Nigeria : News

News : Nigeria : News

Against all expectations, former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday failed to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Power and Steel investigating the alleged expenditure of $16 billion on the power sector during his administration, saying he was "slightly indisposed." (AllAfrica)

PDP national chairman Vincent Ogbulafor stirred a controversy recently by saying that his party would rule Nigeria for 60 years. Not minding the criticisms that statement attracted, Ogbulafor edited it at a rally of the party in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Saturday: the PDP will rule for the next 100 years, he said. (AllAfrica)

Anglican Bishop of Jos Diocese, Bishop Benjamin Kwashi, has stated that the revelations currently emerging from the House of Representatives' Probe of the energy sector was a big indictment on the past Nigerian leaders for failing to provide the people with hope and right leadership. (AllAfrica)

More than eleveen vehicles yesterday were vandalised by "Area Boys" at Gudu, Tangaza Local Government area of Sokoto State in a clash between the state chapter of the Democratic Peoples' Party (DPP) and People Democratic Party (PDP)campaign,while a female supporter of DPP also sustained a serious injuries. (AllAfrica)

The Bayelsa State Resident Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Humphrey Nwangeneh yesterday admitted that the commission is under pressure from some unnamed politicians and political parties in the state over the May 24 governorship re-run with cases of litigations against staff and the commission, saying they are ready to obey any court order. (AllAfrica)

Dissatisfied with Nigerians' penchant for peddling rumours about President Yar'Adua's state of health, a federal lawmaker, Honourable Sani Dabai, has asked them to wish well for him, as they have nothing to fear since it is God Who gives life and death. (AllAfrica)

Obasanjo may now answer questions arising from the probe in private and outside the chambers of the National Assembly, THISDAY checks also revealed. (AllAfrica)

THE 2008 Olympic Games begin in Beijing, China, on August 8. They will run until August 24. Much of the talk about the Games has been on the Tibetan protest, denying some the opportunity of knowing the Games are only 12 weeks away. (AllAfrica)

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, failed yesterday to appear before the House of Representatives Committee probing the power sector with Chief Obasanjo citing slight indisposition. (AllAfrica)

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the members of Nigeria's House of Representatives to stop delaying the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill after its consideration was deferred for the fifth time last week. (AllAfrica)

Over 300 children took to major streets of Port Harcourt yesterday in protest of rising cases of kidnapping of children and women with a call on the state government to find a lasting solution to the menace. (AllAfrica)

The Board of Directors of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has approved a major repositioning "to fully enable the bank realise the next phase of its strategic growth and global expansion", a statement from the bank yesterday said. (AllAfrica)

Unless drastic measures are taken to curtail the activities of militants in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria would have to struggle to extricate itself from the economic consequences of the crisis in the next few months. Monitors and experts in the energy sector say the seeming criminal activities of the militants in the region, which had in the last few months hugely affected the sector negatively, would snowball into a serious economic crisis for the nation, if not checked. As one expert put it: "The Nigerian oil industry may soon be in the throes of the development in Angola at the heat of the civil war in the 1980s." (AllAfrica)

Human Rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), yesterday expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their unique celebration of his 70th birthday, even in his absence. (AllAfrica)

British Airways cuts the image of a lawless, racist airline. Ironically, its lawlessness begins and ends with its treatment of Nigeria and Nigerians because Nigeria itself is a lawless country run by men who do not care a hoot about what treatment foreigners met out to their subjects. The BA crew involved in the ugly incident of March 27, 2008, where 136 Nigerian passengers were ordered out of the airline's plane are quoted as telling their victims that nothing would happen. They apparently were speaking from a position of strength given their experience in the past. (AllAfrica)

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday said that the physical presence of the chairperson, Senate Committee on Health, Mrs. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello is mandatory for the consideration of her application, seeking to quash criminal charges of alleged retention of N10 million stolen from the federal ministry of health. (AllAfrica)

The Federal Government is to pump in a whooping N400 billion into the economy in the next few days as a way of achieving a double-digit gross domestic product growth level for the economy. The sum is part of the excess crude earning. (AllAfrica)

Since the return to democracy in 1999, the nation has made spirited efforts to achieve development, the elusive so-called dividends of democracy. In the first democratic administration spanning a period of 8 years ending 2007, progress was made in various facets of the Nigerian economy; an internationally acclaimed reform program was initiated, a vigorous war against corruption launched and even an image laundering project was undertaken. (AllAfrica)

The governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako, may have concluded plans to drag the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Boni Haruna, before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for the recovery of billions of naira, which Haruna was said to have diverted for his personal use. (AllAfrica)

As the upper legislative chambers pick a dream team to review the 1999 constitution, the question on the lips of many is; would it toe the familiar terrain or record a landmark on our democratic enterprise? These are issues critically examined by Ben Adoga in this piece. (AllAfrica)

As the rainy season sets in, residents of Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory, have called on the FCT minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo Umar, to address the issue of flooding in the area. (AllAfrica)

It was good tidings the recent economic assessment on Nigeria by global investment bank, Goldman Sachs, when it revealed that the country might earn an additional $10 billion in annual oil revenues at the current oil prices from increase in oil production from 2.5 million barrels per day to three million barrels per day. In addition, it also disclosed that Nigeria's local currency, the naira, would appreciate by five per cent within the next one year. (AllAfrica)

Efforts by the Federal Government to attract private investment into the power sector will further be intensified next month with the staging of a five-day 2nd Nigerian Power Sector Investment Forum scheduled for Shangai, China on 2nd June. (AllAfrica)

The rate of accidents recorded by Mass Transit buses popularly known as el-Rufai buses has become a matter of concern to commuters who use these buses as their means of transportation to and from their places of work. (AllAfrica)

Armed men dressed in military uniforms invaded Okiki Community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and killed two policemen after sacking the police station located in the area. (AllAfrica)

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), on Friday appealed to the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency set up the Census Tribunal to deal with issues arising from the last census exercise in the country amicably and in a civilised manner. (AllAfrica)

Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, has set up a mechanism for the full implementation of the country's foreign policy also dubbed "citizen diplomacy". (AllAfrica)

A member representing Riyom constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Emmanuel Jugul, has tasked sports managers in the country to always hunt for talents in secondary schools during inter-house sports competitions. (AllAfrica)

As a concerned citizen of this great country, I have been following developments in both the polity and economy with keen interest. And at a point when a sigh of relief ought to be permeating the atmosphere, a cloud of uncertainty seems to be enveloping the sky. (AllAfrica)

Impeached former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose won the governorship contest in 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to become the second executive governor of the state created in 1996 by the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha. (AllAfrica)

"During the discussions, Nigeria again stressed the need for a peaceful runoff and to assuage the fears of opposition party on a violence-free and fair re-run election in Zimbabwe"

The Nigerian government called Monday for a large deployment of African Union observers to monitor run-off elections in Zimbabwe. via Earth Times