Author: Amina Mohammed

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified why it designated one of its National Commisssioners, Sam Olumekun as the Acting Chairman of the electoral commission. Rumours were rife on Tuesday that the Commission’s national chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has been sacked by President Bola Tinubu, a claim that has been debunked by the presidency. In a statement on its social media handles on Wednesday, INEC had posted that Olumekun, the acting chairman received a high-level delegation of Labour party, led by Abia state governor, Dr. Alex Otti. “A high-level delegation of the Labour Party (LP), led by Abia State…

Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ibas (rtd) has approved the appointments of administrators for the 23 local government areas in the state. The development was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Ibibia Worika. Ibas also approved the reconstitution of some of the suspended boards of agencies, commissions and parastatals. The statement said the appointments would take effect on April 7th. The statement said: “His Excellency  The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the appointments of Administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers…

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr) Owolabi Olakulehin (Ige Olakulehin I), has declared that the title of Sarkin Sasa is not recognised under the Ibadan Traditional Chieftaincy Law and, therefore, holds no official status. The Olubadan-in-Council made this declaration during its meeting at the Olubadan Palace, Oke Aremo, Ibadan, on Monday. In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Olugbemiga Ayoade, the Council stated that the law only recognises the Baale of Sasa land in Akinyele Local Government Area, and no other titleholder. “Chief Akinade Ajani Amusa is the recognised…

Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume has criticized President Bola Tinubu for not adhering to the federal character principle in political appointments. Ndume accused Tinubu of violating the constitutional requirement for balanced representation in government appointments, citing Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution. “The figures are there. You can look at the figures. I sent you one. I sent you figures. It’s not that I’m just making accusations. And it’s not that I’m saying, well, the president has no right to do that kind of thing. “But it’s a constitutional provision. Section 13, I mean, Section 14 (3) of the…

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has hailed his predecessor, Senator David Mark on the occasion of his 77th birthday celebration. In a statement on his social media handles, Saraki said Mark set a timeless standard of how the nation’s legislature should be led. Born on April 8, 1948 in Otukpo, Benue State, Mark clocked 77 years today. Mark, who retired from the Nigerian Army as a Brigadier-General, served as 12th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2007 to 2015 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Saraki said, “While leading the Senate, our distinguished former Senate President, Senator…

Billboard has named Trinidadian hip-hop star Nicki Minaj the greatest female rapper of all time. Also included in the list are veteran rappers such as Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, and Queen Latifah. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, who are Nicki Minaj’s closest rivals, did not make the top ten in the list released by Billboard staff. In second place on the list is Missy Elliot, followed by Lauryn Hill, Lil’ Kim, and Queen Latifah at numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Others who make up the top ten list are MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa, Roxanne Shanté, Eve, and Foxy…

Four individuals who were incarcerated after the fire at the Rivers House of Assembly have alleged that they are being pressured to implicate Edison Ehie, the Chief of Staff to the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara. Chime Ezebalike, Kenneth Kpasa, Oladele Lukman, and MacPherson Olumini were locked up in Kuje Correctional Facility for about six months but were acquitted of the charges in November 2024. Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, Ezebalike revealed that they were approached by a prominent PDP leader in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area to change their story. “We were asked to rewrite our story…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to a report that its Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu has been sacked by President Bola Tinubu. The commission disclosed on Monday that the report is false after a viral WhatsApp message stated that Yakubu had been replaced with one Prof. Olamilekan. “INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu,” the message read. Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary CPS to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, urged members of the public to disregard the report. “Please, disregard. It is not true,” Oyekanmi simply said. Yakubu’s time as INEC…

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, and the Abia state governor, Alex Otti, have jointly called a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). The NEC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Abuja following last week’s removal of Julius Abure, the party’s national chairman by the Supreme Court. In a statement signed by Ibrahim Umar, spokesperson for the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), the list of invited participants includes the 2023 vice-presidential candidate, current and former senators, senatorial candidates, members of the House of Representatives, and other 2023 House…

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has told Julius Abure, immediate past national chairman of the Labour Party (LP) to give peace a chance, warning that any attempt to destroy the party would backfire. His warning was coming against the backdrop of the misleading interpretations being given to the Supreme Court’s judgement that sacked the Abure led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party. Otti, who spoke while inaugurating the new leadership of Abia Arise organisation, his grassroots political group, said the party is bigger than every member. “The party is bigger and more important than any of us put together. The…