President of Nigeria's Labour Congress, Abdulwahed Omar, on Friday announced a two-day suspension of the ongoing nationwide protests over government's withdrawal of subsidies on petrol. The protests which entered a 5th day on Friday will now be suspended on Saturday and Sunday to allow people take a break and possibly prepare for another round of protests on Monday. - "In consideration of so many factors, our planners said ... that we can get relaxed during the weekend and get energized,” Abdulwahed Omar told a rally in Abuja on Friday, according to AFP. The suspension would allow unions from across the country to meet for negotiations due in Abuja on Saturday. &q…

A commercial motorcyclist lost his life in Nigeria's former capital of Lagos on Wednesday after he attempted to cross a major street where youths had converted to a playing ground, following the nationwide sit-at-home-strike against government's withdrawal of fuel subsidy. - An eyewitness account said the man was killed after he refused to ‘settle’ street rascals who were demanding that he give them some money. One of the ‘area boys,’ out of anger, drove a knife to his head. He died on the spot,” the eyewitness said. A resident of the area confirmed the incident which took place in Adekunle, a suburb on the mainland of Lagos, saying ‘his wife …

Thousands of policemen have been deployed to the four local government areas in Imo State, south eastern Nigeria where supplementary governorship and House of Assembly elections hold Friday. The measure is aimed at ensuring peaceful and credible supplementary elections, Deputy Inspector General of Police DIG, Ivy Okoronkwo said. - “Thuggery and hooliganism will not be tolerated and anybody caught with any offensive weapon will have himself or herself to blame; to be forewarned is to be forearmed,’’ Nigerian Observer quoted her as saying. The main contestants in the Imo State guber poll are incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim of the ruling People’s Democratic Party and …

Tope is one of the millions of Nigerians who are benefiting from the seeming revolution gradually taking place in the area of internet services in Africa's most populous country. With the launch of undersea fibre optic cable projects, many internet users like tope have more access to the internet and may well soon be enjoying remarkable high speed internet at a more affordable cost. - Some years back in Nigeria, one would need to visit a cybercafé to check an email or surf the net. “At times when you get to the cafe, there are long queues and the internet may not be working fine’’ said Tope. Tope is among the almost 44 million Nigerians Internet World Statistics sa…

The governorship elections scheduled for the 26th of April in Nigeria have been postponed in the northern states of Bauchi and Kaduna. The Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega told newsmen that votes in the two states would now hold on the 28th of April. - At a news conference at the commission's headquarters in Abuja, Professor Jega said the polls in the affected states would not hold as earlier scheduled because of security concerns. Supporters of the main presidential challenger from the north, Mohammadu Buhari, had gone on rampage in several states in the region after it was clear President Goodluck Jonathan who hails from …

A Judicial Commission of Inquiry is to be constituted to look into the causes of the recent violence that followed the April 16 presidential election in several states of northern Nigeria. Violence had spread across several states in Northern Nigeria when it became clear Good luck Jonathan would be returned as president. - The rampage by rioting youths supporting main challenger Retired General Muhammadu Buhari led to several loss of lives and property, with curfew imposed in affected states to control the situation. Buhari has since distanced himself from the unrest. President Goodluck Jonathan stated: ''I have directed that the perpetrators of this dastardly acts of violence a…

Nigerians have voted for Goodluck to lead the West African nation for the next four years. The incumbent president from the People's Democratic Party polled a simple majority of votes and surpassing the required 25 percent of vote in two third of the states in the country in the April 16 presidential elections. - Jonathan had garnered approximately fifty nine percent of total votes to defeat his closest rival Retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress of Progressive Change who polled almost 32 percent of votes with over twelve million votes mainly from Nigeria’s north. Nigerians have been reacting to the emergence of incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in Africa’s most popu…

Nigerians came out on Saturday to elect a new president in a poll generally seen to be peaceful and credible. Observers said the poll marked a shift from past votes, including the last one in 2007, which had been marred by rigging and violence. The race for the presidency appears to be mainly between incumbent Goodluck Jonthan who took over from late Umaru Yar'Adua last year and former military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. - Others are Kano State Governor, Mohammed Shekarau of the All Nigeria People Party, ANPP, former anti-corruption chief, Nuhu Ribadu. The leader of the National Democratic Institute’s observer mission, …

President Goodluck Jonathan called on Nigerians to come out in large numbers to vote for their preferred candidates in the presidential election this Saturday as he restated his commitment to credible elections. The very visible candidates contesting for the presidency are former military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. - The others are Kano State Governor, Mohammed Shekarau of the All Nigeria People Party, ANPP, former anti-corruption chief, Nuhu Ribadu and incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP. "I thank Nigerians for the large turnout during the National Assembly elections held last Saturda…

After creating time from marathon academic work, Nurudeen, a Mathematics student from the University of Lagos eventually got his name enlisted in Nigeria's voters' register. Following the voters' registration which kicked off on the 15th of January, he got his voter's card on the final day of registration in Lagos after it was extended by one week. - With his voter's card, Nurudeen can now vote in the general election scheduled to take place in April. Lagos State, which is Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, recorded the highest number of registered voters with over 6 million registrants, while more than 63 million people were registered to vote across Nigeri…

Members of the Students Union in Nigeria's commercial capital city of Lagos marched in protest to the state's office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, demanding an extension of the ongoing voters registration exercise. The exercise is meant to provide a new voters' register of eligible Nigerians which would be used for the April general election. - The two-week registration exercise is scheduled to end Saturday 29th January. But there are complaints that the registration process is slow. "If it ends this Saturday millions of Lagosians would be disenfranchised,” Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students, Lagos Axis Comrade Ogundipe Olarew…

Malian Professor Manthia Diawara said hip-hop as a music genre and art form is helping the branding of Africa as one united continent, irrespective of the boundaries created by nationalism and countries that make up Africa. The Professor of Comparative Literature and Film at the New York University was speaking at the maiden edition the annual International Film Documentary Festival [iREP] held in Lagos, Nigeria. - “If you look at the hip-hop generation in Nigeria, of course they talk about local issues, but there is this branding of Africa in their music, if you go to Senegal it’s the same thing, you go to the United States it’s the same thing, they all have defined this n…

Nigerian incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday morning emerged as the presidential flag bearer of the ruling People's Democratic Party [PDP] for the April 2011 general election, following the party's primary that occurred on Thursday. - Delegates from the 36 states of Nigeria had voted overnight at the live national convention of the party in Abuja to elect Jonathan who polled 2,736 votes. Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar polled 805 votes, while the third and only female aspirant Sarah Jubril got 1 vote. ''I Professor Tunde Adeniran, Officer of the Federal Republic, therefore declare Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to be the winner of this presidenti…

The ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP in Nigeria will today, Thursday conduct its Presidential primaries to elect its flag bearer for the country's 2011 general elections. - The three Presidential aspirants, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the only lady aspirant, Sarah Jubril were cleared to contest for the highest office by a special committee set up by the party on Tuesday. An official of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has said the Commission will monitor the PDP primary ahead of the April presidential vote. INEC's deputy director for public affairs, Nick Dazan told the VOA that the co…

Ivory Coast's ambassador to the UN Youssoufou Bamba says a unity government could be possible if incumbent Laurent Gbagbo stands down and hands over power to the President-elect Allasane Ouattara. Mr. Bamba was appointed by Mr. Ouattara, whom the international community recognizes as the winner of last November run-off vote. - He said Alassane Ouattara was prepared to work with Mr Gbagbo's followers after the November disputed election, once the incumbent admits defeat and stands down. Mr. Gbagbo "has been defeated," the ambassador said in an interview on the BBC's HARDtalk television news program. "He has to admit that, he has to step down and... the rest is…

Two French hostages kidnapped on Friday in Niger were found dead on Saturday. Their bodies were found after an unsuccessful rescue operation involving government forces. One of the kidnapped men was reportedly an aid worker due to be married to a woman from Niger, and the other man was his friend. - The men were abducted from a bar overnight in Niger's capital Niamey and taken away in a car reportedly heading towards neighbouring Mali. "The terrorists were intercepted at the Mali border and several of them were overpowered," Reuters quoted French Defence Minister Alain Juppe as saying. "After the fighting, the two hostages were found dead." He added that "Fra…

Canada and Britain have rejected the expulsion of their ambassadors by the incumbent president of Ivory Coast. They say they recognize only the authority of his challenger and the internationally-recognized winner of the country's presidential election, Allassane Ouattara. - Incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo's government had said Canadian ambassador Marie Massip and United Kingdom ambassador Nicholas Westcott were no longer welcome in Ivory Coast. The countries were expelled after their governments decided not to recognize Ivorian ambassadors appointed by Gbagbo. In a proclamation read on state-run television, Gbagbo spokesman Ahoua Don Mello said the foreign minister’s d…

About 30 people were reportedly killed when a bomb exploded at a popular market where people drink and socialize inside an army barracks in Nigeria's capital territory. The bomb went off as fun seekers were celebrating on the eve of the New Year in Abuja. The latest attack came on a day President Good luck Jonathan paid a state visit to Benin Republic. - No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Nigerian President is said to be blaming the bombing on the Boko Haram, an Islamic sect that claimed responsibility for the Christmas Eve bomb blasts around the central Nigerian city of Jos and attacks on churches in parts of northern Nigeria. “I am deeply saddened at th…

A radical Islamist group reportedly admitted being behind the Christmas eve bombings around the North Central Nigerian city of Jos and attacks on churches in the northeast of the West African country that left over 80 people dead. - "O Nations of the World, be informed that verily the attacks in Suldaniyya (Jos) and Borno on the eve of Christmas was carried out by us Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awatu Wal Jihad, under the leadership of Abu Muhammad, Abubakar bin Muhammad Shekau," Reuters quoted the group as saying in a statement on its website. The radical Islamic group Boko Haram is said to have previously used the name Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awatu Wal J…

Guinea's new Prime Minister Mohamed Said Fofana has vowed to work for peace and national unity. It was reportedly his first public comments since his appointment by President Alpha Conde. Fofana said he was aware of the delicate nature of his task as Prime Minister in the West African Country, reports MISNA. - He urged all Guineans residing in the country and in the Diaspora, to lend a hand in supporting the President in his work of building a model nation. Fofana is an economist and a former chairman of the Guinean Trade chamber. His appointment as Guinea's Prime Minister came after the swearing- in of Alpha Conde as the first democratically elected President of Guinea after de…

The US President, Barrack Obama held a telephone conversation with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria over the crisis in Ivory Coast, commending the role played by Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] in resolving the Ivorian crisis. - "The President congratulated President Jonathan for Nigeria’s resolute leadership in standing squarely behind the people of Cote d’Ivoire and insisting that the internationally-recognized results of the November 28 election be respected," a white house statement on the telephone conversation said. "The President expressed admiration for the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States …

Thousands of youths gathered at the expo hall in Lagos to witness the public presentation of the book titled: 'My Friends and I: Conversation on polls and governance via social networking site, Facebook' written by Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan. - The book chronicles the interactions between President Jonathan and Facebook friends on the social networking site. Jonathan said the book was aimed at encouraging a reading culture among youths and promoting good governance and accountability at all levels of government. Key public speakers, many of them youths, made statements at the book launch. One of them was the son of late Nigerian author and environmental activist, Ken…

The successful elections that put Guinea on the path of democratic rule has been described as an example that other West African countries facing political instability can emulate. Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa, Said Djinnit was full of praise for the country in spite of initial challenges that saw the death of several people. - “As the dust settles on a most demanding electoral process in Guinea and a new legitimate president is about to assume office, it is appropriate to commend the Guinean people and leaders for this historic achievement,” Said Djinnit told the UN Security Council while presenting a report on peace and stability in the reg…

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has urged Cote d'Ivoire's Laurent Gbagbo to surrender his presidential post quickly to avoid international sanctions. Sarkozy told a news conference in Brussels at the end of a European Union summit that if Gbagbo refuses to leave office by the end of the week, then sanctions would be imposed. - "The fate of Laurent Gbagbo and his wife lies in their own hands," BBC quoted Mr Sarkozy as saying on Friday. "If, by the end of the week, they have not left the office they hold... in violation of the will of the Ivorian people, they will feature by name on the [EU] sanctions list." Sarkozi said Gbagbo must quit and pave for the inter…

Nigeria's Information Minister Dora Akunyili resigned from the cabinet, quitting the ruling People's Democratic Party [PDP] to run for the Senate in election due next year. Akunyili is to run on the ticket of an opposition party All Progressives Grand Alliance [APGA]. The party controls her home state of Anambra, South Eastern Nigeria. - "I am resigning the cabinet with effect from tomorrow," Reuters quoted Akunyili as telling newsmen after a cabinet meeting in Abuja. "I have decided to join [Anambra state governor] Peter Obi, who is doing a great job in continuing to build Anambra state, as an APGA senator. I intend to pick up the nomination form today," she sa…

The continental political bloc African Union has lifted sanctions imposed on Guinea after a coup d'etat two years ago. The move follows the election of a new civilian president in the West African country some few weeks back. - "We have duly acknowledged that there was a return to constitutional order in Guinea," Reuters quoted AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra as saying to reporters."Therefore sanctions are lifted." Veteran opposition leader Alpha Conde was finally confirmed as president-elect of the world's top exporter of aluminium ore bauxite last week after disputed elections that triggered violence. Conde has said he plans to set up …

A cargo plane containing several units of the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines meant to ensure smooth conduct of elections due next year in Nigeria was burgled on Monday night. Unknown persons found their way into the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos and carted away an undisclosed number of the equipment. - The cargo plane was said to have arrived at the airport on Monday at around 7.00 p.m. local time and awaited clearing formalities at the tarmac in the airport, According to Nigerian Tribune. The Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] has informed the presidency about the development, with an investigation launched to untie the mystery behind the theft. An …

Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] filed charges against former Vice President of the United States, Richard "Dick" Cheney, and eight others, for complicity in the 'bribe for contract' arrangement in connection with the country's Bonny Liquefied Natural Gas Project. - According to Thisday, others charged with Cheney are Halliburton Inc., Halliburton Nigeria Limited, Kellog, Brown and Root and Root Inc., Albert "Jack" Stanley, Willaim Utt, David Lesar, TSKJ Nigeria Limited and TSKJ Consortium. The suspects were accused of giving $132 million to one Jeffrey Tessler, Wojcieh J Chodan and Tri-Star Investment Limited to bribe publi…

Guinea's Supreme Court confirmed early Friday the election victory of long time opposition leader Alpha Conde. Mr Conde had won 52.52 percent of votes as against rival Cellou Dalein Diallo's 47.48 percent in the last election run-off. - "The candidate of the RPG (Rally of the Guinean People), professor Alpha Conde, is elected president of the Republic," AFP quoted Magistrate Mamadou Sylla as saying in an announcement to newsmen. Civil organisations had earlier called on Guineans to accept the court's decision to avoid political violence that had left several persons dead and many others wounded, urging political leaders to act in a calm manner and ensure security…

Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) in Nigeria's southern region said it attacked and destroyed an oil pipeline supplying crude oil to a refinery in Warri, Delta state, one of the country's oil producing state. "On Sunday ... fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta attacked and destroyed the Obidi-Refinery trunk line," - "This attack and similar attacks on pipelines which will take place within the next few days is a reminder to the Nigerian government of the futility of wasting the nation's resources in combating militancy without addressing the underlying causes of agitation in the Niger Delta," AFP quoted the grou…

Media workers under the Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ and the Radio , Television and Theatre Workers Union, RATTAWU on Monday began a three day warning strike aimed at forcing the federal government to implement a new media salary structure for media workers under its employ. - The strike started a day after striking doctors in Lagos state called off their four months industrial action over pay and condition of service. AfricaNews' correspondent in Lagaos, Nigeria, had an exclusive interview with the head of the News Agency of Nigeria Chapter of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr. Dele Akinsola who spoke on the strike action and the main issues surrounding it. AfricaNews: Sir, ca…

The Nigerian army said it arrested over 50 militants suspected of involvement in the recent series of kidnappings of oil workers, including foreigners in the country's oil rich Niger Delta region. According to the military, a gang of militants were rounded up in an operation that lasted eight hours in Rivers State. - "The gang leader and over 50 of his members," were rounded up after special military forces raided a camp in oil-rich Rivers state in southern Nigeria, AFP quoted spokesman for the special taskforce Timothy Antigha as saying on Saturday. "They were the group that abducted the Exxon Mobil workers and the Afren group workers and were responsible for other pr…

Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA on Friday reportedly seized 130 kilogrammes of heroin that worth $9.9 million, hidden in auto parts shipped from Iran. The West African country had recently reported Tehran to the U.N. over an illegal arms seizure. - According to NDLEA, the latest Iranian shipment at the Apapa seaport in Lagos was based on strong intelligence received from foreign collaborators about four months ago. NDLEA spokesman Mitchell Ofoyeju told Reuters that the agency had closely monitored the consignment and some key players behind its shipment before it arrived in Lagos. "The NDLEA ... decided to get a welder to cut open the engine parts and be…

Nigeria's military launched a land, air and sea operation on Wednesday in the Niger Delta oil region resulting in the rescue of 19 hostages including foreigners being held by militants. According to security sources involved in the operation those freed included American, two Frenchmen, two Indonesians and a Canadian. - Others included eight Nigerians abducted from an Exxon Mobil platform and four others. "It was a land, air and marine assault. They have all been freed, all 19 of them," one of the security sources told Reuters. The release of the 19 hostages was said to have been aided by a strong co-operation between the former militant leadership and the security force…

The electoral commission in Guinea said long-time opposition leader Alpha Conde has won the country's presidential run-off election aimed at bringing democracy to the West African country. Electoral Commission president Siaka Toumany Sangare said Conde won 52.5 percent of the vote, while his challenger, former Prime Minister Cellou Diallo got 47.5 percent. - The BBC reports that the percentages represent 1.47 million votes for Conde against 1.3 million votes for Diallo. The provisional results were announced after supporters of the other candidate Cellou Diallo clashed on Monday with riot police amid claim by Conde that he won the run-off. An RFI report said the clash resulted in the…

There is still no clear winner, almost a week after Guineans voted in the West African country's presidential run-off election, between former prime minister Cello Diallo and long time opposition leader Alpa Conde, last Sunday. - Published results from a little over half of the votes cast reportedly showed Diallo had 51.8 percent compared Conde's 48.2 percent. Diallo's lead is said to have narrowed as new results came in, indicating a tightening presidential race in in the world's largest producer of the aluminum ore bauxite. Final results delayed Final election results were due to be released on Friday, but would now be expected in the coming days due to logisti…

Labour unions suspended their three-day warning strike aimed at forcing the government to enact into law and implement a national minimum wage of 18,000 naira (about $120). The strike was called off Wednesday after an emergency meeting between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria. - They agreed to suspend the strike for three weeks on the understanding that President Goodluck Jonathan would place the Minimum Wage Bill before the National Assembly for speedy legislative process after the National Council of State meets on it November 25. ''The two labour centres will reconvene again in the first week of December to take further action sh…

Labour unions under the umbrella of Nigeria Labour Congress have began a three-day strike aimed at forcing the government to implement a new national minimum wage of 18,000 naira in Africa's most populous country. Streets were deserted and universities idle as the strike commenced on Wednesday. - “Lecture halls are locked,” a student of the University of Lagos, South West Nigeria told AfricaNews. President Goodluck Jonathan had convened an emergency meeting with Labour representatives to avert the three-day industrial action but the two parties reportedly failed to reach any agreement to stop the strike. Acting President of the NLC and Chairman of the Strike Committee …

Guinea's national election body CENI said the results of the West African country's presidential runoff election held on Sunday could take five days to emerge as against three days required by law. This means results due for Wednesday may now wait till Friday. - "It will be up to five days," Reuters quoted a senior official for the national election commission Foumba Kourouma as saying. He said the delays in transporting ballots from rural polling stations over bad roads remained a challenge in collating election results. Speed up measures Kourouma said the deployment of a U.N. helicopter would help speed the collection of voting papers. According to Reuters, a…

The people of the West African state of Guinea are going to the polls for a presidential run-off election. It had been hailed as the country's first democratic election since independence from France in 1958. The candidates - former Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo and the opposition leader, Alpha Conde - come from Guinea's two largest ethnic groups. - Their supporters have clashed many times since the first round in June, and the run-off had been delayed twice. Guinea has been led since January by the interim government of Gen Sekouba Konate, who took over from the leaders of a 2008 coup. The military seized power after the death of the autocratic President, Lansana Conte…

Voters in the West African country of Niger on Sunday voted in a referendum on a new constitution as part of efforts to restore democracy after a February coup d'etat against former president Mamadou Tandja. The new constitution seeks to impose presidential term limits and pardon members of a military junta that seized power earlier this year. - It also commits them to handing over power on 6th of April next year. Junta leader Salou Djibo, who called on Nigeriens to come out in force and vote in favour of the new constitution, was reportedly the first to vote. As part of the transition to democracy, the coup leaders would not be participating in a presidential election scheduled…

Liberia moves to boost telecom services as a telecom company based in Kuwait, Hits Africa Incorporated, acquired majority shares in the Atlantic Wireless Liberia and Libercell. The move is reportedly part of a deal to extend and improve the telecommunication services throughout the West African country. - According to Analyst, Hits Africa Chief Executive Officer Par Ericksson signed on behalf of his company, while Mr. Azzam Shaty signed for the Atlantic Wireless Liberia, ending several months of discussions. The Liberian news medium reports that under the deal, Hits Africa is expected to infuse capital to implement one of the biggest telecommunication programme that would provide a nation…

The Nigerian government would trace the source of the containers carrying assorted weapons which the State Security Service [SSS] intercepted earlier in the week. National Security Adviser, General Andrew Owoye Azazi made the vow as security operatives intensified their search for more arms and ammunition at the ports. - “At this point, the only thing is to find out about this containers and the ship. Our concern now is to get to the root of the matter, to know who is involved. At present, it will not be necessary to jump into conclusion, we will find out where they are going, and where the ship is coming from, we are investigating,” the Guardian quoted Azazi as saying during an …

The West African country of Guinea is to hold its much delayed presidential poll run-off on November 7, a presidential decree read on state TV said. The country's National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) had proposed this Sunday, October 31, as the election date, but was awaiting a presidential approval. - The Director of the president's press office on national TV Mohamed Kasse announced the new date on Wednesday night, according to a CNN report. Head of CENI, retired Malian general Siaka Toumani Sangare, said the November 7 election date ''is a consensual date that will hold permanently." The two presidential candidates are reportedly in support of the d…

Nigeria's State Security Service [SSS] said it intercepted a container carrying rocket launchers, grenades and other explosives in the main port of the country's commercial capital of Lagos. The interception comes weeks after deadly car bomb attacks in the capital Abuja. - As part of tightened security measures introduced after the Independence Day blasts on October 1, the SSS intercepted 13 containers in the Apapa Wharf in Lagos. "On opening the first container, the service operatives discovered rocket launchers, grenades and other explosives," SSS spokeswoman Marilyn Ogar was quoted by Reuters as saying. According to Reuters, she said the paperwork said the shipme…

The Economic Community of West African States - ECOWAS - is committed to a peaceful resolution of the electoral issues in Guinea and the subsequent enthronement of democracy, communications director for the sub regional body Sonny Ugoh said. Postponement of the Sunday polls spark violence in the country. - The communications director was speaking after renewed violence greeted the postponement of the presidential run-off election earlier scheduled for last Sunday with Diallo and Conde as the two contestants in the west African country. “We have engaged with the people of Guinea, we have engaged with the stakeholders and we will continue to engage with them because we know that it is…

Guinea announced the postponement of the presidential run-off due for Sunday following concerns about the readiness of the West African country to pull through a hitch free election. "The October 24 date is not possible," the election commission head, General Siaka Sangare said. - The Malian, who was recently made head of the commission, said a new date would be fixed after the electoral body was sure the country is prepared for the poll. The latest vote delay came following a meeting between the head of Guinea's electoral commission and the two runners who are Cellou Diallo and long-time opposition leader Alpha Conde. According to the VOA, Diallo said he discussed with …

Two members of FIFA's Executive Committee, Nigeria's Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii from Tahiti were provisionally suspended from taking part in any football-related activity after FIFA Ethics Committee examined their cases in relation to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. - It has been alleged that they offered to sell their votes when Sunday Times reporters approached them posing as lobbyists for an American consortium. A FIFA statement said the decision to suspend the two, taken after a Wednesday meeting of the Ethics Committee, under the chairmanship of Claudio Sulser, was with immediate effect. "After hearing Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, t…

Nearly 400 people died in flooding in central and West Africa, with nearly 1.5 million people affected since the start of the rainy season in June, the United Nations said. It said last year floods killed almost 200 people in West Africa and affected over 800,000 others. - "2010 has seen the largest number of people affected and dying from flooding", the AFP quotes UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA as saying in a statement. Deaths resulting from flood were reportedly highest in Nigeria with 118, followed by Ghana (52), Sudan (50), Benin (43), Chad (24), Mauritania (21), Burkina Faso (16), Cameroon (13), Gambia (12), with other countries reporting less t…

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and former military ruler Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida joined teeming Nigerians to congratulate Uti Nwachukwu, winner of the 2010 edition of Big Brother Africa All Stars held in South Africa. The president said the youth can emulate his character. - “I heartily congratulate Mr. Nwachukwu who has shown to the world once again that the average Nigerian is warm, charming and a delight to be with,” Jonathan wrote on his fan page on facebook after expressing his delight at the news of Uti’s triumph. President Jonathan encouraged Nigerian youths to emulate the virtues of good character, self confidence and patriotism which Uti displayed while…

A rebel leader in the West African country of Ivory Coast said Identity Cards being issued to voters ahead of an October 31 election have ended all the disputes which had divided the country into two. The leader of the New Forces rebels declared that the dark ages are gone. - "With these identity cards, the crisis of identity and ethnic tensions linked to it are definitively resolved,” deputy political leader of the New Forces rebels and tourism minister in the power-sharing government, said Sidike Konate told Reuters and added "This war is finished." A 2002-2003 rebellion against President Laurent Gbagbo had divided the cocoa rich country grower into a government-con…

The Law Society of Great Britain has nominated a Gambian-born lawyer Ms Anna Gardner (nee Grey-Johnson) for the prestigious award of "Solicitor of the Year 2010." Ms Gardner is the daughter of the former Gambian Foreign Affairs minister, Crispin Grey Johnson. - "I am deeply honoured to be shortlisted for this prestigious award," Daily Observer quoted her as saying ahead of the awards billed for October 21st at Old Billingsgate in London. BBC Broadcaster Mishal Husain will present the awards at the prestigious black tie dinner and presentation ceremony. The awards are designed to recognize best practice across the legal profession and to celebrate excellence and outstan…

Tosin Oke posted a jump of 17.16 metres in the men's triple jump to win gold for Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in India after 44 years without a gold medal in that event. Samuel Igun had won gold in the same event in 1966 in Kingston, Jamaica. - The 30-year-old narrowly beat Lucien Hugo Mamba-Schlick of Cameroun, who posted a national record of 17.14 metres for silver and India's Renjith Maheswary who got bronze with 17.07 metres. "It feels great. I am not surprised but it was closer than I thought. It is good to perform on the world stage. This is great for me. It is my first International title," Nigerian Tribune quoted an excited Oke as saying on Tuesday. In …

UK banks have contributed in aiding corruption in West Africa's most populous country Nigeria through banking assistance for corrupt Nigerian politicians, alleged the Global Witness watchdog. The organization said the trend puts the banks in a difficult situation to check on financial fraud. - It said the cases of Joshua Darye who was governor of the central Nigerian state Platau State between 1999 and 2006 and Depriye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa (governor between 1999 and 2005) demonstrate the vulnerability of the UK’s financial system to dirty money. "With alarming ease the two men opened numerous bank accounts, brought millions of suspect pounds into the country and lived li…

Members of Guinea's election commission are divided over the continued stay of Lonceni Camara as head of the commission. Almost half the members of the election commission of the West African country want its head to be sacked, a situation that could affect the presidential run-off due for October 24. - Already twelve of the 22 commission members have signed a petition accusing Mr. Camara of causing disagreements between the two presidential candidates, According to the BBC. One presidential candidate had last week, taken Mr Camara to court, accusing him of fraud. The election commission chief denies the charges. Amid seeming rising tension, military leader General Sekouba Konate …

A former Chief Executive Officer of a Nigerian bank madam Cecilia Ibru has been sentenced to six months in prison for fraud and ordered to hand over $1.2 billion in cash and assets. The forfeited assets numbering 199 are to be managed by the Assets Management Corporation of the West African populous nation. - The former CEO of Oceanic Bank, who was among a number of bank heads relieved of their positions by Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor in 2009, got the jail term after she pleaded guilty to three of 25 counts of fraud and mismanagement. The three count charges that the former bank chief pleaded guilty to reads: "That you, Cecillia Ibru whilst being the Managing Director/C…

The Africa Union leader has appointed former Ghanaian dictator and later turned democrat Jerry John Rawlings as the organization's special representative to the troubled horn of Africa nation of Somalia where AU troops are helping to improve security. - The AU chief Jean Ping reportedly appointed Rawlings after African leaders had asked him to appoint a "high-level personality" who could help in resolving the conflict in the country whose central government continues to battle rebels who want to overthrow it. As an envoy to Somalia, Rawlings would be "mobilizing the continent and the rest of the international community to fully assume its responsibilities and contribut…

Senegal is to receive over 100 students from Haiti, months after a deadly earth quake left over 200, 000 people dead in the Caribbean country in January. The move would allow the Haitians continue their studies in the universities of the West African country. - According to the BBC, officials in the Senegalese capital, Dakar say a chartered flight will leave Senegal on Sunday and return with 160 students next week. The Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade had earlier this year promised to accommodate Haitians affected by the devastating quake. On Friday, a spokesman for Senegal's Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Mamadou Seye, said the chartered flight would bring the Haitian stude…

The Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan described as unfortunate the political dimension which the Abuja twin bomb blasts that claimed around 12 lives has assumed. His comments came as politicians from the northern part of the country called on him to resign following the incident that left scores injured. - ''It is unfortunate that an unprecedented national tragedy of this nature has been politicised by people whose only interest is what they can get from the country and not what the country can get from them." President Goodluck Jonathan wrote on his facebook fan page. ''They specialize in playing one part of the country against the other and riding on sectiona…

Guinea has set a new date for its long-awaited presidential runoff. The new date, October 24th, came after the country's electoral commission raised concerns over technical issues surrounding production and supply of voters' cards, casting doubts over an earlier scheduled date of October 10. - "After a proposal from the CENI [National Independent Electoral Commission], the president of the republic decrees that voters are called to convene on Sunday, October 24 for the second round of the presidential election. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.," the director of the government press office, Mohamed Kasse read last night on State TV. The second-round presiden…

The Nigerian Police have named two men it said were behind the twin car bombings that killed 12 people and left scores of others injured in Abuja during the Independence Day celebration. "Police detectives are currently hunting for another two Nigerian citizens suspected to be the masterminds of the evil plot. - Their names are 1. Chima Orlu (male) 2. Ben Jessy (male),” says a statement by the Police. The statement had added that “An arrest has been made by the police in connection with the incident.” PM NEWS Nigeria confirmed Police provided the photographs and other details of the suspects but added no other information was provided on how the bombing plan was…

The Leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Henry Okar is to appear before a South African court after he was arrested Saturday, a day after twin car bombings in Nigeria's capital Abuja left12 people dead. - "He is due to appear in court tomorrow. He has not been charged yet," Okah's lawyer Piet du Plessis told AFP on Sunday. The lawyer added "he (Okah) was arrested on the allegation of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act.” Meanwhile, Nigerian security operatives have reportedly arrested some persons suspected to have taking part in the Friday blasts as the Nigeria…

Nigeria's Falconets bowed to the fire-power of their German counterparts who became the first host nation to lift the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. An 8th minute goal from Germany's Alexandra Popp and a 91st minute own goal gave the host a 2-0 win over the West Africans. - Popp who scored her 10th goal in the hard-fought encounter took home the Adidas Golden Shoe for top markswoman at Germany 2010 while also becoming joint top scorer in all five editions. The German win makes it the second time they are lifting this crown after being champions in Thailand in 2004. Nigeria on the other hand made history as the first African team to appear in the final of any FIFA Women…

Nigeria made another history on Thursday after defeating hard-fighting Colombians in Germany to become the first African team to reach the final of the U-20 FIFA Women World Cup. They had earlier recorded a win over defending champions USA on Sunday after a penalty shoot-out. - An early strike from Nigeria's Falconets came almost 2 minutes into the first half when Ebere Orji easily netted a goal from a rebound that had hit the crossbar. The Colombians were desperate to level up, piling pressure on the Falconets who endured with strength and later used counter offensives to unsettle the South Americans. It was tit for tat in the second half which produced no goals, ending the game th…

Four local journalists and their driver have been released unharmed by gunmen in Nigeria's southeastern oil region on Sunday. They have been in captivity for close to a week. Wahab Oba, one of the rescued Journalists, told newsmen that for seven days, they never stayed in a place for four hours. - The kidnappers ambushed a convoy of cars carrying the journalists in the southern state of Akwa Ibom last Monday as it approached Aba, in neighbouring Abia state. "Due to the pressure from various quarters, the kidnappers had to release us this morning," Oba also the chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, told reporters shortly after being freed.…

A submarine cable linking West Africa to Europe which recently went live has been hailed as huge plus to the information and communication technology industries in Africa. The 7,000 km long fibre optic Main One Cable runs from Portugal to Nigeria and Ghana, and also branches out to Morocco, the Canary Islands, Senegal and Ivory Coast. - The wholly African and first privately owned submarine network cable in West Africa Main One Cable Company had said “the cable will deliver unprecedented broadband capacity to West Africa, more than ten times what is currently available (South Atlantic Terminal, SAT-3).” Editor of Nigeria Communications week, Ken Nwogbo said “with the la…

Nigeria crashed out of the World Cup campaign in South Africa after their 2-2 draw with South Korea on Tuesday in a match that saw Super Eagles scoring first and wasting many scoring chances. With just one point from three matches, the Super Eagles failed to advance to the next round of sixteen. - It is the second time in four appearances the team is crashing out from the group stage of the World Cup after recording the same dismal feat in Korea/Japan 2002. ''We have a lot to learn because if you look at other teams they came with young players. I think the problem with us is that we have quite a lot of old players. Can you imagine bringing somebody like Kanu, Aiyegbeni and othe…

Nigeria would be hoping to join Argentina as Group B qualifiers after losing two straight matches at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Super Eagles had lost its opening game with a 1-0 loss to tournament's favourites Argentina, followed by a shocking 2-1 defeat by Greece in the second game that saw Sani Kaita sent off for an unsporting conduct. - With two consecutive defeats, the Eagles are in a tight position."It will only take a miracle for the Super Eagles to qualify for the second round, but that is not to say all hope is lost yet" said head, Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, Taiwo Ogunjobi. Taiwo told Nigeria's Tribunesports "you d…

At 4:00pm local time in Manguang, Bloemfontein, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will seek to establish their supremacy against the Greek national team to avoid an early exit in the first FIFA World Cup on African soil. Greece would be seeking a revenge of USA 1994 when they lost to the West Africans. - Greece are gracing the World Cup stage for only the second time in their history after appearing at the 1994 edition in USA but a humiliating 3-0 loss to Nigeria’s Super Eagles in the group stages stifle their dream. With four World Cup appearances, first in USA 94, France 98, Korea/Japan 2002 and now the 2010 World Cup South Africa, Nigeria has an edge over its counterparts in terms of h…