Author: Vincent Osuwo

Peter Obi, the candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election, has pledged his unwavering loyalty to the party.  In a statement on his X page on Thursday, Obi stated that he remains “a committed, loyal Labour Party member.” Obi mentioned that he has zero intentions of leaving the party on which he contested the 2023 presidential election. His statement comes amid speculation that the former governor of Anambra State is quitting the party to ally with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party flag bearer in the 2023 general election. Recall that in May, Obi paid a…

A Federal High Court in Lagos granted an order yesterday for the temporary forfeiture of N11.14 billion in property allegedly linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.  The presiding judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, made the order following an ex parte motion submitted and contested by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN. The court’s order demands the property’s interim forfeiture to the Federal Government. Oyedepo stated to the court that Emefiele was accused of purchasing the high-value property, which was predominantly located in posh districts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,…

The Presidency has stated that two trending fiscal policy documents in circulation are still ideas and have not been authorised by President Bola Tinubu.  It further emphasised that the fuel subsidy system has ended and that the government’s stance on fuel subsidies has not altered since Tinubu’s announcement on May 29, 2023. The presidency also stated that there is no N5.4 trillion set aside for fuel subsidy in 2024, as has been widely believed and discussed. According to reports, the documents, titled Inflation Reduction and Price Stability (Fiscal Policy Measures, etc.) Order 2024 and Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan (ASAP),…

The Nigerian Army has refuted accusations of mass executions in the country’s South-east.  According to the Army, Simon Ekpa, a faction leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, accused the army of murdering innocent residents in the South East and putting their bodies in the river. However, the Army, in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, denied the claims. He further stated that the video published by Ekpa to support his assertions was intended to stir citizens against the army. The statement read, “The Nigerian Army has noted with…

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has encouraged the Federal Government to actively hire and provide automatic employment to newly qualified nurses and midwives as a strategy to fight the present brain drain in the health sector.  The group made this request during a recent presentation to the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Health Institutions. In a statement acquired by Newsmen regarding the presentation, NANNM voiced its concerns and stance on the updated certificate verification guidelines. According to reports, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria will modify its certification verification and license approval procedures for…

Acute food insecurity is expected to rise in magnitude and severity in 18 hunger “hotspots,” including Nigeria.  This was revealed in a recent report from the United Nations. The report underlined the urgent need for aid to prevent famine in Gaza and Sudan, as well as the escalating food crises in Haiti, Mali, and South Sudan. It also cautions about the ongoing consequences of El Niño and the looming risk of La Niña, which might cause extreme climatic events that affect lives and livelihoods. It stated, “Since the previous edition of the Hunger Hotspots report (October 2023), the Central African…

The executive governor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, raised concerns on Wednesday about illicit mining, banditry, kidnapping, and other vices in the Oke-Ogun area and across the state.  Makinde stated this while hosting the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, and South West Zone, Abiodun Alabi, at the Conference Hall of the Secretary to the State Government, Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan. Makinde, represented by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, voiced alarm about the threat in the region and other parts of the state. According to Makinde, there were reports of kidnappings on the Igbeti-Igboho road on Wednesday, and…

The economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government have been described by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a “cocktail of trial and error.” Atiku, in a statement on Wednesday, noted that Nigerians have nothing to celebrate about as Tinubu marks one year in office. Alleging that the Tinubu-led administration is full of “deception,” Atiku mentioned that the present administration has been lying to Nigerians. He alleged that while Tinubu claimed to have abolished the payment of federal subsidies, the federal government has been paying subsidies on patrol clandestinely. “President Bola Tinubu, at his inauguration on May 29, 2023, announced…

The Kano State High Court on Wednesday, ordered the substituted service of bribery charges against the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.  Justice Amina Aliyu directed the prosecution to publish the eight counts filed against Ganduje and his co-defendants in two daily national publications. The judge issued the decision in response to a motion filed by the state government’s counsel, Zahradeen Kofar Mata, who was filling in for the lead prosecution counsel, Ya’u Adamu. Since April, the Kano State Government has filed eight counts of bribery and financial misappropriation against Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat, and their son, Abdullahi. The allegations also…

As a step to combat inflation, the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government may have implemented a proposal to suspend payment of import duties on staple food items, pharmaceuticals, and other critical items for a six-month period.  This was stated in the President’s next Executive Order, titled “Inflation Reduction and Price Stability (Fiscal Policy Measures) Order 2024.” Punch NG correspondent saw a paper that did not include the President’s signature, but it was supposed to be signed in April. The document also includes proposals to eliminate tariffs on fertiliser, chicken feed, bread, and cereals. The presidential order would direct the Ministry…