“Thirty-one states, 1,618 languages, 6,400 castes, six religions, six ethnic groups, 29 major festivals, that’s my country, India!” Vijay appeared to have sent these credentials with pride. Recognizing familiar comparative diversities and complexities of India and Nigeria, it is to the former’s credit that there’s never been a military intervention, only assassinations. We’ve had both. Despite a polarized religious landscape,…
The traditional ruler of Calabar Municipal Council, Thomas Ika-Ika Oqua, has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that the problem of missing names from the voters' register is corrected before the presidential election this weekend. Mr Oqua who was a victim said he was denied his vote due to the inability of the INEC ad hoc staff…
Results of last Saturday's parliamentary election in Ondo State came as a shock to many, as they produced new political leaders to represent the state in the National Assembly. The results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission in some cases proved analysts wrong. The hitherto Peoples Democratic Party-dominated National Assembly is now to be controlled by the Labour Party,…
15 April 2011 Barcelona and Real Madrid have had a bitter rivalry dating way back to 1902 and they are braced to face each other four times in an 18-day period that will define their respective seasons. Football fans around the globe will be treated to four instalments of 'El Clasico', arguably the biggest game in football, with the two…
14 April 2011 FC Porto led an Iberian lock-out of the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday, Jose Mourinho's former charges brushing aside Spartak Moscow. Under Mourinho, Porto captured the 2003 UEFA Cup and the Champions League the following year, and they edged closer to claiming Europe's second tier club competition again with a 5-2 drubbing of Spartak Moscow for a…
Youth from Ogun West senatorial district have threatened to deal with the two candidates from the area contesting for the governorship seat in the state, if their "stubbornness" over who becomes next governor costs the region the coveted seat. Tunji Olurin, of the People's Democratic Party {PDP}, and Gboyega Isiaka, of the People's Party of Nigeria {PPN}, hail from the…
The chances of the People's Democratic Party winning the April 26 governorship election in Kaduna State are slim, an investigation has revealed. There has been tension and uncertainty in Governor Patrick Yakowa's campaign council since last Saturday's National Assembly election, in which the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) almost swept all the contested seats in the state. The performance of…
A former governor of Bauchi State, Adamu Muazu, lost his ward and local government to the opposition party in last Saturday's parliamentary elections. Even though his party, the People's Democratic Party, won the Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Muazu failed to deliver his local government to the PDP. According to election results announced in Tafawa…
Military police fired tear gas on Thursday to disperse a crowd of more than 1,000 marching to the centre of the Ugandan capital, Kampala, in protest against steep rises in food and fuel prices, Reuters witnesses said. Opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, President Yoweri Museveni's closest rival in February elections, marched with the demonstrators, who had gathered in a Kampala suburb…
Uncomfortably high oil prices, unsustainable sovereign debt burdens, and Japan's uncertain future cloud the global economic outlook, as world finance leaders gathered yesterday. Group of Seven members, who met behind closed doors in the evening, tried to assess the economic damage from Japan's earthquake to uprisings in the Arab world. "There's very high uncertainty about Japan's outlook," said Naoyuki Shinohara,…
Royal Dutch Shell said on Thursday it had resumed production at its Nigerian Bonga offshore oil and gas facility after routine maintenance which started in February. Bonga has a nameplate oil production capacity of more than 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) -- around 10 percent of total Nigerian output -- but produces less. It also has the capacity to produce…
15 April 2011 Ghana giants Asante Kotoko have been handed a tough draw to face Heart of Lions in the quarter final of the MTN Cup. League leaders Berekum Chelsea were handed a favourable draw with a clash against third tier side Bolga All Stars. Wa All Stars will play fellow premier league campaigners Medeama in another match of the…
15 April 2011 The progress of Ghanas senior national team the Black Stars over the past five years present the perfect picture perception of the country. Quarter-finalists at the 2010 World Cup and finalists at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in the same year are the highlights with the recent away 1-1 draw with England showing progress in…
A Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, Abia State has disqualified the state House of Assembly candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), for Umuahia East state constituency, Chibueze Apugo from contesting the April 26 elections. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the seat, Chidiebere Nwoke, had filed a suit for the disqualification of Mr Apugo based on…
The Kebbi State Community and Social Development Agency has identified 18 communities that will benefit from the N58 million World Bank-assisted rural development projects. The General Manager of the agency disclosed that selected members from the benefitting communities had been trained on the rudiments of management. He said the 18 benefitting communities will be the fourth batch to be trained,…