The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has on Monday entered into a new alliance with more than 30 other political parties in the country.

The parties who announced a new name – Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) at a meeting which held at the Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) and mobilise support for consensus candidates at the states, and the legislative arm of government.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party of Nigeria (SDP), National Conscience Party (NCP), Labour Party, and a host of other newly registered parties are among the major parties that entered into the alliance.

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According to a statement issued on Monday by the NYSC Head of Press unit, Mrs. Adeyemi Adenike, in Abuja, the NYSC affirmed that checking by its records, the Minister applied for an exemption certificate but that it was still investigating the origin of the alleged forged certificate that has been a source of controversy for days.

“Our attention has been drawn to the issue of the alleged forgery of an NYSC Exemption Certificate by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

“Checking our records, Mrs. Adeosun did apply for an Exemption Certificate,” the statement read.

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Troops in Borno State have rescued a female child abandoned by fleeing Boko Haram terrorists. 

Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen Texas Chukwu, disclosed this on Monday in a statement, adding that the troops who were on a “clearance operation” also recovered three AK47 riffle magazines, one FN rifle magazine, one suicide vest and other items from the terrorists.

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has revealed that no casualty was recorded at Saturday’s fire incident that occurred at the NNPC Minna depot in Niger.

Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, on confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria while speaking on the sideline of the ongoing Seven Critical Gas Development Projects (7CGDP) workshop in Lagos.

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And from around the world:

Divers have rescued four more boys from a vast cave system in northern Thailand on the second day of a complex operation.

The Thai Navy Seals leading the rescue operation have confirmed that eight boys in total have been extracted.

Four boys and their football coach remain inside the caves and rescuers will try to free them on Tuesday. (BBC)