Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Simon Lalong, on Wednesday expressed confidence that the outcome of discussions between the United States of America and Nigeria will impact positively on the security architecture and investment potentials in Nigeria.
According to a statement signed by Hon. Yakubu Dati, the Commissioner of Information and Communication and made available to newsmen, the Governor stated this shortly after a meeting between President Donald Trump and President Mohammadu Buhari at the White House in Washington DC.
Governor Lalong said the issues of security, specifically ISIS, Boko Haram and Farmers/Herders conflict were discussed and solutions proffered.
According to Governor Lalong, there are potential opportunities for investments in Nigeria which were highlighted.
Governor Lalong is one of the two Governors who accompanied President Mohammadu Buhari to Washington.

Foremost Evangelist, Rev Uma Ukpai, has said that the only solution to the recent upsurge of killing of Christians in parts of Northern Nigeria by alleged herdsmen was for Believers in the country to sacrifice their dinner for 200 days and pray against the carnage.

Ukpai, who is the Founder of the 48 years old Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association has also said that Nigerians above 25 years of age were prone to corruption and should resign from partisan politics.

He told Correspondents in Uyo yesterday, that it is unfair that
Christians in the country are treated like minorities and are not given their rightful place of honour and respect despite their numerous contributions to the growth and development of the country.

He regretted that cows are now valued over the life of some Christians in some parts of the country and called on authorities to rise up to the challenge and demonstrate sincerity in the fight against frequent attack of Christians by alleged herdsmen in some parts of the country.

“The frequent killing of Christians by people alleged to be herdsmen is like telling us that cows are now more valuable than Christians. But I maintain that nobody is supposed to lose his life because of cows. It is painful that cows are now preferred over human beings in Nigeria.

“But for Christian, the solution is for all believers in the country to give up their dinner for 200 nights and pray for God to fight for them and it will work. Let us ask God to fight for us and He will.” Ukpai said.

He regretted that most Christians in the country remain ignorant of God’s abilities through prayer and also doubt the capacity and anointing of men of God saying, “Though we are equal in fellowship but we are not equal in anointing.”

Ukpai also described as unfortunate excuses by government at all levels in Nigeria on why they have been unable to meet up with the challenges of the masses. According to him, “a man of excuse is a man of failure and as long as the government cannot take care of our challenges then there is no future for the country.”

He said that Nigerians should not expect anything good from the general elections next year because “the incoming leaders will still be corrupt because the entire system is corrupt. The solution to a credible leadership is however, for everyone above the age of 25 to retire from active politics because they all have eaten the poisoned apple and not fit to rule.

“The ones that are less than 25 are still teachable and may not have been contaminated much by the system. For those ones, there should be a school of leadership for them,” he said.

On the agitation for dividing Nigeria, the seasoned Evangelist maintained that splitting the country is not the solution to herproblems, adding that the country’s unity should rather be her strength.

“Splitting Nigeria is not the answer to our problems rather we should confront our challenges. Nigeria can achieve more by being together. The problem is that we don’t just love ourselves. Places like Europe are even talking of integrating and coming together.

“The problem again is that Nigerians do not want to pay the price for success. Leaders must be willing to serve selflessly and Nigerians, who want that should also be willing to be responsible and pay their tax and leaders without the heart for the people should not be allowed to lead,” he said.

Recent comments credited to Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha concerning the defection of Sen. Hope Uzodimma to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has continued to elicit criticism from some political gladiators in the State.

The politicians flayed Governor Okorocha’s swift outburst on the development, describing his refusal of the Senator’s entry into the party as petty and unbecoming of a governor, who ought to be wooing bigwigs of the class of Sen. Uzodimma into the party rather than shut the door.

In his reaction posted online, a frontline politician and chieftain of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Martin Agbaso, said Governor Okorocha has no reason to complain about anybody joining the APC without passing through him since that was how he also sneaked into APGA in 2011.

His words, “I never knew when Rochas Okorocha joined APGA. He came through the back door and hijacked the party from me, so he shouldn’t be complaining of those that just joined APC. What he did to me, I believe others will do it to him in APC. What goes around comes around.”

Also reacting, a political strategist, Chief Elvis Agukwe, explained that Senator Uzodinma took the proper steps to join the APC, stating that Governor Okorocha is being economical with the truth, if he claims that he is unaware of the Senator’s entry into the party.

He said, “The Governor joined APGA from the back door and am sure he has not forgotten. Senator Uzodinma joined the APC over two months ago and coming from my constituency, I can confirm that.”

“He is consulting relevant people in the party and it’s in order. Political party is like a church and the only point of entry is your ward. The Senator registered in his ward a long time ago.

“If the Governor claims ignorance, it exposes how he has ran the party from the government house without knowing what is going on at the grassroots level. I have always observed that the Governor has since lost touch with realities in the party.

“Has it not been in the news how the governor’s operatives claimed that Senator Uzodinma has endorsed Uche Nwosu or have they lost the senator? APC is a pan Nigeria political party that every Nigerian in exercise of his constitutional rights of freedom of association is free to join and that is what the senator has done.

“We in our federal Constituency have and indeed the state have no issues with the senator as a member of our party. The APC need persons like senator Uzodinma to improve the fortunes of the party in Imo, South East and Nigeria in general,” he added.

National President of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Mike Ogorima has said that Federal Government’s lack of political will is the reason for non- implementation of the National Health Bill, NHB.
This was contained in a talking point by Dr. Ogorima on the deteriorating health care system in the country and made available to Nigerian Pilot yesterday.
He said, ‘’ We are mostly pained that the National Health Act which suffered the longest gestation period for any legislation in Nigeria is not receiving attention of government.’’
‘’NMA and the civil society community have done all that need to be done to stimulate government to commence the implementation of the NHAct in full to no avail. The more we agitate, the less the impact. Where do we go then from here?’’
The association said, ‘’we may not need any new laws, policies or other instruments of governance. We have enough. What is missing is the strongest political will at all level of governance to do the needful.’’
The President lamented that the association as custodians of the health sector should not be ‘’sleeping while the health care is nosediving’’.
The Health and socio-demographic indices of Nigeria are a source of shame and ridicule to every patriotic citizen of Nigeria, adding that the country which constitutes only 2 percent of the world population contributes 14 percent of maternal mortality globally.
Up to 64 percent of our pregnant women still deliver without the assistance of skilled birth attendants. Why should a woman die in the course of pregnancy and childbirth since the causes of morbidity and mortality are largely preventable and treatable?
Same narratives apply to many others- infant and child mortality, HIV/AIDS & TB, the non-communicable diseases, accidents and injuries including the menace of insurgency as some parts of the nation have been converted to a theatre of war with attendant loss of lives.
The association cautioned Nigerians not to be carried away by politicians as election approaches, but ratter they should be more interested in what they have to offer Nigerians in terms of health.
“We must resolve to educate and enlighten Nigerians as 2019 beckons not to be carried away by sentiments, ethnicity, religion or sugar coated soap vituperations, but to ask what plans the politicians have for them to improve healthcare delivery and other sectors and how they intend to achieve them,” Ogorima said.

It was a moment of
celebration as the immediate
past Director/Principal of
King’s College, Lagos, Otunba
Dele Olapeju, was installed
as the new Asiwaju of Idoani
Kingdom by Oba Olufemi
Olutoye, the Oluwatomiloye
I, recently.
The ceremony, which
took place at the palace of
Oluwatomiloye I, attracted
dignitaries from all walks of
life.
Otunba Olapeju, a retired
principal and director in
the Federal Ministry of
Education, was installed
as the new Asiwaju of the
kingdom after painstaking
consultations and thorough
appraisal of his achievements
and contributions to the
development of the kingdom
and Nigeria in general.
Conferring the title on
him, Oba Olutoye, a retired
Major-General, who was
overwhelmed by the crowd
that witnessed the event, said
the turn up of people is a great
testimony and acceptance of
Olapeju as the new Asiwaju of
Idoani Kingdom.
According to the Oba, many
Idoanis are not interested
in taking titles because
of negative perceptions,
disclosing that he had vowed
not to do anything that would
run contrary to the will of God
while holding the Obaship
position.
“As you are aware, prior to
my ascension to the throne
three years ago, there were
lots of vacancies in the
traditional and honourary
chieftaincy titles. A lot of our
citizens were either skeptical
of what it takes to be a chief or
scared of the ominous façade
perceived to be associated
with the assumption of office
or otherwise.
“I make bold to say that the
ceremony that has just taken
place inside the palace was
devoid of any fetish practice.
Since I assumed office, I
have maintained a regime
of chieftaincy installations
that is holy and acceptable to
God, my Creator; and I have
sworn to sustain the purity
and spiritual cleanliness of the
process,” he said.
Oba Olutoye traced the
major challenges of the town’s
development to leadership,
even when Idoani has
produced many personalities
in various positions across the
country and the globe.
According to him, despite
By Maduako Eleweke
the avalanche of manpower
in the town, its development
is still very low, given that
he has looked cursorily for a
round peg in a round hole to
lead the town’s development
and found such in the person
of the new Asiwaju.
“Apart from his wide
experience in public service, he
has demonstrated exemplary
leadership, patriotism and
unquenchable passion for
the development of his birth
place. Today, indeed, marks
the beginning of a new phase.
“I am fully persuaded that
this investiture will bring
good things to Idoani now
and in the nearest future.
I therefore congratulate
him and his family on this
worthy appointment. I am
willing to support him and
his entire team towards the
achievement of the ultimate
goal of developing our town,”
he stated.
In his welcome speech, the
Secretary of Alani-in-Council,
High Chief Olugbenga
Ajannah, said the turn up
of personalities was an
indication that the choice of
Dele Olapeju as the Asiwaju of
Idoani Kingdom was rightly
made.
According to him, the
installation is historic because
it was a day set aside for the
installation of one of the
illustrious sons of the town
who has made the kingdom
proud and has done much for
its development.
“The nomenclature, Asiwaju
has a different meaning and
appeal when it is rendered in
the native language. However,
the near equivalent to it in
English is ‘Front Runner’ and
in Latin it is Primus Interpares,
meaning ‘First among equals.’
“In the history of Idoani, our
first son who was installed
Asiwaju was the late Timothy
Oguntuase Akinbode, who
was honoured with the title
by our late Oba Aderemi
Atewogboye II, the Atobatele
of Idoani.
“Since the coronation of our
present Oba, there has been an
unprecedented increase in the to God be the Glory,” Ajannah
said.
In his acceptance speech,
Otunba Olapeju gave thanks to
God for the installation as the
Asiwaju of Idoani, saying he has
been faithful to him.
“I am proud to be a true son of
Idoani. I am proud to belong to a
town whose unity is in diversity.
“My installation today is a
historic turning of the sod of the
commencement of my trimester.
It is a call to service and service
I will give. The title itself poses
a great challenge but gives a
disposition in service delivery. I
do not believe in piling up titles,
but in rendering service and if
in doing so the nomenclature of
front running is ascribed, so be it!
I believe this is a divine agenda
for a purposeful and visionary
leadership. I want to appreciate
our monarch, Oba Olufemi
Olutoye, for finding me worthy
of such honour. I publicly pledge
that I will be true to the call to
service,” he said.
Olapeju said he is happy to
move down to his home town
after retirement from the federal
civil service, a situation which
he described as a bold step.
“My call was to move home
and make a difference in the
lives of the citizenry. I have
had many persuasions to
delve into partisan politics. My
pedigree right from my days
in the University of Ife where I
graduated and was honoured
with the rare privilege of life
membership would have
betrayed my interest to join
partisan politics; and this is why I
am publicly declaring my interest
in politics, and it is expressed
in the fact that henceforth,
I have enrolled myself as a
permanent member of Idoani
Development Party of Nigeria,
IDPN, with headquarters in
Idoani, Ondo State. This party
has an irrevocable alliance with
another party of equal vision
and mission, which is Irekari
Development Party of Nigeria,
IRDPN,” he added.
According to him, his party
will promote, project and protect
the interests of the land and
from where he will continue to
form alliances with like minds,
philanthropists and captains
of industries towards the
development and achievement
of this laudable vision.

An international literary quiz competition designed to enhance reading habits among school children around the world, will be hosted in Nigeria for the first time on February 2019.
The competition titled ‘The Kids’ Lit Quiz’ will enable Nigerian students to join their peers from other participating countries like Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Kingdom (UK) and United States of America (USA), to increase their reading abilities.
According to a statement issued by the media coordinator of the programe, Mr. Chris Uba, the competition is an annual literature competition in which teams of four students aged 10 to 13, work together to answer literary questions.
He said the winning team from each region competes in the National Final and the winner of the National Final is invited to the World Final normally holds annually in July or August.
The statement stated that the major benefits of Quiz include motivating and inspiring children to read a wide range of children’s literatures from the classics to the contemporary for pleasure, beginning from nursery rhymes to comics, folk tales to myths.
He added that the competition offers children the rewards they may not otherwise experience in the normal classroom setting.
it also provides incentive for a school’s better readers to extend their reading habit and broaden their literary knowledge.
“The quiz is all about reading for pleasure. We want students to read widely as may books that come their ways. It is our belief that a list acts as a test in disguise. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet other like-minded readers who simply enjoy reading,” he said.
Shedding more light on the on the modalities and processes of the competition, the Nigerian Coordinator of Quiz, Mrs. Maluchi Chukwuemeka, said that teams of four students are asked to answer 100 questions on children’s literature divided into 10 categories.
According to Chukwuemeka, each team is provided with a set of blank answer sheets and are requested to write the name of their school at the top of each of the 10 sheets.
Chukwuemeka said during the competition one student will acts as the secretary , and after consultation with the rest of the team members writes the answers to the questions on the printed sheets provided.
She said at the end of each round, the sheets are collected and checked by a team of markers and each correct answer receives one point.
“Examples of categories set previously include poetry, authors, titles, settings, characters, and nursery rhymes” she said .
According the coordinator since the inception in 1991, thousands of students participate in the competition every year throughout the world.
“Currently, quizzes are being held in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Indonesia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, UK and USA. Nigeria has just joined the international literary quiz, which it is billed to host for the first time on February 2019.”she added
She disclosed that the competition will firstly hold in Lagos, as a pilot scheme and to be divided into two zones, the Lagos Island and Lagos Mainland, and they will compete to determine the National Champion that will represent country at the World Final. The competition will be extended to other parts of the country later.
Already, some schools in Lagos have indicated their interests to participate in the international event for children.

Chairman of the Joint Tax Board, JTB, Mr. Tunde Fowler, has called on governors to empower State Internal Revenue Services, SIRS, by making them autonomous.

A statement signed by Wahab Gbadamosi, FIRS Director of Communications and SERVICOM, said Fowler made the call at the 137th meeting of the JTB in Ilorin.
Fowler said autonomy is the key to professionalism and generation of more revenue.”The good work that you are doing is evident in the performance of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, KWIRS.

We commend the work that KWIRS is doing and agreed amongst ourselves to adopt is as a model. Like I often tell my colleagues, we, members of JTB, must not disappoint Nigerians.

“I like you to call on other governors, your colleagues in other states who have not taken the bold step to please do and give autonomy to State Internal Revenue Services. Please help us convey this to them as an ambassador,” Fowler said.

He also called on JTB members to intensify efforts toward meeting revenue targets. He commended Governor AbdulfatahAhmed for growing the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR,of Kwara State.

“I like to commend the efforts of the governor in transforming Kwara State Internal Revenue Service.It is on record that the state annual IGR grew from N7.1billion in 2015 to N17.2billion in 2016. I therefore, urge the service not to relent in its efforts and continue to work hard to justify the encouragement received by the state government,” Fowler, who is also the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, added.

The meeting had as theme: “Collaboration amongst tax authorities: Its impact on revenue generation and service delivery to taxpayers.”

Governor Ahmed, who declared the meeting open, told the 36 chairmen of States Internal Revenue Service that KWIRS ability to grow Kwara’s annual IGR from N7.1bn in 2015 to N17.2bn in 2016 was predicated on three key planks: People, Processes and Technology.

He noted that Kwara’s IGR moved from N600 million in 2015 prior to autonomy to N1.5 billion monthly with an increase of about N17.4 billion in 2016.”As you are aware, government signed the Kwara State Revenue Administration Law No. 6 of 2015 on June 22, 2015.

Ever since, the face of revenue administration has witnessed significant changes that started with the complete change of the people, process and technology for the administration of taxes.

The governor, who noted that the state has floated the Kwara State Infrastructure Bond, IF-K, into which a percentage of its IGR will be paid, said the state wants to ensure that contractors are no longer owed as banks will not fret to give loans to contractors. It is no longer business as usual.

“While we thank all stakeholders for their contributions, taxpayers need to note that tax payment is a civic responsibility for the development of the state’’.

He noted that government cannot provide democratic dividends without citizens playing their part.
To earn the continued support of taxpayers, government must demonstrate transparency and what taxes being collected are being used for. It can no longer be business as usual.

“In Kwara State, our government is committed to supportingKwara State Internal Revenue Service in the pursuit of revenue mobilisation for strategic development.

“This positive result has encouraged us to go ahead with our plan to plough the revenue back into the development of infrastructure through the provision of social amenities to the people. I welcome you to the 137th meeting of the JTB in this 50th year of the creation of Kwara State’’.
The governor noted that tax authorities across the country could benefit from synergy and cross-fertilisation of ideas, adding that “In the 26 years of the operation of JTB, Kwara State is hosting the meeting for the first time. It is worthy that Kwara is hosting the meeting at a time when our major reforms in tax collection and management has yielded significant results”.

Twitter has advice all its users worldwide to change their password
The company announced on Thursday it discovered a bug that saved user passwords unprotected on an internal log.

Twitter said it has since fixed the issue. Although the company said there is no evidence passwords have been leaked or misused, it is urging its users to update their passwords.

“As a precaution, consider changing your password on all services where you’ve used this password,” the company tweeted.

We recently found a bug that stored passwords unmasked in an internal log. We fixed the bug and have no indication of a breach or misuse by anyone. As a precaution, consider changing your password on all services where you’ve used this password. https://t.co/RyEDvQOTaZ

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) May 3, 2018

The suicide bomb attack in two Borno villages by Four suicide bombers — Mainari Kanuri and Mainari Shua — minutes after Thursday midnight, killing three other persons and injuring seven left great shock in the heart of people

The incident immediately led to the beef up of security in and around troubled Maiduguri.

Confirming the incident in a press statement on Friday, the spokesman of Borno Police Command, Edet Okon, said: “Today being 04/05/2018 at about 12.04am, four suicide bombers detonated IEDs strapped to their bodies in Mainari Kanuri and Mainari Shua villages in Konduga LGA.

“Three of them detonated the IEDs killing themselves only, while the fourth person killed herself and three others.

“Seven other persons were injured and have been evacuated to the hospital. Security has also been beefed up in the area and all around Maiduguri Metropolis.”

Okon also revealed that there was a failed suicide attack on Bama.

He said: “Also, yesterday (Thursday) being 03/05/18 in Bama, a suicide bomber was sighted by security agents and was promptly neutralized. No casualty was recorded.”

There was massive confusion as angry set of Youths have invaded, wrecked and looted the Rivers state secretariat of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The youth uprising which started as a protest against perceived hijack of the congress process degenerated into looting after the festering violence forced the state executives of the party to escape the secretariat.

Meanwhile the police is said to have arrested some of the suspected invaders of the secretariat allegedly including Member Representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, Chidi Wihioka. Chris Finebone, Publicity Secretary of Rivers APC said, “The destruction you see here tells the story of what happened.

The police have arrested some persons, including Chidi Wihioka, a federal lawmakers” He said the entire office has been looted. Computers, ACs, flags, furniture, every property were looted.

“You can see the windows shattered. The only thing they failed to do was burn the place down. They brought a drum of diesel for the purpose but the police stopped them”, Finebone said.

Nnamdi Omoni, Police Public Relations Officer, Rivers State Command, who was at the scene of the incident declined comment, appealing that he needed clearance from his boss before offering a statement.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to create new polling unit and has gone ahead to explained to explain reasons why.

According to INEC it is too late to do so with the 2019 elections less than 10 months away.

The commission’s chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, stated on Friday this while responding to a question whether new polling units would be created, even if less than the 30,000 claimed by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP had alleged in a statement that INEC was working on creating 30,000 polling units to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The commission, however, urged Nigerians to disregard such claims.

“On the creation of new polling units, there is no time between now and the general elections to create new units,” Mr Yakubu said.

Following the $350 million loan being south by Kaduna State Government from Worldbank, the Governor  Nasir El-rufai, at a public function on Friday cursed three senators representing the state for opposing the act.

He also described the senators as ”enemies of the state, people and All Progressive Congress”.

The state government had earlier vowed to go ahead with its request despite the decision by the Senate that the Nigerian government should not guarantee the facility.

The Senate decided not to approve the loan request after a committee headed by Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna) advised against it on the ground that the state is the second most indebted in the country.

Mr Sani, who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Loans, argued that the new loan if approved will erode economic viability of the State.

His position was supported by two other senators from the state: Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North) and Danjuma La’ah (Kaduna South).

Mr Sani and Mr El-Rufai have been having running political battles for the past few months and have been engaged in several altercations in the past.

Reacting to the federal lawmakers’ decision, the state government said nothing can stop it from obtaining the loan for the development of the state.

The state Commissioner of Finance, Suleiman Abdu Kwari, at a news briefing in Kaduna said the excuse given on the floor of the Senate as to the size of the state’s loan was ”baseless”.

Mr Kwari said with the way the three senators from the state spoke against the loan, it was apparent they had put ”their personal frustrations above the right of the people of the state”.

He said the World Bank was convinced the state has met the conditions before given its approval for the loan.

But a furious Mr El-rufai on Friday said the state electorate did not send the senators to the National Assembly ”to work against the interest of the state”.

Mr El-rufai also cursed them publicly while addressing party supporters at the flag-off of the APC’s campaign for the state local government elections held at the Township Stadium.

“They (Wolrd Bank) decided to support us with $350 million loan so that we can support projects that will improve the lives of the people of Kaduna State. But the enemies of our people, the three enemies (senators) of Kaduna State in the Senate blocked it. May Allah curse them!

“They are behaving as if their personal ego is more important than the 10 million of people in the state,” he said.

The governor said the World Bank approved the loan for the state because it were convinced of the viability of the projects. He threatened that the electorate would vote out the senators for their action against the wish of the people.

He also had unkind words for those in the National Assembly ”opposing the government of President Muhammadu Buhari”.

“These politicians of deceit, selfishness are doing similar thing at the national level to cripple the government of our leader Muhammadu Buhari. They kept the budget of 2018 in limbo, they are threatening to impeach the President after their conspiracy on changing the order of election collapsed.

“We didn’t sent these senators to Abuja to conspire against our people or against our party and President,” he said.

He said the 16 years of the PDP ‘misrule’ in the state and nationally were regrettable when put side by side ”the acheivements of the APC”.

According to him, to move forward, ”the APC has 1293 projects at various stages of completion across the state (Kaduna)”.

“This government has spent more than N60 billion on schools, hospitals, roads and water projects,” he said, adding that, ”our local government elections will be the first ever in Nigeria conducted by electronic voting.”

The Party’s National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun; Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed and senior officials of the Kaduna APC were in attendance.

Meanwhile, Mr Odigie-Oyegun, commended the state for introducing electronic voting machines which will be deployed during the LG polls in the state.

He also received into the APC, prominent politicians and their supporters who recently decamped from the PDP.

A stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), Ferdinand Ovundah, who was one of the five occupants of the black Toyota Hilux van of Rivers State Secretary of the  (APC ),  is dead.

According to reports, Ovundah, who hailed from Ogbakiri in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers state, had spinal cord injury from the accident and passed on yesterday in a private hospital in Port Harcourt.

Rivers Publicity Secretary of APC, Chief Chris Finebone, Friday evening, confirmed the death of Ovundah, describing it as very pathetic and so unfortunate.

Beke, who sat in the front passenger’s seat of the van, and the other occupants, including a policeman, were around 10 a.m. on Thursday, on their way to the Rivers secretariat of the main opposition party (APC) on Forces Avenue, old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, through the road by the residence of a former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, and the Port Harcourt Club, when the big tree fell and damaged the vehicle.
Rivers secretary of APC, his driver and others were injured and they were quickly rushed by passersby and sympathisers to the nearby Rivers state government-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH) in the Rivers state capital, from where they were quickly moved to better-equipped private hospitals, off Aba Road in Port Harcourt and in Eleme, Rivers state (names withheld), where they received treatment.

Beke was on Friday afternoon at the Rivers secretariat of APC with swollen face, while thanking God for the narrow escape, but expressed sadness over the death of Ovundah.

Thursday’s heavy rain in Port Harcourt and its environs, accompanied by windstorm, was responsible for the sudden fall of the tree.

Popular Nigerian musician Dbanj, has rewarded four lucky subscribers of his music streaming platform, CREAM, with an all-expense paid trip to the One Africa Music Festival in Dubai.

D’banj Announcing the winners of the competition at a public draw that recently held in Lagos, D’banj said,

“I’ve been impressed with the massive number of creative talents that flooded the platform and we really hope and wish we can fulfill all their creative needs and aspiration that’s why we decided that as an added incentive to the usual monthly draws and selections of winners, we should reward four subscribers with this all-expense paid trip that’ll see two acts selected by merit and two lucky subscribers randomly selected via a live draw”.

The two acts selected by merit are legbegbe crooner, Mr. Real, who uploaded his song on the CREAM platform in December 2017, because he was in need of a video which the platform finally shot for him; as well as singer, Teekay Swag, whose song was uploaded on the platform on April 5th  2018.

An oil worker in Bayelsa, who was abducted during a Joint investigative Visit (JIV) on April 19 at an oilfield operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Kalaba community has regained freedom.

Community sources in Kalaba and Ayambele in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa said that the victim was dropped off by his abductors on Friday near Igbogene area of Yenagoa.

It was gathered that the abducted worker was part of a technical crew deployed to clamp a ruptured pipeline that caused an oil spill that affected Kalaba and neighbouring Ayambele settlements in Yenagao council area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the JIV report had indicated that the pipeline was ruptured in five spots and concluded that the pipeline was breached by vandals.

Neville Inogula, a resident who confirmed the release of the oil worker, alleged that the act was carried out by some ‘identified’ persons from rival communities to paint the area black

Mr Inogula said that the people of Kalaba condemned the incident and vowed to comb the forests to free the abducted oil worker as kidnapping was alien to the people.

“We were disturbed and all resolved to clear the name of our community; we said no to kidnapping, it was a ploy by some other communities who are our rivals to make us look bad.

‘’The pressure mounted by fellow community youths (Akumoni community) and security agencies led to the release of the abducted Agip staff before day break; in the early hours of Friday,’’ he said.

Godwin Nwachukwu, Bayelsa Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), told our correspondent on telephone on Friday that the incident was being investigated.

“We are yet to confirm that the abducted worker has regained freedom, but we are making efforts to establish contact with him,” Mr Nwachukwu said.

Among the photographs capturing the tempered homecoming reception, were several showing the car that took the president home in Aso Villa.

A closer look shows that the black Mercedes Benz Maybach is old, the colour is devoid of any sheen and there are scratches at the back bumper. Even the tyres appear to have seen better days.

President Buhari has refused to change the fleet he inherited from his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, since 2015.

In 2016, the president, who had cut his salary by 50 per cent, struck out a move to spend N400 million on new cars for him. The money was to be used to buy five new armoured Mercedes Benz S-600 (V222) cars.

NAN learnt the President believes the cars passed on to him, can still last another 10 years, thus helping the nation conserve scarce funds.

No wonder, the Buhari government, as Vice President Osinbajo has said repeatedly, is doing much more with the nation’s financial resources, despite the declining income.

This is in sharp contrast with the profligate Jonathan years, when oil at a stage was selling at $140 a barrel and the nation became poorer for it.

Nollywood actress cum producer, Uju Ifunanya Edochie, who ignored her family member, Yul Edochie to root for Governor Willie Obiano during the Anambra State guber election has every reason to smile now.

The actress, last week  was announced as the new Special Assistant on Media to Governor Obiano. Since the announcement was made, her colleagues in the industry have been sending congratulatory messages to her.

One of them, Chioma Okoye wrote on Whatsapp, “ More grease to your elbow sister. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed. It has finally paid off.”

However, in a telephone chat with HVP, Uju said the appointment came to her as a surprise.

According to her, “ It calls for duty and celebration. I worked for Chief Willie Obiano to retain his seat as the governor of Anambra State. I wasn’t the only person that worked for him.

Many other people also worked for him. I’m just lucky to be appointed as his SA. I have already resumed duties and many people looking up to me. I am humbled to serve my people.”

Speaking on her assignment, Uju said she has a task of reuniting all political factions and camps in Anambra State, in addition to mediating between the media and the state government. She also expressed how she would be combining her new assignment with her acting career, saying “ the scripts don’t come most times.”

Latest update as Popular lawyer Mike Ozekhome SAN has facilitated the release of two of Dino Melaye’s lawyers who were sent to Kuje prison by police for performing their professional duties.

Sharing the news,he said.

‘The mammoth crowd of lawyers that joined me at the magistrate court, Mpape, Abuja,to defend and get released from incarceration,two young lawyers,David Amaefula and Pius Udo-Inyang from Ricky Tarfa’s chambers, who had been detained by the Police and later sent to Kuje prisons for six days by the magistrate,on account of performing their professional duties to their clieht, Senator Dino Melaye.To God be the glory,they were released on bail”.

The National Population Commission (NPC), says it is offering 4,000 centres nationwide to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use for the ongoing Permanent Voter Card (PVC) registration.
The National Chairman of NPC, Eze Duruiheoma, (SAN) made this known on Friday in Owerri, at a public enlightenment programme with the theme: “One man One vote: Get your PVC -The role of National Population Commission”.
He however said that the 774 centres provided by INEC for the exercise were not enough.
He said the NPC was making the offer to enable Nigerians, who had yet to register because of distance barrier to do so before the elections.
Duruiheoma noted that one of the major challenges that had dogged the current registration was the high rate of non-collection of PVCs by registered voters.
“One of the main disincentives for the collection of the PVCs is the long distance to the registration centres as many of the voters were too poor to spend any significant amount of money for the collection.’’
According to INEC, over seven million PVCs are yet to be collected as at February, 2018.
“While it is too early to predict a high rate of non collection for the current voter registration, it will be unrealistic to expect that all registered voters will collect their PVCs before the election.
“However, the NPC through its nationwide structure can assist in putting in place cost effective and sustainable mechanism for voters to collect their PVCs,’’ he said.
He noted that the commission maintained more than 4,000 registration centres for births and deaths; “these centres which are fairly spread across the 774 LGAs can serve as collection centres for the PVCs.’’
He expressed dissatisfaction at the pace of registration, while also identifying a high level of political apathy, low civic education, logistics and integrity, as some of the challenges of the exercise.
Earlier, the President of Orluzurumee Youth Assembly, Mr Darlington Uzoahia, said the group had carried out an awareness programme in the four federal constituencies in the area.
Uzoahia said that the group had concluded plans to embark on three major programmes of activities to sensitise the people.
He also expressed the group’s willingness to partner with INEC and NPC to make the 2019 elections hitch free. (NAN)

Popular singer, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2face, has
called on Nigerian youths to register for their Permanent Voters
Cards (PVC) ahead of 2019 general elections.
The music star made the call at the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) Campus Outreach program on Youth Votes
Count at the University of Abuja, on Thursday.
Idibia, who is also an INEC Youths Ambassador, urged the
youth to actively get involved in constructive political discussions,
especially social media.
“Your vote is your bragging right, so get your PVCs, take your
destinies into your hands, whatever you want to be in the next 10
years, you must start now.
“Let us go out and vote for our conscience. We have always been
told that we are the future of Nigeria, it is our time now but the old
is still encroaching into our space.
“This coming election is our opportunity to change things; your
destiny is in your hands, use it wisely.”