PRESIDENCY REPLIES SANUSI LAMIDO SANUSI

The Presidency on Saturday said the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, did not have the facts on the issues over which he criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Sanusi had, on Friday, said the Buhari administration lacked the right policies to fix Nigeria’s economy, even as he warned of grave consequences of borrowing $30bn from external sources.

He had stated that even if the Senate approved the loan, no foreign nation or financial institution would be willing to accede to the country’s loan request.

But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said, “With every respect to the Emir, you know he is my ruler, because I come from Kano.

“He doesn’t have his facts as far as those issues are concerned.

The issue in CBN, that government has overdrawn its Central Consolidated Account is true, but it is within limits.”

Ondo PDP leaders blame Mimiko for Jegede’s loss

Indications emerged on Saturday that the defeat of the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Eyitayo Jegede, by Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress, has caused a crack within the Ondo PDP. It was learnt that some top members of the PDP in the state were of the view that Governor Olusegun Mimiko did not do much to ensure Jegede’s victory.

A source told one of our correspondents that party members in the state were grumbling that Mimiko, before the November 26 poll, visited President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja to negotiate an “easy landing” for himself. It was also alleged that Mimiko did not spend money as expected to counter APC’s war chest during the election.

Akeredolu and Mimiko are considered to be close despite the fact that they belong to two opposing parties jostling for the rein of power in Ondo. They are believed to have had years of relationship with each other. Akeredolu was among the team of lawyers, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), which helped Mimiko to power at the expense of Olusegun Agagu in 2009.

There are also fears in PDP circles that Mimiko was disposed to backing Akeredolu than Oke, who had the support of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, when Jegede’s chances of contesting the election were unlikely. Reacting to the allegation that the governor betrayed his protégé, the PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, said the governor had always supported Jegede.

“Mimiko was not a sell-out; in this type of situation, there are insinuations of various dimensions to make someone a scapegoat for losing the governorship election. How many of these members of the party gave their unflinching support to ensure Jegede’s victory? If that question is adequately answered, then we can think of blaming the governor.

“The whole world knows what the APC put into winning the election. The party ensured that the court process to reclaim Jegede’s mandate as PDP flag bearer in the poll dragged on more than necessary.

US ELECTION TWIST....HOPE ALIVE FOR HILLARY CLINTON...FIND OUT HOW

                                 (Gill Stein: Presidential Candidiate of Green Party)

An election recount will take place soon in Wisconsin, after former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein filed a petition Friday with the state’s Election Commission, the first of three states where she has promised to contest the election result.

The move from Stein, who raised millions since her Wednesday announcement that she would seek recounts of Donald Trump’s apparent election victories in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, came just 90 minutes before Wisconsin’s 5 p.m. Friday deadline to file a petition. Now it will keep some hope alive for many Hillary Clinton supporters for another few weeks while Wisconsin recounts ballots before a Dec. 13 deadline.

Trump scored upset victories in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, and seems on the path to declare a victory in Michigan as well, though the result of the election in that state will not be certified officially until Monday. Had Clinton won those three states, previously seen as part of the Democrats’ “firewall,” she would have secured enough electoral votes to win the election.

Stein announced her intention to file the petition following reports that a group of data experts and election lawyers were urging Clinton to demand a recount in those three states, on suspicion that a cyberattack could have manipulated the results of the election in those states. While the group had no specific proof of hacking, they noted anomalies suggesting Clinton routinely did more poorly in Wisconsin counties that used voting machines, as opposed to those that relied on paper ballots.

Trump secured a total of 1,404,000 votes in Wisconsin, according to the commission; Clinton had 1,381,823.

In the end, Stein, who secured 31,006 votes in Wisconsin, was not the only presidential candidate to demand a recount. Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente, the Reform Party nominee who got 1,514 Wisconsin votes, also filed a recount petition, according to the state’s Election Commission.
Green Party says it is ready to file for vote recount in Wis.

To be on the safe side, the group of experts urged a recount — but it was Stein’s campaign that ended up demanding one, soliciting at first $2.5 million and later up to $7 million to fund the recounts. As of Friday evening, Stein’s campaign reported taking in over $5.25 million in recount-related donations — the most by a third-party candidate in history.

Wisconsin has the first deadline of the three states in question. If Stein’s campaign wishes to file recount petitions in the other states as promised, she must do so by Monday to meet Pennsylvania’s deadline, and Wednesday to meet the Nov. 30 deadline in Michigan.

In a statement, Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Michael Haas guessed that the cost and complexity of the recount would be in excess of the state’s last recount in 2011, which carried a price tag of more than $520,000. In that recount over a state Supreme Court seat, the commission had to recount 1.5 million votes — about half the 2.975 million ballot votes that were cast during the 2016 presidential election.

Stein put a note on her Facebook page on Friday, asking supporters “to consider volunteering to help in the recount process.”

The county boards of canvassers will conduct the recount, according to the commission’s statement, and will have the authority “to decide which ballots should and should not be counted,” Haas said.

If the candidates disagree with the results of the Wisconsin recount, they will have five business days to contest the outcome in court.

Commedian Basketmouth attacked....no life was lost

In a swift reaction, the Lagos State Poice Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the robbery attack on Bright Okpocha a.k.a Basketmouth.

Basketmouth and family were robbed at gunpoint at his home in Lekki Phase one on September 7, 2016.

This was made known by the statement issued by the Spokesperson for the Command, SP Dolapo Badmos.

In the statement, he revealed that the command on 16 November swooped on one Chiemezie Joseph during a robbery operation at Ilasa Maja area of Lagos State.

According to the information, the arrest of the suspect led to the arrest of another gang member, Chibuzor Ugwu, who upon further investigation, was discovered to be the leader of the gang who attacked the abode of the popular commedian known as Basketmouth.

In the course of investigation, items recovered from the suspects are;

**One Beretta pistol,
**Two locally made pistol,
**Two AK 47 rifles loaded with ammunitions
**12 live cartridges
**2 iron cutters,
**Master keys,
**1 Mercedes 4matic Benz jeep.

While parading the suspects, the commissioner of police, CP Fatai Owoseni, said that the command will remain on the trail of criminals in the state, warning them to shy away from crime or relocate from the state.

Meanwhile, the renowened commedian with a stage name known as Basket Mouth has thanked God that no live was lost during the incident.

Speaking to Punch News in a report published on Saturday, September 24, 2016, Basketmouth said, “I will rather not talk about the robbery incident because it is in the past now."

"I just thank God nobody was hurt. My kids were asleep throughout the incident so that is something to really thank God for as the trauma would have messed them up for a while.”

The comedian also touched on his plans to begin a movie project, adding that he has had to put his music career on hold as a result.

TRAGEDY ON CAMPUS : TWO MALE STUDENTS CONFIRMED DEAD, FOOD POISONING SUSPECTED

Tragedy struck at one if the higher institutions in Imo State, precisely Alvan Ikoku  Federal College of Education as two male students of the institution die of food poisoning.

This ugly incident and sordid discovery which caused unprecedented uproar took place recently at Ukwuko Umujem Mbieri in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo state when the decomposing bodies of two final year students of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education were found in the room belonging to one of them.

     (Decomposing body of one of the victims)

The names of the dead students were not immediately known as at press time.

In the course of investigation, the plate used in serving the poisoned meal with elements of the poison was seen by the side of the dead students when the door was forced open.

Further preliminary investigation alleged that the girlfriend of the host student was the messenger of death, who delivered the poisoned food while the visiting student was unfortunate to have been caught in the web.

This was revealed when the text message asking the unknown girlfriend which was the last contact on the phone to bring the food, was found in his phone beside him.

The police was said to have swung into action arresting the girlfriend who pleaded not guilty.

An eye witness account said the Aladinma mortuary rejected the bodies which were later deposited at a mortuary in Nwaorieubi.

The accused is being detained at Obazu Mbieri police station while further investigations by the police is continuing.

Source : www.Expressnews.Com

Ugwumba Uche Nwosu reveals the secret of his success as Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning.

The former Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu has revealed to the general public, the secret of his success as Commissioner for Lands, Survey and urban planning for State Ministry of Lands.

Speaking during the official flagging-off the Signing of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) ,Re-Certification of C of O and Express Land Search Ceremony which took place today at the Imo State International Convention Centre (IICC ), Owerri, he informed that the secret of his success is Team Work.

Speaking further , the former Commissioner, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu advised his successor that inculcating the spirit of Team Work among the Staff of the Ministry is the password needed to unlock the hidden performance drive among them.
This is achieved by giving everybody irrespective of cadre a sense of belonging. With this in place,  the staff will do their best.

I have being with them, work with them and I can make bold to tell you that I used the code and it worked. I ensured that there is no victimization, there is encouragement, there is appreciation for good work, there is this freedom from oppression or working in fear. In fact,  no Staff can give you the best if under fear. I made sure that even though they is respect, everybody is made to feel important. In fact, it got to a point, my stuff then found it difficult to dodge coming to work because, working was made Easy and interesting, he added.

He thanked the present Commissioner and all the Heads of Parastatals for the concept of moving from the Analogue to Digital System.

He charged them to continue in their good work of contributing to the development of the State.

The program which was organised by the Ministry of Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban Planning under the able Leadership of the Commissioner,  Hon. Lawrence Eburoh attracted other top Government Officials.

The Executive Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha performed the ceremony as he was represented by the Secretary to the Government of Imo State,  Sir Gorge Eche.

Others present were Head of Service, Commissioners,  Special Advisers, TC Chairmen, Community Leaders etc.