Author: New Daily Prime

By Damilola Olufemi Federal vs State Power Struggle: Can Local Governments Autonomy? In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court on July 11,2024 ordered the federal government to bypass the state governments and directly pay revenue allocations to local government councils,yet this directive is mostly observed in the breach by some governors.In this report, Damilola Olufemi who sought the views of experts on the issue,unveils the many challenges encountered in implementing the order, stressing that there are lots of advantages in obeying the court’s ruling. The lawsuit which was instituted by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,…

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…

By Alade Adisa Workers at the Lagos State House of Assembly have shut down the legislative complex in protest against the Department of State Services (DSS) over the continued detention of their colleagues who were arrested last week at the Assembly Complex in Ikeja, Lagos. Operatives of the DSS had stormed the House last week at the invitation of the Assembly’s leadership to help maintain law and order as lawmakers prepared to sit. The security intervention followed the political turmoil that erupted after the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa last month and his replacement by Deputy Speaker Mojisola Meranda.…

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…