The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, and Senator Seriake Dickson engaged in a heated exchange on Thursday over the application of Senate Rules during deliberations on the proposed state of emergency in Rivers State. The disagreement arose during plenary when Senate Leader, Michael Bamidele Opeyemi, moved a motion to reorder the Order Paper, prioritizing the debate on the state of emergency over other legislative matters. As Bamidele attempted to cite the relevant order, Senator Dickson, representing Bayelsa Central, raised a point of order. However, Akpabio appeared reluctant to acknowledge it, prompting tensions between the two lawmakers. In…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has declared that no political coalition can prevent President Bola Tinubu from securing re-election in 2027. Ganduje’s statement comes in response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s announcement on Thursday of a coalition of opposition parties aimed at defeating Tinubu and the APC in the next presidential election. In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment, Oliver Okpala, Ganduje reaffirmed his unwavering support for Tinubu’s second-term bid, stating that any northerner aspiring to contest in 2027 should suspend their ambition until 2031.…
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, emphasizing that it was necessary to restore governance and security. Addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja, Fagbemi stated that the crisis in Rivers State had persisted for too long, despite multiple interventions by the President, well-meaning Nigerians, and leaders of thought. He stressed that the Supreme Court, in its judgment on February 28, 2025, had found significant constitutional breaches by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, concluding that governance in the state had…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested the Accountant General of Bauchi State, Sirajo Jaja, over an alleged N70 billion fraud. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, revealing that Jaja was apprehended in Abuja alongside Aliyu Abubakar, an alleged unlicensed Bureau de Change (BDC) operator from Jasfad Resources Enterprise, and Sunusi Ibrahim Sambo, a Point of Sale (PoS) operator. Allegations of Money Laundering and Diversion of Funds Oyewale stated that the arrests are linked to an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering, diversion of public funds, and misappropriation of state resources. “The…
The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the National Assembly to reverse the removal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, condemning President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State as “reckless and unconstitutional.” Obi made his position known in a statement on his X account on Wednesday, following Tinubu’s announcement of the emergency measure on Tuesday. Tinubu’s Justification for State of Emergency President Tinubu had cited unresolved crises, a breakdown of law and order, insecurity, and an explosion as reasons for his decision. He also suspended Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, for…
Former presidential adviser Sen. Babafemi Ojudu, CON, has strongly criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning of its political, economic, and security repercussions. In a press statement, Ojudu questioned the rationale behind the decision, calling it a reckless and unnecessary move driven by poor counsel. He argued that the crisis in Rivers State is a political dispute that requires dialogue, not drastic intervention. Economic Implications Ojudu cautioned that escalating tensions in the Niger Delta could cripple oil production, recalling that political conflicts in the region previously pushed Nigeria into recession under…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing it as an unconstitutional move to override the 1999 Constitution and impose an unelected administration. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the PDP condemned the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) to govern the state, calling it a blatant attack on democracy and an attempt at state capture. The party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of engineering a crisis in Rivers…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. In a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, Tinubu cited the prolonged political crisis in the state, the governor’s failure to restore the legislative arm after demolishing the House of Assembly building in December 2023, and rising security concerns, including militant activities and pipeline vandalism. The President stated that efforts by his administration and other stakeholders to mediate in the crisis had been ignored,…
Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested three suspected armed robbers and kidnappers in Aviele community, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state. Spokesman of the Command, Moses Yamu, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, confirming that the suspects were apprehended on March 16, 2025, by operatives of the Agbede Police Division in collaboration with local vigilantes during a stop-and-search operation along Abumere by Powerline. The arrested suspects were identified as Jamilu Idris (20), Usman Shuaibu (24), and Yahuza Usman (20). According to Yamu, preliminary investigations linked them to a criminal syndicate responsible for kidnapping, armed…
Two members of the House of Representatives have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal crises within their former party. The lawmakers, Hon. Jallo Hussaini Mohammed (Igabi Federal Constituency, Kaduna State) and Hon. Adamu Tanko (Gurara/Suleja/Tafa Federal Constituency, Niger State), formally announced their defection on Tuesday. Speaker Tajudden Abbas read their defection letters during plenary, officially confirming their switch to the APC. The lawmakers attributed their decision to the unresolved internal crisis within the PDP, which they claimed made it difficult for them to continue in the party. Welcoming the defectors,…