₦airaland Forum

* Aliyu, Wamakko, Nyako, Kwankwaso, Amaechi, others involved

* PDM, Anenih disagree over party status

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is far from being over as eight governors elected on the party’s platform are set to dump the party for a new political party to be known as the Voice of the People, VOP.

The new political organisation is already awaiting registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

It was learnt that the arrowheads of the new party are Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Aliyu Babangida (Niger) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).

The factional chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State are said to be part of those floating the new party.

The identity of the eighth PDP governor is still being shielded.

The source added that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, is also being speculated to be part of the plot.

The PDP currently has 23 governors in its fold.

“We have filed our papers with INEC and we are only awaiting the registration as a political party. I can tell you that we will soon pull out of the PDP, which has made life unbearable for our leaders,” a source familiar with the registration process told National Mirror.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, told National Mirror that there is nothing strange in an application for registration as a political party before the commission.

He noted that INEC receives applications for party registration on weekly basis. He, however, said he had no information about the VOP and those behind it.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/8-pdp-governors-float-new-party/

There were disclosures yesterday why Senator Chris Ngige was chosen as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the Anambra governorship election slated for November 16.

According to Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, who led Ngige to APC campaign rally in Awka on Friday, his choice was a demonstration of the fact that the Igbo can agree on a common issue.

The Imo governor said many people had thought the Igbo are so disorganised that they cannot agree or on constant disagreement. Okorocha stressed that Ngige’s choice was a proof to the world that Ndigbo agree among themselves as Igbo.

His words: “These are the new generation of Ndigbo trying to chant a new song other than the old song of selfishness. We intend to reason together.

“What happened between Senator Annie Okonkwo and his brother Ngige is simply what we describe as sacrifice in the highest level. Now, one of them decided to lead the campaign of the other despite the fact that the two of them are the major forerunners in the election under APC.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/anambra-guber-why-apc-chose-ngige-as-candidate-okorocha/

•Says ‘he’s the worst President Nigeria ever had

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has said President Goodluck Jonathan is the worst Nigerian President, describing the zoning formula of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a failure.

This is as el-Rufai who is also the Deputy National Secretary of APC said President Goodluck Jonathan is the most incompetent leader ever produced in Nigeria.

Speaking at the distribution of poverty alleviation materials of APC senator representing Kaduna Central, General Mohammed Saleh (rtd) in Kaduna yesterday, el-Rufai said APC was working toward a credible election in 2015.

On his part, former speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari, noted that PDP was already afraid of the APC having seen its strength, adding that the party is the alternative to PDP.

However el-Rufai who was answering questions from newsmen stated that, “We want credible election so that we kick out those who have been embezzling our public funds and destroying our institutions”.

He said the woes in the country are caused by the PDP. “It is mostly a PDP issue because it controls about 24 states in Nigeria and the kind of leadership that it provides is an example for everyone. “PDP is the biggest problem and also the followership is also another problem of its own; the major problem of Nigeria is the toxic party called the PDP.

The fact that one is in PDP does not mean that when you recognise that the party has gone toxic you should not leave, can you compare General Buhari with anyone in the PDP?

“We are offering Nigerians an alternative and fresh approach to governance that is inclusive, honest and fair that will serve the people and not that which will serve the pockets of a few”, he said.

On the 2015 presidency, he noted that: “I don’t think the North and the South are the issue, what Nigeria needs is a competent president, whether he is from the North or South; it is immaterial to us in APC.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/again-el-rufai-blasts-jonathan-says-president-is-a-failure/

Plans to hunt former Vice President Atiku Abubarkar into political irrelevance has intensified as President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Tony Anenih yesterday launched assault on the newly registered Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, leading to a split in it.

The split comes barely one week after the party was registered. PDM is one of the key groups that saw to the emergence of the Peoples Democratic Party at the inception of the present democratic rule after the last military interregnum. PDM is believed to have been floated and funded as a party by the former vice president after it became clear that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party may not be throwing its presidential ticket open for contest and could adopt President Jonathan as its presidential candidate.

In an expanded meeting of the PDM called by the chairman, Senator Abubarkar Maidi, in Abuja on Thursday, the group said it distanced itself from the transformation of the movement to a political party as such step clearly violates the real purpose of the organisation. In attendance were Chief Dubem Onyia who is the secretary, Director of Finance, Shaiub Abdulahhi and the zonal leaders of the group.

In their action, the zonal leaders observed with dismay the way and manner the PDM was secretly converted into a political party against the original visions of its founding fathers. In a statement signed by 10 of the leaders of the PDM who attended the meeting, the group said “a situation where the founding fathers, national caucus, the zonal leaders and the state management committees were not contacted was unacceptable. “The zonal leaders therefore have resolved that they are not part of the registered party as they still remain members of the PDM as a pressure group within the PDP.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/pdm-registration-jonathan-anenih-move-against-atiku/

Former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention in the aborted Third Republic, Alhaji Bashir Tofa has traced the problems confronting the nation to alleged weakness of President Goodluck Jonathan to take major decisions on issues related to governance.

The former chairman of the elders committee of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP) told Saturday Mirror in an interview in Kano yesterday that the president had failed to execute properly his responsibilities as the leader of the Nigerian people, resulting in most of the socio-political and economic problems bedevilling the country .

“President Jonathan is too quiet, too patient, and too careless; he has to realise that he is the leader, nobody can execute his responsibilities for him, they are all his and his duty is not just to sit down and keep quiet and allow people to mess him up; he has to do certain things himself. He must learn to reconcile with other people himself directly, he should not allow other people to represent him and do things that he is supposed to do himself,” Tofa said.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/a-northern-political-leader-and-former-presidential-candidate-of-the-defunct-national-republican-convention-in-the-aborted-third-republic-alhaji-bashir-tofa-has-traced-the-problems-confronting-the-n/

About N100 million was spent on the final burial of the late founder of the World Soul Winning Evangelistic Ministry (WOSEM), Apostle Timothy Obadare.

The eldest son of the late cleric, Pastor Paul Obadare, said the amount contained the N35 million released for the burial by the Osun State Government. The body of the late Obadare was buried last Saturday in Ilesa, Osun State.

Giving the breakdown of how the money was spent, Pastor Paul told journalists at the WOSEM Shiloh ground, Ileki, Ilesa, that N5million was spent on casket, N61 million on the construction of the mausoleum, while N30 million was spent on entertainments.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/n100m-spent-on-obadares-burial-son/

Your contact

…to release album this year

If all goes as planned, Nigerian international footballer, Obafemi Martins, will release a hiphop album by the end of the year.

A studio rat who did not want his name in print and is privy to the album project said the forward for Seattle Sounders FC of the United States has completed work on at least three tracks for the album that is heavy on the Nigerian genre of hip-hop.

“He is passionate about the album and has been working on it at two recording studios, one in Surulere and the other in the Lekki area of Lagos,” the source said.

Asked if he has any idea why the footballer who is apparently doing well in his football career would choose to do music, he said Obafemi Martins has always loved music.

“As a matter of fact, he told me that before the big football leagues around the world came calling, he used to be a rapper. Music was his first love eve before football came along,” the source said.

He could not be reached for comment as at press time but the man described as his mentor, Mr. Femi Fasetire, who is a sports journalist confirmed that the footballer likes music “like most people”. He however said that he is not aware that the player is working on an album.

“Perhaps that is because entertainment is not my line since I am a sports journalist,” Fasetire said. There is no doubt that millions of Obafemi Martin’s football fans cannot wait for the release of this album, which our source said is still untitled and which songs are basically performed in English.

Other Nigerian footballers who have gone the music way include recently: Michel Obi, (who now owns a music label, Matured Money Minds, MMM), as well as Celestine Babayaro and Jonathan Akpoborie.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/obafemi-martins-makes-foray-into-music/

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has deplored a recent insinuation that the South-East was marginalised by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Onwuliri described the insinuation as “half truth peddled by self-styled political leaders.”

Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Prof. Onwuliri said that contrary to the opinion of some Ndigbo, the South East geo-political zone is more than ever before entrenched in the Nigerian political mainstream.

She said: “Let me use this opportunity to condemn in unmistakable terms, the misleading and pervasive opinion that Igbo are marginalised under the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government of President Jonathan. Let me call our people of the South- East to redouble their support and followership of the party.”

The minister listed what the South-East benefited in Jonathan’s administration to include dualisation of Owerri-Elele-Port Harcourt Road, construction of the 90.5km Owerri-Onitsha Road, rehabilitation of Owerri Aba Road, rehabilitation of Onitsha-Enugu- Abakaliki Road and Enugu International Airport, among others.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/ndigbo-better-off-in-jonathans-administration-minister/

BlackBerry, once the global leader in smartphone technology, has put itself up for sale after years of falling sales and failed revamps, says report. The smartphone, which once was seen as habit-former has suffered sharp decline globally in recent times as competition changed the face of Smartphone. However, early in the week, the company previously known as Research in Motion (RIM) announced the decision “explores strategic alternatives”.

While the company is scouting for buyers, the company could consider an option of going public as brand analysts expect a turnaround. Unable to match Apple’s iPhone for cool or the sheer range of devices from Samsung and others using Google’s Android mobile system, its market share has collapsed from close to 50 per cent in the US in 2009 to less than three per cent , according to figures released last week by the analyst IDC.

On the day the news broke, the Z10, BlackBerry’s latest, much-hyped device was being offered for $19.99 by US mobile retailer Wirefly as against $199 when it was launched earlier this year. For BlackBerry watchers, the news is no surprise. The company lost $84m in the last quarter and announced 5,000 layoffs last year.

“The beginning of the end started some time ago,” said Stuart Jeffrey, analyst at Nomura Securities. He said the company’s statement suggested it no longer had any confidence in its ability to get out its current predicament.

BlackBerry, he predicts, is likely to re-emerge as a software company, perhaps with some contracts for supersecure government devices, but “without the handicap of all those uncompetitive handsets”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/blackberry-up-for-sale/

Can you unlock Huawei C8655 (Visafone)

Following the rumour making round that some political big wigs from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, are making frantic moves to woo the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola into joining their party or another party to be floated come ahead of the 2015 general election, the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa yesterday debunked the claim.

The rumour, National Mirror gathered, was premised on the calibre of Nigerians who had been visiting the governor to commiserate with him over the loss of his father, Alhaji Ademola Fashola. President Goodluck Jonathan, including six ministers as well as former Heads of state and governors from both Rotimi Amaechi and Jonah Jang Camps had visited Fashola.

But reacting to the rumour after hoisting of All Progressives Congress flag in his constituency, Ashafa described the rumour as unfounded, saying Fashola is an icon of good governance that wouldn’t and was not planning to join other party.

He said: “There is no iota of truth in that. Fashola is not just a governor of Lagos State, Fashola has become an icon of good governance. So, if anything happens to him, you will expect even the Head of State of another country coming to commensurate with him. He is one of the added values that APC has. I won’t be surprise if the President of Ghana or Cameroun to comes to Lagos to commiserate with him. He merit it, he has demonstrated it

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/fashola-wont-join-pdp-says-ashafa/

The Joint Action Front (JAF), a coalition of non-governmental organisations and pro-democracy groups is staging a mass protest on the streets of Lagos to pressure the Federal Government to implement agreement with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities and other unions in the sector.
The protest, led by the groups’ Secretary, Comrade Abiodun Aremu; its Public Relations Officer, Comrade Isiaq Olaitan Buno, among others, took off from the Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat in Yaba, and moved through the Ikorodu Road to converge at the Gani Fawehinmi park in Ojota.
According to Buno, the protest became necessary following the neglect currently being suffered by the education sector in the country and its attendant consequences, which he stated included the raging violence in the northern part of the country, armed robbery, kidnapping, among others.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/mass-protest-in-lagos-over-ASUU-strike/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm_PqWkHIa4

Leading e-commerce firm in Nigeria, Jumia.com has sacked 187 out of 200 workers engaged since it opened shop in 2012, sources told National Mirror.

The online retailer, which marked its second anniversary a few weeks ago is said to have within its first year of operations hired about 200 employees and fired about 187 of them while it now engages temporary staffs as a cost saving measure.

In an attempt to consolidate on funding, Jumia.com was said to have sold a major equity to Rocket Internet, a global e-venture company, which afterwards laid-off about 50 workers of Jumia. com which was then compelled to resort to outsourcing support functions.

Also, following the merger of other e-ventures under Jumia. com, some staffs were also reportedly sacked, all within a year.

However, the CEOs of the Africa Internet Holding, which controls Rocket Internet, Jeremy Hodara and Sacha Poignonnec, told National Mirror that the information was not correct.

“The numbers are false. In the past one year, only one per cent of our over 500 employees resigned. We employ more than 1,500 people in nine African countries.

Jumia alone has over 500 employees scattered around in six cities many of them under the age of 30 and most important 95 per cent are Nigerians. We were looking for these local top notch experts for the last year and we hired them mainly from top universities.

“Now, we take care of everything we do directly in Lagos – whether it is marketing, customer’s services, logistics, sales, operations and IT. We are deeply committed to provide the best environment for every employee,” Hondara and Poignonnec said in a joint e-mail response to National Mirror. Also, the Public Relations Manager of Jumia.com, Mr. Afam Anyika refuted the mass sack at Jumia.com.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/jumia-sacks-187-staff-within-2-years-investigations/

Motorists, commuters lament poor state of 30-year-old bridge

The sorry state of Eko Bridge in Lagos has become a source of worry for thousands of motorists and commuters plying it daily. Stakeholders claimed that the dilapidating state of the bridge has been responsible for prolonged traffic jam, damage to vehicles and the stress commuters encounter on the bridge as they travel to and from Lagos Island.

The Eko Bridge or Second Mainland Bridge is a crucial link between Lagos Island and mainland areas including Surulere, Anthony and Ikeja. Many have blamed poor state of the bridge on lack of proper maintenance through the years.

Narrating his harrowing experience when plying the bridge, an insurance broker on Broad Street, Lagos, Mr. Ayo Olugbenga, said big gaps created by the bridge’s worn expansion joints have affected his vehicle badly and made the route a nightmare for him and his colleagues.

Apart from the stress of having to endure the traffic jam due to poor state of the bridge, he said passing through some spots when climbing the bridge from Iponri and Costain and when descending from Apongbon to link upper Marina has become an unpleasant experience to motorists.

He said that motorists have to slow down at the locations of the expansion joints and bumps, leading to huge traffic jam as they struggle to outwit each other. The most notorious gap is located about the chimney stacks of the old PHCN Ijora Power Station Another commuter, who identified herself simply as Alhaja Bilikis Aruwajoye, said gaps in the expansion joints have spoilt her car’s shock absorbers on at least three occasions. Besides, she said with the look of things, the bridge is becoming dangerous for users.

Expressing disgust over the state of the bridge, a journalist Mr. Frank Obi, had a bitter experience yesterday as he was plying the bridge to attend a meeting when the front tyre of his car ruptured as he drove over the expansion joint gap at Ijora.

Our correspondent, who toured the bridge reports that some of the expansion joints that were exposed had widen more than normal while the iron coverings for the joints had fallen off, creating big gaps at intervals which motorists have to drive over.

Some of the gaps are six inches wide in some areas. At one section, some of the railings at the pedestrian side of the bridge are missing, while few ones that are available have been damaged and have not been replaced. One could not ascertain when last a routine maintenance of the bridge was carried out.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/anxiety-mounts-over-eko-bridge/

Bimbo Thomas is an embodiment of the popular saying, ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it’. The actress cum fashionista does not fail to show off her smooth skin, curvaceous figure and cleavage. She tells Adaeze Amos in this interview that she does not want to hurriedly rush into marriage, hence her apparent delay in saying ‘I do’.

Many people know you as Bimbo Thomas, an actress, but in your own words, who exactly are you?

Bimbo Thomas is one simple person that is focused and dedicated. She knows what she wants in life. She is aware of what she is aiming at and she is highly determined, willing and never failing to try, daring too if I may say. Bimbo Thomas is also a bundle of talent, apart from acting. She is very versatile, nothing she can’t put her hands to do if she puts her head to it. “Nothing at all, bring it on, I’m never afraid to try. I mount the stage and do something like a musician, then the next minute I hold on to be a doctor. It’s just like what I do but that is a make believe. Bimbo Thomas can do any other thing but my passion lies in acting.

”Why do you like to flaunt your cleavage?

Maybe because they are firm and I have no single stretch mark on my boobs. But some ladies still flaunt flabby ones that have stretch marks. Don’t they know that stretch marks are not meant to be displayed? Some ladies flaunt cleavage that stretch marks have finished and the boob has gotten back to where it was formed. It’s not worth it. Such a cleavage can’t be sexy. For instance, I stay in front of my mirror and appreciate myself first before any other person because I dress up in my room before any other person in my house would see me. After dressing up, I look at myself and I’m like wow! If I can be convinced within me that I look good, I know that every other comment would be fine. I think ladies who flaunt the ugly parts of their body should start doing this. Some carry bulky legs and want to walk it on the runway. I’m chubby, my body firm, subtle and smooth. Because I’m bulky, my legs big, I don’t do shorts. I know the rules of fashion. It puts me off when I see some giant, elephantiasis kind of legs and they want to walk and show them off on red carpet. It doesn’t make sense to me.
Can you define your style and why you chose the design of tattoo on your arm?[b][/b]

My style is me. I owe myself the look. I admire a few fashionistas, and good looks as a whole gell for me. Whenever I see anything good, I love it. So, my style is me. I define what I want to look like on a daily basis. I do tell a story with my looks. I could look chic or trendy and sexy. The design of the tattoo on my arm is crucifix, which symbolises Christ, His passion. If you look closely, there is heart design there, it stands for love. It shows that Christ loves us and for Him to have died for us, he had taken away all our sins and burdens. He has told us to love as he has loved us. I chose this design of tattoo because of the love of Christ. I think by wearing it, even when someone hurts me and I want to retaliate angrily, somehow something would tell me that you are wearing a crucifix on your arm. If Christ could do this for me, why can’t I let go and love my fellow human being regardless. By so doing, I let the anger go. My tattoo ministers Christ to me.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/my-tattoo-ministers-christ-to-me-bimbo-thomas/

The Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to redress the injustices done to Muslims from the South-West in the appointment of members of his cabinet.

The NSCIA Secretary General, Prof. Isiaq Oloyede, who spoke with journalists at the Lantoro praying ground in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, where he participated in the Eid-el-Fitr prayer along with Governor Ibikunle Amosun, accused Jonathan of being unjust to Muslims from the South-West in his cabinet.

This was as Amosun assured the people of the determination of his administration to give them more dividends of democracy.

Oloyede warned that such act of injustice in the federal appointments could disintegrate the country and escalate the security crisis.

He said: “If not checked, of course we are calling for continuity of inequities and disintegration.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/jonathan-biased-against-south-west-muslims-oloyede-nscia-scribe/

The Osun State Government yesterday announced this year’s Eid Fitri free train ride, saying it was in line with its tradition to facilitate convenient movement of its citizens during festive seasons.

The state Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba, said in Osogbo that the free train would be between Wednesday and Saturday.

He said: “The free train will convey people from Lagos to Osogbo, the state capital on August 7, 2013 by11am while the return journey from Osogbo to Lagos is fixed for Saturday, August 11, 2013 by 11am prompt.”


http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/osun-provides-free-train-for-eid-fitri-festival/

The Nigeria Communications Commission has rolled out first-ever data on the state of porting activities by telecoms subscribers on the four Global System for Mobile Communication, GSM, operators indicating that MTN Nigeria lost more subscribers than it gained during the first two months in review.

The data covered first two months of May and June, following the launch of the porting scheme by telecom regulator on April 22, 2013. Airtel Nigeria, however, led other operators such as MTN, Glo and Etisalat on porting gains with 44 per cent and 50 per cent of ported numbers in May and June, 2013 respectively. The data were confirmed by the Corporate Affairs Director of NCC, Mr. Tony Ojobo, yesterday.

In May, Etisalat came second on gainer’s table by attracting 29 per cent of the total number of lines that ported to new networks. This is followed by Glo with 17 per cent and MTN came forth with 10 per cent.

On the share of porting loss, MTN Nigeria tops with 49 per cent; Glo, 23 per cent; Etisalat, 17 per cent and Airtel lost the lowest number of subscribers to other networks with just 11 per cent.

Also in June, Airtel led the porting gainer’s table with 50 per cent. This is followed by Glo with 29 per cent; Etisalat came third with 12 per cent while MTN came forth with just 9 per cent.

On loser’s chart for the month of June, MTN came tops by losing 47 per cent of the total number of lines that were ported. Etisalat was the third largest loser with 23 per cent; followed by Glo, 19 per cent while Airtel Nigeria lost the lowest number of subscribers during the month.

At the launch of mobile number portability scheme on July 22, 2013, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, had stated that the porting service, which allows subscribers to move freely from one network to another while retaining their original number, would prove wider choice for the over 119 million telecoms consumers in the country.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/mtn-tops-porting-losers-table/

Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello has said the sealing of houses where clothes and other personal effects are openly spread remains the solution to curb environmental nuisance.

This was even as reactions have continued to trail government’s policy to seal up such houses, especially those along major highways and roads. Many residents flayed the government’s move, saying that landlords should, be ordered to provide places for such in their houses.

Mr. Bello, bemoaned the indiscriminate display of clothes on balconies, fences and house fronts, saying in spite of several warnings to desist from such acts, more houses still have clothes openly hung on their frontage.

The commissioner said, hence all the environmental law enforcement agencies particularly, Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, will remove such clothing and seal the houses where they are displayed.

He also urged the residents to create spaces in their homes to spread their clothes rather than doing so in places not friendly to the environment.

The commissioner said that major roads and bridges were not the right places for the spreading of clothes, adding that LAWMA and other waste collectors had been mandated to confiscate such as refuse.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/why-houses-with-openly-spread-clothes-will-be-sealed-commissioner/

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has promised that construction work on the six-lane Sango – Ijoko – Agbado Road would begin in September. Amosun gave the assurance yesterday while discussing with journalists during the breaking of Ramadan fast at the Government House at Isale- Igbein, Abeokuta, the state capital.

The governor, who commended the perseverance of the residents of that axis, particularly motorists plying the road, explained that his administration would have completed the road but for lack of funds.

Reiterating the determination of his administration to leave lasting legacy just like that of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the South- West, Amosun said the 34-kilometre road would be adorned with necessary infrastructure.

He said the N59 billion road contract would have street light, drainage and pedestrian sidewalks as well as six pedestrian bridges. While assuring the residents of the state of his administration’s commitment to raise the standard of living of the people, the governor reminded journalists of the ethics of their profession as regards objectivity.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/n59bn-sango-ijoko-agbado-road-construction-begins-september-amosun/

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, because of the current political reality in the country which does not favour the Igbo.

The state Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Marshall Okafor Anyanwu, said this in Owerri, the state capital. Anyanwu explained that the decision to join other progressives to form APC was taken in the best interest of the people of the South-East zone.

The chairman argued that the decision did not mean that APGA would cease to exist. He said: “This doesn’t mean that APGA has stopped to exist as a political party, it will remain an identity of the Igbo.”

“APC is a place where the Igbo aspiration will be realised. “It is absurd to notice that the South-East has no place in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, because after voting for President Goodluck Jonathan the zone has nothing to show for it and you expect us to still remain in that party.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/okorocha-joined-apc-to-save-igbo-apga-chair/

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday marveled at the ingenuity and the entrepreneur skills displayed by highway hawkers in some Nigerian cities, especially Lagos.

He described the traits displayed almost simultaneously while selling on the highways as misused skills.

The governor said there is nowhere in the world where youths dominated the highways with such entrepreneurship skills.

He said: “I have travelled a little bit and I am not sure if there are many places in the world where we will find young people, running through traffic, balancing their wares on their heads, chase the moving cars and selling their goods, calculating how many they have sold and doing mental sums and giving you change.

“If you just pause to think on the skills displayed, the flexibility and adaptability that is required to carry out those functions. I don’t know how many of us can do it.

“So, let nobody come and tell me that Nigerians are not skillful, let them not also come and tell me that they are not enterprising. If that is not a display of skills and a display of enterprise then you know what it is.”

Governor Fashola, however, lamented that such skills were unfortunately wrongly deployed to unsustainable business, adding that the state government is determined to divert such skills and enterprise to a more promising and sustainable business model.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/fashola-marvels-at-hawkers-skills-in-traffic/

Electricity generation, transmission and distribution may be disrupted in the nation as electricity workers have concluded plans to embark on strike. The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), which issued the threat yesterday in Lagos, said that the union was set to protest if the payment of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN workers’ severance package was not implemented by the Federal Government.

Chairman of the Lagos chapter of NUEE, Mr. Adeleke Ibrahim, said the union had already issued a nine-day ultimatum that would expire on July 31, 2013. Ibrahim said the payment had suffered setbacks due to the inability of the Federal Ministry of Power to put its records straight.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/electricity-outage-looms-as-workers-plan-protest/

The website through which potential beneficiaries of the N300 million capacity-building fund for the Nigerian film industry could access the largess will be activated at 12 noon today.

The website is www.projectactnollywood. com.ng.

The development, which is coming after several months of expectations by hundreds of the potential beneficiaries, signals the commencement of the fund as corporate and individual practitioners in various aspects of movie craft and production can apply for various specified grants to boost their skills and capacity.

The capacity-building fund, which was announced recently, is the first part of the N3 billion promised by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Presidential Intervention Fund, called Project ACT Nollywood, is managed by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Minister of Tourism, Chief Edem Duke.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/n300m-nollywood-fund-website-opens-today/

Al-Mustapha is innocent- Faseun

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/al-mustapha-is-innocent/

Oge Okoye is one of Nigeria’s A-list actresses. She candidly shares her views about Nollywood’s burning issues with Oseyiza Oogbodo.

Why is it that entertainers are never able to take care of themselves when they have health challenges?

Well, I don’t think that sort of question should be directed to me because I don’t get what you’re driving at. Thank God, this is exactly what our no-ble AGN President is trying to advocate for.

What do you like most about Nollywood?

What I like most about our large family is that Nollywood is a strong voice to the world showing the different lives of different people and different things happening in the world. A strong voice It is indeed.

What do you hate most about it?

Sometimes the negative criticism and judgmental attitude towards us.

Is it true that gays and lesbians are now in control of Nollywood?

I don’ t know a b o u t t h a t a s p e c t . Rather, I’m hearing this for the first time from you. So since I think you’ve got a lot of information on this, please enlighten me more on this piece of news.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/i-dont-know-about-gays-and-lesbians-controlling-nollywood-oge-okoye/

A former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Thursday formally joined the Labour Party where he hopes to rekindle his political strength ahead of 2015.

The former governor met with the national chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, in Abuja, to put pen to paper and to clear the air on which party he hopes to achieve his senatorial ambition.

The meeting, which was held at the national headquarters of the party located at Garki, was aimed at discussing the modalities that would be used to accommodate Daniel in the party. Daniel, who was accompanied by few aides, was received at the party’s secretariat by the LP chairman.

Our correspondent reports that it is difficult to say which party Daniel currently belongs to now because the former governor was the promoter of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) during the 2011 governorship election in Ogun State.

He led the campaign train of the party’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka, during the election, which was won by the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/daniel-dumps-pdp-joins-labour-party/

Renowned economist Prof. Pat Utomi yesterday told an Ikeja High Court that the late Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and others conspired to steal Platinum Habib Bank otherwise known as Bank PHB from its original shareholders.

Utomi told Justice Lateefat Okunnu in the ongoing trial of the former managing director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth, and a former Chief Financial Officer, Ugo Anyanwu, how the Presidency perfected plans to hijack the bank.

He gave the testimony during the trial of the defendants accused of stealing N32.2 billion belonging to the bank.

Utomi did not, however, expatiate on how the government implemented its agenda to hijack the bank from the original shareholders.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/n32-2bn-fraud-yar-adua-sanusi-conspired-to-hijack-bank-phb-utomi/

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Lamido Sanusi yesterday raised the alarm on the Excess Crude Account, ECA, which he said had shrunk by $7 billion from the initial figure of $12 billion early this year.

The CBN governor, who spoke at an interactive hearing session with the House of Representatives’ Committee on Banking and Currency, also disclosed that interest rates may likely rise above the current 25 percent.

Sanusi had appeared before the Committee after the House passed three resolutions on the high interest rates in the country, allegation that Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, are dispensing counterfeit naira notes and alleged ATM maintenance charges being paid by bank customers.

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/eca-depleted-by-7bn-sanusi/