EKITI GUBER POLL: JONATHAN TO PRESENT PDP’S FLAG TO FAYOSE

After it has suffered two postponements in the last two months, President Goodluck Jonathan will visit Ekiti State on Saturday to present the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag to its gubernatorial candidate in the June 21 governorship election, Mr. Ayo Fayose.
The president was to visit the state on April 26 but the visit was postponed due to lack of venue.

The party had accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of denying it the use of the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium to host the president.

Again, on May 22, the visit could not hold due to the incident of bomb blast that rocked Jos, which claimed several lives.

According to a statement issued by the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, President Jonathan would present the party’s flag to Fayose and flag off the campaign.
Oluwawole said the ceremony which is expected to begin at 10a.m., would hold at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti.

It stated further that the president would be accompanied by the Vice-President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo; PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu; Senate President, Senator David Mark; Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih; Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Jeleel Adesiyan; Minister State for the Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and other PDP big wigs.

ANAMBRA GUBER TRIBUNAL AFFIRMS OBIANO’S ELECTION

The Anambra State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday dismissed petition challenging the election of Governor Willie Obiano.

The tribunal dismissed the application of the factional candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), Dr. Chike Obidigbo, his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Dr. Chris Ngige and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election, Mr. Tony Nwoye, for lacking in merit.
In the first judgment read by the Justice Ishaq Bello-led tribunal on the matter between Obidigbo and Obiano, he stated that Obiano was validly nominated as the candidate of APGA, and that the election that brought him to office was conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act as amended.

Justice Bello held that Obidigbo’s petition was a pre-election matter, hence not meant for the tribunal but for a conventional court.

He had few weeks ago ruled out the petition in same lines.
The Justice lso dismissed the issue of multiple registration, saying no criminal charges were brought against Obiano before any Magistrate or High Court in the state.

The tribunal also struck out the petition brought before it by Ngige for lack of evidence.
Contrary to the claims of Ngige’s counsel that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) lacked the power to extend the date of election, the tribunal held that INEC had the power to do so.

It held that in the case of unforeseen circumstances, the important thing was that the election should be in consonance with the electoral guideline.

Already, Obidigbo confirmed to journalists yesterday that he was heading to Court of Appeal immediately to challenge the tribunal judgment.

Also, the Supreme Court would, this morning, determine an earlier appeal brought before it by Obidigbo against Obiano on the issue of who was the validly nominated candidate of the party APGA, an aspect that was earlier struck out by the tribunal.

CONVENTION: APC ZONES CHAIRMANSHIP POSITION TO SOUTH-SOUTH

Ahead of its national convention, the  All Progressives Congress (APC) convention committee has endorsed a proposal zoning the chairmanship slot to aspirants from the South-south zone.

The report of the convention sub-committee on zoning has also narrowed down the zoning of the national secretary position to either the North-east or the North-west as at Tuesday night.

THISDAY gathered that from a reliable source at the meeting of the national convention committee that members had come under considerable pressure from power brokers in the party seeking to influence the zoning structure.

Speaking on the decision to zone party chairman to South-south, the source said it was done for strategic reasons to break into the stronghold of President GoodLuck Jonathan.
“Choosing the South- south to produce the next APC national chairman is party of a political strategy to strengthen the party’s position in the region as prelude to other strategic moves to wear-down PDP’s influence in the area, he said.

Under the latest zoning structure contained in the committee’s report, the South-west is to produce  the Organising Secretary, having conceded the chairman’s office to the South-south while the North- central is expected to retain the office of the national publicity secretary.

BROADBAND IMPACT ON NATIONAL DEVT IS IMMENSE, SAYS NCC

The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Communications
Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah, has said broadband has impacted so much on national development in the areas of entertainment, agriculture, and commerce.

Juwah who disclosed this at a technology event in Lagos recently, said Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry has been ranked third in size only behind the Hollywood and India’s Bollywood, and that the growing size of Nollywood relies mainly on broadband capacity.

The largest consumer demands for bandwidth are coming from music, movies, videos, TV shows and radio content downloads. The demand to download such content within a short timeframe requires significant bandwidth.

With the availability of broadband access, another means for entertainment businesses to distribute their content and provide access to users becomes possible, he said.

"This greatly expands the reach for entertainment businesses and broadcasters to reach their target audiences anywhere in the world. The delivery of news contents by different media houses has also expanded greatly in the recent past.

This has been made possible with the expansion of internet services and the access can greatly be expedited with increased penetration of broadband access," he further said.

In the area of agriculture, Juwah said broadband access provided agriculture businesses the means to get relevant and timely information on weather updates, since the quality of crops and other tasks depend in large part on weather. The proper timing of planting activities in line with favourable weather conditions often promotes high yield.

GUINNESS NIGERIA PARTNERS HEALTH MINISTRY ON RESPONSIBLE DRINKING

In furtherance of its campaign to educate Nigerians on the benefits of responsible drinking, Guinness Nigeria Plc in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Health has taken its “Drink Responsibly” message to the CMS Motor Park, Lagos Island, Lagos.

The programme harped on the importance of responsible drinking and the need for regular medical checkups among commercial drivers to ensure optimal safety and wellbeing.

The event had in attendance representatives from the Lagos state Transport Authority (LASTMA) and the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation’s Directorate of Vehicles Inspection Services (MOT/DVIS) as well as Guinness Nigeria representatives.

Speaking on behalf of the Head, Sustainability and Responsibility, Mrs Nkiruka Ogboruche, Community Investment Manager, Guinness Nigeria Plc, noted that the objectives of the programme were in line with the company’s corporate philosophy.

She added that sensitising commercial vehicle drivers on wellness and road safety habits was a further affirmation of the company’s investments in the good of the society in which it operates.

“Guinness Nigeria is committed to responsible drinking and it is important for us that people enjoy our products responsibly, which is why we are partnering the Lagos State Ministry of Health to bring this awareness to you.

"The information cards we handed over to you contain information on responsible ways of enjoying our products. We would like you to leave this place with an added knowledge and consciousness of safety and responsible drinking.” Ogboruche stated.

Addressing the audience, Head, Public Education and Enlightenment Department, LASTMA, Mr. Adele Joan, commended Guinness Nigeria Plc for supporting the campaign, noting that road safety impacts directly on the advancement of every society.

He stated that Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) as the leading state agency on road safety management in conjunction with Lagos State Ministry of Health are committed to ensuring that drivers know their health status and the need for them to drive safely on the road.

“There are many incidents that occur on our roads that could be very easily avoided by proper education and enlightenment and that is why we commend Guinness Nigeria for the constant collaboration with us to sensitise drivers on how to be safe on the roads.

"It is wrong to abuse alcohol and it is heartening to see an alcohol beverage manufacturer taking the initiative to inform people on the proper use and enjoyment of their products," Joan said.

ThisDay

SKYE BANK SET TO BOOST CASHLESS POLICY WITH NEW SOLUTION

Determined to support the cashless initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to a successful end, Skye Bank has introduced a new banking solution that will give customers easy access to all its operations.

The direct banking solution is called  ‘SkyePLus’ and  was unveiled during the bank's 8th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos recently.
The solution allows customers to carry out a wide range of banking services in the most secured and faster means.

Giving reasons for introducing the new solution, Chairman of the bank, Mr. Olatunde Ayeni, said the bank had remained ahead in the area of deploying the right technology for its customers, and would continue to do so in order to address customers' needs.

“Technology is driving banking activities worldwide and Skye Bank will continue to come up with new technologies that will enhance customer experience. It is our desire to deploy new technology solutions that will give customers easy access to our banking operations and at the same time, grow the Nigerian economy," Ayeni said.
He explained that the bank had been consistent in its vision to deploy new solutions that will make banking activities a lot more easier for its customers, noting that it took the bank about 18 months to develop and complete   SkyePlus.
“We will continue to make our customers enjoy the best form of banking activities through our innovative technology that is geared towards convenience and efficiency,” he said.

Also speaking about the product, Chief Executive Officer designate of Skye Bank, Mr. Thymothy Oguntayo, said the deployment of the new banking solution was informed by the need to assure customers of flexible and more convenient banking solutions, through the use of Short Message Service (SMS), Internet banking and  mobile applications.

Listing the features and services of SkyePlus, Oguntayo said the new banking solution would allow customers to check their balance and manage their account, set up standing order instructions and direct debits, transfer money, pay bills to people instantly, request for a new chec kbook, use Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card or bank draft, stop lost or stolen cheque, as well as switching on text alerts to keep track of their accounts while on the move.

He  explained that in terms of security, the bank has deployed top security measured called ‘SkyeSecure’ to enhance the security of the platform.
“We are fully aware of the fears which most bank customers have today, especially with the growing rate of cyber crimes and all forms of online frauds. This is why we have partnered a global security firm to deploy SkyeSecure on our banking platform,” Oguntayo said.

He added that the bank has commenced the compliance process of attaining the PCIDSS global security standard, in conformity with the directive of CBN that all banks must be PCIDSS complaint.

ThisDay

DIAMOND BANK UPGRADES MOBILE APPLICATION

Diamond Bank has announced the upgrade of its mobile-based banking application, the Diamond Mobile app, in a bid to provide cutting edge banking services to its customers. The bank also introduced a cash back reward of one N1,000 to customers on the first use of the mobile app.

The upgrade, according to the bank, would allow subscribers to the mobile app  carry out more banking transactions beyond funds transfers and bills payment in a secured environment at any time of the day.

Some of the unique features recently added to the App are flight bookings, credit card repayments, account statement generation and debit card activation or deactivation. These are in addition to previously available services like funds transfer to Diamond and non-Diamond Bank accounts, payment for BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS), bills payment, airtime purchase, among others.

Speaking on the features of the app, Divisional Head, Corporate Communications at the bank, Mrs. Ayona Trimnell, said: “We are delighted to introduce additional benefits to the Diamond Mobile App and a one N1,000 cash back reward on its first use. What we have done with the upgrade is to expand the bouquet of offerings on the app to include a host of new services that will help make banking with Diamond a convenient and interesting experience."

According to her,  Diamond Bank customers can book local and international flights, fund their credit cards, maintain beneficiaries, and generate their account statements, all on the palm of their hands through the mobile app.
She said the  app can be downloaded  free of charge via the Google Play Store, the BlackBerry app World, the Apple Store and the Samsung Store for android, BlackBerry, Apple and Samsung devices respectively.

“Diamond Bank staff members  will demonstrate the world of possibilities available with the Diamond Mobile app at the Co-Creation Hub (CC HUB), Yaba, Lagos later this month and the bank has invited Information Technology (IT) professionals as well as members of the general public to be part of the product demonstration.  Our staff members  will be on hand to show the various exciting features of the app as well as assist with the installation of the app on the devices of the guests," Trimnell said.

ThisDay

SPRINT AND T-MOBILE CLOSE TO STUNNING $32 BILLION MERGER

In a deal that will send shock waves through the telecommunications industry, Bloomberg has revealed Sprint is closing in on a deal to acquire T-Mobile for $32 billion . The deal equates to $40 per share, a 17% premium on Wednesday’s price at the close of trading, and will create a US super carrier to compete head-on with Verizon and AT&T T -0.43%.

Under the terms of the deal, T-Mobile majority owner Deutsche Telekom will trade its 67% stake for 15% of the merged business. The deal will also include a $1 billion breakup fee that Sprint will pay T-Mobile should the deal not go through.

Quoting “people with knowledge of the matter”, Bloomberg said the $32 billion mega deal will be financed 50% in stock and 50% in cash. It also confirmed the deal is still some way off from being formally announced with neither company likely to make the news official until July.

This isn’t surprising given that regulators will need to be convinced that the deal is in the best interests of consumers. It is expected that Sprint will propose twin models, one based on both companies working independently and a second projecting a full merger. AT&T’s $48.5 billion deal for DirecTV is said to have made both Sprint and T-Mobile executives confident that the move will be approved.

T-Mobile shares rose 6.5% to $36.50 in late trading while Sprint gained 4.8% in what was widely interpreted as a positive move by both companies. It is also familiar territory for T-Mobile, which agreed a similar massive merger with Orange in the UK in 2010.

The predominant feeling is that combined T-Mobile and Sprint will be able to offer greater competition to Version and AT&T , ranked first and second respectively in the US market. It will also give Sprint greater might in the upcoming 600 megahertz spectrum auction, especially since part of it excludes both Verizon and AT&T from bidding.

Where a snag could be hit is these rules are based on four major national carriers which may see the rules revisited and a merged Sprint and T-Mobile could also be excluded. All of which is likely to be just the start of a massive redrawing of the telecommunications industry should the deal be given the green light.

Forbes

1ST CLASS MAGAZINE: RE-POSITIONING TO SERVE YOU BETTER ...

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But during this time, The entire Management team of 1ST CLASS MAGAZINE has been re-strategizing on how to serve you better.

1ST CLASS MAGAZINE is thus repositioned to INSPIRE you, PROVIDE SOLUTIONS to tropical issues and CELEBRATE EXPLOITS AND EXCELLENCE in this who have succeeded in beating the odds. 

It is our desire that you PURSUE your DREAMS, face life as a Giant and not a Victim and bring your VISIONS to REALITY. We hope to be there with you every step along the way, with every information you might need. Feel free to comment and ask questions, cause we hope to be a part of your success story.

1ST CLASS MAGAZINE ... Inspiring Minds , Providing Solutions , Celebrating Excellence

US SECRETARY OF COMMERCE, 10 COMPANIES VISIT NIGERIA, GHANA

Penny Pritzker

The United States Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, is leading 20 American companies on an energy business development trade mission to West Africa, specifically to Ghana and Nigeria. Secretary Pritzker arrived in Lagos on Tuesday for a three-day visit.

In a press statement made available to THISDAY Tuesday by the Public Affairs section of the United States Consulate General in Lagos, the trade mission is expected to promote US exports and expand its companies’ presence in Africa by helping American firms launch or increase their business in the energy sector.

According to the statement, the firms joining the mission have the expertise that will help African countries develop and manage energy resources and systems, as well as build out power generation, transmission, and distribution.

ThisDay