The Abia Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, headed by Justice Usman Bwala, commenced sitting in Umuahia on Wednesday. Bwala said the tribunal was going to perform its duties with an open mind in order to deliver justice. “The tribunal is expecting hard work, dedication and honesty from lawyers in the discharge of their duties before the tribunal.

Lagos State First Lady, Mrs Abimbola Fashola, on Wednesday urged children to be obedient to their parents and teachers for them to be a good leaders of tomorrow. Fashola made the assertion at Indomie Fan Club Children`s Day celebration to mark the 10th year anniversary of the club at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. She said that children are the future of tomorrow and therefore advised them to listen and obey their parents and teachers for them to be good leaders tomorrow.

A journalist and rights activist known for his outspoken criticism of the humanitarian crisis in southeastern Niger has been arrested for “collaborating” with Boko Haram Islamists, the interior minister said Wednesday. Human rights watchdog Amnesty International condemned Moussa Tchangari’s arrest and called on Niger to release him.

The U.S. Embassy says no fewer than 7,000 Nigerians are studying in the U.S. The Embassy made this known during tour of its Consular Section by media professionals in Abuja on Wednesday. The Consul General, Mr William Laidlaw, also 66 per cent of tourist visa applications were approved in 2014. Laidlaw said the U.S. visa application processes were simple and not as stringent as people thought.

The Deputy Consul-General of the U.S. Consulate-General in Lagos, Mrs Dehab Ghebreab, on Wednesday said 40 young Nigerians have been selected to participate in this year’s Mandela Washington Fellowship. Ghebeah disclosed this to newsmen on the sidelines of a pre-departure orientation programme for the beneficiaries at the Consulate’s premises in Lagos.

The military has evacuated the rescued 275 women and children from the Malkohi Camp, near Yola. The women and children were recently rescued from the Sambisa forest by the military. The women and children were brought to the Malkohi Camp about three weeks ago by the military who handed them over to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, restrained the Nigeria Labour Congress from picketing the Nigerian Postal Service. Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the NLC should not go ahead with the action, pending the hearing and determination of the interlocutory motion.

South African President Jacob Zuma apologised to Mozambicans Wednesday for a recent outbreak of xenophobic violence in which at least seven people died and hundreds of migrants were forced to flee their homes. Speaking at the start of a two-day state visit to Maputo, Zuma said the attacks — which included the murder of a Mozambican man captured by a press photographer — “shocked us and disturbed us”.

Some Lagos State civil servants on Wednesday urged Gov.-elect, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to make workers’ welfare top on the agenda of his administration. The workers spoke in separate interviews withnewsmen in Ikeja. They said that though the administration of Gov. Babatunde Fashola had done well in that respect, Ambode should improve on what he had done.

Obiejigo, a Higher National Diploma, HND, holder from Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, allegedly forged a reference letter purportedly from the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, alongside his curriculum vitae requesting for employment in EFCC, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, and Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC.

APPARENTLY disturbed by President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to assent to the 1999 constitution amendment process, the House of Representatives, Wednesday moved to alter its House Rule to pave way to override the president’s veto after presenting a bill twice to him.

delta State Police Command has arrested no fewer than 15 suspected cultists terrorising Ogwashi Uku and its environs in Aniocha South Local Government Area. This came even as a wave of crackdown on cultists and criminal gangs in Delta North and other parts of the state has heightened. Among those arrested were alleged masterminds (names withheld) of activities of the gang operating in the Ogwashi Uku and Issele Azagba axis.

The Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (upstream), Sen. Kabir Marafa, has called for the removal of oil susbsidy to end the lingering scarcity of the product in the country. Marafa (APC Zamfara-Central), who stated this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, also called for the deregulation of the oil sector. He said that the unending subsidy claims were as a result of the non-deregulation of the sector.

THE embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu,Wednesday, resigned as chairman of the party following pressure from party leaders, stakeholders and supporters of the party.

Nigerian prosecutors on Wednesday withdrew murder charges against a 15-year-old girl who was accused of using rat poison to kill the 35-year-old man she had married.