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ADC Coalition: Court Says No Faction Exists, Orders INEC to Recognize Mark-led Candidates for FCT Polls

By
Adesina Soyooye
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David Mark - ADC Chairman
David Mark

By Adesina Soyooye

On Tuesday a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja gave the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress, ADC, a reason to celebrate. It affirmed that there is no faction in the party and that Mark is its only recognised  Chairman.

The Court, therefore, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the names of candidates submitted by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark for the upcoming February 21 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Honourable Justice Mohammed Umar, delivering judgment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1907/25, ruled in favor of 17 ADC candidates who challenged INEC’s refusal to grant them electronic access to upload their names on the commission’s portal and thus preventing their participation in the local elections.

According to Justice Umar, the evidence presented by the plaintiffs was  not only credible, but “proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.” Therefore, he ordered INEC to recognize and publish their names as ADC candidates for all the positions they desire to contest for in the party’s substitution primary election.

He, also, mandated that the names be uploaded onto INEC’s portal in compliance with Sections 29(1), 31, 33, and 84(1)(5)(6) of the 2022 Electoral Act and INEC’s Election Guidelines.

The candidates ordered by the Court to be listed are:

  • Jafaru Shaibu, ●Ayenajeyi Yakubu, ●Dauda Awode, ●Ezra Zaki, ●Sunday Abraham, ●Ayuba Adam, ●Jamilu Kabiru, ●Nuhu Madaki, ●Ibrahim Ali, ●Ogwuche Linus, ●Chibuike Anyika, ●Okechukwu Ironkwe, ●Godwin Adoga, ●Agada John, ●Onuoha Goodness, ●Mahrazu Bichi, ●Tobias Obechina.

The plaintiffs headed to  court when INEC denied ADC access to upload their particulars related to substitution primaries, citing issues with recognition of the current party leadership’s signatures—including those of Senator David Mark (National Chairman) and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (National Secretary)—by INEC’s officials.

OPINION: Wizkid Can’t Measure Up To Fela If He Lives 10 Times

By
James Orji
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WizKid

By Babafemi Ojodu

Is it true that a Nigerian youngster said he is greater than Fela?
I sincerely hope he was misquoted.

Even if he were to live ten lifetimes, his art and his life could not measure up to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

Is it in art?
Is it in music?
Is it in activism, courage, or originality?

Fela was not just a musician; he was a movement, a conscience, a revolution in human form. His music gave birth to Afrobeat, a genre now studied in universities across the world, sampled by global superstars, and performed on the world’s greatest stages. From Lagos to London, New York to Berlin, Fela’s sound reshaped global music and African identity.

Fela stood alone—fearless in the face of military dictatorships, unapologetic in his resistance to oppression. He used his music as a weapon against injustice, corruption, colonial mentality, and state violence. For this, he was arrested over 200 times, brutalized, imprisoned, tortured, exiled, and silenced—yet never broken.

His mother was murdered by the state. His house, the Kalakuta Republic, was burned to the ground. His property was seized. He was flogged, beaten, and jailed from Alagbon to Panti, hounded by police and soldiers alike. Yet, after every assault, Fela returned with sharper lyrics, deeper rhythms, and more defiant truth.

For any young person—musician or not—to compare himself to Fela, he must first walk the corridors of Nigerian jailhouses: Lagos, Maiduguri, Benin. He must endure police cells and military tribunals. He must lose everything, go into exile, and still return with his creative spirit intact.

Fela was a multi-instrumentalist, a composer, bandleader, philosopher, and cultural theorist. He could play virtually every instrument in his band, wrote complex compositions lasting 15 to 30 minutes, and fused jazz, highlife, funk, Yoruba rhythms, and political poetry into something entirely original—something timeless.

Globally, Fela is honored as:
• One of the most influential musicians of the 20th century
• A cultural icon whose life inspired Broadway productions, documentaries, books, and academic studies
• A symbol of African resistance and intellectual freedom
• A voice for the oppressed, long after his death

Fela did not chase acceptance. The world came to him.

So, whoever this fellow is—if he indeed made such a claim—should simply be ignored. He may be one of those who would flee the country the moment the police knock once on his car window in Ojuelegba.

Fela did not run.
Fela stood.
Fela fought.
And Fela remains immortal.

Anikulapo—the man who carried death in his pouch.

Again, Court Sacks Abure, Orders INEC To Recognize Usman As LP National Chair

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Nenadi Usman and Julius Abure

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday January 21,2026, affirmed the sack of Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP.

The court presided over by Hon Justice Peter Lifu ,also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to immediately recognize  the Senator Easter Nenadi Usman-led Interim National Working Committee, NWC, as the authentic national leadership of the beleaguered LP, pending the conduct of a national convention.

The court, while ruling on a motion on notice brought before it on the festering leadership squabble within the party,  reaffirmed Supreme Court’s earlier verdict which had ruled  that the Abure-led NWC, prior to the controversial 2024 Nnewi National Convention, had elapsed.

In the Judgment delivered on April 4,2025, the country’s apex court also held that the issue of leadership remains the internal affair of the political parties concerned.

Subsequently, Justice Lifu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to henceforth seize the recognition of Abure as the National Chairman of the LP.

The court ruling was contained in a post on the  official site of  leading human rights advocate and lawyer Inibehe Effiong ,who noted that he was  present during the delivery of the judgment on Wednesday .

” I am currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja for a case. I listened to the judgment in another case.

“Honourable Justice Lifu has just upheld Senator Nenadi Easter Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party

“The Judge reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s judgment- that the tenure of Julius Abure as National Chairman has since elapsed.

“The Judge ordered INEC to recognize Nenadi Usman forthwith”, Effiong wrote .

The Source further reports that the INEC, a couple of weeks ago, had, in refusing to grant the Abure-led NWC access code for the purpose of uploaded LP candidates for the Feb ,2026 Abuja Council polls ,also insisted that its tenure had long expired .

The Electoral umpire maintained that it will no longer recognize Abure as the LP National Chairman except otherwise directed by Courts of competent jurisdiction in the course of determining  a plethora of court actions instituted by the factional Abure-led NWC against it.

ADC: Obi Will “Walk Out” After Atiku Secures  Presidential Ticket 

By
James Orji
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Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar
Former vice President Atiku Abubakar is certain to get the presidential ticket of the ADC if the party decides to conduct a primary to pick its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
A former Political Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed made the assertion on Tuesday while speaking on channels Television Politics Today.
In the event that this happened, the new opposition party will face implosion, as many members will move away from the party, Baba- Ahmed said.
Baba-Ahmed who served the Tinubu government under the Office of Vice president Kassim Shettima, before he resigned last year, disclosed that other presidential hopeful in the ADC will be forced to leave the party as they will not be able to accept Abubakar’s victory as the party’s candidate.
According to him, Peter Obi, one of the presidential aspirants in the party has noted that his target is to get the sole ticket. If he loses to Abubakar in a Convention, Obi will leave the party, Baba-Ahmed said.
An Abubakar’s ADC candidature will also force other leaders and members of the party to leave, he stressed.
“If ADC goes to convention, and it certainly will, because that’s what former Vice-President Atiku wants, he will get the ticket,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“And then, a lot of people will walk out because a lot of people are in that party only for the same thing. They want the ticket.
“One of the reasons Peter Obi is saying, ‘Look at me, I’m not here for number two, I’m not here for convention, I’m here to fly the flag,’ is that he has people who were initially whispering politely to him,” he said.
“But now they are saying, ‘Join the queue. You’re not the only one with ambition here.”
He explained that Obi joined the ADC for the ticket, and will not accept anything short of that.
“Peter Obi doesn’t do convention. He just goes there to be anointed,” he said.
“So, the ADC will bleed after its convention because almost certainly former Vice-President Atiku will win the ticket, and when he does, some people will walk out, it will be severely damaged.”
In spite of the pressure being mounted on Abubakar to step down, he has insisted that he would not do so, a situation that’s currently causing confusion in the party ahead the next presidential election in less than two years.

Nollywood Actress, Sarah Martins Slumps, Hospitalised

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Actress Sarah Martins

By Akinwale Kasali

If not for the timely medical attention she received after collapsing, the nation’s Movie Industry, popular as Nollywood, would have lost one of its finest actress.

Sarah Martins, popular Nollywood Actress reportedly collapsed in her home.

She was said to have been hurriedly rushed to the hospital, saving a looming disaster.

It was gathered that the Medical Officers at the Facility swung into action, reviving her and bringing her back to life.

She was stabilized afte which series of tests were done to ascertain what led to her sudden collapse.

Hours after the incident, the Actress took to her Instagram Page to appreciate God Almighty for preserving her and saving her life from the shackles of death.

She wrote on her page informing her fans of her health conditions.

She wrote: “Woke up today and couldn’t feel any part of my body. For a second, I felt lifeless. I still struggled and went to my stores to do inventory and a few interviews for incoming employees, and that was when I slumped.”

“All through December, I worked every single day, and even when my staff travelled for the season’s celebration, I still kept working. No days off, no stretches, no nothing… just a walking corps working tirelessly to cater for others, forgetting myself.

“I did over 32 tests today, and all came out negative, including cancer, fibroid, liver, kidney, malaria, typhoid, etc. I guess God took proper care of my organs while I neglected my body.

“I am typing this from a sick bed, but I will be fine because the God that protects the vulnerable kids I struggle for will never fail me.

“They said I’m extremely exhausted and need proper bed rest. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your constant protection over my life”, she wrote.

Three Dead, Others Trapped As Two-storey Building Collapses In Ondo

By
Ayodele Oni
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Two-storey Building Collapses In Ondo
The Collapsed Building.

By Ayodele Oni

Three dead bodies have been pulled out from the debris of a two-storey building, which collapsed in Akure, Ondo state capital on Tuesday.

Many construction workers that were on site were trapped while others sustained varying degrees of injuries after the two-storey building under construction, collapsed along the busy Oyemekun Road in Akure.

As at the time of filing this report, rescue workers from various government agencies were on site to ensure rescue of more people .

It was gathered that the workers were on site carrying out construction work when the building suddenly caved in at about 3:30 p.m.

Following the collapse, sympathisers and passers-by reportedly trooped to the scene to assist in rescuing those trapped beneath the rubble, as emergency response efforts commenced.

Rescue operations were still ongoing, while relevant authorities were expected to provide further details.

Opral Benson’s Family Worries About How She Got To Liberia, Prays For Safe Arrival Back To Lagos

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Opral Benson

By Adesina Soyooye

The family of Mrs Opral Benson, the Iya Oge of Lagos, which a few days ago, raised an alarm over her whereabouts has now confirmed that the 90 year-old is safe.

The Family, in a statement on January 15,  had declared her missing, emphasising that nobody had seen her in the past 48 hours. Part of the statement read: “The family reports that Mama Opral Benson has been missing since Tuesday, January 13, 2026. She has NOT RETURNED HOME and her current whereabouts are UNKNOWN.

“Anyone who has SEEN HER, or has ANY INFORMATION, no matter how small, is urged to CONTACT IMMEDIATELY: O803 703 9214.

“Alternatively, please, report  to the nearest Police Station.

“THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE”

However, on Tuesday, January 20, the family, in a statement signed by her daughter, Bimbo, on its behalf said Mrs Benson has been tracked to Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, her home country, and that she is safe, even though she does not know how she got to that country, a country she left in 1962 for Nigeria when she married the late former Federal Minister, TOS Benson. When Bimbo spoke to on the phone on Sunday, she was not aware of her whereabouts, and insisted that she was in her Ikoyi home.

In the angry, strongly-worded statement,  the family said Mrs Benson has no living sibling, and had not visited Liberia in the past 10 years. It took exception that anybody could ferry the Iya Oge of Lagos from Nigeria to Liberia without the knowledge of any of her family members in Nigeria.

The statement reads:

“Dear Friends,

Re: My Mum

“I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to all of you who joined hands in tracking and tracing the whereabouts of Mama. She is reported to be in Liberia—a country she left in 1962 to become a Nigerian.

“I spoke with Mama today, Sunday, 18 January, at 11:18 a.m. She is well and hearty; however, she is unaware that she is in Monrovia, Liberia; she responded her location to be Ikoyi, Lagos.

“The transportation of Mama out of Nigeria without the knowledge of her Family is deeply troubling and should be frowned upon by all daughters who model respect and care for their mothers.

“This act of disregard, impunity, and irresponsibility is, therefore, frowned upon.

“Mama’s siblings are all deceased, and as such, she has not visited Liberia in over 10 years.

“In keeping with our Nigerian culture of deference to elders, a culture Mama has imbibed for the past 65 years “awon omo inu wan”, and all those desirous of meeting and greeting Mama are urged to visit her in Nigeria and not place her at unnecessary risk.

“Nigeria and Liberia share long-standing bilateral relations founded on mutual respect. Both Nations uphold Mama with pride and dignity. This is evident in her over 25 traditional Chieftaincy Titles and most recently, the conferment of the Grand Commander of the order of the Star of Africa a top tier honor conferred on her by the President of Liberia, Joseph Boakai during the occasion of her 90th birthday in Lagos last year.

“Opportunists parading and surrounding her are hereby urged to immediately withdraw and desist from their pursuits.

“As stated in Isaiah 46:4, God promises to carry His people even into their grey hairs—a time of continued divine support.

“We kindly ask that you keep Mama in your prayers for her safe and timely return to us.

“God Bless and Allah

Guide.

Bimbo.”

Interior Minister Condemns Prolonged Delay In Passport Processing

By
Ayodele Oni
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1
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo: An unannounced visit to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in Gwagwalada, Abuja,

By Ayodele Oni

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has expressed dissatisfaction with  delays encountered by applicants for passports at the various offices of the Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS).

The Minister made an unannounced visit to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Tuesday, where he criticized officials, saying it is unacceptable the waste of applicants’ time through prolonged delays.

The Minister confronted staff over excessive waiting periods faced by citizens seeking passport services.

A viral video captured the moment the Minister was questioning officials about service delivery bottlenecks, highlighting his frustration with persistent delays despite previous directives for improvement.

Tunji-Ojo expressed strong disapproval, stating that such inefficiencies “don’t make sense” and amount to “wasting people’s time.”

He emphasized that government services must prioritize citizen convenience and efficiency, aligning with ongoing reforms in the passport issuance process.

The surprise tour enabled the Minister to directly observe operations, interact with workers, and assess challenges on the ground.

The visit comes amid the Ministry’s broader push for modernization, including the planned rollout of the Single Travel Emergency Passport (STEP) in January 2026, upgrades to passport personalization centers capable of producing thousands of documents rapidly, and efforts to reduce processing times significantly—targets that include potential seven-day delivery for standard applications through centralized systems and automation.

Applicants at the facility welcomed the Minister’s intervention, with many expressing hope that such direct oversight would lead to faster resolutions and better service.

NIS officials have not yet issued a formal response to the Minister’s remarks, but the incident is expected to prompt immediate internal reviews and corrective measures.

Six Dead, 35 Rescued As Passenger Boat Capsizes Along Buruku River, In Benue State

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Boat Mishap

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Benue State Government said it has launched a full scale investigation to unravel the remote and immediate circumstances surrounding a tragic boat mishap at the Buruku River crossing in Buruku Local Council of the State.

No fewer than six persons have been confirmed dead and over 35 others rescued following the capsize of a wooden boat late on Monday night,January 18, 2026.

Most of the passengers on board were said to be students returning to school in Gboko and other nearby communities after the break.

Local witness accounts informed that the tragic incident occurred at about 11 pm, while the boat was enroute to the Buruku Local Council.

Although no official reasons have been adduced by the relevant authorities, but there are strong indications that the boat which was said to be carrying over 45 persons, as well as vehicles, may have capsized owing to overloading.

“The boat, as you know, is a wooden one ,and it was carrying passengers and seven vehicles across the river to Buruku when it suddenly capsized.

“There were over 45 people on that boat , including vehicles .It was simply overload.

” So far about 35 passengers have been rescued alive , while six deaths have been confirmed ., with others still missing.

” Most of the victims were students returning to school in Gboko and nearby communities . This is very unfortunate,but could have been avoided” a local source volunteered .

The Benue state Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy ,Denis Iyaghigba in a statement issued by his spokesperson Lubem Gena while expressing shock and grave concern, however decried the tendency for people to embark on unsafe and unregulated inland water journeys .

The Commissioner stated that the investigation will seek to establish the level of compliance and or violations of safety regulations , operational negligence ,or the involvement of environmental factors in the mishap.

This is as he assured that all relevant authorities have been fully mobilized to intensify rescue operations .

” We are committed to accounting for all passengers ,and conducting a thorough , transparent and uncompromising.investigstion, with appropriate sanctions against any individuals or operators found culpable”, Iyaghigba added.

Court Says Anyanwu No Longer Nat. Secretary Of PDP

By
Ayodele Oni
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Senator Samuel Anyanwu

By Ayodele Oni

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has dismissed the case filed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu seeking to retain himself in office as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/254/2025 -Sen. Samuel Anyanwu vs. INEC & Ors, Justice M. G. Umar dismissed Anyanwu ‘s claims regarding his right to the office of the National Secretary of the party.

Anyanwu had approached the court seeking an Order of injunction restraining his removal from office, following a previous Supreme Court judgment that held that his stay in office is an internal affair of the Party.

He had sought to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or acting upon any documents or correspondence from the PDP that did not bear his signature.

The case underwent several procedural shifts, including being transferred from suspended Justice Inyang Ekwo to Justice M. G. Umar.

The court observed that Sen. Samuel Anyanwu was elected as National Secretary of the party in 2021 and cannot continue in office after the expiration of the term he was elected.

The court reaffirmed that the Nigerian judiciary consistently maintains that matters concerning the internal leadership and administration of a political party are non-justiciable.

This principle, reinforced by recent Supreme Court precedents, dictates that courts should not interfere in how political parties choose their officers.

The court noted the existence of multiple parallel litigations over the same subject matter across various levels of the judiciary, including High Courts, the Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court.

Anyanwu was among the high-ranking members expelled from the party during the Ibadan National Convention in November 2025.

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