Ortom Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswan, yesterday, said that the defection of the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Gemade and former Minister, Dr. Samuel Ortom, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), showed their ingratitude to the ruling party. According to the governor, the men, who were top members of the PDP, defected for their selfish and personal reasons. “You cannot trust these people because they are on a self serving mission,” said Suswam, who spoke during his senatorial campaign at Tse-Agbaregba in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state. “They both left because of greed,…
Author: Wale Adebayo
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, Wednesday, lamented that the judiciary has been overburdened by political matters. He said this at a Public Dialogue on the Future of Justice Administration in Nigeria, organised at the National Judicial Institute, by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). According to him, the CJN said that the country was struggling “to provide an efficient, fair and effective justice system that would be able to ensure that everyone, regardless of station or status, can access quality justice that is administered quickly. “The current reality paints a sobering picture. The number of cases pending…
The Federal Government has cut capital expenditure by more than half to less than 10 percent of the 2015 budget spending due to the effect falling global oil prices have had on government revenues. The cut will make infrastructure development suffer this year. The document, seen by Reuters, puts capital expenditure at N387 billion ($2 billion), or 8.9 percent of total spending of N4.357 trillion. This is a significant drop from the 2014 spending plans when capital expenditure (capex), accounted for 23.7 percent of projected government outlays. Director General, Budget Office, Bright Okogwu, said the reductions were the direct result…
The adorable couple were at the in-house birthday celebration of Ubi Franklin, Iyanya’s manager and CEO of the Triple MG record label. The in-house party had lots of celebrities show up at the fun party which explains why the Mavins First Lady, Tiwa Savage, her growing baby bump and hubby Tunji Balogun ‘Teebillz’ were also there to turn up While everyone was having so much fun, Tiwa’s hubby, Teebillz amidst laughter and merriment decided to also sing a happy birthday song to his wify who is equally celebrating today. Teebillz was seen in the video hilariously begging one of…
President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari are not serious about bringing positive change to Nigerians. He said this was why they boycotted the national conference. He therefore urged Nigerians not to be deceived by APC’s call for change. President Jonathan, said this in Benin City, Edo State, as he campaign train moved their on Wednesday. He promised to build a Construction Technology Institute in the state, where the youths can learn different trades. “In 2011, we came here and you voted for us and within these past four years,…
Former chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, on Tuesday, said that for N30 trillion to be missing under the watch of Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was impossible. “I was baffled and got deluded for anyone to say that N30 trillion got lost. I think we just have to look at what we earn as a country and what our budget had been in these few years and see how possible it is,” Ribadu told the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) in an interview. “If everything we earned is not up to that within the period…
The new Customs Area Controller of the Seme Command, Comptroller Ndalati Mohammed has urged traditional rulers, chiefs and members of the border community within and around Seme to join hands with the customs in the fight against smuggling and other related vices. Comptroller Mohammed, who made the call during a recent familiarization visit to the palaces of the Alapa of Apa Kingdom, Oba Oyekan Ilufemiloye Poosi and Aholu of Kweme Kingdom, Oba Sejiro Olalekan James, described the task of policing the border as one that concerns every citizen. He noted that security, safety and general peace is everybody’s business. During…
Two hundred Boko Haram fighters, as well as nine soldiers have been killed in clashes with Chadian troops, Chad’s military said Wednesday. “We regret nine dead and 21 wounded. On the enemy side: more than 200 deaths…,” AFP quoted a statement said in reference to clashes on Tuesday, as saying. The statement added that the toll could rise since clean-up operations in the Nigerian town of Gamboru were continuing. Chad sent ground troops into Nigeria for the first time on Tuesday, as the regional effort to end Boko Haram’s five-year insurgency continues. Chadian warplanes struck Boko Haram positions in Nigeria’s…
The Yobe State Government has declared Thursday and Friday as work-free days to allow all citizens of the state an opportunity to collect their permanent voter cards. The announcement was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Press Affairs and Information, Mallam Abdullah Bego, on Wednesday. According to Bego, the holiday was to enable workers across the state to collect their PVC from the Independent National Electoral Commission in their respective areas. He added, “His Excellency, the governor urges all workers and people across the state, who have not yet collected their PVC, to…
The immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has said northern leaders should take the blame for the emergence of the Boko Haram insurgency in the country. Obanikoro made this known at the inauguration of a civic centre built by a member of the House of Representatives, Abiodun Akinlade, at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State. According to the former minister, the northern leaders over the years failed to invest in the future of the youth through qualitative education. Obanikoro said, “We have Boko Haram today because the leaders of that…
Eight supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State were feared dead, after violence broke out between them and the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna. Supporters of the PDP had been allegedly tearing off posters of the presidential candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari and that of its governorship candidate, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai. The Nigerian Tribune reports that, while some supporters of the APC accused the other party of the vandalism, the PDP supporters replied violently, with eight said to have feared dead. In a statement made available to the Ibadan-based media outfit, and…
As Lagosians get ready to vote the next governor of Lagos State, recent polls have suggested that majority of eligible voters in the state are yet to decide on who to vote for. While some say they will vote for candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akinwumi Ambode, others say their choice is Jimi Agbaje of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). A poll conducted by leading country-specific polling services company, NOI Polls, in collaboration with ANAP Foundation, a non-profit organisation that is committed to promoting good governance, showed that out of the people who have decided who to vote for, 26 percent…
Sixteen political parties and four presidential candidates have called for the postponement of the general elections. This was made known on their behalf by the presidential candidate of the United Democratic Party, UDP, Godson Okoye, on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja. Among the parties are United Democratic Party, UDP; the Citizen Peoples Party, CPP; the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN; the Action Alliance, AA; the Peoples Democratic Congress, PDC; the Labour Party, LP; Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN; Alliance for Democracy, AD; the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP; the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP; and the Independent Democrat, ID.…
The Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Tuesday in Abuja endorsed the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan in the Feb. 14 presidential election. The National Publicity of SDP, Abdul Isiaq, said this at a news conference in Abuja. He said that the party reached the decision following the report of a committee set up by its National Executive Committee on adoption of presidential candidates. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the National Chairman of the party, Chief Olu Falae, had hinted of the party’s decision to adopt a presidential candidate. He said that the development followed the inability of…
The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Plateau State, Honourable Muhammad Abubakar Badu, has dismissed the anti-corruption claims of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and asked him to explain how N2 billion disappeared from the Petroleum Ministry when he was in charge. The commissioner stated this during a brief ceremony to mark the conferment of the honour of Ethics Ambassador on him by the Centre for Ethics and Self Value Orientation, in his office. Muhammad said “war against corruption or anti-corruption crusade must be holistic”. According to the commissioner, Buhari’s claims and pronouncements about fighting…
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second tenure of office. The President-General of the group, Garry Igariwey, made the assertion on Tuesday in Umuahia, while briefing Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia, and the chairman of the South-East Governors’ Forum. The briefing was on the outcome of the meeting of the group in Enugu. Mr. Igariwey said the decision to endorse Mr. Jonathan was unanimously taken at an enlarged meeting of all the affiliate Igbo groups. He said the organisation was convinced that Mr. Jonathan’s administration had made tremendous efforts to address…
The Delta state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said peaceful elections in Nigeria cannot be compromised as the nation cannot afford to fail because of its implications for the unity of the country. Speaking Monday in Asaba at a Voters Education meeting with traditional rulers, Governor Uduaghan stated that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the nation got it right as the consequences of failure would be too disastrous. He said that the government, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and stakeholders were working together to ensure that the forthcoming elections would be free and fair…
The Kebbi Vesico Vaginal Fistula, VVF, Centre in Birnin Kebbi, on Wednesday said it has treated 215 patients in the past 13 months. The Medical Director of the centre, Abubakar Dakingari, said in Birnin Kebbi that 190 of the patients were operated upon while 25 were treated with catheter. He said the patients were victims of prolonged obstructive labour and private part mutilation. The centre offers free treatment for patients from within the country and those from neighbouring Benin and Niger. Mr. Dakingari said that victims of the VVF were from remote communities that lacked roads and well-equipped healthcare. He…
Igbos residing in the North have been advised against relocating to their states of origin ahead of the general elections. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, made the call while speaking to journalists in Abuja after a meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts Monday night. The governor said the fear over elections violence is unfounded and they should disregard the rumours and the pronouncements of people like Asari Dokubo and other ex-militants who advocate violence. He called on them to stay in their places of abode during the elections, saying that such movement will only be necessary if they…
About 242 chairmen and members of Election Petition Tribunal for the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory were yesterday sworn-in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed for 2015 general elections. In his remarks at the ceremony, the CJN charged members of the tribunal not to allow any political party or politician to compromise their integrity or future and not to descend so low. “You must shun acts such as the acceptance of gifts or favours from counsel and politicians, and the exchange of illicit communications with parties, which acts will erode the…