Lauretta Onochie

ByVerity Awala



Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide on social media says Allen Onyema, embattled CEO of Air peace had an ulterior motive when he evacuated Nigerians stranded in South Africa during the xenophobic attacks free of charge.

According to the presidential aide, she had a strong hunch that the Air Peace CEO, who was recently indicted in a multi-million Naira fraud case by the US Department of Justice, was up to something.

Onochie said she wasn’t fooled by Onyema’s ‘heroism’ because she knew something was up and that the Aviation company owner knew America had him where they wanted him.

She said in a tweet on Saturday thus: When the scales suddenly fall off their eyes, we must give it time because it’s either they are pursuing something or something is pursuing them.

Read also: Nigerian Rivals Collaborating With America To Rubbish Onyema – Youth Coalition

When AirPeace Proprietor became a “Hero”, I was not fooled. Something was pursuing him. He knew America had him where they wanted him.

Allen Onyema

By Akunwumi King

Lagos – A coalition of youth groups in Nigeria has alleged that Nigerian business rivals of the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, are collaborating with some individuals in the United States government to harass the airline boss.

The coalition, which consists of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum; Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide; Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, and Ijaw Council Worldwide, also called on fellow civil society organisations in the country to rise up to “this new judicial brigandage designed to destroy our son of the soil in a foreign land.”

In a statement signed by their presidents, Yerima Shettima, Aremo Oladotun Hassan, Esq., Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Barrister Pereotubo Oweilaemi, respectively, the coalition vowed to resist any attempt to pull down Onyema, maintaining that it would employ every legal mean to defend him.

According to the statement, “This is indeed the time to tell the whole world, including the United States officials holding Onyeama, that enough of this harassment scheme against successful Nigerian investors.
“We would like to draw the attention of his Nigerians rivals that we suspect are working hand-in-hand with their American partners, that, we will follow every legitimate means of defending one of the most exemplary Nigerian investors that we have in Mr. Onyeama.

“We make bold to say that at this crucial moment in the history of our beloved country what we need is more of Allen Onyeama. And we are determined to promote the emergence of Nigerian investors who have great sympathy for the poor and all those facing extraordinary life’s difficulties.”

The coalition explained that it has been following with keen interest the conflicting narratives coming out of the United States regarding the purported indictment of Onyeama.

Why Onyema Quickly Evacuated Stranded Nigerians From South Africa: Buhari’s Aide


It added, “As law-abiding citizens, we recognise the involvement of the U S Court and would not want to take a prejudicial stand on the matter. But much as we appreciate the involvement of Judiciary, we feel there is a compelling reason to question this sudden, purported indictment of a Nigerian who has been doing business for decades in the US and he has never been found wanting until now.

“This raises fundamental questions about the bad timing and the growing suspicion of many Nigerians over the motive behind targeting our son of the soil.



“We are beginning to see a pattern that smacks of a conspiracy by his business rivals in Nigeria, working together with their American collaborators to rubbish one of the few outstanding philanthropists in Nigeria.”

Andy Ruiz Jr has claimed it was Anthony Joshua who threw a lucky punch in their first meeting. The chubby heavyweight stunned the boxing world by knocking Joshua down four times before stopping him in the seventh round.

Ruiz relieved the Brit of his three world titles with Joshua claiming he did so with a “lucky punch sent from the Gods.”

But as the rivals prepare to clash again next month, the champion has hit back, claiming he wasn’t hurt when he was dropped in the third round.

“That was a lucky shot for him, too,” Ruiz Jr told Sky Sports. “I got lazy. It was a punch in the blink of an eye. I thought: ‘What just happened?’

“I wasn’t that hurt because I wasn’t wobbling. I still had the will and the fire inside of me. I wanted to keep fighting and win the fight.


 “Once he dropped me, then got me with a really good right hand, I could eat his punches. Mentally he thought, ‘This guy isn’t going down, what is happening?”

“I had to do everything possible to change the fight, and that’s what I did with the left hook.

“The left hook was a really great shot in the temple. The other times I hit him in the head, he loosened up and got wobbly. I was the better fighter that day because I pressured him, threw more punches and the body shots put him down.”

Pochettino

By Ifreke Inyang


Mauricio Pochettino is confident that it will go “massively wrong” for Tottenham Hotspur under Jose Mourinho, according to ESPM.

Mourinho replaced Pochettino earlier this week, after the Argentine was sacked by the club’s chairman Daniel Levy.


Pochettino left less than six months after guiding the club to the Champions League final.

But he left the club 14th in the table, 11 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

However, Pochettino is “confident” that Spurs will continue to go massively wrong during Mourinho’s reign.


Mourinho, meanwhile, is confident that Spurs can be title challengers next season.

“We cannot win the Premier League this season,” Mourinho said this week.

“We can, I’m not saying we will do, we can win it next season.”

One person died on Saturday, while nine others sustained injuries in a fatal accident involving two buses in Anambra.

Mr Andrew Kumapayi, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Anambra Command, who confirmed the death said 10 persons were involved in the accident.

Kumapayi said the accident occurred when an Onitsha bound bus fully laden with pepper wrongfully overtook a vehicle and rammed into another bus that was Awka bound in a head-on collision.

He said the deceased was a male, while five males and three females sustained injuries.

“We got a distress call this morning that there was a crash involving two busses about 8 a.m. at Enugu-Agidi Junction.

“One life was lost and nine persons, six males and three females sustained varying degrees of injuries and have been rushed to hospital for treatment.

“The vehicles involved were a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number USL 463 XB White in colour, and a Mitsubishi L300 bus marked XC 418 JJJ.

“The Toyota Hiace bus overloaded with pepper wrongfully overtook a vehicle and ran into another bus head-on,’’ he said.

Kumapayi warned motorists against overloading, speeding and lane violation.

Vanguard News Nigeria.

Osinbajo

Real GDP growth. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product has grown by 2.28 per cent in the third quarter of 2019, the National Bureau of Statistics has said.

In its quarterly report, NBS said that the figure was better than 2.12% (revised from 1.94%) in the second quarter of 2019 and the third quarter of 2018, in the year-on-year analysis.

Part of the report read, “Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 2.28% (year-on-year), in real terms, in the third quarter of
2019.



“Compared to the third quarter of 2018 which recorded a growth of 1.81%, the real GDP growth rate observed in the third quarter of 2019 indicates an increase of 0.47% points. Relative to the second quarter of 2019, which recorded a growth rate of 2.12%, Q3 2019 represents an increase of 0.17% points.

“On a quarter-on-quarter basis, however, real GDP grew by 9.23%. The growth rate in Q3 2019 represents the second-highest quarterly rate recorded since 2016.

In the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N37,806,924.41 million in nominal terms. This performance is higher compared to the aggregate of N33,368,049.14 million recorded in the third quarter of 2018, representing a year on year nominal growth rate of 13.30%. The growth rate is, however, lower relative to rates recorded in the third quarter of 2018 by –0.28% points and the rates recorded in the preceding quarter by –0.71% points.”

The Cross River State chapter of the Niger Delta Activist Forum, NDAF was yesterday inaugurated in Calabar. The swearing-in ceremony was performed by the National President of NDAF, Comrade Success Jack who was ably accompanied and assisted by comrade Okori Bernard Oko, its National Youth Leader.

Comrade Jack while administering the oath of office to the state executive of NDAF, admonished them to perform their duties faithfully and diligently under the precinct of the law while having in mind the essence of the forum.

He said, "Niger Delta belongs to us. Niger Delta is a child of necessity birthed from the yearnings for inclusion and integration of the people of Niger Delta in the region into the national scheme of things.

" In tackling this, the ministry of Niger Delta and Niger Delta Development Commission were established. Unfortunately, some individuals in the ministry and commission including agents of government through their actions have not allowed the common man to benefit from the dividend of the ministry and commission. Hence, NDAF was formed to advocate for the welfare of the people for good governance and for probity in the activities of NDDC and Niger Delta ministry".

Comrade Jack lauded the developmental giant strides of His Excellency, Sir Benedict Ayade in his quest to infrastructurally transform the state's economy via the Bakassi Deep Sea Port; Super Highway and the Cross River Rice Sidling. Jack believed if these projects are completed, the state would become an economy hub for foreign and local investors.

Also, NDAF has given NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta and Works 21-day ultimatum to fix Itu/Odukpani road (between Akwa Ibom and Cross River State); failure to comply shall be greeted with total closure of the road by its members and the Nigerian people.

The newly sworn in state chairman, comrade Ajie Paul Abang said he was prepared and willing to work for the good of the people of Cross River State and that the state shall no longer take the back seat in Niger Delta affairs.

" We have been cheated for too long. We have not benefited from the ministry as it ought to be. A lot has gone wrong in the commission. We need to ask questions. We need answers. While driving this home, we shall work with all relevant agencies; most especially the security units as we get set to work.

" We shall applaud the good deeds of the commission and ministry and as well chide them whenever they go wrong. We will give our people their lost voice. Our advocacy shall be done through dialogue that ultimately lead to peaceful coexistence and rapid development of our state and the region at large," he said.

Joining Mr. Ajie to pilot the affairs of NDAF in the state are Comrade Margaret Ephraim, Comrade Nkanu Princewill, Comrade Ikwo Edim, Comrade Mark Away, Comrade Queen Esther Okem and Comrade Ojie Chris the Vice President; Secretary, Woman Leader, Youth Leader, Treasurer and Organizing Secretary respectively.

Barr. Paul Idiga; Comrade Eno Martins, Comrade Obedience Abeng, Comrade Prince E. Mbukpa, Comrade Raphael Egba and Comrade Ogar Emmanuel Oko are the Director of Legal Affairs, Director of Administration, Financial Secretary, Liaison Officer, Welfare Officer I and Publicity Secretary respectively.


Others are Comrade Edadi Chris (Director of Mobilization); Comrade Okon Emmanuel (Auditor I ), Barr. Manyo Doris (Auditor II), Comrade Owen Abang (SA Logistics to the president), Comrade Emmanuel Effiong( Assistant Secretary) and Comrade Lizzy Udie (Deputy Woman Leader).

In the exco also include Comrade Atah Benjamin; Comrade Ogbecha Godswill, Comrade Magdalene Okem and Comrade David Peter, Assistant Youth Leader: Assistant Organizing Secretary, Welfare Officer II and Assistant Publicity Secretary respectively.



 The event was held at Keves Hotels and was attended by many dignitaries including but not limited to Comrade Godwin Nyiam, the Director General of the Department of Public Transportation (DOPT), the representative of the state Commandant of the Nigeria Peace Corp, Peter Okpokri.

Comrade Ogar Emmanuel Oko
Publicity secretary.

Prof Ben Ayade

By Prince Charles Ekanem

As Cross River State doubles her effort to raise global awareness of it's Industrialization strive since the inception of His Excellency, Senator (Prof)  Ben Ayade's Administration  today hosted 2019 Africa Industrialization Day (AID) Celebration in Nigeria in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development (UNIDO) and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Cross River State Governor, His Excellency, Senator (Prof)  Ben Ayade declaring the Conference open with the; theme Positioning African Industry to supply the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) at Transcorp Hotels, Calabar identified Industrialization as 21st Century emerging force in the world which every country must pick up and as such Nigeria and Cross River State is not lacking behind with her superlative giant strides in setting up world class industries through agricultural revolution  to help boost the economic GDP of the State.

Highlighting the prospect of Agro revolution in industrialization of Nigeria he said it's the 21st century industrialization for the middle class and everyone. He noted that through agro industrialization he has been able to create the first African Garment Factory which cottons are gotten from our natural forest and has engage over 3000 workforce, a poultry factory that produced over 20,000 birds a day with the first vitalised rice factory in African and cocoa processing factory in Ikom which all range to agro industrialization before heavy industries.



Ayade called on the Federal Government to subsidize not just PMS but agro products consumption and making agro revolution a national prospect.


Earlier Speaking, the Honorable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Richard Adebayo
lauded Cross River State Government  for hosting the event and commended the governor on embracing industrialization since his assumption of office. According to him, If Africa is to diversify  their economic they must embrace industrialization by first ensuring power supply,  road network is adequately tackle.

Many accolades were given to the Industrialization driven Governor of Cross River State who is not dependable on federal government allocation by esteem representatives of different UN Agencies; UNIDO, AUC, UNECA and UNFPA.

Also: See Break Down Of The 2020 Budget Expenditure Presented By Ayade To CRSHA

Tonto Dikeh

By Adebiyi Chioma

It is no longer news that Tonto Dikeh was arrested in Dubai. But what is puzzling is the whereabouts of the drama queen.
Just recently, controversial actress, Tonto Dikeh was arrested in Dubai after an altercation with security personnel and there were reports that she was later deported.

Tonto denied the deportation rumours and shared a video of herself still in Dubai. In the video, Tonto made sure to show that she is still in Dubai.

More details about Tonto’s detention has emerged after a close source to the actress revealed in an interview with Kemi Ashefon that the mother of one is still in Dubai.

According to the source, Bobrisky’s post about Tonto is just damage control to make fans think everything is well.

The source said: “First, Tonto is not the type to use that kind of video to debunk allegations of detention and deportation. She would have used a more beautiful background wearing gorgeous clothes and displaying affluence. That was a damage control video she shared through Bobrisky.

 Tonto was looking like a tart! She wasn’t wearing make-up and looking like a prisoner in one small room! Anyways, in the video, there was no address about or her arrest. The Tonto we knew would have tore whoever wrote that story into shreds.”

Also, Bobrisky has now shared another video on his page showing Tonto Dikeh telling her fans to follow her new Instagram page, @king_wigocharity. The actress explained that her old account is fine but she left her password in her office in Nigeria and cannot access the page. Kemi Ashefon’s source also commented on this.

The source added: “Who is fooling who? She said she is still in Dubai but her password is still in Africa! In this IT age? The video looks so stupid! Meanwhile, before the new page, she had posted many photos from Dubai on the old page @tontolet which has over 5million followers. It was on her old page she posted her ‘fake gift’ from Timi Frank. She even bought a new phone to run the new page! As a matter of fact, she removed the nylon seal from the cover of the phone!”

Speaking further on the actress, Kemi Ashefon’s source explained that after Tonto was arrested, her hotel room was searched and hard substances were found.

The source stated: “After her arrest and her hotel room was searched, they found out that she came to Dubai with hard drug*s which she must have been taking”.