High Street

As claims and counter-claim continue to trail last weekend’s presidential and NASS polls, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole has stated that INEC connived with the Akwa Ibom state government to rig Senator Godswill Akpabio out. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, he said the electoral umpire deliberately employed government officials as election agents with instructions to deliver victory to PDP candidates. Oshiomhole said elections in Akwa Ibom state were not close to free and fair, stating that the APC has evidence of altered figures of senatorial election results that affected the former Minority leader of the Nigerian Senate. His words, “Akpabio was rigged in the last week’s elections. How would one explain altered figures against Akpabio which we have in our custody? “The Independent National Electoral Commission in Akwa Ibom employed Akwa Ibom state officials as electoral officers who manipulated figures ...

Ibrahim Egungbohun, the big spender more popularly known as Dende is very interested in who becomes the governor of his state. Dende who is the chief executive officer at mega money business concern IBD Impex is from Ogun state. And he is said to be intensely backing candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka to become the next governor of Ogun state. Dende is said to be backing the gubernatorial candidate more popularly known as GNI with funds and ‘’manpower. Societynow.ng gathered that Dende who is a friend to quite a number of top players in the entertainment world is backing Isiaka to become the next governor of Ogun state because they share the same roots. "They are both from Yewa axis of Ogun state and have very good rapport" societynow.ng gathered. The added revelation available to societynow.ng revealed that Dende has been a consistent backer of the gubernatorial ambition of the GNI who is an acknowledged serial contender for t...

It has come to our notice that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Igini, has said that the total votes cast for Senator Godswill Akpabio in his home local government area, Essien Udim, should be subjected to a revalidation by using the Card Reader. This is a welcome development. But we would insist that the exercise be replicated in all the three senatorial districts in the State and should apply to all candidates irrespective of their party affiliation. Senator Godswill Akpabio should therefore not be isolated for this investigation by INEC if it wants to maintain its impartial status. It is also a known principle that all laws must have universal application, as whoever goes to equity must go with clean hands.

The sensational trial of Danish citizen, Mr. Peter Nielsen continued yesterday 20 February 2019 before Justice Okikiolu-Ighile sitting at the High Court of Lagos State, Igbosere, accused of killing rising pop star wife and daughter. The Nigerian trial being followed by the international media where Prosecution was led by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey and the Defence was led by Mr. Olasupo Shasore SAN, a former Attorney General of Lagos State where he challenged the two police witnesses about diligent investigation, particularly in a trial showcasing Nigeria’s justice system to the international audience. The trial is attended every time by the Danish Ambassador and embassy staff with danish television crew in attendance. The prosecution called Inspector Babashola Afolayan of Ikoyi division and Prosecution called its eighth (8th) witness, Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Gafar Oderinde. Even though the state c...

The National Coordinator, Presidential Support Committee, Senator Godswill Akpabio has insisted that considering the achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari -led administration in office,  Nigeria has no other better alternative than to give him another term. Akpabio, who spoke with Journalists  in Abuja, urged the South South people to reconsider their stand in planning to vote for the party that wants to sell the Nigeria National Petroleum Coporation(NNPC), and its other assets. Atiku Abubakar, the PDP Presidential Candidate, has vowed to sell the NNPC, if voted into power, to break what he called ‘mafia’ in the corporation.  But Senator Akpabio said it will not be in the interest of the Niger Delta people for NNPC to be sold. “Yes I believe Nigerians can compare the difference between apple and orange. The reality is that this president has done very well considering the fact that he was able to take Nigeria out of recession. “He met ongoing proj...

With the arrest of Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, a lawyer and aide of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, earlier in the week, the camp of the former vice president has been in disarray. Uyi, as he is popularly known, is a silent force behind the former Vice President.  One of Uyi’s runners was allegedly caught with $2million cash, allegedly meant for the prosecution of the presidential election. If the Atiku camp has rallied and re-strategised on how to raise money elsewhere, his close friend and partner, Supo Shasore, SAN, and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State under former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, has known no sleep. Supo and Uyi are partners at the Africa Law Practice, a Nigeria-based, Africa business-focused firm that prides itself as delivering the very best of African legal and advisory services. He was in their Onikan, Lagos office w...

An Abuja high court on Tuesday set aside an order it issued to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to detain Tunde Ayeni, former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, for 14 days. The court accused EFCC of misleading it to grant the application in the first place. Yusuf Halilu, the judge, said the anti-graft agency had suppressed facts in obtaining the detention order. He then ordered EFCC to release Ayeni from detention. Ayeni’s counsel, Ahmed Raji, had filed a suit on enforcement of fundamental rights, seeking his release from custody. EFCC had last week approached the court through an ex-parte application seeking a 14-day remand order. This, it said, was to investigate a petition from the office of the vice-president over Ayeni’s alleged infractions when he was chairman of Skye Bank. The court then granted the application. Raji informed the court that there is a pending suit before the federal high court against EFCC on the same matter and that Nn...

In a clear show of its resilience and strong market share, Zenith Bank has announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2018 with profit before tax (PBT) rising to N232 billion for the 12 months ended December 31, 2018. Also, in demonstration of its commitment to its shareholders, the bank has announced a proposed final dividend pay-out of N2.50 per share, bringing the total dividend to N2.80 per share, representing a yield of 11.2 per cent. According to the bank’s audited financial results for the 2018 financial year released in Lagos on Tuesday, this represents an increase of 16.6 percent over the N199 billion recorded for the same period in 2017. It is the highest so far published by any bank in the Nigerian Banking Industry in the current reporting period. Also, the results showed that profit after tax (PAT) witnessed an impressive growth of 11 per cent year-on-year to N193 billion from N174 billion. This record profit before tax (PBT) was achieved thr...

LET’S PAUSE AND REFLECT The text of a press conference held in Uyo by the Forum of All Political Parties in Akwa Ibom State, following the postponement of the 16 February 2019 elections Gentlemen of the Press, As you may all be aware, the general elections that were to kick off on Saturday, 16 February 2019 have been moved forward by one week. The rescheduling came as a surprise and with a huge cost to us; we were ready as a party for the elections. INEC has said the elections were postponed to get the logistics right in order to deliver a free, fair and transparent elections. In light of the explanation by INEC, we as Political Parties have accepted the cost incurred as a necessary sacrifice for the good of our democracy. Let us take the advantage of this pause on the road to thank God whose grace and protection have seen us thus far in the Akwa Ibom Project. We want to also thank the good people of Akwa Ibom in general and members and supporters of our parties in partic...

Supporters of Kogi East Senatorial candidate Victor Adoji are having it very tough ahead of the shifted general election. Information filtering in has it that the African Democratic Congress candidate’s supporters are being hounded out of town ahead of the Saturday, February 23, 2019 poll. ‘’They are being arrested and attacked under different facades’’ a source stated. Details available alleged Edward Onoja, the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello as masterminding the intimidation of Adoji’s supporters. Senatorial candidate Adoji confirmed the information. He disclosed that his supporters are currently moving out of town to avoid attacks and related intimidation tactics being deployed by the Governor’s Chief of Staff. Governor Bello, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress had boasted to President Buhari that he would deliver Kogi state ‘’100%’’ to the President. It is believed that Onoja is acting out a part of the script to help the Governor delive...

As part of commitment to ease access to banking services for more people, Polaris Bank has entered into a strategic partnership with the Niger State Government by ensuring participants in the supply value chain of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) can open bank accounts with less hassle. Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank, Tokunbo Abiru, said the decision to partner with the state government aligned with the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure more children have access to education especially those from the less privileged (underprivileged) and most vulnerable segments of society. While stating that human capital development was dear to the bank, Abiru said the partnership with the state government was in consonance with Polaris Bank’s commitment to efforts at bridging the gap in the number of unbanked Nigerians. He disclosed that since the feeding programme commenced in 2016, over 7,500 people across supply value chain have been engaged in Ni...

Earlier today, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrested Uyiekpen Giwa-Osagie, a close aide of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, for alleged money-laundering. Multiple sources privy to the news said that one of Uyi’s runners was arrested with over $2million cash ostensibly meant for electoral purposes. Upon interrogation, the panic-stricken runner confessed that the money was meant for his boss, Uyi. As you read, security agents have surrounded his office in Marina, Lagos, ransacking the entire place and questioning Uyi on how he came about such amount of cash. One of the sources disclosed that the arrest didn’t come to Uyi as a shock and surprise because like a Mafioso, he has mastered the art of remaining under the radar while his ‘boys’ run the show on his behalf without any link to him. From the popular Giwa-Osagie family of Edo State, Uyi is a silent force behind the former Vice President. Everybody that m...

The 2019 WIMBIZ  Women in Politics Town Hall Meeting may have come and gone but there persist growing talks of an unforgettable moment of what was termed as ‘unpardonable error’ when the Lagos State governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi (BOG) addressed prominent Nigerian women at the event as ‘side chicks’. It was the only moment when the well-organised event had its blemishes as a lady from the audience instantly protested the tag ‘side chick’ pronounced by the governorship candidate. Women in Politics Town Hall Meeting was an event put together by the prestigious WIMBIZ and aimed at discussing issues centred on the involvement of women in politics. The program was also targeted at encouraging female gender to support one another and as well to attract more women to actively get involved in politics. The event held on the 13th of February, at the Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos had in attendance several female po...

   The fight between governor of kogi state Yahaya Bello and his deputy Simon Achuba has taken a new turn. Available information showed the security details of the deputy governor Achuma has been withdrawn allegedly on the order of governor Bello. The incident transpired over the weekend. here is the full detail of the scenario as reported by punchng.com Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, on Sunday raised the alarm that his life is in danger following the withdrawal of his security details allegedly on the order of the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Achuba made the allegation at a press briefing. He said he was shocked after returning from a trip to his village where he had gone for the Saturday’s scheduled elections to find the gate to his official residence empty without any of his security personnel. He said, “I was surprised to see that all policemen attached to my house had been withdrawn. I then put a call across to the Commi...

Former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion and his beautiful wife Eki are extremely devastated at the moment. They just lost one of their sons, Osaretin. The young Igbinedion died in a ghastly motor accident in Texas, United State Of America. The incident actually transpired early in the morning of Saturday, February 16 2019. Digs by highstreet.ng revealed Osaretin to be the couple's second son. Before his untimely demise Osaretin was a student of Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts. He got admitted into institution in 2017.

There would be no leader, if there are no followers. It stands to reason that if leadership is important to performance, followership must have something to do with it too. And this played out when the presidential rally of All Progressive Congress berthed at Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital recently. The good people of Ogun State showed to the world, possibly the first time such as ever happened since legendary Lisabi, the love and respect they have for their leader. The people were angered when perceived outsiders decided to insult their governor right in their backyard! For those who followed how the event unfolded objectively stated that it was pure followership love on display when the people of Ogun State revolted against attempts by the national chairman of All Progressive Congress, Adams Oshiomhole and former governor of Osun State, Raul Aregbesola, to malign and embarrass SIA as the governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is popularly called, to sc...

Former Senate Minority Leader and Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio,CON, has described a letter making the rounds in the social media, entitled, “Gratitude for your marvelous support to Akwa Ibom APC”, purportedly written by him as fake. Akpabio asked the general public to disregard the letter as it did not emanate from him. In a statement, signed by Anietie Ekong, Special Assistant (Media) to  Senator Godswill Akpabio, said the letter was written by the Senator’s enemies as no time did he write such a letter. The statement said: “My attention has been drawn to a forged letter purportedly written by him to the Chief of Staff to the President titled: “Gratitude for your marvelous support to Akwa Ibom APC” and making the rounds in the social media. “We wish to state categorically that the letter never emanated from the Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio. It is a poorly crafted piece of forgery and the figment of the ima...

Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the major employer of labour, former governor of Ogun state and the Director General of the Atiku for President campaign reveals why Nigeria can not survive another four years of re election seeking President Muhammadu Buhari in this state of the nation address. Fellow Nigerians, Few hours ago, insurgents believed to be members of the terrorist organization, Boko Haram, attacked the convoy of the Governor of Borno State and my very good friend, Alhaji Kashim Shettima. Alhaji Shettima is just one of the thousands across the country whose lives have been threatened and in most cases taken away by terrorists who the federal government boldly said have been defeated few months ago. Children, wives, fathers, mothers, infants and several loved ones have had their lives cut short by bandits in the North Western part of the country while our brothers and sisters in the middle belt continue the unceremonious burial of family members, loved ones, children and parent...

The member representing Uyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Michael O. Enyong, (aka Baba Ntan) risks being disqualified from seeking re-election for failure to disclose his past criminal records and convictions in his affidavit filed in support of his personal particulars of persons seeking election to the office/membership of the House of Representatives. Certified true copies of the case information from Fort Bend County, Texas, USA, shows Michael O. Enyong had pleaded guilty to a case of theft and accordingly sentenced. He failed to disclose this in INEC form sworn on oath. It is averred that Hon Michael Enyong had knowingly concealed the fact of his conviction from his constituents to circumvent the law which conviction occurred less than 10 years to the time he sought for and got elected into the Federal House of Representatives. In Suit No: CV/1017/19 filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, his challenger Hon. Ekerete Ekpen...

President Muhammadu Buhari is not relenting in his fight against corruption. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has detained a former Chairman of Skye Bank Plc (Now Polaris Bank), Tunde Ayeni, for fraud running into billions of naira. Emerging details have it that Ayeni was arrested and detained yesterday – Wednesday, February 6, 2019. According to information monitored on Thisrepublic by societynow.ng, this development transpired in Abuja according to information available. The development is believed to be part of the ongoing prosecution of the business for corruption charges. EFCC, on December 17, 2018, arraigned Ayeni before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on an eight-count charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of about N8 billion. Ayeni was arraigned alongside Timothy Oguntayo, for allegedly conspiring at different times to fraudulently divert depositors’ funds domiciled at Skye Bank Plc. After the arraignment, the jud...

In commemoration of the 2019 World Cancer Day and demonstration of its unwavering commitment to the fight against breast cancer in Nigeria, Polaris Bank has encouraged Nigerians to adhere to quality eating habit and healthy lifestyle to avoid contracting cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, “Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help you keep a healthy body weight. Keeping a healthy weight is important, because obesity is the second biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking. “Diet can also directly affect cancer risk. Some foods, such as processed and red meat and salt-preserved foods, can increase the risk of developing cancer. While others, such as fruits, vegetables and foods high in fibre, can reduce the risk of cancer.” The World Cancer Day is marked internationally every February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment. The theme for this year’s event is, ‘I Am and I Will.’ A statement from the bank quo...