LAGOS—THE  Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, yesterday, urged the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to dismiss the fundamental right suit filed by human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, in which he is challenging the failure of the Federal Government to end the gridlock on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.

NIGERIA will go through another four-yearly ritual of a general election next year. It will be the country’s sixth since returning to civil rule in 1999. Given its chequered democratic history, the long period of uninterrupted civil rule is a credit to Nigeria. Yet, true democracy transcends routine elections. It is about a social contract under which the elected improve the general welfare of the society and the electors. Democracy is seriously undermined when it is reduced to a tiresome routine exercise of just electing governments with no subsequent positive change. Sadly, that’s the nature of democracy in Nigeria.

FORMER president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, who passed on Tuesday at the age of 88, was buried yesterday at his Otolo Nnewi country home.

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has concluded a stakeholders validation conference on the framework for Internally Displaced Persons IDPs with a resolution to make special provisions for IDPs outside Nigeria to vote in next February general elections.

AHEAD of the 2019 election, President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to reward party members that work hard for the victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

UMUAHIA—THE Abia State Police Command, yesterday, said it was still profiling the suspected 51 IPOB members in Umuahia, arrested while in a religious  procession on some major streets of the city.

AMIDST serious expressions of doubt over its ability to conduct free and fair polls next year, it is reassuring that the Professor Mahmood Yakubu-led Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has continued to be generally upbeat in its preparations towards the historic exercise.

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, has said that the wisdom behind the NITDA ‘Start-Up Friday’  is to identify young innovators who have potentials and see how they can be supported to achieve their dreams.

ABUJA— Communications Minister, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, yesterday, swore not to campaign for the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Oyo State.

ABUJA—THE senate  yesterday passed a bill for the Establishment of the South East Development Commission that would be saddled with the responsibilities of managing and administering funds received from the federation account for the purpose of reinvigorating and harnessing the commercial potentials as well as the overall socio- economic development of the geo- political zone.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has so far disbursed more than N100 billion to support the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, with another N60 billion set aside to specifically fund MSMEs in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

IN line with the Federal Government mandate to create a Made-in-Nigeria for Exports, MINE, project, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment, MITI, said the government would be increasing manufacturing sector exports to at least US $30 billion annually by 2025.

Brighton and Hove Albion coach, Chris Hughton said he is confident that with the qualities and experience of Leon Balogun his team can stop Chelsea when they clash in the Premier League on Sunday.

The need for both local, state and federal governments to address  the challenges of children with special learning deficiency has been brought to the fore, as stakeholders in the sector urged government and private sector to support them.

Henry Onyekuru said his Turkish Club Galatasaray were unlucky to crash out of the Champions League after losing at home 2-3 to Porto FC.