Mrs Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, one of the wives of late Chief MKO Abiola, on Saturday declared that she would contest the 2015 governorship election in the state on the ticket of ACCORD Party. . Onitiri-Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election, made her intention public in a statement issued by her in Lagos. . The aspirant said that she joined the party to assist in the eradication of poverty. . “Since there is no Independent Candidacy in Nigerian Political System yet, I needed to join a political party. . “During my search for the…
Author: David Folami
Former Anambra factional Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Egwuoyibo Okoye, on Friday night escaped death following a fatal road crash. . Okoye was involved in the accident with his Personal Assistant, Mr Nelson Amechi, which occurred at the Enugu-Anambra border along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. . The vehicles involved in the head-on collision were a truck laden with scraps bearing registration number XA 199 DMA, heading to Onitsha and a Peugeot 406 with registration number AN 21B-AN belonging to Okoye. . The chieftain was said to be in stable condition while the second occupant (Amechi) who drove…
Nigeria on Saturday pledged 1.5 million US dollars at an international donor summit at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa to support African-led International Mission (MISCA) in the Central African Republic (CAR). . The Minister of State 2 for Foreign Affairs, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed, announced the pledge as 60 nations came together to raise money for the crisis- stricken Car. . “The situation in Car demands our collective resolve to help that sister country to win the peace and embark on national reconciliation and re-establish critical government infrastructure’’, he said. . Mohammed urged parties to the conflict in CAR to…
Minister of FCT, Sen. Bala Mohammed, on Saturday observed that the appointment of Dr. Adamu Muazu as the National Chairman of the PDP, had started yielding positive results. . Fielding questions from newsmen at a civic reception organised in honour of Muazu in Bauchi, the Minister described the new chairman as a “catalyst” for the transformation of the party. . He said Muazu’s ability was already creating the desired impact, especially in the area of re-building the party, by reconciling all aggrieved members. . “You can see the spirit of reconciliation already penetrating across every length and breadth; you can…
Raging fire on Saturday burnt students’ hostel in the Federal Government College (FGC), Kazaure, in Jigawa. . Mr Muhammad Gidado, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Corps (NSCDC) in Jigawa, told newsmen that the inferno razed down the hostel completely. . Although he did not adduce any reason for the fire outbreak, the commandant said it took fire men more than one hour to put it out so that it did not spread to other buildings. . “It took more than one hour for the NSCDC, police, fire fighters and staff of the college to put out the fire…
Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin-Tsaba, former Secretary to the Zamfara State Government, said the proposed National Conference would help Nigerians to understand and accommodate their differences. . Ibrahim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Sokoto on Saturday that it was necessary to discuss with each other so as to appreciate mutual differences and seek out ways to live with them. . “Nigerians come from diverse backgrounds – religion, culture and ethnicity. We should come together, understand these differences and accommodate them’’, he said. . He held that the unity of the nation should never be compromised during and after the…
Mr Hakeem Masha, a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, said on Saturday that Lagos Island was safe for the conduct of 2015 general elections. . He promised that the area would experience free and fair election in 2015 as the area was no longer a dangerous zone in the state. . Masha (APC-Lagos Island II) said that the area had stopped harbouring hoodlums, adding that the constituents had turned away from crime. . “I don’t think we will have violence in Lagos because it is no more news that the Lagos State Government is doing well, so…
National Chairman, People Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ahmed Muazu on Saturday promised to ensure a level-playing field for all party members in the forthcoming 2015 elections. . Muazu made the pledge in Bauchi at a civic reception organised in his honour by the Bauchi State Government. . He noted that although he had a short time-frame to properly position the party before the 2015 elections, he was optimistic that if justice, fairness and equity prevailed within the party, PDP would emerge victorious. . “PDP shall regain its glory if there is justice, fairness and equity entrenched by ensuring a level-playing…
[divider]Prof. Jerry Gana, orator, politician and member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, is one who does not shy away from matters relating to politics. He served for many years under military and civilian administrations. . In this interview, he disagrees with those in the North opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid and insists that the region should reciprocate the support it had been getting from the people from Jonathan’s South-south over the years. . Hear him: . “What I want to say is that there is a whole lot of difference between a postulation…
A 24- year old man, Abubakar Ahmed, was on Saturday found hanging on a tree in Ganten-Tudu in Kaoje Development Area of Kebbi State . . A resident of the area, Malam Tukur Mohammed, said in Birnin Kebbi that the deceased was believed to have committed suicide over failed marriage bid. . Mohammed said the deceased had been farming to earn a living. . He added that the deceased ostensibly committed suicide after failing to produce N40,000 bride price for the marriage scheduled for Friday, Jan. 31. . The witness said that the deceased was not happy with an arrangement…
Dr. Ahmed Muazu, National Chairman, Peoples Democratic party (PDP) on Saturday, said he needed the blessing of the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, to succeed in his national assignment. . Mua’zu, an indigene of Bauchi, told the Emir when he paid him a courtesy call in Bauchi, that his new assignment was tasking, considering the current challenges of the party. . He therefore appealed for prayers from the Emir, stressing that ”without the blessings of the royal father, l may not make much impact.” . “I need your prayers and blessings to succeed in this very tasking national assignment.…
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said government would fast track the process of connecting Nigerians in the rural areas to the national grid. . Nebo stated this while rounding off the 6th Power Summit/Civil Society Forum in Abuja on Saturday. . Nebo restated that the power sector reform was to ensure sustainable energy delivery to Nigerians through increased power generation, transmission and distribution. . The minister held that with the successful sale of government owned distribution and generation companies, the ministry was almost getting to the end of the power reform process. . According to him, Federal Government’s…
Following a painstaking and diligent investigation, detectives from the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) of the Nigeria Police have solved the riddle surrounding the disappearance of Mr. Sylvester Emefiele, a staffer of the Transformation Office of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). . Emefiele was reported to have left Lagos. September 23, 2012, sequel to a call from his office asking him to report in Abuja the following day in order to process his visa for a trip to Hungary for a training programme. . On receiving information on the disappearance through the police email platform, – policemonitor@npf.gov.ng, the Inspector-General…
Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Musa Katsina, speaks on the challenges of stemming crime in the state which became notorious for baby factories, child trafficking, kidnapping, among other vices. . In the case of Madam 1,000, what we saw could shatter the strongest of hearts. It was a case of man’s inhumanity to man! This type of inhumanity is special in the sense that the victims of the inhumanity are innocent babies, totally defenceless human beings. Their crime is simple: they happen to find themselves in a world or in the midst of gluttonous vultures, who understand nothing…
The Bee Keepers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, on Friday urged the Federal Government to support the private sector efforts aimed at attracting youths to the business. . The association’s Chairman, Mr Ayodele Salako, said in an interview in Lagos that the government could render support through seminars and sensitisation programmes. . Salako said that bees were pollinators that increased reproduction of fruit crops. . He said that bee keeping was an emerging business that needed government support for sustainable growth and development for interested Nigerian youths. . “The association usually organises vigorous training, sensitisation and seminars geared toward…
The Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Kaduna, on Friday said it trained 937 soldiers on counter terrorism as part of efforts to strengthen the fight against terrorism. . A breakdown of those, who attended the six-week training in the school, showed 489 were from Headquarters Infantry Corp Centre; 200, 7 Division; and 248, Nigeria Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC). . The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, said the training was organised to prepare the soldiers to efficiently handle the current security challenges in the country. . He said as part of its efforts to fight terrorism, the army…
Members of the dreaded Boko Haram sects have adopted new strategy in their terror attacks in Borno state. . Seven passengers were killed, yesterday, when an improvised explosives device (IED)planted along Gwoza-Madagali road exploded when a bus conveying them got to the spotwhere the bomb was placed. . Gwoza-Madagali is an inter-state road connecting Borno and Adamawa state. . It was gathered that the road has been closed after the unfortunate incident by security operatives as the anti-bomb team are combing the area for explosives. . According to a reliable security source, who spoke to our Correspondent on condition of…
The release of the modalities for the National Conference by the Federal Government has elicited mixed reactions from lawmakers and party chieftains. . While some viewed the modalities for the confab as timely others said that it was ill-timed. . The Federal Government in a statement on Jan.30, 2014 released the modalities for the national conference to be held in the FCT. . The lawmakers made the remarks in separate interviews in Abuja on Friday. . Rep. Saviour Udoh (PDP-Akwa Ibom) said the modalities for the conference were in order, adding that the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable. .…
A businessman, Mr Seyi Ogundeji, on Friday pleaded with a Customary Court in Ake, Abeokuta, to dissolve his marriage to Biola on grounds of threat to life. . Ogundeji, 34, who resides at 17, Oke-Bode, Abeokuta, accused Biola, 29, of public embarrassment and incessant fighting. . “My wife is very troublesome; she usually curses and embarrasses me in the public anytime we have a little misunderstanding. . “She also squanders the rents I collect from my tenants. Sometime ago, she stole my N200,000. She denied stealing it. . “Her behaviour made me to marry a second wife. Please separate us…
The Nigeria Immigration Service, Ondo State Command, said on Thursday it had discovered a ‘baby factory’ in Ilu-tuntun, Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state. . The command told newsmen in Akure that 19 men and women who were allegedly cohabiting and producing children for the owner of the ‘factory’ were arrested. . They comprised eight men and 11 women and the owner of the factory. . Five of the women were carrying children, while another five were found pregnant. . The Comptroller of the command, Alhaji Al-Hassan Musa, said “we were able to arrest these people by acting on…