Revealed: The Deal Between Jonathan, Rebel Governors

More facts have emerged on the Sunday night meeting between President Goodluck Jonathan and aggrieved governors in the New Peoples Democratic Party. Presidency sources made this known just as Jonathan met behind closed doors with some PDP governors loyal to the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee of the party. One of the sources at the Sunday meeting, said that the President and the other attendees discussed and agreed on five contentious issues: Amaechi’s suspension by the Tukur-led NWC; control of the PDP structure at the state level; Jonathan’s alleged 2015 ambition; Tukur’s fate and court cases. On Amaechi, the parties agreed that he should be recalled and that a committee be constituted to visit Port Harcourt and reconcile all aggrieved members of the PDP in the state. The governor was suspended on June 21 for his alleged refusal to “obey the lawful directive of the Rivers State Executive Committee to rescind his decision dissolving the elected Executive Council of Obiokpor Local Government Area of the state.” The meeting also accepted that all the governors of the party, including the aggrieved ones, should be in charge of the State Working Committees of the party in their respective states. It was further learnt that since the governors were to be in charge of the party structures in their states, President Jonathan should determine the fate of Tukur, who all the aggrieved governors want removed. Our source said that “the President argued that since it had been accepted that he should not interfere in the running of the party at the state level, he should be allowed to determine what would happen to its national chairman (Tukur).” He added that the meeting, which was also attended by three pro-Tukur governors – Godswill Akpabio(Akwa Ibom), Idris Wada(Kogi) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River State) – agreed that all pending court cases concerning the party must be withdrawn immediately. Amaechi is therefore expected to withdraw a case in which he is challenging his suspension. Also, numerous cases filed by members of the New PDP and the Tukur-led PDP will also be discontinued. It was gathered that Jonathan’s 2015 ambition,generated heated arguments as the aggrieved governors insisted that he had told them that he would not run for a second term. According to our source, the President argued that there was no time he told anyone that he would not contest for second term. The PUNCH gathered that Jonathan specifically accused one of the aggrived governors, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, of misleading Nigerians on the 2015 debate. Aliyu was said to have told the President he had said at different fora that he was not going to seek re-election. “The governor listed Ethiopia, United States and different caucus meetings of the party where the President made the statements,” our source added. When argument on the issue raged,the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP , Chief Tony Anenih, who was also present at the meeting,which was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, interjected and advised that it should be suspended for a latter date. The source said, “It was a give and take meeting, but at the end of the day, we agreed that the issue of 2015 should be revisited and resolved amicably. “I can tell you that the meeting was very frank . We all spoke our minds, including the President and his deputy (Namadi Sambo). So, we wait to see the implementation of the resolutions reached.” The other aggrieved governors, who were also pillars of the New PDP at the meeting were Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano), Murtala Nyaho (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara). A statement read by Aliyu at the end of the talks stated that the parties agreed to avoid inflammatory remarks, pending the final resolution of the crisis. The statement added that further talks would continue on October 7. On Monday Jonathan held secret talks with Wada, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and other PDP governors loyal to Tukur at the Presidential Villa. The identitities of the other governors were not known as they arrived in the Villa in vehicles with security number plates. A source in the Villa described the meeting as “consultative.” Earlier on Monday, Akpabio and Anenih were also sighted in the Villa. Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the leadership of the PDP was happy that the problems bedevilling the party were being resolved. Metuh said, “We are very happy and grateful to the President, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the chairman of BoT and other elders of the party. “We are also happy with our governors. We are happy that the party has shown that it is capable of resolving its crises.” In spite of the ‘no inflammatory comment order’, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, boasted on Monday that nobody could intimidate the President into not contesting in 2015. “The 1999 Constitution gives Mr. President the right to offer himself for second term if he so chooses and no individual or group can abridge his constitutional right. If he decides not to contest, let it be on his own volition not because he is intimidated or cajoled into doing that, ” he told State House correspondents in Abuja. Gulak, who added that peace was gradually returning to the party, said that Tukur would survive the crises. He said, “The national chairman has no problem. He was elected and I always say that as there are processes for election, there are processes for removal or resignation. So nobody can cajole anybody to say the national chairman will not survive. Nobody is against the national chairman.” The Presidential aide dismissed claims that the crisis would mark the end of the ruling party, saying it (PDP) has internal mechanism for resolving its problems “We have entered into dialogue. Peace is gradually returning to the PDP in accordance with the constitution of the party and in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These two documents are our guides. We abide by them and we dialogue in accordance with the provision of the constitution,” he said. Gulak explained that the President would consider the demands of the aggrieved governors based on the constitution He also said that the President would never ask the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission not to perform its duties.

Ibori Hid Assets in Oando – British Prosecutor

Convicted former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, hid some of his assets in an indigenous integrated oil company, Oando Plc, according to a British prosecutor. The prosecutor was quoted by Reuters in a report on Monday as saying that the former governor, who is serving a 13-year jail term in the United Kingdom for fraud and money-laundering, hid some of his assets in the oil firm; adding that money passed from Oando’s accounts into Ibori’s Swiss accounts. Ibori had in February 2012 pleaded guilty to 10 counts of fraud and money-laundering worth £50m. Prosecutor Sasha Wass was quoted as telling the court that she would be presenting evidence that Ibori had “asserted ownership of a large part” of Oando, Nigeria’s biggest home-grown oil firm, which is listed in Lagos, Johannesburg and Toronto. “The Crown will assert that Oando is a company where James Ibori has hidden assets,” Wass said, giving no further details. One of the biggest embezzlement cases seen in Britain, the successful prosecution of Ibori was also a rare example of a senior Nigerian politician being held to account for the corruption that blights Africa’s most populous country. At the time of Ibori’s sentencing in April 2012, Judge Anthony Pitts said the £50m that he had admitted to stealing might be a “ludicrously low” fraction of his total booty, which could be more than £200m. The confiscation hearing will shed further light on the scale of Ibori’s wealth and determine whether he emerges from jail impoverished or still in possession of a large enough fortune to regain a position of influence in Nigeria. Ibori could be released as early as 2016 because he spent two years in custody before his sentencing and because he will be eligible for parole halfway through his prison term. He was not in court on Monday and his lawyer, Ivan Krolick, said Ibori did not wish to attend the confiscation hearing although he would come to court to give evidence if necessary. In May, the Court of Appeal had rejected Ibori’s appeal against the length of his sentence. During his sentencing hearing, the court heard that Ibori had acquired six foreign properties worth £6.9m, a fleet of luxury cars including a Bentley and a Maybach 62, and that he had tried to buy a $20m private jet. His three daughters were attending a private school in rural England. However, the Head, Corporate Communications, Oando Plc, Mr. Ainojie Irune, who spoke with our correspondent in Lagos, denied the report that the jailed ex-governor owned a larger part of the oil company. He said, “We state categorically that Mr. James Ibori does not own ‘a large part of Oando’ and that this statement is incorrect and misleading. Oando is a publicly traded company listed on the Nigerian and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges and does not and cannot control the trading in its securities on the floor of the respective Exchanges. “Based on our current shareholding register, Mr. James Ibori’s shareholding stands at 443 shares out of a total issued and paid up share capital of 6.8 billion ordinary shares, which is clearly insignificant, and cannot be considered as ‘a large part of Oando.’ “Oando also stated that it does accept that sometime in 2004, in the normal course of its business, it sold some of its foreign exchange earnings for naira and the recipient of the US dollars was a company, which has now turned out to be one controlled by James Ibori. “At the time of the transaction, this information was unknown to Oando. The total amount was $2.7m made in three separate transactions over a period of about seven months. This amount was insignificant considering the company’s turnover of approximately $800m in 2004.”

Photos From 2Face & Dbanj’s Highly Anticipated Music Video

tu 2face and Dbanj are working on a music video which would definitely be a big hit in the Nigerian entertainment scene. The video would drop very soon, here are pictures from the set

if everyone in "dropped out of school ", the society would be more intelligent - Jaden Smith

Jaden Smith: If Everyone "Dropped Out of School," Society Would Be "More Intelligent" . Jaden Smith: If Everyone "Dropped Out of School," Society Would Be "More Intelligent" Jaden Smith Hasn't Properly Learned the Rules of Using Capitalization in Sentences. Nevertheless, the After Earth star, 15 -- the son to Will and Jada, brother to Willow, and boyfriend to Kylie Jenner -- thinks school is very uncool. Last week, the budding singer and actor took to Twitter to rant, for some reason, about school, education, and the general rules of modern society. "People Use To Ask Me What Do You Wanna Be When You Get Older And I Would Say What A Stupid Question The Real Question Is What Am I Right Now," the Karate Kid star began. He continued: "All The Rules In This World Were Made By Someone No Smarter Than You. So Make your own rule "School Is The Tool To Brainwash The Youth," he added. "Education Is Rebellion. If Newborn Babies Could Speak They Would Be The Most Intelligent Beings On Planet Earth." Finally, Smith -- a close pal of Justin Bieber -- declared: If Everybody In The World Dropped Out Of School We Would Have A Much More Intelligent Society . . . Everybody Get Off Your Phones And Go Do What You Actually Wanna Do." Ironically, Will, 44, and wife Jada, 41, founded their own school, the New Village Leadership Academy, in Calabasas, Calif. back in 2008. With the Smiths donating millions of dollars into the private elementary institution -- which employed a wide range of untraditional educational methodologies -- the academy shut down last June. The Smith family was most recently spotted en masse gawking inside the Barclays Center while Lady Gaga performed the bizarre opening number for the MTV Video Music Awards in late August. Will has frequently been outspoken about the parenting philosophy he shares with Jada. "I think that, specifically in African American households, the idea coming out of slavery, there's a concept of your children being property and that was a major part that Jada and I realized with our kids," he told Haute Living magazine recently. "We respect our children the way we would respect any other person. Things like cleaning up their room. You would never tell a full-grown adult to clean their room, so we don't tell our kids to clean their rooms." The father-and-son duo recently quelled rumors that Jaden was seeking emancipation. "He is definitely not going anywhere; he is so scared of being out on his own," the Men in Black star said. "Whip My Hair" singer Willow, 12, meanwhile, is a different story. "Willow is probably going to be emancipated before Jaden!"

13 dead in the US navy shoot out 1 suspect is dead 1 is still being looked for

WASHINGTON — The FBI is asking the public for help in determining why a former Navy reservist opened fire early Monday at the Washington Navy Yard, killing at least 12 people before he was shot dead by police. Police said they also are seeking another possible shooter. The suspected gunman was identified by the FBI as Aaron Alexis, a 34-year-old civilian contractor from Queens, N.Y., who most recently resided in Fort Worth, Texas. The FBI asked the public to contact the bureau with any tips related to the shooter. "This investigation is still very active," Valerie Parlave, the FBI's assistant director-in-charge, said at a news conference. "No piece of information is too small." According to a bio released by the U.S. Navy, Alexis was a full-time reservist from 2007 to 2011. He left the Navy on Jan. 31, 2011, as a petty officer 3rd class and had been working for the fleet logistics support squadron No. 46 in Fort Worth. Washington Mayor Vincent Gray said Alexis was shot during a gun battle with officers. Alexis was arrested in Fort Worth in 2010 for discharging a firearm in city limits, police records show. Alexis told police he had fired the gun accidentally when he was cleaning it, according to a police report filed with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney's Office. Charges were never filed. Alexis was also arrested in Seattle in 2004, according to the Seattle Police Department, for "shooting out the tires of another man’s vehicle in what Alexis later described as an anger-fueled 'blackout.'" A Navy official told Reuters Alexis received a general discharge from the Navy in 2011 "after a series of misconduct issues." The Navy Yard was placed on lockdown after shots were fired inside a building on the base, the Navy said. A Metro police officer and naval base officer were among those injured in the shooting, according to the D.C. Metro Police. [Full coverage: Washington Navy Yard shooting] "As far as we know, it's an isolated incident," Gray said. "We don't have any known motive at this juncture." The mayor said there was "no reason at this stage" to believe it was terrorism, but would not rule it out. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said authorities were seeking a potential second suspect, described as a black male, approximately 40 to 50 years old, 5 foot 10, 180 pounds, medium complexion with gray sideburns, wearing an olive military-style uniform and carrying "a long gun." Before a scheduled economic speech at the White House, President Barack Obama deplored "yet another mass shooting" — this one targeting military and civilian personnel. “These are men and women who were going to work, doing their job, protecting all of us," Obama said. "They’re patriots, and they know the dangers of serving abroad. But today they faced the unimaginable: violence that they wouldn’t have expected here at home." "We will do everything in our power to make sure that whoever carried out this cowardly act is held responsible," the president added. "I want the investigation to be seamless." Janis Orlowski, chief medical officer at Washington Hospital Center, said one Metropolitan Police officer and two civilians are being treated there. All three arrived in critical condition, Orlowski said, but are expected to make a full recovery. One was shot in the legs, another in the shoulder. Those victims were in surgery, Orlowski said. A woman who was shot in the head and hand would not need surgery because the bullet did not penetrate her skull. The Navy said shots were fired at the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building on the base at 8:20 a.m., and a "shelter in place" order was issued for Navy Yard personnel. Rick Mason, a program management specialist, told Yahoo News he was on the fourth floor when he saw someone with a gun aiming down into the atrium. The gunman, Mason said, was targeting people who walked into the cafeteria. Other employees described a chaotic scene. "We heard two shots and started wondering if that was the sound of someone dropping something or if they were really shots," Omar Grant, a civilian employee at the Navy Yard who was on the first floor of the atrium, said. "We heard three more shots, and that's when people started running out of the building and getting the hell out of there." Grant then led a blind colleague to safety. Approximately 3,000 people work in the building, the Navy said, though it's unclear how many people were inside at the time of the shooting. The U.S. Senate complex was locked down "in light of the uncertainty surrounding the shooting at the Navy Yard this morning and particularly the possibility of suspects remaining at large," the Senate said in an alert to staffers. "You may move about the building; however, for the next two hours you may not leave nor can anyone enter the building." A White House official said the president had been briefed several times throughout the morning about the unfolding situation at the Navy Yard by assistant to the president for homeland security and counterterrorism Lisa Monaco and deputy chief of staff Alyssa Mastromanaco. A heavy SWAT and police presence could be seen around the Navy Yard. Outside the base, employees sat huddled, crying and holding each other. At least one of the victims was airlifted from the scene, as helicopters circled overhead. A temporary ground stop was ordered at Reagan National Airport, and schools in the area were placed on temporary lockdown. The 41-acre Navy Yard, located five blocks from Nationals Stadium and a mile and a half from the Capitol, is home to the chief of naval operations and headquarters for the Naval Historical Center and numerous naval commands. The Washington Nationals postponed Monday's home game against the Atlanta Braves in the wake of the tragedy. The parking lot at the ballpark was used to reunite Navy Yard employees with their family members. According to the Navy's website, Naval Sea Systems "engineers, builds, buys and maintains the Navy's ships and submarines and their combat systems." Approximately 60,000 people work there.