Author: Chief Editor

Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Chuks Okocha highlight challenges the second term of Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu in the course of duty Reappointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on 10th December received a tumultuous welcome from ecstatic members of staff, who turned out en masse to usher him in. On sighting them, a visibly delighted Prof. Yakubu alighted from his car immediately after being driven through the security gate to greet and acknowledge the excited workers who responded with shouts of “welcome sir” and accompanied him in a two-minute walk to the…

•Allays fears of long-term adverse effects The Nigerian-American researcher and medical doctor, Dr. Onyema Ogbuagu, has said Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic. Ogbuagu, at a virtual series on the theme, ‘COVID-19: Vaccine, Hesitancy, Myths and Reality,’ organised by Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in partnership with Ngex at the weekend, said the vaccine “will be the final nail in the coffin” for the virus that has killed over 1.6 million people worldwide. He also dismissed concerns that the vaccine would alter deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Pfizer and BioNTech had announced that the first vaccine they developed…

•Kidnappers surrounded by troops, says presidency •Buhari dispatches delegation to commiserate with govt •Parents pray for children’s release Parents of pupils of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State that were kidnapped by bandit last Friday, hit the street of the troubled town yesterday, demanding the immediate recovery of their children. Moments after the protest rocked the town that is 100km from Katsina, the state capital, Governor Aminu Masari confirmed that 333 of the 839 pupils of the school are still unaccounted for. The presidency, however, assured Nigerians yesterday that the rescue of the pupils would not be long…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, to sack a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Dogara, who represents Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State in the House, defected from the APC to the PDP before the last general election and won a re-election to the House on the platform of the PDP. According to court documents, Dogara, on July 24, returned to the APC after submitting a resignation letter to the PDP Chairman of the Bogoro…

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of an interim administrator to oversee the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He is Mr. Effiong Okon Akwa, the acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Commission. He will assume headship of the agency till completion of the forensic audit. Akwa is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. The development became necessary as a result of a plethora of litigations, and a restraining order issued recently against the Interim Management Committee of the NDDC by a Federal High…

The recent dissolution of states’ executive structures of the APC seemed like a hijack of the party structures, and an indication that the battle for the 2023 elections would be stormy. Chuks Okocha writes It was a prophecy foretold. There is no way a new wine could fit into an old bottle. This is the story of the All Progressives Congress (APC) registration of new members, which consequently led to the dissolution of all wards, local governments, zonal and states’ executive committees, last week. Though the registration of new members has been put in abeyance for now, it will surely…

The National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, has been the only chairman of the party to mark three years in office since 1998, when the party was formed. From Solomon Lar, Audu Ogbeh, Barnabas Gemade, Ahmadu Ali, Bamanga Tukur, Adamu Muazu, all spent less than two years in office. In this interview with Chuks Okocha, Secondus handed his three years scoreboard. Excerpts: What did your NWC meet on assumption of office? It has been 36 months of ups and downs and I am proud to report that the party is not at the level where we met it. We took…

Was President Muhamadu Buhari right to have shunned an invitation by the House of Representatives? Tobi Soniyi asks The controversy over whether the National Assembly could summon the president to appear before it did not start today. In 2018, when President Muhammadu Buhari, without authorisation of the National Assembly, paid $496,000,000 for the purchase of military aircraft he was summoned by the Senate under the leadership of Bukola Saraki. He didn’t honour the invitation. One of Nigerian experts in constitutional laws, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), argued then that as the Head of State, the Senate could not summon the president.…

BY SIMON KOLAWOLE If you take time to study Nigeria since 1960 — when we began to govern ourselves — you would notice an unrelenting constant: bloodshed. From political violence to coups, civil war, ethno-religious riots, communal clashes, military massacres, banditry, terrorism, farmers/herders clashes and kidnappings, it has been a gory story spread across 60 years. In the last three years, though, it appears all the terrible things are happening at once, like under Murphy’s Law. As we are battling communal killings in Kaduna, terrorists are beheading farmers in Borno, bandits are slaying villagers in Zamfara, and kidnappers are grabbing…

Chelsea were the biggest spenders in the Premier League last summer and have been in good form this season. Frank Lampard remained coy when asked about his side’s title chances this season. Chelsea will travel to Goodison Park to take on Everton in the Premier League and their manager has addressed his side’s chances of winning the league title this season. Frank Lampard was speaking to the press ahead of the fixture and he remained coy when asked about the Blues’ title chances. “I don’t know. We’re happy with where we are but I know there’s a long way to go. I don’t think…