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Category: Opinion

  • Akpabio, Dickson clash over Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration

    Akpabio, Dickson clash over Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration

    The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio and the Senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, heatedly argued during plenary over the provision of Senate rules regarding the handling of President Bola Tinubu’s State of Emergency declaration in Rivers State.

    During the Senate plenary on Thursday, March 20, 2025, Senator Bamidele Opeyemi moved a motion to reorder the Order Paper to allow the Senate to handle the debate on the state of emergency in Rivers before other motions itemized for legislative action.

    As Bamidele stood to point out the order, Dickson raised a point of order, which Akpabio was hesitant to oblige.

    Rather than giving Dickson the floor, Akpabio reminded him of how the former Governor of Bayelsa State had gone on television to say he wouldn’t support the Senate on the state of emergency in Rivers.

    While Dickson insisted on getting Akpabio’s attention through a point of order, the Senate President asked him to put off his mic.

    Akpabio said, “Senator Seriake Dickson, let’s not argue. If we argue, it won’t be good for any of us.

    “We are all distinguished people. You were a former governor, and I was a former governor. Please turn off your mic and sit down. I watched you on television. You said whatever the Senate does, the Senate will never go with you.

    “I said you said whatever the Senate does, the Senate will never have your vote.

    “I don’t know but if you have already made up your mind to go on television when the Senate has not done anything or considered any issue, I am not arguing with you, but I say, please allow me to preside.”

    Reacting, Dickson said, “Mr Senate President, you know we must have mutual respect for all our colleagues, and I do have regard for you, particularly, as our presiding officer and I think that should be reciprocal.”

    He maintained that his point of order was to draw the senators’ attention to the provision requiring them to break into a closed-door meeting first.

  • CJN didn’t order Nnamdi Kanu’s release – NJC

    CJN didn’t order Nnamdi Kanu’s release – NJC

    ABUJA– The National Judicial Council, NJC, has debunked the report that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, ordered the immediate release and repatriation of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, back to Kenya.

    The council, in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, described the report as the figment of imagination of the writer, stressing that the CJN has nothing to do with Kanu’s case.

    “The Council wishes to state that the media report is false and figment of imagination of the writer, as there are no Court proceedings, decision or judgment where such statements ascribed to His Lordship was made.

    “The Council categorically emphasizes that the Hon CJN neither preside over any Case of Kanu at the Apex Court, where jurisdiction issue was argued nor makes any such pronouncement.

    “His Lordship, the Hon CJN never wrote any formal letter to the Kenya Government or Kenya High Commission apologising on the issue of arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and trial.

    “The Council urges members of the public to disregard the fake story,” the statement, which was signed by the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, read.

    Meanwhile, Kanu, who is answering to a seven-count treasonable felony charge the federal government initiated against him, is scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

    He is billed to take a fresh plea before a new judge, Justice James Omotosho, who was handed the case file after the previous trial judge, Justice Binta Nyako, recused herself following Kanu’s allegation that she was biased.

    Counsel to the embattled IPOB leader, Alloy Ejimakor, earlier applauded the CJN for a swift intervention he said led to the reassignment of his client’s case to a new judge, despite initial refusal of the Chief Judge of the High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to do so.

    Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom, UK.

    On April 25, 2017, Justice Nyako granted him bail on health grounds after he had spent about 18 months in detention.

    Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.

    However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.

    Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021, and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.

    Following the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of DSS, where he remained till date.

    The trial court had on April 8, 2022, struck out eight out of the initial 15-count charge that FG preferred against the defendant. It held that the discarded allegations lacked substance.

    Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.

    However, dissatisfied with the decision, the Federal Government took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.

    While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave the Federal Government the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.

     

     

  • Release of Nnamdi Kanu not connected to S-East security issues — Soludo

    Release of Nnamdi Kanu not connected to S-East security issues — Soludo

    The governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, has said releasing the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from detention and insecurity in the South-East are two different issues.

    Kanu has been in detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) for about 5 years since his arrest from Kenya by the Nigerian government despite calls from different quarters for his release.

    Some people who are calling for the release of the IPOB leader argue that it will reduce the level of insecurity in the South-East.

    But during a media chat to celebrate his third anniversary on Monday, Governor Soludo, who is among those who have been calling for Kanu’s release said: “The release of Nnamdi Kanu for me is different from the issue of security, I separate the two, I don’t link the two.

    “Nnamdi Kanu for me is for us to have a conversation of a long-term future for the Igbos and that is a different conversation.

    “For the criminals who are kidnappers, we have given them an olive branch, come out, we will train you, we will empower you, we will rehabilitate you, if you don’t we take you out.”

    Soludo said his continued appeal for the release of the IPOB leader is to have him around so that he could be a part of a broader discussion to decide the future of the Igbo people.

    However, the governor recalled that whilst he continued his appeal for Kanu’s release, “a whole lot of this Simon Ekpa and some of this his band of criminals took over and turned the things into a killing spree, just killing people with reckless abandon.”

    Simon Ekpa, who claimed to have taken over as IPOB leader upon Kanu’s arrest, was  arrested in Finland where he resides in November last year by the Finnish police for what it termed  “public exhortation to an offence, committed with terrorist intent.”

    Governor Soludo said that he has no idea what Ekpa is pursuing other than to “swindle people for money.”

  • Emergency Rule: No court order restrains Ibas, Ehie clarifies

    Emergency Rule: No court order restrains Ibas, Ehie clarifies

    The Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Governor, Dr. Ehie Edison, has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that the state government obtained a court injunction to prevent Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd) from resuming duties.

    In a statement personally signed on Thursday in Port Harcourt, Ehie described the reports as false and an attempt to escalate the already tense political atmosphere in the state.

    “Certain individuals are spreading misinformation that I secured an order from the Rivers State High Court preventing the Sole Administrator from assuming office at Government House, Port Harcourt,” he said.

    He further debunked claims that the alleged order stemmed from a fictitious lawsuit challenging the federal government’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

    “Ordinarily, I would ignore such baseless social media rants from troublemakers seeking to create disaffection. However, to prevent the public from being misled, I must set the record straight. Even the originators of this falsehood couldn’t spell my name correctly or provide any credible legal details regarding the supposed lawsuit,” he added.

    The former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly urged the public to disregard the misinformation, emphasizing his commitment to peace and lawful conduct.

    “I remain law-abiding and committed to conducting my affairs peacefully. I urge the good people of Rivers State and Nigerians at large to treat this reckless post as an attempt to incite unnecessary anger and division,” Ehie stated.

  • Okpebholo assures 2027 victory for Tinubu, as 17 of 18 acting LG chairmen defect to APC

    Okpebholo assures 2027 victory for Tinubu, as 17 of 18 acting LG chairmen defect to APC

    BENIN CITY – THE governor of Edo State, Sen. Monday Okpebholo on Wednesday consolidated his hold on the polity of the state when he received 17 Acting chairmen out of the 18 local government areas in the state where he predicted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election with a landslide.

    He received the defectors at the New Festival Hall of Government House, Benin City, where he praised the leadership style of President Tinubu adding that the steps that the previous administration was.. afraid to take that would have put the nation on a sound footing for development and growth is what he took by removing the contentious fuel subsidy.

    The Governor said his administration is ready to work to change the lives of the people for the better, adding that in just four months in office, he and his team have changed the narrative of Edo State.

    He said: “I welcome you all our Chairmen who have come to join us, and I praise you for the courage and bravery to leave your party to join the APC. It takes a grounded politician to take this step you have taken today.

    “Let me draw your minds back to where we are coming from as an administration. We practically met that Edo state was not working when we came into office. What we met in Edo were insecurity, killings, looting the Edo treasury using consultants to deceive Edo people and other backward policies implemented by the Obaseki led administration, but we came and changed the narrative.”

    He also thanked the councillors who spoke for their various communities through the impeachment exercises in the councils and subsequent election of these new chairmen across the 17 local government areas of Edo State.

    “2027 is a reality in Edo State as President Bola Amed Tinubu will continue in office. I charge the 17 of you today that the campaign for the election of President Bola Tinubu has started here today. Go back to your various local governments and erect his billboards to draw home the message of re-electing President Tinubu.

    “There is no vacancy in 2027 in Abuja. Those forming a political party now can’t rule us. They ruled their States and the people suffered from kidnapping, but since they left offices, their States are now free. Such people can’t rule Nigeria,” he declared.

    The party secretary who received the decampees on behalf of the APC, Lawrence Okah thanked the new members, urging them to unite with other members of the party as the administration of Governor Okpebholo has come to rescue the State from retrogression.

    Responding on behalf of the Chairmen, the ALGON chairman and chairman of Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Kelvin Iyere thanked the Governor and all APC party faithful for accepting them into the fold of the APC.

    Reacting to the defection, the PDP alleged that the governor gave the defectors N2 million each.

    A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare said “We condemn in the strongest terms the reckless use of state resources to purchase support and loyalty, while critical sectors of the state remain in dire need of government intervention, from security to public safety and order, revenue generation, education, and healthcare, among others.

    “The security crisis in the last few weeks has claimed the lives of at least 40 innocent Edo citizens, who are victims of the brutality of herders, kidnappers, and other violent attacks. The activities of thugs and non-state actors who have continued to harass, intimidate and extort citizens of the State have remained unabated, leaving the majority of residents in fear and causing a drastic fall in revenue generation.

    “As a party, we remain confident that the judiciary will correct the injustice of September 21, 2024, and return the stolen mandate to the PDP and Asue Ighodalo, whom the people of Edo State overwhelmingly voted for in the last governorship election so as to bring an end to Okpebholo and APC’s rascality in the State.”

  • My kidney failed, liver shut down – Actress Bambam recounts childbirth experience

    My kidney failed, liver shut down – Actress Bambam recounts childbirth experience

    Reality TV star and actress Bamike Olawunmi, popularly known as Bambam, has opened up about the harrowing experience she faced while giving birth to her first child.

    Bambam and her husband, Teddy A, welcomed their daughter, Zendaya, in 2020, nearly a year after their wedding.

    However, the journey to motherhood was far from smooth, as she recently revealed on an episode of the Me & My Girls podcast.

    Reflecting on her first childbirth experience, Bambam described it as traumatic, recounting how her vital organs began to shut down during laboUr.

    She shared, “A lot of stillbirths are due to negligence. It’s either the doctor was not sound or the nurse didn’t do her job on time or they arrived the hospital late.”

    Bambam went on to reveal the severity of her condition at the time, saying, “During my first labour, my kidney failed, my heart was weak, my liver…everything was just shutting down because of childbirth. She [my daughter] had detached from the placenta. If I was a second late [to the hospital] she would have lost oxygen and I would have had a stillbirth?”

    The actress admitted that the trauma of that experience left a lasting impact on her, adding, “Everytime I look at her, I just say, ‘What if…?’ The what ifs have tormented me. They tormented me so much. I will look at her and I will just… even just remembering I’m getting so nervous. The what ifs were so many and they haunted me for a while. I had to get therapy to walk me through being grateful.”

  • Rivers: No law allows president suspend a governor — Falz

    Rivers: No law allows president suspend a governor — Falz

    Nigerian rapper and activist Falz has reacted to President Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspend its governor.

    On Tuesday, President Tinubu announced the emergency measure, citing political unrest in the oil-rich state.

    The directive included the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months.

    Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) was appointed as the Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs during the period.

    Reacting via his Twitter page, Falz expressed his disagreement with the decision, arguing that the Nigerian Constitution does not grant the president the power to suspend an elected governor.

    “There is ABSOLUTELY NO LAW that allows a president to SUSPEND a governor. A Governor is elected into office and may only be removed by impeachment,” he wrote.

    The rapper further questioned whether the situation in Rivers State justified such drastic action.

    “Is Rivers State at war? Is there an actual breakdown of public order? Is there a threat to the existence of the Federation?” Falz asked.

  • 2026 WCQ: I love the energy of Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles – Wizkid

    2026 WCQ: I love the energy of Eric Chelle’s Super Eagles – Wizkid

    Nigerian Afrobeats star Wizkid has expressed his satisfaction with the Super Eagles’ preparation ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali.

    The team, now under the leadership of newly appointed head coach Eric Chelle, held its first training session on Tuesday afternoon.

    Reacting to the squad’s energy under Chelle, Wizkid took to his X handle on Wednesday, stating, “New Super Eagles team! [I] love the energy,” he tweeted.

    The crucial qualifier is set to take place at the Amahoro Stadium in Rwanda on Friday, March 21, with kickoff scheduled for 5 PM Nigerian time.

    Following the match, Nigeria will return home to face Zimbabwe in Uyo on Tuesday.

    The Super Eagles must secure maximum points from both fixtures to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

    TodayPriceNG News

  • State of Emergency: Fubara should be grateful to Tinubu for preventing impeachment – Obidike

    State of Emergency: Fubara should be grateful to Tinubu for preventing impeachment – Obidike

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara have sparked mixed reactions across the country.

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), legal experts, stakeholders, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, Femi Fani-Kayode, Ijaw Youths, and others have voiced their opinions, with many criticizing Tinubu’s decision.

    However, some, including Hon. Obidike Chukwuebuka, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have commended the President for what they see as a wise intervention in the state’s political crisis.

    In a statement sent to Vanguard on Wednesday, Obidike asserted that Governor Fubara owes a debt of gratitude to President Tinubu for stepping in and preventing his impeachment.

    Obidike’s remarks come amid speculation that Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State effectively shielded Fubara from imminent removal.

    Citing Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, Obidike noted that the President has the authority to declare a state of emergency, which temporarily suspends the powers of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and other state government institutions. This constitutional provision, he emphasized, grants the President control in times of crisis.

    While details of the alleged impeachment plot remain unclear, Tinubu’s intervention has significantly altered the political landscape in Rivers State. His efforts to promote peace and stability were evident in a recent meeting with Governor Fubara and key stakeholders, where he stressed the importance of unity and cooperation.

    “As the situation unfolds, Governor Fubara’s political future remains closely tied to President Tinubu’s influence, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the state,” Obidike concluded

  • Rivers: Military on high alert — Defence minister backs Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration

    Rivers: Military on high alert — Defence minister backs Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration

    Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has expressed his strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, emphasising that this decisive action is vital for restoring stability to the state’s turbulent political landscape.

    Matawalle stated that the declaration is a necessary measure to address the ongoing political crisis, which has hindered the delivery of democratic governance and the welfare of the people of Rivers State.

    He called on all political actors involved in the crisis to adhere to the President’s declaration and work collaboratively towards a peaceful resolution.

    A statement by the Minister’s office said, “In light of the current situation, the Nigerian Military is on high alert to safeguard government infrastructure and ensure the security of the citizens”.

    He “warned that any attempts to attack government facilities or disrupt public order will be met with a resolute response from security forces”.

    Reflecting on the President’s address regarding the state of emergency, he acknowledged the gravity of the political crisis in Rivers State and the urgent need for intervention.

    He highlighted the unfortunate demolition of the House of Assembly by the state governor, which has left the state without a functioning legislature for over fourteen months.

    This action has contributed to the ongoing political impasse and the inability of the government to effectively serve the people.

    The Minister also noted the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, which reaffirmed the constitutional necessity of a functioning legislature and condemned the governor’s actions as unconstitutional.

    He emphasized that the court’s findings call for immediate restoration of democratic governance in the state.

    Matawalle further expressed concern over recent reports of vandalism and threats from militants, underscoring the need for a unified effort to restore peace and security.

    He reiterated that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring the safety of all citizens and the protection of vital infrastructure in Rivers State.

    In addition, the Minister of State reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Defence and the Nigerian Armed Forces to upholding national security and ensuring that Rivers State returns to peace, stability and democratic governance.

    The Minister urged all stakeholders to embrace this opportunity for renewed governance and cooperation and expressed hope that the state of emergency will pave the way for a peaceful and democratic Rivers State, benefitting all its residents.