All Progressives Congress (APC) National chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Timi Frank, are at loggerheads over who speaks for the party as the National Publicity Secretary of the party upon the exit of Alhaji Lai Mohammed who is now Minister of Information. While Oyegun insisted at a press briefing that the mantle has fallen on him and the National Secretary of the party, Mai Buni to speak for the ruling party, Frank insisted that he was constitutionally authorized to step into the shoes of his former principal, Lai Mohammed who is…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHoA) has tasked the Federal Government on recovering stolen funds from indicted former public officials and their cronies. Speaking to reporters at a training programme organised by the assembly at the Green Legacy Resort inside Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State, the assembly through its lawmakers; stated that the indicted Nigerians should not be allowed to go scot free. “Whether the people involved in the massive corruption allegations are jailed or not, let us get the money back. You can jail them to serve as a deterrent to others, but the money must…
Nigeria, yesterday, agreed a deal with Chinese technology firm, Huawei, to provide 2000 Information and Communication Technology, ICT trainee jobs to young Nigerians in 2016 under the “Huawei’s Seeds for the Future program.” Speaking at the signing of the agreement, Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo stated that “ICT is one of the quickest ways people can get decent jobs, so we think this is absolutely important.” He further said that the Programme was part of the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to create jobs for the youth. “In the change agenda, how to grow the economy is…
The federal government on Thursday in Abuja set up committees to investigate petitions against alleged corruption in some universities and polytechnics in the country. Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said the investigation has become imminent given several cases of alleged corruption, misappropriation of funds and abuse of extant laws governing such tertiary institutions. “The ministry decided to set up these ten ad-hoc fact-finding committees in response to petitions received from different stakeholders, within and outside the institutions, with variety of allegations bordering on irregularities, abuse of due process, mismanagement, immorality, fraud and corruption among others. “In order to get to…
The Supreme Court will decide the faith of a pastor who allegedly flogs his church members. He is the General Overseer, Christian Praying Assembly (CPA), Rev. Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, a.k.a Reverend King. He is challenging the judgement of a Lagos High Court sentencing him to death by hanging. His challenge which has gotten as far as the Supreme Court was on Thursday, fixed for February 26, 2016. The apex court presided over by Justice Walter Onoghen adjourned for judgment after entertaining arguments from counsel to prosecution and defence in the matter. Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, who appeared before…
House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to try its best to fulfil its promises to Nigerians. Dogara made the call when Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar visited him on Thursday in Abuja. “Our people have witnessed bad leadership, especially in the last eight years; it will be a disaster if we don’t save this situation,” Dogara said. He acknowledged the overwhelming support given the party by the people of Bauchi. “Everybody knows the passion of our people in Bauchi State; they embraced us against all odds, against the sitting governor,…
Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Director-General, Mrs Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, said the allegation that she used the agency’s N700 million to fund former President Goodluck Jonathan’s election campaign was untrue. Speaking at a media roundtable in Abuja on Thursday, Chukkas-Onaeko described the accusation allegedly made by some members of staff of the organisation as “ridiculous and painful”. She stated that those peddling the `falsehood’ should have known that it was impossible for her to sign off such huge amount of money without appropriation. She said, “I am sure that when they wrote that thing they expected me to go and commit suicide…
Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Thursday passed a record 130 bills for first reading in less than 30 minutes, the first time since the return of democracy in 1999. Normally at first reading, the Speaker only invites the House clerk to read the short title of any newly introduced bill, after which it will be listed for second reading, when it will be debated. Soon after commencement of plenary Thursday, Speaker Yakubu Dogara called on the clerk, Sani Omolori, to read the bills, most of which sought to repeal or amend an existing law. Some of the bills include Corporate…
The Presidential Amnesty Office has assured beneficiaries of the Amnesty programme that they would be paid their two months stipends not later than Tuesday, 15th December, 2015. The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. General Paul Boroh (rtd), who made the disclosure Thursday, also expressed satisfaction with the cooperation, understanding and support of the beneficiaries, which he said had seen peace return to the once restive Niger Delta Region. The beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme had inundated the Presidential Amnesty Programme with a number of enquiries over the delay in…
An economic expert, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, on Wednesday expressed concern over the proposed oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day in 2016, saying the projection might not be feasible. Mr. Uwaleke, a professor, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the country might not be able to meet the production target. “So for the output, we would have gone for something that is a little bit lower”, he said. On the government’s plans to spend more on capital projects, the expert said it was necessary, considering the state of the country’s economy.…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to fix a date for the supplementary election in the Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa State, days after it declared the governorship election in the state inconclusive Speaking on the development, INEC’s director, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said the commission was still consulting over the matter. The Chief Returning Officer for Bayelsa State 2015 governorship election, Prof. Zana Akpagu, Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, had on Monday, announced that the election was inconclusive because of the violence that marred the polls in Southern Ijaw. As at the time…
The Governor of Nasarawa State, Umaru Tanko Al-makura, has said that the 2016 budget would place more emphasis on rural community development and promotion of inclusive society by servicing policies and programmes that would give youths, women and the physically challenged the enabling environment to realize their potentialities. The governor stated this yesterday in Lafia, the state capital, shortly after swearing in 13 special advisers and four permanent secretaries. He said: “In the 2016 budget, more emphasis would be placed on rural development and we shall provide equal playing ground for the vulnerable which include persons living with disability, women,…
A former Commissioner for Information in Plateau State, Mr. Yakubu Dati, has said that the list of commissioner-nominees sent by Governor Simon Lalong to the State House of Assembly for screening has shown that the administration is well-focused and did not make its selection based on political patronage, tribal or religious inclinations. Mr. Dati said the list is bound to inspire confidence in the ability of the Lalong administration to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. The former commissioner in a statement issued in Jos, the Plateau State capital yesterday, said “the list is a mixed bag of…
Following the Izom youths protest on Tuesday, which culminated in blockade of the Suleja-Minna road, the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has condemned the action, warning that his government will not tolerate any act of lawlessness by anybody or group. It would be recalled that the youth blocked the major highway in protest against government’s decision to relocate the Lambata market. Condemning the resort to lawlessness, Governor Bello, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, yesterday, warned that anyone who resorts to acts capable of breaching the peace in an attempt to express…
A former governor of Oyo State and Labour Party (LP) candidate in the April 11 governorship elections in the state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, has declared his intention to defect to the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) over what he termed “the reality of the moment”. Alao-Akala, who was formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he crossed over to LP to actualize his governorship ambition, spoke of his decision to join the APC at a meeting he held in his Ibadan residence with his supporters on the Destiny Group platform. In attendance at the meeting were Hon Tajudeen Abisodun,…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday distanced itself from instigating the killings of pro-Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) protesters in Onitsha in August. It would be recalled that nine people were reportedly killed on Aug. 22 when MASSOB protesters clashed with security agents during a protest seeking the actualisation of an independent state for the Igbos. APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, told newsmen in Abuja that the party had nothing to do with the clash, and it had no reason whatsoever, to kill innocent people. Odigie-Oyegun said that MASSOB was not an opposition…
The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has said that Nigeria needs a 20-year plan to be able to offset pension liabilities incurred from moribund national institutions like Nigeria Airways, Nigeria Telecommunication (NITEL), among others. The governor, who made this disclosure at a stakeholders’ sensitization conference for North –West on pension reform Act 2014 organised by the National Pension Commission on Wednesday, stated that at least 2,484 ghost pensioners was discovered in Kaduna State, saving N1.3 billion annually for the state. The former Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), pointed out that Nigeria Airways had a…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for proposing a N500 billion social welfare package targeting students, youth corps members and the vulnerable in society in the 2016 budget estimates. The president on Tuesday submitted a three-year fiscal policy agenda, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the Senate in which he proposed a budget of N6.04 trillion for the 2016 fiscal year to be driven by an oil price benchmark of $38/barrel. In a statement issued by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, on Wednesday, MURIC said the President Buhari’s “bold welfare programme” is unprecedented in the…
Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the Federal Government to probe former Finance Minister, Dr. (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala over her alleged involvement in the $2.2 billion arms deal. Oshiomhole made this known while speaking to State House correspondents after meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Wednesday. The Edo governor argued that the money for the purchase of arms could not have been released without the knowledge and express approval of the former minister. He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to extend its probe beyond the former National Security Adviser (NSA),…
The United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, on Wednesday said that Nigeria urgently needed a viable military action to end the activities of Boko Haram. A statement by the African Media Hub of the U.S. Department of State quoted Power to have also called for a regional strategy to disrupt Boko Haram’s hideouts, weapons’ flow and means of recruitment. “The repeated attacks by Boko Haram, which have killed 27 in the Lake Chad region, require viable military action and a wider regional strategy to disrupt their safe havens, weapons flow and recruitment. “It’s also essential…