The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Onokogu, has called on Nigerians to pray for violence-free elections in April. Mr. Onokogu, who made the call during a prayer session with staff of the Commission in Awka, asked them to pray to God to save them from temptations that might come from the political…

Civil society groups, the Protection for Okomu National Park and the local Advisory Committee for Okomu National Park have called on the governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, to urgently look into the numerous attacks on the park by illegal loggers. The petitioners say the reserved forest is facing extinction due to the activities of loggers and poachers. The groups…

The National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control has attributed the outbreak of cholera in Kaduna State to the use of contaminated water and fruits by residents. The agency’s Zonal Director in the state, Eric Iful, advised residents to refrain from drinking unsafe water and to wash fruits thoroughly before consumption. Mr. Iful gave the advice in an interview on…

The President of the Senate, David Mark, has alleged that opposition parties in his constituency plan to deface ballot papers after voting. Mr Mark stated this while addressing the people of Ogwule at a campaign rally in Agatu Council, Benue State Monday. Mr Mark, who is facing a stiff contest for his return to the senate against Lawrence Onoja, the…

Gboyega Isiaka, the governorship candidate of the Gbenga Daniel faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, whose candidacy was voided by a Federal High Court judgment, has finally got some relief as his name has been included in the final list of governorship candidates for the state announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Mr Isiaka’s name…

Twenty-eight graduates are to be awarded with First Class Degree in various disciplines by the Bayero University Kano at its 29th Convocation Ceremony scheduled for Friday. The University is also to confer honorary doctorate degrees on three Nigerians: The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; a one-time Defence Minister, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma and a US-based…

The governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has blamed his Oyo State counterpart, Adebayo Alao-Akala for the ownership crisis facing the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology ( LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, saying despite Mr Alao-Akala’s unilateral announcement that the institution is solely owned by Oyo State, it remains the joint property of both states. Mr. Aregbesola’s criticism follows the refusal of the…

Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel at the weekend called on tertiary institutions in the country to diversify their revenue base to enable them meet their financial needs. Mr Daniel, who spoke at the second convocation ceremony of the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun- Ijebu, said : “Tertiary institutions should look inwards and be close to their communities. They need…

Worried over the rise in the number of kidnap incidents recorded in the state in recent times, Delta State governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan at the weekend called for the immediate establishment of a special court to accelerate the trial and prosecution of all those caught in the act. Mr Uduaghan, who stated that cases of kidnapping in the state have taken…

The people of Ikole-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have dragged the state government to court to stop the relocation of the federal university from the town to Oye-Ekiti. Two persons were killed early February during a protest by Ikole people, who were angered by the reported announcement of Oye, a neighbouring town, as the new host of the university. The university is…

Since he was removed as National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in January, Okwesilieze Nwodo has not been seen regularly at public functions. But, surprisingly, he attended the Northern Economic Summit held in Kaduna on Thursday, where he spoke about his relationship with President Goodluck Jonathan, the crisis in Enugu PDP and other issues. You are rarely seen at…

Traditional rulers in Nigeria have been known to play a significant role in the socio political development of the country. Being custodians of the traditional values of the people, they have become opinion leaders in the society. Any politician who shows disrespect to traditional rulers is not likely to succeed in the domain of such rulers. It is not therefore…

The odds were stacked against any child with an educated mother in those days, and it took a few days of primary school in 1951 to come to terms with that perspective. The teacher had inquired why I did not have a “Christian name.” “My young idiot, don’t you have an English name?” I was sent to get a parent,…

Had the wicked attempted to do their worst? Were the sheep or goats sent by the PDP? And how did the flock suddenly appear on the runway just as the ACN charter aircraft was landing at Bauchi? Nobody takes much notice when reading about bird strikes on aircraft engines, but livestock colliding with landing planes is different. The fact is…

Supporters of the Labour Party (LP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday engaged in a violent clash in Ose area of Ondo State leaving one person dead and at least 15 people injured. For several hours, gun shots were fired by the fighters as residents scampered for safety. A close associate of a senator, Bode Olajumoke, simply identified as…