THE countdown to July 14 – the gubernatorial election in Edo State – has started in earnest. This column is just two editions away from that day: July 5 and 12, 2012. Both editions shall be devoted to the search for peace in Edo State.

IT started like a joke when news made the rounds that some states were planning to pay pension to their elected ex-governors. The trend started in Kwara and since then, others like Lagos, Gombe and Kebbi have followed suit.

ABUJA—THE Senate, yesterday, accused the Federal Government of spending N8, 723,12,391:66 on prison decongestion with little to show for it. The Senate also declared, that the programme which is under the Ministry of Justice is expensive and not sustainable, just as it directed the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, an agency of the Federal Ministry of Justice to take over the prisons decongestion programme.

EARLY last week, one of the greatest beneficiaries of all that is good in Nigeria, David Mark, the Senate President, addressed a Senate retreat at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Given the state of things in our country, it was appropriate enough, that the theme of the retreat was “National Assembly and National Security: Securing the Future for Development”.

CHIEF Babatunde Olusola Benson (SAN) clocked 80 yesterday. For one who has practiced law for fifty years, he has many professional achievements in his kitty. He was the former Vice Chairman of Common-wealth Lawyers Association; former President, African Bar Association and former President, Nigerian Bar Association. He also holds honorary Doctor of Law, LLD of the Lagos State University (LASU) where he was legal adviser for many years.