APC condemns Musiliu Obanikoro's ministerial nomination

The Lagos Chapter of the All Progressive Congress has condemned the Senate for confirming the ministerial nomination of Musiliu Obanikoro despite overwhelming evidence of his role in the Ekiti State Election scandal. The party conveyed it’s displeasure in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe.


“It is obvious that the PDP presidency that nominated Obanikoro and the PDP members of the Senate that forced through decency and protests of Nigerians to approve his nomination are hell bent on corrupting both the laws and institutions of the Nigerian State by that howling act of rewarding criminality,” the party said.


“It was obvious that the ministerial nomination and the controversial
confirmation are means by which a corrupt and senseless party wants to
mock Nigerians, mock its laws and mock decency to reward a character that should be docked for crimes against the state. It is just too absurd that a party should visit these illegalities on a nation.


“The country is once again, assailed by the lawless inclination of the PDP as a party that thrives in such criminality as election rigging and which uses same to reward perpetrators who should be jailed for high crime which the Ekitigate scandal amounts to.


What the Senate and its PDP members forced through in confirming Obanikoro is the audacious reign of illegality and impunity and Nigerians have a golden chance to throw the PDP to the dustbin of history on March 28.


“We note that the outgoing President, who was alleged to have set up the Ekiti rigging plot has bluntly refused to investigate the Ekiti scandal but had rather nominated Obanikoro for ministerial position when he should be docked.

It is also important to note that the PDP members of the Senate practically forced Obanikoro’s confirmation through the stout resistance of the APC senators, the human rights community, the press and the critical mass that see the entire process as rewarding crime and have therefore called for the withdrawal of
Obanikoro’s nomination.


“While we call on the country’s media, civil society groups and the critical mass to continue to insist that this reward for criminality does not stand, we urge Nigerians to see in the appointment and
confirmation of Obanikoro as PDP’s bold statement on impunity and corruption, which it had made cornerstones of its misrule and throw out the PDP with the vehemence of a people tired of such brazen promotion of criminality by a cabal that sees Nigeria as its private estate.

We urge Nigerians to make a loud issue of the nomination and confirmation of an alleged election rigger as a minister few weeks to a critical election, as an insult to our collective intelligence and one of the primary reasons to throw out the PDP with an emphatic thud
on March 28.”

Luis Suarez reveals the real reason he left Liverpool

Former Liverpool forward, Luis Suarez has cited unjust treatment by the English press as the main reason he left Anfield last summer.
The Uruguayan was derided by the media for one major reason; his infamous biting incidents with Patrice Evra and Branislav Ivanovic. And one would not forget his episode with Italy’s Giorgio Chielleni at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
He told beIN Sports, “They talk too much and they didn’t leave me in peace and I left because I was tired of them, but they continue looking for something, I don’t know if the English press have a campaign against me but it looks like they miss me.
The Barcelona striker continued, “They criticised me a lot, looking for things that weren’t there and calling attention to them. They published images of me [allegedly biting Demichelis] in the morning and when they saw that it was false, the images suddenly disappeared.”

President Jonathan's campaign Group incurs Blessing Okagbare's wrath

Nigerian track and field athlete, Blessing Okagbare has distanced herself from an advertorial tagged “GEJ Okagbare” run on electronic media in Nigeria by a certain GoodHouse Nigeria group.
The multi-awardwinning sprinter also slammed the presidential campaign organization for using her images in the footage without seeking her approval.
Okagbare expressed her disappointment via a statement released by her agent.
“Now, I am here struggling on my own to pay my coach, nutritionist, doctor and others to make sure I am in good shape for the All African Games and the IAAF World Championship in Beijing, China, later in the year, and some people back home are using my image and footage for presidential campaign advertorial without seeking for my approval.
“This is fraudulent because I am totally not in support of it. We called the people (GoodHouse Nigeria) and they denied using my image and footage for PDP presidential advertorial. Who did it then? Why are they lying? It is not about financial support. It is about me and what I represent,” she said.

Nigeria moves to 41st position in the latest FIFA ranking.

Nigeria garnered 701 points to move from 42nd to the 41st position in the latest FIFA World rankings. Now 7th in Africa, the rankings could improve if they record victories in their two friendly games against Bolivia on March 26 and South Africa on March 29.
 
Latest FIFA Ranking (Top 10):
1. Germany
2. Argentina
3. Colombia
4. Belgium
5. Holland
6. Brazil
7. Portugal
8. France
9. Uruguay
10. Italy
Latest FIFA Ranking (Africa) Top 10:
1. Algeria
2. Ivory Coast
3. Ghana
4. Tunisia
5. Senegal
6. Cape Verde
7. Nigeria
8. Guinea
9. DR Congo
10. Cameroon

Diego Forlan hangs international boots

Uruguayan striker, Diego Forlan has called time on his international career. He made the announcement yesterday in Osaka ”Of course, this was a very tough decision but it’s time to make way for a new generation (of players).” The 35 year-old said
He featured in three World Cups, was awarded the best player of the 2010 World Cup and scored 36 goals for his country.

Short Story: The Music From The Other Room | By: Sueddie Agema

I hear the sound come in. It is one I have heard before. I had danced several times to its many renditions. They hadn’t been mine. They were those of my friends and recently, the very last of my sisters. 
It reminded me of all those days, when we were little. It was like the rain dropping. I have always been fascinated by that too—tap, tap, tap. It is a sound that has kept me company many times.

Music now has come to be like that for me. Music playing, twisting through and through, they define it all: the sol-fa notes on and on punctuating heartbeats through pulsating notes of varying tempos. I am a music connoisseur and I can tell all the sounds individually. I can tell even where voices become mechanised or harmonised with some instrument or machine.

I am that good.
Music has come to define every life experience for me. It is and was always one song or the other—mostly beautiful tunes, especially those from the other sides, the other rooms. They were the blistering songs of the dance rooms where recklessness hit the floor as couples danced at first meets, the ease of casual relationships energising their bones in abandon.
The dances were often but many times, devoted. There grew the different types of music, mainly that of the ballroom, many times of two hearts flowing step by step in many styles—tangos and simple waltz, they were always perfect when it stayed two. Sometimes, it moved differently and seized with the intrusion of one more. Yes, I knew all the songs and I knew the dances. I have been there. I had been there.

You made most of it. I remember your genesis. Of course, I can tell the future from sound. But let us not lose rhythm. You. Yes, you. Your voice was surely the last thing to hold me or anyone. Your behaviour was something out from some savage place.
You were in every sense of the word, unbred—and I didn’t think it would be through to all the meanings of the word. I had placed you in the composition where you belonged—a tuneless song. You were rough and all but it didn’t mean you didn’t have brains. You were one of those silently brilliant ones.
We had come to be acquaintances and I took it you weren’t too bad a person. Rough and gruff but okay. I noticed the moves and started to think of a concert—that of a duo. It was the 12th of February, two days to the toast of Siamese heartbeats.
The lonely winds were all that were going to play for me that time. I steeled myself to watch on as others waltzed their evenings away. Many friends had come to tell me about who their partner would be. I sighed. The classics came to my aid drifting me away. It took me by surprise then when you said those words, out of nowhere:
“What will you say if I asked you out?”
There was noise everywhere but I answered immediately without thinking it over: “Yes. Okay.” In that second, I thought of how to change your chords and make you fall into tune. I looked at you in that second and discovered it would take so much work but I would try. In that very second, I thought all these and a new song started to play. It was one I had heard in the lives of many. It was finally going to be mine. Then, you blurted as immediate as my answer:
“I was joking.”

The song went flat—cut. Reflex? I simply changed the song back to the one playing before. Silence screamed as everyone turned to look at us. A few turned away after a while embarrassed on my behalf, perhaps. I ignored these people who heard you shatter the melody that had started building for me.

Those who would see me in a whole new light of wrong. You couldn’t have known at that time but I had built a concert in that second for you, the concert had started from the time we became acquaintances.
It really was reflex, as you pointed out later but you don’t just cancel a concert in session, or one about to be started, one newly created—ahh! Whatever. You don’t just do that and expect to have everything come back together in one breath! No.

Later, much later, you made more moves, becoming a far better musician than I ever thought. I smiled at the efforts but never let it get to me till the big bangs of graduation came our way. You had taught me in your earlier instant action that one had to be patient to let the other know the right sets of notes to make it work.

In love, there was no one hit wonder. You had to take time. All the way up to the wider world, you never stopped. You kept practicing and it seemed the tunes kept getting better. The thrill finally hit the spot and I knew I could say ‘No’ no more. You had learnt through the plays, teases and all. Even in my refusals, you had located the strings to my heart and now knew the exact chords – the way to play the tunes that were truly mine…
Yet…

I hear the sound now. I close my eyes and let my cardiac drums play the beats to my heart. I hear the music from the other room—I have heard it several times. This time, it plays in this room. I open my eyes and you are standing there, standing here, staring at me, hands proffered up, knees to the ground…

*********************************************************************************

Su’eddie Vershima Agema blogs at http://sueddie.wordpress.com and can be reached at [email protected], @sueddieagema on Twitter. The author of the short story collection, Bottom of Another Tale, Su’eddie was Joint Winner, Association of Nigerian Authors [National] Poetry Prize 2014.
*********************************************************************************
Are you a writer? Interested in sharing your short stories on this
platform? Be our guest on our Short Story Fridays segment.
Email: ololade.olatunji@yahoo/gmail.com

"People hated Madrid during Mourinho's reign" Pepe

Real Madrid defender, Pepe in an interview with Radio station Cadena Cope, outlined the coaching styles of former manager, Jose Mourinho and the incumbent one Carlo Ancelotti. He revealed that albeit Carlo is not lenient, his training sessions are much more challenging than that of the Chelsea boss.

“I think our training sessions under Ancelotti are much more intensive than they were under Mourinho. For instance, we did very demanding exercises that we didn’t do with Mourinho.

“We have to climb uphill and it’s very hard. Every manager has his own methods but for me is much harder to do that than training with the ball for 20 minutes.

“Ancelotti is not too lenient with us. He has a very distinguished curriculum and he demands a lot from us. Ancelotti will continue, there’s no doubt about that. He’s a great coach and in a short space of time has brought us a lot of happiness.

“Whenever we play at another ground in Spain, we can sense people don’t hate us like they used to when the other manager was with us. I am not criticising Mourinho but it is what I think.

Today, Madrid is a very big club; we’ve cleaned up our image. Now Isco gets an ovation when he goes off – that would have been unthinkable before.”

Mercy Johnson to release new single with Don Jazzy

Actress, Mercy Johnson can sing? This has to be the revelation of the year! The beautiful mother of two is about becoming a double threat. Tiwa Savage, Waje and other Nigerian divas take note, MJ is the new kid on the block.
She posted a picture of herself and Don jazzy at the just-concluded Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards held in Lagos and then announced the collaboration on her twitter page. “With @DONJAZZY at AMVCA…watch out for my single…its Don Jazzy again!”
We really don’t know if Don Jazzy is producing the track or he’s featuring in the song. Whichever way, we can’t wait to listen. Who knows, a collaboration with Tonto Dikeh might be in the offing.

David Luiz apologises to Chelsea for celebrating his goal

Paris Saint-Germaine centre-half, David Luiz who prior to the game between Chelsea and his club vowed not to celebrate if he scores has apologised for breaking his promise.
The Brazilian netted an equaliser against former club Chelsea as the Blues crashed out of the Champions League following a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

It is amazing for everyone, amazing for Paris club, for Paris city. We did a great game, we tried to win the game. I am happy to be in the next round but we have a long way to go to win the Champions League. We have to keep our feet on the floor.

“My cycle finished in Chelsea, PSG gave me a great opportunity to continue my career. I was very happy at Chelsea. I respect everyone. Tonight was good for me to score. I said I wouldn’t celebrate but my emotions I couldn’t control. Thank you to Chelsea and sorry I celebrated because I was so emotional.” He said.

Open chat