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“I thought Obasa’s Impeachment Move had Presidential Backing” – Elliott

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Desmond Elliot
Desmond Elliot

By Akinwale Kasali

Embattled Lawmaker, Desmond Elliott, representing Surulere 1 Constituency, has opened up on his involvement in the Impeachment Move against Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa in 2025.

The move, which is about costing him his  return to LAHA, has seen him running from pillar to post, apologizing for his misdeeds, claiming that he thought the impeachment move had Presidential backing.

Recall that the Chief of Staff to President Bola  Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, had alleged that Elliott’s involvement in the impeachment saga almost cost him his job, leading to his decision to work against Elliott’s return to the House.

The actor turned- politician is  exonerating himself, saying that he was out of the country at the time of the incident and had the impression that the impeachment move had presidential backing.

“I would like to state categorically that I wasn’t in the country. My wife and I travelled during the period of January 13th of 2025.

“We were on recess and then it was an opportunity for us to travel to attend my wife’s younger sister’s wedding,” he said.

He added that the impeachment occurred while he was in South Africa and came as a shock to him.

“That was the time Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa was impeached (by Lagos State House of Assembly).

Mudashiru Obasa
Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa

“It came to me as a shock because I was in South Africa then. So, obviously, it took me about two days to come back. I was also as confused as everybody was.

“And then I saw that almost everybody had signed. And pretty much we thought it was from the Presidency. In all fairness, we thought it was from the Presidency.

“And, of course, I appended my own signature. I believe I was maybe 30-something person at that point in time because others who had travelled had returned and  signed,” he said.

Elliot said the Lawmakers later received clarification from President Bola Tinubu that the impeachment was not authorised.

“But eventually, Mr President called us and made us understand that it was not from him and asked us to return the speaker.

“And we did,” he added.

He however revealed that when Gbajabiamila came up with the accusation, it was a rude shock to him, putting into consideration their longtime relationship.

“So, my leader (Gbajabiamila) coming to say this, that he almost lost his job, one I have served and who has also been there for me for this long, to have said that, it came to me as a shock,” he said.

It is obvious that the rug has been pulled from under the feet of Elliott as almost every who-is-who in his State Constituency is backing another, now, preferred candidate.

2027 AFCON Qualifiers: Super Eagles Face Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea Bissau

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Super Eagles
Super Eagles

By Akinwale Kasali 

 

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has released the fixtures for the 2027 African Cup of Nations, AFCON, Qualifiers to be co-hosted by the trio of Eastern African countries,  Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

 

The Super Eagles of Nigeria, who came third at the 2025 AFCON Tournament in Morocco has been grouped alongside; Madagascar, Tanzania and Guinea Bissau in Group L.

 

The draw was conducted at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo on Tuesday, with former Super Eagles Captain, William Troost-Ekong, as one of the draw assistants.

 

A total of 48 teams will participate in the qualifiers, with the draw producing 12 groups and 24 teams qualifying for the finals.

 

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will host the tournament from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

 

Nigeria was drawn from Pot 1 and handed a relatively favourable path to the tournament.

 

However, due to the presence of Tanzania — which has qualified automatically as co-hosts — in the group, only the top team will qualify for the finals.

 

The same applies to other groups containing any of the co-hosts, while the top two teams from the remaining groups will qualify.

 

Among the notable groups, 2023 champions Côte d’Ivoire was drawn alongside Ghana, The Gambia and Somalia in Group C.

 

Winners of the 2025 edition, Senegal, will face Mozambique, Sudan and Ethiopia in Group J, while 2025 AFCON hosts, Morocco will face Gabon, Niger and Lesotho.

 

The qualifying campaign will be played across three international windows. The opening two match-days are scheduled for the FIFA window from September 21 to October 6, 2026, before Match-days Three and Four take place from November 9 to 17, 2026.

 

The final two rounds of matches will be played from March 22 to 30, 2027, when the line-up for the tournament is expected to be completed.

“How Desperate People Wanted To Pitch The President Against Me” – VP Shettima

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Kashim Shettima
Kashim Shettima

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

 

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday May 19, 2026, gave an insight into how some power mongers and desperados had tried to incite President Bola Tinubu against him very early in the life of the administration.

 

Not a few observers are of the strong conviction that the Vice President has been merely tolerated by his principal, since mounting the saddle in 2023.

 

At the launch of former Head of State , General Yakubu Gowon’s autobiography ” My Life of Duty and Allegiance” on Tuesday, the Vice President relieved how some individuals and political hawks had inundated President Tinubu with tales of his  alleged plans to eliminate him.

 

According to him it took only three months into the life of their Presidency for desperate political schemers to come up with  such unfounded , fabricated and baseless rhetorics, for the purpose of   pitching him against the President.

 

He, however, expressed happiness that the President never fell for their evil machinations, mainly because of his liberal trajectories.

 

” Three months after our swearing-in, some people told President Tinubu that I was planning to kill him so as to take over power.

 

“Then, the President called me and said ‘sit down. Your people came to me and said stop wearing those Shettima’s clothes.’

 

“But the President said their story did not add up. He said, when you gave me those clothes, I was an aspirant. I would not have been the candidate, neither were you going to be Vice presidential candidate.

 

“Some people told him that after the election I was planning to use the clothes to kill him (the president) and take over. However, President Tinubu wore the clothes after that because he is not fetish”, the Vice President narrated.

 

Shettima  admonished Nigerians from all walks of life to embrace and prioritize unity rather than indulging in divisive rhetorics.

WASC Examination Disrupted As Ondo Closes Public Schools For APC Primary Election

By
The Source
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APC

By Ayodele Oni 

 

To forestall possible outbreak of violence during Wednesday’s House of Assembly primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state, the state government has temporary closed down some selected public schools.

 

Sporadic gunshots were heard on Monday at the venues of the Senate Primary Election in Akure.

 

According to a statement released by the office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Akindele Ige, eleven schools were affected by the order.

 

Akindele explained that the closure is  part of safety and security measures put in place  to ensure the safety of lives  and property  and to facilitate peaceful, secure and orderly conduct of the electoral process within the school environment.

 

He, therefore,  directed  all learners, teachers, and other staff in the affected schools  to stay at home on the election day. 

 

Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary promised that all  the heads of all affected schools will be contacted directly to ensure strict compliance with the closure directive and to reinforce effective enforcement at the school level, in addition to the official press release. 

 

He urged the Staff of the Zonal and Area Education Offices in the concerned schools and Local Government Areas to  be available to support and enforce the directive.

 

He stated that adequate arrangements would be made by school administrators to ensure the continuity of WAEC-SSCE examinations in the affected schools, while also ensuring the safety and security of students in boarding schools.

 

The Permanent Secretary emphasized that normal academic activities shall, however, resume in the affected schools on Thursday, 21st May, 2026.

DHQ Dismisses Terrorists’ Operational Base In South West

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Bandits in the North

By Ayodele Oni 

 

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has clarified that the attack on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele, and L.A. Primary School in Oyo State was an isolated criminal act and does not reflect the existence of any entrenched terrorist structure in the South West  region.

 

It dismissed claims suggesting that terrorist groups have established a permanent operational base in the South West region following the recent abduction of pupils and staff members in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

 

In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede, described the attack on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele, and L.A. Primary School as “callous and reprehensible.”

 

The CDS expressed deep sympathy to the families of the victims, the government and people of Oyo State, and Nigerians at large over the incident, assuring that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was deploying all necessary resources to secure the safe return of the abducted victims.

 

According to the statement, General Oluyede urged Nigerians to remain calm, united and supportive of security agencies during the ongoing operations.

 

The Defence Headquarters explained that intelligence available to the military does not support reports of any entrenched terrorist infrastructure within the forests or hinterlands of the South West region.

 

It pointed out that the Armed Forces had previously conducted extensive clearance operations within the Old Oyo National Park, neutralising criminal elements operating in the area and significantly degrading their operational capacity.

 

“The incident was an isolated criminal act and does not reflect the existence of any entrenched terrorist structure in the region,” the statement noted.

 

DHQ further cautioned against narratives capable of creating panic among residents or exaggerating the strength and presence of criminal groups in the region.

 

It also disclosed that troops are currently conducting active operations within the forests in pursuit of the perpetrators and to rescue the abducted victims.

 

According to the statement, troops made contact with the criminal elements two days ago and have since reorganised to sustain the ongoing pursuit operations.

 

The Armed Forces said the operations are being carried out in collaboration with other security agencies, local vigilantes and members of affected communities through intelligence-sharing efforts.

 

It assured Nigerians that security forces remain committed to dismantling criminal networks, clearing forest hideouts and restoring lasting peace across the South West and the country at large.

 

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will not relent until every abducted victim is safely recovered and normalcy fully restored,” the statement added.

ADC: Amaechi Attacks Atiku Ahead Presidential Primary, Says Ex-VP Unelectable

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Atiku Abubakar

African Democratic Party, ADC presidential hopeful, Rotimi Amaech has taken a jab at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as unelectable as Nigerian president.
Amaechi and Abubakar are set to contest for the ADC sole presidential ticket on Thursday this week.
The former governor of Rivers state spoke on Trust TV despite wide belief that he may be defeated by the former vice president during the ADC presidential primary slated for the next two days.
The former Minister of Transportation said Abubakar has failed to win the presidency despite the fact that he had emerged severally as presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on two occasion.
He, however, vowed to defeat the former vice president in the primary to clinch the ADC presidential ticket.
Former Minister of Transportation has expressed confidence in his chances of clinching the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election, saying former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may no longer be electorally viable.
“ I hope this will be the first time he will fail primary,” Amaechi said.
“The issue is that at all times that you have passed primary, you have not won an election. So it’s about electability.”

US-based Nigerian Athlete, Oluwabukola Pereira Shot Dead In US By Robbers

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Oluwabukola Pereira
Oluwabukola Pereira

By Akinwale Kasali

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, and the entire nation have been thrown into mourning following the killing of Oluwabukola Pereira, a Nigerian athlete,  during a suspected robbery at a car service centre in Lockland, Ohio, United States of America.

The Lagos-born Sprinter was a cashier at a Car Service Centre where she was killed by the assailant.

Sources disclosed that her assailant made away with $1,500.

Sadly, the 30-Year Old was preparing for her Master of Business Administration, MBA, graduation at the Xavier University few days before her murder.

It was gathered that the incident happened on May 8th; however, the local authorities has continued to investigate the incident and are yet to officially confirm a motive for the shooting.

Don Simpson, a co-worker, said Pereira had attempted to chase the robber when she was shot twice.

“So the guy came in and robbed her, and when he ran, she ran behind him. And when they got to the back, he shot her,” the co-worker said.

The Lagos-born Pereira had competed in a handful of National Championships before moving to the USA.

According to James Lafferty, the man who discovered and sponsored her immigration to the US, Periera, arrived in the country with only $10 and a scholarship.

Lafferty, a former Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Coca-Cola West Africa, discovered Pereira’s talent while he was based in Lagos.

Pereira had a Bachelor’s degree from Southwest Baptist University, followed by a Master’s in Communication from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Reacting to the demise of Pereira, Dwayne Caldwell said that the late Athlete was devoted to her faith, urging People with Information about the incident to come forward.

Brian Masayesva, a XC and Track Mate of the deceased in 2024 wrote; “Damn, this is a devastating news, she was the kindest soul on the women’s team”.

Linda Cox wrote that justice must be served as she prayed for the repose of her soul.

Sadly, the AFN is yet to issue a statement on her demise, over 11 days after her killing, raising questions over the sensitivity and well being of Nigerian athelets by the Federation.

Fugitive Ex-Power Minister, Saleh Mamman Arrested By EFCC

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0

Jailed former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman has been arrested by the Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The former minister has been a fugitive of the law following his conviction to 75 years imprisonment by a court in Abuja two weeks ago.
The Chairman of the commission, Ola Olukoyede announced his arrest today during a press briefing, saying the disgraced former minister was apprehended in Kanuda where he has been hiding before he was nabbed by EFCC operatives.
The magazine had earlier reported that a Federal High Court presided over by Jsutice Omotosho had sentenced the former to 75 years imprisonment over the diversion of N33.8 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects.
According to the EFCC who prosecuted him, he diverted the funds using some ministry officials, private companies, and Bureau de Change operators.
Mamman, who recently bought the Taraba State APC governorship forms, also faces a separate case at the FCT High Court in Maitama, where he is accused of diverting N31 billion meant for the Mambilla Power Project.

Kwara Gov Anoints Successor, Seriki

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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0

Amid the political wrangling in Kwara state over who succeeds Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, the state helmsman has endorsed one Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki as his preferred successor and candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. In spite of the governor’s endorsement, Seriki will still have to slug it out with other candidates in the 2027 governorship election to become the occupier of Ilorin Government House.

While endorsing the aspirant, Governor Abdulrasaq said his action has not shut the door on other contestants who are aspiring to fly the APC flag in next year’s election, saying he only preferred Seriki because of his popularity which cut across the party and state generally.

Governor Abdulrasaq stressed that he decided to throw his weight behind the aspirant wide consultation among APC and other political leaders the state, describing Seriki as a “young and broadminded person.”

He said the aspirants has a “profound investment” among the people of the state, that he will perfrom well when he gets to office.

“ I am pleased to endorse Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki (MFR) as my preferred successor under the platform of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the governor said in a statement on Tuesday.

He explained that Seriki is the candidate needed to transform the state at this time, calling on his party members to support him to win.

“Young, pro-people, astute, and broad-minded, Amb. Yahaya Seriki has been a great political mobiliser with profound investments in and extensive goodwill among the people of Kwara State. I have no doubt about his capacity and that his choice is appropriate for the people of our state at this time.

“While this does not in any way preclude all other aspirants from contesting in the primaries, I urge members and leaders to affirm the choice of Seriki as our candidate for cohesion, unity, and continuous success of the party as we hold our gubernatorial primaries on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

“The choice of Amb. Yahaya Seriki is neither a disapproval of any of our eminently qualified aspirants nor a whimsical attempt to delegitimise the noble aspirations of our people. But in a race involving some 16 great minds for one office, only one person can take the shot at a time.

“Finally, I acknowledge and commend the statesmanship of our aspirants, all of whom have shown discipline and impressive capacity to build on the undeniable achievements of our administration over the last seven years for the good of the people of Kwara State.”

APC Senatorial Pry Election: Fmr Gov Goje Loses Bid To Return To Senate For Fifth Time

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Danjuma Goje

By Ayodele Oni 

 

A retired police officer has emerged as the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),  in Gombe state after defeating a former Governor and incumbent Senator, Danjuma 

Goje lost his bid to secure the All Progressives Congress senatorial ticket for Gombe Central ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

The former governor was defeated in Monday’s direct primary election by retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Mohammed Ahmed. DCP Ahmed enjoyed the backing of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

 

Results announced by the returning officer, Dr. Habu Dahiru, showed that Ahmed polled 42,785 votes, while Goje secured 10,425 votes across Akko and Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Areas, the two councils that make up the senatorial district.

 

Ahmed had earlier emerged as the consensus candidate of the APC for the seat before the primary election.

 

Goje has represented Gombe Central in the Senate since 2011 after completing two terms as Governor of the State. 

 

Speaking after the exercise, Ahmed described the primary as peaceful and orderly, adding that residents of the district were eager for a fresh direction in representation at the National Assembly. 

Mohammed Ahmed
Mohammed Ahmed

“You can see the excitement among the people. Many believe the time has come for Yamaltu-Deba to have a stronger voice at the national level,” he stated.

 

The APC candidate added that his ambition was driven by public demand for change rather than personal rivalry.

 

An aide to Goje declined to comment on the outcome, saying he needed approval from the former governor before speaking with journalists.

 

Meanwhile, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, emerged unopposed during the party’s primary election held at Methodist School Ukana, Ukana West II Ward, in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

 

A statement issued Monday by Akpabio’s media office said party supporters and residents turned out in large numbers to witness the affirmation of the former governor as the APC candidate for the district.

 

“Although he was the only aspirant, his kinsmen trooped out to the Ward Centre to support their son whom they said had given them effective representation in all the previous offices he had held having served as Commissioner, Governor, Minority Leader of the Senate, Minister and presently the President of the 10th Senate,” the Statement read.

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