Monalisa Chinda Storms Benin In ‘BFA’s Master Class Series’

Nollywood super diva and star, Monalisa Chinda – Coker, will the guest lecturer at the Master Class Series of Benin Film Academy, Edo State on Thursday August 9, 2018.

The Master class series which is tagged “Acting and Fame… The Line In-between” will start at 11 am at BFA school premises, 69, Airport road, opposite Glass House, Benin city, Edo State.

This is part of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s various philanthropic works to give back to the society that has greatly supported his career for over two decades.

The ecstatic movie Don who is now being addressed as the Director of directors during a chat told us that; “In our avowed determination to keep Benin City and the entire Edo artistically hot and relevant, the Benin Film Academy is bringing as part of its masterclass series super diva star and trained actor on the topic Acting and Fame ..the line inbetween and it promises to be an explosive outing.”

“This lecture is going to benefit actors directors, filmmakers and any other individual who is aspiring to be in any form of film making.”

Benin Film Academy (BFA) is now regarded by all as the gateway to the heart of Nollywood since her inception in 2017 and has been a leader in movie training as graduates of the school has flooded Nollywood, Ghollywood and others with their arts and skills.

OMOKRI REVEALS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO AKPABIO IF HE DECAMPS TO APC

Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, has said that former Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, will have all his sins forgiven, if he decamps to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting to Akpabio’s visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, Omokri said in a tweet, that even the Economic and Financial Crimes Comission (EFCC), will “pass over” him.

“Behold Akpabio, all your sins have been forgiven. When @officialEFCC sees the broom, EFCC will Passover!” he wrote.

Akpabio, who won his seat in the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is believed to be set to decamp to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmaker’s meeting with Buhari, came after the President’s Special Aissistant on Prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla’s post on Facebook on Saturday night.

Obono-Obla stated that Akpabio will be received into APC on Thursday by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and other top leaders of the party at a rally in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

Mass resignation, defection looms in Akeredolu’s cabinet

Indications emerged that the fortunes of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Ondo state may take a turn for the worse as many members of the state cabinet are set to leave the cabinet of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu or dump the party.

It was gathered that most of the Commissioners who are members of the state executive are planning to opt out of government because of the overbearing influence of the Special Advisers in their various ministry.

While Wumi Olatunji, the Commissioner in charge of women’s affairs is willing to vacate her seat to contest for House of Representatives because she was said not to be in charge of the ministry but the ministry is being run and control by the Special Adviser, Mrs Titi Adeyemo.

Similarly, Adelegbe who is the Commerce Commissioner feels he should leave the government as his duties are being run by the Special Adviser on Investment, Mr Boye Oyewumi, rendering Adelegbe redundant by the overbearing attitude of Oyewumi and the Special Adviser on Multi-Lateral Services, Mrs Bunmi Ademosun.

Ojogo, from Ese Odigbo, was said to be eyeing House of Representatives He was said to be running away from the government because he is also not in charge of his ministry because the governor has his eyes and ears in his Special Adviser, Engr. Rahimi Aminu at Ojogo’s ministry and Works ministry.

He, however, said the state Commissioner for information, Yemi Olowolabi, has also shown interest in contesting for the house of Representatives seat for Idanre/Ifedore Federal constituency but he was said to be considering the influence of the party’s chairman who hailed from the same town with him and eyeing the same seat with him.

God Will Not Forgive Me If I Support Atiku – Obasanjo

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President, says God will not forgive him should he support Atiku Abubakar, his former deputy for eight years, for public office.

Obasanjo and Atiku have a long-running feud, which most analysts trace back to lead-up to the 2003 presidential election, when governors of the ruling party preferred Atiku to succeed his boss, who wanted a second term.

Earlier, in the week, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka said Obasanjo knelt down for Atiku in a desperate bid to secure the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the 2003 poll — a humbling moment for which Obasanjo remains bent on punishing his former deputy.

However, speaking on Friday, Obasanjo said his opposition to Atiku’s perennial political ambition is simply down to his deep understanding of the former Adamawa State Governor-Elect.

“How can I be on the same side with Atiku? To do what?” Obasanjo asked.

“If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support.

“I do not have personal grudges with anyone. If you do not do well for Nigeria, you do not do well for all of us.

“It is not a question of working with or not working with an individual,” he said. “If you are working for the good of Nigeria, I am working with you. If you are not working for the good of Nigeria it does not matter who you are I am not working with you.”

PDP Confused As Akpabio Parley with APC

Former Akwa Ibom Gov. Godswill Akpabio

There were indications that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is in serious talks with the Minority Leader in the Senate, ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio; a move that has unsettled the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Akpabio might defect to the APC any moment from now once the “terms” are wrapped up, News Waka Now Blog learnt yesterday.

The APC is upbeat about the prospect, which analysts believe will be a major political mileage for President Muhammadu Buhari in the South-South.

A PDP top notch said last night that the party has been appealing to the ex-governor not to defect “but we cannot please him and then displease the governor of the state, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, who is the PDP leader in the state.”

There is no love lost between Akpabio and Emmanuel. Emmanuel was practically made governor by Akpabio in 2015.

It was learnt that Akpabio had made up his mind to defect on July 24 but was not recognised the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who got wind of his move, to make his intention public.

Notwithstanding, Akpabio showed signs of his departure from the PDP on Thursday when he boycotted the special meeting of the National Executive Committee of the PDP held to welcome defectors including Saraki and governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Samuel Ortom of Benue state, among others.

A top APC source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “The APC and some of our leaders are in serious talks with Akpabio, who is rated as a matchmaker in the South-South.

“The talks border on more deals for the South-South, especially increase in derivation formula; enhanced infrastructure for oil producing areas; how to sustain the ongoing reforms by President Muhammadu Buhari; and arresting the developmental slide in Akwa Ibom State.

“The former governor said his likely defection to APC is informed more by patriotism than selfish interest.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The terms are still being worked out, but APC is favourably disposed to Akpabio’s defection.

“The ex-governor has an open mind, he has no airs and he does not pretend in asking for a better nation which he thinks Buhari can offer.

“In fact, it was part of the talks that made him visit Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday when the PDP national EXCO was meeting in Abuja.

“We will no doubt accept him into APC. This is a major development from the South-South.”

Findings, however, confirmed that top PDP leaders, including the National Working Committee of the opposition party, has been jittery in the past few weeks.

A member of the National Executive Committee of PDP said: “I think Akpabio has irreconcilable differences with Governor Udom Emmanuel and our leaders stepped into the matter and initiated reconciliation.

“If at the end he is defecting, we are suspecting that he wants to join the APC to settle scores with Emmanuel in 2019. The two leaders have been managing themselves, but Akpabio seems unhappy with the governor.

“We felt that defection is not an ideal option for Akpabio. Maybe he has another agenda.”

A member of the NWC said: “By the policy of our party, Governor Emmanuel cannot be denied the right of first refusal for the PDP gubernatorial ticket in 2019. We cannot abandon him to please Akpabio.

“You can see that as soon as Governor Samuel Ortom defected, he was automatically made the leader of PDP in Benue State.

“The power equation in PDP at present in Akwa Ibom State does not favour Akpabio. He is bound to be embittered.

“Some of our leaders have been comparing notes and there is this suspicion that Akpabio might defect because of multiple cases he has with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The sad aspect is that the Senate Minority Leader does not share his position with anyone.

“At one of our meetings during the week, we all noticed that Akpabio was not vibrant and articulate in his speech. He spoke like a despondent leader who is fed up with PDP.

“Our fears were confirmed when he boycotted the NEC meeting on Thursday. He said he was travelling abroad, only for us to see him at the Villa with VP Osinbajo.

“Earlier, we learnt that he had wanted to defect to APC on the floor of the Senate on July 24, but the President of the Senate, Dr. Saraki, who got intelligence report, did not allow him to have his way. “

Saraki also did not read the letters of defection of some PDP Senators to APC before he adjourned the sitting to September; a development APC senators saw as a clear abuse of his position as Senate President.

Man kills lover over condom

IN another crime of passion, a 38-year-old mother of three, Madam Gladys Okoh has been brutally hacked to death in Benin by her jealous lover after he reportedly found male condoms inside her handbag.

The suspect, Mr Osaremwinda Omobude Idumwonyi, 46 was said to have been enraged after the discovery and promptly accused the divorcee of two-timing.

The latest murder brings to three the body counts of young women killed by their green-eyed lovers in the last three weeks- in the Edo state capital and comes on the heels of the stabbing to death of an 18-year-old girl by her 19-year-old boy over an allegation of infidelity.

Also recently, two other men had killed their lovers for engaging in the sizzling romance with other men.

The victim had reportedly spent the night with her ill-fated lover in a secret rendezvous before the killing in the presence of her aged grandmother at Ehiyoba Street, off Aifuwa Street, off the main road of Sokponba last week.

But it could not be ascertained whether the condoms were found inside the deceased bag while she was with him in his room the previous night or at her grannie’s rented apartment when he came visiting on a fateful day.

A source at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Benin, however disclosed some facts.

According to the source, on interrogation, the suspect explained that the woman grabbed a kitchen knife in a fit of anger to stab him following a heated argument but he overpowered and mistakenly stabbed her thrice in the stomach in self defence. Rushed to the hospital in critical condition, she died a few days later.

The blood-stained knife was allegedly recovered from the deceased kitchen by police investigators when he was arrested and taken home for a search.

The Edo State Police spokesman Mr Chidi Nwabuzor could not be reached for comment but a police source said that investigations into the alleged murder were on, assuring that the suspect will be docked once they are concluded.

Ogun PDP Disassociates Self From Planned Protest By Kashamu Buruji’s Group In Abeokuta

Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has disassociated itself from a protest being planned for Thursday August 2, 2018 in Abeokuta, the state capital by the group of Senator Kashamu Buruji.

The PDP said in a statement released on behalf of the state Chairman of the party, Hon.(Dr) Sikirullahi Ogundele by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Malik Ibitoye that the party is not involved in the protest.

Ibitoye quoted Sikirullahi as saying in the statement, which was made available to journalists, that the proposed protesters consist of thugs, miscreants and area boys hired by “some disgruntled elements that have been expelled by the national executive of the party.”

It will be recalled that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP recently announced the expulsion of the senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Prince Kashamu Buruji alongside his Omo Ilu State Chairman, who claims to be Ogun PDP Chairman, Engr. Bayo Dayo, Semiu Sodipo and one Prince Segun Seriki.

Ogundele added in the statement that the law enforcement agents should not treat the protesters as members of the PDP, and according to him, the protesters are being sponsored by those who do not have any say in the party at the moment.

“We want to alert the security agencies and agents in the state that the sponsors of the protest are not members of our great party. The protesters are miscreants, hoodlums and area boys, who do not even know the reason behind the protest.

“Be informed that the state chapter of the PDP is not part of this shenanigans and all the genuine members of our party are working hard to ensure the success of our party in the forthcoming general elections in the country.

“Those sponsoring the protest and their paid supporters have no locus standi in the party and the protest holds no water since the sponsors have been expelled by the national leadership of the party,” the statement read.

Ibitoye added in the statement that Ogundele urged members of the party to go about their normal businesses as the party remains one in the state, adding that any attempt by anybody to disturb the peace of the party at the moment would be met with a stiff opposition.

He stated further that those behind the protest should be reminded that no amount of intimidation would change the decision of the PDP on their expulsion, saying that party could no longer continue to harbour “enemies of progress, whose activities are dangerous to the ambition of the party in 2019.”

The statement read in part; “We cannot continue to allow traitors in our midst. Prince Buruji is an enemy of progress, whose activities and penchant for court actions made the party lose the 2011 Governorship Election in Ogun State to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the same thing happened in Ondo State in 2016, when Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP lost to the incumbent Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC. He was the architect of the whole problems in the PDP.”

Ogundele used the opportunity to reiterate the support of the state chapter of the PDP for national the leadership of the party and appealed to genuine supporters and members of the party in the state to join hands with him to win the State for the party in 2019.

KASHAMU, OTHERS SHUT DOWN ABEOKUTA FOR PDP

The ancient city of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital was literally shut down on Thursday as Senator Buruji Kashamu and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists stormed the city to unveil the party’s aspirants for the 2019 general election.

Kashamu, representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, was purportedly expelled by the PDP national leadership alongside three other chieftains of the party.

But the lawmaker, in an apparent show of strength, made a grand entry to the party secretariat located along the Presidential Boulevard, Abeokuta, where he vowed to mobilize relentlessly for the PDP to succeed in 2019.

Thousands of PDP members and supporters across the 20 local government areas of the state defied the rains to participate in the event.

In his remarks, Kashamu faulted the sanction meted out on him, saying any attempt to expel him amounts to “effort in futility.”

The senator, who was accompanied by the Ogun State PDP Chairman, Chief Adebayo Dayo; Secretary, Alhaji Semiu Sodipo and a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Segun Seriki, who were purportedly expelled, argued that he enjoys the support of the people and court protection from expulsion.

He said, “How can somebody expel you when you are committed to the party? The party does not belong to an individual. I want to authoritatively inform you that I, Senator Buruji Kashamu, remain a member of PDP. Aside from that, I have court order that protects me from being expelled by anybody.

“Any attempt to expel me is effort in futility. You know general election is coming, that is why all of you should go out to mobilize to succeed in 2019.

“Very soon, there will be official declaration. My struggle at the national is to liberate the masses from the oppressed.”

On his part, the State PDP Chairman, Dayo, said the PDP remains loved by the generality of the people.

He also took a swipe at the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, saying he was treading on the path of illegality by seeking to expel him and others.

Dayo said, “Today, a man that is expelled from the party by Uche Secondus is having so much followers. I did not come here to bring food for everybody but we have genuine followers in Ogun State. And today, we are celebrating our aspirants.

“We never had so much crowd at this secretariat, but because people are very much annoyed about the pronouncement expelling Adebayo Dayo, the chairman of PDP in Ogun State and Prince Buruji Kashamu, the good senator representing Ogun East. You can see that we are accepted by the people, not because of money, not because of anything, but, because the people have genuine love for us.

“I can tell you that come 2019, we are going to win in Ogun State. This is the only place where we have PDP. I am not the factional chairman of PDP, I am the executive chairman of the party until April 2020.”

OGUN 2019: Ogun State Government initiates social welfare programme in Central Senatorial district

– Panic reigns supreme in SIA camp

– Silence of Gov Amosun leaves loyalists bewildered

– Remains silent on naming anointed successor as promised

(By Wole Adenekan in Abeokuta)

“Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown” Just like in Shakespeare’s King Henry this aptly describes the situation of SIA the Gov of Ogun State presently. It would be recalled months ago he promised to unveil his wizkid successor immediately after the Ramadan fast, but almost two months after nothing has been heard from him on the matter.

Some of his loyalists confirmed this is not unconnected with the announcement by the new National Chairman of APC Comrade Adams Oshiomole that direct primaries will be used to select candidates in APC States which was not the case before he came onboard. Hitherto, Governors were manipulating indirect delegate based primaries and in some cases were just writing names of their preferred candidates.

The camp of the Governor had previously perfected plans to use the manipulated congresses which he used to single handedly elect party officials and delegates across the States to also impose candidates for all positions in the upcoming 2019 elections. Unfortunately this plan has become stillborn with the announcement of direct primaries by the NWC of the APC.

More troubling for SIA is the realisation those he plans on imposing as State Assembly candidates come 2019 with a view of having a firm grip on the incoming Governor through the State Assembly will not fair well in a direct primaries election and he would not be able to actualise his plan on having one of them pencilled down as the next Speaker emerge as candidate in a free and fair direct primary.

A source said his Plans A and B to be speaker come 2019 have performed so woefully and if they go into a contest with party members deciding their faith they would be roundly disgraced because of their bad stewardship and nonperformance in the last four years as State Assembly members.

After consultations were held a plan was orchestrated in the form of a social welfare package of ten thousand Naira monthly stipend for deserving party members across the six Local Governments in Ogun Central Senatorial district. This plan is set to empower over 100 people in each ward and put them on the payroll of the State Government so they can be used to shore up votes in each ward during direct primary. It is a plot very similar to what Peter Fayose of Ekiti used to fill his mega rally during the Electioneering campaign in Ekiti State. As we speak thousands of forms are being distributed across the Central Senatorial District

If this will help the anointed Assembly Aspirants for State Assembly Party Primaries is left to be seen.

Time will tell if the people of Ogun Central Senatorial district will fall for this last minute effort at social welfare that has a caveat to it.

Wole Adenekan reporting from Abeokuta.

BREAKING: APC LAWMAKERS SERVE IMPEACHMENT NOTICE ON BENUE GOV, ORTOM

Some lawmakers of the Benue State House of Assembly on Monday served an impeachment notice on Governor Samuel Ortom.

Channels TV reports that the lawmakers who served the impeachment notice on the state governor are the eight All Progressives Congress members of the House.

The spokesperson for the eight lawmakers told journalists that the House has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Ortom on the allegations of diversion of state funds and abuse of office.