IN a bid to grab the leadership of the House of Representatives, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the defected PDP members are in a move to woo the Deputy Speaker, Hon Emeka Ihedioha, and other principal officers of the House.

Sunday Vanguard reliably gathered that the move became necessary after the defection of 37 members of the ruling party.

History was made on Thursday, December 19, 2013 in Abuja. But, it was not the sort of history which any President would like to want recorded or remembered. Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, the President of Nigeria had always gone to present the budget to the joint session of the National Assembly, NASS. Though the presence of the Head of State is not categorically required by the constitution of Nigeria, the presence of the President was a symbolic gesture indicating that the annual budget is a joint responsibility of the Executive and legislative branches.

President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Sani Ndanusa has urged all the athletes and sports federations enlisted to represent the country in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland to redouble their efforts, saying it would be a totally different Games from the last edition held in India.

There has never been more hope for Nigerian athletics like there was in the 2013 season. Now as the year winds up, the country’s athletics officials are full of expectations as they equally take measures to get good results next season.

The highlights of the year include Blessing Okagbare breaking the 14-year old African women 100m record. Okagbare ran 10.86 seconds to rest Gloria Alozie’s 10.90. Okagbare was also tipped to shatter Chioma Ajunwa’s 7.12m long jump record, but she could only manage a 6.99m to win silver at the World Championships in Russia, Mosccow. She also won a bronze in the 200m. The glory of it was that; it was the first time in over a decade Nigeria will be winning medals in the championships.

President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation ( NWF), Dr Daniel Igali has explained the reason behind the one storey building he dedicated to the federation and the Technical Commission of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) which was commissioned Thursday in Yenagoa by the NOC president, Engr. Sani Ndanusa.

All monies received from our World Cup participation will be accounted for.”These were the words of Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the Director of Competitions at the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF during the week in Abuja. This is definitely a departure from the past and a new era in the administration of football in Nigeria.

I do not know what it is, but Nigeria is descending into free fall and the unnerving thing is; that we all stand helplessly by to watch. So OBJ wrote to GEJ, trying to score cheap political points? At what point does the kingmaker stop demanding obedience from the king?

IT’S Christmas time again is a Christmas song by American vocal group Backstreet Boys. The song was written by Backstreet Boys members Nick Carter and Howie Dorough along with Mika Guillory and Morgan Taylor Reid in early October 2012.

Last week, Reuben Abati, presidential spokesman issued a full threat to those who are canvassing the impeachment of the president. He cautioned them against “treason.” Dr. Abati is wrong. You’d think that as former fire-eating newspaper columnist, the man who now speaks for the president would know the difference between the felony of treason and the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech. Speech is protected under the Nigerian bill of rights. It is one of those rights we fought for; why we chose democracy over tyranny. Those who are calling for the impeachment of the president cannot be accused of treason because they are expressing political thought and conscience.

Exactly one week ago, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) decorated Governor Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State as the best Nigerian Governor in the area of Fiscal Responsibility- a concept which refers to openness, discipline and accountability in governance. This writer was proud to serve as guest speaker on the occasion because it was a remarkable award that was specific, credible and indeed verifiable. It was obviously not purchased like the ones that are given to those who had donated huge sums to the issuing body. In the case of Kwankwaso, the several memorable developments in Kano State for which he was honoured are exceedingly persuasive. What are these developments and what challenges do they pose to other State Governors?

Edo State Police Command and the family of one Samuel Imaikop have been engaged in war of words after the family claimed that Imaikop, who was among the five suspected armed robbers killed by the police, penultimate Sunday, at Benin Bypass, was a farmer. The family, led by Pastor Ime Imaikop Browson, protested in Benin-City on Monday, calling on the police to release the corpse of their brother whom they insisted took some farmers to his farm at Ute when he was shot dead.

Although our discourse today involves a critical examination of religion as one of the most significant causes of Nigeria’s underdevelopment, we shall begin with a few comments about Christmas.

Last week I pointed out some of the reasons the Southwest might not be as peaceful as people think in the event of a break-up. Let me repeat that it was deliberate; I don’t want anybody reading ethnic hatred into what I would say about their own zones or ethnic groups. As it turned out I am learning about some ethnic groups for the first time in my life. Those asking for a national conference of ethnic nationalities must now begin to think of how they will handle the enormous task of mediating the demands that will come from all of them. It is not going to be easy

The battle for 2015 elections and 2016 governorship election in Edo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) is a great challenge for Governor Adams Oshiomhole just as it seems the governor has succeeded in grabbing the structure of the new party in the state with the constitution of an interim committee of the Edo APC which is expected to run the affairs of the party until substantive executive is elected sometime next year.

A FLURRY of fireworks tearing through the peace of the night accompanied by a cacophony of booms cascading the serene atmosphere marked the end of this year’s Redeemed Christian Church of God’s year end spiritual revival known as the Holy Ghost Congress.