Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has ordered the auditor general of the state to begin the audit of the accounts of the 23 Local Government Areas for the past three years. The governor’s order comes amid the long-running political crisis rocking the state. While swearing in the Caretaker Committee Chairmen of the Local Government Areas, the governor said the measure is intended to serve as a check for the incoming officials. He urged the caretaker chairmen not to see themselves as superheroes, but to protect the interests of their people, and demonstrate that the government made the right choice…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emphasized the importance of international cooperation on maritime security to unlock the vast potential of Africa’s blue economy. The President spoke at the 2024 International Maritime Conference in Lagos, held to commemorate the Nigerian Navy’s 68th anniversary, at the Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos. Represented by the Vice President, Kashmi Shettima, the President, acknowledged the transnational nature of maritime threats and the need for greater international collaboration to address them. The conference with the theme, “Promoting the Blue Economy in Africa through International Cooperation on Maritime Security,” according to him, aligned with the United…

Following a court order mandating it to halt the move to hike prices, MultiChoice has readjusted its subscription rates for DStv and GOtv users in Nigeria. The company had vowed to challenge the order of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal’s ruling in Abuja after reporting a decline in its subscriber base in Nigeria, leading to the loss of over a million subscribers. MultiChoice has reflected the readjustment on its company’s apps as at Sunday, June 16, 2024. Due to the adjustments, DStv subscribers will now pay N29,500 instead of N37,000 for the Premium package, while Compact+ package subscribers can…

Turkey got their Euro 2024 campaign off to a thrilling start on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over Georgia that brought delight to a passionate army of fans in soaking wet Dortmund. Real Madrid midfielder Arda Guler crashed in a brilliant goal in the 65th minute at a Westfalenstadion dominated by tens of thousands of Turkey supporters before Kerem Akturkoglu rolled home the third deep in stoppage time as Georgia pushed for a late leveller. Guler, 19, had a difficult time with injuries in his first season in Madrid but stepped up for Turkey in a fiercely-contested match with Georgia,…

President Joe Biden on Tuesday will unveil new rules easing the process for undocumented spouses of US citizens to obtain permanent residency status, the White House said. The Biden administration has been trying to walk a thin line on immigration, a key issue for many Americans ahead of November’s presidential election. The Democrat is seeking to be tougher on illegal migrants, while also contrasting himself with the harsher policies of Republican rival Donald Trump. The new rules will not expand eligibility for permanent residency, but rather streamline the process for those who already qualify. That includes by removing a requirement…

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the recent acts of rail track and electricity cable vandalism, labelling them as economic sabotage with severe impacts on the national value system. During a meeting in Lagos on Monday evening with a delegation from the National Assembly, President Tinubu emphasised the necessity for a change in the national value system to ensure progress. The delegation, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, included Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Honourable Benjamin Kalu, among others. In a statement released by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President…

Romelu Lukaku had his two goals disallowed as Slovakia ran out 1-0 victors over tournament favourite, Belgium. Slovakia grittily held out for a shock 1-0 victory against Belgium on Monday after a defensive mix-up gifted Ivan Schranz an early goal to get his country’s Euro 2024 campaign off to a flying start against the third-ranked side in the world. Francesco Calzona’s side are 45 spots below third-placed Belgium in FIFA’s world rankings. But they made a mockery of the supposed quality gap between the teams with a courageous performance in Frankfurt. Calzona, who also served as Napoli’s interim boss in…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has said that the upsurge of corruption in the country is defeatable if every stakeholder on the anti-graft corridor makes concerted efforts. The Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ola Olukoyede made this known in a statement in his Eid-El-Kabir message. He noted that renewal of efforts towards combating all forms of economic and financial crimes is necessary to kill the menace. “It is obvious that we can attain peace, love, progress and unity of purpose for a Nigeria free of corruption and unsavoury practices. “Let’s keep building. Let’s keep attacking every threat to…

Sevilla’s veteran defender, Sergio Ramos, will not be continuing with the club next year, ending his brief return. The 37-year-old will re-enter the market as a free agent, with speculation suggesting he may move outside of Europe. Ramos rejoined Sevilla at the start of the season, signing just after the transfer window closed. His return marked 18 years since he last played for Sevilla, having spent the majority of that time with rivals Real Madrid and two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain.

A former deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has declared support for the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Monday Okpebholo ahead of September 21 governorship election in Edo state. Shaibu spoke on the sidelines of the 2024 Father’s Day celebration at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in Benin City, the Edo State capital. Recall that Shaibu was recently impeached by the Edo State House of Assembly, ending months of tussle between him and Governor Godwin Obaseki over the former’s move to contest the Edo Governorship election. According to Shaibu, the governorship race started with three homeboys- himself, Okpebholo and…