EO Blog

A former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, says he has no presidential ambition. Daniel said this during a chat with journalists ahead of his forthcoming 60th birthday on Saturday. The former governor said he would remain as an elder statesman, giving advice to politicians. “I have no presidential ambition or any political position but would remain as an elder statesman, giving advice to politicians,” he said. Daniel said the day he was arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was the worst day of his life. He said, “The day I will never forget in my life was the day I was arraigned in court in Abeokuta. Some students sponsored by the government that were singing abusive songs outside the court. They were calling me a thief. They said I took $3m of state funds, N1bn of local government funds but they were lies.”

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babtunde Fashola The new tariffs approved for electricity consumers across the country will become effective on Monday and will enable the power distribution, generation and transmission companies to acquire needed infrastructure, the acting Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Dr. Anthony Akah, has said. Akah, who said this when he led top executives of the regulatory agency on a courtesy call on the National Orientation Agency in Abuja on Thursday, also said there was no going back on the new tariffs. The NERC boss said the lack of cost-reflective tariffs had hindered the electricity companies from acquiring the necessary infrastructure, adding that with the new tariffs, they would not have any excuse for not delivering on agreements they entered into with the government. He said the Nigerian power sector reform must provide an appropriate pricing template, which had been lacking, leading to deficiency in revenu...

The former AC Milan and Real Madrid midfielder admits he's in awe of the achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi Kaka has praised Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by joking he was the last Ballon d'Or winner to be "born on this planet". The Brazil international won the prize in 2007during his time with AC Milan ahead of Ronaldo and Messi – who have shared it in the seven years since. Kaka, 33, said it was an honour to win an award as he paid tribute to what his successors have managed to do since. "Ronaldinho, Cristiano, Messi and myself are the only Ballon d'Or winners who are still playing," he told Marca. "It fills me with pride to stand alongside these great players, and to be the last player to have won the award before Messi and Ronaldo. "You could say that I was the last Ballon d'Or winner to have been born on this planet." Kaka's Milan career was followed by a less impressive stint at Real Madrid, where he stru...

The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has said the state will not divert the bailout provided by the Federal Government to help the state pay its salary arrears. He stated that being a lover of workers, he would not deny them of their wages as written in the Bible, saying the funds would be used for the purpose it was meant for. According to a statement on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor, who spoke at a lecture as part of activities marking this year’s Civil Service Week, pointed out that he had met all the requirements for the bailout but that he had yet to receive the money. He assured that the money would be paid immediately the bailout was paid, saying he would not pursue “developmental projects at the detriment of the growth of workers’ stomach infrastructure.” The statement quoted him as saying, “At the last meeting I held with all of you, you asked me to go ahead and get the bailout. I’ve gone ahead, I’ve signed. I am waiting for the money...

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has called on Nigerian Christian community, particularly those in North East states to forgive members of the Boko Haram Islamist sect. He stressed that the country could only make meaningful development when Nigerians begin to forgive one another. He noted that although people’s sources of livelihood and churches were destroyed during the fiery days of the insurgents, the Christian community should, in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ, forgive and look forward to better times. The Speaker, who is the first northern minority Christian from the core north to hold the highest political office in Nigeria, made this appeal yesterday in Abuja at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, during the diamond anniversary lecture of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria. Dogara re-affirmed the right of every Nigerian to subscribe freely to any religion of his choice as long as it suits his or her conscience. According ...

Justice Danladi Umar of the Code of Conduct Tribunal has ordered that a bench warrant should be issued on the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, for failing to appear to answer charges bordering on assets declaration. Senate President Bukola Saraki’s trial for alleged false declaration of his assets when he was governor of Kwara State has begun at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Muslim Hassan, asked the tribunal to issue a bench warrant against Saraki for failing to appear before it. Hassan faulted the Federal High Court for granting the ex parte motion halting Saraki’s arraignment. He argued that the Federal High Court had coordinate jurisdiction with the tribunal and as such, had no powers to halt trial of the Tribunal. The Defence Counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu, however, prayed the tribunal to adjourn the case until after the Federal High Court sitting on Monday. Meanwhile, the Chairman tribunal, Mr. Umar Danladi, adjourned the case till 1.30pm for a decision...

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday made public details of their assets, which had been declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau. According a statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President has about N30m in his only bank account with the Union Bank Plc, while the Vice President has a balance of N94m, $900,000 and 19,000 pounds in his bank accounts. Shehu’s statement said the President had shares in Berger Paints, Skye Bank and Union Bank and a total of seven houses, comprising two mud and a standard house in Daura, his hometown; two homes in Kaduna, one in Kano and one in Abuja. Also belonging to the President are two undeveloped plots of land in Kano and Port Harcourt. The President did not ascertain the location of the Port Harcourt land, according to the statement. Buhari also has an orchard and a ranch in Daura with 270 heads of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses, a variety of birds and a number o...