Buhari Approves 67 New Broadcast Licenses

 President Muhammadu Buhari has approved 67 new broadcast licenses.

This brings the total number of approved broadcast licenses by Buhari to 473 with the number of functional broadcast stations in Nigeria rising to 740.

The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah disclosed this on Thursday at a briefing in Abuja.

Ilelah also said the monitoring of broadcast stations was on.

He said a Central Monitoring Committee has been set up to provide a rapid response to unethical practices.

He also appealed to broadcast stations yet to settle their outstanding dues to do so

Tinubu's Balablu Bulaba Gaffe Was Doctored, Says Tinubu Campaign Council

 The Director of Strategic Communication of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake has said that Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Balablu Bulaba Gaffe was doctored.

Mr Alake made this disclosure when he was invited to Nigeria Info FM Abuja to convince Nigerians why they should vote for his candidate.

Reacting to the Balablu Bulaba Gaffe by Tinubu, he said, “Its not true, it was doctored.

“I'm telling you, it was doctored because we showed the real original video clip on TVC.

“And then it was broken into snippets and thrown on the social media.”

The Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr Olusegun Agbaje has described allegations of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, conniving with the head of Lagos Parks and Garden Mr Musiliu Akinsanya otherwise called MC Oluomo a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as nonsensical. Agbaje who ascribed Nigeria’s major challenge to do-or-die politicians that are all out to undermine the electoral process reiterate that he would never jeopardize the image of the electoral umpire. Speaking during a stakeholder meeting at the INEC’s head office in Lagos on Thursday, Agbaje who insisted that he doesn’t toil with his integrity said:” Lagos has had its share of election violence, we cannot afford it again. “We must work together for peaceful elections in Lagos. “The former INEC chairman Professor Atairu Jega knows me well likewise the incumbent INEC chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu. ” I have nothing to do the Lagos head of Parks and Gardens. “Electoral Officers , EOs of each local government would be in charge of vehicles that would convey ad-hoc staff and electoral material materials to the polling units, not me. “People don’t know me. I am from a very credible family and I will never do anything that would jeopardize the image of INEC or make Nigerians think. I will never be part of it.

 The regulatory agency for universities in Nigeria, the National Universities Commission has ordered a closure of universities across the country to enable students to participate in the 2023 general elections, The PUNCH reports.

In a letter addressed to vice-chancellors of all universities and directors of inter-university centres, the NUC noted that the directive was based on the directive of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

“As Vice-Chancellors of all Universities and Director/Chief Executive of Inter-University Centres are quite aware the 2023 General Elections have been scheduled to hold on Saturday February 25, 2023, for the Presidential and National Assembly, and Saturday March 11, 2023 for Gubernatorial and State Assembly, respectively.

“In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staff, students and properties of the our respective institutions, the Honourable Minister of Education, Mal. Adama Adamu has following extensive consultations with the relevant security agencies, directed that all Universities and Inter-University Centres be shut down and academic activities be suspended between 22 February and 14th March, 2023.

We’ve Nothing To Do With MC Oluomo — INEC Replies Atiku

 The Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr Olusegun Agbaje has described allegations of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, conniving with the head of Lagos Parks and Garden Mr Musiliu Akinsanya otherwise called MC Oluomo a card-carrying member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as nonsensical.

Agbaje who ascribed Nigeria’s major challenge to do-or-die politicians that are all out to undermine the electoral process reiterate that he would never jeopardize the image of the electoral umpire.

Speaking during a stakeholder meeting at the INEC’s head office in Lagos on Thursday, Agbaje who insisted that he doesn’t toil with his integrity said:” Lagos has had its share of election violence, we cannot afford it again.

“We must work together for peaceful elections in Lagos.

“The former INEC chairman Professor Atairu Jega knows me well likewise the incumbent INEC chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

” I have nothing to do the Lagos head of Parks and Gardens.

“Electoral Officers , EOs of each local government would be in charge of vehicles that would convey ad-hoc staff and electoral material materials to the polling units, not me.


“People don’t know me. I am from a very credible family and I will never do anything that would jeopardize the image of INEC or make Nigerians think. I will never be part of it.

I Didn't Offer To Buy Kidney - Ekweremadu Tells UK Court

 Former deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has denied offering money to secure a donor's kidney in order to save his sick daughter, Sonia.

IGBERETV reports that Ekweremadu's wife, Beatrice and their 25-year-old daughter, Sonia are on trial in London for allegedly trafficking a young man from Nigeria to serve as kidney donor.

In the opening addresses at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, lawyers for the defendant, Martin Hicks, insisted they believed the donor was acting "altruistically".

Hicks told jurors, "Be alive please to the possible cultural differences between this country and that of Nigeria, particularly to altruistic donation."

"We say the issue in this case is simple "did there exist an agreement to exploit (the donor) in the way the prosecution allege and if so, who was a party to it?"

"In Nigerian society, there is an expression "everyone is each other's keeper" and the altruistic donation of organs is not regarded there as such a rare event as it is in this country.

"He will also say he was told (the donor) had offered to altruistically donate a kidney to Sonia."

Hicks said Ekweremadu did not attend any visits to the Royal Free Hospital in February and March last year, which concluded that the donor was unsuitable.

He added, "In April 2022 and with the assistance of Diwe, he continued the family search for a suitable donor for his daughter Sonia and that search continues.

"We question whether (the donor) was exploited as suggested by the prosecution."

Speaking on behalf of Sonia, her lawyer, John Femi-Ola, said, 

"She suffers from a very severe kidney disease. She receives dialysis treatment three days per week. Each session is for four hours.

"The treatment is for the rest of her life unless there is a transplant in the future which now must be much in doubt given the publicity this case has attracted."

Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested in June 2022 at the Heathrow Airport in London and were arraigned before a Magistrate?s Court for allegedly bringing a young man into the country to allegedly harvest his organs. He has been in custody of the UK authorities since June 23, 2022 while his wife was granted bail by a criminal court in London.

Naira Woes: APC Is The Problem Of Nigeria

 Written by TonyeBarcanista 

It was on October 26th the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the introduction of redesigned 200, 500 and 1000 naira banking notes into Nigeria’s financial system. The apex bank equally announced January 31, 2023 as terminal date for the demonetisation of the old 200, 500 and 100 naira notes. That move by CBN has become one of the greatest economic calamity that has befallen our country. 

On January 25th, the presidential candidate of the ruling party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, literally told people at the venue of his campaign in Ogun State that the CBN new policy was targeted at him by the presidency to sabotage his ambition. His self victim claim was equally echoed governors elected on his party platform - their sole aim is to pose as the political party that is standing with the masses, and also divorce themselves from the failings of the implementation of the policy by the Buhari/Osinbajo led administration. But can they rewrite history? No

When CBN first announced the planned Naira redesign, only the PDP Campaign Council though a Spokesman, Mr Charles Aniagwu, faulted the move by the CBN. The PDP Campaign described it as window dressing a bad economic situation. 

Similarly, the PDP through its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, at different fora had called the attention of Nigerians of move by politicians of the ruling APC to use their privileged positions to corner billions of the new Naira notes to themselves for the purpose of mopping up cash to purchase votes of Nigerians at the general election. 

Thirdly, Governor Godwin Obaseki was the only vocal governor that alerted Nigerians that the CBN move to redesign the naira was in a bad faith [/b]to put the masses in difficult economic situation. 

[b]Fourthly, while Tinubu was playing politics, Atiku Abubakar was the only presidential candidate that looked beyond politicking to appeal to CBN to extend deadline for the de-legalisation of the old 200, 500 and 1000 naira notes. Neither Bola Tinubu, El-Rufai nor any of the APC Governors expressed concern until January 25th. They have resorted to playing politics using their internal political disagreement as tool to in their attempt to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians.

Looking at the situation who should be blamed for this new economic woes?

Truth is that all the policies implemented by APC since 2015 has resulted in chaos, pain and sorrows. Like the new naira notes, Nigerians passed through hell during implementation of NIN registration/policy that it became a source of racketeering for corrupt officials. Similar to NIN policy, Nigerians are passing through pains to obtain an international passport - something that was hitherto obtained with ease before 2015.

Unlike what is obtained under the APC, when PDP government of Obasanjo/Atiku introduced the N100, N200, N500 and N1000 notes in December 1999, November 2000, April 2001 and October 2005 respectively, Nigerians accessed the new notes with ease. There was no case of hoarding or racketeering because the PDP government meant well for everyone and had the political will.

The PDP government of Obasanjo/Atiku equally introduced a redesigned N20 note on polymer (for the first time) in February 2007 (few weeks to election). The government also redesigned N5, N10 and N50 notes. There was no attending economic hardship, no hoarding nor racketeering.

In September 2009, the PDP government of Yar'adua/Jonathan converted the N5, N10 and N50 notes to polymer, there was no money shortage, neither was there long queues at banking halls and ATMs.

In September 2010, the PDP government of Jonathan/Sambo redesigned the N50 note, there was no crises nor economic meltdown in country. Jonathan/Sambo government also redesigned the N100 note in December 2014 (ahead of 2015 general election), as with others, the note was accessed with ease.

In addition to these, when the PDP government of Obasanjo/Atiku introduced the e-Passport on 17th May, 2007 Nigerians did not spend weeks to get the passport. The passport was literally ready within few days. But now it takes 3-6 months to get same e-Passport.

The current Naira shortage is not the only economic woes facing Nigerians at present. At present Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol has been extremely scarce for over twelve months with some marketers selling as high as N500 - N700 a litre in many areas.

Clearly, the problem of Nigeria is beyond Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor. It is actually the APC and all it represents.

TonyeBarcanista writes from Okrika, Rivers State

Man Who Was Shot During The Abeokuta Protest Is Alive

 The boy who got shot during the protests yesterday in Abeokuta is alive and responding well to treatment.

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun paid him a visit today at FMC Abeokuta and he pledged to take care of his medical bills.