The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared Alhaji Zannah Bunu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the by-election for Gulani state constituency of Yobe. This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Bagudu Nma, Information Officer of the commission in Damaturu. It stated that Bunu polled 6,488 votes to beat Isa Babayaro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 1,623 votes. NAN reports that the by-election was conducted on Saturday following the election of Alhaji Abdu Kukuwa to the House of Representatives to replace Khadija Abba Ibrahim who was appointed minister in the federal…
Author: David Folami
The former Chairman of the House of Representatives appropriation committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has alleged that some Governors loyal to Yakubu Dogara don’t want him to meet with President Buhari. Jibrin said “After three days of careful observation and receiving information from Nigerians, I discovered a grand plan by two governors and three former House members to provide a soft landing for Dogara and 12 others, give them time to clean up the mess on their desk, destroy whatever evidence in their possession and reach, spread money across members to buy signature of vote of confidence.” He also claims that Dogara…
The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BOT), Walid Jibrin has said that the party is not for sale. Jibrin also said that the PDP would not allow any person to buy his way into office. The BOT Chairman made the comment during the inauguration of the party’s National Convention committee on Friday, August 5, 2016, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre in Abuja. “This party is not for sale. This party must be a party of very conscious people. We are telling every delegate to reject anybody that comes with money,” he said. “This party…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of squandering allocations meant for local government councils in the state. The Edo PDP also criticized Oshiomhole for claiming to help the councils save the funds in question. The opposition party’s comments were made by State Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih during a press briefing in Okada. “We can confirm that the reason why he has refused to conduct elections to fill the vacant positions of chairmen and councillors is to enable him squander allocations due the local governments in the name of saving it for them,” Orbih…
Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu has said that he returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC) because things changed in the ruling party. Ribadu recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the APC after an earlier defection. The ex-EFCC boss made the revelation during a recent interview with Punch. Excerpts below: You recently returned to the All Progressives Congress, a political party you participated in founding. Why did you leave in the first place? I joined politics during the 2010/ 2011 elections. By 2014, we were actively engaged; we almost succeeded in…
The Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Borno says it has seized more than 20 tonnes of illicit drugs from 87 suspects within two years. The Commandant of the agency in Borno, Mr Ona Ogilegwu, announced this in Maiduguri on Sunday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), stating that the agency made the seizure in Maiduguri from 2014 till date. “It will interest you to know that the command had been recording remarkable successes in its fight against drug abuse in Borno. “The command has so far recovered a lot of psychotropic substances in different…
Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has called for a ban on the export of primary farm produce as part of strategies to ensure food sufficiency in the country. Aregbesola made the call in Osogbo on Sunday in a statement he issued by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon. The governor opined that the ban would enhance the value chains of the nation’s agricultural investments. He also urged government to fashion out measures that would make agriculture to be attractive to a new generation of young Nigerians. He noted that this would be viable option towards economic diversification, adding that Nigeria had…
President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja for N’Djamena on Monday to attend the inauguration of President Idriss Deby of Chad. This information is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity. The statement said President Buhari would be joining other Heads of State and Government for the ceremony. It added that the President would be accompanied on the one-day trip by Abdullahi Ganduje and Kashim Shettima, governors of Kano and Borno states respectively. According to the statement, the President’s delegation will also include Sen. Baba…
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said that budget padding amounts to corruption as the action is against the public interest. SERAP’s position is contained in a statement issued by the Executive Director of the project, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. SERAP is making its position known against the backdrop of the claim by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara that budget padding is not a crime under Nigerian law. Dogara was quoted to have said on Friday in Abuja after a meeting with…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it paid the N55.96 billion into the Federation Account in the month of June. This is contained in the corporation’s monthly financial report for the month of June released in Abuja on Sunday. The report said in parts: “NNPC transferred the sum of N55.96 billion into the Federation Account during the month under review from the net domestic crude oil receipt of N102.68 billion. “Also, the 23rd instalment of the refund to the Federal Government of N6.33 billion was remitted into the Federation Account.’’ It added that NNPC recorded a deficit of N26.51…
The Kwara Government says it has cut the subventions of seven tertiary institutions in the state from N3.6 billion to N517 million. The State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, made this known in a statement released in Ilorin on Sunday. Banu added that the government had so far disbursed the sum of N430, 388, 359.24 as subventions to the seven State-owned tertiary institutions in 2016. He explained that the government had reviewed the subventions accruing to the institutions by deploying mechanisms to block loopholes and wastages in the system. The commissioner said that an outstanding balance of N86, 996,421.7…
The chairman emeritus of the African Independent Television (AIT), Raymond Dokpesi, has denied sponsoring the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). A group of militants under the aegis of Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA), alleged that some prominent Nigerians were sponsors of the NDA. The RNDA spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte, named former President Goodluck Jonathan, Raymond Dokpesi, Godswill Akpabio, Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, and many others. According to Daily Post, Dokpesi said he had no connection with the militant group that has been linked with the destruction of offshore facilities belonging to oil companies in the Niger Delta region. The AIT Boss also…
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied the allegations that he is a sponsor of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). The former President, who was named among many others, as an NDA sponsor, said the claim is malicious. This is following President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, on August 3, 2016, Jonathan said the composition of the list shows that those who released the list have a political motive. GEJ also said he will issue an official statement to clear himself from the allegation levelled against him by the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA). Some of those mentioned…
The Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has said the kidnappers of the Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni, will face the full wrath of the law. Oba Oseni, was kidnapped by militants on Saturday, July 16, 2016, who demanded for N500m ransom. Ambode also said the arrest of two suspects connected to the crime, is a warning to criminals to know that there is nowhere to hide in Lagos state. He said “Permit me to state that the kidnap of an Oba in Yoruba land is a sacrilege and a complete discretion of the cultural values of the yoruba people…
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has instructed all police officers to declare their assets or face stiff penalties. Idris said his administration will deal with any police officer who violates the code of conduct guiding the police force. Daily Post reports that he said “Every police officer must declare their assets. “We are going to be very tough on our police officers who go outside our code of conduct. When I took over and told people that I am declaring my assets, it looked surprising, people took it as if I was doing something magical but that is…
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday ordered the immediate closure of the damaged Apapa bridge for emergency maintenance work to begin. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 40-year-old bridge links Nigeria’s premier port to both the Lagos Mainland and Island. Addressing a stakeholder’s meeting in Lagos, Fashola said the closure of the bridge was a necessary measure as it would save lives and prevent avoidable mishaps. “In a situation like this, we need to chose between inconvenience and safety. “The first thing to do is to shut down the bridge for…
Former President, Goodluck Jonathan has said that militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is still plotting to assassinate him. Jonathan made the comment on Sunday, August 7, 2016, via a statement released by his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze. The ex-president also denied reports that he was a sponsor of newly formed militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). The statement reads: “For the avoidance of doubt, we are fully convinced that such an idiotic claim is too cheap a narrative, a facile contrivance so badly concocted that any discerning mind would easily see through its disingenuous…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has denied reports that he’s a sponsor of militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). The claim was made by a supposed faction of NDA, Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA). Wike made the denial via a statement released by his media aide, Simeon Nwakandu. The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to yet another false media propaganda wherein it was claimed that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike is one of the sponsors of the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers. We unequivocally deny this false report which was fabricated with the aim of diverting…
The Federal Government will investigate claims that the 2016 budget was padded, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has said. The allegations were levelled by former Chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin. According to Jibrin, about N284 billion was smuggled into the budget by Reps Speaker, Yakubu Dogara and other principal officers of the House. “We will investigate the executive and legislative conspiracy as it relates to constituency projects with a view to measuring the art of execution of the padded projects over the years,” Malami said while speaking to The…
‘There’s alot of people out there with mental problem and the have mobile phones and data. I can tell you that 30% of these people online are not stable. So now you give them twitter and a voice to have access into your life, what do you expect’. These were the words of the comedian Basketmouth as he spoke about social media trolls when he was a guest of The Gist hosted by Emma Ugolee. Basketmouth went on to advise celebrities not to bring personal matters to social media for discussion. In his words, ‘don’t bring your issues on social…