Author: Opeyemi Ogabi

United States President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid-19, Janet Murguía, president and CEO of UnidosUS, announced on Wednesday. Biden was scheduled to speak at the UnidosUS conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday night but called Murguía to inform her that he would not be able to attend due to his diagnosis. “I was just on the phone with President Biden, and he shared his deep disappointment at not being able to join us this afternoon. The president has been at many events, as we all know, and he just tested positive for Covid,” Murguía told attendees at the…

In a dramatic move, the Senate has ousted Senator Ali Ndume as Chief Whip, replacing him with Senator Tahir Monguno. The sudden change follows a directive from the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership, as contained in a letter signed by National Chairman, Umar Ganduje, and National Secretary, Senator Bashir Ajibola. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, put the request to a voice vote, which was overwhelmingly affirmed by all APC senators present. With this development, Monguno takes over as the new Chief Whip, marking a significant shift in the Senate’s leadership. The reasons behind Ndume’s removal are yet to be officially…

In a dramatic turn of events, the Federal High Court in Abuja has reinstated Phillip Shuaibu as the Deputy Governor of Edo State, nullifying his earlier impeachment by the State House of Assembly. Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice James Omotosho held that the impeachment process was flawed, as the Assembly failed to follow due process. The court therefore ordered Shuaibu’s reinstatement, setting aside the appointment of his replacement. According to the court, the allegations against Shuaibu did not constitute gross misconduct, and the impeachment proceedings were untenable in law. To ensure a smooth transition, the court directed the Inspector General…

At least one person was killed in fresh anti-government protests across Kenya on Tuesday, as police clashed with demonstrators demanding President William Ruto’s resignation. The protests, which began a month ago against proposed tax hikes, have continued despite Ruto withdrawing the legislation and firing his cabinet. Activists are demanding systemic changes to address corruption and poor governance, with at least 50 people killed in the protests so far, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. In Kitengela, police fired teargas and live bullets at protesters, killing one and injuring others. A Reuters reporter saw the body of the…

The Federal Government has successfully repatriated 190 Nigerians from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The returnees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 5:45 am on Tuesday. A team of government officials, led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), received the returnees. They were profiled and documented by relevant agencies and sensitized to behave with decorum and responsibility upon their return to Nigeria. In a statement, NEMA Director, North Central Zone, Bashir Idris Garga, urged Nigerians to act as exemplary ambassadors of their country, upholding fundamental values such as patriotism, rule of law, decency, and integrity. The…

The Federal Government has sought the assistance of the World Bank to provide funding worth $50 million to support state governments in installing solar plant pilots and infrastructure upgrades. According to a statement signed by Mohammed Manga, Director of Information and Public Relations, Finance Ministry, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, met with a World Bank delegate led by Dr. Ndiamé Diop, Country Director for Nigeria, to discuss innovative ways to drive Nigeria’s power sector forward. The meeting focused on World Bank-supported initiatives, including the Power Sector Recovery Operation and the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme, aimed at improving power distribution…

Sixteen opposition political parties in Osun State have withdrawn from the forthcoming local government election, citing bias and lack of transparency by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC). The parties, led by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) chairman, Victor Akande, alleged that OSSIEC chairman, Hashim Abioye, planned to employ PDP members as electoral officers and failed to disclose nomination fees for the poll. Akande stated, “We have reliably gathered that Abioye has perfected plans to use PDP members as Electoral Officers during the election… His intention is to trap us into conducting our parties’ primary elections without disclosing the…

King Charles III has written a personal message to the England team, urging them to hold their heads high despite their defeat in the Euro 2024 final. The monarch congratulated the team on their brilliant campaign, noting that reaching the final is a great achievement in itself. In the letter, King Charles wrote, “Although victory may have eluded you this evening, nevertheless my wife and I join all my family in urging you and your support team to hold your heads high… Please know that your success in reaching the European Championship final is a really great achievement in itself,…

Three people died on Saturday in a fatal crash involving a petrol tanker at Imope Village in Oru Ijebu, along the Ijebu-Ode-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State. The accident occurred around 9:30 am when the driver of the tanker, with number plate T 623 LA X, lost control of the vehicle, resulting in an explosion that claimed three lives. According to the police, the truck was carrying 45,000 litres of petrol from Lagos to Oyo State when it veered off the road and overturned. The explosion killed the driver, Salau Semiu, his assistant, Saheed, and an unidentified female passenger. Ogun State…

A daring armed robbery at the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS), Okuku campus, took a tragic turn when one of the robbers, known as Bob Jay, fell into an open well while fleeing with stolen items. The robbery occurred around midnight on Friday, with the robbers attacking students in the Okuku hostel, stealing laptops, phones, and money. Regina, a student who witnessed the incident, described the terrifying experience. “They were many that came around 12 midnight. They robbed all the students in the Okuku hostel. They stabbed one student, and broke the head of another with a stick before…