BREAKING NEWS: Rivers Assembly Majority Leader, Chidi Lloyd, Arrested For Murder

The Rivers State Police Command said it had arrested the Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Lloyd, for the alleged murder of his kinsman, Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo and a police sergeant, Urang Obediah.

A statement made on Thursday night indicated that Lloyd was purportedly arrested on his way to join the state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, in his private jet in order to escape justice.

The statement sent via e-mail by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, specified that Lloyd knocked down Obediah while pursuing Ejeuo, identified to be his political opponent.

Lloyd, who was still standing trial for his involvement in the fracas that took place in the State House on July 9, 2013, was said to have rammed into Ejeuo’s Passat car with a bulletproof vehicle and killed him (Ejeo).

The police command pointed out that it had initially thought it was an auto accident until Lloyd relocated to another hospital, “conscious of what he did.”

“The Rivers State Police Command has arrested Hon. Chidi Llyod of the Rivers State House of Assembly for murder of police Sgt. Urang Obediah and Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo, his kinsman and arch political opponent.

“He was arrested on his way to join Governor Amaechi Rotimi in his private jet at the Airforce base to escape justice.

“Hon. Chidi Lloyd on December 30, 2013 while pursing his political opponent, knocked down Sgt. Urang Obediah, in spite of his effort to stop him, rammed and killed him and went ahead to crush the Passat car of Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo was driving and killed him.

“Initially the Police thought that it was a mere accident, which ought to have been a manslaughter. The Commissioner of Police directed ACP Aliyu Garba, the Area Commander Metro, to visit him in his hospital bed and commiserate with him, conscious of what he did, Chidi Lloyd relocated to another hospital.

“Facts emerged that Chidi Lloyd drove a bullet-proof vehicle while pursuing his political opponent, late Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo, and he (Lloyd) knocked down Sgt. Urang Obediah, who died on the spot and (Lloyd) moved ahead to smash a political opponent in his Passat car who equally died instantly,” the statement reads.

The statement added that late Ejeuo, who hailed from the same place with Lloyd was believed to be in the PDP camp led by Elder Felix Obuah.

The statement also indicated that the Leader of the House allegedly escaped from the hospital where he was being guarded by four policemen.

However, a top government official told our correspondent that the claim by the police that Lloyd tried to join Amaechi in his (Amaechi) private jet in order to escape justice was a blatant lie.

It will be recalled that Lloyd, who presented himself to the Nigeria Police after a video clip showed him hitting a member of the House of Assembly, Mr. Michael Chinda, with a mace on the head, was charged to court on a six-count charge, including attempted murder.

Lloyd was later granted bail in order to receive medical attention after sustaining injury during the July 9, 2013 free-for-all in the chambers of the State House of Assembly.

Might Khloe she be OJ daughter?

Nigeria Welcomes Anti-Gay Laws

Recently, the Nigerian Senate, following the good example of the House of Representatives, passed the bill against homosexuality and lesbianism. As if they had been waiting for that positive development, their counterparts in Uganda passed a similar law. Back in Nigeria, State Houses of Assembly are taking the same path as their federal counterparts. The Katsina State House of Assembly has just passed a law making homosexuality and lesbianism offences punishable by a 14-year jail term and N10, 000 fine.

Curiously, in Europe and America, homosexuality has become fashionable, as governments openly back the despicable trend. Some of these governments are so proud of their stand on the issue that they count it as one of their achievements. Their argument that individuals can live their lives as they deem fit in line with the dictates of their rights as human beings may be admissible.

But many, especially in Africa, are beginning to express worry that they are intent on internationalising it. At some point, some governments in Europe and even international sports organisations threatened to withdraw aid to countries in the developing world that frown on same sex relationships.

We are persuaded to argue that if gay rights or homosexuality is a fundamental human right, the individual should be allowed to decide to whether to enjoy or repudiate it, as with all such rights, without any government having to use its paraphernalia to coerce people to adopt it, use it as an instrument of state policy or even international relations. It is a matter for utmost regret that governments in the developed countries should express opinion on what is essentially the prerogative of any country to decide on.

We commend governments of African countries for taking steps to check its spread, considering the tendency by Africans to copy everything dished out by western culture. It will be to their eternal credit that they have refused to be blackmailed or bullied by these so-called developed countries, who believe, erroneously, that cultural and moral values can be sacrificed in anticipation of a bowl of porridge.

Furthermore, we reject in its entirety the phenomenon of a man finding a fellow man sexually attractive, or a woman finding another woman intimately appealing. In our view, it is out rightly offensive to all that is decent and has nothing to recommend it to any human being in his or her proper frame of mind.

It is our contention that the inclination of these developed countries to globalise immorality is, in itself reprehensible and we urge African leaders to insist on their rejection of what is antithetical to all that the average African holds dear, even as they muster the political will to see such stand through.

Okogie flays Okotie’s attack on Catholics

Okogie and Okotie

A retired Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Okogie, has warned the Pastor of the Household of God Church International, Chris Okotie, against talking out of ignorance or else he will be digraced.

The cardinal was reacting to the Okotie’s recent comment that “all Catholics will go to hell” in an interview with our correspondent.

Okotie, while criticising the Catholic Church in a sermon, had said the church was “a counterfeit church set up by Satan.” He also said Catholics “bow to idols and crucify Jesus every Sunday when they eat bread claiming they are eating Jesus’ body.”

Describing Catholic as “a counterfeit church set up by Satan,” Okotie said. “They (Catholics) are not Christians and have never been. They don’t know Jesus. They believe that when they eat bread on Sundays, they are eating the body of Jesus. It’s ritual,” he added.

Okogie, however, said it was wrong for the 55-year-old pastor to speak on what he knew little or nothing about.

He said, “It is always good to talk on what you know, not on what you do not know. The problem we have today is that a lot of people put their mouth in what does not concern them because they want people to know that they too are there; that they can be reckoned with.

“I don’t think that is the way to do things, no. I think the best thing is to always put your mouth where God puts it, if you don’t want to be disgraced.”

Okotie, who had divorced two wives, recently bought a 2014 Bespoke Edition of Rolls Royce Coupeto worth N120m to mark his 30 years as born-again Christian and 27 years as a pastor.

One of his aides said he had earlier spent N33m on a Range Rover Autobiography to mark a milestone of his ministry.

PDP can never win in Nigeria again — Amaechi

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi

AHEAD of the 2015 presidential election, the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has said unless the Peoples Democratic Party embraces rigging, it can never win elections in the country.

The governor, who made this remark while speaking with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday night, said with the exodus of PDP members to the All Progressives Congress, the ruling party was on its way out of power.

He said, “Most of you may have known that I have since left the PDP to a better party called the All Progressives Congress because the PDP is a drowning party and the facts remain that PDP is a drowning party.

“Watch out before March if we don’t have the numbers that we are looking for. So, you can’t call us opposition anymore because there are three arms of government and only two are electable; the executive and legislature.

“Yes, the PDP has the national executive, but we are inching close to having the legislature. Who then would be called the opposition if we have it?”

Amaechi, who predicted that more governors would defect to the APC in 2014, disclosed that one of the reasons why he left the PDP was as a result of the attempt by President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, to interfere in the governance of Rivers State.

He also cited the ceding of Rivers resources to other states, the absence of Federal Government projects in the state and bad governance as the reasons why he dumped the PDP.

“But the basic reason why we left is the resources of Rivers State. I have told all of you on several occasions that the wife of the President was not elected the governor of Rivers State. I am the governor of Rivers State and husband to Judith Amaechi.

“I left because of the attempt by the wife of the President to micromanage governance in Rivers. I said no, you can’t; so that if I fail, they will not say the wife of the President failed, Governor Amaechi failed. I am accountable to God and to men and women,” he added.

Amaechi, however, said Nigerian politicians were averse to telling the truth and blamed Nigerians for the lack of interest in knowing the truth.

Recalling his claim that the Federal Government could not account for the sum of $49.8 bn and N2.3 trn oil subsidy, Amaechi said governors, at a time, refused to collect their states’ monthly allocations for three months.

He said, “When the politician reel out numbers, you should hold him accountable to the numbers he has reeled out. If you don’t hold them accountable, he will just say anything he likes.

“When I said the Federal Government could not account for $49.8 bn, they said, Amaechi, how did you know and I pulled out the letter and said the authority is the CBN governor.

“So, let him deny it. When I said they could not account for N2.3 trn for oil subsidy, they say what is your source? I was in the meeting with the President. We told the President that under General Obasanjo, the total oil money was N300 bn. The first year of President Goodluck Jonathan, 2011, oil subsidy became N2.3 trn. Did we buy more machines, expanded Nigeria?”

Source.PUNCH.

Jonathan Worships With Nigerians On Last Sunday Service Of 2013: "I Was Made President By God"

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) with the Leaders of Apostolic Faith Church during the last Sunday service of the Year 2013 at the Apostolic Faith Church Regional Headquarters in Abuja (photo credit: Akin Oladokun)

This Sunday, President Goodluck Jonathan spoke before the congregation at the Sunday church service in Apostolic Faith Church in Jabi, Abuja.

Among other things, he recalled how he rose from a tiny community in Bayelsa State to become President of Nigeria by the grace of God and thanks to support of the people.

He also noted that lack of love and unity has been the greatest problem facing Nigeria today.

"We will try our best, but this is not the time to reel out what we are doing or what we are not doing, otherwise they will think I am here to campaign," the President said. "But I assure you, this congregation, and, indeed all Nigerians, that by the will of God and your support, I am here today from nowhere.

"Any child of Nigeria can be where I am. I come from the smallest state in this country, even within the state, one of the smallest communities in Bayelsa state. Even within the community, one of the smallest families, but I am here today by the grace of God.

"That is the type of Nigeria we want to create, a Nigeria where you can get what you want if you work hard, it is not because you know somebody who knows somebody that will talk to somebody. A Nigeria that our children, if they work hard, will get whatever they want just like in other free societies like America and so on. We will work with you to help you to get to wherever you want to go.

"I don't have a formal address. Because for those of us in politics, these days are not the best days to make speeches because any statement we make, people look at how to paint it. The next day when you read the newspapers, you start doubting if that is what you said. So any statement we make is always used against us.

"But I am quite pleased to be here with you today to worship with you. I love the children and your programme. I love the choir ministration. Probably, this is the first time I am worshiping with you since I came to Abuja in 2007. Probably, you would have seen me more than ten times if we [didn't] have a chapel in the villa, so we worship there every Sunday.

"But during the Christmas and New Year period, I like to go round and interact with other brethren. The reason is actually to thank all of you for what you have been doing for this country, for your prayers. I always say and I will continue to say it that but for your prayers, probably it would have been worse than this.

"As a nation, we have our challenges, no doubt about that and anytime I look at the history of Nigeria and the challenges we face and when I read parts of the old statement about when the Israelites decided to move out of Egypt to the promised land, we have something quite similar.

"As you are getting closer, you meet more obstacles and thank God for the sermon we heard and of course the songs showed that the greatest problem we have is love and unity. Yes, Nigeria was amalgamated by our colonial masters in 1914. By 1st January next year, Nigeria as a state will be 100 years old.

"But I totally agree with our man of God that it was not by chance, it was ordained by God. If God didn't will it at that point, the north and south would not have come together. The details of the north and south coming together make Nigeria a very great country. I use to say that Nigeria is great not because of oil, we have countries that produce more oil than Nigeria but nobody talks about them.

"We have countries that have multi million dollars in reserve because of their wealth and nobody talks about them but here we are just talking about 40,000 dollars. But the biggest to the smallest country talks about Nigeria. Why? Because of the diversity from the north to the south, the human and natural resources, the potentials and the population that we have.

"So, Nigeria is a country that has a special blessing from God. It is left for us to appreciate God and continue to pray for God’s intervention and this country will continue to be great.”“I promise our children that we are totally committed to make sure that they meet a different Nigeria. We will collectively work hard to overcome these barriers, these feelings of oh that I am Christian, I am a Muslim, I am Hausa, I am Ijaw. Immediately we cross that barrier and we begin to believe that we are all Nigerians and we are committed to the development of this country, our children will surely meet a better Nigeria."

Earlier in the service, the President took the Bible Reading from the Book of Lamentations, Chapter 3, Verses 22 to 26.

Delivering the sermon titled 'Living worthy of great mercies, great faithfulness of God,' Rev. Bayo Adeniran said that Nigeria will be very great if it returns from its evil ways, repent and follow God like the people of Nineveh in the Bible in Jonah 3: 5 to 8.

A number of top government officials attended the service with the President.

Iheanacho: Greed Of A Father And An Agent

Our elders say that a dog destined to die ignores the whistle of the hunter while a hunter that chases two games at the same time may end up not catching any.

That is the true position of Golden Eaglets hero Kelechi Iheanacho, his father James Iheanacho and his unnamed agent. Since the player shot into limelight, his father and the agent in particular have displayed their hunger for money at the expense of the boy’s career which should be uppermost in their mind.

The young lad announced his arrival at the world stage the moment he netted four goals past Iraq in his match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the UAE last August. He ended up becoming the Most Valuable Player of the competition as well as the second highest goal scorer. Kelechi and his team-mates from the beginning of the competition to the end stunned the world with their mastery of the game making Nigerians to now see them as the future backbones of the new Eagles Stephen Keshi was helping to mould.

This prompted the NFF and the sports minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi announce that the boys would be groomed to becoming great materials for the senior national team by ensuring they don’t jump into wrong hands masquerading as agents of clubs around the world. However, signs that some parents of the players would mislead the boys because of their greed came to the fore in a hilarious chat the NFF president, Alhaji Aminu Maigari and the sports minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi had with one of the parents which veteran sports journalist and CAF/FIFA match commissioner, Paul Bassey published in his column recently.

Every plea to the parent that his child would be guided to stardom so that the money he is earnestly yearning for will roll in effortlessly fell on deaf ears as he was interested in how much the various governments, local, State and Federal as well as companies and individuals were ready to splash on the players, because as he claimed, he spent a fortune preparing his son to be the good player he turned out to be for the benefit of the country. Then came the supposed ‘scramble’ for Kelechi and the swiftness with which his father turned a football coach, agent and manager. It is not on record that he had ever done those jobs to be an expert in offering a positive advice to his son.

Those who should know, from Kelechi’s coaches like Nduka Ugbade and Emmanuel Amuneke and ex player of note, Victor Ikpeba, advised that the boy should not be rushed into Europe, especially to Manchester City football club but allowed to hone his skills in lesser clubs in either Belgium or Holland and the senior Iheanacho and the agent would have none of it.

Keshi magnanimously invited Iheanacho and two of his team-mates, goalkeeper Dele Alampasu and Taiwo Awoniyi into the Super Eagles Team B preparing for the CAF African Nations Championship, CHAN holding in South Africa in January and they were already warming their way into Keshi’s with their mature display at training. Suddenly this desperate agent sauntered into the Eagles camp to ask for the release of the football prodigy, a request Keshi turned down but the agent’s accomplice, Kelechi’s father, we were told, put a call to Keshi, ordering him to release his son to the agent. And Keshi did.

Today, the desperation to get Kelechi fast-tracked into Manchester City is gradually turning sour in their mouth. First the news came that Man City wanted to send him to an Academy it is affiliated to in Ghana, a decision most Nigerian fans frowned at, asking if the England club has no Academy of its own in Manchester. Then came another clause attached to the whole arrangement. That is the club would not release any dime to Kelechi, his father nor the agent until the boy turns a full adult as the laws of England does not allow an under-17 to be paid salary, I guess.

This is reported not to have gone down well with the senior Iheanacho and the agent who feel that they can’t afford to wait until late 2014 or early 2015 to start earning the big bucks, from the sweat of the innocent player, whose career is seriously being threatened now by the desperation of two adults. I ask, why would Kelechi’s father want to collect some percentage from the contract? As father of the player, will he not get a piece of the boy’s earnings when it eventually start rolling in?

He should have learnt from the parents of other young players who became bread winners of their families after they hit it big in Europe by taking their time to grow. The list of desperate young players who wanted to run before they walk is too long to be put down here and their experience should have guided Kelechi’s agent and his father to be patient as the reward would surely come.

They should also have allowed Kelechi to participate in the CHAN were he would most probably have put up a display that will help raise his profile more because clubs would see that he could also make an impact in a senior team. But as it is now, if misses the Man City deal, can Keshi still accommodate him in his CHAN plans? I doubt. It is still not too late for them to have a change of heart and listen to Amuneke, Ikpeba, Maigari, the sports minister and our own Paul Bassey who at various times offered a piece of advice.

If Nwankwo Kanu, Wilson Oruma, Jonathan Akpoborie, Joseph Yobo, Mikel Obi as well as a host of others had been too desperate to run to big clubs because of fat bucks, may be they would have been gnashing their teeth like a whole lot of others now stranded in Europe playing Sunday-Sunday street football or washing dishes in some obscure restaurants and too ashamed to return home. So be wise Kelechi, talk to your father and his agent friend.