Author: David Folami

Former Manchester United player Paul Scholes has questioned whether the club should pay a world-record fee for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, saying the 23-year-old is not in the same bracket as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. United have been negotiating with Juventus over the transfer of Pogba, who is a top target for new manager Jose Mourinho, according to media reports in Britain. Scholes was Pogba’s teammate when the latter was a teenager at United and feels despite his obvious talent, the France international has a long way to go before he can stake his claim as…

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has denied rumours that he has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Saraki made the denial via a statement released by his media aide, Bamikole Omishore on Thursday, July 21, 2016. According to Daily Post, the statement reads in part: “In his official capacity as Senate President and chairman, National Assembly, he attended the end of session event of the PDP caucus yesterday evening and spent only 30 minutes before leaving the members to continue with the event. The Senate President would like to assure every Nigerian that he is committed to the APC-led…

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot claim that all its members are saints. Dogara however denied that President Muhammadu Buhari’s was running a partial war against corruption. The Speaker made the comments on Saturday, July 9, 2016, while speaking with journalists in Lagos. “The PDP had been in power for a number of years, more than a decade and if you were to weigh members of opposition that are in government now and had opportunity to serve, those that would have tendencies to engage in pilfering of resources, majority…

Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the House of Representatives has reacted to allegations bothering on budget padding leveled against him and three others by the immediate past chairman of committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumni Jibrin. Jibrin, in a lengthy statement on Thursday, July 21,2016 called for the resignation of Speaker Dogara, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun, minority leader, Leo Ogor and Chief Whip, Ado Doguwa. He accused Dogara and the other principal officers of illegally inserting and allocating projects worth over N30 billion to their constituencies in the 2016 budget. “These members of the body of principal officers were not comfortable with my…

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers state has been burnt to the ground. The building is said to have been razed in an inferno which occurred on Friday, July 22, 2016. The incident comes just eight days to the July 30 Rivers East Senatorial District rerun elections following the cancellation of the March 11 polls due to outbreaks of violence. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined but arson is widely suspected.

A group, Kogi Youths for Good Governance has called on the Senate to suspend Senator Dino Melaye due to his recent attack on Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The group made the call on Thursday, July 21, 2016, during a peaceful protest to the National Assembly, The Nation reports. “Such misconduct from Dino has not only brought disgrace to his constituents, but to the National Assembly,” the group’s coordinator, Mr Leke Richard said. “Enough of this national and global embarrassment from this lawmaker, who does not know how to fight for the interest of his constituents but against his fellow lawmakers. “We…

Spokesman of the Unity Forum, Senator Kabir Marafa said his group may withdraw the forgery case against the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and three others if directed by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). Pulse recalls that the Federal Government slammed forgery charges on the Senate President, his deputy, the immediate past Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy Benedict Efeturi. They were accused of forging the 2015 Senate Standing Rules used for their election over a year later. Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Friday, July 22, 2016, Senator Marafa (APC,…

Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally announced his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ribadu disclosed this in a statement on Friday, July 22, 2016. Describing himself as a founding member of the APC, Ribadu said he heeded to calls from the leadership of the party in Adamawa state who wanted him “back home”. The statement reads: “I have finally heeded the calls on me to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party of which I was a founding member. “I re-registered as a member of the APC…

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside has slammed the Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike over his allegations that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is planning to derail the upcoming rerun elections. Wike had earlier alleged that the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Davies Ikanya and the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu met for several hours to discuss modalities of the upcoming elections. Peterside also accused the Rivers Governor of intimidating INEC, adding that his actions are unbecoming of someone occupying the office of a Governor. He said “It is not in…

The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Governor Nyesom Wike should be held responsible for the burning of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) office on Friday, July 22, 2016. The party alleged that Wike had earlier threatened the INEC chairman, Senator Magnus Abe and its chairman, Davies Ikanya. A statement released by the party also said “We now know better what he meant. His boys burnt INEC office in Bori just because Bori is the senatorial headquarters of Rivers South-East where Sen. Magnus Abe hails from. “We warned that whenever Wike resorts to throwing…

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says the Federal Government will continue to safeguard Nigeria’s marine environment to improve on revenue generation. Amaechi stated this on Friday in Lagos at the inauguration of the Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence System (CCCIS) of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). “It is pertinent, therefore, to note that the development of this facility began with an approval in 2013 with the aim of providing Business Intelligence for the movement of vessels and cargoes as well as providing improved and secured communications within our waterways for enhancement of efficiency within the nation’s seaports. “I…

The Federal Government on Friday urged herdsmen to embrace ranches and other modern rearing methods to tap from the huge potential in the diary industry. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made the call in Kaduna, at the 32nd pre-convocation lecture of the Kaduna Polytechnic. Represented by the ministry’s Regional Director, North West, Mr Aderemi Abiyoye, the minister said that ranches would best serve the interest of herdsmen, in terms of security and productivity. “Currently, some states agreed on ranches, while others want grazing reserve. There is need for governments and the cattle rearers to be…

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has solicited a robust partnership between the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). Mohammed made the call during a visit to the BBC headquarters in London on Friday. He explained that the partnership will build the capacity of FRCN staff and enhance their efficiency. In a statement on the visit by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Minister said the kind ofcapacity building he was advocating must be ”inclusive”, leading to a change in the orientation of the FRCN staff. ”An…

The Kwara Government said it had received about N3.1 billion from the Federation Account as allocation for July. The state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, released the figure in a statement on Friday in Ilorin. Giving a breakdown, Alhaji Banu disclosed that the government got a statutory revenue allocation (SRA) of N1, 964, 362, 872.63; VAT of N621, 720, 038.40; Exchange Difference of N473, 821. 529.00; and proceeds from solid minerals, N57, 729, 715.55, totaling N3, 117, 634, 155.58. While giving further details of the allocation received by the 16 local governments in the state, the Finance Commissioner said…

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Sen. Abu Ibrahim, has denied insinuations that ongoing recruitment by the Nigeria Police Force was lopsided. Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja on Friday that he was in touch with the police authorities on the criteria for screening and other processes involved in the exercise. He said that he was monitoring the exercise, adding that screening of applicants was based on conditions that were fair to all Nigerians. Ibrahim said the recruitment targeted at getting 10,000 persons into the police force would in no way marginalise any state of the…

Former militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, has written an open letter to President Buhari, asking him to call security operatives who are looking for members of the Niger Delta Avengers to stop harassing his family members and close associates. The ex militant leader had earlier written to the President, alleging that his symbol of authority as the Chief Priest of Egbesu shrine was stolen by soldiers who came to raid Gbaramatu kingdom. Tompolo also described the military operations in his home town as unwarranted and wicked. According to Leadership, he also said “The latest victims of this…

The staff of the Nigerian High Commission in New York, United States, have not been paid their salaries for months by the Federal Government. According to Sahara Reporters, the embassy officials have been working under un-condusive conditions. The report says the offices in the embassy are so hot that people who come to process their passports have to wait outside. The air-conditioning system in the building broke down for over a month and nothing has been done to fix it, a reporter said. Nigerians who were at the embassy to obtain their passports also complained about the situation of things,…

The Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has said that the state will witness massive transformation in the next six months. The Governor also said that his administration will only put policies in place that will better the lives of Lagosians. Ambode said all projects initiated by his administration will be actualised, adding that his priority is to add value to the lives of Lagos people. Punch reports that he said “This government is about creating value for our people. That is the whole essence of our coming together as a team. It is all about seeing to what extent can…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released Senator Iyiola Omisore on bail after he allegedly refunded N300m, reports say. According to Premium Times, the Senator wrote his bank to pay the anti-graft agency the sum of N170m and also presented a bank draft of N130m before he was allowed to go home. The total sum which Omisore allegedly refunded to the EFCC came to N300m. Omisore also allegedly confessed to receiving funds from the office of the National Security Adviser for a land which he sold to them. The Senator had earlier denied getting any money from the…

Governor Ayo Fayose has said he will not stop criticising the All Progressive Congress (APC) government’s anti-people policy. Fayose said he is being persecuted because of his vocal stance against the bad decisions and practises of the current administration. The Ekiti Governor also said he will not keep quiet because he is the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) man standing. Fayose also alleged that APC’s plan is to wipe out the PDP totally in Nigeria, adding that the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode have been made to keep quiet. He said “I am being persecuted because I am vocal. Why some…