Soccer-Nigeria v Burkina Faso friendly called off due to visa muddle

March 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria’s friendly against Burkina Faso in London on Monday has been called off because seven of the Burkinabe players were unable to secure visas to Britain.
“The match in question is called off due to no fault of either the organizers or the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),” said NFF technical committee chairman Chris Green.

Ambode decries over-dependence on federal allocations by govs

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, at the weekend, decried the over-dependence of state governments on allocations from the Federation Account, for running their affairs.
Rather, Amode urged his counterparts to concentrate on their comparative advantages for self-sustainability.
The governor made the assertion while delivering a convocation lecture entitled “Recession: Challenges and Recovery  Prospects” at the Wellspring University, Benin City, Edo State capital.

EARTH HOUR

The United Nations, on Saturday evening, switched off the lights at its headquarters complex in New York and other facilities around the world in observance of the 10th annual ‘Earth Hour’.
The global event was meant to put the spotlight on the issues facing the planet and to inspire millions across the world to live in a more sustainable manner.
In a message, Secretary-General António Guterres, said: “Climate change continues to imperil lives and livelihoods around the world.

PMB'S ADMINISTRATION RELEASES N1TRILLON FOR 2016 CAPITAL PROJECT SETS NEW RECORD

Money released for capital projects to federal ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, from the 2016 budget, have surpassed a record N1 trillion, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has disclosed.
Mrs. Adeosun described the achievement as the highest ever budgetary release in Nigeria’s annual funding for capital projects.
“So far, N1trillion has been released on capital allocations. This is the highest so far in the history of this country,” the minister said.

FORMER PRESIDENT OF EGYPT FREE AFTER SIX YEARS

Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president overthrown in 2011 and the first leader to face trial after the Arab Spring uprisings that swept the region, walked free on Friday for the first time in six years, his lawyer said.
He left the Maadi Military Hospital where he had been detained, heading to his home in Heliopolis.
A top appeals court cleared Mr. Mubarak earlier this month on charges of killing protesters in the 2011 uprising that ended his 30 year rule.

SENATOR DINO MELAYE'S CERTIFICATE CONTROVERSY

The Ahmadu Bełlo University, ABU, Zaria has said it would not release information on the controversy surrounding the academic certificate Dino Melaye, the All Progressives Congress senator representing Kogi West District, until formally approached by the Senate.
Mr. Melaye, who says he graduated from the university with a degree in Geography, was last week accused of making false claim.
The online newspaper, Sahara Reporters, said Mr. Melaye did not graduate from ABU.

IPAC URGES ALL NDIGBO'S TO COME HOME

The Southeast caucus of Inter-Party Advisory Council, (IPAC), the umbrella body of registered political parties in the country, has called on all eligible Southeasterners to come home and be counted during the census. The group said that when the people of the geopolitical zone take part in the forthcoming census, it will help to ascertain the actual population of Ndigbo and also help in the distribution of infrastructure in the area.
The body also called on the Federal Government to unconditionally release the detained leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in obedience to a court order.

PEACE IN PDP AS THE TWO FACTIONS AGREES TO WORK TOGETHER

Supreme Court fixes May 4 to hear suit on Makarfi’s appeal
The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be over soon. This followed the agreement reached by the two factions after a meeting yesterday to halt all forms of hostilities against each other.