EXPOSING THE NEWS - politics . sports . cartoons

SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI: CRISIS TIMES! The office of the Senate President is in the news daily – for the wrong reason.  Before Senator Saraki, that office – officially No. 3 – in the country was regarded as sacred and it was a taboo for anything other than positive news to emanate from there! Now, not any more.  For the 50 year old Senate President, it is crisis times and nightmare. Why did it take the authorities 13 years to get serious with Senator Bukola Saraki over his alleged corrupt acquisitions? Again, why are the authorities after Senator Bukola Saraki’s wife? Suddenly, it looks like the hunter is becoming trapped and almost becoming a captive. Those hitherto speaking for him are quiet; Senator Dino Melaye, his most vocal and ardent supporter is not talking.  May be he has sensed the closing net and is cautious.  Senator Melaye since he became a Senator doesn’t answer his calls. His perceived political camp is also quiet.  The aristo...

ALLEGED ETHNIC BIAS CRISIS BREWS IN NSCDC. There is palpable fear at the Wuse Headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over alleged ethnic bias by those alleged to be in the kitchen cabinet of the new CG over the pro-Abolurin boys.. Abuja Morning Star gathered from insider sources that since the emergence of new CG, Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammad, appointed to succeed former boss, Dr Ade Abolurin, aggrieved section of his proposed new cabinet – mostly officers of Northern Extraction – are spoiling for war.  Their mantra now is “ This is our turn ”, though our sources say this is unknown to the CG.  But officers from the Southern part of the Paramilitary are not folding their hands.  They are resisting this obvious ethnic diversity. These officers who now surround the office of the CG and branded pro-CG have begun to use their strategic position to harass and intimidate those perceived as “Abolurin boys”. An example is one highly p...

CASH SQUEEZE  GRIPS MDA’S REFUSES TO HEED BUHARI’S ORDERS ON  ARREARS A new wave of “blistering” hardship is sweeping through Ministries, Departments and Agencies.  From reliable sources, this new development is coming on the heels of the arrival of “ Buharimonics ” who has since ordered the immediate implementation of the TSA policy—an acronym for single treasury account, making it impossible for fraud to be perpetrated by hardened Nigerians.. As Abuja Morning Star gathered, those apostles of “Change” who sided with “ sai baba ”, never envisaged this dramatic turn for the worst and nothing is being done anywhere  in any Federal Ministry. “It is like the noose is being tightened daily with more and more stringent measures”, said Ibrahim Alkali, a staff of one of the Ministries at the Federal Secretariat. Another fellow, Muhammad Bali who works with the Immunization Department of Federal Health Ministry said, “We have never seen anything like this...

NIGERIA’S SQUANDERED OPPORTUNITIES DESPITE BILLIONS, POVERTY, TEARS, REIGNS Nigeria is a theatre of dreams.  Daily, you read of billions approved for various projects, constructions and what have you.  Yet, many years later, there is practically nothing to show for it. The various States in Nigeria remain derelict, almost submerged under crushing self inflicted squalor and defeat. Last week, I drove to Zaria and booked my stay at a guest House in ABU.  As I strolled through the city, I could scarcely believe my eyes.  Zaria is dilapidated, struck by poverty—a pale shadow of what it was 30 years ago when I first visited as a student Union Leader!  I saw anguish, harsh and suffocating poverty – old, antiquated houses, ancient walkways and impossible filths – everywhere.  And I wondered where all the billions allocated to the State went; may be for settling party bigwigs, political godfathers, etc.  Zaria does not have good roads; prominent sup...