Author: Femi Adeniyi

A few hours after President Donald Trump announced that he and his wife tested positive to COVID-19, a senior official has confirmed that his campaign manager, Bill Stepien has tested positive to the virus. According to the official, Stepien, who received the results of the test on Friday night is suffering from mild flu-like symptoms. It was gathered that Stepien was with the President and his team in Cleveland when he went for the first presidential debate and was seen close to Hope Hicks, the President’s top aide who also tested positive. Stepien was among a group of senior Trump…

Given the changing business environment, Chevron Nigeria Limited has announced plans to slash its workforce by 25 per cent as it is reviewing its manpower requirements. The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the company’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinnen. However, the company said it would continue to evaluate opportunities to improve capital efficiency and reduce operating costs. Brikinnen stated that the review is to have a business that is competitive with improved processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness, retain value, reduce cost, and generate more revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria. According…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has on Friday, October 2, 2020, arrested ten men over alleged involvement in internet frauds, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo. In a statement issued by the EFCC, the suspected Yahoo Boys were identified as Isaac Ogundayo, David Ayodele, Etiowe Kelvin, Seun Afolabi and Saheed Olalekan. Others are Oluwatobi Damilola, Sukanmi Odofin, Ademola Okunola, Joseph Damilare and Abass Sodiq. It was gathered that the suspects were arrested in their hideout at Ajinde Road 4, off Akala-Expressway, Ibadan in the early hours of the day by men of the Commission from the Ibadan Zonal Office.…

The Epidemiology Unit of Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry has confirmed that seventy people have died while over 6,000 others have been infected with rat fever in the country. The Ministry stated that an increase in the number of patients was reported in January, February and May. Official statistics showed that 6,096 patients were infected with rat fever as at September, while the highest number of patients were reported from Ratnapura in south-central Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 patients were reported Ratnapura while over 200 patients were reported in Kalutara. Also, the southern town of Galle reported over 200 patients.…

Ahead of the presidential elections in the United States of America, the labour department has on Friday announced that the unemployment rate in the country fell to 7.9% in September. The department said about half of the jobs lost in the early months after COVID-19 hit the US have been recovered, but the recovery in the jobs market has been uneven, disproportionately benefitting white men. Meanwhile, young people, women, Latino and Black Americans have continued to struggle to make up lost ground. The unemployment rate for white people was 7% in September, for black people it was 12.1% and for…

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has accepted the blame for the bad state of the roads in the state as he also apologised to residents and motorists plying the Orita Obele Road over its bad and deplorable condition. Speaking on a radio program on Sunshine 96.5 FM, Akure, the state capital, Governor Akeredolu said he accepted the blame for the bad state of the roads, which had caused many residents and motorists untold hardship. Akeredolu stated that it was very unfortunate that the Orita Obele road, which also leads to the government-owned media station, was neglected by contractors for…

The lawmaker representing Kaltungo/Shongom federal constituency of Gombe State in the House of representatives, Simon Karu, has revealed that each member of the House earns N9.3 million monthly. Karu disclosed this during an event to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary in Abuja. The lawmaker, who was among the guest speakers at the event said the sum includes monthly salaries and the office’s running cost. Meanwhile, he stated that most of the monthly funds were spent on constituents’ high demands. According to him, the official salary of a member, House of Representatives is N800,0000 and the office running cost of a…

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu said the Federal Government has ordered the reopening of all schools in the country. He said the unity schools which were closed due to Coronavirus pandemic are to be reopened on October 12. Speaking on the reopening of the learning centres, Adamu explained that the COVID-19 curve has been flattened adding that schools the have the liberty to fix resumption dates and ensure that there are adequate safety measures in line with the NCDC guidelines. He added that states and private schools will determine their modalities of reopening. According to the Minister, schools who fail…

The Federal Government has on Friday announced the implementation of Nigeria’s new visa policy and new visa fee regime with effect from October 1, 2020. According to the Presidency, the new visa policy was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2020. Also, the Nigeria Immigration Service has introduced new visa fees and the implementation of new visa policy 2020. The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the Service Public relations officer, DCI Sunday James. In the statement, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede said the new visa fees was approved by the Minister of…

Barely a month to the Presidential elections, President of the United States of America, Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump have tested positive for Coronavirus, COVID-19. In a tweet in the early hours of Friday, October 2, the President disclosed this noting that they will both begin their quarantine and recovery process immediately. Trump’s announcement was coming after it was revealed one of his top aides, Hope Hicks, had contracted the virus. Both Mr Trump and the First Lady had spent time with Ms. Hicks this week, including while traveling on Air Force One to Cleveland for the first…

On the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary, Governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have opined that the nation appears to be on reverse gear with the current state of affairs despite enviable strides recorded since independence. The Governor Aminu Tambuwal-led PDP Governors Forum also accused President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC of leading Nigeria into extreme decay within just five years in power. In a statement issued to express their views about the independence anniversary, the PDP governors stated the need for a national dialogue. In what appears like…

Following the declaration of his interest in emerging Nigeria’s President come 2023, Some Northern Youths under the umbrella of Coalition Of Northern Nigerian Youth (CNNY) have thrown their weight behind the former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu. Though there are indications that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu will also vie for the 2023 Presidency, the coalition said it would be supporting Kalu, who is also a serving Senator representing Abia North. The Youth coalition in a statement signed by its president, Zarewa Salisu Sageer, national secretary, Abu Bature Dandume, and the regional…

The Osun State government said Governor Gboyega Oyetola has ordered the reopening of religious centers and markets after appraising the current status of the state in the ongoing fight against the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic. The Osun state commissioner for information, Funke Egbemode in a statement revealed that governor Oyetola decided to reopen all markets and religious centres in the state for normal activities following some emerging positive indices. According to the statement, worship centers that were restricted to only Sunday/Friday weekly services due to COVID-19 can return to their normal mode of operation as the state government announced the decision…

The United States of America has lauded the importance of the democratic values and entrepreneurial spirit between the US and Nigerian government on the occasion of Nigeria’s 60th independence anniversary. While congratulating the Nigerian government for its commitment towards tackling corruption and strengthening democratic institutions, the US government in a statement issued by its Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo stated that the partnership between both nations is helping Nigeria combat the threat posed by COVID-19. Meanwhile, the US has also promised to continue to support the Nigerian people to expand regional peace and security and counter violent extremists. Pompeo said…

No fewer than 30 #RevolutionNow protesters have been arrested by security operatives as Hundreds of protesters, on Thursday, stormed the streets of Lagos State to express their displeasure over bad governance in Nigeria. PUNCH reported that the demonstration, which started around 9.30 am, saw the protesters clustering around Ojota, from where they marched to the Maryland area of the state. Meanwhile, the Coalition for Revolution also known as #RevolutionNow had earlier called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to resign. One of the protesters, Agba Jalingo said the protesters were out to tell the world that they were tired of the…

INDEPENDENCE DAY ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE OCCASION OF NIGERIA’S SIXTIETH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY, THURSDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2020 Fellow Nigerians I speak to you today as your President and fellow citizen on this epoch occasion of our country’s 60th independence Anniversary. As President, I wish to renew my appreciation to Nigerians for entrusting me with your hopes and aspirations for a better and greater Nigeria. 2. Today, it is my unique privilege to re-commit myself to the service of this great country of great people with profound diversities and opportunities. We…

An ardent critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has bemoaned the level of hardship in Nigeria as he also called on President Buhari to step down. Fayose noted that Nigeria currently has nothing to celebrate on the occasion of her 60th Independence anniversary. In a statement by his spokesman, Lere Olayinka the former governor said Buhari’s resignation was the only thing that would be the best 60th independence anniversary gift to Nigerians. Fayose, who further described Nigeria as a country in coma and life support said there is nothing to…

The Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Mallam Hadi Sirika said the United Arab Emirate, UAE has agreed to issue visas to Nigerians. In a tweet on Wednesday, the Minister noted that UAE’s readiness to issue visas to Nigerians has inspired the decision to allow Emirates to fly into Nigeria. However, he said the commencement of the Visa issuance is condition precedent as he urged Nigerians to bear with what he described as an unusual situation.

The Presidency has announced that the traditional early morning October 1. Presidential Broadcast will not feature on Thursday in view of the open-air live address. Meanwhile, the Presidency said that President Muhamadu Buhari would address the nation from Eagles Square as part of activities commemorating Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary. In a Press release, the Presidency stated that President Buhari will address the nation on Thursday, October 1, 2020, by 10 am. According to the statement, the live address will commence after the Anniversary Parade which will be covered by major television and radio stations especially the network services of the…

Despite all odds, Nigeria would be celebrating her 60th anniversary on October 1, hence defiling various speculations and calls for break-up by some people, groups, analysts and even other developed nations who felt Nigeria’s independence was immature and not beneficial to Nigerians. Though there are agitations by different groups demanding that Nigeria should either be restructured or broken up to allow for an independent nation to emerge from it, nonetheless, Nigeria is still under one entity as a nation not without various challenges in the past and present. Traveling a little bit back into how the journey of Independence started…

Following the threat to embark on nationwide protests by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC and the agreement reached with the Federal Government, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC has ordered the 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) in the country to suspend the September 1 new tariff. According to the NERC, the Multi-Year Tariff Order 2020 that was earlier issued to the 11 DISCOs have been suspended for a period of 14 days between September 28 and October 11, 2020. The 11 DISCOs are Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution…