EXPLOSION ROCKS TOWN IN CHINA- SEE PICTURES HERE

In the night worker dormitories in Tianjin’s port area were reduced to twisted wreckage and injured migrants packed emergency rooms on Thursday, as the underclass of China’s economic boom bore the brunt of a series of giant blasts.

The explosions in Tianjin — one of which was equivalent to detonating 21 tonnes of TNT — killed scores of people and left hundreds injured, according to state media

Below are picture of the wreckage that left hundreds wounded and many critically injured

RIVERS APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE DAKUKU PETERSIDE AND 49 OTHERS TEAR-GASSED AT INEC OFFICE

Security operatives yesterday tear-gassed Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 election, Dakuku Peterside and Senator Magnus Abe at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

Peterside, Abe and a team of 48 candidates who contested the various elections in the state and reporters to submit a protest letter to INEC’s Acting Chairman, Hajia Amina Zakari, against the state Resident Electoral Commission (REC) for allegedly refusing to give them certified true copies (CTC) of the materials used in the elections.

The delegation, which arrived at the INEC headquarters at 11:15am, was prevented from getting close to the gate by a combined team of mobile police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

INEC’s Deputy Director in charge of security, Victor Egbun, told the delegation that it could only send a representative to meet the commission’s acting chairman and submit its protest letter to her.

The team comprised former House of Representatives members, like Andrew Uchendu, Otelemaba Amachree, Dawari George, Igochukwu Aguma, former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and Rivers State APC Chairman Denis Ebiamo Ikanya.

The security officials threatened to shoot the protesters, if they crossed the barricaded areas.

This forced them to raise their voices and move towards the INEC gate, which the security operatives had locked.

As the delegates approached the gate chanting solidarity songs, the security officials released some canisters of tear gas in front of them and reporters to disperse the crowd.

Peterside said: “We are candidates of the APC at various categories in the last elections. We are here to register our protest to INEC.

“Immediately after the elections, in accordance with the law, we applied for the certified true copies of documents used in the conduct of the elections.

“It is unfortunate that till date, we have not got the certified copies of the election materials, even when it is clear in the law that it must be released within seven days of receiving the application. As if that was not enough, we have approached various tribunals, which have also ordered the release of the materials. But unfortunately, those orders have not been complied with till date.

“We do not have the documents to prosecute our cases. INEC in Rivers State has done everything humanly possible to frustrate our cases at the various tribunals. Dame Ghesilla Khan, who is Rivers State REC, has insisted that she was under instruction from the national office not to release the documents to us. That is why we are here to deliver our protest to INEC’s Acting Chairman.

“We have written between 26 and 27 petitions on this issue and we have not got any serious response. We are aware that the acting chairman has made several memos to the Rivers REC, asking her to comply with the law by releasing the required materials. But she has wilfully refused to comply with the law by releasing and properly certifying those documents for us to use to prosecute our cases at the various tribunals.

“All we need is for INEC to abide by the law, by releasing to us all the certified materials we have requested for. We are not asking anybody to do us any order favour. The Electoral Act is very clear: if you apply within a period of seven days, those documents must be released to you.

“I am shocked that our peaceful request and visit today was greeted with canisters of tear gas which INEC officials have ordered their security operatives to suffocate us with.”

Senator Abe expressed surprise at the way INEC officials treated the delegation.

The lawmaker urged the government to investigate the incident.

He noted that INEC security officials violated the delegates’ human rights by using tear gas, since they were peaceful.

Abe said: “This singular act of the Rivers REC, if not checked, could lead to a breach of the peace in the state. Our simple request is now being frustrated by the same INEC that caused the crisis in the state. The only way to ensure peace in Rivers State is to ensure that INEC obeys the law and releases those documents to allow our cases to be determined by law. We, as law-abiding citizens, will obey the outcome of our cases at the various tribunals.

“But a situation where the same person, who created this same situation, is allowed to frustrate the case, I do not know how our people would take that. Nigerians need to be aware that Rivers State is still a flashpoint, if these issues are not dealt with expeditiously…”

INEC’s Director of Security, Shettima Ngilade, after two hours, urged the protesters to obey the directives of INEC Acting Chairman and send only their representatives.

He said: “…This is a public place. We cannot refuse you entry into the premises; we have procedures of doing things.

“With the way you arrived, we had every reason to fear because even the Rivers State Electoral Commissioner is inside, meeting with the Acting Chairman. There was no prior information about your coming to the commission for us to arrange so that you can see the Acting Chairman.

“What we can only do here is to allow a few of your representatives to go inside and meet with the ACTING Chairman or you hand over your protest letter to us to give her. We cannot allow you to move in this your numbers.

CULLED FROM THE NATION 

EL-RUFAI NOMINATES NAMES OF COMMISSIONER

The governor of Kaduna State, mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has nominated 13 persons as members of the state executive council.

In a letter to Aminu Shagali, Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mr. El-Rufai requested the legislators to consider and approve his nominees.

The nominees are:

1 Professor Jonathan Andrew Nok: Health and Human Services

2 Hajiya Rabi M.G. Abdulsalam: Women Affairs and Social Development

3 Engr. Suleiman Aliyu Lere: Water Resources

4 Muhammed Sani Abdullahi: Budget and Planning

5 Dr. Manzo Daniel Maigari: Agriculture and Forestry

6 Muhammad Bashir Saidu: Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs

7 Hon. Suleiman Abdu Kwari: Finance

8 Dr. Shehu Usman Adamu: Education, Science and Technology

9 Dr. Ya’u Usman Idris: Environment and Natural Resources
10 Hon. Daniel Auta: Youth, Sport and Culture

11 Shehu Balarabe: Commerce, Industry and Tourism

12 Amina Ruth Dyeris-Sijuwade: Justice

13 Usman Mahmud Hassan: Works, Housing and Transport

prophet, Destiny Onwudinjo commits suicide in Kirikiri

Prophet, Destiny Onwudinjo, of Heaven Divine Ministry, in Shasha, a suburb of Lagos, western Nigeria, has committed suicide inside Kirikiri Prison, after he was sentenced to seven years imprisonment without an option of fine for absconding from court to evade trial.

We gathered that he was so dejected about his conviction and jail term that he decided to terminate his life inside the prison.

He reportedly hit his head several times on the prison wall and his head broke. He later fell down and  bled profusely.

The other inmates with him inside the cell raised the alarm and contacted prison officials who took him to their hospital where he eventually died because of the injuries he sustained.

Presiding Magistrate P.E. Nwaka of Ejigbo Court had jailed Onwudinjo after he pleaded guilty to his attempt to escape from court during trial.

Onwudinjo caused a stir at the court when he suddenly jumped from the dock and ran out of the court where he was facing criminal charge of fraud and assault.

The prosecutor, Mr Femi Adeleye, and some of the court officials ran after him and re-arrested him along the street of Lagos.

His attempt to escape disrupted the court’s proceedings as the litigants rushed out of the court due to the rowdiness that ensued.

Onwudinjo was brought to the court by the police at Shasha division for brutalizing an okada rider, Chika Izuogu for refusing to pay him N120,000 for deliverance prayer.

Onwudinjo and Izuogu clashed at Olukosi Street, Shasha, Lagos where both of them reside.

According to Izuogu, Onwudinjo told him that he had a revelation from God that he needed to embark on seven days deliverance prayer so that his condition would improve for the better.       

He said the Enugu State-born Onwudinjo explained to him that the money he asked him to pay covered the fasting and other spiritual materials he would use for the deliverance.

To convince Izuogu that the prayer will work after seven days, he told him that he will receive a divine blessing from God as an unknown person will give him N3 million he would use to start a new life and become rich.

Abia State-born Izuogu who seemed to be convinced told Onwudinjo that he would do the fasting by himself because he had no N120,000 to give him for the deliverance.

He was remanded and later took his own life in prison.

PRESIDENT BUHARI(NIGERIA) MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA (USA) AND THIS IS WHAT THEY SAID

Earlier today President Buhari of the Federal Republic of Nigeria met with the President of the United States "President OBama" at the Oval office in the White House in Washington D.C.

Below is what both Presidents had to say in Public;

Below is what President Obama said to President Buhari and his entourage... 

Well, it’s a great pleasure to welcome President Buhari and his delegation here to the Oval Office for his first visit since the historic election that took place. Nigeria is obviously one of the important countries in the world and one of the most important countries in the African continent. Recently, we saw an election in which a peaceful transition to a new government took place. 
And it was an affirmation of Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, a recognition that although Nigeria is a big country and a diverse country with many different parts, nevertheless the people of Nigeria understand that only through a peaceful political process can change take place.

President Buhari comes into office with a reputation for integrity and a very clear agenda, and that is to make sure that he is bringing safety and security and peace to his country.

He’s very concerned about the spread of Boko Haram and the violence that’s taken place there, and the atrocities that they’ve carried out, and has a very clear agenda in defeating Boko Haram and extremists of all sorts inside of his country. And he has a very clear agenda with respect to rooting out the corruption that too often has held back the economic growth and prosperity of his country.

On both these issues, we’re looking forward to hearing more about his plans and how the United States can partner with Nigeria so that Nigeria ends up being an anchor not only of prosperity and stability in the eastern part of the continent, but can also be an outstanding role model for developing countries around the world.

And we very much look forward to talking about security issues, how we can cooperate on counterterrorism. We’re looking forward to discussing how we can be helpful in addressing some of the corruption issues that have held Nigeria back, and unleashing the incredible talent of the Nigerian people. We all recognize that some of the best businesspeople in the world are from Nigeria, and they thrive as they travel to other countries, but we want to make sure that they’re also helping folks thrive in Nigeria.

We’re also going to have an opportunity to talk about some of the other areas where Nigeria has taken leadership — in public health issues, fighting tragedies like Ebola. Nigeria has an outstanding track record working with us to eradicate polio, and that gives us a framework and a template to continue to work on public health issues throughout the western part of Africa, as well as throughout the subcontinent.

We’ll have a chance to talk about issues of climate change, electrification. As many of you know, Power Africa is one of our top priorities, making sure that we’re electrifying the continent so that it can grow faster and more people have access to the power that they need.

So we’ve got a busy agenda, but I want to emphasize how much I appreciate President Buhari’s work so far. I’m looking forward to seeing him put together his team so that we can do everything that we can to help him succeed and help the people of Nigeria succeed. Because if they’re successful and doing well, that will have a ripple effect not only in West Africa, but throughout the world.

So thank you very much.

What President Buhari said

Nigeria will remain ever grateful to President Obama and the United States for making Nigeria to consolidate its gains on a democratic system. The visit of the Secretary of State, when he visited Nigeria to see the President and the whole government of Nigeria, see the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission for Nigeria, and saw the operation was very clear and a positive trend that saw us through for this credible election we had.

And the maintenance of pressure by the United States, mainly, and Europe, to make sure that the elections were free, fair and credible led us to where we are now. It would have been almost impossible if the United States did not maintain the pressure on the former Nigerian government, but they would not accept anything less constitutional as far as the processes of the election are concerned. We will ever remain grateful to you because there are fundamental objectives that are identify all of Nigeria’s people’s Congress — security, economy, employment especially of youth, and then fighting corruption.

We are extremely happy that the United States had made it absolutely clear before the election that they are prepared to help Nigeria in this aspect. And this is why I am here, and I am very grateful for the invitation Mr. President extended to me.

Thank you very much, Mr. President.

WHAT MADE PDP GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDTE JIMI AGBAJE CRY ON LIVE TV?

Former Lagos State PDP governorship aspirant, Jimi Agbaje  today was on the "Lovely&Clair show" on AIT today around 1:30pm. He gave scholarship to 5 orphans through the show.
Jimi Agbaje started to cry when one of the beneficiaries, who is now in university came to share her experience on the show & thank him for having a positive impact on her lifecby his kind gesture.

While narrating her experiences and how her life has changed for the better, Mr Agbaje actually cried tears of joy.

EXPLOSIONS HITS CULTURAL CENTER IN TURKISH TOWN OF SUCUR

There has been a DEADLY Bomb blast at the Turkish Cultural Center in Suruc, a town near Syria border. the fatalities figures yet to be ascertained 

More updates on this report shortly 

PRESIDENT BUHARI ARRIVES AMERICA SAFELY

Nigeria's President Muhammed Buhari and his 33 man entourage left the shores of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Sunday the 19th of July 2015 and reports reaching Peoples Digest He arrived safely and is currently staying at Blairs as the first ever Nigerian President to be hosted there.

President Buhari will have the opportunity to appeal for additional US aid in combating the terrorist group, among other issues such as recover some of Nigerias stolen funds domiciled in the US

Nigeria’s poverty level could lead to micronutrient deficiency, erosion of citizens’ well-being and development - Bishop David Oyedepo

Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners’ Chapel) David Oyedepo said yesterday that about 50 million Nigerian youths were jobless.

He said Nigeria’s poverty level could lead to micronutrient deficiency, erosion of citizens’ well-being and development, reduce productivity and immunity level as well as increase sickness and disease.

He urged Nigerians to “wake up to the reality of charting a path for strengthening the reins of our economy via productive and creative engagements in entrenching agro-enterprise”.

“Governments over the years had proffered policy solutions to agricultural development challenges and indeed implemented a number of them. Our dilemma is that the policies have not seemed to have addressed the food security challenge.

“A number of efforts of government or statutory responsibilities considered effective for attaining agricultural development have not really been effective.

“For example, the Nigerian Agriculture Development Bank is today moribund despite several years of operation and several billions of Naira of invested fund. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) agricultural credit scheme with such lofty objective in which the nation had invested billions of its resources ended up as a way of getting fund to agriculture projects without significant contribution to its development,” he said.

He added that poverty level in the country was soaring with an estimated 70 per cent of the population, mostly rural dwellers, living on less than $1.25 per day.

Quoting from the Global Hunger Index report of 2014, Bishop Oyedepo said: “Nigeria is among the countries in the world faced with a high level of hunger threat despite its efforts at reducing hunger in the last 25 years.”

The cleric, who is the chancellor of Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, spoke at the institution’s second convocation ceremony.

“Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural resources that it has not been able to successfully harness to the benefit of its teeming population.

“Agriculture is the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, employing approximately two-thirds of the country’s total labour force and contributing 40 per cent to gross domestic product (GDP). Nigeria was ranked 40th out of 79 on the GHI and 156 out of 187 on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2011 human index development.

“According to the data from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 2012, poverty is widespread in the rural areas, where 80 per cent of the population live below poverty line,” Bishop Oyedepo said.

NIGERIAS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY POSTPONES DATE OF RESUMPTION OVER PENDING LEADERSHIP CRISIS

The Senate and the House of Representatives have extended the date for resumption plenary sessions, which was earlier scheduled for Tuesday, July 21.

Members are now expected to resume July 28.

This was made known by the the Clerk of the House of Representatives, M. A. Sani-Omolori, who released an official notice of the postponement.

“This is to inform all Honourable members of the House of Representatives of the postponement of resumption of plenary session from adjourned date of Tuesday, 21st July to Tuesday, 28th July 2015,” Mr. Sani-Omolori said in his statement.

The postponement became imperative because of the crisis rocking the National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives, over the choice of legislators that will clinch the principal positions of the Nigerian legislative arm.

Plenary session was adjourned at both chambers of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 25, in the wake of fracas that ensued on the floor of the House between members of the All Progressives Congress loyal to the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and those loyal the party.

Also in defiance of the leadership of APC same day, Mr. Saraki named Ali Ndume, Senate Leader; Francis Alimikhena, Deputy Whip; and Bala Na’Allah, Deputy Senate Leader, in spite of stiff opposition from APC Senators loyal to the ruling party.

The adjournment of plenary sessions by Messrs Saraki and Dogara was to create additional time within which the crisis could be resolved.

The crises however remain unresolved.

Mr. Dogara finally responded to the leadership of the APC, rejecting the party’s position of the choice of the principal positions, citing Federal Character principle.

He made a new proposal which would see the North West produce the Majority Leader, thereby blocking Femi Gbajabiamila, South West, who is being favoured by the APC leadership.

The APC is yet to respond to Mr. Dogara’s proposal.

But Mr. Gbajabiamila’s group has vowed to ensure Mr. Dogara obeys the party’s directive.

Culled from Premium Times 

LIST MTV AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS 2015 WINNERS

Here are the full MAMAs winner’s list below.

Best Collaboration – AKA – All Eyes On Me ft. Burna Boy, Da Les

Best New Act – Patoranking

Best Live Act – Diamond Platnumz

Personality of The Year – Trevor Noah

Best Hip Hop – Cassper Nyovest

Best Pop & Alternative – Jeremy Loops

Video of The Year – Riky Rick – Nafukwa

Best Group – P-Square

Best Male – Davido

Best Female – Yemi Alade

Best Lusaphone – Ary

Best Frankophone – DJ Arafat

The Evolution Award – D’Banj

Song of The Year – Dorobucci by Mavins

BAUCHI STATE YET TO RECIEVE FG BAIL OUT FUNDS - GOVERNOR

 Mohammed Abubakar, Bauchi State Governor,, has insisted that he has not received any money from the Federal Government to pay the four-month salaries the state government owe Bauchi civil servants.

Abubakar said this on Saturday when the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, and his Emirate council paid him a Sallah homage at the Government House, Bauchi.

He said “Up to date, no kobo from the Federal Government has come into the coffers of Bauchi State Government contrary to insinuations by some people,” .

There have  being reports in the state that despite that the governor had received fund from the Federal Government to settle salary arrears of workers, he had refused to settle the outstanding salary.

Abubakar said, “In a little time, the four months salary our government inherited would be cleared.  Thereafter, promises made to the people of Bauchi State would be met.”

Responding to the people’s requests through the Emir, the governor explained that rural roads would be given the deserved attention.

According to him, rural roads will be constructed to fast track the development programme of the government, which include transportation of humans and farm produce for socio-economic benefit of the people and Nigeria.

AUBREY MORRIS DIES AT 89

The British actor Aubrey Morris, best known for his role in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, has died at 89. Morris, known for eccentric flourishes in his acting, brought to his role as probation officer Deltoid in Orange a sense of camp and menace coexisting.

Morris, an alumnus of Britain’s prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, performed Shakespeare throughout his early career; he got worldwide recognition for roles in the Euro-trip romantic comedy If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, the horror classic The Wicker Man, and Woody Allen’s Love and Death. On the small screen, Morris was known for the cult-classic series The Prisoner, and this year appeared in an episode of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

May his soul rest in peace!

BOSTON MARATHON BOMBER MOVED TO COLORADO PRISON

Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been transferred to a high-security “supermax” prison in Colorado, US media and officials said, where he will be held until he is moved to federal death row.

Tsarnaev, a US citizen of Chechen decent, was sentenced to death for the 2013 attack at the Boston Marathon finish line that killed three people and wounded 264 others, including 17 who lost limbs.

The US Federal Bureau of Prisons listed Tsarnaev as an inmate at the administrative security prison in Florence, Colorado known as a supermax.

The Boston Globe said Tsarnaev, 21, was transferred to the penitentiary in Florence on Friday.

The high-security prison houses 418 inmates in total, including some of America’s most notorious criminals.

Zacarias Moussaoui, convicted over the September 11, 2001 attacks, is also held at the facility, along with “Unabomber” serial murderer Ted Kaczynski and convicted “Shoe bomber” Richard Colvin Reid.

It is expected that Tsarnaev will eventually sit on federal death row in Terre Haute, Indiana.

INEC REGiSTERs NEW POLITICAL PARTY

In a letter dated July 8, 2015, with reference number INEC/DEPM/DPC/511/11 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, the Indepedent Netional Electoral (INEC) commission said the Democratic People’s Congress was registered at its meeting on Friday June 19, 2015.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has registered the Democratic People’s Congress as a political party.

It  further stated that the party constitution, manifesto, logo, flag and the list of the National Executive Officers were also approved, adding that the certificate of registration would be issued in due course.

 Rev. Olusegun Peters, the National Chairman of the new party, said the  DPC will participate actively in the democratic process “in our quest at building a just society.”

Peters said, “We are going to take part in all the elections coming up in the country anytime from now.

“We will be in Kogi and Bayelsa States for the governorship elections. We are going to make impact and even sure of winning.”

He added that the party will also take part in the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections.

The registration of DPC brings the number of registered political parties in the country to 27.

However, out of the former 26 registered parties, only 11 of them submitted names of candidates to run for Presidency in 2014.

GUN MAN TRIES TO ASSASSINATE ST LOUIS POLICE OFFICER

ST. LOUIS  — A gunman wearing a bandanna over his face opened fire on a uniformed St. Louis police sergeant before dawn Tuesday, peppering his windshield with at least a dozen rounds, and the police chief credited the officer's body armor with saving his life.

Police Chief Sam Dotson said the officer sustained a torso injury not considered life-threatening during the hail of gunfire on his private vehicle shortly before 5 a.m. in the city's tony Central West End neighborhood. Dotson called the attack a "brazen act of violence."

The officer, who was working security as a second job, managed to return fire and believes he may have wounded one of the four men who occupied the car from which the gunman emerged, Dotson said.

The officer and the four suspects are black, police said.

"They targeted, they ambushed, they tried to assassinate a police officer," the chief told reporters outside the hospital where the officer was treated and later released. "What we saw tonight are individuals that were armed, that targeted a police officer and had no second thoughts, no remorse about it at all."

"What we saw today are guns in the hands of criminals and their willingness to use them," Dotson said.

Dotson said the officer had been monitoring three people walking down the street, but did not engage them before they left the area.

Moments later, a silver or gray vehicle occupied by four people, including the walkers, pulled up in front of the sergeant's car, Dotson said. The gunman stepped out and began firing at the officer, then fled on foot as the suspect's car sped away.

The wounded officer drove after the gunman but lost sight of him in a parking garage, Dotson said, crediting the officer's ballistic vest for saving his life.

Investigators planned to obtain footage from an abundance of surveillance cameras in the area, Dotson said.

He did not release the injured officer's name but said he is a 16-year veteran of the force.

WEEK 17 PREMEIR LEAGUE RESULTS

3SC 3-0 Giwa FC,

Warri Wolves 2-1 Enyimba,

Nasarawa Utd 1-1 FC IfeanyiUbah,

Akwa Utd 1-0 Kano Pillars,

Heartland FC 3-1 Dolph, Nins