Governor Seriakae Dickson was, yesterday, returned as the winner of the Bayelsa State governorship election. This followed the declaration of the results of the supplementary elections conducted at the weekend in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area and 101 polling units in six other local government areas. The supplementary elections followed the cancellation of the election in Southern Ijaw and the 101 units due to irregularities in the governorship election conducted on December 5, 2015.

The Presidency said, last night, that it would not interfere in the arrest and probe of a close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, Jafaru Isah, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged involvement in the Dasukigate scandal.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, yesterday, teamed up with other eminent Nigerians to give President Muhammadu Buhari a robust defence after the president came under criticisms for insisting that the Federal Government would not release former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), and the founder of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, despite several court directives to that effect.

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, made a robust defence of the integrity of all 36 ministers in his cabinet challenging anyone with a contrary view to present evidence against such a minister.

Speaking in his first media chat, the president said the first gains of the war against corruption would become evident by the end of March, next year, even as he accused erstwhile National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) of having allegedly committed atrocities against Nigeria through reckless disbursement of billions of government funds.

The Federal Government, yesterday, stated that effective January 1, 2016, Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, would be sold at N86 per litre by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC Retail stations, while other oil marketers would sell at N86.50 per litre.

Contrary to the projections of the World Bank that pegged the Gross Domestic Product growth rate at 3.7 per cent, the Federal Government economic agenda as contained in the 2016 budget breakdown insisted on GDP growth rate of 4.37 per cent thus making it ambitious.
Earlier this year IMF cut its growth forecasts for the global economy on the back of a slowdown in China, looming recession in Russia and continuing weakness in the eurozone.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, preached peace and love as Christians all over the world today celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, apologised to Nigerians over the persistent and biting fuel scarcity in the country and attributed the problem to market speculators and stakeholders who are resistant to change. He assured that the government was working hard to end the shortages urgently.

The Federal Government declared, yesterday, that it was more interested in recovering to the last kobo, all public funds stolen and stashed away by top politicians and their cronies under the guise of arms purchase.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Cofmmission (ICPC) disclosed, yesterday, it was prosecuting over 400 corruption-related cases in various courts across the country even as it blamed the judiciary for the drawbacks it suffered in the course of prosecuting the cases.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is set to reopen the trial of high profile politicians whose corruption cases had either been delayed or put in abeyance as a result of court injunctions.

As matters stand, embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), is now facing 47-count charges before three different courts and judges in Abuja.

As details of huge funds disbursed by the Office of the National Security Adviser under Col. Sambo Dasuki continue to surface, indications emerged last night that the embattled security czar is set to expose more top Nigerian leaders who benefited from the funds.

No fewer than 20 members of the Shi’ite sect were killed, yesterday, as the military cracked down on the sect for blocking the highways during their public procession in Zaria, Kaduna State. The sect, however, claimed that hundreds of its members were killed by soldiers who stormed three of its locations with heavy military weapons.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, docked erstwhile Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged N2.1 billion fraud.