Ukraine army to be trained by UK troops - Cameron

British military personnel are to be sent to Ukraine in the next few weeks to provide advice and training, says Prime Minister David Cameron.

As he spoke, pro-Russian rebels said they were pulling back heavy weapons from the front line in eastern Ukraine as part of a ceasefire.

However, the government in Kiev has disputed the rebel claims.

Mr Cameron said he would push for more sanctions on Russia if the separatists failed to observe the truce.

The prime minister told a House of Commons committee that up to 75 British soldiers divided into four teams would go to an area well away from the conflict zone to provide medical, logistics, intelligence and infantry skills.

Missing teenagers have crossed into Syria, Met Police say

Jump media player

Media player help

Out of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.

 

BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera assesses whether warning signs were missed

Three missing teenagers believed to be heading to join Islamic State militants are thought to have crossed into Syria, UK police say.

The London schoolgirls were smuggled into Syria from Turkey four or five days ago, the BBC understands.

Sources suggest the girls entered Syria near the Kilis border crossing.

Bethnal Green Academy pupils Shamima Begum and Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, travelled to Istanbul on 17 February.

They flew from Gatwick to Turkey after telling their parents they were going out for the day.

The Metropolitan Police said it "now had reason to believe that they are no longer in Turkey and have crossed into Syria".

"Officers continue to work closely with the Turkish authorities on this investigation," the force said in a statement.
'Out of reach'
Sources inside Syria suggest three girls who were identified as British - including one said to be wearing glasses - crossed the border with the help of people smugglers.

The news comes after the girls' families made a number of emotional appeals for them to return.

BBC correspondent James Reynolds said it was "not clear what - if anything - British or Turkish authorities are now able to do".

He said the fear was that once inside Syria, the missing schoolgirls would be "out of reach".

CCTV captured the girls passing through security at Gatwick Airport

Ross Frenett, from the think tank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said the girls' long-term prospects were concerning.

"It seems likely they're going to get married pretty quickly and then probably settle into some kind of domestic life," he said.

"The worry is more what happens in the long term, because as [Islamic State] tends to lose territory, this idea of just settling down and helping it from the back end won't necessarily work any more.
Turkish criticism
"We could see women taking a more active role in this conflict and that's a real worry here."

Earlier, Scotland Yard denied it had taken three days to inform officials in Turkey about the schoolgirls travelling to Syria.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said officials would have taken "necessary measures" had they known earlier.

But the Met has said it began working with Turkish authorities a day after the girls went missing.

The girls flew from London to Istanbul and are thought to have crossed into Syria at Kilis

Mr Arinc said: "It is a condemnable act for Britain to let three girls... come to Istanbul and then let us know three days later.

"They haven't taken the necessary measures. The search is ongoing.

"It would be great if we can find them. But if we can't, it is not us who will be responsible, but the British."
'Great assistance'
Scotland Yard said officers made contact with the foreign liaison officer at the Turkish Embassy in London on 18 February - the day after the girls left the UK.

"Since then we have been working closely with the Turkish authorities who are providing great assistance and support to our investigation," a spokesman added.

A public appeal for information about the missing girls was launched by police on Friday, three days after the girls boarded their flight to Turkey.

UK police officers have also travelled to Turkey - although their role in the country has not been confirmed.

The three girls had been studying for their GCSEs at the school in Tower Hamlets, east London - where they have been described as "straight-A students".

A fourth girl from the school is believed to have travelled to Syria in December.

Bethnal Green Academy principal Mark Keary said there was no evidence they had been radicalised at school.

Greece debt crisis: Eurozone backs reform plans

Eurozone finance ministers have approved reform proposals submitted by Greece in order to obtain a four-month extension of its bailout.

The Eurogroup said it had agreed to begin national procedures - parliamentary votes in several states to give the deal final approval.

The measures offered by Greece include combating tax evasion and reforming the public sector.

But the head of the IMF said they lacked "clear assurances" in key areas.

Greece's debt stands at more than €320bn (£237bn), and its current €240bn bailout expires on Saturday. Fresh funding will not be released until Greece's proposals are approved in detail.

The stakes of talks over continued financial aid have been high because of fears of a Greek default that could push it out of the euro, triggering turmoil in the EU.

Juventus had to settle for a narrow first-leg lead after missing a several good chances against Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League last-16 tie

Juventus had to settle for a narrow first-leg lead after missing a several good chances against Borussia Dortmund in their Champions League last-16 tie.

Carlos Tevez put the Italians ahead after Roman Weidenfeller spilled at his feet, but Dortmund soon struck back.

Marco Reus exploited Giorgio Chiellini's slip to scamper in and shoot home just three minutes later.

Alvaro Morata's careful finish put Juve back in front and the hosts could have stretched away in the second half.

Suarez double puts Barca in Charge

Suarez double on return to England

Aguero strike gives City hope

Clichy sent off for second yellow

Hart saves late Messi penalty

Luis Suarez dented Manchester City's hopes of reaching the Champions League quarter-finals with two goals as Barcelona secured a last-16 first-leg victory at Etihad Stadium.

The former Liverpool striker drove home a rebound before stabbing in a second as Barcelona dominated the first half.

Sergio Aguero's powerful finish after the break gave City hope.

The hosts were reduced to 10-men when Gael Clichy was sent off before Lionel Messi had a late penalty saved.

The result means Manuel Pellegrini's side will need to score at least twice in the second leg at the Nou Camp on 18 March to have a chance of reaching the last eight.

Google to ban sexually explicit content on its blogs

Google said Tuesday it would ban sexually explicit content or “graphic nudity” on its Blogger platform, asking users to remove the material by March 23.
In an update to its policies, Google said it would still allow nudity “if the content offers a substantial public benefit, for example in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts.”
The update said users with sexually explicit content may remain on the platform as a “private” blog that can only be viewed by the administrator and persons with whom the link is shared.
Users will also be able to export the blog to another platform if they don’t want to remain on Google, the policy said.
Until now, Google’s policy had banned certain illegal activities including child pornography or pedophilia.
The update by Google comes a year after Twitter-owned Vine made a similar change to ban explicit video clips.
Google’s new policy elicited complaints over Twitter, with some calling it censorship.
Violet Blue, who pens the human sexuality blog tinynibbles.com, tweeted, “Censoring this content is contrary to a service that bases itself on freedom of expression.”
Another blogger, Carin McLeoud, said, “google’s email about adult content on blogger treats adult content as though it harms people and nothing comes from it.”
Twitter user Matt Adlard wrote, “Has #Google gone too far with its self styled #censorship on peoples Blogs?? Are we not adults to decide our own fate and what we watch??”

 

FG sells multi – billion naira Delta steel company to automobile firm

ABUJA – THE Minister of Mines and Steel Development,  Mr. Mohammed Sada Tuesday said that the Federal Government through the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, has perfected necessary arrangements to sell the Delta steel company to an automobile firm.
Meantime, The Senate Committee on Mines and Power has lamented over the state of electricity supply in Nigeria and summoned the generation and distribution companies to appear before the committee on Tuesday March 3.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development who stated this when he appeared before the senate committee on Power, Mines and Steel, to defend his ministry’s 2015 budget, said that though the ministry was not involved in the sale, it was in close partnership with AMCON the government agency handling the sale.
Sada recalled that the company had been in the hands of a private investor but was retrieved by AMCON but was now set to be sold to another investor who is interested in the automobile industry.
According to the minister, “Now AMCON is in the process of selling it and I am aware there are quite a number of people that have written letters of intent that they are interested. What interests us in the ministry is that those interested are people that are interested in automobile development.
“We believe in the system now that someone who has interest in developing a value chain around the company is showing interest in buying it. We have no role to play by the way, they are consulting us as experts in the industry and we have had several meetings with them to guide them.

President Jonathan missed the point on missing N30trn, by Charles Soludo

My attention has been drawn this morning to an article entitled: “Jonathan Replies Soludo over “missing N30 trillion” claim”— extracting from Mr. President’s interview as published by Thisday newspaper.
ThisDay quoted Mr. President as saying that “Soludo said that under Ngozi’s watch they stole N30 trillion” but that since the sum of the federal budget over the last four years was less than N30 trillion, such an amount could not have been “stolen”.
According to the President, “it is all political”. I had earlier stated that I would not make further comments on the issues until probably after the elections but since Mr. President has decided to join the fray, I am constrained to make a further brief clarification.
For me, President Jonathan is a gentleman and a friend but I have a fundamental disagreement on his management of the economy. On the issues at stake, I believe that the pressures of office and the hectic electioneering campaigns have not allowed him time to read my articles or that his staff have not explained the contents to him hence he totally missed the point in his comments. For the avoidance of doubt, let me clarify as follows:

Ekitigate: Senator Omisore Confesses In Ghana - Politics

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKFEB 23, 2015

In a one-on-one interview with Nigerian citizen journalist Kayode Ogundamisi at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, Senator Iyiola Omisore of Osun state has admitted that a tape released by SaharaReporters detailing how some politicians met with a Nigerian army general  to plot the rigging of last year’s gubernatorial election in Ekiti was real and authentic.


VIDEO: #EkitiGate Secret Tape! All I said was 'Calm Down! Calm Down' Senator Iyiola Omisore
Senator Iyiola Omisore confesses: "I was At the meeting, All I told them is calm down, calm down"...
Cornered by the interviewer Mr. Omisore admitted that Governor Ayo Fayose, Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, Musiliu Obanikoro (then minister of state for defense) met with Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh to work out a modality to stop the momentum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election which the APC subsequently lost. However, Mr. Omisore claimed that all he said on the tape was “Calm Down, All Down”, apparently referring to the point at which he intervened when Gov Fayose and others began bullying Brig. General Momoh. Omisore's assertion is, however, untrue according to the 37-minute tape. In another instance during the meeting, Omisore asked the army  general why he had not arrested the campaign director of Fayose's opponent, Bimbo Daramola.

Omisore is the latest person amongst the dramatist personae involved in the rigging plot to confess to the authenticity of the tape. Earlier, the minister for police affairs, Jelili Adesiyan owned to up to the content of the tape and his involvement by declaring that he was at the meeting, also the beneficiary of the rigging Ayodele Fayose, who earlier claimed the tape was made with a voice software recently recanted and confessed to his participation in the plot.

However, Senator Obanikoro, who was recently renominated as the Minister of state for Defense has embarked on a series of attempts to silence SaharaReporters and other journalists reporting the electoral fraud by threatening to sue the journalists in Nigeria and New York state. Obanikoro’s nomination awaits confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. Opposition APC party Senators have vowed to oppose his nomination, but observers believe that the corrupt members of the Nigerian Senate would likely confim his appointment after receiving a bribe.


Video link to the interview:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7vSHIi0Mro


Source:
http://saharareporters.com/2015/02/23/video-ekiti-rigging-plot-senator-omisore-confesses-ghana-i-was-there-all-i-said-was-calm

AIG Mbu’s Utterances Throw Reps Members Into Rowdy Session

The plenary of the federal house of reps was rowdy and tensed on Tuesday, as members argued about a motion moved by Aliyu Madaki that Joseph Mbu, an assistant inspector-general of police, should be relieved of any role in the conduct of the 2015 general election.
Madaki hinged his motion on the utterances & actions of Mbu, which he said were at variance with the constitution & the Electoral Act.

It was a rowdy session at the House of Representatives on Tuesday when a motion was moved by Aliyu Madaki that the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Lagos, AIG Joseph Mbu be relieved of any role in the conduct of the 2015 general elections. This sparked a heated argument among members of the House.

Group to Buhari: Collect Your Result from Cambridge Before Returning to Nigeria

Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Sunday Okobi

Move on Nigeria, a civic action group promoting good governance, democracy and the transformation agenda, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to quit dodging issues  and face squarely issues  concerning the health and certificate of its presidential candidate and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

The group said Buhari’s qualification had always been an issue even within the military circle where his intellectual ability had always had a question mark.

“Buhari’s qualification will remain an issue until he comes clean on the matter. If Buhari will be willing to publicly declare his assets as he said he would, he should also be willing to publicly show his acclaimed certificate. 

FG Clarifies New Recruitment Guidelines By MDAs

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Mr. Danladi Kifasis,

•   Says no ban on new in-takes

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Mr. Danladi Kifasis, has clarified that the federal government has not placed any ban on recruitment by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as was widely reported in the media, but has sanctioned stringent guidelines on new in-takes into the civil services.

Kifasi gave this clarification on Monday in a statement signed by the Assistant Director (Media Relations), HOSCF, Mr.  Mohammed Manga.

The HoS said all MDAs were only directed to adhere strictly to due process as is stipulated on Part iv Section 8 of the Public Service Guidelines for Appointments, Promotions and Discipline when conducting any recruitment or promotion exercises into the federal public service.

The process, he explained,  provides that all MDAs should forward their declarations to the Establishment and Management office “now Organisational Design and Development Department in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) that is responsible for Manpower Planning and Man Power Budgeting for onward passage to the Federal Civil Service Commission.

Kifasi said the directive became imperative because of the increase in the number of  MDAs that declare vacancies both for fresh appointments and promotion and sending them directly to the Federal Civil Service Commission without recourse to available resources in the budget.

He said this has caused serious shortfalls in annual budget provisions for personnel cost, especially with regards to meeting promotion and advancement obligations.

The Head of Service further said the directive of the government on MDAs to always declare vacancies for both recruitment and promotion into the Federal Public Service through the  OCHSF is necessary in order to ensure synergy of operations in the service.

Adding, he said that such vacancies declared must also be in conformity with the approved structure, manning level and budgets of all the MDAs.

On the issue of restrictions on Foreign training and travels, Kifasi pointed out that “the current economic downturn has called for the need to reduce the cost of governance through restricting such travels to the barest minimum and looking inwards to develop the capacity of public servants in a way that will equip them to add more value to the service.”

“It is in this vain that the two level structured mandatory training programmes are designed, the general capacity building programme and the leadership development training for officers in the civil service. The general capacity programme will commence in March 2015,” he disclosed.

Fayose: I Spoke in Ekiti Rigging Audio Tape

Ayodele Fayose

• Says I was only complaining from the beginning to the end
•  Insists Buhari wasn’t in London
• Anti-Buhari’s  adverts: APC accuses governor of  profligacy

Chuks Okocha in Abuja  and Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti


For the very first time on Monday, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, owned up that it was his voice that was aired in the controversial audio tape on the state governorship  election, but stated that he was complaining against the inadequacies in the electoral procedures during the governorship election in the state.

Fayose, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, also disputed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), was not in London on a working visit, but on a sick bed.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s Richest Man, Loses $7.8 Billion as Naira, Stocks Plunge

Aliko Dangote

Goddy Egene with agency report

A few weeks ago, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, announced a nearly 10 per cent devaluation of the naira, Nigeria’s currency, after admitting that a plunge in world oil prices and dwindling dollar reserves were making it difficult to defend the value of the currency. The naira is now trading at N187 to $1 officially, compared to N165 in November. In the parallel market, the naira traded at N218 for a dollar Monday. In dollar terms, the devaluation has knocked more than $40 billion off the value of Nigeria’s economy.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, is the biggest loser among Nigeria’s richest people as the Naira’s slump, coupled with falling stock prices, have erased more than $7.8 billion of his fortune since February, when FORBES locked in the values for its annual ranking of the world’s billionaires. Dangote was worth $25 billion at the time; but at the close of market last Tuesday, his networth had dropped to  $17.2 billion. More than half of the drop in his fortune has happened since early November. As of November 7, Dangote was worth $21.6 billion, $4.4 billion more than now.

This is because the last few weeks have been a bit of a disaster for many companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Several blue-chip stocks such as Dangote Cement, Zenith Bank, Transcorp and United Bank for Africa among several others have hit one-year-lows as a result of the fall in oil prices, a general uncertainty regarding the 2015 general election, Central Bank regulatory headwinds, and weak earnings from large cap companies. These have all contributed towards putting naira-denominated assets including equities at risk.

Speaking on the fall in the networth of stocks, a financial analyst, Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, noted that, “This is whipping up negative market sentiments as foreign and institutional investors such as pension funds who hold equity stakes in companies (due to their large cap and liquidity status) have mostly fled their positions”. Obi-Chukwu is also the publisher of Nairametrics <http://nairametrics.com/>, a website that provides analysis and opinion about Nigerian stocks, investing, personal finance and the economy.

Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest manufacturer of cement, has shed close to 40 per cent of its market value between the beginning of November and now. The company’s stock, which was trading at N215 ($1.15) at the beginning of November, is now valued at N165 (88 cents) as at yesterday. At the beginning of November, Dangote’s stake in the cement manufacturer was valued at more than $18 billion. It is now valued at $13.2 billion.

Dangote has also lost more than $230 million in paper value within the same period on his stakes in publicly-traded Dangote Sugar, Dangote Flour, and National Salt Company of Nigeria.

Between November (when FORBES published the list of Africa’s 50 richest people and today) Dangote has lost more than $4 billion in his net worth.

After Dangote, the second biggest loser among Nigeria’s ultra-rich is Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, an investment company. Heirs Holdings, which is wholly-owned by Elumelu, is the controlling shareholder in Transcorp, a publicly-listed conglomerate with interests in power production, hotels and agriculture. Transcorp’s current market capitalisation is now $700 million, down from $1.4 billion at the beginning of November. Heirs Holdings has lost an estimated $345 million in paper value on Transcorp, and its stake in the company as at yesterday is now worth roughly $400 million, down from $700 million.

Elumelu’s investments in other listed companies like UBA, Africa Prudential PLC and UBA Capital have shed a little over $27 million in value.

Other big losers include Nigerian multi-millionaire banker Jim Ovia, a co-founder of Zenith Bank. The value of his stake in the financial services provider is $240 million as of late yesterday, down from more than $350 million last month. He owns a 9 per cent stake in the bank.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/aliko-dangote-africa-s-richest-man-loses-7-8-billion-as-naira-stocks-plunge/202594/

INEC May Use Immediate ex NYSC Members as Ad-hoc Staff

 Spokesperson of the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said monday immediate past National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members may still be engaged for the election duties owing to the election training they had undergone.

The commission is expected to use over 800,000 ad-hoc staff as polling officials in the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections as well as the governorship and state assembly election slated for April 11.

Spokesperson of the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, said despite not being under the NYSC scheme at the moment, the commission is contemplating making use of the former corps members.

According sources from INEC which was confirmed by Idowu INEC has remain disposed to engaging the ex corps members for the election duties.
He said NYSC had earlier “kept these people in camps because of the election. But now that there is a shift, there is no basis for you to keep on holding them in camps. Yes, they kept them in camp for INEC because of the election and when the elections are rescheduled, you can’t hold them in camps for six weeks.

“The youth corps members have been trained and are available to take up the job. Those who were trained and have passed out, as many as they are would still be engaged. They have been trained for the job.”

Asked on the implication of engaging the former corps members since they are no longer under the scheme, he said: “They are the same people who were recently in the NYSC. The only difference is that because of the time of the rescheduling, they are no longer in camp for the NYSC.”

On the meeting with security agencies over the elections, INEC boss spokesperson said it was a routine meeting “that evaluates the environment. Incidentally, this level is not a policy thing; this meeting is operational meeting, which is to plan, of course, for the election.‎”

Anti-Buhari’s Adverts : Fayose Needs Psychiatric Test, Says APC

Governor Ayodele Fayose

•  Arise disagrees with Governor over actions

By Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has said Governor Ayodele Fayose needs psychiatric test with the way he has been spending millions on adverts to run down its presidential candidate, Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

The party accused Fayose of engaging in diversionary tactics to cover up his alleged involvement in the fraudulent  practices during the June 21 poll as contained in the Capt Sagir Koli’s secretly recorded audio tape .

APC declared that the revelations in the tape would not be eclipsed by his anti-Buhari campaign antics, stressing that the money the governor.is spending in his hate campaign could have been channeled towards productive activities for the benefit of Ekiti people.

Meanwhile, an ex-member of the Senate, Mr Ayo Arise, has  said  President Goodluck Jonathan cannot be accused. of having been solely  responsible for the crises bedeviling the country, particularly the insurgency and dwindling fortunes of the economy .

Arise, ex-Chairman Senate Committee on Privatization, also  disagreed with the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, over his consistent ‘death-wish’ adverts against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

How the Card Reader can be fooled

The card reader has been hailed as the antidote to election rigging in emerging democracies. It has been extensively used in a number of emerging democracies in Africa with positive reports of its contributory role in stemming election rigging.
The card reader, however, has its limitations even as Mr. Kayode Idowu, the chief press secretary to Prof. Attahiru Jega, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said in an interview with Vanguard.
Though the card reader cannot be fooled by a PVC, it, however, would fail when all the human components in the polling unit agree to disregard it or conspire against the device.

Why PDP is afraid of PVC — Badru, APC Rep candidate

Dr Enitan Badru was until recently, a commissioner in Lagos State when he resigned to contest the Lagos Island 1 Constituency seat in the House of Representatives on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, (APC). In this interview, he speaks on his inspiration for the contest, his plans for the constituency and assesses the opposition to his party’s dominance of the polity by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Excerpts:
BY Gbenga Oke
What propelled your aspiration for this contest?
The principal reason why I am going to the House is because I feel many things are not right. Take domestic violence for an example, there is so much domestic violence in this country and I have not heard a legislator talk about it.
There is so much child abuse all over this country and I have not heard any legislation on it and coming from the ministry of youths and social development of Lagos State where I served as commissioner, my eyes were opened to a lot of these things.
Some buses should be built having people with disability in mind, right now they aren’t making life difficult for these people. These are so many things to deal with and these are the major reasons I am going to the House.
What is your political experience?

•Badru: I believe Jega means well

I have been in it for some time. During the 1993 elections, I was a member of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP), I have been a local government chairman, party chairman at the local government level, I was a national delegate during the Abiola/Kingibe nomination convention, I was in the PRIMOSE group. So I have been in it for some time.

Jonathan’s visit: Beware of Greek gift, S-West APC tells Yoruba monarchs

IBADAN—FOLLOWING President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit by to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and other monarchs in the South West to garner support for his re-election in the March 28 presidential election, the opposition, All Progressives Congress, APC, has advised the rulers to be be conscious of the implications of “Greek gift.”
The South-West APC, in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Mr. Ayo Afolabi, advised the monarchs who he described as the bastion of democratic justice and good governance, should vote true to their cultural identity that loathes tyranny, corruption and nepotism.
Fighting hard to realise his second term ambition, President Jonathan had visited the South-West monarchs in quick succession.
The visits, according to the APC has no redemptive electoral value in South-West because “it is devoid of strategic assessment.”
The party asked how many of such desperate and impromptu meetings were needed before Yoruba people voted for him in 2011? “How much did President Jonathan spend to get Yoruba votes in 2011 and why should he think money will save him now?
Except the Yoruba, the zonal APC maintained that all other regions extracted several promises from President Jonathan in the race to 2011 elections.
He noted further that the zone voted based on their firm convictions and commitment to justice and good governance.

Latest Recruitment at Nestle Nigeria Plc

Latest Recruitment at Nestle Nigeria Plc

Posted: 22 Feb 2015 02:54 PM PST

Nestle Nigeria Plc with a presence in more than 130 countries and factories in more than 80 research centres brings many global benefits. We believe in long term career development and appreciate how...

Visit http://goo.gl/Pz3v7 for full details

For more Latest Jobs Kindly visit  Here

Desperation Taken Too Far: Jonathan Distributed Dollars To Lagosians - Fashola

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan had spent five days in the state, holding meetings with different people and doling out monies in hard currencies them.

Consequently, the governor described the president’s alleged outreach to different groups including traditional rulers, cooperative societies and market women among others as an act of desperation.

Fashola, who spoke after inspecting some ongoing projects in Ibeju-Lekki and on Lagos Island yesterday, expressed disappointment at some statements credited to the president at meetings with the interest groups at the State House, Marina.

He said: “I want to assume that he did not make a statement that he would deliver Lagos residents from bondage. The question to ask Mr. President is whether he had come to free them from bondage.

“He was here for five days meeting with different people and groups, distributing money in dollars. It is an un-presidential statement made in an act of desperation. That means he lived in bondage in five days if he had come into the state to free people.

“If he can live here for five days moving with patrol vehicles that we paid for, let him go and spend five days in Chibok and he will know what bondage is,” the governor said while reacting to statements credited to the president.

While inspecting a new cemetery in Ibeju-Lekki, the governor openly disclosed that he bought his own vault where his remains would be buried when he joined his ancestors more than four years ago.

He observed that death “is a necessary end that will come when it will come”, quoting Shakespeare, saying there is need for people to prepare for it. “We are here to inspect a cemetery. We often do not like to talk about, but there is a need for it because the population continue to expand and the Lekki sub- region is growing very fast.

“If you look at Ikoyi Cemetery, Abari Cemetery and all of that are more than 100 years old, they were built by colonialists and left behind for us. When you look at the way they have also managed them, many families cannot even visit the vaults where their loved ones are resting.

“We have this strategic partnership now with private sector. The investors are going to deliver a cemetery like no other. They will manage it and make the cost also competitive. There will be high, medium and low density vaults for people who really want to make a statement at their exit.

“It is the truism of life that everyone who comes must go so as we are building hospitals, roads, schools imbibing survival strategy we must also plan for the end. This sounds as something people do not want to discuss. I have bought my vault. It surprises people. I paid for it four years ago. As I always tell people if you come here for life you must plan to go. Those who do not want to go should not come.”

At the inspection of Lagos Court of Arbitration, the governor noted that plans had been concluded by his administration to unveil the first international arbitration court in West Africa sub- region, saying the compelling need to resolve trade disputes locally rather than travelling to London and Paris informed the setting up of the centre in the state.

According to him, “this is the place for dispute resolution. It is the Lagos Arbitration centre. We could save a lot of money and create employment through this court. We have lost a lot of funds to other countries in terms of arbitration in the past. When dispute arise in Nigeria, the preferred place is either Paris, France or London, United Kingdom.”

He, therefore, observed that the centre “is nothing special there. All we need is to create a centre that will have the necessary reputation. We have the personnel because some of the best arbitrators in the continent are Nigerians. We also have the economy for the arbitration because a lot of construction, development and Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects are ongoing. Dispute from there could be resolved here.”

http://saharareporters.com/2015/02/23/fashola-jonathan-distributed-dollars-lagosians

 

A Teenager Caught Having Carnal Knowledge Of Child In The Church - Crime

Eyewitness Report:

This event happened in my street this afternoon. I was in my room browsing with my phone when I heard people shouting outside. At first I didn't want to go out, but when the shouting increased I had to go outside to see what was happening.

My mom and I rushed outside to catch a glimpse of what was happening. At first we heard a guy tried to kidnap a girl in the church. Fortunately my mom saw the child's elder brother and she made inquiry to know if the guy was caught and the child rescued, that was when we heard the shocker of our life.

Nigerian Boxing Champion, Bash Ali Lands In Kuje Prison

The running battle between Nigeria’s World Boxing Federation, WBF, cruiserweight boxing champion, Bashiru Lawrence Ali, a.k.a. Bash Ali (OON) and the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Robert Orya has landed the Edo State-born pugilist in Kuje Prison in Abuja.

Bash Ali has several times alleged that Orya demanded a bribe of $10 million out of the $30m which President Goodluck Jonathan had asked the bank to release to the Local Organising Committee, LOC, of the Guinness Book of World Records fight which the boxer plan to stage in Nigeria.

Submit Your CV Online For Current Access Bank Job

Job Description: Access Bank aspires to be the employer of choice for all aspiring banking professionals in Africa. We seek out promising talent and grow them into strong professionals with the potential for leadership.

The Quest for Excellence: As an aspiring global bank, we are proud of our African heritage. The inroads we are making in extending banking services across Africa and the OECD are deeply rooted in our organizational DNA. The Quest for Excellence is the single minded proposition that propels everything we do as a Bank.

See What A Professor Told A Final Year Student To Do (picture) - Education

A lecture told a friend of mine to write "I will never come late to meeting again" in 2A exercise book just because she went late to a meeting the lecture organized to orientiate them on how to go about their seminar and project.

I have never came across this before during my undergraduate days, I don't know if anybody have experienced this before.

 

Fashola Replies GEJ. "Spend 5 Days In Chibok And You'll Know What Bondage Is

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, has reacted to President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement that victory for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the forthcoming elections would free Lagos residents from oppression, saying “Lagos is not in bondage.”

President Jonathan and Gov Babatubde Fashola of Lagos
The governor said: “It is an un-presidential statement made in an act of desperation.”

It will be recalled that President Jonathan made the statement during a meeting with leaders of market women groups, “Iyalojas,” in Lagos.

According to him, “the question to ask him (Jonathan) is that if he had come to free residents of Lagos from bondage and he lived here for five days meeting with people and distributing money, that means he lived in bondage in five days while trying to free people.

“If he can live here for five days moving with patrol vehicles that we paid for, let him go and spend five days in Chibok and he will know what bondage is,” he added.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/lagos-not-in-bondage-fashola-tells-jonathan-2/

10 Year Old Nigerian Girl Accepted In Uk University To Study Maths Degree

 Is this Britain's cleverest girl?
Ten-year-old is accepted on university course to study maths degree despite not going to schoolEsther Okade from Walsall has enrolled on Open University course
After degree she wants to study for PhD before running her own bank
Girl's younger brother Isiah is already studying for A-levels aged six
Siblings are both home-schooled by mathematician mother Omonefe
She spends her spare time in a similar way to many other ten-year-old girls - playing with Barbie dolls and making loom bands.
But the key difference between Esther Okade and other children her age is that she has been accepted to study for a university maths degree - despite not going to school.

Texas authorities regain control of prison after inmates riot

PRISON officials in south Texas are transferring hundreds of inmates after nearly 2,000 men took control of the facility and set fires.
Using pipes as weapons, prisoners began rioting Friday and maintained partial control of the facility until Saturday.
Inmates have complained that their medical needs are not properly addressed by the firm that manages the prison.
All 2,800 prisoners will be transferred to other facilities this week.
Most of the "low-level" offenders housed at the facility are immigrants who entered the United States illegally.

NNPC audit report and need for autonomy

THE PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which was contracted to carry out a forensic audit report on alleged unremitted $20billion by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into the Federation Account, has not only exonerated the Corporation of wrong doings, but hinged the misleading information on ignorance on how the oil sector works.  
   Submitting its report to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation, the global audit firm declared that the gross revenue generated from the Federal Government of Nigeria crude oil lifting for the period 1st January 2012 to 31 July 2013, was $69.34 billion and not $67 billion reported by the Reconciliation Committee.

Pellegrini: We’re in a better position to beat Barca

MANCHESTER City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes his team are in a better position to beat Barcelona than they were a year ago.
  City take on the Catalan giants in the last 16 of the Champions League for a second season in succession.
  The Premier League winners were beaten 4-1 on aggregate 12 months ago but, as they prepare for the opening leg of their latest contest at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, Pellegrini is positive.
  Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Pellegrini said: “I think that last year was different to this year.
  “We arrived at this stage of the Champions League after playing 19 games in two months, and I don’t think it was our best moment.
  “But I hope this year we will do it after not playing so many games. I think that our team is in a good moment, although we also recognise we are going to be playing against a very strong team.”City’s progress to the knockout stages this season - for only the second time - was far from straightforward.They collected just two points from their opening four group games and needed dramatic back-to-back wins over Bayern Munich and Roma to pull through against the odds.
  Pellegrini hopes that experience will stand his team in good stead as they look to go further in the competition.

On the recruitment of Nigerian pilots

WHEN the Federal Government directed all airlines operating both general and commercial services in the country to recruit Nigerian pilots the other day, it was a heart-warming acknowledgement of the worrisome phenomenon of increasing number of unemployed indigenous Nigerian pilots. The directive not only envisages a reduction in the rank of unemployed local pilots but that it would also create an opportunity for Nigerians to help in building their own country.
   This is undoubtedly in consonance with the nation’s local content policy. So, even without the government reiterating the need for the airlines to employ local pilots, they are under an obligation by virtue of this policy to do that. In fact, it is sad that despite the existence of this policy in the country, the aviation sector has been unjustifiably fixated on employing foreign pilots, a trend that over the years, has continued to stoke the bourgeoning unemployment of Nigerian pilots. 

Hearing in suits to stop Buhari stalled

HEARING in two out of many suits instituted at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division to disqualify the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, from the March 28 presidential race was Monday stalled owing to his failure to serve his written address on the plaintiffs in the matter.
   There are about 15 pending suits against Buhari bordering on his alleged ineligibility, certificate forgery and perjury.

How Lagos ‘guber’ race may decide presidential poll’s winner

• Change in Abuja vs change in Lagos • Actors in campaigns difficult to track • Lagos settlers as critical factors • Will Lagos Godfather abandon ex-capital for Abuja? • Lagos vs Abuja: Why they always hate each other
IT is getting curiouser and curiouser in Lagos as there have been early warning signals that the Lagos governorship election campaigns will not only be tough and very competitive but may, in fact, be part of the critical factors that will shape the outcome of the presidential election.
  When two major political parties, the ruling APC and the opposition, PDP launched their campaigns late last year in Lagos, it was given that the ruling party that has been in charge of affairs of the economic capital of West Africa (as Nigeria Info FM Radio calls Lagos) was going to have an easy ride again.  

Fayose under fire over death wish for candidate

Fayose

Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose came under fire yesterday as eminent Nigerians criticised his continous death wish for All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Ayo Arise, Ekiti State APC and others had harsh words for the governor.
But despite the criticism of his hate message, Fayose yesterday in Abuja inissted that Gen. Buhari is receiving treatment in a London hospital.
Amosun wondered how some people in the name of politics could descend to a ridiculously low level of wishing Gen. Buhari dead.
Amosun, who travelled to London with Buhari and returned on Sunday, wondered how a “sane person” could wish his fellow human being ill or dead , adding that it is even a “disgrace to the Yoruba race” for a Yoruba to indulge in such.

Shekau order: APC alleges plot to blackmail Buhari

THERE is a plot to frame up Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as a Boko Haram sponsor, the APC Presidential Camapaign Organisation (APCPCO) said yesterday.
The proof lies in the Federal Government’s order to troops to capture alive Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.
A fake Shekau, said the APCPCO, will be made to state that he is working for Buhari, the APC’s presidential candidate.
But, said the organisation, it is all blackmail because:
•the military has claimed several times that Shekau has been killed; and
•Gen. Buhari was attacked in Kaduna by suspected Boko Haram bombers who killed some of his guards.