Author: Abdullahi Maitama Sani

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new aides in his media unit. Ajuri Ngelale, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement on Monday. The new appointees are: (1) Mr. Fela Durotoye (Senior Special Assistant to the President — National Values & Social Justice) (2) Mr. Fredrick Nwabufo (Senior Special Assistant to the President — Public Engagement) (3) Mrs. Linda Nwabuwa Akhigbe (Senior Special Assistant to the President — Strategic Communications) (4) Mr. Aliyu Audu (Special Assistant to the President — Public Affairs) (5) Mr. Francis Adah Abah (Personal Assistant to…

THE Chief Executive Officers and top management staff of banks may also be probed during the ongoing investigation of the activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria, according to findings by this newspaper. It was learnt that some bank CEOs would be invited in an effort to ascertain any discrepancies around the management of intervention funds by deposit money banks. This newspaper had earlier reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria may be asked to withdraw its audited annual financial reports, which were recently released. This came after a team investigating the apex bank discovered discrepancies and irregularities in the…

THE presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has applied for leave of the Supreme Court to file what he termed as fresh evidence. In a motion he filed through his team of lawyers, Atiku said the evidence he is seeking to tender before the apex court would establish his allegation that President Bola Tinubu submitted forged documents to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in aid of his qualification to participate in the presidential election that held on February 25. The former Vice President maintained that President Tinubu, by his action, committed a twin offence of…

THE Federal Government has suspended the N-Power programme indefinitely. This was disclosed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu while speaking during an interview on TVC News on Saturday. According to her, the suspension was a result of some irregularities observed within the scheme. Edu noted that an investigation will be launched into how funds were expended since the beginning of the programme. Revealing reasons behind the suspension and what will follow, the minister noted, “We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are so we will basically suspend the programme…

THE Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has announced a ban on the use of laterite as a base in road construction. He directed that henceforth, contractors should use lumps, sharp sand and stone base to form the base before laying of concrete or asphalt pavement. The Minister gave this directive while inaugurating a committee for the supervision of the Reconstruction of Benin – Warri dual carriageway and the dualization of East – West Road, Port Harcourt – Onne Port junction road in River State. This was contained in a statement signed by the Director (Information), Press and Public Relations…

JUSTICE Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court Abuja has sentenced the kidnappers of Prof. Mike Ozekhome and Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha to 20 years imprisonment. Delivering Judgement, Justice Nyako sentenced Kelvin Oniarah and Frank Azuekor after convicting them of kidnapping and terrorism. The Judge, however, discharged Micheal Omonigho, a priest of a shrine, who was arraigned along with the convicts. According to the Judge, some of the 14-count charges for which the convicts were arraigned for, carried life imprisonment but she had to use her discretion to sentence them to 20 years imprisonment which…

FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has said the late Human Rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, inspired him to make inquiries about the certificate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Atiku had filed a suit against President Bola Tinubu over his academic record at the Chicago State University. He requested the documents to back his allegation of forgery of CSU certificate against Tinubu. The allegation of forgery was one of those dismissed by the presidential election court in the suit Atiku filed to challenge the election of Tinubu. Despite the court’s ruling, Atiku continued his case…

WORRIED by the worsening insecurity in the country, the Senate on Thursday resolved to summon the service chiefs. The upper chamber took the decision on Thursday after deliberating a motion on the kidnap of five female students from the Federal University Dunsin-Ma in Katsina state on Wednesday. Those to be summoned include the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar. Also to be invited are the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun and the National…

STATE governments borrow about N46.17bn from three banks to pay salaries between January and June 2023, according to findings by this newspaper. The findings were based on an analysis of the half-year 2023 financial statements of Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Zenith Bank Group. This newspaper observed that the states borrowed the most from Access Bank in six months, with a record of N42.97bn loan. It was followed by Zenith Bank (N1.78bn borrowed) and Fidelity Bank (N1.42bn borrowed) within the six-month period. According to the H1 2023 financial statement of Access Bank, the outstanding balance on the salary bailout fund…

THE presidency has dismissed claims that the certificate President Bola Tinubu presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2023 elections was forged. Chicago State University (CSU) had released the academic records of President Bola Tinubu to his political opponent, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday, following the order of a court. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 election, had requested the documents to back his allegation of forgery of CSU certificate against Tinubu. The allegation of forgery was one of those dismissed by the presidential election court in the suit…

KADUNA ministerial nominee, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, slumped while being screened by the Senate on Wednesday, sparking frantic scenes in the Chamber. The nominee had spoken for several minutes during his screening before falling to the floor with several lawmakers rushing to his aid. He was the second nominee to be screened. He had finished making his presentation to the lawmakers and was about taken questions from them when he fell to the floor. The Senate went into closed door session while efforts are being made to revive the nominee who is still inside the chamber. More details shortly…

THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says the new minimum wage may be negotiated to N100,000 or N200,000 owing to the rising cost of living. While the union and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had planned to go on strike on Tuesday owing to the impact of the fuel subsidy removal, they shelved it following a meeting with government authorities in Abuja late Monday. But according to the President of the NLC Joe Ajaero, the move was to give the government time to fulfill its part of the agreement reached with organised labour, adding that the N35,000 wage award – part…

THE Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has ordered an investigation into an allegation of poor feeding of frontline troops in the North East, Theatre of Operations. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Nwachukwu said that the welfare of troops has been given premium by the present leadership of the Nigerian Army and was one of the vital pillars of the COAS Command Philosophy targeted at motivating the force. ”The Nigerian army therefore takes these allegations very seriously and COAS has directed immediate investigation into the…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has nominated Abbas Balarabe as a ministerial replacement for the former Kaduna Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. The replacement was conveyed in a letter read by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at the plenary on Tuesday. Balarabe’s name was read alongside Dr Jamila Ibrahim and Ayodele Olawande as Minister of Youths and Minister of State for Youths respectively, who were earlier nominated by the president. The Senate in August 2023 screened and confirmed 45 ministerial nominees and rejected three of them. Notable among those not confirmed include former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The two other nominees rejected…

ORGANISED labour unions have suspended their planned nationwide indefinite strike action for the next one month. This was contained in a memorandum of understanding signed Monday by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and General Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja; as well as the TUC President, Festus Osifo, and Secretary General, Nuhu Toro. The three-page document was also signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. “The NLC and TUC accept to suspend for 30 days the planned Indefinite Nationwide strike scheduled…

THE Executive Members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have directed their members to resume work at the nation’s seaports and oil and gas platform. The union had earlier ordered closure of all the nation’s Seaports, Jetties, Oil & Gas platforms and Terminals in compliance with the organized labour’s directive on the indefinite strike which was to commence on Tuesday. Recall that labour  had directed its affiliate member Unions across the country to mobilise and shut down the country following the refusal of government to adhere to the seven points demand made by the NLC and the TUC…

LEADERS of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are currently heading for the Presidential Villa in Abuja for a meeting that would determine whether the strike called over the nationwide hardship would hold or not. The unions had declared indefinite strike with effect from October 3, 2023 over the nationwide hardship as a result of some government policies, particularly fuel subsidy. After shunning initial meeting by the Federal Government, the unions leaders held a meeting at Aso Rock on Sunday evening. Governors, Ministers and other officials attended the meeting chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff…

THE Federal Government has denied entering into a N50 billion planned non-prosecution plea bargain with the former Governor of the Central Bank, Mister Godwin Emefiele. Emefiele was reported to have entered into a plea bargain with the government on the condition of surrendering N50 billion to facilitate his early release from the custody of the Department of the State Service (DSS). The plea bargain was also said to be aimed at cancelling the trial of the former CBN Governor on a series of charges comprising money laundering, breach of the Public Procurement Act and abuse of office. The Attorney General…

THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has accused the 36 state governors of failing to account for the spending of N72 billion palliative collected from the Federal Government. In a statement on Sunday, the group’s deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said it has filed a lawsuit against the governors, saying they also failed to include the details of the beneficiaries and the reliefs provided with the money. Recently, the Federal Government disbursed N2 billion out of the N5 billion palliative package to each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to address the impact of the removal…

Dear Compatriots, It is my unique honour to address you on this day, the 63rd anniversary of our nation’s independence, both as the President of our dear country and, simply, as a fellow Nigerian. 2.    On this solemn yet hopeful day, let us commend our founding fathers and mothers. Without them, there would be no modern Nigeria. From the fading embers of colonialism, their activism, dedication and leadership gave life to the belief in Nigeria as a sovereign and independent nation. 3.  Let us, at this very moment, affirm that as Nigerians, we are all endowed with the sacred…