₦airaland Forum

The management of Ecobank Nigeria Limited has announced the promotion of about 300 top performing staff.

The promotion exercise which affected about 10 per cent of the employees is in line with the bank’s commitment to recognizing and rewarding excellence and exceptional performance.

The promoted staff cut across all cadres of the workforce. Also, few staff that performed below expectation have been exited.

In his statement announcing the promotion, Deputy Managing Director of the bank, Anthony Okpanachi, said the Ecobank is fully committed to rewarding excellence and will continue to take appropriate positive action in line with international best practice to sustain excellence in its work force.

In his words, “Our people are our precious assets who enable us maintain service quality standards, uphold customer satisfaction and enhance our brand experience.”

The affected staff were selected through an appraisal exercise conducted using an in-house developed performance management system which uses both financial and non-financial metrics to categorize staff.

According to Okpanachi, the same performance parameter used to determine the performance of those promoted, also revealed underperformance of the disengaged workers.
He maintained that Ecobank is an institution where high professional culture and exceptional performance, innovativeness and professionalism are recognized and rewarded.

Ecobank Nigeria is part of the Ecobank Group represented in 36 African countries. The Group employs nearly 19,000 people from 40 different countries in over 1,200 branches and offices.

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/24/ecobank-rewards-300-staff-with-promotions/

Leading pay-TV platform in Africa, DSTV, has announced reduction in the price of its Explora and Zapper decoders.

Managing Director of MultiChoice Nigeria, the parent company of DSTV, John Ugbe, explained that the company decided to give out this gesture and others because our “key priorities is to put our subscribers’ needs at the heart of everything we do and since these have been tough economic times for everyone, we realised that our subscribers could use some good news.”

He said the Explora, dish kit with one month Compact subscription, which initially sells at N71,000, has been reduced to N30,000, while the DStv Zapper decoder, dish kit plus one month Compact subscription will now be sold at N12,500 as against the previous price of N18,500. He added that the offer remains valid while stocks last.

Also, it was disclosed that from Tuesday, February 23, 2016, subscribers on its Compact and Compact Plus bouquets will henceforth enjoy full complement of football matches from the Barclays Premier League, La Liga and the European Championship (Euro 2016) on High Definition at no extra cost.

“We’re excited that we can now deliver the best football action in the world to our Compact subscribers, while ensuring that this development doesn’t negatively impact them financially,” Ugbe said.

It was further disclosed that two new channels have been added to the Compact and Compact Plus bouquets; SuperSport 11 (DStv channel 231) and SuperSport 12 (DStv channel 232), which will be dedicated to the EPL and La Liga respectively.

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/23/dstv-slashes-price-of-explora-decoder/

Thursday, March 17, 2016, has been fixed by Justice Abdulazeez Anka of Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, for hearing proper to commence in the N500 million suit filed by Nigeria Union of Journalists, Lagos State Council, on behalf of one of its members, Otunba Yomi Olomofe, against the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service and eight others over alleged assault on Olomofe at Seme border on June 25, 2015.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, Justice Anka directed that all the nine respondents in the case should be served the court papers before hearing proper will commence on March 17.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Adelayo Banjo from Jiti Ogunye Chambers, told the court that all the respondents had been served. The judge however said the proof of service was not before him and insisted that all respondents must be served before hearing can commence.

Read concluding part here: http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/22/assault-on-journalist-hearing-begins-march-17/

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, maintained that the ‘controversial’ 2016 appropriation bill worth N6.08 trillion was never padded as being claimed in some quarters.

Mohammed, while addressing newsmen on Saturday, also disclosed that this was the first time in the history of the country to ask ministers to justify their allocations.

“The total for every ministry has remained exactly the same as what was submitted to the National Assembly [and] a lot has been said about the budget. Let make clear that nobody can ever accuse this government of padding any budget.

“The total of all ministries put together has not exceeded N6.08 trillion that was submitted. It is factually incorrect to say that the budget was padded.

“This is the first time in the history of this country that a government will embark what is called zero based budget,” the minister told journalists.

Speaking further, he explained that, “Before now, the budget system was what was called an enveloped system. In an envelope system, there is no justification as to why we need N30 billion for a structure.

“This year, we decide that every ministry must have a zero based budget. In other word, you must justify and explain why you need N100 billion.

“This is very good system, the soft ware for it was also very different. The personnel were not used to it. Now, in the process we got to national assembly. What the ministers do is to have a broad overview of the budget. The template used by the budget office is uniform for all ministers.”

“Before now we use to sell crude for about 100 dollar per barrel which means if we produce two million barrels per day, you have something in the region of 200 million dollar less the expenditure of production and others.

“But today for the same two million barrels, you have less than 60 million dollar less the cost of production. “Clearly if your major source of exchange is crude and it has gone down from 100 per cent, you have lost 70 per cent of your source,” he added.

“Secondly, if your balance of trade is surplus, in other word, if you export more than you import, then you are going to have less money to settle other countries.

“What the government is doing is to ensure that the little resources we have are properly managed. Part of decision we took was treasury single account.

“Others include blocking all sort form of corruption and diversify economy so that we can get foreign exchange for other sources,” Lai Mohammed said.


No Fraud In 2016 Budget—Lai Mohammed
http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/20/no-fraud-in-2016-budget-lai-mohammed/

For most corporate and post graduate institutions, staff and prospective students’ degrees and certificate verifications is a constant and arduous cycle for which all involved parties must set aside time and financial resources to meet.

However, the recent liberties provided by the advent of internet technology have paved ways to ease this process and Obafemi Awolowo University is proving to be an early adopter in this matter.

As part of the university's ongoing efforts to smoothen the continuing education and other post-university needs and requests of its students, both present and former; and all other stakeholders who interact with the university, the institution has partnered with ETX-NG to handle all its transcript, degrees and credentials verification.

Speaking to stakeholders during an enlightenment session on the benefits derivable from the process, the Managing Director of ETX-NG, Hillary Obomighie stated that the new system would make responding to verification request much easier and faster for staff of the Universities registry due to enhanced automation.

Also, requests from third party institutions such as WES (World Education Services) which is an International Credentials Evaluation Company can now be handled and turned around with little or no effort.

Although, it might suffice to say that while correctly regarded an early adopter of this method on a corporate level, OAU is employing a system that is already gaining momentum amongst individuals and other institutions for its ease of online transcript request, payment and delivery, and also credentials verifications, all with guaranteed security.

In his speech, Obomighie said his firm is glad to partner with OAU to relieve thousands of people and institutions the burden of physically travelling and visiting schools for transcript request and credentials verification.

“In these critical times, everyone should be able to save some money and time, which is why the usual www.etx-ng.com has gotten its own OAU extension: www.etx-ng.com/oau-verifications for all stakeholders of the institution”, Obomighie added to a cheering audience.

ETX-NG is an electronic transcript exchange and degree verification system, which allows free participation of all tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It is noted that this service is open to other universities, polytechnics and professional certification bodies in Nigeria who wish to participate.

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/18/oau-adopts-online-degree-credentials-verification/

Respected man of God, Ituah Ighodalo and his wife, Ibidun, marked their nine years of marriage on Tuesday, February 16, 2016.

An elated Ibidun, in her romantic message to celebrate the day, described her urbane husband as “loving” and as her “baby”.

According to her, their union has been “amazing and (an) enjoyable ride.”

The former beauty queen said her pastor husband has made their marriage a smooth one, saying he has been “sacrificial, sincere, loyal and truthful.”

She said, “I would choose you over and over again sweetie. There's no one I'd rather go through this life with than you baby. You are more than enough for me and I bless the day you came into my life.”

Concluding, she said, “Here's to many more years in joy, laughter and all round pleasure. Always and forever. Your very own......Kokoye.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/16/pastor-ighodalo-ibidun-mark-9-years-of-marital-bliss/

A former aide to the National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Gani Adams, Sileola Fasan, has reacted to an allegation of fraud levelled against his former boss.

Over the weekend, some expelled state leaders of the Yoruba interest group led by Marruf Olanrewaju accused Adams of collecting $22 million from the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe him (Adams). Read it here: http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/15/gani-adams-got-22m-from-late-gadaffi-opc-leaders/

But in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Fasan, who claimed to have worked with the OPC leader between 2005 and 2014 as his Special Assistant on IT and Banking Matters, said there was never a time Adams had such an amount of money in both his domiciliary and Naira accounts.

“I want to clear air on the 22 million Dollars allegation from the late president of Libya. I worked with Otunba Gani Adams between 2005 and 2014. I worked as his Special Assistant on IT and Banking matters. I had access into all his accounts, I could ask for his account balance any time I needed it.

“Otunba is the type that does not hide his financial status, if he is rich, you would know and if he is broke too, you would equally know,” Fasan said.

Writing further, he said, “I am surprised at seeing what I call false allegation on the social media that he collected such huge sum of money from Libya. Otunba had never had up to $5,000 in his domiciliary account and N10,000,000 Naira account respectively, throughout my working with him.

“He did not have hidden account, his wife is my younger sister too and I had access to her own account. She is also a moderate spender and so conservative. This allegation is far from the truth. $22 million for God sake! There is God o!”

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/16/gani-adams-never-got-22m-from-gaddafi-former-aide/

At the thanksgiving service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, City of David Parish in Lagos on February 7, 2016, Fuji maestro, Adewale Ayuba, gave a testimony of how his life changed for the better after confessing Jesus Christ as his Lord.

The Bonsue king explained that in 2010, after battling in his heart for a long time, he decided to surrender his life to Jesus Christ.

He said since then, doors of blessing have been opening for him.

According to the musician, on December 31, 2015, he asked God for help to be able to pay for a loan he collected from the back and to his greatest surprise, he completed the payment days before his testimony.

See the video here: http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/10/watch-fuji-star-adewale-ayubas-testimony-at-rccg/

The N10 billion padding reported to be discovered in the education budget meant for the Universal basic Education Commission has been described as a typographical error from the office of the National Planning and Budget.

Chairman of Senate Committee on Higher Education, Binta Masi Garba, made this disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja after the commissioning of Federal University, Lafia’s connection to Nigerian Research and Education Network, NgREN, in inter-conference programme in National Universities Commission, NUC.

She stressed that the issue was not with the ministry of education and that it had been resolved by the house and the senate and would be amended in the budget.

According to Garba, “For us to find ourselves out of where we found ourselves in Nigeria, education is the bedrock of development and if education is not given the rightful footing in budgeting then definitely we will have a problem.”

It would be recalled that the Senate Committee on Education last week at the 2016 budget defence noted that it uncovered about N10 Billion hidden in the budget of parastatals by the Federal Ministry of Education.

Additional information from Daily Trust

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/10/hidden-n10b-in-education-budget-was-typo-error/

It is no longer news that popular Nigerian actor, Olumide Bakare has been battling with a heart related ailment.

The veteran actor is currently admitted at the University College Hospital, UCH, in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he is receiving treatment.

A top Yoruba programme presenter, Jide Moronfolu, who recently visited the actor at his hospital bed, disclosed that Olumide Bakare has called on Nigerians to come to his aid.

“I am now helpless, kindly tell Nigerians to come to my rescue, especially with money and prayers,” the actor was quoted to have said. (“agbara mi o ka mo o, ba mi be a won Omo Nigeria mi won ran mi lowo pelu owo ati adura”).

https://www.aproko247.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/olumide-bakare2-300x225.jpg

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/02/02/photos-veteran-actor-olumide-bakare-on-sick-bed/

**Orders Fresh Probe
A fresh investigation has been ordered into the kidnap of over 200 students of the Government Girls Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014, by Boko Haram members.

A statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, disclosed that the probe panel would be chaired by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Munguno.

Munguno will look into the remote and immediate circumstances leading the abduction of the girls as well the other events, actions and inactions that followed the incident.

This latest development comes hours after parents of the missing girls and the Bring Back Our Girls, BBOG, campaigners met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Thursday.

The President has informed parents of the missing girls that he goes to “bed and wake(s) up every day with the Chibok girls on my mind,” reminding them that “securing the Chibok girls is my responsibility.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/01/14/its-my-job-to-find-chibok-girls-buhari/

Nigeria’s Federal Capital City, Abuja, has recorded its first death to Lassa fever since the latest outbreak in November 2015.

The deadly disease has so far claimed about 41 lives from 93 reported cases in 10 states in Nigeria.

Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, disclosed in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja that the disease killed a 33-year-old newlywed, who lived in Jos, Plateau State, but travelled to see a family member in Kubwa because of his illness, breathed his last within 24 hours of presentation at the national hospital.

The statement signed by the press director, Boade Akinola, at the health ministry, further said the Minister was briefed of the development by medical director of the hospital, Jack Momoh, who said the late patient was brought unconscious from a private hospital in Kubwa to the hospital.

Adewole then directed all primary and secondary contacts of the victim, including the staff of the private hospital in Kubwa, an Abuja suburb, where the deceased was first managed for one week before referral to National Hospital, be tracked.

He urged residents of the city not to panic but to maintain high level vigilance and present themselves for test if they feel unhealthy or they feel symptoms of Lassa fever, which include high fever, stooling, tiredness, vomiting, etc., adding that self-medication should be avoided at this period.

http://www.aproko247.com/2016/01/13/lassa-fever-enters-abuja-kills-one/

Popular local business conglomerate, BUA Group, has been accused by the Federal Government of frustrating its economic policies, which are meant to better the lives of Nigerians.

According to the National Sugar Development Council, NSDC, the regulatory body charged to see to the transformation of the sugar industry in the country, claimed some companies especially BUA had flouted the terms and conditions for obtaining a three-year low tariffs for sugar importation into the country.

Executive Secretary of the council, Dr. Abdullatif Demola Busari, said in January 2013, that the federal government approved concessionary low tariffs of 5 per cent duty and 5 per cent levy for raw sugar imports for three companies including the BUA Group as against the 5 per cent duty and 70 per cent levy contained in the National Sugar Policy.

Dr Busari explained that though the high tariffs for refined sugar import into the country was deliberately designed to discourage importation and encourage local production of sugar, the concession became necessary in order not to hike the local price of the commodity since the country has not achieved self-sufficiency in sugar production yet.

He noted Nigeria still depended on sugar importation to meet 90 per cent of local consumption, which led to the plea by stakeholders that if sugar is to be imported at that high tariff, the cost of sugar will be prohibitive.

The concession was then given to Dangote Group, BUA Group and Golden Sugar companies all of who had signed a Backward Integration Programme (BIP) commitment with the federal government in which the money saved from the concession will be invested in their cane sugar farms and integrated sugar processing.

This move was expected to slowly lead to the phasing out of the massive importation of sugar in the medium and long term and transforming the country into one that is self-sufficient in sugar production and consumption.

Overall, the target is that by the year 2018, the three of them will be capable of integrated production of 700,000 metric tonnes of sugar sourced locally from their farms. The purpose of this plan of the federal government is obvious. By maintaining the status quo, the economic activities generated in the process of refining dirty brown-coloured raw sugar imported from Brazil and transforming it into white sugar crystals is only about 5 per cent of the gamut of farm jobs, out grower-farmers schemes, sugar cane suppliers and large numbers workers needed for fully integrated processing of sugar straight from sugar cane harvested locally from Nigerian farms.

The extensive value chain created from fully integrated sugar production is therefore essential for the nation’s economic growth, while the little value addition of sugar refining currently being carried out does not do the economy much good.

According to Busari, “One particular refiner, the BUA group, has not lived up to expectation. Just about three weeks ago, the Sugar Council had to apply a sanction. The sanction is simple. Recall the concession of 5 per cent levy, 5 per cent duty because you are expected to put the savings back to your BIP and we’ve been monitoring the BIP and nothing has happened in BUA’s investment.”

Investigations revealed that the BUA Group’s BIP site in Kwara State has nothing to show for the three years the company enjoyed concessionary low tariffs for sugar imports.

“By now, it supposed to have over 400 hectares of planted sugar cane in the site. It is supposed to have brought in its machineries by now. That is, by March 2015, it is supposed to have imported it’s machineries but nothing like that has happened,” Busari said.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/12/01/bua-sabotaging-economy-for-excessive-profit-fg/

In Nigeria, most governors, after serving their tenures, which are mostly two terms of four years each, retire to the Senate. But the incumbent governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, says he will not toe that path like his ‘senior’ colleagues.

Fayose, addressing newsmen on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, said he has no intention to vie for higher position after leaving the Ekiti Government House.

The governor was speaking with journalists after the Ekiti State House of Assembly declared him leader of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Asked if the endorsement by the lawmakers was a sign of him being prepared for a higher position after leaving as the state governor, Fayose said, “I’m not vying for anything. I’m not equally going to the Senate. Senate is what most governors will rush to; I’m not going. I won’t contest for Senate. So anybody expressing anything for me is wasting his time because I’m not going to beg for any office.”

Speaking further, the governor said, “I have gotten to this position because God wants me there and I’m not going to be part of any promotion to position me. No, I still have three years ahead of me. Who knows what will happen in three years’ time; who knows what will happen in two years’ time; who knows where Nigeria itself would be. So, we should all strive for the survival of this country first and forget about positioning yourself.

“Great leaders don’t talk about their political placement, they talk about the country’s placement, where the country would be at the appropriate time. But on the issue of what I stand for and what I say, I have no apologies and with all due respect, I have been like this from time immemorial and I have no apologies because this country belongs to all of us.

“This weekend, I will be 55; a lot of people died when they were 10 years old. Some died when they were 20, some when they were 30 or 40 but I’m 55. If I die today, my children will still entertain guests at my burial, you understand. They will equally leverage on my achievements for consolation. Gowon was president of this country at 28 or 29, Obasanjo was president of Nigeria at 37. Today, I’m still battling with the office of a governor and those people we are talking about are still talking in the public after being 80 or 90 years of age,” he further said.

Reacting to the notion that he should have stopped criticising President Muhammadu Buhari, Fayose queried, “For what?” pointing out that, “I will tell them the truth; opposition helps government of the day, helps Nigerians, to keep them on track. Opposition helps to check dictatorship, opposition helps to check oppression. My being here as governor, my voice today will remain by the grace of God.

“I’m not like somebody going underground for reasons of harassment; it is only shameful that the government of the day is after shadows. You want to be in power, you are in power; you have charged virtually all PDP governors to court, are we saying no APC governor is corrupt in this country? But for me, I’m not going into that; I’m not going to descend into that arena.

”For everything I say, I say it in good conscience. When I was criticising the President before he became President of Nigeria, they thought I will be quiet after. Tomorrow, if I find him wanting, I will tell him. The President is not God, he’s only leader of our country for a period of time,” he added.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/11/13/i-wont-go-to-senate-after-my-tenure-fayose/

The supposed founder of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, retired Justice Eze Ozobu, has criticized the hate speeches and incitement to aggression as being portrayed by persons under the guise of Radio Biafra.

Speaking with Rev Obinna Aklukwe, Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress, IMC, who sought his views as part of the group’s on-going consultations with Igbo leaders on how to put an end to hate speeches characterizing the new face of Radio Biafra, Justice Ozobu said that he doesn’t even know the person called Nnamdi Kanu.

According to the respected octogenarian, ‘I do not know anybody called Nnamdi Kanu. You said that his name is what? how does he look like? I have never asked anybody to use violence or incitement to achieve any means.’

Justice Ozobu further said, ‘for two years now, I have not had audience with anybody over any matter political including IPOB, Radio Biafra or any other group, neither do I listen to Radio Biafra.” He threatened to take legal actions against anybody who associates him with any hate speech, aggression and unruly activities in any ramifications.

Also, his wife, a retired Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs lashed out at those associating her husband with hate speeches as name droppers.

She told Rev Akukwe that “IPOB, Radio Biafra or whosoever have not seen my husband for over two years, therefore nobody can claim that he sent them on any mission. They are dropping his name without consulting him.”

She described her husband as a man of principle and peace and sued for peace among the Igbos and advised the aggrieved to do so within the ambit of truth, justice and rule of law.

IPOB had claimed that His Royal Majesty, Retired Justice Eze Ozobu (OFR) was their founder with the designation of Chairman Governing Council of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra with Dr Dozie Ikedife as the Secretary.

Justice Ozobu was the Chief Judge of Enugu State for many years. It is on record that his tenure as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo was the most transparent. He is a foremost respectable Igbo Jurist whose incorruptible stature is likened to that of his friend, late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Also, the Igbo Mandate Congress has condemned the hate speeches associated with Radio Biafra. This was part of the resolutions of the emergency meeting held in Enugu to evaluate the implication of IPOB’s successful protest march in Onitsha, Asaba, Owerri and Yenegoa on Friday. The group described the hate speeches as contrary to the spirit of Biafra.

Rev Akukwe explained that “abusing the Hausa, the Fulani, and the Yoruba in the course of pursuing Biafra is anti-Christian. Christianity cannot support the dissemination of hate messages against fellow living beings created by God, and nobody chose which tribe to come from. It is God that created all. Anybody or group that wants Biafra should pursue it within the ambit of reasonable processes and international conventions.”

Clarifying further, Akukwe said “since 1999, Igbos have occupied positions of Senate Presidency, Deputy Senate Presidency, Party Chairmanship, Secretary to the Government of Nigeria, and yet the all-important Enugu-Onitsha Highway, Enugu-Nsukka Highway from Opi to 9th Mile and Enugu-Port-Harcourt Highway from the Okigwe end are the worst roads in Nigeria due to their selfish representations at the centre. While other regions are being developed, South East politicians embezzled their lot and they are now using a people’s aspiration to cover up for crime.

“These political bandits failed to ensure that these roads were repaired from the Obasanjo through to the Jonathan regime, preferring to pursue contracts and appointments. We should blame our corrupt Igbo leadership first for our woes and make them to account for years of selfish superintendent over our destinies before blaming outside accomplices.”

Rev Akukwe averred further that “The Federal Government should release Nnamdi Kanu, and all IPOB protesters with immediate effect. Ben Onwuka of Biafra Zionist Movement and his members languishing in Enugu Prisons and all MASSOB members in detention should be granted amnesty and sent home because many of them are victims of corrupt governance at the centre fuelled by corrupt and incompetent political representations from the South East.”

The Abia State Coordinator of Igbo Mandate Congress and founding Secretary General of Ohanaeze Youths Council, Comrade Chuks Ibegbu in his submissions said that “we must be careful with these protests in order not to be used by selfish elements because there is not much difference between these agitations and the money making sentiments used by MASSOB leader Uwazurike over the years. Our people must be careful not to be dragged into another conflict driven by self-interests. Security agencies should release the misguided elements that joined the protests due to bandwagon effects.”

Ohanaeze Ndigo had also cautioned on the activities of IPOB. The Assistant National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Co-ordinator of Igbo Ohanaeze Integrity Groups, Barrister Emejulu Okpalaukwu has said that those sponsoring the agitations are Igbo politicians afraid of EFCC prosecution. Ohanaeze Spokesman told Igbo Mandate Congress members that “evil minded politicians afraid of prosecution are sponsoring aspects of IPOB protest march. These people should be cautioned before it is too late. Arrested protesters should be counselled and sent home and the use of force should be discouraged.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/11/10/presumed-ipob-founder-denounces-radio-biafra-kanu/

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has charged its members and supporters to be on the alert and be ready to defend their votes in forthcoming elections, especially in the November 21 and December 5, 2015, governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states respectively.

The party, in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, said it is giving this warning following the fallout to the alleged “open manipulations of last Saturday’s Borno Central Senatorial bye-election.”

Metuh disclosed in the statement that the call has become necessary following the “continuous violation of electoral rules and intimidation of opposition by the APC Federal Government, as manifested in the conduct of the Borno Central Senatorial bye-election.”

The party said the bye-election falls short of all acceptable standards and was characterized by high-level manipulations by the APC, which used compromised electoral officers and security forces to muscle votes in its favour.

“We have repeatedly alerted Nigerians that our democracy is under threat in the hands of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government.

“Last Saturday’s Borno Central Senatorial Bye-election, where compromised electoral officials and security forces were brazenly used to intimidate the electorate and write votes for the APC has brought this to the fore. This barefaced rape on our democracy is completely unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue in the country.

“In the light of this therefore, the national leadership of the PDP charges all our members and supporters across the country, especially in Kogi and Bayelsa states to be on the alert ahead of the November 21 and December 5 governorship elections and use every lawful means as citizens of Nigeria to protect their votes and ensure that no one, no matter the force or manipulation is allowed to subvert the will of the people.

“As a party that nurtured and sustained democracy and the unity of the country for 16 years, during which we strengthened the safety net of ‘one man, one vote’, we insist that the sanctity of the ballot box and the overall electoral process must be upheld at all levels and at all times.

“While we reject the processes associated with the conduct and outcome of the Borno Central Senatorial bye-election, we wish to state in the strongest possible terms that the PDP will never, by any means whatsoever, allow a replay of such heinous manipulations in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states respectively.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/11/02/stay-alert-during-kogi-bayelsa-polls-pdp-tells-members/

National Publicity of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lai Mohammed, has been described as too troublesome by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The country’s main opposition party said this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by its spokesman, Olisa Metuh.

PDP further said Mohammed, who was recently confirmed as Minister by the Senate, is a “misguided individual completely unfit to hold responsible national office in a democratic government.”

“The cantankerous nature, resort to personal attacks and uncouth description of a rival political party always, by the APC spokesman while responding to critical issues, are indicative of his background, pedigree, upbringing and emptiness as a low life,” the PDP said in the statement.

According to the PDP, the ruling party’s mouthpiece should endeavour “to shed his offensive narcissist tendencies even in his desperation not to end up being a minister without a portfolio.”

“The PDP counselled Lai Mohammed that having been a beneficiary of the benevolence and forgiving spirit of the Senate President, one would expect him now to be mature, decent, civil and more organized in his responses to public comments,” the party concludes.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/31/lai-mohammed-too-quarrelsome-low-life-pdp/

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly have explained why they staged a walk out on Thursday following the confirmation of former Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi as Minister of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against the recommendations of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The lawmakers, speaking through their leader in the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who is the Minority Leader, told newsmen shortly after incident that they were against the abuse of the rule of law.

Akpabio stressed that there was nothing wrong if Amaechi’s confirmation was suspended as recommended by the Ethics Committee, pending when issues against him were cleared.

He disclosed that the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, and its members were not being sincere with their promise to fight corruption, declaring that the PDP would not be part of any action against the Nigerian people and the constitution.

“The issues brought against the nominee were issues that were brought upon the Senate. The majority party felt there was no need to comply with the law and it would have been a good idea to allow the Senate to go into the matter and we will not partake in that type of thing,” Akpabio told journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

He said it was embarrassing and shameful for the country to watch the Senate in chaos over issues of such importance, stating that the APC chose to shun due process against the wish of the Nigerians.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/29/why-we-walked-out-on-saraki-akpabio/

Yoruba leaders have been advised to disregard the factional leader of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams as one of the credible Yoruba leaders who would determine the fate of the
Yoruba Nation.

This was contained in a press release signed by the spokesperson of the National Executive Council of the OPC, Comrade Adesina Akinpelu and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

While commenting on the recently held Yoruba Leaders Summit at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat Ibadan, Akinpelu hinted that the meeting was necessary to address the sufferings of the Yoruba people in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen.

He also called on relevant authorities to, as a matter of urgency, addressed the invasion of the farmlands of the Yorubas by Fulani herdsmen before it generates to a crisis that may result in loss of
lives and properties.

The NCC spokesperson, while speaking on the invitation of Gani Adams as one of the Yoruba leaders, said that apart from the fact that he is from of Nupe land, he took part in politics in the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan and that he should resign from the group before it is too late.

“I want to say that the Yoruba leaders have taken the right steps on the issue, but they should be mindful of the people that will come together to discuss the future of the Yoruba Nation and they should forget about the likes of Gani Adams, who have contravened the rule of the founding members of OPC by getting involved in active politics.

Concluding part here: http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/29/gani-adams-not-a-yoruba-man-group/

cc Lalasticlala

A former deputy governor of Cross River State, Mathias Offoboche, is reportedly dead.

Offoboche was said to have passed on in a London hospital after a protracted illness. He reportedly breathed his last on Sunday.

According to information gathered by our reporter, Offoboche was a deputy governor under the administration of Dr Clement Isong of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party, NPN.

The deceased, an octogenarian, was reportedly rushed to a hospital in London for an undisclosed illness.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/27/ex-cross-river-deputy-gov-dies-in-london/

Wonders and doubts were left on the lips of fast-rising actress, Judy Austin’s fans, when she said she manages her male admirers by showing them God’s love when they approach her with advances.

In her words: “I’m wondering why it should be surprising to most people. Could it be that as an actress I can’t be a good Christian with strong family upbringing? My beauty does not affect my being. So, I manage my male admirers by showing them God’s love,” she said.

When asked about the $ex for role issue that characterises the industry, and whether she has experienced it, this sensational actress said: “No, I have not. I guess God’s grace led me through, because I’ve not experienced it yet.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/26/im-yet-to-be-sexually-abused-in-nollywood-judy-austin/

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a powerful delegation to two states, Adamawa and Borno States to condole with their governments and people over the increased bombing activity by Boko Haram terrorists, with a strong appeal to local populations to share in the responsibility for security in their surroundings.

The President, who spoke through the leader of the delegation, Engineer Babachir David Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, directed all communities in the country to revert to old practices by which new arrivals in their neighbourhoods were taken note of by local chiefs and security agencies.

Going down the memory lane, the President recalled that these were practices that worked well in past in securing neighbourhoods and local communities.

He said the ward head, the village head and the local police knew every new entrant into the community. They kept tabs on them and detected traits of criminality before evil-doers get the chance to act against common interest.

“We must go back to those rudimentary acts of local policing," the President reiterated, adding that the job of securing our life and property is too important to be left to security officials alone.

He further said that, "We must help them to do their job. The responsibility of detecting criminals lies with all of us. In this new phase of the war, all of us are generals, all of us are foot soldiers, all of us are intelligence officers."

In commiserating with families who lost dear ones and the inpatients in the hospitals visited by the delegation on his behalf, President Buhari assured of the full support of the government and the determination of his administration to end the menace of the Boko Haram terrorists by the year's end.

In his message at hospitals, emirs' palaces and Government Houses in the two states as read by the SGF, the President said that "the security situation in the North East remains a great source of concern for me. Although there are clear indications that the military is recording great successes in the theatre of operations, the enemy has been able to carry out his murderous campaign by attacking soft targets using Improvised Explosive Devices.

Read concluding part here: http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/24/boko-haram-buhari-sends-delegation-to-borno-adamawa/

Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has alleged that Nyesom Wike, who was sacked on Saturday by an election tribunal sitting in Abuja as governor of Rivers State, is planning to run away “from facing the wrath of the law for his corrupt practices and for supervising the death of over 100 APC members” during an election.

The party, in a press statement issued on Saturday shortly after the Tribunal’s ruling, said it “reliably” learnt about this information and “appealed to the relevant security agencies to keep close watch on Wike.”

In the statement, signed by its chairman, Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, and made available to Aproko247, the Rivers APC also said the ruling today has “vindicated” the party, boasting that “there is no way under the heavens that Wike can beat our candidate, Dr Dakuku Peterside, in a free and fair election.”

“Though, we were expecting total ban of Nyesom Wike from further participation in the politics of Nigeria seeing the orchestration of the number of death of Rivers State people in order for him to be installed as a Care-Taker Governor all the same we thank the Justice Mohammed Ambrusa-led Tribunal for restoring hope to the downtrodden people of Rivers State who have borne the brunt of Wike’s illegal and visionless administration in the past five months.

“We thank the Tribunal for allowing itself to be used by God to uproot the impostor governor, Nyesom Wike, who has these past five months brought monumental suffering to our people in cahoots with some mischievous and misguided politicians whose only understanding of governance is blackmailing and the looting of our common patrimony,” Rivers APC said.

The party lamented that “Wike’s tragic entry into the Brick House seat of power has only succeeded to bring back criminality in various forms in the once peaceful Rivers State as kidnapping, robbery and organised crimes have being on the increase since his evil arrival.”

“For the first time in the history of our dear State, a government without any vision or blueprint assumed office, thereby collapsing all the systems of governance.

“On 22nd October, 2015, 19 students on the scholarship of the Rivers State Government through its agency, the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) were forced to abandon their studies and return to Nigeria because the State Government had not paid their fees and upkeep in the United Kingdom. Those in Canada and other locations are also expected to return soon for same reasons.

“Earlier this week, the RSUST Chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) went on a protest march and warning strike due to the mindless hiking of fees of the university’s primary and secondary demonstration schools by the clueless Wike administration. Local Government Councils in the State have been unable to pay their staff salaries for August and September while some, such as Opobo/Nkoro, owe their personnel salaries from July 2015 to date.

“In the area of sports, our twin pride Sharks and Dolphins may be relegated from the Nigerian Premier League for the first time in so many years.

“While Wike was busy looting and wasting Rivers State resources in pursuit of his failed project to destroy his benefactor, Rotimi Amaechi, he abandoned governance and now that he has been sent packing, he should summon courage and face the wrath of the law by accounting for the death of our people killed to install him as Care-Taker Governor.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/24/wike-planning-to-run-away-rivers-apc/

Former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, on Wednesday explained how he tackled the issue of insecurity in the state while he was at the helm of affairs.

Fashola, during his ministerial screening at the Senate on Wednesday morning, told the lawmakers that the government must be sincere with the issue of security of lives and properties of the citizens it governs.

He further said while in government in Lagos State, he viewed criminals as his competitors and that his major goal was always to win.

“My attitude as governor was to see criminals as competitor and in competition, I must win,” the immediate governor of Lagos State said.

“My job was to ensure that nobody was robbed; for every citizen that was robbed, I had failed. So, I had to get it right and be ahead of the criminals,” Fashola said while answering a question at the red chambers of the National Assembly on state police.

Fashola stressed that he totally supports the call for community policing as it is being practised in advance countries. He said every state must not start it, but only for those who can afford to fund it. He further allayed the fears that state police might be hijacked by politicians.

“We should look at it from the area of security of the citizens rather than the political implication that might arise from it,” the ministerial nominee further said.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/14/criminals-were-my-competitors-as-governor-fashola/

Nigerian actress, Susan Peters has finally said ‘I do’ to the man she prays to spend the rest of her life with.

Susan, who is a top actress in Nigeria, exchanged marital vows with her Dutch lover at the Ikoyi Marriage registry in Lagos.

The occasion, which took place on Saturday, October 10, 2015, was attended by few people, including fellow actor turned politician, Desmond Elliot.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/10/susan-peters-marries-dutch-lover-in-lagos/

Top Yoruba actress, Laide Bakare celebrated her birthday on Thursday night in the United States of America, USA, which was attended by her close friends.

It was her 35th birthday and the actress did not spare anything to have a swell day at the bash last night.

Laide wore a dress that brought out her beauty, however, she showed almost everything on her chest.

Check out the photos here: http://www.aproko247.com/2015/10/09/photos-laide-bakare-bares-it-all-in-birthday-dress/

Spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government and his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, of leading Nigeria to autocracy.

Metuh, in a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said this is coming based on “some disturbing political trends in our country since the emergence of Buhari-led APC administration at the centre which, if unchecked portends high risk for our hard earned democracy.”

He further noted that “in the last 120 days under the APC, some elements in the euphoria of their unexpected victory are now moving our dear nation from democracy to autocracy and attempting to impose a sole administratorship in all spheres of the polity, with its attendant consequences and embarrassments to the President and our national image.”

The party pointed out the “absence of Nigeria at one of the key listed meetings at the 70th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where the issue of humanitarian crisis arising from the insurgency in Lake Chad countries including our country was the main agenda, further asserts the ineptitude of the handlers of the President on national and international issues.”

Metuh said those around Buhari have displayed “ executive arrogance, flagrant abuse of power, constitutional violations, assault on democratic institutions, compromising of judicial processes, invasion of state government and personal houses, harassment of citizens and the deliberate suffocation of the middle class.”

“Also, the stance goes a long way to show that the flip-flopped promise of our President to name a cabinet, a deadline which he shifted from two weeks of assumption of office to end of September, is actually a reluctant pledge and done under great duress,” Metuh further said.

The party feared that “Given this worrisome outlook, it is obvious that the Presidency would not attach any value or importance to the ministers under the ‘new sheriff’,” asking if this could also be “part of the reason for the relentless onslaught against the National Assembly, which must be weakened and prevented from playing its constitutional role of checks and balances in the system?”

Metuh further said, “Much more pathetic and shocking, but very revealing of the insincerity and ineptitude of those around the President was the disconcerting excuse by an aide of the President in trying to explain away this blunder.”

“Instead of admitting failure and apologizing to Nigerians, the Presidency sought to hoodwink the public by claiming that the meeting was not one of the official events for which the President and his delegation are in New York, only for the official brochure of the meeting tagged, ‘High Level Event on the Lake Chad Basin’, to show that ‘high level representation from the government of Nigeria’ was scheduled to make contributions at the meeting.”

Metuh said with this, it is right to say the country’s “delegation to the UN General Assembly Meeting achieved nothing, reminiscent of the July much hyped visit to the US, which also brought nothing but diplomatic disagreements, also due to the ineptitude of the APC-led federal government.”

“We therefore use this medium to draw the attention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria to various complaints by PDP members regarding the application of undue technicalities to deny them justice in elections tribunals and relevant courts.

“The special case in point is the manipulation of the processes in the governorship elections tribunals in Plateau and Imo states, where APC stole our mandates and is now applying all manner of tactics to arm-twist the judiciary and manipulate the proceedings by wounding down the clock, thereby preventing the hearing of the merit of PDP cases in those states until the expiration of the stipulated 180 days.

“Our complaints derive from the fact that the APC is already boasting of being in control of the judiciary as a tool to take over states won by the PDP in the general elections especially, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers, Taraba, Delta as well as Imo and Plateau states.

“We therefore hope that the recent decision of the Court of Appeal sitting in Jos, reversing the ruling of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Plateau State, admitting into evidence INEC-certified electoral documents, expert evidence and report, following a joint inspection of the documents by parties to the petition, as ordered by the tribunal itself, is not the direct result of the arm-twisting of the judiciary by the APC.

“This is especially so when the APC, who at the moment claims victory at the election, offered not a shred of evidence to contradict the INEC-certified documents and expert evidence and report emanating from it as presented by the PDP in the two states, Imo and Plateau.

“The most disturbing aspect of this perhaps is in Imo state, where the merit of the PDP petition in the tribunal was not heard but thrown out on technicalities and being frustrated from being heard,” Metuh said at the briefing.

He concluded that the PDP will continue to base its opposition on issues and urged “Nigerians to be on the alert and join us in resisting hawks around the Presidency from derailing our democracy through their divisive, parochial and anti-democratic actions and interests.”

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/09/28/nigeria-in-disarray-under-apc-metuh/

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, says it has not stopped fighting for the masses as being speculated in some quarters.

Recently, there have been beliefs that the labour union was no longer giving the Nigerian government a tough time, which used to be the case in the past, especially during the military regime and the Olusegun Obasanjo tenure as civilian president from 1999 to 2007.

President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, who spoke on Raypower’s programme on Monday morning, ‘Fact File’, said the labour has not been compromised as being insinuated.

“We have not gone to sleep. We are still on the side of the Nigerian populace; nobody has compromised us,” Wabba said on the programme, which was monitored by Aproko247.

Wabba said the NLC is still very active like the days of Adams Oshiomhole, who then used the union to force the government of Obasanjo to change some policies that were then viewed as anti-people.

The NLC president said every Nigerians should be involved in governance, stressing that it is not purely a labour function.

Earlier, Wabba denied reports that the union has asked embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to resign from office because of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, in Abuja.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday night, the NLC boss said the union is a law abiding institution that believes in the rule of law and due process and thus could not have asked for such without recourse to the law.

“The NLC believes in the rule of law and we believe that whatever is right should be done. By our laws, the mere alleging that somebody has committed an offense, by our laws we don’t judge the person as guilty as pronounced by a court of law.

“To me that would be following due process and the rule of law than to midway begin to make pronouncement and criminalize people. I think what is right should be done rightly,” Wabba said in the statement.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/09/28/we-have-not-failed-nigerians-nlc/

Aproko247 has learnt that the National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has suspended the Kogi State governorship primary earlier fixed for Thursday, September 10, 2015.

A statement issued on Wednesday by National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, disclosed that the reason for the postponement is due to “some logistic issues pertaining to the exercise.”

According to Metuh, “The NWC reassures members of the party and other critical stakeholders, particularly the gubernatorial aspirants, of a transparent, credible, free and fair primary election.”

Meanwhile, he disclosed that a new date for the exercise has been approved.

He said the primary will now take place on Monday, September 14, 2015.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/09/09/breaking-pdp-postpones-kogi-guber-primary/

Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Wednesday, September 9, 2015, fired four Commissioners in his cabinet. The governor disclosed that the sack of the affected officials is with immediate effect.

Oshiomhole said he took this action in line with his commitment to fortify the system towards optimal performance.

The affected persons are Mrs Blessing Maigida, Commissioner for Women Affairs; Lucky James, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Chris Ebare, Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources and Patrick Aguinede, Commissioner for Basic Education.

They have been ordered to hand over all government property in their possession to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective Ministries.

Oshiomhole, who thanked the former Commissioners for their services to Edo State, wished them well in the future endeavours.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/09/09/oshiomhole-sacks-4-commissioners/

Men of the Nigeria Police have been directed to henceforth arrest anyone found inciting violence in any part of the country.

A statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force spokesperson, Bisi Kolawole, disclosed that this order came from the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, following “recent activities of members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign States of Biafran, MASSOB, and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in some parts of the country.”

Kolawole explained that the “operational order empowers the police to arrest anybody fomenting any act of violence or disorder, or any act inimical to the security of the nation.”

It was further disclosed that so far, four persons have been nabbed in Anambra State, six in Imo State, 11 in Delta State and one person in Abia State.

“The IGP further warns that all persons so arrested for inciting violence, irrespective of their class or status in the society would be charged to court accordingly,” the statement said.

http://www.aproko247.com/2015/09/08/arrest-anyone-inciting-violence-police-ig/

Reports reaching us show that a popular Yoruba broadcaster, Soji Omotayo, had a close shave with death some days ago when a top socialite and car dealer, Kunle Kushimo Agarawu, allegedly pounced on him with a machete, inflicting injuries on the broadcast journalist.

It was said that Agarawu accused his friend, Soji Omotayo, of having an illicit affair with his (Agarawu) wife.

The suspect was further said to have lured his victim to his house at Ota, Ogun State on Sunday morning and then unleashed terror on him until men of the Nigeria Police came to his rescue and rushed him to the hospital for treatment.

On Friday, September 4, 2015, a presenter on Faaji 106.5 FM, Otunba Yemi Odunodu, narrated the incident on his programme, Mimi Aye (The Vicissitudes of Life), which holds on Fridays from 10pm to 12am.

According to him, Agarawu had called Soji mobile number on Saturday, August 22, 2015, but could not reach him. The broadcaster’s Personal Assistant, who reportedly answered the call, had told the suspect that her boss was having a nap.

But after Soji reportedly woke up, he called his friend, who then informed him of a business deal. It was said that Soji agreed to see Agarawu the next day, which was on a Sunday, before heading for church.

On the Sunday morning, Soji reportedly headed straight to his friend’s house with his PA and on getting there, he entered his house, but the suspect reportedly locked the two of them inside.

According to the narration, Agarawu first requested to speak to Soji’s wife on phone and told her that she would never see her man alive again.

Read concluding parts here with Pictures
http://www.aproko247.com/2015/09/07/ace-broadcaster-soji-omotayo-butchered-over-alleged-affair-with-car-dealers-wife/