Author: Olukayode Oke

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil, amounting to over $2.4 billion and crude oil export to China from 2014 to date, said yesterday it has uncovered payment of $200 million allegedly made as consultancy fees in whistleblower recoveries by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami within statutory approvals. Chairman of the committee, Mark Gbillah, who disclosed this at the resumed public hearing on the issue, also said Malami and the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, had not been cooperating with the committee, failing to answer…

The management of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso in Oyo State, has banned students from driving or bringing cars to the campus. This was contained in a memo issued by the Registrar of the institution, Kayode Ogunleye, on Wednesday. A copy of the memo containing the decision reached by the school management was sighted by this online news platform. The memo showed that the institution also banned the use of tinted vehicles by staff members and students, and required beginner drivers to place learner permits on their vehicles. Vehicles owned by students are hereby banned from entering the university campus.…

Amid controversy, the Federal government has approved an e-Customs modernization project at N142.24 billion. The approval is coming amid reports of an existing court order restraining the e-custom project from proceeding. Meanwhile, Clem Agba, the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning said he is unaware of any court order on the project. He disclosed this to State House correspondents shortly after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Villa in Abuja. Agba explained that the concessionaire includes Bergman Securities Consultant and Suppliers Limited as the project sponsor, Africa Finance Corporation UFC…

The Federal Government has declared Friday, April 21 and Monday, April 24 as public holidays. This is to mark this year’s Eid-al-Fitr celebration. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, announced this on behalf of the government. In a statement signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Shuaib Belgore, Aregbesola congratulated Muslims for completing the holy month of Ramadan. He called on them to imbibe the virtues of kindness, love, tolerance, peace, self-denial, sacrifice and good neighbourliness, as exemplified by Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him).

A Milan derby awaits in the Champions League semi-finals after Inter made it past Benfica with a 3-3 draw on Wednesday, sealing a 5-3 aggregate victory. Following Milan’s passage to the final four after they eliminated Napoli on Tuesday, Inter just had to see out their quarter-final second leg against the Lisbon side having taken a 2-0 lead into the clash at San Siro. As he did in the first leg, Nicolo Barella gave Inter the lead with an excellent finish, before Fredrik Aursnes equalised for the visitors with a powerful header before half-time. Lautaro Martinez put Inter back in front, before substitute Joaquin…

Manchester City set up a Champions League semi-final clash with holders Real Madrid as Erling Haaland’s goal ended Bayern Munich’s hopes of a comeback. Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel felt his side needed a miracle to go through after losing the first leg 3-0 – and they squandered plenty of opportunities to get back into the game. Haaland made them pay as he lashed home a shot into the top corner to cap off a swift counter-attack, 15 seconds after Ederson had saved Kingsley Coman’s shot at the other end. That was the Norwegian’s 48th goal for City this season, but…

University of Sydney scientists have discovered two types of fungi that can break down plastic at an unprecedented rate, potentially solving the world’s plastic waste problem. According to the researchers, the plastic-eating mould can break down stubborn plastics, such as cling wrap and ice cream tubs, in just 140 days. Ali Abbas, a chemical engineering professor at the university, called it “the highest degradation rate reported in the literature that we know in the world.” He emphasised that while the new technology is a significant step forward, tackling behavioural, social, and business issues is also crucial to address the plastics problem.…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said it will present the certificate of return (CoR) to the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri in Abuja. The commission disclosed this in a statement on its verified twitter handle on Wednesday (today). According to INEC, the presentation would take place at its headquarters conference room, in Abuja. Recall that Fintiri won his re-election after Saturday’s supplementary elections, which generated controversies. The INEC statement reads, “Following the conclusion of supplementary elections nationwide and the declaration of winners, the Commission will present certificates of return to the Adamawa State Governor and Deputy Governor-elect at 3pm…

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State, Sen Dino Melaye, has said Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike is suffering from post-election trauma. Both have engaged in a face-off since Melaye showed an interest in becoming the PDP gubernatorial candidate, and Wike kicked against it. Rivers governor, during a media chat in Port Harcourt on April 11, had said the former Kogi senator did not possess the qualities required to become the governor. The former federal lawmaker, while reacting said Wike’s rift with him to was hinged on his failure to secure the party’s presidential ticket…

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after eight-day official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he also performed the Umrah (Lesser Hajj). Buhari departed Saudi Arabia via King Abdulaziz International Airport Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. The Saudi Government officials, traditional and spiritual leaders from Nigeria as well as some senior staff of the Nigerian Embassy in the Kingdom, were at the airport to bid farewell to the President. The president had successfully performed Umrah rituals, amid tight security, upon his arrival at the Grand Mosque in Makkah from Madinah on Thursday morning. Buhari, along side members of his…

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has denied signing a new law approving jumbo pay and other allowances as pensions for ex-governors of the state. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Asaba, the state capital, the Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said the pension law for ex-governors has been in place in the state since 2005. He pointed out that the only time the House effected minor changes in the law was in 2019 when the State House of Assembly amended the law to include the late Prince Sam Obi who was acting Governor between Nov. 10, 2010, and Jan. 10,…

The Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said that Mr. Julius Abure, the embattled national chairman of the party remains his own man amid the leadership crisis rocking the party. Obi spoke on Tuesday at the LP National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Asaba, Delta State. The post-election crisis in the LP took another dimension a few days ago after the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, sealed its secretariat. Recall that a Federal High Court, in Abuja, had ordered Abure to stay away from parading himself as the national chairman of the LP a week after a ward in…