Mark, Ekweremadu return to Senate

President of the Senate, David Mark

Senate President, David Mark; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and the Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, have been re-elected into the upper chamber, just as high ranking senators like Smart Adeyemi, Abdul Ningi and Chris Ngige lost their bid to return.

Ngige lost to Uche Ekwunife in Anambra Central; Smart Adeyemi lost to Dino Melaye in Kogi West while Ningi, the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, lost also to the All Peoples Congress candidate in Bauchi Central.

However, Mark who is returning to the Senate for the fifth time scored 99,538 votes to defeat his counterpart in the APC, Daniel Onje, who scored 50,115.


Also, Ekweremadu who is returning to the Senate for the fourth time, was declared the winner of the Enugu West senatorial seat with120,075 out of the 123,286 valid votes cast in the Saturday’s election.

The INEC Returning Officer for Enugu West, Prof. Fab Onah, explained that 10 candidates contested the election with Ekweremadu’s closest rival, Luisa Achieze of the APC, who scored 2,314 votes.

Also, the three senators from Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti have lost the bid to return to the senate while Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central) did not contest. Others, including the Senate Minority Whip, Hosea Agboola (Oyo North), lost the National Assembly election held on Saturday.

Ekweremadu, in a statement on Monday, said his election was a renewal of a political covenant with his people. He commended the electorates for standing by him when the going was tough.
Culled from NTA News Blog
  

INEC Official in Police Custody in Taraba over N20m Bribe-Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

The Nigeria Police logo

The electoral officer in charge of Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State is now in police custody for allegedly collecting the sum of N20 million from a House of Representative candidate to influence the result of last Saturday presidential election in his favour.

The electoral officer, whose name was given as Hassan Abubakar, was alleged to have struck a deal with a sitting member of the House of Representative to hand over the ballot papers for Nwonyo 2 ward to give the candidate an edge over his main challenger.

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Joseph Kwaji, told THISDAY that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official would have been killed by aggrieved youths but for the timely arrival of the police area commander at the scene.

Kwaji further explained that during the election, voters in the area discovered that ballot papers meant for House of Representatives were tampered with and the angry youths, suspecting foul play, swooped on the electoral officer and almost lynched him to death before the police came to his rescue. Election in the area was subsequently suspended and rescheduled till Sunday to guarantee the integrity of the exercise.

The police spokesman however said investigation into the matter to ascertain what actually transpired is ongoing stressing that the outcome of the investigation would be made public.

When contacted, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in state Alhaji Ahmad Makama, said the electoral officer had been removed and now with police. Makama, equally confirmed that the accused person is in police custody further revealed that he has informed the Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, of the development who directed that the election should be postponed till Sunday.

He, however, revealed that he had deployed one of the Head of Department in the commission to Ibi Local Government Area to conduct the election which was postponed in some wards of the local government.

culled from thisday

Governor Fashola Accuses President Jonathan Of Showcasing Lagos Project As His

 
Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has asked President Jonathan not to showcase Lagos Projects as his. The Governor while speaking on Wednesday said it was sad when he read in Guardian newspaper that one of Lagos State projects funded by Taxpayers money was listed as a project of the President. Hear him;

“This morning on page 64 of the Guardian, I saw a list of accomplishment of the president in Lagos; there were others that they have built the road leading to the international airport. But what was disturbing was that they listed phase two waterworks as one of things the president have done in Lagos.

“I think that is cheap, a lie about something you did not do and I think it is corrupt. For the record, that waterworks is being constructed by the Lagos State government with tax payer’s money,” he said.

 

Culled from my celebrity and i

President Jonathan Spends 1trilion Public Fund on Election Campaigns – APC

 
 All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organization (APCPCO), Monday, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of spending N1 trillion public fund on his campaigns of buying over traditional rulers and some major interest groups, as well as launching hate campaign against the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mohammadu Buhari.
“We will like to bring to your attention and that of Nigerians how the President Goodluck Jonathan led Peoples Democratic Party government is wasting one trillion Naira that belong to Nigerian people in his self-serving and desperate bid for a re-election at all cost in the midst of grinding poverty his party and government has subjected Nigerians to in the last 16 years,” Director, Media and Publicity of the Buhari campaign, Mallam Garba Shehu said in a statement.
“It is unconscionable and height of betrayal of public trust that a government and a President who should preside over the husbandry and judicious use of our national patrimony is superintending over its massive squander in a futile attempt to stop the idea of change. Let us sound a note of warning at this point that no amount of sponsored negative media propaganda can stop this idea whose time has come.
“The APC Presidential Campaign and the acceptability of our candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has become a peoples’ movement and Nigerian masses who are the drivers of change are the major stakeholders.
“A panoramic view of how much Nigeria’s resources Jonathan and PDP have laboriously and wantonly spent on print, broadcast and social media campaigns just to damage the unassailable credential of Gen Buhari’s integrity will confound any casual observer of the polity in recent times.
“An average cost of a wrap around in Tier 1 and Tier 2 newspapers in Nigeria is between N15 million to N20 million and the Jonathan campaign buys average of 5 wrap around and front pages in a day in the last 3 months coupled with the hundreds of billions that have been spent on negative TV exposures on AIT, NTA and other television and radio stations across the country.
“We had expected that a President that has spent about 6 years in office with the revenues more than what all governments before him had received will run on a record of performance rather than peddling lies and hate media campaigns that are accentuating ethnic and religious tensions in the country,” Shehu said.
The APCPCO spokesperson also claimed that Jonathan had spent lavishly on traditional rulers in the south west, revealing that the presidential financial train had now moved to the north.
“President Jonathan has been criss-crossing Nigeria giving an average of N50 million each to traditional rulers, most especially in the South West and the Northern parts of Nigeria. This week, the President’s campaign money is being shipped to the North.
“You will recall that a Pastor recently confirmed that N7 billion was given to Pastors to spread unfounded allegations of Islamaphobia and scare mongering against Gen Buhari and other APC leaders.
“A fraction of the trillion naira hate campaign expenditure will fund the APC programme of feeding primary school pupils in Nigeria on one nutritional meal a day, comfortably pay N5000 monthly to 25 million very poor Nigerians for a year and pay unemployment benefit for one year for graduates who can’t find gainful employment one year after NYSC which are core to the social welfare programmes of the APC Federal government Gen Buhari will lead.”
Shehu therefore urged Nigerians to think twice before voting this Saturday.
In a prompt rebuttal by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Director, Media and Publicity, PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode said APC’s accusation stemmed from fear of losing Saturday’s general election.
“They are afraid of losing. The president of this country does not give bribe; we do not believe that traditional rulers in this country, especially those in South West are bribe takers.
“They also said money was given to pastors. That is a lie. No pastor of the living God, no pastor worth his salt is a bribe taker,” Fani-Kayode said. 
He noted that the PDP was not worried about what the APC says, adding that the allegation was evident that the party has lost touch with reality

Culled from My celebrity and i

Jonathan Unveils Vision for Next Four Years-Ejiofor Alike

President Goodluck Jonathan

As part of last-minute efforts to woo the electorate to vote massively for him in Saturday’s presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan has highlighted his achievements in office, stating with confidence that he will win the election because Nigerians know that he has delivered in the last four years.

In a document released on Tuesday titled: "My Vision for Nigeria,” Jonathan also unveiled his plan for Nigeria if re-elected president, stressing that his plan is to build on the platform he has laid to deliver growth, prosperity, peace and justice for all so as to take Nigeria to the next level.

In a brief history of his background, Jonathan stated that he has no sense of entitlement, and does not come from a profession or background that believes it has some “God-given right to rule”.

According to him, he is the president of Nigeria because of the will of the people and would remain the president because of the will of the people.

He added that the future he sees and works for is for a country that works for all, a country where mothers and children do not die due to lack of medical attention and a country where children are not out of school or go to bed hungry.

“Indeed, my dream is that someday, a product of the Almajiri schools becomes the president of this great country. It will be a Nigeria where justice is not measured in any currency but available even to the most vulnerable in our society. My vision is that of a Nigeria that works for all, and not just a few,” he said.
He welcomed what he called the challenge of a vigorous campaign, saying that though democracy needs competition, it should be the right type of constructive competition.

On his efforts in the areas of security and education, Jonathan said his administration had formed a formidable coalition with Cameroun, Chad and Niger to effectively dismantle Boko Haram.

He stated that everywhere that terror had been successfully tackled, it was through partnership, adding that that was why his government championed the partnership.

The president noted that Boko Haram’s claims of a caliphate had been shown to be as empty and bankrupt as the rest of its hateful philosophy, adding that Nigeria remains one and undivided.

Jonathan, who also pledged to rout Boko Haram, further saluted what he described as the extraordinary courage of the families of the Chibok girls, promising that his government would never give up on them.

“In the next four years, we will build on the progress we have made so far. Our military efforts, both domestic and through international cooperation has enabled us make progress in our fight against Boko Haram. We will expand and intensify our military presence in the affected region and communities to ensure that we leave no gaps for Boko Haram to take advantage in the future.

“We will continue to equip the military and other security agencies to meet the security challenges of modern Nigeria,” he said.

He also stated that the federal government was implementing three strategic security initiatives that would be the focus of his administration in the next four years.

He identified these initiatives to include the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE), and Nigeria’s Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programme.

He stated that education is the key to his transformation plan, adding that his dream was that one day, a product of the Almajiri schools, which his administration established will become president of Nigeria.

He promised that in the next four years, no child would be out of school in Nigeria, as Nigerian schools would not only be safe, but would also be centres of excellence that mould national characters.

“We will reverse the brain drain in our universities and tackle the most critical important challenge to university education in Nigeria – access and quality. We will devise a sustainable and effective system for our university education to bring it up to global standards,” he added.

Promising high quality healthcare for all Nigerians, the president stated that Nigeria produces some of the finest health care professionals but has not had the health care system the general public deserves.
According to him, in the next four years, he would lay the foundation for Nigeria to become a centre of medical excellence in Africa, and begin to reverse the embarrassing trend of medical tourism.

He praised the bravery of Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh and other heroes who identified the Ebola virus, cared for the sick, and paid the ultimate sacrifice.

On the economy, he stated that following the rebasing of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) last April, Nigeria’s economy, estimated at $510 billion for 2013, is now the largest in Africa.
He stated that the country’s economy had been growing at an average of seven per cent per annum in the past decade.

He also stated that between 2012 and 2014, his administration created 2,826,552 jobs.
“The World Bank recently released its 2014 Nigerian Economic Report (NER), providing the most up to date analysis of poverty and living standards in the country. It provides evidence that Nigeria’s poverty rate is significantly lower than what had been previously reported.

“From the survey, it is estimated that 33.1 per cent of the population lived below the poverty threshold in 2013,” he explained.

He acknowledged that the recent fall in oil prices had significantly impacted the country’s revenues and the value of naira but promised to remedy this.

According to him, in the next four years, his administration shall rebuild the country’s reserves, “shore up the value of the naira, grow our economy, and create wealth.”

He also pledged to build on his successes to date by turning Nigeria into a global powerhouse in food and agriculture.

On his vision in the oil and gas sector, Jonathan said his administration would end the importation of petroleum products in the next four years, and become a net exporter of petrol.

He said his government would also conclude the structural changes required to make progress in the sector as contained in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by working with the National Assembly to pass it and ensure its effective implementation.

“Under my watch, we will end gas flaring and consolidate on the progress made under the local content law to ensure that Nigerians are full participants and not mere middlemen in the oil and gas businesses in the country,” he said.

Jonathan further stressed that Nigeria is greater than any individual, adding that long after the individual ceases to exist, Nigeria will continue from generation to generation.

“We therefore must approach our decisions in governance, the economy, and in society putting Nigeria first,” he said.

Culled from Thisday

General Buhari Speaks on Nigerian Economy, Dollars in Owerri

 
 The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday said he would ensure that the Naira was equal to the dollar in value, if voted into office.
Speaking during the South-East presidential rally of the party at Dan Anyima Stadium, Owerri, the former head of state expressed the current value of the naira does not speak well for the economy.
“It is sad that the value of the naira has dropped to more than N230 to one dollar; this does not speak well for the nation’s economy,” he said.
He therefore urged the people to vote for APC,so as to ensure that the required change comes.
Speaking Earlier, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha urged the APC supporters to vote for the party’s candidates at all levels, noting that a vote for Buhari without support to others at the state would amount to nothing.
The governor promised that Buhari would address the problem of electricity, bring back the kidnapped Chibok girls and promote industrial growth.

Culled from my celebrity and i

APC's burial is on March 28th - Patience Jonathan

Speaking at the PDP women rally in Onitsha, Anambra state today March 23rd, First Lady Patience Jonathan said APC will be buried on March 28th. According to Mrs Jonathan, the defection of Rivers state Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru from to PDP is an indication that the opposition party is dead.

“Imagine the deputy of a whole director-general of the APC presidential campaign decamping, does that not show that the party is dead? The party is dead and buried and March 28 is its burial. The party will not live again. When you start answering old drugs, expired drugs, then you know that your death is coming closer. The way things are going, APC will soon bear Ebola.
Is Mbakwe [former Imo state governor] corrupt? Yet you jailed him. What of Jim Nwobodo [former Anambra state governor]? Yet you jailed him. Don’t support a man that would imprison your mother and father. Jonathan is our messiah. He made Ihejiriaka the chief of army staff and has helped many of our people. Igbos are not fools. We know whom to support. PDP has come to stay.”she said

Culled from NTA News Blog

Rivers State Deputy Governor dumps APC for PDP few days to elections!

The Deputy Governor of River state, Engr Tele Ikuru this afternoon announced his defection from the APC to the PDP. Below is the full text of Mr Ikuru's Defection Speech.

My dear People of Rivers State, I bring you honest and sincere greetings. Today, I address you out  of the fullness of my heart. Recall that in December 2013, out of extreme loyalty to my Boss and friend, I joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) along with other then disillusioned Rivers People. Ever since, as the true nature and motives of APC are unveiled, I have continued to twist and turn in extreme mental and emotional agony. The more I struggle to belong, the more the Rivers man in me rejects the APC.
After carefully studying, interacting and analysing the leadership of the party, I have come to the sad conclusion that the APC is a party of rebels, insurgents and anarchists, clothed in robes of pretence and deceit. APC is a party founded on deception and it thrives on unholy propaganda and falsehood.

I therefore, on behalf of my teaming supporters, and my humble self-denounce the APC and we all jointly and severally resign our membership of the APC. My dear people of Rivers State, we of this generation will not in good conscience expect forgiveness and compassion from our forebears, posterity, and the spirit of our unborn generations if it is recorded in the annals of history that after 48 Years of Rivers people supporting leaders from all other parts of this country with our votes and resources, we were the same that witch hunted and hounded down the very first ever President from this region, granted us by providence. I wash my hands off this treachery.

In the light of the above, I wish to urge all My Supporters, the Good People of Rivers State to join hands with other well-meaning Nigerians to massively vote for President GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN (GCFR) and the Transformation Agenda that has brought so much relief and succour to the greatest number of Nigerians. I also urge all Rivers People to vote for Chief Barr Nyesom Wike (CON), who has shown by his antecedents, track records and boundless capabilities that he will deliver good governance to the People of Rivers State.
Thank You and God Bless You All Abundantly.
Engr Tele Ikuru

Culled fromNTA News Blog

Don’t Be Afraid Of Jail – Aisha Buhari Tells Patience Jonathan


The wife of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress,  Hajia Aishat Buhari has advised Dame Patience Jonathan, that she needs not fear jail, should her husband be voted President come 28 March, 2015 as Nigerians only want a change in the way the country is being governed.

It will be recalled that the first lady, has been campaigning that General Buhari will jail his political opponents if elected President in the March 28 election.

Mrs. Buhari spoke today at a mega rally in Benin, where she interacted with women in Edo State. 

“Each zone of the country has its peculiar problems. For me in this zone, girl-child trafficking should be considered one of our problems, though I know there is unemployment. Unemployment is the major factor that contributes to brain drain and also the girl-child trafficking. General Muhammadu Buhari is a leader who led Nigeria some decades ago and he is coming back now to sanitise the system.

“For those that are campaigning, saying that he is coming to jail Nigerians, I don’t know what their fear is. But they shouldn’t be afraid, because we are all yearning for change. The insecurity in the country, the very poor healthcare system, lack of education and other basic necessities that people are lacking I believe Nigerians need somebody like General Muhammadu Buhari now.

“Already, they have painted him black, using religion. I’m happy today that Nigerians realise that they use religion as a cover to loot Nigeria. Any politician who talks to you about religion is a liar, he only wants to loot the treasury and the little resources you ought to enjoy. So say no to politics merging it with religion to deceive the people.

“I’m here today to let Edo women know that when my husband is elected into office as President, all these will be history. The insecurity, the girl-child trafficking, suffering of the widows in the South East will come to an end. There must be a cultural design that can accommodate the widow. A design that would make the girl-child comfortable wherever she is in this country. She doesn’t have to leave her country to go and prostitute elsewhere, it’s not her portion. Her portion is to have a highly standard and moral society for her to live in. Get married, have children, train them and also mould them to become the future leaders.

“We are here today to also let you know that the collection of your PVCs is important and don’t ever sell it. It’s like selling your future. If you sell it for N5,000, you won’t see N5,000 again until after four years which will be bad. Get your PVC, vote for APC, vote for freedom, vote for a new Nigeria with good security, good education, good healthcare, good roads and all the basic necessities,” she said.

 

Culled from my celebrity and I

'Ask for forgiveness from Yorubas, not votes' - Governor tells Buhari

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said that the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) should be seeking forgiveness from the Yoruba people, as well as Edo and Delta states.

As contained in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka on Wednesday, March 18, in Ado Ekiti; the Governor said Buhari destroyed the South-West  and the old Bendel (now Edo and Delta) states with his 1983 coup.


He said the coup ended the developmental programmes of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the region.

Fayose stated that Buhari’s cancellation of the Metroline project in 1985 was the greatest disservice to the Yoruba people and Nigerians in general.

“If Buhari had not cancelled the metroline project out of vendetta, transport problem in Lagos would have been solved permanently.

“The metroline project would have made life easier and changed the face of transport in Lagos. But Buhari cancelled it and even went ahead to pay compensation to the French company that handled it. Buhari’s action cost Lagosians over $78m then,” Fayose said.

Culled from NTA News Blog

I’m not ready to feed Jonathan in prison – Patience

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, has said she is not ready to feed her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan, in prison.

The President’s wife spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, during the rally of the women’s wing of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Making a reference to the All Progressives Congress, she asked, “What did they forget in Aso rock? If you vote PDP and Jonathan, it would be better for you. If you vote APC, you will go to prison. How can you jail somebody for 300 years? I’m not ready to carry food to my husband inside prison oh!”


She openly admitted that the Office of the First Lady, which she occupies, is illegal.

She, however, said there was nothing wrong in a woman supporting her husband in office.

She said, “They said there is no Office of the First Lady. Already, we know that there is no Office of the First Lady but there is wife of the President.

“As (the) wife of the President, if you are good, people will love you. You will have a Non-Governmental Organisation through which you will touch people’s lives. That is why I brought Women for Change Initiative.”

While she was talking, women – both old and young – fought to have their share of the leftover of rice distributed by Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, during the last Christmas festival, packaged in small bags.

The women were still struggling over the rice packaged in small bags when attention was diverted to another struggle for buckets presented by Senator Gbemi Saraki in commemoration of the October 16 inauguration of Fayose.

In the struggle, which almost resulted in a stampede, many of the women got injured.

Shoes, headgears, wigs and bags littered the floor while a woman was heard complaining to a friend that she lost her bangle.

Security men had a hectic time controlling the surging women who engaged in a brawl.

Mrs. Jonathan described APC as a poison, saying, “If you drink APC, you will die.”

Accusing the party of having to change name several times, she said, “Since my father was born, they have been around changing from one name to another. Very soon they would answer Ebola. The name can’t change you; it is only performance that can change you. If you like change it 100 times.

“Nigerian women shine your eyes, don’t go for analogue, go for digital. PDP is digital, APC is analogue.

Fayose at the event took a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, saying his tacit support for the APC presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhamadu Buhari (retd.), would get him nowhere.

“After Jonathan, the North can have their own eight years. Whether they like it or not, whether that our baba, you know him, whether he tore his card or not, whether he ate the card or not, Buhari is going nowhere,” he declared.

“Goodluck is our own. He is coming back. I am carrying the madate of a people who believe in me. If they do elections here 20 times, I will win,” he boasted.

Mrs. Jonathan said it was time for the women to pay back her husband for appointing several women into positions of authority.

“This is the time to say thank you so that he will do more. Those people when they were there, they said we didn’t have brains. Jonathan came and lifted us from where we were lying helplessly.”

She urged the women to collect their Permanent Voter Cards and vote massively for the president.

“PDP is not a party that tells lies. Whatever we promise to do, we do. We are not a propagandist party. Ekiti women, your mother is here and I will not tell you lies, but the truth.

“Nigerian women shine your eyes o! Vote with what you have seen, who you already know and who has performed. If anyone is telling you change, they are deceiving you.

“These were people that when they were there before Goodluck Jonathan, they did not count you women as anything. But today, PDP has wiped away our tears. Jonathan has wiped off our tears. He has fulfilled his promise of giving women 35 per cent participation. He gave 16 seats to women out of 42 slots in his cabinet. He is a performer.”

Earlier, over 100 wives of Ekiti monarchs welcomed the President’s wife to the palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, where seven of them prayed for her while she knelt down in their midst.

Speaking through the wife of the Ewi, Mrs. Abosede Adejugbe, the wives of the monarchs appealed to the President’s wife to extend the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme to Ekiti State fully.

She assured her of total support in the coming general election.

The wife of the Ewi also called on six other ‘oloris’ in addition to herself to pray for Mrs. Jonathan, describing seven as a powerful number.
Culled from NTA News Blog

Buhari will now win the Presidential Election with a wide margin

Buhari Will Now Win 28 March Presidential Election With A Wide Margin – Eurasia Group
We change our election forecast from a narrow win for incumbent Goodluck Jonathan to a victory for opposition leader Muhamadu Buhari (60% probability).
The electoral map is tilting towards Buhari in the swing regions of the southwest and middle belt, while high turnout in his core northern base will offset Jonathan’s advantage in the Niger Delta.
While a Buhari administration’s reliance on technocratic, business-oriented senior officials will lead to constructive policy initiatives, we keep our long-term trajectory at neutral given the downside risks to oil production and policy implementation challenges.

Buhari edges ahead

We had long viewed Goodluck Jonathan as a favorite to win reelection, but a number of factors now lead us to believe the edge has swung in Buhari’s favor...

The election will still be difficult to call, but our expectation of a narrow Jonathan win was predicated on several factors that are losing some saliency late in the campaign.

Chief among them is the incumbency and financial advantages of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While this still helps Jonathan, its impact is blunted by the intensity of support for Buhari, lackluster grassroots campaigning by the PDP, and new anti-rigging measures by the electoral commission. New permanent voting cards and card readers will sharply reduce the level of rigging seen in 2011, when Jonathan beat Buhari in a landslide. Equally important are the enthusiasm gap between the candidates and widespread desire for change. Tepid support for Jonathan, even within his own party, means there is no guarantee that patronage will translate into votes. This is especially the case in the north where influential PDP governors and other leaders are taking the money but barely campaigning for Jonathan because of Buhari’s overwhelming popularity in the region.

While we expected the electoral map to favor Jonathan, current trends suggest that the swing regions may side with Buhari, including the Christian-majority and heavily populated southwest around Lagos. That could be the decisive demographic factor in the election. Jonathan won the southwest and middle belt handily in 2011, but faces an uphill task now. Buhari has reached out to the southwestern Yoruba community and brought them into the upper ranks of his campaign and potential administration, in a political alliance of the country’s two largest ethnic groups (the Hausa and Yoruba). In contrast, Jonathan has struggled to make inroads with either group.

The spotty polling data which is available is also trending in favor of Buhari. A recent poll by a credible local think tank, the Center for Public Policy Alternatives, showed a heavy 58-32% lead for Buhari in Lagos state—a state in which Jonathan handily defeated Buhari last election. While a national poll by Afrobarometer in January showed a statistical dead heat at 42% for each candidate, economic conditions with the weakening naira continue to deteriorate, along with the security environment. According to an IPSOS/Eurasia Group model for predicting elections, incumbents have a hard time winning reelection when their approval ratings are below 40%. We don’t have polling data to confirm where Jonathan is now, but given he was at around 50% at the end of last year, our best guess is that he is below 40% now.

In addition, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suffered few defections during the campaign despite plenty of PDP inducements, suggesting a relatively united coalition whose members have confidence in the prospects of victory. In contrast, the PDP has been weakened by internal power struggles, including the dramatic departure from the party by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Another obstacle for the PDP is the downturn in the economy, especially the naira devaluations that have hit pocketbooks hard in the import-dependent country. That has played into the APC’s rallying call for change at an inopportune time for the ruling party.

Despite some important military gains against Boko Haram in the northeast and a partial exoneration of its oil revenue management in a recent PWC audit, the PDP is starting to look desperate. Examples include: forcing the election delay, seeking (unofficially) the resignation of respected Independent Nigerian Electoral Commission (INEC) head Attahiru Jega, questioning Buhari’s health, playing sectarian politics, and casting doubts about the new permanent voter cards. This raises the possibility of another election delay, but we think that is relatively unlikely, in part because it would probably backfire politically and would certainly do so internationally. While some of his aides and military leaders may feel otherwise, Jonathan himself is unlikely to support such a maneuver.

Expect a contested election outcome
The above does suggest, however, that the administration will contest the election if it loses, especially if it is close. Whether that contestation is violent and protracted, or limited to a court challenge (which would likely uphold INEC’s election verdict) remains to be seen; it will likely be somewhere in between the two. Worst-case scenarios like a military seizure of Abuja or a self-declaration of victory by the PDP and de facto partition (like Cote d’Ivoire in 2011) cannot be discounted entirely but are unlikely. That’s in part due to the enthusiasm gap for Jonathan and also because of his own temperament. The concern, though, is if his administration is hijacked by hardliners in the PDP who will do whatever it takes to stay in power and forestall a dreaded Buhari presidency that they fear will prosecute them for corruption.

A look ahead at a possible Buhari presidency
Buhari is a radically different politician and leader than Jonathan, and his approach to security and corruption will be a sharp departure from the status quo, most likely for the better. When it comes to policies, however, there may be less divergence than meets the eye, especially in the economic realm. Many of Jonathan’s priorities—power and agriculture reform, local content regulations, and selective liberalization of the economy—will also be priorities under a Buhari administration, with differences of emphasis. Buhari may additionally look to liberalize the rail, refinery, and gas pipeline industries, none of which will be easy.

Even though a Buhari win may be the better outcome for investors over time, we are keeping our short-term trajectory (six months) at negative and long-term political outlook (two years) at neutral. In the near term, the post-election climate will be tense and likely contested regardless of who wins. But in contrast to Jonathan, a Buhari administration has a different mix of assets and liabilities. On the plus side, a Buhari administration would be stronger in tackling corruption, more reformist in the oil sector, and less likely to allow politics to swamp the business climate.

The reason we aren’t upgrading Nigeria’s outlook to positive, however, rests in the potential for an oil disruption and the likely pushback to Buhari’s policy agenda in a highly polarized political climate. His victory is likely to unleash a resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta (Jonathan’s home region) that targets the oil sector. Former Delta militants have threatened to blow up oil pipelines, platforms, and personnel as in the past when they routinely took up to 500,000 barrels per day offline. There is likely some bluster in their threats. The former MEND movement barely exists, but it could be reconstituted. It is likely in the aftermath of a Buhari win that pro-Jonathan ex-militants disrupt oil production, potentially on a market-moving scale. The risk may not be sustained for long, as most of the former militants are more interested in collecting their amnesty payments, enriching themselves from oil bunkering, and tending to business interests in oil and security. Opportunists may see a chance, though, to gain leverage for future amnesty deals, especially as the current amnesty program rewards militants roughly in proportion to their rank and ruthlessness.

Second, even though fiscal management is likely to be constructive, there are still some uncertainties about the broad direction of his economic team. The austere 2015 budget proposal that now includes a low $52 oil benchmark (in the Senate version in consultation with the ministry of finance) is likely to be broadly compatible with Buhari’s own vision for fiscal policy in the near term. Despite some expansive welfare and public works pledges in his campaign manifesto, the oil price climate, together with Buhari’s top economic advisors, will dictate austerity at least in 2015. That’s also consistent with his track record when he was in office in the 1980s.

It is not clear, though, that Buhari has a strong economic policy orientation. This uncertainty is a chief risk for investors. Two different camps from inside his campaign will likely vie for control of economic (and other) policy. In short-hand, one camp is dominated by southwestern (Lagos and surrounding states) technocrats and businesspeople while the other is an old guard of northern aides and politicians with longstanding ties to Buhari. The policy gap between the two is vast, with the first group pro-business and pro-liberalization and the latter group more statist and nationalist in orientation. The signal from the campaign is that the southwestern group is ascendant when it comes to the economy while the northern group will get important posts outside of the economic realm, including national security. Such a division of labor would be positive for the investment climate, particularly since Buhari is known as a delegator outside of his core issues of national security and to a lesser extent, petroleum.

Buhari’s likely approach to tax policy and tax enforcement is instructive. His emphasis, at least at the outset, will not be on raising or lowering taxes but rather enforcing the current tax regime, which is widely ignored by companies and individuals alike. Using successful tax enforcement models from Lagos and elsewhere in the southwest, the administration would look to combine a zero tolerance approach (stiff penalties) with greater transparency in the collection effort to ”plug leakages.” Plugging leakages is a recurring mantra among Buhari’s economic advisors, who are convinced that tax/customs enforcement, revenue transparency, and tough anti-corruption measures will bring billions of dollars into the treasury without raising taxes or even including oil revenues in the equation. That may be a hopeful assessment in the current oil price climate, but there is conviction behind it from the economic team.

Having been the petroleum minister previously, Buhari is likely to take a more hands-on approach to the sector. He will push for reforms on multiple tracks—reform of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), reform of oil revenue transmission to the state (plugging leakages), and reform of the fiscal/regulatory climate for oil companies, perhaps in that order. Buhari’s platform calls for restructuring NNPC so that it is leaner and has less regulatory authority (and conflicts of interest) in the sector. This could allow for the commercialization of its upstream operations, allowing it to borrow on international markets to make its joint venture cash calls.

The process is likely to be slow, with some pushback from vested interests. That will be countered by the president’s discretion to appoint the petroleum minister, the head and board of NNPC, and many others in decision-making positions. While corruption will not magically disappear, there will be fewer sweat-heart deals for favored local companies or opaque oil swaps, and high profile prosecutions will set a tone of accountability that has been absent under the Jonathan administration. A Buhari administration would funnel oil revenues to the Central Bank through the Single Treasury Account rather than through dozens of banks as is currently the norm. The Petroleum Investment Bill (PIB) will again be reformulated and probably streamlined into a far less expansive reform package; fiscal terms will improve of necessity for IOCs. This will open up a window of opportunity for passage of a far narrower PIB, especially if the opposition APC gains a parliamentary majority. Failing that, a Buhari government would focus on unblocking the many oil and gas disputes with IOCs (blocked by vested interests) that are forestalling additional exploration and development.

I am currently in Nigeria on research and can be reached this week and next at (+1) 202.615.9482.

Philippe de Pontet
Practice Head, Africa
(202) 903-0006
depontet@eurasiagroup.net

 

Culled from Olu famous

Bloodbath in Benue

SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen numbering about 70 on Sunday   slaughtered   95 people, mostly women and children   in Egba,   Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

A survivor, who gave his name simply as Oche, said the herdmen arrived the village between 5am and 6am and started attacking them in their houses.

Oche did not give the number of those wounded but he claimed to have seen 80 dead bodies being evacuated by security operatives and volunteers.


He said,“They came with arrows, locally-made guns and knives when most of us were still asleep and started killing us . It was a very bad day for us. I believe that those killed are between 95 and 100 as I counted up to 80 bodies being taken away by people in uniform.”

“Most of those slaughtered were women, children and the aged. Almost all the houses in the community were razed   by the attackers.”

But the   state Police Commissioner,   Hyacinth Dagala, who confirmed the attacks,   said   records before him showed that 30 people had been confirmed dead .

He added that he had already directed the Area Commander to ensure that adequate security was   provided in the area.

A lawmaker representing Apa/Agatu in the state House of Assembly, Audu Sule,   said that over 60 bodies were evacuated from the village.

The lawmaker, who said the survivors were now taking refuge in Obagaji/Ogbalu, the headquarters of Agatu LGA, claimed that the herdsmen escaped to Nasarawa State after the attack.

The Benue State   Peoples Democratic Party deputy governorship candidate,   John Ngbede, told The PUNCH on the telephone that the Federal Government needed to station troops in communities in the state prone to attacks by herdsmen.

A female lawyer and activist, Sonia Ajoko, called on the state and federal governments to immediately send relief materials to the survivors.

Ajoko said, “The loss is monumental going by what we heard. Women and children and the elderly were killed. I therefore call on governments at all levels to   declare a day of mourning and commiseration with the bereaved families.”

On February 11, 2015,   about 30 people were feared killed with many sustaining varying degrees of injuries in the Logo LGA of Benue State, after suspected Fulani herdsmen sacked over 24 communities and villages in the area.

Some of the affected communities were Chembe, Tse-Mue, Tse-Shigbe, Mgbakpa and Oragbai all in the Ukemberagya council ward, which is four kilometers away from Anyiin, Governor Gabriel Suswam’s country home.

Tragedy averted at IDP camp, four suicide bombers killed

The   Army has averted what would have been a major tragedy at the   Internally Displaced Persons camp in Maiduguri by   successfully defusing Improvised Explosive Devices planted by a suspected Boko Haram agent.

The camp is within the Government Girls Secondary School in Yerwa, the centre of the town and a few metres away from the Borno Express Motor Park, one of the three places attacked a week ago by Boko Haram insurgents.

Loud explosions from the scene of the destruction made many residents of the troubled Maiduguri   to desert the streets as they felt that   a fresh bomb attack by Boko Haram insurgents had taken place.

A member of the youth vigilante, Ba’ana Goni, said   the suspected Boko Haram agent, who was earlier arrested by soldiers, had been living in the camp for about five months as an IDP.

One of the IDPs, who declined to be identified, told journalists on the telephone on Sunday that the explosives were buried by the agent, who, according to him, fled from Bama and took refuge in the camp.

He explained that the agent   was arrested   in a compound allegedly used as a bomb-making factory by Boko Haram.

The IDP said, “We were   about performing Magrib prayers in the camp when   soldiers in patrol vehicles arrived and directed us to assemble at a particular point.

“A few minutes later, they told us that two bombs were planted in the camp but that we should not panic as the perpetrators had promised to take them to the place where the devices were planted.

“A soldier brought out a youth who was blindfolded   from one of the patrol vehicles. The soldier then unmasked the youth and   to our surprise, he was someone   that we all knew because of his friendly disposition.

“The soldiers   told us to remain in one location as they were going to defuse the IEDs. A soldier then fired   at the direction of one of the planted explosives and it immediately   went off. Another did the same at the direction of the second bomb and it exploded without causing harm to anybody.”

Saharareporters  said in its report on Sunday that a teenage girl blew herself up when security agents tried to arrest her in Kaga LGA, Borno State. She was the only casualty.

Also, three suicide bombers heading towards a military checkpoint along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road were killed before they could reach their final destination.
 Culled from NTA News Blog

Prophet T.B Joshua Predicts Plane Crash, Talks On The Real PDP/APC

T.B Joshua yesterday during a Sunday service televised live via Emmanuel TV, has warned Nigerians to be aware of fake political party people as he also says he foresees a plane crash.

“Pray for Nigeria because I am seeing a plane crash. It’s not a good thing to lose personalities again,” he said during the broadcast.

“The challenge Nigeria is facing – on the day of voting, when you drop your votes in the ballot box, you will know who is PDP and who is APC. It’s a parable; very delicate. Because everybody plays a game; we deceive ourselves. ‘So this man voted for this party but he’s in that party.”

He also says he sees a dark cloud hanging over the nation. “The cloud is darker. When it is about to rain, you cannot see in front again,” he said.
On his church’s collapsed building; the prophet said vengeance was nigh for the perpetrators of the building collapse that left 116 dead last year September, insisting it was an attack. “There must be vengeance concerning what happened here. Both the slaves and masters must pay the price.”

“God gave me an order that I should continue this work – so I must do it. Nothing can separate me from the work of God but your prophet is not happy. I will be happy when vengeance comes,” he said.

Culled from Nta News Blog

Akwa Ibom: State where commissioners, others, kneel for Akpabio’s wife

Kneeling, bowing or prostrating for the wife of Akwa Ibom State governor, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, is a common feature in Akwa Ibom state.

Those who do not oblige to this concept are often considered to be anti-Akpabio’s administration.

A member in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly representing Mbo State Constituency, Mrs. Alice Ekpenyong, knelt before the governor’s wife at the Independent National Electoral Commission office, when they were being presented with the certificates of return in 2011.

Similarly, many of the commissioners in the state cannot stand before Mrs. Akpabio to talk; they must either face a different direction or stoop low before her.

Recently, the Commissioner of Works, Mr. Don Etim, was found kneeling to talk to her during one of the Peoples Democratic Party campaign rallies in the state.

Etim is the Dean, College of Commissioners in the state. He is one of the longest serving commissioners in Akpabio’s administration.

Also a commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr. (Mrs.) Glory Edet, was recently seen fanning her during the presentation of the 2015 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly.

A strong PDP member, Mr. Silvernus Okon, stated that the governor’s wife has no regards for anybody.

He added that even if Etim had wanted to kneel before her, she would have cautioned the man against doing so.

“It is unbelievable that Don Etim who is old enough to be her father could descend so low to kneel before her.

“This tells you the type of people that we have in the state. Even if Etim had wanted to kneel for her, we expected her to have stopped him and cautioned him against doing so in future,” he said.

All attempts to get Etim to react to why he knelt before the governor’s wife failed as calls to his phone indicated that it had been switched off.

A text message was also sent to him which he did not reply.

Culled from Punch

AMVCA 2015- Thrills and Woes from a Star-studded Show

Kunle Afolayan

Fairground By Azuka Ogujiuba

Fake baby bump
When your friends erroneously start congratulating you on being pregnant just because of your newly acquired careless ‘puff-puff’ weight, you should discern that ‘water don pass garri’. My good friend, Gloria Ojeikhoasaw me at the entrance of the Expo centre of Eko Hotel and Suites, VI, Lagos, were I was waiting for her so we could walk in together to savour the night. After we exchanged pleasantries because we had not seen each other in a while, she said.  “Oh girl congrats, as you don get belle o”, bewildered by the remark, I swiftly responded, “l am not o”. But was I happy with that observation? No. Do I utterly blame my friend who made a sincere comment? It just means l am still fat or maybe still adding, again l started regretting how l abused food on my last summer trip to the states. How l turned that Starbuck drink called ‘Frappuccino’ to my water. How l would seat on the dining table and devour every food my lovely sister- in-law cooked or brought home. I must confess l ate like a glutton, l ate so foolishly and stupidly. I wanted to taste every new thing aunty Amina brought home. We all know how it is when you are abroad especially in America; how everything they sell to you is large, secretly l kept consoling myself that l will shed weight once l am back home. Now it looks like all the food are still finding my body so peaceful an abode to grow and multiply.

Back to the matter, now in Wizkid’s tone. I’m unapologetically a lover of the red carpets, that is where you see, access, dissect and give a verdict to every beautiful and ugly outfit worn to the occasion. And now it is African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awrads (AMVCA)2015. And ‘FAIRGROUND’ was there roving, blinking, sniffing, laughing, admiring and also wondering if some of the guests actually left home without looking fellowshiping with their mirrors. To this end, please let’s enjoy this ride.

The Hosts
The 2015 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards(AMVCAs) was held in association with MultiChoice Africa and Amstel Malta. The hosts were IK Osakioduwa and Vimbai Mutinhiri, now these guys were fantastic that night, there was never a dull moment with IK on stage and l fell in love with Vimbai style of presentation, she is what l refer to as black, proud and beautiful. These days when a lot of ladies want to bleach or tone their  skin, l wonder how they manage with the present heat. Anyway Vimbai did her job effortlessly well, the crowd obviously loved and flowed with her, and all the outfits she wore sat so well on her silhouette frame and l wished my big belle was as flat as hers.

The Gold Statuettes and the Event
The third annual AMVCAs ceremony presented 33 coveted gold statuettes in 30 categories, tabulated and verified by auditing firm SizweNtsalubaGobodo and were telecast live to 50 African countries watching on DStv and GOtv on all Africa Magic channels. The event saw outstanding achievements in African film and TV recognised with awards also presented to CJ Obasi as the TrailBlazer of the Year while the late renowned filmmaker, Amaka Igwe was honoured with the Industry Merit award. The winner of the trailblazer award walked away with a luxurious diamond studded watch, courtesy Chris Aire.  The coveted New Era award was given to Ayo Makun for his exceptional talent.

Kunle Afolayan- Man of the moment
Now let me practice some ‘famzing’ here, my paddy for wahala jungle, Kunle Afolayan was the man of the night, he was the biggest winner, undoubtedly the Nigerian psychological thriller, October 1 produced and directed by him scooped nine awards, including Best Movie and Best Director and Best Actress (Drama) award for Kehinde Bankole.  Kehinde’s hair and wedding outfit was not appealing to the eyes at all. The coloured hair style  and her badly cut dress with a side bogus veil made her look like a white cock. Kehinde sack your stylist, biko, except you styled yourself o. He would later  invite me to his office for launch to celebrate with our usual ogufe (goat meat), gbegiri and ewedu. Afolayan did look like a winner that night, a proud African and down to earth guy.
He was born into cinematography, his father Ade Love, the legendry movie producer will be so proud wherever he is. His ‘goons’ like Bisoye Fagade, Adekunle Ayeni, we call one Yinka Lagbaja, Kingsley James and his new bride, Ayo Animashaun were in the building to support their own.

Other winners
Other notable winners included Nollywood romantic drama, The Meeting which nabbed five awards including Best Movie (Comedy) award for Rita Dominic and Mildred Okwo, Best Actress (Comedy) and a Best Actor (Comedy) award for Femi Jacobs. The choice of the night’s winners fell to respected judges drawn from the African film and Television industry. The winners of the closely contested categories included The Meeting for Best Movie (Comedy), A Place in the Stars for Best Movie (Drama), Femi Jacobs for Best Actor in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series), a Best Actor in a Drama (Movie/TV Series) award for OC Ukeje in Confusion Na Wa while Rita Dominic walked away with the Best Actress in a Comedy (Movie/TV Series). Kehinde Bankole scooped the Best Actress in a Drama (Movie/TV Series) award while Blossom Chukwujekwu walked away with the Best Supporting Actor (Movie/TV Series) and Linda Ejiofor won the Best Supporting Actress (Movie/TV Series) award.

Stellar performances of the night
I like all the artistes that performed that night, but that did not stop Mr. BOREDOM from taking a front row seat right inside the hall, apart from all the razzmatazz which trails such event, it sometimes gets boring maybe because it is a live event, even the Oscars does have that trail sometimes. Maybe the guests were tired of the artistes who performed that night, the only thing that felt refreshing on stage for me was Don Jazzy and the Marvin babies, Dija, Korede Bello and Reekado Banks, l get bored so fast and can be impatient l guess. Toward the end of the event when Don Jazzy came on stage and joined P-Sqaure to deliver the song ‘COLLABO’ the atmosphere became alive and that was when l realized people loved the song like me, l wriggled a bit and was scared of falling because my shoes were a bit tight.

There was nothing wrong with the artistes who performed it was just that l think an upcoming act could also have performed that night. I have a feeling if Kiss Daniel had performed ‘WOJU’ that night, some magical moments could have encapsulated the hall. You see why l keep harping on patronising upcoming acts? They should be given such platforms to display their talent and such exposures help their career to grow fast.

It was also possible that during the event, some viewers were wowed by performances by Osas Ighodaro, the Mavins Crew, Tuface Idibia and Lola Rae, Diamond Platinumz, and P-Square who rounded off the event, it could have been possible too that the performances that night- to many might be unforgettable.

The Wangi brilliant remarks
Well, l remember vividly that Biola Alabi initiated the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards in September 2012, the first official announcement was held at the Avenue Suits  and the eventually the maiden edition was in March 2013. I looked out for Alabi just to see what she would be putting on to the awards this year. She is quiet glamorous and sophisticated. I don’t know if there was any official explanation on why she had to step down from her position suddenly. I still don’t understand the kind of coup that took place before we could all say Jack Robbison in the media Alabi was far gone and Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu took over, just like Alabi who l know to be a workaholic and an aggressive woman, who knows her onions when it comes to whatever she is involved in.

She is the M-Net West Africa Regional Director, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, that evening she paid tribute to both the winners and the nominees saying; “Each year we have hosted this event, it has become more evident that Africa has truly carved its own mark and identity in the global film and TV industry. Tonight’s event recognised all the talented individuals who continue to grow this industry. We’re very honoured that we could reward them for their exceptional work.  A special thank you to our partners MultiChoice Africa and Amstel for their continued support in making sure that African talent is well and truly recognised in style.”

MultiChoice Africa, CEO Nico Meyer added his congratulations to the winners and nominees of the 2015 AMVCAs saying: “It’s been an honour for us at MultiChoice Africa to be part of this event that celebrates the best in African film and television. The amount of talent and exciting productions we’ve witnessed tonight keeps inspiring and motivating us to continue to deliver quality programming to our DStv and GOtv subscribers on the Africa Magic channels.”

Why do Nigerian stars shun AMAA
When l saw all the big stars in Nollywood all glammed up for the award night, l kept wondering why they all stopped attending AMAA which is being organised by a Nigerian, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe. Why don’t they come out like this, support and attend her event? Anyway, I’m just thinking aloud. OC Ukeje gave kudos to Peace and happily announced to the hall how she sponsored his first trip to the Berlin film festival. And Kunle Afolayan did same thing when he came on stage to receive his awards, he showered encomium on Peace too but l noticed the female actors hardly recognised her contributions to their career or the industry, is there something that we don’t know or they just can’t be bothered?

Love Alert- Could Tonye & Praiz be dating?
The way Tonye & Praiz walked in made me stare hard at both of them, they were  spotted holding hands at the AMVCA 2015 red carpets and chatted like people who just found love encrusted with diamonds in the deep ocean. They arrived together the venue and both looked happy hand in hand and super fashionable. Could this be a  blossoming relationship? Well, your guess is as good as mine. The ‘Ari Belema’ Singer, Tonye, looked glamorous and made us green with envy in this flowing Tafetta Empire cut fish-tail dress by Nigerian designer, Elvira Jude. She styles her Emerald green dress up with a pair of heels, minimal jewellery consisting only of dropping earrings and goes for her signature stylish pixie cut carefully put together for the evening by celebrity hair stylist, Wondrous. Her look is completed by glam smokey eye make up done by top artist, Lola Maja.  ‘Rich and Famous’ singer, Praiz equally impressed and complemented Tonye’s look in a floral monochrome blazer paired with a white shirt, and black tailored trousers. He finished up his look with a red pocket square, a black hat and matching shoes. I like and think they look great together.

Omoni and Nnamdi Oboli
Sometimes when you attend an event and it gets to the boring segment, you tend to chat with friends on your black berry phone, that was my situation when l heard a whisper ‘ How can he come dressed like that’ l looked up quickly, l realized it was Omoni Oboli’s hubby Nnamdi that was the topic. But really why would he attend such an event dressed like her driver or let me say it mildly her PA? Omoni was decked in her yellow and black evening gown, walking in front of her husband majestically while he walked behind carrying her goody bage given by Amstel Malter. If he was properly dressed for the event they would have looked like another power couple. He wore a black shirt over a black pant, his humble demeanor and amicable attitude cannot be ignored, he is obviously a complete gentle, a loving and a supportive husband who loves to be casual all the time beside his pretty glamorous wife but biko, he should also learn to respect dress codes of events. I didn’t say he should wear a Gucci or a Billionaire jack, we have great designers like MAI ATAFO, Okunoren Twins, Jasonporshe bespoke, McMeka, Clothes Sense and many others, they could knock together a nice tuxedo or a bespoke suit for him. My darling sister try look into oga’s wardrobe when he is attending such glamorous events with you. After the event when he gets home he can throw the suit in a trash bin, or he can dump it in an obscure corner of his wardrobe.

Ik Ogbonna and Sonia
I love seeing lovely and happy couple in love and that is just because l love romance. I like Ik and his Columbian pregnant girlfriend, their baby will be so pretty when he or she arrives, l call such babies ‘Vanilla Ice cream baby’ they both looked cute so of course their baby will definitely be cute. They came out ready for the night especially with their outfits. I loved Ik’s Jasonporshe jacket and pretty Sonia’s baby bump rumbled out from her dress. I wish them all the best.

The Fashion Rendezvous
The star-studded ceremony also included Africa’s finest, clad in stylish gowns and suits to rival any fashion ramp. Some of the Africa’s film and television stars who took to the red carpet amidst the flashlights and interview ready camera crews included Genevieve Nnaji, Uti  Nwachukwu, Linda Ejiofor amongst others. I love the carpet o, maybe part of my vain nature plays another role there.
We are all aware that when an event like this approaches which is like our consolation after the Oscars, everybody is getting ready with their outfits, makeup, stylists are running helter skelter, the artistes are apprehensive maybe even tensed about what to wear.
I had different options, l had designers who offered to make outfits for me to wear for free, maybe because l have published their look books on my fashion file column which is published every Saturday in THISDAY newspapers.

I did agree to some of the offers, but last minute, l changed my mind, when l strolled into Yaba market like l do sometimes to buy my thick pomo and crabs which l use for my okra soup, I noticed a fabric that looked so similar to a skirt l have at home.  My friend, Rita Latinwo gave me as a gift when l visited her in London last year. The next day l was back in Yaba market, l took my skirt there to be sure the fabrics were not the same. Immediately, l bought two yards and off to my tailors, one of the designers called me to find out when l will come for the fitting. I told her l have changed my mind that l have a fabric l was taking to my tailors now, she insisted l bring to her, but l thought about the distance and still was not ready to go. l told her that there would be another time.

By the time my tailor finished my halter neck top and l appeared on the red carp, l felt so happy and in love with me. Why l am saying all these is because it is high time our stars really started patronising African designers. Be original with your creativity, be yourself and stop trying to look or be like someone else or an American star who does not know you exist.

Ini Edo and the Ralph Lauren dress
Now, l am not saying she should not wear the same Ralph Lauren dress Lupita Nyong’o wore to the Golden Globes in 2014, but not exactly the copy. If you are so in love with the dress, you are such a super rich star- wear the real thing. You could have changed the color from red to green or yellow, or alternate the style like Rita Dominic did when she also copied Gweyneth Paltrow long cape dress to the Oscars in 2012.  Stephanie Coker in 2013 at the Headies Awards copied exactly the red dress by Azzedine Alaia that Rihanna wore to the Grammy Awards in 2013. On the red carpet she claimed that the outfit was designed by Mai Atafo but l heard from a reliable source that Mai did not design the dress for her, so who did?

Before Ini Edo left her house, what did she see in the mirror? Did Ini Edo style herself or someone did and who could that be? What on earth made her feel you could wear a loop earring on a subtle exotic glamorous evening dress? Or is Lupita her role model or muse, even at that, she has to explain the shift in cape on her own Nigerian made Ralph Lauren dress, biko. And her two-tone colored hair did so much damage to the outfit , l will just drink my Orijin and pretend l didn’t notice that hairstyle which brings to mind Iyanya’s song, ‘Ekate wants to dance’ and yes Ekate has finally come to Lagos.
Even the cream jump suit Stephanie Coker wore to the pre cocktail awards party was created out of Solange Knowles wedding dress, but this time around there is a great difference.

Can Nigeria stars start being original with their looks for a change? I know you all aspire to be actors in Hollywood or be another Julian Rancic on the red carpet, but originality is the best land for discovery. Patronise your Nigerian designers who are even ready to give free clothes or even the upcoming designers biko, maybe next time, Ini Edo should seek advice from Genevive Nnaji and Kate Henshaw about the Nigerian designers who made the dresses they wore to the awards, their make-up artistes and hair stylists were awesome.

Susan Peters in her nest or is it a cage?
It will be so arduous to ignore what Susan Peters wore to this event, it will be mean not to discuss her outfit, did she truly leave her home that way? I can imagine what everybody around her thought that night as she made her grand entry at the Expo centre, was she trying so hard to make a style statement? I guess she wanted to stand and be the cynosure of all eyes at the event, yes she succeeded but ended up turning herself to the circus clown of the event.

What shocked me most was how comfortable she pretended to be in the outfit especially with heat in the hall, l wore a halter neck that was airy but l still felt hot let alone Peters who buried herself in a massive white tiered cape, her hair was packed in a form of a pony tail in a rubber looking tiara, now l’m not sure her earrings had like a bling-bling chain accessory. I heard Peters and Aduni Ade were styled by Toyin Lawani and did you guys see what Toyin wore to the awards, how elegant she looked and her clients a big mess?(SMH) and gulping my Orijin because my favorite drink Bailey’s was not available.

Sometimes when l stared hard at Peters she reminded me of Big Bird in Sesame street series.  She kept parading in the hall and l saw people giggle, whisper or look so shocked at her strange outfit. Susan Peters felt so cool in that outfit that maybe her look sometimes like a hen that is about to lay eggs especially when she seats down.

Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga who enjoyed wearing crazy and dramatic outfits to big events are tired of being suffocated by their dramatic costumes in the name of showbiz, Lady Gaga wears normal dresses these days, and Miley Cyrus is tired of clothes and goes around practically naked, with what Aduni Ade and Kendra Etunfuru wore, maybe next year some guests might attend the award practically naked after all Rihanna and Amber Rose had done so, why can’t they?

Fairground best dressed list
1-Betty Irabor
2-Dakore Akande
3Busola Dakolo
4-Genevive Nnaji
5-Kate Henshaw
6-Rita Dominic
7-Funke Akindele
8-Ono Bello
9-Lala Akindoju
10-Oreka Godis
11-Seyi Shay

Fairground Misses
1-Susan Peters
2-Keyinde Bankole
3- Kendra Etunfuwa
4-Adunni Ade
5-Belinda Effah
6- Eku Edewor red carpet outfit by I.A.M.I.S.I.D.G.O
7-Yvonne ‘Vixen’ Ekwere
8-Zoe Chinaka
9-Damilola Oke
10-Ezinne Asinugo
The men did so well in their appearances but Alex Ekubo’s coat of many colors still makes you want to scream, l just can’t place it yet despite the fact that it sat so well on him.
Shina Peller, the owner of Quilox night club wore a billionaire jacket that night, l guess the most expensive jacket in the hall that evening. l wanted to be sure it was the real thing, l got closer to him, l asked him if it was the authentic one or a copy? He was courteous enough to show me the label, ‘me sef gan, l taya for myself, hehehehehe this  my gbeborun sha, God will deliver me o’.

Culled from Thisday

Appeal Court Stops Execution of Soldiers Convicted by Court Marshall-Tobi Soniyi in Abuja



Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah

A Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has stayed the execution of the death sentences passed on two of the twelve Nigerian soldiers court-marshalled by the Army authorities last September.

The soldiers were tried under the General Court Marshal which sat at the Army Headquarters Garrison, Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja,  on sundry allegations of offences  ranging from attempts to commit offence, disobedience to particular order, insubordination, false accusation criminal behavior, conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny under the Armed Forces Act 2004.

All the twelve soldiers who stood trial before the General Court Marshal were convicted on 15th September 2014 variously sentenced to life imprisonment and death for the respective charges following the trial which commenced earlier on last July.

Three of the convicted soldiers, CPL Stephen Clement, CPL Igomu Emmanuel and PTE Andrew Ngbede, however approached the appellate court through their lawyer, Chief Godwin Obla, SAN, to challenge the decision of the Court Marshal which convicted and sentenced them to life imprisonment and death.

The convicted soldiers raised eleven grounds of appeal each in their separate appeals alleging  many fundamental irregularities and improprieties characterizing the entire trial at the General Court Marshal and asked the court to stay the execution of their sentences pending the hearing and determination of their appeals.

Upon the institution of the appeals by the convicted soldiers, an apparently incensed Nigerian military authority which had earlier acknowledged the receipt of the application by the convicted soldiers' lawyer for the release of the record of proceedings at the court marshal to enable him compile the record of appeal, blatantly ignored the application and vehemently refused to release the record of proceedings at the General Court Marshal, all in the bid to frustrate the appeals.

A series of correspondence by Obla to both the Chief of Army Staff and the President and Commander In Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, wherein he expressed apprehension on the likelihood of the Army to execute the death sentence on the three soldiers following their refusal to release the record of proceedings of the General Court Marshal, also failed to attract any response from the military authorities.

In a desperate bid to save the lives of his clients, their lawyer, Obla, last February initiated another correspondence with the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, seeking the commission's intervention to prevail on the Army to release the record of proceedings to enable him prosecute the appeal of his clients.

The effort yielded no positive result as the army still refused to release the document.

However, while delivering its ruling on the application for stay of execution filed before it by Cpl Igomu Emmanuel and Pte Andrew Ngbede, two of the convicted soldiers on Monday, the Court of Appeal restrained the Nigerian Army or its agents from carrying out the execution of life imprisonment and sentence if death imposed by the General Court Martial and ordered that the convicted soldiers be granted access to their lawyers.

The court presided by Justice Abubakar Jega Abdulkadir, also ordered the Nigerian Army to avail the convicted soldiers of the record of proceedings of the General Court Martial which tried and convicted them to enable them compile records for their appeal.

The application for stay of execution filed by the third convicted soldier, Cpl Stephen Clement,  is yet to be heard as it was not listed on the court’s list on the day those of the other convicted soldiers were heard. 
Culled from Thisday