IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

No fewer than five persons were hit with bullet at the gate of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja where Senator Dino Melaye was holding a protest against the State Government. The protest which stated around 11am turned bloody when gunmen yet to be identified invaded the venue of protest.

The gunmen who stormed the venue from the Nataco junction brandishing guns of different guns and cutlasses started shooting into different direction sending people scampering for safety including journalists who were at hands to cover the event.

Before the Army and the State Commissioner of Police could reach there almost an hour into the shooting, five persons have fell victims of gun shots with a vehicle caught in flame as well.

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has tackled Governor Ayodele Fayose over claims that the fresh Paris Club refund will be insufficient to pay more than one month salary. The party said all the governor’s claims to labour leaders that the fresh fund is half of the last refund was false, misleading and an attempt to misappropriate the money for selfish reasons. The Governor during his media chat programme on the state media had raised the alarm that feelers from the finance ministry indicated that the Paris refund to states would be reduced by half.

But reacting in a statement on Monday, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, claimed Ekiti State’s share was N9.6bn in the table of Paris Club refunds to all the 36 states released by the Federal Ministry of Finance. He accused the governor of distorting facts in order to misapply the money for selfish reasons”. Olatunbosun noted that the refund was neither subject to any deduction over debts nor having any local government component that would make the cash shared to Ekiti State to be less than N9.6bn as published by the Federal Government. According to him, only statutory allocations are subject to deductions over state’s debts.

Fayose in his usual manner has during his last media chat denied that Ekiti share of the Paris Club Refund is N9.6bn but N8.8bn which he further reduced to N4.4bn in his usual mathematical abracadabra to divert the money once again.

Nigerians have been warned against setting fire on bushes which they say has hazardous effects on the environment and general well being of the citizens. They are calling on Nigerians to be more environment friendly rather than polluting it.

Protecting the environment against indiscriminate bush burning without gainsaying is to help check loss of lives and properties as well as keep the fertility of soils intact for planting seasons.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration in this regard is making efforts to create more awareness and sensitize the public against the danger of bush burning so as to prepare them for the Harmattan season.

The Queen's Speech - in which the government sets out its legislative programme - has been delayed for a few days, the BBC understands.

The set-piece event had been due to take place on Monday 19 June. The Conservatives are negotiating with the Democratic Unionist Party to get support for their minority government after losing their Commons majority in last week's general election.

Labour said the delay showed the government was "in chaos".

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday paid glowing tributes to the late winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election, Chief M.K.O Abiola and other martyrs of democracy who laid down their lives in the struggle to entrench good governance in the country, urging Nigerians to continue to remain united and uphold democratic values. The election, which was adjudged as the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria, was annulled by the military junta. Speaking at a symposium put together by the State Government in conjunction with June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations to mark the 24th anniversary of the annulled election, Governor Ambode said the day and the events that followed would remain evergreen in Nigeria’s political history, being a process through which Abiola and others laid down their lives in a bid to actualize the popular will of the people expressed through the ballot box.

Governor Ambode, who was represented by the State’s Deputy Governor, Mrs Idiat Oluranti Adebule, said the seed of the 4th Republic currently being enjoyed was sown and watered by the blood of men and women who were cut down in their prime, adding that their memories would be honoured until the end of time. While acknowledging the fact that the June 12 struggle was waged not only by Abiola and members of his family but also pro-democracy groups particularly National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), students, trade unions and indeed all Nigerians, Governor Ambode said it was a thing of joy that by the collective efforts of government and people, Lagos State, over the years, has kept alive the yearnings and aspirations of the people expressed on June 12, 1993.

He said: “It is an open fact that the successive democratically elected governments in the State since 1999 have been totally committed to democratic principles, rule of law, strengthening of democratic institutions as well as implementation of programmes and policies that would enhance the wellbeing of all Lagosians, without bias for tribe, religion, political belief or gender.