WITH the presidential inauguration just two days away, the Senate is convening an emergency session. It is unclear at the moment what the upper chamber intends to handle during this session. Lawmakers are gradually trickling into the chambers but the Senate President is yet to arrive. This is the second time in the 9th Senate that an emergency session is convened. The first was during the COVID-19 pandemic to approve funds to address the pandemic. From the just released order paper, the major proposed legislations for consideration today are the 2022 supplementary budget amendment bill and the CBN Act amendment…
Author: Amina Ibrahim
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THE Federal Government has declared Monday, May 29, 2023, as a work-free day for all workers in the country. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in a statement on Friday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Shuaib Belgore, said this is to commemorate the inauguration of the president-elect, Bola Tinubu. He enjoined Nigerians to continue to support and promote democracy through adherence to the rule of law. He enjoined Nigerians to continue to support and promote democracy through adherence to the rule of law. The statement partly read, “The Minister felicitates with all Nigerians on the momentous occasion, commending…
A FLIGHT belonging to Nigeria Air has touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. This newspaper had reported that the flight which took off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was getting set for the journey to Nigeria’s capital city. Two days ago, Daily Trust had reported how the promise that the national carrier would fly before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure had not been kept. Apparently reacting to the report, Hadi Sirika, Minister of Aviation, had said insisted that Nigeria Air would fly before the tenure of Buhari ends. Speaking in a Channels Television interview, Sirika…
VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo is expected to lead a team of “distinguished experts” in observing the general elections in Sierra Leone on June 24, the Commonwealth Group has said. According to a statement published on its website Thursday, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, confirmed that Osinbajo had accepted her request to chair the Commonwealth Observer Group (COG). The Secretary-General is said to have constituted the observer group upon invitation from the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone. “Prof Osinbajo is a Professor of Law and one of the nation’s leading legal experts, serving as Vice President of Nigeria since May 2015,” the…
THE Supreme Court has dismissed PDP’s suit challenging the alleged double Nomination of Kassim Shettima. The Apex court agrees with the lower courts that the PDP lacks the locus Standi to institute the case. Justice Adamu Jauro who read the Judgement, added that the PDP acted as meddlesome Interloper and a busy body as it is an internal affair of the APC. A sum of Two Million Naira was awarded against the PDP, even as the suit was dismissed for lacking in merit. The Justices further held that the attitude of the appellant (PDP), amounts to misleading the court, describing…
A PRESIDENTIAL spokesperson, Garba Shehu, has accused some officials and politicians working for President Muhammadu Buhari of switching allegiance to President-elect Bola Tinubu. Garba said this while speaking on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) ọn Thursday. He spoke on preparations for the inauguration slated for May 29. He assured that the handing over process will be smooth, adding that it would be a seamless transition. “When former President Jonathan handed over to President Buhari at the Eagle Square on May 29, 2015, there were very embarrassing moments that followed reportedly,” Garba said. “In fact, the former president trended at some…
VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has taken Vice-President-Elect, Kashim Shettima on a familiarisation tour of his wing of the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Shettima said he came on the instance of Osinbajo to exchange ideas on how to move the nation forward. Shettima stated that himself and the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu hope to hit the ground running from day one to ensure Nigerians feel the impact of their administration. Earlier on Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari conferred National Honours on Tinubu and Shettima. Tinubu and Shettima were conferred with the National Honours of Grand…
PRESIDENT-ELECT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed not to disappoint Nigerians, recognizing the trust and magnitude of expectation and responsibility bestowed on him as he receives investiture as an incoming President. He made the declaration today in his acceptance speech after President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) at the State house. The President-elect also acknowledged that Nigerians are deserving of a better country, noting that his administration will continue to reach out to President Buhari whenever the need arises. The former Lagos State governor becomes the 16th person to be…
THE Court of Appeal, Abuja has fined a former presidential candidate, Ambrose Owuru, N40m for filing a frivolous suit seeking to stop the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu on May 29. The Court ordered Owuru to pay the sum of N10m each to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Tinubu. Justice Jamil Tukur, who read the lead judgment of the three man panel of the court, held that Owuru embarked on a gross abuse of court process by filing a frivolous, suit to provoke the respondents. The…
A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, has adjourned to June 19 2023 for the arraignment of Directors in five companies for money Laundering and breach of Public procurement law in relation to a multi-Billion naira contract in the Cargo Tracking Note, CTN. Among those arraigned is the Managing Director of Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmed Salihijo, and his company Velocity Nigeria Limited. The four other companies are, Winslow Logistics, Equal Logistics, Sahams Crystal Investment and Antaser Nigeria Limited. The judge Justice James Omotoso fixed the date after listening to both counsels. The landmark case was instituted by Donnington Limited…
PLANE for Nigeria Air will arrive the country on Friday ahead of commencement of operations, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has confirmed. In an exclusive interview with Channels Television monitored by News Point Nigeria, the minister said that a Nigeria Air aircraft will land in the country in two days as part of processes to commence operations and unveiling of the delivery process. He promised that the aircraft will be unveiled in Nigeria’s colours in fulfillment of all the promises made by the administration in the aviation sector. He, however, noted that the only incomplete item is the aerotropolis,…
THERE was some tension between the Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila and his deputy, Idris Wase at close of plenary earlier on Wednesday. Both men openly disagreed over the duration of Thursday’s plenary as the speaker insisted that proceedings should be short enough to allow him and other members attend the official commissioning of the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies. The deputy speaker on his part maintained that the work of parliament should come first and members who would like to attend the commissioning should do so without affecting Thursday’s plenary.…
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday failed to dissolve his cabinet on Wednesday. Many had expected that the president would dissolve his cabinet at the Valedictory Federal Executive Council Meeting which he chaired in Abuja today. However, the president instead, directed his ministers to return to their offices and continue work. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known at a briefing, shortly after the FEC Valedictory session. Even though the President had taken official pictures with the council, the Information Minister debunked news making the rounds that the Cabinet has been dissolved. According to Alhaji Mohammed,…
THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised interest rate from 18 percent to 18.5 percent. News Point Nigeria the apex bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, announced the decision on Wednesday after the committee’s meeting at the CBN headquarters in Abuja. The development is the third consecutive time the apex bank will be raising the monetary policy rate (MPR) which measures the interest rate. Recall in March that the MPC of the bank voted to increase the benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 18 per cent. Addressing journalists at the end of the two-day meeting in Abuja, Mr Emefiele,…
GOVERNOR Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has emerged as the new Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF). He replaced Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State whose tenure of office would elapse on May 29. This was contained in a communiqué signed by Tambuwal at the end of the 7th emergency meeting of the state governors held on Tuesday night in Abuja. It was gathered that Governor Abdulrazaq emerged through consensus while Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde was chosen as vice chairman of the forum. “On the leadership of the Forum, the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, emerged…
AHEAD of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has denied joining the race for the Senate presidency. Lawan, a former Majority Leader was elected as the Senate President in 2019 after enjoying the backing of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the position. The APC has selected a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, as its choice for Senate President and the senator representing Kano North District, Barau Jibrin, as the Deputy Senate President. In a statement on Tuesday, Lawan said he did not declare to contest for the next Senate…
THE Presidential Election Petition Court has given three weeks to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku; and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, to prove their cases regarding outcome of the 2023 presidential election. This was stated during a proceeding at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday. In order to ensure a speedy hearing of the petition, the court said there would be no oral examination of witnesses and that the adoption of witness statements will be required. For star (or expert) witnesses, 30 minutes shall be used for evidence in chief, while 20…
THE United State President, Joe Biden, has named his delegation to attend the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu. This newspaper reports that no fewer than 65 world leaders, including Heads of State, have been invited to grace the Tinubu’s inauguration. The former Lagos State governor will be sworn in as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29 at Eagle Square, Abuja. Also expected at the nation’s seventh transition ceremony are past presidents, diplomats, heads of international organisations and prominent Nigerians and representatives of foreign governments and agencies. The inauguration programmes will begin on Thursday with the investiture of…
THE Supreme Court has fixed May 26, 2023 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the disqualification of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), respectively. In the suit filed on July 28, 2022, the PDP claimed that Shettima’s nomination as Tinubu’s running mate was in breach of the provisions of sections 29(1), 33, 35, and 84(1)(2) of the Electoral Act 2022. The party argued that Shettima’s nomination to contest the position of Vice-President and Borno Central Senatorial District seat at the same time contravened the law. The PDP, which sought…
THE Chairman of the Presidential Election Petition Court, Justice Haruna Tsammani, has dismissed the application for live coverage of court proceedings. At the 2023 Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) sitting in Abuja on Monday, the justice said the application by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) lacked merit. The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, had filed an application on May 8 for an order to allow the live coverage of the daily court proceedings on the case they brought against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, following the February 25 election. The Labour Party…