Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, the Edo State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has organised a prayer session to ensure a violence-free and successful electoral process. The prayer session, held on Thursday in Benin City, was organised as a response to the tensions and threats that have emerged during the political campaigns leading up to the election. Speaking at the event, Apostle Irekpono Omoike, the State Chairman of CAN, urged the electorate to vote for the candidate of their choice, while also emphasising the importance of peace. “The prayer has become necessary given the political atmosphere. We…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of deliberately planting moles within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State to create internal divisions for political gain. The governor made this claim during a visit from the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) on Wednesday. The visit came just a day after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) met with the governor, who also serves as the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. Mohammed voiced concerns about the ongoing rift within the Rivers State PDP, which has seen a power struggle between the incumbent governor,…
The Niger State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with armed robbery and acts of thuggery in Minna, the state capital. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the arrests were made following a report on September 14, 2024, at around 10:45 pm. The Chanchaga Police Division received information that a group of six hoodlums, armed with cutlasses and knives, had attacked individuals near the Old City Gate, by Eastern Bypass in Minna, robbing them of mobile phones and other valuables. Upon receiving the report, police patrol teams and local vigilantes were swiftly deployed to…
The Osun State Police Command has apprehended suspected members of the proscribed Yoruba Nation movement. The arrests were made known by the Command’s Deputy Public Relations Officer, Giwa-Alade Emmanuel, during a parade of the suspects at the police headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday. Among those paraded were 61-year-old Fagbayi Oluwafemi, 63-year-old Joy Faseyiku, and 64-year-old Alabede Janet. According to Emmanuel, the suspects were arrested for alleged conspiracy, unlawful assembly, secessionist activities, and treasonable felony while addressing traders at the Obada Market in Ikire. The police spokesperson revealed that the trio had been encouraging traders to abandon their allegiance to Nigeria…
The Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) has responded to allegations circulating in the media, accusing the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of hypocrisy for endorsing the party’s governorship candidate in Edo State, Barrister Olumide Akpata. Peter Obi recently visited Edo State to campaign for Akpata ahead of the gubernatorial election scheduled for Saturday. In a statement signed by the group’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Umar, POMR refuted claims that Obi’s support for Akpata contradicts his long-standing principles on power rotation. The media team argued that critics are attempting to divert attention from key election issues by attacking Obi’s backing of…
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has made it clear that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not have a preferred candidate in the upcoming Edo State governorship election. Musa made this statement on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Benin City, which included representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies. Musa emphasized that President Tinubu’s stance is for the will of the people to prevail. “The President’s favourite will be the candidate that the people of Edo State choose,” he said. He further highlighted the President’s directive to ensure…
Ahead of the Edo State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, 21st September 2024, a socio-political group, Edo Collectives, has issued a stern warning against the importation of thugs into the state. The group expressed concerns about the potential for violence during the election, following reports of the influx of hired thugs. In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by the group’s secretary, Musa Osagie, Edo Collectives cautioned that any attempt by external forces to disrupt the election would be met with resistance. “There are reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has brought in thugs from Kogi and Imo…
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has urged members of the dissolved National Working Committee (NWC) of the party, formerly led by Julius Abure, to put aside their differences and work with the National Caretaker Committee to strengthen the party. Obi, represented by Datti Baba-Ahmed at the inaugural meeting of the caretaker committee in Abuja on Tuesday night, clarified that it was the party’s constitution that brought an end to Abure’s tenure, not the actions of any individual. He said, “No governor unseated Abure, the constitution unseated him. His tenure came to an end. As of…
Only five political parties have registered to participate in the upcoming local government elections in Kwara State, scheduled for September 21, 2024. These parties include the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Peoples Movement (APM), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Accord Party (AP). This was revealed by Mohammed Baba Okanla, Chairman of the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWASIEC), during the 42nd edition of the Media Parliament organised by the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin on Wednesday. Okanla also disclosed that over 21,000 unemployed individuals applied for ad hoc positions…
The Adamawa State Government has approved N2.9 billion for the reconstruction of Yola Town Market, which was devastated by a fire five months ago. The new market is expected to house 69 modern shops and will be completed within nine months. This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr John Dabari, during a briefing with journalists following the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting. The meeting was presided over by the Deputy Governor, Kaletapwa Farauta, at the Government House in Yola on Wednesday. Dr Dabari explained that the remodelling of the market would incorporate modern architectural designs aimed…
A faction of the Labour Party (LP) led by Julius Abure has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of targeting the party for retribution due to its active support for the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, during the 2023 general elections. The allegations were made during a media briefing held by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, at the party’s National Secretariat on Wednesday in Abuja. According to Ifoh, INEC’s actions appear to be influenced by the involvement of key Labour Party leaders in the last general elections. Ifoh further claimed that…
Ahead of the Edo State gubernatorial election on Saturday, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has vowed that voters will make it challenging for those planning to rig the election. Speaking on Wednesday in Benin during the grand finale rally for the party’s candidate, Olumide Akpata, Obi emphasised that the era of election rigging in Nigeria is nearing its end. The former Anambra State governor expressed his determination that the electorate would take firm control over the electoral process, stating that anyone attempting to manipulate the outcome of the September 21 polls would face severe consequences. “Election rigging is…
Traders at the New Gbagi International Market, Ibadan, operating under the New Gbagi Petty Traders Association, have reported the loss of two members and the hospitalisation of 27 others following the demolition of their shops by the Oyo State Government. The Chairman of the association, Engineer Kolawole Oyewole, disclosed this during an interview with Newsmen on Tuesday. He expressed deep concern over the situation, which has had a devastating impact on the livelihoods of the traders. According to Oyewole, the demolition, which began on Sunday, has taken a severe toll on the traders. In addition to the two deaths and…
Less than a week after a tragic boat accident claimed over 40 lives in Gummi, Zamfara State, another boat has capsized in Bukkuyum Local Government Area, resulting in further loss of life. The incident occurred on Tuesday at Mashayar Garba Rogo in Bukkuyum town, with over 50 passengers aboard. According to Muhammad Usman, a local resident, the boat was carrying mostly children and a few adults, who were attempting to cross the river to their farms when the vessel capsized. Four children tragically drowned in the accident. While two bodies have been recovered, two others remain missing. Twelve survivors have…
The Benue State Government has announced proactive measures to address the rising water levels of the River Benue, following the opening of the Lagdo Dam in neighbouring Cameroon and flood predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) for 2024. In response to the impending flood disaster, the state government has opened Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across the state. This decision was made by the state’s Flood Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation, and Response Team during a meeting in Makurdi. NiMET recently warned that several LGAs in Benue State, including Kwande, Katsina-Ala, Logo, Makurdi, Gwer-West, Agatu,…
The Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially released the names of its candidates set to contest in the upcoming local government elections scheduled for 21st September 2024. The party confirmed that the list has been submitted to the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC). In a press statement issued by the party’s State Publicity Secretary, Cajetan Duke, the APC announced the successful conclusion of its primaries for the selection of chairmanship and councillorship candidates. Duke urged members of the public and the party to disregard any rumours or claims about changes or harmonisation of the…
Governors elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reiterated their unwavering support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the recognised leader of the party in Rivers State, despite ongoing tensions with former Governor Nyesom Wike. This development follows a prolonged dispute between Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and his one-time protégé, Governor Fubara, over control of the PDP’s leadership structure in the state. Wike had issued a stern warning to PDP governors, threatening to disrupt their states if they continued backing Fubara in the leadership tussle. However, the PDP Governors’ Forum has dismissed Wike’s threats, with…
A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, has advised the federal government to introduce policies aimed at controlling the prices of essential goods and services across Nigeria. He stressed that this measure is necessary to curb the frequent increases in the cost of living. Mumuni made the call in a statement released by his Media Aide, Rasheed Abubakar, and shared with Newsmen on Tuesday. In the statement, he urged the government to implement strategies that would help combat inflation and stabilise the economy, particularly in light of the ongoing devaluation of the naira. “The federal…
Biliamin Oba, Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on Nigerians to reduce their expenses in response to the current economic challenges facing the country. Oba gave this advice during the 2024 International Youth Day celebration organised by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Olorunda Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chapter, on Tuesday in Badagry. Speaking at the event, Oba, a former Chairman of NYCN Lagos, emphasised the need for collective action to navigate the country’s difficult economic situation. “We need to start cutting our costs while we wait for the economy to stabilise,” Oba…
In a significant political shift, more members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Calabar Municipal Local Government Area, Cross River State. Among the defectors is Francis Effiom, a notable PDP stalwart, along with several of his supporters. One of the prominent defectors, Bernard Iso, who previously served as Ward-8 Chairman of the PDP, explained that their defection was motivated by a desire to support Governor Bassey Otu’s administration, rather than oppose it. “This decision is predicated on what is so obvious. The governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Otu,…