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Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has said former President Goodluck Jonathan was not immune from prosecution in the arms deal scandal if found wanting. Mohammed said this at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife while delivering the Faculty of Art Distinguished Guest Lecture with the theme "Nexus between Corruption and Under-development of the Nigeria State" on Friday. He explained that the anti-graft agencies would probe the former president if need be, maintaining that the anti-graft war of President Muhammadu Buhari was aimed at sanitizing the nation. Fielding questions from journalists on why Jonathan has not been probed in spite of the revelation of corrupt practices under his regime, the information minister said the presidency would not dictate to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on who to probe and when.  “The presidency does not micro-manage the anti-graft agencies and the presidency does not decide who to be probed at any point in...

Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the best things that will ever happen to us. Good Evening

Senate President, Bukola Saraki on Thursday responded to former president Olusegun Obasanjo's letter, saying members of the 8th Senate are committed to good governance, transparency and accountability. Obasanjo had in a letter to Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara accused the National Assembly of corruption. " I will want to assure President Obasanjo(former)  that the leadership and membership of the 8th Senate are committed to good governance, transparency, accountability, due process and responsiveness to the economic reality of our nation. It is for this reason that the legislative chamber has introduced bold and progressive reforms in the management of the finances of the National Assembly. " This is of even greater importance during a tough fiscal period for our country. Like i said during my closing address at the plenary after our debate on the 2016 Budget, the Senate must lead by example in terms of our own funding, budgets and a...

One of the most enduring images from the past fortnight was the court appearance, in Abuja, of the spokesman for the PDP Olisa Metuh, handcuffed, and with a graying beard to match. Expectedly, it wasn’t the fact that Metuh finally had his day before a competent court that attracted the most comments in the print and electronic media. What enthralled and angered many in unequal proportion was the fact that he did so literally in chains! In a country which is yet to overcome the nauseating polarization of the polity as was experienced in the life of the last administration, Metuh’s appearance, in irons, was bread and butter for the critics of President Buhari. It provided them with another opportunity to cast a slur on his much vaunted mien and image of integrity. Why was the retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki from whom Metuh allegedly collected the money he reportedly received not also brought to the court presimes in handcuffs? Some even went as far as uploading the images of the court ap...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Taraba State may be heading for the rocks as the party’s aspirants in the 2015 general elections are seeking a refund of campaign expenses they incurred in the party primaries. The complainants, who go by the name 2015 Taraba PDP Aspirants Forum, held a meeting in Karu, Abuja yesterday, where they lamented that the PDP lured them into making huge expenses, only for the party to hand pick its candidates without conducting primaries. They also lamented that the party was recycling old political hands without consideration for new entrants. The Protem Chairman of the forum, Mr. Bitrus Rimamnde Nuhu, said “That the PDP did not conduct any party primaries in Taraba State is a fact. And we ask? Under which principles of social justice and fair play do the dysfunctional party operatives expect the aspirants at all levels to forgo their hard earned money, paid under the guise of nomination and other election campaign expenses, when they ab initio did no...

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday, said that the party is prepared for tomorrow’s inauguration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi State, despite the insistence of his deputy, James Abiodun Faleke, not to attend the ceremony. Odigie-Oyegun, at the APC national secretariat, expressed confidence about the ability of the party to take another action which he refused to disclose during the press briefing. He said: “As a party, we have prepared for every possible contingency in the Kogi situation. So, whatever happens in the next few hours, we are ready for it. There is no question and doubt about that. “I don’t want to go into the details of what will likely happen. That is still between INEC and legal authorities. But just rest confidently, it is sometimes good to be expecting what will happen, keep your gun powder dry and watch.” It would be recalled that deputy governorship candidate to the late Prince Abubakar Aud...

Nigeria—Africa’s largest economy and its most populous nation—is feeling the full brunt of a falling oil price. The value of the commodity has fallen by more than 65 percent since mid-2014 from $112 per barrel to less than $39. Such a decline is a significant negative shock for a country that typically derives two-thirds of....

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said yesterday it will refund the N35 million cautionary deposit by Bureaux De Change (BDCs) following its suspension of foreign exchange sales to BDCs. The CBN had imposed N35 million cautionary deposit on all BDCs operating in Nigeria. In a circular dated January 22 signed by Mr. Kelvin N. Amugo, Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, titled ‘Refund of Mandatory Cautionary Deposit,’ said BDCs may apply for their refund. “Given the recent development in the operations of BDCs in the economy, the CBN has decided as follows: The refund of cautionary deposit of N35 million to all BDC operators, the retention of N1 million licensing fees,” the circular said. It added “all eligible BDCs may wish to apply for refund of their caution deposit, attaching evidence of payment and bank transfer details.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State has said that it is still confident of reclaiming it's governorship mandate from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) Speaking to our correspont, state chairman of the‎ party, Hassan Jika, said that although the party lost at the Appeal Court, they are very hopeful of victory at the Supreme Court. He said they will not rest "until we claim the mandate given to Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan by people of the state". He added that the Appeal Court ruling is just a minor set back. "We believe in the rule of law. The issue is all about the law and we are still confident that we will be given back our mandate to serve the people of Taraba State. Our candidate has faith in the ability of the courts to do justice and you know our party, the APC always respects the law no matter the situation,"he said. Jika maintained that the leadership as well as all members ‎of the APC in Taraba State are solidly behind Senator Al...

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out further investigation into the misconduct established against the retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army. A statement yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu said this was on the recommendation of the committee established to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to 2015.  Those to be investigated, according to the presidential spokesman, include Air Chief Marshal AS Badeh (Rtd), Air Marshal MD Umar (Rtd), and Air Marshal AN Amosu (Rtd), who are all former service chiefs. The list also includes Maj-​Gen. ​ER ​Chioba (Rtd), ​AVM​​ IA​ Balogun (Rtd), ​AVM ​AG​ Tsakr​ (Rtd), ​AVM​​ AG​ Idowu (Rtd), ​AVM ​AM ​Mamu, ​AVM ​OT ​Oguntoyinbo and ​AVM ​T ​Omenyi. Also mentioned are ​AVM ​JB ​Adigun, AVM​​ RA ​Ojuawo, AVM ​​JA ​Kayode-Beckley, ...

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday charged troops on the frontlines of the counter insurgency operations in the North-east to ensure that they make all efforts to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls. Buhari spoke to the troops from Abuja through a live video feed which was the highlight of the wreath laying ceremony of the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations at Eagle Square Abuja. The president was able to interact with the troops and officers who briefed him on their operations in Bita, Gwoza and Sambissa through a newly introduced military technology called the Eagle Mobile Command Post. He also spoke in real time to Nigeria Air Force personnel on board a surveillance jet flying above Borno State, and was able to view on a large monitoring screen surveillance video tracking the movement of insurgents and troop locations from the skies of Borno State. “Yesterday, I had a meeting with the mothers and fathers of the Chibok girls; the nation is anxiously waiting for ...

President Muhammadu Buhari says his government will do all within its powers in making the best efforts to free the over 200 abducted Chibok schoolgirls from the captivity of the Boko Haram sect. The president was speaking at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday while receiving him the Women In Politics Forum (WIPF). The girls were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14, 2014. President Buhari had Wednesday during the presidential media chat said there was no credible intelligence report on the whereabouts and the condition of the missing girls. But the president assured Friday that the fight for the return of the abducted schoolgirls was ongoing and "continues to be a most worrying issue" to his administration. Buhari also disclosed that a committee to rehabilitate the infrastructure in the northeast and resettle the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) would soon be formally inaugurated. The president said the com...

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that living at the State House has not alienated him from the daily sufferings of Nigerians. In his New Year message yesterday, Buhari said the current challenges were temporary as his administration was working to make things better.  “I am aware that Nigerians have experienced a number of significant hardships over the past months. Living in the State House has not alienated me from your daily sufferings. I am aware of the lengthy queues at fuel stations and of the difficulties businesses have faced in acquiring foreign exchange. These challenges are only temporary; we are working to make things better,” he said. The president said despite unforeseen circumstances and other distractions, he would do his utmost best to keep every promise he made to Nigerians during his election campaign.   He said in the past seven months since his inauguration on May 29, 2015, his administration had focused on laying the right foundation for the chang...