While a disorderly opposition dithers in plotting to seize power from President Goodluck Jonathan, they may already have been outflanked by a coterie of powerful women who now call the shots in the same administration they are targeting to supplant.
Read full story in today's edition of LEADERSHIP.
The Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Akwa Ibom State, Effiong Abia, in this interview with Bernard Tolani Dada, speaks on issues concerning local council administration, severance package for office holders and the oncoming 2...
In just over a week’s time, the greatest continental football show piece in Africa, the African Nations Cup, will commence in South Africa. The south Africans claim that they are ready to receive the whole of Africa and there is no reason to disb...
As the prolonged absence of Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime continues to generate concern, a pro-democracy association under the auspices of Save Enugu Group (SEG) has urged the state government to quickly constitute a delegation to pay a visit to ...
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday read the riot act to Ministers, with a marching orders that they either sit up and produce results as promised Nigerians during his 2011 election campaign or resign their positions. There had been speculation about...
Following the dissolution of the Adamawa State Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the cancellation of the congresses it held by the party leadership, palpable tension has enveloped the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ...
The World Bank has increased Nigeria’s shares with it to bring the country at par with 15 other countries that are in that league. Giving the hint after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday, Minister of State for Finance, Mr Yerima Ngama...
The residents of Agase, a suburb of Gboko in Benue State, have fled their homes for fear of reprisal attacks from Boko Haram insurgents. Checks by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gboko revealed that most of the residents had fled their homes, follo...
Anxiety has gripped Adamawa State as two parallel Chairmen of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerges yesterday with each claiming to be the legally substantive Chairman in the state. The confusion in the state arises following the declaration by the Na...
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's intransigence and brutality mean there is a serious risk violence in Syria will worsen, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Thursday.
``If a violence scenerio is expected, then the international community must ``step up" its response,''Hugue added. ``President Assad's speech last week urged the Syrian people to unite in a war against his opponents.
``Given the regime's intransigence and brutality, there is a serious risk that the violence will indeed worsen in the coming months," Hague told parliament.
``If that happens the international community's response will have to be stepped up. So we will not rule out options to save lives and protect civilians," he added. (Reuters/NAN)
Nigerian music star, Dapo 'D’banj’ Oyebanjo aka the Koko Master anticipated interview with Toolz on “the Juice” at NDANI TV.
Mr Banji Sarumoh, the General Manager, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Ilorin, said that Nigerian journalists had the worst conditions of service in the world. Sarumoh made the statement on Wednesday in Ilorin at a session taged ``NUJ Parliament'', organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kwara chapter.
He observed that the media played pivotal role in the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria. He blamed poor funding and proliferation of media houses for the impoverishment of journalists, urging the NUJ to clamp down on media houses that could not pay staff salaries.
“Nigerian journalists have the worst condition of service in the world and this is because of proliferation of media houses. “What journalists collect in Nigeria today is very ridiculous when compared to the job we do.
“The NUJ should guard against the proliferation; why must someone set up media outfit, when he knows he cannot pay salary?" Sarumoh advised journalists to embark on developmental and investigative journalism and be conscientious while discharging their duties.
He said there was need for journalists to avoid unnecessary romance with politicians, to give the profession good image. “We have fallen short in areas of developmental and investigative journalism; what we do most is politicking and writing political stories. “Embarking on developmental journalism will help the nation and the people as a whole,” the general manager said. (NAN)
Indian President Shri Pranab Mukherjee has bestowed the country's honours on 15 overseas Indians including Shri Rajkeswur Purryag, the President of Mauritius, as part of activities marking Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (BPD) 2013.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the Nigerian delegation to the convention reports that the colourful ceremony held at Le-Meridien Hotel, Kochi, India, on Wednesday.
NAN reports that the awardees were recognised for their roles in various fields of human endeavour in their respective countries of abode. Purryag, the president of Mauritius, who was the Special Guest of Honour at the PBD 2013 was given an award for his achievements in public service while the Australia India Society of Victoria was given community service award.
Others who received community service award were Mr Ashok Vaswani based in Guinea, Indian Doctors Forum, Kuwait, Tan Sri Ravindran Menon, Malaysia, Dr Salendra Singh, New Zealand and Mr Bava Pandalingal of UAE.
Other recipients of Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award were Prof. Gursharan Chhatwal of Germany, for Science, Mexico based Dr Rasik Joshi for Literature, while awards for Business went to the duo of Mr Gilbert Moutien of Reunion Island and Mr Mohammed Karuvanthodi of Saudi Arabia.
Public Service award recipients were Mr Ismail Ebrahim of South Africa and Mr Subash Razdan of U.S. while Ms Patricia Rozario of UK got an award for Music while Dr Narendra Kumar of U.S. bagged Healthcare award.
Addressing the recipients and other delegates, Indian president Mukherjee commended the developmental roles being played by some Non Residents Indians (NRI), saying the Government of India was proud of them. ``While we celebrate the accomplishments of Indians in the Diaspora, we should not also forget that many of them are struggling to establish themselves and many are facing hardships,’’ he said.
He said the Indian Missions abroad have been working to solve many problems confronting the Indian Diaspora in their respective countries, urging the successful ones among them to assist the upcoming ones.
The President also urged the recipients as well as other delegates at the convention to assist India in its economic growth policy by being partners in progress in the drive towards the realisation of accelerated growth.
He said for India to regain its eight per cent economic growth, there must be high investment rate in the country with Non Resident Indians investing in Indian companies and establishing new ventures.
Mukherjee said that the government of India has set up a friendly economic regime to enable Indians abroad remit money to the country with over 67 billion Dollars remitted as at the end of Oct. 2012.
``With the knowledge and experience you have gained as academics, scholars, scientists, technologists, professionals and businessmen, you can play a decisive role in the development of India’’, he said.
NAN reports that the 2013 convention of Indians in the Diaspora was held in Kochi, India with the theme: ``Engaging the Diaspora: The Indian Growth Story’’. The day, Jan. 9, coincides with the date the father of the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi, returned from South Africa 98 years ago. (NAN)
The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining the peace in Plateau on Wednesday arrested nine persons for allegedly being in possession of sophisticated fire arms.
STF Media Officer, Capt. Slisu Mustapha, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Jos, alleged that they were arrested around Du, Shenabe and Bisichi villages in Jos South Local Government Area of the state. Mustapha listed items recovered from them to include one AK-47 rifle, one FN rifle, one sub-machine gun, one locally made shot revolver and a locally made long revolver. Also recovered from the suspects were a bayonet, a knife and two rounds of 9mm ammunitions.
``We received a distress call through our recently launched emergency telephone lines around 10.20 p.m. on Tuesday about sporadic gunshots in the villages and responded to it immediately. ``When our men got to the scene, they combed the areas and accosted the nine suspects who tried to get away in four vehicles but luck ran out of them as they were arrested.
The media officer said the suspects claimed that they were invited by the villagers to secure them, following an alleged attack on them by some cow rustlers.
According to him, the suspects claimed that they actually exchanged fire with the rustlers in Du village. Mustapha said the suspects also claimed that it was in the process of trying to ambush the rustlers that they were arrested by the task force. He said preliminary investigation had revealed that the suspects acquired the weapons from various sources within Plateau.
``Even if there was an attack on the villages, they (suspects) have no right to be in possession of such sophisticated weapons which are not licensed.
``They have no right to take the law into their hands. They should have used the emergency lines to call our men for rescue,'' he said. Mustapha warned individuals or groups bent on fomenting trouble to shelve such idea as the STF was ready to arrest them.
``People who have made themselves enemies of peace should be prepared to face the full wrath of the law,'' he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other items recovered from the suspects included four vehicles, five telephones and some wraps of Indian hemp. (NAN)
Transactions on Nigerian Stock Exchange on Wednesday bowed to profit-taking with the market capitalisation dropping by N43 billion. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market capitalisation, which opened at N9.297 trillion depreciated by 0.46 per cent to close at N9.254 trillion.
The All-Share Index lost 132.68 points, which represented 0.46 per cent, to close at 28,956.83 against the 29,089.51 posted on Tuesday. Nigerian Breweries led the price losers' chart with N4.85 to close at N145.65 per share. It was trailed by Presco with a loss of N1.90 to close at N20.50, while National Salt lost 44k to close at N8.30 per share.
Stanbic dropped 33k to close at N11.21, while FBNH dipped by 26k to close at N17.25 per share. Conversely, NewGold, for the second consecutive day, led the gainers' chart, appreciating by N13 to close at N2,535 per unit.
Nestle came second with N3.50 to close at N710 per share, while Okomu Oil gained N2.15 to close at N49 per share. Lafarge Wapco gained N1.90 to close at N55.90 and was followed by Ashaka Cement with N1.71 to close at N20.69 per share.
The financial services sector was investors' delight, accounting for 335.08 million shares worth N2.72 billion traded in 3,396 deals. UBA drove activity in the sector with 147.58 million shares valued at N832.86 million traded in 147.58 deals.
In all, investors exchanged 455.81 million shares worth N4.06 billion in 6,980 deals. This is against the 529.79 million shares valued at N3.71 billion traded in 6,858 deals on Tuesday. (NAN)