Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, restrained the EFCC from inviting, harassing and threatening to arrest or detain Mr Mike Ozekhome, SAN, for criticising the former Acting Chairman of The commission, Ibrahim Magu. Delivering judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that serial acts of intimidation and constant invitations the EFCC extended to Ozekhome were illegal, unlawful, wrong and unconstitutional. The lawyer had told the court that the intimidation, invitations as well as threats to arrest, detain and humiliate him were over publications and speeches he made. The respect to the “apparent opaqueness and lopsidedness” of the corruption fight of the EFCC under…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday, dismissed the alleged University of Ibadan degree certificate forgery suit filed by the All Progressives Congress, (APC) against Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo. The court dismissed the suit for lacking in merit and awarded N250,000 cost in favour of Obaseki. Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Jan. 9, dismissed the alleged certificate forgery suit against Obaseki. The Judge had described the APC’s allegation as strange saying it was like an outsider telling a man in his house that he is not the father of a child. Apparently not satisfied…
Airtel Africa Plc has announced the signing of an agreement of 200 million dollars investment in Airtel Mobile Commerce BV (AMC BV) by TPG’s Rise Fund, a global impact investing platform. This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Simon O’Hara, the Group Company Secretary, made available to newsmen on Thursday in Lagos. The transaction valued Airtel Africa’s mobile money business at 2.65 billion dollars on a cash and debt free basis. The statement said the Rise Fund would hold a minority stake in AMC BV upon completion of the transaction, with Airtel Africa continuing to hold the remaining…
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) has reiterated its belief in the safety of the Astra Zeneca vaccines for COVID-19. This is contained in a communiqué signed by NGF Chairman and Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State at the end of 28th meeting of the forum held physically and virtually on Wednesday in Abuja. The communiqué said that the governors deliberated on issues affecting the country, particularly on the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccines and the attendant issues. It said that Fayemi congratulated his colleagues for accepting to be vaccinated, declaring that so far the vaccines had not shown any…
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Health to ensure effective utilisation of Global Fund’s generous provision of $890 million, over the next three years. The fund is meant to support Nigeria’s fight against HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. The president issued the directive at the virtual inauguration of the $890 million grant, for the period of 2021-2023, which would also support the establishment of resilient and sustainable systems for health in the country. ”Let me also emphasise here that this administration has zero tolerance for corruption and inefficient use of resources. ”In this regard, I hereby direct the…
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume a certificate of return within 72 hours in the Dec. 5, 2020 Imo North Senatorial By-election. Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in a judgment, said having been declared as the valid candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which had won the election, Ararume remained the winner of the poll. According to him, with regard to the Appeal Court judgment in Abuja, the 3rd defendant (Chukwuma Ibezim) remains disqualified. While Ararume is the plaintiff; INEC, APC and Ibezim are 1st to 3rd defendants respectively. Araraume had…
Transactions in the equities market on Thursday rebounded by N109 billion following buying interest in banking and industrial goods stocks. Consequently, the market capitalisation, which opened at N20.251 trillion, rose by N109 billion or 0.54 per cent to close at N20.360 trillion. Also, the All-Share Index rose by 208.71 points or 0.54 per cent to close at 38,914.84 from 38,706.13 recorded on Wednesday. The market gain was driven by price appreciation in large and medium capitalised stocks amongst which were; Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Eterna and UACN. The market breadth was positive with 22 gainers against…
Much of the progress achieved in recent years in education, health and poverty eradication has been halted or reversed by the COVID-19 pandemic, says the Economic Commission for Africa. Hopestone Chavula, Officer-in-Charge, Macroeconomic Analysis Section, Macroeconomics and Governance division of the ECA, stated this at the ongoing 39th ECA Committee of Experts of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The event, holding in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was monitored through a webinar on Thursday in Lagos. Chavula said that fiscal deficits of African countries had widened due to increased governments’ expenditure to halt the spread of the…
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr Adedeji Zacch as the Executive Secretary of National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) for an initial term of four years. Buhari made the announcement in a statement on Thursday by Mr Willie Bassey, Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The statement said that Zacch’s appointment was in accordance with the provision of Section 5 (1) of the National Sugar Development Council (Establishment Act, 1993). The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Zacch holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Accounting and Masters degree…
By AfricaNews Samia Suluhu Hassan is a soft-spoken, Muslim woman thrust from the obscure role of vice president to become Tanzania’s first female leader after John Magufuli’s sudden death. Under the constitution, Hassan, the country’s 61-year-old vice president, will serve the remainder of Magufuli’s second five-year term, which does not expire until 2025. She will also become the first female President in East Africa. After consulting with her Chama Cha Mapinduzi ruling political party, Suluhu will propose her possible successor as Vice-President – with the official appointment being confirmed by the National Assembly via votes of no less than 50%…