The Edo State House of Assembly has confirmed Governor Godwin Obaseki’s 18 nominees for commissioners on Wednesday, June 28, 2017. The list of nominees was sent by Obaseki, elected in 2016, in a letter to the state’s House of Assembly on June 19. In the letter, addressed to the Speaker, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governor urged the House to confirm the nominees. Dr. Okonoboh had promised that the house would not delay in the screening and confirmation of the nominees. The list of confirmed commissioners include: Yekini Idaiye (Akoko Edo), Ohonbamu Paul (Egor), E. Agbale (Esan…
Author: David Folami
Leader of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Shettima Yerima has dismissed claims that he is on the run from law enforcement, saying nobody is looking for him. In an interview with Punch, Yerima said he is ready to make himself available to any security agency that might be willing to talk to him, saying he has nothing to fear. He said, “I did not go into hiding and will never go into hiding. We need to put the record straight. “For now, nobody is looking for me and I am ready to submit myself if I am called. I am…
Sen. Theodore Orji, representing Abia Central Senatorial District, has inaugurated a solar-powered motorised borehole for the Umundara Ahuwa Oboro community in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state. Speaking at the inauguration on Tuesday, Orji said that six boreholes were allocated to Abia at the National Assembly and they would be distributed to the six local government areas in the district. He said that three had been installed in Umuahia South, Osisioma and Ikwuano, adding that Umuahia North, Isialangwa North and Isialangwa South would soon have theirs installed. Orji said that he had also distributed electricity transformers to the six…
The consultations by the Presidency with various segments of the Nigerian society will continue, the Spokesman of the Acting President, Mr Laolu Akande, said on Tuesday. He stated this in a release while emphasizing the import of the dialogue the Acting President had with leaders from the North, Southeast and the media over the last two weeks. “While this set of consultations was concluded last week, the presidency will continue to actively engage with different segments of the Nigerian population at different stages and formats in the near future. “The meetings were convened to provide a platform for frank and…
ATM cash dispensing points and bank halls witnessed long queues in Jos, the Plateau capital, as business activities resumed while workers returned to work after the Eid-el Fitr holiday. Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who went round the city, observed that some ATM points were not dispensing, putting pressure on the few that were doing so. At the Ahmadu Bello Way in Teminus area, anxious customers were seen waiting for their turns to make withdrawals, with some of the customers telling NAN that they had just returned from their villages and needed “a little cash”. “I am…
The 16 local government councils in Kwara State shared the sum of N314, 535, 115.40 from the state’s allocation for the month of June 2017. The Chairman, Asa local government disclosed this on Wednesday after the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting in Ilorin. He explained that the figure included the 10 per cent of the state government’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) distributable for the month, representing N43.78 million. Hon. Oniboki said the Gross Statutory Allocation for the councils was N1.159 billion; Value Added Tax (VAT), N420 million and exchange gain difference of N241 million. He said that N280 million…
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has appealed to the Zamfara State Government to establish an Inter Religious Council in the state where issues of mutual interests can be discussed. Chairman, CAN state’s branch, Rev. Iliya Tsiga, made the call on Tuesday, when he led some members of the association on Sallah homage to Gov. Abdulaziz Yari at his private residence in Talata-Mafara. According to him, the association wants the governor to consider the appointment of a Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Christian Affairs. He urged the state government to also establish a department that would cater for…
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos state, has granted Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) leave to seek an order of mandamus compelling the government to publish details of spending of the Paris Club Loan refunds. Justice Muslim Hassan ruled that SERAP could proceed with the legal challenge to unravel how exactly 35 states spent Paris Club loan refunds. Justice Hassan while granting leave stressed that it was important for the authorities “to come and tell us how they spent our money.” The order granting leave by the court followed the hearing of an argument in court on…
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has called for synergy and cooperation between security agencies and individuals in addressing the current security challenges facing the country. He made the call in an interview with newsmen shortly after he paid Sallah homage to Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger in Minna on Tuesday. “Security is everybody’s business and I want everybody to contribute to sustain the level of security and unity in this country. “There is a lot of improvement in some areas in the country, but there is need for us to put our heads together,” he said. Idris…
Hundreds of Biafra agitators gathered outside the home of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu in Umuahia on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, chanting, “All we are saying, give us Biafra”. In videos tweeted by journalist Kadaria Ahmed on her Twitter handle (@KadariaAhmed), hundreds of people can be seen waving the Biafran flag chanting, while Kanu stands on the balcony of his house, not too far away from the Abia state government house. In one video, Kanu can be seen waving at the noisy crowd down below in solidarity, and at some point, pointed up to the sky. One…
The President, Society for the Promotion of People`s Rights, an NGO, Mr Williams Osaze on Monday advised residents of FCT against indidumping of refuse. Osaze gave the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. He said that the advice became necessary considering the harmful effects of refuse on human health as well as ensuring environmental cleanlinesiness and the well-being of the people. “Residents should try as much as possible to keep their environment clean; it is the responsibility of everybody to complement government’s efforts in this regard.” “A healthy nation is a wealthy nation;…
Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), says about 85 per cent of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who fled their communities in Gujba Local Government Area, following Boko Haram insurgency had returned. The Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Musa Jidawa, disclosed this on Tuesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu. He said in Gulani Local Government Area, over 98 per cent of the displaced persons had also been relocated to their communities. Jidawa said except for some IDPs, who settled around host communities, the state now has only one IDP camp at Pompomari after the closure of Bukar…
A group of Arewa Youths has warned against any plans to stop the 8 year tenure of President Buhari. According to Daily Post, the group also alleged that some Yoruba leaders want to make Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the President. The Northern youths in a statement signed by its spokesmen, Muhammed Shehu and Tanko Abdullahi said the South-West is planning to discredit the North in 2019. The group also said “We are very much aware that all the attacks against President Muhammadu Buhari were planted in the media by the Yoruba and spread by southerners generally just to discredit the…
Southern Kaduna Youth and Student Forum (SKYSFOM) have called on Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai to reopen three of state’s tertiary institutions that he shut down. After serving the governor with a three-week ultimatum for reopening, the group decried the long closure of the institutions caused by the Southern Kaduna killings. The governor closed Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna State College of Nursing and Kaduna State College of Education Gidan-waya last year due to the violence in the region. To make sure the governor knows how committed they are to the ultimatum, they promised to pass a vote of no…
Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Abulrazak Namdas, has said the 2017 budget of the ministry of works, power and housing did not distribute road projects and other developmental facilities equally. In a report by TheCable, Namdas reacted to the Minister of Works, Power and Housing latest swipe at the National Assembly for allegedly hindering the growth of the country. In a statement by Namdas on Wednesday, June 28, 2017, the legislature’s spokesman said lawmakers could not watch the country’s “patrimony be unfairly skewed to one region or a few regions to the detriment of other states and geo-political zones”.…
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has praised the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and others who have supported recent calls for the restructuring of the country. The APC chieftain said the issue of restructuring is one that goes beyond anyone’s religious or ethnic ties. In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, June 27, 2017, Atiku praised the patriotism of the party’s governors for standing behind achieving true federalism in the country. He said, “The restructuring debate transcends the ambition of any single politician in Nigeria, and that any attempt to ignore the agitations could…
Businessman Alhaji Aliko Dangote has criticised the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY) who threatened to evict Igbo residents in the north from the region. The coalition issued the threatening statement on June 6, 2017, advising Igbos living in the northern region of the country to leave before October 1, 2017. The billionaire has dismissed the threats, saying it is a “senseless warning.” He reacted to the issue while receiving a team of business executives from the Lagos Business School (LBS) at his multi-billion dollars refinery and petrochemical projects in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. The Chairman of Dangote Group was quoted by The…
An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Austin Okwor, was shot by unknown gunmen in Port Harcourt on Saturday, June 24, 2017. This was confirmed in a statement by the commission’s spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren, who revealed that the operative in the Property Fraud Section of the EFCC Zonal office in PH escaped death during the incident. According to the statement, “Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials.” He was rushed to the hospital after the attack that happened on Saturday after he closed late from work. According…
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state has threatened to tell Nigerians where President Buhari is receiving treatment in London. According to Punch, Fayose also alleged that the President has been on a life support machine since June 6, 2017. The Ekiti state Governor also called on Buhari’s media team to tell Nigerians the truth, adding that the audio broadcast was a fake. Fayose, who told newsmen that the President is suffering from a voice impairment, said the Sallah broadcast was used to deceive Nigerians. He also said that the First Lady, Aisha Buhari was not allowed to see Buhari during…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Cross River says workers in the state civil service will not resume work until their demands are met. The State NLC Chairman, Mr John Ushie, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Wednesday. NAN reports that the organised labour in the state embarked on strike on June 19 to press home their demands. The labour unions are demanding for payment of gratuities to retirees from 2013 till date, re-commencement of promotion interview and release of promotion letters to those already promoted, among others. Ushie said that…