Goods and household items valued at over N1billion were at the early hours of yesterday, consumed in a fire outbreak at the popular Wadata Market in Makurdi town.

Elizebeth Robertson, a renowned expert in Counter-Insurgency and Confliction Resolution based in Geneva has made a shocking revelation, saying the lack of youths empowerment in Yobe and Borno states are strong likely causes promoting insurgency in north east Nigeria. Robertson lamented that in spite of the efforts made by the Nigerian government and a multi-national […]

Countering the PDP on diversion of military funds,  the APC asked the PDP to change its electioneering campaign tactics because its style of diverting public funds for politicking is now old-fashioned.

A frontline member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Chief David Ugedi, has endorsed the re-election campaign  of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in “appreciation of the infrastructure development, especially roads construction in the riverine communities of Burutu, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.'”

FOLLOWING the controversy that had trailed presentation of Lagos State 2019 proposed budget, the State Government, yesterday, said the activities at the State House of Assembly was responsible for the delay in presentation of 2019 Appropriation Bill.
The state Government also disclosed that the 2019 appropriation bill forwarded to the House was N852.317billion, a size lesser than N1.04 trillion approved for 2018 by N193.683 billion.
This came barely two days after Vanguard had published that the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, allegedly ended the tradition that had trailed budget presentation in the state.
In a statement, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Olusegun Banjo, said that the Governor had perfected every steps to sustain the tradition on budget presentation but his efforts were rejected by the lawmakers who claimed they could not form a quorum for the activities to hold.
According to him, the 2019 Budget was already before the State House of Assembly and was intended to be read before the house on December 24, 2018.
Banjo explained that the Governor had sent verbal information to present the budget on eve of Christmas after the State Executive Council approval on December 19, 2018, but the ceremony was postponed as the House was on recess and thereby could not form a quorum.
The commissioner noted that to meet the traditional presentation, a formal letter was sent to the House on Friday, December 28, 2018, forwarding the contents of the budget.
“It is expected that when the House reconvenes, the Speaker would inform members of the content of the Budget proposal sent by the Governor and take necessary action.”
The Commissioner also disclosed that the size of the 2019 budget proposal forwarded by the Governor to the House was N852.317billion.
Recall that Ambode signed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of the state into law with a total budget size of N1.04tn.

YENAGOA—A brother of former Bayelsa Deputy Governor,  Princewill Ekisimene-Ebebi, has dragged the authorities of Operation Delta Safe before a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, demanding N5 billion as damages for his alleged “detention for 134 days without trial and violation of his fundamental rights.”

OSOGBO—GOVERNOR Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State has described payment of taxes as necessary support to support the development of the state.

AKURE—THE alumni of Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Ondo State, yesterday, opposed moves by the Federal Government to rename the institution after the late former President Shehu Shagari.

Participants at the recent two weeks training on aquaculture production and fish post-harvest technology for unemployed women and youths, organised by Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research, NIOMR and held at NIOMR, Badore fish farm, Lagos.

The Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr  Felix Obuah has  urged the people of the state to vote for Governor Nyesom Wike and all PDP candidates for the national and state house of assembly elections in February.

Super Eagles and Charleroi FC forward Victor Osimhen has stated that the football world is yet to see the best of his 2015 U-17 FIFA World Cup teammate Samuel Chukwueze who has been in flying form since being drafted to Spanish side Villarreal’s senior team few months ago.

OWERRI—The Special Court of Appeal Panel constituted by the President of the Court of Appeal, to hear and dispense all pre-election appeals in the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, has ordered the Federal High Court, Owerri, to continue to hear the matter instituted by Senator Sam Daddy Anyanwu, against Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on grounds of alleged constitutional breaches and limitation.

Women from all works of life thronged the Satellite Town area of Lagos recently when the Women Wing of the Diocese of Lagos West, Anglican Communion launched the first trade fair within the locality.

GOING by the dictionary definition of secularism as ‘concern with temporal, worldly matters’ to the exclusion of ‘religion’, a nation, therefore, cannot be said to be secular merely because either by law or by choice it has succeeded in subordinating all forms of organised religion to the whims and caprices of the state.

ENUGU—IN accordance with section 46 of the electoral act 2010 as amended, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday pasted notice of 2019 polls in Enugu.