National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said, yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari sacked heads of 27 federal parastatals on Monday because they were compromised by the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The cancellation of the election of the immediate past senate president, Senator David Mark in Benue south senatorial zone by the Appeal Court has created serious political curiosity and tension in the state. While it is obvious that David Mark was not the only senator who probably lost an election, the reverberation from the annulment is a clear indication that the embattled Mark is a big factor in Benue politics.

Factfile on Roma and Real Madrid ahead of the Champions League last 16, first leg between the clubs at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday:

WHEN President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2016 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly on 22 December 2015, he couldn’t have envisaged the type of controversy that has since trailed it. No, Buhari couldn’t have anticipated that what was initially praised as a budget of great promise would turn out to be the non starter that it is fast turning out to be- except somebody takes the bold step necessary to salvage it from imminent asphyxiation.

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, witness, Mr Emeka Emenalo, yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that he withdrew several sums of money from his company’s account within the period his account was credited by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

The Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria, IBMN, is set to hold its third distinguished honourary award/ induction of associates at the LCCI Conference Centre.

NSUKKA—The people of Aji community in Enugu-Ezike, Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, are grumbling over the poor condition of their community secondary school buildings. The Aji High School, which was built through communal effort in the 70s, is in ruins as all the six buildings in the compound are dilapidated and not conducive for learning.

ENUGU—The Enugu State House of Assembly, Tuesday last week, threw out the Equal Rights and Opportunities for men and women and Other Matters Related Thereto Bill sponsored by a female legislator, claiming that the bill was another way of introducing gay marriage in the state. The bill, sponsored by Dame Lydia Nkechi Omeje-Ogbu (Nsukka West Constituency) and House Committee Chairman on Gender Affairs, had scaled the first reading before suffering a setback as most members kicked viciously against it.

Former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

UMUAHIA—IT was a pitiable sight watching little Miss Chinaemerem Ochinihu Ikeri lay painfully on her hospital bed at the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Umuahia, Abia State. She could not talk, but only stared and gnashed her teeth continually. Chinaemerem, a pupil of Ubakala Community Primary School II, who hails from Oyimo in Ubakala, Umuahia South Council Area was said to have been knocked down by an officer of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in the state, who later abandoned her in hospital over eight months ago.