nigeria news lead

Influence of godfathers is worse in APC —Uzamere   Senator Ehigie Uzamere In this interview, Senator Ehigie Uzamere told journalists why the Peoples Democratic Party deserved a second chance in Edo State and why he decided to return to the party he once derided. JOHN ALECHENU reports You defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria. Now, you say you are defecting from the ACN to the PDP. Why? You see, the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality; and the reality today in Edo State is that despite all the razzmatazz and media visibility, it is an unfortunate situation that we find ourselves in the present party and government in the state. I make bold to say that the people of Edo South are actually a people in bondage. And this is unacceptable. Many people see through all the façade but lack the courage to speak up. But now, I am showing the way and I expect my people to follow so that together, we c...

Activists demand sacking of Jonathan’s social media aide President Goodluck Jonathan Online activists have called for the sacking of the Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Mr. Reno Omokri, over a controversial article traced to him. The article had linked suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, to Boko Haram activities. Tech-savvy individuals complained that the electronic mail circulated to bloggers and written with the address wendellsimlin@yahoo.com had the digital footprints of the presidential aide. The property of the Word document in the email was discovered to have conspicuously contained the name of the presidential aide as its author. The first paragraph of the article entitled, ‘Increased tempo of Boko Haram/terrorist activity in the wake of the Sanusi Saga,’ which has now circulated widely online reads, “In the wake of the saga involving the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, there has be...

Eto’o won’t reply Mourinho   Samuel Eto'o Samuel Eto’o says he will not ‘cause trouble’ by responding to comments made by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho about his age. The Portuguese tactician was heard during a conversation about his lack of firepower at Stamford Bridge claiming that 32-year-old frontman Eto’o could be as old as 35. The Cameroonian striker was offered the opportunity to reply following a UEFA Champions League outing at Galatasaray on Wednesday. Eto’o was happy to joke about the issue with reporters, claiming he still has ‘juice’ and can keep scoring goals ‘until I am 50’. He went on to explain to beINSports that while he was disappointed not to start Chelsea’s latest European outing, he has no axe to grind with his boss and will not be drawn into a debate regarding a discussion which Mourinho considered to be private. Eto’o said, “I am Samuel Eto’o, to disturb me will take much more than this. I know my place and I won’t reply. I...

Obasanjo, Buhari, Mark shun centenary event   Former President Olusegun Obasanjo THREE of President Goodluck Jonathan’s successors-ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; ex-Heads of State, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida – as well as President of the Senate, David Mark, were on Thursday absent from the country’s centenary being held in Abuja. They did not attend the international conference held as part of activities marking the centenary, which was attended by about 30 heads of governments and international organisations. But another three former leaders, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Chief Ernest Shonekan, as well as ex-Vice President Alex Ekwueme and a former Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya (retd.) attended the event. The conference tagged, “Human Security, Peace and Development: Agenda for 21st Century Africa” was held under tight security at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Other di...

Soldiers flee as B’Haram kills 37 in Adamawa Chief of Army Staff, General Kenneth Minimah Last Tuesday it was Yobe State where 59 schoolchildren were massacred. On Wednesday,  the bloodletting extended to Adamawa State where Boko Haram terrorists, armed with rocket-propelled grenades  nearly sacked  four  communities. An official  death toll in the attacks  was  not available as of 9.40pm on Thursday. But  the  British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa Service put it at 37 while the Agence France Presse  reported 33.  Banks, shops, part of a local government secretariat  and houses were  reported to have  been  looted and burnt during the six-hour  simultenous  raids  on  the three communities –  Michika,         Gulak , Shuwa  and Krichinga – by  the militants. It was gathered that  in Shuwa, Madagali Local ...