By  Eric Ugbor ABA—The Abia State House of Assembly has been called upon to pass law, extending  the tenures of local government Chairmen in the State from two to three years, to enable them to complete projects they started. The Chairman of Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, Chief Glory Kanu, made the […]

By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor ABUJA—The Inspector-General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo yesterday in Abuja cleared the air on the Aquitane Oil and Gas Company, a marketing company in the oil and gas sector and Fin Bank, one of the banks taken over by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as a result of poor corporate […]

By Chidi Nkwopara OWERRI—Imo State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate arrest of former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu, and a critic of the Governor Ikedi Ohakim administration, Mr. Maximus Uba, for their alleged refusal to honour a series of invitation extended to them to appear before the lawmakers. The development followed […]

*Insists Special Courts ‘ll fast-track cases By Emma Ovuakporie ABUJA—THE Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, has identified the judiciary as key to the successful elimination of economic crimes and corruption. She, however, noted  that ”frivolous injunctions” being granted by some courts were inimical to the nation’s justice system. […]

*As Commissioner denies being quizzed over LG fund By Dayo Johnson & Laja Thomas AKURE—Strong indications emerged yesterday that the Police anti-fraud unit, from Abuja, led by CSP Williams Adebowale stormed Ondo State capital, Akure, to begin a probe into Ogbese road project contract and alleged abuse of local government funds. Vanguard gathered that the […]

By Emmanuel Aziken Abuja—The Senate will consider seriously some recommendations of the Justice Mohammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee (ERC), the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said yesterday. Senator Ekweremadu, in an interactive session with the Network of NGOs in the country, however, affirmed that the recommendations of ERC would not be treated as sacrosanct […]

By Daniel Idonor ABUJA — VICE President Goodluck Jonathan has urged foreign investors willing to partner with the Federal Government on improving the power sector to pay attention to capacity building for local operators as they introduce modern technology to the sector. He stated this when he received a delegation of the Nordic-Nigeria Power Initiative […]

By Gbenga Ariyibi ADO-EKITI—Ekiti State Governor, Engr Segun, has sought the assistance of the state’s monarchs over a move by his administration to lease out three dams in the state to private investors. The three dams to be leased to private investors are Ureje, Ero and Itapaji  dams. Speaking during an interactive session with traditional […]

By Tordue Salem ABUJA—The Federal Government has begun piling up fresh loans from the Bretton Woods Institutions, as the House of Representatives yesterday approved a $500 million World Bank loan expected to “finance” the amnesty project, fix rail lines in six cities, among other things contained in the supplementary budget to be implemented next year. […]

By Innocent Anaba & Abdulwahab  Abdulah LAGOS—A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned  the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, The Gambia, against the Federal Government. SERAP asked it to “urgently intervene to stop the Nigerian government from instigating the passage of a bill in the National […]

By Henry Umoru ABUJA—THE Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Anambra State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Professor Osita Ogbu told the chieftains of the party in the state that investing in a party does not translate to ownership of the party structure or attempts to hijack it. He also declared that the task […]

By Henry Umoru ABUJA— BARELY 24 hours after he denied media reports that he was planning to run for the Presidency come 2011, Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna State has donated a campaign car to President Umaru Yar’Adua’s 2011 presidential ambition. The car, a Peugeot 307 which was sighted yesterday at the Wadata Plaza of […]

By Enyim Enyim ONITSHA—The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the police have assured that a level playing ground would be provided the 25 candidates jostling for Anambra State governorship seat in the election slated for February 6, 2010. The two agencies made the promise when the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) in the state, led by its […]

FORMER Military Administrator of old Bendel State, General Tunde Ogbeha, and former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Reverend Peter Obadan, weekend, disagreed with the Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on his condemnation of Senate President, David Mark, over his defence of Prof. Maurice Iwu on the nation’s electoral problems.

Human rights group, SERAP, has urged the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to urgently intervene and stop the Nigerian government from instigating the passage of a Bill by the National Assembly to undermine the internationally recognised rights to freedom of expression and press in the country.