Saturday, 12 March 2016
PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS GIVEN EFCC GO AHEAD TO PROBE JONATHAN
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE APOLOGISED TO NIGERIANS ABOUT THE POOR POWER SUPPLY
Nigerians should be hopeful of uninterrupted power supply as The Punch reports that Africa’s richest man and the president of Dangote Industries, Aliko Dangote, revealed that by 2018, his company should be able to generate about 12,000 megawatts of electricity for Nigeria. He made this known at the Nigerian Economic Summit which was organised by Economist Events in Lagos on March 7. Meanwhile, power sector workers under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies on Monday picketed the head office of the Ikeja Electric over the sacking of 400 workers of the company. The union last week Tuesday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of the company to recall the disengaged workers or face industrial action
Friday, 11 March 2016
RUSSEL WILSON FINALLY PROPOSES TO CIARA
Congratulations to Ciara and Russel on their engagement. Ciara posted this picture on her instagram page.
Tuesday, 1 March 2016
TYRESE TAKES A SHOT AT CHRIS ROCK FOR MOCKING JADA PINKETT AT THE JUST CONCLUDED OSCAR AWARDS
Tyrese Gibson took a shot at Chris Rock for calling out Jada Pinkett at Sunday’s Oscar awards. He admitted he didn’t watch the award show but still chewed out Chris Rock in the video below:
Court orders Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, Jonathan governments to account for recovered loot
Justice Idris held that information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets by each government, the amount of recovered stolen public assets spent by each government as well as the objects of such spending and the projects on which such funds were spent were to be disclosed. He, however, dismissed all the objections raised by the Federal Government and upheld SERAP’s arguments. In his verdict, Justice Idris said, “A declaration is hereby made that the failure and/or refusal of the respondents to individually and/or collectively disclose detailed information about the spending of recovered stolen public funds since the return of civil rule in 1999, and to publish widely such information, including on a dedicated website, amounts to a breach of the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability and violates Articles 9, 21 and 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act “A declaration is hereby made that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the 1st Defendant/Respondent is under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds, including, detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria. “The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending “Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent. “An order of Mandamus is made directing and or compelling the Defendants/Respondents to provide the Plaintiff/Applicant with up to date information on recovered stolen funds since the return of civilian rule in 1999, including:
“Detailed information on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets that have so far been recovered by Nigeria. “The amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending. “Details of projects on which recovered stolen public assets were spent.”
BLACK STUDENTS REMOVED FROM TRUMP'S RALLY IN GEORGIA USA
Dozens of black college students in Georgia said they were asked to leave a Donald Trump rally on their campus Monday for standing silently on gymnasium bleachers before the business magnate began speaking. Valdosta State University students said Secret Service agents were told by Trump to remove them, according to Jennifer Jacobs, a Des Moines Register reporter who was at the event. Representatives for Trump and the Secret Service didn't immediately respond to inquiries.
The black Valdosta U students tell me they were standing silently in the bleachers when Secret Service told them Trump wanted them removed.
The incident happened the same day Black Lives Matter protesters interrupted a Trump speech during a campaign stop in Virginia. At that rally, a Time magazine photographer was thrown to the ground in a chokehold by a Secret Service agent after stepping outside of the press pool. Trump has drawn widespread condemnation in recent days after being slow to distance himself from white supremacists supporting him, namely KKK leader David Duke. A video tweeted by a Valdosta student appears to show Snapchat footage of the group as they were ejected.
VSU TRUMP RALLY #BlackLivesMatter And this is the school we attend...
Friday, 26 February 2016
Trump University fraud case becomes campaign issue at GOP debate
Washington (CNN)Donald Trump likes to talk a lot about winning, but it is one of his failed ventures that brought out daggers from his opponents in Thursday night's Republican presidential debate. Florida Senator Marco Rubio took the first stab at trying to label Trump's failed "Trump University" as a fake. "There are people who borrowed $36,000 to go to Trump University, and they're suing now," Rubio said. "And you know what they got? They got to take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump." That allegation is mostly true. Donald Trump continues to be haunted by a failed real estate investment school that threatens to pull him into the witness chair in the middle of this presidential campaign. And that opened the door for the second dagger in last night's debate, this time from Texas Senator Ted Cruz. "You know, Marco made reference earlier to the litigation against Trump University. It's a fraud case, " Cruz told the debate audience before asking Republican voters to think about what that would mean if Donald Trump is called into court to stand trial for fraud, right in the middle of an election. "If this man is the nominee, having the Republican nominee, on the stand in court, being cross-examined about whether he committed fraud, "Cruz explained, "You don't think the mainstream media will go crazy on that?" Trump brushed off the attacks saying the case is a civil suit that he intends to win. But it is also true that six years after the school shut down, is he still facing lawsuits. From the time he launched Trump University in 2005 until it shut down in 2010, about 10,000 students from across the country signed up for the program that promised success in real estate by offering courses and seminars based on the principles of the business mogul himself. "At Trump University, we teach success," Trump said in a 2005 infomercial when the program was launched. "That's what it's all about. Success. It's going to happen to you." Now, Trump is facing three separate lawsuits -- two class action suits filed in California and one filed by New York's attorney general -- which argue the program that took in an estimated $40 million, but was mired in fraud and deception. "We started looking at Trump University and discovered that it was a classic bait-and-switch scheme. It was a scam, starting with the fact that it was not a university," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman told CNN's "New Day" after filing suit in 2013. Schneiderman's case argues that Trump and Michael Sexton, the former president of the program, engaged in fraudulent, illegal and deceptive conduct, and that although the program promised to offer courses taught by experts personally selected by Trump, the teachers were neither handpicked nor experts. Trump University's courses ranged from $1,495 three-day seminars to $35,000 "Gold" level programs that allowed for personal mentoring, real estate field trips and access to the expertise that made Trump a billionaire. Affidavits from the case additionally show some students felt the program consisted of worthless information they could have obtained for free elsewhere. Others said they simply did not receive the services they paid for. "I have not been able to get in touch with anyone after I signed up for the trump Gold Elite Program," student Kathleen Meese wrote in one such affidavit. Another enrollee, Michele Cintron, who paid $25,000 to have special access to high-level mentors said in an affidavit that a "non-existent 'power team'" was unable to be reached. As for investing knowledge, student Maribel Paredes described Trump University in an affidavit as "a bad investment on my part." CNN was unable to reach these former students for comment. Other former students who wrote affidavits for the lawsuits also declined to be interviewed. Most of the students never met or laid eyes on Trump, but representatives of the program, which is now called Trump Entrepreneur Initiative, say students were never promised they would meet Trump in person. Trump's attorney Alan Garten said many students were satisfied with the courses and the lack of success of some should not be attributed to the program.
EFCC arrests Diezani’s cousin, front for ‘illegal’ crude oil deals
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is detaining Donald Chidi Amamgbo, a cousin of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, for allegedly using four firms to illegally lift crude oil. The crude oil and natural gas involved are said to be worth billions of dollars. The arrest of Amamgbo is rated as a major breakthrough for the EFCC in its ongoing probe of the ex-Minister. The suspect, who was arrested in Lagos, was branded as a “front” for the ex-Minister. According to a source close to the investigation, the EFCC discovered that Amamgbo used four companies to lift oil and gas in billions of dollars. Amamgbo, who is chief executive of Mezcor Oil and Gas limited, Tridax Oil and Gas Limited, Lynear Energy Limited and Bulk Strategic Reserved Limited, was arrested in Lagos at about 4.20 P.M Thursday. Sources said that evidence gathered so far suggested the oil mogul might have acted as front for Mrs Alison-Madueke, who granted him approval to lo lift Nigerian crude oil without any requisite experience. Amamgbo, through his companies, Amamgbo lifted crude oil and gas worth billions of dollars over a period of four years. “A search conducted in the office and premises of Mezcor Oil and Gas Limited at No. 5 Sannar street, Wuse 2, Abuja yielded documents which included payments for the purchase of houses and vehicles.” Sources at the anti-graft agency said the investigation was continuing but the office of Mezcir Oil and Gas Limited at No.5 , Sannar Street, off Yalinga Street off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II Abuja, has been sealed. “During the search, documents, which include payments for purchase of houses and vehicles were recovered,” the source said. Another source said: “We are not giving up on other accomplices of the ex-minister who were used to plunder the nation’s oil industry.” The embattled Minister has had her movement restricted to London since last October. The International Corruption Unit (ICU) of the National Crime Agency (NCA) on October 2 arrested Mrs Alison-Madueke and four others. The identities of the others remain unknown, but all the suspects are being investigated for alleged bribery and money laundering.
Kim Kardashian breaks her silence over Kanye West's controversial rants
Kim has stood by Kanye West
Kim Kardashian has broken her silence over her Kanye West's controversial Twitter rants. The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star has kept VERY quite, despite her rapper beau getting himself into all sorts of bother, after slating Taylor Swift and announcing he thinks Bill Crosby is innocent. She has now finally acknowledged that Kanye keeps going off on one on the social media site, leaving everyone stunned by his comments. Kim wrote a list of things that she admits she's "loving" at the moment and commented on his rants.
Kim Kardashian is standing by her man
The reality star wrote: "Loving: my husband," and hating "that people don't get that Kanye will stand up against the whole world for his creativity and art." Further referencing his outbursts, the mum-of-two said she wanted "everyone to be as honest as Kanye." Well, he certainly is very honest. There were previously rumours that Kim wants Kanye to get his own PR team to manage his image.
The reality star wrote: "Loving: my husband," and hating "that people don't get that Kanye will stand up against the whole world for his creativity and art." Further referencing his outbursts, the mum-of-two said she wanted "everyone to be as honest as Kanye." Well, he certainly is very honest. There were previously rumours that Kim wants Kanye to get his own PR team to manage his image.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian-WestAccording to reports, the rapper's behaviour has 'embarrassed' her - but not enough that she's prepared to let it ruin her marriage. A source told PEOPLE: "At the end of the day, she is 110 percent committed to keeping her family together, and there won't be anything that will ever get in the way of that." It now seems she's loving his outbursts just as much as everyone else, sort of.
Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Buhari Rejects Invitation to Join Coalition of Islamic States against Terror
President Muhammadu Buhari has tactically rejected an invitation by Saudi Arabia to join the Coalition of Islamic States against Terror. Buhari, who is on a week-long visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, told his host and ruler of Saudi Arabia. King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz, that rather than joining the coalition, Nigeria would support the coalition. He spoke at a bilateral meeting between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh hosted by the ruler, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz. The president, who made his first pronouncement on the invitation to join the coalition of Islamic states against terror spearheaded by the Saudis, congratulated the Kingdom on forming the coalition. He said: "Even if we are not a part of it, we support you. I must thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the recent creation of a coalition to address the menace of international terrorism. "Nigeria will support your efforts in keeping peace and stopping the spread of terror in your region. This is in consonance with our own commitment and on-going efforts in seeking to stamp out Boko Haram terrorists from the West African sub-region and Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC)."
Tuesday, 23 February 2016
Subscribers Win As Consumer Protection Council Directs MultiChoice To Release Free Channels, Install Toll-Free Lines, Others
After an extensive investigation, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has said that it has substantiated allegations of violations of consumer rights by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited in the provision of its Digital Satellite Broadcast Television (DStv) service. A statement from the office of the Director General, Dupe Atoki said that the Council has issued far-reaching orders, including suspension of service when consumers are away; release of free-to-air channels, even when subscription expires; compensation across board to consumers for lost viewing time, introduction of local toll free lines; and reasonable equitable spread of popular sports channels, among others.
The multinational pay-media company is also required to present written assurances in line with Section 10 of the Council’s enabling law that it will not engage in any conduct which is detrimental to the interest of consumers. In the same vein, the company shall for 18 months from the date of the orders, subject its processes to the Council’s inspection to ensure compliance with the directives contained in the orders. During the course of the investigation, the statement said the Council observed that the company’s billing system, whereby “billing is not contemporaneous with the provision of service” was not in the best interest of consumers and therefore ordered MultiChoice to install a billing system that ensures billing starts with the provision of service. The pay-television company was also ordered to within 90 days provide across board compensation to its subscribers, considering the fact that many of them have over time lost legitimate and paid viewing time by its conduct of not restoring service contemporaneously after payment as well as other instances of disruptions.
Similarly, the company was also directed by CPC to within 180 days adopt a “technology that supports suspension of service when subscribers are otherwise unable to enjoy their service on account of being away for a limited period of time”, provided such a request for suspension of service is done for a period of between 7 to 14 days and not more than twice in a year with a 72-hour notice to MultiChoice. On non-availability of popular channels in certain bouquets, the Council ordered the firm to within 90 days ensure “a reasonably equitable spread of popular sports and other channels hitherto concentrated in its premium bouquet over all available bouquets”. MultiChoice was ordered to keep local and free-to-air channels open so that subscribers would have the opportunity of watching these channels, even when their subscriptions have expired. In order to aid easy and fast access to the company by subscribers who wish to make complaints or enquiries, CPC directed MultiChoice not only to maintain local toll-free telephone access lines for its call centres, but should also ensure the call centres operate for longer hours during public holidays and weekends. MultiChoice was also directed to formulate within 90 days a written compensation policy which should “outline amongst other things, the procedure for compensating subscribers for injury they suffer on account of MultiChoice conduct and take into consideration not just viewing time lost, but inconveniences suffered by subscribers”. The agency also directed MultiChoice to “develop a Customer Care Manual which shall contain mechanisms to address customer complaints in an accurate, friendly, timely, efficient, courteous and honest manner”. It was also directed to ensure that the list of all its accredited dealers and installers and their details be freely given to its customers at the point of subscription and also made available on its website and other information channels. In addition, the pay-media company is not only to ensure these accredited dealers and installers carry certified means of identification issued by it, subscribers must also be periodically educated on the means of identification, while it should also reasonably and adequately compensate subscribers where they experience loss of signal on account of faulty, poor or unprofessional installation by agents of MultiChoice. On the pay-television firm’s agreements with its subscribers, the Council disclosed that several provisions of the Service Level Agreement and the Terms and Conditions of Subscription signed on by subscribers were found to be grossly unfair, unjust and one-sided, directing that such provisions should be expunged, re-drafted and submitted to the Council. All the orders, which have already been served on MultiChoice, are effective, not later than 90 days from their receipt. Commenting, the Council’s Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, expressed optimism that compliance with these reforms would bring about a new dawn for Nigerian consumers, who would henceforth enjoy value for money in their engagement with the company. Mrs. Atoki reiterated the Council’s commitment towards sanitising the nation’s market-place for the benefit of consumers, assuring that no stone would be left un-turned to ensure it is no longer business as usual and shoddy service delivery becomes a thing of the past in the country.
Sunday, 14 February 2016
Olajumoke ‘The Bread-seller’ gets new fully furnished luxury apartment in Lagos
Olajumoke has just been offered a fully furnished luxury apartment in Lagos courtesy of the Sijibomi Ogundele-led real estate company, Sujimoto. The offer also comes with a fully sponsored education for Olajumoke and her family. Her publicist, Azuka Ogujiuba said they are still finalizing the deal before they reveal the location of the house, I can’t reveal too much details at the moment, but once we tidy it up, you’ll be the first to know’. In the last 4 days, since she moved from photo bombing Tinie Tempah’s shoot to gracing the cover of Thisday Style magazine, Olajumoke has signed a new deal with modelling agency, Few Models, she’s been signed on as a brand ambassador by Payporte, and she’s has her incredible story on many local and international media including CNN,Buzzfeed, Huffington Post and more.
THE HIGH SPEED RAIL AWARDED DURING THE OBASANJO ERA IS FINALLY OPEN FOR SERVICE IN MARCH
Nigeria’s first ever high speed train service will open for service in March 2016. It is the double-track, standard gauge between Abuja and Kaduna that runs at 120Km and 150 Km an hour. Come March, travelers will be able to journey from Abuja to Kaduna (and vice-versa) in less than an hour. The project which was just completed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) cost $849 million. The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Adeseyi Sijuwade while addressing the media in Lagos said “Next month, we’ll be taking delivery of modern coaches to run on the standard gauge line, specifically for the Abuja-Kaduna line, so that that service can commence immediately,” According to him, the corporation was looking at a February-March timeline to commence delivery of services. The rail project was supposedly completed in December 2014, but was never delivered. And even if the delivery is 15 months later than expected, it is good news that it finally works considering the fact that it has spanned nearly four administrations. Spanning from the Obasanjo administration to present, an active and efficient rail system has been marred for a long time by inefficiencies and corruption on a massive scale. As since the contract was awarded in the Obasanjo era, there has not been any positive move to see its fruition. Trains were originally designed to transport heavy duty goods like the goods ferried from the seaports on giant trailers that block and damage the road causing traffic gridlock. Some rail tracks have been rendered dysfunctional and unusable from the many years of being left idle. A working rail system is key to our messed up transportation system as roads would be eased off and traffic gridlocks become a thing of the past. The Lagos to Ibadan route was also commissioned in 2o1o with this Abuja-Kaduna route, as well as the Lagos to Calabar route. The government should also consider other routes that are frequently traveled and are heavily congested, like roads out of Lagos to other commercial hubs. The 186.5km standard gauge track was built by the China Railway Construction Corporation with double lines over a period of three years at the cost of $850m.
The route has nine stations and the train can travel at up to 150km per hour. “Next month, we’ll be taking delivery of modern coaches to run on the standard gauge line, specifically for the Abuja-Kaduna line, so that that service can commence immediately. We’re looking at February or March for the service to commence,” Sijuwade said. The Federal Government had previously approved a grant of N1.1bn for the purchase of two modern diesel/electric locomotives to run on the high speed new rail line. However, Sijuwade did not say if the two engines had been delivered by the contractors, Messrs CNR Locomotives and Rolling Stock Limited, and CCECC Nigeria Limited. According to media reports, the contract was for the design, manufacturing and launching of the locomotives with a capacity of 2,800 kilowatts for standard gauge tracks; the training of 30 NRC personnel on the operation and maintenance of the engines; test-running in Nigeria as well as a one-year maintenance and technical support with two resident technicians from the manufacturers.
Friday, 12 February 2016
Khloe Kardashian & Lamar Odom SPOTTED together At Kanye West’s NYFW Show
He's back: Lamar Odom made his first public appearance since his near fatal overdose in October, as he attended Kanye West's New York Fashion Week show on Thursday with estranged wife Khloe Kardashian. But it looked like old times as the former NBA star laughed and flirted with Khloe, while they joined her family for the much-anticipated Yeezy Season 3 show. While many - including her own family - would no doubt like to see the estranged husband and wife back together, Khloe later slammed suggestions something was going on. Despite how happy they looked, Khloe said on Twitter: 'God forbid exes are cordial right?!?! Wtf is wrong with people?!?! People should praise kindness. Not question it.' Kanye debuted his new album The Life Of Pablo during the event, which was also watched by Kim, their daughter North, Kourtney, and Kendall, Kylie and Caitlyn Jenner. Kylie - who was always very close to Lamar - pulled him in for a big hug when she saw him, while Kris Jenner was seen squeezing his hand. Lamar was spotted sitting in the audience as Khloe and her sisters got up to dance to one of Kanye's tracks.
He happily smiled for pictures as he posed backstage with Khloe and her family. Kanye debuted his latest collection and his new album to a crowd of 18,000 people at Madison Square Garden, as 20 million more tuned in to Tidal's live stream and 700 cinemas screened the show. The rapper also shared a glimpse of his upcoming video game Only One, in which an avatar of his late mother Donda flew through clouds to heaven while riding a Pegasus.
Lamar is still on the road to recovery after suffering multiple strokes when he collapsed at Love Ranch brothel on October 13 - with reports that he had a 50/50 chance of surviving.The sports star had allegedly been using cocaine and herbal Viagra during a four day binge and fell into a coma. Khloe and her family dropped everything to be by Lamar's side after he was rushed to hospital, and Khloe spent much of her time over the next couple of months at his bedside.
Is there still hope for them?: Khloe split from her boyfriend James Harden earlier this week
Lamar allegedly still has some issues with his speech and lapses in memory, but is hoping to be able to run again in the future. Over the weekend, he went on a hike with Khloe and Kim - who captured the outing during a live stream.
Celebrity guests: Karlie Kloss and Lil' Kim were spotted arriving at the venue before the show
jet from Los Angeles to New York City on Wednesday night
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