There were indications that the Federal Government will be running a more expensive government next year, following the budget breakdown given yesterday by Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, which indicated a personnel cost budget at seven-year high of N1.86 trillion.

*Says no jumbo allocation for foreign missions ABUJA— President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, expressed optimism that the current economic recession will end next year. Buhari, while declaring open in Abuja an induction course organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for career ambassadors-designate recently cleared by the Senate, said:  “We are optimistic that the external factors […]

By Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado Ekiti—Ekiti State  All Progressives Congress has warned the state Governor Ayodele Fayose against misinforming the beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s N-Power scheme in the state, cautioning that it is too late to employ deceit to secure undeserved support of the people. The APC, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo […]

DEVELOPED societies do not happen by accident. They are products of conscious, deliberate and focused planning. Included in this planning are programmes for youths. When we say the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, it has great implications. When you lay good foundation for the youths, the future is assured but when they are neglected, society pays for it. Part of the reasons Nigeria is in the current mess is the neglect of our youths.

By Onozure Dania Lagos—The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, yesterday, said that the 17 Justices of the Supreme Court were enough to man the court as what they need was leave of court to decongest cases and not the creation of more courts. He said that in other parts of the […]

FORMER Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor and erstwhile Commissioner for Housing, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, has said the return of the former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, will definitely change the political equation in the state.

ASABA- CHAIRMAN of the Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Peace and Security, Hon, Michael Diden, aka Ejele, has disclosed the risky combats of the committee with oil pipeline vandals and kidnappers, who severally opened fire at members to hinder efforts to rein them in.

POLITICAL instability is endemic in Nigeria today. I am submitting some points that may assuage the situation. I believe all should return to the original party on whose ticket they were elected. If however, an elected official have crossed to another party, he should contest an election. But who should initiate this? I believe this should be the responsiblity of the Independent National Eelectoral Commission, INEC,!

PROMINENT leader of Itsekiri ethnic nationality and All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain, Chief Ayiri Emami, a long-time political associate of former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, says that those who accused him (Ibori) of corruption and chased him out of the country are corruption personified.

…As Ambode hosts Tinubu, Aregbesola, ex-govs to special evening By Olasunkanmi Akoni Lagos—Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Sunday hailed tax payers in the state for performing their civic obligations faithfully, saying the State recorded more Internally Generated Revenue this year than what was recorded in 2015 despite the economic recession in the country. […]

Players of Taraba State’s male and female football teams, Taraba FC and Taraba Queens, yesterday shut down activities at the government house in the state capital, Jalingo, to protest the  non-payment of backlogs of their salary arrears. The players are demanding immediate payment of 21 months’ salary arrears from the Taraba State Government. Security operatives […]

DEMAND for oil is expected to outstrip supply in the next six months as long as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC and countries outside the cartel can implement a deal signed penultimate weekend to lower output, the International Energy Agency, IEA, one of the world’s leading energy forecasters, has said.

The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar IV and the charismatic Catholic Priest of Adoration ministries, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, yesterday, met in Enugu where they preached for religious tolerance across regions in Nigeria.

DUE to difficulties faced in the acquisition of pre-paid meters, Ikeja Electric wants the credited advance payment for metering implementation, CAPMI, scheme to be brought back to discourage estimated bills.

NATIONAL Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Yobe State, North East Nigeria, recorded the highest price of N162.0 per litre of premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly known as petrol in November.