In a significant political shift in Kogi State, Abdulrafiu Yakubu, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) along with his supporters. The announcement was made on Thursday in Lokoja, where Yakubu expressed his disillusionment with the PDP’s capacity to meet the needs of the people in Kogi State, and his renewed commitment to what he described as the progressive ideals of the APC. Yakubu, who was once a staunch PDP figure, explained that his decision to return to the APC was driven by a critical reassessment of his…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
A civil society group, Advocates of Justice in Africa (AJA), has urged President Bola Tinubu to extend his recent reforms in key intelligence agencies to the oil and gas sector, a critical area of Nigeria’s economy notorious for corruption and mismanagement. The call follows Tinubu’s recent appointments of Adeola Ajayi as the new Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Mohammed Mohammed as the new Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), decisions that have been widely praised as positive steps towards enhancing national security. The convener of AJA, Johnson Ali Usman, issued a statement lauding the leadership…
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the newly sworn-in President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has pledged that the association, under his leadership, will actively hold both federal and state governments accountable for their obligations to the Nigerian people. Osigwe made these commitments during his inaugural address titled “Our Mandate,” delivered in Lagos on Thursday, where he outlined a comprehensive agenda aimed at strengthening the role of the legal profession in promoting justice, equity, and good governance. Osigwe, who is the 32nd president of the NBA, emphasised the unique position that legal practitioners hold in society, describing it as a powerful…
The Anambra State Chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has announced its decision to boycott the upcoming Local Government Area elections scheduled for 28th September. The party’s stance stems from alleged violations of electoral guidelines, which it intends to challenge in court. Speaking on Thursday in Awka, the Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party in the state, Mr Theo Egbe, outlined the party’s reasons for withdrawing from the election, citing a failure by the organisers to adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act. Egbe highlighted that the Labour Party could not participate in an electoral process tainted by what…
As the governorship election in Edo State draws closer, the political landscape is heating up with heightened tensions between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both parties are among the 17 political groups fielding candidates for the election scheduled for 21st September 2024, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The fierce competition has sparked a war of words between the two main contenders, with each side levelling serious allegations against the other. In recent weeks, the APC and PDP have accused each other of plotting to manipulate the election, allegedly using the…
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has expressed strong confidence in the party’s chances of winning the upcoming Edo State governorship election scheduled for 21st September. Ganduje made this assertion on Thursday in Kano while hosting the leadership of the State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by its Chairman, Aminu Garko. During the meeting, Ganduje highlighted the robust political strategies that the APC has deployed in Edo State, asserting that these efforts are designed to secure a decisive victory for the party’s candidate. He emphasised that the party’s campaign machinery…
An Enugu Magistrates’ Court in Enugu North Local Government Area has ordered the remand of a 40-year-old man, Osita Igwe, to the Enugu Correctional Centre on charges of armed robbery. The suspect is accused of robbing another resident, Chief Chijioke Mba, of his belongings in an incident that allegedly occurred on 5th July 2024 at the Ebeano Tunnel, Enugu. Osita Igwe, whose residential address remains undisclosed, is facing a three-count charge of robbery. Despite the gravity of the allegations, Igwe pleaded not guilty to all counts. The case is being overseen by the Enugu Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, under…
The Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has raised serious concerns about the increasing incidence of child trafficking and kidnapping in the state. The Command has appealed to parents and guardians to exercise heightened vigilance over their children, particularly as schools are on holiday, leaving children more vulnerable to dangers in public spaces without adequate supervision. Commandant Michael Adaralewa expressed alarm over the growing number of reported cases of child abduction in Osun State. In a statement issued by the Command’s spokesperson, Adeleke Kehinde, Adaralewa revealed that the NSCDC is currently investigating three cases…
Lagos State Police Command has arrested a nurse in connection with the death of a 36-year-old woman identified only as Mrs Abiola. The incident, which occurred following a cosmetic procedure, has sparked renewed discussions on the safety and regulation of cosmetic surgeries in Nigeria. The arrest was confirmed by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, during a press briefing on Wednesday in Lagos. According to Hundeyin, the Maroko Police Division received a distress report on Tuesday at around 11:40 a.m. from the driver of the deceased, who remains unnamed at this time. Providing further details, Hundeyin explained that the driver…
Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden, reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to a peaceful and cooperative relationship with China during a high-profile meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday. Amid global concerns over rising tensions between the two superpowers, Sullivan emphasised that the U.S. is not seeking a new Cold War or attempting to alter China’s political system. Sullivan’s visit to Beijing represents a continued effort by both nations to stabilise their complex relationship. The dialogue between Sullivan and President Xi covered a wide range of topics, including economic cooperation, security concerns, and…
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has announced the arrest of two suspects accused of supplying illicit drugs, uniforms, and other materials to Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists operating in the Lake Chad region. The operation, which signifies a critical disruption of the supply chains sustaining these insurgent groups, also resulted in the rescue of several individuals believed to be family members of the terrorists. The MNJTF, a coalition force comprising troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Benin, has been actively combating terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin. Their latest success was…
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu expressed his profound grief over the extensive damage caused by recent floods affecting communities and farmlands throughout Nigeria. The floods have led to significant losses, including the destruction of thousands of hectares of agricultural land, numerous fatalities, and the displacement of many residents, according to recent data from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). In a heartfelt statement, President Tinubu extended his sympathy to all those affected by the devastating floods. He conveyed his deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones, as well as to farmers and communities who have seen their…
Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been commended for their bold stance in the ongoing political discord between Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Their support for Governor Fubara has been seen as a validation of Senator Adolphus Wabara, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), and his efforts to mediate in the crisis. Emeka-Yellow Ikpegbu, the National Coordinator of PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress, lauded the PDP governors for their recent declaration of support for Governor Fubara. He noted that their united front demonstrates…
The Benue State High Court in Makurdi has extended an order restraining the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from removing Austin Agada as the party’s chairman in Benue State. This legal tussle centres on preserving the current leadership structure of the party in the state amid internal conflicts. Earlier, on 21st August 2024, the court issued an interim injunction that prevented the APC from dissolving the Benue State Working Committee (SWC) of the party. The case was then adjourned to 28th August 2024 for the hearing of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction,…
Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has made it clear that his current focus is on the immediate challenges facing Nigerians, rather than pursuing a bid for the presidency in 2027. Atiku, who served as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, emphasised that his primary concern is the ongoing hardship faced by citizens as a result of the policies implemented by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Atiku’s stance comes in response to recent remarks made by Chief Bode George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees. George had publicly advised Atiku to…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a beacon of hopelessness rather than a path to prosperity, particularly for the youth of Nigeria. According to the ADC, the government’s neglect of the younger generation is eroding the nation’s potential and stifling the creativity and ambitions of its youth. The National Chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, voiced these concerns in Abuja during the inauguration of the ADC Youth Council. In his address, Nwosu lamented the lack of meaningful engagement and opportunities for Nigerian youths under the current administration. He pointed…
Four Nigerian nationals have been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for their roles in a large-scale forgery operation that involved the production of over 2,000 fake marriage certificates to facilitate illegal residency in the country. The convictions highlight the serious consequences of organised immigration crime and the UK’s ongoing efforts to secure its borders against fraudulent schemes. The convicted individuals, identified as Abraham Alade Olarotimi Onifade (41), Abayomi Aderinsoye Shodipo (38), Nosimot Mojisola Gbadamosi (31), and Adekunle Kabir (54), were sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court in London. Their crimes, spanning from 2019 to 2023, were part of a…
Police operatives from the Angwan Lambu Division in Nasarawa State have arrested a woman, Khadija Umar, known by the alias “Naira,” along with her two biological children, for their alleged involvement in a series of housebreaking and theft incidents. This family-led crime ring has been linked to numerous burglaries in the area, which have left residents on edge. The Nasarawa State Police Command detailed in a press release that Khadija Umar masterminded the criminal activities by scouting targeted neighbourhoods, observing the movements of residents, and identifying opportune moments for theft. Once confident that homes were left unattended, Khadija allegedly mobilised…
A tragic road accident on Tuesday night claimed the lives of sixteen individuals along the busy Ore-Ondo highway in the Ajue area of Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State. The accident occurred when an 18-seater Toyota Hiace passenger bus collided head-on with a heavy-duty truck, igniting a fierce blaze that engulfed the bus and trapped passengers inside. The fatal crash, which left three others injured, unfolded under harrowing circumstances as the commercial bus, travelling at high speed, attempted to overtake another vehicle. According to eyewitness accounts, the driver’s manoeuvre led to a direct collision with the oncoming truck, resulting in…
In a significant political development in Ondo State, several members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in anticipation of the upcoming governorship election on 16 November. The defection, which took place at a rally held at the SDP secretariat in Akure, saw the former APC members formally switching their allegiance by relinquishing their APC membership cards and collecting those of the SDP. The defectors, led by Femi Ikoyi, cited dissatisfaction with their treatment within the APC as the primary reason for their departure. Ikoyi, who is a prominent figure within the People’s…