WARRI—ON January 17, ex-MEND leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, who a Federal High Court, Lagos bench warrant is hanging on his head, wrote President Muhamadu Buhari an open letter, outlining lengthy reasons why he had not showed up in court to answer the charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

IMMIRINGI—NOT many villagers at Immiringi, an oil-rich community in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, could explain the air of mystery, but all they know is that it is a taboo to carry a corpse across the revered Iye Creek in the town and those, who disobeyed the command in the past had themselves to blame. Set in a thick mangrove environment, the Iye creek is not appalled at the living swimming and doing any other thing in it, but for the dead, it is off limits except under certain conditions.

Former Liverpool and Portugal defender Abel Xavier has been named as the new coach for the Mozambique national squad, the Mambas, local media reported Tuesday.

EKPORO—PARAMOUNT ruler of Ekporo community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, HRH Samuel Obe, and his subjects, who fled their homeland three years ago after the people of Ogu, a neighboring community in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area of the state, allegedly invaded, setting their homes and other property ablaze, have been living in exile since 2013.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress from Kogi East have denied media reports (not Vanguard) that they have endorsed one Gowon Usman Egbunu as Deputy Governor to Kogi Governor-Elect, Alh. Yahaya Bello, claiming the purported endorsement was forged.

OYOKU ASANG—PUPILS reluctantly recline and sit on the floor in ramshackle classrooms to learn at public primary schools in Oyoku Asang and Okisu communities, Okobo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State because of the state government’s inability to provide them adequate chairs, benches and other basic education requirements. Uncomfortable parents/guardians are pulling out their children/wards in their numbers from the ramshackle public primary schools, citing unspeakable infrastructure decay and neglect by the state government.

AHEAD of this year’s governorship election in Edo State, former governor the state and governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, has said that the assertion that only a Bini man can win the forthcoming governorship election in the state was wrong, adding that he remains the best aspirant of the party to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole and, therefore, deserves to be supported by all the leaders.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress from Kogi East have distanced themselves from reports in the newspapers that they have endorsed one Gowon Usman Egbunu as Deputy Governor to Kogi Governor-Elect, Alh. Yahaya Bello, claiming the purported endorsement was forged.

Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, university don turned politician served two terms in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and won a reputation of steadfast loyalty to the party and its leaders in his native Edo State. In this interview, he spoke on diverse issues including the alleged scam in the office of the National Security Adviser, which he dismisses as a non-issue and gives his assessment of the administration in Edo State.

Former Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has described as malicious attempts by Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), to link her with the $2.1 billion arms scandal.