Day: March 31, 2023

Supreme Court dismisses suit querying Tinubu’s qualification

Aminu Imam

The Supreme Court, in Abuja, has dismissed an appeal filed by three members of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), seeking to disqualify the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, claiming he was not qualified to contest the last presidential election. The apex court, yesterday, threw away the suit filed by a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, on the grounds that it was statute-barred, having no life to support it and legs to stand upon. Justice John Inyang Okoro, who presided over a 5-man panel of Justices of the Court, while…

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Senate Presidency Bid: “North-West should be compensated by appointing Barau Jibrin” – APC Kaduna Chieftain

Aminu Imam

A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Mohammed Murtala is urging the newly-elected senators to support Senator Barau Jibrin, member of the 9th National Assembly from Kano State, in his quest to become the Senate President in the 10th Assembly. In this interview with Voice of Liberty, the APC chieftain canvasses the reason why the Senator deserves to lead the Upper Chamber in the forthcoming 10th Assembly. Excerpts: Que: Sir, can you kindly introduce yourself and tell us your request? Ans: My name is Mohammed Murtala, a member…

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No Constitutional provision for an Interim Govt. — Ex-NBA President, Agbakoba

Aminu Imam

A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, says there is no provision for an interim government in the country’s Constitution. Agbakoba’s comments come a day after the Department of State Services (DSS) alerted the nation to plots by some political actors to bring an interim government into power and stop Bola Ahmed Tinubu from being inaugurated as Nigeria’s president. The DSS said the plot includes embarking on violent protests nationwide to engineer the declaration of a state of emergency as well as securing frivolous court injunctions…

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Nigeria’s public debt rises to N46.25tr -DMO

Aminu Imam

Nigeria’s total public debt stock increased to N46.25 trillion or $103.11 billion as of December 2022, the Debt Management Office (DMO) disclosed yesterday. According to the DMO, the new figure is made up of the domestic and external total debt stocks of the Federal Government and the sub-national governments (36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory). The DMO stated that the comparative figure of public debt as of December 31, 2021, was N39.56 trillion or $95.77 billion. This means that the country’s debt increased by N6.69trn or $7.34bn within…

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PDP reverses suspension of Ortom, Fayose, Anyim, others

Aminu Imam

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has squashed the suspension slammed on Governor Samuel Ortom, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim, former Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and others. This was made known in a statement yesterday, by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Debo Ologunagba. The leadership of the PDP also reversed the suspension order on former Governor Ibrahim Shema (Katsina). Ortom, who was referred to the Party’s disciplinary committee, has also had the summons reversed. The statement reads: “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)…

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US recovers over $53m in bribes to Diezani, expects $16m more

Aminu Imam

The United States (US) Department of Justice has announced the final resolution of two civil cases of foreign corruption offences and were laundered in and through the United States, among which is involving the payment of bribes to Nigeria’s former Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The announcement was made by the US Justice Department, in an issued statement on its website on Wednesday, by the US Assistant Attorney-General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. The US State Department is seeking the forfeiture of various luxury…

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2023 Hajj: Pilgrims to face accommodation problem – Official

Aminu Imam

The Saudi Arabian authorities have decided to demolish some of the buildings used for the accommodation of pilgrims, leading to thousands of Muslims who will perform the Holy pilgrimage this year facing accommodation problems. According to the Executive Secretary of the Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board, Umar Makun Lapai, 60% of the structures used last year are already being pulled down or marked for demolition. The increase in the number of pilgrims expected to perform the pilgrimage would further have a negative impact on the availability of accommodation for the…

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Protest in Abuja, as Shi’ite members demand release of el-Zakzaky’s passport

Aminu Imam

Protesters, yesterday, took to the streets of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to lift the travel ban placed on the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, a.k.a Shiites, Sheikh Ibraheem el-Zakzaky. The protesters, believed to be followers of the Shi’ite leader, demanded the release of the International passports of el-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, for a medical trip. A Federal High Court in Abuja earlier yesterday, had rejected an application filed by Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, asking the Department of State Services to release his…

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‘Appoint Igbo affairs aides’ – Uzodinma’s appointee, Adamu tells Northern Governors

Aminu Imam

Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma’s newly appointed special adviser for northern affairs, Hassan Adamu Sokoto, has tasked the 19 governors of the Northern states of Nigeria to immediately appoint aides on Igbo Affairs. Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, the State capital yesterday, Adamu stated that appointing core Igbos as Special Advisers on Eastern Affairs to the Government of the 19 Northern States will strengthen inter-state businesses and ensure Nigeria’s unity, peace, and progress. In the recently-concluded general elections, the Kebbi State-born All Progressives Congress, (APC), Presidential Campaign Council Chairman…

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“Zone Senate Presidency to North-West” – Arewa Youths

Aminu Imam

Ahead of the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly in June 2023, the Arewa Youth Council of Nigeria has called on newly-elected senators to zone the position of the Senate President to the North West for the interest of equity, fairness, and reward for hard work. Addressing a news conference in Kaduna yesterday, the president of the group, Isah Abubakar, noted that since the president-elect comes from the southern part of the country, it is only right for the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the number-three…

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