The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said that the Presidency’s appeal to federal lawmakers to reconvene from recess was mere wish and attempt to blackmail the National Assembly.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, stated this at a news conference in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said that what Enang had done was just a mere wish as he had no power to order or call for the reopening of the parliament, adding that the aide was “just expressing his personal wishes”.

“As a matter of fact, Sen. Enang was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“Will he listen to anybody from outside the chamber to come and dictate to the presiding officers?

“It is unfortunate that people who have experience in legislative practices and procedures, when they get to the executive arm, instead of telling the executives the limit of their powers they pretend to know it all.

“By so doing, they mislead the executive.

“There are set rules. Section 12 of the Senate Standing Rules puts the opening of the Senate within the purview of President of the Senate and the operational word there is `may’.

“And, that is if the Senate President is convinced to reopen the Senate.

“We must not allow those who have no respect for laws to take charge of our lives, because what they are plotting to do has a huge capacity to create anarchy for the nation.”

“The NASS has only gone for their annual recess and it is within their right to choose when to come back,” NAN quoted him as saying.

Ologbondiyan added that the attempt at recalling the lawmakers to work was also an effort to subdue the rules and the laws, saying that it was unacceptable.

He also condemned the request by the executive that money meant for projects injected into the 2018 budget should be channeled to fund part of 2019 general elections.

According to him, it was an attempt by the executive to blackmail the national parliament.

“How can the executive predicate funds meant for elections on the proposal for constituencies’ projects?

“How can the presidency sit back and declare that the money meant for 2019 general elections would be based on an amendment of Appropriation Act?

“Why don’t they send a bill for supplementary budget? People like Enang who has spent his life in the NASS has the responsibility to advise the executive on what to do,” he said.

He said it was merely to create unnecessary controversies, “and that is where we are now.

“Is it in July that they understood that we have election for February, 2019?

“Did they not realise that there is a need for INEC to get sensitive and insensitive materials? Was it in July that they discovered that?

“One thing we know for certain is that whichever game or shenanigans they project, elections will hold in 2019.”

http://www.vondanews.com/presidencys-appeal-to-lawmakers-an-attempt-to-blackmail-nass-pdp/

Toyin Saraki, wife of the the Senate President, Bukola Saraki has reacted to her husband’s defection to the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In her reaction, which she shared via her official Instagram page, the politician’s wife penned a letter of gratitude to Senators’ Wives Forum.

The Senate President Bukola Saraki dumped the All Progressives Congress, APC, for PDP, yesterday.

Toyin wrote, “Dear Sisters @ngrsenatewives,
“My heartfelt gratitude for all your inspiring messages of prayer, goodwill and support which I have received since yesterday’s news.

“I assure you all that I continue to appreciate our bond of sisterhood and friendship, which has always risen above and beyond any political affiliations; our sisterhood endures.”

http://www.vondanews.com/defection-toyin-sarakis-wife-reacts-to-husbands-defection-from-apc-to-pdp/

Former Minister of Aviation, Oby Ezekwesili has reacted to the defection of Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal from the All Progressives Congress,APC, to the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP.

Tambuwal made the announcement on Wednesday while addressing a gathering at the Government House, Sokoto.

Reacting to the latest defection from the ruling party, Ezekwesili urged the lawmakers to keep defecting, stating that Nigerians are watching.

According to her,the defections between APC and PDP will work for the good of Nigerians.

On her Twitter page, she wrote: “More exits from the Siamese-Twin Party to its Twin in Bad leadership, Bad governance and Governance failure?

“ALL THINGS shall surely work together for the good of Citizens.

“You People should continue with your migration back and forth, Siamese-Twins. We are watching.”

http://www.vondanews.com/defections-ezekwesili-calls-pdp-apc-siamese-twins/

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says Internet users in the country decreased to 102,805,122 million in June from the 103,152,726 million recorded in May. NCC The NCC made this disclosure in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for June 2018 on its website on in Abuja. The data showed a decrease 347,604 subscribers in the country.
The data showed a decrease with the figure of 347,604 subscribers in the country. NCC said Airtel gained more internet subscribers during the month under review, while MTN, 9Mobile and Globalcom were the big losers.
The breakdown revealed that Airtel gained 162,711 new internet users, increasing subscription to its services from 26,548,338 million in May to 26, 711,049 in June. It said MTN lost 253,612 internet users in June amounting to 38, 937,473 as against 39,191,085 recorded in May.
It said that Globacom also lost 36,187 internet users decreasing its subscription to 26, 571,254 in June from 26,607,441 recorded in May. It said 9mobile lost 222,516 internet users in June decreasing its subscription to 10,585,346 as against 10,807,862 recorded in May.

http://www.vondanews.com/telecom-companies-in-nigeria-lost-lots-of-internet-users-in-june-ncc/

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Wednesday assured the 2,100 new corps members posted to Zamfara State under 2018 Batch `B’ that their safety would not be compromised. The state NYSC Coordinator, Mr Dahunsi Muhammad gave the assurance while speaking to newsmen in Tsafe on Wednesday.
report that the corps members posted to the state under 2018 Batch B are undergoing a three-week orientation programme at NYSC orientation camp, safe.
Dahunsi urged the corps members to drop any negative impressions about Zamfara and disregard any negative news report, especially on the social media, about the state. He said that the NYSC management in the country, led by the Director-General Brig.-Gen. Sulaiman Kazaure, had serious concern about the safety and protection of corps members.
coordinator said despite security challenges in some areas of the state, the corps members were safe, and their activities had been hitch-free. “You know, the NYSC posting policy does not allow us to post corps members to security-challenged areas, and part of what we are sensitising the corps members on in this three weeks orientation course is the issue of security. “We prepare them on security awareness such as moving in groups, not staying late out at night, avoiding unnecessary and night travelling among others. “We also tell them to be familiar with security posts in their respective areas and to know people around them,” he said.
to him, the state government and NYSC management in the state, in collaboration with the security agencies, have been working together to ensure effective protection of the corps members. “I am, therefore, calling on the incoming corps members to drop any negative impressions about Zamfara and disregard any negative news report, especially on the social media, about the state.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the state government and other stakeholders for their support toward improving the scheme in the state”, he said.
The coordinator also thanked the security agencies in the state for their cooperation and support to the NYSC activities.

http://www.vondanews.com/dont-be-afraid-youll-be-safe-in-zamfara-nysc-to-youth-core-members/

The Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) has expressed shock over President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence, on the “illegal” attempt to impeach Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Eight lawmakers of the State House of Assembly, on Monday commenced impeachment proceeding against Ortom, while some 22 others were reportedly blocked from attending plenary by the police.

In a statement, spokesman of the R-APC, Kazeem Afegbua, said Buhari’s silence suggests he is the “chief promoter of undemocratic illegalities that have consistently undermined our democratic engagements in the last three years”.

Afegbua alleged that there is an attempt to force down the “bitter pills” of Buhari’s second term agenda down the throat of Nigerians.

“On the one hand, the APC party leadership declared that they aren’t losing sleep over our members activities ostensibly to present a fake personae but it has consistently mounted pressure on our members to capitulate under the influence of mouth-watering promises.

“Now that our member Governor Ortom has given the APC red card, and deservedly so, heaven has been let loose and President Buhari has maintained a conspiratorial silence and deliberately feigning ignorance over the democratic gangsterism that has dominated Benue assembly at present.

The group said the Monday incident and similar ones in Benue show Nigeria’s democracy is “seriously under threat” by those trying to “armtwist the Benue people against their will,” he said.

According to the statement, “this desperation is getting too much and it must be arrested forthwith without equivocation before this democracy is reduced to a mindless rubble.”

“We cannot afford to feign ignorance over this heinous crime against humanity under an atmosphere of threat, tension and harassment that has assumed the second nature of this government,” the group added.

“It is becoming petty that this government has descended to a level of irredeemable dictatorship and outright desperation in the name of forcing the bitter pills of second term down the throat of Nigerians.

“We cannot continue to pretend that all is well when our country is gradually descending to the abyss of maximum rulership orchestrated by the president’s foot soldiers.

“We are therefore raising alarm that this democracy must be saved from the indecent grip of APC agents of suppression and oppression under the clear supervision of the president.”

http://www.vondanews.com/ortom-what-buharis-silence-on-impeachment-notice-means-r-apc/

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, on Monday reacted angrily to the impeachment notice served on Benue Governor, Samuel Ortom by eight members of the State House of Assembly.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria expressed apprehension about the survival of democracy in Nigeria “considering the manner in which it is being held at gun point by the Buhari Administration”.

In a statement entitled: “Are we in a Democracy?” signed by his spokesman, Sola Atere, the former minster noted that to describe recent attacks on democracy as condemnable was an understatement.

He recalled the “hijacking” of the Ekiti State governorship seat by the APC-led government using 30,000 policemen besides other security forces deployed for just one election.

He also recalled the deployment of policemen on July 27 ostensibly to block the Benue State House of Assembly from performing its democratic duty of sitting in the legislative chamber.

Turaki recalled further the “scandalous siege laid to the official residences of the Senate President and his deputy, with the probability of blocking them from going to the Senate chambers and having them impeached as being alleged”.

He referred to another incident where policemen were deployed to the Ekiti State House of Assembly for what they referred to as ‘security reasons’ with the Speaker denying ever making such a request.

Turaki added: “Those in possession of the instrument of coercion have done it again with the storming of the Benue State House of Assembly on Monday, July 30 where they deny entry to the Speaker and 18 other members, while allowing entry to just seven members loyal to APC.

“These members in the minority were planning to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom in spite of the decided cases at the Supreme Court in the matters of former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladonna and ex-Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye where the apex court had declared such moves as illegal, null and void.

“This strong arm tactics in a democracy that had also been used to humiliate the judiciary, he said, have seriously dented the image of our democracy.”

Turaki called on men and women of goodwill and lovers of democracy all over the world to stand up and be counted to save the country from “sliding into an undeserved anarchy being engineered by the APC”

http://www.vondanews.com/ortom-nigeria-at-gun-point-under-buhari-turaki-reacts-to-impeachment-notice/

The Federal Government has assembled 1000-strong military force, comprising the army, air force, police and the civil defence to launch fierce attacks on the bandits terrorising the villages and towns of Zamfara State.

Following directives by President Buhari, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has begun the deployment of fighter aircraft to Katsina, the airport with the closest proximity to Zamfara State to make for immediate and effective response to the menace of the bandits.

This had not been possible in the past because there was no fuel depot facility in Katsina, but NAF has devised a way around the problem. The President has also authorised the engagement by NAF, of advanced satellite surveillance technology to help in accurate detection of movement and locations of the bandits.

The government had to go to this extent because of the limitations of conventional surveillance, as the use of satellite technology could make the task of NAF less problematic. Following directives from the President, at the weekend, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, was in Gusau where he met the Deputy Governor of the State.

The Chief of Air Staff reiterated the President’s pledge that he would never abandon victims of attacks to their fate, reaffirming that security remains one of the cardinal pillars of his campaign promises and no leader would be happy to see his own citizens killed by criminal groups across the country.

It will be recalled that since his election, the President has kept faith with his promises to re-equip and motivate the country's military and other security services. The army and other security services are now better equipped and motivated to face the challenges of their responsibilities.

The Presidency, therefore, appeals to all Nigerians to unite and speak with one voice on security issues and urges politicians to stop exploiting national security challenges. Those praying for the President to fail in this effort can be likened to one stabbing oneself in the heart and celebrating about it.

In this regard, security should not be reduced to petty politics as doing so could only embolden the terrorists and other murderous gangs. We therefore appeal to members of the Nigerian media to avoid unhelpful and deleterious sensationalism in the coverage of events that border on national security.

The media should under no circumstances make the bandits or terrorists feel like super stars because doing so could hurt all of us. Terrorists seek to achieve maximum publicity and they do so by launching large scale attacks on soft targets and the media must resist every attempt to play into their hands unwittingly.

http://www.vondanews.com/president-buhari-sends-combined-security-forces-and-fighter-aircraft-after-zamfara-bandits/

Senator Dino Melaye in a lengthy interview with Premium Times narrated his own version of what he said unfolded along the Abuja-Lokoja Highway which led to his disappearance for almost 24-hours.



The senator confirmed he was not abducted, but that he was not the architect of his ordeal either. He said he was travelling from Abuja to Lokoja for a court appearance on Thursday morning and shortly after passing Gwagwalada, which is roughly 50 kilometres southwest of Abuja, a convoy of three vehicles drove recklessly by his vehicle, intercepting him on the highway and forcing him to stop.



According to him, the assailants tried to open fire to force themselves into the vehicle, only to realise that it was a well-fortified vehicle with bullet-proof. Without much time to waste at the scene, the attackers devised an alternative.



“They started shouting that they wanted to burn me, they said ‘burn him, burn him down,’ and crossed the road to look for tyres to set the vehicle on fire,” Melaye said. As the attackers dispersed in different directions to scavenge for tyres, Melaye said he feared for his life and made instinctive calculation to jump into the bush and bolt, rather than remained in the car in defiance.



“I jumped into the bush, and I started running. They pursued me and I was able to outmanoeuvre them and climb a tree. I was on top of the three when I saw them run past looking frantically for me. When they didn’t find me, they also ran back” he said.



The senator said it was on the tree that he perched until his assailants left. While on the tree, he saw four of them passing, but remained hushed to avoid being detected.  He would go on to spend 11 hours trying to ensure that he was no longer at immediate risk from his assailants and navigating his way out of the overgrown weeds.



He also said he could not identify any of them, even if there is an identification parade by authorities, largely because he was more apprehensive of his survival than anything else at that traumatic moment. The senator said he believed those who attempted to attack him were police-sponsored elements. He said when he appeared in court on Wednesday for his attempted suicide trial at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, he saw some men trailing him after the proceeding.



He described the vehicles the men were driving as two Toyota Hilux trucks and a Toyota Sienna minivan. “They were exactly the same vehicle that were used to attack me on Thursday morning,” he said.  He was driving to Lokoja in a vehicle not previously known with him, in a bid to disguise his move to those who were trailing him.



“I was going in a totally different vehicle, but I asked my brother to drive behind me in an SUV as a back-up. But I was shocked to see the attackers run into the middle, creating wall between my brother and I before attacking me” he said.



He added that “to begin with, the federal government and the police in particular have combined five cases against me in court. I have never declined to appear in court for trial in all the five separate cases”.



He said the claim that he was trying to avoid court appearance should immediately ring false to lucid minds, especially since he was in court just a day before. Besides, the court appearance in Lokoja was more about symbolism than substance. This was because he had learnt from his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, that the case would not be heard on Thursday because prosecution lead had already written to notify of his unavoidable absence and seek adjournment.



“Alex Izinyon is the prosecutor and he had written to my lawyer to inform him that he would not be in court on Thursday and that the judge should adjourn the matter. So why would I not want to be in court when I know that nothing would happen to me?” I have been attending all previous court hearings. I have been told that the prosecutor wanted an adjournment. I have been granted bail long ago which I continue to enjoy. So why would I not want to go to court that day? There is no sense in that claim. It is completely against logic,”Melaye said.

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has outlined reasons he left the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

This is as reactions continue to trail his last week’s exit from the APC and declaration of membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The Governor on Sunday, speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua, gave reasons he defected from the party.


Agerzua addressed reporters in Makurdi, the State capital, explaining that the lack of internal democracy within the ranks of the party in the state contributed in no small measure for his decision.

He said, “You have a situation where a powerful individual high jacked every structure of the party and excluded all other stakeholders including senators and members of the National Assembly and key party members.

“Besides, major stakeholders in the state advised Governor Ortom to leave the APC because of the federal government’s alleged complicity in the ongoing killings in the country including Benue state.


“They advised him to change platform so that they can fight against the return of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

“The stakeholder are scared that if Buhari comes back in 2019 the killings would be worst because it is clear that he supports the conquest and occupation agenda of his ethnic group, the Fulanis.

“The people claimed that the APC at the centre is an accomplice because you see key Ministers of the administration, key Ministers of the National security council, like that of Internal Affairs, Defence, IG of Police and the Chief of Army Staff coming out to condemn the anti open grazing law of the state which is a major landmark law because it opposes the Fulani agenda.

“They are using grazing to conquer and occupy. But now both the government of the APC and the party machinery are now trying to change the narrative of the Benue killings to blame the victims instead of the aggressors.

“That is why they are now claiming that he is sponsoring the killings.

“Is it Ortom that is killing in Plateau, Adamawa, Zamfara and other states of the federation? So are you saying that the governors of these states are killing their people? Okay since you know the killers, whoever they may be why not arrest the people involved?

“Why the Benue stakeholder believe that the federal government is complicit in the killings is their failure to arrest the leadership Miyetti Alla Kautal Hore who had earlier issued threats against Benue and eventually executed that same threat even after the matter was reported severally?

“The other reason is Senator George Akume’s inordinate ambition to become senate president that has made him to sacrifice anyone or anybody or even his people to achieve his ambition.

“We gathered that He has been promised the senate presidency and he has sacrificed Ortom and his people. You know he contested the position in 2007 and 2011. His whole life is to become the senate president at the expense of anything and he is satisfied.

“It is that ambition that made him to sacrifices Ortom to the federal powers.

“Another issue is Senator Akume’s antecedents. It was not possible for Ortom to contain Akume. Nobody has been able to keep a lasting relationship with Akume in Benue state, nobody has the capacity. It is impossible to cohabit with Akume politically for long. It is impossible. Ask the likes of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, Terhemba Shija his former campaign Director General.

“Is it Senator Gemade, is it Senator David Mark, is it Gabriel Suswam? Name them.

“Akume talked about Ortom’s non performance, it cannot be that issue because all the people listed here did not have performance issues yet Akume fell out with them. If you talk of non perforce it means that Akume has indicted himself because he brought Ortom and then nominated key officials in his cabinet and he asked non of them to resign on account of non performance.

“Everyone know that Ortom became Governor in time of war, what we are going through is a warlike situation where 18 out of 23 local government areas were under siege. It means Ortom is Governor in time war which is a different ball game apart from the economic challenge.

“Apart from that he has recorded major milestones in health, education, security and infrastructure. Lots of projects are being executed in the rural areas. Bridges, roads and electricity. There are about 70 projects ongoing presently across the state.

“Moreover there is a grand conspiracy against Governor Ortom from APC forces from within and outside the state which was uncovered. This is not only against his reelection but against the wishes of the people of the state.

“Another issue is the APC administration’s failure to deliver on its campaign promises of security, economic rejuvenation and fight against corruption.

“They have clearly failed. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, seems to be going after perceived enemies of the government. There no visible federal government presence in Benue, all federal roads are in terrible state. So from all these Ortom saw that his interest and those of the people cannot be protected in the APC so he had to leave.”


http://www.vondanews.com/defection-ortom-give-reasons-for-dumping-apc/

Fani-Kayode who was the Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to President Olusegun Obasanjo from July 2003 until June 2006 and was appointed the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 22 June to 7 November 2006 and as the Minister of Aviation from 7 November 2006 to 29 May 2007, today met with the former governor of Kano state.
Sharing the post on Twitter he wrote:

It was an honor and privilage for Precious and I to receive my friend and brother,the former Governor of Kano state,Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso,in our Abuja home this afternoon.We had a wonderful time and a fruitful and productive discussion about national issues and the way forward

58 years ago today Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi the Supreme Commander of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Col. Francis Fajuyi, the military Governor of the old Western Region and 300 Igbo army officers were murdered in the northern officers revenge coup of July 29th 1966.
May their souls RIP.
We can only appreciate Femi-Fani Kayode for this enlightenment and remembrance and say Amen to that prayer.

http://www.vondanews.com/femi-fani-kayode-remembers-gen-aguiyi-ironsi-and-igbo-fallen-heroes/

Nigerian millionaire blogger, Linda Ikeji has come out to bare her mind on comments trolling the reality TV show on her newly launched video streaming platform, Linda Ikeji.tv.

This follows after many Nigerians called her out for releasing such content filled with sex and nude scenes.

These comments have caught her notice and this is what she has to say:

Let's talk about Made In Gidi and those who seem upset by it. I've read ur comments & although I know where some of you are coming from, you also need some understanding on business 101 because whether you're aware of it or not, lindaikeji.tv is a business, not a charity or a religious organization. It's strictly to create content to entertain, inform & educate people.
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In business, to succeed, to thrive, to be at par with your rivals, or be better than them, you must know what the market wants. For TV content, the majority of people want to be entertained more than they want to educated or inspired. If they are looking for inspiration & information they know where to go, for entertainment, they also know where to go, that's why TV networks compete hard to get these consumers & keep them on their platforms by creating content that is very entertaining.
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When TV network Starz wasn't doing well, they created Spartacus that had more sex & gore than any TV show before it & immediately went to No.1. HBO created Games of Throne which had a lot of sex and gore to take their own market share. After being around for 25 years, MTV created Jersey Shore which many called trash but till today, it's their most watched series of all time. Fox created Empire and Starz created Power to rival Empire, which is all about money, sex, drugs, power etc. These people know what the viewers want, so they give it to them to stay in business.
.

If everything we have on LITV is to educate the youths etc, 80% of the people who have registered won't be there. Think about it, is there any religious or educative TV show that's gone viral all over the world? That said, on lindaikeji.tv, there are so many shows on there that we've created to inspire, educate, and inform people, but because we know what the market wants and we need to stay in business, we are also creating content we know people want to watch despite the protest from some. Made In Gidi wasn't created for everyone. If it's not for you, pls do not watch.
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The first thing you must think about when creating a business is; how do I stay in business? Simple. By giving ur clients what they want so they keep coming back! �

The national chairman of The People's Democratic Party PDP, took to his Twitter handle to promise Nigerians better days ahead.

According to him, Nigeria is currently in the wrong direction, Heroes are not honoured, citizens rights and freedom are denied.

PDP will bring back the dignity of democracy to Nigerians.

http://www.vondanews.com/pdp-will-bring-back-the-dignity-of-democracy-to-nigerians-uche-secondus/

Comedienne Helen Paul who anchored the star-studded wedding of the son of two major veterans in the Nollywood industry, Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs shared with Saturday Beats how the veterans have influenced her life positively. She said, “I’ve always known and admired them, though as a screen couple that I love, admire, and respect so much. I never expected that I would get to meet them in person one day. Funnily enough, Aunty Joke was one of the reasons I schooled at the University of Lagos. You know she speaks so eloquently. Her diction fascinated me as a much younger person back then and I told myself that I had to attend the school she graduated from. She is an inspiration to me.
“Aunty and Uncle Jacobs are wonderful people who are mentors to me. Their lives as individuals and as a couple are exemplary. I’ve met them at some events before and I’m amazed by how they carry on as a couple. I’ve observed that marriage is not a hindrance to their work. It is rather an icing on the cake for their careers. Sometimes, you see both of them in a movie and sometimes you don’t. It must simply mean that they have no “set rules” about marriage. There are some couples who believe that if one gets a role in a movie, the other also should, since they’re both seasoned actors. So, when they’re together in a movie, they interpret their roles the way a professional should and when they’re not together, the other person is either holding the home-front or on the set of another movie. And they’ve carried on like this for many years without any squabbles.”
She also expressed how elated she felt when she got the news that she was going to anchor their son’s wedding. She said, “Anchoring the wedding was a great experience for me. When I was contacted about the job, I was really excited. They are both veterans and you just have to give them that maximum respect. It was an honour, a great privilege. I was elated about it. And the experience was fantastic. Nollywood’s finest and many notable people in general showed up in their droves to support them. They are loved and respected by many and I was glad to be associated with them and honoured to be a part of such an important event in their lifetime. I felt loved by them.

“The feedback I received was very positive. The feedback was to the effect that I anchored the event well and added colour to it. May God bless the Jacobs and the new couple. May their marriage be blissful,” she added.

http://www.vondanews.com/joke-silva-and-olu-jacobs-have-impacted-my-life-in-many-ways-helen-paul/

Some policemen on guard in a private residence have reportedly killed a member of the Special Anti Robbery Squad in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to a report by Punch, the incident occurred near the home of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige.
'The deceased accompanied one of his colleagues to somebody’s residence to effect an arrest at about 4.30 am. They were handcuffing their suspect when somebody who did not know that they were SARS operatives alerted some policemen on guard in a private residence in the neighbourhood. The neighbour had told the policemen that kidnappers were trying to abduct someone.
As soon as the policemen arrived the scene and saw the SARS operatives, they opened fire at them and gunned down the deceased, thinking they were kidnappers. It was minutes after that his colleagues identified him as a SARS operative on special duty,” a source said.
The Officer-in-charge of SARS at Awkuzu, Sunday Okpe, confirmed the incident and said the deceased was one of his subordinates.
The offending policemen are already facing orderly room trial.

http://www.vondanews.com/policemen-in-anambra-state-mistake-a-sars-operative-for-kidnapper-shoot-him-dead-2/

Actress Cossy Orjiakor hits again in a gigantic way. She took to Instagram to flaunt her gigantic boobs and curves in a black sexy lingerie for her fans to behold.
What can we say? Sister it's been a while.
See full photos below.

http://www.vondanews.com/photosactress-cossy-orjiakor-flaunts-her-gigantic-boobs-and-curves-in-sexy-lingerie/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Buhari not to waste his energy on any cosmetic campaign for collection of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the failure of his administration has provided enough stimuli for Nigerians to fully participate in the 2019 election.

The party said President Buhari, by now, ought to have known that such theatrics, simulated by his handlers, cannot help his self-destroyed public image or reverse the determination of Nigerians to vote him out in 2019. Read part of the statement as released by its publicity secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan below

This is a leader who declared interest to contest, months ago, without talking about PVCs or engaging in any form of voter education, only for him to suddenly wake up to the reality of the mass wave of PVC collection by Nigerians, which signposts the inevitable electoral humiliation that awaits him and his party in 2019.

The sad issue is that President Buhari has refused to come to terms with the fact that Nigerians have since moved ahead of him. He does not need to urge them to get their PVCs. They have had enough of his administration with its associated economic hardship, nepotism, bloodletting, violence and killings, and are therefore eagerly collecting the cards with the singular aim of voting him out of office.

In fact, it appears that Mr. President just started hearing the drumbeat by Nigerians, expressing their dissatisfaction with his incompetence, as well as the corruption and insensitivity of his leadership to their plight as citizens.

The shock that awaits Mr. President will be an inescapable mortifying electoral loss in places he currently boasts of as his political stronghold as even the people around him today have since deserted him within and only waiting for 2019 to free themselves from the stranglehold of his misrule.

Mr. President should therefore prepare to accept defeat and to quit the stage for a new President, under the platform of the repositioned PDP, to bring unity, peace and economic prosperity to our nation.

http://www.vondanews.com/2019-dont-waste-your-energy-on-campaign-prepare-to-go-home-pdp-tells-president-buhari/

inister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has warned Nigerians living abroad to be careful of the news they read about Nigeria online as 80% of them are fake. Lai said this when he met with the Nigerian ambassador to the US, Sylvanus Nsofor, in Washington over the weekend.

“Fake news and misinformation when mixed with hate speech threaten the peace, unity, security and corporate existence of Nigerians. Many people in the diaspora depend a lot on Social media for news about Nigeria. However, 80 percent of what you read on social media is fake. Please, we implore you to visit our website fgnnformation.iapp where you can find information that is genuine about Nigeria. When you go by social media, the impression you get is as if Nigeria is at war and as if Muslims are killing Christians and about ethnic war. However, those disgruntled politicians have now tried to factor ethnicity and religion into the situation that we have in the country. Our challenges have nothing to do with religion or ethnicity.”

Citing an example with the farmer/herders clashes, Lai said news platforms reported that the two Catholic priests killed in Benue in April were killed by hersmen but investigations have shown that they were killed by armed militia.

Yesterday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned the United States that it could shut down international oil shipments in the strategic Strait of Hormuz if Washington continued to provoke Tehran.

"We have always guaranteed the security of this strait. Do not play with the lion's tail; you will regret it forever" Rouhani told diplomats in the Iranian capital. The Iranian president has previously threatened to close the strait in response to US President Donald Trump's threat to stop Iranian oil exports through the waterway.

The strait is one of the world's most important maritime trade routes and connects the oil-rich Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean.

However, President Trump wasn't going to be threatened and he responded with a very stern warning to Iran never to threaten the United States again.

Read the tweet below:

http://www.vondanews.com/never-ever-threaten-the-us-again-or-you-will-suffer-consequences-donald-trump-warns-iranian-president/

All Progressives Congress, APC, has reacted to threats by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to boycott the 2019 general elections, saying such threat was borne out of the fact that the opposition party now understands that its end is near.

But the PDP, yesterday, said the duo of President Muhammadu Buhari and National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, have become jittery over the mega coalition it has with 38 other political groups, with just seven months to the 2019 general elections. APC & PDP National Chairman of the APC, Oshiomhole, stated this, weekend, when he received the report of Governor Abdulaziz Yari’s Governorship Primary Election Committee for Osun State.

While declaring that the ruling party was not desperate to win the next general elections, Oshiomhole said PDP had continued to press the panic button because its rigging machine had been dismantled while it no longer had free access to federal resources. He said: “Let me also use this opportunity to comment on what I read about the PDP chairman. I heard him threatening that they may boycott the 2019 general elections. When a rabbit in the afternoon jumps out of its hole, not because the hunter has come to smoke it out and it is running, you will know that it has already seen its end.

‘’The truth is that we are not desperate, we have worked hard to defeat PDP while they were in power, when they had no faction, when all the founding fathers and founding mothers were in the same house. “Nigerian people rejected them on account of 16 years of absolute misrule at the peak of our prosperity as a nation when oil sold for $140 per barrel and we came in when oil price has dropped.

“If with all those huge revenue that accrued to them, people complained of bad roads, whether from the South to East from the North to the West, they have nothing new to offer to the Nigerian people. “I think they are haunted by their own ghost and this is because they had perpetrated a do-or-die politics and they are on record that election matters are do-or-die affairs. “One of their old men was recorded as saying that they perfected the language of rigging. Now, rigging machines have been dismantled and their problem is how can they survive without them.

http://www.vondanews.com/2019-election-our-party-not-desperate-to-win-at-all-costs-apc/

Charly boy’s lesbian daughter, Dewy Oputa has called him out for turning into a gay rights activist despite blocking her.

According to her, she hasn't spoken to him for months and he blocked her on every social media platform only for him to be typing 'paragraphs for the gram'.
Charly boy in an earlier post said, 'now I reactivate my fight in defence of the LGBT community. You know something? Openness may not completely disarm prejudice but is a good place to start. I am hoping that my support will be a show of strength to the Nigerian LGBT community'.

http://www.vondanews.com/charly-boys-lesbian-daughter-calls-him-out-for-turning-into-a-gay-rights-activist/

The Assistant Inspector General in charge of zone 2 command, AIG Adamu Ibrahim has upheld the recommendation of police disciplinary body that recommended dismissal of four policemen attached to Special Anti Robbery Squad Ikeja, Lagos (SARS).
The four policemen who were dismissed and subsequently charged to court on offences of Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Unlawful detention, Intimidation and threatening violence being the report of the Investigation carried out against them when one Mr Chukwudi Godwin Odionye popularly referred to as 'Bishop' submitted a petition against the four on 2nd day of May 2018.
The petitioner in his petition stated that on the 4th of June 2017, he was in his house around Alagbado Lagos when the four armed men stormed his house to effect his arrest on the allegation of performing 'FAKE' miracles. He stated that after his arrest, he was taken to one hotel at Agege where he was detained and threatened to be killed if he fails to cooperate. He explained further that on the following day 5th June 2017, he was taken to bank where he was made to transfer seven million Naira to one of the operative's account.
On the receipt of the petition the AIG ordered Investigation into the case.
On the strength of Investigation it was revealed that no proper police procedure for Investigation was followed in Mr chukwudi's arrest and that the four SARS operatives actually abducted the man from his house and Unlawfully detained him in the hotel under the guard of the suspects for personal gain.
The police men :
Sgt Adeoye Adekunle
Sgt AdeniraAdebowale
Sgt Agbi Lucky
Sgt Odighe Hehosa
Who were subsequently found guilty during the orderly room trial for professional misconduct, corrupt practices and discreditable conduct were dismissed and consequently charged to court on criminal charges of Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Unlawful Detention, Stealing, Intimidation and threatening violence.
The Police Public Relations Officer of zone 2 command, CSP Dolapo Badmos while parading the suspects reiterated the AIG'S directive that the force will not tolerate any act of misconduct that undermines the value of International best practices of policing as she stated further that any police officer or men found guilty will not be spared.

CSP DOLAPO BADMOS
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
ZONE 2 COMMAND

http://www.vondanews.com/four-sars-operatives-dismissed-and-charged-to-court-for-armed-robbery-kidnapping-and-unlawful-detention/

Following the recent disclosure of Dewy, Charly Boy's daughter as lesbian and all the trolls that followed it, singer and social activist, Charly Boy says he has reactivated his fight for the Lesbian, Gay, Nisexual and Transgender LGBT community in Nigeria. His renewed vigor to fight for the rights of the LGBT is coming against the backdrop of his daughter, Dewy Oputa, who recently came out as a Lesbian and also showed off her lesbian partner.
In a post shared on his IG page this morning, CharlyBoy said he has in time past fought for Okada riders, Musicians and many others and that now is the time for him to fight for the LGBT community in Nigeria. Read what he wrote below

All that I have done for over 50yrs of my life is to root for the underdogs.
I turned my back on my goldplated pedigree and wondered into the unknown.

I discovered that victory is a million times sweeter as an underdog. Oh!!!!! Yes.

My life has been one Big fight, against bad habits, poverty, hopelessness and principalities.
But I never backed down.

I battled for the rights of the Okada's to make a living.I battled for the rights, respect and the
big money for the Nigerian Musician, spent weeks in the police cell, as a pman president.
Today, thank God they have a better life. Now am the President of Frustrated Nigerians.
I am battling with my comrades to stop the senseless killings of Nigerians.
The oppression of Inocent Nigerians and the weaponisation of hunger.

Many battles too many to mention. I have been beaten black and blue by
the military, police, security agents, been teargassed, shot at, stoned and most time misunderstood even by the people I fight for.
No big deal because I never back down. Now I reactivate my fight in defence of the LGBT community.? You know something? Openness may not completely disarm prejudice
but is a good place to start. I am hoping that my support will be a show of strength to the Nigerian LGBT ?community.
http://www.vondanews.com/charly-boy-vows-to-fight-for-gayslesbians-transgenders-in-nigeria/

Following the repeated threats issued by Mrs. Veronica Chiugo Ogu via text messages to her estranged footballer husband, John Ogu over their 2-year-old daughter, Ivanna Adaeze, the Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, on Tuesday 17th day of July 2018 granted several injunctions against Veronica Chiugo especially for the welfare of the child of the marriage.
In Suit No. LD/4760HD/2018 filed by the firm of Olumide Babalola LP on behalf the Super Eagles star, John Ogu seeks a decree dissolving his marriage to Veronica Chiugo (Nee Akaolisa) on the ground that the respondent had behaved in such a manner that he is not reasonably expected to live with (especially since Chiugo’s father has returned John’s dowry without request).

In the ruling delivered on Tuesday, Justice Femi Adeniyi also ordered as follows:
AN INTERIM ORDERmandating the Applicant to be responsible for the welfare, feeding, education, health needs, clothing and all other necessary needs of the child of the marriage (Baby Ivanna Ogu).
AN INTERIM ORDERmandating the Respondent to provide the Applicant with the school/crèche’s account details of Baby Ivanna Ogu for the purpose of payment of tuition and all other fees which shall be wholly borne by the Applicant.
AN INTERIM ORDERmandating the Applicant to promptly pay into the school/crèche’s account provided all tuition and necessary school/crèche payments as officially required by the school/crèche for the benefit of Baby Ivanna Ogu.
AN INTERIM ORDERprohibiting the Respondent from changing Baby Ivanna Ogu’s school/crèche without the written consent of the Applicant.
AN INTERIM ORDERmandating the Respondent to obtain health insurance for Baby Ivanna Ogu at the Applicant’s expense which monies shall be paid directly to the insurance company.
AN INTERIM ORDERmandating the Respondent to submit Ivanna’s American and Nigerian international passports to the registrar of this honourable court for safekeeping.
AN INTERIM ORDERmandating the Applicant to pay monthly maintenance of N50, 000 (Fifty thousand Naira).
AN ORDER prohibiting the Respondent from moving Ivanna Ogu out of Lagos State without the written consent of the Applicant.
The suit has been further adjourned to 24th July 2018 for further hearing.
See the court papers below..

http://www.vondanews.com/lagos-high-court-restrains-footballer-john-ogus-wife-from-taking-their-daughter-away-from-his-reach/

South African police officers accused of killing a Nigerian man, Ibrahim Badmus, are to face trial - Badmus was brutally murdered on Oct. 10, 2017 at Vanderbidjk Park, South Africa - He was accused on being a drug peddlar but the police couldn't find any drug on him or in his home The Nigerian Mission in South Africa announced on Friday, July 20, that police officers implicated in the alleged murder of a Nigerian, Ibrahim Badmus, would be charged to court soon.
Badmus, 25, who was murdered in 2017, was among no fewer than 120 Nigerians, mainly young people, killed in South Africa since February, 2016 Nigeria’s Consul-General in South Africa, Godwin Adama, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that the South African authorities had confirmed that investigation into the murder of Badmus was almost concluded.

“Badmus, a native of Lagos state, was brutally murdered by the South African police on Oct. 10, 2017 at Vanderbidjk Park, South Africa. “Police officers implicated in the murder will be charged to court any moment from now,” the envoy said.
South African police officers were said to have stormed the home of Badmus, an undergraduate at Vaal University of Technology in Vanderbijlpark in South Africa, alleging that Badmus was trafficking drugs. But it was learnt that when the operatives searched the home of the young Nigerian, they could not find any drug.
The operatives, allegedly asked the deceased for money and when he could not give them money, they handcuffed him and used excessive pepper spray on him.

He passed out and died, due to suffocation Adama said that the case was classified as high-profile because of the tension generated by the development as some Nigerians, who had confrontation with the police almost took laws into their hands.
The consul-general said that on hearing the development, he immediately rushed to the scene where he interfaced with aggrieved Nigerians and the police to calm frayed nerves. “I led a delegation from the mission to visit the scene on receipt of the information.

When we arrived the scene, the place was tensed up because Nigerians there were not happy. “We immediately met with the station commander in the area with some selected Nigerians. “The police assured that a thorough investigation would be carried out and that the culprit would be brought to book.”
He said that the police authorities later arrested the police officers, who perpetrated the crime and commenced investigation.

Adama said that the mission had followed up on the case and that it was clear that investigating authorities had done a thorough job. The president of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, blamed the incessant killings of Nigerians in South Africa on lack of prosecution of offenders by the authorities.

Olubajo said that the inability of the South African government to bring to book those perpetrating the heinous crimes against Nigerians has given the criminals free hands.

http://www.vondanews.com/south-african-policemen-to-appear-in-court-for-allegedly-killing-nigerian-man/

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has received quite a number of backlash after she tweeted that the newly unveiled National Carrier project embarked upon by the Buhari-led administration will fail.

According to Ezekwesili, the project is a white elephant project that must fail. Twitter user @empirical went on her comment section to say a prayer against her and she replied. See their exchange below

http://www.vondanews.com/oby-ezekwesili-replies-nigerian-man-who-asked-god-to-destroy-her-for-saying-nigeria-carrier-project-must-fail/

Banky w, a Nigerian singer, rapper and actor took to his Instagram page to appreciate his wife Adesua Wellington who continues to make strives in the entertainment industry.

Here's what he wrote:

I feel like I hit the jack pot and married the most beautiful lady in Nigerian history. Inside and out.pls argue with your ancestors. Congrats on your new cover.

http://www.vondanews.com/banky-w-appreciates-wife-as-she-covers-genevieve-magazine/

A member of the House of Representatives, Aminu Shagari, has berated the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose for alleging that he was attacked by the police.

The lawmaker from Sokoto State described Fayose as an actor.

Recall that security operatives had on Wednesday blocked the entrance to Ekiti State Government House in Ado Ekiti.

The operatives had allegedly shut teargas canisters which affected Fayose.

Commenting on the attack, Fayose had claimed that he was equally slapped and beaten by police officers.

But speaking during a motion on the issue, Shagari maintained that Fayose’s claim that he was beaten by the police “never happened.”

The lawmaker wondered how it was only the governor that was affected by the alleged police clampdown.

He said, “Everybody knows the governor of Ekiti state as an actor. The incident he portrayed yesterday did not happen.

“Everybody was standing around him including his deputy. He fell down and began to pretend. How come it was only him?”

http://www.vondanews.com/ekiti-election-fayose-is-an-actor-police-did-nothing-to-him-shagari/

Duduzane Zuma, the son of South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma, appeared in court on Thursday on culpable homicide charges over a fatal late-night car crash in 2014. Duduzane, 34, is accused of causing the death of Phumzile Dube after his Porsche hit a minibus taxi that she was travelling in.


State prosecutors also say a second woman died three months later from injuries suffered in the crash, which occurred in the upmarket business district of Sandton in Johannesburg.


National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokeswoman Phindi Mjonondwane said the state had applied for a postponement which was granted on Thursday. “The state has had to place the charges formally against Mr Zuma today,” she said after the case was postponed to August 23.


The NPA had previously decided not to charge him before reversing its decision. Duduzane Zuma also appeared before a separate court on Monday where he was charged with corruption linked to his father’s government, and released on bail.
Jacob Zuma, 76, was forced to resign in February as criticism grew from within the ruling ANC party over multiple graft scandals.


On Thursday, he arrived at the court after the case to lend support to his son and the pair left together.

Jacob Zuma currently has five wives and at least 20 children

http://www.vondanews.com/zumas-son-charged-with-culpable-homicide-over-crash/