Worried by the unending crisis in the aviation sector, President, Chartered Institute of Aviation of Nigeria, and Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria Dr, Steve Mahonwu, says air safety could only be ensured through improvement in equipment and facilities at the airports .

With the governorship election in Anambra State declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and mixed reactions trailing the outcome, the interim National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, argues, in this interview, that the exercise remains irredeemably defective.

The Presidency says President Goodluck Jonathan is fit and will return to Nigeria today.

All things being equal, out of favour Super Eagles players like controversial Osaze Odemwingie, Taye Taiwo and Ikechukwu Uche may have another chance to play for the national team ahead of the 2014 World Cup scheduled for Brazil.

The last appears not to have been heard on the claim that part of the money in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) is missing as Governor Rotimi Amaechi of River State, yesterday, faulted the Minister of Finance, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on the matter.

It may as well be taken as pardon without benefits. That is the case with Adenike, the widow of Lt. Col O.O. Akiyode, aide to the former minister of communications, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, who was convicted for the 1997 ‘phantom’ coup under the Abacha administration. Akiyode died while still serving his prison term and before all those also jailed for the controversial coup plot, including Lt. General Oladipo Diya, Olanrewaju and the late Major General AbdulKarim Adisa, were released courtesy of an amnesty proclamation in 1999 under the Abdulsalami administration. They received presidential pardon on March 12, 2013 after the National Council of State (NCS) approved a list presented to it by President Goodluck Jonathan. The implication of the pardon is that the former convicts are to receive all their benefits from the military authorities.

Primate Babatunde Ayodele, General Overseer of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, bares his mind on the proposed National Conference, Nigeria’s fate in the hands of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2015, the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, airplane crashes and the crisis rocking the polity.

The Nigerian political left is decimated, or at best lies flat on the ground like the lizard with a belly-ache. This fact itself makes one ask the question, what is the meaning of “opposition” in Nigeria, given that the field is absolutely dominated by politicians with the same fundamental worldviews about society? Extremely socially conservative and fiscally conservative, their political goals are far often too constrained by the immediate gratifications of power to warrant any ideological scrutiny in any case. Very often, a cohort of politicians gather together and call themselves “progressives” – and the term is indeed very ambiguous because no one actually knows from where they are progressing and to what

Then comes the Sports Minister, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi … Let history record and properly too that the arrival of the youthful minister signaled the end of bitter rancour in the Nation’s football house…

In what was termed a retreat, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, led by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, chose to prick the conscience of the Federal Government of Nigeria in its handling of the nation’s finances in a manner that is somewhat opaque. The communiqué of the Forum read like an audacious inquisition.

By contrast, when Nigeria became a republic in 1963, neither the Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, nor anybody else, warned Nigerians in the same vein. It was just assumed that a democratic republic, once pronounced and a constitution written would guarantee and perpetuate liberty. Unfortunately, for our founding fathers (Ahmadu Bello, Awolowo and Azikiwe included), they were the first victims of their collective folly. The democratic republic they pronounced in 1963 was demolished by a small band of armed adventurers; who promptly sent democracy in Nigeria to the dustbin of history. It has remained there till today.

VICE – President Namadi Sambo, former Head of State, Gen.Abdulsalami Abubakar, led other prominent Nigerians, yesterday, when the remains of former Chief of General Staff(CGS), Vice-Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, were laid to rest at his country home, Fugar in Etsako Local Government Council of Edo State.

Nigerians have been urged to intensify prayers so that terrorism in the country can be curbed. The appeal was made by the Bishop of Ijebu North Diocese, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Commun-ion), Rt. Rev. Solomon Kuponu at the silver jubilee celebration of Young Men and Women Christian Association, YMWCA, of St. John Anglican Church, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos on Tuesday.

CHAIRMAN of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, yesterday, alleged that over 400 northerners may have betrayed the region after collecting money to back President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term. Aliyu threatened that the list of the traitors will soon be published for all to see.

Five days after the Ilesa-based 80-year-old industrialist, Chief (Mrs.) Yinka Obaleye, was kidnapped in front of her company along Ijebu-Jesa road, Ilesa, the family is yet to establish contact with her abductors.
The victim’s age and state of health are a matter of concern to the family.