The immediate past Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, has expressed confidence in facing the ongoing probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), claiming he knows the individuals behind the investigation. Okowa made the disclosure during a solidarity visit by the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, led by Maj.-Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (retd.), the Orodje of Okpe, to his residence in Asaba. The former governor, who served two terms, is being investigated by the EFCC over an alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion. Speaking on the matter, Okowa described the allegations as malicious and politically motivated, accusing certain individuals of…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
President Bola Tinubu has called on political stakeholders and the electorate in Ondo State to uphold peace and decorum during the forthcoming gubernatorial election. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu emphasized the importance of ensuring a free and fair electoral process to strengthen Nigeria’s 25 years of democratic governance. “As Ondo State prepares for its off-cycle governorship election, President Bola Tinubu urges all political stakeholders and the electorate to uphold peace and decorum and fulfil their civic responsibilities without fear before or after the elections,” the statement read. Tinubu expressed his…
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has dismissed reports circulating online about an ongoing recruitment exercise, urging job seekers to beware of scammers. This clarification was made in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Corps Public Education Officer, Olusegun Ogungbemide. He emphasized that the warning became necessary due to fraudulent attempts to deceive unsuspecting job seekers. “The attention of the FRSC has been drawn to a publication by online platforms misinforming the public about ongoing recruitment of personnel into the services of the Corps. This medium is to let the public know that the Corps is not…
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed of treachery and undermining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by conspiring to retain the chairmanship of the PDP Governors’ Forum in the North. Wike made these allegations during a media parley at his office in Abuja on Wednesday, where he criticized Mohammed’s leadership approach and motives within the party. According to Wike, the PDP had a tradition of alternating the Governors’ Forum chairmanship between the North and South after each tenure. However, he claimed that Mohammed and others broke this tradition, conspiring to retain…
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, has voiced support for the Federal Government’s proposed tax reform, asserting that it is not targeted at any specific region. This comes after President Bola Tinubu submitted four bills to the National Assembly aimed at streamlining Nigeria’s tax processes, enhancing efficiency, and removing redundancies. In response to concerns raised by the Northern State Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Northern Council of Traditional Rulers, who expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed derivation-based VAT distribution model, the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, clarified that the reforms aim to rectify flaws in…
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has disqualified Olusola Ebiseni as the Labour Party candidate for the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 16, 2024. The unanimous decision by the three-member panel was read by the panel’s chairman, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, on Wednesday. Justice Banjoko stated, “The appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/1172/2024, brought by the Labour Party against Chief Olusola Ebiseni and two others, is allowed.” The judge further assured that the Certified True Copy of the judgment would be made available to all parties involved for review. This ruling overturns an earlier decision by Justice Emeka Nwite of the…
The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Justice Sunday Adeniyi of the State High Court in Abeokuta to deliver a fair and impartial ruling in a case seeking to disqualify its candidates from the upcoming council elections. The factional PDP chairman, Sikirulai Ogundele, along with 13 local government party chairmen, filed the suit numbered AB/484/2024, challenging the eligibility of certain individuals to represent the PDP in the election. The plaintiffs argue that some candidates on the ballot are not listed in the party’s official register, as recognized by the National Working Committee (NWC). The suit,…
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has issued a strong warning against vote-buying in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election, set for Saturday. IPAC Chairman Yusuf Dantalle delivered the warning during a stakeholders’ voter sensitization event in Akure, the Ondo State capital. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to maintain neutrality and impartiality throughout the electoral process, ensuring a fair environment for all political parties and candidates. Dantalle called on all stakeholders to uphold democratic principles, respect the rights of others, and prioritize the interests of the people of Ondo State and Nigeria as a whole.…
A national dialogue advocating for a return to a parliamentary system of government was held in Abuja, with key figures, including Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Yakubu Dogara, Rauf Aregbesola, and Usman Bugaje, underscoring the unsuitability of the current presidential system for Nigeria. The dialogue, organized by the Parliamentary System Support Group (PSSG) in the House of Representatives, aims to gather support for a bill sponsored by 83 PSSG members advocating the shift, which is awaiting its second reading in the House. Speaking at the event, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, traced Nigeria’s roots back to the 1914…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arraigned a 56-year-old man, Adesokan Olalekan, before the Federal High Court in Lagos on charges of drug trafficking. The defendant, facing a single charge of dealing in cannabis sativa (commonly known as hemp), appeared before Justice Ayokunle Faji, where he pleaded guilty to the amended charge. Following his plea, NDLEA prosecutor Mr. Aondofa Korinjo presented the facts of the case through NDLEA operative Mr. Peter Ereche, who recounted the circumstances of the defendant’s arrest. Ereche testified that NDLEA operatives apprehended Olalekan with cannabis sativa concealed in a black nylon bag. Upon testing,…
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has approved a supplementary budget of N207.2 billion for the 2024 fiscal year. This approval followed the adoption of a report presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation and Implementation, Yunusa Shehu. Shehu noted that the supplementary budget includes N40.9 billion for recurrent expenditure and N166.3 billion for capital projects. He explained that the additional budgetary allocation would allow the state government to continue implementing key development projects across the state. The chairman also highlighted that the supplementary budget would ensure the timely payment of the new national minimum wage to…
A Benue State High Court in Makurdi has struck out a lawsuit filed by former State Organizing Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), James Ornguga, challenging a vote of no confidence passed against him by the party’s executive council in Ugee Council Ward, Gwer Local Government Area. Ornguga had approached the court, asserting that his right to a fair hearing was breached, as he was not given an opportunity to defend himself before the vote of no confidence was passed. He sought an order to prevent the APC from taking disciplinary actions against him, including expulsion, suspension, or removal…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to avoid politicizing security matters, calling his recent statements on national security “inappropriate and misguided.” HURIWA’s statement, signed by National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, criticized Ribadu’s characterization of terrorists as mere “rivals” who “dare” President Bola Tinubu. The rights group argued that such a portrayal trivializes the serious threat posed by armed non-state actors who continue to kill and terrorize Nigerians. “It is a grave fallacy and distorted thinking for the presidential security aide to suggest that armed non-state actors, responsible for killing and maiming Nigerians,…
The Coalition of Southern Groups (CSG) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently declare a state of emergency on all federal roads across the southern region, citing severe road conditions that hinder access to Abuja and other states. At its inaugural media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the coalition advocated for a law requiring public officials to use these roads for local travel, aiming to draw attention to their disrepair. Speaking at the event, CSG Chairman and former Imo State Commissioner Prof. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, joined by the coalition’s Secretary, Comrade Bello Osaretin, described the dire state of roads…
United States President-elect Donald Trump returned to the White House on Wednesday, meeting with President Joe Biden in a historic and symbolically charged visit. This marks Trump’s first time back at the White House in four years and comes ahead of the scheduled transfer of power on January 20. President Biden extended the invitation to Trump for the customary visit, a tradition that underscores the peaceful transfer of power in American democracy. However, the meeting carries significant political tension, as Biden and Trump faced off in the 2024 election. Initially, Biden, a Democrat, had launched a reelection campaign but ended…
Governor Siminalayi Fubara has approved the establishment of two new judicial divisions of the Rivers State High Court, according to a notice dated November 8, 2024. The new divisions—the Abua Judicial Division in Abua-Odual Local Government Area and the Bonny Judicial Division in Bonny Local Government Area—were created following a recommendation by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simone Chibuzor-Amadi, in line with Section 39, Subsection 2 of the High Court Law, Cap 62, Laws of Rivers State 2021. A statement by the Chief Registrar of the High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, confirmed the Governor’s approval, adding that operations in…
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has advised Nigeria’s opposition parties to form a coalition if they hope to challenge and unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. In a statement released on Tuesday through his media aide, Oluwatosin Osho, Ayodele emphasized that only a united front between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) could mount a credible challenge against Tinubu. He warned that any isolated efforts by these parties would be ineffective, making Tinubu’s re-election “a smooth ride.” “If PDP, Labour, NNPP don’t unite to…
Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has called on the people of Ondo State to support PDP’s governorship candidate, Hon. Ajayi, in the upcoming election set for Saturday. In a statement released by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku encouraged PDP members to mobilize strong backing for Ajayi, emphasizing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has become “grossly unpopular” in the state. He described Ajayi as a skilled and experienced politician who is committed to improving the lives of Ondo residents. “The governorship election that is coming up in Ondo State this Saturday presents an…
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to compromise the upcoming November 16 governorship election in the state. In a statement issued on Tuesday by the PDP’s state publicity secretary, Kennedy Peretei, the opposition party alleged that APC Chairman Ade Adetimehin is orchestrating a plot to influence the election by appointing APC members as presiding and assistant presiding officers at polling units. According to Peretei, Adetimehin submitted a list of two APC members per polling unit to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to serve in these roles,…
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has announced that the police will not require the assistance of Amotekun, the South-West security outfit, for the November 16 Ondo governorship election, assuring that comprehensive plans are in place to ensure a peaceful voting process. According to Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement issued on Sunday, the IGP has directed the strategic deployment of personnel, resources, and state-of-the-art equipment to guarantee security across the state. The deployment includes officers from specialized units such as the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Explosive Ordnance…