BENIN—Former two-time governor of old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, has withdrawn his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Sacked Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has joined the Portuguese presidential campaign trail, backing conservative candidate Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in a video posted on YouTube.

The Federal Government, yesterday, docked the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on a six-count criminal charge bordering on treasonable felony.

THE meeting called yesterday by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung had all the trappings of reopening the already settled leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). It took a dangerous turn when the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa who is laying claim to the same office almost engaged each other in fisticuffs.

LAGOS — Nigeria’s difficulty to import refined petroleum products, particularly, Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, has worsened as foreign suppliers have blacklisted Nigeria from further business until such transactions are dollar cash backed.

Mr Shehu Bankole-Hameed, author, politician is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Bankole-Hameed, a member of the Lagos Forum in this interview, faults the agitation for Biafra. He also bares his mind on other sundry issues.

Governor Abdulazeez Yari of Zamafara State, has denied reports that he is romantically involved with Zarah, one of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari.

THE Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria, yesterday, imposed stamp duty of N50 on bank customers for money received into their accounts.

IKOT AKPAN UDO—WHY is the Akwa-Ibom State Government observably indifferent in bringing to book the armed youths, who in August 2008, invaded the peaceful Ikot-Akpan Udo community, Ukpum Ette clan, Ikot –Abasi Local Government Area of the state, killing 13 persons and razing over 500 houses despite the cries of the people for justice in the last eight years? The lethargy of state government, which in November 2008, set up a Commission of Inquiry that did not submit its Report on the incident until 2014 because of sharp disagreements among the members, also emboldened the attackers, July 12, 2015, to storm the village again, and abduct and murder 32-year-old Joel Sunday.

The Federal Government said, yesterday, that 55 well-placed Nigerians stole a whopping N1.34 trillion between 2006 and 2013, an amount that would have been enough to provide significant developmental projects across the country.

It was a theatre of confusion, yesterday in Aba as eight members of the the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were allegedly shot dead by the military during their peaceful protest over the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, according to the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful .

ABUJA — Indications emerged last night that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has received some lead on how some of the indicted top serving and retired military officers looted the nation through fraudulent arms contract and direct diversion of funds meant for arms procurement.

SOLDIERS, last night, invaded Okpelama community, Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, in search of militants, who commenced bombing of crude oil and gas pipelines in state, few hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos issued a bench warrant for the arrest of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, last Thursday.

Attacks on oil installations in Delta State entered the third day, yesterday, as militants blew-up major crude oil and gas pipelines to the Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Tank Farm in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.

There was tension in the South-East, yesterday, following the threat by the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra,MASSOB,and the Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB, to, from tomorrow,lock down the region in protests, over the continued detention of Radio Biafra Director,Nnamdi Kanu.