Author: Chief Editor

’How masses were denied benefits’ The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kolo Kyari, has said that subsidy on petrol was removed because it was characterised by fraud perpetrated by members of a cabal. According to him, the subsidy regime was no longer beneficial to the masses, who were the original target beneficiaries. v Kyari said that over N10 trillion was spent on fuel subsidy between 2006 and 2020 without a significant impact on the masses, but marketers, who were smuggling the subsidized petrol to neighbouring countries to make more profit, and others who faked…

• ‘We’re tired of excuses by military top brass’ • ‘Our silence misconstrued because of background of service chiefs’ • Nyiam, Yakassai, others back call • ‘Their retention against military protocol’ Northern elite, yesterday, threw their weight behind the call on President Muhammadu Buhari by North-East elders to sack the service chiefs owing to the worsening security situation in the country, especially in the Northeast region. Among those that supported the firing of the security top brass was a delegate to the 2014 National Conference, Tony Nyiam; human rights activist and former liaison officer to the late President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji…

Health workers in the country under the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) yesterday suspended their nationwide industrial action, and are set to resume work today. The decision to suspend their seven-day warning strike was reached at an expanded National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held yesterday. In a statement issued yesterday evening by JOHESU’s Chairman and President of the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Mr. Biobelemoye Josiah, the union said:” In line with the resolutions at the expanded NEC meeting held on Sunday, September 20, 2020, I hereby declare that the seven-day warning strike is…

•My victory, triumph against godfatherism, says Edo gov •APC rejects election results, to decide on next step •Atiku, Saraki Tambuwal, others greet gov-elect In an unusual move, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday swiftly congratulated Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who posted a resounding victory in last Saturday’s governorship election, trashing his main challenger, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). For Obaseki’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it was a spectacular rebound under its fire-spitting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, reclaiming a state it lost in 2012. The outcome of the contest left APC, the ruling party…

The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has given the former Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, two days to respond to allegations of land racketeering against him. The commission in March, asked Sanusi to appear before it for allegedly ordering the illegal sale of several hectares of land in the state. The Cable quoted the agency as saying that the “proceeds of the sales remitted to the emirate council bank account can be traced to the companies of interest to His Highness”. It is gathered that charges would be filed against the former monarch soon, and that the…

Dele Alli’s Tottenham future is in doubt after he was dropped for their Premier League match at Southampton on Sunday as Jose Mourinho claimed he has “too many players”. Alli was substituted at half-time of Tottenham’s defeat against Everton last weekend and was missing from the squad for their Europa League qualifier against Lokomotiv Plovdiv on Thursday. The England international was expected to return against Southampton, but Tottenham manager Mourinho did not include him in the matchday squad. Alli has endured a difficult period over the last two years, with his form dipping badly. Mourinho was seen accusing him of…

Special adviser to the Edo State governor on media and communication strategy, Crusoe Osagie, has said that the unexplained break called by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could be a plot to manipulate results of the state governorship election. Osagie, in a statement, said the break “is causing apprehension in the state, wondering why the results are being delayed when the collating officers are present at the venue to announce the results from Orhionmwon and Ovia South-West Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Saturday’s governorship election. He stated that the delay in the release of the result is causing a stir…

Eddie Nketiah came off the bench to score the winner as Arsenal overcame an underwhelming performance to beat West Ham 2-1. The Gunners move level with Everton and Crystal Palace on maximum points at the top of the table after two games, but were far from the standards they have set under Mikel Arteta as the visitors enjoyed the majority of the chances after Michail Antonio cancelled out Alexandre Lacazette’s opener for the hosts. Antonio saw a second-half header come back off the bar, but Arsenal were ruthless with their chance to win the game as Dani Ceballos timed his…

The Lagos Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered the reopening of places of worship in the state. He said mosques can hold their prayers five times daily, while churches can also commence weekly services. Worship centres were restricted to one gathering weekly after they were allowed to reopen following the lockdown to check the coronavirus pandemic in the nation. The governor also ordered public and private schools to resume fully from Monday, September 21, 2020. Sanwo-Olu, in his eighteenth update on coronavirus as the Incident Commander, said that it has become necessary to issue clarifications regarding the resumption of schools,…

The United States and United Kingdom travel bans show international implications of Nigeria’s democratic decay. The United States government this week placed travel restrictions on Nigerians suspected of “undermining the democratic process” or trying to “organize election-related violence”. A day later the United Kingdom also announced anyone suspected of illicitly interfering in the upcoming elections in Edo and Ondo states would face “restrictions on their eligibility to enter the UK” and “restrictions on access to UK-based assets”. 5000 prominent Nigerians have subsequently signed a petition calling for the European Union to follow Britain and America’s lead. Now you might be…