Lagos lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Mr. Femi Falana, has berated political leaders in the country for the loss of thousands of lives to insurgency. Falana specifically blamed them for promoting religion at the detriment of the unity of the people. He made these views known on Wednesday at the 7th edition of Emeritus Professor, David Ijalaiye (SAN) and celebration of his 50th year anniversary call to bar and academics. The event was put together by Equity Chambers of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile –Ife, with Justice Amina Augie chairing the occasion. Falana cited the building of a mosque…
Author: Wale Adebayo
A mysterious fire has razed about 100 houses in Soro town in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State destroying properties worth millions of naira. Confirming the incident to Vanguard in an interview, Acting District Head of Soro, Alhaji Muhammad Kilishi said the cause of the fire is yet to be known. “This fire is quite mysterious because it was not caused by an electrical fault or bush burning. We just noticed that fire from nowhere started burning and before we knew it, it had started destroying houses. “This incident started mysteriously about a month ago, but no life has…
National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has slammed President Goodluck Jonathan for choosing to go ahead with his declaration to contest election despite the unfortunate death of more than 50 students in Potiskum, Yobe State. Tinubu, who spoke at a rally in Edo State, to commemorate Governor Adams Oshiomole’s six years in office, said that by declaring to run for re-election on Tuesday, Jonathan danced on the graves of the dead students. “Jonathan is stepping on the blood of Nigerian children and dancing on their graves by declaring yesterday (Tuesday). A wise President will…
The Labour Party (LP) has faulted critics of President Goodluck Jonathan’s formal declaration to run for re-election, saying his had the right to do so. “Jonathan has the right to present himself for election just as the Constitution gives Nigerians equal right to elect or reject him,” a statement by the party’s National Secretary, Mr Olukayode Ajulo said. The party also faulted allegations that Boko Haram was created by the government to cause destabilization and shift focus from 2015 general elections. According to the LP, Boko Haram had existed even before the Jonathan administration. The party therefore described “such unfounded…
Progress is being made in the search for a reliable treatment for the Ebola Virus Disease, the Treatment and Research Group (TRG) on Ebola said on Wednesday. According to Co-Chairman of the group, Prof. Innocent Ujah, the committee had recommended to the Federal Government an experimental drug known as T705, for use to treat the disease. According to him, the committee had also advised the government to approve the commencement of clinical trials on some of the experimental vaccines. “We have virtually looked at the experimental drugs and vaccines; it is only one that we have recommended to the Federal…
THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised farmers on the safe use of pesticides, which it warns is highly dangerous to health. According to Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, pesticides may cause acute and delayed health effects in workers who are exposed and can cause a variety of adverse health effect ranging from simple irritation of the skin and the eyes. Orhii spoke during a National sensitisation workshop organised for farmers and other stakeholders organised in conjunction with West Africa Agriculture Productivity Programme in Osogbo, Osun State capital. The theme of the…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has unveiled a new N100 note to commemorate the country’s centenary celebration. According to the CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, the new note is designed to have the most advanced security features in the world. He added that the design platforms on which the note was made to include not only security, but also attractiveness, transformation, durability and cultural heritage. The note has a QRC feature at the back, which when scanned with smart phones, leads users to a website where the nation’s history could be accessed. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the CBN…
Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu has condemned Wednesday’s bomb blast that rocked the Federal College of Education, Kontagora, where 10 people were feared dead. According to a statement by his Press Secretary, Israel Ebije, the governor urged the people of Kontagora and other parts of the state to remain calm, assuring them that a full scale investigation has commenced on the incident. Governor Aliyu however said only the female suicide bomber was killed in the blast. He called on the people of the state to be vigilant and alert security operatives once they notice strange faces in their communities. He…
A newly released wealth report has listed 23 Nigerians among the wealthiest persons in Africa, with Aliko Dangote again leading the pack. The report titled The Richest People in Africa, published by Ventures Africa, a pan-African business magazine introduced four new Nigerians to the list of 55 African billionaires. They are Cletus Ibeto, founder of multi-business conglomerate, Ibeto Group, with a net worth of $3.7 billion; Benedict Peters, an oil magnate valued at $2.7 billion; renowned financier and philanthropist Tony Elumelu, valued at $1.6 billion, and Akanimo Udofia, worth $1 billion. According to the report, Nigeria remains the Africa’s top…
The Peoples Democratic Party in the Federal Capital Territory on Wednesday assured its senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants for 2015 elections of free, fair and transparent primaries. The FCT PDP Youth Leader, Mr. Sunday Zaka, gave the assurance after the party’s meeting in Kuje, FCT. Zaka told the News Agency of Nigeria that the party would not manipulate the electoral process in favour of any aspirant. He said the nature and quality of aspirants in the party showed that vibrancy and potency existed in the party. He added that such development was good and healthy in a democratic process.…
The Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives said on Tuesday that President Goodluck Jonathan remained Nigerians preferred choice for the 2015 presidential election. It said this was evident in their “massive turnout” at the Eagle Square in Abuja to be part of Jonathan’s presidential declaration yesterday. The position of the caucus was stated by Deputy House Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor, who disclosed that the ruling PDP was already celebrating victory on account of the turnout of Nigerians at the Eagle Square. The PDP legislator from Delta State added, “You saw the mammoth crowd at the square…
A former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), has said that President Goodluck Jonathan has not shown enough commitment to the problem of insecurity in the country. Speaking with journalists in Osogbo, the Osun State capital on Tuesday on the killing of 48 students of the Government Science Secondary School in Potiskum, Yobe State by a suicide bomber on Monday and the presidential declaration by Mr. Jonathan for re-election barely 24 hours later, the lawyer said that the president had shown to the world that he was more pre-occupied with his re-election bid than curbing insecurity in…
SENATOR MOHAMMED NDUME Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja has expressed displeasure at the lackadaisical attitude of the Federal Government over the handling of the prosecution of Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume. The judge, in a ruling yesterday, while refraining from dismissing the case, however, warned the prosecution not to take “the patience and magnanimity being shown by the court” for granted. Ndume, the senator representing Borno South, is facing terrorism related charges before the court. He was first arraigned before Justice Kolawole on December 12, last year, on a four-count charge by the Department of State Services…
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has condemned last Friday’s bomb explosion at the Azare branch of First Bank in Katagum Local Government Area of the state, which left seven people dead and 10 others injured. Yuguda, who spoke yesterday when he visited victims of the bomb blast currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, described the incident as most cruel, evil, inhuman and barbaric. He also condemned the attack at the Azare Motor Park, describing it as unfortunate and avoidable. The governor directed the security agencies to carry out full scale investigations on the explosion, even as…
The Ogun State House of Assembly on Tuesday resumed sitting with eight members of the assembly defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The lawmakers formally defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) on the floor of the House. The assembly had been on recess for over one month. But while five of the lawmakers cross-carpeted to the PDP, three others pitched their tents with the SDP. The Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, who read a letter announcing the formal defection of the eight lawmakers to the PDP…
The El-Rufai Campaign Organisation has said that contrary to claims by political opponents that the former FCT minister was from Katsina State, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i is not only a bonafide indigene of Kaduna State but poised to chase out the Peoples Democratic Party-led government in Kaduna come 2015. A statement on Tuesday signed by Mr Mohammed Musa Soba of the Directorate of Media, El-Rufai Campaign Organisation, noted “with dismay the apparent insistence of the PDP and its pathetic government in Kaduna State to stay strictly comical”. The group said although serious issues of governance bedeviled Kaduna State, they spent the…
The Ekiti State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose to fulfil his electoral promise that he would enhance the welfare of Ekiti people. In a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, the party lamented that the state had been thrown into darkness in the last 14 days. “In the last 14 days, the entire Ekiti State has been thrown into darkness, even though the governor promised to ensure 24-hour electricity supply during his inauguration. “The excuse that electricity is under the Federal Government is untenable, as a responsible and…
The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has decried the apparent loss of emotion of Nigerians as a people, with their indifference towards deepening security crisis in some parts of the north, which has seen thousands of lives wasted by the Boko Haram sect. While delivering a lecture titled, ‘Federalism, democracy and the future of Nigeria’, during the Convocation and 66th Foundation Day, University of Ibadan, on Tuesday, Gov. Aregbesola said rather than be in a somber mood over the suicide bombing of schoolchildren and teachers in Potiskum, Yobe State, on Monday, Nigerians were going about their normal lives…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bowed to pressure on Tuesday as it announced the suspension of proposed creation of additional 30,000 polling units across the country until after the 2015 general election. The commission took the decision at a meeting, which reviewed reports from its Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) over the reconfiguration of polling units at the INEC headquarters, Abuja. The commission, in a statement signed by its secretary, Augusta Ogakwu, said it decided to put on hold the issue of new polling units based on the level of controversy it generated in the country. The statement said INEC…
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) has donated $1 million to assist the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. Chairman of the UBA Board, Tony O Elumelu announced the donation to the three West African countries, where UBA does business. Nigeria had been declared Ebola-free in September. “This donation is an affirmation of our unshakeable commitment to the continent – and a message that Africa can triumph over this terrible affliction,” he said. The donation will be disbursed through the UBA Foundation, UBA’s corporate social responsibility arm, and is to be shared equally among the three countries.…