YellowStone Media International

A High Court in Owerri on Tuesday stopped the swearing-in of Callistus Ekenze, Head of Civil Service of Imo State as Deputy Governor of the state. The state House of Assembly on Monday sacked the former Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, at the end of an impeachment proceedings, despite a court order stopping the process. But on Tuesday, the court made another ruling stopping the swearing-in of Madumere’s successor. The Attorney General and Commissioner For Justice for the state, Barr. Miletus Nlemedim, conveyed the latest order to Governor Rochas Okorocha and hence the cancellation of the swearing-in of Ekenze as Deputy by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Pascal Nnadi. Nlemedim also informed the crowd gathered to witness the ceremony and halted it. Madumere had succeeded in securing an interim injunction, restraining the swearing in of Ekenze. The state High Court on Monday gave an order stopping the state House of Assembly from continuing the impeachment of Madumer

President Muhammadu Buhari was Tuesday in Lome elected the new Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Buhari’s election was one of the high points of the 53 rd  Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in the Togolese capital. A statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu said in his acceptance remarks, the Nigerian leader, who commended his colleagues for his election, noted that he did not offer himself for the post, “but you refused to take my no for an answer.” He, however, told his fellow leaders that, “I am truly humbled and pledge to serve and work with all of you to deliver on peace, security, good governance and socio-economic development” of the sub-region, and “take our organisation to greater heights.” The statement added that Buhari also commended his immediate predecessor and President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe for successfully hosting two important mee

The federal government and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have inaugurated a task team on youth employment and skills development. The team is a think-tank saddled with the responsibility to convene a private sector round-table engagement as an exchange platform designed for the identification and financing of eight priority projects for accelerated youth employment and skills development. Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who was represented by the Minister of State, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, said Nigeria has a population of about 200 million people, noting that the opportunities offered by the large population are not being harnessed through gainful engagement of the productive age of between 15 and 54 years. According to the minister, "Although the Nigerian youths have been described as enterprising and hardworking, a recent record of 18.8 percent unemployment rate rep

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Tuesday revealed that 275 criminal suspects have been arrested for committing various crimes, including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, cultism among other crimes in the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, who disclosed this, said a grandmother, Ekaette Obot, who claimed to be 27 years old was among those arrested for stealing and selling of her granddaughter for N200, 000.   He said most of the suspects had been charged to court while others are being investigated, stressing that the police command, had prosecuted 193 cases with 23 convictions secured. According to him, 19 locally-made pistols; one pump action gun and one AK 47 rifle; one Toyota Camry saloon car with registration number CAL 584 NF; one Toyota Corolla vehicle with reg. no. AA 50 NRJ and a total of 52 pieces of ammunition had been recovered from the hoodlums. In an interview, the grandmother, Obot, said she wee

Canada's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, also dubbed ‘Canada’s Obama’, announced he is converting from Christianity to Islam. In a 13 minute press conference Friday, Trudeau explained his decision in his life: “After meeting thousands of new Syrian refugees, listening to their stories and learning more about the Muslim faith, I have learned to love Islam and the people of Islam. Islam promotes peace, not violence and is in fact more peaceful that Christianity. I feel like this is the religion I belong with and I should identify as,” reported the theglobalsun.com. During the press conference, Trudeau dodged questions about his wife, Sophie, and children converting. All the Prime Minister would say on the subject is that they are very supportive of his decision, but were unavailable for comment. The Vatican Enquirer has learned that the couple are now sleeping in separate beds, in separate rooms. At times even in separate homes. Some photos of Justin

After a long period of speculation and mind game, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on Tuesday finally announced via Twitter his long awaited defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Saraki however did not name his next political party even though speculations are rife that he is bound for the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. “I wish to inform Nigerians that, after extensive consultations, I have decided to take my leave of the All Progressives Congress (APC).” @bukolasaraki. Saraki will leave the party with his protege, Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed of Kwara State and their supporters in the state. Their defection is coming hours after the APC dissolved the state chapter’s executive council which was under the control of the senate president. It could be recalled that Saraki has spoken on his status if he finally dumps the  APC for the PDP. The loyalists of the former Kwara Governor in the chamber are also battle ready to keep hi

Former Governor and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, is leaving the party for ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo's wave-making African Democratic Congress (ADC) in a grand alliance underscoring a fierce battle ahead of the 2019 general election. Ladoja, it was learnt last night, was to meet Obasanjo in Ota on Tuesday but for the meeting between Obasanjo and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. The meeting would hold tomorrow with Ladoja leading three of the governorship aspirants of the PDP into the ADC. The aspirants are a former Senator Femi Lanlehin; a former Secretary to the State Government in Ladoja's administration, Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, and a former council boss and varsity don, Dr. Nureni Adeniran. Also to attend the meeting with Ladoja are the 16 of the 32 serving members of the state House of Assembly comprising lawmakers elected on the platform of the APC (5), Accord (7), Labour Party (3),

Sunday Okobi As part of the efforts of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to further decongest the traffic gridlock on Apapa port axis, the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, in February this year flagged off the first export consignment of manganese, a solid mineral resource from the Ikorodu lighter terminal to Apapa port. This initiative, the Authority said, had since resulted in the movement of almost 2,000 truck equivalents of containers and other bulk cargos from Apapa port access road by leading FMCG trading and manufacturing companies moving goods mainly of solid minerals and agro commodity exports. Since then, the operations at the terminal have been on the high, according to NPA. In 2017, the estimated cargo throughput in Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports, according to reports from the NPA, was put at 67 per cent of the overall country’s’ imports and exports. The report stated that the Lagos State ports, being the preferred ports, h

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has reportedly been held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since 9 a.m, Tuesday morning. He was reportedly called in for questioning and was still being interrogated at the Commission as at press time. Ekweremadu, the most-senior member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in public office, was invited for questioning by the anti-graft body last week Tuesday. The invitation became public hours after EFCC operatives laid siege to his Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja home. He has faced multiple allegations of sharp practices in recent years, including claims that he connived with others to forge Senate standing rules which led to the controversial election of principal officers in June 2015. He has also been accused of owning multiple properties abroad, some allegedly purchased using shell firms and political associates fronting for him which he has strongly denied alleging political persecution.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Monday arraigned three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Lagos on an alleged fraud of N179. 8 million. The three accused who are from Ogun State INEC office are: Yemi Akinwonmi, Dickson Atiba and Ogunmodede Oladayo. They were arraigned before Justice Sule Hassan on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, benefitting from proceeds of crime, receiving various cash sums without going through financial institutions and accepting various cash sums exceeding amount authorised by the law. The three accused persons were said to have received the said money from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Stanbic/IBTC, Diamond Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Skye Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc, sometimes in March 2015 during the general elections. The offences, according to the prosecution led by Rotimi Oyed

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have described as “a desecration of the legislative sanctity,” the on-going situation in Benue State in which eight out of the 30 members of the State House of Assembly have commenced impeachment process against the state governor and with the support of the police, the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third majority are kept away from the assembly complex. In a statement jointly signed by their aides in charge of media, Yusuph Olaniyonu (Saraki) and Turaki Hassan (Dogara), they also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the police to order and stop them being used to achieve political purposes. “We have monitored closely the development in Benue State in which the impeached Speaker, Terkimbir Ikyange, led seven other members to serve impeachment notice on the state Governor, Samuel Ortom, while the 22 other members who constitute more than two-third maj

The Edo State Innovation Hub has opened its doors for entrepreneurs in the state and environs to take opportunity of its co-working spaces and other facilities made available at the technology cluster in driving innovation and strengthening the tentacles of the tech ecosystem in the state. The Edo Innovation Hub, a brainchild of the state Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, is a fully-furnished cluster for technology companies, fitted with state-of-the-art support structures, including high-speed internet, power, indoor and outdoor workspaces, library, conference rooms, training rooms, among others. “It also hosts the South-South Innovation Hub, an initiative of the federal government, domiciled in the Vice President's office for youths in South-South Nigeria to leverage technology in solving everyday problems. Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Skills Development and Job Creation, Mrs. Ukinebo Dare, on Monday

Former aide of President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, on Monday expressed disappointment over the choice of language used by the Minister of Information and Culture in describing politicians who defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mohammed had stated that APC defectors are the stone that David will use to slay Goliath He referred to former members of the APC who left the party as ‘stones’. His exact words: “God has removed stones from our rice and sands in our garri.” However, Omokri noted that “it is unfortunate that the official spokesman of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the chief image maker of the Buhari administration will stoop so low to use such pedestrian language. “Mohammed has obviously not made the cross over from being the spokesman of the APC to being the spokesman of the government.” The former social media aide to Jonathan stated further that “those who cross carpeted from

President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend in Lome, the Togolese capital, said he was not bothered about the gale of defections going on in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The president, according to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, was responding to a question during an interactive session with the Nigerian community in Togo at the Nigerian Embassy, saying most Nigerians appreciated the performance of his administration.  He quoted him as saying: “I am not bothered about the defections. Ordinary Nigerians have developed confidence in us and are defending us. I assure you majority of Nigerians back home are appreciative of our efforts.” The statement said Buhari expressed delight in seeing the Nigerians who had traveled from the five regions of Togo to welcome him in Lome adding that he was pleased to be commended on the performance of his administration. It also said the preside

The United States acting Deputy Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Aruna Amirthanayagam, Monday in Abuja disclosed that estimated 24.9 million persons are trapped in modern-day slavery. Amirthanayagam, who noted that the illicit art of trading in humans is a very old business, said with the dimension slavery had assumed in modern times, people "can no longer sit at the side-lines and allow men and women, children and young adults to be exploited in your communities and country." He was speaking at a programme organised by the US embassy in Abuja in collaboration with Devatop Centre to commemorate the 2018 World Day Against Human Trafficking. The Deputy Chief of Mission in Nigeria advised guest at the occasion to find out how they can get involved "so that we can stand together and work to end human trafficking, if not in this generation, at least in the next. Today is the day to make a difference." He added: "We know the statistics. In

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to destabilise the state. Ortom said this during an interaction with journalists Monday at Government House, Makurdi while responding to verbal attacks on him by National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomole, who described him as 'unmarketable'. The governor noted that Oshiomole's comment shows that he is not a democrat, adding that he is an overzealous national party chairman. "If I was unmarketable, why was he bent on keeping me in the party? The party is demonizing me for leaving and I have the freedom to associate with whomever I want. He should be reminded that he has a court case which bother on corruption while he was governor of Edo State.   Under his leadership, the fortune of the party is diminishing with defection of so many members especially National Assembly members. He also, regretted over the incident at the State Assembly wher

A socio--political pressure group, Arewa Youth Development Foundation (AYDF), has  declared that no amount of  intimidation, harassment, misrepresentation of facts and outright threat from any quarter would make them abandon the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, even as they described him as their "party". The group declared that "wherever he goes or whatever party platform  he decides to contest for the 2019 elections, we will follow him ". Speaking at a Press Conference in Bauchi on Monday,  acting Chairman of the group, Idris Musa, and the Secretary, Emmanuel Isheni,  expressed the group's unflinching support for the Speaker,declaring that "wherever he goes or whatever party platform  he decides to contest for the 2019 elections, we will follow him."    The  group said the Speaker, who represents Dass/Tafawa Balewa/Bogoro federal constituency, has provided roads, schools, electricity, d

An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Osun State, Adekunle Adegoke, on Monday asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify the party's governorship primary election held on the July 20, 2018, in the state. In an originating summons taken out by his lawyer, Ayotunde Ogunleye of A. U. Mustapha SAN and CO, Adekoge, who is also a lawyer, said the primary was conducted in flagrant violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the relevant provisions of the Constitution of All Progressives Congress (APC), 2014 (as amended) and the Regulation for the Conduct of Political Party Primaries of the Independent National Electoral Commission.   He joined APC and INEC as first and second defendants respectively. Adegoke is also seeking an order restraining INEC from according any recognition to the outcome of the said governorship primary election of having been conducted in violation of the 1999 Constitut

Three people were reportedly killed while seven others, including two nursing mothers, were abducted when bandits stormed Unguwar Dan-Baki, Sabon-Layi village in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State last Sunday. One of the nursing mothers was said to have been abducted alongside her eight-day-old baby.   Chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Vanguards for Security and Good Governance, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari, in a statement on Monday said the incident occurred at about 7:00 p.m. The statement said the gunmen had a field day as they carted away cattle used for traction by the villagers in their farms. The statement quoted an eye witness, Garba Tanko, as saying that the attack took place during the ‘Maghreb’ (evening) prayers. According to the statement, “The attackers had a field day carting away cattle use for animal traction by the villagers in their farms. “The attackers are using corridors of Kamuku forest and Kuyambana for