Dennis

The clamour for resource control and state police by the Southern Governors’ Forum seems to have suffered a setback going by the details of the 68 amendments proposed by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives’ Special Ad Hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. Also, the gains brought by the Federal High Court judgment giving powers to the states to collect Value Added Tax, now risk being reversed as the National Assembly will vote on whether VAT should remain on the concurrent legislative list or be moved to the exclusive list.   Members of the National Assembly are billed to vote on the recommendations on Tuesday and Wednesday after which the proposal would be sent to the states for concurrence. At least 24 Houses of Assembly must concur for any provision to scale through.   Both state police and restructuring are not included in the 68 proposals,   There were demands for restructuring and return to the regional system of government, with some Nigerians specifical

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine may further prolong the over three-week scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, in Nigeria, as bulk of the refined products coming into the country from the warring region and its adjoining areas are likely to face some delays.   It was also gathered on Sunday that traders who supply Nigeria with refined petroleum products might pause a little due to the deficit in the supply of crude oil cargoes from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.   NNPC brings in refined petrol into Nigeria using contractors or traders through its Direct Sale Direct Purchase scheme.   Under the scheme, the oil company provides crude oil to its trading partners, who in turn supply the NNPC with refined products worth the volume of crude received from the national oil company.   But impeccable sources both at the oil firm and among traders stated on Sunday that Nigeria through the NNPC had a deficit of about 17 cargoes in its DSDP obligatio

Russia’s ruble plunged nearly 30 per cent against the dollar Monday after world powers imposed fresh, harsher sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.   According to Bloomberg News, the ruble was indicated to be down 27 per cent at 114.33 per dollar in offshore trading.   The United States and European Union said they would exclude some Russian banks from the international bank payments system SWIFT and personally targeted Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. They also banned all transactions with Russia’s central bank.   Meanwhile, the G7 nations Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States have warned they would “take further steps” to add to the sanctions already announced if Russia did not cease its operation.  

Board of Editors,  Independent Newspapers, publishers of Daily Independent, Saturday Independent and Sunday Independent titles, has concluded plans to honor Bayelsa State chief executive, Senator Douye Diri, as Governor of the year 2021.    The award, according to the organisers, is in recognition of Governor Diri’s exceptional contribution to good governance and responsive leadership in the state since assumption of office.  “this  award is in recognition of your exceptional contribution to good governance and responsive leadership in Bayelsa State. Since assumption of office, Bayelsa under your watch has witnessed remarkable development and progress in virtually all sectors.” Governor Diri emerged the best governor in the Good Governance and Responsive Leadership category.   According to the board of editors, the awards ceremonies will hold on Saturday, March 5 at the Convention Centre of the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.   The award notification letter was presented

Report says team  Bayelsa produced a five star performance  at the annual Admiral Porbeni National boat race and canoeing championship after days of intense contest in Abuja. Team Bayelsa departed  Bayelsa State capital with sixteen contingent, including  thirteen athletes and three officials, the head coach of the Bayelsa State Canoeing, Rowing and Kayak Association Inifa Gagbe, assistant coach Oyee Profit as well as the Secretary to the Association Mrs. Erekposeigha Timitimi-Funwei. The  State contingent hauled a total of thirteen medals which comprises, four gold, four silver and five bronze medal to earn second place. Neighbors Delta State finished first with twenty eight medal, eleven gold, ten silver, seven bronze while Rivers State could only manage two gold. Top performer for the showpiece was Bayelsa State sensation Bello Powei who won gold in 200 metres conoeing and 500 metres event. Powei broke her own record of 50.00 seconds in the 200m women event at the Morocco 2019 Afric

  The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced slight alterations to the timetable for the 2023 general elections. With the new timetable, the presidential election formerly slated for February 18, 2023 will hold on February 25, 2023.   Governorship and State Assembly elections will hold on March 11   The INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said the shift in date became necessary after the signing of the 2022 Electoral Act Amendment Bill.   Details Shortly….

Reports say U.S. President Joe Biden, on Friday  nominated  first black woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court Jackson, who currently sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, will be the first black woman serving on the country’s highest court if the Senate confirms the nomination. Jackson will break the court’s 232-year history if confirmed. The nomination came about a month after Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, a longtime liberal, said that he was about to retire this summer after nearly three decades on the bench. The White House said in a statement that Biden had “conducted a rigorous process’’ to identify Breyer’s replacement and “sought an individual who is committed to equal justice under the law and who understands the profound impact that the Supreme Court’s decisions have on the lives of the American people.’’ “Judge Jackson is an exceptionally qualified nominee’’ as well as a historic nominee, the statement read. “The Se

Bayelsa State Governor,  Douye Diri, on Friday expressed concern over  the lost of lives to insurgency in the northern part of the country, saying the Federal Government must do all in its powers to end the scourge. Governor Diri stated this at the palace of Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III in Sokoto when he paid a condolence visit alongside Governor Aminu Tambuwal over the death of a member of the Sultanate Council, Alhaji Hassan Danbaba. The late Danbaba was the Magajin-gari Sokoto and a grandson of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. While commiserating with the Sultan, Governor Tambuwal and people of Sokoto State, he  said the late Danbaba was dear to the state and Nigeria, noting that his sudden demise was a shock not only to the people of Sokoto but indeed the whole country. Governor Diri called on the Federal Government to make concerted effort to bring to an end the banditry and terrorism ravaging states in the northern part of the country.  He explained that he would have

1. Clause 29(1) stipulates that parties must conduct primaries and submit their list of candidates at least 180 days before the general elections. 2. Clause 65 states that INEC can review results declared under duress. 3. Clause 3(3) states that funds for general elections must be released at least one year before the election. 4. Clause 51 says that the total number of accredited voters will become a factor in determining over-voting at election tribunals. 5. Clause 54(2) makes provisions for people with disabilities and special needs. 6. Clause 47 gives legislative backing for smart card readers and any other voter accreditation technology that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deploy. 7. Clause 34 gives political parties power to conduct a primary election to replace a candidate who died during an election. 8. Clause 50 gives INEC the legal backing for electronic transmission of election results. 9. Clause 94 allows for early commencement of the campaign season. B

President Muhammadu Buhar, has expressed concern over the clause in the new amended electoral act he signed on Friday which imposed restrictions on political appointees from taking leadership positions in their political parties. Section 84 (12) of the amended electoral act, which the president faulted, states that “no political appointee at any level shall be voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.” President Buhari, who frowned at the restrictions, said such act disenfranchise political office holders from exercising their rights to vote or be voted for. His words “I hereby assent to the Bill and request the Nationally Assembly to consider immediate amendments that will bring the Bill in tune with constitutionality by way of deleting section 84(12) accordingly,” Buhari said on Friday. The president  said the section constitutes a fundamental defect and it is in conflict with

  UEFA has moved this year’s Champions League final to France after it withdrew the right from Russia for invading Ukraine. Originally billed to hold at St. Petersburg stadium, it will now hold at the Stade de France, UEFA announced on Friday. The decision was reached after an extraordinary meeting held by the Executive Committee resulting from the escalation of the security situation caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Among the decisions taken was the change of venues for national team and clubs football engagements for both countries. World Cup qualifying matches will now be played at neutral venues until further notice. “The UEFA Executive Committee today held an extraordinary meeting following the grave escalation of the security situation in Europe. “The UEFA Executive Committee decided to relocate the final of the 2021/22 UEFA Men’s Champions League from Saint Petersburg to Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will be played as initially scheduled on Saturday 28 May at 2

Barcelona will take on Galatasaray in the last 16 of the Europa League after being paired with the Turkish side in Friday’s draw in Switzerland. The game will see Barca come up against goalkeeper Inaki Pena, who moved to Gala on loan in January, as well as former assistant coach Domènec Torrent. Barca secured their spot in the last 16 by beating Napoli over two legs in their playoff, while Gala finished top of their Europa League group. Atalanta vs Bayern Leverkusen Sevilla vs West Ham United FC Barcelona vs Galatasaray RB Leipzig vs Spartak Moscow Real Betis vs Eintracht Frankfurt The first leg will take place at the Camp Nou on Thursday, March 10. The two teams will meet again in Turkey one week later. The winners progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Report reaching Bayelsa Daily Online has it that President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021 into law. The signing ceremony took place inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, tabled the document for signing. President Buhari urged the National Assembly to give speedy attention to further amendments suggested. Among those present, while the President was assenting to the bill includes the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Mahmood Yakubu; President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan among others. The assent is coming a few days after a coalition of civil society organisations staged a protest to compel the president to assent to the amended document.

  Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to respond to a bail application filed by a suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari. Kyari, a former head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, is being held by the agency over his alleged involvement in a 25kg cocaine deal. He instituted a lawsuit to regain his freedom after he was handed over to the NDLEA by the police hierarchy over the alleged drug crime. During Thursday’s hearing, counsel for the NDLEA, Mike Kassa, informed the judge that the agency had not been served with Kyari’s application for bail, thereby forcing a stand-down of the suit for about 30 minutes to enable the applicant’s lawyer, Cynthia Ikenna, to serve a copy of the document on Kassa. When the case resumed, the NDLEA’s Director of Legal Services, Joseph Sunday, asked the court for an adjournment to enable the agency to respond to Kyari’s bail request. Jus