Tragedy struck in most part of Lagos State, weekend, when seven persons lost their lives in separate incidents, including an auto crash which claimed the lives of four traders and left three others seriously injured.

WORKERS of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, this morning began an indefinite strike to protest non-payment of monetization of their benefits, balance of 150 per cent salary increase and regularization of the employment of over 10,000 casual/contract workers in PHCN.

Intense scheming and maneuvering will dominate the political space this week ahead of 2011 political race even as plots and counter plots against zoning thicken.

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, yesterday dared the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to begin his probe over his alleged involvement in monumental fraud while he held office as the state chief helmsman.

Politicians who either think the January 2011 polls might be postponed and those calling for the shift of the exercise don’t need to dissipate energy on the issue. Reason: The matter is foreclosed. President Goodluck Jonathan does not want the handover to be later than May 29, 2011, the Vanguard has learnt.

The Action Congress, AC, has challenged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to provide the required financial resources and the legal framework respectively to make it possible for INEC to organise successful general elections next year.

The Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream) has declared that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is solvent thereby laying to rest claims and counter claims by government officials that the corporation is insolvent.

The two firms approved by the Federal Government to carry out the new National Identity Management system for Nigeria have given their commitment to ensuring a more robust, secure and efficient identity card system using the most modern technologies for the country.

A MILD drama played out at Government House, Umuahia, weekend, shortly after the South-East Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leadership which came to woo Governor Theodore Orji had left, as the governor told the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, team that came two hours later he had nothing to do with the party anymore.