Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State on Friday held a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Emerging later from the meeting, Governor Ishaku told State House correspondents that he was at the Villa to brief President Buhari on the security situation in his state and “the happenings there”. “So far, we thank God everywhere is calm. There is peace everywhere and I came to update him (Buhari) to let him know we are doing our best to keep the state peaceful”, Ishaku said. Recall that the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal headed by…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Campaign for Democracy (CD) has condemned those it described as selfish Igbo elements, who are publicly condemning the non-violent protests for the actualization of Sovereign state of Biafra by the youths, asking them to shut their mouth, if they have nothing to say. The South-East states comprising Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi and some areas in the South-south such as Port Harcourt in Rivers State and Asaba, Delta State, were shutdown recently when some youths under the aegis of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) protested against the alleged continued…
The Presidential Victims Support Fund on Friday donated N40 million to the victims of the bomb attack that occurred on Wednesday in Kano. The donation was made to victims of the blast, who are currently receiving treatment at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and Murtala Muhammad specialists Hospital, Kano. The Executive Director of the Fund, Prof. Sunday Ochoche, announced the donation during a visit to the two hospitals. Ochoche, who led the team, said they were in Kano to commiserate with the government, the victims and people of the state over the unfortunate incident. “The Fund gave N20 million…
An oil magnate, Chief Tony Onukeme, has urged the Federal Government to remove all forms of subsidy on petroleum products. Chief Onukeme made the call in Awka, Anambra State on Friday. He said the subsidy regime had contributed greatly to the underdevelopment of the nation’s oil sector and had led to the starvation of other sectors of the economy of the resources required for growth. “The survival of Nigeria is in the hands of the private sector. “I advise the Federal Government to remove the fuel subsidy; it is the fuel subsidy that is killing the economy of this great…
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, on Friday told the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’Ad Abubakar, that President Muhamadu Buhari is a dictator. The governor, who was delivering an address to the Sultan in Ado Ekiti, said by choosing which court orders to obey, President Buhari had demonstrated disrespect to the judiciary. “I take the opportunity of your visit to bare my mind on some national concerns, particularly as it affects the unlawful incarceration of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd)”, Fayose said. “President Buhari has proved me right by my claims before the election that Nigeria…
Fully armed soldiers, yesterday afternoon, visited Okuta in Baruten Local Council of Kwara State to confirm alleged annexation of 16 villages in the area by the neighbouring Benin Republic. The soldiers, who arrived Okuta at about 3:00pm had a brief meeting with the Emir of Okuta and his traditional chiefs and went to visit the affected areas, reports Vanguard. Residents of Okuta and the villages went about their normal businesses as there was no violence or threat to peace from any quarters. Efforts to speak with the Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Serio Abubakar, yesterday, were not successful as he…
The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has directed all Igbo living outside Igbo land to start returning home and re-establish their businesses and investments in the South-East. Decrying what he described as the nonchalant attitude and insensitivity of many Igbo people residing in northern and western parts of the country, the MASSOB National Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said that, “we have decided and promised to provide adequate security for lives and property in Igboland. “MASSOB shall defend Igboland with our blood, valour and enthusiasm. It is our unflinching service to our father…
About 42 Igbo groups have planned to organize a five million-man march for what they describe as true federalism in the five south eastern states in December. According to the organisations, the protest march will hold simultaneously in Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states at a date before Christmas. The Founder of Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, Evangelist Elliot Uko, made this known after a marathon meeting with Igbo traders organizations and some Niger Delta groups. The Niger Delta groups which attended the meeting yesterday at the IYM secretariat in Enugu included, Union of Niger Delta and South-South Youth Congress,…
Former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, remains loyal to his roots as he, yesterday, disagreed with other governors of the country on the ability of the states to pay the N18,000 minimum wage. He said they must pay. The governor recalled that the minimum wage was agreed between the Federal Government and the organised labour by the previous administration. He, therefore, told the governors and other elected political office holders that democracy cannot be run at their comfort and convenience. “I am a labour man, I have been clear with my colleagues…
A group of Northern youths under the aegis of North-East Youths Peace Development Initiative (NEYPDI), yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to dialogue with those agitating for Biafra, instead of applying force against them. The National President, NEYPDI, Alhaji Kyari Idris Abubakar, in a statement said: “Like those of us who have been suffering from insurgency in the past years we would not hesitate to go against anything that would lead to violence in the country. FG should dialogue with the agitators and not force, as it is not the best approach in handling the matter.” Abubakar expressed regret over the…
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government has pulled in partisan military operatives to assist it in rigging Saturday’s Kogi state governorship election, instead of allowing the forces to concentrate on their statutory role of providing peripheral security during elections. According to the party, intelligence information available to it showed that some compromised military personnel led by a senior officer of the rank of a Colonel have been detailed by the Presidency to carry out specific assignments in support of the APC candidate in the election. “Available intelligence shows that…
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has assured the international community of his administration’s resolve to ensure the December 5 governorship election in the state is peaceful. The governor, who is seeking a second term on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave the assurance on Thursday when the US Consul-General in Nigeria, John Bray, visited him to discuss issues bordering on the poll. Dickson said as part of his preparations for the election, he was on a campaign and sensitisation tour of communities across the state. He said the tour availed him the opportunity to educate the people on the…
Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio–cultural organization, has dissociated itself from the activities of the Biafra agitators, who had been protesting in many cities in the South-East and South–South. According to the group, Biafra died in 1970 with the surrender by General Philip Effiong, to the Nigerian troops. The chairman, Forum of State Presidents of Ohaneze in the seven Igbo–speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh said that no right thinking person would support what he called the madness by some youths, who were being deceived to engage in something they cannot finish. “You will notice that Ohaneze has been very silent…
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday, in Washington denied claims by President Muhammadu Buhari that about $150 billion was lost to corruption under the previous administration. “Corruption is now used for political campaign, during the first visit of President Buhari to the United States he said that about $150billion was lost to corruption, though he didn’t mention me, he said by previous administration,” Jonathan said at the U.S National Democratic Institute (NDI) where he was hosted by the nonprofit organisation. “The figures are staggering and untrue,” he claimed. “Another governor said someone stole a million barrel of oil per day”. The…
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, should be thanking his stars right about now for escaping Friday morning’s attack on a hotel in Bamako, Mali by unknown gunmen. The media was awash with reports that gunmen had stormed the Radisson Blu hotel in the Malian capital on Friday morning taking 140 guests and 30 staff hostage. The reports elicited apprehension in Nigeria over reports that the business mogul was trapped in the hotel, but it has now been confirmed that he checked out of the facility 24 hours earlier. Al Jazeera English correspondent in Nigeria Yvonne Ndege, confirmed via her Twitter…
The National Economic Council (NEC) chaired by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday approved $150 million out of $400 million Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividend to be shared amongst the three tiers of government. The amount is to be shared according to the formula being used by the Federation Account. The NEC members also agreed to invest the balance of $250 million in the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, in order to increase its capital. Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, communicated the NEC decision to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting attended by state governors, deputies…
Mohammed Fawehinmi, eldest son of the late foremost legal luminary and rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, has lampooned the governors of Oyo, Ondo and Osun states over their alleged failure to develop the states. He specifically called on the Oyo House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Mr. Fawehinmi stated this on Thursday while delivering a lecture at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The lecture, entitled “Youths Impact in Free and Fair Elections”, which was second in the series, was organized in honour of the late Fawehinmi, who died in September 2009. According to Fawehinmi,…
With the December deadline set by President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) for Boko Haram to be wiped out, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin, yesterday said Chad was yet to deploy troops in certain areas of operations designated for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). The MNJTF is a formation of troops drawn from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin Republic, with headquarters in N’djamena, the capital of Chad. It has at the core of its mandate, fighting Boko Haram within member countries’ territory and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) area. Speaking with reporters at the Defence…
The 39th President of the United States of America, Mr. Jimmy Carter, has described Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, as a symbol of democracy on the African continent. Carter stated this when he received Jonathan yesterday at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum located at the Carter Centre in Atlanta. In a statement, the two former presidents held a fruitful meeting at the carter Centre where they held wide-ranging discussion on global issues and shared views on how to promote peace, democracy and good governance in Africa and the world. Speaking on Jonathan’s time in office, Carter said: “President Jonathan is…
The immediate past chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, has filed a suit challenging the powers of the Senate to summon him over alleged corruption. The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions had on Tuesday ordered the former EFCC boss to appear unfailingly on November 24 to answer to allegation of diversion of N1 trillion recovered corruption loot after he failed to appear in person. Lamorde, who was represented by his lawyer, Festus Keyamo, had reportedly traveled abroad for “medicals”. Following the committee’s refusal to allow his lawyer make a presentation on his…