The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, has laid laid the blame for what he termed “the violent and brutal nature of the Nigerian state,” at the door steps of the nation’s political leaders.

A top civil servant in the Governor’s office (names withheld) who received his text message during a church service in Benin City, yesterday, complained that the civil service was being turned into a political arena, in a move that could kill morale.

Although all the nine banks –First Bank, Diamond Bank, Sterling Bank, Skye Bank, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa, Keystone Bank, First City Monument Bank, and Heritage Bank — suspended from the foreign exchange market have since been readmitted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the episode points to the need for caution when the regulatory authorities decide to wield the hammer to redress perceived violations.

AN aspirant in the December 8, 2014, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries in Abia State, Sir Friday Nwosu, has filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court, against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, which dismissed his suit against Dr. Uche Ogah, adding that the apex court will vindicate him.

ONCE again, a Northern leader issued a familiar query to his peers from the Niger Delta: what have you done with the money “channelled” to the region over the years? Hardly does a major political leader from that zone pass up the opportunity to issue this query, especially in addressing issues of resource control or demands from militant groups and other agitators for the development of the heavily-polluted oil producing areas of the country.

Against the background of the N1.6 trillion allocated to the National Assembly since the advent of democratic rule in 1999, Nigerians from different quarters are asking for constitutional amendments to compel members of the National Assembly to serve on part time basis.

WITH few days to the election, a middle-aged man was, weekend, arrested with about 25 Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) at Ugo in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state.

Ado-Ekiti—The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Ekiti State, Comrade Ade Adesanmi has denied the allegation that labour leaders in the state collected N25 million from the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state to embark on the recent industrial action by workers, describing the accusation as an insult to Ekiti workers.

A foremost scholar of Oral Literature and award-winning novelist, Prof. Isidore Okpewho, has died at 74.

ORGANISED labour, weekend, in Owerri, Imo State, urged the political and economic class to cultivate “a bipartisan and pan-Nigerian approach” to overcome the current economic crisis instead of passing blames and giving excuses.

Police in Lagos have arrested two suspects who specialise in switching off power generating sets at midnight to gain easy entry into apartments when the owners come out to inspect the cause of power cut.

I HAVE a soft spot for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, mainly because I was present at its birth. Nigeria had transited from long years of unaccountable military regimes that made little distinction between the national purse and private pockets. So corruption was rampant when the civilian administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo came into office in 1999. Following local and international pressures, the administration sought to fight corruption with specialised agencies. To set these up, stakeholders were invited to meetings which I attended as the representative of the Nigeria Labour Congress ,NLC.

ABUJA—BARELY two weeks to the resumption of lawmakers from their annual recess, the National Assembly Management has barred the convoys of service chiefs, Ministers, Comptroller Generals of paramilitary outfits from its inner premises.

THE Federal Government, yesterday, described as baseless and out of tune with reality the letter by congressman, Tom Marino, who had called on the United States of America to withhold security assistance to Nigeria.

Officials have disclosed Salisu Yusuf will this week in Abuja sign a contract as Nigeria chief coach, which will pay him 5million Naira monthly.