Read Why Over 2,000 NIGERIANS SIGN PETITION ASKING VARSITY TO WITHDRAW OKONJI-IWEALA’S HONOURARY DOCTORATE DEGREE

As at press time on Thursday, about 2,047 persons had signed a petition asking Yale University to withdraw the honorary doctorate degree awarded to Nigeria's Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Okonjo-Iweala had been awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters on Monday, May 18, 2015 during Yale's Commencement ceremony in New Haven, Connecticut, alongside eight others.

The petition, which is being hosted on Change.org, the world's largest petition platform, was started by a Nigerian resident in the United States, one Sunday Iwalaiye.

When Ashiwaju.org visited the web page, it was discovered that 453 more petitions were needed to reach 2,500, which will probably prompt the organisation to consider the petition worthy of consideration.

Abacha Loot: Inside the secret deal Jonathan authorized to shield ex-dictator’s family from prosecution

For allegedly helping their father plunder Nigeria of an estimated $5 billion in the 1990s, Mohammed and Abba Abacha, and other relatives of the late dictator, Sani Abacha, have been rewarded by the Nigerian government.
A secret deal between the government and the Abachas, wants the family to return part of the loot, in exchange for perpetual immunity against prosecution.
The deal, kept classified for months, was personally approved by President Goodluck Jonathan in July 2014, and jointly authored by the Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke.
The terms of the agreement, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in March, have alarmed anti-corruption activists.

PDP Plans To Expel Fani-Kayode

For publicly criticising the leadership of his party and calling on members of the National Working Committee, NWC, to resign following the dismal performance of the party in the last general elections, former Aviation Minister and Director Of Media of the Peoples Democratic Party
Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, may be expelled from the party.
An indication to this emerged Wednesday when the NWC of the party, after a meeting held in Abuja, asked Osun State chapter of the party to investigate Fani-Kayode’s membership status and determine whether he is a registered and financial member or a usurper.

APC holds two-day retreat for senators-elect

The All Progressives Congress will hold a two-day retreat for all its Senators-elect in Abuja on Friday May 22 and Saturday 23.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the retreat would be held at the Ibeto Hotel in Apo area of the city.
It urged the Senators-elect to arrive at the venue where accommodation arrangement has been made for them, by 6 p.m. on Friday, May 22, as there will be a closed door meeting between all senators-elect and party leaders at 8 p.m. of the same day.
”The two-day retreat is part of efforts being undertaken by the party to ensure that the legislators hit the ground running for the benefit of Nigerians,” APC said.

Read Full Text of BBC Apology To Nigeria On Allege Selling Human Flesh In A Restaurant

The British Broadcasting Cooperation has apologised for wrongly publishing a story about a restaurant in Anambra State, Nigeria, where human flesh is served as meat.

In the report, BBC had said suspicious residents in Anambra told police about rumours that the restaurant was cooking human meat for customers.

It also said when police raided the restaurant, fresh human heads, still bleeding were discovered.

The BBC said the blood found in the restaurant by the police were in the process of being drained into a plastic bag.

House of Reps’ Speakership: Tinubu has no hand in my ambition — Gbajabiamila

One of the leading contenders for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the soon-to-be inaugurated 8th Assembly, Femi Gbajabiamila, has denied the involvement of a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, in his ambition.

Mr. Gbabiamila, who is the current Minority Leader in the House, made the statement Wednesday while addressing members-elect of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.

“I intend to be speaker not for anybody. Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu has no hand in it. Lamido Sanusi left his palace in Kano and pleaded with him to support me. He didn’t get a clear answer. Shortly after that, Senator Lawan Shuaibu went to Tinubu on the same issue. He still did not respond until when few weeks ago Nasir El-Rufai went to meet him, then he said maybe this man has some appeal,” Mr. Gbajabiamila said.

3 Fear Dead In Ekiti State Mayhem

Hell was let loose in Ado-Ekiti yesterday as three people were killed and scores injured when hoodlums
unleashed terror on Oja Oba market near the old garage.
The hoodlums suspected to be members of the road transport workers union clashed with some Hausa residents. The violence paralysed activities in the Ekiti State capital for hours.
Property worth millions of naira were either completely burnt or vandalized.
An eyewitness said trouble started Tuesday night when a bag belonging to the wife of a chieftain of road transport workers was snatched by unknown persons along the ever-busy Ijigbo-old garage area. Cases of bag snatching had for long been rife in the area, with some Hausas being accused as the mastermind..

I CAN’T BE COWED, FANI-KAYODE TELLS NWC OF PDP

 Mr Femi Fani-Kayode says he cannot be intimidated by threat of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to discipline him for calling for their sack.
Fani-Kayode, the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, stated this while speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
He spoke shortly after the resignation of the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.
According to him, I am vindicated by Mu`azu`s resignation.
He, however, insisted on total overhauling of the party with the resignation of other members of the NWC for the party to return to its former glory.
“I am glad that about seven hours after I said somebody should resign, somebody listened and stepped down. Every single one of them should go’’, Fani-Kayode said.
“I was a special adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo for three years under PDP and I served as a Minister too.

LAMIDO HANDS OVER TO SSG, JETS OUT ON ANNUAL LEAVE

Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, yesterday handed over the state administration to his Secretary to State Government (SSG) Lawan Abdu Babura, a week to inauguration of a new government.
This, he said, will allow him proceed on his annual leave.
Lamido flew out from Dutse International Airport amidst tears from his supporters and well wishers.
In a chat with journalists after his last executive council meeting, Lamido thanked his cabinet members, civil servants and the people of Jigawa State for their support and contribution to his government in the last eight years.
He, however, announced that his commissioners and all other government functionaries would continue in office until 12 midnight of May 29, 2015.

Govt withdraws charges against child bride

                                                                            Wasila
The Kano State government has dropped murder charges against  a 14-year-old girl, who reportedly killed her husband.
The child bride, Wasila Tasiu allegedly thumb-printed a confessional statement while in police custody that she killed her husband, Umar Sani through application of rat poison in his local delicacy.
Tasiu was said to to have taken the action after she was forced to marry the deceased against her wish.
However, a government lawyer,  Abba Lamido Sorondinki made an oral application before the Gezewa High Court, Kano, where Tasiu had been standing trial in the last 20 months that the accused person be set free as the state was no longer interested in prosecuting her.
“I am declaring the government position of dropping the charges against her and she should be set free,” Sorondinki said.