The White House has dismissed reports that President Joe Biden is considering quitting the presidential race, calling them false. White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary and Deputy Assistant to the President, Andrew Bates, described the report by the New York Times as inaccurate. Posting on X, Bates wrote: “This claim is absolutely false and if we had been given more than 7 minutes we could have communicated this before it was publicized.” Bates was responding to a New York Times report alleging that Biden informed his allies he is contemplating withdrawing from the presidential race. The newspaper quoted an anonymous…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take swift action against individuals allegedly impersonating the party’s governorship candidate in Ondo State, Gbenga Edema, and his running mate, Rotimi Adeyemi. The NNPP raised the alarm on Wednesday, identifying Akintan Michael and Kemi Fasua as the persons purportedly parading themselves as the party’s candidates ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State. In a letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the NNPP’s national secretariat described the development as a clear breach of the 2022 Electoral Act. The letter, signed…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned state governors’ interference in the national minimum wage negotiation, labeling it unconstitutional. Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, made this statement during an interview on Arise Television. “The process for arriving at a national minimum wage comprises three parties: labour, employers, and government. The government is currently playing a dual role of being the employer as well,” Upah stated. “Governors have been part of this process, and for some of them to want to pull out from the national team (under the government) will be injurious to the whole…
The Labour Party (LP) has established an electoral reform committee, headed by analyst Sam Amadi, to conduct a comprehensive review of its electoral processes aimed at ensuring free and fair elections. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the party announced that the committee would be inaugurated on Thursday, July 4, 2024, at 11:00 am at the national headquarters in Abuja. The statement read, “This is to inform members of the public that the leadership of the party has approved the following persons to serve as members of the Labour Party Electoral Reform Committee. They…
Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, has called on members of the Benue South Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to vote for credible candidates in the upcoming party congresses. He emphasized the importance of unity and peace within the party, urging members to avoid divisive issues. Senator Moro delivered this message on Sunday during the PDP zonal meeting at Leach Hotel, Otukpo, Benue State. He stated, “If we are genuine and sincere to ourselves, we must ponder over what will unite and bring us together. We are not here to ponder over who is going to be the next Senator, House…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming local government election scheduled for October 5th. This decision was disclosed by the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, during an interview with the media, citing flaws in the election process. Okocha highlighted that the APC, under his leadership, was not invited to the stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on Monday, where the election date was announced. He clarified that despite reports suggesting that all political parties were represented at the…
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has dismissed calls for him to join former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 2027 presidential election. The call was made by a group known as Diri Angels (DA), which urged Atiku to consider Governor Diri as his Vice-Presidential candidate. DA’s statement, signed by Secretary John Ondowari on Tuesday, expressed confidence that Atiku would again be the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2027 and suggested that Diri’s selection as running mate would bolster his chances against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. However, Governor Diri, through his Chief…
Hope for the release of detained Biafra nation agitator Nnamdi Kanu is on the horizon as South-East Senators are scheduled to hold a crucial meeting with the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Wednesday, July 3. The delegation, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, aims to advocate for Kanu’s release and convey their plea to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the AGF. Sources close to the Senators confirmed to media personnel that the meeting will take place at 10 am in the Conference Hall of the AGF at the Federal Ministry of…
Joe Igbokwe, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, has stated that Nigeria owes the Southeast an additional state. Igbokwe made this assertion in response to renewed calls for the creation of more states in the Southeast region. Posting on his Facebook page, Igbokwe wrote, “Nigeria is still owing the Southeast an additional one state and one governor.” His comments come as the bill seeking to create Adada State passed its first reading in the Senate on Tuesday. The bill, cited as the “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Alteration) Bill, 2024 (SB.…
South-East governors announced on Tuesday their intention to engage with the federal government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. This decision was part of the communiqué issued after a meeting of the Forum in Enugu, attended by governors Hope Uzodinma, Dr. Alex Otti, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, and host Governor Peter Mbah. The move follows Kanu’s expressed willingness to seek an out-of-court settlement with the Nigerian Government. On June 19, 2024, Kanu, facing charges of terrorism, indicated through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, his intentions to reconcile with the government. Ejimakor had discussed this with the government’s…
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised concerns about a new trend among youths who are using nail polish and methylated spirit to achieve a state of ‘highness’. The agency attributed this shift to the rising costs of conventional narcotic substances such as tramadol, codeine syrup, and cannabis. Tijjani Rabe, the Ogun State Commander of the NDLEA, disclosed this information while receiving members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the command’s headquarters in Abeokuta. Represented by the Deputy State Commander, Ekundayo Williams, Rabe expressed concern over the growing menace, highlighting its impact on the families…
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has issued a stern warning to civil servants against leaking official documents, emphasizing that such actions could harm Nigeria. Akume highlighted that the government has implemented measures to curb the leakage of sensitive information in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) through service-wide circulars issued by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in August 2021. Speaking at a workshop organized by the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in collaboration with the Office of the Government of the Federation (OSGF) on Tuesday in Abuja, Akume,…
The Alake and Paramount ruler of Egba Land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare July 13 a national day to honor Prof. Wole Soyinka’s contributions to humanity. He also suggested that Soyinka be awarded the second highest national honor, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, as the Nobel Laureate celebrates his 90th birthday. Oba Gbadebo made this appeal on Tuesday during a press conference to announce events marking Soyinka’s milestone birthday. The royal father proclaimed July 13th as ‘Wole Soyinka Day’, to be celebrated by the sons and daughters of Egba land…
The Ogun State government has issued a stern warning to illegal miners and dredgers operating within the state, urging them to desist or face legal actions and stiff sanctions. Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Adebola Sofela, conveyed this warning during a stakeholders’ meeting with miners and dredgers held at the Ministry’s Conference Room in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. The Commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Olu Ola Aikulola, emphasized the importance of the mining sector due to its revenue and employment generation advantages. Sofela noted that some miners and dredgers had been operating with expired documents and…
The divide-and-rule method allegedly deployed by the Federal Government in the payment of withheld salaries owed to university workers in 2022 may have further polarized the tertiary education system, as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has threatened to resume its strike from July 4, 2024. SSANU leadership expressed frustration that four months of salaries withheld by the government when its members joined the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on strike have yet to be paid. This issue, along with other challenges plaguing the tertiary education sector, was prominently discussed at the 48th National Executive Council (NEC)…
Dr. Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, President of the Ebonyi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (EBCIMA), has called on President Bola Tinubu to reorganize his cabinet to address Nigeria’s economic challenges and promote national unity. Speaking to journalists in Enugu on Monday, Ezeh, who is also a Labour Party chieftain, criticized Tinubu’s administration for suffering from an “announcement effect” due to the abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy, which destabilized an already fragile economy. Ezeh remarked, “The current president promised to continue from where Buhari left off, and he is indeed making efforts to fulfill that promise. However, it’s essential…
The Edo State chapter of the Labour Party has criticized the ‘Obidient’ movement for endorsing the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, in the forthcoming state election. In a statement on Monday, the Labour Party’s Publicity Secretary, Sam Uruopa, expressed disbelief over the movement’s support for Okpebholo. He said, “It is absurd to hear that the Obidient movement is supporting Okpebholo, just as some also said they were Obidient movement for Asue Ighodalo. The Obidient movement is synonymous with the Labour Party and are integral members of the party.” Uruopa recalled past grievances, stating, “They have forgotten so…
One of the three housewives abducted along the Takum-Katsina-Ala road in Takum local government area of Taraba State has escaped from the kidnappers’ den. The woman, identified as Amina Adamu, reportedly escaped while the kidnappers were asleep. Confirming the incident on Monday, a relative of Amina’s husband revealed that two other housewives, including the daughter of a retired army general, remain in captivity. It was also reported that two emissaries sent to deliver ransom for the release of the housewives were also held hostage. Residents of Takum, who confirmed Amina’s escape, expressed their dismay over the persistent kidnappings in the…
Bauchi State has reported one death from a suspected cholera case, with 50 suspected cases recorded across three local government areas since January. This was disclosed by the chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Board during the 2024 MNCH Week launch on Monday. The affected LGAs are Bauchi, Giade, and Toro. Dr. Mohammed stated, “As of today, Monday, 1st July, we have 50 suspected cases from three LGAs: Bauchi, Giade, and Toro. It started with 30 cases in Giade. A few days ago, we recorded four suspected cases in Bauchi LGA. Out of this number, we have…
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has called for caution in the path to constitutional amendment and the establishment of state police. He made this appeal on Monday while delivering a lecture at the University of Ilorin, organized by the Department of Political Science in conjunction with the Institute of Legislative Studies. In his lecture titled “Constitutional Amendment and Political Dynamics of State Policing in Nigeria,” Bamidele emphasized the need to decentralize security affairs in the country. He asserted that with proper control mechanisms, state policing could be successful. “Another critical aspect to consider is the economic feasibility of state policing.…