BREAKING:RiversTribunal Sacks Nyesom Wike,Orders Fresh Elections

BREAKING:RiversTribunal Sacks Nyesom Wike,Orders Fresh Elections

The Rivers Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Saturday nullified the election of
Governor Nyesom Wike and ordered fresh elections to take place in 90 days.

The team led by Justice Ambusa said the election conducted on April 11 2015 which
brought Wike of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to power was substantially
flawed as it was marred by violence.
Details later

Adele Says 'Hello' In First Video From Her New Album '25'

It's been almost five years since the last new Adele album. Today we have a new video from Adele — it's the opening song from 25, which will come out Nov. 20. With her third album, probably the last in a trilogy of albums with an age in the title, the 27-year-old singer has made what she described in a post on Facebookas "a make-up record. ... Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did. ... 25 is about getting to know who I've become without realising. And I'm sorry it took so long but, you know, life happened."

The video for the song was directed by Xavier Dolan and casts Adele as alone and calling a past lover to apologize for "everything I've done" but finding no one answers her call. The song was written by Adele and her producer Greg Kurstin. You may know his work with Sia, P!nk, Peaches, Beck or the Flaming Lips.

The new album will feature songs by Bruno Mars, Danger Mouse and Tobias Jesso Jr. The album is available for pre-order.

INEC staff welcome the appointment of new Chairman

By Ben Agande

Abuja – Staff of the Independent national electoral commission have welcome the appointment of a new Chairman of the commission saying it will refocus the commission to face the challenge of the forthcoming elections in Kogi and Bayelsa state.

Speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, a cross section of the staff said the appointment of a substantive chairman for the commission would provide the required leadership that it deserves.

MAHMOOD-YAKUBU

President Buhari appointed ‎Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of INEC, Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari as member representing North West, Dr. Antonia Taiye Okoosi-Simbile as Commissioner North Central, Alhaji Baba Shettima Arfo, from Borno as Commissioner representing North East, Dr, Mohammed Mustapha Lecky from Edo as Commissioner representing South South and Prince Soyebi Adedeji Solomon from Ogun representing South West.

Reacting to the development, director in the commission who does not want his name in print because he is a civil servants said the appointment was a welcome development.

‘It is a welcome development because the commission needs a substantive head to consolidate on the gains made by the former chairman especially as it prepares for the coming elections in Bayelsa and Kogi state. Since this is the first election to be conducted under President Buhari, there is the need to have a substantive leader in place. It is a very cheery news for us in the commission\’ said.

Another staff of the commission, Nicholas Agbambu said with the appointment of the chairman and other national commissioners President Buhari has demonstrated that he is ready to build on the achievements of the former chairman.
‘The commission is a very important organ of government so it cannot afford to be headed by an acting Chief executive. There is a limit to what somebody bin an acting capacity can do so the appointment of a substantive chairman as well as other national commissioners is a good omen for the commission\’ he added.

For another staff of the commission who works in the research department, the appointment of the chairman and national commissioners will bring credibility to the conduct of the forth coming elections.

‘There would have been a very serious credibility problem if the elections were to be conducted with the acting chairman presiding over it. With the full compliment of the commissioners now, things will be better in the commission as they will ll bring in their wealth of experience to bear on the conduct of the elections\’‎ he said.

Buhari Appoints New Head Of Service

President Muhammadu Buhari has announced 51-year-old Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita as the new Head of Service,  The Guardian reports.

Oyo-Ita

It would be recalled that President Buhariordered the sacking of the former head of the civil service of the federation, Danladi Kifasi, yesterday, October 20, just two months to the expiration of his tenure.

However, the sacking which came with immediate effect did not come with the announcement of a new replacement until the early hours of today, Wednesday, October 21.

Oyo-Ita, who is a chartered accountant, is presently the permanent secretary of the ministry of science and technology. She hails from Cross River and will be acting as Oyo-Ita Ekanem is from Adiabo community of Odukpani Local Council of Cross Rivers State. She attended the Queens College Yaba. She got her B.Sc Accounting at the University of Lagos in 1984 and holds a Master’s degree from the Nasarawa State University.

She was Director, Finance and Accounts at the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). . 

BREAKING: Tribunal Orders For Re-run In Akwa Ibom Gov Poll

An uneasy calm enveloped the residents of Uyo today, October 21, following  the final verdict which was passed concerning the petition against the Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, at the state governorship election tribunal.

Udom and Umana

The tribunal ordered for a rerun of the governorship election in the state, Vanguard reports.

The Justice Sadiq Umar-led tribunal sitting in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct re-run election in 18 local government areas of the state. There are 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom.

Giving its verdict on Wednesday, the Tribunal said it was satisfied that there were discrepancies during the governorship election held on April. The Tribunal further asked the INEC to conduct the re-run elections.

Although, the tribunal commenced sitting in Uyo, it had  to be moved to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  owing to the unfavourable security atmosphere in the state capital.

Udom had been declared by the INEC as the winner in an election alleged to be the most controversial in the history of elections in the country.

It was reported that the election  was allegedly marred with violence,  killings, harassment of voters, hijacking of election materials and unprecedented rigging which made international and local observers to pass  a unanimous verdict that it was a sham and recommended a complete cancellation of the exercise.

The Nation had reported that the All Progressives Congress which is the main opposition in the state also came out strongly to decry the conduct of the exercise.

The APC said there was no election in the state as it accused the former governor Godswill Obot Akpabio who is now a minority leader at the Senate, of allegedly deploying state  machinery to rig the election and overturn the popular wish of the people.

As a result of this, the APC and its candidate, Umana Okon Umana, had to challenge the  victory  at the tribunal seeking a cancellation of the purported election.

However, during the processes of the proceedings, there had been several witnesses summoned to the tribunal to testify.

Most of them had given shocking revelations as regards the election conducts.

The witnesses recounted before the tribunal how results were announced for many polling units in various local government areas despite the fact that no election took place in such units.

Emenike Dumps Oliseh, Retires From The Super Eagles

The recent crisis which has befallen the Super Eagles has taken a new turn as striker Emmanuel Emenike has announced his retirement from the national team.

Premium Times reports that the striker who currently plays for Al Ain of Dubai on loan from Fenerbahçe took to his Instagram page on Monday night to announce his withdrawal from the senior national team.

He said: “No more Eagles career! After five great years, I am happy to announce that I have put full-stop to my national team career for the sake of national peace.”

“It’s a pleasure for me to have played for this great country. I never regretted it and I think it’s the best time to end it. Million thanks to all the fans who have been very supportive during the good and bad times.

Emmanuel Emenike

“I am very proud of my performance, I am proud of my team mates and I am very proud of the nation called ‘Nigeria’. My AFCON gold medal is a sign of great achievement, My AFCON topscorer award speaks a lot about my commitment and dedication to the team.”

According to the player, the national team belongs to no one and therefore, no one should be threatened.

“Super Eagles is a camp not a family house, and it shouldn’t be a threat zone for any individual.

“I have done according to our national anthem. “All my dreams came true in the national team, I dreamt (sic) to win Nations Cup for Nigeria after 20-years, I dreamt (sic) to played at the World Cup as well as to make a name for myself… In the space of five years, I got them. I’m a winner!

“For every disappointing fans, maybe due to my inability to re-establish my goal scoring instinct for Super Eagles, I will like to say I’m sorry but the ones I had scored counted well for the team.

”As long as Nigeria remains, you and I will always remember the name ‘Emenike’. “Finally, I am happy to make a bow and continue supporting the team every time,” he concluded.

Emenike was part of the Nigerian team that won the African Nations Cup in 2013 in South Africa. Vincent Enyeama also called it quits with the national team after the shot-stopper fell out with coach Sunday Oliseh at the team’s camp in Belgium.

Oscar Pistorius Released From Prison

Oscar Pistorious in court

  Pistorius was sentenced to five years in jail by a South African judge for killing his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s day in 2013.

He was sentenced for culpable homicide but he said he mistook her for an intruder when he shot her through a bathroom door in a home they shared together.

Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp

A lawyer for the Steenkamp family Tania Koen claimed the family knew his release was drawing nearer.

CNN quotes him saying: “Nothing has changed for June and Barry, nothing will bring Reeva back. They are not surprised at all by this announcement. They expected this.”

According to South Africa’s correctional services act convicted criminals who have served at least one-sixth of their sentence are allowed to serve the remainder to their jail term under house arrest.

Pistorius was found not guilty of Steenkamp’s death though he was seen as “negligent”. Prosecutors ave appealed the new ruling and claim the blade runner is guilty of the crimes.

The paraolympian represented his country in the Paralympic Games and the 2012 London Olympics.

Constitution Says Amaechi Can Become Minister Without Screening

The Nigerian Constitution says if the Senate doesn’t screen or discard the former governor within twenty-one working days of the receiving of appointment he automatically becomes a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

See excerpt from Nigerian constitution below:

147. (1) There shall be such offices of Ministers of the Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.

(2) Any appointment to the office of Minister of the Government of the Federation shall, if the nomination of any person to such office is confirmed by the Senate, be made by the President.

(3) Any appointment under subsection (2) of this section by the President shall be in conformity with the provisions of section 14(3) of this Constitution:-

provided that in giving effect to the provisions aforesaid the President shall appoint at least one Minister from each State, who shall be an indigene of such State.

(4) Where a member of the National Assembly or of a House of Assembly is appointed as Minister of the Government of the Federation, he shall be deemed to have resigned his membership of the National Assembly or of the House of Assembly on his taking the oath of office as Minister.

(5) No person shall be appointed as a Minister of the Government of the Federation unless he is qualified for election as a member of the House of Representatives.

(6) An appointment to any of the offices aforesaid shall be deemed to have been made where no return has been received from the Senate within twenty-one working days of the receipt of nomination by the Senate.

The Senate, for the third time in two weeks, deferred the confirmation hearing of Amaechi today, 20th October  as his name was not listed among the three nominees that were  screened.

His screening had suffered several hitches in the last one week, caused by the delays by the Senate ad-hoc ethics committee, in submitting a report on the petitions written against his nomination.

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the head of service of the federation Danladi Kifasi to proceed on terminal leave.

Danladi Kifashi, sacked as Head of Service

No replacement announced yet, however, Buhari’s decision is with immediate effect.

A letter signed by the SGF asked Kifasi to proceed on terminal leave starting from today. A replacement will be unveiled later in the week according to presidency sources.Kifasi was Director of Finance and Accounts, Ministry of Power before his appointment as Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Youth Development, later moved to Ministries of Aviation and Finance in 2010 and served as member, Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Born on January 1, 1956, Mr. Kifasi was a member of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; a non-Executive Director of the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON, and an Alternate Governor of Islamic Development Bank.

An indigene of Taraba State, Mr. Kifasi, a chartered accountant and lawyer, was one of three Permanent Secretaries from the country’s North-East geo-political zone shortlisted to succeed Bukar Aji, who is set to retire from service next Wednesday.