NGF crisis: Obasanjo peace move crumbles -PUNCH

THE efforts of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to douse the tension among the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have failed.

Obasanjo met with the governors on Tuesday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to intervene in the crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

A major decision at the meeting was to persuade both Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; and his Plateau counterpart, Jonah Jang, to step down for a neutral person as Chairman of the NGF.

But The PUNCH learnt on Wednesday that the two governors had refused to step down.

Amaechi and Jang are both claiming the chairmanship of the forum since its controversial election three months ago. The NGF has since split into two with Amaechi and Jang controlling different factions.

Before the Tuesday’s meeting, which ended at a few minutes after 3am, Obasanjo had earlier met with the governors on Monday night.

The two meetings were said to have centred on discipline in the PDP, the NGF crisis and sundry issues among which are the crisis in Rivers State; matter of  automatic tickets for political office holders, and lack of cohesion among the governors.

On Wednesday, it was gathered that some of the governors in the Jang faction of the NGF raised the matter of persuading both Jang and Amaechi to step down but those in the Amaechi Camp objected, saying that the matter was beyond what could be discussed at the meeting.

Though a source at Monday’s meeting said that there was hope that the issue would be resolved, he said that the matter assumed a new dimension at the resumed meeting on Tuesday when both parties refused to shift ground.

A source close to the two governors, on Wednesday, said, “There was nothing like that. Both of them have agreed to stick to their mandate.”

He added that though Jang was “almost ready to step down because those who voted for him were at the meeting, Amaechi however said he needed to meet those who elected him since his supporters cut across party lines during the election.”

The source added that Obasanjo had agreed to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan on the matter.

Speaking through the Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yiljap Abraham, Jang said, “The meeting is still inconclusive.”

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, described Amaechi as a defender of democratic principles and would not hesitate to yield to the opinion of the governors that voted him as their chairman.

Semenitari, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, explained that the governors had not asked Amaechi to step down, so he remained the NGF chairman,

She said, “What I know is that Nigerians are aware of the democratic process by which the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum was picked. As far as I know Governor Chibuike Amaechi, I also know that he believes that the democratic process should not in any way be one that we will treat with levity.

“Everybody who knows Amaechi knows that he does defend democratic principles. What I am certain of is that the Chairman of the NGF as of today is Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

“But if all of the governors, especially the governors who voted for Governor Amaechi, ask him to step down, that would mean that the majority of the governors have decided that there should be a new chairman. Naturally, he would concede to his colleagues. But today, that is not the case.”

Meanwhile, one of the aggrieved northern governors, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, on Wednesday met with the President behind closed-doors at the Villa, Abuja.

That was the first time Nyako would meet with Jonathan alone since the crises rocking the PDP and the NGF started.

While speaking with State House correspondents at the end of his meeting with Jonathan, Nyako insisted that Jang did not have any claim to the NGF chairmanship because he did not win the election.

When asked specifically whether the governors resolved at their recent meeting with Obasanjo that both Jang and Amaechi should step down as the chairman of the NGF, the governor said, “You are saying Jang should step down, step down for what? Did he win the election? What we are saying here is that if he is going to step down because he is second winner, then that is their business and it is not the business of others or the winner to tell him to step down. He is number two, he got the second highest votes and that is the way forward. Step down for what? From number two to where? Number three or four?”

Nyako said the crisis in the NGF was unnecessary because it was clear that Amaechi won the election.

He said one of the criteria of electing a leader for the forum was that their chairman must be trustworthy.

He said while the governors wanted a chairman that would have a cordial relationship with the President, they could not be comfortable with a chairman that would turn himself to the President’s “yes man.”

Nyako said, “The election in the governors’ forum has become an issue. It should not be an issue. When you say 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, even someone who is in elementary school knows which one is higher.

“If one group got 19 votes and the other got 16, in a democracy even in the eyes of the people in elementary school, they know that 19 is higher than 16. It should not be turned into a controversy.”

When asked whether the NGF issue was discussed in the meeting with Obasanjo, he simply said, “It was part of it but you should understand the rationale.”

REGINA ASKIA WRITES FEMI FANI-KAYODE OVER SEX RANTS

 

I’ve Just Been Told That Having Sex With An Igbo Woman Is A Great Accomplishment!!! After reading another hard-drug-influenced-essay by the Yoruba idiot parading himself as Femi Fani-Kayode,Ex-Minister of the Nigerian Federation, I felt there was no need to blame him for giving us another reason why his family members should as a matter of urgency, BUNDLE HIM BACK TO A REHAB! No! I don’t blame Femi Fani-Kayode for having a fun-filled day telling us how he ‘breezed’ through Bianca Onoh before our very revered Eze-Igbo married her… I blame Bianca Onoh , Chioma Anasoh & Adaobi Uchegbu for being naive or to have rather stooped so low to have intimate relationship with a Yoruba rascal/urchin/idiot whom i’m very sure was on heavy use of cocaine (and still is) at the time!

Were Bianca, Chioma & Adaobi blind to Femi’s madness/drug-addiction or maybe he flashed his Ministerial/Ex-Ministerial portfolio to entice them? This is the first time a former public figure (I blame Former President Obasanjo for giving him that privilege) has preferred to reel out the names of women he had sex with, in a bid to show-off how he has been able to conquer tribalism in Nigeria or maybe trying to tell others he has been able to have sex with one of the prettiest ex beauty queens another tribe may boast of, like Bianca Ojukwu (Nee Onoh) of the Igbo tribe.

Some persons have adviced that Femi Fani-Kayode should be ignored due to his MENTAL INSTABILITY but i say NO to it! I will not ignore him because when a mad-man chases one into his house & still want to exhibit that madness there, the owner of the house will definitely react except he doesn’t value his house!

This has taken a tribal angle & its such a shame that many Yorubas have been applauding Fani-Kayode’s spiteful comments against the Igbo. I may not want to generalize the behavioural disorders of even the average Yoruba, but i want to use this ample opportunity to remind our single Igbo sisters that if “He” is not Igbo, He can’t be like an Igbo-man who won’t be so ridiculous to think that giving us some of the names of our ladies he had sex with makes him a superman, as Femi Kayode must be ‘thinking’ in his fool’s paradise.

Right now in Nigeria, the likes of a Yoruba bastard like Femi Fani-Kayode have proved that Igbo women should think “wisely” in making choices as regards whom they allow ‘ACCESS’ to their much fancied bodies. An Igboman would NEVER do what Femi Fani-Kayode did with the names of Bianca Ojukwu (Nee Onoh), PDP’s Adaobi Uchegbu & the relatively unknown Chioma Anasoh or even women from other tribes. He typically exhibited behavioural disorder of the Yorubas, which is to them, a normal way of life. What a shame!

Bianca Ojukwu & the other two ladies should as a matter of urgency, reply Femi Fani-Kayode’s show of lunacy, stupidity, foolishness, infantile reasoning & utter disrespect for them!

Femi Fani-Kayode consciously & gladly made a spiteful remark of Igbo women & our women should take the fight to him in a very deserving impudent manner! I am waiting for the responses by Bianca, Adaobi & Chioma.

By the way, I never knew men from other tribes take having sex with an Igbo lady as a great feat… Bianca & others should hold their heads high up.

I slept with Bianca ...Ojukwu's Wife -FaniKayode

Those that call me a tribalist are simply misguided. Perhaps they do not know the meaning of the word or its true import. Those that know me well can confirm the fact that I am not a tribalist, a racist or a bigot and that I consider such sentiments as being unworthy of a man of class, good breeding and culture. I am however a firm believer in the propagation of truth and I appreciate the value and importance of history. Sadly many of our igbo compatriots do not believe in that. For them history consists of only one thing- how other Nigerians have always marginalised them and treated them badly.
If only they knew their own history, where they are coming from, what they used to be, where they were 100 years ago and what their forefathers did to the rest of Nigeria over the last 80 years they would know why they have always had such a hard time in this country. Sadly because they dont know any of these things they cannot learn from them. And if they cannot learn from them they will continue to make the same mistakes. That is why they can come to another mans land and territory and call it their own and when we say ”no” they tell us to shut up and call us tribalists.
I was not a tribalist when I wrote a tribute to Colonel Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu after he died or when I condemned the ’60′s pogroms that took place in the north in which their people were slaughtered like flies. I was not a tribalist when I wrote against my good friend Senator Ahmed Sani Yarima and child marriage in the north. Yet now I am a tribalist because I spoke the truth about our history and who the yoruba are. I was not a tribalist when I had a long-standing and intimate relationship with Miss Bianca Onoh, an igbo lady, who many years later married Ojukwu and who is now our Ambassador in Spain. I was not a tribalist when I had a long-standing and intimate relationship with Miss Chioma Anasoh, another igbo lady, who I almost took as a second wife. I was not a tribalist when I had a long-standing and intimate relationship with Miss Adaobi Uchegbu, another igbo lady, who was exceptionally close to me and who is now at the National Headquarters of the ruling PDP.
I was not a tribalist when I wrote essays defending the rights of the igbo and every other Nigerian nationality to exercise their right of self-determination and leave Nigeria if that is what they wanted to do. I was not a tribalist when I consistently wrote that Nigeria must have a Sovereign National Conference where the rights and obligations of all its various nationalities would be clearly defined and agreed upon. I was not a tribalist when I employed more igbo people as a Presidential spokesman and a Minister of the Federal Republic than even my own yoruba. I was not a tribalist when I wrote an essay, just two years ago, extolling the virtues of igbo women and telling the world about their sudden and meteoric rise and how far they had gone in the power circles of this country in the last 10 years. I was not a tribalist when I condemned the bombing of predominantly igbo and catholic churches and the killing of the igbo and others by Boko Haram in the north over the last three years.
I was not a tribalist when I risked my life by consistently writing against Boko Haram and urging our President to do a better job at protecting the lives of all Nigerians even though I live in the north. I was not a tribalist when I wrote against political sharia in the late ’90′s and I participated in protracted and sometimes acrimoniuos debates with islamic fundamentalists and islamists. I was not a tribalist when I was in NADECO and when we fought against military rule in Nigeria. I was not a tribalist when I fought for a President from the south-south or the south-east. I was not a tribalist when I wrote in defence of the igbo when it came to the abandoned property issue. I was not a tribalist when I wrote about the excesses of the Federal troops during the civil war. I was not a tribalist when I commended Azikiwe and the virtues of the NCNC in Nigerian history. I was not a tribalist when I wrote that it was unfair and wrong for the Federal Government of Nigeria to leave the igbo with only 20 pounds each after the civil war. I was not a tribalist when many years ago I attended and gave my life to Christ in a church called TREM which was established by a great igbo man by the name of Bishop Mike Okonkwo. I was not a tribalist when my grandfather Justice Victor Adedapo Kayode, taught Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe at Methodist Boys High School in Lagos and when my father, Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode, was appointed as the leader of the predominantly igbo NCNC in the Western Regional House of Assembly. I could go on and on. These people have very short memories and anyone that does not agree with them all the time or that says one word against them at any point in time is labelled a tribalist for life.
They called Chief Obafemi Awolowo a tribalist, an igbo-hater a genocidal maniac and a child-killer simply because the man refused to join sides with them in the civil war yet they forgot that on one of the occassions that Awolowo ran for the Presidency his running mate was from the east and not from the north. They called Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Chief S.L Akintola and Sir Ahmadu Bello igbo-haters and tribalists simply because they saw through the igbo agenda at a very early stage in our history and they marked and killed them all for it. They called General Yakubu Gowon a genocidal maniac, a child-killer, an igbo-hater and a tribalist simply because opposed Biafra, stood up to Ojukwu and insisted on keeping Nigeria together and even though he declared that there was ”no victor and no vanquished” after the civil war.

They accused President Olusegun Obasanjo of being a tribalist and an igbo-hater even though he appointed an igbo man as the first GOC in the Nigerian Army since 1966 and even though he appointed more igbos into key positions in his government than any President before him. They accused President Shehu Shagari of being a tribalist and an igbo-hater even though he pardoned Ojukwu and allowed him to return back home after a long period in exile. They have accused the Nigerian people of being tribalists and igbo-haters simply because we have not had an igbo President since 1966 forgetting that Nigeria was magnamonious in victory and that she not only gladly welcomed them back into the fold after the civil war but that she also gave them the Vice Presidency of the country only ten years later. They have labelled the northerners as tribalists and igbo-haters simply because the north has refused to tolerate their excesses and accept their complicated ways. They have labelled the Niger Deltans as tribalists and igbo-haters simply due to the ”abandoned property issue” and because historically many of them have always resisted the idea of igbo domination.
They have labelled the yoruba as tribalists and igbo-haters simply because we have refused to accept their claims to our land and territory and even though we were more charitable, hospitable, accomodating and generous to them than any other nationality in Nigeria after the civil war. The yoruba particularly have been too kind and gentle with them. That is the problem. They see our liberal and accomodating nature as stupidity and weakness. That is why they always call the yoruba cowards forgetting that the history of the yoruba proves otherwise. It is now time to tell the truth. They despise the yoruba and they only pretend to believe in one Nigeria as long as they can always have their way and laud it over others. Worst of all, generally speaking, they have no restraining factors because money and the acquisition of wealth is their sole objective and purpose in life.
Someone ought to tell them that this is not a virtue but a vice. It is a cultural deficiency which is borne out of not having any history. If they did they would be less aggressive, more restrained and far more civil to others even where and when they disagree with them. If speaking these bitter home truths and yearning and fighting for a better Nigeria makes me a tribalist then it is a toga that I would be happy to wear. I will not sit by quietly and allow my people, the yoruba people of south western Nigeria, to be rubbished, insulted and cheated by anyone no matter how aggressive and given to extreemities that anyone may believe he is. I make or offer and no apology for my views. My numerous assertions on the igbo stand.
Meanwhile I have read all sorts of strange submissions in various newspapers and blogs that have held themselves out as rejoinders to my two articles titled “Lagos, The Igbo and the Servants Of Truth” and “The Bitter Truth About The Igbo”. Sadly other than the usual abuse and ungodly clap-trap not one of them has been able to address ANY of the issues that I raised in either of the two articles, answer any of the questions that I posed in them or successfully challenge my presentation of historical facts.
The bellicose nature and sheer crassness of these so-called rejoinders goes to prove two things. Firstly that those that I have descibed as being collectively unlettered, uncouth, uncultured, unrestrained and crude in all their ways really are all those things and a lot more and secondly that they cannot put up any reasonable or serious arguement to discredit or refute the message so instead they are attempting to destroy the messanger. Meanwhile the two essays have been published in various newspapers in our country and outside and it will continue to be published by others long into the forseeable future.
The message is clear and it is already out there. It cannot be called back in. The horse has bolted from the stable and the falcon has left the nest. No matter how hard those that are attempting to intimidate us into silence may try it will not work and we will not be cowed. The message is already out there and the genie is already out of the bottle. Those that seek to continue to denigrate and belittle the yoruba and lay claim to what is rightfully ours should desist from doing so. They should grant us our peace and give us our due respect and they will get the same in return. If they do not do so those things will elude them and eventually history will repeat itself again in this country.
Meanwhile when anyone reads a rejoinder that addresses the issues that I raised in my essays and that has some level of scholarship and intellectual content they should please let me know and I may well dignify it with a response. The shameless and emotional thrash and disjointed verbiage that have been described as rejoinders so far are just not up to scratch. They are bereft of any scholarship and intellectual content. They also invoke pity in me for the faceless plebians that wrote them and those they claim to be speaking for. When the igbo, or anyone else, find a real champion that can cross swords with me and give me a good run for my money someone should please let me know. I am itching for a real debate with a worthy adversary on this issue.
Like the great Achilles I feel that I have no match. Are there no Hector’s out there? Sadly it appears that my accusers, traducers, opposers and haters cannot find one. All they have is their hate, their ignorance, their insults and their inbred crudity and vulgarity.

MY WALK WITH UOU: 31 REASONS HE'S MY 2015 PASSWORD! -Bush

MY WALK WITH UOU: 31 REASONS HE'S MY 2015 PASSWORD!

 
6) He's Uniquely-ENGAGING:

1.0 I was somewhere today when an AIT programme came on air. Presenter Gbenga Aruleba, while introducing one of his two guests, spent sometime eulogising the man. He spoke of how the man has been in the National Assembly since the 1999 return of democracy. When Mr. Aruleba named the guest, a guy who was also watching hissed and said, 'Is Senator Ita Enang not tired?' Bla bla bla. As a rule, a politician (sorry, a public office holder) must be very good for me to defend him/her in public. I don't pretend about these things. For Senator Ita Enang, even his enemies know he is one of the best in the history of lawmaking in Nigeria. I said so to the guy, and with facts. As my people say, the guy changed mouth immediately: 'Ah, it is people like Senator Ita Enang that Nigeria needs!'

2.0 From the foregoing, Nigerians are moving from the point of anything-goes. We are tired of change for change sake; tired of sending our family or friends to power only for them to draw blank all through the tenure. Our interest now lies in people who can deliver. Post 2015, I see an Akwa Ibom where Oro nation will prefer Ibibio as governor once sure such a one can perform better than its own son or daughter, and vice versa. As Ibibio myself, I want to root for an Eastern Obolo man or woman who boasts of the right credentials to be my governor. Angling to be my governor only on the basis of where you come from, smacks of stone age politics. For me, that is a no no. So, I ask again: what will the man or woman you want bring to our 2015 table?

3.0 Straight up, here's more of what I consider to be the USP of my Choice 2015. I like very few of the leaders I see in Nigeria. I can say that again. Most of the people leading my country should be behind someone else. Enter UOU. With his monumental capacity, content and quality, this ENGAGING personality is a leadership asset. An NLC Chief at home once told me that his family and he decided to follow UOU the day the man was called up at very short notice to address some Niger Delta Oil & Gas Forum. The Labour Boss said he never thought any Akwa Ibom man or woman could speak that well and factually, extempore, in a field he/she was not a known authority. UOU is that all-weather expert, or rather a Jack of all trade and master of all. He knows a little of everything. I joke with him regularly that he should be a journalist. As for our State Search 2015, I pray Heaven considers this EARNEST, EASEFUL, EDUCATED, EFFECTIVE, ELEGANT, ENIGMATIC, EXPERIENCED figure, IJN. Jesus is Lord! ...B

Fight in Rivers State House of Assembly

PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK 2013

 

Wedding Controversy: Deeper Life Suspends Kumuyi's Son, Daughter-in-Law

John Kumuyi, one of the sons of the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, and his now-wife, Love, were suspended by the leadership of the aforementioned church and banned from carrying out any activity in this church. The decision is grounded by the recent controversy over the couple's wedding in Jamaica.

It would be recalled that John and Love wedded in Jamaica on 15 June, 2013, only to receive thousands negative comments from members of the church. Many condemned the wedding gown worn by the wife-to be, also other aspects of the wedding that were at variance with the church's standards.
Love's attires turned out to differ from the conventional ones set for Deeper Life members. Lots of people noticed her hair wasn't "natural" and that she applied lipstick as part of the make-up.
A limousine hired to deliver the couple to their destination after the wedding, a huge cake that was served at the ceremony were contrary to the church's tradition.
The church leaders decided to place the couple on suspension to give them time to pray and seek forgiveness from God for their action, following countless comments on social media and by the members of Deeper Life.
John and Love's suspension from church activities was announced last Saturday, at Deeper Life's monthly Miracle and Revival Programme, held at the Deeper Life Conference Centre (DLCC), Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The news was delivered by Pastor Philip Oluwi, a key leader in the church, who obviously was following the instructions from the General Superintendent of the church, Pastor William Kumuyi. Oluwi stressed that the standard of Deeper Life regarding wedding and moderacy had not changed.
"The church, Deeper Life, remains committed to the biblical practice and standard of almost 40 years Christian dressing and still remains and does not compromise on biblical Christian dressing.
"Hence, deviation warrants the displeasure and frown of God and the leadership of the church. John and Love are now under discipline," Oluwi announced to the entire congregation.
The couple has already apologised to the church for the inappropriate way the wedding was conducted. The letter was read by Oluwi and re-read several times to church members by the Church's Secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemota. The letter, addressed to the Church Secretary and titled 'Letter of Apology,' expressed the deepest regret of the couple for bringing the church into disrepute.
Moreover, further investigation has revealed that John and Love's wedding was not conducted in a Deeper Life Bible Church. It was also not conducted by pastors from the church, as Deeper Life Bible Church in Jamaica has not been licensed by the country's government to join couples in wedlock, according to the laws of Jamaica.
The wedding was taken to another church where the ministers in the unnamed church conducted the wedding and joined them in holy matrimony.
Deeper Life leaders that came from Nigeria were said to have disapproved of the earlier gown Love was to wear for the wedding, while another was hurriedly sewed the night before the wedding.
Church leaders were said not to have seen the new dress until the couple was marching into the church and by then, it was too late to take any action as the wedding was not conducted in a Deeper Life church.

AN OPEN LETTER TO SENATOR HELEN ESUENE

My dear senator,

I have chosen to write to you through this medium because I have made several attempts to see you in private to have this discuss, but all attempt proves abortive, and also because I have heard rumours emanating from different quarters about your gubernatorial ambition come 2015.

 I am articulated to refresh in your memories the history I came to hear my grandfather say before his death, which I know will make you pause and think before you act, not just acting from people’s perception and advices. My grandfather told me of missionaries who came into our land with bibles because that was all they had, and all our people had was the land. These missionaries came to them and said they had to pray. When they closed their eyes and prayed, by the time they finish praying, and opened their eyes, they had the bible and the missionaries had their land.

You might be perplexed while I start my letter with the history you are aware of, but the reason I am doing this is to depict the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Sometimes our grandparents knew by praying, but they were not wise for closing their eyes distinctively. These history I am talking about is the same thing you and your accomplices are trying to make it repeat itself again.

I can remember vividly that before you were given an opportunity to serve in the capacity as a senator, it was not because you were more qualified to the likes of the emeritus Senator “Eme Ekaette” or Bishop Samuel Akpan, but because the people thought that you will actualize the dream of your late husband, that alone gave you an edge over them. Prior to your emergence as a Senator, I was forced to read your profile and I discovered that you had occupied other political offices ranging from First Lady of the South Eastern State-1968, Honorable Minister of State for Health -2005, Minister of Environment-2006-2007, First Minister of Environment, housing and Urban Development 2007- May 2007, yet the only thing you can ride home about for yourself and your family is Villa marina hotel and Grafen Nig Ltd which you claim provides 300 employment opportunity to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

There is a great need for you to understand that industrialization is the pivot of every governance, and if you lack it when given a smaller opportunity like the ones you have as stated above, then it is a misdemeanor that will never be corrected when given a bigger opportunity like the hilltop mansion.

My Senator, I liken you to be the Missionary that lured my grandparents into surrendering their land at the conviction of the words in the bible. Why I say so is that you have turned around to make a caricature of the manifesto you presented to the masses.

If I fail to comment on issues affecting my person and my people, I will be worst than a hypocrite. Eket senatorial district I come from is suffering. It is suffering not because it’s not blessed with natural resources, but it’s suffering because you and other representatives lack the intellectual depth to paddle the affairs of this senatorial district.

Everyone will attest to the fact that, Eket senatorial district is rich with natural resources; oil and gas to be precise, and contributes immensely to the growth of both the state and the country’s economy, yet it is one of the most impoverished oil producing communities, Because of the oil politics played by our representative and the miss-governance.

My Senator, you lack the wisdom to know that the youths need to be employed, not just employed in organizations that is owned by you, but organization that should be as a result of the funds you receive to develop the senatorial district; you lack the knowledge to know that education that is the bedrock of great society should be given high priority to. Mayhem is caused by irate youths who have oil in their community but cannot feel its derivatives. If you are performing these good as a Senator “irony”, what will you have to offer if you are given a chance to the Hilltop Mansion?

My Senator, I will advise you to take a bow out of politics after the expiration of your tenure because you are sleeping deeper than Senator Eme Ekaette except you wake up now that is early. Ever since Senator Udoma Udoma left Eket senatorial seat, the seat have remained vacant, though it has been occupied by you to suit the whims of the Ogas at the top , but you know less of yourself not to talk about governance.

 The lies that wrapped around your lips whenever you said; I will....., during your political campaign, told me of the calamity and misappropriation of funds awaiting us as your electioneers.

The plans of late Udoakaha Jacob Esuene, was a locality where youths who are eligible will find a place to work and carter for themselves, a terrain where education will be the bedrock that will project youths to greatness. But now, the reverse is the scenario; Poverty have eaten into the fabric of our senatorial district, yet we are represented; our youths who have a lot to offer after graduation, are forced into crime and prostitution because of joblessness, yet we produce and explore from this zone. Should the Governor alone be blamed if a state fails? , I think the fat sum accrued to the Senators for senatorial district development, and house of assemblies (federal and state) should go a long way in restructuring or revamping some forgotten projects.

 I want to advice you of the need to re-write the gigantic signpost I see in grace bill road in Eket Local Government Area bearing “SENATOR HELEN ESUENE CAMPAIGN OFFICE AND JOB NETWORK CENTRE” because my senator’s political manifesto was a debacle that portrays an act questionable in the court of competent jurisdiction.

My dear senator, you are sleeping deeper than Senator Eme Ekaette; at least Eme Ekaette tried by introducing a bill of indecent dressing to the senate, even though it suffered defeat on the floor of the senate.

The immediate paragraph is to awaken the consciousness of Senator Helen Esuene in regards the purported infrastructural development she receive funds from the federal government in its behalf, there is a great need for our Senator to mimic the unique political characteristics of the Late U.J. ESUENE (her husband) in regards development.

Please my dearest Senator, do not misconstrue the essence of this letter, my wish for you is to sleep little and wake early to attain to the pressing needs of the people who gave you their vote to secure your senatorial dream, if you let them down, as you are about to, then there is no need having any other ambition.

One love as we partner together for a new, great and uninfluenced Akwa Ibom 2015 and its continuity

Written by

Edet Edet

Eket

+234 818-428-9288

Sanusi Lamido, his CBN mistress and their sweetheart escapades

Twenty minutes to midnight on February 25, 2013, and a day before the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria was due to meet, Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi developed a craving for romance—he badly needed a kiss.
The governor, married, with children, grabbed his mobile phone and typed out a message.  “Maybe you should come kiss me before board meeting tomorrow,” Mr. Sanusi wrote and then squeezed the send button.
At about 9 a.m. the next day, Mrs. Maryam Yaro, a married mother of two, an assistant director and subordinate to the governor at the CBN, arrived at Sanusi’s unnamed Abuja hotel, seeking to keep the date and help address her boss’ craving for a kiss.  (Insiders say board members, including those who live in Abuja, are usually lodged in hotels ahead of board meetings).
But by the time Mrs. Yaro left the hotel to return to her official desk at the CBN, the duo had also struck out an arrangement to spend the rest of the week together in Lagos.
So, in the evening of Wednesday February 27, Mrs. Yaro flew to Lagos ahead of Mr. Sanusi and checked into a hotel in the city, skipping work, at taxpayers’ expense, on Thursday February 28 and Friday, March 1.
To keep faith with Mrs. Yaro’s date, the CBN governor arrived Lagos, travelling on a chartered flight, on the night of February 28, and checked into the Federal Palace Hotel, passage and boarding all at taxpayers expenses.
Both Mr. Sanusi and Mrs. Yaro rendezvoused in the hotel till Sunday when both of them returned to Abuja, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
“…I had such a wonderful weekend,” Mrs. Yaro confessed to the governor while aboard her Abuja-bound flight. “You have revived in me what I thought I lost long ago. I thought I lost the passion to love again,” she claimed.
“Alhamdulillahi. Love you,” Mr. Sanusi responded in a measured tone.
Insiders say repeated violation of the statutory code of conduct for public office holders such as hiring his girlfriends and mistresses without complying with public service rules, dating married and unmarried women within the bank, and flirting with them during official work hours have become defining characters of Mr. Sanusi’s governorship of the central bank.
An official of the bank spoke of how Mr. Sanusi had enthroned nepotism at the bank, arbitrarily hiring girlfriends and relatives and engaging in extramarital relationships with staff.
“This man (the CBN governor) is the most morally bankrupt governor the CBN has ever had,” the official, who did not want to be named for fear of retribution, told PREMIUM TIMES. “Forget all the pretences, he is a shameless man of loose character.”
Investigations by this newspaper revealed that Mr. Lamido hired his latest mistress, Mrs. Yaro, without complying with the CBN recruitment policy that stressed, “all appointments shall be made on the basis of merit, through a fair and open selection process.”
“The principles underlying the recruitment process are those of fairness, credibility, equal employment opportunities, merit and optimization of career prospects for currently employed staff,” the bank said on its website.
But Mrs. Yaro, insiders say, was hired in July 2012 without adherence to these principles. Those who should know say Mrs. Yaro, who was a staff at the National Programme on Food Security, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, was brought into the bank as assistant director without  “advert for the vacancy and after a kangaroo interview.”
When contacted, Mr. Sanusi said due process was followed in hiring Mrs. Yaro.
He said having worked for years in the ministry of agric, Mrs Yaro came highly recommended and qualified for the job for which she was hired.
The CBN governor continued, “I have known Dr Yaro since 1981. She was my student in Yola and she later came to ABU Zaria. We have been very good friends but this is not why NIRSAL took her. You may wish to check her CV against all the other CVs in NIRSAL. And she did go through an interview process with the NIRSAL CEO making the decision not CBN HR.
“As for the personal allegations, this is all strange to me but I have a personal policy of not responding to such allegations since in Nigeria anything can be published on any public officer without proof.  I have limited myself to what concerns official allegations and leave you to your God and your conscience on whatever else you want to publish. Thank you for telling me though.”
Mrs Yaro however declined comments when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES.
“Be careful what you are saying,” she told one of our reporters on the telephone. “I have nothing to comment to you on anything.”
When asked if she would be willing to respond to specific questions about her trips to Lagos to keep dates with Mr. Sanusi, she simply said, “Whatever it is, I don’t know. Will you just let me be?”
But our investigations revealed that the governor’s claim was far from accurate. Through several interviews and review of records, PREMIUM TIMES was able to determine that Mrs. Yaro and Mr. Sanusi had dated each other for at least six months before she was hired.
Insiders say Mr. Sanusi repeatedly pestered the human resource department of the bank ordering it to bring Mrs. Yaro’s application to him for approval. And once the file reached his table, the governor wasted no time in treating it.
On June 25, 2012, Mr. Sanusi, who was travelling in South Africa at the time, telephoned Mrs. Yaro to break the news to her that he had approved her recruitment in what critics consider a clear conflict of interest and a violation of a provision of Nigeria’s Code of Conduct which stipulates that “a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.”
Mrs. Yaro, (whose businessman husband, Ahmed, is largely based in Kaduna but visits Abuja regularly) assumed duties at the CBN in the first week of September 2012 and was deployed to the Development Finance Department.
The department then put her in charge of the bank’s Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System For Agricultural Lending, (NIRSAL), a unit that attempts to fix the agricultural value chain, so that banks can lend with confidence to the sector and, encourages banks to lend to the agricultural value chain by offering them strong incentives and technical assistance.
Sources said Mrs. Yaro married Ahmed (or Shuaib, according to another source) six years ago after her first husband, Waisu Yaro Bodinga (then an executive director at the Nigeria Ports Authority) died in the ill-fated ADC plane crash of 2006.
The romance between Mrs. Yaro and Mr. Sanusi became even hotter after she began work at the bank, with the two lovers regularly exchanging telephone calls and text messages during work hours to profess love for each other.
At times, Mrs. Yaro would remain in her office far beyond close of work to enable her to keep appointments with the CBN governor, records show.
Sometimes, Mrs. Yaro would raise concerns about Mr. Sanusi’s other girlfriends and mistresses (such as Sutura and Rose) and how they were blocking her from getting the governor’s full attention, but the relationship continued nonetheless.
Mrs. Yaro also began to have access to confidential information known only to top management and board of the bank, insiders say.
At a point, one source said, she began to strategise to corner contracts for one Goke Akinboro, the Chief Executive Officer of Lagos-based Cellullant Limited, an information technology company. Mr. Akinboro is also described as “very close” to Mrs Yaro.
On March 15, 2013, the CBN lovers headed to Lagos again for another weekend of fun. The initial plan was for the duo to fly to the nation’s commercial capital on Saturday, March 16, returning to Abuja on Sunday. But the trip had to be brought forward by a day after the lovers realized that the Area Council election in Abuja was holding that Saturday and that movement might be restricted.
Mrs. Yaro arrived Lagos on the night of March 15, and immediately checked into the Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel on Victoria Island. Mr. Sanusi flew from Kano to Lagos via chartered jet on the bills of the Nigerian taxpayers. He arrived at about 11 p.m., stopped by his Ikoyi home, before dashing to the hotel where Mrs. Yaro was waiting in a seductive dress in Room 23. The lovers spent that night and the next day together in the hotel.
As he flew into Abuja March 17 on a chartered jet, Mr. Sanusi sent a message to Mrs. Yaro saying, “Love. Just landed in Abuja. Thank you for a wonderful weekend.” Mrs. Yaro replied, “Alhamdulillah. I had a wonderful weekend too. I am able to get the 3:15 flight on Arik Air. Love you.”
But in-between these rendezvous in Lagos, Mr. Sanusi and Mrs Yaro also found time to get together elsewhere.  They were to meet on March 11, 2013, in Makurdi but somehow Mrs Yaro could not make it to the Benue State capital.  But earlier on February 14, (Valentine’s Day), the lovers had a good time together in Maiduguri. Although, the two of them travelled to the city on different missions, they somehow found a way to get together.
At a point, Mrs Yaro voiced open frustration when Mr. Lamido delayed in taking her calls as she tried, frantically, to track him down. “I’m thinking that one Shuwa girl has snatched you away from me,” Mrs. Yaro wrote in a message. “I don’t trust them (Maiduguri girls) with you.”
A velvet-ranking figure within Nigeria’s economic and political circles, Mr. Sanusi, is generally perceived as one of the intellectual anchors and moral conscience of this administration. When his five-year term expires next year, he has indicated he would not renew his contract. Mr. Sanusi has a well-advertised ambition to become the future emir of his native Kano, where he is already a top chieftaincy holder (Dan Maje Kano). Dan Majen Kano, a historic title, which means Son of Emir-Maje, is reserved for the royal family members from the Kano Habe dynasty.
A zigzag prospect to run for the Nigerian presidency is also believed to be floating in the horizon for Mr. Sanusi.
Multiple sources at both the CBN and First Bank, where Mr. Sanusi was managing director before his appointment to the central bank, describe the governor as an “incurable womanizer.”
“This guy seems unable to resist anything in skirt, and it is unfortunate that a lot of young people look up to him as an example,” one of Mr. Sanusi’s aides in Abuja said, expressing widely held concerns in banking circles that “It is sad that he wouldn’t even let married women be.”
Mr. Sanusi, 51, appointed CBN Governor on June 3 2009, is a smart economist and award-winning banker with a background in risk management.
He holds a graduate degree in economics from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a diploma in Sharia and Islamic Studies from the African International University in Khartoum, Sudan. Today, Mr. Sanusi is also commonly regarded as an important voice in Islamic jurisprudence.
The Banker, the UK-based financial magazine honoured him in 2010 as global Central Bank Governor of the Year as well as African Central Bank Governor of the Year. In 2011, the TIME magazine listed Mr. Sanusi in its annual publication of 100 most influential people.
At the African Banker Awards gala dinner held Wednesday in Morocco, Mr. Sanusi also emerged the “2013 Africa Central Bank Governor of the Year.”
“There  is no doubt that he is a fairly effective banker,” an official of one of Nigeria’s leading banks, who requested anonymity  for fear his bank might be targeted, told PREMIUM TIMES. “But he is a man of zero morality despite his public posturing.  It is really sad.”

Boko Haram paid us N5,000 each to burn schools – Kid suspects

Some kid suspects released by military authorities in Maiduguri on Friday said the Boko Haram sect paid them N5,000 each to burn primary schools and spy on soldiers.

They were among 23 women and 35 children released to the governors of Borno and Yobe states by the Commander, 21 Armoured Brigade, Maiduguri, Brig-Gen. R.O Bamigboye, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa’ad Ibrahim.

The children, whose ages range between nine and 15 years, said they were given kegs of petrol by Boko Haram leaders and sent to burn schools in both states.

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, government officials and journalists listened in bewilderment as the children narrated how they were used by the extremist sect to burn schools and spy on soldiers.

One of them said they were taken to the Yobe State capital, Damaturu, and told to spy on soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force and report back to the Boko Haram commanders.

He said, “We were taken to Damaturu. We watched out for the soldiers at their unit and reported back to them. We were reporting either when soldiers were at ease or enjoying themselves and when they were off guard and we were paid for doing that.”

Another child suspect said, “I usually helped Boko Haram to leak information on military activities so that they could attack them (soldiers). My last job was to travel from Maiduguri to Gashua to spy on soldiers before I was caught.”

Yet another said, “We usually help Boko Haram to carry stolen items each time and sometimes help them to give information about people they want to attack and sometimes even help to hide their guns after attacks. They pay us N5000 after every operation. I regret what I did, I want to go home and ask for forgiveness from my father and mother for what I did; I also want to go to school.”

One of the boys said he was arrested last year after he was overheard talking about the people who burnt a school in Maiduguri and failed to inform the military.

“I was arrested because I know those who burnt the school without telling the soldiers. Some people heard me discussing about the people who burnt the school and reported me to the soldiers who arrested me,” he said.

One of the teenagers said they were paid N5,000 and provided with fuel in kegs to set schools ablaze in Maiduguri.

The release of the suspects was done in line with the Federal Government’s amnesty deal.

In Borno State, 20 detainees, comprising six women and 14 children arrested between 2012 and 2013 were set free and handed over to Shettima for rehabilitation and reintegration.

The 20 detainees were mostly arrested in Maiduguri, Bama in Borno and Damaturu in Yobe State.

Bamigboye, who supervised the handing over, said he was acting on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Sa’ad Ibrahim.

This, he said, was in line with the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan to the army.

He explained that the detainees were arrested in connection with the roles they played in the insurgency.

The six freed women were Hajia Zainab Mohammed, 40; Hajia Karagama Mohammed, 55; Hajia Zari Mohammed, 40; Aishatu Mohammed Aji, 62; Hadiza Ahmad, 40; and Yakaka Goni Habib, 16.

The 14 children released were Abba Modu Aji,10; Mohammed Musa, 12; Ibrahim Mohammed, 15; Umar Bukar, 15; Mustapha Umaru, 14; Bashir Ali, 12; Musa Grema, 13; Abba Mohammed, 14; Baba Alhaji, 13; AbdulAziz Umar, 14; Ari Masa’a, 14; Bayi Mustapha, 14; Mohammed Ibrahim, 14 and Alhaji Goni, 14.

Impeachment: Eight pro-Amaechi lawmakers defect to Wike’s camp

CLANDESTINE moves to impeach Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, heightened on Wednesday as eight members of the House of Assembly were said to have shifted loyalty to the camp of the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
Though the names of the lawmakers were not mentioned, the number of anti-Amaechi state legislators has suddenly swollen to 13 out of 32.
Five members of the House had, from the outset, taken a position against the governor since the beginning of the crisis which is threatening the existence of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state.
But the Speaker of the House, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree, said the number of members of the House, who had been swayed against the governor, was not enough to impeach the governor.
Amachree, who spoke with The PUNCH through his Media Assistant, Mr. Jim Okpiki, stated that with 19 lawmakers on the side of the governor, it would be difficult to remove (Amaechi).
He said, “We are aware that between five and eight lawmakers have compromised and are making moves to impeach the governor. But they don’t have enough number to impeach the state governor.
“They have to impeach the Speaker first before thinking of removing the governor because he (Speaker) will not betray the governor. Mr. Speaker is never a traitor and he (Amachree) has not seen any reason why he should give up on Amaechi.
“Apart from that, the lawmakers that have compromised would have to tell the world the governor’s offence, because as far as we are concerned, Governor Amaechi has not committed any impeachable offence.”
The Speaker challenged the compromised lawmakers to come out in the open and explain to Rivers people why they had decided to betray the governor.
It was, however, learnt that the eight lawmakers, who were swayed to Wike’s camp during a meeting held outside the state, decided to hide their intention in order not to jeopardise the plan to unseat the governor.
Amaechi had, during an interaction with some youths in the state, declared that he was not afraid of being impeached, saying he had done his best for the development of the state.
He urged the people to use their voter cards to remove “irresponsible governments” from public office in 2015.
It will be recalled that the House of Assembly had adjourned sine die (indefinitely) after suspending the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Mr. Timothy Nsirim, even as a caretaker committee was sworn in to oversee the affairs of the council.
The development had deepened the political crisis in the state, with security operatives from the state Police Command sealing off the council secretariat about a month ago.

Obasanjo Endorses Lamido for 2015

Apparently referring to the current  high-wire politics and horse-trading ahead of 2015, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that Jigawa State governor  Sule Lamido has  exhibited good governance abilities, and has the capacity  and competence to rule Nigeria.
The ex-president also described Jigawa as one of the most investor-friendly states in the country.
Obasanjo made the remarks in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, yesterday while delivering his keynote address at the opening ceremony of a three-day Jigawa State Economic Summit.
He said, “You know you can help somebody to get a job but you cannot help him to do it.  If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who is competent to do the job.
“Some people are saying one person can’t make changes. This is rubbish; if you have a competent person who knows where he is going to, he can make changes along with his team that would impact the lives of people as we have seen it in Jigawa State.”
According to Obasanjo, good governance is key for any practical and factual economic development plan because “the government is not expected to invest directly but to provide enabling environment for private investors to implement the plan”.
“The way Governor Lamido revitalised the Jigawa state education sector, made adequate provision of good roads network, infrastructures, social security, free trade  has now made the state be a haven for investors, and, to the best of my knowledge, today there is no state
in Nigeria which investors’ confidence on can be greater than Jigawa State,” said Obasanjo who ruled the country from 1999 to 2007. “I am optimistic that this summit would help in mapping out a long-term economic plan that could lead to the successful economic development which can be translated into increase of employment, wealth creation, poverty reduction and improve the well-being of the people of the state and Nigeria.”
Obasanjo added that there is need to change Nigeria from the land of opportunity to the land of actuality by giving emphasis to education, infrastructure, social security and human development.
The former president however revealed that  he was the one that imposed Governor Lamido on the people of Jigawa State and that he was happy that he did not disappoint him.
In his welcome address, Governor Lamido said they organised the summit with a view to opening the state’s window to the whole world to come and invest in Jigawa State.
He said his government was ever ready to give all necessary support and cooperation to any investor who wanted to invest in Jigawa State, and the state is also ready to work with any collaborator who wants assist Jigawa to attain better life.
According to the governor, the aim of organising the summit was to chart a plan for developing Jigawa State economically to tally with that of Asian Tigers like Japan and Singapore, not in terms of big buildings but for the state’s people to attain standard human life.
Some of the prominent personalities at the economic summit included  business mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Salisu Sambajo, Mr Mohammed Abacha, former minister of commerce  Senator Bello Maitama Yusif, former minister of power and mineral resources Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, former minister of Federal Capital Territory Aliyu Modibbo,  and Emir of Hadejia  Adamu Abubakar Maje.
Other personalities included former minister of commerce Mustapha Bello,  Emir of Ringim Sayyadi Mahmu, Emir of Kazaura  Alhaji Najib Adamu, governor of Zandara in Niger Republic, British high commissioner to Nigeria  Mr Andrew Poka, Akyem of Wembley and Duke of Edinburg Mr Lord Boateng  who chaired the summit.

Obasanjo holds closed-door meeting with Kwankwaso
In a related development,  Obasanjo yesterday held a close door meeting with Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso at the Government House in Kano. The former president arrived at the Government House at about 4pm in a black SUV vehicle belonging to Jigawa State governor.
He was received by the PDP supporters who gatherd at the Government House to witness the second year anniversary of the Kwankwaso administration. Obasanjo alongside Kw

Bus Preacher Beaten To Coma In Lagos After Condoms Fell Out From Bible

Mayhem broke out at Toyota Bus stop, in front of the popular Ladipo Spare parts market, this morning, when a Bus Preacher was dragged out of a bus and beaten to a coma after Condoms allegedly fell out of his bible as he preached the ‘Word of God’.The Pastor had embarked on his journey at Apapa and proceeded to preach to the people on thebus, using very strong words like “If you wear trouser you’ll go to hell! The Devil invented Make up! Weave on is from Marine Kingdom! If you have pre-marital s*x you will burn in hell and your skin will peel!”

The people in the bus were so moved; some started falling under the anointing. Our eye witness, Mr. John Mbakogu, who was on his way to his shop at Ladipo told us:
“People were just falling as he was layinghands. One man even fell out of the bus under the influence of the Spirit. It was amazing – until he raised his hands to cast demons out of one girl, and 2 Durex condoms fell out”

The angry men on the bus who had been having pangs of guilt due to the pastor’s preaching about s*x suddenly got really angry and pounced on the pastor, who allof a sudden started shouting “I also preach safe s*x! Safe s*x is good!”
Too late.
Policemen had to be called to the scene to save the pastors life. So far 2 arrests have been made, and the Condoms have been kept as evidence

AKWA IBOM 2015: ONE AGAINST THE CROWD -culled from The SUN

Our investigation reveals that Senator Effiong Bob, from the same local government area as the SSG, may soon join the race for AKWA IBOM 2015. Bob is believed to have been stopped from returning to the Senate for the third time in 2011 because of the “activities of the SSG”. Another possible candidate from Uyo Senatorial District, we learnt, is the Commissioner of Finance, Bassey Albert Akpan.
Said to be a nominee of Umanah into Akpabio’s cabinet, Akpan has of recent, been having a running battle with Umanah over the race. Akpan is said to be well grounded among the youths through the patronage and empowerment he has been doling out to them as Chairman of the State Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Co-ordinating Committee.
Though he hasn’t yet declared his intention in the race, sources say he may eventually do. If he doesn’t, the same sources say, he will ‘put all his machinery-material and financial- on an Eket Candidate and become the Deputy or SSG thereafter, if they succeed.’ Nobody from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District is in the race at the moment. Sources say the project to install the SSG as Governor is getting desperate. Opposition to the scheme is said to have divided the State Executive Council into two camps.
Opposition EXCO members, are said to have been tactically grounded in the performance of their duties. Sources say moves by the SSG to remove some opposition Exco members through a cabinet reshuffle have been consistently rebuffed by the Governor. Source further add that the reshuffle has become a subject of town gossip and that when an Exco meeting is called, people always expect the outcome to be its dissolution. Many believe that if the Exco is dissolved, only loyalists of the SSG will be returned.
The resignation, last year, of the former Deputy Governor, Nsima Ekere, was seen by many as a warning to those who want to contest the Governorship to be wary. Ekere is said to have built political structures and openly declared intent to contest the elections. Marked for impeachment, Ekere narrowly escaped by resigning and many believe, he will still join the race later.
Those in the race from Eket Senatorial District are: Senator Helen Esuene: the urbane former first lady of the defunct South Eastern State (present Akwa Ibom and Cross River State) and former Minister in Obasanjos’ administration is said to have consulted people over her ambition. Many believe that gender and her upper class distinction may stand in her way to clinching the ticket.
She is however, loved for her humility, straight forwardness and business acumen. She is also said to be from Uyo by birth but married to an Eket man, the late Brigadier General U.J. Esuene. Dr. Sam Udonsak: The Port Harcourt based University of Ibadan graduate of Medicine is a veteran governorship aspirant having contested in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 race.
Though a fine gentleman, many feel he is disconnected from the people and too elitist for a position that needs political maneuvering and negotiations with grassroot political leaders. Patrick Ekpotu: Though he hasn’t declared his intent in the race and ‘may not’, according to close sources, he is under extreme pressure to join the race. The Engineer, first term Deputy Governor to Governor Akpabio, is well loved as a principled, highly cerebral, focused and humane leader.
His undoing may be the fact that he is not a politician but what people call a political activist, having come from student activism background. The first non-indigenous Student Union President of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and a former Commissioner, will, however change the tide of the race if he eventually declares.
Okpolupm Ette: At 43, the youngest of the contestants from Eket Senatorial District, the graduate of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko is the longest serving member and leader of the State House of Assembly. From the popular Etteh family of Ibeno, the base of Mobil Producing Nigeria, Etteh whose elder siblings include Nigeria’s first Professor of Physics, Prof. Akpanuluo Etteh; E. I. I.
Etteh of foremost Civil Engineering Consultancy, Etteh Aro and Partners, believed to be the ex-husband of former House of Representative Speaker Patricia Etteh and Esoetuk Etteh, former Executive Director, Projects of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is believed to be the rallying point of the younger generation and grassroot politicians in the race.
Many believe the former FedPoly, Oko National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students (NAAKISS) President, is the only grassroot contestant among the Eket possibles. Said to be very outspoken, principled and straight forward, the grassroot mobilizer, once an Akpabio ally is said to be a bit distanced from the Governor at the moment because of his interest in the race and his perceived role in stopping the impeachment of former Deputy Governor Nsima Ekere.
Asuquo Okpo: By far the most visible of the contestants from Oron, Okpo is not well known within the State. Other than the fact that he is from Oron, not much is known about the aspirant as a party man or public figure. The anchoring of his aspiration on the ‘tripod’ theory of zoning the Governorship to the Orons may work against rather than sway sympathy for him. Nsima Ekere: Ekere, who resigned from office as Deputy Governor last year to avert impeachment, is said to be oiling his ‘gun’ for the race.
A former close ally of the Governor as Chairman of the State Investment Commission and Ibom Power Company before being appointed Deputy Governor, the Estate Surveyor, went out of favour with the Governor over what many believe was his declaration to contest the Governorship race. Ekere, with a huge financial war chest, may be another rallying point for Eket people if he finally joins the race.
Senator Udoma Udo Udoma: The two-time Senator and renown Lawyer is said to be well-connected at the Presidency and may eventually join the race. What may eventually work against him is his seeming disconnection from the people. Many believe he is too elitist and ‘foreign’ for the politics of a complex state like Akwa Ibom.
Son of the late renowned jurist and one of the founders of the state, Justice Egbert Udo Udoma, Udoma is known to have printed materials for the 2007 Election but bowed out in deference to the zoning policy of the party at that time. Effiong Abia: Current Commissioner for Local Government is said to be a close ally of the Governor and once declared interest in the race.
Sources say the lawyer stopped campaigning for the office of Governor to save his job. Cool, humble and simple, Abia’s undoing may be his commitment to the alleged plan of the Governor to support Umanah and then pick the Deputy Governorship if it sails through.
Prof. Richard King: said to be a close ally of President Jonathan. King serves on a presidential committee on the NDDC. From Eket, King is said to be using his closeness to the President as a campaign tool, a tool many believe, may not work for him in a State like Akwa Ibom. Senator Eme Okon Ekaette, Chief Assam Assam, SAN, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia and Prof Ita Ewa Minister for Science and Technology are said to have also declare interest in the race.

Can A Fling Become the Real Thing? -Marie Claire

On the eve of my 35th birthday, I decided it was time to take a proper, adult vacation. Alone. I'd traveled abroad with friends in the past, but I'd always deferred to their itineraries and skimped when it came to fancy four-star resorts and indulgent spa treatments. I wanted to get away by myself and in style. So I cashed in several thousand frequent-flier miles, used some savings, and booked a two-week trip to Greece.
During the weeks leading up to my departure, I read travel websites and dog-eared guidebooks. I planned to fill my mornings with empowering activities, like sunrise meditation and poolside Pilates, and reserve my evenings for good books and plates of tahini. I was eager to escape, to splurge, to follow my own agenda. And for the first 48 hours in Greece, I honored my plan.
Then I met Alex.
Alex was an impossibly handsome Serbian man, hired by my hotel in Santorini to teach me how to operate a scooter I'd rented. Before he handed over the keys, he asked if I wanted to meet him that evening for a drink. Immediately after I said yes, I went back to my suite and sent an e-mail to my friends with the subject line: "Guess who has a date!"
"I know I said I needed some time alone, but forget that," I wrote. "He's hot, and I'm bored! So I'm either going to have an amazing night or end up on the next episode of Dateline: Missing Abroad. I'm willing to risk it."
I didn't actually believe my date with Alex would result in the filing of a missing-persons report, but I was somewhat nervous about having a foreign fling. Fooling around with a mysterious man in an exotic location sounded as intimidating as speaking Greek. Yet compared with the "kid- and senior-friendly" sunset hike I'd scheduled, meeting Alex for a drink was no contest.
That night, Alex and I stayed out until 4 a.m., sipping gin and tonics on the roof of a crumbling building overlooking the Mediterranean. We met for dinner the following evening. And the evening after that. On the fourth night, I invited him to stay with me, and the next morning I threw my guidebooks in the trash, promptly canceling all of my solo activities.
We spent the rest of my vacation together, sunbathing and sightseeing, drinking and dancing, aimlessly strolling for hours, holding hands and taking pictures of each other on the sun-bleached streets. Some days we went on adventures — him maneuvering our scooter along the rocky cliffs, me resting my chin on one of his tanned shoulders and looking out at the ocean. We talked. We made out. And then we talked some more. I shared emotional details about my childhood in Pittsburgh and my life in New York. He bought me silly souvenirs, rolled my cigarettes, and taught me how to swear in Serbian. One night, over a plate of grilled octopus, he confided that he was legally married to an American woman but officially separated from his wife of eight years. It was a surprising fact but one that, given our connection, made me more sympathetic than suspicious. "We grew apart," he said. "I've been ready to meet someone else for a while now." The way he spoke, it was clear that someone was me.
On my last day in Greece, Alex and I tearfully promised to keep in touch and clung to each other until the captain of my boat threatened to leave. Saying good-bye was sad — but it was strangely satisfying to participate in such a dramatic "nothing can keep us apart" sort of scene. Our casual affair had started to resemble the plot of a Hollywood romance — one where Alex and I were the stars and my departure was the start of Act 3: the turning point where the lovers face an obstacle (another time zone, an ex-wife) and the audience (my friends, family, and me to some extent) wonders if it will all work out.
Two weeks later, Alex announced he was purchasing an open-ended ticket to New York. He'd said how much he missed me, but the suggestion that he essentially move in with me was a bombshell. I began reciting reasons (visa complications with his green card, the fact that he didn't know my middle name) why an indefinite stay didn't seem wise. Couples rarely shift from sipping on cocktails in the afternoon to exploring the complexities of sharing a bathroom or splitting the cable bill. Yet I wasn't ready to restrict our relationship to my photo album. Our romance had been so unexpected; maybe we'd have luck in the real world. After much discussion, I agreed to the plan.
We had a passionate reunion for a week, but soon — without alcohol and sunshine — the initial thrill began to fade. Once we were confined to my small apartment, navigating the thorns of daily life, our relationship became prematurely serious and painfully pedestrian. Alex sat on my couch each day and waited for me to finish working on my writing assignments. I felt trapped in the role of tour guide and organizer. I didn't mind finding hairs on my soap or men's underwear in my hamper, but we avoided discussing his scant finances and marriage.
Within a month, I'd gone from having an unforeseen fling to living with a virtual stranger. Oddly, it reminded me of the vacations my family used to take — how at the beach I'd pay to have my hair braided Bo Derek — style. It was a look I could pull off on the sand, but once back home, waiting for my school bus in the snowy Pittsburgh winter, the braids looked absurd. I was starting to suspect that bringing Alex home was the starry-eyed equivalent of wearing cornrows in January.
I was feeling antsy one morning, listening to Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," debating how to resolve the sudden shift in our relationship, when clarity arrived in an unexpected form. Over the sound of my coffeemaker, I overheard Alex's video Skype call with his ex-wife.
"Where are you right now?" she demanded, soon hitting him with another question. "You're living with a woman!" He didn't respond, but she continued. "You can't be alone at all, can you?"
He was silent as she accused him of abandoning her and escaping his responsibilities. The picture she painted was of a confused, cowardly man who always took the easy way out.
"Sorry you heard that," he said when he found me wide-eyed on the couch.
"Me, too," I said, avoiding eye contact. "Because I agree with her."
I'd wanted to believe that Alex had truly fallen for me. But that day, I couldn't deny the truth: We'd gotten together because I'd hated being alone in Greece; we'd stayed together because he couldn't be alone in life.
We sat in painful silence for a few minutes. Then, finally, he said, "Maybe I should go." I nodded yes. I was crying and hugging him — the same as when we'd parted ways just weeks before — only this time, he was the one leaving, and it was a little bit easier to say good-bye.

Read more: Can a Vacation Fling Last? - Can a Vacation Romance Be Long-Term - Marie Claire
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5 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Relationship

1. BODY INSECURITIES

You know you have this problem if...
You cringe and cover up when your partner sees you naked.
Compliments make you nervous and defensive.
Thinking about his positive attributes makes you wonder what he's doing with you.

Why is it a problem?
When we are ashamed of our bodies, we "withdraw sexually" and have trouble "being playful and free," says relationship expert Dr. Alice Pisciotto. Many people resort to substances to deal with their insecurities (for example, drinking in order to have sex), which can ruin a sense of closeness.

How to fix it:
The first step is awareness: realizing, for example, that when he says, "you look beautiful in that dress" and you hear, "go to the gym," it's not because he's being sarcastic, but because you feel ashamed of your body. The second step is to learn to talk about it in an open, honest way. Explain your insecurities to him, why you think you have them, and how they make you feel. Then, pledge to yourself to throw the symptoms of insecurity out the window. Once you stop calling yourself fat, for example, you may stop feeling so fat.

2. BAD TIMING

You know you have this problem if... You bring up sore points — issues you argue about often or recently — at romantic dinners, family functions, or company events. Or, worse yet, you bombard him with accusations the second you're alone.

Why is it a problem?
"This really drives guys crazy," says Pisciotto. Everyone knows that communication is important to a good relationship, but knowing when and where to communicate can be just as important. Bringing up a problem at an inappropriate time or place will almost never solve it, and will become a problem in its own right. And he'll be reluctant to bring you along to his cousin's wedding if he's worried you'll be shooting him dirty looks all night.

How to fix it:
If you want to talk about a problem, give some forewarning, says Pisciotto. "X is really bothering me. Can we talk about it tonight?" Have a safe, private place where you can talk without feeling uncomfortable. And if you really want to resolve the issues, make sure you are talking in person and never by text message or e-mail.

3. SNAPPING

You know you have this problem if...
Your partner complains you're always blowing up at him — whether he forgot to pick up the dry-cleaning or threw out the manuscript for the novel you've secretly been working on.

Why is it a problem?
You may be using these explosions as a substitute for intimacy, says Pisciotto. "If you say, 'I love you,' who knows how he's going to react?" You may get a grunt, you may get a kiss, you may get some bad news. "But if you scream at him, you know he's going to scream back." Excessive anger may be a sign that you're insecure about his feelings for you. Snapping at him allows you to control his behavior because his response — anger — is predictable. But if he feels like he's always about to step on a land mine, you may be doing the very opposite: driving him away.

How to fix it:
"This is really an issue of self-awareness," says Pisciotto. The next time you feel mad at him, ask yourself if your anger is proportionate to the offense. If not, think about why you feel so furious: Are you mad about something else that you haven't talked about sufficiently? Does his anger reassure you of his feelings (i.e., "if he's screaming at the top of his lungs, he must be passionate about me")? Are you insecure about his feelings because of something he has done, or because of something unrelated that happened to you in the past? Instead of blowing up at him, try to calmly and insightfully tell him why you are feeling so enraged. Use "I" sentences instead of "you" sentences: "I felt angry when you didn't call, because it made me feel like you don't care about me," rather than, "You didn't call me! You don't care about me!"

4. KEEPING SCORE

You know you have this problem if...
You're keeping a tally of the gives and the takes.
You say things like, "Yes, we hung out with my friends tonight but I hung out with his friends for the last five days."

Why is it a problem?
"Keeping score is usually a sign you don't feel understood, that you don't feel heard," explains Pisciotto. You feel that your partner doesn't realize or appreciate the contributions and sacrifices you make for the relationship. "This becomes the 'yes, but' of the relationship," says Dr. Pisciotto. "Yes, you took me out to dinner tonight, but I paid the last six nights. Yes, you initiated sex tonight, but I always initiate. Yes, you care about me, but I care about you more."

How to fix it:
When you catch yourself thinking or saying, "Yes, but..." step back and ask yourself why. Is this an isolated incident: Are you really the one who always does the dishes, and you just want him to help out more with household chores? Or is it part of a bigger problem: Do you feel like you always make more sacrifices for the relationship, and the dishes are just one example of many? Keeping score provides you with ammo to win the argument "Who's the better partner." It's childish behavior that you should do your best to minimize. Be hypervigilant when your thoughts slip into the "Yes, but..." pattern. Remind yourself that although you may give more in this particular area — you always pay for dinner out — he may give more in another, like always buying the groceries.

5. LETTING THE PAST DICTATE THE PRESENT

You know you have this problem if...
You blame your current boyfriend for problems you had in your last relationship: Your ex had an affair with his personal trainer, so you tell your new boyfriend you like the "chubby look" to keep him out of the gym.

Why is it a problem?
It's a basic truth of psychology that "we often repeat problems in order to solve them," says Pisciotto. For example, when you're suspicious that your new boyfriend is going to cheat on you, like your ex did, your subconscious is trying to come to terms with the old problem. The effect will hardly be productive: You're likely to create some new relationship issues with your current boyfriend without solving the issues from your past.

How to fix it:
Take a moment to ask yourself: Are there any issues or arguments you had with a former boyfriend that still bother you? If so, write them down and be on the lookout. The next time you're angry with your current boyfriend for something similar, ask yourself whether or not he deserves it. If not, Pisciotto recommends telling him about your ex and asking him about his. But be clear that you're talking about your old flame solely for the purpose of improving your current relationship. Your new guy doesn't want to hear about how your ex just got a promotion, what a great cook he was, or how amazing he was in bed.

Read more: Bad Habits - Sabotaging Relationship - Understanding Men - Marie Claire
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