SENATE President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday, stopped former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, from addressing a “strong petition” cited against him over Southern Kaduna killings on the floor of the Senate during his ministerial screening exercise. The lawmaker representing Kogi West, Senator Sunday Karimi, during the screening moved against El-Rufai. Karimi, after el-Rufai’s presentations, stood up and told the chamber that he had a petition written against the former governor over the issue of killings in Southern Kaduna. Raising up a brown envelope, Karimi said, “Mr. President, I have a petition written against the nominee over the issue of…
Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani
THE Presidential Election Petition Court has reserved judgement in the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the February 25 election victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The five-man panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, reserved judgement to a date to be communicated to the parties. Atiku, Nigeria’s Vice-President between May 1999 and May 2007, was physically present in court today (Tuesday). The petitioners — PDP and Atiku as well as Labour Party (LP) and its flag bearer, Peter Obi — are praying for the nullification of Tinubu’s victory…
THE Presidential Election Petition Court has resumed sitting for the adoption of the written address of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against the February 25 election victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Atiku, Nigeria’s Vice-President between May 1999 and May 2007, was physically present in court today (Tuesday). Today’s hearing majorly is for the parties to adopt all their various arguments which are already before the court. After that is done, the court would either fix a date for judgement or reserve judgement. The petitioners — PDP and Atiku…
SENATOR Bello Muhammad’s credentials were scrutinised on Monday during his Senate screening as a ministerial nominee with questions raised about his university admission on secondary school results that included no more than two credits. Muhammad is one of President Bola Tinubu’s 28 initial appointees who had been scheduled for interrogations during a special plenary session in the Red Chamber. One of the questions was posed to the nominee by Senator Allwell Onyesoh of Rivers East, who sought to know how Muhammad was able to advance academically, given his school leaving certificate. “I’ve been looking for your school cert. I saw…
THERE was drama in the Senate on Monday when lawmakers grilled a ministerial nominee from Benue State, Joseph Utsev, citing “discrepancies” in his biodata. Utsev started his introductory comments at exactly 02:07pm immediately after the Senate screened ex-governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. He told the lawmakers that he was born in Gboko, Benue State on December 2, 1980 and he attended the University of Agriculture, Makurdi where he studied Civil Engineering and graduated with a Second Class Upper in 2004. Utsev said he observed the mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kaduna in 2006. The Professor of…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu will address Nigerians today (Monday) at 7pm, his spokesman, Dele Alake, has said. “Television, radio stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast,” Alake said. The agenda for the broadcast is not yet known as of press time but it might not be unconnected to the economic pain experienced by Nigerians amid the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol. There seemed to be no respite for Nigerians after President Bola Tinubu, in his inaugural…
A WIDOW of the Late Emir of Dutse, Hajiya Asiya Nuhu Sanusi has dragged the Emir of Dutse, Ahaji Hamim Nuhu Sanusi to the Shari’a Court of Appeal over fundamental right to inheritance. In a suit filed by her solicitor, Barrister Abdulhali Ali Esq, the wife of the former Emir and seven others, dragged the Emir Hamim Nuhu Sanusi and six others as respondents and the State Upper Shari’a Court 1 as respondents challenging an earlier judgement by a Judge of the Upper Shari’a Court, led by Khadi Ado Birnin Kudu for allegedly erring in a case of inheritance brought…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has appointed a Special Investigator to probe the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Related Entities. In a letter sighted by this newspaper, the president named Jim Osayande Obazee, the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), as the investigator. The President asked the Special Investigator to investigate CBN and key Government Business Entities (GBEs). He also said Obazee would report directly to his office. “In accordance with the fundamental objective set forth in Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), this administration is, today, continuing the fight…
GENERAL Abdourahamane Tchiani is the new leader of Niger following a military takeover, state television reported Friday. The chief of the Presidential Guard has been named “president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland,” a statement said, with elected President Mohamed Bazoum detained by army putschists since Wednesday morning. More details shortly…
FOLLOWING certificates withheld, 86 indigent students of Bauchi State, yesterday, cried to the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, over N139 million debts owed Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State. The students were offered undergraduate scholarships and sponsored by the administration of former Governor of the State, Isah Yuguda, in 2014, and were offered Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Engineering, and other professional courses. Their plea for intervention by was contained in an open letter addressed to the Governor and signed by President of the 86 sponsored Bauchi students of Igbinedion University, Muhammad Umar. The letter reads in part: “First, I would…
MAX Air aircraft 5N-ADM on an Hajj flight to Niamey, Niger Republic is stranded in the city’s airport due to the ongoing military coup in the country. News Point Nigeria reports that, the aircraft, a b-747-400 landed in Niamey at 2140z (22:40 local time) with 360 Nigerian pilgrims onboard. Captain Maitama Kabo was in command of the 18 crew onboard. More details shortly…
THE national vice chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has resigned. Lukman, a member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in a letter dated July 26 and addressed to the party’s acting national chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said he resigned because the atmosphere in the party is at variance with the vision of its founding fathers. He had said it would be suicidal to replace Senator Abdullahi Adamu, former National Chairman of the ruling party with ex-Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The resignation letter reads in part: “I hereby kindly resign my position as…
THE Nigeria Police Force says there is no going back on its decision to withdraw mobile police personnel from VIPs in the country. This is coming a week after the Force denied withdrawing mobile police force from top personalities in the country after a leaked memo stated so. In the aftermath of the denial, there were insinuations in some quarters that the police lacked the will to implement the policy. However, reacting in a statement on Monday, the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the decision of the police on the withdrawal remained unchanged. “The Nigeria Police Force hereby addresses recent…
THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that there is no crisis in the party despite the recent resignation of its National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu; and National Secretary, Iyiola Omisore. In a statement on Saturday by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party said contrary to reports of deepening crisis, “the APC stands as one strong, dynamic, resilient and progressive party”. According to the APC, the resignation of the two leaders showed the party’s level of institutional maturity and quality of its leadership which place the best interest of the party first and above personal egos and ambitions. The…
THE Bauchi State Local Government Service Commission has sacked six traditional rulers for allegedly dabbling in partisan politics. News Point Nigeria reports that the affected traditional rulers are from Bauchi and the Katagum Emirates of the State. This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Local Government Service Commission, Nasiru Dewu. “The Local Government Service Commission has approved the dismissal of six traditional rulers from Bauchi and Katagum Emirate Councils based on partisan politics, misconduct, illegal forest reserve encroachment and felling of trees, misappropriation of public funds and insubordination which is contrary to…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF) for the 36 states of the Federation as part of measures to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians. This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday by the presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, saying the approval followed the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja. The new Infrastructure Fund will enable the states to intervene and invest in the critical areas of transportation, including farm-to-market road improvements; agriculture, encompassing livestock and ranching solutions; health, with a focus on basic healthcare;…
JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over his failure to appear in court to explain the circumstances surrounding the $53 million judgement debt arising from the Paris Club refund. Justice Ekwo, who ordered Emefiele to appear on the next adjourned date, said he was minded to exercise restraint in the proceeding to give the ex-CBN boss an opportunity to explain himself. The development occurred following an intervention by the counsel to Emefiele, Audu Anuga, who prayed for…
NATIONAL Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore has resigned, News Point Nigeria gathered. His resignation followed Sunday night’s resignation of the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu. News Point Nigeria had reported that, some sources within the party hinted that Senator Adamu is said to have resigned along with the National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore last night. This newspaper confirms that Omisore resigned an hour ago after he was shut out of the emergency National Working Committee (NWC) meeting of the ruling party. Omisore, who was among the early callers at the meeting…
SENATOR Abubakar Kyari, Deputy National Chairman (North) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has emerged as acting National Chairman of the ruling party. This follows the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as the party’s national chairman. In line with the party’s constitution, if a national chairman resigns, the deputy national chairman from the zone would take over in acting capacity. Kyari led some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) into a meeting currently taking place at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja amid tight security. Those who came in with Kyari were: Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Enukwu;…
SENATOR Abdullahi Adamu was notably absent as members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s National Working Committee (NWC) met in Abuja on Monday. News Point Nigeria had reported that, Adamu tendered his resignation last night. Credible sources confirmed to this newspaper that Adamu, who emerged as the national chairman at the party’s national convention held in March 2022, has sent his resignation letter to the Presidential Villa, Abuja ahead of the return of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the African Union (AU) meeting in Kenya. One of the sources said Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, sent the resignation…