14 players of Heartland FC of Owerri are currently camps LESSON

No fewer than 14 players of Heartland FC of Owerri are currently in the various camps of the national teams, leaving Coach Christian Chukwu with no option than to call for a shift of this weekend’s Oriental derby between Enugu Rangers International and Heartland of Owerri billed for the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in the Coal City of Enugu.

Team Manager of Heartland, Promise Nwachukwu, who confirmed the postponement of the titanic clash in a telephone chat with League Unlimited, explained that his team could not afford to prosecute such a high-profile fixture with a massively depleted squad.

“Our team has been completely depleted with virtually all our first team players and the reserves away on national duties.

Corruption: NBA begins probe of CJN, Salami

The Nigerian Bar Association on Tuesday named a 13-member panel of senior lawyers to investigate the corruption charges against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysious Katsina-Alu and the President, Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Salami.

The NBA probe panel, chaired by a former President of the lawyers’ body, Chief Thompson Okpoko (SAN), is also mandated to look into the corruption that have allegedly pervaded the entire judicial system. It will equally consider the matter of legal practitioners who allegedly promote corruption in the system.

The NBA panel represents a major step in unraveling the crisis of confidence in the Nigerian judicial system, especially since Salami accused Katsina-Alu of attempting to corruptly influence him to pervert justice in the Sokoto State governorship petition trial.

Criminal sex in the dead of night_______________SOLDIER RAPES, BATTERS LADY AT GRAVEYARD

Miss Jane Adams, a 23-year-old student of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) is crying for justice. She is seeking help after a soldier serving at Bonny Camp, Lagos allegedly abducted and raped her at a dreaded cemetery within the Ojo Military Cantonment in Lagos.

The victim, who hails from Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, alleged that Lance Corporal Akparuku Clever, in the night of Saturday, January 22, abducted her in his danfo bus, marked LAGOS XY 230 EKY, and forcefully took her to a graveyard inside the Ojo Military Cantonment. There, she recalled, he allegedly pulled a dagger, threatened to injure or kill her and then raped her. It was during her intense struggle with him that she suffered a serious injury on her left eye, she said.

Enough of politics without issues >>>>>>behold problems arise

A political party, doubtless, serves as a platform for like-minded people to unite for the ultimate goal of capturing power. But such power should not be an end; rather, it is a means of improving the lot of the society through faithful implementation of well-conceived programmes. As parties stage their various campaigns in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s 2011 timetable, there has been a perceived hollowness in their conduct. For political personalities have not been forthcoming on how to solve the nation’s daunting problems. It can be safely said that, except in the civil war years, at no time has the nation been more overwhelmed with problems than now.

The nation’s economy, for instance, is in a shambles. The nation’s industries are collapsing and Nigeria has today become one of the most import-dependent nations; the nation’s power sector has defied all rescue efforts generating only about 3000megawatts, less than one-fifth of the nation’s needs; unemployment has risen to about 33 per cent, including more than 50 per cent of the nation’s graduates. More than 70 per cent still live below poverty line with basic needs becoming increasingly unaffordable. Inflation rate remains high. The education sector is comatose with reports that more than 10million children are out of the school system. For the pupils in the school ,there are no sufficient personnel, classrooms and teaching facilities. Unlike in the past, the nation’s universities are not producing competitive graduates. Also, the health system has collapsed with leaders today running to foreign hospitals to treat common ailments. The problems appear endless.

Jega requests N5bn for plastic voters’ cards>>>>>>To spend N63.1m on refreshment

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega on Tuesday requested the Senate to approve another N5 billion to enable his Commission laminate the voters’ cards. This was coming barely three weeks after he made similar request of additional N6.6 billion for an extension of the voters’ registration.

Jega, who appeared before the Senate Committee on INEC to defend the commission’s 2011 budget further requested for N63.1 million and N77 million for refreshment and honorarium respectively during the 2011 fiscal year.

Ojukwu is alive -Bianca

In the wake of fresh rumours yesterday about Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu’s state of health , the Anambra State government and the Ikemba’s wife, Bianca Ojukwu, have restated that he was recovering speedily and was in no danger of any sort.
Bianca spoke yesterday at the convention of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Awka, Anambra State.

Rumours were rife yesterday that the Ikemba Nnewi, who has been in a London hospital since December 27, had relapsed and that his health hung on a dangerous balance. But Mr. Valentine Obieyem, a senior media aide to the state Governor, Peter Obi, told Daily Sun that ‘those rumours are unfounded and rather wicked.’

He restated that nothing had changed from the situation report as given by Obi, who told the media after his last visit to London that Ojukwu was recovering and had been moved out of intensive care unit of the London hospital.

pandemonium in Ibadan

There was pandemonium in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital as thousands of panic-stricken parents besieged public schools in the metropolis to withdraw their children, following rumours that some pupils died after eating meal allegedly poisoned but provided free by the Adebayo Alao-Akala government.

The poison scare was coming even as the rumour mills went abuzz that Governor Alao-Akala planned to use 200 people for fetish rituals to realize his second term ambition  But the state government and the governor’s campaign organization, swiftly dismissed the reports, describing them as wicked lies and blackmail. Governor Alao-Akala’s Special Adviser on Communication, Dotun Oyelade, in a reaction, said the development was an attempt by political opponents to blackmail his principal as his administration does not run a free meal programme in schools

owoblow raps Siasia, says

Ex-international, Dr Felix Owolabi (MON), has reiterated that the future of Nigerian football lies with the players plying their trade in the domestic league. The former Shooting Stars of Ibadan prolific left winger, best known as Owoblow, is looking forward to brighter days for Nigeria in 2011, after what he described as unpalatable 2010 following the disappointing outing by the Super Eagles at the World Cup in South Africa and the myriad of crises that characterized the nation's football during the year.

What I won’t take as Buhari’s VP — Bakare

Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare, surprised Nigerians recently when he agreed to be the running mate of General Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), in forthcoming general elections. Nigerians know him as a fiery preacher with many devoted followers.