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President Muhammadu Buhari has named Lauretta Onochie as the substantive chairman of the Niger Delta Development Board (NDDC). He also appointed 15 other nominees as members of the board. The appointments were contained in a letter to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who read it out at the start of plenary on Wednesday. Ms Onochie, currently a special assistant to the president on new media, was enmeshed in a controversial appointment into the electoral umpire, INEC, in 2020. She was appointed by Mr Buhari as an INEC commissioner to represent Delta State. The appointment generated public outcry from individuals, civic…

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday finally unveiled the re-designed Naira Notes as proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele had on Tuesday said that the president will unveil the newly designed N1,000, N500 and N200 notes. The unveiling today, marks the first time in 19 years, Nigeria will be redesigning it’s currency notes. At a briefing after the ceremony before the Federal Executive Council meeting, the CBN governor debunked insinuations suggesting that the early unveiling of the new notes is a means to target some Nigerians. Mr Emefiele appealed to members of the…

Former Finance Minister, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, has disowned a statement credited to him over his alleged admonition to the Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo on his verbal attack of the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Mr. Peter Obi. In a press release, dated November 21, 2022, he personally signed, Dr. Kalu, emphasized that the statement entitled: "Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, Nigeria's former Minister of Finance writes to Chukwuma Soludo", was an abuse of the social media, and a delibrate attempt to misrepresent him. The statement reads: "MY ATTENTION HAS BEEN DRAWN to publications in the social media that clearly…

A federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resume the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise. Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, said the exercise ought to last until 90 days before the 2023 general election. In June 2021, the commission launched a portal where Nigerians can register or request to update their voter information before they complete the process physically at designated centres. INEC had earlier fixed June 30 as the deadline for the CVR ahead of the 2023 elections. But a federal high court in Abuja had stopped the commission from ending the…

Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says he can’t condemn the Eastern Security Network (ESN) because he is unsure of their activities. Speaking on Monday at ‘The Candidates’, a presidential town hall series, the former governor of Anambra said agitations in parts of the country is a result of leadership failure. He said if elected president, his administration will adopt dialogue to address the issue. “The first of our seven-point agenda is to ensure the security of the lives and properties of Nigerians, and to show a united and one Nigeria by ensuring that there is equity,…

The senate committee on special duties has summoned Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, over the insertion of N206 billion into the 2023 budget of the humanitarian affairs ministry. Yusuf Yusuf, the committee’s chairman, issued the summon when Sadiya Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, appeared before the panel for the defence of the ministry’s 2023 budget on Monday. Ishaku Abbo, a member of the committee, asked Farouq about the nature of the projects to be implemented with N206 billion the minister plans to borrow. “In 2023, you intend to borrow N206 billion…

Former Governor of Abia state, Sen. Orji Kalu and PowerChina, Monday, in Abuja, signed the deal for the establishment of five Agro-Industrial parks, worth $500 million, in different parts of Abia state. Sen Kalu is facilitating the parks through SWIBER Africa in Alayi, Igbere, Ozu Item, Abiriba and Ukwueke.   According to him, PowerChina and SWIBER Africa would jointly fund the project to be handled by the Chinese firm. The former governor said that the industrial parks would fulfill objectives of providing employment opportunities for members of the communities and raising foreign exchange for the country, especially the weak foreign…

The Supreme Court on Monday in Abuja ordered that the legal action which arose on the conduct of the primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the nomination of the governorship candidate in Ogun State be retried by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Ibrahim Saulawa in a judgment delivered held that it was wrong of the Federal High Court in Abuja to have declined jurisdiction when in actual fact the constitution of the country conferred jurisdiction on it. In a unanimous judgment of a five-man panel of the apex court, it was ordered that the suit…

The Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentencing of seventeen internet fraudsters before Justices Bayo Taiwo, Ladoke Akintola, and Mohammed Owolabi of the State High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State and Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu of Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, on a separate one count charge each. The jail terms range from two to nine months community service, and one year in prison. The convicts are Oduola Kunmi Ireola, Igbamidun Joshua Olamiposi, Ismael Fatai Olatunji, Osundele Oladapo Daniel, Olawale Isaac Adeleke, Olorunyomi Idowu Babatunde, Aneh Ojonimi, Olaide Iyanuoluwa Sadare, Akintola Babatunde…