Accreditation And Voting Begin In Rivers Rerun Polls

Sensitive materials for the re-run polls were delivered at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Sorting and distribution have been done at the different senatorial zones and constituencies in all 23 local government areas in the state.

INEC recruited the services of 24,930 adhoc staff, 379 collation officers and 37 returning officers for the rerun elections.

The electoral body is conducting the re-run in compliance with the appeal tribunal which nullified the earlier polls.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, had directed the AIG in charge of Zone 6 Calabar, Mr. Adisa Bolanta and three Commissioners of Police to relocate to Port Harcourt for the elections.
A statement issued from Mr Arase’s office said the deployment is to ensure a conducive environment for free, fair and credible election.


The statement adds that 6000 conventional Policemen and 14 Units of Police Mobile Force Personnel (MOPOL), would be deployed to compliment the personnel of Rivers State Command during the election.

Osun State Will Not Pay State Workers March Salaries

The Osun State government has announced that it will be unable to pay State workers their March salaries.

Osun State received only N6.23m in funding for the month of March. According to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the government will not be able to pay the State Secretariat’s electricity bills, let alone its N2.6bn wage bill.

March’s federal allocation represents a significant decline from February’s allocation of N1.677bn. Additionally, Osun State received N19.418m and N726.1m from the exchange rate gain and value added tax, bringing the total February allocation to N2.423bn.

The reason for Osun State’s insufficient funding comes from debt obligations amounting to over N2bn. The debt payments included external debt and an irrevocable standing payment order (ISPO).


Every other state was granted a March allocation of at least N1bn, with Akwa Ibom, Delta, Lagos, and Rivers States topping the list with N8.557bn, N6.062 bn, N6.612 bn and N5.427bn, respectively.

Finance Ministry Confirms Suspension Of PTAD Boss

The Federal Ministry of Finance, has confirmed the indefinite suspension of Mrs Nellie Mayshak, the Director-General, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), and three other senior staff of the directorate.

 

This is contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media, to the Minister of Finance, Mr Festus Akanbi and issued to newsmen on Friday in Abuja.


The statement said the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun placed Mayshak on suspension.
It added that a director in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had been appointed as the acting Director-General of the directorate.


The statement said that Mayshak was suspended over alleged mismanagement of funds.
“The suspension which is a normal civil service procedure is to pave way for an unimpeded investigation into the activities of the directorate under the watch of Mayshak.


“While the ministry assures pensioners that the suspension will not affect pension payment and services, it promises to make public the findings of the investigative panel on the issues leading to the suspension,’’ it added.


PTAD was established in August, 2013 to oversee the management of pensions under the defined benefit scheme for pensioners not transiting to the defined contributory scheme.

Ooni of Ife and his new wife visit Sultan of Sokoto (photos)

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi,Ojaja II and his new wife Olori Wuraola visited to the Sultan of Sokoto at his palace in Sokoto yesterday. See more photos after the cut...

Gidi Fest 2016 - Creativity! Where the Young Entrepreneur and the Economy meet

Gidi Fest 16 (Gidi Culture Festival) is coming up on March 26^th! The festival will have music from Davido, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Phyno, Timaya, K.O., and Riky Rick, with opening acts Adekunle Gold and Small Doctor. Gidi Fest also features food and art from across Nigeria and beach football and volleyball headed by celebrity team captains. Ticket prices are slashed to N2,000 and are available at www.gidifest.com

Why the cut in pricing? Let’s get real about the economy. We’ve all felt the effects of the drop in oil prices and thereby the drop in our economy. This, in combination with foreign exchange rates makes for tough times in Nigeria. We’ve carried on in the traditional Nigerian way of ‘suffering and smiling’, but let’s be honest; it’s a tough time in our country!

Will oil prices go back up anytime soon? Your guess is as good as ours, but in the meantime, what’s clear is that there is no stopping the Nigerian youth. As the economy slows, we’ve all picked up the pace. We’re long past the days of being limited to ‘traditional’ careers. In the pages of newspapers, or even amongst your friends you can find people making careers (and money!) as stylists, creative directors, graphic artists, musicians, actors, producers - the list is endless.  With 105million people under 30, Nigeria’s young people are a force to be reckoned with.

Who needs oil? Ok, we still need oil, but you get the point. There’s no excuse to not follow your dreams. The time is now! We’ve seen what many youths are doing and we are inspired. We’re building the country together.

Just like year’s past, we’re opening Gidi Fest’s gates to all communities, providing a day where everyone can come out, enjoy great music, great food, good times and even better people. This year, with the economy slowing some people down, we deserve a great day more than ever. Gidi Fest is creating a tradition of youth empowerment and celebrating African music, culture and people in every form.

This is our vision. What’s yours? Show us solo or even gather your #GidiSquad. We’re taking submissions via Instagram and Twitter, make sure you tag #GidiFest16 and follow us @GidiCultureFest on either network. The story we love the most gets 2 VIP tickets to Gidi Fest 2016 on March 26^th.

For the up and coming musicians out there check out the Flow with the Beat competition. The competition gives new talent a chance to #LiveYourMusic by downloading the Gidi Cypher Beat produced by DJ Choptstix (https://soundcloud.com/gidiculturefest/gidicypher), flowing over the beat and sending it to us at hello@eclipseliveafrica.com. The competition ends 13^th March.

To buy tickets and get more info on the festival check out www.GidiFest.com

For a glimpse of what to expect at Gidi Fest 2016, click the link:  https://youtu.be/9sAzL2O7MDc

Gidi Fest 2016 is brought to you by Eclipse Live, Eko Atlantic, Lagos State and Heineken with support from Red Bull, Mikano, Eko Hotel, Pepsi, South African Airways and Hyperia.

13 small things you do that people use to judge your personality

People may judge you based on your taste in music.

From the moment two people meet, they're sizing each other up, looking for signs of qualities like honesty, intelligence, and altruism.

Whether it's a date or a job interview, the small stuff matters — from the firmness of your handshake to how often you check your phone.

We checked out the Quora thread "What are the really small things that tell a lot about a person's psychology and personality?" and the latest scientific research, and highlighted some of the most common behaviors people use to judge you.

1. Your handshake

Several Quora users admitted that they judge people based on their handshake.

"Strong handshakes usually reflect a strong and confident character, whereas weak handshakes usually indicate a lack of confidence and are almost always a characteristic of people who would look for an easy way to do things," writes Julian Parge.

Research backs up the idea that your handshake can reveal certain aspects of your personality. One study found that people with firm handshakes were more likely to be extroverted and emotionally expressive and less likely to be shy and neurotic.

2. Whether you show up on time

Late for a very important date? The person who's waiting may be forming a negative impression of your personality.

"A proactive person will be there on time, because he is self-motivated, mentally organized, and values time whereas a procrastinator will be running here and there at the last hour," says Humaira Siddiqui.

According to science, those who are chronically late aren't necessarily inconsiderate people — but they're probably more laid-back, "Type B" individuals.

3. How you treat restaurant staff

Multiple users said they pay close attention to how other people interact with waiters.

"I will never, EVER date a man who is rude to restaurant staff," says Sati Marie Frost.

Even top executives say that you can learn a lot about someone based on the way he or she treats waiters, hotel maids, and security guards. Ron Shaich, CEO of Panera Bread, says that he once declined to give someone a job partly because she was nice to him but rude to someone cleaning the tables nearby.

4. Where you look when you drink out of a cup

Writes David Junto: "A person that looks into the cup when drinking tends to be more introspective, self-aware, idealistic, and focused. A person who looks over the rim of the cup when drinking tends to be more influenced by others, more environmentally aware, carefree, extroverted, and trusting."

And don't even get started on what your drink choice may signal to others.

5. Whether you bite your nails

Sushrut Munje has strong views on people with bitten nails, saying that it's a sign that "the person eats away at himself."

Meanwhile, research suggests that those who bite their nails — or pull their hair or pick their skin — tend to be perfectionists, unable to fully relax.

6. Your handwriting

Whether you're writing a to-do list or a love note, your handwriting can say a lot about you.

Ramesh Nagaraj believes that "people who put a lot of pressure on pen and paper to write something are usually stubborn in attitude. They have a lot of confidence."

Meanwhile, professional graphologist Kathi McKnight says that large letters indicate that you're people-oriented, while small letters suggest you're introverted. Letters that slant to the right can mean you're friendly and sentimental, those that don't slant at all might mean you're pragmatic, and letters that slant to the left suggest you're introspective.

7. How often you check your phone

An anonymous Quora user writes about noticing "where and when [people] pull their phones out (waiting in a short line, talking to their parents, being out with friends, when they're alone in public)."

As for what it might mean if you're constantly refreshing your email or Facebook feed, one study found that you may be less emotionally stable and trying to boost your mood.

8. Whether you make eye contact

Munje says that a limp handshake and a lack of steady eye contact "shows lack of self-control, required drive to follow through, and a weak will."

Alternatively, psychologist Adrian Furnham, PhD, writes in Psychology Today that extroverts tend to look more often and for longer at their conversation partners than introverts do. And in general, people who look at their partners more often are more confident and socially dominant.

9. Your selfie style

Research suggests that people will assume a lot about you based on your selfies. 

Usually, those assumptions are inaccurate. For example, being alone in a photo does not mean you're neurotic, but people are probably right to think that positive emotion in a selfie predicts openness to experience.

10. Your taste in music

Citing a 2003 study on the topic, Quora user Humaira Siddiqui says that she judges people based on the type of music they listen to.

The study found that people who listen to "reflective and complex" music tend to be open to new experiences and politically liberal. Those who listen to "upbeat and conventional" jams are more likely to be extroverted and athletic.

11. Your favorite color

Shivani Jha has a theory on what your color of choice reveals about your personality. For example, if your favorite color is red, she assumes you desire physical fulfillment. If your favorite color is yellow, she thinks you need logical order and value individuality.

Industrial psychologist Bernardo Tirado breaks it down slightly differently. Writing in Psychology Today, Tirado says that red lovers are tenacious and determined, while yellow lovers enjoy learning and find happiness easily.

12. Whether you're a dog or a cat person

People may make inferences about you based on your pet. For instance, Joe Waldron believes that people who do not like cats have control issues, and he warns against dating women who have big dogs, believing that they are not interested in long-term relationships.

Meanwhile, one study found that people who prefer dogs are generally more energetic and outgoing, while those who prefer cats tend to be more introverted and sensitive. The same study also found that cat people tend to be more intelligent.

13. How long it takes you to ask a question

Even if someone doesn't say anything about themselves in conversation, you can still learn about their personality.

As Khaliana Schmitz says: "When meeting someone for the first time ... see how long it takes for them to ask you a question in return. You'd be surprised how much this reveals in terms of a person being a 'giver' or a 'taker.' It will help you distinguish between 'people who like you' and 'people who like what you can provide them.'"

Culled from Business Insider

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MUSIC:Flowking Stone – “Fire Burn Dem” (Remix) ft Sarkodie & Shatta Wale

Rapfam Ram Entertainment act, Flowking Stone thrills on the remix to “Fire Burn Dem” which features rapper Sarkodie & dancehall King, Shatta Wale.
This remix is quite thrilling and should definitely be tops on your playlist.
Listen below and share your thoughts on this.

Flowking Stone – “Fire Burn Dem” (Remix) ft Sarkodie & Shatta Wale

Remains of Minister Ocholi, wife, son, buried amid tears, praise

The remains of James Ocholi, the Minister of state for Labour and Employment, who died in a car accident, were on Friday, laid to rest amidst weeping, wailing and eulogies from family members, friends, colleagues and associates.

Mr. Ocholi was buried alongside his wife, Blessing, and son, Joshua, in their family home in Abocho, Biraidu District, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The three family members died in an auto crash on March 6, on the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

Speaking at the funeral service, the vice president, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, described the three deceased family members as “saints called home by the creator”.

He urged Nigerians to imbibe the scriptural injunction that in all circumstances, thanks should be given to God.

Osinbajo said Ocholi, Blessing and Joshua played their parts in the vineyard of the Lord in diverse manners but all towards the common goal of advancing the kingdom of God.

He stressed the need to be grateful to God for giving them the grace.

He said although some apostles died a tragic and painful death, “still the scripture says precious in the sight of God is the death of a saint because their death is victory for heaven”.

“Three saints went home on the 6th of March,” he said.

In his speech titled “The Veil is Lifted”, Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, described life as “reality show from which none gets out alive”.

He said mankind had accepted the fact that everyone must die but lamented the horrible circumstances of the Ocholis’ death.

“My dear people, without doubt, this is one harvest of deaths too many for Kogi State.

“After barely any respite from a similar sorrow in the recent past, Kogi mourns again,” he said in reference to the demise of Abubakar Audu on November 22, 2015.

Bello recalled that the late Mr. Ocholi cooperated with him when he was elected governor, adding that they shared a common vision of greatness and unity for the state.

Bishop John Ibenu of Chapel of Freedom International, Lokoja, who represented Archbishop Sam Amaga of Foundation Faith Church, led other officiating ministers in the funeral service.

He urged Christians to be prepared for the imminent end.

In his homily titled “The Invitation You Could not Resist,” Mr. Ibenu urged the people to make their ways right with God before the invitation, which could neither be deferred nor resisted.

Some members of the Federal Executive Council, lawyers, judges, friends and family members attended the burial.

EFCC Docks Gobir For $300m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Thursday, March 17, 2016 arraigned one Mohammed Gobir before Justice R. I. B. Adebiyi of the Lagos State High Court on a 17-count charge of stealing, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.

Mohammed Gobrir
Gobir, 55, was arrested by the operatives of EFCC at his Ikoyi residence on the September 12, 2015 following a petition from an Outdoor Advertising Company, Afromedia.

The petitioner alleged that, Gobir was introduced to the Company by their Private Placements Consultants, Synergy Capital Advisory Limited sometime in 2008.

Upon his (Gobir) introduction, he offered to invest N1billion into Afromedia, a pretext that earned him a position as a Chairman, Business Development Committee on the board of directors.

The accused person, having earned their trust, defrauded the Company several millions of hard currencies.

Among some of his fraudulent transactions, Gobir allegedly obtained the sums of $3,500,000 (three million, five hundred thousand dollars), N514,457,151.87 (five hundred and fourteen million, four hundred and fifty seven thousand, one hundred and fifty one naira, eighty seven kobo), $2,102,740 (two million, one hundred and two thousand, seven hundred and forty dollars), and £51,000 (fifty- one thousand pounds sterling) at various times under the pretext that the monies were for business expenses which he intends to facilitate with international investors who were willing to partner with Afromedia.
The defendant fraudulently induced the Company to collect $250,000,000 (two hundred and fifty million dollars) which he claimed was  purportedly stashed in one UK based bank. According to him, the monies were being held by British Anti Money Laundering Agency and, he needed the money to obtain a “Waiver Certificate” for its release.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Mohammed Gobir, a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of Business Development Committee of Afromedia Plc between January 2009 and December 2011 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N514,457,151.87 (Five Hundred and Fourteen Million, Four Hundred and Fifty Seven Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty One Naira, Eighty Seven Kobo) from Afromedia Plc by falsely pretending to Afromedia Plc that the said sum of money represented the cost of facilitating and securing the sum of $70,000,000 (Seventy Million Dollars) from your account in NATWEST Bank, London, United Kingdom as your investment fund in Afromedia Plc out of the $250,000,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million United States Dollars) stashed in your account at NATWEST Bank, London, United Kingdom which pretence you Knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, No.14, 2006.”
The accused person pleaded not guilty to all the counts preferred against him.

In view of his plea, counsel to EFCC, A. B. C. Ozioko asked the court for a trial date and also to remand the accused person in prison custody pending trial

However, the defence counsel, Bolaji Ayorinde told the court that, he had a pending application for the bail of the accused person. He urged the court to graciously admit him to bail.

Ozioko, in response, asked for an adjournment to enable him respond formally to the defence application.

Thereafter, Justice Adebiyi adjourned to March 22, 2016 and May 9, 10, 11, and 12, 2016 for hearing of the bail application and trial respectively.

The accused is to be remanded in Ikoyi prison.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
18th March, 2016

CBN Employment Scandal: 121 Mores Names Discovered, Bank Neither Advertised Posts Nor Test Hired Wards Of Political Elite

Investigations by SaharaReporters have revealed that the employment scandal currently rocking the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is worse than previous reports indicated as our correspondent has discovered that the bank gave well-remunerated jobs to another 121 relatives or wards of people who are politically connected with President Muhammadu Buhari. Our investigations also determined that the plum jobs the CBN handed to politically privileged people did not go through due process. “The jobs were never advertised, and those hired were never interviewed to ascertain their suitability for the jobs they received,” a bank source told our correspondent.  

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele 

 

In addition to the list of newly hired staff released by this website two days ago, the new set of irregular hires are scheduled to be formally inducted into the CBN workforce on April 4 and 5 in Lagos. Among those on the new list are a daughter of Governor Bindo Jibrilla of Adamawa State as well as the daughter of President Buhari’s personal assistants and the daughters  of the Deputy Governors of Bayelsa and Delta States respectively.


A high-ranking official at the CBN had stated that CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, decided to embark on the jamboree of hiring relatives of the political elite close to President Buhari as a strategy for keeping his job at the bank. In order to preserve his job, Mr. Emefiele apparently chose to ignore all hiring rules and procedures.


One of our sources disclosed that the bank abandoned its practice of using a professional human resources organization known as Nextzon to vet the credentials of its recent hires. According to the source, the CBN Governor unilaterally decided that the newly employed relatives of the rich and powerful would not go be scrutinized through the aptitude tests and interviews that are usually part and parcel of the recruitment process. In addition, Mr. Emefiele also waived the induction protocol required to familiarize new employees with operations at the CBN for some of the new hires. “Those we recruit newly usually go for training at the CBN Learning Centers in Lagos,” said one source, adding that merit was completely jettisoned by the CBN leadership in order to hand out plum jobs to children and relatives of rich and politically connected Nigerians.


Since the employment scandal broke this week, President Buhari has not addressed it directly or indirectly. When SaharaReporters contacted presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu three days ago, he said a response was being prepared by the Presidency.


The earlier list released by SaharaReporters included a niece of President Buhari, a son of the Comptroller General of Customs, and a daughter of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase. The new list includes several names of politically influential people, including Falila, a daughter of the Comptroller of Nigeria Customs, Hammeed Ali.


Meanwhile, SaharaReporters learnt that the CBN yesterday brought in forensic experts to check all the computers at the human resources department. One source said the aim of the exercise was to discover the person who leaked the list.

Senate President Bukola Saraki Repaid Personal Bank Loans With Kwara’s Funds – Code Conduct Bureau

The Code of Conduct Bureau has said there is evidence that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, while governor of K‎wara State between 1999 and 2007, obtained huge bank loans and paid back the loans with funds belonging to the state.

‎The bureau alleged that Saraki used the bank loans running into billions of naira to acquire landed assets in Lagos, Abuja and London.


The Bureau said it gathered the information from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which conducted investigations into various petitions written against the Senate President between 2010 and 2012.


‎The CCB’s position is contained in a counter-affidavit deposed to by one of its operatives, Peter Danladi, in opposition to a fresh motion filed by Saraki to challenge the validity of the 13 counts of false assets declaration instituted against him before the tribunal.


‎Danladi stated, “That I was informed by Mr. Yahaya Bello, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in our office on March 14, 2016 at about 11am and I verily believe him that:
“The EFCC received various petitions against the defendant/applicant between 2010 and 2012 alleging acts of corruption, theft, money laundering etc.


“The EFCC conducted its investigation of the various petitions and made findings which showed that the defendant/applicant abused his office while he was Governor of Kwara State and was involved in various acts of corruption as the governor of the state.


“The defendant/applicant borrowed huge sums of money running into billions from commercial banks, particularly Guarantee Trust Bank and used the proceeds of the loan to acquire several landed properties in Lagos, Abuja and London while he was Governor of Kwara State.


“As against the defendant using his own legitimate income to defray the loan, he took public funds running into billions from Kwara State Government and lodged same in several tranches and in cash into his GTB account in GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State.


“The defendant/applicant’s account officer in GTB confirmed that the defendant/applicant gave him several cash in government house to lodge into the account and in some occasions, the defendant sent his aides from government house to give him the cash for lodgment into his account.


“When EFCC submitted its report to its legal department and the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Justice formed the opinion that the offences revealed from the investigation, particularly as they relate to the properties acquired by the defendant/applicant while he was Governor of Kwara State and various monies sent into his various accounts outside Nigeria can be better investigated and prosecuted through the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.


“The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation then sent the findings and the evidence gathered during investigation by the EFCC as a complaint to the Code of Conduct Bureau for investigation and that the operative of EFCC would collaborate with the officers of the bureau for effective investigations.”

5 Tips to Stop Your Smartphone From Overheating

Your smartphone is like human body that respond based on the temperature of the environment. your phone’s internal temperature changes based on the temperature of its environment. If it gets too hot you can have some major problems like draining your battery, melting your Central Processing Unit and battery, or causing a forced shutdown of your phone. Overheating is one of the most common issues that most smartphone owners face.
Apart from possibly ruining your smartphone battery, overheating is generally an annoyance that messes up your overall smartphone experience.

To prevent your smartphone from overheating, follow the simple tips below
 

• Tip #1: Remove it from 4G or 3G only: Network is number one thing causes overheating, hence sucks your battery. Its better you set it to choose the preferred available network parameters instead of 4G or 3G only.

• Tip #2: Turn off unused apps on your phone. Allowing apps you’re not using to run in the background runs battery and increases the heat on your phone.

• Tip #3: Keep it in a cool place: Those of you who are usually under AC you’ll notice that your battery  last longer than when you are not under a cool atmosphere.

• Tip #4: If you’re an iPhone user, you can check the diagnostics section to see what apps have been crashing on your phone. Go to Settings > Privacy > Diagnostics & Usage > Diagnostics & Usage Data for a list of every situation where an app crashed.

• Tip #5: If you’re an Android user, download cooler master.

Cooler Master is a professional phone temperature monitoring and controlling app that detects and closes heavy resource consuming apps to reduce CPU usage and cool down your phone.

When next your phone overheat, please don’t put it inside your deep freezer, just follow the tips above and you’ll be safe.