PRESIDENT Muhammed Buhari, finally laid the 2019 budget before the National Assembly, on Wednesday 19th December 2018; that is, barely 2 days before Parliament vacated for the Year End holidays. Incidentally, there was no apparent regret, nor indeed explanation why this mandatory process took so long; arguably, however, tardy implementation and gross distortion of the budget plan are the usual products of such casual approach to this critical national assignment.

PORT HARCOURT — SENIOR citizens in Rivers State have accused Governor Nyesom Wike and his predecessor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation of being the “source of great pains to the state” over insecurity and setbacks allegedly being instigated by their lingering political conflict.

Seven people escaped death, yesterday afternoon, as the mini-bus, popularly called Korope, they were travelling in was rammed into at Oshodi.

HORACE, 65-8 BC. VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 61. That the people perish for lack of good leadership has been one of the abiding verdicts of history. The Nigerian situation today is proving Horace right. In the last three months, I have found myself in several states, east, north, south and west – Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kogi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Niger, Ed,. Imo, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and of course Lagos. There is a common thread linking all of us in this country today.

Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo said the team has all it takes to reach the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where the team is hoping to make up for missing the 2015 and 2017 editions.