WOODPECKER BLOG

Ortom : 8 APC lawmakers move to impeach Benue Governor The governor's recent defection from the APC to the PDP has led to heightened political tensions in the state. Published: 30.07.2018 play Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom (36NG) Just days after he defected from the ruling All Progressives' Congress (APC) to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), eight APC members of the Benue State House of Assembly have served Governor Samuel Ortom an impeachment notice. The governor's spokesperson, Tahav Agerzua , said the lawmakers, despite heavy police presence , took over the House of Assembly complex with the help of an APC senator and former state governor, George Akume , who brought police officers from Abuja. The lawmakers are believed to have been led by Terkimbi Ikyange who was impeached as Speaker of the 30-membe...

Ortom Move to impeach Benue Gov might endanger Nigeria’s democracy – Atiku The former Vice-President also described the incident in Benue state as an awkward political development. Published: 30.07.2018 play Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar (Facebook/Atiku Abubakar) Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said that the move to impeach the Benue state Governor, Samuel Ortom might endanger Nigeria’s democracy. The former Vice-President also described the incident in Benue state as an awkward political development. According to Punch, he said “Whatever might be the short-term political benefits of lawlessness, the long-term dangers are by far greater than those perceived benefits. “If unchecked, the political situation in Benue could lead to a domino effect across the country, thereby jeopardising d...

Orji Kalu loses bid to stop N3.2 billion corruption trial July 31, 2018 Premium Times Orji Uzor-Kalu Related News N3.2 billion fraud: Court adjourns suit against Orji Uzor Kalu to March 6 Court rules against Orji Kalu EFCC files amended corruption charges on Orji Kalu Alleged N3.2 billion Fraud: EFCC presents 16th witness against Orji Kalu N3.2 billion fraud: EFCC re-arraigns ex-Gov. Kalu, 2 others Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, dismissed a no-case submission filed by a former governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, in his bid to stop his trial over an alleged N3.2 billion fraud. Mr Kalu is currently a chieftain of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, and is one of the key supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari in the South-east. Mr Kalu alongside his former Commissioner for Finance and Account, Jones Udeogu, and a company, Slok Nig...

DDeputy Senate President Ekweremadu in EFCC custody July 31, 2018 Samuel Ogundipe Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is at the EFCC office, multiple sources have told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Ekweremadu was said to have arrived at the anti-graft agency’s office in Abuja between 9-10:00 a.m. “He is currently at the interrogation room,” a source told PREMIUM TIMES. Another EFCC staff also said Mr Ekweremadu is with anti-graft detectives, but could not say when he would be released. “We have some questions for him bordering on corruption,” a source said. “But we do not know yet when he would be released, we will know this by 5:00 p.m.” Mr Ekweremadu, the most-senior member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in public office, was invited for questioning last week Tuesday. The invitation became public hours after EFCC operatives laid a siege to the...

Iran rejects Trump offer of talks as 'humiliation', without value By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, Reuters 3 hours ago FILE PHOTO: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani attends a news conference at the Chancellery in Vienna, Austria July 4, 2018. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin LONDON (Reuters) - Senior Iranian officials on Tuesday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's offer of talks without preconditions as worthless and "a humiliation" after he acted to reimpose sanctions on Tehran following his withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal. Separately, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Trump's repudiation of the accord reached in 2015 was "illegal" and Iran would not easily yield to Washington's re...

Northern Elders Forum, others ‘shedding crocodile tears’ –Presidency July 20, 2018 Agency Report Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu. [Photo credit: The Bridge News] The Presidency says it considers a communiqué issued by some ethnic and sectional groups assembled in Abuja recently as the shedding of “crocodile tears” by selfish leaders. Garba Shehu, the president’s senior special assistant on media and publicity, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday. He said the affected leaders felt alienated after a “transparent and accountable system halted their disproportionate survival on resources of the state”. The communiqué issued by the leaders of some socio-cultural organizations led by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and some ethnic and sectional groups had accused the Muhammadu Buhari administration of incompetence in handling the security situation in the country. However, the Presidency urged Nigerians to ignor...

Mugabe-era minister jailed for corruption in Zimbabwe HARARE (Reuters) - A former minister who served under Zimbabwe’s ex president Robert Mugabe was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to four years in jail on Friday, his lawyer said, the first conviction of a Mugabe-era official since he stepped down. Ex-energy minister Samuel Undenge arrives at the Harare Magistrates Court in Harare, Zimbabwe, January 6, 2018. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo Mugabe resigned in November after 37 years in power following a military coup. His former deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa took power, vowing to root out corruption in a bid to attract investors to an economy crippled by a decade of hyperinflation and a sharp shortage of foreign currency. Samuel Undenge, an energy minister in Mugabe’s cabinet, was accused of issuing a $12,650 contract without due tender to a company that did no work. His lawyer Alex Muchadehama told Reuters that he would appeal the court’s...

Just for the records:The event took place on Saturday, 21st July,2018 2019: Atiku launches presidential campaign Saturday July 20, 2018 Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar . [Photo credit: Guardian Nigeria] Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will formally open his presidential campaign on Saturday, following “several months of consultations with critical stakeholders in Nigeria and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” his office said in a statement. The former vice president will stand before a crowd in Yola, the capital of his home state of Adamawa, around noon Saturday, hoping to tap into the anger of some citizens towards the current administration to rally for a broader support for his long-time ambition. Mr Abubakar, a retired customs official, first eyed the presidency in 1993, but said he was amongst those who stepped down for the late Moshood Abiola to emerge the candidate of Soc...

Security siege lifted at Ekweremadu’s home as 40 senators visit (PHOTOS) July 24, 2018 Related News DEVELOPING STORY: Security agents reportedly lay siege to Saraki, Ekweremadu's residences Senators condemn siege on Saraki, Ekweremadu’s residences EFCC gives possible reason for siege on Ekweremadu's house How I escaped security operatives’ siege – Saraki Atiku, Balarabe Musa, Dankwambo speak on security siege on Saraki, Ekweremadu Some senators on Tuesday visited Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to solidarise with him on his travails with security agencies. Senators Ben Murray Bruce, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Suleiman Adokwe, Philip Aduda, Dino Melaye were among the over 40 senators who visited Mr Ekweremadu. The senators proceeded to the residence of their colleague immediately after Tuesday’s plenary. By the time of the visit, the siege on Mr Ekweremadu’s home had been lifted with normalcy returning to the are...

Legal Committee confirms SAN title on LASU VC, 30 ol  Cthers July 12, 2018 Evelyn Okakwu Lawyers used to illustrate the story Rela The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee has ratified the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 31 lawyers, including the Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University, Olarenwaju Fagbohun. Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Secretary of the LPPC, Hadiza Mustapha, said it is also conferring the title on Mohammed Akanbi, son of former Chief Justice of the Appeal Court, Mustapha Akanbi. According to Mrs Mustapha, the committee announced the new list of senior advocates after its 135 plenary session where 31 successful candidates were picked from 106 applicants. The others include Mosediq Kazeem, Attorney-General of Lagos State; Adekola Adeyeye Olawoye, AGF of Ondo State; Isah Chiroma, Wahab Egbewole, Oforinze Amucheazi and Oluyemisi Bamgbose, the only female among the successful candidates Others are Ob...

THIS WAR AGAINST OLD BRIGADE POLITICIANS IN IMO By Ogu Bundu Nwadike (08037146635 sms only) RT HON EMEKA IHEDIOHA An Igbo adage that inspires people to responsible action is “agbara aka na azo ala onye ji ji na akonye”. The simplest transliteration of that would realize something close to the English axiom “If wishes were horses, beggars will ride.” Both sayings instigate upon people’s sense positive action for desired great expectations. There has been what is assumed to be a war against a class of politicians in Imo State that is best described as over-50 politicians. That means politicians that have crossed the golden wisdom age of 50. Some young men and women in Imo State have taken it as a preoccupation to freely fling abuses, insults and hate speeches at the so-called over 50s politicians that they exuberantly refer to as old brigade politicians. Ordinarily, their exhibition of natural youthful exuberance, restiveness and tantrums occasioned by their impulsiven...

Senator Shehu Sani’s group dumps APC July 13, 2018 Senator Shehu Sani A faction of the All Progressive Congress known as APC Akida and members of APC Restoration group in Kaduna state on Friday dumped the ruling party. According to the two groups, they decided to dump APC because the party had failed to meet the expectations of millions of Nigerians who voted for the party. The two groups disclosed this at a joint news briefing in Kaduna under the leadership of Mataimaki Maiyashi for Akida group and Jaafaru Ibrahim for Restoration. The groups did not mention the new party they will be joining but said serious consultation was ongoing with political parties that share their values. According to Mr Maiyashi, they were satisfied with the position to dump APC because the party is incapable of accommodating criticism. Mr Maiyashi explained further that the joint press conference was the culmination o...