Author: New Daily Prime

Renowned constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, Professor Mike Ozekhome (SAN), has called for fresh local government elections in Osun State to resolve the ongoing dispute that has sparked violence and political tension across the region. In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, Ozekhome described new elections as the only viable solution to avoid “needless orchestrated violence” and restore peace to the state. He emphasised that the Court of Appeal’s recent judgement did not reinstate the sacked local government officials, as widely misconstrued, but rather struck out the case brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “I watched with…

The House of Representatives has set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Nigeria, following allegations made by US Congressman Scot Perry that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding global terrorism, including Boko Haram. The investigation, spurred by a motion from Gombe lawmaker Inuwa Garba, aims to uncover the identities, sources of funding, and expenditures of NGOs operating in the country, particularly those in the North-East, which is the epicenter of terrorism in Nigeria. Garba expressed concern that if the allegations were true, they could undermine Nigeria’s fight against…

The UK needs to develop a pipeline of construction skills and knowledge             After months of delivering confidence-sapping messages on the British economy, the Labour party has begun to change its tune. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled plans to build new towns across the country; part of a broader promise to construct 1.5mn homes within the current parliament. That followed announcements last month to revive the development of a third runway at Heathrow airport and the science-rich Oxford-Cambridge Arc. Forthcoming plans to cut red tape in the planning system could also unlock the government’s goals to decarbonise the…

Neither the US nor China is willing to assume the responsibility “The 1929 depression was so wide, so deep and so long because the international economic system was rendered unstable by British inability and United States unwillingness to assume responsibility for stabilising it.” Such was the economic historian Charles Kindleberger’s conclusion about why the Depression became an international catastrophe. The world economy, he argued, needs a hegemon: a leader willing to incur some cost and risk for the sake of the whole. “For the world economy to be stabilised,” he wrote, “there has to be a stabiliser, one stabiliser.”…

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has for the first time publicly acknowledged that the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, but described its annulment as the “most difficult decision” of his life. Babangida made the revelation in his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, February 120. The book offers a deep dive into pivotal moments of Nigerian history, including controversial decisions during his time in power. While reviewing the book at the launch, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo quoted Babangida as saying that Abiola, who…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has officially withdrawn from the upcoming local government election scheduled for Saturday, February 22. The party’s decision follows a controversial Court of Appeal ruling earlier this month that reinstated its sacked chairmen and councillors. In a letter dated February 17, which was signed by the APC State Publicity Secretary, Alao Kamorudeen, and addressed to the Secretary of the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), the party announced its withdrawal from the electoral process, citing the implications of the February 10 judgment. The Court of Appeal’s ruling in Akure nullified a previous Federal High…

The Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM) in Libya has successfully deported 48 Nigerian women and two children with support from Nigeria’s consular services and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The repatriation was carried out on Wednesday via Mitiga International Airport, ensuring the safe return of the migrants to Nigeria. This effort forms part of broader initiatives aimed at assisting Nigerian nationals who are facing hardships abroad, especially in conflict-affected areas like Libya. Migrant Rescue Watch confirmed the operation in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “DCIM repatriated from Tripoli with 🇳🇬 consular and 🇺🇳 IOM support…

The Federal Ministry of Transportation has refuted reports circulating on online platforms regarding the imminent launch of a high-speed bullet train between Lagos and Abuja, which was claimed to reduce travel time between the two cities from 12 hours to just two to three hours. In a statement issued on Thursday, February 20, the Ministry described the claims as “fake and unfounded,” stressing that they were based on inaccurate information provided by Yinka Idris, the Director of Operations of Geofocus Consortium. Idris had reportedly issued a statement suggesting that the feasibility studies for the project were complete, and that the…

The House of Representatives has urged the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to take immediate action against the growing use of fake vehicle number plates, citing concerns over increasing criminal activities in the country. The motion, sponsored by Matthew Nwogu, the representative for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency, Imo State, was adopted during Thursday’s February 20, plenary session. Nwogu emphasised that vehicle number plates are crucial for identifying vehicles and allowing security agencies to trace those involved in criminal activities. He referenced a report from Vanguard dated February 7, 2025, which revealed that many fake…

Governors elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have thrown their weight behind Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, as the state grapples with an escalating leadership crisis at the local government level. The crisis began following a controversial Federal High Court ruling in Osogbo last year, which led to the dismissal of Osun State’s local government chairmen and councillors. This decision was overturned by the Court of Appeal in Akure, which reinstated the officials. However, attempts to restore the local government leaders sparked violent clashes, resulting in several deaths across the state. In a statement issued by Bauchi State…