Akwa Ibom State Governor Emmanuel Udom and his predecessor, Sen. Godswill Akpabio are the latest public office holders to visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Reports say that they arrived at Obasanjo’s residence at about 2.48 p.m today in company of a former Prelate of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, Dr Sunday Mbang and some other state officials. They immediately went into a closed-door meeting which ended at about 4.05 p.m. Addressing journalists after the meeting, Udom said he was in Abeokuta to pay homage and to thank Obasanjo. He said he consulted with Obasanjo shortly…
Author: Wale Adebayo
A pastor of the Living Faith Church, who was abducted by hoodlums last Saturday at his church along IBB Way Calabar has regained his freedom. A source in the church told Vanguard that the pastor was taken to the outskirt of Calabar at midnight and asked to go home. From there, he found his way to the church where other pastors were holding a vigil for his release. Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria in Cross River State, Pastor Lawrence Ekwok confirmed Pastor Seyi’s release but he could not confirm if any ransom was paid. However, he expressed gratitude to…
If Ben Murray-Bruce, the Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial district would have his way, each youth corps member will receive N500,000 capital to start any business of their choice once they finish with the one-year compulsory service under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He described it as a way to create jobs. “To provide jobs, Youth Corpers should be taught entrepreneurial skills for a year then be given 500k each to start a biz when they pass out. “Govt should provide the 500k to a commercial bank for release to the Youth Corper only to pay for business set up…
Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has advised members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers to adhere strictly to roads traffic regulation while transporting petroleum products across the country. Tambuwal, who gave the advice at the opening of the national executive council meeting of the union in Sokoto on Saturday, said obeying traffic rules and regulations would prevent road crashes. He commiserated with the members of the association for the recent accident in Onitsha, Anambra State, where several people died. The governor urged members of the PTD to ensure that their trucks were in perfect condition before transporting products. Tambuwal promised to…
The Federal Government has inaugurated an independent committee to address the labour crisis between the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCN). According to a statement by Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the committee, inaugurated by Dr Clement Illoh, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, will look into the purported certificate forgery and irregular career progression in the commission. Olowookere said that the upgrade and promotions that culminated in the decision to dismiss some staff of the commission were also to be considered by the committee.…
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari not to succumb to pressure to slash salaries of civil servants as part of measures to reduce the cost of governance. “Any attempt by the new government to reduce the salaries of workers will be viewed as an invitation for war by the labour movement”, the ASCSN said. A statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the President of ASCSN, who also doubles as President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, and Secretary-General, Alade Lawal, said it was criminal for anybody or group…
A non-governmental organization known as People United For Societal Harmony, PUSH, yesterday in Lagos, described the recent allegation of financial impropriety leveled against the Chairman of Police Service Commission, PSC, Sir Mike Okiro, as not only ill-motivated but aimed at smearing his sterling and unrivalled records. The NGO also decried allegations of threats to the life of the petitioner stating that it was a clear case of “guilty conscience of a drowning man wanting to pull as many reeds as possible”. In a statement jointly signed by the Director-General and Coordinating Secretary, Dr. Sylvanus Ujumandu and Mrs. Sade Jaiyesimi respectively,…
In a radical departure from the past, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has cancelled the annual Ramadan ‘welfare’ package usually distributed to Muslims in the state. In the past, rice, millet, vegetable oil, milk, sugar and other commodities were distributed to Muslims to ameliorate the burdens of fasting. But Governor El-Rufai on Friday said his government could not continue sharing state resources. He said if his government continues in that direction, it will only be able to pay salaries. Speaking when he received the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Jama’atul Nasril Islam yesterday at the…
The Osun State Police Command on Friday said it had uncovered plots by some persons to cause mayhem and disrupt the peace of the state. The police made this known at the end of the state’s Security Council meeting in Osogbo yesterday. The Assistant Commissioner of Police in the state, Jesubiyi Taiwo, who represented the state’s police commissioner, Abubakar Marafa, said security agencies in the state were poised to deal with anyone who attempts to breach the peace. The security council of the state is made up of the police, State Security Service, SSS, the Nigeria Army, the Nigeria Air…
The Ekiti State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked Governor Ayo Fayose to prosecute the state’s All Progressives Congress, APC, Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, and four other APC leaders for their alleged complicity in the murder of Foluso Ogundare, Mr. Ayo Jeje and Mrs. Juliana Adewumi. The three PDP supporters were killed in 2013 during the past administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi. The PDP had vowed last year that the state government would use legal and constitutional means to ensure that Awe and the others were prosecuted for the alleged murder. The four other APC leaders were: Faboro…
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the April 11 governorship election in Delta State, Chief O’tega Emerhor, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of transferring unnecessary burdens to election petitions tribunals by not upholding the sanctity of card readers during the 2015 general elections. Emerhor, who applauded the courage and integrity of the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, for standing by electoral guidelines for the conduct of the elections, especially the use of card reader, however, accused him of “shirking from INEC’s responsibility” and “now passing such responsibility to the ongoing tribunals”. Emerhor’s position was contained in…
The World Igbo Congress, WIC, a global network of Ndigbo, has congratulated the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu on his re-election into office, declaring that “anyone asking him to resign his position is an enemy of the Igbo people”. Some aggrieved All Progressives Congress, APC, Senators had called for his resignation arguing that he was not properly elected. In a statement signed by the Secretary-General of the WIC, Dr. Agatha Anosike and the Media Director, Dr. Acho Orabuchi, the WIC under the leadership of Joe Nze Eto, congratulated Senator Ekweremadu and all the Governors of Enugu, Imo, Abia,…
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Friday inaugurated a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the immediate past administration of Governor Chibuike Amaechi. The seven-man panel was inaugurated at Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital. Wike said at the inauguration that the probe was in conformity with section 2 (1) of the Commission of Inquiry Law of Rivers State. He tasked the commission to ascertain the sale of valued assets of Rivers and other related matters with a view to finding out the legality of such transactions. The panel was also charged to probe the sale of Omoku…
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun, says that the party was working round the clock to resolve the crisis rocking the APC. In a statement issued in Abuja, Oyegun said the party had reached out to all interested parties, and that when the National Assembly resumes next week, Nigerians would see one harmonious, happy APC family. “We owe it to our party, our teeming members and supporters and indeed all Nigerians who reposed so much confidence in us by voting us into office to quickly put the unfortunate incidents of the recent past behind…
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom believes that the state could be suffering from a spell, hence its inability of the state to develop rapidly. Speaking on Friday, in Taraku, Gwer local government area, during his tour of the gigantic Taraku Mills and industry, Ortom noted that the factory was a goldmine which should not have been allowed to waste away. He therefore said his government’s commitment to resuscitate industries in the State in keeping with its policy to create jobs and wealth was unshakable. He assured that the Taraku Mills would be revived soon. “The raw materials are here and…
The Code of Conduct Bureau will not make the details of assets declared to it by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo public. This is due to limitations in federal laws covering such release, the CCB said. The presidency had said the declared assets will be made known after the Code of Conduct Bureau authenticates claims in the declaration forms. President Muhammadu Buhari had pledged to publicly declare his assets despite the lack of a law requiring him to do so as the 1999 Constitution stated that office holders declare their assets, without requiring them to do so…
The Federal Government is working with the Agence Française de Dévelopement (AFD), the French Development Agency which participates in promoting and financing development throughout the world, to secure a grant of 170 million Euros (N38 billion) for the building of transmission networks in Abuja area. Speaking during the inauguration of a 9-member Steering Committee for enhancing vocational training delivery for the power sector, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr Godnkows Igali urged all agencies of the government to move towards strategic partnership with international organisations for funding. “Agencies of government must not wait for funding from government alone,” he said.…
The Senate President, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki today paid a courtesy visit to the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The visit to Obasanjo was in continuation of the Senate President’s tour of drawing from the wealth of experiences and knowledge from elder statesmen across the nation on ways to move forward. Members of the Senate President’s entourage included Alhaji Kawu Baraje; Senators Andy Uba, Sanni Yerima, Alasodura, Danjuma Goje and; a former Governor of Osun state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Saraki was also in Kwara State where he joined the Emir of Ilorin, Alh. Zulu Gambari at the…
Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Ben Murray-Bruce has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the sale of presidential jets. It is believed that the presidential fleet has 16 aircradt and it costs the government about N12 billion to maintain them annually. Thisday quoted an aviation source to have said that Buhari gave the order. “Nine, which still have market value, are to be sold immediately to reduce maintenance costs,” he said. Commenting on the development, Murray-Bruce wrote on twitter “I commend @MBuhari [President Buhari] for ordering sale of Presidential jets. Govs [Governors] must follow suit. No Gov [Governor] owing…
The Elders Council of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State has faulted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Lasun Yusuf, for accepting to contest last week’s election at the House, describing him as a disloyal party member. The elders in a communique issued in Osogbo, the state capital yesterday, said the deputy speaker, who is representing Osogbo/Olorunda/Irepodun/Orolu Federal Constituency of Osun State, allowed his personal interest to move him against the party. The communique was signed by the Secretary of the APC Elders Council, Mr. Felix Awofisayo and a prominent lawyer, who is a member of…