THE hope of Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State, to get a Federal High Court in Ibadan vacate an order restraining him from being recognized as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Oyo State, was dashed as the court adjourned to Monday.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has challenged Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led Federal Government to a public debate on issues of national importance and developmental achievements in Nigeria.

The House of Representatives has expressed concern over the Federal Government’s claim to slash the budget of Science and Technology from N53 billion in the 2010 budget to a paltry N5 billion in the 2011 Appropriation bill.

THE All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, at its national convention in Awka, yesterday, formally adopted President Goodluck Jonathan who is the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as its candidate for April 2011 general elections.

IF there is any problem the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP will have to contend with now after the primaries it conducted nation wide, it is the headache of how it will heal the wounds, the party and members sustained during and after the primaries.

Following Wednes-day’s clash between operators of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada and members of Lagos State Transportation Management Authority, LASTMA, the Special Adviser on Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, has re- affirmed that the Lagos State government would not condone any act of indiscipline from either individual or organisation, who violates traffic laws or assaults any of its enforcement agent while carrying out their official duties.

The 25 years legal practice of a Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Kole Bello, ended, yesterday, as he was sentenced to 100-year jail term by an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, which found him guilty of a 10-count charge of conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence in respect of a land in Lagos.

DOCTORS at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Umuahia Abia State yesterday locked the gate of the hospital in protest against what they called plans to impose a new medical director on them.

Super Eagles chief coach, Samson Siasia has said that the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia next month is a must win for the Super Eagles if the team hoped to progress in the series.

President Hosni Mubarak has succeeded in postponing his “Day Of Departure”. That was the day set aside by pro-democracy demonstrators in Egypt for him to depart after three decades as president.

FOR a country that wastes its resources on avoidable confusion, the strides some members of the National Youth Service Corps make in their assignments spread rays of hope about a future where younger people can assume responsibilities to ensure a better Nigeria.

A German-based Nigerian, Dickson Utuke, who alleged N62 million fraudulent enrichment against a serving Police Officer in Lagos, has sent a save-our-soul plea to the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim over what he tagged, ‘illegal release of exhibit vehicles’ recovered from the Police Officer. Mr. Utuke had, in October, last year, reported to the Inspector-General of Police monitoring unit at the Force Headquarters, Abuja that he engaged the Inspector serving at Area F, Ikeja, Lagos, and who incidentally is his in-law, in his importation business concerns only for him to divert his hard-earned money into personnel use.

The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Prof. Sheik Abdullah, wants budgetary allocation to the sector increased by 15 per cent or more, stressing its critical role in national development.

THE man, Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro, was deservedly a comet. A remarkable man, impassioned, of strong beliefs and dogged energy, was richly endowed with extra-ordinary intellect and long life. He was an admirably powerful figure.

THE National Judicial Council, NJC, yesterday, explained why it refrained from okaying moves by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, to elevate the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami to the Supreme Court bench, insisting that doing so would be pre-judicial to a subsisting suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja.