Nedu Echianu's Blog

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the suspension of the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme NHIS, Yusuf Usman and directed a fresh investigation into the allegations made by the governing council of the scheme against Mr Usman. This was contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary (General Services Office) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, Olusegun Adekunle. The Federal Government however said “the objective of establishing Parastatals is in fulfillment of the need to deliver services to Nigerians faster and better, declaring that the roles of Governing Boards/Councils, are as prescribed by the statutes, guidelines and extant circulars and that the position of Chief Executives of Parastatals is to ensure that policies of Government as enunciated by Boards and Councils are implemented in accordance with their mandate”. It said it has however observed with deep concern the growing tension between Boards and C

Ademola Adeleke, senator representing Osun west, has been arraigned at the Abuja federal high court for alleged examination malpractice. Adeleke was the Osun governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was accused of impersonation by the police a few days to the polls. The senator was arraigned on Wednesday on a four-count charge alongside four other people. The others are Aregbesola Mufutau, principal of the school, Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo, the registrar, and Dare Olutope, a teacher. After pleading “not guilty” to the charge, IE Ekwo, the judge handling the case, granted the senator bail on self-recognition. The lawmaker was asked to submit his international passport to the court registrar and sign an agreement that he will present himself for trial. Gboyega Oyetola, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won the Osun state governorship election after a rerun was conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). But the sena

The Nigerian Army said it has found the body of a missing general, Idris Alkali. Mr Alkali, who recently retired as a major general, was declared missing several weeks ago while travelling from Abuja to Bauchi. His body parts were found in an abandoned well in Guchwet village of Shen district, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Although no medical test has been done to confirm if the body parts found were actually that of Mr Alkali, the army said its investigations confirmed it so. The body parts found were being put in a body bag as at the time of this report. A brigadier general, Umar Ibrahim, the Garrison Commander, 3 division, spoke to journalists at the scene. He said some of the suspects who participated in the killing of the general brought the army to the well. Last week, the army announced it located a shallow grave where the late general was initially buried before the body was exhumed and taken someplace else. A military parade will take place at the site o

It is a notable fact that Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital is the hub of the fashion industry in the country, but a foremost fashion house in Abuja, the country’s federal capital, Mima Midas Designs is out to break the Lagos–Abuja dichotomy as it is set to host its maiden fashion run way and exhibition, which it says will unravel the extraordinary designs and creative imprint of its designers. Addressing newsmen in Abuja Tuesday, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mima Midas Designs, Mrs. Maryam Abdul said the fashion house is a one stop shop for male and female wears including kiddies’ outfits. According to her, the fashion house is also an institute where designers and crafters are trained with the organization’s state of the arts facilities. CEO Mima Midas Designs, Mrs. Maryam Abdul Be impossible not to be noticed- that is the motto of Mima Midas designs and the CEO says it is not just a phrase used for business, but an authentic aspect of work done at

Governors of the thirty- six States under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Tuesday agreed to pay a minimum wage of N22,500. The agreed sum of N22,500 is a difference of N7,500 from the N30,000 being requested for by the Organised Labour. Rising from a meeting yesterday night in Abuja, the governors explained that it became imperative for them to take the position against the backdrop that the percentage of salaried workers was not more than 5% of the total working population. Reading a communique at the end of the Emergency meeting, Governor of Zamfara State and chairman of NGF, Abdulaziz Yari said that the position of the state Executives must not just reflect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on ability and capacity to pay, as well as reflective of all our developmental needs in each State. Reading the Communique, Yari said, “Following a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum where we deliberated on the National Minimum Wage after a briefing from our re

Police clashed with the members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday. The IMN members are protesting the continued detention of their leader, Ibrahim El -Zakzaky. One police patrol vehicle was reported to have been burnt during the clash. Photos Courtesy Punch Newspaper

President Donald Trump plans to abolish the right to citizenship for anyone born in the United States — guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution — with an executive order, he said in an interview excerpt released on Tuesday. While Trump asserts that he can change the provision with such an order, that is far from certain: there is a set process for modifying the constitution, which does not include presidential decree. His comments came shortly before a hotly- contested midterm election in which the president has sought to place the issue of immigration at the forefront. “I was always told that you needed a constitutional amendment. Guess what? You don’t ” Trump said in an interview with Axios. “Now they’re saying I can do it just with an executive order.” The president’ s opposition to the constitutional provision centres specifically on the fact that children born in the US to immigrant parents — whether they are in the country legally or not — are automatically c

Four state governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari. All the governors are from the South -South region of the country. The meeting was held inside the President ’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja shortly after Buhari returned from his condolence visit to Kaduna State. The governors in attendance included Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State. At the end of the meeting, Dickson told State House correspondents that they discussed issues pertaining to the country and their respective states with the President. He, however, did not give details of the issues discussed. “ My colleagues and I came to have audience with the President to discuss issues pertinent to our country and pertinent to our respective states. “We had a robust and fruitful discussion with the President and he prom

Organised labour union on Tuesday invaded the presidential villa, Abuja, calling for the immediate implementation of what it agreed with the government as the new minimum wage. The protest led by TUC president, Bobboi Kagama, was tagged ‘National day of mourning.’ Kaigama speaking insisted that the labour union will not leave the Villa until the governors and executive committee on New minimum wage led by the vice, president Yemi Osinbajo respond positively to their demands. They wondered why the governors would not pass the agreed new minimum wage, insisting that the increment will not lead to any form of inflation. Daily Post

The owner of Leicester City FC died when his helicopter crashed outside the stadium, the club has confirmed. Billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger were killed when the aircraft spiralled out of control and crashed in a fireball on Saturday. It had just cleared the King Power Stadium when it came down at 20:30 BST. The Duke of Cambridge said he was lucky to have known Mr Vichai, describing him as a dedicated family man. Leicestershire Police said it believed the other people killed in the crash to be two members of Mr Vichai's staff - Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare - pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz. Mr Swaffer had over 20 years' flying experience as a private jet and helicopter pilot. His career included flying helicopters for live media broadcasting including Channel 4's The Big Breakfast and the Virgin Radio traffic helicopter. Mr Swaffer's friend Lucie Morris-Marr said he was

Governor Rochas Okorocha of imo State has appealed to the National working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, led by Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, to submit the name of his son in -law, Mr, Uche Nwosu, to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of the APC governorship primaries in the state. Okorocha made the appeal in a press release. Okorocha said upholding Nwosu’s candidacy will “protect the high integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari and the integrity of the Party.” He added that Nwosu remains the “only hope ” for the state, adding that the candidates of other parties would spell doom for the state. “For some time now, I have been in Abuja fighting for the soul of Imo State from possible kidnap and subsequent destruction by political thieves. “The only hope left for Imo State now is for Uche Nwosu to emerge as a candidate. Otherwise, there will be total economic catastrophe when I leave as governor. “Though they have spoken falsely and badly about our c

A former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, has reportedly died at the age of 85. It was gathered that Anenih died at a private hospital in Abuja on Sunday. One of the sons of the deceased, Mr. Tony Anenih, could not be reached for comments. But a source close to the family, who confirmed the development on the condition of anonymity, said that the children of the elder statesman would issue an official statement in Abuja soon. The former minister of works, who lost his eldest son, Eugene, in May, 2017, after the death of his wife, Patricia, turned 85 in August. The State Chairman of of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, said that the party would make its position on the matter known at the appropriate time. Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has commiserated with the Anenih family over the death of its patriarch. Governor Godwin Obaseki, in a statement on Sunday evening said that the entire state was saddened by the loss. Obaseki described

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, on Saturday said Nigerians must ensure they elect into public offices, leaders who “are educated and know the value of education.” Sanusi said Nigerians had made mistakes in the past by electing leaders without education, who subsequently could not give quality education when they got into the government. The Emir stated this at the 6th convocation of the Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, where he urged Nigerians not to elect leaders without quality education to public offices. Sanusi, who was conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Science, alongside the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, said the Federal Government must use part of the trillions of naira it spent on subsiding petroleum products to educate the youth of the country. The Emir said, “We have to take an interest in the quality of our leaders and representatives in the level of education. If you look around this country at many levels of leadership, we have elected and we have

...Says Massive rigging may not save him  ... APC worse than PDP Ahead of the 2019 Presidential election, strong indications have emerged  that the North Eastern states of Yobe, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe , Adamawa and Taraba may vote against continuation of  Muhammadu Buhari in office as President  of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the platform of   the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Signal to that effect was publicly given by one of the frontline  politicians  and Chieftains of the APC from the zone , Senator Bukkar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe East) in Abuja on Saturday night where he declared that massive rigging may not save Buhari from the imminent defeat as realities on ground show that Nigerians are worse off under him within the last three and half years than they were,  throughout the 16 years of governance under the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) from May 1999- May 2015. The three term serving senator and former governor of Yobe State dropped the bombshell against hi

The Leicester City owner's helicopter has crashed in a car park outside the club's ground as it left the stadium following a Premier League match. Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was in the helicopter when it came down at about 20:30 BST on Saturday, a source close to the family has told the BBC. One witness said he saw Leicester player Kasper Schmeichel run out of the stadium towards the scene of the crash. It is not known how many other people were on board the helicopter. Leicester had drawn 1-1 against West Ham United at the King Power Stadium. The game kicked off at 17:30 BST and finished about one hour before the helicopter took off. Under Mr Srivaddhanaprabha's ownership, Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016, having started the season as 5,000/1 outsiders. One Leicester season ticker holder, who did not wish to be named, said: "I saw Kasper Schmeichel run out first [from the stadium] and then loads of security guards and stewards. "I stood outsid

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, on Friday met with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari. The meeting was held behind closed doors inside Kyari’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes. The agenda of the meeting was not made public. Yakubu did not speak with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting. The Presidency also has yet to issue a statement on the meeting as of the time of filing this report. The meeting was however held barely 24 hours after the electoral commission published the names of presidential candidates contesting the 2019 election and their details. President Muhammadu Buhari will be seeking a second term on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress. The President, a former military ruler, had claimed in his details published by INEC that his credentials were with the Secretary of the Military Board. Since the claim was made public, it has been

Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has congratulated the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the Rangers International Football Club of Enugu on the team’s triumph in the 2018 AITEO Cup competition. Ekweremadu, who said Rangers was not just a team, but a mass movement, praised the Flying Antelopes for their gallantry, noting that the victory was good news for sports development in Enugu State and the entire nation. The Senator said: “Once again, I join well meaning Nigerians, and the good people of Enugu State to rejoice with Governor ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Flying Antelopes on the team’s superlative outing in Asaba that saw it lift the AITEO Cup. “Coming from behind to cancel a three-goal deficit and going ahead to also win the breathtaking encounter is a show of the team’s character and the never-say-die spirit behind the Rangers movement. “The ‘Asaba Miracle’, which came two years after Rangers broke a 32-year jinx to clinch the Nigeri

Publisher of the online newspaper, Daily Nigerian, Jafar Jafar, which published the video clips showing Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, allegedly receiving $5 million bribe from contractors, yesterday, appeared before the State House of Assembly committee investigating the matter.  Chairman of the committee set up by the House of Assembly, Bappa Babba Dan Agundi, gave Jafar the floor to prove the validity of the video clips he published.  In the course of his appearance and during cross-examination, he vowed not to disclose the source of the video recording but said he was ready to swear by the Holy Qu’ran that the video was authentic.  Jaafar, who hung a copy of the Holy Qur’an on his shoulder, said he took the Holy book with him in anticipation of the fact that he would be asked to swear by the lawmakers. He said: “I’m ready to swear by the Holy Qur’an if you want me to, because the report I published was nothing but the truth, and I should put it on record that I

Over 70 out of the 91 political parties are presenting presidential candidates that will participate in the 2019 Presidential elections. A Punch correspondent who visited the FCT office of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday, reported that over 70 names had been posted as of Thursday night. The list was posted with INEC ’s timetable which fixed October 25 for the publication of candidates of political parties across the country. Some of the candidates include: President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Obadiah Mailafia of the African Democratic Congress, and former Governor Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party. A source at INEC said the figure might be higher than 70. He said, “So far, over 70 candidates have been counted. A more comprehensive list will be published on Friday.” The source said the ballot paper for the presidential election would also be long, addi

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday, urged the people of South-West to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 elections to guarantee a return of power to the region in 2023. The minister stated this at a special town hall meeting on infrastructure organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the National Orientation Agency. The News Agency of Nigeria reports the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed led three other ministers including Fashola, Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu to the town hall meeting. Fashola said besides, the massive investments by the Buhari administration on infrastructure across the country and in the South-West particularly, the region would benefit politically by voting for Buhari. The minister, who spoke in Yoruba language said: “Do you know that power is rotating to the South-West after the completion of Buhari’s tenure if you vote for

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday dismissed social media report that he gave Israel ultimatum over the reappearance of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in that country. The IPOB leader, who was sighted in Israel last week, had pledged to return to Nigeria soon, after his unceremonious disappearance from the country for about 13 months. The minister, who fielded questions from State House correspondents, said: “I was in London when I heard the story about Nnamdi Kanu surfacing in Israel. I was not in a position to make any statement. “But before I knew it, within a few hours, I saw my picture with a story saying that I had actually given Israel ultimatum to return Nnamdi Kanu otherwise, we will send them missiles. “I just laughed. It speaks to what we are talking about fake news because it is probably the biggest threat in the run-up to the elections. “Having said that I have nothing more to add, to the issue of Nnamdi Ka

The Federal High Court in Lagos has granted a N50m bail to the immediate -past Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, who is facing N2.2bn fraud charges. Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, on Wednesday, granted Fayose bail with two sureties in like sum. The judge said one of the sureties is to sign N50 m bond from a reputable bank; while the other must own a landed property within Lagos. The sureties are to show evidence of three years ’ tax clearance. Fayose was directed to deposit his passport in the court’s custody pending the outcome of the case. The judge ordered that the ex-governor should be remanded in the prison custody until he meets the bail conditions. She adjourned till November 19, 2018 for the commencement of trial, stressing that the trial would be conducted on a day -to- day basis. Earlier while moving the application for Fayose's bail, the defence counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), had urged Justice Olatoregun to admit the ex-governor to bail on self - recogn

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria has released the list of what it calls delinquent debtor firms who allegedly owe it N906,109,840, 662.99 in total. In an advertorial published on Monday, the bad debt manager said the list contained the top 105 delinquent debtors and that the publication was pursuant to its statutory mandate and in compliance with the circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria in April 2015. “This has become necessary as all avenues provided by the corporation for the debtors to propose acceptable resolution terms have failed. Nevertheless, the corporation is still open to amicable resolution of these debts within a reasonable time, failing which it shall continue to exercise all powers as provided by law to recover the debts,” AMCON stated. Among the alleged debtors are Capital Oil & Gas Limited, whose main promoter was listed as Mr Ifeanyi Ubah, which reportedly owed N115 bn; Tinapa Business Resort, which is owned by the Cross River State Govern

The Deputy Senate President and a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South East, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has reacted to speculations that he was planning to decamp to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Senator Ekweremadu who made this known in a statement on Wednesday said that he is still in the PDP and that his path in politics was in the hands of the Almighty God. He said ‘I am presently out of the country on a prescheduled engagement. ‘In the past 24 hours, I have been inundated with calls from friends and political associates seeking clarification on the rumours of my departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has dominated the media. ‘Let it be known that my path in politics is in the hands of the Almighty God, who has indeed been very faithful and gracious to me. I’m very grateful to God for this. ‘My vision in politics is a system that works for everybody, a social and political environment where everybody, every section, and every tribe not

Fresh facts have emerged on the circumstances surrounding the killing in Abuja of Anita Akapson, said to be the daughter of a former Minister of Finance, Nenadi Usman. It was learnt that the 31 - year -old, who was shot in her 2007 Honda Accord car, allegedly refused to alight when directed by the policeman who killed her on October 13. After demobilising the car by firing at the tyres, the Superintendent of Police, who shot her, was said to have asked Akapson to come out of the car but she reportedly refused, fearing that she might be harmed. Sources close to the investigation informed Punch on Tuesday that the cop insisted that Akapson should step out of her car, but she refused to budge. “In an attempt to force the door open, the police officer fired at the car door and the bullet went through it, hit Akapson in the stomach and exited into the driver seat, ” the source explained while tendering the picture showing the trajectory of the bullet. The Spokesman, Federal Capita

The Federal Government on Tuesday declared that it was working hard to come out with a policy that would limit the number of children that a mother could have in Nigeria. It stated that traditional rulers and other leaders across the country were being engaged as regards this, adding that the move was aimed at addressing one of the “great challenges” in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the Federal Government. The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, who disclosed this while responding to questions during a session at the 24th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, noted that the country’s population had been identified as one of the great challenges confronting the successful implementation of the ERGP. Ahmed said, “We have been engaging traditional rulers and other leaders. Specifically, we have found out that to be able to address one of the great challenges that we identified in the ERGP, which is the growth in our population, we need to engage these institutions. “And we ho

The Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the United Labour Congress have threatened to go on strike on November 6, 2018, if the Federal Government fails to take the plight of Nigerian workers more seriously. Specifically, the labour unions said if the upward review of the national minimum wage was not acceded to by the governors and the Federal Government, they would have no other option but to go on strike. In a statement jointly signed by the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba; the TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama; and ULC President, Joe Ajaero, the unions lambasted the Federal Government for its decision to implement a ‘ no work, no pay’ policy. The statement read in part, “If nothing is responsibly done by the Federal Government to meet our demands, on Monday, November 6, we shall embark on a nationwide strike to compel this government to show more sensitivity to the plight of Nigerians and the suffering that is decimating our people on daily basis ” The organised labou

The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has vowed not to return to the Federal High Court in Abuja where he was standing trial before he left the country. The Federal Government had charged him with treason but Justice Binta Nyako granted him bail after 18 months in detention. Kanu had flouted all the terms of the bail before the military invaded his Abia residence on September 14, 2017. He fled afterwards and resurfaced in Jerusalem on Friday. In a broadcast via Radio Biafra, Kanu boasted that the Nigerian court lacked the capacity to try him. He said the judge who asked his sureties to produce him should have asked the army why they invaded his residence. “The Nigerian court is a Kangaroo court. I did not jump bail, I left because the court failed to protect me. “I shall not be honouring the court. I cannot be tried by a court I do not recognise.The zoo called Nigeria cannot jail me. I will fight till the last day. Till now, Binta Nyanko’s court

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole has cried out over an alleged gang up against him by some unnamed party stakeholders. He alleged that this group of stakeholders is populated by persons who were uncomfortable with the positive reforms his leadership was bringing to the party. Oshiomhole said this in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary Simon Ebebgulem, in Abuja, on Sunday. According to him, suggestions in some quarters as voiced by one Alhaji Mumakai Unagha, who aspired for the party ’s Presidential ticket that the APC cannot win the 2019 general elections with Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman was far away from the truth. Oshiomhole said the National Working Committee of the APC under his leadership was working towards repositioning the party to achieve greater successes. While reacting to some of the claims made by the former Presidential aspirant, the statement read in part: “The totality of Unagha ’s claims, without neces

Amidst palpable excitement, singing and dancing, 200 children took genotype test at Ojodu Local Government Secretariat, Lagos State as part of a programme on sickle cell disorder organised by Crimsonbow Sickle Cell Initiative and the local government. The children, accompanied by their mothers, were from public schools in the local government. Crimsonbow Sickle Cell Initiative also gave gifts to the children just as they were engaged in quiz competition. Dr. Emoruwa Enefo of Eko Hospital, Ikeja addressed the children on how to prevent sickle cell. She said it was very important for the children to know their genotype. “This is necessary so that children with AS will not make the mistake of marrying someone with AS because two people with AS will produce one child with SS”, Enefo stated. She said the four categories of hemoglobin available are AA, AS, SS and SC. According to her, AA can marry anyone with any of the other three categories. The medical doctor told the children that it

A lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who heads the legal team of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, said on Saturday that he has spoken with his client after a video clip of the IPOB leader praying in Jerusalem surfaced on the internet on Friday. Ejiofor, in a statement on Saturday, confirmed that Kanu would address the public in a world press conference to be beamed live on Sunday to narrate “the shocking tale of how he made it alive ”. This came ahead of the November 14 scheduled for hearing in Kanu ’s trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and others who stood bail sureties for the IPOB leader in April last year, are expected to return to the court presided by Justice Binta Nyako to show cause why they should not be made to lose their N100 m bail bonds which they entered into to secure Kanu ’s bail, if they are unable to produce the IPOB leader. Also, a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, whom Ejiofor had

The senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). His decision comes few days after the national body of the APC submitted the name of Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s political adviser, Uba Sani, as the candidate for that senatorial district. Controversies had trailed the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to grant automatic return ticket to the senator and others. Days after the APC headquarters announced Mr Sani as its only candidate cleared to contest the Kaduna Central senatorial seat, the Kaduna State Government and its officials continue to condemn the decision, claiming it had been reversed. Shehu Sani and Mr El-Rufai have been at daggers drawn shortly after both men were elected senator and governor respectively in 2015. Despite being of the same party, they have both attacked and cursed each other publicly including using uncouth language. The senator had been expected to leave the APC but was persuade

The Senate on Wednesday urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to suspend the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) card maintenance charges being deducted from customers. This resolution followed a motion on the illicit and excessive bank charges on customers’ accounts, sponsored by Senator Olugbenga Ashafa. The Senate also called on commercial banks operating in the country to configure their machines to dispense up to N40,000 per withdrawal pending the outcome of the investigation by the Senate committees tasked with investigating the excessive and illicit bank charges. Speaking on the motion, the President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki said: “This is a motion that affects the lives of every Nigerian — irrespective of what part of the country you come from or whatever political affiliation you might have. This is why we are here - to always defend and protect the interests of our people.” The Senate President stated that the Senate must work to ensure that the Senate’

The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, finally honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday after losing his immunity from prosecution and arrest. After leading Fayose to the interrogation room, it was learnt that he was asked to write a statement explaining how he spent N1.3 bn he allegedly received from the Office of the National Security Adviser through a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, during the build - up to the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State. The commission also asked him to return the money. A source at the EFCC, however, told Punch that the former governor refused to admit to collecting the money. He said , “We have treated Fayose with respect since he arrived in our office. We asked him about the money he received from Obanikoro and when he would return it but he is denying everything. “He said in his statement on oath that he never received any money despite the overw