Him (11)

The abominable assassination of the paramount ruler of Nsit in Ubium Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Edidem Robert Obot, might not be as a result of internal political wranglings in the area after all.

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 A seven-man gang, which claimed responsibility for the murder, said the death of the monarch was as a result of a failed kidnap attempt on him that fateful afternoon Sunday, January 31, 2011.
The traditional ruler was shot dead in his palace while two members of the gang arrested by the State Security Service (SSS), in connection with the murder, claimed they decided to kill the septuagenarian royal father when he resisted his kidnap.
“We killed him because he refused to follow us,” said Nsikak Emmanuel, a 32-year old ex-convict, who admitted trailing the royal father up to the point of disrupting one of the meetings he presided over, till the deceased paid the needed attention to him. “I went and told him that I was from the Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio; that we want to pay homage and endorse him as the Oku Ibom of Ibibio. He then gave me an appointment for that Sunday.”
After securing the appointment, Nsikak said he invited his gang members, who stormed the palace to kidnap the royal father, but he resisted their evil move, opting to die, instead. The suspect, paraded alongside his accomplice, Mathew, who he met in jail, said he had been involved in at least, one kidnapping, particularly, the one involving a woman from Etinan. He said he made N200,000 from the Etinan deal, but denied knowing where the victim was kept after she was kidnapped.
“I only showed them the woman and they kidnapped her. I don’t know where they kept her,” he said. He also denied taking part in the shooting which resulted in the monarch’s death, claiming he was waiting outside while the operation was going on inside the palace. “I felt bad when I heard that the man died. We didn’t want to kill but to kidnap him in order to make some money from him. It was Michael, Ukeme and two others who went inside. So, they will know who actually shot the man.”
But his accomplice, who claimed to have attended Akwa Ibom State College of Petroleum Technology, confessed that Nsikak was actually inside the palace when the monarch was shot dead. He said it was he who actually informed him of the deal, which made him rush down from Calabar, Cross River State, where he had been residing, transacting his palm oil business. “He (Nsikak) was the one who drove one of the cars that we used. It belonged to him. That was the first time I knew him.”
The State Director of State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Toma Minti, confronted him with the fact that two of them met in prison, where Nsikak spent about five years for attempted murder, while he (Matthew) was serving a two-year jail term for cultism. Matthew admitted that they became friends in prison saying; “I knew him in prison when I was sentenced to two years imprisonment for malicious damage. By then, I was a member of a mafia cult group. But now, I’m not doing that again.”
He said they were either sponsored by politicians or those who are opposed to the Ibom stool, which the deceased was to occupy after coronation before his murder. Minti alleged that, the gang was involved in more than 90 percent of all the kidnap cases in the state, including those of the husband of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, the Proprietor and Rector of Heritage College, Eket, among others.
“Since the paramount ruler was assassinated, we have not been sleeping. The seven-man gang had been terrorizing the state for a long time. Five of them are at large; but we are still trailing them.”
Minti lamented the lack of co-operation from members of the public in the fight against crime in the state, saying people only called him on phone to congratulate him, after Michael was arrested, whereas they knew him as a notorious criminal in their community, but failed to inform the security agencies.
“The reason most of the suspects have not been convicted is because sometimes, the victims refused to come out and identify them. Those who showed up earlier declined to appear in court later, after they received death threats from members of the gang. “People are no longer convicted because the judiciary appears handicapped. We have advised them to resort to accelerated hearing on such cases. We hope they would see reasons for that.”
The royal father was killed in his palace, after he returned from church – Living Faith Church, Uyo, where he was said to have presided over the burial preparations of one of the church’s pastors, David Idunoluwa, who was equally shot dead by suspected kidnappers.
The royal father’s assassination, first of its kind in the state, sparked off spiral reactions especially, as he had two days earlier, protested to the state police commissioner, over acts of disloyalty by some members of his traditional council, arising from the PDP senatorial primaries in Akwa Ibom North (Uyo) Senatorial district.
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General Ibrahim Babangida

There are very strong and reliable indications that the last may not have been heard of the presidential ambition of ex-military Presid

The adoption of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the consensus candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) may after all not have ended the desire of the retired General to run.

 

Sources have revealed that the retired General will any moment from now announce his defection to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) as pressures on him to toe this line have not ceased.

Babangida, from impeccable sources would not likely survive the pressure to decamp to another party to ensure the north actualises its plans to produce the president in May at all costs.

 

Saturday Sun can authoritatively report that Babangida’s supporters feel betrayed and angry that members of the NPLF committee saddled with the responsibility of picking one person, among the former head of state, Atiku, Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki and former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau, chose another presidential aspirant when Babangida not only ranked highest in the criteria listed but also has large following across the country.

 

But beyond that lost battle, the calculation now is that the north feels cheated and has the clear signs that the candidates of the opposition parties from the north vying for the presidency might not make any impact to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan. The way out of the possibility of losing is to beef up the fight in choosing another candidate of a more formidable war chest to slug it out with the PDP and eventually capture power.

 

Sources close to the Babangida camp said that his supporters have been putting pressure on him to take advantage of the opportunity the amendment of the ANNP constitution presents and defect to the party. “Leaders of the ANPP are disposed to a candidate that could win the presidential election”, the source revealed.

The forces behind this plot argue that since the NPLF was not fair in its choice, Babangida could, as well, renege on his promise to accept its choice of consensus candidate.

 

The ANPP had amended its constitution and added a provision that any former head of state that wishes to pursue his presidential ambition in the political party was free to do so. The party had delayed its national convention, so that PDP would conclude its own, to make room for aggrieved members of the party to come over the ANPP.

 

Saturday Sun was reliably told that the Babangida camp believes that since the retired army officer would not press his presidential ambition in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) he would not have breached any agreement if he defects to the ANPP.

Sources revealed that after the NPLF forum announced Atiku as consensus candidate, some leaders of ANPP started lobbying Babangida’s supporters to prevail on him to come over to the party and pick its presidential ticket. Among ANPP leaders who want Babangida and in the forefront of the lobby is Borno State governor, Alhaji Modu Sheriff and former Kogi State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Audu. These two top shots of the ANPP, sources revealed, were instrumental to the emergence of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as the national chairman of the party and wants a formidable presidential candidate in next year’s election.

 

It was gathered that the ANPP leaders want to reenact what happened in 2003 when former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari picked the presidential ticket, despite the fact that he joined the party not long before the primaries.

 

Babangida camp’s calculation

The Babangida camp is considering the option of joining the ANPP, as he reckons that he may eventually end up as northern preferred/consensus candidate in the 2011 presidential election. The calculation is that since President Goodluck Jonathan defeated Atiku at the primaries of the PDP, to pick the presidential ticket, it rendered the NPLF plot to have a president of northern extraction take over power from May 29 a nullity.

The belief is that in an election where Babangida squares up with Jonathan, northern political leaders would have no choice than to pitch their tent with him. Sources also revealed that such development would also see Atiku, Gusau and Saraki indirectly working with Babangida, believing that he would return to the PDP if he wins the election.

 

It was gathered that Babangida’s supporters are pressing it on him that if he refuses to join the ANPP and picks its presidential ticket, Buhari may be the beneficiary of the suspected defeat of Atiku at PDP primaries, since the North may switch its support to the Congress for Political Change (CPC), in a presidential election where Jonathan and Buhari are candidates of their political parties.

 

Anger against Ciroma committee

The Babangida camp revealed that the General’s supporters are insinuating a deliberate shortchange, betrayal and back stabbing by the nine members of the Malam Adamu Ciroma committee. They accused the group of making a decision against the run of play, insisting that the committee didn’t adhere to due process in its choice. These aggrieved Babangida diehards say that media reports on how members of the Ciroma committee voted were true. They contend that members of the committee chose to adopt secret ballot, in order to execute the plot of not picking Babangida.

 

Babangida started losing out in the consensus arrangement when the Ciroma committee decided to visit the states to get additional information about the preparedness of the aspirants, which was beyond its brief. It was learnt that rather than meet with major stakeholders in the North, especially the Northern Governors Forum, the committee selected a handful of Emirs and some other traditional rulers.

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Saturday Sun gathered that the committee, in investigating the structures of the presidential aspirants in the consensus option, observed that Babangida had offices in 29 states, while Atiku had in 18 states. Saraki and Gusau were said to have offices in 12 and 14 states respectively. Also, the committee observed that Babangida had supporters spread across the country, especially those he empowered while in office. Based on these findings, Babangida was the favourite of members of the Ciroma committee before the Eid el Fitri holiday.

 

It was after the Sallah break, the committee started sounding discordant tunes. First, members of the group, it was gathered, were divided between conducting an open ballot and or secret balloting. Some of them reasoned that on account of their ages, they should not be afraid of conducting an open ballot, but Chief Audu Ogbeh, reportedly argued in favour of secret balloting to allow the members free choice.

ent, General Ibrahim Babangida, Saturday Sun can reveal.

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Bankole in trouble as Reps plot against him John Ameh Trouble appears to be brewing in the House of Representatives again as investigations showed on Wednesday that some lawmakers had begun moves to remove the Speaker, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, from office. Bankole. advertisement THE PUNCH learnt that the cause of the latest development was the inability of the majority of the 360-member legislature to secure re-election tickets to the National Assembly. Findings indicated that a call for the speaker's impeachment would have been made as lawmakers reconvened on Tuesday but for the abrupt decision of Bankole to adjourn the House for another two weeks. Sources close to the aggrieved legislators said that they blamed their dismal performance at the primaries of their political parties on Bankole and President Goodluck Jonathan. In the Peoples Democratic Party alone, over 120 lawmakers out of about 260 were unable to secure return tickets. A National Assembly official, who disclosed this to our correspondent in Abuja, pleaded not to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter.... He said, "The PDP members, in particular, held several meetings with the speaker before the primaries; there was an understanding that he would push for them to secure automatic tickets. "This was supposed to have been discussed with the President and the leadership of the party before the primaries. "It was this understanding that led to their (lawmakers') decision to discontinue the proposal to amend the Electoral Act 2010 by making lawmakers members of the National Executive Committees of their respective political parties." But, rather than protect their interests, the lawmakers are reported to be angry that their respective state governors were allowed to have a free ride during the primaries. An influential member of the House said to be mobilising his colleagues for the impeachment proceedings, reportedly invited 86 "aggrieved legislators" to his Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja, on Monday, 24 hours to Tuesday's resumption. The lawmakers later moved to a popular hotel in the city, where they allegedly fine-tuned a plot they would have implemented on Tuesday. Our correspondent learnt that Bankole got wind of the plot and hurriedly adjourned the House for two weeks in order to have enough time to calm the aggrieved lawmakers. One of the 83 legislators, who also confirmed the development, said their plot to remove Bankole would continue while their 'forced' vacation lasted. He said, "He (Bankole) must have sensed what was coming; he adjourned the sitting abruptly and took most of us by surprise. "There were several issues on the Order Paper to be considered on Tuesday ; but he simply adjourned the House the moment we passed the bill to amend the Electoral Act to extend the voter registration. "Our meeting will continue during our forced holidays. We are even meeting again tonight (Wednesday night) it is not over until it is over." On Tuesday, while adjourning the plenary, Bankole had explained that it was to allow the various committees to work on the estimates of the 2011 budget. He also said that lawmakers would use the period to monitor the voter registration in their respective constituencies. Among the issues lawmakers are reported to be dusting up to use against Bankole, is the N2.4bn car scam. The case is still before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, though the commission explained last year that it completed the investigation and handed the file over to President Umaru Yar'Adua before he died in May. When contacted, the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Eseme Eyiboh, said he did not understand why Bankole should be the target of the aggrieved lawmakers. According to Eyiboh, the loss of re-election tickets should be treated as political party affair rather than blaming it on particular heads of government institutions. Eyboh also held the view that the lawmakers merely "suffered setbacks at the primaries", not that they lost their bid to return to the House. "The primaries are just a part of the process leading to the emergence of party candidates for the main election; you have complaints to be filed, you have appeals and you have the point where the party finally submits the names of candidates. "It is only when the process is completed that you can say that a particular person has lost or is retained," he stated. Eyiboh admitted being "aware that most members are aggrieved over the setbacks they suffered", but argued that it was a party affair. He, appealed for calm, saying that the leadership of the House and lawmakers must find a solution to the latest tension by resolving to "work as a family."
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Who will be promoted & who will join Bode George ? Who is your favourite mallam ?


Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday told a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, that it lacked the power to try him over allegations of abuse of office as minister. He said that the proper court to try him was the Abuja High Court.

Counsel to the former minister, Akin Olujimi, filed a preliminary objection saying that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Matters Commission (ICPC) Act of 2000, which his client had been charged on, had been repealed and so the federal court lacked the jurisdiction to try the matter. “The prosecution acknowledges that the charges stand on nothing,” said Mr Olujimi. “The effect of a repealed law is that it is a nullity, and no charges founded on it can stand.”

In response to the preliminary objection, the prosecution said that the court could assume jurisdiction in the matter because it involved an agency of the federal government and a former minister in the federal cabinet. Trial Judge, Adamu Bello, adjourned ruling on the case to 13th October.

Mr. El-Rufai and two others were accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of illegally allocating land in the FCT to friends and relatives, some of whom included Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the daughter of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The other accused persons are Altine Jubrin, former director general of the Abuja Geographical Information System, and Ismail Iro, former general manager of the agency. All three men pleaded not guilty.


AC Ribadu & Oshiomole ticket : as Asiwaju Tinubu Drops Vice Presidential Ambition

If he had held Fash close to his breast who knows as Alamiyesegha is reaping the rewards of patient GodFatherhood


Bola Ahmed Tinubu is no longer interested in the vice presidential race and is, instead, strategising on how the Action Congress (AC) would team up with another party to claim the presidency as well as win all the South Western States, Sunday Independent can reveal.

It also emerged that AC may have concluded plan to field the former anti-graft czar, Nuhu Ribadu as its presidential candidate, with Edo Governor and former Labour leader, Adams Oshiomhole, as his running mate.

That appears to be a fantastic political masterstroke, designed to woo the disenchanted Northerners who appeared certain to lose the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential ticket to President Goodluck Jonathan and draw the organised Labour and younger elements who see Ribadu and Oshiomhole as emerging leaders they could count on.


Tinubu, former Lagos Governor and AC foremost financier, has long been rumoured to be in alliance talk with Muhammadu Buhari to float a joint presidential ticket, a very risky arrangement that would have repeated the Social Democratic Party (SDP)’s Muslim-Muslim ticket in the 1993 presidential ballot.

Late Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe were Muslims, but the ticket won a landside across the country widely split along ethno-religious lines.

Tinubu’s rumoured VP ambition has seen him criss-cross the length and breadth of Nigeria in the last two years to build bridges as he consulted with top opposition leaders and political parties, including the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

He is said to have resolved to sit back and map out strategies for the AC to regain all its lost states in the Yoruba-speaking South West geopolitical zone as a bargaining chip for the party in its merger talks with other political parties in the country.

This agenda is believed to enjoy the backing of the five former governors of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) with whom he had been involved in series of mobilisation for the new party to be consummated from the years of consultations.

He was also said to have revealed the new move to his political associates and groups in the South West and across Nigeria in the last one month, a decision believed to be behind the lull and change of strategy in the political consultations among the opposition parties.

Sources close to the godfather of Lagos politics said he backs the decision by AC to support a younger element from the North with a running mate from the oil-bearing South South geo political zone, a deft move to dwarf the influence of Jonathan whose support base political scientists say is weak.

Tinubu and AC favour the candidature of Ribadu and Oshiomhole, two fellows whose support bases they believe could jolt the PDP in the ballot, sources said.


The choice of Ribadu over some other young Northerners like former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nasir El Rufai, is said to have been informed by the high profile and public sympathy over his performance in the anti-corruption crusade, regardless of his romance with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and allegations that the latter used him to hound adversaries.

The choice of Oshiomhole as a running mate, sources added, flow from his coming from the same region as Jonathan and his wide appeal among Nigerians who relished his presidency of workers’ movement, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

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Forbes List billionaire, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has learnt that in indeed the law is no respecter of persons. For failure to show up in court today, as prescribed by a Lagos federal high court presided by Justice James Tsoho, the billionaire was declared WANTED

Delivering his ruling, Justice Tosho said that Alhaji Dangote, who stayed away from the court’s last deliberation, was in perpetual contempt of court and ordered him to be arrested and detained till October 26th.

Huhuonline.com checks reveal that the once powerful Dangote has fled to Dubai, a country that has no extradition treaty with Nigeria. However, sources told that the court may enlist the services of Interpol, if necceasy, to execute its warrant.

Nevertheless, Aliko Dangote becoming a fugitive from Justice, will negatively impact Dangote Groups, as he must sign approvals above five thousand naira. said a company source.

It is recalled that Justice Lambo Akanbi had on March 12, 2010 , nullified the election of Dangote as the President and Chairman of the Council of NSE following an application by some shareholders of African Petroleum (AP).

The shareholders had argued then that after a court had on August 4, 2009 , ordered all the parties to maintain the status quo in a suit they instituted, challenging Dangote’s membership of the Council of NSE, the NSE went ahead and conducted its election on August 2009, where Dangote allegedly emerged president. An action that made the shareholders, in a form 49 (motion for committal) filed a suit against Dangote, Okereke-Onyiuke and Igbinosun, saying that the trio conspired by allowing Dangote to preside over the affairs of NSE despite the existence of the order.

At the court proceedings, counsel representing Dangote, Ricky Tarfa (SAN) had argued that before the court can consider the issue of contempt, it must first entertain a motion challenging its jurisdiction to entertain the case by citing the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Ebhodaghe and Okoye..

But in his response, Aniakor, counsel for the shareholders, flawed Tarfa’s argument, saying it was not the true position of the judgment of the apex court and urged the court to issue a warrant for the production of Dangote and Okereke-Onyiuke, who were absent in court.

“The Supreme Court added a proviso to the judgment to the effect that in the event that if there was an application seeking to protect the integrity of the court and another one challenging the court’s jurisdiction, the court would have to first determine the one that had to do with its integrity.”

After reviewing all the arguments by both counsels, Justice Tsoho upheld Aniakor’s submissions, and held that the contempt proceedings must take precedent over any other application, being the one seeking to protect the integrity of the court.

In addition, the court has struck out the name of Ndi- Onyuike from the case.

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He was said to have brought her from Egypt

Criticisms continued to trail the alleged marriage of former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani to a 13-year old Egyptian girl.pix200707062243171.jpg

The former governor reportedly paid $100,000 as bride price to the parents of the minor.

But in a statement made available to our correspondent in Lokoja on Monday, the National Council of Women Societies condemned the action of the senator, describing it as shameful.

Speaking through its National President, Hajia Ramatu Usman, the umbrella women’s organisation said Sani’s action did not come to Nigerian women as a surprise because, according to them, many northern governors had been using religion as an excuse for not passing the Child Rights Act.

She further stated that the council had been mounting a campaign against young girls being given out for marriage at ridiculously early ages of 12 or 13 years, adding that the action was against all reasoning.

According to Usman, “Vesico vaginal fistula has been attributed to under age marriages due to the practice of early marriages in Nigeria, where young girls are given out for marriage at ridiculously early ages as 12 or 13 years. They get pregnant and when they are ready to deliver, their pelvises are so small for the babies to pass through.

“The baby gets stuck in the birth canal and in some cases dies. The baby‘s head wears a hole between the birth canal and the bladder (VVF) or rectum (RVF).

“So, when the dead baby is eventually delivered, the young mother is left with a dead child and she begins to drain urine and/or stool continuously. She develops sores on her skin and smells horribly from the constant drips of urine and stool on her clothes.”

The body therefore advised parents to avoid giving out their under age daughters in marriage in order to check cases of this health risk, which it said is particularly common in the northern part of Nigeria.

The statement further said, “It is a shame that while we are seeking ways to view closely what pushes parents into giving out their underage daughters into early marriages, a former governor of a state is celebrating this act of child trafficking and abuse.”

It also called on well-meaning Nigerians to mount pressure on northern governors to immediately commence work on the Child Rights Act.

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AIRPORT DRAMA Part 3
a Nollywood movie from the Sequel of "Lost presidents, The Yaradua Story "
Starring Eucharia Anunobi as Turai Yaradua , Segun Arinze as Aondoakaa , Mr Adeniyi as himself .Isa Yuguda as Fave Inlaw ,Stella damascus as Dora Akunyili
and Sunday Omobolanle aka Aluwe as The President in this comedy of errors based on a true story .


Poser on Yaradua, is the Calipha still in Saudi or Has anyone even seen him on Naija soil ?

Many unsuspecting Nigerians believe that Mr. President is now in Nigeria after his medical sojourn in Saudi Arabia, but intelligence sources have revealed that he is still in Saudi Arabia receiving treatment. Has anybody actually seen the President in Nigeria? All we saw at the airport were two aircraft that landed and an ambulance zooming away into the city centre, thereby creating an impression albeit false that a recuperating President had landed!

There are many unanswered questions in the purported arrival of Mr. President. The basic rule of the thumb (as any experienced spy or secret agent knows) during an extraction assignment or covert operation, anything that would draw unwarranted attention to the task is jettisoned. If the primary task was to sneak Mr. President into the country what was the purpose of deploying truck loads of soldiers around Abuja (attracting attention) when one truck load would have been more than adequate. Why would you ensure that the ambulance with lights flashings was made noticeable when the two aircraft were kept in the dark and out of the sight of journalist at the airport?


Was it an impossible task to switch off the siren lights of the ambulance or was it a deliberate act to convey the false impression that Mr. President was in the ambulance?

It was stated in the news that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and ADC to Mr. President sauntered into the executives chamber of the Federal Executive Council (FEC)to exchange pleasantries with their friends and some ministers. This to me is strange when they ought to be around the vicinity where Mr. President was recuperating (if he was actually around) but instead the TWO of them chose (or were ordered) to make an appearance at the chambers to create the false impression that Mr. President will preside over the meeting of FEC .Some monkey business was definitely afoot!

Mr. President arrived and he was met on arrival by some serving Governors from the northern part of the country instead of the Acting President and service chiefs. Who better to assist and protect an ailing President than his trusted (?) vice and service chiefs, unless it was a grand charade put up for the benefit of the gullible public?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is quite happy with this pretense because the diplomatic pressure placed on them by the international community that they were hiding the Nigerian President will automatically melt away and they can continue with the treatment of Mr. President unhindered without the vexatious motley of Nigerians coming to Saudi Arabia to seek the whereabouts of Mr. President and also to waste tax payers money.

By the way who leaked the purported arrival of Mr. President to the press and guaranteed the arrival prime time. Former Nigerian Presidents have arrived into the country before at odd hours to avoid the press and succeeded why was this different? I would have thought Aso Rock was built equipped with a helipad, could they not have airlifted Mr. President from the airport to Aso Rock if they truly wanted to avoid publicity?

The next few days will definitely be revealing. Nigerians…”SHINE YA EYES”

By Imohimi Uduigwome Airenevboise, Re written for 9jabook by Paul EFCC Adams




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War in the Yaradua Family as Daughters fight for Vice Presidency for husbands ! Zainab vs Nafisatu Bauchi vs kebbi One winner Mummy ! http://bit.ly/9lkhBZ ;
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Are You Feeding Your Soul? Are you happy with what you see when you look in the mirror? And I’m not talking about your physical body when I ask this question — I’m talking about your spiritual body. Has your soul been getting the nourishment it needs to grow in health and strength, or have you deprived it from the Word it so desperately needs? If what you see in the mirror doesn’t even begin to reflect what you know you can be, it’s time to make a change, time to dive into God’s Word and receive all the love and forgiveness He has been waiting to give you . . . a time to release your life into God’s hands. The Word tells us, But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT). You may not like what you see now, but just wait. Rely on God’s faithfulness and perfect timing and begin to make changes when God shows you it is necessary. And soon, you’ll be able to look back and say, “Look where God moved me from. Look what He saved me from. I stand blessed where I am all because of the transforming grace of God.” An Evangelistic Tool The following is an evangelistic tool. Feel free to use this tool to lead someone to the Savior. It can also be used in your church. Tony lead the members of our church through this process, and then commissioned them to offer the good news to those they come in contact with in the course of their day. This is one of our outreach programs for this year. OPENING QUESTION: Has anyone ever shown you from the Bible how you can be sure you are on your way to heaven? Would you allow me to show you? I. First the Bad News a. The Problem: Every person is a sinner before a Holy God and unable to save themselves (Romans 3:10, 23). b. The Penalty: Every person is under the sentence of death and will be forever separated from God because of their sin (Romans 5:12; 6:23). I. Now the Good News a. The Provision: Through the substitutionary sacrificial death of Christ, God has addressed the sin problem for us (Romans 5:8, 17-21). b. The Pardon: God offers a free pardon and eternal life to all who place faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation (Romans 10:9-10; 4:4-5). CLOSING QUESTION: Would you like to trust the Lord Jesus Christ right now as your personal Savior? PRAYER: Lord Jesus thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and rising from the dead to save me. By transferring my total trust to You alone as my Savior, I now receive the forgiveness for my sins and the free gift of eternal life that You offered me.
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World number one golfer Tiger Woods was seriously injured in a car accident on Friday, a Florida newspaper reported. The Orlando Sentinel, citing the Florida Highway Patrol, said Woods' car struck a fire hydrant and a tree in Florida's Isleworth community, near Orlando. Woods, 33, was transported to a hospital in Ocoee in serious condition, the newspaper said, citing the FHP. Woods is one of the world's richest athletes, a leading force in sports marketing and the biggest draw on the PGA tour. Woods made a triumphant comeback on the tour this year after sitting out much of the 2008 season following reconstructive knee surgery. He was operated on shortly after clinching his 14th major title, the 2008 U.S. Open. He did not win a major title this year but had a successful year capped by winning the season-long FedEx Cup More Reports coming in We're now told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We're told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV -- but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club. Tiger Woods did not suffer facial lacerations from a car accident. They were inflicted by his wife, Elin Nordegren -- according to a conversation Woods had Friday after the accident. Tiger has yet to be formally interviewed by the Florida Highway Patrol -- that should happen this afternoon. But we're told Tiger had a conversation Friday -- with a non-law enforcement type -- detailing what went down before his Escalade hit a fire hydrant. We're told he said his wife had confronted him about reports that he was seeing another woman. The argument got heated and, according to our source, she scratched his face up. We're told it was then Woods beat a hasty retreat for his SUV -- but according to our source, Woods says his wife followed behind with a golf club. As Tiger drove away, she struck the vehicle several times with the club. We're told Woods became "distracted," thought the vehicle was stopped, and looked to see what had happened. At that point the SUV hit the fire hydrant and then hit a tree. We're also told Woods had said during the conversation Friday he had been taking prescription pain medication for an injury, which could explain why he seemed somewhat out of it at the scene.
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It has been revealed how Super Eagles striker, Obafemi Martins, extranvagantly squandered about N3.1 trillions while a player of Newcastle.MartinsadvertisementHis former management company, NVA Management Limited who has dragged the player to court over breach of contarct, told the jury how the player’s account almost went red because of his lifestyle.Obafemi Martins was paid £75,000, but allegedly squandered the earnings on an extravagant lifestyleA former Premiership footballer routinely blew his £75,000 a week wages in a matter of days and was constantly overdrawn, a court was told yesterday.Obafemi, ex-Newcastle striker 25, was paid the handsome salary after he joined the club for a £10million fee in August 2006.But despite his extraordinary earnings, his former management team yesterday claimed they repeatedly bailed him out after his bank account continually slipped into the red.The High Court heard that the Nigerian international player would withdraw £40,000 in cash from his bank account at the end of the week.But that would only last him two days, the court heard, as he topped up with a further £25,000 on the Monday morning.He was always overdrawn and repeatedly relied upon NVA Management Limited to ‘manage his life’, the High Court was told.Martins, who owned several fast cars including a top of the range Porsche 4X4, spent the money funding an extravagant lifestyle of luxurious penthouse homes and fine dining.He is now being sued by his former management company which claims that he still owes them 300,000 for sorting out his finances.He told the court that Martins would withdraw £40,000 for the weekend, followed by another £25,000 on the Monday.‘Despite earning these vast sums of money he was constantly overdrawn,’ added Mr Tennink.He said the firm, which looks after the affairs of several footballers, film and music stars, said that Martins had agreed to pay them for simply managing his life.It was under their stewardship that Martins agreed a £2million image rights deal ‘simply for being Mr Martins’.It’s claimed Martins was constantly overdrawn despite earning £75,000-a-weekHe also had lucrative sponsorship deals with various companies including Pepsi and Nike but had not been paid.When the company stepped in to run his affairs they sorted the unpaid contracts, bringing in thousands of pounds.They also organised visas when he travelled to Italy, where he once played for Inter Milan, and sorted out his passport, his mortgage and property valuations.They even arranged critical illness cover and were constantly running up and down the motorway from their London offices to Newcastle in a bid to do all that he required.‘But surely these were things a secretary could do?’ asked Judge Richard Seymour QC, referring to the size of fees charged.‘It was a Jeeves-type of role that they performed.’Mr Tennink protested that managing every aspect of his life was just part of what they did, and asked the judge to bear in mind the sort of figures these players earned.He said Martins had come to them in July 2007 and had agreed a fee of around £300,000 plus 20 per cent of any sponsorship monies they managed to acquire on his behalf.“He asked for these services to be carried out,” Mr Tennink told the court.Before they managed his affairs, Martins had not been paid a penny for his image rights for the use of his name on Newcastle shirts and mugs and had received nothing from his sponsorship deals.He could not even find the contracts he had originally signed, Mr Tennink added.Martins paid the company £67,500 in January last year and another £25,000 in April last year.But the question for the court to decide, said Mr Tennink, was whether there was a ‘binding obligation’ for him to pay the outstanding bill of over £300,000.After Newcastle were relegated from the Premiership last summer Martins was sold for £9million to German Bundesliga Champions Wolfsburg.Martins, who once owned a penthouse apartment overlooking Newcastle’s exclusive Quayside, is fighting the claim.The hearing is scheduled to last for three days.
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Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Imo State Police Command, Owerri are working assiduously to unravel the mysterious death of Miss Mary Oguchukwu of Ime Owerre in Isu Njaba Local Government Area of the state.The late Mary, a hair stylist based in Onitsha, was reported to have gone to see off a male friend, one Christian Mmereukwu of Uburu Ekwe in the same council area who was alleged to have come to see her on August 21, 2009.But she could not return to her house as she was found dead in a nearby bush with blood gushing out from her private part with her clothes torn.Narrating the ugly incident to Daily Sun, the immediate younger brother to the late Mary, Mr Nnorom Oguchukwu, a former judiciary correspondent of Business Day, Abuja, said that his late sister had come back to the village from Onitsha hail and hearty to see him on learning that he was coming home from aboard.According to him, the suspect, Mr Mmereukwu, had been severally warned by members of their family to steer clear from his late sister as he had continuously been proposing marriage to her.“My sister, Miss Mary Oguchukwu was healthy. She came back from Onitsha, Anambra State. She returned home to see me when she heard that I was coming back from abroad, unfortunately, she was hacked to death on August 21, 2009.According to my younger ones, who alerted me on what had happened, they said that on the fateful day of August 21, 2009 evening at about 4 p.m. to 6p.m. one man from Uburu Ekwe, Mr Christian Mmereukwu, came to our compound.On that fateful day, my late sister was with my younger ones and according to them, Christian arrived at our compound and the first person that saw him was my aunty, Agnes Nnanna, who confronted him. She reminded him that he has been warned not to be visiting our compound, but he allegedly ignored her and went straight where my sister was staying.They said that he stayed for a longer period and when he was about going home he beckoned on my sister Mary Oguchukwu to escort him after much pressure and my sister now followed him.She escorted him not knowing that would be her last day on earth.Explaining further, Mr Nnorom alleged that Christian dragged her inside the bush and raped her after which he hacked her to death.He tore her brazier, left it somewhere, killed her and left her in her pool of blood. While I was at Enugu where I took my son for medical treatment I didn’t know that this thing was happening. I only heard a telephone call the following day that one Christian Mmereukwu had killed my elder sister.Any misunderstanding with both families ?Not at all; not to the best of my knowledge. We are good neighbours even where he had his maternal home. We were never in enmity with them. They visit us and we visit them. I don’t actually know what had gone wrong. I don’t really know why the man should come to our place, picked my sister to go and killed her.Marriage proposalI don’t think that my sister was bluffing him, but from his character she may have seen somebody, you cannot attest to his character. She may start distancing herself from such request. The said Christian has that tendency of fighting when he was growing up in his maternal home.My sister’s professionShe is a hair dresser and she wanted to start her own business again in Onitsha, but she heard that I was coming back from abroad and she came back home to stay with me.AppealThe matter was first reported at the Umudugba Divisional Police station. It has now been transferred to State Police Command, Owerri. I believe that this is not a matter that should be swept under the carpet. My humble request is that my sister has been raped, and killed for nothing sake. I am calling on the police and international organizations on anti-rape to take over this matter and see to the last point of it. I want the security agencies to conduct proper investigations on this matter to see that justice is done in this matter. It will be the only way the soul of my sister will have rest. I am also appealing to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo and human rights organizations to come to my rescue. I am shedding tears in my heart.our sourceslearnt that the suspect Mr Mmereukwu is now held at the state CID where he has been telling the police all he knows about the death of Mary.The police spokesman, ASP Linus Nwaiwu who confirmed the incident said that, investigations are still going on.
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