No need to go watch ‘The Wedding Party 2’ in cinemas, here’s what’s going to happen

Nigeria; the most populous black nation in the world, the country whose president has more Ghost than Starz‘ Power and, the country that has turned social media into cinema.

Free cinema.

And what’s more, we have figured out how to make less from the sequel of a movie that has gone on to become the highest-grossing Nollywood movie at the box office
How? You ask. The undefeated power of social media, that is!

*Drumroll*

Yes, we do it for the culture.

Because it is so hard, to keep the daily activities on set out of Instagram.

Why then, should anyone pay to see this movie when they already know the plot.

Wait, you don’t?

C’mon, if you own one social media account, then you must already know the plot of The Wedding Party 2

OMG!!! Notorious Cult Group, Badoo, kills Family Of Five Including A Pregnant Woman In Ikorodu…See Graphic Photos!

Notorious Cult Group, Badoo, allegedly killed a family of five including a pregnant woman at Itamaga behind radio in the Ikorodu area of Lagos state.

Reports are that the cult members killed the pregnant woman, opened up her womb and went away with her fetus on the early hours of Sunday, 28th of May. They are known for using a grounding stone to attack their victims and have been behind the killing of families in this area for the last two months.

Sanders Battles To Claw Back Clinton

Bernie Sanders will try to claw back Hillary Clinton’s lead in the race for the Democratic nomination for the US presidency on Saturday in caucus votes in Washington state, Hawaii and Alaska.

Mr Sanders remains a dogged pursuer but Mrs Clinton has 1,691 of the 2,383 delegates needed to win, AP reports.
He is still attracting tens of thousands to his rallies, on Friday calling for a “political revolution”.
Mrs Clinton pointed out she has “2.6 million more votes” than Mr Sanders.
Saturday’s voting is just for the Democratic nomination.
Bigger battles ahead
Mr Sanders has spent the week on the west coast, rallying support among liberals and the left-wing.
Late on Friday in Seattle’s Safeco baseball stadium, he repeated key elements of his policy platform, urging economic equality and universal health care.
He said: “Real change historically always takes place from the bottom on up when millions of people come together. We need a political revolution!”
Mr Sanders is trying to build on overwhelming victories in Tuesday’s caucuses in Idaho and Utah.
However, he also suffered defeat in Arizona, and although his delegate haul from the three states was 20 higher than Mrs Clinton, he has failed to make major inroads into her lead.
Mrs Clinton has also been campaigning in Washington state. She told supporters in Everett: “We are on the path to the nomination, and I want Washington to be part of how we get there.”
She also focused on this week’s deadly attacks in Brussels, condemning Republican rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz for their “reckless” foreign policies.
Opinion polls are scarce and tricky in caucus elections – a series of meetings in which voters give their support for candidates with an open show of hands.
However, Mr Sanders has used his appeal with grassroots activists to benefit from the voting system in the past. He has done particularly well among young voters.
Washington is the biggest prize, with 101 pledged delegates available. Hawaii has 25 delegates at stake and Alaska 16.
Whatever happens on Saturday, the battle will be won and lost in far bigger states still to come. In RealClearPolitics poll averages, Mrs Clinton has the lead over Mr Sanders by nine percentage points in California, 34 points in New York and 28 in Pennsylvania.
Calculations suggest Mr Sanders may need to win two-thirds of the remaining delegates – in primaries, caucuses and among so-far uncommitted super-delegates – the unelected officials who can vote for their candidate of choice at the party’s election convention.

Birnin Kebbi Central Market On Fire

The Birnin Kebbi Central Market has been gutted by fire in the early hours of Saturday, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports.

A NAN correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident on Saturday, reports that property worth millions of naira was destroyed but no life was lost.

Alhaji Abubakar Bandam, the chairman of the central market management, who told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi that the fire was noticed at about 12:00 mid night, explained that the source of the inferno was yet to be determined.

He said the management of the market was working closely with security agencies to identify the cause, just as he commended the state Department of Fire Service for its prompt response.
Alhaji Bello Zagga, the state Director of Fire Service, told NAN that the fire lasted for several hours because the firefighting vans did not have easy access to the spot of the inferno.

He said although the source of the fire was yet to be identified, suspected sources could be illegal electrical wiring and connections in shops.

NAN reports that officials from the state government, led by the Chief of Staff of the government house, Alhaji Suleiman Argungu, and the Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Mohammad Bashar, visited the scene to sympathies with traders who lost their goods. (NAN).

Another prophet gives el-Rufai ultimatum

Popular Nigerian cleric, Dr Chris Okafor has told Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state that he has about eight more days to retract his impending Religious Bill or face the wrath of God.

Speaking at his Liberation City Church headquarters on Sunday, March 20, the clergyman read out the details of the proposed bill from a mobile phone before screaming: “El Rufai, Herod, leave the church alone!”

The pastor stated that the bill is potentially anti-christian and warned that El Rufai was only being used to test run something that would later become a bigger plan to Islamize Nigeria.

Speaking further, the cleric said that if el-Rufai is left to go ahead with the bill unchallenged, about five other governors from the north will follow suit before other states in the region embrace it, and the whole country by extension.

“It will not happen in my time…it will not happen in your time…it will not be on record that it happened in my time…No! It will not happen!”  the cleric declared to a thunderous applause from the congregation.

“El Rufai take time! God is angry with you! You have 14 days to reverse that law or the wrath of God will come against you! You should count it, 14 days from today (March 20, 2016), he has 14 days to reverse and invalidate that law… if he refuses to do so, he should expect the wrath of God to visit him!” he added.

He also told journalists after the meeting that, “I prayed very well, and the Lord told me to go ahead and warn El Rufai. And I want you all to count 14 days from the day of the prophecy (March 20, 2016). If he does not retrace his steps and abandon that bill, God will take steps to honor His words. 14 days! Please count it.”

Recall that the popular cleric also recently brought a dead baby back to life.

Brussels Deadly Attacks: Airport Bombing Suspect ‘Arrested’

The suspected ISIS bomb maker behind the Brussels terror attacks, Najim Laachraoui has been arrested in Anderlecht according to reports. Najim Laachraoui is believed to be the mystery third bomber seen on CCTV at the Belgium capital's Zaventem airport just moments before two huge bombs tore through the check-in area, killing about 32 people.

A key suspect in the attacks in Brussels has been arrested, Belgian media say, quoting judicial sources.

Najim Laachraoui, thought to be the man on the right in a CCTV image taken before the Zaventem airport attack, was detained in the Anderlecht area.

Two of the other attackers have been named in Belgian media as the brothers Khalid and Brahim el-Bakraoui.

Twin explosions at the airport and another at a metro station on Tuesday left about 34 dead and 250 wounded.

There has been no official confirmation of the latest arrest or the identity of any of the attackers.

Laachraoui is believed to be the bomb maker behind the Paris terror in November and an Isil commander. He was one of Europe’s most wanted men who gave police the slip last year when he returned from Syria.

Anti-Saraki Senators back down

Some All Progressives Congress senators who opposed the election of Bukola Saraki as Senate President, held a rare meeting Tuesday with Mr. Saraki’s key supporters from the same party, casting aside differences that for months polarised the ruling party’s senate caucus.

The meeting between the anti-Saraki group’s so-called Unity Forum and pro-Saraki’s Like Minds, had in attendance 10 senators – five from each of the two camps. It took place at the Asokoro residence of Aliyu Wammako, a former Sokoto State governor.

Mr. Wamakko confirmed that the talks held.

The two sides had for months opposed the other, with some members of Unity Group pushing for Mr. Saraki’s removal.
The two groups emerged in the run up to the election of the Senate’s principal officers.

Mr. Saraki won the top seat in defiance of his party, APC’s decision to support his challenger, Ahmed Lawan.

Unity Forum’s most outspoken member, Kabiru Marafa, recently called for Mr. Saraki’s in view of the senate president’s ongoing trial for alleged false declaration of assets.

Tuesday’s meeting had in attendance Mr. Lawan, Mr. Marafa, Gbenga Ashafa, and Suleiman Hukunyi as part of the group’s team.

One the other side, the Like Minds were represented by Danjuma Goje, Mr. Wammako, Sani Yerima, Kabiru Gaya and Adamu Aliero.

Speaking exclusively at the end of the meeting which ended around 6.50 PM, Mr. Wammako said the meeting was held to end the crisis that hit the APC caucus following Mr. Saraki’s emergence as senate president.

He said it was high time the Senators belonging to the ruling party agreed to work together in the interest of Nigeria and to support President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Effectively the meeting has brought an end to crisis in the Senate between APC Senators who now support the Senate President, Bukola Saraki,” Mr. Wamako said.

This development came ahead of Mr. Saraki’s day at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Thursday when the tribunal is expected to rule on his motion for the dismissal of the case against him on grounds of procedural error.

Another Senator, a member of the Unity Forum, who attended the meeting but asked that his identity be protected, said the meeting had three outcomes and that both sides agreed “to have a united APC caucus”.

The Senator said the first outcome was that the composition of Senate committees be reviewed to conform with the Standing Rules of the Senate.

He said an upward review of the number of the committees must follow due process as prescribed the section 60 of the Senate Rules.

The second point, he said, was that committees should also be reconstituted to “favour APC Senators”.

He said it was finally agreed that the APC caucus henceforth be “loyal to our party and be committed to its objectives”.

“The number three point is the supremacy of our party, loyalty to our leaders and support for President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

He said the “the meeting was held in the interest our party and Nigeria”.

Asked if the meeting was held to settle the longstanding Saraki row, he said, “It is beyond Saraki”. But he added that “there is no crisis between us again”.

“This man (Saraki) is in court and anything can happen.

“So APC Senators must come together and unite; otherwise, if anything happens to Saraki in the court PDP Senators who are very united may take over the Senate.

“And that would be a very great disservice to our party, the President and Nigerians who voted for change.

“So, we are now uniting like PDP Senators and are settling our differences,” the Senator said.

Amaechi came noisily, left quietly — Wike

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday March 22nd, said his predecessor who is now Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi,  was disgraced during the rerun elections held in the state over the weekend as he, Amaechi, came in noisily but left the state quietly as the results from the election showed the people were for PDP and not for Amaechi's APC.  Wike said this while addressing his party faithfuls at the government house.

“Amaechi plot to rig the rerun elections was for him to rubbish the Supreme Court Judgement. He came back to the state noisily, but left quietly and shamefully. No Army is stronger than the people. No police is stronger than our people. How many times will they cancel elections for the APC. Amaechi is not on ground in Rivers State. Those who were overzealous during the rerun elections did so without the knowledge of the president“he said

Fayose: Burahi not in God favour

Following the violence and maiming that characterized last Saturday's rerun election in Rivers state, Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, says God is angry with Buhari. Fayose said this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja yesterday March 22nd. He said:

"I am telling you the truth. Power doesn’t come from anywhere. God rules in the affairs of men. Oppressing, bringing and cutting people down, taking their blood, God is angry. The way this government is taking people down, God is angry. God isn’t happy. Go to Rivers, they kill people. Go to Akwa Ibom, they kill people. Go to Bayelsa, they kill people, incarcerate innocent people. God is angry with Buhari. 

You can’t continue to take the blood of the innocent. Look at my predictions for the year 2016 for Nigeria, everything has come to pass. This is a different ball game. He that will take me, he that will go against me must first of all defeat God. If these were the kind of violence that greeted Buhari’s election would he ever be president?”he said

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger praises Iwobi after scoring for Arsenal

Arsenal head coach, Arsene Wenger, has lavished praise on youngster and nephew to Jay Jay Okocha, Alex Iwobi, after the Nigerian International scored his first premier league goal against Everton last night.

After a good performance against Barcelona in the mid-week champions league fixture, Iwobi scored a goal in the 42nd minute in Saturday's win over Everton and Wenger was quick to praise his passionate display.

“He’s an intelligent boy who loves football. He’s very passionate about the game and keen to learn. Very hungry as well,”Wenger told reporters. “I took him in training at the beginning of pre-season and I liked what he did. “After that he improved very quickly with the first team and months after months he developed very well, and that’s why I integrated him and played him.” Iwobi will head to Kaduna this weekend to link up with his international teammates ahead of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt.

4 deaths in Rivers election, confirmed as Army explains arrest of SSG

The Nigeria Police have confirmed that four people were killed during the re-run elections in Rivers State on Saturday.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone Six, Calabar, Adisa Bolanta, said four deaths were recorded while 22 persons were arrested during the elections.

Mr. Bolanta disclosed this on Sunday at a joint security news conference in Port Harcourt.

He said the suspects were being interrogated on allegations of criminal or electoral offences.

He said deployments made by the police assisted in reducing election-related offences.

Also, the Commander of 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Stephenson Olabanji, confirmed the arrest of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government.

Also confirmed to have been arrested is a Special Assistant to the governor.

Mr. Olabanji, a Brigadier General, said both men were arrested in Gokana and Khana Local Government Area on Saturday for allegedly committing electoral offences.

“Many people were arrested yesterday for disrupting the electoral process and the law is not meant for just the lower cadre alone.

“No matter who you are, if you go against the law, you will definitely face the music.

“So, there is nothing like being Secretary to the State Government; many people were arrested as you have been told; a lot of people were arrested,” he said.

Mr. Olabanji denied claims by the state government that some commissioners and other top officials were manhandled by the Army during the re-run elections.

At a separate event, Governor Nyesom Wike said the Peoples Democratic Party, would win Saturday’s re-run legislative elections in the state because it prepared for it.

Mr. Wike told journalists in Port Harcourt that when the elections of the legislators were annulled in December, the party commenced preparations for re-run.

He said that the party began campaigns and started working hard to win the elections because it was on ground.

The governor confirmed that the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani, and a Special Assistant, Cyril Wite, were arrested by the Army.

Mr. Wike said the government officials wanted to ensure that election materials were moved to polling units when they were arrested. He said it would be difficult to rig elections in the state because the people would resist the attempt.

According to him, when somebody is not popular and attempts to rig the election, the people will say no to such move.

He alleged that some people were creating problems to make the Federal Government declare a state of emergency in the state.

Mr. Wike said that such ploy would not work, because the PDP was more popular in the state.

He urged the media not to be emotional or sentimental while reporting events in the state, because such stories create wrong impression.

Radda takes Over as New DG of SMEDAN

 The newly appointed director-general of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Dr Dikko Umaru Radda has assumed duty as the Chief Executive Officer of the Agency.

Dr Radda who was until his present appointment was the Chief of Staff to the Katsina State Governor was on Monday appointed to head SMEDAN by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a press statement issued by head of public communications, SMEDAN, Ibrahim Mohammed yesterday in Abuja the new director general was received by the director, Enterprise Development and Promotion of the Agency, Mr Olawale Fasanya and other directors of the Agency and was introduced to the various heads of departments.

In a short speech during the briefing by management of SMEDAN, Dr Radda thanked the management for the warm reception accorded him and solicited for the managements support and cooperation towards achieving the mandate of the agency.

He also stated that he came to the agency with an open mind and to work for the development of the MSME sub sector of the economy.

“I am here to work and together we shall all help the President to achieve the Change mantra which he has been his major agenda since he assumed office as President,” he added.

According to the statement, Dr Radda is an astute politician, teacher and banker with wide administrative experience was born on 10th September 1969 in Hayingada-Dutsinma local government area of Katsina State.

He started his early school at Radda Primary school from 1974-1980.

He joined the College of Education, Kafanchan in 1986-1980, obtaining MCE certificate.

He enrolled into Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi in 1992-1996, graduated with B-Tech.Agric Economic and Extension (Hons), then gained postgraduate admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria In 1998-2004 obtaining MSC Agric Extension and Rural Sociology 2004.

In his quest for higher education, he later enrolled again at the ABU Zaria in 2005 for a Masters in International Affairs and Diplomacy and later capped it with a PHD in Agricultural extension and Rural Sociology from same prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 2015.

Radda possesses extensive working experience. He was a class room teacher between 1989-1999. He worked as a Banker with FSB International Bank between 1999-2003.

He was Executive Chairman Charanchi local government area of Katsina State between Jan 2005 and April 2007. He was appointed Caretaker Committee Chairman, Charanchi LGA in May 2007.

Other appointments he has held are Senior Legislative Aide NASS, Abuja, 2012-2014, National Welfare Society (APC), June 2014- July 2015.

China Central Bank Pumps More Money Into Market

China’s central bank on Friday in Beijing pumped more money into the market to ease liquidity strain.
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) conducted 16.9 billion dollars, of seven-day “The reverse repo’’ reverse repurchase agreements.

A statement by PBOC said that through this process, the central bank would purchase securities from banks with an agreement to resell them in the future.

The reverse repo, the largest single-day operation this month, was priced to yield 2.25 per cent, unchanged from Thursday’s injection of 40 billion yuan.

The move followed a week-long rise in money-market rates as commercial lenders start to hoard cash to meet quarter-end regulatory reserves.

In Friday’s interbank market, the benchmark overnight Shanghai Interbank Offered Rate (Shibor), which measures the cost at which Chinese banks lend to one another, climbed by 2 basis points to 1.99 per cent, the highest level this month.

Bank marketer who absconded with traders’ deposits was nab by the Police

The police in Lagos state says it has arrested one Isiaka Abiodun, a marketer with a commercial bank branch in Okota, Lagos, who reportedly absconded with a sum of N309, 000 collected as deposits from traders.

Abiodun, 28, had collected the sum from one Mrs. Nneka Eze, a trader in Lekki, and two others, identified only as Ebulu and Chidera.

Eze, whose deposit was N300, 000, had approached the bank on the alleged fraud and had subsequently reported the crime to the company through which Abiodun was employed.

The suspect had obtained the sum from the traders sometime in July 2015 and disappeared from the bank in November when the fraud was discovered.

The Chief Security Officer of the firm, whose name was not mentioned, consequently reported the case at the Ajah Police Division who disclosed that the suspect was later tracked down to his house on March 7, 2016, The Punch gathered.

According to Abiodun’s statement to the police, he used the money to pay the medical bill of his mother who had a stroke. He said he intended to refund the money in installments from his salaries, adding that he had repaid N50, 000.

Abiodun said, “I am a contract worker with the bank and I have been working there for three years. It is true that I collected N309, 000 from the bank customers, but I used the money to treat my mother who had a stroke.

“I travelled in November to attend to her. I have paid N50, 000 to the bank. I intend to pay the balance in installment from my salary,” Abiodun noted.

Meanwhile, Inspector I. Okeke, a police prosecutor at a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court on Monday arraigned the suspect on one count charge of stealing.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendant had confessed to the offence, which is punishable under Section 285 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Abiodun pleaded not guilty and was subsequently was granted bail by the presiding magistrate, Mr. A. Adefulire, in the sum of N400, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate adjourned the case till April 20, 2016, ruling that the sureties must tender evidence of tax payments and details of their residential addresses to the court for verification.

Nigeria mosque targeted in suicide bomb attack

Two women blow themselves up at mosque in Maiduguri – command centre for military’s war against Boko Haram

At least 22 people are dead after an attack by two female suicide bombers on a mosque on the outskirts of Maiduguri in north-east Nigeria, rescue officials have said.

One bomber blew herself up inside the mosque and the second waited outside to detonate as survivors tried to escape, said Abba Aji, a coordinator from the civilian self-defence Vigilante Group.

At least 17 people were taken to the hospital, an emergency services official said.

Umar Usman said he escaped injury because he was late. “We were just a few metres away from the mosque when a loud bang erupted and all we could see was dark smoke and bodies littered around,” he said.

The mosque is in the Boko Haram stronghold of Umarari on the outskirts of the city, which is a command centre for the Nigerian military’s war against Boko Haram Islamic insurgents. In recent months, suicide bombers have blown themselves up at roadblocks manned by the military and vigilantes that lead into the city, indicating success in preventing attackers from reaching crowded areas.

Wednesday’s attack during dawn prayers is the first attack on Maiduguri since 28 December, when Boko Haram killed at least 50 people in an operation involving rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers.

Abacha loot: Switzerland returns $723 million to Nigeria in 10 years

The Swiss government has confirmed that it has so far returned $723 million (about N142.43 billion) of stolen funds ceased from the family of the late former head of state, Sani Abacha, to the Nigerian government over the last 10 years.

The amount excludes $321million (about N63.24 billion) which the Swiss authorities recently said recently it was planning to repatriate to Nigeria.

These details are contained in the agreement signed on March 8, 2016 in Abuja by representatives of the Swiss Federal Council and the Nigerian government.

The agreement, titled “Letter of Intent on the restitution of illegally-acquired assets forfeited in Switzerland,” was signed by Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Swiss Head of Foreign Affairs Department, Didier Burkhalter.

The document, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, reveals that $321 million acquired illicitly by the Abacha family, was initially deposited in Luxemburg before being confiscated by the Swiss Republic Judiciary and Canton of Geneva following a December 11, 2014 forfeiture order.

The agreement says funds to be returned to Nigeria would contribute to the implementation of social programmes for the benefit of the Nigerian people in “an efficient and accountable way, guaranteed by a monitoring by World Bank”.

Acknowledging the cooperation of Switzerland and Nigeria as an excellent opportunity to fight against corruption at domestic and international levels, the signatories to the agreement recalled the long partnership by their two countries in asset recovery based the principles of national interest, trust and mutual respect.

Considering Chapter V of the UN Convention against corruption, which is the international legal framework for asset recovery, the signatories also drew attention to Article 51 of the document that states afford each other measures of cooperation and assistance.

The agreement also emphasized the need for the process of repatriation of the stolen funds to be undertaken based on international best practices of transparency and accountability in a manner that satisfy the scrutiny of civil society and the international community.

The signatories affirmed, among others, their intention to maintain a fruitful cooperation based on trust and respect in order to enable transparent and efficient use of the funds for the benefits of the Nigerian people.

They also agreed to ensure that the deployment of the funds was monitored by the World Bank in line with separate forfeiture orders issued by the Swiss Public Prosecutor and the Canton of Geneva on December 11, 2014.

The two countries pledged to maintain regular exchanges and constructive engagements towards the conclusion of the processes necessary for the final return of the looted funds to Nigeria, adding that the letter of intent, which does not impose any legally binding obligation, would continue to provide the basis for their cooperation.

“The implementation of the present letter of Intent between the Signatories (Swiss and Nigerian governments) is guided by the principle of ethics, mutual respect and cooperation,” the agreement stated.

Rivers Government writes China for intervention, Rerun elections

The Rivers State Government has sent a letter to the Peoples Republic of China, asking for diplomatic intervention over the re-run legislative election scheduled for this weekend.

In a letter signed by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Austin Tam-George, and obtained by DAILY POST, the Rivers State government said it was not unaware of the plan by the ruling All Progressives Congress to rig the election.

Tam-George in a plethora of accusations against the national Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and other leaders of the party, wants the Chinese government to be observatory about the activities of the APC.

The letter bellow:

RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT NOTIFIES DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS OF THREAT TO NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY GOVERNMENT OF

RIVERS STATE OF NIGERIA:
Office of the Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Information and Communication

14th March 2016

The President of the Peoples Republic of China Thro:
The Ambassador,
Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China
Plot 302/303, Central Business Area,
Abuja,

Your Excellency,

Grave Threat to Peace and Stability in Rivers State, Nigeria

I write on behalf of the Government and people of Rivers State, Nigeria, to inform you respectfully of the imminent danger posed to the peace and stability of Rivers State, by the actions and provocative utterances of the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the run-up to the re-run legislative polls billed for the 19th of March 2016 in Rivers State, leaders of the APC, notably, Mr Dakuku Peterside, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, and others, have resorted to intimidatory
tactics and are openly inciting violence against members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and anyone who holds a different political perspective in
the state.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s judgment recently affirming Governor Nyesom Wike as the duly elected governor of Rivers State, among other PDP victories, the APC has ratcheted up its dangerous rhetoric.

In a widely publicized media interview, Chief John Oyegun the National Chairman of the APC has castigated the integrity of the Justices of the Supreme Court, declaring, “Something is fundamentally wrong in the judiciary”.

Oyegun also made the bizarre suggestion that all oil-producing states of the Niger Delta region were prized assets to be acquired at all costs by the APC.

“We have lost very important resource-rich states to the PDP. No matter how crude oil prices have fallen, it is still the most important revenue earner for the
country”, Chief Oyegun said.

In Chief Oyegun’s company was Mr Dakuku Peterside, the defeated Rivers State APC governorship candidate, who seemed to use the meeting to incite the military and the FederalGovernment against the people of Rivers State.

Among the demands of Dakuku Peterside and the Rivers State APC was the purge of alleged sympathizers “of the immediate-past federal government administration in the leadership of  security agencies, especially in the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.”

This absolutist politics of the APC is not only a direct threat to democracy in Nigeria, but seems to be a manifesto for the open politicization of the security forces of the country.

Dakuku Peterside’s irresponsible call for a politically-motivated “purge” in the security forces will spell disaster for Nigeria.

In a series of media interviews that began with an appearance on “Focus Nigeria”, a TV programme on
African Independent Television (AIT) in Abuja, and with radio stations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister for Transportation in Nigeria, continues to use language that is both inciting and dangerously divisive.
There are media reports, not denied even by the APC, that Mr. Rotimi Amaechi who has threatened to “do battle” with the PDP and the people of Rivers State
during the polls, was accompanied into Port Harcourt last week by over 500 fully-armed military special forces.

Mr Amaechi has himself publicly threatened to “flood” every polling unit in Rivers State with soldiers in a bid to rig the elections in favour of the All
Progressives Congress.

There are Supreme Court judgments that expressly forbid the use of the military in election matters, and at the polling booth. Mr Amaechi’s threat to inject
the military directly into the electoral process in Rivers State is therefore alarmingly dangerous and illegal.

The homes of key leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party are being routinely raided and vandalized by Mr Amaechi’s goons. And plans have already been
perfected to arrest all leaders of the PDP in Rivers State 48 hours to the elections on the 19th of March.

Mr Rotimi Amaechi is an influential cabinet Minister in the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria.

Our repeated appeals to the President to call Mr Amaechi to order have therefore
gone unheeded.

With a population of 4.5 million people, Rivers State is the oil and gas metropolis of Nigeria. The eruption of violence in a State with strong multi-ethnic fault
lines could cripple Nigeria’s ailing economy, and reverberate across the country’s borders.

We therefore call on the Government of the Peoples Republic of China to urgently initiate and maintain diplomatic pressure on the Federal Government of Nigeria to allow free, fair and violence-free elections in Rivers State on the 19th of March 2016.

Yours Sincerely,
Dr. Austin Tam-George.
Commissioner for Information and Communication,
3rd Floor, Podium Block, Rivers State Secretariat
Complex,
Port Harcourt,
Rivers State, Nigeria

Gov. Ambode :Other defective Lekki Gardens buildings to be demolished

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday directed that stability test be conducted on all buildings constructed by Lekki Gardens to ascertain their structural integrity.
Abode said any of the buildings found to be defective will be demolished.
The Governor, who addressed Government House Correspondents at the Lagos House, Ikeja, shortly after inspecting the site of the collapsed building which was under construction by the Lekki Gardens, said the incident, which claimed 34 lives and left several others injured, was “one building collapse too many”.
He said since the unfortunate incident, the state government has taken several steps to stem the tide of building collapse, adding that his administration is determined not to fail in the responsibility of ensuring the safety of lives and property of its citizens.
He said: “The State Government will undertake a stability test on all other buildings constructed by the Developer in the State, whether occupied or not, to ascertain their structural stability.
The Developer will pay the cost of the tests.
“Any building found to be defective would be demolished.
“For those that pass the integrity test, the developer will pay a penalty for any overdevelopment on the site.”
Governor Ambode who commiserated with those who suffered loss and injury as a result of the building collapse said since the incident, the state government has ordered the immediate sealing of the construction site and cessation of further construction, co-ordinated emergency rescue of all injured victims and treatment at its hospitals, prosecution of owners of the collapsed building as well as dismissal of some government officials.
He said the government, going forward, will carry out an audit of all structures in the state to ascertain those with planning approval or not and evaluate the physical development against the approved building plans, adding that details of the plan will be made public soon.
He said: “I want to assure you that there will no longer be any sacred cows.
“If there is failure of duty, there will be sanctions.
“I also want to seize this opportunity to assure Lagosians that the State Government will do everything within its powers to check the excesses of Developers who flout its regulations and will restore efficiency and confidence in the building control and supervision process.”
To this end, Governor Ambode also revealed that a five man committee to examine the Urban and Regional Planning Law of the State as it affects the Lagos State Building Control Agency has been set up.
The Committee is to be chaired by Dr. Moses Olubunmi Ajayi, a past President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners and Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria; while members are Engineer Ore Fadayomi, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Structural engineers; Architect Yetunde O. Ajayi, a retired Permanent Secretary; the General Manager of Lagos State Planning Authority and Secretary of Lagos State Building Control Agency as Secretary of the Committee.
Ambode also charged the committee to examine the operations of LASBCA and make recommendations for changes that will ensure effective service delivery, recommend organizational re-structure and appropriate manpower for effective operation of LASBCA, study the legal and operational issues affecting the functioning of the Materials Testing Laboratory and other matters that will enhance the efficient functioning of the two organizations.
He gave the committee four weeks to submit its report.
He added: “Finally, let me reiterate that Lagos is open to business for those who must comply with the State laws and regulations in order to prosper.
“Our main concern is to continue to improve on the ease of doing business and uphold the Rule of Law at all times.
“Those who choose non-compliance and defiance will henceforth face the full weight of the law without fear or favour.”
Speaking to journalists at the site of the collapsed building, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose, said Governor Ambode and his team were at the site to personally examine the level of damage and determine how best to prevent a reoccurrence going forward.
Anifowose disclosed that integrity test would be conducted on all the structures erected by Lekki Gardens in the area and advised occupiers of other structures constructed by Lekki Gardens to vacate the buildings immediately.
Anifowose said the site of the collapsed structure had been condoned off and that government would take appropriate steps after the conclusion of investigation by the police.
He said: “In the best interest of the occupiers of the other structures, their lives are very important to us as a government and we are appealing to them to vacate the buildings immediately until investigations are completed.
“The gentleman behind Lekki Gardens got approval for ground, first, second and third floors, but after doing the roofing, he removed it and added additional two floors, which caused the building to collapse.
“So, we have to carry out integrity test on the other structures and the cost implication for present occupiers of the other structures to vacate the buildings would be borne by the developer.”

Oliseh, Sports Minister to appear before House of Representative

Former head coach of the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, is expected to appear before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Sports, to answer questions over his shock resignation.

The ex Juventus and Borussia Dortmund midfielder, will be asked to explain his decision to quit the job, with just a month to the crucial double header against Egypt.

Oliseh had accused the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), of failing to support him and owing his salaries.

“Oliseh has been invited by the committee on sports. He is to give his own side of his resignation story,” a top source at the NASS told Vanguard.

Another source said: “You know Oliseh, he will not hold back anything, he will give details of how some top officials made sure they frustrated him because they were not the ones who facilitated his appointment. You should expect him to shoot from the hips.”

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, is also expected to be at the National Assembly for the hearing.

“The Sports Minister has insisted he be part of the committee’s hearing and so he will be in attendance on Thursday,” a sports ministry official said.