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The National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)  Olisa Metuh, who was released from Kuje prison on bail Thursday, said his party will regain power in 2019. “The party has since overcome the initial trauma that accompanied the electoral setback of the 2015 general election, and is now poised to regain power at the centre in 2019,” he said on Friday. Metuh said that the recent variance of voices from its members was as a result of the party’s foundation of liberal democracy, which he described as a mark of strength, adding that the party has adequate internal mechanisms to resolve all issues within its fold. According to Richard Ihediwa, Metuh’s aide, “the view of the PDP spokesman was contained in his opening remark at a meeting of the party’s publicity directorate with some visiting parliamentarians from the United Kingdom, led by Mark Field, member of parliament and chairman of International Office of the Conservative Party, and Colin Bloom, director...

ABUJA  — The crisis  rocking the national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a new twist as governors elected on the platform of the party have asked the Acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to handover the leadership to the National Secretary, Prof Adewale Oladipo. The governors also disowned former Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, who stormed the secretariat with his supporters and made himself national chairman. Acting under the aegis of PDP Governors’ Forum, PDPGF, the governors said the national secretary would oversee the affairs of the party for now in line with its constitution. In a communiqué issued at the end of the PDPGF meeting, late Wednesday night in Abuja, the governors frowned at the refusal of the acting National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, to honour the judgment of an FCT High Court which last December ordered him to vacate office for any other person from the North-East zo...

Watch pictures of the asset of Rtd General Azubuike Ihejirika seized by authourities over the probe of military spendings. It should be noted that the Presidency had ordered for the probe of the spendings from 2007 to 2015. Already a former Chief of Air Staff was recently arrested by officials of the EFCC

Avian Influenza, popularly referred to as bird flu, is now in 18 states in Nigeria and has affected over 2.5 million chickens resulting in the loss of several billions of naira, the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science has said. Avian Influenza or bird flu is an infectious viral disease of birds. While most Avian Influenza viruses do not infect humans, a few others like A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) have caused serious infections in people. NIAS, which is the regulatory agency of the Federal Government for the regulation of all matters pertaining to animal husbandry in Nigeria, on Friday stated that bird flu was spreading so fast and as such all adequate measures to stop the spread must be enforced. Asked to state the number of birds affected by the disease, the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, NIAS, Dr. Godwin Oyedeji, said, “By the last count, I think as of yesterday (Thursday), not less than 2.5 million chickens have been infected and over 700 farms have been affected nationwide. F...

Today marked the 20th day of the 21 Day Annual fast and prayer session of the Church of God (Seventh Day). It is also the eve of the Sabbath. Yours truly was there to cover the programme which was filled with the presence of the Spirit. Watch some pictures while you relax

  The victory of Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike at the Supreme Court after a hard fought legal battle has brought so much smile to the face of true Rivers people. I am not talking about the politicians who are wont to change white to black in order to satisfy their whims and caprices   but the very commoners who understand the security implication of having another round of elections in a state that has been traumatized by the judicial pronouncements that preceded the judgment of the apex court of the land. As a Rivers and Niger Delta son I must confess that the political events of the last two months in the two states of Bayelsa and Rivers has given us so much joy to majority of our people and will bring political, social and economic stability to the region despite the attempts by a noisy few to send wrong impression that they are on ground. It is the expectations of a lot of us that the same scenario will repeat itself in Akwa Ibom  and Abia states  where ...

ASABA—THE people of Delta Central senatorial district, yesterday, went into jubilation, following the swearing-in of Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege as the senator representing the district by the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, at the National Assembly, in Abuja. The people who danced round some streets in Ughelli, Orogun, Sapele, Effurun and Okpe, described Omo-Agege’s inauguration in the Senate as a good omen for the Urhobo nation. The swearing-in of Omo-Agege of the Labour Party was sequel to the Appeal Court judgment which removed Chief Ighoyota Amori of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Speaking to Vanguard, the national leader of Urhobo Youths Nationality Council, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, a prominent Urhobo leader, Chief Austin Uloho, Mr Friday Onodjae and Prince Elvis Oharisi, said it was a new dawn for the people of the area. Congratulating Omo-Agege on his swearing-in, Egbo expressed confidence that Omo-Agege would give adequate representation to the Urhobo nati...

ABUJA — THE House of Representatives, yesterday, described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letters to the leadership of the National Assembly, accusing the lawmakers of greed, graft and insensitivity to the declining state of the country’s economy, as misdirected, saying they would not be distracted from performing their constitutional duties. Speaking at the National Assembly weekly briefing, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas, said the National Assembly will not be distracted by Obasanjo’s letters, which also accused the legislature of insincerity over its planned purchase of 469 cars worth N4.7 billion. Namdas stated that the lawmakers have tremendous respect for Obasanjo, adding, however, that the former president’s letters might not have been meant for the 8th Assembly but rather the 4th or 5th Assemblies. “We have tremendous respect for the former President. We don’t want to be distracted by letters. Proba...

Governor   Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dedicated his victory at the Supreme Court to God. In a broadcast to the people, Wike said his faith in democracy and the judiciary remains unshaken. “First of all, I dedicate this victory to God Almighty and the course of justice, recognising the hardwork, commitment and dedication of millions of Nigerians who are working towards a better and fairer society.  The Supreme Court of Nigeria has sealed the justness of our cause. “Justice Learned Hand, once rightly observed: “If we are to keep democracy, there must be a commandment: thou shall not ration justice.” “Today, we, the people of Rivers State are beneficiaries of justice in its true measure. “We salute the courage and determination of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to always uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the rule of law in our democracy.  “Throughout this journey I have severally reaffirmed our confidence in the independence and i...

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP Governors Forum and Executive Governor of  Ondo   State Dr Olusegun Mimiko has urged his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike to rev up his performance now that the burden of litigation has been lifted. In a congratulatory message, issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Eni Akinsola, Governor Mimiko rejoiced with Wike and urged him to compensate the electorate who stood by him in the course of courts’ proceedings with exemplary performance. Mimiko said “the judgment affirms the votes you had in the elections and attests to the love your citizens have for you. Their steadfastness through the process of adjudication was a sign of their confidence in your ability to deliver on your campaign promises. “You must, therefore, gird your loins and rev up your machinery of governance to meet their yearnings and expectations.” Also, the Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has congratulated Governors Nyesom Wike a...

Arms deal: EFCC arrests Amosu, ex-Chief of Air Staff over alleged N29bn scam FOR  his alleged refusal to co-operate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged role in the diversion of N29billion in the $2.1billion arms deal, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeola Amosu (retd), was yesterday arrested in Abuja. He was picked up after preliminary investigation showed that he was accused of authorising the purchase of two helicopters which had no functional rotors, among other alleged crimes. Amosu was said to have compelled two Air Force officers to use one of choppers after they were equipped with a rotor that was taken from an  unserviceable Russian-made helicopter gunship. The officers died in a crash near Yola, capital of Adamawa State last year. The rotors were said to be too heavy for the helicopter. Amosu’s arrest came amid speculations that more former and serving senior military officials may still be ” invited” in the ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed February 6, 2016 for the rerun elections in Rivers State. The outgoing Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state, Gesila Khan, said this while speaking with leaders of political parties in Port Harcourt on Thursday. Khan, who had been transferred to another state, explained that election would be held for 22 House of Assembly seats, 12 House of Representatives seats and three senatorial seats. She, however, said the date fixed for the rerun elections was still tentative. She said 2, 148,289 people were expected to vote in the rerun elections, adding that only voters who registered during last year’s elections would be eligible to vote. Khan said 6,806 card readers would be deployed for the exercise, even as she called on various political parties to come to the state INEC office to get clarifications on matter concerning the forthcoming rerun.

The Zika virus is “spreading explosively” in the Americas and the region may see up to four million cases of the disease strongly suspected of causing birth defects, the World Health Organisation said Thursday. As the number of suspected cases of microcephaly – thought to be linked to the virus – surged in Brazil, WHO head Margaret Chan said an emergency committee would meet on Monday to determine whether the Zika outbreak amounts to a global health emergency and how the world should respond. Microcephaly causes babies to be born with an abnormally small head. Cases have soared in Brazil from 163 a year on average to more than 3,718 suspected cases since the outbreak, and 68 babies have died, according to the health ministry. Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica and Puerto Rico have warned women to avoid getting pregnant for the time being, while France has urged women not to travel to French overseas territories in South America and the Caribbean. Chan told an assembly...

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, was finally released from Kuje Prison after fulfilling the bail conditions imposed on him by a Federal High Court in Abuja on January 19. Metuh was released from prison after 13 days of remand in custody with respect to the charges of fraudulent receipt of N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser in 2014 and money laundering involving separate $2m cash transaction. The charges were preferred against him and his company, Destra Investments Limited. He was released from prison on Thursday evening after the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, signed his release warrant, upon being satisfied with the verification of the details of the two sureties provided by the accused and the title documents of the property owned by the sureties. The verification exercise was done by the Chief Registrar of the court and it also involved the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, whom the judge ...

FORMER General Officer Commanding, GOC, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, Government Ekpumupolo, alias Tompolo, made a volte face, Thursday, saying he would appear before the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, which issued a bench warrant for his arrest, January 14, but “at the appropriate time.” The bench warrant followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which had filed different charges against Tompolo, including diversion of N34 billion belonging to the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency, NIMASA to personal use and laundering of N22.6 billion. Tompolo, who spoke through his Media Adviser and Consultant, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo also said he would never commence war against the Federal Government having accepted amnesty in 2009, reiterating that he was not party to the recent three-day bombing of crude oil and gas pipelines in Delta state. “Tompolo has no reason to bomb pipelines because of EFCC case, he knows he is ...

Transparency International has ranked Nigeria 136th among 168 least corrupt countries in the world, with a score of 26 per cent. The ranking, which was for 2015, was released on Wednesday and showed that Nigeria dropped by one point in the TI index, which rated countries on a scale of zero (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be least corrupt). In 2014, the nation was also ranked 136th among 176 countries, but scored 27 per cent. The TI, which has published the ‘Corruption Perceptions Index’ since 1995, defines corruption as “the misuse of public power for private benefits.” Denmark, Finland, Sweden, New Zealand and The Netherlands were in the top five on the list, with their scores given as 91, 90, 89, 88 and 87 per cent, respectively. No African country is in the first 10. Those in the group include Norway, Switzerland, Singapore and Canada. Germany, Luxemburg and United Kingdom were ranked 10th. Ghana is ranked 56th out of 168 countries with a scor...