Showing posts with label Naija Affairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Naija Affairs. Show all posts
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Cossy Orjiakor claims she was robbed, sustained minor injuries...
Femi Fani Kayode...and his visit to the Presidential Villa
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani Kayode, who recently criticized his party APC in an article titled 'APC and the strange dream of Muslim/Muslim Ticket, (where he revealed an alleged plan by some people in the party to foist a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket on the party), refused to discuss why he went to see the president, telling the press...
"This is a presidential villa, the president is a president of Nigeria every single person in this country that is a Nigerian is entitled to come here from time to time, when the doors are open to come and pay their respect to the wonderful people that are here. As a Nigerian I have done that today and I’m delighted to be here."Oh now they are wonderful people? Lol. Biko continue...
"I have always believed that every Nigerian regardless of the side of the political divide they belong, and as a Nigerian myself I have believed that we disagree on an issue from time to time. The most important thing is for us to be able to resolve these issues and come together to move this country forward. And I think every right thinking responsible person should be able to do that. They should also be able to come to the villa from time to time to see how they can help to move the country forward." Fani Kayode saidOn if he is leaving APC, Femi Fani-Kayode said
“The step that I will take will be made known to Nigerians at the right time. The most important thing, and I think you are fully aware of this, is that I cannot and I will not be associated with a situation whereby any group of people is promoting a religion above another. I think all of us have gone past the stage of religious politics in this country. We must treat the Muslim community with utmost respect and we must that Christian community in the same way and even the non-religious”
Wednesday 19 March 2014
Buhari can never rule because… — Sen Ikpo
ELDER STATESMAN, Senator Nosike Ikpo was one of the leading lights in the Second Republic. Ikpo, in this interview, posits that former Military Head of State, General Muhammudu Buahri cannot rule Nigeria owing to his involvement in scuttling a democratically elected government. He also says the National Conference will succeed if well managed just as he bares his mind on other burning national issues. Excerpts:
Do you think the National Conference will bring the much needed solution to the nation’s problems?
It is good depending on how it is managed, how it is run. If there is sincerity in the whole process because there is a problem, the problem in Nigeria like some of us have always said is the problem of leadership.
If Jonathan has a clear idea of where, what he wants Nigeria to be and gives a proper direction to the conference, they will come out fine. Somebody has to give direction. When you talk of leadership, the number one person has to have an idea of what he wants to achieve for the people he is leading.
The uncompleted job of restructuring Nigeria could be completed in that place. Nigeria is so wrongly structured. The creation of states has led to pockets of dissatisfaction certainly amongst the people of Nigeria. There cannot be peace if there is no justice.
People in the North are not happy. I remember what late Tarka said when forming the separatist movement in the Middle Belt. He was fired by a statement made by the late Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello on the 1st of October 1960 that the minorities of the Middle Belt would be the tools of Northern leaders to rule Nigeria.
The man took action, mobilized his people and started agitation for a separate state. The matter is still there; every young man, every active politician in the Middle Belt is still asking for a separate identity.
Talking about a viable opposition, do you see the emerging All Progressives Congress, APC …..?
(Cuts in) I do not see how Tinubu and Buhari can lead Nigeria. Buhari may be a very honest person but I don’t know him. He campaigned in 2007, he wanted to be president of Nigeria but he never reached this part of the country; he never reached Delta State.
And in any case anybody who overthrew a democratic government cannot be elected as president of Nigeria.
He is not entitled to. He has no moral justification to become a democratic leader of this country. So I don’t know where they are going. My friends are there. Most of them are my old colleagues in the UPN, they are all there and I am still attracted to them but the idea of the possibility of Buhari becoming presidential candidate of that party nauseates me completely.
IKPO111I don’t know why they feel that he can be of any use to them. In any case they can still be a viable opposition without having Buhari as presidential candidate.
I didn’t know Tinubu in our time, because was still a young man then, probably he was still abroad so he wasn’t part of Awolowo’s children and he had never spoken as an Awoist.
I am not talking about what do you call them, fire eaters, no. He comes from an environment that he cannot run away from Awolowo. Look at his mother who died recently, a great market woman. When we needed money in 1962-63 during the Action Group crisis, we go to her.
So he came from the environment from where he can’t run away from Awolowo’s political views, he cannot.
All those who are supporting him (Tinubu) presently who are his disciples, definitely are disciples of Chief Awolowo.
That is not the same as saying that he can be a successful president. I don’t know his personal views and manifestos. What we want is a good leader.
For instance, a good leader is somebody like Uduaghan. You can’t identify his friends, you can’t identify his enemies only him alone can tell you who his friends are or vice-versa . He has ideas, he knows where he is going, what to do.
Look at what we are doing in Delta State. Whom can you tell me that Uduaghan is likely to hand over to? I don’t know. All of us are guessing.
What type of person do you think is fit to succeed Uduaghan?
All of them are my children. All the aspirants are my children particularly from the North. I made a statement the other day and many people misunderstood me that I probably sold out. I can’t sell out at this stage; I am 85 so what am I selling out for?
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
You don’t expect that after Uduaghan, another governor should come from the South.
It will be unreasonable, so people will expect that another governor should come from Delta North. But what I am quarrelling with our people is that for anybody to think that he can go to bed hoping because of rotation that governor will come to Delta North I don’t believe in that. So that was what I was opposed to.
Do you support the call on President Jonathan to run for a second term?
He has to go back. He has done reasonable well. I voted for him in 2007 because I had no alternative as I couldn’t have voted for Buhari.
Are you satisfied with the way corruption is been tackled?
It is the mindset of leaders of a country. Take Jerry Rawlings of Ghana for instance. He set out to clean Ghana and cleaned up the place. I am not saying that there is no corruption in Ghana anymore. But definitely, the situation cannot go back to what it was before Rawlings.
Are you saying Nigeria needs the Rawlings method?
We need that type of revolution. We have not seen a revolution; something drastic has to happen to make people behave.
I cannot even send my cook to the market today. I can’t afford the rising cost of food at Ibusa market, then somebody is hoarding billions not even naira but dollars. So somebody has to come out and decide to stop this thing called corruption.
Well, that is my idea. All these military coups have not even helped us. They have not done exactly what I would have done if I were a young man, if I were a soldier and I wanted to clean up the place. They are merely changing batons and from one bad ruler to the other that is all.
Looking back when you were in the Senate and now, any comparison?
There are two different scenarios. They can never be the same. My salary when I was in the Senate was N15,000 per month.
When I told my constituent at Agbor, they couldn’t believe it. And we were paying five percent to the party. At the end of every month, the cashier from the UPN office would come with his receipt.
As what?
Contribution to the welfare of the party and for the building of the party. When people said I brought College of Education Agbor, I didn’t go to build the place. It was the same thing I did for Asaba College of Education.
I did not go to build it or look for a contractor, I only influenced the siting of the colleges to those places. But it is not so now; now they give you the money. It is in the budget, then you take it and do what you like.
 |
| General Muhammudu Buahri |
It is good depending on how it is managed, how it is run. If there is sincerity in the whole process because there is a problem, the problem in Nigeria like some of us have always said is the problem of leadership.
If Jonathan has a clear idea of where, what he wants Nigeria to be and gives a proper direction to the conference, they will come out fine. Somebody has to give direction. When you talk of leadership, the number one person has to have an idea of what he wants to achieve for the people he is leading.
The uncompleted job of restructuring Nigeria could be completed in that place. Nigeria is so wrongly structured. The creation of states has led to pockets of dissatisfaction certainly amongst the people of Nigeria. There cannot be peace if there is no justice.
People in the North are not happy. I remember what late Tarka said when forming the separatist movement in the Middle Belt. He was fired by a statement made by the late Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello on the 1st of October 1960 that the minorities of the Middle Belt would be the tools of Northern leaders to rule Nigeria.
The man took action, mobilized his people and started agitation for a separate state. The matter is still there; every young man, every active politician in the Middle Belt is still asking for a separate identity.
Talking about a viable opposition, do you see the emerging All Progressives Congress, APC …..?
(Cuts in) I do not see how Tinubu and Buhari can lead Nigeria. Buhari may be a very honest person but I don’t know him. He campaigned in 2007, he wanted to be president of Nigeria but he never reached this part of the country; he never reached Delta State.
And in any case anybody who overthrew a democratic government cannot be elected as president of Nigeria.
He is not entitled to. He has no moral justification to become a democratic leader of this country. So I don’t know where they are going. My friends are there. Most of them are my old colleagues in the UPN, they are all there and I am still attracted to them but the idea of the possibility of Buhari becoming presidential candidate of that party nauseates me completely.
IKPO111I don’t know why they feel that he can be of any use to them. In any case they can still be a viable opposition without having Buhari as presidential candidate.
I didn’t know Tinubu in our time, because was still a young man then, probably he was still abroad so he wasn’t part of Awolowo’s children and he had never spoken as an Awoist.
I am not talking about what do you call them, fire eaters, no. He comes from an environment that he cannot run away from Awolowo. Look at his mother who died recently, a great market woman. When we needed money in 1962-63 during the Action Group crisis, we go to her.
So he came from the environment from where he can’t run away from Awolowo’s political views, he cannot.
All those who are supporting him (Tinubu) presently who are his disciples, definitely are disciples of Chief Awolowo.
That is not the same as saying that he can be a successful president. I don’t know his personal views and manifestos. What we want is a good leader.
For instance, a good leader is somebody like Uduaghan. You can’t identify his friends, you can’t identify his enemies only him alone can tell you who his friends are or vice-versa . He has ideas, he knows where he is going, what to do.
Look at what we are doing in Delta State. Whom can you tell me that Uduaghan is likely to hand over to? I don’t know. All of us are guessing.
What type of person do you think is fit to succeed Uduaghan?
All of them are my children. All the aspirants are my children particularly from the North. I made a statement the other day and many people misunderstood me that I probably sold out. I can’t sell out at this stage; I am 85 so what am I selling out for?
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)
You don’t expect that after Uduaghan, another governor should come from the South.
It will be unreasonable, so people will expect that another governor should come from Delta North. But what I am quarrelling with our people is that for anybody to think that he can go to bed hoping because of rotation that governor will come to Delta North I don’t believe in that. So that was what I was opposed to.
Do you support the call on President Jonathan to run for a second term?
He has to go back. He has done reasonable well. I voted for him in 2007 because I had no alternative as I couldn’t have voted for Buhari.
Are you satisfied with the way corruption is been tackled?
It is the mindset of leaders of a country. Take Jerry Rawlings of Ghana for instance. He set out to clean Ghana and cleaned up the place. I am not saying that there is no corruption in Ghana anymore. But definitely, the situation cannot go back to what it was before Rawlings.
Are you saying Nigeria needs the Rawlings method?
We need that type of revolution. We have not seen a revolution; something drastic has to happen to make people behave.
I cannot even send my cook to the market today. I can’t afford the rising cost of food at Ibusa market, then somebody is hoarding billions not even naira but dollars. So somebody has to come out and decide to stop this thing called corruption.
Well, that is my idea. All these military coups have not even helped us. They have not done exactly what I would have done if I were a young man, if I were a soldier and I wanted to clean up the place. They are merely changing batons and from one bad ruler to the other that is all.
Looking back when you were in the Senate and now, any comparison?
There are two different scenarios. They can never be the same. My salary when I was in the Senate was N15,000 per month.
When I told my constituent at Agbor, they couldn’t believe it. And we were paying five percent to the party. At the end of every month, the cashier from the UPN office would come with his receipt.
As what?
Contribution to the welfare of the party and for the building of the party. When people said I brought College of Education Agbor, I didn’t go to build the place. It was the same thing I did for Asaba College of Education.
I did not go to build it or look for a contractor, I only influenced the siting of the colleges to those places. But it is not so now; now they give you the money. It is in the budget, then you take it and do what you like.
Middle Belt and 2015: Jonathan crosses the bridge
The North-Central serves as a bridge between the North and the South and would prove pivotal in the resolution of the 2015 presidential contest. The recent rally by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Minna was an opportunity for the ruling party to up the stakes in the unfolding battle for the soul of the nation.
WITH six states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja serving as a bridge between the far North and southern parts of Nigeria, the North-Central geo-political zone is easily one of the country’s most strategic political pies.
It is therefore not out of place for political parties to jostle for political footholds in the area.
Last week’s unity rally of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Minna, Niger State could thus be seen as preparing grounds for party in the zone ahead of the 2015 polls.
Held at the Trade Fair Complex along Minna Paiko Suleja road, the caliber of PDP stalwarts that attended the rally indicated that the party meant business.
The mammoth crowd of PDP faithful included President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, PDP governors from across the country especially North Central states, members of the National Assembly and a host of other party stalwarts and supporters from within and outside Niger State.
As early as 7 am, party supporters had started trooping to the venue which had been turned into a beautiful arena with posters of President Jonathan, Sambo, Mu’azu and Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of the state.
Right from the “State Box” which was reserved for the president, his vice, senate president, past and present national chairmen and officials of the party and other dignitaries was a long wooden pathway laid with red carpet and elevated above the pavilions to enable the crowd catch a good glimpse of the speakers while walking to the podium or delivering their speeches.
PDP stronger without defectors –Jonathan
Speaking at the rally, President Jonathan described those who left the PDP recently for the All Progressives Congress (APC) as retrogressive, adding that their departure was good and would not have any adverse effect on the party.
JonaMinnaAccording to him, the defection of the governors, legislators and some of their supporters to APC was a good omen for the PDP because since their defection, PDP has been waxing stronger and stronger.
His words: “If some people have been with the PDP for 14 years and now they said they are leaving for the progressive, the question is where are they progressing to? It means in the past 14 years, they have been involved in retrogressive activities in PDP and were problems to us and you will agree with me that now that these retrogressive elements have left, PDP will progress more.”
He called on Nigerians especially the PDP supporters not to be moved by anybody who uses the media to preach violence but rather should be focused on what PDP had done for the country in the past years.
PDP has done well, ‘ll do better –Sambo, Mu’azu
Vice President Sambo, in his brief remarks, thanked the people of North Central for their support for the party in the past years and called on them to remain loyal and dedicated to the PDP and government of the day.
Also speaking, the national chairman of the party, Dr. Mu’azu described PDP “as the only party that has given hope to the hopeless, given life to our wives, given hope to our mothers, given life and hope to our youths and we promise to do even better.”
He called on Governor Babangida Aliyu to finish the job he started with his colleagues by bringing them back into the fold (PDP).
He thanked him and his colleague, the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido for coming back after seeing the light but the job they started has not finished because now, they should go back to convince their colleagues and let them see the light and come back to PDP and they will be treated equally when they return.”
He however ruled out automatic tickets for any aspirant for any political office.
2015: With our governors’ support Jonathan ‘ll win – Mark
Senate President Mark in his address assured President Jonathan that with the governors in the North Central states, Nigeria will be delivered to him in 2015.
He described the Transformation Agenda of the president as one of the best things to have happened to the country pointing out that Kwara, Nasarawa states in particular will be recaptured.
We’re behind Jonathan –Akpabio
Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, who is also the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Godswill Akpabio noted that despite the challenges and distractions in the country, Nigeria is still moving forward, adding that as foot soldiers at the state levels, all the PDP governors are solidly behind President Jonathan and will deliver the country to him in next year’s elections.
He enumerated few ongoing and completed projects across the country especially in Niger State, which include the on-going Zungeru Hydro electricity Dam, the dualization of Suleja -Lambata road, ongoing Bida – Mokwa road, ongoing Kontagora – Sokoto road, dredging of River Niger and the construction of Baro Port, which he said are practical testimonies to the fulfillment of Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.
Anenih, Aliyu speak
BOT chairman, Tony Anenih called on Nigerians to appreciate what God has given Nigeria in the person of President Jonathan whom he said deserves all the support needed to further transform the country into an enviable nation.
He described the crowd at the rally as assuring and a good testimony to the fact that Nigerians are solidly behind the president and the PDP.
Governor Babangida Aliyu described the occasion as not a campaign rally but a gathering to showcase unity and solidarity and to galvanize the people and tell them that PDP is intact.
Looking into future elections, Dr. Aliyu cast his mind back to how the president eventually cinched the office saying, “when many people never thought you will be president, you eventually became president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by God’s grace, your days have not finished, our days at PDP have not finished because we are aware of what you have done, what you are doing and what you are going to do and this is why we will support you beyond 2015.”
He assured that despite what is happening in Kwara and Nasarawa, the two states and other states formerly belonging to the PDP will be recaptured in 2015 because we will not rest on our oars and take things for granted as we will go to the villages, hamlets and we will not spare anybody and even those who said they will not vote for us, we will talk to them and leave our doors open for them to return.”
Dr. Aliyu called on his colleagues to ensure that they not only retain their states but gain more states saying, “by 2015, we hope to get back our 28 states by the grace of God and the place to start is the June/August governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states because if we can get these two states, at least the message would have been clear to everybody.”
Test of political might
The event was not only a solidarity rally but also an opportunity for aspirants in the zone eyeing various offices to test the political waters as their placards were carried from one spot to the other at the venue with their supporters singing and drumming in defiance to pleas from the masters of ceremony not distract the audience.
More disturbing is the shameless exhibition of some hooligans who gained access to the venue disguised as party supporters and caused panic at the tail end of the rally.
As President Jonathan was addressing the gathering, the hoodlums started removing the tarpaulins used as roofing and decoration of the pavilions. Their actions made the crowd to hurriedly vacate their seats in fear as most people including the security agents on ground watched without any intervention.
One of the spectators at the venue Alhaji Adamu Mohammed who looked so worried over what was going on simply said “assuming these boys have invaded this venue with the intention to unleash terror and cause havoc, this is how they would have had a field day with our security personnel watching helplessly.”
However, the rally ended peacefully without any causality.
WITH six states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja serving as a bridge between the far North and southern parts of Nigeria, the North-Central geo-political zone is easily one of the country’s most strategic political pies.
It is therefore not out of place for political parties to jostle for political footholds in the area.
Last week’s unity rally of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Minna, Niger State could thus be seen as preparing grounds for party in the zone ahead of the 2015 polls.
Held at the Trade Fair Complex along Minna Paiko Suleja road, the caliber of PDP stalwarts that attended the rally indicated that the party meant business.
The mammoth crowd of PDP faithful included President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, PDP governors from across the country especially North Central states, members of the National Assembly and a host of other party stalwarts and supporters from within and outside Niger State.
As early as 7 am, party supporters had started trooping to the venue which had been turned into a beautiful arena with posters of President Jonathan, Sambo, Mu’azu and Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of the state.
Right from the “State Box” which was reserved for the president, his vice, senate president, past and present national chairmen and officials of the party and other dignitaries was a long wooden pathway laid with red carpet and elevated above the pavilions to enable the crowd catch a good glimpse of the speakers while walking to the podium or delivering their speeches.
PDP stronger without defectors –Jonathan
Speaking at the rally, President Jonathan described those who left the PDP recently for the All Progressives Congress (APC) as retrogressive, adding that their departure was good and would not have any adverse effect on the party.
JonaMinnaAccording to him, the defection of the governors, legislators and some of their supporters to APC was a good omen for the PDP because since their defection, PDP has been waxing stronger and stronger.
His words: “If some people have been with the PDP for 14 years and now they said they are leaving for the progressive, the question is where are they progressing to? It means in the past 14 years, they have been involved in retrogressive activities in PDP and were problems to us and you will agree with me that now that these retrogressive elements have left, PDP will progress more.”
He called on Nigerians especially the PDP supporters not to be moved by anybody who uses the media to preach violence but rather should be focused on what PDP had done for the country in the past years.
PDP has done well, ‘ll do better –Sambo, Mu’azu
Vice President Sambo, in his brief remarks, thanked the people of North Central for their support for the party in the past years and called on them to remain loyal and dedicated to the PDP and government of the day.
Also speaking, the national chairman of the party, Dr. Mu’azu described PDP “as the only party that has given hope to the hopeless, given life to our wives, given hope to our mothers, given life and hope to our youths and we promise to do even better.”
He called on Governor Babangida Aliyu to finish the job he started with his colleagues by bringing them back into the fold (PDP).
He thanked him and his colleague, the governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido for coming back after seeing the light but the job they started has not finished because now, they should go back to convince their colleagues and let them see the light and come back to PDP and they will be treated equally when they return.”
He however ruled out automatic tickets for any aspirant for any political office.
2015: With our governors’ support Jonathan ‘ll win – Mark
Senate President Mark in his address assured President Jonathan that with the governors in the North Central states, Nigeria will be delivered to him in 2015.
He described the Transformation Agenda of the president as one of the best things to have happened to the country pointing out that Kwara, Nasarawa states in particular will be recaptured.
We’re behind Jonathan –Akpabio
Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, who is also the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Godswill Akpabio noted that despite the challenges and distractions in the country, Nigeria is still moving forward, adding that as foot soldiers at the state levels, all the PDP governors are solidly behind President Jonathan and will deliver the country to him in next year’s elections.
He enumerated few ongoing and completed projects across the country especially in Niger State, which include the on-going Zungeru Hydro electricity Dam, the dualization of Suleja -Lambata road, ongoing Bida – Mokwa road, ongoing Kontagora – Sokoto road, dredging of River Niger and the construction of Baro Port, which he said are practical testimonies to the fulfillment of Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.
Anenih, Aliyu speak
BOT chairman, Tony Anenih called on Nigerians to appreciate what God has given Nigeria in the person of President Jonathan whom he said deserves all the support needed to further transform the country into an enviable nation.
He described the crowd at the rally as assuring and a good testimony to the fact that Nigerians are solidly behind the president and the PDP.
Governor Babangida Aliyu described the occasion as not a campaign rally but a gathering to showcase unity and solidarity and to galvanize the people and tell them that PDP is intact.
Looking into future elections, Dr. Aliyu cast his mind back to how the president eventually cinched the office saying, “when many people never thought you will be president, you eventually became president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by God’s grace, your days have not finished, our days at PDP have not finished because we are aware of what you have done, what you are doing and what you are going to do and this is why we will support you beyond 2015.”
He assured that despite what is happening in Kwara and Nasarawa, the two states and other states formerly belonging to the PDP will be recaptured in 2015 because we will not rest on our oars and take things for granted as we will go to the villages, hamlets and we will not spare anybody and even those who said they will not vote for us, we will talk to them and leave our doors open for them to return.”
Dr. Aliyu called on his colleagues to ensure that they not only retain their states but gain more states saying, “by 2015, we hope to get back our 28 states by the grace of God and the place to start is the June/August governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states because if we can get these two states, at least the message would have been clear to everybody.”
Test of political might
The event was not only a solidarity rally but also an opportunity for aspirants in the zone eyeing various offices to test the political waters as their placards were carried from one spot to the other at the venue with their supporters singing and drumming in defiance to pleas from the masters of ceremony not distract the audience.
More disturbing is the shameless exhibition of some hooligans who gained access to the venue disguised as party supporters and caused panic at the tail end of the rally.
As President Jonathan was addressing the gathering, the hoodlums started removing the tarpaulins used as roofing and decoration of the pavilions. Their actions made the crowd to hurriedly vacate their seats in fear as most people including the security agents on ground watched without any intervention.
One of the spectators at the venue Alhaji Adamu Mohammed who looked so worried over what was going on simply said “assuming these boys have invaded this venue with the intention to unleash terror and cause havoc, this is how they would have had a field day with our security personnel watching helplessly.”
However, the rally ended peacefully without any causality.
Hillarious! The snake with a seprated personality: Meet the python born with two heads
The mutant black and gold python regius - royal python or ball python - was born in Villingen-Schwenningen, southern Germany, with two heads.
Twice the bite: This python regius, or ball python, was born with two heads in Villingen-Schwennigen, Germany Which way next? The one-year-old snake is now 20in long and appears to be coping well with its mutation Snake breeder Stefan Broghammer said the slippery customer is around one years old and has grown to around 20 inches.
He said the creature is only the second python known to be born with two heads. The snake is non-venomous, found in Africa and are a popular pet.
Adults generally grow up to around 4ft and when threatened their instinctively curl into a ball to defend themselves.
Rare: Snake breeder Stefan Broghammer, pictured, said it was only the second time on record of a python being born with two heads
Between Wizkid & Tania Omotayo!
Are things still really right with Wizkid and his girlfriend, Tania Omotayo? Well, it first appeared that Tania posted a picture on her instagram page which read 'Just because you love someone so much, does not mean they are the right one for you' and just few days after, tonight, wizkid posted a photo on his instagram page where he choose ‘In the studio’ over ‘In a relationship’. Then went ahead to post another one that had this caption ‘The face you make when you first slide in’... Trying to mock her? Oh well… find the photos after the cut.
Below is what Tania first posted that brought this whole drama we assume...
N12m Is Not Enough, Pay For Our Aides Too, Delegates Tell FG
Some delegates at the on-going National Conference in Abuja have been saying in hush tones that the N12m the Federal Government plan to pay them for the duration of the conference is not enough, and they ought to have made plans for their aides too.
The N12m fee includes transportation, accommodation and feeding, even though they will always have free launch at the venue of the conference, but some of the delegates still believe the money is not enough for them to start paying their aides from it, so they want it addressed, a source said.
Report from EFCC on how Lagos state Speaker Spent funds on foreign trips and his wife.
Premium Times reports
The trial of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, continued Tuesday with the prosecution witness detailing how the defendants allegedly laundered millions of Naira.
Adebayo Adeniyi, the EFCC witness, told the court how the defendants collected N13.5 million for honorarium, N4.5 million for renovation of the Speaker’s residence, and N1.5 million for the Speaker’s Guest House every month for six consecutive months.Mr. Ikuforiji and Oyebode Atoyebi, his aide, are facing a 54-count amended charge of money laundering amounting to over N600 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accused the Speaker and his aide of receiving the money from the Lagos State House of Assembly without passing through a financial institution.
The trial was adjourned last January for the prosecution to provide a summarized version of the monies collected by Mr. Ikuforiji and his aide.
But on Tuesday, Godwin Obla, counsel to the EFCC, said that he would rather continue with his previous method to avoid any grounds for appeal.
It was a painstaking effort that required Mr. Obla to go through each of the transactions with the witness. The judge admitted that, but overruled the defence’s plea that the prosecution tabulate the relevant sections of the transactions.
“We’ve lost time. We vacated three days for that exercise to be done,” said Ibrahim Buba, the trial judge.
“What I understand the prosecution to be doing is trying to go through the records viz a viz each count of the allegation. They are entitled to do so.
“It is indeed difficult, if not laborious,” Mr. Buba added.
2011 TRANSACTIONS
Mr. Adeniyi continued his testimony by stating how the Lagos House of Assembly paid millions of naira to Mr. Ikuforiji; his wife, Mayowa; his orderly; his personal assistant; as well as the state’s Deputy Speaker.
All the monies were collected by Mr. Atoyebi and paid for in cash, the witness said.
On July 14, 2011, N5.4 million was paid to Mr. Ikuforiji for a trip to San Diego, California; his personal assistant and orderly collected N1.3 million and N1.2 million respectively, according to Mr. Adeniyi.
On August 1, 2011, N4.4 million was paid to the Speaker as “cost of allowance”; his personal assistant and orderly pocketed N1.2 million and N1.1 million respectively. Two days later, N10 million was paid to the Speaker for Ramadan, the witness said.
On August, 2011, N6.4 million was paid to Mayowa Ikuforiji, the Speaker’s wife; and N1.3 million to the wife’s orderly, the witness said.
Between January and June 2011, N13.5 million was paid as honorarium, every month, to the Speaker, Mr. Adeniyi added.
He said N4 million and N1 million were also paid monthly, within the stated period, for the renovation of the Speaker’s official residence and guest house respectively.
Asked why there were columns with Cheque Numbers in the cash register, Mr. Adeniyi responded that: “What they do is that a cheque is raised in most cases in the name of the Permanent Secretary and cashed from the bank.
“It is this cash that is eventually paid and registered in this document, the details of payments.”
2010 TRANSACTIONS
“Basically, these cash payments are supposed to be made through a financial institution, paid to the beneficiaries, not through cash payments. Cash payments stall the tracing of the monies.
“We discovered that some of it was paid into the account of the first accused person. Some of it was used for his credit card and other personal matters,” he added.
During cross examination by Wole Olanipekun, counsel to Mr. Ikuforiji, Mr. Adeniyi said that he was not aware what the Speaker used the monies for.
“Our investigation is not focused on knowing whether he spent the money on his personal house.
“From our investigation, we did not go in depth into who approved the disbursements, we were particular about the cash disbursement which was above the threshold of transactions by a Permanent Secretary.
“Any payment must be made through e-payment, most especially when it is above the threshold,” Mr. Adeniyi said.
When shown one of the cash registers by the defence lawyer, Mr. Adeniyi said that he could not “remember seeing it.”
Mr. Obla objected to that line of questioning, insisting that the defence must tender the cash register as an exhibit before it court be used for cross examination.
The judge, however, said that the defence was at liberty to use any document that had been brought before the court.
“You cannot file a document and your witness said he cannot remember seeing it. If it was filed by the defence, it is a different ball game altogether,” the judge told Mr. Obla.
“Once you have provided this document, it is for them (the defence) to use it at their own time during the trial, not at your own time,” the judge added.
The trial was adjourned till April 28 for continuation of trial.
Tuesday 18 March 2014
So Sad! Photo: Woman Killed During Job Screening Stampede Buried
Where is this our Country heading to, in terms of Corruption.
God Save us All OOhhhhh!
Dr Frabz has been crowned The New Music Director On Nigerian Idol
Africa’s biggest music reality show, Nigerian Idol has announced a new music director for its fourth season as the competition gets set to separate the wheat from the shaft for the Top 30 rounds.
Acting as the music director this season is, Award winning producer/singer Ayo Faboro, who is well known as Dr Frabz. He started his own music production company called N'sayne Entertainment and has produced smashing hit songs like Chuddy K's Slow Slow, Shank's Too late and Weird MC's Riranwo among others.
“I expect that this season we will be able to help the best of the contestants to shine,” said Dr. Frabz.
Nigerian Idol airs on Saturday and Sunday’s on HIP TV, STV, Various Startimes Channels, DRTV Warri and CRBC Calabar.
Man Rapes 8-Year Old Boy In Jigawa
The Jigawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested a 20-year old boy in Jigawa for raping another boy who is 8.
The suspect was arrested on Sunday when they were hinted about the incident. A medical check-up was also carried out and it confirmed the little boy was raped.
The suspect later confessed to the crime and said he usually gives the little boy N20 each time he wanted to lure him into the act.
'How to end corruption in Nigeria' - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala speaks with CNN
Minister for Finance and Coordinator of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was a guest on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS programme on Sunday where she acknowledged that there was corruption in Nigeria but said that the fight against corruption must involve every Nigerian...
The Minister was also taken up by the presenter on Sanusi's suspension. He asked her why Sanusi was suspended after he discovered that monies had been siphoned from the NNPC account of which the Minister responded that Sanusi did not say monies were siphoned, he said money was unaccounted for. Full text of the Interview after the cut..."No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians. Everyone has to be committed from the top to the bottom to fight it. In our country, we need to, coupled with – by all means pursue those who are corrupt, punish them, you know, make sure there’s no impunity. But that has to be coupled with something which doesn’t get as much attention, which is building institutions. It’s unglamorous; it’s work that takes time, but we have to do it. We have to put it in place.” she said.
ZAKARIA: Listen in to our conversation. I began by asking her why the central banker was suspended for blowing the whistle.
NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA, NIGERIAN FINANCE MINISTER: I believe that when you find problems, you should also find solutions. I think the problem began the first time when he said that the amount that was – he never said it was stolen. He said it was unaccounted for, was $49.8 billion.
And he wrote a letter to the president; he called me a couple of days after, to say I’ve written this letter. And my first reaction was, that’s not possible. We couldn’t be missing $50 billion as finance minister in this country. We wouldn’t be able to function because that’s too high a hit. Everybody would know it and feel it in the economy.
ZAKARIA: There is some substantial gap.
OKONJO-IWEALA: Oh, yes –
ZAKARIA: Right? I mean –
OKONJO-IWEALA: No, we –
ZAKARIA: – the World Bank, I think when you were one of the managing directors, issued a report on the Nigerian economy in which it said hundreds of billions of dollars over the past 30 or 40 years have been siphoned off. And so this would be a perfect example of precisely this kind of siphoning off.
OKONJO-IWEALA: No. I think we should hold our horses a little bit. Sanusi please ask him never said the money had been siphoned off. He said it was unaccounted for.
And hold on. There’s a difference, because when he alleged $49.8 billion – and this was looked at, it was found that some of that money had really been remitted to the tax agency directly and his people were not aware of it.
So $16 billion was immediately accounted for that, you know, they didn’t seem to know the accounting mode of the agency, so that’s what I’m saying.
But there has been – there’s no doubt that Nigerians feel suspicious of the oil sector, that it has been regarded as opaque over the years and this is not an issue, you know, whether it’s $10.8 billion, whether it’s $1, you know, we can’t afford to lose any money from the treasury.
ZAKARIA: But then why fire the central banker, a respected central banker?
OKOJO-IWEALA: You know, Fareed, what I would like to do is perhaps focus on the economy, because I don’t think I want to get into this issue of firing/not firing. He’s still governor of the central bank. He has been suspended. He hasn’t been fired.
But I think we need to focus on the central issue, which is no one dollar should be lost from the treasury. Any money that belongs to it must be remitted. That’s what we’re insisting.
And the president, we pushed for – he has ordered one yesterday, that there should be a forensic audit to determine where these moneys, that what is unaccounted for, is it the $10.8 billion that we are saying from the accounts?
We’ve been working on this for two years.
And you know, is it $50 billion? Is it $20 billion? Is it $12 billion? What is the amount? We need to know for the sake of the Nigerian people and he has ordered that. So we want it to be independent; we want it to be well done, so that we can lay it to rest.
ZAKARIA: So how do we – how do you solve the problem of corruption?
You’ve been in government twice. You have a reputation for being extremely honest.
What would you do, if you had a magic wand, if you were president, what would you do to get Nigeria to get this cancer out of its system?
OKOJO-IWEALA: Well, you know, Fareed, you know with that, there are no easy answers. But there’s one thing I want to say and repeat. No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians. Everyone has to be committed from the top to the bottom to fight it.
And I think there are two key things that need to be done all along, and it’s not just in Nigeria. It’s in many developing countries that you need to do this.
But in our country, you need to, coupled with – by all means pursue those who are corrupt, punish them, you know, make sure there’s no impunity. But that has to be coupled with something which doesn’t get as much attention, which is building institutions. It’s unglamorous; it’s work that takes time, but we have to do it. We have to put it in place.
ZAKARIA: I have to ask you a question that is not part of directly your portfolio, but it is your government.
Nigeria has always had laws banning homosexuality. But you advanced a further law which criminalized it so that somebody who is gay would have to spend 14 years in prison.
You also have passed – the law says that people who are in some way promoting gay clubs or gay discussion would be imprisoned for 10 years. This seems an assault on a minority’s rights. It also seems an assault on free speech.
Why is Nigeria doing this?
OKOJO-IWEALA: Well, let me say this, Fareed, that, you know, we’re here in the U.S. And it took 40 to 50 years or more under conversation of, you know, the gay community to get where the U.S. is.
I think that, you know, we need a conversation in the country. We need evolution. Ninety-six percent of people support these laws, but I think we need to unpack the laws, for them to see, you know, between being a gay person and between same-sex marriage because the two are compounded in people’s minds and there’s a strong sentiment against same-sex marriage, just as you had here before.
And it’s still evolving. I think it’s a question of conversation, discussion, evolution, education and engagement over time, just as happened in this country and in Europe. It’s not something that happened overnight. So I would say withhold judgment and let us work on this.
ZAKARIA: Madam Finance Minister, pleasure to have you on.
OKOJO-IWEALA: Thank you.
ZAKARIA: And we will be back.
End.
Ekiti State commissioner arrested for beating up NYSC member
Olaosebikan (pictured above), who is also the Chairman, NYSC board in the state, was seen at the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, making his statement.
Olaosebikan allegedly beat up a youth corps member, Mr. Thompson Enobong, NYSC number EK/13c/1859, who is one of the NYSC members assisting INEC in the just-concluded registration.Enobong was subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Ido Ekiti, where he is said to be receiving treatment.
Olaosebikan, however, denied beating up the corps member, saying he merely protected him.
Vanguard also gathered that a soldier, Private Clement John is being interrogated by the police for disrupting the exercise in Emure Ekiti.
The soldier, who claimed to be serving in an Army unit in Borno State, was reportedly over powered by others at the registration unit and handed over to the police. John has equally been transferred to Ado Ekiti for further investigation.
Also one Paul Ezekiel was arrested in Ikere Ward 2 for allegedly threatening officials of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, during the rush for registration.
Spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Victor Babayemi, who confirmed the two cases, said the soldier would be handed over to the Army formation in Ondo State to ascertain whether or not he is a soldier.
Meanwhile, the Director-General, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement, PAAM, the political organisation of one of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial aspirants, Bisi Kolawole, has called on the relevant authorities to protect NYSC members.
Source: Vanguard
Monday 17 March 2014
Friday 14 February 2014
Stop sleeping in public, PDP Chairman To SGF Anyim Pius Anyim
"Mr. Anyim, I hope you have not started doing what you like doing best,” Mu'azu said, the laughter that followed from the audience woke up the sleeping SGF.Mr Ayim is said to have a history of sleeping in meetings.While he was in the senate house under the leadership of the late Chief Chuba Okadigbo, he interrupted the late leader during his speech after waking up spontaneously from his sleeping and decided to offer a suggestion. When asked what was being discussed, he smiled and all the senators burst out laughing
The Jonathans wish Nigerians a happy Valentine's Day with new pic
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