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The  Court of Appeal, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital today annulled the election of  Senator Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Ife/Ijesa Senatorial zone of Osun State in the Senate.

Delivering  judgment in the petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) Senatorial candidate in the zone, Honourable Babajide Omoworare against the April 21, 2007 election of the senator, the Court ordered the conduct of a fresh polls in the senatorial district

The Lagos High Court under Justice Olubunmi Oyewole has found former Deputy Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling  Peoples Democratic Party , Chief Bode George  guilty of a 40 count charge of fraud and sentenced him to two and five years imprisonment without  an option of fine.

Nigeria’s anti graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  in 2008 charged Olabode Gorge and four others for contract inflation to the tune of N84 billion during Olabode’s tenure as the chairman of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) Board 2000 and 2003.

Olabode George is presently on his way to Ikoyi Prisons in Lagos Nigeria

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Nigeria’s leading militant group on Sunday announced an indefinite ceasefire in the oil-producing Niger Delta to allow for peace talks with the government.

MEND, said the government expressed a readiness last week to engage in serious talks to address their concerns.

“To encourage the process of dialogue … an indefinite ceasefire has been ordered and takes effect from 0000 hours, Sunday, Oct. 25,” the group said in a statement. (more…)

Delta State Government has set aside the sum of N1.9 billion, representing 50% counterpart funding for its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  

The funds are for the execution of 40 solar powered boreholes, supply of anti-malaria drugs, 400,000 mosquitos treated nets, as well as hospital equipment to state-owned hospitals.

 Similarly, Rivers State spent N1 billion to upgrade its health sector infrastructure across the state.

Meanwhile, Edo State is also to execute projects worth N1.8 billion to meet the MDGs.

The Federal Government has revised the tariffs on imported tyres from 10% to 40%. The increase is aimed at reviving the domestic tyre industries by making imported ones more expensive.

 This is however a reversal of FG’s 2007 tariff review which unfortunately led to closure of most indigenous tyre industries.

Local producers (Michelin and Dunlop) were unable to compete efficiently due to rising cost of generating electricity to power plants, as well as huge sunk cost and lack of economies of scale. 

 Meanwhile, Dunlop Nigeria  has unveiled plans to commence operation following shut-down of its factory in February 2009.

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and West-Pac Petroleum Incorporation, a US based firm, have agreed a strategic partnership to install a 2,000 megawatt (mw) of electricity plants in Lagos within the next four years.

 400 mw of electricity is expected to be generated by end-2010, with plans to develop 5 industrial clusters in Lagos. MAN member-companies are expected to benefit from electricity supplied from the power plant.

U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach Wilmer Cabrera will arrive Nigeria today for the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.A combination of 17 players born in 1992 and four born in 1993 travelled to Nigeria yesterday, Oct. 20, arriving five days before the team’s first match.

The U.S. will open Group E play in Kano, Nigeria against Spain on Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET). The team will stay at Sani Abacha Stadium to play Malawi on Oct. 29 at 4 p.m. (11 a.m. ET) before moving to Ijebu-Ode and Gateway International Stadium to finish the first round against United Arab Emirates on Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. (10 a.m. ET)

“We have been working for two years to find the right players, first for qualifying and now for the World Cup,” said Cabrera. (more…)

Importation of Thai rice  to Nigeria has reduced as some rice importers in that country have suspended ordering rice from the Thailand

Nigeria is Thailand’s largest rice-export market, particularly for parboiled rice. Exports to this market account for 11.5 per cent of Thailand’s rice exports. (more…)

 The Democratic Peoples’ Alliance (DPA) is drawing the attention of Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola  and Commissioner of the Environment, Dr. Muiz Banire, to a looming epidemic around the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, where a neighbouring acreage has been converted into a refuse dumpsite.

DPA warned that the operations could contaminate the Igando water-table and the surrounding air (more…)

Iran football team will arrive Nigeria on Thursday for the  2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup championship.

Iran has been drawn along with Gambia, Colombia and the Netherlands in Group C.

A total of 24 teams have been divided into six groups each consisting of four teams.

The top two places in each group plus the four best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout phase.

This World Cup is the thirteenth tournament of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Championship.