IT’S judgement day in Kano, Zamfara, Plateau, Lagos, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Cross River as the Supreme Court is all set to deliver judgements in these seven states’ governorship appeals today, January 12, 2024, beginning 9am. Yusuf VS Gawuna (Kano) Late December, the apex court reserved judgement in the appeal filed by the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, challenging the verdict of the Court of Appeal and the State Election Petitions Tribunal, which removed him from office. The five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro reserved the judgement after the parties adopted their brief of arguments. In September, the tribunal nullified…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
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PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, at the State House in Abuja, held a meeting with the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, and the Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru, during which he received briefing on investment prospects in the steel sector. The President emphasized that a revitalized steel development industry is both a catalyst for robust economic growth and a doorway to immense opportunities for Nigeria’s massive pool of talented entrepreneurs. “We will remain unyielding in our determination to build a Nigeria where every citizen has an equal opportunity to prosper and achieve their dreams. New investments…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is currently in a closed-door meeting with Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. According to Channels, Fubara, who arrived at the Presidential Villa around 5.40pm on Thursday, proceeded directly to the President’s office, where the meeting is currently taking place behind closed doors. The purpose of the visit remains undisclosed as of the time of this report. This marks Fubara’s first visit to the Presidential Villa since the signing of the eight-point agreement following Tinubu’s intervention in the dispute between the governor and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of renowned Kano cleric Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Othman and ten others as the new Board and Management team for National Hajj Commission (NAHCOM), pending confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Wednesday. According to the statement, “the President, in his resolve to ensure hitch-free and seamless 2024 Hajj operations made the appointments to the Board of NAHCOM. The statement reads in full: STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS NATIONAL HAJJ COMMISSION BOARD AND MANAGEMENT TEAM President…
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized the passports of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, over the ongoing investigations into scandals in the ministry. Edu, who arrived at the EFCC headquarters, Abuja at 10am on Tuesday, was still being quizzed by the commission’s investigators as of the time of filing this report at 7pm. As the EFCC interrogated the suspended minister over the N44bn fraud uncovered in the ministry, it was learnt that managing directors of three commercial banks were also questioned on Tuesday over the fraud. The…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has directed a major slash of travel delegations for all Federal Government official trips within and outside the country. The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing at the State House in Abuja. According to the Special Adviser, the directive means a 60% slash across board and affects all MDAs, including the office of the President, Vice president and the First Lady. He said, “President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be…
SUSPENDED Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Dr. Betta Edu has arrived at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Headquarters for grilling over alleged N585 million fraud in her ministry. Recall that Edu was suspended on Monday by President Bola Tinubu. The minister was accused of paying the humanitarian fund into a private account. The N585 million was meant for payment of grants to vulnerable groups in Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Cross River and Ogun states. Edu is the first minister to be suspended from office since members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) were sworn in August last year.…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to launch a full-blown investigation into the finances of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. Tinubu handed down the directive in a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, who also announced the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, over the N585m scandal in the ministry. The statement was titled ‘President Tinubu suspends Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation from office.’ Edu’s suspension was happening as her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, was grilled for about…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has ordered the sack of Babatunde Irukera, EVC/CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Mr. Alexander Ayoola Okoh— Director-General/CEO, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE). This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Monday. According to the statement, “In conformity with plans to restructure and reposition critical agencies of the Federal Government towards protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers and providing a strong basis for enhanced contributions to the nation’s economy by key growth-enabling institutions, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed the following Chief Executive Officers: (1)…
GLOBACOM subscribers may be unable to make calls to MTN lines soon, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has said. This, the NCC said, is due to the non-settlement of interconnect charges. The commission disclosed this on Monday in a notice to the public signed by its Director, Public Affairs Department, Reuben Muoka. The NCC, according to the notice, said it granted partial approval for the disconnection of Globacom from MTN Nigeria Communications Plc. “Globacom was notified of the application made by MTN and was given the opportunity to comment and state its case. “The Commission, having examined the application and…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu. This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, Monday. According to the statement, “In line with his avowed commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of the commonwealth of Nigerians, President Bola Tinubu suspends the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, from office with immediate effect. The President further directs the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission…
FORMER Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, has arrived at the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to offer clarifications concerning her stewardship. Mrs Umar-Farouq arrived at the head quarters of the EFCC to honour the invitation by the anti-graft agency to offer clarifications in respect of some issues that the Commission is investigating. The former minister had earlier indicated her readiness to honour the Commission’s invitation. “I remain proud to have served my country as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and will…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has directed a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the payment of N585m palliative sum into a private account by the minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu. This was disclosed in a statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Sunday. According to İdris, “the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is transparent and accountable to the people, and committed to ensuring that public funds are allocated and utilized effectively and efficiently to address the needs of Nigerians. “In light of recent events, the President has directed…
THE Association of African Private Universities (AAPU) has commended the Nigerian Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman for resolving to investigate certificate racketeering in some universities. The Deputy Secretary of the Association, (West Africa), Salissou Mamoudou, made the commendation in a statement issued in Nouakchott, Mauritania on Saturday. He said the bold steps taken by the Nigerian Minister of Education to investigate the issue, would go a long way in facilitating and promoting International Certification standards as well as restore the confidence of students and parents. He said AAPU as an international forum for African Private Universities is ready to…
THERE is palpable anxiety among party stakeholders and supporters ahead of the Supreme Court judgment expected to be delivered this January on the various petitions challenging the rulings of the Court of Appeal on the governorship elections. While the electoral processes in many states concluded without significant controversy, others remain embroiled in legal battles that have reached the apex court. Governorship polls across 28 states in March 2023 sparked disputes in some, with aggrieved candidates challenging the results in tribunals and the Court of Appeal. Now, all eyes turn towards the Supreme Court, where the fate of contested elections in…
THE Chairman of the Dangote Group Aliko Dangote has finally clarified the recent visit of officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to its office but assured of its commitment to helping the agency with its investigations. EFCC officials visited the Dangote Group headquarters in Lagos over details of foreign exchange allocated to it by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2014 to the present. Days after the visit, Dangote in a statement explained that: “On 6 December 2023, we received a letter requesting details of all the foreign exchange allocated to our company by the Central…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has asked the nation’s security chiefs to ensure that there is conclusive victory against the myriad of security threats assailing the country. Addressing security chiefs and heads of intelligence agencies at a Presidential Security Briefing at the State House, in Abuja, on Friday, President Tinubu said while good progress is being made with the elimination of some security threats across multiple theatres, success will ultimately be defined by a final conclusion to the multi-dimensional menace. “We have too many investments that we need to make now in soft and physical infrastructure, in social security, in MSME empowerment,…
THE Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, has stated that Julius Berger Construction Company is requesting for N1.35trn to complete works on the Abuja-Kaduna section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway. Speaking during a meeting with directors of the ministry on Thursday in Abuja, the minister said the road, which was initially contracted for N165bn was reviewed to N654bn. He said the government is not willing to pay the new price as it does not have the money. This newspaper reports that the highway was contracted in 2017 but not until 2018 before work commenced on the road. The road, which was…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the extension of the yuletide free train service till Sunday January 7, 2024 to allow more Nigerians who are yet to return to their stations enjoy the benefit. The Federal Government announced a free train service on all serviced routes and 50% rebate on road transportation from December 21, 2023 to January 4th, 2024 on specific routes to reduce the burden of high cost of public transportation during the just concluded Christmas and new year holidays. According to a statement, by minister of transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, Thursday, while over 163,000 Nigerians benefited from…
A FORMER Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouk, on Wednesday, failed to appear at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Jabi, Abuja, to answer questions over an alleged N37.1 billion fraud. A top EFCC source told this newspaper that the ex-minister shunned the invite by the anti-graft commission. The source said Umar-Farouk did not appear in person and wasn’t represented by her counsel. Umar-Farouk served as minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari from August 2019 to May 2023. Last week, the former minister was invited by the anti-graft agency following…