welcome To News Line: 2015

22 May 2015

Dame Shirley Bassey blasted Beyoncé for her 'skimpy' Met Ball dress

Beyoncé

Dame Shirley Bassey has blasted Beyoncé for her skimpy Met Ball dress.

The 78-year-old Goldfinger hitmaker has said she doesn't understand why modern singers feel the need to "see who can wear the skimpiest outfit", rather than focus on their talents, having seen the 33-year-old Crazy In Love superstar's barely-there bejewelled dress.

Dame Shirley said: "It is like they are all in competition with each other. Who can wear the skimpiest outfit? I mean come on"

"When I saw Beyoncé at the Met Ball the other night I was like, 'excuse me?' I think you have to leave a lot to the imagination.

Jacob Zuma

President Jacob Zuma has returned to South Africa after completing his two day state visit to Mozambique, the presidency said on Tuesday.

In a statement, spokesperson Harold Maloka said Zuma and Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi held successful talks and discussed issues of mutual interest, in particular, bilateral, regional and continental co-operation.

"The issue of co-operation was high on the agenda and both presidents agreed to establish a binational commission which will enable continuous monitoring and implementation of decisions taken," Maloka said.

Emmanuel Adebayor

ottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor will miss his club's final game of the season at Everton on Sunday after being allowed to return to his native Togo on compassionate grounds.

Adebayor published the latest in a series of lengthy Facebook posts this week in which he revealed he had contemplated suicide due to a family feud.

And concerns over the player's mind-set have prompted Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino to step in on his behalf, Press Association Sport understands.

The 31-year-old, who has already been granted compassionate leave once this season, is also set to miss the club's post-season tour of the Far East, and his future at the club must now be in doubt.

Xavi Hernandez

Two days before he partied with his Barcelona team-mates after playing a part in a club record eight league titles, Xavi Hernandez took to the stage at his club’s training ground in front of a packed room of journalists. His wife had commented that he’d been on edge for a few days; his mother, the strongest influence in his life, had finally accepted his decision.

“I didn't want this time to come,” he’d say, “I’ve been dreading this moment.”

Everyone knew that the diminutive midfielder from the nearby industrial city of Terrassa was going to announce that he was leaving the club where he’s been man and boy. A club where he’s shattered the club appearance record with 764 appearances in 17 seasons. The next highest is Carles Puyol with 593.

Frank Kokori

Human rights activist, Chief Frank Kokori, has advised the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to start his administration by prosecuting and jailing looters immediately after he takes oath of office on May 29.

Kokori, who is a former General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, said this during an interview with our correspondent on Thursday.

The activist said by immediately prosecuting looters, Nigerians would have an idea of what the Buhari administration stands for and change would gradually set in.

He said, “You cannot change everything in four years but when Nigerians start seeing little changes in three to six months and then in one year and you see people being prosecuted and jailed for stealing public funds,

Justin Bieber

In another carpool episode, Justin Bieber rode shotgun with the Late Night Host, James Corden.

The carpool ride immediately turned into a karaoke session with the two men belting out Justin Bieber's 2010 hit Baby.

David Mark and Aminu Tambuwal

The current National Assembly may abandon the Petroleum Industry Bill owing to the slow progress of work on it.

The PUNCH observed on Wednesday that it was becoming clear that the bill might be abandoned as senators and members of the House of Representatives have only 16 days to the end of the 7th National Assembly.

Findings showed that while the Senate is behind by not reporting the bill out of the committee stage, the House which started considering its own report last week, was being slowed down by disagreements among lawmakers over the many clauses in the proposed law.

For example, at the resumed consideration of the report by the House on Wednesday, members hotly disagreed over the funds oil majors were expected to share with the Federal Government for exploration activities in the River Basins.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Kunle Kalejaye

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee has expelled a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Kunle Kalejaye, from further practising as a lawyer.

The LPDC disbarred Kalejaye after finding him guilty of professional misconduct. A five-man panel of the LPDC, led by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, conducted the investigation.

The LPDC found Kalejaye guilty of misconduct while representing the Peoples Democratic Party and its then candidate, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, where Oyinlola’s victory in the 2007 poll was being challenged by the then candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.

Okonjo-Iweala, govs clash over $20bn ECA funds

Coordinating Minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Tuesday demanded an explanation from the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on how $20bn that allegedly accrued to the Excess Crude Account was disbursed.

The forum, in a statement issued at the end of a four-hour meeting of the NGF which ended in the early hours of Tuesday in Abuja, said the sum was paid into the ECA between June 2013 and April 2015.

“In the light of the fact that funds in the ECA were last disbursed in May 2013, there is a need for the minister, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, to provide explanations for accruals to this account from June 2013 to April 2015 which is estimated at over $20bn,” the NGF said.

Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu

The impeachment plot against the Niger State Governor, Aliyu Babangida, may have been stalled as the members of the state House of Assembly pushing for the governor’s removal have been paid N17m each.

Our correspondent gathered that the lawmakers after receiving the N17m each were also promised by the state government that their other demands would soon be met.

Consequently, the lawmakers have decided to stop the impeachment move against the governor.

Though the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Isah Kawu, refused to comment on the issue when our correspondent sought his reaction to the development, sources at the assembly complex including lawmakers, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the development.

Police shut Anambra restaurant for serving human flesh

A restaurant in Anambra has reportedly been shut down for cooking human flesh and serving it to customers. The police were tipped off by locals who suspected something horrific was taking place inside the kitchen.

They raided the hotel restaurant to discover human heads which were still dripping with blood in plastic bags. A local priest who ate at the restaurant was alarmed at the price of meals there, let alone where the meat came from, BBC Swahili reported.

He was presented with a bill of N700.

Oshiomhole and wife

There were indications on Saturday that the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, and his newly-wedded wife, Iara, have postponed their much expected honeymoon till June.

Governor Oshiomhole had on Friday married former Miss Iara Fortes, an ex-model from Cape Verde, at a marriage ceremony witnessed by a large turnout of dignitaries from various sectors of the country and he was expected to proceed on a honeymoon with the new First Lady.

Buhari and Tinubu

A gigantic test of wills is rocking the All Progressives Congress just 12 days to the inauguration of President-elect Mohammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s substantive President.

Impeccable sources within the party told SUNDAY PUNCH over the weekend that some ex-governors, Buhari’s associates and mutinous party members from the South-West are trying to whittle down the influence that the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will have on the incoming government.

Tinubu, the party’s undisputed leader in the South-West, is widely feted as the force behind the merger of all the major opposition parties in the country which led to the emergence of the APC as Nigeria’s major opposition party.

American fans sue Pacquiao over injury

Manny Pacquiao

Two Nevada men filed a class-action lawsuit against Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday, seeking millions in damages because they say he fraudulently concealed a shoulder injury before his defeat to Floyd Mayweather, AFP reports.

It is just the latest fallout from Mayweather’s victory in Las Vegas on Saturday in a unanimous decision, with Pacquiao saying afterwards that the shoulder complaint hampered his performance in the welterweight world title showdown.

The plaintiffs argue that by failing to go public with the injury before the feverishly anticipated bout, the Philippine icon and his camp violated the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

President of the Senate, David Mark

Senate President David Mark on Wednesday raised the alarm that the Peoples Democratic Party might be heading for a final destruction if the infighting among its leaders was not immediately resolved.

Mark, while receiving the Senator Ike Ekweremadu PDP Post – Election Review Committee, in Abuja, said the acrimony between top members of the party was dangerous.

He said, “The PDP is already haemorrhaging, unless we halt the bleeding and find the necessary therapy, we may be heading for the final burial of the party.

Coordinating Minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The Federal Government on Wednesday absolved itself of blame in the inability of some state governments to pay their workers’ salaries.

It said the governors of such states should be blamed for the development in their states because they were told through the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee to make the issue of wage a priority.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said this in a statement by her Special Adviser on Communications, Paul Nwabuikwu.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Former African Footballer of the Year Emmanuel Adebayor has launched an astonishing attack on his family, in which the Tottenham Hotspur striker accuses them of turning their backs on him, renting out property he paid for without his knowledge. In the case of his brother Rotimi, Adebayor accused him stealing mobile telephones while at a football academy in France.

In a lengthy Facebook post, the Togo international Adebayor talked about the financial burden of supporting his family but his reasons for bringing the issues light were an effort for other families to “learn from what happened in mine”, adding “keep in mind that none of this is about money.”

I’m cautiously optimistic about Buhari, says Soyinka

Prof. Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, says he believes that the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, cannot be worse than past presidents because he will be guided by a sense of history.

He, however, said he “is cautiously optimistic” about Buhari’s performance.

Soyinka said this while delivering a lecture titled, ‘Predicting Nigeria, Electoral Ironies’ at the Harvard University Hutchins Centre for African and African American Research in the United States, according to a gazette by the institution.

A former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, had asked Soyinka if Buhari could reform Nigeria like the late Singaporean leader, Lee Kuan Yew.

President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has said he is still working towards buying Arsenal Football Club, despite the fact that his bid to acquire a stake in the club was rebuffed by the owners in 2010.

In an interview with Bloomberg, while on a journey from Addis Ababa to Lagos last Friday, Dangote expressed hope that his new strategy would enable him buy the north London club at a price the owners won’t want to resist.

He said, “I still hope, one day at the right price, that I’ll buy the team. I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price that the owners won’t want to resist. I know my strategy,” Dangote, a known fan of the north London club, said.

‘Missing’ $20bn: Reps panel wants PwC probed

Hon. Solomon Olamilekan

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts on Sunday asked the Federal Government and its agencies to stop further dealings with Pricewater House Cooper,   the firm that investigated the alleged $20bn missing oil money.

The committee said considering the controversy generated by the firm’s report on the missing money,   the International Federation of Accounting and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria should   probe   past audits carried out on behalf of the Federal Government the PwC.

A former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor and now the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi had last year   raised the alarm that   the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation did not remit the said sum to the federation account.

If winning is a crime, Chelsea and Floyd Mayweather are both guilty as sin

Within hours of Floyd Mayweather reducing boxing’s most eagerly-anticipated showdown in ages to another one-man supershow of tireless dedication and meticulous accuracy, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea did the exact same thing on the football pitch to the most-watched league in the world.

It matters not at all to everyone but the most ardent supporters of the Blues or of ‘The Money Team’ just how good you have to be to make it look so simple against the money of a Manchester United or City, or against the legendary skills of a certain Hall-of-Famer like Manny Pacquiao.

Akume, Tinubu meet in Lagos over Senate presidency

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator George Akume

One of the top contenders for the Senate presidency, Senator George Akume, and the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday met at the Lagos home of Tinubu.

Our correspondent learnt that at the meeting which took place around 3pm, Tinubu told Akume to shelve his ambition and support Senator Ahmed Lawan, who represents Yobe-North senatorial district in the 8th Senate.

The battle for the Senate presidency was between the North-East and the North-Central. Akume, who is currently the Senate Minority Leader, represents Benue-North senatorial district in the Senate.

Sacked Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Abdullahi Habib

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday sacked Mallam Habib Abdullahi as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

He has also named Alhaji Sanusi Bayero as his replacement.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said Bayero’s appointment would take effect from Thursday (today).

No reason was given for Abdullahi’s sack.

The statement partly read, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the appointment of Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Ado Bayero as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Naira and dollar notes

The dollar sank to its lowest level in more than two months as the currency market adopted a markedly dovish view on the United States monetary policy after data showed the economy virtually stagnating in the first three months of the year.

But as the market awaited the outcome of a meeting of the Federal Reserve policy makers, government bonds and equities on both sides of the Atlantic also came under pressure, according to Financial Times.

This was particularly so in Europe as the euro broke above key resistance levels, further aided by more signs that the European Central Bank’s quantitative easing programme was helping to ease deflation pressures and improve credit conditions.

I never apologised to Bode George – Tinubu

Bola Ahamed Tinubu

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has denied apologising to the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Chief Bode George.

George had said during an interview with the Sunday PUNCH that Tinubu was responsible for his imprisonment but had apologised to him at the burial of the Deputy President General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last year.

However, Tinubu in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare, said he never apologised to George since he had nothing to do with George’s incarceration.

National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress on Tuesday upturned the ban placed on the Africa Independent Television by the security team of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari’s team had on Monday placed a ban on the media crew of the AIT, citing security concerns as well as ethical issues.

But the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement in Abuja, said all accredited media organisations, “including AIT,” are free to cover the President-elect’s activities.

The APC said the incoming Buhari administration would not discriminate against any media organisation irrespective of its role during electioneering.

Indonesian authorities on Tuesday executed four Nigerians and four others for drug-related offences despite pleas by the United Nations, the European Union, Amnesty International and the Federal Government.

The Nigerians were identified as Martin Anderson, 50; Silvester Nwolise, 47; Okwudili Oyatanze, 41, and Jamiu Abashin, 50.

The convicts were reportedly taken to the Nusakambangan Island where they were executed by firing squad on Tuesday evening.

According to a report by the UK Guardian, Abashin was said to be homeless in Bangkok when a new “friend” offered him $400 to take some clothes to Indonesia.

Sambo and Jonathan

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-president Namadi Sambo, non-returning federal lawmakers, ministers and presidential aides will collect N3.24bn as severance allowances, investigation by The PUNCH has shown.

The severance allowances are contained in the Remuneration Package put together by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

According to the package, Jonathan, who will hand over to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on May 29, is entitled to 300 per cent of his annual basic salary.

The President’s annual basic salary is put at N3, 514,705 and therefore his severance allowance will be N10, 544,115 after May 29.

Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade

The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has confirmed that the troops of the Nigerian Army rescued 200 girls and 93 women during a raid on Sambisa Forest on Tuesday.

When the news of the rescue was broken on the tweeter handle of the military on Tuesday, many Nigerians had gone online to speculate that the freed ladies included the Chibok schoolgirls.

However, Olukolade did not confirm whether or not the Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014 were among the rescued ladies.

The Defence spokesman told our correspondent on the telephone that the tweets were the true position of the army on its operations in Sambisa Forest.

Controversial sacking of police IG

President Goodluck Jonathan

DISPLAYING utter contempt for the 1999 Constitution he swore to uphold, President Goodluck Jonathan has sacked Suleiman Abba as the Inspector-General of Police. He replaced him immediately with Solomon Arase, a Deputy Inspector-General, in an acting capacity. Both the dismissal and the acting appointment are gross violations of the 1999 Federal Constitution, Nigeria’s supreme law.

Without citing any cogent reason, the President unceremoniously fired Abba, who assumed office nine months ago. Sadly, however, these actions are in keeping with the trend of impunity in the Jonathan administration, which has consistently conducted itself in an imperial manner, to the detriment of the rule of law, the common good and growth of our democratic norms. They have all the trappings of using power for selfish end.

National Assembly building, Abuja

Commercial banks have sent marketers, mostly females after newly-elected senators and members of the House of Representatives in Abuja to open discussions on investments and other business deals.

The energetic, sweet-talking and mostly female marketers, flooded the International Conference Centre, venue of an ongoing induction course for the new arrivals on Monday.

Investigations by The PUNCH showed that the target of the banks largely was to woo the lawmakers to open accounts with them.

Some of the smartly dressed marketers also offered loan opportunities they claimed their banks could guarantee with “friendly repayment terms.”

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said his administration had nothing to hide in respect of the claim by a former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Lamido Sanusi, that $20bn oil money was not remitted to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

To prove this, he said he had directed that the full report by PriceWaterHouse which was commissioned to carry out a detailed investigation into the activities of the NNPC be made public immediately.

Jonathan, in a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, also described the allegation by the All Progressives Congress that his officials were embarking on last minute illegal actions as “unfortunate and uncharitable.”

Alhaji Ali Olanusi

Alhaji Ali Olanusi on Monday described his removal by the Ondo State House of Assembly as deputy governor as a huge joke.

Olanusi spoke through his lawyer, Oluwole Kayode, hours after the Commissioner for Agriculture, Lasisi Oluboyo, was sworn in as the state’s new deputy governor.

Olanusi’s travails began a month ago when he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.

In condemning his impeachment, he reminded the lawmakers of an April 23 court order that the status quo be maintained in respect of his office.

Oshoala shortlisted for BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year

Asisat Oshoala

Super Falcons and Liverpool FC forward, Asisat Oshoala, has been shortlisted for the first edition of the British Broadcasting Corporation Women’s Footballer of the Year.

The BBC is widely noted for their African Footballer of the Year award which comes up before the Confederation of African Football edition.

The new event was announced during one of their monthly programmes ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

The African Footballer of the Year was nominated along with four others: Spain’s Verónica Boquete, German Nadine Kessler, Kim Little of Scotland and Marta of Brazil.

National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu

A former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State, Mr. John Dara, has called on the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to resign his appointment.

A statement by Dara explained that the honourable thing for Mu’azu to do was to resign his appointment because the party had suffered serious defeats in the last general elections.

Dara said Mu’azu’s tenure was regressive to the bid of PDP’s presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who became the first sitting president to lose a presidential election.

He said, “There is no doubt that it is reasonable for Mu’azu to resign as he presided over elections that PDP recorded a poor performance.

A leader of the Peoples Democratic Party leader in Lagos State, Adedeji Doherty, says the card readers used for the presidential election was responsible for President Goodluck Jonathan’s defeat.

Doherty, who came third at the PDP governorship primary last year, said this on his Facebook page on Sunday.

He said INEC should have allowed the Permanent Voter Cards to be used alongside the Temporary Voter Cards.

He said, “Togo held its elections today after a long battle between the electoral commission and the government in power over the use of the almighty card readers. A forensic investigation was done and the card readers were seen to be manipulative and did not add any electoral value to the electoral process.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress has threatened to probe the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan over some “last-minute dubious activities” ahead of the May 29 handover.

The party alleged that the outgoing administration had been looting the nation’s resources, hurriedly recruiting into the public service and privatisatising key financial institutions.

The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, said such actions would have serious repercussions after May 29.

It said apart from media reports of such anomalies, the party had received reliable information from members of the public about some dubious actions by key officials of the outgoing Jonathan administration.

Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said his administration would probe the claim by a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and now the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation failed to remit $20bn oil money to the federation account.

Buhari gave the hint while receiving a delegation of the All Progressives Congress elected officials and supporters from Adamawa State at his campaign office in Abuja.

The President-elect, who spoke in Hausa expressed surprise that instead of probing the allegations by the former CBN governor, the Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party administration chose to fire him.

He stated that since Sanusi’s claim was documented, his administration would take a look at it after the May 29 handover date.

I don’t have plans for marriage –Solidstar

Solid Star

Delta State-born Joshua Iniyezo aka Solidstar is signed on with Achievas Music. He talks about his career and other sundry issues in this interview

What projects are you working on currently?

I just released a new video featuring Tiwa Savage and it was directed by Clarence Peters. Right now, I am paying a lot of attention to the video so that it is accepted. I am also working on an international collaboration because I need to extend my brand across Africa.

Why did you decide to work with Tiwa Savage, ahead of other female artistes?

I chose to work with her not because other female artistes are not good enough, but because she was the perfect person for the song.

Fajuyi and Donald

Donald is the first child of the first military governor of the defunct Western Region, the late Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi. He talks about his father’s military career and life with GBENGA ADENIJI

Please tell us briefly about yourself.

I am Donald Fajuyi; the first child and first son of the late Lt.Col. Adekunle Fajuyi. My mother died two years ago. I am a lawyer and I have three sisters and a late brother.

What memories of your father can you remember?

I was really young then because in 1966 I was 17 years old. I remember that in 1955, he was a lieutenant. My mother and I travelled to Enugu State that year to see him. He was posted to the state then but in what capacity I did not know. I was about six years old then. There were not many African officers at that time.

Oladejo Okediji

Celebrated novelist, Oladejo Okediji, in this interview, tells KAYODE FALADE about his life as a writer

Where and when were you born?

I was born in Oyo but I have chosen 1929 to be the year of my birth. My birth was not registered. But I chose the date because I was baptised in the Methodist Church in March, 1930. And on the certificate it was written as infant. I just chose some few months before, hence I chose October 26, 1929.

When did you choose this date?

I chose the date in 1947, when I was in Wesley College, Elekuro, Ibadan.

What circumstances surrounded this?

Somebody was born in our family in Oyo on October 27, and I felt I am older than the person, so I chose a date back.

Were your parents Christians?

Mrs. Patience Jonathan

Bayelsa State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Osom Makbere, has said President Goodluck Jonathan lost the March 28 presidential election due to international and domestic conspiracies.

Makbere, who is also a lawyer, stated this in an exclusive interview in Yenagoa on Friday.

He said the division in the PDP fold and the overbearing attitude of the President’s wife, Dame Patience, also contributed to the president’s loss.

Giving insight into the failure of the President at the poll, Makbere said, “History has stated that no failure, defeat or loss is a product of a single factor. Jonathan’s loss could be blamed on a multiplicity of interwoven causes.

Businessman faults assassination claim, says friend wooed wife

Victor and Adebayo

A businessman, Adebayo Orekoya, aka Bobby Ibadan, says his friend, Adelakun Victor (Ade Lexus), planned to seduce his wife, Pearl.

He said the claim by Victor that he wanted to assassinate him, was a ploy to distract the police from the truth.

He explained that some men arrested and tagged assassins by the police in Lagos State were actually sent to monitor Victor’s movement so that he could get him (Victor) red handed when he made a pass at Pearl.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the police arrested 46-year-old Adebayo after he allegedly sent a gang from his hometown in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to Lagos to kill Victor at a bar.

The International Finance Corporation, an arm of the World Bank Group, has signed an agreement with MasterCard Incorporated to establish a risk-sharing facility, which is expected to provide millions of people in emerging markets access to electronic payments.

A statement by MasterCard described the agreement as a crucial step in the organisations’ ongoing collaboration to increase universal financial access by 2020.

“Electronic payments lower the cost and increase the security of transactions, benefitting small businesses and consumers; financial institutions in developing countries are keen to expand services but are often held back by collateral requirements necessary to cover settlement risks,” the statement added.

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle

The United States’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, on Wednesday explained how his office had been able to save N20m in electricity charges each year.

Speaking at the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Mentoring Series Earth Day Programme in Abuja, Entwistle noted that poor electricity supply was not helping the nation’s economic development efforts and the environment.

He said, “One area of ongoing concern is Nigeria’s power utility system. We are all frustrated by the sporadic power outages that negatively affect both our personal and professional lives. These disruptions affect nearly all businesses, but are most detrimental to manufacturing companies.

Chief Bode George

A Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Babatunde Gbadamosi, has accused the leader of the party, Chief Bode George, of colluding with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to ensure PDP’s defeat in Lagos.

He, therefore, called on George to resign immediately.

However, in a swift reaction, George described Gbadamosi as an irresponsible man who may be suffering from a mental problem.

Gbadamosi, who came fourth at the PDP governorship primary last year, said the party would have performed better at the poll if the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro, was given the ticket.

Mrs. Patience Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan’s loss in the March 28 presidential election has started taking its toll on his wife, Patience.

Arrangements had been concluded for her to quit her position as the President of the African Ladies Peace Mission, two months before the expiration of her tenure.

The mission comprises of wives of Presidents of all African countries.

Mrs. Jonathan was elected the mission’s President at its seventh summit held in Abuja in July 2012 and her tenure would have expired in July 2015 when a new president would have been elected.

But because she will cease to be Nigeria’s President’s wife from May 29 when her husband will hand over power to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari , Mrs. Jonathan had summoned an emergency summit of the mission for May 15 for the purpose of electing her successor.

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke

The Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Wednesday disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has started refunding the $1.48bn unremitted fund into the Federation Account as recommended by an audit firm, PriceWaterHouse Coopers.

She however did not disclose how much has for far been refunded by the corporation.

She also denied reports that she was seeking the assistance of some highly-placed persons in order to escape prosecution for alleged corruption from the incoming administration of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari.

Alison-Madueke spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to reduce charges on bank deposits, especially the 0.5 per cent fee payable to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and another 0.5 per cent to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.

The LCCI, in its first quarter review released on Wednesday, said the additional costs were invariably passed on to investors in form of high cost of fund.

The President, LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, noted that the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee, at the end of its meeting last month, decided to sustain the tight monetary policy regime, as it retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 13 per cent, Cash Reserve Ratio on private sector deposits at 20 per cent, CRR on public sector deposits at 75 per cent and liquidity ratio at 30 per cent.

South African Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni

The Federal Government on Wednesday summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Louis-Mnguni, over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other black Africans.

The government also demanded compensation from the South African authorities for the Nigerian victims of the violence by black South Africans.

A statement from the Public Communications Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Louis-Mnguni met in Abuja on Wednesday with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro.

The statement explained that during the meeting, Obanikoro expressed Nigeria’s concern over the fate of its and other nationals in South Africa.

He underscored the fact that since South Africa was a major player on the continent, it should make its nationals to live in peace with citizens of other countries.

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