STRONG indications emerged, yesterday, that the rift between the National Assembly and executive is yet to be nipped in the bud as the Senate suspended debate on 2013 budget, stalling to authorisation of N4.987 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

Nigerian unit of Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell, has admitted that the spate of crude oil theft from its facilities in the Niger Delta was reducing, a development he attributed to the surveillance of the Joint Task Force, JTF, set up by the Nigerian Government to check the menace.

Head coach of the Nigeria national team, Stephen Keshi says he’s not moved by Super Eagles’ latest rise in the monthly FIFA rankings.

POLICE in Ondo State have arrested three persons in connection with the kidnapping of a 40-year-old wife of a popular politician, Mrs Yewande Olaiya, in the hilly town of Idanre, Ondo State.

ERstwhile senator and minister, Abdulrasheed Akinlabi Olasunkanmi is one of a handful of aspirants for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP ticket in the 2014 gubernatorial election. In a session with newsmen, Olasunkanmi gives reasons why Osun State should get a change in leadership and why he is the best person to lead that change. Excerpts:

BENIN—EDO State youths, Thursday, engaged themselves in a war of words, following the demand by the South-South Youth Alliance, SSYA, that Governor Adams Oshiomhole should apologise to the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, over what they described as the abusive words used recently by the governor against the Benin chief.

Ahead of flag-off of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, a former Flying Eagles star, Paul Okoku has said that the current set being managed by Coach Obuh can stun the world with an eye-popping performance next month in Turkey.

Orits Wiliki is a self-acclaimed Koleman revolutionaire who needs no introduction. He stormed the industry in the mid-80s with his album titled; Tribulation. He has gone on and on with amazing reggae sound tracks and his unique style of playing the talking drum with his songs.

The Federal Government is set to change its trade policy, the current Free on Board, FOB, to Cost, Insurance and Freight, CIF, which most countries across the world use, because of its economic benefits, before the end of the year.

A MOTIVATIONAL speaker Mr. Peter Okorugbo, has said the current efforts at finding a solution to the Boko Haram insurgency will remain a mirage except the religious undertone of the crisis is addressed.

There is a salient fact on which many have agreed without any dissent. It is the apparent poverty of Nigerians in spite of abundant human and naturally endowed mineral resources.

A recent two day conference on strengthening relations between the legislative and executive arms of the Federal Government was an insightful and useful voyage for players in both arms.

THE Commander, Nigeria Navy Service, NNS Delta, Warri Naval Base, Commodore Mohammed Garba was bubbly, last weekend, as he verbalised on the several battles between his men and oil thieves in Delta State in the last few months.

CHIEF Great Ovedje Ogboru has resonated as a political factor as a result of his bid to govern his home state of Delta since 2003. In this interview, Chief Ogboru who was emphatic that he had not lost any election speaks of the status of the legal battles for the governorship of Delta, attempts to ruin his businesses, amnesty a la militancy and Boko Haram, and President Goodluck Jonathan. Excerpts:

ALHAJI Abdulahi Faskari is the Deputy Governor, Katsina State. He is not new to matters of state, having
been in government since 2003 when the former governor of the state and later president , the late Umaru Yar’Adua, appointed him as the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. He was reappointed to the same ministry when Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema became governor in 2007.