Ahead of the forthcoming elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has pegged the purchase of its governorship elections forms at N21m.
Rising from its 86th Emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting at the party’s headquarters in Abuja, PDP pegged the nomination at N20 million and the expression of interest form at N1 million.
Speaking after the meeting, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, explained that the party decided to increase the price of forms because the cost of conducting primary election was very high.
He, however, assured that the party would conduct a free, fair and credible primary in Bayelsa and Kogi states to produce credible candidates in the coming months.
“The return of expression of interest/nomination forms would commence on Monday, June 24 and close on Wednesday, July 24 at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja,” he added.
Also, a document signed by PDP National Organizing Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu (RTD) disclosed that sales and return of expression of interest/nomination forms would commence on Monday, June 24 and close Wednesday, July 24 at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja.
PDP had sold its presidential nomination and expression of interest form for the 2019 presidential election at N2 million and N10 million respectively making a total of N12 million, while that of governorship was sold for N1 million and N5 million, making a total of N6 million.
The Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha has appointed Naetochukwu Chikwe, popularly known as Naeto C, as his Special Assistant on Lagos Liaison.
Naeto C is the son of Ambassador Mrs Kema Chikwe and Nze Herbert Chikwe, and had some hit songs like ‘Kini big deal, to his credit.
Kema, a Board of Trustees member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), served as Nigeria’s minister of Transport from 1999 – 2001 and the minister of Aviation from 2001 – 2003.
Kema also served as the Nigerian ambassador to Ireland in 2009 and PDP National Woman Leader as well as Chairman of JAMB.
The 37 years rapper was born in Houston, Texas but had his basic education in Nigeria.
He studied at The State University of New York College (SUNY) located in Old Westbury and later moved to George Washington University (GWU) where he graduated with a degree in Biology in 2004.
2010, he got an MSc at the University of Dundee in Scotland, majoring in Energy Studies.
Naeto C is married to Nicole Chikwe, the daughter of Chief Jerry Chukwueke and both have three kids.
The rapper has four albums to his name – U Know My “P, Super C Season, Day 1, and Festival. He released his debut album in 2008, his second studio album was released in 2011 while the last two dropped in 2015.
The P has two nominations and three awards to his name.
In 2012, he was nominated for the “Artiste of the Year” at The Headies while his album Super C Season was nominated for “Album of the Year” at The Headies in the same year. Naeto C won the “Best New Musician” at MTV Africa Music Awards held in 2008 and the “Best New Artist” at the MTV Africa Music Awards held in 2009.
His video was also voted Video of the Year at Channel O Music Video Awards in 2009.
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has produced two speakers, one from the Peoples Democratic Party, and another from the All Progressives.
It was reported that 11 out of 31 lawmakers of the assembly had arrived the complex by 7 am and elected Abubakar Suleiman as the speaker of the house.
Suleiman is a member representing Ningi Central Constituency and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Danlami Kawule a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Zungur/Galambi was also elected as the deputy speaker by the same group of lawmakers.
However, in a turn of events, another set of lawmakers, 18 of them, conducted a parallel election in front of the assembly complex about 11 am since they were not allowed into the legislative chamber.
The members could not gain access into the chamber as it was locked so they decided to hold a parallel election outside the complex.
The members stood in front of the statue of the mace symbol and elected Kawuwa Damina as the speaker of the state house of assembly.
Damina is a former speaker in the state’s eighth assembly and a member of the APC. He was returned in the parallel election through a voice vote.
The ninth assembly inauguration was earlier scheduled to hold 10 am but the 11 members came early as 6 am to elect a speaker and went ahead with the inauguration.
Pop superstar Madonna says Jesus supports women having abortions and wants to change the Catholic Church’s position on the issue.
During an interview with Australian talk show host Andrew Denton on “Interview” Tuesday, Madonna, who has a Catholic background, revealed what she would like to discuss with Pope Francis if she had the opportunity to talk to the pontiff.
“Let’s talk about Jesus’ point of view about women. Let’s talk about it,” Madonna said on the TV show, hoping to change the church’s stance on abortion.
“And don’t you think Jesus would agree that a woman has the right to choose what to do with her body?” she asked.
The Christian Post reports that Madonna was raised Catholic and although she was later excommunicated from the church, she told Rolling Stone magazine in 2015 that she regularly uses Christian imagery because of her strong connection to Catholicism.
The music icon has had a long history of ruffling feathers in the Christian community. Her 1989 video for “Like a Prayer” was openly condemned by the Vatican for its disrespectful scenes in the church.
Later on in her career, another of Madonna’s songs, titled “Holy Water,” was condemned for comparing her bodily fluids to holy water used by Catholics to bless themselves. Her “Rebel Heart Tour” also got the singer into some trouble as some of her songs were banned from being performed for being “religiously insensitive.”
Madonna presumes that Jesus supports women “choosing” to abort their unborn babies, and suggests in her new single “God Control” that the Creator opposes people having the right to own guns.
In a sneak peek of her upcoming “God Control” music video released on Tuesday, Madonna declared: “Guns need to be made illegal.”
The clip starts off with the artist admitting that writing songs about “the downfall of humanity” gets her down. “Where does a girl go? She goes to the disco,” Madonna continued.
“Every day they have a kind of victory/Blood of innocence, spread everywhere/They say that we need love/But we need more than this/We lost God control,” the 60-year-old sings on her new album Madame X.
“I tried to bring the world of disco and freedom, and having that joy silenced by a small thing made of metal that can end someone’s life,” Madonna says over a clip of a man with a gun firing rounds into the club.
“Guns need to be made illegal.” The teaser video shows clips of the singer lying on the ground after being shot dead in a nightclub along with others. Some have speculated that Madonna is referencing the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting of 2016, where an ISIS sympathizer shot 49 people dead.
The former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Olisa Metuh, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the N400 million project fund for which he is standing trial was paid to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan and not the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, as alleged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr. Metuh informed the court that the money which led to his arraignment by the EFCC on money laundering charges was paid to him by the former president to execute some national assignment for the federal government.
Giving evidence on behalf of his company, Dextra Investment Ltd, which is the second defendant in the suit and the account where the N400m was paid into, the ex-spokesperson for the PDP told Justice Okon Abang that he could not consider the money for the act of any unlawful purpose because it came from Jonathan.
Metuh recalled that he held a meeting with the then president where various issues and challenges facing the country were discussed; adding that former President Jonathan promised and made the N400m available to him to carry out the national assignment.
He stressed that the money could not have been for an unlawful purpose because he was helping and contributing to stabilizing the then government because President Jonathan was elected on the PDP platform.
Metuh specifically, according to ChannelsTV, dismissed allegations that the money was channelled to him through Dasuki. “I did not receive any money from Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
“As I am talking on oath before this court now, I can say categorically that Dasuki has not been interrogated, charged or convicted for any act relating to me and my company.
“The N400 million was paid into my account by the then-president and I did not conceal or disguise the money and it was not transferred out of the jurisdiction,” Metuh stated.
He urged the court to take a look at the list of disbursement carried out in cash and in the cheque. Mr. Metuh also dismissed the insinuation that the N400 million was meant to fund the PDP, adding that at the period, the PDP was rich to the tune of N33 billion, with N12 billion generated from sales of nomination forms and N21 billion raked in from fundraising.
Further cross-examination has been adjourned until June 24, 25 and 26.
Officers of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a domestic worker, Joseph Ogbu, for allegedly stabbing his employer, Oreoluwa John, to death in the Surulere area of the state.
Oreoluwa’s mother, Adejoke, was said to have also slumped and died due to the shock of her daughter’s murder.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, said in a statement on Thursday that an argument ensued between Oreoluwa and Ogbu when she told him to clean the house around 9pm on Wednesday and adding that the suspect allegedly stabbed his employer to death in the heat of the argument.
After perpetrating the crime, the PPRO said the suspect packed some valuables in the house and loaded them into Oreoluwa’s car and escaped from the scene of the incident.
He added that men of the command, who were on patrol, arrested Ogbu at the Ogunlana pin-down point in Surulere while trying to escape, adding that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to committing the crime.
Elkana said, “On Thursday, June 20, 2019, around 3am, the Surulere Police Station received a distress call from No. 4 Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, that one Joseph Ogbu, 22, from the Oju Local Government Area of Benue State, who was employed as a domestic worker on June 18, 2019, murdered his employer, Oreoluwa John, 38, at the above mentioned address.
“The suspect confessed to the crime. In his statement, he averred that his employer asked him to clean the house around 9pm on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, but an argument ensued between them, which prompted him to stab her with a knife. The shock of her death made her 89-year-old mother, Adejoke John, to slump and die.
“After confirming that they (Oreoluwa and Adejoke) were dead, he moved some valuables such as electronics, handsets and household items into the employer’s Toyota Camry salon car and attempted to escape to where he could not be found before he was apprehended by policemen on patrol at the Ogunlana pin-down point.
“The vehicle and the stolen items were recovered. The crime scene was sealed off and the corpses of the two victims were taken to the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, has ordered the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, to take over the investigation and charge the suspect to court.”
While there is no one “superfood” to help with brain health, there are some foods and lifestyles that have been linked to positive brain improvements.
Current research indicates that diets high in saturated fat and trans fat inhibit memory and increase the risk of brain dysfunction, so, whenever possible, choose healthier oils like olive oil and canola. Other foods that have been linked with positive brain health are walnuts, fish, berries and leafy green vegetables.
Walnuts contain vitamin E, antioxidants and omega-3s, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts — as well as salmon and cold-water fish — have been associated with proper brain development in infants, increased memory in adults, and decreased onset of mental decline in the elderly.
Omega-3 fatty acids have also been linked to lower blood levels of beta-amyloid. In the brain of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s, beta-amyloid has been shown to clump into plaques that then can collect between neurons and disrupt brain function. Berries contain flavonoids and antioxidants, both of which are important because they rid the body of free radicals that could eventually do harm to the brain. Leafy green vegetables provide nutrients such as vitamin K, lutein, beta-carotene, folate, vitamin B, and the antioxidants vitamins C and E.
The best menu for boosting memory and brain function promotes good blood flow to the brain. Here are some tips:
— Munch on vegetables.
— Eat berries and cherries.
— Work walnuts in as snacks and toppings.
— Eat foods rich in omega-3s.
— Combat saturated and trans fats with healthy fats.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has withdrawn the appointment of Dr Festus Adedayo as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
The action follows a public outcry that greeted Adedayo’s appointment, barely 48 hours after the announcement.
A statement by the Special Assistant to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Mr Mohammed Isa, on Thursday, explained that the appointment was rescinded in Adedayo’s best interest.
The statement read in part, “The office of the President of the Senate has reviewed the appointment of Dr Festus Adedayo as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate and decided to rescind its decision on the appointment.”
The statement wished Adedayo the best in his future endeavours.
Many All Progressives Congress’ supporters had invaded the social media space on Wednesday when Adedayo’s appointment was made public.
Most of the critics of his appointment argued that Adedayo did not deserve the position because of his critical views on the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari, as regularly expressed in his articles in the media.
Adedayo had also replied the politician critics that he had no apologies over his actions because he was merely doing his job as a professional journalist.
A reliable source close to the President of the Senate’s office told the News Agency of Nigeria that the decision to drop Adedayo was reached on Wednesday night in a meeting by key officers of the Red Chamber.
The meeting was said to have held in Lawan’s residence and was chaired by him.
NAN confirmed that the Office of the Senate President had begun the process of finding a replacement for him.
A similar outcry is also trailing the re-appointment of four other media aides announced by Lawan to serve him. The aides also served his predecessor, Senator Bukola Saraki.
The aides include Mr Mohammed Isa, Special Assistant on Media and Publicity; Olu Onemola, Special Assistant on New Media; and Tope Olowoeye, Senior Legislative Aide on Media and Publicity (Photography).
NAN, however, learnt that Lawan stood his ground on the aides, saying he would retain them.
Trying to shed some extra pounds but not seeing any results? Here are 5 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight Even With Exercise.
Weight loss does not happen overnight and involves a process that starts with a gradual but definite shift in lifestyle. While there are advocates of rapid weight loss strategies, such efforts offer short-term benefits and are mostly unsustainable. Diet experts still say that the best way to lose weight and to keep the pounds down is to manage a healthy relationship between food and physical activity.
However, there is no cookie-cutter solution to losing weight, and some people might find that despite pounding it out at the gym daily, they’re still not getting the results they want to see on the scale. If you’re experiencing a plateau in your weight loss efforts, there are several reasons why this might be happening.
1. You don’t take enough protein
Diets that are high in protein can result in more pounds lost, at the start at least. Protein tricks your body into feeling sated so you are not tempted to eat more and give in to cravings. It also prevents your body from shedding muscle mass while your weight loss happens. The amount of protein the body needs depends on how much you weigh, but for discussion purposes, most women of average weights are recommended to consume as much as 80 grams’ worth of protein a day. So, go ahead and chomp on those eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken breasts, nuts, beans and more.
2. You have a generally sedentary lifestyle
Even if you have a regular gym schedule, if most of your waking hours are spent at a desk, then you probably won’t see weight loss results right away. That’s not really your fault because your job might demand that you do so. But instead of carrying a defeatist attitude, you can take your desk position positively and find ways to get your blood pumping without needing to skip work. Experts say that getting up frequently and walking around the office for about 2 minutes can help you burn as much as 59 calories per day; more if you do some basic exercises.
3. You don’t drink plenty of water
Water not only helps your body get rid of toxins, it also helps suppress appetite. In addition, when you don’t drink enough daily, your kidneys will be dehydrated and fail to function properly, thus messing your metabolic process. How much water should you be taking? Experts say at least eight glasses, but if you can consume more than that, then all the better for you. There is no limit to how much you can drink and the best part is that it has zero calories.
4. Your baselines are incorrect
You might be basing your weight loss goals on an incorrect BMI measurement, calorie deficit and other numbers that can affect loss and gain. To be sure you’re on the right track, consult a dietician or fitness expert to help you set an accurate baseline. This way, you know that your efforts are anchored on scientific facts and you’re not just assuming your calculations. If you’re using a gadget to help you compute, then be sure that you understand how it really works so that your numbers are not off.
5. You’re eating the wrong food
Weight loss is largely about how much and what you eat. This is why apart from regularly exercising, dieticians recommend that you also watch your calorie intake. This makes a lot of sense because the point of physical activity is to burn calories. If you are eating food that introduces more calories than what you lose from your usual efforts, then everything will go to waste. As a general rule, stick to natural and whole foods and avoid anything that’s processed and refined.
Diet takes up the majority of one’s weight loss battle. That said, even if you have a rigorous training program, if you are not eating right then you won’t be losing weight. Other factors that can affect this include your age, your metabolic rate and, sometimes, even genes. Overall, succeeding in this journey is more than just following your gym program. It should take a conscious effort on your part to be extra mindful of how you eat and to understand how your body responds to food and activity.
An unidentified gunman opened fire on youths riding horses during a wedding ceremony in Kano on Wednesday.
The youth, who were said to be celebrating the wedding of one of their colleagues, were shot at and wounded by the yet-to-be identified gunman.
The victims, who suffered varying degrees of gunshot injuries, were rushed to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for medical attention.
In an interview, the father of one of the victims, Malam Mohammed Abdullahi, described the incident as very unfortunate.
“I have never witnessed this kind of madness in my life for someone to just open fire on innocent youths, without any just cause,” he stated.
As of the time of filing this report, the victims were still at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, receiving treatment.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the shooting but said he did not have the details yet.
