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The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it plans to use direct primaries to select its candidate for the September 21 Edo governorship poll. Duro Meseko, the APC deputy national publicity secretary, said this when he spoke with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja at the party’s national secretariat. He said this was part of resolutions at the end of the National Working Committee consultative meeting with Edo stakeholders. He urged the stakeholders to unite in trimming down the number of aspirants already in the race. Mr Meseko urged aspirants to play by the rules, advising them to explore internal party dispute resolution mechanisms instead of dragging the party to court at the slightest opportunity. “It was resolved that for the smooth running of the party, all members should...

Seven family members have died following a fire outbreak near Tudun Wada Juma’at Mosque in Kano, an official of Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullah, has said. Mr Abdullahi told journalists on Monday in Kano that the incident, which occurred on Sunday night, affected father, mother and five of their children. “We received a distress call at Dakata fire station from one Ibrahim Sani at about 12:25 a.m. that there was a fire outbreak in a building at Tudun Wada Quarters. On receiving the information, we quickly sent our fire fighting vehicle to the scene at about 12:30 a.m.,” he said. He said firefighters evacuated seven unconscious victims from the slightly burnt two rooms and a parlour they occupied and rushed them to the hospital. “The doctor confirmed seven of them dea...

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has described the Electricity Act 2023 as a game changer that will transform the electricity sector in the country. Makinde stated this when he received the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, on Monday in Ibadan. He said Oyo State would key into the transformation agenda in the sector, by signing its own version of the law. "For us in Oyo State, the game changer is actually the Electricity Act 2023, and we will take full advantage of the law. “As a matter of fact, we have started taking advantage of the new electricity law and I should be signing the Oyo State version of the law by the end of this week or early next week, because it has been passed by the House of Assembly. “Honourable Minister, let me give you the assurance that we ...

The Supreme Court on Monday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Patrick Tonye-Cole, against the victory of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. A five-member panel headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun reserved judgment on the appeal after all parties in the suit adopted their briefs of arguments. Mr Tonye-Cole had approached the apex court, insisting that Mr Fubara did not resign as Rivers accountant-general and acted as accountant-general exceeding the stipulated time provided by the constitution and electoral act before the election. The APC candidate also argued that Mr Fubara was not qualified to contest or even to be declared winner of the election. The Lagos Division of the Appeal Court had affirmed the elect...

The National Chairman, Nigerian Legion, retired Maj.-Gen. Abdul-Malik Jibril, has called on President Bola Tinubu to consider an upward review of the pension of military veterans in line with the current economic reality. Jibril made the plea in an interview with sharpedgenews at the Wreath Laying Ceremony to mark the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on Monday in Abuja. He also called for timely payment of the entitlement or gratuity and death benefits of those who paid the supreme price, to their families to reduce their pains. He said that there should be a corresponding review of pensions of retired veterans as the government is planning to review minimum wage for workers, adding that the current reality demanded holistic intervention. ``We should continue to enhance the we...

Minister of Defence, Muhammed Badaru, says the Federal Government will ensure better welfare for military personnel, veterans and families of the nation's fallen heroes. Badaru gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen at the Wreath Laying Ceremony to mark the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on Monday in Abuja. The minister said it was in recognition of the magnitude of the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces that Jan. 15 was set aside to remember those who had paid the supreme price for the unity of Nigeria. He said it was also a celebration and recognition of the effort that had been put in by the armed forces for the country to be united and live in peace and prosperity. ``First, first we have to thank the President for all the support and the love he show...

President Bola Tinubu on Monday led the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, members of the Federal Executive Council, National Assembly, service chiefs and the diplomatic corps to honour the nation's fallen and living heroes. The event, which involved laying of wreath at the National Arcade in Abuja, was the climax of activities for the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration (AFRDC). First to lay the wreath was the President, followed by the Senate President, Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola. The wreath was also laid by Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammed Badaru, his Federal Capital Territory counterpart, Nyesome Wike and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle. They were followed ...

Amb. Kalilou Traore, the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, says the country spent more than one billion dollars on organizing the ongoing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition. Traore made this known during an interview on the sideline of the official unveiling ceremony of the ‘AFCON Village’ in Abuja. He said the AFCON Village was set up by the embassy in partnership with Continental Hotels. He said the facility will transmit live matches till the end of the tournament, which kicked off in Cote d’Ivoire with 24 countries seeking for the continent’s most coveted football trophy. According to the envoy, the event, football and at large sports, have always been ways to unite people and his country could not have been more happier as host. “The government of Côte d’I...

Kalilou Traore, the Ambassador of Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria, has described cooperation between his country and Nigeria as remarkable example of African solidarity and continental unity. Traore said this in his inaugural address at the maiden Live transmission ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations matches in the AFCON village in Abuja. According to the envoy, the event which was put together by the mission through collaboration with the Abuja Continental Hotel would start from from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11. “The cooperation between Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria is a remarkable example of African solidarity and continental unity. “I would like to salute the presence of the diplomatic corps and all our guests and the diaspora for your presence alongside us. “I wish all participating teams...

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has expressed optimism that the judgments delivered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria regarding the governorship election disputes in various states across the country will pave the way for improved public faith in the nation's justice system. According to the CNG, these decisions have not only potentially reinstated the confidence and faith of Nigerians in the nation's justice system but have also demonstrated the judiciary's commitment to upholding the principles of justice and fairness. CNG, in a statement signed by its national coordinator Jamilu Aliyu Charanci, called on state governors to allow conduct of free and fair elections into local government councils in accordance with democratic standards. Charanci said: “The Supreme Court Just...

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that the rights of all Nigerians, regardless of their religious and ethnic beliefs will be protected under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Shettima made the pledge in Lagos on Saturday at 6th Nigeria World Maulid Anniversary National Conference and special prayer organised by the Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijaniyya of Nigeria in honour of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. He told the gathering that President Tinubu was guided by the message of the day, and was committed to protecting the rights and freedom of all Nigerians, regardless of their beliefs. “The teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) serve as a compass guiding us through the complexities of a multicultural world. ” He (prophet Muhammad) left us a template to manage a ...

Rotimi Akeredolu, the former governor of Ondo, who died of protracted prostate cancer, would be buried on February 23. Mr Akeredolu died at a German hospital on December 27, 2023, where he was receiving treatment. A copy of the funeral timetable shows that the remains of the former governor would be laid to rest at his hometown of Owo, contrary to insinuation that he would be buried in Ibadan. The activities heralding the funeral rite will begin on February 15 with a crusade at the seat of power, Akure, while a Jumat service will be followed the next day, February 16. On February 19, a valedictory service and tributes by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) will be held in Ibadan, and by 4 p.m. of the same day, a service of song at All Saints Church, Jericho and Jacob and Grace Ch...

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the board members of the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja. He said that the MDGIF would be domiciled in the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. Mr Ngelale said that Tinubu mandated the appointees to discharge their duties by upholding the highest standards of transparency, discipline and patriotism. He said those virtues were in line with the administration’s drive to enhance the role of the gas sector in achieving robust and inclusive economic growth for Nigeria. The appointees are MDGIF Governing Council Chairman – Minister of State, Petroleum Resources ...

Cote D’Ivoire Coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, has confirmed that one of his star players and Borrussia Dortmund of Germany striker, Sebastian Haller, will not play the opening game of AFCON 2023 against Guinea Bissau. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gasset said this at the team’s press conference on Friday in Abidjan. Gasset, who also confirmed that one other player was also struggling with a muscle injury, assured the supporters that there was no cause for alarm. He was reluctant to rule out Haller against Nigeria when asked, but explained that the team had five days to prepare for the Super Eagles. He said there were no longer small teams in Africa again, adding that his players were aware of the objectives of coming into the competition. “We want to start very wel...

The supreme court has affirmed the election of Abba Yusuf as Kano state governor. A five-member panel of the apex court held that the tribunal and the court of appeal erred by sacking Yusuf, candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), as governor of the state. The supreme court had reserved judgment after hearing the appeals on December 21, 2023. In March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Yusuf as the winner of the Kano governorship election. The Kano governor scored 1,019,602 votes to defeat Yusuf Gawuna of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 890,705 votes. In September, the Kano governorship election petition tribunal sacked Yusuf as governor of the state. The tribunal deducted 165,663 votes from the 1,019,602 record...

Troops of Operation Delta Safe, in one week, uncovered and destroyed 60 illegal refining sites and apprehended 30 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta. Defence spokesman Edward Buba stated this in a briefing with journalists on the operations of the Nigerian Armed Forces on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Buba said the troops also discovered and destroyed 37 dugout pits, 65 boats, 71 storage tanks, 14 vehicles, 108 cooking ovens, four pump machines and one speedboat. He said the troops recovered 1.01 million litres of stolen crude oil, 299,169 litres of illegally refined AGO and 3,158 litres of DPK. According to him, troops raided a suspected extremist militant hideout in Obot Akara LGA of Akwa Ibom and Akuku-Toru and Okrika LGA of Rivers. “Troops also neutralised two violent extr...

The Federal Government is to raise about N35 billion for the Ajaokuta Light Steel mill through the local financial market. Mr Shuaibu Audu, Minister of Steel Development, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in Abuja. He said that the mill would produce iron rods to be used in the road construction programme of the administration aimed at creating thousands of jobs in the country. "The Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, has already written a letter through his ministry, guaranteeing that there will be off takers in the iron rods that are being produced. "Basically, the precedent is on the Renewed Hope Agenda which the Minister of Works is driving plans to construct about 30,000 kilometres of roads across Nigeria, ...

The newly-appointed Chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), says he will be the lead prosecutor of persons the commission charges with corruption. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chairman made the pledge at his maiden interaction with the media in Abuja on Wednesday. Aliyu, who said that he would lead by example, expressed the determination to do things differently from what obtained in the past. He said one of the steps he would be taking to improve the system was to show himself in court during the prosecution of persons charged with corruption by the ICPC. ``In the area of prosecution, by the grace of God I intend to be appearing in cases instituted by the ICPC ``As the chairman of the commission, whenever we have cases th...

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development , Mr Festus Keyamo, on Thursday urged new Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the aviation agencies to prioritise transparency , efficiency and collaboration. Keyamo gave the advice in Abuja at the inauguration and induction for the newly appointed CEOs and Directors of the aviation agencies. According to the Minister , such prioritise transparency , efficiency and collaboration is necessary to ensure effective public service delivery. He said collective efforts would build a safe, secured and efficient aviation industry that would focuse on making Nigeria a hub that meets international standards. “The President Bola Tinubu administration plans to focus on optimizing and boosting revenue generation for Nigeria’s Aviation industr...