Witness testifies against Buhari’s ex-aide candidature

                             

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has fixed February 12 for the testimony of Prosecution Witness One (PW1) in the trial involving former Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on House of Representatives, Abdulrahman Sulaiman Kawu Sumaila.

Sumaila was sued by Alhaji Muhammed Shamsuddeen Bello, a House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) challenging the eligibility of his contest.

Also parties in the case were the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and All Progressive Congress (APC) as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.

Both Sumaila and Bello were members of the ruling APC in Kano but were at loggerhead over the contest of Takai/Sumaila federal constituency in the forthcoming general elections.

Bello is in court challenging INEC, APC and Sumaila for substituting his name with Sumaila as APC’s candidate for Takai/Sumaila federal constituency.

Bello argued that Kawu had never contested for the position in the last APC’s primary election conducted in Kano.

He told the court that Sumaila rather contested for the position of Kano South senatorial district in the last primary election and lost to Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya.

He told the court that Kawu’s name was strangely published as candidate for Takai/Sumaila federal constituency on the last day for publication of particulars of candidates.

When the case came up on Thursday, counsel to APC and Sumaila, 2nd and 3rd respondents in the case, Mr Okechukwu Edeze objected a move by the plaintiff’s counsel, Mr Nuraini Jimoh to present the prosecution witness, Alhaji Muhammed Shamsuddeen Bello for his testimony.

Mr Edeze appealed to the court to give him sometimes to study a reply on the point of law by counsel to the plaintiff which he was served with on Wednesday, February 6, 2019.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Lewis Allagoa adjourned the case to February 12, 2019 for continuation.

Angela Simmons flaunts her hot legs in new sexy photos

                               

Reality star and mother of one, Angela Simmons looked all stunning in these new sexy photos she shared on Instagram.

See full photos below.

Domestic & Sexual Violence Response Team reacts to the allegations that the men who drugged, raped and filmed a woman in a hotel have been freed

                             

The Domestic & Sexual Violence Response Team have reacted to the allegations that the young men who drugged, raped, and filmed a 23-year-old woman have been freed by the Lagos state police (read here).

Twitter users alleged that suspected rapists, Razaq Oluwaseun Oke, 28, and Don-Chima George, 25 (left), have been freed by the Lagos State Police after Don-Chima's dad, who owns Dallankester Hotels in Lekki Phase, where the rape took place, intervened.

Twitter users also alleged that Don-Chima’s father got the police to arrest the victim's brother, sister and friend.

But the DSVRT has said that the allegations are false. They say the suspects are still in custody and will be prosecuted.

In a statement released via Twitter, DSVRT wrote:

 Our attention has been drawn to the rumour that the perpetrators of rape of a 23 yr old lady have been released. This is to inform the general public that the suspects are still in custody. The DPP will ensure diligent prosecution of the case. @kingNelo2 @grooveeshakes @TheNamii

 

 

Kannywood star Zango formally defects to PDP, endorses Atiku

                                

Kannywood actor and musician Adam Zango has officially defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The actor also said that he has endorsed Atiku Abubakar of the PDP as his presidential candidate.

The actor made the announcement on his Instagram page today, Thursday.

The media confirmed that the actor had a crucial meeting with the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and some officials of the party yesterday (Wednesday) in Abuja before making his announcement today.

He posted: “I was appointed with the title of PDP Brand Ambassador. I endorsed Atiku Abubakar as my presidential candidate. Let’s get Nigeria working again.”

Zango also added that the decision was his choice and that of his partners including actors like Fati Washa, Zainab Abdullahi Indomie, Maryam Gidado and Isah Ferozkhan among others.

Zango who was a die-hard supporter and campaigner of President Muhammadu Buhari has been in recent days complaining about how the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) was treating Kannywood filmmakers.

Yesterday, the actor also known as ‘Prince Zango’ reposted a post promoting PDP and Atiku on Instagram posted by Kannywood actor and Atiku’s campaigner, Zaharaddeen Sani.

A source also close to the actor told the media that between today and tomorrow, Zango would hold a press conference to explain the reasons behind his defection from APC to PDP and why he endorsed Atiku as presidential candidate, among others.

CUPP alleges plan to frame up Atiku, Saraki, Melaye

                               

The Coalition of United Political Parties has alleged that there is a grand plot by the Federal Government to implicate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki; Senator Dino Melaye and other opposition leaders as the 2019 election approaches.

The coalition’s spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, in a statement released to newsmen, said the opposition politicians will be accused of gunrunning. The statement in part reads

“Elements of the ruling party have commenced the branding of some vehicles with the colours of the opposition bearing the photos of these opposition leaders and have acquired arms which will be hidden in the vehicles and the vehicles will be driven to join the campaign convoy of the opposition consensus candidate in Kwara, Kogi and Adamawa and other parts of the country where they have also selected.

“The vehicles will eventually be searched by the police and the arms recovered. Their plot will include mobilising thugs and causing violence on the day of such recovery so as to tag the opposition as violent. The APC leaders are aware Nigerians now know them for their violence which has trailed their campaigns nationwide.

“Their internal crisis and ‘grab-power-by-all-means’ attitude have catalysed their rejection by Nigerians and they desire to break all the laws to cast the opposition in bad light.

“On poll day, part of their plot include also to use more of these branded vehicles loaded with thugs to disrupt voting and collation in
some centres and blame the opposition for violence and disruption of the process which will lead to mass arrest of opposition leaders to give the ruling party advantage to rig and deny the people the opportunity to give their preferred candidates their mandate. 

The security agencies are hereby put on notice that Nigerians will not accept any breach of security being orchestrated by elements of the ruling party disguised in whichever form they choose. 

Nigerians are put on notice to be watchful and vigilant to see through the evil plans of the ravenous group of rulers we have in our country today. They should not be deterred. Their songs of war and plot to rig the elections will be resisted. APC is already in morbid fear of losing elections and all their shenanigans are like the last futile kicks of a dying horse.”

'Its becoming normal for dads to impregnate their daughters in Edo State' – Commissioner for Women Affairs, Ohenhen

                                

Edo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Magdalene Ohenhen has revealed that it is becoming a normal thing in the state for fathers to impregnate their daughters.

She described the situation as very sad, saying the earlier the state stopped it, the better. She made the disclosure, yesterday, during a protest by the Brave Heart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI) led by Lady Grace Osakue.

The group was seeking  justice for 17-year-old Gift Alonge who was said to have been impregnated by her father. The victim was alleged to have been first impregnated in 2017 by her biological father, Jacob Alonge, and later in 2018.

“It’s a very sad situation. Edo State is becoming something else, and the earlier we stop it, the better for us. It is becoming a normal thing in Edo State for men to impregnate their own daughters,” the commissioner said.

Ohenhen cited another case of a man who slept with her daughter for over 10 years before the case was reported to the police. She said: “It is time we stopped all these. Edo State forbids it, it is a taboo. We are begging Edo men to stop sleeping with their daughters, it is an abomination.”

Festus Keyamo denies saying 'President Buhari has memory loss just as Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed did'

Festus Keyamo who is the spokesperson of the Buhari Campaign Organization, has refuted reports quoting him as saying President Buhari suffers memory loss just the way Jesus and Prophet Mohammed did when they were alive. 

Lalong is very shameless – Ortom

                            

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has taken a swipe on his counterpart in Plateau state, saying, “Governor Simon Lalong is very shameless not to stand with his people.”

Ortom made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi while reacting to comments by Lalong that he (Ortom) was hiding under farmers-herders crisis following his inability to promptly pay the state workers’ salaries.

Lalong had on Wednesday at the APC presidential rally in Makurdi accused his Benue colleague of under performance in his almost four years in office as well as implying that he (Ortom) was using herders-farmers crisis as a smokescreen to cover up his administration’s inefficiency.

But, Ortom in his swift reply, said, “it is unfortunate that Lalong has sold himself out. For me, I’m not prepared to talk about him. All I know is that I’m doing what my people want.

“The primary responsibility of the government is to protect lives and property. It is the Federal Government responsibility to protect the people. And there is no way that I would leave my people behind.”

The governor further denied the allegation that he was using the farmers-herders crises to project himself as he wondered how a government would allow herders to continue open grazing after the law was enacted.

“I will continue to defend my people. I’m not Lalong to abandon my people to be killed and won’t say anything. Even now, are killings not going on? Lalong is very shameless by not standing with his people who elected him. I prefer to stand with my people even if I’m not governor,” Ortom emphasised.

Women group hold peace rally in Abuja

                              

The Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) have held a peace rally in Abuja and other states across the country.

The WIPF is a non-partisan forum for women and affiliate partners with support from UN Women, CDD and WSRN.

The rally, according a statement by Sola Odeja, the Media Consultant to the group, said it was aimed at sensitizing the women in particular and members of the public on participation in the elections and need for a violence free elections.

The President, Women in Politics Forum (WIPF),Ebere Efendu, who was the convener of the rally, said, “Women and our youths are the most vulnerable groups when crises erupt during elections as such we needed to sensitize Nigerians on the need for a violence-free 2019 elections”.

Dr.Joy Onyesoh, a co-convener added that, “the rally ran simultaneously in 14 states namely: Lagos, Osun, Rivers,Delta,Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Zamfara, Benue, Plateau,Gombe,Abia & Anambra and this helped in sending the message across the country through the partnership of other agencies’.

Also speaking, the Country Representative for UN Women in Nigeria, Comfort Lamptey, said “the vision and objectives of the rally resonates with our organization as such we felt it was a veritable channel of sensitizing the people on violence-free elections”.

New photos of Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience

                               

The former president and his wife were pictured at an event being organized by the Goodluck Jonathan foundation in Abuja on Thursday morning. 

See another photo below

Benue ready to receive Atiku for presidential campaign

                               

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Thursday said his government and residents of the state are ready to give the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar a rousing reception as his campaign train berths tomorrow (Friday) in the state.

In a statement signed his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, the governor said that Benue people will come out in their numbers to welcome Atiku as a sign of the love and confidence they have in him.

Ortom described the PDP presidential candidate as the right man to restore unity among Nigerians and give them a sense of belonging as citizens of the same country.

He also expressed confidence in Atiku’s capability to provide the quality of leadership that the people need at a time the country is passing through difficulties.

He noted that majority of Benue people have resolved to cast their votes for Atiku on February 16, 2019 in anticipation that his administration will be able to end wanton killing of innocent people in parts of the state by armed bandits.

The governor added that a government headed by Atiku will drive economic policies that would offer youths of the country rewarding job opportunities so as to make them more useful to themselves and their communities.

Kannywood star ‘dumps’ Buhari for Atiku

                                   

Kannywood actor and musician, Adam Zango is set to defect from All Progressives Congress (APC) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A source close to the actor told the media that Zango held meeting with close associates of the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and some officials of the party on Wednesday in Abuja.

“Zango was in Abuja yesterday, he had a serious and crucial meeting with close associates of Atiku Abubakar and some officials of PDP, a lot of things were discussed, and they were able to convince him to defect from APC to PDP,” the source said.

The source added that the actor was on his from Abuja to Kaduna and would address a press conference to announce officially his defection from APC to PDP.

The source said, “He (Zango) is on his way to Kaduna from Abuja, and he would hold a press conference to announce his defection officially. He would mention the reasons behind his defection.”

Zango who has been a die-hard supporter and campaigner of President Muhammadu Buhari, recently complained about how the ruling APC is treating Kannywood filmmakers.

The actor also known as ‘Prince Zango’ on Wednesday reposted a post promoting PDP and Atiku on Instagram by Kannywood actor and Atiku’s campaigner, Zaharaddeen Sani.

Again, fire destroys over 70 shops at Yan’Katako market in Kano State

                               

The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed that fire destroyed 70 temporary shops at Yan’Katako Market in Rijayar Lemo area of Kano.  

The Spokesman of the State Fire Service, Alhaji Saidu Mohammed confirmed the incident saying 30 of the shops were completely razed down while 40 were slightly burnt.  

“We received a distress call in the early hours of Thursday at about 03:45 a.m. from one Bashir Suleiman that there was fire outbreak at the market. On receiving the information, we quickly sent some of our personnel and fire fighting vehicles to the scene of the incident at about 03:52 a.m. to quench the fire so as not to affect other shops,“ he said.  

He advised traders at the market and other residents to be more careful and desist from using instruments capable of triggering fire as a way of guarding against future occurrence.  

Mohammed also advised the people to keep fire buckets, blankets and extinguishers that would enable them curtail any fire outbreak before calling on the fire service.  Mohammed said the cause of the fire is being investigated.