₦airaland Forum

At least 27 people, including four suspected Boko Haram fighters, have been killed in a series of attacks in Chad's capital, N'Djamena, according to a government spokesperson.
Monday's bombings outside the police headquarters and police academy were the first such attacks in the city, where security has been tightened since Chad joined the fight against Boko Haram earlier this year.
An official with N'Djamena's police force told AFP that many people were dead and wounded in the twin attacks although there was no precise casualty toll.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings, which came as police cadets were attending a training course at the academy.
Large numbers of Chad's security forces were seen taking up positions on the streets of N'Djamena after the attacks.
President Idriss Deby was expected to return home during the day from an African Union summit in Johannesburg, an official said.
Emergency meeting
Hassan Sylla Bakari, Chad's communications minister, said on state television that Boko Haram had made a mistake targeting Chad and its members would be located and neutralised.
Chad's government quickly convened an emergency meeting following the bombings outside the police headquarters and police academy in N'Djamena, an official said on condition of anonymity.
Chad, a former French colony, is part of a four-nation coalition also including Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger that was created to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency as the group steps up cross-border attacks.


Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram's leader, has on several occasions threatened to attack Chad and other countries in the coalition.
France condemned the blasts, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying France "stands alongside Chad and its partners in the fight against terrorism".
Chad also is a close ally of France in its counterterrorism Operation Barkhane in five countries in the Sahel region and the French army has set up its headquarters for the campaign in N'Djamena.
Last week, Abuja hosted a summit where Nigeria and fellow coalition members plus Benin gave their approval to an 8,700-strong regional force to replace the current four-nation grouping.
The long-awaited Multi-National Joint Task Force, which was due to have been operational in November, has its headquarters in N'Djamena, under a senior Nigerian officer.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/suicide-bombers-attack-police-hq-chad-capital-150615095910055.html

At least 27 people, including four suspected Boko Haram fighters, have been killed in a series of attacks in Chad's capital, N'Djamena, according to a government spokesperson.
Monday's bombings outside the police headquarters and police academy were the first such attacks in the city, where security has been tightened since Chad joined the fight against Boko Haram earlier this year.
An official with N'Djamena's police force told AFP that many people were dead and wounded in the twin attacks although there was no precise casualty toll.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombings, which came as police cadets were attending a training course at the academy.
Large numbers of Chad's security forces were seen taking up positions on the streets of N'Djamena after the attacks.
President Idriss Deby was expected to return home during the day from an African Union summit in Johannesburg, an official said.
Emergency meeting
Hassan Sylla Bakari, Chad's communications minister, said on state television that Boko Haram had made a mistake targeting Chad and its members would be located and neutralised.
Chad's government quickly convened an emergency meeting following the bombings outside the police headquarters and police academy in N'Djamena, an official said on condition of anonymity.
Chad, a former French colony, is part of a four-nation coalition also including Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger that was created to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency as the group steps up cross-border attacks.

 
Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram's leader, has on several occasions threatened to attack Chad and other countries in the coalition.
France condemned the blasts, with a foreign ministry spokesperson saying France "stands alongside Chad and its partners in the fight against terrorism".
Chad also is a close ally of France in its counterterrorism Operation Barkhane in five countries in the Sahel region and the French army has set up its headquarters for the campaign in N'Djamena.
Last week, Abuja hosted a summit where Nigeria and fellow coalition members plus Benin gave their approval to an 8,700-strong regional force to replace the current four-nation grouping.
The long-awaited Multi-National Joint Task Force, which was due to have been operational in November, has its headquarters in N'Djamena, under a senior Nigerian officer.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/06/suicide-bombers-attack-police-hq-chad-capital-150615095910055.html

The United States says it has announced a $5 billion contribution to the Multinational Joint Task Force to boost the military operation against the Boko Haram insurgency.
The U.S. Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced this at news briefing via telephone from the African Union Summit on Monday.
“We have been working with Nigeria as well as the African countries to address their concerns about Boko Haram because we don’t see this as just a Nigerian problem.
“We are having discussions with President Buhari on how we might bolster our support. We have already been working with them and providing information.
“We are providing some training and support and we’ll love to work with the new administration to see how we might increase the level of support to Nigeria.
“At the same time, we’ve just announced at the venue of the AU, five billion dollars contribution to the Multinational Task Force.
“We are also providing some equipment and support and we have a number of meetings with the countries who are members of the Multinational Joint Task Force to look at other areas we might support.”
Mr. Thomas-Greenfield said that Africa had faced “some really horrendous terrorist attacks” over the past two years.
He listed the West Gate and Garissa University attacks in Kenya, and the Boko Haram attacks particularly, the kidnapping of the Chibok girls among others.
“While I would not say Africa is under siege, Africa has some major security challenges.
“That requires a very strong and very concerted strategic effort by African countries and partners to address the security concerns of Africa.”
She said the U.S. is providing a strong support to AU on security as the U.S. has a strong partnership with the continent on security.
“We are working closely with the Lake Chad Basin countries: Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon to address the issues of Boko Haram,” she said.
She said that U.S. had so far trained about 250,000 African peacekeepers, saying U.S. highest priority in Africa remained security.
The U.S. envoy expressed support to the warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court against Sudan President Omar Al-Bashir.
She said that the U.S. frowned at plans by some African leaders to subvert the constitution to extend their terms in office, saying U.S. supports two-term limit in office.

Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/185108-u-s-donates-5bn-to-joint-task-force-to-fight-boko-haram.html

Well surely this is an interesting times indeed,

At about 2am on Monday, men suspected to be militants who operate mostly on the Calabar waterways, came from the sea and attack the Marine police station in Calabar, capital of Cross River State.

According to witnesses who live in the neighbourhood, the militants killed one policeman who could not escape alongside others.

The militants were said to have equally carted undisclosed number of AK47 rifles and other arms kept at the police station.

State police PRO, Hogan Bassey confirmed the attack by those he described as sea robbers but refused to confirm death of the policeman.

"It is true that the Marina Police station was attacked by sea robbers this morning. We are still carrying out investigation on the attack.  They only injured a policeman," he told journalists.

He also refused to mention the quantity of arms carted away by the attackers, or whether the police have succeeded in arresting any culprits.

Also on Sunday, armed men stormed the Airport parish of Living Faith Church and kidnapped the pastor in charge, Seyi Adekunle.

Condemning the incident, chairman Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Pastor Lawrence Ekwok called for their immediate release.

Source:http://dailytrust.com.ng/daily/index.php/news-menu/news/57222-suspected-militants-cart-away-arms-from-calabar-police-station

Saraki and Dogora
Some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria’s main opposition party, have said the party will warmly welcome erring members of the All Progressives Congress like Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

The party chieftains, Senator Sam Egwu; Dr. Akilu Indabawa, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees; and Alhaji Owolabi Olorunoje, Chairman, Lagos State chapter of the PDP, told our correspondent on Thursday that defection of the erring APC members in the National Assembly would amount to paying APC back in its own coin.

Saraki, Dogara and some other APC legislators had gone against the party’s directive by putting themselves up for elections into principal positions in the National Assembly.

Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila were expected to be the only APC candidates presented for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives while George Akume and Mohammed Munguno, were to be their deputies, respectively.

But since Saraki and Dogara put themselves up for elections and won in their respective chambers against their party’s directive, speculations have been rife that their actions might be laying groundwork for their defection to the PDP.

Incidentally, Saraki and Dogara used to be PDP members before they defected to the APC in 2014.

Saraki has, however, described such insinuation as “absurd and laughable.”

But the PDP chieftains had said they would be welcome to the party should they decide to defect from the APC.

Egwu said, “What has happened now is just speculation about what has happened or what may happen tomorrow but the truth is that they are mature individuals and Saraki has said he’s not defecting but if he comes back to the PDP, we will receive him with open arms.

“People should understand that politics is dynamic and if they feel that they will be given the platform to exercise their fundamental rights more in the PDP, so be it, they should come back to the PDP and we have no qualms with that. After all, they used to be our members.”

He also described APC as ill prepared to be the country’s ruling party, saying the party lacked the vital experience required for the position.

He said, “What is happening shows that the APC is not actually prepared for their victory (at the poll). They forgot that this is not a party convention. The National Assembly is an independent arm of the government and they had to meet as scheduled.

“So it shows a sign of unpreparedness or not knowing the workings of government, for the party to schedule a meeting at the time the National Assembly was supposed to reconvene and have its business.”

In his reaction, Indabawa, who shared a similar view, said, “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. If APC is getting payment in its own coins, they will be consumed by their own sweat. This is a product of their own machinations against PDP and it is haunting them back.

“That is why when you are planning; don’t ever plan evil against your brother because one day it will haunt you. So it is coming back to haunt them now.

“When they plotted against the PDP using Aminu Tambuwal (immediate former Speaker of the House of Representatives who defected from the PDP to APC) and others, they never thought that they would be in the government as the ruling party. Now they are there, so they are getting paid in the very same coin they produced.”

Olorunoje said, “PDP didn’t kick them out, it was as a matter of choice that they came to the PDP and left the party. PDP is a party that doesn’t belong to anybody; you can come in, register and leave when you want.

“This is the PDP so it’s the peoples’ party. So if he (Saraki) decides to return to the PDP today, he’s most welcome. When APC said the party would sanction their members, it’s like saying what they did was illegal. But what they are doing is not against Saraki and Dogara, it’s against the people of Nigeria.”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/politics/pdp-ready-for-saraki-dogara-defection-party-chieftains/

A group, Leadership by Example League International (LELI), has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to suspend former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and Senator Barnabas Gemade, over their opposition to the election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate president.

Saraki emerged against all odds on Tuesday, defeating Senator Ahmed Lawan, the official candidate of the party.

In a statement by Dr. Batos Nwadike, Chancellor of the group, congratulating Saraki, LELI said it was hopeful that with the election of Saraki as Senate president and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as deputy Senate president, the upper legislative house was poised to give effective leadership to Nigerians through seamless legislations.

The group asked aggrieved senators to sheathe their swords and give the leadership of Saraki/Ekweremadu the desired support.

LELI said “the statement emanating from Tinubu and Gemade to the effect that they do not recognise the avowed election held transparently in the hallowed hall of the red chamber on Tuesday is embarrassing.”

It expressed worry over what it called ‘April fool in June’ allegedly given to the senators of APC extraction by Tinubu that “President Muhammadu Buhari was coming to address the Senate when there was a due letter of proclamation of the National Assembly.”

LELI said the National Assembly was for Nigeria and not Lagos State House of Assembly.

Source:http://dailypost.ng/2015/06/12/group-asks-apc-to-suspend-tinubu-gemade-for-opposing-sarakis-election/?wt=4

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Senate President Bukola Saraki and the House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara will face disciplinary action for disobeying party leadership.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting with the leadership of the party and some senators loyal to the party’s anointed candidate Senator Ahmed Lawan in Abuja yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party will apply the necessary sanctions which will follow a due process.
The party had in an earlier statement rejected the process of emergence of Saraki and Dogara describing it as unacceptable and treacherous.
The duo emerged to preclude the party’s candidates Lawal Femi Gbajabiamila for the positions of senate president and House speaker.
They were elected by the APC lawmakers through a straw vote conducted by the party earlier.
He said that the senators came to confer with the party leadership over some important issues affecting the party “that’s all I’m allowed to say. They are our senators that will like to confer with the party leadership, they came to confer on the crisis in the National Assembly.”
On the earlier position taken by the party on the emergence of Saraki and Dogara, the APC spokesperson said the party still maintains its earlier position and will take the necessary action.
“The party has not changed its position on the matter. The sanctions must follow due process,” he said.
On the decision of Lawal and his group to go to court, he said the party has not taken any decision or aware of the move by the senators after the election.
“I think the party made its expression clear on the matter that it is unhappy with the outcome of the election and I think we won’t say anything beyond that. What the senators will do is within the capability and rights of the senators. I’m not aware they have gone to court,” he said.
Senators who attended the meeting included Kabir Gaya, George Akume, Ajayi Borrofice, Ahmed Lawan, Baraje Jibril and Abdullahi Adamu.
The senators declined to speak with journalists after the meeting.
Party leaders present at the meeting included the APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, National Vice Chairman North West, Barrister Inuwa Abdulkadir, National Welfare Secretary Dikko Umaru Radda, National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Deputy National Chairman South, Chief Segun Oni, among others.

Source: http://dailytrust.com.ng/daily/index.php/top-stories/57072-saraki-dogara-to-face-disciplinary-action-apc

Eleven days after taking over as President, Buhari has appointed only some journalists as spokesmen of his administration. He did not appoint the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the engine room of the government; he did not appoint a substantive Chief of Staff to the Villa; he did not change the Service Chiefs to reflect the new era; he did not appoint new security chiefs; in fact, even his own National Security Adviser he has not appointed yet. Does it mean he has not made enough consultations since he was elected over two months ago to enable him hit the ground running?

Buhari’s constituency as president is the whole country. Every other government official is only representing a fraction of the entire country. It is therefore strange for Buhari to say that he does not care who emerges in the leadership of the National Assembly. Yes, as president he cannot interfere in the work of the Assembly but that does not remove the fact that they will approve his ministers, ambassadors, number of advisers, budget, and laws and even have the power to impeach him if he breaches the law. It is therefore the height of naivety for Buhari to be indifferent to who leads the National Assembly, as he has done. That is not providing leadership which he was elected to do.

It, therefore, did not come as a surprise when the discredited Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) orchestrated a well planned coup that saw the defeated party taking over the National Assembly leadership on June 9, 2015. Some renegade All Progressive Congress (APC) legislators led by the Mullah of Zamfara combined with the most corrupt elements of the PDP to effectively bring to an end the change mantra of this administration, by surreptitiously foisting Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu of the PDP as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively. From that day, the APC is no more a governing party but a gone party if the indicators are anything to go by.

By all means, there is need for the Southeast to be fairly represented in all organs of government but not by the flotsam and jetsam of that vibrant society who belong to the arrogant and corrupt past. For the APC, what becomes of party discipline if there is flagrant disregard of party directives by some of its leading members? For President Buhari, what becomes of his government now that the corrupt elements have taken over the country’s legislature? He should get ready to bribe through his nose for any of his executive Bills to be passed, and 85 percent of the Bills emanate from the executive. In short, he should get ready to pay the price of refusing to provide necessary leadership by being indifferent in the name of a so called “separation of powers”, as if even in America the president is not concerned about who leads the US Congress.

This is not a wake-up call for Buhari and his administration but it is a challenge which he has to confront. Otherwise it will consume him. Buhari was elected to bring about change. In other words, we thought he was going to be decisive and hit the ground running. And, after being in politics for over a decade, we thought he is going to be politically sophisticated. We even thought that there would be at least one hundred days of honeymoon, away from criticism. Now, we know, at the rate we are going there is no honey, and there is no moon. Our loyalty is to Nigeria and not to any party after all, so we have the duty to tell the truth and criticise any wrong doing by any government, regardless of which party is controlling that government.

President Buhari was elected by the majority of Nigerian voters because he promised to change the country for the better, and fight corruption. It is a pity now that the change will be very difficult and fighting corruption may even be impossible as it stands now, with the current National Assembly leadership. Buhari as president is expected to provide leadership and being the commander in chief, and there is no deputy commander in chief, the Constitution is very clear that he is the Head of State. He should therefore stop assuming that it is a government of three- in- one with every arm of government working independently. It is one government serving the entire people of Nigeria, which he has sworn to head as president.

With the alliance of corruption that brought the new National Assembly leadership, the legitimacy of the anti – corruption program of this government is now in doubt. The ICPC and the EFCC are creations of the National Assembly, which has the power to control. These anti – corruption agencies will never function again, if at all they survive, since the corrupt elements in the Assembly will make sure they are frustrated. If Buhari cannot fight corruption, is frustrated by the legislature and rendered important by the very corruption he promised to fight, then where is the change? The APC as a party has mismanaged its victory. In fact, with what happened in the Assembly last Tuesday, the PDP, has the last laugh. The promised change is over as the PDP has the ultimate victory.

With the APC squandering its goodwill so fast and dampening the morale of the entire nation and with a cloned and hybrid government that is neither APC nor PDP at the centre, there is no tunnel for us to see the light. The agents of change have been short changed. It reminds me of what the Second World War British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill once said: “this is not the end; it is not even the beginning of the end; but, perhaps it is the end of the beginning.” History is on the side of the oppressed.

Written by Abba Mahmoud of Leadership Newspaper
http://leadership.ng/columns/439820/the-end-of-the-beginning

President Muhammadu Buhari reached out to the clerk of the national assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, to “slightly delay” Tuesday’s inauguration of the national assembly, Barnabas Gemade, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Benue north east, has revealed. Fifty-one APC senators were at the International Conference Centre (ICC) for a meeting with Buhari – which eventually did not hold – when the assembly clerk declared open the inauguration process and called for nominations for the post of senate president. While Ahmed Lawan, APC’s choice, could not be nominated as he and all his loyalists were at ICC, Bukola Saraki, an APC lawmaker but also the adopted candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was announced as sole nominee – and consequently the winner, much to the displeasure of the Lawan camp and the APC hierarchy. Now, the Lawan-led senators under the umbrella of Unity Forum are insisting that Saraki’s election as senate president is illegitimate, as the election should not have started when it did. Gemade told journalists that Maikasuwa was to blame for Saraki’s emergence, claiming that he disobeyed Buhari’s instruction to delay the inauguration of the assembly pending his meeting with the APC senators-elect. He said the insinuation that the senators who were absent during the election boycotted it was unfounded, saying that they, as loyal party members, had gone to heed the call of the president. “This process, which remains unconstitutional, cannot confer legitimacy on the elected senate president,” NAN quoted Gemade as saying. “Our right to participate in the election of the senate president is a constitutional right, which cannot be taken by any person of group. The clerk of the national assembly, knowing full well that the quorum for election had not been met, went ahead to conduct the election that shut the door to 51 other senators. “We will like to make it very clear that the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the letter for the proclamation. The clerk is the one that received the correspondence of Mr President that there must be a slight delay in order to enable him to speak with senators of the APC before they commence the process. In the House of Representatives, they were able to catch up because their own happened after the Senate.” Gemade said that although a quorum was formed for the inauguration of the senate, quorum was not formed for the election of principal officers. He also argued that the two-third majority, which applied to impeachment, should have applied to the election. He maintained that every eligible senator must be present when nomination was made and closed; and if all eligible senators were not present, then a quorum had not been formed. However, another group of senators, the ‘Like Minds’ led by Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West), dismissed the arguments of the Unity Forum, saying Buhari could never have fixed two meetings for the same time. “The president, in his constitutional duty, sent a proclamation letter to the national assembly,” Melaye said. “In that proclamation letter, he stated categorically that the proclamation of the 8th Senate will be done at 10 a.m. on June 9, 2015. “How can Mr President, on one hand, send a letter of proclamation to the national assembly and, on the other hand, call for a meeting at the International Conference Centre? “If Mr President wants to meet legislators, the defence house is there, the villa is there, the banquet hall is there; why International Conference Centre? However, did Mr President eventually attend to anybody at International Conference Centre? Capital No!” Melaye argued that Buhari had consistently reaffirmed that he had no preferred candidate and was ready to work with whoever emerged. he said the APC senators who backed Saraki were still loyal party members and had declined to attend the meeting as they were kept waiting for hours for a supposed meeting with the vice president on Monday. “The Buhari that we know cannot and will not give two contrary opinions, especially one that is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added. “The letter of proclamation was written, duly signed, time stated, date stated; he will not do otherwise. It is not true that we disrespected the president and if the president wants to do that, he would have called. “He had the powers to call the clerk of the national assembly to say ‘please postpone to 12 p.m., I want to meet senators at 9 a.m’. We in the Like Minds group are ready to have one, united senate.” Melaye also denied media reports that David Mark was sworn in as senate leader, saying that the position was exclusive to the ruling party.

Read more at: http://www.thecable.ng/revealed-buhari-told-assembly-clerk-slightly-delay-election-senate-president-speaker

Op I doubt if you have any idea of what is going on or what just happen?
APC has planned everything well, federal character. Inclusive but cuz of the devilish act of PDP they announced yesterday that they are backing APC renegades just to get back at tinubu, they knew how the game will play out, but they are happy so far they will allow corruption to continue, in a country like nigeria, it's pure un patriotic for any one to support what just happen, in a country were resentment and prejudice form the bases of conclusion such thing is nothing to give dooms day sayer a food, imagine; senate president, speaker, senate majority leader? Cuz the man has already made up his mind that they will defect if not why would PDP get senate majority leader, there is still much work to be done, PDP doesn't mean well for this country, PMB has forgive Fayose, why won't they forgive tinubu for the sake of this country? May God expose all the enemies of this our great country. I am for everybody and for nobody.

Im sure we all wondered at some point in our lives why that character on our TV sets stare directly at us, especially when they are reciting their lines but then we laugh it off as these are the kind of stories you hear and you laugh off as a joke made amongst a gathering. Because that is what it is, a joke of some sort. Well this one man didnt exactly find it funny.

A famous actress is being sued by a man for staring at him from the TV.

Zhao Wei who is one of China’s most famous stars  has been appearing in on popular series,  Tiger Mom since it started in May.The actress’ character is described as “emotionally unstable”, giving piercing stares to her husband and daughter in the drama.

The China Times reports that the man has become upset with her intense stares and has accused her of causing “spiritual damage”.

The man is seeking compensation.
Source: http:///YEOQM8h3gt

Members-elect in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly have defied pressure from political gladiators in the state by appointing their first-time colleagues as speaker and deputy speakers respectively.
The lawmakers-elect in a rare exertion of their independence elected Aniekan Uko, a member representing Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency as their speaker while Effiong Bassey from Oron State Constituency was elected deputy speaker.
The action was taken after hours of disagreement by factions loyal to the state Governor, Udom Emmanuel, and another loyal to the former Governor, Godswill Akpabio.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that while the governor supported the emergence of a ranking member from Nsit Ubium, Onofiok Luke, the camp loyal to Mr. Akpabio rooted for another ranking member from Ibiono Ibom, Ime Okon.
Seven members are said to have supported the emergence of Mr. Okon, while 19 others threw their weight behind Mr. Luke, a former student activist.
Apparently to douse tension in the state, the lawmakers met and decided to wield their power by dropping the two candidates favoured by the two major political gladiators in the state.
Since the office of the speaker was zoned to Uyo Senatorial District, both Messrs Luke and Okon were qualified to occupy the exalted position.
But the lawmakers-elect would not allow any of the two candidates to emerge and instead implemented an alternate plan which is said to have worked against the interest of the former governor.
It was further learnt that the alternate plan was introduced by former allies of Mr. Akpabio including a former commissioner and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uwem Etuk, and some leaders of Eket Senatorial District.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that while angry youth barricaded the gates of the assembly complex and barred the brothers of the former governor, Emem and Prince Akpabio, from gaining access to the premises, Mr. Etuk and other leaders bent on dethroning the Akpabios from power in the state, pushed Mr. Uko to be elected speaker.
After a holding a brief meeting outside the chamber, the lawmakers returned and the session began at 7.19p.m. with prayers by the Bishop of Uyo Diocese of the Methodist Church, Emmanuel Udofia.
A member from Itu State Constituency, Idongesit Ituen, moved for the nomination of Mr. Uko as speaker.
The motion was seconded by Udo Kierian, a member-elect from Oruk Anam.
The members unanimously voted for Mr. Uko as their speaker while Mr. Bassey was elected deputy speaker.
Out of the 26 members of the assembly, only six are ranking members while 20 other won election into the assembly for the first time.
A source told PREMIUM TIMES that the battle for who emerged the speaker of the assembly was between the new and the old order in the state.
“The lawmakers have today shown that the old order can no longer take decisions for the people of the state,” he said.
“Mr. Uko was elected based on an alternative plan by supporters of the new order in Akwa Ibom State.
“Akwa Ibom people are tired of one family appointing every political office holder in the state. We are for democracy and those who think they are godfathers should begin to learn now.”
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the old order refers to the former governor while the new order refers to the governor of the state, Mr. Emmanuel.
Mr. Emmanuel is said to have during the weekend bared his fangs by demolishing a filling station owned by one of the former governor’s brothers, Prince Akpabio.
The filling station is said to have been built on a major drainage system along Nwaniba Road, Uyo against the order of the Uyo Capital City Development Authority.

Source:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/south-south-regional/184655-akwa-ibom-lawmakers-defy-akpabio-emmanuel-elect-new-members-as-speaker-deputy.html

Erection Problems

Erectile dysfunction (ED) can not only affect the ability to have intercourse but also how a man feels about his ability to perform. There are many options available to treat ED and your doctor can help find the option that is best for you and your partner.

 

Stress

The body does not react well to stress. Emotional stress may affect physical functions, including sexual desire and performance. Realising what underlying stressors may exist is the first step in treatment. Self-help may work but some people may need to visit a counsellor or doctor

 

Alcohol

Alcohol is usually not the answer to any problem. While alcohol may decrease inhibitions, it also decreases sexual performance and libido. Your partner may not appreciate a drunken advance and may be turned off by it. Alcohol is an addictive drug and you may need help to quit.

 

Obesity

Obesity affects one-third of all Americans and being overweight can limit desire because of decreased sexual enjoyment, lack of performance, and poor self-esteem. How you feel about yourself goes a long way in affecting how you enjoy sex. Counselling may be helpful.

 

Low Testosterone

While a man’s testosterone level gradually falls with aging, there is not necessarily any relationship between hormone levels and the desire for sex. It is just one potential cause for decreased libido and your doctor may want to look for other causes in addition to just low testosterone.

 

Depression

Depression affects all facets of life, including sex drive. Losing pleasure in daily activities often requires treatment including counselling and perhaps medication. Unfortunately, some antidepressants also depress libido. Your doctor and therapist need to know if low sex drive is one of your symptoms of depression.

 

Lack of Closeness

Making love is more than just sex. Intimacy and closeness are important part of a healthy love life. If sexual desire is waning, it may be time to inject romance back in the relationship. Snuggling, giving each other massages and spending casual time together may help ignite that spark.

Source: http://leadership.ng/style/438785/major-sex-drive-killers-you-need-to-know

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday departed the left Nigeria to attend the G-7 Summit which begins in Bavaria, Germany on Sunday.
According to a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, the Nigerian president was accompanied by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and former Chief of Army Staff, Abdulrahman Dambazau and other officials.
Although Mr. Buhari is yet to appoint his cabinet since he was sworn in on May 29, Messrs. Fashola and Dambazau have been tipped to be nominated as ministers with the latter tipped to be appointed as either the Defense Minister or National Security Adviser.
Mr. Shehu had stated on Saturday that Mr. Buhari was invited to the G-7 summit before he was sworn into office.
“The invitation is a clear indication of the international community’s willingness to cooperate with the new government of Nigeria,” he said.
He added that President Buhari would not be participating in the main meetings, since Nigeria is not a member of the G-7 group.
“He is in a group of seven other Heads of State who were called in as guests. He will equally be holding key side meetings with some of the seven Heads of State who will be convened at the summit.
“The international community is obviously acknowledging Nigeria’s significant role in global affairs,” Mr. Garba said, “especially with the recent change in government.”
Mr. Buhari arrived Munich, Germany at about 3.25 p.m. local time for the two-day official, Mr. Shehu said in a statement on Sunday afternoon.
“President Buhari who was received on arrival by the Vice Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs. Inge Aigner was accompanied by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, former Governor Babatunde Fashola, Gen. A. Dambazau (rtd.) and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul B. Lolo.”
The spokesperson stated that other invited Heads of State and international institutions who will join President Buhari at the working session with G-7 leaders tomorrow at Elmau include President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.
Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq; the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon; the Secretary-General of the OECD, Angel Gurria; the Managing Director of the IMF, Christine Largarde; the President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim; the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation, Guy Rider; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma; and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation are also scheduled to participate in Monday’s Outreach Session with G-7 leaders.
Before leaving Munich for Nigeria on Monday, Mr. Buhari will hold bilateral talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 Outreach Programme.
He is also expected to meet President Barack Obama, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, and other G-7 leaders in the course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch at the Elmau Castle.
Mr. Shehu said the head of the Bavarian regional government will host a dinner in honour of President Buhari and other leaders invited to the G-7 Outreach Programme on Sunday night.

Source:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/184504-update-fashola-dambazau-accompany-buhari-to-g-7-summit.html

TunjiMsp:
This is an old pics, it's taken during the election period when soldiers were drafted to Maintain law and order, the driver violated traffic law And he was ordered to stand on his vehicle

it's recent it happens this Wednesday http://thenationonlineng.net/new/photo-drivers-serving-punishment-in-abuja/

TRIBALSTOOGE:
the only place they exercise their coward in breed is on innocent poor civilians .


see for your self . the rouge and weak soldiers indeed .


biafra is coming for you . sinful bastards .

Profess solution not bigotry, injustice can come in different faces, whether it's in biafra, Niger Delta or anywhere but it's our duty as human to tell the truth no matter how un-sweet it may sound. It's in our gene both the tendency to be good or otherwise.

A driver was punished by a soldier recently in abuja, right or wrong, we have laws for traffic offenders, and it's never the duty of the soldiers to punish such people, it's a normal norm under the former govt to allow soldiers to maltreat it's citizen without following the course of the law " jungle justice". Under this govt this is the first time it's happening under this new regime, the questions is, are we back to the dark days? Or is this now the norms of the day "jungle justice"? #BabaWillNotFail

So much expectation, it's too early to judge the current government, but already somebody in zamfara has already been sentenced to 29years in jail for fertilisers scam, as we awaits for the big fish including the one that's looking for sympathy i.e the one that was recently diagnosed with breast cancer after inauguration. Lol

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that in fulfilment of one of their campaign promises, his declared assets and those of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will be released to the public upon the completion of their verification by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
It is hoped that this process will be completed before the expiry of the 100-day deadline within which they said they would do this.
The Senior Special Assistant, SSA (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu who announced this in a statement on behalf of the President on Saturday, 6 June, said “the duly completed forms by both the President and the Vice President were submitted to the CCB on March 28th, a clear day ahead of their inauguration.”
He said this statement was warranted by the need to clarify some suggestions that the President and the Vice-President may not, after all, declare their assets publicly.
“While such public display of concern is appreciated and valued, it must be said that it is a little precipitate.
“As required by law, the declaration and submission of documents to the CCB have been made, but there still remains the aspect of verification which the Bureau will have to conduct to authenticate the submissions made to it.
“In the circumstances, it is only after this verification exercise, and not before, that the declaration can be said to have been made and validated; and only after this, will the details be released to the public.
“There is no question at all that the President and the Vice President are committed to public declaration of their assets within the 100 days that they pledged during the presidential campaign.
“The President and the Vice President wish to thank Nigerians for their show of concern, and for the confidence they have shown in their leaders’ integrity, as evidenced by the high pedestal of uprightness and expectations on which they have placed them.”

Source:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/184459-breaking-buhari-osinbajos-assets-to-be-made-public-after-verification-presidency-2.html

The million question is why did Wike refused civil servant access to the govt house for more than 48hrs? Why would I governor that serves for more than 8years steal kitchen utilities? Is this some kind of kid play?

Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has countered claims by his successor, Nyesom Wike, that he looted furniture, items and accessories in the Rivers State Government House.

DAILY POST, on Friday, received pictures showing some rooms and offices, which appear to look intact.

However, it is yet to be ascertained if the lootings being claimed by Wike’s camp were carried out in rooms shown in the pictures this newspaper got or elsewhere.
Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sam Nwanosike had alleged that cronies of the past Governor, Rotimi Amaechi were taking the state properties in Lagos and Abuja.

Nwanosike earlier in the week said: “the liaison officer in Abuja, John Enebeli is battling with Coscharis motors to steal the two BMW cars that the Governor uses while in Abuja.

“They are still looting Rivers state Government property both in Lagos and Abuja and even in Port Harcourt.

“If you say Governor Amaechi did not allow for the looting of those items, how come he found it difficult to collaborate with the transition committee?” He querried.
But Amaechi through his media assistant, David Iyofor said that Wike had gone to “ridiculous and absurd” lengths to show his imaginary claims of vandalism and
looting in Government House in his bid to vote billions of naira for renovation of the place.

Amaechi urged Rivers people, the media and the public “to be watchful, vigilant and discern the fraudulent acts” of the new Administration meant to paint him (Amaechi) and the Administration he headed appear evil.

Continuing he said, “As I noted earlier in a previous statement, Nyesom Wike is going ahead with his plan of attempting to deride and discredit me and my administration, by blackmailing and coercing key government officials including DFAs, Permanent Secretaries and others to twist and distort legitimate government transactions in his desperation to cook-up, and fabricate baseless, concocted and unfounded cases of corruption against me and the administration I ran.

“The state bankers and some of our contractors are also not spared in this his mission of tarnishing the reputation of Amaechi. As a matter of fact, Wike has only one agenda as he governs Rivers State – the agenda to portray me as corrupt, by whatever means no matter how ridiculous and phony it looks”.

Amaechi also described as a fraud the video and pictures of the looted and vandalized Government House that Wike has been showing.

“The images are also fraudulent, arranged and executed by Wike to enable him vote billions of Naira from the state treasury to renovate and refurbish the place, while also accusing me of corruption.

“I repeat, this is clearly a game, a grand conspiracy to siphon state funds under the sub-head of renovating and refurbishing a supposedly ‘vandalized and looted’ Government House, while also falsely smear my image.

“Wike said the curtains in the Governor’s residence were looted, but even in his stage-managed images, you could clearly see that the curtains are still intact. I left Government House intact.

“Rivers people should hold Wike responsible if there’s any looting and vandalism in Government House. There is verifiable information that on May 29, Wike stopped key Government House staff including the Permanent Secretary (who’s the chief accounting officer) from entering the premises, only to shout looting and vandalism 48 hours later.

“Why were civil servants, including the most senior civil servant in Government House, barred from entering the compound on May 29? Was it to give him time and provide cover to stage-manage the shooting of the fraudulent video that he’s now gleefully showing?” the ex-governor quipped.
Source: http://dailypost.ng/2015/06/05/amaechi-counters-wikes-looting-claim-releases-government-house-photos/?wt=3

On a daily basis, our source said, Nigerian troops engage the terrorists in fierce gun battles. “But it is obvious that the [insurgents’] resolve is weak and there are major cracks in their operations which owe to our recent successes,” he said.
But he revealed that logistics continue to be a problem. “Sometimes we go four to five days without food and water is so scarce that when we get it, it’s almost unbelievable the way we scramble for a mere sip,” he said. “Fighting bloodthirsty madmen on an empty stomach isn’t the best way to win a war,” he said. “The men are willing and able, with a resolve that’s stronger than ever but we need the necessary support,” he added.
The source also expressed worry over the medical aspect of the operation in Sambisa Forest, as doctors and other medical personnel tend to injured troops are most often late. “I remember an attack after which we were victorious but with quite a number of wounded and we returned to our bivouac (temporary base) and no medics showed up for almost 48 hours,” he said. “There’s a particular soldier who had several bullet wounds and was bleeding, of course he was in pain, and we waited for what seemed like an eternity before help came.”
Troops sustain injuries in battle and the standard practice is to have medics attached to them, or in the least be given strong painkillers to ease their suffering before proper medical attention comes, said the source.
The issue of weapons is also a thorny one, as a Special Forces source told Daily Trust that with superior hardware, the insurgents would be history by now. “But we’re using similar class of weapons,” he said.
Foreign specialists, erroneously called ‘mercenaries’, are also part of the push into Sambisa Forest and while they participate in strategy, they are not active in the actual fighting according to our sources. “Even when we’re moving wounded or dead soldiers, they don’t lift a finger,” he said.
Defense Headquarters Spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, said that the troops would continue the Sambisa Forest operations, “Until all terrorists enclaves are cleared.”
“I’m confident whichever way this goes, that Boko Haram’s days are numbered,” said a high-ranking military officer in Maiduguri. “We have extremely dedicated troops, and in the end that’s what matters most,” he said.

Source: http://dailytrust.com.ng/weekly/index.php/top-stories/20698-sambisa-forest-battle-the-inside-story

Eziachi:
And what qualification has you to write on nairaland? Since you required Harvard PHD to ask Mugabe the questions millions of Zimbabwean are dying to ask but cannot if they hope to live the next minute.

It's not the matter of either am qualified or not, but the issue of logic, mutual respect, professionalism, not ranting like a tout, I think it's high time we respect other people choice, if zimbabwes like the man,then to hell with the western world, and before you make any baseless and useless assertion just ask before you open your mouth, recently a western journalist, a man that is know to be hard on people went to Zimbabwe, inside harare, he had an interview with their information minister professor Jonathan all the pressing questions were asked like a professional journalist not this balotelli guy,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOACLNQpDfs ( watch hardtalk with Zimbabwe information minister). And please do a quick search to know who is mugabe, I respect people's choice that's my qualification not harvard PHD, he was once a rebel, he fought for his country, earn what they currently enjoy, that country was in isolation for long and same people that the western world said they are fighting for them did not raise an eyebrow and you think he is a dictator when they normal held elections on intervals. Wake up u can't tell your neighbour how to live his life.

Nigeria and Chad have reaffirmed their commitment to greater collaboration against the Boko Haram insurgency.
President Muhammadu Buhari and his Chadian counterpart, Idriss Deby agreed on this at a meeting held in N’Djamena yesterday.
A communiqué issued at the end of Buhari’s one-day official visit to Chad, said both leaders agreed on the need to quickly make the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) fully operational in order to effectively tackle terrorism in North-eastern Nigeria and other places where insurgents operate.
Both leaders called on the international community to provide the Lake Chad Basin Commission and neighbouring countries with the support required to contain terrorism and insurgency
“Both heads of state agreed that the war on Boko Haram should be supported by emergency development initiatives in areas affected by this insurgency group. This will help to overcome the harmful effects faced by local populations,” the statement said.
Buhari saluted Chadian soldiers who had engaged in the operations against Boko Haram.
He also commiserated with the families of Chadian troops who were killed in counter-terrorism operations.
Buhari also met behind closed-doors with Major-General Tukur Buratai of Nigeria who was recently appointed Force Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) head-quartered in N’Djamena.

Source:http://dailytrust.com.ng/daily/index.php/top-stories/56496-nigeria-chad-vow-to-end-boko-haram

The Senegalese singer has vowed to bring electricity to 600 million Africans after launching a solar academy as part of an initiative called 'Akon Lighting Africa'.
The charity says that the academy, located in Bamako, Mali, will assist engineers and entrepreneurs from all over the continent to grow skills that will enable them to grow the production of solar power.

Graduates from the academy will provide solar energy to millions of people in rural communities across Africa.

Samba Bathily, co-founder of Akon Lighting Africa, along with Akon and Thione Niang, said taking advantage of natural resources in a continent that gets 320 days of sunlight is the only logical step.

"We have the Sun and innovative technologies to bring electricity to homes and communities. We now need to consolidate African expertise," he told Reuters.

"We expect the Africans who graduate from this centre to devise new, innovative, technical solutions. With this academy, we can capitalise on Akon Lighting Africa and go further."

Akon's philanthropic efforts have already garnered the support of thousands of fans as well as fellow musician Snoop Dogg.
Source: http://saharareporters.com/2015/06/04/akon-bring-solar-power-600-million-africans

This people are nothing but tout, why only disturb African leaders? They are nothing but western puppet, see that sowore hair cut from there you will know he is a motor park tout,
See that Adeola teeth , mtswee none of them study journalist as a profession, none of them, they are only good at criticism that has no value, imagine a sane journalist asking a president this kind of question! " will you step down one day? Before nko! Am totally disappointed in them. We need people that study journalism as a profession to be reporting and writing our reports not agberro with balotelli hair cut, how did they even manage to come close to the VIPS? What are they job of the SSS in screening journalist? We need to be taking things seriously or this anarchist will bring down the whole house.

ABUJA (Reuters) - The United States is prepared to send military trainers to Nigeria to help new President Muhammadu Buhari's armed forces improve their intelligence gathering and logistics, a senior State Department official said on Friday.

Strains between U.S. military advisers and the Nigerian army over human rights abuses and corruption under Buhari's predecessor Goodluck Jonathan undermined cooperation in efforts to counter the six-year-old Boko Haram insurgency.

The State Department official said Buhari and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry would discuss future security assistance and expanded economic ties in a meeting on the sidelines of the new president's inauguration on Friday.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of Kerry's visit to Abuja, said initial talks with Buhari indicated he wanted a "close relationship" with the United States.

"We have every indication that we'll be able to start a new chapter. We continue to have advisers there ... what I'm talking about would be new advisers in areas where we would expand."

Nigerian security forces have scored some successes against Boko Haram this year. The jihadists held an area of northeast Nigeria roughly the size of Belgium at the start of 2015 but have since been beaten back by counter-attacking government forces backed by those of neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

The State Department official said Washington was willing to help train Nigeria's security forces in intelligence and logistics as well as military justice.

"We want to make sure and prioritize based on what President-elect Buhari and his top military team needs," the official said, acknowledging that training of a newly created army battalion last year "ran into some difficulties.
"(But) we think we can pretty quickly get back on track.
Source: http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0OE16S20150529

Olukolade and co will nott like this, and through out his speech he didn't mention APC just to show you he is for all.
BREAKING: Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari says military's command centre will be moved to the northeast until Boko Haram is subdued.

Here they are

The best was when he said: "[b][/b]This generation of Nigerians, and indeed future generations, have no country other than Nigeria. We shall remain here and salvage it together. "