Author: Ayo

The national leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) converges in Abuja today for a crucial meeting. This gathering follows a series of pre-strike notices served to the Federal Government, emphasizing the union’s frustration with unfulfilled promises. Recall that ASUU issued a 14-day strike notice on September 24, threatening to shut down universities nationwide if longstanding grievances remain unaddressed. This ultimatum was preceded by a 21-day notice on August 18, urging the government to meet their demands. Today’s meeting is anticipated to feature a “State of the Nation” address by ASUU leaders. Students are on edge, anxiously awaiting…

Tuesday night’s Champions League matches saw Arsenal and Manchester City record their first victories of the season. Arsenal broke their winless streak with a convincing 2-0 triumph over Paris Saint-Germain at the Emirates. Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scored the decisive goals, building on their 0-0 draw with Atalanta on Match Day 1. Manchester City also secured their first win, thrashing Slovan Bratislava 4-0. This commanding victory boosts their morale and standing in the competition. _Other Notable Results_ – Dortmund demolished Celtic 7-1 in a stunning display. – Brest stunned RB Salzburg with a 4-0 away win. – Barcelona asserted…

The landing cost of petrol has dropped to N945.63 per litre, down from N981 per litre, according to data from the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN). This decrease is attributed to the appreciation of the naira against the US dollar, with the exchange rate standing at N1,586.26 on September 27, compared to N1,667.22 on September 25. *Key Price Reductions* – Diesel: N1,089/litre to N1,068.04/litre – Aviation fuel: N1,117.34/litre to N1,079.79/litre – Petrol (Brent): $73.67/barrel to $72.45/barrel The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has announced new prices for petrol lifted from the Dangote refinery, ranging from N950 to N1,019…

Customers of First Bank Plc have taken to social media to express frustration and disappointment over unexplained debits from their accounts. The complaints, which flooded the bank’s Facebook page, highlighted the urgency of the issue, with many calling for immediate action. Udoh Blessing, a concerned customer, wrote: “I’ve been noticing debit alerts… saying it’s for QS with some digit including my phone number/MTN: USSD Something Something. What’s that for please? I didn’t recharge via the line and keep receiving debit alerts of #200, 139, 34, 100 and so on.” Esther Maurice echoed similar sentiments: “Please oh First Bank of Nigeria,…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is set to converge in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from October 6 to 11, 2024, for the ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival. This event aims to address the pressing security challenges hindering farming and agricultural production across the region. According to Felix Ihonre, Director-General of the ECOWAS Food and Cultural Festival, the event will bring together key stakeholders from the food security and security sectors to propose solutions to regional challenges. “Nigeria, as the host, stands to benefit significantly in areas such as tourism, sustainable development, cultural integration, poverty alleviation, youth employment,…

The Federal Government has announced that Tuesday, October 1, 2024, will be a public holiday to commemorate Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day anniversary. This declaration was made by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on behalf of the government. In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Tunji-Ojo congratulated Nigerians at home and abroad on this momentous occasion. He praised the patient and hardworking Nigerian men and women, acknowledging their sacrifices and assuring them that their efforts will not be in vain. Tunji-Ojo emphasized the importance of unity in building a better Nigeria, reflecting on the labor of…

The Federal Government has commenced payment of the new N70,000 minimum wage to over 1.2 million civil servants across all levels of the federal civil service. The Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, signed a warrant directing the commencement of the new payment. This development follows President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage into law on July 29. _Salary Breakdown_ Documents from the National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission reveal the new salary structure: – Level 1: N930,000 per annum – Level 2: N934,160 – Level 3: N937,713 – Level 4: N950,243 – Level 5: N973,123 -…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially confirmed Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa as the governor and deputy governor of Edo State, respectively. This confirmation came after INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Edo State, Rhoda Gumus, issued certificates of return to the duo on Thursday. Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, emerged victorious in the tightly contested Edo governorship election held last Sunday. Prof. Faruq Kuta, the Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, announced the results at the INEC collation centre in Benin City. *Election Breakdown* – _Winner:_ Monday Okpebholo (APC)…

A Federal High Court in Kano has rejected the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) attempt to stop the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) from conducting local government elections. The APC, along with Hon. Aminu Aliyu Tiga, had filed a motion ex parte on September 20, seeking an interim injunction to halt the polls across 44 Local Government Areas. Justice Simon Amobeda declined to grant the interim injunction but allowed the APC to serve KANSIEC and other defendants with notice of all processes. The court set the hearing for the substantive application to five days after service of the originating process…

American rapper Meek Mill has taken to social media to express frustration over being linked to disgraced music executive Sean Combs, aka Diddy, who faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Diddy was arrested by Homeland Security on suspicion of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and interstate transportation for prostitution. His associates, past and present, have faced intense media scrutiny since. Meek Mill offered $100,000 to hire an investigative team to uncover why his name is tied to Diddy’s case. On X, he wrote: “I wanna hire an investigative team with 100k cash to find out every specific detail involving meek mill…