₦airaland Forum

who is supposed to be begging who

Nigerian gay rights activist has her High Court asylum bid rejected - because judge doesn't believe she is lesbian

A Nigerian gays right activist who fears imprisonment and death because of her sexuality has had her case for asylum rejected by the High Court – after a judge ruled that she was pretending to be lesbian.

Aderonke Apata was so desperate to convince the Government she was gay that she submitted a private DVD and photographs of her sex life as evidence. Yet a High Court judge has ruled that she engaged in same sex relationships in order to “fabricate” an asylum claim.

Ms Apata, 47, came to Britain in 2004 and has won awards for her gay-rights campaigning. She is engaged to her long-term partner Happiness Agboro, also from Nigeria, who has already been granted asylum in the UK based on her sexuality.

John Bowers QC, who was sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, said “I find it difficult to disagree with the conclusions of the First Tier Tribunal that ‘she has engaged in same-sex relationships in detention in order to fabricate an asylum claim based on claimed lesbian sexuality’. I also accept the associated submission made by [the Home Office] that she has in effect adjusted her conduct so as to adopt other customs, dress and mores of a particular social group purely as a way of gaining refugee status.”

The judge acknowledged petitions signed by several hundred thousand people supporting her case – and her considerable support from LGBT activists in court – but said “I do not think that can amount to evidence as opposed to opinion and support (although that support is very impressive).”
Judge Bowers did not accept a controversial Home Office argument that Ms Apata could not be gay because she had previously had children and heterosexual relationships. Nevertheless, he agreed with the Government’s assessment that she could not be considered part of the ‘particular social group’ known as lesbians.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who was in court to support Ms Apata, said of the ruling: “It’s bizarre that the judge does not accept that Aderonke is a member of a particular social group, namely lesbian women. I find it offensive to suggest that she’s adopted the ‘customs, dress and mores’ of lesbian women purely in order to gain refugee status, given the evidence that she’s presented in her claim.

“The worst aspect of the ruling is the judge doesn’t accept that she has a well founded fear of persecution if she returns to Nigeria. It’s clear that she’s been publicly identified in the UK and in Nigeria as a lesbian or bisexual woman. Such women face the twin threats of legal persecution and mob violence in Nigeria.”
The Home Office argues that Ms Apata had “played the system” by making several different asylum applications. It also said that she could not be trusted because she had been convicted for using false papers to work – despite it being a desperate measure to stave off destitution after her asylum case was rejected.

Ms Apata is frightened of what will happen next but believes there may be further legal avenues for her to pursue. She did not want to risk damaging a future case by commenting publicly on the ruling.

Ms Apata was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress in 2005 and attempted suicide when she was in prison facing deportation. Her mental health formed part of the case.

Homosexuality is punishable by up to 14 years in prison in Nigeria under laws passed in January 2014 and there has been a spike in violence against gay people.

A Nigerian mother and her five-year-old son who were unlawfully deported from Britain are to be flown back to the UK today after the Home Secretary Theresa May lost a last-ditch legal bid to prevent their return.

The family won a landmark legal victory last week when a senior immigration judge ruled that Ms May and her officials failed to give sufficient importance to the welfare of the schoolboy when they put them on a plane to Nigeria in January. Describing the Home Office approach as “flawed”, the judge ruled that they be returned to Britain by today – and that the Government foot the bill.

The case threatens to undermine Ms May’s election pledge to introduce a “deport first, appeal later” regime for asylum-seekers by setting a precedent that immigration officers must make the welfare of a child the “primary consideration” when seeking a deportation order – even when the case of a parent has already been dismissed.
Lawyers for the Home Office appeared to acknowledge the significance of the case yesterday by telling the Court of Appeal they were seeking permission to challenge the ruling to allow the family’s return for “serious policy reasons”. But Lord Justice McCombe threw out an application on behalf of Ms May to postpone the family’s return, saying it was “impossible” to find any grounds to overturn the original decision taken by the Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber.

The Court of Appeal judge also criticised the complexity of Britain’s immigration laws, describing the multiplicity of rules as a “disgrace”.

The failure of the Home Office’s appeal means the mother and child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will be on a plane due to arrive back in Britain today after officials were forced to book tickets or face proceedings for contempt of court.

Campaigners in the community where the mother had settled after coming to Britain illegally in 1991 said they were delighted by the ruling and looking forward to welcoming them home, where they will now make a fresh application to remain in UK. One friend of the family told The Independent: “We’re just delighted”

The woman, referred to as “BF”, and her son “RA” were deported in January despite evidence of her fragile mental health and the risk that the family would end up living on the streets. The fact that the woman was a single mother with no family in Nigeria would place her in danger of prostitution and her son facing child labour or potential trafficking, immigration officials were told.

The mother fled her native country after her parents were killed in a car crash and paid traffickers to reach Britain after relatives had tried to force her into a marriage. She became pregnant and had her son in 2009.

The Court of Appeal heard that the mother, who applied for asylum in 2010, had her claim repeatedly rejected and at one point was admitted to a psychiatric unit with depression linked to the threat of forced return after she was found to have drunk bleach. Her son was put into foster care for a period in 2013.

Stephanie Harrison QC, representing RA, said: “At the heart of this case is an extremely vulnerable child who has so far avoided permanent damage but [is at risk] if he remains in the situation in Nigeria where his mother is unable to protect him adequately.”

The potential precedent set by the case will require immigration officials to balance the requirements for asylum and migration control against the best interests of a child at risk of deportation alongside his or her parent.

Under the new “deport first, appeal later” system outlined by Ms May those seeking to enter Britain without prior approval would be automatically sent back to their country of origin unless they could prove that do so would cause or risk “irreversible harm”.

The Home Office declined to comment on the ruling.

A personal assistant who conned a City investment firm out of £17,000 to pay for her luxury wedding in a Georgian mansion and a honeymoon in the Seychelles has been spared jail today.

Gabrielle Yinka Saunders, 32, used her colleagues' company credit cards to splash out on the £10,000 ceremony at the prestigious venue Belair House in Dulwich, south London.

She also paid £600 for flowers, £270 on a new watch, £210 on a new outfit and £400 for the mobile phone she used to make all the wedding arrangements.

Saunders was arrested by police at Heathrow Airport when she returned from the honeymoon.

The police investigation revealed she began the fraud just one day after getting the £40,000-a-year job with Insight Investments - despite having a conviction for a £34,000 fraud on her previous employers PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

In that case Saunders, a law graduate, forged a colleague's signature on scores of fake expenses claims so she could pay off her debt, which she blamed on having an “expensive boyfriend.”

But judge Stephen Gullick decided not to send her to prison yesterday after hearing she had paid the money back and will start a teacher training course in September.

Judge Gullick said: “You have a singularly unimpressive record and you have already served a prison sentence some time ago.

“You did not disclose your previous dishonesty to your employers who were prepared to take you on as an administrative assistant on a good salary.

“The fact is within days you were prepared to take advantage. You effectively defrauded others to the tune of £17,000, all of which has been paid back.

“That money was used to finance your wedding which took place in October last year and the subsequent honeymoon.

“You have now started working in a completely different environment. I hope they will never place you in a position of trust with anything to do with money.

“These were serious offences but it appears you are turning your life around.

“If you continue to commit offences of dishonest of this nature you will eventually receive a very long sentence if imprisonment indeed.”

Saunders was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment suspended for two years with 200 hours unpaid work.

The Old Bailey heard Saunders came to the UK from Lagos in Nigeria and graduated from Southampton University with a 2:1 in law in 2004 before starting training as a tax accountant with PWC.

Saunders forged taxi receipts to destinations across the country including Cardiff, Basingstoke and Milton Keynes at up to £250 a time, then signed them off by faking a colleague's signature.

She was jailed for six months at the Old Bailey in November 2007 for defrauding her employers of £34,916 between 15 December 2005 and 24 October 2006.

At the time of her sentence she was working at Grant Thornton chartered accountants in Moorgate as a £23,000-a-year secretary.

Then in 2011 she was spared jail for nine counts of credit card fraud on her neighbour.

Saunders got her job with Insight Investments in central London in June last year and a day later charged a £5,272 bill to a colleague's credit card for the honeymoon .

In September she used another colleague's card to pay £10,254 to Belair House, £268.20 to the jeweller Andrew Charles, £597 to PESH flowers, £208.44 to fashion store ASOS and £390 to EE T-mobile.

Prosecutor Roger Daniells-Smith explained: “She paid for a prestige wedding venue, she paid for the flowers, she paid for her honeymoon outfit and clothing.

“She paid for phone calls to make these arrangements and she paid for the gift of a watch.

“She paid for the honeymoon which was a first-class trip to Dubai and then on to the Seychelles.

“They were arrested at Heathrow when they returned to the UK and she made no comment in interview but it was clear from the evidence that she was solely responsible for these frauds.”

Saunders, admitted seven counts of fraud totalling £16,990.

OFFICIAL results - ONUIMO L.G.A Gov : P.D.P 3347 , A.P.C 7306.

kudos to Channels. Watching it right now.

After appearing at a campaign rally in Lagos on Tuesday, Nigeria’s president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari is expected to storm Imo State, southeast Nigeria, to drum support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 11 April governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
The incumbent governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, is seeking a second term under the platform of APC.
At today’s grand event some stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state are also expected to defect to APC with their teeming supporters.
P.M.NEWS gathered that among those to decamp to APC are the former governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, as well as governorship aspirants in PDP.
The decampees alleged that they were joining APC because they were badly treated in PDP and they felt their political future lies in APC. The decampees have declared support for Okorocha and advised their members to support him.
Sources also said crisis rocked PDP in the state following the failure of Owerri Zone of the party to produce a consensus candidate formidable enough to wrest power from Okorocha on Saturday.
Reports have it that Chief Ikedi Ohakim, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, Chief Tony Chukwu and Senator Hope Uzodinma had visited Okorocha at the state Government House pledging to support his second term ambition.
Observers saw the visit as a prelude to their formal defection to the APC. Already, stalwarts of the PDP, particularly the party’s governorship aspirants such as Chief Jerry Chukwueke and Barrister Bethel Nzimako, have defected to the APC.
Other decampees from the PDP to the APC are the leader of Owerri Zone Political Leaders Forum, OZOPOLF, Chief Charles Amadi, his secretary, Barr Kingsley Ononuju. OZOPOLF is a pressure group canvassing for Imo Governor from Owerri zone in 2015.
Also, directors of Senator Hope Uzodinma Campaign Organisation, Barr. Rex Anunobi, Chief Samfo Nwankwo and Patrick Ekeji have reportedly defected from the PDP.

....

The report never mentioned they are fake. rather they are the company contracted to print them.

they are meant to face the crowd and watch out for any trouble in the crowd and control them when a goal is scored. thats what they are paid to do.

Fake news

bigt2:
He's logical. To me, this version of AFCON is boring, or can i call it tough? No entertainment, and the score is highly predictable. Nought nought, nought one, one two, etc.

so is the European Championship.

SeverusSnape:
So he abandoned Nigeria?

#Dual citizenship

The Imo Traditional Council on Saturday promised President Goodluck Jonathan their votes in next month's presidential election.

Obi of Obinugwu,‎ Eze Cletus Ilomuany I‎, made the promise when Jonathan led his campaign team on a courtesy visit to the royal father's palace in Owerri, Imo State capital.

"It is when you return that they will know your worth. We are going to give you the royal blessings and the oldest traditional ruler is here and will give you the royal blessings", he said.

In the short ceremony, President Jonathan pledged that his administration‎ will do its best to assist in the development of the state.

He thanked the traditional rulers for their support in 2011 polls and appealed for all PDP candidates to be voted for in next month's general elections.

CONTD

We where in camp and the NFA had not paid obasanjo the hotel money,,they where giving small small chicken to eat we went to see the Genaral We went to him to complain .he said even small money una people never pay.una no happy say I dey give una chiken..chop

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday warned politicians that the era of election malpractices by political parties was over.

The commission also said politicians who were planning to snatch ballot boxes or write election results in hotels should have a rethink as the commission had taken necessary steps to ensure a free and fair election.

INEC’s Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gesila Khan, gave the warning in Port Harcourt during an interactive session with leaders of political parties.

She said no result written or recorded in an unauthorised place would be accepted in the February elections, emphasising that INEC would ensure that only the authentic outcome of the general elections were announced.


Her words: “If you had followed Delta Central election in October 2013, you would know that we are ready to work in Rivers State. The zone is known for violence, but INEC was able to conduct the election without violence.


“Being in Rivers State today, one man does not do the job alone; it is a collective effort. The era where election materials disappear into thin air has passed. The era where politicians sit in a hotel or elsewhere and write results are over.


“Politicians should go and canvass for votes and let the people decide. Nobody is going to write results anywhere. The results that would be announced are the ones collated on the field. We are going to do our work by the grace of God.”


She disclosed that different ballot papers would be sent to various local government areas, adding that local government areas would have different colours while the result sheets would be coded according to the area they would be used.


She said INEC had distributed 88.33 per cent of the permanent voter cards (PVCs), adding that the exercise was still ongoing.
Khan noted: “Enquiries and research qualify an election to be adjudged as free and fair when the following conditions are placed and or are met: non-partisan electoral body, independence and a bold judiciary, a well-organised system of political parties and vibrant and well informed electorate.”


She called on political parties to carry out their politicking in an atmosphere devoid of violence and urged them to assist INEC to conduct a free and fair election.

Nigerian striker Macauley Chrisantus has been released by Turkish club Sivasspor.

Club president Mecnun Otyakmaz released a statement on the official Sivasspor website confirming that four players including Chrisantus would be leaving over the winter break.

“I want to thank the players who are leaving the team because of the effort they put in. The first half did not go as we would have liked but we can only look forward. We parted ways with four of our players in line with the report of our coach,” Otyakmaz said.

Chrisantus joined Sivasspor on a three-year deal last summer from Spanish second division side Las Palmas.

Sivasspor are currently in 16th place in the Süper Lig and recently parted ways with head coach Roberto Carlos.

Show some love for Chuku Chuku, the official mascot of #AFCON2015 Eq Guinea! We're nuts for this sporty squirrel!

Rubbish

linda ikeji is not reliable source

A major controversy is threatening Emem Eduok’s celebrated move to Esperance of Tu­nisia as a Norwegian club, Sarpsborg 08, is claiming ownership of the Dolphins’ star striker.

The sporting media was awash last week with reports that the top Tunisian club had signed a four-year deal with the Super Eagles’ rising star who scored 20 goal for Dol­phins in the immediate past Glo Premier League season.

However, contrasting re­ports broke out yesterday with Sarpsborg 08 Sporting Director, Thomas Berntsen, insisting that the club signed Emem Eduok from A&B Academy on a four year deal, therefore, the rights accru­ing from the player’s transfer belongs to Sarpsborg and not Dolphins FC.

Interestingly, Eduok had been on the payroll of Glo Nigeria Premier league side Dolphins for three seasons, but according to Bernsten he is not owned by Dolphins rather the academy where they bought him from.

“Eduok confirmed to us in oral and written that he be­longs to A&B Academy, we did our own investigations and we found out it’s true” Berntsen told the media in Norway, according to SA.no.

“It was after our investi­gation that we signed him on a four-year deal which we expect him to honour, it will terminate in 2018.”

He said Eduok was in Sarpsborg in mid December and he signed on the dotted line for a four-year contract on December 11 and they ex­pect him to resume with the side by January 18 after the Super Eagles Friendly games.

In reaction to claims that Tunisian side Esperance might have signed the Nige­rian forward on a three-year deal, Bernstern says the club is willing to defend it’s case before FIFA if the need arises.

“We have signed a four-year contract with the player himself after reaching an agreement with the club that owns him, if he still fails to show up to respect the deal then it becomes a FIFA case.”

The governor will have to deliver his state so it will be interesting in imo.

I came across this prediction and decided to share it .

2015 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULT
(PREDICTION)
SOUTH EAST
Enugu ............ Jonathan. 1,301,185
Ebonyi ........... Jonathan. 876,248
Anambra ........ Jonathan. 1,758,219
Imo. ................ Buhari. 1,611,715
Abia ................ Jonathan. 1,481,189
TOTAL: Jonathan : 5,416,843
Buhari: 1,611,715
SOUTH WEST
Ogun .............. Buhari. 1,869,324
Osun .............. Buhari. 1,293,967
Lagos ............. Buhari. 6,247,845
Ondo. ............ Jonathan. 1,557,973
Ekiti ............... Jonathan. 368,221
Oyo ................ Buhari. 2,577,490
TOTAL: BUHARI: 12,239,381
Jonathan: 2,228,975
SOUTH SOUTH
Edo ............ Buhari. 1,412,222
Delta .......... Jonathan. 1,900,055
Bayelsa. ...... Jonathan. 472,102
Akwa Ib ....... Jonathan. 1,714,781
Rivers. ......... Buhari. 2,419,058
C/Rivers ....... Jonathan. 1,018,550
TOTAL: BUHARI: 3,831,282
Jonathan: 5,105,687
NORTH CENTRAL
Benue .......... Jonathan. 1,415,162
Kogi. ............ Jonathan. 1,215,405
Kwara ........... Buhari. 1,115,665
Nasarawa ..... Buhari. 1,224,206
Niger. ............ Buhari. 721,478
Plateau .......... Jonathan. 1,983,453
TOTAL: BUHARI: 3,061,349
Jonathan: 4,614,020
NORTH EAST
Adamawa. .............. Buhari. 1,714,860
Bauchi. ................... Buhari. 1,835,562
Borno. ...................... Buhari.
2,730,368
Gombe. ..................... Buhari.
1,266,993
Taraba. ..................... Jonathan.
1,308,106
Yobe. ......................... Buhari.
1,182,230
TOTAL: BUHARI: 8,730,013
Jonathan: 1,308,106
NORTH WEST
Jigawa. ........... Buhari. 1,852,698
Kano. ............... Buhari. 5,135,415
Katsina. ........... Buhari. 2,931,668
Kadunna. ......... Buhari. 3,565,762
Kebbi. .............. Buhari. 1,603,468
Sokoto. ............. Buhari. 2,165,508
Zamfara. ........... Buhari. 1,746,024
TOTAL: BUHARI: 18,900,643
Jonathan: 12,203
GENERAL TOTAL: BUHARI: 48, 874, 389.
(WINNER)
Jonathan: 18, 103, 721

on loan from chelsea and not milan

shola Ameobi is heading back to Newcastle after cancelling his contract with Turkish second tier side Gaziantep BB.

But the experienced striker – backed by Alan Pardew to one day become United manager – is returning for family rather than football reasons.

The Turkish club confirmed on Wednesday that Ameobi, who had played 11 times and scored four times for the Turkish side, had asked to have his one-year contract dissolved so that he could return to the North East for personal reasons.

Ameobi’s move to Turkey came despite interest from England, America and Australia but it has not worked out, with the striker not selected for the Nigeria side since the World Cup in Brazil.

Steve Ukoh represented Switzerland at U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 levels between 2006 and 2010, but had a change of mind at senior international level with the super eagles.

Post-retirement

He returned to Southampton where he became the landlord at the "Sporting View" bar at the Southampton Sports Centre before moving to Majorca in 2004 to run a bar.] He returned to Southampton again in 2007, where he took up work as a car dealer at parkway car sales.

Rochas has turned Imo state to family business.

Pdp guber primary,ihedioha wins d ticket with 346 votes as against ararume 336 and ohakim 200 votes.

Dreambeat:
Can we get Imo state result?

PDP's senate primaries Results:
Owerri - Hon Sammuel Anyanwu
Okigwe- Chief Athan Achonu
Orlu - Senator Hope Uzodinma


PDP House of Representative primary election results in Imo State

Rt. Hon. Goodluck Nana Opiah- Ohaji Egbema, Oguta & Oru East.

Hon. Henry Nwawuba Henco- Mbaitoli & Ikeduru

Hon. Raphael Nnanna Igbojwe- Ezinihitte Mbaise & Ahiazu Mbaise

Hon. Jones Onyereri- Isu, Njaba, Nkwere, & Nwangele

Sir Bede Eke- Ngor Okpala & Aboh Mbaise

Hon. Obinna Onwubariri- Isiala Mbano, Onuimo & Okigwe

Hon. Mrs. Patricia Udogu- Ideato North & Ideato South

Lady Blessing Ifeyinwa Nwaoba- Ehima Mbano, Obowo & Ihitte Uboma

PDP SENATE PRIMARIES

Rivers East -Sen. George Sekibo swept the election to contest the Rivers East senatorial seat for the third term today.

Rivers South-Chief Olaka Worgu

Rivers West- NO RESULT violence marred the primary in Rivers West in which three contestants including Chief Chibudom Nwuche and David Briggs were aspirants