Author: VOP Lagos

The member representing Bonny State Constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo, has emerged as a factional Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly. Oko-Jumbo promised to be transparent in the discharge of legislative duties. He was elected on Wednesday during plenary, in line with the Standing Order of the House. In his acceptance speech, Oko-Jumbo thanked the members for electing him as the new Speaker sequel to the resignation of the former Speaker, Edison Ehie. Oko-Jumbo accused the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers of legislative rascality since the political crisis that plagued the state started and declared that all laws and actions enacted…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted ₦100m bail each to a former Minister of Aviation Hadi Sirika, his daughter, and two others. They are being tried over an alleged fraud to the tune of ₦2.7bn. According to the court, they are also to provide two sureties who must have landed properties in Abuja. The court also restricted the defendants from traveling abroad without its permission. Justice Oriji ordered that the defendants should be remanded in prison custody if they failed to meet their bail conditions. The trial will commence on the 10th, 11th and 20th of June.

The US last week paused a bomb shipment for Israel over concerns it was going ahead with a major ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, a senior US administration official said. Israel has not “fully addressed” US concerns over humanitarian needs of civilians in Rafah, the official said. An Israeli military official appeared to play down the US move. The delayed arms shipment comes as US President Joe Biden faces mounting domestic pressure – from Democratic lawmakers and some parts of the US public – to rein in Israeli operations in Gaza amid rising civilian deaths and…

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde has disclosed that any building in Lagos State without building approvals will be pulled down by the State Building Control Agency after the expiration of the 90 days amnesty period granted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Dr. Babatunde disclosed this on Tuesday at a workshop organised by the Lagos State Building Control Agency at its headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos. The workshop was organized to address salient issues and misconceptions about the activities of the Agency as it relates to the issuance of certifications and the…

The Nigerian military has reportedly pulled out of the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State. The soldiers pulled out of the embattled community on Tuesday after restricting entrance into the area for two months following the killing of military officers and soldiers. Sources in neighbouring Akugbene and Okoloba communities in the Bomadi local government area told journalists that the soldiers suddenly left the community without any prior information. According to a statement by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the withdrawal was confirmed during a phone conversation with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Monday,…

The Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Government Areas of Nigeria has said it is ready to back the call for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The local government chairmen also accused Governor Fubara of embezzling funds intended for the state’s twenty-three LGAs. The caretaker chairman of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Tony Okocha, had urged the State House of Assembly to start the impeachment process against the governor.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has barred all heads and officials of the 23 local government areas in the state from appearing before the Rivers Assembly, especially the Pro-Wike lawmakers. The governor warned that any chairman who appeared before lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led by Martin Amaewhule as speaker would be sacked. Fubara had earlier declared that in the eyes of the Law, the State does not have state lawmakers as 27 Lawmakers had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, thereby losing their mandate as enshrined in the…

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has threatened a massive protest that will shut down the Nigerian economy should the Federal Government fail to cancel the controversial cybersecurity levy recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The TUC in a statement signed by its President, Festus Osifo, today, slammed the directive by the CBN to banks imposing a 0.5 per cent cybersecurity levy on almost all electronic transactions. This is after the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC had heavily criticised the levy, describing it as another burden on Nigerians. The TUC said it is illogical that this is coming at a…