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Wednesday, 04 October 2017 04:15

Kachikwu speaks on explosive letter to Buhari over NNPC GMD Baru

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, has described as “distressing,” the circulation of an internal memo he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari about the conduct of Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Maikanti Baru. Kachikwu said the letter, which surfaced on the Internet Tuesday, was part of routine exchanges he regularly shares with the president about “developments in parastatals under his supervision.” The minister conveyed the reaction through spokesperson for Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Idang Alibi. Alibi said the letter was aimed not at disparaging Baru but at “improving efficiency and deepening transparency in the oil…

Wednesday, 04 October 2017 04:13

Why FG can’t fund capital projects in 2017 budget – Finance Minister

Meeting backlogs of 2016 budget and inability to access foreign loans are major impediments to funding of capital projects in 2017 budget, Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has said. Adeosun said this while appearing before the Senate’ Joint Committee on Finance and Appropriation. The Senate had on September 26 summoned the minister to explain reasons for inadequate release of funds for capital projects in 2017 budget. Giving statistics of spending in 2017 budget so far, Adeosun said that her ministry had released N1.5 trillion as cumulative personnel cost, N128.8 billion as statutory transfer and N37.6 billion as redemption fund for…

Wednesday, 04 October 2017 04:10

N’Delta govs condemn FG over use of force for conflict resolution

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Usani Usani; and governors of the Niger Delta states including Mr Ben Ayade (Cross River State); Mr Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa State); and Mr Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, have condemned the use of force as a conflict resolution tool. They stated that rather than resort to brute force as a conflict resolution tool, the Federal Government should negotiate with agitators to address the issues. They argued that since force had never succeeded in permanently solving any conflict anywhere in the world, it should be dumped. Usani, who chaired the public lecture on, “Insecurity: Socio-economic…

Wednesday, 04 October 2017 01:00

Oily mess: Kachikwu drags Baru to Buhari over allegations of corruption and insubordination

Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, has written a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari over the alleged insubordination of Maikanti Baru, group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). In the letter, Kachikwu accused Baru of “completely eroding” some of the reforms he introduced as head of the oil firm. Buhari had appointed Kachikwu as NNPC GMD in August 2015 but replaced him with Baru in July 2016. In the letter, Kachikwu alleged that Baru had been sidelining the NNPC board. “Like the previous reorganisations and repostings done since Mr Baru resumed as GMD, I was never…

Tuesday, 03 October 2017 04:29

NJC raises panels to probe two Chief Judges, 13 others

National Judicial Council has constituted separate panels to investigate various allegations of misconduct against 15 judges, including two Chief Judges. NJC’s Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, did not give the identities of the affected judges. But it stated that NJC received a letter from Zamfara Sate Government approving the Council’s recommendation for the compulsory removal of Justice Musa Anka of the Zamfara State High Court. Oye stated that NJC took the decisions at its 83rd meeting held last week after considering the reports of the two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees on…

Tuesday, 03 October 2017 04:13

Oyo to demolish dilapidated school buildings - Commissioner

Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan Oyo State government on Monday, stated its preparedness to pull down dilapidated secondary school buildings in the state in the coming days Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Adeniyi Olowofela, who made the disclosure during the monthly statutory meeting with stakeholders in the education sector, said School Governing Boards (SGBs) in all the 628 Public Secondary Schools have been directed to demolish the structures so as to avoid imminent collapse. He said the old buildings had been turned to havens for hoodlums and criminals, stating that they have to be pulled down as the state government…

Monday, 02 October 2017 04:03

Buhari celebrates Independence with troops, urges them to stand against secession

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday told troops of the Nigerian military that they would be the biggest losers if Nigeria should disintegrate as being canvassed by some groups and individuals. He therefore asked the military to stand firm because the country’s security was in their hands and the hands of God. According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, the President spoke when he marked the National Independence Day in Maiduguri, Borno State, epicentre of the Boko Haram terrorism and insurgency, to honour the courage and sacrifices of the Nigerian Armed Forces.…

Monday, 02 October 2017 03:55

Trump says envoy 'wasting his time' talking to North Korea

President Donald Trump said Sunday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "wasting his time" trying to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, raising speculation about whether Trump could be undermining efforts to maintain channels of communication or somehow bolstering the diplomat's hand in possible future talks. It was not immediately clear what prompted Trump's tweets, among a series of weekend posts that ranged from hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico to NFL players' allegiance to the national anthem, and at whom they were aimed: Tillerson, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, those pushing for continued…

Sunday, 01 October 2017 04:03

Independence Day Speech: Buhari again takes the hardline, lambasts separatist agitators

HERE’S THE SPEECH IN FULL: My dear Nigerians, October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the most precious of human desires — freedom. Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for celebrations. It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and re-dedication. It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015, when our country happily returned to democratic rule. However, in spite of oil prices being an…

Sunday, 01 October 2017 04:02

Nnamdi Kanu has escaped to London through Malaysia - Orji Kalu

Businessman and prominent politician, Orji Uzor Kalu, tells SUNDAY ABORISADE why the Federal Government outlawed the activities of the Independent People of Biafra because its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, ignored the elders’ advice Why did you say that the agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra cannot succeed and that what the Igbo should aim at now is to produce the president of Nigeria? The Igbo should strive towards producing a president in the Federal Republic of Nigeria instead of agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra. I was the governor (of Abia State) for eight years and the issue of…

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Sunday, 01 October 2017 03:58

Public health workers back to work Wednesday as JOHESU suspends strike

Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, JOHESU, has suspended its nine-day-old strike. The union made the decision following a nine-hour meeting with the federal government in Abuja on Saturday. National chairman of the union, Biobelemoye Josiah, said the strike had been suspended “in principle”, as a NEC meeting of the union will be held on Tuesday to take the final decision. He said that the union has reached an agreement with the Federal government and workers are to resume back to work on Wednesday. The union embarked on a nationwide strike on September 20 to protest among…

Sunday, 01 October 2017 03:57

Lion kills man in Ibadan

Oyo State Government has announced the immediate closure of Agodi Zoo. The government said this decision is based on the report received from the company managing the Zoo, AM & C, that one of the lions at the Zoo had accidentally attacked one of the attendants, Mr. Hamzat Oyekunle popularly known as Baba Olorunwa, who later died from injuries sustained from the incident. Meanwhile, the lions have been evacuated pending further investigations. The government decision was contained in a statement at the weekend by Executive Secretary, Bureau of Investment Promotion (BIP), Mr. Yinka Fatoki who expressed shock at the unfortunate…

Sunday, 01 October 2017 03:55

North Korea and US 'in direct contact' - Tillerson

The US is in "direct contact" with North Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said.Mr Tillerson said Washington was "probing" the possibility of talks with Pyongyang, "so stay tuned". "We have lines of communications to Pyongyang," he said during a trip to China. "We're not in a dark situation." North Korea and the US have engaged in heated rhetoric in recent months but it was not previously known they had lines of communication. The US state department later confirmed there were a number of communication channels open with Pyongyang, but said little progress was being made."Despite assurances that the…

Saturday, 30 September 2017 03:39

UK seeks clarification about Kanu’s status, whereabouts from FG

United Kingdom has asked the Federal Government to clarify the status and whereabouts of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu. The British government said it had asked the government if the British national was alive or dead. However, it could not be immediately ascertained if the Federal Government had responded to the inquiries or not. Press Officer, UK high commission in Nigeria, Mr Joe Abuku, stated that the inquiry followed reports that Kanu had been missing since September 14, 2017 when armed soldiers stormed his residence in Abia State. Abuku said this in response to questions seeking…

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