Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

The United Kingdom Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, faces his first House of Commons grilling on Wednesday after suspending seven of his own Labour MPs for rebelling over a controversial welfare policy. Starmer suspended the Labour rebels late Tuesday after they backed a motion demanding the removal of the contentious two-child limit on benefits introduced by the previous Conservative government. Their votes supporting ending the cap — introduced in 2015 and which restricts payments to the first two children born to most families — is an early test of Starmer’s authority. The new UK leader has warned there is “no silver…

Justices R.M Aikawa and Darius Khobo of the Federal High Court and State High Court respectively, sitting in Kaduna have convicted and sentenced the quartet of Anthony Chukwu (a.k.a Carmelita Luna), Madaki Shamun Ismail (a.k.a Will Beal), Samson Aliyu (a.k.a John Dunwell) and Christopher Israel (a.k.a Bernie Dallas) to various jail terms for internet fraud. They were prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on one-count separate charges, bordering on impersonation, obtaining by false pretence and money laundering. Chukwu’s charge reads: “That you, Anthony Chukwu (a.k.a Carmelita Luna) ”M”, sometime in December 2023,…

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, has announced a 12.7% reduction in allowances for foreign scholars currently stranded in countries such as Russia, Morocco, and Algeria. The decision is attributed to ongoing economic challenges. Previously, Nigerian students studying in Russia, Morocco, Algeria, China, Hungary, and other countries under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement (BEA) Scholarship have expressed concerns over unpaid stipends for the past eight months. The BEA scholarship facilitates educational exchange between Nigeria and its partner countries, and the Federal Scholarship Board oversees this program under the Ministry of Education. A memo signed by the Director…

US President Joe Biden will give what could be his final Oval Office speech Wednesday to explain why he dropped out of November’s election and deny that he will spend six months as a lame duck. With the world’s eyes already on a looming clash between Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, Biden will insist in his address to the nation that he still has work to do despite his historic decision to bow out. The 81-year-old Democrat said on X he would discuss “what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people” in…

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the Police Act Amendment Bill to allow the occupant of the Office of the Inspector General of Police to remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment. The House decision followed the consideration and approval of President Bola Tinubu’s request, seeking an amendment of the Principal Act, to reflect on the tenure of the IGP. The proposed legislation to amend the Nigeria Police Act 2020 seeks to guarantee the tenure of the IGP and enhance police operations by promoting accountability, modernising policing methods and fostering a…

Billionaire Femi Otedola has called for increased support for Aliko Dangote, emphasizing the critical role Dangote plays in Nigeria’s industrial and infrastructure sectors. Otedola praised Dangote for his extensive contributions, which include the world’s largest single-train refinery and several other significant facilities. In a recent post on X, Otedola described Dangote as a “titan” whose achievements extend beyond business to essential infrastructure, such as major roads and critical industrial plants. He argued that supporting local business champions like Dangote is crucial for Nigeria’s national development and economic independence. Otedola highlighted Dangote’s extensive investments, including the largest sugar and cement factories…

The top European leagues, including the Premier League, and global players’ union Fifpro will launch legal action against world governing body Fifa over its “abuse of dominance” in the game. The European Leagues, which represents 39 leagues and 1,130 clubs in 33 countries, says it is filing a complaint to the European Commission to protect the welfare of players. It comes following growing pressure from leagues and player unions, including the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), over the number of games added to the calendar and the impact on players. A Fifpro statement said the international calendar is “now beyond saturation”,…

Former French Ligue 1 champions Bordeaux said on Tuesday they will play in the third-tier next season after withdrawing their appeal against relegation for financial failings. Bordeaux, who won the last of their six first division titles in 2009, were sanctioned on July 9 by French football’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, as they needed to find 40 million euros ($43.6 million) to balance their books. They had been in talks with the owners of Liverpool, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), before the American investors pulled out of negotiations earlier this month. “Even if discussions had restarted in recent days, representatives of…

Grammy nominee and Afrobeats superstar Davido has signed a lucrative partnership deal with GAC Motors Nigeria, solidifying his role as one of the company’s ambassadors. The deal was inked on Monday, July 22 at the GAC Motors headquarters in Lagos, marking a significant collaboration between the musician and the automobile manufacturer. This partnership comes after Davido and his wife were gifted a GAC M8 2024 Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) by CIG, a representative of GAC Motors in Nigeria, in June 2024. With this deal, Davido joins forces with GAC Motors to promote their brand and products.

The Senate passed a Bill on Tuesday, July 23, amending the National Minimum Wage Act to increase the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 after the first, second, and third readings. By this development, the bill will now await the concurrence of the House of Representatives before it is transmitted by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Magaji Tambawal, to President Bola Tinubu for assent into law. After the Bill titled: “Minimum Wage Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 550)” was read for the first time, Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele moved a motion that the Senate should suspend its relevant…