Mr. Osamede Umweni is Coordinator, Edo Professionals. In this interview, Umweni states, among others, the qualities required from the next governor of Edo State, the factors that will shape the governorship election as well as the ambition of Godwin Obaseki.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, his Kaduna and Bauchi States’ counterparts, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, and the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun, met yesterday, with leaders of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo led by its President-General, Chief Gary Igariway in Owerri.

Former governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday failed to persuade the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja to return him to power.

THE Senate has begun the process of establishing a National Poverty Eradication Commission to provide a database of all issues relating to poverty in the country.

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, remanded a cousin to former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Robert Azibaola, in prison custody.

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Prof Ben Angwe has said that the commission will investigate the travel restriction allegedly placed on the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose and one other governor from the South South by the Federal Government.

ABUJA—The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, adjourned hearing on the 16-count charge against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, till June 15. The Justice Danladi Umar-led panel adjourned the case for Saraki’s defence to further cross-examine the star witness, Mr. Michael Wetkas.

ABUJA—The Federal Government has concluded arrangements to embark on a mass sack of officers and men of the Nigeria Immigrations Service, NIS, and the Nigeria Prisons Service, NPS. To this end, Vanguard gathered that a new condition of service has been approved by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau.

The Minority Interest Rights Advocates in Nigeria (MIRAN) has welcomed the reported position of the Arewa Consultative Forum and other well meaning Nigerians on the need to renegotiate the status of all Nationalities in the union called Nigeria.

The White House said President Barack Obama will not attend Muhammad Ali’s funeral, which coincides with his oldest daughter’s graduation.

A 59-year-old landlord and his son have been arrested in Lafia, Nasarawa State, by police for allegedly being in possession of firearms and robbing a tenant.
Mr. Lawal Shehu, the state Commissioner of Police, told newsmen that the landlord’s son, at about 2a.m., yesterday, robbed one of their tenants.

A 25-year-old herdsman, Isha Alhassan, who allegedly stabbed a farmer to death following argument over crops, has been arrested by Nasarawa State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

A police corporal, Mr. Daramola Tosin, attached to the Ekiti Police Division of Kwara State Police command, has been dismissed from service for allegedly killing and burying a Police Inspector, Mr. Lateef Shuaib, and then withdrew N300,000 from the dead officer’s account.

lagos—The Minister for Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday, assured Nigerians that the proposed Lagos-Ibadan segment of Lagos-Kano rail line project will be ready and operational within the next two and half years. Also to be ready within the projected period, Amachi said is the Port Harcourt-Calabar rail line. Both rail lines will, daily, move thousands of passengers across the affected cities.

ABUJA—Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, yesterday disclosed that the commission has received 32 fresh applications from groups wishing to be registered as political parties. INEC, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday said: “The commission has been receiving applications from various associations for registration as political parties.