Author: Chief Editor

By Gimba Kakanda Some of the reactions to Senator Kashim Shettima’s recent explosive interview on Arise TV, which have been trending on social media, betray the authors’ faded memories of the former Governor of Borno state. At the time an echo chamber was built by the Jonathan administration to isolate the government from public opinion, Shettima’s was the voice that rippled through. He called attention to the costs of that dereliction of duty, which enabled persistent cycle of explosions in urban centres, indiscriminate and targeted killings, and loss of vast territories to the Boko Haram, as the decision-makers weaponized pedestrian…

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Edinson Cavani still has years left as a top striker and is keen to extend the Uruguayan’s contract at Old Trafford. The 33-year-old Uruguayan signed a one-year deal in September after months without a club since leaving Paris Saint-Germain. United have the option to extend Cavani’s contract for another season and Solskjaer suggested he expects the club to do so. “At the moment he looks like he has a few years left in him so I wouldn’t say anything else,” said Solskjaer when asked if Cavani will remain for another season. “He’s been…

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos provided a cryptic update regarding his future recently. The Spaniard’s current deal expires in the summer and he is yet to sign a contract extension with Los Blancos. Sergio Ramos has been one of Real Madrid’s pillars and is currently in his 16th season with the Spanish giants. His leadership has been as pivotal to the club’s cause as his world-class footballing abilities. The 34-year-old might be past his prime, but there’s no denying that Ramos is still a fantastic footballer. The Spaniard has also earned a reputation for having a knack of scoring crucial goals during his time at…

The Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, has warned that the persistent strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is grossly helping in the actualisation of the philosophy of Boko Haram of destroying the country’s education system. He lamented that a situation where the country’s universities were closed for over four years within two decades was antithetical to development of the nation’s education sector. Until December 23, the country’s public universities have been closed down since March due to industrial action by the academic staff of the nation’s ivory towers. The PGF boss in a…

A Bill seeking imprisonment and stiffer punishments for cultivators, sellers and smokers of cannabis otherwise called Indian hemp in Nigeria is currently before the House of Representatives. The legislation titled: “Indian Hemp Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (HB. 1081),’’ is sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Alhassan Ado Dogowa. The legislation which was read for the first time on October 20, 2020 is seeking to amend the contemporary Indian hemp Act to provide for stiffer punitive measures against promoters of the substance. Speaking on the proposed legislation in Abuja, Doguwa said the bill would curb the abuse of…

A group of campaigning organisations under the aegis of People’s Vaccine Alliance, have warned that nearly 70 countries may be able to vaccinate only one in 10 people against the COVID-19 pandemic as wealthier nations have bought up most of the stock. Their warning is predicated on data indicating the deals already done on the procurement of the vaccines by rich nations. According to the People’s Vaccine Alliance, rich countries with 14 per cent of the world’s population have bought 53 per cent of the most promising vaccines as the pandemic exposes vast inequities both within and between countries. This…

The South-South Emerging Leaders Forum (SELF) has lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Mr Effiong Akwa as the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Its National Coordinator, Mr. Preye Johnson, said in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday that the president acted in line with the Act setting up the Commission. Johnson also commended the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, for doing the right thing within the purview of the law. The forum which consists of professionals appealed to those agitating against the appointment to give peace a chance for the development of…

The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics will be the centrepiece of a crammed sporting year in 2021 as sports administrators who had their calendars wiped away by the coronavirus pandemic try to fill the gaps even as a second wave hits. While the Games will still be called the 2020 Olympics, they have been changed by Covid-19. Tokyo organisers and the Japanese government are struggling with increased costs and, despite the growing possibility of vaccination, whether to allow foreign visitors and what safeguards and restrictions will apply to spectators and participants. In early December, organisers said the delayed Games will cost at…

The Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) a leading economic statistics indicator, has confirmed Nigeria slipped into its second recession in July, the third quarter of 2020. This was caused by dwindling oil revenues and the corona virus pandemic. In quarter 2, Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that the economy contracted by 6.1 percent. An economy is said to be in a recession when output contracts for two straight quarters. The average PMI for July, August, and September- the third quarter, was 45.3 points. Whenever PMI is below 50 points, it is a sign of contraction; while a reading above…

One of the reasons why Muhammadu Buhari was said to have ‘chosen’ Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to be his running mate for president of Nigeria was that apart from being a respected lawyer, Yemi Osinbajo is also a pastor. That choice was based on the assumption that because most Nigerians saw Buhari as a closet jihadist, a pastor by his side would help put the doubts aside, and therefore sway the doubtful Thomases. Those who put their doubts aside and voted for Buhari in spite of their misgivings on Buhari, based on his draconian antecedents suddenly realized they made the…