Author: Gloria Lamar Johnson

THE Plateau State government alongside 12 members of the state House of Assembly have appealed the Judgement of Justice Nafisat Musa who reinstated Ayuba Abok as the Speaker of the Plateau state house of Assembly, 18 Months after he was impeached. Chairman House Committee on Information Daniel Na’anlong, who stated this while addressing Newsmen in Jos, said they are approaching the appeal Court to seek a stay of execution. Ayuba Abok resumed office on Tuesday as Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and even Presided Over a sitting following a Judgment that declared his impeachment on 28th October…

RIVERS State Governor, Nyesom Wike has hailed his Benue State counterpart, Samuel Ortom for backing the return of power to the southern region of Nigeria at the expense of his senatorial ambition. Wike spoke on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Government Secondary School Kpor in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State. Ortom is one of the aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who, in the buildup to the 2023 general elections, demanded that presidency rotate to the southern part of the country from the north. Other G5 governors are Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu…

THERE is disquiet in Jos Area of Plateau State as one person has died after being shot by a police stray bullet. The incident took place on Monday when police personnel from the ‘C’ Division operational area of the Plateau State Police Command were on a routine check at the busy Ahmadu Bello Way in the Terminus Area of the capital. They confiscated some commercial motorcycles for illegal operation within the metropolis to enforce a ban on “Okadas”. But the security personnel met resistance from the operators which led to pandemonium in the area. The death of the teenager led…

THE All Progressives Congress, APC on Monday denied the expulsion of the Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege from the party. News Point Nigeria had reported that an expulsion letter dated March 31st and signed by the Chairman, Ulebor Isaac on behalf of the State Executive Committee of the Delta APC said Omo-Agege was expelled for alleged anti-party activities and other unnamed offences. A faction of APC in the State loyal to the Deputy Senate President, has dismissed his purported expulsion from the party describing it as absolute “ruse”. A statement jointly signed by Elder Omeni Sobotie and Peter Akarogbe, State…

THE All Progressives Congress in Delta State has expelled the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, from being a member of the APC for alleged for anti-party activities and other unnamed offences. The Delta APC announced Omo-Agage’s expulsion in a letter dated March 31, 2023, obtained by this newspaper on Monday. Recall News Point Nigeria reported how Omo-Agege, the governorship candidate of the APC in the Delta State lost to the Governor-elect a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sheriff Oborevwori. Omo-Agege who scored 240,229 votes was 120,005 votes behind his contender and the returned Governor-elect of the PDP,…

GUNSHOTS were heard on Monday when members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State clashed in Port Harcourt, the state capital over the inspection of electoral materials. Trouble started when the APC Governorship Candidate in the March 18 poll, Tonye Cole and members of his party arrived the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state capital to inspection of materials used in the last election in the state. However, Cole was forced to turn back by members of PDP who were already on ground at the INEC office…

UNKNOWN gunmen in the early hours of Sunday reportedly invaded the Christians Pentecostal Church located at Akenawe, Tswarev in Ukemberagya/Tswarev Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State where they killed a worshipper and abducted the pastor of the church and other worshippers. The attackers also injured several of the victims among them the traditional ruler of the community, Zaki Tyokase Ingyutu. It was gathered that the invaders stormed the church during a night vigil when a healing service was being conducted by the Resident Pastor, Rev. Gwadue Kwaghtyo A community leader and President, Gaambe-Tiev Youth Association,…

THE Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has condemned in strong terms, the alleged plot to install an interim government, other than the recently elected executives waiting to be sworn in on May 29th this year. A statement signed by the Chairmen of the forum, Governor Aminu Tambuwal notes that the governors will do all they can to defend the country’s democracy, as the forum will not support any unconstitutional regime change. The governors also condemned the continued delay in refunding the backlog of monies from stamp duties to states, as it promises to explore every available means of getting the refunds…

THE camp of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has disclosed that they were officially served on Tuesday with copies of the petitions filed at the election tribunal by Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi and his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar. The development is coming one week after Obi and Atiku formally filed their petitions to the elections tribunal to protest the outcome of the February 25 poll. Their petitions came four weeks after the contentious presidential and National Assembly elections that produced the President-elect. Both the PDP and LP candidates had accused Tinubu of deliberately avoiding…

THE Federal Government has blamed the ongoing deforestation in the country on powerful interests at the subnational who protect loggers in the business of charcoal production. News Point Nigeria reports that, the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, apportioned the blame today during the 69th weekly Ministerial weekly briefing at the state house. Mr Abdullahi said the task force set up to apprehend the protracted menace of tree feeling for charcoal have faced difficulties in enforcement, disclosing that they constantly experience a push back at the subnational level on the grounds that the trees belong to the states. The UK Government…

FOLLOWING the keenly contested general elections that many, there are concerns that some “misguided political actors” are planning to bring an Interim Government to power. Spokesman for the Department of State Services (DSS), Peter Afunanya, confirmed the plot on Wednesday. Here are six things we know so far from the communique and other things we know from history. 1. Some key players identified The Service in its broadcast stated that it has identified some key players in the plot for this proposed Interim Government in Nigeria. Most of the planners are politicians and they have had several meetings to this…

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State says he won’t leave office on May 29, 2023 to “run away” from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s strongman said he has nothing to fear if the anti-graft agency comes to probe his administration. Wike, whose eight-year two-term will end on May 29, 2023, directed his successor and Rivers State Governor-Elect, Siminlalayi Fubara to show EFCC his many accomplished projects in Rivers if the anti-corruption commission comes for investigation. He spoke on Wednesday at the commissioning of Rumuigbo Internal Road Network in the Obio/Akpor Local…

THE Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has expressed satisfaction over the ouster of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu. Umar Damagum was announced on Tuesday as Ayu’s replacement in an acting capacity. This comes barely two days after the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward, Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State suspended the former chairman with immediate effect. Ayu had been embroiled in a bitter feud with some high-ranking PDP members led by five governors identified as the G5: Wike, Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and…

A FORMER Information and National Orientation Minister Labaran Maku has admitted many saw the ‘Obidient’ movement and the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi as a joke. Obi, a former Anambra State governor, took the nation by storm when he emerged as a third-force candidate. Despite being dismissed as lacking a political structure, the LP candidate who enjoys a huge youth following scored over six million votes and won in 11 states to finish third in the just-concluded exercise. But while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News Point Nigeria, about the outcome of the 2023 elections,…

A HIGH Court in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, has restrained embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu from parading himself as chairman of the party pending the determination of the substantive suit which has been adjourned to April 17, 2023 for hearing. News Point Nigeria reports that, a member of the PDP from Benue, Terhide Utaan, who is the plaintiff before Justice W. I Kpochi, obtained the order restraining Ayu from parading himself as national chairman of the party. Ayu was suspended late last week for anti-party activities in the wake of the party’s loss…

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said he is in support of the suspension of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu. The Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, suspended Ayu on Sunday, after passing a vote of no confidence on him for anti-party activities. News Point Nigeria reports that, speaking on the issue, Wike who was a guest on Sunrise Daily on TV, stated that he supports the move because Ayu played a major role in the colossal failure of the PDP in the…

THE ongoing dramatic crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues as the Executive Committee of the PDP in Igyorov Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State has suspended the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, with immediate effect. News Point Nigeria reports that they suspended Ayu for anti-party activities after passing a vote of no confidence on him. While reading a resolution, the secretary of the party in Igyorov ward, Banger Dooyum, said Ayu’s anti-party activities – alongside his allies – contributed to PDP’s loss in his ward and local government in the governorship election. Ayu…

A FORMER Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; his wife, Beatrice; and their doctor, Obinna Obeta will be sentenced on May 5. News Point Nigeria reports that, this followed their conviction for organ trafficking on Thursday in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act. Ekweremadu, 60; his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey. However, the lawmaker’s daughter, Sonia, was cleared by the court. The jury said Ekweremadu, his…

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has faulted the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the suspension of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, over allegations of anti-party activities. Briefing journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Wike argued that the party’s NWC does not have the power to suspend Mr Fayose, nor refer Mr Ortom to a disciplinary committee. The governor also faulted the decision of the NWC to summon the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to appear before a disciplinary committee for a similar allegation of anti-party activities. According to him,…

A FORMER Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; his wife Beatrice and their doctor have been convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act. Ekweremadu, 60; his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey. They criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney, the jury found, according to UK Guardian. The prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the…