DailyBells Nigeria: 2014

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

President Jonathan’s performance in transport sector is unprecedented --- PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday in Abuja said the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan in the transport and aviation sector was unprecedented.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Olisa Metuh, in a statement, said the party and well-meaning Nigerians were happy with the on-going transformation in the sectors.

According to the statement, the transformation in the two sectors has supported greater economic productivity across the country.

A group of yam farmers cutting across some northern states in the country has pledged to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari’s campaign in the 2015 general elections with N5 billion.

The group disclosed this in a statement in Jos on Tuesday.

Rev. Jacob Musa, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the farmers under the name ``Buhari-Osibajo Presidential Appeal Campaign Fund (BOPCAF), said that farmers from 10 states of the federation were planning the fund raiser.

Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians not to despair or lose hope because of the current challenges facing the country.

This is contained in a New Year message released by the former vice-president’s media office in Abuja and signed by Malam Garba Shehu, Atiku’s Head of Media.

The statement stated that no matter the challenge, democracy offered the people the opportunity to use the power of their votes to bring about the desired change.

Ambode

The APC governorship candidate in Lagos state, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, has disclosed that he would raise the performance bar of Gov. Babatunde Fashola, if elected into office.

Ambode made the pledge while speaking at a meeting with artisans and tradesmen at Ikeja.

The meeting was facilitated by the state government.

He said his long-standing experience in the state’s civil service had equipped him with the wherewithal to take the state to the next level.

Jimoh Ibrahim

The management of NICON Insurance Ltd, on Tuesday said its appointment as the sole underwriter of Students’ Welfare Insurance Scheme was done under due process.

A statement by the Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs of NICON, Mr Ade Adesokan, made the disclosure in Lagos.

The statement said that the scheme was presented to the Federal Ministry of Education and due process was followed before its appointment as the Underwriter.

The National Chairman, Labour Party, Mr Abdulkadri Abdulsalam, has said that the party had not endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the 2015 general elections.

Abdulsalam, who gave the clarification in Abuja, said the rumour had gone viral on social media.

He said the rumours had no base or truth.

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Tuesday presented a budget proposal of about N175 billion for the 2015 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly in Maiduguri for approval.

Shettima said that the proposal, tagged `Budget of Fulfilment', comprised N62 billion recurrent and N113 billion capital expenditures.

He explained that the budget would be financed through N98 billion Statutory Allocation, N39 billion Internally Generated Revenue and N38 billion Capital Receipts.

Ayisha-Osori

In a dramatic twist that has left most political watchers astonished, a People Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representative candidate, Ms Aisha Osori, has denounced the PDP to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) after emerging winner under the PDP.

Osori made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen at the APC national secretariat.

Osori had emerged winner at the just concluded AMAC/Bwari federal constituency primary in the Federal Capital Territory.

Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue has presented the 2015 appropriation bill of over N98.6 billion to the Benue House of Assembly for consideration.

The bill shows a drop of 11 per cent in the 2014 appropriation estimates of N130 billion.

Suswam made the presentation on Tuesday in Makurdi during the assembly's plenary session.

SEC approves UBA's rights issue

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday approved the proposed rights issue of N13 billion for existing shareholders of UBA Plc.

Mr Obi Adindu, Communications Adviser to SEC Director-General, who confirmed the approval said that the rights issue opened on Dec. 29.

Adindu said that the commission also approved UBA’s application for a bond issue that would commence at a later date.

No fewer than 11, 500 wheat farmers in Kano State will benefit from the Federal Government’s fertilisers and other farm inputs during the current dry season farming.

Alhaji Adamu Shehu, the Acting Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in the state, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday.

Shehu said the federal government had started distributing the commodity under its Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) to the registered farmers in five designated centres across the state.

A woman leader, Mrs Francisca Obasuyi, has identified poor reading habit among students as the major factor responsible for mass failure in the last November/December external examinations.

Obasuyi, former President of the Catholic Women Organisation, Ijegun branch, Lagos State, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the advent of computers, phones and internet had distracted the children from studies.

`` The problem is that they don’t have the habit of reading, unlike those days when our parents bought story books for us.

At least five were dead amid a Balkans cold snap that included a massive blizzard in Bulgaria and Serbia, authorities said on Tuesday.

The interior ministry's emergency situations department said in Belgrade that three people were found frozen to death in Bulgaria, along with two in Serbia.

It said this followed the storm which struck over the weekend, bringing deep subzero temperatures, massive snowfall and gale force wind.

The Lagos State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for disparaging a Christian cleric and man of God, Primate Olabayo, who recently prophesied amongst others that the PDP would win Lagos State Governorship election in 2015.

The PDP described the sacrilege attack on the Man of God as an attack on all Men of God of the Christian Faith and which must be condemned by all adherents of the Faith.

It was of the opinion that the outburst was a sample of the peak of hostility the Lagos APC could go especially against any individual, group or interest they perceive as pro PDP.

Largely, most Nigerians regard men who have protruding bellies as being sign of good living.

But on the contrary, a Gynaecologist, Dr Fred Achem, has advised Nigerians to be well informed on how to reduce belly fats to avoid health risk associated with it.

Achem, who works with the Feropod Hospital, Abuja said that too much intake of fats, carbohydrates and animal protein would reduce the functions of the vital organs in the body.

The gynaecologist said that belly fats crop up due to accumulation of fats in the abdominal region of the body, thereby causing discomfort for the person involved.

MTN season of surprises: N50M house for grab

As part of its continuous effort in making this yuletide a memorable one for Nigerians through its on-going ‘Season of Surprises’ campaign, leading ICT and telecommunications company, MTN, is set to put a smile on the face of a lucky Nigerian, as the company will give out a house worth N50m in the next few weeks.

Riding on the MTN sponsored TV game show, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (WWTBAM), a special episode of the series, tagged ‘Who Deserves To Be Surprised’ (WDTBS)’, has been created to serve as a platform through which the lucky Nigerian will emerge.

A Theatre Arts Undergraduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Ekundayo Monja, has emerged winner of the North Region final of Airtel One Mic, a musical talent-hunt competition for tertiary institutions created by leading telecom service provider, Airtel Nigeria.

The competition, which was held in Gwagwalada, Abuja, featured five other finalists, comprising two students each from University of Abuja, Nassarawa State University and another from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in keen contest for the star prize of a brand new KIA Picanto and a recording deal.

In a bid to consolidate on its on-going Season of Surprises campaign, Nigeria’s leading telecommunications and ICT Company, MTN, has launched another massive customer reward promo.

Tagged MTN Cash Quest, this latest promo is a platform through which a millionaire will emerge daily, from 4th December, 2014 till 13th March, 2015.

Obanikoro

Any time from now, Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant and former Minister of State for Defence may be returning to Abuja as a top cabinet member.

This was part of a deal personally brokered by President Goodluck Jonathan, for Obanikoro to discontinue his legal challenge of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primary result for Lagos State.

One of the damaged stell columns on Eko Bridge

Julius Berger Construction Company have replaced all the 48 steel columns of the Eko Bridge damaged by fire in 2008 to prevent collapse of the bridge, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, has said.

Eke said the columns were installed on a span damaged by fire in 2008 to make the bridge stable pending complete rehabilitation of the bridge.

A suspected child kidnapper, Bola Adesina who abducted a 5-year-old boy, one Ahmed and attempted to ferry him from Ogun State to Kaduna State, was nabbed after the boy raised an alarm in a vehicle in which he was travelling with his abductor.

LEADERSHIP Friday learnt that Adesina, an Okada rider based in Shagamu Ogun State, carried Ahmed in his Okada on a commercial ride in the town but later loaded him into a luxurious bus travelling to Abuja for onward delivery to his client based in Kaduna, one Iya Oyibo.

Low turn out at one of Abuja parks

Operators of some recreation parks within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have complained of low patronage as Nigerians celebrate the Christmas.

Mr Abdulatif Olaosebikan, the Head, Programmes and Events, Parks and Recreation Department, FCT Administration, attributed the low patronage to the security situation in the country.

He advised all Nigerians to be security conscious and to support the Federal Government in the fight against insurgency.

Oduoza

The Group Managing Director, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Phillips Oduoza, on Friday said the Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) in the banking sector was still minimal.

Oduoza said that NPLs had not reached the five per cent threshold set by CBN for the sector.

He said that as long as banks were still doing business, the NPLs would rise, adding the authorities were working hard to ensure stability in the financial system.

The 2013 Annual report of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) said the volume of NPLs increased by N38.05 billion or 13.30 per cent to N324.14 billion in December 2013 from N286.09 billion in 2012.

A Chinese man who stole hundreds of pieces of ladies' underwear had his secret exposed after an emergency exit ceiling where he had been storing his hoard collapsed, state media reported.

The man, surnamed Tang and in his 30s, admitted to having mental problems since he was young and that he did not know how long he had been obsessed with women's undergarments, reports said.

Tragedy struck on Christmas day in Lagos when, Sodiq Ojomo, working with a catering service, drowned in a swimming pool at an event centre.

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, disclosed this on Friday while reacting to the service activities for the year.

Fadipe said that the incident occurred at No. 3/5, Durosinmi Etti Street, Victoria Island.

Alao-Akala

Former Gov. Adebayo Alao-Akala and the Labour Party governorship candidate in Oyo State has appointed Dr Kola Balogun as director-general of his campaign organisation.

This is contained in a statement signed by Abraham Ojo, Alao-Akala’s media aide and made available to Mega StarNews in Ogbomoso on Friday.

More than 200 Muslim youth volunteers were part of those protecting Christians during church services to celebrate this year’s Christmas in Kaduna, says Pastor Yohanna Buru.

Buru, a cleric of Christ Evangelical Church, Sabon Tasha, Kaduna South, disclosed this in an interview on Friday in Kaduna.

He confirmed that over 200 Muslims were at his church to help protect the faithful from any attack during the church service.

BUK Deputy VC, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar

The APC in Kano State has nominated the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, as the party’s governorship running mate.

The Special Adviser to Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso on Media and Publicity, Alhaji Baba Dantiye, said on Friday in Kano that Abubakar, until his nomination, was the university’s DVC (Academics).

``The decision to pick Abubakar as the running mate of the gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Umar Ganduje, was taken after series of meetings and consultations by the party’s stakeholders in Kano,’’ he said.

Nigerian on pilgrimage

A group, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), has urged the three tiers of government to wash their hands off the yearly sponsorship of thousands of Nigerians to religious pilgrimages.

The Chairman of CLO, Anambra Branch, Comrade Aloysius Attah, said that a sum of about N14.93bn goes into such exercises annually.

He contended that Nigeria, being a secular state, should desist from such sponsorship, especially now that the country’s earnings are gradually dwindling by the day.

``We call for the total scrapping of government funding of religious pilgrimages in Nigeria.

“I am 100% in support of Buhari,” Says Pastor Bakare

Watch Video of Pastor Tunde Bakare's declaration for Buhari

In an exclusive interview with SaharaTV, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the serving Pastor and Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly Church in Lagos, has debunked insinuations being circulated on social media that he opposes the presidential candidature of General Muhammad Buhari.

Bakare ran with Buhari in 2011 on the presidential ticket of the Congress For Progressive Change.

He explained that the audio tape being circulated was a talk he gave immediately after the last governorship election in Ondo state in 2012, saying he made it clear for those who cared to listen that he supports Buhari’s ambition any day.

Tinubu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ekiti State on Monday berated All Progressives Congress (APC), for mimicking Gov. Ayo Fayose's ``stomach infrastructure’’ initiative.

Secretary of the party in the State, Dr Tope Aluko, who made the criticism in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, added that the aping amounted to ``hypocrisy at its peak.’’

He said Fayose’s stomach infrastructure initiative was fully adopted by the APC National Leader and former Governor of Lagos State, Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said President Goodluck Jonathan would defeat Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate at the polls in 2015.

The National Secretary of PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo, stated this in Abuja on Monday when chairmen of foreign chapters of the party visited him.

``They have passed through a motion and endorsed their perennial candidate, we have beaten him three times, we are going to beat him once again’’, Oladipo stressed.

Prof. Bashiru Okeshina, Vice-Chancellor of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), said 32 programmes of the University had so far been accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He said the NUC had also approved eight postgraduate programmes for the university and that the programmes would commence in the 2014/2015 academic session.

Okeshina made this known while addressing newsmen on Monday in Osogbo on the achievements and challenges of the university in the 2013/2014 session.

Maku

The Labour Party (LP) has said that it had not granted waiver to the immediate past Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, to get its Nasarawa governorship ticket for the 2015 elections.

The LP National Secretary, Kayode Ajulo, made the statement in Lagos while responding to questions from journalists.

"Going by the primary conducted by our party in Nasarawa State, Hajia Aisha Mbaka, a woman who falls into the category of those exempted by the party from paying any nomination or expression of intent fees, emerged, being the sole aspirant.

Gombe bomb blast scene

Following the bomb blast that killed many people and injured several others in the early hours of Monday, the Police have restricted movement around the Dukku motor park, Gombe.

The police spokesman in the state, DSP Fwaji Atajir, disclosed that policemen were deployed to the park to protect lives and property.

“Some people abandoned their shops and ran for their lives during the blast, and so, we deployed our men to protect lives and property.

Nigerian power plant

The Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on Monday said that the World Bank would support the Nigerian Power Sector with 1.75 dollars (about N294bn) over the next four years.

The bank’s Country Energy Task Team Leader for Nigeria, Mr Eric Fernstrom, disclosed this at a Capacity Building Programme on Post Privatisation Monitoring for Power Sector.

In a statement by the Head, Public Communication of the enterprise, Mr Chigbo Anichebe, in Abuja, it said the programme was jointly organised by the bank and the enterprise to ensure that the reform objectives were realised.

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), No to Violence Initiative (NOTVI), on Monday said Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Yobe and Sokoto states have the highest percentage of adolescent marriage in Nigeria.

The NOTVI National Advocacy Officer, Armstrong Ukwuoma, said the states also had the highest number of females who gave birth at ages below 18 years.

Ukwuoma said that the information was obtained from a recent report released by the African Health, Human and Social Development Information Service.

More than 4,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State have defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC.

The new members were received into the APC fold in Isa by Gov. Aliyu Wamakko.

Wamakko, who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Arzika Tureta, commended them for their action.

``APC is the party to beat across Nigeria during the 2015 general elections,’’ he said.

Baba Aladura Abidoye

The Spiritual Leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Worldwide, Prophet Samuel Abidoye, has called on Christians to actively participate in the forthcoming general elections.

Abidoye gave the advice on Sunday in his sermon at the ordination of some members of the church’s Ilorin District Headquarters.

He said the active participation of Christians remained the only way they could contribute immensely to the development of the country and decide who would rule them.

A Kado Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, has sentenced a 23 -year-old carpenter, Abdulrahman Haruna, to eight months imprisonment for house breaking and theft.

The judge, Abubakar Sadiq, sentenced the accused to three months for the first-count charge and five months for the second-count charge with no bail option as he admitted committing the offence.

Lagos to experience 7-hour power outage today, says Eko Disco

Eko Disco

Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKED) has said that there will be seven hour power supply interruption to some areas within its network in Lagos on Thursday, (today).

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Mr Godwin Idemudia, Assistant General Manger, (Public Affairs) of the company and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The statement said that the interruption would take place between the hours of 10 am to 4 pm on Dec. 18.

Nigerian soldiers to die by firing squad

Fifty-four Nigerian soldiers were sentenced to death by firing squad on Wednesday by a Military Court-Martial sitting in Abuja.

A competent source within the military high command, who confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said five other soldiers were discharged and acquitted.

Okonjo Iweala presenting the budget

Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, said Federal Government would continue with the proposed 65 dollars oil benchmark for the 2015 budget in spite of volatility in the global oil price.

Okonjo-Iweala disclosed this at the public presentation of the 2015 budget on Wednesday in Abuja.

``We have put the following benchmarks, which are operated in the 2015 budget; oil production remains at 2.27 million barrel per day, as I said, benchmark oil price at 65 dollars per barrel.

``We are using an exchange rate of N165 to the dollar and we are projecting a fiscal deficit N755 billion or 0.79 per cent of Gross Domestic product (GDP).

``And we are keeping domestic borrowing at a downward trend, the same as last year at about N570 billion which is comparable to the N572 billion for 2014,’’ she said.

According to her, GDP growth is projected at 5.5 per cent as also projected by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Wednesday named oil pipeline vandalism as one of the challenges in the achievements of revenue projections for 2014 budget.

Okonjo-Iweala, who said this during the Public Presentation of the 2015 Federal Budget in Abuja, said the resulting shorting in oil was also one of the key challenges.

According to her, ``we faced a quantity shock in the sense that the oil produced averaged about 2.2 billion barrels per day in the first three quarters of 2014''.

She said the figure fell short of the 2.28 million barrel projected in the budget and the effect was compounded further by the more recent fall in price.

Pakistan parents mourning

A shocked Pakistan on Wednesday began burying 132 students killed in a grisly attack on their school by Taliban militants that has heaped pressure on the government to do more to tackle the insurgency.

People across the country lit candles and staged vigils as parents bade final farewells to their children during mass funerals in and around Peshawar, the volatile city on the edge of Pakistan's lawless tribal belt where the school was located.

Grief mixed with anger as people looked to the authorities - long accused of not being tough enough on extremists - to stem spiraling violence in a nation which has become a safe haven for al Qaeda-linked groups.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has explained the reason he had to step down for his former State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as the vice presidential candidate of the party despite his widespread endorsement by the party.

Tinubu, in a statement on Wednesday said though he deserved the VP slot having worked extra hard moving the party from being merely an idea in the minds of a few into being a political organization that might win this election and govern the nation in way that gives the people the hope and opportunity they seek, he had to withdraw from being considered for the APC vice presidential position in the interest of the country.

“I have labored hard to move this party from being merely an idea in the minds of a few into being a political organization that might win this election and govern the nation in way that gives the people the hope and opportunity they seek.” He said.

Amaechi

The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has congratulated the outgoing Governor of the State, Rotimi Chubuike Amaechi for losing his bid to grab the Vice Presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

In a statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser, on Media to the State PDP Chairman, Bro. Felix Obuah,on Wednesday, the party said it is excited that Amaechi has been confirmed as a serial loser who lacks the capacity to win any competitive contest and can only excel in incivility and loose tongues.

Most disturbing, the party noted, is the billions of tax payers’ money the outgoing governor had allegedly spent on lobbying for the APC VP ticket at the expense of infrastructural development, provision of portable drinking water in the State and payment of salaries and allowances of civil servants and pensioners.

Pst. Osinbajo

The man, Yemi Osinbajo, 55, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Senior Partner in the Law firm of Simmons Cooper Partners, a law firm, where he earns his living.

He is married to the house of Obafemi Awolowo, arguably the greatest Yoruba politician ever and a distinguished public administrator described by the late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu as “the best president Nigeria never had”.

Oludolapo, his wife and mother of his three children, is a granddaughter of the late sage.

Yemi is from Ogun state originally, but he served Lagos as commissioner and is therefore also from Lagos.

Buhari unveiling Osinbajo yesterday

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, has, at last, unveiled his running mate in the 2015 presidential election scheduled for February 14, 2015.

The running mate is the former Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a senior pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

Buhari unveiled Osinbajo at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

MAPOLY

Ogun state government has debunked the allegation that the pronouncement of reduction in the tertiary institution fees in the state was a fluke, noting that, the reduction remains.

There has been rumour making rounds by students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Ojere, Abeokuta that the state government has implemented the reduction since it made the announcement.

It would be recalled that the state government had in September 2014 announced the reduction of school fees for all tertiary institutions across the state, hinting that, education should be given utmost priority in the state.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Monday, December 22, 2014

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

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