News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja with Agency Report  Donald Trump of the Republican Party on Wednesday, October 6, won the 2024 United States Presidential election despite dissenting voices.  He defeated his closest rival, Kamala Harris of Democratic Party to poll 301 electoral votes as against the 270 benchmark needed by each candidates to secure the White House.  Trump scored 301 electoral votes amounting to 74,263,792 votes, approximately 50.5%, while Harris got 226 electoral votes, amounting to amounting to 70,355,827 votes (47.9%) Jill Stein of Green Party emerged third with 0 electoral votes and got 685,139 votes (0.5%), while Robert Kennedy of Independent also secured 0 electoral college with 664,792 votes (0.5%) and placed fourth.  Chase Oliver of Libertarian Party emerged fifth with 0 electoral votes and secured 601,132 votes (0.4%). In addition, Trump won in the key states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina known as the three largest battlegrounds, a situation that

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja          President Bola Tinubu  President Bola Tinubu has approved the redesign of the remaining 127 kilometres of Section I, Abuja - Kaduna dual carriageway using Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) instead of asphalt.  The project was divided into three sections for ease of construction such as Abuja - Kaduna (Section I), Kaduna - Zaria (Section II) and Zaria - Kano (Section III). It was awarded to Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc on December 20,  2017 at the initial sum of N155, 748,178,425.50 billion, with a completion period of 36 months. Section II is substantially completed, while Section III is at an advanced stage of completion but Section I, which is only about 27% completed, remains in a deplorable state, worsened by continuous wear and tear, as well as rough climatic conditions.  In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration to enhance critical infrastructures and ameliorate the suffering of road users, Sect

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja          Late Lt General Taoreed Lagbaja  Dignitaries have continued to dominate the media space with glowing tributes as Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja dies at 56.  Lagbaja, who was Nigeria’s 23rd Chief of Army Staff died on Tuesday November 5, 2024 after a brief illness in Lagos.   Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga confirmed Lagbaja's death in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.  He said: "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, regrets to announce the passing of Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of the Army Staff, at age 56." Tinubu, who expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces, wished Lagbaja eternal peace, just as he honoured his significant contributions to the nation. While directing the postponement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, President Tinubu also ordered

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja        Participants at the African Climate Caravan event in Abuja recently.  Ahead of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) and OXFAM in Nigeria have demanded debt cancelation for African countries.  To this end, the environmentalists enjoined world leaders to stop giving African countries loans in form of climate finance, rather it should be grants.  This formed part of the discuss at African Climate Caravan event organised by GIFSEP in collaboration with OXFAM, African Activists for Climate Justice and *350 Africa.org. on Tuesday in Abuja.  The event signaled the commencement of pre-COP activities for the climate change conference scheduled to hold in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22, 2024, with the theme: "In Solidarity for a Green World." Executive Director of GIFSEP,

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja         Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi  The Federal Government has taken a bold move to terminate the contract for the rehabilitation of Section I of Abuja-Kaduna dual carriageway. This followed the absence of Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) at a meeting summoned by the management of the Federal Ministry of Works for November 4, 2024, at its headquarters in Mabushi Abuja. News Rider reports that the ministry had notified Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) about the meeting to explain its non-compliance with reviewed cost, scope and terms, stoppage of work and refusal to remobilise to site.  But given the failure of the construction company to attend the meeting, the ministry issued a 14-day Notice of Termination starting from November 4.  The Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed said on Monday night in Abuja that the decision to terminate the contract was borne out of several months of going back and forth without any meanin

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi responding to questions from journalists, alongside members of the National Assembly and ministry officials during the inspection of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway over the weekend.  The Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi over the weekend, led members of the National Assembly Committees on Works, comprising Senate and House of Representatives to inspect and verify the ongoing construction works on Sections I and II of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.  Other senior officials from the ministry also accompanied the NASS members in its bid to facilitate timely completion of the project.  News Rider reports that the coastal highway is one of the four legacy highway projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu-led administration.   It is an inter-state highway and economic corridor designed to traverse eight states along the coastal shoreline of the country, starting from Lagos, South West and ending

By Iliyasu Gashinbaki          Iliyasu Gashinbaki I have read the letter from the former President, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, addressed to the Chairmen of the Constitution Review Committee of both chambers of the National Assembly- Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives.  I was looking for his prayers to the esteemed lawmakers on clear and unambiguous anomalies he observed in the Establishment Act of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that need legislative action in the review exercise. I must confess, I could not find any.  Instead, the legal luminary made a sweeping statement that is neither rooted in facts nor verifiable evidence that “I very strongly believe the EFCC is unconstitutionally established. The powers under which it was established go beyond the powers of the National Assembly. The EFCC is an unlawful organisation.” How? I have asked myself repeatedly.  The EFCC is a creation of the

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja  Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi addressing stakeholders in Ondo State on Thursday.  The Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi has engaged in deep conversation with stakeholders in Ondo State over the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.  News Rider reports that Ondo will benefit from 63 kilometres out of the 700 kilometres Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, one of the legacy projects of President Bola Tinubu-led Renewed Hope agenda.  At the town hall meeting/stakeholders' forum on Thursday in Alagbaka, Akure, the Ondo state capital, the minister  reiterated the President’s determination to revolutionise road infrastructure.  He assured that the four Renewed Hope Legacy road projects would stimulate economic growth in Nigeria.  The meeting was attended by Chaiman Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Mpigi Barinada; four members of the committee, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi;  Senator Osita Ngwu; Senator Ayodele Adegbomire; Senator Olajide Ipinsagba, and