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How ADP candidate Gbadamosi won hearts at Lagos Governorship debate PHOTO: Twitter/Ademola Olaniran When the Action Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate was first introduced at the Lagos governorship debate, the applause wasn’t rapturous. Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi was just another name to some, perhaps a welcome distraction to the real debate between the ‘main contestants’: the ruling All Progressives Congress Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whose face is unmistakable with the deluge of posters and campaign materials that have flooded the metropolis, and the People’s Democratic Party’s Jimi Agbaje, the self-confessed publicity shy opposition inching to veteran status with his third attempt at Alausa. A confident Sanwo-Olu reeled out an impressive CV in his opening statement. He highlighted his 30-year experience in the public and private sector, stating he was an investment banker, oversaw the Lagos state budget twice, set up the Lekki free-trade zone, schooled at...

CJN Onnoghen must appear in CCT for his trial – Buhari govt tells tribunal As the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen commenced on Monday, the prosecution team has insisted that the the CJN must appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. The top jurist is being prosecuted by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for alleged false assets declaration. Aliu Umar, who is the lead prosecutor, told the Danladi Umar-led tribunal that Onnoghen must appear in CCT to have his charges read to him. Umar argued that Onnoghen cannot afford to be absent during his trial. He maintained that there was no law that says a defendant can refuse to appear before a court just on the grounds of contesting jurisdiction. “He should be here, he may refuse to be arraigned and say that he is contesting the case,” Umar said. Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/01/cjn-onnoghen-must-appear-in-cct-for-his.html

Drama As 47 Lawyers Storm CCT For The Trial Of CJN, Onnoghen (Photos) The lawyers in court At least 47 lawyers, including five senior advocates of Nigeria (SANs), are currently at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for the trial of Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria. The federal government had filed a six-count charge of non-asset declaration against Onnoghen while the tribunal summoned him to appear before it. Below are more photos from the court: Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/01/drama-as-47-lawyers-storm-cct-for-trial.html

PDP appoints Ekweremadu, others as Technical Advisers to Atiku The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, appointed the deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu as Technical Adviser to its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondinya, the party also named the Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Mallam Sule Lamido and Senator Ahmed Makarfi as Technical Advisers too. The PDP also named Lamido as the chairman of Elder’s Council for the campaign. Other appointments made on Monday include: Alhaji Kawu Baraje, Technical Adviser to the Director-General of the campaign, Senator Bukola Saraki, while Dr. Doyin Okupe was named the Media Adviser to the Director-General. Ekweremadu had been rumoured to be secretly working with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari. But, in his series of tweets on his official Twitter handle Monday morning,...

Graphic: More Than 15 Persons Roasted To Death While Scooping Fuel In Calabar (Photos) More than 15 persons were feared killed in a petrol tanker explosion, yesterday, along the Calabar-Odukpani Highway in Cross River State. A lot of people rushed with their various containers to scoop fuel from a petrol tanker that fell while trying to negotiate a bend. Most of them were not lucky enough to escape the grip of fire that broke out from the explosion. The cause of the fire could be as a result of spark as some of the residents used metal containers to scoop the product. Please, be safe out there and don’t endanger your life just for some liters of petrol. Graphic photo below; source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/01/graphic-more-than-15-persons-roasted-to.html

Young Female Captain Appointed As Chief Pilot By Nigerian Airline. Photos Congratulations are in order for Captain Imoleayo Adebule who has been appointed by Aero Contractors as Chief Pilot. With this appointment, Adebunle has become the second female Chief Pilot in Nigeria’s aviation history. According to reports, Captain Adebule has been flying for 10 years and currently commands the Boeing 737. She is also a Captain on the Bombardier Q400 and has also flown the Bombardier Q100 and Q300. In December 2017, the young pilot amazed some of her passengers after a flight to Abuja. A surprised Facebook user, Imade Alonge Ize-Iyamu, Imoleayo Adebule flew the plane not as a co-pilot but as a full pilot as she and another passenger sought for a selfie with her (the pilot) after the flight. Source: https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/01/young-female-captain-appointed-as-chief.html

Stunning Story Of Boko Haram Fighter's Ex-Wives Who Prefer Life With The Terrorists Than In IDP Camps An internally displaced person camp in Maiduguri, Nigeria, like the one that houses Zahra and Amina. Photograph: Sunday Alamba/AP Zahra and Amina seem like lucky survivors of the scourge of northeastern Nigeria, the jihadist movement known as Boko Haram. Both were wives of fighters. Zahra escaped by agreeing to detonate an explosive vest that the militants strapped to her. After walking miles to her intended target, a government checkpoint, she turned herself over to soldiers. Amina fled with her three children after her husband was killed in battle. Today, both women live in a camp for survivors of the conflict in the northeastern city of Maiduguri. When I met them on a recent research trip to the city, the last thing I expected to hear was that they wanted to rejoin the insurgents. Conventional thinking and security policies that aim to dissuade women from extremist ...

CJN Absent As Trial Commences The trial of Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has commenced without him in attendance. Justice Onnoghen is facing six charges bordering on failure to declare his assets and operating a domiciliary account, among other charges. The CJN is represented by a team of lawyers led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN). Over 70 lawyers including 47 Senior Advocates of Nigeria are representing the CJN. Wole Olanipekun during the session insists that the CJN does not need to appear in court when he has not been properly served. The Prosecution then conceded that they did not serve the CJN properly and asked the tribunal to order personal service on the CJN. The prosecution agrees that the law says that the CJN must be served personally. RELATED: Over 70 Lawyers Arrive CCT Session To Defend CJN Onnoghen CCB Files Criminal Charges Against Chief Justice Of Nigeria The lawyers in his defence including Former Attorney General of the...

Mr & Mrs: Way To A Man’s Heart source: https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/01/blog-post.html

Fabregas smooth in debut as Monaco battle to Marseille draw Monaco’s Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas gives a thumbs up during the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco on January 13, 2019, at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France. (Photo by Christophe SIMON / AFP) Cesc Fabregas got off to a positive start in his debut for struggling Ligue 1 side Monaco after his side gained a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Marseille at a tumultuous Stade Velodrome on Sunday. Fabregas, who joined the Principality club from Chelsea on Friday, struck a composed figured in the midfield as Thierry Henry’s side recovered from a shaky start to earn a point thanks to Youri Tielemans’ leveller six minutes before the break. The World Cup winner almost laid on a winner for Tielemans in added time with a trademark clipped pass but the Belgium international hesitated on the ball and ended up shooting a presentable opportunity to snatch a rare victory well wi...

‘Monstrous’ Messi Scores 400th La Liga Goal, Sends Barca Five Points Clear Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi eyes the ball during the Spanish League football match between FC Barcelona and SD Eibar at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on January 13, 2019. LLUIS GENE / AFP Lionel Messi scored his 400th La Liga goal on Sunday, a total his coach Ernesto Valverde called “monstrous”, as Barcelona terrorised Eibar to reclaim their five-point cushion at the top of the table.  Messi drove the ball into the bottom corner after being teed up by Luis Suarez, who added two goals to his own tally either side of the Argentinian marking another historic record at the Camp Nou. “It’s monstrous,” said Valverde, after the 3-0 victory. “It’s easy to say but you have to score them one after the other, it’s a long-term job. “His numbers are stratospheric, incredible. He is from another galaxy.” Victory saw Valverde’s side restore their advantage over Atletico Madrid, who...

Pandemonium As Fans Attack Referee After Football Match In Jos. Photos This is quite shameful. Chaos rocked the football stadium in Jos, Plateau state after a match as action finally resumed in the Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL, on Sunday (yesterday). Pandemonium As Fans Attack Referee After Football Match In Jos. Photos/Video By Mod - 5 hours ago - [ Update ] This is quite shameful. Chaos rocked the football stadium in Jos, Plateau state after a match as action finally resumed in the Nigeria Professional Football League NPFL, on Sunday (yesterday). Football fans stormed the pitch to cause trouble following the goalless draw between Plateau United and FC Ifeanyiubah. According to reports, the referee was attacked and beaten by fans of the home team as he was whisked from the crowd. The attack which happened on the day the NPFL kicked-off for the new season, has sparked outrage among Nigerians.  The action has been conde...

Pompeo To Press Saudi Crown Prince Over Khashoggi’s Murder US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday arrived in Riyadh, where he is set to press Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to hold the killers of journalist Jamal Khashoggi accountable. The top US diplomat, on an extensive Middle East tour, embarked on his second politically sensitive visit to Saudi Arabia since Khashoggi’s murder inside its Istanbul consulate sparked an international outcry. “We will continue to have a conversation with the crown prince and the Saudis about ensuring the accountability is full and complete with respect to the unacceptable murder of Jamal Khashoggi,” Pompeo told reporters in Qatar, before flying to the Saudi capital. “We’ll… make sure we have all the facts so that they are held accountable, certainly by the Saudis but by the United States as well.” After landing in Riyadh, Pompeo pushed for Saudi Arabia to continue its investigation i...

Fuel hike sparks protests in Zimbabwe A petrol attendant serves a motorcyclist with two jerry cans attached to his motorbike at a fuel station, on January 11, 2019 in Harare. – Motorists are spending nights waiting in long queues for petrol and diesel as the country is experiencing crippling fuel shortages. (Photo by Jekesai NJIKIZANA / AFP) Commuters were stranded in Zimbabwe’s two main cities Monday as angry protesters reacting to the weekend more than doubling of fuel prices, burned tyres and used rocks to barricade roads and blocked buses from carrying passengers. President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday announced a more than 100 percent rise in the price of petrol and diesel in a move to improve supplies as the country struggles with its worst fuel shortages in a decade. Residents in Epworth, a poor suburb east of the capital Harare, on Monday woke up to find boulders blocking roads leading to the city centre. “It’s tense since early morning,” Nhamo Tembo, a res...

Dangote Denies Ownership Of Truck That Killed Many People In Ekiti. Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has denied the ownership of the truck that caused the accident at Iworoko Ekiti. Many people allegedly died in the accident on Saturday night. In a statement yesterday, the management of DIL frowned at what it called the misleading and unverified report carried by an online medium that a Dangote truck was responsible for the accident. The company wondered why some journalists rushed to the press without verifying information at their disposal, thereby reporting falsehood. It said the truck does not belong to Dangote, as reported by the medium. The statement said: “While we commiserate with the families of the deceased and pray for God’s strength to bear the loss of their loved ones, it is important to state that the affected truck does not belong to our company. “DIL does not import or produce rice for the market or for any individual or entity. O...

Angry Youths Destroy Bags Of APC Campaign Rice In Ekiti. Photos Chaos rocked Iworoko-Ekiti, Ekiti State, following the fatal accident that killed at least 15 persons and injured many others while conveying bags of rice to Ondo State on Saturday night. The angry youths in Iworoko-Ekiti stormed the scene of the accident to protest and destroyed many bags of the campaign rice as can bee seen in the footage below. The bags of rice were branded with the campaign stickers of a senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State. Among the dead was a mother, her child, a Youth Corps member, traders and some students of the Ekiti State University in the town. Iworoko Ekiti is home to a large number of students of Ekiti State University due to its proximity to the institution’s main campus. It was gathered that the accident occurred during the market peak period. A large crowd of sympathisers were seen wailing at the scene of the acciden...

2019 insurance industry outlook ·Strict regulatory environment expected ·Recapitalisation, M&As underway ·Highly capitalized coys to crowd out others By Rosemary Onuoha INSURANCE operators are entering year 2019 with great optimism, hoping that the year will turn out better than 2018.  Operators who spoke to Insurance Vanguard expressed optimism that the federal government’s plan to embark on developmental projects in 2019 will boost activities in the insurance sector. Insurance Tension in insurance sector as operators undermine rate policy Speaking on this, Managing Director of Prorisk Insurance Brokers, Mr. Oluwagbemiga Olawoyin, said, “We believe that the performance of the sector will be better considering government’s various plans for developmental projects.  So we are looking at 2019 with great optimism.” Although operators were optimistic that year 2019 will see improved business activities, they highlighted some issues that will ...

CBN To Retire N162b Short-Dated Bills Over Costs The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in the next three months, is expected to remove not less than N162.49 billion from the country’s domestic debt profile, put at N12.29 trillion as at September 30, 2018. The move, coming amid revenue shortages and plans to raise more than N800 billion in the same domestic market for 2019 budget implementation, may have been targeted at short-dated bills only. The Federal Government’s debt reduction strategy since 2017 has been focused on achieving a sustainable balance between the assessed costly domestic debts and relatively cheap external debts, targeting a ratio of 60:40. Part of the $3billion Eurobond floated between November 2017 and early part of 2018, was used to redeem local debts, adjudged to be costlier than dollar-denominated loans. Going by the Treasury Bill Issue programme for the first quarter of 2019, being managed by the CBN, rather than borrowing, it would be redeeming...

2019 budget proposal as proverbial ‘wait and see’ One of the major issues fuelling Nigeria’s development challenges has been identified as its budget, manifested in the processes, quality and the will to implement capital budget items. Experts say these have given way to corruption, bred by alleged fictitious, duplicated and ambiguous items, extra-budgetary expenditures, revenue leakages and failed implementation of capital votes. In the 2019 budget proposal, like the past years, there is still high suspicion that the menace lurks around, despite a raised optimism on a positive outcome from the economic document. An economist, Martins Elenwo, told The Guardian that the problem of the country is not much about documents’ contents, but the will and patriotism to translate the contents in totality to reality. “Otherwise, tell me why a N3.5 trillion recurrent non-debt expenditure for 2018, will be fully implemented, but a N2.3 trillion capital expenditure will be d...