The Presidency last night denied any form of feud or rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and a national leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

A Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) survey has shown that private sector operators expect the naira to further depreciate and inflation to increase further before the end of the year.

ABUJA—THE Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, said yesterday the Defence Headquarters had identified lapses that resulted in failures concerning the joint operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the prosecution of war against Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

IN the next few days, President Muhammadu Buhari, will commission NNS UNITY, the newly acquired Offshore Patrol Craft, OPV, from China. This is the second China-built OPV to join its sister OPV, NNS CENTENARY earlier commissioned. Both of them are expected to join the fight against all forms of illegalities in the national offshore oil and gas installations.

ABUJA—GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said his government is working to attract more development and investments to the state, even as the government is striving to ensure that the 2017 budget proposal gets to the state’s House of Assembly before December 15.

BY calling for war between Urhobo and Ijaw over a communal clash between Isaba and Aladja, Chief Omene has desecrated both the directional codes of Urhobo culture and the ethics of the engineering profession.

WITH less than 100,000 qualified medical doctors to a population of about 180 million, oil-rich Nigeria has one of the worst doctor to patients ratio in the world. This explains, in part, why Nigeria is among the seven countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world, averaging just 54 years. For perspective, countries like South Sudan and Afghanistan, ravaged by war in recent years, have higher life expectancy rates than Nigeria.

Meet Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu,the Governor of Abia State,Clinical Biochemist, former University don, one-time Chairman Obingwa Local Government, Former Chairman, Governing Board,College of Health, Technology Aba, General Manager, Abia State Integrated Passengers Manifest Scheme (ASPIMS) and Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA). But far more significant than his previous offices is his new job designation: the Chief Brand Marketer of Made- in- Aba products.

THE Nigerian Army, yesterday, began a security operation code-named Exercise Python Dance, in the five South-East states as part of efforts to ensure a hitch-free Yuletide period, with a warning to groups in the area that they would be the target if they foment trouble during the period.

Lagos—A Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, fixed January 16, 2017 for the trial of a Church General Overseer, Pastor Chris Anyalebechi, who allegedly defrauded his church member to the tune of N58 million.

Ahead of decision day for members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, on talks over production freeze or cut as they meet tomorrow, November 30, in Vienna, international oil prices advanced further yesterday.

ABUJA—THE national hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, rejected the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State and directed its candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, to head for the tribunal to cancel the poll.

The party went into the election with a disunited front following the crisis that trailed the governorship primaries, which appeared to have balkanised APC into two: Abuja APC that favoured Akeredolu and the South-West APC that wanted the primary revisited. President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, some APC governors and serving ministers from the South-West supported Akeredolu,

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested three robbery suspects for allegedly dispossessing victims off their valuables at Man City Bus Stop, in Ago-Okota area of Lagos.

Lagos—A 37-year-old estate agent, Bosun Shoyoye, who allegedly stole N5 million was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s court at Igbosere.