Reps extend resumption date by a week

The House of Representatives has postponed its resumption from annual recess due to the forthcoming Eid El-Kabir celebrations, The Punch reports.

A senior National Assembly official on Sunday, stated that “The Sallah proper will be on Monday, September 12, just one day to the original resumption date.

SERAP rejects proposed FG’s tax on phone calls, data

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Sunday rejected the plan by the Federal Government to impose tax on every phone call, text message and data used by Nigerians.

The group in an open letter by its Senior Staff counsel, Timothy Adewale to the Federal Government, advised the FG to forgo the plan and instead start programmes that would cushion the effect of the sliding economy on Nigerians.

 The letter read partly, “SERAP asks President Buhari to immediately drop the proposed 10 per cent tax on phone calls, text messages, data and more, as this would disproportionately affect the socially and economically vulnerable and push them deeper into poverty and deprivation.

Melaye seeks the sack Finance Minister, Minister Of Budget, Udoma and CBN Gov.

Senator Dino Melaye (APC Kogi West) on Sunday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take drastic measures on the ailing economic, including the immediate removal of the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma; and the Governor of the Central bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele as the solution-precedent to reboot the ailing economy.

In a statement in Abuja, Melaye said the President must shake up his cabinet, and accused some members of cabinet as lacking the capacity to deliver on the mandates of their ministries and agencies.

Rotimi Akeredolu emerges APC governorship candidate in Ondo State

A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Rotimi Akeredolu has emerged the governorship candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC)  for the November governorship elections.

He emerged the flag bearer following the state party's primary election held at the International Event Centre, Akure, the Ondo State capital on Saturday.

Rotimi polled 669 votes to defeat anointed candidate of a national leader of the party, Dr. Segun Abraham who polled 635 while Chief Olusola Oke came third, scoring 583. Senator Ajayi Boroffice came forth with 471 votes.

Sultan of Sokoto announces Monday, September 12th as Eid el-Kabir Day

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, has announced Monday, September 12th as the Eid-El-Kabir Day.

The announcement is contained in a statement signed by Sambo Junaidu, Chairman, Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council of Sokoto.

Budget Padding: EFCC begins probe against Speaker Dogara

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun investigations into allegations of budget padding levelled against speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, The Cable reports.

Sacked chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation Abdulmumin Jibrin on August 1  had submitted petitions to the EFCC asking it to probe the speaker for allegedly padding the budget with fictitious projects to the tune of N40bn.

Facebook founder, Zuckerberg meets Buhari

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, returned to Nigeria today and held a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the President’s Office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The technology entrepreneur had arrived Lagos unannounced on Tuesday for his first visit to the sub-Saharan Africa. He left for Nairobi on Thursday, but apparently returned to Nigeria following criticisms that he did not meet with any political leader during his stay in Nigeria, but only had interactions with software developers, bloggers and entertainers.

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Customs nabs smuggler who disguise bags of rice as corpses

Customs nabs smuggler who disguise bags of rice as corpsesCustoms officers stationed at the Badagry-Seme border have arrested a suspected smuggler, Moses Degbogbahunn while he was trying to smuggle in bags of imported rice which he carried in an ambulance and packaged as corpses.According to the mobile patrol team leader, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Ozah M, the suspected smuggler was arrested along Aradagun toll gate area of Badagry after officers at the border noticed the frequency with which he drove his ambulance, a Volvo with number plates DV 74 EKY, pass the border with dead bodies and this aroused curiosity of the team and the vehicle was stopped for proper examination.

Army insists Boko Haram leader Shekau is dead

The Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor on Thursday insisted that leader of islamic militant group, Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau is dead.The Commander made this statement during a tour of Adamawa State as part of the formations under his command.

He said; “I can confirm to you that the original Shekau was killed, the second Shekau was killed, and the man presenting himself as Shekau, I can also confirm to you that few days ago, he was wounded. We are yet to confirm whether he is dead or not”.

MTN confirms new brand ambassadors after letting go of 12

Telecoms company, MTN has released the names of its new brand ambassadors, after letting of 12 superstars who signed endorsement deals with the company.

According to MTN’s General Manager Consumer Marketing, Richard Iweanoge, “In line with our commitment to supporting Nigerian musicians by providing alternative platforms through which they can receive lucrative value for their intellectual property, MTN has announced brand ambassadors for 2016-2017.

SpaceX destroys Facebook’s satelite for Africa, Zuckerberg reacts

A Facebook satellite which was planned to beam high-speed internet to Africa was destroyed when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during a test on Thursday exploded on the launch pad. The rocket is owned by California-based private space firm and internet entrepreneur Elon Musk.

However, Facebook founder who is presently in Kenya has reacted to the unfortunate incident.

He wrote on his Facebook page;