Author: Chief Editor

Abimbola Adelakun On Monday night, terrorists attacked a Kaduna-bound passenger train that left from Abuja. They ambushed the train by detonating some explosives laid on the railway tracks. The violent implosion that followed not only stopped the train in its tracks but also imploded the myth of the progress Nigeria has made under the present regime. So far, eight people are reportedly dead, an undetermined number abducted and others still missing. Considering that there was also an attack on the Kaduna airport on Saturday and a siege laid on Abuja-Kaduna Road on Tuesday, a lot going on now is…

The President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has estimated that about 250 million men, women and children across the continent go on empty stomach from dusk to dawn. Adesina stated this in an article he wrote that was posted on the AfDB’s website on Tuesday, noting that hunger has become a way of life in many African countries. He said food systems in the continent were failing to deliver diets that are healthy, affordable, secure and safe for vast majority of Africa’s population. “Africa’s food systems are failing to deliver diets that are healthy, affordable,…

• FEC observes minute silence for victims of Abuja-Kaduna train attack • Commuters on Kaduna-Abuja route at mercy of dreaded highway with no rail, air transport • Banditry, terrorism question our capacity to govern, governors lament Despite several signs that the Abuja-Kaduna railway was susceptible to bandits attack and amid massive resources in loans and funds voted to revamp rail transportation across the country, the Federal Government failed to adequately protect passengers until Monday’s attack. That incident led to the death of at least eight persons, with many injured or abducted, after several security breaches around the Kaduna axis. Apart…

Jide Ojo THERE is no gainsaying that election is a money-guzzler. The popular lingo by Nigeria’s ace hip-hop artiste, Davido, that “if you don’t have money, hide, your face” depicts the situation in Nigeria’s political climate. To say the least, it is capital intensive. Just last week, the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, announced the cost of the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms as follows: “State House of Assembly – Expression of Interest – N100,000; Nomination Form – N500,000; House of Representatives – Expression of Interest – N500,000; Nomination Form N2m; Senate – Expression of…

Gbajue’ is a Yoruba slang, a metaphor, for con artistry, a criminal act that has now transformed from one-on-one conning of victims by criminal smart alecs, who make outlandish offers within Nigeria, to “yahoo yahoo,” the same business, but carried out online and across continents by young lads operating with laptops and ample data feeds. Among the most outlandish escapades of local “gbajue” are the sale of non-existent ocean-going ships to unsuspecting victims, referred to as “mugu,” while the “yahoo yahoo’s” victims are called “maga,” foreigners, usually lovelorn caucasian ladies, spinsters and widows, who fall prey and remit a huge amounts of their retirement benefits for false…

Governors of the 36 States of the Federation have appealed the court judgment which dismissed their suit challenging the federal government’s planned deduction of $418 million from the federation account to settle debts owed consultants engaged by the states and local governments on the Paris Club refunds. Justice Inyang Ekwo had dismissed a suit by the Attorney-General of the 36 states against the federal government in a judgment delivered recently saying the attorneys-general have not shown enough evidence to accord them the right to institute the action. He held that there was no express evidence to show that the governors…

Court restrains national leadership, INEC from dissolving Kano exco At the expiration of a two-week deadline, the meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoning committee ended inconclusively in Abuja, yesterday. Chairman of the committee, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom made the announcement following a three-hour meeting. He said: “The meeting is yet to be concluded. We have adjourned till Tuesday, next week, same time, same venue. And until we conclude the proceedings, there is not much to say.” The committee was set up two weeks ago during the party’s 95th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, held on March 16,…

As Friends of Wike presents nomination form to him Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said he is fully prepared for the assignment of being President of Nigeria because he has the capacity to address lingering issues of insecurity and a poor national economy. He maintained Nigerians could no longer resign to fate, suffer the pains of a harsh economy and wanton killings under the watch of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government. Wike made the remarks, yesterday, when a group, the Northern Progressives Elements and Friends of Wike, in Abuja, purchased and presented to him Expression of…

Tayo Oke It is generally believed in Western democracies that elections have consequences, and in many instances they do. Take, for instance, the election of Boris Johnson, the Conservative British Prime Minister, in 2019, under the slogan, Get Brexit Done. Following a huge parliamentary majority, Brexit indeed happened and it has resulted in a remarkable turnaround in the ordinary lives of the UK citizens and their relationship with the rest of Europe in particular. New trade deals are still being negotiated between the UK and many countries around the world, a new UK passport has come into being and…

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said former Lagos State governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu is always ready to push boundaries. Osinbajo said this while congratulating Tinubu on his 70th birthday on Tuesday and prayed that God would grant him strength, wisdom and favour. The vice president in a statement said Tinubu’s birthday “is a unique one indeed; the Platinum Jubilee and the completion of yet another remarkable decade. “It is also an opportune time to give thanks to God Almighty for your service to the nation – as Senator of the Federal Republic, Governor of Lagos State and a founding leader…