FOOTBALL is widely acknowledged as the only thing that unites Nigerians. Whenever Nigeria is involved in major international football tournaments, every citizen, from the President to the common person, forgets the many divisive factors wracking our national unity and commits to victory for Nigeria, irrespective of the ethno-religious or sectional backgrounds of the coaches and the players representing the country.

A COUPLE of weeks after he retired from the Nigerian Army as its Chief of Administration, Major-General Idris Alkali went missing on his way from Abuja to Bauchi through Jos on September 3, 2018.

IN a little over one week from today, the deadline given by the Boko Haram Islamist terrorist group for the Federal Government to resume talks with it or they will murder Leah Sharibu and other captives will be up.

IN July 2017, Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, at the opening of the 52nd National Council of Education meeting in Kano, disclosed that the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria was 10.5 million. This, he said, represented more than 50 per cent of the world’s out-of-school children which was 20 million.

THE Federal Government must hasten and wade into the ordeals of Nigerian traders doing business in Ghana. It requires serious, intensive engagement, else the issue might boil over into xenophobic attacks, which will seriously threaten the cordial relationship between Nigeria and Ghana.

Shortly after that, Boko Haram terrorists picked Abuja and environs as pet targets and unleashed a reign of terror on the Police Headquarters, United Nations building, motor parks in Nyanya and shopping plazas. It was also at this period that Nigeria entered the books of the world as harbourers of home-grown suicide bombers.

The lifting of Nigeria’s suspension from the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, a 155-member global group that facilitates the exchange of financial intelligence, expertise and capability, is a massive relief for our financial system.

AFTER a period of relative lull the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, called out workers to an indefinite strike action last week Thursday, September 27, 2018.

It was not surprising when three months ago, activities heightened towards  actualisation of the project. Minister of State, Aviation, Alhaji Hadi Sirika, indicated in May a deadline set by the President for the unveiling of Nigeria Air by December 2018. Then, on July 18, 2018, Sirika went to the Farnborough International Air show, London and unveiled the logo of the putative Nigeria Air.

Unfortunately, the presidential system we chose as a panacea for instability, coupled with our centralised federalism, have proved too expensive and extremely difficult to adjust for the benefit of good governance, despite several conferences and constitution-redrafting efforts.

In addition to sound knowledge of the law, he or she must be a person of good character. A SAN is a member of the Inner Bar and is granted the privilege to sit at the front row of the court and have his or her case called early.

INEC felt compelled to declare the poll inconclusive when it discovered that the number of votes cancelled in seven polling units (3,498) was more than the difference between the first and second placed candidates (353). It reached this decision based on INEC Election Guidelines made pursuant to Section 153 of the Electoral Act 2015.

THE Managing Director of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, NEMSA, Engr. Peter Ewesor has, once again, announced the Federal Government’s commitment towards demolishing all structures built around the Right of Way (RoW) of high tension electricity cables throughout the country.

THE serial attempts to amend the Electoral Act in readiness for the 2019 general elections have turned out as the messiest such effort since our return to democracy in 1999. The Electoral Act (Amendment Bill), which the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has just reworked, for the record fourth time, is the enabling legal instrument for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

Also, early in September this year, another high-level meeting was held in Germany under the sponsorship of the United Nations, Nigeria, Norway and the hosts, Germany, to focus on tackling the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region.