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President Bola Tinubu has released portfolios of ministers while retaining the Ministry of Petroleum, like former President Buhari before him. The ministry has been broken into two, with two ministers of state, all from the South South. Yusuf Tuggar is the foreign minister while Dele Alake is the new Minister of Solid Minerals. Mohammed Idris goes to the Ministry of Information while Festus Keyamo will be in charge of aviation and aerospace development. Former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike will be in charge of the FCT Ministry, his former counterpart in Ebonyi, Dave Umahi will head the Works Ministry. The…

By TUNDE OLUSUNLE Arriving in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2010 to join in the excitement of the first-ever FIFA World Cup hosted by an African country, I got my first ever baptism of entrapment in an elevator. I was on the trip with two very good friends, Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo and Femi Olatunde who were journalists like me, both of whom unfortunately are no more with us. We walked across from our hotel in the highbrow Sandton district in Johannesburg to the official address of the Nigerian delegation to the tournament in the same district. We would suddenly find ourselves…

·Says military intervention an aberration .Urges Tinubu, governors to fulfill promises on economic interventions The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu - as Chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) - to persuade the sub-regional body to adopt diplomatic channels in handling issues arising from the recent coup d'etat in Niger Republic. Although the professional body of editors in Nigeria noted that military intervention is now regarded as an aberration around the world, it nevertheless, urged the ECOWAS to employ ‘’strategic engagement and diplomacy’’ in ensuring that democratic structures are restored in the…

By TUNDE OLUSUNLE Worrying sociopolitical developments in the West coast of Africa have very iunderstandably elicited subregional, continental and global concerns. Within the twinkle of an eye the gradual absorption of democratic governance consistent with contemporaneous global trends by countries in the subcontinent, has gone on the reverse gear. A week ago Nigeria's Northern neighbours, the Republic of Niger, became the latest of nearly half a dozen countries in West Africa where substantive democratically elected governments has been displaced by military voyeurs. Assimi Goita a 42 year old Colonel in the Malian army most probably flagged off this disturbing routine…

Two months after she vacated her seat as Senator representing Anambra Central, Uche Ekwunife (Iyom) has been appointed the Director-General of the South-East Governors Forum (SEGOF).  The Forum is the umbrella body of governors of the five states in Nigeria's South-East geopolitical zone, comprising Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Abia States. The appointment was conveyed to her in a letter dated 31 July 2023, by the new Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. As Director-General of the Forum, Senator Ekwunife will head the Secretariat in Enugu and liaise with the five governors in pursuit…

*Maiden edition to hold in Lagos The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has instituted an annual memorial lecture in honour of its pioneer President and former Governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande. The maiden edition of the lecture is billed to take place on Monday, August 7, 2023 in Lagos. In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, and signed by its President, Eze Anaba and the General Secretary, Dr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the professional body of editors in Nigeria, said that its decision was informed by a deliberate programme to nurture a culture of appreciation. ‘’As part of…

Events in the last two months have proved that the fabled Tinubu phenomenon is nothing but a farce and this ride which Nigerians have been forced to hitch with the rickety emi lo kan wagon will be bumpy. One hopes he does not crash Nigeria. By IKECHUKWU AMAECHI It took less than 60 days for the fabled political wizardry and leadership ingenuity of President Bola Tinubu, the Jagaban Borgu, to unravel. In fact, the jury is still out as to who, between him and his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari, unravelled faster. Some say Tinubu did. At this stage in…

EXPRESSO_PRESIDENCYWatch 》》By Steve Osuji HOBBLED PRESIDENCY LAPSES INTO INERTIA: There seems to be something about those who crave a thing so bad before they land it. When they finally get that object of their desire ennui seems to quickly embrace them and squeeze the joy out of their victory. Let’s make a quick checklist: that beautiful lady you chased for years before she said yes. That dream car; that mansion or that job you wanted badly. After you finally get it, you find yourself asking: is this all?This must be the same feeling now with President Bola Tinubu. Storied to…

OUR REPORTER Reasons for the delay in announcing President Bola Tinubu's list of Ministerial nominees has come to the fore. The list which was expected at the Senate last Thursday, is still being awaited. Sources indicate that two prominent supporters of the President in the list, former Governors Nyesom Wike and Abdullahi Ganduje, were not cleared by the Department of State Security. It was also gathered that the President may have been the one who changed his mind concerning Ganduje following the resignation of Senator Abdullahi Adamu as National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress. This was said to…

By SHEDDY OZOENE The idea of writing this book came about, first as the account of the making of the administration of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as governor of Enugu state. As a spectator with a front row seat, I observed the many intrigues that played out during the campaign, and the various developments that took place before his eventual coronation on May 29, 2015. The urge to put those experiences in writing was strong. I actually started the project in 2016, but stopped momentarily in 2017 when I went from being an observer to a participant in the governance…