Ike Okoro Official Blog

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s health condition is “pathetic” and he will never return to govern the country. Fani-Kayode, in a series of tweets posted on Thursday, also called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to stop lying, because “Nigerians have a right to know the truth. He wrote: “@MBuhari is NOT better and he will NEVER return as President.His situation is pathetic and critical.@ProfOsinbajo STOP the lies! “Nigerians have a RIGHT to know the truth. Stop the cover up and show us our President! Put him in front of a camera and let him talk!” After visiting Buhari in the UK on Tuesday, Osinbajo had said: “I went to see him, Buhari, to check up on him and know how he is doing and of course we have been speaking on the phone. “I thought it will be a good thing to go and see him and brief him on development back at home. “We had a very good time and spoke over a wild range of issues, his in a very good spirit...

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a proposal presented by the Ministry of Finance to offset accumulated Federal Government’s debts totalling N2.7tn. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of the council presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Adeosun said the obligations that accumulated over the last two decades would be paid through bond and promissory note issuance. She said the inherited and long outstanding Federal Government’s obligations included those being owed contractors, state governments and its employees. She stated that with the council’s approval, the government would make a request to the National Assembly to approve the programme ahead of implementation. The obligations, according to her, largely consist of dues owed state governments, oil marketers, power generation and distribution companies, suppliers and contr...

So, the narrative in recent times especially from those who support the present regime, is that "PDP destroyed" our country and it will take time to rebuild it. I don't think so... 1. Sen. Pres. Bukola Saraki. PDP Governor for 8yrs and PDP Senator for over 3 yrs. Joined APC in 2014. He is the Senate President. 2. Speaker Yakubu Dogara. Two-term PDP House of Rep member. Joined APC in 2014 and was elected for a third time in 2015. He is the Speaker. 3. VP Atiku Abubakar. Nigeria's PDP Vice-President for 8yrs and presently an APC Elderstatesman after jumping from one party to the other since 2007. 4. Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba. PDP Senator for 12yrs. Decamped to APC about two months ago. He is the serving Chairman, NDDC Board. 5. Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri. Two-term PDP Senator from Bayelsa State. Decamped to APC after the 2015 elections. He is a serving Minister of the Republic. 6. Sen. Ita Enang. Two-term PDP Senator from Akwa-Ibom. Joined APC before the 2015 ...

China's deal with Djibouti allows the presence of up to 10,000 soldiers in the country until 2026. Ships carrying personnel for China's first overseas military base have set sail to begin setting up the facility in Djibouti, as the country's rapidly modernising military extends its global reach. The warships departed from Zhanjiang in southern China to set up a "support base" in the Horn of Africa nation, state media reported late on Tuesday. China's agreement with Djibouti ensures its military presence in the country up until 2026, with a contingent of up to 10,000 soldiers, according to international current affairs magazine The Diplomat. Djibouti's position on the northwestern edge of the Indian Ocean has fuelled worry in India that it would become another of China's "string of pearls" of military alliances and assets ringing India, including Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. China began construction of a base in Djibouti...

At least 15 people were killed in Borno state when four female suicide bombers attacked four areas in Maiduguri. Suicide bombers have killed at least 15 people and injured 21 in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, police officials confirmed. Tuesday night's incident is the latest in a spate of suicide bomb attacks on the city in the past few weeks. Borno, of which Maiduguri is the capital, is the Nigerian state worst affected by eight years of attacks by the Boko Haram group. Borno state police commissioner Damian Chukwu told reporters that most of the victims were civilians manning security posts. "The bombers detonated IEDs (improvised explosive devices) strapped to their bodies at different locations of the area, killing 19 people, including the bombers," he said. "A total of 23 people were injured." Bello Danbatta, a spokesman for the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) group and chief security officer at the Borno State Emergency Management...

US secretary of state meets Saudi king and foreign ministers of UAE, Bahrain and Egypt in effort to solve Gulf dispute US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has held talks with Saudi Arabia's King Salman before meeting with his counterparts from the kingdom and the other three Arab states that have imposed a blockade on Qatar. The meeting on Wednesday brings together foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah, according to the Saudi-owned TV network Al Arabiya. The visit to Jeddah follows meetings in Doha with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. "I think Qatar has been quite clear in its positions, and I think those have been very reasonable," Tillerson said on Tuesday. Tillerson and the Qatari foreign minister also announced that the US and Qatar made an agreement on combating "terrorism"...

Kogi chief of staff, Edward Onoja is under investigation over alleged N53 million fraud  Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki ordered a committee to investigate Onoja properly  Kogi chief of staff is being investigated by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) The Senate on Tuesday, July 12 commenced the investigation of Mr Edward Onoja, the Kogi state chief of staff over his alleged involvement in a fraud of N53 million. The senate’s investigation is based on the petition by Senator Hamman Misau representing Bauchi Central Senatorial district against Mr Onoja. Reports have it that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently invited Onoja for another investigation. It was gathered that Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki ordered the committee on ethics privileges and public petitions to make sure that the investigation go through a normal process. It was learnt that the investigation is presided by Senator Samuel Anyanwu representing...

The fight may be over in Mosul, but our humanitarian work must continue. Many people who fled during the conflict have nowhere to go as their houses, hospitals and schools have been destroyed. For those who do try to go back, they face the dangers of unexploded weapons which are killing and injuring families trying to return home. Donate today to help them start rebuilding their lives. We are already providing material support such as food, clean water and medicine. But there is a long way to go to normality. It is crucial that the world does not turn away from those in desperate need in Mosul. . Show your commitment to helping all victims of conflict by donating today. Together, we are humanity in action. www.icrc.org for donation

Ademola Adeleke has been sworn in by the Senate  Adeleke's emergence has helped the PDP number in the Senate rise to 42  Currently there are 108 Senators in the 109-member body Senator Bukola Saraki has sworn in Ademola Adeleke who was returned winner in Saturday’s Osun West bye-election. Adeleke took his oath of office as a senator on the floor of Senate. Adeleke's emergence has helped the PDP number in the Senate rise to 42, with APC still standing higher at 66. Currently there are 108 Senators in the 109-member body. One seat, Anambra Central, is vacant following the nullification of the election of Uche Ekwunife Meanwhile the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued certificate of return to Mr Ademola Adeleke the winner of Osun Senatorial bye-election. The INEC National Commission Prince Adedeji Soyebi while presenting the certificate, on Tuesday, July 11, in Abuja assured that the commission would continue to improve on the con...

The Ekiti state governor Ayodele Fayose was in court for the judgement of the Peoples Democratic Party - The governor was in court with his vintage Mercedes Benz car On Wednesday, July 12, the Supreme Court ruled on the matter between the former factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ali Modu-Sheriff, four others against the party. The court in its ruling sacked Sheriff and declared a former governor of Kaduna state Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic leader of the party

The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday, said he would not go into specific details of what he discussed with ailing President Muhammadu Buhari in London, United Kingdom on Tuesday. He, however, said he had “good conversation on wide-ranging issues” with the President for over an hour. Osinbajo spoke with State House correspondents shortly before the commencement of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He assured Nigerians that Buhari who has spent over two months in the British capital was in high spirit when they met and would soon return to the country. When asked specifically if the President who has been away for over 60 days would return to the country before 90 days, Osinbajo said it would be wrong to apply deadline. Although he said the two ministers-designate would soon be inaugurated, the Acting President said he had no date in mind. The following conversation ensued between him and the reporters: Y...

Orji Uzor Kalu has indicated his readiness to lead Igbo people to war if any Igbo man is killed as a result of the recent quit notice issued by some northern youths  The former governor promises war if any Igbo man is harmed  He said people who issued the quit notice are not reasonable northerners Former Abia state governor Orji Uzor Kalu has assured all Igbo people that no harm will befall them in the face of current agitation for Biafra an most notably the quit notice issued by some youths in the northern part of the country. In an excerpt from Dr Orji Uzor Kalu's interview on AIT on Tuesday July 11, Kalu argued that nobody can touch the Igbo people in any part of the country, because Nigeria belongs to all. He also sounded a note of warning that if any Igbo man is touched as a result of the recent quit notice, Nigeria will go to war and he would lead the war. "Nobody can touch Igbos because this is our country. If anybody kills any of our brothers, w...

The Supreme Court will today (Wednesday) decide on the authentic leadership of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP. The contest is between the Ali Sheriff, who was purportedly removed at the party’s May 21 2016 convention, and the national caretaker committee chaired by Ahmed Makarfi.‎ While the Makarfi faction enjoys the support of most of the organs of the PDP, the Sheriff faction was declared the authentic leadership by the Court of Appeal. Many members of the PDP including former governors and current lawmakers have since decamped from the party, citing the division in its leadership as reason. The pronouncement of the Supreme Court today is expected to‎ finally resolve the leadership crisis. We brings you live updates from the Supreme Court