Author: Vardiafrica

The house of representatives has asked the federal government to suspend implementation of the Samoa Agreement. The house has also resolved to investigate the agreement signed by the federal government on June 28. The green chamber passed the resolution following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Sani Madaki, the minority whip, and 87 other lawmakers. The agreement recently sparked controversy following reports that some lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) provisions found their way into the pact. WHAT IS SAMOA AGREEMENT? According to the European Council, the Samoa Agreement is the overarching framework for European Union (EU)…

The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, says only three of Nigeria’s 22 international and domestic airports are commercially viable. Kuku, who spoke to newsmen, said 19 of the nation’s airports are being subsidised as they do not get passenger traffic commensurate to their operational cost. She said the majority of the 22 airports managed by FAAN require an upgrade of critical infrastructure: the terminal areas, the landside as well as the airside. The FAAN boss said many of the runways at the airports in the country have exceeded the 20-year validity period and…

Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai has voluntarily slashed his salary by 40 per cent. “In fulfillment of his commitment to fiscal integrity and national financial security, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has announced a voluntary 40% reduction in his salary,” a statement on the Liberian Government website read. Boakai said the move reflects his resolve to lead by example in strengthening accountability. “In addition to his own salary reduction, the President has pledged to empower the Civil Service Agency (CSA) to ensure that public servants’ salaries are in line with the current state of the nation and that workers receive fair…

John Tsoho, the chief judge of the federal high court, has refused an application by Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi, seeking to transfer his N80.2 billion fraud case from Abuja. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is seeking to arraign Bello on 19 counts bordering on alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds to the tune of N80.2 billion. However, Bello has missed several scheduled arraignments while his whereabouts remain unknown. The former governor, through his legal team led by Abdulwahab Mohammed, had written to the chief judge, asking that the case be transferred…

Donald Trump said in an interview Monday night that he thinks President Joe Biden will stay in the race for the White House despite calls for him to drop out over concerns about his mental fitness. “I think he, you know, might very well stay in,” Trump told Sean Hannity on Fox News, in his first interview since Biden’s dismal performance in their presidential debate late last month. “He’s got an ego and he doesn’t want to quit,” Trump said. The Republican ex-president also gave his first detailed account of the CNN-hosted debate in Atlanta, during which Biden often lost…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, officially swore in Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara as a commissioner on Monday. The ceremony, held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt at around 5 pm, followed Frank-Fubara’s confirmation by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led State House of Assembly earlier in the day. During the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Fubara defended his recognition of the Oko-Jumbo-led assembly, asserting it as the legally recognized legislative body. This comes amidst ongoing disputes regarding the legitimacy of the assembly’s leadership. Governor Fubara also expressed his dissatisfaction with the police’s handling of a recent bomb explosion in Port…

The Nigerian Nigerian Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has blamed resurfacing of fuel queues in some parts of the country on the disruption of ship-to-ship (STS) transfer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, between Mother Vessels and Daughter Vessels resulting from recent thunderstorm. A statement by the company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Monday, said the adverse weather condition has also affected berthing at jetties, truck load-outs and transportation of products to filling stations, disrupting station supply logistics. The clarification came following reports of long fuel queues in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country.…

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has called for patience amid criticisms of his government over the conditions of roads in the state The governor said this on Monday after an on-the-spot assessment of roads in Ifo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. “I want to implore our people to be patient with us. We cannot reconstruct all the bad roads in three years,” the governor said. “In fact, no administration can reconstruct all the roads in Ogun State, not even in 8 years.” He said, “When I assumed office on the 29th of May, 2019, the deficit that we met…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it won’t relent in the fight against corruption in the country.  According to a statement by the EFCC on Monday, it said the chairman of the commission made the promise while addressing representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who were at the agency’s headquarters, Abuja on a solidarity visit. “Some of you have been asking questions about one or two people that we have been investigating. Don’t worry everybody will have his day in court, I promise you that,” he said He dismissed claims about recent operations of the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday opposed the application of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele for the release of his passport to enable him to make an overseas medical trip In a statement on Monday, the agency’s spokesman Dele Oyewale said thedefence counsel Labi-Lawal had filed an affidavit seeking the release of Emefiele’s passport to enable him to travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatments which was objected to by the EFCC. Monday’s affidavit by the defence and the counter-affidavit by the prosecution was in furtherance of the ones…