COMING into office on the crest of populist clamour it was natural for Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, to respond to public adulation via a populist gesture.

Failure to make Samson Siasia’s squad against Argentina will bring out the best in out-of-favour Osaze Odemwingie. That is the position of former Abia state governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to abide by decisions of the party in the zoning arrangement approved and rolled out last week.

FACTIONS in the Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have forwarded three separate lists of nominees political appointment to the National Secretariat of the party.

With Senator David Mark a near shoo-in next month’s Senate President contest, Senators-elect have shifted ground to the contest for other leadership positions with the office of Senate Leader emerging as the hottest attraction.

THE Concerned Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Elders and Stakeholders Forum in Delta State has raised alarm over an alleged plot by a political party in the state to bomb the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Asaba, to destroy evidence to frustrate the party’s case before the tribunal.

NURSES in Oyo State yesterday threatened to down tools from today over alleged demotion of some of them and outright cancellation of some their allowances without making recourse to them.

Following the inauguration of Jaret Tenebe-led Nigeria Football Association weekend to rival the FIFA recognised Nigeria Football Federation that is headed by Alhaji Aminu Maigari, a lorry load of armed policemen have been drafted to the NFF secretariat.

ANAMBRA State Broadcasting Service, ABS, may have concluded plans to retrench 200 of its staff. Besides, 40 guest artistes were also sacked by the state government on the grounds that their services were no longer needed.

PANDEMONIUM, yesterday, broke out in Ughelli, the headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, following the early morning abduction of the Manager of the Ughelli branch of Zenith Bank, Mr. Innocent Izi by suspected kidnappers.

The Nigeria Coalition for the International Criminal Court, NCICC, has called on the Federal Government to prosecute all those responsible for the post election violence in some northern states, including politicians, who incited and armed the rioters.

The suit seeking to unseat the governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, suffered a set back yesterday, as an Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal sitting over the matter, struck-out the brief of argument filed before it by the appellant, Mr. Ikechi Emenike, on the premise that it was voluminous.

The Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations and Unions yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan not to give assent to the National Health Bill recently passed by the Senate.

At last, one of the long-standing mysteries of biomedicine may have been resolved. A publication in the latest issue of the journal Cell tells of a study that challenges currently held views,about the molecular mechanism whereby sickle cell hemoglobin confers a survival advantage against malaria.

THE member representing Orhionmwon/Uhunmwonde Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Samson Osagie, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Executive Council for finally approving the design of the Gelegele Sea Port in the 2010/2011 Federal budget.