THE CRIES OF THE MARGINALISED: A CASE OF THE PROSPECTIVE 2017 NDDC FOREIGN POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES

THE CRIES OF THE MARGINALISED: A CASE OF THE PROSPECTIVE 2017 NDDC FOREIGN POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEES

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in May, 2017 advertised on its website the 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship and called for application from suitably qualified candidates in the 9 (nine) NDDC states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers, who gained admissions to pursue MSc. and PhD degrees overseas in diverse professional fields that could contribute to rapid development of the oil producing region and curb youth restiveness. The commission invited shortlisted candidates for the Computer Based Test (CBT) in July, 2017 at the Rivers State University, Nkpolu, Portharcourt, Nigeria. Barely a week after the conclusion of the CBT, candidates who met the commission’s prescribed cut-off mark were invited for an oral interview at the Golden Tulip Hotel, GRA, Portharcout, Nigeria. The candidates were requested to bring along both originals and photocopies of credentials and other specified documents. Successful candidates in the exercise were expected to resume full academic work by September, 2017 in different institutions across the globe. While prospective scholars were waiting for the release of the list of successful awardees, to their utmost surprise, the management of the Commission announced the suspension of the exercise citing non-payment of previous scholars as the reason behind their action. Prospective scholars in the 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship accepted the development until January, 2018 when it was gathered that the payments have been made to the scholars.

Candidates who participated in the oral interview were supposed to be paid transport stipend of N10, 000.00 (Ten Thousand Naira) only (about USD 27.80) on the day of the interview. However, they were asked to provide their account details for the payments to be made after the approval of the NDDC budget of 2017 as alleged by the Commission. Several months elapsed; nothing was heard from the Commission, until on March 19, 2018, messages were sent out through emails with a link requesting for bank information for payment of the transport stipend. The details were supplied by the affected candidates. It was on May 4, 2018 that candidates received the sum of N 8, 450.00 (Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifty Naira) only (about USD 23.49) from Marg Education International Limited, Portharcout, Nigeria as against the earlier N10, 000.00 agreed by NDDC. Many were confused and had even wanted to formally report to their various banks that the transactions were made in error until it was confirmed that the deposits were made by Marg Education International Limited on behalf of NDDC after tax deductions as alleged.

The MD/CEO of NDDC in the person of Mr. Nsima U. Ekere had earlier promised as published in the NDDC website that every issues relating to the NDDC scholarship scheme will be concluded by May, 2018 in order to enable scholars resume studies fully by September, 2018. May has come and gone, the story remained unchanged. This has amounted to about 12 (twelve) months the Commission started the process of 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship. There are so many speculations and rumours surrounding the credibility of the purported exercise, considering the fact that other Federal Government of Nigeria agencies and commissions that organise similar scholarship programme concluded their 2017 scholarship programmes and successful candidates left the shores of Nigeria to study in various institutions abroad. Some of the scholarship awarding agencies are almost concluding their 2018 scholarship scheme; yet, NDDC has not released the list of successful candidates in their 2017 scholarship scheme let alone mobilising them for onward movement overseas even though the 2017 budget was approved long ago and the 2018 budget passed by the legislative chambers waiting for the presidential assent. Previous scholars have been complaining of gross negligence by the commission and some are almost at the verge of being sent back due to irregular payment of tuition fees and living expenses by the Commission.

2017 candidates of NDDC foreign postgraduate scholarship scheme are requesting that; 1) The commission under the control of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba as chairman and Mr Nsima U. Ekere as MD/CEO should release the long awaited 2017 list of successful candidates for the award of the foreign postgraduate scholarship.

2) Investigation be carried out on the credibility or otherwise of the list of candidates captured in the 2017 scholarship scheme. This has become necessary due to the very long delay in the conclusion of an exercise that was started 12 (twelve) months ago. It is alleged that the Commission has sent some “scholars” abroad through the “back door”. This should be verified once the list is released. This could be done by confirming from the institutions where all the scholars whose names appeared on the list as to when he/she resumed studies, when was the tuition fees paid and who made the initial and subsequent payments of the fees.

3) The Commission should ensure that all the benefits due to the qualified beneficiaries of the 2017 NDDC Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship and those of previous scholars be paid and on time hence forth.

Senator Melaye speaks on arrest, alleged escape from police van

Senator Dino Melaye has reacted to his arrest by the police - Melaye was reported to have jumped off police van on Tuesday, April 24 when he was being taken to Kogi state 
The senator's media aide, Gideon Ayodele, said Melaye did not deserve to be forcibly taken to Kogi state to stand trial in a slew of criminal indictments

The senator representing Kogi state west at the Senate, Dino Melaye, has explained the events leading to his reported escape from a moving police vehicle that landed him in a hospital in Abuja on Tuesday, April 24.

Premium Times reports that in a statement signed by Melaye's media aide, Gideon Ayodele, on Wednesday, April 25, said the senator voluntarily submitted himself to the police and, therefore, did not deserve to be forcibly taken to Kogi state to stand trial in a slew of criminal indictments that include murder and armed robbery.

Ayodele said: “Earlier in the morning, Senator Dino Melaye as a law-abiding citizen voluntarily submitted himself to the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who had laid siege to his private residence since around 3.35pm of Monday, April 23. “He, along with his lawyers and personal aides, was driven in his private car to the SARS office in Guzape district of Abuja, sandwiched among the numerous police vehicles earlier deployed to his house." "But shortly after Melaye entered the police custody in Abuja, officers dragged him in a vehicle and headed towards Lokoja, the Kogi state capital which also falls under his Kogi west senatorial district. "Melaye feared that his life would be in danger if taken to Lokoja, amongst other alleged sinister motives of both the police and the state government there. "The senator also refused to go to Lokoja because he had previously secured a court relief for the case to be moved to Abuja. “The public will vividly recall that this same case involving Senator Dino Melaye had already been transferred to Abuja by the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court after Senator Melaye expressed worry about his safety in Lokoja. "Now, the question is why will they want to forcefully take him to Lokoja?

The Senator believes they are doing the Kogi Governor’s bidding in order to assassinate him.” The aide said the police have never written to Melaye contrary to their claims in the media. “For the avoidance of doubt, he had never evaded police invitation before now because there was none extended to him in the first place. Rather, what the Police FPRO, Jimoh Moshood, had been doing was to summon the Senator through media briefings, a practice which is unconventional,” he said. While it wasn’t clear whether or not the police wrote to Melaye as a person, Premium Times reported last month that the police wrote to Senate President Bukola Saraki requesting for permission to grill Melaye over the criminal cases allegedly linked to him.

The police had explained that they wrote to Saraki and the Clerk of the National Assembly for permission to interrogate Melaye after some arrested criminal suspects named the senator their financier and armed supplier. The police accused Melaye of frustrating all attempts to get him in for interrogation, although the senator denied this and all other criminal allegations against him. After some of the suspects escaped from police custody, the police launched a nationwide manhunt and added Melaye amongst the suspects who were at large.

The police also said Melaye and other suspects had been placed on the Interpol red alert, but Interpol later distanced itself from the claim and said Melaye would not be placed on its watch list because of the political undertone of his case. Ayodele said family members and political associates of the senator are traumatised by his ordeal. He also said his principal did not jump out of a moving police vehicle as reported in the media based on witnesses’ accounts. But he failed to say how Melaye managed to escape from the police vehicle before he started writhing on the ground as captured in viral videos.

The police’s account was that Melaye escaped through the window of their vehicle, but this was readily disputed considering that the senator is over six-feet tall and by every account quite a large individual. Melaye had been at the hospital since Tuesday, April 24, although the police said they have re-arrested and planned to take him to Lokoja to stand trial. Ayodele said the scene created on Tuesday was “a last resort by Senator Dino Melaye in order foil attempt to kidnap him and kill him by agents of Kogi state governor in connivance with the police.”

Although Kogi state Governor Yahaya Bello and Melaye have been in bitter political rivalry in the state, the governor strongly denied involvement in the criminal allegations the police slammed on the senator.

SECRET REVEALED: How to Last Longer in bed

How To Make Sex Last

When it comes to sex, men and women are wired quite differently. While the man is happy to be Usain Bolt, the women prefer it if they were more akin to Lance Armstrong. Either ways, the duration bit is definitely one of the most difficult sync ups there are. Is there an in-between, a proverbial road less travelled, which will somehow prolong your time in the sack with your partner? There are several ways in which this can be done, their results may vary from person to person, and may be you might need to find one or a combination of a few ways to see what suits you best. 

Woman on Top: While this hasn’t been scientifically proven, the woman on top position is said (according to many men’s and women’s health websites) to prolong intercourse. Also, this position helps the woman control the depth and tempo of the act, and is quite the power trip (if that’s is your kind of thing).

Long, relaxed foreplay: Adopt what some love gurus call the gradual build-up technique. That’s just fancy talk for ‘don’t-rip-his/her-clothes-off-instead-indulge-in some-heavy-petting’. Indulge your more devious side with some roleplay, get a little more experimentative with erotic painting, or try something that will turn him on like a massageor something a bit more daring.

Administer the delay gel: If you’re tired of your man just rolling over after he’s had his fill (so to speak), you might want to take matters into your own hands (figuratively speaking). Talk about using a delay gel, a product whose active ingredient is benzocaine, which desensitises the member in question and makes him go longer. That being said this isn’t a cure for the problem, but more of a short term quick fix. 

Aphrodisiacal allure: Aphrodisiacs like champagne, oysters and strawberries maybe placebos at best, but they sure set the mood for a long, luxuriant evening or session in the sack.

Massage and candles: Who wouldn’t want to be pampered by a naughty masseuse, especially if the massageculminates in something a whole lot steamier. Set the ambience with aromatherapy candles and oils and volunteer to massage him (read erotically, into a state of sheer bliss.) 

Remember that sexual satisfaction is a two way street and helping each other achieve fulfillment is the way to go to prolong every lovemaking session.

*Data Courtesy: Samir Saraiya, CEO, that's personal

How to Last Longer in bed

How To Make Sex Last

When it comes to sex, men and women are wired quite differently. While the man is happy to be Usain Bolt, the women prefer it if they were more akin to Lance Armstrong. Either ways, the duration bit is definitely one of the most difficult sync ups there are. Is there an in-between, a proverbial road less travelled, which will somehow prolong your time in the sack with your partner? There are several ways in which this can be done, their results may vary from person to person, and may be you might need to find one or a combination of a few ways to see what suits you best.

Woman on Top: While this hasn’t been scientifically proven, the woman on top position is said (according to many men’s and women’s health websites) to prolong intercourse. Also, this position helps the woman control the depth and tempo of the act, and is quite the power trip (if that’s is your kind of thing).

Long, relaxed foreplay: Adopt what some love gurus call the gradual build-up technique. That’s just fancy talk for ‘don’t-rip-his/her-clothes-off-instead-indulge-in some-heavy-petting’. Indulge your more devious side with some roleplay, get a little more experimentative with erotic painting, or try something that will turn him on like a massage or something a bit more daring.

Administer the delay gel: If you’re tired of your man just rolling over after he’s had his fill (so to speak), you might want to take matters into your own hands (figuratively speaking). Talk about using a delay gel, a product whose active ingredient is benzocaine, which desensitises the member in question and makes him go longer. That being said this isn’t a cure for the problem, but more of a short term quick fix. 

Aphrodisiacal allure: Aphrodisiacs like champagne, oysters and strawberries maybe placebos at best, but they sure set the mood for a long, luxuriant evening or session in the sack.

Massage and candles: Who wouldn’t want to be pampered by a naughty masseuse, especially if the massage culminates in something a whole lot steamier. Set the ambience with aromatherapy candles and oils and volunteer to massage him (read erotically, into a state of sheer bliss.) 

Remember that sexual satisfaction is a two way street and helping each other achieve fulfillment is the way to go to prolong every lovemaking session.

*Data Courtesy: Samir Saraiya, CEO, that's personal - India's first personal gifting website

*Image courtesy: © Thinkstock photos/ Getty Images

Breaking: Police declare Dino Melaye wanted, place him on Interpol watchlist

The police on Wednesday, March 28, declared Dino Melaye wanted. The lawmaker was declared wanted alongside Mohammed Audu, son of a former governor of Kogi state, Abubakar Audu.

Police said the duo have also been placed on Interpol watchlist for allegedly providing false information to the police in relation to an allegation of attempted murder on Melaye’s life sometime last year, Premium Times reports. The announcement, according to the news outlet, was made in a statement signed by Ali Janga, Kogi police commissioner and distributed by the force headquarters on Wednesday, March, 28.

The Nigerian police issued a message to Senator Dino Melaye asking him to appear before it and comply with the court case against him or risk being declared wanted. The police issued this statement on Saturday, March 25 and accused the senator of deliberately ignoring the request to appear before it in spite of the message sent to him. 

The police said that two suspects who were arrested in Kogi claimed the senator gave them firearms to create social unrest. Kogi West senatorial district to recall senator Dino Melaye from the Nigerian Senate.

APC crisis: Buhari sacrifices Oyegun, Nullifies tenure extension of NWC, others

President Muhammadu Buhari has sacrificed the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the search for new formula of rebuilding the ruling party and repositioning it for 2019 general elections.

Accordingly, President Buhari at the National Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday in Abuja nullified the elongation of the tenure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Working Committee (NWC) and other executives endorsed at the February 27, 2018, NEC meeting in Abuja chaired by President Buhari, declaring it illegal.

The President stated that after due consultation, it has become necessary to overturn the NEC resolution of February 27, 2018, which endorsed tenure elongation.

The President remarked that tenure elongation breaches the constitution of the APC and Nigeria’s constitution which prescribes that everyone seeking to occupy public office must present himself for election.

President Buhari also told APC members that they must avoid actions that will lead to litigations in court which could deepen the conflicts in the ruling party.

APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was absent at the meeting. Tinubu had also on Monday cautioned APC that elongation of the tenure of Oyegun, the NWC and other executive breaches the party’s constitution.

President Buhari may have aligned with the Tinubu argument in his decision.

Polls reordering: Senate re-introduces Electoral Act amendment bill

The Senate has begun a fresh move to amend the Electoral Act 2010. A new bill on the amendment is to be presented and passed for first reading today, Tuesday, March 27, according to the Order Paper for today’s plenary, Punch reports. The first version of the bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives, had been passed by the National Assembly but vetoed by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

The bill had sought to reorder the sequence of polls during a general election, which generated controversy over the allegation that it was targeted at Buhari in the 2019 elections.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General of the Federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Independent National Electoral Commission have given reasons why the court should not allow the NASS to tamper with the already released sequence for the forthcoming general elections.

The NASS, through its lead counsel, Joseph Daudu queried the jurisdiction of the court to stop it from securing two-third majority to override President Buhari’s refusal to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018, which altered the election sequence. The NASS equally challenged the locus-standi of the plaintiff to institute the action, noting that it failed to tender its Certificate of Registration to enable the court to confirm that it is a genuine political party.