Monday 30 March 2015

President-elect to emerge today says Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that despite the extension of Saturday’s elections till Sunday in some parts of the country, the results of the presidential poll will be declared on Monday(today).
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, gave the assurance   as some of results from wards, local government areas and states continued to emerge on Sunday.

Saturday 28 March 2015

Study: Shy men make better lovers

It is no gainsaying that most women prefer dating men who appear confident and outspoken, not necessarily because such men are better lovers, but partly because they exhibit an aura of protection, safety and reliability for their spouses.
Notably, shy men may not be every woman’s preference maybe because they appear calm and non-aggressive in situations that demand absolute exhibition of their manliness, but it now appears

Keshi must listen to advice – Elaho

Friday Elaho believes that Stephen Keshi would have guided Nigeria to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea if his former Super Eagles’ teammate had listened to advice.
The ex-Nigeria winger also says Keshi’s clash with the Nigeria Football Federation – and the attacks from some sections of the local media after the Eagles failed to qualify for the tournament   could have been avoided if he had not made “people believe he is stubborn and doesn’t listen to advice”.

Chelsea, Liverpool target Emenike

Emmanuel Emenike is planning to dump Turkish club Fenerbache with his sights set on a move to England in the summer, it has been learned.
Already, the 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Premier League clubs Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in the summer.
According to reports, Chelsea are highly interested in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner and

Nobert Young: No big deal in another man kissING my wife

Veteran actor, Nobert Young, tells Ademola Olonilua about his career and family
At what point in your life did you decide to become an actor?
That was a very long time ago. It was even before I entered primary school because I used to watch my sister and my father direct school plays and concerts. I was very interested in what they did. As I grew older, the interest did not die. In 1977, I saw, Langbodo, at FESTAC and that made me take the

The best gift for me is any bra of my size –Ronke Oshodi-Oke

Why do you love fashion?
You just have to be fashionable. It doesn’t depend on your profession. I am not just fashionable because I am an actress. I have to look good all the time. People ought to see you and admire you. You must be able to admire yourself too. To me, being fashionable should be a part of life, your lifestyle. It doesn’t matter if you are a celebrity or not.

Man arrested for using monkeys and snakes for robbery

The police in Lagos State have arrested a 27-year-old robbery suspect, Mohammed Nafiu, who specialised in using monkeys and snakes to dispossess people of their money and valuables.
One of the monkeys was also arrested and is presently in police custody.
Nafiu told the police that apart from the conventional tool (gun) used by most robbers, the sight of a snake or monkey unsettles and scares people. He said he was able to dispossess his victims of their

Bar and club owners: Election Day is boom time for us

And finally, the D Day is here. It is election day; a day that has kept most people including the candidates and voters, sleepless.
Of course, even before this day arrived, many Nigerians had been so sceptical concerning the outcome of the election. Some had perceived violence leading to so many Nigerians leaving their base and returning to their villages.

Zack Orji: I got born again before I joined Nollywood

No matter all the love scenes he has played in the movies, veteran movie actor, Zack Orji said he is born again and in fact, had been a strong Christian even before he joined the movie industry in Nigeria.
Not many people know him as an ordained minister of God but in a chat with Saturday Beats, he disclosed that he had been into the ministry for a long time.

I didn’t know Lillian as an actress when I met her says Ubi Franklin

Not just a few people were surprised when the news of the engagement between Made Men Music Group big boy, Ubi Franklin and actress, Lillian Esoro, hit the Internet earlier in the week.

In fact, the two had not been identified as a couple before now, so it came as a shock that both of them were in a relationship let alone, getting engaged.

In a chat with Saturday Beats earlier in the week, Ubi, who confirmed he was engaged to Lillian, said

Nigeria, the fourth on Interpol’s African wanted list

Nigeria ranks fourth of the 54 countries in Africa with the highest number of citizens on the Interpol wanted list.
Interpol is the International Criminal Police Organisation that facilitates international police cooperation, with global membership of 190 countries, spread across four continents.
According to the data on Interpol’s website, 63 Nigerians comprising 56 males and seven females

Over 56m Nigerians to choose between Jonathan and Buhari

No fewer than 56 million Nigerians will file out today to elect the next president in an election believed to be the keenest in the history of the country.
The figure represents 81.9 per cent of the total number of 70,383,427 voters that registered for the election.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the

Sunday 22 March 2015

INEC moves card readers to safe locations

The Independent National Electoral Commission is not leaving anything to chance as it has beefed up security around the smart card readers to be used during the March 28 and April 11 elections. The adoption of the card readers for the general election has attracted a lot of controversies.
On March 14, there was a fire incident at the warehouse of the electoral body in Abuja which lasted for two hours. Non-sensitive materials such as envelopes, voter education materials and bags for

Saturday 21 March 2015

Jega disagrees with IGP, says no law bars waiting after voting

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, and the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Friday clashed over the police chief’s “vote and go home order.”
While the IGP had warned voters to go back to their homes after casting their votes on election days, Jega said the electoral law did not state that voters could not or should not wait to watch and ensure

Why I’m absent at Buhari’s campaigns –Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he has not been attending the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku, in an interview with BBC Hausa, in the early hours of Friday, said he had not been invited to the APC presidential campaign rallies.
He said he would not attend the campaign if not invited. The former vice president was an aspirant in

Yes, being curvy has helped my acting career — Wunmi Toriola

Wunmi Toriola doesn’t belong to the league of women who have to be padded to be curvy and beautiful. The fast rising actress and movie producer ,who is a graduate of linguistics from the University of Ilorin is one of the new faces in the movie industry whose passion for her craft, will see go places. What more?Her sex appeals are capable of opening doors wherever she finds herself.


The gains of Nnpc Transformation

When the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, started its Transformation journey in 2009, the aim was for the Corporation to Realign Its Processes And Procedures To Enable It Remain As A Business Concern In The Ever Dynamic Oil And Gas Sector. Few Years Down The Line, The Nnpc Has Recorded Tremendous Gains In This Regard. Today, Nnpc Corporate-Wide Transformation Is On Course With The Change Of Behavior And Change Of Culture By All

Nigeria gears up to become largest fertilizer exporter by 2017

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said plans are underway to reposition the Country to become the regional hub of gas and largest fertilizer exporter in Africa by 2017. The Group Executive Director, Gas and Power of the (NNPC) Dr. David Ige stated this during an interview in Abuja.
Dr. Ige said the NNPC‘s strategy for Gas is for domestic supply, Gas-to-power and Gas-to- Industry

NNPC GMD flags off NOG 2015

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr. Joseph T. Dawha has flagged off the Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, 2015 edition. Dr. Dawha while flagging off the Conference at the International Conference Centre in Abuja said the NOG is now a flagship event for the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry.
The GMD noted that the NOG provides a veritable Platform where policy makers and Industry

Petroleum Minister recounts achievements in Oil and Gas sector

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has said that the upstream sector has recorded a renewed impetus in cost management, compressed contracting cycles and a reinvigorated pursuit of the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
Mrs. Alison-Madueke stated this while delivering her keynote address at the 2015 Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition with the title “State of Industry: Achievements and future Direction”

Jonathan will win in Kano, Adamawa, Rivers, Kwara, Sokoto says Muazu

ABUJA- AHEAD of the Presidential and general elections slated for March 28 and April 11 respectively, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu yesterday expressed optimism that his party and its Presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan will win in the five states where their Governors defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Friday 20 March 2015

Only INEC can monitor election says Jega

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, says only INEC has the power to monitor elections.
Jega said this while addressing election observers in Abuja on Thursday.
He also said INEC had distributed 81 per cent of Permanent Voter Cards.
He said an election monitor is part of the administration of the election while an observer has no

No waiting at polling booths after voting says IG

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, on Thursday   warned voters to go back to their homes after casting their votes on election days.
Abba, who addressed accredited observers for the   general elections in Abuja, said the possibility of committing electoral offence was very high   if voters stayed back at the polling booths for votes to be counted.
He said that each polling unit would have at least two or three policemen to protect the votes   cast by

HIV/AIDS has declined in Nigeria –UNAIDS

 
The authorities of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS say there has been a steady decline in the spread of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria in the past five years.
Investigations conducted independently by the UNAIDS, Health Systems Strengthening, Integrated Biological and Behavioral Sentinel Survey and the Federal Ministry of Health have revealed a 54 per cent reduction in the estimated incidence of HIV in Nigeria between 2003 and 2013 – down from 46

Diabetes Groups Call for Greater Scrutiny of Insulin Pumps

The American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes are calling for more research into the safety and effectiveness of insulin pumps.
The diabetes’ groups recommended “the adoption of a more rigorous, standardized and transparent approach to safety.”
Among other things, they want European and American officials to bring their insulin pump

Herpes drug might help control HIV too

A widely used herpes drug also seems to help people with the HIV virus, even if those people don’t also have herpes, a new small study found.
The researchers said their findings challenge the belief that drug Valtrex (valacyclovir) requires the presence of herpes to benefit people with HIV-1. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
The study included 18 HIV patients in Peru. When patients took Valtrex twice daily for two weeks,

Microsoft software upgrade: 35 million ATM cards at risk

Microsoft Nigeria on Wednesday announced July 14, 2015 as the expiry date for its Windows Server 2003, which powers over 35 million payment cards, popularly known as Automated Teller Machine cards, currently in circulation in the country.
The development puts the over 35 million cards issued by Deposit Money Banks in the country at risk of hacking by Internet fraudsters.

NCC to auction broadband frequency May 5

Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah, the Executive Vice Chairman, NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission on Wednesday said it would on May 5 auction 14 slots of the 2.6GHz frequency for broadband communication services across the country.
At a press briefing in Abuja, the regulatory agency said the frequency auction would be on national basis. This means that the NCC has abandoned its former plan to issue the licences on regional basis.
Each slot of the frequency is made up of a pair of 5MHz. This means that the 14 slots that are up for

Petrol scarcity resurfaces as marketers cut imports

A week after queues of desperate motorists disappeared from filling stations, the nation is in for another round of fuel scarcity as marketers have significantly because they are unsure of the continued payment of subsidy on the product after the general elections.
Findings by our correspondent showed that major oil marketers, who import a large chunk of petrol consumed locally, were stalling on further importation of the product and not ready to tie their money

Panic over low oil prices

International and local operators in the Nigerian petroleum sector on Wednesday declared that there was palpable fear in the industry as a result of the current low prices of crude oil in the global market.
According to them, the low prices and uncertainties in the local fiscal environment have prompted oil companies to review their work programmes across the country.
The operators made their position known during the leaders’ session at the ongoing Nigeria Oil and

Court strikes out anti-PVC suit

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday struck out a suit filed by a group, Society for Advancement and Protection of Public Rights, seeking an order to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from exclusively using the Permanent Voter Card for the conduct of the forthcoming general elections.
Justice Abdulkadir Abdul-Kafarati struck out the suit following the application of discontinuance

Pope's letter to Nigeria

The spiritual head of the Catholic Church worldwide, Pope Francis, has lambasted the Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram, for its onslaughts against Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
Last week, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office reported that more than 4,000 people were killed in Boko Haram attacks, and that 900 people were kidnapped in Nigeria last year.
The Pope, in a letter titled, ‘Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Bishops of Nigeria,’ written

Thursday 19 March 2015

Facebook to offer free payment service

Facebook’s Messenger app will soon let you send friends money, the latest in a crowded field of services aimed at an increasingly wireless and cashless generation.
Services including PayPal, its Venmo unit and the disappearing-photo app Snapchat let you beam money to friends and family using smartphones linked to bank accounts or credit cards.
Facebook’s entry, announced on Tuesday, is free, works with debit cards and is available on Apple

President Jonathan assigns portfolio to Obanikoro and seven others

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday inaugurated the eight new ministers recently confirmed by the Senate before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting.
The President thereafter assigned portfolios to them as follows: Senator Patricia Akwashiki (Information); Prof. Nicholas Ada (State, Foreign Affairs I); Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Foreign Affairs II); Col. Augustine Akobundu (retd.), (State, Defence); Mr. Fidelis Nwankwo (State, Health); Mrs. Hauwa Bappa (State, Niger Delta Affairs); Mr. Kenneth Kobani (State, Industry, Trade

APC to send President Jonathan before ICC

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation   has said that it will send a petition against President Goodluck Jonathan to the International Criminal Court at The Hague, The Netherlands.
The crux of the petition   is the protest by armed pro-Jonathan groups in Lagos on Monday, which the APCPCO, considers “a foretaste of the violence they plan to unleash on election days.”

Corrupt govt worse than armed robbery says Buhari

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said that a currupt government is worse than armed robbery.
“I believe that a bad and corrupt government is a much danger to national security as armed robbers, kidnappers and terrorists. I want to commend our armed forces for their recent successes over the Boko Haram.” Buhari said.
He spoke at an APC’s Town Hall meeting on security, held at the Barcelona Hotel, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Missing $20bn issue not adequately addressed says Sanusi

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and   the current Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, says the issues surrounding the missing $20bn oil money have not been adequately addressed by the Federal Government.
Sanusi, who is now known as Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, had last year raised the alarm about missing $20bn but was removed shortly after by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

NNPC didn’t get N1.329trn subsidy money from CBN --- Alison-Madueke

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has denied that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, received N1.329 trillion as subsidy payments between 2009-2011 from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, as alleged by the ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives on Subsidy Regime.
The committee report had alleged that “NNPC directly deducted N408.255 billion, in addition to the payment of N81.648 billion by CBN, in 2009; N407.801 billion, in addition to the payment of

No sight of Chibok girls in liberated areas – COAS

Hope dimmed, yesterday, on the rescue of abducted Chibok girls from Boko Haram terrorists as the Chief of Army Staff, General Kenneth Minimah, declared that despite the liberation of some towns and villages in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, the troops have not been able to establish the whereabouts of the schoolgirls.
Addressing State House correspondents after the National Security Council meeting in Abuja, Minimah, however, expressed the hope that as more of the territories are recovered the girls may still

INEC, Gana differ on use of card readers for polls

A former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, sharply disagreed, yesterday, on the desirability of using the Smart Card Reader machines for the purpose of authenticating voters eligible to participate in the forthcoming general elections.
Gana, who is the Chairman Contact and Mobilisation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the

FG reduces electricity tariff by 50%

The Federal Government on Tuesday announced a reduction in electricity tariffs by 50 per cent.
It explained that the reduction which came barely two months after it cut the pump price of petrol by N10,   followed a series of complaints by electricity consumers.
The government through the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission added that it took the decision after it removed the collection loss component of the Multi Year Tariff Order 2.1 of the affected Discos.

Microsoft: Internet Explorer brand is going away

While Microsoft has dropped hints that the Internet Explorer brand is going away, the software maker has now confirmed that it will use a new name for its upcoming browser successor, codenamed Project Spartan. Speaking at Microsoft Convergence yesterday, Microsoft’s marketing chief Chris Capossela revealed that the company is currently working on a new name and brand. “We’re now researching what the new brand, or the new name, for our browser should be in Windows 10,” said Capossela. “We’ll continue to have Internet Explorer, but we’ll also have a new browser called

Jega: Army not empowered to monitor polls

ABUJA — IN an apparent warning to the military to stay away from the forth-coming general elections, Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday, hinted that the power of the military as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), does not empower it to monitor elections.

Buhari: My contract with Nigeria

All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari yesterday put forward a covenant with Nigerians spelling his blueprint to confront corruption, insecurity and infrastructure decay.
Buhari, who vowed to lead by example in all areas, pledged to declare his assets and liabilities publicly and encourage all his aides to do so. He also promised to stop what he described as the weekly contract bazaar by the Federal Executive Council by inaugurating the National Council on Procurement, the statutory body for contract awards.

Monday 16 March 2015

Fire guts INEC office

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s Electoral Institute in Abuja has been gutted by fire.
The fire which began at about 11pm on Saturday destroyed bags, envelopes, election forms and electrical control panel/ switch   in the institute’s warehouse before it was contained at 2am on Sunday.
Before INEC spoke on the incident, there was   apprehension, especially in Abuja on Sunday that

AIG withdraws policemen from politicians

The Assistant In­spector General of Police AIG in-charge of Zone Six, Calabar, Tunde Og­unsakin, has ordered the police commands under the zone to withdraw po­licemen attached to pol­iticians in the state with immediate effect.
Also, Ogunsakin warned that the C4I Unit of the Department of Operations should func­tion as a formation of the Rivers State Police Com­mand.

Senate summons CBN, AMCON over Cecilia Ibru’s assets

The Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-corruption has summoned the management of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria to appear before it over seized assets worth N150bn.
The two federal government agencies had seized the assets in property and cash from the erstwhile Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic Bank International Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, upon her conviction for fraud by a court of law.

Flight aborted just minutes after take-off, --- you won't believe why

A British Airways flight was forced to return to England because of a 'smelly poo' left in a toilet.
Councillor Abhishek Sachdev, from Hertfordshire, says he was on the BA flight to Dubai when it was forced to return to Heathrow.
It is understood that cabin crew unsuccessfully tried to fix the problem, but the flight was forced to turn around when the odour became unbearable for passengers.


Thursday 12 March 2015

Tinubu rejected Jonathan’s VP offer

A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, says the recent attacks on his person were because he rejected the offer by President Goodluck Jonathan to serve as the Vice President in an Interim National Government.
Tinubu said in a statement by his media office on Thursday that having refused the offer, Jonathan was looking for ways to take him out either by killing him or getting him arrested based on trumped up charges.

Awujale tells Jonathan: Obas do not campaign for politicians

The Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has told President Goodluck Jonathan, that it is not proper in Ijebuland or Yorubaland for an Oba to canvass for votes for any candidates seeking elective posts.
Rather, monarchs in Yorubaland only encourage their subjects to make their informed choices.
The monarch said this when President Goodluck Jonathan paid a private visit to him in his palace in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.