The National Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps has assured corps members of the board’s commitment towards addressing the issue of infrastructural decay in most of its orientation camps. Chairman of the Board, Chief Gordon Bozimo, gave this assurance while addressing Batch ‘A’ corps members on Wednesday at the NYSC orientation camp in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State. Bozimo said the board had not lost sight of the operational lapses and challenges experienced in some of the orientation camps in the country. He identified poor response to statutory obligations by other tiers of government, insecurity and…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Civil servants and pensioners on Wednesday took over the Rivers State Secretariat in Port Harcourt to protest the non-payment of their salaries and pension arrears by the state government. The protesters as early as 9am, had besieged the secretariat even as staff declined attending to anybody that sought their assistance at the secretariat. The protest caused a gridlock for some minutes as they chanted anti-government slogans. One of the leaders of the protesting workers, Mr. Tony Ochiagha, told journalists that the protest became necessary as a result of the two months salaries owed them by the state government. Ochiagha noted…
The Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, on Wednesday promised to take up the expulsion of German Radio, Deutsche Welle correspondent to the Presidential Villa, Musa Ubale, with the office of the Chief Security Officer to President Goodluck Jonathan. Ubale’s accreditation was withdrawn on Monday after he asked visiting President Idriss Deby of Chad a question the administration considered embarrassing. Since then, Ubale has not had access to the Presidential Villa to do his job. Fielding questions from journalists at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Akwashiki said: “I am not aware of it, I was in…
The Ekiti State Government has described as “evil, wicked and insensitive”, claims by the All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the state that the ‘stop and search’ operation ordered by the State Security Council to stem the increasing tide of kidnapping was an orchestrated plot by Governor Ayo Fayose to track them for kidnapping and consequently stall the impeachment plot against him. The government said such unwarranted allegation coming from the runaway 19 APC lawmakers was a clear exposure of the party’s culpability in the abduction of Ekiti citizens. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration in the state accused the APC…
The Senate on Wednesday soft pedaled on its decision to override President Goodluck Jonathan’s veto on the Constitution Fourth Amendment Bill. The Senate said it will rather go to Court to challenge a recent decision by the Supreme Court stopping the amendments. Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, Wednesday likened the Executive’s decision to rush to court on the matter to an ‘ambush’ of the National Assembly. “It was made without us being put on notice and I believe that we can get the court to quickly determine that and we tend to pursue that option”, said Mr. Ndoma-Egba. He, however, said the National Assembly…
The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, has said that he is willing to work with any leader of the Senate, irrespective of what part of the country he or she originates from. In a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, May 13, Mr. Buhari described as false, insinuations in the media that he was in support of any particular Senator’s emergence as Leader or that he belonged to any camp pushing for the emergence of a leader from a particular part of the country. “I am prepared to work with any leaders that the House or Senate selects”, Mr. Buhari said. “It…
President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari said he will not “forgive or forget” the evil acts of perpetrators of violence before, during and after the recent governorship elections in Rivers State. Buhari said this yesterday, when the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) paid him a congratulatory visit in Abuja. “We will confront them with facts and figures. We will not forgive and we will not forget those who perpetrated killings and arson in Rivers State during the elections. At least this is the much we owe Nigerians,” he said. He added that his government will not tolerate “an army within…
Lagos has had enough of the persistent traffic gridlock in Apapa area which has now spilled over into some parts of the state, caused by tankers waiting to lift petroleum products. The state government has therefore issued a 48-hour ultimatum to tanker drivers parked within 300 meters of fuel depots in the state to relocate to safe parking lots pending the availability of petroleum products Commissioner for Transportation, Kayode Opeifa gave the ultimatum while reading the communiqué after a meeting between the Lagos State government, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), National Association…
Lead poisoning has killed 28 people in some villages in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, the Federal Government announced yesterday. According to the Minister of State for Health, Fidelis Nwankwo, who briefed newsmen over the incident in Abuja yesterday, most of those affected were children below five years. He explained that a technical team confirmed the outbreak of lead poisoning in the area. Nwankwo linked the outbreak to some new-found illegal mining sites, which contained more leaded ores but were often brought home for crushing and processing. About 65 cases have so far been recorded in the affected…
The 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers pushing for the impeachment of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State have described the security measures put in place to check the spate of kidnapping and violent crimes in the state, including stop and search of vehicles, as a plot to facilitate their abduction. The lawmakers, in a statement by Speaker Adewale Omirin’s Special Adviser on Media, Wole Olujobi, said they had uncovered an alleged plot by the governor to engage the Government House security men on major roads in the state to conduct ‘stop and search’ operations in a frantic search to…
Islamic militant group Boko Haram Wednesday evening stormed Maiduguri, shooting sporadically and forcing residents of the troubled city living around the southern flank of the town to flee. An officer with Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service, who asked not to be named because he had no permission to speak with journalists, was quoted by Premium Times to have said: “The attack is going on in Kayamla village right at the outskirts of Maiduguri.” Spokesman of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Col Tukur Gusau, told journalists troops had moved in to ensure that the situation was brought under control.…
As the Nigerian fashion industry continues to experience massive growth in terms of size and recognition all over the world, many of the players in the industry are also making a name for themselves. One of them is top model, Aisha Bello. The 2009 winner of the Nigerian Next Super Model and 2014 Africa Female Model, is one of the most sought after young Nigerian models around the world. Edo state born Aisha was also the 2013 winner of the Future Awards in Fashion and Style. Aisha has strutted coveted runways including the New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Washington D.C Fashion…
Former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair has assured President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari of the support of the major democracies of the world to ensure the success of his presidency. Speaking to Journalists after a closed door meeting with Buhari during his congratulatory visit to the incoming president, the former PM hailed the credibility and the tranquillity that defined the last general elections. “In the last few weeks, Nigeria has earned respect throughout the whole world. There is enormous support for Nigeria now in the international community. The support takes into consideration the challenges that lie ahead and there is great confidence…
The National Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today accused the All Progressives Congress, APC’s National Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed of planning to plunge the country into crisis, due to comments alleging the non-cooperation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transition Committee with that of the incoming government. Mohammed’s allegation was recently dismissed by chairman of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari’s transition committee Alhaji Ahmed Joda, who said there has been a smooth relationship between both committees. The PDP therefore called on all Nigerians to be wary of actions that were capable of causing disunity in the land. National Publicity Secretary of the…
The inauguration of the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari will not be flamboyant due to the state of the country’s economy, Chairman of the All progressives Congress (APC) presidential inauguration Committee Chief Timipre Sylva said on Wednesday. “There are no challenges, we are planning very well and I think we are going to give Nigerians a compact inauguration. We are not going to be flamboyant. We think that this country cannot afford a flamboyant ceremony this time because the economy is not in good shape right now. So we are actually planning to give Nigerians a sanitized and compact event which will…
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved road contracts for three states of Delta, Bayelsa and Ondo states to the tune of N30.8 billion. Speaking on the contracts awarded, the Minister of Niger Delta, Steven Oru said the council ratified contracts which were earlier given anticipatory approvals by President Goodluck Jonathan at the last quarter of 2014. According to him, his ministry got four projects ratified by FEC. “One has to with the construction of Zarama – Okodia-Iseni road in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The other one has to with the construction of Agadagba-Akotokpo-Isaya-Ovia river and bridge…
A technical evaluation of the performance of the Call Centre of the Federal Road Safety Corps has revealed that emergency calls by motorists and other road users through the Corps’ toll free line (122), often do not get across to the Call agents at the FRSC Call Centre. According to the Corps Public Education Officer, Imoh Etuk, “this has been discovered to be due to the crowding of the line by Airtel subscribers who erroneously believe that the line is still the Airtel customer care line”. The statement added, “Worried by this trend which no doubt, negates the Corps’ drive…
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has dispelled rumours making the rounds that one of his sons was arrested earlier today in Lagos for money laundering. The governor in a statement by his spokesperson, Semiu Okanlawon, blamed “misguided elements” for spreading the rumour of his son’s alleged arrest by security agents. The statement reads, “It has become pertinent to inform Nigerians and others generally that there is no iota of truth in the story being peddled around by some misguided elements claiming that a son of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Kabir Aregbesola was arrested at the Muritala Muhammed International…
Edo State Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, doesn’t want to be a widower anymore. He has announced his willingness to remarry beautiful model Miss Lara Fortes five years after losing his first wife Clara in her long battle with cancer. The marriage of Adams Oshiomhole and Lara Fortes is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 15, 2015. The wedding ceremony will start at the Etsako West Local Government Council Marriage Registry, Auchi, while reception is about to take place at the Oshiomhole’s country home in Iyamho. Invitations to Oshiomhole’s wedding have already been sent to Edo governor’s relatives and friends. “While…
The Chairman of Presidents of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in seven Igbo speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluemunoh, on Tuesday warned against any attempt to “further marginalise” the ethnic group in Nigeria. Eluemunoh, who made this known in a chat with journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, said such attempt would be met by a strong move for self-determination by the Igbo. According to Eluemunoh, Ndigbo had long concluded on such option and only waiting for the “opportune time” to use the joker. He said already, the United Nations had invited some Igbo elders to hear them out on their demand for…