Author: Samuel Akpenpuun

A member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, has denied claims that he did not support the presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 election because Abubakar is not from his region. George, who recently declined his appointment to the PDP National Disciplinary Committee, addressed the issue during a TVC political programme on Sunday night. The former National Vice Chairman of the party refuted the claims made by the Atiku camp, stating that his lack of support was due to Abubakar allegedly dividing the party during the election campaign. He…

The crisis rocking the Benue chapter of the All Progressives Congress deepened on Monday after the dissolved Austin Agada-led All Progressives Congress announced that it had nominated 23 chairmanship and 276 councillorship candidates ahead of the October 5, local government election in the state. The primary exercise took place in all the wards across the 23 local government areas of the state on Saturday. The development comes five days after the aggrieved executive members, who were dissolved by the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, dragged him to court for ignoring the exparte order restraining the National Working Committee…

The Federal Government has declared that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited does not have the funds required to rebuild old pipelines. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, stated this at the just concluded Energy and Labour Summit 2024 organised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria in Abuja. Lokpobiri, while speaking about the divestment of international oil companies and the need to ramp up production, emphasised that Nigeria also needs to repair its pipelines, which he said are old, corroded, and expired. He noted that even if the country can produce…

Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson has responded sharply to criticism from former Blues midfielder Mikel Obi. Obi had suggested that Jackson missed too many chances in Chelsea’s recent match against Manchester City and hinted that the club might consider signing Victor Osimhen as a potential alternative. In response, Jackson took to Instagram to address Obi’s comments directly, stating, “Mikel Obi, shut your mouth, don’t talk sh*t, we are killing ourselves for Africa.” His post came after he scored Chelsea’s opening goal in their 6-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers, marking the club’s fastest Premier League goal since 2017. Jackson’s goal was a…

Separatist militants killed at least 39 people in “coordinated” attacks in southwestern Pakistan on Monday that largely targeted ethnic Punjabis, government officials said. In one of the attacks, dozens of militants stopped vehicles travelling on a highway through Balochistan province and shot 23 people dead — one of the worst shootings in the region in the past several years. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most active militant separatist group in the province, claimed responsibility for an overnight operation in a statement sent to AFP. Government officials have reported deadly attacks in at least three districts in impoverished Balochistan, where…

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has started a 7-day warning Strike across all of its centres nationwide. The resident doctors strike is to clamour for the release of its kidnapped member, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, who has been in captivity for over 8 months. NARD President, Dr Dele Abdullahi, who said this in a statement, noted that the strike will begin Monday, August 26, 2024, at 12am. Abdullahi disclosed that the decision was made during the virtual Emergency National Executive Council meeting held on Sunday, August 25, 2024. He said the warning strike will last for one week and…

Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, has expressed his condolences following the death of the Emir of Ningi in Bauchi State, Yunusa Danyaya. The monarch passed away in the early hours of Sunday, August 25, after returning from a medical trip to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, August 22. In a statement posted on his official X handle, Abubakar described the late Emir as a figure of great significance. He noted that the Emir had a long and impactful reign and was a symbol of pride to his people. Abubakar’s statement read: “I commiserate with the…

The National Youth Service Corps has announced the release of the 2024 Batch ‘B’ Stream 2 call-up letters for prospective corps members. The corps made the announcement in a series of post on its official X (former Twitter) handle on Monday. It said orientation camp for the stream is expected to start on August 28, 2024 and closes on September 17, 2024. According to the post, “some prospective corp members posted to Lagos will have orientation in Ogun and Osun. “While some of those posted to Zamfara will have in Kebbi and Sokoto etc” The corps, however, advised prospective corps…

Nigerian skit maker, Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, aka Brain Jotter, marked his graduation from the University of Lagos with a grand and lively celebration. In a video shared on his Facebook page on Sunday, Brainjotter was seen wearing a signed white T-shirt and holding a bottle of champagne as he led the celebration, singing with enthusiasm. The skitmaker, known for his hilarious skits, was seen standing atop a vehicle, enthusiastically singing Mike Ejeagha’s hit song “Gwo Gwo Gwo Ngwo,” which he helped popularise through a viral online challenge. His coursemates joined in the joyful moment, making it an unforgettable sign-out ceremony. Brain…

A Vietnam-bound businessman, Ibeanusi Nosike, has excreted 68 wraps of cocaine after he was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. Disclosing this an a statement on Sunday, the NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said Nosike was arrested while attempting to board the first flight out of Lagos to Abuja. “An Onitsha, Anambra state based-businessman, Ibeanusi Solomon Nosike, has excreted 68 wraps of cocaine after 12 days of excretion observation following his arrest at the local wing of the MMIA Ikeja Lagos by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement…