By Chris Nomjov
Scores of people have been left injured, with few more feared dead, as a bomb went off at busy Jimeta bye-pass road at the Tashan Tippa area.
Reports suggest the blast was carried out by a suicide bomber. Tonight’s blast at the Jimeta-Yola, bye-pass road, is the fourth in Yola, in five months.
Reports reveal that scores of people have been rushed to the hospital and there has been heavy presence of security personnel at the site of the bomb blast.
More details soon.
The convoy of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, was on Tuesday attacked as the Enugu-born Senator escaped suspected assassination attempt.
According to Uche Anichukwu, the deputy senate president’s spokesperson, occurred at about 10:00am between Apo Flyover and Dantata Construction Company’s yard, close to the Old Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Headquarters junction on his way to work.
Premium Times reports that, the suspected assassins, who Mr. Anichukwu said operated in a tinted white-coloured Mercedez Benz AMG E63 without a plate number, were reportedly chauffeured by a long-bearded light skinned foreigner, apparently a mercenary.
The spokesperson continued,”The vehicle, which was positioned by the Apo Bridge, on noticing that the Deputy President of the Senate’s convoy took the right turn to join the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway instead, made a turn.
The occupants attempted to attack the convoy, but were blocked. The driver violently broke into the convoy and they made several frantic attempts to attack the Senator’s official car.
”When charged at by the security operatives attached to the Deputy President of the Senate, the Benz driver made a U-turn, and partially smashed an oncoming vehicle on the opposite lane of the highway and escaped.
”The development has already been reported to the security agencies.” Mr. Anichukwu said.
By Chris Nomjov
Global automobile giants, Ford motors has unveiled its first made-in-Nigeria sport utility vehicle (SUV), Ford Ranger; through its Nigerian subsidiary, Ford Nigeria.
The big announcement was made on the company’s Twitter page;
“Congratulations Nigeria! We’ve unveiled the first #FordRanger to come off our new assembly line in Nigeria,”
With this, Ford joins Volkswagen, Peugeot and 30 other automobile companies to have signed commitments to begin assembly in Nigeria, just as a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report confirmed in October.
The report, which focused on the Nigerian automobile industry revealed that the country has the potential to become the hub of Africa’s automotive industry.
Titled Africa’s next automotive hub, the report focuses on reviving the automotive industry through the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP).
“The report noted that the new policy has attracted a number of top automotive brands into the country with three already commencing assembly in the country as at 2015,” a PwC statement read.
“It pointed out that 30 other brands have signed commitments with technical partners and have already obtained licenses to assemble passenger cars, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), buses and trucks in the country.”
A major discovery from that report was that Nigeria spends as much as N683 billion (US$3.45b) on annual imports of 100,000 new vehicles and 300,000 used ones, popularly regarded as Tokunbo.
By Chris Nomjov
Governors of the South East region of Nigeria, held a meeting on Tuesday, to discuss the growing spate of pro-Biafran protests by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
Present at the meeting were: Governor Ifeany Ugwuanyi of Enugu state, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, Rochas Okorocha of Imo state and the deputy governor of Anambra state, Nkem Okeke.
The South East governors enjoined MASSOB/IPOB to embrace peace and dialogue, in order to address the economic development of the region.
The governors reached a resolved to put an end to the protests by agitators for secession. Also, they called for an emergency meeting slated for Sunday, November 22, to address the issues.
Those expected at the meeting include: all National Assembly members, all ministers and other invited guests from the zone.
It was also agreed that the South East governors would consult widely with: “Ohanaeze, traditional rulers, development unions, clergy and other stakeholders on how to ensure lasting peace in the zone.”
“In furtherance to this, the South East governors scheduled an emergency meeting of stakeholders on Sunday 22nd November, 2015 in Enugu.”
By Chris Nomjov
The Nigerian Police Force says it has uncovered plans by some politicians in Kogi to disguise themselves in police uniform and rig the state governorship election slated for Saturday, November 21.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja, at a stakeholders’ forum.
Arase said the primary objective of the shady politicians was to disrupt the election and cause mayhem.
Last week, the governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP), Dr Philip Salau, yesterday raised alarm over alleged plot by a political party to rig the forthcoming election in the state.
Salau, who was former deputy governor of the state, said at a press conference in Lokoja that “credible intelligence reports” have it that agents of the said party are planning to use officials of INEC to manipulate the smart card readers and also use thugs to rig the poll.
“We are aware from our intelligence services that a particular political party which I would not want to name now, has arranged to rig the election. They have bought some guns and distributed to all the senatorial districts,” he alleged.
He, therefore called on INEC and the Inspector General of Police to take proactive action.
Furthermore, Police Boss, Arase, revealed that measures have been taken to properly identify 12, 000 policemen that will be on duty during the election.
“We intend to dominate security space that day. if you want to test our strength, have a rethink,” he said.
Explaining their formation, he said that one unit of mobile policemen would be deployed to each of the 21 local government areas in the state for effective policing, adding that the officers will be backed up by armour personnel carriers, vehicles and other security apparatuses.
Furthermore, Arase said the police would be supported by the military, Civil Defence Corps, Immigration, Customs and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to provide effective security during the poll.
He urged people in the state to feel free to come out and vote for candidate of their choice.
The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday suffered another electoral setback in Taraba State as the Court of Appeal sitting in Yola upheld a tribunal’s ruling, sacking Bashir Marafa as senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District.
On September 30, the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Taraba State, nullified the election of Mr. Marafa and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue Certificate of Return to All Progressives Congress candidate, Yusuf Abubakar.
Delivering the September 30 judgement, one of the members of the tribunal, Suleiman Yusuf, said the petitioners in case, the APC, and its candidate, had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.
The tribunal had held the election of Mr. Marafa could not stand as he did not score the lawful majority votes in the March 28 election.
The tribunal therefore ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to return Mr. Abubakar as the candidate that scored the majority lawful votes during the polls.
Following the ruling, Mr. Marafa appealed the tribunal’s decision.
But in their separate judgements on Tuesday, the three judges, Jummai Sankey, Duobele Abraham and Ridwan Maiwada of the Court of Appeal, unanimously agreed the appeal lacked merit and was therefore dismissed.
Nigeria’s Soccer Olympic Team Coach, Samson Siasia has appealed to the gunmen that abducted his aged mother from their Odoni home in Bayelsa State, to release her unconditionally to enable him focus on qualifying the team for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Olympic Games.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has also appealed to the kidnappers to free the 72-year-old Ogere Siasia, who was forcefully taken by three armed men riding motorcycles.
“Right now I am confused, from the story I got, three men on motorbike stormed my parents’ house in my village in Odoni, Bayelsa State, shot sporadically into the air before taking my old mother away on a bike.
“What do they expect from me? I don’t have money, I am right now on national duty, and needs all the time to concentrate on this very important national task. So I beg them to please release my mother so that I can concentrate on this task of qualifying the U-23 national team for the men’s football event of the Rio Olympics,” Siasia said.
NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, according to media reports, described the development as “quite disturbing” coming few days before a crucial game.
“We are just preparing for a crucial 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, and the U-23 boys are already in The Gambia for a pre-Cup of Nations training camp. Why this?
“All we can do is to appeal to the kidnappers to free Samson Siasia’s aged mother. Samson is on a critical national assignment presently and the last he needs is this kind of distraction,” he told sports website, Africanfootball.com.
Members of the FIFA U-17 World Cup winning squad, the Golden Eaglets have confided in Nigerian Pilot that they are yet to recover from the shock after the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF handed them a paltry N20, 000 each before they dispersed in Abuja last Thursday.
“It’s surely not the best way to treat heroes. The money they gave us could not even fetch us flight tickets to take us home to see our loved ones,’’ said one of the players who did not want his name in print for fear of victimisation by officials of the football federation.
Another player said on phone yesterday: “I’ve heard about how badly players have been treated in the past. I didn’t think ours would come so soon. I am still, however, grateful to God we came home with the trophy.
The victory has opened new doors of opportunity which we are already exploring,’’ said the player who is on verge of sealing a lucrative professional contract with an English Premier League club.
Players and officials of the U-17 National Team returned to the country last Wednesday, following a successful campaign at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
They were driven round parts of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory in a motorcade before the convoy arrived at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
The new Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalong, later had dinner with the team at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
The team will be decamped on Thursday, to reconvene for a presidential reception which Nigerian Pilot gathered, has been scheduled for November 28 in Abuja.
The team helped Nigeria become the first country to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup title for a fifth time in Chile recently.
The Eaglets also became only the second side to retain the FIFA U-17 World Cup with a 2-0 win against Mali in the grand finale.
A key member of the team, Victor Osimhen, clinched the Adidas Silver Ball for the highest goal scorer of the tournament where he banged in a record-breaking ten goals.
Captain Kelechi Nwakali was also adjudged the most valuable player and went home with the Adidas Golden Ball award.
He scored three goals, including two penalties, and provided a further three assists, a haul that also brought him the Adidas Bronze Boot.
The Kano State Film Censorship Board has closed down over 50 solo dance houses and 100 games clubs for exposing underage girls to prostitution and encouraging truancy among pupils and students.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the agency said apart from enticing innocent girls to indulge in prostitution and other social vices, some of the girls were impregnated in the clubs.
The executive secretary of the board, Ismail Afakallah, noted that only last week before they effected the closure of the dance houses, there was a case of two teenage girls impregnated in one of the houses.
He said the government took “harsh position” to ensure that the state was free of vices that corrupt the morals of the society.
Commenting on the closure of the game centres, Mr. Afakallah said the addictive tendencies of the game clubs encourage theft and truancy among pupils and students.
“Because of the hazard of such game clubs in breeding delinquent elements in Kano, the censorship board had no option but to close down the houses,” he said.
Mr. Afakallah disclosed that the board would soon open offices at the 44 Local Government Areas of the state to serve as liaison offices to the head office.
Nigeria’s President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, has said that no amount of intimidation will stop the assembly from investigating the alleged N25 billion Treasury Single Account (TSA) fraud.
Saraki was reacting to a motion moved by Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) on Tuesday over a newspaper article allegedly blackmailing the Senate for pointing out the alleged fraud.
He said the assembly would not relent in carrying out its constitutional duties, including pointing out any action that would be detrimental to Nigerians.
“No amount of either blackmail or intimidation will stop us from doing the work we have to do.
“We have a responsibility here to ensure that there are no leakages in government funds and if there are, we will call the attention of the public and do whatever it takes to salvage the situation; it is our responsibility.
“The fact about the TSA will come out and everybody will have opportunity before the committee to state the fact, the facts will speak for themselves,” he said.
Saraki said the assembly would expedite action on the inauguration of Standing Committees to enable it to begin its oversight function fully.
Earlier, Melaye said his attention was drawn to the write-up accusing the Senate of working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort to implement TSA.
He expressed concern that the writer could conceive such an idea in spite of the National Assembly’s resolve to work with Buhari in fighting corruption.
Melaye recalled that it was the assembly’s stand on the alleged TSA fraud that led SystemSpecs to refund the one per cent it collected from mopped up funds to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The writer said we are against the change agenda of Mr President because we raised the abnormality going on with the implementation of the TSA.
“We did not at any time in this Hallowed Chamber implicate President Muhammadu Buhari of being involved in TSA fraud.
“We will not stop carrying out our legislative duties for fear of being blackmailed.
“The motion moved last week had two prayers.
“The first thing we did was to thank Mr President and commend him for the implementation of the TSA and for anyone to say the Senate is fighting Mr President is myopic, parochial and unacceptable.
“I have a letter here that I am going to lay with this paper, written by the Director, Banking and Payment of CBN to the Managing Director of SystemSpecs.
“The CBN categorically stated that they should remit the one per cent that they collected.
“I also have a letter here by the managing director of that company to the Accountant General of the Federation and the Governor of CBN that have completely buttressed and elicited our decision last week.
“So for people to blackmail us as irresponsible, it is not acceptable to me and the Senate.
“Never would we allow blackmail and political and economic bigots to destroy the people. We are for the people and we will stand in defence of public interest,” he said.
The write-up and letters cited by Melaye were referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to be returned to Senate in one week.
The Senate had on November 11 raised alarm over alleged payment of N25 billion to one e-collection firm, REMITA, in one day as one per cent of monies transferred to TSA.
It also directed its Committee on Finance, Banking and other Financial Institutions and Public Accounts to carry out a holistic investigation into the matter and report back in two weeks.
The Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has described the Minister
of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed as unfit to speak for any decent government, saying; “he speaks like a tout.”
Olayinka, who reacted to statement by the Minister that Governor Ayodele Fayose and others kicking against President Muhammadu Buhari’s Treasury Single Account policy should return to elementary school, said it was shameful that the Minister ran away from the main issue and chose to attack personalities.
Olayinka said; “Now that Daddy Lai Mohammed has been elevated to the position of the spokesperson of the Federal Government of Nigeria, he needs to be purged of the APC basket mouth syndrome that made him to speak like a tout.”
Governor Fayose’s spokesperson insisted that the Federal Government must explain to Nigerians why and how it mortgaged their existence to a single company that has made what no manufacturing companies with thousands of employees can make in one month.
Olayinka said “Ekiti State under Governor Fayose is managing its finances perfectly well without the Treasury Single Account, which is
obviously aimed at enriching a few individuals at the expense of Nigerians.”
He advised President Buhari to urgently de-brief Lai Mohammed so that he will operate normally as a spokesperson of the government and not APC propagandist.
Olayinka said; “At 63, Lai Mohammed should know that speaking for the federal government of Nigeria is different from speaking for the APC, which he did by always tying corn to hia anus while dancing naked at the market place.
“He should know that opposition is a major ingredient of democracy and any democratic government devoid of opposition must be ready to
embrace anarchy.
“It is therefore the duty of Nigerians, especially the National Assembly to ask questions on the administration of the resources being
held in trust for them by those in power and it is the responsibility of government at all levels to explain.
“When a man like Lai Mohammed, who is employed and being paid with tax payers’ money now choses to insult Nigerians just because they ask questions, sane minds should pity the President w ho employed such a loquacious person to speak for his government.
“As for Governor Fayose, he will continue to uphold the truth and speak in the overall interest of Nigerians, not minding the offensive odour emanating from the propaganda infected mouths of Lai Mohammed and his ilk.”
![Marilyn Okowa, Daughter Of Delta State Governor Set To Wed [Photos]](https://i0.wp.com/newswirengr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Okowas-daughter-4.png?fit=400%2C392&ssl=1 "Marilyn Okowa, Daughter Of Delta State Governor Set To Wed [Photos]")
Marilyn Okowa, daughter of the incumbent governor of Delta State Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa is set to walk down the aisle with the love of her life. Marilyn, who had her bridal showers on Sunday, Nov 15, according to reports would be formalizing her relationship this weekend.
See photos of the couple together and from her bridal showers below…
Credit: CityPeople
