President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB), yesterday, slammed the judiciary over allegations of judicial corruption, which he noted “have become more strident and frequent”. Flagging-off the 2015 All Nigeria Judges’ Conference in Abuja, yesterday, Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) accused corrupt lawyers and judges of sabotaging his efforts to recover stolen assets. “Further on point of negative perception, there is both local and international dissatisfaction with the long delays in the trial process. In the past few years, this has become especially so for high-profile cases of corruption, especially where they involve serving or former political office…
Author: Wale Adebayo
It is believed that there are 201 deities spread around the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State. Together, they crowned the 51st Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, yesterday, at Oke Ora, the spot where Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba race, first wore the crown. The king was presented with the Aare crown after coming out for the first time from the 21 days traditional rights to the throne. The event at Oke Ora, a community located between Ife and Osu town, took place around 1pm at Olokuta Hills, when the crown was invoked by Olojudo of Oke…
The Central Working Committee for Africa’s biggest youth event, The Future Awards Africa (TFAA) has unveiled the anticipated list of the 50 young Africans who are the nominees for the 2015 season – with nominees from 11 countries across Africa. This season, superstars Trevor Noah (South Africa) and Yemi Alade (Nigeria) have been shortlisted alongside change makers such as Botswansian Queen Baboloki and Segawa Patrick (Uganda). The nominees were announced today in a continent-wide broadcast on EbonyLife TV. “The wait is finally over,” said Bukonla Adebakin who is project manager for the awards. “After a one year cycle finding the brightest and the best young leaders across Africa, we…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it will act within the confines of the rule of law in responding to the inconclusiveness of the Kogi State governorship election held on Saturday. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the Kogi State governorship election inconclusive after collation of results showed a number of cancelled votes that was higher than the margin between the leading candidate and the runner-up. APC candidate, Abubakar Audu whose 240,867 votes was more than Captain Idris Wada of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s 199,514 votes was not declared winner by the commission which claimed that the…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) claims it is not aware of the death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Kogi state, Prince Abubakar Audu. According to reports, APC is yet to officially inform INEC or make any request as to whether to be granted some days to conduct a fresh primary to pick a new candidate, or to now adopt its running mate in the polls, James Faleke as its substantive candidate or even to demand an outright cancellation of the elections. The electoral body said it heard the news…
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Monday challenged Northern states’ governors to bring out the several billions of Naira collected for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region. Speaking at the opening of the 2nd General Assembly of the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council in Kaduna, the monarch said, “People are suffering, billions of naira had been collected for their welfare but what we hear every day and what we see on the pages of newspapers is very bad. It is important that this money be disbursed immediately through the state governors”. “Whenever we meet with our political leaders,…
The member representing Esan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency of Edo State in the House of Representatives, Barr. Sergius Ogun, has described as unrealistic, the campaign promise made by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) to pay a monthly stipend of N5,000 to unemployed youths and the vulnerable in the country. The PDP lawmaker said going by the current economic realities on ground, the plan cannot be implemented. Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, Hon. Ogun advised that if the Federal Government can find a means to pay the amount to unemployed graduates in the country, it should rather channel…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Kaduna Central District, Comrade Shehu Sani, yesterday gave the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo, knocks for advising President Muhammadu Buhari to remove fuel subsidy. The rights activist-turned-senator, who spoke at his office in Kaduna yesterday when he received members of Kaduna State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Bishara Baptist Church, who paid him a courtesy call, described the former CBN governor as a hypocrite. Sen. Sani, who called on CAN members to use religion positively, said “If you use it for good, you are within…
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against any attempt to rig the forthcoming governorship election in Bayelsa. The militant group warned that any attempt to rig the election would re-awake “a sleeping dog”. MEND stated that to ensure that the election was free, fair and credible, it would dispatch 500 members to monitor the exercise, particularly in the creeks, just as it declared its support for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate and incumbent Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson. The group’s position was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Port Harcourt,…
Political and opinion shapers in the South-East, including state governors, on Sunday agreed to set up a committee to dialogue with pro-Biafran groups and the Federal Government over the rising agitation for Biafra. This was part of the decision taken at a meeting of South-East Elders, which was convened by the state governors in Enugu. A communique issued after the meeting, which was also attended by members of the National Assembly, some former governors, and other elder statesmen from the South-East zone, said the proposed committee would parley with the two major pro-Biafran groups – the Movement for the Actualisation…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as shocking, news of the death of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in last Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu. Audu passed away on Sunday in unclear circumstances but sources claimed he died of cardiac arrest following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the governorship elections were inconclusive. The APC candidate had won in 16 Local Government Areas while his opponent, Governor Idris Wada won in the remaining five LGAs. Reacting to news of his death, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, in…
Any attempt to reduce the N18,000 national minimum wage will be treated as a declaration of war on Nigerian workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday warned. The congress made its position known in response to the statement credited to chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, that the N18, 000 national minimum wage promulgated into law in 2011 was no longer sustainable because of the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market. The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday, recalled that…
Amid claims by the 36 state governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum that the 18,000 naira national minimum wage can no longer be sustained, Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has said that he has no plan of reviewing downward the minimum wage, in spite of its current financial challenges. Fayose, who stated this during his sensitisation tour of Irepodun/Ifelodun and Ekiti South-West local government areas, at the weekend, also said that the state government may decentralize the payment system to ensure the smooth payment of the salaries. Describing the current minimum wage of N18, 000 as grossly inadequate,…
Ahead of the anticipated recruitment of 10,000 eligible Nigerians into the Nigeria Police Force next year, the Deputy Inspector General, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), Area 10, Mr Christopher Kakwe, has said that anybody without evidence of enrolment with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will not be considered for employment. DIG Kakwe said the decision was taken by the Police Force Management Team recently. Speaking at the NIMC-BVN press conference, held in Abuja at the weekend, Kakwe commended the federal government’s decision for other data capturing agencies to key into the NIMC database. He said, “We have…
Contrary to speculation that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in last Saturday’s governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu, has woken from the dead, we can authoritatively confirm that is not the case as he has been buried, in accordance with Islamic rites. Rumours were rife on Monday that Audu, who passed away yesterday, had resurrected to the jubilation of his supporters, who had gathered at his palatial home in Ogbonicha, Kogi State. The governorship candidate reportedly arose from the dead after a “prayer man” engaged in fervent prayers to bring him back to life. However, to the disappointment of those…
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected drug baron, Tochukwu Ubah, alleged to be coordinating a large volume of methamphetamine and ephedrine distribution in the country. This is contained in a statement issued by Mitchell Ofoyeju, Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, in Lagos on Sunday. The statement said Mr. Ubah was arrested by the agency’s Special Enforcement Team, SET, at the old local section of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos upon arrival from Enugu. “He was apprehended after intense undercover operations in connection with illegal exportation of 576kgs of narcotics to Durban, South Africa through Apapa Port. “The…
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, has explained why he opposed the fuel subsidy proposals in President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 Supplementary Budget. In an interview with Vanguard, Ogor pointed out that the figure quoted to offset subsidy owed in just a quarter was too much, especially coming at a time when global oil prices are very low. “Firstly, you are trying to pay a subsidy of about N413bn, that is the highest figure you can ever think of. That subsidy came under the fourth quarter, and it was notwithstanding that the price of PMS has dropped drastically…
The Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that he would handover to a governor who has passion for the state and elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Describing an ideal successor, Oshiomole said he must be a person that has managerial competence to drive and ensure that the state witness more growth and development than during his tenure. The governor told journalists that it would be an easy defeat for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in next year’s governorship election. He said his administration has rediscovered the state and gave the people confidence…
The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSSOB) has slammed the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, over its decision to disown pro-Biafra group. The movement described Ohaneze as a saboteur. Disclosing its stand through its chairman of Presidents in the seven Igbo–speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, Ohaneze had last week described the Biafra agitation by some youths as madness, insisting that Biafra died in 1970 with the surrender by the late General Philip Effiong. However, reacting to the Ohaneze statement, weekend, the national director of information of a faction of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, described…
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday said it would react to Saturday’s Kogi gubernatorial election, declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after getting facts about the election. The National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, stated this in in Abuja, shortly after the election was declared inconclusive by the electoral body. “The party always wants to make informed reaction based on verifiable evidence on what went on during the election,” said Metuh. “We don’t rush to make reactions, we make only informed reactions. Our reaction will be based on what is on ground and verifiable…