THE REPUBLIC NEWSPAPER

The National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDEA has called on the leadership of the National Assembly to as a matter of urgency screen members of the newly constituted board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC for a renewed action to develop the region noting that delaying the inauguration of members of the board was stagnating progress of the Commission.  Speaking in Abuja at the heels of an elaborate meeting of critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta project, the national President of NCNDE-A, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro told our correspondent that the NASS should consider the imperatives of expediting action on the screening and subsequent inauguration of the board for the new management to hit the ground running saying delay in that regard was inimical to the regional progress.  Recall that the President recently appointed Bernard Okumagba, Pius Odubu as Managing Director and Chairman of the developmental agency respectively amongst other nomin...

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief O'tega Emerhor, who is said to be a brother in-law to the erstwhile Executive Director, Project, of the defunct board of the Niger Delta Development Commission,  NDDC, Samuel Adjogbe, is reportedly on the run owing to the invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on alleged fraud. Adjogbe who contested and lost the Ughelli constituency ii on platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was reportedly railroaded by his in-law, Emerhor into the developmental agency shortly  after the 2015 electoral victory of President Muhammadu Buhari against the wishes of party faithful in Delta State.  Adjogbe's invitation  by the anti-graft agency is not unconnected with suspected fraud of over N60bn naira in shoddy contracts most of which sources hinted may have been awarded to Emerhor who is his godfather and to his "numerous" proxies. Sources close to the Republic stated that most contracts spearhea...

Top officials of the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC administration met on Monday to review the $9.6 billion judgment debt against Nigeria by a British court and the best possible way to tackle it.  The strategic meeting held behind closed doors and was chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, at Aso Rock had in attendance Nigerian lawyers including the British lawyer based in the United Kingdom, UK, who is handling the case.  Recall that a British Court on August 16, awarded the judgment authorizing P&ID to seize Nigerian assets anywhere in the world to the value of $9.6 billion for contract default. The Federal Government has since jettisoned any idea to negotiate with Process and Industrial Developments Ltd. (P&ID) over the UK ruling and is allegedly planning to halt the execution of the judgment.   President Muhammadu Buhari according to sources privy to developments had directed the Vice President to meet with the Economic Manage...

The Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and  Attorney General of the Federation,  Abubakar Malami, has lashed out at an Irish firm, Process and Industrial Development, P&ID following accusation that he was responsible for the delay that culminated in the award of  $9.6  billion penalty over the failure of a multi-million Gas Supply Processing Agreement which Nigeria entered into the company in 2010 saying the firm should count him out of its attempt at defrauding Nigeria.  Malami told our correspondent in Abuja that it was irresponsible and mischievous for anyone to blame him or the Buhari administration for a contract that had failed and a huge amount of penalty awarded against the government five years before the current administration came on board. The Minister who produced documents to back his claim, pointed out that the entire Gas Supply and Processing Agreement signed between Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum and P&ID in 2010 was deliberately skewed to f...

A  Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned till September 2, a suit seeking the final forfeiture of jewellery valued at $40 million (about N14.4 billion), recovered from a former Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke. Justice Nicholas Oweibo fixed the date to give parties time to respond to pending applications. The court, on July 5, ordered the temporary forfeiture of 2,149 pieces of jewellery and a customised golden iPhone recovered from Alison-Madueke’s home. According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which obtained the order, the items were suspected to be bought with illicitly acquired funds. When the matter was called yesterday, prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo informed the court that he had just been served a counter affidavit by the defense and would need time to respond. Oyedepo said, an adjournment will ensure that all responses to the application can be entertained at the same time by the court and necessary ruling ...

The immediate former Senate Deputy President, Ike Ekweremadu, today escaped being lynched by a group of hoodlums in Numberg, Germany.  This was revealed in a viral video where the Enugu Senator was seen running from the crowd of mob suspected to be members of the terrorist group, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.  Recall that the Nnamdi Kanu, group was proscribed by the Nigerian government over its violent activities in the country especially it's frequent armed confrontations with the law enforcement agents mostly in the South-Eastern Nigeria.  The umbrella body of the Igbo, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, has condemned the attack on Ekweremadu who it described as an illustrious son of Ndigbo by the IPOB and or its agents. Ohanaeze called on the German law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice. It described the assault on Senator Ekweremadu as a disgrace. The President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Nna Nwodo, said: “The assault on Ekweremadu by Igbos in Germa...

Justice Butcher of a British Commercial Court has ruled in favour of an Irish firm, Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID) to seize 20 per cent in assets, of Nigeria’s foreign reserves, amounting to $9bn (£7.4bn).    Justice Butcher gave the ruling, Friday. The case dates back to 2010, when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was Nigeria’s president. The Nigerian government, under Mr Jonathan, had struck a deal with the Irish firm to supply gas to a processing plant built and run by P&ID in Calabar. The agreement was for a 20-year deal. But the Nigerian government failed to keep to her own side of the agreement, prompting the firm to take the case to court. Meanwhile, in 2013, P&ID won a $6.6bn arbitration case against Nigeria.   The figure was calculated based on what the company was estimated to have earned over the course of the 20-year agreement. But in today’s ruling, the firm said the amount had risen to $9bn following interest accrued so far, reports City A.M...