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  • Guchi drops debut single, ‘No Be Jazz’

    New kid on the block, Guchi, has dropped her debut single titled ‘No Be Jazz’, Monday.

    The vivacious singer revealed this over the weekend in an interaction with journalists.

    Produced by Beats by Jayy and mixed and mastered by Mixed Monster, the song, according to Guchi, 22, preaches the virtues of love and patience.

    She said ‘No Be Jazz’ was inspired by her mother whom she says loves all her songs. “In the good times and in the bad times, my mother was with my dad,” said Guchi, whose real name is Ugochi Onuoha. “But now, everybody wants the money. The song is preaching genuine love. It’s preaching trust.”

    The video of the song which was produced by Unlimited L.A was also released today.

    Popular on the Abuja music circuit where she grew up, Guchi, who sings Afropop, dance and highlife, has been doing music since 2012.

    Ugochi Onuoha

    However, for better visibility, she relocated to Lagos less than six months ago.

    And expressing her confidence of taking the Nigerian music industry by storm, Guchi, who is currently a student of Theatre and Media Arts of the University of Lagos and has a management deal with MVP, said: “I started music in 2012. I didn’t come out in 2012. That’s because I’ve been preparing for this. I have dozens of songs recorded this year. And I’m still going to record.”

    Guchi said that her album will be released before the end of the year.

  • Court affirms APC candidate as Reps-elect in Kwara

    Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital on Monday affirmed Mohammed Omar Bio as the House of Representatives-elect for Baruten /Kaiama Federal constituency of Kwara state.
    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on February 24 declared Omar Bio as the winner of the House of Representatives election on the platform of APC in the constituency having polled the highest number of votes.
    Justice Mahmud Gafar made the pronouncement while ruling on a suit brought before the court by Abubakar Abdullahi.
    Abdullahi had approached the court to declare him as the candidate of APC in Baruten/ Kaiama Federal constituency in the February 23, 2019 National Assembly elections.
    Abdullahi in the suit  joined the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as codefendants and prayed the court to declare him as the winner of the primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Baruten /Kaiama federal constituency of Kwara state  on October 5, 2018.
    While ruling on the suit, Justice Gafar dismissed it and held that it was not filed within the statute time stipulated by the law.
    The court declared the case as staled and unenforceable having failed to satisfy section 289(9) of the 1999 Constitution fourth alteration which required that the suit to be filed within 14 days of the acquiral cause of action which is the day of placement of names by the third defendant which is INEC.
    He said that the primary election was conducted by the APC on October 5,2018 but the suit  was not filed until November 15, 2018 which was outside the statutory period prescribed by law.
    Reacting to the ruling, APC counsel in the suit, Chief Sunday Ashaolu said that the Court judgement has put an end to who is the winner of the APC primary election and the candidate of the party in the just concluded National Assembly election in Kaiama/Baruten federal constituency of Kwara state.

  • Truck drivers protest over non-clearance of containers in Kano

    The Nation reports that the irate trucks drivers with over 200 trucks blocked all roads leading to the Inland Containers Limited (Bonded Terminal) along Abdullahi Bayero road over the long delay on their clearance.

    However, armed policemen have been deployed to the terminal to avert possible breakdown of law and order.

    The protesters accused the importers, clearing agents and terminal operators as well as customs of the lackadaisical attitude of implementing a speedy clearance of those containers that have blocked Kano roads for the past two months.

    Most of the drivers lamented the pathetic situation they have been going through for the past two months in Kano without been attended to and vowed not to remove their vehicles from the roads until the authorities concerned attend to their plights.

    Malam Bala lsa and Yusuf Musa, truck drivers, told this reporter, that “we conveyed these containers from Lagos. Some of us have spent over two months waiting for the clearing agents, the terminal operators and the custom officials to harmonize their differences and clear the containers but to no avail.

    “Look, we have exhausted all we have.  We have no money to feed ourselves “

    Reacting to this development, the custom’s Public Relations Officer, in charge of Kano /Jigawa command, Isah Danbaba said that the ongoing protest by truck drivers was not against the customs.

    “The protest is the concern of terminal operators, importers/ clearing agents’ so we have nothing to do about this situation, adding that those concerned are also expected by customs to come forward with appropriate custom documents and clear their goods.

  • US visa experts meet Nigerian investors for green card opportunities

    A team of experts in  (US) visa for investors will be in Nigeria to meet Nigerian investors wishing to migrate to the US through green card.

    The experts will address intending migrants at a seminar being organized by Brandleys International Nigeria Limited (BIL) in Lagos later this month. It is being held in conjunction with the US-based MCFI.

    The seminar, which will hold at the Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos on April 27 and 28, will focus mainly on EB-5 US visa. They will, however, educate and answer participants’ questions on other types of US visa.

    Tagged; ‘Engaging the Experts,’ the seminar intends to service individuals or families who are seriously looking to relocate to the US under the EB-5 visa program.

    The Chief Executive Officer, BIL, Mr. Idowu Olumide, said: “We also intend to use same seminar to educate interested persons or groups who do not meet the EB-5 visa programme but will like to know other forms of immigration by investment or business investor such as other E-classes E1, E2 etc and their differences.

    “The second day of the event will be dedicated to those who wish to know more about other ordinary or regular visas such as B1 & B2. They also have the option of knowing about EB-5 Visa and become an agent.”

    According to him, MCFI founded the first federally designated EB-5 regional center in the State of Maryland with additional approved geographic areas of Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. “Since then, we have expanded into other regions across the country.” He disclosed.

    Olumide added: “MCFI assists foreign investors take advantage of the EB-5 investment immigration program which helps them direct their assets towards sound investments and earn a permanent green card in the process. MCFI has a stellar track record of 100 per cent I-526 approval, 100 per cent I-829 approval and 100 per cent track record of returning the investors $500,000 capital investment back to them.”

    Leading the experts to Nigeria are the President of MCFI Lawrence Chang and the company’s Executive Sire tor Christian Dorsey.

  • ‘Kachikwu’s visit to Exxon Mobil FPSO was to increase production’

    The Ministry of Petroleum Resources Monday said that visit by Minister of State Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu to the ERHA FPSO operated by ExxonMobil was to increase crude oil production and also unlock the gas.

    The ministry’s Deputy Director, Press, Olujimi Oyetomi, who made this known in a statement Monday said that the “This visit by Dr. Kachikwu not only marks a defining one for the Nation but also highlights a personal achievement for the Minister considering that he took on his current portfolio from his then position as the Executive Vice Chairman of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and General Counsel for ExxonMobil Nigeria affiliate Upstream and Downstream Companies in Nigeria.

     “This latest round of visits to the FPSO’s is to provoke the Oil Production Fields of Nigeria to ramp up their crude production and unlock gas in line with the Gas Revolution Agenda of the #7BigWins. He was received by Richard Laing, Executive Director and Production Manager of ExxonMobil while Scott Hommema, PhD, the General Manager, Deepwater Operations and Joint Interest, took him and his delegation on a tour of the FPSO.”

    The statement said that while addressing key business concerns of Exxon Mobil, Dr. Kachikwu urged them to not only focus on the profitability of the firm but also on giving back to the society having been doing business around the country for a long time.

    He commended the crew on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria for their Sacrifice, urgency of attention and value addition while conveying President Muhammadu Buhari’s deep commitment to the welfare of those on the production fields.

    Kachikwu name-checked the Department of Petroleum Resources’ automation initiatives that include Crude Oil and LNG Tracking (COLT), Automatic Downstream System (ADS), Accelerated Lease Renewal Program (ALRP) and others.

    He also referenced the community engagement drive of the organization evidenced by the peace and harmony seen in operating areas.

    The Executive Director and Production Manager of ExxonMobil, Richard Laing, also used the opportunity to firmly debunk the unsubstantiated rumor about the organizations exit from Nigeria.

    He further noted that the ERHA field is located in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 133 and ExxonMobil holds a 56.25% participating interest while Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) holds the remaining 43.75% share. The Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) has about 2.2 million barrels of storage capacity making it one of the largest of its kind, globally.

  • FG fixes Abuja carnival for November

    The Federal Government has shifted the Abuja carnival  scheduled to take place in December 2018 to November 2019.

    Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information Deaconess Grace Gekpe said the carnival among other gains will provide a platform  to recreate and continue the onerous task of nation building after the peaceful general elections.

    She added that the carnival is conceived to showcase the country’s strength even in our diversity and to forge a nation of one destiny, one people.

    Gekpe stated these on Monday in Abuja at the 2019 Abuja carnival stakeholders meeting.

    She said: “It is worthy of note that carnivals aside from being a vehicle for wealth creation, poverty reduction, employment generation, and social integration is also a panacea for a peaceful and stable society. Though diverse in language, tribe, culture and tradition as well as in religious and political philosophy, the carnival is conceived to showcase our strength even in our diversity and to forge a nation of one destiny, one people.

    “This year’s carnival, among other gains, wili provide the platform to unwind, recreate and continue the onerous task of nation-building after the peaceful 2019 generai eiections.

    “The Ministry is not unmindful of the justifiable concerns of the stakeholders within and outside of the sector over the postponements of the Carnival from December, 2018 to November, 2019.

    “While we regret the inconvenience caused by these shifts in dates, it is however pertinent that the input from the technical forum would enhance our capacity to organise a world-class event. This way, we will not only sustain the Abuja Carnival but surpass the standard of previous editions.”

  • Obaseki awards N2.8bn contract for road construction

    In furtherance of his mandate to develop infrastructure in the state to drive development, Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki has awarded the contract for the construction of Textile Mill Road; Iyoba, Iyobanosa and Omozogie streets as well as an underground drainage system in the area valued at N2.8 billion.

    The contract was awarded during a recent Executive Council (EXCO) meeting held before the governor proceeded on his annual leave.

    On completion, the project will “solve the perennial flooding problem of the area and enhance human and vehicular movement especially to the two major motor spare parts market at Evbareke and Uwelu communities and security of lives and property as well as bring to life access to the revered Traditional Palace of Iyoba,” a document on the project stated.

    Edo residents, particularly those in the area, have hailed the award of the contract, appreciating the Governor Godwin Obaseki for the project which will drive development and provide a conducive environment for businesses in the axis to thrive. The governor, during the campaigns for the last elections in the state, visited the communities and assured them that construction would start on Textile Mill Road and the adjoining streets, a promise which is now being fulfilled.

    The project follows closely behind the award of contracts for the construction of Benin-Abraka Road; St. Saviour, Oba-Obazagbon, PZ-Okabere Roads and Ugbor-Amagba Road, which were hailed by Benin City residents.

    The Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration has sustained the campaign to deliver infrastructure projects in different parts of the state, aimed at fortifying the infrastructure base to drive industrialisation, one of the administration’s cardinal policy thrusts. The projects are also expected to open up new towns, as well as, regenerate urban centres.

  • Zamfara holds council elections April 27

    Zamfara state government on Monday announced that it will conduct local government council elections across the fourteen local government areas of the state April 27.

    This was announced by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Dr. Bello Dankande Gamji during a stake holders meeting Monday.

    Gamji revealed that all arrangements for the council elections has been concluded, explaining that the state governor Abdul Aziz Yari Abubakar has equipped the electoral commission with everything needed to ensure a hitch free polls.

    Gamji stressed that series of security meetings were held to ensure protection of lives and property during the elections and called on all participating political parties to be law abiding and play by the rules.

    He explained that the aim of organising the stakeholders meeting is to enlighten all the participating political parties and prospective aspirants and candidates on the arrangements on the ground and to further educate them on existing laws surrounding the elections.

    One of the PDP stakeholders at the meeting,  urged the state electoral commission to be impartial in the conduct of the election praying that it should not be the normal business of announcing the ruling party as  winners of all the council elections.

  • UPDATED: 20 killed in fresh Kajuru attack

    Not less than 20 persons have been reported killed in a fresh attack by unknown gunmen in Angwan Aku village, Kajuru Local government area of Kaduna state.

    A source who resides in the community, took place at about 7:00 am on Monday when the attackers allegedly dressed in military uniform and armed with AK47 rifles, machetes and sticks stormed the village shooting sporadically.

    The Nation learnt that, several others sustained various degrees of injuries from gunshots.

    According to the source, “The attackers stormed the village and started shooting indiscriminately. We all started running to the bush. As we were running, they were also pursuing us as we ran to the bush, some people were killed in the bush.

    ”Some of them were wearing military uniforms with bulletproof vests and they were speaking in Fulani language. I saw them from where I was hiding” he said.

    Read also: Police kill three bandits in fresh Kaduna village attack

    The source further alleged that, the police arrived the village in eight Hilux vans, but could not go into the bushes to pursue the bandits.

    “The police came in eight Hilux vehicles, but instead of pursuing the bandits who ran to the bushes, they just turned back”. He alleged.

    According to him, there had been speculations about an impending attack since last week, which the state government was aware of.

    “We had thought that the government would have taken the speculations seriously and be proactive, but they didn’t take it seriously and this had led to the killing of more of our people. It is rather very unfortunate”. He said.

    A former President of the Adara Development Association (ADA), Danladi Yarima, confirmed the killings in a telephone interview, describing it as unfortunate.

    He condemned the killings and accused the state government of bias in handling the crisis.

    The incessant killings in Kajuru communities started in February 10, 2019 when Fulani herdsmen allegedly attacked Anguwan Barde, an Adara community in the night and killed eleven people.

    The Adara were alleged to have embarked on reprisal attacks, killing many Fulani.

    Yarima, a lawyer, had in a recent statement said about 4,000 people have been rendered homeless following the destruction of their homes by bandits.

    However, efforts to get the reaction of Yakubu Sabo, spokesman of the Kaduna state police command was unsuccessful as his telephone was not connecting and he did not reply to a message sent to him on the Police/Media WhatsApp platform.

  • Behave as a statesman, Ondo APC urges Olanusi

    ONDO State All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday denied the allegation by former Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, that President Muhammadu Buhari lost in the state due to its leaders’ anti-party activities.

    Olanusi, at a forum of the Concerned APC leaders in Akure, the state capital on Tuesday, accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of compromising the election because of the National Working Committee’s (NWC) decision to endorse three incumbent senators as automatic candidates.

    He said this prompted the governor’s alleged sponsoring of opposition Action Alliance (AA) candidates.

    A statement by APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro, said the former deputy governor has never been on the same page with the party leadership, stressing that he could not be competent to comment on the party’s affairs.

    Besides, the party faulted the claim that the governor allegedly diverted the fund disbursed to Ondo State by the national leadership of the party for the 2019 general election to finance AA candidates.

    It said: “With these statements, Olanusi’s group had brought to fore their secret apathy against Akeredolu, who refused to do their biddings. We should be reminded that Olanusi claimed huge amount from the present APC-led government in Ondo State to offset his accumulated salary arrears over his removal from office by the previous administration.

    Read also; APC will reclaim all ‘stolen’ mandates

    “He refused to acknowledge the governor’s quick response to his plight. Rather, he countered the effort with contempt. When he demanded for more money and was denied, he became dissatisfied and turned himself into a critic of the APC’s government he claimed to be its Board of Trustees (BoT) member at the national level.

    “We have it on record that he is planning ahead of the 2020 to present an unpopular governorship candidate for election in the state, but he doesn’t have to heat up the polity over such clandestine moves that will die on arrival.”

    The statement emphasised that the party leadership in the state would not succumb to the group’s cheap blackmail and lies.

    It said: “We are advising Olanusi and his group to desist from constituting themselves as enemies of the party they claimed to belong. The former deputy governor particularly should behave as a true statesman and member of APC’s Trustee.”