Author: Benjamin Chukwudaalu, Political Reporter

Princess Mojisola Meranda has agreed to resign as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, clearing the way for new leadership in the Assembly, The Witness reports. Sources disclosed that the announcement of her resignation has been delayed as President Bola Tinubu is yet to choose from the list of potential replacements presented to him by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state. The decision follows discussions and interventions from prominent political figures, including former APC National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande and former Ogun…

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About 3,690 Nigerians in the United States are faced with deportation as Donald Trump begins a crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country. In a document compiled by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday, the agency revealed the data is broken down by nationality and number of people faced with deportation. It also clarified that as of November 24, 2024, there are 1,445,549 non-citizens on ICE’s non-detained docket with final removal orders. In the document titled “Noncitizens on the ICE…

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The impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has faulted his removal by lawmakers. Obasa, who spoke on his removal for the first time on Saturday, said it was important for the lawmakers to “follow constitutional procedure” to remove him as speaker. During a welcome rally at his 47 Joel Ogunnaike GRA official residence, Ikeja, he described the allegations against him as “fictitious and unsubstantiated.” The former speaker also debunked the allegations of corruption brought against him by the lawmakers during his removal, describing the alleged…

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Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has denied involvement in the impeachment of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa. Obasa was impeached on Monday by the lawmakers. The Deputy Speaker, Hon Mojisola Lasbat Meranda was immediately unanimously elected as the new speaker, thus emerging as the first female speaker of the House. Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, described Obasa’s impeachment as a strict legislative affair devoid of politics or the state government’s influence or interference. “It is purely a legislative matter and…

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Princes from nine royal families in Oyo, collectively known as the Atiba 9say they have rejected the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo. The Atiba 9 described his appointment as unacceptable and a blatant disregard for Oyo’s revered traditions. Recall that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, presented the staff of office to the Alaafin-designate on Monday. The Atiba 9 criticised the decision, accusing Makinde of basing his action on a proclamation by US-based Awise Agbaye, Prof Wande Abimbola, who claimed that Ifa chose Owoade as…

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Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has been impeached by members of the House. According to a reliable source, the Deputy Speaker, Hon Lasbat Meranda has been elected to replace him. A video of her swearing has also gone viral on social media. The Deputy Chief Whip, Fatai Mojeed is elected as the Deputy Speaker. Obasa has been engulfed in a series of controversial circumstances in terms of financial dealings. The terse statement reads, “Obasa is impeached and the deputy speaker, Mojisola Meranda elected speaker. Mojeed…

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On Friday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde approved the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo. Makinde communicated the approval to the general public via Dotun Oyelade, the state’s commissioner for information and orientation. Owoade succeeds the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi who died on April 22, 2022, aged 83. Interestingly, the announcement came a day after five kingmakers in Oyo Town rejected a directive issued by the governor to initiate a fresh selection process for the Alaafin of Oyo throne. The kingmakers, consisting of Yusuf Akinade,…

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The Borno State Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur, and over 100 passengers have escaped a tragic incident after a Max Air aircraft experienced an engine failure immediately after it took off from Maiduguri International Airport. According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday when the deputy Governor and others boarded the plane to Abuja. While the authority has yet to comment on the actual cause of the engine failure, PUNCH Online learned that the pilot and crew managed to execute an emergency landing back at Maiduguri Airport.…

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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has said that the increase in Nigeria’s revenue recorded in the 2024 fiscal year is being strategically allocated to various social intervention programmes aimed at improving the living standards of citizens and addressing pressing societal needs. The minister said the social investment programme is targeted to impact 60 per cent of the poorest, reaching 20 million persons. He also revealed a comprehensive proposed agenda for economic reform, which aims to reduce inflation, create jobs, and stimulate growth in…

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio says reports suggesting that the Department of State Services (DSS) has taken over the national assembly premises to stop an alleged impeachment plot against him are false. The reports said the secret police had taken over all entrances to the assembly complex on Wednesday. Speaking on the floor of the senate, Akpabio dismissed the reports as “fake news”. The senate president jocularly said those behind the reports may be seeking revenue from the traffic they could get on their websites. “[They said DSS] has surrounded the…

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The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has slammed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for demanding the redeployment of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ondo, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola. Makinde made the call during the flag-off of the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign in Akure on Tuesday, ahead of the 16th November governorship election. He urged the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, to transfer Babalola, a move echoed by the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, who cited her Ondo State origin as a cause for…

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The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum says the internal crisis rocking the PDP has been resolved. The Forum’s Chairman and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, made this known in an interview with newsmen at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, after the Forum’s meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Mohammed said the party’s stakeholders had agreed that all the suspensions within the National Working Committee (NWC) be set aside and the status quo maintained. He said the forum, alongside the National Assembly caucus and the party’s Board of Trustees…

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday, September 21, 2024. The electoral commission declared Okpebholo winner of the election on Sunday, saying that he polled a total of 291,667 votes to defeat his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored a total 247,274 votes. While Olumide Akpata, of the Labour Party came a distant third with a total of 22,763 votes. Okpebholo won in 11…

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The House of Representatives has explained why it is yet to donate half of its members’ salaries as promised. In July, members of the House agreed to cut their salaries by 50 percent for six months as part of their solidarity and sacrifice to support the economic hardship and hunger Nigerians are going through at the moment. This followed the adoption of an amendment to a motion’s prayer moved by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, on the need for lawmakers to sacrifice 50% of their N600,000…

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Nigeria’s security agencies are investigating at least four politicians from the country’s northern part over the use of Russian flags by #EndBadGovernance protesters. Multiple sources told The PUNCH that the political bigwigs, who hail from Katsina, Kaduna and Kano states, were principal actors who instigated the use of Russian flags among demonstrators in the north to fan the embers for an unconstitutional regime change. “You see, four principal actors have been identified in this issue. They are top politicians from Katsina, Kano and Kaduna and the security agencies are closing…

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The United Arab Emirates has denied approving $10k bank balance, and N640k fee requirements for Nigerians applying for visas into the country, reports The Cable. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced on Monday, that the UAE authorities agreed to vacate travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians. Idris further revealed that applicants must fulfil certain conditions, including obtaining a document verification number on documentverificationhub.ae. According to the website, the verification costs a non-refundable N640,000 excluding VAT for each application. This does not include the visa fee. Additionally, applicants…

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Justice Amina Aliyu of Kano State High Court has perpetually restrained Aminu Ado-Bayero and four other deposed Emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye from parading themselves as Emirs. Delivering the judgment on Monday, Justice Aliyu further restrained the 15th Emir of Kano and four other dethroned Emirs by themselves, servants, privies and any other persons appointed by them from parading themselves as Emirs of Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano, Karaye. Recall that the Kano State Government had filed a suit asking the state High Court to stop the 15th Emir,…

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President Bola Tinubu has approved the National Construction and Household Support Programme during the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday in Abuja. According to a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, the programme is aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, strengthening the economy, and providing immediate economic relief for Nigerian households. Ngelale added that the programme, which was supported by the NEC, includes financial allocations and infrastructure projects across all geo-political zones in the country. He added that a key component of the programme is the approval of the…

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Members of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have shut down the National Assembly in compliance with the indefinite strike declared by the organised labour. Our correspondent who went to the National Assembly to monitor the situation met the entrance and exit gates blocked with two coastal buses by PASAN. The organised labour had insisted that its indefinite strike would begin today as planned following the federal government’s refusal to increase the minimum wage above N60,000. Labour, which is demanding N494,000,…

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Organised Labour has urged President Bola Tinubu to personally intervene in the ongoing negotiation over minimum wage to avert the indefinite strike action scheduled to start on Monday. This is as the Federal Government warned that the national minimum wage being demanded by labour could destabilise the economy. Organised Labour had given a May 31, 2024 ultimatum on the new minimum wage. On Tuesday, May 28, talks between the Federal Government and Organised Labour broke down after the government and the Organised Private Sector raised their offers to N60,000. The…

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday, held a closed-door meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and a number of Peoples Democratic Party stalwarts in Abuja. Obi also met separately with a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, a development that sparked speculation about a potential coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections. Obi was a member of the PDP until 2022 when he defected to the Labour Party to pursue his presidential ambition. He came third…

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, state working committee in Kano, has suspended some Ward Party Leaders who suspended the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje. APC Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government was said to have suspended Ganduje but in a quick counter, the party’s local government officials thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind it. The APC Dawakin Tofa Local Government Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told Newsmen that those behind the suspension of the National Chairman were caught in anti-party activities and their records of meetings with…

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The Senate has approved a resolution requesting the federal government to continue the electricity subsidy due to the ongoing difficulties faced by the nation. The decision was reached following a thorough review and endorsement of a motion presented during the plenary session by Senator Aminu Iya Abbas (PDP), who represents the Adamawa Central zone. The proposal highlights the importance of maintaining the electricity subsidy for the near future, taking into account the ongoing difficulties experienced by Nigerian citizens.

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There seems to be no end to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State as the Chairman of the three-man committee, Governor Seyi Makinde, who conducted the party’s state delegate election resigned from the position. Also, nine aspirants out of the 11 that would participate in the February 22 primary election were said to have boycotted the election which took place all over the state on Sunday. The nine aspirants in their letter to the acting National Chairman, Umar Illiya, and copied to the National Vice Chairman…

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