Akwa Pluz

The Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) yesterday said it is going ahead with the timetable for the recall process for Senator Dino Melaye because it has not been served any court ruling or process. The recall process is expected to begin on Monday. Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Thursday rejected Melaye’s ex-parte motion for a temporary injunction to restrain the INEC from proceeding with the recall process. Tsoho only asked the parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing of the Motion on Notice. According to a top official of the electoral commission, who spoke with our correspondent at about 6pm yesterday, the recall process will go ahead. The source said: “As at the close of work, we were not served any order, ruling or a process from the Federal High Court. “Even if we had received any order from the court, our legal unit will still advise us on what the status quo means. We cannot act in vacuum. “Certainly, we a...

The United States on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to the Federal Government’s anti-corruption drive, saying it would continue to offer material and intelligence supports to ensure Nigeria is rid of graft. The U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Mr. David Young, said the cost of corruption to the economy should not be measured by figures of stolen assets, but its effects on hardworking citizens. The diplomat said America would continue to support open partnership with agencies of government and civil society organisations to end corruption in Nigeria, adding that all Nigeria’s stolen assets stashed in the U.S would be recovered and returned to the country. Young spoke at the launch of Report Yourself, a web-based anti-corruption platform to promote citizen engagement in the fight against corruption. The event was organised by BudgIT in collaboration with the U.S Mission to Nigeria and Religious Leader Anti-corruption Committee (RLAC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The w...

Sen. Andy Uba says he has not defected from  the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the outcome of the Anambra governorship primaries. Uba, who is from Anambra South made this known to newsmen at his country home, on Tuesday. He debunked  reports making the rounds that he planned to dump the APC for a new party. In a statement issued by his media aide, Mr Joseph Itazi, the senator said that he was still a supporter of the APC, irrespective of the outcome of the party’s primaries. “Let us put the record straight, I have no intention of leaving our great party -APC – for another party. “I have always supported the party, so please people should stop spreading false news that I am planning to defect to another party. “I am still a member of the APC,’’ he  said. Uba  emerged second with 931 votes at the just-concluded APC primary election, losing to Mr Tony Nwoye. Uba and Nwoye were members of the PDP before def...

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on Monday said the National Assembly’s response to his observation on the 2017 Budget did not address fundamental issues raised on funds allocated to  key ministries. Fashola, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Hakeem Bello, expressed concern over the recourse to name-calling and personal attack by the federal lawmakers, insisting the legislators lack power to insert items in budget prepared by the executive. The minister said he was worried that spokespersons of the Senate and House of Representatives failed to state the reason the National Assembly cut allocations to key infrastructure projects of the ministry. While acknowledging that legislators could contribute to budget making, Fashola disagreed that members of the legislative arm have powers to alter items in the budget after putting the executive members through defence sessions and committee hearings. The minister observed that ...

Labour laments 5% payment to consultants WORKERS are angry with governors who blew their state’s share of the N760.17 billion Paris Club loan refund. President Muhammadu Buhari’s comment on how states failed to pay salaries despite the huge cash injection has provoked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).  It is threatening to “name and shame” governors who failed to spend the refund on salaries and pension. Besides,  the President should demand that the governors account for the money before any further release is made to them, the NLC said yesterday. NLC President Ayuba Wabba said it was unfortunate that despite their promises to pay workers’ salaries and pension, the governors refused to live by their word. He said that some of the governors had even refused to disclose how much they received and how it was spent. Wabba accused the Chairman of the Governors Forum, Zamfara State Governor Abdulazeez Yari, who made a commitment on behalf of his colleagues of no...

Teleccoms giant MTN Nigeria yesterday said it hinted the police of “unusual level of swap activities” which led to the arrest and the ongoing investigation. In a statememt yesterday, the firm which commended the police for doinga good job, restated that the allged mastermind of the crime were not its workers but “employees of an independent but regulated third-party trade partner who owns and operates the Connect store where the incident took place” The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to inaccuracies being reported by certain media regarding some individuals, alleged to be MTN employees, involved in a syndicated crime resulting in fraudulent bank transactions. “We wish to point out that the arrest stemmed from MTN’s report of an unusual level of swap activity to the Nigeria Police. This breach was perpetrated by employees of an independent but regulated third-party trade partner who owns and operates the Connect store where the incident took place. “We are appa...

All roads lead to Abeokuta, Ogun State, today as the wedding train moves to the ancient city for the traditional marriage of the children of two political bigwigs in the South-West. Oladipo Dabiri, son of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Relations and Diaspora to President Muhammadu Buhari, will tie the nuptial knot with Ayomide, daughter of Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Their wedding is certain to be a grand event attended by the who’s who in the political and celebrity scene. Already, the parents are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the high-class shindig lives up to expectation. The second leg of the wedding is scheduled for later in the year.

The Federal Government plans to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar. It targets domestic production of 1.7 million metric tonnes of sugar by 2020, to, among others, halt the yearly loss of about N350 billion to importation of the product and create jobs. But the realisation of these targets via the implementation of the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) is being threatened by smuggling, community hostility, and flooding, among others. Already, investors are worried that they may not savour the sweetness of their multi-billion naira investments in sugar, unless remedial steps are taken urgently. Asst. Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports. T he three major investors in the Nigerian sugar industry – Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, BUA Sugar Refinery Limited and Golden Sugar Company Limited – are, no doubt, big ticket investors credited with having the Midas touch. Their successes in turning businesses into extremely profitable ones are widely known. However, their foray into the sugar sector ...

RENOWNED British poet, William Wordsworth, says the best moments of a good man’s life are “the little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.” If that is indeed the case, the chairman of Taleveras Group Charles Igho Sanomi must be feeling very happy. With help from his foundation, Ahmadu Ali, a 24-year-old survivor of the deadly Boko Haram sect in Chibok, Borno State, has a second chance at a happy and productive life. The young Ali was one of the victims of a raid carried out by the sect in 2014, during which they kidnapped dozens of girls, leaving him with a spinal cord injury. Since then he has had to contend with excruciating pains even as groups like the Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care (GIPLC) ran around, trying to raise funds for corrective surgery on him. Succour finally came his way in the guise of the Dickens Sanomi Foundation set up by Igho Charles in honour of his father. The foundation agreed to bankroll Ali’s medical expenses to the tune of $48,0...

BUDDING afro pop singer, Chukwuyem Onyemaka Romeo, aka Cyprex, has dropped yet another spanking new single from his yet to be released album titled Money. The new track is coming on the heels of the success of his previous single, Colombi, featuring Oritsefemi and Harrysong. Commenting on the new track, the DG Records artiste’s manager, Jegbefume Henry, one of the brains behind the success of Osinachi singer, Humblesmith said; “Since he hit the music scene, the act known as Cyprex has been redefining the sound and heating up the airwave. His last single, Colombi, featuring Oritsefemi and Harrysong, two music heavy weights was a resounding success. “Now he is poised to heat up the music scene again as he drops his latest single titled Money. Fans should watch out for this act. He is the future of Nigerian music. Lovers of good music, keep a date with him as he unleashes his latest single on Tuesday, July 25.” Henry added that the single will be on music blogs across social medi...