Author: Festus Adeloye

Thirty-six members of the Lagos State House of Assembly loyal to Mojisola Meranda on Thursday reaffirmed that the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker was final, declaring Meranda as the legitimate leader of the House. The lawmakers convened at the Assembly garden, maintaining their stance based on their February 17 vote of confidence in Meranda, despite Obasa’s return. Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Strategy, and Security, Stephen Ogundipe, condemned the ongoing situation and called for calm. He said: “This is Lagos, the State House of Assembly. We’re shocked to see what’s happening here today.We expect our leaders, who…

Former presidential media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati may not be returning to Arise Television anytime soon as one of the anchors of daily breakfast programme ‘The Morning Show’. In the recent episode of the programme, Abati has been replaced by Professor Anthony Kila, a globally renowned Jean Monnet Professor of Strategy and Development, raising speculations as to whether he has left the media organisation or has been drafted to a background role. When contacted by TheScrutinyNG, a staff of Arise TV said Abati is on annual leave and will be returning soon. “He has been on annual leave since February…

Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has noted with concern that the withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States from ECOWAS has disrupted existing security frameworks and plans by Chad to pull out of the Multinational Joint Task Force will affect the ability of the joint security force to conduct operations. Air Marshal Abubakar, who stated this at a review meeting with Field Commanders in Abuja, said terror group’s use of drones carrying locally fabricated grenades in a kamikaze role to attack troops in Damboa last year indicates the growing efforts of terrorists to proliferate…

Oscar-winning US actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In a career that spanned more than six decades, he received two Academy Awards, two Baftas, four Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award. A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico said: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. “This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”…

Former Military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has said the palace coup staged by the late General Sani Abacha which ended the Interim National Government headed by the late Ernest Shonekan did not come to him as a surprise. Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, IBB who launched his autobiography titled ‘A Journey In Service’ last week said even though he had left the military, he was aware of happenings within the corridors of power When asked the question ‘Did the Abacha Coup Surprise You? IBB replied ‘No, it never did. I knew it (coup) will come because even…

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has upheld the expulsion of the National Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) South-East, Chief Ali Odefa, from the party. Odefa was suspended by the party’s executive committee in his Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area, on October 4, 2024, over alleged anti-party activities. However, he dismissed the suspension as ineffective and continued functioning as PDP’s South-East leader. In response, the ward’s executive committee expelled him after he reportedly failed to appear before a disciplinary panel. The committee then sought judicial affirmation of his expulsion. Delivering judgment on Wednesday…

Iran on Wednesday condemned a new round of US sanctions as a “clear sign of hostility” after Washington blacklisted more than 30 people and vessels linked to its oil trade. Washington announced the measures on Monday, targeting the head of the national oil company and others accused of brokering oil sales. It was the second wave of sanctions in less than a month since US President Donald Trump reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy on Tehran. The sanctions were a “clear sign of the hostility of American policymakers towards the welfare, development, and happiness of the great people of Iran”, said…

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dismissed the suspension of Senator Kawu Sumaila (NNPP-Kano) and three federal lawmakers as null and void, insisting that the move lacks legitimacy. On Monday, the Kano State chapter of the NNPP suspended Senator Sumaila, who represents Kano South District, along with three members of the House of Representatives—Rep. Ali Gini, Rep. Sani Rogo, and Rep. Kabiru Rurum. The party’s Kano chairman, Hashimu Dungurawa, told journalists that the four lawmakers were suspended for alleged anti-party activities. However, in a swift response on Tuesday, NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Oginni Olaposi, dismissed the action as baseless and politically motivated. “The purported suspension was…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has summoned MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to explain its planned subscription price increase, set to take effect on March 1, 2025. In a statement on Tuesday, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the regulator had ordered MultiChoice’s Chief Executive Officer to appear at its headquarters on February 27 for an investigative hearing. The summons comes after the pay-TV announced on Monday a 21 per cent increase in the subscription fee for its DStv Compact package, raising the price from N15,700 to N19,000 among other adjustments in price.…

An All Progressives Congress chieftain, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on the Federal Government to release monthly allocations to the court-reinstated APC-elected local government chairmen in Osun State. Oyintiloye made this appeal in a statement issued on Tuesday after addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the state capital. While making the appeal, he insisted that the state government would, at the appropriate time, be held accountable for the funds spent on the recently conducted local government election, noting that it is a waste of taxpayers’ money. “I want to appeal to the Federal Government to start releasing the monthly allocation to the APC-reinstated…