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Throwback pic of D'prince

Throwback pic of D'prince

Chadian and Nigerian airforce carry out airstrikes against Boko Haram

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The Chadian army joined the Nigerian Airforce to carry out an airstrike 
against five Boko Haram technicals outside Monguno in Borno state today.
 More photos after the cut...<br />
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Chadian and Nigerian airforce carry out airstrikes against Boko Haram

The Chadian army joined the Nigerian Airforce to carry out an airstrike against five Boko Haram technicals outside Monguno in Borno stat...

PTDF produces Katsina’s first female pilot

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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ruqayya
 Suleiman from Bakori LGA of Katsina State has become the first female 
pilot from the state.

She is one of the 15 pilots trained in South Africa under the full 
scholarship programme of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) as 
international certified commercial pilots. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">According
 to Raqayya's father, her dream of becoming a pilot could not have come 
true without the scholarship and emotional support from the PTDF.</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today,
 a joyful Mr. Suleiman is excited that his young daughter has broken the
 cultural barrier that often hold girls from her region back from 
acquiring higher education.
</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Executive Secretary of PTDF, Femi Ajayi,
explained that the aim of the scholarship is to create capacity for the Oil and
Gas sector and that with the support of President Goodluck Jonathan and the
Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Mudueke, the agency is fulfilling its
mission. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Helicopter pilots are key professionals in the Oil
and Gas sector. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Corroborating the Executive Secretary, the head,
Industry collaboration Unit of the PTDF, Barrister Timipre Wolo said before the
establishment of the agency, the industry was dominated by expatriates. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“The country needed to build its indigenous
capacity to make sure it fills up the available vacancies.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Mostly, oil and gas activities in Nigeria are
offshore and even those onshore; one has to fly to the locations because of the
terrain of the Niger Delta. So helicopters became the major means of
transportation,” she said.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another
beneficiary of the scheme, Angel Odumodu from Port Harcourt in Rivers State
said he was shocked when he got the call from the PTDF.  “I wasn't expecting
it but now I am a pilot and the whole family is excited”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Also Ogoromsi Apiri from Ogbia in Bayelsa State, a
beneficiary, said he had always been curious to know how jets and helicopters
fly,  but that his dream of becoming a pilot seemed impossible when his
father died. But the PTDF came to his rescue with the scholarship.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">From Kaduna is 18 year-old Tosin Ajibola, an
indigene of Kwara State who is one of the 20 children of his father with four
wives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He said: “I wanted to be a pilot but I realized it
will cost me between 12 to 20M Naira to study abroad. My father who has 20 of
us to take care of would not be able to afford the cost, so I told myself that
I may has as well let go the dream”. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, he is grateful to the scheme that has made
him Nigeria’s youngest pilot. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And
from Zaria in Kaduna State is Jesuleke Elizabeth Babatunde, an indigene of Ondo
State who disclosed that she and her husband had searched on-line a fruitlessly
for such a scholarship until PTDF offered her the lifeline.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">With the success achieved with this first batch, Mr. Ajayi, PTDF's
Executive Sectary believes that this is a dream come true for the trainees as
the agency has given them a rare opportunity to improve their lives</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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PTDF produces Katsina’s first female pilot

Ruqayya Suleiman from Bakori LGA of Katsina State has become the first female pilot from the state. She is one of the 15 pilots train...

Siblings, three others shot dead over politicians’ gifts

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<img alt="Layinka Street" class="attachment-bigstoryimage" height="270" src="http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Layinka-Street-360x270.jpg" width="360" /><div class="featured-image-caption">
Layinka Street</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two
 brothers along with three other persons have been shot dead in the 
Ajegunle area of Lagos after hoodlums hijacked a campaign rally while 
the politicians were distributing gifts to the residents.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em>PUNCH Metro</em> learnt that the 
campaign rally, which was organised by a Senatorial candidate of the All
 Progressives Congress, went through Oduduwa and Layinka streets in the 
area, and moved down to Cemetery Road in Amukoko.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent gathered that the 
rally, however, turned violent on Layinka Street when some politicians, 
who were said to have accompanied the Senatorial candidate, began to 
share out gifts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was learnt that as the supporters and 
residents scrambled for the items, some thugs, who felt they were being 
sidelined, attacked the supporters.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two other factions of the thugs also reportedly clashed, shooting at one another and vandalising property.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent learnt that two young 
men of the same parents, identified simply as Abeeb and Idris, were 
among the five persons killed by the bullets.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was gathered that Abeeb, more commonly
 called Abere, was shot twice in the belly and died instantly, while 
Idris, his younger brother, was initially rushed to a private hospital 
in the area before he died.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The two youths lived with their parents on Alayabiagba Street, Boundary, Ajegunle.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When <em>PUNCH Metro </em>visited the 
area on Wednesday, a police source told our correspondent that two 
corpses were brought to the Ajegunle Police Division on Tuesday after 
the police had restored normalcy to the area.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “Two dead bodies from the rally 
were brought to the station by evening. Later, a well known politician 
showed up to arrange how they would be buried. This morning, we have 
gone to the Cemetery Market, Ajegunle, to pick up another corpse.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent also observed broken 
bottles and smashed windows and doors on Layinka Street where the rally 
had turned bloody.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A shop owner, who gave her name as 
Ojedokun, said the thugs looted her goods and shot continually, during 
which stray bullets injured several passersby.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She said, “Trouble started when the 
aspirant began to share out gifts to supporters. He gave out mobile 
phones, pressing irons, among other things. As people scrambled for 
those gifts, trouble began.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The thugs brought out guns and began to 
shoot to scare away people. They began to smash bottles on the ground 
and attack one another. Even the policemen, who accompanied the rally, 
fled for their lives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Stray bullets hit people. We later heard that about six people were shot dead.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another resident told our correspondent 
that the corpse recovered by the police at the Cemetery Market was a 
young man, who was hacked to death.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “The two brothers, who were shot
 dead, are being buried as I speak to you. There is no one in their 
house as they have gone away. The corpse that we saw at the Cemetery 
Market was a man hacked to death, but the police have taken him away.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When<em> PUNCH Metro </em>got to the 
Amukoko Police Division, our correspondent observed yet another dead 
victim of the violence, who was covered with a wrapper and laid on the 
ground.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was learnt that the parents of the 
deceased, who hailed from Badagry area, had shown up at the station and 
were planning to come back for the corpse.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent was told that a policeman was also shot during the unrest and had been taken to a hospital for treatment.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added that the police were making efforts to apprehend the “criminals”.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “The police in Ajegunle recovered two corpses, and the Amukoko division recovered another one.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The cause of the violence was that some hoodlums again went on a rampage.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Intense efforts are ongoing to arrest the perpetrators of the violence.”</div>
</div>

Siblings, three others shot dead over politicians’ gifts

Layinka Street Two brothers along with three other persons have been shot dead in the Ajegunle area of Lagos after hoodlums hijacke...

Black marketers hijack ‘Jonathan kerosene’ in Bayelsa

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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Black market operators have hijacked President Goodluck Jonathan ‘political kerosene’ in his home state, Bayelsa.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The kerosene, expected to be sold for N50
 per litre, has skyrocketed to N100 per litre due to the activities of 
black marketers that abound at most designated mega filling stations in 
Yenagoa metropolis.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For many consumers, the kerosene has 
become a source of agony, despair and nightmare as they could not get 
the commodity because they refused to go through the black marketers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Apart from the activities of the black 
marketers, who they accused of conniving with some attendants, they also
 flayed the lawlessness of some security operatives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
They alleged that the security officials 
usually came with more than the required 25-litre jerrycan and would 
head straight for the pump and forced attendants to sell to them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was learnt that some consumers got to 
the station as early as 5am, yet they could not buy the product after 
queuing for long hours.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A consumer, who gave her name only as Veronica, lamented the agony she was exposed to in an attempt to buy the product.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She said, “Imagine, I have been here for 
close to eight hours, yet it has not reached my turn. But in my 
presence, some people came and they sold to them.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“This is unfair. I had thought that 
coming to buy the kerosene at N50 per litre would ease my problem, but I
 can tell you, I am in a deeper problem. I have been here since and all 
the things I am supposed to do are lying at home. As it is, I cannot 
even say when I will leave this station.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another consumer, Benedicta John, said he could only buy the product after coughing up N1,500 bribe to a black marketer.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“They (black marketers) are all over the 
place here. If you must leave here on time, you must go through them. 
When I purchased my 25-litre kerosene, I paid N1,500 to the attendants 
and was asked to give another N1,500 to the man who facilitated my 
transaction.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I wonder when this country will be 
corruption free. Some people capitalise on every situation to rip others
 off. I came here with happiness that I was coming to buy kerosene for 
N50 per litre, but now my joy has been killed.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A tout, who gave his name as Preye, said he saw the situation as an opportunity to make money.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Nothing goes for nothing. I charge 
people before I go to the attendants. Whatever comes out of it, I take 
my share and give those who also facilitate the business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“That is the way it works. You know this 
is Nigeria. Those who refuse to go through us have to wait for a very 
long time before they can buy. It is left to them to choose between 
greasing our palms or waiting there for long. “</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When contacted, Bayelsa State 
Coordinator, Kerosene Correct, Anderson Obere, said he and his team were
 there to ensure that the price was not more than the agreed N50 per 
litre.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said so far, attendants dispensed kerosene at the agreed price.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent’s visit to some mega 
filling stations, including the one at the Sani Abacha Expressway, 
revealed that the price on the dispenser was N50 per litre of kerosene.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was also noticed that long queues of 
consumers were present at the stations with consumers complaining 
bitterly about the ill treatment meted out to them by attendants and 
security personnel controlling crowds.</div>
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Black marketers hijack ‘Jonathan kerosene’ in Bayelsa

Black market operators have hijacked President Goodluck Jonathan ‘political kerosene’ in his home state, Bayelsa. The kerosene, expected...

Niger Republic’s dam threatens Kainji, Jebba power plants

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<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two of Nigeria’s major hydroelectric 
power plants that draw water from the River Niger face the threat of 
reduced water volume as the plan by Niger Republic to dam the upstream 
section of the river continues to gather momentum.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Kainji and Jebba power stations, 
which have a combined installed capacity of 1,330 megawatts, draw water 
from the River Niger to generate electricity, with Kainji having the 
capacity to generate 760MW, while Jebba’s capacity is 570MW.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The World Bank said the average flows of
 the river had declined sharply over the years with very low flows 
during the low water season.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to industry experts, the 
construction of the Kandadji Dam by Niger Republic poses significant 
risk to the power plants. The most important component of the Kandadji 
project is the construction of a hydroelectric power plant, which is 
expected to generate 130MWof electricity for the Nigeriens.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Last year, the World Bank, through its 
lending arm, the International Development Association, increased its 
funding for the project from $203m to $258m. Other financiers include 
the Saudi Fund for Development, Islamic Development Bank, and the OPEC 
Fund for International Development. The dam is expected to be completed 
in 2017.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Executive Director, Greenado 
International Limited and a former Renewable Energy Manager, Bank of 
Industry, Mr. Lawal Gada, said in a telephone interview with our 
correspondent that once a dam was constructed on the upstream of a 
river, it would affect the flow of water to the downstream negatively.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Gada said, “All the tributaries 
(contributory streams to the river) from the end of Niger Republic will 
be cut off and that is going to affect the volume of water that will be 
available to power the Kainji and Jebba dams.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“There is a need for cordial 
relationship between Nigeria and Niger Republic to conduct adequate 
environmental impact assessment and come up with ways to mitigate the 
negative effects before the project is embarked on; or even if it has 
commenced, there is a need for review.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Head of Energy Research at Ecobank 
Capital, Mr. Dolapo Oni, who noted that the project had been in the 
works since 2003, said Nigeria had been trying to placate Niger Republic
 with the supply of power to the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“However, in recent times, power supply 
from Nigeria has dropped. Furthermore, Niger Republic is growing at a 
faster pace. Thus it needs power. The World Bank has granted it 
additional $55m so that the project will be built,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While noting that the base load of 
Nigeria’s power supply still remained the Kainji and Jebba plants, Oni 
said by damming the River Niger at Kandadji, Nigeria could see water 
level fall at the plants, thereby reducing the quantum of power 
generated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added, “I believe the decision to go 
ahead with the project could also be reflective of the state of 
diplomatic ties between both countries. Ethiopia’s 6,000MW Grand 
Renaissance Dam is also being held up by Egypt and Sudan, who will be 
affected if the Nile River is dammed. There are plans to strengthen 
power exports in the region to ensure that the project is developed to 
favour all parties.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Thus, we could follow a similar 
approach. If the dam will reduce power supply at our plants, then it 
must be large enough to compensate for the shortfall in power generation
 by supplying the excess capacity to Nigeria.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The President, Council for Renewable 
Energy, Nigeria, Chief Anita Okuribido, stressed the need for the 
Federal Government to identify all the negative implications of the 
project for the country and notify the Nigerien government 
appropriately.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Both countries should draw up a mutually beneficial programme,” she added.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The World Bank, in its Environmental and
 Social Impact Assessment study and Environmental and Social Management 
Plan of the Kandadji project, said it would reduce the hydroelectric 
power generated in Kainji by 12.8 per cent and in Jebba by 15.7 per 
cent, among other implications.</div>
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</div>

Niger Republic’s dam threatens Kainji, Jebba power plants

Two of Nigeria’s major hydroelectric power plants that draw water from the River Niger face the threat of reduced water volume as the pl...

Wife stabs lawyer husband to death

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<span style="color: black;">Tragedy 
struck at Akenfa, a suburb of Yenagoa metropolis, Bayelsa State, on 
Thursday, following the stabbing to death of a lawyer, Mr. Henry 
Gagariga, by his wife, Victoria.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">It was learnt that the 28-year-old Victoria, killed Gagariga, 33, at their residence on Ebisam Road in Akenfa area of the state.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Victoria 
was said to have stabbed him on the neck with a kitchen knife following a
 bitter quarrel over “a minor domestic issue” in the early hours of 
Thursday.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Sources 
said they had co-habited for some years before legalising their union in
 Yenagoa in June 2014, although the union had yet to produce any 
children.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Gagariga was said to have given up the ghost at a hospital where he was rushed to after losing a lot of blood.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">His corpse, it was further learnt, had been deposited at an undisclosed morgue in the state.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Victoria, 
said to be a daughter of a retired director in the state Ministry of 
Information from Brass Local Government Area, is said to be an employee 
of the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Her husband Henry Gagariga was an indigene of Sagbama Local Government Area, also in the state.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“We will commence investigation to unravel the cause of death,” he said.</span></div>
</div>

Wife stabs lawyer husband to death

Tragedy struck at Akenfa, a suburb of Yenagoa metropolis, Bayelsa State, on Thursday, following the stabbing to death of a lawyer, ...

I don’t have PVC,Action Alliance presidential candidate cries out

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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">A few days
 to the general elections, the Presidential candidate of Action 
Alliance, Senator Tunde Anifowose-Kelani, on Thursday cried out that he 
might be disenfranchised in an election in which he is a contestant 
because he has not been issued the Permanent Voter Card by the 
Independent National Electoral Commission.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">He raised 
the alarm at a press briefing in Abuja where he, however, expressed 
optimism that AA would to win the presidential election.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">Anifowose-Kelani
 said, “We are ready and our manifestoes have shown that we can 
transform Nigeria for good. We will win the presidential election. I 
have a challenge even as a presidential candidate; I don’t have my PVC; I
 must not be disenfranchised. I have made frantic efforts to ensure I 
get my PVC, but all to no avail. I even wrote to INEC in respect of it, I
 have not received any answer from them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“I hereby 
appeal passionately for the release of my PVC so that I can perform my 
civic rights and participate in 2015 elections fully as the National 
Chairman of Action Alliance, and majorly as a presidential candidate in 
the 2015 general elections.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">I have made frantic efforts by going to my
 ward, Ward 8, Ibadan Boys High School, Oke-Bola Ibadan, to collect the 
PVC but INEC officials could not give it to me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">“I came to
 Abuja on January 20, 2015 and made this complaint but INEC could not do
 anything. On January 27, 2015, at INEC meeting with political leaders, I
 lodged the same complaint and nothing was done too.”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black;">He further
 stated that, INEC is not ready for the elections as far as he is 
concerned, because so many people have not collected their PVCs “and 
they have not allocated another polling units to those whose polling 
units were cancelled. It means the elections cannot be held so as not to
 disenfranchised those that want to vote.”</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">The AA 
presidential candidate added that those that were clamouring for the 
postponement of the general elections were wrong adding that, 
“constitutionally, you can only shift an election by some weeks and the 
handover date remains May 29.</span></div>

I don’t have PVC,Action Alliance presidential candidate cries out

A few days to the general elections, the Presidential candidate of Action Alliance, Senator Tunde Anifowose-Kelani, on Thursday cried ou...

CAF punish AFCON ref, fine Tunisia

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 Tunisia's football federation has been fined $50 000 and 
threatened with a ban, while a referee has been sent home and suspended 
for six months in the fallout from the team's chaotic African Cup of 
Nations quarterfinal loss to host Equatorial Guinea.<br />
The
 Confederation of African Football announced its decisions after 
disciplinary meetings on Monday and Tuesday about the on-field clashes 
involving players, coaches and officials at Saturday's game.<br />
CAF
 said Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn had been suspended for 
"poor refereeing" after his decision to award Equatorial Guinea a 
contentious penalty in the last minute of normal time sparked the 
trouble.<br />
Tunisia players were guilty of insulting and trying to 
assault the referee after the game. CAF said the country's national 
federation president even went onto the field to confront Seechurn.<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></strong></div>

CAF punish AFCON ref, fine Tunisia

Tunisia's football federation has been fined $50 000 and threatened with a ban, while a referee has been sent home and suspended for...

Nigerian, Chad jets bomb Boko Haram

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 Hundreds of Boko Haram fighters are attacking Cameroonian
 troops at a border town with Nigeria, military officers said Wednesday 
as Nigerian and Chadian jets pursued an offensive that has bombed the 
Islamic extremists out of a slew of northeastern Nigerian towns.<br />
The
 attack on Fotocol, in far northern Cameroon, appears to be a response 
to the air attacks, Nigeria's first major offensive against Boko Haram, 
the Islamic extremists whose insurgency has spread across borders, 
prompting international concern.<br />
The fight in Cameroon and the air
 offensives in Nigeria come as African Union officials meet in Cameroon 
to finalize a mandate for a 7,500-strong multinational force to confront
 the extremists who in recent months have seized more than 130 towns and
 villages across three of Nigeria's northeastern states bordering 
Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Boko Haram has held many of the towns for 
months, some since August.<br />Chadian
 troops joined Cameroonian soldiers in fierce fighting Wednesday against
 the extremists at Fotocol, according to Cameroonian military officers 
who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to 
speak to reporters.<br />
Earlier Nigerian jets started bombing Monday 
in the Sambisa Forest, where the extremists have camps and first took 
nearly 300 kidnapped schoolgirls last April, witnesses said.<br />
"At 
night we hear distant sounds of explosions," Bulama Danbayo said by 
telephone from Madagali town in Adamawa state. "We were all terrified 
but some of the soldiers stationed here told us not to be worried, that 
it was soldiers that commenced bombardment of Sambisa Forest."<br />
Chad's
 army said its troops were attacked Tuesday in Cameroon by Boko Haram. 
"Our valiant forces responded vigorously, a chase was immediately 
instituted all the way to their base at Gamboru and Ngala (in Nigeria), 
where they were completely wiped out," spokesman Col. Azem Bermendoa 
said on national television Tuesday night.<br />
More than 200 extremists were killed for the loss of nine Chadian troops, he said.<br />
Nigeria's spokesman on the insurgency, Mike Omeri, said the twin towns were recaptured but gave no credit to Chadian forces.<br />
In
 a statement Tuesday, Omeri said Nigerian forces this week have 
"liberated from Boko Haram presence" more than a dozen northeastern 
towns.<br />
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Nigerian, Chad jets bomb Boko Haram

Hundreds of Boko Haram fighters are attacking Cameroonian troops at a border town with Nigeria, military officers said Wednesday as Ni...