MINISTER OF WORKS WANTS FEEDBACK ON FEDERAL ROADS FROM YOU

 This is an opportunity for you to communicate with him because he will see this. He needs feedback on Federal roads. He says they have done some major roads and he wants to know if you are satisfied with them or not. He also wants you to tell him, if you know any Federal road that needs urgent attention that is not already on their list. Find a short message from him to you below.

Often times, been in a position of authority comes with its own set of challenges. A good example is the bureaucracy that shields leaders from realities on ground. Most times, a minister’s aide(s) might not be his best means of touching base. Hearing directly from the people, without exposing oneself to unnecessary distractions, is the sure way to see and feel what is going on.

I want to hear directly from road users and patriotic Nigerians who desire to join hands with us to make our FEDERAL ROADS better than they are at present. I have created an email account (feedbackmow@gmail.com) through which you can reach me directly to lay your complaints ,proffer suggestions or inform me on just about anything to do with FEDERAL ROADS. However, I will need the following favours: THE PICS AFTER THE CUT

OSHIOMHOLE, TWICE LUCKY, SURVIVES AUTO ACCIDENT

Barely two years after the convoy of Nigeria’s Edo state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole was involved in a fatal motor accident which killed three journalists, the governor has once again survived another serious accident involving his convoy.
The accident occurred today at about 9.45 a.m at Ewu Village, along the ever busy Benin-Auchi highway.
Governor Oshiomhole was on his way back to Benin City from his Iyamho Village where he spent the Christmas holiday.
According to a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Pruince Kassim Afegbua, a Peugeot J5 bus filled with tomatoes and plantain rammed into the Governor’s Flag Car from the opposite direction before swerving into a road side ditch.

WATCH LIST: PRESIDENCY, AMAECHI IN ‘FRESH WAR’

The Presidency and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, are in a fresh war of words over allegations that President Goodluck Jonathan is training snipers and keeping 1,000 people on a watch list.
While the governor stated that he was the number one person on the President’s watch list and that he had evidence to support this assertion, the Presidency said the governor was like a drunken man in a china shop who was only interested in bringing down everybody with him.
The Presidency further dared the governor to prove his allegation.
The governor, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH through his Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Tony Okocha, in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, said that he was waiting for the invitation of the National Human Rights Commission.
Obasanjo had, in a letter dated December 2, 2013, accused Jonathan of putting 1,000 people on a watch list and having a killer-squad. Obasanjo had also accused the President of training snipers. The President has denied these allegations, calling on the former president to provide evidence to back his allegations.

COMEDIENNE, PRINCESS’ SEVEN-MONTH MARRIAGE CRASHES

The seven-month union between ace female humour merchant, Oluwadamilola Adekoya, popularly known as Princess, and Adeshola Jeremiah has crashed as the chubby comedienne said they split due to “irreconcilable differences”.
It was learnt that the marriage had not been a bed of roses as both parties had been having incessant fights, which necessitated family and friends intervening on several occasions.
Princess, a graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Lagos, got married on May 8, 2013. She earlier confirmed the split to an online entertainment site, thenet.ng.
She also confirmed the story to our correspondent in a telephone interview.
Princess said, “It is true, my marriage has ended. We got married in May. We tried to work it out but we couldn’t.

BATTERED PREGNANT WOMAN: LAGOS POLICE ARREST LEBANESE BOSS

The Lagos State Police Command on Friday arrested Kaveh Noine, a manager with Toppan Printing Company, who allegedly kicked his pregnant subordinate, Alexandra Ossai, in the stomach two weeks ago, causing her to lose her pregnancy.
PUNCH Metro had, on Tuesday, exclusively reported that Noine, a Lebanese, travelled out of the country when policemen attached to the Area F Police Division initially went to the company, to invite him for questioning.
Following the publication, President Goodluck Jonathan, had on Friday directed that the police and the National Human Rights Commission investigate the matter, expressing his displeasure over the incident.

SANUSI TO LEAVE OFFICE APRIL 1

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Lamido Sanusi will proceed on retirement leave effective April 1st 2013, two months to the end of his tenure.
It would be recalled that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua nominated Sanusi as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on June 1, 2009 and his appointment was confirmed by the Senate on June 3, 2009. Hence his five year tenure is scheduled to end on June 3rd 2014.
Contrary to speculations that he has been forced to immediately procede on retirement leave, Saturday Vanguard investigations revealed that Sanusi will still be CBN Governor till March 31st.
Though, when contacted, Director of Corporate Communications, Mr. Ugo Okoroafor said he was not aware of the CBN Governor being forced to proceed on retirement leave, a highly placed regulatory official, who pleaded anonymity confirm that Sanusi is scheduled to proceed on terminal leave after March 31st. He however said this is normal, and it is not true that the Governor is being forced to proceed on leave.
“It is a normal thing; some people go on six months, some on three months. So, there is nothing abnormal about it. You cannot force your Central Bank Governor to go on leave, it could damage the economy”, the source said.

MAN SETS OWN WIFE, CHILD ABLAZE IN IBADAN

“He brought out his manhood and asked me to look at it. He said his wife infected him with a disease and that was why his manhood was small. The wife accused him of stealing her money (N14, 000) and he admitted it. He told her ‘didn’t you know I’m a thief?’ Then, he told her she would not live to see the New Year. Then, he picked up a stone and threw it at his wife. Then, we went inside. Soon, we heard the cries of the woman that Baba Gbolahan (Gbolahan’s father) had locked them inside and set the house on fire. The door was forced open. She emerged from the room with just her panties on, clutching her stiff, dead daughter.”
The above is about a woman residing at Labiran area of Ibadan, Oyo State, Mrs Felicia Olalere, with her eight-year-old son, Gbolahan. Both lost their lives in the early hours of Friday after the room they slept was engulfed in fire from an unknown source.
However, residents of the area are alleging that the woman’s husband, known as Muyideen Olalere, carried out the arson.

HIV/AIDS PATIENTS PROTEST OVER ALLEGED KILLER DRUG •INVESTIGATIONS ON –MINISTER

LOOKING at her in the crowd of protesters at the ARV Clinic at the Adeoyo Maternity, Yemetu, Ibadan, Oyo State, it was obvious that the issue at stake was a matter of life and death. The protesters carried placards with the inscription, ‘No to Tyonex!’ ‘People with HIV are dying’, and so on.
Bose Ajamu, a mother of two and a peer counsellor at the US Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Clinic, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, was one of the scores of HIV patients who converged on the health facility to protest continued supply and administration of Tyonex, a brand of ARV medicines containing Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine.
While she could not disclose exactly how she got infected with HIV, Mrs Ajamu, a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) holder, said she tested positive to the dreaded virus in 2003 at the age of 22. Although, her 20-year-old son is aware of her mother’s HIV status, his six-year-old young brother could only recall seeing his mother always taking pills every day after breakfast.

2015: JONATHAN LAUNCHES NEW OFFENSIVE •TAKES CHARGE OF PDP BATTLE PLANS •MEETS OMISORE, FAYOSE OVER OSUN, EKITI POLLS

•Anenih to coordinate Ekiti, Osun guber strategy •Group in secret meeting in Ibadan
AS 2013 ends on a sour note for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan has taken full charge of the party’s battle plans for 2014 both for governorship polls and the primaries holding in the New Year.
Already, Jonathan has met Senator Iyiola Omisore and former governor Ayodele Fayose over Osun and Ekiti governorship elections holding in the third quarter of 2014.
This is against the backdrop of a new command structure already created to allow the president take charge of preparation for the primaries for the 2015 polls, which the electoral commission has announced will take place either in January or February of 2015.
INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, recently announced that the 2015 general elections would hold between January and February, indicating that party primaries would hold in 2014.

PDP CRISIS: MARK STOPS TEN SENATORS FROM DEFECTING TO APC

The gale of defection hitting the ruling Peoples Democratic Party may have been put on hold till January as the Senate President, David Mark, successfully prevailed on over ten senators who had perfected their plots to defect to the All Progressives Congress at the last day of the Senate’s sitting.
Among the senators who were to defect are Hassan Barata and Jibrilla Bindo from Adamawa State, Magnus Abe and Wilson Ake from Rivers State, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi from Kwara State, Mohammed Ali Ndume and Ahmed Zannah from Borno State, Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State and Mohammed Danjuma Goje from Gombe State.
Saturday Mirror investigations revealed that the Senate President had in several meetings with the senators advised them not to rush over the action as was done in the lower chamber. He said rather, they should be guided by the constitution which made the consequences of the action clear.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE A WASTE OF TIME – ELECHI

Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, yesterday opposed the proposed National Dialogue, describing it as “a big joke,” “a waste of time” and “a distraction.”
Governor Elechi. who made his feelings known at his Ndufu Alike country home in Ikwo local government area of the state when the Founding Fathers Forum of Ebonyi State paid him a Christmas visit, noted that the dialogue, apart from posing a distraction to President Goodluck Jonathan’s developmental programmes, would also pose a big threat to the president as the general election approaches.
The governor, an ardent ally of the president, stated these in reaction to enquiries by his visitors on the modalities of selecting delegates from the state and issues that should form their collective stand. But to their surprise, the governor stressed that he would not participate in the exercise.

2014: JONATHAN MUST FACE INSECURITY, CORRUPTION – ACF

As 2014 approaches, leaders of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the South South People’s Assembly (SSPA) yesterday set an agenda for President Goodluck Jonathan and governors of the 36 states of the federation.
In an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the ACF asked President Jonathan to tackle corruption, insecurity, poverty and unemployment, while Afenifere and Ohanaeze said the federal government should ensure the convocation of the proposed national dialogue, to move the country forward.
Through its spokesman, Mr Anthony Sani, ACF told the president to focus his budget on issues of national integration and development.

‘I LEFT DRIVING TO BE MEDICINE MAN FOR KIDNAPPERS’

Until he decided to use his skills and gifts as a medicine man to aid men of shady character, Theo Henry was making his living quite well in another profession. Now, he is a guest of the police.
A renowned native doctor in Enugu State, Theo Henry (not real names) has told the police that working with kidnappers and different categories of men of the underworld is about the most lucrative business he has laid his hands on.
Henry, a native of Umuopu Umueze Igboeze North Local Government Area of the state, was named as one of the native doctors who prepared charms for a kidnap syndicate recently nabbed by a detachment of the Anti kidnapping unit of the state police command. Last week, Saturday Mirror reported that nine suspected kidnappers were arrested by the unit over their roles in the kidnap and eventual death of the wife of a traditional ruler in the state, Igwe of Ogogoro, Queen Adiza.

BUBA MARWA: NYAKO MAY BE THE UNDOING OF APC IN ADAMAWA UNLESS...

Until now, Adamawa looked like a state that the PDP may have serious challenge with in 2015 going by the fact that a good number of the key political figures in the state are now in the All Progressive Congress (APC) or in talks with the party. But the recent decision of the leadership of APC to hand over party structures to governors who defected to the party is now threatening its prospects in future election in the state as major stakeholders in control of party structure believe that the political equation in the state naturally makes Adamawa an exception. Former Military Governor of Lagos and Borno States, Brig-Gen Buba Marwa, who was the gubernatorial candidadate of CPC in the 2011 election in this interview with Daji Sani, gave an insight into the situation within the party and warned their supporters had threatened to leave the party if certain issues were not urgently addressed

EAGLES WILL WIN 2014 WORLD CUP IF… –GURU MAHARAJ JI

In what appears to be a dicey pronouncement which many may want to question, the Spiritual Leader of One Love Family, Satguru Maharaj Ji, who against all odds predicted victory for the Super Eagles at last Nation’s Cup has again stirred the hornet’s nest with his prediction that Nigeria will lift the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
He made the comment in his Spiritual Village, Ibadan while speaking with our correspondent during an exclusive interview on plans to mark his spiritual birthday on January 1, 2014.
However, his latest prediction was predicated on some conditions. “I have said it and nothing will change it. If the Super Eagles handler, Stephen Keshi, shows more love to Maharaj Ji, the true name of the Almighty. He will lead the team to victory that will shock the world.

SAMMIE OKPOSO QUITS COSON

Renowned gospel singer and Glo Ambassador, Sammie Okposo, may have renounced his membership of the Copyright Society of Nigeria, barely two weeks after he criticized the National Broadcasting Commission for its failure to reach an agreement with the collecting society.

A public statement made available to the media on Thursday indicates that the award winning artiste requested COSON to stop collecting royalties and acting on his behalf with immediate effect.

 “I, Sammie Okposo, a proud Nigerian artiste wishes to notify the general public and all stakeholders alike that I have stopped being a member of COSON,” the statement quoted the singer as saying.

MALAWI’S PRESIDENT HEADS TO TB JOSHUA’S SYNAGOGUE

Malawi President Joyce Banda left her country today on a South Africa Airways flight to Lagos, to begin a three-day private visit to Nigeria.
She will be the guest neither of President Goodluck Jonathan nor that of his wife, ‘Mama Peace’ Patience Jonathan.
Rather she is heading to Lagos, where she will, for three days, be the VIP guest of Pastor TB Joshua’s Synagogue of All Nations, to receive prayers for herself and her small country.
At the departure ceremony in Lilongwe today, she said she wanted to use the time to reflect on 2013 and and what lies ahead in 2014. Mrs. Banda is due to face a general election in May 2014.
She told reporters at the Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe that she has been coming to Nigeria for prayers in the last five years, and this visit is normal.
“Some of you may be aware that I go for prayers in Nigeria. This year I also decided to take a three-day holiday for prayers,” she said. She calls TB Joshua her spiritual father.
She was seen off at the airport by VP Khumbo Kachali. And she is expected back in Malawi on new years’ eve.

NIGERIAN ARMY UNVEILS NEW POSTINGS FOR SENIOR OFFICERS

The Nigerian Army Headquarters has released its fourth quarter routine posting and appointment of senior officers.
A statement issued in Abuja on Friday by Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Director of Army Public Relations
said some of the affected officers included: Maj.- Gen John Kwabe, now Chief of Logistics, Defence Headquarters and Maj.-Gen Ugo Buzugbe, Commander, Nigerian Army Armoured Corps,
It also named Maj.- Gen. Ebiobowei Awala, Military Secretary (Army), Maj.- Gen. Olufemi Adeosun, Director of Policy, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. John Nwaoga, General Officer Commanding 3 Division.
Others are Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence of Information, Maj.-Gen. Sunday Adebayo, Commander, Nigerian Army Education Corps and Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Idris, Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy.