Abuja
Governor Akeredolu: I’Il win Ondo governorship election
Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has expressed optimism that he would win the Oct. 10, governorship poll, under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Akeredolu said this shortly after meeting with the APC Election Appeal Committee at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday. He advised the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Eyitayo Jegede, to focus on issue based campaign without resorting to violence. “Jegede is my friend. We are colleagues and both members of inner bar, I don’t have anything against him and I just pray that our campaign should be issue based without violence. “I know that he (Jegede) knows that it will not be easy for him. Yes, it may not be easy for me to win, but by God’s grace, I am going to win. “I can assure you that as it was in the b...
IGP asks court to dismiss deposed emir Sanusi’s suit
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit filed by the deposed Kano emir, Muhammadu Sanusi, over his banishment. Adamu in his preliminary objection, is arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the fundamental rights enforcement suit. Sanusi was deposed following a resolution of the Kano State Executive Council on March 9, on allegations of insubordination. Following his sack, he was taken to Awe in Nasarawa State and detained in an apartment in the town until March 13 when he obtained an interim order of the court for his release from house arrest. The deposed emir in the substantive suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020 through his lead lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi, contested that his banishment and subsequent house arrest v...
Nigeria announces closure of Air Peace evacuation of nationals from UK
The Nigerian High Commission in the UK has announced the closure of Air Peace Evacuation flight from that country scheduled for Aug. 8, as all seats on the aircraft are fully booked. The High Commission disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja. The High Commission advised prospective evacuees who are yet to make payment not to do so and necessary arrangements are being made for alternative flights. “Further to the notice of July 25, 2020, the High Commission wishes to inform that the evacuation flight scheduled for Aug. 8, 2020 is now fully booked and seats are no longer available. “In this regards, all prospective evacuees who have not already made payments for the flight are strongly advised not to do so. “The Mission will endeavour to make necessary arr...
Resident doctors threaten fresh strike August 17
The National Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government three weeks to address its demands or its members would resume their suspended strike on Monday, August 17, 2020. While demanding the payment of COVID-19 hazard allowance to members which, it said, was long overdue, NARD called on government and the National Assembly to probe the non-enrolment of healthcare workers for the Group Life Insurance and non-payment of death-in-service benefit to the next-of-kin of its fallen heroes, despite claims of payment to insurance companies. The President of NARD, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, made this known in Abuja on Saturday while reading to journalists a communique issued after its virtual National Executive Council meeting and scientific conference held at the Gombe International Hot...
Nigerian government partially shuts Third Mainland Bridge after stakeholders meeting
Getty Images The Federal Government, on Saturday, partially closed the Third Mainland Bridge, Nigeria’s busiest bridge, for rehabilitation works after site inspections for traffic architecture assessments. The work began at midnight on July 24 as workmen use crash barriers to barricade the outbound mainland traffic on Adeniji Adele junction. They went on to line more barriers and signage on various other sections blocking off a section of the Oworonshoki bound carriageway. Supervising the closure, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Olukayode Popoola, said that the traffic management and diversion architecture had been perfected at an earlier stakeholder meeting on Friday. Popoola explained that vehicles outbound the Lagos Island, at peak periods in the morning, would use alterna...
NAHCON begins refund of 2020 Hajj fares to intending pilgrims
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has commenced the refund of the 2020 Hajj fares to intending pilgrims who wish get their deposits back. The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Alhaji Zikrullah Kunle Hassan, disclosed this during a press conference in Abuja. Hassan said that the development became necessary following the decision of the Government of Saudi Arabia not to entertain any external pilgrim at Mecca this year as part of measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that pilgrims who wish to rollover their deposits to the 2021 Hajj will be permitted to do so. He said that registration for the 2021 Hajj will commence in September this year. Hassan said: “Any intending pilgrim who desires to recover his/her deposit from the State Pilgrims ...
APC: We’re glad to have Yakubu Dogara back
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed excitement at the return of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, back to the ruling party. Yekini Nabena, APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, expressed the feeling of the party while responding to the call by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for President Mohammadu Buhari to resign. The opposition party said the APC administration has failed on account of its inability to address the two planks on which it sought and received the mandate of Nigerians. However the APC spokesman said the PDP is ranting because of an impending massive defections that will hit the opposition party. The party said the return of Dogara to the APC is prelude to other defections to the APC The statement read: “The recent and unintel...
Private school teachers seek interest-free loan from government
The National Association of Private School Teachers (NAPST) has urged the Nigerian government to provide its members interest-free loans repayable gradually from when schools resume. The association said this is.to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on private school teachers in the country. NAPST, which is the umbrella body and voice of private school teachers in the country, said many of its members have turned to beggars for not being paid since the closure of schools over four months ago. The National President of the association, Akhigbe Augustine, made the plea in Abuja on Tuesday, Following the outbreak of COVID 19, schools were shut throughout Nigeria on March 19, leaving school authorities to adopt alternative modes of learning for students. The shutdown has been most felt by private ...
Customs promotes 2,634 officers, appoints 5 ACG
File Photo The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has approved the the appointment of five Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) of Customs and promoted 2,634 Officers. Mr Joseph Attah, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the service, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday. Attah said the newly appointed ACG of Customs were Mohammed Boyi, Training and Coordination, Adewale Adeniyi, Commandant C&SC Gwagwalada and Jack Ajoku, Strategic Research and Policy. Others are Olakunle Oyeleke Doctrine, Development and Administration and Emmanuel Edorhe, Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C. He disclosed that the board also approved the dismissal of ACG Aminu Dahiru for serious misconduct, while ACG Bashir Abubakar got compulsory retirement for act of negligence. The spokesperson said the d...
Speaker Gbajabiamila: House of Reps to provide funds for fight against gender-based violence
Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila says the house will provide funds for the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the 2021 budget to be presented to the National Assembly in September. Gbajabiamila said this in response to a request by Ulla Mueller, the Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja. Mueller led a delegation of United Nations (UN) and European Union (EU) Spotlight Initiative on a courtesy call to the speaker, a statement issued by Mr Lanre Lasisi, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity said. Gbajabiamila said that apart from budget funds, the house would also provide all necessary support and partner with relevant stakeholders for the fight against GBV to succeed. According to the speaker...
President Buhari, others honour Isa Funtua as FEC meeting begins
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, led other members of the Federal Executive Council to honour his late ally, Isa Funtua, with a minute silence as the council’s weekly meeting started. Although the meeting is virtual, some members are joining Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja from where he is presiding while others are attending virtually from their offices. At the commencement of the meeting, after the recitation of the National Anthem, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, called for a minute silence in honour of the late Funtua, who died on Monday. Funtua, the founding Managing Director of The Democrat Newspaper and former President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, was a minister in the Second Republic...
Senator Ngige: Suspended NSITF chief awarded N4.448 billion contracts in one day
The Minister for Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, on Tuesday, shocked the members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) when he alleged that the suspended MD awarded about 332 different contracts worth about N4.448 billion in one day. Senator Ngige who appeared on the second day of the investigative hearing being Chaired by Hon Miriam Onuoha further revealed that the controversial contracts were awarded just two days after he left office as Minister in 2019. The two times Minister of Labour and Employment also informed the Committee that the suspended management committed about 74 different infractions for which they were suspended. Senator Ngige who insisted that the action taken so far against the affecte...
