AHANONU KINGSLEY BLOG

A man, Abdullahi Yada’u, has divorced his wife after failing to convince her not to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in next month’s presidential election. Mr Yada’u, a resident of Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State, told BBC Hausa Service on Thursday that he divorced his wife, Hafsat Suleiman, because she insisted on voting for Mr Buhari. According to Premium Times, Mr Yada’u stated that previously, both of them supported Mr Buhari in the 2015 elections. But this time, he felt disappointed with the administration and decided not to vote for him again, he said. “I told her that she must not vote for him but she insisted which led to a quarrel which attracted the attention of our neighbours, I slapped her and told her to choose between voting for Buhari and staying with me. She ran away. “Later her parents called me and I narrated to them what transpired between us. But still my wife insisted on voting for Mr Buhari, that’s how I divorced her in the presence of her...

Even as I do not hold brief for Justice Onnoghen, especially considering the moral, ethical and constitutional weights of his shortfall that has put him and the nation's in the spotlight. Being the chief officer of our judicial system, Justice Onnoghen ought to have known better what's  expected of him by the constitution he interprets. To have forgotten or to have erred as he'd claimed, for me, is untenable, especially as considering his status. Indeed, it is unfortunate that he forgot to fully carry out the instructions of the Code of Conduct, and more so to have admitted in written confession. It's a soft admittance of irresponsibility. However, even as I chide the CJN's irresponsibility, I have my grouse against the immediate suspension of the CJN Walter Onnoghen as recommended by CCT. This is basically for the reason that it did not follow the procedure as outlined in section 292 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). If the CJN has fallen short of ex...

The Federal government of Nigeria today transmitted the revised national minimum wage of 27,000 naira to the National Assembly. The tripartite committee set up by the government and which has been working since the past two years, finally came with the proposed minimum wage of 30,000 naira after Labour threatened to embark on full strike in December, 2018. Some states, speaking through the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum had kicked against the 30,000 naira, citing the insolvency of some of the states. However, Labour insisted that there was no going back on the agreed national minimum wage. On the 22nd of January, 2019 coming from a meeting,   National Council of State came with the endorsement of 27,000 naira, urging the states not to go below this margin. The Nigeria Organised Labour has kicked against this, urging the federal government to keep to the 30,000 benchmark or face showdown. 

Venezuelan opposition leader, Giuado Hiuan has declared himself as the country's interim president amidst surging crowd of protesters in Caracas.  Mr Giuaed is the head of the country's parliament, and his vociferous opposition has received the support of the United States, with president Trump emphasising that the leadership of Nicolas Maduro remains illegitimate.                                                                                                                                                           This position of the United States has also been taken by other five countries still ...

The Senate was supposed to resume plenary yesterday, the 22nd of January, but there was no session due mainly to the inability of the House to form a quorum. Almost 98 of the 109 senators had failed to show up for plenary! For the Senate chamber to sit, at least one-third of members are expected to be present. That's the Senate (and of course, the House of Reps) quorum. But against focusing on the quorum, I'll be beaming my searchlight rather on the failure of the House not to have formed the quorum in the first place. It is to be condemned that some people, elected, paid with taxpayers money and saddled with the duty to sit and make laws, with careless abandon left their responsibility. There was no excuse as to have warranted the absence of senators to have come up for plenary. It is very much detestable and a show of irresponsibility that with all the monies they receive, that some senators could have the guts to abandon their roles, for whatever reason. Nigeria m...

The National Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has frozen the account of the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, at the order of the presidency. Justice Onnoghen has been in the eyes of the storm following the allegations of non declaration of asset. He has been summoned to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The case has been adjourned till 22nd of January, 2019.

Today, is 15th January, the Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day. And today, I remember, and very specially too, all the fallen heroes who laid down their lives for the safety and betterment of this country. We do not always find the time to accord them the desired appreciation. Today offers such rare opportunity.  And so, today, I call to mind the gallant men and women of the Nigeria Armed Forces who showed bravery and unparalleled patriotism to fatherland, even to the point of paying the supreme sacrifice. This day provides the opportunity for me to celebrate the lives and memories of all those who through one means or the other,  but who for the ultimate course to defend our nation and protect her citizenry from the threat to safety, paid the supreme price. They suffered pains, sundry inconveniences and yes, death. Today, I remember those slain in the course of fighting the over 3 years civil war.  I remember those who died in the course of fighting the hug...

The TV reality show, Big Brother Naija, is back with season 4, this time holding in Nigeria.  The Chief Executive Officer of Multichoice, Mr Ugbe made the disclosure in Lagos, Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the development.         According to him, auditions for the show will hold on Feb. 1 and Feb. 2 in eight locations across Nigeria, an increase from previous editions.  These locations are Abuja, Benin, Enugu, Lagos, Portharcourt and others. 

The presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the hurried order by the presidency for embattled Justice Walter Onnoghen to vacate his seat as Chief Justice of Nigeria. In a press release signed by Paul Ibe, his media aide, Atiku wondered why the hurry to remove Onnoghen when he has yet to be proven guilty, linking that act by the presidency to desperation to win. He said, "I have received the news of the sudden charges about to be filed against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, with apprehension and  suspicion especially as such a move against the head of an  arm of our government is coming so close to an election in preparation of which the Buhari administration has shown  growing desperation." Atiku said his suspicions are further exacerbated by the fact that the  Buhari government is pressuring an independent and self governing arm of government with the aim of getting CJN  Walte...

All is set for the arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN Walter Onnoghen at the Code of Conduct Tribunal,  Monday, the 14th of January, 2019. Justice Onnoghen is accused of count charges bothering on false asset declaration and the running of domiciliary accounts.                      The Code of Conduct Bureau had filed the charges against the senior judicial official working under the allegations brought to it by a private citizen.  Meanwhile, Justice Onnoghen has been ordered by the presidency to vacate his position pending when he'd be cleared by the court of the allegations against him.                                  Justice Walter Onnoghen, from Cross River state, was appointed CJN in 2018, making him the first southerner to hold that office since almost 30 years. His replacement, who is the most senior officer,...

It is no longer news that Justice Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the first southerner to have assumed that position for decades, is to face the Code of Conduct Tribunal on count charges bothering on asset declaration. The date is Monday, 15th January, 2019. The crime is nondisclosure of his domiciliary accounts It's no longer news that summon to this effect has been made to the Chief Justice requesting his presence in court, which is the Federal High Court in Abuja. It is also not news that the allegations for which Justice Onnoghen is arraigned were said to have been committed in 2005 and 2016. But in all these, what is not news and which is the big issue is the question on why it is now that this prop up accusation is coming. Just few days to the elections.  What also is not news, and which ipso facto is a grave concern, is the speed at which the president had asked the CJN to submit himself for trial.  It is indeed a grave concern because by...

The Vice Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples  Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, says if the Atiku  Abubakar's government fails to work, he  will resign. Mr Obi made this comment on  Friday at The Nigeria Leadership Summit tagged: “One On  One With Peter Obi” which took place in Lagos. The PDP VP candidate, who described the refusal of  government officials to resign from office in Nigeria as  “senseless”, warned that he will not be part of failure, hence  he would go home should the Atiku/Obi Presidency fail to  work as expected. His words: “We must think differently and I assure you I am  not going to be part of failure. People say to me Peter what  if you go there and it doesn’t work, I say no, I will go home,  I was not born a governor, and I will not be part of  failure. If it is not working I will go home. “People have gone home for nothing, for no reason. Irish  President went to a cou...

The Democratic Republic of Congo gets a new leader. He is Felix Tshisekedi of the opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress party. The election of Tshisekedi brings to an end the dominance by the Kabilas of the nation's presidency. Outgoing President Josef Kabila took power in 2001, 10 days after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who had himself been President since 1997. After succeeding his father, Kabila was elected President in 2006, and re-elected for a second term In 2011. The subsequent declaration of the winner had been preceded by weeks of anxiety where the election had to be scheduled and rescheduled.                           The announcement of the result by the electoral commission Wednesday came three days after it was scheduled to be announced Sunday and over a week after the polls. In his victory speech, Tshisekedi said "I pay tribute to President Joseph Kabila and ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday released the comprehensive list of registered voters for the 2019 elections.  According to it, about 84.4million eligible voters would be eligible to participate in the process of deciding those who will take the helm of affairs in 2019. Of this figure, Lagos state came top among states with over 6.5million voters, with Kano and Kaduna coming second and third with 5.4million and 4million respectively. Trailing behind is Ekiti state which has just over 900,000 voters on the register. While on the regional category, the South-east came far behind with a cumulative figure of less than 10 million.        

Mr Jair Bolsonaro has been sworn in as Brazil's president, Tuesday 1st January.  The ceremony which took place before the country's lawmakers, saw the new president took the oath of office flanked by his wife.  Adorned in his black suit and having a band of green and yellow strapped across his chest, Mr Bolsonaro addressed his people who had gathered waving heavily their national flag. In his speech, the new president vowed to restore order in his country and to ensure business-friendly policies. He went on to assert that by his election,  Brazil has been liberated from socialism and political correctness.      "My mandate is at the service of this nation, " President Bolsonaro was quoted while calling for the eradication of crime and corruption.

Mr Jair Bolsonaro has been sworn in as Brazil's president, Tuesday 1st January.  The ceremony which took place before the country's lawmakers, saw the new president took the oath of office flanked by his wife.  Adorned in his black suit and having a band of green and yellow strapped across his chest, Mr Bolsonaro addressed his people who had gathered waving heavily their national flag. In his speech, the new president vowed to restore order in his country and to ensure business-friendly policies. He went on to assert that by his election,  Brazil has been liberated from socialism and political correctness.      "My mandate is at the service of this nation, " President Bolsonaro was quoted while calling for the eradication of crime and corruption.

The new year as has been highlighted comes with great economic challenges. But we must not rest on our oars and allow the projections rattle us. We must devise means to avoid been pulverised by the heat. And in doing that, we must avoid some mistakes. Mistake #1 Never borrow money that accrues interest to start a business. That is to say, never borrow money to start a business expecting that the business will generate income to pay back the borrowed money plus the interest. Mistake #2 Never spend money you haven't received. Don't even promise someone money based on a promise you have from someone else. If someone tells you: "Ezra, come to my office tomorrow at 9am and pick N20K"don't go out to buy items on credit based on this promise, with the hope that you will pay off your creditor when the promised money comes; it may not come as promised and this will leave you in problems with your creditors. Mistake #3 If you want to save, whenever you receive mon...

The year 2019 from economic indications has been projected to be one of great downturn. Many factors have been adduced for this. The global fulfilment of this disheartening forecast, given view by the trade wars between the two major world economic determinants-China and the USA  is a strong factor. US- the largest economy and China- the second beat and fastest growing economy are already gripped. Nigeria, as part of the world forum, must in one way or the other be affected by this reality that affects its globe. Another key factor that gives this dolorous view is the stuttering price of crude oil. Nigeria is a country whose economy is preponderantly hinged on crude oil-its major export. With a budgetary benchmark of $60 per barrel even when the international price is toggling below $58  with fears of more fall, it begs to question how we can implement our 2019 budget. The fears worsen with the glimpse of how tougher economic measures are to be taken in the USA with the...