President Muhammadu Buhari is absent at the Federal executive council (FEC) meeting – for the 3rd time in a row. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is currently presiding over the in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Last month, President Buhari was twice absent at the FEC meeting; the development that had sparked fresh concern about his health condition.
Embattled Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe has been granted a restraining order against her hotelier husband, Lanre Gentry by the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Lagos State sitting in Ogba, Lagos.
A certified copy of the order dated 28th April 2017 and signed by Mrs. Davies Abegunde, Chief Magistrate, Ogba Magistrate’s Court, made available to our correspondent, restrained Lanre from committing any further acts of domestic violence against the actress, (Mercy) with immediate effect.
According to the order issued on the grounds of the application issued by the Lagos State Domestic And Sexual Violence Response Team, Lanre is also retrained from going anywhere within one mile radius of where Mercy and her two children in her custody.
The returning date is May 17 whereby Lanre is ordered to appear before the Ogba magistrate’s court to show cause while the restraining order should not be made permanent by the court.
The whole of social media and the mainstream media has been buzzing with the news of the actress’ battered face arising from the alleged domestic violence perpetrated by the husband.
The drama was heightened with pictures of Mercy going through a head CT scan which surfaced online. This led to accusation and counter accusation followed by quasi make-up by both the husband and the wife.
Mercy took to her social media platform to share pictures of domestic violence victims with a caption; “Real men don’t beat women”.
In response, the husband initially posted and deleted a photo with a caption about how women should not be promiscuous. Shortly after that, he went ahead to post a photo of himself and Mercy and captioned it “I love my wife so much”.
While Mercy remains mute and has not gone beyond her social media message, Lanre has been granting interviews denying ever beaten her and claiming that the pictures trending were from a movie scene.
However, while the drama goes on, Mercy quietly reported the matter to the anti-domestic violence agency which took the matter up leading to the restraining order.
38-year old Mercy married Lanre, a popular hotelier over seven years ago. Their controversial marriage has been a staple for many talebearers with reports of several abuses.
But Lanre, a polygamist in an interview with an online portal said that most men would not tolerate what his wife has done to him in the past seven years they have been married.
He claimed he had shown her love and support despite some “unbelievable things” he had seen her do and had endured for the sake of keeping the marriage and her image intact.
“Would she have been in my house for seven years if I beat her? I don’t know why she pulled such a picture stunt but I know the person that rented the house for her. The pictures and all are just stunts to paint me bad and gain sympathy,” said Lanre.
“You know where Mercy was before I married her and in seven years, I think I have tried but she has other ideas and most of the things that I take from her, most men wouldn’t take it and I hope she won’t allow me to talk if she keeps smearing my name. I am trying to be calm because I don’t want to use my hand to destroy what I help created,” added.
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Nigeria First Lady, Aisha Buhari has said her husband’s health is not as bad as some people have made people to believe.
Aisha made this known in a message on her twitter handle…@aishambuhari and her facebook page- Aisha Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
She said her husband had continued to carry out his constitutional responsibilities as the President without hindrance.
The President’s wife wrote, “I thank all Nigerians for their concern, love and prayers over my husband’s health status.
“I wish to inform everyone that his health is not as bad as it’s being perceived. Meanwhile, he continues to carry out his responsibilities during this period.
“As it may come to your notice, he is meeting with Minister of Justice and GMD of NNPC this evening (Tuesday).”
The Federal Government is set to establish a taskforce on the implementation of key objectives of its recently launched Economic Growth and Recovery Plan EGRP.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma, who disclosed this at an ERGP Implementation stakeholders’ dialogue session in Abuja yesterday, said: “Already, the ministry has commenced the process of establishing a Delivery Unit, as well as Implementation Units, to facilitate the effective implementation of the plan.
‘’This is to be complemented with the establishment of special task forces on the key execution areas of the plan.”
He said just as the plan was developed through an extensive consultative process to ensure collective ownership, the dialogue session was part of the process set out by the Ministry to consult and harvest valuable inputs in order to further fine-tune the approach for enriching the ERGP Implementation Roadmap.
Media Adviser to the minister, James Akpandem, quoted the minister in a statement as saying that faithful implementation of the ERGP was one of the cardinal focus of government, having realized that lack of diligent implementation was largely responsible for the failure of previous plans.
“As a government, we believe that we can only succeed in transforming Nigeria if we work closely with stakeholders.
‘’This is the first of many consultative processes we will be holding on plan implementation, as well as to get feedback from stakeholders,’’ he said.
The stakeholders were informed of the commencement of the process of developing a detailed implementation road-map.
“This will lay out the roadmap for a step by step delivery of each of the strategies. Each strategy will be further broken down into component activities, sub-activities and actions. Each action will be supported by clearly assigned responsibilities, which will be sequenced against clear milestones and timelines for ease of monitoring,’’ he said.
The Minister stressed that the benefits of the ERGP could not be fully appreciated unless its provisions were effectively and faithfully implemented.
While admitting that the country’s plan implementation track record had not been very good, he pointed out that there was a conscious effort to ensure that the ERGP didn’t go the way of previous plans. Section 7 of the plan is specifically dedicated to implementation.
The section says that focus must be on priorities; there must be clear accountability; target must be set and detailed action plans developed; resources must be mobilized and allocated to the priorities; an enabling policy and regulatory environment must be created; and delivery units must be set up to monitor and drive progress.
The fire at the palace of the Oba of Lagos on Tuesday has nothing to do with the Lagos’ monarch’s relationship with the Ooni of Ife, an official has said.
The spokesperson of the Ooni’s palace, Moses Olafare, told said that the Ife monarch, Enitan Ogunwusi, is unhappy with the fire incident.
“We are not happy over the fact that the palace of Lagos king got burnt, we can only sympathise with the palace on the development,” he said.
The fire occurred about one week after a video showed the Lagos monarch, Rilwan Akiolu, snub the Ooni.
There have been rumours on social media that Tuesday’s fire was caused by the snub, reports denied by Mr. Olafare.
“People are entitle to their own views,” he said. “But what people say doesn’t mean that is the position of the palace.”
“What happened is mere coincidence and should not be traced to the incident in Lagos, we send our sympathies,” he added.
The Ekiti State Governor , Mr . Ayodele Fayose , has ruled out the possibility of contesting the senatorial seat in the 2019 general elections.
Clarifying that he will never seek any elective position again , he said his main preoccupation after leaving office would be to continue to agitate for a better Nigeria.
Fayose, however, refused to comment on the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari, when asked by journalists, saying he would watch events as they unfold before making any comment on the issue.
The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday during a meeting with civil servants on grade levels one to seven in the state civil service.
Fayose, who saluted the workers for their courage and perseverance in the face of economic recession culminating in unstable payment of salaries, urged them to discountenance the rumour that he had received the second tranche of the Paris Club loan refund.
He explained that what the state got so far was N8.8bn, which was shared between the state and local governments, “with over 70 per cent of it expended on the payment of salaries instead of the 50 per cent agreed with the Federal Ministry of Finance.”
He advised the workers to register at the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration in the interest of Ekiti.
“I don’t want to contest again, not even for senatorial race in 2019. One thing I have learnt was that, Ekiti people don’t normally participate in some government policies where data are collated. And it used to affect us in getting extra grants or favour from the Federal Government and international agencies.
“The Federal Government is planning to renovate 1,000 health centres in Nigeria and Ekiti got only three. When I enquired, they said the data used to compile the figures didn’t favour Ekiti. If they are to register for polio vaccine, our people won’t make themselves available, because of nonchalant attitude
“That is why I won’t care to declare more holidays for people to get registered. But I want to call on INEC to look into the faulty data capturing machines. We have had bad experiences since the commencement of the CVR programme last week and the commission must resolve all these anomalies in the interest of our people.
“I also want to note that all these problems won’t reoccur during the 2018 polls, that is the main reason why INEC, as a commission, must improve on its efficiency,” he said.
Fayose encouraged workers to indicate interest in the Fadama Graduate Unemployed Youth Support Programme for the training of 300 people in Ekiti that would specialise in commercial farming.
He added that his government was ready to give the necessary impetus to workers that showed interest in agriculture.
No Politician is honest, they just talk in order to convince people to follow their train, support them on their political ambition. Former Governor, Peter Obi made a statement about himself, saying he had just two shoes, and had just a wristwatch for the past 17 years.
However, deep searches revealed that the Ex-Governor lied about this and a picture proof is attached below:
Former acting National Vice-Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and ex-gubernatorial aspirant in Lagos State, Adedeji Doherty, has said that anybody asking President Buhari to contest for the 2019 presidential election do not like him and Nigeria.
He made this known in an interview with newsmen (The Sun) on Tuesday. However, he advised All Progressives Congress, APC, not to stress much for what is written is written, as PDP will bounce back and claim their rightful position coming 2019 Presidential election.
Speaking further he said, “Anybody asking Buhari to seek a second term is Buhari’s enemy. I believe that his family members will even persuade him not to run if some cabal wanted to push him to run because of their own personal interests. “ I don’t think Buhari is healthy enough to withstand the rigours of campaign talk less of now being in charge for another four years.
“Those wishing to drag Buhari into 2019 don’t love him. They also don’t love Nigeria. Campaign for Presidency is not a joke. Buhari may not be able to withstand the rigours” he said.
The Spiritual leader of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Olumba Olumba Obu has asked those wishing President Muhammadu Buhari to desist because the President will not die in office.
Speaking in Calabar, Cross River State, Obu said God purposely chose Buhari to be President of Nigeria so he can fight against corruption.
He noted that the President has succeeded in the battle to recover Nigeria’s stolen money, adding that he must now work towards peace and unity of the country.
Obu said, “When we said at the onset of the administration that those who stole Nigeria’s money will return all, many did not believe us.
“But the president must pray for God to lead him to apply the recovered loot to the benefit of all Nigerians. Let me repeat that Nigeria is a very well blessed country; to those wishing the president dead, he will not die.”
In a bombshell announcement that shocked congregants and viewers of Emmanuel TV alike, Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua declared his intentions to leave Nigeria and relocate his ministry to the nation of Israel.
Speaking to a rapt multi-national audience at his church service on Sunday 30th April 2017, Joshua disclosed that he had just returned from the ‘Holy Land’ after holding meetings with three prominent Israeli mayors of Jerusalem, Tiberias and the Jordan Valley.
According to the cleric, they offered both land and facilities in an area around the biblical site of the Sea of Galilee for the Nigerian Pastor to organise meetings for international pilgrims.
“This is where my Father in Heaven came from – it’s non-negotiable,” Joshua explained, adding it was not a decision he undertook lightly.
“It’s the best place for you to meet Prophet T.B. Joshua. After your healing, blessing and deliverance, you can move around all the spiritual monuments which will establish your faith,” he further clarified.
Joshua said his decision to leave was not connected to the “persecution” he endured during his ministry.
However, he hoped the move would help people to “appreciate” what his ministry had been contributing to both the local economy and Nigeria’s international image.
“This is the most persecuted ministry in the world. Who are the people persecuting the ministry? My people, Africa,” Joshua bluntly stated, adding that this ‘treatment’ had led him into a life of virtual isolation.
“That is why I choose to live a lonely life. If you want to see me, come to this church. I don’t go out. It has not been easy – because I don’t know who is a friend or who is an enemy. If you learn T.B. Joshua is not around, I am in a revival. I live in the church here. I don’t have a house outside.”
“Anytime you pray, remember Africa in prayer,” the cleric solemnly continued to an audience which included over 3,000 foreign nationals who flew into Nigeria to attend the church service.
“Many heroes and great people have been chased out of Africa. There are many geniuses in the Western world who are originally from Africa.”
The cleric pointed to the example of heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua who was allegedly turned down by Nigerian sporting authorities when he wanted to represent the country.
“What happened to me from the beginning of my ministry is enough to chase me out of this country – but I am still in your midst. Upon the persecution and hatred – I decided to follow the path of love. You show hatred; I show love. When I go for a revival, you will see the stadium full but I am not carried away by that. I leave where I’m celebrated to live where I’m persecuted.”
The cleric then advised congregants: “Where you are not celebrated is the best place to stay, to get strength. When you are in the midst of a battle, you are building yourself. That is why I decided to stay where I am not celebrated here in Nigeria. When the grace of God is amid challenges, it gets stronger.”
According to the cleric, the invitation to Israel came due to the growing popularity of Joshua’s television channel Emmanuel TV, which is especially known on YouTube.
“Your life can preach a better sermon than your mouth,” he exhorted the congregation, stating that the Israeli officials had observed his ministry from afar before inviting him.
No timeframe for the move was specified in the service and it was not clear whether activities in The SCOAN’s Ikotun-Egbe base would cease entirely.
Joshua concluded by counselling people: “Don’t destroy your relationships beyond repair because the person who fights you today can be your saviour tomorrow.”
The shock announcement will come as a blow to Nigeria’s religious tourism industry.
Statistics from the Nigerian Immigration Services revealed that six out of every ten travelers to Nigeria go to The SCOAN, with countless local businesses and hotels in the area relying on the church activities for their sustenance.