These are the stories that drove the conversation today:
The Senate has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the results of the June 12, 1993, presidential election .
During its plenary on Thursday, the Senate lauded the President’s decision to honour Abiola for his contribution to Nigeria’s democracy and listed some demands to include the announcement of the nullified election results, declaration of Chief M.K.O Abiola as the winner, ensure that all allowances and entitlements to the families of M.K.O Abiola and Babagana Kingibe be made available to them as well as declare June 12 a public holiday.
The lawmakers however resolved that while June 12 is a public holiday, May 29 should remain the day for the inauguration of newly elected officers – president and all government officials as a constitutional amendment is needed if June 12th is declared as Democracy Day.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris leave to sue for among others, an order quashing the May 9, 2015 resolution of the Senate, describing him “an enemy of democracy and unfit to hold any public office within and outside Nigeria.”
In an ex-parte ruling on Thursday, Justice John Tsoho also granted leave to the IGP to file an originating summons for judicial review of the said resolution made on May 9 this year by the Senate, for the purpose of quashing it.
The judge ordered that processes in the suit, including the ruling be served on the respondents – the Senate and its President, Bukola Saraki – through the Clerk of the National Assembly and fixed hearing in the case has for June 27.
The proceedings of Thursday is separate from a pending suit equally file by the IGP, challenging the legitimacy of the Senate’s insistence that he must appear before the legislative house in person in relation to the Senate’s purported probe of the trial of its member, Dino Melaye on criminal charges.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday held a meeting with Service Chiefs and Heads of Security Agencies for the third time in the week.
The meeting which held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja lasted for less than 30 minutes.
Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, said the meeting reviewed issues deliberated upon at their last meeting.
The Federal Government has assured public servants that it would pay promotion arrears and backlog of allowances owed .
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Winifred Oya-Ita, gave the assurance in Abuja at a Peer Review Mechanism (PRM), meeting for Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service is quoted as saying “public servants can now breath a sigh of relief as backlog of outstanding liabilities, such as promotion arrears would soon be addressed.”
“The Ministry of Finance has begun the disbursement of promotion arrears to some civil servants,” she added.
The United States Government has announced a fresh $102 million in humanitarian assistance to Nigeria.
The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, announced the new aid at the ongoing National Conversation on the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus, on Thursday.
A U.S. embassy statement noted that the funds represent the vast majority of the U.S. government’s new $112 million infusion for the Lake Chad region, and is expected to “address the shelter, health and food security needs of populations in the northeast still struggling with the effects of the Boko Haram insurgency.”
And stories from around the world:
The search for survivors from deadly eruptions of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano was temporarily suspended on Thursday due to dangerous conditions for rescue workers, as the death toll from the disaster reached 100, authorities said.
David de Leon, Spokesman for National Disaster Management Agency CONRED urged residents to stay away from the still-dangerous area,
The toll of dead from the most violent eruption of the volcano in four decades has been gradually rising and now stands at 100, police said.
United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore on June 12 was ready to go.
Trump who spoke to reporters as he welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the White House, said he and Abe would discuss North Korean issues and trade.
“Looks like the meeting is set. The summit is all ready to go. Subject always to change. You never know in this world,” he added.
Ghana has dissolved its National Football Association after its President, Kwesi Nyantakyi was filmed apparently accepting a “cash gift”.
According to a report from Ghana Web, Isaac Asiama, Ghana’s Sports Minister, said the association had been “dissolved with immediate effect.”
Nyantakyi who was pictured taking $65,000 (£48,000) from an undercover reporter pretending to be a businessman keen to invest in Ghanaian football is yet to comment on the allegations.
The United Kingdom’s highest court dismissed the latest bid to liberalize Northern Ireland’s highly restrictive abortion law on Thursday.
Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza announced on Thursday that he would not seek another term, easing fears of new violence in the impoverished country after a referendum on term limits.
“I will not go back on my word. Our mandate ends in 2020,” Nkurunziza said in a speech to supporters and diplomats in the central region of Gitega.
Nkurunziza who was widely expected to take advantage of recent changes to the constitution to stand for two more terms – raising concerns that Burundi would see a repeat of deadly unrest that erupted after he stood for the third time in 2015.
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.
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