Sani slams Jonathan over N’Assembly invasion

A northern-based pro-democracy activist, Mallam Shehu Sani, said on Monday in Kaduna that the security operatives’ siege to the National Assembly   last week demonstrated the degree of desperation and abuse of power by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government.

Sani, who is the President of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria, also condemned an alleged “assault” on the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos by soldiers and the Department of State Security.

He said the actions pointed to “visible symptoms of tyranny and a retrogressive slide to totalitarianism by the Jonathan government.”

Senatorial slot: Refund my N5.5m, Kalu tells PDP

A former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu, has said he is no longer running for the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The former governor has therefore asked the party to refund the N5.5m he paid for the nomination and expression of interest forms, which he paid thinking that he would contest the party’s ticket for Abia North Senatorial District.

National debt rises to N10.8tn

The total debt of the Federal Government,   the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory rose from N8.32tn on September 30, 2013 to N10.84tn on September 30, 2014.

This means that the nation’s total debt stock rose by N2.52tn or   30.29 per cent within one year period.

Statistics obtained from the website of the Debt Management Office in Abuja on Monday indicated that the N8.32tn did not include the domestic debt of the states in 2013.

Details of the current debt status of the country showed that the external debts of both the federal and state governments stood at $9.52bn or N1.48tn.

Court frees suspected Nyanya bomber, cites shoddy prosecution

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday struck out the terrorism charges instituted against Aminu Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind of the April 14 blast, which killed over 75 persons in Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola struck out the charges filed by the Inspector General of Police on the grounds of want of diligent prosecution.

The case had suffered many adjournments due to failure of the police to produce the accused, who had been in the custody of the Department of State Services since he was repatriated from Sudan to Nigeria.

The police and the DSS, through their respective lawyers, had also during court proceedings jostled for the prosecution of the accused persons.

Sultan, Oritsejafor clash over Boko Haram

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, on Monday openly disagreed on the continued violence being unleashed on parts of the country by Boko Haram.

While Abubakar said Islamic leaders had “tried so much” to preach against the activities of the sect, Oritsejafor said they had not done enough in reaching out to the insurgents and making them understand the true teachings of Islam.

Senators initiate move to impeach Jonathan

Some Peoples Democratic Party’s senators on Monday started impeachment moves against President Goodluck Jonathan over what they described as the high level of impunity and corruption allegedly being condoned by his administration.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that the PDP senators had started compiling impeachable offences against the President.

Again, Jonathan meets Chadian President over insurgency

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in N’Djamena, the Chadian capital reiterated the need for Nigeria and her neighbours to intensify joint actions and cooperation to win the war against terrorism and insurgency.

A statement by the his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, quoted the President as speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace in N’Djamena after a closed-door meeting with his Chadian counterpart, President Idris Deby.

Muslim Body Alleges Jewish Symbol On News N100 Note

A Muslim body, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has expressed concern over what it termed a Jewish symbol on the country’s new N100 note.
The new N100 note was unveiled to Nigerians recently by President Goodluck Jonathan in commemoration of Nigeria’s 100 years’ anniversary.

Borno Government Appeal To Parents To Release Their WardsTo Come To School

Borno state government has appealed to parents in the state today, after the re-opening of public primary schools in Maiduguri last week, to allow their wards to back to school.
Chairman of the State Committee on the Resuscitation of Primary School Education,Dr Mohammed Dongel made appeal in Maiduguri, after studies carried out after one week of resumption date, less than 13 per cent of the students showed up in the state public schools.

“I have not slept with another woman since I got married in 2007- Kenneth Okonkwo”

Actor and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, in an interview with City People mag this week said since he got married to his wife Ifeoma in 2007, he has been 100% faithful