Former British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, yesterday declared that world leaders and the international community were fully behind the re-emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s next President come 2011.

THE Ancient city of Benin, the Edo State Capital lightened up last weekend when Governor Adams Oshiomhole celebrated his second year in office as governor.He was sworn-in on November 12, 2008, following the Court of Appeal ruling which declared him winner of the April 14, 2007 governorship election in the state.

THE National Assembly is set to backtrack from the legislative proposal in the two chambers that all Senators and more than half of the members of the House of Representatives become members of the National Executive Committees of the political parties following strong objection from governors.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged Nigerians to use the occasion of the Muslim Eid-El-Kabir Celebration to make more sacrifices that would take Nigeria to greater heights just as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, urged politicians in the country to shun provocative statements as they campaign for the 2011 general elections.

Romance that went sourJUST like the roundabout movement of two lizards around a palm tree, it is not straightforward, except for those that read between the lines, to decode the candid grounds for the current political war in Delta state, which had witnessed the leader of one of the political kingdoms, the former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, running to Dubai, some months ago, like a refugee, and his anointed heir, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, removed as governor, a little over a week ago, precisely November 9, by a Court of Appeal.

Nigeria yesterday disagreed with Iran that the issue of shipment of 13 containers of arms intercepted at Apapa port where Iran was accused of complicity has been settled.

It is popularly called Ileya among the Yoruba, but its Arabic name of Eid-El Kabir captures its global relevance as an annual celebration among the Muslim faithful.

Five months to the April 2011 general polls, a thick cloud of uncertainty is still covering the exercise. And this is in spite of assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, that the nation would witness free and fair elections next year.

GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has warned that if the much talked about electoral reforms failed to come into fruition before the 2011 general elections, Nigerians would mobilize to resist any attempt to rig the elections by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

As the final countdown to the announcement of a consensus candidate by the North begins, the four Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirants (former military president Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former National Security Adviser, NSA, General Aliyu Mohammed Gusau and Kwara State governor, Abubakar Bukola Saraki) on the bill of the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, are already holding talks on their individual and collective post announcement activities.

President Goodluck Jonathan Saturday said that the Federal Government would ensure that enough funds would be provided for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) even if it will squeeze itself for the Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible election in 2011.

Militants, early yesterday bombed the Opokuma, Bayelsa State country home of the Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Timi Alaibe, killing his police guard.

THE battle for the governorship ticket of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Delta State turned bloody, Thursday night, when a private political army suspected to be working for a splinter group, bombed the residence of one of the governorship aspirants, Mr. Jude Ukusare , killing his 73-year-old mother, Chief (Mrs) Agnes Ukusare and a nine-year-old girl, Miss Favour Najemo.

THE Nigerian government yesterday fingered its Iranian counterpart as the brains behind last month shipment into Nigeria of 13 containers loaded with weapons such as grenades and rocket which were intercepted at Apapa port by the State Security Service, SSS.

Former Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Professor Eugene Okpere, who was abducted, Sunday, by kidnappers, regained his freedom Thursday, after the family was said to have paid N2.5million ransom.