Labour minister, Ocholi dies in car crash

The Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, has died in a road crash along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

The accident in which Ocholi’s wife, Blessing and son, Aaron also died, occurred at Rijana, Kilometre 57 on the highway.

Ocholi and his wife were married for 27 years.

Kaduna State sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Mr. Francis Udoma said: “The minister and his son died on the spot; the wife died in the government hospital in Doka, Kaduna State.

“The driver, the chief detail, the orderly and the P.A (Personal Assistant ) were injured.”

I won’t be available as Yahaya Bello’s deputy - Faleke declares

Kogi State APC deputy governorship candidate, Abiodun Faleke who ran with late Prince Audu Abubakar in the November 21st governorship election, says he would not be available to be sworn-in as the deputy of the governor-elect, Yahaya Bello on January 27, 2016. Faleke said this at a press briefing in Kabba, Kogi state yesterday December 7th.

“I will not disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu. I, James Abiodun Faleke, will not be there for the swearing-in if we don’t finish the case before the January 27, 2016. Nobody consulted me before making me a deputy to Bello. He too did not consult me. I have made my position known to the party leadership on this. I am not ready to betray and disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu.”he said

Court of Appeal upholds Dino Melaye's election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja this morning upheld the election of Dino Melaye as the Senator representing Kogi East Senatorial district in the senate. PDP candidate in the April election, Smart Adeyemi had challenged the victory of Melaye at the polls. The court in its ruling, struck out Adeyemi's suit, saying it lacked merit.

APC sends Bello's name to INEC as late Prince Audu’s replacement

APC has picked and forwarded to INEC Yahaya Bello's name to be its substitute for late Prince Audu Abubakar in the Kogi state supplementary governorship election come December 5th. This move puts a note of finality to who will be representing the party in the supplementary election.

INEC’s Deputy Director in charge of Publicity, Nick Dazang. who confirmed this new development said " They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission.”.

Pathetic Last Hours of APC Governorship Aspirant, Abubakar Audu

That APC gubernatorial candidate, Abubakar Audu who was earlier on today leading in the yet to be concluded Kogi election, that he is dead is no longer news.

What’s yet to be told is how the controversial former governor died of stroke this afternoon, Sunday, November, 22nd, 2015 after hearing the bad news that the election is inconclusive.

According to the National Enquirer, family sources told them Prince Abubakar Audu's health predicament began yesterday when he was said to have complained of stomach cramps before going to bed.

Abubakar Audu, APC's Governorship Candidate In Kogi Election Is Dead

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi state, Mr. Abubakar Audu is dead.

Mr. Audu died of undisclosed medical reasons shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared his victory at the elections inconclusive. Saharareporters could not determine the cause of Mr. Audu's death. 

Bail out: we'll overcome bottlenecks delaying funds release

Kogi State Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi has assured that the State would overcome the bottleneck delaying the release of the State’s share of the bail out funds, towards ensuring that the outstanding salaries of teachers and workers at the Local Government level is paid.

Awoniyi made the remarks at a forum of People’s Democratic Party PDP, organized in Okehi Local Government Area, by the State Chairman of the PDP, Engr. Sam Uhuotu at the weekend.

The Deputy Governor thanked the people of Okehi Local Government Area, for their support for the Capt Idris Wada administration, disclosing that projects dear to the heart of the people and problems affecting them  has been identified aimed at improving their living standard.

Run for your lives, Awoniyi appeals to residents living in flood prune areas

Following the release of water from Lagbo dam by the Cameroonian authorities and the warning by the National Emergency Management Authority, NEMA, of expected flooding, Kogi State Government has warned residents along the Riverine area to leave and move to higher ground. 

The State Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi stated this in his office after the meeting of the State Flood Management Committee, however said the State is in a better position to handle any negative effects of flooding that may occur this year in the State. 

Awoniyi who said the State Flood Management Standing Committee has identified nine local Government (Ibaji, Bassa, Idah, Lokoja, Kogi, Ajaokuta, Omala, Ofu and Igalamela Odolu LGAs) to be affected by the predicted flooding said adequate preparation have been made to cushion the effect in the event it becomes devastating. 

Nine Workers in Kogi State Die Over Non-Payment of Salaries

Nine out of the 142 staff placed on compulsory leave without pay since 2011 by the Kogi State Transport Company have lost their lives under hunger-related circumstances.

Two of the deceased’s colleagues– Ndakwo Mohammed and Anate Audu— who disclosed this in a statement circulated among media houses in Lokoja on Sunday, said that a number of their colleagues were also in life-threatening situations .

They said that the workers who had put in years of services ranging from 10 years to 23 years, had been facing untold hardship and were now in deteriorating health condition due to lack of money to

feed and pay for medical treatment.

2 beheaded, 4 injured in renewed Anambra/Kogi oil wells crisis

2 people were beheaded at Eziagulu Otu, near the embattled Orient Petroleum Resources Ltd in Anambra East Local Government Area yesterday by armed men suspected to be from Ibaji in Kogi State, who allegedly attacked the people on their farms.

4 people sustained injuries and have since been admitted at a private hospital in Onitsha.

The attack came barely 24 hours after members of Board of Directors of Orient Petroleum informed Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, during a visit, that the company had acquired 2 new wells in Aguleri and would increase its crude oil production to 3,000 barrels per day in September.

It was gathered that the attackers, who were armed to the teeth, took the farmers unawares. Many of them ran into the river but the attackers were able to catch 6 of them, killing 2 and injuring 4.

‘Buhari treating GEJ’s men like prisoners of war’ - Olisa Metuh

While addressing PDP stakeholders in Lokoja, Kogi state, yesterday, PDP spokesperson Olisa Metuh said Buhari is treating people who worked under GEJ in the last administration like prisoners of war.

We condemn the uncivilised method of arrest, intimidation and the denial of the fundamental human rights of members of our party who served in the last administration by the Buhari led administration. We're being treated as if we are prisoners of war. We're being treated like refugees. But we are not afraid, we have faith in our strength & unity; faith in the peace, unity & progress of Nigeria. We're not afraid of the intimidation, harassment and arrest of our members by the administration of President Buhari.” he said

Choosing The Next Kogi Sate Governor

By Abu Micheal.

Kogi is one State that is in critical need of development despite its amazing and abundant human and natural resources.

As such the state is not one that should be left in the hands of political gamblers, for few persons who have made fortunes as land speculators and people who do not have the right leadership credentials to govern a complex state as ours.

For now the need to ask those thinking about becoming the next governor of the state, but are dolling out cars, ankara and monies, what there antecedent had been as civil and public servants, has become very important. This is because Kogi is not an investment for people to think that what the spend now, they will recoup later. Furthermore, the state can't always be guinea pigs for leadership experimentation as has been the case over the years.

Kogi State is no doubt heavily endowed by God to make it prosper as the potential food basket of the nation and also a tourist destination.

According to a report published by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in 2009, Nigeria has commercial deposits of a total of 37 minerals, up from 33 minerals in 2008.

Man Commits Suicide in Abuja Over Failed Marriage

A father of four, who lived at Jiwa in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), last Saturday, committed suicide.

He allegedly drank a dangerous substance, suspected to be an insecticide after several attempts to bring back his wife, who left her matrimonial home along with their children.

Family sources, who spoke to City News on condition of anonymity, informed that the late Sunday Ogul, who hailed from Kogi State, parted ways with his wife about three months ago, during which he threw out her belongings at night after a misunderstanding.

He, however, became more worried recently when he unsuccessfully tried to bring her back from their village, the family source added.