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Speaker Gbajabiamila: Constitution review to address Nigeria’s foundational deficiencies
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has called for collaboration between the National Assembly and the 36 state Houses of Assembly to make the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution successful. Gbajabiamila, who spoke at a meeting of the Conference of Presiding Officers of Nigerian Legislatures in Abuja at the weekend, noted that the constitutional amendments are to address Nigeria’s foundational problems. The Speaker also stated that the legislature remained the most important arm of government in any democratic setting, according to a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, titled ‘Constitution review: Gbajabiamila Seeks Collaboration Between NASS, State Assemblies…Says Legislature Remains Most Important Arm o...
PANDEF cautions Nigerian government over Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho, others
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has cautioned the Federal Government over some of its recent actions, warning that the government should consider the consequences of treating with contempt, the 16-Point Agenda it presented to President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2016. The group also condemned the midnight raid on the house of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho and cautioned the Government’s plan to identify the sponsors of the rearrested leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. The socio-cultural organization said the action of the government has caused the Niger Delta youths to declare a vote of no-confidence on PANDEF because it was the leaders of the region that requested them to stay action when they took a decision to cri...
IMN: Sheikh El-Zakzaky is not an enemy of Nigeria
The Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) says that its leader, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, is not an enemy of Nigeria. The Islamic group also says that the message of El-Zakzaky differs from the struggle by leader, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and the secessionist, Sunday Igboho. The Coordinator, Resource Forum of IMN, Prof. Abdullahi Danladi, gave the clarification on Saturday, following the recent social media pictures of El-Zakzaky, Kanu and Igboho displayed side-by-side. “Recently, the social media went awash with the pictures of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky framed on both sides with the pictures of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho. “Beneath the pictures is the caption: ‘Buhari is respecting Federal Character in the fight against the enemies of Nigeria’ was posted. “First, Shei...
#EndSARS: VP Osinbajo urges States to send judicial panels’ progress reports
As plans for next year’s budget begins to gather pace, the National Economic Council (NEC) has endorsed the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) which was presented to it at an emergency meeting of the Council today. Besides the MTEF presentation, the NEC also updated its focus on the reports of the State Judicial Panels set up across the country after last year’s #EndSARS protests. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, urged States where the panels are still sitting to also send interim reports so as to measure progress. According to the Vice President, in a statement by his media aide Laolu Akande, the reports are now being received ahead of a Council meeting where presentations would be made on them, both for States where the panels have conclude...
Myanmar protesters burn junta leader’s images on his birthday
Protesters burned mock coffins and pictures of Myanmar’s army ruler Min Aung Hlaing on Saturday in the latest demonstrations against the coup over five months ago that has plunged the Southeast Asian country into chaos. “May you not rest in peace” and “may your birthday and deathday be the same,” read the messages on funeral wreaths in Theinzayet township in eastern Mon state. Similar protests took place in many parts of Myanmar. “We are burning this as a curse,” said one protester in the second city of Mandalay, setting ablaze a small pile of picture of the general, 65. A spokesman for the military authorities did not respond to requests for comment. Min Aung Hlaing took power on Feb. 1, overthrowing elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and cutting short a decade of democratic reforms that had...
Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line Were ‘Meant to Be’ in YouTube’s Billion Views Club
It was clearly meant to be that Bebe Rexha‘s 2017 megahit “Meant to Be,” featuring Florida Georgia Line, enters YouTube’s Billion Views Club. “Meant to Be” is Florida Georgia Line’s first entry in the Billion Views Club, while Rexha scores her second after her feature credit on David Guetta’s 2014 hit “Hey Mama,” which also features Nicki Minaj and Afrojack. Rexha’s country-pop crossover hit earned the pop star her career-first Grammy nominations in 2019 for best new artist and best country duo/group performance, the latter of which was also the country group’s first Grammy nod. The song spent 52 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 2 for both acts’ highest-charting song, and spent a record-bre...
South Africa’s Jacob Zuma mounts last-ditch legal fight against jail term
South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma on Friday mounted a last-ditch legal bid to avoid prison after the country’s top court ordered him jailed for failing to appear before graft investigators. In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional Court on Tuesday handed Zuma a 15-month term for contempt after he snubbed a probe into the theft of state assets under his tenure. If the 79-year-old fails to turn himself in by Sunday, police will be given a further three days to arrest him and take him to jail to start the sentence. As the deadline loomed, Zuma pleaded on Friday that the order be “reconsidered and rescinded.” “It will not be futile,” Zuma said in papers filed to the court, “to make one last attempt to invite the Constitutional Court to relook its decision and to merely reassess whether it...
Ekiti governor urges Nigerians to rise up, defend democracy
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has called on Nigerians to rise to the defence of democracy in Nigeria with a view to advancing the development of the country. Mr Fayemi made the call Tuesday in Abuja when he visited the Canadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Nicolas Simard, at his residence. The visit by the NGF Chairman was part of the Chairman’s shuttle diplomacy to representatives of the diplomatic corps in Nigeria, which is one of the initiatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum’s secretariat towards engendering inter-governmental synergy between global governments at the subnational level. Mr Fayemi’s visits on Monday took him to the residence of the Canadian ambassador to Nigeria, and the embassy of the People’s Republic of China and...
Euro 2020: Italy bars travelling England fans from Rome stadium
Fans travelling from the UK to Italy for England’s Euro 2020 quarterfinal clash with Ukraine on Saturday will not be allowed to enter the stadium in Rome, even if they have a ticket, due to coronavirus curbs, the Italian Embassy in London said on Thursday. England’s victory over Germany on Tuesday set up the last-eight clash at the Stadio Olimpico, but fans looking to make the journey to Italy from the UK cannot attend the match. “Anybody who has been in the UK in the previous 14 days, irrespective of their nationality or residency, will not be admitted to the stadium, even if they have a ticket,” a statement read. “Only those who can prove that they have arrived in Italy at least six days previously, have observed five days of quarantine, and have taken a post-quarantine Covid-19 test wit...
Lagos assembly to establish organ transplant dept
The Lagos State House of Assembly has organised a public hearing on a bill to establish an organ harvest transplantation department in the state Ministry of Health. The Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, Mr Hakeem Sokunle, made the disclosure at one-day public hearing on Organ Harvest and Transplantation Bill on Wednesday in Lagos. Sokunle explained that the department was to advise the state government on all matters relating to organ harvest, transplantation and preservation. The lawmaker said the department would also formulate and develop state strategies, guidelines and protocols for medical transplant and harvest in the state. He said: “The bill when passed into law will formulate and develop state strategies, guidelines and protocols for medical transplants and harvest in...
Coronavirus figures mount in Tokyo ahead of Olympics
The July 23 commencement date for the summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, is under increasing threats from a steady rise in daily cases of the coronavirus in the city. The recent spike has also triggered fears of a possible fifth wave of infections, which will not be ideal for the Games. Coming this close to the opening of the Games, there are palpable concerns raised for many athletes who will be contesting for honours in the Asian city and their crew members who will be with them all the way. On Monday alone, Tokyo reported 317 infections, a figure that represents an increase of 81 from the same account of the week before. The increment marks the ninth week-on-week, consecutive same-day rise in infection rates in a row even with the availability of vaccines. There has also been evidence to ...
Minister asks NFF to call Super Eagles boss to order
The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Football Federation to call Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, to order and ensure he performs his duties optimally. Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, who was surprised that Rohr was not present with the home-based Super Eagles team when he visited on Tuesday evening wondered why Rohr will discriminate the class of Nigerians to coach in the team. The minister said, “Gernot Rohr was employed by Nigerians, therefore, he should not discriminate against those he wants to coach. Both home-based and foreign-based players exhibit great talents and they all must be respected and treated well. “NFF must call him to order and ensure he abides by the contract he signed.” Prior to the commencement of Super team B camp ahea...
