Politics

Lagos, Dec. 22, 2022 – The Canada Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised the party’s Presidential Campaign Council (PCC)  to look out for persons masquerading as its diaspora representatives.  Mr Elas Abone, the Chairman of the party in Canada,  said there was need for the APC to be careful in dealing with people who came to Nigeria as members and representatives of the party abroad. “This is an election year and already, we have reports of persons claiming to be diaspora chairmen, whose intentions are strictly to create internal …

Abuja, Dec. 22, 2022 -The Senate on Wednesday gave the Ministry of Interior 24 hours to defend the N700 million collected from Service Wide Votes to monitor Ondo and Edo governorship elections. The money was released in two batches of N400 million for Ondo governorship election and N300 million for Edo governorship election. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, told the senate that the N700 million would be accounted for by the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps. Senator Mathew Urhoghide, the Chairman, Senate Public Accounts Committee, said the excuse was not tenable because …

By Mbadiwe Okwor Enugu, Dec. 21, 2022 – Recent tirades by persons or pseudo-persons known to be Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s lackeys against the people of Enugu North Senatorial Zone are, to say the least, unfortunate. One of such was an article by one Charles Okonkwo in which he alleged that the elites in the zone had ganged up against the governor. He alleged that the elites had indulged in a ”choreographed gang up” typical of the ”hypocrisy that underlines Nigerian politics”. He also said that the elites had made ”hate-filled …

Owerri, Dec. 21, 2021 – Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has presented a proposed budget estimate of N474.466 billion to the state House of Assembly for 2023 fiscal year. The budget, tagged: ‘Budget of Wealth Expansion”, will seek to improve the state’s economy, security, agriculture, education, health, and transportation sectors, amongst others. The governor said that the estimated total recurrent revenue for 2023 budget was N150.45 billion, while that of 2022 was N142.855 billion, a 5.1 per cent increase in revenue projection. Uzodimma said that capital expenditure was estimated …

Abuja, Dec. 21, 2022 – Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of House of Representatives, has dissociated the House from the N89 trillion stamp duty allegation against key officials of government spearheaded by Mohammed Kazaure, its member Kazaure has alleged that over N89 trillion of stamp duty proceeds is missing and accused some key government officials as being responsible. Gbajabiamila told State House correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday that the House was not involved in the stamp duty controversy and would not want to be drawn into it. He said that Kazaure …

Abuja, Dec. 21, 2022 – The National Assembly will pass the Federal Government’s 2023 Budget and the 2022 Appropriation Bill on Thursday. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, gave this indication at the plenary on Tuesday. He said the president had transmitted the Finance Bill 2022 to the National Assembly and the House was billed to pass it by Thursday, The Speaker read the cover letter of the President on the bill titled, ‘Transmission of the Finance Bill 2022 to the National Assembly for Consideration and Passage …

Abuja, Dec. 20, 2022 – Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, for the second time, failed to appear before the House of Representatives today as scheduled. The House had summoned Emefiele to the House to explain his policy on limited cash withdrawal by individuals and corporate entities The first invitation was scheduled for Thursday last week, but he failed to honour the invitation. Edward Adamu, the CBN Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, wrote to the House to explain Emefiele’s absence last week, saying that he was part …

Abuja, Dec. 20, 2022 – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed fears that continued attacks on its facilities can threaten the success of the 2023 elections. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, expressed the fears in Abuja on Monday at a two-day workshop on political violence and election security organised by the National Defence College in collaboration with African Global Empowerment and Development Network. He called for an end to the attacks on its facilities as well as the insecurity ravaging parts of the country if the commission …