News recap: Patience Jonathan’s impatient supporters and other happenings

For Hillary Clinton and Patience Jonathan, both of whom were former first ladies in their countries, these are not, definitely, best of times. Madam Clinton, leading in national polls and favoured to be the 45th president of the United States and Dame Patience, who was wished away from Aso Villa alongside her husband by Nigerian voters, was keen on enjoying her life in peace, are currently under probe by Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) respectively.

But neither of them is lacking in support. But business monopolies in Nigeria may soon lose the support of the Nigerian government if the Nigerian Senate’s plans work out.

These are other stories are part of the news recap this week.

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Women numbering over 100 on Wednesday stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos, chanting solidarity songs over the freezing order placed on the bank accounts of ex-First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on September 22 ordered the freezing of some bank accounts belonging to Jonathan on the account of alleged  money laundering charge preferred against her.

Battling against a huge scandal of its own is MTN.  The company has denied it illegally transferred $13.9 billion from Nigeria in the latest scandal to hit the telecom firm in its largest market in the continent. The Johannesburg-based firm is facing a Senate probe over accusations it connived with senior Nigerian officials to move the funds out of the country without complying with the law.

The Senate is also going against some business monopolies operating in the country. The upper chamber, during the week, approved a bill seeking to end all forms of business monopolies in Nigeria and promote trade competition in the 36 states of the federation.

During the week, we also learnt that a former deputy governor of Plateau State has declined her nomination for an ambassadorial appointment. Dame Pauline Tallen said while she’s committed to Nigeria, her sick husband needed her attention more.

While Dame Tallen has counted herself out of the ambassador job, the National Population Commission may not count all Nigerians in 2018.  The chairman of the commission said on Tuesday that poor funding may preclude the 2018 national census from holding.

But it is almost certain that the government would immunise 41 million children against polio before the end of the year as part of efforts to ensure complete eradication of the virus in Nigeria by 2017, according to Nigeria’s health minister, Prof Isaac Adewole. The minister told newsmen in Maiduguri on Monday that the goal was to ensure that polio was eradicated in Africa by next year.

For those enjoying the MMM Ponzi scheme, a national census may be the least of their worries. At least, for now. But analysts say  the scheme may soon go bust in Nigeria  just like it did in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

In Sports, Nigeria’s Kelechi Iheanacho was, once again, confirmed as Europe’s most clinical striker ahead of superstars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Aguero. “Iheanacho, who salvaged a point for City on Sunday against Southampton, has a better shot conversion rate than any other player,” a BBC report said during the week.