Thursday 29 January 2015

African Union Calls For 7,500-Strong Force To Fight Boko Haram

The African Union called Friday for a regional five-nation force of 7,500 troops to defeat the "horrendous" rise of Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgents, AU Commission Chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said.



"Boko Haram's horrendous abuses, unspeakable cruelty, total disregard for human lives, and wanton destruction of property are unmatched," Dlamini-Zuma said in a statement after the bloc's Peace and Security Council met late Thursday, ahead of a full AU summit meeting on Friday.



The Boko Haram uprising has become a regional crisis, with the four directly affected countries - Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria - agreeing along with Benin to boost cooperation to contain the threat and to form a Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).



"I am deeply concerned by the prevailing situation as a result of Boko Haram terrorist activities, including the recent escalation of violence witnessed on the ground," Dlamini-Zuma added.



"The continued attacks in northeastern Nigeria and the increasing attacks in the Lake Chad Basin, along the border with Chad and Cameroon, and in the northern provinces of that country, have the potential of destabilising the entire region, with far reaching security and humanitarian consequences."



More than 13,000 people have been killed and more than one million made homeless by Boko Haram violence since 2009.



Regional nations pledged earlier this month to commit a battalion each to the force, a total of some 3,000 troops, but Dlamini-Zuma said after meetings Thursday it was decided that "no efforts should be spared" to defeat the fighters.



"Accordingly, it is recommended that the countries of the region be authorized to increase the strength of the MNJTF to up to 7,500," she added.



A key task of the force, to be deployed with an initial mandate of a year, will be "conducting military operations to prevent the expansion of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups activities and eliminate their presence," the statement added.



Nigeria has the largest army in west Africa but has come under criticism at home and abroad for failing to stop the advance of Boko Haram

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15 Reasons Why Android Phones Are Better Than The Iphone





1. When you buy an iPhone, you're stuck with as much storage as you decided to buy at the get-go. Most Android phones, however, have a microSD card slot, so you can easily and cheaply buy more storage space.





2. If your battery starts sucking, you can often remove it and replace it with a new one. Can't do that with an iPhone.



3. You can use a bunch of different Android phones (including the HTC One, LG G3, and the Galaxy S5) as remote controls, because they have infrared blasters on the top. iPhones do not.



4. Android files screenshots, downloaded pics, and pictures saved from messages into their own separate folders.





5. Android doesn't care where your music comes from. Apple and iOS 8, however, require iTunes if you want to

load your iPhone up with songs, and you need iPhoto if you ever want to get your photos onto your computer.





6. You can use any micro-USB cable to charge your Android phone. If you want to charge your iPhone, you need to have Apple's proprietary "Lightning" cable.





7. Google's app store lets you download apps to your phone directly from its website. If you search for an iPhone app in a browser, on the other hand, you have to launch iTunes or the App Store to download and install it.





8. You can set multiple user accounts on the same Android tablet.

Share your Android-running tablet with your family or co-workers? If so, you can set multiple user accounts on one device, limiting the information that each user can see. Can't do that on the iPad.



9. Apple's baked-in Maps apps isn't as good as Google's, but on an iPhone, you can't make Google Maps your default.





10. On an iPhone, you can unlock your phone with your fingerprint or a passcode. On most Android devices, you have several additional options, including patterns or face unlocks.





11. You can customize an Android phone much more than an iPhone, like by adding widgets on your home screen.





12. Android phones don't force you to keep all of your apps on one of your homescreens, like iPhones do.





13. On quite a few Android phones, you can open and see multiple apps at once.





14. When you have an Android phone, your notifications are always shown at the top of your screen, which makes easier to remember what you need to check and respond to.





15. This is a small one that I noticed after I switched from Android to iOS, but the baked-in Android alarm clock tells you how many hours of sleep you'll be getting. iPhones make you do the mental math.









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Comedian Helen Paul Celebrates Birthday As She Turns 37 Years

Helen spent most of her early years with her mother and grandmother, both in Lagos. As a kid, she used to entertain small groups of peers, neighbors and friends within the neighborhood. As she grew, the entertainer in her also developed with time. In many of the interviews she later granted to several media houses, she would recall that her growing up was not easy, as it was filled with "ups and downs" - raised by two disciplinarians but meanwhile, the entertainer in her knew no boundaries. She is a graduate of Theater Arts of the University of Lagos.



FAMILY LIFE

Helen Paul is married to Femi Bamisile in April, 2010 and blessed with two kids



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Did AIT Really Release Those CSV Files?

This was the press release from AIT yesterday.

Massive rigging of the AIT online presidential poll was exposed by DAAR Communications Plc.

Yesterday 28th January as the broadcasting house defended its action in shutting down its

www.aitonline.tv website where the poll was being conducted just before midnight Tuesday 27th of January 2015. General Muhammadu Buhari had taken a massive lead in the online poll being conducted by Africa Independent Televisions' website where he led President Goodluck Jonathan by 77% to 21% prompting the technical team of the AIT poll to conduct an integrity test on the results at midnight. Suspicions that the poll was compromised were first muted when it emerged the number of unique IP addresses was significantly less than the number of votes polled. This suggested that some pollers were able to vote multiple times. A forensic test of the votes polled after the website was shut down further revealed that 30 identified unique IP-addresses had voted a total of 4969 times in favour of General Muhammadu Buhari. Furthermore a software application that incrementally changes the IP-addresses was

discovered to be used in the voting process in

favour of General Mohammed Buhari and the APC political party.

DAAR Communications Plc. is presently seeking legal advice amid privacy concerns about releasing the raw CSV files on its www.aitonline.tv website for interested Nigerians to independently verify the integrity of the online poll. The Management of DAAR Communications Plc decided this afternoon to make this information publicly available to protect its integrity amid accusations of bias promoted in some websites as well as on social media. The Management further stated that ait remains committed to providing transparent non partisan coverage of local and international news within the confines of best practice. The media and members of the public shall be updated as more information becomes available.

Signed:

Management

DAAR Communications Plc Last Updated: 29th January 2015

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The Green Eyed movie hits cinemas nationwide

Come February 2015, the highly anticipated movie of the year “The Green Eyed” will premiere at the Silverbird cinemas Victoria Island Lagos. Produced by Poise Fendy Entertainment, the Green Eyed is a tale of betrayal, politics, deceit, blackmail, love, jealousy and the test of friendship.







Last year, the movie was privately screened to selected guests at the Silverbird Cinema in Port Harcourt. The star studded red carpet event was graced by distinguished guests who had a swell time watching the movie and mingling with cast and crew of the film.



The red carpet was impressive with several notable celebrities and dignitaries present at the event. ‘It’s been a long way coming from the day we started shooting the movie, the production and now the premiere. I’m glad people liked it’, and can’t wait to produce my second movie said Endy Abanonkhua, a theatre Arts graduate of the University of Port Harcourt, Abanonkhua is a first time producer whose passion has always been film making.



The Green Eyed stars Kalu Ikeagwu, Nse Ikpe Etim, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Tamara Eteimo, Endy Abanonkhua, Tonia Nwosu and Phil Isibor set to hit cinemas across the country next month. Watch exclusive BTS footage and cast interviews below...


Woman Who Lived With Jonathan In His Teenage Years Reveal Things About Him

For those who grew up in Oguta, in Imo State a few years before the Civil War, the name “Agu­duma” would bring back memo­ries. It was the qualification of a young boy, whose friends considered too handsome and therefore, nicknamed him “Aguduma,” meaning “Handsome Goodluck.”



That boy, today, has become a man. He’s not an ordinary man, but one, who has risen from, perhaps, a nobody to the pinnacle of Nigeria’s leadership. That boy is today the president of Nigeria. That boy is President Goodluck Jonathan.



Yes, President Jonathan once lived in Oguta. While there, before the war, he attended St. Paul’s Anglican Church Primary School. He was nicknamed ‘Aguduma” by his peers in primary school.



Telling Daily Sun the story of Jonathan, as a boy growing up in Oguta, Madam Emilia Ajie, from Ogbaru area of Anambra State, revealed that the president lived with his uncle, popularly called Chief and his son in their (Madam Emilia) compound at the Kalabari Beach, in Oguta 11. According to the septuagenarian, Jonathan was always ill-treated by his uncle, who never bought him school books, sandals or other things he needed for school. She revealed that Jonathan was always the last, among the pupils who lived in the compound, to go to school daily because of house chores he must complete every morning. Madam Emilia further revealed that President Jonathan has always been a quite and respectful person, who, even in the face of hardship inflicted on him by his uncle, refused to accept unsolicited gifts from people. She revealed that even when his uncle left him behind for home, the young Jonathan engaged himself in menial jobs to survive.



According to her, “Goodluck is a very quite and respectful person, even in the face of hardship inflicted on him by his uncle, who was popularly called Chief and we always felt sorry for him because of the way his uncle was treating him. They were then living in our boys’ quarters. His uncle’s son usually did nothing. It was Goodluck, who did everything in the house, including cooking.” Madam Emilia recalled that at the end of the civil war, in 1970, President Jonathan’s uncle, who she said had married an Izombe woman, left him and his son, who were yet to finish their primary school education at St. Paul’s Anglican Church Primary School, Kalabari Beach, Oguta 11, behind and promised to come back for them. She stated that the uncle later sent for his son, while the young Jonathan was left behind in Oguta to fend for himself. “When Chief, Goodluck’s uncle, left with his wife, who was from Izombe, for their hometown, he had left behind his son and Goodluck because they were still in school and had promised to come back for them. But after his son finished his primary school, Chief sent for him and left Goodluck behind,” she said.



She revealed how Jonathan once had an accident that frightened everybody. According to her, “one days, while Goodluck was still living in our compound, he had gone to pluck mango with other young boys, but fell from the tree and as I was returning from the market I heard children shouting that ‘Aguduma’ had fallen off the mango tree and I quickly rushed to scene and used my head-tie to bind his fractured right hand. “My husband’s brother, popularly known as Ajasco, who was returning from the farm, had carried him (Jonathan), with the assistance of other children and took him to a popular traditional bonesetter in the neigbourhood, called Nwanyiogu from Mgidi but married to Kalabari man. And while he was receiving treatment for his injured hand, we were always bringing him food because both his uncle and the son had gone back to their hometown.” Madam Emilia pointed out that since Jonathan left Oguta in 1972 she has not set eyes on him again nor heard anything about him. She revealed that she only got to know that Jonathan had become the president of Nigeria when she saw, in 2011 an Almanac bearing his photograph and had exclaimed: “Look at Goodluck!”



She stated that as she shouted, the man who was selling the almanac asked what happened. On telling him that she knew Jonathan, she said, the man told her that Goodluck was the president of Nigeria. Waxing philosophical, she said: “Whatever God has destined for anybody must come to past because nobody will ever have thought that Goodluck will, one day become the president of Nigeria. I thank God for his life because he really suffered under his uncle and most times I had asked him then if his parents were alive and he always said yes, but through out his stay in our compound, his parents never visited him.” Also, talking about his experiences with Jonathan, Patrick Ajie, Madam Emilia’s son, who is now a staff of the Imo State Fire Service, recalled how the president and his uncle and son lived in their boys’ quarters at Kalabari Beach in Oguta 11.



He said that when President Jonathan arrived Oguta with his uncle, he started at Primary Four, at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Primary School, which was established by the Kalabari people in Oguta 11. He revealed that Jonathan finished his Primary Six in the school. Ajie corroborated his mother’s story that even after Jonathan’s uncle invited his son home, to join him and wife, President Jonathan continued to live with them.



On how Jonathan left Oguta, he stated that they did not see him for about two days, at that time, and therefore made inquiry from some Ijaw, who told them that he had gone to Egbema in search of one of his relatives. According to him, that was the last they heard of him until they heard about his emergence as president. “President Goodluck Jonathan had lived with his uncle and his son, who was younger, in my father’s compound at Kalabari Beach in Oguta. We occupied the main building, while they lived in the ‘Boys Quarters’. It was from there that he completed his primary school at St. Paul’s Anglican Church Primary School and he had started at From Four. Of course, he was my senior in the same school. Even his uncle returned to their hometown, with his new wife from Izombe and left behind Goodluck and his son. He had promised to come for them when they were through with their primary school education. But later his uncle sent somebody to bring his son back to their home town and left Goodluck behind with us.” Ajie said Jonathan later left between 1972 and 1973, first to Egbema, in search of one of relatives and finally to his village.



On whether he had ever met Jonathan, since he became president, Ajie said no, as nobody has allowed him into the presidential villa of the president’s Otuoke home. Said he: “I have tried severally to see him. I had even gone to Bayelsa and Abuja, but my all efforts have proved abortive. I wanted to see him at least to rekindled old times because we had a very good relationship with him while he and his uncle were living in our compound.”



Asked if he though Jonathan would recognize him in a crowd, as they parted ways as young people, he stated that he was not sure, but added that the president would never forget that he ever lived in the compound of the Ajies in Kalahari Beach, in Oguta.



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Boko Haram Plans To Bomb Political Rallies, Worship Centres - NOA

The DG of the National Orientation Agency & Coordinator of the National Information Center, Mike Omeri says intelligence reports gathered by Nigeria's security agencies show that Boko Haram members are planning to use bomb-ladened cows, goats and chicken to attack Nigerians at political campaign grounds, market places, and ATM locations.



Omeiri said this while speaking to newsmen on Tuesday January 27th in Abuja



"Available intelligence reports indicate a plan by Boko Haram to use young male suicide bombers disguised as cobblers (shoemakers) to hide explosives in their tool boxes and detonate them in soft target areas such as markets, restaurants, ATM locations, political rallies, worship centres, as well as other public places.



Also there is indication of a plan by this group to use livestock (such as goats, cows, donkeys and camels) laden with explosives to attack chosen targets. In view of these, the general public, including all persons operating within and around the aforementioned places, is advised to be vigilant and mindful of suspicious activities within their environment.” he said



He advised everyone to be watchful during this period and report any suspicious movement to the police.



source:

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Tax Evasion: Jimi Agbaje Replies Fashola






PDP Governorship aspirant, Jimi Agbaje has reacted to Governor Fashola’s statement where he accused him of not paying his company's tax for four years. The press statement was signed by Jimi Agbaje's media director, Felix Oboagwina.



Mr. Jimi Agbaje expresses surprise at this rather personal and unprovoked attack against his person by Governor Raji Fashola. Just in January, the Commissioner for Finance sent a personal letter to Mr. Agbaje, commending him for his faithfulness in payment of taxes relating to his residence.



It is a curious contradiction that several days later, the Governor himself would express sentiments clearly in contradiction to the spirit and letter of that voluntary and unsolicited commendation from the state.





Are they feeling the heat of Agbaje and PDP’s impending victory in the state, or how does one explain this recourse to personal attacks recently embarked upon by chieftains of APC?



Although he founded JayKay Pharmaceuticals, Mr. Agbaje left the directorship of the company in 2006, and this is on record with the state. He is no longer involved in the running of the company. And today, he is not even an Executive Director.



We have a letter signed by Ayo Gbeleyi, Honourable Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, where Agbaje received commendations for fulfilling his tax obligations. The letter from the Ministry says: “A review of our payment records from 2011 shows that you have been consistent with the payment of Land Use Charge on the above property (Agbaje’s residence in Apapa).



“The Lagos State Government wishes to express its appreciation to you on your consistent fulfilment of your civil responsibility and your singular contribution towards the development of the state.



“We look forward to your continued cooperation in this regard.”



It will be recalled that the Governor only about two weeks ago said that Agbaje was too old to be Governor, although the PDP Candidate is only 57.



This fresh outburst amounts to another futile attempt at mudslinging by a desperado group that is up against a formidable opponent, and it has only succeeded in staining the source.



Lagosians should be wary of APC and its bag of tricks.



FELIX OBOAGWINA

DIRECTOR OF MEDIA AND PUBLICITY TO MR. JIMI AGBAJE, PDP GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE FOR LAGOS STATE




Declare A Public Holiday For PVC Collection – IPAC Chairman Urge FG.




The chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Mr. Yinusa Tanko, has urged the Federal Government to declare a public holiday to help Nigerians collect their permanent voter cards.



Tanko made the call during a telephone interview with our reporter on Thursday, after he and other party leaders had met with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega.



“The challenge is that so many people are finding it difficult to leave their places of work to chase PVCs.



Some of the places where the (collection) offices are, are far from where people are domiciled.



If there is a general holiday, people would know that the day is for the collection of the PVC and they would spare time to go and collect it,” Tanko said.



The permanent voter cards are issued to potential voters who registered during an exercise that lasted for months.



But collection has been hampered by poor logistics and chaos at collection points.



Tanko warned that the poor collection record could have an adverse effect on Nigeria’s democracy.



He said, “It is important for us to have this election. We can’t afford to go back to the (era of) June 12 when we had an election and the military truncated it.



Therefore, we (the parties) have developed an attitude that says let’s find a solution to the problem.



“People were disenchanted with INEC before but the level of commitment shown by INEC gives room for a lot of hope. People didn’t understand that when you register and your name doesn’t appear in the register, then you haven’t registered.



You would have to register again.”



Do you think FG should declare public holiday for PVC collection?



Source: PunchNg


Social Media Giant Facebook Now Has 1.39 Billion Active Users Monthly.




Announcing 2014 fourth quarter earnings yesterday, Facebook revealed that it now has 1.39 billion monthly active users and 1.19 mobile monthly users.



That’s up by 13% and 26%, year on year.



The social network giant also revealed that is now has 890 million daily active users and 745 million mobile daily active users. That means more than 80% of Facebook’s daily users are mobile.



Also, since the third quarter of 2014, Facebook has

added 70 million mobile-only monthly active users,



for a current total of 526 million. Facebook defines a “mobile-only” user as anyone who has used Facebook solely on mobile – app, mobile site or messenger – in the last 30 days of the quarter in question.



Facebook continues to report success in mobile, as mobile ad revenue hits a high of $2.47 billion – about

64% of total ad revenue. An indication that

Facebook’s move to gradually shift focus to mobile is a good one. As the world increasingly becomes mobile first/mobile-only, things can only get better

for the company.


Don’t Harass Corps Members During Election – NYSC Boss Enjoined Nigerians.




The State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps in Osun State, Abada Okpiroro, has enjoined Nigerians not to harass or intimidate corps members deployed for national assignment during next month’s polls.



Okpiroro made the statement in Osogbo on Wednesday, January 28, at stakeholders meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the general elections.



He said: “They are your children. Some of them speak

your language, some don’t speak but they are your children.



Something must be wrong with anybody who embarks on a project that will lead to killing of his own children.”



“If any corps member misbehaves, report them, we

have the machinery to correct them but don’t harass

them and don’t intimidate them.”



Meanwhile, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in

the state, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, pledged that the

commission was ready to conduct a free, fair and

credible election which would be far better than the

2011 elections.



Furthermore, Ogunmola implored politicians against

desperation and election-violence, stating that as the

giants of Africa, Nigeria needs to lead by example.



He said: “Elections are not supposed to be do or die

affair. Many West African countries conduct their

elections with no violence. Do away with thugs and

intimidation, we will ensure a break from the inglorious past.



We are the giants of Africa and we

need to show this in every aspect of our lives.”


Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan (Governorship Candidate) Shines At APC Rally

The APC presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari is currently in Taraba State for the party’s presidential campaign rally. In Taraba, one woman at the forefront politically is Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan who is the Taraba APC governorship candidate. She is a (current) Senator in the 7th National Assembly representing Taraba North (Senatorial District). She won the APC primaries with a landslide victory of 2425 votes defeating other candidates Ibrahim Tumba, Dr Julde S & Yusuf who polled 18, 5, and 14 votes respectively.



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Spurs To Meet Chelsea In Wembley Final Showdown In March.

Another Christian Eriksen late strike sent Tottenham Hotspur through to the final of the League Cup at the expense of Football League club Sheffield United.



The ‘Lilly Whites’ came into Wednesday night’s return leg with a 1-0 advantage from last week’s first leg at White Hart Lane and after United’s 18-year-old substitute Che Adams struck twice in three minutes to cancel Eriksen’s first-half free-kick, the prospect of extra-time was fast beckoning.



But the Danish striker sealed a 3-2 aggregate win with only two minutes left to the dead, latching on to Harry Kane’s pass to send a neat low shot into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area.




Christian Eriksen Celebrates after Scoring against Sheffield United. Image: Spurs via Getty.



The win sets Spurs up for a Saturday, March 1st Wembley final date with Chelsea- neighbours which they topped in the 2008 League Cup final to claim their last piece of silverware till date.



Eriksen has now scored four decisive goals in the 87th minute or later for Mauricio Pochettino’s side this season.


Atletico 2-3 Barcelona (2-4 agg): Catalans Reach Copa Del Rey Semis.

Barcelona downed nine-man Atletico Madrid in a tense five-goal thriller in the quarter-final of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.



Fernando Torres scored another opening minute goal to cancel out Atleti’s 1-0 deficit from the first leg but Neymar came up with a quick response of his own to restore Barca’s advantage.



Raul Garcia pulled Atletico ahead again from the penalty spot but Miranda’s own goal compounded issues for the Madrid club and Neymar’s second at the break sealed a semi-final ticket for Luis Enrique’s side against either Villarreal- 1-0 leaders from the first leg- or Getafe.




Barcelona Beat Nine-Man Atletico Through to Copa del Rey Last 4. Image: Getty.



Gabi was sent off in the tunnel at the interval and Mario Suarez saw red late on for a second booking.



An altercation with Neymar, who argued with the Los Rojiblancos’ players on his way to the tunnel landed Gabi in hot soup, as the home team captain never returned on restart. Midfielder Arda Turan was lucky to have gotten away with just a warning when he chucked his boot at the assistant referee in anger in the second half.



Diego Simeone’s side’s lack of disciplined reached its tipping point with Suarez receiving his second yellow card for a foul on Lionel Messi six minutes to the final whistle.



Aside the frustration, which spoiled Atletico’s day following Neymar’s brace, the hosts were worthy candidate for a second leg resurgence after Torres controlled a long ball, whizzed past Javier Mascherano and shot in off the post in the first minute.



Barca were back on level term eight minutes later, thanks to the deadly combination of Luis Suarez, Messi and Neymar, with the Brazilian getting on the end of a fluid counter attack to sweep home from 12 yards.



Garcia converted his penalty after Mascherano appeared to foul Juanfran outside the box but Miranda thumped a Sergio Busquet glancing header into his own goal to jeopardise all effort by his team-mates all night.



Moments after appearing to handle a goal-bound Antoine Griezmann’s shot, Jordi Alba coasted down the length of the pitch to send a delivery to Neymar, who tapped in to leave Atletico needing to score three goals to progress at the break.


Chelsea Striker Diego Costa Charged By FA for ‘Stamp’ on Can.

Diego Costa has been charged with violent conduct by the Football Association (FA) for an alleged stamp on Liverpool’s Emre Can during Tuesday’s League Cup win at Stamford Bridge.



The Spaniard, 26, could be banned for the ‘Blues’s’ next three matches if found guilty of deliberately clashing with Can.



He could miss Saturday’s Premier League match against champions Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, next month’s visit to Aston Villa and the clash with Everton at home.



He has until 18:00 GMT Thursday to respond to the charge.




Diego Costa Charged By FA after Clashing With Emre Can in a League Cup Game. Image: Getty.



Costa is being charged for the first two alleged stamps that passed unnoticed by referee Michael Oliver, the latter on central defender Martin Skrtel, which left the Slovak in a heap.



Chelsea won the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg 1-0 to round off a 2-1 aggregate win and will face Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Wembley Stadium on March 1.


Presidential Debate: Group Denies Leaking Questions To Pres. Jonathan.




The Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG), yesterday, debunked rumours that it had leaked election debate questions to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.



NEDG Chairman, Shola Omole made the declaration during a press conference on the preparation of the Presidential Debates organised by the NEDG, in Abuja.



According Omole, who is also the Director General of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), 13 political parties had indicated interest to take part in the debate.



He stressed that NEDG is an apolitical group that was made up of the media and people of impeccable characters from the society, therefore, it had no interest on who wins the forthcoming presidential election.



“As of right now I can say that 13 political parties have confirmed that they will attend the debate. We are still working on it and we still have a few days to go before the debate.



Vice Presidential and Presidential debates have been fixed for February 1 and February 8, 2015 respectively.



“I will like to state that the NEDG is not a partisan organization but a collection of media people, civil society organizations, professional associations who have an interest in ensuring that Nigerians have better adequate and relevant information to enhance their ability to be able to take a decision on voting day.



“As we speak, the questions that are going to be asked on the date of the debate are still being worked upon by our debate committee.



Those questions are not ready; as I am speaking to you, the questions are not yet ready; there is still work in progress.



Therefore, there is absolutely no reason why anybody will have the questions right now.”



Also speaking on the upcoming debate, the Media Consultant to the NEDG, Taiwo Allimi disclosed that more than 3,000 questions had been submitted to the group from Nigerians.



Explaining the rules that will guide the debate, Alimi said that the platform would not give any score card, and that, “there will be non-participatory audience; the audience is not to clap, yell or laugh during the entire debate.



“It is on the date of the debate, when the debate is about to go on air that we (the NEDG) will now give the moderators and the panelists the questions they will be asking the candidates.”


Jennifer Lopez Slaps Contestant at American Idol Auditions





On the Jan. 28 episode of ‘American Idol,’ things got so heated in the audition room that Jennifer Lopez was actually driven to slap a contestant right across the face!



Samuel Prince is from Puerto Rico where, as he says, JLo is “queen.” To honor the queen, Samuel asks JLo if she– as well as Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban– will join him in something. “This is a soap opera scene,” Samuel says.





In the drama, Samuel tells Jennifer Lopez that she cheated on him with Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr and it got JLo to slaps him in a rage of anger that sends him to the floor.



It's not a serious fight though and the judges seem to like Samuel's acting skills. Then the contestant starts doing what he is supposed to do – sing. He performs "As Long As You Love Me."