President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday conveyed his congratulations to Prime Minister David Cameron and the Conservative Party of Great Britain on their victory in the country’s general elections. The Conservatives are expected to form a new government in Britain having secured 330 seats in parliament during Thursday’s election. The party’s 330 seats – four more than the needed for a Commons majority – was their first since 1992. The president’s congratulatory message, which was contained in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, assured Mr. Cameron and his party of the best wishes…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Senator Chris Ngige on Thursday in Abuja denied reports that issues of power sharing was threatening the stability of the All Progressives Congress in the South-East. He said it was untrue that the Igbos were divided over the position of the Secretary General of the Federation. Ngige made this known while interacting with newsmen at the sidelines of the visit of a delegation of Ohaneze Ndigbo to the President-elect, retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Ngige said, “We cannot say for now that our party has zoned the position of the SGF to the South-East because we have a standing committee that…
The National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal for Akwa Ibom on Friday ordered the inspection of 450,000 ballot papers used in declaring Governor Godswill Akpabio as Senator-elect. The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Akpabio the winner of the March 28 Senatorial Election for Akwa Ibom North-West District. This declaration prompted the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Senatorial District, Chief Inibehe Okorie, to petition the Tribunal asking that Akpabio’s election be nullified for alleged irregularities. Ruling on the prayers of the petitioner, the Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, directed that the polling documents used…
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, has said the Nigerian Air Force has lived up to billing in the ongoing counter insurgency operation in Northeastern Nigeria. Amosu, who made this known at a press briefing Thursday to mark the 51st anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, said recent new acquisitions and upgrades in its inventory assisted in the ongoing rescue operations in Borno State. He said, “We have been able to receive the twin air 350, which is essentially for tactical transportation to support the ongoing counter terrorism operations. “We got the MI24 which we duly upgraded…
The Nigeria Customs Service Anti-smuggling Taskforce on Thursday in Kano arrested three Chinese nationals for illegally importing printed textile materials worth billions of Naira to Nigeria. The leader of the taskforce and Deputy Controller of Customs, Hassan Shallangwa, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Kano. He said the suspects were apprehended during a specially arranged operation following a tip-off. “The four persons were arrested in connection with the illegal printed textiles materials”, he said. He said the suspects illegally stored the materials at six warehouses at Gandun Albasa commercial layout in Kano metropolis. Mr. Shallangwa said 20 other warehouses located…
A group, Justice Watch Group of Nigeria, on Thursday petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Lagos, questioning the morality of the case instituted by a Peoples Democratic Party Senator-elect for Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, over his possible extradition to the United States of America. Mr. Kashamu is reportedly wanted in the U.S following his indictment in 1998 by a grand jury over alleged drug offences. The senator-elect has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing insisting that he is a victim of mistaken identity. In an apparent bid to forestall any moves to forcefully extradite him to the U.S to…
The Federal Road Safety Commission, Ogun State Sector Command, has said it will soon introduce card readers to detect fake driving license. Head of Administration and Human Resources in the command, Mr. Steve Ayodele, said this on Thursday at Kuto Motor Park, Abeokuta, during a sensitization workshop for commercial drivers in the state. The FRSC organized the workshop in partnership with CLEEN Foundation. According to Mr. Ayodele, the card reader machine would be given to their officials carrying out routine check on roads, the police and in banks. He said, “The FRSC will soon introduce a small machine that will…
The Kebbi Government has disbursed N2 billion as revolving loan to proprietors of Small and Medium Scale enterprises. Gov. Saidu Dakingari made the disbursement in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday. He said the amount was obtained by the state as loan from the CBN to empower proprietors of small and medium scale enterprises. He said the scope of disbursement would be expanded and dispelled allegations that the amount had been spent during the 2015 elections. He said N90 million had been earmarked for distribution to beneficiaries in each local government area through micro finance banks in 11 council areas. The Chairman…
In a last ditch effort to forestall impeachment moves by members of the Niger State House of Assembly, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu has secured an interim court injunction mandating the lawmakers to maintain the status quo. It was learnt that the injunction was secured by the governor on Wednesday evening but the copy of it was only made available to journalists on Thursday. The injunction, which was granted by a Minna High Court, restrained the lawmakers from impeaching the governor pending the determination and hearing of the motion on notice. The order reads in part, “that the interim injunction is…
A cross-section of Governors on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, have called on the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to probe the individuals responsible for the inability of state governments to pay workers’ salaries. The Imo State Governor and Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, said this on Thursday. He specifically asked President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to take responsibility for unpaid salaries and the poor state of Nigeria’s economy. This is just as two APC governors have picked holes in the claim by the minister that many state governments could not pay…
A former Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has said ex-governors surrounding the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, would pose a stumbling block to his administration when it finally takes off on May 29. Tsav noted that most of the former governors around the president-elect had pending corruption cases in courts, noting that if they were pardoned by Buhari, it would dent his image as an incorruptible leader. The former police commissioner, who made his position known in a statement on Thursday, wondered if the ex-governors would turn a new leaf by declaring their ill-gotten wealth and thereafter forfeit…
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Thursday said it would not beg the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, for appointments of Igbo into his government. It said issues of appointments were constitutional obligations that every President of Nigeria, irrespective of the voting pattern of a people in an election, must comply with. It flayed the move by certain elders, who claimed to be representing the Igbo, who allegedly went to Buhari to beg for appointments for Ndigbo in his government. The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Anambra State, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, who spoke as the chairman of state presidents’ forum of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, comprising…
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee, yesterday, told the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, that President Goodluck Jonathan lied to the Igbo nation about awarding contract for the construction of Second Niger bridge and major federal roads in the South East. The committee listed Enugu-Awka-Onitsha Expressway and Enugu-Umuahia-Aba Expressway as prove of their allegation, noting that up till now, work was yet to start at the sites. According to the committee, no financial commitment had been made by the Federal Government to commence the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, saying that those were deceptive campaign messages to Ndigbo. The committee said this during…
kidnap victim Ogun State Police Command yesterday uncovered another suspected ritualists’ den in Unity and Peace Estate, along Itele-Lafenwa Road, Ota, Ado Odo-Ota Local Government Area following the escape of a victim from the place. State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said the 28-year-old lady had been kept bound in an uncompleted building in the estate before she escaped. She was said to have been told by her abductors that they would come for her in the night, but she struggled to make her way to the entrance of the building where she was noticed by passers-by, who rescued…
The Joint Task Force (JTF) has recovered 4.2 million litres of allegedly stolen crude oil in the Niger Delta region. Captain Sunday Olaleye, who leads one of the JTF teams said that the discovery was made in two vessels which were arrested by Operation Pulo Shield, an anti-illegal bunkering and oil theft outfit of the JTF. According to him, the team discovered that of the 10 compartments in the vessel arrested in Forcados, Delta State, nine were filled with crude oil. The second vessel was arrested in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State Olaleye told newsmen that one compartment…
President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, reiterated his resolve to fight corruption, insecurity and unemployment head on once he assumes office as President. He described the electoral fraud and judicial compromises which had characterized the courts as the worst form of corruption in the country. Buhari noted that manipulation of the electoral process played out in the last general elections, especially in Akwa Ibom State, where the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Umana Umana has now gone to the Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the result of the governorship election in the state. “I’m glad that…
Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has described the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu as a disloyal party member for criticizing other members of the party but never did the same with the opponent. Fayose had alleged that he had evidence that the PDP chairman betrayed his party and worked for All Progressives Congress (APC) during the presidential elections. Muazu had in a reaction to the allegation mocked the governor on twitter. Fayose: I have evidence that Muazu worked for APC. We hope it’s not the kind of evidence he once said he had that…
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to call his aides to order to stop them from overheating the polity with their incautious statements, especially relating to the transition of power. In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said while the PDP may be deeply traumatized by its loss in the last general elections – and the party itself has said it is indeed suffering from ‘post-election (defeat) trauma’ – that should not be a reason for it to disrupt the nation’s peace by displaying crab mentality.…
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday struck out a suit filed by the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers, challenging the removal of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin, and his deputy, Adesegun Orisalade. Justice Saliu Saidu, who gave the ruling, awarded a cost of N100, 000 against Mr. Omirin and 18 other lawmakers. The judge struck out the suit after listening to the submission of the counsel to the APC lawmakers, Norrison Quackers, represented by Onyeka Ofoegbu. He had urged the court to strike out the suit without cost. Counsel to the defendants,…
With various aspirants jostling for various positions ahead of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, the South East chapter of a non-governmental organisation, National Coalition for Good Governance, has pleaded with Senators-elect to “unanimously” elect the Senator representing Yobe North, Ahmad Lawan, as the next President of Senate. The group, which consists of a number of NGOs, in a press statement on Wednesday, said from its analysis, the nation would require a “stable, visionary and purposeful National Assembly”, which it said the Senate Presidency under Senator Lawan will guarantee. The group said Mr. Lawan has “consistency in character, capacity…