Author: Gbenga Olaleye

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has unveiled plans to establish a 260,000-strong rapid deployment counter-terrorism brigade, requiring an annual budget of $2.5 billion. The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, disclosed this during the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja, themed “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaboration.” Represented by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Touray said the funds would support the activation of the force, logistics provision, and financial assistance to frontline states battling terrorism. He…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has collapsed politically, pointing to the results of the recently concluded bye-elections as evidence of the public’s growing rejection of the opposition party. In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the outcome of the bye-elections reflected the popularity of President Bola Tinubu’s policies among Nigerians. “The PDP has since fallen into ruins, and stands rejected by Nigerians,” Morka said. “When its governors gather in their scanty numbers, one would expect them to have some shame and concentrate on how…

The Benue State House of Assembly has firmly denied claims that Governor Hyacinth Alia played any role in the recent resignation of Speaker Aondona Dajoh, stressing that the move was based solely on personal principle and not the result of political interference. Speaking during an appearance on The Morning Brief, a Channels Television programme, Assembly spokesperson Elias Audu stated that the lawmakers of the Benue Assembly are “independent-minded” and cannot be influenced or coerced, either by the executive or external forces. “The Speaker made his decision based on personal principle,” Audu said. “If the governor had an interest—whatever it might…

The Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in Ekiti State, Engr. Simon Adeniran Adeniyi, has addressed the persistent concerns surrounding the deteriorating state of federal roads in the state, attributing the delays in maintenance to the ongoing rainy season and funding challenges. Speaking in Ado-Ekiti, Engr. Adeniyi explained that the heavy and consistent rains have rendered it nearly impossible to carry out any meaningful maintenance work. “The rainy season has been a major obstacle. It is difficult to achieve substantial progress on road projects under such conditions,” he said. He clarified FERMA’s specific mandate, noting that the agency…

Prominent constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), to resign if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu refuses to heed his legal advice. Ozekhome made the call in reaction to the Federal Government’s decision to withhold funds meant for local governments in Osun State, describing the move as a politically motivated action that undermines democracy. According to him, the President may not be receiving sound legal counsel from the AGF, citing Fagbemi’s recommendation in a letter to the Ministry of Finance that allocations be channelled to sacked All…

The Yoruba Leaders of Thought (Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba) have called for an immediate end to the ongoing rift between two of Yorubaland’s foremost traditional rulers — the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade. Tensions between the monarchs resurfaced last week after the Alaafin publicly criticised the Ooni over the chieftaincy title conferred on prominent businessman Dotun Sanusi, a move the Alaafin reportedly considered inappropriate. In a statement on Sunday titled “Time to Sheath the Sword”, the group’s National Leader, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, urged restraint and appealed for swift intervention from the South-West…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised serious concern over the alarming number of uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Kano State, revealing that more than 360,000 cards remain abandoned in its custody. This was disclosed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Kano, Ambassador Abdu Zango, on Saturday during a meeting with a newly inaugurated committee set up by the state government to drive voter education and awareness. The committee, chaired by the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, was established by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf as part of efforts to address…

Former All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Adamu Garba, has sparked controversy by describing Nigeria’s local government councils as mere “ATMs” for state governors, and calling for their outright scrapping. In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page, Garba criticised the structure of local governments in the country, claiming they serve no real purpose other than functioning as “paper-only, money-sharing third-tier government institutions” under the influence of state governors. “One of the most inefficient, ineffective back pockets of some state governors is the local government councils,” Garba said. “Autonomy or not, the LGs are still ATMs of some…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has pledged to fully support whoever emerges as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate in the 2026 primaries, regardless of whether he secures the ticket himself. Atiku made this declaration on Saturday during a welcome event in Lagos State for new defectors from the Labour Party (LP) and ADC, who have now joined the ADC-led coalition movement. He was represented at the event by Prof. Ola Olateju, who served as the guest speaker. “It is not a thing we can predetermine. Whoever emerges through free and fair contests, we are all going to support,”…

As preparations quietly begin for the 2027 general elections, several lawmakers in the House of Representatives have called for urgent electoral reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process and ensuring transparency, credibility, and inclusivity in future polls. This push is coming as the House Committee on Constitution Review considers multiple bills seeking to amend key provisions in the Electoral Act, 2022. Some of the prominent issues up for review include the electronic transmission of election results, diaspora voting, the conduct of all national elections on a single day, and the introduction of independent candidacy. Lawmakers say these reforms are essential…