REPS MOVE TO to STOP MULTIPLE BUDGETS The House of Representatives has introduced two bills aimed at addressing budget presentation delays by the president and governors.They also seek to limit the number of supplementary budgets passed annually to bridge funding gap.The bills, sighted by our reporters, are under review by the House Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy …

EFCC COVERS UP N7B FRAUD AT NIGERIAN AVIATION AUTHORITY AS INDICTED OFFICIALS ENJOY PROMOTION, OTHER BENEFITS The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) appear to have swept under the carpet the missing Duty Tour Allowance put at N7billion involving top NCAA officials since March 2023. Impeccable sources at the NCAA on Thursday revealed …

BUCKINGHAM VARSITY VC SUSPENDED OVER NIGERIAN WIFE’S ALLEGATION OF ILLICIT AFFAIR A Nigerian entrepreneur, Cynthia Tooley, has emerged as a central figure in the suspension of the University of Buckingham Vice Chancellor, Professor James Tooley, over allegations of a controversial overseas relationship. Tooley, who denies the allegations, was suspended from his £229,000-a-year role in October following accusations linked to a …

PDP LEADERS TO MEET WIKE OVER PARTY CRISIS The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has announced plans to meet with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. The party leaders have scheduled the meeting for January 2025. PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, made the disclosure during an emergency meeting held in …

THE CONTROVERSY OVER TAX REFORM BILLS, BY BOLAJI ADEBIYI The ongoing controversy over the tax reform bills shows democracy is maturing in the country, writes Bolaji Adebiyi One major takeaway from the ongoing controversy over the tax reform bills is that Nigeria’s democracy is maturing. Although the debates initially evoked ethnic and regional emotions, the contestations have gradually moved towards …

TAX REFORM BILLS: IT’S UNFAIR FOR ONLY FOUR STATES TO GET 70% OF VAT – SHEHU SANI Former Senator Shehu Sani has said that it is unjust for only four states to receive 70 percent of the Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution. The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Chairman had told the House of Representatives that only four states take …

BOKO HARAM: 10,000 NIGERIANS DIE IN MILITARY CUSTODY – AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL Amnesty International has said that at least 10,000 people have died in military custody since the Boko Haram conflict in North-east Nigeria began.Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Country Director of the human rights organisation, Malam Isa Sunusi, said they were in Maiduguri to remind the government …

CONCERN AS OKUAMA PRESIDENT GENERAL DIES IN MILITARY DETENTION THE President-General of Okuama Community of Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, Pa James Oghoroko, has reportedly died from torture and alleged inhumane treatment in military detention. Oghoroko is one of the leaders arrested by the Nigerian military since August 2024. Late Oghoroko, President-General of Okuama community was arrested …

DESPITE TAKE OFF OF DANGOTE, PH REFINERIES, NIGERIA IMPORTS 2.3BN LITRES OF FUEL Amid the takeoff of the Dangote Refinery and the controversial Port-Harcourt Refinery, Nigeria’s importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known petrol, rose to 2.3billion litres between September 11 and December 5, 2024, according to a report by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The continued importation comes …

LABOUR PARTY REACTS AS ITS HOUSE OF REPS MEMBERS DECAMP TO APC, CALLS IT HALL OF SHAME The Labour Party (LP), has described the defection of some of its lawmakers in the House of Representatives into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as unfortunate. National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said this in a statement in Abuja, on …

EX-GOV IBORI’S DAUGHTER, A HOUSE OF REPS MEMBER, DUMPS PDP The daughter of a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, who is also member, representing Ethiope federal constituency, in the House of Representatives, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ibori-Suenu disclosed this in her letter to the PDP Local Government Chairman, Ethiope West Local Government Area, …

TAX BILLS NOT WITHDRAW, SENATE CAN’T BE INTIMIDATED – AKPABIO Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio stated during plenary on Thursday that the upper chamber remains focused on its mandate to represent Nigerians’ interests and will not be intimidated by external pressures. Against the backdrop of a point of order raised by the leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Akpabio …

OVER 100 PASSENGERS INCLUDING DEPUTY GOV ESCAPE AIR MISHAP Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, and over 100 passengers narrowly escaped a tragic incident when a Max Air aircraft experienced an engine fire shortly after takeoff from Maiduguri International Airport, News360 Nigeria reports. The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Wednesday when the aircraft, en route to Abuja, …

NO NEW PROJECTS FOR MDAS IN 2025 – FEDERAL GOVT The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to exclude new projects from their budget submissions for 2025 unless these can be linked to the completion of ongoing initiatives. This is according to the 2024 Federal Government Budget Call Circular document obtained by The PUNCH. The 2024 Budget …

RIVERS TO PRODUCE NEXT PRESIDENT GENERAL OF OHANAEZE NDIGBO Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo sociocultural organization, has reaffirmed that Rivers State will produce its next President General in line with its constitutional provision for rotating the office among member states. To actualize this, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Ohanaeze has mandated the Secretary General to convene a meeting of Ime …