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HOW 9 WOMEN EMERGED VICTORIOUS IN BENUE LG POLL In the just concluded local government poll in the 23 local government areas of Benue State, nine women were elected chairmen. The development has raised fresh hope for women showing interest to participate in the 2023 general elections in the state.  The council election, which held on April 30, 2022 across all the local government areas in the state, produced a total of 9 women and 14 men as chairmen respectively on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The nine newly elected female council chairmen as announced by the chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC), Tersoo Loko, are Amali Victoria Auchi (Apa Local Government), Mozeh Judith Iember (Buruku), Mrs Akua Agatha Sewuese (Gwer East) and Mrs Amile Christina (Konshisha). Others are Tor Salome Shiden (Logo), Mrs Torbunde Eunice Kusange (Makurdi), Okwe Evelyn Ichiko (Oju), Audu Amina (Okpokwu) and Chief Mrs Veronica Nyiaii Gajir (Us...

BENUE APC ASPIRANT, TORSHIMBE PHILIP DIES IN ACCIDENT DAYS AFTER BUYING NOMINATION FORM Torshimbe Philip Mvendaga, a Gwer West House of Assembly aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State is dead. It was gathered that Philip died as a result of car accident on his way back to Abuja Saturday evening. His death came few days after buying his nomination form to contest the APC primaries. More to come.  

The President of the African Development Bank and former minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, on Saturday, obtained copies of his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms to vie for the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket. A coalition of 28 groups consisting of Youth Arise Movement, Nigerians in Diaspora One Nigeria Group, Prudent Youth Association of Nigeria, women groups, farmers, people with disabilities and other civil society groups, raised the N100 million fee to purchase the forms for the former minister. Although Adesina is yet to formally indicate his interest the race, a body of Nigerians in the diaspora, Diaspora Support Group of North America and Europe, mobilising support for him to join the race. A statement earlier by the Convener, Diaspora Support Group of North America and Europe, Dr Tony Bello, had said there was 100 percent assurance that the support groups will pick up the forms for Adesina once he is drafted into the race. Bello noted that Ade...

HOPE UZODIMMA BAGS SUN GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR AWARD The prestigious SUN Award held yesterday at the Eko Hotels and Suites Lagos, recognizes personalities with outstanding performance in public and private sector services.  At the 19th Annual Awards, His Excellency, the Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma was decorated with the "GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR AWARD" for his outstanding performance so far in the restructuring of Imo State despite challenges confronting his administration. During the citation on His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma was described as a silent achiever who embarked on infrastructural remodeling of Imo State from the ruins it was before. The Organizers took into account, the steadfastness of the Shared Prosperity administration in various areas vis-a-vis the Road Construction; Educational Development; Agricultural Growth; Industrialization Drive; Economic Stability amongst other indices. While this serves as a commendation for good service to the people, His ...

PRESIDENT BUHARI ATTENDS COP-15 CONFERENCE IN ABIDJAN President Muhammadu Buhari will Sunday, May 8, 2022, leave for Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, to attend a United Nations organized conference on the future of land, regarding desertification, drought, degradation, rights, restoration and implications for national and world economies.  President Buhari, who will participate in a Summit of Head of States and Government, May 9th-10th, 2022, joins world leaders at Sofitel Hotel, for the 15th session of the Conference Of the parties (COP15) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), with the theme “, ‘Land. Life. Legacy: From scarcity to prosperity.” The convention aims to take action to ensure that land, the lifeline on the planet, continues to benefit present and future generations.   To achieve the visionary objective of land restoration and balance, COP15 will bring together leaders from governments, the private sector, civil society and other key stak...

CHIEF ARTHUR NZERIBE: End of an Era! He was declared dead at a foreign hospital following an undisclosed ailments at the age of 84. Nzeribe, a multi-billionaire investment mogul, was born in Oguta, Imo State on 2 November 1938. His father, Oyimba Nzeribe, was a lawyer and former state counsel, and his grandfather, Akpati Nzeribe, held the traditional title of Ogbuagu, Oshiji, Damanze Oyimba of Oguta.[citation needed] His second wife is the sister of Hajia Asabe Yar’Adua, wife of the late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, who was brother of President Umaru Yar'Adua. Nzeribe lost his mother when he was a primary school student, while his father was away in Great Britain studying law. His care was taken over by Catholic priests who were involved in furthering his education. He attended Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu and Holy Ghost College, Owerri. In 1957, he traveled to Lagos where he obtained employment with Nigeria's port authority as an engineering cadet, and a year later, he re...

PHOTOS:  GOVERNOR SANWO-OLU RECEIVES THE SUN GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR 2021 AWARD AT THE EKO HOTELS AND SUITES, V.I ON SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2022 PIX 1 : Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (left) receiving the Sun Governor of the Year 2021 award from the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan (right) while the Founder of the Sun Publishing Limited, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (middle) watches, during the Awards ceremony at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, May 7, 2022. PIX 2 L-R: Daughter of the Sun Publishing Limited, Neya Iyere Kalu; his father, Senator Orji Uzor Kaji; winner of The Sun Governor of the Year 2021 award, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan during the Awards ceremony at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday, May 7, 2022. PIX 3 L-R: Senator Uche Ekwunife; Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige; Founder of The Sun Publishing Limited, Senator Orji Uzor Ka...

Prayers Not Working For Nigeria, Says Fashola  “You see every time you go to government office now, in the morning is prayer, in the afternoon is prayer. In markets now. I didn’t grow up to see that but the question to ask ourselves is it working? So maybe we should go back to what used to work. “We have to choose, there is a time to serve God and a time to work. And we can only consume, we can only use, we can only express and share what we produce.” "You go to govt offices in the morning, it is prayer, in the afternoon prayer. Are these prayers working? There is a time to pray and a time to work." – Babatunde Raji Fashola  

Charles Awurum exposes the malpractices in Nollywood; slams actors, producers Veteran actor, Charles Awurum has frowned at some malpractices in Nollywood as he calls for those he described as ‘quarks’ to be removed for Africa’s apex movie industry to stand out. Noting that money is one of the factors that has destroyed the Nigerian movie industry, Charles submitted that some people join the industry just to acquire fame even when they are not talented. Pointing out some of the malpractices in the industry, the comic actor claimed some actors and actresses now buy the roles they want to play even when they can’t perform. He also alleged that some of them join the industry for prostitution. “These are the things you watch that will make you not to want to be part of every production. They also use cameras that are not up-to-date, resulting in works of low quality,” Charles lamented. The veteran thespian made these revelations while speaking to The PUNCH about his growing up and acting ca...

A trailer load of cows was reportedly set ablaze earlier today at Ezinifite, a town in Governor Soludo's L.G.A. A trailer of cow that belongs to an Igbo man. Credit: Onyedikachukwu Anambra  

2 pregnant women, barber arrested for drug trafficking at Lagos airport . As NDLEA intercepts large consignments of drugs in Kaduna, Yobe, Plateau Two pregnant women are among drug traffickers arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos for attempting to import and export illicit drugs through the airport in the last week.  The first to enter the Agencys dragnet is a Brazilian returnee, Nworie Phillip Chikwendu who was arrested on Tuesday May 3rd during an inward clearance of passengers on Qatar Airways flight from Sao Paulo, Brazil enroute Doha to Lagos. During a thorough search of his luggage, two parcels of cocaine were discovered concealed in a pair of brown slippers hidden in his ox blood backpack. A further search of the pair of black slippers worn by the suspect also led to the recovery of additional two parcels of cocaine built into the soles of his foot wears, bringing the tota...

PRESS RELEASE CULTIC ACTIVITY: IGP CONDEMNS ACT, AS OFFICER IN VIRAL VIDEO IDENTIFIED, ARRESTED  The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, has condemned the unruly conduct of the Police officer caught in a viral video, singing, dancing, and brandishing a rifle in praise of a particular confraternity (cult). The officer has been identified as Corporal Matthew Isaac, attached to the Ebonyi State Police Command.  The act of the officer in question, which is clearly calculated to portray the NPF negatively, is a discreditable conduct in line with the provisions of the First Schedule to Regulation 370 of the Police Regulations. His actions equally violated the provisions of the NPF Social Media Policy (SMP), penal laws, and other extant laws regulating the conduct and discipline of all Police officers.  The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, has directed the Commissioner of Police in charge of Ebonyi State to ...

Governor Soludo Says Church-Owned Schools, Hospitals Should Be Affordable To The Poor Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has called for the promotion of the spirit of ecumenism among Christians in the state to project Anambra to greater pedestal. The Governor made the call at the eucharistic and thanksgiving service for the Third Session of the Twelfth Synod of the Anglican Communion, Awka Diocese. The event was held at Saint Peter's Church, Abagana, Njikoka Local Government Area. Governor Soludo, who stressed the importance of bonding together, reiterated the philosophy behind his administration as one state, one people, one agenda. While stressing that building of churches and schools were major instruments of evangelism in the ancient time, Governor Soludo urged all churches in the state that have schools and hospitals to make the facilities affordable for the poor, as a means of social contract with the people. The governor added that as a way of promoting the sp...

CALLS ON THE INEC CHAIRMAN TO JOIN THE RACE FOR THE 2023 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION  Our attention has been drawn to innuendoes in certain quarters that Nigerians should not be surprised if the INEC Chairman joins the Presidential race or urging him to do so. It is a preposterous proposition. It will not happen. The Chairman remains an umpire committed to free, fair and credible elections. His constitutional responsibilities as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federation and Returning Officer for the presidential election are onerous enough for him to even contemplate straying into extraneous matters at variance with the law, morality and his personal principles.  The Chairman will continue to discharge his responsibilities without affection for, or illwill against, any political party or candidate. ROTIMI LAWRENCE OYEKANMI  Chief Press Secretary to the Hon. Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission Sunday 8th May 2022.  

Actors' Guild of Nigeria, Anambra State, Presents Food, Other Items To Orphanage In Awka The Actors' Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Anambra State chapter, today May 7, 2022, presented food and other items to a children's home in Awka. Items presented to the home included bag of rice, tubers of yam, cartons of noodles and sanitary material, which the group said were to help in taking care of children. The visit to the home, is in addition to similar visits by the group in the past, which it said would continue in coming days. Speaking on the purpose of the visits, the Chairman of Actors Guild of Nigeria, Anambra State chapter, Evangelist Leo Ewuzie said the exercise is part of social responsibility programmes of the group aimed at touching lives of the less privileged members of the society. He commended the management of the children's home for maintaining it and taking good care of children living there, and promised that the group would be visiting regularly. The Public Relat...