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,…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
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,…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared it illegal and unconstitutional for Julius Abure to continue presenting himself as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). The commission announced that it no longer recognises Abure or other members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) since their tenures expired in June 2024. This stance was revealed in a counter-affidavit filed by INEC in response to a lawsuit brought by the Labour Party, which had challenged its exclusion from the commission’s refresher training on the uploading of party agents ahead of the Edo and Ondo governorship elections. INEC argued…
As the tenure of the State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna draws to a close on Thursday, the party has highlighted its numerous accomplishments, including a strong showing in the 2019 Presidential Elections. These claims were made during a valedictory session for the State Working Committee (SWC) in Kaduna on Tuesday. In a statement issued by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Alberah Katoh, the Kaduna State PDP proudly noted that it delivered the highest number of votes for the party’s presidential candidate nationwide in 2019, with over 700,000 votes. Despite the challenges in 2023, the party…
Former member of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC), Ayobami Oyalowo, has identified the continuous devaluation of the naira, rather than fuel prices, as the primary factor behind Nigeria’s escalating inflation. Oyalowo made this observation while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Tuesday. Oyalowo argued that the rising cost of fuel is not the central issue driving inflation, but rather the persistent decline in the value of the naira against the US dollar. “I don’t believe the price of fuel is our major problem; what’s exacerbating the situation is the rate at which our…
A cholera outbreak in the Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State has claimed the lives of seven individuals, with 71 others currently hospitalised. This tragic development was confirmed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in a statement shared on its X.com page on Tuesday. According to NEMA, the outbreak has been linked to a recent flood that contaminated drinking water sources in several communities. The agency further reported that an additional 100 people are under close monitoring and observation for potential symptoms. The affected communities include Alkalawa, Doubeli, Rumde, and Gwadabawa, all within Yola North LGA. “NEMA…
Unidentified gunmen have killed five people in the Mbar community of Bokkos Local Government Area, Plateau State, according to a statement by the Chairman of the Bokkos Cultural Development Council Vanguard, Farmasum Fuddang. The attack occurred on Sunday night when a group of youths was travelling within the local government area. The statement explained that the unarmed youths were attacked while returning from Mbar town to Koh village, along a bypass near Yelwa Nono village. The assailants, believed to be fleeing terrorists on motorcycles, had previously been repelled by the military from nearby mountains. The council condemned the attack, which…
The Lagos State Government has issued a warning that it will demolish 280 illegal structures in an effort to prevent the creation of slums, protect the state’s masterplan, and safeguard coastal areas from erosion. Ekundayo Alebiosu, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, revealed this in a statement on Tuesday, emphasising that the affected properties are located in the Mayegun Waterfront Scheme, within the Eti Osa Local Government Area. Alebiosu stated that over 280 property owners and occupiers have been served contravention notices, giving them seven days to provide the necessary documentation and approvals for their structures. Failure to comply would result…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has filed a N20 billion lawsuit against Senator Adams Oshiomhole over comments related to the Planwell scheme. Ighodalo, through his legal representatives, Ayo Asala (SAN) & Associates, is also demanding an immediate public retraction and apology for what he described as false, defamatory, and malicious remarks. The apology is requested to be broadcast on at least two national television networks and published in three nationally circulating newspapers. The PDP candidate denounced Oshiomhole’s allegations as baseless and defamatory, characterising them as part of a…
The air component of Operation Delta Safe has conducted two separate missions targeting illegal refining sites along the Imo River, focusing on the areas of Owaza, Uzaku, Obuzor, Osuaku, and Obiaku. Group Captain Kabiru Ali, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), disclosed in a statement that NAF aircraft were initially assigned to provide close air support to ground troops operating near the Imo River. However, due to a discrepancy between the initial coordinates and the updated location of the troops, the aircrew redirected their efforts, conducting armed reconnaissance in Owaza and Uzaku. During…
The House of Representatives Committee on the Navy has announced an investigation into the prolonged detention of naval personnel, Abbas Haruna, who has been held without trial for six years. The detention is allegedly at the directive of Brigadier General M.S. Adamu. The Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed this on Monday in a statement shared via his official social media handle. Gagdi, who represents Plateau State, vowed that the committee would ensure that those responsible for the unlawful detention are held accountable. The case gained public attention after Mr Haruna’s wife shared her husband’s plight during an appearance…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the issuance of identification tags to journalists accredited to cover the upcoming Edo State governorship election, scheduled for September 21, 2024. The exercise took place at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Edo State, ensuring that media personnel are properly identified during the election coverage. Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed that 114 media organisations successfully uploaded the details of 721 personnel for accreditation. He added that the full list of accredited personnel, along with the number of individuals deployed, has…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has announced Mr. Moshood Olayide-Abas as the Acting Chairman of the party, following the death of the former chairman, Isaac Omodewu. Olayide-Abas, who previously served as the Deputy State Chairman, was appointed to fill the leadership vacancy on Monday. In a statement issued by the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the party confirmed that Olayide-Abas’ elevation to the role of Acting Chairman was ratified by the State Executive Committee (SEC) during an emergency meeting held in Ibadan. “Following the transition of our former state chairman, the Constitution of our great party…
The First Lady of Edo State, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has refuted claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu plans to influence the outcome of the upcoming Edo governorship election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by deploying “federal might.” Speaking during an interview on an online television platform, Mrs. Obaseki dismissed the allegations, praising President Tinubu’s commitment to democracy. “President Tinubu is smarter and wiser. He is not at their level at all. I also want to praise former President Muhammadu Buhari for his democratic stance and using federal power only to safeguard voters, not to tamper with election…
A fire outbreak has ravaged the Oko Baba plank market in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos State, causing widespread damage to the market’s shanties. Operatives from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Services, along with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), are currently on the scene working to contain the blaze. The extent of the damage is yet to be fully determined, but the fire has reportedly affected several structures within the market. An X user, Adedeji Olalekan, provided real-time updates on the situation, stating, “Okobaba Street is on fire now, all the shanties are burning.” As of…
Tragedy struck in Gummi town, Zamfara State, as no fewer than 40 people lost their lives in a boat mishap on Saturday morning. The victims, mostly farmers and children, were en route to their farms when the boat they were travelling in capsized and sank into the river. Musa Ahmed, a local resident, reported that the boat, carrying 53 passengers, encountered trouble shortly after setting off, leaving only 12 survivors, including the boat’s captain. “When the boat capsized early this morning, I was near the river close to Gummi town,” Ahmed recounted. “We tried our best to rescue the passengers,…