Exclusive: Why I’ll win this time – Buhari

In the first interview he’s granted since he became the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), retired General Muhammadu Buhari opened up to Weekly Trust on a variety of past, present and future issues regarding his politics, military career, personal life and others. Herewith, are excerpts:

Weekly Trust: This is your fourth stab at the presidency. Is there any factor that makes you feel this attempt will be any different?
General Muhammadu Buhari: Yes. The first is the merger which gave birth to the APC itself. Since 2005, we realized that none of the opposition parties can go up against the PDP significantly. The party has no intention of ruling this country with justice, as we have seen in the sixteen years they have been around. For example, on the side of the economy, look at the Nigerian Airways, the railways and shipping line, where are they? Look at the expenditure on NEPA and the hearing conducted by the National Assembly on it. Then look at pension funds and the petroleum industry. The list is long.
There is no way they can tell you that there has been an honest attempt to punish corruption on a massive scale in this country. Secondly, out of ethical behaviour, Nigerian soldiers started granting interviews to foreign media, saying they were being sent to the warfront without proper weapons. And again the National Assembly attempted to conduct a hearing by going to find out what is being appropriated to the military or the Ministry of Defence for the last three, four years, which amounts to trillions of naira. And they invited the service chiefs or Chief of Defence Staff to tell them what is happening to the money, but that hearing was frustrated.
WT: You’ve been in the race for the presidency for over a decade now. Some people feel that as one of the pillars of the merger, you should have sacrificed your ambition so that a younger generation would aspire...

EBOLA: Kunle & Gabriel Afolayan Isolated at the Republic of Seychelles

Top Nigerian actor and director Kunle Afolayan,  and his brother, Gabriel had arrived Seychelles airport some minutes ago and this was their experience at the airport. According to Kunle, Gabriel and himself were isolated and made to sign plenty forms because of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The brothers are in Seychelles for a project his company Golden Effects is working on in collaboration with the country's government.
See more photos after the cut

Osun Pre Election: Zero hour beckons

Omisore and Aregbesola

In this piece, TUNDE ODESOLA examines the variables that may determine Osun governorship election on Saturday

Next Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State is on all lips for various reasons which include the ridiculous and the altruistic. The election, like the bulbous aquatic creature, octopus, could be hinged on eight legs. What do the Osun election and the octopus have in common? The octopus has eight legs just as Osun governorship election is taking place in the eighth month of the year. Considered as the world’s most intelligent invertebrate, the octopus has a wide range of techniques through which it thwarts attackers. In like manner, the Independent National Electoral Commission has devised some strategies to thwart plans by unscrupulous politicians to rig the election as INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday vowed that the Osun election cannot be rigged. The virtue of the octopus was brought to the fore at the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa when Paul, the Octopus, made stunning accurate predictions that brought him global attention as an animal oracle.

Unlike Paul the Octopus, proffering an accurate prediction for the all-important election would be a Herculean task but a little journey down history lane and a look at emerging political issues could open a window into where the pendulum might likely swing on August 9. The eight legs of the octopus include:

SPORT: F’Eagles name squad for Lesotho clash

Super Eagles players

Nigeria U20 team, the Flying Eagles, have named a 25-man squad for a final 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier against Lesotho later this month.

Skipper Musa Muhammed (Besiktas/Turkey) and Taiwo Awoniyi (Kalmar FF/Sweden) are the only overseas-based players as the Flying Eagles will be without several of their foreign-based stars as a result of club commitments, according to coach Manu Garba.

The Flying Eagles take on Lesotho on August 16 in Kaduna for a place in the final of the 2015 AYC in Senegal in March.

The full squad:

Goalkeepers

Joshua Enaholo, Adamu Abubakar, Olorunleke Ojo, Etua Ossai Kingdom

Fashola cancels new LASU fees, restores N25,000 tuition

Governor Babatunde Fashola

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday bowed to pressure from academic unions and students of Lagos State University, Ojo, by reversing the increase in school fees.

Fashola, who made the announcement at LASU’s convocation in Ojo, Lagos, ordered the fees to be reversed to N25,000.

Three years ago, the state government increased the tuition to between N180,000 and N350,000.

The governor, who arrived the venue of the convocation at about 10.40am, was greeted with a series of protests from members of the Students’ Union Government, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities and the Non Academic Staff Union.

The PUNCH had reported on Thursday that SSANU-LASU had planned to disrupt the second leg of the convocation ceremony.

The union was protesting – among other things – the payment of their salaries for the months of June and July 2014.

The university authorities, in a bid to scuttle the planned demonstration and ensure a hitch-free convocation, used security operatives to arrest some of the union executives and members.

While some of the union members were arrested at about 9.16am, some others were manhandled, even as others had their phones seized. Journalists and passers-by were also harassed.

Following the arrest of their officials, other members of the union took their protest to the Vice Chancellor’s office.

Efforts by a renowned industrialist and Chancellor of the institution, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, to stop the protest proved abortive.

The protesters also attempted to prevent the VC and his entourage from leaving his office to the convocation venue.

This prompted security operative to shoot into the air to disperse the protesters.

The protest however, took another dimension as some students and the non-academic staff members joined the agitation on sighting the governor’s convoy.

Some security officials, who tried to confront the protesters, were prevented by the governor, who alighted from his vehicle to address the union leaders.

He assured them that their grievances would be looked into.

The students, in their solidarity, chants, “PDP! Power! APC! Ole (thief).”

They displayed placards with various inscriptions such as, “Further reduction of LASU school fees; Stop the reduction in our bursary; Open registration portal.”

The atmosphere, however, took a different dimension when the governor announced the reversal of the tuition to N25, 000.

The students erupted in wild jubilation and their solidarity song changed to praise – to “APC, Change!”

However, the government gesture did not stop the SSANU members from continuing their protest.

The union members started chanting “Obafunwa must go!”

The Students’ Union President, Nurudeen Yusuf, thanked the governor for the gesture.

He said, “We thank God for everything, even though our people betrayed us by paying their fees contrary to the union’s directives.

“We would have got to this point long ago, but for their betrayal.

Culled From: PUNCH NG

Ice Prince, Seyi Shay, Lynxxx, Toolz, Banky W & More Fab Guests live up the Ciroc Life! Pictures from July Edition

They promised that the July edition of “Ciroc Life” would be epic and the team didn’t fail to deliver! Everyone was out in full force as the hot monthly party hosted by the Directors of Empire Mates Entertainment and J.Parties moved to Kudeta Lounge.

Fab guests and notable faces including Ice Prince, Timaya, Seyi Shay, Lola Rae, Niyola, Shaydee, Lynxxx, Toolz, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Olisa, Celestine Queen, Anna Banner and Mr. Ciroc Banky W were all spotted turning up whilst savoring the Ultra Premium Vodka – Ciroc.

The next edition will hold on the Last Saturday of August so stay tuned for details!

Check out photos from the event below.

Osun Election: Restriction on Movement Begins Today

Osogbo (NAN) – Austin Ekhavbahbokun, the Commissioner of Police in charge of  the  Osun governorship  election, says the
restriction placed on movement in the state will begin at  6 p.m on Friday.

Ekhavbahbokun  told  newsmen  on Friday  in Osogbo that the restriction would be in place until after the election on  Saturday.
The restriction, he said, was to enable security agents maintain law and order during the electoral exercise.

“The police are fully mobilised and adequately prepared; we are ready to face any security challenge,’’  he said.
Ekhavbahbokun said out of the  65,000 security agents deployed  in the state, 30,000 were  made up of regular and mobile policemen.

He  also said a commissioner of police had been assigned to  each of the three senatorial districts in the state while  three policemen
were attached to each accredited polling unit.

Ekhavbahbokun advised voters, who wished to  monitor the  electoral exercise at their  polling units,  to maintain  a radius of 300
metres.

The commissioner also warned against the indiscriminate use of sirens and arms  by  escorts  during  the exercise.

He further said that residents and other stakeholders could  reach the police through GSM numbers: 08164693067, 08123823983, 08089539995, 08123323981 and 08078391690.

Photo Credit: Thinkafricapress.com/Mark Dearn

EBOLA: 2 fresh cases confirmed in Lagos, GEJ summons emergency meeting

The Federal government has confirmed two more cases of Ebola virus disease in Lagos. This brings to a total of 9 confirmed cases in Nigeria, seven infected with the disease and two dead. 

The federal government also said about 139 persons who have had direct or indirect contact with the confirmed cases are currently under surveillance.

Meanwhile President Jonathan has summoned an emergency meeting at the State House Abuja over the virus outbreak in the country