HOW 20 YR OLD "MHAIRI BLACK" BECAME UK'S YOUNGEST LAWMAKER IN 348 YEARS.

Politics student rides SNP surge to defeat shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander to become youngest MP since 17th century. But first, she has to complete her dissertation.

The odds were heavily stacked against the SNP’s Mhairi Black winning the Paisley and Renfrewshire South seat to become Westminster’s youngest MP for centuries.

She was up against one of the best-known Labour MPs left in Scotland, Douglas Alexander, who was defending a majority of more than 16,000. He was not only shadow foreign secretary but had lots of election experience in abundance, enough to secure him the job of Labour’s UK campaign coordinator.

GUNMAN OPENS FIRE ON STUDENTS IN BAUCHI, INJURES SIX.

A gunman opened fire on students after walking into a high school in Potiskum in northeast Nigeria, critically injuring six, witnesses and a humanitarian aid worker said.

It was not immediately possible to ascertain whether the gunman, accompanied by a second attacker, was from Islamist jihadi group Boko Haram but the attack was in their style.

Boko Haram has been trying to carve out an Islamic state in the northeast of Africa’s biggest economy for the past six years but Nigerian troops with the help of Chad, Niger and Cameroon are pressing an offensive against the militants.

COURT STRIKES OUT EKITI LAWMAKERS SUIT AGAINST FAYOSE.

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday struck out the suit filed by the embattled Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, his deputy, Hon. Adesegun Orisalade, and 17 other All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging their removal from office.

The court presided over by Justice Saliu Saidu, while striking out the suit in his bench ruling, also awarded a cost of N100,000 against  Omirin and other 18 APC lawmakers.

Omirin and 18 other APC members of the state  House of Assembly, had approached the court to challenge what they described as an ‘infraction in the House’.

The defendants in the suit are; the factional Speaker of the House Hon. Dele Olugbemi, Hon. Samuel Ajibola, Hon. Adeojo Alexander, Hon. Adeloye Adeyinka, Hon. Isreal Olowo Ajiboye, Hon. Fatunbi Olajide, and Hon. Olayinka Abeni (first and seventh defendants).

FAMILY MAN CRUSHED TO DEATH DURING ILLEGAL POLICE STOP AND SEARCH

Four policemen have been arrested in Lagos for mounting an illegal checkpoint at the Mile 2 end of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and conducting unapproved stop-and-search. It was gathered that during the exercise, a tanker ran over a businessman, Mr. Henry Dimoji.

It was learnt that Dimoji, who was returning with his wife, Linda, from a public function, had been asked by the police to stop for a search when the incident occurred.

It was gathered that 48-year-old Dimoji, who hailed from Imo State, and his wife were returning from a wake keep in the FESTAC Town area in a Honda car.

POLICE UNCOVER RITUALIST DEN IN OTA-OGUN STATE, RESCUE WOMAN.

Ogun State Police Command yesterday uncovered another suspected ritualists’ den in Unity and Peace Estate, along Itele-Lafenwa Road, Ota, Ado Odo-Ota Local Government Area.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the latest discovery was made possible by the escape of a 28-year-old lady, who had been kept bound in an uncom-pleted building in the estate.

The lucky victim was said to have been told by her captors that they would come for her in the night, but she struggled to free herself and rolled towards the entrance of the building before she was noticed. Passers-by saw her and came to her rescue.

She did not disclose her identity before policemen from Itele Police Station arrived and cordoned off the area.

DOWNLOAD FRESH VIDEO - LOCAL RAPPERS - @IAMREMINISCE FT @OLAMIDE_YBNL, @PHYNOFINO Reminisce ft. Olamide & Phyno - Local Rappers [Official Video]

LOCAL RAPPERS

Fresh from the release of his 3rd album titled BABA HAFUSA, Nigerian rapper Reminisce surely knows how to keep the momentum up by releasing the video of the monster hit track titled LOCAL RAPPERS which features unarguably the 3 hottest rapper in Nigeria at the moment, REMINISCE, OLAMIDE & PHYNO.

Download video HERE.

PDP IS HEADING FOR TOTAL DESTRUCTION. - SENATOR DAVID MARK.

 

Senate president, David Mark, yesterday warned that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is heading for total destruction if the present in-fighting among members is not curtailed.

Mark also expressed concerns over the continued acrimony between factions in the party, regretting that “unless we halt the bleeding and find the necessary therapy, we may be heading for the final burial of the party.”

The Senate president made these remarks yesterday when the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who heads the PDP post – election assessment committee visited him in his office at the National Assembly.

Describing the PDP as “already hemorrhaging and in a comatose status,” Mark insisted that, “we should do all we can to resuscitate the party rather than this unnecessary rancor and bulk passing.”

ANXIETY IN SSS OVER HURRIED PROMOTION OF MARILYN OGAR AND FEW OTHERS.

There is an uneasy calm in the State Security Service over a promotion exercise conducted recently by the leadership of the Service.

No fewer than 45 officers of the Service, including its spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, were promoted to different grade levels during the exercise.

Mrs. Ogar, a deputy director, who was recently fingered in a bribery scam, and 28 others were elevated from Grade Level 15 to 16 while 16 others moved to Grade Level 17 from 16.

The exercise, believed to have been hurriedly undertaken by the leadership of the SSS in anticipation of its exit on May 29, is embroiled in controversy as some officers, who were also due for promotion, were left out.

AGBAJE WILL NEVER GOVERN LAGOS - OBA OF LAGOS INSIST.

Barely 23 days to the inauguration of Lagos State governor-elect, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Oba of Lagos,  Rilwanu Akiolu I, yesterday, narrated how some of his relatives wanted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje and not Ambode to succeed Fashola.

According to the monarch;  “On May 14, 2014 when I first told all residents of Lagos that the next governor of the state will be Ambode, many didn't believe me.

“I knew all the waters that have passed under the bridge,  including my own blood relations, who without consulting me went with others to say that Bola Tinubu, Fashola and Oba Akiolu have pocketed Lagos, saying that this time, they will not allow that. And I told them that Jimi (Agbaje) will never be the governor. I still maintain it. There is no going back,” he added.

The Oba continued, “I have no doubt in my mind, with the cooperation and prayers of everyone, Ambode will perform very well. I told many people that Bola Tinubu planted the seed, Fashola came and watered the seed and it started germinating in geometrical progressions. We have just started.”

PROTEST ERUPTS AT UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN OVER DEATH OF STUDENT DUE TO NEGLIGENCE OF HEALTH STAFF. #TEAMUI.

The death of a 200L student at the University of Ibadan due to negligence on the part of the health staff at JAJA CLINIC has been reported.

Students of the University of Ibadan (last night) and this morning are protesting the death of a fellow student.  Mayowa Alaran (pictured above) was a student of Human Kinetic and was watching the Barca match in his hall yesterday when he suddenly slumped.

He was rushed to the school's clinic, Jaja Clinic, where students claim they were told by nurses that they won't attend to the sick student unless they presented his clinic card. The nurses also allegedly asked for money. Mayowa later passed away in the clinic.

Students are now protesting his death, blaming it on the negligence and lackadaisical attitude of the health centre workers. The students want the school authority to take action. They say it's not the first time a student has died due to the attitude of the nurses at their health centre.

CRACK WITHIN PDP (@PDPNIGERIA) WIDENS AS THE PARTY'S CHAIRMAN ADAMU MUAZU (@MUAZUAA) REPLIES GOV FAYOSE OF EKITI.

The crack within the ruling party as a result of the loss during the presidential election has deepened with a rift between the party's chairman and the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.

Fayose had earlier accused Muazu of working for the APC during the presidential polls.

See the tweets after the cut.

APAPA GRIDLOCK - HOODLUMS ON RAMPAGE AS MOTORIST WERE STRANDED FOR 12 HOURS.

Motorists and commuters trapped in Oshodi-Apapa expressway traffic gridlock Tuesday night had a raw deal in the hands of hoodlums as they were attacked and robbed of valuables including cash and phones, and tablet PCs(i-pads).

Last week, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, announced the establishment of a special task force to maintain a passable space along  Oshodi/Apapa express way, with a view to ameliorating the sufferings of motorists and commuters plying the route.

The task force has however failed to provide the necessary security promised by the Police Commissioner as no policeman or other security personnel were in sight. The hoodlums had a field day harassing, molesting and robbing commuters trapped between Otto Wolff and Coconut bus-stops for more than seven hours from 8pm and 7a.m.

JONATHAN FAILED - BOYLOAF (EX NIGER-DELTA MILITANT LEADER)

A former militant leader in the Niger Delta, Ebikabowei Victor Ben, a.k.a General Boyloaf, speaks to PREMIUM TIMES’ Aderonke Ogunleye about the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the incoming Muhammadu Buhari government. Boyloaf says the oil rich Niger Delta did not benefit from the Jonathan Presidency. He pledges to work with Mr. Buhari, and explains why former militants in the region did not carry out their threats to go to war if Mr. Jonathan lost the March 28 presidential election.

COURT RESERVES JUDGEMENT ON FEMI FANI KAYODE'S (@REALFFK) MONEY LAUNDERING CASE FOR JUNE 18.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has reserved judgment in the trial of a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, who is charged with money laundering, for June 18, 2015.

The judgment date was fixed by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia on Monday following the adoption of final written addresses and summary arguments by lawyers to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the accused person.

Fani-Kayode, whose trial began in 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, was accused by the EFCC to have laundered about N100m while he was Minister of Culture and Tourism and subsequently Aviation Minister.

The supposed laundered sum got reduced to N2.1m on November 17, 2014 after Ofili-Ajumogobia, dismissed 38 out of the 40 counts leveled against Fani-Kayode by the EFCC for want of proof.

While urging the court on Monday to uphold the remaining two counts and to accordingly convict Fani-Kayode, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Festus Keyamo said the former minister had failed to exonerate himself of the allegations.

He noted that the object of the charge was that Fani-Kayode transacted in cash sums above N500,000, which was the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering Act.

According to the prosecutor, Fani-Kayode himself had admitted making such transactions in his confessional statement of December 22, 2008 made to the EFCC.

His words, “In this statement, he admitted that he transacted in cash above N500,000. My Lord, this statement went in without objection by the accused person and the statement was voluntary.

“With the combination of this confessional statement and the statement of the IPO that investigated the allegation, we rely on all of these to submit that we have discharged our burden that monies were received by the accused person in cash and were not done through any financial institution.”

While declaring that the prosecution had discharged its duty once it established that Fani-Kayode transacted in large sums above the Money Laundering threshold, Keyamo noted that it was left for Fani-Kayode to explain the source of the money.

According to him, “Once you cannot explain the source of the large sum of money found on you, you are guilty of money laundering. If the prosecution must show where the money is coming from, then the whole essence of the money laundering law is defeated.

“It is not in all cases that the burden of proof lies on the prosecution; the burden at this point shifts to the accused person,” Keyamo argued.

The prosecution counsel further argued that the court could not simply believe that the large sums in cash that Fani-Kayode allegedly transacted were proceeds of his father’s estate, saying the accused should have called the tenant, who paid to testify in court and back it up with his statement of account.

In his reaction, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), in his summary argument, maintained that Fani-Kayode made no confession to the EFCC, adding that the anti-graft agency had failed to show that Fani-Kayode actually accepted a cash sum of N1m as alleged in one of the counts.

Adedipe noted that the EFCC had also failed to show to the court the person who handed the cash sum to the accused persons.

FOUR MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A WOMAN WRONGLY ACCUSED OF BURNING THE KORAN.

 

An Afghan court has sentenced four men to death for their part in the brutal murder of a woman who was falsely accused of burning a copy of the Koran.

In a slaying that shocked the nation and inspired calls for authorities to ensure equal rights for women and protection from violence, a 27-year-old woman named Farkhunda was savagely beaten to death in a frenzied mob attack in the capital Kabul earlier this year.

The religious scholar was pushed from a roof, run over by a car and set on fire before her body was thrown in the Kabul River in full view of several policeman after bogus rumours spread that she had deliberately damaged of copy of the Islamic holy book.

BOLLYWOOD STAR "SALMAN KHAN" FOUND GUILTY & JAILED FOR 5 YRS IN HIT & RUN CASE.

Accused of losing control of his SUV following a night of drinking rum and cocktails, the Kick star in 2002 drove over homeless people and fled the scene. It was later revealed that his misconduct behind the wheel, led to the death of one of the homeless people.

A constable attached to Khan’s security detail said in his statement to police that the drunk actor lost control of the car while driving at about 90 kilometres an hour. “The people were sleeping on the footpath. Salman and (his cousin) Kamaal ran away from the spot,” the constable, who died in 2007 of tuberculosis, said.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BROKE, BORROWS N473BN TO PAY SALARIES & RECURRENT EXPENDITURE - OKONJO IWEALA.

The Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday, put to rest fears of immediate removal of fuel subsidy, as she confirmed that N145.2 billion provision was made for it in 2015 budget.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, she said: “I want to clarify that there has been some misinformation that has gone around in the media about the fact that the National Assembly passed the 2015 budget without provision for fuel subsidy. It is not true. It is important  to note that the National Assembly approved the N100 billion provisions for PMS and N45.2 billion provision for kerosene subsidy.

They approved that. So it is not true that they approved the budget without the subsidy. They retained various elements of the first line charges we put in. But let me say that they were based on the above parameters. The gross federally collectable revenue for the federation increased by N169.845 billion. From N9.64 trillion to N9.78 trillion as a result of raising the benchmark price by a dollar.

THE DANGEROUS EMERGING MONOPOLY IN THE TELECOMS SECTOR.

In business, it is said that big things often start small. In nature, science has proven that mega things commence almost unnoticed. What with the torrential rainfall starting with vapour? For major things, it is a matter of little drops of water making a mighty ocean. This gives strategy its pride of place in business.

Foresight, belief, courage and willingness to take risks characterise those who venture. In today’s world, success stories are made of people who rely on these traits to explore nature, markets, terrains or territories where others often have reason to doubt or stay away.

They, in part, confer the early mover advantage on businesses, together with the numerous benefits that come with it. The story of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria illustrates this. With the auctioning of GSM licences in 2001, Nigerians felt liberated from the shackles of the then state-run monopoly, NITEL.

MILITARY BEGINS COURT MARTIAL OF GENERAL BLAMED FOR THE LOSS OF BAGA TO BOKO HARAM.

BRIGADIER GENERAL ENITAN RANSOME-KUTI

The Nigerian military on Monday commenced the court martial of a Brigadier General, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, and four other senior officers, blamed for the loss of Baga in Borno State, to Boko Haram insurgents in January.

Ransome-Kuti, his Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Suru, and some other senior officers, were arrested for failing to repel Boko Haram attack on the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Baga.

Also arrested were the Commanding Officers of the 134 and 174 Battalions — Lieutenant Colonel Haruna and Major Aliyu. The two battalions are under the MNJTF. Ransome-Kuti was the commander of the multinational force during the attack.

SENATE PRESIDENCY SEAT - APC MUST AVOID PITFALL.

The eighth Senate will be inaugurated by June 4, 2015 and all eyes are already on the hallowed chamber regarding who will emerge the number one Senator in the country under the new dispensation. Right from 1999 when, against all odds the late Senator Evan Enwerem emerged the Senate president to other Senate presidents that emerged after him like late Senator Chuba Okadigbo (1999 -2000), Anyim Pius Anyim (2000-2003), Adolphus Wabara (2003-2005), Ken Nnamani (2005-2007), and current President, David Mark, the process leading to their emergence has always been that of suspense and surprise, filled with extensive political lobbying and intrigues.

Of all the Senate presidents that have emerged since 1999, only the incumbent Senator David Mark representing Benue South has been able to evade the popular ‘banana peel’ that successfully brought down about three Senate Presidents between 1999 and 2007. Since 2007 when Mark emerged, the banana peel seems to have been swept away and so far he remains the longest serving Senate president in the nation’s history.

However, the recent development in the political arena, especially the result of 2015 election in the country has changed the setting with All Progressive Congress winning 60 out of the 109 senatorial seats across the country, leaving People Democratic Party with 49.