Author: Soffiyyah Olamide

All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has sent his goodwill and congratulatory message to Comrade Joe Ajaero on his election as the new president of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Until his elevation, Ajaero was the Deputy President of the NLC and General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees. He was unanimously elected unopposed as the NLC President at the just-concluded 13th National Delegates’Conference of the Labour movement. The APC Presidential Flag-bearer extended his best wishes to the new Labour leader, while urging him to use his new position to mobilise the entire Labour movement for…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike Nigerians have hailed the verdict of Supreme Court for temporarily suspending Friday’s deadline to stop using old banknotes, which had led to a cash crisis across the length and breadth of the country. Majority of Nigerians interviewed by thegazellenews.com said the verdict has showed that the CBN stand before the latest development is anti-people. A POS operator in based in Alimosho Local Government in Lagos State, Kehinde Popoola, said in an interview, “I praised the verdict of the Apex court for be on the side of Nigerians. The agonies Nigerians had gone through in the last couple…

-By Segun Dipe “Certainly the faithful love of the Lord hasn’t ended; certainly God’s compassion isn’t through! They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:22-23 As Dr. John Kayode Fayemi celebrates his 58 natal years on earth today the 9th of February 2023, the biblical reference above should read in his favour. For, certainly, he will be celebrated by friends, folks and even foes alike. The first of its kind, out of power in the last four years. Fayemi may be out of power, he isn’t out of influence. From the wee hours of 9 February therefore, he…

The Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Mannir Dan’iya has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for All Progressive Congress (APC), days before the 2023 general elections. The Deputy Governor, who is currently the Sokoto Central Senatorial District Candidate of the PDP will be received by President Muhammadu Buhari into APC today, Thursday, 9 February, 2023. Buhari is expected to lead the presidential rally of the APC in Sokoto on Thursday, 9 February, 2023, and present the party’s Presidential Flag-bearer, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the people of the state. In a letter dated Wednesday, 8 February, 2023 and addressed to…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The death toll from Monday’s devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria has risen to 15,383, according to data released by authorities and rescuers. The number of people killed in Türkiye due to the devastating earthquake has reached 12,391, the country’s Anadolu agency reported on Thursday, 9 February, 2023, citing the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority. In Syria, at least 1,262 were killed and 2,285 injured in government-held areas, said the Syrian Health Ministry. Media reports also cited rescue workers as saying that at least 1,730 were killed and over 2,850 injured in the opposition-held region in Syria.…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike No fewer than 390 inmates who are on death row in Zambia have been commuted to life imprisonment by the country’s President, Hakainde Hichilema. The inmates include 379 males and 11 females. The Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, confirmed the development, saying move follows the abolishment of the death penalty in December last year and is in line with Article 97 in the country’s constitution. Mwiimbu told reporters during a press briefing on Thursday that no court was expected to impose the death penalty following its abolishment. He, however, said inmates who…

By Abimbola Ogunnaike The new President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has vowed to work for the betterment of Nigerian workers and reconnect Nigerians with the movement in the struggle for a better Nigeria Ajaero, who took over from Comrade Ayuba Wabba at the end of the 13th quadrennial National Delegates’ conference of Congress in Abuja on Wednesday, 8 February, 2023, said his team would seek to reconnect more strongly to build greater solidarities, with the people rising once again to be carriers of their desires and amplifiers of their voices. The new Labour Leader declared that his…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of a former Permanent Secretary, Peter Ayeni and Director of Finance and Account, Pius Ojemolon at the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (ESUBEB), over allegations bordering on fraud, conspiracy and abuse of office. ICPC had, in a 2-count charge brought before Hon. Justice Acha J. I. of the Edo State High Court 1, sitting in Benin City, averred that the convicts, while being public officers in 2009, conspired among themselves and fraudulently placed the sum of One Hundred and Sixty Million Naira (N160,000,000) ESUBEB fund…

Ogun State Government on Wednesday, 8 February, 2023, assured bankers and all citizens of adequate protection in the state while promising to continue to engage the Central BANK of Nigeria (CBN) in a bid to proffer solution to the cash scarcity presently bedeviling the nation. The state Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) to the government, Dr. Dapo Okubadejo, gave the assurance during a meeting with the state chapter of Bankers Committee in his office in Abeokuta. This was a follow up on the meeting earlier held between the group and the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on…

A renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ola Olanipekun, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, to comply with a court order that committed the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa to prison for contempt. Olanipekun, who said Bawa was trying to cause anarchy in the country by flagrantly disobeying court orders, said Bawa had recently been committed to prison in a similar ruling by a Federal Capital Territory High Court in November. He said this just as the office of the IGP received and acknowledged the order committing Bawa to prison on Wednesday. Speaking on…

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, has announced that the salaries of sanitation workers in the state have been increased by 20%, aspromised by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the recent rally organised by the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria(AWAMN) in support of the presidential bid of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Odumboni made this announcement during a meeting with the sweepers at LAWMA’s headquarters, Ijora-Olopa, where he also revealed that they would be provided with new work tools such as overalls, boots, personalprotective equipment (PPE) etc, which would enable them to discharge their duties…

The Lagos State Government, in its bid to digitalise education in Nigeria, has joined Kwara State to launch the Reading Wikipedia in the Classroom programme in a pilot phase for teachers in the state. The online training was officially launched on December 14, 2022 at the LCCI conference center by the Chairman, Mrs. Ariyo Elizabeth, Lagos State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), represented by her Commissioner Mr. Jacob Asaka; the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Olubusola; the Executive Director of Wikimedia Nigeria User Group, Mrs. Omolayo Ogunsiji and the Project Director of the Wikimedia Nigeria User Group. The teachers learned to use Wikipedia…

Following nationwide tension caused by persistent fuel shortage and the debacle of currency exchange by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lagos State Government has announced palliative measures to cushion effects of the crises on residents. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, 8 February, 2023, directed 50 per cent fare reduction in all State-owned transportation services, effective Thursday. Passengers using BRT buses, LAGRIDE taxi-scheme, First Mile and Last Mile buses, and Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) will enjoy the palliative for the next one week, using their Cowry Cards. The Governor also gave express permission to all fuel stations operating within Lagos…

In furtherance of his drive for safe, secured, and credible general elections as well as ensure adequate security coverage before, during and after the 2023 general elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has approved the setting up of an Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team for deployment across the states of the federation. According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Team is expected to: identify, analyze and mitigate threats, as well as carry out on-the-spot assessment and appraisal of the security emplacements ahead of the 2023 general elections. The IGP similarly…

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has charged the 2023 Advisory Committee on Nigeria Citizenship (ACNC) to expedite action in the processing of applications for Nigerian citizenship. The Minister gave the charge at this year’s first meeting of the 2023 Advisory Committee on Nigerian Citizenship (ACNC) held at the boardroom of Correctional, Civil Defence, Fire Service and Immigration Board (CDFIB) in the Ministry of Interior, Abuja on Tuesday, 7 February, 2023. He instructed the Committee to fast track the procedures and timeouts recommendations of qualified applicants. The Minister bemoaned the 15-year residency constitutional requirement as too long and a disincentive…

A football tournament, tagged “MD/CEO Cup” competition, for male and female staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has commenced at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Speaking during the opening match of the 5-day tournament, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, stressed the importance of sports in boosting health and creating unity for enhanced performance in the work place. Ogbuku who was in the company of the Bayelsa State representative on the Governing Board of the NDDC, Senator Denyanbofa Dimaro, said that the competition was a good opportunity for the Commission’s staff to compete among themselves and build…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has sympathized with the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Lagos, Ms Funke Akindele over the death of her beloved mother, Dr. RB Adebanjo-Akindele. Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile on Tuesday said it is often hard to find the right words at a time like this for someone who has lost a beloved person, noting that losing mothers is one of the deepest sorrows for man. The Governor prayed for peace, comfort, courage and love for Funke, his immediate siblings, the Adebanjo…

As part of ongoing efforts at ensuring that commercial banks comply with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive on the distribution of the redesigned Naira note, operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) last week Friday, 3 February, 2023, discovered the sum of N258 million stashed in the vault at the head office of Sterling Bank in Abuja. This discovery followed one of the Commission’s operations at ensuring that commercial banks and other interest groups do not flout the apex bank’s directive. When the ICPC monitoring team visited the bank and discovered the stashed…

With the scarcity of new Naira notes and fuel unabated in many parts of the country, All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has once again appealed to Nigerians to remain calm as the government and relevant agencies continue to work out solutions. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, 7 February, 2023, Asiwaju Tinubu said he sympathises with the people especially the downtrodden who have been made to bear the brunt of the new naira policy by the Central Bank and irregular supply of petrol that have combined to inflict avoidable pains on the masses. He commends the NNPC…

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba has ordered the posting and redeployment of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs), Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) to Departments, Commands, and Formations in line with his manpower development policy of placing round pegs in round holes. DIG Danmallam Mohammed, has been redeployed to the Department of Finance and Administration while the following Assistant Inspectors-General of Police have been posted to take up the duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Inspectors-General of Police in charge of the following Departments of the Force as indicated against their names: to…