The three Nigerians, Chuka Umunna, Helen Grant, both of the Conservative Party and Chi Onwurah Chuka of the Labour Party were part of the five Nigerians who contested for parliamentary seats in the UK elections. One Kemi Adegoke and another Nigerian candidate, Abiodun Akinosun are the two Nigerian that lost in thhe eection. While Adegoke was a Conservative, Akinosun stood candidate as an independent.

Chuka Umunna, the Labour candidate for Streatham won a closely fought contest, polling of 20,037 votes to beat his closest rival, Lib Dem candidate Chris Nicholson, who received 16,778 votes. Chuka in he words after he as declare the win, said he was “humbled” by winning a close fought contest to take the Streatham seat, calling the victory “a quite extraordinary night”. He added “I know our party will do everything we can for the residents of this fantastic place.”

Helen Grant, won her Maidstone and the Weald constituency with a 48.9 per cent majority of the vote cast.

Chi Onwurah who contested for the Newcastle Central constituency, also won her own election with a 48 per cent votes of the total votes cast.

Chuka Ummuna, a Labour candidate for Streatham and Kemi Adegoke, Conservative Party candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood,

Five Nigerians are among the hundreds of contestants vying for seats in the British parliament as the British goes to polls today. The Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s of Labour Party was said to have gained an opinion poll boost on the final day of campaigning ahead of the parliament election. Among those vying for seats in Parliament that are Nigerian are Abiodun Akinoshun, Chuka Ummuna, Helen Grant, Kemi Adegoke and Chi Onwurah. Abiodun who is standing as an independent candidate in Erith and Thamesmead constituency. Chuka, a Labour candidate for Streatham. Helen, Conservative Party candidate for Maidstone and the Weald. Kemi, Conservative Party candidate for Dulwich and West Norwood. Chi, Labour candidate for Newcastle Central.

Speaking in London, Helen Grant promised to initiate development programmes in her contituency if elected into office. She said: “We need real change, to create a stable economy, restore jobs, unshackle our businesses, strengthen families, and form a safer, more just society, that respects and protects its citizens, especially the elderly. If I am elected as the next MP I will strive to achieve the changes we need with conviction, drive and determination and I will serve with integrity, honesty and sincerity.”

Kemi Adegoke, promised to provide effective representation for his Dulwich and West Norwood constituency, if elected into office.

Chi Onwurah, a Labour party candidate said she felt honoured to be selected as a candidate, “I was honoured when the local members of Newcastle Central Labour Party, selected me to fight the next general election.” She pledged to use her experience in business and technology “to place Newcastle at the centre of a new green revolution.”

At the last minute, opinion poll suggested a probable hung parliament, where none of the three parties would have a hegemonic dominance in the House of Commons. The number of seats being contested for increased from 646 to 650 owing to boundary changes. To win an absolute majority, a party is required to secure 326 seats.

We wish all five of them all the best, hoping the we be elected into there various constituency.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in his inaugural speech, assured Nigerians of a better government and better days ahead. The  President’s oath of office was administered by the Chief Justice, Aloysius Katsina-Alu.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan an Ijaw man. was born 20th November, 1957  in Otueke in Ogbia local government area of the then Eastern Region, later Rivers State, now Bayelsa State. He holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Zoology in which he attained Second Class Honours, Upper Division. He also holds an M.Sc. in Hydrobiology/Fisheries biology, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, previously the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, succeeded Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was impeached by the Bayelsa State Assembly after being charged with money laundering in the United Kingdom. He was the  Governor of Bayelsa State from 9th December, 2005 to 28th May, 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29th May, 2007.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). On 13th January, 2010, a federal court handed him the power to carry out state affairs while President Umaru Yar’Adua received medical treatment in a Saudi Arabian hospital.

The government announced seven days of national mourning and said the president would be buried on Thursday.

Under the constitution, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, in charge since February, is to be sworn in as leader.
The Nigerian Television Authority interrupted its normal programming to announce the news, in a brief statement early on Thursday.

The announcer said: “The president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, died a few hours ago at the presidential villa.

“Security aides notified the national security adviser, General Anou Bissou, who immediately called the acting president. The late president has been ill for some time.”

Mr Yar’Adua, a Muslim, will be laid to rest later on Thursday in his home state of Katsina, in the north of the country.

A spokesman for Mr Jonathan said the acting president received the news with “shock and sadness”.

Reports from Nigeria said Mr Yar’Adua died between 2100 (2000 GMT) and 2200 (2100 GMT) on Wednesday in the capital, Abuja.

Obama tribute

US President Barack Obama led tributes from world leaders.

Mr Obama praised “President Yar’Adua’s profound personal decency and integrity, his deep commitment to public service, and his passionate belief in the vast potential and bright future of Nigeria’s 150 million people”.

UMARU YAR’ADUA
Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua - 29 July 2009
Born in northern Katsina state in 1951
University chemistry professor before entering politics
Married, with nine children
Elected president in 2007 promising reforms
Fell ill repeatedly while in office

Obituary: President Umaru Yar’Adua
Profile: Goodluck Jonathan
Yar’Adua dead: Your comments

In November, Mr Yar’Adua went to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for several months, during which time he was not heard from, apart from a BBC interview.

He told the BBC by telephone in January that he was recovering and hoped with “tremendous progress” to resume his duties.

A presidential spokesman said at the time that he was being treated for acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining around the heart.

His long absence and the lack of detailed information about his health led to a political limbo in Nigeria that was only filled when Mr Jonathan was named acting president.

source: bbc

Umaru Yar’Adua went to Saudi Arabia for treatment in November 2009 and despite returning home in February has still not been seen in public.

Mr Jonathan gave no indication whether the president’s condition had improved.

He said he had not seen the president’s doctor but said he had spoken to his wife three times.

“I’ve not seen the doctor. I have had - on about three occasions - discussions with his wife,” he told the BBC’s Network Africa programme.

“And I’ve had discussions with some of the other aides.

“In terms of the last time we [Mr Jonathan and Mr Yar'Adua] really had sustained discussions, that was 26 November - I think so - yeah,” he said.

Mr Yar’Adua was flown to hospital in Saudi Arabia three days earlier, on 23 November.

Mr Jonathan said Mr Yar’Adua’s doctor had not tried to contact him.

“He [the doctor] has not come to me. I don’t want to compel him,” said the acting president.

source/full story: bbc

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) in a group photograph with the new members of the Federal Cabinet shortly after the re-constitution of the Executive Council of the Federation at State House in Abuja, yesterday.

The Acting President is to work closely with a world renowned electricity power consultant and the chairman of Independent Power Producers Association of Nigeria, Professor Barth Nnaji, who currently heads government’s sub-committee on power. According to the  special assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, said shortly after the inauguration of the 38-man cabinet, that the Acting President decision not to appoint a substantive Minister for the Power Ministry was deliberate.

He said: “Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, is to take charge of the Power Ministry for now. A new power team is being put in place to work in conjunction with the Professor Barth Nnaji led Power Sub-Committee of the Presidential Advisory council (PAC). This new body is to take charge of a new power initiative to be unveiled in a matter of days.”

The Acting President spokesmen, added that “the Acting President shall chair this body, with the minister of state for power, as deputy chair person. The body is to be made up of experts in the different areas of power, from generation to transmission, distribution and finance”.

I am very happy with this setup, if it is anything to go by, I think better is ahead of bad power problem that has been facing the country since years ago, I think our power problem will reduce drastically, before the last quarter of this year.

Top from left: Communications And Information Minister Prof. Dora Akunyili, Mines and Steel Development Minister, Arc. Musa Mohammed Sada, Works Minister Senator Sanusi Daggash, Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Odein Ajumogobia. At the bottom from left: Commerce And Industry Minister Jubril Martins Kuye, Interior Minister Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, Defence Minister Prince Adetokunbo Kayode and Justice Minister Mohammed Bello Adoke.

Below is the list of cabinet, Ministry and name of Ministers:

1. Agriculture

Prof. Sheikh Ahmed Abdullah and Mr. Awodele Najeem  Adewale as Minister of state

2. Justice

Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN

3. Aviation

Mrs. Fidelia Njeze

4. Commerce & Industry

Sen. Jibril Martins Kuye and Mrs. Josephine Tapgun as Minister of state

5. Culture& Tourism

Abubakar Sadiq A. Mohammed

6. Education

Prof. (Mrs) Ruqayyatu A.  Rufa’i

7. FCT

Senator Bala Muhammed

8. Environment

Mr. John Ogar Odey

9. Finance

Mr. Olusegun Olutoyin Aganga and Mr. Aderemi W. Babalola as Minister of state

10. Foreign Affairs

Mr. Henry Odein Ajumogobia, SAN and Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong as Minister of state

11. Health

Appointment yet to be make, but Alhaji Suleiman Bello is appointed as Minister of state

12. Information & Comm

Prof. Dora Akunyili and Mr. Labaran Maku as Minister of state

13. Interior

Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho and Mr. Humphrey Enemakwu Abah as Minister of state

14. Labour & Productivity

Mr. Chukwuemeka Ngozichineke Wogu

15. Mines & Steel Devt

Arc.  Musa Mohammed Sada

16. Niger Delta Affairs

Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe and Hon. Samuel Ode as Minister of state

17. Petroleum Resources

Mrs. Dieziani Alison-Madueke

18. Defence

Chief Adetokunbo Kayode, SAN and Murtala Shehu Yar’Adua as Minister of state

19. Power

Ag President Goodluck Jonathan and Arc. Nuhu SomoWya as Minister of state

20. Police Affairs

Alhaji Adamu Waziri

21. Science & Technology

Prof. Muhammed K. Abubakar

22. Special Duties

Navy Capt. Earnest Olubolade (Rtd)

23. Transport

Yusuf Sulaiman

24. Youth Development

Sen. Akinlabi Olasunkanmi

25. Women Affairs

Mrs. Josephine Anenih

26. Natl Planning Comm

Dr. Shamsudeen Usman

27. Natl Sports Comm

Hon. Ibrahim Isa Bio

28. Works

Sen. Sanusi M. Dagash and Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi as Minister of state

29. Lands, & Urban Devt

Hon. Nduese Essien

I wish all the newly sworn-in Ministers good luck and all the best in office, we are looking on them for better Nigeria.

no matter the position you are offered in ANY organization
if your deputy is named “goodluck” , please decline…

even if it is UN SEC GEN OR HEAD OF THE AFRICAN UNION
in your own interest decline o,
in case you think am joking:
- goodluck was assistant head boy in pry school, the head boy got expelled, he took over
- goodluck was assistant senior prefect in secondary school, the senior prefect died, goodluck took over
- goodluck was deputy local govt chairman, the chairman got implicated in corruption and got removed from office, goodluck took over
- goodluck was deputy governor to alameiseigha, we all know that story
- goodluck was vice to yar adua : PERICADIATIS!
you may say its coincidence, na you know …!!!
a friend of mine just called off his church wedding, why? his bestman was named goodluck
he is insisting that all that will occur is traditional wedding…
i don talk my own……….!!!

PEOPLE, DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU O.

In his first interview since then, Umaru Yar’Adua said he was recovering and hoped to make “tremendous progress” which would enable him to return home.

Nigerian opposition parties have been demanding evidence about the true state of Mr Yar’Adua’s health.

A rally has been called for Tuesday, mainly to protest over his absence.

There are three different court cases under way calling for power to be transferred to the Vice-President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr Yar’Adua is also known to have kidney problems.

‘Save Nigeria’

Speaking by telephone, Mr Yar’Adua said he was making a good recovery.

“At the moment I am undergoing treatment, and I’m getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home,” he said.

“I wish, at this stage, to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health, and for their prayers for the nation.”

Rumours had been rife that he was critically ill and unable to return to the presidency.

Under the banner Enough Is Enough, an organisation called the Save Nigeria Group called people on to the streets of the capital, Abuja.

There is a perceived danger of a power vacuum in a country which only saw the back of military rule just over 10 years ago, the BBC’s Will Ross reports from the city.

The opposition plan is to march to the national assembly where senators are expected to be discussing the president’s health.

Prominent opposition politicians and lawyers, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Biafran secessionist leader, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, will be among the demonstrators.

It is not clear if the demonstration will be well attended, our correspondent says.

Nigerians may be worried about their absent president but whether they will take time off to demonstrate is another matter, he adds.

source; bbc

Several Nigerian newspapers carried a statement asking him to step down that was signed by senior political figures and democracy activists, among others.

But ministers dismissed the statement, saying there was “no basis” for the president to leave office.

Mr Yar’Adua is currently being treated in Saudi Arabia for a heart problem.

In a statement, Information Minister Dora Akunyili said the cabinet had met and had “unanimously resolved” that the president “has not been found incapable of discharging his functions”.

She said: “Council wishes to inform all Nigerians that all organs of government are functioning and that government will continue to deliver.”

‘Leadership vacuum’

BBC Africa analyst Mary Harper says the statement issued by the group of political figures is blunt and to the point.

It says the president’s illness “has created a dangerous situation whereby no-one is in charge of the affairs of state”.

full story: bbc

Mr Yar’Adua has acute pericarditis, or inflammation of the lining around the heart, his spokesman told the BBC.

He said the president, 58, was responding well to treatment. Officials earlier denied rumours that the president was seriously ill.

Mr Yar’Adua has had a chronic kidney condition for at least 10 years.

He has been unable to perform a number of official duties because of recurring health problems.

Presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi told Reuters news agency that Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was “acting on behalf of the president” in his absence.

President Yar’Adua has twice been flown to Germany for emergency treatment and it is the second time he has visited hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

He has refused to say exactly what condition he suffers from, and has repeatedly said in interviews that his life is “in the hands of God”.

BBC health reporter Michelle Roberts says most cases of pericarditis clear up with rest and medication within a few weeks, although patients will initially need to be treated in hospital to check for complications.

Our reporter says occasionally pericarditis is triggered by cancer, which is something doctors need to check for.

Rarely patients may need surgery if the pressure around the heart becomes too great, a complication that could potentially be fatal, she adds.

Mr Adeniyi said the president felt pains after performing Friday prayers last week.

“At about 3pm Friday November 20, after he returned from the Abuja Central Mosque where he performed Muslim prayer, President Yar’Adua complained of a left-sided severe chest pain,” he said, reports Reuters.

Mr Adeniyi said the initial diagnosis was pericarditis, which has since been confirmed.

Officials had earlier been quoted as saying the president intended to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca this week.

Analysts say his continued ill-health poses a problem for Nigeria’s constitution.

If he were to step down or die, he would be replaced by Vice-President Jonathan, who is from the country’s southern Niger Delta region.

But according to the ruling People’s Democratic Party’s own formula for sharing power among the country’s regions, the president must be a northerner.