Former Abia governor Orji Kalu defects to APC

Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kalu until his defection is the founder of the Progressives People Alliance (PPA).
This was disclosed in a telephone interview by the state Publicity secretary of APC, Ben Godson.
The defection takes place in Abuja, the party Headquarters Wednesday.

Mayor resigns over Facebook comment on Michelle Obama ”ape in heels’ post

The mayor of Clay, West Virginia, Mayor Beverly Whaling , who left a comment on a Facebook post has resigned and another county official is out following their exchange over a racist Facebook post that compared first lady Michelle Obama to an “ape in heels.” Read here.
The county employee, Pamela Taylor, who worked as director of the Clay County Development Corporation has since been suspended.
After Pam wrote:
“It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a (sic) Ape in heels,”
Mayor Beverly Whaling commented on the post saying: “Just made my day Pam,” according to a screengrab obtained by CNN affiliate WSJZ
Clay County Commissioner Greg Fitzwater confirmed to CNN that Whaling has since resigned, but that he did not know if Taylor was terminated or if she resigned her post because she no longer worked for the county.
The Clay Town Council accepted Mayor Beverly Whaling’s resignation in a meeting late Tuesday afternoon and said it would act quickly to name a replacement for the remaining three years of her term.
Whaling early Tuesday, issued a written apology to news media outlets saying her comment wasn’t intended to be racist. She said:
“I was referring to my day being made for change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me know that I’m not in any way racist!”

Photos: Check out the $5.3 million home the Obamas will move into after they leave the White House

The Obamas, after Barack’s tenure at the White House ends, will be moving into a lavish $5.3 million residence in a desirable gated neighborhood in Washington, DC. The house was built in 1928, with 8,200 square feet and nine bedrooms.
According to businessinsider.com, the Obamas will lease the home from Joe Lockhart, who served as press secretary in President Bill Clinton’s White House, until their younger daughter, Sasha, finishes high school. See more photos from the interior of the house as you continue.

“I am not in any way racist” says West Virginia official who called Michelle Obama an ‘Ape in heels’

West Virginia official Pamela Ramsey Taylor, who called First Lady Michelle Obama an ‘ape in heel’ has been placed on leave after the racist remark prompted intense backlash and calls for her termination. According to Associated Press, the director of Clay County Development Corp., came under fire after she wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post:
“It will be refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady in the White House. I’m tired of seeing a (sic) Ape in heels,”
The mayor of Clay, Beverly Whaling chimed in a comment: “Just made my day Pam.”

The comments came after Republican Donald Trump was elected president and soon spread like wildfire on the internet. More than 103,000 people have signed an online petition calling for both Taylor and Whaling to be fired.
The petition says the post was “hateful and racially motivated. Every grant and piece of paper Mrs. Taylor and Ms. Whaling have to fill out and sign promises equal opportunities and a racism free workplace,”
Taylor, who runs a nonprofit that provides services to elderly and low-income residents in the county, confirmed to WCHS on Monday night that she was put on leave. She apologized on Facebook but subsequently deleted her page. In a statement to WCHS, she insists that she is not a racist.
“I would like to apologize for any unintentional harm caused by my comment,” Whaling said. “My comment was not intended to be racist at all. I was referring to my day being made for the change in the White House! I am truly sorry for any hard feeling this may have caused! Those who know me, know that I am not in any way racist! Again, I would like to apologize for this getting out of hand”

The election of Donald Trump is a blessing-Fani Kayode

Just as US blocks Nigeria from buying fighter jets, the military receives this

-A Northern youth has urged the Nigerian military to ignore all attempt by some unpatriotic Nigerians to ruin their effort in fighting insurgency
– The group also called on the Nigerian media to from allowing itself to be used as agents of distraction in the ongoing war against the insurgency in the North East
– The urged the Nigerian public to disregard reports that attempts to portray the military in bad light
A northern youth group, the Arewa Youth Leaders Forum on Sunday, November 13, called on the Nigerian military to ignore every false report about its institution in the media.
Describing the reports as being peddled by detractors and unpatriotic elements, the group said the said must learn to focus on the assignment of ridding Nigeria of Boko Haram terrorists.
The group also called on the Nigerian media to desist from allowing itself to be used as agents of distraction in the ongoing war against the insurgency in the North East.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kaduna, the national president of the group, Abubakar Abubakar urged Nigerians to disregard reports that attempts to portray the military in bad light.

He said the sacrifices made by men of the Nigerian soldiers in safe guarding the country deserves the appreciation of all Nigerians
Abubakar also described recent reports of the federal government hiring mercenaries to execute the the ongoing war against Boko Haram terrorists as mischievous and baseless allegations.
Abubakar said: “Those that are out to destroy Nigeria are diversifying their strategies so their seeds of discord must not be allowed to germinate and neither should they be allowed to take root.”
“Further to this, the plot to portray the rest of the country as those that do not appreciate the immeasurable efforts of these patriotic and selfless dedicated men and women in the armed forces, whilst others paid the supreme price with their lives others have denied themselves every material and emotional benefits just to ensure that we defeat all terrorists organisations and their affiliates in Nigeria,” he said.
He said it is difficult to understand how the same Nigerian military which decimated Boko Haram terrorists without any foreign support would now contemplate hiring mercenaries to fight the degraded components of these terrorist.
“Could it be that these people are looking for ways to explain away the presence of foreign fighters that they have recruited to swell the ranks of Boko Haram after they were decimated by the military?
“In the dark days of the previous administration, the so called mercenaries were doing a lot of talking in the news while terrorists run amok as far south as Lokoja, Kogi state.
“In the months that the military fought the extremists under President Muhammadu Buhari nothing much was heard of them until this time that authorities are suggesting that the war against terror is entering a new phase after much progress,” Abubakar said.
“The so called mercenaries are in our opinion were merely planted to detract from the success recorded by the military”.
Furthermore, Abubakar urged the Nigerian government to investigate those making the claims that they have seen mercenaries fighting the insurgency.
He said these people may be working towards covering up their tracks after recruiting foreign nationals to fight on the side of the terrorists.
“It is nothing but manifestation of the concerted attempts to reverse the gains made by the armed forces. Such stories should therefore be discarded with a wave of the hand without our military services dignifying them with formal responses.”
Abubakar said Nigerians truly support the military and will continue to demonstrate that through regular briefings, marches and prayers for the troops.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the United States government is blocking President Muhammadu Buhari from buying fighter jets to help the military in their fight.
This report comes after a former US State Department agent on security affairs in Nigeria Matthew Page listed five reasons why the US government must not sell 12 warplanes to Nigeria.
Page among others said the sell of the warplanes will not bolster the relationship between Nigeria and the United States of America.

Tinubu’s new party getting support as Lagos organizes rally (photos)

The projection that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will break away from the All Progressives Congress is looking feasible as a grand rally in support of the chieftain was organised in Lagos.
Tinubu has received support after his position in the APC, a party he contributed to its emergence and success, was being relegated to the background.
It was reported that Tinubu was being left out of important decision making in the APC increasing speculation that he would leave the party.
Following the crises that engulfed the party in the Ondo gubernatorial primaries, Tinubu asked Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the chairman of the party, to resign,
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti even asked the APC not to betray Tinubu as anyone would did would regret it.
The Punch shared pictures of a rally organised in Lagos on Saturday, November 12 in support of Tinubu.
See the photos below:

$175m found in Jonathan’s wife’s firm’s bank account

The EFCC is probing how $175,750,000 deposited in an account linked to former First lady Patience Jonathan,disappeared .The deposits were found in the account of Pluto Property and Investment Limited, one of the firms linked to Mrs. Jonathan.
A manhunt has been launched for two suspects, Toru Wonyeng Ibuomo and Friday Davies, linked to the curious deposits in four tranches within 14 months — between February 21, 2014 and April 1, 2015.
The anti-graft agency is probing how the cash was withdrawn from the domiciliary account with Skye Bank Plc without any trace of where it was diverted to.
The deposits are different from the $15.5million over which the ex-First Lady sued the EFCC, which placed No Debit Order on four accounts.
But the company is one of the four convicted on November 2 for laundering the $15.5million, which Mrs. Jonathan insists belongs to her.
The companies convicted by Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court are Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited; Seagate Property Development & Investment Co. Limited; Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited and Avalon Global Property Development Company Limited.
Barely two weeks after the conviction of the companies, the EFCC uncovered another $175, 750,000 deposits in the account of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited.
The cash has, however, vanished from the bank.
EFCC detectives discovered that the account was opened on November 30, 2013 by Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited with number 2110002238.
The company was registered on January 29, 2013 with RC 1092722. The “strange” deposits came within 14 months.
The deposits are:
21/2/2014—$46,500,000
24/2/2014—$31,000,000
31/3/2015—$49,250,000
1/4/ 2015—$49,000,000
“The EFCC is probing how the deposits hit the company’s account barely two years after it was registered and without executing any major contract. We are suspecting that this is another slush account where government funds were diverted to,” a source close to the investigation told The Nation.
The source said:
“All the deposits were in cash, a development which showed that it was a pure case of money laundering.
“On the 21st of February, the account was reported to have recorded a cash deposit of $46,500,000 by the General Manager of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited , Toru Wonyeng Ibuomo.
“Three days after(24th of February, 2014), another cash deposit of $31,000,000 was made by the same General Manager.
“Friday Davies made a cash deposit of $49,250,000 into the same account. The last tranche of $49,000,000 was deposited by Davies on Apri 1, 2015.”
The source, who pleaded not to be named because of what he described as the “sensitivity” of the probe, claimed that the EFCC was on the trail of Ibuomo and Davies.
The source added:
“We need the two depositors to assist in the ongoing investigation of the payments into the affected account
“It is more curious when the bank details did not show evidence of withdrawals. Yet the whereabouts of the cash was unknown. We hope it is not a private banking arrangement to hide slush funds.”
The source confirmed that the EFCC would probe the likely roles of the former First Lady in operating the account of Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited.
“In a matter before the Federal High Court, the ex-First Lady admitted that one of her domiciliary accounts was bearing Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited.
“We are investigating this $175.750million deposits and the extent of the involvement or relationship of the ex-First Lady with the funds. This is a fresh case; it has nothing to do with the $15.5million frozen by the EFCC.”

Soldier fakes own kidnap in Calabar

An army officer, Musa Lawal, who was reportedly kidnapped in Calabar last Thursday, allegedly faked his abduction.Lawal was abducted around 10am after leaving a bank along Calabar Road in the Cross River State capital by his cronies, according to a security source.
Southern City News learnt on Sunday that Lawal had allegedly arranged for his abduction to pave the way for an undisclosed illegal movement to Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
In the course of investigation, it was learnt that Lawal had after his encounter with an unknown group in Port Harcourt, travelled back to Eket in Akwa Ibom State where he was eventually found in his girlfriend’s apartment by security operatives.
The source said,
“He faked his own kidnap because he wanted to have some time out with a group in Port Harcourt. He had an encounter with them from investigations made. It was an illegal operation that he went for and after the operation he relocated to the girlfriend’s house in Eket.
“He was picked up in his girlfriend’s house in Eket and he is presently being detained in one of the barracks in Calabar. He has confessed that he was not actually kidnapped.
An Army Barrack resident in Calabar, Kehinde Matthew, confirmed that Lawal was on Saturday taken to his residence by security operatives for a search.
“He was on a leg chain when he was escorted to his apartment in the barracks on Saturday. He was brought in by some security operatives that included military police. He wore a blue jean and black T’ shirt,” he said.
But the Army Public Relations Officer in charge of 13 Brigade, Calabar, Capt. Kayode Owolabi, insisted that there was no case of kidnap.
“Nothing like that ever took place. It is all rumour because it is not possible to abduct someone in Calabar without attracting public attention in the broad day light, let alone a soldier who is fully dressed. You must get a pass before you are allowed to travel. Whatever they are saying is not true. The man is with us,” he said.

Wow!!!! President-Elect, Donald Trump scheduled to attend burial in Anambra state

Donald J. Trump who the world has been shocked by over his stunning victory at the U.S presidential election is scheduled to visit the South-eastern part of Nigeria to attend a burial ceremony of the father of Anambra State born oil tycoon, Chief Emeka Offor.
According to reports by Vanguard newspaper, he will be attending the social gathering alongside President Muhammadu Buhari and other African leaders. It would be recalled that Offor’s father, a retired police officer, Chief Bennett Offor passed away in the month of February, 2016.
The burial ceremony is scheduled to hold this week at Oraifite, Anambra State.
Meanwhile, he has warned pick-pockets and other hoodlums to steer clear off the high-profile event.
He said security arrangements had been put in place to pick anybody who would misbehave on the occasion, warning that he will not spare anybody, including hoodlums who may like to embarrass his friend and well-wishers that will attend the burial in any way.
This was disclosed by the Vice Chairman of the Pa Benneth Offor Burial Committee, Mr. Tony Obi, while unveiling the burial plans for Pa Offor who died in Febuary this year, at Emeka Okafor Foundation Centre, Oraifite, Anambra State.
According to Sir Offor, “my father served the Nigerian Police meritoriously and retired after 35 years of service, so nobody will be allowed to come here and mess up his funeral. Security arrangements have been put in place to deal with miscreants.”
“Pickpockets would often sew uniform and infiltrate the funerals of rich persons in the State and steal people’s valuables, including telephone and money, but we are waiting for them in Oraifite, that day may be their last that will land them in prison, to be fore warned is to be fore armed.”
Chief Offor said members of the National Assembly would be led to the funeral ceremony by the former Presidents of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, while many people from all walks of life will have promised to come.
“My father was a very nice man, he gave me so much encouragement and everything you see me doing was initiated by him. He is a passionate philanthropist who would always like to see smiles on the faces of everyone that came in contact with him and I must tell you that most of the guys you see me hang out with were introduced to me by him.”

US President Elect Donald Trump Says He’ll Collect $1 for Salary Instead of $400k

The United States President-elect, Donald Trump has promised to forgo his salary as President. Trump vowed to forgo the $400,000 salary that comes with being the US President, stressing that he will only take $1 as stipulated by law.
According to Trump,
Quote
“I’m not going to take the salary. I’m not taking it. “I think I have to by law take $1, so I’ll take $1 a year.”