Court clears Ambode for gov race

                                                                                            Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed a suit seeking to stop the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode, from contesting the April 11 polls.

Justice Mohammed Yunusa declared that the plaintiffs had no locus standi to institute the action. The judge also held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any reasonable cause of action to sustain their prayers.

“None of the plaintiffs in the instant suit is an aspirant to be conferred with locus standi,” Yunusa held as he dismissed the suit.

The plaintiffs, Olorunfemi Oluwatosin and Dada Joseph, who are members of the APC, had approached the court seeking an order to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from allowing the APC to field any candidate for Saturday’s governorship elections in Lagos.

We are taking appropriate action on Akiolu – DSS

                               Deputy Director, Public Relations, Department of State Services, Ms. Marylyn Ogar

The Department of State Services has said that it is taking appropriate action over the alleged threat of Ndigbo in Lagos by Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.

Answering questions at the National Information Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, spokesperson for the secret service, Marylyn Ogar, said the service was handling the matter though she refused to give the details of the action being taken.

Ogar said, “We are taking appropriate action. Yesterday, the service had once again warned all Nigerians not to stoke the embers of discord within the country.

“If the presidential election had come and gone successfully, we wouldn’t want people to begin to whip up sentiments unnecessarily. So we are handling it.”

Obanikoro flays Akiolu over comment

                                               Minister of State, Foreign Affairs II, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikro, has berated the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, over the monarch’s comment on the Igbo living in Lagos.

A statement by Obanikoro, on Wednesday, said the threat issued against the Igbo was not in line with the character and spirit of Lagosians.

He described the traditional ruler’s statement as a premeditated and needless hostility capable of causing division within the state.

An enraged Akiolu had said that Igbo living in Lagos, who do not vote for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, will perish in the lagoon.

Power firms now free to fix tariffs – NERC

                                                                                    Chairman, NERC, Dr Sam Amadi

Electricity distribution companies can now set their own tariffs based on the cost of operating in their various locations, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has said.

Although such will be subject to approval by the commission, NERC stated that the Discos would have to interface with their customers before presenting the tariffs to the regulator.

The Chairman, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, said this in Abuja on Wednesday at the end of the regular monthly meeting that the commission often holds with the power generation and distribution companies and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

Amadi stated that the commission had in the past allowed the Discos to hold consultations with their customers on issues pertaining to tariffs, but noted that this time, it would be the duty of the companies to set the tariffs and not that of NERC.

APC to ratify Buhari’s ministerial list

                                                                     Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress will ratify the list of persons to be appointed into the Federal Executive Council before presentation to the National Assembly.

It was learnt in Abuja on Wednesday that party leaders were seeking to restore the party supremacy which some alleged was lost during the 16 years that the Peoples Democratic Party held sway.

A prominent northern leader of the party, who pleaded for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the APC was working to avoid the pitfalls which led to the collapse of the PDP.

He said, “We are looking at a situation where the party will direct the affairs of government in line with our manifesto. Recall that this was largely the case during the second republic.