A former Governor of Plateau State, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, on Friday berated the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state for disowning him and also for describing him as an “impostor”. The state PDP had in a statement signed by its Secretary, Prince Pam Sale, warned Tapgun and another former Governor of the state now Senator, Chief Joshua Dariye, to stopparading themselves as members of the party, describing them as impostors. “They are those who had left the party to other parties, fought the party in the last elections and today want to contest without being officially received…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has assured that none of the members of the congress will be engaged as thugs by politicians as the country prepares for the 2015 general elections. The OPC chieftain spoke during a meeting with members of the group in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He added that necessary empowerment programmes would be put in place by the group to ensure that its members were meaningfully and economically engaged to earn a living. Otunba Adams noted that substantial amount of money had been set aside for the programme tagged ‘Oodua Economic Empowerment…
The Federal Government has been urged to use the ceasefire agreement purportedly entered into with the Boko Haram sect to ensure that other Nigerians held involuntarily by the insurgents are released alongside the Chibok schoolgirls. A statement signed by Obiageli Ezekwesili, Hadiza Bala Usman, Maryam Uwais and Saudatu Mahdi on behalf of the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy group in Abuja, said they hoped that the abducted 219 girls would be released in a matter of days. The statement reads: “Local and international news media have been awash with news that the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Boko Haram Sect have reached…
The biggest names turned up for the command performance of ‘The Wives’ held on Saturday, October 11, 2014, at Agip Recital Hall of Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. The play, written by Professor Ahmed Yerima was brought to life by iconic actors including Joke Silva, Jide Kosoko, Iretiola Doyle, Kate Henshaw and Lala Akindoju. There were also guest appearances from the likes of accomplished actor and theatre director, Toyin Oshinaike and media entrepreneur, Adebola Williams. The A-list celebrities present at the event include Olu Jacobs, Tunde Kelani, Rita Dominic, Patrick Doyle, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Aduke Gomez and Noble Igwe, retired footballer, Emmanuel Babayaro; Osas Ighodaro, Shade Ladipo, Subomi Plumptre,…
Immediate past Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan not to bow to the antics of those pressurizing him to drop Vice President Namani Sambo as his running mate, ahead of his anticipated formal declaration to seek re-election in 2015. Kalu, who disclosed that he had picked nomination form to run contest the Abia North Senatorial seat under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, described those angling for Sambo’s removal from the 2015 presidential ticket as political jobbers who were only out to create disaffection between the president and his deputy. He said those throwing…
The newly inaugurated Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has accused the All Progressives Congress-dominated state House of Assembly of plotting to frustrate his government. He described the closure of the Assembly on Friday by the Speaker, Adewale Omirin, as the party’s Plan B to frustrate his administration. Fayose, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Information and Social Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, said the closure of the Assembly for one month was to prevent him from appointing commissioners and special advisers as well as presenting and passing of the 2015 budget. The statement read, “After failing to…
Inspite of a purported Ceasefire agreement in place, gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents have attacked two villages in Borno State, a local official has disclosed. The gunmen, in two Hilux vehicles, stormed Maikadiri in Abadam Local Government, in the northern part of Borno on Friday evening, shooting sporadically into villagers’ homes and killed a yet-to-be ascertained number of people. Modu Kaka, a local government official, who spoke from neighboring Niger, said “we lost many people in our village to Boko Haram yesterday, and many people were seriously injured”. He disclosed that the father of the immediate past speaker…
HASSAN TUKUR Ambassador Hassan Tukur is a Principal Secretary to President Goodluck Jonathan. In an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa service monitored in Zaria, Tukur explained how discussion with Boko Haram, in which he is personally involved, began. Excerpts: Can you shed more light on the ceasefire agreement with Boko Haram? All thanks are to Allah. It is now about one month that we sat twice in Chad under the leadership of President Idris Deby with the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad. What we have agreed was that they should cease fire and Nigerian government should also…
After pissing off Nigeria’s president — Goodluck Jonathan that he’s worth about 100 million dollars, Richest Lifestyle might have provoked his wife this time. The site that is dedicated to the lifestyle of celebrities and rich and famous people around the globe, has released the list of the top 10 most beautiful first ladies in Africa. Probably taking a cue from her husband’s recent aversion to being included on lists, Dame Patience Jonathan‘s name is not on the list. The list named Princess Lalla Salma, married to the King of Morocco, Mohammed the VI as the most beautiful first lady in Africa, ahead of nine others.…
Probably the most controversial soccer player of our time, Liverpool striker, Mario Balotelli has laughed off speculations of him having s*x before getting on the football pitch to do his job. Recently speaking with Sport Magazine, The former AC Milan striker, who is yet to find the net for his current club, said: ‘Someone told me recently that I had apparently said that if I have s*x three or four hours before a game, it is working for me on the pitch. Trust me, if I am having s*x four hours before a game I am not able to play. I don’t think…
FILE PHOTO The Federal Government has expended over N1.5 billion on the provision of relief materials to people displaced by activities of insurgents in three states in Northern Nigeria, an official said on Saturday. Muhammed Kanar, the Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, North-East Zone, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the materials were distributed by the committee inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan. He said that the agency had registered thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, affected by activities of insurgents in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. The coordinator said that the agency and other appropriate ministries had met over…
President Goodluck Jonathan has called on all intending Christian Pilgrims to pray for a peaceful, successful conduct of the 2015 election as well as the safe return of the abducted Chibok girls. Jonathan, who was represented by the Senate President, Senator David Mark, made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the inauguration of the 2014 Christian Pilgrimage. The occasion coincided with the airlift of the first batch of 250 Christian pilgrims from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, who would be visiting Israel, Greece and Rome. The president urged them not to forget that the main essence of pilgrimage was…
Yakubu Gowon, a former Nigerian Head of State has revealed that he had no plan to take over the leadership of the country after the July 1966 coup d’etat that caused the death of his predecessor, General Aguiyi Ironsi. “Honestly, it was not my intention to be a Head of State. It was by providence. I never planned to be Head of State. If there was anything I planned to be, it was to rise to be General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army but not becoming the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian armed forces,” said Gowon, during an interactive session on…
Veteran Nollywood star actress — Clarion Chukwura has come forward to reveal her thoughts on Nigerian celebrities going into politics. The mother and actress clearly thinks that they are doing so for monetary benefits. With Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot, Kenneth Okonkwo, Kate Henshaw as well as 9ice, Tony Tetuila among entertainers who have announced their intention to go into politics, Clarion, in a recent exclusive interview with Punch, has come hard against them. She said: – ‘The motive of those who are embracing partisan politics is purely monetary. Let us call a spade a spade. If you tell me that you want to go into…
Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and its leader, Professor Ango-Abdullahi has no right to decide for governors from the region on the issue of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015, argues Chief Sunny Onuesoke, Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in 2007 general elections. In a reaction to the statement credited to the Secretary of NEF, Abdullahi, who said northern governors should be bold to tell Jonathan that he has no right to contest election in 2015 based on a purported agreement on rotation, Onuesoke reminded Abdullahi that the current dispensation was democratic and as such he had no…
Veteran Nollywood star actress — Clarion Chukwura has come forward to reveal her thoughts on Nigerian celebrities going into politics. The mother and actress clearly thinks that they are doing so for monetary benefits. With Nollywood actor, Desmond Elliot, Kenneth Okonkwo, Kate Henshaw as well as 9ice, Tony Tetuila among entertainers who have announced their intention to go into politics, Clarion, in a recent exclusive interview with Punch, has come hard against them. She said: – ‘The motive of those who are embracing partisan politics is purely monetary. Let us call a spade a spade. If you tell me that you want to go into…
As Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon marks his 80th birthday, President Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigeria will forever be indebted to him. In a congratulatory letter to Gowon, ahead of his birthday which comes up on Sunday, Jonathan said that the nation will remain grateful to Gowon for “successfully managing and guiding it through an unfortunate civil war’’. In the letter, signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, Jonathan described Gowon as a worthy, steadfast and iconic feature of Nigerian history. “As you deservedly celebrate this noteworthy anniversary on Oct.…
She might not be her husband’s favorite actress, but she’s still enjoying the results of his hard-work. Annie Idibia has just taken delivery of a customized 24-carat gold plated iPhone today courtesy of MALIVELIHOOD. Malivelihood, a top luxury designer, jeweler, fashionista and entrepreneur, was responsible for the gold-plated microphone delivered to Mavin’s first lady, Tiwa Savage recently and Mrs Idibia has become a client as well. The new phone, a brand new iPhone 6 designed with 24KT Gold and encrusted with Diamond, got the actress and mother of two super excited today as she shared the new phone on her…
Dr Goodluck Jonathan is the best president Nigeria has ever had, the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria’s (TAN) Director of Media, Dr Udenta Udenta has said. “President Jonathan has outperformed all other Nigerian presidents,” Udenta asserted, while speaking with journalists in Abuja on Friday. “We have the facts. We have so far carried out several messages in largest TV networks and no one has countered one of the messages and claims. None of the figures has been countered by even our critics,” he added. According to Udenta, at least 12.2 million Nigerians had endorsed President Jonathan for the 2015 Presidential election,…
As the process leading to the amendment of the 1999 constitution continues, renowned constitutional lawyer, Mr Tunji Abayomi has faulted the approval of the removal of the immunity clause from the Nigerian constitution by the House of Representatives. Members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday endorsed some new amendments to the 1999 constitution, one of the most notable amendment being the removal of the immunity clause, which applies to the president, vice president, governors, and their deputies. “There is no common sense in subjecting the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies to the travails of prosecution while in office,…