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Showing posts from January 3, 2016

Oyo politics after Alao-Akala’s defection to APC

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Alao-Akala For those who have been watching political events in Oyo State from January 2015, there is nothing astonishing about the decision of former governor of the state, Adebayo Alao-Akala, to move to the All Progressives Congress from the Labour Party. Alao-Akala had sought refuge in the Labour Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party on the eve of the last general elections. Perhaps, what should be of bigger concern is the motive behind his move and what it portends for politics in the Pacesetter state and the APC. The excuses given by Nigerian politicians for dumping one party for another are usually attributed to the wishes of their supporters. But we have learnt that a lot of intrigues, political maneuvering, plots, scheming and in fact, deception determine such decision, all in the name of sustaining political relevance. Alao-Akala is no doubt a respected political figure in the state. Like all politicians, he has a strong political base, particu

Indian firm hijacks sensitive national security project –Investigation

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President Muhammadu Buhari An Indian firm, Continental Transfer Technique Limited, has hijacked a sensitive national security project – the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card – which was supposed to be managed by the Nigeria Immigration Service. Apart from controlling the sales of the residence permits to foreigners, each of which goes for $1,000 (about N250, 000) and is valid for two years, the company has also sidelined the NIS and it is the sole manager of the project. The CERPAC project was for the automation of the issuance of residence permit (Green card) as well as Aliens Registration (Brown card) to expatriates who are either residing or working in Nigeria or visiting for long periods (that is beyond 56 days) and seamen who stay ashore beyond 28 days. Findings indicate that the contract was awarded to CONTEC in 1999 by the Ministry of Interior on a build-operate-and-transfer basis and it took off in May 2002 after installation of equipment an

More PDP leaders to join APC in Ondo –Oke

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Olusola Oke The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Ondo State governorship election in 2012, Chief Olusola Oke, says that many chieftains of the PDP in the state have concluded arrangement to join the All Progressives Congress. A former senator who represented Ondo Central Senatorial District and close associate of Mimiko, Mr. Ayo Akinyelure, and the Director, Technical Aids Corps and former Mimiko’s commissioner, Dr. Pius Osunyikanmi, defected to the opposition party in December, 2015. Oke stated this while speaking with journalists after a meeting with members of the APC in his house at Ijapo Estate, Akure, the state capital. The former PDP National Legal Adviser, who defected to the APC few days after the March, 28, 2015 presidential election, said the intending defectors were tired of the PDP and therefore opted to “join the wind of change that is blowing across the country.” He said, “The wind of change is blowing across the country, and it is bl

Lagos terminates NURTW BRT agreement

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Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode THE Lagos State Government has terminated the franchise it issued to the National Union of Road Transport Workers to operate a Bus Rapid Transit scheme between Mile 12 and CMS corridor of the state. The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, on Thursday said the government decided to terminate the franchise agreement because of non-compliance with operational plans stipulated in the franchise by the First BRT Cooperative (FBC), owned by the NURTW. He said, “The termination of the franchise agreement with the operator is sequel to breaches of the BRT Service Level Agreement (SLA) it signed with the state government. We have been talking with FBC for years to ensure the SLA was adhered to, all to no avail. “Though the SLA requires a one-month notice prior to its termination, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, custodian of the agreement, gave a three-month notice, which the operator failed to honour.”

EFCC grills Buhari’s associate over alleged Dasuki’s $5m gift

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Brig.-Gen. Jafaru Isah (retd.), in connection with the ongoing investigation into the $2.1bn arms procurement scam. The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest and detention of the former military governor to one of our correspondents in Abuja on the telephone on Thursday. Isah, a close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, was the governorship candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change in Kano State in 2011. CPC was founded by Buhari to actualise his bid for the Presidency in the 2011 general elections. The party asked a son of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, Mohammed, to step down for Isah in the party’s governorship contest. Isah is the first chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress to be arrested by the EFCC since the Buhari administration started investigation into the $2.1bn arm

The IMF boss’ visit to Nigeria

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Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde Maybe, the International Monetary Fund can help us fast-track the identification and repatriation of our stolen funds hidden overseas. Since the credit power has moved from Wall Street banks to now Chinese government-controlled banks, the power to dictate that was earlier fully controlled by the IMF, acting on behalf of western lenders’ interests, but now in Chinese hands. This truth is being reinforced by the emergence of the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is currently having over 57 members including South Africa as the only African member. Since this is where the future of infrastructure financing lies, it is highly advisable that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration begins to give Nigeria’s membership of the AIIB the serious consideration it needs. Without expecting the IMF loans, the Fund’s assessments of Nigeria will only remain mostly neutral while its advice to

Aubameyang is African Footballer of the Year

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Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast has relinguished his dominance of the continent’s football as he lost the illustrious position as the African Footballer of the Year to Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang following the ceremony the Glo/CAF awards held Thursday night in Abuja. Toure had won the award for four consecutive years before Thursday when Aubameyang was named the winner beating him and Ghana’s Andre Ayew to the title. All three soccer stars were in Abuja for the event. Winner Aubameyang arrived in the country on Wednesday while Ayew whose father Abedi Pele is a previous winner hailed his reception as soon as he got into Abuja on Thursday. “I’m in Abuja now. Received with love,” he tweeted. The event held at the International Conference Centre has given the Gabonese the biggest individual award in African football. Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon is the only other player to have won the African biggest label for four consecutive years. Mbwana Aly Samatta of Botswana was voted t

Vote Titi Jeje As The Best Director Of The Year..

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Have you voted for this vibrant and talented director? If not visit www.mayaawards.org to vote him as the best movie director of the year. Titi jeje is a fast rising multi talented and artistic director. He has direct movies like  Arewa oko,Ojo eti,Bella,koto,tani oniro,sometimes in february,igba ewe,ota ibon etc to mention but few,which KOTO and BELLA was nominated  on another category by Mayaawards. Your votes is what he  needs  to achieve this so visit www.mayaawards.org to cast your vote.

Nursing mothers are more vulnerable to Lassa infection

If you have not heard or read this information in the news, Lassa Fever has killed five people in Rivers and Taraba states in the last one week. According to the Rivers state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Theophilus Odagme, the deadly fever killed a nursing mother and her two-week-old baby in Port Harcourt, the state capital. Experts say that pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants are at a great risk of losing their lives to the disease if left untreated. Chief Virologist, Dr. Olumide Adunbarin, who defines Lassa fever as an acute viral infection caused by the Lassa virus, notes that the mortality rates among pregnant women in their third trimester is particularly very high. Adunbarin says, “Pregnant women, nursing mothers and their babies are at a higher risk of dying of this disease. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are particularly high. Spontaneous abortion may also occur in a pregnant woman.” History This is the umpteenth time the co