These are the stories you should be monitoring today:
President Muhammadu Buhari has on Saturday promised that his administration would put behind bars more looters who have caused the nation’s economic woes.
In an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on his return to the country from 10-day working vacation in the United Kingdom, the president said: “Most Nigerians are expecting that we are going to jail more of the thieves that brought economic problem to the country. I think that is being expected of me and I will do it.”
On recent developments in the polity, he noted that “Defections should be appreciated as the beauty of democracy. People can choose the party they want to belong to,” as he urged leaders in the country to collectively increase the awareness on the voters registration in order for Nigerians to vote for candidates of their choice in the 2019 elections.
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the bye-election for the Port Harcourt Constituency lll State Assembly seat held Aug. 18 in Rivers.
State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Effanga, in announcing the decision of the commission on Saturday night, cited widespread violence and wanton disruption of the electoral process as reported from the field by the Supervisory Presiding Officers and Supervisors from the Commission as reasons for the suspension.
Breaking News: The Commission having reviewed the the widespread of disruption of the bye-election in Rivers State, has decided to suspend the election forthwith in accordance with the provisions of Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As amended)@obobef pic.twitter.com/GA5aohq4wi
— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) August 18, 2018
The Joint Committee of the National Assembly on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would reconvene on August 27 to conclude work on the 2019 INEC budget submitted to it by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senator Suleiman Nazif, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, explained that work on the budget has gotten to an advanced stage, as “the joint committee deliberated on all key attributes of the budget while taking into cognisance the imperative urgency for the budget to be ready in time for the 2019 general election.”
“…..it is imperative to state here explicitly that, after an audacious session with all critical stakeholders, the joint committee dissolved into executive structure and agreed to resume on 27th of August, 2018, (after Sallah) to consider the harmonised version of the budget report diligently.
Embattled chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo, Prince Eze Madumere, has dismissed reports that he has dumped the ruling APC for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that he remains the deputy governor of the state.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Uche Onwuchekwa, Madumere urged the public to disregard widely-circulated rumour, stressing that he is not just a member of APC, but a founding member of the party.
“We view the material being circulated around as not only mischievous, but also a mere figment of the conceiver’s imagination,” the statement read in part.
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), has debunked a media report that over 17,000 registered Nigerian pilgrims have been left stranded in the country for this year’s Hajj, following Saturday’s closure of entry into Saudi Arabia.
NAHCON’s Commissioner of Operations, Alhaji Abdullahi Moddibo made this known on Saturday while speaking with newsmen in Makkah, maintaining that all pilgrims that registered with state pilgrims’ boards and the 18,000 that paid through agencies this year had been airlifted to Saudi Arabia.
“Unless there are cases of missing flights by the pilgrims, all our pilgrims that paid through state welfare boards and travel agencies had been airlifted,” he added.
And stories from around the world:
A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the Indonesian island of Lombok Sunday, sending people fleeing into the streets just two weeks after a tremor killed more than 460 people. (AFP)
Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has signed a new law that tightens controls over the internet, part of which allows for websites to be blocked in the country, if deemed to constitute a threat to national security or the economy. (BBC)
China is actively developing its fleet of long-range bombers and “likely” training its pilots for missions targeting the US, according to a new Pentagon report. (CNN)
Iran will unveil a new fighter jet next week and continue developing missile capabilities as a top priority, the defense minister said on Saturday, defying new U.S. sanctions aimed at curbing Tehran’s missile program and regional influence. (Reuters)
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