The newly-elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer has announced his first cabinet appointments following the Labour Party’s decisive victory in the general election. This landmark win ends 14 years of Conservative governance. After being invited by King Charles III to form a government during a meeting at Buckingham Palace on Friday, Starmer swiftly began shaping his administration. Angela Rayner, 44, has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and will also serve as the Minister for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities. This was Starmer’s first cabinet confirmation, with Downing Street making the announcement shortly after his…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
9mobile, a leading telecommunications company in Nigeria, has appointed Obafemi Banigbe as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) as part of its preparations for a new phase of business transformation. The announcement was made by the Board of Directors of Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), which operates as 9mobile, on Thursday. Banigbe succeeds Juergen Peschel, the outgoing CEO, who will remain as a consultant to support the ongoing business transformation process initiated under his leadership. This transition aligns with 9mobile’s tradition of ensuring business continuity to facilitate a seamless start to its comprehensive business transformation efforts. Obafemi Banigbe brings…
Britain’s main opposition Labour party looks set for a landslide election win, exit polls indicated on Thursday, ending 14 years of right-wing Conservative rule marked by financial austerity, Brexit division and scandal. As polling stations closed at 10:00 pm (2100 GMT), the survey for UK broadcasters suggested centre-left Labour would win 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons, with the Tories (Conservatives) managing only 131. In another boost for the centrists, the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats would get 61 seats, but Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK could secure 13. Counting of ballots was under way across…
The Federal Government, led by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, is spearheading efforts to harmonize emergency numbers under the 112 platform. The initiative, supported by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other relevant agencies, aims to create a more efficient and unified emergency communication system across the country. During a recent meeting in Abuja, attended by heads of key agencies including the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Federal Fire Service, the focus was on the 112 emergency number service solutions facilitated by the NCC. …
The Labour Party has vehemently criticized the seven-year jail sentence handed down to its Enugu State House of Assembly candidate, Bright Ngene, over a disputed community matter. This comes just ahead of a crucial rerun election in Ngene’s constituency, scheduled following a previous declaration of inconclusiveness. The Enugu South Magistrates Court, under the supervision of E. D. Onwu, sentenced Ngene last Friday, reigniting tensions within the political landscape. Ngene was initially arraigned in 2017, alongside two others, by the Enugu State Police Command concerning a N15 million development fund case linked to his community. In the recent 2023 general elections,…
China confirmed Thursday that an armed attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left several of its citizens dead or missing. Local sources told AFP on Wednesday that a militia attack on a mining site in gold-rich Ituri province killed at least four Chinese nationals. Beijing’s foreign ministry said a private Chinese company in the DRC “was attacked by armed forces, resulting in the death and disappearance of several Chinese nationals”, without specifying the number. “China expresses its strong condemnation of this attack,” ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press conference. “We demand…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a stern warning to the public regarding a planned protest allegedly orchestrated by corrupt individuals. According to a press statement released on July 3, 2024, the EFCC disclosed that a shadowy group is actively recruiting young Nigerians, including students, through social media to participate in a protest against the Commission’s operations. The EFCC, while acknowledging the right of citizens to protest, expressed concerns over evidence suggesting that corrupt elements under investigation or prosecution are exploiting this protest to incite a national uprising. The Commission highlighted the potential threat to Nigeria’s peace…
The Nigerian Senate rejected a proposal to restrict the use of security funds for building universities and purchasing yachts, urging instead that these funds be dedicated to modern technological advancements to combat insurgency. The proposal surfaced during discussions on a motion titled “Suicide Attacks In Gwoza, Borno State: The Urgency To Stem The Tide Of This Ugly Menace,” moved by Senator Ali Ndume. Senator Ndume highlighted the devastating impact of a series of coordinated suicide bombings on June 29, 2024, in Gwoza, Borno State, which resulted in the deaths of 18 civilians and left many others injured. Ndume emphasized the…
Nurses and midwives in Oyo State on Wednesday insisted that their ongoing strike would not be called off until their demands were met by the state government. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan, the state capital, the Chairman, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Dr. Samuel Adeyemi said there was no going back on the industrial action. NAN reports that the nurses and midwives in the state government-owned hospitals and health centres began an indefinite strike on May 21, 2024. The industrial action has been taking its toll on the patients…
The Nigerian Senate has initiated a thorough investigation into the ongoing importation of substandard diesel and other hazardous petroleum products into the country. On Wednesday, an ad-hoc committee was formed, led by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, alongside 14 other senators, to identify those responsible for this illicit practice. The committee has been given three weeks to submit its findings. This development follows a motion by Asuquo Ekpenyong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, highlighting the urgent need to address the importation of hazardous petroleum products. Ekpenyong revealed that recent reports indicated 12 diesel cargoes, carrying…
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted full accreditation for 11 new academic programmes at Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Kogi State. In a statement signed by the Registrar of CUSTECH, Olufunke Hudson, the newly accredited programmes include Biochemistry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics, and Statistics. The list also features Computer Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, and Information Technology. The Vice-Chancellor of CUSTECH, Prof. Abdulrahman Salawu, expressed his delight over this achievement, emphasizing the hard work and dedication of both staff and students. “We are delighted to have obtained full accreditation for all programmes tendered for evaluation,…
Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Ltd., operators of Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal II (MMA2), Ikeja, says there is no ticket racketeering at the terminal. This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Ajoke Yinka-Olawuyi, Head of Corporate Communications of the company, on Tuesday in Lagos. Yinka-Olawuyi also described as unfounded, an allegation that unpatriotic Nigerian were using private Point of Sale (POS) machines within the terminal to carry out fraudulent payments.1:07 She said that the company was commitment to maintaining a secure, transparent and efficient airport environment. NAN reports that there is an allegation that ticket racketeering is rampant at MMA2,…