"I promised that I will be coming to Biafra and I came, I do not recognise the court of the Zoo, I want the people of the Middle Belt to rise and join IPOB.

"IPOB Military intelligent evacuated me from my compound when the Army of the Zoo attacked me, I am in Israel and the efficiency of MOSAD will be replicated in Biafra, we shall hunt everyone down to avenge the death of IPOB members.

"The Governor of Abia State directed the assault on my Father who is a Monarch, I thank @realDonaldTrump and the government of Israel who stood by IPOB in our time of need, I thank Prof Ben Nwabueze who stood by me.

"I want to send my solidarity to @GovAyoFayose and assure him that Biafra will stand by him in this our of need, we will have a special place for him in Biafra, I thank all my sureties that stood by me, my unavailability was forced on me.

"The Army of the Zoo killed my dog Jack and few other people in my compound, I am sorry for what my sureties are passing trough but I want to assure them that they will have a special place in Biafra. I shall not be honouring the Court.

"The notion that I jumped bail is a fallacy in Law, I did not jump bail, on the 14th of September 2017 the terrorists of the Zoo came to kill me, they know if I go to court Nigeria will burn and I was forced to leave, I did not jump bail.

"The Zoo called Nigeria can not jail me. I will fight till the last day. Binta Nyanko court fail to ask @HQNigerianArmy why they invaded my home. Nigerian court is a Kangaroo court. I did not jump bail, I left because the court fail to protect.

"I am not a Nigerian. I already renounced Nigeria in 2015. I am a Biafran with British Nationality. I can not be tried by a court I do not recognise. I do not recognise Nigeria . I can only come to the court with UN supervision.

"IPOB will liberate Biafra and we will not take part in any election until we get a referendum and this is not negotiable, we will achieve this by every necessary means, we thank Isreal for all the contributions they made to IPOB.

"I owe my survival to the State of Israel.

"I decree that there is no longer South East or South South Nigeria, it shall be known as Biafra, without referendum nothing will happen in Nigeria. IPOB will not participate in any election and that position will never change.

"IPOB is the largest mass movement in the whole world, we will not stop until Biafra is fully restored.

"Chukwu Okike Abiama has assured me that Biafra shall come, all collaborators will feel the full weight of the anger of the Biafran people.

"I am coming back to Biafra land soon and I will bring hell with me, the way it has never been seen before. " 

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/10/nnamdi-kanus-world-broadcast-in-jerusalem-full-speech/

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest communal violence in Kasuwan Magani in Kaduna State which claimed 55 lives.

Reacting to the violent clashes, Mr Buhari said the frequent resort to bloodshed by Nigerians over misunderstandings that can be resolved peacefully, is worrisome.

According to him, “No culture and religion support the disregard for the sanctity of life,” adding that “peaceful coexistence is necessary for the progress of any society and its wellbeing.”

He noted that without communal harmony, the environment for the conduct of “our everyday businesses would be impossible to achieve.”

President Buhari explained that “violence cannot be an alternative to peace. On the contrary, reliance on violence leads to ultimate self-destruction. Violence is an ill wind that blows nobody any good. Embracing peace is a necessity.”

In commending the Kaduna State government for its rapid response to the crisis, the President appealed to community leaders to engage in regular dialogue to nip imminent crises in the bud, while admonishing the people to develop the spirit of tolerance and patience at all times.

The president did not say what steps were being taken to bring the culprits to justice.


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/10/buhari-condemns-kaduna-violence-that-killed-55/

People's democratic party's chieftain Femi Fani-kayode use his tweet verified account reach to Sen. Shehu Sani and Sen. Magnus Abe who recently dump the ruling party APC. FFK on his post said the They have seen the light and fled the darkness. They have rejected the evil plague that Buhari represents and run from the terrible affliction.

Post read;

My good friends Sen. Shehu Sani and Sen. Magnus Abe have left APC. They have seen the light and fled the darkness. They have rejected the evil plague that Buhari represents and run from the terrible affliction.God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform.Thanks be to Him.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/10/fkk-react-as-shehu-sani-and-magnus-abe-dump-apc/

The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has asked workers to collect their outstanding four months salary arrears from the incoming governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

He said the monies he could have used to pay them as expected had been withheld by the Federal Government for Fayemi’s resumption.

“They paid other states Paris Refund, they didn’t pay Ekiti; Fayemi should help me pay the money.

“They didn’t pay N2.2bn Budget Support Fund; my promise is fulfilled but the money is in the hands of the federal government, they should help me to pay.”

Fayose spoke on Wednesday during the inauguration of a new school he built in his Afao-Ekiti home country as part of his legacies projects.

The governor told the gathering that he did not borrow money from anywhere to fund any of the projects.

“With all these legacies projects, I didn’t borrow any dime. I do not owe any debt, if they say I’m owing; they should show evidence of transaction.

“Besides, no governor can borrow without the knowledge of the Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office.”

Fayose urged the incoming administration not to neglect the school or abandon any legacy project.

He said the school named Gifted Academy International would receive students from Ekiti and outside on 50:50 ratio.

“The school is equipped with modern equipment, laboratories, furniture and Closed-Circuit Television for surveillance,” he said.

He urged the people of the town to preserve the heritage and support government in sustaining it.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/10/hold-fayemi-responsible-for-your-salary-arrears-fayose-tells-ekiti-workers/

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, left the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party convention before the convention ended.

Mr Wike left shortly after congratulating the winner of the party’s presidential primary, Atiku Abubakar.

He was promptly followed out of the Port Harcourt venue by many of his supporters.

The Rivers governor was one of the major backers of Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who came second in the presidential primary.

Neither Mr Wike nor Mr Tambuwal had spoken on the result as at the time of this report.

Mr Abubakar polled 1,532 votes to defeat Mr Tambuwal who scored 693 votes and 10 other candidates.

The convention was televised live and considered free and fair by many observers.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/10/just-in-wike-congratulates-atiku-walk-out-of-venue/

omo, God come and save your children oooh

He attended Danbatta Secondary School, the Kano State College of Advanced Studies and the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he graduated with a degree in Political Science.

He began his career in the security division of the Cabinet Office in Kano, from where he joined the defunct Nigerian Security Organization (NSO), the precursor of the present DSS.

Mr Bichi has undergone training in intelligence processing analysis, agent handling recruitment and intelligence processing in the UK, as well as strategic training at the National Defence College.

Mr Shehu stated that that new DSS boss is skilled in intelligence gathering, research analysis, conflict management, general investigation, risk and vulnerability operations, counterintelligence and protective operation and human resources management.

In the course of his career, Mr Bichi has worked as the State Director of Security in Jigawa, Niger, Sokoto and Abia States.

He was at various times the Director, National Assembly Liaison, (National War College), Director at National Headquarters in the Directorate of Security Enforcement, Directorate of Operations, Directorate of Intelligence, Directorate of Inspection and Directorate of Administration and Finance.

Bichi also served as a Director at State Service Academy.

Mr Bichi will replace Mr Matthew Seiyeifa who has been in the acting capacity after the dismissal of Lawal Daura.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Thursday said Mr Bichi is a core Secret Service operative.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/09/full-biography-yusuf-bichi-new-dss-boss/

Every business and blog needs to invest in search engine optimization. Search engine optimization is the process of optimizing your website to maximize organic traffic from search engines. The leading search engines are Google, YouTube, Bing, and Yahoo.

This thread is a warning to everyone that does not have an effective SEO strategy. You are making a huge mistake by not leveraging all of the below SEO benefits.

You are losing money every day your website is not optimized in the search engines.

Here’s why.

-SEO increases sales and leads
SEO is not a myth. You will increase your leads and sales if you offer a viable product or service. One small business generated over $103,510.98 worth of SEO results in just 5 months.

-There are people searching for your products or services on search engines
There are over 2 billion people online. 93% of online activities start on a search engine. There are 40,000 searches every second, and 3.5 billion searches per day. There are millions of opportunities for your business to become found on search engines. One of the most important benefits of SEO is that your customers are using search engines daily.

-SEO pulls-in quality traffic
Traffic on search engines is the best traffic. Why? Because people are actually searching for the problem you solve. You can “pull” traffic to your business. You do not have to “push” out advertisements to persuade people to buy. Search traffic is already interested in your products and services. This is why the SEO industry is worth $65 billion.

-There are people searching for your products or services on search engines
There are over 2 billion people online. 93% of online activities start on a search engine. There are 40,000 searches every second, and 3.5 billion searches per day. There are millions of opportunities for your business to become found on search engines. One of the most important benefits of SEO is that your customers are using search engines daily.

-SEO does not involve any paid advertising
You do not have to advertise if you have strong SEO standings. You can increase your website traffic without having to pay per click. An effective SEO strategy can help you scale back your advertising dollars, and invest it in more efficient areas.

-Top SEO rankings provides 24/7 promotion
SEO is 24/7. It does not sleep. Your rankings do not disappear overnight. You can increase your website traffic all day, every day. Once you rank high in search engines, they will promote your business while you are sleeping.

-SEO increases your brand awareness and equity
Conversions aside, SEO will also build your brand equity. In other words, SEO will help people become aware of your brand. Awareness is important because your website visitors may not always be ready to purchase. However, by being aware of your offerings, they may purchase in the near future.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/09/powerful-benefits-of-website-optimization-with-seo/

Fame, like beauty, is transient. A superstar at the peak of stardom could become a footnote in history within the twinkle of an eye. A lot of stars have shone on the horizon but not all of them are still up there. In this piece, we take a look at what some of our stars of yesteryear are up to now

Emeka Ike

Emeka Ike is one actor that many movie lovers wouldn’t forget in a hurry. He was a toast of the industry in the early 2000s. Often cast as a lover boy, Ike was that actor that many loved to hate because of his brash charaterisation of roles.



However, the actor has been absent from the silver screen for some years now, even though he was the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria at some point. The actor also owned a school which was shut down some years ago.

In a chat with Sunday Scoop, the actor maintained that his business activities have been keeping him busy. Ike said, “I have many investments. I own a TV channel on TSTV and we will be going on Startimes soon. I used to own a studio in Surulere, Lagos, but it has been closed down. I also had a school, St. Nicholas College, which was one of the best in the area but my ex-wife shut it down on the day I travelled out of town. Our former students are doing very well in different parts of the world right now based on the foundation they got from the school. A professor recently called me from America and said he was amazed at how I was able to run the school so well.”

The Not Man Enough actor added, “A school is a very capital intensive business and I spent well over N400m to run it. All the money I made in my youth was invested in the business. I stopped acting in movies because I had become a CEO and money maker. I didn’t see any reason I should continue going on set to make the kind of movies we were making then. The people who think I went into business because I stopped making money from acting can continue believing whatever they want.”

Idowu Phillips

Popularly called Iya Rainbow, Idowu Phillips was an absolute delight whenever she appeared on screen.

Loved for the energy she infused into playing her roles, it was evident that she knew her onions when it came to make-believe.

However, she abruptly exited the scene and many of her fans wondered why. She is now a cleric and in a chat with Sunday Scoop, she insisted that she was fulfilled with her current role as a woman of God but she still missed her days as an actress. She said, “I’m still interested in acting; and as long as I am alive, I still have action in my body. If anybody calls me, I can act in any type of movie except as a prostitute, and I can’t put tattoos on my body, or wear short, revealing dresses. I really miss my acting days. When we go to locations to shoot movies, we enjoy ourselves and interact with friends. We sleep in hotels and eat whatever we like in a relaxed atmosphere. I also enjoy myself in the church, but we do more of fasting and praying, and lots of vigils.

“It is the work of God that I’m doing now. I go from mountain tops to pray, to America, London, Canada, and other countries to minister. I find joy being in the ministry. It is easy, and at the same time, not easy because it is a congregation of different types of people. People come to you with various problems, and it is my prayer that God should intervene in whatever issue they bring to me.”



Meanwhile, she recently returned to public consciousness in a television commercial for a telecommunications company.

Daniel Wilson

In the nineties, Daniel Wilson, was one of the biggest artistes in the country. His song, Mr. Ragamuffin, helped to cement his popularity and he was the favourite of many music lovers of that time.

However, his career failed to evolve beyond the nineties and not many people know what he has been up to since then. The singer has since delved into different spheres of business. He has been involved in manufacturing, advertising and politics. But the most notable of his business ventures is a bakery which is owned by his family.

Speaking about his business concerns in a recent interview, he said, “I started by managing a food business that my late dad left behind. I got into it with my brothers and we took it from a one industry to about 11 industries. We spread all across Nigeria and we had factories in places such as Ilorin, Niger, Edo, Cross River. We were practically the biggest bread and confectionary makers in the country. We went to bread fairs round the world. Then, I moved into making plastics. From there, I went on to own an advert company and secured different contracts. At that point, the kids had started coming and there were bills to pay, so one had to be creative and start doing a lot of businesses to keep them going.”

Last year, the singer released a song titled, Never Again.

African China

Singer, Chinagorom Onuoha, aka African China, thrilled a lot of fans with hit songs such as Crisis, Mr President, No condition is Permanent, among others. However, after he was involved in an alleged rape scandal in London, his music career experienced a decline.

Not one to stay down, the singer has since diversified into other areas of business such as running a salon.

In a chat with Sunday Scoop, he explained why he decided to become a businessman. He said, “It is always good for an entertainer to have other business. Even up and coming artistes need it so that they don’t have to rely on promoters, friends and family to fund their music. In showbiz, you cannot be there forever; so you need to have others. Doing so, you wouldn’t be stuck.

“My businesses include a salon, boutique and I’m into real estate. I also have an entertainment outfit and I rent out sound and stage equipment. Right now, I’m planning to bring in more cameras for movie productions and other things.”

Insisting that he didn’t diversify into other lines of business because his music career wasn’t doing well, he said, “People who think like that are myopic. And you will find out that such people don’t even have anything of their own. If someone like Jay Z, Jenifer Lopez and P-Diddy can have a clothing line and other businesses, who am I not to toe that line?”

Ruggedman

Michael Stephens, aka Ruggedman, undoubtedly redefined rap music in Nigeria. With hits such as Ehen, Peace or War, Baraje, among others, many looked up to him to go international with his craft.

However, the rapper seemed to run out of steam after his 2007 album, Ruggedy Baba. Perhaps distracted by his beef with 9ice and Mode 9, the rapper didn’t pay much attention to his career. The emergence of younger rappers also contributed to his decline.

But the rapper has always been business-minded. Even at the peak of his career, he launched a clothing line, Twentieth September Wears, and he has since invested in other streams of income.

Telling Sunday Scoop about the businesses he is involved in, he said, “I own a virtual soccer gaming brand called Rugged Premier League. I also host events and TV reality shows. Only ignorant people would say that I went into business because I was no longer making money from music. I started working on Twentieth September Wears in 2004/2005. Some of the shirts we used in my videos, Peace or War and Baraje, of many years ago, were made by TSW. A lot of people are quick to say things despite the fact they cannot prove it or how silly it sounds.”

Bisi Ibidapo-Obe

Actress, Bisi Ibidapo-Obe, shot to limelight with her role in the movie, Bisi Omo Logbalogba. She appeared in a lot of movies after and many expected her to build a lasting career. However, she abruptly went out of circulation and stopped featuring in movies.

At a point, she was reported to have had a baby for controversial lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye.

Some years ago, she established an adult shop, where she trades in lingerie and intimacy gadgets. In a chat with Sunday Scoop, she maintained that business has been good and she enjoys what she is doing.

Liz Benson

At a point in the nineties, Liz Benson was practically the biggest actress in the country. She dominated the movie industry and appeared in majority of the movies produced during that period.

Known for movies such as True Confession, Witches, Diamond Ring, Chain Reaction, among others, she had movie lovers eating out of her palms. Loved for her sterling interpretation of roles, she won many awards and garnered a lot of acclaim.

However, when many were expecting her to continue soaring, the talented actress took a bow from the industry.

She is now an evangelist and lives in Delta State with her husband, who is also a cleric.

Hilda Dokubo

Hilda Dokubo was one actress whose portrayal of roles was always so believable that viewers were often confused as to whether she was acting or being real. She seemed to be able to cry on cue and the range of emotions she displayed endeared her to many fans.

With movies such as Without Love, Jezebel, Evil Passion, End of the Wicked, Onye-Eze, among others in her kitty, Dokubo was a delight to watch.

However, she took a long break from the industry and newer stars have since overtaken her.

She once served as a special adviser on youth affairs to a former Rivers State governor, Peter Odili. She is also a cleric and an activist.

Regina Askia

Former actress and beauty queen, Regina Askia, was the delight of many whenever she appeared on movie screens. The one-time Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria commanded the attention of many with her beauty and her face helped to sell lots of movies back in the day.

However, she took a bow when the ovation was loudest and relocated outside the country. She currently lives in USA and works as a family nurse practitioner. She is also a healthcare and education activist, television producer, writer and public speaker.

Saint Obi

Obinna Nwafor, aka Saint Obi, was the quintessential bad boy in movies. Talented and prolific, he was the first choice of many movie producers and directors.

He made waves in movies such as Sakobi: The Snake Girl, Fantasy, The Final Battle, among others.

However, it’s been a while since the actor appeared in a movie. Not many people know that he is now a singer, consultant and social crusader.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/09/celebrities-of-yesteryear-and-their-new-businesses/

Surrounded by friends and family members, the globally acclaimed Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, breathed her last at her Detroit, United States home on Thursday. She was 76.

For years, the legendary singer had been battling various undisclosed illnesses including pancreatic cancer, leading her to receiving hospice care weeks before her death. However, Franklin who was famous for preaching love through her songs also received abundant love as news of her declining health spread over the past few days. Paying their last respects at her bedside were Stevie Wonder and Rev. Jesse Jackson, with Beyoncé and her husband, Jay-Z dedicating their concert held during the week to Franklin.

Birth
Born in Memphis, United States on March 25, 1942, Franklin was raised in Detroit under a tough condition having lost her mother, Barbara, shortly before her 10th birthday. Her father, Clarence LaVaughn ‘C. L’ Franklin, was a famous preacher at Detroit’s New Bethel Baptist Church, and his home was subsequently frequented by celebrity guests like Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, and Mahalia Jackson, who helped to raise Aretha and her siblings after their mother’s death.

Music career
Like most African-American artistes of her era, Franklin began singing in the church. She was known to take solos at her father’s New Bethel Baptist Church. However, at 14, she launched her professional career as a gospel singer. Managed by her father and signed to J.V.B. Records, Franklin released her first album, Songs of Faith, in 1956. When she turned 18, she shifted to secular music, recording for Columbia Records and charting a few singles on the R&B and pop charts, but major mainstream success mostly eluded her.

Franklin capped her amazing 1967 run with the September release of another signature song, her cover of Carole King and Gerry Goffin’s ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’, which became a Top 10 hit. By the following year, she had won her first two Grammys and graced the cover of Time magazine.

Franklin continued to chart during the early ’70s with the Spirit in the Dark, Gifted and Black, and the double-platinum gospel LP, Amazing Grace, the most successful album in her discography.

Nevertheless, her career began to stall in the late ’70s, but she experienced an upswing after delivering an iconic performance in The Blues Brothers movie and leaving Atlantic to sign with Clive Davis’s Arista Records. Franklin then made a successful crossover to MTV in the ’80s. Her 1985 album, Who’s Zoomin’ Who? went platinum on the strength of the hits, ‘Freeway of Love’, the Eurythmics collaboration ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves’, and the title track; her 1986 duet with George Michael, ‘I Knew You Were Waiting for Me’, went to No. 1 in eight countries.

After keeping a lower chart profile in the early ’90s. Franklin experienced another career comeback in 1998 with the gold-selling A Rose Is Still a Rose (the title track of which was produced by Lauryn Hill) and with her spectacular “Nessun Dorma” performance at that year’s Grammy Awards, filling in at the last minute for the ailing Luciano Pavarotti; that performance is still widely considered to be one of the greatest Grammy moments of all time. Franklin also participated in the first VH1 Divas special that year.

Pacesetter
Franklin was a legendary hit maker and pacesetter. Having recorded 112 singles on Billboard, the trade magazine, she became the most charted female musician in history. She also emerged the first female performer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Franklin equally set the record as the only artiste to have performed at the inaugurations of three presidents: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, even as she had performed at Martin Luther King’s memorial service.

In 2010, Franklin’s commanding mezzo-soprano voice earned her the No.1 spot on the Rolling Stone’s list of ‘100 Greatest Singers of all Time’. In the issue of the music magazine, pop star, Mary J. Blige penned: “You know a force from heaven. You know something that God made. And Aretha is a gift from God. When it comes to expressing yourself through song, there is no one who can touch her. She is the reason why women want to sing. Aretha has everything – the power, the technique. She is honest with everything she says.”

Other historic performances Franklin delivered in more recent years included ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ with Aaron Neville and Dr. John at Super Bowl XL in 2006, ‘My Country ‘Tis of Thee’ at President Barack Obama’s inauguration ceremony in 2009, a medley of Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2014, and ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’, for honoree, Carole King, at the Kennedy Center Honours in 2015.

Awards and honours
Over the course of her nearly seven-decade career, Franklin established herself as one of the most important artistes in history, selling more than 75 million records worldwide and winning several awards including 18 Grammys, three American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, three NAACP Image Awards, a Golden Globe, a Presidential Medal of Freedom, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Grammy Legend Award and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Aside the plethora of awards and honourary degrees from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, and Berklee College of Music, the Kennedy Center also honoured Franklin, naming her 2008’s MusiCares Person of the Year.


Last performance
Due to her illness, Franklin started performing sporadically. She dropped out of many shows, including her birthday concert this year at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and appearances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, and Toronto Jazz Festival. She, however, gave her last performance on Nov. 7, 2017 at Elton John’s 25th anniversary gala for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in New York City, at which John declared her the “greatest singer of all time.” Franklin’s last public concert took place several months earlier, on Aug. 26, at the Mann Center in Philadelphia.

Unfulfilled dreams
Franklin passed away without fulfilling some of her dreams. She had plans to record one more album, with several tracks produced by her old friend, Stevie Wonder, before officially retiring to spend more time with her grandchil-dren. Also, she hoped to open a night- club in Detroit where she could occasionally perform. But that album has yet to materialise, though in November 2017, she released A Brand New Me, a collection of archival Atlantic Records vocal recordings set to new orchestral arrangements by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

World leaders, celebs pay tributes
World leaders and celebrities including President Donald Trump, former president Barack Obama, Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, and Mariah Carey, have paid glowing tributes to the Queen of Soul.

Trump said: “The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, is dead. She was a great woman, with a wonderful gift from God, her voice. She will be missed!”

Obama tweeted: “Aretha helped define the American experience. In her voice, we could feel our history, all of it and in every shade – our power and our pain, our darkness and our light, our quest for redemption and our hard-won respect. May the Queen of Soul rest in eternal peace.”Former Beatle, Sir Paul, wrote on twitter: “Let’s all take a moment to give thanks for the beautiful life of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of our souls, who inspired us all for many, many years. She will be missed but the memory of her greatness as a musician and a fine hu- man being will live with us forever.”

For vocal powerhouse, Adele: “I can’t remember a day of my life without Aretha Franklin’s voice and music filling up my heart with so much joy and sadness. Absolutely heartbroken she’s gone, what a woman. Thank you for everything, the melodies and the movements.

On her part, part, Carey shared photographs of her- self performing with the late legend and described her as an inspiration, mentor and friend.

In a series of tweets Sir Elton John said her death was “a blow for everybody who loves real music: music from the heart, the soul and the church. She was one of my favourite pianists as well as a great singer.”

Television presenter, Oprah Winfrey called her Queen stating that she would be missed while Whoopi Goldberg described her as one of a kind.


Diana Ross tweeted: “Wonderful golden spirit.”

Commenting, Quincy Jones said: “From working in the recording studio, to performing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or simply hanging in the kitchen, I will miss her dearly.”

For vocal powerhouse, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin was “the most soulful World leaders, celebs pay tributes and inspirational singer of our time.”

On his part, Sir Mick Jagger said: “She was so inspiring and wherever you were she always brought you to church.”

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/life-times-of-queen-of-soul-aretha-franklin/

@NAIJANEWSPAPERS

Nigerian stocks are almost unrecognisable from their world-beating rally less than eight months ago. Rising political tensions leading to 2019’s presidential elections and a broader emerging-market sell off took a further toll on stocks Friday, with the index falling 2 percent to 35,446 points, bringing the decline since its 2018 high on January 19 to 21 percent, effectively tossing the market into bear territory.
A market is said to be in bear territory when it is down 20 percent from its last peak.
The Nigerian market has sold off despite the rally in oil prices (Brent crude is up 9 percent to $73 per barrel year to date as at Friday) which historically has a positive correlation with equities.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is the only other African market to have slipped into bear territory this year after shedding 24 percent from a February peak.
Investors have also sidestepped the cheap valuation of Nigerian stocks which currently trade at 10 times earnings compared to the MSCI frontier market average of 14.05 percent, South Africa’s 17.68 percent, Kenya’s 14.39 percent and Egypt’s 16.08 percent.
A drastic slump in foreign buying amid boiling political tensions is at the heart of the stock sell-off and is likely to continue until after elections in 2019, according to Wale Okunrinboye, head of research at Sigma Pensions.
“It’s about timing,” Okunrinboye said when asked if the current cheap stock valuations serve up the best opportunity for value investors with a medium to long term horizon to buy.
“There’s higher gain in buying most of your holdings when the market is at the bottom, however it is best to start gradually accumulating now,” Okunrinboye said. Nigerian stocks have gone from best performing in January to the bottom of the pack, closing at a negative year to date return of 7.3 percent Friday.
That makes them the worst performing among African peers. South African and Egyptian stocks settled at a year to date return of -2 percent and -0.9 percent respectively at close of trading Friday, while Kenyan stocks closed at 0.9 percent.
Dangote Cement Plc, Africa’s biggest producer of the building material, dragged down Nigerian stocks the most on Friday, declining 6.1 percent to N214, bringing its losses this year to 7 percent.
That is despite the fact that the company posted another quarter of impressive top line performance in the second quarter. Relative to the second quarter of 2017, the company grew its top line by 17.5 percent to N240.3 billion after total revenue benefitted from a 12.5 percent boost year on year in volumes growth to 6.2 metric tonnes, accompanied by favourable pricing.
“Despite improving macro-economic fundamentals and better earnings outlook for listed companies, valuations of counters on the exchange has continued to decline as investors shun emerging and frontier markets particularly Nigeria on the back of heightened political risks,” analysts at Lagos-based Cardinal Stone Partners said in a note to clients.
“However, we think currently attractive valuations provide strategic investors good entry points to cherry pick fundamentally sound stocks in anticipation of the recovery when political tensions abate.”
The year 2019 looks set to be one of the most tightly contested general elections since the return to democratic governance, as the opposing People’s Democratic Party (PDP) seeks to return to power after defeat in the last general elections against the All Progressive Congress (APC), snapped a 16-year rule.
This has taken a new twist following the recent coalition by the PDP and 38 other political parties to field a single candidate to pose a formidable challenge to the incumbent. More than fifty lawmakers and two state governors have quit the APC in the past week, with the vast majority switching allegiances to the PDP.
Both parties have struggled with internal divisions but the mass defections seems to be breathing new life into PDP which ruled since the end of military rule in 1999, prior to President Muhammadu Buhari’s election in 2015.
The economy has been at the fore front of the political spat.
Investors say the economy isn’t doing so badly but a feisty political turmoil has forced them to underweight Nigeria tipped to post a 2 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product by the International Monetary Fund in 2018.
The market was down 2.89 percent on a weekly basis. The NSE Industrial index recorded the biggest weekly loss of 5.4 percent.
The best performing stock week-on-week was Neimeth Pharmaceuticals, which advanced by 33.33 percent while Secure Electronic Technology led the losers’ after declining by 19.44 percent.
Average traded volumes declined by 33. 48 percent to 185 million units, while average value traded fell by 59.98 percent to N1.667 billion.
“In the coming week, the equity market is likely to experience continued sell-offs as investors react to increasing political risk. These sell-offs, however, create bargain hunting opportunities in fundamentally strong names, in our view,” said Tajudeen Ibrahim, head of research at financial advisory firm, Chapel Hill Denham.
The Nigeria Naira was unchanged at 362.06 against the U.S. dollar Friday while benchmark 10-year bond yields fell 0.6 basis points to 14.324 percent.

@NAIJANEWSPAPER

Senators and House of Representatives members were yet to confirm last night whether or not the two chambers will reconvene tomorrow to consider the 2019 elections budget.

The Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki, was yet to announce that the lawmakers should reconvene.

Also, there are indications that if the two chambers reconvene, the Senate may end up merely concurring with the report of the House Committee on the 2019 poll budget for the Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC).

The House Committee, chaired by Hon. Aisha Dukku, is said to have concluded the consideration of the budget before the abrupt recess of the National Assembly on July 24.



Many senators and House members, who were hitherto set for summer and Hajj rites, remain in Abuja because there is no word from the National Assembly’s leadership.

A member of the House from the Northwest said: “This budget is important but there is anxiety everywhere on the security implications of recalling members.

“From the look of things, our leaders are looking at all options on how to make the ratification of the budget easier.”

A principal officer of the House, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have not been told when the National Assembly will reconvene to consider the poll budget. I know the Speaker assured INEC Chairman Mahmud Yakubu last week that we will give the budget a speedy consideration. We are awaiting a recall announcement.

“So far, Tuesday does not look practicable. The basic challenge is the crisis of confidence among members of the two chambers.

“I think the National Assembly leadership is trying to manage the tempers arising from the defections and the seige to the Assembly complex last week. We are also talking to ourselves to allow reason to prevail.”



House Rule V(18) (1-3) says: “18. (1) Whenever the House shall stand adjourned to a date not fixed and it is represented to the Speaker by the Leaders of the political Parties in the House that the House shall meet on a certain day at a certain time, the Speaker shall give notice accordingly and the House shall meet on the date and at the time stated in the notice.

(2) “Whenever the House stands adjourned either to a date fixed by Resolution or the Rule of the House, and it is represented by the Leaders of the Political Parties in the House to the Speaker that the public interest requires that the House should meet on an earlier or a later date or time than that on which it stands adjourned, the Speaker may give notice accordingly, and the House shall meet on the date and at the time stated in the notice.

(3) “Whenever the Speaker shall have given notice in accordance with either of the two preceding paragraphs, the Clerk shall communicate the terms of the notice to each member. “

Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan said: “I am still waiting to be informed by the President of the Senate on whether we will sit on Tuesday or not.

“Well, I will expect the Senate President to talk to me or call. I have not received any communication yet.

“And normally, an announcement is supposed to be made. We have not heard of any as I speak with you.”

But there were indications at the weekend that if the two chambers reconvene, the Senate may end up merely concurring with the report of the House Committee on the 2019 poll budget for INEC.

A member of the committee said: “The House Committee has fine-tuned the budget in readiness for its consideration at the plenary.

“To save time, the leaders of the two chambers were said to have agreed to adopt the budget ratified by the House.

“Since the Senate is the hotbed of legislative crisis now, the chamber might only sit to concur with the report of the House.

“What the Assembly leadership is planning is to have a brief sitting on the budget. But we are all in suspense on when we will reconvene. We have not been notified of any sitting on Tuesday.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/2019-inec-budget-stuck-as-senate-wont-reconvene/

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State has called for the cancellation of the results of the just concluded bye-election in the state.

The State PDP Chairman, Samuel Uhuotu, made the call on Sunday barely one day after the outcome of the poll was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Uhuotu alleged gross irregularities in the exercise, saying the election was marred by thuggery, vote buying and violence which purportedly led to the death of some voters.

According to him, the cancellation of more than 19,000 votes by the electoral umpire places the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) at an undue advantage over the PDP.

Apart from the cancellation of the results, the opposition party also asked the government to prosecute some officials of the Kogi State government.

The PDP Chairman claimed the officials were present at some polling units, despite the fact that they were not from the constituency.

INEC Returning Officer, Professor Rotimi Ajayi, had declared Mr Haruna Isah of the APC as the winner of the bye-election conducted in Lokoja/Kogi Federal Constituency on Saturday.

Professor Ajayi said Isah polled 26,860 votes to defeat his rival from the PDP, Bashir Abubakar, who scored 14,845 votes.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/kogi-bye-election-pdp-alleges-irregularities-calls-for-result-cancellation/

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Honourable Yakubu Dogara has reportedly withdrew plans to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to The Punch, Dogara was advised not to make the move due to the numerical disadvantage of the PDP in the House. 

It was also reported that Dogara has plans to return as Speaker in 2019 and to do so, he must be a member of the party that wins the most seat. The APC still controls the majority today with about 186 members as against PDP’s 162. A source close the Speaker reportedly said: “In 2019, no one is sure how things will pan out. Dogara has less problems to contend with as a speaker today because he is still with the APC. “No one is seriously demanding his resignation, neither is he facing any impeachment threat like the Senate President.

“The fear now is that if he hurriedly defects to the PDP to contest the election, his chances of returning as a speaker if the APC retains the majority become a tough call. “On the other hand, if he remains in the APC to contest the election and the PDP captures the majority, it will be another problem for Dogara because the PDP, now hungry for power, will pick one of their own.

“A third option, which appears more appealing, is for him to stick with the APC, hoping it will retain the majority. He can then work across parties to get enough votes to remain the speaker.” Ado-Doguwa who is the chief whip of the House urged Dogara to stay in the APC. He said: “I am also authoritatively aware that up till today, Dogara is a faithful member of the APC, and still ready for further negotiations on the perceived bitter relationship with his state governor.

“I, therefore, urge the national leadership of our great party to dispassionately intervene on the Speaker’s issue in Bauchi State and bring it to a logical conclusion. “It is my candid opinion that we cannot afford to miss the Speaker from the APC family.” 


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/dogaras-reason-for-allegedly-withdrawing-plans-to-defect-to-pdp/

A former minister of Aviation Femi Fani-kayode on his verify facebook page condemn the attack on him by All Progressive Congress. The former minister said This is a TOTAL FABRICATION. It is FAKE NEWS. I have immense confidence in our National Chairman, the PDP and ALL our party leaders, including Saraki and Wike. If I had any doubts about that I would say so loud and clear.

The post read;

A FAKE qoute has been spread by the APC claiming that I said our party, the PDP, is in "a vegetative state" and that I attacked our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and other party leaders including Governor Nyesom Wike and Senate President Bukola Saraki.

This is a TOTAL FABRICATION. It is FAKE NEWS. I have immense confidence in our National Chairman, the PDP and ALL our party leaders, including Saraki and Wike. If I had any doubts about that I would say so loud and clear.


Members of the public should please take note that alll my comments, qoutes, contributions, posts, submissions and essays can be found on my verified twitter page, my verified Facebook page, my official website and any of my numerous columns.

If they do not appear in any or all of these places it means that I never wrote or said them. The APC and the Buhari Media Centre live and thrive on fake news. We should expect more. Shalom.


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/i-didnt-call-my-party-a-vegetative-state-ffk-cries-out/

Former governor of Akwa Ibom Godswill Akpabio who recently join All Progress Congress after visiting top APC leaders including President Buhari in London. The President met with Akpabio, 48 hours after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo met with him at the Presidential Villa.

Akpabio also paid National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Tinubu visit in Abuja, following his visit to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari who is on vacation in the United Kingdom. The visits come amid speculations that the former governor is set to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, Channelstv reported



A source reveal that All Progress Congress led by Adams Oshiomhole has promise the former governor the position of Vice President come 2019 presidential election.

Naijanewspapers Media gathered that Akpabio accepted the offer by the ruling party to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC held on 8th of August 2018.

Recall we reported that the Former minority leader Senator Godswill Akpabio has, after weeks of speculation, dumped the People’s Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The former Akwa Ibom governor, who resigned his position as the Senate minority leader Tuesday, was same day, accorded a heroic reception by a crowd of supporters and admirers.


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/breaking-apc-buhari-promise-akpabio-vice-president-to-join-party-source/

www.nairaland.com/attachments/7538272_38725304102152576830099164250591187091587072n_jpege48fd7e96a8a2a71f213a23740c8fa0b

Battle to protect democracy is a battle of no retreat, no surrender - Dino Melaye

Senators Dino Melaye and Ben Murray-Bruce on Tuesday, August 7, reacted to the barricaded of the main gate of the National Assembly, by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) Senator Dino Melaye declared that the battle to protect democracy is a battle of no retreat, no surrender.

On his part, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce ‏through his Twitter handle said: ''I am here at the National Assembly. I will not run away. If they like they can shoot me. Bullets did not bring me into office. Ballots brought me into office. I am here. Let them do their worst.'' 

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/battle-to-protect-democracy-is-a-battle-of-no-retreat-no-surrender-dino-melaye/

In anticipation of a possible opening of the Senate chamber by lawmakers loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have taken over the National Assembly complex. The lawmakers as well as staff of the National Assembly were initially prevented from entering the premises by operatives of the DSS.

According to Bankole Omisore, an aide of Senate President Bukola Saraki, the lawmakers have reportedly forced their way into the premises through the back gate of the complex, but their offices and the chambers are still locked.

The lawmakers, who were initially denied access, were called in by security officers. Senators Ben Murray Bruce, Biodun Olujimi, Rafiu Ibrahim, Isa Misau, Abdullahi Gumel all entered the premises.

More PDP senators are trickling into the premises and are trying to force their way into the chambers which is still under lock and key.

Senator Ben Bruce addresses journalists, says Senator Godswill Akpabio and All Progressives Congress senators are the arrowhead of the DSS invasion all in an attempts to impeach Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

PDP senators in front of the chambers include: Senator Gilbert Nnaji (Enugu), Senator Abiodun Olujimi (Ekiti), Senator Ben Bruce (Bayelsa), Senator Aidoko Ali (Kogi), Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (Delta). Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba), Senator Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara), Senator Ahmed Ogembe (Kogi) andSenator Isa Misau (Bauchi). Sources claimed that the senators have planned to elect the senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, as Senate President and Hope Uzodinma as his deputy.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/breaking-pdp-senators-force-their-way-into-senate-as-dss-takes-over-national-assembly/

Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar has vowed to ensure that a minimum of 21 percent of the federal budget is devoted to education if he wins the presidential ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and eventually wins the elections.


Atiku stated this in a tweet on his verified page on Saturday.

“I pledge that if I am chosen by the @OfficialPDPNig, to be its Presidential candidate, & if subsequently elected President by Nigerians, I will go above & beyond @UN recommendations & ensure a minimum of 21% of the Federal budget is devoted to education,” he wrote.

This comes hours after former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, vowed never to support Atiku’s presidential ambition.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/2019-if-am-elected-i-will-go-above-beyond-ensure-a-minimum-of-21-atiku/

www.nairaland.com/attachments/7282290_atikuabubakar_jpeg405f59ecfb18efea228ae7510ac051b5

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has approved the recruitment of additional 1,200 teachers for the Junior and Senior Secondary schools in the state.

The Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the State Ministry of Education, Adesegun Ogundeji, revealed this in a statement on Friday.

Governor Ambode had hinted at the recruitment when he addressed residents and stakeholders at the last quarterly town hall meeting held recently at the Ibeju Lekki area of the state.

He promised that his administration would employ more teachers in public schools to meet up with the manpower required to cover all public schools across the state.

Confirming the development in the state, Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs Idiat Adebule, said the 1,200 teachers was an addition to the 1000 teachers which the governor had approved for recruitment into primary schools in the state.

Adebule, who oversees the affairs of the State Ministry of Education, disclosed that guidelines for the application would be released soon in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.

She was hopeful that the development would further aid teaching and learning in the public schools, stressing that it was attracting more enrollment in the last three years.

The deputy governor attributed the progress to the government efforts towards improving infrastructure and welfare of teaching and non-teaching staff in its service.

She noted that the improved facilities and staff motivation were evident in the high-performance rate of the students of the state in local and international competitions.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/ambode-approves-recruitment-of-additional-1200-teachers/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Federal Government of seeking an interim court order to declare vacant, the seat of the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement on Friday that the alleged plot was because of the defection of the Senate President from the ruling party to the opposition.

“The PDP alerts that credible information at its disposal showed that some cabals in the Presidency and APC had perfected a plan to institute a lawsuit to challenge the validity of Saraki’s seat with the sole aim of securing a fraudulent injunction to force him out of office pending the determination of the substantive suit,” Ologbondiyan claimed.

He alleged further, “Intelligence available to us shows that once they are able to secure the injunction from a particular compromised judicial officer, they intend to arraign and detain the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on trumped-up charges and ensure he is not granted bail so as to keep him out of circulation while their men would move in to effect an illegal leadership change in the Senate.”

The PDP spokesperson, however, said his party was confident that the Chief Justice of Nigeria would protect the sanctity of the judiciary, especially at this time in the country’s history.

He called on the institution of the judiciary at all levels to immune itself from being used by those he called “enemies of our democracy”, saying no house falls leaving its roof standing.

“This desperation by despotic forces to forcefully and illegally take control of the Senate, the highest symbol of our democratic order, is nothing short of ‘civilianised coup’ which must be resisted by all,” Ologbodiyan said. “The judiciary must, therefore, ensure that it is not intimidated or ensnared to be party to a desperate bid to destabilise our nation.”

“The PDP holds that this newest devilish plot to destabilise our democracy lays credence to our earlier stand that President Buhari’s supposed London vacation is a ploy to absolve himself of responsibility for the political terror they have plotted to unleash on the opposition, especially the National Assembly,” he alleged.

Although the Presidency has since denied the allegations, the PDP called on Nigerians and the international community to be on the alert.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, had told the opposition party that Nigerians no longer believe them.

“Claims by the failing Peoples Democratic Party that President Muhammadu Buhari had taken a 10-day leave in order to leave the stage for illegal and unconstitutional actions by the administration are both ridiculous and a hollow narrative to garner cheap sympathy,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Shehu added, “That the President, himself a sworn democrat had handed power to his deputy without compulsion is itself exemplary and innovative, something that the PDP failed to produce in their sixteen years of monumental mismanagement and sadistic plunder.

“For the benefit of the doubters, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the Vice President who acts in the absence of the President, is a lawyer of the highest rank and a social rights crusader who had received local and international acclaim before he took the present office. It is inconceivable that this is the team to copy the bad manners cast in stone in the PDP.


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/pdp-raises-alarm-over-alleged-plot-to-overthrow-saraki/

all at https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/newspapers-review-stories-that-made-the-headlines-this-friday-morning-3rd-august-2018/

PDP recalls senators to Abuja - DAILY SUN
Fri, 03 Aug 2018

Worried over alleged plots by the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to oust the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been summoned to Abuja.

Daily Sun gathered that the PDP senators, who traveled outside Abuja, have been asked by the leadership of the party and its caucus in the Senate to return.
At press time, some senators had already returned to Abuja. The summon, Daily Sun learnt, is to rally round Saraki and Ekweremadu.

The returning senators are expected to hold series of meetings at the weekend to brainstorm on how to checkmate any planned leadership change.

Some senators who spoke in confidence, said they had traveled to the village ahead of senatorial primaries of the party coming up soon. They said their stay outside Abuja was cut short, following recent developments in the polity.
One of them told Daily Sun that senators who traveled outside Nigeria were expected to return before Saturday night, when an elaborate meeting will be held with the leadership of the party.

CONTINUE READING..,.

Buhari tells Saraki, other defectors: youre bad eggs - THE NATION
Fri, 03 Aug 2018

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday referred to defectors from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “bad eggs”.

He said as the 2019 elections approach, “God will continue to fish out the bad eggs among us”.

He reiterated his resolve to ensure that nobody is allowed to loot the treasury.

Said Buhari: “What I will never exhibit is to allow selfish politicians loot public treasury and allow the masses be cheated.

“All what we are doing is in the interest of the people and our dear country.

“I pray to God to expose sycophants that are still within our party, who are bent on trying to loot our resources.”

APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said the defectors were afraid of the government’s anti-corruption war, adding that many of the looters of the treasury during the 16 years of the PDP administrations would end up in jail.

CONTINUE READING..

Plot To Remove Saraki Thickens - LEADERSHIP
Fri, 03 Aug 2018

There are strong indications that All Progressives Congress (APC) senators are determined to dethrone Dr Bukola Saraki as Senate president following his defection to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday. Senator Abu Ibrahim (APC, Katsina South) gave the hint yesterday in Abuja while speaking to reporters in reaction to Saraki’s defection to the PDP earlier this week. He insisted that APC senators remained the majority in the Senate and that there is no way they will allow a ‘renegade’ to preside over them.

According to him, Saraki must resign his position as Senate president for peace to reign in the upper legislative chamber in the overall interest of the nation and democracy. Senator Ibrahim, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, further declared that the possibility of the Senate reconvening before the adjourned date cannot ruled out because, according to him, the rules of the upper chamber stipulates that 30 members can resolve to reconvene the Senate at any time.

CONTINUE READING

Seplat, Zenith, Access top analysts’ large caps buy list - BUSINESSDAY
Fri, 03 Aug 2018

In the wake of the second quarter (Q2) earnings season, equity valuations are being revised and analysts have Seplat, Zenith, Access, Dangote Sugar and First Bank holdings of Nigeria (FBNH), as their most recommended large cap stocks to buy.

BusinessDay considered the recommendations of analysts at 15 separate investment banks, using data obtained from the Bloomberg terminal.
The survey was limited to the 30 most capitalized stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE 30).
The 15 investment firms surveyed include Vetiva, United Capital Plc, CSL Stockbrokers, Renaissance Capital, Cordros Capital, SBG Securities and EVA Dimensions.
Others are African Alliance Research, ARM Securities, FBNQuest, RMBNS, Exotix Limited, Investec, GMP and PanAfrican Capital PLC.
Analysts’ most favoured buy list of stocks give an inkling of the best stocks in the market, which investors can buy at cheap values to make healthy returns a year from now, provided the projections pan out. The five most favoured large caps with the highest buy ratings have an average potential return of 31.9 percent over the next 12 months.
Seplat led the pack, with six buys of the seven recommendations, and a 12-month average target price of N1001.14, which offers a potential upside of 42.2 percent from its current price of N704.

CONTINUE READING..

Defections: Godll continue to fish out bad eggs among us, says Buhari - PUNCH
Fri, 03 Aug 2018
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday asked supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress not to be disturbed by the recent gale of defections in the party.

He said, “God will continue to fish out the bad eggs among us,” as the country approaches the 2019 general elections.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke at the commencement of the campaign rally for the Bauchi South Senatorial District bye-election and the formal presentation of the APC candidate, Gumau Yahaya, for the August 11 poll.

He assured party supporters in Bauchi that his administration would continue to work hard to surpass its campaign promises for a better Nigeria.

Buhari told the rally that the APC government had remained faithful in implementing its campaign promises of improving the economy, securing the country, and fighting against corruption.

He said, “The work we are doing is because of God, our country and you. I want to inform you that the knowledge we have garnered over the years, we won’t allow you to be cheated.

‘‘Like we promised, what will determine a good future for the country are security, strong economy and to stop corruption. We campaigned on these things, you voted for us and we will never forget.”

Endorsing Yahaya for the senatorial bye-election, the President who was accompanied by the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, governors of Bauchi, Plateau, Kano and Imo states, and other party officials said, “We have confidence in him and we trust him.”


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/newspapers-review-stories-that-made-the-headlines-this-friday-morning-3rd-august-2018/

President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to begin a 10 working days holiday from August 3, 2018.
This was disclosed via a statement on Wednesday by the Special Adviser on Media to the President, Femi Adesina.
Adesina said in compliance with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, a letter has been transmitted to the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, to that effect.
He said while the President is on vacation, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, will be in acting capacity as President.
He said the holiday be be observed in London by President Buhari.

Former presidential aid to GEJ Reno Omokri on facebook react to saying "‪Nigeria has become so hot for President Buhari that he has decided to DEFECT to London for 10 days. Buhari has written a letter to Senate President Bukola Saraki, saying he is going on holiday to London on Friday. I can assure President Buhari that the APC he will be leaving is not the same APC he will meet when he returns. We only just hope that the President will agree to return after 10 days and not permanent DEFECT to England. ‬"

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/nigeria-so-hot-for-buhari-he-decided-to-defect-to-london-reno-omokri/

hahhahhahahahah

luvmijeje:
Someone should remind Lai that he's the minister of information and not the publicity secretary of APC.

I just pray so/........ GET YOUR PVC

chriskosherbal:
Everybody is entitled to thier opinion ..

We will know in 2019.





Check out my signature

Lai Mohammed, minister of information, says Senate President Bukola Saraki slowed down the progress of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mohammed said this on Wednesday while briefing state house correspondents after the weekly federal executive council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the council chamber of the presidential villa in Abuja,

On Tuesday, the senate president and Abdulfatah Ahmed, governor of Kwara state, defected from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mohammed, who is also from Kwara, said Saraki behaved like a member of the opposition party while in APC.

He said the party stands to lose nothing with his defection but would rather heave a sigh of relief.

“If Senate President Bukola Saraki were not a member of the APC, the party and the government it leads could not have suffered more than they had already done, with regards to the delay in passing the budget, approving key appointments and so on,” he said.

“In other words, Saraki has behaved all along as a member of the opposition, deliberately slowing down the progress of the APC-led federal government.

“It is therefore neither a surprise nor a blow that he has defected. Perhaps, the only surprise is that when he eventually defected, it was a mere whimper!

“If we didn’t gain by having our member as Senate President, we stand to lose nothing by losing him.”

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/saraki-slowed-down-the-progress-of-apc-we-wont-miss-him-lai/

As the 2019 general elections approach, Nigeria’s political landscape has started witnessing massive shake-ups. Ahead of the elections, politicians are crossing from one political party to another looking for political parties which suit their interests. President Buhari referred to defection as a seasonal occurrence that happens on election eve. 

While all Nigerian major parties have been both the victims (and beneficiaries) of the gale of defections, it appears the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is the worst hit, at least as of the time of filing this report. In this report, NAIJ.com lists the important politicians who have defected from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties.

1. Saraki

Senate president Bukola Saraki is the latest political heavyweight to leave the APC. He announced his defection to the PDP on Tuesday, July 31.

2.Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state

Regarded as Saraki’s godson, Kwara governor also announced his defection to the PDP immediately after his godfather’s announcement

3. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state

After series of unconfirmed announcements and denials, Governor Ortom also announced his defection to the PDP

4. Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state

After several weeks of speculation, Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto on Tuesday, August 1, also defected to the PDP. Senators that defected

5. Dino Melaye (Kogi West)

6. Barnabas Gemade (Benue Northeast)

7. Ibrahim Danbaba (Sokoto South)

8. Shaaba Lafiaji (Kwara North)

9. Mohammed Shitu (Jigawa Northeast)

10. Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South)

11. Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North)

12. Isa Misau (Bauchi Central)

13. Monsurat Sunmonu (Oyo Central)

14. Usman Nafada (Gombe North)

15. Musa Kwankwaso (Kano-Central)

16. Suleiman Nazif (Bauchi North)

17. Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako (Adamawa Central) House of Reps members who defected

18. Orker Jev (Benue)

19. Sunday Adepoju (Oyo)

20.Olugbemi Samson (Oyo)

21.Taiwo Michael (Oyo)

22.Olasupo Abiodun (Oyo)

23. Garba Umar (Kano) 

24. Olayonu Tope (Kwara)

25. Ahmed Garba (Kano)

26. Kabiru Marafa (Sokoto)

27. Zakari Mohammed (Kwara)

28. Abubakar Amuda-Kanike (Kwara)

29. Ali Madaki (Kano)

30. Hassan Saleh (Benue)

31. Ahman Pategi (Kwara)

32. Mark Gbillah (Benue),

33. Shehu Usman (Kano) 

34. Aminu Shagari (Sokoto)

35. Nuhu Danburam (Kano)

36. Atunwa Abdulrazak (Kwara)

37. Salisu Zakari (Bauchi)

38. Hassan Omale (Kogi)

39. Rufai Chanchangi (Kaduna)

40. Abdulsamad Dasuki (Sokoto)

41. Sani Zoro (Jigawa)

42. Benjamin Okolo (Kogi)

43. Funke Adedoyi (Kwara),

44. Bode Ayorinde (Ondo)

45. Bashiru Salihu (Sokoto)

46. Barry Mpigi (Rivers)

47. Nasiru Sule (Kano)

48. Segun Ogunwuyi (Oyo)

49. Lawal Rabiu (Kaduna)

50. Sani Rano (Kano)

51. Dickson Tarkighir (Benue)

52. Musa Adotsamiya (Kano)

53. Emmanuel Udende (Benue) 


https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/08/list-of-senators-reps-and-governors-who-have-left-apc-for-pdp-other-parties/

i just wish lalasticlala can move this to front page, because people need to no watz going on sometimes, This is the full procedure for impeachment

crixlight2:
Op change the topic to , how to impeach snake king , so lalasticlala will see it dim fit for front page

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended provides for the removal of a state governor in Section 188 as follows:

(1) The governor or deputy governor of a state may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section.

(2) Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one third of the members of the House of Assembly-

(a) is presented to the Speaker of the House of Assembly of the state;

(b) stating that the holder of such office is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified, the Speaker of the House of Assembly shall, within seven days of the receipt of the notice, cause a copy of the notice to be served on the holder of the office and on each member of the House of Assembly, and shall also cause any statement made in reply to the allegation by the holder of the office, to be served on each member of the House of Assembly.

(3) Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the Speaker of the House of Assembly (whether or not any statement was made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice), the House of Assembly shall resolve by motion, without any debate, whether or not the allegation shall be investigated.

(4) A motion of the House of Assembly that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of the House of Assembly.

(5) Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief Judge of the state shall at the request of the Speaker of the House of Assembly appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative House or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this section.

(6) The holder of an office whose conduct is being investigated under this section shall have the right to defend himself in person or be represented before the panel by a legal practitioner of his own choice.

(7) A panel appointed under this section shall-

(a) have such powers and exercise its functions in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the House of Assembly; and

(b) within three months of its appointment, report its findings to the House of Assembly.

( Where the panel reports to the House of Assembly that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter.

(9) Where the report of the panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within 14 days of the receipt of the report, the House of Assembly shall consider the report, and if by a resolution of the House of Assembly, supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report

It follows, therefore, that the following steps must be taken for any successful impeachment to take place:

Step 1

A notice of any allegation in writing alleging gross misconduct on the part of the governor. This notice must be signed by not less than one-third of the members of the state House of Assembly is presented to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

The constitution defines gross misconduct as ‘…a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion of the National Assembly to gross misconduct.’

Step 2

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly must within seven days, serve the governor and each member of the state House of Assembly with a copy of the notice of allegation.

Step 3

The governor has a right of reply, and any such statement in reply to the allegation must be served on each member of the state House of Assembly.

Step 4

Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, the state House of Assembly shall resolve by motion without any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated. This motion needs to be passed by at least two-thirds majority of all members of the state House of Assembly.

Step 5

If the motion fails to reach the required majority, the process immediately stops, and no further action will be taken. However, if the required majority is obtained and the motion is passed, then the Speaker of the state House of Assembly will within seven days of the passing of the motion, request the Chief Judge of the state to appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity to investigate the allegations. The members of the panel cannot be members of any public service, legislative house or political party.

Step 6

The panel is to report its findings within three months of being appointed. The findings will be reported to the state House of Assembly. During the proceedings of the panel, the governor shall have a right to defend himself, and shall also have the right to be defended by a legal practitioner of his/her choice.

Step 7

Where the panel reports that the allegation has not been proven, there will be no further action. However, if the report is that the allegation against the governor has been proven, then the state House of Assembly will consider the report, and a resolution for the adoption of the report shall be moved.

Step 8

For the resolution to be adopted, it must be supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of the state House of Assembly. Once adopted the governor shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report.

PAST POLICE ABUSE

Chris Ngige

The first executive governor of the Fourth Republic to taste the bitter side of the use of federal might was Chris Ngige. Helped to office as governor of Anambra State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by Chris Uba, a political godson of President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ngige soon fell out with his godfathers, barely two months into his tenure.

On July 10, 2003, heavily armed policemen, under the command of AIG Ige from his operational base in Umuahia, invaded the Government House, Awka, the state capital and seized Ngige under the pretext that he had resigned from office.

It turned out that the letter of resignation was forged and it took a huge public outcry before he could retrieve his office. He didn’t laugh last though as in August 2005, an election tribunal led by Justice Garba Nabaruma nullified Ngige’s 2003 victory. He appealed to Court of Appeal, but the annulment was confirmed on March 15, 2006, in a judgment awarding victory to Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Rashidi Ladoja

It was the turn of Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo State in January 2006. Again, he was a PDP governor who had fallen out with Obasanjo. Using Ladoja’s erstwhile godfather, Lamidi Adedibu, a push to oust him from office began.

There was a problem though. Ladoja had an upper hand in the House of Assembly and the dissident legislators were short of the numbers required to impeach him. His resistance, however, collapsed spectacularly in the face of massive police support for the dissident legislators who on January 12, 2006 removed him from office in an early dawn meeting that started by 5a.m. The entire proceedings lasted less than 20 minutes.

He would later get reprieve from the Court of Appeal, which annulled the impeachment and restored him to office. But he would not get his seat back till December 12, 2006 one clear month after the Supreme Court had upheld the judgment of the appellate court below.

Peter Obi

Peter Obi’s fate had a comical twist. He had displaced Ngige in March 2006 through a court judgment that awarded him the 2003 governorship election.

He had hosted Obasanjo, who told him during a state visit, to forget re-election in 2007 if he did not join the PDP because he (Obasanjo) would not support a non-PDP member. And true to Obasanjo’s postulations, a day after the visit, Obi was impeached on November 2, 2006, after seven months in office.

The lawmakers had reportedly met with representatives of Obasanjo in Asaba, Delta State and then accompanied to Awka by heavy security provided by the police Mobile Unit.

The House of Assembly members arrived Awka at 5a.m. and began sitting afterwards. They received the report of a panel of investigation set up to investigate the governor and, after deliberating for about an hour, decided to impeach Obi.

It took many months of legal battles before he could retrieve his mandate.

Joshua Dariye

It was the turn of another PDP governor, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State to face unconstitutional removal from office.

In early October 2006, eight of the 24 state House of Assembly members issued an impeachment notice against Dariye. In his defence, he stated that the notice was invalid as the eight did not form a quorum of the assembly.

A crowd of his supporters tried to prevent the assembly members from entering the state assembly building. Riot police then fired into the crowd, killing two protesters.

Again the resistance collapsed in the face of massive police deployment that aided five of the 24 legislators to impeach Dariye on November 13, 2006.

On March 10, 2007 the Court of Appeal ordered him reinstated but could not return to office until 27 April, 2007 when the Supreme Court affirmed his reinstatement with immediate effect.

Conclusion

Since President Olusegun Obasanjo left office 11 years ago incidence of Police abuse against governors have abated, until Monday.

https://www.naijanewspapers.com.ng/2018/07/constitutional-steps-to-impeachment/