Chairman
Edo APC to appeal Abuja high court judgement
The chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Col David Imuse (rtd), has said that the party would appeal Saturday’s judgement by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which dismissed the alleged certificate forgery suit filed against Governor Godwin Obaseki by the party. The presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, had on Saturday dismissed the suit filed by the APC and a chieftain of the party, Williams Edobor, on the conclusion that the plaintiffs failed to prove their allegations of forgery against Governor Obaseki as it is expected in every criminal matter. “Allegation of forgery borders on crime which must be proved beyond reasonable doubt. In the instant case, no iota of evidence talk-less of a proof beyond reasonable doubt was bro...
Governor Wike: PDP‘ll rescue Nigeria in 2023
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said Nigerians have known clearly that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has their interest at heart with the commitment it has shown in fulfilling every promise made in ensuring an enduring improvement in their socio-economic situations. Governor Wike stated this at the commissioning of dualised Forces Avenue, Olumeni and Harvey Streets in Old Government Residential Area, Port Harcourt, by Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal on Friday night. Governor Wike said the administration of his predecessor under the All Progressives Congress (APC), deliberately ignored the roads in the Old GRA of Port Harcourt, thereby leaving the area in blighted condition. Governor Wike stated that his conviction in developing the city and building it into world class sta...
Senator lauds President Buhari for signing Modibbo Adama University bill into law
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani), on Friday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Modibbo Adama University bill into law. Binani, who initiated the bill in the 7th National Assembly, said the university can now run all approved academic programmes like any other conventional University. She said the bill will also create more placements for youths seeking admission into the university. Binani, who made her feelings known in a statement in Abuja, said the assent of the President was heart-warming. She said: “It is heartwarming to note the gracious assent by Mr. President to this bill. Precisely on the 6th of January, 2021, Mr. President assented to the bill converting MAUTECH to a Conventional Univers...
Coronavirus: Nigeria now at tipping point – PTF
The Federal Government, yesterday, took stock of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic vis-a-vis the attitude of Nigerians to embracing safety precautions, and concluded that the country was now at a tipping point. This came as government announced its decision to establish oxygen plants in all states of the federation as part of measures to resolve the “oxygen crisis” that had engulfed some of the isolation and treatment centres in the country. Meanwhile, Edo State has recorded 28 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 270, as the state government cautions residents to abide by the precautionary health and safety guidelines. Vanguard, meanwhile, gathered that former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe and th...
Ohaneaze chief Nnia Nwodo named SMBLF coordinator
YouTube The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has appointed the outgoing President General of Ohaneaze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, as its coordinator. According to a statement issued by Chief Edwin Clark and confirmed by Nwodo’s Special Adviser on Media, Chief Emeka Attamah, the appointment was in recognition of his superlative leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation in the past four years and the role he has played in the affairs of SMBLF. Chief Clark said that Chief Nwodo gave the Igbo unqualified and purposeful leadership which resonated throughout the country and expressed optimism that he would do the same for the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, especially at this troubled time in the country. The elder statesman urged Chief Nwodo to bring his wealth...
Sokoto border communities warned against aiding smuggling
Border communities in Sokoto State have been warned against aiding the smuggling of illicit items into the country. The Area Comptroller of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdulhamid Ma’aji, gave the warning at Illela during a sensitisation meeting held Tuesday with youths and community leaders at Illela town, a border community in the northern state. The border post was among four major international borders announced for reopening by the Federal Government in late December 2020. Ma’aji, while officially reopening the border’s gate, described the event as a remarkable day, urging the people to observe all the guidelines layout by the Ibrahin l Government. According to him, ‘now that these borders have been reopened, I want you to note that those illicit items that have been prohibited rema...
FCT chief judge bows out service
The Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, on Tuesday bowed out of service on the attainment of 65 years of age. This is even as he declared in his speech at a valedictory court session held in his honour that the greatest strength of the judiciary remained the trust, reliance and faith of the people in it. Bello, who became the FCT CJ on May 28, 2015, said that in a democratic set up like Nigeria’s, the judiciary had to be impartiality. “I solemnly accept as true the saying that the greatest strength of the judiciary is the trust, reliance and faith of the people in it. “In several cases, I have seen the court take decisions against the state as well for the achievement of the ends of justice. I know this well because I have delivered some myself,” ...
Kogi Assembly passes 2021 budget estimate of N130.54 billion into law
The Kogi House of Assembly on Tuesday passed the N130.54 billion Appropriation Bill tagged “Budget of Accelerated Recovery” into law. Newsmen report that the House considered the bill Clause-by-Clause at the “Committee of the Whole” of the House at plenary in Lokoja. Aderonke Aro (APC-Yagba West) and Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Budget Monitoring and Economic Planning, presented the committee’s report for consideration. Aro declared that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with genuine reasons for adjustments in their allocations were taken care of during the defence of their respective budgets. In the budget presented to the House on Dec. 1, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi had said that the budget was indicative of the assessment of the amount the state could generate on its ow...
Ondo tertiary institution workers suspend strike
Workers of Ondo State-owned tertiary institutions, on Monday, suspended their 14-day warning strike. The workers under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee of the Ondo State Tertiary Institutions had embarked on the strike following non-payment of their salaries and allowances by the state government. The members of the JAC include the Joint Action Committee of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, the Non-Academic Staff Union, the Nigeria Association of Academic Technologists, and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics. The workers announced their decision in a statement issued by the Chairman of JAC, ODSTI, Peter Akindehinde on Monday evening. The statement was titled ‘Suspension of 14-day warning strike’. According to the statement, the suspension of th...
Edo election: APC, deputy governor bicker over court case
Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Deputy Governor of the state, Rt. Hon Philip Shaibu has engaged in a war of words over a pre-election matter in the court as Shiabu alleged that the former National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole had recently said that the Supreme Court would give his party victory like the case of Imo state. But in a statement yesterday by the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Chris Azebanmwan, the allegation which he described as weighty was false and that Shaibu was engaging in a smear campaign against Oshiomhole. He said, “The statement which he credited to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is a blatant falsehood as no such words emanated from the elder statesman. It is a smear campaign that is aimed at tarnishing the pristine i...
Bandits kill PDP chieftain, kidnap three daughters in Niger
A chieftain of the Peoples Democractic Party in Kampala ward of Bosso Local Government Area of Niger state, Alhaji Ahmodu Mohammed, has been killed by bandits. Ahmodu’s three daughters were also kidnapped by the bandits. An eyewitness told newsmen that the murder of Alhaji Mohammed, a successful farmer, took place Thursday after the bandits had paid two previous visits to his community. The armed men were said to have previously attacked traders at the popular Beji market. Thursday’s raid by the bandits who numbered about 15 and carried dangerous weapons took place around 2.00am, it was learnt. A family source told newsmen that: “This is the third time that the bandits are attacking the man. They have been coming before but they couldn’t succeed because the man is very powerful”. “He was s...
Nigerian National Assembly spends billions of naira on constitution review
The perennial constitution amendment exercise by the National Assembly is characterised by proposals that keep resurfacing despite gulping billions of naira yearly, an analysis has shown. The federal parliament had from the 5th to the current 9th National Assembly made several attempts to amend some provisions of the 1999 Constitution to no avail. At every session, the parliament officially spends N1 billion shared equally between the Senate and the House of Representatives. There are reports that the lawmakers spend more than what is appropriated for the exercise. While some amendments were successful, several others suffered serial failures but kept appearing in new proposals. Considering the huge spending, lawyers and civil society groups have pointed out that no significant amendments ...