NIGERIAN NOTCH

Pope Francis has lamented what he calls today’s “culture of insults” in the world. Pope Francis In his homily during Pentecost Mass Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, Francis also decried that “the more we use social media, the less social we are becoming.” He warned of the temptation to cling to “our little group, to the things and people we like,” saying it’s only a “small step from a nest to a sect, even within the church.” The pope said that “nowadays, it is fashionable to hurl adjectives” in what’s tantamount to “a culture of insults.” He recommended responding “to malice with goodness.” Francis also said the Catholic Church risks becoming a mere organisation with propaganda as its mission instead of a mission to foster joy and harmony.  

A former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, fielded questions from reporters in Lagos on the 26th anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the recognition of June 12 as ‘Democracy Day’ and the imperative of electoral reforms. Excerpts:  *What is the significance of June 12 as Democracy Day and public holiday?* The significance of June 12 is that the June 12, 1993 election created the current political dispensation we now enjoy. It was the sacrifice made by Basorun MKO Abiola, who refused to compromise and surrender the mandate given to him by the entire country. It is also a celebration of some of our heroes and heroines who lost their lives in the struggle for the creation of sustainable democratic norms in Nigeria. I say this because NADECO that is the father and mother of this democracy was founded, not just to claim the mandate of MKO Abiola, but the original philosophy of NADECO was to fight for respect for democracy in Nigeria. The seco...

More than 1,500 concerned Nigerians, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT and Enough is Enough Nigeria (EiE) have filed a lawsuit asking the Federal High Court to “restrain, prevent and stop the National Assembly Service Commission from paying the incoming members of the 9th National Assembly individually and/or collectively over N4.68 billion as ‘welcome package’.” SERAP, BudgIT and EiE, suing for themselves and on behalf of 1,522 concerned Nigerians, stated that: “The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has failed to do any downward review of salaries and allowances of members of the National Assembly since 2007 in spite of the economic downturn in Nigeria. Yet, the commission is statutorily required to review the pay of the lawmakers, in conformity with the country’s economic realities and to achieve fiscal efficiency.”

Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State has directed that all Financial Institutions that have relationship with the Imo State Government should not honour any withdrawal instruction by cheques, transfers or in any form. No financial mandates, ISPOs or any form of financial instruction should be treated. All outstanding financial instructions already with banks and financial institutions should be put on hold. This directive covers, but not limited to, all the accounts of Ministries, Departments, Parastatals, Local Government councils, Quasi-government Agencies, and all revenue generating organs of government. Banks and non-bank financial institutions are to take note and ensure compliance as the state government will not be responsible for any disbursement effected contrary to this directive. This directive will remain in force until otherwise advised. Heads of government agencies, departments, parastatals, permanent secretaries and relevant officers will be held responsible...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has stormed the house of former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha and his wife. Okorocha had on Wednesday predicted his arrest while warning that he will fight back at all plans to silence him. The commission also sealed his Eastern Palm University, Ogboko.

INAUGURAL SPEECH OF HIS EXCELLENCY, RT. HON. EMEKA IHEDIOHA, CON, KSC, GOVERNOR, IMO STATE, OWERRI ON 29TH MAY, 2019. Protocols: Ndi-Imo ndi Nwem, it is with great humility and gratitude to God Almighty that I stand here before you today, grateful for the trust and confidence you have bestowed on me and the Deputy Governor, Hon. (Engr.) Gerald Irona, by entrusting the leadership of our dear State to us at this auspicious time in our history. 2.​It has been a long journey. A journey that has been guided by divine favour and the endeavours of so many.  We would not be here today but for the enormous sacrifices and prayers of our people. We are here, because Imo State citizens, from all walks of life; market men and women, professionals, students, farmers, artisans, organized labour, civil servants, Women, youths, senior citizens, traditional rulers, the clergy and indeed all segments of the society rallied round our cause and message for a new positive beginning for Imo. Yes...

Anambra state police command has arrested two notorious armed robbery suspects in its renewed efforts to stamp out crime in the state. This was made possible,following   intelligence reports gathered by police detectives attached to Ogidi Division, which led to the  arrest of one Leonard Aghano 'm' aged 27 years of Ekwulu village Umuoji at Akuzor Nkpor in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State. It was gathered that the suspect has been on Police wanted list in relation to cases of armed robbery and other heinous crimes in the past.  A Super Honda cub 90 motor cycle with registration number JJT312 QY robbed from one Ndubuisi lbegbu 'm' of Ire village Umuoji on 7/12/2018 and an iPhone robbed from Barr Obiora Nweze 'm' on 23/3/2019 including two matchets and a big hammer were recovered from him as exhibits. The case is under investigation and frantic efforts is ongoing to apprehend his accomplices and bring them to Justice. In another development, the police a...

President Muhammadu Buhari submitted his asset declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau on Tuesday, meeting the May 28 deadline the bureau set for public officers to make their end of tenure declaration. Buhari will be inaugurated for a second term on Wednesday (today) for another four years. By constitutional provisions, the declaration is mandatorily to precede his oath taking today. “The duly completed forms were submitted to the Chairman of the CCB, Prof Mohammed Isa, on behalf of the President by Sarki Abba, Senior Special Assistant, Household and Domestic Affairs”, the Presidency said last night in a statement by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu. The President claimed not to own new property than the assets he declared in 2015 when he began his first term. The Presidency said, “The forms, as signed by the President and sworn to before a Judge of Abuja High Court, showed no significant changes in assets as declared in 201...

By Chigozie Igbo Jr I have long waited for a time like this, to pour out my mind, on the sham which ended today in our dear state Imo, which many people saw as a government. The happenings in the last 8 years have shown Ndi Imo, that its proper we become actors in the political endeavors of the state, rather than being passive, which contributed 100% to Rochas Okorocha pocketing the common wealth of Ndi Imo, while we looked the other way. Imo state in the last eight years was ruled by a tyrant who never followed the right channels of government protocol, a government that jettisoned the constitution of the Federal Republic and resorted to lawlessness and outright disobedience of the rule of Law. We pray we never witness in our life time a government that dismembered all the structures of government and civil service in Imo state. A government that destroyed the hegemony that bonded us as Ndi Imo, while we all kept quite. Today, H.E Emeka Ihedioha will be taking up the up hill ...

Governor Willie Obiano has been called upon to  as a matter of urgency review the security and traffic situations at Upper Iweka and Bridgehead, Onitsha in Anambra State. The Human Right, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation (HURIJE),which made the call in a press conference at Onitsha raised fresh alarm of another impending danger at Upper Iweka near Toronto hospital and Tracas bus Terminals. The chairman,BOT of  HURIJE, Dede Uzor A.Uzor,  who addressed the press conference with its legal secretary, Bar Ada Obinna  Edozie, said that Upper Iweka and Bridgehead and their environs remained the major flash points in crime and traffic accidents in the State. HURIJE said their investigation showed that most accidents and criminal activities in the State took place in these areas due to lack of political will and corruption on part of security agencies . They lamented that a lady recently lost her life at Upper Iweka when she resisted some criminals who s...