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  The Presidency on Thursday said the item named ‘Presidential Yacht’ as found in the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill is not for President Bola Tinubu’s personal use. This was as it said the naval boat bears such classification “because of the high-level security features.” Advert “What was named as presidential yacht in the budget is an operational Naval boat with specialised security gadgets suitable for high profile operational inspection and not for the use of the President,” Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained in a statement on Thursday evening. The statement titled ‘The facts on the Naval boat in 2023 supplementary budget’ followed public outcry over the provision for an item termed presidential yacht and other line items in the budget presented to the National Assembly. The Presidency’s statement read, “The Naval boat was ordered by the Navy under the previous administration.                    Advertisement “President Tinu

CBN in a statement by its spokesman, Isa AbdulMumin, blamed some customers for panic withdrawal using the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).                          Advertisement AbdulMumin, however, assured that the apex bank was working to ensure the seamless circulation of cash nationwide.  “While we note the concerns of Nigerians on the availability of cash for financial transactions, we wish to assure the public that there is sufficient stock of currency notes for economic activities in the country,” the statement read. Advertisement “The branches of the CBN across the country are also working to ensure the seamless circulation of cash in their respective states of operation.” Advertisement The apex bank also urged Nigerians to “guard against panic withdrawals,” assuring that “there is sufficient stock to facilitate economic activities.” Advertisement CBN also advised the citizens to embracep alternative modes of payment, which it noted would reduce pressure on using physical cash

  Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has revealed his grouse with his successor, Siminalayi Fubara, saying the incumbent governor hobnobbed with some of his political enemies after getting into office. Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stated this on Wednesday in Abuja when he met with members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed. Mohammed was at the meeting alongside Governor Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Governor Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Governor Kefas Agbu (Taraba) over the political situation in Rivers State.                      Advertisement The FCT minister and PDP chieftain also said nobody can take his political structure in the oil-rich South-South state. Wike said, “Yes, we have talked about the crisis in the state but let me tell anybody who cares: nobody can intimidate me, nobody. It doesn’t matter whether you go and bring thugs on the road, it doesn’t matter whether

 The Senate and the House of Representatives, on Thursday, passed the N2.17trn 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill after third reading. Before the passage of the bill, the Senate adopted the report of the harmonized sittings of both red and green chambers on the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill as submitted by Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (APC Ogun West). More to follow…

  The Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Chijioke Ihunwo, has been arraigned at the magistrate court in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Ihunwo, who was arraigned alongside 120 others, were all present at the Rivers Magistrate Court 22 on Wednesday where a five-count charge was preferred against them. The charges were conspiracy; causing a riot; damaging the house gate of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule; unlawful assembly; and causing breach of public peace. When the charges were read out, the accused youths all pleaded ‘not guilty’. Advertisement After the charges were read out, counsel for the defendants, Alabo Tamunowari, applied for bail insisting that they have four capable sureties who will provide all 121 accused persons whenever requested. This was opposed by Enyiepere Sikpi, counsel for the prosecution, who raised questions about the veracity of the sureties address. After listening to bot

  Reps meet Ministers, others over N2.177trn supplementary budget • May lay report during Thursday plenary by Kehinde Akintola November 1, 2023 Reading Time: 4 mins read A A reps bill Some of the members of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, defended the N2.177 trillion supplementary budget before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation on Wednesday. Speaking during the budget defence, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abubakar Bichi (APC-Kano), explained that the N2,176,791,286,033 Supplementary Appropriation Bill sent to the National Assembly earlier this week was “specifically structured to improve the country’s security, food security, and critical road infrastructure sectors and to bridge the housing deficit in the country, including slum upgrades and urban renewal. “It will also support the provisional wage for workers and cash transfers to vulnerable

  PUBLIC NOTICE: BEWARE OF FAKE ALERTS FROM BIOBAKU AJIBOLA ADEYEMI A heightened wave of electronic fraud known as ‘alert flashing’, otherwise, ‘fake bank alert’ has become a major source of concern to bank customers. It involves the use of SMS messages disguised as a transaction alert from a bank, to defraud unsuspecting victims. The general public is advised to beware of fake alert from Biobaku Ajibola Adeyemi, male. He bought food items and slippers at shop very close to Dennis Hotel in Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State with fake alerts. His phone number is 08037670007, and the general public should beware of him and report him to the nearest police station if found. His nefarious activities has been reported to Nigeria Police Force, details of his NIN as well as contact information revealed the featured image. The Public is therefore advised to be alert and vigilant of Biobaku Ajibola Adeyemi. Kindly contact this person on this line 07037437689 if found.

 The House of Representatives is to investigate the money expended on the postponed 2023 population and housing census by the National Population Commission (NPC). The house made this resolution on Wednesday following a motion from Honourable Dominic Okafor drawing attention of the lawmakers to the 200 billion naira spent so far on the census. The lawmakers, however, disagreed on conducting the census this year due to insecurity. President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the postponement of the 2023 Population and Housing Census earlier scheduled for May 3 to 7 to a date to be determined by the incoming administration. The population and housing census earlier scheduled for May 3 to 7, 2023, was indefinitely postponed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in April. Buhari had given the approval for the postponement after a meeting with some members of the then Federal Executive Council; the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Isa-Kwarra; and his team.

 Over 70 students of Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife Osun State were reportedly arrested by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a midnight raid on hostels outside the campus. Multiple sources in Ile-Ife confirmed to our correspondent on Wednesday morning that the officials, around 2 a.m., stormed the Fine Touch and Superb hostels in Oduduwa Estate, Ile-Ife, broke into rooms, and arrested the students. Reasons for the arrest have not been confirmed as of press time, but the Students’ Union President, Abass Ojo, said the union had details of “72 students picked up from the hostel with phones and cars taken away.” A former union official, Joy Abiola, told our correspondent that the students were beaten. “The EFCC officials came between 1:40 a.m and 4:00 a.m. Only students stay in those hostels,” Joy said, adding, “How can you arrest people for owning iPhones, laptops, and cars?” Another student, identified simply as Ewatee, said, “Female students were among tho

  The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr ‘Seyi Makinde has revealed the deliberation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governor’s caucus meeting held on Tuesday at the Pacesetter State Lodge in Abuja. Forums meetings under the leadership of the Bauchi state Governor, H.E Bala Muhammed resolved to reposition the country’s democracy, and national economy as well as find lasting solutions to the crisis that erupted in Rivers State. Advertisement According to the post on the social media handle of the Governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, the statement read in parts; “Yesterday, we hosted the PDP Governors’ Forum under the leadership of H.E. Governor Bala Mohammed, at the Oyo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. We deliberated on various issues, including the Rivers State crises, and urged all parties to sheathe their swords”. “On the state of the national economy, we urged the Federal Government to take appropriate actions to quickly stabilize the Naira, control inflation, stem unempl

  Aformer military governor of Ondo State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has stated that claimed that President Bola Tinubu sent some emissaries to him to end their “disagreement.”  George, who mentioned this while appearing on a Channel TV interview monitored by SaharaReporters on Monday, was explaining why he was still around in the country. Recall during the build-up to the 2023 general elections, George said he would leave Nigeria if Tinubu eventually won the election. While explaining why he decided to stay in the country contrary to his earlier pledge, he noted that his change of mind was due to the intervention of some elderly people that pacified him to take things easier with Tinubu. He said, “That I had a quarrel with Bola Tinubu, is not personal.  We disagreed on many fundamentals. Political fundamentals and those things are still there. Yes, they had sent emissaries to me that look, let’s tone down, and I accepted it. If elder people came

  The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has said that its latest count has shown that at least 31 journalists covering the Israeli-Hamas conflict have been killed. According to CPJ, of the 31 journalists killed in the ongoing war, 26 were Palestinians, four Israelis and one Lebanese. It further noted that eight other journalists have reportedly been injured, while nine others are considered missing or detained. The CPJ in a statement on Monday said that "Journalists in Gaza face particularly high risks as they try to cover the conflict in the face of an Israeli ground assault... devastating Israeli airstrikes, disrupted communications, and extensive power outages." It identified some of the killed journalists to include a well-known Palestinian filmmaker, Roshdi Sarraj and a Beirut-based videographer for Reuters, Issam Abdallah, who was killed near the Lebanon border by shelling coming from the direction of Israel. However, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has said it was

As the 2023 Supplementary budget forwarded to the Oyo State House of Assembly by Governor Seyi Makinde scales 2nd reading, the State lawmakers have harped on the need for the State Government to put new measures in place towards expanding and broadening the tax net of the State in order to fund the budget increment. This was part of the submission of the lawmakers as the 2023 Supplementary budget is referred to the House Committee on Finance, Appropriation and Budget for further scrutiny. Recall that Governor Seyi Makinde is seeking the upward review of the 2023 budget from #310,432,500,000 to #352,282,500,000. The Governor said the supplementary became necessary due to the adverse economic effects of removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit PMS and the floating of the exchange rates by the Federal Government. While deliberating on the supplementary budget, the lawmakers noted the vital need for the State Government to increase and expand its tax revenue bases to fund the budget so a

  The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a 2023 supplementary budget of N2.1 trillion. While speaking after the FEC meeting on Monday in Abuja the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu said the budget is to fund urgent issues. “The council considered a request for supplementary appropriation which is a second for 2023,” he said at the State House in Abuja. “And graciously approved the sum of N2,176,791,286,033 as supplementary budget and this supplementary budget is to fund urgent issues including N605 billion for national defence and security. “This is to sustain the gains made in security and to accelerate and these are funds that are needed by the security agencies before the year runs out. ” According to him, there will be allocations to maintain previous progress on national security and agriculture. The budget will also cover four months of wage awards for Federal Government workers and student loan funds. “Equally the sum of N210 billion is provided for

  THE right to adequate housing that is safe,  healthy, available and affordable is enshrined in the United Nation’s Habitat Agenda with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all (UN Habitat, 2001). Housing is a critical component in the social, economic and health fabric of every nation. Thus, governments around the world are duty- bound to ensure their citizens have access to suitable housing. The Oyo State government, led by Engr Seyi Makinde, is not left out. Statistics estimate that Nigeria has a housing deficit of 28 million, and would need over N21 trillion to adequately bridge the gap. Despite the policies, organisations and regulations which different governments have put in place since independence in 1960, there is still a huge shortage of housing, especially for the low-income segment of the society.  With a rapidly-growing population of more than 200 million, which is estimated to hit 400 million by 2050, this deficit would more than double if nothing is done to stem

  The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday published the comprehensive information of collected and uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) on polling unit basis in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states. This follows a meeting of the Commission on Monday  to review the ongoing preparations for the off-cycle governorship elections in the three states scheduled for Saturday, November 11, 2023. “As was done in recent elections, including the 2023 General Election, the Commission is publishing the comprehensive information of collected and uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the three States on polling unit basis. “The information also gives the distribution of the polling units by Local Government Areas, Registration Areas/Wards, the names of the polling units, their code numbers, number of registered voters and the number of collected as well as uncollected PVCs. “Equally significantly, the list provides the names and locations of the two polling units in Bayel

  Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has won the 2023 Ballon d’Or, making it a record-extending award for the 2022 World Cup winner.  The Inter Miami star was named the winner of the prestigious prize on Monday night in the French city of Paris in what many see as a fitting reward for leading the Abiscelete to a World Cup triumph late last year. Messi, 36, succeeds Karim Benzema as the winner of the prize awarded for his performances last season when he inspired Argentina to glory at the World Cup

  Oluyole Chairmanship Candidate for the forthcoming Local Government Elections, Engr Akeem Olatunji, has extended heartfelt congratulations to Victor Olojede and Abiodun Oluwaseun Laurel on their well-deserved reappointment as Senior Special Assistants to Governor Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde. Adding their remarkable dedication and exceptional performance during the first term administration, known as Omititun 1.0, have earned them the trust and recognition of the governor once again. Having served as Special Assistants to the Governor, Olojede and Oluwaseun have consistently demonstrated brilliance and expertise in their respective roles. Victor Olojede's unwavering commitment to student affairs has positively impacted the lives of countless young individuals under the Governor Makinde's administration. Mr. Abiodun Oluwaseun's relentless efforts in project delivery have contributed significantly to the successful execution of developmental projects, further cementing Governo

  The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, says that all is set for the smooth take-off of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) in 10 pilot states. He made this known in his address at opening ceremony of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers at the Landmark Event Centre in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Monday. According to the IGP, the establishment of the Squad, a standby team of specially trained officers to rapidly intervene in major incidents, is a priority in his administration’s effort to confront the menace of violent crimes in the country. Egbetokun noted that after the 10 pilot states identified based on the recent violent crime assessment carried out in the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the other 27 states will immediately follow. The IGP said, “The Police Force under my watch is poised to confront head on the menace of violent crimes in our country, restore calm to troubled areas and engender an atmo

  The World Bank has warned that the war between Israel and Hamas could trigger price shocks for raw materials such as oil and agricultural products if the conflict escalates across the Middle East. The World Bank gave this warning on Monday, in a report. Israeli officials said the oil has already risen six percent since the latest round of fighting, sparked when Hamas militants from Gaza stormed southern Israel and killed more than 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and seized nearly 240 hostages. Israel has responded with an unrelenting bombardment of Gaza, which the Hamas-run health ministry says has killed more than 8,000 people, nearly half of them children. The conflict between Israel and Hamas comes as Russia’s war in Ukraine has already put pressure on markets, with that war being “the biggest shock to commodity markets since the 1970s,” warned World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill. “That had disruptive effects on the global economy that persist to this day,” Gill said in a sta