ENYA'S GIST BLOG

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reacted to Thursday’s judgment by the Court of Appeal nullifying the verdict of the election petition tribunal in Osun State. The Election Petition Tribunal in its March 22 ruling declared Mr Adeleke of the PDP as the winner of the governorship election. But the appellate court upheld the return of Gboyega Oyetola of the APC by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the election. The five-member panel of the appellate court led by Jummai Sankey delivered the judgment with three other members of the panel agreeing with the lead judgment. The INEC had last year declared Mr Oyetola winner after a supplementary poll. On Thursday, the two political parties, in two separate statements, reacted to the decision of the appellate court. While the ruling APC expressed excitement over the judgment, the opposition PDP expressed shock and vowed to take the matter before the Supreme Court. “...

The organizers of the Soundcity MVP Music Awards have released the nominees list for its 2018 edition. Here is the full list of nominees: Ayodeji ‘Wizkid’ Balogun, Burna Boy, Tiwa and Davido are the top contenders in the 2018 Soundcity MVP awards. The organisers unveiled the nominees’ lists on Thursday, with Wizkid nominated in most categories. They include Best Male MVP, Best Pop, Best Collaboration, Digital Artiste of the Year, Video of the Year, Listeners’ Choice, Viewers’ Choice and African Artiste of the Year categories. Burna Boy, was the second most nominated, with seven nominations, while Davido had five nominations. The award ceremony, which is scheduled to hold at the Eko Convention Centre on January 5, 2019, will “honour excellent individuals and personalities in the areas of sports, entrepreneurship, creative arts, fashion, digital influence and socio-political development as it ties into entertainment”. Apart from Wizkid, Davido and Burna Boy, others nominated for the...

Prime Minister Theresa May The British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has condemned former prime minister, Tony Blair, accusing him of undermining the Brexit talks by calling for another referendum. Mr Blair has been calling for another referendum on Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU). Ms May frowned at the call, saying a new vote would be a “gross betrayal” of democracy. She said Mr Blair’s comment is an “insult to the office he once held” and a gross betrayal of democracy. She also said MPs could not “abdicate responsibility” to deliver Brexit by holding a new poll. Ms May and her government are opposed to any further referendum, saying the public made a clear choice when they voted in 2016 to leave by a margin of 51.9 per cent to 48.1 per cent. The BBC quotes Ms May as saying: “For Tony Blair to go to Brussels and seek to undermine our negotiations by advocating for a second referendum is an insult to the office he once held and the people he once served. “We cannot, as ...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has said it would not be selling registration forms for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) until January 2019. The spokesperson of the board, Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this to News Agency Tuesday night. He said the board had dropped the idea of starting the sale of the forms in December following the federal government’s reduction in the registration fee, with effect from January 2019. According to Mr Benjamin, candidates have just six weeks to complete their registration once it opens in January. “The attention of the board has been drawn to information going round in some social media that JAMB has already begun the sale of forms for UTME but we are not commencing sale of the forms until January 2019, and the window period will be for six weeks,” he said. He urged prospective candidates to note this period in order not to fall prey to fraudsters. Mr Benjamin said the board would make adequate publicity t...

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared that it would begin an indefinite strike from December 12. The polytechnic lecturers will join their university colleagues who have been on strike for a month. In a phone interview Wednesday morning, the National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse, said the federal government had failed to meet the demands of the polytechnic lecturers. Prior to this impending strike, the union had on October 2 issued a 21-day ultimatum to the government before it extended it to November. But even then, it did not commence the strike. But Mr Dutse said the proposed strike would be “total and indefinite”. “This further emphasizes the resolution of the 93rd National Executive Council meeting reached at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos last week,” he said. “Government has failed to implement and fulfill agreements it reached with the union as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed,” he said. ASUP went on strike in November 2017; but...

Popular Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike, has declared his intention to contest for a seat in the House of Representatives in Imo state. The 51-year-old actor seeks to represent Ideato South LGA of Imo State under the Young Progressive Party (YPP). Mr. Ike who made the announcement on his social media accounts has also shared pictures from his grassroot campaigns. “Campaign up, YPP, youth and masses friendly party. Let’s go fellow masses, YPP is changing the grassroots narrative. Youths, it’s our time,” he wrote. “Real leaders should step out to the centre stage. Let’s sample the stuff u are made of. Not merely sharing money with no content.” He joins the likes of singer, Banky W and actor, Kanayo O Kanayo who have joined the House of Reps race in Lagos and Imo state respectively. The actor has been tagged as one of Nollywood’s ‘Bad boys’ due to his peculiar movie roles. His first major role was in the movie ‘Deadly Affair’ in 1987.

President Muhammadu Buhari has again praised his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, for peacefully handing over in 2015. Mr Buhari in 2015 became the first opposition candidate in Nigeria to win a presidential election after defeating Mr Jonathan. Since then, Mr Buhari has repeatedly commended Mr Jonathan for peacefully handing over. The president reiterated his stance Thursday night when he hosted members of the Kannywood entertainment industry to a dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Mr Buhari, who recalled his political struggles since 2003 when he made his first attempt to clinch the presidential seat, lauded Mr Jonathan for accepting defeat in the 2015 general elections. “I’ll continue to hold former president Jonathan in high esteem as a result of that singular act. “He (Jonathan) was in power as Deputy Governor, Governor (Bayelsa), Vice-President and President, all for about 10 years and he voluntarily accepted defeat and surrendered power to me,’’ he said. ...

Sen. Bukola Saraki Senate President Bukola Saraki has administered the oath of office on Lawal Gumau (APC, Bauchi South) and Ahmed Babba-Kaita (APC, Katsina North), the newest senators in the country. The swearing-in took place at the Senate on Wednesday. Mr Gumau emerged winner of the Bauchi South senatorial election held on August 11. He was declared winner by the returning officer of the election, Ahmed Fadam, who supervised the final collation of the results. Mr. Gumau, who was a member of the House of Representatives, polled a total of 119,489 votes beating his closest rival, Ladan Salihu of the PDP who polled 50,256 votes. He replaces a late senator, Ali Wakili, who died on March 17. Mr Babba-Kaita was declared winner of the Katsina North senatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), scoring 224,607 votes, while his elder brother and a retired customs officer, Kabir Babba-Kaita of the PDP scored 59,724 votes. He replaces a late senator, Mustaph...

Speaker Yakubu Doraga A new member of the House of Representatives, Haruna Isah, who was recently elected in a bye-election to represent Lokoja/Koton-Karfe federal constituency of Kogi State has been administered his oath of office by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara. Mr. Isah won the by-election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacancy created by the death of the former occupant of the seat, Umar Jibrin, on March 30. He polled 26,860 votes to defeat Bashir Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 14, 845 votes. The late Mr Jibrin was until his death, the deputy house leader. Like the new lawmaker, the deceased was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nigerian songstress and Effyzzie Music Group act, Yemi Alade, has come through with the release of another single titled “Oh My Gosh.” The new single comes barely a month after she shared “Elele” produced by Egar Boi. “Oh My Gosh” was produced by Nigerian record producer, DJ Coublon, co-written by Klem and mixed and mastered by Swaps. The love-themed single sees the award-winning singer gushing over a love interest in a way that makes the song quite intriguing. Regarded as one of the most consistent and hardworking female Nigerian acts, Yemi Alade has continued to grow in the industry with little or no scandal attached to her name. Still riding on the success of her earliest groundbreaking single, “Johnny”, the video is currently one of the most viewed in Nigeria with over 93 million views. In his 2013 review of “Johnny,” Nigerian music blogger, Arinze Obikili, said “Johnny might be just what the doctor ordered at this stage in Yemi Alade’s career as she puts herself into the high l...

The former Senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, has said he is not interested in being senate president now. The position of Bukola Saraki as senate president is threatened as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its lawmakers have asked him to resign his position or be removed having defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Sen. Godswill Apkabio Mr Saraki, however, says he would not resign as he believes he still enjoys the support of majority senators. The APC says it still has a slight majority of 53 of Nigeria’s 109 senators. However, two-thirds is constitutionally required to remove Mr Saraki, which means the ruling party would need the support of many opposition senators to achieve that feat, something it is unlikely to get as the race for 2019 heats up. Mr Akpabio, the former PDP leader in the Senate, on Wednesday formally defected to the APC amidst rumors he was promised the senate president’s seat by the ruling party. However, in an inter...

Acting President of the federal republic of Nigeria  Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has described the current political happenings in Nigeria as a battle between the good and bad elements whose aim was to continue suffocating the nation by milking it dry. He said the Federal Government “would not compromise” in the ongoing war against corruption and protection of national interest. Mr Osibanjo made the declaration in Daura on Thursday while addressing thousands of APC loyalists at a campaign rally for Saturday’s Katsina north senatorial district bye-election. He reeled out the achievements of the administration focused on transforming the nation infrastructure like roads, rail lines, agriculture, education, health, security and the fight against corruption. “We will not relent,” he said, adding that no amount of blackmail will stop the government. He used the occasion to call on the electorate in Daura north senatorial district to vote for the APC, noting that the election was necessitated by...

The senator representing Bauchi Central, Isah Misau, has said that senators of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have no plans of impeaching President Muhammadu Buhari. He said this while responding to claims made by a national leader of the All Progressives Party (APC), Bola Tinubu. Mr Tinubu on Wednesday alleged that some members of the National Assembly were planning to impeach President Buhari. He warned the alleged plotters to drop their sinister move, saying it was not “possible for a lizard to wrestle an antelope.’’ He made the claim at the formal defection of ex-Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, in Uyo where he also accused members of the opposition party of only having interest in looting money. “We say Nigerian money belongs to Nigerians. We say Nigerians must be given development. We believe in investing in the people. But they believe in sharing and looting the money. “Today, we are aspiring in our vision, but the Peoples Democratic Party has no vision. They belie...

The ruling All Progressives Congress has launched a scathing attack on the senate president, Bukola Saraki, accusing him of serial crimes and urging senators to do all they could to sack him. The party has been loud in its call for Mr Saraki’s removal since his defection last week to the PDP. It insists the position is for the party with majority members — a position it says it continues to hold despite a string of losses to the PDP. On Wednesday, Mr Saraki vowed to keep his seat, saying he would only step down if he loses the support of majority of senators. In what seems its most acerbic comment on the matter yet, the APC, through its new spokesperson on Thursday, Yekini Nabena, said Mr Saraki was a traitor who betrayed even his new party, PDP, in 2014. “A man who betrayed his father, sister (many times), his party PDP in 2014, the APC in 2015 by conspiring with opposition PDP senators to emerge Senate President, APC administration by sabotaging the executive and defecting to the PDP...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has spoken on the recent sex-for-mark scandal involving lecturers in some Nigerian universities. The President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, a professor, spoke  in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Since April, three Nigerian universities have been in the spotlight, after their lecturers got involved in sexual harassment scandals. These scandals followed actions of female students who opened up on abusive conducts of lecturers towards them in the three universities namely Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; University of Lagos, Akoka and Lagos State University, Ojo. While OAU, the first hit, dismissed the lecturer involved in the scandal, the other two, LASU and UNILAG are still proceeding with investigations. On Tuesday, Mr. Ogunyemi said that sexual harassment involving lecturers is not as rampant as “exaggerated by the public”. “The first thing I will tell you is that it is not as rampant as you think. When you say rampant, it mean...

 I shall be disappointing some people by what I am about to say now. I am still a strong member of the People's Democratic Party and I have no intention of defecting to any party. PDP gave me wings to fly as Governor of Cross River State. Therefore, I cannot afford to revisit the party with such gesture of ingratitude. Senator Liyel Imoke and I have perfected plans to enhance consummate victory for the party in the state says the governor of the cross river state  Prof. Ben Ayade. My constant interaction with the president stems from the fact that he is the president of a country where I head a subsidiary unit, and not the president of a party. Hence, we must cooperate with him for the success of our country. After general elections, politics, in the national scheme, must be relegated to the back burner, while governance must be enthroned. Therefore, the only national party after elections is Nigeria. The entire record of history is quite consistent with the assumption that an...

Singer, Dapo ‘D’banj’ Oyebanjo, said the past few weeks have been incredibly trying and difficult since the death of his son in June. The singer disclosed this when he made his second social media appearance, since the tragedy, on Thursday on Instagram. D' banj Dbanj’s decision to post a photo of himself in thoughtful contemplation has once more sparked a fresh wave of condolence messages from his fans and colleagues. The singer wrote, “The past few weeks have been incredibly trying and difficult, but God’s love has kept me and my family going. I can’t thank my team enough and the incredible love from you all. May God keep us all.” D’banj who has continued to mourn the death of his son was thankful to his family and team for their support. Since his son’s death, D’banj has stayed away from his social media pages until early July when he posted a message wherein he thanked everyone for their unwavering support. In breaking the silence, D’banj posted a pitch-black image on...

A senator, Abu Ibrahim (APC-Katsina) has said peace will be elusive in the Nigerian Senate until its President, Bukola Saraki, relinquishes the position. In an interview with journalists on Thursday, Mr Ibrahim commended Mr Saraki for honourably leaving the All Progressives Congress(APC). However, he asked him to follow up with the next logical deed: by honourably resigning. “I think it is commendable that he has left the party. He has chosen the path of survival because it is the issue of political survival not any thing for Nigeria. Senator . Abu Ibrahim “But next is for him to resign as Senate President, because by all conventions all over the world, the majority party produces the leadership; Senate President, the Majority Leader and others. “Again, let him be gentleman enough and resign as Senate President. “If he does not, we will never have peace in that Senate because it is absolutely clear that APC has majority to produce the leadership. Mr Ibrahim debunked claims that th...

Super Eagles forward, Ahmed Musa, has concluded a transfer from English Premier League side, Leicester City, to Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia. The 25-year-old speedster, who scored two goals for Nigeria at Russia 2018, joined Leicester from CSKA Moscow in 2016 but found it hard to get a regular berth in the team. He moved to CSKA Moscow on loan last January to get match-fit for the 2018 World Cup, for which he started on the bench. There had been news that Claude Puel would keep the Nigerian on the back of the sale of Riyad Mahrez to Manchester City but the French manager has obviously decided that he was surplus to requirements. The Saudi club announced the signing on their Twitter page, #ALNASSR, saying “it signed a four year contract with Nigerian left winger and former @LCFC player Ahmed Musa @Ahmedmusa718, welcome to the Global Club Ahmed!”. There is also an accompanying video that has been viewed more than a million times. In his two-year sojourn with Leicester, he played 33 matche...

Afrobeats musician Femi Kuti pulled off an electrifying show with his band ‘The Positive Force’ at the Central Park, New York on Sunday. Femi, the son of late music legend Fela Kuti, performed the sixth concert in his ‘One People, One World’ global tour at the park which sparked raving reviews from guests. He shared clips of the show on his Instagram page @femiakuti, on Sunday with the caption, “@Summerstage thank you. Thank you New York.” The show was described as the biggest so far in the United States leg of the tour following just concluded shows in Boston, New Jersey and Toronto. Earlier, Femi Kuti and his band had shut down the XPoNential Music Festival in New Jersey where his musicianship was one of the major highlights of the 3-day festival. The XPoNential Music Festival is WXPN’s signature annual concert event that draws audiences from throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, Mid-Atlantic region, and Northeastern US and held from July 27-29. Performing on the River stage, ...