Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:
1. Prof. Attahiru Jega yesterday bowed out of office as the INEC Chairman following the expiration of his tenure. Jega, during his close door handover ceremony expressed hope that INEC will continue to conduct credible elections in the country.
2. Following the official exit of Prof. Jega as INEC boss, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mrs Amina Bala Zakari as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), pending the appointment of a substantial Chairman.
3. The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has extended the deadline for the registration for Bank Verification Number, BVN, to October 31. Nigerians are by the notice directed to comfortably complete their registration in order to avoid last minutes rush. CBN Director, Banking and Payment System Department, Mr Dipo Fatokun, while disclosing this said the extension will also enable bank customers in the Diaspora to complete their registration.
4. Former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala has denied allegation by some governors that she spent $2.1 billion out of the Excess Crude Account without authorization, saying the allegation is false, malicious and totally without foundation. The former Minister said that no authorized money was spent from the ECA under her watch, cautioning the governor to avoid character assasination even as they make effort to bail out their states from financial crisis.
5. Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has said that despite been on recess, the Senate would screen without delay ministerial nominees that would be sent to it by President Muhammadu Buhari. He disclosed this while receiving the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Gaver in his office on Tuesday.
6. The Osun State government has commenced payment of workers’ salaries in the state. Report says workers in the state have started receiving alerts of both November and December 2014 salaries. However, it is not clear yet whether the payment will continue in that order. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Mr. Jacob Adekomi, said the Union will not suspend its strike until reasonable payment is effected.
7. Following the official exit of fomer INEC Chairman, Jega, the PDP has commended President Jonathan over Jega’s successful tenure, saying the former President was behind his success. This was contained in a statement issued by the party through its Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh.
8. The senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa has said that except the Senators who elected Ekweremadu move for his impeachment, plot by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to remove the Deputy Senate President would fail.
9. The horse trading between the PDP and the APC continued yesterday as the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, responded to a statement credited to Chief Olisa Metuh, insisting that the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling insecurity outweighs that of the five years effort by former President, Goodluck Jonathan.
10. The Ekiti State Government has said that the State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose will not spend the State’s scarce resources on execution of white elephant projects. The government described as “wasteful spending of public fund” projects by the past government in the state.
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