News

Friday, 24 March 2017 04:06

Buhari nominates 27 INEC Electoral Commissioners: Here's the full list

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated 27 persons as Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Senate President Bukola Saraki on Thursday read a letter from the presidency requesting the confirmation of the 27 nominees in compliance with the provision of the section 14(3)(a) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution. The letter was dated February 27 and signed by Vice-president Yemi Osinbajo at the time he was acting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s behalf. But the letter was at the office of Mr. Saraki on Tuesday, February 21. Since March 4, 33 states have been without…

Friday, 24 March 2017 04:04

Senate rejects 2 ambassadorial nominees

The Senate yesterday rejected two out of the 47 non-career ambassadorial nominees sent for confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari. Those rejected are 82-year old Justice Sylvanus Nsofor from Imo State and 59-year old Daodu Igbekele Jacob from Ondo State. The Senate, however, confirmed 45 nominees. Adopting report of its committee on foreign affairs, chaired by Senator Monsurat Sunmonu (APC, Oyo) the Senate said the two rejected nominees failed in some areas. On the 82-year old Nsofor, the report said: “The nominee has served mostly in the academia and the legal profession, both here in Nigeria and abroad. Although he was…

Friday, 24 March 2017 04:02

It's a lie, we didn't endorse Magu - Transparency International

Recent reports that Transparency International (TI) in the United Kingdom had endorsed acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Magu has proven to be false. A statement issued by the anti-corruption body, EFCC, had said that the international anti-corruption monitor had endorsed Magu as an anti-corruption icon. The statement of the EFCC had come on the heels of the rejection of Magu by the Senate as the nominee for confirmation to head the commission. However, in a statement by TI announcing the event which Magu was invited to, it was categorically stated that the invitation was not…

Friday, 24 March 2017 03:59

Kaduna Airport unsafe - Reps

House of Representatives yesterday raised safety concerns at Kaduna International Airport and mandated its committee on aviation to ascertain that acceptable standards are met at the airport. The House also asked the committee to inspect ongoing rehabilitation at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and report back within one week. Kaduna airport currently serves as an alternative following the closure of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for repair works The decision to investigate the agency was taken following adoption of a motion presented by Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi (APC, Osun) on the need to re- view and ensure that Kaduna International…

Friday, 24 March 2017 03:58

Ile-Ife clash: More Yoruba lawyers move to Abuja

Following arrest and parade of 20 indigenes of Ile-Ife, who are being held for their alleged involvement in the recent clash between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in the town, more lawyers have moved to Abuja to beef up the legal team for the accused persons. National Publicity Secretary of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin said that “the lawyers are already in Abuja and were also at the Force Headquarters, they have seen the suspects, they interacted with them and they are in high spirits.” Also, Afenifere will hold an emergency meeting in the Akure home of the…

Friday, 24 March 2017 03:54

Yet another 155 Nigerians return from Libya

Two weeks after 171 Nigerians voluntarily returned home from Libya, 155 others followed suit on Thursday aboard a chartered Nouvel Air aircraft with registration number TS-1NB. The aircraft landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 6.00 p.m. Like the initial group which returned on March 7 after being stranded in Libya while enroute Europe, the returnees were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya. They were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking…

Friday, 24 March 2017 03:51

Jehovah’s Witnesses mobilise global response to Russia's ban threat

Threatened with an imminent ban on their worship in Russia, Jehovah’s Witnesses are responding with a direct appeal to Kremlin and Supreme Court officials for relief through a global letter-writing campaign. Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses is inviting the over 8,000,000 Witnesses worldwide to participate. On March 15, 2017, Russia’s Ministry of Justice filed a claim with the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to label Administrative Center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia as extremist and liquidate it. The claim also seeks to ban activities of the Administrative Center. If the Supreme Court upholds this claim, the Witnesses’ national headquarters…

Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:07

FG introduces Visa on arrival for foreign investors, others

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the introduction of a liberalised online Visa on Arrival (VOA) facility to the public, especially foreign investors willing to invest in Nigeria. Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja. Babandede said that‎ the measure was part of the resolution of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) aimed at attracting foreign investors to the country. “‎As a critical member of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the NIS has automated its visa application and processing services at all entry points. “This is to ensure that all…

Thursday, 23 March 2017 17:05

Grass-cutting scam: SGF recants, asks Senate to reschedule appearance

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, has made a U-turn on his legal action against the Senate on its probe into the alleged management of funds meant for the rehabilitation of the North-East. Lawal urged the Senate to reschedule his appearance before its Ad Hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East which is carrying out the investigation. SGF, in the letter to the upper chamber on Wednesday, said he had dragged the Senate to court over the probe. Lawal, in the letter to the committee, said he would not appear before the probe panel…

Thursday, 23 March 2017 03:09

FG approves N80bn for construction of roads across 12 states

The federal government on Wednesday approved N80 billion for the construction of roads across 12 states. The government also approved N150.8 million for consultancy and engineering design for access road 1 and 2 ‎to link Asaba in Delta State to Onitsha in Anambra State and the Second Niger Bridge. These were some of the outcomes of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, presided by President Muhammadu Buhari for the second time since his return from his medical vacation in the UK. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, alongside Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, and Minister…

More...

Thursday, 23 March 2017 03:07

Policy issues: CBN, Finance Ministry rift deepens

Hopes of unanimity of positions and harmony of fiscal and monetary policies appear dim following an alleged demand for a review of the powers of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, by the Ministry of Finance. Officials of a federal agency confided in Vanguard yesterday that the top leaderships on both sides are mutually antagonistic of each other’s positions, adding that it has degenerated to a personality clash. A newspaper had said yesterday that the Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, told a visiting team of legislators to cut the powers of the apex bank for what she allegedly called extensive…

Thursday, 23 March 2017 03:05

Grass cutting scam: SGF snubs Senate, resorts to court

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Lawal Babachir, has resolved not to honour Senate’s invitation over the handling of funds for North-East rehabilitation. Babachir has headed to the court to challenge the propriety of the invitation and his being investigated on the issue. An ad hoc Committee on Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East investigating allegations of misappropriation of funds for rehabilitation of the region had invited the SGF to a public hearing on the issue. The invitation notice of March 15 is asking the SGF to appear on Thursday. The SGF was formally invited after his indictment…

Thursday, 23 March 2017 03:04

Senate says democracy under threat as SGF shuns invitation

The Senate on Wednesday raised the alarm that the failure of the executive to answer legislative summons would end democracy in the country. Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, stated this in an interview with The PUNCH, while reacting to a letter written by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal. SGF, in the letter to the upper chamber on Wednesday, said he had dragged the Senate to court over a probe into the alleged management of funds meant for the rehabilitation of the North-East. Lawal, in the letter to the Senate…

Thursday, 23 March 2017 03:03

5 dead in vehicle, knife attack at British Parliament

A knife-wielding man went on a deadly rampage in the heart of Britain's seat of power Wednesday, plowing a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge before stabbing a police officer to death inside the gates of Parliament. Five people were killed, including the assailant, and 40 others were injured in what Prime Minister Theresa May condemned as a "sick and depraved terrorist attack." Lawmakers, lords, staff and visitors were locked down after the man was shot by police within the perimeter of Parliament, just yards (meters) from entrances to the building itself and in the shadow of the iconic…

Page 765 of 826

News

More...

Search

Most Read

Editorial

News

Business

Politics

Opinion

Features

Strangely

Crime

Wars

SCIENCE & TECH

SPECIAL REPORTS

Sports

VIDEOS