Dr. Erastus Akingbola, former managing director of Intercontinental Bank, acquired by Access Bank, Plc, yesterday, failed to open his defence in the N47.1 billion charge of fraud against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

No fewer than 3,000 plastic drums, containing diesel and three locally constructed warehouses were Sunday night, set ablaze by men of the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, at a camp for sale of illegally refined petroleum products in Owhawha community, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State.

JULIO Novillo Astrada, a plus Eight Handicap from Argentina leads his two other top compatriots, Diego White, +7 Handicap and Diego Araya, +7 Handicap and top Polo players from all over African to the continent’s premium polo extravaganza as the annual Access Bank UNICEF Charity Shield Polo Tournament gallops off at the Fifth Chukker lawns of Kangimi Resort in Kaduna from May 23 to June 3, 2012. The two-week long tournament sponsored by Access Bank Plc is in its 5th year running

TWO policemen were shot dead and one injured at Ahoada end of the East- West Road, Rivers State, by unknown gunmen on Sunday.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday described the current spate of bombing in the country as a direct and indirect consequence of governance, lamenting that such situation is driving away investors from Nigeria.

Legal tussle over the proposed creation of a “Sovereign Wealth Fund” assumed a fresh dimension, yesterday, as Governors of the 36 states of the federation approached the Supreme Court, asking it to abort plans by the Federal Government to withdraw $2 billion from the “Excess Crude Account.”

A FEW years ago when I interviewed Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari for the Chinua Achebe Foundation dialogue series, I discovered a man millions of Nigerians never knew.

A total of 70 Nigerian sportsmen have qualified for the London 2012 Olympics and Para lympics games scheduled to begin next July and August respectively.

The trial of Mr. Yhisa Badmus, former Chief Accountant to Vanguard Media Limited for conspiracy and fraud involving over N31.75 million, before a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, again could not go on, yesterday, due to the absence of his counsel.

TO expand international air traffic at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja, NAIA, the Federal Government is set to construct a second runway.

Given the hitherto dominance of the North in the nation’s polity, it was not surprising that the region’s 19 governors would seek a reawakening of that culture of northern political superiority when they met last week. At the end of the meeting, the governors pledged to unify behind a northern presidential candidate in the 2015 elections.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State recently announced his plan to establish a fourth-tier government. According to him, the government will be made up of traditional rulers, town union executives, government appointed speakers and civil servants. These people will oversee the development of the local communities.

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu State, yesterday, congratulated Governor Sullivan Iheanacho Chime on his victory over his eligibility to contest the 2011 governorship election on the platform of the party.

Operators in the oil and gas industry have commended the invitation of the armed forces and the police by the Federal Government to collaborate on stemming the rising incidence of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria.

A front line leadership group in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, Azungwu Elite Forum, has expressed regret that many victims of the rainstorm, which occurred on April 11, this year, were still homeless.