The Ondo state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been sealed by the State Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s decamping to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues tearing the party apart in the state as the State Command of the Police yesterday sealed the party’s State Secretariat, following the dissolution of the state working committee and their rejection of the national body’s decision. No fewer than 12 policemen have been deployed to the secretariat in Akure, the capital city, to prevent breakdown of law and order, who turned back all staff of the secretariat yesterday, reports say. Police Public Relations…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Speaker House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal has finally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following months of speculations. According to online news medium Premium Times, Tambuwal made the announcement at Tuesday’s House plenary as required by law. The Speaker had for a long time denied he was leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), apparently for fear of losing his seat at the House, as PDP still holds majority seat. A close associate of Tambuwal however assured Vanguard that he will not resign. “He is going to announce it in plenary and he will not resign as speaker and he…
Former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has accused Nigerians of promoting insurgency in the Northeast just as he proffered solutions on how to end the intractable crisis in the North-East of Nigeria. The former CSO, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of a non-governmental organization, Al-Mustapha Peace, Unity and Development Initiative (APUDI), made this known while addressing newsmen at a pre-conference on “Community Conflict and Youth Militancy in Northern Nigeria: Challenge of a Democratic Practice”, in Abuja on Monday. Al Mustapha said it is a fact that because…
The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the South-West, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, has faulted the hastiness with which the Federal Government announced the purported ceasefire deal with Boko Haram, saying that time was not yet ripe for it. Atilade, who is the founder, Christian Welfare Initiative (CWI), also reiterated the resolve of the association for a Christian governor in Lagos State come 2015, stating that it is non-negotiable and “enough is enough”. Speaking at the quarterly press briefing of CWI, which is the umbrella group for all Christian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Surulere, Lagos State, yesterday, the South-West…
Ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s formal declaration to contest the 2015 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, some House of Representatives members in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have vowed to go to court to challenge his eligibility. The president last week, indicated his intention to seek re-election and went a step further to set up a presidential declaration committee chaired by former Minister of Defence, Bello Haliru. Disclosing the plan to drag President Jonathan to court, one of the APC lawmakers, Hon. Nasiru Sule Garo, representing Gwarzo/Ikabo Federal Constituency of Kano State, said the…
A former Governor of Kaduna State now representing Kaduna North Senatorial District, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, has denied speculations that he is planning to dump the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Makarfi, who denied the rumor gaining grounds among politicians in the state, re-affirmed his loyalty to the PDP while submitting his nomination form to re-contest 2015 senatorial election in Kaduna yesterday. The senator, who was accompanied by several party supporters to Kaduna State secretariat of the PDP, said: “I am among the founding-fathers of the PDP and I have no intention to…
Immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has given reasons why he did not ban Okada operations in the state during his eight year tenure. Speaking during the one-year memorial service of Mother Lucy Okoli-Ogudebe, mother of Uche Ekwunife, at St. Barnabas Anglican Church, Igboukwu, yesterday, Obi said the state’s socio-economic indices did not support the ban. Some states have restricted the operations of Okada riders while others out rightly banned them for security reasons. But Obi, who revealed that he came under immense pressure to ban Okada as a means of transportation when he was governor, explained…
Popular Nollywood actress, Ini Edo has added another feather to being a screen diva. The beautiful actress who recently had a messy separation from herAmerican-based Nigerian businessman husband, Philip Ehiagwina, with her bride-price returned, has shown that whatever happens, life goes on. The Nigerian actress who began her film career in the year 2000, and has featured in more than 50 movies since that time has built a magnificent home fit for a star that she really is. According to E247Mag, the Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Calabar has bought herself a N70m home in Lekki, Lagos, a…
Lawmakers in Abuja on Monday decried the high cost of the forms for expression of interest and nomination for the 2015 general elections being sold by political parties in the country. Umar Jubril, APC-Kogi, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the costs of the forms would make qualified politicians to shelve their ambitions. Mr. Jubril said that although parties used the sale as means of raising funds, it also contributed to the high cost of political campaigns in the country. Similarly, Aminu Jonathan, PDP-Plateau, said the cost and high cost of campaigns made the practice of democracy an exclusive…
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has advocated a return to parliamentary system of government, saying it will be in the best interest of the country and Nigerians. He argued that the Nigerian political environment was not yet mature for a presidential system of government. He made this position known at the inauguration of the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Secretariat on Monday. According to the governor, the best form of government for all nascent democracies is a parliamentary system of government because the presidential system of government, which Nigeria is practicing, has a…
Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, the Forum of Former Deputy Governors in Nigeria has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office. The ex-deputy governors called on Jonathan to publicly declare his intention to run for re-election in 2015 to put to rest, the anxiety of concerned Nigerians on the matter. Speaking on Monday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, Secretary-General of the Forum, Dr. Christopher Ekpenyong, said the resolution by the Peoples Democratic Party to adopt Jonathan as its sole candidate was a welcome development. Ekpenyong, a former Akwa Ibom State deputy governor, noted that Jonathan’s…
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Laurent Fabius, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to defend Nigeria and Africa’s image by conducting credible polls in 2015. The minister made the call in Abuja on Monday when he and his German counterpart, Dr. Frank Seinmeier, led a delegation to a courtesy visit on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega. Fabius said the delegation visited the commission because of INEC’s responsibility to conduct credible elections by 2015. “We congratulate your institution for the way you handled general elections in 2011 and more recently the current elections. “Now…
Governor of Adamawa State, Barr. Bala James Ngilari, has suspended all executives of Gombi Local Government Area of the state for alleged gross misappropriation of public funds. News of the suspension was contained in a press statement issued by Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Andrew Welye. According to the statement, evidence of gross misappropriation of public funds was established against the executives in an audit report on the Local Government submitted to the state government. The statement read, “Adamawa State Governor, Bala James Ngilari, has suspended the Gombi Local Government council with immediate effect pending further investigations of gross…
There are reports that Nigerian singer, Wizkid was arrested in Kenya, over the weekend, for allegedly smoking weed, according to Kenyan publication Standard Digital. According to Standard Digital news, the music star was arrested at his Nairobi Crown Plaza hotel after things took a different turn when he was confronted by the hotel’s staff. Here’s Standard Digital reports below; “Visiting Nigerian singer Wizkid was arrested from his Nairobi Crown Plaza Hotel room on Saturday afternoon and quizzed by police only hours before his flight back to Lagos. The arrest was in connection with allegations that he was caught smoking illegal substances. The incident happened at around…
Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal may today decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to reports citing the division of the Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). If Tambuwal does decamp, it will offer him the opportunity to vie for the governorship ticket on the platform of the APC. Already, the party has planned an extraordinary convention for October 29, where the party is expected to amend its constitution to give room for last minute decampees like Tambuwal to be able to contest election under the party’s umbrella. The APC is expected to scrap the…
The war of words between Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the Presidency took a dramatic turn on Monday as the governor not only threw the toga of rascality back at the Presidency, he reminded it that President Goodluck Jonathan is not his ‘Prefect’. He also maintained that the Presidency cannot threaten him of sanctions for criticizing the president for not attracting developmental projects to the Rivers. The Presidency had on Sunday angrily reacted to a claim made by Amaechi that the cause of the sour relationship between him and the Presidency was because President Jonathan hates Rivers people…
The Rivers State Government has reacted to a statement by the Presidency over Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s allegations at the mega rally to mark the seventh anniversary of his Supreme Court victory, saying instead of resulting to name calling, the Presidency should address the issues raised. Following Amaechi’s statement at the rally, where he said the president hates the state and has been hampering its progress, Special Adviser, Media & Publicity to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati described Amaechi as a rascal and warned him there were consequences to his utterances, including legal actions. Rivers State Commissioner for Information and…
We witness lots of our entertainers coming out to declare their intentions for politics in Nigeria and one of such people is Ace comedian — Julius Agwu. The comedian, author and actor declared his intention to run for a Governorship position in Rivers State for 2015. While chatting with Toke Makinwa on HipTV’s show ‘Trending’, Julius however states that since he declared his intention to run for Governor of Rivers State he has been receiving offers from people to join their groups in order for him to achieve success in the forthcoming elections. Julius, who intends to take over from…
Former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of running a government of ‘clientelism’, benefiting only his cronies. Atiku spoke through the Director-General, Atiku Campaign Organisation, Prof. Babalola Borishade at a press conference held at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, ahead of a two-day Atiku Abubakar policy review summit. “Clientelism refers to the awarding of personal favours among patrimonial cronies. These favours take the form of public sector jobs, appointments, distribution of resources through licences, contracts and tax wavers,” he said. “Corruption, nepotism and official impunity have brought our country down to the bottom 3 per cent in…
A Coalition of Northern Youths on Monday in Kaduna State flayed deposed Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Mustapha Jokolo, for advising President Goodluck Jonathan to drop Vice President Namadi Sambo as his running mate in 2015 presidential election or risk committing political suicide by retaining him. The youths described the comments as “uncharitable”. National President and Secretary of CNY, Dr. Mohammed Gwandu and David Shandom respectively, in a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna on Monday said it was “unfortunate” such a comment was coming from the deposed emir. The group noted that ordinarily, it wouldn’t have replied Jokolo but for the…