| Source | Date | Title | Summary of Report | Subject/Category | Page No./Weblink | ||||
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| THE CABLE NG | 4 May 2025 | From sexual harrasment to "organ harvesting": Dr. Oby Ezekwesili denies allegation of bribery as Natasha strengthens position against Akpabio | Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has been outspoken in the demand for an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations made by Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She has also called for Akpabio to step aside for an impartial probe and for the senator’s petition to be handled. Last Thursday, Sandra Duru, a UK-based activist, better known as Professor Mgbeke, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan fabricated the sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio. Duru also claimed that the senator told her the former minister was paid to back the sexual harassment allegations. ‘NO MONEY CAN BUY MY VOICE’ In a post on X on Saturday, Ezekwesili said she cannot be bribed to support a cause she is committed to. “I see how my unwavering support for your cry for justice has sent your adversaries into a frenzy—resorting to desperate, laughable falsehoods,” she wrote. “No sensible and decent person who knows my incorruptible track record is deceived by the ridiculous fabrications being peddled by your traducers. “They know—without a doubt — that no amount of money, not even all the wealth in every Central Bank in the world, can buy my convictions, voice, and stance on any matter I choose to support. So, worry not, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.” The former minister added that she would continue to support the senator “wholeheartedly”. “Our commitment to justice is unshaken, and we will not relent until justice is served,” she said. | SENATOR NATASHA; DR OBY EZEKWESILI; SENATOR GODSWILL AKPABIO | CABLE | ||||
| CHANNELS TV | 4 May 2025 | EFCC commences investigation into misappropriation allegation against NNPC's Mele Kyari as he denies being in EFCC custody | Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has denied reports claiming he is in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), following an ongoing investigation into the alleged misappropriation of $2.9 billion allocated for refinery rehabilitation. In a statement posted on Saturday via his X account (formerly Twitter), Kyari dismissed the reports as “clear mischief” and a calculated attempt by unnamed individuals to tarnish his reputation. “Over the past few days, and particularly in the past two hours, I have been inundated with calls from concerned family and friends over claims by an online newspaper that I was in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. “This is clear mischief and a calculated attempt by the newspaper and its sponsors to achieve a desired outcome, which only they know,” the 60-year-old wrote. Kyari, who was removed from his position following a presidential directive dissolving the NNPCL board and management, said he is currently taking a “well-deserved rest” after years of demanding public service. “It should be stated that having served the NNPC and the NNPCL for 34 years—17 of those in management roles, and especially the last 5 years and 9 months—I had little time for leave, even for two weeks,” he noted. | EFCC; MELE KYARI; NNPCL; MISAPPROPRIATION | https://www.channelstv.com/2025/05/04/mele-kyari-denies-being-in-efcc-custody-amid-2-9bn-probe/ | ||||
| PUNCH | 5 May 2025 | Rivers Crisis: National Assembly objects to PDP governors lawsuit, demands N1billion over frivolous suit | The National Assembly has called on the Supreme Court to dismiss a suit filed by 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors challenging the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, arguing that the case is procedurally flawed and lacks merit. The federal legislature, in a preliminary objection dated April 22, 2025, stated that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case and demanded N1 billion in costs for what it termed a "frivolous and speculative suit." The dispute stems from President Bola Tinubu’s March 18, 2025, proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, which resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all elected State House of Assembly members. The President appointed retired Rear Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the sole administrator during the six-month suspension period. The National Assembly ratified the decision through a voice vote. The PDP governors, representing 11 states, filed suit number SC/CV/329/2025 at the Supreme Court, challenging the President’s authority to suspend democratically elected officials and replace them with unelected appointees. They sought judicial clarification on whether the President, under the guise of a state of emergency, can lawfully interfere with gubernatorial offices and whether the Attorney-General’s threat to suspend governors contradicts the 1999 Constitution and principles of federalism. Additionally, they questioned the validity of the National Assembly’s approval of the emergency through a voice vote instead of the constitutionally required two-thirds majority. The plaintiffs requested the court to nullify the state of emergency proclamation and sought an injunction preventing the federal government from interfering with elected state officials. However, the National Assembly countered that the suit was improperly filed, noting that the plaintiffs failed to issue the mandatory three-month pre-action notice to the Clerk of the National Assembly. It also argued that the governors lacked resolutions from their respective State Houses of Assembly, a requirement for invoking the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction. Further, the National Assembly asserted that the plaintiffs were attempting to dictate how legislative votes should be conducted and labeled the case as speculative and an abuse of the judicial process. It insisted that the Supreme Court lacks jurisdiction over the matter, as the plaintiffs had not adhered to due legal procedures. The case remains pending as the Supreme Court deliberates on the jurisdictional issues raised by the National Assembly and the governors’ constitutional challenge to the President’s emergency declaration. | EMERGENCY RULE; PDP; NATIONAL ASSEMBLY; SUPREME COURT; RIVERS STATE | https://punchng.com/rivers-emergency-rule-nassembly-counters-pdp-govs-lawsuit-demands-n1bn/ | ||||
| THE GUARDIAN | 5 May 2025 | Regional Interests Fester: Kano Governor sticks with Kwankwaso, LP's Obaze leaves, APC seeks more Igbo membership | With the ongoing defection rave, fresh speculation surrounds the possible switch of Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement. Adding to the suspense, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has publicly declared his allegiance, stating, "Wherever he goes, we are ready to follow." While Kwankwaso has yet to confirm or deny his next move, Yusuf’s statement has intensified conversations about the movement’s political future. In a separate development, Oseloka Obaze, a longtime associate of Peter Obi, has resigned from the Labour Party, citing irregularities in the party’s April 5, 2025, Anambra governorship primary. In his resignation letter, Obaze condemned the process as "fraught with outright irregularities, bordering on fraud and criminality," further highlighting the party’s ongoing leadership crisis at the national level. Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East, at the weekend, intensified their campaign to deepen party’s acceptability in the region. They made the plea while addressing newsmen shortly after the APC South-East select leaders consultative meeting in Enugu. Among the APC leaders in the zone that attended the meeting were the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, the former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, governors of Imo and Ebonyi states, Hope Uzodinma and Francis Nwifuru, respectively; Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, Dozie Ikedife, and the executive members of the APC zonal leadership of the APC. Addressing newsmen, Uzodimma, on their behalf, said that the meeting resolved to continue to work towards making the APC a dominant party in the region. He said that the meeting was geared towards finding ways to make people of the South-East region see reasons to join the ruling political party. | APC; SOUTH-EAST; LP; PDP; APC; KANO STATE | GUARDIAN GUARDIAN | ||||
| THIS DAY | 6 MAY 2025 | National Assembly resumes plenary today, places constitution and electoral reforms on front burner | The Senate has announced plans to begin reconciling key stakeholders in the Rivers State political crisis as it resumes plenary after the Easter and Eid-el-Fitr recess. The Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele said national priorities include political tensions, fiscal reforms, and security concerns. Top on the agenda is the 2024 Tax Reform Bills aimed at boosting government revenue and improving service delivery. On Rivers State, Bamidele said the Senate would work with the executive to address the root causes of the crisis and ensure reconciliation. He also highlighted rising insecurity in parts of the country and pledged stronger engagement with security agencies. The Senate will screen presidential nominees, including those appointed to the South-South Development Commission, and expedite the ongoing Constitution and Electoral Act reviews to strengthen governance and election integrity. Bamidele added that pending bills of national interest will be fast-tracked, and committees will conduct public hearings to ensure citizen participation in lawmaking. | SENATE; RIVERS STATE; TAX REFORM BILLS; CONSTITUTION; ELECTORAL ACT | THIS DAY | ||||
| THIS DAY | 6 MAY 2025 | #Anambra2025: Ahead of Tinubu's visit this Thursday, Soludo dismisses defection rumours and reaffirms his loyalty to APGA | Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday, dismissed rumours that he might soon quit All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for All Progressives Congress (APC), after the working visit of President Bola Tinubu to the state. Soludo made the clarification at the thanksgiving ceremony of National Chairman of APGA, Mr. Sylvester Ezeokenwa, held at St Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area. He stressed that Anambra was APGA all the way. The governor said after his eight years’ tenure, another governor of APGA extraction would succeed him. He said it must be acknowledged that APGA was the first registered progressive political party in Nigeria since 2002. According to Soludo, “APGA is and remains our own. APGA is for the progressives and you can see unprecedented development in Anambra under APGA. And the first was Mr Peter Obi and we all saw development and the next was Chief Willie Obiano and you all here can attest to the fact that Anambra is making progress and now under me, Professor Charles Soludo, you can see what is happening in just three years in office, that is why I am saying that Anambra is APGA and APGA is Anambra, as simple as that and there no going anywhere. It is APGA all the way.” Soludo declared, “Even after my tenure, another progressive governor would come in under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and nothing else.” | GOVERNOR SOLUDO; ANAMBRA STATE; APGA; APC | THIS DAY | ||||
| THIS DAY | 6 MAY 2025 | NJC holds its 108th meeting, says judicial appointees will now be subjected to public scrutiny, suspends 3, investigates 27 judges | In a revolutionary move, the National Judicial Council (NJC), the highest disciplinary body for Judicial Officers in Nigeria, says that, henceforth, Judges’ appointments will undergo public scrutiny, to determine whether they are fit and proper to occupy the post of judicial officer. The Council at its 108th meeting, which ended on Wednesday, resolved that henceforth, the names of candidates being considered for appointment as Judicial Officers to Superior Courts of Record will be published for information and comments by the public. The primary objective of this initiative, according to the judicial body, is to solicit comments from the public where there is objection to the integrity, reputation, and/or competence of the candidates by opening the process to public participation and scrutiny. In a press release signed by Mrs Kemi Ogedengbe-Babalola, the Deputy Director of Information, NJC, under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, GCON, amongst other decisions, also placed three Judges on suspension, while it gave a stern warning to the fourth. The sanctioned Judges were also placed on the watchlist for a period of three to five years, during which they cannot be promoted. The body also constituted nine Panels, to investigate 27 judicial officers for various allegations of misconduct. | NJC; JUDICIAL APPOINTEES; SUSPENSION; | THISDAY | ||||
| THIS DAY | 7 MAY 2025 | Senate Begins Tax Reform Bills’ Consideration Today as Finance Panel Submits Report | The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, announced during plenary that the Senate would begin consideration of the Tax Reform Bills, which were introduced months ago by President Bola Tinubu. This followed the submission of the fiscal report by Senator Sani Musa, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. Akpabio directed the committee to “distribute copies of the bill to all senators to enable them to study it so that they would be able to make informed contributions during the consideration.” He also charged lawmakers to address Nigeria’s rising insecurity and economic hardship, urging them to work with “integrity, unity, and a sense of urgency” as the country faces “deepening hunger and insecurity.” He cited “rising living costs, instability in the energy sector, and escalating insecurity” as key challenges, and described the violent conflicts and environmental issues across the regions as “the bleeding wounds of the republic.” Reflecting on the recent recess, which coincided with Easter and Eid-el-Fitr, Akpabio said, “The burdens on our shoulders are enormous, and no season better prepares the soul to carry such burdens than the one we’ve just passed through.” He reaffirmed the Senate’s support for the Tinubu administration and pledged legislative backing to stabilize the country. On reforms, he acknowledged public demand for greater accountability and called on lawmakers to act with courage and diligence, warning, “The people are watching. The world is watching. Our constituents are watching. And history—silent but not sleeping—is watching. | SENATE; TAX REFORM BILLS; PLENARY; PRESIDENT TINUBU; SENATOR GODSWILL AKPABIO | THIS DAY | ||||
| THIS DAY | 7 MAY 2025 | NJC Summons 18 Judges in Imo State over Alleged Age Falsification and Misconduct | Eighteen judges of the Imo State judiciary have been summoned by the National Judicial Council (NJC) following a petition from the Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP) alleging age falsification and misconduct. The petition accused the judges of altering their ages at various times to gain unfair advantage in securing judicial appointments. CSEP described the scandal as “unprecedented” and of “an alarming proportion,” highlighting that the same group had previously exposed and secured the removal of former Chief Judge Justice Chikeka for similar reasons. The NJC has summoned the accused judges to respond to the allegations, amidst ongoing concerns about integrity and transparency in the judiciary. The controversy surrounding the appointment of a new acting Chief Judge of Imo State has deepened tensions between Governor Hope Uzodinma and the NJC. The governor bypassed the three most senior judges, citing alleged infractions such as age falsification and misconduct, and instead appointed the fourth-ranking judge—a move the NJC rejected as unconstitutional. Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Christopher Chidera has called for sanctions against Appeal Court judges for the misuse of ex parte orders, particularly those related to the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), arguing that accountability must apply to all levels of the judiciary. | IMO STATE; JUDICIARY; NJC; GOVERNOR HOPE UZODINMA | THIS DAY | ||||
| THIS DAY | 7 MAY 2025 | More Committees, More Summits: Senate Leader to lead Oversight Committee on Rivers as Senate organises 3-Day Security Summit. | The Nigerian Senate has taken decisive action in response to the political and security crises affecting various parts of the country. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the formation of an 18-member committee chaired by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele to provide legislative oversight over Rivers State’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the declaration of a state of emergency in the state. This move, made in line with constitutional provisions, is aimed at promoting accountability and transparency in the governance of Rivers State during this transitional period. The Senate also emphasized its commitment to democratic processes and swift legislative intervention. Simultaneously, the Senate resolved to hold a three-day National Security Summit in Abuja to address the growing wave of insecurity across the country. The summit will involve stakeholders from all sectors, including government, civil society, traditional institutions, and security agencies, and aims to generate actionable policy recommendations. This comes as the House of Representatives called on security chiefs to ramp up deployments to Otukpo, Benue State, amid ongoing violence, and launched an investigation into the fire outbreak at Giwa Barracks and rising terrorist threats. Both chambers of the National Assembly are intensifying their efforts to address Nigeria’s urgent governance and security challenges through oversight, consultation, and policy review. | RIVERS STATE; SENATE; SOLE ADMINISTRATOR; NATIONAL SECURITY SUMMIT; NATIONAL ASSEMBLY | THIS DAY | ||||
| THE GUARDIAN DAILY TRUST | 7 MAY 2025 | Gale of defections rock PDP, LP: 22 PDP Delta House of Assembly Members, 6 Delta House of Reps members, 2 LP Reps move to APC | All 22 remaining members of the Delta State House of Assembly, including Speaker Emomotimi Guwor, Six House of Representatives members from Delta State have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), making the Assembly fully APC-controlled. Six federal lawmakers from Delta also switched from PDP to APC, while two Labour Party (LP) reps defected to the PDP. This mass defection followed consultations led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and was seen as part of the APC’s strategy to consolidate power in the South-South region. President Tinubu met with Oborevwori, fueling speculation about further defections, including from governors in Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Rivers, and Kano. Meanwhile, Valentine Ozigbo, formerly of the Labour Party, called the LP a "failing enterprise" and predicted a wave of defections due to weak leadership. In Kano, APC leaders clashed over the possible defection of NNPP leader Rabiu Kwankwaso, with APC Chairman Ganduje open to it but Minister Yusuf Ata firmly opposed. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar denied rumors of his defection to the APC and instead pushed for a strong opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections. He dismissed criticism from Daniel Bwala, a former ally turned APC supporter, and reaffirmed his commitment to national rebuilding efforts through cross-party alliances. | DETLA STATE; DEFECTIONS; APC; PRESIDENT TINUBU | THE GUARDIAN DAILY TRUST | ||||
| THIS DAY | 8 MAY 2025 | #Anambra2025: Tinubu visits Anambra as Soludo assures him of support in 2027 | In botanical terms, inclusive leadership is like a flower of which beauty proceeds from the anatomy of each petal or the leaves of its corolla. It takes different parts to form a whole, and there is no stronger force than a united people. President Bola Tinubu has steadily demonstrated a rare rallying quality; pulling together and not setting asunder. Whether north, south, east, or west, he has remained consistent as an even-handed arbiter, dealing graciously and honourably with everyone. On 2 May, he visited Katsina State, where he made bold and decisive declarations against banditry and terrorism in the North-West zone. He reiterated his resolve that Nigeria would never succumb to the designs of terror and asked the military to intensify its efforts to remove the vestiges of the menace. The President visited Enugu State on 4 January. The visit, his first port of call in the year, underscored the importance accorded to the South-East zone, as well as the President’s genuine effort at bringing all Nigerians together. In Enugu, President Tinubu interacted with a melange of leaders in the South-East, listening, taking note of their concerns, and ending with a fine lexical smorgasbord of unity, hope, and compassion. In Anambra, his second visit to the South-East in 2025, the President reprised his accustomed nationalistic aspect – not a performance or a contrivance, but an organic and time-honed disposition. President Tinubu paid a visit to Anambra State on Thursday, 8 May. He was received with flourish, elegance, and exceeding excitement — an undisputed affirmation of the Igbo saying, “Nkea bu nke anyi” (He is our own). It was a carnival in the streets of Awka as the President’s convoy entered the city, a welcome deserving only of a well-striped warrior — Dike. The President was honoured with the foremost traditional title — Dike Si-mba of Anambra — mighty warrior/hero. Earlier, he had inaugurated the Emeka Anyaoku Institute of International Studies and Diplomacy at Nnamdi Azikwe University; the new Government House, and Solution Funcity. Speaking at Ekwueme Square, a stadium, where an open meeting was held with an array of South-East leaders, opinion moulders and other citizens, President Tinubu thanked the people of Anambra for the warm welcome and their support. “I know our diversity will lead to prosperity. | SOLUDO; 2027 GENERAL ELECTIONS; ANAMBRA GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION | THIS DAY | ||||
| THE GUARDIAN | 8 MAY 2025 | LP Caretaker Committee sets up panel to investigate Abure's anti-party activities | The future of the opposition Labour Party (LP) has continued to hang in the balance, following a rash of disciplinary measures, including the suspension of its lone state governor, Dr Alex Otti, and some members of the National Assembly elected on the party’s platform. This is just as the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee slammed a cease and desist order on the embattled factional national chairman, Mr Julius Abure, as well as an investigation into his financial dealings during his term in office. Coming more than a month after the April 4, 2025, Supreme Court ruling on the matter, which effectively invalidated Abure’s claims as national chairman, the renewed hostilities leave the impression of a further recourse to litigation. Incidentally, none of the parties to the fresh hostilities in LP suspended the former presidential standard bearer. However, aside from the Abia State governor, Otti, the representative of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in the Senate, Ireti Kingibe, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, and some members of the House of Representatives were purportedly suspended from the Abure faction of the party. Nonetheless, the mainstream NCC leadership headed by Senator Usman, in a bid to assert its authority, set up a six-member Disciplinary Committee to probe Abure for alleged impersonation, financial misconduct, and “actions deemed detrimental to party unity.” The committee, chaired by Senator Kingibe, has 21 days to conclude its investigation and recommend appropriate sanctions. In her remarks during a press conference in Abuja, Senator Usman denounced Abure as an ‘impostor’, even as she apologised to key party stakeholders, including Obi and Otti, for what she described as Abure’s “uncouth and unprovoked” verbal attacks. | LABOUR PARTY; NATIONAL CARETAKER COMMITTEE; INEC; NEC; JULIUS ABURE | THE GUARDIAN | ||||
| THIS DAY | 8 MAY 2025 | Local Government Elections: Lagos APC set to hold Primaries this Saturday, 10th May 2025 | The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos has scheduled its primaries for the upcoming local Government elections this Saturday. Party leaders, during a stakeholders’ meeting at the secretariat in Ogba, urged aspirants to support a peaceful, consensus-driven process. Out of 470 chairmanship aspirants, 432 were cleared, while 38 were disqualified or withdrew. The party will adopt indirect primaries with delegates serving as voters, and all 57 council chairmanship candidates will likely emerge through consensus. Aspirants are required to appear at the secretariat with only one agent, and any who arrive with a crowd risk disqualification. | APC PRIMARIES; LAGOS | THIS DAY | ||||
| THIS DAY | 8 MAY 2025 | Senate passes two of Tinubu's four Tax Reform Bills, set to pass the other two next Thursday | The senate passed two of the tax reform bills, namely the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025 and the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill 2025, at plenary yesterday. The bills introduce structural changes, renaming the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and establishing a governing board led by a non-executive chairman. Additionally, the tax derivation principle now identifies the place of consumption as the basis for revenue allocation, ensuring states receive VAT based on goods and services consumed within their jurisdictions. The Senate retained the 7.5% VAT rate and revised revenue-sharing allocations, granting the federal government 10%, states 55%, and local governments 35%. It also established the Tax Appeal Tribunal to handle tax disputes and created the Office of the Tax Ombud to oversee tax administration, both funded through the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Further provisions in the bills grant the NRS authority to combat tax fraud and evasion, including tracing and confiscating illicit proceeds. A revised penalty system was introduced for offenses like failure to register, file returns, or remit tax, with fines ranging from N10,000 to N200,000 and potential imprisonment for severe violations. The Development Levy will continue funding critical agencies such as TETFUND, NASENI, and NITDA, with allocations set for cybersecurity and defense initiatives. The Senate also rejected a clause imposing heavy fines for unauthorized disclosure of institutional information, calling it excessive and self-serving. | TAX REFORM BILLS; SENATE; FIRS | THIS DAY | ||||