Author: Emmanuel Anthony

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State on Thursday said it remains in the race for the November 16 governorship election. The party insisted that in spite of a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the party’s governorship primary of Sept 4, 2019, the party would participate. A High Court presided over by Justice Jane Inyang had on Thursday nullified the nomination of Chief David Lyon as the candidate of the APC.  Inyang held that the primary election conducted by the APC violated the party’s rules and constitution and therefore a nullity in the eyes of the law and restrained…

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The Peoples Democratic Party, Edo State chapter on Wednesday mocked the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state describing it as a disorganised party. Reacting to the gale of suspension rocking the APC in the state, the PDP state chairman, Dan Orbih said it is only in APC that a national chairman, the state chairman and the secretary would be suspended in one day.Orbih addressing journalists in Benin wondered how a disorganised party like APC can rule the state and be expected to restore law and order. On the allegation that Governor Godwin Obaseki gave PDP, the sum of six…

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Senior Special Adviser to Bayelsa Governor on Niger Delta Youth Matters, Mr Kenedy Tonjo-West, has resigned his appointment few days to the Saturday governorship election in the state. In a letter dated November 13 and addressed to Gov. Seriake Dickson on Wednesday, Tonjo-West did not give reasons for leaving but expressed appreciation to the governor for giving him the opportunity to serve. “I appreciate the rare privilege to work under your administration from October 2015 to February 2016 and from December 2016 to November 2019, an opportunity that deepened my understanding of politics, campaign promises and good governance,” he stated.…

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A crowd protesting the continued detention of Omoyele Sowore by the Department of State Services after he met his bail condition were forcefully dispersed by security operatives on Tuesday.  It was gathered that operatives of the DSS fired gun shots and used pepper spray to disperse the protesters who had gathered around the service headquarters to demand for the release of Omoyele Sowore. The protesters who were carrying several placards were rounding up their sit out when the incident occurred. Convener of the protest, Deji Adeyanju was addressing the media on the reason behind the protest when truck loads of operatives…

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The Edo State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC)on Tuesday said its former secretary, Lawrence Okah was removed because a vote of no confidence was passed on him. The State Executive Committee on Tuesday revealed this after a vote of confidence was passed on the leadership of Barr Anslem Ojezua. A statement signed said the party chairmen across the 18 local government areas of the state also passed a vote of no confidence on the APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Briefing newsmen after the meeting of the party’s State Executive Committee, the Deputy State Chairman of the…

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The Director General, Media and Communications, Kano State Government, Salihu Yakasai, is under fire for insulting the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, on Twitter. Yakasai, who tweeted through his handle, @Dawisu, had asked the emir to “stop opening his filthy mouth” for making a comment over the abduction of some children from Kano State. There had been a heated debate in recent time regarding the abduction of some children from northern Nigeria to the South-East where they were given Igbo names and converted to Christianity. Reacting to the incident, Sanusi had said Igbo should not be attacked. He blamed…

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The two major political parties contesting in the November 16, guber election in Bayelsa State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday engaged in war of words over alleged printing of fake ballot papers ahead of the election. The APC had raised the alarm over the printing of ballot papers and other sensitive materials by the Bayelsa State Government and the Peopless Democratic Party at Government House. However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) through the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Osom Macbere, said the APC was merely displaying what it described as cerebral…

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The Deputy Speaker Benue Assembly Christopher Adaji (Ohimini/PDP) has lost his seat after being sacked by the Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The court affirmed the earlier decision of the National/State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sacking the lawmaker. The lead judge of the three-man panel Justice I. G. Mbaba, who delivered the judgment, said the appeal by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Christopher Adaji, lacks merit.Mbaba upheld the decision of the Tribunal and return of Adaji by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the winner of the 2019 Ohimini State Constituency election. The…

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A protest broke out at the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Saturday over the continued detention of Omoyele Sowore, convener of RevolutionNow Movement. Some activists staged the protest at the headquarters of the Department of State Services in Abuja, demanding the release of Mr. Omoyele Sowore, and Olawale Bakare. The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has issued the warrants for the release of the duo and the DSS has acknowledged receipt of the warrants.DSS on Thursday, however, said it did not release Sowore and Bakare because there was no lawyer to receive them. This…

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A former Chief Judge of Ondo State, Hon. Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi has been elected as a leader of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Kumuyi who served as the state Chief Judge during the tenure of former Governor, Olusegun Mimiko was elected as the leader of the party in the northern senatorial district of Ondo State by delegates at the party’s senatorial district meeting held in Ogbagi-Akoko, Akoko North West local government area of the state. After retiring from active service in 2017, Kumuyi delved into partisan politics when he pitched tent with Mimiko’s political structure in the state. One of…

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday warned that he would not share the powers at the Presidential Villa with anyone. In a statement on Friday through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari warned that there cannot be anyone too powerful for him to control. There have been reports of power tussle at the Presidential Villa with claims that the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari was forced to stay out of Aso Rock for over three months allegedly by some cabal. Although Aisha refuted the reports, saying that she had stayed away in the UK for so long because she was…

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A report have emerged indicating names and portfolios of aides to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo allegedly sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari. Some sources in the Presidency claimed that the sacking of some of Osinbajo’s aides was aimed at reducing the influence of Osinbajo. Letters allegedly relieving the aides of the vice president of their appointments were issued to those affected yesterday, the source reportedly said. The report claimed that while some of the aides were believed to have been relieved of their duties due to redundancy, others were of the opinion that it was due to the unfolding drama…

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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress( APC) in the South-South, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has alleged that some beneficiaries of the “large-heartedness” of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi were plotting against him. Eze claimed that a group led by former Rivers Senator, Magnus Abe was “working very hard to humiliate the Minister of Transportation.” In a statement he personally signed, the former spokesman of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), however, stated that such plots, which failed in the past would suffer the same fate again, adding that they only end up “making the minister stronger and better.”…

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The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to forgive the state for any wrongdoing. Wike prayed the Federal Government to forgive any perceived wrong that may have warranted federal neglect currently being suffered by the state. Speaking during maiden delivery of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to downstream investor, Stockgap Terminal by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Bonny in Port Harcourt, Wike pointed out some issues perceived to have warranted federal neglect in the state. Wike said: “Because it’s Rivers, FG has refused funding the Bodo-Bonny Highway even when NLNG has agreed to…

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Former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, has mocked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo after the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari travelled all the way to London to present a bill to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent. It was reported that Kyari presented the amended Deep Offshore Act to Buhari in London on Monday.   Some Nigerians have since faulted the decision, saying that Osinbajo should have signed the bill, rather than Kyari taking a trip to London. Nigerians have also posed questions about the function of the office of Osinbajo as Vice President .…

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A woman who accused Donald Trump of raping her more than 23 years ago in a New York department store has sued the U.S. president over statements he made in June denying that the attack occurred and criticizing her for coming forward. E. Jean Carroll, a longtime Elle magazine advice columnist, said in a complaint filed in a New York state court in Manhattan that Trump lied about attacking her, and “smeared her integrity, honesty, and dignity” by concocting a “swarm of related lies” to explain why she would make the incident up. Carroll’s account of the alleged rape at…

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Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has condemned the closure of Nigeria land borders till January 2020. The Nigerian government announced closure of its land borders to curb smuggling activities. The exercise led to a total shutdown of land frontiers across the country. The land borders are expected to be reopened on January 31, 2020. This was revealed in a circular dated November 1, 2019 (NCS/ENF/ABJ/221/S.45) and signed by the Comptroller of Customs in charge of enforcement, Victor David Dimka, to the Sector Coordinators, joint border operations drill (Exercise Swift Response), Sectors 1, 2, 3 & 4. It’s even alleged that…

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Apostle Johnson Suleman, President of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, has considered standing as surety for Convener of #RevolutionNow, Mr. Omoyele Sowore. The apostle disclosed this on Monday on his official verified Twitter handle.He expressed concerns that though Sowore had hurt many people in the past — including Suleman himself — he is of the opinion that Sowore should not be allowed to “rot where he is.” He wrote:  “Am really worried that nobody is ready to stand surety for @YeleSowore.. yes he has hurt a lot of people, me inclusive. But do we focus on that and let his rot where…

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A socio-political organization in South east zone, Igbo National Council (INC), has tackled the Imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, over the composition of his current cabinet. The group, in a statement signed by its President, Chilos Godsent and made available to reporters in Umuahia, said that the crops of commissioners that were recently appointed by the governor, lacked the capacity in proffering solutions to the myriad of problems confronting Imo State. According to the statement, “This current administration by Governor Emeka Ihedioha is not really on course. The government is too slow. The State Government really lacks focus, because,…

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Fomer minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka has warned his immediate younger brother, Hon Obinna Chidoka to ensure he performs well as a member of the House of Representatives or risk being held by him (Osita) to account. Obinna Chidoka who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election for Idemili North and South federal constituency had lost the election to his All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) counterpart, Ifeanyi Ibezi. But the Court of Appeal last Friday ruled that Chidoka won the election, and that Ibezi should vacate the seat for him. Osita Chidoka reacting…

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Kogi State Governorship candidate of Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN), Dele Bello-William has promised that if elected, he will make 10,000 youths millionaires in the state. Bello-Williams made this known in a statement signed by his campaign manager and spokesman, Steve Nwafor. The governorship hopeful stated that the plan to produce young millionaires is part of the GDPN manifesto for Kogi State tagged ‘Arewa Marshall Plan’. He said his administration will empower youths in Kogi to become millionaires and will create a transportation and logistics hub to encourage trade and investment in the state. This, according to him, will…

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Few days after the Supreme Court struck out the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the February 23, 2019 election, agitation for the 2023 presidential ticket has commenced. Reliable sources told reporters in Abuja that some power brokers in the party were already planning how to field another candidate in 2023. It was gathered that high ranking members of the PDP, including some serving governors were plotting to field a northern candidate in 2023, while some party bigwigs from the South felt…

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The Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs Thursday screened President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees for the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). First to be screened was a former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dr. Pius Odubu, as Chairman of the Board of the NDDC and the nominee for the position of Managing Director of the agency, Bernard Okumagba. Odubu who was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2007 was asked to “take a bow and go” in line with the parliamentary tradition of the Senate to extend such courtesies to former members of…

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Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has disclosed that the non-availability of a teaching hospital in Ondo State was a major factor that saw to the brain drain of health professionals from the State, which he described as worrisome. Akeredolu, however, revealed that the move by his administration to establish a teaching hospital in the state with complexes in Akure, the state capital and Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government has helped significantly to ameliorate what he described as an ugly trend. The governor who made the revelation at the 6th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the…

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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to US President, Donald Trump, asking him to exercise his constitutional powers “pursuant to the Presidential Proclamations 7750 and 8697 to instruct the US Secretary of State and US Ambassador in Nigeria to temporarily ban Nigerian state governors and other senior public officials misusing the criminal justice system to jail journalists, bloggers, and activists reporting on allegations of corruption from entering the US.”SERAP also urged Mr Trump to “use Presidential Proclamation 8697 (which allows the US Department of State to deny visas to foreign officials, their families and…

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to Supreme Court’s dismissal of his petition against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election in February. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed in his judgment said, “We have examined all the briefs and exhibits for over two weeks. “And we agreed that there is no merit in this appeal. The appeal is dismissed. Reasons to be given on a date to be announced.” A statement he signed in reaction said: “It is said that the Supreme Court is not final because it is infallible, but that it is infallible because it…

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About seventeen members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) were allegedly shot by a combined team of Police and other security agencies on Tuesday.IPOB, in a statement signed by Emma Powerful alleged that 70 others were arrested by the security agencies. The statement reads in part: “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) find it distasteful that rather than confront rampaging and murderous Fulani herdsmen, the Nigerian army and police have continued their incessant and unwarranted attacks against the peaceful family of IPOB in Ebonyi State. “A combined team of Nigeria Armed Forces invaded the venue…

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State chapter, has carpeted Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for allegedly turning a blind eye to the deplorable state of roads in the state. The PDP, which stated that the bad roads call for huge concern, stressed that the APC-led government under the watch of Akeredolu has neglected inherited infrastructures from the past government in pursuit of his own personal achievements for electoral gains. A statement by Zadok Akintoye, Director of Media and Publicity, Ondo State PDP, emphasized that governance ought to be primarily for the people instead of what he described as the political scheming…

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President Muhammadu Buhari will embark on a private visit to London after attending the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, confirmed this development in a statement on Monday, saying that the President will be in London for a private visit and will return to Nigeria on November 17 after he must have spent 2 weeks in the UK. Adesina did not give further details on the President’s trip to London, but it may not be unconnected with his routine medical checkup. Adesina…

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A lecturer at the University of Lagos exposed in a BBC African Eye sex-for-grade undercover investigation, Boniface Igbeneghu, has refused to appear before the police despite invitation to him. The Lagos State Police Command said it has invited Igbeneghu through a letter sent to the university management. According to the letter signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCIID, Yetunde Alonge, the lecturer, who was also a pastor at Foursquare Gospel Church, was asked to report at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, on October 23, 2019 Igbeneghu, who has been suspended by the…

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