Author: Olóyè Gbenga

Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has strongly criticised the recent sentencing of Akeem Jimoh, a 28-year-old auto mechanic who was convicted and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing 17 tubers of yam worth N35,000 in Osogbo, Osun State. The judgment was delivered on Wednesday by Chief Magistrate Muibah Olatunji, after Jimoh pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of theft. Asked why he committed the offence, Jimoh said he stole the yam out of hunger and begged the court for leniency. However, the magistrate handed down a harsh sentence: three years in prison without the…

Senator Aminu Tambuwal, former Governor of Sokoto State and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, has declared his unwavering determination to see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ousted from office in the 2027 general elections through democratic means. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Tambuwal said: “I am committed to using every democratic means possible to make sure that President Tinubu leaves office in 2027. It’s not by my power, but by the grace of God, this will happen.” Tambuwal, now representing Sokoto South Senatorial District, has emerged in recent months as one of the most…

The World Bank has clarified why $2 billion in loans approved for Nigeria in 2024 have not yet been disbursed, nearly a year after the signing. The explanation comes amid reports that the bank approved $8.4 billion (₦12.89 trillion) in new loans for Nigeria between June 2023 and August 2025, spanning 15 projects in critical sectors like energy, education, health, rural infrastructure, and governance. According to data from the bank’s portal and information obtained by New Daily Prime, six loans signed between September and December 2024, totalling $2 billion, have yet to see any disbursement, sparking questions about possible bureaucratic…

Former Sokoto State Governor and current Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has admitted to engaging with bandits through backdoor channels during his tenure as governor in a bid to curb rising insecurity in the state. Tambuwal made the disclosure during an appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Friday, where he discussed the complexities of banditry in Nigeria’s North-West and the wider Sahel region. “We did engage bandits through backdoor channels,” Tambuwal revealed, describing the security challenges as being driven by a blend of local and foreign elements, with the latter flowing into Nigeria due to the unstable…

Kenneth Okonkwo, former spokesperson of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, has claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has effectively zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. Speaking on Channels TV’s breakfast show on Friday, Okonkwo alleged that Wike, the former Rivers State governor, wields significant influence within the PDP, consistently imposing his will and working against the party’s broader interests. “You were there when Wike said he will be supporting the presidential candidate of another political party. So where is it? And he has told you that anything and anybody that…

Former spokesperson of the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has declared that both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party have lost their political relevance and now exist only on paper. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast show on Friday, Okonkwo argued that both parties have ceased to function effectively as political platforms, accusing their leaders of openly supporting rival parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). “Strictly speaking, there is no more any party like PDP or LP. They are just existing on paper because whoever is…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it has received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as new political parties in Nigeria. The disclosure was made in a statement released on Thursday following the Commission’s weekly meeting in Abuja. INEC also confirmed the receipt of 19 additional applications, bringing the total number to 171 as of 3 September 2025. The full list of applicant associations has already been uploaded on the INEC website, the Commission said. According to INEC, a shortlist of pre-qualified associations is currently being finalised for the next phase of the registration process.…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared popular Nigerian real estate mogul and luxury developer, Olasijibomi Suji Ogundele, widely known as Sujimoto, wanted over allegations of money laundering and diversion of funds. Ogundele is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, a company renowned for its high-end architectural projects and luxury real estate developments across Lagos and other Nigerian cities. In a statement issued on Friday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed that Ogundele, 44, is currently under investigation and is being sought in connection with serious financial crimes. “Olasijibomi Suji Ogundele of Sujimoto Luxury…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released an update on the final voter registration figures for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election, confirming the addition of 146,353 new voters to the state’s electoral roll. The update was announced on Thursday following INEC’s weekly meeting, during which the Commission deliberated on the completion of voter registration across all 326 wards in Anambra State. The registration exercise was conducted between 8th and 20th July 2025. In a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, INEC disclosed that a total of 168,187 new…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that posterity will look kindly upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for taking what he described as “hard but necessary decisions” aimed at securing a better future for Nigeria. Speaking on Thursday at the State House in Abuja, Shettima commended Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to economic reform and diversification, insisting that the President possesses both the political will and the courage to take bold actions in the national interest. “In President Bola Tinubu, you have an ally, a friend who grew up in the same ecosystem as you, who speaks your language of business and commerce,…