DripNote Blog

About a month ago the Police made some revelations about the December 10, 2016 rerun election in Rivers State. The revelations which were contained in the report of a panel set up the Inspector General of Police (IGP) among other things indicted 6 police personnel, 23 electoral officers and 2 administrative officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for unwholesome conduct during the election. In a previous article, we commended the police for at last investigating a failed election as well as indicting some of its own personnel. However, the article did not fail to question the fact that the indicted police personnel were only those assigned to the governor. It also wondered why only 6 out of thousands of police operatives deployed were found wanting in a country where accusing fingers have always pointed at the police and other security agencies as wrong doers in our elections. Although we applauded the swiftness of the police report, we we

There is something about pressure from loved ones, peers and people in our social circle that places such a heavy weight on us. It makes it difficult to do anything but give in and dance to their rhythm. Sometimes, it works out well for us, but most times it doesn’t. Jumia Travel, the online travel agency, shares 4 reasons to strengthen your resolve and put off the weight of societal pressure. Remember, you are not in this world to live up to the expectations of others; you therefore have to be strong, assertive and learn to pave your own path. This way your decisions are your decisions and your mistakes are your mistakes. You’ll learn and live better this way. Anger and Resentment When you give in to societal pressure, you are doing something against your beliefs, principles and most importantly against your will. There is little chance that such will not give you a load of anger issues to deal with. You’ll find yourself angry at those who pressured you, yourself

Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway has sparked a social media storm after pictures emerged of her kneeling on the sofa in the Oval Office with her shoes on. Ms Conway is seen clutching her phone as US President Donald Trump poses with leaders of historically black colleges and universities. Twitter users accused her of "disrespect". Ms Conway was taking her own photos at the time. "That's no way to act in the People's Oval Office," tweeted one user of the social media site. "Think of all the great people who sat on that couch and put your feet down," wrote another. You may also like In pictures: Offbeat in the Oval Office Video: Conway criticised over Ivanka plug Arizona woman 'casts a spell on Trump' Why Trump's big speech to Congress matters The images led some to question Ms Conway's body language, suggesting that she was not taking the meeting on Monday seriously. Others downplayed the excitement,

A housewife,Bose Okeiye, on Tuesday prayed an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi-Ibadan, Oyo State, to dissolve her 25-year-old marriage to her estranged husband, Augustine Okeiye, and safe her from an untimely death. Okeiye had approached the court seeking dissolution of the marriage which had produced five children, on the grounds that her husband was a threat to her life, not caring and irresponsible. She narrated how the defendant battered her to the extent that she had to undergo surgery while on admission in a hospital for two months. “I was on admission in a hospital for two months and had to undergo surgery because of my husband’s brutality and constant battering. “He neither checked on me nor did he pay my hospital bill throughout my period in the hospital. court “Later, my family members asked why he refused to visit me in hospital and his response was that my father offended him. “My lord, I am tired of him; please dissolve this marriage before he ki

Relatives of the British victims of the Tunisia terror attack will sue tour operator TUI, a lawyer representing many of the families has said. The announcement was made after a coroner ruled the victims were "unlawfully killed" by a gunman at a hotel in Sousse in June 2015. Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith ruled the police response was "at best shambolic and at worst cowardly". The 38 dead included 30 Britons. TUI has denied gross failure. Judge Loraine-Smith rejected a finding of neglect against the tour firms and the hotel. Kylie Hutchison, a solicitor for 22 of the families, said it was crucial that the travel industry learned from what happened in Sousse. She added: "On behalf of our clients who lost members of their family and those who suffered injuries in this terrible incident, we will now be preparing to commence civil proceedings against TUI." TUI maintained it was "wholly erroneous" to claim it had been neglectful and

With the economy humming along and United States troops withdrawn from major wars, Americans cited a variety of domestic problems as the most important. The top response was dissatisfaction with government, a sentiment Mr. Trump harnessed during his populist campaign. Barack Obama entered his second term after a major budget showdown with Congress and with another fiscal deadline, the federal debt ceiling, approaching. Mr. Obama regularly criticized Republicans for using the debt limit as a bargaining chip to cut spending. Mr. Obama entered his first term during the heart of the Great Recession. During his first major speech before Congress, he promoted the just-passed stimulus package and the need for the government to further intervene in the financial system. George W. Bush began his second term two years into the war in Iraq. While he did not mention the country by name in his second inaugural address, he focused heavily on the importance of securing Ame

— President Trump, meeting with the nation’s governors, conceded Monday that he had not been aware of the complexities of health care policy-making: “I have to tell you, it’s an unbelievably complex subject. Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated.” The president also suggested that the struggle to replace the Affordable Care Act was creating a legislative logjam that could delay other parts of his political agenda. Many policy makers had anticipated the intricacies of changing the health care law , and Mr. Trump’s demands in the opening days of his administration to simultaneously repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement made the political calculations far more complicated. Governors of both parties added still more confusion on Monday when they called for any replacement to cover all the people already benefiting from the landmark law. “Of course I am concerned,” said Gov. Brian Sandoval, the Republican gover

The State of the Union is … not happening this year, technically. But in a prime-time address on Tuesday to a joint session of Congress, President Trump is expected to deliver the equivalent: a speech intended to set the course for his near-term policy agenda and mollify concerns on Capitol Hill after his uneven first month. ■ Mr. Trump’s address is scheduled to begin shortly after 9 p.m. The New York Times will be providing live coverage. ■ The president tries to set the tone in an early morning interview on “Fox and Friends.” He gives himself a grade of A so far. ■ Steven L. Beshear, the former governor of Kentucky, will deliver the Democratic response, including a strong defense of the Affordable Care Act. Here is what to keep an eye on: Trump: ‘I think I’ve done great things’ Mr. Trump gave himself a grade of A for his presidency so far in an interview broadcast Tuesday morning, but he added that he would only give himself a C for communicating how gre

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has urged the general public to be good and patriotic citizens by reporting any money deposited mistakenly into their various accounts. The Commission stated this when Dr. Aliyu Usman Tilde, an academician, columnist and writer returned a draft of N900,000.00, (Nine Hundred Thousand Naira Only), to the Gombe Zonal office of the EFCC. The amount was mistakenly paid into his account. Three months after his account officer could not trace the origin of the strange alert, Dr. Tilde reported the case to the EFCC. Investigation by the EFCC however revealed that the amount belongs to a law firm that was counsel to Federal Ministry of Justice in a case that involved a former staff of Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Investigation further revealed that the Clerk of the firm made a mistake in writing Dr. Tilde’s firm account number when submitting bank details to the client’s Ministry. Dr. Tilde raised a draft of the s

Former Benue state governor, Gabriel Suswam, has been arrested by Department of State Services. The ex-governor was arrested over items recovered in cars in a building in Abuja, both of which are said to belong to him. According to the DSS in a statement by Tony Opuiyo, the search of the building at 44, Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama, Abuja, led to the discovery of keys of 45 exotic cars, 21 Certificates of Occupancy, arms and ammunition. The statement by the DSS reads in full: The Department of State Services (DSS) wishes to inform the public that on 24th February, 2017, between 2100 hours and 0242 hours, the Service executed a search warrant, at the property of Dunes Investment and Global Properties Ltd, located at No 44 Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama- Abuja. The operation was informed by intelligence that some incriminating items were stashed in the boots of cars parked at the property, particularly a Mercedes Benz S550 (BWR 135AH), and Masarati 4.7 (BWR 207 AJ), whi

Yams are widely known to and appreciated by Nigerians because of how they can be used to prepare a variety of delicious quick-to-prepare meals. Jumia Travel shares 5 delicious Nigerian yam dishes that’ll leave you reeling from its sumptuous taste. YAM PORRIDGE The Western Nigeria version of this meal is Asaro. The main difference between the normal yam porridge and Asaro is the blended peppers, palm oil and occasional ‘Ata Dindin’ added to the Asaro. Normal yam porridge can be cooked with vegetable oil as an alternative to palm oil and need not have as much pepper as the Asaro. Its method of preparation is simple with the need of only few main ingredients like seasoning, palm or vegetable oil and smoked or dry fish (or mashed chicken depending on your preference). POUNDED YAM It’s a very delicious and popular ‘swallow’ meal that’s eaten with various Nigerian soup recipes like Egusi soup, Okro soup, Efo Riro etc. It is traditionally prepared by cooking pieces of

As the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, champions the movement against Ali Sheriff as Peoples Democratic Party chairman, a senator from his state has declared full support for Mr. Sheriff. Mr. Sheriff has been recognised as PDP chairman by the Court of Appeal. But Fayose, who heads the PDP Governors Forum, and some party leaders have restated their opposition to Sheriff and vowed to appeal the judgement at the Supreme Court. However, on Sunday, Fatimat Raji-Rasaki, a female senator who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District said Mr. Sheriff was the authentic national chairman of the PDP. She made the declaration on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti while speaking with journalists at the end of a three-day capacity building training on ICT she organised for 100 beneficiaries in her constituency. Mrs. Raji-Rasaki’s declaration comes days after another senator from Bayelsa State, Ben Murray-Bruce also declared support for Mr. Sheriff saying there was no need for further l

Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has claimed that majority of President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet members are “vultures and hyenas” for refusing to declare their assets publicly. The lawmaker made the assertion over the weekend while touring the late Malam Aminu Kano Musuem in Kano State. He noted that the failure of the President’s cabinet members to declare their assets shows that they do not believe in the current anti-graft war. Sani urged the President to reshuffle his cabinet immediately he returns from the United Kingdom, UK, where he is currently on medical vacation. According to him, “Buhari is an island in his government and by the time he is back, he needs to disinfect and fumigate his government because in his anti-corruption crusade, he is the only person who believes in the anti-corruption war, people within his corridors of power are simply Buhari in their faces, but anti-Buhari at hearts. “Now, tell me, how a president (Buhari) who

6 years into their marriage, Prince Okojie and Mercy Johnson are waxing strong despite the marital crisis that has hit most stable celebrity marriages before now. Prince Okojie, who spoke to news telegraph, disclosed that before their marriage, he had known Mercy Johnson for 3 years. He also disclosed that though they don't quarrel often, but when they do, they learn from it and move to the next level. Read what he said below: “Prior to our marriage, I’d known my wife for three years; we actually met in 2008. We started living together in 2009 and we got married in 2011. It’s been God all the way, there’s no miracle or anything much, it’s just been God. “With marriage break-ups and celebrity dramas, I think it depends on what one wants. For me, when I met my wife, I knew she was the one for me. The love, the affection and the tender care are all present, and although we might have some misunderstanding but when we sleep over it, we move on. My wife is my best

EFCC takes more proof to London to nail her All is set for the trial of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke, and four others in London for alleged corrupt practices. The trial has been fixed and more evidence were hauled to the United Kingdom by the EFCC. Part of the evidence are the proceedings of a Federal High Court in respect of the order of final forfeiture of $153million allegedly traced to the ex-minister. It was also learnt that one of the suspects had been found at a hideout in London and placed under surveillance. There have been reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was negotiating with Mrs. Alison-Madueke. The EFCC yesterday said it was not engaged in any secret negotiation with her. According to a source in the anti-graft agency, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, the agency is set for the trial. The source said: “The UK investigators have gone far on the allegations against Di

A former top banker, Aisha Shettima Nur, has been declared wanted by the EFCC for money laundering. Read the official statement from EFCC concerning her: "WANTED BY EFCC AISHA SHETTIMA NUR (aka YAGANA IBRAHIM BUKAR) The public is hereby notified that Aisha Shettima Nur is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for money laundering. On November 14, 2016, Nur, a former banker, was convicted (in absentia) on a ten count charge of money laundering. Investigations had revealed that the convict laundered monies which were the proceeds of crime through the accounts of her siblings and daughter, as well as through the purchase of vehicles and stocking of a provision shop. While the cases were ongoing at both the Federal and State High Courts, the convict had jumped bail, consequent upon which judges of both courts issued bench warrants for her arrest. Unfortunately, all efforts to arrest her by the Commission proved abortive, resulting in sus

The General Manager of Glory FM, Bayelsa State who flogged four of his duty staffers has opened up on the real reasons why he embarked on such punishment. Mr. John Idumange stated that he flogged four union leaders of the station in self-defence. He told NAN on Friday in Yenagoa that the incident happened on Monday after the union leaders shut down the FM station operated by the state government. The Radio Bayelsa Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Radio Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) had alleged that Idumange was running the station outside public service rules. Idumange, who explained the details of the incident to NAN, alleged that the unions in the station were working against his reforms aimed at re-positioning the broadcast outfit. “At about 7.20pm on Monday, the day RATTAWU and NUJ embarked on strike, I heard voices near my window. So I went out to see what was happening. I saw four persons, one of them a lady. “I could

NEW DELHI — Jeena Sharma, 25, was in the process of applying for a work visa to the United States when news came that two Indian engineers had been shot in a Kansas bar by a man who drunkenly questioned their immigration status. News of the shootings , which took place last Wednesday, was quickly eclipsed by other developments in Washington, and even in Kansas, but the same cannot be said of the Sharma household of Mumbai, where Ms. Sharma has received emphatic maternal lectures about her plans to move, starting first thing in the morning. “She asked me: ‘Why do you even need to go to the States? Why do you need to go to a country that doesn’t want you? I’m going to be scared for your life every day,’” Ms. Sharma said. Even as she endeavored, patiently, to convey to her mother the difference between Kansas and New York City, where she hopes to move, Ms. Sharma felt her own apprehensions growing, as the days passed and President Trump made no statement on th

Five HIV patients remain virus-free seven months after taking a new vaccine – which has been described as a ‘functional cure’ for the dreaded virus. The treatment has allowed the patients to stop taking regular doses of antiretroviral drugs, the Spanish researchers say. According to Yahoo News, the results need to be confirmed in larger studies. The ‘therapeutic vaccine’ does not actually get rid of the virus, but bolsters the immune system enough that HIV remained at undetectable levels in five out of 13 patients. ‘It’s the proof of concept that through therapeutic vaccination we can really re-educate our T cells to control the virus,’ says Dr Beatriz Mothe of the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain, in an interview with New Scientist. ‘This is the first time that we see this is possible in humans.’ There have been more than 50 trials of therapeutic vaccines for HIV, but this is the first which has boosted the immune system in a ‘meaningful’ w

MOSCOW — The phrase was too toxic even for Nikita Khrushchev , a war- hardened veteran communist not known for squeamishness. As leader of the Soviet Union, he demanded an end to the use of the term “enemy of the people” because “it eliminated the possibility of any kind of ideological fight.” “The formula ‘enemy of the people,’” Mr. Khrushchev told the Soviet Communist Party in a 1956 speech denouncing Stalin’s cult of personality, “was specifically introduced for the purpose of physically annihilating such individuals” who disagreed with the supreme leader. It is difficult to know if President Trump is aware of the historic resonance of the term, a label generally associated with despotic communist governments rather than democracies. But his decision to unleash the terminology has left some historians scratching their heads. Why would the elected leader of a democratic nation embrace a label that, after the death of Stalin, even the Soviet Union found to