Is PDP Jinxed in Ekiti?

27/10/2010 00:05:00

Oni, Fayemi and Fayose

The inglorious end of the 41-month reign of  Mr. Segun Oni as governor of Ekiti State on October 15, 2010 and the dramatic manner the first PDP- led government in the state was sacked on October 16, 2006 have raised posers regarding the future of PDP in Ekiti, writes Assistant Editor OLAYINKA OYEBODE.



The Segun Oni-led Peoples Democratic  Party (PDP) government in Ekiti State came to an inglorious end at noon, October 15, after almost 41 months of controversial rule, through  a unanimous ruling of the Court of Appeal, sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The court ruling that ended Oni’s reign came exactly four years after the first PDP-led government in the state was ousted via an impeachment that went awry.
For the PDP, the fear of the month of October could then be the beginning of wisdom, for while the Mr Ayodele Fayose-led government came to power on May 29, 2003, it was sacked on October 16, 2006. The Oni administration also came in on May 29, 2007 and got booted out by the October 15, 2010 ruling of the appeal court.
From day one, it was certain that Oni  rode on the back of a fraudulent tiger, which eventually consumed his government. The ousted governor had come third in the PDP primaries, which was won by Mr. Yinka Akerele, a one time aide of former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe. 
But a curious twist was introduced to the primaries by the national leadership of the party and Oni was named the PDP candidate for the April 14, 2007 governorship election. This led to a gale of protests by some party loyalists, but the PDP treated it as another  family affairs and succeeded in suppressing the dissenting voices within the state chapter of the party.
The party’s explanation was that it reserved the right to determine the order in which  its candidates would emerge, adding that emerging number one at the primaries was no guarantee for recognition by the party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also declared him winner of the April 14, 2007 governorship election in Ekiti State, which was contrary to the expectation of a large percentage of the Ekitis.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the results, the Action Congress (AC) candidate in the election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, headed for the election petitions tribunal, and prayed the Justice Buka Bwala –led panel to upturn the decision. 
The tribunal’s ruling of August 28, 2008 dismissed the petition as lacking in substantial ground to upturn the election of Oni. On the other hand, however, the tribunal reviewed the result as announced by INEC. Consequently, the 177,780 votes earlier credited to Oni was reduced to 135,400, while Fayemi’s earlier 108,305 votes became 74,306.
Fayemi rejected the ruling of the tribunal and headed for the Appeal tribunal., where he sought the cancellation of results of election  in some wards, and urged the court to declare him the winner of the April 14, 2007 election.
The Appeal tribunal , sitting in Ilorin, on February 17, 2009 annulled Oni’s election after canceling results in 64 wards in 10 of the 16 local government areas of the state and ordered a rerun of the election within three months. With the cancellation of the votes and configuration of what the Court said was the valid votes, Fayemi had an edge with 11,945 votes. 
The rerun which held on April 5, 2009 was fought with some desperation as the PDP needed to secure sufficient number of votes to erase the gap. Thus, the battle for the rerun only succeeded in erecting another dubious result, which the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, initially objected to, only to turn around to uphold it.
That again, led to another round of legal battle which also ended at the appeal court, Ilorin penultimate Friday where the case was finally settled in Fayemi’s favour.
Many believe that the administration, in view of the baggage it carried, was programmed to fail from the onset. The administration, many believe, recorded three wrong  steps for every one right step it took.
The government had blamed the media, opposition parties  and some Ekiti elite for its littany of woes.
Before the government  eventually expired on October 15, it  had to contend with difficult situations, created by a combination of factors, including its low  ratings among workers, lack of credibility and ill conceived policies, that led to policy summersault in many instances. Many attest to the fact that the panicky responses to many of the challenges further depleted the regime’s tiny claim to popularity.
The first major faulty step it took was the decision to allow the immediate past House of Assembly to approve the list of its commissioners. It did that in order to preempt the current House where it has an equal number with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from vetting the list. Many people had kicked against it, but the government had its way.
The fear was that the equal number of AC and PDP members in the House would prove a bit difficult in passing the commissioners list. Other difficult situations the administration confronted include the battle for the speakership of the State House of Assembly, removal of the first speaker of the House and the race for his replacement, as well as the location and relocation of a new university in the state, which piched the people of Ikere- Ekiti against the government.
Others include the controversy over the composition of the state’s Independent Electoral Commission, the conduct of the local government election of December 2008, and the controversy that trailed the rerun election of April 5, 2009, which produced the ido-Osi saga.
But like the proverbial cat with nine lives, the administration struggled through the difficult terrains. It, however , succumbed to the icy hands of justice, when the court sacked Oni and declared Dr Kayode Fayemi of the ACN the authentic winner of the April 14, 2007 election. The jubilations that heralded the judicial pronouncement bore eloquent testimony to the people’s disapproval  for the Oni-led PDP administration.
 Prior to the coming of Oni, the Ayo Fayose administration had also ended on a disgraceful note after the former governor fled the state at the peak of his controversial impeachment on October 16, 2006. Interestingly, Fayose’s impeachment was masterminded from within and outside the state. It was actualised by the PDP dominated House.
Fayose  had defeated the then incumbent and Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate for the 2003 election, Chief Niyi Adebayo, to assume office as the second democratically elected governor of the state. Adebayo  who was seeking a re-election,had, in line with the position of the AD and Afenifere leaders,  decided against challenging the alleged rigging of the election.
In spite of that, the Fayose administration hounded the opposition and ruled with iron hand. But it was a populist government, which succeeded in putting in place some infrastructure in the state. Interestingly, part of the infrastructure development projects such as the  poultry farm  turned out to be Fayose’s Achilles hills.
The probe of the contract and the money laundering related offences for which the erstwhile governor, was charged led to the impeachment move against him.
But, owing to poor coordination of the impeachment move by the PDP-led Assembly, a gale of confusion set in. At first, the House claimed it had impeached both the governor and the deputy, Mrs. Abiodun Olujinmi. That was contrary to the script the lawmakers were asked to act. Mrs. Olujinmi insisted she remained the governor of the state in the absence of the governor. She succeeded in getting some police protection to underscore her supposed new office and status.
The Assembly, in sacking her along with her boss,  also announced its Speaker, Mr. Friday Aderemi, as Acting Governor of the state. Aderemi held  a thanksgiving service at his country home in recognition of his elevation. Everything turned out awry as the emergence of two claimants to the governorship seat became embarrassing to the federal government as well as the people of Ekiti State.
Shortly before his impeachment, Fayose had fled the state. He reportedly fled in the booth of a car and thereafter went into exile in order to evade  prosecution by EFCC.
The Federal Government clampdown on the state and declared a state of emergency which sacked the democratic governance in the state. Major-general Tunji Olurin was appointed the sole administrator. It was the sole administration who was in power  till the conduct of the April 14, 2007 election.  
A frontline leader of the ACN in Ekiti State, and former governor of the old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, attributed the plight of the PDP in the state to the fact that they were not popular with the people of the state. He said the Ekiti, being an enlightened group of people cannot be deceived by any gimmick, adding that all that PDP had achieved in the state , were done fraudulently. “And anything built on lie, as you know, cannot last,” he said. 
The Director of Communication of the PDP in state , Mr. Jackson Adebayo, however said that contrary to the belief that the party is jinxed in Ekiti,  PDP remains the darling of the Ekiti people. He said the party is only a victim of the system.
Adebayo who argued that the Ekiti people will still vote for PDP in the coming election , said it is the system that is against the party. He said the Oni government was a victim of conspiracy, hatred and intolerance. He said that it was unjust for the court to have nullified the votes credited to the party in Ido Osi Local Government which , he said had remained the stronghold of the PDP since 1999. 
Many however, believe that the loss of the governorship seat to the ACN might have marked the end of the PDP in the state, having earlier lost one of the three senatorial seats (Ekiti Central) to AC through judicial intervention. 
Some observers, however, believe that PDP  is the architect of its misfortune. They argue that the curent crisis in the party, which has led to the removal of no fewer than three state governors elected on its platform, is a direct consequence of the desperation that characterised the 2003 and 2007 elections.
As noted by ex-governor Olumilua, PDP had sown  wind in Ekiti and is reaping wild wind.

Is PDP Jinxed in Ekiti?

27/10/2010 00:05:00

Oni, Fayemi and Fayose

The inglorious end of the 41-month reign of  Mr. Segun Oni as governor of Ekiti State on October 15, 2010 and the dramatic manner the first PDP- led government in the state was sacked on October 16, 2006 have raised posers regarding the future of PDP in Ekiti, writes Assistant Editor OLAYINKA OYEBODE.



The Segun Oni-led Peoples Democratic  Party (PDP) government in Ekiti State came to an inglorious end at noon, October 15, after almost 41 months of controversial rule, through  a unanimous ruling of the Court of Appeal, sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The court ruling that ended Oni’s reign came exactly four years after the first PDP-led government in the state was ousted via an impeachment that went awry.
For the PDP, the fear of the month of October could then be the beginning of wisdom, for while the Mr Ayodele Fayose-led government came to power on May 29, 2003, it was sacked on October 16, 2006. The Oni administration also came in on May 29, 2007 and got booted out by the October 15, 2010 ruling of the appeal court.
From day one, it was certain that Oni  rode on the back of a fraudulent tiger, which eventually consumed his government. The ousted governor had come third in the PDP primaries, which was won by Mr. Yinka Akerele, a one time aide of former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe. 
But a curious twist was introduced to the primaries by the national leadership of the party and Oni was named the PDP candidate for the April 14, 2007 governorship election. This led to a gale of protests by some party loyalists, but the PDP treated it as another  family affairs and succeeded in suppressing the dissenting voices within the state chapter of the party.
The party’s explanation was that it reserved the right to determine the order in which  its candidates would emerge, adding that emerging number one at the primaries was no guarantee for recognition by the party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had also declared him winner of the April 14, 2007 governorship election in Ekiti State, which was contrary to the expectation of a large percentage of the Ekitis.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the results, the Action Congress (AC) candidate in the election, Dr Kayode Fayemi, headed for the election petitions tribunal, and prayed the Justice Buka Bwala –led panel to upturn the decision. 
The tribunal’s ruling of August 28, 2008 dismissed the petition as lacking in substantial ground to upturn the election of Oni. On the other hand, however, the tribunal reviewed the result as announced by INEC. Consequently, the 177,780 votes earlier credited to Oni was reduced to 135,400, while Fayemi’s earlier 108,305 votes became 74,306.
Fayemi rejected the ruling of the tribunal and headed for the Appeal tribunal., where he sought the cancellation of results of election  in some wards, and urged the court to declare him the winner of the April 14, 2007 election.
The Appeal tribunal , sitting in Ilorin, on February 17, 2009 annulled Oni’s election after canceling results in 64 wards in 10 of the 16 local government areas of the state and ordered a rerun of the election within three months. With the cancellation of the votes and configuration of what the Court said was the valid votes, Fayemi had an edge with 11,945 votes. 
The rerun which held on April 5, 2009 was fought with some desperation as the PDP needed to secure sufficient number of votes to erase the gap. Thus, the battle for the rerun only succeeded in erecting another dubious result, which the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo, initially objected to, only to turn around to uphold it.
That again, led to another round of legal battle which also ended at the appeal court, Ilorin penultimate Friday where the case was finally settled in Fayemi’s favour.
Many believe that the administration, in view of the baggage it carried, was programmed to fail from the onset. The administration, many believe, recorded three wrong  steps for every one right step it took.
The government had blamed the media, opposition parties  and some Ekiti elite for its littany of woes.
Before the government  eventually expired on October 15, it  had to contend with difficult situations, created by a combination of factors, including its low  ratings among workers, lack of credibility and ill conceived policies, that led to policy summersault in many instances. Many attest to the fact that the panicky responses to many of the challenges further depleted the regime’s tiny claim to popularity.
The first major faulty step it took was the decision to allow the immediate past House of Assembly to approve the list of its commissioners. It did that in order to preempt the current House where it has an equal number with the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) from vetting the list. Many people had kicked against it, but the government had its way.
The fear was that the equal number of AC and PDP members in the House would prove a bit difficult in passing the commissioners list. Other difficult situations the administration confronted include the battle for the speakership of the State House of Assembly, removal of the first speaker of the House and the race for his replacement, as well as the location and relocation of a new university in the state, which piched the people of Ikere- Ekiti against the government.
Others include the controversy over the composition of the state’s Independent Electoral Commission, the conduct of the local government election of December 2008, and the controversy that trailed the rerun election of April 5, 2009, which produced the ido-Osi saga.
But like the proverbial cat with nine lives, the administration struggled through the difficult terrains. It, however , succumbed to the icy hands of justice, when the court sacked Oni and declared Dr Kayode Fayemi of the ACN the authentic winner of the April 14, 2007 election. The jubilations that heralded the judicial pronouncement bore eloquent testimony to the people’s disapproval  for the Oni-led PDP administration.
 Prior to the coming of Oni, the Ayo Fayose administration had also ended on a disgraceful note after the former governor fled the state at the peak of his controversial impeachment on October 16, 2006. Interestingly, Fayose’s impeachment was masterminded from within and outside the state. It was actualised by the PDP dominated House.
Fayose  had defeated the then incumbent and Alliance for Democracy (AD) candidate for the 2003 election, Chief Niyi Adebayo, to assume office as the second democratically elected governor of the state. Adebayo  who was seeking a re-election,had, in line with the position of the AD and Afenifere leaders,  decided against challenging the alleged rigging of the election.
In spite of that, the Fayose administration hounded the opposition and ruled with iron hand. But it was a populist government, which succeeded in putting in place some infrastructure in the state. Interestingly, part of the infrastructure development projects such as the  poultry farm  turned out to be Fayose’s Achilles hills.
The probe of the contract and the money laundering related offences for which the erstwhile governor, was charged led to the impeachment move against him.
But, owing to poor coordination of the impeachment move by the PDP-led Assembly, a gale of confusion set in. At first, the House claimed it had impeached both the governor and the deputy, Mrs. Abiodun Olujinmi. That was contrary to the script the lawmakers were asked to act. Mrs. Olujinmi insisted she remained the governor of the state in the absence of the governor. She succeeded in getting some police protection to underscore her supposed new office and status.
The Assembly, in sacking her along with her boss,  also announced its Speaker, Mr. Friday Aderemi, as Acting Governor of the state. Aderemi held  a thanksgiving service at his country home in recognition of his elevation. Everything turned out awry as the emergence of two claimants to the governorship seat became embarrassing to the federal government as well as the people of Ekiti State.
Shortly before his impeachment, Fayose had fled the state. He reportedly fled in the booth of a car and thereafter went into exile in order to evade  prosecution by EFCC.
The Federal Government clampdown on the state and declared a state of emergency which sacked the democratic governance in the state. Major-general Tunji Olurin was appointed the sole administrator. It was the sole administration who was in power  till the conduct of the April 14, 2007 election.  
A frontline leader of the ACN in Ekiti State, and former governor of the old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, attributed the plight of the PDP in the state to the fact that they were not popular with the people of the state. He said the Ekiti, being an enlightened group of people cannot be deceived by any gimmick, adding that all that PDP had achieved in the state , were done fraudulently. “And anything built on lie, as you know, cannot last,” he said. 
The Director of Communication of the PDP in state , Mr. Jackson Adebayo, however said that contrary to the belief that the party is jinxed in Ekiti,  PDP remains the darling of the Ekiti people. He said the party is only a victim of the system.
Adebayo who argued that the Ekiti people will still vote for PDP in the coming election , said it is the system that is against the party. He said the Oni government was a victim of conspiracy, hatred and intolerance. He said that it was unjust for the court to have nullified the votes credited to the party in Ido Osi Local Government which , he said had remained the stronghold of the PDP since 1999. 
Many however, believe that the loss of the governorship seat to the ACN might have marked the end of the PDP in the state, having earlier lost one of the three senatorial seats (Ekiti Central) to AC through judicial intervention. 
Some observers, however, believe that PDP  is the architect of its misfortune. They argue that the curent crisis in the party, which has led to the removal of no fewer than three state governors elected on its platform, is a direct consequence of the desperation that characterised the 2003 and 2007 elections.
As noted by ex-governor Olumilua, PDP had sown  wind in Ekiti and is reaping wild wind.

We're not out to stop any aspirant,says EFCC

00

Farida Waziri

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said it is not out to stop any aspirant or candidate from contesting in 2011 outside the court. 
It also said it had no power to ban any candidate.
The commission, which made the clarifications in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Babafemi, said the list of high-profile cases, being vaunted as advisory list, had been in public domain since 2008.
The EFCC said the innocent aspirants need not be jittery about a list on status of cases being prosecuted by the commission.
It assured that it won’t trample on the right of any Nigerian and will not ban any aspirant from contesting in 2011.
The commission said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been drawn to a barrage of mixed reactions following media reports on a list of high profile cases being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency.
 “The commission has decided to clarify some of the issues raised in the publications in the interest of members of the public who might be misled by the selfish arguments of some hired commentators who are desperate to stifle the nation’s anti-graft war.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the EFCC has repeatedly emphasised that it does not have the power to ban or disqualify any person from contesting for a public office and does not intend to embark on actions outside its responsibility. 
“The commission under its present leadership has been working and remains fully committed to working strictly within the rule of law.
 “It is however suarprising that the mere publication of a list of cases being prosecuted in courts by newspapers has generated so much reactions from those who are yet to discharge their burden of corruption charges as well as their fans and agents alike. 
“It is more disturbing given the fact that the list that has elicited the flurry of reactions has been on the Commission’s website since 2008 and all the facts therein have been in the public domain since the trial of the accused persons began.
“The list is neither a covert or overt strategy, intention, ploy nor agenda of the EFCC to arrogate to itself the power of a law court. 
“Thus, it is patently assumptive and speculative of anyone or any group to accuse the Commission of using its power to stop aspirants. The Commission never states or pretends that it has any power to stop aspirants. 
“What the list simply represents is a public disclosure of the gamut of its prosecutorial efforts in the war against corrupt practices, an information that has since remained in the public domain for several months.

Jessica Simpson:Marriage is in my Future

ntertainment

Jessica Simpson is in a great place right now and she's not afraid to talk about it.

Jessica has been dating her boyfriend Eric Johnson for a few months and she credits him for her newfound happiness.

Speaking to the USA Today, she said: "He definitely makes me very happy. He brings out a lot of light in me and makes me very comfortable being who I am. It's nice to be with somebody who praises you for the right reasons."

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey's Restaurant Run-In

And just because she had one failed marriage doesn't mean she's not planning to tie the knot again.

She said: "I am from the south so I've definitely dreamed of being married my whole life and having children, so hopefully that's in my future."

Jess also revealed that being 30 has been great because she's the happiest she's ever...

Halle Berry to moves in with Oliver Martinez

Entertainment

Image by wenn.com

Seems like Halle Berry and boyfriend Oliver Martinez are really happy together—and things are moving pretty fast for them!

Sources claim the two love birds are already planning on moving in together! Halle and Oliver made their first red carpet appearance together as a couple at the Carousel Of Hope gala in Beverly Hills over the weekend.

Halle Berry Introduces Her New Man to Her Mom

Onlookers said Martinez was "constantly leaning in and whispering in Halle's ear, making her laugh."

“These two are so in love, they want to spend as much time together as possible. They hate being apart, even for one night, if they can help it,” a source said.

Christina Aguilera moves into a Hotel Room

ntertainment

Image by Splash News

Christina Aguilera is ready to move on with her life, but her soon to be ex hubby Jordan Bratman doesn't feel the same way.

Jordan reportedly refuses to move out of their family home so she's resorted to moving into a hotel room.

Christina Aguilera: There's Been a lot of Tears

"She's living out of a suitcase," a source close to Christina tells Hollyscoop. "Things have gotten tense between them," the source added.

Meanwhile, Christina's been getting over the breakup by partying her little tush off. After performing at Justin Timberlake's charity concert in Las Vegas this past weekend, newly single Christina was still in the mood to party.

She treated all her backup dancers and close friends to night at TAO nightclub to blow off some steam. She must have felt pretty good because she stayed out until almost 3 a.m!

Kanye and Jay-Z to Release Joint Album

usic

This is just music to our ears.

Kanye West and Jay-Z are collaborating on an album together! The two previously announced they were working on an EP called Watch the Throne. But now the project has turned into a full-fledged album!

Kanye told MTV during a live webcast that they had already completed a batch of new material. "We (already) did five songs, a few of 'em were out there and then I put 'em on my album - sorry Jay!" he joked.

Kanye West: "Runaway" Debuts

Kanye said he and Jay-Z were next headed to the South of France to work on new material. "We're going to the South of France at the end of this month just to record new ideas,” he said. “We'll probably be done with the album in like a day ...

Will.i.am and Nicki Minaj:"Check it Out"Music Video

sic

will.i.am and Nicki Minaj just debuted their brand new music video for the song “Check It Out.”

The track samples The Buggles' 1980's hit "Video Killed The Radio Star", and will also appear on Nicki Minaj's debut album Pink Friday.

Nicki Minaj and will.i.am: "Check It Out" Preview

"We're doing an ode almost to Japanese anime," Minaj told MTV News last month while on the Los Angeles set of the video. "I'm obviously a big fan, and I've joined forces with the only boy that I know that's able to capture that culture."

Glee Announces Christmas Album

sic

Can’t get enough Glee music? Neither can we!

Lucky for us, our favorite Gleeks are coming out with a Christmas album! According to EW, the holiday tunage will feature the entire cast plus K.D. Lang.

Glee Rocky Horror Picture Show Preview

The album comes out November 16, three weeks before a very special Christmas episode on December 7.

Check out the full tracklisting below!

1. We Need A Little Christmas (Jenna Ushkowitz, Amber Riley, Chris Colfer)?
2. Deck The Rooftop (Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Naya Rivera, Kevin McHale, Heather Morris, and Jenna Ushkowitz)?
3. Merry Christmas Darling (Lea Michele)?
4. Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Chris Colfer and Darren Criss)?
5. The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year (Chord Overstreet, Mark Salling, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Jenna Ushkowitz, and Heather Morris)?
6. Last Christmas (Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale, Mark Salling, Jenna...

Eva Longoria Sued Over Car Crashed

ntertainment

Image by wenn.com

Eva Longoria is being sued over the car accident she was in last week. Roman Gasparyan, the man involved in the crash, claims to have suffered mentally and physically following the accident on Hollywood Boulevard last week.

The man claims Eva was entirely at fault for the accident. TMZ obtained the legal documents in which Roman claims he was waiting in the middle of the road attempting to turn left, when Eva "made a sudden lane change into the median lane" and crashed into his vehicle.

Eva’s husband Tony Parker is named in the lawsuit as well because he is the owner of the BMW she was driving.

Friends Fear for Charlie Sheen's Life

tertainment

Image by Splash News

Charlie Sheen's friends are worried for his life because he's reportedly been "out of control" for months now.

Charlie, who has always had a thing for hookers and booze, completed rehab earlier this year and was just 8 days away from his probation ending when his drunken hotel room incident happened last night.

Charlie Sheen Under Psychiatric Evaluation

Friends say after he completed rehab he started hanging out with a "bad crowd" again and started boozing it up around August.

According to TMZ, He was also reportedly spotted drinking at the Playboy mansion recently.

He's currently under psychiatric evaluation at a NY hospital. More details coming soon!

UPDATE: According to TMZ the bigwigs at "Two and a Half Men" have chartered a private jet and plan to fly Charlie home today.

Kat Von D:"Jesse and I Didn't Break Up

rtainment

In case you were losing sleep over it, Jesse James and Kat Von D are still together. And of course Kat is talking about it.

While promoting her new book The Tattoo Chronicles, Kat decided to clear up all the rumors that have been floating about her, Jesse and her ex Nikki Sixx.

"I'm not dating Nikki," she told USA Today Tuesday afternoon. "We didn't get back together. Jesse and I didn't break up."

And just in case she wasn't clear enough, she added, "I've known Jesse for a long time, since I was 22-years old...I think he's probably one of the most kind-hearted, intelligent human beings."

Ya he's sooo kind-hearted he just couldn't help but keep it in his pants while he was married. Such a classy guy that Jesse.

Rihanna on Chris Brown Incident:God Has a Crazy awy of Working

Entertainment

More than a year after the whole Chris Brown incident, Rihanna is opening up about the altercation in the December issue of Marie Claire UK.

Looking back at the incident, which happened after the 2009 Clive David Pre-Grammy party, she says she doesn't regret the traumatic experience.

Rihanna Addresses Marriage Rumors

"God has a crazy way of working, and sometimes when stuff happens you feel like, 'What did I do to deserve this?' Why was it backfiring on me?'" she recalls. "But I needed that wake-up call in my life. I needed a turning point, and that's what God was giving to me."

Rihanna admits one of the most difficult things was having to deal with the aftermath in the press. "All this terrible stuff they say to you, it breaks you down," she says. "[But] once you're back on your feet -- if you ever...

Charlie,Denise and his Escort Dined Together Last Night

October 26, 2010

Entertainment

Image by Splash News

Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards were having a great family vacation in NYC before things took a turn for the worse last night at around 2am.

Security found Charlie naked with a hooker who feared for her life in his trashed hotel room.

Being the supportive ex-wife Denise escorted Charlie to the hospital where he underwent psychiatric evaluation.

Denise was scheduled to call in and chat with Howard Stern on Tuesday morning to promote her new movie, but of course Howard wanted to know the deets of what went down at the hotel instead. We’re surprised Stern didn’t really grill her!

Friends Fear for Charlie Sheen's Life

"It's been a very eventful trip," she said.

It must have been eventful, especially because L&S is reporting that Charlie, the hooker and Denise went to dinner together last night. Awkward calling on line one!

"They were...

The Day Babangida drop By

Babangida

The tranquility that enveloped the compound that Sunday afternoon was just what I needed to compose my column for the following Tuesday.
My host, a retired diplomatist, had left an hour earlier to attend to an emergency on his sprawling farm.  For all practical purposes, his housekeeper had the day off.  The boys who usually manned the gate gave themselves the afternoon off, which was just as well. There would be no distraction from their FM radio.
I wasn’t expecting any visitor.  If anyone called and knocked and knocked and got no response, the person would conclude that no one was at home and go back, unless of course that person had some dark intentions on his or her mind.
I had just struggled through the introductory sentence, the lead as we call it in the business, and was beginning to find my rhythm when I heard a knock on the gate.  Determined to tune out every distraction, I continued pecking away at my laptop keyboard.  The Internet café from which I was going to transmit the material to this newspaper would close at 6 p.m.  So, I had to get my copy finished well before then. 
When three minutes passed without a repeat knock, I felt reassured that I was on target to meet the deadline.
Then, I heard the knock again, this time louder, and with just a hint of impatience.  Still, I continued typing, until I heard the gate creak as it was pushed open, followed by the sound of footsteps right inside the courtyard.
“Who is that?” I inquired perfunctorily from my room, just across from the gate.
“Babangida,” came the reply.  It was crisp, businesslike.
My heart must have skipped a dozen beats.   All kinds of thoughts ran through my mind.  Conjuring up the layout of the entire compound, I tried as calmly as I could to figure out the most suitable points for evasive action if it came to that.
“Babangida?” I summoned the equanimity to inquire, after what must have seemed an eternity.
“Yes, Babangida,” the fellow replied curtly. 
So, this is it, I thought.  Payback time for all the screeds I had written over the years about the former military president, the man who led Nigeria into a long, dark, dreary tunnel from which it is yet to emerge, and  is now touting himself as the light at the end of that tunnel.
At the time of this unsettling intrusion, I was actually writing yet another screed.  Titled “What manner of man,” it drew on Babangida’s record as military president to pour scorn on his bid for the ticket of the PDP to return as president.
In fact, I had used that record to damn Babangida so often that some correspondents complained that I was abusing my forum to ventilate a personal grievance.  Some others said my strictures reeked of pettiness.  Still others said my columns on Babangida were “hate-filled” and warned that I ran the risk of being consumed by my hatred of the man.
It has never been about the man, only about his policies and programmes and deeds while he held office.  Long, long ago, I had learned from a father who could never hold a grudge and a mother who lived every day up to her baptismal name, Charity, that hatred serves no useful purpose.  I learned this long before encountering the social philosopher Arthur Koestler’s magisterial warning that hatred even of the objectively hateful cannot conduce to the just society of our dream, which can be founded only on charity in its largest sense.
But on this day of reckoning, these prognostications were perfectly useless. 
I picked up the cell phone from the table where it lay, beside the laptop.   But it was of no use.  It had run out of juice the previous day.  Before then, the generating set that had become the default power source had suddenly stopped running and was undergoing servicing.
Was it mere coincidence that Babangida had chosen to call the very hour I was composing yet another screed?  In whatever case, how could he have figured out from his Minna Hilltop fortress what I was typing in Kabba, some 300 miles removed?
They call it keystroke monitoring.  By insinuating some device into your computer, anyone so minded can see on his computer screen in the next room of from the farthest point of the globe whatever you are typing.
Given Babangida’s great personal resourcefulness, to say nothing of his fabled wealth, was it beyond him or his agents to monitor my computer keystrokes from anywhere they chose?
But how could he have landed on the scene just thirty minutes after I began typing?  As far as I knew, he had no villa in Kabba, and nothing had indicated that he was visiting, this presidential wannabe who still travels in the style of a potentate long after he was swept out of power.
Again, given his resourcefulness and his vast riches, could he not have teleported himself and landed on site with the pinpoint accuracy of a guided missile?  In this digital age, what is not possible?
Thus did my imagination run riot, riving me almost to the edge of paranoia.  It was payback time. Every day for the calumnist, one day for the object of his calumny.
I surveyed my immediate surroundings.  There was nary a weapon of defence or offence in sight. There was no closet large enough to accommodate my bulk.  None of the doors could block the advance of a visitor who practised teleportation. 
Even if I somehow managed to streak across the courtyard and scramble up the perimeter wall, I would in all probability land straight into the not-so-welcoming embrace of his collaborators.  The animated titter that seemed to be going on behind the walls served only to drive it home that escape was impossible.  
So, that was it.
Calm down, OD, an inner voice told me.  Don’t yield to panic. If you panic, you can’t think.  And yet, it is only thinking, hard thinking, not brawn, of which you have little anyway, that can get you out of this hole into which you have dug yourself.
Ever so politely, eager to find out the true identity of my visitor, and yet trepidatious that my worst fears might be confirmed, I parted the curtains on the window facing the gate just wide enough to enable me peep into the courtyard.
The man standing there, alone and with nary a hint of mischief on his mind, was more than six feet tall.  Still, it was too early to breathe easy.  What if he was a decoy, or merely the advance party?
So, in a voice that completely masked my fright, I called out, using the name with which he had announced his arrival.
“Sir,” he answered.  His tone was disarming.
My confidence somewhat restored, I asked:  “Where are you from?”
He said he was from the School of Agriculture, Kabba, the local affiliate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
“And whom do you seek?” I pursued politely, still not totally reassured.
He said he had come to see my nephew, the retired diplomatist with whom I was lodging. 
If General Ibrahim Babangida was not too engrossed at that hour chairing yet another meeting to corral the PDP into zoning its presidential ticket to himself or his fellow Northerners, he would have heard my sigh of relief wherever he was.
The whole encounter lasted no more than six minutes.  But it ranks among the tensest moments of my adult life.  
Since then, I have often found myself asking:  What if . . .?

PDP Governors plot Party Chair Nwod's Removal

Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo

Thairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo is under fire. Governors are plotting his removal from office.
Their grouse with Nwodo, who is barely four-month old in office, is over his alleged unilateral decision to dissolve State Executive Committees in eight states. Most of the PDP governors are angry with Nwodo for allegedly attempting to hijack party structures in their states with a view to denying them second term tickets.
It was learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan had tried twice  to intervene in the feud. His attempts were unsuccessful.
 There are 28 PDP governors in the country out of whom 23 are eligible for re-election.
But the governors have remained divided on the 2011 presidential ambition of President Jonathan leaving the party to be suspicious of ‘disloyal elements’ among them.
It was learnt that while the party leadership is still looking for an excuse to get at ‘disloyal governors,’ an opportunity came when The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ordered repeat congresses in eight states.
The states are Oyo, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Anambra and Plateau.
In deference to electoral umpire, the PDP in a September 30, 2010 letter to INEC chair Prof.  Attahiru Jega said the party was ready to repeat the congresses in the eight states.
“We refer to your letter dated September 27, 2010.
“In compliance with Section 85(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act and the commission’s observations in the correspondence attached, we write to notify you of the repeat state chapter congresses in Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Oyo and Plateau states.
“The congresses in the eight states are scheduled to hold as follows: Ward (October 21); LGA (October 23) and State (October 25). Your support and cooperation are needed.”
The letter was signed by PDP National Secretary Alhaji Kawu Barage.
But the acceptance of fresh congresses in the eight states has caused anxiety among some of the governors and PDP leaders.
The governors are insisting that there is no crisis in any of the eight states to have warranted fresh congresses.
It was gathered that Delta State had secured a court injunction to restrain the PDP National Headquarters from conducting fresh congresses in the state and dissolving the State Executive Committee.
Also, three of the governors (Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Jonah Jang (Plateau), and Ibrahim Idris (Kogi) on Friday protested to Prof. Jega.
In order to forestall further court actions after the governors’ meeting with Jega, Nwodo on Saturday ordered the dissolution of the Enugu State Executive Committee.
Findings revealed that the governors are not taking it lightly as they see the dissolution of Enugu Executive Committee as “the icing of the cake” on their plot.
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The governors are disenchanted with Nwodo as he wants to take control of the party machinery in the states to install some favoured members as either party executives or candidates for 2011 poll.
‘The situation in the eight states has reached a point that the governors are poised for battle to the finish. These eight governors are fully enjoying the backing of their colleagues who also have an axe to grind with Nwodo since he told them not to bring money to his house or discuss party matters with him at home.
“Discussions are on among the governors in order to join issues publicly against Nwodo.”
It was gathered that the dissolution of Enugu SEC is now “one of the strong points of the governors against Nwodo.”
A member of the Governors Forum said: “Since Nwodo is claiming that the Enugu State Executive Committee that gave him a waiver to rejoin PDP and eventually become National Chairman is illegal and should be dissolved, he has no basis staying in office too.
“By simple legal interpretation, all actions of the dissolved Enugu SEC were illegal including the waiver given to Nwodo to return to PDP.
“It is trite in law that INEC should also ask Nwodo to follow due procedure by seeking fresh mandate from PDP members, through National Convention, to become the National Chairman of the party.
“Some party members will also petition INEC to advise PDP to follow due process in electing its National Chairman. Nwodo is saying that congresses were inconclusive in eight states, he should tell INEC whether he was elected or not by party members as National Chairman.”
Nwodo had on April 15, 2009 written to the Chairman of the dissolved Enugu State Executive Committee, Chief Vita Abba, for a waiver.
Nwodo said in the letter: “Following my return to our great party and the historic reception accorded me, among others on the occasion of the PDP Southeast Zonal Rally in Enugu on Tuesday, 14th April 2009  by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Eze Ogbulafor, and the party membership, I most humbly apply for the grant of a waiver in my favour in respect of the subsisting two-year mandatory uninterrupted membership span before anyone may get elected or appointed into any party or public offices.
“I make this request in furtherance of the magnanimous assurance contained in the official address of the National Chairman of the party to the effect that returnees shall be granted waivers to enjoy all the rights and privileges due to our party members in keeping with the adopted recommendations of the Ekwueme Peace and Reconciliation Committee.”
It was learnt that the President had intervened twice in the row between Nwodo and some governors, especially the eight governors in question.
An NWC member said: “The President had brokered peace twice but it failed. After a session of the National Economic Council, the President once asked the eight governors to stay behind to resolve the crisis over congresses in their states.
“At another meeting, the parley ended up with a lot of arguments without any concrete resolution.
“Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo called all the governors and Nwodo to a meeting since they are all friends of Jonathan and ready to support Jonathan’s 2011 ambition.
“They eventually agreed that the legal team of PDP would meet with that of INEC to find a meeting point. But INEC was not prepared for any such meeting as it refused to attend the session as scheduled. So, the issue remained deadlocked.”
Meanwhile, members of the National Working Committee were yesterday divided over the manner adopted by the National Chairman to dissolve the Enugu State Executive Committee (SEC) of the PDP.
They claimed that the NWC met last Monday and no decision was taken to dissolve the SEC of any of the eight states where INEC asked for repeat congresses.
Some NWC members, who spoke in confidence, faulted Nwodo for personalising the matter because his Special Adviser is not the spokesman of the party and should not have issued the statement on the dissolution.
Another highly-placed source in the party, however, added: “Some NWC members are being deceptive. The National Chairman of the PDP was away in the US with President Goodluck Jonathan when the NWC took the decision to dissolve the State Executive Committees in eight states.
But, the SA (Media), Mr. Ike Abonyi, said: “I don’t want to take up issues with anybody because I work for the National Chairman and I take instructions from him.”

FG soon to take decision on Jos Crisis

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the Federal Government will soon take a decision on the Jos crisis to check a recurrence.

Jonathan made the statement in Jos on Friday when he paid a courtesy visit on Gbong Gwom Jos, Mr. Gyang Buba. He said the government was determined to ensure that all Nigerians live in peace.

He expressed happiness that peace had returned to the state, but added that permanent measures needed to be put in place to sustain the peace.

"I am happy that normalcy has returned to the state. It is my hope that we have witnessed the last crisis in Plateau,’’ the president said.

He called on the Plateau Traditional Council to work hard to promote mutual trust among the people to restore Plateau’s pride as the most peaceful state in the federation.

The president stressed that development could only take place in an atmosphere of tranquility.

He said the government had received the report of the Presidential Peace Committee on the crises and promised that government’s decision would be made public.

The President commended the Jonah Jang Administration in the state for providing social amenities to the people.

Responding, Buba thanked the President for the initiative in constituting the panel that looked into the crises and urged the government to implement its recommendations.

He called on Nigerians to collaborate with the Federal Government to move the nation forward and advised politicians to play the game according to the rules.

Goodluck Jonathan commissioned several road projects and bridges in the state as part of activities lined up for the two-day official visit to the state, which began yesterday.

The President was received at the Yakubu Gowon Airport by top politicians in the state, including former governors, Solomon Lar and Joshua Dariye, as well as former ministers from the state and top governbment officials.

Governors of Bauchi, Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states were also at the airport to receive the President alongside the host governor, Jonah Jang.

President Jonathan was accompanied on the visit by five ministers, including those ofAgriculture and Natural Resources, Works, Women Affairs, Land and Survey, and Commerce and Industries.

After he touched down at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, the President’s entourage went with him in five helicopters to commence a tour of the state.

After a brief ceremony, the President headed for inspection and commissioning of projects without making a speech.

The inspection and commissioning of projects commenced with the Jibam Bridge, Shendam-Kallum Road, the Shendam township road, the the Zamko-mabudi Road and the Dengi-Wase Road, which were constructed by the Jang administration.

The Plateau State Police Command had earlier placed bomb disposal experts on red alert in the state, especially at sites the President would be visiting, to ensure his safety during the two-day official visit.

Utomi tasks FG over Abuja Blast

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The Social Democratic Mega Party, (SDMP) protem chairman, Prof. Pat Utomi, yesterday said another bomb blast must not be allowed to happen in the country.

Also, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the National Hospital Abuja, Prof. Bala Shehu, said one of the three remaining victims may lose his eye, while 23 others had been released to their various homes.

Utomi, who was on a visit to the National Hospital, Abuja, to commiserate with victims of the October 1 blasts, said the incident was not a good omen for the coming 2011 general election.

"I think this is a horrible development for our environment. You hear of these things in Iraq, Afghanistan and you never quite think that they can come next door to you. So, everything must be done to make sure that this does not happen again.

"Our hope, dream and prayer for 2011 are that it should be a season of civilised discussions and engagement on issues; not just about I will but how and in what time line will I deploy resources, and where will the resources come from? These are the issues that we have to deal with in this election.

"To then begin to be distracted by accusations and counter-accusations on who planted what is a very sad development for what we had hoped should happen in the run up to 2011," he said.

He expressed disappointment that nothing was done on the part of security services in spite of intelligence reports made available to them before the blasts. He said once the signals were there, everything could have been done to abort any possibility of it happening.

"I am enormously disappointed that there was adequate information and that enough was not done to prevent this from happening", he said.

Cecilia Ibru Jailed 18 Months....forfeits N190bn

Cecilia Ibru

Former Chief Executive Officer of Oceanic Bank Plc, Cecilia Ibru, was yesterday convicted and sentenced to a cumulative imprisonment term of 18 months by a Federal High Court in Lagos for pleading guilty to charges bordering on economic crimes.

Ibru, under a plea bargaining arrangement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), pleaded guilty to an amended three count-charge in which she was accused of exceeding her approval limit by approving the grant of $20million to a company – Waves Project Nigeria Limited.

Other counts were that she failed to take all necessary steps to ensure that her bank’s balance sheet as at May, last year, gave a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the bank and that she granted N2 billion loan to a company – Petosan Farms Limited – without adequate security.

In a judgment, Justice Daniel Abutu convicted her as per her plea and sentenced her to six months’ imprisonment per count. The sentence is to run concurrently.
The court also ordered that the convict would forfeit all assets and property estimated at N191billion, listed in a settlement agreement signed by parties and filed before the court.

The forfeited assets are to be managed by a company owned by the Federal Government– Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Assets to be forfeited include about 82 houses (scattered across Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Dubai, United Arab Emirate), shares in 19 companies not listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange and shares in 199 listed companies.

The judge held that although the maximum penalty for the offences committed by the convict was five years imprisonment, the court would, within its powers and in line with the term of agreement by parties, sentence the convict to a reduced term.

Justice Abutu also ordered the prison authorities to, within two hours of receiving the convict in prison custody, take her to a private hospital - Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos, from where she was brought to court yesterday.

Prior to her conviction, the EFCC, represented by a team of lawyers, led by Kola Awodein (SAN), said the parties had entered into  an agreement to, among others, withdraw 23 of the 25 counts in an earlier charge brought against Ibru.

He said consequent to the said agreement, the prosecution has filed an amended charge of three counts, to which the accused person has agreed to plead guilty.

He added that the new charge and additional applications were filed under Section 17 of the Federal High Courts Act which enjoins the court to “promote reconciliation among parties, encourage and facilitate amicable settlement in respect of criminal and civil matters.”

He urged the court, in exercising its powers under Section 6 (6) (a) of the Constitution, to give effect to the sad agreement by parties.

He said it was also agreed among parties that the convict would forfeit her identified assets to AMCON and that she would be sentenced to a reduced term of imprisonment upon pleading guilty.

Defence lawyer, Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), agreed to Awodein’s submissions. Parties, however, disagreed on where the accused persons would be immediately kept after being sentenced.

While Awodein urged the court to send the convict to jail, Osipitan urged the court to return his client, who looked frail, to the hospital where she had been on admission.
Osipitan said it was imperative that his client be returned to hospital because she had a critical health condition and was taken to court from the hospital bed.

He said his prayer was informed by the need to avert the possible death of the accused person and to prevent a repetition of a case he earlier handled where his client, Chief Maurice Ibekwe, then a member of the House of Representatives, died in custody despite indications that his health was failing.

Other members of the  prosecution team at the session were: Mr. D. Dodo (SAN); Dr. Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN); Mr. Godwin Obla and Rotimi Jacobs.
Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, later issued a statement regarding the development.

The statement said: “The former bank chief, who had pleaded not guilty to a 25-count amended charge filed against her by the EFCC in February, however, pleaded guilty to counts 14, 17, and 23 of the amended charges before Justice Abutu of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Count 14 of the three count charges Mrs Ibru pleaded guilty to reads:

“That you, Cecillia Ibru whilst being the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Oceanic Bank International Plc on or about 2 August 2007 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court approved the grant of a credit facility in the sum of US$20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million United States Dollars) by the bank to WAVES Project Nigeria Limited which sum was above your credit approval limit as laid down by the regulations of Oceanic Bank International Plc and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15(1)(b) of the Failed Bank (Recovery of Debts ) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act Cap F2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 16(1) (a) of the same Act.”

Reacting to the judgement yesterday, EFCC chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri, added: “I wish to commend the teams that handled the investigation and prosecution of Mrs. Ibru’s case.

“I wish to charge every stakeholder involved in the war against graft in the country to reinforce their commitment so that there can be greater results.”
“This is the biggest single recovery in the history of the commission,”a source at the EFCC told The Nation yesterday.

The EFCC had on August 26, 2009 arrested Mrs. Cecilia Ibru. The convict was first arraigned on a 23-counnt charge on August 31, 2009 and remanded in EFCC custody till September 14, 2009 when she was granted bail by the court.