Bukola Saraki has developed two draft bills for legislation to tackle the menace of drug abuse in the country. The proposed bills are: National Drug Control Bill and National Mental Health Bill. It also seeks to establish a central mechanism to facilitate collaboration among law enforcement, regulatory and public health authorities in line with the National Drug Control Policy. The Bill further focuses on proactive law enforcement and regulatory measures towards the eradication of the illicit importation, production and trafficking of controlled substances. It also criminalise the diversion, distribution or otherwise dispensing of controlled substances without a prescription or license.…
Author: David Folami
State Governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in their bid to pressure the president to seek re-election in 2019. The Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome of the February meeting, said the president was to address the caucus of the APC on the matter. “We discussed so many issues that affect the nation, our party and Mr President’s ambition to run for 2019 elections. “Anyhow, Mr President in his usual manner has requested that we give him…
A House of Representatives ad-hoc committee has determined that Abubakar Malami, ‘fraudulently masterminded’ the controversial reinstatement of wanted ex-pensions reform chief, Abdulrasheed Maina. Abdulrahman Dambazau; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji; and Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, have all been implicated in the scandal. In the 13-page report laid on the floor of the House a fortnight ago, the committee argued that Malami’s actions regarding the reinstatement contravened Section 158 of the 1999 constitution. He was rebuked for applying undue interference and pressure on the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to push Maina’s reinstatement through. The report…
Muhammadu Buhari will be leaving Nigeria for London. A source at the Presidency says the leave would allow President Buhari enough rest before attending the participating in the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, also known as CHOGM 2018, to be held at the Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace, and Windsor Castle. The CHOGM meeting is scheduled for April 16th to 20th 2018. Nigeria is one of countries that made up the Commonwealth, a diverse community of 53 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy and peace. However, another Presidency source said President Buhari was travelling to London “going…
Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has appointed Dr Hygenius Nwokwu as the new Secretary to State Government (SSG). He said: “Yes, Dr Hygenius Nwokwu has been appointed the new SSG and his appointment is with immediate effect. ” The Governor personally signed the appointment letter and the SSG has assumed duty immediately “. Nwokwu has previously held appointments as Commissioner for Education, Commissioner for Rural Development and Commissioner in the Ebonyi Civil Service Commission.
Nigeria has moved forward under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, in spite of the huge challenges it inherited, Amb. Samson Itegboje has said. He said that the Buhari’s administration had been shy in publicising some of its achievements for the citizens to be properly informed. “We are witnesses to the fact that prior to the coming of the government of President Buhari, the economy was almost grinding to a halt. “In fact, President Muhamadu inherited a recessed economy waiting to happen. “Boko Haram was running riots in the country and has even held sway in 14 local governments in Borno.…
Musiliu Obanikoro has commended Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s drive in sustaining and upholding indigenous cultures, traditions and norms of Lagos State. The senator who later served as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana said that the increase in technological advancement was a challenge to cultural growth in the country. “Modernisation is taking over the world and our youths want to follow the trend. “Our youths have been carried away by Western culture, which is not encouraging. “I appreciate Gov. Ambode’s drive in reviving some of the ol d cultures and traditions that include: the boat regatta, the `Lagos Street Carnival’, `One Lagos…
Samuel Umtiti has said he has spoken with France teammate Antoine Griezmann about a move to Barcelona with the Atletico Madrid forward set to make a decision on his future soon. “I got myself into agent mode! No, I’m kidding,” Umtiti said. “It’s true that we talk about it a lot. I was able to talk about it with him, but just to find out what he thinks of my club. But everyone thinks good things about it. It makes them dream. Players of that level. … If he comes, we’d have to play with six forwards.” Umtiti, however, may…
Arsene Wenger has said Easter and the team’s poor league campaign was to blame for the many empty seats at the Emirates on Sunday, but insists the stay-away fans will be back for Thursday’s Europa League quarterfinal against CSKA Moscow. At least one third of the seats were empty during the 3-0 win over Stoke, even though Arsenal still claimed that more than 59,000 tickets were sold for the game. However, Wenger insisted he is not worried, and believes fans will turn out for the first leg against CSKA Moscow, with the Europa League now the only competition that can…
Jupp Heynckes has said Real Madrid have no chance of signing Robert Lewandowski from the Bundesliga club, reiterating that the Poland international will still be at the Allianz Arena next season. Lewandowski, 29, scored a hat trick in the 6-0 win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday and currently has 26 league goals — 13 more than any other player. He is only the third player in the Bundesliga to have scored 25 or more goals in three consecutive seasons and the first in 43 years. Having won all trophies and titles in Germany more than once, Lewandowski switched agents earlier…
Virgil van Dijk has said an in-form Mohamed Salah is capable of doing damage to any team — even a dominant Manchester City — and could still beat Blues midfielder Kevin De Bruyne to the player of the year award. “He’s that kind of player that you just need to be on your best. When he is 100 percent and in the zone then he can beat anyone. “There are ways to stop him but I’m not going to tell you because I don’t want our opponents to think about it!” Van Dijk would not disclose whether the Liverpool players…
Javi Martinez has said his team will have to “fight” and give their all to go past Sevilla in the Champions League. “Maybe people think they’re not as good as Barcelona or Real Madrid but I think they are,” the 29-year-old said ahead of Tuesday’s first leg in Spain. “If we are not at 100 percent, they can beat us.” “It’s a good example [of what might happen]. I think Sevilla deserved to win both games, in Sevilla and in Manchester,” Martinez added. “They scored two goals in the most difficult moments of the game [at Old Trafford]. They acted…
Giorgio Chiellini has said Champions League quarterfinal opponent Real Madrid are about more than just Cristiano Ronaldo, while adding that revenge is not the main objective for his side on Tuesday night. “Sergio Ramos is the best defender in the world, but it’s not just me saying this,” Chiellini said. “It’s the same with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is the best No. 9 in the world. “When you face champions like these, it’s great to try to beat them. We’ll try our best to contain [Ronaldo], but Real Madrid are not just about him. If you think you can eliminate him,…
Iker Casillas made his 1,000th professional appearance on Monday in a 2-0 Primeira Liga defeat to Belenenses. Casillas made his debut for Real Madrid in 1999, when he came out of the club’s youth system, and went on to make 725 appearances with Los Blancos, winning five La Liga titles and the Champions League three times. Casillas’ former Real Madrid and Spain teammate Sergio Ramos congratulated the goalkeeper on Twitter, stating he is also targeting his milestone. “I already see myself getting close to surpassing your caps record with Spain,” he wrote.”Getting to 1,000 matches as a professional might have…
Jurgen Klopp has tipped Mohamed Salah to win the Player of the Year Award in recognition of his goal scoring. Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne is likely to be Salah’s biggest competitor for the award, with Klopp fully aware of the midfielder’s role in helping put Pep Guardiola’s side on course for the Premier League title. “I think Mo would deserve it 100 percent,” Klopp told his club’s website. “As his manager, I’d say: ‘Come on, prove it by playing at this level for the rest of the season.’ That’s how it is. “Both players have played an outstanding season…
Andrew Robertson believes Liverpool enter Wednesday’s Champions League meeting against City full of confidence having exploited some weaknesses of Pep Guardiola’s side during January’s win. The two teams were then drawn together in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, with the first leg being played at Anfield on Wednesday evening. “It doesn’t get much harder than Man City, arguably one of the best teams in Europe just now,” Robertson told Liverpool’s official website. “But we managed to get the better of them at Anfield a couple of months ago and if we can take anything out of that performance then…
Hugo Lloris has said criticism of Dele Alli is unfair and has compared the midfielder to his France teammate Paul Pogba. Pogba has also found himself out of favour this term and Lloris says both need time to mature. “It is not easy for [Alli and Pogba] because you need to give time to them to get to the right age, to be mature,” Lloris is quoted as saying by the I newspaper. “But I think [Alli] has done so well for us, [the criticism] is a bit unfair. To see or to hear criticism, he is so talented –…
Gov. Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa has said Mubi would soon be granted approval by the Federal Government to establish a Free Trade Zone (FTZ). The governor said the Federal Government was considering Mubi to host the FTZ due to its commercial potential in the North East region. According to him, the area generates huge revenue running into millions of naira and has also generated about N4 billion weekly in the past. He also said the Mubi Cattle Market was the largest in the whole of the West Africa sub region. Bindow noted that countries from the Central Africa region had…
Muhammadu Buhari admitted that the country is going through “very turbulent” times under his administration. “Nigeria’s journey in the last three years has been a very turbulent one. The country’s need for critical job-creating sectors which has been ignored for decades is now beginning to yield results”, he said. He added, “We shall also develop new programmes and projects that will protect and indeed, create more jobs in farming, fisheries, animal husbandry and forestry. “We will also not lose sight of the other issues that will impact our food production ambitions such as; population growth, ubanisation, industrialisation, rural infrastructure development…
Bola Tinubu has said that President Muhammadu Buhari, by kicking against elongation of the tenure of the APC National Working Commitee (NWC), was steering the party back to the correct path. Tinubu said: “President Buhari’s action saves the party from serious legal turmoil. ”If the elongations were deemed illegal, then all subsequent party actions, including the nomination of all of our candidates for elective offices, might also be of questionable legality. ”Such a predicament would constitute an unnecessary and mortal blow to the party and its role in promoting progressive governance to Nigeria. ”Moreover, President Buhari has affirmed for all…