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Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and his party the PDP have already achieved something that would have been considered highly improbable just a few weeks ago-transformed the 2019 presidential elections into a real competitive context with the incumbent President Muhamadu Buhari. From the beginning of 2018, my analysis and scenario building ascribed a probability of 65 per cent to Buhari retaining the presidency-not an eventuality I considered desirable by any means whatsoever, but one that seemed inevitable for most of this year! I have since revised my calculations, and I now think the 2019 battle is a 50:50 affair between Atiku and Buhari! The fact that Buhari even stands any chance of victory is not a good commentary on Nigeria and our political system. Indeed the fact that he could be elected in 2015 in spite of a record unambiguously comprised of tendencies towards dictatorship, (of a draconian type); incompetence in policy, economy and administration; abandonment, if not complete

The attention of the former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has been drawn to a news item on the social media, written and circulated by media agents of the Akwa Ibom State government, purporting that the former governor had vowed that, should the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel, defeat the APC governorship candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere, at the poll, “his remains should not be buried in his country home, Ukana”. The sponsors and purveyors of such statement know within them that such frivolous and unfounded statement is not and can never be a creation of the Senator, as it existed only in their warped imaginations. The former governor will never utter such gutterish statement, in the face of an imminent electoral defeat of the ruling party in the state, as would be widely demonstrated by the electorate in February, 2019. It is, therefore, silly, nonsensical and the height of political irresponsibility on the part of any sane person to ascribe such uncouth, misplaced

The Oyo State Government will on Thursday, October 25, 2018 host another edition of the Federal Government Special Town meeting. The Special Town Hall meeting, which is focused on infrastructure in line with one of the cardinal objectives of the President Buhari led administration of infrastructural revival and accelerated development of our railways, roads, industries and power amongst others. The Special Town Hall Meeting on Infrastructure will hold at the Emeritus Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, Opposite U.C.H, by 10:00am. The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun said in a statement on Sunday that the Town Hall meeting will be an avenue for the federal government delegation to communicate government’s policies and activities as well as receive feedback on infrastructural development, disclosing that the State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi will be the host. Arulogun noted that the Special Town Hall Meeting will provide a platf

If there is something synonymous with Senator Godswill Akpabio’s name, it is the milk of kindness flowing through his veins. One may be born with the most exclusive abilities, trained to learn them over the course of several years, one might even have gone through an educational program to build the skills; but whatever talent one possesses, it can only be put to optimal usage when helping others. To many of his constituents, Senator Akpabio’s activities are answers to some of the things they have always prayed for. Yesterday, in his hometown, a total of 430 beneficiaries of grants he facilitated; 40 from each of the 10 local government areas of the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District were issued checks of ₦ 250,000 each. Akpabio, known across Akwa Ibom to be a paragon of kindness said ” I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

A major political realignment took place in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday when 14 former chapter chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declared their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on behalf of the former leaders of the PDP at the grassroots, former PDP chapter chairman of Uruan, Pastor Benedict Effiong, said “after a careful assessment of all the candidates running for the office of governor of the state, we have all come as a group to declare our support for the APC and Obong Nsima Ekere because the APC governorship candidate is the only one who is capable of leading the state to its destined place in the nation.” Pastor Effiong said the remaining former chapter chairmen have already agreed to move to the APC and would soon declare their support publicly too. “With this development today,” Pastor Effiong said, “PDP is dead in the state.” The mass defection, which took place in the residence of Mr Umana Okon Umana in Uyo on Saturday was w

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has unveiled his new queen, Shilekunola Moronke Naomi. The revered king revealed this through his instagram handle #ooniadimulaife, where he wrote: "I waited patiently upon the Almighty the King of kings, he eventually did it in the midst of many trials. Shilekunola, Moronke, Naomi; the greatest Arsenal you can apply on this highly revered throne with many rules and regulations in the midst of undiluted tradition, heritage and culture is the “Fear Of God In You”, which is the beginning of your wisdom on this throne of Oduduwa. You are welcome home my beautiful and adorable queen. #OoniOfIfe #Otisese". Ooni's new Olori, we gathered, is a prophetess and founder of EN-HERALDS, a prophetic mandate and an interdenominal ministry based in Akure, in Ondo State.

The Presidency has summoned the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel over repeated cases of violence against APC members in Akwa Ibom State.  The Governor is said to have reported in Aso Rock Villa on Tuesday evening following unease in security circles that if left unchecked the situation may degenerate into full blown crisis. We gathered that top officials in the Presidency held a meeting with Governor Emmanuel and emphasized the need for him to rise to the occasion as the chief security officer of the state instead of his current partisan posturing.  It would be recalled that members of the APC in Akwa Ibom State have become targets of sponsored violence in recent weeks. Few weeks back unknown gunmen had launched an attack on the country home of Senator Akpabio. In another incident the governorship candidate of the APC in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Nsima Ekere's residence was also attacked with a bullet fired into his bedroom through the roof. The for

Oyo State Chapter of  the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) is presently in a big crisis. It's governorship election scheduled for today Thursday 18 Sep., 2018, couldn't hold due to some unresolved issues.  The two contestants in the race Pastor Aderoju and Mr. Taiwo Omotunde were said to have disagreed on how the election should be conducted. According to a source within the association, who spoke to us on the condition of anonymous , it had been earlier agreed for delegates to be accredited with their Blue Cards. But the whole process was said to have changed after all delegates have been accredited and the electoral committee from national had a discussion with the contestants at about 2pm in the afternoon.  While Omotunde wanted the election to continue as planned, Aderoju, we gathered, suggested that the election be postponed till original membership card will be ready.  His stand was said to have infuriated most of the members who had, as e

A popular Ibadan Chief and politician, Mogaji (Dr.) Akin Fagbemi has just being re-elected into the National governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), at the ongoing National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Institute holding at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The theme of this year's conference is tagged "Innovations in Food Science and Technology for Sustainable Economic Growth". It would be you would be recalled that Dr. FAGBEMI was unanimously elected as the Asst. National Secretary of the noble Institute at the last AGM held in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Fagbemi’s successful re-election into the council, according to his professional colleagues, is as result of his immense contributions to knowledge, institutional growth and development of the Institute. Established in 1976, the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) is

One of the foremost veteran actors in the country's Yoruba movies industry, Mr. Ola Omonitan, popularly known as 'Ajimajasan' or 'Baba No Regret' is dead. He died early this morning Thursday 18 October, 2018, at the age of 82. His first daughter and eldest child, Ajike confirmed the news in a telephone conversation with this reporter this morning. "Good morning my brother, my dad has gone, he died this morning (crying)," Ajike said. Ajimajasan had earlier been admitted at the University College Hospital, UCH, some weeks back. But after medical examinations, he was discovered to be suffering from an enlarged heart, spinal cord problem and prostrate cancer, which he had been operated for before this time. Unfortunately, Ajimajasan we gathered couldn't be operated upon again due to his age and frail stature. As a result of this, the family were therefore advised by the doctors in charge to take him home and be treating him f

Former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the answer of the people of Akwa Ibom State would give to the   lies, outright falsehood and sponsored violence by the state government against APC members, would be a resounding victory of the party at the polls in February, 2019. Akpabio stated this while speaking with news men at the National Assembly, shortly after Plenary. A release from the media office of the Senator quoted him as saying, " my people will answer the PDP- led government  in my state with a resounding victory over the PDP  in February. I dont know of your own states, but I know of my state. " Akpabio, who was reacting to an allegation by Senator Bassey Albert, that the  state chapter of the APC was planning to disrupt elections in the state, challenged him to produce evidence of plans, saying" what evidence has Senator Albert on the alleged plan by the APC to use Federal might to win or disrupt  the Febr

In a major realignment of forces in Mkpat Enin, one of the largest local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, the member representing the area in the House of Assembly, Engr. Otobong Ndem, last Tuesday, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives' Congress, (APC,) with hundreds of his supporters. Ndem announced his defection when he led a delegation of his supporters in several buses on a solidarity visit to the Akwa Ibom State APC gubernatorial candidate, Obong Nsima Ekere, at the latter's country home in Ikot Oboroenyin, Edemaya, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state. Among the defectors on the delegation were the Mkpat Enin PDP Local Government Chapter Deputy Chairman, Mr. Ukonsek Ukonsek, the Secretary, Comrade Ubong Kingsley, the Youth Leader, Mr. Ime Inoh, and some other members of the Chapter Executive Committee, a former Chapter Chairman, Chief Friday Ayara, a former Chapter Secretary, Comrade Umoren Umoren, a former Membe

Former Governor of Oyo State and the flagbearer of Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the 2019 general election, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala has assured the people of Oyo state of a Masses Oriented, People-centred administration during his four year tenure as Governor of Oyo state beginning from May 29, 2019. Otunba Alao-Akala gave this assurance while playing host to members of Olaiya Support Fundation led by Prof. Abideen Olaiya his running mate in the 2019 governorship election who also doubles as the chairman of the foundation with membership drawn from across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State who were on a  solidarity visit to his Ogbomoso country home to pledge their total commitment and dedication to the Akala /Olaiya 2019 Mandate. The former Governor who  oversaw the affairs of Oyo state between the year 2007 - 2011 said his primary mission is to return smiles to the faces of the people of Oyo state through developmental projects that will have direct impact on

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is panicking over imminent defeat in Akwa Ibom State. The party stated this in a statement on Sunday by its Deputy Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, while reacting to claims by the PDP on elections in the state. PDP on Saturday accused a former governor of the state, Godswill Akpabio, of plotting with the APC governorship candidate, Nsima Ekere, to trigger crisis in Akwa-Ibom as a strategy to scuttle elections in the state. The APC, however, dismissed the claim as wild and unsubstantiated. “In the face of imminent defeat in the forthcoming 2019 governorship and legislative election in Akwa Ibom State, the PDP has resorted to falsehood and propaganda against APC leaders in the state in its desperation to remain in the reckoning of the Akwa Ibom electorate. “Allegations against former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, Atuekong Don Etiebet and the 2019 APC governorship cand

Former Vice President Alhaji Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has picked ex-gov of Anabra State Peter Obi as his running mate in the coming 2019 general elections. This development is against the expectations of many people. It is believed that the Vice Presidential slot should be from the South-West. The existing permutation was that if Chairman of the party is chosen from the South-South and Presidential slot to the North then Vice President should emerge from the South-West. But that is not the case here, as Peter Obi is indeed from South-Easth. Prior to this time, all eyes were on the duo of the Atiku Abubakar Primary Campaign D.G and former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and  President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina.

Friday, 21st September, 2018, will remain a day to remember as the senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, Senator Akanbi celebrated 25th birthday of his first son, Idris in style. The exclusive dinner which was held at Chai Tang in Twin Waters, Lekki, had the youthful looking Senator Akanbi and his lovely wife, Chief Mrs Afolake Akanbi and some of their close associates in attendance, with the celebrator’s friends. Idris, a UK trained Prince2 certified Engineer is a graduate of Civil Engineering from the prestigious University of Portsmouth, UK, and holds a master’s degree in Engineering Project Management from the University of Manchester, UK. Engr. Idris Akanbi currently works with CCECC, a Chinese Civil Engineering Company based in Abuja. Just like his father, Idris is a brilliant engineer and a devout Muslim. Idris, we exclusively gathered, is pioneering an online startup to be unveiled soon. At the party, the Okanlomo of Ibadan land, Senator Soji Ak

A governorship candidate under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) has said that he will allow for audit and publication of Security Votes when he becomes governor.  Ayorinde gave this assurance while pouring his mind on the issue of money politics, how to run a credible electioneering campaign and his plans to achieve his aim of ruling Oyo State. "In the next few months, the 2019 General Elections will come upon us. I am running for the exalted office of Governor of Oyo State, the Pace Setter State and our dear State on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (The SDP) YES, the same platform upon which Late Chief MKO Abiola won the Annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential Elections. I am proud to be running on this platform. I am grateful to the members of the party who have found me worthy to run on their ticket. Yes their ticket and mandate. The Awareness of our candidacy and what we stand for are imperative