Author: David Great

Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, has indicated that the reconstruction of the Kaduna Refinery will be finished by the end of 2024. He made the announcement during a tour of the refinery on Saturday, during which he restated the Federal Government’s resolve to ending petroleum product imports through the revival of the nation’s refineries. The Kaduna Refinery, with a capacity of 110,000 barrels per day, is one of Nigeria’s four dysfunctional refineries, which have generated no fuel for many years, forcing the country to rely heavily on imported petroleum products. However, in February 2023, the Nigerian National…

The Adamawa State Governorship Election Tribunal confirmed Umaru Fintiri’s re-election as the state’s legitimately re-elected Governor in the March 2023 gubernatorial election on Saturday. The requests of All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate Aisha ‘Binani’ Dahiru were rejected by a three-man panel chaired by Justice Theodora Uloho for lack of merit. The Tribunal stated in its decision that Fintiri met all of the conditions of the election legislation to be declared the winner, while the petitioners failed to show their case. Following the Adamawa governorship election, which resulted in a supplementary poll and several contentious moments. The incumbent Fintiri, who…

Chelsea suffered another damaging home defeat as goals from Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbuemo gave Brentford the bragging rights with a 2-0 win in the west London derby on Saturday. The big spending Blues have won just one of their last 13 home Premier League games over the past two seasons and this latest setback punctures belief that Mauricio Pochettino was beginning to get Chelsea back on track. After a difficult start to Pochettino’s reign, back-to-back victories over Fulham and Burnley was followed by an impressive performance, even though they blowing a two-goal lead, in a 2-2 draw against Arsenal…

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential contender in the 2023 election, will speak to the press on Monday about some critical national concerns. This comes less than 48 hours after the Supreme Court dismissed the former vice president’s petition as without merit and declared President Bola Tinubu the victor of the February presidential election. According to a statement issued by the PDP Publicity Office on Saturday, Atiku’s speech would focus on matters of critical significance to the country. Supreme Court: Jonathan visits Tinubu in Aso Villa, says ‘we must move forward’ The statement read, “The presidential candidate of our…

No fewer than 200 people, mostly Jewish, have been arrested following a large demonstration on Friday after taking over the main hall of Grand Central Station in protest of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, the New York Police Department said. However, protest organisers put the number at more than 300. Photos from the scene showed long lines of young people standing in handcuffs and wearing black sweatshirts with the words ‘Not in Our Name’ and ‘Cease Fire Now’ printed in white. The massive sit-in was called by the group Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City, which said thousands of its members…

Marauding elephants have invaded farm fields in Gamboru/Ngala Local Government Area of Borno. Confirming the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, the Director Forestry and Wildlife in the Borno Ministry of Environment, Mr Ayuba Peter said that the ministry received reports and was mobilising a team to go to the area. Peter said the elephants were from Waza National Park in neighbouring Cameroon Republic. “The herd is from Waza National Park, and yearly it used to move from Cameroon to Nigeria and back again during this period, following its route that passed through Gamboru/Ngala and Kala-Balge…

Hamas is “ready” for an Israeli invasion of Gaza over the October 7 attacks, a top official of the Palestinian Islamist group said late Friday after Israel announced it would extend its ground operation. “Following the series of strikes of the last days, the ground forces are extending the ground operation tonight,” military spokesman Daniel Hagari told reporters after two straight nights of tank incursions into the Gaza Strip. A top Hamas official said it was “ready” for an Israeli ground invasion. “If (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu decides to enter Gaza tonight, the resistance is ready,” said Ezzat al-Rishaq, a…

A former operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abubakar Aliyu Madaki yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos how a former minister of state for defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, handed over the sum of N1,219,000,000 in cash to former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose. Fayose and his firm Spotless Investment Limited are being prosecuted by the EFCC for allegedly laundering N6.9 billion. Recalled that Obanikoro, had earlier narrated before the Court how N1.2 billion was allegedly taken to former Gov Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, using an aircraft. In continuation of his evidence yesterday, Madaki who is…

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has backed calls by a fans’ group for the Premier League to change the scheduling of the Blues’ trip to Wolves on Christmas Eve. It is the first English top-flight fixture to be scheduled for December 24 since 1995, a decision branded by the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust as “totally unacceptable.” Pochettino has personal reasons to protest at the scheduling as Argentines celebrate Christmas on the night of the 24th and his wedding anniversary is the day before. “Our fans are not happy? Me neither. The 23rd is my anniversary with my wife and now I need…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan paid President Bola Tinubu a visit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The visit comes only 24 hours after the Supreme Court validated Tinubu’s candidature in the hotly fought presidential election on February 25, 2023. Though the purpose for Jonathan’s visit was unknown, he was shown in a video congratulating Tinubu on the Supreme Court’s decision. Jonathan told media following the closed-door meeting with the President that he came to brief Tinubu of some of his recent abroad activities as well as several challenges impacting the country. He said that the visit gave him…