PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, with effect from August 14, 2024. This was disclosed in a statement released by the President’s media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, on Wednesday. According to the statement, the new appointee will take over from the incumbent Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR, who is due to retire on August 13, 2024. President Tinubu, while thanking the outgoing Head of Service for her stewardship, tasks the incoming Head of Service to discharge her duties…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
THE Senate, on Wednesday, announced the removal of Senator Mohamed Ali Ndume (Borno South) as Chief Whip. When put to voice vote by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, members of the APC Senate Caucus endorsed Ndume’s removal as Senate Chief Whip during plenary. Ndume was replaced by Tahir Mungono (Borno North). This comes amid his recent criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government. In a letter addressed to the Senate Caucus by the national leadership of the ruling party, the APC asked Ndume to resign his membership of the APC and join any opposition party of his choice. The letter…
THE Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday dismissed a suit challenging the use of Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes. Justices Yellin Bogoro held that Section 53 (1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) empowers the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to print, design and issue the currency and compels the need to establish bad faith before an action can be brought to challenge the act or omission of the Federal Government or the apex court. The court also held that the suit brought by a Lagos-based lawyer, Malcom Omirhobo, challenging the Arabic inscriptions on Naira…
A MEMBER of the House of Representatives Ekene Abubakar Adams has died. The Labour Party (LP) lawmaker was 39. “The House of Representatives is saddened to announce the passing of a dear member of the 10th Assembly, Rep. Ekene Abubakar Adams (LP, Kaduna), who died early Tuesday, at the age of 39,” the spokesman of the House Akin Rotimi Jr said in a statement on Tuesday. A first-time member of the House, Ekene Adams chaired the House of Representatives Committee on Sports. The Reps spokesman described the deceased lawmaker as “a kind and gentle humanitarian, loved by all who knew…
THE Federal Government has reached an agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to allow Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to that Arab nation starting today, July 15, 2024. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday when he briefed State House correspondents following the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. The announcement comes more than two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians following a period of protracted diplomatic row with Africa’s most populous nation. It also comes about two months after UAE national carrier Emirates Airlines announced the resumption of flights…
THE Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement, Honourable Unyime Idem, has warned government officials against dishonouring parliamentary invitations. The warning was issued on Monday, during a Public Hearing on a bill for an act to amend the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management Act 2007. According to him, the committee will not hesitate to invoke its legislative powers against offenders. The committee says the bill is to uphold the legal and institutional framework for the enthronement of transparency, accountability, value for money and efficiency in the procurement of works, goods and services within Ministries, Departments,…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday condemned an assassination attempt on former US President, Donald Trump, describing the attack as distasteful. Trump, the Republican candidate for the November election, was rushed off stage when gunshots were fired at a campaign rally on Saturday in Pennsylvania, in a shocking incident that will fuel anxiety in the run-up to the 2024 election. A day after the incident, Tinubu joined world leaders to decry the attack, saying violence has no place in democracy. “The attack on former President Donald Trump is distasteful and goes beyond the pale of democratic norms. Violence has no…
AN Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) simply identified as Owolabi, has been arrested for allegedly defiling a 17-year old girl in the Ojota area of Lagos. The officer was alleged to have had carnal knowledge of the girl in his office at Ojota Police Station. His arrest followed a referral letter dated July 1, 2024, and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Adegoke Fayoade, by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. Based on the referral letter, the Commissioner of Police ordered for immediate investigation into the matter. Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mainasara Kogoa as the new chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) and Omolola Oloworaran as the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom). The appointments were contained in separate Saturday statements by President Tinubu’s spokesman Ajuri Ngelale. “President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT),” Ngelale said. “Dr. Kogo is a seasoned lawyer and analyst in the fields of law, security, economy, politics, and international diplomacy.” On PenCom, he said, “President Bola Tinubu has approved the…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mr. Baffa Dan Agundi as the new Director-General of the National Productivity Centre (NPC). A statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, (Media & Publicity), on Saturday said Mr. Dan Agundi is a former majority leader of the Kano State House of Assembly. He was also the Principal Registrar of the Kano State High Court of Justice. Tinubu also appointed Mr. Silas Agara as the new Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). According to Ngalale, the National Directorate of Employment will be overhauled to combat unemployment…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sympathised with the victims of the Plateau building collapse over the incident he labelled as a “huge loss to the nation”. About 132 persons were injured and 22 others were confirmed dead following Friday’s tragic collapse of the two-storey structure in a school in the Busa Buji, Jos North Local Government Area of the state. While consoling the victims and the people of Plateau State over the incident, Tinubu’s spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said his principal received the news of the tragedy “with profound grief”. “President Tinubu describes the unfortunate incident as a huge loss to the…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has sacked Mohammed Bello-Koko as the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and appointed Abubakar Dantsoho as his replacement. Bello-Koko was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2021 as acting MD and his appointment was confirmed in February 2022. This is contained in a statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled “President Tinubu appoints new Managing Director and Board Chairman for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).” Tinubu appointed Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho as the Managing Director of the NPA while Senator Adedayo Adeyeye was appointed the…
THE Federal Government has inaugurated the Presidential Food Systems Coordination Unit (PFSCU) as part of its efforts to tackle the prevailing hardship in the land. While inaugurating the unit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Friday, Vice President Kashim Shettima said it was part of the present administration’s ongoing plan to tackle hunger. The presidency has also engaged the states, development partners and other critical stakeholders in the efforts to address the soaring prices of commodities and general food insecurity in the country. Addressing members comprising governors, cabinet ministers and representatives of development partners, Shettima said, “The nation is…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has renamed the National Theatre in Lagos after Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. Tinubu announced this in a birthday message to the Nobel laureate who turns 90 on July 13. “Today, I join the world to celebrate his profound influence on generations of writers, scholars, and activists who have been inspired by his work. I celebrate him for giving us the spark to fight and confront military dictators in our country. “I am, accordingly, delighted to have the honour to announce the decision of the Federal Government to rename the National Theatre in Iganmu, Surulere, as The Wole…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu says Nigerian workers deserve improved welfare, better wages, as well as safe and enhanced working conditions as the driving force of the nation. Tinubu said this while speaking with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Joe Ajaero and that of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) led by Comrade Festus Osifo, on Thursday in Abuja. According to a statement by his media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, the President said he is concerned about the welfare of Nigerian workers and that his administration is prioritizing their concerns. “I pay attention to everything around…
COMRADE Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), has said the status quo on N250,000 as minimum wage stands. While the Federal Government and Organised Private Sector agreed on N62,000, labour is insisting on N250,000. President Bola Tinubu had said he needed time to consult with other stakeholders before sending the bill for the new minimum wage to National Assembly. Speaking with State House Correspondents after he and other labour leaders met with President Tinubu, on Thursday, Ajaero said labour leaders went for discussion, not negotiation. He said the meeting would continue next week. After discussing for over…
THE Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (Rtd) as Chairman of the Police Service Commission alongside two others; Onyemuche Nnamani and Fredrick Taiwo Lakanu as Secretary and member respectively. The confirmation followed the consideration of a report submitted by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs on the confirmation of the Police Service Commission, Senator Abdulhamid Ahmed representing Jigawa East. The immediate past President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, however, pointed out that the Nigeria Police Force has suffered a manpower shortfall of 20,000 recruits in the last two years, owing to a…
THE Supreme Court has delivered judgment in the suit instituted by the Federal Government against the 36 state governors on local government autonomy. In the suit, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), sought full autonomy and direct fund allocation to the 774 local governments in the country. In the suit predicted on 27 grounds, the Federal Government accused the state governors of gross misconduct and abuse of power. The Federal Government prayed the Supreme Court to make an order expressly stating that funds standing to the credit of local governments from the Federation…
NO fewer than 10 states across the federation received a boost of 50 per cent or more in their monthly allocation from statutory federal funds, findings have shown. This was as 12 out of the 36 states received an increase of 40 per cent or more in their monthly allocation. According to data sourced from monthly reports of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, as released by the National Bureau of Statistics, the total allocation to the 36 states also increased by 27 per cent to N4.5bn in 12 months from N3.58tn in the corresponding period. For this report, our correspondent…
THE House of Representatives has dismissed reports that it called on the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the Samoa Partnership Agreement. The clarification was made on Wednesday by the House spokesman, Akin Rotimi. Rotimi, who represents Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency, Ekiti State, said that contrary to media reports, lawmakers resolved to investigate controversial clauses in the agreement to ensure that they do not violate the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The All Progressives Congress lawmaker noted that the House urged the government to engage in widespread consultations and stakeholder engagement concerning the agreement. He said, “During the…