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By Olasunkanmi Akoni The main opposition party in Lagos State, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, have disagreed over the performance level of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the last one year in the state. While PDP described it as a year of “abysmal performance of monumental failure,” APC described it as “commendable performance, a reference point for responsive and responsible governance.” PDP, in a statement by its Publicly Secretary, Taofik Gani, accused Governor Sanwo-Olu and APC in the state of commencing re-election campaigns ahead of the statutory timetable yet to be released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. ALSO READ: Sanwo-Olu urged to avert post-COVID-19 food crisis The party, therefore, called on the INEC to disqualify the governor and APC from eligibility to contest the governorship in the 2023 general election. According to the PDP, “INEC must assert its authority and control of the electoral process b

by Akintunde THE National Reconciliation Committee of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), led by the former Osun State Governor and interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, is on top of the crisis rocking the Edo State chapter. A member of the committee, who spoke in confidence, said some petitions were received from party members ahead the June 22 governorship primary in Edo State and that the committee would attend to the petitions. He said: “We have received petitions from Edo State and from members from other states. We are assiduously working on them. But, for the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown that has slowed down our activities, I am sure that all the difference shall be resolved before the primaries in Edo and Ondo states. Read Also: Akeredolu/Ajayi: Has the dust settled? “Some of the issues raised in the petitions require due diligence and wider consultations. I may not be able to divulge some of these issues so as not to jeopardize our efforts.” When contacted, C

By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan The candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the Ibadan Southeast/Northeast Federal House of Representatives in Oyo state during the 2019 general election, Mr Deji Aboderin has defected to the ruling People’s Democratic Party. Aboderin served as the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to former Governor Abiola Ajimobi. He cited many cases where party leadership worked against his electoral victory in the last election

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has ordered thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the Department of Microbiology, University of Benin (UNIBEN), in Ikpoba Hill axis of Benin City, the state capital. Miss Omozuwa was alleged to have been raped after her head was smashed with a fire extinguisher at a Pentecostal church in Benin, which consequently led to her death. In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said Governor Obaseki has mandated the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other relevant security agencies to fish out the culprits, who perpetuated the dastardly act and bring them to justice. “The governor is deeply saddened by the news of the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa. We have been in consultation with the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and have mandated thorough investigation of the matter to ensure

May 31, 2020 Press Statement Why President Buhari Could Not Address Nigerians on May 29 –PDP The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that President Muhamamdu did not address the nation on the May 29 Inauguration day because he must have assessed his administration and rightly adjudged it a failure. The party said President Buhari must have been persuaded that he had nothing to tell Nigerians and saw reason with our party to avoid making false performance claims, which are wholesomely at variance with the situation on the ground. Of course, President Buhari probably did not want to face Nigerians with an empty scorecard and bagful of excuses for ruining our once robust economy; for failing to secure our nation, for failing to curb endemic corruption in his administration and for mortgaging the future of our nation with huge foreign loans. Indeed, Mr. President must have been weighed down by his failure, in this fiscal year, to harness our resources to provide even half of the

As the All Progressives Congress (APC) prepares for the Bayelsa Central and West senatorial seats’ bye-elections, there are growing concerns in the party as stakeholders lobby to produce the candidates, reports ‘DARE ODUFOWOKAN, Assistant Editor Ahead of the forthcoming by-elections for the senatorial seats of Bayelsa Central and West Senatorial districts, concerned stakeholders are seeking the urgent resolution of some issues within the Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the party is to make any serious impact during the said elections. According to reliable party sources, the calls followed growing concerns over the current tension gripping the party in the state as aspirants and party leaders continue in deft moves aimed at producing the party’s candidates for the two plum positions. The Nation gathered that unless some issues that have divided the party into factions since the 2019 gubernatorial primary elections that produced sacked governor-el

Tinubu directs Oshiomhole to get Ize-iyamu replacement The National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu has directed the national Chairman of the party to present another Governorship aspirant that would replace Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu ahead of the Governorship primary election in Edo State which has been scheduled to hold on June 22, 2020. The revelation came at the back of a private meeting between Tinubu and the embattled national Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole which was held at the residence of Tinubu on Friday night in Lagos State. Details of the meeting between the duo, remains sketchy, as at the time of filing this report, but, the leader of a pressure group, "Tinubu Grassroots Family (TGF)", who kept vigil behind the door while the meeting lasted, hinted that the reason Tinubu and key leaders of the party decided to withdraw their support from Oshiomhole's preferred Aspirant, Ize-Iyamu in the election, is due to his regular defe

Odion Ighalo Manchester United 2019-20 TRANSFERS MANCHESTER UNITED CSL ODION IGHALO PREMIER LEAGUE SHANGHAI SHENHUA The Nigerian's current loan is set to conclude on Sunday but there is hope that he will be able to remain at Old Trafford until the end of 2020 Article continues below Ad Manchester United are continuing negotiations with Shanghai Shenhua over a loan extension for Odion Ighalo, with Goal learning that there is hope a deal can be agreed to keep him at Old Trafford until January 2021. Former Nigeria international Ighalo arrived at United on loan on the final day of the January transfer window in a deal that would keep him at the club until May 31, when the season would have ordinarily come to an end. The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent postponement of football has seen clubs agree to temporarily extend the deals of out-of-contract players so as to allow them to play out the season. Editors' Picks David Luiz contract decision sheds light on Arsenal’s difficu

By Temisan Amoye Charles Obadiah Wambebe, a scientist, is a professor of pharmacology, traditional medicine expert, and a missionary. Wambebe was the pioneer Director-General of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) from 1989-2001. He also lectured at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and served as President of the West African Society of Pharmacology and Drug Research, as well as Pioneer Pro-chancellor and Chairman, Bingham University Nigeria. Currently, he is a Professor Extraordinaire, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa and, a consultant for the World Health Organisation (WHO). He speaks on the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional herbal medicine, healthcare in Nigeria, life after public service, and combining being a man of God with science. COVID-19 has changed human life as we know it in less than five months. What’s your overview of the pandemic and how the world has responded? It was unthinkable in December last year that a tiny vir

Kogi guber election dispute: Still more rivers to cross By Ralph Omololu Agbana, Lokoja | 31 May 2020 | 2:49 am Yahaya Bello • PDP And The Abubakar Idris Challenge Six months ago, the Kogi governorship election was declared won and lost by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, from the pool of 24 candidates and political parties that contested the November 16, 2019 election, three parties and candidates are locked in post-election legal battles to claim and reclaim the mandate. The candidates in court are incumbent Governor Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Engr Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic (PDP), Barrister Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
 At the end of the process on November 17, 2019, according to INEC, Bello polled 406,222 votes to defeat his closest opponent Wada, who scored 189,704 votes. Akpoti came a distant third with 9,482 votes Advertisement Advertisement Wada and Akpoti however contested

by Oamen Eromosele By Oziegbe Okoeki Lagos State Government has assured there is nothing to fear over purported danger posed by 5G technology to their health. It declared controversies over the technology were unnecessary. The Government also said it has re-invigorated its e-governance operations, with the innovation of the LASG Campus Network, an enterprise infrastructure that connects thousands of computers from all MDAs within and around the secretariat for e-governance operations. The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Fahm, disclosed these at the 2020 Ministerial press briefing, commemorating the one year in office of the Sanwo-Olu led administration. He added the state was fully committed to leading in ICT for greater good of Lagos State and the country. He said: ‘The 2G will support voice, text messaging and multi-media. The 3G went further with increase in capacity, about 20 megabits per second, now you go to the 4G with increase in capacity. “Wit

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi on Saturday disclosed that his administration would have been paralysed without the help of the EFCC. He told journalists in an interaction to mark his first anniversary that the EFCC helped his government to recover N11billion. According to him, most of the projects embarked upon by his administration were kickstarted by the money. Bala also told journalists that he was battling a gang-up by people he had worked with before clinching the governorship position. ”We are doing our best and we are not doing it to be praised; we are doing it because we have to do it so as to free resources. “My commissioners are complaining but we have to make sacrifices because we are bogged down by a feeling of gratitude to God and the people of Bauchi for what they have done for me. “I’m the most investigated and denigrated person but the people have faith in me. I’ve faced opposition; even now I’m suffering from a gang-up. “A gang-up by even people that I hav

by Akintunde Our Reporter Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu on Friday dismissed the chances of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as possible candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this year’s governorship candidate, saying the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) is not qualified to fly the party’s flag. According to Shaibu there is no record anywhere in the state that Ize-Iyamu is a party member and wondered how he could then represent the APC. But Ize-Iyamu, in a swift reaction, said he is not only a bona-fide member of the APC, he was “one of those who did not only form the APC but drafted the constitution of the party.” Speaking to reporters in Benin, Shaibu said: “The constitution says for one to be a member of the APC in the state, he or she must be registered member of the party in his or her ward. “Ize-Iyamu is not a member of the Edo APC because he is not registered in his ward. The constitution is clear on who a member is. He agreed to the fact

Buhari loses another nephew in Daura by Gabriel Ogunjobi 2 hours ago Ibrahim Dauda Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has lost another nephew, Alhaji Ibrahim Dauda. Duada died in Daura, Katsina State, following a prolonged illness. The death of Dauda came less than a month after that of Mutari Dauda, who died on May 8. In a condolence message, Buhari said the death had robbed the family and the Daura community of one of its finest gentlemen. “I am deeply touched and devastated by the passing of yet another family member, a man who had demonstrated amazing kindness and honesty in all his dealings,” the President said. Read Also: Buhari greets veteran journalist, Tola Adeniyi, at 75 In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari prayed God to forgive the soul of the deceased and reward his great and noble deeds with paradise. The deceased was survived by a number of children, including Dauda Ibrahim, a Chief Adminis

The Edo State Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Coronavirus (COVID-19) Technical Committee, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, said the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration will remain focused on saving lives of Edo people and not play politics with the dreaded coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Shaibu said this while receiving donation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) from Azura-Edo Power Plant, a 461MW Independent Power company operating in Edo State. The deputy governor said, “I know very soon, Edo State will go into politics mode. I appeal to everyone not to play politics with COVID-19. You don't know if you are going to be the next victim of the pandemic, if you don't observe social distancing. “For us as a state, we will not mix politics with COVID-19. Some persons make all forms of statements in the name of politics. The life of our people is very important to us as a state government, even more than the elections." He continued: “Election wil

May 30, 2020 Press Statement Imo: PDP Demands Release of New Media Director, Others...Says Gov. Uzodimma Burdened With Guilt, Desperate for Acceptance The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded for the immediate and unconditional release of the party's new media director in Imo state, Mr. Ambrose Nwogwugwu, who was reportedly arrested by the Department of States Service (DSS), allegedly on the orders of Governor Hope Uzodimma, for no just cause. The party also condemned the current clampdown and brutalization of opposition members in Imo state by the Uzodimma-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, which is now seeking to degrade democratic tenets, crush opposition and stifle all dissenting voices in the state. The PDP vehemently rejects the hounding of PDP members with state apparatus of power for expressing their constitutionally guaranteed liberty to hold opinion and convene legitimate meetings of our party Since Governor Uzodi

Philip Shaibu, deputy governor of Edo state, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis rocking the Edo chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking with journalists on Friday, Shaibu accused Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of the party, of being bent on destroying the president’s anti-corruption legacy. He said rather than join Buhari to fight corruption, Oshiomhole has been aligning with Osagie Ize-Iyamu, a man who has a pending corruption case, to contest the next governorship election in the state. “My message to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party in Nigeria, is for him to intervene in the crisis rocking Edo APC,” he said. “I urge him to provide leadership at this critical time as Oshiomhole wants to destroy his anti-corruption legacy. Oshiomhole is not joining the President’s anti-corruption crusade but rather bringing a corrupt person that has a N700 million case pending in court to contest

‌ Friday Olokor, Sola Shittu and Peter Dada As part of preparations for the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, the Independent National Electoral Commission says it will recruit and deploy 38,887 officials for the two elections. The commission noted that the ad hoc staff would respectively serve as Returning Officers, Local Government Area Collation Officers, Registration Area Collation Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers (1, 2 and 3), Assistant Presiding Officers (Voting Points), Constituency Supervisors, LGA Supervisors, Governorship Constituency Supervisors and Reserves. INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who disclosed these to one of our correspondents in an interview on Thursday, also noted that due to the raging coronavirus disease, the commission would use electronic and non-contact means in the recruitment exerc

Buhari served under the late Abacha as head of Petroleum Trust Fund. BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK MAY 29, 2020 President Muhammadu Buhari has said that late General Sani Abacha, Nigeria’s late military Dictator, stole close to $1bn between 1993 and 1998. Buhari in an article published in Newsweek, a United States-based publication, thanked countries that have returned the looted funds back to Nigeria. Though the President did not mention the name of Sani Abacha directly, it was clear that he was referring to the late dictator. Buhari served under the late Abacha as head of Petroleum Trust Fund. He said, “And we can now move forward with road, rail and power station construction -- in part under own resources -- thanks to close to a billion dollars of funds stolen from the people of Nigeria under a previous undemocratic junta in the 1990s that have now been returned to our country from the US, UK and Switzerland. “That these friendly nations agreed to return these funds after

by Oamen Eromosele 2 hours ago Oshiomole's Suspension Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Email By Linus Oota, Lafia Stern-looking police operatives have taken over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. The development followed blockage of the Secreteriat Gate by youths opposed to the PDP caretaker chairman in the state, Francis Orogu. Orogu was billed to address the reporters over the court case that dissolved the state’s congresses. But some youths opposed to him blocked the entrance of the secreteriat. They turned back journalists who went for the press briefing and asked them to go to Orogu’s house because “Orogu is not longer the state chairman of the party.” One of the members of the PDP, Mr Adams Musa, said their action was to prevent Orogu from addressing the press on a High Court judgment presided over by Justice Mustapha Ramat in Akwanga Nasarawa State, which had nullified the ward and Local Go

FILE: 80 promises Buhari, APC made to Nigerians five years ago Leading opposition presidential candidate in forthcoming April polls and flag bearer of Congress for Progressive Change, retired General Muhammadu Buhari raises his hand to salute the crowd shortly on arrival to flag off his presidential campaign rally in Kaduna Wednesday, on March 2, 2011. Former military dictator and presidential flag bearer of Congress for Progressive Change, retired General Mohammadu Buhari, has flagg off his campaign rally in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, to take over leadership from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party at the forthcoming April polls. AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI AUTHOR: Chinedu Asadu MAY 29, 2020 6:04 PM Exactly five years ago, President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office after ousting an incumbent president for the first time in the nation’s history. The president emerged victorious after three unsuccessful attempts. Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), made a

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt The Chairman of Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers State, Odiari Princewill, known as a strong loyalist of the state Governor, Nyesom Wike, is dead. It was gathered that the council boss breathed his last on Wednesday at about 10pm and was buried on Thursday morning at the Port Harcourt cemetary. READ ALSO: Rivers warns hotel owner against blackmailing Wike Though some sources claimed that the chairman succumbed to complications arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, others dismissed the claims saying Princewill was sick for some days and was receiving treatment at an undisclosed facility before his death. His death was said to have shocked residents of the council, who described him as a true loyalist of Wike and recalled his tireless efforts to develop the council

The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, made this known when he featured as a guest on the Channels Television program, Politics Today. Fanwo explained that the alleged COVID-19 case was a Muslim cleric who was stung by bees and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja before the family moved him to Abuja. He insisted that the man who allegedly tested positive showed no symptom of COVID-19. “14 Members of his family have been traced and tested but turned out negative. Two patients have been referred to the state testing centre today by the FMC and they turned out negative. “NCDC has said all States of the federation must have COVID-19, even when it was only in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and Kano States. We reject in its entity this fraudulent inclusion of Kogi State on COVID-19 log. “We have capacity for testing. We are well prepared to curtail and manage any case of COVID-19 but we will not accept fictitious declaration of positive cases. We wi

‌ Sampson Itode, Port Harcourt A 32-year-old woman from Imo State has been arrested by the personnel of the Elekahia Police Division in Rivers State for allegedly stealing her neighbour’s two-year-old daughter. It was gathered that the suspect, identified simply as Chinenye, lives with her neighbour from Akwa Ibom State at No. 79 Olu Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt. A source in the area told our correspondent that the child went missing around 7pm on Monday, but a neighbour spotted the suspect leaving the compound with the little girl. The source added that co-tenants in the compound began searching for the victim after her parents had raised the alarm that she was missing. It was learnt that the suspect was traced to Waterline along the Olu Obasajo Road, where she was arrested alongside two of her accomplices at a point where they were about to board a vehicle with the victim sleeping inside a carton. READ ALSO: Parents oppose plan to reopen Lagos schools The sour