from people as a result of the state government’s order to open the major markets in Abakaliki. Also, few motorist keke are on the road. Security agents were patrolling almost all the corners of the state,” Madu said.
Imo: ’Best to stay at home’
The sit-at-home call was partially observed in Imo State.
Our reporter, who went round Owerri Capital Territory, found that a number of shop owners, taxi drivers and artisans stayed at home.
Some of the citizens, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, reasoned that it was best to stay at home and monitor events instead of jumping into trouble.

Abia: No staying at home
NORMAL business and social activities went on in Abia as residents ignored the sit-at-home call.
Markets in Aba, the commercial city, and Umuahia, the political capital, were all opened for normal businesses.
Social activities such as weddings and burial ceremonies also went on without hitches.
Though there was anxiety about the order, the state government and police issued statements urging people to ignore the order.
Apprehension
in Enugu
THE people of Enugu refused to comply with the call by MASSOB to sit at home.
There was apprehension among the people over the sit-at-home order but there was no compliance as the people went about their normal businesses.
The state police command had, on Wednesday, issued a statement warning those trying to cause confusion in the state to drop the idea or face the wrath of the law.
The command thereafter beefed up security in parts of the state to signal their readiness to tackle the miscreants who masquerade as MASSOB members.
Many residents who woke up yesterday morning expecting to see the enforcement of the order were disappointed as the capital city was calm with many traders doing their normal businesses.
The markets were opened to traders and buyers even though some youths were telling people that there would be no trading at Ogbete Main Market.
Officials of MASSOB were nowhere to be found as policemen maintained presence along major streets of the capital city.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/massob-sit-at-home-in-seast-over-boko-haram-2-die-amid-partial-compliance/

Suspended Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, will not quit the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for any other one, Saturday Vanguard learnt yesterday.

An aide to the governor hinted that those who spearheaded the suspension of the governor might have made a big mistake, as their antics to edge him out of the party would not work.


Wamakko’s aide spoke just as it was learnt that majority of PDP leaders in the North West zone were planning to ditch the party and work with the opposition following the perceived victimisation of members alleged to be opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan’s plans to contest the 2015 election.

The zone is made up of Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kano and Jigawa States.

Apart from Kaduna and Katsina, most of the states in the zone, voted for the opposition All People’s Party, APP, which later became the All Nigeria People’s Party, ANPP, during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term in office in 1999.

Specifically, Sokoto State was an ANPP state until Wamakko was wooed into the PDP in 2007. Before, bringing Wamakko into the PDP from the ANPP, the ruling party had adopted the current Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Muktar Shagari as its flag bearer, but the new arrangement later saw Shagari as subordinating himself to Wamakko, to ensure victory for the PDP at the polls then.

“Let me tell you the simple truth; Governor Wamakko is going nowhere. He is the one who lifted the PDP from failure to success in Sokoto State. By the time Obasanjo drafted him to the PDP, the party was losing election as a trademark. I suspect that those who do not wish the PDP well are the ones advising the Presidency and the National Working Committee, NWC, of the PDP to suspend those who have been helping them to win elections.

“I can tell you that rather than leave the PDP for any other party, Wamakko will still remain a strong force to be reckoned with in the PDP. You cannot build a house and leave it for onlookers,” the governor’s aide added.

According to the aide, it was even laughable for a party, which parades itself as the harbinger of democracy and the biggest in Africa to suspend Wamakko while he was on a trip to the Netherlands in pursuit of the state’s interest.

“We suspect strongly that the opposition might have penetrated the PDP to destroy it with very destructive advice. But we are certain that this problem will soon be resolved as we approach the next election,’’ the top member of the governor’s cabinet stated.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/suspension-you-cant-frustrate-me-out-of-pdp-wamakko/

ONITSHA — Nigeria Ambassador to Spain, Bianca Ojukwu, yesterday, in Onitsha, AnambraState revealed that many Igbo and other tribes got drowned in the ocean in a bid to cross over to Spain in search of greener pastures.

Disclosing this at a special interactive session/launching of almanac of the South East zonal chapter of the Campaign for Democracy, CD, Bianca regretted that the country they were struggling to get into was not better off than Nigeria, adding that on managing to get there they became jobless.


According to her, “as an ambassador to Spain, you come face to face with the trouble people are going through. I am sad that because things are not going on well in Nigeria the way they should, people now board ships to Spain and on their way, they get drowned.”

Regretting that it was hardship and suffering that made them to leave the country, she urged the state and Federal Governments to create enabling environment to help curtail the rush abroad.

On the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and Spain, Bianca stated that it has been very cordial, adding: “Nigeria has signed a lot of memorands of understanding, MoU, with Spain on various areas, cultural cooperation, education as well as transportation and infrastructures.”

She commended Dr. Okei-Odumakin, National President of CD, for her role in activism, saying she has made Nigeria proud, nationally and internationally.

Earlier, in her brief remarks, Prof. Okei-Odumakin had commended the South East branch of CD for its efforts in helping to better the welfare of the people.

In his welcome address, the chief host and chairman of CD in the South-East Zone, Dede Uzor.A Uzor expressed joy that Bianca left her tight schedules to be physically present at the function and urged her not to relent in her good works.

Dignitaries in attendance at the occasion included the Special Adviser to Governor Peter Obi on Political Matters, Chief Fidel Okafor who represented the Governor; the State police commissioner, Ballah Nasarawa who was represented by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in Fegge, Mr. Makudi Shehu; the Chairmen of the five South East States of CD; Chairman of Vigilance group, Onitsha North, Chinenye Ihenko (a.k.a. Okpompi) and the President of Anambra Markets Amalgamated Traders Association, AMATAS, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/many-nigerians-drown-en-route-spain-bianca-ojukwu/
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/many-nigerians-drown-en-route-spain-bianca-ojukwu/

Customers of First Bank Limited may find it difficult to carry out some banking transactions from Thursday to Monday due to the decision to shut down the bank’s branches nationwide during the period.

The shutdown, according to the bank, is to enable it upgrade its core banking application from Finacle 7 to Finacle 10, which will ensure easier and faster customer services and experience.

Our correspondent gathered that the decision to shut down operations in order to facilitate the migration to Finacle 10 would affect the bank’s over 700 branches nationwide.

Apart from all the branches being shut, Point of Sale transactions and transaction alerts by Short Message Service will not be possible during the period. In addition, all card services, except Visa prepaid card, will not be available via Quick Teller and the Web.

First Bank said in an explanatory note, “All transactions that will impact on the banking platform e.g. settlements, inter bank (RTGS, NEFT, FIP) inflows, will not be available.”

However, the bank said skeletal services would be available on its ATMs throughout the migration period until 5pm on Sunday, and would be restored at 6am on Monday.

Online banking services, according to the bank, will also be available until 5pm on Sunday and be restored at 6am on Monday, while its mobile money services will be available throughout the migration period.

The bank had notified its customers through SMS and email of the development and apologised for inconveniences that they might suffer as a result of the platform upgrade.

The Group Managing Director, First Bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya, said in an open letter to the customers, “I write to thank you for your continuous patronage and inform you of our plan to upgrade our core banking application as part of the ongoing transformation of the bank.

“I am particularly excited at the prospect of this milestone as it represents the opportunity to significantly transform our service delivery to you in many respects, while also supporting our plans for the introduction of new and innovative products as we anticipate your every banking need.

“This is a major project and on account of the technical requirements, we regret that there will be some disruptions to our services for about three days, while the upgrade is ongoing.”

Onasanya said only intra-bank transactions would be available on the alternative channels while the upgrade was going on, adding that the clearing of customers’ might also be slightly delayed but that all investments due on any transaction within the period would only be terminated when all services were restored without affecting the value dates or the value of accrued interests on such investments.

However, the decision is causing anxiety among the customers of the bank, who complained that the planned shutdown would further compound the problems they had been coping with lately in accessing the institution’s services.

For instance, customers have been complaining of not being able to draw cash from the bank’s Automated Teller Machines for sometime now, while money transfers to other banks from First Bank branches have been difficult in the last two weeks.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Ugo Okoroafor, said he was not aware of the plans by the bank to close its branches and urged our correspondent to call back to enable him make enquiries.

However, subsequent calls and SMS sent to his mobile telephone line were unanswered as of 9.30pm when this report was put together.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/first-bank-shuts-operations-thursday-reopens-monday/

Diabetes is one of the leading health concerns in the Western world. Type II diabetes, the “lifestyle” disease that we most commonly associate with the phrase, can result in heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and countless other symptoms that can drastically reduce the quality of life or lead to early death.

The good news? Type II diabetes is preventable with diet and lifestyle changes. Even if you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, you can follow these suggestions to turn your health around!

1. Exercise Regularly

Moderate physical activity to the tune of half an hour four or five days a week can cut your diabetes risk by half! Plus, if you get moving, you can also lose weight, increase strength of muscle and bone, and improve your cardiovascular health.

You don’t have to become a gym buff or elite athlete, either. Just half an hour of brisk walking will suffice. Just starting out? Try to complete this 7-minute workout.

2. Eat More Fiber

This is a simple one: switch out refined carbohydrates for whole grains and fill up on fiber-rich fruits and vegetables! Eating lots of fiber can lower your blood glucose and ease the strain of high blood sugar on your body. A fiber-rich diet can also help you maintain a feeling of fullness, so you snack less on unhealthy items like chips or baked goods in between meals.

3. Quit Smoking

Smokers are 50% more likely than non-smokers to develop diabetes, so quitting now is important to preserving your health later – in more ways than one.

Perhaps this lifestyle change doesn’t fall into the “easy” category, but smoking is an extremely important diabetes risk factor and not one to be overlooked.



4. Switch to Healthier Meats

Consumption of red meat – and especially processed red meat like sausage, hot dogs, and bacon – is linked with higher incidence of type II diabetes. While occasionally indulging in high-quality, unprocessed, grass-fed red meat is certainly okay, consider making leaner options, like chicken, turkey, and fish, your staples.

5. Lose Weight – Healthfully

Being overweight or obese is the most important risk factor when it comes to diabetes. Multiple studies have shown, however, that individuals at risk for diabetes can dramatically lower their risk just by losing a few pounds. The key is to do so in a healthy manner.

Rather than trying the crash diets that celebrities swear by, try to make long-term, small changes, one step at a time. Reach for a piece of fruit instead of a cookie; make a healthy dinner at home instead of stopping for takeout. These small decisions can go a very long way in helping you lose weight.

6. Have a Drink

This one really is easy – it turns out that moderate consumption of alcohol may actually lower your risk of developing diabetes. Moderate is the key word, of course: consuming a lot of alcohol can raise your risk.



That said, a glass of wine with dinner every now and then is an enjoyable indulgence and might just improve your health in the long run.

Source: http://infonigeria24.com/easy-diet-and-lifestyle-changes-for-preventing-diabetes/

Are you actively working to prevent diabetes? What is your routine like?

Last Sunday’s convocation of Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, was a potpourri of emotions. For some, it was expectedly exciting. Shouts of joy, mixed with backslapping and hugging, were not in short supply.


At the carnival-like 11th convocation, 1,359 students were awarded first degrees. Twenty got postgraduate diplomas, 71 obtained Master’s degrees in various disciplines while another set of 41 got PhD degrees in various disciplines.

The cynosure of all eyes were, however, a 20-year-old lady, Omobola Oduyoye, who emerged the best graduating student after scoring a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.92, and Nuhu Benjamin, who won the President’s Award for securing the overall best performances in leadership, academics, community and spiritual services.

Oduyoye, an indigene of Ilisan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, was awarded a first class degree in Public Health, while Nuhu also got a first degree in Christian Religious Studies.

Speaking with our correspondent after she received the Senior Vice-President’s Prize as the graduate with the highest overall CGPA, Oduyoye said commitment, discipline, hard work and focus – combined with what she called God’s grace – fetched her the award.

“Motivation from my parents, lecturers and course mates also helped me. Healthy competition from my course mates such as Akomolafe Damilola, who also obtained a CGPA of 4.60 , also enhanced my performance.

“I have a lot of respect for her because she is a mature married woman and a nurse. In spite of her age, she related well with us and she was very focused. Each time I looked at her, I felt like I should ask government to stop admitting fresh secondary school leavers straight into the university. They should be asked to do the A/Level or ordinary diploma programme before they enrol at the university,” she said.

Oduyoye, who aspires to become the nation’s health minister some day, noted that she would change the face of the nation’s health sector, particularly child and maternal health if given the chance.

“I’m from this town. I only lived the first six years of my life in Ghana and since then I’ve been here and I see a lot of challenges poor women and children go through daily. I want to make health delivery accessible, affordable and extremely cheap for our children and women. I will fight corruption in the health sector and ensure that our children and their mother don’t die again from preventable diseases,” she added.

This desire could explain why each time she and her colleagues had to embark on a field work, Oduyoye always ensured that children and young mothers were her target.

“Though I don’t have money to give them, I always organise seminar and workshop to train them on hygiene, oral health and how to handle preventable diseases. We at times give them off-the-counter drugs. But if God permits and I become the health minister, I’ll work hard to ensure better health service delivery for Nigerians,” she noted.
[b]
On how she handled pressure from male students and lecturers, Oduyoye, who had her primary and secondary school education at Babcock Primary School and Babcock University High School, stated that though she had so many male friends, she avoided getting intimate with them.

“I have a number of friends – including male students but I always draw a line between friendship for academic advancement and immoral relationship. I’m not abusive; neither am I a snub. But I don’t encourage any relationship that will distract me from my studies. I don’t encourage any action that can suggest to you that I’m a cheap commodity. I also ensure that I don’t go alone anywhere or follow anybody to dark corners even if she is a girl like me.

“It may sound funny to you, I have never kissed anyone in my life and I have not been kissed by anybody. I thank God for the grace He gives me to achieve this because I know that some people will say it is not easy but with God all things are possible,” the 20-year-old fresh graduate added[/b].

Oduyoye advised young girls to abstain from sex, face their studies and respect people and honour God. But the lady, whose father is a lecturer in the Business Administration Department at Babcock, has a word for the management of the institution.

She stated, “They should relax the rules. Specifically, I don’t see any reason why a female student should not keep long hairs. Do you know it is so bad that security men on campus can stop a student and cut off her hair? This is not good. After all, undergraduates are no longer in the secondary school.”

Oduyoye however urged the university to sustain its dress code, though she wants students to be forced into engaging in physical activities. This, she said, is based on the result of a research she did in her final year.

“I did a project on the effect of physical inactivity among Babcock University students and my findings revealed that many of us were not physically active and this has implication for our academics, health and general wellbeing. The university should therefore invest more in sports and possibly compel everybody to participate in sports.

“They should also reduce the sale of fatty foods such as hamburger, doughnut, eggroll and meat-pie on campus. The scriptural and inspirational write ups on billboards in open spaces on campus are good but they should add educational health tips too,” she noted.

The former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, was honoured with the honoraris causa of the institution for his distinguished public service works. He gave a lecture where he advised African leaders to work for the development of their people.

He also challenged the graduating students never to emulate corrupt leaders but to be passionate and committed to their vision.

Earlier, Makinde had told the gathering, including the Chancellor, BU, Pastor Gilbert Wari; the institution’s Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Oyeleke Owolabi; representative of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; and vice-chancellors of some Nigerian universities, that as is the tradition with the citadel, none of the graduating students had Third Class degree.

It was learnt that students whose CGPA was within the third class degree were given automatic extra year. According to Makinde, the institution is committed to its mission to produce graduates that have competence, character and commitment.

He told the gathering that all the programmes on offer in the institution had been accredited by the NUC. He also commended philanthropists, including Chief Kessignton Adebutu, Dr. Alex Otti and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for their contributions towards the development of the university.
.

Source: http://infonigeria24.com/ive-never-kissed-a-man-in-my-life-babcocks-best-graduating-student/

Plausible reasons why the Ombatse cult killed no fewer than 100 policemen and security operatives in Eggon community of NasarawaState have begun to emerge.

Findings by Vanguard revealed that the fear by the Eggon-speaking natives of the state that Governor Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, is planning to renege on his pledge to serve for only a term of four years, triggered the lethal onslaught.

Competent government sources confirmed to Vanguard, yesterday, that Governor Al-Makura was interested in a second term although he had served notice in 2011 to do just four years and hand over to an Eggon politician, since the area has never tasted the governorship seat in the 16 years of the state’s existence.

According to findings, Eggon, which are mostly Christians and constitute the dominant ethnic race in the state, are found in all the LGAs of Nasarawa State but they feel politically marginalised by successive administrations.

The latest attack by the Ombatse, which is said to have emerged as a ‘private army’ to protect the political and social interests of the Eggon, was believed to have been carried out to send “appropriate message” to the governor that the ‘Eggon time has come’ to take over from him.

Senator Solomon Ewuga, an Eggon politician, who backed Al-Makura to emerge as governor on the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, platform in 2011, said in an interview that it was wrong for the governor to repudiate on his vow to serve only a term and give the chance to an Eggon.

According to the lawmaker, “These are the very people who have voted consistently in every election to support or remove one government or the other. The present governor, Al-Makura, is a beneficiary of Eggon vote and not their violence,” the lawmaker pointed out.

“The governor told me he wanted to come back for a second term but I reminded him of his promise to do just one term but he asked me if we had an agreement he was going to hand over to me and I said no but that he had promised the people to do a term during and after his inauguration”.

2015 linked to attack

It was not clear last night what steps the Federal Government was planning to take against perpetrators of the evil act apart from the retirement of the DSS director in the state and the redeployment of the police commissioner.

The police authorities, however, assured that killers of the policemen and the security operatives would be brought to justice. Force Spokesman, CSP Frank Mba “investigation is on-going, we are unwavering in our commitment to finding the killers and bringing them to justice”.

The Federal and Nasarawa state governments have paid N2 million to each of the families of the slain policemen and security agents.

Further finding showed that there were fears that going after the cult group could spark more trouble in the state and alter permutations for the 2015 poll.

It was learnt that the opposition in the state was keen on fielding an Eggon candidate in the next election to oust governor Al-Makura from office.

It was learnt that those opposed to the governor’s stay in office beyond 2015, were seriously considering tapping Senator Ewuga to defect from the CPC and join the PDP, which has strong followership, so as to recapture the state.

Alternatively, the anti-Al-Makura camp, is said to be looking in the direction of Labaran Maku, the information minister, to challenge the governor in the next gubernatorial contest.

But Al-Makura has defended himself, saying that he has invested immensely in Eggon and should be appreciated.

However, the Chief Priest of Ombatse, Chief Ala Agu, has blamed the governor for the attack, saying that the governor never called him for dialogue before sending troops to kill him for no just cause.

Agu denied killing the policemen, saying that his god killed them before arriving Eggon.

“When the security men came and because they were drunk, my god did not allow them to come to me and they died on the way,” Agu said.

The Director General of the Department of State Service, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, said last week that the service had forgiven those who killed 10 of its men during the failed attempt to uproot the Ombatse cult group last month. Ekpenyong spoke at an event to honour the dead security men in Abuja.

President Goodluck Jonathan had also mentioned the Nasarawa pogrom in his state of emergency address to the nation but did not say if any action would be taken to challenge the cultists.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/why-ombatse-cult-killed-policemen-dss-operatives/

Factional chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, and three other members of his group – Governors Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Peter Obi (Anambra) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River) – are blaming the Chairman of the rival group, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, of igniting the crisis in the Forum.

They alleged that Amaechi insisted on going for second term as the NGF chairman in the name of an “unknown constitution”, and contrary to the Forum’s convention stipulating one term only for the incumbent chairman.

The four governors spoke at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday.

Jang, who alleged that Amaechi as Chairman of the NGF, turned himself into a dictator, stressed that there was never anywhere in the Forum’s constitution that a Chairman could be re-elected.

The Plateau governor explained that there was no time governors met to ratify the constitution, adding that the only time they parleyed on the issue was when Vice President Namadi Sambo was still the governor of Kaduna State, insisting the constitution was never ratified to accommodate a sitting Chairman re-contesting, “contrary to what Amaechi was propagating”.

The governor said, “Amaechi virtually became a dictator, dictating everything. He brought in a constitution that many of us had never seen or aware of. The only time we looked into the constitution was when Namadi Sambo was still there and there was nowhere that says a sitting Chairman could be re-elected. The constitution was never ratified.”

Describing the video coverage of the election as improper, the factional NGF chairman said, “We have never called journalists to video our proceedings; if it is Amaechi that planted the camera, it is morally corrupt”.

When asked why the Forum had not intervened in the suspension of the Rivers governor from the PDP, Jang, who noted that the matter was not the business of NGF, but, that of the PDP Governors Forum, said that Amaechi had not formally reported the matter to the NGF.

Speaking on how elections had been conducted by the NGF since 1999, the Cross River governor, Imoke, who explained that the elections had always been by consensus, said the reason was to avoid acrimony that would otherwise emanate after election.

Imoke said, “It is a consensus between the North and South that it will be one term. For the 14 years of the existence of the NGF, there has never been an election. The reason we agreed on consensus is because it will be divisive.

Mimiko,. who expressed worry over the unfolding scenario, said that not one governor would say he was very proud of what happened at the Forum.

The Ondo governor blamed the Rivers governor for the development, saying he (mimiko) did not vote during the election, but that 18 governors endorsed Jang for the chairmanship position. He added that the day after the election, 18 members reported when Jang called for a meeting.

According to him, Amaechi, notwith-standing that he was a contender in the poll, took over everything, including the printing of the ballot papers and procurement of ballot boxes which, according to him, was against the principle of democratic practice. He stated that had the governors in opposition to Amaechi walked out during the election, which was one of the options, Nigerians would have misconstrued it to mean another thing, adding that the other option was for them to smash the ballot box.

He challenged whoever carried out the video coverage during the election to show the total clips. Mimiko described the NGF as a voluntary association any governor could decide to leave anytime.

According to him, the best thing to do before the election was for Amaechi to step down for somebody else to preside over the election, but Amaechi “insisted that he will not vacate the seat before the election”.

S/East govs endorsed me – Obi
Obi said South-east governors had endorsed him for the governors forum chair before Amaechi was picked for the position in 2011, adding that he lost the position because he was not from PDP.

A letter, signed by his colleagues from the four other South-Easter states: Theodore Orji, Martins Elechi, Sullivan Chime and Ohakim, with reference number SEGF/S/GOVS/INT/1/022 and addressed to Saraki, who was then Chairman of NGF, with the heading “nomination of Mr. Peter Obi”, said, “We, the governors of the South-east of Nigeria wish to respectfully nominate Mr. Peter Obi, Governor of Anambra state of Nigeria as a candidate for the position of Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum.

”Our action in this regard is unanimous as a zone and is borne of our firm conviction that he will discharge the functions of this office with credibility, dedication and due diligence”.

The Anambra governor said he was surprised that the meeting, which was supposed to be a valedictory session for the former Kwara governor and NGF Chairman, was turned to an election event, where Amaechi emerged as Saraki’s successor, adding that he was then begged to accept the position of Vice Chairman.

He described the Forum as an association that is not recognised by the Nigeria constitution, adding that the NGF was a trouble for him when he was Vice Chairman.

Meanwhile, Saraki, yesterday, faulted Obi over the claim that the South-east governors endorsed him for the NGF chair before Amaechi was suddenly picked for the position in 2011, saying the Anambra governor was rejected.

The former Kwara State governor, who explained that Obi was rejected because he was not a member of majority party, stressed that there was no trade off, as it was the convention that the party with the majority governors should produce the chairman of the NGF and he was not in the party.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/how-amaechi-ignited-crisis-in-ngf-by-jang-mimiko-obi-imoke/

Armoury suspected to be that of Hezbollah organization have been uncovered by a team of joint security officers in Kano state, North West Nigeria.

Displaying the weapons to journalists, the joint Security Chiefs of the Department of State Security (DSS), Police and Nigerian Army, confirmed the arrests of four persons suspected to be the occupants of the house.

According to the security chiefs, on 28 May, a combine team of the Joint Task Force (JTF) involving operatives of the Nigeria Army, and the DSS in Kano conducted a search of the house located at No3 Gaya road off Bompai road allegedly belonging to one Abdul Hassan Taher Fadlalla-a Lebanese national who is now at large and declared wanted.

After searching the building, the security agents uncovered an underground bunker in the master’s bed room were these large quantity of assorted weapons of different type and calibre.

A raid on the residence of one of the Lebanese had uncovered eleven 60 mm anti-tank weapons, four anti-tank landmines, two rounds of ammunition for a 122 mm artillery gun, 21 rocket-propelled grenades, seventeen AK-47s with more than 11,000 bullets and dynamite.

The discoveries according to the officers confirm the existence of Hezbollah cell in Nigeria.

A statement by the military spokesperson in Kano, Captain Ikedichi Iweha on Wednesday announced that three suspects were arrested between May 16 and May 28 and they all admitted to being members of Hezbollah under questioning.

“The search team uncovered an underground bunker in the master bedroom where a large quantity of assorted weapons of different types and caliber were recovered,” Captain Iweha said. “All those arrested have confessed to have undergone Hezbollah terrorist training.”

The DSS on 16May, 2013 arrested one Mustapha Fawaz, suspected to be the co-owner of the popular Amigo supermarket as well as Wonderland Amusement Park, all in Abuja.

They also arrested one Abdullahi Tahini at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport while trying to leaves the country.

Meanwhile, the joint security chiefs confirmed that all those arrested have confessed to have undergone Hezbollah training and further implicated one Fauzi Fawad, also a co-owner of Amigo and Wonderland Amusement Park.

Hezbollah is a Shi’a Islamic militant group and political party based in Lebanon, is classified as a terrorist group by a number on western countries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6HATaeJ3OCk
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/army-uncovers-illegal-armoury-confirms-presence-of-hezbollah-terrorists-in-nigeria/

Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Wednesday dismissed allegations in some quarters that he took a loan of N100 billion to finance some capital projects in the state. He described the allegations as mere cheap propaganda by those uncomfortable with his rescue mission programme anchored on transparency and accountability.

Okorocha, who spoke while giving account of his stewardship for the past two years to the people of the state, explained that his administration which met a decayed and neglected state had through efficient and judicious utilisation of available resources, repositioned the state.
With a graphic detail of revenues and expenditures, the governor revealed that his administration, shortly after inception, discovered a hidden N551 million in a bank in Aba, Abia State.

The governor, who described himself as a child of circumstances divinely sent to rescue the people, said apart from meeting a council fund of N2 billion from June 2011, the total amount which accrued to the state from the federation account between January to December, 2012 was N84 billion.

THISDAY observed that while the ceremony was going on, pensioners from the state-owned radio and television stations (Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), who were being owned about 23 months of pension were demonstrating displaying placards that government should pay them their arrears.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/okorocha-i-didnt-borrow-n100bn/

Nigeria’s representative in the on-going Big Brother Africa, Beverly Osu, when asked if she would fall in love in the house, as a norm in the BBA House, the tall and sexy lady said, she had had enough in the hands of men, and that she is likely going in there to try her best to bring the glory home but for love, she is not sure of what will happen.
This is what she said, “I was in a relationship with this guy and I was close to marrying, but I broke up with him just because after fighting with my parents over him, and with my friends too; I found out that he had not a single feeling and neither did he love me at all so I had to break up with him. After all that this guy did to me, every guy that I meet and seem to fall in love with or any one that tells me he’s in love with me, I don’t take them seriously. All I know is that you guys will be chasing something and on getting it, you leave the morning after that.”
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/i-dont-take-guys-serious-bba-housemate-beverly-osu/

ABUJA— Forces opposed to the return of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, yesterday, made fresh moves to unseat him as governor.

This came as some governors have faulted his suspension from the party, saying it was an abuse of the party’s constitution.



Gov Amaechi

Governor Amaechi himself unmoved by report of plans to impeach him, declared that if he was removed, he was satisfied with his achievements and has therefore called on the people of Rivers State to continue to defend their rights, noting that their votes would certainly determine his successor in 2015.

The anti-Amaechi group, it was learnt, decided at a secret meeting in Abuja on Monday night to impeach the governor within a month.

The decision to impeach Amaechi was taken as a last resort by his traducers apparently to prove to their sponsors that although they failed to clinch the NGF leadership through the ballot, they were still capable of getting the governor out of the way before the 2015 election.

Vanguard gathered that shortly after suspending the governor from the Peoples Democratic Party, some powerful politicians met in the house of a PDP chieftain in Abuja and hatched the plot to impeach Amaechi from office.

A source close to the secret meeting, which was also attended by some governors in the PDP opposed to Amaechi’s re-election as the NGF chairman, said that the implications of Amaechi’s victory to the re-election bid of President Jonathan was thoroughly examined during the meeting, which lasted for about four hours.

The forces arrayed against the Rivers Governor, were said to have frowned at the audacity of Amaechi to stand election against the candidate favoured by the Presidency, thereby portraying the President in bad light.

The anti-Amaechi group was particularly miffed when one of the governors in attendance pointed out that the full implication of Amaechi’s victory meant that President Jonathan could lose the 2015 election, if the trend of the NGF poll was repeated and called for urgent actions to remove the governor.

The major plank of the anti-Amaechi plot, according to sources close to the matter, is to raise a large chunk of money and compromise a majority of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who are still loyal to Amaechi.

The plot is to get at a reasonable number of the pro-Amaechi lawmakers and add to the five, who are loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, and use them to impeach Amaechi before the end of June.

However, when the foot soldiers complained that it would be difficult to infiltrate the pro-Amaechi lawmakers and get the required number to oust the governor, a governor from one of the South-South states, reportedly opted to take necessary steps to raise the N7 billion required for the ‘coup’ against Amaechi.

But Amaechi said, yesterday, that he had not done anything to warrant being impeached, saying that the plot against him by his detractors would fail.

The governor, who spoke through the state Information Commissioner, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said that members of the state House of Assembly were men of integrity, who appreciated the good work that Amaechi was doing in the state and would not be cajoled to embark on illegality.

“The work that Amaechi has done in Rivers State is self-evident and the people are proud of their governor. If winning a free and fair election of a group of governors has suddenly become an impeachable offence, we leave it to Nigerians to decide.

“But we know that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly are men of integrity and we do not believe that they could be swayed by pecuniary promises,” Semenitari said.

If I am removed, I am satisfied —Ameachi

Reacting to his suspension from the party and report of plans to impeach him, Governor Amaechi said it was surprising that his party could suspend him without any reason, stressing that he had left the issue to God almighty.

Amaechi said: “Indeed, it is only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that has the guts to suspend a governor without a reason. I leave them to God and to you (the people). We must come together to defend Rivers State. It’s not about me; I have served eight years as Speaker, nearly six years as Governor. Even if I am removed tomorrow, I am satisfied that this state, this country and history will recognize and remember me.”

The governor spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt at the opening of an inter party summit with the theme “Cohesive inter party relations as a panacea for peace and sustainable development in Rivers state.”

Chairman of the event, Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte (rtd) lauded the achievements of Amaechi since he came on board as governor. Describing opponents of the governor as conspirators with a destructive motive, Justice Karibi Whyte further charged the political class to be transparent and pursue the common good at all times.

Govs fault Tukur

Meanwhile, some governors, yesterday, faulted Governor Amaechi’s suspension by the National Working Committee of the party, declaring it as total abuse of the party’s constitution.

Vanguard gathered yesterday that the governors argued that only the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party has the power to suspend a governor and not NWC according to the party’s Constitution, 2012 as amended.

Governors are also key members of NEC besides the National Chairman, President, Vice President and others.

Citing section 59.3 of the constitution, the governors contended that the Bamanga Tukur-led NWC was wrong and the decision must be reversed.

According to the section, ‘’Notwithstanding any provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except the National Executive Committee shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers or member of any of the Legislative houses.”

In a related development, crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, has taken another turn as Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo will tomorrow formally open, the office of the factional chairman of the Forum, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State who was declared the chairman of the forum by some governors.

Vanguard gathered that the office which is located in Maitama, Abuja will be declared open at 4pm, tomorrow, by the Vice President.

According to the source, these Chairmen were invited to be part of the event because their parties produced governors who are members of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, adding that the leadership of the National Assembly have also been invited to the be part of the opening of the secretariat.

Confirming the opening of Jang’s Secretariat with Vice President Sambo declaring it open, the Sole Administrator of the Secretariat, Osaro Onaiwo said that letters have gone to everybody ahead of tomorrow’s event, even as he said that governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State was invited along side other governors, adding that the forum is not an opposition to any body and also not quarrelling with anyone, but an avenue to harmonise issues affecting thee states and how to deliver on democracy.

It was also gathered that governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are asking the Bamanga Tukur led National Working Committee, NWC to as a matter of urgency call for a meeting of National Executive Committee, NEC where issues bothering on the party will be tabled and addressed.

The governors who are calling for NEC meeting, a source told Vanguard that the meeting which has failed to hold was partly responsible for the problems confronting the PDP as a party that were almost tearing it apart, even as they said that the last meeting was held last year July which was against the constitution of the party.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/plot-to-impeach-amaechi-thickens/

Ghana midfielder Michael Essien will return to Stamford Bridge next week when his season-long loan deal ends at Real Madrid.
At the English Premier League club, the Ghanaian is likely to reunite with departing Real Madrid boss, Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho helped Essien to revive his flagging career as the versatile player made 28 appearances for Real and scored one goal.

Essien’s contract with Chelsea runs out in June 2014.

He saw full-time action on Sunday when Real Madrid were held to a 3-3 draw by Real Sociedad.

His final match will be against Osasuna at home next Sunday as the Spanish La Liga season ends — MTNfootball.com

Meanwhile, Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan is among three players that German side Schalke 04 are planning of dispensing with their services.

According to German magazine kicker, the diminutive middleman and Tim Hoogland and Sergio Escudero will have their contracts terminated.

Annan has one year left on his contract after moving to Schalke in January, 2011 but made very little impact.

His misfortunes can be partly attributed to the managerial changes at the Veltins-Arena.

The 26-year-old was loaned out to Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem and now at Osasuna where he has managed 8 appearances in all competitions.

Annan is valued at €1.5 million.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/essien-set-for-chelsea-return/

The National Coordinator, Concerned Democrats of Conscience, Ibrahim Modibbo has said that the reason Governor Chibuike Amaechi is not getting the full support of his party members is because he is considered a ‘threat’ to the leadership of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

“Amaechi has been seen as a threat to the present leadership of the PDP,” he said.

He said the reason PDP is not giving the Rivers governor full support because the party sees him as an antagonist” in the sense that Governor Amaechi “stands for good governance in this country.”

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Modibbo said he believes Amaechi is the rightful winner of the election which was conducted by members of the Nigeria Governors Forum.

He described the governor, who has now been suspended from the PDP fold, as a ‘harmless democrat of conscience’ who “brought finesse, credibility, character and characterization to the Governor’s Forum.”

He decried the conflict among members of the forum as a ‘reckless display of insensitivity to democratic tenets” which has never been seen in the history of modern democracy in Nigeria.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SWTIBOPZtA

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/05/27/amaechi-is-threat-to-pdp-modibbo/
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/amaechi-is-threat-to-pdp-modibbo/

A few weeks ago, telecoms giant MTN wowed us with their ‘I don port’ ad featuring popular comedian Saka. If you’re new in this clime, Saka is a popular comedian who had featured on several Etisalat ads making him a popular face of that brand (Etisalat is a competing telecoms provider).

In what popular writer Tolu Ogunlesi described as the “biggest coup since Sani Abacha in 1994”, we suddenly woke up to Saka announcing his cross over to MTN. The ad went viral, it got us talking, Facebook was awash with several caricature adaptations of Saka, twitter was agog, MTN and Saka trended for some days, with record views on YouTube. ‘Great ad,’ many of us said. I for one applauded the strategic thinking behind the ad. MTN and DDB (their advertising agency) I imagined must have pumped hands and popped champagne. Come LAIF (Lagos Advertising International Festival) in October, I’m sure they’ll pick not a few awards (in fact, a grandprix may not be far-fetched).
But now that the dust appears to be settling, the question I’m asking is how many of us really ported or will be willing to port? Statistics released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) revealed that over 4,000 subscribers from the four GSM operators migrated with their lines to other operators, within 48 hours after the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) was launched on April 22. For a country with over 100 million mobile phone subscribers, this is number is minuscule. In addition, I have no encompassing data at the moment, but from asking people around me, no one has told me they knew someone who knew someone who has ported to MTN except Saka of course! Rather, there appears to be movement away from the yellow corner i.e based on findings from my circle of friends.

It’s still too early to judge, but from indications, it appears not many Nigerians may be interested in porting to the yellow corner after all. A number of reasons may abound, one being the availability of multiple SIM phones which ensured that many of us had more than one SIM to start with and the other reason being the generally poor level of service delivery across the industry (they are all same of same).

The whole point therefore is this; beyond great advertising, MTN needs to be able to show Nigerians what makes their network better (which by the way appears to be the path Etisalat is towing in their communication strategy). There has to be more investment in capacity to deliver. Glo recently announced the signing of a multi-billion naira deal with ZTE for facility upgrade and I’m wondering, beyond the comic act, what’s MTN’s superior offering?

It is classic capitalism, innovate or die…the consumer has to be king. Will I be better off on their network? DDB has pocketed their fee, Saka must be smiling to the bank, but this writer ain’t porting nowhere! Although one may reconsider if a similar ‘porting contract’ comes one’s way.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/after-dancing-kirikata-kirikata-many-nigerians-have-not-ported-see-why-saka/

AS part of initiative to curb job racketeering, the Federal Government has launched an official web portal for use in recruitment into the Ministry of Interior and its paramilitary agencies.

Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, who made this known at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, at the weekend, gave the new e-recruitment portal as CDFIPB.gov.org.

Moro had suspended all recruitment exercises into the Interior Ministry, following allegations of job racketeering rocking the agencies under it.

He said the web portal was established by the ministry, in order to harmonise all recruitments into the paramilitary services under Ministry of Interior.

The paramilitary agencies are the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Fire Service, the Nigerian Immigration Service and the Nigerian Prisons Service.

He said henceforth, all recruitments into these agencies would be done through the web portal and advised Nigerians to disregard any other website established by syndicates for the purpose of defrauding job seekers.

Moro said: “The e-recruitment portal is an innovation that has been introduced by the Ministry of Interior to ensure the harmonisation of all recruitments into the paramilitary services, in order to enthrone credibility and transparency in the process of recruitment.

“Henceforth, all recruitments by the board will be conducted through this platform. Individuals are, therefore, advised to disregard any other medium or platform, as the Ministry of Interior will not be held accountable,” he said.

Moro, who also spoke on the commemoration of the nation’s Democracy Day coming up on Wednesday, said democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

He said from 1999 till date represented the glorious days in the life of Nigeria as the country has witnessed uninterrupted civilian governance.

He said this was attested by the success recorded in general elections without major issues that could have truncated the nation’s nascent democracy.

According to him, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government had taken deliberate steps and structures, as well as policies put in place to address the problem of neglect of the nation’s infrastructures.

Describing the celebration of the Democracy Day as a milestone, the minister said the current administration was determined to strengthen its democratic culture as foundation for good governance.

He said assured that the country would conduct a transparent, credible, fair and acceptable elections in 2015 and years ahead.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/job-racketeering-fg-establishes-paramilitary-e-recruitment-portal/

Please, can someone help me to unlock Etisalat SIM lock phone called Gaga Phone with
Model no: U8180
IMEI No: 357232042365906
Thank you

Galaxy S4: The most powerful phone ever
http://infonigeria24.com/galaxy-s4-the-most-powerful-phone-ever/

After two generations of relatively hefty 9.7-inch iPads, Apple may finally be ready to ship a lighter “iPad 5.”
The 9.7-inch iPad 5 is expected to have narrow side bezels like the iPad Mini.

(Credit: Apple)

A full-size iPad that gets closer to the lean design of the iPad Mini may finally be on the way.

Production of the fifth-generation iPad is slated to begin in July, according to a report from Taipei-based Digitimes.

The new 9.7-inch iPad will be 25 percent to 33 percent lighter than the iPad 4, Digitimes said.

The report echoes information supplied to CNET in April by NPD DisplaySearch.

Specifically, the 2,048×1,536 pixel-density Retina display (same pixel density as the iPad 4) will have thinner glass — achieved by using new touch sensor technology — and, most importantly, a less bulky backlight apparatus, according to Digitimes.

NPD DisplaySearch told CNET in April that “part of the thinner/lighter design will be reducing the size of the LED backlight, partly by making the display more efficient and partly by using more efficient LEDs.” DisplaySearch also cited the likely shift to a “a film-based touch sensor.”

The third- and fourth-generation iPads gained heft and thickness — compared with the iPad 2 – due mostly to technologies supporting the Retina display, including a relatively large backlight assembly.

Monthly shipments of the “iPad 5″ are expected to ramp up to 2 million to 3 million units by September, said Digitimes, citing sources in the supply chain.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/here-comes-the-thinner-lighter-ipad/

If there is one actress that has overnight become a ‘superstar, it will surely be Judith Okpara Mazagwu better known as Afrocandy. Her yet to be released controversial s0ft p0*n film, ‘Destructive Instinct’ has generated many controversies. It is still one of the most talked about issue in Nollywood now.

Like some people would always pray that their children follow their footsteps, the ‘p0*n’ star seems not to be bothered if any of her daughters decide to take after her.

In an interview with Punch Newspaper, Afrocandy said, “I may be their mother because I brought them into the world. I may have the privilege to raise them up to adult age. But you know, I cannot tell them what to do or follow at a certain age.”

Speaking further, the sexy actress explained that, “besides, they are Americans who have their own minds. If they graduate from college and decide to follow my footsteps, it’s their own calling.”

Afrocandy has two children.
Source: http://infonigeria24.com/my-daughters-can-also-be-crudity-stars-like-me-afrocandy/

Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba says there is nowhere in the Constitution that the democratically elected structures should be dissolved under emergency rule, pointing out that the dissolution in past dispensation was unconstitutional. Excerpts of interview:

Some people are of the view that the emergency rule in the three states of the North is a bit late in coming considering the impact on the nation’s sovereignty.
The current security situation in the country is not something that would have been exactly predicted. Terrorism as a phenomenon globally has thrown up a new challenge; so every nation ordinarily should anticipate and prepare for it, but I am not sure that, in Nigeria, we expected this dimension of terrorism. So, to us, it is something novel and, when you are handling something new, you try to come up with strategies that will address the situation, but, clearly, the routine strategies that we employed were no longer working. So it is difficult to say it is timely or untimely, but what I can categorically say is that the time has come for a change in strategy and a change in tactic. We sent three committees to Baga, they have not submitted their reports formally; but they have informally briefed us, a situation where 10 local governments are already lost to the insurgent, suggests that something dramatic, something extra-ordinary should be done. If you look at the provisions of our constitution, the term extraordinary was used only once and that is in section 305, so the time has come for us to apply extra ordinary measure. I will not say that it is late.

We had coordinated bombings ofmind-boggling magnitude in Kano twice; could we say that the situation now amounts to something extraordinary?
The moment they took insurgency to the level of taking over completely 10 local governments, hoisting their flag, and even attempting to install their own government, it became a worrying sign that something different had to be done.

The president seems to be under tremendous pressure…..
When you aspire to be president, you are taking the whole burden of the entire country; every nation has its own problems in different dimensions and it is just one thing where the buck stops, that is the table of the president. The fact that you are president does not mean that you will experience only some problems, you still have local, national and international problems. Those problems will be there and what makes you the president and chief executive is that you are expected to be the one to solve the problems, and, as president, you ought to have the capacity to solve them.

Some people think this type of emergency rule with the democratic structure in place may not be wise. Do you think it could have been done otherwise without prejudice to what we have experienced before?
In the previous experience of emergency rule, elected structures were dissolved, that was clearly unconstitutional. I remember when emergency rule was declared in my first time in the Senate, some of us said the constitution does not contemplate the dissolution of the elected structures. Section 305 of the constitution provides for emergency rule and gives power to the executive and the National Assembly to deliberate on it; it does not, in any way, provide, envisage or contemplate the dissolution of the elected structures; it does not say governor or elected members should go. Now, when you talk of elected institutions, it is either the governor or legislators; the constitution, in a separate provision. describes how their offices can come to an end. So, there is nowhere in Section 305 that an additional provision is made on the removal of the governor or dissolution of the House of Assembly, which means that you are bound by the provision that the constitution made for their termination or removal. So, removal of a governor or dissolution of the House of Assembly is not in Section 305. If we did it in the past, it was unconstitutional.



*Ndoma Egba

How do you rationalise the spirit of emergency declaration when the chief executives of the state are in place?
What is the impact of the state of emergency in our constitution? The impact is that certain freedom is curtailed: freedom of association, of movement, of speech, that you can be detained for a certain period; beyond that, you must go to court. That is the freedom that is affected? And why is freedom affected? Because for you to address freedom, to some extent, has to be curtailed for security agencies to do what they have to do effectively, and the security agencies, for the purpose of the state of emergency, may work with the governor in the state, but do not necessarily have to work with him, because it is basically a military operation and the governor has nothing to do with military operation. State of emergency provides the atmosphere for the military to operate.

In terms of funding, will come under budgetary or extra budgetary?
If the president needs more funds than what he can find in the budget, he will come to the National Assembly and, I believe, we will help because the issue of insecurity is perhaps the most significant issue today in our polity

So it is expected that the president will need support…
Definitely, the National Assembly will give Mr. President every support to bring this challenge under control.

48 hours after the president’s declaration, the National Assembly did not ratify the emergency declaration.
There is no provision in the constitution that says the president should publish the declaration. Section 305 of the constitution says (reading it): “ Subject to the provisions of this constitution, the President may by instrument published in the official gazette of the government of the federation issue a proclamation of a state of emergency in the federation or any part thereof”. The president’s broadcast was not a proclamation constitutionally. Until that gazette was issued, the president’s broadcast remained a statement of intent to declare a state of emergency. What he told Nigerians was his intention to declare a state of emergency. The emergency becomes effective when it is published in the official gazette, which is when the state of emergency takes effect. Let us see subsection 6; it says (reading it)”: A proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect: (a) if it is revoked by the President by instrument published in the official gazette of the government of the federation; (b) If it affects the federation or any part thereof and within two days when the National assembly is in session, or within 10 days when the National Assembly is not in session, after its publication, there is no resolution supported by two-thirds majority of all members of each house of the National assembly approving the proclamation”. In fact, the constitution does not say that the president should make a broadcast, it says when he issues an instrument published in the official gazette. So it is when that gazette is published, then the two days or the ten days as the case may be become applicable.

Even the operational word “may by instrument”, does it confer sacro-sanctity on the action?
What it means is that it may or may not proclaim the emergency rule.

Management of emergency with the democratic structure in place.
That is what I have been explaining to you. It is a military operation. Whatever operation they want to carry out will not be carried out in every part of the state affected. They are just few locations.

Let’s talk about the challenges faced by the Senate.
The Senate is 14 years old. We have issues of institutional memory, because parliament is a very peculiar body. You take the normal capacity challenges of a 14-year-old institution, compounded by a massive loss of institutional memory, by a high turn over of senators. In the USA that we say we are fashioning our democracy after, before a senator loses an election, he must have done somethnig unforgiveable. Now in our 14-year history as a Senate, it is only two senators that have 14 years experience; that is, between 1999 and today, the Senate has lost 107 senators, the two are Senator David Mark and the Chief Whip, Senator Bello Gwarzo. And the Senate is a peculiar institution where institutional memory is the aggregated memory of individual senators and experience.

In the US, there are bills that are years old and they are not dead because the US Senate is never dissolved, but, in Nigeria, the Senate is dissolved every four years; and when dissolved, nothing survives; even bills that are here stand dissolved, everything has to start afresh. This is a major constitutional challenge. One, you have loss of memory; two, even if a committee was at the point of concluding an assignment, both the committee, its membership and its work all stand dissolved at the end of four years

This constitutional challenge, is it part of the constitution amendment that is going on?
We can’t just amend the dissolution aspect; you also have to agree on tenure, that is the only way to ensure continuity. You also have to agree on staggered election.

Many people believe the Senate can do a lot more than it is currently doing.
Yes, we could achieve more. The problems we have in this country are not what we could solve in quick fixes. Most of the problems have their origin almost in antiquity. Take the power sector, over 20 years, there was no investment in that sector. And the facilities are not self-renewable; so the facilities are old as there was no new investment in the sector. This government now inherited a problem that has been there that took 20 years to accumulate and we expect it to be fixed overnight. The security challenge did not start today, it did not start yesterday, it started when the contradictions in our polity were suppressed rather than negotiated. For almost 30 years of military rule, the contradictions were held down by the jackboot, they were never discussed. These are contradictions that ought to have been negotiated through a tedious process; when they now came up, people now think they can be fixed overnight. Take infrastructure, for instance, the roads did not get bad overnight , ditto education, the collapse of values did not happen overnight. We will be lucky if they are fixed in a generation. We should stop this scapegoatism and escapetism of the PDP. Some of the problems unfortunately may survive PDP. We pray they don’t.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/emergency-rule-constitution-does-not-contemplate-dissolution-of-elected-structures-ndoma-egba/

Contrary to reports in the media that Super Eagles star and Orduspor midfielder, Yusuf Ayila, abandoned his wife and kids in Ukraine and eloped with a girlfriend, latest information reaching us has it that there may be more to it.

We were actually able to get Graphic1Ayila’s reaction through his media rep during the week and his revelation was rather shocking as the Graphic3footballer accused his wife, Gbemisola of allegedly wanting to kill him and inherit his properties.

Hear what he told us: ‘Firstly, I’ll like to state categorically that Gbemisola is not my legal wife as widely reported. She is the mother of my two kids. We met years back and started a casual date.


The trouble started when I asked her to bring my children for holiday in Ukraine. One day, while I lived with her, I opened Gbemi’s wardrobe in Ukraine and found different charms, including a snake inside a bottle filled with gin.

It was a confirmation of the feelers I got from family and friends that she is fetish and had been using charms on me. I felt uncomfortable living under the same roof with her. In view of this development,

I told her to return to Nigeria, to which she refused. At that point, I told her I can’t cope with her bad habit anymore; that she had to go back to Nigeria or I’ll leave the house for her.

Meanwhile, before seeing the charms in her wardrobe, she’s always been at loggerheads with my mother for no concrete reason. I had to leave the house in Ukraine to get another apartment when she refused to leave.



Yet it never stopped me from paying the house rent, even after my departure to Orduspor, Turkey, my club. I kept paying the children’s school fees and other bills and later discovered that her Visa will expire in a few months’ time.

I sent her a mail asking her to leave Ukraine and go back to Nigeria since she hadn’t anything concrete doing and yet again she refused. I sent her another mail threatening to stop paying the rent in Ukraine by the end of April.

When she refused to leave, I sent someone to collect her passport lest she tarnishes my image and career.

I started hearing some unimaginable stories of her escapades with men each time I visited Nigeria, but I kept my cool. She was also reported to be having an affair with a popular Fuji star who also denied the allegation.


She had on several occasions connived with some people to kill me, which I survived by the grace of God. For the records,

I have a recorded phone conversation of that’. According to Ayila, he gives Gbemisola 1 Million Naira as monthly allowance. As for the said mistress, Ayila defended that he’s now legally married to her.

He described the new woman as a very responsible, God fearing lady who is his wife and not a mistress, as claimed by his estranged wife
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/soccer-star-yusuf-ayilas-wife-in-juju-scandal-exclusive-pictures-of-charms-found-in-her-wardrobereal-reason-ayila-abandoned-her-in-ukraine-and-more/

THE Federal Government has identified a total number of 84 legitimate and legal routes through which people could come or go out of Nigeria, while about 1,497 illegal routes that entered the country had also been uncovered.

Determinied to put an end to the unending insurgency in the country, the Federal Government has, therefore, approached the United States of America (USA) to assist in addressing the problems of the nation’s porous borders.

Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, dropped the hint in Abuja, on Thursday, while presenting the score card of his ministry to the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the media.

He said the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) would erect control tolls and border plazas at all the identified legal routes for proper monitoring, with massive deployment of electronic surveillance equipment to the borders.

Moro revealed that consultation was ongoing with the Department of State of the US to assist with the deployment of modern technology equipment to the borders, to address the problems, which had allowed all manners of people to come into the country at will.

According to him, “we have been discussing with a Chinese private company to provide the needed modern security equipment for our borders and the proposal was to cost $244 million before we approached the Department of State of the US for assistance. We are going to harmonise that of the Chinese with that of the US to meet our needs.”

He assured that when the arrangement became operational, the insurgency in the country would be history, as all the nation’s borders would have been properly manned and secured.

On the alleged employment racketeering in some organisations under the ministry and non-payment of monthly salaries to some categories of staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) since last year, Moro said appropriate steps had been taken to ensure that officials of the ministry and its agencies adhered to rules and regulation of recruitment of staff, which had been ignored in the past.

The minister said the ministry was set to recruit new hands into the service, adding that the procedures for the recruitment exercise would be made public today.

He also disclosed that efforts were being made to pay the arrears of the categories of staff of the NSCDC, as he attributed the delay to a shortfall of about N940 million from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

Responding, the national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, commended the minister for the various achievements of the ministry in recent time, adding that they were in line with the transformation agenda of the PDP-led administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/fg-uncovers-1497-illegal-border-routes-%e2%80%a2seeks-us-assistance-%e2%80%a2to-deploy-electronic-surveillance-equipment-to-borders/

The Chief Priest of the Ombatse cult group in Lakyo, Nasarawa South Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Ala Agu, on Wednesday said that security men that invaded the community were ordered by the state governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, to kill him.

The 76-year-old Agu, popularly called Baba Lakyo, spoke with journalists on Wednesday at Lakyo during a visit of Senator Solomon Ewuga (Nasarawa North Senatorial District) to the community.

The chief priest, who spoke through an interpreter, said the security operatives did not come to arrest him, but to kill him “and cut off my head and take it to the governor.”

“It is the governor that asked the people (police officers) to come here and arrest me, cut my head and take my head to him.

“When they came, because they were themselves drunk, my god did not allow them to come to me and they died on the way.

“The question I asked is, ‘has the governor ever invited me and I refused to go?’ If am invited, I will go. But he sent people to come and kill me and to destroy Lakyo as a whole. That is just what it is.”

Al-Makura had rushed to the Presidential Villa, Abuja on May 8, 2013 to brief Vice-President Nnamadi Sambo on the security situation in the state, saying that 20 policemen were killed in Lakyo by cultists.

The governor had said that members of Ombatse laid ambush and killed security agents sent to arrest the members in their shrine.

On Wednesday, Baba Lakyo said that he had never been invited by security agencies, contrary to reports that the police invaded the village after he shunned their invitation.

The chief priest said that he was willing to honour any invitation either by the governor or the police.

Although Lakyo is peaceful, besides the sight of burnt vehicles used by the security men, Agu said he was unhappy with what happened and was apprehensive of what might befall him afterwards.

Ewuga toured Lakyo community, and led reporters to the home of Agu, which represents the “shrine” of the Ombatse.

Agu however denied ever forcing people to join the group through any initiation or drinking of concoction.

“I am grateful for your coming, Senator. I am very, very grateful for your coming. Even if the Senator did not come here, I had intended to go and see him in his house but since he is here, I am very grateful,” he told the senator.

Agu also said that he was in a nearby village when the incident took place only for him to come back to be informed that the governor sent people to come and kill him.

Asked whether the incident had anything to do with the politics of the state, he said, “If you are talking about politics, it does not bother me. I don’t even understand Hausa language. Politics is not for me because I am not a politician. Politics is for politicians but I hear that the time for politicking has not even come.

“If I ever opened my mouth to force anybody to take oath, God should punish me”.

He said that Ombatse was an association of Lakyo boys into which nobody was forced to belong.

He said he was ready to honour any police invitation but insisted that nobody had invited him.

According to him, it is even more saddening that he is being linked to the incident, especially when he knew nothing about what happened to the policemen.

But Al-Makura on Wednesday dismissed Agu’s claim that he was never invited for any meeting.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Iliya Aliu, in a telephone interview, said it was on record that the head of the cult group did not honour several invitations extended to him.

He said, “It is not true that he was never invited. The Emir of Lafia who is the Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs invited him, he refused to honour it.

“Are Eggon, who is the chief of his area invited him, he refused; the Police, the SSS all invited him before this incident but he refused to honour any of them.

“His followers attacked and killed people in Asakiyo Alago; they went to Arga Migili, Kwadere and did the same.

“No responsible government will sit by and watch such things happen without taking action.

“It was after he refused to answer all of these invitations that the state security council met and decided that he should be arrested.

“Even their name, Ombatse, means it is our turn. Their turn for what?

“In any case, no matter the grievance, no individual or group has the right to kill innocent security officials.

“He and all those responsible must face the consequence of their action.”

The President of the Egon Cultural Development Association, Mr. Chris Mamman, said the only way to get to the root of what happened at Alakyo was for the Federal Government to set up a judicial commission of inquiry.

Ewuga said he decided to tour the affected area as a matter of national responsibility, saying he needed to see things for himself since he is also an Eggon man even though it was not within his senatorial district.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/gov-ordered-police-to-bring-my-head-ombatse-chief-priest/

The Anambra state governor, Peter Obi on Wednesday led other dignitaries from Nigeria and abroad to pay last respect to the late literary icon, Professor Chinua Achebe, at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

The remains of the famous writer of Things Fall Apart, who died in Boston, United States of America, was flown into Enugu from Abuja and was finally brought to Awka, the Anambra State capital at exactly 1.07pm Wednesday.

The funeral ceremony began with a boundary reception at Amansea where Mr Obi and the Senator representing Anambra Central senatorial zone, Chris Ngige, received the body of the late sage before proceeding to the Alex Ekwueme square, Awka, where dignitaries poured encomiums on late professor Achebe. All emphasized his life of honesty, integrity, dignity and concern for the downtrodden.

The body lay in state at the middle of the square and was surrounded by Achebe’s kinsmen wearing traditional attire with red caps to match.
It was a day of speeches as friends and acquaintances who came from all over the world spoke on the ideals of the late literary giant.

Representative of the Senate President, David Mark, presented the tribute from the National Assembly in which Achebe’s death was described as a monumental loss to mankind.

On ground to witness the solemn moment of tribute anchored by Nollywood actor Bob Manuel Udokwu were Chris Odom, Professor Joneta Cole, Director of Smithsonian Institute, Washington, Prof. Scott of Penguin Books, Professor Whelan of the University of Cambridge, who represented the Arch bishop of Canterbury.

There were also members of the Achebe family comprising his widow, Prof. Mrs Christie Achebe, and his children, Ike Achebe, Prof Chinelo Achebe, Chidi Achebe and Prof Nwando Achebe.

In his glowing tribute to Achebe, the Director of Penguin, Prof Scott described the late writer as a very great man of letters, whose works have had a succession of influence across generations of writers.

He noted particularly the influence of Achebe’s first three books; Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God and No Longer At Ease, which he described as a “ trilogy of African literature, stressing that “ I have not seen others books or writer that have been so studied and reprinted like Achebe and his works.

Achebe, 82, died on March 21 at a Boston hospital in the U.S.

Born in Ogidi, Anambra, the author won a scholarship to the University of Ibadan and later worked as a scriptwriter for the Nigeria Broadcasting Service.

He chose to write Things Fall Apart in English for which he received criticism from authors including Ngugi wa Thiong’o.

But Achebe insisted that he felt “that the English language will be able to carry the weight of my African experience; it will have to be a new English, still in full communion with its ancestral home but altered to suit its new African surroundings’’.

Before his death, he had twice rejected Nigerian honour of Commander of Federal Republic, complaining about corruption in the country.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/anambra-stands-still-for-achebe/

•National Assembly okays emergency rule with conditions
•Military debunks report on withdrawal of troops from Mali
Onwuka Nzeshi, Omololu Ogunmade, Senator Iroegbu and Daji Sani

In an effort to capture the hearts and minds of the people of northern Nigeria, the federal government has approved the release from detention some suspected Boko Haram terrorists, including all the women associated with the terrorists, who have been held in various prisons nationwide.

Disclosing this yesterday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said that the decision to release the detainees was in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise to achieve peace and reconciliation in the northern part of the country.

The announcement from DHQ came just as the National Assembly endorsed the state of emergency declared by the president in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, confirmed plans to release the detainees in a statement, saying that it was in fulfilment of the request by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation.

Olukolade said: “Consequent upon the directives of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Defence Headquarters will be releasing from detention a number of persons being held in connection with terrorist activities.
“The move is in furtherance of the federal government’s position in response to requests by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation.”

The Defence spokesman disclosed that the measure, which was in line with president’s desire to enhance peace efforts in the country, would result in freedom for suspects including all women in custody.

He said the details of the directives and those to benefit from this gesture had been communicated to field units and the Joint Task Force (JTF).

“The beneficiaries will be released to the state governors who will be involved in further rehabilitation before these suspects are released to their respective community leaders/relations,” he said.

DHQ, however, refused to open up on the actual numbers of the detainees being released.

It also debunked reports that some Nigerian troops deployed in the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) had been withdrawn to help reinforce the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

Speaking on the issue, Olukolade described such reports as “rumour mongering” on sensitive affairs of the military.

Olukolade said Nigeria would not withdraw its troops on foreign mission as it was capable of handling various internal security operations across the country.

“As the operation to rid our country of terrorist activities continues, the Defence Headquarters wishes to reassure Nigerians that the Nigerian military is quite capable and ready to discharge this duty professionally and creditably well,” he said.

“The report therefore in a section of the press that Nigerian troops are to be withdrawn from Mali to face the ongoing insurgency is complete falsehood.
“There is certainly no need for such action now as the human and material resources of the Armed Forces of Nigeria are being meticulously deployed and quite able to meet its present internal and external assignments,” he added.

The spokesman added that even if the withdrawal of troops had taken place, it would be in accordance with the military’s policy of routine troops rotation as adopted by the Nigerian armed forces in peacekeeping operations.

However, in a move targetted at increasing the size of the military in the country, the federal government is currently considering plans to expand the recruitment drive for more personnel into the Nigerian armed forces.

Military sources revealed that there is a sustained pressure to recruit more people into the armed forces so that the country does not abdicate its role in internal security operations as well as international peacekeeping obligations.

The sources said the plan had already been sent to the president and was awaiting his approval to meet the challenges of “war time” obligations.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian army yesterday relaxed the curfew imposed on Adamawa State by one hour, changing the time for the restriction of movement from 7 pm to 6pm, as opposed to the 6 pm to 6 am imposed on the state last week.

A statement from the 23 Armoured Brigade in Yola, the state capital, said the new arrangement took effect yesterday.

The army’s Public Relations Officer, Lieutenant Jaafaru Mohammed Nuhu said the army had decided to review the curfew, adding that it was done to encourage socio-economic activities in the state which were becoming moribund.

In addition, Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako yesterday approved new working hours from 8 am to 3 pm daily for civil servants in the state to enable them reach their homes before the curfew.

However, the National Assembly gave the president’s declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States legislative backing yesterday, when it endorsed emergency rule in the three states.

But in the House of Representatives where 253 legislators approved the declaration by a voice vote, the lawmakers in the lower chamber elected to amend some sections of the proclamation.

In the Senate, on the other hand, all 100 senators present endorsed the imposition of emergency rule on the three affected states without a dissenting voice in sight.
Although only 72 senators, constituting the two-thirds majority, were required to approve the president’s declaration, only nine of the 109 senators were absent at the plenary Tuesday.

Seven of the absentee senators were: Remi Tinubu (Lagos Central), Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North), Ma’aji Lawan (Borno North), Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central), Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central), Ibrahim Musa (Niger North), and Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central).

Senate President David Mark said they were absent because they were on essential duties.

The Senate’s endorsement, which followed a one-hour closed door executive session held by the senators, was facilitated by the official gazette of the declaration, sent to the chamber by the president and read by Mark at the opening of yesterday’s plenary.

The Senate had at the opening of the plenary invoked Order 136 of its Standing Rules (as amended) to proceed into an executive session, where the decision to endorse the state of emergency was taken.

While explaining what transpired during the executive session, Mark said emphasis was placed on the retention of all democratic structures in the affected states, adding that all senators acknowledged the move as a deliberate effort to bring to an end the prevalent anarchy in the affected states.

Mark said: “In a closed session, we extensively discussed some of the issues that we think are very important to this proclamation of state of emergency.

“We want to state very emphatically that all the democratic structures must be left in place and must be allowed to operate fully and actively and they must also be involved in all the efforts that the federal government is putting up to bring this ugly situation to an end.

“We also would like to emphasise that the armed forces are issued a proper code of conduct where they are humane and benevolent and make sure that all citizens are treated with the utmost respect so that they do not lose their respect as human beings.

“We are conscious of the fact that the government is taking this step as a last resort but alongside that, we want to encourage the government to also urge the committee on amnesty to work alongside the current functions that are put in place to bring this to an end, so that at the end of the day, government can concentrate efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people in all the states that are affected.

“We are conscious of the fact that there was lawlessness, there was anarchy and mayhem in most of the places that are involved in the declaration of state of emergency and we appreciate the fact that government must take every possible step to bring this to an end as quickly as possible with minimal loss of lives and materials.

“At the end of the day, we would like to support the federal government in this proclamation of the state of emergency in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. But we also would like to remind the president that the federal government must fund the operations there properly and adequately.

“We must also remind the federal government as the operation is going on, that relief and all medical materials should as quickly as possible, be moved to the area so that the people can benefit from government’s presence.

“We are conscious of the fact that this problem ought to have been brought to an end long ago but it is better late than never. We want to appeal to the Boko Haram insurgents and terrorists that it is still not too late to cooperate with the forces that are there in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe so that we can bring this to a logical conclusion as quickly as possible.

“The summary of our discussion is that the democratic structures will remain in place – the governors and local government chairmen – as it were, and with the backing of the federal government, they should ensure that this is brought to a logical conclusion.”

Also speaking with journalists after the plenary, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the Senate encouraged the military to bring the insurgency to an end within a brief period.

He also said members of the opposition, contrary to the positions of their parties opted to support the Senate’s move because it was emphasised at the meeting that the issue affected the entire country and Nigeria must be seen to be greater than political parties.

He said if need be, the Senate would approve any supplementary budget that could enhance military operations in the three states.

In the House of Representatives where 253 legislators met behind closed doors for three and a half hours, the lawmakers approved the declaration by a voice vote, but elected to amend some sections of the proclamation.

The House’s endorsement of the emergency rule put to rest speculations that the lawmakers in the lower chamber were likely to oppose it.

THISDAY, however, learnt that the main opposition political party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), attempted to raise dust during the executive session but was checkmated by some lawmakers from the ruling party.

It was gathered that the opposition attempted to move a motion attacking the declaration and warning the military against human rights abuses, but the motion was shot down by other lawmakers who saw it as premature.

The House, nonetheless, made some amendments to the provisions of the declaration, one of which was Section 2 of the Emergency Powers General Regulations, 2013, which deals with the Administration of the Emergency Areas.

The gazette, which the president sent to the National Assembly, provided that “a State Governor in an emergency area shall continue with the general functions of administering the emergency area under the control of the President or any person designated or authorised to act on his behalf.

“The President may give directions to a State Governor or Local Government Chairman directly or through his designate or a duly authorised person with respect to the administration of the emergency area and it shall be the duty of the State Governor or Local Government Chairman to comply with the directive.”

But the House amended some clauses in the provisions to ensure that these political office holders retained their constitutional powers and would not be subjected to any authority.
The lawmakers argued that the state governors and local government chairmen in the emergency areas should be allowed to remain in charge of their domains in the interest of democracy.

The House also stipulated that the president must send to and seek approval of both chambers of the National Assembly any further orders on the emergency areas within seven days of making such orders.

In addition, the lawmakers injected into the declaration a provision that requires the federal government to pay compensation to victims of terrorism during or before the emergency proclamation.

The House also barred the executive from using the federal allocation of state and local governments to fund the emergency rule in the three states.

When it became obvious that the lower chamber had altered the presidential proclamation and may have passed a version different from that of the Senate, it opted for a conference committee.

Speaker of the House, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, appointed a six-man committee to meet with their counterparts in the Senate to harmonise the two versions.

The committee, which is headed by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa, has in its fold Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Hon. Ali Ahmad, and Hon. Aminu Shagari, Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary.

Others include Hon. Nkoyo Toyo, Hon. Nathaniel Agunbiade and Hon. Ben Nwankwo.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/boko-haram-fg-to-release-detained-women-terrorists/

Cute..
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/check-out-peter-okoye-his-sons-swag/

AS Nigeria celebrates its centenary anniversary next January, leaders from across the three geopolitical zones in the country under the umbrella body of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly have called on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to hold a national or sovereign national conference before that date.

This was the consensus of opinions at the gathering of the body in Lagos, which witnessed the attendance of foremost traditional rulers and prominent Nigerians, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Yeye-Oodua, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo represented by Dr (Mrs) Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, Bishop Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, Chief Edwin Clark and Alabo Tonye Gharam-Douglas.

Others were former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme, former Senate President Adolphus Wabara; former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Lt. General Oladipo Diya; Senator Bode Olajumoke, Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Senator Felix Ibru, Chief Olu Falae, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, Mr Ayo Opadokun, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Chief Gani Adams, Dr Walter Ofonagoro and Hon Cairo Ojougboh, among others.

This is as the leader of Yoruba Unity Forum, Bishop Gbonigi, who led the South-West delegation at the parley, lauded President Jonathan on his initiative to call to order the Boko Haram insurgency through imposition of emergency rule, but called on Northern leaders to prevail on their subjects to cease fire in the interest of the country.

“Now that the government has chosen to assert its sovereignty over the whole nation, we call on the very powerful and influential northern traditional institutions to prevail on their subjects to lay down their arms and respect the sovereignty of Nigeria,” he said.

Addressing the gathering on the need for convocation of a national dialogue, Gbonigi, who noted the standpoint of the South-West on corruption with impunity and national insecurity, declared that the ending of insurgency in the North would not by itself alone bring about a sustainable peace in the country.

According to him, there are many areas of discontent across the country, many of which he said had the potential to burst out as open rebellions if the causes of their grievances were not addressed.

“This is why an all embracing national dialogue, or a National Conference, has become imperative. Further delay on this issue may turn out to be very expansive,” Bishop Gbonigi said.

In his message at the event, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, while welcoming the delegates, noted that the gathering marked another chapter in the annals of the country.

The monarch said it was one other great effort at bringing together the major forces that constituted some of the component parts of Nigeria.

Ooni, who noted that the forum was not the first of its kind as it had been held in other two geopolitical zones, observed that the only way “we can continue to develop our level of understanding of one another is to make sure that gatherings of this nature are continually encouraged.

“This is the type of forum that must seek to disappoint the envious and the cynics; that unity can reign supreme amongst the component parts, political, cultural difference, religious inclination and whatsoever negative factor of historical past should never be allowed to draw a wedge of hatred or enemies between you,” he added.

The Yeye Oodua, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, noted that the successful formation of a non-partisan body of eminent political actors to champion the cause of the entire Southern part of Nigeria on issues of common interest was a significant milestone in the political evolution of Nigeria.

“It will hopefully bring our peoples much, lead to a greater demographic balance in the nation and enhance the quality of North-South political discourse.

“It is a development that would have gladened the heart of my late husband, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, were he to be alive today,” she said.

Expressing her delight about the parley, the matriarch of the Awolowo family, recalled that she happened to be the primary agent used by God, following well-considered advice from some trusted Awolowo loyalists, to mount a response to the growing and seemingly irreconciable fragmentation of Yorubaland by politicians, by founding the non-partisan Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF).

According to her, the Forum is where all Yoruba of different political persuasions can come together to articulate and promote Yoruba interests.

Former Vice-President Ekwueme, in his submission, said Nigeria should seize the opportunity of the coming Centinary celebration to ensure that every citizen and region in the country had a sense of belonging.

Ekwueme, who argued that the country had a lot to benefit from by being together, said the convocation of a national dialogue would be an opportunity to address the nation’s problems especially if there was any group who felt it did not belong.

Elder statesman, Chief Clark, lamented what he termed lack of understanding and ability on the part of the Southerners to speak with one voice unlike “our contemporaries from the North.”

However, he declared that the resolve of Southerners to correct the past errors was unwavering, adding: “We are under no illusion that our brothers and sisters from the South-East and South-West are even more dedicated to sustaining this new found solidarity and union.”

Clark, who also observed lack of respect for one another in the country, said it was time that the culture of respect and understanding of others’ feelings be cultivated and therefore the need “to hold a dialogue to discuss the basis of our existence.”
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/national-conference-should-hold-before-jan-southern-leaders/

Media reports have it that only six applicants have successfully accessed N700 million of the N200 billion entertainment fund disbursed by the Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM) for the entertainment industry. Yet the entertainment industry is in dire need for these funds as the industry especially the film sector is in comatose. For the purpose of clarity, the objective of the fund is to stimulate the entertainment industry by funding of production, distribution infrastructure, acquisition of hi-tech production equipment and project refinancing.

Many practitioners have decried the conditions attached to the fund hence this attempt to demystify the process:

Change your orientation – It’s a loan not a grant.

Most applications still consider the fund a grant. While a grant is non-repayable fund disbursed by the government or its agencies, corporation or foundation often for a specific project, a loan requires repayment, the meeting of certain conditions and here’s the best part – a security or collateral. A loan is generally provided at an interest. So, change the mind-set because if you view it as a loan it becomes easier to consider the terms.

Apply as a corporation – Don’t own one, affiliate with one.

The fund is available to only incorporated companies so if you only registered a business name or enterprise you may not be eligible. You need a memorandum and article of association, article of association, forms CAC2 and CAC7). The company must operate in the entertainment and creative industry. So that registration certificate of Alawada and Sons Limited your father registered in the 60’s to carry out the business of importation of Tokunbo vehicles will not apply.

Funding under the NEXIM bank facility only covers segments of the entertainment industry in the following categories: Music, Film, Television, Radio (Production and distribution) and also fashion segments. So, if you are in the fashion industry and you have been searching for funds for that fashion show, well, you’re welcome.

Meeting the conditions is not rocket science – Hire a consultant

.Non-compliance of stipulated guidelines by the practitioners in the entertainment industry it has been observed is the greatest constraints to accessing the funds. However this does not have to be difficult if you are smart enough to hire a consultant. A firm of chartered accountants and tax practitioners will help you to prepare audited accounts, statement of cash flow, statement of affairs and project feasibility study/business plan. These documents give a picture of the financial state of the business so that NEXIM bank can determine whether it is a viable enterprise. But ensure you do not patronize quacks, it will haunt you when the tax people come calling. Also, the lenders know a statement of accounts prepared by professionals. Call me.

Collateral is not only the family house – Think outside the box

A major constraint to securing loan in this part of the world is our often skewed idea about what constitutes collateral. Usually a secured loan requires the borrower to pledge some assets, e.g. a car or a property. Unsecured loans are not secured against the borrower’s assets.

In the case of NEXIM bank, it is a secured loan hence you require an asset. But there are tangible assets such as a house or a car and intangible assets such as trademark or copyright. So, if you are looking to produce and distribute a film your collateral can include proprietary rights to your business or intellectual property right. Yep, the copyright to the screenplay, music score (sound track) can suffice if you pledge this to NEXIM bank. They will only need to secure it by a stipulated amount. How nifty is that? And don’t forget the distribution rights – so you need a lawyer to protect you. Check rule 3.

Work with structures – Corporations protect you

Incorporated entities have legal lights and liabilities that are distinct from its shareholders hence there’s the presence of a corporate veil that serves to shield its owners in times of adversities. Also corporations prefer to do business with corporations.

However, in the entertainment industry rather than corporations there are groups and associations mostly informal and lacking legal framework. This structure is defective and makes it difficult for other industries to engage the entertainment industry. Register your company.

Set up a disbursement chain

So NEXIM bank has finally agreed to dole out the cash to you (of course, you followed Rule 3) but you need a collection account hence your company’s current account should not be dormant or to be on the safe side, open a dedicated account for it. Loan proceeds too could be disbursed directly to your service providers/contractors against job completion certification hence it is important that you hire only registered service providers.

The best part of the loan is the interest – take advantage of it.

The total interest to be charged on any loan facility under the NEXIM bank scheme is in single digit. This means for loans with maturity duration of 2 -1o years they shall not charge more than 9% interest rates. This is way too generous when you consider that currently banks lend at rates above 22% and in some instances up to 35% with conditions that for the lack of milder adjective we’ll leave at punitive.

There are charges associated with the loan, a processing fee of 1% flat on approved amount, annual management fee of 0.75% of outstanding loan amount payable at anniversary date of the facility drawdown on outstanding loan amount from time to time to cover project management and monitoring fees and legal fees charged to the account of the applicant for sundry legal filings and documentation.

Checklist – the tricky items

Most of appraisal requirements are relatively easy so let’s dwell on the tricky parts. Valuation report on collateral to be pledged – this could be land/building, equipment or intellectual property. When physical asset is not available, you must be ready to produce a valuation report that will show how your intellectual property secures the loan. You must also produce past audited accounts and the most recent management account/statement of affairs and tax clearance. Confused? See Rule 3.

Have a sound business plan – It’s your best defence

If you’ve watched the popular series Dragon’s Dena Sony entertainment franchise where entrepreneurs pitch business ideas in order to secure investment finance from a panel of venture capitalists, then you’ll understand the importance of a business plan. To be effective, it should give a detailed history of the project, ownership structure of the company, details of activity, marketing arrangement, cash-flow and profitability analysis.

Protect your investment

Now that you have understood the value of a corporation, secure yours. Take out insurance indemnity, pay relevant taxes usually with a tax consultant supporting you as they may best advice you on allowances due you. Most importantly, keep a record of every transaction and regularly have your accounts audited. And don’t use the loan proceeds to pay for your wedding. Trust me, your bride will not be happy if she learns she was married on a loan.

By Isaac Anyaogu, a financial consultant offering tax and business advisory services located in Nigeria. A graduate of Mass Communication at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Isaac also writes for television and films.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/how-to-access-the-800million-entertainment-fund-in-nigeria/

If reports from the researches of a team of medical practitioners at the Washington University School of Medicine, USA, and the testimony of an Ibadan-based apitherapist are anything to go by, perhaps the world should get ready to heave a sigh of relief from AIDS and cancer.

Unlike most other ailments where the body’s defense apparatus fights foreign objects thereby protecting the body, in the case of HIV, it attacks the soldiers, the T-helper lymphocytes, also called CD4 or T4 cells. Noted Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia; These are white blood cells that are essential part of the human immune system. They are called helper cells because one of their main roles is to send signals to other types of immune cells, including CD8 killer cells.

T4 cells send the signal and CD8 cells destroy and kill the infection or virus. But as a popular Igbo adage says, when the lion is incapacitated, the antelope visits to settle old scores, so if CD4 cells become depleted, as is the case in untreated HIV infection, or immune suppression, the body is left vulnerable to a wide range of infections that it would otherwise have been able to fight.

Following the report of the US-based medical scientists (Hood J.L, Jallouk A.P, Campbell N, Ratner L and Wickline S.A) that a toxin (melittin) found in bee venom could destroy HIV and tumor cells without harming nearby cells, there have been varied reactions from the public. Some described it as a miracle, others were skeptical while a few said it was impossible. Sunday Vanguard sought opinions of experts.

Bee venom as a weapon:
Engr. Ayodele Salako, an Ibadan-based apiculturist/apitherapist, said although most orthodox medicine practitioners do not believe in alternative medicine, the answer to most diseases of man lies with nature and, unless we go closer to nature, we will not discover its many wonders.

He added, gHoney bee venom , also called apitoxin, is one of the major products of the bees and they use it to defend themselves, the queen bee and their territory, it is their weapon. Also God has put something in the bee venom for healing so once a bee stings you, 45 minutes or one hour later, it dies and that venom, within your body system, begins to do a lot of wonders. The introduction of that venom through the stinger into your system may cause some pains and that pain is the pain that kills pains, he said.

Bee venom therapy (BVT):
Salako reeled out a number of ailments that could be combated with bee venom which include headache, insomnia, osteoarthritis, fractures, inflammation, high blood pressure, skin problems, back pain, infertility in women, eye problems, wounds that have refused to go for about two-three years. gThe best remedy for arthritis is Bee Venon Therapy, BVT,h he stated.

Mr. Ndubuisi Okwum , a staff of Scripture Union, Nigeria, echoed Salako’s view. He said: gI learnt a bit of apiculture at Umudike, Abia State and since the 90s, I have known that bee sting can cure malaria (apipuncture), so I am not surprised at this recent research development.

Mr. Harry Porter , reacting to the story, HIV, cancer: Bee venom to the rescue on Vanguard website, said; gThis is what we call nature signature. This is the suggestion of what a fruit or leaf or animal or insect can cure by looking at its structure and what it resembles. Taking a good look at bees, you can see that the comb resembles a DNA structure and a virus. So itfs a great possibility that the cure for HIV can come from it. More research is needed to get a pure sample that will do this without rendering the surrounding cells useless or dead.

If you have a severe headache and I administer BVT via a bee sting, there will be quick relief. As an apitherapist, I studied body anatomy so I know at what points to apply the bee sting so that the venom can be carried through the required route to the targeted site. If you complain of insomnia and I give you BVT, within 20 minutes, you will sleep off,” said Salako, noting that “a farmer who goes to the farm and is being stung by bees will not fall ill easily. He is free from having fever regularly, free from insomnia, high blood pressure, skin problems, eye problem, back pain, HIV etc. Bee venom is very powerful against many ailments.”

Bee venom against HIV
Salako, who claims to have been treating HIV-positive people with bee venom, said; gI have used bee venom to treat some HIV positive patients. I say it on live broadcast but many people donft believe it. If Vanguard can just look for one confirmed HIV-positive patient, they should send him/her to me. After 8 ? 12 weeks of treatment, the person will go for another test. Usually, after the first 8-12 weeks of treatment, he will notice a decrease in the viral load. Then we continue the treatment for another 4-5 weeks and the patient goes for another test until there is no more AIDS virus in the system. Apart from the BVT, I also apply other bee products like propolis with honey. 

The researchers had said that gbee venom contains a potent toxin called melittin that can poke holes in the protective envelope that surrounds HIV and other viruses. It has even shown melittin-loaded nanoparticles to be effective in killing tumor cells.h

Asked if any kind of bee could be used for BVT, Salako replied in the negative saying; The female bees are the only ones that can sting so only female bees are used in BVT.

The male bees are called drones; the mature female bees are called queens which lay the eggs. The drones cannot sting; their main function is to fertilize the virgin queen during her mating flight after which they die.

Extinction of bees:
Some people argue that if the anti-HIV./cancer activities of bee venom proves to be true, then bees may become extinct sooner than later but Salako allayed this fear saying that a queen can lay about 2,500 ? 3,000 eggs per day, adding that it will rather create the much needed job for the youths.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/the-bee-venom-as-hiv-cancer-cure/

Dr Ray Strand’s What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You was originally published over ten years ago, in 2002, but since then, it has become a mainstay of on-going conversations beyond the Western medical industry that struggle to understand more about health and wellness.

The book focuses on a principle that has been much talked about in health and wellness circles in recent years: oxidative stress. Strand takes a close look at how oxidative stress affects the body and how proper nutrition and supplementation can help to reduce this cause of many chronic diseases.

Strand’s Inspiration
A general physician, Dr Strand first had the idea to conduct his research and write the book after his wife was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. While Strand and other medical professionals were unable to treat her symptoms through the usual “medical” approaches, a regimen of nutritional supplements turned out to be extremely helpful in not just managing but eliminating the pain and fatigue. This experience fueled Dr Ray Strand’s interest in nutritive medicine.

What’s Inside the Book
As Dr Strand says on his website, “this is not alternative medicine.” Strand’s approach is fully backed by clinical research on vitamins, minerals, and supplementation, and looks at how to literally “supplement” medical treatments with nutrition.



What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutritional Medicine adds to the discussion on oxidative stress, looking at its role in health issues from aging to cancer and arthritis. Strand fills a gap that is often ignored by members of the medical community with specific recommendations for how readers can defend their bodies from disease.

What Reviewers Say
What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutritional Medicine has been garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews since it first hit the market in 2002. Multiple health professionals have talked about how the book helps them to empower patients to take their health into their own hands. Readers feel similarly: the book has maintained a high 4.5 star rating on Amazon due to its empowerment factor.

In addition, readers call the book a “must-read for anybody interested in their health” and a “must-read for healthy life.” It’s not uncommon to find reviews that discuss the direct effects of Strand’s recommendations on well-being, with glowing praise such as “this book has literally revolutionized my life” and anecdotes about how supplements were able to reverse degenerative conditions when the usual medical approach had failed.

The smattering of negative reviews of the book generally point to Strand’s professional contacts and possible financial links with the supplement industry, as well as some religious undertones to the book. That said, the vast majority of negative reviewers note that the book was still interesting and informative but simply not what they were looking for.
Source:http://infonigeria24.com/what-your-doctor-doesnt-know-about-nutritional-medicine-may-be-killing-you/