IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The trial of the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, has been stalled following an application for adjournment by his legal team.

At the resumed trial before Justice Adeniyi Ajayi of the FCT High Court on Wednesday, counsel to Idris, Gordy Uche, told the court that he needed more time to interact with his client following the meeting his client had with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the previous day based on the invitation of the anti-graft agency.

The defence team accused the EFCC of contempt, stating that the commission lacks the right to continue investigations since the matter is already in court but counsel for the commission, Rotimi Jacobs refuted Uche’s claims. He said that the suspended accountant general of the federation is the one that approached the commission for settlement.

After listening to all the parties in the matter, Justice Ajayi adjourned to October 4 and 5, 2022 for the continuation of the trial. The suspended accountant general and his co-defendants had pleaded not guilty to 14 counts bothering on stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.5 billion against them.

Tinubu is full of Deception, he left rotten Lagos for me to repair, all you see booming in Lagos today was my handwork

Tinubu should come out on National TV and tell Nigerians about one Project he started, I didn't say complete, one project he started talks more of completing them.

I was removed as a governor because this same Tinubu wanted me to be paying him 50B in Naira and 5$m each month from Lagos revenue, I asked him where will get the money from, I told him I have Lagos to fix and not his family to feed, he told me I will hear from him in the next election, that was how my removal started.

I closed down many Tinubu "Toll Gate" so that Lagosians can be free from paying too much Toll gate fee because everywhere was full of Tinubu Toll Gate, coming in you pay, going out you pay, it was too much, I was fighting for Lagos people on a low key while trying not to let the public know what was going on.

For the record, Tinubu never started a single project in Lagos, not even half, if he said am lying, let him call me out on National TV and I will answer with my full self, I wanted to keep mute with all his lying going on, but I think Nigerians needs to hear the truth and vote wisely this time.

Dear Nigerians, Oshodi of Lagos was built by me, completed by me, and commissioned by me. They have nothing to lie about rather than my projects. APC government that failed Lagos state will also fail Nigerians if voted in again.

Akinwunmi Ambode Former Governor of Lagos State

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday denied doctoring and backdating documents to accommodate the nominations of Ahmad Lawan and Godswill Akpabio as senatorial candidates for the 2023 general elections.

INEC also said it is yet to recognise “any of the two personalities as a Senatorial candidate.” Mr Lawan, who is the current Senate President and Mr Akpabio had both contested in the All Progressives Congress presidential primaries, which was won by Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Both have however chosen to pick up Senate tickets for Yobe North and Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial Districts respectively, sparking controversy over the legality of such a move since most Senate primaries had already been conducted before the presidential primaries.

INEC, in its Tuesday statement signed by National Commissioner Festus Okoye, said the matter is still in court. “The Forms of the two personalities in question were not published by the Commission,” INEC said.

The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has assured Nigerians that steps are being taken to provide a permanent solution to completion of section 4 of the East West road measuring 15 kilometres from Onne Port junction to Eleme Port junction in Rivers State. The Minister gave this assurance during a meeting with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana in his office at the Ministry's Headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja.

Due to public concerns the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry who handed over the supervision of the road to the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing early this year wrote to inform the Minister of Works and Housing of their decision to do some remedial works on the road through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

However, based on advice of Directors from Federal Ministry of Works and Housing who inspected the road last month and discovered that its cardinal problem is lack of drainage, Fashola decided that a permanent and holistic approach should be taken so that the problem is put to rest because without the drainage whatever work that is done on the road will not last. Already request for additional funding to complete the work has been sent to the Bureau of Public Procurement to obtain a Certificate of No Objection (approval) expeditiously so that the work can be completed.

Fashola assured the people of the area and other road users that the Federal Government is committed to the completion of the road as well as other roads across the Nation, this he opined is President Muhammadu Buhari's Administration's priority to enhance impactful Socio-Economic development and therefore craved the patience and understanding of Communities along the East West road axis.

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state on Wednesday criticised Christians who oppose his acceptance to serve as the Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organization, stating that as a Catholic with the highest Papal award, the Pope has not told him what he is doing is wrong.

Since the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the APC presidential candidate, the ex-Lagos governor picked former Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima as his running mate. The development has since generated controversy, especially among the Christian folks including the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) who have since rejected the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Despite defending his choice of Shettima as his running mate, critics have remained adamant considering the religious beliefs of Nigerians.

But Governor Lalong backed the idea of the Muslim-Muslim ticket after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja. In a question and answer session, Lalong noted that as an awardee of Knight of Saint Gregory, he remains a staunch Catholic despite his new responsibility to market a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. Governor Lalong maintained that he has enormous respect for his faith as a Christian, noting that he was elected governor for people of all faiths and non-believers as well.

The Plateau leader said he is therefore not sure where those who claimed to be Christians and stand in opposition to his appointment are from. He reminded that when upon his return to Jos after his recent appointment as the DG, the APC Presidential Campaign organization, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), welcomed him.

The World Cup is set to start one day earlier than planned on Sunday, 20 November with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador. The Group A opener was due to be played on 21 November at 16:00 GMT, as the third match of the competition.

The opening match of the tournament was to be Senegal against the Netherlands at 10:00, earlier on the Monday. However, the administrative arm of world governing body Fifa has submitted a proposal to move the Qatar game. It followed discussions with Qatar and their opponents Ecuador, after receiving a request from the South American confederation Conmebol. It fits in with the tradition of either the hosts or the holders being involved in the opening match. 

The final decision will be made by the bureau of the Fifa council, which comprises the six confederation presidents, plus Fifa president Gianni Infantino. If it is approved as expected, it would not change the release dates for players, and Senegal against the Netherlands would be switched to 16:00 on the Monday, given only three games would be played instead of the present four.

England's Group B match with Iran, which is being played at 13:00 on 21 November, would be unaffected, as would Wales' opening match against the United States of America at 21:00 on the same date.