The House of Representatives has suspended the debate on the general principles of the 2019 appropriation bill. The bill was listed as the first order of the day on the order paper but the debate was suspended due to the late arrival of the copies to members. It will, however,…

Protesters on Monday stormed the zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Wuse 2, Abuja, demanding the probe of a former Akwa-Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio. The protesters under the aegis of Civil Society Groups for Accountability and Probity requested an investigation to be launched into what…

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have spoken on the arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, over his failure to declare his assets. In separate statements on Sunday by their spokespersons, Yusuph…

With about a month to the presidential election, various political parties began their campaign tours to various states. Below are some of the major stories from last week. SUNDAY 1. The campaign team of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar released audio tapes which it described…

Masked security operatives on Friday stormed the hospital where Dino Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West, was receiving treatment, and forcibly removed the lawmaker. Mr Melaye was taken from his hospital bed into an unmarked vehicle and drove away, witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES. The senator was arrested last week after…

The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has challenged northern elders to raise their voices against insecurity in the region "just as they did during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan". Mr Jonathan hails from Bayelsa, South-south Nigeria, while the current president, Muhammadu Buhari is from the…

A federal high court in Port Harcourt on Monday nullified both the direct and indirect primaries conducted by two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State. The court, presided by Kolawole Omotosho, also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any candidates of the APC…

The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) in partnership with NotTooYoungToRun movement, Channels Television and PREMIUM TIMES have launched a television program designed to support youth candidates seeking elective offices in the 2019 general elections. The TV show, supported by the European Union, tagged 'Ready To Run' will…

The police on Friday acknowledged that controversial senator, Dino Melaye, has surrendered days after the police laid siege to his house in Abuja. The police laid siege to Mr Melaye's house last week Friday after the lawmaker allegedly refused to appear before the police for questioning. He is wanted for…

The siege on the residence of the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, by the police, has entered its eight day. PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how the police laid siege to the senator’s Abuja residence last week Friday, ending a turbulent year which began with allegations that…

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the appointment of Amina Zakari as the chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee. The party said it took the position because Mrs Zakari is President Buhari's niece. The PDP presidential campaign organisation made this known by its director,…

Recalling events in 2018 at the House of Representatives will not be complete without some controversial yet memorable ones. The 8th assembly led by Speaker Yakubu Dogara witnessed a lot of events that ranged from the famous NEMA committee report, faulty microphones and others. Below are some of the events…

The media aide to Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhamamdu Buhari, has released a list of the 'Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Team.' The list was sent to PREMIUM TIMES by Suleiman Haruna, the media aide to Mrs Buhari. The campaign team is separate from the Presidential Campaign Council announced…

Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has advised the Igbos to be weary of the promise of the APC government to hand over power to them in 2023, noting that it was dangerous to take the APC government seriously, the Vanguard reported. The newspaper reported that Mr Obasanjo stated this during…

The campaign organisations of the two main candidates in next year's presidential election on Sunday accused each other's candidate of corruption. The campaign organisation of President Muhammadu Buhari accused Atiku Abubakar of the PDP of not just being corrupt but also being so recognised internationally. Festus Keyamo, the Director, Strategic…

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the demise of a former President of Nigeria, Shehu Shagari. Mr Shagari, 93, died Friday evening at the National Hospital Abuja after a brief illness. The death of the elder statesman was announced by his grandson, Bello Shagari, via his Twitter handle. In…

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign organization has declared that Nigeria’s president and candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, no longer has the moral standing to seek re-election until he directly responds to corruption allegations by its candidate, Atiku Abubakar. The PDP presidential candidate had…

President Muhammadu Buhari was interrupted and booed intermittently by some lawmakers while addressing the joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday. The actions of the lawmakers threw the parliament into a rowdy session while the president presented the 2019 Appropriation Bill before the National Assembly. Lawmakers from different political…

The anticipated presentation of the 2019 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly was on Wednesday delayed for over 30 minutes due protest by some lawmakers. The lawmakers, mostly from the opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) also carried placards with different inscriptions into the chamber. The budget presentation…

All stage is set for President Muhammadu Buhari to present the 2019 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly. According to a letter addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives, Mr Buhari is expected to lay the budget, expected to be a little below the 2018 budget…

Amidst controversies that led to the blockade of the entrance of the National Assembly by the police, members of the House of Representatives have moved to admit the president, Muhammadu Buhari, and his entourage on Wednesday to present the 2019 budget. On Tuesday during plenary, the House Majority Leader, Femi…

A civic group has asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, to invoke Section 52 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act to investigate the allegations of bribery against Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State. Mr Ganduje was accused of receiving millions of dollars…

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, at least 50 per cent of the 360 House of Representatives members of the eighth assembly will not return to the ninth assembly next year. A review by PREMIUM TIMES shows that many of these lawmakers either lost the primary elections that were recently…

A bill to amend the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria to reintroduce a parliamentary system of government has passed first reading in the House of Representatives. The bill sponsored by 71 members seeks to change the system of government from presidential to parliamentary where the government will be run by the…

Members of the House of Representatives have threatened to boycott the presentation of 2019 budget estimates by the president, Muhammadu Buhari, over an alleged comment by the minister of budget and national planning, Udo Udoma. The president had on Thursday, in an executive communique, announced that he will present the…