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By Paul Ejime Abuja, June 28, 2028 – Only politicians and their supporters numbed by greed and insensitivity to human suffering, and (there are many in Africa), did not anticipate the “Youth Revolt” of June 25, 2024 in Kenya. But this appears to be the beginning of a renewed “people power” revolution against bad governance, even though the death of more than 20 Kenyans was avoidable and unnecessary before President William Ruto could withdraw his government’s anti-people Finance Bill 2024 after the June 25 mayhem. He was probably riding on …

Abuja, June 25, 2024 – The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed media reports that the Senate was proposing the purchase of new aircraft for the president and vice president. According to a press statement issued on Tuesday by Jackson Udom, the Media Aide to the President of the Senate, Akpabio made the rebuttal during his visit to Maiduguri. The statement said Akpabio denied the reports while speaking to newsmen in Maiduguri after leading a delegation to pay a condolence visit to Senator Tahir Monguno over the death of his …

Abuja, June 25, 2024 – President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Olatunji Bello as the new Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice-Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), pending confirmation by the Senate. The appointment was announced in a statement on Monday by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity. Bello is a lawyer, administrator, journalist and former secretary to the Lagos State government. He holds Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos; he studied Law at the …

Abuja, June 16, 2024 -The Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) has justified the new tariff for Nigeria’s top end electricity consumers, but does not think the authorities are doing enough to communicate with Nigerians. In a policy statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju, the Policy Think tank noted that there is a need for Nigerians to know that years of little or no investment in the power value chain had created a major challenge for the sector. IMPI said: “The crux of the matter is bridging the historically …

Lagos, June 15, 2024 – Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chief Executive of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), says Nigeria’s rating on women’s participation in elective office as the lowest in Africa is disappointing. She, therefore, called for more support to women’s participation in politics by political parties and the parliament. Dabir-Erewa made the observation while delivering a lecture on “The Role of Women in Nation Building” at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex in Ikeja as part of activities marking the 25 years anniversary of democratic governance in Nigeria. She …

Lagos, June 15, 2024 – A lot of mischief is going on in the banking sub-sector of Nigeria’s financial ecosystem since the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the banking licence of Heritage Bank Plc on June 3, 2024. The not-so-subtle campaign by some faceless groups to demarket an otherwise solid financial institution like the Fidelity Bank has not escaped the attention of discerning banking publics. But it is a mischief taken too far. In revoking the banking licence of Heritage Bank, the CBN made it clear that its board …

Port Harcourt, June 15, 2024 – Siminalayi Fubara,  the Governor of Rivers State, has called for responsible management of funds allocated to Host Communities Development Trusts (HCDT) in the Niger Delta. The governor spoke while inaugurating three additional HDCTs by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), operator of the SPDC Joint Venture comprising SPDC, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), TotalEnergies Limited and Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited. Represented by the state Commissioner for Chieftaincy & Community Affairs, Charles Amadi, the governor said the development in …

Abuja, June 4, 2024 – Flight operations have resumed at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport following the suspension of labour’s indefinite strike. Francis Akinjole, General Secretary of the Air Traffic Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, said the resumption of flights was after the strike was suspended for a week to allow unions to continue negotiations with the Federal Government on a new minimum salary. Akinjole said all entry points to the domestic airport terminals I (General Aviation Terminal) and II (Murtala Muhammed Airport II, Lagos) and others had been …

Abuja, June 4, 2024 – President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with representatives of the federal government on the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage at the State House, Abuja, ahead of resumption of negotiations on the new minimum wage. The meeting was attended by Minister of Finance, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and the NNPCL, Mele Kyari The meeting was not unconnected with the federal government’s new position state on the minimum wage following …

Abuja, May 28, 2024 – The Senate on Tuesday passed a bill, the National Anthem Bill 2024,  to revert to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.” With the passage of the bill and accent by President Bola Tinubu, the old anthem, adopted on October 1, 1960, will replace the current anthem. The bill seeks to revive the anthem which was dropped in 1978 during Olusegun Obasanjo’s military administration. Lillian Jean Williams, a Briton, who lived in Nigeria during independence, wrote the lyrics in “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” while …