Oil price fall didn't take us by surprise -- Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja said that the falling price of crude oil did not take his administration by surprise.

Jonathan stated this while launching the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) and the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said that government foresaw the crisis hence the launch of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) three years ago designed to diversify the country's revenue base.

2015: Amosun picks Onanuga as running mate

Yetunde Onanuga

 Ahead of the governorship election in 2015, the APC in Ogun on Tuesday chose Mrs Yetunde Onanuga as the running mate of Gov. Ibikunle Amosun.

Onanuga, 54, hails from Aparaki in Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state.

Until her selection, she was a Director of Finance and Administration in the Ministry of Environment in Lagos State.

Maku calls for cancellation of Nasarawa PDP gubernatorial primary election

Labaran Maku

Just like some of his former minister-colleagues who lost out in the just concluded PDP governorship primaries elections, former Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, has called on PDP leadership to cancel the governorship primary election in Nasarawa State due to alleged irregularities.

Maku’s call is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Director of Publicity, Maku Campaign Organisation, Mr Zakari Edege.

DSS arrests 7 in the fake negotiation with Boko Haram

DSS agents

The Department of State Services (DSS), has vowed that it will serve justice to all those who sponsor or partake in the publication of subversive reports against the country.

Ms Marilyn Ogar, spokeswoman for the service, made the promise when she showed seven suspects to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said the suspects colluded with Steven Davis, an Australian, to negotiate with Boko Haram sect members.

Why Nigeria is affected by dwindling crude oil price- Omar

Omar, NLC President

Malam Abdulwaheed Omar, the President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has said that the dwindling crude oil price is affecting the country because Nigeria has never imbibed the culture of saving.

Omar spoke at a briefing on the ongoing strike by NUPENG and PENGASSAN on Tuesday that it was the refusal of government to fulfill agreements reached with the unions that led to strike.

Power supply drops to 3,500MW due to gas challenges - Special Adviser

The Senior Special Adviser on Gas to the Minister of Power, Frank Edozie has said that power generation dropped to 3,500 megawatts due to sabotage of pipelines and inadequate gas supply.

2015 elections: Court to rule on Jonathan’s eligibility Jan- 12

An Abuja Federal High Court on Monday reserved ruling until Jan. 12 in a suit filed by Olatoye Wahab and Adejumo Ajegbe, seeking to disqualify President Goodluck Jonathan from seeking re-election.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed reserved the ruling after listening to the submissions of both counsel to the plaintiffs and Mr Mohammed Adoke (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The plaintiffs had urged the court to determine whether the President was constitutionally eligible to seek re-election, having participated as candidate and emerged winner in two previous presidential elections.

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.

Ugandan maid bags 4 years jail for abusing toddler

A Ugandan maid has been jailed for four years for abusing a toddler in a case that shocked the country after a graphic video of the assault was made public.

The 22-year-old maid, Jolly Tumuhiirwe, originally pleaded guilty last week to torture, but later the charge was reduced to abuse, to which she also pleaded guilty to on Friday.

Tumuhiirwe on Monday remained apparently emotionless as her sentence was handed down in a court in Kampala.

Okorocha seeks second term, promises continuity

The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has promised all Imo citizens that if elected into office for the second time, there would be total consolidation and continuity of his rescue mission agenda.

Governor Okorocha also promised to ensure he took the state to an enviable height through his developmental programmes.

The Governor made the promises at the Sam Mbakwe Airport in Owerri, the Imo State capital, upon his return to the state after the All Progressives Congress’ presidential primaries held in Lagos State.