Gist Arena

After failing for more than a week to carry out his threat of filing a lawsuit against SaharaReporters in New York, and against The Punch and Premium Times in Nigeria, Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, seemed to have chickened out by having a New York-based law firm send a mere warning letter to SaharaReporters. A former senator, Mr. Obanikoro had been threatening legal action against SaharaReporters since the website first released, on February 5th, an audio recording in which he and other PDP officials are heard plotting to illegally manipulate the 2014 Ekiti State governorship election. The ex-Defense minister and his co-conspirators, including now Governor Ayo Fayose, are heard in turns berating Brigadier General A.A. Momoh and promising him promotions and other inducements for helping the PDP in its scheme to handicap APC members during the elections.  In the recording released by SaharaReporters, Mr. Obanikoro is hear...

Add caption Rev. Uma Ukpai of Victory Cathedral Fellowship Center, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on Thursday announced that the church would stop communion for members who had not collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). Mr. Ukpai made the announcement during a church service in Uyo and said that it was unpatriotic for any Nigerian eligible voter not to participate in the electoral process. He called on Nigerians to use the opportunity provided by the rescheduling of the elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to collect their PVCs to enable them chose their leaders through the polls. He said, “The 2015 general election is too important for a Nigerian of voting age not to participate in electing their political leaders for the next four years. ‘’If you are a true member of this fellowship and you have not collected your PVC, know that you will not partake in our communion service. ‘’We must take this election serious because we must rise up...

The Tinsel stars got married last Saturday in Ghana. See more photos below Photo credit: Instagram/Dele Momodu...

President Jonathan says despite former Pres. Obasanjo's recent verbal attacks on his administration, he still sees him as his father and his first Political son. GEJ said God used people, including the former president to make him become the President of Nigeria. President Jonathan said this in an interview with Tribune in Lagos "First and foremost, Obasanjo is a father to me. By divine providence and the grace of God, I am the President of Nigeria today. It is not by my strength. But God uses human beings to actualise His own blessings on human beings. And He used so many Nigerians, including former President Obasanjo, to play one role or the other for me. I became the deputy governor of a state, became the governor, the vice president and president. I have no issues with him, and I really don’t want to join issues with President Obasanjo.  I think it is not necessary. But I will use this opportunity, because you asked, to just plead with my father that he ...

Until the age of 28, Marie Calvert had only ever had sex with one man, her husband Barry. Then she took up swinging and everything changed. The body count went from 1 to 3,000. In fact, she claims that one night, she slept with 14 men. Marie, now 63, tells her epic story below... It was the night I slept with 14 men that I first started to try to work out how many partners I’ve been with. The truth is, I’m not sure. My conservative estimate is about 100 guys a year for more than three decades. I’m 63 now and I’ve slowed down a little – but only a little. Why do I do it? Having sex isn’t something I do for a living, but it is my passion. It’s the most enjoyable, exhilarating, satisfying way to spend your time. Some women like yoga, some like badminton. I like carnality. I am actually married. Barry and I have been together since I was 15 – we wed when I was 19, have two grandchildren, and he’s my world. But neither of us puts sex on a pedestal. We see it for what it is: s...

A large number of terrorists have drowned in the Lake Chad as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of Nigerian troops on mission to flush them out of Baga, the Nigerian defence headquarters has said. “Not even the strategy of mining over 1500 spots with land mines on the routes leading to the town could save the terrorists from the aggressive move of advancing troops,” the Director of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, a Major General, said in a statement. He added, “All the land mines were skillfully cleared one after the other. Eventually, the resistance of the terrorists collapsed and the land forces finally stormed the town in the early hours of Friday. “Many of the terrorists died while an unknown but substantial number of them fled with various degrees of injury, in the series of encounter along the routes of advance as troops headed for Baga. “Apart from the 5 anti air craft guns and the rifles captured from ...

The APC Presidential candidate was a guest on "All Eyes on Africa" TV show earlier today. More photos below

Nigerian troops fighting the insurgent group, Boko Haram, have reclaimed the town of Baga and other surrounding communities in Borno state after days of fierce fighting, the Nigerian defence headquarters has said. The Director of Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, a Major General, posted via his twitter handle Saturday, “Troops on Sunday afternoon captured #BAGA after fierce battle with terrorists”. Mr. Olukolade indicated there were “heavy casualties” in the battle and that mop-up operations were ongoing. FLASH: Troops have this afternoon captured #BAGA after fierce battle with terrorists. Heavy Casualties. Mopping up ongoing. Details later — DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) February 21, 2015 Mr. Olukolade later issued a  detailed press statement  giving details of the Baga operation. Boko Haram had on January 4 attacked the base of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, in Baga, eventually dislodging the soldiers, in what was said to be...

Odilim Enwegbara Odilim Enwegbara is a Development Economist and public analyst based in Abuja. In this interview, he, amongst other issues, says why he feels former president Olusegun Obasanjo does not want a second term for President Jonathan even as he calls Nigerians to support his quest for a second term. Excerpts: Many People have the impression that President Jonathan’s government has the worst record on economy, security amongst other issues. What is your opinion? First, let’s know who are these people you’re referring to here? I think we should know who they are and why they are drawing such a conclusion because, I will assure you that those who are saying this should be members of the opposing parties — like APC, who have to turn facts upside down so that they can win the presidential election. As an economist and Nigeria’s economy watcher, I will tell you that Jonathan administration has so far outperformed his predecessors. In fact, Jonathan’s achievement...

Late Tony Eze The circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of Tony Eze, a 39-year-old International businessman based in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, have been unravelled by detectives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Force Headquarters, Abuja. The late Eze, from Umuagede village in Nsukka L.G.A. of Enugu State met his untimely death after a night out with friends, including a kinsman from Eha-Alumonah in Enugu State (name withheld). EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT Eyewitness account said he was shot dead by two young men on a motor bike who closed in on him while he was trying to avoid a porthole, just a few meters away from the refreshment garden at Tungama area of Zuba in the outskirts of Abuja. He had gone to the garden for conviviality with friends. It was learnt that on the fateful day, November 6, 2014, the father of two was about closing for the day’s business when his kinsman and best friend called to request that they go out for drinks at...

An average Nigerian is just a political bystander. Many of them don’t know who their local government chairmen and councillors are and what they are elected to do. But let’s forget about the local government chairmen and councillors; they have never been useful to us, anyway. Let’s talk about the ‘bigger fishes’ — the guys in the National Assembly. The ordinary Nigerian does not have the constitutional authority to vote on appropriations, but the guys in the National Assembly do. An average Nigerian does not set fiscal policy; our representatives in the National Assembly do. The ordinary Nigerian, even though most of their daily activities revolve around money, does not control monetary policy; the guys in the National Assembly do. The National Assembly consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives, made up of 109 senators and 360 members respectively. When both are added up, it gives 469. These 469 people are the 469 problems the country has been plagued w...

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday met behind closed-doors with some traditional rulers in Ogun State. The meeting is believed to be in continuation of his consultation in the South-West ahead of the rescheduled March 28 presidential election. The brief parley was held inside one of the offices at the Olorunsogo II Power Station in Ogun State. Jonathan met with them shortly after inaugurating the 750MW power plant built under the Nigerian Integrated Power Project. The about 20 traditional rulers were led by the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, who is also the Chairman of the Ogun State Council of Traditional Rulers. Others at the meeting included the Akarigbo of Remo, Oba Michael Sonariwo; and the Olowu of Owu, Oba Dosunmu. Journalists were, however, not allowed to cover the meeting attended by a few presidential aides. Immediately they emerged from the meeting, Jonathan posed for a group photograph with the traditional rulers...