An X-Ray of President Bola Tinubu’s Ministers Ahead of Monday’s inauguration of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidency last night released portfolios of the 45 ministers-designate cleared by the Senate. However, Three Tinubu Ministers, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), former All Progressives Congress (APC) Women Leader Stella Okotete (Delta), and former Taraba State Governor Abubakar Danlandi (Taraba), did not receive clearance. This reduction in the list of nominees leaves 45 candidates. Also, Nobody has taken up the assignment for the Ministry of Niger Delta. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment and Ecological…
Author: Adekunle Taofeek
NNPCL Secures $3b Loan to Stabilise Naira The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited NNPCL has secured a $3b billion crude repayment loan to support the naira and stabilise the foreign exchange market, a terse statement posted on the official account of the company on X (formerly known as Twitter) said on Wednesday. The statement noted that the oil company secured the funding from the headquarters of the African Export-Import Bank in Cairo. “The NNPC Ltd. and AFREXIM bank have jointly signed a commitment letter and Termsheet for an emergency $3 billion crude oil repayment loan,” NNPCL said in a terse…
President Tinubu Assigns Portfolio to Wike, Keyamo Other Ministers. Ajuri Ngelale, Presidential spokesman, confirmed the portfolios at Aso Rock on Wednesday. Below are the ministers and portfolios Northwest Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy – Hannatu Musawa Minister of Defence – Muhammad Badaru Minister of State Defence – Bello Matawalle Minister of State Education – Yusuf T. Sunumu Minister of Housing and Urban Development – Ahmed Dangiwa Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development – Abdullahi Gwarzo Minister of Budget and Economic Planning – Atiku Bagudu Minister of Environment and Ecological Management – Kaduna Minister of State, FCT…
The Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, on Wednesday, reserved judgment on the petitions challenging the election of Governor Peter Mbah after parties in the matter adopted their written addresses. During the resumed proceeding of the Tribunal, Justice Akano who led the panel, reserved judgment on a date, he said would be duly communicated to the parties. The candidate of the Labour Party, Chijioke Edeoga is challenging the declaration of Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party as the validly elected governor by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the March 18 governorship elections in the State. While the petitioners…
West Africa Defence Chiefs to Discuss Possible Military Action in Niger Republic Military chiefs from the West African bloc, ECOWAS, will meet in Ghana this week to discuss possible intervention in Niger, military and political sources in the region said yesterday. On that day, human rights activists in Niger said they couldn’t access top political officials detained after the coup nearly three weeks earlier. This is even as US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken said there was still space for diplomacy to reverse the coup in Niger and lauded President Bola Tinubu for his leadership on the crisis in Niger.…
Bandits Attack School, Kill Two Teachers Bandits have attacked a secondary school in the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed two teachers. We learned that the victims were a newly-married couple who taught at the BECO Comprehensive Secondary School in the Kwi community of the LG. Eyewitnesses said the incident happened on Monday afternoon when the teachers were holding a meeting to compile results of students ahead of the school’s ‘Speech and Prize-giving Day’ coming up on Friday. A youth leader in the community, Moses Gwott, who confirmed the killings to The PUNCH in Jos on Tuesday,…
The Organised Labour has vowed to proceed with a total, comprehensive and indefinite nationwide shutdown of the country, should there be another increase in Petrol Pump price from the existing 617 naira, which it describes as “illegal”. NLC President, Joe Ajaero, gave the notification on Monday at the African Trade Union alliance meeting in Abuja, where organised labour also warned against undermining the demands of the union. Recall that oil marketers on Sunday indicated that the cost of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, would rise to between N680/lite and N720/litre in the coming weeks should the dollar continue to…
BREAKING: Niger Coup Leader Agrees to Dialogue With ECOWAS Niger Republic coup leader, General Abdourahmane Tchiani has agreed to dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after his meeting with Nigerian Islamic Scholars led by the national leader of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau in Niger Republic. According to Niger Republic’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, General Tchiani gave the green light for talks with ECOWAS and was optimistic the talks with ECOWAS would take place in the next few days. ‘’We have agreed and the leader of our country…
The World Athletics has denied the reports that Tobi Amusan has been cleared of doping and is now enabled to defend her title in the forthcoming World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Tobi whose name was formerly excluded by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria from participating in the upcoming competition billed to hold next week as a result of the doping investigation was later included by the body adding that she has been cleared. But in a statement released on Sunday, the world’s athletics body said it had not cleared the Nigerian star for the competition. “Please be advised, reports…
The Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal on Saturday Reserved judgment on the petition filed by the Governorship Candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour and that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor. The three-person panel presided over by Justice Arum Ashom adjourned judgment to a date to be communicated to parties in the matter after they adopted their final written addresses. Both Rhodes-Vivour and Jandor, who contested the March 18 governorship elections in Lagos State alongside Governor Babjide SanwoOlu, filed the petitions to challenge the outcome of the polls. The Independent National Electoral…
The scramble for vacant slots in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown the Abia State chapter of the party in disarray, with two nominated for the office of national welfare officer. It was gathered that some stakeholders in the state blatantly rejected nomination of one Rev Dan Imo by the state executive committee on March 28, 2023 to fill the NWC slot. The grouse of Imo’s nomination, it was learnt, is that he was just two years old in the party and lacks the political experience or clout to occupy a national position.…
Former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai has allegedly withdrawn his interest to serve as a minister under President Bola Tinubu, according to a report. He did not only withdraw his ministerial role, he also recommended Jafaru Ibrahim Sani who served as commissioner in three ministries – Local Government, Education and Environment in Kaduna State – as his replacement. The report came following the move by the Senate not to confirm El-Rufai, and two other nominees — Stella Okotete from Delta State and Sani A Danladi from Taraba State. Recall that the Senate, under Senator Godswill Akpabio as the President, confirmed…
The House of Representatives’ committee on sports has summoned the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to come and explain why they were engulfed in the FIFA-money crisis with the Super Falcons at the Women’s World Cup. Super Falcons put up a spectacular performance at the global women soccer showpiece that earned the team receiving plaudits across the world despite exiting the competition in the round of 16 following a 4-2 defeat on penalty to England. The team has backlogs of unpaid bonuses and allowances issues before the commencement of the mundial but swept it aside to allow them…
Hon. Muktar Umar Yarima, New Nigeria Peoples Party’s (NNPP) member representing Tarauni Federal Constituency, has been sacked by the National and State House of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano, on Thursday over certificate forgery. The three-man Tribunal panel ruled that the primary school certificate tendered by the respondent, Yarima was forged and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the All Progressives Congress (APC) Candidiate, Honourable Hafizu Ibrahim Kawu as the winner of the election and issue him with a Certificate of Return immediately. It will be recalled that, Garba Galadanchi, the returning officer for Tarauni…
The military leaders in Niger who seized power in a coup last month have formed a new government, according to a decree read out on national television on Thursday. Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine will lead the 21-member government, with generals from the new military governing council heading the defence and interior ministries. Meanwhile, leaders from West African bloc ECOWAS will meet on Thursday for an emergency summit on the coup in Niger, after the country’s military chiefs defied an ultimatum to restore the elected president. Two weeks after the coup that toppled Mohamed Bazoum, the Economic Community of…
US Threatens Military Force in Niger The United States of America has cautioned the Niger junta that America might take military action if the country’s military rulers don’t restore constitutional order. The US acting Deputy Secretary, Victoria Nuland, in a special briefing on Niger disclosed this via a teleconference on Tuesday. She noted, “…There is still a lot of motion here on many sides with regard to where the governance situation will go. “So we will be watching that closely and there are a number of regional meetings coming up and consultations with allies and partners that we need to…
Popular Cleric, Pastor Odukoya is Dead The Senior Pastor of Fountain of Life Church, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya is dead. The official Facebook page of the church confirmed his demise. He was said to have died on Monday August 7 at the United States of America (USA). The church said: “The fountain of Life Church Family, in tatal submission to the will of God Almighty announces the passing unto greater glory of our Father, Teacher, a great servant of the Most High God, Pastor Daniel Taiwo Odukoya, Founding Pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, who passed unto glory on the…
Since his candidacy and subsequent inauguration as governor of Enugu, controversy has trailed the authenticity of Peter Mbah’s NYSC certificate. In February, the NYSC in a letter said the certificate belonging to the Governor of Enugu State was not issued by the corps. Although Mbah claims that his certificate carries an NYSC certification stamp, the body, however, argued that the certificate could be forged. After all, what could have gone wrong that the NYSC Director of Certifications, Mr Ibrahim Muhammad would have stated that the NYSC certificate belonging to Mr Mbah did not emanate from them. One will wonder, why…
President Bola Tinubu’s administration may create new ministries from the existing ones, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, disclosed on Thursday in Abuja. The News Chronicle reported that the ministerial list was submitted to the National Assembly by Gbajabiamila and was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. ‘’Mr President intends to separate portfolios or restructure the ministries in such a way you might be hearing of new ministries that were not standalone ministries before. So the process continues.’ The 28 minister-nominees include Abubakar Momoh, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Ahmed Dangiwa, Hannatu Musawa, Chief Uche Nnaji, Dr Betta Edu, Dr…
The management of the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) has deployed three luxurious buses to convey students and staff of the institution to and from the campus at peak periods free of charge, to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal. A statement issued on Thursday by the institution’s director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Kunle Akogun, said that the palliative measure, which was in addition to earlier ones, was announced by the vice chancellor, Prof Wahab Egbewole (SAN) at the end of the 296th meeting of Senate of the institution. Egbewole, who expressed management’s deep concern over the adverse effect of…
Former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, made President Bola Tinubu’s ministerial list read on the floor of the Senate on Thursday afternoon. Ex-Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; and presidential spokesman, Dele Alake also made the list. After a long wait by Nigerians, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday afternoon, presented Tinubu’s ministerial list before the Senate. Gbajabiamila, the immediate past Speaker of the House of the Representatives, presented the list to Senate President Godswill Akpabio at exactly 01:19pm. Akpabio thereafter read the ministerial list with 28 nominees. The list include: Abubakar Momoh Yusuf…
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum to reverse all perceived anti-people policies, including the recent hike in the pump price of petrol, or face an indefinite nationwide strike from August 2. Consequently, the NLC has directed all its affiliates and state councils to immediately begin mobilisation of workers and other Nigerians, including civil society allies, for a long-lasting strike and mass protests should the government fail to meet its demands. The News Chronicle gathered that this was one of the decisions reached at NLC’s Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting held Tuesday, July 25,…
Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Osun State Polytechnic, Iree chapter has suspended academic activities over the suspension of the Institution Rector, Dr Tajudeen Adetayo. The chairman of the union, Dr. Fatai Afolabi, described the suspension as an aberration which is against the constitution of the institution. Members of the union had earlier in the day trooped out to protest the suspension, chanting solidarity songs and barricading the main campus entrance thereby disrupting the ongoing examination in the institution. Governor Ademola Adeleke had in a statement signed by M.A.K Jimoh, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education, suspended the rector…
JUST IN: Adamu, Omisore Meet President Tinubu in Aso Rock President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, received in audience the immediate past National Chairman and Secretary of the governing All Progressives Congress, Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, respectively, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. Tuesday’s meeting comes one week after Adamu and Omisore reportedly resigned their positions just days before the scheduled National Caucus and National Executive Council meetings earlier slated for Monday, July 18, and Tuesday, July 19, 2023, respectively. At the time, Tinubu was away in Kenya for the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union…
Gov. Adeleke Appoints 30 Special Advisers Governor Ademola Adeleke has appointed 30 Special Advisers to strengthen state governance even as tommorow Wednesday has been fixed for the inauguration of Advisers, Board Chairmen and Vice Chairmen. The Governor has also secured approval for five more Special Advisers in addition to the previously approved 25 to make a total of 30. Of the expected 30 advisers, 10 are of cabinet ranks. The inauguration of the Advisers and Chairmen/Vice Chairmen of boards holds on Wednesday 26th July 2023 by 10AM at the Local Government Service Commission, Government Secretariat, Osogbo. The newly appointed Special…
Court Grants Bail To Suspended CBN Governor A federal high court in Lagos has granted bail to Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in the sum of N20 million. In a ruling on Tuesday, Nicholas Oweibo, the presiding judge, said the charges against Emefiele are bailable. The bail was granted with one surety. More details later…..
UNIABUJA Sacks Two Lecturers for Sexual Harassment The Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, says the institution recently dismissed two academic staff members over allegations bordering on sexual misconduct. The don also told our correspondent on Monday that the institution had designed a communication channel for students to report cases of sexual harassment and other unethical acts by lecturers. “The issue of sexual harassment has recurred in Nigerian institutions, with a survey conducted in 2018 by the World Bank Group’s Women revealing that 70 percent of female graduates from tertiary institutions in Nigeria experienced sexual harassment in school.” According…
The Nigerian Air Force has dismissed a NAF recruitment advert being circulated on social media platforms as fake and an attempt to defraud applicants. A statement by the NAF Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, on Monday in Abuja, said “NAF is not recruiting”, and warned applicants not to fall prey to fraudsters. Gabkwet said the advertisement did not emanate from the NAF and reminded Nigerians that the service recently graduated recruits of Basic Military Training Course 43/2022, on July 8. According to him, members of the public would be adequately informed whenever NAF is recruiting. “The…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has released the final lists of successful candidates for the 2023 recruitment exercise for Narcotic Officer and Narcotic Assistant cadres. A statement released on Sunday by the agency spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said successful candidates for cadet, trainees are to report at the NDLEA Academy in Jos and NSCDC College of Peace and Disaster Management in Katsina states respectively. The statement partly read, “The under-listed successful candidates are therefore to report for Narcotic Officers Basic (Cadet) training at the NDLEA Academy, Kotton Rikus, Jos Plateau State, while the Narcotic Agent/Assistant (Trainees) will report for their…
Security and health Experts in Glasgow, Scotland are battling to unravel the mystery surrounding the sudden death of a young Nigerian businessman, John Oguchukwu on May 10 2023. John, owner of JP Stores Glasgow, whose 46th birthday anniversary was billed to take place on August 28 this year died in his sleep some hours after he returned from work. Effort by his heartbroken wife, Paulene Oguchukwu (Phd) to wake him failed as the deceased did not respond to his usual telephone alarm. She subsequently discovered that her husband was breathless. Amidst the confusion, Paulene alerted John’s elder Brother, Uchenna when…
