Author: Gbenga Oluranti Olaleye

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a defamation lawsuit against the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over alleged defamatory statements published by his aide on Facebook. According to The PUNCH, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal action follows a reshuffle in the Senate, which saw her seat reassigned after some opposition members switched to the majority wing. Senator Natasha resisted the move, leading to a confrontation with Akpabio, the Senate President. In the suit, filed at the Federal Capital Territory High Court on 25 February 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan names Senator Akpabio, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate…

The Nigerian Senate has referred Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for a disciplinary review following a dispute over seating arrangements in the chamber.  The Senate decision, made after a voice vote on Tuesday, comes amid a row over Akpoti-Uduaghan’s altercation with Senate leadership regarding her designated seat. The committee, led by Senator Neda Imaseun, has been given two weeks to investigate the matter and submit its findings. The motion to refer the issue to the committee was raised under Senate Orders 1(b) and 10, with lawmakers emphasising the need to uphold parliamentary decorum…

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has dismissed claims made by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that former military President Ibrahim Babangida was among those who “tormented” Tinubu during the military era. Osinbajo made the remarks last week while reviewing Babangida’s autobiography, A Journey in Service, at its public presentation in Abuja. During the event, Osinbajo recalled how Tinubu, then a senator, had resisted the military’s dissolution of the Senate following the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election. In a lighthearted comment, Osinbajo suggested that Tinubu, who was “tormented” by the…

A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the House of Representatives, Israel Sunny-Goli, has dismissed former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s call for an alliance between the North and South as unnecessary and politically motivated. El-Rufai made the remarks during a condolence visit to the family of the late Chief Edwin Clark, where he stated that Nigeria was facing an “existential threat” and that the Niger Delta region was the “glue” holding the country together. He called for an alliance of “people of goodwill” to ensure the country’s survival and good leadership. However, in…

National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has categorically denied reports that he is planning a presidential bid for 2031, reiterating that his attention remains fully on supporting the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. In a statement released on his X platform, Ribadu responded to recent allegations made by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who claimed the NSA was plotting a political scheme against him, allegedly motivated by ambitions to run for president in 2031. El-Rufai had accused Ribadu of collaborating with Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has reassured party members that President Bola Tinubu will be in attendance to chair today’s National Caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. This confirmation was made by the APC’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, in an exclusive interview. Basiru stated, “By the grace of God, the President will be there. He has already confirmed his attendance,” dispelling any doubts surrounding the meeting. The National Secretary also sought to quell fears about the potential cancellation of the National Caucus and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, which are scheduled for today and tomorrow, respectively. …

As the Muslim community prepares for the holy month of Ramadan, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has called for greater unity and integrity among Islamic scholars, emphasising the importance of working together despite differences in interpretation. The appeal was made by the President-General of JNI, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, at the annual pre-Ramadan meeting held on Monday, February 24, in Kaduna. The event, which attracted prominent religious figures, had the theme: Social Media and Islamic Scholarship: Causes of Conflict among Muslim Scholars. Addressing attendees, the Sultan urged for unity among Muslims, stressing that despite varying perspectives and…

The political turbulence within the Lagos State House of Assembly may soon be resolved following intervention from high-ranking members of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The ongoing dispute, which has left the leadership of the Assembly in limbo, appears set for a potential compromise with suggestions that both the impeached Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, and the current Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, could be stepping aside in favour of a new leader. According to our source, the intervention of influential APC figures, including former governors Chief Bisi Akande, Segun Osoba, and Akinwunmi Ambode, is playing a pivotal role in finding a resolution to…

The trial of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello on charges of alleged fraud resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, amid an unusually heavy security presence by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The EFCC operatives, visibly armed with various firearms, were stationed at strategic points around the court complex, including roadblocks that prevented access to one of the major routes leading to the court. In addition to the weapons, dogs and other security equipment were also deployed at the entrance of the court building, further heightening the sense of tension. Several lawyers,…

Chairmen elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the October 2022 Osun Local Government elections returned to their respective council secretariats on Monday, amid heightened security. Council officials resumed work at various secretariats, including in Ikirun (Ifelodun Local Government), Igbona (Olorunda Local Government), and Oke-Baale (Osogbo Local Government), despite ongoing tensions. A heavy security presence was visible across the state, with armed police officers and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel stationed at roadblocks leading to the secretariats. Checkpoints were also set up along major routes, including the Osogbo/Kwara boundary and Osogbo/Ilesa roads. Jamiu Olawumi, a former…