SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, yesterday, affirmed that the House was investigating the allegation of corruption in the upper echelon of the Nigerian Judicial system.

Mr Timi Alaibe, the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in Bayelsa State has raised alarm on plans to arrest and try him over the attacks in his country home, Opokuma, Bayelsa State, on January 8. Mr Douye Diri, the spokesman of the Timi Alaibe Campaign Organisation, in a statement, explained that there were plots to upturn the report of the police investigation on the series of attacks on him and his supporters by some hoodlums.

Jos—President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to do all within his powers to end the persistent crises in Plateau State and restore it to its former status as a home of peace and tourism.

IT is unconventional to ignore local security plans by security operatives on presidential duty, Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mr Suleiman Abba, has observed as he testified at the Commission of Inquiry on last Saturday’s stampede in Port Harcourt, which resulted in the death of 11 persons.

Elder statesman of Ijaw nation, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, explained his absence at the South-South campaign rally of President Goodluck Jonathan held in Port-Harcourt on February 12, saying that contrary to speculations in some quarters, he was very much committed to the Goodluck/Sambo ticket.

The campaign organisation of Senator Gbemisola Saraki, the gubernatorial candidate of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN, in Kwara State, yesterday, raised alarm over plans to circulate posters that contains a nude picture with the head of the female politician superimposed on it.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, yesterday, inaugurated the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that would investigate all human right abuses in the state in the last eight years with the resolve that the commission was not targeted at any particular person or group of persons or a witch-hunt.

Twenty four hours after the Court of Appeal reinstated the impeached Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State,Peremobowei Ebebi, the state weekly executive council meeting which could not hold Wednesday, due to the ruling, sat yesterday, and passed a vote of confidence on the embattled Deputy Governor, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu.

FOLLOWING the students unrest at the Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, Edo State, over the suspension of the Students Union Government executive, the institution was, yesterday, closed down by school authorities.

But the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Chief Dan Orbih, who spoke during a rally in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, faulted the suspension of the SUG executives, saying that “the students were only protesting increase in their school fees and lack of water, so it was illegal to suspend the SUG. The Federal Government did not suspend NLC during the period Governor Oshiomhole was NLC President, so why are they doing that to the students?

The PDP also called for a state of emergency to be declared in the education sector of the state over incessant crisis that had engulfed the state owned institutions. Students of the institution went on rampage for the third day running and blocked vehicles plying the ever Auchi-Benin Road for several hours before armed policemen dispersed them with tear gas and shots fired into the air.

There was also a reported fire incident that gutted the Faculty of Arts, yesterday, morning which cause is yet to be known. As at press time, the fire was burning as there was no attempt to put off the fire since the school and offices had been deserted by both staff and students.

The Registrar of the school, Mrs Josephine Omole, said the school authorities had advised students to vacate their halls of residence by 11 am, yesterday.

“The closure is sequel to the unruly behaviour of the students following the suspension of the members of the executive committee of the Students Union for breach of matriculation oath and oath of office. All students are hereby advised to vacate the halls of residence and go to their respective homes latest by 11 am.”

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday expressed fears that it may not be able to conduct the forthcoming elections with the N45.3 billion provision made for it in the 2011 budget of theFederal Government.

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi has assured Rivers people of continued and adequate security, and that they will sleep with their two eyes closed if he was re-elected into office in April this year.

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, has raised alarm that the inconsistency exhibited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the list of candidates for the April 2011 general elections, posed serious danger to the survival of democracy in the country.

EFFORTS by the Presidency to resolve the lingering dispute between organised labour and management of the Union Bank of Nigeria, UBN, Plc, which led to the shut down of operations of the bank offices nationwide for a third day, appeared to be achieving the desired result as there is only one unresolved matter.

Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday, described the ongoing nationwide strike by some professionals in the health sector as unnecessary, saying “all the issues raised are either being addressed or under consideration with outcomes expected very soon.”

DELTA State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has assured that the Ughelli/Asaba Road dualization project will be completed on schedule.