NIGERIA'S PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

THE KODAK MOMENTS

Here are the FLICKS from the Presidential Inauguration. A big thanks to freelance photographer Johny Greig for providing the lovely pictures. You ROCK Johnny. Please do not reuse or repost any of these pictures without permission. I will be back with juicy details and commentary on the event. WOW!!! GUYS LIKE JOKE LIKE JOKE ... WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT O. And there were no RIOTS, mass killing, religious or tribal conflict just a rigged election. Boy can I live with that or what!?! It's an odd feeling and quite surreal because as a Nigerian you've grown up never knowing if these things will happen. Anyways let me know what you think about the pictures and if you have trouble accessing them.

Meanwhile looks like the folks over at BBC spend a lot of time on our dear Naija blogville. Check out this article on BBC.COM. Hmh... what does that say about our blog world. Can we become a voice to reckon with on issues and Nigerian politics in the international arena?

YALE LOSES TEMPER WITH KULUTEMPA

Congratulations Singto!!!!

My darling Singto aka Kulutempa is finally getting kicked out of Yale. Hooray!! You Go Girl. You are officially smart. Bet you didn't think 2 years would go by so fast. Unfortunately I can't be there for all the festivities. Ndidi and Des and everybody else who's going, ya'll need to take mad pictures and call me to tell me all about it. LUV YOU HON!!! CONGRATS AGAIN!!!



Meanwhile I am in Abuja once again. This time for the inauguration events. I was at some TOTALLY ND RADICALLY boring dinner Sunday night. The president was there with Yardy and Goody (trying to find some funky names for them before somebody comes up with something razz like Baba or Oby!?!) and even Shaggy (former president Shagari). It was surreal. As in I was finally able to see these cats that I have been reading about for ages in text books and newspapers. They were LIVE AND DIRECT... Hair, eyes, nose and fingernails. I came so close that I over heard them debating what to do next, whether to go and have proper dinner at someone's house or where to hang out. Basically a 'WHERE THE HELL'S THE AFTER PARTY DAMMIT' kinda conversation. At moments like that you tend to forget how much you dislike these guys for their poor leadership and misgovernment and become what a fan is to a rockstar. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to psyche myself out of my daze and back to paparazzi mode that I MISSED MY MONEY SHOT. May be next time, but here's Shaggy up close.

And here's me with the lovely and ageless Onyeka Onwenu. Isn't she just so cute and adorable.


Being the nosey amebo that I am, I am observing all the political animals of our country jockey for and contemplate positions in the new government. It just reminds me of a hollywood casting call. Each individual, an actor coveting a particular role. Plug in the right names and you have a full credit roll that rivals a blockbuster hit. The scenario is even complete with a casting couch in front of Baba's office. It's interesting to watch, listen and take all in. Some Deep stuvvs. No wonder some appointments just don't add up sometimes, and you just wonder. Anyways while I am here I too might as well join the band wagon...abi no be so. Shiiiiioooooo!!! The position me I want is official PRESIDENTIAL TOWN CRIER and Singto since you are now jobless, I will then hire you as my Senior Special Adviser to the Presidential Town Crier. Sheerruuup my friend, do you know the salary comes in 6 figures and a dollar sign. Lol.

FATHER -DAUGHTER TEXT HUMOR

This was too funny I had to post it. This was a text message exchange between my dad and my sister. My sister is stuck in Asaba, Delta State doing her NYSC. She was posted to the Ministry of Works and Mines and you all know how 'ministry work' tends to be like in our dear country.

Onyenachi: Fada! Just incase u haven't noticed, i have been sending texts to you because I don't have much credit to call. As the case may be, your daughter is low on cash. Moreover as a fellow 'civil servant', government has not paid us. They say they will pay at the beginning of June. Besides I am tired of this place. They are wasting time and money posting me here because I do absolutely nothing all day except smile... more like hiss and roll my eyes at people.

DAD: Onyi, thanks for ALL the mails. Well...our own month is 40 days but I will see what I can do to save you from starvation. But for now DRINK WATER. God Bless.

ADDY'S FIRST ABUJA TRIP -- PART 3

NIGERIA MUSIC AWARDS AND THE JUVY RUNS

All I can say is Wow. Well may be those who were not juvenile and irresponsible like I and Isis would have something different to say. Anyways the show started at 11.45pm instead of 8pm. Apparently, the President and his P-D-P cronies were having their last retreat in the Obasanjo administration and stayed at the Convention center for ever. I ended up wearing my ‘Yellow BCBG dress’ from last summer that I had packed just incase. I know, Faux pas, but I was not going to pay N800 to Le Meridien to get my other dress ironed. We raced through the red carpet portion. I hate those. We found our people and got seated. Isis went to work. By the time we got to the 3rd award, after a VERY long BORING skit by Ramota and Chief Zebrudaya, Addy was half asleep. Isis got back and we agreed that we definitely had to gerrouta there. At this point I shall plead the 5th and stick by our story, which is we were just going to the bathroom and would be outside in the car thereafter getting some fresh air. I mean we had to make up for 45 minutes of no oxygen. We came back on time to see Tuface pick his Song of the Decade award. By now it was like 3am. Isis finished up and we all hit town once more. By now I was tired and decided to turn in shortly after that at around 4.30am.

ABUJA OF NO PURE WATER SACS

This is the cleanest place I have ever been to in Nigeria. Not a single pure water sac or seller, no hawkers, NO OKADA riders, no traffic, no yellow buses, no loud speakers blaring Fuji music, there were more trees than houses, more hills than high rises and clean air. Now I see what Singto had been raving about. In fact I want to move. I hate Lagos now. Hmh... With the new administration coming in and everyone jockeying for positions and stuff, may be I need to go to a street corner in Maitama or the gate of Aso Rock with a sign that reads ‘Hire Me.’ Lol. It is that serious. May be when Silverbird completes its new multiplex cinema in Abuja I will lobby my way up north. Or better yet SINGTO find a job in Abuja so that I can come and visit you every other weekend. We can have the best of both worlds. Gosh why can’t Lagos be half like Abuja? Is there anyone in the Action Congress in Lagos that can be like El Rufai whom Fashola can appoint to bring Lagos out of the trenches? And with a new president, will that mean they would release more funds to Lagos because as I understand it Baba and Tinubu are like oil and water and hence federal funding was not coming fast. I mean should Lagos not be treated and run like a country? Anyways I am sure I’ll be back in Abuja sooner that you can say Jack Robinson. If you haven’t been make sure you make an effort on your next trip to Nigeria. It is just something different from the craziness of the likes of Lagos, Benin and Port Harcourt. I mean it was so pinching me that on my return flight I looked out the window as we flew over Lagos. When I saw the shanty buildings, smking dumpsites, yellow buses and traffic, my heart sank and I was like "WHAT DA HELL IS DIS?" Hopefully I'll be back for the inauguration but I hear the place will not be for the meek.

LEAVING ABUJA AND MEETING ADONIS
Sunday came around and it was time to go. The others in the crew were not doing anything special so I decided to accept a friend’s invitation to breakfast at the Hilton. I left my suitcase with ‘protocol’ and told him that I would meet the crew at the airport. Protocol had gone ahead and gotten us all tickets on Aero Contractor. I was meant to be at the airport at 1pm to make it for the 2pm flight. I am enjoying breakfast and the conversation and didn’t realize when it was 12.30pm. My friend now calls the driver, who takes his sweet time to arrive and I leave at 12.45pm. Now the airport is a good 30 minutes away and considering I had already irritated protocol the night before, I was all like ‘OMG they’ll never take me anywhere, ever again.’ Isis sends me the first text, ‘Dude, where u at…I’m 10 minutes out, please stall for me….Adaure, where are you? They’ve left me here and gone inside….I am at the Virgin Counter but I don’t see you…. Gurl it is Aero come back around to the domestic side.”

I finally get there and I put on my sunglasses to hide my face, because my stunt had been a bit to diva-ish and my behind could have been left in Abuja in a heart beat. I check in by 1.30 and go into the waiting area. Eventually everyone relaxed and we were all back to having our conversation. Then ADONIS WALKS BY……. Addy’s cute guy radar antenna goes beep beep. I try to find Isis to radio toe cute-guy alert but she was not getting my signal. We then start boarding and I totally forget about Adonis because I was thinking, this dude just strolled in at like 2pm so he was not likely on my flight. Boy was I sooo wrong. When we were at the bottom of the stairs, there he was at the top, chest all cut ‘kush-kush’ like Johnny Bravo, muscles like Pop-Eye and a smile like John Smith. I alert Isis and another friend for their appraisal and approval. We all agreed he was a major piece of hotness. We get on the plane and he gets up from his seat and we are all scoping. I am trying so hard to avoid his eyes because the grin on my face was just too wide. Anyways this is where the other juvenile story comes in. Gosh, when am I gonna grow up man….27 and still behaving like a giddy 15, not even 17 year old. It can be cute sometimes but even I am beginning to get irritated by myself. Lol. Anyways through out the flight we were all contemplating how we’ld get my note from our seat 14 E to his seat 17 E inviting him to lunch. It was like Rocket Science ya’ll. I can hear some of you saying oh that’s so desperate… I know. But you have to chuck the pride sometimes, be bold and just do it like NIKE. So I try to get the attention of the air hostess, at least she would understand the need to not let this opportunity pass by. But why did the Air host answer instead. Now considering he is an African man and I am an African woman, I am not sure the host would have been pleased to be passing the note across for us. So we decide that we need to come up with another plan. So I am like hey why don’t I write his seat number and ‘pass it on’. I forgot that not every Nigerian went to a school where ‘pass it on’ was the norm, or even knew what it was. The note finally got to 17 E not before everybody on the plane knew that we were passing a note. I am telling you we were laughing so hard that tears started running down our eyes. The guys sitting next to ‘Adonis’ also got to read the note and were laughing and looking to see who was the ‘lady in pink’. LOL. I guess they were tripped we actually passed the note.

Moments later, I get a text message. HA!!! MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ACCOMPLISHED. Then when the plane stopped, Isis starts playing ‘Summer Nights’ from the Grease soundtrack and we kept laughing really laughing hard. It was my best flight in ages. Meanwhile protocol highly irritated by our typical high school chicks’ antics left us and went on the first bus. But Mr. Nigeria was gentleman enough to wait for us. We get our luggage only to find out that LASTMA had towed our protocol bus. LOL. Isis ended up taking us home. Turns out, Adonis is from Israel. Dejavu all over again. Israeli dudes must be really cute because the last dude I pulled that ‘pass it on’ stunt just last month on was from Israel as well. I am going to have to retire that M.O and find something else. Turns out that dude was a hardliner and started railing on the Palestinian and talking about how he used to be in the IDF and how Palestinians are this and that. I was like well after talking with my Palestinian friends in college, I can under stand where they are coming from and while I respect your views and opinion I’d have to say it’s probably only adding o the reason there’s no peace in the Middle East. It only recently occurred to me that could possibly be the reason I ain’t heard from the hommie after that. Ha!ha!!ha.!!! Such a trip. His loss and good riddance because I got a bit scared about his ‘previous job description’ YIKES!!. But back to Adonis, he was like he had spotted me at the airport (my laughter was carrying…just a bit loud) but he didn’t know how to come up to me because I was with my friends. Hmh...BS or not? Anyways he was like thanks for the note and blah blah blah blah blah. We’ll see what happens but ya’ll know what they say about black girls and Jewish boys. Uh Hmh!!

Meanwhile it's Wednesday and I am surprised I have not seen the story of our ordeal in the papers yet considering a number of press people were onboard. I am surprised PUNCH, whose staff also nearly fainted did not report it yet(may be it was buried in the business section). I am counting on City People not to disappoint in their May 29 edition. Hopefully they will not make it one of their 'fluff-stuff' stories and really indict and call out Chanchangi for their BS. Unfortunately this is Nigeria law suits are mere formalities and media bashing and bombardment is usually what gets the best result. However the truth is that news editors get paid off not to run stories and if we continue allowing these people get away with it, people will continue dying.

ADDY'S ABUJA TRIP -- PART 2

THE PRESSURE COOKER PLANE

This is where the real drama comes in, and I swear I don’t make these things up and I don’t understand why I attract so much drama. The plane had been chartered by the Nigerian Music Awards organization to take press and celebs to Abuja. It was called…you CAN’T believe it…SOUL FLIGHT. I believe it was supposed to be a Virgin Atlantic flight because that’s what had been advertised, but I suspect the deal must have fallen through at the last minute. We finally boarded the plane at 4.30pm only to get in and find it steaming hot inside. One interesting thing I have noticed with Nigerians is the way we access and react to situations. While other people do the boiling point thing, Nigerians are more optimistic and start with cracking jokes about the situation, in hopes that it would get better. Then they go to reality mode where they realize that this thing is no longer funny. You ear phrases like, ‘de tin don get k-leg’, ‘e don comot for jolomi o’ and ‘odikwa risky’. Then you hear them asking questions. Then finally the third stage sets in when it turns into anger and a free for all fist fight for dear life. That was what Addy and Isis found themselves stuck in the middle of. The plane was so freaking hot people were sweating profusely and had to take off their clothes. The ChanChangi pilot and the cabin crew refused to open the door or turn on the air. They said when they turn the engine on that the air would kick in. Ok o. We were patient enough for that. Then some random people that didn’t look like press or celebs. People started getting upset that Chanchangi was selling the empty chairs just to fill up the plane. Basically, selling seats that had already been bought. Floozies!!!!! Meanwhile the cabin was getting hotter and hotter.

By now we had spent up to 30 minutes in the air compressed cabin and everyone was panting for air in the sweltering heat. The pilot starts moving the plane, that’s when all hell broke lose. It is bad enough that flying in Nigeria is traumatic and stressful. Not only was the plane’s rattle raising my blood pressure, looking under the seat to see no life vest really bothered me. My heart rate went up, sweat beads rolling down my face, my nails tapping the arm set. Effiong one of the producers then draws our attention to his broken seat belt. I then called the crew hostess to tell her that I wanted to get off the plane because I was very hot and will not fly under the condition. She was like Ok be patient we will soon take off. Then I told Isis and Alozie, one of our radio producers who is much older, that I was seriously not feeling well.

Before I knew it, tears started rolling down my eyes, my chest was burning and I started gasping for breathe and hyperventilating. I jumped up from my seat and started yelling ‘I need some oxygen PLEASE!!!” I think fear and panic coupled with the heat overcame me. I made my way to the front where the oxygen tank was. There were only two. Isis got one of the safety instruction cards and started fanning me. I swear I must have gone blank. But I could hear cameras clicking and all that flashing was blinding. Isis, realizing this was probably going to end up in something like City People, tries to step between me and the ‘paparazzi’. Effiong and Alozie make their way to the front. By now there was pandemonium on the lane and the pilot was not saying anything over the radio. The crew members were just as retarded. People were kicking on the cock pit door and threatening to open the cabin door if they did not stop the plane. Apparently the pilot was taxing back to the tarmac but because he was not saying anything to calm the passengers down or control the situation we got all panicky.

Moments later another reporter from the Punch Newspaper also starts hyperventilating and nearly faints. They carried her to the front o use the other oxygen tank. Then another guy also starts cursing and shouting that he could not breath and he got very angry and emotional and rushed to the cock-pit like a lunatic screaming, “Open the F—ing door, Stop this F—ing plane, I am dying, I can’t breathe.” As he kicked, my ear was just right next to where he was kicking. I was crying, Isis was also crying and we were already like, ‘Dang we are going to die today if this plane takes off.’ Some guy in the back(Marvelous Benji) seeing how this other dude was behaving thought he was going to open the cabin door while the plane was in motion, now came and grabbed the dude in a choke-hold basically. This only made matters worse because the dude, as small as he was found energy from no where to struggle free. He punched and kicked and of course trust Nigerians to forget that this is some one who is under crisis and is fighting for air.

Anyways 'Marv' and some of his friends also got angry and you can imagine what happened, keeping in mind that these guys had been shacking (drinking) beer all afternoon. The started fighting on the plane, eventually we get to the tarmac and the cabin door opens. You should have seen how people just rushed out the door gasping and gulping air like it was Fanta. People forgot their things on the plane. Meanwhile, the men and the ChanChangi people had rushed ahead for the free for al fight. Everyone was asking what was going on. Then all we saw were some odd number off black clothed hungry looking police men and the white shirts of the ChanChangi and Federal Aviation Authority people. We get to the terminal and we are like we need our luggage to gerrout of this place. The airline folks refused to give it to us. Kate Henshaw who was also on the flight was also telling them to give her her bags, but they refused. So we all waited patiently as they said they would go and bring another plane. As if we are talking about molue or luxurious buses.

Anyways we had spent 45 minutes on board with out air and by now it was like 5.45pm. The drama and shouting continued going on with no end in sight. I spotted some guy who had a camcorder and started coaching him on what to do. Obviously I had come back to my senses and back to reporter mode. Then at one corner I see Effiong in the middle of a scuttle with the ChanChangi people. I think he had tried to play voltron for the dude who could not breathe and got jumped on. So like Spider Woman I think quickly enough to go there and try to get him out of the mess, as per woman now, they will calm down small. Some how it worked but not after the look on my face changed and I yelled and cursed sternly at the people who were trying to rile Effiong up again.

Then I go and find the police officer in the biggest GSB-Aviators (Go Slow Bones… you know the designer knock-off $2/N200 sunglasses they hawk on the streets during traffic. Don’t worry; I have one or two hot ones. Lol) I start narrating calmly all that had happened because it didn’t seem like any resolution was coming. As Isis and I are telling him the story, he is like, ‘Ehn…is dat so... you don’t mean it…geesus….ok I am coming.’ He goes off to make a call. Then another guy from the FAAN comes to us to get a statement and find exactly what happened. To cut the long story short. Chanchangi kicked off the paying passengers, ran the engine of the plane, topped off gas and told us to get back on the plane. We reluctantly got back since they refused profusely to off-load our baggage. We all have a little ‘profession ethics’ discussion amongst ourselves and were like should we get back on considering we had a job to do…actually everyone did, except me. I was just tagging along. Anyways we all got back on (kicking myself for knowingly risking my life at this point) but this time we had some CHURCH up in that plane. Zakky Azzay, who I guess is now a gospel artists prayed this powerful prayer and we clapped and calmed down. There was a little air this time. By now it was like 7.20pm. By the time we got to the take off runway, a voice comes from over the radio, ‘Ladies and gentle men, ya attenshon plis. Unfachoonatly dis plane will not be goin’ to Abooja. The minister of Aviation has ordered dis plane to tern around. So we are going back to the terminal plis.” PHEW!!! You could hear everyone on the plane heave a sigh of relief and clap. SAVED!!!

GETTING TO ABUJA…VIRGIN NIGERIA TO THE RESCUE
We get off the plane and get on the bus to the old terminal as we had originated from the new terminal. Some how we eventually get our luggage after hounding several Chanchangi and FAAN people (notice how I type ChanChangi often, just so that all Google hits will point to this page) I call a friend who works at the Virgin counter and Effiong calls another who was about boarding the 8pm Virgin Nigeria flight. We are still at the old terminal at 7.45pm and needed to get to the international airport. We get an Airport Taxi for N1,500. We told the driver that if there was ever a time that he need to do some rough ‘gra-gra’ driving, this was the time. We got the Virgin counter in just roughly ten minutes breathing and panting heavily. We asked if the flight was still on ground and that we had made reservations blah, blah, blah. The lady was like ‘Sorry, the gate has close and the plane will be leaving soon.’

OOOHH NOOOOO!!!! Come and see us begging. We begged and begged and begged. But all they said to us was NOPE!! We are not taking anymore passengers. Then she said if we really want to go tonight that Bellview had an 8.45 flight and that the sooner we make our way back to the old domestic terminal the better. Was this a sign that we weren’t supposed to go on this trip? I mean everything that could go wrong was going wrong. So we were like, shocks, I guess no Abuja and with our long gloomy faces we made for the sliding doors. As we walked out the door, Isis is like ‘OMG that’s Yemi!!” I am like who the hell is that?

Apparently she knew this fella through some six degrees of separation type link (WHOA!! I just had a Eureka moment here…is that where Six Degrees North at Bacchus gets its name from or is it a coincidence? Hmh… that’s deep. Totally rad...Back to the story) He was one of the directors at Virgin… ‘A Virgin Big Boy.’ Kai…GOD You 'IS' wonderful. Isis starts telling him about our ordeal and how we needed to be on that flight. He was amazed and shocked by our story that he ‘felt pity’ for us, waved his friends off and was like ‘Come with me.’ You can guess what happened and it went something like this…

‘Bisi…is the plane still on the ground? Yes Sir….Get these people on it right now… But sir the gate is closed … Nkechi dis is Yemi we have 3 more passengers please open the gate…But their bags sir…Musa check their bags at the plane otherwise they can go on board with it… Yes Sir… Collect their money and issue them a boarding pass… what about their ticket sir… deal with that later, just get them on that flight….yes sir.

Luckily for me I had gone to the bank two weeks ago and had money and I helped my colleagues out. We counted N45, 000, dumped it on the counter with the ticketing lady and ran to the gate like a lion was chasing us. E got on board panting and laughing with joy. Apparently the pilot had announced to the passengers that there was a slight delay and some more passengers were being expected and he apologized. So when we walked aboard looking all crazy, some woman just hissed loudly. ‘PSHIIIIEEEEWWWW…iz even SILVA-BED people.” When she said that we were like, “Ah madam no talk like that o, if you know what we have gone through today you will thank God we are here, Chanchangi wanted to boil us alive.’ We settled down and started narrating our amazing ordeal to the attentive ears of the other passengers and cabin crew members. The flight took off at about 8.40pm. They gave us food, drinks and most importantly REFRIDGERATED OXYGEN. We slept like babies on the flight and got to Abuja at around 9.30pm. We were so happy and I finally was in this city called Abuja that I had never ever been to before. Paradise. As in can I relocate to Abuja or what? Anyways Virgin Nigeria and Yemi came to our rescue; he get's Addy's hero of the month award. So if anyone knows this Yemi please say a big thank you to him and give him a big hug for rescuing Addy and Friends. But just because he hooked us up doesn’t now mean that you too should go and be looking for Yemi at Virgin to hook you up. You might just get bundled out by airport security.

ADDY'S ABUJA TRIP -- PART 1

Pressure Cooker Plane, Nigeria Music Award, Juvy Runs etc

It would be an understatement to say my first trip to Abuja was JUST an interesting experience. First of all I thank God I am able to write this blog because the trip sapped out all my energy and Lord know what would have been the headlines had things gone according to plans. Despite all the comedies of error it was so much fun and filled with silliness. So what do you want me to start with? The sizzling (no pun intended) drama or the highly irresponsible juvenile aspect. Oh boy....am I gonna get implicated in some queries or what? Ok well I’ll start from the beginning as I remember it all. Keeping in mind that some portions of the story remain a blur (I’m killing it with the puns) to me.

THE DREAM
So on Monday I had a dream that I could not put a finger on. I was in a plane and the plane was in distress. The tail of the plane was blue with the logo CAL and then ADC. This didn’t make any sense to me because at the time I was not planning on going anywhere. So I said a quick prayer, went back to sleep and disregarded it. Then on Tuesday evening I bumped into a co-worker and he mentioned the trip to Abuja for the Nigerian Music awards and I was like ‘Awww….I wanna go too,’ considering the fact that I had the weekend off and would probably have ended up no place else other that the great and infamous 6 degrees North At Bacchus. I always want to call it BC 360 after my favorite show on CNN, AC360. How cheesy. Anyways, my co-worker said he’ll get back to me Wednesday when things would be finalized and let me know if he got a slot for me. Honestly, I didn’t think it was going to happen because I really didn’t have to be there. The only excuse I was trying to use to get a ticket was that I was going to chaperone the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and Mr. Nigeria (in reality I probably was the one who needed chaperoning). So I totally forgot about it, may have sent a text or an email as a reminder but by the close of workday Thursday I had totally forgotten about it and made plans for the weekend with anther co-worker. But on Thursday night around 11.30 p.m’ish I get a call. “Adaure I got you on the flight, be at the airport at noon at the ChanChangi counter for the 1pm flight.” DA HELL!!! Not that damn airline!! Remember my last ordeal with them? Yeah… My heart sank. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to cop out or ask what happened to the Virgin Atlantic flight. I was also very sleepy as I had to wake up at 4am the next morning to go to work. So I call one of the youth corper who works with me to let her know that I would not be at work and that I am going to Abuja. She suggested I pack right then, but darn it, I needed to sleep. So I set my alarm for 3am instead. I wake up, pack, go to work and was done by 10.30am. Apparently there were 9 of us from the company going to this event; the entertainment crew, radio reporter, protocol, the king and queen and then me. Isis, the presenter for Entertainment Weekly calls me and is like, ‘Oh my Gawd, my tailor totally messed up, my dress is not ready, please help me pick up another dress in Ikoyi at Teema Towers.” I am like ok it is 10.30 so I am sure I can spare 30 mins to get the dress. Little did I know. Traffic from Lekki to Victoria Island was heavy and by the time I got to Ikoyi it was already 11.15. I looked around for the place to no avail. None of those mallam-maigadi gate men and okada riders seemed to know where this place was. As in how can you be a security guard and you don’t know where certain places are in your neighborhood.

Anyways I eventually left Ikoyi and tried to get to the airport. I knew I was not going to make it there by noon but I was shooting for 12.15. We were doing 120 kilometers per hour on Third Mainland Bridge only to hit traffic in Gbagada. We tried to cut off at Anthony Village but upon getting to Oshodi we hit another road block. We eventually make it to Ikeja, yet another bumper to bumper traffic on Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way. How about I got to the airport at 1.15pm because for some odd reason there was some serious traffic all over Lagos. If this had been a Virgin Atlantic flight I probably would have missed it. Isis meanwhile lives in Ikeja and trying to do the ‘I live near the airport’ Diva moves, leaves her house around 12.15 pm. She got to the airport around 1.45pm. Well the good thing was that the plane was still on the ground and people were still ‘strutting’ in. You know how it is with ‘these celebs’. They like to take their sweet time. And of course we waited forever…forever, ever, for ever ever.

ADDY THE READING MACHINE

FORGET THE WEDDING WEBBIES, BOOKS ARE SO THIS SEASON

Hey folks,

I have basically become the lean mean reading machine of Lagos. I have purchased nearly every book in the 'nigerian' fiction section of Nu Metro. Went to a book fair at Unilag last week and bought three books, which I will blog about when I finish with them. Oh by the way Kaine Agary who wrote Yellow-Yellow will be at Nu Metro at the Silverbird Galleria on Saturday the 19th. I am not sure what time but if you get there early you can catch a movie or grab some popcorn. Back to my gist. So yeah so I am bouncing off the wall with my thing for books. So here's what I am reading now and trust me this book is HOT and STEAMY with drama and that's just chapter 1,2 and 3. I had to force myself to go to bed at 10pm, 2 hours later than usual for a Thursday night, since I have to be at work at 5am on Fridays. The thing that s pissing me off though is that this book has been in circulation for a while and NOBODY thoughtto tell me there was good book such as this one in existence. Good because of the topic it deals with. I decided to google the author up to see what has been said about him and the book. Here's what's on Molara Wood's Blog. As in it is so stale that I am embarrassed to be buzzing about it. There's nothing as annoying as rocking last season's fashion and it applies to books too. I am sure you are wondering who I am talking about and what book. It's Jude Dibia's Walking in Shadows.

(***oops wrong picture***)

The book tackles homosexuality in Nigeria and contradictions in heterosexual love and relationships. HAA!!! This dude is BOLD and a genius for going where many refuse to go either because of their own prejudices, hypocrity or the fear of backlash. With all the Sharia fever in this country. And how did the government not ban the book with all the fiasco they were creating in the senate over the issue. Is that a sign of progress or that was an oversight. That is just fascinating and I AM ONLY ON CHAPTER 3. I am afraid of what other drama is in the book. And ofcourse a very ignorant and drama concentrated me keeps wondering whether the author is gay or not. Not that it matters, I just need to satisfy my curiosity (anyone with the inside scoop?) Well that's all I can say about the book for now so that I don't spoil it for you guys. I trust you will go and grab a copy. if you are a curious cat like myself see more in this interview with Onyeka Nwelue a blogger. I am off to ABuja for the Nigeria Music Awards, which I trust Bella Naija will have an update on before the show ends. Keep it up gurl. I am sure i'll be done with the book by the time I return on Sunday so probably we should get to discussing this book by next week. If you have already read it please feel free to post your comments on the book. Jude Dibia's second book UNBRIDLED is also in stores now and I gather it's really good. Yes you guessed it, I have a copy already. HA HA HA

I FINISHED THE BOOK…FINALLY
Half of A Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie

So I finally got to the end of this WONDERFUL book just now and I had to jump for joy and pat my self on the back several times. I am probably the only one left in blogville who hadn’t finished the book until now. WHOOPPPIITTTYYY!!!!! I have to say it again that Ms. Adichie is GIFTED. I swear I had to restrain myself from finishing the book. Can you imagine that I started reading the book in September or October. When I saw how good the first few chapters were, I decided that I had to save it for my long flight to Nigeria. When I saw I had gotten to the middle without even noticing all the noisy babies on the plane, I closed the book and decided to watch a few movies. Then on my trip back from Port Harcourt, I attacked it again. I totally forgot that I was in public and I started talking to myself, saying the ‘eyah’s and chai’s as I engrossed myself, trying not to miss every drama. In fact I got to the part where the main character Olanna slept with her twin sister’s white boyfriend after she had found out that her husband had slept with the village girl his mean mother brought to take her place, I fell back into my airport lobby chair with a loud gasp and started punching the air like, ‘Oh No She Didn’t!!!’ When I realized I was not in bedroom I pulled myself together and continued reading. Then some guy came up to me and was like ‘That must be a very interesting book.’ I smiled and was like you are right on the money buddy. I don’t want to give anything away so I will not talk about anything else. If you have not read Half of A Yellow Sun you are an ULTIMATE SLACKER. Chi-chi my girl, RAWK ON!!! I AM AWAITING BOOK NUMBER 3 ALREADY!!!! I trust you can’t disappoint.

Meanwhile I have been doing Yoga on the floors of the Nu-Metro book store going through which book to spend money on. Last week I spent so much on books. For the very first time I didn’t calculate to get the dollar equivalent, however I did drop that overpriced book by Mr. Leke Alder. It was a cool book and well conceived but I had a ‘WTF You Gotta Be Kidding’ expression when I dropped it because ol’boy just turned some randomness into a cool-book. Vision and money can do a lot.

This brings me to my latest Litrary conquest. Gosh I am having a field time with all the ‘contemporary Nigerian Literature’. I just finished Kaine Agary’s Yellow-Yellow yesterday.


I shocked myself when I finished it in a space of 16 hours. How I found time in between work is beyond me but I did it. Does that mean I am inching closer to my Mills and Boon 8 hour reading speed days? Anyway Yellow-Yellow is also a pretty good book. Very simple if not entirely but still captures the essence of the Niger-Delta oil-conflict and what life is like for a biracial Ijaw girl. Her story is sort of like a focal point for many biracial children in the region whose coming into existence and being can make for a GREAT RESEARCH TOPIC. The book generally deals with the ‘tragic-mullato’ concept as well as the ‘aristo chick’ syndrome. Anyways I just don’t quite have the right words just yet but here’s what someone had to say about the book on Amazon’s website.

Reviewer: Kente Johnson "i am the world" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

"What happened?"
"Oil"
These words, in the opening chapter of Yellow-Yellow, are in a nutshell the story of Zilafeya. Agary's novel tells the story of a young girl from the oil-rich Delta region of Nigeria. Her mother's attempts to make a living destroyed by oil - pollution and spills - Zilafeya leaves the village of her birth to seek a better life for herself in Port Harcourt.

As we follow Zilafeya on her naive journey, our eyes are opened to many aspects of Nigerian Delta life and how oil has happened to it - to the environment, to the pockets of multi-nationals and politicians, and to the villagers who try to make a life out of the oil-soaked land.

Once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down. Agary's descriptive writing style makes the story real, without being preachy about the situation in and history of this region. It's a book that you will want to pass on to your friends when they ask you for a good book to read. It's a book that you will quote when having conversations about relationships, about nigeria, about oil. I LOVED IT!!!


Make sure you include Yellow-Yellow on your summer reading list. If you want I can RENT you my copy. Lol. But check it out on Amazon. It’s only but $12 bucks. My next conquest is Dear Eliza by Esosa Daniel-Oniko.




SUPPORT OUR SISTERS!!!!!!!

NIGERIA GETS NEW PRESIDENT

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

Nigerians now have a new president in the person of Umar Musa Yar’ Adua. He garnered over 24 million votes in the April 21st presidential election. Mohammed Buhari came in second with 6 million votes, while Atiku Abubakar got over 2.6 million votes. Others in the race like Emeka Ojukwu got over 150 thousand votes, Chris Okotie received about 84,000 votes while Pat Utomi got about 50,000 votes. YAR’ADUA secured the highest votes in Rivers, Edo, Delta, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Osun, Enugu and six other states. BUHARI however won in Kano, Borno and the FCT while ATIKU emerged victorious in Lagos. The final results of the presidential poll were announced by INEC Chairman, Professor MAURICE IWU who is also the Chief Returning Officer. Yar'adua and his vice Goodluck Jonathan will be sworn in on May 29, 2007. Let's hope they bring change to the country with this mandate considering the fact that they are off the academic breed and should know BETTER!!! (We'll see about that sha.. all I know is that I want constant power supply, better roads and NO TRAFFIC)

======================
ELECTIONS

Meanwhile, the ANPP and A.C. presidential candidates, ATIKU ABUBAKAR and MUHAMMADU BUHARI have vowed not to accept the results of Saturday’s poll. The duo said the ruling PDP rigged the elections in several states. Speaking with newsmen in Yola, ATIKU alleged that the elections were marred by widespread irregularities.
According to him, seventy percent of Nigerians were disenfranchised because of late arrival of election materials in many states.


===========================

ELECTIONS

In a related development, opposition parties are to meet today to review the outcome of the general elections. The parties are also to fashion out an appropriate response to the current political situation in the country.

=======================

The Bauchi state governor, ADAMU MUAZU of the PDP has lost his bid to win a senatorial seat. He was defeated by the ANPP candidate.
However, Governors SAMINU TURAKI, of Jigawa, ADAMU ALIERO of Kebbi, CHIMAROKE NNAMANI of Enugu and GEORGE AKUME of Benue succeeded in wining the senatorial election in their respective states.
==============================
DABIRI

Despite being given another mandate to represent the Ikorodu Lagos constituency at the Federal House of Representatives, Honorable ABIKE DABIRI has condemned the spate of violence and inadequacies in Saturday’s elections. DABIRI who looked forward to an improved representation at the federal house told our correspondent RAYMOND AKPARHUERE that her life was threatened by one of her opponents.

==============================
RESULTS

More results of the National Assembly elections have been declared.
In Enugu state, PDP won all the three senatorial seats and the seven House of Representatives seats declared so far. PDP also won the two senatorial seats declared so far in Gombe state. The PDP also cleared all the three senatorial seats in Imo state. One of those elected into the Senate from Imo state is CHRIS ANYANWU, a veteran broadcast journalist.
=============================

============================

INEC has also announced the results of the National Assembly elections held in Lagos state. Senator OLORUNIMBE MAMORA of the AC was re-elected while AC was also cleared all the seventeen House of Representatives seats. How ever, the PDP won all the three senatorial seats in Oyo state. The son of the controversial Ibadan politician, LAMIDI ADEDIBU, KAMARUDIN, was declared winner in Oyo south senatorial district. PDP won eight of the nine federal constituencies while AC secured one.
EKITI
All the senate seats in Osun, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Ekiti states were won by the PDP. In Nasarawa state, PDP won two senatorial seats while ANPP secured one. In the FCT, ANPP secured the only senatorial seat and one House of Representatives seat. The other one went to the PDP. The ANPP presidential flag bearer, MUHAMMADU BUHARI secured majority votes in the FCT.
BUHARI polled ninety one thousand, two hundred and seventeen votes, the PDP scored seventy four thousand, eight hundred and eighty two while the AC had sixteen thousand, seven hundred and ninety six votes. The results were announced by INEC’s Commissioner for Information and Publicity, PHILIP UMEADI JUNIOR.
===========================
NAVAL OFFICERS

The Nigerian Navy has described as a national tragedy the death of three of its officers in the helicopter crash in Imo state, while conveying election materials. The deceased officers are THOMPSON ADEKOYA, YUSUF ISHAKA and PIUS MENE who died last Friday.
The incident happened at Logara, a community in Ngor-Okpala local government area. Speaking while receiving the remains of two of the victims at the local wing of the Lagos Airport, the Flag Officer commanding Western Naval Command, ISHAYA IBRAHIM said their untimely departure would be greatly felt. Families of the victims have already demanded for the corpse for burial.
======================
IWU

INEC Chairman, Professor MAURICE IWU has assured that adequate mechanism has been put in place to authenticate the results of the presidential and national assembly election across the country. Professor IWU who applauded the election exercise said Nigeria was now set to break the jinx of civilian to civilian transition with the outcome of the general elections. Addressing a live news conference monitored in Lagos, the INEC boss said the elections were eighty percent successful.
==============================
ELECTIONS

Local and international observers have picked holes in last Saturday’s elections. The largest local observer group, Transition Monitoring Group in its report called for fresh elections in the country.
Chairman of TMG, INNOCENT CHUKWUMA said the elections were so flawed that a winner could not be announced on the basis of the results. The International Republican Institute, IRI in its report said the elections lacked credibility. President of IRI, LORNE GRAINER who presented the report in Abuja said lack of preparation, massive rigging and confusion of voting centres marred the exercise.
GRAINER called on the Nigerian electorate to explore democratic means to resolve disputes arising from the election.
============================
ANAMBRA`

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP has called for fresh elections in the state. Rising from a meeting in Awka, the parties alleged that the presidential, governorship, national assembly and house of assembly elections did not take place in the state.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the PPA, APGA, ADC and vice presidential candidates of ANPP and AC, Chief EDWIN UME-EZEOKE and BEN OBI. Our man reports that elections were conducted in some local government areas in Anambra yesterday when people were attending church services.
==================================
COMMONWEALTH

Another international election monitoring group, the Commonwealth Observer Group says last Saturday’s election witnessed significant shortcomings. Head of the mission, Justice JOSEPH WARIOBA said massive irregularities were noticed in several states such as Katsina and Edo. The Commonwealth however said there were visible improvements in the presidential election as against the governorship and house of assembly elections.
=================

NIGERIA VOTES 2007 PART II: THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

THE FINAL SHOWDOWN

Hello Blogville Readers,
It has been a very long day today and honestly, I have decided, since the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) has already concluded the manner in which this election will turn out and therefore voted for me, my ancestors and my unborn chilren, that I deserve to take the rest of the day off, take a long cold shower, a hefty mound of pounded yam and ogbono soup and sleep until Sunday morning. The news coming from around the country is obviously discouraging and is what was expected from I-MESS, I mean I-NEC ,the electoral body. Which brings me to the subject of disorganization. When will Nigeria and Nigerians get organized. Everything is a problem, a fight, big-big wahala. Census na kwanta, Voters registration the same thing, election sef na by the miracle of God we have am. KAI HABA DANGOROBA SHEGE!!!. For example I found my self taking charge of an audition that had gotten out of hand because of the number of people who turned out to the station. Now why did some peopel feel it was their god-given right to jump the line? Worse still is the fact that people never want to listen to simple instructions. Even when they do, they want to challenge and profer their own perceivably better process. What I call I-T-K mentality. This situation, the elections and just some other things around got me thinking about the War Against Indiscipline Campaign in the 80's. Can we go back to that? And if so will it work without the MILITARY operating the program because as it has been shown during this election period, NIGERIANS ARE VERY AFRAID OF THE SOLDIERS. Anyways before I take my mini vacation and disappear till monday, here's what's happening in the news in Nigeria.


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INEC

There was a failed attempt to blow up the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Saturday morning.
Attackers attempted to roll a petrol tanker laden with detonators into the building. However, the tanker missed its target while the detonators failed to trigger a large explosion. The tanker crashed into a telegraph pole and came to a halt. The presidential and national assembly elections were scheduled to begin at ten o’clock Saturday.
The sixty four million ballot papers arrived Friday evening for immediate distribution to the 36 states and Abuja.
Security has been tight in the country ahead of the elections.
Here in Lagos, military personnel once again, mounted checkpoints at strategic locations. Meanwhile, INEC’s resident commissioner for Lagos, MOSES OGBE, has been replaced with SOLOMON SHOYEBI who supervised the governorship and house of assembly elections in Abia State last Saturday. (Ogbe was replaced presumably for going ahead to announce the AC candidate Babatunde Fashola as the governor elect despite pressure from ‘POWERS’ in Abuja)

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OSHIOMHOLE

The convoy of A.C. governorship candidate of Edo State, ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE was attacked Saturday by suspected thugs in Ibie in Etsako West Local Government Area while monitoring the elections.

His police orderly was beaten and his service pistol stolen.
Two vehicles in OSHIOMHOLE’s convoy were destroyed.

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NATIONWIDE ELECTIONS

Reports reaching us from across the country indicate that the National Assembly election has been postponed in several States due to the non-inclusion of names and logos of some candidates and political parties on the ballot paper. In Lagos State, the senatorial election has been shifted in Lagos West and Lagos Central as well as seven federal constituencies. In Oyo State, election into seven federal constituencies has also been postponed. There was no national assembly election in Abia State because of a mix-up in the ballot papers. Election into three senatorial districts in Ogun and Rivers States has also been shifted, in addition to election not holding in some federal constituencies. The elections are to be held at a later date. We also heard that voting did not take place in two senatorial districts in Delta State while the Residential Electoral Commissioner had earlier shifted the election in ten federal constituencies. In Jigawa State, INEC office in Ringim Local Government was completely razed by people protesting the non-inclusion of names and logs of some candidates and parties. Election was also shifted in seven local government areas of the State. (This is just more evidence of how insincere INEC has been about this election, I mean didn’t they know there would be elections in 2007, after the last one in 2003. The devil is in the details and elementary problems like no picture, no logo etc is just costing Nigerians more money)


=====================================

LAGOS

Meanwhile, TINUBU’s mother, Alhaja ABIBAT MAGAJI, is denying the allegation made by the PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State, MUSILIU OBANIKORO that voting was done at her Ikeja home last Saturday. Alhaja MAGAJI prayed God to forgive those behind the rumour. She also urged Nigerians not to allow politics to divide them.

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ELECTIONS


Lagos State Governor, BOLA TINUBU is describing the omission of names and logos of some candidates and parties from the ballot papers as deliberate. TINUNBU who cast his ballot at exactly one twenty three p.m. at Alausa said the development may affect the voting pattern in the State. He said the A.C. was monitoring INEC and that the party will challenge any plan to rig the election in the State.
The Lagos Governor wondered why the elections were full of errors as INEC had enough time to prepare for them.

========================================

ELECTIONS

Voting in Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections ended in many parts of the country at 5pm. Reports from across the country indicate that the exercise was characterized by low voter turn-out. In states such as Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Ondo, Gombe and Bayelsa, voting did not start at 10 o’clock as scheduled. Shortage of electoral materials was reported in some local government areas of Ekiti State. The election was shifted in one senatorial district in Enugu State.

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Oyo State

In Oyo State, about forty five people were arrested over election-related offences. Ten suspects were picked up in Challenge area of Ibadan. Twenty five of them were arrested and their three buses impounded for allegedly chasing away party agents from some polling stations leaving only of the PDP. The operation was personally led by the General Officer Commanding the Second Mechanised Division, Major-General MOHAMMED SALEH. Six INEC officials were also arrested in Lagelu local government of Oyo state for allegedly thumb-printing ballot papers in favour of a particular political party. Election did not hold in one federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State due to the death of one of the candidates.

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INEC

INEC Chairman, Professor MAURICE IWU, is describing Saturday’s elections as satisfactory despite some hitches experienced in many States. IWU admitted that the elections did commence late in the entire south-east due to late arrival of materials. He stated that a presiding officer, FELIX UGBUAJA in Lugbe area of Abuja, who absconded with election materials will be prosecuted. On the failed attack on INEC’s headquarters this morning, Professor IWU blamed it on desperate politicians who did not want the elections to hold.
Professor IWU said results of the elections will start trickling into INEC’s office from tomorrow morning. He is optimistic that the final result will be announced on Monday.


=====================================
ELECTION/EPE

The presidential and national assembly elections took off on schedule in Epe, Lagos, except for complaints of shortage of materials including ballot papers and boxes. However, the situation in Ajah was different as INEC officials arrived the area late and some voters who had waited for hours at polling centres could not hide their frustration.
In Epe, some INEC officials complained of insufficient materials at some polling centres. One of such locations is Ward A-5 Unit 24, very close to the home of PDP chieftain, LANRE RASAQ. This development led to the deployment of old ballot boxes at the polling centre. INEC Electoral office in Epe, ADELEKE OJO, who confirmed the development in a telephone interview with Rhythm FM 93.7 said measures had to be taken to address the shortages.

================================

POLICE

Security has been beefed up at the INEC headquarters in Abuja following an attempt to blow it up this morning with petrol tanker allegedly filled with explosives. Already, one suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident. Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, SUNDAY EHINDERO, said a committee has been set up to investigate the attack. EHINDERO also decried the level of violence that has characterized this year’s elections. According to him, thirty two police officers have been killed in election-related violence. The Police I.G. stated that the attack on government house in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last night was perpetrated by those who wanted to kidnap the Governor and PDP vice-presidential candidate, DR. GOODLUCK JONATHAN in a bid to stop the election.

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KATSINA

From Katsina comes this report that there was mass unrest Saturday in Daura, the home town of ANPP presidential candidate, MUHAMMADU BUHARI. The people there were protesting the lack of voting materials. Over five houses and the INEC office in the town were completely razed by the angry protesters while one person was killed. BUHARI, in an interview with correspondent AZUBIKE OSUMILI flayed the electoral process. He said reports reaching across the country indicate that there was no voting in many areas.
The ANPP flagbearer vowed not to accept the election results because the process was flawed.


==================================

DELTA

STV Correspondent CHARLES KALU who monitored Saturday’s elections in Bayelsa State reports that Governor GOODLUCK JONATHAN voted in his town around twelve thirty p.m. Speaking on Friday’s attack on Government House, Yenagoa, and INEC office in the state, GOODLUCK attributed it to miscreants. In Delta State, one Chief NKEM OKKWUOFU, special project director in the state, ordered that one REAGAN UDUJE, a PDP member be shot at her residence in Aniocha north local government area. The woman was allegedly caught with ballot papers and result sheets. She is presently receiving treatment at a private clinic in Asaba.

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IKORODU

Voting began on schedule in most parts of Ikorodu, Lagos State, Saturday. Ogolonto, Majidun, Ladega, Agric and Lowa estate were a few of such areas. However, ABIKE DABIRI who is seeking another term with federal house of representatives, condemned the absence of ballot boxes in some wards in Ikorodu. Also speaking, INEC’s Electoral Officer in Ikorodu, ALESHINLOYE OLUWATOYIN gave INEC a passmark over its conduct of the polls. Some residents in Ikorodu who spoke to our correspondent frowned at the delay in commencement of voting in some areas.

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NNAMANI

Some political parties have risen in defence of Senate President, KEN NNAMANI. National Chairman of the Labour Party, DAN NWANYANWU, said NNAMANI’s comments on widespread electoral malpractices were not different from the position of the opposition.
NWANYANWU said criticism of NNAMANI by some government officials was uncalled for. In the same vein, National Chairman of the Community party, Malam MUSA BUKAR-SANI, noted that NNAMANI had spoken the minds of most Nigerians. Information and National Orientation Minister, FRANK NWEKE JUNIOR, had accused NNAMANI of spearheading moves for the establishment of an interim government. (trust the spin doctor Nweke to turn the attention else where. Frankie, I like you cos you’re smooth and wear cool suits, but dude, c’mon)

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RIVERS

This report says INEC in Rivers State has cancelled elections in five federal constituencies in the State. State Resident Electoral Commissioner, ROWLAND UWA who dropped this piece of news attributed the cancellation on irregularities in the handling of election materials. UWA said election in the affected federal constituencies would now take place on April 26. Elections were held in only eight out of the thirteen federal constituencies in the State.

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OBASANJO

President OLUSEGUN OBASAANJO voted at eleven forty-five Saturday morning at a polling station located in a secondary school near his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State. President OBASANJO told newsmen after casting his vote that the PDP would seek redress wherever it had proven cases of irregularities. He accused other parties of trying to get the election postponed. President OBASANJO called for support and understanding from the international community. (In fact let me not even say anything about this… re-dress ko … re-trouser ni)

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FASHOLA

Lagos State Governor-elect, BABATUNDE FASHOLA says he is not disturbed over the decision of some aggrieved candidates in last Saturday’s election to challenge the result. Shortly after casting his vote Saturday, FASHOLA advised those people to seek redress through the appropriate authorities. FASHOLA described as unfortunate INEC’s postponement of the national assembly election in Lagos West and central senatorial districts. The Lagos State Governor-elect condemned attempts by some individuals to blow up the INEC headquarters in Abuja this morning.

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INDUCEMENT

Chieftains of the PDP and Action Congress have been speaking on allegations that the electorate in Epe, Lagos were given money to influence their choice in the election Saturday. The PDP candidate for Lagos West senatorial district, LANRE RASAQ, made the allegation after monitoring the exercise. In his reaction, A.C. chieftain and Lagos State House of Assembly speaker, ADEYEMI IKUFORIJI confirmed there were reports of irregularities. Some voters in Epe dismissed claims of financial inducement by any political party. Some voters speaking to our correspondent on claims of being offered money by some political parties to influence their choice in the polls.


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I'll be back with the report on the result on Sunday evening

STILL MORE PRE-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NEWS BITS

NIGERIA VOTES 2007 SHOWDOWN


Here is the latest Political News and happenings in Nigeria courtesy Rhythm FM and STV. Seems like this is the spot to get the latest Election Week News. Well stick with Addy on Saturday April 21st for Election Day Round 2 when the presidential election showdown will take place. Also ‘return-back’ on Sunday for the result update. This is a situation that Nigeria World cannot solve so see you here then (internet connection willing). Also don’t forget to join us on jumptv.com. For anyone who has time and money you can call and contribute your own ‘diasporan wisdom’ to the live program at 01-774-6766 (it ain’t that serious but no prank calls please). Alrighty here goes the news ....deen deen deen deeen (that was the NTA news music)


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PUBLIC HOLIDAY

The federal government has declared tomorrow, Friday, April 20, as a public holiday. A statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the one-day holiday will enable eligible voters travel to their home States to vote during the presidential election this Saturday. However employees of banks and those on essential services are exempted from the public holiday. You would recall that the federal government last week set aside Thursday and Friday as public holidays to enable eligible voters travel home to vote in the just-concluded gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly polls.
=======================

PDP/ELECTION `

The PDP says it would head for the Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the loss of the party in Lagos, Abia, Kano and Bauchi States’ gubernatorial seats during last Saturday’s polls. The party’s National Secretary, OJO MADUEKWE, stated this in Abuja while reviewing the governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls. He warned party members against violence during this Saturday’s polls. Handing down the warning, OJO MADUEKWE said the party would not condone lawlessness and violence on the part of its members. MADUEKWE added that the PDP will come hard on party members found culpable in such acts including malpractices.

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YOBE/ELECTION

From Yobe comes a report that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in that State has confirmed receipt of materials for the Senate and House of Representatives elections this Saturday.
INEC’s Deputy Director of Public Affairs, MODU WAJARAN, however told newsmen that the electoral body was yet to receive materials for the presidential polls. WAJARAN said the State INEC was yet to receive instructions from the national authorities on how to handle the presidential election materials when received from Abuja.

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FASHOLA/NNPP

The Lagos State Governor-elect, BABATUNDE FASHOLA, has been advised to run an open and all-inclusive government in the interest of Lagosians.
Former gubernatorial candidate of New Nigerian Peoples Party in the State, ERIC GAGA, made the call today in Ikeja on behalf of his colleagues in the NDP, PPP and the ANPP. GAGA who congratulated INEC on the conduct of the elections urged the candidates who lost out to brace up for another day.

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AC/ANPP
The Action Congress has accused the ANPP of reneging on the earlier agreement with eighteen opposition parties to seek a postponement of the presidential and national assembly elections. The party in a statement said it will now participate fully in the exercise on Saturday. Signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, LAI MOHAMMED, described as unfortunate that General MUHAMMADU BUHARI who initiated the meeting has opted to jettison the resolution. The party also advised its members and supporters to vote massively for its presidential candidate, ATIKU ABUBAKAR, since the ANPP has breached the accord.

=================================

I.D. CARDS

Away from politics, the Department of National Civic Registration, DNCR, says it is targeting between twenty and twenty five million Nigerians for registration under the scheme. The DNCR Director, WAHAB JIMOH, who stated this in Abuja, said thousands of cards produced are yet to be collected at the various offices of the DNCR nationwide.

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AC/ HOLIDAY
Meanwhile, the Action Congress has described the holiday as a ploy to shift the Supreme Court’s ruling on whether ATIKU ABUBAKAR still remains the Vice President. The Court is to rule whether the federal government has power to declare the seat of the Vice-President vacant for dumping the PDP for the A.C. tomorrow. With this development, the ruling by the Supreme Court over the matter would suffer a set back.

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KEBBI
In Kebbi State, the Police Command says it has arrested over twenty suspects for various electoral offences in last Saturday’s elections.
Confirming the arrest in Birnin-Kebbi, the State Deputy Commissioner of Police, SULEIMAN ABBA, said the suspects were arrested at various locations in the State. ABBA said ten of the suspects were apprehended near INEC headquarters in Birnin-Kebbi for burning tyres and attempting to disrupt peace and order in the State. Other suspects were arrested in connection with snatching of ballot boxes and thuggery across polling units in the State.

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STUDENTS/ELECTIONS

A coalition of student bodies of tertiary institutions in Lagos State, under the aegis of concerned students has called on members to shun planned protests on last week’s election results. Addressing newsmen in Ikeja, the Students Union President of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, OLAPADE OMOLAYO, said the call is baseless and unfair. OMOLAYO also said the Union would support security agencies in arresting students who may be involved in the protest. The coalition comprises of over ten tertiary institutions in the State.
=====================================
LABOUR PARTY

The Labour Party in Lagos State has rejected the results of last Saturday’s gubernatorial polls. A statement signed by its State Chairman, OLARENWAJU DADA, said the polls were marred by unprecedented irregularities. According to the party, the twenty nine thousand eight hundred and thirty six votes recorded for its candidate, FEMI PEDRO, was fake, fraudulent and did not reflect the wishes of the majority of Lagosians. The party also pointed at deliberate removal of Labour Party symbol and photographs of some candidates on the ballot papers.

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HOUSING

The Federal Government has set up a presidential committee to formulate a viable housing policy for the country. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief UFOT EKAETTE, who performed the ceremony today in Abuja said the government is determined to address the poor state of housing development in Nigeria. He called on the committee to come up with options that will meet the increasing demand for affordable and decent houses.

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ACTION AID

Action aid International has called on INEC to review the results of elections in States where there were irregularities. The Country Director of the Organisation, DR. OTIVE IGBUZOR, made the call while presenting an interim report on the governorship and House of Assembly elections. DR. IGBUZOR said such review would ensure peace and justice.
He frowned at the activities of some policemen who were allegedly used to perpetrate electoral fraud. Dr. IGBUZOR also called for the prosecution of electoral offenders to serve as deterrent to others.

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ANPP

Following the collapse of the ANPP-AC alliance, the ANPP has said it will take part in Saturday’s presidential election and National Assembly elections. National Chairman and Vice-Presidential candidate of the party, Chief EDWIN UME-EZEOKE who announced this at a news briefing in Abuja, said ANPP will not join those calling for a boycott of the polls.UME-EZEOKE therefore called on eligible voters to come out in large number on Saturday to vote and defend their votes.
UME-EZEOKE described those who were killed last Saturday while defending their votes as heroes of democracy.


==========================


OSUN
Eighteen people including students have been remanded in custody by an Osogbo Chief Magistrate’s court for allegedly disturbing public peace during the governorship and House of Assembly elections. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Police prosecutor opposed a bail application by the accused because of the prevailing political situation in the State. Several houses were burnt in Osun State following the announcement of the election results which A.C. claimed were fraudulently obtained.

=====================

OBASANJO

President OLUSEGUN OBASANJO has extended the emergency rule in Ekiti State to May 29, 2007. Speaking on a national broadcast last night, President OBASANJO explained that the extension of emergency rule in Ekiti was informed by the need to avoid a breakdown of law and order following the governorship and State House of Assembly elections last Saturday. He said the ongoing election had made the National Assembly to embark on recess making it impossible to seek their endorsement before the expiration of the initial six months emergency rule today.
President OBASANJO accused a former governor and those he called disgruntled elements of being behind the fighting, saying the administrator, retired Brigadier-General TUNJI OLURIN will remain in charge. President OLUSEGUN OBASANJO declared a state of emergency in Ekiti State on October nineteen, two thousand and six.

=================================

MORE PRE-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NEWS BITS

THE 'EAT' IS 'HON' ( aka The heat is on)

SO here is the latest development coming out of Nigeria as related to the Election. Some of it is from Tuesday Night courtesy Silverbird News and Rhythm 93.7 FM (SHAMELESS PLUG)

**************************************************
A GROUP OF OVER FIFTEEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IS CALLINGD FOR THE POSTPONEMENT OF SATURDAY’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE CALL FOR THE BOYCOTT IS CONTAINED IN A THREE POINT COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AFTER THE END OF THE GROUP’S MEETING LAST NIGHT IN ABUJA.
THE COMMUNIQUÉ ALSO DESCRIBED LAST WEEKEND’S ELECTION AS NOT FREE AND FAIR AS IT WAS CHARACTERISED BY MALPRACTICES AND VIOLENCE, AND SHOULD BE CANCELLED. IN THE COMMUNIQUE READ BY PROFESSOR PAT UTOMI OF THE ADC, THE GROUP WANTS INEC DISBANDED FOR NOT BEING TRULY INDEPENDENT OF THE RULING PARTY. LED BY THE FLAG-BEARER OF THE ALL NIGERIA PEOPLES PARTY, ANPP, GENERAL MOHAMMED BUHARI, THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES HAD MET TO REVIEW LAST SATURDAY’S ELECTION AND TO FORM A COALITION TO PROVIDE A FORMIDABLE OPPOSITION TO THE RULING PARTY, PDP. VICE PRESIDENT ATIKU ABUBAKAR WHO WAS CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT AT LAST WEEK’S MEETING WAS PRESENT YESTERDAY.

======

THE FORUM OF NATIONAL CHAIRMEN OF NIGERIAN POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE CALLED FOR THE IMMEDIATE DISBANDMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION, INEC FOLLOWING WHAT THE GROUP DESCRIBES AS THE POOR CONDUCT OF LAST SATURDAY’S GOVERNORSHIP AND HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS.THE CHAIRMAN, LED BY CHIEF RALPH OBIORA OF JUSTICE PARTY, SAID LAST SATURDAY’S ELECTION WAS A TOTAL SHAM CHARACTERIZED BY MASSIVE IRREGULARITIES. THE FORUM WHICH ANNOUNCED ITS LOST OF CONFIDENCE IN INEC PREDICTED THAT THE PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS SLATED FOR APRIL TWENTY-ONE WILL SUFFER THE SAME FATE AS LAST WEEKEND’S ELECTION.

======

MEANWHILE, THE NIGERIAN BAR ASSOCIATION SAYS IRREGULARITIES AND VIOLENCE THAT CHARACTERIZED LAST SATURDAY’S ELECTION HAVE ERODED THE CONFIDENCE OF NIGERIANS IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS. PRESENTING A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE GOVERNORSHIP AND HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS BY THE ELECTION WORKING GROUP OF THE NBA, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION AKURO GEORGE SAID THERE WAS PREVALENT INCIDENTS OF INADEQUATE ESSENTIAL ELECTORAL MATERIAL AND PERSONNEL. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO CONDEMNED THE INCIDENCE OF BALLOT BOX SNATCHING AND INTIMIDATION OF VOTERS.

======

THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION, INEC TUESDAY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL INCLUDE VICE PRESIDENT ATIKU ABUBAKAR ON THE BALLOT MATERIAL FOR SATURDAY’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. AT THE END OF A PROLONGED MEETING IN ABUJA INEC DISCLOSED THAT IT HAS CONTINGENCY PLANS TO INCLUDE ATIKU’S NAME ON THE BALLOT PAPERS.IT IS NOT YET CERTAIN IS WHETHER THE COMMISSION WILL PRINT NEW BALLOT PAPERS CARRYING ATIKU’S PHOTOGRAPH.

=============
REACTIONS HAVE STARTED TRAILING MONDAY’S SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT WHICH NULLIFIED INEC’S DISQUALIFICATION OF VICE PRESIDENT ATIKU ABUBAKAR. SOME FAULTED THE VERDICT CLAIMING IT HAS RENDERED INEC INCONSEQUENTIAL. OTHERS INSIST THE RULING WAS A VICTORY FOR THE RULE OF LAW.
================

Soldiers have now been deployed to major roads in Kano state. This followed the violence within Kano metropolis yesterday as gunmen attacked a police station, killing at least thirteen policemen. Reports say the Divisional Police Office of the station and his wife were killed by the bandits who later razed the station. Violence preceded the governorship elections in Kano with the murder last Friday of an Islamic Cleric inside a mosque. In the meantime, the Police High Command has blamed the Kano violence in which at least thirteen policemen were killed on religious fundamentalists. Force spokesman HAZ IWENDI said in Abuja that intelligence reports showed that it was a fundamentalists’ act. He explained that the killing has no connection with politics.
HAZ IWENDI said a combined operation of all security agencies have commenced in Kano to fish out the killers.


==========

ALL POLITICAL RALLIES HAVE BEEN BANNED IN NIGERIA UNTIL AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS. THIS INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, SUNDAY EHINDERO WHO MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT SAID THE BAN WAS TO PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE AROUND THE COUNTRY. HE SAID MISCHIEF MAKERS COULD TURN RALLIES AND POLITICAL GATHERINGS INTO AVENUES FOR POLITICAL UNREST. EHINDERO DIRECTED ALL STATE POLICE COMMISSIONERS TO ENFORCE THE BAN.

===================

A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, HONOURABLE ABIKE DABIRI SAYS SHE HAS UNCOVERED PLANS TO ABDUCT HER AHEAD OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTION THIS SATURDAY.
SHE MADE THIS ALLEGATION IN A LETTER TO THE LAGOS STATE POLICE COMMISSIONER.
ABIKE DABIRI WHO IS SEEKING ANOTHER TERM IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CLAIMED THAT SOME PDP MEMBERS WERE BEHIND THE PLOT. SHE DISCLOSED THAT THE PLOT WAS REVEALED TO HER BY ONE OF THE THREE PEOPLE CONTRACTED FOR THE JOB. SHE CALLED FOR EXTRA POLICE PROTECTION AND IMPROVED SECURITY IN HER CONSTITUENCY. THE ACTION CONGRESS AND ANPP GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATES IN EKITI STATE HAVE JOINTLY REJECTED THE RESULTS OF ELECTIONS IN THAT STATE. ALLEGING THAT, THE ELECTIONS WERE NEITHER FREE NOR FAIR, THE CANDIDATES CALLED FOR ITS CANCELLATION. IN A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE, THE CANDIDATES INSISTED THAT THE ELECTION WAS CHARACTERIZED BY MASSIVE RIGGING AND INTIMIDATION OF VOTERS. ACCUSING THE PDP OF MASTERMINDING THE IRREGULARITIES, THEY DECLARED THAT THEY WILL CHALLENGE THE RESULTS AT THE ELECTION TRIBUNAL.

=========


THE GOVERNOR ELECT OF EKITI STATE ENGINEER SEGUN ONI IS EXTENDING THE OLIVE BRANCH TO MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITION. IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SILVERBIRD TELEVISION, THE GOVERNOR ELECT CHARGED ALL AGGRIEVED PARTIES IN THE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION TO TEAM UP WITH HIS ADMINISTRATION IN MOVING THE STATE FORWARD.

============================

GRANITE ALLIANCE

Opposition political parties in the “Granite Alliance” have disagreed over the proposal that they boycott this Saturday’s presidential elections.

At a meeting in Abuja yesterday by the coalition of opposition parties convened by the ANPP presidential candidate, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, the proposal to boycott the polls met stiff opposition.

Our correspondent reports that a technical committee headed by ADC presidential candidate, Professor PAT UTOMI was set up to fashion out the way forward for the alliance.

The presidential candidate of the Action Congress, ATIKU ABUBAKAR, ADC, PAT UTOMI, DPP, ATTAHIRU BAFARAWA and two others attended the talks.

Nineteen other parties in the coalition sent in representatives.


===================

NWEKE/ NNAMANI

The Minister of Information and Communication, FRANK NWEKE JUNIOR has condemned the Senate President, KEN NNAMANI for saying there were no elections in Enugu state last Saturday. NWEKE JUNIOR in a statement accused NNAMANI of propagating deliberate falsehood. The minister wondered why NNAMANI could say his father, Igwe FRANK NWEKE did not vote. NWEKE argued that the delay in the commencement of elections in Enugu on Saturday does not invalidate the process.

He said the polls in Enugu can not be invalidated because the Senate President chose to disenfranchise himself.
==========

The U.S. government has expressed concern over reports of violence and electoral malpractice in last Saturday’s governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections in Nigeria. Acting White House Press Secretary, DANA PERINO told newsmen in Washington that the U.S. takes seriously reports of voting irregularities and election-related violence during the polls. PERINO said America is going to ask the Federal Government to correct the lapses ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday. Also speaking, U.S. government spokesman, SEAN Mc.CORMACK stated that the American government was awaiting reports of international monitors on the election.

==================


LAGOS-POLICE
The Police in Lagos say appropriate measures are in place to ensure residents of the safety of their lives and property during the presidential election scheduled for Saturday. State Police spokesman, OLUBODE OJAJINI said the four suspects arrested during the polls for snatching ballot boxes in Lagos Island would remain in police custody until after the general elections. OJAJUNI said the elections in Lagos were generally peaceful.


===========

OYO

This report says sixty two people arrested by the police in Oyo state for alleged disruption of last Saturday’s elections have been remanded in prison custody by a magistrate court. Our correspondent reports that about one hundred persons were apprehended last weekend. The accused persons who were arraigned before a magistrate court yesterday were charged with offences ranging from illegal possession of guns and loitering during elections.

===================

ELECTIONS: LOCAL MONITORS

Civil security groups and local observers of the elections held last Saturday have called for the cancellation of the polls in ten states. The group under the aegis of the Domestic Electoral Observation Coalition cited hoarding of result sheets by INEC, non- inclusion of candidates, various violence and lack of secrecy in voting.
INNOCENT CHUKWUMA of the Transition Monitoring Group told newsmen in Abuja that the results announced in Anambra, Adamawa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ogun and Rivers state did not reflect the works of the people in those areas.CHUKWUMA warned that Nigeria risks serious credibility problems should INEC uphold the disputed results.

================


NLC

NLC President ABDULWAHEED OMAR has threatened that the body would join protests trailing last Saturday’s elections in the country. OMAR who issued the threat in a chat with journalists in Abuja called on the federal government and INEC to address electoral malpractices in the polls. The NLC said INEC could not blame security agencies for the poor conduct of the elections. OMAR recalled that the commission set the stage for a failed electoral process through its illegal substitution of eligible candidates, poor preparation as well as complicity in electoral malpractices.

====================================

ENUGU
Meanwhile, INEC has announced that elections did not take place in four local governments during the governorship election in Imo state and Katsina. INEC Commissioner in Charge of Publicity, PHILIP UMEADI JUNIOR who made this known did not however name the councils. UMEADI JUNIOR said the comprehensive results of the governorship election would not be available until bye-elections are conducted in the four local councils. He said the bye-elections would be conducted on the twenty sixth of this month.


=============================

INEC; ELECTIONS

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC says it is not true it was shopping for fifteen billion naira to procure fresh ballot papers in order to include Vice President ATIKU ABUBAKAR’s name for Saturday’s presidential elections.
INEC’s Commissioner in Charge of Information and Publicity, PHILIP UMEADI JUNIOR who made the denial said the claim was outrageous. UMEADI JUNIOR said he is not aware that INEC requires extra funds to prosecute the presidential elections whose date it fixed more than a year ago. The INEC Commissioner who was addressing a news conference in Abuja said the commission has made contingency plans to accommodate ATIKU in the presidential polls. On the fate of some candidates disqualified before the governorship elections last Saturday, UMEADI advised the candidates to explore the opportunity offered by the election petition tribunals. UMEADI added that all results announced so far by INEC are legal.

====================

ANDY UBA

Self-acclaimed godfather of Anambra politics, CHRIS UBA has blamed his elder brother, the governor-elect of Anambra state, ANDY UBA for his arrest on the eve of last Saturday’s election. CHRIS UBA in an interview wondered why his brother was still afraid of him after hijacking the PDP in Anambra. According to him, the police did not tell him what offence he committed throughout his three-day stay in police detention in Abuja. CHRIS UBA insisted that he owns the political machinery with which ANDY UBA cruised to victory in the Anambra governorship election. In case you don’t know, CHRIS UBA was arrested in Enugu on Friday on the orders of his brother and was let off the hook only on Monday.

===========================


FOR ANY ONE WONDERING ABOUT THE WEATHER

Let’s find out what the weather has in store for the rest of the day.(LOL)
Our weather man reports that mild sunshine would prevail in most parts of the south this afternoon.
The north would remain sunny.
Temperature for three cities, Lagos, Abeokuta and Ilorin is put at thirty degrees Celsius with an envisaged low of twenty degrees Celsius.
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory would have a temperature fluctuating between nineteen degrees and thirty two degrees Celsius.
That’s the weather forecast.


==========================================
IN SPORTS :)

Kwara United is to trade tackles with Union Douala of Cameroun in their second-leg Confederation Cup encounter in Ilorin later today. Captain of the Camerounian side, NGAYAOU SERGIA has said they are in Nigeria to win to enable them advance to the group stage of the two thousand and seven Confederation Cup. The first-leg encounter in Cameroun ended one-one.


==========================


IN ENTERTAINMENT

Popular musician, SUNNY NEJI has commended Nigerian Breweries for encouraging the return of live band through its annual musical talent hunt contest called Star Quest.
NEJI said the initiative would develop the growth of the music industry and reduce the incidence of what he called one-hit solo artistes.
SUNNY NEJI spoke during a visit to Star Fameland where thirty six contestants are battling to become the best band in the two thousand and seven Starquest contest.


===============
IN ECONOMIC NEWS

A former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. JOSEPH SANUSI wants a stronger agricultural sector in Nigeria. SANUSI said Nigeria can not achieve economic development if it cannot feed itself. Dr JOSEPH SANUSI expressed delight that steps are being taken to improve the fortunes of the nation’s agricultural sector.

NEWS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE

Atiku,Supreme Court, Utomi


This race is only getting more intersting. I am sure you all have heard and read the news by now of the Supreme court's judgment that Vice President Atiku Abubakar can run in the presidential election. Here is an article in the Washington Post. Wow!! I am surprised by this outcome and it seems to be applauded by everyone. I wish it was a different person entirely though so that votes can swing but the VP is no saint so his presence in the race now doesn't really make a difference.

Meanwhile the one candidate that I had hope in, Pat Utomi(even though we all know he doesn't have a chance) has dropped outof the race. See full article.

Speaking of presidential candidates, I was supposed to be in Katsina today interviewing Yar'adua but trust Nigerian politicians, their PA's and the press officers to dribble and change and cancel. Anyways I am sure that all my calling and bugging will irritate someone soon and things will happen. I can't wait for elections t be over so that I can do other things.

VA TECH SHOOTING
For those of you in Yanks watching the coverage n the shootings at VA tech, what is the deal. It's such a sad incident that was just so unneccessary. Unfortunately for us in Nigeria this will cause a lot of distraction from the elections in Nigeria. We really need the eyeballs of the world on this election and transition. Orwhat do you guys think?

TROUBLE IN EDO STATE

UPDATE
(TUESDAY 4-17-07, 9.30AM)


OSHIOMOLE WAS RELEASED FROM CUSTORY MONDAY NIGHT


***************************88
ADAMS OSHIOMOLE HAS BEEN ARRESTED BY POLICE IN EDO STATE. HE WAS PICKED UP AT A RALLY HELD BY HIS SUPPORTERS AFTER THE I-NEC DECLARED THE PDP CANDIDATE THE WINNER.

MORE NEWS COMING FROM A CONTRIBUTOR TD Ogieva REPORTING FORM BENIN

INEC Declares Edo state won by PDP.
Central benin saw some demonstrations, but thankfully no burning of buildings, killings etc. some teargassing by police to apparently control crowds etc, but o reported deaths or shootings, thank God. Generally suburbs and hinterlands are relatively peacefull. the Inside gist is that the AC party apparently neglected the rural arears and concentrated on central benin in their campaniging / distribution of money. The PDP people were much smarter and covered a much wider breadth of the hinterlands, hence their powerfull showing. Both sides rigged where they could, but credit to INEC, they did disqualify outrageous results, and allowed observers from the major parties. The interesting twist to the story is that Governor lucky igbinedion of edo, apparently placed a lot of pdp henchmen under house arrest as he was backing Adams Oshiomole, the labour leader and AC candidate. This backfired as the foot soldiers ensured that they took control of their zones.
On a lighter note, the comming to power of prof Osunbor (governor elect) and Lucky imasuen (Previously us based successfull business man) may be a good thing. At least any thing will be better than the igbinedions. Our hearts however goes out to the labour leader who was favoured by the working mases........Reporting from benin...



STATE WINNER PARTY

LAGOS BABATUNDE FASHOLA AC

ABIA THEODORE ORJI PPA

OYO CHRISTOPHER ALAO-AKALA PDP

BORNO ALIMODU SHERIFF ANPP

AKWA-IBOM GODSWILL AKPABIO PDP

OGUN GBENGA DANIEL PDP

PLATEAU JONAH JANG PDP

KADUNA MOHAMMED SAMBO PDP

EKITI OLUSEGUN ADEBAYO ANI PDP

OSUN OLAGUNSOYE OYINLOLA PDP

DELTA EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN PDP

EBONYI MARTIN NNANCHO ELECHI PDP

JIGAWA SULE LAMIDO PDP

SOKOTO ALIU MAGATAKADA WAMAKKO PDP

KEBBI USMAN SAIDU NASAMU PDP

GOMBE MOHAMMED DANJUMA GOJE PDP

BAYELSA TIMIPRE MARLIN SYLVIA PDP

RIVERS CELESTINE OMEHIA PDP

KATSINA IBRAHIM SHEHU SHEMA PDP

EDO OSERHEIMEN OSUNBOR PDP

ONDO OLUSEGUN AGAGU PDP

PLATEAU JONAH DAVID JANG PDP

BENUE GABRIEL TORWUA SUSWAN PDP

ANAMBRA DR. ANDY E. UBA PDP

YOBE SEN. MAMMAN B. ALI ANPP

CROSS RIVERS SEN. LYEL IMOKE PDP

BAUCHI ISA YUGUDA ANPP

ZAMFARA MAHMUD ALIYU SHINKAFI ANPP

IMO POSTPONED till April 28

KANO SUSPENDED

KWARA BUKOLA SARAKI PDP

NIGER BABANGIDA ALIYU PDP

ADAMAWA MURTALA H. NYAKO PDP

peace and love to all the beauifull people of Nigeria
...TD Ogieva

NIGERIA VOTES 2007 PART 1: ELECTION RESULT UPDATE

THE UPDATES (ONGOING BREAKING NEWS)
VERY IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:
The counting of ballots is still going on and the results are trickling in. The information below is not the final figure but rather updates on the tallying and will change regularly. INEC HAS THE LAST WORD ON THE RESULTS AND UNTIL THEY CONFIRM LATER TODAY OR EARLY MONDAY -- THERE IS NO WINNER NO VANQUISHED -- MAY THE BEST CANDIDATE WIN O!!!! (my head is too precious)

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7:38 PM
Gombe State and Katsina have gone to the PDP

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6:20pm
IT'S OFFICIAL!!!! FASHOLA IS THE WINNER IN LAGOS STATE AS DECLARED BY INEC --
I hear his supporters singing, "FA-FA-FA-FA-FASHOLA!!!

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6:11pm

Inspector General of Police Sunday Ehindero has banned any public protest or demonstration in the country until further notice.

In other states

Oyo State -- The current deputy governor Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala was victorious in the keenly contested election against Sentaor ABiola Ajumobi.

Osun State -- Current state governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola won another term

Akwa Ibom -- went to sitting PDP governor Obong Godswill Akpabio.

Bayelsa -- Timipre Silva of the PDP

Rivers -- Went to Celestine Omehia of PDP

EDO -- result is still hanging

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5:35pm update (My internet went down, it has behaved today so I won't complain)

More updates for Lagos State
The losing candidates have formed an alliance against the AC in protest of the results. The parties in the alliance include PDP, Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA),Fresh Party (FP), Labour Party (LP), Alliance for Democracy (AD), Accord AND Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) They called a press conference which Deputy Governor and Labour Party candidate Femi Pedro was the spokes person. Musiliu Obanikoro one of the candidates said at the conference that he has never lost an election. He is alleging that Governor Tinubu's press secretary had a meeting with editors of newspapers where he instructed them to use 'Fashola Leads' as their Sunday morning paper headlines. He is also alleging that some Oba's took ballot boxes to their palaces.(nothing is impossible but can I say HABA that allegation!)
While their parties are LISTED in the Alliance, Jimi Agbaje of DPA and Uche Ohimai are distancing themselves from this particular alliance by not showing up or staying atthe meeting.



They also released a statement today and below is some information from it.
"Sadly the confidence was eroded by the irregularities and massive manipulations of the electoral process witnessed during and after the voting period." The include...

Violence at the pollint stations by the supporters and political thugs to intimidate voters and disrupt elections. Sporadic shootings and seizure of several ballot boxes containing votes already cast and taken to unknown locations by agents of a certain party. Absence of DPA, FP, Accord and PDP logos/candidate pictures on ballot papers used in polling centers in many LGAs. Suspicion of fake ballot papers, illegal extension of voting period announced bythe Lagos State government on Radio Lagos form 3pm to 6pm. (The extension was actually directed by INEC chairman Maurice Iwu in a press conference in Abuja, not the Lagos State government). Illegal voting in several locations into Sunday April 15. Shifting of collation centers from designated areas to unknown locations. New polling locations erected on the eve of election. Voting did not start until after 4pm in some areas including Pedro and Somolu areas. Collation centers were manned by local government chairmen and illegal relocation of polling centers to locations which were made inaccessible to other party agents by thugs and miscreants such as the case near the palace of Chief Olumegbon in Lagos Island.

These irregularities are so profound as to undermine teh integrity and legitimacy of the elction in Lagos. The memeber of the parties above were totally disenfrnachised while the good people of Lagos were denied the opportunity of free choice.
The election was neither free nor fair. The parties named above denounce the electionns and would have nothing to do with any results which may emanate from this sever;y compromised exercise. We reject the process and call for the immediate termination of the collation of the results and call for the cancellation of the election. A fresh election should be arranged immediately."

(DO THEY HAVE LEGITIMATE REASON FOR THEIR GRIEVANCES OR ARE THEY JUST SORE LOSERS?)


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2.50pm

Still on Lagos State-- AC is sweeping up results with their brooms (ha ha ha.. the party symbol is a broom). Just in from the INEC office four more local governments have gone to the broom toting party making that a total of 17 local governments to AC. PDP still has only one. I will have the break down later but for now here are the figures between the two major parties from the 4 LGA's

AC PDP
Somolo 45,193 15,348
Kosofe 47,181 18,880
Amuwo Odofin 19,564 7,556
Oshodi 44,283 23,395

The biggest beef with this election is that the pictures of several candidates were missing from the ballot paper. A majority of people in the country are illiterate and can only recognise politicians by their pictures. Many parties used very simple symbols like brooms, umbrellas and chicken so those were easily recognized. The question remains, how could this oversight have been made. But on a good note, Lagos seems to be calm FOR NOW. There's still tension over how 'area boys' will react to the results. Yes the nerve center of Nigeria if not the whole of West Africa is at the mercy of THE AREA BOYS.


In other happenings in Lagos, some candidates appear set for a showdown with INEC over irregurlarities in the election. Progressive Peoples Alliance house of Assembly candidate from Ikorodu ward 2, Taofeek Aroyewun is blaming INEC over his supporters inability to vote due to the absence of the party's logo on the ballot form. He is calling for a new election for that ward.

Meanwhile federal house of representative member and former 'working' journalist Abike Dabiri is giving INEC high marks despite it's short coming.


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2pm

Lagos State
AC looks like they will keep Lagos State. So far their candidate Babatunde Fashola aka 'FASH' has picked up 12 while PDP's Musiliu Obanikoro aka 'KORO-KORO' has only 1. Lagos state has 20 LGA's. Looks like Obanikoro has beed 'FASH-IED' in Lagos and Koro supporters have been 'KORODED'. (kudos to Jimi Agbaje and Uche Ohimai for putting up a good campaign, I hope they will get opportunities to serve Lagosians by being appointed to some position because they are very intelligent people )

Borno State
ANPP candidate Ali Modu Sheriff will retain his governorship seat and get a second term. He pretty much has the state in his palms so this result is not surprising. He was the godfather of the past governor Mala Kachalla during the 1999 election.


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1:15

Delta State

The PDP candidate for Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan has won the governorship seat there. Uduaghan is a cousin of the current governor James Ibori also of the PDP. (Guess they are trying to keep it in the family)


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1pm
Abia State
It only gets better. The PPA candidate in Abia State, Theodore Orji has been declared winner in Abia State. Theodore Orji is currently in detention in a Lagos Prison. He is being held by the EFCC on charges of alleged corruption and money laundering (current state gov and presidential candidate for the PPA Orji Uzo Kalu and his mother are implicated in the same case). Orji throughout the campaign period did not really do much of any campaigning.(hmh...coincidence or share luck of a cat with 9 lives).

Orji got 225,289 votes while Onyema Ugochukwu of the PDP got 136,858 votes. Onyema Ugochukwu has sworn to challenge the results saying it was definitely rigged and this would be the last time such would happen (doesn't he just wish...if that's truly what happened)


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12:43pm
IMO STATE
Election in Imo State has been decalred null and void and hence cancelled. The reason given for this is that voting did not take place in 4 local governments. If you can recall the choice PDP candidate Engr. Charles Ugwuh was not certified by INEC because Ifeanyi Ararume won the primaries and was the rightful candidate that the party should have picked up as their flag bearer. After a court ruling in favor of Ararume last week, the PDP expelled him from the party and declared they did not have a candidate in Imo State. (I was expecting problems but not on the scale of cancellation)

EDO STATE

Youths in Benin have besieged the INEC office in the city threatening to raze down the building if their choice candidate the former Labour Union leader, Adams Oshiomole is not declared winner (like they say in MFM --mountain of Fire and Miracles church -- BY FIRE BY FORCE)

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12:00 UPDATE

Gbenga Daniel of the PDP who is the sitting governor of Ogun State clinches a second term with 426,132 votes


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11.22AM

In Ekiti State, tthe PDP gov candidate Olusegun Oni has been declared winner. He scored 177,689 votes. The INEC resident electoral officer Gabriel Okafor announced that this morning. If you recall he was accused of pre-rigging. See this article from the Daily Champion


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10:45AM

Looks like the results for Lagos state are in Babatunde Fashola's favor. He is the candidate from the incumbent party in the state the ACtiuon Congress. PDP's Obanikoro apparently stormed out of the I-NEC office visibly upset and is about to all a press conference. The PDP is also protesting the delay in the release of the results. The party said it has lost confidence in I-NEC and that any result announced afterwards will not be acceptable to them. The PDP attributed this to manipulation by AC. The AC is expressing confidence in INEC.

AIT, a major television station is now operating out of their Out Broadcast van because their headquarters in Alagbado was set on fire.


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The election results are trickling in from the I-NEC office this morning. The time now is 9.47am. I am aware that some people are very interested in detailed results for Lagos State. Below are the few that have come out for the state

Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Apapa have gone to Babatunde Fashola of the Action Congress (AC) while Ibeju Lekki has gone to Musiliu Obanikoro of the PDP.


OYO (updated)
I-NEC in Oyo State has released 26 results of the State house of Assembly election. The ANPP 11, the PDP won 13 seats, the Action Congress got 4 seats while the Labour Party got only 1. There are 32 House of Assembly seats in the State.


Stayed tuned to this spot as I will be updating with results for the next 2 hours until we go into the Silverbird News live studio at noon. You can ofcourse watch that online at www.jumptv.com.