FORMER Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to officially recognize the late Chief MKO Abiola as one of Nigeria’s past presidents. The Senator representing Abia North, urged that Abiola’s portrait be placed alongside those of other former leaders in the Presidential Villa. Speaking to Senate correspondents before the commencement of plenary on Tuesday, Senator Kalu responded to recent revelations made by former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd.) admitting in his recently released memoir, that Abiola won the June 12, 1993, presidential election. In his words, “Yes, Abiola won the election. And I…
Author: David Akonuche
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THE two major gladiators in the festering Rivers state political crisis, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara allegedly refused to exchange pleasantries when they met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Villa on Tuesday. Both Wike and Governor Fubara were part of the delegation from Ogoni that visited the President for a discussion on the possibility of resumption of oil production in Ogoniland. A source in the meeting said “though both of them posed for a photograph with the President, they did not exchange pleasantries. No hug. No greetings. Everybody went straight for…
NIGERIA’s total debt service costs, including external and domestic obligations, rose in the third quarter of 2024, reflecting the combined impact of increased external debt service payments and currency depreciation. The total debt service cost for Q3 2024 reached an estimated N3.57tn, marking a quarter-on-quarter increase of N60bn or 1.71 per cent from N3.51tn recorded in Q2. Data from the Debt Management Office showed that external debt service payments in Q3 amounted to $1.34bn, which translated to N2.14tn when converted at the September exchange rate of N1,601.03/$. In comparison, the Q2 external debt service of $1.12bn was valued at N1.65tn,…
NEARLY half of Nigerians seeking to visit Europe’s Schengen Area over the past two years were denied visas, data obtained by this newspaper shows. Out of 192,741 visa applications from Nigerians in 2022 and 2023, 89,344 were turned down, translating to a rejection rate of 46.35 per cent. Official data from the European Commission and the Henley Global Mobility Report indicate that the rejection rate made Nigeria one of the top 20 countries with the most visas denied to their choice destinations. The country ranked 11th on the list. In 2022, Nigerian passport holders lodged 86,815 Schengen visa applications, with…
AN UNNAMED female passenger narrowly escaped being lynched by angry passengers at the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo after she blocked an Ibom Air flight from departing for Abuja. The flight, scheduled to carry 100 passengers, including the crew, was delayed due to the passenger’s actions, as revealed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu. According to Achimugu, the issue began when the airline informed passengers that luggage exceeding 20kg might not arrive on the same flight but on the next available one.…
HON Chidi Nwogu has congratulated titans of good pedigree, Sen Azuta Mbata as president of Ohaneze Ndigbo world-wide and Prince Okey Nwadinobi as deputy President General whom he describes as men of honour. He also wish to commend the Igbo leaders for the unity in giving us a true and fair contest. He commends the south East Governors especially, Chairman of South East Governors Forum, His Excellency, Gov Hope Uzodinma (Onwa) who is also the host Governor and Governor Peter Mbah. Kudos also to the outgoing interim President- General; Chief Ozichukwu Chukwu and the outgoing Secretary General; Ambassador Okey Emuchay.
GOVERNOR Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has dissolved his cabinet, saying he needs to bring new persons on board. Speaking during a valedictory session at the exco chamber, on Friday, Eno said none of the commissioners under performed. The governor who stated that though all of them delivered on their responsibilities, they had to be replaced for new set of professionals to be brought into the government. “For me, if you were to be changed based on non-performance, I think none of the Commissioners would go. All of you have delivered and that’s why the Arise Agenda has succeeded.…
THE Federal Government of Nigeria will officially flag off the construction of the Ikom-Etomi-Agbokim Waterfalls Road on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, in a highly anticipated event to be held at the Prince Nico Mbarga Roundabout, Etomi Road Junction, Ikom, Cross River State. The ceremony will be attended by Senator John Owan Enoh, Minister of State for Industry under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, alongside other distinguished dignitaries, including officials of NDDC,key government officials, traditional rulers, and community leaders. This significant infrastructure project is aimed at improving access to Agbokim Waterfalls, a major natural attraction in Cross River…
STRONG indications have emerged that more governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP may move to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 general election. This newspaper gathered that moves by the PDP governors to dump their party may not be in connection with lingering and unresolved crisis in the party, especially with the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party and also in some states and zonal levels. According to a source, the prelude to the defection is the fact that while some governors have begun visits to President Bola Tinubu in…
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has justified the removal of fuel subsidy by his administration and labelled it a “necessary” move to secure the country’s future Tinubu declared an end to the subsidy regime during his swearing-in ceremony in May 2023, leading to a hike in the cost of the essential commodity. There were protests and condemnation of the move which critics say has triggered untold hardship on the teeming masses. But during his visit to Enugu State on Saturday, Tinubu defended the bold move and said it was needed for a better Nigeria. “You are all a member of one big,…