Author: Friday Omosola

Following their elections as Edo State Governor and Deputy ,the Senate and the State’s House of Assembly,yesterday declared Monday Okpebholo and Dennis Idahosa’s seats vacant respectively.The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, declared the Edo Central Senatorial seat formerly occupied by Okpebholo vacant following a formal request by the Minority Leader, Abba Moro. The announcement was made during plenary after Akpabio read Moro’s letter, which called for the seat to be declared vacant due to its occupant’s inauguration as governor. Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly Abbas Tajudeen today declared the Idahosa’s vacant. In his letter, Moro, representing…

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) in Abuja has issued an interim injunction restraining human rights lawyer and author, Dele Farotimi, from publishing, selling, or distributing his book ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.’ In its report today, Channels TV said the order, granted by Justice Peter Kekemeke, also applies to all Farotimi’s representatives, publishers, and distributors, pending the determination of a motion for interlocutory injunction dated and filed on December 6, 2024. The case stems from allegations of defamation against Chief Afe Babalola(SAN) ,and founder of Afe Babalola University, whose firm initiated the legal action against Farotimi.…

In a giant strides towards cleaner energy and better public transportation, the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq yesterday took delivery of 20 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered buses and 20 tricycles from the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI). The handover ceremony, held in Ilorin, the state capital underscored a strategic partnership between the federal government, the state, and private sector players to ease the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the populace. The governor described the initiative as part of efforts to ensure affordable and clean transportation for Kwarans. “These 18-seater shuttle buses and tricycles will be deployed to support…

Governor, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State today presented a 2025 budget proposal of N605 billion to the State House of Assembly. Tagged the ‘Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo’, the proposal marks a 25 per cent increase from the 2024 budget under Godwin Obaseki’s administration. Governor Okpebholo disclosed that N223 billion, representing 37 per cent of the total budget, is allocated for recurrent expenditure, while N381 billion, accounting for 63 per cent, is earmarked for capital projects. Addressing the assembly during the presentation, Okpebholo stated that the budget is aligned with his administration’s five-point agenda, security, infrastructural development,…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has joined a growing number of Nigerians in condemning the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi. Farotimi is being remanded in an Ekiti prison over allegations of defaming the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Afe Babalola. Farotimi’s legal ordeal began with his arrest in Lagos and subsequent transfer to Ekiti, where he was arraigned before a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti. The court, presided over by Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, denied his bail application and postponed its decision to December 20. The court’s fresh order starkly contradicts an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court…

Governor of Ondo State,Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has presented a budget estimate of ₦655.23 billion for the 2025 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly. In a statement posted on his Footbook page today, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, said the budget tagged “Budget of Recovery,” aims to address key socio-economic challenges and foster development across critical sectors. During the plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, Governor Aiyedatiwa outlined the breakdown of the budget. The allocation comprises ₦248.923 billion (37.99 per cent) for recurrent expenditure and ₦406.307 billion (62.01 per cent) for capital expenditure. He said…

Six months after President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in the minimum wage for Nigerian workers from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, the implementation has seen varying responses across states. While some governors have adopted the new wage, others are yet to comply.Although the implementation of new pay across states has been gradual, however, a few governors have pledged to meet the ₦70,000 minimum wage, while others have gone beyond the federal government benchmark, committing to pay amounts higher than ₦70,000. In this analysis, the New Daily Prime lists the governors ( 18)who announced plans and commenced the payment of new minimum…

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has disbursed N140 million in cheques to young farmers engaged in commercial agriculture under the “Bring Back the Youth in Agriculture” initiative. In a statement on the state government’s Facebook page today, the programme, executed in collaboration with YSJ Farms Limited, targets boosting food production and youth engagement in farming across six farm clusters in the state. Presenting the cheques at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado-Ekiti yesterday, Oyebanji highlighted the critical global and national food shortages witnessed this year. He emphasised his administration’s commitment to agriculture as a tool for economic empowerment and food…

A day of reckoning came yesterday for Aisha ‘Mama Boko Haram’ Wakil and two others asJustice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri convicted and sentenced them to five years imprisonment each for fraud involving N6 million. The Head, Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),Dele Oyewale disclosed this in a statement on the anti-graft agency X page. Mama Boko Haram, the Chief Executive Officer of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, an NGO, alongside Programme Manager ,Tahiru Daura and Country Director Lawal Shoyode, were re-arraigned yesterdayon a four-count amended charge of conspiracy, cheating,…

Ondo State owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) has began its 13th convocation ceremony and 25th anniversary with an impressive record of academic excellence and institutional achievements. Speaking at a press briefing in Akure, AAUA Vice-Chancellor, Olugbenga Ige, announced that 6,882 students from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions will be graduating during the convocation ceremony.Meanwhile, Achievers University, Owo, will also hold its 14th convocation ceremony this week Saturday, with about 71 students earning First Class Honours in various disciplines.Prof lge said 62 students earned First Class Honours, while 1,941 and 3,486 graduates got Second Class Upper and Lower Divisions,…