Ike Okoro Official Blog

The bill, though passed at 1st and 2nd readings, was not included in the final report that was considered and adopted by the lawmakers at the Lagos retreat which held on 14 – 15 July 2017 Reports emanating from the just concluded joint retreat on constitution review held in Intercontinental hotel, Lagos indicates that the Senate and House Committee on Constitution review have killed the Not Too Young To Run bill. The bill, though passed at 1st and 2nd readings, was not included in the final report that was considered and adopted by the lawmakers at the Lagos retreat which held on 14 – 15 July 2017. The mere fact that the proposed amendment was not included on the agenda suggests that the National Assembly members, particularly members of the committee were opposed to any move to open the political space for youth inclusion.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu  publicly declared support for the ...

The Federal Territory Administration (FCTA) has unveiled names of dangerous spots within Abuja city centre, where hoodlums ply their trade. According to statistics released by the FCT Administration, through one of its agencies, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Berger’s roundabout, Maitama District, Mabushi, Gwarinpa, Apo roundabout, Area 1 & 3, Galadimawa, Kubwa express and Wuse 2, are the top dangerous spots identified in the city centre. The statistics showed that the hoodlums disguise as taxi drivers and also operate around AYA junction, Airport Road, Nicon junction and Utako/Jabi axis. It was also discovered that the hoodlums use uncompleted buildings, highway with speed breakers, pedestrian bridges, crowded markets, parks and deserted streets as their hideouts. According to the crime statistics released, about 9,350 attacks have been carried out in private properties, while 2,984 offences have been carried out against persons. It has been  revealed th...

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, has called on Senior Advocates of Nigeria and other judicial officers to discipline their stomachs and stop aiding politicians to promote the culture of impunity in the country. He stated this at the 2017 Annual Dinner and Honours Night of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Abuja chapter, held in the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday. “We must discipline ourselves and discipline our stomachs,” Onnoghen said and called on them to reciprocate the respect bestowed upon them by the judiciary by helping to make the work of the courts easy. He said, “We should try our very best to leave the trouble waters of impunity because if you look inward, you will know that we are part and parcel of it. The legal profession is part of the culture of impunity. “We represent politicians who come in with all sorts of jokers in the name of brief and we help them heat up the polity, heat up the judiciary and cast aspersions on judici...

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has asked the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to within seven days drag former governors, presently senators and ministers to court for double salaries. In a letter to the AGF and Minister of Justice, Malami, SERAP urged him to use his “good offices as a defender of public interest, and exercise your powers under Section 174(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), to urgently institute appropriate legal actions to challenge the legality of states’ laws permitting former governors, who are now senators and ministers to enjoy governors’ emoluments while drawing normal salaries and allowances in their new political offices.” It also requested that the AGF should “seek full recovery of over N40billion of public funds that have so far been received from those involved; and to begin to take these steps within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP...

The recent declaration by the FG to ban musicians from making music abroad has been met with strong criticism Led by Peter Okoye, one half of PSquare  The popular musician is so angry that he plans to change his nationality as a result  The federal government is putting plans in motion to stop entertainers from making films and music videos outside the country as revealed by minster of information Lai Mohammed. Now, entertainers have started responding to the government’s plan. First to speak on this issue is Peter Okoye one half of music duo PSquare. Taking to his social media pages, Peter wrote that sometimes, he is ashamed to call himself a Nigerian. He further went on to say that its entertainers who help the government cover up their shame. He ended by saying he government has been failing Nigerians since 1960 Copyright: IKE' BLOG.     All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this Blog Page, may not be reproduced, pub...

They say 'what a man can do, a woman can do it better' this young lady may have just proven that saying to be true with her big accomplishment as a pilot.  A beautiful young lady, Captain Joan Obasi, recently became the youngest female pilot in Nigeria. Captain Obasi who was recognised by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is currently a pilot with Arik Air, flying the Lagos-Johannesburg flights. She has also been included in the FAA Airmen Certification Database. Prior to becoming a certified pilot, Obasi had first worked as a flight attendant. Copyright: IKE' BLOG.       All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this Blog Page, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from IKE'S BLOG. CONTACT: okoroikechukwu031@gmail.com

Last year December, a businessman took to Facebook to announce that he is looking for a wife that he would marry in 2017  He has finally found his bride and they are preparing to get married soon  The businessman has paid a sum of $50,000 for bride price The Zimbabwean businessman advertised for a search for his future wife on Facebook which he later found a few months ago. The businessman and the woman that stole his heart have finally gotten engaged on Saturday, July 1 The man identified as Wicknell Chivhayo paid a sum of $50,000 (N15 million) bride price just to marry his soon to be bride Sonja Madzikanda. The businessman shared on Facebook and boasted about paying $50,000 bride price, adding that he would be disappointed if his wife’s family asked for less. The man took to Facebook to announce his engagement to his soon to be bride Sonja Madzikanda. Copyright: IKE' BLOG.       All rights reserved. This material, and other digital con...

Says it jeopardizes House Committee’s investigation on HMOs Hon. Chike Okafor, member representing Ehimembano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency of Imo State, is the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Service investigating the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, which Executive Secretary, Professor Usman Yusuf, was suspended by the Minister of Health, Professor (ES) Isaac Adewole, last week. In this interview, Okafor says the ES suspension was a distraction to his committee’s work. How do you view the suspension of the NHIS Executive? If you believe that there is a need to move this country forward, believe the anti-corruption of the government of President Mohammadu Buhari; if you believe in that crusade and that we need to support it, then this is when you need to demonstrate it the more. We have been talking about the fact that health insurance in this country is not working as it should. About seven months ago, I took a motion to the floor w...

The National Assembly, yesterday, said Nigeria would be restructured. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who briefed  reporters at a retreat in Lagos for the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on the Rewiew of the 1999 Constitution, said some of the contentious issues would be reviewed to meet the yearnings of the people. Ekweremadu said the 1999 constitution needed reforms to enhance the development of the country, saying railway   would no longer be in the exclusive list. He said: “We have broken all the issues into specific bills.  Between yesterday and today  we have looked at about 23 separate bills with separate issues. The idea is to ensure that by the time we vote, each of them succeed or fail on its own when we conclude the work and send it to the house to approve. “ We will collate and ensure that the provisions of the constitution have been fulfilled regarding the alteration and we will send it to the president for his ...

The internet has been down in Somalia since June 24, when an anchor from a Swiss-owned ship, C Alice, cut the single fibre cable that links Somalia to the rest of the world. Displaced women from drought hit areas wait to fill their jerrycans as in Dollow, Somalia Mogadishu The fallout has been immense, with the government declaring that the country is losing $10 million a day in business. Somalia already has one of the lowest internet penetration rates in the world with penetration rates believed to be under 2%, according to the World Bank but local groups have used the platform to organize relief efforts on the ground particularly with remote areas. The most recent update from the government is that the Internet will be not be fixed until 25 July. The Horn of Africa country is currently in the middle of one of its worst-ever humanitarian crisis involving drought, cholera epidemic and hunger crisis. Local relief efforts, like the Caawi Walaal campaign, are underreported...

Despite the independence implied in the term “drivers-partners,” Uber drivers are in fact employees of the ride-hailing service, at least according to South African labor regulations. An independent local arbiter this week ruled in favor of a group of drivers who were effectively fired by Uber when it deactivated them from the app without reason. One driver told local media that a whole year went by with no explanation from Uber South Africa, despite numerous attempts. A group of drivers who call themselves The Movement took the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration over this dismissal, as well safety concerns after continued harassment from meter-cab drivers. The commission argued while drivers can choose when to work, declining or accepting rides at will, because Uber’s app controls the means of their employment, this set “clear standards and performance requirements.” Uber plans to challenge the decision in South Africa’s labor court, a highe...

Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former minister of petroleum, has become emblematic of the rampant corruption that held sway in Nigeria under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and a new US Justice Department (DOJ) lawsuit is providing more insight into the scale of theft of Nigeria’s oil riches under her watch. The civil lawsuit, brought by DOJ’s Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative, is seeking to recover $144 million in assets, including a $50 million luxury condo apartment in New York and a $80 million yacht. Prosecutors say both assets were proceeds from bribes paid by two Nigerian businessmen for lucrative Nigerian oil contracts. The lawsuit seeks the forfeiture of both assets. Prosecutors claim that the businessmen, Kolawole Aluko, a former beau of supermodel Naomi Campbell, and Olajide Omokore, laundered money through the US by purchasing lavish assets. The $50 million New York condo is at One57, located opposite Carnegie Hall in midtown Manhattan. The building curren...