ELECTIONS: INEC & POLICE MUST BE FULLY PREPARED..NO EXCUSES...SAYS OBASANJO

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday while speaking at a public enlightenment programme on the electoral process, organised by the Organisation of Tadhamunul Muslimeen and the Ogun State chapter of The Muslim Congress, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo presidential library, said: “The elections are crucial and the international community is watching us. We should not disappoint them, by ensuring that the elections are free and fair.

“This election is for progress and development of this great country and should be devoid of sentiments, like religion, ethnic and nepotism.

“This election should be a unity election for all of us,” he said.

He also noted that all eyes were on INEC and Police and they have to ensure they carry out their duties rightly.

“We must not make the mistake of allowing the international community to make jest of us; as such, those we want to beg are the Independent National Electoral Commission, who had just told us here on how the process would go, to assure us that it shall be well.

“You must be fully prepared. You must be up and doing. No excuses. You know all the terrain very well; there should be no delay and late arrival of voting materials.

“Where you are going to use boat to ferry on the water you know it, where it is going to be bicycle, you know it. So, there should be no unnecessary delay.

“A situation where somebody at Eggua will be phoning at 11am that they are still expecting materials will be unacceptable. A situation where the police will be telling us no fuel to move will be unacceptable,” Obasanjo s

ACCIDENT: ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY VICE PRESIDENT INVOLVED IN AUTO CRASH YESTERDAY

Alliance for Democracy, AD, vice presidential candidate, Akuchie Clinton Cliff was yesterday involved in an auto accident on his way to the airport to attend the vice presidential debate in Abuja. Akuchie who narrowly escaped death in the crash had to cancel his flight immediately, to seek medical attention

WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO MY LATE HUSBAND ( CHIEF MKO ABIOLA)...TITI ABIOLA

Hajia Titi Abiola ,one of the wives of Late MKO Abiola , in a chat with City People magazine spoke about how she and the late socialite, Chief Adunni Bakonle were close friends and how she met her husband, Late Chief Abiola Moshood. Excerpt....;

The late Adunni Bakonle was my cousin. Aside from the fact that we were both married to Egba high chiefs, I remember I didn’t know her in Lagos but we became close after I got married to my husband, MKO and I had to come to Lagos to join him. They were staying at Oregun while our house was at Abiola crescent, Toyin Street, in Ikeja. She accosted me and told me about the blood that is between us. Continue below...

I even used to drop all my kids at her place and she was also a regular face at our house. My kids spend weekends with her too. Even when she was in England, she always calls the kids to say she was around. We have a closely knitted family, she said.

When asked why she is down to earth despite being a wife to late MKO, she said, Abiola is a very good name that I am happy to bear, but shouldn’t where it like a placard.  Abiola made his name while I also have to make my name. Is it because I am married to him that I have to look down on people? She queried amidst smile.

On how she met her husband she said;

Well permit me to say that I didn’t meet MKO. I grew up knowing him. He was always coming to our house. He was my father’s cousin as I am from the popular Biobaku family of Abeokuta. He used to come around each time, and that was how we met. I was a teenager, so it was not a case of me running into him.

Speaking on what attracted MKO to her, she said;

She revealed that MKO was a very kind hearted man. He was a very passionate person, loving and caring. It took me a few months to say I do. I miss everything about him. I used to call him Eto Daddy, which is somebody who likes arranging things. He made me realise that I didn’t need to ask before he gives. Up till today, I don’t even know how to ask. He was so generous, that I didn’t even have to ask him, before he did anything to me.

OBITUARY: CHIEF MOLADE OKOYA-THOMAS PASSES ON

 Billionaire businessman and a renowned philanthropist, Chief Molade Okoya -Thomas has died. Aged 79, however, the cause of his death yet known. Dele Momodu broke the news hours ago online. Chief Molade, until his death was the Asoju Oba of Lagos, Babasuwa of Ijebu-Remo, and Odofin of Ife. May his soul rest in peace.

BIRTHDAY: BUKKY ZAINAB AJAYI IS A YEAR OLDER TODAY

Veteran actress, Bukky Zainab Ajayi , one the  Nollywoods great is a year older today. She is also a great-grandmother. Blog with fury( BWF) wishes Mama hearty congratulations .

RIVERS STATE HIGH COURT ENGULFED BY FIRE

The Rivers State High Court @ Degema, Degema Local Government Area earlier today was engulfed by fire in the early hours of the morning.

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, however, an eyewitnesses said it started around 4am. It was gathered that almost all parts of the building including valuables document were destroyed in the fire.

But Punch is reporting that it was a bomb blast, and not a fire incident. We will bring you more details later.

MAN HANGS SELF IN UNCOMPLETED BUILDING @ MEIRAN LAGOS

An unknown stranger, in a white caftan, took his life between Wednesday night and Thursday morning after sneaking into the building in the night on Wednesday night.

The sad incident took place on Lawal Unity Street, Ile-Iwe bus stop,  Meiran  Lagos state.
According to a resident, Adebayo Salami, said nobody knew the man and attempts to find his relatives had not yielded any result. He said,

“I was called on Thursday morning and told that somebody had died in a building.
“My initial thought was that it was somebody living in the area, but when we got there, we discovered that it was an uncompleted building and the man was a stranger.”

Salami added that the victim might have committed suicide to cover up a secret or run away from a consequence.

A community leader, Samuel Oroja, said the traditional ruler of the community had been informed of the development and plans were on to conduct rites to forestall a recurrence.

“I have called some other elders, including the traditional ruler, to notify them so that we can know what to do about the corpse.
“Nobody knows the man or where he came from. We have reported the matter at the Meiran Police Station.
“What we will do now is to prepare rites and make sacrifices to forestall a recurrence of unnatural death like this because this is a bad sign for the community,” he added.

However the Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, said the police had identified the victim as Mosunmola Raphael, a 28-year-old man.

Nwosu said,

“His relatives came to identify him and they said he had mental problem. His corpse has been released to the family after they presented some documents.”

Source:  Punch Metro