Good morning. Here are 10 things you need to know this morning.
1. There was tension on Thursday following the rumoured collapse of the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige.
The minister was reported to have collapsed when he appeared before the Senate for budget defence. However, his Personal Assistant, Nwachukwu Ngige, stated that his principal was not in the country as at when the report broke out.
2. Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has accused past Nigerian leaders of enriching themselves with the nation’s hard-earned resources.
According to him, the kind of corruption Nigeria experienced in the recent past was the type that would be considered as a crime against humanity in other parts of the world. He, therefore, urged traditional rulers in the country to join the anti-corruption crusade against those who stole Nigerian money.
3. As preparations gear up ahead of Saturday’s Senatorial re-run election in Benue South, otherwise known as Zone C, the State Police Command said it had deployed about 5,000 of its men to the area to maintain law and other.
The state Commissioner of Police, Paul Yakadi, who made this known in Makurdi, the state capital, said other sister security agencies would complement the efforts of the Police on election day to avoid any form of rancour.
4. President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed social media guru, Tolu Ogunlesi as his Special Assistant on Digital/New Media.
Ogunlesi, an alumnus of University of Ibadan will be assisted by Bashir Ahmad, who is a Personal Assistant to the President on New Media. His appointment was contained in a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina.
5. Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has called on the federal government to convene an emergency economic conference to address the ailing state of the nation’s economy.
The literary doyen, who attributed the worsening state of the economy to years of bad governance, vowed to continue to support the government of President Muhammamdu Buhari on his fight against corruption. He blamed the deterioration of the economy on ”a certain prolonged and unchecked process of attrition”, adding that Nigerians should not expect a quick turnaround of the economy.
6. Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu has claimed that the country’s oil sector was poorly handled for the past 25 years.
He, however, expressed hope that in spite of the crash in oil price in the global market, the oil industry will stand and rise again. Kachikwu made this known while delivering the 45th Convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN titled, “the Petroleum Industry and the future of Nigerian nation.”
7. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has filed an application before a Lagos Federal High Court, seeking the permission to freeze the assets of wanted former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.
The commission in the motion filed by its counsel, Festus Keyamo, is seeking court order to confiscate the properties of the former militant leader pending when he honours court’s invitation.
8. President Muhammadu Buhari has boasted that Nigeria has the fastest growing economy in Africa.
The president in a keynote address at the public presentation of a book, ‘Nigerian Century’ written by Dare Babarinsa at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, said with the proper harnessing of abundant human and natural resources, the country would attain its greatness.
9. The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) on Thursday suspended its planned nationwide strike to press home improved working conditions.
The union, however, gave the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum, effective from Feb. 18, to meet its demands. Mr Biobellemoye Josiah, the National Chairman of the union, announced this while briefing newsmen on the outcome of JOHESU’s meeting with some government officials in Abuja.
10. The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed that the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Project would be launched in May this year.
Making this disclosure on Thursday while inspecting the project alongside the contractors, China Civil Engineering Construction Company at Idu in Abuja, Amaechi said the project was 100 percent completed. He added that the rail will be test-run in March before the launch, by President Muhammadu Buhari in May.
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