The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called on all levels of government to enhance the well-being of Nigerians in line with Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). IPAC emphasized that immediate action is required to ease the hardship millions of Nigerians endure daily, arguing that better living conditions will increase political participation and restore confidence in the electoral process. Speaking at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Fourth Quarterly Consultative Meeting with political parties in Abuja, IPAC’s National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantelle, highlighted the need for renewed efforts toward citizen engagement ahead of the November 16, 2024, governorship…
Author: Ifeanyi N.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has complied with a court order recognizing the Julius Abure-led leadership of the Labour Party (LP). In a letter addressed to Julius Abure and Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, the Commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, invited the Labour Party to participate in the fourth consultative meeting with political parties. This development follows a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which declared the Labour Party’s national convention held in March 2024 in Nnewi as valid and constitutional. The judgment, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, also directed INEC to accord full recognition and privileges to the party’s National…
The Labour Party Chairman in Kaduna State, Isah Chiroma, and Abdullahi Imrah, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) councillorship candidate for Kafachan Ward B in Jema’a Local Government Area (LGA), have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the local government election scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 2024. Chiroma announced his defection during the APC campaign flag-off and presentation of flags to councillorship candidates. He cited the inclusive governance approach of Governor Uba Sani and the infrastructural development in Southern Kaduna as key reasons for joining APC, expressing his commitment to moving the state forward. Similarly, Imrah explained that,…
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the death of an unidentified man after an alleged marathon sexual encounter with a lady at a lodge in Paiko, headquarters of Paikoro Local Government Area. In a statement issued on Thursday, the police spokesperson, SP Wasi’u Abiodun, said the incident is under investigation, pending the outcome of a medical autopsy. Efforts are ongoing to identify the deceased’s relatives, as no family members have been reached due to the absence of a phone or any means of identification on him. According to the statement, “An incident of a suspected sudden death was reported…
The Benue State Government has rescued three children from Ukum and Katsina-Ala local government areas who were trafficked to Benin City, Edo State. The Chairman of Ukum Local Government Area, Jonathan Modi, disclosed the development on Thursday, revealing that the children endured severe hardship and were subjected to forced labor in Benin. Modi explained that the situation was brought to his attention by his security secretary, Aku T. Enoch, who promptly coordinated with security operatives. Their joint efforts led to the arrest of the traffickers. The rescued children were identified as Favour Shidoo Mngerior Fan Adure, Mecivir Kume Jessica from…
The National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Ajuji Ahmed, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of engineering internal crises within opposition parties to bolster its chances of winning the 2027 general elections and securing a second term for President Bola Tinubu. Ahmed made the allegations during the flag-off of the NNPP’s campaign in Akure, the Ondo State capital, ahead of the upcoming off-cycle governorship election. The NNPP chairman stressed the need for opposition parties to unite against the APC, pledging his party’s participation in any coalition aimed at removing the ruling party from power. “The NNPP…
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has threatened to boycott the upcoming local government election scheduled for October 19, 2024, in Kogi State. The Kogi State Chairman of CNPP, Comrade Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, citing a lack of confidence in the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC). Abdullahi accused KOSIEC of sidelining key stakeholders in the preparation for the council polls, raising concerns about the transparency of the electoral process. “It is totally unacceptable for KOSIEC to organize training sessions ahead of the election without involving any political party,” he said. “To…
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State has issued a warning to civil servants and the general public, stressing the importance of adhering to the constitutional provisions governing the state’s electoral process. The party emphasized that electoral laws empower the relevant commission to follow established principles throughout the electoral process. In a statement issued by the PDP, the party declared: “In line with electoral guidelines, any member intending to contest in the forthcoming elections must resign their appointment no later than 12 p.m. today. “This step is essential to ensuring a free, fair, credible, and transparent electoral process…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the Anambra State governorship election will hold on Saturday, November 8, 2025. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Thursday while addressing representatives of political parties at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. “As you are aware, the last governorship election in Anambra State was held on 6th November 2021. By the effluxion of time, the governorship election is due next year,” Yakubu stated. He explained that the official notice for the election will be published on November 13, 2024, in line with the mandatory 360-day notice requirement. Party primaries will…
The Senate on Thursday passed a vote of confidence in Senate President Godswill Akpabio, dispelling rumors of a plot to remove him from office. This development follows reports circulating on Wednesday that some senators were planning to impeach Akpabio. There were also claims that the presidency had deployed a large contingent of Department of State Services (DSS) operatives to the National Assembly Complex to prevent senators from carrying out their constitutional duties, including the alleged impeachment move. Reacting to the speculation, Akpabio denied any division within the Senate, assuring Nigerians that the chamber remained united. “The Senate is focused on…
With just 29 days remaining until the Ondo State Governorship election, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated that elections in Nigeria are now a continuous process, not confined to a specific season. He made this statement on Thursday during the Fourth Regular Consultative Meeting with political parties at the INEC Conference Room in Abuja. “I have repeatedly said that there is no election season in Nigeria any longer,” the INEC Chairman emphasized. Providing an update on the Commission’s preparations for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State, the INEC boss disclosed that the Commission…
Former Nigerian ambassador to Spain, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has renewed her call for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a solution to the insecurity plaguing the South-East region. Mrs. Ojukwu, wife of the late Biafran leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, made the appeal during the annual convention of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) in the United States. AVID is an organization comprising American citizens of Igbo heritage who are serving or have served honorably in the U.S. military. While lamenting the rising insecurity in the South-East, Mrs. Ojukwu urged the…
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State has suspended its Women Leader in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area (LGA), Mrs. Esther Soje, indefinitely. A suspension letter signed by Yusuf Suleiman, Ward Chairman of Otaru/Opowu Ward, stated that the decision was in accordance with sections 58(1), 59(2), and 4 of the PDP constitution, as amended. The letter, which was also copied to the state chairman of the party, indicated that Soje’s suspension took effect from October 12, 2024. The PDP Ward Executives accused Soje of violating section 58(1) of the party’s constitution, prompting the need for her indefinite suspension. “The suspension…
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has intercepted four 40-foot containers loaded with illicit drugs valued at N1.18 billion. The operation, carried out by customs officers at two terminals, blocked the smuggling of 236,783 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup, a substance banned by the Federal Government. In a statement on Wednesday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Usman Abubakar, disclosed that the seized items included Barcadin cough syrup, all packed in 2,174 cartons. The discovery was made during routine inspections between October 11 and 15, 2024. Apapa Customs Area Controller (CAC), Babatunde Olomu, commended the officers involved, describing the…
Gunmen have launched a fresh attack on rural communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing at least five people, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the Chairman of Bokkos Cultural Development Council, Farmasum Fuddang, and Secretary, Duwam Bosco. The attack occurred on Monday, October 14, in Rafut village within the Kwatas district, despite earlier warnings of potential violence. The council leaders lamented recurring attacks that have claimed numerous lives in the area. “Terrorists, identified as members of the Fulani tribe, launched the brutal attack shortly after 7 p.m. on October 14,” the statement read. The…
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested and detained 10,852 persons across the country for various crimes within the past three months, the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, disclosed on Tuesday. Speaking at a high-level meeting with police officers from the rank of Commissioner and above, Egbetokun detailed that the arrests, carried out between July and September, involved suspects linked to crimes such as kidnapping, banditry, and armed robbery. “During the period, 416 arms, 3,672 rounds of ammunition, and 178 vehicles were recovered, while 369 kidnapped victims were successfully rescued,” the IGP stated. Egbetokun also reported a significant decline in crime…
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have ordered warring factions within the party to revert to the status quo in a bid to restore unity. The directive was issued by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, following a meeting of the governors that concluded in the early hours of Tuesday. Speaking after the meeting, Mohammed acknowledged that internal disputes are inevitable in political parties but assured that the challenges within the PDP would be resolved amicably. “There is no crisis. The governors, Board of Trustees (BoT), and the…
The Network of Peace Journalists (NPJ), in partnership with the Conflict Mitigation and Management Regional Council (CMMRC) and Community Peace Observers (CPO), has called for peaceful elections across all 23 local government areas of the state. In a statement issued by NPJ’s team leader, Ibrahima Yakubu, the group emphasized the importance of unity among stakeholders to ensure a smooth and peaceful electoral process. “Politicians should collaborate with civil society organizations to promote peace and unity, while also encouraging citizens to participate actively by voting for credible candidates,” Yakubu stated. The statement also urged youths to shun violence, thuggery, and any…
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday directed the Committee on Special Duties to investigate reports of an alleged invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) amid speculations of an impeachment move against key principal officers. Akpabio, who issued the directive during plenary, denied the allegations, describing them as “fake news” intended to mislead the public. He assigned Senator Shehu Kaka, Chairman of the Special Duties Committee, to carry out the probe and submit a report within 24 hours. Addressing the matter, Akpabio lamented the growing influence of misinformation on social…
Human rights activist Idris Miliki Abdul has called on the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) to meet public expectations by conducting free, fair, and credible elections. He also urged the commission to promptly release the results once the elections are concluded. Miliki, who made the remarks after reviewing KOSIEC’s preparations, emphasized the need for professionalism from security agencies during the electoral process. The activist, who leads the Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), praised the commission’s transparency thus far, ahead of the local government elections scheduled for October 19, 2024. “According to the timetable released by KOSIEC…