In an address following his election as the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio expressed his commitment to renewing hope among Nigerians through the enactment of people-oriented legislation, given the current state of the nation. Akpabio highlighted the pressing challenges facing Nigeria and pledged that the 10th Senate would work diligently to address them. Acknowledging the need for economic renewal and revitalisation, Akpabio extended his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their efforts thus far, which have instilled hope not only in Nigeria but also in the wider West African sub-region. He emphasised the Senate’s…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
The United States of America has extended its warm congratulations to Nigeria following the successful inauguration of the 10th National Assembly. The U.S. Mission in Nigeria conveyed its message of felicitation through a tweet on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. In the tweet, the U.S. Mission wrote, “Congratulations, Nigeria, on the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly!” The congratulatory message demonstrates the United States’ recognition of Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and the peaceful transition of power. During the inauguration, Senator Godswill Akpabio, a member of the All Progressive Congress (APC), emerged as the 10th President of the Senate, after defeating Senator…
Prominent Nigerian lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take steps toward the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu. Agbakoba made this call in a statement released on Thursday, June 15, 2023, where he commended President Tinubu for his recent actions against corruption and called for further reforms. Agbakoba began by congratulating President Tinubu for suspending the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdurasheed Bawa, in…
President Bola Tinubu officially inaugurated the National Economic Council (NEC) today at the presidential villa, marking a significant step towards addressing the economic challenges facing Nigeria. The council, headed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, will play a crucial role in formulating policies and strategies to drive economic growth and development across the nation. This was seen in a video shared by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Media Centre on Twitter. What you should know The National Economic Council comprises the vice president as chairman and the governor of each of the 36 states, as well as the governor of the Central…
NATO defence ministers gathered Thursday to discuss future relations with Ukraine as Russia’s war on the country thwarts its hopes of joining the world’s biggest security alliance soon. The ministers were also due to take part in a separate meeting at NATO headquarters of the US-led Ukraine Contact Group the forum Ukraine’s supporters routinely join to try to drum up weapons and ammunition to help Kyiv fight the Russian invasion. The NATO meeting comes just under a month before US President Joe Biden and his counterparts gather for a summit in Lithuania in a symbolic show of support for Ukraine.…
A group under the auspices of The Natives has said that President Bola Tinubu’s inclusiveness and deliberate strategy to elevate the lives of Nigerians just within 15 days he assumed office is appealing. The Leader of the group, Smart Edwards, in a statement issued on Thursday, said in barely two weeks, Tinubu’s actions in office had startled both the old and the young. The group said: “Mr. President, barely two weeks, your actions in office have startled both old and young, minorities and majority, naysayers and believers. “From your decisive political will on fuel subsidy, the choice of reputable and…
Kano Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf and the House of Assembly have commenced talks on the emirates set up by the past administration. Former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje established new emirates – Gaya, Bichi, Karaye and Rano – after his face-off with deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido. A statement Wednesday night by Yusuf’s spokesperson Sanusi Bature confirmed that the government had not taken any decision. Bature promised that “the engagements between the executive and the legislative arms of government in Kano will be open and transparent”. The people of Kano will have access to information on major policies and decisions of…
Former Zamfara Governor, Senator Sani Ahmed Yarima has hailed the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio as Senate President, describing it as victory for democracy to epitomize unity of purpose, inclusiveness in governance and stability in the polity. He congratulated the newly elected President of the Senate and his Deputy, Senator Barau Jibrin, as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and his Deputy, Hon. Benjamin Kalu on their victory at the just concluded election of the Principal Officers of the 10th National Assembly. This was contained in a press statement signed and issued to…
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has claimed he met the State in a bad condition that could be likened to a cemetery when he assumed office in 2020. Uzodinma specifically said, “When I came to Imo State, I met a moribund state, a state that was in distress. A state, I can even say, was in the cemetery; I exhumed the body.” He gave the assertion on Wednesday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme. The governor also claimed that “the infrastructure deficit in the State was so huge, all the roads were not motorable, and all the…
Elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday, described the immediate-past governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa as a traitor and a very crafty man. Clark also alleged that Okowa emerged as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate for the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after spending Delta State’s money on (Atiku’s) campaign. He made the claim while appearing as a guest in an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show. Clarke revealed that the 17 southern governors had, ahead of the 2023 presidential election, resolved to oppose any party that presented a northern…
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo has advised members of the State House of Assembly to set aside partisan politics in their deliberations. Makinde gave the advice on Wednesday while addressing lawmakers during the inauguration of the 10th House of Assembly in Ibadan. He urged the lawmakers to work for the progress of the state while promising to ensure that every child remains in school. “I want you to set aside partisan politics and work for the development of Oyo State. “Our government will reduce the number of out of school children. We remain firm on our resolve to give good…
The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has opened up on why he supported the election of Senator Godswill Akpabio to emerge president of the 10th senate. At a media briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Wike said he supported the former governor of Akwa Ibom to reciprocate the support he got from the lawmaker when he was running for governorship election in 2015. Wike also revealed that himself and members of the G-5 who include former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) Okezie Ikpeaz (Abia) and the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde supported Akpabio’s election. He…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has fired back at Amnesty International over its recent report stating that several Nigerians have been killed since President Bola Tinubu took over power on May 29. Infostride News reports that Amnesty International (AI), in a statement on Tuesday by its acting director, Isa Sanusi, called on the Nigerian government to take urgent steps to end widespread killings in Nigeria. This was even as the organisation claimed that more than 120 people have been killed since President Bola Tinubu was inaugurated as president on May 29. Reacting to the report, APC, in a statement on…
The Department of State Services, DSS, on Wednesday night, invited the suspended Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Abdulrasheed Bawa for questioning. A statement signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, confirmed that Bawa arrived a few hours ago. It noted that “the invitation relates to some investigative activities concerning him”. Bawa was earlier in the day suspended by President Bola Tinubu over weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him. He was directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee…
Donald Trump can continue his campaign for another term in the White House even as the beleaguered former US president has been indicted for illegally retaining classified government documents after leaving office in 2021. Trump, 77, on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to 37 federal felony counts related to his mishandling of classified documents at the federal courthouse in Miami, Florida. It marks the first time federal charges have been brought against a former president. This indictment is the second criminal case filed against Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s nomination in the 2024 presidential election. In early April, Trump…
Abia State House of Assembly on Wednesday elected Hon Emmanuel Emeruwa of Labour Party as the new Speaker of the 8th Assembly, amid protest from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Infostride reports that the PDP controls the majority in the House. The new Speaker, who is a new member, was elected unopposed by the members. He was nominated by Hon Ucheonye Akachukwu of Aba Central constituency. The House also elected Hon Austin Meregini of Umuahia East constituency as the Deputy Speaker. Just like the Speaker, the new Deputy Speaker, Meregini is also a first time member of the House. But…
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Wednesday in Abuja admitted in evidence three sets of reports prepared by a group of statisticians on the electoral forms used during the last presidential election. The reports were brought before the court by a renowned statistician, Samuel Oduntan in aid of the petition by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar challenging Bola Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential poll. In spite of objections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the presiding justice of the court, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani admitted the three…
The Social Democratic Party, SDP, Ondo State chapter, has expressed dismay over what it described as a watery statement from Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu in commemoration of Democracy Day. According to the SDP, the statement fell short of expectations in every way that could be evaluated. Akeredolu, in his Democracy Day message, highlighted the necessity of a thorough review of the current socio-political arrangement in Nigeria to facilitate progress and development. The party in a press statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Stephen Adewale, noted that the governor’s statement was the “worst” since he assumed office. While emphasising that Akeredolu’s…
Buba Galadima, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, has described President Bola Tinubu as an action man working to make Nigeria a better place. Galadima said the decisions Tinubu had taken as President had indicated that he’s determined to make Nigeria a better place. Speaking in Abuja, the NNPP chieftain urged the President to maintain the tempo. According to Galadima: “For those of us who have been in trenches in politics for the last 45 years, you will know that this time around the difference is clear. “We do appreciate Mr President and so far he hasn’t…
The outcome of the 2023 general elections has solidified the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the majority party in the Senate, with 59 members. Following the initial February election, the APC had 55 senators, but the party gained an additional four seats during the supplementary polls. The APC emerged victorious in Plateau Central, Yobe South, Sokoto North, and Sokoto East senatorial districts. The next significant party in the Senate is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which now has 36 senators-elect. Prior to the supplementary elections, the PDP held 33 seats, but it added three more after winning in Sokoto South,…