Jerry Douglas' Blog

It seems like the plot to remove the Rivers State Governor Mr Rotimi Amaechi has started with a huge victory as eight members of the house of Assembly has changed camps and now loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyeson Wike. This makes the amount of anti Amaechi lawmakers in the state to 13 out of 32 members Not disturbed by the development Speaker of the House, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree, said the number of opposition members in the House, was not enough to impeach the governor Amachree made it clear  “We are aware that between five and eight lawmakers have compromised and are making moves to impeach the governor. But they don’t have enough number to impeach the state governor. “They have to impeach the Speaker first before thinking of removing the governor because he (Speaker) will not betray the governor. Mr. Speaker is never a traitor and he (Amachree) has not seen any reason why he should give up on Amaechi. “Apart from that, those lawmakers who have compromi

Facts emerging show how the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, allegedly influenced the suspension of Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Amaechi was suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC) this Monday on the grounds that he violated Articles 58 1(b), (c ), (h) and (m) of the PDP. But the suspension was largely seen as a direct fallout of the election of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) which Amaechi won. A highly placed source disclosed to LEADERSHIP that a bitter Mrs Jonathan allegedly summoned the members of the NWC and handed down a stern directive to them to immediately place the embattled governor on suspension after Amaechi emerged victorious in the NGF election. But the directive, according to the source, threw the NWC members into confusion as to what “sins” would be adduced as reason for such action. Some of them, it was disclosed, attempted to argue against it on the basis that such an “extreme measure” was too

Juventus are ready to offer cash plus Felipe Melo for Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. The Old Lady are desperate to sign a new striker this summer and have been linked with moves for Arsenal targets Stevan Jovetic and Gonzalo Higuain. But the Scudetto winners also have Tevez in their sights and, according to Italian newspaper Leggo, are ready to offer City target Melo in order to land the Argentine. Juve are willing to offer €5m plus the Brazilian midfielder to get their man. The move would solve two problems for Juve, who are struggling to offload Melo after the Selecao international spent the last two seasons on loan at Turkish club Galatasaray. Tevez has enjoyed a decent season for the deposed Premier League champions, scoring 11 goals and adding 8 assists in 34 appearances. The Argentina international has also been linked with a move to mega-rich Ligue 1 outfit PSG, with City thought to be keen on a new striker this summer. Source:  Punch Nigeria

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Tuesday narrowly escaped being attacked by angry mob as protests continued in Ilorin, the state capital.   The protesters also prevented the governor from inaugurating some projects in commemoration of his administration’s two years in office. The protest started on Monday following the shooting of a Kwara State Polytechnic student by a bullion van police escort. The policeman was said to be clearing the way for a bullion van when a stray bullet from his gun hit the student. However, on Tuesday, our correspondent learnt that the governor was on his way to inaugurate a road project when information reached him that the protesters had burnt one of his advance cars, Pilot 06, at Mubo Street, near Maraba Junction. The protesters also frustrated the inauguration of a road project at Kulende- Royal Valley Estate as they chased away residents and guests, who gathered for the ceremony. They reportedly vandalised some vehicles and

The Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi on Wednesday granted amnesty to 21 prisoners drawn from Awka, Onitsha, Aguata and Enugu prisons, as part of activities to mark the Democracy Day. This is contained in a statement signed in Awka by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mike Udah. According to the statement, the exercise was in compliance with the constitutional powers of the governor. The statement noted that three inmates: Chidiebele Okolisa, Nafiu Mohammed and Kenechukwu Nwobodo, were released from Awka Prison, while Chibuzo Ekweizu and Chukwudi Okonkwo were released from Aguata Prison. "The beneficiaries from Onitsha Prison are Mmaduabuchi Ojimba, man-hood Iboro, Ikechukwu Nnamani, Amaechi Oloh, Chukwunonso Igbomalu, Sunday Udezulu and Ibrahim Ahmed. "Other lucky ones from Onitsha Prison are Chinedum Ephraim, Adebayo Damilare, Christian Okeke, Julius Nweke, Sundy Ogugua, Chijioke Oforkalu, Nnamdi Nwabunwanne and Donatus Obioha." The statement sai

Eric Abidal is to leave Barcelona after six years at the club. The French defender, who fought back from liver cancer and a subsequent transplant to play ahead, had hoped for a new deal. But he told a news conference on Thursday that his time at the Nou Camp would end when his current contract expires next month. "I would have like to have stayed and played on at Barcelona but the club saw it differently and I have to respect their decision," an emotional Abidal said. "I hope to return because it is a club (that is) very special to me." Source:  sky sports

Some disengaged workers of Ecobank Plc who were recently laid off by the bank, said they will sue the bank to court if their severance fee is not paid within two weeks. The aggrieved said most of them were recently promoted for efficiency and productivity in their various departments, yet the bank said they were sacking for poor performance, adding two months after receiving their sack letters, the bank has refused to pay them their emoluments thereby subjecting them to untold hardship. Speaking with National Mirror on Thursday, one of the workers, Mr. Dipo Ojutiku, in confirming the decision to take action against the bank, said for over two months since they were laid off for what the bank referred to as non-performance exit exercise and one month salary in lieu of notice given, that their severance package has not been paid. Ojutiku explained that the management of the bank had bluntly refused to pay them, even though the sack letters stated that they were redundant, sayi

Chelsea officials are celebrating after Jose Mourinho agreed to return to Stamford Bridge last night. The Sun says the Special One sealed a spectacular £40 million four-year deal on Tuesday night. A senior Blues source revealed: “It’s official Jose is a  Chelsea  man again! Everyone is delighted he’s coming back — the club, the players and the fans “We are already looking forward to next season — we are sure it’s going to be very exciting.” Mourinho finally put pen to paper during a two-day trip to London this week. His cover story was attending the Crystal Palace-Watford play-off final at Wembley on Monday and visiting friends in the capital. But the real purpose of the visit was to seal an emotional return to his beloved Blues along with right-hand man Rui Faria. Now it is expected he will be unveiled next week in a blaze of publicity by the Europa League champions. Source:  The Sun

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a grandfather, Mr. Segun Kayode, for allegedly exhuming and selling human parts. According to the police, the suspect, who works at a cemetery in Epe area of the state, was arrested with a human skull. Police sources said the suspect sold human parts for a living, adding that he had become notorious in the area for selling human parts. It was learnt that the suspect was arrested following a report by a resident who saw him displaying a skull for sale. The grandfather, who could not give his exact age, said he started selling human parts because he was poor and jobless. He said, “I live at 2,Tungbehin Street, Epe. I have two children and I am a grandfather. I have always been poor all my life because I had no formal or informal education. I used to be a fisherman but when there were no longer fishes in rivers in my area, I became a gardener at Epe Local Government Secretariat “About four years ago, the LG said they no longer n

President Goodluck Jonathan is today moving to check cracks in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, arising from the suspension of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State from the party at a dinner for senior officials and members of the party. The move by the president is coming as Governor Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, described as disgraceful the conduct of some of his colleagues following the election of Amaechi as chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF. He tendered an apology to Nigerians on the issue. The development came as some activists on the occasion of Democracy Day called for the abrogation of the NGF saying that it had become a waste to citizens governed by the governors. News of today’s dinner to be hosted by the president was given in a notice issued by the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh. Admission into the dinner couched as a “family dinner” is, however, strictly by invitation to party members who are expected to call

Barcelona vice-president Carles Vilarrubi has hit out at Jose Mourinho and claims he will be a 'disaster' if, as expected, he returns to Chelsea after announcing his departure from Real Madrid. Mourinho is ready to bid farewell to Spanish football after three eventful years at Santiago Bernabeu. The enigmatic Portuguese coach has courted controversy throughout his time in Madrid, with regular clashes with arch-rivals Barca seeing him hit the headlines for events on and off the field. Vilarrubi says no-one in Spain will miss Mourinho and his antics when he has gone and feels the Premier League would be ill-advised to welcome him back with open arms - six years after he brought a successful three-year stint at Stamford Bridge to a close. The Barca chief told The Daily Telegraph: "It is not good for English football. Chelsea maybe think they had a good time from him in the past, but you will see the real Mourinho now. "If he behaves like he did in Spain

Nude Pictures of Nigeria BBA Representative, Beverly Odu surface online. View pictures below...

On average, only one out of 10 countries in the past year has applied the death penalty, according to annual report of Amnesty International on the use of capital punishment. According to the human rights organization, the trend of moving away from the death penalty exists in the world, but the statistics is seriously affected by Asia and the Middle East. In 2012, like 2011, only 21 countries carried out capital punishments; 140 countries, more than two-thirds of the world completely abolished the death penalty or introduced a moratorium. The largest number of people were executed last year in China, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Yemen. Employees of Amnesty International found documented 682 executions in 2012, an increase of two cases more than a year earlier. However, these statistics do not take into account China, which holds the secret data on the use of capital punishment, and Syria, where civil war prevented the collection of information. It

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, gave a robust defence of his administration’s performance at mid-term and dismissed public and media assessment of his ministers, saying the criticisms were mostly bereft of objectivity.   President Jonathan spoke at the public presentation of the administration’s mid-term report in Abuja during which administration officials rolled out positive financial indicators which among others was that Nigeria has become the highest investment destination in the continent. The presentation was graced by former Nigerian leaders, including former President Shehu Shagari, General Yakubu Gowon, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya; one-time United States presidential candidate, Jesse Jackson among others. Also present at the event were the Senate President, Sen. David Mark; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar. Jackson, speak

Have you ever had issues with people impersonating your brand on facebook, well if you are a celebrity or successful business owner with this problem, guess your worries over. Facebook has just announced a new verified feature for pages and profiles, designed to give high-profile accounts an added level of authenticity. This is clearly a straightforward copy of Twitter’s own verified accounts, and even features a similar, small blue checkmark to indicate that a person or business is indeed the legitimate account holder. The mark appears on the pages themselves, as well as in search results and throughout the site. The Verified Pages are being rolled out to “just a small group of prominent public figures (celebrities, journalists, government officials, popular brands and businesses) with large audiences,” Facebook says, and will soon roll out to profiles as well. Facebook has a new section in its help center that describes what a verified profile or page actually is, but it doesn’

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday tasked political leaders to adopt practical measures to accelerate effective utilisation of human and natural resources for sustainable development in the country. Obasanjo gave the challenge while speaking at the maiden Jigawa Economic and Investment Summit in Dutse. The summit was organised by the state as part of the activities to mark the 2013 Democracy Day celebration. The major highlight of the summit was to encourage investment on agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT), solid minerals and small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs). Obasanjo said that Nigeria was endowed with abundant natural and human resources, which could be transformed to the social and economic benefit of the people. “Nigeria is a land of opportunities and it is blessed with all it takes to develop, it has been stagnant for so long, it is about time to change these opportunities to actuality. “There is no reason why we should n

Four foreign nationals, suspected to have hailed from Middle East, were arrested in Kano by the Joint Task Force in the Bompai area of Kano on Wednesday.   Owner of the complex, where the weapons were impounded, simply identified as a Lebanese national, was arrested by military personnel. Security sources disclosed that items recovered from the extensive operation included 40 air-to-surface missiles, 50 cluster bombs, 200 rocket-propel launchers, eight AK-47 rifles and 200 military hand grenades. The “weapons of war” were said to have been evacuated to the headquarters of the 3rd Motorised Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Kano, alongside the foreign nationals. Preliminary investigation had begun while “three countries have been indicted and the military high command is working to ascertain the culpability. Meanwhile, the JTF has arrested 50 terror suspects in Borno State with the aid of special dogs, says the Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade

Clandestine moves to impeach Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, heightened on Wednesday as eight members of the House of Assembly were said to have shifted loyalty to the camp of the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike.   Though the names of the lawmakers were not mentioned, the number of anti-Amaechi state legislators has suddenly swollen to 13 out of 32. Five members of the House had, from the outset, taken a position against the governor since the beginning of the crisis which is threatening the existence of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state. But the Speaker of the House, Mr. Otelemaba Amachree, said the number of members of the House, who had been swayed against the governor, was not enough to impeach the governor. Amachree stated that with 19 lawmakers on the side of the governor, it would be difficult to remove (Amaechi). He said, “We are aware that between five and eight lawmakers have compromised and are making moves to impeach

KEY predecessors of President Goodluck Jonathan in office, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; and ex-dictators, retired Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdusalami Abubakar (retd.), as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Wednesday shunned the Democracy Day event of the Federal Government. While all former heads of government were reportedly invited to the event where Jonathan rendered an account of his mid-term performance, only Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) and Chief Ernest Shonekan attended. Gowon ruled as military head of state between 1966 and 1976; Shagari from 1979 to 1983; while Shonekan spent barely 99 days in office as head of the Interim National Government foisted on the country by Babangida after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election won by the late businessman, MKO Abiola. Rather than be in Abuja, Obasanjo chose to attend the First Jigawa State Investment Forum in Dutse, where he showere

PRESIDENTIAL campaign posters featuring Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, surfaced in the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday thus signalling an interesting twist to the 2015 elections. The coloured posters, versions of which had been reportedly sighted earlier in Kaduna and Niger states, bear portraits of Lamido and Amaechi in a joint ticket campaign posture. By the way, the two governors had at various times denied nursing such ambitions. Our correspondents sighted a number of these posters along major highways especially in satellite towns and on flyovers in parts of the Federal Capital Territory. Some of the posters, seen pasted along the Abuja-Gwarimpa-Kubwa Expressway, had the inscription “2015: Vote for Lamido/Amaechi ticket.” The Peoples Democratic Party had on Monday suspended Amaechi, citing anti-party activities. The suspension came barely two days after Amaechi won a re-election as Chairman of th