Obi Kingz Blog

The House of Representatives has directed the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to stop Teleology Holdings Limited from assuming ownership of Etisalat, now known as 9mobile. The recommendation came Wednesday after the House of Representatives Committee on Telecommunications questioned the Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, on the sale of 9mobile to Teleology without informing the National Assembly. The committee chairman, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, had contended that the committee must be carried along in the sale, take-over or transfer of license of 9mobile, but contrary to that, the members said they were reading on the pages of newspapers that Teleology had taken over 9mobile. He said: “We as a committee do not know anybody called Teleology because they have never appeared before this committee. I believe NCC should know whoever Teleology is and be able to help us to call them....

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar Parties to sign peace accord December 11 The National Peace Committee headed by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), thursday listed conditions for peaceful elections in 2019 and urged political parties to adhere to issue-based campaigns. The committee and the political parties have also agreed to adopt the 2015 code of conduct model to ensure peaceful and credible conduct of the general elections. As a means to consolidate on the peace efforts, the committee said political parties would meet on December 11 to formally sign a peace agreement for the conduct of the elections. While presenting the resolutions of the peace committee at a meeting held with political parties yesterday in Abuja, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, His Grace Hassan Kukah, said the parties have resolved to adopt the same principles that guided the “successful” 2015 elections as a template for ensuring that all stakeholde...

*Orders fresh trial A five-man panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Sokoto has in two separate appeals, voided the state pardon granted by Governor Aminu Tambuwa to some former officials of the state who were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the Sokoto State High Court. The court which voided the state pardon granted the defendants, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi (former SSG), and Isa Sadiq Achida, also ordered their fresh trial in the alleged N15bn fraud proffered against them and a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa. Delivering the lead judgments in the two appeals filed by the EFCC against Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi (former SSG) and Isa Sadiq Achida, both Justices Hannatu Sankey and Ndukwe-Anyawu, held that the governor’s pardon was invalid since the accused persons were still undergoing trial. Consequently, the Court set aside the instrument of ...

L-R - Media and Communications Coordinator LaLiga Nigeria, Ayodeji Adegbenro, Delegate LaLiga Nigeria, Guillermo Perez Castello, LaLiga Ambassador, Mutiu Adepoju, and Managing Director LaLiga Nigeria, Javier Del Rio In a bid to promote the development of football, both locally and globally, LaLiga oversees training programmes, value-enhancing initiatives and has signed numerous agreements with international organisations. Speaking at an interactive session in Lagos thursday, Managing Director LaLiga Nigeria, Javier Del Rio, stressed that these efforts are all part of the institution’s quest to ensure that the experience garnered throughout the history of the Spanish league serves to assist the growth of the game and its values across the globe The LaLiga clubs are also heavily involved in this mission, running various strategic projects and signing international agreements, whilst also opening academies and sporting schools throughout the world. The Barcel...

NFF President Pinnick in a group photograph with the Super Falcons’  AWCON 2018 FINAL MATCH The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has opted to double the winning bonus of the Super Falcons as a big incentive ahead Saturday’s 11th Women Africa Cup of Nations Final against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa in Accra. President of the NFF, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, made the pledge when he met with the players and officials at the AH Hotel, Accra on Thursday, as he delivered the good wishes of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) and the football –loving populace of Nigeria to the Cup holders. The Falcons had earned $3,000 for a win in the group phase but were earmarked for $5,000 each for victory in the Final. “I want to let you know that the Government and the good and great people of Nigeria are happy with your performance in the championship so far. They are looking forwards to you retaining the trophy by beating South Africa on Satu...

President Buhari and other heads of government at the Extraordinary summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin on Security in N’Djamena Chad  In a bid to contain terrorists’ attacks within the Lake Chad Basin, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday chaired a meeting of member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC). This is coming as the Nigerian Army yesterday responded to President Buhari’s directive to produce a containment plan to end the Boko Haram insurgency. Buhari met with heads of government of member states of the commission in his capacity as the chairman. The Nigerian Army said routing Boko Haram from Nigeria’s borders with Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic was top priority in the coming weeks. Following terrorist attacks on military bases and other locations in Borno State that led to the killing of many soldiers, President Buhari in demanding for a containment plan, also ordered the military to wipe out Boko ...

Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatt The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said Nigeria would be ready to roll out 5G networks with the 26GHz, 38GHz and 42GHz spectrum bands by 2020. The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this in Abuja Thursday during a collaborative meeting with GSMA for 5G rollout in Nigeria. According to him, trial testing of the rollout plan has commenced in the country beginning with the Eko Atlantic Project, where broadband data will drive connectivity and allow humans to interact with connected devices to check their health status and remotely control home appliances without physical contact. Danbatta acknowledged the deficit in infrastructure rollout and spectrum availability in the country but added that the NCC was already working to address the challenges. He said NCC would begin with the available 26GHz, 38GHz and 42GHz to drive 5G rollout in the country. Danbatta said, “NC...

Nigerian businesses lose $25bn annually to power outages One of the leading global rating agencies, Moody’s Investor Service, yesterday pointed out that the smaller banks in Nigeria, commonly known as the tier 2 banks, are operating with weaker capital buffers, which indicate vulnerability of these banks. This is coming as World Bank Group (WBG) report has disclosed that Nigerian businesses experience an average of 239 hours power outages monthly, compelling them to resort to alternative electricity sources, which in turn results in economic losses in excess of $25 billion annually. The rating agency, however, noted that capital buffers are strong for the bigger banks in the country. Moody’s stated this in a 35-page report on its 2019 outlook for African banks. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) requires that banks with international subsidiaries maintain a capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 15 per cent, while banks without i...

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday expressed confidence that the party would win the forthcoming general elections, giving assurances that the main opposition party would enthrone the best fiscal responsibility practices in the country when it assumes power. Speaking at the inauguration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, in Abuja, Atiku also said President Muhammadu Buhari should sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 into law without further delay, explaining that the president’s immediate assent is necessary because elections are governed by laws and that good laws are required to ensure credible elections. Atiku, who also spoke yesterday at the 83rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party held at its National Secretariat in Abuja, promised not to disappoint the people if elected as president next year. The vice presidential candidate, Mr....

Lai Mohammed Says it could indicate his endorsement Buhari may review status of service chiefs Mohammed insists war against terror on course The federal government Thursday expressed reservations over moves to grant the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, United States of America’s visa, fearing it might be deemed to be an endorsement of the main opposition party’s candidate by the US government. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, spoke to senior journalists in Abuja Thursday and said while the federal government realised it was the prerogative of the US government to determine who to allow entry into its territory, he said the Nigerian government did not want a situation that would suggest that one candidate was preferred to the other. He also spoke about the resurgence of terror and recent military operational losses in the North-east and said in spite of these, the gove...

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria has disbursed N15.7bn to 19,169 beneficiaries in Nigeria under its Home Renovation Loan programme. FMBN’s Managing Director, Ahmed Dangiwa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja while presenting N640m cheques to 640 beneficiaries of the Federal Road Safety Corps under the bank’s home renovation loan scheme. Dangiwa also said N1.8bn was approved for 195 staff of the FRSC as mortgage loans for the purchase of their own homes. He noted that the total disbursements to the corps had risen to N1.2bn for 1,207 beneficiaries across the country. The mortgage bank boss said the homes renovation loan window affords Nigerians who are contributors to the National Housing Fund an opportunity to access mortgage loans to renovate or improve their existing properties either personally or family owned. He explained that unlike the regular mortgage, the process include the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and execution of letters ...

The Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), on Wednesday said presidential candidates and national chairmen of all political parties in the country would sign a peace pact ahead of the 2019 general elections. He said the Memorandum of Understanding that would be signed by those concerned was meant to prevent violence and hate speeches during campaigns. Abdulsalami, a former military Head of State, said this in an interview with journalists in Abuja after a closed-door meeting his committee had with a delegation from the Independent National Electoral Commission, led by its chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu. He said the peace pact would be signed during a meeting scheduled for Thursday (today). The former military leader expressed worry over the security situations in the country, especially the heightened security problems in the North East and violence in Rivers State. He said members of his committee decided to invi...

The Peoples Democratic Party has called on the All Progressives Grand Alliance to look inwards to solve the crisis in the Anambra State House of Assembly and stop blaming outsiders. The Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Anambra State, Mr Nnamdi Nwangwu, made the call while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Awka, the Anambra State capital APGA had accused the PDP of masterminding the crisis in the state Assembly. The Anambra State House of Assembly dominated by APGA on November 13 allegedly impeached the Speaker of the House, Rita Maduagwu, and replaced her with Ikem Uzoezie. The development led to the sealing of the Assembly complex by the police. APGA had alleged that the crisis was created to orchestrate the impeachment of the state governor, Willie Obiano, by making the state ungovernable. Obiano’s growing closeness with the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government had heightened apprehension in some quarters that he might work against th...

The Senate on Wednesday directed its Committee on Police Affairs to investigate the alleged invasion of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly by suspected thugs. The committee led by a member of the APC from Zamfara North, Tijjani Kaura, was given 48 hours to present its findings to the upper chamber of the National Assembly. In giving the committee the mandate, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, said the National Assembly should be interested wherever democracy was under threat. “We were all here when this chamber was invaded. We cannot tolerate the invasion of the hallowed chamber of any legislative house. It is completely unacceptable. “The Police Affairs Committee should find out what happened and report back to the Senate within 48 hours,” he directed. The resolution followed the presentation made to the Senate by Bassey Akpan from Akwa Ibom North-East on the alleged invasion. According to Akpan, some suspected thugs had on Tuesday invad...