Schemes to discredit the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, Governor Chibuke Amaechi of Rivers State and reduce him to political irrelevance are in the works, it was learnt, yesterday.

AS the controversy over the withdrawal of the degree awarded to former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, by Abia State University lingers, students of the university have thrown their weight behind the action of the university.

Recently, the Global Chairman KPMG, Mr Andrew Michael,was on a working visit to Nigeria. He had an interactive session with some journalists at the KPMG head office in Victoria Island. He was supported by Mr Seyi Bickersteth, Senior Partner, KPMG Nigeria and Joseph Tegbe. Andrew spoke on several issues and the prospect for Nigeria in the global economy.

THE Zone C Area Command of Customs Services has seized contraband worth over N174 million in its South East and South South area of operations in the last one month.

EDO State governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, weekend in Benin, explained the rational behind the setting up of Edo State Neighbourhood Watch Committee, insisting that it was not designed to replace the various law enforcement agencies operating in the state.

The Nigerian Navy has raised alarm over fake recruitment syndicates claiming that they were authorised to recruit personnel for the Navy.

Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide, said yesterday that the FCT administration would not hesitate to deal with those sponsoring evil propaganda against polio vaccination.

DEPUTY Chairman, House Commitee on Privatisation and Cpmmercialisation, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, has pleaded with his fellow lawmakers to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB.

Lately, the Central Bank of Nigeria in a two-page Press Release, laboured to corroborate the Finance Ministry’s earlier clarifications on “the meaning, structure and management of the nation’s foreign reserves”. CBN defines external reserves, appropriately, as external assets held in foreign currencies by a country’s Central Bank for the “primary purpose of safeguarding the international value of the legal tender currency (i.e. the naira)”.

…Seeks 3% coupon rate from DMO
The Bank of Industry, BoI, has signaled that all is not well with the administration of the Federal Government’s N100 billion Cotton Textile and Garment (CTG) Industry loan to beneficiary companies. The bank is currently managing the fund at a loss under the current interest rate of six percent. This is even as majority of the Fund beneficiaries are not happy with the loan conditions and have called for a lower interest rate of three percent instead of the current six percent in order to reduce their production cost.

For Chief Dan Osi Orbih, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State, it has been more than ten years of steadfast opposition to the authorities in Edo State. The election of his onetime childhood friend, Adams Oshiomhole as governor should have translated into a time of cosy comfort in the corridors of power, but not for Orbih. A scion of one of the state’s leading political families, Orbih continues to abide in the trenches in pursuit of the “good governance,” he claims has eluded Edo State since 1999 even when his own PDP governed the state.

Nigeria’s bid to enter into the thick of African football politics has suffered a big blow following the defeat of the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari in the CAF Executive committee elections. It was the West Zone B election.

THE ACN is at best a relic of an African traditional cultural association which accords the elderly unquestionable loyalty and followership. And because of this, both Chief Akande and Chief Bola Tinubu have vigorously defended the lack of primary elections in the ACN.

LAGOS—Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has launched a text service “to encourage citizens and local residents who witness corruption at local government level in Lagos State to anonymously alert the organization and we will in turn report any such allegations to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC.”

ABUJA—Senate President, David Mark, has said the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, before the National Assembly is neither aimed at discouraging the multinational oil and gas prospecting corporations nor against any section of the country, but geared towards promoting international best practices in the industry.