THE Presidency yesterday distanced President Goodluck Jonathan from suggestions that he called names when he said that the “the south west is too important to be left in the hands of rascals.”

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, approved the immediate extension of the tenure of the incumbent Group Managing Director, GMD, of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Augustin Oniwon, beyond April 2011.

FORMER Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma(rtd), has denounced incessant killing of innocent persons in Jos and Maiduguri, maintaining that it is the responsibility of the government at all levels to maintain law and order in the country.

THE wife of Mr. Hope Adeleke, the policeman who recently lost his six children to kerosene explosion, which occurred at Oghara, Delta State, has died as a result of the injuries she sustained from the explosion.

The House of Representatives was emotional in its condemnation of last week’s embargo on award of new contract under the 2010 budget, saying President Jonathan Goodluck and his cabinet held the 2010 2nd Appropriation Act in contempt.
The lawmakers warned that the president was in collision with them if he did not rescind the decision.

EVEN as President Goodluck Jonathan continues the geo-political zonal launching of his presidential campaign, there appears to be no letting up from the Northern establishment as there are moves being perfected to ensure that power goes back to the North by May 29, 2011.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, challenged the jurisdiction of a Federal High Court in Abuja to compel it to initiate criminal action against the Speaker of the House of Representative, Dimeji Bankole, following the alleged role he played in the N2.3 billion car scam.

SECURITY equipment worth about N1billion was yesterday presented by the Ondo State government to the Police and other security agencies in the state for effective policing across the state.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is set to probe an alleged N31.9billion scam rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

AARE Afe Babalola is an enigma. For several decades, he bestrode the legal profession like a colossus, becoming not only a role model to generations of lawyers, even those yet unborn, but also mentoring several others. Beyond the law practice in which he endeared himself to many people through his erudition, thoroughness, uprightness, and trust, this legal luminary has found fullest expression in championing the cause of quality education delivery to the Nigerian people

Nigerian government has been told to tackle the issue of hepatitis with the same level of seriousnes it gives HIV/AIDS.

Meanwhile, the Police Sergeant, who lost three of his children, his wife and brother-in-law to kerosene explosion last week in Port Harcourt, said a friend gave him the killer kerosene as gift.

Ebonyi State government has described as unnecessary and deceptive utterances made by the member representing Ezza South/Ikwo federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Innocent Chima, on Governor Elechi’s personality and affairs of the state.

The last National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, left N7 billion in its coffers, his Politica Adviser and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Bala Buhari, has disclosed.

Medical services in Imo State government-owned hospitals and health centres have ground to a halt, following the one week indefinite industrial action embarked upon by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA.