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Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike says the one billion dollars approved by the Nigeria governor’s forum to fight insurgency in the  North East is illegal. Fielding questions from state house correspondents after a meeting with president Muhammadu Buhari on Friday at the Aso Rock Villa, woke admitted that it is also necessary to fight the Book haram insurgency. Speaking on the recently concluded PDP elective convention in Abuja, Wine maintained that those suggesting that he influenced the outcome are enemies of the party. He noted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now in a vantage position to wrestle power prom the ruling All Progressive Congress in 2019.

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade says despite the harsh economic situation in the country, there is no recession in the state as he meets most of the basic expectations of his people. Ayade stated this during the 2017 Carnival Calabar tagged Africa Biggest Street Party where thousand of spectators were seen on the street doing businesses while still dancing. He said Cross River is a role model for other states in Nigeria ,hoping that with the plans he has for the state, there is better hope in 2018.

It was thrills and frills as Governor Ben Ayade led over 250 power bikers, including former Governor Donald Duke in an acrobatic displa y of state of the art exotic power bikes in Calabar. Thousand of spectators who laid siege on the 12-kilometer carnival route to witness the acrobatic and colorful display of the second edition of the newly introduced event said the biker show has shown improvement in the annual Carnival. Governor Ayade while explaining why he introduced the biker show said Rich people have taken Calabar to be their home during Xmas Period. Some of the spectators who described Calabar as home said beyond merrymaking the Carnival parade was an exercise that improves health create bonds among people.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is set to acquire strategic maritime safety and security assets,including vessels. This is in line with the recent approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Abuja. According to a statement in Lagos on Saturday by the Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, the move is also in line with the total spectrum of maritime security strategy. The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, also announced the establishment of a Command and Control Centre as part of the maritime security strategic initiative. “The four components of the initiative are situational awareness, response capability, law enforcement and local partnerships and regional cooperation; which are the fulcrum upon which tackling maritime crime will be built on,” Peterside said that the implementation of NIMASA’s maritime strategy, in collaboration with the agency’s partners, was a panacea to piracy and maritime crime...

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted dust haze weather condition with horizontal visibility range of about two to five kilometres over the Central States of the country on Monday. NiMet's Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Saturday, also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 17 to 34 and 10 to 20 degrees Celsius respectively. The agency predicted that the southern States would experience sunny and hazy condition over the in cities cities with day and night temperatures in the range of 31 to 35 and 19 to 24 degrees Celsius were. It also predicted that the coastal cities were expected to experience mist condition in the morning hours with chances of partly cloudy sky in the afternoon and evening period. According to NiMet, northern states will experience dust haze condition in visibility of one to three kilometres is expected with localized visibility of less than 1000 m during the forecast period. ...

The list of appointees into the various boards as approved by President Muhammadu Buhari is filled with errors. Rev Christopher Utov * as a Member of Nigerian Institute of Social & Economic Research. Rev Utov, the proprietor of Fidei Polytechnic, Gboko passed away on the 17 March 2017 2. * Chief Donald Ugbaja * as a Member of the Consumer Protection Council. The Chief Ugbaja, a former DIG of Police died on 29/11/17 3. * Senator Francis Okpozo * as Chairman of the Nigerian Press Council. Senator Okpozo, a Senator in the Second Republic, died on Dec 16, 2016. President Buhari even issued a statement mourning his death.

Millions of Christian faithfuls celebrate Christmas despite fuel scarcity in Nigeria on Monday. They defied the restive week to throw up parties in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ across the country. While many filling stations refused to open on Monday, those who sold fuel had short queue of motorists. Recreation centers and amusement parks were filled with picnickers. Shopping malls were filled up as Nigerians enjoyed the Christmas holidays.

Governor of Bayelsa State estimated budget of 295 billion Naira in 2018 for state legislature. The Engineering and Infrastructure Department receives the largest share of the budget. 22 billion Naira were reserved for the massive investment by the African universities, the Niger Delta University, the Ijaw National Academy of Sciences and the constituency demonstration secondary schools. Other departments and state-owned economic sectors also recorded "stable development and prosperity" in the 2018 budget report. The Dixon administration is embarking on ambitious infrastructure policy in Bayelsa State - a rhythm that has been around for almost six years.

Any gas station going to Nigeria today is either completely empty or locked or long line up. Motorists and people who fuel their cars and generators now use gasoline on a few car sites. In some gas stations in Lagos, the price rose to 180 Naira, the black market rose 300 Naira. Only a few NNPC branded stations are sold with the approved 145 Nina pump. But the federal government said there is no plan to increase official prices. And now NNPC says the top six marketers are now loading fuel in the warehouse for 24 hours to end the fuel shortage.

More than one hundred and ten thousand people benefited from free train services of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state.    Coordinating Director in the ministry of cooperatives, commerce and investment, Abimbola Osho stated this while beneficiaries of the free train service who came from Lagos for Christmas celebration. Osho described Aregbesola's gesture as a promise kept and powered people to pay their taxes as a means of reciprocating the gesture. The free train service will return passengers to Lagos on Tuesday and bring another set of beneficiaries for the new year celebration on next Saturday.

Farmers called on the federal and state governments to always involve farmers in any policy decision This is about them and will take a positive investment. They announced the plan in the federal government's main lender program and paid out funds to Ifo farmers in Ogun. They also called on commercial banks to be interested in the plan because it would never design it. They point out that farmers get together and they can only get funding from the central bank through commercial or microfinance banks. Some of them also promised that loans should be withdrawn in less than six months.

The Department of Petroleum Resources has blamed the ongoing fuel scarcity on panic buying by members of the public. It has also sealed up a major filling station in Lekki area of ​​Lagos state over alleged hoarding and molestation of its school while on enforcement visit. Energy correspondent, Tolulope Ogunjobi who was with the DPR team for the monitoring exercise, reports that Nigerians are not happy with the prolonged scarcity of petrol and it's negative effects on their daily activities. The product has been unavailable across the country for some weeks, a development that has seen the product selling for as high as N5oo per liter. Officials of the DPR have also been playing their role in monitoring activities at depot and retail outlets across the country. Two weeks ago, in one of its visits, there was a face off between the DPR team and the management of the retail outlet, this according to the head of downstream is unacceptable. After establ...

The Vice Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH Ogbomoso, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin said the institution must not face any crises that will affect the academic calendar in the next few years.   Professor Gbadegesin stated this during the swearing in of new executives of LAUTECH Alumni Association. The Vice Chancellor who sought efforts of all stakeholders during almost two years of the university's closure encouraged the alumni to contribute their quota for the uplift of the institution. He said governors of the two owner states are more committed than before to guarantee the institution regain its lost glory.

The Court of Appeal, in Lagos has upheld the two year’s imprisonment imposed by the Federal High Court in Lagos on 14 foreign nationals. They were convicted for illegally dealing in more than one million metric tons of petroleum product in 2015. The convicts, identified as citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Philippine and Japan, were convicted alongside their vessel, MT Anukt Emerald, and two companies – Monjasa DMCC, and Glencore Energy UK Ltd. Justice Ibrahim Buba convicted the foreigners on five counts and sentenced them to two years’ imprisonment in 2016 each starting from when they were arrested by the Nigerian Navy. The judge, gave them the fine option of paying 5 million naira instead of going to jail

As part of its efforts to reorient its technology and vocational education in Ogun State, Governor Amoson, Mr. Ibikunle opened the National Institute of Technology in Idi-Aba, Abeokuta. The institute consists of six workshops and four laboratories and is owned by the state government in cooperation with Samsung Heavy Industries of Korea. While emphasizing some of the Institute's strengths, Governor Amoson said that in order to promote national education and economic development, a fortress for learning was provided. The governor also took this opportunity to explain more about the new Ogun State Polytechnic Institute, Ipokia's interim certification and the agency's future.

Italian giant Eni and peer oil company Shell will stand trial over allegations of bribery and corruption in Italy over the acquisition of Nigerian offshore oil block in 2011. A judge in Milan ordered Eni, Shell Company and Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi and his former Paolo Scaroni and other key figures on March 5 Trial proceedings started trial. The two companies bought OPL245 for $ 1.3bn in 2011, an offshore oil block estimated at 9bn barrels of crude oil. The Italian company said in a statement on Wednesday: "Eni's board of directors has reiterated that the company is not involved in corruption-related activities. "Eni said she is full of confidence in the judicial process and the trial will determine and confirm the correctness and completeness of her conduct." In particular, it insisted that "CEO Claudio DiSallel did not participate in so-called illegal practices." Both companies, accused of corruption in Nigeria's dealings, rep...