Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has announced his withdrawal from participating in the party’s governorship primaries scheduled for February 22, 2024. Ogbeide-Ihama, the immediate past lawmaker for the Oredo Federal Constituency, cited an unjust process skewed to favor a particular aspirant as the reason for his withdrawal. He was also one of the nine aggrieved aspirants who protested against the conduct of the party’s ward delegates congress by the Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah. In a letter dated February 12, 2024, addressed to the National Secretary of the party, Senator Sam…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has criticized the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for discussing the 2027 presidential election while many Nigerians are facing economic hardship and hunger. Eze described Wike’s comments as “ridiculous and insensitive,” noting that many Nigerians have been reduced to the status of hunger-stricken refugees in their own land. Wike, speaking at a Thanksgiving Service in honor of Senator Barinada Mpigi in Koroma, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, had boasted that no one can challenge him at the polls…
The Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption has clarified that the invitation extended to former Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Waheed Odusile, and a serving Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Media, Emmanuel Ojo, was not an indictment but a step to seek clarifications on the audit report of the ministry. The committee, led by Damilare Bello, had earlier invited Odusile, Ojo, and two other career officers to shed light on financial anomalies spotted by the assembly. While addressing officials of the State Hospitals Management Board at the Assembly Complex in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta,…
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has discharged and acquitted Fubara Ohaka, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, of charges filed against him by the Federal Government. Ohaka, who serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Youth Movement in Emohua Local Government Area of the state, had been standing trial on six counts, including alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering, terrorism, illegal refining of products without a license, and conspiracy. These charges were brought against him by the Federal Government through the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2022. In delivering the judgment,…
The Labour Party (LP) has confirmed the arrest of its national chairman, Barrister Julius Abure, and the state chairman of the party, Mr. Kelly Ogbaloi, by a combined team of police officers and operatives of the Department of State Security Services (DSS). The arrest of Abure was forcefully carried out by security operatives on Wednesday in Benin City, the Edo State capital, as earlier reported by the media. A video clip capturing his arrest went viral on social media. This arrest comes barely two days before the party’s governorship primaries for the November 21, 2024, governorship election in the state.…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has appointed Bassey Otu, the governor of Cross River State, as the chairman of its governorship primary election committee in Edo State. This decision came after a series of petitions calling for the removal of Hope Uzodinma, the chairman of the election committee, from various quarters. Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State and the chairman of the panel, had overseen the committee, which became controversial after it produced three different candidates – Dennis Idahosa, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and Anamero Sunday Dekeri – and declared Dennis Idahosa as the winner of the exercise. In response…
Sociopolitical critic Reno Omokri has called on Nigerians to refrain from blaming President Bola Tinubu if the naira further depreciates to N2414 to a dollar. Omokri highlighted the impact of Nigerians’ extensive importation of food items from countries like China and Thailand on the naira’s value. Omokri emphasized the need to support locally-made goods, citing Nigeria’s annual expenditure of $6 billion on food imports. He criticized the importation of items like rice, toothpicks, and even pizza, which can be produced locally. In a post on X, Omokri stated, “Let the Naira fall. It is good. When we can no longer…
The Senate has confirmed the nominees appointed by President Bola Tinubu to serve in various capacities, including the Director General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), commissioners for the National Population Commission (NPC), and the chairman and members of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON). The confirmation came after the Senate Committees on Health, Secondary and Tertiary, National Identity Card and Population, and Foreign Affairs presented and considered reports on the nominees. Dr. Kelechi Ohiri was confirmed as the Director General of NHIA, while the nominees for NAHCON include Malam Jalal Arabi as chairman, Aliu AbdulRazak as Commissioner…
The planned visit of President Bola Tinubu to Abia State for the commissioning of the Aba Integrated Power Project has been postponed. The project, a Geometric Power Plant located in Osisioma Local Government Area, was scheduled for commissioning on Saturday, February 24. The project, aimed at providing electricity to the Aba Ringed Fenced Area comprising nine out of the 17 local government areas in the state, including Aba North and South, Isiala Ngwa North and South, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Obingwa, Ukwa East, and West, will now be commissioned on Monday, February 26. In a statement issued by the management of Geometric,…
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has pledged his administration’s commitment to easing the suffering of the state’s residents. Speaking at the inauguration of the State Food Security Committee in Osogbo, Governor Adeleke stated that his government is implementing various pro-people programs to address the current economic crisis. “We are working hard to alleviate the hardships faced by our people. Our administration has introduced several policy options to ease the burden on the populace,” Governor Adeleke said. The governor highlighted the need to tackle the deepening economic conflict, stating that his government is already taking action in many areas. He emphasized…
The African Civil Society Forum has demanded that Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma step aside as Chairman of the Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Primary Election Committee. The group criticized Uzodinma for overseeing what they termed a “shabby primary” in Edo State. The primary election, which saw 10 aspirants vying for the APC ticket, has been marred by controversy. Three aspirants have laid claim to victory, while two withdrew from the race shortly before the election began. Despite these issues, Hon. Dennis Idahosa was declared the winner by Uzodinma’s committee. However, Senator Okpebholo was declared the winner by…
There are growing concerns that state governors are not doing enough to alleviate the suffering of citizens despite massive increases in revenue allocations following the removal of fuel subsidies. Nigerians are facing increased economic hardship due to worsening inflation and continuous devaluation of the Naira. The country is also grappling with security challenges, including frequent attacks by armed groups across various regions. The prices of goods and services continue to rise daily, surpassing the reach of many Nigerians. The economic situation worsened after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of oil subsidies on May 29, 2023. This move sparked protests…
Senator Gbenga Daniel, representing Ogun East senatorial district, has called for President Bola Tinubu to speak on the state of the economy he inherited and the progress made since his emergence. Daniel noted that Tinubu refrained from speaking due to his party’s past misdeeds. Speaking during his tour of Ijebu Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Senator Daniel, a former governor of the state, acknowledged the hardship in the country, attributing it to the past government. He urged Nigerians to persevere and cooperate with the present administration, emphasizing its commitment to a more prosperous nation. While praising Tinubu’s efforts,…
The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the petition filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against the victory of Governor Ahmed Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state’s November 11 governorship poll. The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu, dismissed the petition following its withdrawal by APP’s counsel, Daniel Edeachi. The withdrawal application was not opposed by counsels to Governor Ododo, APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a ruling after reviewing the affidavit of no objection filed by the respondents’ lawyers, the tribunal struck out the APP…
The chairmen of the Labour Party (LP) in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have endorsed the call by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for an external audit of the party’s accounts. The move comes amidst allegations against the party’s national chairman, Julius Abure, who is accused of mismanaging party funds amounting to N3.5 billion. Led by the chairman of the Council of State Chairmen of LP, Ceekay Igara of Abia State, the state chairmen rejected the financial fraud allegations against Abure. They expressed their support for him during a meeting at the party’s national secretariat…
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared the governorship primary election in Edo State held on Saturday inconclusive. The decision comes amidst controversy surrounding the poll, which resulted in the emergence of three different candidates for the September 21 gubernatorial election. Governor Hope Uzodinma, Chairman of the Electoral Committee for the primary, announced Dennis Idahosa as the winner. However, returning officer Stanley Ugboaja declared Monday Okpebholo as the winner. Additionally, Ojo Babatunde, claiming to be a spokesperson for returning officers for all local governments, declared Anamero Dekeri as the winner. The party’s leadership…
Ibrahim Tajudeen Shola, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) advice to remove electricity subsidy, warning that such a move would worsen the suffering of the poor masses and could lead to serious chaos in the country. In an open letter to the president, Ibrahim argued that removing electricity subsidy would burden the already strained finances of ordinary Nigerians, particularly those living below the poverty line. The IMF had reiterated the importance of eliminating subsidies to redirect resources towards more targeted social welfare programs, citing the…
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has advised Igbo youths against participating in the planned nationwide protest against the federal government led by President Bola Tinubu. This caution comes amidst the current hardships experienced by Nigerians. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President-General of Ohanaeze, warned that Igbo youths face arrest and prosecution with serious charges when they join protests against the Nigerian government. In Enugu, Iwuanyanwu described the current economic crisis in Nigeria as unfortunate, stating his intention to convene a meeting of top Igbo economists and experts to strategize on overcoming the hardships. “As your leader, I am directing that no Igbo group or…
The Kano State House of Assembly has directed the Kano State Road Traffic Agency, Kano State Primary Health Care Agency, and Kano Printing Press to refund a total sum of N260 million for misappropriated funds. During a plenary session presided over by Speaker Jibril Ismail Falgore, the Assembly indicted the three agencies for misappropriation of allocations and internally generated revenue. In a unanimous adoption of the recommendations of the House Committee on Public Accounts, the Assembly warned all ministries, agencies, and parastatals to comply with due diligence on public finance or face sanctions. Chairman of the House Committee on Public…
The House of Representatives has approved a bill for the second reading, aiming to amend the 1999 constitution to permit the establishment of state police by the 36 states in the federation. Sponsored by Ben Kalu and 14 others, the bill comprises 18 clauses intending to amend 14 sections of the constitution, notably to transfer police from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list. This shift would allow both state and federal governments to establish a police force. During the debate on Tuesday, Muktar Shagaya, presenting the bill on behalf of the co-sponsors, emphasized the necessity of state police,…