Former Nigerian ambassador to Botswana, Isaac Onuh, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately cease what he describes as a “macabre dance” against former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, under the guise of an anti-corruption campaign. Speaking with journalists in Lokoja on Friday, Onuh, who also served as a lawmaker, warned the EFCC against unauthorized tactics allegedly used to intimidate Bello following his 2023 presidential bid. He suggested that political adversaries could be exploiting the agency to damage Bello’s reputation, which he claimed remained untarnished through two terms as Kogi governor. “His Excellency, Alhaji…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has criticized the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, over remarks suggesting youths in Abuja pursue taxi driving as a viable career. Ibe warned against portraying the youth as limited to taxi work, highlighting that economic hardship, not choice, often pushes young Nigerians into such jobs. Wike’s comments came on Thursday during a car handover ceremony to FCT youths, aimed at promoting commercial driving. In his address, Wike encouraged recipients to feel empowered rather than ashamed, noting that many Nigerians willingly take up similar roles…
The Federal Government has announced plans to address the recurring sea incursion impacting Ayetoro community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, with assurances that relief is on the way. The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, expressed the government’s commitment to working alongside the Ondo State Government to tackle the environmental challenges faced by the coastal, theocratic community. He assured residents that Ayetoro’s restoration is a priority. Speaking at a town hall meeting and stakeholders’ engagement organized by the Federal Ministry of Works regarding the alignment of Ondo State’s 63km segment of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, Umahi emphasized…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted accusations by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, ignored a court order on prosecuting electoral offenders. In a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, addressed media reports claiming that SERAP had accused INEC of failing to prosecute electoral offenders from the 2023 General Election. The accusations by SERAP included claims that INEC neglected to engage independent counsels to prosecute unnamed governors and deputy governors for alleged violations of electoral laws. SERAP also alleged…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed strong disappointment over the recent defection of Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gummi to the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling it a betrayal of both the party and the trust of the people of Gummi/Bukkuyum, who elected him under the PDP’s banner. In a statement issued by the party’s publicity secretary, Andi Haliru, and made available to journalists in Gusau, the PDP emphasized that Gummi’s defection came despite the absence of any internal crisis, demonstrating what it described as a lack of commitment to the ideals and values of the PDP. “We firmly believe that…
Political parties participating in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election will sign a Peace Accord on November 8, an initiative coordinated by the National Peace Committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promote a peaceful electoral process. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced the development on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the Commission has identified potential flashpoints in Ondo and informed security agencies to support effective conflict mapping. While addressing Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) during INEC’s fourth quarterly meeting, Yakubu stated that INEC would conduct a final assessment of election readiness next week, which will involve stakeholders, officials,…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State has taken a swipe at the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the defection of Suleiman Abubakar Gummi to the APC. Gummi, who was elected under the PDP in 2023 to represent the Bukkuyyum/Gummi federal constituency in the House of Representatives, recently joined the APC along with his supporters. Addressing journalists in Gusau, APC State Publicity Secretary Yusuf Idris Gusau stated that Gummi’s defection highlights internal issues within the PDP. “We are not surprised that the lawmaker decamped to APC with his teeming supporters because Governor Dauda Lawal is not a politician…
Edo State’s outgoing Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Thursday recounted how land grabbers illegally reallocated and resold his property in Iyekogba, Oredo Local Government Area. Obaseki shared his experience while commissioning the Edo Built Environment Hub in Benin City. The newly inaugurated hub encompasses the Ministry of Physical Planning, Housing, Urban and Regional Development; Edo Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS); Ministry of Roads and Bridges; and the Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency. Reflecting on the incident, Obaseki said, “Before I assumed office as governor, my land, which had a government-approved Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), was grabbed and resold…
The Abia State chapter of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged security agencies to refrain from subjecting voters to any form of brutality during the upcoming local government elections on November 2. Speaking in Umuahia on Thursday after a peace accord was signed by political parties in the state, Abia IPAC Chairman Nelcin Uluocha emphasized that any form of voter mistreatment would not be tolerated. Uluocha, who also chairs the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in Abia, expressed the council’s commitment to ensuring a fair and peaceful election process. Additionally, Uluocha criticized Alex Ikwuechegh, the member representing Aba North/Aba South…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Thursday distributed 80 vehicles to youth in Abuja as part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Youth Empowerment Initiative. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, which marked the end of nine days of project inaugurations, Wike emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the lives of young people in the FCT. The vehicle distribution included 30 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), 30 seven-seater Suzuki minibuses, and 20 14-seater Hiace buses. According to Wike, the vehicles are intended to create employment opportunities for the youth and help reduce transportation costs within the capital.…
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has stated that Northern governors cannot oppose President Bola Tinubu, whom he described as a leader they collectively helped to elect. This comes amid reports of Northern governors rejecting aspects of a tax reform bill sent to the National Assembly by President Tinubu’s administration. In a communiqué issued Monday, the Northern Governors’ Forum, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa, expressed concerns over elements of the bill, notably its provisions on Value Added Tax (VAT) distribution. The proposed legislation, forwarded by Tinubu to the Senate and House of Representatives on October 3, 2024, includes provisions…
With just 17 days to the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) deputy governorship candidate, Susan Gbemisola Alabi, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Alabi formally joined the ruling APC during its campaign tour in Akoko North West Local Government Area, where she was welcomed by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and APC State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin. Her defection follows her resignation from the SDP on October 2, when she notified the party’s National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, of her decision. During the campaign, Governor Aiyedatiwa, who is also the APC’s governorship candidate, promised…
Abubakar Gummi, representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the House of Representatives, has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), departing from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he was elected. Gummi announced his defection in a letter read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during Wednesday’s plenary, attributing his decision to unresolved internal crises within the PDP. He highlighted the recent removal of the PDP chairman in his local government, leading to the emergence of two chairmen and disrupting the party’s democratic operations. However, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda challenged the defection, urging the Speaker to honor his…
Comrade Usman Okai Austin, former candidate for the Dekina/Bassa Federal House of Representatives and National Coordinator of the National Youths Frontier, has expressed support for Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s potential bid for the Nigerian presidency, calling him “overwhelmingly qualified.” Okai highlighted Makinde’s two terms as governor, his achievements, and his extensive political experience as key indicators of his suitability for the country’s top office. He made these remarks in response to claims suggesting that Makinde is a “mole” working for the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing them as unfounded. “There’s no harm in a governor aspiring for the Presidency,”…
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to dismiss demands for the redeployment of Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola. Speaking at a press conference in Akure on Wednesday, Ondo State IPAC Chairman, Mr. Olaoluwa Adesanya, affirmed IPAC’s confidence in Babalola’s integrity and capability to oversee a credible, fair, and free election on November 16. Adesanya highlighted that Babalola had maintained transparency by involving IPAC in all INEC activities related to the upcoming polls. He described allegations of her collusion with political parties as unfounded and unsubstantiated. “IPAC Ondo State…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) plans to use operatives of the Amotekun Corps to influence the November 16 governorship election in the state. In a statement by Ayo Fadaka, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the PDP governorship candidate, the opposition expressed concern over the recent appointment of Amotekun Corps Commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, as Chairman of the Security Committee for the APC campaign council. The PDP claimed this move would mobilize Amotekun operatives as “thugs” during the election and vowed to resist the alleged plot. “We…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied accusations from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) that its chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, ignored a court order regarding the prosecution of electoral offenders. In a statement released Wednesday in Abuja, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, addressed the allegations, which stemmed from media reports in which SERAP claimed the Commission failed to prosecute individuals involved in electoral offenses during the 2023 General Election. SERAP had alleged that INEC neglected to appoint independent counsels to prosecute unnamed governors and deputy governors for various electoral…
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has sentenced a final-year student of the University of Port Harcourt, Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, to 14 years imprisonment for internet fraud. Justice A.T. Mohammed delivered the judgment on Wednesday following Ekanem’s arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a seven-count charge of obtaining money under false pretenses and impersonation. According to a statement by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, Ekanem defrauded a victim, Diana Roskov, of $22 by impersonating Coran Capshaw, the manager of American singer Chris Stapleton, through fraudulent WhatsApp and Instagram chats. Oyewale disclosed that Ekanem…
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Major General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as the Acting Chief of Army Staff (COAS). This appointment, announced in a statement on Wednesday by presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga, will remain in effect until the return of the substantive Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. Amid speculation surrounding Lagbaja’s status, Army spokesperson Onyema Nwachukwu had clarified on October 20 that the COAS was on leave. Onanuga reaffirmed that Lagbaja remains the substantive Chief of Army Staff. Before his appointment, Oluyede served as the 56th Commander of the Infantry Corps, based in Jaji, Kaduna. A…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has assured residents of the FCT that President Bola Tinubu has instructed him to address their demands promptly. Wike made this statement on Wednesday during the flag-off ceremony for the rehabilitation of the 10-kilometer Aguma Palace-Radio Nigeria-New Market Road in Gwagwalada Area Council. The minister emphasized the FCT Administration’s (FCTA) commitment to ensuring that governance brings tangible benefits to residents, particularly through the development of infrastructure in the area councils. Wike explained that the road project was selected based on inputs from stakeholders during a recent town hall meeting between…