SDMP Presidential Candidate : Utomi adopted unanimously

The Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) has adopted Prof. Pat Utomi as its presidential candidate in the 2011 polls.
Prof . Utomi  who was unanimously adopted by the party promised to provide infrastructure and create jobs for the unemployed if voted in as the president.

He says that he will rehabilitate all the countries railway and airways system as well as effect a total transformation of all the structures if voted in as Nigeria President.

While appreciating the leadership of the party and the founding father, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Utomi noted that though Enahoro is no more, his spirit should ascend and lead Nigeria to a better place.

He noted that he is an unlikely candidate because Nigerian politics is in a time of  politics of big men, politics of sharing money, a time where there is an anti-intellectual disposition in the polity and a war against Nigerians.

Utomi said he is the embodiment of what Nigeria should be and he is humbled by the fact that he has been trusted with the dreams of a better future for Nigerians.

JONATHAN WINS PDP PRIMARY

Nigeria incumbent president Dr . Goodluck Jonathan has won the Peoples Democratic Party presidential primaries at the Eagles Square in Abuja.

In an exciting poll which began yesterday, and spilled over to the early hours of today January, President Goodluck Jonathan polled 2,736 votes defeating former vice president Atiku Abubakar who scored 805 votes and Sarah Jubril who scored only one vote. while 61 votes were declared void.

DELE MOMODU NCP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Bashorun Dele Momodu emerged presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP) after a keenly contested primaries at the party's National Convention today Wednesday 12 January, 2011 in Lagos. Dele Momodu polled 169 votes to clinch the ticket ahead of co-aspirants Chief Martin Onovo and Atei Beredugo with 8 and 14 votes respectively.

Speaking shortly after accepting his nomination, Bashorun Dele Momodu said that the biggest task ahead of Nigerians is a total rejection of the People's Democratic Party (PDP); a party that has been in power for twelve years without achieving anything meaningful for the people of Nigeria. He admonished Nigerians to make it a critical part of their daily prayer points. According to him, "the end of PDP has come."

Naeto C’s Mother Runs For Senate

Nigerian ambassador to Ireland and Iceland, Dr. Kema Chikwe who happens to be the mother of Storm Records rapper, Naeto C has joined the senatorial race of the OwerriImo State. Riding on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, the former Minister for Aviation doesn’t look like she will back down despite numerous text messages kicking against her intentions have circulated. zone in

Obasanjo threatens to quit PDP

AFTER several months of absence from the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday stormed the place with a mission, asking the leadership of the party to either urgently resolve the crisis rocking the South West zone or be prepared to witness exodus of members including himself.

Meanwhile, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has urged South-South delegates to respect the zoning policy of the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP) because of the zone’s demographic weakness and posterity.

Atiku accused President Goodluck Jonathan of wanting to bribe each delegate with N2 million if he had succeeded in the exclusion of local council chairmen, state lawmakers and party chairmen as delegates.

The former president, who arrived the PDP premises about 1:00p.m. dressed in sky blue outfit asked whether the national chairman was in the office and when told that he was, he walked straight to the second floor of Wadata Plaza where the chairman’s office is located.

Nigeria: Presidency dismisses N500m donations claim

Nigeria president Dr. Goodluck  Jonathan yesterday dismissed N500m donations claim.

According to a statement signed by Dr. Akilu Sani Indabawa, the Special Adviser to the president on political matters , Akilu said the presidency strongly repudiate a report in sections of media on 05/01/11 alleging that six state governors have each contributed N500 million to the campaign of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, he said  the false reports quoted a forged letter purportedly written by him to the six governors acknowledging receipt of their donations on behalf of the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation.

Tinubu Finally Backs Fashola for second term

Former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola  Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, publicly endorsed the current Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Raji  Fashola, for a second term in office.

Announcing his endorsement at a stakeholders meeting held at the state secretariat of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), in Ikeja, Tinubu said the decision to endorse Fashola for a second term was taken after consultation with party leaders, who resolved that the governor should be allowed to complete the good works he had started.

COMEDIANS 'I GO DYE' & 'I GO SAVE' BEATEN TO A "PLEASE" AT PDP RALLY.

Comedians 'I go dye' and his colleague 'I go save' were yesterday beaten by Soldiers at a PDP rally in Warri, Delta State.

I Am Not Dead – Obasanjo

Nigeria former President , Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday declared that he would not die before his due time, saying that the incident in Ekiti State on Wednesday in which he was speculated to have fainted and subsequently died yesterday was the seventh time his death would be rumoured.

Obasanjo was rumoured to have slumped during the 70th Birthday thanksgiving service organised by Chief Olu Bajowa in Ekiti State.

My words to Nigerians are that wishes are not horses, if people wish and God does not make it happen, there is nothing that can be done to make it happen by any mortals. I think people take delight in speculation and rumours, Obasanjo said.

General Election: Dr. Olusola Saraki Dumps PDP

The godfather of  kwara state politics and Chairman of the Northern Union, Dr. Olusola Saraki has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for All Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN).

Speaking to his supporters on Sunday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Dr. Saraki says the move became necessary because some forces have taken over the PDP in Kwara State, leading to the assault and intimidation of his supporters.

Futhermore, he described as unfortunate the situation where those not involved in the building of PDP capitalize on inexperience of leadership to perpetuate themselves into tin gods.

We Have No Hand in Abuja Bombing – Mend

Nigerian Militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta ( MEND) has denied having any involvement in the attack that killed people in Abuja the federal capital Territory, on New Year’s eve.

In a statement signed Gbomo Jomo, MEND revealed that bombings and attacks carried out by them are always preceded by a warning in order to prevent casualties and followed by a statement of claim.

Nigeria Bombings: Dont Blackmail Me – Babangida

Former Nigerian military Leader, General Ibrahim Gbadamosi  Babangida (rtd) has condemned the attempt to link him with the spate of bomb blasts in parts of the country, describing it as cheap blackmail.

According to a statement signed by Babangida’s spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, the former leader was seriously concerned with the bombings that had claimed several lives and wanted the government to squarely address the problems through convocation of summit of stakeholders on security to identify new methods of tackling the problem.

While urging the government not to play politics with the dangerous trend, he noted that the development should be attributed to failure of governance rather than engaging in buck passing. The retired general, while commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives in the dastardly acts, prayed that God would grant the souls of the departed ones eternal rest.

OBASANJO COLLAPSES IN CHURCH!!!

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who twice ruled Nigeria, once in the 1970s and then for eight years starting in 1999, collapsed today at the St. Stephens Anglican Church in Igbotako, Ondo State.

The fainting incident took place at about 12 noon, Nigerian time, at a thanksgiving service in honour of Major General Olu Bajowa (Rtd), an Obasanjo protégé who is celebrating his 70th birthday.  Major General Olu Bajowa was once indicted for mismanaging the Nigerian airways.

PDP YANKS OFF POLL RESULT FROM WEBSITE!

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday yanked off from its website an opinion poll conducted on the choice of its two presidential aspirants, President Goodluck Jonathan and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar. It was replaced at about 10am with another one, on the choice of the party as one better positioned to realise Nigeria’s developmental potentials, which it also removed from the website at about 5pm yesterday.

Odumegwu Ojukwu Is On Life Support

 Indications have emerged that former Biafran warlord Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu may be flown abroad for treatment before the end of the week due to his deteriorating health. The management of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, (UNTH), Enugu, revealed the former Biafran warlord had been placed on life-support machine apparently to stabilise him before he would be flown to either South Africa or Egypt for intensive medical attention.

COURT FREES ABACHA CSO, MAJOR AL MUSTAPHA

Major Hamza Al Mustapha,the Chief Security officer to Nigeria’s former head of state, Late General Sani Abacha ahas been freed today by a High court of Justice sitting in Lagos State. He was freed by Justice Mufutau Olokoba of the Lagos High Court in the assassination attempt case on the life of Mr. Alex Ibru, the publisher of Nigeria Guardian Newspapers.

However, there are strong indications that the former CSO to one of Nigeria’s most brutal military dictators would not be allowed to go home because of other cases of attempted murder still hanging on his neck. Moreover, he still has case to answer over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola wife of late Bashorun MKO Abiola the winner of the annulled June 12 1993 election.

THE “SINS” OF ASIWAJU BOLA TINUBU

By Falolu Ogidan

“Anyone who has no ambition is not fit to lead. I can not follow anyone that has no plan for himself. That means he can never have plans for me.” 

 --- Professor J.A.A. Ayoade, mni, Emeritus Professor of Political Science

University of Ibadan, Ibadan. Nigeria

“Aim high.”     --- Motto, Osogbo Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun State. Nigeria.

“They want Asiwaju Tinubu to build the party but not lead it. That is Yoruba

insanity………. We’re all afflicted by it,”

--- Afis  Odidere, Public Affairs Commentator

 

There are some elements in Yorubaland who have been and are still very upset with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They are very angry with him. They are so livid with him that the mention of his name would give them instant stomach ache. They can not stand him. They really hate his guts. They do despise him. They are so consumed with hatred for him that they are not willing to hide their feelings. In all their utterances, their actions and occasionally in their commentaries at all forums and through several media, they have not mince words in expressing how and what they feel about Asiwaju Tinubu.

In this category of my Yoruba brothers and sisters are some politicians, commentators, observers and onlookers. There are also some traditional rulers in this category. This category of Yoruba brothers and sisters would first of all accept a less deserving “outsider” before they would give Asiwaju Tinubu another look. If and when they do give him another look, it would be a sort of look imbued with venom and malevolence. It would be a look laced with carnivorous instinct that could spell doom for the target if acted upon.

Dora Akunyili resigns as minister

The minister of information and communication, Dora Akunyili, has resigned her appointment in order to pursue her senatorial ambition.

Mrs. Akunyili, whose resignation takes effect on Thursday, announced her resignation after today's Federal Executive Council.

A presidency source told NEXT that Mrs. Akunyili tendered her resignation letter to the president on Monday.

Labaran Maku, the former minister of state for information, is now the substantive head of the ministry.

Mrs. Akunyili has also defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) on whose platform she intends to contest for the Anambra central senatorial ticket. She has, this afternoon picked APGA's senatorial form.

The APGA is the ruling party in Anambra State.

FG drops charges against former US vice president

THE Federal Government’s effort at prosecuting former United States Vice President Richard Bruce ‘manliness’ Cheney and other officials of Halliburton paid off, following payment of huge sums of money to the coffers of Nigeria, as Nigeria has reportedly agreed to drop charges against Cheney and Halliburton.
The development followed agreement reached between Nigerian officials in the negotiating team and top officials of the United States and Halliburton in a meeting held in London, weekend.

At the meeting, Halliburton agreed to pay about N20 billion as criminal penalty, while promising to liaise with the United States Government to recover the outstanding $I32 million which is currently frozen in Switzerland.
It was gathered that former United States President, George Bush, Snr and former United States Secretary of State, Mr. James Baker were part of the deliberations through conference calls.

The Attorney General of Federation and Justice Minister, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, led Nigeria’s team at the negotiations which included the Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, legal luminaries, Damian Dodo, SAN, and Godwin Obla and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Roland Ewubare.
Halliburton’s Chief Executive and Chairman, David Lesar, who replaced Cheney, Halliburton President, Eastern Hemisphere, Ahmed Lofty, Deputy General Counsel, James Ferguson were part of it.
Halliburton sought for small fines but the Nigeria officials vehemently opposed the move, reasoning that the United States could not have benefitted from the fines more than Nigeria, where the crime was committed originally. “We will not settle for less than what was paid to the U.S Government”, the AGF said.

CBN Steals More Than We Do - Senate President

President of the Senate, Mr David Mark, on Monday, dismissed the Governor of Central Bank (CBN) Mallam  Lamido Sanusi’s claim that the National Assembly was consuming 25 per cent of the total annual national overhead budget, saying it was the CBN that was gulping the largest national overhead cost of 50 per cent.

Mark said going by Mallam Sanusi’s own arithmetic, the CBN was consuming N300 billion, representing 50 per cent, which amounted to double of what the CBN governor alleged that the National Assembly was spending.

According to him, Sanusi was wrong when he claimed that 25 per cent of the total Federal Government’s overhead budget was being used to maintain the National Assembly every year, pointing out that if N150 billion overheads to the National Assembly translated into 25 per cent, it meant that the N300 billion overheads to the CBN amounted to 50 per cent of the national budget.

The Senate President spoke with journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, shortly after paying a condolence visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, over the death of his wife, Clara.

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