Ballon D’Or: FIFA Shortlist Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar

Barcelona pair Lionel Messi and Neymar were on Monday named on the shortlist for FIFA’s prestigious Ballon d’Or along with double reigning title holder, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid. While Portuguese Ronaldo has triumphed over the last two seasons (in a total of three wins), Argentinian Messi has previously claimed the coveted award four times while Brazilian Neymar makes the shortlist for FIFA’s player of the year award for the first time.

Messi was the catalyst for Barcelona’s impressive run to three titles last season (the Champions League, La Liga and the Spanish Cup) and will be the standout favourite ahead of Ronaldo. The Portugal international might have finished the season without a trophy, but his individual talent shone out as he was La Liga’s highest scorer with 48 goals, and has notched up a

More Controversy As Faleke Picks Late Audu's Son As Running Mate

MR. JAMES ABIODUN FALEKE

The controversies surrounding the Kogi State gubernatorial election just took new dimension as Mr. James Faleke, the running mate to the Late Abubakar Audu has just picked the first son of the deceased, Mohammed Audu as his running mate for the December 5th rerun in Kogi.

According to reported monitored on Television Continental, TVC, the leadership of APC and Mr. James Abiodun Faleke and his self-appointed running mate, Mohammed Audu  are said to be in a crucial meeting in Abuja, after which the APC will make official pronouncement of the party stance.

Kogi: Why I Can't Be Deputy To Bello - Faleke Blow Hot, Audu's Son Too As APC Peace Moves Crumble

ABIODUN FALEKE

The Peace moves by All Progressives Congress, APC to amicably resolve the internal crisis rocking the party in Kogi State over the choice of Mr. Yahaya Bello following the death of Prince Abubakar Audu had crumbled, Punch News reported.

Mr. James Abiodun Faleke who was running mate to Late Audu was also reported to have been maintained by the party as the deputy to the new party

Bayelsa Guber Poll: Youths Begin PDP Burial Rite In Jonathan's LG

Some youths, male and female at the weekend in Ogbia, the local government area of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Bayelsa State, announced a burial plan for the Peoples Democratic Party after decorating a mock coffin

Bello In Secret Pact With Late Audu's Supporters As APC Sets To Formally Unveil Him Tomorrow

Alhaji Yahaya Bello, whose name the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Working Committee (NWC) has forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as replacement for the late Prince Abubakar Audu in Kogi State Governorship election, has made overtures to the late politician’s loyalists and urged them to support him in the supplementary election.

A staunch member of Prince Audu’s Campaign Organisation who attended a late night meeting with Alhaji Bello on Friday told our reporters that the

Kogi Controversies: Violent Protest As Faleke REJECTS Bello, APC Denies It Picks Any Candidate

Punch News - The All Progressives Congress’ decision to pick Yahaya Bello as a replacement for its governorship candidate in Kogi State, the late Abubakar Audu, has led to violent protests in the state.

A newspaper had on Saturday reported that the APC had picked Bello as a substitute for Audu, who died on Sunday shortly after the Independent National Electoral

THE UNTOLD: The Misery Death That Killed My Father; 'The Poison', His Last Wish - Abubakar Audu's Son

LATE ABUBAKAR AUDU

Mustapha Audu, the sixth son of the late All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu has given details of how the Kogi legend passed on, soon after the elections were held, declaring that it was unthinkable to hang on to the illusion that his father was killed by anyone.

Audu passed on last Sun­day, shortly before the Inde­pendent National Electoral Commission announced the outcome of the election in which

Tyson Fury beats Klitschko to become new world heavyweight champion

World heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko (L) of Ukraine defends against Britain's Tyson Fury during their WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO title bout in Duesseldorf, western Germany, on November 28, 2015. Fury dethroned Klitschko in a 12round decision to become world heavyweight

AFP - Britain’s Tyson Fury was crowned the new world heavyweight champion on Saturday after a unanimous points win over Wladimir Klitschko, who suffered his first

David Mark Breaks Silence, Reacts On His Election NULLIFICATION

SEN. DAVID MARK

Senator David Mark of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, whose election was yesterday nullified by Appeal court has called on his constituents, supporters and his party faithful to remain law abiding and calm over the court verdict.

The Benue State Election Appeal Tri­bunal yesterday ordered a re-run of Benue South Senato­rial election after it nullified the election which had been earlier upheld by the election tribunal.

Daniel Onjeh of the All Pro­gressive Congress (APC) had appealed the ruling of the tribunal on the basis

Wada, PDP Heads To Court Over Kogi Polls

Cap. Idris Wada, Kogi State Governor

Captain Idris Wada and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has resolved to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and probably the Attorney Genera of the Federation to court over order to the ruling All Progressives Congress to make fresh replacement with the dead Prince Abubakar Audu following in inconclusive election result.

The opposition party prefers a fresh poll.

According to The Nation, a source close to Governor Idris Wada said the PDP candidate will go to court because INEC cannot take a decision on a constitutional issue outside the court.

The PDP and Governor Wada last night concluded plans to head for court.

An aide of the governorsaid: “In the days ahead, there will be a lot of legal fireworks because the issue at hand is purely a constitutional matter. What INEC ought to have done was to approach the court for the interpretation of the situation at hand. Instead, INEC has decided to usurp the powers of the court.

“By the decision of INEC, the electoral body is saying that the votes cast for the late  Prince Abubakar Audu were still valid in death. That is a strange phenomenon when even if a party in a court dies, the case becomes dead.

“We will not accept INEC’s position at all, we will instead go to court for a declaration on this constitutional crisis.

The source added: “We will be asking for the interpretation of three issues: These are:

the validity of the votes cast for the late Abubakar Audu;
whether or not the timeline for primaries and substitution of candidates have not elapsed;
whether or not a fresh governorship election is the proper thing in this peculiar circumstance.

PDP Kicks Over APC's Primary To Replace Dead Audu

Late Prince Abubakar Audu

Fresh legal and political firestorm in Kogi State has ensued following the resolved of the winning and ruling All Progressives Congress, APC planned Primary Election to replace late Prince Abubakar Audu after the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, invited the party to forward a replacement in the inconclusive Kogi State governorship election.

The INEC decision followed a pronouncement to that effect by the Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami. While the APC welcomed the decision, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP demanded Malami’s resignation as it described the decision as an affront to democracy laced with mines to torpedo the democratic choice of the people in Kogi State.

The PDP has, however, asked the AGF to immediately resign from office over his position on the inconclusive governorship election in Kogi State.

The former ruling party also called on INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to resign from office for what it described as his inability to exert the autonomy of the commission in the face of the confusion created by Audu’s death.

The party said the position of the minister compelled INEC to arrive at what it described as an unconstitutional decision to allow the APC to substitute its candidate for the proposed supplementary governorship election.

PDP said this in its reaction to the decision of INEC to allow the APC to replace Audu with a fresh candidate and also to fix December 5 for the conduct of the supplementary election.

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Tuesday, said the opposition party had summoned an emergency national caucus meeting of the PDP to deliberate on the matter.

He said, “The party is shocked that INEC, a supposedly independent electoral umpire, could allow itself to succumb to the antics of the APC by following the unlawful directive of an obviously partisan AGF to substitute a candidate in the middle of the ballot process.

“We are all aware that the two legal documents guiding INEC in the conduct of elections – the Constitution and the Electoral Act – have provisions for electoral exigencies as well as empower the electoral body to fully take responsibility for any of its actions or inaction without undue interference from any quarters whatsoever.

“We are therefore at a loss as to which sections of these two relevant laws INEC and the AGF relied on in arriving at their bizarre decision to substitute a dead candidate in an ongoing election even after the timeline for such has elapsed under all the rules.

“INEC, as a statutory body, has the full complements of technical hands in its legal department to advise it appropriately and we wonder why it had to wait for directives from the AGF, an external party, if not for partisan and subjective interest.”

Metuh added that the PDP had “rejected in its entirety this brazen move by the APC and INEC to circumvent the laws and ambush the yet-to-be concluded election by introducing a practice that is completely alien to the constitution and the electoral act.’’

He added, “The clear implication of this action of the AGF and INEC is that the APC would be fielding two different governorship candidates in the ongoing Kogi election, meaning that INEC would be transferring votes cast for the late Prince Abubakar Audu to another candidate, scenarios that have no place in the constitution of the land.”

Metuh alleged that INEC under the leadership of Yakubu had shown itself as partisan, morally bankrupt and obviously incapable of conducting a credible election within the ambit of the laws.

He said the PDP was demanding the immediate resignation of the INEC chairman, alleging further that the nation’s democracy could not afford to be left in the hands of an electoral umpire that he believed could not exert its independence and the sanctity of the electoral process.

Late Audu's Replacement: APC To Conduct Fresh Primary

Late Prince Abubakar Audu

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has declared it will conduct fresh primary election in it's bid to replace Prince Abubakar Audu who died at the verge of victory 2 days ago.

The Party Chairman, Mr. John Odigie-Oyegun in a statement issued on the party stance said , said the decision to hold a fresh primary was taken after the APC received a letter from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asking it to replace Audu. 

“It’s in the public space already, that the chief law officer of the republic has made his views know on how things should develop from this stage on,” he said.

 “He has made a pronouncement to the effect that all that is required is for the APC to go through the processes of providing a substitute to our late candidate with the implication being that thereafter the supplementary elections to conclude the process of electing a new governor of Kogi state will begin to be put in place so as a party we going to proceed with process organising primary to provide a substitute candidate, Abubakar Audu. “We are going to go into executive session now, to know the nature of the primary.”

Audu’s death had sparked debate among lawyers and public commentators, with some suggesting that Abidoun Faleke, the deceased’s running mate, should be given the ticket of the party. 

“Kogi situation fits more into section 181(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and as such James Abiodun Faleke automatically becomes the governorship candidate of the APC. As a result the joint ticket of Audu/Faleke has acquired some votes already. 

James Abiodun Faleke is as much entitled to those votes already counted as much as the late Abubakar Audu. He has a right to cling to those votes going into the supplementary election,” 

Festus Keyamo, a notable Nigerian lawyer, had argued. But with the new development all the controversies have been put to rest. Though Oyegun did not disclose the date for the exercise, it is expected to be this week since INEC has scheduled the supplementary election for December 5. INEC declared Saturday’s election inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin between the two leading candidates. 

Audu, who was leading the election, secured 240,867 votes, ahead of Idris Wada, incumbent governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 199,514 votes. The difference between them was 41,353 votes, while a total of 49,953 votes were voided in the election as a result of irregularities.

Gov. Wada Sacks 15 LG Chairmen For Defecting To APC

Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi State

The ousting Kogi State governor, Idris Wada has sacked all 15 local government Chairmen in the state who defected to the ruling All progressives Congress, APC, shortly before Saturday's election.

The sack which is contained in a statement issued in Lokoja and signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr James Adedoyin in Lokoja.

The statement cited section 20 sub section ( 1) and section 36 sub section 1 (d) of Kogi State Local Government Law 2000 as amended to back the action.

It explained that the sacked chairmen can no longer remain in office having decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) that sponsored them.

Some of the affected council chairmen include that of Lokoja, Ogori-Magongo, Idah, Adavi, Ankpa, Okehi, Bassa, Yagba East, Yagba West and Okene among others.

They defected to the APC during the grand finale of its governorship campaign held in Lokoja on Nov. 18.

The statement warned the sacked council chairmen to stay away from offices, directing the vice chairmen or the council leaders to take over the affairs of the affected councils as may be appropriate.

The governor said the handing and taking over should be completed by Wednesday Nov. 25, the statement said.

One of the grounds for their defection was the refusal of Wada to implement a decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Oct 29 that nullified the removal of the elected chairmen from office.

They were removed from office based on the order of a Kogi State High Court sitting in Koton Karfe which ruled that the election of May 4, 2013 which brought them into office was faulty.

Relying on the judgment, Kogi State Government asked the chairmen and councillors to vacate office but the affected officials approached the Appeal Court which set aside the ruling and declared that they resume immediately.

Kogi state government refused to give effect to the ruling until Nov. 23.

APC To Replace Late Audu, Supplementary Election Date FIXED

Following the Independent National Electoral Commission's declaration of Kogi gubernatorial election as inconclusive, December 5th 2015 has been slated for the supplementary election.

The ruling and the winning party, the All Progressives Congress, APC has been told to replace the late candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu,  as the choice on who becomes the candidate it was gathered would be left in the hands of the party,

The INEC, returning officer for the election, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, had announced Audu as

Aregbesola commissions N750 million High School named after Wole Soyinka

Prof Wole Soyinka (middle); Governor Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left); his wife, Sherifat (left); Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd right), and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem  Salam (right) . . . during the commissioning of Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo, State of Osun, on Monday.

There was excitement in Osun on Monday as Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka joined Governor Rauf Aregbesola to unveil a N750 million Wole Soyinka Government High School in Ejigbo.

It was the first of its category in the mega schools series under the education reform programme of the Aregbesola government.

The Nobel Laureate described the school as a emphatic rejection of the what Boko Haram insurgents preach; describing the situation in which the

Fuel Scarcity: Angry Nigerians Blast Buhari

Terrified by the seeming no solution fuel scarcity, Nigerians have taken to social media to take a swipe President Muhammadu Buhari over the worsening problem across the country.

Most of them who reacted on Twitter expressed their displeasure at the inaction of Buhari especially in his position as petroleum minister.

Similarly, some senators requested that Buhari appears before the upper chamber to answer for the problems faced by Nigerians.

Senator Abaribe (Abia South) took the floor earlier today and said “change has come but there is no change”.

In the same vein, Senator Shehu Sani said the fuel

ON THE DEATH OF LATE PRINCE ABUBAKAR AUDU, By Tijjani Bambale

On the death of Prince Abubakar Audu, The most important lesson that I have learned is to trust God in every circumstance.

Lots of times we go through different trials and following God's plan seems like it doesn't make any sense at all. God is always in control and He will never leave us. We should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfil the promise of our leader's life also, in our own, to the world. Why do we always begin to think about people when they die? 

I think we should think about people while they're still alive! That way, they can know that we're thinking about them! I always tell people when I'm thinking about them, or that I thought about them, or that I have been thinking about them and it almost always scares them away, but so what, I am practicing the art of life and if that is frightening to them then

APC REJECTS Kogi Governorship Results

The Ruling All Progressives Congress has rejected results of Kogi State governorship election declared as inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Though, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chiefs were yesterday meeting on the Kogi State governorship election, which was declared inconclusive —a decision rejected by legal experts too.

According to The Nation, the All Progressives