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Aliyu Umar, prosecuting counsel‎ in the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki‎, and Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, for forgery, has asked for an adjournment of the case because he is unprepared. Mr. Saraki, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, are facing trial for alleged forgery of the Senate standing rules used to elect them as leaders of the Senate in June last year. The matter was adjourned in July till September 28 following the annual vacation of the judiciary. At the opening of session on Wednesday, Mr. Umar informed the court that he had just received a motion from the defendants challenging the jurisdiction of the court in respect of the charges against them and asking that the case be dismissed. He added that since the matter has to do with the fundamental right of parties to fair hearing, he needs to properly prepare his response to the motion. ...

A bogus lifestyle guru who stole more than £130,000 from Premier League footballers, a top manager and two millionaire businessmen was on Monday jailed for three years and eight months, The Mirror reports. Claire Liddle, 41, conned wealthy clients including Stoke City forward Osaze Odemwingie, Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom and former Celtic boss Tony Mowbray by offering to organise their luxury holidays. Liddle swindled Odemwingie out of £15,000 after the Nigerian striker handed over his bank details to organise his Miami honeymoon in 2012. She also stole at least £7,500 from, currently out on loan to Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg. She wept as she was sentenced to 12 months for the first fraud on the footballers, and 16 months consecutive on each of the other two scams, making a total of 44 months. In April 2014 Liddle was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years with 150 hours unpaid work after admitting fraud.

Edo state governorship polls have witnessed a lot of money politics as naira continues to rain at the on-going elections. Various sources monitoring the election says agents of political parties were seen inducing electorates with cash of Naira worth N1000, N2,000, N3000 and more . The All Progressives Congress agent was seen throwing bundles of Naira in the air, voters are scrambling for the money in units 1,2,3,4,5,6; ward 4 of Ikpoba Okha Local Government in Edo state. Also, agents of the Peoples Democratic party, PDP are said to be inducing voters with N1,500 at the at PU 12/02/01/001, Egor local government.      

Former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar, says that the APC leadership was wrong to deviate from its own resolution calling for the cancellation of the Ondo state governorship primary. He said in a statement on Wednesday that “since the APC found veritable reasons to review the outcome of the gubernatorial primary election it conducted in Ondo State, and was able to establish valid grounds to cancel that election and call for a fresh one, the decision to deviate from its own resolution is a negation of due process and an unfashionable hollow in democratic best practices.” Atiku’s position is aligned to that of the APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, who called on the party chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun to resign in a statement released over the weekend. Atiku however did not demand Oyegun’s resignation in his own statement. Weighing in on the matter, Atiku said it is crucial for the national leadership of the party ...

President Muhammadu Buhari presided over Federal Executive Council Meeting in Statehouse today 28th Sep 2016. See photos below:

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has kicked against the presence of the some APC governors in Edo State. He said their presence in the state was worrisome in the face of the restriction placed on movement of persons within the state. “We are also aware that the governor’s of Lagos and Kaduna States, Ambode and El-rufai, are also in Benin,” he said. “This is worrisome. If the security agencies can declare restriction of movement even for those in the state, we are wondering why two governors not from Edo State will relocate to our state. “You know they have been using the security agencies to harass our people even till last night trying to arrest them, detain them in any flimsy excuses,” Mr. Ize-Iyamu said.  

House of Reps on Wednesday suspended Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin for six months following report by its Committee on Ethics over budget padding allegations. The members of the House also barred the embattled former Appropriation Chairman from leadership positions for the remainder of his term .

A female police officer who was caught by an agent of the APC while collecting money from a chieftain of the PDP at unit 28, ward 7 in Ikpoba Okhai LGA was arrested by APC supporters who handed her over to the police. According to reports by Vanguard, the female police officer was locked up at Ugbekun police station after her action caused a little tension in the polling booth.

Today is the much anticipated Edo state Governorship elections. 8:43am: Reclaim Naija is reporting that Materials arrived at PU 02 ward 12, Etsako West LGA, Edo state. 7.25am. 6 security personnel and 4 INEC officials. 9:00am: Raymond Dokpesi of AIT spotted on the queue at ward 1 unit 8 Agenebode. Photo Credit: Reports Afrique 9:30am The APC governorship candidate in Edo, Godwin Obaseki, surrounded by supporters after arriving at his polling unit on Wednesday. Photo: Osagie Otabor 10am: Edo Decides: Massive TurnOut As Ballot Boxes Get Filled - Quite an impressive turnout of voters, determined and patiently waiting to vote. Ballot boxes are getting filled up. People with disabilities are also at the polling units to vote their candidate, Channels Television reports 10: 15am: Edo Decides: Party Agents Distribute N1000 to Voters in Ovia North SituationRoomNG: sharing of N1k by party agents to Voters at PU12/14/07/007, Ovia Nort...

Confederation of African Football, CAF, has named the top four seeds for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Holders Ivory Coast, hosts Gabon and former champions Algeria and Ghana were named Tuesday as the seeds for the 2017 tournament. Gabon, co-hosts of the 2012 Cup of Nations with Equatorial Guinea, stage the 2017 finals from January 14 to February 5 in Libreville, Franceville, Port Gentil and Oyem. Libreville, capital of the small, oil-rich central African state, hosts the October 19 draw that will split the 16 contenders into four groups with winners and runners-up securing quarter-finals places. While three former champions, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia, are notable absentees, the third seeds for Gabon illustrate the strength of the line-up. Record seven-time champions Egypt, Cameroon and Morocco have lifted the trophy and Senegal lost on penalties in the 2002 final. All four countries are potential 2017 champions, as are second seeds Tunisi...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the present administration has observed that corruption keeps fighting back despite the concerted effort against it. Prof. Osinbajo said this at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving a delegation of the University of Lagos Alumni Association. “We have watched corruption fighting back. Some people even said ‘bring back corruption’, but not the man in the street,” he said. “Look at the sheer amount of money stolen and decisions taken that fuelled corruption, decisions taken just with the sole aim of cornering national resources,” Osinbajo said. The VP said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was “not sitting down focussing on it (fighting corruption). All we do is to empower the relevant agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and others to do their jobs. Our main focus is the national economy. The leader of the delegation, Dr Sunny Kuku, pledged the association’s suppo...

The Borno State Commissioner for Environment, Waziri Imam, is dead. The deceased was the younger brother of Kashim Imam, a two-time gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who is now a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC. No official statement from the Borno State government yet. Officials and family sources told PremiumTimes that he died on Wednesday at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital after a brief illness. Sources within the state protocol unit said Governor Shettima, who last week relocated his office to Bama, might cut short his engagement to attend the burial today.  

The card reader machine at Ikpoba Okha, ward 5, unit 6 has malfunctioned due to network service failure. Official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has requested new SIM cards, but none is yet to be provided, DaiyTrust is reporting. Some 1,925,105 voters would this morning go to various polling booths in 18 local government areas of Edo State to elect a new governor, in what many have described as a big power fight between the PDP and the APC.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called on security agencies in the country to arrest herdsmen found to be in possession of AK 47 assault rifles. Speaking yesterday at a conference aimed at promoting inter-religious understanding among Muslims and Christians, the monarch described raffle-yielding herdsmen as criminals who should be treated as such. “The Fulani herdsmen we all know since we were children, are not the same as the ones we see carrying AK47 and killing people because we see people go around killing innocent villagers in their houses and we don’t see cattle. The Fulanis we see in our villages, markets and other places, we only see them with sticks and cattle, we don’t see them with Ak 47. “Any Fulani man that you see carrying AK47, killing people instead of carrying sticks and cattle, treat him as a terrorist and not as a herdsman. The government must wake up to its responsibility and turn this tide of incessant killings of peo...

All Progressives Congress Party are influencing voters with N2000 under the watch of Nigerian police in Ohon Primary School, Ikpoba Okha local government. The agent of the ruling party in PU12/11/10/004 seen influencing voters with N2,000 with the present of the men of Nigerian police, SituationRoom NG reports. Meawhile, Card Reader issue resolved in PU 12/11/01/022, Ikpoba Okha LG. Accreditation and Voting has commenced. Edo Decides: Live Updates From the Governorship Election

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola spoke on Nigeria’s power sector at the opening ceremony of the Power Nigeria Agenda 2016 held in Lagos yesterday. Here are 5 key points of the Minister’s speech: 1. Fashola faulted the recent statement by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Plc, Mr. Dallas Peavey Jr. that the country’s power woes may worsen in the days. He described the statement as “inflammatory and insensitive to Nigeria’s national security.” 2. Also reacting to Peavey’s statement, he said that all debts owed and legitimately contracted, verified will be paid. 3. Refuting claims that the grid was very fragile and cannot support 1300MW not to talk of 5000MW, he said the grid currently had the capacity to support 5300MW which is expanding on a daily basis. 4. He said the ministry is in the process of synchronizing with the Generating Companies and the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in order to ens...

The Nigerian Navy says its attention has been drawn to the reoccurring incidences of impersonation of service personnel by criminal elements and illegal groups, particularly in the coastal states. Director of Information, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, said while the service had taken measures to checkmate the activities of the impostors, their continuous activities had greatly dented the good image of the Nigerian Navy. A statement he signed reads: “Pseudo organisations that go by the names: Nigerian Merchant Navy, Merchant Naval Force and Nigerian Sea Scout among others have sprung up, deceived and recruited unsuspecting civilians, dressed up in Nigerian Navy uniforms and parading themselves as personnel. “In this year alone, about 16 persons have been arrested with the most recent been the case of one Mr Sunday Livinus Anaefo, who was arrested while on illegal escort duties along Ibafon-Victoria Island axis in Lagos. Also one Mr Uk...

Today is the much anticipated Edo state Governorship elections. 8:43am: Reclaim Naija is reporting that Materials arrived at PU 02 ward 12, Etsako West LGA, Edo state. 7.25am. 6 security personnel and 4 INEC officials. 9:00am: Raymond Dokpesi of AIT spotted on the queue at ward 1 unit 8 Agenebode. Photo Credit: Reports Afrique

Sam Allardyce has admitted he is "deeply disappointed" following his dismissal as England boss. The Three Lions chief left his position on Tuesday evening after crunch talks with FA bosses. Allardyce's exit comes on the back of remarks about the FA's rules on third party ownership in an undercover sting by the Daily Telegraph. Allardyce is understood to have offered his resignation as the FA deemed his job untenable. In his statement, Allardyce admitted he 'regretted' his comments. Full statement “Further to recent events, The FA and I have mutually agreed to part company. “It was a great honour for me to be appointed back in July and I am deeply disappointed at this outcome. “This afternoon, I met with Greg Clarke and Martin Glenn and offered a sincere and wholehearted apology for my actions. “Although it was made clear during the recorded conversations that any proposed arrangements would need The FA’s full approval, I recognise...

The Edo state Governorship election is billed to take place today, September 28, 2016. Here are 8 things you should know about today's election: 1. 19 Candidates are contesting the Edo state Gubernatorial elections 2. The contest is between two candidates - Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. 3. There’s only one female governorship race, Tracy Agol. She's contesting on the platform of the Peoples’ Party of Nigeria. 4. 7 of the political have females as their deputy governorship candidates. 5. Edo State has a total of 1,925,105 registered voters; 192 Registration Areas (RAs); 2,627 Polling Units (Pus); and 4,011 Voting Points (VPs). 6. Edo State has eighteen (18) Local Government Areas. 7. 25,000 police officers have been deployed to the state. 8. The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Edo state is Mr Sam Olumekun.

Below are some of the headlines in some selected Nigerian Dailies for today, Wednesday, September, 28, 2016       PUNCH: APC, PDP in war of words as Edo elects governor today Murder: Police arrest seven in Ebonyi Ikpeazu rejects Otti’s bid to join Abia gov suit Abia PDP ready for LG polls, says Onuigbo Expect more criminals during recession, Obiano tells judges Kaduna tremor: Senate warns against possible earthquake in Nigeria ‘Birds, locusts, others threaten harvests in Yobe’ N26m students’ registration fees scam rocks FCE, Zaria Obasanjo backs sale of national assets VANGUARD: Tension In S-East Over Oct 1 Deadline For Speed Limiters FIFA Women U-17: Flamingoes Land In Jordan Ahead Of Brazilian Clash Christ Embassy Urges Nigerians To Embrace Agric Tight Security As Edo Election Hold Today The Man, Ize-Iyamu Lagos, AWIEF, Sign $300m MoU To Boost Women Entrepreneurs 2016 WAEC Result: Best Student Gets Scholarship Upto P...

Drake is leading this year’s BET Hip Hop Awards nominations with a total of 14 nominations. This is the third year in a row that the singer is getting the highest number of nominations. His 14 nominations include - ‘Best Live Performer,’ ‘Lyricist of the Year,’ ‘MVP of the Year,’ ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Hustler of the Year,’ ‘Made-You-Look Award (Best Hip Hop Style)’ and as a featured artist in the ‘Sweet 16: Best Featured Verse’, ‘Best Hip-Hop Video,’ ‘Track of the Year,’ ‘People’s Champ Award,’ and 3 nods for ‘Best Collabo, Duo or Group.’ Future scores the second-most nominations with 10, DJ Khaled follows closely with 9 nominations and Kanye West with 8 nominations.

The Nomination List for the 2016 BET Hip Hop Awards is out. The event is billed to take place at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA, and will premiere on BET (DStv channel 129) Thursday 6 October at 21:00 CAT. See full nomination list below: Best Hip-Hop Video 2 Chainz – Watch Out Desiigner – Panda DJ Khaled F/ Jay Z & Future – I Got the Keys Drake – Hotline Bling Fat Joe & Remy Ma F/ French Montana & Infared – All the Way Up Kanye West F/ Rihanna – Famous Best Collabo, Duo or Group DJ Khaled F/ Drake – For Free DJ Khaled F/ Jay Z & Future – I Got the Keys Drake & Future – Jumpman Drake F/ Wizkid & Kyla – One Dance Fat Joe & Remy Ma F/ French Montana & Infared – All the Way Up Best Live Performer Drake Future Cole Kanye West Kendrick Lamar Lyricist of the Year Chance the Rapper Drake Cole Kanye West Kendrick Lamar Video Director of the Year Benny Boom Colin Till...

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has explained how ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan caused economic recession in the country. Chief Obasanjo yesterday said his advice on the prevailing economic crisis was ignored two years ago by taking a swipe at the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. He also blamed Jonathan for lifting the ban on importation of products like toothpick, which he said could have been taken over by local industries without encumbrances. At the official opening of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in Abeokuta yesterday, Obasanjo said the only way Nigeria could urgently step out of the current economic recession is for it to seek foreign loan. Obasanjo, who was the Father of the Day at the opening session, said he had warned the former President on the impending recession in November 26, 2014 when he joined others to celebrate the birthday of retired Justice Akanbi. “I reminded the government that...

An unidentified Warri pastor has gotten into big trouble after his one night stand with a woman went from daring to horrid. A Daily Post report said the pastor allegedly had sexual intercourse with a woman co-habiting with a man, in the guise of praying for her at about 5 am on Monday September, 26, in Warri, Delta State. The pastor was arrested by policemen after the woman died afterwards from complications developed during the intercourse. The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Celestina Kalu in a text message said the woman died as a result of “Sudden” and “Unnatural death”. “A known woman by the family members as the friend of pastor, visited him but collapsed out of ill health. The pastor rushed her to the church for prayers. And moved her to the hospital when the condition got worse. She was confirmed dead later. B Division investigation told.”  

A young Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmutallab, who was jailed in the United States in 2012 for terrorism offences has appeared on the voters’ register in Edo state. Governor Adams Oshiomhole drew attention to the existence of AbdulMuttalab’s portrait in a fake voters register now in circulation. Oshiomhole spoke about AbdulMutallab during a visit to him by the United States Consul General in Lagos, Mr F John Bray, DailyTrust reports. The Edo governor said he was shocked to see the portrait of the “underwear bomber” in the fake register, but with a Benin name. Governor Oshiomhole who raised concern about the duplication of the voter’s register by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said “the foundation for credible election is the voter’s register. Once the voter’s register is manipulated, then you have problems. - DailyTrust

Electorates have trooped to various polling units across the states to exercise for Franchise. See photos Photo source: Twitter Edo Decides: Live Updates From the Governorship Election  

The man according to reports allegedly got stuck while attempting to steal building materials from a site in Akwa Ibom state. Narrating the incident, Facebook user Dominic Esifa wrote: "Residents of Esuk Oro, Oron woke up this morning to meet this man Effiong from Udung Okung stuck to building materials he was attempting to steal in a site. It took the intervention of the owner of the property to get him off the hook. He has since been handed over to the police." Photos below:

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Niger , has sealed a sachet water factory in Kontagora area of the state over non-compliance with approved health standards. Mr Anikoh Ibrahim, the State Coordinator of NAFDAC, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Minna in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said that the factory, S.A. Lani Water, was discovered recently during routine check in the Local Government Area. “ We discovered that the factory was compromising the health of unsuspecting consumers by packaging table water in unhygienic environment. “We also discovered that it was producing water without ultraviolet light which makes it unhygienic because there was nothing to kill germs in the water so we sealed it ,’’ he said. Ibrahim explained that the ultraviolet light was responsible for killing germs before other processes in the packaging of table water. He said that the factory also expose...

The Presidency has fired the Deputy Director linked to the plagiarism incident in President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech when he launched the “Change Begins With Me” campaign. According to a report from Daily Trust, the disciplinary process has begun for the officer, who was discovered to have copied part of a speech by President Barack Obama of the United States. “At 8 o’clock on the Monday morning following the allegations, he reported at the office of the Head of Service, and he was immediately asked to vacate his position and office at the State House pending further measures which will be guided by civil service rules and regulations,” someone familiar with the matter said. The Presidency has also taken steps to avoid a repeat of such an embarrassing occurrence which sources said goes against everything that President Muhammadu Buhari represents and stands for.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, shocked the world as he recalled how former President Goodluck Jonathan reversed ban on importation of toothpick without reading. Chief Obasanjo said this at the official opening of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) in Abeokuta while explaining how ex-President, Jonathan caused economic recession in the country. Obasanjo, who was the Father of the Day at the opening session, said he had warned the former President on the impending recession in November 26, 2014 when he joined others to celebrate the birthday of retired Justice Akanbi. Obasanjo shocked the gathering when he recalled how it was discovered that the ban on the importation of toothpick was reversed by the Jonathan administration, saying he had visited Jonathan in Abuja to ask why he lifted the ban on toothpick and Jonathan said he did not read before he approved. Recession: Obasanjo Advises Buhari to Sell 49% of NNPC

Sacked chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, yesterday explained why he decided not to appear before the house Committee on Ethics and Privileges. Jibrin while addressing journalists in his office in Abuja yesterday, said decided not to appear before the Ethics and Privilege Committee because he had wanted the assurances of the chairman of the Committee, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, in writing that the investigation was going to be conducted in the public place where the media and civil society organisations would be present. He said: “Of course you are aware the House deliberated the matter even though we faulted the process but referred the matter to the Committee of Ethics and Privileges. Now there has been a bite of misconception and I want to clarify the issues. “Ahead of the resumption of the House I wrote a 17 page letter to all members of the House and one of the issues is that I was finding it difficult to r...

England's U-21 team coach, Gareth Southgate has been announced as the temporary manager for the senior English football team, following Sam Allardyce's resignation after 67 days in charge. “Gareth Southgate will take charge of the men’s senior team for the next four matches against Malta, Slovenia, Scotland and Spain whilst The FA begins its search for the new England manager,” a Football Association statement read.  

Shimon Peres, former President of Isreal is dead. Peres who served twice as Israel's prime minister and once as president was 83 years at the time of the death. BBC reports that Mr Peres died in a hospital near Tel Aviv early on Wednesday, September 28, with his family at his bedside. He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1994 for his role negotiating peace accords with the Palestinians a year earlier.