Author: Maryam Garba

THE senator representing Kano Central, Ibrahim Shekarau, on Wednesday, decried Nigeria’s high cost of governance, advising President Bola Tinubu on the need to cut down the number of federal lawmakers. “Left to me, we don’t need to have the two chambers, the two houses,” he said during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today monitored by News Point Nigeria. “It’s costing the country. I agree, a democracy means getting as many involved as possible, but the way it is going on now, it’s almost 500 legislators nationwide; I don’t think we really need this much at the moment.” The National…

YOBE State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has introduced his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodimma as the new Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum. Governor Buni made the introduction on Wednesday when he led a team of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors during a visit to the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, the nation’s capital. The governors were in Abuja for a National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling party chaired by the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. Besides Buni and Uzodimma, those present at the meeting include Governors Mohammed Bago (Niger), Senator Uba Sani (Kaduna), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe),…

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State has reappointed the Secretary to the State Government under the Nasir El-Rufai administration, Balarabe Lawal, to his cabinet. This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mohammed Shehu, who said Lawal was retained in view of his “vast” experience in governance to assist in the smooth take-off of the new administration. Sani also approved the appointment of Shuaibu Gimi as Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communication and Nasir Abdulkadir as Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, while Dahiru Ahmed will serve as Senior Special Assistant on Electronic Media.…

THE UK Government has congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima on their inauguration. According to a statement on Monday, King Charles III expressed his “warmest congratulations” and wish to send Tinubu every possible good wish as you assume the many responsibilities of your office. Helen Grant, the UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Trade to Nigeria and Girls’ Education, also said, “My priority is to strengthen our bilateral trade and investment partnership, to the mutual benefit of our two great nations, and I look forward to working alongside the new administration to further that goal.” See the full…

THE outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the renaming of 15 airports after some prominent Nigerians. This was contained in a by the Head of Press and Public Affairs of the Ministry of Aviation, Odutayo Oluseyi made available to the media on Sunday. According to the statement, the airports include Akure International Airport named after Olumuyiwa Bernard Aliu; Benin International Airport now known as Oba Akinzua ii; Dutse International Airport renamed Muhammed Nuhu Sanusi; Ebonyi International Airport Okadigbo now known as Chuba Wilberforce; and Gombe International Airport renamed Brigadier Zakari Maimalari. Also, Ibadan International Airport (Samuel Ladoke Akintola); Ilorin International…

THE House of Representatives has amended the Central Bank of Nigeria Act to raise the lending limit of the apex bank to the federal government from five (5) to fifteen (15) per cent. The amendment was done at an emergency session held by the lawmakers on Sunday. It comes amid concerns from the public regarding why the National Assembly would approve the ways and means advances request of President Muhammadu Buhari, considering that the 23.1 trillion naira request was many times over the 5 percent lending limit of the CBN. The Lawmakers believe the amendment will enable the government to…

THE President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina has decried the fuel subsidy regime by the Federal Government, saying it only benefits the rich. Speaking during the presidential inauguration lecture in Abuja on Saturday, Adesina said the continued payment to subsidise petroleum products is killing the Nigerian economy. According to him, fuel subsidy cost the economy of Africa’s most populous nation $10 billion alone in 2022. He explained that Nigeria keeps borrowing for what shouldn’t be borrowed for, advising that such money should be channelled to national development. “The place to start therefore is to remove the inefficient…

WITH just three days to the end of President Muhammadu’s administration, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, says the government has made things better than it met it. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Channels Television monitored by News Point Nigeria, Fashola maintained that Buhari’s government has effected changes that have impacted the economy positively, thus fulfilling the change mantra of the All Progressives Congress (APC). “I think it a very difficult place to self-assess, but I think from the feedback that we get from those we serve. Clearly, the feedback is encouraging and it indicates that things…

No THE Joint Health Sector Unions/Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) have declared an indefinite strike. According to the aggrieved workers, the strike is as a result of the failure of the federal government to adjust the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and other demands. JOHESU/AHPA is a conglomerate of four registered trade Unions which include Medical and Health workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Associated Institution(NASU). Declaring the…

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has again hinted at his retirement plans after exiting office on May 29. Speaking during the inauguration of the new Customs Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, the Nigerian leader said he would be far away from the nation’s capital after handing over power to his successor next Monday. “I try to plan to be as far away from Abuja as possible. I came from an area that is far away from Abuja,” Buhari stated. The President also underscored his cordial relationship with the Niger Republic, saying the neighbouring nation would defend him when he leaves office. According…

A COASTER bus has caught fire in front of Eagle Square in Abuja. The incident which happened on Tuesday night sent passers-by scampering for safety as the vehicle went into flames. There were speculations that it was a case of a car explosion. However, in a telephone conversation, the Police Public Relations Officer in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Josephine Adeh debunked the claim. She confirmed the incident but said it was a case of fire outbreak and not an explosion. According to her, the bus was coming from the Maitama axis of the FCT when it caught fire. “No…

WITH few days to the end of his tenure, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has approved the deposition of the traditional rulers of Piriga and Arak Chiefdoms, His Highness Jonathan Paragua Zamuna; and His Highness General Aliyu Iliyah Yammah, respectively. In a statement, the Commissioner of Local Government, Umma Ahmad stated that the two monarchs cease to hold their respective offices from Monday, 22nd May 2023. The commissioner stated that the depositions followed recommendations from the Ministry of Local Government in line with the provisions of Section 11 of the Traditional Institutions Law No. 21 of 2021. “The District…

SOME elected members of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly (NASS) across the different political party platforms say they will field Speaker and Deputy Speaker candidates. The elected lawmakers agreed to present a consensus candidate which will challenge the candidates put forward by the ruling APC. This decision was reached on Saturday after their meeting at the Transcorp hotel in Abuja with some speakership aspirants like Aliyu Betara, Yusuf Gagdi, Mariam Onuoha and others in attendance. This move appears to be in a direct defiance of the zoning arrangement as announced by the National Working Committee of…

AHEAD of the May 29th swearing-in of the President Elect, Bola Tinubu, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has advised him to ensure he assembles only people with capacity, character and track records of performance into his cabinet irrespective of their political backgrounds in order to hit the ground running immediately. To this end, he is asking aspirants jostling for the various National Assembly leadership positions to work and respect the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the President-Elect to enable the incoming administration succeed in delivering its campaign promises to the people. Wike, a chieftain of the…

THE President-Elect, Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria eight days to his inauguration. Tinubu was received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja by APC chieftains. Welcome back, President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Nigeria is ready for the May 29th. — Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) May 20, 2023 The All Progressives Congress (APC) powerbroker had left the country for Europe about 10 days ago to meet with investors and finetune transition plans, his spokesman, Tunde Rahman, had said. The President-Elect had met with the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, during his stay in Europe.

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dismissed the allegations by Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, that the agency was witch-hunting him for refusing to give its Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa $2m bribe. The Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Friday night urged the outgoing Zamfara governor to provide evidence to support his claim. Uwujaren, in the statement, described the governor as a suspect under investigation who would not be given dignified attention. He said, “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a trending interview granted to the Hausa Service of…

A MEMBER House of Representatives Committee on Loans, Aids and Debt Management, Abubakar Yunusa Ahmad, says federal lawmakers have approved the $800 million loan request of President Muhammadu Buhari. The lawmaker however argued that the loan would not be utilised by the Buhari administration, saying the incoming government would deploy its own approach to utilise the loan. “The $800 million — there were so many talks that we did, especially we in the loan committee and we advised them: ‘First, leave this thing to the incoming government,’” Ahmad who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News…

THE United Kingdom has appointed Dr Richard Montgomery as the new British High Commissioner to Nigeria. On Thursday, Montgomery presented his credentials to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja. He takes over from Ms Catriona Laing who recently concluded her four years as High Commissioner in Abuja. Richard is an experienced diplomat who has worked in different parts of the world including previously in Nigeria. Prior to becoming the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard was the UK Executive Director at the World Bank Group Board from 2018 to 2022 in Washington DC, USA. He has held…

THE Independent Hajj Reporter (IHR), a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has called for more security measures to taken at airports and Hajj camps during this year’s exercise. The IHR is a media related CSO that monitors and reports Hajj and Umrah activities within and outside Nigeria. Its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed, on Thursday, said in a statement that this would dissuade the perpetration of criminal activities in places where intending pilgrims would transit from. He called on agencies responsible for security across all departure centres to be up and doing to ensure the safe airlift of the pilgrims. The National…

THE Senate, yesterday, urged the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to release the $717, 478, 606 airlines’ funds blocked in the country. The red chamber also called on the CBN to allocate $25 million to airlines operating in Nigeria at its dollar auction. These resolutions were sequel to the consideration and adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti South), titled: “Current Issues on airlines blocked funds in Nigeria.” Olujimi is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation. The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Bala Na’Allah (APC-Kebbi ) presented the motion…