The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would only continue to recognize and relate with Mr. Omoyele Sowore as the substantive National Chairman of the African Action Congress (AAC).
INEC’s decision is coming five days after one Mazi Okwy read a resolution of suspension to journalists in Abuja while installing the expelled secretary of the party, Leonard Ezenwa as acting party chairman.
The electoral body in a statement signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, secretary to the commission on Friday said: “The commission after reviewing the content of the letter has established the following.
“There is no documentary evidence that a meeting of the AAC National Executive Committee (NEC) was convened by the National Chairman as required by Chapter 9 Section 59(a) of the Constitution of AAC.
“The party did not provide a 21-day notice of the NEC meeting as required by Section85(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
“There are no minutes or evidence of attendance of the AAC National Executive Committee meeting where the National Chairman and eight (8) others were purportedly suspended.
“Accordingly, the Commission shall continue to recognize and relate with Mr. Sowore Omoyele as the substantive national Chairman of the African Action Congress.”
Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of Aviation, has commended the National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bolu Tinubu.
Fani-Kayode hailed Tinubu following his alleged courage to aspire to be next president of Nigeria in 2023.
According to the former minister, Tinubu by aspiring to be president has challenged the notion that the North owns Nigeria.
Fani-Kayode on his Twitter page wrote: “I am not in Bola Tinubu’s party but I commend him for having the courage to aspire to be Pres. in 2023.
“ How many southern politicians from either APC or PDP have had the guts to do that? If nothing else he has challenged the myth that the north owns Nigeria.”
Enugu representative, Chidinma Leilani Aaron has been crowned Miss Nigeria 2018, in the star studded event which was held yesterday at the Eko Convention Centre of Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.
The event kick started with eighteen contestants, but they were pruned to 12 finalists which include, Ntan Nton, Egede Lagele, Thomas Mseve, Ameh Munirah, Otunba Ifunaya, and Shitta Remilekun, Tizhe Usa Miriam, Okudili Odinaka Doris, Agida Stephanie, Ugwu Ijeoma, Aaron Chidinma Leilani, and Dunu Chisom Olivia.
However the 12 finalists were further cut down to 5; Dunu Chisom, Ntan Sharon Nton, Ameh Munirah, Agida Stephanie and Chidinma Aaron.
Chidinma Aaron was eventually crowned Miss Nigeria 2018, while Ameh emerged the second runner-up and Dunu was named the first runner-up.
The beauty pageant had no registration fee in a bid to be all-inclusive and “to prevent financial restraints on the part of young ladies who are truly deserving of the ultimate title”, however the winner took home N3 million, a luxury apartment and a car.
Chidinma Aaron now takes over the crown from Mildred Ehiguese who won the 2017 edition.
Lamar Odom, former Basketball player and Khloe Kardashian’s ex-husband, has revealed that he is a sex addict and has slept with over 200 women.
The NBA star, made the revelation in his new memoir, ‘Darkness to Light’ exclusively excerpted in PEOPLE.
On his sex addiction, the 39-year-old wrote that he has slept with over 2,000 ladies including strippers and prostitutes.
He wrote: “I have been obsessed with sex for as long as I can remember. There were too many strippers to count. It wasn’t a big deal, but often I would pay them. I never thought less of them.”
He also revealed that he cheated on Khloe Kardashian all through their four-year marriage. According to him, it was embarrassing and shocking.
“I was shocked and embarrassed. I wanted to take it back, but you can’t. [I] wanted to hide it. But that sick sin was hard for me to hide … I had a problem.”
He blamed porn addiction for his addiction to sex by revealing that sex would trigger his drug use because it would allow him to “double up on that good feeling.”
He wrote, “I ran out of porn to watch! That’s how you know when you are going a little overboard.”
He also revealed how she stood by him during his life-threatening overdose in 2015. It would be recalled that in 2015, Odom overdosed during cocaine and booze-fueled binge at Love Ranch brothel in Nevada.
Lamar told People, “Her love for me must have been unconditional. That’s the only thing I think that gave her the strength to still love me at that time.”
Odom says he wishes ‘he had kept his d**k in his pants’ instead of getting involved with women after him because of his fame.
He told US Weekly, “When I became Khloé Kardashian ‘s man and on TV, it made me look more enticing. People who didn’t even know basketball would approach me because they knew Lammy. B**ches and [hoes] came out of the woodwork. If there is one thing I regret when I was married, it was having multiple affairs with different women. That wasn’t the stand-up thing to do. I wish I could have kept my dk in my pants.”
Odom and Kardashian were married in 2009, they separated in 2013 but officially got divorced in 2016.
The Senate on Thursday passed the Public Holiday Act Amendment Bill to recognize June 12 as the new Democracy Day.
The Senate at the plenary on Thursday passed the amendment in concurrence with the House of Representatives which approved the new date earlier in December 2018.
The passage followed the adoption of a report by Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Majority Leader, for the Senate to concur with the House.
The bill was passed almost one year after President Muhammadu Buhari announced that the date would replace May 29 for Nigerians to commemorate the return to the civilian government.
The legislation is now billed for transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
President Buhari had on June 6, 2018, announced June 12 as the new date which Democracy Day would be celebrated in the country, to honour the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, who was fondly known as MKO.
The President made the declaration as the Federal Government honoured the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, the late Chief Moshood Abiola, with a posthumous conferment of the highest national award, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, on him.
The decision has made Abiola the second Nigerian who never presided over the country but was given the highest national award. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, before Abiola, was given the same award despite failing to become the president of Nigeria.
Buhari had also conferred on Abiola’s running mate in the election, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe and foremost human rights lawyer, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the Grand Commander of the Niger award, which is the second highest national honour.
Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd.) on Thursday said that upgrading and funding of Nigeria’s health institutions will reverse the burden of medical tourism.
Gowon stated this in Benin, Edo State, at the inaugural Founder’s Day ceremony of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).
He noted that UBTH’s performance since inception, has justified the vision behind its establishment, adding that it has contributed immensely to the strengthening of health service systems.
He described as relevant and worthy endeavour, the launching of endowment fund to raise the standard and quality of service at the hospital.
“What we are celebrating today is the last, present and the future of this citadel of learning, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and the possibilities that the future holds for the hospital.
“That is why the endowment fund being launched today becomes so relevant. It is a worth endeavor geared towards upgrading the institution and health services in the state and the country to a level capable of helping reversing the burden of medical tourism in Nigeria,” Gowon said.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was represented at the event by Dr. Shaibu Belgore, noted that not all Nigeria’s hospital problems were due to lack of adequate equipment or expertise.
According to him, “About a year ago, it was estimated that Nigeria loses about $1 billion every year to medical service sourced abroad. Outside medical tourism is effectively a declaration of no confidence in our health system, which we must endeavor to reverse.
“The long air travel involved for care in unfamiliar cultures not only severely strains the individual patients, it often improvises their families and hurt Nigeria’s economy. We must restore confidence in our health sector by improving all aspects of quality of care, cost efficiency and patient experience.
“Not all of our hospitals’ problems are due to lack of adequate equipment or expertise. I can attest that Nigerian doctors and nurses are technically competent, in fact, some hospitals patronized by our citizens in certain Asian countries turn out to be not as equipped or well-staffed as Nigerian teaching hospitals.”
Ehanire said improvement is urgently needed in all aspects, from environmental upgrade to tiptop housekeeping, from registration, to focused, attentive doctor consultation.
Earlier in his welcome address, the CMD of UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, appealed for financial support to enable the hospital put a stop to medical tourism in the country.
He insisted that the hospital was capable of carrying out treatment of every ailment for which Nigerians have travel abroad for.
“We don’t have the resources to do these things, so we felt we have to talk to people to help us with the needed fund to enable us do all these things,” he said.
He also announced the naming of the dual-carriage way to the hospital, Victoria Gowon Drive, after the wife of the former Head of State, who commissioned the hospital on 12 May, 1973.
The central administrative building was also named after Dr. Samuel Samuel Ogbemudia; the statute of a nurse at the hospital gate after Mrs. Iyalekhue Bello-Osagie.
In his remark, the chairman, management board of UBTH, Bashorun Adedoja Adewolu thanked federal government for taking over the management of hospital.
He noted that UBTH was one of first six generation teaching hospitals established by the Yakubu Gowon administration.
National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, lauded workers of UBTH whom he said have all the years kept the vision of the founding fathers of the hospital.
A Nigerian-born teenager, Tobechukwu Phillips has shattered the 125 academic history of her high school in Texas, US.
Phillips, a student of Alvin High School boasted a 6.9 GPA, after she earned A’s throughout her stay in the school. She emerged the first Black valedictorian in the school’s history.
Alvin High School was originally established in 1894. African-American students were allowed to join the school in 1965.
Speaking to Because of Them We Can, Phillips said, “Maintaining the highest GPA in my class is a difficult task. It truly takes time management but more importantly acknowledging what you do it for. I know that I am no longer just representing myself.”
Phillips had a word of advice for other students. She said, “My biggest advice to other scholars of colour is to truly adopt the mindset of Rosa Parks — ‘No.’ Do not conform to the stereotypes that have held us under thumbs for so long,” she explained. “Do not be discouraged when someone speaks out against you, simply allow what they say to fuel your fire. But more than anything, do not remain tight-lipped. Stand up for what you believe in and take it upon yourself to be the change you’ve always wanted. Say ‘No’ to the ways of the world and stick out.”
Phillips will attend the Nursing School at the University of Texas on full scholarship later in the year. Her plan is to one day own her own clinic as a pediatric nurse practitioner.
A smartphone user shows the Facebook application on his phone in the central Bosnian town of Zenica, in this photo illustration, May 2, 2013.
Facebook Inc's mobile advertising revenue growth gained momentum in the first three months of the year as the social network sold more ads to users on smartphones and tablets, partially offsetting higher spending which weighed on profits. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - Tags: SOCIETY SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS) - RTXZ81J
Facebook on Thursday said it had removed 265 Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages, groups and events linked to an Israel-based firm due to what it called “inauthentic behaviour” targeting users in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.
The move is part of wider efforts by Facebook to address concerns over privacy lapses and hate speech in social media.
Facebook said the “inauthentic” activity originated in Israel and focused on Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Angola, Niger and Tunisia as well as in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
“The people behind this network used fake accounts to run pages, disseminate their content and artificially increase engagement,” Nathaniel , head of cyber security policy at Facebook said in a statement.
He identified Israel’s Archimedes Group as the source of some of the activity.
“This organisation and all its subsidiaries are now banned from Facebook, and it has been issued a cease and desist letter,” said Gleicher.
Archimedes was not immediately available for comment
Gleicher said Archimedes had 65 Facebook accounts, 161 pages, 12 events and four Instagram accounts. Some 2.8 million accounts followed one or more of these pages.
He said that the individuals involved also represented themselves as locals, including local news organisations, and published allegedly leaked information about politicians.
“The page administrators and account owners frequently posted about political news, including topics like elections in various countries, candidate views and criticism of political opponents,” Gleicher said.
“We’re taking down these pages and accounts based on their behaviour, not the content they posted.”
He added that around 812,000 dollars was spent for advertisements on Facebook paid for in Brazilian reals, Israeli shekels and U.S. dollars with the first ad running in 2012 and the most recent last month, Gleicher said.
“We have shared information about our analysis with industry partners and policymakers,” he said.
Similarly, Amnesty International on Thursday called for Israel’s government to ensure that an Israeli company, whose spyware has been linked to a WhatsApp breach that may have targeted human rights groups, be held accountable for the way its software is used.
Amnesty on Tuesday filed a petition in Israel seeking the revocation of NSO Group’s export licence and said that it was up to the government to take a firmer stance against export licenses that have “resulted in human rights abuses.”
Israel’s Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
WhatsApp, a unit of Facebook, said on Tuesday that a security breach on its messaging app may have targeted human rights groups.
According to Eva Galperin, Director of cybersecurity at San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation, WhatsApp told human rights groups it believed the spyware used was developed by Israel’s NSO.
A second person familiar with the matter also identified spyware from NSO.
Amnesty said in an emailed statement that NSO has “again and again demonstrated their intent to avoid responsibility for the way their software is used,” and that only government intervention would change that.
NSO has not commented on any specific attacks, but following the WhatsApp breach it said it would investigate any “credible allegations of misuse” of its technology which “is solely operated by intelligence and law enforcement agencies”.
NSO’s biggest shareholder, Novalpina Capital, said in a statement that it intends to bring NSO’s governance into alignment with UN principles and will seek insights from Amnesty and other groups “into how best to achieve this important goal.”
WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular messaging tools which are used by 1.5 billion people monthly, said it had notified the U.S. Department of Justice to help with an investigation into the breach.
And it encouraged its users to update to the latest version of the app, where the breach had been fixed.
One target of the new WhatsApp exploit was a United Kingdom-based human rights lawyer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
The United Kingdom-based human rights lawyer is helping a Saudi dissident and several Mexican journalists mount civil cases against NSO for its alleged role in selling hacking tools to the Saudi and Mexican governments, which they alleged were used to hack into their phones.
NSO says it sells only to law enforcement and intelligence agencies pursuing legitimate targets, such as terrorists and criminals.
Novalpina, in a May 15 letter to Amnesty signed by founding partner Stephen Peel, said Novalpina was “determined to do whatever is necessary to ensure that NSO technology is used for the purpose for which it is intended.
“The prevention of harm to fundamental human rights arising from terrorism and serious crime – and not abused in a manner that undermines other equally fundamental human rights.”
Nigerian sports officials are either refusing to talk or passing blames after the country received overpayments from the global athletics body, spent the money illegally, and refused to pay back for over two years.
On Monday, the International Association of Athletics Federations said it had done everything possible to get the $130,000 it mistakenly paid to Nigeria but said the Athletic Federation of Nigeria had refused to pay up.
The association vowed to sanction the Nigerian federation if the money was not repaid within two weeks.
Reached on Thursday, Sports Minister Solomon Dalung refused to comment on the matter, claiming the IAAF letter was not sent to his office. He told PREMIUM TIMES he would not speak about a letter circulating on social media.
But some officials have told PREMIUM TIMES Mr. Dalung knew too well about the money, and was the person who authorised the funds be disbursed.
Asked to respond to that allegation, Mr. Dalung declined comments. The spokesperson for the AFN, Amanzi Marcus, also denied responsibility for the illegal spending of the IAAF money.
The controversy, which came to light this week, has angered sports analysts and anti-corruption activists who argue that the refusal of Nigeria to refund a credit it received in error was a dent on the nation’s image.
A former president of the Lagos Branch of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Fred Edoreh, described the present situation as a “national disgrace”.
He said Nigeria already has its fair share of bad publicity and adding this new episode was “disheartening”.
“This is a national disgrace; another level of 419 you may call it…,” Mr Edoreh said. “If the IAAF mistakenly paid the federation in Nigeria money it is only right that we return what does not belong to us. But despite even the promise from the minister, two years after we are still on the issue this is very sad.” he said.
How it began
The embarrassing episode started in 2017 when the IAAF was meant to pay a $20,000 grant to the AFN but said it overpaid Nigeria by $130,000.
As contained its letter on Monday, the IAAF detailed how it has been trying unsuccesfully for two years to get a refund.
The IAAF senior manager for governance, Jee Isram, noted in the letter: “You were informed on 18 March 2018 by our CEO of a payment made by the IAAF to the bank account of your federation on 17 May 2017. A sum of 150,000 US Dollars was transferred by the IAAF of which 130,000 US Dollars were wrongfully credited
“We promptly notified you of this over-payment and followed up several written correspondences as well as a meeting with you in November 2017, requesting that you reverse the bank transfer for the overpaid amount to no avail.
“On 28 June 2018, you informed us that the Ministry of sports was ready to refund 50 percent of that amount and despite several telephone conversations, the amount was still not paid. While we were in Asaba in August 2018 during the African Senior Championships we met with the minister of sports and his permanent secretary. We discussed about the return of the funds to the IAAF and until today we have not heard anything.”
Blame game
While accusing fingers had been pointed at the former board of the AFN led by Solomon Ogba, one of the board members, Olukayode Thomas, vehemently denied the claim.
Mr. Thomas told PREMIUM TIMES that the Ogba-led board had left office before the money from IAAF came and also pointed out that approval to spend the money was given by the current Sports Minister, Mr Dalung.
“There is no need in maligning people and telling lies about them if you don’t have facts,” Mr Thomas said.
“The money they are talking about came a week or two after our board left office and then Amaechi Akawo was in charge of everything and when the money came, Amaechi contacted officials in the sports ministry that monies have been sent in from the IAAF and the director of FEADS informed the perm sec who contacted the minister and he gave them the go ahead to spend the money. From what I heard, they used the money for one championship or something .. not sure,” he added.
“When Gusau came in that was when the media got the wind of the story and it was reported and the government assured that they would refund the money but it was not (returned).
“There were series of letters between the IAAF and AFN , during the African Championships in Asaba, Sebastian Coe came with other big wigs of IAAF and the issue was raised again and promises were made that the money will be paid but they did not refund it.
“Last month at the African Youth Championships in Abidjan, the issue came up again still no headway. At the recent World Relays in Yokohama, it was raised yet again and that was when they decided that the person that has been promising to refund these monies will be leaving office in two weeks and chances are that they won’t get the money again.
“That is why they have threatened to ban Nigeria from all international meet, if that is done, they can even go further and ban our athletes from any meet. So in clear terms, this issue has nothing to do with our board,” the former AFN board member explained.
Contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Dalung said, “I only saw the purported letter on the social media and government communication are not done on social media, I only react and work on letters brought to me in my official capacity.
“If IAAF had written a letter and it is purportedly said my office is mentioned in it , they would send me a copy, if they have not sent me a copy then I think they are only just trying to play politics because they know where my office is and if you are raising an issue that affects a person, you must also give him a copy of the letter. As I am talking to you, I have not seen any copy of the letter even though I have seen the purported letter on the social media but I will not react to a social media letter.”
The minister also queried the fears being raised by the IAAF that he would soon be leaving office hence they are not sure of getting their money back.
“How does an issue affecting the sports ministry affect the exit of Solomon Dalung? So IAAF is going to politics.
“If the IAAF are writing a letter raising an issue affecting my office, it is fair that they send a copy of that letter to me. All they did is go and post a letter on social media, does government communicate or run its business on social media?”
Mr. Thomas, the a former member of the AFN board, said those involved in the scandal should be brought to book as the country has been ridiculed by the action of some selfish individuals.
“Whoever did this must be punished, because if anybody sent money to you in error no matter the amount, as an honest person you are not even meant to spend it much more now talking of refund.
“The thing is already affecting Nigeria, the IAAF is already withholding other support it has been giving and prize monies due to our athletes may be seized.
“For me it is sad all these things are happening under Dalung who in the last four years has failed to develop sports. This is a big humiliation that a country of over 100m people that is being chased around to refund less than $150,000. This is painting us in bad light that we are not trustworthy, not honest. If when that money came it was returned back promptly that would have been the best.
“If Dalung is someone that thinks well before acting, he would have known that this is very dangerous and could backfire.
Attempts to get the minister to confirm or deny approving the spending of the IAAF monies were unsuccessful as he insisted he would not react to the frivolities
“What you are still discussing is from a letter that I saw on social media and like I said, I don’t’ react to what is not before me. If any board is saying anything, when it is brought before me, I will now take it up,” Mr. Dalung insisted.
“The account of the AFN is not controlled by the Ministry of Sports, we are not signatories to it,” he added.
With the scandal, the fate of Nigerian athletes hangs in the balance as they pray against a ban from IAAF.
The AFN spokesperson, Mr Marcus, told PREMIUM TIMES, the federation was “deeply pained” by the case, but denied the current board was responsible for it.
He said Nigerian athletes were already facing poor treatement because of the controversy.
“We are deeply pained by this issue. As you know, our board is not involved in all this; I will advise you speak to those in the ministry but sincerely we are the most affected by this issue,” he said.
“Our athletes just returned from Yokohama where we went for the World Relays from what I gathered they were not treated well and I hear it has to do with this issue on the ground.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has preferred 11 charges bordering on fraud against upcoming musician, Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, for alleged credit card fraud.
The musician effectively risks seven years in jail if found guilty, as Section 33 (2) which he was accused of breaching, reads: “Any person who uses: a counterfeit access device; an unauthorised access device; an access device issued to another person; resulting in a loss or gain commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than seven years or a fine of not more than N5,000,000.00 and forfeiture of the advantage or value derived from his act.
The charges with suit number FHC/L/178C/19 were filed before a Lagos State High Court.
Some of the credit cards, according to the EFCC, bore the names- Nicole Louise Malyon, and Timea Fedorne Tatar.
The alleged crimes were in contravention of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act and the Cyber Crimes Act.
The charges read in part, “That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 11th day of December 2018, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired amongst yourselves to use Access card 42658840359191132 issued to persons other than you in a bid to obtain gain and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 33(2) of the Same Act.
“That you, Azeez Adeshina Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Raze (still at large), on or about the 10th day of May 2019, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to defraud possessed, counterfeit card 4921819410257431 issued to Timea Fedorne Tatar and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33(9) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015.”
The artiste has been enmeshed in controversy in the last one month following his decision to openly support online fraud commonly called ‘Yahoo Yahoo.’
He was arrested last Friday along with four others, including his bosom friend, Zlatan Ibile.
