Trump trade chief wants World Trade Organization leadership race reopened in blow to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Robert Lighthizer, US President, Donald Trump's Trade chief has suggested a reopening of the process to find a new Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), an unprecedented move that will surely be a blow to Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.
The US opposes former World Bank economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the job, and considering that the US owns the dollar as is a major player in world trade, a candidate not supported by the US has a very low chance of assuming the role.
Donald Trump's trade chief Robert Lighthizer speaking to the BBC said that the WTO needs "someone with real experience in trade".
Robert Lighthizer's also said that there is no way the Trump administration will be persuaded to back the Nigerian ex-finance minister in its remaining weeks in office.
Mr Lighthizer said the WTO "is massively in need of reform", adding that the US needs to "start making headway" on that process.
According to Lighthizer, the WTO has "failed to function as a negotiating body". He also pinpoints that "massive reform" is needed for the dispute-resolving Appellate Body, which he feels has evolved into a body creating a common law of trade, "taking away benefits" that members had negotiated for " and putting restraint on things that had been conceded".
"I think there's a consensus developing at the WTO that we need the appellate body reform," he said.
"We need to start negotiating again, we need to start making headway. So I'm glad you brought up the WTO, it's been clearly a focus for us and to us its an organisation that started off as a good idea and basically isn't functioning very well, but I think that can be sorted out also."
"Effective multilateral cooperation to lower barriers to trade is urgently needed to help jumpstart the global economy and recover from the pandemic," he says. "That requires creative leadership from an honest broker in the role of director-general."
The doubling down by Lighthizer on the rejection of Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, despite widespread support from other countries, might be a major issue Joe Biden will have to solve when becomes US President in January.
The other finalist for the job is South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee She and Iweala have been left in limbo for more than five weeks on their fate.
If a new Director-General is not appointed before Joe Biden's inauguration as US President on 20 January, it is likely the process will be delayed for several months after Biden takes over because Biden has chosen Katherine Tai, as Mr Lighthizer's successor, but will need Congressional approval which will be difficult if Republicans maintain control of the Senate in the January Senate elections.
The WTO plays a crucial role in brokering trade deal and upholding international trade law, however it has been without a leader since Roberto Azevedo resigned in August, saying someone else would be better placed to deliver the needed reforms.
If Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala clinches the role she will be the first Nigerian and African head of the World Trade Organization.
The Founder, Econet Global and owner of Liquid Telecom, Strive Masiyiwa, says work has commenced on a new data centre facility in Lagos valued at $100m.
Masiyiwa said the data centre, which would be the largest facility outside South Africa, had been named Africa Data Centre, Atlantic and would be built on five acres of land.
While displaying the architectural design of the data centre made by Trevor Juul in a Facebook post, he said the facility would be powered by solar energy and natural gas.
As part of the investment in Nigeria, he said Liquid’s Undersea cables company would land a new high capacity cable into Nigeria next year in partnership with Google.
This, according to him, will make data costs much cheaper and faster.
He said, “This week marked the start of the construction of our first major data centre facility in Lagos, Nigeria. Named the ADC Atlantic, this is a US$100m investment in the Nigerian economy. In the Data Centre world, this will be the largest facility outside South Africa.
“This cable which is in partnership with Google will also extend all the way to Cape Town, South Africa. We are also going to start laying new fibres in major cities from next year,” he said.
He added, “This is our largest investment in Nigeria since the mobile industry started.
Once again, I am kicking off a new revolution in the next phase of technology. What is important is not the data centre but the technologies that will be unleashed in Nigeria because of this infrastructure. That’s the big deal here!”
Liquid Telecom had raised $307m through a rights issue to fund a rapid expansion of its data centre business across Africa.
The rights issue included an additional $40m from UK development finance institution, CDC Group Plc.
Masiyiwa first invested in Nigerian mobile telecom industry in 2001, after MTN, before selling its shares to Celtel and then Bharti Airtel.
Tesla’s chief executive blames business schools for lack of innovation; deans are firing back
By Patrick Thomas
What is wrong with American corporations? Elon Musk says too many M.B.A.s. are polluting companies’ ability to think creatively and give customers what they really want.
His comments criticizing M.B.A.s came amid a broader conversation about leadership before an online audience during The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council annual summit, where he also encouraged executives to step away from their spreadsheets and get out of the boardroom and onto the factory floor.
“I think there might be too many M.B.A.s running companies,” the Tesla Inc. chief executive said. “There’s the M.B.A.-ization of America, which I think is maybe not that great. There should be more focus on the product or service itself, less time on board meetings, less time on financials.”
Many business-school leaders shot back, saying that Mr. Musk’s comments don’t match the reality of what is taught in M.B.A. programs and that more students than ever who are pursuing the graduate degree are interested in entrepreneurship and tech rather than Wall Street.
“I have nothing but the utmost respect for Elon, but he’s wrong to focus the blame on M.B.A.s,” said Robert Siegel, a lecturer in management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. “I think he’s got a strong element of truth of what leaders should be focused on, but he is completely off base talking about M.B.A.s.”
Mr. Siegel said Stanford offers students a variety of business-school courses on product development and customer engagement. There are also opportunities for budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business plans for capital as well as to work with professors and other departments, such as the engineering school, to help launch their ideas, he added.
Glenn Hubbard, the former dean of Columbia Business School, said an M.B.A. gives entrepreneurs the foundation needed to succeed, including imagining a product for a customer’s needs, developing a strategy, putting together a financing plan and building a team.
“He is a visionary, but many CEOs do well at vision and execution with the benefit of an M.B.A., or with a strong team of M.B.A.s.”
‘There should be more focus on the product or service itself, less time on board meetings, less time on financials.’— Elon Musk
Among the top 100 CEOs in the Fortune 500, roughly a third holds a master’s in business administration, according to the U.S. News Best Business School rankings. Five M.B.A. programs have trained more than one Fortune 100 CEO, including Harvard Business School, which counts JPMorgan Chase & Co. chief James Dimon and Lawrence Culp Jr. , the CEO of General Electric Co., among its alums, and Stanford, where General Motors Co. CEO Mary Barra and Capital One Financial Corp. CEO Richard Fairbank went to business school.
Not all Fortune 100 CEOs with an M.B.A. attended a highly ranked program, the report says. For instance, Stephen Squeri, CEO at American Express Co., earned his degree from Manhattan College’s O’Malley School of Business.
Raj Echambadi, the dean of Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business, questioned Mr. Musk’s assertion that CEOs shouldn’t be attuned to their company profitability, adding that an M.B.A. can give corporate leaders a holistic understanding of business, from the supply chain, operations and manufacturing to marketing, customer service and human resources.
“Do we really think that investor focus on financials is an MBA-education problem?” said Rich Lyons, the former dean of the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. “Do firms with fewer M.B.A.s on their boards and senior teams have shorter meetings? I’m skeptical. Might Musk’s rightful emphasis on product be more a function of the science-driven industry he’s in, as opposed to valid generalization?”
Some critics of the M.B.A applauded Mr. Musk. Dan Rasmussen, a partner at investment firm Verdad Advisers in Boston, said he was delighted by Mr. Musk questioning the value proposition of business education. Mr. Rasmussen wrote a report published in 2019 in Institutional Investor that found M.B.A. programs don’t produce CEOs who are better at running companies when their performance is measured by stock-price return.
“What Musk is pointing out here is rewarding doers rather than focusing on airy concepts such as management,” Mr. Rasmussen said. “I’m in favor of a society that favors doing and action rather than pedigree. People devoted to the company might be better or equal to a star M.B.A. that got head-hunted into the company.”
This wasn’t the first time Mr. Musk or other tech leaders have criticized the M.B.A. In a 2013 interview with the American Physical Society, a nonprofit professional organization for people in physics-related industries, Mr. Musk said: “I hire people in spite of an M.B.A., not because of one.”
Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist who started PayPal Holdings Inc. with Mr. Musk and others two decades ago, once said: “Never ever hire an M.B.A.; they will ruin your company.”Tesla is one of the most sought-after places to work for young graduates and many business-school students, according to Handshake, a student career-services website that college graduates use to look for work. For the past five years, the electric-car maker has consistently ranked among the top three employers receiving the most job applications
Jeff Bezos, the longtime head of Amazon.com Inc., has criticized M.B.A.s. in the past. But as the e-commerce retailer has grown over the past decade, it has become one of the biggest employers of M.B.A. graduates.
M.B.A. programs have faced criticism over whether their often hefty price tags are worth it. Some of the highest-ranked M.B.A. programs can cost six figures without any living expenses added in or factoring for the opportunity costs of taking two years out of a career to pursue the degree.
Kai Thompson, a recent M.B.A. graduate of the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management who works as a consultant, said his education was worth it.
“The assumption of Mr. Musk that all M.B.A.s care more about finances, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and board meetings than delivering quality products and services to customers is just simply inaccurate,” he said.
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Aare Gani Adams, on Tuesday, said he does not have any reason to reconcile with former President Olusegun Obasanjo noting that his guarding angel will not forgive him if he reconciles with the former president.
Aare Adams, who spoke at a press conference at his Omole residence in Lagos, berated the former president who cast aspersion on his character.
It was recently reported that the former president and the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland had reconciled their 15 year old feud at Pa Ayo Adebanjo’s residence in Lagos.
But Obasanjo dismissed the reconciliation saying he has no fight to warrant reconciliation with Adams.
According to Obasanjo, “It is true that I paid a personal visit to Chief Ayo Adebanjo at his residence in Lekki Phase 1 on December 2, 2020 and I met Gani Adams there.
“I have no quarrel with Gani Adams, but for his past way of life which was not in accord with my standards and principles. I have in the past, both in government and out of government, refused to grant Gani’s request to visit me.”
However, reacting to Obasanjo’s remarks, Aare Adams said it was necessary for him to respond to the former president.
Besides, Adams expressed worry over the state of insecurity in the country saying the “only way to address the state of insecurity is for us to restructure the country. When we restructure our security, we can have four levels of police. We can have the federal, regional, state and local government police.”
The Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has hailed the decision of his Ebonyi counterpart, David Umahi, to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Matawalle attributed Mr Umahi’s decamping to “bad blood in the present Peoples Democratic Party”.
The Zamfara governor, who is a member of the PDP, stated this in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Zailani Bappa, on Friday.
Mr Matawalle said he would rather commend Mr Umahi for “his bold decision rather than condemn him because everyone feels welcome only in a house where he feels comfortable”.
“If this trend of generating bad blood amongst us continues unabated, our great party will increasingly be on the receiving end as we move towards the year 2023,” Governor Matawalle observed.
“I am having a very bad experience of recent from some of my PDP Governor colleagues which I still find very puzzling. For instance, the South-South Governors accusing me in the media are PDP Governors and they are the same people who brewed controversy over the so-called Zamfara Gold, premised on deliberate misinformation and outright lies,” Governor Matawalle said.
“Surprisingly, it is the APC Federal Government which has all the correct records on the gold mining issue that came out to defend me in this saga. As PDP colleagues, I expected the Governors to contact me first and find out my own side of the story before unleashing their venom in the media”, he said.
“As the brouhaha lasted, I commend the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari for being supportive of our efforts to organise the economic sector in the state to avoid using the mineral deposits to promote insecurity in our dear state.
“Today, the Federal Government is issuing licences to deserving Companies to operate in the mining sector in the state. The biggest company with an investment of billions of naira is owned by a Nigerian from Anambra state. And I wonder where the idea of Zamfara state owning the gold mines emanated from. As at now, the state Government does not have a hand in any of the mining activity in the state because the constitution does not empower us to do so.
“I call on the South-South Governors to eschew intellectual idleness and support its people to operate modular refineries as provided by the law and lift their people out of fear rather than sit behind and start chasing shadows rather than substance,” Mr Matawalle challenged.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The outgoing administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued a new temporary rule that could require tourist and business travelers from two dozen countries, most in Africa, to pay a bond of as much as $15,000 to visit the United States.
The U.S. State Department said the temporary final rule, which takes effect Dec. 24 and runs through June 24, targets countries whose nationals have higher rates of overstaying B-2 visas for tourists and B-1 visas for business travelers. The Trump administration said the six-month pilot program aims to test the feasibility of collecting such bonds and will serve as a diplomatic deterrence to overstaying the visas.
Trump, who lost a re-election bid earlier this month, made restricting immigration a central part of his four-year term in office. President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, has pledged to reverse many of the Republican president's immigration policies, but untangling hundreds of changes could take months or years.
Biden's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment related to the visa bond requirement.
The visa bond rule will allow U.S. consular officers to require tourist and business travelers from countries whose nationals had an "overstay rate" of 10% or higher in 2019 to pay a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000.
Twenty-four countries meet that criteria, including 15 African countries. While those nations had higher rates of overstays, they sent relatively few travelers to the United States.
Historically, U.S. consular officers have been discouraged from requiring travelers to the United States to post a bond, with State Department guidance saying processing of the bonds would be "cumbersome," the temporary rule said.
Countries whose tourist and business travelers could be subject to the bond requirement include those from Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Sudan, Chad, Angola, Burundi, Djibouti and Eritrea. Other countries include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, Syria, Laos and Yemen.
The Eastern line is a very integral part of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s rail development initiative. There are, however, concerns about aspects of the project, writes ROBERT EGBE
Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi is passionate about connecting the country through railway. His principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, has also caught the bug and has approved almost everything the minister requires to bring the project to fruition. A regular clean bill from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has seen the project moving on, but there are concerns that there are irregularities in the handling of the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern Railway Line.
What exactly are the issues?
The project development coordinator of the Insight Dynamics Resource Ltd, Musa Ibrahim Kuchi, alleged serious breaches in the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern Line Railway project.
“The minister acted in breach of the law in seeking a no-objection certificate to award the contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern line and that the BPP acted ultra vires in issuing such a certificate. Sections 16 & 40 of the Public Procurement Act 2007 stipulate five years imprisonment without an option of fine for such an infringement. The Federal Executive Council was misled into approving the contract by reliance on a defective certificate issued by the BPP. The Federal Executive Council recently approved the award of a contract to the Chinese contractor, CCECC, for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern line for $3.1bn. The papers forwarded to the BPP by the Ministry are irregular in many respects and calls to question the motivation of the minister. Furthermore, the minister wants to take a loan for the project from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd ( a private financial institution) to be backstopped by a sovereign guarantee at an interest rate of more than 3% whereas the US Eximbank offers a cheaper interest rate of 1.8% which the ministry spurned,” Kuchi said.
Taking loan from a private bank
Kuchi said it was wrong to ignore government-to-government loan arrangements with lower interest rates such as offered by the United States Eximbank.
“Usually loans such as the Chinese ICBC one are backstopped with a Federal Government sovereign guarantee and one danger of it is, that the sovereign guarantee may be discounted at 75-80% of its face value thereby allowing the contractor to receive money upfront while leaving Nigeria exposed. Is this why the minister has been misleading the government and the public by claiming that there is no alternative to China for funding of the railway projects even after US Eximbank has written over 80 emails to support railway development in Nigeria? Note only Lagos – Ibadan Rail project is being financed by Chinese Eximbank, all other projects are Chinese private commercial bank, and that is wrong especially where Nigeria sovereignty guarantee is involved,” he added.
Kuchi felt the BPP might have succumbed to political pressure and said it appeared that only the CCECC price assessment was used in violation of Section 16 and 40 of the Public Procurement Act.
“The minister foreclosed any opportunity for other companies to bid openly and competitively, therefore there is no transparency in the process. The tender was not advertised. The documents submitted to BPP by the Ministry reveals that the process of deal preparation appears deeply flawed with the contractor/concessionaire appearing to play the role of technical advisor as well which portends a conflict of interest. The contractor should not prepare the feasibility study that forms the basis of the Outline Business Case (OBC). Such items of work should be undertaken by an independent consultant acting as transaction advisor who should also be procured through an open tender. Before an OBC, there should be a scoping study incorporating a condition survey and also include a Bill of Quantities for the tendering contractors to price. Such an independent consultant would also produce an estimate of the scope of work that would form the benchmark for assessing bids. There is no justification or basis for assessing the contractor’s price in the manner used whereas it is a fundamental principle of the Public Procurement Act, that open and competitive tenders provide the best price assessment and value for money. You can’t be a referee and a player in the same game,” Kuchi explained.
He added: “The rehabilitation contracts were awarded on the Eastern line in 2011 for about $500m and by 2018, with about 70% of the contract sums expended/committed, the contracts appear to have been effectively abandoned by the government for no discernible reason. Railway services from the South East that commenced at the end of 2014 to the North had effectively stopped because the contracts were not completed and tracks vandalised.
The question the ministry has to answer is why is it now coming forward to award the same scope of work for over three times the price of the original contracts ($1.84bn) comparatively and when an aggregate of 70% of the original scope of work may have been completed just a few years earlier. They need to explain why the same scope of work is proposed to be awarded to CCECC at $1.8bn or (N650bn) instead of the balance of about N15bn required to complete the existing contracts. The same CCECC that rehabilitated the narrow gauge railway from Lagos to Jebba with N12bn ($80m) or $200,000 per km is now proposing to rehabilitate Port Harcourt –Maiduguri with $1.4m per km. That is a 700% cost inflation!”
Nigeria, he said, is building a standard gauge track between Lagos to Ibadan, Ibadan to Kano, Warri to Abuja and Lagos to Calabar and queried the sense in investing in building a new narrow gauge system that cannot interface seamlessly with the standard gauge system.
“Recently the request from the FMOT to Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) claimed that this project is “among the railway modernization projects captured in the year 2020 appropriation of the Ministry in the sum of N67bn”. This is not true. All the modernisation projects are standard gauge and there is no narrow gauge railway modernisation project. It is indeed a misnomer for a modernisation project to be a rehabilitation of an old system.
“No US Company or AECOM did not pull out but were frustrated by the Minister of Transport and FMOT officials. Perhaps you will remember about a couple of months ago, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, challenged the National Assembly to tell him where huge infrastructure loans could be accessed beside China. I met him far back in 2018 with details correspondences from US Eximbank and US Embassy commercial department where they indicated interest to support the ministry about their willingness to discuss Nigeria infrastructure projects for the past three years. But the Ministry of Transportation deliberately deployed every strategy to frustrate us and the American company AECOM even though they admitted in one of their letters to us that they have correspondence from US Eximbank. US Eximbank further expressed perplexity as to why the Nigerian government cannot engage with the US government at a bi-bilateral level for discussions regarding potential support, regardless of whether or not a U.S. exporter has provided affirmative interest.
“I have all documents to shows FMOT did not take US Eximbank opportunity and they don’t want Americans involved in rail projects in Nigeria even though they offer superior work quality, transparency and lower interest rate of less than 2% as against 3.2% Chinese offered us simply because Americans want government-to-government bilateral arrangement,” Kuchi further said.
He said his company met with Minister of Finance on the need to go along with the American deal.
“Yes we met her and she was very surprised, to say the least, and immediately directed her Permanent Secretary to write to FMOT requesting for their funding requirements to enable her to engage foreign affairs ministry on government-to-government bilateral negotiation, but to the best of my knowledge nothing comes out of that, ” he explained.
For a nation that intends to diversify its economy, Kuchi said, contemplating narrow gauge rail alignment is the last thing the ministry should undertake in the 21st Century.
“The narrow-gauge railway does have numerous disadvantages: When transporting goods, the cargo needs to be reloaded at transhipment stations for onward transportation by regular-gauge trains, signals and aerial lines are largely done away with, and elaborate automatic switches and block modes are rarely used. The narrow-gauge railways are also less smooth than normal railways, meaning jolts and vibrations are felt more intensely,” he said.
Legal tussle
Kuchi wants the court to direct the ministry to comply with the law and stop backdoor procurement.
“We are not asking the court should jail the minister, Rotimi Ameachi, and DG of BPP but we are bringing it to the court’s attention that the minister acted in breach of the law in seeking a no-objection certificate to award a contract for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Eastern line and that the BPP acted ultra vires by issuing such a certificate.
“We want to bring transparency to public procurement especially railway projects where billions of US Dollars are being spent. We are not seeking any kind of compensation but to ensure there’s transparency which will attract more foreign investment into the sector,” he said.
The worsening security situation in Benin City, Edo State capital, deteriorated on Saturday as policemen, especially those who served as Investigating Police Officers (IPO’s) of the prisoners who escaped from the two Correctional Centres in the city, have been receiving threat messages from the escapees.
This was just as a medical doctor attached to the Central Hospital, Benin City, Maxwell Orosanye, was shot on Saturday at Mobil filling station along Siluko road and his Toyota Corolla car snatched from him.
Edo State Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, who disclosed the threats to his officers and men added that the text messages were sent to those officers whose in the course of their duty, prosecuted and secured the conviction of the escaped prisoners.
Kokumo disclosed that his men had been working with the existing limitations to restore normalcy to the state, just as he said the three policemen shot on Friday by hoodlums were recuperating.
"You can imagine what it means that three police stations along Sokponba Road were destroyed and burnt, patrol vehicles destroyed in several other parts of the state capital, all the officers in these stations now operate from the headquarters”, he lamented.
It would be recalled that the #EndSARS protest was on October 19 hijacked by hoodlums and in the ensuing violence, inmates were set free from the two Correctional Centres at Sapele Road and Oko, Airport Road. This was in addition to burning down of seven police stations in the Benin metropolis.
The situation, the top police officer noted, was telling on the operations of the Command.
“What do you expect? Some of these escapees have been sending threat messages to policemen who investigated and prosecuted them, one of the escapees who was convicted for murder went that same day to kill the prosecution witness in his village, but he was rearrested immediately. Everybody must be part of the restoration of sanity. People who know these escapees should avail us information about them”, the Commissioner of Police pleaded.
He however, assured that “we are not sleeping but with what has happened to the police in Edo, some of these hitches are expected. But we are not sleeping and we will continue to work. As I speak to you I am on my way to visit three of our personnel, an Assistant Commissioner of Police and two Inspectors who were shot, they recuperating.”
Three persons were Saturday shot dead along Evidence Street by Isior, an outskirt of Benin. while two other dead bodies were discovered near Uselu along Ugbowo Road early Saturday morning.
Trump asked aides if he could pursue a wild plan to replace the Electoral College with loyalists who would ignore the vote, report says
Tom Porter Nov 13, 2020, 6:35 AM
President Donald Trump has been asking aides about a plan to remain in office by subverting the Electoral College, The New York Times reported Thursday.
Under the scenario, GOP-controlled state legislatures would ignore the popular vote in swing states, appointing Trump loyalists to the Electoral College to secure the president a second term.
Business Insider reported earlier Thursday that the plan was gaining currency among some Trump supporters — despite how unlikely it is to work.
Experts say that the scenario, though technically possible, faces enormous legal and political obstacles.
The sources who spoke to the Times stressed that though Trump asked about the plan, he did not seem to entertain it seriously.
President Donald Trump asked top aides about a wild plan involving replacing electors in swing states with loyalists to secure himself a second term, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
The Times report came hours after Business Insider noted that the plan was gaining currency among Trump allies.
The plan exploits an obscure loophole in US democracy, and hinges on state legislatures deciding to ignore the results in their state and instead send a new group of electors to the Electoral College who would cast their votes for Trump.
Such a scenario, while technically possible, has been widely dismissed by experts as unworkable in practice and an affront to US democracy. Business Insider's post yesterday noted some of the problems with making it work.
The Times, citing sources familiar with Trump's activities, reported Thursday that the president pressed his advisors about the scenario at a meeting on Wednesday.
The report notes though that according to the sources "it was not a detailed conversation, or really a serious one" and did not reflect any "obsessive desire" of Trump to remain in office.
Read more: EXCLUSIVE: Documents reveal Trump is building his own 'deep state' by leaving political appointees behind in government for the Biden administration
Since Biden's victory was projected by Business Insider on the morning of Friday 6 November, and other major news organisations on Saturday, Trump has made no public statements.
Instead he spent time playing golf, watching cable news, and tweeting accusations of electoral fraud, many of which have been labelled misleading by the social media platform.
According to reports, top advisors have admitted privately that Trump's chances of winning a series of lawsuits challenging vote counts in swing states have little realistic prospect of success.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has said that his administration has no plan to stop the pensions of past governors and their deputies in the state.
Governor Okowa said this while reacting to the decision of his counterpart in Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to repeal the pension laws for former governors of Lagos state.
Speaking with journalists in Asaba, the Delta state capital today November 11, Governor Okowa said
“There is an existing law in Delta State on what accrued to the governors and their deputies, that I don’t want to touch. We are not thinking in that direction. My counterpart in Lagos may have reasons why he wants the law repealed but we in Delta don’t want to go into that.
I don’t want to comment on the decision of Lagos State Governor. Each state has the power to make a decision concerning its governance.”
Reacting to the decision of the Federal government to allow Zamfara state government to manage their resources, Governor Okowa said the South-South governors will be meeting with the Chief of Staff of President Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, to address the issue.
“That’s why South-South governors are insisting on restructuring and for us to manage our resources. We will be meeting with the President’s Chief of Staff on Friday in Port -Harcourt, so we believe our voice should be heard.
If FG should allow Zamfara to manage their resources, South-South should be also be allowed to manage our own,” he said.
International election experts invited by the Trump administration to observe the U.S. election last week issued a preliminary report that found no evidence of the widespread fraud alleged by President Trump.
The State Department invited a 28-member delegation from the Organization of American States, which has reported on elections around the world, to observe the voting in the U.S. on Nov. 3.
Members of the OAS team were sent to battleground states such as Michigan and Georgia, where the Trump campaign has filed lawsuits alleging voter fraud, and noted in the report that it had “not directly observed any serious irregularities that call into question the results so far.”
“On Election Day, the members of the Mission were present at polling places in Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan and the District of Columbia, and observed the process from the opening of the polling centers through to the close of polls and the deposit of voting materials with the appropriate local authorities,” the report states. “Members of the Mission also visited tabulations centers to observe the tallying of result. In the jurisdictions that it observed, the Mission found that the day progressed in a peaceful manner.”
The report did find “clear examples of intimidation of electoral officials” — by Trump supporters in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona who unsuccessfully sought to halt the counting of votes.
The report also took aim at Trump himself for statements questioning the legitimacy of the vote, claiming that Democrats were trying to “steal” the election.
“In his statement the Republican candidate cast further aspersions on the US electoral process, stating that ‘This is a case where they’re trying to steal an election. They’re trying to rig an election and we can’t let that happen.’ The OAS observers deployed in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia did not witness any of the aforementioned irregularities,” the report states.
While the report notes that it supported the right for Trump to “seek redress” in the courts for questionable election practices, it warns against promoting “unsubstantiated or harmful speculation.”
“While the OAS Mission has not directly observed any serious irregularities that call into question the results so far, it supports the right of all contesting parties in an election, to seek redress before the competent legal authorities when they believe they have been wronged,” the report states. “It is critical, however, that candidates act responsibly by presenting and arguing legitimate claims before the courts, not unsubstantiated or harmful speculation in the public media.”
On Oct. 21, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lavished praise on the OAS, which was marking its 50th anniversary overseeing democratic elections.
“Last January, I praised the OAS as an example of a multilateral organization that actually works,” Pompeo said. “It works because we share democratic values, and under your leadership, the OAS isn’t afraid to stand up for these values.”
On Tuesday, Pompeo was asked whether the State Department was proceeding with the transition to the Biden administration following Trump’s loss in the election.
“There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration,” Pompeo responded. “We’re ready. The world is watching what is taking place. We’re going to count all the votes. When the process is complete there will be electors selected. There’s a process in place; the Constitution lays it out pretty clearly.”
Pompeo did not mention the preliminary report issued by the OAS.
Outrage as Enugu govt accuses Flavour, Phyno of collecting N78m from Ekweremmadu
…Flavour participated in the ENDSARS protests like other celebrities — Brother
The recent allegation levelled against popular music heavyweights, Flavour N’abania and Phyno by the Enugu State government that the duo collected the sum of N78 million from the former Deputy Senate president, Dr. Ike Ekweremmadu to tarnish the image of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi during the nationwide #ENDSARS protests are currently raising dust in many quarters.
Some concerned stakeholders in the state are still wondering why the Technical Assistant to Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Media and Public Relations, Comrade Stanley Ezediuto should make such a ‘grave accusation’ on his social media handles, while many others have asked the Enugu State government to apologise to the artistes.
However, the truth remains that many celebrities across the country participated actively in the #ENDSARS protests while it lasted. Indeed, Flavour and Phyno were no exception.
The likes of Runtown, Falz, Davido, Tiwa Savage, DJ Switch and comedian AY.
Others were Femi Kuti, Peter Okoye of the defunct Psquare singing group, media personality Toke Makinwa, popular disc jockey DJ Spinall and former Big Brother Naija stars Anto Lecky and Nelson Enwerem Prince. Big Brother Naija’s Tacha and Elozonam, Dija and Jaywon, MC Lively, Bello Kreb among others participated in the protests.
At the international stage, artistes like Rihanna, rapper Kanye West, Estelle, Trey Songz, Chance the Rapper, CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, and German-Turkish Arsenal player Mesut Özil supported the demonstrators by sending solidarity messages.
In Enugu popular singers alongside Zoro, Kcee among other musicians led thousands of youths in protest against the dreaded Special Anti Robbery Squad.
Following their active involvement in the protest, Comrade Stanley Ezediuto had accused the duo of collecting N78 million from Senator Ike Ekweremmadu to campaign against the incumbent governor of the state.
“We are aware of the gifting of a huge sum of N78 million to Phyno and Flavour to campaign against the governor of Enugu State in the ongoing #EndSars protest nationwide by Senator Ike Ekweremmadu. But we are warning against hijacking of the protest by strange characters for political reasons. Enugu State Government has lived up to expectations and the governor will continue to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.”
“Ike Ekweremmadu should not use this opportunity to castigate the working government of Enugu State through Phyno and Flavour for his 2023 guber aspiration. If he fails to desist from so doing, we shall remind him of the many abandoned projects in his constituency which should be of major concern to him. These revered artistes should not allow themselves to be used against the peaceful state of Enugu,” he warned.
However, reacting to the allegation, Flavour’s elder brother, who’s also his booking agent, Benjamin said the highlife Afro singer participated in the #ENDSARS protests like other celebrities across the country.
“It means that all the celebrities that participated in the #ENDSARS protests also collected money from the politicians. That’s what the allegation implies. So, in this case, you just have to use your common sense,” he added.
Also, reacting to the allegation when contacted, Flavour’s younger brother, DJ Derekz, said the “Nwa Baby” singer will soon release an official statement to that effect.
Recall that days back, Flavour and Phyno took to their social media platforms,warning that should anything happen to them, the governor of Enugu State should be held responsible for it. They alleged that the governor threatened to deal with them for announcing that he should do more in delivering dividends of democracy to Enugu people. “Today our lives were threatened and we are making it clear that if anything happens to any single one of us or any protesters, let it be known that it was done by the Enugu State Government,” Flavour wrote on IG.
Officials said dozens of ballot boxes were damaged by the thugs across major cities of Boston and Los Angeles.
NIMI PRINCEWILL • OCTOBER 29, 2020
Ahead of the U.S presidential election scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, a Boston resident Worldy Armand was arrested Sunday evening for incinerating a ballot box.
Officials said 35 out of 122 ballots inside the box were damaged in the inferno — with 87 still readable, McClatchy reported.
Sunday’s incident at Copley Square, Boston — the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts comes exactly a week after a similar arson at the Baldwin Park Library in Los Angeles, the newspaper group said.
About 200 ballots were said to have been destroyed in the LA inferno.
Reacting to the latest incident, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh described Mr. Armand’s action as a “disgrace to democracy, a disrespect to the voters fulfilling their civic duty.”
McClatchy cited prosecutors as confirming that a 39-year-old suspect has since been charged with “willful and malicious burning.”
“No matter the intent of Armand when he set fire to these ballots, his actions strike a nerve in our society at a time of nearly unprecedented political divisiveness”, a statement by Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said.
It was unclear whether the suspects have reached their legal representatives. Authorities said affected voters will be given an opportunity to replace their ballot or vote in person on election day.
Reports said early ballots in the election have already surpassed 66 million voter turnout, an all-time high in U.S election history.
Incumbent Donald Trump of the Republican party hopes to be reelected, as Democrat former Vice President Joe Biden seeks his ouster.
Indigenous rapper, Phyno has accused the Enugu state government of threatening his life and that of other #EndSARS protesters.
In a tweet he shared, he stated that the Enugu state government should be held responsible should anything happen to them. Phyno accused Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of storming the protest with thugs who tried to fight them.
He tweeted:
Enugu! Today our lives were threatened and we are making it clear that if ANYTHING happens to any single one of us or any protestors, let it be known that it was done by the ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT!
Today, our peaceful protest in Enugu from Ogbete Market to the Enugu State Government House was going well until we reached the government house. Along the way we noticed a group of thugs joined the protests
The governor came out but refused to speak up and address the protestors, instead he addressed the thugs. The thugs tried to fight us but we maintained peace because we recognized their plan.
We made sure the youth remained calm yet the governor refused to answer our questions! Instead he walked out on us, unapologetically, with the thugs following him. We made it clear that we knew the people he was pretending to address were paid thugs.
As we have been saying: The movement won’t stop! We come in peace as always.
You may have or not noticed the disappearance of these actors on the movie screen. This is because life has not been fair to them as they have been struck with ailments.
Here is a list of them who we hope will get well soon:
Bruno Iwuoha In 2015, it was revealed the actor was seriously suffering from Diabetes and glaucoma.
Tunde Alabi Alabi’s leg was amputated due to complications from diabetes.
Sadiq Daba He has reportedly been suffering from leukemia and prostate cancer since 2017.
This popular Nollywood actor had a car accident, which condemned him to use walking crutches.
Ify Onwuemene Ify Onwuemene is reportedly suffering from cancer.
Victor Olaotan Olaotan, who featured in the popular TV progamme, Tinsel was involved in a car accident in 2016, and since then, has been using wheel chair.
Leo Mezie Leonard Chimezie Onyemachi better known as Leo Mezie is down with kidney-related issues. Leo Mezie is battling kidney failure and in dire need of a kidney transplant to save his life.
Henry Onyeka Onyeka was shot on the spine by a trigger-happy soldier in Jos and since then, has been battling paralysis as he uses wheel chair to support himself.
Ifeanyi Ezeokeke The cause of his illness is unknown as Nollywood stars, who visited claims they can’t figure out what exactly is wrong with him.
THE Southwest chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been hit by crisis, following irreconcilable differences between its zonal leader, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The bone of contention is the outcome of the Ekiti PDP parallel congresses, which produced two chairmen, Bisi Kolawole and Tunde Odebunmi.
Kolawole enjoys the support of Fayose, while Odebunmi is backed by Senator Biodun Olujimi.
However, Makinde has not acknowledged either Kolawole or Odebunmi as chairman. In his view, both Fayose and Olujimi camps should close ranks and find a political solution to the lingering leadership crisis.
Party sources said the sudden feud between Makinde and Fayose may affect preparations for the party’s regional congress in the Southwest.
Already, the cracks have widened, following the tacit support of Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti PDP chairmen for Fayose and the vote of confidence passed in Makinde by the Southwest National Assembly caucus of the party.
According to sources, pro-Fayose forces are bent on neutralising the influence of Makinde in the zonal chapter.
The alleged conspiracy against Makinde stemmed from his insistence that Fayose and Olujimi should reconcile.
While the Olujimi camp was said to have been willing to accept political solution, the Fayose camp said the solution should be hinged on the outcome of the primary.
Taking sides with Fayose, the chairmen in Lagos, Ondo, Ogun and Osun chapters accused Makinde of sidelining the party structures in the zone.
The chairmen, in a joint letter dated June 19 to the National Chairman, Uche Secondus, accused Makinde of unilaterally calling zonal meetings without a recourse to the zonal executive committees of the party.
Signatories included Deji Doherty (Lagos), Clement Faboyede (Ondo), Dr. Sikirulai Ogundele (Ogun) and Elder Sunday Akanfe (Osun).
They also alleged that Makinde was rooting for Chief Olabode George and Sen. Hosea Agboola to become the national chairman and Southwest chairman of the party.
There was a new twist to the crisis on Monday when Fayose led some party leaders to meet Secondus in Abuja.
Fayose was accompanied by Doherty, Ogundele Akanfe and Kolawole; former PDP National Vice Chairman, Southwest; Eddy Olafeso, zonal Secretary Bunmi Jenyo, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Oladipupo Adebutu.
A source said discussion at the meeting focused on the zonal congress and plot to hijack the zonal leadership from Makinde, who is the highest ranking PDP member.
The five PDP senators and 12 of the 14 House of Representatives members in the Southwest reiterated their support for Makinde. The senators are Ayo Akinyelure, Kola Balogun, Biodun Olujinmi, Francis Fadahunsi and Nicholas Tofowomo.
The House of Representatives members are Oluwole Oke, Kolade Akinjo, Oghene Egoh, Soyinka Olatunji, Tajudeen Obasa, Adedeji Stanley Olajide Bamidele Salam, Ajilesoro Taofeek, Omolafe Adedayo, Ajibola Muraina, Yemi Taiwo and Abass Agboworin.
The National Assembly caucus said it took the decision to avert “unnecessary skirmishes in the forthcoming South West congresses.
Fayose through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, denied that he was against Makinde, saying they enjoy cordial relationship.
Fayose, who said the governor remains the leader of the party in the Southwest, being the only governor, advised him not to abuse his position by meddling in the internal affairs of the state chapters.
He said: “Nobody is contesting leadership with Makinde. Ayo Fayose is not contesting leadership with anybody, including Makinde. But being the leader of the party doesn’t also mean he will be in control of PDP in all the state chapters.
“The truth of the matter is that PDP in the Southwest has never been run as a one-man show and it will not start now. When Fayose was the only governor, he was not involved in who was chairman in Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Ondo and Ogun. Those people in those states chose their own people who will want to lead them. But reverse is the case now.”
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has approved a 33% increase for all state pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme (Pay as You Go) with effect from January 1, 2020.
He has also approved the payment of a balance of 25% rent allowance for officers on Grade Level 07 and above, whose retirement took place between May 2000 and August 2004.
The disclosure was made by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, during a recent meeting with the members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.
She affirmed that both the increase and payment of the arrears would take effect from September 2020, in a bid to meet up with the harmonization exercise for the pensioners. She noted that since Sanwo-Olu’s assumption of office, he has paid a total sum of N1.893 billion to pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme, while also adding that all monthly pensions are paid as at when due without exception.
The commissioner maintained that all retirement bond certificates for June 2020 had been released to the Pension Fund Administrators for onward transmission to beneficiaries. She reiterated that Lagos State Government is determined to ensure that pensioners’ rights are paid promptly, while beneficiaries will continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy in the state.
Ponnle emphasized that the present administration is passionate about retirees’ welfare and will continue to acknowledge their service to the state, hence the reason for the approval which is also geared towards cushioning the effects of the pandemic.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has approved a 33% increment for all State Pensioners under the Defined Benefits Scheme (PAY AS YOU GO) with effect from the 1st January, 2020.@jidesanwoolu @lagosestab @jibolap#LASG #ForAGreaterLagos pic.twitter.com/tiWF152X4h
— The Lagos State Govt (@followlasg) September 8, 2020
Ghanaians are now incensed with the launch of Big Brethren Ghana, said to be the country's version of Big Brother.
Some photos from the reality show which were shared online caused an uproar as some of the housemates were spotted sleeping in an overcrowded and dirty room.
Some Ghanaians expressed their anger against organizers of the show for "disgracing the country", as they fear they might get trolled just like Big Brother Cameroon.
Here are some of the photos and reactions to it below;
Igbos in the PDP are sleepwalking to 2023. I have put my ears to the ground but I have heard nothing. Tepid murmurs. Shuffling of feet. Nothing else, besides snores. Where are the Igbos in the PDP? This is not a good time to be asleep. And not another season for ‘Atikulation’.
Igbos have served the PDP faithfully. 2023 should be payback time. The PDP should stand boldly for Igbo presidency. Or be labelled a traitor, a user, an exploiter.
But I have put my ears to the ground and, I have heard nothing. Besides Atiku revving his coming and going molue. And Wike weighing Tambuwal for faithfulness. The PDP in Igbo land has been too quiet. Nobody is singing 2023 hymns in that church.
Where is the Ohaneze? The last time, they broke a taboo, and pitched their tent with the PDP.
The calculation was that if he won he would surrender to the idea that 2023 belonged to the Igbo presidency project. It’s easier now, isnt it ? They can’t be picking their noses now.
Where are those who signed the midnight MOU? This is the time to do the politicking. A bird in hand could be worth three in the bush of self-determination. That morbid infatuation with the physiognomy of the president won’t better the lives of ordinary Igbo traders in Kano or Alaba.
It won’t help the man in Ogbete market shore up his sagging sense of belonging.
The PDP has fed fat on Igbo votes. It would be treacherous for the PDP to sit astride while others initiate the campaign for Igbo presidency. Where are the Igbos in the PDP? Atiku has been left to seize the party by the scruff of the neck?
Is he still coming? What is Peter Obi waiting for? Is he waiting to be a running mate again? Mbanu! Where is Abaribe? And Osita Chidoka.
The Igbos in the PDP should find their balls, or borrow some if they have none, and speak up.
My people say if you are afraid to speak to power then cover your head with a basket, yell and run.
Let them speak, and hide if they must.
I will keep reminding them. Their silence is deafening. Their silence is ominous. We cant spend an age crying marginalization and when our turn comes we chicken away. Let’s remind them whether they hear or not.
Because our ancestors said we should greet the deaf not because they will hear us, but so that the gods can bear us witness that we bear no malice against the deaf.
Igbos in PDP, wake up! As we say it in Igbo land, this is no time for ‘sleepingmuruanya’
I hear the emperor in Port Harcourt is plotting something. He wants power to help detain power in the Northwest till 2031. That is sacrilegious. Isn’t it? What happened to the Igbo presidency project? Has he heard of it?
Why can’t he embrace Igbo presidency with some ‘workaholism’. That latter-day messiah of the South. The one who can do no wrong; the one that has the interests of the Igbo at heart. Is he going to opt for shortsightedness now? The 2023 Igbo presidency project needs flyovers! Mr Projects, this is the real project. Is he going to be a chameleon?
Why won’t the emperor support Peter Obi in 2023? He is not Igbo? The 2023 Igbo presidency project is not his business? Because he wants to occupy one small position, he is willing to negotiate away 2023 Igbo presidency?
The problem with these people is that they talk too much. So sometimes they make us overrate them. When these folks talk about Peter Obi and Okonjo Iweala, you would think they are serious. The PDP brandishes Peter Obi and Okonjo Iweala, like Christmas clothes. Now 2023 is the turn of the Igbos, the PDP isn’t enthusiastic about fielding them.
Why?
Why can’t the PDP reciprocate the love Igbos have shown it and field Peter Obi? Or present Okonjo Iweala. No, they won’t. The PDP thinks that fielding an Igbo man will be a political mistake. So when would it be politically astute for the PDP to field an Igbo man?
In 2083? Yet tomorrow, the leaders of the people would fill our ears with lamentations, innuendoes and insinuations, about Hausa Fulani Hegemony.
You won’t hear from Abaribe speak about Igbo presidency, his party and 2023. Mba… you won’t. Because there is no Buhari to insult in this matter. Why can’t Abaribe summon the courage, his usual courage, and tell the PDP that 2023 is the turn of the Igbos and that it is non-negotiable?
Abaribe is the most senior elected official in the PDP. Abaribe is bold. So Abaribe should not cower when any governor says that fielding an Igbo presidential candidate in 2023 would be a mistake. By the way, why isn’t Abaribe running? Who is marginalizing him?
Imagine for a moment that it was the duty of the federal government to allocate presidential party tickets of the two main parties. Let me call their names now. Wike, Abaribe, Peter Obi and company would be on top of the voices screaming marginalization if anyone tried giving out the PDP ticket to anyone in the north in 2023.
An Igbo group; World Igbo People’s Assembly (WIPAS), has declared its intention to raise the sum of five hundred billion naira towards the achievement of the 2023 Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction project.
Spokesman of the group Chief Emeka Nwachukwu in a release said that it was long overdue for the Igbos to produce a president of Nigeria.
Nwachukwu who stated that the project is cost intensive, however, expressed hope that Ndigbo and Nigerians of good conscience all over the world would contribute to fund the project as they begin consultation of Igbo leaders and Nigerians across the world.
He told Nigerians to put their searchlight on Igbo land and look for candidates that will salvage Nigeria who are in quantum.
Nwachukwu noted that the WIPAS team would soon meet those it described as “who is who” in Nigeria in that regard congratulating Gen Yakubu Gowon, Gen IBB, Gen Ishola Williams , Chief E K Clark, Alh Balarabe Musa, Chief Ebenezar Babatope , Mallam El Rufai, Buba Galadima, Tanko Yakassai and many other Nigeria statesmen that are now disposed to the realization of the Nigeria Presidency of Igbo Extraction in 2023.
In his reaction the spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Chuks Ibegbu noted that the group concern is the restructuring of Nigeria, but however supported an Igbo to succeed President Buhari in 2023.
He noted that anything done to leapfrog the project is in order, but everything should be done transparently and with due process.
Ibegbu asked the federal and state governments to be cautious when unlocking the nation and insist on obedience to all health and sanitation rules by Nigerians to avoid unintended effects.
The National Assembly members from CRS are astonished that Fani Kayode can get so ballistic on a matter, he knows nothing about.
He throws tantrums at the people that have sustained the Party, while he is on sabbatical.
We thought he was going to ask Gov Ayade certain salient questions before dabbling in to the CRS matter.
Did he ask Ayade why he contributed two billion naira (#2,000,0000.00), to the APC in the 2019 Elections?
Did Fani Kayode ask him why he supported Hope Uzodinma in Imo State against EMEKA Ihedioha of PDP in the last Governorship Election in Imo State?
Did he ask Ayade why he sent #5M only, in December last year to the Party, as a Seating Governor after so much pressure?
Did he also ask Ayade why he encouraged his protégés to forge the signature of the National Organising Secretary ? An action which is criminal and maligning to the this great Party.
Did he ask Ayade if he could win CRS for PDP without the NASS Members?
Did he also ask Ayade if the Panel that conducted the Congresses was solely nominated by him OR not? The answer would have definitely been in the affirmative.
Did he ask Ayade if he had at least 50% of the structures OR not, bearing in mind that there are other stakeholders and we are in a Democracy?
Finally, we think that Fani Kayode should brief us on the standing of the Party in his own State, if he is on ground. We know that the PDP is very weak in his State, so he should go and put his State together for the Party.
Fani Kayode’s main Occupation at the moment is “talking “ but he should choose when and what to talk about, inspite of the inducements.
By Rotimi Ige The fifth season of the Big Brother Naija show kicked off on Sunday, July 19, 2020, and in keeping with tradition, the new season was aptly named after prevailing social circumstances, Big Brother Naija Lockdown.
Since it began, non-stop conversations about the show have been trending on social media. According to Keyhole, a digital media monitoring tool, Big Brother Naija related conversations reach an audience of 370 million online every day, and that in the last five days, over 760,000 users around the world have published content about the show on the internet. This is in addition to the 40 million TV audience watching from all over Africa.
Besides talking about their favourite housemate, social media users found a new conversation starter in the first few days of the show – the aesthetics of the house. Long time followers of the show commended the new look of the house, praising its ambience and attention to detail.
The new decor of the house was put together by Olajumoke Ogunnaike of Lefteye’s Signature and feeds into some new elements introduced into the show this season: the Heads of House now enjoy a personal suite comprising of a private bedroom, fitted bathroom, and a personal lounge/sitting area. Additionally, a salon has been introduced to help the housemates maintain their personal grooming.
While the new look of the house was lauded, not many have stopped to think about how much would have been invested to achieve all that we see on our screens. However, investigations from sources close to the organisers of the show recently revealed that it cost about N2.5 billion to set up the BBNaija Lockdown house.
This figure includes construction costs of over N300 million, N2 billion spent on production equipment such as consoles, cameras, microphones, cables, lighting, audio, and so on. Hundreds of millions also went into the provision of utilities, information technology and safety systems, building modifications, COVID-19 adaptations to the house, etc.
It was further revealed that the company had spent an additional N1 billion or more, on the actual production of the show, including the engagement of over 300 full-time employees and talent involved in the production of the show, in and outside the BBNaija House
Earlier in the year, Accenture released a report measuring the socio-economic impact of MultiChoice in the Nigerian economy. The report revealed that in the past five years, MultiChoice had contributed about N634 billion to the Nigerian economy, investing in Nigeria’s creative sector, content and production infrastructure, and contributing tax and regulatory fees to the coffers of the government. MultiChoice was also shown to have created over 12,000 jobs within the time period in review.
THERE were indications on Monday that cracks had developed in the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
This followed reluctance of the party’s governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, to accept embattled Deputy Governor Agboola Ajayi as his running mate.
Also, the division in the state’s chapter of the party has been linked to the Cold War over PDP’s 2023 presidential slot.
Jegede is a close ally of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; he won the primaries, despite the support Ajayi got from five PDP governors.
The five governors had attempted to use the primaries to stop Jegede from becoming the party’s candidate.
Following the failure of the deputy governor at the primaries, the five PDP governors were said to be pushing Ajayi to run on the platform of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
It was gathered that their plot is to split PDP’s votes and stop Atiku from producing a governor in the Southwest to use as a springboard for 2023 presidential race.
But the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which was aware of the development in PDP, has been banking on the cracks in the opposition to consolidate its strength across the state.
The support of President Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu added more bite to the campaign of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Worried by the new political mileage of APC in the state, it was learnt that some forces in the PDP have begun to prevail on Jegede to retain Ajayi as his running mate, instead of allowing him to defect to ZLP, which can affect the electoral fortunes of the state’s opposition party.
Jegede’s camp was said to be wary of Ajayi, who controls nine members of the Ondo State House of Assembly.
According to sources, Jegede’s strategists fear that Ajayi could become rebellious and impeach the governor, if the PDP wins in Ondo State.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Dissatisfied with the outcome of the PDP primary, five PDP governors allegedly instructed the deputy governor to open talks with the leadership of ZLP in the state.
“They have made commitments to bankroll Ajayi’s governorship bid, if he secures ZLP’s ticket.
“Penultimate Friday, Ajayi met with ZLP’s national leader and former governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko, where discussions held on the deal to concede the governorship ticket to Ajayi.
“Precisely, last Tuesday, Ajayi was said to have dispatched a chartered aircraft to convey the former governor to Abuja, ostensibly to firm up arrangements with both the NWC of ZLP as well as the five PDP governors backing Ajayi.”
Another source added: “We are good to go and bounce back as a political family. It is true that our boss met some powerful forces who asked if there was enough war chest to prosecute this battle and our oga (boss) told them he could raise N10 billion for the October 10, 2020 governorship election in the state.
“It was at the meeting in Abuja with the five PDP governors that it was revealed that the current political drama in Ondo State PDP was all about the 2023 presidential ticket.
“These governors, led by their colleagues from the Northwest and Southsouth, also vowed to stop Atiku from clinching the PDP ticket and one of their grand plans was to stop Jegede from becoming the governor of Ondo State.” As at last night, Jegede had not shown conviction about choosing Ajayi as his running mate.
But the PDP State Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Zadok Akintoye, in a statement on Sunday, denied that Ajayi was joining the ZLP.
AlabiJ: Osanobua! At this rate Obaseki himself might end up decamping back to APC to support his opponent.
I think Obaseki was scammed by paperweight politicians in Edo state into his unnecessary fight with Oshiomhole. Now he is seeing that power of incumbency is not enough to win reelection. A governor also needs to command the loyalty of the power brokers at the grassroots.
Really? wow. Maybe it's your browser because I just checked again and they're showing just fine. I'm surprised to hear that. I can't explain why that's the case. Sorry to everyone experiencing that.
Mercy Aigbe was born on January 1, 1978. She is an actress, director and businesswoman. She is best known for her Yoruba indigenous movies. She was born in Edo State.
She hails from Benin city which is the capital of Edo State
Kelvin Ngozi Ikeduba was born on August 21, 1976. He won the award for Best Cross Over Actor at the Yoruba Movie Academy Awards (YMAA) in 2014 an is predominantly known for his diversity in the movie industry.
He has featured in Nollywood movies where the English language is commonly used in their productions and very versed in Yoruba- only speaking movies.
Ikeduba, although a native of Delta, was born in Ebute-Meta in Lagos.
Elizabeth Omowunmi Tekovi Da-Silva was born on June 10, 1978. She is a movie producer of Togolese descent featuring predominantly in the Yoruba movie industry.
In 2016 Da-Silva was nominated for the City People Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress of the Year (Yoruba) at City People Entertainment Awards.
Da-Silva was born to Togolese parents residing in Nigeria
Simeon was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Raised and schooled in Ojota area of Lagos, Nigeria, Doris came to the spotlight via a 2001 Nollywood movie entitled Oloju Ede. She graduated from the PEFT Institute, where she studied production management.
Veteran actress, Rachel Oniga was born on May 23, 1957.
Originally from Eku, Delta, She was born in Ebute Metta, Lagos State. She has featured in notable Nigerian Yoruba films such as Sango, a movie scripted by Wale Ogunyemi, produced and directed by Obafemi Lasode and Wale Adenuga’s television series, Super story.
Toyin Abraham was born Olutoyin Aimakhu. She is a film actress, filmmaker, director and producer.
Aimakhu was born in Auchi, a town in Edo State, on September 5, 1982. She spent her early life in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in south western Nigeria. Toyin Abraham has starred in many Yoruba movies.
Nollywood actress Rose Odika is one of the prides of the Yoruba movie industry as she’s a celebrated thespian. She is from Aniocha North, Nseluku in Delta state.
Politics › Trump Trade Chief Wants WTO Race Reopened In Blow To Ngozi Okonjo-iweala by EcoBrick(op): 4:04pm On Dec 18, 2020
