Nedu Echianu's Blog

President of the Senate,  Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has congratulated Nigerians on the 57th anniversary of the country's independence and for sustaining her status as a united and progressive country.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has urged Nigerians to be patient and optimistic, as the country would surely overcome her challenges.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has assured air travellers and other airport users of safety, security and comfort at her airports across the nation, as Nigeria celebrates her 57th independence anniversary.

Welcome to a new Legislative day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Senate President Bukola Saraki took the official prayer and led the chamber into today's proceedings.

Carlo Ancelotti has been sacked as manager of Bayern Munich. Following Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain, the club's board has decided to dismiss the Italian, who replaced Pep Guardiola at the start of last season.

… NASS to revisit devolution of powers to unbundle Federal Government The Deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has briefed the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, on the ongoing constitution amendment exercise. Ekweremadu, who met with the Forum at the Presidential Villa Wednesday night, explained that of the 33 bills on the proposed amendments, 21 were passed by the Senate and House of Representatives, while 12 failed.

-Calls For Safety of Journalists Online As the global community marks the “International Day for Universal Access to Information” (IDUAI), today, the International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos-Nigeria has announced the launch of the “The Nigerian Journalists Internet Rights Initiative (NJIRI)”.

Lagos based legal practitioner, Mr. Festus Keyamo, SAN, on Tuesday, said his law firm was not involved in the leakage of a video that showed ace twin musicians, Peter and Paul Okoye, otherwise know as Psquare, fighting in his chambers. Peter Okoye, Festus Keyamo, SAN and Paul Okoye However, Keyamo, in a press statement he made available to Vanguard, admitted that the feuding brothers had in some occasions in the past, had squabbles in his chambers as late as 12 midnight and 2am, one of which he said was captured in the video circulating online.

A former spokesman , United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Eduardo Cue, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to end the speculations surrounding his health by opening up to Nigerians about his illness. He stated that Nigerians deserved to know the health status of their President so they could be sure his ailment was not interfering with his ability to lead the country.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday recommended six months paid maternity leave and four weeks paid paternity leave to ensure healthy development of young children.

The Federal Government will be giving the French Government account details of the sponsors of terrorist group , Indigenous People of Biafra, Punch is reporting. The Nigerian Government had through the Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed , said that France was the headquarters of IPOB ’s funding. But the European country on Thursday said it had no knowledge of IPOB ’s presence in France.

The Indigenous People of Biafra on Friday asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside the orders proscribing it and designating it as a terrorist group. The Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdu Kafarati, had on Wednesday, issued the proscription order upon an ex parte application by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami.

A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan,  has dissolved the 30-year-old marriage between former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde and Anne due to irreconcilable differences. Onigbinde had approached the court, asking it to dissolve the marriage because his wife was wasteful while also describing her as a troublemaker.

Neymar has been named alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the three-man shortlist for the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, which was announced in London on Friday.

Making the decision to become an entrepreneur is never easy. When you eventually do, there are so many things you will gain. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares some of the benefits of being an entrepreneur.

During the Sunday school class in a Pentecostal church two weeks ago, Tomiwa, 11, was called upon by the coordinator of that session to read a verse in the Bible. Having been relaxed and certainly not expecting to be called, more so that there were many other Bible scholars around, she began to scramble for her eyeglasses.

Paris Saint-Germain forwards Edinson Cavani and Neymar were reportedly prevented from coming to blows by club captain Thiago Silva in the dressing room after their 2-0 win over Lyon on Sunday.  

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has announced a conditional suspension of the strike it embarked upon five weeks ago. But the union said that the suspension has time line for the Federal Government to implement what was contained in the memorandum of action the two parties entered into.

1. Following the clash between the military and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), I hereby call for calm and restraint by all Nigerians so that we would all jointly find the right solution to the current problem rather than worsening the crisis.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on the Federal Government to settle all debts allegedly owed oil marketers to engender growth of not only the downstream sector but all sectors of the oil and gas industry and develop the nation’s economy.

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal Palpable fear gripped residents of Sokoto State as some youths , on Saturday , attacked Igbo traders in the state . The incident , which visibly shook Igbo merchants on Bello Way and Emir Yahaya areas of Sokoto metropolis, forced other Igbo traders at nearby Sahara street to close down their shops and run for safety.

Press Release: DHQ CATEGORIZES IPOB AS TERRORIST ORGANISATION, LISTS MAJOR CRIMINAL OFFENCES OF BIAFRAN GROUP The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) group which has posed to be a security challenge in the Country, has been metamorphosing from one stage to the other. After due professional analysis and recent developments, it has become expedient, to notify the general public that; the claim by IPOB actors that the organization is non violent is not true. Hence, the need to bring to public awareness the true and current state of IPOB.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has condemned in strong terms the military siege to the South East geopolitical zone, noting that dialogue and inclusion were best options in resolving the agitation in the region.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in the state are perpetrated by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the probe of past heads of the The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), over what it called poor remittances in the past.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has felicitated with the players, technical crew, management, backroom staff and supporters of Plateau United FC of Jos over the club’s emergence on Saturday as new champions of the Nigeria Professional Football League.

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has stated, ahead of the resumption of the Senate from its annual recess, that his focus since he assumed office as the presiding officer of the 8th Senate on the 9th of June 2015, has been to build an effective and efficient legislature that directly impacts the lives of all Nigerians.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed the suit by Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, challenging the validity of the process of recalling him by his constituents. Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, in his judgment, ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission “shall proceed with the recall process”.

The Senate has commiserated with one of its members, Senator Gilbert Nnaji (Enugu East, PDP) who yesterday lost his wife, Mrs. Ann Nnaji. In a statement by its Spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate expressed sadness over the death of Mrs Nnaji who was a pillar of support and a prayer warrior "always standing solidly behind her husband".

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has expressed sadness over the death of Mrs. Ann Nnaji, wife of the Senator representing Enugu East Senatorial District and the Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Gilbert Nnaji.

President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has stated that the 8th Senate will give accelerated consideration to the Occupational Safety and Health Bill (SB. 200), once the National Assembly resumes from its annual recess later this month.

Matchday 4 of the 2018 World Cup qualification (Africa) threw up some pleasant results which particularly changed the complexion and dynamics of Group B which comprise Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon and Algeria.

US country music singer Don Williams - who enjoyed great success with his easy-going singing style - has died aged 78 after a short illness. Williams began his solo career in 1971, amassing 17 number one country hits. His songs such as Gypsy Woman and Tulsa Time, were covered singers such as Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend.

The Senate has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rein in the chairman of the Presidential Action Committee on Anti-Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay who it accused of spreading falsehood and making hate speeches against the National Assembly. In a statement by its spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate stated that Sagay was fond of using every opportunity he has to make public speeches to disparage the Federal Legislature by using uncouth and unprintable words to describe the legislators and the institution they represent.

FIFA have announced that the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Senegal will be replayed after the referee for the match, Ghana’s Joseph Lamptey, was banned for life following the game.

The Eighth Senate, on Tuesday, applauded the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that showed Nigeria’s economy finally staging a comeback. In a statement signed by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, its spokesperson and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, the Senate emphasized that it was truly commendable that after five consecutive quarters of contraction, the Nigerian economy grew by 0.55% in the second quarter of 2017.

The Nigerian economy is out of recession, the National Bureau of Statistics announced Tuesday. According to the NBS, in the second quarter of 2017, the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 0.55% (year-on-year) in real terms, indicating the emergence of the economy from recession after five consecutive quarters of contraction since Q1 2016.

If the body language of Super Eagles players, Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa towards Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick in Yaounde, Cameroon recently is anything to go by, then all may not be well among the three. A video showing the arrival of the Super Eagles in Cameroon’s capital city had revealed how the two players appear to deliberately shun the NFF boss.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari watching the Russia 2018 world Cup Qualifier between the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon and Super Eagles of Nigeria in his home in Daura, Katsina state where he spent the Eid El Kabir holiday.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has assured constituents on the completion of all projects attracted by him. This came on a day he also announced the arrival of underground water drilling equipment, a move he said was geared towards providing immediate succour to various communities in Enugu West Senatorial District facing the challenge of lack of portable water.

Kit Harington was a fairly unknown actor until he joined Game of Thrones as Jon Snow. And now, he has not only featured in several other big films , he reportedly earns £2 m ( N 928 m ) per episode of the hit HBO fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. Harington is, however, not the only person making that amount ; other stars — Emilia Clarke ( Daenerys) , Lena Headey ( Cersei Lannister ) , Peter Dinklage ( Tyrion Lannister ) and Danish co -star Nikolaj Coster -Waldau (Jaime Lanister ) also earn £2m in each episode of the film.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria on their comprehensive 4-0 victory over the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier, describing it as a befitting Sallah gift to Nigerians.

The Nigeria Union in South Africa has confirmed the killing  of a member, Kingsley Ikeri, at Vryheid town in Kwazulu  Natal Province on August 30. Twenty seven year old Ikeri, is reported to be a  businessman and native of Mbaitolu in Imo state, South-East  Nigeria.

The Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, has promised to pay the Super Eagles $10,000 for every goal the team score against Cameroon in their 2018 World Cup qualifier in Uyo on Friday. The governor also redeemed his pledge of $30,000 to the Eagles for their 3-1 win against Algeria in a 2018 World Cup Group B qualifier last year.