IYANDA'SBLOG

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The violence is among the worst since 2014 and follows a covert Israeli mission exposed on Sunday.

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The Mexican drug kingpin's trial in New York is to begin amid huge security measures.

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How the writer, who has died aged 95, came to create the iconic characters of the Marvel universe.

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The Camp Fire in the north of the US state has now surpassed the 1933 Griffith Park disaster.

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Kyrsten Sinema becomes the US southern state's first Democratic senator since 1994.

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James Gargasoulas drove his car into pedestrians in Melbourne, killing six and injuring 27 others.

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How supporters of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos have been exploiting social media to spread fake news as his family stages a political comeback.

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Somalia is one of the most dangerous places for journalists, with nearly 40 killed in the past decade.

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Frankie McCamley looks at the psychology, the history and the popular culture around people with body hair.

 

Any serious political leader who wants to fight corruption sincerely must first be intellectual enough to understand that corruption is an economy, just like poverty is an idea created by the ruling class.

In fact, corruption is a trillion dollar economy especially in Nigeria. It has a long chain of distribution and I would try to transcribe it the way I have it in my ever-busy head.

There is a civil servant who has had to falsify his age so as to elongate his stay in the civil service in almost every family in Nigeria. Anyone is free to contest this, but I know many of my lecturers who sit in class because they are already weak due to old age. They are 70+ physically but 60 on paper.

There is this contractor who collects mobilisation fee for a job but does not mobilise anything. He gets the fee, sends part of it to his old woman in the village to share among his 'village people' who can die for him to live.

Because he has 'money', he was ordained an elder in church and all his 'generous' donations towards the work of God earned him the front seat and all the youth in church want his phone number.

His brother calls every weekend from UNILAG and sister from Covenant University for allowances. His younger brother has a girlfriend who is threatening to leave him if he is not 'man enough' to buy her iPhone X. That then became the reason the UNILAG school fees changed to N150,000 on his own portal.

For supporting a politician during elections, this man was given 10 job slots at the Federal Ministry of Works. He got the slots and filled all of them with people who don't come to work but they get salary alerts first, even before those at work. They have families to cater for too.

There is this big club on the Island that would be out of business if this big man does not show up at least once in a week. The manager has his number on his 'favourite list' to secure his own survival and his family. Banks give him loans without any collateral and he dictates when to even pay.

And the chain continues like that. Most times, one can't state the end of this 'economic distribution'.

It would then be impolitic of any leader to fight this robust 'economy' by just jailing the direct thief (contractor) and not creating an ALTERNATIVE ECONOMY and IDEA for the 'indirect thieves'; those who are mere benefactors of the loot, and are admirers of the looter. They would surely fight back.

By creating an alternative economy, you would be making automatic whistle-blowers of the 'indirect thieves'.

Let those who gain from the direct thief be able to feed well, enjoy basic things of life without sweating, work and get paid living wage promptly, enjoy the best infrastructure --- roads, schools and bridges --- so that their life spans aren't shortened by excessive traffic jam. 

Let all these be in place and people would point to thieves in the area.

Of course, all of these require enough intellectual capacity and not 'Buhari'.

 

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Olorunfemi Adeyeye Disable advertisements : 
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The New Nigeria Initiative (NNI) has said Nigerians are still suffering from the rot of 16 years of misgovernance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is planning to come back and regain power in 2019.

Idoko Ainoko, Chairman of NNI, stated this while addressing journalists over the state of affairs of the country ahead of next year's general election.

Ainoko noted that the duo of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who both ruled on platform of the PDP, caused the problems currently bedeviling the country’s economy.  

He said that Nigerians must shine their eyes and reject the dark days of the PDP, noting that the event leading to the general election will be a hot race.

“By the time the party, PDP, was done after spending 16 continuous years in power, our country was left with degraded infrastructure, poorly motivated and poorly equipped military, a dwindled federal reserve, poor health-care system, abysmal educational system, and epileptic power supply," he said.

“Almost all sectors of the Nigerian architecture were in shambles and the fascinating thing is that those 16 years were the moment when the country made unprecedented record revenue from oil sales.

"Waziri Adio, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative NEITI, had said Nigeria earned $592 billion from oil and gas sales alone within that period yet the lives of the people were not any better than prior to 1999.

"The figure quoted will definitely be in excess of $600 billion if we consider what accrued in the first quarter of 2015 as well. These are humongous figures that exceeded what we made altogether as a nation in the years preceding 1999 and those years were our golden years.

“Those were the years when our universities were rated higher than many American Universities and when we had railways functioning almost across all geopolitical regions of the country. We had manufacturing industries littered across the country.

“By 2015, we had become a shadow of ourselves as a country. Refineries collapsed, schools and hospitals were operating far below the standard of what is expected of a developing nation.

"Power supply was below 3,000 megawatts, despite claims that over $16b had been expended in the 1999-2015 period on the power sector. We were low on almost all development indices. It was definitely a 16 years of colossal failure."

Whilst acknowledging the right of the former Vice President to seek political office, Aidoko said it would be sheer evil to ask the people to vote for those who, for 16 years, manipulated all the processes of government and converted same into their own personal good.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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The New Nigeria Initiative (NNI) has said Nigerians are still suffering from the rot of 16 years of misgovernance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is planning to come back and regain power in 2019.

Idoko Ainoko, Chairman of NNI, stated this while addressing journalists over the state of affairs of the country ahead of next year's general election.

Ainoko noted that the duo of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who both ruled on platform of the PDP, caused the problems currently bedeviling the country’s economy.  

He said that Nigerians must shine their eyes and reject the dark days of the PDP, noting that the event leading to the general election will be a hot race.

“By the time the party, PDP, was done after spending 16 continuous years in power, our country was left with degraded infrastructure, poorly motivated and poorly equipped military, a dwindled federal reserve, poor health-care system, abysmal educational system, and epileptic power supply," he said.

“Almost all sectors of the Nigerian architecture were in shambles and the fascinating thing is that those 16 years were the moment when the country made unprecedented record revenue from oil sales.

"Waziri Adio, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative NEITI, had said Nigeria earned $592 billion from oil and gas sales alone within that period yet the lives of the people were not any better than prior to 1999.

"The figure quoted will definitely be in excess of $600 billion if we consider what accrued in the first quarter of 2015 as well. These are humongous figures that exceeded what we made altogether as a nation in the years preceding 1999 and those years were our golden years.

“Those were the years when our universities were rated higher than many American Universities and when we had railways functioning almost across all geopolitical regions of the country. We had manufacturing industries littered across the country.

“By 2015, we had become a shadow of ourselves as a country. Refineries collapsed, schools and hospitals were operating far below the standard of what is expected of a developing nation.

"Power supply was below 3,000 megawatts, despite claims that over $16b had been expended in the 1999-2015 period on the power sector. We were low on almost all development indices. It was definitely a 16 years of colossal failure."

Whilst acknowledging the right of the former Vice President to seek political office, Aidoko said it would be sheer evil to ask the people to vote for those who, for 16 years, manipulated all the processes of government and converted same into their own personal good.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2QDygR1

The New Nigeria Initiative (NNI) has said Nigerians are still suffering from the rot of 16 years of misgovernance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is planning to come back and regain power in 2019.

Idoko Ainoko, Chairman of NNI, stated this while addressing journalists over the state of affairs of the country ahead of next year's general election.

Ainoko noted that the duo of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who both ruled on platform of the PDP, caused the problems currently bedeviling the country’s economy.  

He said that Nigerians must shine their eyes and reject the dark days of the PDP, noting that the event leading to the general election will be a hot race.

“By the time the party, PDP, was done after spending 16 continuous years in power, our country was left with degraded infrastructure, poorly motivated and poorly equipped military, a dwindled federal reserve, poor health-care system, abysmal educational system, and epileptic power supply," he said.

“Almost all sectors of the Nigerian architecture were in shambles and the fascinating thing is that those 16 years were the moment when the country made unprecedented record revenue from oil sales.

"Waziri Adio, the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative NEITI, had said Nigeria earned $592 billion from oil and gas sales alone within that period yet the lives of the people were not any better than prior to 1999.

"The figure quoted will definitely be in excess of $600 billion if we consider what accrued in the first quarter of 2015 as well. These are humongous figures that exceeded what we made altogether as a nation in the years preceding 1999 and those years were our golden years.

“Those were the years when our universities were rated higher than many American Universities and when we had railways functioning almost across all geopolitical regions of the country. We had manufacturing industries littered across the country.

“By 2015, we had become a shadow of ourselves as a country. Refineries collapsed, schools and hospitals were operating far below the standard of what is expected of a developing nation.

"Power supply was below 3,000 megawatts, despite claims that over $16b had been expended in the 1999-2015 period on the power sector. We were low on almost all development indices. It was definitely a 16 years of colossal failure."

Whilst acknowledging the right of the former Vice President to seek political office, Aidoko said it would be sheer evil to ask the people to vote for those who, for 16 years, manipulated all the processes of government and converted same into their own personal good.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2QDygR1

Dr Muhammad Sani-Bello, a former governorship aspirant seeking to contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, has formally dumped the party.

Announcing the decision at a press briefing on Monday in Kaduna, Sani-Bello said he left because of "unending mistrust" between him and the state leadership of the party and its governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru.

“Based on consultations with my supporters and other stakeholders, I have decided that from today November 12, 2018, I Dr Muhammad Sani-Bello cease to be a member of the PDP,” he said.

Noting that the mistrust emanated from the refusal of the party leaders in the state to put the term of consensus, which led to his stepping down for Ashiru, into writing prior to the party’s governorship primaries, he added that he was also not comfortable working with Ashiru, whose academic credentials were said to be in question.

“Based on my findings, the documentation of the candidate contains certain flaws, which remain unexplained,” he stressed.

According to NAN, Sani-Bello added that all efforts made by him and other “discerning and concerned party members” for the state PDP leadership to address areas of friction were rebuffed.

He said he would announce the decision after consultation with his supporters and other stakeholders.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Po8hAy

Dr Muhammad Sani-Bello, a former governorship aspirant seeking to contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, has formally dumped the party.

Announcing the decision at a press briefing on Monday in Kaduna, Sani-Bello said he left because of "unending mistrust" between him and the state leadership of the party and its governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru.

“Based on consultations with my supporters and other stakeholders, I have decided that from today November 12, 2018, I Dr Muhammad Sani-Bello cease to be a member of the PDP,” he said.

Noting that the mistrust emanated from the refusal of the party leaders in the state to put the term of consensus, which led to his stepping down for Ashiru, into writing prior to the party’s governorship primaries, he added that he was also not comfortable working with Ashiru, whose academic credentials were said to be in question.

“Based on my findings, the documentation of the candidate contains certain flaws, which remain unexplained,” he stressed.

According to NAN, Sani-Bello added that all efforts made by him and other “discerning and concerned party members” for the state PDP leadership to address areas of friction were rebuffed.

He said he would announce the decision after consultation with his supporters and other stakeholders.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Po8hAy

Dr Muhammad Sani-Bello, a former governorship aspirant seeking to contest on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, has formally dumped the party.

Announcing the decision at a press briefing on Monday in Kaduna, Sani-Bello said he left because of "unending mistrust" between him and the state leadership of the party and its governorship candidate, Isa Ashiru.

“Based on consultations with my supporters and other stakeholders, I have decided that from today November 12, 2018, I Dr Muhammad Sani-Bello cease to be a member of the PDP,” he said.

Noting that the mistrust emanated from the refusal of the party leaders in the state to put the term of consensus, which led to his stepping down for Ashiru, into writing prior to the party’s governorship primaries, he added that he was also not comfortable working with Ashiru, whose academic credentials were said to be in question.

“Based on my findings, the documentation of the candidate contains certain flaws, which remain unexplained,” he stressed.

According to NAN, Sani-Bello added that all efforts made by him and other “discerning and concerned party members” for the state PDP leadership to address areas of friction were rebuffed.

He said he would announce the decision after consultation with his supporters and other stakeholders.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Po8hAy

Embittered by unfavourable press coverage, Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, has barred some media stations from covering his activities and that of the state government, Sahara Reporters has learnt.

The media outlets include the Channels Television, the African Independent Television (AIT), Raypower and Core Television.

They have been instructed to drop all the state government property in their possession, which include the state house media identity cards printed for them by state government through the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

It was reliably gathered that these blacklisted media stations have been stopped from accessing the facilities of the Alagbaka 'Press Crew' office of the Governor in Akure.

Government office sources told Sahara Reporters on Monday that reporters and cameramen with the affected media stations were given “quit notice” to vacate the office of the Governor with immediate effect.

One of the sources, who pleaded not to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said the journalists were asked to “pack their load” and leave the government office because their services were no longer needed.

He revealed that the journalists with the affected media stations were accused of reporting the activities of the government in “bad light” while ignoring the development stories that could attract investors to the state.

“The main issue that the government has with these affected media stations is their critical reportage on government activities in the state," he said.

“And I am aware that they have once be warned, sanction and threatened with expulsion by the Commissioner of Information, Yemi Olowolabi, but it seems the media managers of these stations have an axe to grid with the state government and the Governor Akeredolu himself."

But another source explained that the media stations were barred from the government office because the Akeredolu-led government could not afford the “heavy fund” been paid to the media stations on quarterly basis that was inherited from the past government.  

“Yes, I know they have been expungeg from the list of media stations being housed in the Government Office and I am aware the decision is final unless the government renegotiates with their managers if they are ready to listen," he said.

“The issue is that the amount the state government spends on paying the media organizations on quarterly basis, particularly Channels Television, is enough for us to equip and upgrade our own media stations here in Ondo state.

“In fact, despite such payments, which I know the past government did before leaving office, these media stations don’t still report us well and in good light. We feel we can’t continue to retain them and we have told them we no longer need their services in the government house."

A journalist with one of the affected media organizations confirmed their expulsion from the government office to Sahara Reporters via the phone.

“It is true. They told us to leave the government office on the pretence that they could no longer accommodate us and retain the quarterly payment," said the journalist.

“We have passed the message to our office in Lagos and we are awaiting further directives for possible redeployment. Some of us are not surprised because since the inception of this APC-led government of Akeredolu, they have declared war on journalists.

“I am sure you have witnessed two attacks on us by thugs of the NURTW for doing our job and these people were sent by the machineries of the state government. So they knock the ones that do not carry out their biddings or refuse to praise-sing them in their stories.”

Mr. Oluyemi Olowolabi, the Ondo State Information Media Manager, did not respond to calls when contacted, and he refused to reply our correspondent's text to his mobile phone.

Since Akeredolu's emergence as Governor, his government has been battling with “bad press” as a result of his disposition to journalists and media professionals in the state and beyond.

In early 2017, he was quoted at a public event inside the International Event Centre, DOME, in Akure, as telling journalists: “I don’t care about whatever you guys write about me but let me tell you, I have become this governor and nothing or nobody will change me. So, you can continue to write whatever you like."  

Sahara Reporters had noticed that the coverage of the activities of the state government, since the beginning of year 2018, had been restricted to only select media stations, mostly the state-owned media outlets.

Our correspondent has repeatedly observed that the coverage of major news events involving the state government were taken over by Akeredolu’s media handlers.

These media handlers, with a background touch of censorship and vetting, produce only pro-state government stories on their social media pages before emailing them to journalists.

Journalism Politics MEDIA News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Di111N

Embittered by unfavourable press coverage, Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, has barred some media stations from covering his activities and that of the state government, Sahara Reporters has learnt.

The media outlets include the Channels Television, the African Independent Television (AIT), Raypower and Core Television.

They have been instructed to drop all the state government property in their possession, which include the state house media identity cards printed for them by state government through the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

It was reliably gathered that these blacklisted media stations have been stopped from accessing the facilities of the Alagbaka 'Press Crew' office of the Governor in Akure.

Government office sources told Sahara Reporters on Monday that reporters and cameramen with the affected media stations were given “quit notice” to vacate the office of the Governor with immediate effect.

One of the sources, who pleaded not to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said the journalists were asked to “pack their load” and leave the government office because their services were no longer needed.

He revealed that the journalists with the affected media stations were accused of reporting the activities of the government in “bad light” while ignoring the development stories that could attract investors to the state.

“The main issue that the government has with these affected media stations is their critical reportage on government activities in the state," he said.

“And I am aware that they have once be warned, sanction and threatened with expulsion by the Commissioner of Information, Yemi Olowolabi, but it seems the media managers of these stations have an axe to grid with the state government and the Governor Akeredolu himself."

But another source explained that the media stations were barred from the government office because the Akeredolu-led government could not afford the “heavy fund” been paid to the media stations on quarterly basis that was inherited from the past government.  

“Yes, I know they have been expungeg from the list of media stations being housed in the Government Office and I am aware the decision is final unless the government renegotiates with their managers if they are ready to listen," he said.

“The issue is that the amount the state government spends on paying the media organizations on quarterly basis, particularly Channels Television, is enough for us to equip and upgrade our own media stations here in Ondo state.

“In fact, despite such payments, which I know the past government did before leaving office, these media stations don’t still report us well and in good light. We feel we can’t continue to retain them and we have told them we no longer need their services in the government house."

A journalist with one of the affected media organizations confirmed their expulsion from the government office to Sahara Reporters via the phone.

“It is true. They told us to leave the government office on the pretence that they could no longer accommodate us and retain the quarterly payment," said the journalist.

“We have passed the message to our office in Lagos and we are awaiting further directives for possible redeployment. Some of us are not surprised because since the inception of this APC-led government of Akeredolu, they have declared war on journalists.

“I am sure you have witnessed two attacks on us by thugs of the NURTW for doing our job and these people were sent by the machineries of the state government. So they knock the ones that do not carry out their biddings or refuse to praise-sing them in their stories.”

Mr. Oluyemi Olowolabi, the Ondo State Information Media Manager, did not respond to calls when contacted, and he refused to reply our correspondent's text to his mobile phone.

Since Akeredolu's emergence as Governor, his government has been battling with “bad press” as a result of his disposition to journalists and media professionals in the state and beyond.

In early 2017, he was quoted at a public event inside the International Event Centre, DOME, in Akure, as telling journalists: “I don’t care about whatever you guys write about me but let me tell you, I have become this governor and nothing or nobody will change me. So, you can continue to write whatever you like."  

Sahara Reporters had noticed that the coverage of the activities of the state government, since the beginning of year 2018, had been restricted to only select media stations, mostly the state-owned media outlets.

Our correspondent has repeatedly observed that the coverage of major news events involving the state government were taken over by Akeredolu’s media handlers.

These media handlers, with a background touch of censorship and vetting, produce only pro-state government stories on their social media pages before emailing them to journalists.

Journalism Politics MEDIA News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Di111N

Embittered by unfavourable press coverage, Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, has barred some media stations from covering his activities and that of the state government, Sahara Reporters has learnt.

The media outlets include the Channels Television, the African Independent Television (AIT), Raypower and Core Television.

They have been instructed to drop all the state government property in their possession, which include the state house media identity cards printed for them by state government through the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

It was reliably gathered that these blacklisted media stations have been stopped from accessing the facilities of the Alagbaka 'Press Crew' office of the Governor in Akure.

Government office sources told Sahara Reporters on Monday that reporters and cameramen with the affected media stations were given “quit notice” to vacate the office of the Governor with immediate effect.

One of the sources, who pleaded not to be named as he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said the journalists were asked to “pack their load” and leave the government office because their services were no longer needed.

He revealed that the journalists with the affected media stations were accused of reporting the activities of the government in “bad light” while ignoring the development stories that could attract investors to the state.

“The main issue that the government has with these affected media stations is their critical reportage on government activities in the state," he said.

“And I am aware that they have once be warned, sanction and threatened with expulsion by the Commissioner of Information, Yemi Olowolabi, but it seems the media managers of these stations have an axe to grid with the state government and the Governor Akeredolu himself."

But another source explained that the media stations were barred from the government office because the Akeredolu-led government could not afford the “heavy fund” been paid to the media stations on quarterly basis that was inherited from the past government.  

“Yes, I know they have been expungeg from the list of media stations being housed in the Government Office and I am aware the decision is final unless the government renegotiates with their managers if they are ready to listen," he said.

“The issue is that the amount the state government spends on paying the media organizations on quarterly basis, particularly Channels Television, is enough for us to equip and upgrade our own media stations here in Ondo state.

“In fact, despite such payments, which I know the past government did before leaving office, these media stations don’t still report us well and in good light. We feel we can’t continue to retain them and we have told them we no longer need their services in the government house."

A journalist with one of the affected media organizations confirmed their expulsion from the government office to Sahara Reporters via the phone.

“It is true. They told us to leave the government office on the pretence that they could no longer accommodate us and retain the quarterly payment," said the journalist.

“We have passed the message to our office in Lagos and we are awaiting further directives for possible redeployment. Some of us are not surprised because since the inception of this APC-led government of Akeredolu, they have declared war on journalists.

“I am sure you have witnessed two attacks on us by thugs of the NURTW for doing our job and these people were sent by the machineries of the state government. So they knock the ones that do not carry out their biddings or refuse to praise-sing them in their stories.”

Mr. Oluyemi Olowolabi, the Ondo State Information Media Manager, did not respond to calls when contacted, and he refused to reply our correspondent's text to his mobile phone.

Since Akeredolu's emergence as Governor, his government has been battling with “bad press” as a result of his disposition to journalists and media professionals in the state and beyond.

In early 2017, he was quoted at a public event inside the International Event Centre, DOME, in Akure, as telling journalists: “I don’t care about whatever you guys write about me but let me tell you, I have become this governor and nothing or nobody will change me. So, you can continue to write whatever you like."  

Sahara Reporters had noticed that the coverage of the activities of the state government, since the beginning of year 2018, had been restricted to only select media stations, mostly the state-owned media outlets.

Our correspondent has repeatedly observed that the coverage of major news events involving the state government were taken over by Akeredolu’s media handlers.

These media handlers, with a background touch of censorship and vetting, produce only pro-state government stories on their social media pages before emailing them to journalists.

Journalism Politics MEDIA News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2Di111N

Reverend Habila Istifanus, a popular politician from the southern senatorial district of Adamawa State, has led 30,000 supporters from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

Adamawa South Senatorial District is the home of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP.

Speaking to newsmen in Yola on Monday, Istifanus, who lost the APC National Assembly ticket to Abdulrazak Namdas (Toungo/Ganye/Jada and Mayo-Belwa Federal Constituency), condemned APC’s nomination process, describing it as a charade.

“I spent over N25 million on the nomination process but surprisingly, the party hierarchy hijacked the process only to award the ticket to their preferred candidate,” he said.

“Now we have decided to leave that party of impunity; and with a support base of over 30,000 people, we'll work for all PDP candidates at state and national levels.”

Ahmed Umar Fintiri, PDP Governorship candidate who received Istifanus on behalf of the decampees, urged the electorate to vote out the APC government.

"I'm a certificated candidate,” he said, alluding to Governor Jibrilla Bindow's raging certificate controversy.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2PZE0ri

Reverend Habila Istifanus, a popular politician from the southern senatorial district of Adamawa State, has led 30,000 supporters from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

Adamawa South Senatorial District is the home of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP.

Speaking to newsmen in Yola on Monday, Istifanus, who lost the APC National Assembly ticket to Abdulrazak Namdas (Toungo/Ganye/Jada and Mayo-Belwa Federal Constituency), condemned APC’s nomination process, describing it as a charade.

“I spent over N25 million on the nomination process but surprisingly, the party hierarchy hijacked the process only to award the ticket to their preferred candidate,” he said.

“Now we have decided to leave that party of impunity; and with a support base of over 30,000 people, we'll work for all PDP candidates at state and national levels.”

Ahmed Umar Fintiri, PDP Governorship candidate who received Istifanus on behalf of the decampees, urged the electorate to vote out the APC government.

"I'm a certificated candidate,” he said, alluding to Governor Jibrilla Bindow's raging certificate controversy.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2PZE0ri

Reverend Habila Istifanus, a popular politician from the southern senatorial district of Adamawa State, has led 30,000 supporters from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). 

Adamawa South Senatorial District is the home of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the PDP.

Speaking to newsmen in Yola on Monday, Istifanus, who lost the APC National Assembly ticket to Abdulrazak Namdas (Toungo/Ganye/Jada and Mayo-Belwa Federal Constituency), condemned APC’s nomination process, describing it as a charade.

“I spent over N25 million on the nomination process but surprisingly, the party hierarchy hijacked the process only to award the ticket to their preferred candidate,” he said.

“Now we have decided to leave that party of impunity; and with a support base of over 30,000 people, we'll work for all PDP candidates at state and national levels.”

Ahmed Umar Fintiri, PDP Governorship candidate who received Istifanus on behalf of the decampees, urged the electorate to vote out the APC government.

"I'm a certificated candidate,” he said, alluding to Governor Jibrilla Bindow's raging certificate controversy.

Elections Politics News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Advert agencies in Nigeria are turning down offers from Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for fear of backlash from President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, SaharaReporters has been told.

Although the official window of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for commencement of political adverts is November 18, politicians have been staying ahead of the game by using third parties, such as pressure and support groups, to place adverts at strategic points in their cities. 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been doing a lot of this, for instance. Sanwo-Olu on a billboard

However, speaking with SaharaReporters, an ad agency executive in Lagos said the fear of the government of the day is preventing them from accepting promotional materials from Atiku.

“The Atiku campaign is in soup,” said the executive, who asked not to be named.

“The problem is that every advert agency the Atiku team has approached, the ones that I am aware of, they turned down the offer because of the fear that the government would move against them. I turned them down myself, both cash and cheque offers to have Atiku featured on billboards in Lagos.” 

SaharaReporters understands that at least 12 advert agencies — five in Abuja and seven in Lagos — have rejected ad requests by Atiku’s campaign team.

“In Abuja, I’m sure five of my colleagues turned them down just as I did,” the source continued.

“In Lagos, I know six of us have said no to Atiku. Add me to the list then you have seven. We all are afraid. We don’t want to be seen as taking sides. Of course it is revenue for us, but we don’t want to do it. It’s not about using our avenues to propagate falsehood; it’s purely that we don’t want to be seen by the government as identifying with the opposition.

“Some of us are waiting to get Buhari adverts. It’s not like Buhari’s campaign team will pay us more than Atiku’s is offering; it’s just that it’s safer for us than what the Atiku guys are offering.”

SaharaReporters contacted Segun Sowunmi, spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO), for comments but he declined to speak on the matter, saying: ‘For now, I have no comments on this.”

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Advert agencies in Nigeria are turning down offers from Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for fear of backlash from President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, SaharaReporters has been told.

Although the official window of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for commencement of political adverts is November 18, politicians have been staying ahead of the game by using third parties, such as pressure and support groups, to place adverts at strategic points in their cities. 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been doing a lot of this, for instance. Sanwo-Olu on a billboard

However, speaking with SaharaReporters, an ad agency executive in Lagos said the fear of the government of the day is preventing them from accepting promotional materials from Atiku.

“The Atiku campaign is in soup,” said the executive, who asked not to be named.

“The problem is that every advert agency the Atiku team has approached, the ones that I am aware of, they turned down the offer because of the fear that the government would move against them. I turned them down myself, both cash and cheque offers to have Atiku featured on billboards in Lagos.” 

SaharaReporters understands that at least 12 advert agencies — five in Abuja and seven in Lagos — have rejected ad requests by Atiku’s campaign team.

“In Abuja, I’m sure five of my colleagues turned them down just as I did,” the source continued.

“In Lagos, I know six of us have said no to Atiku. Add me to the list then you have seven. We all are afraid. We don’t want to be seen as taking sides. Of course it is revenue for us, but we don’t want to do it. It’s not about using our avenues to propagate falsehood; it’s purely that we don’t want to be seen by the government as identifying with the opposition.

“Some of us are waiting to get Buhari adverts. It’s not like Buhari’s campaign team will pay us more than Atiku’s is offering; it’s just that it’s safer for us than what the Atiku guys are offering.”

SaharaReporters contacted Segun Sowunmi, spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO), for comments but he declined to speak on the matter, saying: ‘For now, I have no comments on this.”

Elections Politics Exclusive News AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Advert agencies in Nigeria are turning down offers from Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for fear of backlash from President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, SaharaReporters has been told.

Although the official window of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for commencement of political adverts is November 18, politicians have been staying ahead of the game by using third parties, such as pressure and support groups, to place adverts at strategic points in their cities. 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been doing a lot of this, for instance. Sanwo-Olu on a billboard

However, speaking with SaharaReporters, an ad agency executive in Lagos said the fear of the government of the day is preventing them from accepting promotional materials from Atiku.

“The Atiku campaign is in soup,” said the executive, who asked not to be named.

“The problem is that every advert agency the Atiku team has approached, the ones that I am aware of, they turned down the offer because of the fear that the government would move against them. I turned them down myself, both cash and cheque offers to have Atiku featured on billboards in Lagos.” 

SaharaReporters understands that at least 12 advert agencies — five in Abuja and seven in Lagos — have rejected ad requests by Atiku’s campaign team.

“In Abuja, I’m sure five of my colleagues turned them down just as I did,” the source continued.

“In Lagos, I know six of us have said no to Atiku. Add me to the list then you have seven. We all are afraid. We don’t want to be seen as taking sides. Of course it is revenue for us, but we don’t want to do it. It’s not about using our avenues to propagate falsehood; it’s purely that we don’t want to be seen by the government as identifying with the opposition.

“Some of us are waiting to get Buhari adverts. It’s not like Buhari’s campaign team will pay us more than Atiku’s is offering; it’s just that it’s safer for us than what the Atiku guys are offering.”

SaharaReporters contacted Segun Sowunmi, spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO), for comments but he declined to speak on the matter, saying: ‘For now, I have no comments on this.”

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The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested one person for allegedly attacking members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Clement Atonyefa, the suspect who is also known as 'Black Arrow', was said to have been held down after he attempted to shoot at some of the persons who defected from APC to PDP.

It was gathered that the suspect accosted some of the defectors on their way home after a brief ceremony organised by the Brass Caretaker Chairman, Victor Isaiah, to receive them.

However, his loaded pistol was said to have malfunctioned when he attempted to pull the trigger; in the process, he was overpowered by the youth, who were assisted by the Brass volunteers.

Atonyefa, said to be an APC member, was immediately taken to the Police station in Brass. The suspect and the pistol were reportedly handed over to the Police for interrogation and further investigation.

He was said to have been transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Another version of the incident stated that though some miscreants attltacked the defectors after being allegedly paid by the council boss, Hon. Victor Isiah, the suspect had walked into the scene when a desperate search was being made for the culprits.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Butswat Asinim confirmed the arrest but said it was a case of illegal possession of firearms.

Asinim said youth from the community brought Atonyefa to the Police Station in Brass with a pistol, which they said they recovered from him.

He said though the suspect claimed that the riffle was planted on him by the youth, the police had commenced investigation to determine the truth.

"The suspect was brought to the state headquarters and the Police have commenced investigation into the matter," he said.

"Those, who handed him over to the Police said they found him with the pistol. But the suspect said the gun was planted on him. We have commenced investigations to determine the truth. It is only investigations that will determine whether the suspect is culpable or not."

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The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested one person for allegedly attacking members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Clement Atonyefa, the suspect who is also known as 'Black Arrow', was said to have been held down after he attempted to shoot at some of the persons who defected from APC to PDP.

It was gathered that the suspect accosted some of the defectors on their way home after a brief ceremony organised by the Brass Caretaker Chairman, Victor Isaiah, to receive them.

However, his loaded pistol was said to have malfunctioned when he attempted to pull the trigger; in the process, he was overpowered by the youth, who were assisted by the Brass volunteers.

Atonyefa, said to be an APC member, was immediately taken to the Police station in Brass. The suspect and the pistol were reportedly handed over to the Police for interrogation and further investigation.

He was said to have been transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Another version of the incident stated that though some miscreants attltacked the defectors after being allegedly paid by the council boss, Hon. Victor Isiah, the suspect had walked into the scene when a desperate search was being made for the culprits.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Butswat Asinim confirmed the arrest but said it was a case of illegal possession of firearms.

Asinim said youth from the community brought Atonyefa to the Police Station in Brass with a pistol, which they said they recovered from him.

He said though the suspect claimed that the riffle was planted on him by the youth, the police had commenced investigation to determine the truth.

"The suspect was brought to the state headquarters and the Police have commenced investigation into the matter," he said.

"Those, who handed him over to the Police said they found him with the pistol. But the suspect said the gun was planted on him. We have commenced investigations to determine the truth. It is only investigations that will determine whether the suspect is culpable or not."

Police News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Nigerian actor, Aremu Afolayan, has called out President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Ethiopian Airlines and Murtala Muhammed Airport officials for frustrating travellers.

In a video post on his social-media handles on Sunday, the Yoruba actor expressed displeasure with the "unprofessional attitude" of Immigration officials at the airport.

He questioned why immigration officials would conclude that a passport is fake without even making attempts to verify. 

In the video, a visibly-angry Aremu said: “First of all, in my entire life, I have never seen a country as useless as this country in my entire life. How can I come to the airport and you are telling me to pay for my family to come into airport? You are telling me that you cannot allow my family to come in because of security [issues]?

'You're All Bastards' — Aremu Afolayan Tears Into Buhari, Ambode, Ethiopian Airlines 'You're All Bastards' — Aremu Afolayan Tears Into Buhari, Ambode, Ethiopian Airlines...

“What security do you have in Nigeria? Tell me the security? If the bad people are going to come to this airport, won’t they destroy the airport? What security? They should fire all those useless immigration bastards or whoever they are on that door step. Why will I come to the airport with my family and I'm not able to go into the airport? It is so frustrating and alarming. When are you going to change everything? What is wrong with you people? 

“My sister here is about to travel. She is not a citizen of Nigeria. Her French passport was given to her by the French embassy and you are telling me the passport is fake. How can you say a passport is fake when you can verify the passports from your f**king office? Why do you do this to Nigerians? Are we all that stupid and dumb? Is it because we didn’t go to school? 

“Why will you frustrate everybody here? And you call yourself a president of a country and you cannot do anything to your country? Why are you allowing people to be frustrated? Why will I give Immigration money for crying out loud? Why will poor people come to the airport and they won’t be able to find solution to their situation? Why do you have to allow this to happen and you call yourself a f**king Buhari? Who are you? What kind of president are you? What kind of mayor of a state are you Ambode or whoever is there? Who are you for crying out loud? Why can’t you find solution to the situation of Nigeria? What is wrong with you people? Why do you cause trouble and cause somebody pain?

“Ethiopian Airlines is the most rubbish airline in the world. Why would they not pick someone and they’ve delayed and now they're asking us to pay N100,000 to change tickets.

"You are all bastards including the mayor, the president and the airline. All of you are bastards for frustrating us. We are not animals. Look at the airport you built; it is not even up to a train station. There is no A/C in the elevator. Nothing. Shame on you and shame on all your government. Shame on all the people you’ve governed and cannot talk. Aye gbogbo yin o ni da.”

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Nigerian actor, Aremu Afolayan, has called out President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Ethiopian Airlines and Murtala Muhammed Airport officials for frustrating travellers.

In a video post on his social-media handles on Sunday, the Yoruba actor expressed displeasure with the "unprofessional attitude" of Immigration officials at the airport.

He questioned why immigration officials would conclude that a passport is fake without even making attempts to verify. 

In the video, a visibly-angry Aremu said: “First of all, in my entire life, I have never seen a country as useless as this country in my entire life. How can I come to the airport and you are telling me to pay for my family to come into airport? You are telling me that you cannot allow my family to come in because of security [issues]?

'You're All Bastards' — Aremu Afolayan Tears Into Buhari, Ambode, Ethiopian Airlines 'You're All Bastards' — Aremu Afolayan Tears Into Buhari, Ambode, Ethiopian Airlines...

“What security do you have in Nigeria? Tell me the security? If the bad people are going to come to this airport, won’t they destroy the airport? What security? They should fire all those useless immigration bastards or whoever they are on that door step. Why will I come to the airport with my family and I'm not able to go into the airport? It is so frustrating and alarming. When are you going to change everything? What is wrong with you people? 

“My sister here is about to travel. She is not a citizen of Nigeria. Her French passport was given to her by the French embassy and you are telling me the passport is fake. How can you say a passport is fake when you can verify the passports from your f**king office? Why do you do this to Nigerians? Are we all that stupid and dumb? Is it because we didn’t go to school? 

“Why will you frustrate everybody here? And you call yourself a president of a country and you cannot do anything to your country? Why are you allowing people to be frustrated? Why will I give Immigration money for crying out loud? Why will poor people come to the airport and they won’t be able to find solution to their situation? Why do you have to allow this to happen and you call yourself a f**king Buhari? Who are you? What kind of president are you? What kind of mayor of a state are you Ambode or whoever is there? Who are you for crying out loud? Why can’t you find solution to the situation of Nigeria? What is wrong with you people? Why do you cause trouble and cause somebody pain?

“Ethiopian Airlines is the most rubbish airline in the world. Why would they not pick someone and they’ve delayed and now they're asking us to pay N100,000 to change tickets.

"You are all bastards including the mayor, the president and the airline. All of you are bastards for frustrating us. We are not animals. Look at the airport you built; it is not even up to a train station. There is no A/C in the elevator. Nothing. Shame on you and shame on all your government. Shame on all the people you’ve governed and cannot talk. Aye gbogbo yin o ni da.”

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On Friday, President Muhammed Buhari left Abuja for Paris to participate in the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum, scheduled for Sunday. While in Paris, Buhari he joined other world leaders to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Armistice signed on November 11, 1918, between the Allied Forces and Germany in the forest of Compiegne in France to end the First World War, which lasted four years (1914-1918).

A hundred year is a long period of time in history; definitely most of the people alive today were not alive then. Here, we serve you five things you need to know about the World War 1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Since war often happens when seething mistrust and bad blood is brought to a head, the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and his wife, Sophie struck the spark that eventually ignited the World  War 1. This is because before the war, there had been brewing tension across Europe, especially in the Balkan region of southeast Europe, which made it easy for  Austro-Hungarian Empire to sense foul play. The Empire believed the killing of the heir and his wife was premeditated. The identity of the man who pulled the trigger compounded the problem. The man who fired the bullets that killed the Austro-Hungarian heir and his wife was Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist. Princip, for being one of the Serbian ationalist agitating for an end to Austro-Hungarian rule over Bosnia and Herzegovina made the Empire believe the supposed assassination was national rather than personal. And it is often expected in a full-blown war on that scale, alliances were formed. This led to the collapse of the tenuous peace between Europe’s great powers. It also resulted in a divide that saw Great Britain, France, Russia, and Italy (the Allied Powers) on one side backing Serbia, and Germany, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers) on the other side supporting the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On July 28, 1914, a month after the supposed assignation of Franz and his wife, an Armageddon of a war started.

WOMEN TOOK UP ARMS TOO

Call them the heir apparent to Joan of Arc, a national heroine of France who, at the age of 18, led the French Army to victory over the English at Orleans and you will not the wrong. The Russian forces enjoined to enlist female shock battalions in order to boost morale later in the course of the war. Some of the women were so intrepid that even after when the discontinuation of the practice was announced publicly, they continued to fight for the regular units.

An Elephant Lent A Helping Hand

For conveyance of much-needed munitions, animals were deployed into services in the war. Remarkable among these animals for the way she was dressed and for her doggedness was a Lizzie, an Indian elephant, who wore a pair of rugged boots as she conveyed food and other necessities in the town of Sheffield.

Countries Gained Their Independence After The War

Nine countries like a phoenix rose out of the ashes left in the crucible of the war: Latvia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Estonia. These countries were able to exist independently after the collapse of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. Two of these countries — Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia — were entirely new.

It Gave Birth To The League Of Nations, Forerunner Of United Nations

To forestall recurrence of a war on the scale of World War, at the end of World War 1 in 1918, the league of nations was created. Conspicuous in the charter of the organization is that it was created to “promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security”. However, the rise of Hitler caused the organization to be disbanded, making way for the United Nations.

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