PDP Comes For Buhari Over Refusal to Partake in Presidential Debate

Femi Fani Kayode, PDP presidential campaign spokesman released a statement condemning Gen. Buhari’s refusal to participate in the presidential debate organized by Channels TV in conjunction with ARISE TV and NPAN… Here’s what he had to say:

“We have been informed that General Buhari and the APC have decided not to participate in the NPAN-Channel Television-organised debate after they had earlier agreed to take part in it. We had thought that having withdrawn from participating in the debate organised by Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), they would have availed themselves this second platform. Now that they have also turned their back on this, it is now very clear that General Buhari is incapable of engaging in rigorous live television debates on the issues of governance.
It speaks about his intellectual laziness and his loss of touch with contemporary issues of development and statecraft. We would like to reiterate that the APC has something to shield about General Buhari. He has campaigned in some states of the federation attacking President Jonathan’s handling of insurgency, corruption and economy. Now there is a platform on which both candidates can engage each other on these issues and he (Buhari) is running away. It is a disgrace to the APC and their candidate that they would treat everybody with contempt.
The organisers of the debates are interested in promoting a robust culture of debates so that people can listen to the candidates and make informed choices on the basis of their arguments. We call on Nigerians to express their displeasure with General Buhari and the APC by rejecting them at the poll. This will be a just recompense for treating the Nigerian people and electorate with disdain”

What do you say?

Cynthia Morgan Releases Sultry Photos and Autobiography

Budding songster, Cynthia Morgan signed to Northside Music Inc shared some new photos and her biograpghy… check them out:

Cynthia’s bio
Born September 23rd in Benin City, Edo State , the South South of Nigeria. Cynthia Morgan music is a fusion of Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop, and AfroPop She grew up around musicians and back up singers from her mother’s musical band since the age of three. Her professional passion and love for music started at the age of 3. She was raised by a single mother, Sherifat Morgan, who is a top musical/performing gospel artist in Benin City, Edo State.
Cynthia Morgan decided to go into music professionally in 2009. She released her first singles at the age of 16 , right after completing High School and got massive recognition and love from fans all over Nigeria.
In 2010 she was featured on the Nigeria Entertainment Award winning track with Jhybo titled Ejo le Fe Ro “Run Dia mouth”
This record gave her instant recognition and fame nationwide.
SIGNED to Northside INC in August 2013, a record label and management company fronted by Jude Okoye , elder brother and manager to Psquare and CEO of Square Records, Cynthia Morgan has become unstoppable and now one of the most sort after female musician in Nigeria. Her Hit single I’M Taken has put her in the front map of the Nigerian music scene. Other known hit tracks from Cynthia Morgan includes; Don’t Break My Heart, Lead Me On, Popori and Kuchi Kuchi.
Cynthia Morgan is also known for her electrifying, raw and crazy stage performance. Her stage craft commands lots of attention. Her performance at the headies 2014 gave her a standing ovation and was the most talked about at the award.
The track Kuchi Kuchi was featured on American music artist, Gucci Mane’s 2013 March mixtape. The mixtape also featured top American artist like Lil Wayne, 2Chains, Future and Waka Flocka…..
Cynthia Morgan sites Psquare, 2face, UB40, Chris Brown, Sean Paul and Sizzla Kalonji as her musical role models.

What do you think of her photos???

Fresh attack in Baga, Mungulo village by Boko Haram members

Boko Haram members are currently attacking Dikwa, Baga and Mungulo villages in Borno state. According to reports, the sect members launched a fresh attack on the villagers in the early hours of today Wednesday February 4th. Nigerian troops and allied forces are currently engaging them in a gun battle. More details later.

Why should a girl be raped because she uses illicit drugs?

Sponsored post. Read below...

Abigail, a 25 year old girl resident in the FCT recounted how she was raped by some policemen on the account that she admitted to the use of illicit drugs. In order for her not to get arrested she was made to pay with her body. In her words ‘They forcefully climbed me to make love with me, so I was begging that it will just be one person but they refused and took turns to have sex with me, my body was violated’. Abigail’s case is just one out of the many cases of human right abuse that young people who use drugs do experience in the hand of law enforcement officers.

 Someone may want to ask, do drug users have any human right? Don’t they deserve whatever punishment they receive? This and many similar questions explained why human right abuse of this group have been normalised in our society and beclouded a need for us to confront the growing challenge of drug misuse with humane and evidence-based strategy. Recently, YouthRISE Nigeria, a Non-Governmental organisation with support of Open Society Institute of West Africa (OSIWA) presented an evidence-based report on documented cases of human right abuse experienced by young people who use drugs in Nigeria. The story of Abigail was one of the cases. Other cases include arbitrary and prolonged arrest, denial of access to justice, extortion, being beaten, getting locked up without food for days, sexual harassment, rape, forced rehabilitation and use of severe torture to make people drug free. The perpetrators of these abuse are not limited to law enforcement officers but included family members, religious centres and many more. 

The challenge of drug use in our society today is a reality among the youths who use drugs for one reasons or the other inclusive of escaping the harsh economic problem such as unemployment, poverty and homelessness.Young people constitute about 60 per cent of Nigeria population and it is important to take issues that affect them very serious.

The YouthRISE reportclearly showed Nigeria drug policy to be reactive to both internal and external pressures instead of being a proactive tool based on evidence of what works and what does not. While drug traffickers are criminals, it is out of place to treat drug users who are at the receiving end like criminals. The understanding of drug dependence should also make us to rethink that drug users are supposed to be referred to treatment and help centres and not getting locked up in prison asylums or police and NDLEA custody. Even though, it could have been said that these individuals broke the law, there fundamental human rights and dignity should be upheld.Moreover, drug use is a non-violent offence and locking people up because they use drugs is not really justifiable. This also contributes to over congestions of Nigeria prisons and detention centres. The findings from the report showed that some of the young people who were locked up for just using drugs became worse or hardened after getting out of the custody.

In conclusion, this topic is rarely discussed but it’s a growing challenge in Nigeria and like a time bomb among the youth. The continuous use of punishment and force to address drug use seems counter-productive.While the Nigeria drug law could be said to have been developed with good intentions, the unintended consequences resulting from its implementation calls for an urgent review especially for the protection and holistic development of the youth population who have already initiated drug use. While law enforcement is still needed, it should be targeted at the traffickers and those who deal in illicit drugs. The users should be given required support and not punishment.

Photos: Protests against LUTH after woman detained for unsettled hospital bill dies

Family members and youths in the Idi-Araba area of Lagos state last Thursday January 29th took to the streets of Idi Araba, to protest the death of one Mrs. Folake Oduyoye who reportedly died on Dec. 13th 2014 at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, after her husband could not offset her medical bill of N1.3million while she was admitted in the hospital for post delivery complications she developed after having a child at the hospital. Continue...

According to Sahara Reporters, Mrs Oduyoye's husband, Mr Oduyoye said she was transferred to LUTH following post delivery complications. He said after she was admitted into the hospital, she was treated and given a bill of N1m which he was able to offset through the help of relatives and associates from his wife's fashion trade. Mr Oduyoye said after his wife was officially discharged by the hospital, he was issued another bill of about N1.3million.

Mr Oduyoye said that he was able to raise N300,000 out of the bill and then had an agreement with management of LUTH to discharge her on the condition that he would provide a guarantor who would stand to ensure that he pays up the balance in a systematic manner and that the guarantor must be a staff of LUTH. He said his inability to provide a guarantor within their workforce made the hospital management detain his wife who in the process developed other illnesses with symptomatic cough. He said the hospital refused to treat his wife's new illness because of the unsettled bill.

"At this point they [hospital management] policed me everywhere, saying I might smuggle my wife out of the hospital. I slept beside her all 45 days in the hospital, watching other patients die on daily basis,” he said.

Sadly his wife passed away in the hospital on 13th of December, 2014,

"She asked me if we would go home any time soon, since she was said to be discharged a month and half ago. But that was only the last five minutes into end for her, I didn't know. At about 2a.m on 13th of December, she finally dropped on my lap,” he said.

One of the leaders of the protest and frontline human rights activist, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin said this was a case of government corruption.

"This is neglect and a rip off. Where is the National Health Insurance Scheme and where are the billions earmarked for public healthcare?", Okei-Odumakin said.

South Africa's top TV presenter Simba Mhere dies in car crash

Popular South African TV presenter Simba Mhere (pictured above) died on Saturday January 31st in a deadly car crash in Johannesburg while on his way to the airport. The striking 31 year old presenter of Top Billing (he won the Top Billing Presenter search in 2010), originally from Zimbabwe and moved to Johannesburg when he was a year old, was killed when another car hit his in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was with a friend and his dad in the car. Only his father survived the crashed

His manager said of the gentle giant "He was going places. He was the most amazing human being. Gentle, kind and loving, honest, hardworking. He was the most extraordinary person. I saw him on Thursday. And I always used to kiss him on the neck and always used to love it and shake.”

The driver that crashed into his car has been charged with negligent driving and culpable homicide. Mhere worked as a voice-over artist & hosted some of South Africa's most prestigious events. SABC says Simba’s memorial service and funeral will both be streamed live on SABC News' and SABC3's YouTube channel. May his soul rest in peace....amen.

Read More at thenet.ng/2015/02/how-tv-personality-simba-mhere-died-in-a-car-crash/ Follow us: @theNETng on Twitter | theNETng on Facebook

 

His last tweets...

Video: TransAsia plane crashes in Taiwan river- 15 killed, 30 missing

A TransAsia airways plane carrying 53 passengers & five crew crashed into a shallow river this morning February 4th in Taiwan, killing at least 12 people. 16 people have been rescued alive and about 30 are missing.

The crash was caught on the dashcam of a car driving through the bride. It shows the plane clipping a bridge shortly after take-off this morning from Taipei's Sungshan Airport and crashing into the Keelung river.

The plane's wings also hit a taxi on the freeway, seriously injuring the driver. Rescue workers are currently at the scene and have been able to pull people alive from the wreckage. But they believe most of the people in front of the plane are like to have lost their lives as they continue rescue efforts. See the dramatic photos and video of the crash after the cut...


The Taiwanese Central Disaster Response Centre issued the statement below about the crash

The plane lost contact at 10.53am on and was found in Keelung river in Taipei. The ministry of transportation contacted the disaster response centre 20 minutes later.
Confirmed on the flight are 53 passengers and five crew members, totalling 58 people. Taipei city rescue teams are in operation, having rescued 16 people who were admitted to a nearby hospital, with two announced dead on arrival.
Several fire engines, ambulances, water craft and almost 170 rescue staff have been dispatched.

 

International building machinery & construction exhibition is ongoing

The Eko Hotel & Suites Victoria Island, Lagos, today had thousands of people who came to buy building materials and construction equipment at ridiculous price, as Buildmacex Nigeria 2015 exhibition kick off today. Professionals within the country and partners from Africa, Asia and Europe were also on ground to give expert advice.

Anikwe Matthew, a building contractor was one of the beneficiaries, he said “Things here are quite cheap and of the best of qualities”

 

Another customer at the trade fair, Olorunleke Ademola, who is into Estate Management said, “This is good and it is an ideal place to buy top quality products”. He further said the organizers should keep doing this from time to time. 
   
The exhibition which has received the endorsement of the Ministry of Economy, Republic of Turkey and Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NICCMA), will continue from 10am till 6pm tomorrow, 4th of February and end on Thursday 5th of February 2015.

Don’t be left out of the experience, be there too.

Jordan hangs two terrorists in retaliation for killing of pilot

Jordan announced early this morning that they have executed two Al-Qaeda terrorists in retaliation for the killing of their pilot, Moath al-Kasasbeh. The prisoners killed are; would-be al Qaeda suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi and Ziad al-Karbouli.

Al-Rishawi has been on death row for her role in a triple hotel bombing in the Jordanian capital of Amman in 2005 that killed 57 people. She's the same person ISIS had asked to have in exchange for the release of Moath.

The killing of the two terrorists came just hours after ISIS released a video showing the gruesome killing of Moath, who was burned alive in a cage. Jordan has promised more harsh punishments.

Posting pics on instagram is like a getaway for me - Toke Makinwa

The media personality says her instagram page is like a getaway for her anytime she wants to let her hair down.

"It is like a getaway for me. I think when I am too busy and want to let my hair down, I go on instagram" she told Encomium magazine

On how she manages her homefront with all her many social commitments, Toke Makinwa said;

"I think I am blessed to be married to my husband. I say that everyday. He knew me before the Toke Makinwa that the world knows today, that has really helped me. He has always known me. He is my greatest fan and cheerleader. At times when I tell him that I am tired, I don't want to do this again, he will speak into my ear "Girl, this is what you have signed up for, get out of bed". It is a great feeling. I thank God."

Governor Fashola throws recharge cards/cash to crowd? (photos)

This twitter user shared the photos on social media. It shows Lagos state governor Raji Fashola throwing things to the crowd. Nuel says they were recharge cards and cash. Another pic after the cut

Labaran Maku denies saying GEJ sponsors Boko Haram

Former Minister of Information and APGA Governorship candidate in Nassarawa state, Labaran Maku has released a statement denying online media reports where he was quoted as saying that Pres. Jonathan sponsors Boko Haram. A statement signed by his campaign publicity director, Zakari Edego below. 

It has come to the notice of the Maku Campaign Organisation that a false and mischievous report is on circulation in the social media purporting that the #APGA governorship candidate for #Nasarawa State in the February election, Mr. Labaran Maku said that President Goodluck is the sponsor behind Boko Haram.

This story is obviously a lie from the pit of hell and was planted by the enemies of President Jonathan and Mr. Maku' s detractors.

The main objective of this fabrication is to cause mischief, disaffection and confusion.

Mr. Maku's position has always been that the eruption of terrorism in the North is not the creation of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government of #Nigeria, but from the violent mix of religion and politics in some states in the North mainly controlled by the opposition APC which has left many parts of the Northern region in turmoil.

The spread of hate ideology is mainly responsible for terrorism and for the spread of violence. 

It is disgusting that some actors have tried to use the violence in the north to malign Mr. President for cheap political ends. President Jonathan cannot and should not be blamed for the violence in the North, rather he should be commended for his effort in bringing the violence under control.
The North must look inward for solutions to the problem of violence in the region.

For the avoidance of doubt, let us restate that Mr. Labaran Maku has never said that President Goodluck Jonathan is the sponsor of Boko haram! This story and its mischievous source are lies from the pit of hell because Mr. Maku has and will continue to be an ardent supporter of President Jonathan and his transformation agenda.

The victory of Mr. Maku on the platform of APGA in the upcoming election is certain because he stands far and above all the contestants in terms of leadership attributes and the broad-based support required to rescue Nasarawa State from the brinks and return it to the path of peace, unity and sustainable development.

We call on our teeming supporters to disregard the lies and vote for Mr. Maku and President Goodluck Jonathan at the upcoming elections! 

Zakari Edego
Director Publicity
Maku Campaign Organization