ONE WORD

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday cautioned the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to refrain from acts that will suggest that the military has become an arm of a political party. PDP said Gen. Buratai’s allusion to its candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as well as his threats to officers to execute the unlawful order by President Muhammadu Buhari is an “aberration of our laws and a recipe for crisis.” In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Oligbondiyan, PDP said Abubakar spoke on the side of the law and wishes of Nigerians and cannot be intimidated by anybody no matter how highly placed. The statement read: “Gen. Buratai is counseled to note that the loyalty of the military is to the state and that the President lacks the powers, under our laws, to deploy soldiers for the conduct of elections. “Our party urges Gen Buratai to concentrate on his very demanding assignment of protecting the territorial integrity of our nation and ending insurgency rather than...

According to Punch Metro, the Coalition of United Political Parties on Wednesday alleged that the Department of State Services is tapping telephone conversations of opposition party members in the country. He said the conversations which were mainly opposition’s strategies for the forthcoming elections were being made available to leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress. The coalition’s national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, made the allegations in a statement made available to journalists. He said, “We wish to express our shock and disappointment with the All Progressives Congress and unscrupulous security agencies who, we discovered are taping our leaders’ calls and leaking our electoral strategy. “The opposition has uncovered constant taping of our calls and location marking by the ruling APC, using the DSS. “We are utterly disgusted with this shameless act. This administration has proven that nothing is sacred to them anymore.” Ugochinyere, therefore, called on...

The story has been told of a young Nigerian secondary school student who tragically passed away recently. Identified as Emmanuel Chukwuebuka Nnanna, the boy died after he was hit on the head with a stone by another student. He died on Tuesday 12th February 2019. The deceased was a JSS 1 student of the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha and was reportedly a very intelligent boy. His story was told on social media by one Mizta Nnamdi who shared his photo on Facebook. Below is what Nnamdi had to wrote about the deceased student. "HE DIED BECAUSE OF THE STUDENTS ENVY AND THE TEACHER'S CARELESSNESS. "THIS is Emmanuel Chukwuebuka Nnanna , a Jss 1 student at Dennis Memorial Grammar School Onitsha, A native of Oburo Ogwa in mbaitoli LGA, Imo state. He died on Tuesday 12th February 2019 by a large stone thrown to crush his head from the school dormitory window by his fellow envious student. "This happened after school hours, the victim was said to finishe...

British Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt said Wednesday that he was hopeful a Brexit deal could be passed by the British parliament if the government’s attorney-general is in a position to change his advice on its implications for the Irish backstop. Theresa May “We can get this deal through parliament if we can have a deal where the attorney general can change his advice to parliament. “That is going to be key to unlocking it,” Hunt said in a video clip posted on Twitter before he traveled to Berlin. According to Hunt, with vision and statesmanship on both sides, this can be done and I am hopeful it will be. NAN reports that Prime Minister Theresa May is heading back to Brussels in a last-ditch attempt to save her Brexit deal, as businesses express growing alarm at the U.K.’s looming divorce from the European Union. The British government sees May’s meeting on Wednesday with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker as a crucial chance to get legally binding changes ...

By Prince Osuagwu Nine years ago, data and marketing technology business, Terragon Group debuted, unlocking values for businesses using insight to reach the mobile audience in Africa. Elo Umeh The company owned and managed by very vibrant Nigerian youths, boasts of having created and strengthened the connections that bond people to brands by delivering services and solutions borne out of six core business capabilities- Digital Solutions for Business Transformation, Consumer Access, Data and Intelligence, Mobile Payments, Digital Content Management and Technology. Search for Spanish toddler in well enters fifth day Nine years down the line, the company said it is having a long term view of the ecosystem, with focus to understanding what it takes for business outfits, particularly in the technology space, to stay strong and profit oriented. Chief Executive Officer of the Group, Mr Elo Umeh told Hi-Tech recently the approach his company is taking towards this ...

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, After the tongue lashing by virtually all segments of the public for last Saturday’s last minute postponement of the presidential and National Assembly election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday began the public confidence rebuilding process, telling Nigerians that it is now ready to hold the poll rescheduled for Saturday nationwide. Its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in his first progress report told the media in Abuja that the hitches that caused the poll shift have been cleared and that the fresh time-lines for the conduct of the election are now being met. Specifically, he said the commission has achieved 98 per cent reconfiguration of its smart card readers, saying it is a significant milestone towards the conduct of the election and assured that the remaining two per cent would be completed today. Responding to media reports that a couple of its senior officials are being quizzed by the Department of State Security (...

Dino Melaye, the senator representing Kogi west at the national assembly, says President Muhammadu Buhari needs to revisit London, suggesting a need for a medical checkup. He said the president spoke with the anointing of Idi Amin, late Ugandan dictator on Monday. On Monday President Muhammadu Buhari said he has given the military and the police the order to be ruthless, stating that those who snatch ballot boxes will pay with their lives. “I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless,” Buhari had said. “Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life.” But speaking on Channels TV on Tuesday, Melaye said he was disappointed in the president’s utterances about ballot snatching. “I want to start by saying I am utterly disappointed in my president, I am completely in shock that in a democratic setting, the president will speak with ...

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says “only an Act of God can stop the conduct of the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly election slated for Saturday. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated this in Abuja while addressing a cross section of the diplomatic community and international election monitoring groups in Nigeria, for the 2019 General Election. The briefing which was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with INEC, is aimed at engaging with friends and partners of Nigeria on the rescheduled election. Yakubu, who was represented by an INEC National Commissioner, Dr Mustapha Lecky, said that the commission had put in place everything possible to ensure the elections hold on Saturday. The INEC boss said that the commission had no reason to feel that anything would stop the conduct of the electio...

file photo of INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says card readers will shutdown automatically by 10:00PM on the day of elections. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a briefing on the progress made by the commission following the postponement of the general elections. He said, “They (the card readers) are configured to specific polling units and only open for use at 8:00AM on the Election Day; they will automatically shut down by 10:00PM in order to forestall any illegal use of the card readers before the appointed time for elections.” Professor Yakubu explained that the card readers were introduced in 2015 to facilitate the accreditation of the electorate using the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC). Following the postponement of the elections, he said they were reconfigured to the new date of February 23, to make them impossible to be used for ulterior motives. The...

Justice Laniran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court 9 in Ibadan, the state capital, has fixed March 22 for report of settlement in a suit filed by parents of some female Muslim students of University of Ibadan International School Ibadan (ISI) over denial on use of Hijab. DAILY POST recalls that parents of some Muslim students of ISI sued the school on behalf of their wards for violating the fundamental human right of their wards for not allowing them to wear hijab on their school uniform. The Muslim parents, who filed the suit on behalf of their children, are: Taofeek Yekinni, Idris Badiru, Sikiru Babarinde, Muideen Akerele, Abdurrahman Balogun and nine others. Also joined as respondents in the suit are: the University of Ibadan, Principal of the school, Mrs Phebean Olowe and the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) University of Ibadan who doubles as the Chairman of the Board of Governors in the school, Professor Yinka Aderinto. The claimants want the court to declare the c...

Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri has confirmed that his side will be without Kepa Arrizabalaga, Davide Zappacosta and Pedro when they tackle Malmo in the UEFA Europa League round of 32 second-leg tie at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night. According to Sarri, Zappacosta is currently having a fever, while Pedro is having a very strong stomach problem. The Italian gaffer also said that Kepa is yet to recover from a hamstring injury he sustained during Chelsea’s 6-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League encounter some two weeks ago. Sarri’s side head to the game following a 2-1 victory over Malmo in the first-leg encounter last week. “We have [Davide] Zappacosta with a fever. We have Pedro with a very strong stomach ache,” he was quoted by Metro UK as saying at a pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea’s clash with Malmo on Thursday. “We also have a problem with Kepa’s hamstring.” Asked if the shot-stopper would be okay to take on Man City, Sarri added: “I hope so....

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has commenced the distribution of sensitive materials for the conduct of the Feb. 23 presidential and national assembly elections. NAN reports that Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, INEC Resident Electoral Officer in Anambra State, who supervised the exercise, said on Wednesday that it was a repeat of what was done on Thursday, Feb. 14. He said that the commission had received a replacement for all card readers damaged by the fire which burnt INEC office storage facility on Feb. 12. ”On Tuesday, Feb. 12, fire incident affected INEC storage facility where smart card readers for 17 Local Government Areas were packed. “Shortly after the fire was put out, we activated emergency recovery for card readers across the country and it was a successful exercise in that evening, we started getting a replacement for the card readers. ”By the next day being Feb. 13, we received card readers from 12 states and by Thursday of that week, we have compl...

Asian action superstar Jackie Chan will return to Dubai to film one of his latest movies with director Stanley Tong this month, the Dubai Film and TV Commission said. Jackie Chan Jamal Al Sharif, chairman of the commission, said on Twitter that “megastar Jackie Chan is returning to film in Dubai for the second time after his smash-hit Kung Fu Yoga! The new film is titled Vanguard and is directed by Stanley Tong.’’ He said the film will be shot in and around Downtown Dubai, City Walk, other prominent locations and residential areas with support from Dubai Film and TV Commission. “I would like to thank all those in the government and private sector that supported Kung Fu Yoga and will extend their support to the upcoming film,’’ Sharif was quoted by local newspaper Gulf News as saying. Chan’s earlier movie `Kung Fu Yoga,’ an India-China co-production, marked the martial art actor’s first film shot in Dubai and the Middle East, when it was produced  in September to Octobe...

Conservative members of parliament, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston. AFP Three MPs quit Britain’s governing Conservatives on Wednesday over Brexit, saying the issue had “re-defined” the party and was “undoing all the efforts to modernise it”. The trio said they planned to sit in parliament alongside eight former Labour lawmakers who, also citing their opposition to Brexit, resigned from the main opposition party this week to form the new Independent Group. “It is with regret that we are writing to resign the Conservative whip and our membership of the party,” Anna Soubry, Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston said in a joint letter to Prime Minister Theresa May. “We no longer feel we can remain in the party of a government whose policies and priorities are so firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP,” the MPs stated, referring to the European Research Group, a pro-Brexit faction of Conservative lawmakers, and the party’s Democratic Unionist allies from Northern Ireland.  ‘Dismal...

By Nwafor Sunday The Presidential candidate of the National Interest Party, NIP, Eunice Atuejide, has withdrawn from the  This came barely twenty eight days, when the former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili made her own announcement from the race. Thai princess’ bid for PM scuttled as party obeys royal command Disclosing this in a statement, Atuejide opined that she stepped down from the election because her race for the presidency was programmed to end on February 16 “and it did.” Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, cancelled and postponed the Presidential and National Assembly elections billed to hold on the 16th February to 23rd February 2019, citing logistic issues. However, Atuejide, in the same statement obtained by PremiumTimes, said that she would support the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, because of his choice of VP. Her statement reads; “I choose to fight for the bene...

The Nigeria Customs Service says it has detained four members of the patrol team involved in the killing of a civilian ‘friend’ named Godwin Onoja. According to a statement by its spokesman, DC Joseph Attah, a panel set up to investigate the killing could not conclude its investigation because the officer, who accidentally shot Onoja, Destiny Onebamho, was receiving medical attention after he was attacked by motorists following the killing. Attah said following the unfortunate incident on Sunday 17th February 2019 at Shagamu Interchange involving Operatives of the Federal Operations Unit Zone A, the Customs has continued to maintain close contact with the bereaved family. “We are pained by this sad development and share the grief of losing a fellow compatriot in a seemingly avoidable circumstance. We are and will continue to take every necessary step that will cushion the pain associated with losing a dear one,” Attah stated. He further informed that the Comptroller-General ...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) speaks as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on during a joint press briefing at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on February 20, 2019. – Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a warm welcome in India on February 20, with Riyadh eager to demonstrate it is not an international pariah after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October. (Photo by Money SHARMA / AFP) Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Indian leader Narendra Modi vowed Wednesday to increase pressure on countries that fuel terrorism. The promise came as fallout from a suicide bomb attack that India has blamed on Pakistan overshadowed the latest leg of the crown prince’s tour aiming to boost his country’s image. Modi did not mention Pakistan — a key Saudi ally — as he again blasted the “barbaric attack” in Kashmir last week that left at least 40 paramilitaries dead. “To tackle this menace effectively, we agreed that there is a ne...

The Niger State Police Command has arrested one ThankGod Emmanuel for allegedly stabbing his colleague, Tita Komla, to death. It was gathered that Emmanuel stabbed Tita with a dagger, stole his N47,000 and dumped his body in a drainage. However, the suspect ran out of luck after operatives of the Tundun Wada Division arrested Emmanuel after a detailed investigation. Upon interrogation, Emmanuel was said to have confessed to police that he killed his colleague in order to steal N47,000. “I killed him so that nobody would know that I stole his N47,000. I used a digger to inflict injuries on his head and he died instantly. “I never suspected that the police would identify me as the one who killed him,” he said. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Niger state police command, Muhammad Abubakar, while parading the suspect, said he would be arraigned in court after further investigation. Abubakar said: “The suspect confessed to killing his colleague, he would be a...

Dino Melaye Godswill Akpabio, lawmaker representing Akwa Ibom North has been described as a political pensioner by his colleague, Dino Melaye. Messrs Akpabio and Melaye are Senators at the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly. Mr Melaye representing Kogi West made the description on Tuesday when he featured alongside Festus Keyamo, the presidential spokesman of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign team, on a programme on Channels Television: The Verdict. The duo had a heated argument attacking and defending Mr Buhari’s choice of punishment on ballot box snatchers. The president had declared extra-judicial killings for those who might want to thwart the electoral will of Nigerians in the rescheduled general election expected to commence on Saturday. The Nigerian leader said he has ordered security operatives to ruthlessly deal with ballot snatchers at the scene of the crime without recourse to court trial as stipulated in the constitution. The Army and th...

At least 14 people were killed when Boko Haram jihadists attacked loggers in northeastern Nigeria, members of a militia force told AFP Wednesday. The group came under attack on Monday in Koshebe forest, 10 kilometres (six miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, militia leader Babakura Kolo said. The assailants were supporters of a long-time factional leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, he said. “We have recovered a lotal of 14 bodies from the scene of the attack and we are still looking for four more,” Kolo said. “We recovered nine bodies yesterday (Tuesday) and five more this morning,” said militiaman Mohammed Asheik, who was among the search team combing the bush for bodies. Four other wood-cutters are missing and presumed killed, he said. The loggers, who were in the forest to cut firewood, came from Lawanti village in Jere area, which the jihadists have previously targeted. The bodies were scattered over a large area because the jihadists pursued the ...

Leah Sharibu (file photo) The family of abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu has again called on the Federal Government to secure the release of their daughter from the enclaves of the Boko Haram sect. Speaking on behalf of the family, the Pastor of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Pastor Fidelis Saul in Yola, regretted that the indifference shown in facilitating Leah’s release is as a result of her faith. “I believe that the government is taking sides. This is because Leah is not the only person that was taken away. But why Leah is still being left behind today is because she is always calling Jesus Christ her saviour. “The government is taking sides, they see Christians as nothing. That is the reason why when we are crying, nobody will care about our crying. If the government knows that we are together, they should allow Leah to come back home right now before elections. Pastor Saul who also is the convener of a prayer session held in Leah’s remembrance c...

Paris Saint-Germain’s Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani reacts as he suffers an injury after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and FC Girondins de Bordeaux at the Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris, on February 9, 2019. – Edinson Cavani is likely to miss the first leg of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League encounter with Manchester United, coach Thomas Tuchel told French television on February 10, 2019. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) The Uruguayan has been out of action since pulling up injured after scoring a penalty against Bordeaux on February 9. PSG brushed off the absences of both Cavani and Neymar, who is sidelined with a foot injury, by beating United 2-0 in last week’s first leg at Old Trafford, with Kylian Mbappe continuing his fine run of form with a goal. But they now have a hope of seeing Cavani return in time for the second match in Paris after he managed some light individual training Tuesday. He w...

Aerial view of buildings and markets on Lagos Island. The incidence of multiple taxes, which have crippled operations of many listed firms in Nigeria, has spawned fresh criticisms, as capital market experts at the weekend, urged the incoming administration to abolish such investment obstacle. The experts, who canvassed a downward review of the withholding tax charged on dividend paid by quoted firms, also condemned a situation where companies that recorded losses are made to pay taxes from their turnover. According to them, the tax system depletes returns on investment, erodes capital base of listed firms, and subsequently trigger businesses collapse. They added that it largely undermines efforts by capital market regulators to woo more companies to list their shares in the market, a move that will make investors have access to many investment opportunities and deepen the market. There are over 2,000 registered public companies, but less than 500 are listed on the Nigerian...

Rice, egg increase, while yam, tomato drop By Elizabeth Adegbesan Despite the drop in food inflation in January 2019, some food items recorded increases on year-on-year, YoY, bases, though some others were much in line with the inflation trend down. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest report on ‘Selected Food Price Watch’ showed that the price of rice (imported high quality) increased YoY by 1.46 percent. However, on monthly basis, the price of 1kg of rice dropped by 1.22 percent to N366.04 in January 2019 from N370.57 in the preceding month. It also showed that the price of a dozen of agric eggs (medium size) increased (YoY) by 7.49 percent to N469.86 in January 2019 from N437.13 in January 2018 and MoM by 0.62 percent to N42.182 from N38.85 in December 2018. The report reads: “Selected food price watch data for January 2019 reflected that the average price of one dozen of agric eggs medium size increased YoY by 7.49 percent and month-on mont...

source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/here-are-some-lord-of-rings-random.html

Harry Kane Harry Kane has returned to Tottenham training ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash against Burnley, according to a report by Sky Sports. The England international has been out of action since January 13 when he suffered ankle ligament damage in Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Manchester United. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been without their star man ever since, despite the fact he managed to play out the full 90 minutes in the clash at Old Trafford. By Sky Sports is reporting that the striker has now returned to full training following a week in the Caribbean at the end of January to help aid his recovery. This is a quick turnaround following his initial prognosis which feared he would be out until at least March, but his recovery has been quicker than expected. Despite fears Spurs would suffer without Kane, they have won every Premier League game and put in an impressive 3-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. However, it hasn’t all gon...

In what will come across as a really shocking development, a young Nigerian soldier has died shortly after being married. The soldier who got married less than three months ago, was killed by rampaging members of the Boko Haram sect in the northeastern part of the country. The deceased soldier identified as John Moses from Benin in Edo state, tied the nuptial knot with his wife in November, 2018 in a ceremony which was well attended by family, friends and colleagues. Friends and colleagues of John Moses have taken to social media to mourn the loss. This is not the first time newlywed Nigerian soldiers are being killed at the battlefield. Over time, there have been reports of soldiers who have died in the line of duty while fighting to ward off Boko Haram. Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/oh-no-nigerian-soldier-killed-by-boko.html

The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has warned that anybody planning to snatch ballot boxes or to be used as a tout on the rescheduled election days will have himself or herself to blame. Adamu issued the warning on Tuesday after the security meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House Abuja. The IGP warned that “ballot snatching, ballot buying, thuggery will never be allowed”. Buhari had warned yesterday: “I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system, he would do it at the expense of his own life.” Fielding question from journalists, Adamu said the police were ready to “protect Nigerians” . He said: “Today, members of the security community and intelligence community came and briefed Mr. President on the security situation in the country. We deliberated on the consequences and came up with the resolve to further provide adequate...

Bola Tinubu All Progressives Congress chieftain, Bola Tinubu, has again stated that he is richer than Osun State and that he indeed said he was richer than Osun State during the run-up to the Osun State governorship election last year, a report by Punch has reported. This comes months after Tinubu’s media team had claimed the APC chieftain was quoted out of context. Tinubu had during the countdown to the Osun governorship election last September, paid a visit to the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, where he boasted that he was richer than Osun State. While addressing party faithful ahead of the postponed Presidential and National Assembly elections in Lagos last Thursday, the former governor of Lagos State said he indeed made the statement but he did not know he was being recorded. The APC chieftain also boasted that President Muhammadu Buhari did not possess the kind of money he can steal, adding that he did not even need to go to the Government Secretariat, Alausa...

President Muhammadu Buhari gave an order to security personnel on Monday, deal ruthlessly with anyone who steals ballot boxes. This command was made known by president at the National caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC meeting which  held at the party’s national Secretariat in Abuja. “I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless… Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life,” Buhari said. A lot of Nigerians have criticised the statement saying its a call to jungle justice, and shouldn’t be encouraged. However, there are those who are in full support of Buhari’s #snatchanddie order and here’s why. Why they #SnatchandDie People queue up in the sun, in the rain to cast their votes, then some thugs sent by unworthy thieving politicians will arrive with weapons to snatch it all away and even kill and injure voters and y...

Maverick activist, Charly boy, has said that he will lead a peaceful protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if the agency shifts the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday. Charly Boy said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja. NAN recalls that Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, early on Saturday, Feb 16, announced the postponement of the polls to Feb 23 because of “logistics and operational problems”. The Commission also shifted the state governorship and legislative elections as well as council polls in the Federal Capital Territory from March 2 to March 9. However, reactions have continued to trail the action of the electoral umpire with many Nigerians, especially political players, calling for the resignation of the chairman. Charly boy, the Convener of OurMumuDonDo Movement, however, stated that he saw the inability of Nigeria to hold the polls on the schedule...