Author: Chief Editor

Abia rep flays senator, seeks apology Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, yesterday, expressed disgust with the reported unprovoked remarks made against him on the floor of the Senate on Monday by the senator representing Kogi West, Mr. Smart Adeyemi. The senator had, while contributing to a motion on ‘Safe School Initiative in Nigeria, reportedly described Ikpeazu as a “champagne drinking man.” Adeyemi said that while his Kogi State governor had awarded contracts for renovation of schools, the needful was not done in Abia State because the people of Abia are being governed by ‘drunkards.’ Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the…

The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has resolved to prevail on Governor Kayode Fayemi to contest for Presidency in 2023, stressing that he is well qualified for the task of leading the nation. The Obas said they would send a delegation at an opportune time to prevail on him to contest for the position. The monarchs took the decision at their statutory monthly meeting in Ado-Ekiti after listening to a four-man voluntary organisation, known as “Our Belief Project”, led by Aloba Abejide. Abejide had pleaded with the traditional rulers to call on the governor to make up his mind…

The National Reconciliation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), being led by former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, will next week begin tour of South-West states to resolve the lingering crises that have polarised the party. The committee will not only meet all the warring factions, but also visit former President Olusegun Obasanjo to discuss the progress made so far and tap from his wealth of experience in crisis management. A source told The Guardian that the committee is competent to resolve the impasse in the South-West “because there is nothing on ground to fight for in most states…

The Senate, yesterday, confirmed nomination of AbdulRasheed Bawa as substantive Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). All together,18 senators took their turns to interrogate Bawa for hours that the screening and confirmation lasted. With his confirmation, Bawa became the fifth person to head the anti-graft agency, which came into existence in 2003. During questions and answers session, the new EFCC chairman said the commission would review its use of police officers in its operations. “The use of policemen and officers will be based on needs.” Bawa said repatriation of wealth stolen and kept abroad would be the main…

Blames NDDC’s poor performance on presidency, lawmakers Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, faulted the National Assembly for confirming former service chiefs as ambassadors, insisting that it is unjustifiable to confirm officers who were sacked for poor performance. He said Nigerians were disappointed with the National Assembly for confirming the sacked service chiefs as envoys. Wike, who stated this when members of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta visited him at Government House, Port Harcourt, wondered why senators, who agreed with Nigerians on the poor performance of the service chiefs, cleared them for another sensitive appointment. “Most Nigerians are disappointed…

A coalition of Northern elders on Wednesday dissociated themselves from recent comments credited to an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, who had become an emissary for bandits in forests across Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger States. THE PUNCH reported that during one of such meetings, he alleged that non-Muslim soldiers had carried out orchestrated killings in some communities, precipitating anger. “What I want you people to understand is, soldiers that are involved in most of the criminalities are not Muslims. You know, soldiers have Muslims and none Muslims. The non-Muslims are the ones causing confusion just to ignite a crisis,” he told a…

Jose Mourinho believes he will be remembered at Tottenham “for the good reasons and not for the bad reasons” once his time at the club is over. The Spurs manager’s job is reported to be under threatafter a run of five defeats in six Premier League games. A 2-1 defeat by West Ham on Sunday left Tottenham ninth in the table, nine points adrift of the top four places. “I want to know which coach has always had blue sky and never cloudy or a bit dark,” Mourinho said yesterday. “Perhaps only a coach who is always at a dominant…

Zinedine Zidane said Tuesday that Real Madrid were preparing for a “different game” against an Atalanta side the Spanish giants meet for the first time in the Champions League in Italy midweek. “For us it’s a different game, we don’t know our opponent. We have to adapt to this type of game that Atalanta has, to play our football,” said the French coach on the eve of the last-16 first leg. “Atalanta have proved their worth in the last year. “They are a very attacking team, made up of excellent players, they are solid and compact.” Zidane has led Real…

Dele Alli and Carlos Vinicius ensured Tottenham can still save their troubled season by winning the Europa League as they inspired a 4-0 rout of Austrian minnows Wolfsberger in the last 32 second leg on Wednesday. Alli scored Tottenham’s opener early in the first half and provided the assist when Vinicius doubled their lead after the break. Gareth Bale netted from another Alli assist before Vinicius bagged his second as Tottenham ran out 8-1 aggregate winners after cruising to a 4-1 victory in the first leg last week. While progress to the last 16 looked a formality after the comfortable…

Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike Wednesday accused the management of Niger Delta Development Commission of spending N10 billion in a failed bid to unseat him. “You can imagine NDDC wasting ten billion to remove me here, is the money not wasted now?….. NDDC wasted ten billion naira to remove just one governor,” Wike said. Wike said the commission has abandoned its core mandate and leaving those who canvassed for its establishment disillusioned. “I don’t like talking about NDDC. It is unfortunate that those who fought for it, if they knew that this is how NDDC will be, I don’t think…