Author: Alade Adisa

Amid the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, 11 governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have filed a suit to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s powers to suspend democratically elected officials of a state at the Supreme Court. The opposition governors also challenged the imposition of emergency rule in the oil-rich state in the suit. The plaintiffs in the suit are; Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bayelsa states. Though it had been previously widely reported that the suit had been filed before the Supreme Court, New…

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has announced the appointment of administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state. He also approved the reconstitution of previously suspended boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals. The approval for the appointments, which take effect from Monday, April 7, 2025, was contained in a Special Government Announcement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika. With a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt having earlier barred Ibas from making such appointments, this new development comes amid mounting legal and political…

President Donald Trump is set to impose an astounding 104% in levies across all Chinese imports on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Tuesday. This comes on top of Chinese tariffs that were in place prior to Trump’s second term.China was already set to see tariffs increase by 34% on Wednesday as part of Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs package. But the president tacked on another 50% after Beijing didn’t back off its promise to impose 34% retaliatory tariffs on US goods by noon Tuesday, adding an additional 84% in duties. ”Additional 50% tariffs ‘a mistake upon a mistake’”…

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Rivers State Police Command to tender an unreserved public apology over the assault on five journalists during a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt or risk a statewide media blackout. In a statement jointly signed by the Council Chairman, Comrade Paul Bazia, and Secretary, Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia, the NUJ condemned the actions of police officers involved, demanding their immediate identification and prosecution. “The NUJ, as a watchdog of society, will not sit idly by while media practitioners are subjected to barbarism and brutality. Enough is enough,” the statement…

Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has lamented that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities almost on daily basis without confrontation signalled that Borno State is losing ground. The governor spoke on Tuesday at a Special Expanded Security Meeting (ESM) attended by the General Officer Commanding 7 Div, Major General Abubakar Haruna, Sector Commanders, Commissioner of Police, heads of other security agencies, Shehu of Borno, Alh. Dr. Abubakar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, Shehu of Bama, Emirs of Biu, Uba, Askira, Gwoza, while Shehu of Dikwa- and Emir of Shani were in absentia. He said his administration has…

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon, the ranking Democrats on the Senate banking and finance committees, respectively, have demanded information from Microsoft (MSFT.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) about their cloud computing partnerships with artificial intelligence companies, expressing concern the arrangements could stifle competition in the cutting-edge industry. Senator Elizabeth Warren They have written a letter to ask Google for details about its partnership with AI startup Anthropic and Microsoft about its tie-up with ChatGPT creator OpenAI, according to the letters. “We are concerned that corporate partnerships within the AI sector discourage competition, circumvent our antitrust laws,…

Senator Ali Ndume has faulted President Bola Tinubu’s recent political appointments, alleging that they breached the constitutional provision of the federal character principle and failed to reflect Nigeria’s diversity. The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, spoke during a televised interview on Arise News PrimeTime show on Monday night. He said the president’s appointments have not reflected the diversity mandated by section 14(3) of the 1999 constitution. Ndume said, “The figures are there. You can look at the figures. I sent you one. I sent you figures. It’s not that I’m just making accusations. “And it’s not that I’m saying,…

Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE’s) team of technologists is using artificial intelligence to surveil at least one federal agency’s communications for hostility to President Donald Trump and his agenda. Two Trump administration officials have told some U.S. government employees that the surveillance would mark an extraordinary use of technology to identify expressions of perceived disloyalty in a workforce already upended by widespread firings and severe cost cutting. The DOGE team, which activities remain shrouded in secrecy is also using the Signal app to communicate, according to one other person with direct knowledge of the matter, potentially violating federal…

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Nyesom Wike hosted suspended Rivers House of Assembly members to a dinner in the United Kingdom on Monday. Senior special assistant on public communications and social media to the minister, Lere Olayinka, in a video shared on X, said the lawmakers, “who are in the UK for legislative capacity building” were hosted to a dinner by the minister. He said, “Wike left Nigeria on Sunday night after visiting his political friends and associates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.” Also, a statement last week by special assistant on media to Martin Amaewhule, speaker of the…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors held a closed-door meeting with former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Kaduna State on Monday. The governors elected on the platform of the ruling party were led by the Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who is the Chairman of the All Progressives Governors Forum. Uzodimma, who fielded questions from journalists after the meeting, said they were in Kaduna to look after Buhari’s well-being, describing him as the father of the nation and APC. However, the meeting comes amid the defection of some of Buhari’s loyalists from the APC to the Social…