Gist Arena

It was pressure from President Goodluck Jonathan that forced the profligate Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, to back down on his scandalous pension law, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report. A flustered Mr. Akpabio had last week said following nationwide outcry, he was requesting the state assembly to immediately review the law, with a view to expunging one of its obnoxious provisions. “This is a democracy and you must listen to the voice of the people,” Mr. Akpabio had said. “What I have decided to do, in consultation with the state executive council, is to appeal to the house of assembly to immediately expunge the obnoxious provision or that which is interpreted to be obnoxious.” Mr. Akpabio had indicated he would only expunge the provision of the law which provided for N100 million medical allowance for ex-governors. “I hope that will satisfy Nigerians,” he said. He is, however, unwilling to give up his request for a mansion in Uyo or Abuja and a demand...

News just came in that the Gospel musician who has been in coma for close to weeks now has come around! Yes! She has woken up. Though family members are yet to confirm the report, sources close to the ‘kokoroko’ singer say she is awake and asking after her family members and friends.

Meet Princess Sadiya Ado Bayero, the daughter of late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero. She is the first wife of former CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. The couple married over 20 years ago. The funny thing is that Sadiya is Sanusi’s cousin… So the current Emir of Kano married his cousin. The late Ado Bayero was Sanusi’s grand uncle since he was a brother to the deposed Emir, who was Sanusi’s grandfather. Fulani culture believes destiny has got him there, so he is permitted to marry his relative. Check out a picture of them 26 years ago while they were still dating. Princess Sadiya graduated from the University of Port Harcourt, she used to live in Abuja but she has since relocated to Kano where her husband has been installed as the 57th Emir of Kano. See her recent picture below: Apart from Sadiya, Sanusi has another wife identified as Maryam Sanusi. Because of his new position as the Emir of Kano, he is expected to marry more wives

In what many will consider to be a further blow to the administration of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on the international scene, a leading international firm has given the ‘Thumbs Down’ to one of his own nominees. SaharaReporters has learned that his corruption tainted Minister of Petroleum Resources, Ms. Diezani Alison-Madueketo, failed to make the grade, and has failed to become the first female Secretary-General of OPEC. The news comes barely twenty-four hours after President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria nominated her as a candidate for the highly coveted post. At its meeting today, OPEC members decided to extend the tenure of Abdullah al-Badri of Iraq, the current Secretary General, until June of 2015. He was expected to step down from that post in December of this year. OPEC’s decision to extend Abdullah al-Badri’s tenure for another year was unexpected, and it is also considered a blow to the Nigerian president. Insiders say that Jonathan had groomed his choic...

Last week, Cossy said she had a tenant threatening her and another one who slapped her.Now, she shared a photo of a battered house girl of the tenant who slapped her..She said  #childabuse I took this pix now. This is the house girl of Mr and Mrs Shola Akapo. My tenants dt slapped me last wk. This house girl ve muscles,like a gym instructor. She ve plenty tattoos from koboko used by the madam. #childabuse she is just 10yrs Just so sad..I think she should be reporting to the police or Child welfare services though... 

Gunmen launched an attack on residents of Gako and Tanjol communities in Riyom LGA of Plateau State in the early hours of this morning June 11th, killing at least 6 people and burning 2 churches.   Residents of the communities say five officers of the Police Special Task Force were also killed but this has not been verified.   Confirming today's attack, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and state Police spokesperson, Mr. Dominic Esin who spoke with Premium Times said 5 other people were injured in the attack and they have all been hospitalized "On June 11 at about  1 a.m. , unknown gunmen invaded two villages of Gako and Tanjol, shooting sporadically and in the process killing 6 persons, and injuring 5 others. The injured persons where rushed to the Vom Christian Hospital. Normalcy has been restored in the attacked areas and members of the public are advised to go about their lawful business and report any unscrupulous elements to the security ...

Our boys have landed in Brazil ahead of the 2014 World Cup starting this Friday June 13th. The footballers traveled over 15 hours. 1 and a half hours to Miami, 9 hours to Sao Paolo and a two-hour bus ride to their hotel. Go Super Eagles. Make us proud!! 

The new Emir of Kano, Mallam Lamido Sanusi has violated a 1000 year old tradition of operating from a room at the Kano State Government House. According to Tradition, the newly appointed Emir is to move immediately into the Palace. However, the Emir has been unable to move into the Emir’s palace due to protests and unrest in the ancient city of Kano since he was appointed Emir. There has been heavy police presence in and around the Palace since the new Emir was announced. Sanusi Lamido since his coronation has been receiving guests and well wishers which include Nasir El-Rufai, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Governors Adams Oshiomole and Rochas Okorocha; and the Kano kingmakers at the Government House. The President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan might be visiting Kano today as scheduled. Jonathan is reportedly scheduled to visit the family of the late Emir Alhaji Ado Bayero who died on the 6th of June 2014. While there the President is expected to visit the ne...

The atmosphere in the ancient city of Kano on Wednesday is tensed. The story spreading in the town is that the new Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, is about to be arrested and detained on the orders from above as the President, Goodluck Jonathan, has decided to reverse Sanusi's appointment immediately. But the question is:  does Jonathan have such powers in a democratic government? The few indigenes of Kano, who are angry by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso’s decision to pick Sanusi among the three men presented to him by the King Makers, are said to be jubilating the news spreading across the state that Jonathan had finalized plans to remove Emir Sanusi and detain him... The immediate past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamiso Sanusi is a political foe of President Jonathan. The two men disagreed over whether billions of dollars in oil money had been stolen by people working for Jonathan in Abuja. Jonathan suspended Sanusi from the CBN ...

Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has asked all registered political parties in the state to feel free to use all government facilities for their rallies and campaigns. He, however, banned the littering of the state capital with posters during political campaigns. Okorocha disclosed this yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen in Owerri, on a number of national and state issues. The governor said: “In a bid to promote peace and unity in the state, all registered political parties operating in Imo State, are free to use all government facilities for their rallies and campaigns.” He disclosed that the days of political bickering and bitterness were over in the state, pointing out that things that promoted progress in the state should be promoted by all for the state to move forward. The governor maintained that his administration would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants, irrespective of political affiliations. “Honestly, nobody will be stopped for whateve...

ONITSHA— Two suspects, Olisa Igbokwe and Christopher Mba, awaiting trial in prison custody for allegedly attempting to assassinate the late former Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Professor Dora Akunyili, in 2003, have joined millions of Nigerians in mourning her death. This came as Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Anambra State chapter, yesterday joined in mourning late Akunyili. The accused persons conveyed their condolences to the Akunyili family from their prison custody yesterday, when Mr. Okemonwu Akuma, Chairman of Anambra State chapter of Nkporo Youths Association, Ohafia, Abia State, of which one of the suspects, Igbokwe, is an indigene, visited them in the custody. They noted that although they were being falsely accused and detained, they were still expressing dissatisfaction with her untimely exit, even as they recalled that the late Akunyili had told them that she was blaming the court for the...