Author: David Akonuche

OPERATIVES of the Nigeria Immigration Service have arrested Levi Obieze, a native doctor popularly known as ‘E de play, e de show,’ who is wanted by the Enugu State Police Command over allegations of abduction, kidnapping, and ritual killings. The arrest took place at the Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Seme Road, Lagos State, where Obieze was caught attempting to flee the country on a motorcycle. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) confirmed the arrest on Thursday through a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi. “Through credible intelligence, Obi Levi Obieze was apprehended by vigilant men of the Nigeria Immigration Service,…

SINCE a former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, came third in the 2023 presidential election, many have touted that his surest path to the Presidential Villa is by being a running mate to a northern politician. The same forces are currently urging him to join a coalition designed to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027. The forces in the coalition are mainly made up of northern politicians who feel the Tinubu administration let their region down after helping him win the 2023 election against their own, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who came second. With President Tinubu running the…

PAT Utomi, a professor of political economics and founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership, has said that the concept of a shadow cabinet in Nigeria was not new, revealing that he created one as far back as 2008 and even discussed it with then President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Utomi had recently announced the Shadow Cabinet, a platform to promote “responsible democratic opposition,” a move that has generated negative reaction from the government, prompting the Department of State Security (DSS) to sue him. Speaking during a virtual event organised by the University of Lagos Mass Communication Class of 1988…

A PROFESSOR of Political Economy, Pat Utomi, on Friday said he is receiving support from some Nigerians who are planning to mobilise 500 lawyers to defend him against the Department of State Services. “It’s energising (that) some want to put together 500 lawyers to defend me against the DSS,” he said. The DSS had sued Utomi over his alleged plan to establish what he calls “a shadow government” in the country. According to the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the DSS prayed the court to declare the move an attack on the Constitution. The professor of…

TRAGEDY struck in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, as five siblings died from suspected food poisoning, leaving their mother hospitalised in critical condition. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, May 3, threw the family and the entire community into mourning, with relatives and neighbours seen consoling the bereaved during a visit by our correspondent on Wednesday. Pa Robinson Aghalu, a 79-year-old retired soldier and father of the deceased children, said the tragedy began shortly after the children ate a meal prepared by their mother. Aghalu said the children started experiencing stomach aches, vomiting, and other symptoms,…

THE Labour Party has announced the indefinite suspension of six prominent members, including Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Senators Darlington Nwokocha and Ireti Kingibe, over alleged anti-party activities. Others suspended are Victor Afam Ogene, Amobi Ogah, and Seyi Sowumi. The party’s National Executive Council said the decision followed the recommendations of a five-man Disciplinary Committee set up on May 2, 2025, to probe allegations of anti-party conduct. In a statement signed by the National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, on Wednesday, the party said the suspension takes immediate effect and bars the affected members from participating in any Labour Party activities.…

THE trial of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, resumed on Friday before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the cross-examination of principal witness, who said he did not find any instrument of terrorism on Kanu. The court had granted the request of the Federal Government for witnesses to testify behind the screens. While the prosecution counsel is Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), a former Attorney General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, led the defence team. An operative of the Department of State Services, known simply as AAA, appeared as PW1. When…

THE National Judicial Council (NJC) has directed the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, to reverse the appointment of the Acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu, and appoint the most senior judge as the Acting Chief Judge of the state. The NJC, under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, also directed that Justice Nzeukwu should be issued a query to show cause within seven days why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for presenting himself to be sworn in as the CJ. Justice Nzeukwu was sworn in by Governor…

FORMER Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has explained why he and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori joined the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party. Speaking at a ceremony held at the Cenotaph in Asaba on Monday, where they were formally received into the APC, Okowa said the decision was taken in the best interest of Delta State and its people. “People wondered why, but one thing is very important: in the history of a people there is always a time to change their path for the common good of the people, and whatever decision we took was based on that…

THE Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, will lead Nigeria’s delegation to Vatican City to attend the burial of Pope Francis on Saturday. In a statement on Friday, presidential adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the five-member delegation was constituted by President Bola Tinubu. Other members of the delegation are the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama. Pope Francis, the revered head of the Roman Catholic Church,…

PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Segun Sowunmi, has urged Peter Obi to return to PDP ahead of the 2027 presidential contest to brighten his chances. However, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South), has dismissed moves by some political actors to form a coalition with the aim of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, describing them as content creators. Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, left the PDP in June 2022, citing inability to make “constructive contributions”. In an interview with the ‘Mic On podcast’…

A FORMER Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has called on Nigerians across religious and ethnic divides to embrace love, peace, and tolerance to build a safe, unified, and prosperous nation. Amaechi made the call in his Easter message to Nigerians. He also decried the wanton killings of innocent citizens in different parts of the country, stating that Nigeria can only move forward if there is security of lives and property, peace, a thriving economy and unity of purpose and love among its people. He said, “We may be a country with diverse ethnic nationalities and religions, but in achieving our…

THE Magistrate Court in Apapa has freed the 17-year-old minor, Alabi Quadri, who went viral ahead of the 2023 general elections for standing in front of the convoy of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi freed him following the legal advise of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins. The magistrate confirmed that the legal advice issued by the DPP showed that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegation of armed robbery against Quadri. In his Legal Advice, the DPP recommended the non-prosecution of Quadri and another defendant, one Muiz Animashaun. Quadri and…

THE Federal Government has declared Friday, April 18, and Monday, April 21, 2025, as public holidays to mark Good Friday and Easter Monday. This was disclosed by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday. He emphasised the importance of embodying the virtues of the sacrifice and love displayed by Jesus Christ, who had to die for the redemption of man, while greeting Christians on the joyous occasion. In a statement by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the minister called on Nigerians to use the holiday period to pray for the peace, unity, and stability…

SENATOR Seriake Dickson, PDP Bayelsa West has appealed to the People and Youths of Rivers State and Youths of Ijaw Nation across the Niger Delta to continue to be peaceful and resist any form of provocation or incitement to violence. Senator Dickson made this known in a statement shortly after he paid a visit to Governor Siminalaye Fubara, Governor of Rivers State where they discussed the political development in the State within the last couple of weeks. He appreciated the governor’s peaceful disposition even in the midst of unprecedented turbulence. The Lawmaker commended the people of Rivers State for maintaining…

JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has struck out a N50 billion suit filed by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, against the Federal Government. In a ruling, Justice Ekwo struck out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution. At the hearing, neither Kanu nor the Federal Government was present in court. Justice Ekwo noted that the case had been adjourned three times due to lack of representation, with the Federal Government’s legal team attending on the last occasion, but no lawyer present for Kanu. As a result, the judge ruled…

THE governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has been nominated as the flagbearer of his party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 8, 2025 governorship election in the state.. The incumbent, who was returned unopposed, polled over 300 votes during the primary which held in Awka on Saturday. Voting was conducted for the delegates from all the 21 local government areas in the state to either tick yes or no on the ballot. After the voting exercise, votes were sorted and counted. Announcing the result of the exercise, the chairman of the electoral panel, Uche Nwegbo,…

THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has raised the alarm over the activities of vandals and illegal miners at its transmission towers, saying that the activities are threatening the nation’s national electricity grid stability. It stated that if nothing was done to checkmate the nefarious activities, the national electricity grid would remain vulnerable to frequent collapses due to the imminent fall of the transmission towers and lines resulting from the vandalisation and illegal mining of sand and laterite along the right of ways. The TCN General Manager (Transmission) in charge of the Enugu region, Dr. Thomas Inugonum, raised the alarm…

IN a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the Labour Party, after finding out earlier that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership. The apex court held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party over which courts lacked jurisdiction. The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other and held that it was meritorious. It also proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure group of the…

EBONYI State governor, Francis Nwifuru, on Monday, ordered the arrest of six commissioners and a local government chairman for their involvement in a breach of contract. Nwifuru said that they were involved in breach of contract terms as regards the building of 140 Housing Units of Izzo and Amaze communities in Ishelu Local Government The arrested commissioners were Professor Omari Omaka, (Tertiary Education), Victor Chukwu, (Environment) Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Ifeanyi Ogbuewu. Others are: the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Uchenna Igwe, Commissioner for Health, Moses Ekuma, Commissioner for Project Monitoring, Felix Igboke and the Chairman…