The Zamfara state House of Assembly has set up an ad-hoc committee to probe the alleged contract scam of over N2 billion for the construction of a new Government House in Gusau, the state capital which was awarded by the immediate past administration of Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar. According to a press statement signed by the House Public Relation officer, Comrade Mustapha Jafaru Kaura and made available to newsmen, the probe committee was is the sequel to a matter of public importance raised before the House by the House leader Hon Faruk Musa Dosara. Dosara drew the attention of his…
Author: Emmanuel Anthony
A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from deregistering 31 political parties in the country. Justice Anwuli Chikere gave the interlocutory order on Monday at the hearing of a suit by some of the parties recently deregistered by the electoral body. The Judge said the electoral commission failed to oppose the application by the applicants whose rights of association must be protected. The court while ruling on the interlocutory motion between Advanced Congress of Democratic (ACD) and two others against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and INEC, therefore, restrained the electoral umpire…
Nigeria’s former Secretary to the Government to the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has criticized the leadership of the All Progressives Congress under Adams Oshiomhole saying the party has become a ‘funny organization. Lawal made the remark while lamenting that APC members are not being carried along by Oshiomhole. Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the former SGF said the Northwest and the Northeast have lost their privileges in APC after Lawal Shaibu and Inuwa Abdulkadir who are the national Vice-Chairmen of the party were suspended. According to Lawal: “This APC is funny, as we speak, the chairman and his loyalists have suspended the…
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole is not in the good books of the party’s leaders and governors. Wike accused Oshiomhole of acting like a godfather in Edo even though he claimed he was against godfatherism. In a statement at the weekend by Simeon Nwakaudu, Wike warned Oshiomhole to stop making comments on national issues as if he was talking about Edo. The former Edo governor and the incumbent, Godwin Obaseki, are currently at loggerheads. Wike said: “I have read what Oshiomhole is doing to secure his position…
The Presidency, on Saturday, cautioned a section of the political class against misleading the public and inciting protests against the heads of military institutions. Garba Shehu, spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement, said the warning became necessary given received reports that about two thousand men and women were allegedly hired to demonstrate against Nigeria’s service chiefs on Monday. It said the imminent gathering is the latest in a series of demonstrations orchestrated by the opposition to embarrass the government of President Buhari. “As part of this overall scheme, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with its belligerent politics, has…
The Ekiti State House of Assembly Friday passed into law the Ekiti State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun Bill. The lawmakers had shelved another all-important legislative duty to hold the special sitting for the speedy passage of the bill. The draft bill was transmitted by Governor Kayode Fayemi to the House and passed through the first and second readings during an extensive deliberation on the floor of the House on Thursday. It was later committed to the Committee of the House on Security and Special Duties, headed by the lawmaker representing Ekiti East Constituency II, Hon Lateef Akanle, who conducted…
The national body of the APC has kicked against the declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Douye Diri as the governor-elect of Bayelsa State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The party rejected INEC’s decision, saying that the party will seek legal redress and go to the court to reclaim its mandate. This was said by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, in a press conference in Abuja. Oshiomhole said INEC “illegally declared Diri as Governor-elect.” The former Edo State Governor accused the electoral umpire of appropriating judicial powers to itself over the Supreme Court ruling.…
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the leadership of the National Assembly will no longer tolerate the unnecessary killing of Nigerians by criminals threatening the security of the country. This was even as he demanded a complete restructuring of the Security Architecture of the Nigeria Police Force, equipping of Police training institutions and training of men and officers of the Police Force. Lawan made this known in his concluding remarks on a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Police Act and enact the Nigeria Police Bill, 2019 to provide for a framework for the Police Service.…
The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has sent President Muhammadu Buhari a warning, telling him never to return to Borno. The leader of the sect conspicuously told Buhari in a video that his members are fully on ground in the North-East. He said they will attack Buhari if he visits Borno again. “Buhari came to Maiduguri pretending to be a good man. He shouldn’t try it again,” Shekau said in the Hausa language. Speaking further, he gave a condition for Chibok girls’ release, noting that the schoolgirls would be set free if the federal government let go of the sect members…
The Bayelsa Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed shock over the Supreme Court’s ruling nullifying the election of Mr David Lyon as the Governor-elect for the state on Thursday. The Supreme Court had ruled that Lyon’s deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo submitted forged documents which disqualified the joint ticket and nomination and urged INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to them and reissue same to the next party with the requisite constitutional spread. Mr Doifie Buokoribo, the state APC Publicity Secretary told newsmen in Yenogoa that the party was shocked at the development. “It is a shocking one…
About 20,000 members of the All Progressives Congress yesterday dumped the party and embraced the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State. The decampees were from Bakura and Gumi Local Government areas of the state, noting that the crowd that gathered indicated that the PDP made a serious grassroots mobilization in the state. Receiving the decampees at the Government House in Gusau, the state capital, the state governor, Hon. Bello Mohammed Matawalle described the decampment as a big loss to the APC. ” Their decamping may be connected to what has been put on ground by this administration led…
There was a mild drama in Cross River state as the All Progressive Congress has submitted parallel list ahead of the March 28 Local Government polls. Seven political parties are participating in a council election in the state. The Chairman of Cross River State Independence Electoral Commission (CROSIEC) Dr Mike Usshie disclosed this to newsmen in Calabar on Wednesday. He said that the election will surely hold on March 28 and listed the names of the political parties to include APC, PDP, SDP, YPP, NNPP, Labour Party and APGA. “We have collected lists from eleven political parties before the deregistration by INEC…
The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed David Lyon as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under whose platform he emerged victorious in the last election in Bayelsa State. In a unanimous decision, the Court affirmed the nomination of Lyon as the candidate of his party. The apex court consequently struck out an appeal by former Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri challenging the emergence of Lyon as APC’s governorship candidate. The five-man panel of the apex court affirmed the ruling of the Appeal Court which ruled that Lokpobiri’s appeal against the outcome of the September 4,…
A senior lawyer and National Coordinator, Concerned Advocates for Good Governance (CAGG), Barrister Olusegun Bangbose, has said the recent statement by the Northern Elders Forum about the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is obviously an over flogged statement that cannot be faulted. The lawyer says one cannot but appreciate and applaud the statement, adding that President Buhari has failed Nigerians. Bangbose said that Professor Ango Abdullahi is indeed a noble Nigerian and an asset not only to the North but the entire nation, adding that it takes courage to stand by the truth. The Ango Abdullahi-led Northern Elders Forum had…
President Muhammadu Buhari promised again on Monday that all children kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents would be set free during his regime. He spoke at a breakfast dialogue on ‘‘Stop the War on Children Affected by Armed Conflicts, Dividend of Silencing the Guns’’, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, held on the margins of the ongoing 33rd African Union Summit. Nigeria, Uganda, Norway, the AU Commission and Save the Children sponsored the dialogue. Buhari said, “A number of schoolgirls from Chibok and Dapchi earlier abducted by Boko Haram have regained their freedom. ”We commend the gallant efforts of the Multi-National Joint Task Force…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries allegedly conducted by the leadership in Cross River State has torn the party into shreds as aspirants threatened defection. Consequently, out of eighteen local government council’s aspirants in the state, thirteen have condemned the alleged primaries conducted by the party and have threatened defection. The aspirants who were drawn from the three senatorial zones of the state said the recently released list of aspirants of the party falls short of the provisions of the party and the danger of losing the state looms by this act of outright imposition and impunity. The aspirants in…
The leadership of the House of Representatives is allegedly in manoeuvres to circumvent a subsisting court order to suspend the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), preferred minority leader, Kingsley Chinda from the Parliament next week. It was gathered that this controversial suspension would come following an alleged impersonation of the PDP in the lower chamber. It was also gathered that not only Chinda would be affected by the looming plot of suspension but other lawmakers in the persons of Chukwuma Onyema, Ajibola Muraino and Yakubu Barde. However, there has been a disagreement over who is the authentic minority leader…
The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, Malam Falalu Bello has said that, The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) is now firmly on track, revived and ready to take off and there is nothing that can stop it from relegating other parties in Nigeria to the background, come 2023. The National Chairman gave the assurance on Saturday in Kaduna during a joint meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees (BOT). His words: “I will like to use this opportunity to assure all my colleagues in the PRP that the wobbly, weary and…
The Arewa version of Amotekun code-named Shege Ka Fasa launched by a northern group to fight insecurity in the north has been disowned by Arewa youth groups, the joint action committee of northern youth associations. It also linked the conveners of ‘Shege Ka Fasa’ to some northern elders, alleging they were behind the move to floating the security outfit with a proposed operational headquarters in Kaduna, defunct capital of Northern Nigeria. Speaking in an interview, Murtala Abubakar, leader of the Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations said their organization was not contacted by the initiator of the operation. So we…
The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and 12-year prison sentence that was handed to the former governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame, for stealing public funds. The judgement of the Supreme Court was passed on Friday, February 7, 2020. In a unanimous decision, a five-man panel of Justices of the apex court led by Justice Mary Odili said it found no reason to set-aside concurrent judgements of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal, which found Nyame guilty of embezzlement and money laundering. Justice Amina Augie who delivered the lead judgement held that appeal Nyame filed…
President Muhammadu Buhari has maintained that his promise to end Boko Haram and other forms of criminalities during his inauguration as President in 2015 has been kept. Buhari added that the subsequent decimation of the terror groups is evidence that he has kept to his words. According to the President, “I promised to put an end to Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and other forms of criminalities that have bedeviled our country during my inaugural speech as president. “You will all agree with me that the successes we have achieved so far have restored our pride and honour the world over. Consequently,…
The Edo State High Court, Ekpoma Division, on Thursday, restrained the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from conducting local government congresses scheduled to hold February 8. In a suit number HEK/9/2020, the court also restrained the 1st defendant, PDP and the 2nd defendant, INEC from announcing, publishing and recognizing the results of the Ward Congresses held Saturday, February 1, 2020, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed. The applicants, Eruaga Gallant C., Victor Idiakheoa Esq. and Jide Obalowoshe Esq. had filed a Motion Exparte before Justice J.O. Okeaya-Inneh of the High Court, praying the court to…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has deregistered 74 political parties in Nigeria. This was disclosed on Thursday by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at a news conference in Abuja. Yakubu disclosed that the decision was taken by the commission in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). “The political parties were deregistered because of their failure to meet various criteria stipulated by the constitution during the elections,” Yakubu said. He said the affected parties failed to meet the criteria provided for by section 225A of the 1999…
The Ogun State Government has agreed to pay N30,500 as new minimum wage for workers in the state with effect January 1, 2020. The revelation was made after the government and the Organised Labour in the State reached agreement on Tuesday night, putting an end to eight weeks meeting on the new minimum wage issue. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on behalf of government by the State Head of Service, Mrs Amope Chokor who led government delegation and the represent natives of the organised labour which included the state Chairman of the Joint National Negotiating Council, Comrade Olanrewaju…
Hearing of purported fake wedding video of president Muhammad Buhari and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Faruq on Wednesday could not proceed due to the inability of the complainant to tender the case file. The alleged mastermind of the fake wedding video, Kabiru Mohammad was initially arraigned before a Kano Magistrates court 72, sitting on Nomansland in Sabon Gari, Kano on 14th January 2020, for defamation and injurious falsehood. Although DSS paraded Kabiru at its Abuja headquarters, he was brought to Kano on remand proceeding with the aforementioned charges.Kabiru who had been granted N1million bail,…
A mild drama broke out at the plenary on Tuesday when members of the House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted against evacuating stranded Nigerians from China.This was as a result of the motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Benjamin Kalu PDP, Abia entitled: “Urgent need to evacuate stranded Nigerians from China.” The green chamber turns into a rowdy arena after the motion was introduced as the majority of the lawmakers murmured, until the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, hit his gavel on the table to call them to order. The Speaker then asked the Deputy Majority Leader, Akpatason Peter (APC, Edo) to…
The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has revealed the cause of the crisis between him and Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Obaseki disclosed that the crisis was due to his refusal to hand over the “key to the treasury” of the state to Oshiomhole and his “cronies.” In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, the governor explained that while he believed in using the state resources to serve the people, Oshiomhole and his cronies believe it should be used to “carry them along.” He said: “As a matter…
The crisis rocking local government administration in Oyo State took another dimension on Monday as one person, identified as Abdulasisi Isa, was shot dead during a clash in the Surulere Local Government Area of the state. The deceased was said to have been killed when supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), clashed over who is the authentic Chairman of the Local Government Area. There have been pockets of violence between the supporters of the Chairmen who were sacked by Governor Seyi Makinde and the recently appointed Caretaker Chairmen in the state. The…
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the party to order. The state chapter of the party said Oshiomhole was “hell-bent” on disrupting the peace in Edo State by provoking people of the state with his actions of disrespecting state government directives. Joseph Osagiede, the spokesman of APC in the state, spoke while addressing a press conference in Benin City, the state capital. Osagiede alleged that the APC National Chairman was attacking people of the state but presenting a situation that he was being…
The Are Ona kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has warned against opposing the Southwest security outfit, Amotekun. Adams warned that anyone who opposes Amotekun would die “mysteriously” by the gods of the land. Speaking at a South-West Security Stakeholders Group summit in Osogbo, Osun State at the weekend, Adams warned that people of Southwest would not tolerate any form of threat over its decision to ensure the security of the region. He said: “We want everyone out there to know that the people of this region would not tolerate any form of threats from any individual or groups in relation…
