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Former Delta gov, Felix Ibru dies A former governor of Delta State, Chief Felix Ibru, has died. The business man, who is also a former Senator, was the President-General of the Urhobo Progressive Union from 2007 to 2010. Born on December 7, 1935, Ibru, who died today at the age of 80, hailed from Ughelli North Local Government of Delta State. He successfully contested the governorship election in Delta State in 1991, becoming the first democratically elected governor of the state. In 2003, Ibru who unsuccessfully contested senatorial elections in Bendel State in 1983, was elected into the Senate under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. He served for only one term.

Abuja – The Federal Government on Thursday appointed Dr Dakuku Peterside as the Director General of Nigerian Maritime administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). A statement signed by Yetunde Sonaike, the Director, Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation in Abuja said that the appointment was with immediate effect. Dakuku Peterside Peterside was the governorship candidate of APC in April.11, 2015 governorship election in River state and also a former member, House of Representative from 2011 to 2015. According to the statement, Peterside has a Doctorate Degree in Management Science from the University of Port Harcourt and MBA in Business Administration. He also holds a Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences (B.MLS) in Hematology from Rivers State University of Science and Technology. (NAN)

The National Assembly has faulted media reports that it was behind the stoppage of the payment of the proposed N500 billion for social welfare package to the unemployed in this year’s budget. In a statement jointly signed by the Chairmen of the Appropriation Committees of the two chambers, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje and Abdulmumin Jibrin, the lawmakers maintained that there was no iota of truth in the story carried in a section of the media. They maintained that there was no way they would “kill” such a laudable initiative of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration aimed at serving as a palliative to the plight of the unemployed in the polity. The lawmakers particularly recalled that during their meeting with the ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Accountant General of the Federation and Director General Budget Office of the Federation on the budget, they only made observations on the proposal. They no...

Hon. Sunday Eromedoghene Onoriode, a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is the immediate past council chairman of Ethiope East local government area of Delta State. He is presently the State Director of Youths Mobilization, the Assistant Secretary and also the Acting Treasurer of the state chapter of the party. In this interview, he bares his mind on sundry issues pertaining to the Delta State Government and other national issues. Excerpts: By Godwin Oghre How do you react to perceptions that resources available to the government do not compare with achievements on ground? I am not in the House of Assembly, I am a state officer of PDP but to the best of my knowledge, the senator, my governor, Dr. Okowa has done very well. This is despite the economic problems we are facing in the country. He is a very hardworking governor, not because of his new position but he is someone who has over the years, been from councillor, local government chairman, commissioner, secretary t...

The rescued 14 year old girl, Ese Oruru, may relocate from Bayelsa State after leaving her temporary abode at the police officers mess in Yenagoa to accelerate her healing  process. Ese was allegedly abducted in Bayelsa State last August and taken to Kano State where she was converted to Islam and was to be married out without the consent of her parents. Ese-Oruru The minor who was rescued and returned to Yenagoa after six months sojourn in the ancient city of Kano is currently sheltered at the magnificent Police Officers Mess at the instance of the police authorities. Security sources told Saturday Vanguard that the decision to accommodate her at the highly fortified facility was to save her the trauma of having to contend with the army of visitors that would daily throng her parents home. Only the parents and medical team have access to the 14 year old girl at the police facility, which presently serve as her home. Though journalists and other unwanted guests were barred from...

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson yesterday met with the family of Ese Oruru at the Government House, Yenagoa. The governor, who spoke after the meeting, said he had set up a medical team, including psychologists, to facilitate Ese’s recovery. Dickson hailed the media and civil society groups for their efforts in securing Ese’s freedom adding that his administration would support the family at this critical time. The governor also called for a comprehensive investigation into the abduction and subsequent prosecution of the culprits. He described the incident as “unfortunate”, adding that the state government had directed the Ministry of Justice to collaborate with the Police, towards ensuring that Ese’s abduction was prosecuted to a logical conclusion. Dickson, who described Ese as a minor, wondered why it took so long to secure her release. He said there were questions begging for answers, “as those who knew something about her abduction failed to say or do somet...

Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, has been berated over his uncomplimentary remarks about the wife of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Mrs Iara Oshiomhole. Melaye, who represents Kogi-West senatorial district, while contributing to a motion by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, which advocated the patronising of products made in Nigeria, was quoted as saying that Nigerians should not emulate Governor Oshiomhole, who, he said, opted not to “patronise made-in-Nigeria women but a foreign one.” A former aide to Governor Oshiomhole, John Mayaki, in a statement, yesterday, said: “Melaye veered off the radar on the issue of made-in-Nigeria products which for me cannot and should not include made-in-Nigeria women, if the intention of the initiator of the motion is not to be misconstrued. Iara Oshiomhole is doing well for Nigeria and Edo people and does not deserve the categorization Melaye attempted to taint her with. “Mrs. Oshiomhole’s We Ca...

The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has dismissed a report that he is planning to join the All Progressives Congress. Ayade, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, said a statement credited to one Okoi Obono-Obla that he would leave the PDP to join the APC was not true. According to a statement by Ayade’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, on Thursday, the governor is a “full and committed member” of the PDP and has no intention to dump his party. Ita said it was the APC in the state and Obono-Obla that were desperately trying to cajole the governor to “join their party given his sterling performance since assuming office.” The governor’s spokesperson said the fact that the governor had a very good relationship with President Muhammadu Buhari did not, in any way, suggest he planned to join the APC. Ita also dismissed a claim by Obono-Obla that the governor was behind the declaration of one Venatius Ikem wanted by the police o...

THE Senate has mandated its Committee on the Niger Delta to investigate the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) since its inception in 2000. The committee chairman, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, who gave the hint yesterday at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, said the move followed a series of complaints about the agency’s performance since its establishment. “We are here based on a referral from the Senate that there was a petition to the Senate about the performance of the NDDC since its incepeartion. The Senate in its wisdom said the Committee on Niger Delta should go and do a holistic investigation into the activities of the NDDC from its inception in year 2000 till date,” he said. Nwaoboshi explained that the committee, which is expected to tour the nine oil-producing states to ascertain NDDC projects, was not in the region to witch-hunt anybody. He acknowledged the receipt of a report submitted by the NDDC to the Senate, but the committ...

Wike called for funds to be released to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the completion of the East-West Road, which he said would be a relief for the people as it was a major road that cuts across the Niger Delta. In his remarks, Chairman of the Senator Committee and Leader of the delegation, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi stated that reasons for the visit “is to carry out holistic investigation into the activities of the NDDC from its inception till date as the work of the Commission is to improve the lives and well being of the people in the Niger Delta”. Senator Nwaoboshi disclosed that apart from doing the investigation, it would also “look into certain areas to assist the State so that the Commission will be able to prioritize the needs of the State.” The Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Ibim Semenitari was also present at the visit.

Nigerians woke up one morning to the launch of the #freesEse hashtag. The story which was promoted by Punch Newspapers intended to ensure that Nigerians protest the abduction of a 13 year old Urhobo born girl by one Yunusa aka Yellow. The story said that  Ese Oruru was later married out to Yunusa and converted to Islam. The story shows the desperation of the  Emir and Yunusa family to keep Ese as the wife of Yunusa at all cost. It shows there were high level connections which made it impossible for the Police Officers initially handling the case to succeed in their investigations. My argument here is that why keep the girl at the Emir's Palace? Is it traditional that girls that convert to Islam from another faith has to stay at the Emir's Palace? If the Emir and his spin doctors want to make us believe his story then he should tell us what step he took to contact the girl's parents or was he not told that the girl's parents were chased by angry youth at his palac...

The parents of 14-year-old Ese Oruru have reacted to rumours that their daughter is five-months pregnant. They told our correspondent, in separate interviews, that their underage daughter may have been raped by Yunusa, aka Yellow. Ese, who hails from Ughelli North, in Delta State, was abducted by Yunusa, a regular customer at her mother’s food stall, in August 2015 from Bayelsa and taken to Kano. The Orurus said that their daughter had been forced to convert to Islam and into a child marriage without their consent. Ese’s father, Mr. Charles Oruru, told our correspondent, “My daughter was raped by that man. I saw the sign when I first saw her last night. We are glad ‘stage one’ is over. I am happy she has been finally released and I have seen her, but I am sad. Now we will have to face whatever comes next.” He however said the family would hold a meeting in the next few days to take a collective decision on the matter. Oruru also told The PUNCH that they would also meet ...

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja today granted ex Minister of Interior Comrade Abba Moro bail based on self recognition. Speaking to NIGER DELTA RENAISSANCE shortly after the bail was granted, Comrade James Oche expressed gratitude to God Almighty and to the judiciary. He said the ex minister is not guilty of the allegations while stressing that Abba Moro will be exonerated at the end of the day. Details later....

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said that power supply through the national grid which peaked to 5000mw in past two weeks had dropped below 2,800mw due to vandalism. Dr. Anthony Akah, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the commission disclosed this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consumer Protection Council (CPC). A statement issued on the ceremony by Dr. Usman Abba- Arabi, Head, Public Affairs Department of NERC was made available to newsmenon Wednesday in Abuja. In the statement, Akah expressed dissatisfaction and worries over the spate of vandalism in the power sector. It stated that the NERC boss enjoined the public and the CPC to collaborate with Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and security agencies to safeguard electrical installations. The statement also said that the NERC would soon compel the DISCOs to publish their meter deployment schedules. It added that the publication would ensure adherence to the meter roll out plan c...

 My son never cohabited with Ese — Yunusa’s father  14-year-old Ese Rita Oruru, the Delta State-born girl-child, resident in Bayelsa, who was abducted by Yunusa Dahiru, alias Yellow, but rescued by the Police in Kano, has been discovered to be about five months pregnant, very reliable sources have told Vanguard. Ese Rita Oruru, arrived Yenagoa yesterday and she  is presently quartered at the police officers mess Yenagoa. She came in company of her mother, Mrs Rose Oruru and securirity escorts who drove them quietly to the Offciers Mess. Yunusa Yellow and Ese Oruru This came as Dahiru Bala, the biological father of Yunusa, declared, yesterday, that his son never cohabited with Ese Oruru because of embedded contraption highly offensive to his religion. This is as some prominent Nigerians, including Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav; Second Republic politician and lawyer, Guy Ikokwu and women NGOs, said the law should take its...