Gist Arena

G ov Okorocha of Imo State,took to his twitter handle to distance himself from a tweet making round that he abused someone who mocked him on twitter over Zuma's status, He tweet below " DISCLAIMER:Let it be known that I never put out any tweet through my Twitter cursing anyone out, this is clearly a photoshopped image " DISCLAIMER: Let it be known that I never put out any tweet through my Twitter cursing anyone out, this is clearly a photoshopped image pic.twitter.com/a7X0I2bJ8v — Gov. Rochas Okorocha (@GovernorRochas) October 17, 2017

P resident Muhammadu Buhari has said that he received with deep sadness and regret, news of the recent killings of at least 20 people in Plateau State, during what has been described as a reprisal attack by some herdsmen. In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu in Abuja on Monday, he said he believed that “this madness has gone too far.” According to the statement, he has therefore instructed the military and the police to not only bring the violence to an instant end, but to draw up a plan to ensure that there are no further attacks and reprisal attacks by one group against the other. The statement said President Buhari was “devoted to the sanctity of Nigeria’s unity, and he encourages Nigerians of all groups to learn to live together in peace and harmony.” He commiserated with the governor and people of Plateau State, and with those who lost their loved ones, friends and family www.tribuneonlineng.com

P resident Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja pledged continued support for the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region. Giving the assurance at a brief ceremony in the State House to sign the bill establishing the University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, into law, the President said “this administration is fully committed to supporting the Niger Delta in its endeavours to achieve socio-economic development.” He appealed to all communities in the region to strive for peace through dialogue in resolving all conflicts not only among them, but also with business entities and the authorities. With the signing of the bill into law, the path has been cleared for the establishment of the specialised university in the Niger Delta, charged with training and research in petroleum technologies. GARBA SHEHU Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) October 17, 2017.

W elcome to a new Legislative Day in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu took the official Prayer and led the Chambers into today’s proceedings. Senator Fatimat Rasaki moved for the approval of votes and proceedings of Thursday 12th of October 2017. Senator Suleiman Nazif seconded. ANNOUNCEMENTS Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu welcomed people who were present in the gallery to observe plenary. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu listed the members of the Conference Committee on Federal Inland Revenue Service 2017 Appropriation to include Senator Kurfi Umaru, Senator Joshua Dariye, Senator Hope Uzodinma, Senator Bayero Nafada, Senator Nelson Effiong and Senator John Enoh as Chairman of the Committee. PRESENTATION OF REPORT 1. Report of the Committee on Culture and Tourism Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2017 (SB. 428) by Senator Mathew A. Urhoghide....

G overnors from the 36 states have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the balance of 50 per cent Paris/London loan refund for them ahead 2018 budget. The chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, and governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, stated this Tuesday shortly after leading some governors to meet with the president. Briefing journalists after the meeting, Mr. Yari said they were at the villa to remind Mr. Buhari of his directive in 2016 that 50 per cent of the money be paid to states, and the balance after reconciliation. Mr. Yari said they told Mr. Buhari that “reconciliation is on since 2016, we are hoping that both the DMO, (Debt Management Office) Ministry of Finance, AGF and our consultants are concluding this reconciliation by November. “So, we want to crave your indulgence so that we can factor the numbers in our 2018 budget so that we can use it for projects and other recurrent spending according to the specification given by our r...

P resident Muhammadu Buhari is holding an emergency meeting with six governors and one deputy governor in the banquet hall in Aso Rock, PM News reports. The state governors in attendance are Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari; Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu; Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel; Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar; Kebbi State, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; and Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Eric Kelechi Igwe. Also in attendance are the president's Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The Office of the Presidency has yet to disclose the details of the meeting.

T he Nigerian Government on Tuesday appealed to an Abuja Federal High Court to revoke the bail of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. The prosecuting counsel, Shuaibu Labaran gave the call while drawing the attention of the Justice Binta Nyako-led court to the fact that the IPOB leader was not in court for his hearing. Labaran prayed the court to revoke Kanu’s bail, order his re-arrest and direct the defendants’ three sureties “to show cause why the bail bond of N100m entered into by each shall not be forfeited or they be committed to prison.” Earlier, the Nyako-led court had ordered Senator Eyninnaya Abaribe, and two others standing as sureties for Kanu to explain the whereabouts of the IPOB leader. But, Abaribe pleaded with the court for time to produce the IPOB leader because his whereabouts is unknown. The other two sureties, Immanuel Shalum Okabenmabu and Tochukwu Uchendu, were, however, absent and were not represented by any l...

F ormer President, Olusegun Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Caretaker Chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, are currently in a closed-door meeting. The meeting is said to be holding in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. The parley whose agenda is unknown is taking place at the Green Legacy Hotel and Resort, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, Abeokuta. Source: DailyPostng

P resident Muhammadu Buhari will Wednesday depart for Istanbul, Turkey to participate in the ninth Summit of the Developing 8 (D-8) on Friday, October 20, 2017. Prior to the D-8 Summit, President Buhari, at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, will participate in an official working visit to Ankara, the capital city. In Ankara, the President will have a tete-a-tete with his Turkish counterpart while delegations from both countries will hold discussions in various fields including defence cooperation, security, educational and migration issues. The Nigerian leader will also visit the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara where he will meet with the Speaker, Ismail Kahraman. While in Istanbul, the Turkish commercial centre, President Buhari will use the occasion of the D-8 Summit to bolster warm and growing ties across a broad range of areas of cooperation with leaders of the D8-member countries, namely Bangladesh, Egyp...

A Federal High Court in Abuja this morning gave three options to Senator Eyninnaya Abaribe, who is one of the three persons standing as sureties for the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu. Abaribe has however pleaded with the Federal High Court in Abuja to give him more time to produce the IPOB leader. ‎Abaribe, who told Justice Binta Nyako, that he had no information about Kanu’s whereabouts, was forced to request for time to produce the defendant in court. Mr. Ogechi Ogunna, the lawyer, who appeared for Abaribe on Tuesday, initially informed the judge that the senator had filed a motion seeking to be discharged as a surety for the defendant. But the judge in response said the senator had three options . One of the options was for Abaribe to produce the defendant in court and then apply to be discharged as a surety. The other option the judge gave was for Abaribe to be ready to forfeit his N100m bail bond. The third optio...

F emi Fani-Kayode wears Igbo dress as Osita Chidoka others appear in court but IPOB leader fails to appear in court.

T he Senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Enyinaya Abaribe, has applied to the court to be discharged from the suretyship, bond and recognizance of the bail of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. In an application filed against the Federal Government, Nnamdi Kanu, and his co-defendants, Senator Abaribe is asking the court to make an order discharging him as surety to Abaribe prayed the court to discharge him entirely from the incidence of bail of Kanu. He is also asking for a discharge of the bond used for Kanu’s bail and a refund of N100 million or any other bond paid to the court sequel to the bail. The grounds upon which Senator Abaribe sought the reliefs include that the Nigerian army during a raid at the residence of the IPOB leader engaged in a fracas with members of the group which has been proscribed by the federal government. Abaribe said since the raid by the Nigerian Army, the first defendant has not been...