March 2019

Gabon leader to return Saturday after long illness abroad

March 22, 2019 10:21 am

Gabonese President Ali Bongo, who is convalescing in Morocco after suffering a stroke five months ago, will return home this weekend for the third time since he fell ill, his office said on Thursday.

Bongo “will leave Morocco to return to Gabon on Saturday March 23,” presidential spokesman Ike Ngouoni said in a statement.

“(He) is delighted to return to his fellow countrymen… and wishes to give his warmest thanks… to the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, for his excellent welcome and incomparable support throughout his stay.”

Okorocha: INEC to meet today on Certificate of Return

INEC lists condition to issue Okorocha’s return certificate

March 22, 2019 10:11 am

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday insisted that it would not issue the governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC) a return certificate as an elected senator unless a court of competent jurisdiction gives the order.

“The position of the commission has not changed. The position of the commission is that we will not issue certificate of return to Governor Rochas Okorocha in relation to the senatorial election,” INEC’s head of voter education Festus Okoye said at a press conference in Abuja.

BREAKING: Court forces INEC to add Bayelsa units in poll

March 22, 2019 10:04 am

The Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include omitted units in supplementary election scheduled on Saturday for Brass Constituency 1.

The court presided over by Justice E. Inyang made the order in a motion ex parte filed by Preye Brodrick and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against INEC.

The court ruled that INEC should conduct supplementary elections in polling units 11-16; units 1-10 and 17 to 21 of Ward 6 in Brass Constituency 1 of the state on March 23 or any other day determined by the defendant (INEC).…

Tribunal sacks Osun Governor, declares Adeleke winner

March 22, 2019 9:58 am

*Voids results in 17 polling units

The Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal has voided the election of Adegboyega Oyetola as governor of Osun State.

In a two-to-one split decision by a three-man panel, the tribunal declared Senator Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election

Justice Peter Obiora, who read the lead judgement, voided the supplementary election held on September 27, 2018 on the ground that the state returning officer has no power to have cancelled election in seven polling units in four Local Government and order a rerun.

The tribunal, in the majority judgment,

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Women threaten to go naked over harassment in Anambra

March 22, 2019 9:53 am

No fewer than 100 women including widows from Ndiukwuenu community in Orumba North local government area of Anambra State, Friday, stormed the state police command, threatening to go nude over harassment by thugs and policemen in their area.

Besides, they demanded immediate release of two of their husbands arrested by the police Friday morning in the community.

The names of those arrested by the police on the orders of some land grabbers in the area were given as Raymond Egwu, a Catholic catechist and Vincent Nwafor.

Local bond market attracts $6b, says CBN

March 21, 2019 10:20 pm

THE successful conduct of the general elections is rubbing off positively on investments, with the inflow of over $6 billion into the local bond market.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele described the foreign capital inflows to the bond market as an indication of the continued investors’ confidence in the strength of the economy.

The CBN boss, who spoke yesterday at the BusinessDay Post-Election Economic Agenda Conference in Lagos, also set a post-election agenda for the nation’s monetary policy. The current policy stance of the bank is expected to continue while inflation is estimated to rise to 12 …

NOUN apologises to Obasanjo over salary controversy

March 21, 2019 10:08 pm

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has tendered an unreserved apology to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over a news report that he was taking on the payroll of the university as a facilitator.

The university further made it clear that the elder statesman had accepted to be rendering free services to the university in the same capacity.

The university made this known on Thursday in Abuja, through a statement signed by Mr Ibrahim Sheme, its Director of Media and Publicity.

The university said it was reacting to a story in a national newspaper on Wednesday that Obasanjo would

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Ooni of Ife hosts 2Face, wife Annie

March 21, 2019 9:56 pm

The Ooni Of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi has played host to Nigeria’s music icon, 2Face Idibia and his wife Annie, at his palace.

The Ooni of Ife’s official Instagram page posted a video of the visit of 2Face Idibia and his wife on Wednesday, where the king expressed his pleasure over the visit.

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Southern, Middle belt leaders back Atiku to challenge poll

March 21, 2019 1:07 pm

The Southern and Middle belt leaders have thrown their weight behind the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar’s resolve to challenge outcome of the 2019 presidential poll.

They also rejected outcome of the poll, saying Jubril (President Muhammadu Buhari) should bear a huge moral burden of the fraud that was perpetrated in the elections.

The former vice president has challenged the re-election Buhari in court.

He met with the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders on Wednesday in Abuja where he expressed confidence in the ability of judiciary in doing the right thing on the matter.

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Suspected ritualist lynched in Bayelsa

March 21, 2019 1:01 pm

Angry mob on Thursday lynched a suspected ritualist at Akenfa a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.

He was reportedly caught red-handed while trying to cut the body of a young lady he was accused of killing by the mob.

It was gathered that the young lady identified as Best, an indigene of Epie, was hit and killed by the suspect.

The community has come under attack by ritualists who kill women and harvest their vital body parts.

Sources said the suspect threatened to attack the mob with an axe when he was caught but that he was later

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CJN Onnoghen set for no-case submission, as FG closes case

March 21, 2019 12:56 pm

The federal government on Thursday closed its case of non-asset declaration charges against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, after calling three out of the six witnesses listed for the trial.

Onnoghen is being prosecuted by the federal government on a six-count charge bordering on alleged failure to disclose some of his assets in his Asset Declaration forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

2019 elections, a rape of democracy, says Labour

March 21, 2019 12:47 pm

The United Labour Congress (ULC) has described the 2019 general elections as a complete rape of democracy and an embarrassing sham that aborted the will of majority of Nigerians as expressed through the ballot.

It lamented that the Independent National Electoral Commission Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) negated the principles upon which elections are organised in saner societies.