Nedu Echianu's Blog

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has congratulated all Nigerians as they get set to cross over from 2021 into a happy and prosperous 2022. In a New Year message which he personally signed, Lawan said; "I join you in thanking the Almighty God for His mercy that made the crossover possible for us as individuals and as a nation. "The Year 2021 was challenging for people all over the world. It is praiseworthy that beyond the challenges, we can see the rays of a bright future from the new year. "As your elected representatives, our new year pledge is to continue to pursue our common desire of a just, peaceful and prosperous country. We promise to continue to discharge this responsibility without fear or malice, confident that by working in harmony, Nigerians will build the great country that is their abiding dream and manifest destiny." He also assured Nigerians that the current administration is doing everything possible to tackle the high rate of insecu

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has urged the Federal Government to rescue Nigerians from worsening insecurity by prioritising the decentralisation of policing, starting with state police in the New Year. Ekweremadu who stated this In a  New Year message to Nigerians  signed by his media adviser, Uche Anichukwu regretted that a vast nation like Nigeria that should thrive on the strengths of agriculture and industrialisation, was being overrun by multifarious criminal cartels, which have been exploiting the country’s hugely unpoliced territories. He added that the much needed development, good governance, and credible 2023 elections would rely overwhelmingly on security of the lives and properties of Nigerians. The lawmaker noted that whereas more political leaders were coming to terms with the imperativeness of state police, the political will was still gravely lacking. “The primary purpose of government is the security of the lives and pro

...Calls on football lovers to boycott Super Eagles matches Former Nigerian International and hard tackling defender, Emeka Ezeugo has called on football loving Nigerians to boycott all matches involving the Super Eagles following the appointment of Portuguese, Jose Peseiro as new coach of the Eagles.  The latest appointment  which was confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation comes days after the sack of Franco-German, Gernot Rohr. In a post on Facebook, Ezeugo insisted that "nonentities" should no longer be allowed to coach the Super Eagles. He went ahead to allege that: "Amaju Picnic (NFF President) has just appointed another Rohrbish Rohr (in clear reference to former coach Gernot Rohr) that they will be sharing 75 percent of his monthly salaries". The former Abia Warriors coach who had his contract terminated even before it kicked off urged Super Eagles fans to resist the current appointment and demand accountability from football administrators

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has theorized that the oil and gas found in the Niger Delta region belong to the federal government, and not to the oil-bearing communities. Legally speaking, Obasanjo can be said to be correct, because he was part and parcel of successive military juntas that cleverly and systematically inserted expropriatory and inhuman laws  concerning ownership of oil and gas into our statute books. But, does that make such laws right or justifiable? No. I think not. Ex president Obasanjo should be told in very clear terms that there is such an overriding principle of law which goes with the maxim of "quic quid plantatatur solo solo cedit". This literally means that whoever owns the land owns everything on top of it. Any extant constitutional or statutory provisions (such as those apparently referred to by Obasanjo) that run contrary to this commonsensical common law principle are therefore nothing but bad, immoral, exproriatory and exploitat

The Executive Committee of the Nigerian Football Federation has made a budget proposal of N13,089,022,180 for the year 2022. This was made known in a statement by the Communications Department of the NFF on Wednesday.

Contrary to reports making the rounds that Uche Nwosu, son inlaw to Former Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha was Kidnapped by unknown gunmen, the Imo state police command has notified the public that he was rather arrested by Special Force Unit from the office of the Inspector General of Police. There was panic on Sunday after Uche Nwosu was whisked away from a church service at his hometown, Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state. Nwosu and his family were at St Peter’s Anglican church for a thanksgiving service when the gunmen, who operated in an Armoured Personnel Carrier and Hilux vans, stormed the area. They shot indiscriminately before taking their target away, as his security operatives watched without resisting the gun-wielding persons. While some of Nwosu’s associates alleged that he was kidnapped, others alleged that his arrest was masterminded by the state governor, Hope Uzodinma. But in a swift reaction, the state commissioner for

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel Peace prize laureate who helped end apartheid in South Africa, has died aged 90. President Cyril Ramaphosa said the churchman's death marked "another chapter of bereavement in our nation's farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans". He said Archbishop Tutu had helped bequeath "a liberated South Africa". Tutu was one of the country's best known figures at home and abroad. A contemporary of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, he was was one of the driving forces behind the movement to end the policy of racial segregation and discrimination enforced by the white minority government against the black majority in South Africa from 1948 until 1991. He was awarded the Nobel prize in 1984 for his role in the struggle to abolish the apartheid system. Tutu's death comes just weeks after that of South Africa's last apartheid-era president, FW de Clerk, who died at the age of 85. BBC

It is a popular cliche that talk is cheap. My Yoruba in-laws have a popular saying that it is easy to cook a delicious vegetable soup with mouth. Before the advent of the current government of the APC/ Buhari, the nation was inundated with noise of the non performances of the PDP government and Jonathan’s cluelessness which was coined by Prof Wole Soyinka and adopted as a national mantra by the garrulous ageing Lai Mohammed who shamelessly mouths all manners of falsehood to the admiration of the disenchanted nation. The talk then was that Jonathan being a bloody civilian from Otuoke with no cognitive experience of National politics was not in position to wage war against Boko haram and therefore should give way to the lanky Daura born General who has been tested and found competent to deal  with the hydra headed problems of insecurity and corruption ravaging the PDP government. Nigerians were in agreement that a change was inevitable hence all the nobles, the royals, the Ge

President Muhammadu Buhari has withheld his assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2021. In a letter to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, obtained by THISDAY newspaper, the president said that prevailing situation in the country would not allow him to sign the bill. Among other reasons for rejecting the bill, the president cited high cost of conducting direct primaries, the security challenge of monitoring the election, violation of citizens’ rights and marginalization of small political parties. Buhari said he had received informed advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Government, and had also carefully reviewed the Bill in light of the current realities prevalent in the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the circumstances. The president said that it would be better to allow each political party to determine its mode of selecting candidates for election.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the All Progressives Congress governorship primary in Anambra State, insisting that Andy Uba’s emergence as the winner was illegal. Punch newspaper reports that Justice Inyang Ekwo, therefore, stated that Uba’s participation in the November 6 governorship election was void. Justice Ekwo added that the plaintiff, George Moghalu, succeeded in proving that the APC did not conduct a valid primary election from which Uba claimed to have emerged as the party’s candidate. In a judgment on Monday, Justice Ekwo held that Uba was never a candidate in the election having emerged from an illegally conducted primary election. The court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to delete Uba from its record as a candidate in the election and ordered the APC to refund to Moghalu, the sum of N22.5m which is the amount he paid for expression of interest and nomination forms since the party failed to conduct a valid primary. At the

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), has presented its position to the Senate Committee on Finance on the Finance Bill 2021 with emphasis on the likely consequences of the proposed Act if not checked.  Congress President,  Comrade Quadri Olaleye In a statement which he personally signed, said that the Finance Bill 2021 stands on the way of efforts geared towards economic development and how to save the few available  jobs, and not burdening organisations and workers with multiple taxation and other inhibitions that stifle businesses.  According to him, there should be reduction of Electronic Money Transfer levy of N50 to N10 because of multiple taxation. The levy should only affect transfer of N50, 000.00 or more and the sharing formula of 15% to the Federal and 85% to the States should be maintained.  On PAYE/ Personal Income Tax, he said any person or workers receiving as low as N50, 000.00 per month should be exempted from Personal Income Tax, emphasizing that the

The United Kingdom has said Nigeria and 10 other countries will be removed from its travel red list from 4am on Wednesday. The move follows anger from Nigeria and other African countries, with the United Nations describing the ban on non-UK residents entering England as “travel apartheid.” The British government had on December 4 placed Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe on its travel ban following the outbreak of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. It said the red list was reintroduced as a precaution after the emergence of the Omicron variant. The government had said the ban would be reviewed on December 20 but announcing the new development on Tuesday, the UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the Omicron had spread so widely that the rules are now less effective. “Now that there is community transmission of Omicron in the UK and Omicron has spread so widely across the world, the travel red list i

In a space of just two days last week, 23 travellers heading to Kaduna were burnt alive in a commercial bus at Sabon Birni, Sokoto State. No fewer than 15 worshipers killed as they prayed in a mosque at Ba’are village, Mashegu Local Government Area of Niger State. A Commissioner in the service of Katsina State, Dr Rabe Nasir was gruesomely murdered in his own house located at Fatima Shema Quarters in Katsina city, while a housewife identified only as Salamatu, was killed as bandits abducted six others during a raid at Piri community in Kwali Area Council of Abuja. Welcome to northern Nigeria, circa 2021, where life has seemingly lost its value, under a President voted en masse five times by the same populace. The commissioner was stabbed several times until he died. A 30-year-old woman watched as her mother, four children, an uncle, a nephew, and a niece, all burnt to ashes. She died too a few days later. Their attackers, of course, watched in delight as they burn. But t

The Nigeria Football Federation has terminated Gernot Rohr’s contract as the Super Eagles coach. Subsequently, the football federation appointed Augustine Eguavoen, currently its Technical Director, as the Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles on an interim basis. “This is with immediate effect, and follows the termination of the relationship with Franco-German Gernot Rohr, who has been in charge of the three –time African champions for the past 64 months, and is Nigeria’s longest –serving manager,” a statement from NFF stated on Sunday. The statement added, “Following a virtual meeting of the NFF Executive Committee on Sunday, it was decided that Eguavoen will work with Salisu Yusuf (Chief Coach); Paul Aigbogun (Assistant Coach); Joseph Yobo (Assistant Coach); Dr Terry Eguaoje (Assistant Coach) and Aloysius Agu (Goalkeeper Trainer). “Former Nigeria captains Augustine ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and Garba Lawal have been appointed to provide technical and ambassadori

Former international Samuel Eto'o will run Cameroonian football for the next four years after being elected head of the country's FA on Saturday. The four-time African Footballer of the Year defeated rival Seidou Mbombo Njoya, the fourth vice-president at the Confederation of African Football. Seven candidates should have contested the elections, but five of them pulled out on the morning of the elections. Eto'o, 40, has promised a wide range of reforms to thrive the sport. "We have to bring footballers to the centre of our policies," he said afterwards. "It is our role to ensure that those who play this discipline make a decent living out of it." The former Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea star has also promised to construct at least 10 stadiums during his mandate. "I've spoken to the business community and we're certain we'll get the right investors who can accompany us in fulfilling our goals," Eto'o had s

Stakeholders in the engineering sector have urged the National Assembly to drop the idea of establishing the Chartered Institute of electrical and electronics engineering of Nigeria, in order to avoid a chaotic atmosphere as it regards the regulation of the activities of engineers in the country. The condemnation of the proposed plan was made at a public hearing organised by the Senate committee on establishment and public service where the Bill for an Act to establish the chartered Institute of electrical and electronics engineering of Nigeria and for other related matters connected thereto 2021 was debated. Addressing members of the Senate committee during the public hearing, officials and members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria COREN, a regulatory body of engineers in the country, called on the lawmakers to dump the Bill, adding that it failed to take into cognisance the supreme role played by COREN in regulating the activities of engineers in

As part of ongoing effort to reposition the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund NSITF for better service delivery to Nigerian workers, three thousand of the agency's workforce have been posted to it's fifty six branches and eleven regional offices across the country. Managing Director of NSITF Dr. Michael Akabogu stated this in Abuja during an interactive session with labour correspondents where he clarified that the postings were part of his strategic move to ensure that the agency lives up to expectations of workers by promptly paying compensation as a result of work related accidents and injuries. Akabogu who took over as MD of NSITF in June this year, said the current management is working hard to ensure that the large scale corruption which was detected in the previous management is completely eliminated by ensuring greater productivity among the staff of the agency. "When we set this our strategic thrust, the first part of it is to distribute our work for

***Sets Up  Regulatory Systems For Telecoms Sector The Federal Executive Council has approved the implementation of the Advanced Digital Awareness Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) and the deployment of a regulatory system to support the telecommunications industry at its meeting on the 8th of December, 2021.   According to a statement signed by  Dr Femi Adeluyi,  Technical Assistant (Research & Development) to the  Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, the latest development  followed the presentation of memos by the Minister.  According to the statement, the Minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Bitrus Bako Nabasu, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Dambatta, Prof Sahalu Junaidu and the Director of Financial Services of NCC, Mr. Yakubu Gontor. It said the ADAPTI is aimed at bridging the digital gaps that exist in the academia by promoti

The Senate has passed the establishment of the National Sports Commission Bill 2021 which among other things is expected to bring technocrats into the administration of the sports sector and boost Nigeria's dwindling fortunes in various sporting competitions. The Bill which was also passed in the 8th Senate failed to get the necessary assent by President Muhammadu Buhari due largely to the not so cozy relationship between the National Assembly and the Presidency as at that time. Addressing newsmen shortly after the  passage of the Bill, it's sponsor, Senator Obinna Ogba (PDP Ebonyi Central) said he is confident that the widely accepted Bill will now be assented to by the President this time. "You will agree with me that the National Sports Commission has been a thing that is lacking in this country, because the sports  ministers are political appointees, whenever they come and they don't like the face of the DG of the Sports Commission, they will scrap the

The dispute between Hardy Oil Nigeria Limited and Halkin Exploration and Production Ltd over Atala Marginal Oil Field (OML 46),  took another dimension Tuesday with the latter failing to appear at the Senate for further mediation on the matter but rather slamming the upper legislative chamber with a N10billion law suit. This is as the Senate through its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, threatened  to issue a warrant of arrest to compel the Managing Director of Halkin to appear before it on a petition against it by Hardy Oil Nigeria Ltd. Hardy Oil had in a petition filed against Halkin to the Senate, alleged  that Atala Marginal Field (OML 46) hitherto owned by it, was fraudulently sold to Halkin by the now scrapped Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR). The Senate had on the strength of the petition, mandated its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, to investigate the allegation. The two oil firms at the beginning of the investigative

***says travel ban discriminatory, attack on diplomatic relations    The Nigerian Senate has condemned the United Kingdom’s inclusion of Nigeria in their COVID-19 red list without justification.    The chamber, accordingly, called on the British authorities to consider removing Nigeria from the list.   It advised the UK government to be sensitive to the diplomatic relationship between both countries when taking decision that affect Nigerian citizens.   The Senate therefore urged the Federal Government to engage the British authorities to reverse Nigeria’s inclusion on the red list.   It also charged the administration to remain firm in the enforcement of necessary protocols in the containment of every COVID-19 variant in Nigeria.   It further called on major vaccines powers, namely, Britain, Canada, America, and the European union, among others, to take urgent and bold steps to ensure vaccine equity in the interest of the entire human race.   These were resolutions reached

A 27-year-old man, Darlington Ugboaja, was beaten to death at Anara market in Imo state, after a local drug, Methamphetamine, but popularly known as Mkpurummiri, was found on him. The development has caused panic on the market as treaders who out of fear of a reprisal attack from the victim’s kinsmen hurriedly shot their stalls. A source who doesn’t want to be mentioned, told our correspondent that the victim lost consciousness while some youths were administrating jungle justice on him and he was pronounced dead when rushed to a hospital for a revival. The source said ” They saw him coming out from a bunk were drugs are sold. They suspected he had Mkpurummiri in his possession. They quickly searched him and found the substance. They immediately tired his hands on an electric pole and started beating him. “He lost consciousness and he was rushed to Anara Health Centre but unfortunately there was no doctor on duty. They rushed him to another hospital at Umunachi where he

Michael Carrick says he is leaving Manchester United after the end of his spell as caretaker manager. Carrick, in charge for three matches, announced his decision after United's 3-2 win over Arsenal  on Thursday. "After a lot of thought and deliberation, I have decided that now is the right time for me to leave," said Carrick. Ralf Rangnick has been appointed Interim manager  until the end of the season. Carrick, a five-time Premier League winner during 12 years as a player at United, took over as caretaker boss after Ole Gunner Solskjaer was sacked   on 21 November. He took charge of the 2-0 Champions League away win to Villarreal on 23 November before dropping Cristiano Ronaldo to the substitutes bench for the 1-1 draw at Chelsea last Sunday. Carrick announced his decision to leave minutes after the Arsenal victory which lifted United into seventh spot in the table. "It wasn't easy telling the players," he added. "In some ways you f

Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, a Special Counsel to the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has given an insight into the recent court hearing of the IPOB leader on Wednesday. Ejimakor said that the court stated, “That Mazi Kanu be given maximum comfort possible in the detention facility. That he be allowed a change of clothing.” In a statement signed by the lawyer, he noted that during the hearing, there was a total absence of security operatives in court and around the outer perimeters as was the case during previous proceedings. Also, Ejimakor stated that Mazi Kanu was not in court and there was no officer from the Department of State Service to explain why. However, from what he surmised, both the court and the DSS might have concluded that his presence in court was not strictly required in the sort of application that was moved in court today. The lawyer also claimed that the court did not grant Kanu’s legal team the leave to move their app

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has expressed sadness over the passing on of Nigeria’s former President of the Senate, Senator Joseph Wayas, describing him as a veteran of the Nigerian legislature and key player in Nigeria’s constitutional development. Ekweremadu through a statement signed by his media adviser Uche Anichukwu said the elder statesman would be sorely missed. Reacting to the announcement of the demise of the former lawmaker by the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade, the Senator said: “I received with a deep sense of loss the passing on of elder statesman and Nigeria’s former President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Joseph Wayas. “This is particularly a grievous loss to the Nigerian legislature and the nation as a whole. He was a veteran and an institutional memory bank of the Nigerian legislature, and a key player in Nigeria’s constitutional development, having Deputy Chairman of the National Constitutional

Punch newspaper reports that civil servants and the general public without proof of vaccination and negative PCR tests are currently being prevented from accessing government buildings in Abuja. It would be recalled that the Boss Mustapha-led presidential steering committee on COVID-19 had announced in October that civil servants without proof of vaccination and negative PCR tests would not be allowed to access government buildings from December 1, 2021. The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria had however asked the Federal Government to extend till March next year, today’s deadline for the compulsory vaccination of civil servants, a move which the PSC had described as “impossible”. Nigeria on Wednesday had also reported three cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus disease.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Wednesday morning confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant in the country. This was contained in a press release issued by the centre and signed by the Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa. The Omicron variant, a new strain of the coronavirus disease, was reported by South Africa and first detected in Botswana. Following the discovery, countries such as the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Israel among others placed travel bans on southern African countries. Similarly, the government of Canada had also stated that it discovered two cases of the variant from two passengers from Nigeria. The Federal Government through the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, however, said that it was investigating the issue to get more details. However, the NCDC on Wednesday morning said two cases of the variant were discovered through genomic sequencing. It albeit linked the cases to two passengers from South Africa. Punch

Dr Jonathan Obaje, a Nigerian Research Scientist based in Singapore, says based on preliminary clinical data coming from South Africa on the “Omicron” variant of the COVID-19 virus, African innate immunities may have already weakened COVID-19 virus significantly. Obaje, a former Vice President of Nigeria in Diaspora, Singapore, said this on Tuesday in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He quoted various media reports across South Africa, saying Hospitals across the country reported that symptoms of “Omicron”, the new COVID strain, are very mild and no record of death associated with it so far. “Around 90 per cent of all new infections in Johannesburg region are now caused by Omicron, so far, COVID death rate and even hospital admissions appear not to be increasing significantly. “Some medical and scientific researchers worldwide are currently talking about this and are cautiously optimistic that if Omicron turns out to be less-lethal, but more

Paris St-Germain and Argentina forward Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or - awarded to the best footballer of the year - for a record seventh time. Messi, 34, helped his country win the Copa America, his first international honour, and has scored 40 goals in 2021 - 28 for Barcelona, four for Paris St-Germain and eight for Argentina. Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski came second, Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho was third and Real Madrid's French striker Karim Benzema finished fourth. The Ballon d'Or is voted for by 180 journalists from around the world, although there was no award in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Either Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo (five wins) collected the award every year from 2008 to 2019, apart from in 2018 when Croatia midfielder Luka Modric won it. Messi had already won the trophy more times than any other player and his seventh success comes after wins in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019. BBC Sport

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the Confederation Cup playoff first leg fixture between Al Ittihad and Enyimba FC. The fixture was initially scheduled for Sunday November 28 at the Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet in Monastir, Tunisia; but Enyimba were denied access to Tunisia as a result of strict Covid-19 travel restrictions in the country. Consequently, CAF, through a correspondence have announced their decision to choose a new date and venue for the fixture. A statement from the African football governing body reads:  "The match will not take place tomorrow, the 28th of November 2021(today), as scheduled and will be postponed. "The new venue and date of the match will be announced soon after consultation with CAF Interclub Committee. "Kindly note that the return leg will be played as scheduled on the 5th of December in Nigeria."

The management of Nigeria's airports say they have dismissed some staff involved in extortion of passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Social media had been agog with complaints by travellers who lament the very difficult situation in Nigeria's entry points as it regards extortion and other unethical practices. However, in line with the determination of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to rid the nation's airport of corrupt officials, a statement signed by  Henrietta Yakubu (Mrs.)  General Manager, Corporate Affairs at FAAN said  some officials caught extorting a passenger at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos had been sacked. The statement said the officials, who are staff of Aviation Security and Customer Service departments of the Authority were immediately suspended, while the On Duty Card of their accomplice from the Nigeria Immigration Service has been withdrawn. It added that the action was take

Joseph Agi of Radia Nigeria has been elected as Chairman of Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria (LACAN), an umbrella body of journalists reporting the labour beat in Abuja. In a keenly contested election on Friday,  Mr Agi polled 14 votes to narrowly defeat Collins Olayinka of Guardian newspaper who polled 13 votes. The election for the position of Vice Chairman was declared inconclusive as the two candidates contesting the seat polled same number of votes. While Onyebuchi Ezeigbo of Thisday newspaper polled 14 votes, same number of votes was garnered by Patrick Abulu of Africa Independent Television (AIT), leading to a rerun which will be conducted on a yet to be specified date. The position of secretary went to Chinedu Echianu of Vision FM who polled 18 votes to defeat Moses Akwashiki of Blueprint newspaper who ramped up 10 votes. Ekaete Ibuot of Wazobia FM was also elected as Treasurer while Appolos Christian of Tribune newspaper emerged as the welfare officer/P