Contrary to reports that Nigerians governors have reconciled, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) under the leadership of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state has denied it has reconciled with the Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State-led NGF. A statement released in Abuja and signed by the Secretary and Administrator of the Jang-led Forum, Osaro Onaiwu, noted that any such reconciliation attempt was futile, seeing that majority of the governors will be out of office in a matter of days. It is therefore proper to leave issues of reconciliation, reorganization and a new Chairman to the incoming governors. According to the…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned its Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Okey Nnadozie over allegation of embezzlement of the transport allowance at the last National Convention of the party. A letter by the National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo noted that upon investigation of the complaint from the Conference of State Chairmen about the non-payment of their transport allowance at the last National Convention, it was discovered that Nnadozie was in charge of the funds. “I write to inform you that the National Working Committee is in receipt of disturbing complaint from…
President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government to take measures to stem migration of youths in the sub-region through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, which has led to thousands of deaths of sub-Saharan Africans. According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), more than 1,750 migrants perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year, several of them Africans. In his valedictory speech at the 47th ordinary session of ECOWAS in Accra, Ghana, President Jonathan urged African leaders to discuss the matter at the African Union Summit…
An Abuja Federal High Court today nullified the certificate of return issued to a Benue Rep-elect, Christian Abah, for forging an Ordinary National Diploma in Accountancy purportedly obtained from the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, in 1985. Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in his judgement, held that the allegation of certificate forgery against Abah by the plaintiff, Mr Hassan Saleh, was true having been established by an election tribunal in 2011. According to him, an earlier judgment of the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, delivered on Sept. 6, 2011, affirmed that the certificate presented by Abah to INEC was forged. He further stated that…
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accepted the voluntary resignation of the National Chairman of the party Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu. The party made this known in a statement signed by the National Secretary, Wale Oladipo following the NWC’s 399th meeting today. Mu’azu was said to have tendered his resignation letter, citing health grounds as his reason. Chief Uche Secondus, the Deputy National Chairman, has taken over, in line with the provisions of sections 45 (2) of the PDP constitution. The NWC, however, expressed complete confidence of the party in the National Publicity Secretary, Chief…
Two maternal cousins of President Goodluck Jonathan have been kidnapped at Akipelai in Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa State. About six gunmen, Tuesday, stormed the home town of the president’s mother and whisked away the victims, both female, identified as Patience Egbeni and Kate Eni, Vanguard reports. The Nigerian daily quoted eyewitnesses to have said that the unidentified gunmen, numbering six, were clad in military camouflage. The report further quoted the gunmen to have said that the women were forced into a waiting speedboat in which their abductors took them away. The police is believed to have commenced investigation…
One of the best brands in Nollywood, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, and her daughter have attained new heights. The beautiful actress and her second daughter, Meraiah Ekeinde, have been made brand ambassadors for Knorr season cubes. The newest ambassadors in town, both mum and daughter, recently campaigned for awareness of iron deficiency anemia in women and teenage girls. See photos below: Just recently, the popular Nollywood actress, mother and entrepreneur shared her views about the new trend of trekking for political leaders, calling it misplaced priorities.
Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Uche Secondus, has taken over as acting National Chairman of the party following the resignation Wednesday of Adamu Mu’azu on health grounds. National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Olisa Metuh, who confirmed this to journalists at the Wadata Plaza national secretariat of the party, commended the erstwhile chairman for his services to the PDP and love for the nation. He said, “I can confirm that we have received the resignation of the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu. I can confirm that the chairman, who had health challenges, stayed on for the primaries,…
The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, on Wednesday urged the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to beware of sycophants ahead of his assumption of office on May 29. Okogie, in a statement in Lagos, urged Buhari to be wary of “wolves in sheep clothing’’ and all the political jobbers who jumped ship to identify with the winning party. He said, “Now that the euphoria of electoral victory is over and with some days to the handover ceremony, the President-elect should get to work and hit the ground running without further delay. “He does not have the…
Governor-elect of Bauchi State, Barr. Mohammed Abubakar, has lamented the strike action embarked upon by the state civil servants, saying the industrial action will affect the work of the state transition committee. In a press statement signed by the deputy governor-elect, Engr Nuhu Gidado and copies made available to journalists in Bauchi, Mr. Abubakar said it is important that the service personnel are available to drive a seamless transition process. It would be recalled that the Bauchi State Chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress embarked on indefinite strike last week Tuesday over non-payment of their March and April Salaries. “We, however,…
An Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Wednesday sentenced 18-year-old, Somtochukwu Otika to three months’ imprisonment for stealing a bicycle after he had pleaded guilty to the charge. The Magistrate, Mr Teslimi Shomade, said that the convict would serve the jail term with hard labour or an option of N18, 500 fine. “Somtochukwu Otika is found guilty of stealing a bicycle belonging to one Miss Chioma Ojiaku. “His offence contravened Section 278(1) and is punishable under Section 285 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. “He is hereby sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour or…
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has read the riot act to those in possession of fake driver’s license, saying they will henceforth be prosecuted if they are caught. The corps marshal and chief executive of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, who gave this warning in Abuja at a one day training programme for all security agencies on verification of national driver’s license and vehicle number plate on Tuesday, said “it is a criminal matter” and this prosecution will help to checkmate the high rate of fake driver’s licence, which is now prevalent among motorists. According to Mr. Oyeyemi, the essence of…
A 36-year-old barber, Azeez Adewale, charged with peeping at his female neighbour while bathing in the bathroom, was arraigned on Wednesday in Lagos. Adewale, who resides at No. 23, Arowojobe St., Lagos, is being tried for breach of peace and assault at an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court. The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 17 at his residence. He said that the accused was peeping at his neighbour, one Miss Victoria Emmanuel, in the bathroom while taking her bath. “The accused was secretly looking at the complainant when she was bathing”, he…
Following the unrelenting attitude of those calling for his resignation after he led the Peoples Democratic Party to its first defeat in 16 years, the embattled National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, on Wednesday threw in the towel. The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Jalo, confirmed the development to The PUNCH in a telephone interview. “It is true, Mu’azu has resigned. I can confirm this to you, he resigned today”, he said. Jalo, however, declined further comments. Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports President Goodluck Jonathan has also demanded the resignation of the PDP Board…
The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi okonjo-Iweala, said it was strange for the Governors Forum to allege that 20 billion dollars were missing from the Excess Crude Account (ECA). This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Paul Nwabuikwu, spokesman for the Minister, in Abuja on Tuesday. The statement said there was no basis for the forum to demand that the minister should account for such money from June 2013 to April 2015. “The statement by the governors is totally strange because Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), meets every month and the ECA is discussed at every session with…
Former minister and spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, has debunked claims that hate campaign by some members of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation caused the party’s defeat at the March 28 presidential election. Mr. Fani-kayode, who served as Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday. He said President Goodluck Jonathan would have lost the presidential election by at least 10 million votes but for the intervention of his campaign team. Mr. Jonathan lost the election by less than 3 million votes. He was reacting to recent accusation by the PDP…
Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, has debunked reports that President Goodluck Jonathan will dissolve his cabinet. We had reported yesterday citing investigations by Daily Trust that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting today will be a valedictory session and the last under Jonathan. The newspaper also said the information minister confirmed the development in April 29 during a press briefing with State House Correspondents. The minister, in a statement, however, denied the report. The statement by the Press Secretary to the Minister, Mr. Joseph Mutah, denied ever telling journalists that the president was going to dissolve the council today.…
The member representing Yobe North Senatorial District, Senator Ahmed Lawan, has pointed out that he has the qualities to be the next Senate President in the 8th National Assembly. Lawan, who is a leading contender for the exalted position, said having garnered the necessary experience at the House of Representatives and the Senate in the last 16 years, he has a good understanding of the workings of parliament. The Senator, who spoke during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, said if he eventually emerged as the President, the Senate will make good governance its main focus. He…
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) concluded its 10th Annual General Meeting today at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland with the election of Mr. Roberts U Orya, the MD/CEO of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) as its new ‘Honorary President.’ The G-NEXID, with a membership of 24 institutions – http://www.gnexid.org/index.asp – was established in March 2006 at the joint initiative of Exim Bank of India and UNCTAD, as a platform to boost South-South trade and investment relations. In his acceptance remarks, Mr. Orya thanked the members for his election as the 4th Honorary President…
file photo After 24 months of division, Nigerian governors have reconciled. Following the reconciliation, the governors have shifted their focus to a common enemy, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as States continue to groan due to reduced allocation from the federal government. The NGF charged the minister to declare the estimated $20 billion they claimed would have accrued to the Excess Crude Account during their quarrel. “We are hereby reconciled and reunited as a single umbrella association of the 36 State Governors of Nigeria regardless of party or region,” their resolution read. “Forum Congratulates the President- elect, Muhammadu Buhari on his…