CERTAINLY, these are not the best of times for former two-time Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori. A United Arab Emirates, UAE Court of Appeal in Dubai, Sunday, ruled that he be extradited to Britain to face trials for allegedly looting the treasury of the state during his tenure.

History will be made on October 26, 2010, as 100 million shares of Dangote Cement Plc will be listed by introduction, on a special offer, on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, at N135 per share.

Former governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, has said that the controversy generated by the zoning policy in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would have been settled long ago if the media had been genuinely interested in resolving it.

Senior Special Assistant to the President and National Coordinator of National Poverty Eradication Programme,NAPEP, Dr. Magnus Kpakol, has said that the country was yet to come up with a good and adequate policy to eradicate poverty in Nigeria

The Coordinator, the New Face of Akwa Ibom, Pius Essien, has said that kidnappings in Akwa Ibom State, were being organised by the political detractors with the aim of rubbishing the image of the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio.

The United Nations REDD Mission to Nigeria, has described the Cross River State Forestry Programme as an ambitious opposition to global warming.

The Bishop of Catholic Church, Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev Felix Ajakaiye, has urged the new governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, not to depart from his 8-point agenda, saying an attempt to deviate from his programme of action may make him lose respect from the people of the state.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said the provision of good access roads was a necessary coefficient for the economic growth of every nation.

THE gang-up against the re-election bid of Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State will fail as the motives of the opposition members are twisted, lack ideological perspective and propelled by selfish interests against the common interest of the state, Senator Anthony Agbo has said.

FOLLOWING the violence that had engulfed the Edo State chapter of the Acton Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in the on-going registration of party members, which had led to the killing of no fewer than two persons, a national leader of the party and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi, weekend, warned that there would be no party primaries in the state unless all party members were duly registered.

Peoples Progressive Party, PPP, has described the recent court judgement, which sacked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government of Segun Oni in Ekiti State, as a lesson for the new Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headed by Prof Attahiru Jega.

AS LIFE returns to normal in Aba, the commercial capital of Abia State, the military joint task force which had launched war against criminal elements in the state, especially kidnappers who held the city hostage for a long time, paralyzing all commercial and social activities, is moving deep into the kidnapping-infested areas of Obingwa, Osisisioma and Ukwa West.

It was indeed a sobering moment, one that evoked tears from those present. In fact, many could not hold back their feeling as evidenced by the wet handkerchiefs with which they intermittently dabbed at their teary eyes. The casket which contained the remains of the late Vanguard Chief Sub-Editor, Adedayo Aminu, was just about then being lowered into the cemented grave.

Ijeoma, a commuter in this Apapa-bound passenger bus wondered aloud: “I can’t understand why some people behave as if they can own the entire universe, as if they are immortal. The world, like the Igbo say, is a market place. You go and do your stuff and quit the stage. It is not home to anybody.

WHEN the kidnapping saga erupted in the South East zone following the amnesty programme that brought militancy in Niger Delta region to an end, the people and governments of the zone were worried. As times passed by, the crime gained momentum in the zone, but took a dangerous dimension in Abia, precisely in the Aba/Ngwa axis of the state, despite spirited efforts by the state government to tackle the problem.