Amaechi , Speaker not involved in road accident --- Commissioner

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has debunked rumours that Gov. Chibuike Amaechi and the Speaker of the state legislature were involved in a road accident.

Semenitari told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Port Harcourt that government had received the rumours that Amaechi and the speaker Mr Otelebe Amachree, were involved in a `ghastly road accident.’

Court refuses to sack Tambuwal as Speaker

Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, refused to grant a fresh ex-parte application seeking to restrain Mr. Aminu Tambuwal from further acting as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The application was filed before the court by a member of the House House of Representatives, Mr. Abiodun Akinlade.

The applicant, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State in the House, had in his application, prayed the court to stop Tambuwal from parading himself as the Speaker, pending the determination of the suit challenging his continued stay in office.

Aside the ex-parte application that was declined by the court yesterday, Akinlade is in his substantive suit, seeking a “judicial interpretation” of an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Evoh Chukwu of the same Federal High Court in Abuja, where the court held that there was no division in the PDP.

Fayose sacks Speaker’s aides

Ekiti State Government on Tuesday terminated the appointment of all aides to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Modupe Alade in Ado-Ekiti.

Those relieved of their appointment include Messrs Wole Olujobi, Special Adviser (SA) (Media), Ojobamikan Dele, SA (Political) and Lawrence Awelewa, SA (Special Duties) to the Speaker.

Also on the list are Messrs Wande Omirin, SA (Youth Matters), Orija Samuel, Chief of Staff, and Sanmi Adeeko, PA to the Speaker.

Others are Mr Taiwo Oluwaleye, SA (Media) to the Deputy Speaker, and Adedipe Esther, SA (Media) to the Majority Leader.

The statement directed all the affected aides to hand over all government property in their possession to the Clerk of the House before the close of office on Tuesday.

In another development, Ekiti state government denied claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Ekiti state Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin had been impeached.

Chief Press Secretary to Gov Ayo Fayose, Mr Idowu Adelusi said in a statement that the legislature, by its rules, forms a quorum with nine members, ``and 10 were at the sitting and not seven as the APC had claimed.’’

``Fayose was never near the Assembly Complex and Nigerians should ask APC leaders why they are always the ones that are right and others are wrong.

``In the APC-controlled state of Edo, Gov. Adams Oshiomhole has shut down the assembly for many months now.

``APC lawmakers hold their meetings in the governor's bedroom at Osadebay Avenue, GRA, Benin. Nothing is wrong with that as the PDP members have been shut out!

``In another APC state of Rivers, courts have been shut down for over a year.

``Gov. Rotimi Amaechi wanted to appoint his man as the Chief Judge of the state and nothing is still wrong with that’’, added the statement.

It would be recalled that the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had in a statement said the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, had been impeached.

Mohammed had alleged that seven PDP members in the House impeached the Speaker.

Tambuwal receives presidential nomination form bought for him, says he is still consulting

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal on Friday received the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form bought for him on Thursday by some members of the House.

While receiving the form, Tambuwal said he is still consulting and will soon tell Nigerians if he will run for presidency or Sokoto State governorship.

It would recalled that friends and associates of the Speaker, including several APC members in the House of Representatives had trooped to the party’s Abuja office to purchase the forms on his behalf on Thursday.

Tambuwal had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, last month to pitch his tent with the opposition, APC.

Sources told our correspondent that APC chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu prevailed on Tambuwal to pick the form as it was revealed that the former Lagos state governor may have preferred a younger northern leader.

Tambuwal was earlier tipped to run as governor in his home state, Sokoto.

In a text message, spokesperson to the Speaker, Imam Imam, while confirming the development said: “Earlier today, some friends and political associates of the Speaker notified him that they have bought the forms for him.”

His entrance into the presidential race brings to five, the number of persons vying for the nation’s top job on the platform of the party.

They include former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isiah.

The special convention of the party, which is coming up in a fortnight ago was meant for late defectors like Tambuwal to benefit from every privilege of old members.

The APC has also said it will conduct a modified primary election in which delegates will vote for their candidate of choice from their home state, after which a national convention will simply collate and ratify the votes from across the country.

If Tambuwal picks the ticket, it is believed that his running mate will be choosing from the trio of Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo) and Babatunde Fashola (Lagos).

How Motivational Preacher Myles Munroe , Wife die in plane crash

Internationally renowned motivational speaker and evangelical Minister, Dr. Myles Munroe and his wife Ruth were killed in a plane crash on Sunday in the Bahamas

They were  on their way to the Global Leadership Forum, which was organized by Munroe and was scheduled for this week in Freeport. A posting on Munroe’s Facebook page said the event would go on for two and a half days.

“This is what Dr. Munroe would have wanted. Please keep his family and the ministry in prayers,” the post said.

 The private Lear jet with nine passengers on board crashed on approach near Grand Bahama International Airport killing everyone on the plane.

The Lear 36 Executive Jet had taken off from the Bahamian capital of Nassau and crashed about 5 p.m. local time Sunday, as it was coming in for a landing at Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport.

Dr. Myles Munroe and his wife Ruth were killed in the crash, Kelley Jackson, a spokeswoman from the Andrew J. Young Foundation told ABC News.