First Lady Patience Jonathan has called for equal opportunity for every Nigerian child to contest for the membership of the Children’s Parliament in May next year.

GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has challenged one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in the state, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege, who accused him of mismanaging N600 billion funds belonging to substantiate his claim.

Five National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in Omuma Council Area of Rivers have been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen, the police have said.

LESS than 48 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan announced his intention on Wednesday morning to declare for the 2011 Presidential polls, today, in Abuja, more than 7,000 followers on his Facebook site have thrown their weight behind him, saying God has ordained him and no man can stop him.

Wife of the Bayelsa State governor, Mrs. Alanyingi Sylva has led hundreds of women from the state to Abuja for today’s declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan for the presidential election.

LESS than eight hours to his formal presidential declaration, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday picked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP nomination form as well as that of expression of interest, to contest the 2011 presidential election under the party’s platform.

ABIA State Police Command, yesterday said it is currently detaining four police officers for divulging information provided by the public to assist the command in crime fighting

THE Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, in Edo State, yesterday, petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over what it described as the persistent kidnapping of its members and general insecurity in the state.

Governor Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State, yesterday, approached a federal high court sitting in Abuja, praying it to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from going ahead with its plans to conduct governorship election in that state come 2011.

Monarchs in the South South region ended their two days retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, stressing the need for the issues of fiscal federalism and resource control to be resolved as recommended by the Technical Committee on the Niger Delta.

DEPUTY Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Paul Ohonbamu has commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the developmental strides of his administration since his assumption of office.

WITH the approach of the general elections in the country come 2011 and Nigeria’s attainment of the golden age of 50 years come October 1, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Christ Embassy Church has charged Christians to pray for a rancour-free elections, saying that it was their responsibility to intercede for the nation’s fledging democracy and the politicians.

THE Federal Government, yesterday, took a swipe at former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, over his claim on the state of the Nigerian economy, saying that Soludo’s days at the CBN remain the worst ever in Nigeria’s history.

CRISIS is brewing at the Edo State Pensions Board, following allegations that some top members of the Board were involved in the registeration of fake names as pensioners to defraud the state government.

MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, yesterday, said it was not party to the alleged threat by any militant groups in the region on the Director-General of the Ibrahim Babangida Campaign Organisation, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.