Our plans — Fayemi, Bamidele, Fayose speak

WITH the June 21, governorship elections in Ekiti State finally here, the three frontline candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Labour Party, LP, have traversed the state in an attempt to sell their plans for Ekiti people. Kayode Fayemi Dr Kayode Fayemi’s manifesto for his second term is tagged “Roadmap to Rapid Economic Growth and Development” otherwise known as the Ekiti Agenda. The agenda, according to him, is made up of policy thrusts of his administration from 2014 to 2018 and beyond. He was quick to stress that having kept faith with Ekiti values, the people of the state have kept faith with him. He expressed optimism that Ekiti is moving forward under his administration with the future of the state already assured. Opeyemi Bamidele For the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, his manifesto marks a turning point in the history of the state. Bamidele pledged to engender unprecedented economic growth and development in all facets if elected governor of the state. He promised to improve on the lives of the people through Integrated and Commercial Agriculture, robust Infrastructure that would provide jobs for over 400,000 unemployed youths, regular water supply, low cost housing units, Human capital Development and other pivotal areas of the economy. His words: “I call this manifesto a blueprint for Ekiti Growth and Development because I know that this is a contract with Ekiti people and we will do our best to wipe away poverty and raise the bar of governance to the admiration of all”. Ayo Fayose Mr. Ayodele Fayose has dubbed his mission as a journey to rescue Ekiti people from poverty. He believes in welfarism of the masses. Among other things, his vision is to help the Ekiti State University College of Medicine get an accreditation, an all inclusive government, deepen-democracy and also, to improve welfare of teachers if voted into office. Hear him, “When I come back, I will give you jobs and do local content. I left N10.4bn but they have sold all these properties. They have taken away our wealth all in the name of being progressives. They are only retrogressing.”

D-i-v-i-d-e-d! 3 camps tear Eagles a-p-a-r-t

Whenthe Super Eagles step out against Bosnia-Herzegovina tomorrow in a make or mar encounter which would determine their stay in the Brazil 2014 World Cup, they may not be united Sports Vanguard can reveal authoritatively that a deep-rooted animosity in the camp has finally torn the team into three camps with each camp commanding their own loyalists. On one side of the camp are players who are loyal to skipper Joseph Yobo and who want him to make a record appearance for the Eagles after hitting 98 caps while the second group are loyalists to one of the assistant coaches of the team who has been described as very influential in the camp. This group consists of players he was said to have influenced their selection. They are alleged to be very bitter with Emmanuel Emenike who is the point-man of the Eagles. They alleged that Emenike has become swollen-headed, proud and arrogant and therefore have vowed to cut him to size by not giving him passes. This could be attributed to the colourless outing of Emenike who before now was the engine room of the Eagles and contributed immensely to their winning of the African Cup of Nations in South Africa. The case of Osaze Odemwingie is a pathetic one. I learnt that Osaze is lonely in the midst of the camps as he is left alone to sulk Coach Stephen Keshi recent attack on him by saying that he did not play to instructions in the game against Iran. On the contrary, however, it was Osaze who breathed life into the attack of the Eagles in that colourless goalless encounter. A very dependable source in the camp described the situation as worrisome that such divisions exist in a team that everybody is looking forward to playing as a unit to beat Bosnia. Though Coach Stephen Keshi could not be reached for comments, I gathered that he had been indifferent to the goings-on in camp. Nigeria have now failed to win any of their last nine matches, extending the longest winless run by any team taking part in this tournament.

I can’t be with any girl but Kim – Kanye

Rapper, Kanye West has revealed his love for his wife, Kim Kardashian saying he  can’t be with any girl but Kim. Speaking during a discussion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of creativity 2014 in France, Tuesday, Kanye said, “I can’t be with any girl but Kim that’s the girl I look at her pictures the most, I get turned on the most.’ The 37-year-old rapper also spoke about how he can only work with ‘No. 1′ people in his life,  including Jay-Z, Kim and Louis Vuitton. “I can’t work with anyone but Jay Z, because he’s No.1. I can’t be with any girl but Kim, because that’s the girl whose pictures I look at the most and get turned on by. I’m not going to represent any company but Louis Vuitton, because that’s No. 1,” he  said.

'My new album will win more awards than I've ever won'- Faze Reveals!

Faze may have been off the scene for a while but he tells Vanguard he is working on an album which would win more awards than ever before..... I’ve been recording my new album which will be out any time soon. I have some collaborations with some of my friends in the industry and you can expect the normal Faze treats. You know I don’t just release albums. I take my time and make sure what I release does not fall short of the standard I have set for myself. I   can’t really specify, but I’m sure this new album is going to win more awards than I have ever won. It is loaded with good hits that are sure to take the music scene by storm. Just watch out for it

My players aren’t scared of any team –Keshi

Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi, has great confidence the Super Eagles can qualify for the second round of Brazil 2014 World Cup, saying his players are not scared of any team. The African champions were drawn into Group F alongside South American giants Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran. The Eagles open their World Cup campaign against Iran in Curitiba on Monday and Keshi insists his side are ready for the Princes of Persia. Speaking in an interview with Team Nigeria, Keshi said the team would also focus on other matches. The former Nigeria captain said, “There would have been no reason to take part in the qualifying series if we didn’t believe we would make it to the final, and there would have been no reason to prepare so hard for the tournament if we knew we were only coming to Brazil to make up the number. “I have a group of players who believe in themselves. They want to go as far as they can in Brazil, and the formula we will employ is to look at what is immediately in front of us and focus and plan on how to tackle it.” The 52 –year old, who played in the 1994 World Cup in the United States, said the Eagles would not underestimate the Iranians, saying they would not repeat the mistakes they made in the 1998 World Cup in France, where the players underrated Denmark in their Round of 16 clash. Keshi said, “The situation was unfortunate. That is why you must always focus on your immediate challenge. We definitely lost to inexperience in 1994. Here in Brazil, we have a mixture of youth and experience. We are ready to fly.”

Panic as police uncover bombs in Winners Chapel

THERE was widespread panic in Owerri, capital of Imo State, on Sunday as security operatives discovered bombs planted in the premises of a branch of Bishop David Oyedepo’s Living Faith World Bible Church, a.k.a. Winners Chapel. The discovery forced the church to shift its Sunday worship from its location along Port Harcourt Road to Heroes’ Square, near Concord Hotel. Governor Rochas Okorocha said it would have been disastrous if the bombs had not been deactivated before they went off. “The bombs had the capacity to go within 500 meters range and would have been a disaster if they had exploded as the church where it was planted is located at a densely populated area of the state,” the governor said, according to a statement by his Special Senior Assistant in charge of the media, Jane Amucha. Two Improvised Explosive Devices were said to have been planted at the entrance of the church overnight and timed to explode at 8.00am on Sunday, when worship service would have gone underway. The Winners Chapel is a popular Pentecostal church that draws large membership. Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, confirmed the development and said six suspects had been arrested in connection with the plot to bomb the church. The CP said his men in the bomb disposal unit of the command had deactivated the bombs, while investigations had commenced into the matter. The CP warned hoteliers and operators of public places to be vigilant and watch out for strange movements and people around their premises. The PUNCH learnt on Sunday that the IEDs were discovered by the security men engaged by the church. The security guards were said to have noticed suspicious movements by some strange persons in the area on Saturday night. On discovering the devices, the guards promptly reported to the leadership of the church. The pastor consequently called in the police. The Imo police spokesman, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, also confirmed to one our correspondents the discovery of the bombs in Winners Chapel and the arrest of the six suspects. Enwerem however did not give further details about the arrested suspects. He said, “Some church security personnel sighted a suspicious object between 11.30 and 12am and called the attention of the police to the object. “The Bomb Disposal Unit was quickly drafted to the area and they discovered two IEDS planted at the entrance of the church. “With the discovery, the bomb experts detonated it deliberately. It didn’t go off on its own. There were two of them. “It is true that six people have been arrested, the arrest was a normal routine exercise by the police around the area. It was part of the police effort to get to the actual perpetrators, it is to get information.” Following the tension caused in the Owerri metropolis on Sunday, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha addressed journalists in the Government House, assuring the people of their safety. Okorocha called on the people of the state to be calm and go about their normal business as everything was under control. The governor noted that the daily prayers offered in the state were not in vain and thanked God for saving the lives of his people. He also commended the security outfits in the state for being alert to their duties. The governor, who assured Imo people that the situation was under control, noted that Imo was not known for such ugly incidence and therefore appealed to all Imo indigenes and other Nigerians resident in the state to be more security conscious and alert the police about any suspected objects, vehicles or persons around their vicinity. He however assured that the state had applied necessary measures to stop further occurrence of the ugly situation. The governor said there would be an emergency security meeting at the International Convention Centre, Owerri, where further security briefing would be made available to all residents of the state. The governor’s assurances notwithstanding, a resident living near the church, Mrs. Charity Nze, said she had been living in fear after she saw a group of security operatives removing explosives from the church. Mrs. Nze told our correspondent that she could not risk being killed by explosives because she was staying close to a church. “I am afraid and considering moving to another place. I need to protect my children and will not allow all of us to be killed by any bomb explosion,” she said. But a member of the church, Deacon Alloy Ohia, said though the church relocated to the Heroes’ Square in Owerri for its first service as a result of the security challenge, the second service was held in the church. Ohia explained that the church would not be discouraged by the recent development, adding that the discovery of explosives within the church premises was a victory for members of the church “Our spirit has been angered, but we are not afraid. The first service was held at Heroes’ Square because of security challenges, but we were back in the church for our second service,” Ohia said.

Brazilian fans mob Mikel, Osaze, Moses

JOHN Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie and Victor Moses are the three Super Eagles players that Brazilians here have shown more love and demand autographs from. The three, incidentally, play their club football in England’s Premier League – Chelsea, Stoke and Liverpool respectively. But baby-faced Mikel stands out as the crowd roars into Mikel, Mikel, Mikel from the moment he steps out of the hotel to the team’s bus and onto the pitch where kids dare security personnel in a marathon race to either embrace him, clean his boot or kiss him. He reciprocates their love by clapping. Mikel who is playing in his first World Cup spoke to Sports Editor, Tony Ubani on expectations ‘’It is my first World Cup and I am ready just like other players are ready, too. The World Cup remains the highest height of every footballer’s ambition. I am happy to be playing here but more importantly is that we have a dream of playing for each other. We want to make something out of the World Cup. It is not about individuals. It is about a team. And I am a member of the team Mikel: It is good to know that many expect me to lead. In this team, the coach determines what we do and we do it according to his instructions. People might not notice the roles of players but the coach knows and we do things collectively to ensure that we come out victorious. Mikel: There is love and unity in the team. We are like a family. All the players are ready to give their best. And with these will-power, I think that we will do well because of this determination. Mikel: Promises? I promise good outing by the team. You are aware that all teams are well prepared for the World Cup. So, no one underestimates any team. You need to work hard first and also rely on goodluck. We’ve been working hard and deserve to do well.