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The Federal Government has given its backing to Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi's    ban on the sale of foreign rice in the state. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,Chief Audi Ogbe,stated gave the  no when he visited Ettem Amagu Rice Farm in Ikwo Local Government Area  as part of his assessment of agricultural potential of   the state. Ogbeh, who was in company with    the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Rice  production, Abubakar  Bagudu and  Central Bank  of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele,commended  Umahi for his agricultural policy,   particularly in ensuring massive rice production in the state. The minister said," Governor,I hear you banned  the sale of foreign rice in your  state, God bless you for it. I also hear you invited young men to come back from Lagos and work here,God bless you also  for it. They will be  happier here in this state than living under the bridge or substandard accommodation in Lagos,Abuja or elsewhere."   Ogbeh, i

A car bomb exploded near a busy market in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu on Saturday killing at least eight people, police said, as medical sources warned the toll could be far higher. “We have counted about eight civilians so far who were killed in the blast and more than 10 others wounded but the death toll could be higher because the area is a market and it was so densely populated when the blast occurred, most people who were wounded have serious injuries,” said police official Ibrahim Mohamed. Medical sources suggested nearly 30 people had been killed, but this was not confirmed by authorities. “Our ambulances have collected 13 wounded civilians and 28 dead bodies, the toll could be higher because of the density of the location where the blast occurred,” Dr Abdukadir Abdirahman Adem, director of the AMIN ambulance service told AFP. The blast took place in the densely populated Afisiyone area in southern Mogadishu. “There was chaos and severed dead bodies strewn around the street

Four persons were killed while several houses including the house of the village head were burnt, when unknown gunmen attacked Mile One Village in Tafan District, Kaduna State on Friday. A resident, who preferred anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kafanchan that the hoodlums launched an attack against the residents between 2 p.m. and 10p.m on Friday. The Interim Chairman of Jema’a local Government Area, Dr Bege Katuka, confirmed the incident via telephone. He said: “I just left the affected village barely 30 minutes ago, I was there to assess the extent of damage.’’ However, reports say the residents of the neighbouring villages of Gidan Waya, Ungwuan Ninzo and Ungwuan Kagoro have fled for fear of possible attacks. NAN reports that the villages, as well as Kaduna State College of Education, have been turned to ghost towns. NAN also recalls that Pasakori Village which share boundaries with Mile One Village came under similar attack on Thursday.

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has led members of the state Excecutive Council to drive across one of the three flyover bridges on the Transhara Expressway in Abakaliki. An obviously overjoyed Umahi told a crowd that gathered to witness the historic event that another flyover would be constructed next year at the Nkalagu junction, Nkalagu in Ishielu Local Government Area. The reason, he said was to end accidents on that section of the ever-busy transhara highway. He said, "Few days ago, we lost one of our very key supporters at Nkalagu junction and that place has been taking away lives. And so, next year, we will end the life that that place is taking. We will. "So we have three flyovers waiting for us to start- one at Vanco junction, one at the Water Works junction and then this one that is going to be at Nkalagu junction." He explained that apart from saving the lives of Ebonyi residents and travellers, the flyovers were to enhance the aest

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has led members of the state Excecutive Council to drive across one of the three flyover bridges on the Transhara Expressway in Abakaliki. An obviously overjoyed Umahi told a crowd that gathered to witness the historic event that another flyover would be constructed  next year at the Nkalagu  junction, Nkalagu in Ishielu Local Government Area. The reason, he said was to end  accidents on that section of the ever-busy transhara highway.   He said,  "Few days ago, we lost one of our very key supporters at Nkalagu junction and that place  has been taking  away lives. And so, next  year, we will end the life that that place is taking. We will.  "So we have three flyovers waiting for us to start- one at Vanco junction, one at the Water Works junction and then this one that is going to be at Nkalagu junction." He explained that apart from saving the lives of Ebonyi residents and travellers, the flyovers were to enhan

The Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmed Makarfi, has said the former ruling party is working hard to salvage Nigeria from hunger. Makarfi spoke at his meeting with former ministers produced by the party in Abuja on Monday. The meeting was one of the moves being undertaking by the national caretaker committee since the party became factionalised. Makarfi also denied the allegations doing the rounds that his group was planning to change the name of the party with the inauguration of a committee on inter-party affairs. The former governor of Kaduna State said that the party was determined to “capture power in 2019.” Makarfi said, “We have met with the members of the Board of Trustees of our party, governors, former governors, state chairmen and other interest groups in our party. “We therefore felt that we should meet with all interest groups and that’s why we are having this meeting. “You are aware of the setting up of a committee a

Some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives are threatening to dump the party over what they called the attitude the present government towards them, Daily Trust has learnt. Sources told Daily Trust on Monday that the APC lawmakers are embittered that the executive arm has completely neglected them in the scheme of things, especially in terms of consultations before certain decisions are reached. The lawmakers are also said to be angered by the fact that their constituents are going through hard times, while the government seems unperturbed, with no efforts made to ameliorate the difficulties. It was gathered that the bitterness among the APC lawmakers necessitated a meeting last Wednesday where they expressed their anger with some of the lawmakers openly saying they would dump the party. "It was really a hot meeting. The kind of anger directed at the executive was too much. Majority of those at the meeting said openly that they

The peoples Democratic party PDP former ministers forum has thrown its weight behind the national caretaker committee, led by Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi. The forum disclosed this to newsmen through its chairman, Alhaji Taminu Turaki in Abuja, after a closed door meeting with the national caretaker committee at Musa yar'dua centre. Turaki stated they are satisfied with the way the national caretaker committee is handling the party affairs and promised their loyalty and support the party.

The forum of former ministers of the peoples Democratic party PDP, has joined their voice with over 20 other political parties and groups, calling for the postponement of Ondo state gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday, 26th Nov 2016. The forum made this known through its chairman, Alhaji Kabiru Taminu Turaki ,SAN after a meeting with the peoples Democratic party PDP caretaker committee led by Senator Ahmad Mohammed Markafi at the Musa Yar' adua conference center, Abuja. He stated that, the forum and the entire national leadership of the peoples Democratic party PDP, has unanimously called for the postponement of the ondo state gubernatorial election for a minimum of 3weeks, to allow time for appeal and supreme courts to dispense with, all issues pending in the courts. He maintained that, the peoples Democratic party PDP, being a major stakeholder and a top contender in the said election, it will be unfair for INEC to go ahead with the scheduled election without the peo

The executive governor of ebonyi state, Engnr Dave Umahi, has commended the security agencies in the state for their quick response to the communal clashes witnessed between MKPUMA-EKWOKU and OGWUZERU-ONWENYA  communities in Izzi local government area of the state. The governor made the commendation when he paid an on spot assessment visit the warring communities. He maintained that the quick response of the security operatives have helped to avert what would have been a total break down of law and order in the state. He therefore, charged the security agencies to ensure that peace returned to the communities. Meanwhile, the had earlier announced the donation of 10 million naira to the communities to help cushion the effect of damages caused by. He therefore, charged the political appointees from the communities to forfeit 50% of as a sacrifice towards rebuilding the destroyed houses in the communities.

The deputy governor of ebonyi state, Dr Eric Kelechi Igwe, has reacted to the purported prophecy released by the spiritual head of the INRI Evangelical spiritual Church, primate Elijah Ayodele, describing the prophecy as fallacious and one intended to create rancour and disaffection in the polity. Dr Igwe said that the prophecy was nothing but a figment of Ayodele's imagination and urged the public to ignore the prophet, " for he knows what he is doing" Igwe said he would have ignored the so-called prophecy, but doing so could create the impression that he believed him or that the prophecy should be taken seriously Dr Igwe maintained that has been known for his fallacious prophecies such as that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he prophesied that he will win the 2015 general election; the Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai whom he said will loose the election and recently, Hillary Clinton whom he said will defeat Donald Trump. All these are indicat

The former governor of Abia state, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu has finally dumped his former party, progressive peoples alliance PPA to the governing, All progressive Congress APC. This came barely 24 hours after he tendered his formal resignation letter to the chairman of PPA. You could recalled that Dr Orji Kalu was instrumental to the formation of PPA in 2006, on which platform He contested for president in the 2007 general election. He subsequently, became the chairman of the board of trustees BOT of the party. Meanwhile, popular opinion has it that, Dr Orji Kalu joined the governing all progressive Congress APC in order for him to be shielded of numerous corruption charges preferred against him in various courts across the country. Though, kalu stated in his resignation letter that he has nothing against the party, PPA but that it is time to move on, having played his role in the party.

Nigerian economy is at the verge of total collapse as inflation accelerated for the 12th consecutive month in October as exchange-rate pressures persisted on the prices of goods and services, complicating the central bank’s task of supporting an economy forecast to contract this year. The inflation rate in Africa’s most populous country rose to 18.3 percent, the highest in 11 years, according to central bank data, from 17.9 percent in September, the Abuja-based National Bureau of Statistics said in an e-mailed statement Monday. Prices rose 0.8 percent from the previous month. The October inflation rate was in line with the median of 12 economist estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Inflation has been accelerating partly due to dollar shortages caused by the plunge in the price of crude, Nigeria’s main export, since mid-2014. That pushed up import costs for consumer goods and machinery. The government has struggled to manage the economic fallout, at one point pegging the exchange rate for

Ebonyi State Government has taken over some hectares of land in Izzi Local Government Area  to forestall future bloody dispute between the people of Mkpuma-Ekwoku and Ogwuzeru-Onweya communities. Governor David Umahi made the pronouncement when he visited the disputed land,  a few hours after three people were reported killed and many houses burnt by youths of the two communities on Sunday.     “Our position as government is that anywhere we have land dispute, government which  is naturally the owner of land will take it over  .  So from today, that is 14 th  of November, the entire land that is in contention is hereby revoked and taken over by government.  So, nobody will farm on this land again; it becomes government land,” a statement on Tuesday by Umahi’s Chief Press Secretary, Emma Anya, quoted him as saying. The governor, who however, announced a donation of N10m for the rebuilding of the burnt houses and provision of relief for the victims, also directed the political appoin

The former Sultan of Sokoto Ibrahim Dasuki The former Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki is dead. The former Sultan who is also the father to former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki died on Monday, November 14, evening at the National Hospital in Abuja. He died at the age of 93. PRNigeria reports that the late Sultan will be buried on Tuesday, November 15, after 2 pm afternoon prayers according to Islamic rites. The prayers will take place at the Hubbaren Shehu Usman Dan Fodio Site in Sokoto state. Dasuki was the 18th Sultan of Sokoto. He was dethroned in 1996 during military government of late general Sani Abacha. Before ascending the throne as Sultan, Dasuki was Baraden Sokoto. He was the also the first Sultan from the Buhari line of the house of Dan Fodio and a close associate of Ahmadu Bello. Meanwhile, his son Sambo is still in detention at the Abuja facility of the Department of State Services. It is still unclear if he will be released by the federal governm

The Hon. Commissioner for information and orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe , has drawn attention of the good people of Ebonyi State, from all backgrounds, affiliations and orientations to the frivolous and baseless story circulating within society in respect of the status of the court processes that have since been disposed and rested by various levels of legal adjudication in this country concerning the resounding election of the Governor of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Engr David Nweze Umahi. It has become imperative to provide all patriots with an accurate, verifiable and indisputable information and to allay any anxieties that may have been unnecessarily induced by rumour mongers and peddlers of worthless speculations. Let it be categorically stated that there is no election litigation either in the regular courts or in the tribunals against the election of the incumbent Governor of Ebonyi State. There does not exist anywhere in the Nigerian federation, at any level of the ju

I read with utter amazement, stories in Saturday Vanguard and Saturday Nation that Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State is in trouble with the Economic and Financial Commission over N400m Diezani poll cash paid to the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party. In the stories, the newspapers claimed that the commission had moved to seize two hotels belonging to the governor in Abakaliki and Port Harcourt and that fronts of His Excellency had refunded N90m out the N400m. I took my time to go through the stale stories and came to the conclusion that the one of the reporters either forgot that he had with his own pen written and published the same issue on August 31 or that he allowed himself to be used by some people in the EFFC to bring the image of my principal to disrepute. The only difference between the old publications and these latest but stale ones is where they mentioned last (Friday) night and the use of anonymous sources. I attach copy of the August 31 story by Vanguard