• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Buhari vows to deliver Nigeria Air as ”parting gift”

President Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians that the National Carrier would commence flight operations on or before December this year.

The president gave the assurance at the 3rd Ministerial Performance Review Retreat on Monday in Abuja.

The president revealed that the National Carrier for Nigeria is at 91 percent completion, and had been boosted by with the certification of Lagos and Abuja International Airports by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

He said Kano and Port Harcourt Airports are undergoing similar certification processes, NAN reported.

2023: God called us to change Lagos story —Funke Akindele

Funke Akindele, the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the PDP in Lagos State, said that God called her and the PDP Governorship Candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor) to change the story of the state if elected in 2023.

Akindele, the dairy of Jenifa actress, made this revelation at the Sunday Worship Service of the Ayo Ni O Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Surulere District, Badagry Circuit Headquarters.

According to her, God has been with her right from birth and He is interested in her aspirations to make Lagos state work for all segments and divisions of the state.

“God has been with me from infant till I went to school and till now. He chose me to be the deputy governorship candidate of the PDP, despite the crowd that struggled to be chosen.

“I give God all the glory for what he has done. God has always been doing the best for me.

“We were called by God, if not we would have backed out. People have suffered but God has called us and put us forward to come and change the story of Lagos state to better. The success of Lagos state is ours,” she said.

Akindele thanked the church leaders for prayers and support. This is according to NAN.

Read also: Lagos PDP Funke Akindele campaigns in Alimosho

Customs warns officers against fraud, threatens more sack, sanctions

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), says it will continue to wield its “big stick” on officers found to be involved in fraudulent practices.

Deputy Comptroller Timi Bomodi, who is the National Public Relations Officer of the service told the press in Abuja on Sunday that the present administration had zero tolerance for corruption.

He said officers who had been found culpable over time had been punished in various ways depending on the level of their involvement in crime or wrong doing.

According to him, the service will continue to fish out “bad eggs” until the system was sanitised as much as possible.

Bomodi said officers, who had over time been investigated and found guilty, had either been suspended, de-ranked, sent on compulsory retirement or summarily dismissed.

“Under this administration and the leadership of retired Col. Hameed Ali, we have seen the full enforcement of laid down rules in the service.

“As such, we have been able to cut down on culpable behaviour among officers and this has impacted greatly on the level of revenue generation,” he said.

Boris Johnson out of Tory leadership race

Boris Johnson has pulled out of the Tory leadership race.

It is believed the former prime minister couldn’t attract the required number of MPs to progress (56).

Johnson issued a statement saying: “In the last few days I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who suggested that I should once again contest the Conservative Party leadership, both among the public and among friends and colleagues in Parliament.

“I have been attracted because I led our party into a massive election victory less than three years ago – and I believe I am therefore uniquely placed to avert a general election now.

“A general election would be a further disastrous distraction just when the government must focus on the economic pressures faced by families across the country.

“I believe I am well placed to deliver a Conservative victory in 2024 – and tonight I can confirm that I have cleared the very high hurdle of 102 nominations, including a proposer and a seconder, and I could put my nomination in tomorrow.

“There is a very good chance that I would be successful in the election with Conservative Party members – and that I could indeed be back in Downing Street on Friday.

“But in the course of the last days I have sadly come to the conclusion that this would simply not be the right thing to do. You can’t govern effectively unless you have a united party in parliament.

“And though I have reached out to both Rishi and Penny – because I hoped that we could come together in the national interest – we have sadly not been able to work out a way of doing this.

“Therefore I am afraid the best thing is that I do not allow my nomination to go forward and commit my support to whoever succeeds.

“I believe I have much to offer but I am afraid that this is simply not the right time.”

This leaves the race open for former chancellor Rishi Sunak who leads nominations among Tory MPs, with 144 supporters. This is according to the London Economics.

Red Bull Owner Dietrich Mateschitz Dies Aged 78

Dietrich Mateschitz, the Austrian billionaire founder and owner of energy drink company Red Bull, died on Saturday at the age 78 after a serious illness with cancer.

His death was confirmed by the championship-leading Red Bull Formula One team.

The Styrian-born entrepreneur built a global empire around the energy drink Red Bull and was considered the richest man in Austria Mateschitz’s fortune is estimated at around €25 billion. This puts him in 51st place on Forbes’ list on the world’s richest people.