Vladimir Putin was named acting president on Dec. 31, 1999, by then-president Boris Yeltsin. He has been in office as president or prime minister ever since, a period spanning two decades. Here are some highlights of Putin’s 20 years in power: Aug. 9, 1999 - During an economic crisis, President Yeltsin names little-known security chief Vladimir Putin as his fifth acting prime minister in less than a year, and says he wants Putin to succeed him as president. In the following weeks, bombings of apartment blocks across Russia kill more than 300 people, in attacks Putin blames on Chechen militants.…

Suspected miscreants on Monday attacked and disrupted a peaceful protest organised by a coalition of civil society groups over the continued detention of #RevolutionNow convener, Mr Omoyele Sowore. The attack happened despite the presence of policemen who were unable to manage the situation. The activists had gathered at National Human Rights Commission headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, to present a letter to the Executive Secretary of the commission when they were attacked by the hoodlums who were carrying a large banner with the inscription, ‘Support Buhari, say no to saboteurs.’ The coalition members were singing and wielding placards with inscriptions such…

Mr Sambo Marafa, younger brother of Mr Kabir Marafa, ex-senator representing Zamfara central, has resigned his appointment as special adviser to Mr Bello Matawalle, the state governor, on comprehensive agricultural revolution programme. Sambo Marafa said he resigned so he could pay attention to his business. Messers Jamilu Zannah and Bilyaminu Shinkafi, commissioners for higher education and science and technology, respectively, also resigned their positions. Their resignations come barely two weeks after they were inaugurated. Speaking to journalists on Saturday in Gusau, the state capital, Zannah, who was Matawalle’s campaign director during the 2019 governorship election in the state, hinged his…

In what appears as a continuation of the cat and mouse tussle between Governor Umar Ganduje and Emir of Kano, Mr Muhammad Sanusi, over the Kano emirate leadership controversy, the state government has written the first class monarch to either indicate his acceptance or otherwise of his appointment as Chairman, Kano State Council of Chiefs. “The Governor is requesting Emir of Kano(Sarkin Kano) to indicate his acceptance or otherwise as Chairman of Kano State Council of Chiefs “ said the letter which was silent on what would happen next in the event the emir failed to respond. Dated December 19th,…