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Rivers guber: Gov. Wike, Senator Abe react to Appeal Court ruling The lawmaker representing Rivers East West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Magnus Abe has reacted to the Appeal Court ruling which granted Stay of Execution on the Judgement of Justice Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court, which nullified all primaries of the party. According to NAN, Patrick Luke, counsel to Abe, who is also a factional governorship candidate in the state, said the ruling had not changed the position that APC candidates had been omitted in the election list. Luke, who is counsel for Abe and 42 others, in suit No: CA3/37/2019, said “The appellant asked for a stay of execution of judgement of the federal High Court delivered on Jan. 7. They also asked for a restraining order.” “At the end of the proceedings today, the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, delivered a ruling and refused the reliefs restraining INEC from obeying orders of the reliefs that were ...

BREAKING: Appeal Court Gives INEC Green Light To Accept APC Candidate In Rivers   The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, has granted stay of execution of the lower court’s judgement nulifying all primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in RIvers State and restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from fielding the party’s candidates in the forthcoming general election. In January, Justice Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had nullified both the direct and indirect primaries conducted by two factions of the party. He also restrained INEC from recognising any candidates of the APC for the 2019 general election in the state. While a faction of the party loyal to former Governor Rotimi Ameachi had produced Tonye Cole as its candidate from its primary, the other loyal to Senator Magnus Abe produced him as its own candidate. The national secretariat...

My Big Brother nightmare   By Christian Agadibe N ina Chinonso Onyenobi was like everyday next-door-girl until Big Brother Naija catapulted her into fame and stardom last year. In this exclusive interview, the undergraduate of Imo State University opens up on life before the reality TV show, how she survived bullying in the Big Brother house and her affair with former housemate and winner, Miracle, among other interesting issues. Enjoy. Tell us about your childhood I’m from a happy family, not rich, not poor but just average. At least, we ate three times a day. We are five children and I am the fourth born, three girls and two boys. I was an easy-going child, more of an extrovert. I’m 21 going 22. Growing up was fun. My parents took good care of us. They provided our needs.  Before Big Brother came along, what were you doing? I was a student and model. I made wigs and also did make-up. I had interest in make-up a...

JAMB registers 1.2 million candidates in 26 days   Olaleye Aluko, Abuja The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has registered 1,205,187 candidates for the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, which is scheduled to take place between Saturday, March 16 and Saturday, March 23, with Lagos and Kaduna states recording the highest registrations of 161,654 and 76,049 candidates, respectively. The board also said that the phone numbers, which the candidates used for their profile code registration, electronic pin vending and registration for the previous UTME, can only be used for the 2019 UTME by the same candidates, not other persons. JAMB, in a release issued on Monday from the office of the Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, also said only accredited Computer-Based Test Centres would do valid UTME registration and serve as examination centres. The board said, “Previously used numbers for JAMB registratio...

Atiku’s election will hasten Igbo Presidency –Obaze   Oseloka Obaze Tony Okafor, Awka The Chairman of the Atiku-Obi Presidential Campaign Council in Anambra State, Mr Oseloka Obaze, has said the election of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the February 16 presidential election will hasten the chances of the South-East to produce Nigeria’s President. He said Atiku’s running mate, Peter Obi, would become the long-sought President of Igbo extraction if Atiku emerges victorious. Obaze said this in Awka, Anambra State, on Monday. He said any vote for Atiku “is also a vote for Peter Obi, who will be saddled with the responsibility of managing the country’s economy.” He said Atiku had what he described as executive democratic and political experience, just like Obi who he described as “a working and resourceful match.” Obaze said, “Over 40 million Igbo people cannot afford to wait for another four years to realise the so-called ...

Why Osinbajo chartered private chopper for Kabba trip – Investigation   The crashed helicopter. John Ameh, Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi, Okechukwu Nnodim and Godwin Isenyo Details emerged on Monday on why Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo chartered a private helicopter for a trip to Kogi State last Saturday, which ended up crash-landing in Kabba. The VP, the Minister of State for Labour, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, and 10 senior presidential officials had escaped unhurt when the AgustaWestland 139 helicopter marked 5N-CML and serial number: 31389, owned and operated by Caverton Helicopters hit the ground awkwardly and fell on its side at the Kabba Stadium in Kogi State on February 2. Findings indicated that Osinbajo opted for the charter service because the helicopters in the Presidential Fleet were reportedly occupied that day with other functions. Two choppers in the official fleet, said to be the “only functional ones” for now, ha...

CUPP says Atiku’s latest endorsement, fatal blow to Buhari   CUPP Chairman, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja The Coalition of United Political Parties on Monday expressed delight at the Sunday’s endorsement of the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by the Northern Elders Forum, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Middle Belt Forum. It described the endorsement as a fatal blow to President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid. The coalition’s position was contained in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja by its first national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere. Ugochinyere said, “This (endorsement) is one huge and fatal blow to the ambition of President Buhari. A revival of the Nigerian spirit has been born. “Despite all the divisive actions of President Buhari, all the regions have seen through his destructive agenda and have identified a unifier who will lead the miss...