Author: Amina Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress on Wednesday opened its defence by presenting four witnesses before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja. The witnesses, who served as local government collation agents, admitted under cross-examination that there were incidents of over-voting during the September 21, 2024, governorship election. The Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, are challenging the election results in which the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo, as the winner. Aggrieved by the declaration, the PDP and Ighodalo filed a petition against INEC, Okpebholo, and the APC as 1st, 2nd,…

Music Icon, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has stirred fresh controversy after deleting a love-filled post about the Deputy Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly. Natasha Irobosa Osawaru. 2Baba on Wednesday shared a video on Instagram professing his love for Natasha and expressing his desire to marry her. However, he quickly took down the post after it gained widespread attention. In the video, he said, “Yes, I love her. She’s amazing, she’s cool. I want to marry her.” He also clarified that he and his ex-wife, Annie Macaulay Idibia, remain on good terms despite their split,…

Officials from Algeria, Nigeria and Niger signed new contracts Tuesday aimed at accelerating the development of a vast natural gas pipeline toward Europe, the Algerian press agency APS reported. The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP), announced in 2009, would transport billions of cubic metres of gas 4,128 kilometres (2,565 miles) from Nigeria in West Africa through Niger and on to Algeria. From there it could be pumped through the undersea Mediterranean pipeline Transmed to Italy, or loaded onto liquefied natural gas tankers for export. At a meeting of ministers for the project in Algiers, the three countries signed contracts on “an…

The British government on Wednesday said it was toughening immigration rules to make it almost impossible for undocumented migrants who arrive on small boats to later receive citizenship. Under new guidance migrants arriving by sea, or hidden in the back of vehicles will normally be refused citizenship. “This guidance further strengthens measures to make it clear that anyone who enters the UK illegally, including small boat arrivals, faces having a British citizenship application refused,” a Home Office spokesperson said. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government is under pressure to reduce migration after Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party won roughly…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was ready to swap land in negotiations with Russia, which freed at least one American prisoner in what US President Donald Trump described Tuesday as a goodwill gesture on ending the war. Zelensky has in the past refused to cede any territory after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But in an interview with The Guardian published Tuesday, he said Kyiv was ready for serious talks ahead of a Friday meeting at the Munich Security Conference with US Vice President JD Vance — a vocal critic of US military support to Ukraine. “We…

The authorities of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, have commenced an investigation into a scuffle involving a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts of the institution and a student over a filmed social media content. A spokesman of the school, Njelita Louis, said the management of the institution led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, would impose the appropriate sanction on any of the parties found culpable. In viral videos, a third-year student in the Department of History and International Studies, Goddy Precious, was seen around the corridors dancing before her phone, capturing a TikTok moment…

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has dismissed widespread social media rumours alleging that he is responsible for the pregnancy of reality TV star, Nengi Hampson. The speculation, which recently gained traction online, claimed that Nengi had given birth to the governor’s child, with some reports even suggesting he has four wives. On Monday, social media was abuzz with claims that the 27-year-old former Big Brother Naija star was expecting a child with the governor, who appointed her as Senior Special Assistant on Girl Child Development in 2020. Reacting to the rumours on his Facebook page on Tuesday, the governor’s Chief…

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tapped by President Donald Trump to lead federal cost-cutting efforts, said Tuesday that the United States would go “bankrupt” without budget cuts. Musk leads the efforts under the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and was speaking at the White House with Trump, who has in recent weeks issued a flurry of orders aimed at slashing federal spending. In particular, Musk pointed to the country’s budget deficit, which topped $1.8 trillion in the last fiscal year, and took aim at high interest payments on the public debt. “It’s not optional” for Washington…

Jude Bellingham snatched a stoppage-time winner as Real Madrid twice came from behind to beat Manchester City 3-2 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Tuesday. City twice led through goals from Erling Haaland, the second from the penalty spot, but Madrid equalised both times courtesy of Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz before Bellingham won the game for the 15-time European champions. AFP

The Founder of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners’ Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has refuted claims that his aircraft was purchased using offerings from church members. In a trending video, Oyedepo stated that the acquisition of the aircraft was purely an act of divine provision and not the result of financial planning, fundraising, or personal ambition. “He bought the first aircraft without any prayer, without any idea that the aircraft was coming. He said it, he delivered it, nobody had any pressure on his life. There was no reminder on the offering. The offering didn’t buy it oo! God…