1. The Zamfara State House of Assembly in its sitting on Tuesday, laid to rest the raging controversy over payment of pension and other entitlements for the former governors, speakers and their deputies in the state by repealing the law outrightly.
The Assembly’s Public Relations Officer, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, who disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen, said after serious deliberations and contributions by the house members, the Speaker Right Honourable Nasiru Mu’azu Magarya ordered the Clerk to the house to give the bill first and second reading and later the house went for a committee of the whole, after which the bill went for a third reading and it was passed into law, and will be sent to the governor for his assent.
2. The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore Socio-cultural Association and National Committee of Yoruba Youths, have expressed worries over the sudden indictment of the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema in the United States, US, for fraud.
The groups in a joint statement signed by Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and Engr. Saleh Alhassan the National Secretary, warned that they won’t fold their arms and allow the alleged persecution of the Air Peace Chairman.
3. President Muhammadu Buhari has sent 2019, 2020 budgets of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the House of Representatives.
The President in a letter directed to the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila asked the House to consider the budgets of the Commission.
4. The Presidency has described as “false and irresponsible’’ reports credited to Sule Lamido that former president Goodluck Jonathan was blackmailed to support the governing party, All Progressives Congress, APC, in recent Bayelsa State governorship election.
A Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who described reports in the media as a shock, said Jonathan had been out of power for almost five years, without any previous allegations of government blackmail cropping up.
5. The Lagos State Government says plans are on to register religious houses in 2020, to ensure sanity in the state.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, who made this known on Tuesday in Alausa, Ikeja, during a Stakeholders’ Meeting with the Nigeria Inter-religious Council (NIREC), said that having a database of all religious bodies in the state would enable ease of reference, as well as ensure effective communication.
6. Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says there is no cause for alarm in the imaginary drop in Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves.
Emefiele said this while fielding questions from newsmen after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
7. The Oyo State House of Assembly, on Tuesday passed the state anti-corruption agency bill into law.
The passage of the bill followed the third reading and presentation of the report of the Committee on Public Account, Finance and Appropriation.
8. Prof. James Apam, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kogi, says the commission is ready for Kogi West Senatorial and Ajaokuta Federal Constituency supplementary elections slated for Saturday.
Apam, who disclosed this on Tuesday in Lokoja at a Stakeholders’ meeting organised by INEC for the two Supplementary Elections, said funding and logistics for the elections had been provided. He said the election would be conducted in 20 Registration Areas consisting of 53 Polling Units with a total of 45,767 Registered Voters in the seven local government areas of Kogi West Senatorial Districts.
9. The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta, Tunji Ojo on Thursday at the Public hearing into illegality in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) warned the media against attacking the Legislative arms.
The lawmaker did not state what constitute attacks but said attacks against any of the chamber will be constituted as a declaration of war.
10. The Adamawa State Police Command has confirmed the killing of two of its men by suspected kidnappers around Mubi, in Mubi South Local Government Area of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa Police Command, DSP Nguroje, who confirmed the killing of two policemen, however, dismissed the part that six residents were kidnapped in the course of the Monday attack.
