Photos: Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe at the Inauguration in Abuja

The 91 year old President is also in Nigeria for the inauguration. Many world leaders are presently in Nigeria to witness the cerimony..


Culled from Linda Ikeji Blog

Beats By Dre tour earpiece giveaway by Phonace

Phonace, Nigeria’s number 1 retailers of Phone Accessories, Computer Accessories and Gadgets will be giving away free Beats by Dre Tour Earpiece valued at 8000 naira every Friday on the Linda Ikeji Blog and guess what, you don’t have to do anything out of the world to be a winner.

All you have to do to win one of the free Tour Earpiece by Dr Dre is to be the 500th, 800th and 1100th person to comment on this post.

Your comment should contain our Festac Store address and your email address.

Remember we would be giving out this item every week so always watch out for our weekly post.

Phonace is a world class Nigerian retailer of Phone accessories, Computer Accessories and Gadgets.

Whether it is cell phone cases, headset, chargers, screen protectors, memory cards, flash drives, external hard drives, gaming consoles, Bluetooth or other wireless accessories, Phonace has your needs covered.

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Story by Linda Ikeji.

The future of Ndigbo in the new government

From the election results announced all South Eastern States except Imo voted for President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

In order words, Ndigbo are perceived to have voted themselves out of relevance in the APC government except if they manage to integrate themselves into the system by some miracle. However, as bad as it seems, many are still optimistic that there is a place for them in the new government, at least, as provided by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Chekwas Okorie, one of the presidential candidates in the last general election said that although the voting pattern of Ndigbo will make it difficult for them to make claims in the APC government, there are certain things that are the rights of Ndigbo as guaranteed by the constitution.

“It is the constitutional provision that every state must be in the Federal Executive Council, FEC, every state have a Minister and that cannot be denied. “

However, it will be to Buhari’s political benefit that some key positions be allotted to the South-East because he is the president of Nigeria and not the president of APC. South-East is part of the Nigerian state and therefore should not be sidelined because they voted mostly for PDP. From records, he got a significant number of votes from the South-East too and that should not be disregarded. “

The new president should also know that anybody in government wants to be there in the next government.

I’m sure that he would want to continue in 2019 and it is the way he handles things that will determine the future.

If he ignores Ndigbo now because they didn’t vote for him, what happens in 2019? Will he come back to campaign? APC should have their eyes in 2019 and therefore, should not disregard Ndigbo because of their bloc vote.

“The new government should also realise that in 2015, more than 50% of traditional Igbo votes did not go to Jonathan or to Buhari.

The truth of the matter is that many Igbo were aloof.

They didn’t vote at all because they were not with Jonathan and they were suspicious of Buhari. So, Buhari should not give Ndigbo cause to believe they were right in their suspicion of him by ignoring them.

He is Nigeria’s president and should therefore focus on the future and what determines the future is what happens now.”

On reference to statements credited to Oba of Lagos, Oba Akiolu and Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka on the politics of Ndigbo, Chekwas Okorie refrained himself from commenting on what the traditional ruler said.

According to him, “ He is not a politician and therefore I don’t want to talk about him.

As for Soyinka, let me give give him benefit of doubt especially as he denied ever saying what he was alleged to have said.

“My concern more is the attitude of the South-West in the whole issue of APC and their purview that they are the ones that gave Buhari the victory.

That is not true and that is not right.

Even if they did, I think they should be more accommodating especially in the way they portray themselves in the new government and stop talking down on others.”

A former governor of Anambra state, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife however didn't see any problem for Ndigbo in Buhari’s government.

Ezeife opinion is based on the fact that Nigeria is operating a political party system and whoever wins at the end of the day becomes the people’ president. “

General Buhari is Nigeria’s president and not APC president.

He contested on the platform of a political party as established but having won election, will he now become the president of APC? He is the peoples president and should therefore be a man of the people”

. In his own submission, Chief Nduka Eya, the Secretary- General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said that whatever becomes the fate of Ndigbo in the new administration should be blamed on the much desired change.

“ We must know that this is a democracy.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ruled for 16 years.

We talked about change but nobody defined the change we talked about.

Now, the reality has dawned on us.

In the whole South-East, only Imo is APC. So, a lot depends on the government.

They should realise that they cannot run the country without the South-East.

Buhari is the president of Nigeria including those in opposition.

So, the opposition should organise themselves because without Ndigbo, there will be no Nigeria.

This is a pointer to any government .

You cannot ignore someone because he is in opposition.

This country is run with a constitution and therefore Ndigbo should not lose confidence.

“ The South-East is not alone here.

There is also the South-South.

All South -East States are PDP except Imo which is APC and Anambra which is APGA.

The entire South- South is also PDP except Edo state which is APC. So, what are we talking? Buhari must appoint a Minister from each state of the federation.

It is for him to choose statesmen as ministers and not praise singers.

“ Let me also tell you another thing.

APC is as good or as bad as PDP.

Nigerian politicians play politics oft their pockets.

Buhari is already in.

Let us see what he will do differently.

We must hold him to task on his promises because he must fulfill all and we want him to prove that APC politicians will be different from PDP politicians.

He must keep to his words because that is what change is all about.

And so, we must keep him on his toes on the top promises he made to Nigerians while campaigning such as : reducing fuel price to N45.00 per litre ; giving N5000 per month to every unemployed youth; creating 3,000,000 jobs per annum; providing free meals for all elementary/primary/almajiri schools; giving one year allowance for youth corps post NYSC members; promise of free and qualitative education up to SSS 3 ;. building 2 million houses yearly for the next four years; generating 48,000 megawatts of electricity within four years; applying zero tolerance for corruption, wiping out corruption by the force of his personal example; banning medical tourism by our politicians from May 29, 2015, annihilating Boko Haram within two months, equating N1.00 to $1.00 and stabilising the oil price .

We want to see Buhari ask questions about peoples wealth especially those of his party men.

People should be able to account for the stupendous wealth they flaunt all over the place.

I want to see change in all its ramifications, not selective change or abusive change.

” Dr Chinweoke Mbadinuju, another one-time governor who recently defected from PDP to APC opines that the way things are, the position of Ndigbo in today’s political calculation is highly pathetic. “Igbo have not had it worse than this, from the time of Zik, to Okpara, to Ojukwu and a few others. It has been like from fire to frying pan.

But it is entirely not the fault of Ndigbo.

It was circumstantial.

For whosoever loses war goes on the receiving end which is where the Igbo now are on the receiving end apart from Zik whom the British awarded the office of ceremonial Governor of Nigeria and this was the highest political office an Igbo ever held.

Even when Chief Alex Ekwueme became Vice President under Alhaji Shehu Shagari, still the Vice Presidency was without political powers except the much Shagari assigned to him. “Anyway, the constitution could grant a VP power like Chairmanship of Economic Council, but Dr. Ekwueme will know whether such power was good or ephemeral.

“So since the end of the civil war, subsequent leaders did not see it good to integrate the Igbo into the mainstream.

Abacha did not. Obasanjo did not.

Even Mallam Yar’ Adua and Jonathan did not.

All they did was to pick up one Igbo man or woman and give them little, and they would be parading them as Igbo leaders.

“ But now, I know that political power is not given, it is taken.

Igbos must learn to earn power and to exercise it.

For now, it is not easy to know how President Muhammadu Buhari will pattern his methods.

He was a soldier and former Head of State.

He knows his onion, and within this short time he won the Presidential election, he is showing capacity to lead Nigeria into prosperity.

Nigeria will surely prosper.

Nigerians will surely assist President Buhari to end corruption; build security around our people; employ the unemployed; build power and energy; reduce cost of governance; he will handle the electoral reform or confab as occasion warrants.

“Whether we are Igbos or Nigerians, we must all embrace the Buhari’s concept of “change” for Nigeria. If Nigerians, and indeed the PDP, had allowed Chief Ogbulafo and Dr. Nwodo to go on with their job of being Chairman of the Party (PDP) there would have been no collapse of the party which had wanted to rule for 64 years but stopped at 16 years.

When some friends ask if I really defected to PDP which I helped to nurture, I told them I did not defect rather PDP defected.

“At the end of the day we must all embrace the concept of “change” , not just “change”, but “positive change”. Nigerians will see that the hunger for food and drinks are not that alone, but we must deal with physical hunger; spiritual hunger; monetized hunger’ waste and wastages; and life of ostentation.

“The Igbo people are not asking Muhammadu Buhari for many appointments.

It is enough that the South-East people knew or ought to know the adage that “He whose bread I eat, his song I will sing”. So since the South-East did not vote for Buhari, it means that Igbo cannot complain if Buhari did not grant them appointments commensurate with other zones which got more and who worked harder and got more offers.

“Good politics under Buhari will further enhance the neighbor to neighbor approach that will bridge any gap of good relationship.

It is not God that will unite our people in understanding each other.

This is the job Nigerians will do by themselves and it shall be well for all Nigerians.

It is true that there are so many ethnic groups competing among themselves for preservation, but good education will help in ceiling the gaps created by politics and politicians many years past.

Today we still can re-capture the Nigerian factor if we work hard for it and one day we will see the North calling the Igbo “my brothers.”

Story by Linda Ikeji.

Abuja super ready for the President elect Buhari

News Source..

World attention is now here in Nigeria, where the country’s fifth democratically elected president, Muhammadu Buhari, will be inaugurated today, May 29th 2015.

Contrary to speculations, the outgoing President, Goodluck Jonathan, will attend the historic ceremony which would mark the first time a sitting president would hand over power to a victorious challenger.

The event expected to be witnessed by many world leaders will take place at the Eagle Square, Abuja. So far, about 20 world leaders have flown into the country in preparation of the ceremony.

(ADVERTISEMENT) activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, peaked on Thursday as Presidents and representatives from many countries landed at the airport and then were driven to their various hotels

Gabriel Suswam Withdraws Petition Against Gemade

Source..

Former Benue state Governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday stated that he has decided to withdraw the suit challenging the election of Senator Barnabas Gemade, saying the decision is to enhance development.

Recall that Suswam (PDP) had contested the senate seat of the Benue North East senatorial district with the incumbent Senator Gemade (APC) in the last April poll where Gemade won the election landslide and was announced winner by INEC.

But Suswam had quickly filed a Petition challenging the emergency of Gemade and alleged that the entire election was rigged, with connivance of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But fielding questions from journalists yesterday at the dissolution of the state executive council at Government House Makurdi, Suswam announced his decision to discontinue with the court case saying that the development is in full consultation with Senator Gemade and relevant stakeholders.

According to him, there is no basis to continue with the case hence the interest of peace, harmony and rapid development.

He said he has ordered his lawyers to withdraw it. He said “Let me announce to you that I have ordered my lawyers to discontinue with my case against Senator Gemade.

I have consulted very well with Senator Gemade with other relevant stakeholders and have resolved that I will not continue with the case in the interest of peace. He further stated that politics is a machinery of enhancing peace and development, rather than ignite crisis or nurture mischief.

He debunked the insinuation that he has been induced to withdraw the suit against Gemade.

O3 Capital Introduces The Game Credit Card

O3 Capital Nigeria Ltd is a financial service institution that offers various consumer loans using the credit card as its delivery channel.

O3 Capital became the first non-bank credit card issuer in Nigeria in September 2014 when they introduced the O3 Credit Cards into the market. Now, O3 Capital, in collaboration with Game Stores, has introduced the O3 Game Card.



The O3 Game card is the first white label credit card in Nigeria that can be used ONLY in Game stores all across Nigeria.

The card will give customers the freedom to buy now and pay later for any items purchased in-Game stores inwill be available for use in Game Lagos, Game Enugu and Game Kano.

This facility works on a revolving credit basis with a 15 day interest free period and low minimum monthly repayments of 10%.

The O3 Game Card will offer customers a generous revolving credit limit of up to N1 500 000 based on the qualification criteria of the individual applicants.

Game Stores, Africa’s largest discount retailer of general merchandise has been operating in Nigeria since 2005. On-going customer research and more than 45 years of retail experience has guided the constant restructuring of Game’s product and service offering, tailoring it to match what consumers want and permitting Game to offer more than what is expected by customers.

Game is guided by four basic core beliefs, one of which is exceeding the expectations of our customers.

Game is the first retailer in the Nigerian retail market to launch an in-store revolving credit card; this is just one of the ways that Game helps customers to save money so that they can live better!



The objective of the O3 Game card correlates to that of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Financial System Strategy 2020, which includes the Cashless Policy.

The objective is to promote economic activity by utilising innovative payment systems with ease of accessibility to the general populace.

This is in line with O3 Capital’s mission to take the CBN cashless policy to a whole new level.

The O3 Game Card is another avenue to provide the average Nigerian with access to creditthat will enable them meettheir needs.

The O3 Game Card allows the purchase of all forms of goods from any Game store whenever and wherever, without ready cash.

For all purchases made during the month (payment cycle) the cardholder is expected to make only one payment which does not have to be the whole amount.

The cardholder can pay only 10% of what is outstanding on the account and roll the balance over till when is more convenient.

There are 3 basic criteria to qualify for an O3 Game Card; be above 21 years old, have a job and live in Nigeria.

O3 Game Cards have credit limits up to N1,500,000 which are revolving credit lines that are valid for 24 months.

The convenience O3 Game Cards offer starts from the application process.

You apply online from your desk and the card and Pin would be delivered to you at your desk.

Or you to apply in- store at Game stores at Palms Mall in in Lagos (Palms Mall) Enugu (Polo Park Mall) and Kano (Ado Bayero Mall) to complete an application form.

Story by Linda Ikeji.

Kanye joins Kim K's mobile app game'...but image looks nothing like him

Kanye West is a 21-time Grammy award winner, not a reality star or a cartoon character, so he must not have approved of his image to be used for his wife's mobile app game.

The firm behind Kim's mobile app today released a pic of the two new characters joining in the next update of the game and while Kim looked like herself, Kanye and North looked nothing like the characters they unveiled.

AU Chairperson arrives Abuja for the inauguration ceremony

Guests are already arriving Abuja for the inauguration ceremony which takes place tomorrow.

Pictured above is the Chairperson of the African Union, Her Excellency Dr Dlamini Zuma who arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja this evening. More photos after the cut...





Story by Linda Ikeji.

Lol. Yusuf Buhari madness continues...

This Igbo babe just announced on Twitter that she is now an Hausa girl because of Buhari's hot son, Yusuf! Lol.



What this dude will cause in Nigeria in the next four years eh...haha!

Okonjo-Iweala replies Oshiomhole - says his criticism is baseless

Press statement from Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in response to Gov. Oshiomhole who attacked her (read here) over the lingering fuel scarcity. Read below...

It is no surprise that a few days after the Federal Ministry of Finance published the details of what the Federal and State governments received from the Excess Crude Account over the past four years, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has launched an attack against the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala.

His article “Economy: Okonjo- Iweala’s hidden figures” is full of gaping holes, both in facts and logic.

Obviously, for daring to publish how the ECA was shared and showing that governors who cannot pay salaries have no excuses, Okonjo-Iweala is being targeted.

It is noteworthy that several of their colleagues have been able to manage their finances reasonably well under these same difficult circumstances.

The release of the ECA details has also demonstrated very clearly that there is no substance in the wild allegations that any money is missing from the account or that finances of the country under Okonjo-Iweala watch have not been well managed.

Like previous baseless allegations by some Governors, the motive behind Oshiomhole’s attack is clear: to deflect public attention away from the manner in which they have run the finances of their states and make Okonjo-Iweala the scapegoat.

If it was meant to intimidate the Minister, it has failed abysmally.

How can Governor Oshiomhole claim that state governors were not properly briefed on the status of the ECA when his commissioner of finance attends all the FAAC meetings where decisions are taken and communicated to the nation?

This diversionary tactic will not succeed because Nigerians are too smart to buy into this fiction.

Secondly, the Finance Ministry under Okonjo- Iweala, the Minister who started the practice of publishing details of allocations from the Federation Account to all the three tiers of government, has regularly furnished Nigerians with information on the country’s finances.

Governor Oshiomhole’s statement that Okonjo- Iweala “must disclose to the nation the full details of subsidy payments made to oil marketers in the last four years” is therefore astonishing given the fact that EVERY payment made to the marketers has been published in the media and widely disseminated through all news channels.

Oshiomhole’s allegation that Okonjo-Iweala has not been transparent is ridiculous and totally lacking in merit.

Apart from the monthly publication of allocations to the federal, state and local governments, the Federal Ministry of Finance under Okonjo-Iweala also publishes SURE-P receipts and distribution to different tiers, details of payments to oil marketers and other information.

Has Governor Oshiomhole demonstrated the same level of openness in his management of the affairs of Edo State?

Can Oshiomhole also go public with ALL the information showing what he has received from various sources and the uses to which he has deployed them?

Equally incomprehensible – for a supposedly smart Governor - is Oshiomhole’s claim that the CME has “just woken up from her slumber to realize that oil marketers have been all along falsifying subsidy claims and defrauding the nation of billions of Naira”.

This statement underscores the extent to which he is willing to go in his desperation to tar Okonjo-Iweala.

When she returned as Finance Minister in 2011, the outstanding fuel subsidy bill was about N1.3 trillion.

It was the work done on subsidy fraud by the Aig-Imoukhuede Committee which the Minister set up, later elevated into a presidential panel that determined that over N300 billion of the amount was fraudulent.

This eventually led to the prosecution of some persons for subsidy fraud and reduction of the annual subsidy budget to N791 billion, saving the country over a trillion naira in the process.

Maybe it is His Excellency who was snoring while this was going on.

Such baseless posturing only serves to diminish the credibility of Oshiomhole in the minds of objective Nigerians.

For the record, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala has no apologies for insisting that a claim of N159 billion for forex differentials by the marketers out of a total bill of N200 billion should go through an additional verification process.

When 80% of a subsidy claim is made up of forex differentials and not the value of the amount of fuel supplied, the right and proper thing to do is to take extra steps to ensure that the country is not being cheated.

That is what Okonjo-Iweala did.

Oshiomhole’s allegation that the Minister is involved in “an unholy alliance” with government agencies and the marketers is therefore manifestly untrue and totally irresponsible.

How can a minister against whom the oil marketers have conducted a very public campaign of calumny be in league with them?

A decent public official should not make such scurrilous and unsubstantiated statements.

The most laughable part of Oshiomhole’s article is the claim that Okonjo-Iweala has been speaking out lately because of the “fear of Buhari”.

Nigerians know this is ridiculous.

If there is any minister whose voice has been strong on the right issues over the past four years it is Okonjo-Iweala.

Okonjo-Iweala combines a stalwart integrity, a mastery of her mandate and the courage of her convictions.

She therefore has no reason to fear.

Those who cannot adequately explain what they did with the resources of their states and are begging for bailout are those who should to be scared.

Paul C Nwabuikwu Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance

Story by Linda Ikeji.

Fiat Chrysler boss sure of a new merger in the auto industry by 2018

Culled from The Guardian Nigeria..
Photo by Linda Ikeji Blog

Fiat Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne said Thursday he expects a new merger in the auto industry by 2018, without confirming reports he proposed a tie-up with General Motors.

“It is a personal opinion, certainly, but I am sure that there will be a merger between now and 2018″ in the auto industry,”

Marchionne was quoted as saying by Italian news agencies during a visit to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’s (FCA) Melfi factory in southern Italy.

He did not mention which carmakers he saw as tying the knot. And when asked about reports he sent an email to the head of General Motors to suggest a merger, Marchionne declined to confirm he made the offer.

“Emails, I receive and I send many, one doesn’t speak about such things like that,” he said.

“When there is something to announce, we’ll do so.”

Fiat and GM have a bit of a history, with the largest US carmaker taking a 20 percent stake in Fiat and the Italian company a five percent stake in GM as they launched a number of joint ventures in 2000.

But their relationship soured and in 2005 their alliance ended. Marchionne, who took over Fiat in 2004, tried to snap up GM’s European unit Opel in 2009 when the US company was on the ropes and filed for bankruptcy protection.

Marchionne was the architect of the merger between Fiat and US carmaker Chrysler, which was finalised in 2014. Marchionne and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi visited the Melfi factory, which has added 1,550 jobs this year as it has begun to turn out new Jeep Renegades, a small 4×4 SUV.

The factory, which now employees 7,500 workers, is expected to turn out a record 400,000 vehicles this year. FCA returned to the black in the first quarter of this year with a profit of 92 million euros ($101 million) thanks in large part to rising US sales.

The post Fiat Chrysler boss sure of a new merger in the auto industry by 2018 appeared first on The Guardian Nigeria.

APC suspends lawmakers, LG Chairman for anti-party activities in Kwara

file..

According to a statement, their suspension followed a report submitted by a panel of enquiry set up by the state APC into their activities.

Fight corruption, don’t sack workers, NLC tells Buhari

The Nigeria Labour Congress has called on the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to deal decisively with the problem of corruption in the country. The President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, said in a statement on the agenda of the NLC for the President-elect on Thursday that decisive steps should be taken against the scourge of corruption for the sake of the survival of the country.

Wabba also called for a review of the nation’s foreign policy to refocus it more on the country and her relationship with her neighbours.

He also urged the incoming President to emphasise the place of reciprocity in the projection of the country and the protection of her citizens.

The NLC President also canvassed a drastic reduction of the cost of governance in the country which he said was unacceptable.

He said the high cost of governance could be rectified not by workers’ rationalisation but through fighting corruption and removal of waste in the system. Wabba added,

“On foreign policy, in light of new realities, we canvass the introduction of Nigeria- centered policy with a focus on the strengthening of relations in all departments with our neighbours.

“We similarly canvass the doctrine of proportionate response in pursuit of projection of national power and protection of citizenry.

“Corruption remains a national cancer that must be dealt with for the sake of national survival.

“Similarly, the cost of governance at all levels, including the legislature, is very high and morally reprehensible and must be brought down, not through rationalisation of personnel (as personnel emoluments constitute an insignificant fraction of cost of governance) but through wiping off of corruption and reduction of waste in the system.”

More details from The Punch
Photo Credit: Linda Ikeji Blog.

First female VC of Oxford University in 800 years

For the first time in 800 years, a woman is about to be appointed as VC of Oxford University.

The University of Oxford is to appoint its first female vice-chancellor since its records began nearly 800 years ago, after Prof Louise Richardson was nominated for the university’s most senior office.

Richardson, currently the principal and vice- chancellor of St Andrews University, is an expert on the growth of terrorist movements.

She held a succession of high-profile positions at Harvard until she was appointed to lead St Andrews in 2009.

Students and staff hailed the nomination as a momentous event in Oxford’s history.

Richardson, 56, told the Guardian she hoped her nomination would inspire current and potential female undergraduates.

(UK Guardian)

Story by Linda Ikeji.

NANS threaten protest over NDLEA's siege on Kashamu's residence

Press statement below...

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State axis, has described the continual siege on the residence of the Senator-elect of Ogun East senatorial district, Prince Buruji Kashamu by the officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (NDLEA) as political display and gross misconduct against the laws of Nigeria.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by NANS national public relations officer, Paul Ogunkoya and Ogun State NANS chairman, Olasunkanmi Ahmed, the body said NDLEA, as an agency of government should not lay a bad precedence of disregard to a court of competent jurisdiction.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had mandated the operatives of the agency to vacate Kashamu's residence on Ladipo Omotosho Street, Lekki and also restrained the NDLEA and other security agencies in Nigeria from unlawfully arresting the senator-elect and extraditing him to the United States over drug-related offences.

NANS said: "We have applauded the action of the NDLEA in the past for being one of the dutiful agency in Nigeria of today.

"It saddened the mind of majority of we students leaders that after a competent court of law order them to vacate the premise of the senator-elect as at Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We are highly convinced that the activities of the NDLEA has being politicised, it has involve personal aggrandizement and catekerous attitude for turning a deaf ear to the verdict of the court."

While urging students to stand for peace and justice, the body threatened to mobilise students for protests at NDLEA headquarters in Abuja.

"We hereby appeal to official of NDLEA to save the future of our dear country, by obeying the law.

The younger generation are watching with keen interest.

"We also seized the medium to disclose that failure of NDLEA officials to respect the law within 24- hours might lead to a massive protest at a sooner date to the NDLEA headquarter in Abuja," the student body vowed.

Story by Linda Ikeji.

North is a cutie in her white ballerina outfit (photos)

North pictured with her mum going to her ballet dance class today in LA.







Kourtney Kardashian also brought her daughter Penelope along...





Story by Linda Ikeji.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala shows off her famous multi timezone watch

Wow! Never seen a watch like that ... lovely! A very busy woman needs to know what time it is all over the world.

Story by Linda Ikeji.

Ultimate Football Challenge debuts in Nigeria

A new radio football game show tagged “the Ultimate Football Challenge”, has debuted in Nigeria.

In a statement made available to the media, the promoters of the show, BrandXpose Limited, stated that the new show was the first of its kind in Nigeria, and is guaranteed to thrill and reward football loving Nigerians in a way that no other football game show has in the history of radio shows in Nigeria.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of BrandXpose, Mr. Austen Umeania, the Ultimate Football Challenge is designed to expand on the knowledge base of Nigerian football fans, and reward them for their avid followership of the game. In his words, “we want to take football followership of the average fan beyond the banters and knowledge contests that rage in homes, offices, buses and pubs. We want them to have the right knowledge and get rewarded for it” The 1-hour live game show has 2 segments, the Ultimate Football Challenge Countdown where callers are given 90 seconds to answer as much questions as they can on different football subjects, and the Ultimate Football Challenge Fan Zone where callers answer questions that are specific to the football club that they support.

At the end of the show, the caller with the highest number of correct questions answered in each segment automatically wins a Samsung mobile phone.

Already the Ultimate Football Challenge is the latest hit in South Eastern Nigeria where many participants have won Samsung mobile phones, airtimes and football jerseys.

The show airs every Wednesday from 7pm to 8pm on Solid FM 100.9, Enugu and football fans can call 0903 110 0005 and 0818 752 7314 to participate.

Fans can also participate in the online play at www.facebook.com/ufcradioshow where daily prizes are won.

The Ultimate Football Challenge is packaged by BrandXpose and will begin airing in other radio stations across Nigeria from June.

Story by Linda Ikeji.

Full text of GEJ's remarks at the presentation of Handing-over notes to Buhari

Read full text below...

1. I welcome you all to this occasion of the formal presentation of the Hand-over notes of my Administration to the in-coming Administration of the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.

2. This event and tomorrow’s inauguration of a new administration are truly historic as it is the first time in the history of our nation that we are witnessing the democratic and orderly transfer of power at the Federal level from one political party to another.

3. The Hand-over notes which we now present, contain the governance philosophy, strategies, policies, programmes and activities of my Administration for the period - 2011-2015.

Also to be found in the notes are the objectives, targets and implementation strategies, achievements and challenges of our key policies, schemes, initiatives as well as the status of commitments and liabilities of the various MDAs.

4. As we hand over the affairs of the nation, it is appropriate to recall that at inception, in May 2011, we committed ourselves to consolidating national unity through democratization and good governance.

Our assessment then, and our firm belief ever since, is that the unity of Nigeria, the security, well-being, greater freedoms and opportunities for all citizens must remain the primary objectives of government

. 5. The Agenda for National Transformation which we did our best to implement consisted of clear and consistent governance strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects, in all facets of our national life.

Emphasis was placed on human and state security, democratization, sound economic management, as well as structural and institutional reforms

. 6. Our foremost concern was the unity of Nigeria.

In keeping with that concern, we engineered a process that began with a review of issues outstanding from previous Constitutional Conferences by the Belgore Committee.

After that, we widened political consultations through a National Dialogue that was orchestrated through the Okurounmu Committee.

These culminated in the all-inclusive National Conference which unanimously reaffirmed that Nigeria must remain united and indivisible

. 7. The Conference also made resolutions and recommendations for serious constitutional, political and governance reforms, which we have forwarded to the National Assembly for appropriate legislative action.

It is our hope that the incoming Government will accord the Report of the National Conference the very high priority that it deserves, as a genuine expression of the will of our people

. 8. The recognition that the starting point for good governance is the legitimacy of the government itself informed our commitment to promoting free and fair elections

. 9. It also motivated innovations in the management and conduct of elections which we undertook.

Hopefully, in the years ahead, those innovations will be properly and fully implemented so that Nigerians will be even more assured of the integrity of the electoral system and the legitimacy of any government that it produces

. 10. To strengthen the social contract between the government and the governed, we institutionalized the rule of law as well as the independence of the legislature and the judiciary.

We also promoted group and individual freedoms.

As a result, there is vast expansion in democratic, social and economic space for all citizens.

11.Our nation and citizens faced many new challenges over the past four years but the greatest was the vastly increased menace of Boko Haram with their mindless terror, mass killings, utter ruthlessness, kidnapping of innocent children and other unspeakable acts of brutality.

12. We should all remember that Boko Haram’s emergence predated our administration going as far back as 2002.

The group however became extremely malignant with the killing of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf in July 2009.

13. It therefore became an urgent task for us to effectively confront the great threat Boko Haram posed to the security and well-being of our people.

To do so, we overhauled and virtually reinvented our security architecture to confront Boko Haram and its insurgency.

We re-organized our security apparatus.

We re-equipped and fully motivated our forces.

14. Victory is now in sight and within our reach. However, the cost in blood of citizens and heroes; and the diversion of national treasure from urgent needs for development have been very high.

While more than 500 women and children have been rescued from the clutches of Boko Haram thus far by our security forces, it remains my sincere hope and prayer that our beloved daughters from Chibok will soon be reunited with us.

15. I wish to thank the Nigerian people for their resilience and patience.

I also wish to pay very special and personal tribute to all the men and women of our valiant armed forces and security agencies.

Their sacrifice and dedication have brought us thus far.

16. While striving to overcome our national security challenges, we still gave necessary attention to economic development.

Our goal was to achieve long-term economic growth and stability, improve the quality and quantum of infrastructure and enhance human capital development.

17. Our financial system reforms included the Treasury Single Account [TSA] that unified the structure of government accounts for all MDAs and thereby brought order to cash flow management; and Government Integrated Financial Management Information System [GIFMIS] was introduced to plug leakages and waste of resources.

The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System [IPPIS] weeded out 60,450 ghost workers in 359 out of 425 MDAs, yielding N185.

4 billion in savings to the Federal government.

18. Improved Revenue Mobilization was achieved through improvements in the laws and compliance measures.

In 2013 alone, these measures resulted in a 69% rise in Federal tax revenues from N2.8 trillion to N4.8 trillion. Also, Waiver Policy and Trade Facilitation were reformed to create a more rational regime.

Our emphasis shifted to granting waivers to specific sectors instead of individual companies and the Sovereign Wealth Fund was established to provide stabilization from external shocks, provide funding for critical infrastructure and savings for future generations.

19. Our Financial Sector reforms addressed the issues of inefficiencies in the coordination and monitoring of the financial system.

Our policies promoted transparency, better risk management, new banking models and payment systems.

We established the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria as a resolution mechanism for toxic banking assets.

We strengthened banking supervision and enhanced public confidence in Nigerian Banks .

​ 20. Similarly, we undertook innovative reforms for job creation and repositioned the manufacturing, agriculture and housing sectors.

Specifically, it was observed that over the years, job creation did not keep pace with economic growth.

Thus unemployment, especially amongst the youth was assuming alarming dimensions.

21. To address this, my administration made job creation a key consideration for all programmes in the Transformation Agenda. Emphasis was also shifted towards empowering youths to become entrepreneurs rather than job seekers, through such initiatives as Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOU-WIN), Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS), the SURE-P Technical Vocational Education and Training Programme (TVET) and the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP).

22. Manufacturing in Nigeria faces many challenges, including poor power supply, high cost of input, high cost of doing business, multiple taxation, poor infrastructure and lack of synergy with the labour market.

To address these problems, we launched several programmes and initiatives including the National Industrial Revolution Plan and a new National Automobile Policy designed to boost domestic car production and expand existing capacity.

Since then, five new private vehicle assembly plants have been established.

23. Agriculture is critical to national survival and yet the sector was besieged with many problems.

By year 2010, Nigeria was the second largest importer of food in the world, spending about N1.3 trillion on the importation of fish, rice and sugar alone.

24. The reforms we introduced in agriculture dramatically increased local production of staple food and saved us vast amounts of money that we would have spent on the importation of food items.

25. To address the glaring inadequacy of critical national infrastructure, we focused on the Power Sector, Roads, Railways, Aviation, Ports and Harbours as well as on Water and Sanitation, Information and Communication Technology.

26. My government introduced the Power Sector Roadmap in 2010.

Since then, we have privatized the generation and distribution aspects in a most transparent process.

Obstacles to the private sector investments in power supply were removed and we developed cost effective electricity tariff to make the sector more attractive.

It remains our hope that the successor companies to PHCN and also the private sector will step forward with the necessary investment to make the power reform work.

27. The major challenge in the road sector in Nigeria is the high cost of building roads and it continues to rise.

The other challenge is the fact that because of regular use, roads are one of the fastest depreciating assets in developing countries.

28. To address this, Government has developed the required legal and regulatory framework and created opportunities for Private Public Partnership (PPP) in road construction and maintenance.

29. From Ore/Benin Road, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway to the Kano/Maiduguri dualisation projects, we made concerted efforts to address age-long problems of delays in construction, design defect, neglect and ineffective maintenance.

The construction of the historic Second Niger Bridge has also commenced, and on completion, it will open new and far- reaching opportunities for greater trade and interaction among our people.

30. In the Aviation Sector, our government developed a Master Plan to institutionalise safety and security, and to develop infrastructure at the airports and local airlines.

We embarked on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 22 airports nationwide.

Construction work on five new international terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu are also on-going.

31. There has been a revolution in rail transportation.

We rehabilitated the old narrow gauge network and ensured that it has served our people steadily for three years running with new coaches and improved expanded services nationwide.

32. We are in the construction stages of a new national network for standard gauge speed-train services, with the new rail line segment, from Abuja to Kaduna, successfully completed.

In addition, we have initiated the process for the construction of an ultramodern coastal rail line that will run from Lagos to Calabar, with a link to Onitsha.

33. We have also successfully completed the dredging of River Niger, from Warri in Delta State to Baro in Niger State, and completed construction works for the Onitsha River Port.

Other River Ports at Baro, Lokoja and Oguta, are at advanced construction stages.

Working with the states and development partners, we have facilitated the process towards the development of two new deep sea ports at Lekki in Lagos, and Ibaka in Akwa Ibom.

We have also implemented reforms to streamline the clearing regime in existing ports, increasing cargo turnover time and easing business for all users.

34. In the oil and gas sector, our local content policy has continued to empower Nigerian companies, particularly in technical and engineering projects.

The Gas Revolution Industrial Park in Delta State is unprecedented in the sub -​ sector, and will not only deliver Africa’s biggest industrial park, but all the accompanying benefits to local industry and job creation.

35. We recognized Human Capital as the most important agent for transformational development. Our reforms in this sector focused on Health, Education and Social Development and also on Women and Youth Empowerment and Social Safety Nets.

36. In the Health sector, the comprehensive National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) of 2011 laid the foundation for widening access and improving the quality of healthcare with lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy for the populace.

Our effective curtailment of the Ebola epidemic has continued to receive worldwide acclaim as an example in prompt and effective national disease management. On our watch, guinea- worm has been eradicated from Nigeria and we are on the verge of wiping out polio entirely.

37. In the Education sector, our objectives are clear and precise. They emphasise expansion of access and the upgrade of quality. I am proud that we have widened access by establishing 18 more Federal Universities and other specialized polytechnics. We strengthened TETFUND and used it to boldly address the problems of inadequate infrastructure in the existing institutions.

38. I am particularly proud of our efforts with regards to Early Childhood Education and Out-of-School Children. We provided modern hybrid Almajiri Education Programme in the North, attended to schooling needs of boys in the South-East and ensured the construction of special girls’ schools in 13 States of the Federation to improve girl-child education. We expanded opportunities for open and distance learning and provided scholarships at all levels to help improve access to quality education for bright and promising Nigerians.

39. We have promoted gender- mainstreaming with commensurate priority and opportunities for our womenfolk, beginning with ensuring that not less than 30 per cent of key Federal appointments go to women. Other initiatives that we have taken include: the National Gender Policy, Establishment of Gender Units in Federal MDAs, Women Empowerment Training Programmes, Micro-Credit for Women, Social Safety Net Programmes and the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme.

40. My Administration has emphasized giving a free hand to our Anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). We preferred that they mature into strong institutions instead of being the images, the hammer and the anvil of a strong man. We must encourage them to abide by the rule of law and due process instead of resorting to dramatic or illegal actions orchestrated for cheap applause .

​ 41. Beyond the very impressive records of enhanced convictions by statutory anti-corruption agencies like the EFCC and ICPC, our other strategy has been to fashion economic policies that deliver higher deterrence and frustrate concealment. In this regard, the Bureau of Public Procurement has played a central role and impacted strongly on the fight against corruption.

42. In Sports, we have improved our national performance in team and individual events. The disappointment of not qualifying to defend our African Football Championship was cushioned by a decent FIFA World Cup appearance, an Under-17 World Cup win in addition to other victories in other international football tournaments and the Paralympics. We have also encouraged excellence in other sports, apart from football, resulting in exceptional performance in international sporting events, especially in athletics.

43. Our foreign policy position remains strong. In October 2013, Nigeria was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the second time on our watch. Our country had only served in that capacity thrice before 2011, since independence in 1960. Our Administration also played a leading role in the resolution of security and political challenges in our sub- region, particularly in Niger, Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso.

44. In addition, we increased engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora who contribute so much in remittances to their fatherland. Our Administration successfully encouraged more of them to invest in Nigeria and others to return home and join in the task of nation- building.

45. In summary, Your Excellency, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our administration has done its best to intervene robustly and impact positively on key aspects of our national life.

46. There is no doubt that challenges still abound, but they are surmountable and overwhelming national transformation remains realisable, with continuity, commitment and consistency.

47. Nigeria is blessed with citizens that will always remain faithful, firmly committed to national unity, accelerated political, social and economic development.

48. As we hand over the reins of government, I believe that our nation is secure, our democracy is stable, and the future is bright. Let us all work together, and with greater resolve, continue to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.

49. May God Almighty continue to bless our dear country, Nigeria.

50. I thank you all.

Source: Linda Ikeji Blog

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Story by Linda Ikeji.

Buhari and Osinbajo with their children

We have some really hot First Children. The next four years will be very interesting!...:-)



Story by Linda Ikeji.

17 year old Kylie Jenner denies being pregnant

When a 17 year old girl is talking about whether she's pregnant or not.

Clearly, she's having sex! Choi! She also tweeted that instagram is a made-up world and she only let's people see what she wants them to see...

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VP Sambo hands over Aguda house to VP-elect Osinbajo

4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yasqkfu5Jj8/VWclKhp5UZI/AAAAAAAFYnc/q4sLGBBB80E/s1600/a.jpg



Vice President Namadi Sambo this morning conducted Vice President-elect, Yemi Osinbajo around Aguda House, the official residence of any Nigerian Vice President. He later handed over the House to Professor Osinbajo who takes over the building from tomorrow May 29th. More pics after the cut..



Story by Linda Ikeji.

Singer Tiffany Evans puts her husband on blast for cheating on her while she was pregnant

The actress and R&B singer posted this on her instagram page.

The rest of it after the cut...



Story by Linda Ikeji.

President Jonathan takes Buhari on tour of Aso Villa

President-elect Buhari pictured touring the place he will call home from tomorrow May 29th. See more photos after the cut..