The Simon Ekpa-led Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE) has announced that discussions have commenced with members of the United States government over the self-determination and liberation of Biafra. Ekpa made this known in a statement shared via his official X handle on Monday, citing historical grievances, economic disparities, and socio-political marginalization by the Nigerian government as the driving forces behind Biafra’s push for independence. According to Ekpa, over 50 million Igbos have participated in a self-referendum for Biafra’s secession, reflecting the overwhelming desire for self-rule. He stressed that the recent consultations with U.S. congressmen are part of efforts to craft…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has commended the outcome of the recent Rivers State local government elections, declaring it a victory against political intimidation and judicial manipulation. In a statement issued on Sunday, Atiku praised Governor Siminalayi Fubara for overseeing a fair electoral process, which he said demonstrated the governor’s commitment to the people’s interests and the sanctity of democracy. Atiku noted that the successful conclusion of the election marks the end of undue political influence in the state and sets the stage for genuine governance to flourish. “With the conclusion of the…
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on Sunday presided over the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected chairpersons for the 23 local government councils in the state. The ceremony, held in Port Harcourt, was attended by Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Senator Bala Mohammed. The swearing-in followed the local government elections held across the state on Saturday. According to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), the Action Peoples Party (APP) secured victories in 22 out of the 23 local government areas. RSIEC’s Chief Election Officer, Justice Adolphus Enebeli, announced the results…
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ambassador Abayomi Nurain Mumuni, has called on party members to refrain from distracting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with discussions about the 2027 presidential elections. Mumuni’s remarks came in response to recent statements by several APC leaders expressing their support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. Among the leaders who voiced their backing during an event in Lagos on Saturday were former APC national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, and Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Describing these endorsements as premature, Mumuni urged party members to allow Tinubu…
The Kogi State Government has opened a 5-kilometer alternate route in Nyamanyama Village, along the Ganaja-Ajaokuta Road, as a precautionary measure in case the main road becomes impassable due to flooding. This initiative, led by the Kogi State Flood Disaster Response Team, aims to ease potential disruptions for motorists as floodwaters near dangerous levels. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo had earlier instructed the Flood Disaster Response Team to create an alternate road to prevent hardship for motorists in the event of flooding on the main Ganaja road. The governor reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to ensuring the safety and comfort of travelers,…
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed support for the Federal Ministry of Mines’ intervention in the state’s tax dispute with Thors Explorations Limited, emphasizing that Osun’s claims are in accordance with the Constitution and existing laws. In a statement released by Olawale Rasheed, the governor’s spokesperson, on Sunday in Osogbo, it was revealed that Governor Adeleke had reached out to the Minister of Mines, Dele Alake, affirming Osun’s support for efforts to attract foreign direct investment into Nigeria. However, the governor stressed that investors must be transparent, comply with local laws, and safeguard the environment. Governor Adeleke disclosed…
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has declared Monday, October 7, 2024, a public holiday for teachers across the state in celebration of World Teachers’ Day. In a statement issued by the state’s Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Moddibo Kawu, the governor expressed his appreciation for the vital role teachers play in advancing human progress through quality education and nurturing minds. “The governor directs that this holiday be observed by teachers in both the public and private sectors as a mark of appreciation for their contributions,” the statement read. Governor Abdulrazaq also extended his best wishes…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed reports of the suspension of its South-East National Vice Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, from his ward in Ebonyi State. In a statement released by the party’s media director in the South-East zone, Richard Nwafor, the PDP alleged that the ward executives responsible for the purported suspension were hired by an opposition party to create disunity and destabilize the party. “Our attention has been drawn to a media statement attributed to some faceless individuals, allegedly ward executives of our party in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State,” the statement read. “These individuals, having…
Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has stated that Peter Obi is “politically bigger” than former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Ahmad made this assertion in a post on X, where he compared the political influence of the two figures based on the 2023 presidential election results. “Even though I have never been a Kwankwasiyya loyalist, I have always admired and respected Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso as one of the progressive political figures in this country. However, I do not agree with his recent statement in Kano, where he claimed to be politically bigger than Peter…
The ongoing local government elections in Rivers State took a violent turn on Saturday, as heavy gunfire erupted in Rumuepirikom, the hometown of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike. According to reports from Vanguard, unidentified individuals entered the community before the elections, warning residents to stay indoors. Tensions escalated when armed men, suspected to be political thugs, stormed a ward in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area just as electoral officers were about to arrive. The gunmen reportedly held the community hostage, firing shots that caused widespread panic and discouraged people from coming out to vote. At least…
Thousands of supporters on Saturday joined Tinok Andrew Nok, a former senatorial aspirant in the 2023 general elections, as she officially defected from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the Labour Party in Kaduna State. Tinok, the younger sister of former Kaduna State Commissioner of Education, Prof. Andrew Nok, explained that her decision was driven by the Labour Party’s alignment with her values of honesty and service to the people. “My decision to join the Labour Party is influenced by Senator Nnadi Usman, the National Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party,” Tinok stated, vowing to use her experience to…
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has named two prominent figures he believes could restore the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to power. According to the clergyman, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Peter Obi have the capacity to bring the party back to the forefront of Nigerian politics. In a video message, Primate Ayodele advised the PDP to consider giving its presidential ticket to Saraki and Obi, stating that both leaders possess the qualities needed to lead the party to victory. “Saraki-Obi is the answer for PDP,” he said, urging Peter Obi to return to the…
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, cast his ballot in the local government elections on Saturday in his hometown of Mbagul, Vandiekya Local Government Area. The governor, alongside many citizens, participated actively in the election process. It should be recalled that Gov. Alia had declared Friday, October 4, 2024, as a work-free day to allow citizens ample time to prepare and travel to their respective local government areas for the elections. Speaking after casting his vote, Gov. Alia highlighted that the work-free day was aimed at ensuring full participation in the electoral process. He commended the citizens of Benue…
Some shop owners and traders in Obio/Akpor, Rivers State, on Saturday, opened for business despite the state government’s no-movement directive during the local council election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the election was underway, several residents of the area opted to continue with their personal activities. Kachi James, a shop owner in Woji Ward 6, explained to NAN that she prioritized her business over voting. She noted that the political tensions between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had left many residents disillusioned. “This business is the only way I can put food…
The New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has strongly opposed the recent bill introduced by the Senate seeking to establish a Local Government Election Commission. The party described the proposed legislation as a calculated move to undermine democracy in Nigeria. The bill, titled “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 531),” was sponsored by Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. It has already passed its first reading and aims to create an autonomous body responsible for organising, overseeing, and conducting local government elections across all states for the offices of Local Government Chairman and Councillors.…
The Rivers State Police Command has dismissed reports claiming that its officers sealed the office of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in Port Harcourt. Earlier reports had suggested that the RSIEC secretariat was sealed following a Federal High Court order halting the local government elections scheduled for October 5. However, the Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, clarified to journalists in Port Harcourt that these reports were false. She explained that police officers were stationed at the RSIEC office purely for security reasons amid the ongoing October 1 nationwide protests in the state capital. “The police presence at…
A prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Alhaji Isa Rabiu, has called on former governor Nasir El-Rufai to exercise patience and allow a thorough investigation into his eight-year administration in the state. Rabiu made the statement in an interview with Newsmen on Wednesday in Kaduna, responding to El-Rufai’s recent claims of innocence regarding allegations of corruption during his tenure. El-Rufai, who served as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023, had declared that he did not embezzle public funds and expressed his readiness to swear on the Holy Quran to affirm his integrity. In response,…
Residents of Karaworo Street in Lokoja, Kogi State, were left in shock on Wednesday morning after a day-old baby boy was discovered abandoned in a drainage near the Kutepa Juma’at Mosque. An eyewitness, Talatu Ibrahim, a 45-year-old resident, found the baby after hearing his cries. Speaking to Newsmen, Ibrahim recounted the moment she discovered the infant in the gutter beside her window. “I heard the cry of a baby around 5 a.m. this morning. When I ran outside, I found a newly born baby boy dumped in the gutter beside my window,” she explained. Ibrahim immediately raised an alarm, drawing…
Ogun State Police Command has arrested five suspects in connection with the killing of a fisherman, Segun Sikiru, whose body was found dumped in a lagoon in Iwopin, Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area. The suspects, all members of the local community, have been identified as Saheed Mureni, Afeez Mureni, Saheed Taidi, Thompson Samuel, and Ogoji Olorunwa. According to reports, Sikiru and his two sons had gone out fishing when they noticed suspicious activity around their fish trap. The suspects were allegedly caught stealing from the trap, leading to a confrontation that escalated into violence. The Ogun State Police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola,…
The Yola Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the Federal Government of displaying insensitivity by failing to implement long-standing agreements reached with the union over several years. The zone, which comprises six university branches, expressed frustration over the government’s consistent reneging on commitments aimed at addressing the challenges in public universities. In a statement issued on Wednesday by Dani Mamman, the ASUU Yola Zonal Chairman, the union urged the government to uphold the terms of the 2022 agreement, which led to the suspension of a prolonged strike that year. The ASUU Yola Zone includes branches…