Welcome to Elizabeth Ifeoma's Blog.: June 2016

Thursday 30 June 2016

World's Most Unstable Countries: Nigeria Ranked As One

The Fund for Peace, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit, non-governmental research and educational institution, has ranked Nigeria as one of the world’s most unstable countries.

In its 12th annual Fragile States Index (FSI) released wednesday, Fund for Peace ranked Nigeria alongside war-torn Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraqi, Guinea, Pakistan, Burundi and Zimbabwe.

It stated that the situation in Nigeria deteriorated in 2015 when compared with 2014.

INEC this afternoon issued a certificate of return to PDP member, Uche Ogah (left), following an order by the Abuja Federal High Court on Monday June 27th, mandating INEC to immediately issue Certificate of Return to Ogah who came second at the PDP primaries in the state in 2014.

Ogah had dragged the former state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, before the court, arguing that he presented false tax clearance during the party primaries. The presiding judge, Justice Okon Abang, said that on the account of fake tax returns during the primaries, Ikpeazu was never qualified to run in the PDP primaries as a governorship candidate. He nullified Ikpeazu's election and ordered INEC to issue a certificate of return to Ogah.

Ikpeazu has since filed an appeal against the ruling.

The Flexible Exchange Rate Inter-bank Market policy is on trial, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said yesterday.

It will make room for more stakeholders, including bureaux de change (BDC) operators, to participate, CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele said.

He spoke at the interactive session between the BDCs and the CBN on the new policy and the state of the forex market.

He assured the BDCs that they will be factored in while acknowledging their impact on businesses.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that its strategy to fund capital intensive projects in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry has begun yielding fruits with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some Chinese companies worth $50 billion for infrastructure development.
The corporation said in a statement in Abuja that the deal was part of recent landmark strides by its management to bridge the infrastructure funding gaps in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.
The companies involved in the deal include China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO Group), China Cinda Asset Management Company Limited (CINDA), China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation/Addax petroleum

International business website, Bloomberg, has written a new article on the recent devaluation of the Naira. According to the magazine, the excitement from the devaluation is shortlived as the Nigerian economy has since sunk further. Read the article below

Optimism that a devaluation of Nigeria’s naira would breathe life into the country’s banking stocks faded almost as quickly as it started.

The central bank’s abandoning of a 16-month currency peg was greeted with a world-beating rally in the nation’s shares on expectations foreign investors would return to Africa’s largest economy. It didn’t last, with all but two of the country’s biggest banking stocks falling since the naira started trading freely on June 20.

Gospel Tungba crooner, Yinka Ayefele has debunked the claim that he has converted to Islam. Earlier yesterday, the news of the conversion to Islam of the ace singer went viral with fans both home and abroad making calls to find out the veracity of the claim.

A release issued by his Publicist, David Ajiboye said, Ayefele is still a Christian and has no reason whatsoever to renounce his faith and believe.

“We believe the rumour must have emanated from the annual Ramadan Lecture which Fresh 105.9FM owned by Ayefele organized on Tuesday, in Ibadan.

Over 300,000 candidates applied for the 750 job positions advertised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Director of Public Affairs of EFC, Mr Osita Nwaja, made the announcement in Enugu yesterday. Nwaja said that the recruitment was segmented and that the first phase of the recruitment exercise ended on June 26.

He said:

Popular Adamawa based musician, Ado Daukaka, who went missing on Saturday June 25th after he released his controversial new song titled "Gyara kayanka" condemning some politicians in the state, has recounted his ordeal in the hands of his abductors. Ado, who was found unconscious at a farm in Lamurde village in the state yesterday, was rushed to the hospital where he is receiving medical examination. Narrating his experience in the hands of his abductors, he said:

Read the press statement below...

This is to inform the general public that the purported message making the rounds that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode wrote a certain message to Christians and Apostle Suleiman from detention is not true. That message was part of a long and systematic plot by mischief makers, his traducers and detractors to continue to discredit and malign his person and character, and cause disaffection among his friends, associates and supporters. We therefore urge members of the public to disregard that message and treat it as non-existent. Thank you.

How Senate Rules Were ‘amended’ For Saraki, Ekweremadu’s Elections – Clerk

The deputy clerk of the National Assembly, Benedict Efeturi, confirmed to police investigators that the senate’s standing orders used for the 2015 elections of Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as senate president and deputy respectively, was different from the 2011 version which should have been in use at the time, details of police investigation seen by PREMIUM TIMES show.

Mr. Efeturi made the disclosure to the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the Nigerian Police, which investigated allegations that the rules were forged to help Messrs. Saraki and Ekweremadu to their posts.

A Nigerian, Ifesinachi Nelson Ezeh, has won international acclaim for finishing his Master’s degree at Saint Petersburg Agrarian University in Russia with distinction and for his edge-cutting research in Agronomy. His feat earned him a Ph.D scholarship. HANNAH OJO writes on the exploits of the youngster whose aim is to tackle the food crisis in his fatherland.

Ifesinachi Nelson Ezeh, a 26-year-old Nigerian, has dazzled Russia with his brilliance. The Nsukka, Enugu State-born student finished his Master’s degree in Agronomy at Saint Petersburg State Agrarian University, graduating with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 – the highest Russia has ever recorded.

See what was said about buhari in 1984 any difference with what is happening now?

See what was said about buhari in 1984 any difference with what is happening now?

Bread Prices Rise 25 Percent On Input Cost

Bread, a staple food for most Nigerians may soon disappear from the breakfast table as its price has risen by 25 percent in two weeks, following a sharp increase in the prices of sugar, flour and butter, which are the major components, BusinessDay investigations show.

The implication is that hard times await Nigerians with dwindling disposable income, particularly, the middle and low level income earners who rely on bread for their breakfast, as the prices of other items like cornflakes and bean-cakes, among others, have shot up on account of rising inflation.

FG To Unveil Plan For Affordable Housing Monday

The Federal Government will on Monday unveil its plans towards the provision of affordable houses for Nigerians in line with the electoral promises of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, will make the plan public on behalf of the government at the Affordable Housing Summit 2016 being put together by the ministry in partnership with German Development Cooperation.

A member of the summit’s Technical Working Group, Mrs. Eucharia Alozie, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja.

11 Ways Brexit Will Impact The Premier League And Soccer Worldwide - Forbes

Britain woke up this morning facing a post Brexit vote hangover of masll take years for the British government to negotiate an exit from the European Union and the transition period will generate a great deal of uncertainty.

The withdrawal of the UK from the European Union will touch almost every facet of British life, soccer included.

Here is a snapshot of how soccer will – or may – be impacted by Thursday’s decision of the British electorate to leave the European Union.

The Nigerian Football Federation has unveiled the preliminary 35-man football squad prepared by coach Samson Siasia, to represent Nigeria in the Summer Olympic games set for August in Rio de Janeiro.

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, Watford striker Odion Ighalo and Arsenal young revelation Alex Iwobi have all been included in the list. Seventeen of the 35 players included in the team have already had full international experience with the Super Eagles as Siasia hopes to put up a good challenge to win gold this year after falling just short in his 2008 spell in charge.

Acting IGP, Ibrahim Idris, orders police officers to declare their assets

Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has ordered police officers from the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to Inspector-General of Police to declare their assets in accordance with Section 13 cap 15 Code of Conduct Act.

Idris stated this during a courtesy call he made on the Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) yesterday June 23rd. “Every police officer from the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police to Inspector-General who are commission officers must declare their assets“Idris said.

'They took back control of their country' Donald Trump calls Brexit a ‘great thing’ after arriving Scotland

After British citizens voted yesterday to remove Britain from the European Union, U.S Republican Presidential candidate endorsed the exit, calling it a great thing and that the British people 'took back control of their country'.

The billionaire businessman arrived at his Scottish golf course, Trump Turnberry, in a private chopper during the reopening of the refurbished Open venue golf resort.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has contradicted claims by the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff that the commission’s personnel did not monitor last Monday’s governorship primary in Edo State conducted by the Makarfi-led caretaker committee.
While inaugurating his group’s version of the governorship election primaries committee for Edo State yesterday in Abuja, Sheriff said, “INEC is a creation of law and is created to monitor political parties. We are told officially that INEC did not send anybody to monitor the election.”

The minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige met with Senator Rafiu Ibrahim who is the Chairman Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions and other senators in Abuja on Thursday to deliberate over banks' license withdrawal. The minister had threatened to withdraw the operating license of any bank and telecommunication company that failed to yield to stop mass sack of workers in their employ.

He said;

Nigeria's Bring Back Our Girls movement and family members are demanding that the government provide news of the only schoolgirl among 219 kidnapped to escape the clutches of Boko Haram Islamic extremists.

"Even this morning people came to my house asking if I had been able to find out her whereabouts. It's outrageous! Some people are crying! We don't understand why the government wants to keep her family away," Yakubu Nkeki, an uncle of Amina Ali Nkeki, told The Associated Press by telephone on Thursday.

Having an easy source of revenues denied Nigeria the opportunity to engage in the critical thinking and prioritization that usually drives development according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Prof. Osinbajo spoke today at the launching of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Port Services Support Portal (PSSP) for Nigerian Ports hosted by the Ministry of Transportation in Abuja on Thursday with other top government and private sector functionaries including Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi in attendance.

He said the country must reduce the current dependence of the federal and the state governments on the ritual sharing of revenues from oil.

Earlier yesterday, some Army Officers and Police officers exchanged gunshots at the Borno state government House over the distribution of rice meant for some Internally Displaced People in the state. Both security agencies have released a joint statement addressing the matter. Read the joint statement below:

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has asked the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu, to offer explanations on their alleged involvement in the forgery of the senate standing order last year, in court. Malami said this in a statement released on his behalf by his media aide, Salihu Isah, today Jun 23rd.

Saraki, Ekweremadu and two others are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday June 27th on criminal charges of forgery of the senate standing rule in June last year. Read Malami's statement below...

Embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, told the court today that he is being punished by the powers that be for the perceived offences committed long before. Speaking through his counsel, Joseph Daodu (SAN), Dasuki said he leaves everything for God almighty to judge.

“It is crystal clear that the defendant (Dasuki) is being punished by the powers that be for the perceived offences committed long before… we leave them to the Almighty God for his ultimate judgment,” he said

68 year old Granny and passionate Brexit supporter Teresa Hicks, says polling staff told her yesterday she was inappropriately dressed and so wasn’t allowed to cast her ballot.

The Grandmother who wore Union Jack glasses and flags attached to a headband claims she was told the police would be told unless she left immediately.

Teresa said: “I was just in the queue and this man came up to me and said ‘you are inappropriately dressed’ so I asked if they’d send somebody away with a burka on?

Man U manager Jose Mourinho is set to increase the bad blood between him and Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger as he has tabled a £35m bid for Arsenal and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

According to the Sun UK, Mkhitaryan of Dortmund is Mourinho's first choice, but after watching Ramsey at the Euros, has ordered Man U executive Ed Woodward to trash out a deal for Arsene Wenger's prized asset. Mourinho wants him to be Manchester United’s answer to Frank Lampard, and believes he could achieve for Man U what Lampard achieved for Chelsea.

Halima Rashid has filed for divorce after nearly 12 years of marriage to Jermaine Jackson, brother to the late Michael Jackson, citing irreconcilable differences and problems stemming from an alleged domestic spat last year, according to reports by TMZ .

Rashid in her divorce suit listed the pair's separation date as Nov. 28, 2015 - the same day she made headlines after being arrested for domestic violence.

A case against Rashid for felony corporal injury on a spouse was dropped due to insufficient evidence.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron resigned today after his devastating defeat in the EU referendum. He had fought strongly for Britain to remain in the EU but lost. He said he will stay in post till about October this year when a new Prime Minister is chosen. He said the country requires fresh leadership.

Cameron's voice broke as he spoke outside Downing Street this morning with his wife Samantha in tears next to him. “We should aim to have a new prime minister in place by the start of the Conservative Party conference in October," he told the media after the country voted to leave the European Union.

Factional Chairman of PDP and Former governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sheriff, says he is ashamed at the way and manner Ekiti state governor Ayo Fayose has been conducting himself in the country. At a press conference held in Abuja yesterday June 23rd, Sheriff said he has been a governor before and knows that such office demands responsible behavior

“I am ashamed at the way and manner Fayose is conducting himself in the country. I was once a governor; so, I know that the position of governor is a very serious one that demands responsible behaviour”.

According to Bloomberg, as European stocks plunge after Brexit vote, Topshop billionaire Philip Green has faced a big loss.The Pound has nose-dived against US dollar to its lowest level in 31 years.

Thursday 23 June 2016

PDP to emerge majority in Senate as Saraki, 15 others plan to defect

According to Breaking Times, sources close to Dr Bukola Saraki revealed that the Senate president has perfected contingency plans to defect to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) if the All Progressive Congress (APC) senators begin impeachment processes against him.

Microsoft has unveiled experiments to show that a PC running Microsoft Edge lasts 70% longer than Chrome, 43% longer than Firefox Firefox, and 17% longer than Opera (with Battery Saver enabled).

In a new blog post, the Platform team director Jason Weber explained how Edge can help save your computer or tablet battery.

Caroline Onoh Is Dead (Mother Of Bianca Ojukwu)

Mrs Caroline Onoh, wife of the late governor of old Anambra State, Chief Christian Onoh, is dead.
She died in Enugu at the age of 81, her second son, Ken said.

The late Mrs Onoh is survived by, among other children, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s former ambassador to Spain and widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu

41 Nigerians deported from the US today

41 Nigerian men were deported from the United States for drug, police and immigration related offences today June 22nd. The deportees landed Murtala Mohammed International Airport Lagos at about 12pm on a chartered aircraft operated by Miami Air International. Nine of them were deported on drug related offences, 26 for police offences while six had immigration related problems.

70 year old woman stabbed to death in Edo

Suspected assassins have killed a 70 year old woman identified as Betsy Egbeobamwonyi, who was found with a slit throat and many stab wounds at her one room apartment at Oseye Street, off Upper Sokponba Road, Benin city Edo state this morning June 22nd.

According to The Nation, the suspected assassins left the woman in the pool of her blood after they committed the crime.

Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang’ Nguema has promoted his first son Teodoro ‘Teodorin’ Obiang’ Mangue as the country’s vice-president. Teodorin has been serving as the country's second vice-president, a position that has been abolished in the new government structure.

According to the Brazilian newspaper the Terra Brasil, which quoted a local TV station yesterday, Teodoro will also be in charge of Defence and National Security ministry, Africa Review reports.

We will stop cooperating with the APC-led Federal Government- PDP Senate caucus says

PDP senators have said they will cease to cooperate with the APC -led Federal government. At a press briefing at the National Assembly today June 22nd, the PDP senators listed the alleged continuous victimization of its members by anti-graft agency, proposed trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy Ike Ekweremadu for alleged forgery of senate standing rule as part of the reasons for their cease, as part of their grievance against the APC-led government.

EFCC denies any of its officials has secret ties with arrested member of Presidential Investigative committee on Arms procurement

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC have released a statement denying that any member of its organization has secret ties with the arrested member of the Presidential Investigative Committee on Arms Procurement, Air Commodore Umar Muhammed.

Thisday newspapers had reported yesterday that a source told them that the DSS officials arrested Muhammed over claims of fronting for some high ranking officials within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and security agencies to carry out corrupt activities.

In a circular released yesterday, Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, ordered the replacement of all striking resident doctors in the various government teaching hospitals. According to the minister, the striking doctors failed to attend their training programs despite ongoing negotiations and so their vacancies should be filled up with other doctors that have before now sent in their applications.

The Department of State Service (DSS) have reportedly arrested a member of the Presidential Investigative Committee on Arms Procurement, Air Commodore Umar Muhammed (rtd), for alleged fraudulent deals involving top government officials.

According to Thisday, Muhammed is alleged to be fronting for some high ranking officials within the EFCC and security agencies to carry out corrupt activities.

No fewer than 26 people have been killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen in an attack on three villages in Benue state in the last two days. According to Vanguard, the attacks which appeared well coordinated, occurred in Uzzar village in Buruku local government area, Anyii in Logo local government and Vase in Ukum local government Area in the state.

President Buhari says with the dwindling economy, activities of the Niger Delta militants, agitation by some Nigerians ‎for the Biafran state, that Nigeria needs a lot of prayer.

President Buhari said this while speaking at a dinner he hosted to break his Ramadan fast with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and members of the Federal Executive Council at the presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday June 21st. He berated the agitators of the Biafran state, reminding them that the Nigerian Civil war claimed over 2 million lives.

Ondo state governor has called on the Federal government to call the EFCC to order following the freezing of one of the accounts of Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose. In a statement he released yesterday June 21st, Mimiko said this action by the antigraft agency is not good for democracy

The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Buruji Kashamu has urged Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose “to stop the needless mudslinging against the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari and face the allegations against him”.xxxIn a statement he issued in Abuja today, Kashamu likened Fayose’s attempt to link Mrs Buhari with the Halliburton scandal as a “needless distraction and an amateurish shadow-boxing. His action could be taken for a drowning man clutching at a straw”.
The statement reads in part, “It is interesting that Mr. Fayose is talking about the rule of law and the need to do things within the ambit of the law. I never knew that he has ever heard of the concept of the Rule of Law. When he trampled on other people’s rights in a bid to abrogate their tenure in office where was the Rule of Law? Now he is crying out because he is afraid he might have to get a taste of his own medicine because a man must certainly reap whatever he sows.

UK's Metropolitan police shared this photo of this Nigerian man Uwaze Valentine Ilomuanya, who has been convicted for importing cocaine into the UK but is currently on the run.

Joseph Yobo to play in Nigerian league, NPFL to pay his salary as clubs hustle for his signature

Former Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, who has played for Fenerbahce and Everton is set to play in the Nigeria Professional Football league for the remaining matches of the season, in what will be a major coup for the Nigeria league.

Factional leader of PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, has described as illegal and unconstitutional the Monday June 20th Edo state gubernatorial primaries that saw the emergence of Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party's flagbearer for the Edo state governorship election slated for September 10th.

In a letter he signed and sent to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, yesterday June 21st, Sheriff said the primaries that was carried out by the Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee in Edo state should be disregarded by the electoral body.

Adam Lindin Ljungkvist was dismissed in the late stages of a ninth-tier game in Sweden after he let off what was apparently a rather impressive fart
EXTRA TIME
There are many reasons a player can be sent off in a game - reckless tackles, two yellow cards, even swearing at the referee in some occasions. But Swedish football saw a bizarre new offence which seems incredibly harsh.

In a ninth-tier clash, Pershagen SK's Adam Lindin Ljungkvist was sent off for "unsportsmanlike behaviour" when he farted loudly in his side's game against and Jarna SK's reserves.

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has arrested one of Nigeria’s most wantef notorious fraudsters involved in online advertising scams on non-existing vacancies in government agencies, PRNigeria is reporting.
The suspected kingpin, whose real name was given as Abubakar Rilwan, had been declared wanted by some security agencies in the country before his arrest.

A top customs officer stated: “Abubakar Rilwan, who is evidently disabled is one of the principal actors and suspect in a job/auction scam syndicate. Whatever he lacks in physical ability, he makes up for in his exceptional ability to manipulate and swindle his victims.

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Thursday 30 June 2016

Saturday 25 June 2016

Friday 24 June 2016

Thursday 23 June 2016

Wednesday 22 June 2016