Ambode defy Tinubu, rejects appeal to endorse Sanwoolu, insist on direct primaries

Ambode defy Tinubu, rejects appeal to endorse Sanwoolu, insist on direct primaries

Lagos state governor Akinwunmi Abode has insist on participating in the APC governorship primaries despite pressure by members of the party to endorse Jide Sanwoolu as his successor.

It was gathered that the national leader of the party and Ambode’s political godfather, Bola Tinubu and elders of the party had told Ambode not to contest the primaries but instead declare his support for the party’s choice, Jide Sanwoolu.

However, despite appearing that he is swimming against the tide in his bid to win the party’s nomination, reports has it that the Epe born politician is insisting on exercising his rights to contest the primaries and let the party members decide his fate.

“Ambode was told to step down and forget his second term ambition. He was told to publicly endorse Sanwo-Olu as his successor. He was promised a ministerial appointment after the APC might have won the presidential election. He was even told to pick a ministry of his choice.

“But Ambode seemed not to be pleased with the directives of the leaders as he declined the ministerial dangle. He also told them to allow the APC primary process to continue as planned. For now, the meeting is still continuing and there is no compromise in sight,” a source said.

Source;  dailyadvent.com

“Finally the great devil died last night”

“Finally the great devil died last night”

Wonders shall never end they say as a corp member celebrated the death of his father.

The corper whose name is Victor M Bills who recently lost his father, took to Facebook to celebrate his death. The Abuja corps member in his post, described his father as a ‘great devil’.

Victor M Bills who stated that they were happy to live to see the death of his father, wrote;

Friday is for CDS….#Abjcoppa….And finally the great devil died last night….. R.I.P my useless father…..Just so happy we all saw ur death…. This is GOODNEWS

Nothing wey we no go see for this naija.

Presidency reacts to Trump’s alleged “lifeless” statement on Buhari

Presidency reacts to Trump’s alleged “lifeless” statement on Buhari

US President Donald Trump and Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari shake hands as they take part in a joint press conference in the Rose Garden of the White House on April 30, 2018 in Washington, DC. / AFP PHOTO / Mandel NGAN

The Nigerian presidency Tuesday said the alleged statement credited to American president Donald Trump describing his Nigerian counterpart as “lifeless” may have been planted in the media by the opposition.

Buhari, the first sub-Saharan Africa president to meet Trump since he was sworn in January 2017 as the 45th American president, was in the US for bilateral talks on Trump’s invitation.

That meeting ended with Trump saying he never wanted to meet someone as lifeless as Buhari again, Financial Times reported citing three persons familiar with the matter.

But Adesina said the statement may not be true after all.

“It is unsubstantiated, it is unverified. Anybody could have planted,” Adesina said on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily.

“In the jostle for power, people can do anything.”

Nigeria’s main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party, said the alleged statement showed how world leaders think of the Nigerian president.

The statement, it said, was an indication of how the Buhari government has failed Nigeria.

“This embarrassment is a backlash a nation gets when incompetent leaders, out of inferiority complex and misgovernance, resort to jumping around the world, desperately shopping for endorsements from world leaders,” PDP’s spokesman Kola Ologbodiyan said in a statement.

The Financial Times report is a contrast to what Trump said of Buhari at a joint press briefing held after their bilateral talks.

Trump said he had in implicit belief in the Nigerian president to rein in the “massive corruption” in the country and commended his efforts at doing that.

“Nigeria has a reputation for very massive corruption. I also know that the President has been able to cut that down very substantially,” Trump said.

“We talked about that, he is working on it and they have made a lot of progress and I think they will continue to make a lot of progress.”

US senator John McCain dies at 81

US senator John McCain dies at 81

John McCain, a war hero and towering figure in American politics, known for reaching across the aisle in an increasingly divided nation, died Saturday following a battle with brain cancer. He was 81.

The senator’s passing marked the end of a storied, 35-year political career that brought the independent-minded Republican within reach of the White House as his party’s presidential nominee.

“It’s been quite a ride,” McCain, who was tortured during five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, wrote in a memoir published earlier this year.

“I’ve known great passions, seen amazing wonders, fought in a war and helped make peace. I made a small place for myself in the story of America and the history of my times.”

McCain, who had been receiving treatment in his home state of Arizona, was surrounded by his wife Cindy and his family during his final hours.

“He was a great fire who burned bright, and we lived in his light and warmth,” said Meghan McCain, one of the late senator’s seven children — three of them from a previous marriage.

Near the driveway to his ranch in a rural part of Sedona, Arizona, a sign read “Sen McCain, thank you for your service.”

A police escort accompanied the hearse that carried his body, as a fiery sunset cast its last light over the rustic countryside McCain loved dearly, and local residents came bearing flowers for the late political titan.

A steady stream of friends and colleagues had come to bid him farewell at his Arizona ranch in the months since his cancer diagnosis, in July 2017.

US President Donald Trump, who once mocked McCain’s war record, said he sent his “deepest sympathies and respect.”

McCain had been a rare and outspoken Republican critic of Trump, accusing him of “naivete,” “egotism” and of sympathizing with autocrats. He made a decisive vote last year that killed Republican attempts to repeal Barack Obama’s health care reforms, and Trump never forgave him.

Source : Global News | Aug. 26, 2018

Demolition: Ajimobi meets Ayefele, sets up reconciliation committee

Demolition: Ajimobi meets Ayefele, sets up reconciliation committee

       
Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has set up a committee to resolve the impasse over the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s Music House in Ibadan.

Mr Ajimobi had set up the committee at a reconciliatory meeting with the popular musician in his office on Thursday in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ayefele in company with some of his workers had arrived at the Governor’s Office at about 11.30 a.m.

The governor said the demolition exercise was neither a witch-hunt nor politically motivated, insisting it was due to contravention of the state ’s property laws.

Mr Ajimobi described Mr Ayefele as a good man and a responsible citizen, stressing that the next step was to find a compassionate means of resolving the issue.

He also urged Mr Ayefele to ensure that his radio station embraced ethical reportage of the issue.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Lamidi Adeyemi, who was at the Governor’s Office in company of some monarchs, also pleaded with the governor to resolve the impasse.

Earlier, Mr Ayefele had stated that his office responded to all letters forwarded to it by the state government.

He expressed regrets at not being able to see the governor, adding that the emissaries he sent failed to deliver his messages.

        
Mr Ayefele stated that he remains a law-abiding citizen who is ready to comply with the regulations of the state government.

NAN reports that the committee, comprising of government official and some workers of Fresh FM station, including Mr Ayefele, had since commenced the resolution process.

The meeting, which lasted hours, was later adjourned for another day. (NAN)

Ronaldo given two-year prison sentence after striking deal over tax charges

Ronaldo given two-year prison sentence after striking deal over tax charges

Socceruncle | July. 27, 2018

The new Juventus signing will not see the inside of a prison cell but must pay a hefty fine after coming to an agreement over evasion allegations

Cristiano Ronaldo will accept a two-year prison sentence and a fine worth  €19 million (£16.9m/$22.15m) after striking a deal with Spanish authorities over tax charges. 

The ex-Real Madrid striker, now at Juventus, pleaded guilty to four charges of evasion between 2011 and 2014 worth a total of €14.7m. 

According to EFE, that amount has been reduced in his guilty plea to €5.7m, although taking into account fines, interests and other cost the sum ascends to €19m. 

The charges were initially denied by Ronaldo and his management company Gestifute, with the player answering tetchily whenever questioned over the matter. 

After reports emerged that the Spanish government had rejected an initial offer to settle the case, Cristiano wrote on Instagram "Don't try to spoil the beautiful moment I'm living through with fake news," while on another occasion he insisted:  "I do things the right way and I will continue to do so."

As a first-time offender Ronaldo's prison sentence will not be made effective, meaning that he will not spend time behind bars. 

Under Spanish law, though, if the Portugal striker re-offends during the duration of the sentence he would then be open to a custodial sentence. 

Ronaldo's sentence still must be confirmed, which will occur when the star presents himself before Madrid's Pozuelo de Alarcon court to hear the final verdict. 

The charges and prospective sentence are almost identical to those initially handed down to Ronaldo's great rival, Barcelona wizard Lionel Messi. 

Messi and father Jorge had been sentenced to 21 and 15 months in prison respectively for tax fraud, having failed to pay some €4.1m owed on image rights. 

But in July the pair saw their sentences commuted in return for the payment of additional fines. 

Other footballers that have fallen foul of Spanish tax authorities in recent years include Manchester United's Alexis Sanchez and former Argentina captain Javier Mascherano. 

Fayemi wins as APC, PDP woo voters with cash

Fayemi wins as APC, PDP woo voters with cash

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Olufemi Atoyebi, Tunde Ajaja and Tobi Aworinde

The All Progressives Congress candidate in the Ekiti State governorship election, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has won the poll held on Saturday.

From the results of the 16 local government areas in the state, Fayemi defeated his closest rival, Prof. Kolapo Olusola of the Peoples Democratic Party, in 12 LGAs.

Fayemi polled 197,459 while Olusola scored 178,114 votes.

The election witnessed a large turnout of voters and early arrival of the ad hoc staff and supervisors of INEC at polling units.

Voting materials also arrived early in many polling units across the state while voters conducted themselves well during accreditation process.

But tension set in as allegations of vote-buying were levelled against party agents by voters in some polling units. In some cases, the situation led to friction among loyalists of various political parties.

At Ward 12 in the Igbehin area of Ado-Ekiti, an elderly voter, who spoke on condition of anonymity, accused the All Progressives Congress of offering N5,000 to those who had the Permanent Voter Card to secure their votes. He said he rejected the offer.

“I was offered N5,000 to vote for the party but I rejected it. I am 73 years old retired teacher. I cannot allow the future of my children to be bought by moneybags.  I don’t know how we descended to this level when people brazenly offer money to people to secure their votes. It was not like this in the past. Will our votes count with this problem?” he asked.

In Ayegbaju and Oye-Ekiti, it was alleged that party agents paid those who had no PVC N2,000 to vote in connivance with the INEC officials.

A source, who simply identified herself as Bimbo, said after those who had PVC had voted, some of the remaining ballot papers were thumb-printed by youths who had no PVC with the promise of financial gratification.

She said, “If you look well and observe the polling units, the INEC officials connive to allow this thing to happen. They pretended to check the fingerprint but it is fraud they are perpetrating.”

The Peoples Democratic Party was also accused of offering voters N3,000 each to secure their votes. Apart from the reported N3,000 allegedly paid to some civil servants and pensioners by the PDP-led state government, the party agents were accused of going from house to house, approaching voters who possessed PVC.

INEC’s preparation, which the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Abdulganiy Raji, had described as foolproof, failed some of the tests on the election day. Although election materials got to many of the polling units early, there were reports of the card readers failing to function properly.

At Ward 11, Unit 009 in Ishan-Ekiti, where the APC candidate, Kayode Fayemi, voted, his wife, Erelu Bisi, could not vote immediately as the card reader failed to recognise her PVC. The husband expressed apprehension over the situation, saying her vote must count for him.

Loyalists of the PDP in Ado-Ekiti also accused INEC of deliberately allowing the APC supporters to vote while card readers rejected PDP voters in some of the polling units.

At the polling unit in front of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, a man, who identified himself as a youth leader of the PDP in his ward, and who also identified himself as Alawe, said the card reader failed to recognise more than half of the people who wanted to vote for the PDP candidate, Kolapo Olusola.

Elsewhere in Ayede, in the North Senatorial District of the state, some voters also accused INEC of failure to perfect the technology and innovations deployed for the election before introducing them to the Ekiti election.

The election also recorded brigandage and fighting in some parts of the state. A man was injured in a fight among party supporters at Unit 11, Ward 04, at Ijigbo junction in Ado-Ekiti around 7.45am as queues were being formed after the arrival of INEC officials. It was not clear what caused the fight but it was quickly checked by policemen at the unit.

One of our correspondents, who visited polling units in the Fajuyi area of Ado-Ekiti, observed a large turnout of voters with glaring cases of vote-buying which voters called ‘see and buy.’ It was observed that the vote buyers demanded evidence of PVC and assurance that the seller would vote for their party before offering the money.

At Ward 10, Unit 02, security operatives accosted a female voter who had followed the due process of accreditation and voting, only to attempt photographing her ballot paper. The incident prompted uproar from other voters which led female officers to seize the voter’s mobile telephone while also compelling her to delete the photograph.

A source confirmed to SUNDAY PUNCH that a woman sitting by the new Fajuyi Bridge with three bags paid voters on behalf of one of the major political parties.

At one scene, a middle-aged man approached a youth and accused him of voting at the nearby Ward 10, Unit 13 and leaving the polling station to disrupt the conduct at Ward 10, Unit 02.

Another man was heard complaining that he voted and showed evidence to a political party as he demanded payment.

At Ward 10, Unit 13 in Ado-Ekiti, voters were agitated as a domestic electoral observer confided in one of our correspondents that the ‘see and buy’ arrangement had been at play, albeit discreetly.

The atmosphere at the ward was chaotic as a large number of frustrated voters unsuccessfully tried to get registered as a result of a malfunctioned card reader. Elderly men and women stood in the sun for more than three hours before provision was made for the replacement of the faulty card reader.

According to an electoral observer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, other areas that experienced pockets of violence included Ojumose, Damilore and Oke-Ila in Ado-Ekiti.

The source said policemen invited to the scene of the violence in Ojumose shot indiscriminately into the air to disperse the thugs. The source added that cases of ‘see and buy’ were also prevalent in the aforementioned areas.

My source if from Punch

JUST IN: #EkitiDecides2018: APC wins Fayose’s local government

JUST IN: #EkitiDecides2018: APC wins Fayose’s local government

Fayose casting his vote

The candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC) in the ongoing Ekiti State election has emerged victorious in Irepodun-Ifelodun Local Government Area.

Kayode Fayemi of the APC polled 13,869 votes in the local government of the outgoing governor, Ayodele Fayose. The PDP had 11,456 votes.

Even though the PDP won in Mr Fayose’s polling unit and ward, the votes in other wards were not enough to secure victory for his party in his local government.

The local government has 11 wards. Results from each ward was collated at the headquarters of INEC situated in Igede.

A total of 66,162 electorates are registered in the local government while 27,306 were accredited.

Of the 27,211 votes cast, 25,849 were valid while 1362 were rejected.

Only party agents of APC and PDP present at the centre signed the result at 11:06p.m.

SEE THE FULL RESULTS BELOW:

AWO WARD 3

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5102
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2245
APC – 1074
PDP – 1002
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2121
TOTAL REJECTED – 96
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2217
NO CANCELLATION

IROPORA/ESURE/EYIO WARD 8

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5637
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2109
APC – 937
PDP – 1033
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2006
TOTAL REJECTED – 103
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2109
NO CANCELLATION

IGEDE 3 WARD 7

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 3902
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 1717
APC – 665
PDP – 963
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 1652
TOTAL REJECTED – 61
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 1713
NO CANCELLATION

AFAO WARD 1

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 4286
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2036
APC – 517
PDP – 1361
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 1909
TOTAL REJECTED – 127
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2036
NO CANCELLATION

ARE, WARD 2

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 4426
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 1968
APC – 701
PDP – 1095
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 1850
TOTAL REJECTED – 108
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 1958
NO CANCELLATION

IGEDE 2 WARD 6

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5450
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2307
APC – 891
PDP – 1190
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2114
TOTAL REJECTED – 187
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2301
NO CANCELLATION

IGEDE 1, WARD 5

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 5794
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2610
APC – 1087
PDP – 1330
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2475
TOTAL REJECTED – 135
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2610
NO CANCELLATION

IYIN 1, WARD 10

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 6574
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 3014
APC – 2229
PDP – 612
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2887
TOTAL REJECTED – 110
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2998
NO CANCELLATION

IYIN 2, WARD 11

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 7148
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 3188
APC – 2218
PDP – 743
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 3018
TOTAL REJECTED – 165
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 3183
NO CANCELLATION

IWOROKO, WARD 9

TOTAL NO OF REGISTERED VOTERS – 11025
TOTAL NO OF ACCREDITED – 2658
APC – 1315
PDP – 1140
TOTAL VALID VOTES – 2521
TOTAL REJECTED – 130
TOTAL NO OF VOTES CAST – 2651
NO CANCELLATION

Saidi, Faithia Balogun reunite for son (photos

Saidi, Faithia Balogun reunite for son (photos)

This is cheery news to their fans and friends, who always looked forward to a reconciliation between the two actors—Saidi and Faithia Balogun.

Well, the two Exes who had two kids to show for their union, reunited recently.
Saidi’s son, Khalid, whom he had with Fathia, recently had his birthday and not just that, he also graduated from high school as he warms up to joining his colleagues at the university.
The celebration of his ‘graduation’ saw the two ex-lovers coming together to celebrate their son.
Despite the marital issues they have had together, the two love birds have continued to show maturity whenever they are in public as they still cannot hide the affection they have for each other.
Faithia and Saidi. were married for six years. Their marriage took place on September 7, 2000, at the Ikorodu Marriage Registry, Lagos. However, they were officially divorced on January 17, 2014.

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Meanwhile, the marriage which produce two children—a boy and a girl—was fraught with several years of allegations and counter-allegations of infidelity and battery between the couple which culminated in an ugly split.
Saidi, who had filed a petition seeking for a divorce in April 12, 2013, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ and maintained that Faithia had deserted him for a continuous period, over one year before 2006 when both parties have lived apart.
Saidi had stated in his petition that Faithia Williams had treated him in such a way that it can no longer be reasonably expected to live with her under the same roof as husband and wife.
The famous actor therefore sought among others in his petition, the order of the court to dissolve the marriage and also to be given unfettered access to the children of the marriage.

0 years old Boy seen in Lagos selling plantain in the night, gets cleaned up by Williams Uchemba, reunites with his family in Akwa Ibom

10 years old Boy seen in Lagos selling plantain in the night, gets cleaned up by Williams Uchemba, reunites with his family in Akwa Ibom

10-year-old Joseph, the plantain seller who was pictured sleeping in the middle of the road late at night with his trays of plantain by his side , has had his fortunes turned around after former child actor Williams Uchemba stepped in to help him.

Joseph left his parents in Akwa Ibom to serve a woman in Lagos after she promised to send him to school. But she then turned around to maltreat him and make him sell plantain on the streets.

He was picked up off the streets when a photo of him went viral, he was cleaned up real good, fed, and is now on his way back to his hometown in Akwa Ibom. Some members of Uchemba’s team accompanied him home to be reunited with his parents.

They have also promised to rehabilitate him to make sure he doesn’t return to the streets.

’BANJ LOSES HIS 1 YEAR OLD SON, DANIEL D’THIRD

D!!! ’BANJ LOSES HIS 1 YEAR OLD SON, DANIEL D’THIRD

 

In a very sad turn of events, Nigerian singer Dbanj and his wife Lineo Didi Kilgrow have today lost their son Daniel.

The music star who arrived Los Angeles two days ago to attend the 2018 BET Awards is reported to have lost his only son, Daniel D’Third who celebrated his 1st birthday just one month ago.

According to insiders, Daniel reportedly drowned in a pool yesterday.

A quick check on D’banj’s Instagram page showed beautiful photos of his father and son moment with Daniel.

Lionel Messi makes shock Cristiano Ronaldo confession after World Cup struggles - report

Lionel Messi makes shock Cristiano Ronaldo confession after World Cup struggles - report

LIONEL MESSI has reportedly conceded his Argentina side are weaker than Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.

Lionel Messi missed a penalty in Argentina's draw with Iceland

Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines last night as his stunning hat-trick secured Portugal a 3-3 draw in their World Cup opener with Spain.

Lionel Messi failed to take his chance to make the back pages though as Argentina were held to a 1-1 draw with Iceland with the Barcelona talisman missing a penalty.

And Spanish publication Don Balon claim Messi is angry his chance of securing a sixth Ballon d’Or already appear to be slipping.

With five Ballon d’Or awards each to their name, both will be vying for a record sixth come the end of the year.

Messi won La Liga with Barcelona this season, while Ronaldo won a third consecutive Champions League title with Real Madrid.

Lionel Messi fluffed his lines against Iceland in Argentina's World Cup opener

The result of this year’s award winner could come down to whoever triumphs in the World Cup.

Don Balon say Messi is already conceding defeat in the battle to be crowned the world’s best player because he reportedly believes Portugal have a better team than Argentina.

Speaking after the match Messi said: “The truth is that we can not win the match, add up the three points.

“I think we deserved to win the match, but now it's to follow and think about what's next.

Lionel Messi's rival Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick against Spain

“It hurts to lose the penalty, because it would give us the advantage.

“And getting a difference changes the match, as did not happen in the first goal.

“But we could not keep because they drew fast.”

Messi’s Argentina next play Croatia on Thursday after Ronaldo’s Portugal play Morocco on Wednesday.

N1.126bn fraud: Court sentences ex-Gov Dariye to 14 years imprisonment

N1.126bn fraud: Court sentences ex-Gov Dariye to 14 years imprisonment

…..I am a victim, deceived by my bank– Dariye tells court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—-A High Court of Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting at Gudu, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced the former Governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye to 14 years imprisonment for diverting public funds to the tune of N1.126billion.

Senator Joshua Dariye

Dariye who was governor of Plateau State from 1999 to 2007 and the current Senator representing Plateau Central, was found guilty on 15 out of the 23-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

The court said it was satisfied that the defendant, being a public officer that had full dominion and control of ecological funds the Federal Government released to Plateau State in 2001, converted and diverted same for his personal use.

It held that the ex-governor criminally misappropriated funds and acted in violent breach of public trust and his oath of office.

Nevertheless, the court discharged and acquitted the ex-governor on 8-counts which it said was not sustained with sufficient evidence.

Dariye had before his sentence was announced by trial Justice Adebukola Banjoko, pleaded the court to temper justice with mercy, describing himself as a victim of circumstance.

In a plea of allocutus he made through his lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro, SAN, Dariye said he was deceived by his bank.

Erokoro insisted that his client who he said served his state diligently, became tainted owing to pervasive corruption in the public service.

“This man has suffered. We urge my lord to temper justice with mercy”, Erokoro pleaded, adding that case of his client was different from that of ex-governor of Taraba State, Rev. Jolly Nyame who was jailed 14years for stealing public funds.

However, EFCC’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, urged the court to impose the maximum sanction, accusing Dariye of failing to show any remorse for the crime he committed.

“My lord should consider the conduct of the defendant who has stalled his trial since June 2007. Is he remorseful about what he has done? He is not! He has not shown any remorse. He still believes that he has not done anything wrong.

“The prisons are congested with the poor and those that cannot afford their daily meal, but the big men are not there!”.

Jacob’s urged the court to give a sentence capable of serving as a deterrent to other public office holders.

Irked by the submission, Dariye challenged EFCC’s lawyer, accusing him of deliberately inciting the court to take severe decision against him.

“You are not God! Your name is Jacob, as a Christian you should have mercy! You cannot predict my state of mind. Let’s not spoil tomorrow because of today. Can you raise your hand to swear there is a saint in Nigeria?”, Dariye bellowed from the dock.

In her verdict, Justice Banjoko said she was not persuaded by Dariye’s claim of being a victim.

Decrying what she termed as “brazen act of systematic looting” while the defendant held sway as the defendant, the Judge noted that Dariye was at a point, richer than his state.

While the court sentenced the defendant to 2years imprisonment on each of the counts bordering on misappropriation, he was handed 14 years for the counts involving criminal breach of trust.

The court held that the sentence would run concurrently, even as it directed EFCC to return all the funds it recovered in the course of the investigation into the coffers of Taraba State.

The court had earlier in the judgment that lasted over six hours, noted that following a Mutual Legal Assistance Request from the Metropolitan Police in London, it was uncovered that Dariye sequentially laundered funds from Nigeria into National West Ministers Bank in the United Kingdom, using an account he opened in the name of a fictitious firm.

It observed that a former detective with the Met Police, Mr. Peter Clarke who testified as the ninth prosecution witness, PW-9, during the trial, disclosed that Dariye wired funds from an account the fictitious firm- Ebenezer Rednar Ventures- operated with All States Trust Bank in Nigeria, into nine separate accounts he opened at Barclays Bank in London.

Clarke who led a team of Met police officers that arrested Dariye on September 28, 2004, had informed the court that a warrant of arrest that was issued against the ex-governor after he jumped bail in London and ran back to Nigeria to escape being prosecuted on money laundering charges, was still valid.

Justice Banjoko held that evidence before the court confirmed huge outflow of funds from the Plateau State treasury, into accounts Dariye operated with All States Bank and Lion Bank (now Diamond Bank), using the name of the fictitious firm.

Describing circumstances that surrounded the opening of the accounts as suspicious, as no picture was used in the opening mandate, the court stressed that signature of the ex-governor appeared in four places on the account opening documents.

It noted that admittance by All States Bank that it granted the defendant waiver to operate the account without the required mandate picture, led to prosecution and conviction of some of its key officials.

Justice Banjoko held that forensic analysis confirmed that signatures on the account operated in the name of Ebenezer Rednar Ventures belonged to Dariye.

She said the account was opened on December 19, 1999, without proper documentation and with false and untraceable address, observing that Dariye had in his statement before the London Police and the EFCC, admitted that Ebenezer is the name of one of his children.

“As at the time the account was opened on December 19, 1999, the defendant was still the governor of Plateau State. Wrong account opening form were used, details were falsified, all in a bid to conceal the identify of the true owner of the account”, the court held.

It noted that one Daniel Haruna who was the second signatory to the said account which was opened as if it belonged to an individual but operated as a corporate account, could not be located.

The court maintained that Dariye was “the face behind the mask” that operated the account, stressing that the defendant, being as a public servant, was not permitted by law to operate a foreign account.

“The court is satisfied that Ebenezer Rednar Ventures and Chief Dariye are one and the same person. The defendant is adequately capable of answering to any charge against the firm”.

Though Dariye had in two applications dated May 7 and June 7, 2001, used Plateau State to apply for a total of N3billion from the ecological fund, only about N1bn was approved for him.

The ex-governor was said to have personally collected the cheque from the Central Bank of Nigeria, on July 12, 2001.

EFCC, through its witnesses, told the court that the N1.126bn ecological fund meant for reclamation and rechannelization, was diverted into different private accounts by the defendant.

While reviewing the proof of evidence that was laid before the court, Justice Banjoko observed that the sum of N280m from the fund was said to have been shared to three beneficiaries, among whom included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who
allegedly received N100m through his firm, Marine Float.

A former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu was said to have also received N10m, even as EFCC told the court that whereas the money that was given to the ex-VP was for the North East wing of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the defendant equally donated N100m each to the South West and South East wings of the party on July 20, 2001, as well as N66m to the Plateau State chapter of the party to be shared to all the 274 wards in the state.

The anti-graft agency told the court that the N100m which was sent to PDP South West through a then Minister of Special Duties, Dr. Yomi Edu, was subsequently returned to Plateau State by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

While EFCC alleged that the defendant used N250m to purchase a property in London in September 2001 through the Chairman of Pinnacle Communications, Dariye however claimed that the fund was used to refurbish TV and Radio stations in the state.

Besides, Dariye was said to have bribed one Dr. Nkuma who was a Permanent Secretary at the Ecological fund office with N80m to facilitate the release of the fund to him.

Justice Banjoko held that Dariye failed to adduce any reasonable explanation for the funds he released to the ex-VP and the PDP.

The court said it was satisfied that Dariye was giulty of dishonest missaprropriation and criminal breach of trust.

It noted that out of the total ecological fund, only N550m was paid into the coffers of Plateau State following a hand written instruction the defendant gave to All States Trust Bank which he used to clear the cheque from CBN.

Though the court held that EFCC could not establish that Dariye used N250m to acquire a flat in London, it however found the defendant guilty of illegally using funds meant for ecological project for other purpose.

The Met Police had through its ex-investigator, Clarke, told the trial court that Dariye was arrested with his personal assistant, Christabel Bentu, in a hotel in London.

Clarke said Dariye’s arrest and subsequent detention was a fallout of an investigation into a credit card fraud involving one Christopher McQuiney who he said was caught with 11, 500.00 pounds concealed in a brief case.

The former Met investigator told the court that McQuiney, who was arrested and taken to a police station in North East London, confessed that the money belonged to his boss, Dariye.

Dariye’s request for Clarke to be recalled to the witness box during his defence was declined by the court.

EFCC closed its case against the defendant after it called 10 witnesses that testified before the court, even as the defendant called a total of 16 witnesses to defend the charge against him.

Dariye had earlier lost his bid to disqualify Justice Banjoko from presiding over his trial.

He had in a petition to the Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello, alleged that the trial judge had on several occasions, openly exhibited “manifest and undisguised bias’’ against him.

Aside asking Justice Banjoko to disqualify herself from further presiding over the trial, the defendant prayed the CJ to transfer the case-file to another court, a request that was refused.

Dariye had also failed to persuade both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court to quash the charge against him.

Buhari has declared results of June 12, 1993 election’

‘Buhari has declared results of June 12, 1993 election’

• Oshiomhole okays June 12 as Democracy Day 
The Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has said President Muhammadu Buhari, by his proclamation, has announced the results of the annulled June 12, 1993 elections and declared Generals Ibrahim Babaginda and Olusegun Obasanjo as enemies of democracy.

Okechukwu, who spoke to journalists during a festival in his Eke hometown in Enugu State at the weekend, faulted the call by the Senate for the declaration of the results, saying the profound proclamation was the result declaration awaited for 25 years.

On the claim by renowned jurist, Justice Belgore that the President violated the law, Okechukwu said a renowned legal luminary, Femi Falana (SAN), also read sections of the law and said the president did not violate it

Meanwhile, former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomole, has lauded the decision to declare June 12 as Democracy Day.

He faulted the idea of celebrating the day on May 29 which was the date former President Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in for his first term in office in 1999.

Oshiomhole, an All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairmanship aspirant, told reporters at the opening of his campaign headquarters in Abuja,
that the June 12, 1993 when former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, annulled the freest and fairest presidential election widely believed to have been won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola ought to have been set aside as the date to celebrate democracy.

The former governor commended President Buhari for the decision to also confer a posthumous award on the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, noting it would serve as an inspiration to future generation of Nigerians to push for a fair and just society.

“We should salute the president for his statesmanship. There are many things he has done over the past three years that are outstanding. His bold decision to acknowledge that June 12 cannot be wished away should be commended.

“He deserves commendation across party divides because, for the 14 million people who voted, the annulment was a huge shock and serious pain. So, for Buhari to acknowledge Abiola in the manner that he did and confer on him posthumously an award meant for people who are presidents mean that he has settled the question,” Oshiomhole said.

Abiola’s son opens up: I asked Obasanjo to honour my father

Abiola’s son opens up: I asked Obasanjo to honour my father

•Even in death MKO has many enemies
•President Buhari is a special person
•Jonathan had good intention by honouring MKO
•How Abacha sent news of mum’s death to dad in prison

BY CHARLES KUMOLU, Deputy Features Editor

ALHAJI Jamiu Abiola, son of the late presumed winner of June 12 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, in this interview, speaks on the honour bestowed on his father, untold stories of his incarceration and his father’s enemies among others. Jamiu, who is the third child of the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, also spoke on the roles of certain actors in the June 12 saga. Before the latest immortalisation of his father, he had authored two books on Abiola’s mandate, The Stolen Presidency and The President Who Never Ruled.

Excerpts:

You wrote a book, The President Who Never Ruled about your late father, Chief MKO Abiola a few years ago. Today, the award of the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, GCFR, to your father seems to have brought some of your wishes in the book to reality. How do you feel?

Abiola

Right now I can say that I am the happiest man, not just literally, but factually. I am the happiest man because for so long I felt that my parents died for nothing because there is nothing worse than somebody making a sacrifice and the sacrifice not recognised. It was recognised by Nigerians but those that got power after June 12 found it convenient to sweep it under the carpet for reasons best known to them. Initially, I was almost getting frustrated because some people were trying to rewrite history by ignoring my father. This is not the first time that a great man has been treated the way my father was treated.

For example, Julius Caeser did a lot for the Roman Empire. He went around conquering nations and building empires but the elite in Rome conspired and killed him. That is why I want everybody in Nigeria to give special respect to President Buhari. He is very fantastic. I am not flattering him because that is the truth. Some say that the truth is bitter, but in this case, the truth is sweet about President Muhammadu Buhari.

In this case, he is not only a good person but a perfect person. He is not a Yoruba man. He is from Katsina and has proven that he is more detribalised than any other Nigerian. He is of the same calibre with people like Mandela and Chief Abiola. Now he has shown that it is not about where anyone comes from, but about the fact that we are one. That is the symbolic meaning of what he has done.

25 years ago the election was held and nobody that got to power did what he has done. President Goodluck Jonathan tried by naming the University of Lagos after him but people felt that, UNILAG was too small for Chief Abiola. I was very happy when he did it because I believe that if someone is going somewhere, he must start from somewhere.

This honour bestowed on your father came 48 hours after the commemoration of the death of your mother, the late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, who also died in the struggle. What can you say about the coincidence?

MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola are one. This struggle is like teamwork. When MKO Abiola was arrested, his role in the struggle became limited. He was now fighting an internal struggle because at that time he was in solitary confinement. But the struggle was led by a woman who was 44 years old at that time. She was the one that led the struggle against the military which was the most powerful mafia at that time because they had wealth, power and other resources at their disposal. She did not give up. I called her several times when I was in America to quit the struggle because she would die.

I told her to take things easy. I told her to come to America. Her response was ‘’how can I leave when my husband is here.” Unfortunately, she got killed. I am so grateful that the American city of New York named a street after her. That was something that had never been done to any African in America other than Mandela. Even my father did not get that honour. The 44th Street in New York was named after her.

Another book you wrote about your father is The Stolen Presidency. In it, you also revealed some of the intrigues that contributed to the fate that befell your father. In that book, you stated the honours that your father deserved including this honour bestowed on him by President Buhari. What informed that?

“The President Who Never Ruled” and “The Stolen Mandate” were the most difficult tasks I have undertaken in my life because I experienced psychological trauma. What made it more dramatic was that after writing it in English, I translated it into Arabic. I did that so that people in the Arab world will know that Africa can actually produce quality and sacrifice. I wanted them to also know that Africans are not just barbaric. I wrote the book because I realised that Abiola’s name was going and nobody wanted to recognise him.

When I wrote the book, I dedicated it to President Youri Museveni and President Nelson Mandela for supporting my father, President Moshood Abiola when he was incarcerated. I referred to him as President Abiola in the book. It was in 2015. I gave the book to President Buhari, who had not become President then. I gave the book to Obasanjo and others. Some people called me after reading the book to ask if I was not scared of my life.

They said those who destroyed my father were still alive and I said the truth the way it was in the book. My response was that having lost my parents, even if I die for saying the truth about what happened to him, the struggle would continue. However, I did not have the premonition that he would eventually be given GCFR. I did it because as the son of Cheif MKO Abiola I owed him an obligation so that people will understand his story. I am happy that some of the things I said in the book have happened.

I actually said that the only good thing Abacha did in office was to appoint Gen Buhari as the Chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund,PTF. At that time, there was no thought of Buhari doing something like this. I was just trying to be objective. Nigerians should respect and thank President Buhari.

How do you feel that Obasanjo, who was Abiola’s schoolmate, was in power for eight years without honouring Abiola, who was even his school mate?

When Obasanjo was the President, I visited him several times and called him several times. He also called me. Even when I wrote my first book, he did a fantastic review of the book and said the book gave people hope. There was a time I sent him a text message when he was President, telling him that peoples’ impression about his failure to honour Abiola was because he did not like him. Unfortunately, he did not do it. When I wrote the second book on my father, I gave him the book. I am sure he read it. All I have done for my father were not for a favour. They are the things I am supposed to do as a son. I saw it as an obligation. I will also want my son to do so for me.

Don’t you think you are biased?

Anybody that feels I am biased about my father should write his own book. I have to be biased because I did not come to this world by accident. These were the people that brought me to this world.

When Jonathan named UNILAG after MKO Abiola a lot of people thought it was a big honour, but it was opposed. Jonathan later succumbed to pressure. How did you feel when it happened?

Half a loaf of bread is better than none. President Jonathan did what he did because he had good intention. Unfortunately, MKO Abiola has a lot of enemies, who claim to be his friends. Those were the people causing the problem. Imagine a President of Nigeria making a statement and less than five minutes later, people were in BRT Buses protesting against the announcement. They were on Third Mainland Bridge causing problems. How were they mobilised?

A lot of people, who did not want Jonathan to have goodwill in the Southwest, opposed it. That is to show that MKO Abiola was so powerful that even in death, he has so many enemies. That is why I said we have to thank President Buhari specially. I am not saying he is angelic but he should be supported to excel.

There are insinuations that this honour is a political missile targeted at Obasanjo, and other former leaders, who have spoken against the president’s re-election bid?

Even before MKO Abiola ran for the presidency, some people said he was just being generous because he wanted to become President. People will always say what they want to say. What President Buhari has done is an indication of the fact that he is a great man. Because he is a great man, people will love or hate whatever he did. Those of us who know the truth understand that if he was not a good man, he would not have done what he did. Some people have the political advantage of doing that but they did not do it. We are not looking at it in a way that he wants to score political points. It is better late than never.

Since the honour on your dad was announced, some are of the opinion that he should be named a posthumous President. The way people are talking seems as if many people are now scrambling to take glory in the imortalisation of MKO Abiola. Do you see it in that way?

This is Africa where many bad things overshadow good things. But when good things happen in Africa they have spiral effects. Those talking now are just doing the right thing. I am not seeing it that anybody is scrambling for anything. They are politicians but a lot of people don’t trust politicians in this country. Sometimes they do things because they actually want to do them for a good reason. It is important we give them the benefit of the doubt so that we can come together and solve the problems of this country. If we don’t come together to do the right thing, we may never get it right.

If you find yourself with Obasanjo and other leaders, who played roles in the June 12 saga in a common room, what will you discuss with them as the son of MKO Abiola?

The wise people in this world have always said that it is good to find a middle ground. I will find what I have in common with them and discuss. We have to focus on good things.

Today, June 8, 2018, is very symbolic. As I am interviewing you now, the Abachas are observing the anniversary of their father’s death. Considering that the incarceration of your father for five years was among the factors believed to be instrumental in his death, have you forgiven the Abacha family?

If I have not forgiven Abacha, the fact that I cannot do any harm to any of them means that my forgiveness is inconsequential. It is so complicated that I cannot say, yellow, blue or black. The most important thing is that if somebody is down, there is no point pushing the person down. Today, when people talk about Abacha is it not about looting? Unfortunately for Abacha even if he earned a legitimate living, nobody is talking about that now. All people are saying is Abacha loot. So, Abacha is already finished. What can I say about somebody in that situation? Now, everybody is talking about MKO Abiola. God has settled everything.

On MKO Abiola’s sacrifice

You will never know who you are until you get to a position where you can do whatever you want to do. A man can be nice but when he becomes rich, his true colours will manifest. Before my father became rich he was a businessman. He was into profit-making. The last time I saw him in 1995, Abacha asked one policeman to bring him to where we were. That was after we waited for three days. Before I saw him, the policeman said I should tell my father to forget about the struggle and move on with his life. He said we should beg him to forget about it because he didn’t want him to die.

He even said my father was nice to them before he was incarcerated. When he came and sat down with us, we asked him how he was doing and his response was ‘’me, I am doing fine.” We then asked him how he was going about his insistence on his mandate, he said, “I am ready to die.” When he said that, the policeman was disappointed.

My father said Nigerians were suffering adding that Abacha did not allow his doctor to see him. He also said they put him in a Black Maria. That was in 1995 when he had spent one year in detention. This was a man who would go to London twice weekly. His pilot and his crew lived in Sheraton. Sometimes he would fly to Paris to have his Rolls Royce so that he could drive to London to have a rest. He lived the highest life ever since 1975 until he was arrested. He was living in London and living in Nigeria. Sometimes, he would go to America and would leave after spending five hours.

During our visit, I reminded him that he once told me that if somebody was holding a sword and if I try taking the sword by force, I would get hurt. I also reminded him that he said that it was good to take the sword gently. He responded that he had taken the sword by the handle, adding that if they stabbed him, that was their business. He was not a shallow man. That was why he was doing so many things. He said he would not accept the position of a Prime Minister from Abacha.

They would have shared the government but he said he would not do it, saying that Abacha was very greedy. He said he didn’t want anyone that would soil his name. Abacha wanted to kill everything about him to the extent that a newspaper report of my mother’s death was given to him the next day.

Police: Saraki, Ahmed indicted for Offa robbery

Police: Saraki, Ahmed indicted for Offa robbery

Senate President: it’s plot to embarrass me

I’ve no link with suspects, says governor

SENATE President Bukola Saraki is to be questioned by the police for alleged criminal indictment by five suspected gangsters involved in the April 5 bank robbery in Offa, Kwara State.

He has been told to report to the Force Intelligence Response Team office in Guzape, Abuja, to clear the air on the allegations against him.

“Senate President Bukola Saraki is being invited to report to the Police to answer allegations indicting him from confessionsof five gang leaders arrested for active participation in the Offa bank robbery and the killing of 33 innocent persons,” Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood, an assistant commissioner, said yesterday.

Giving an update on the investigation yesterday, Moshood said five of the suspects confessed  that they were political thugs used by the senate president and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The governor has denied any involvement as alleged.

The five suspects Are: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibukunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, Salawudeen Azeez and Niyi Ogundiran.

“Ogunleye confessed to killing two persons, Abraham killed five persons, Azeez and Ogundiran killed two persons each during the robbery”, the police said.

The robbers attacked five commercial banks, one microfinance bank and a police station. They killed 33 persons, including nine policemen and an expectant woman during the robbery.

Twenty two suspects are in the police net.

Among those being questioned, according to Moshood, are: Michael Adikwu, who the police described as a sectional gang leader, who killed 22 persons, mostly at the police station,   Kabiru Afolabi,    Omoseni Kassim, Kayode Opadokun, Kazeem Abdulrasheed, Azeez Abdullahi,   Adewale Popoola,  Adetoyese Muftau, Alexander Reuben,  Richard Buba Terry,   Peter Jasper Kuunfa,   Ikechukwu Ebuka Nnaji, Moses Godwin,    Adeola Omiyale and  Femi Idowu.

“The five gang leaders further confessed during investigation that they are political thugs under the name ‘Youth Liberation Movement, a.k.a Good Boys’,” Moshood said, adding that the boys admitted to have been sponsored with firearms, money and operational vehicles by Saraki and Ahmed.”

Moshood said the suspects were grabbed following the arrest of two principal suspects, Kunle Ogunleye, known as “Arrow” and Michael Adikwu, an ex-convict.

“The two principal suspects confessed to be among the suspects led by the five gang leaders to carry out the Offa bank robbery,” he said.

He alleged that in the course of investigation, a Lexus GX-300 with a sticker number plate with the inscription “SARAKI” used by the gang leader, Ayoade Akinnibosun, was recovered.

He said the vehicle was taken to the Government House, Ilorin on May 16 where the number plate was removed and replaced with another, Kwara, KMA 143 RM.

“The exhibit vehicle was subsequently recovered from the premises of Ministry of Environment and Forestry in Ilorin, Kwara,” he added.

Moshood said the sticker number plate removed from the vehicle was recovered from Adeola Omiyale who drove the vehicle to the Government House in Ilorin immediately after the bank robbery.

He said millions of naira and 21 AK47 rifles belonging to the police in Offa were admitted to have been carted away during the bank robbery.

Moshood listed items recovered from the suspects as including: “Two AK47 Rifles, Two Barrette Pistols, One Pump Action Rifle,   One Revolver Pistol – In Police Custody in Ilorin, Lexus RX300 Jeep with Reg. No. Kwara, KMA 143 RM belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (gang leader) – used for the bank robbery, Mercedes Benz – Compressor with Reg. No. Lagos LT496 KJA belonging to Ayoade Akinnibosun (gang leader) – used for the bank robbery and one Toyota Prado Jeep with Reg. No. 19KWGH belonging to the PA Political to the Executive Governor, Kwara State – in police custody in Ilorin.

Other items are: “One Toyota Camry Saloon Car with Reg. No. LRN 481 FE – in police custody in Ilorin, N600,000.00 – in police custody in Ilorin, four phones of victims recovered, one sticker plate number with inscription “SARAKI” “Kwara, State of Harmony”

Moshood alleged that the Personal Assistant (Political) to the Kwara Governor, Mr. Alabi Olalekan, had also been arrested for concealing information from the police.

Also arrested is the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Yusuf Abdulwahab.

According to him, Olalekan who was privy to information that the police were looking for the vehicle, directed Adeola Omiyale to relocate it to the Government House.

“The PA is currently in police custody and has made useful statements assisting the police in further investigation into the case,” he said.

He said that a revolver pistol and a pump action gun were recovered by the police investigation team from Olalekan’s farm where he directed his brother to hide them.

The spokesman said 22 suspects involved in the bank robbery were in police custody.

He said efforts were being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large and all suspects involved would be arraigned in court for prosecution on completion of investigation.

He said that the police would continue to ensure that the rule of law prevailed in every case under police investigation and offenders were brought to justice.

I have no link with criminals, says Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday denied any links with the criminal elements, who robbed banks in Offa and killed 33 people.

He however said he would visit the police after receiving a formal invitation.

Saraki’s position is contained in a statement last night by his spokesman Yusuph Olaniyonu, who described his invitation as “part of the plan to abuse of the criminal investigation process aimed at intimidating and over-overawing the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work”.

The statement said: “Dr. Saraki will want the entire public to disregard this claim as a baseless allegation and another ploy by the Police to implicate him by all means.

“Let it be known that there is no way I could have been associated with armed robbery against my people. When the Offa robbery incident happened, I was the first top public official to pay a visit to the place and right there in the palace of the traditional ruler, I put a call through to this same Mr. Ibrahim Idris, the IGP, requesting him to make certain specific security arrangements as demanded by the people.

“Members of the public will remember that on May 16, 2018, I alerted the Senate about the information passed on to me by my State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatai Ahmed, over a plot by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to frame me up by getting some suspected cultists arrested in Ilorin to implicate me. It is believed that the timely leakage of the plot in that case aborted the use of the suspected cultists to implicate me. Now, it is the Offa bank robbery suspects that are about to be used.

“This plot is concocted to embarrass me and, in the mind of the IGP, it is his own response after his refusal to honour the invitation by the National Assembly, headed by me, for him to come and offer explanations on the rampant killings and violence across the country.

“Like the earlier one, this frame-up will also fail as I hereby state categorically that I have no link with any band of criminals.

“As a person who has utmost respect for the rule of law and all constitutional institutions, when the invitation from the Police is formally extended to me, I will be ready to honour it without any delay.

“It is however sad that this abuse of the criminal investigation process aimed at intimidating and over-overawing the legislature, thereby obstructing it from doing its work, is a big threat to our democracy “.

Only One Nigerian university listed among top 1,000 universities in the world! Guess which?

Only One Nigerian university listed among top 1,000 universities in the world! Guess which?

The University of Ibadan is the only academic institution ranked among the top 1000 universities in the world. This is according to the global rankings released by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR).

University of Ibadan is ranked 991st worldwide, and 14th in Africa, No other Nigerian university made the list. Harvard University is ranked number 1 for the seventh year in a row followed by Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“University of Cambridge, U.K, is ranked fourth, while University of Oxford, also in the U.K, is ranked fifth. “Among the top 10 universities are University of California, Berkeley, U.S (sixth); Princeton University, U.S (seventh); Columbia University, U.S (eighth); California Institute of Technology, U.S (ninth); and the University of Chicago, U.S (10th).”

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Also on the list are seven universities from South Africa, four from Egypt, and one each from Uganda and Tunisia. The U.S leads with 213 universities in the top 1000, followed by China (108), the United Kingdom (62), France (58), Japan (56), Germany (54), Italy (45), Spain (38), South Korea (35), and Canada (28) round up the top 10 countries.

According to CWUR, “CWUR’s rankings grade universities on seven factors without relying on surveys and university data submissions: quality of teaching, alumni employment, quality of faculty, research output, quality publications, influence, and citations. “The methodology has been enhanced this year, with research now accounting for 70 per cent of the total score.”

How to Stop a Car with No Brakes

How to Stop a Car with No Brakes

wikihow.com

Imagine you’re exiting the freeway on that killer ramp with the steep grade and the hairpin turn. You try the brakes and... nothing happens. Careening toward the guardrail at 75 mph (121 km/h), you brace yourself for a 400-foot dive into a shallow lake full of fire-breathing alligators. Okay, that scenario is a bit unlikely, but the fact is that brake failure is a terrifying — and dangerous — experience no matter where it occurs. To learn how to stop a car if the brakes fail, read the following instructions.

Steps

Don't panic! Overreacting to this situation will only make it more dangerous.

Take your foot off the gas and turn off cruise control (if on). Cruise control systems should turn off as soon as you touch the brake or clutch, but to be safe, make sure it's switched off.

Pay attention to how your brake pedal feels. If it’s soft and goes to the floor, you may have low fluid, a faulty master cylinder or problems with your drums or calipers. You may be able to rebuild some braking pressure by pumping the brakes.

If, however, your brake pedal is hard and does not move, something in your brake system may have seized or you may have an obstruction under the pedal. Try to feel with your foot (or have a passenger look) to see whether you have something under the brake pedal.

Pump your brakes. Pumping your brakes several times may rebuild enough pressure in the braking system for you to stop. This may take a while, so keep trying. You should do this even if your car is equipped with ABS, as the ABS is only activated when your car is braking too hard (which won't be the problem if your brakes have failed). Then, regardless of whether the car has ABS brakes or not, quickly squeeze the brakes down to the floor to make the most out of all of the pressure you have preserved or built-up, as hydraulic (or air) brakes rarely fail all together. Keep the brakes squeezed to the floor.

Shift into low gear. Shifting into lower gears helps slow you by using your engine to slow the car. If you have an automatic transmission, downshift a gear at a time into low range (generally labeled as “1” on the shifting mechanism). If you have a manual transmission, downshift a gear or two at a time, feel the car slow, and repeat as you work down through the gears. Unless you need to slow the car as soon as possible, be careful not to downshift too quickly; rapid downshifts into first or second gear can cause you to lose control.

If you have tap-to-shift, shift into manual "M" (generally to the right or left of "Drive" on console-shift vehicles or the bottom gear on column-shift vehicles) and press the minus button to shift down. Again, if you can’t go directly into the lowest range, try gradually shifting down.

If you have an additional means of slowing down the car, like a retarder, exhaust brake, or Jake brake, use it slowly.

Use the emergency brake. The emergency brake, or parking brake, can usually stop a vehicle, although it will take longer than usual to come to a stop because it only stops the rear wheels. Apply the brake (depending on your vehicle this is done either by pulling up on the handle or pushing down on the pedal) slowly and steadily; your emergency brake can lock your tire if applied too hard or too fast, especially at high speed. If you pull up the brake quickly, you may lose control of your vehicle. To prevent this, keep the release button engaged (if your car has one) as you apply the emergency brake. This allows you to modulate the pressure with which you are applying the brake.

If you feel or hear your tires lock, release a small bit of pressure from the brake application and hold it there. It should be stated that if the tires do squeal slightly, it does not necessarily mean that they are indeed locked-up. With a handlebar E-brake, one can initially apply it up to three clicks (to enable a controlled slow-down) and then apply an additional one or two extra clicks (to bring the car to a final halt).

Keep your eyes on the road and continue to steer. Pay attention to what’s in front of you, and maneuver to avoid heavy traffic, pedestrians, and dangerous obstacles.

Warn other drivers and pedestrians.Turn your hazard lights on, and honk your horn to make others aware that there is a problem. (Be sure to know the location of the hazard light button prior to such a situation.) While they may not be able to figure out what the problem is, a warning should cause most people to proceed with caution and pay attention to what your vehicle is doing. Open windows to allow air resistance to slow you down as well as enable you to shout to other passengers and drivers.

If you have room on either side of you, steer sharply from side-to-side. Turning creates friction, which slows your car naturally. If you do not have brakes, try turning sharply from left to right over and over to slow your car down. Do not do this at high speeds. Turning at high speeds may flip your car and turning too sharply at any speed can spin your car around, so be careful.

Use your surroundings to slow the vehicle. If the above measures fail to stop you, or if you must stop very quickly, do whatever you can to get under control. Ideally, you could use a runaway truck ramp, but as these are not particularly common, you’ll probably have to improvise. Keep in mind, however, that these techniques can be very dangerous – especially at high speeds – and should only be used as last resorts.

Use terrain to your advantage. Try to seek out inclines that you can go up. If this does not bring your car to a stop, be prepared to do some reverse driving and/or use the emergency brake at the appropriate time.

Use guardrails to slow your vehicle. Cement dividers are built pear-shaped so that contact is made with the wheels, not with the precious metal and paint of your automobile. Applying friction to the rubber on your wheels will slow the car considerably without harming other portions of your vehicle. You can also gently sideswipe whatever is available.

Use road friction to slow your vehicle. Driving through gravel or dirt (such as you might find right off the side of the road) can slow your vehicle considerably. Be very cautious when using this technique. Sudden terrain changes -- especially if only under the wheels on one side of the car -- can cause the car to flip, and may cause serious injury or death to yourself or others. Approach to a graveled or grassy shoulder must be made progressively, smoothly and gently. Afterward, the car must be stabilized as it is driving along the shoulder of the road.

Small trees and shrubbery will slow your vehicle when all else fails. Try to put your vehicle through the center of a line of shrubs or saplings, being careful not to pick a tree that is too heavy for your car to go through. Trees with trunks over 4 inches (116 mm) are considered dangerous to occupants of motor vehicles. Large trees can be fatal.

Hit the back of another car. While obviously not a first choice, it will slow your vehicle. If you’re going to do so, try to warn the driver in front of you by honking your horn. Try to strike a vehicle that is traveling at about the same speed as yours (hitting a slow-moving or parked car will stop you, but the deceleration will be quick and extreme) and attempt to make impact squarely on the back of the vehicle. Glancing blows will likely send both vehicles out of control. Be extremely careful not to hit too hard as your airbag may go off.

Look for a safe spot to pull over (or to crash). Scan the road ahead for a safe area to pull over once you’re able to come to a stop. If you’re not able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop, look for open spaces that you can coast across without hitting anything.

If all alternatives have failed, plan a crash stop. The safest method is to look for a bushy protrusions or shrubs and run it through the friction will significantly reduce car speed to a halt. if there are no bushes go for grass, especially tall grass run the car through the tall grass and it will come to a halt. finally if there is none the last way is go for sand, sand is so unstable will definitely halt your car, especially wet sand.

If the safest spot to "crash land" your vehicle requires you to jump a curb, extra caution must be taken. Even with power steering, the cars' initial reaction will be to rip the steering wheel from your hands, bounce from the curb and back into traffic. It is imperative that you grip the steering wheel in a firm manner and angle your car deep enough into the curb so that it will go up and over, yet shallow enough so that you don't turn the car completely and lose control in a spin.

Tips

You can avoid most instances of brake failure by regularly checking your brake fluid and changing it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. You should also have your entire brake system inspected at regular intervals or if you notice any change in the performance of your brakes. Don’t put off making necessary repairs or performing routine maintenance.

That red "brake light" comes on for a lot of reasons, not just to tell you that your parking brake is engaged. Every time you start the car, see if it flashes to make sure it's working. If it comes on while you're driving, you've lost at least half of your braking system. If it comes on while you're applying the brakes, you have a problem – most likely low brake fluid or a faulty master cylinder.

Do not shift an automatic transmission into park when moving. The parking pawl that binds the transmission will not be able to support a moving car.

Brakes can become less effective if they get wet, especially after hydroplaning or going through deeper water. When going into such water, it's best to apply light acceleration or even downshift. Once exiting the water or recovering from a hydroplaning incident, press the brakes down moderately lightly, release, wait, and reapply (but do not pump). This will help you feel whether the pedal is spongy and soft, in which case a few more times reapplying the brakes in that manner should dry them.

If the engine won't slow down, reduce its ability to transfer power to the wheels. Point the car where it can coast to a stop as safely as possible. Shift into neutral (this may over-rev and damage the engine or transmission, but you have bigger problems).

Downshift when driving downhill . Avoid "riding the brakes" when going down a prolonged incline, as overuse of your brakes will cause them to overheat and fail. Instead, brake enough to slow the vehicle significantly, coast for a time, and repeat. If necessary, make another downshift.

If the brakes do heat up, use more engine braking and less foot-brake pressure to slow the car down, stop it gently with the emergency brake, and let off of the brakes all together. Do not try cooling the brakes with water, as you may warp the rotors.

Many "brake failure" cases are brought about by an object getting stuck under the brake pedal, such as a toy or a soda bottle. Avoid this situation by keeping your car clean and free of debris, especially the area around the driver’s seat. Cups and bottles used in the car should be of fragile, disposable material and not capped (loose cup covers are fine) when anywhere near the driver; this will help them to crush harmlessly if they get under a pedal somehow. Mitigate the increased risk of mess with drinks that are clear or light-colored, free of milk, and/or sweetened only with artificial sweeteners.

Warnings

Sudden down-shifts may damage your transmission. This is especially true if you manage to shift in reverse. That said, you must do what is necessary to stop the vehicle.

Once you manage to stop the vehicle, do not attempt to drive it again until you are sure the problem is fixed.

Do not shut the engine off during a brake failure, as power steering systems are hydraulically driven, and regulated by engine vacuum, as is the brake booster. If you do panic and shut the engine off, hydraulic systems typically give you three more power-assisted pumps. Turn the key to the second position (accessories) so the steering wheel doesn't lock.

Real Madrid beat Liverpool to win Champions League

Real Madrid beat Liverpool to win Champions League

Real Madrid Vs Liverpool

Real Madrid proved once again that they are uniquely made for European final nights but it had a lot to do with early Christmas gifts from Liverpool goalkeeper, Loris Karius, who handed the defending champions two goals.

One goal from Karim Benzema and two from Gareth Bale confirmed Real Madrid as champions of Europe for the 13th time despite an equaliser from Sadio mane in the 55th minute.

After a frenetic start from Liverpool, in which they kept Real Madrid pinned in their own half, it took the shoulder injury to Mohamed Salah to give the Spaniards a foothold in the match. Before the Egyptian left the pitch in tears, Liverpool had attempted eight shots but immediately after he went off, Liverpool were seemingly doused.

They were on the ascendancy toward the end of the first half and took the lead, rather fortuitously in the second half as Karius rolled the ball against Benzema’s outstretched leg.

But it was also Bale’s crowning moment. The Welsh speedster came on in the second half and just seconds later scored a wonder goal, that left everyone watching stunned. Karius then further stunned the crowd as Bale’s speculative shot melted through his fingers.

Real Madrid are champions for a third consecutive time a second time in their history.

Billionaire kidnapper’ Evans to know fate June 26

‘Billionaire kidnapper’ Evans to know fate June 26

Kidnap kingpin, Evans, paraded by security operatives [Photo: Punch Newspapers]

A Lagos Division of the Lagos State High Court has fixed June 26 to rule on an application brought by alleged billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (popularly known as Evans), to quash the criminal charges brought against him.

A. Akintoye, the judge, fixed the date after overruling an earlier application by Evans that the charges constituted an abuse of court processes.

According to Olukoya Ogungbeje, counsel to Evans, similar charges had been instituted against his client in other courts by the Lagos State Government. He said the charges were grossly defective, repetitive and an abuse of court processes.

Relying on Section 153 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law ( ACJL ) of Lagos State, Mr Ogungbeje added that nothing stopped the prosecution from bringing the charges under one judge pointing out that counts three, four and five of the charges were repetitions of same offence.

“Apart from the counts being of same offence, same section of the law is being provided in these counts,” he said.

“I submit that the prosecution misfired by bringing different charges and instituting the same case in different courts.

“I urge your lordship to quash the charge because it is defective and an abuse of court process,”

In response, the prosecuting counsel, Titilayo Shitta-Bey, said the general rule is that every offence must be in a separate count.

“It will be against the provisions of the law to lump the two offences in one count,” she added.

She said the first defendant, Evans, was charged with attempt to murder one James Uduji in count three, while in count four, he was charged with attempt to murder Donald Nwoye.

She also said that other charges filed against the first defendant in other courts involved other defendants and different charges. She, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application.

Counsel to the second defendant urged the court to dismiss the charges against Linus Okpara, his client, stating that no prima facie had been established against him.

Jude Igbanoi, counsel to the third defendant, said, “I will align myself with the arguments made by the first defendant.”

“I urge this honourable court to quash the charge, there is nothing in the proof of evidence linking the third defendant to the charge”

In response however, Ms Shitta-Bey said the proof of evidence disclosed a prima facie case against Mr Okpara.

She said the proof of evidence disclosed where the third defendant admitted collecting N2 million for the first defendant in relation to one of the victims, Uche Okoroafor. She, therefore, urging the court to dismiss the argument of the third defendant.

The case was adjourned to June 26 for ruling by the judge.

Evans is charged alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba in a fresh two count charge bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder

In the second charge, Evans is being tried alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba in a three count charge before the same judge

Evans is also facing trial before Hakeem Oshodi and Oluwatoyin Taiwo, judges at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State High Court.