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PDP: George Slams Gov Fintiri, Says Wike, Others Deserved What They Got

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Bode George
Chief Bode George

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George has slammed Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa state of insincerity regarding the suspension of some leaders of the party, including FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

Recall that Chief George moved the motion for the expulsion of the FCT Minister and others accused of working against the interests of the party, last week end.

George, a member of the Board of Trustees of the party and former Deputy National Chairman (South) said the Adamawa helmsman was present when the decision to expel Wike and others was taken at the national Convention of the party that took place in Ibadan, Oyo state capital last weekend.

Having been part of the decision making that led to the expulsion, it was wrong for the governor to turn around to criticize the action taken against the leaders for alleged anti-party activities.

Fintiri had said after the expulsion that the action will furter polarise the party, which he said is supposed to be reconciling angry members through various peace building efforts.

Apart from Governor Fintiri who criticsed the expulsion of the minister of the FCT and co. From the party, Governor Gabriela Muftaug of Plateau state has also asserted that he’s not in support of the action.

But George informed the Nigerian Tribune that the expulsion was supported by the majority of the party, while Fintiri was ‘seated’ at the National Convention that took place between 15 and 16 November wondering why the governor turned around to criticise the action taken by the party’s delegates.

The former Military Administrator, MILAD, of Ondo state stressed that those expelled got what they deserved because that were working against the interest of the party, by working for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election.

George: “The action resonated well with delegates. It received their acceptance as they took it as a major step towards instilling sanity in the party. By our Constitution, the Convention is the highest organ. If Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was opposed to it, why didn’t he say it there? He was seated there. Does it mean that the people of Adamawa are with him? The party isn’t owned by any individual. The delegates have said ‘enough is enough’. The people expelled can’t be bigger than the party. They started the crisis in the party and it was spreading like cancer

“They were undermining the party and breaking its rules. The PDP has its ways of resolving disputes. Going to court shouldn’t be the first option. You must explore the party internal resolution mechanism. They have told us that they were going to work for Tinubu. Will Tinubu have accepted that from anybody in APC? They were doing damage to the party interest.”

Apart from Wike, those expelled from the party include former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secreatry of the party, Imo State PDP Chairman Austine Nwachukwu; his Abia State counterpart, Amah Nnanna, and PDP South-south Zonal Secretary, Turnah George.

Others affected included the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; Mao Ohuabunwa, factional BoT chairman, and Dan Orbih from Edo State.

The FCT minister is leading a group in the party, which is currently in a serious legal battle to take over its affairs. The group had last week expelled Umar Damagun and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC appointing an interim National Chairman.

Lt. Yerima: Police Dismisses Assassination Attempt on Naval Officer Who Stood Up To Wike

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Navy Lt Ahmed Yerima

By Adesina Soyooye

In a swift action to calm rising tension, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command, has dismissed the viral story that Navy Lt. Ahmed Yerima escaped an assassination attempt.

Lt. Yerima, recall, is the young Navy Officer who stole the hearts of not a few Nigerians by his composure, discipline and courage when he stood up to the FCT Minister, Nyesom  Wike, who tried to bully him, called him a fool,  and asked him to shut up, when, acting on orders, the Lt refused access to Wike and his demolition squad, to a building project of a retired Chief of Navy Staff.

Wike had stormed the site to bulldoze the project when he met a stiff resistance mounted by the Navy. Frustrated, he descended to the use of foul language and choice words on the Officer. Wike called the officer a fool, and asked him to shut up. But the Officer simply replied: “I will not shut up. I am not a fool Sir. I am an officer. I have integrity.”

While most Nigerians have hailed the officer, a few has condemned him, (mainly for keeping guard at a private concern), the officer has the full support of his bosses, serving and retired, as well as two of Wike’s Ministerial colleagues.

However, not a few Nigerians were jolted Monday morning when news emerged on the social media that Lt Yerima had just escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja.

According to the viral news item, Yerima noticed two unmarked vehicles trailing him from NIPOCO Filling Station, along Gado Nasko Road, Kubwa, Abuja.

On noticing them, according to  the story, the Navy officer found a way to out-maneuvre them.

However, to stem the anxiety and tension, the

FCT Police Command

has quickly dismissed reports of any  attempted assassination attempt on

Lt.  Yerima  as entirely false.

The Police said the false alarm is capable of causing  public panic.

SP Josephine Adeh, spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, in a statement Sunday night, said that for clarification purposes, there is

no record or report

of an attack on the naval officer anywhere within the Abuja metropolis.

She said: “The Command wishes to categorically state that no such incident has been reported or recorded anywhere within the Federal Capital Territory. The public is advised to disregard this false information and desist from spreading unverified claims capable of causing unnecessary panic.”

Tinubu Laments High Rate Of Graduate Unemployment

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  has lamented the rate of graduate unemployment in the country urging  universities administrators to ensure that the curriculum is in tune with the demands in the  jobs market.

the president made the remark  during the 36th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Ondo State, where he was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu,.

According to Tinubu, there has been a sharp rise in the number of graduates entering the job market, saying the curriculum should be designed in a such a way that graduates are not only employ themselves, but employers of labour, adding that the government alone cannot create the required jobs in the country.

On the government’s part, Tinubu stated it will promote policies that strengthen education, promote research funding, and foster collaborations between universities and industries, which he said will enable graduates in the country to contribute their own quota to the national growth.

Tinubu: “While it is agreed that the government alone cannot provide job opportunities directly for the teeming graduates of our higher educational institutions, the government will continue to create an enabling environment for investments and businesses to thrive; this administration recognises the critical role of science, technology, and innovation in our national development.

“We are, therefore, committed to policies that strengthen education, promote research funding, and foster collaborations between universities and industries.

“We are also pursuing the digital economy agenda, renewable energy initiatives, and infrastructure development, all of which open new opportunities for your graduates to contribute meaningfully to national growth and development.”

According to checks, Nigeria produces about 600,000 university and polytechnic graduates annually. This number is a significant factor contributing to the country’s high youth unemployment, as the number of graduates significantly exceeds the number of available formal jobs, analysts say.

They noted that the annual output contributes to a large pool of young people seeking employment, but the number of formal jobs created annually is significantly lower.

Nigeria Booted Out Of 2026 FIFA World Cup As Super Eagles Flop

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Super Eagles
Super Eagles

By Akinwale Kasali

The dream of Nigeria’s Super Eagles playing at the 2026 FIFA World has been dashed by the Leopards of Democratic Republic of Congo in the final of the CAF World Cup Playoffs.

After a 120-minute  1-1 draw of pulsating football action, the game resulted to a penalty shootout during  which the Super Eagles lost three spot kicks to give the Coach Sébastien Desabre led DR Congo a 4-3 victory.

With this result, the Super Eagles has failed to appear in two consecutive World Cup tournament. The Nigerian flag will not be hoisted at 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by the trio of United States of America, Canada and Mexico.

The Nigerian side started the game brightly with a strike from Frank Onyeka that was deflected into the DR Congo net.

The Nigerian side pushed forward to add to the tally but they failed to convert their chances to any meaningful end.

The Congolese  got back into the game following a strike from Elia Meshack, after a poor defending by Wilfred Ndidi.

The Super Eagles were dealt a big blow at half time as their forward, Victor Osimhen was replaced after an injury.

The exit of Osimhen saw the DR Congo team grow into the game and dictated the game for the entire second half and the entire 30 minutes of extra time.

During the penalty shootout, Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi lost their spot kicks.

Though, Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, saved two spot kicks, it was not enough to save his team  the DR Congo team which won 4-3 on penalties.

Assailants Kill Delta APC Acting Chairman

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Felix Ese Idisi

By Adesina Soyooye

“They boasted they would kill all political enemies” – Senator Omo-Agege

Felix Ese Idisi, Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ethiope  East, Delta State, has been shot dead by gunmen.

Idisi was killed Sunday under circumstances not yet public.

But former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege in a post on his Facebook page condemned the gruesome murder as a “barbaric act of violence; an attack on democracy and the democratic process in Delta State.”

He, also disclosed that those who killed him had earlier boasted of killing all political enemies.

He wrote: “I am shocked and deeply saddened by the brutal murder of our Acting LGA Chairman in Ethiope East LGA. This act of violence is a stark reminder of the insecurity and lawlessness that have become a menace in our State.

“I condemn this heinous act in the strongest terms and demand that the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, and the Inspector General of Police leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

“The killers who had previously boasted of eliminating their political enemies in the Local Government Area must be arrested, prosecuted, and punished for their crime.

“I must reiterate that killing is not our culture in Delta APC. Our culture is winning hearts, one person at a time. Those who are trying to import this evil act into our body polity in APC must  desist immediately, as we will do everything within our power to resist unacceptable evil culture of violence.

“We will not be intimidated or deterred by acts of violence and lawlessness. We will continue to work towards building a peaceful and democratic society where the rule of law is supreme.”

Omo-Agege called for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators so they be made to face the full wrath of the law.

At the time of filing this report, neither the Police nor the State Government has issued a statement.

Imo PDP Dismisses Ibadan Convention As A Sham, Rejects Dissolution Of Exco

By
The Source
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PDP Ibadan Convention

By Charles Igbo

The Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed the just concluded National Convention of the Party held in Ibadan as a sham. It has also rejected its outcome and described it as fit for the dustbin.

Recall that at the Convention held in Ibadan, the Imo State Chapter had its Executive Council dissolved and the National Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu who hails from the State, and is its leader, expelled. Anyanwu, popular as SamDaddy, was expelled alongside his political ally, Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister and others.

The Imo State Chairman of the Party, Austin Chukwu, was also expelled. He was one of those who dragged the party to Court and secured one if the injunctions against the holding of the Ibadan Convention.

But the Imo PDP has urged its members to disregard the  dissolution of the State Structure just as it described the Convention as illegal, and a tea party.

In a Press Release signed by its Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiaku, the Chapter  urged its  members, supporters and stakeholders to “completely disregard the news making the rounds that its structure has been dissolved, as such is only a wishful thought existing in the imaginations of its purveyors.”

The statement reads in part:

“We equally wish to add our voice to the litany of condemnations trailing the recent show of shame in Ibadan, Oyo State, which oozed illegality, recklessness, abuse and contempt.

“Imo PDP, therefore, firmly and outrightly rejects the sham convention.

“Our members are to note that the PDP is yet to conduct its Elective National Convention to elect new national officers. Any story to the contrary making the rounds in the media is simply propaganda and make-believe, which do not represent the actual situation of things.

“Simply put, what happened on November 15th and 16th was a mere gathering of a lawless Committee of Friends for a tea party, which attempted a ludicrous overreach that ultimately ended in futility.

“The plotters of the meeting, in their desperation, desecrated the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and the constitution of the country with a phantom convention that paraded suspended and expelled members as part of the organizers, without delegates from Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu States and thirteen other States, which currently have no valid State Executive.

“They also disobeyed binding and subsisting judgments of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by Hon. Justice James Omotosho on October 31, 2025, and Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu on November 14, 2025, which, on accounts of the obvious abuse of process, constitutional infractions and other irregularities, including the usurpation of the powers and functions of the National Secretary and National Organizing Secretary, ordered the halt of any convention until the party complies with its constitution and guidelines.

“Furthermore, it is instructive to make it clear that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) obeyed the court judgments and refused to monitor or validate the illegal convention. INEC’s principled position is a powerful reinforcement of the fact that the impunity exhibited in the Ibadan assembly, or any decision reached there, cannot stand.

“We, therefore, urge our members and supporters to remain focused and unshaken despite the efforts of fifth columnists to stoke confusion and distraction.

“While totally condemning the continuous attack on the office of the National Secretary of the party, as legitimately held by our leader in Imo State, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, by these persons within and outside the party, Imo PDP reiterates confidence in Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman of our great party; Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary; Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa as BoT Chairman; and Hon. Austin Nwachukwu as our State Chairman.

“We stand solidly in support of discipline and constitutional order returning to our party and will continue to pursue and support only actions that promote due process, internal democracy and respect for the rule of law, which are the tenets upon which the party was founded.”

The PDP has, since 2023, been embroiled by intractable political crisis which has rendered the party casket-ready, almost.

The Ibadan National Convention was boycotted by a number of Party bigwigs, including three serving Governors  – Senator Ademola Adeleke, Kefas Agbu and Siminalayi Fubara of Osun, Taraba and Rivers, respectively.

In addition, a number of States, including Plateau, Adamawa, Rivers, Jigawa distanced their Chapters from the outcome of the Convention, especially, the expulsion of Party bigwigs.

Baba Ijesha Not Cleared By Appeal Court – LASG, Warns Fabiyi

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Olarenwaju James - Baba Ijesha

By Akinwale Kasali

Govt says Appeal Court upheld conviction which the convict served to the end.

Contrary to the news being spread around by Nollywood Actor, Yomi Fabiyi, that Olanrewaju James, popular as Baba Ijesha, has been discharged and acquitted of all charges leveled against him by the Court of Appeal  the Lagos State Government, LASG says there was no such thing.

The LASG described the report of the release of Baba Ijesha as peddled by Fabiyi as misleading and capable of confusing the public.

The State’s Attorney-General, Lawal Pedro, dismissed Fabiyi’s story that Baba Ijesha has been cleared of all charges by the Court of Appeal in his case involving the abuse of a minor.

Pedro said the claim was not only untrue but a distortion of what  happened in Court.

He explained that the court never declared the actor innocent of the offences. According to him, Fabiyi’s statements created a wrong impression and made it necessary for his office to set the record straight.

Pedro gave a breakdown of the legal journey. He noted that a Lagos High Court convicted Baba Ijesha on July 14, 2022, for sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child, over events that happened in 2021.

The actor received a five-year and a three-year sentence, which were to run  concurrently.

He added that on June 28, 2024, the Court of Appeal only overturned the charges linked to allegations from 2013–2014, but confirmed the conviction and sentence related to the 2021 assault.

The Attorney-General stressed that this correction has been documented publicly and has never changed.

He further mentioned that Baba Ijesha took the case to the Supreme Court, but the appeal was struck out on May 29, 2025, because it was not filed properly.

A later request for permission to bring a fresh appeal was rejected on October 9, 2025.

Following this development, the Court of Appeal judgment remained final.

Pedro clarified that the actor’s release happened simply because he had completed the prison term upheld by the Appeal Court.

He warned that it should not be mistaken for an acquittal or a declaration of innocence.

He repeated that “Mr. Olanrewaju James was not cleared of the offences of sexual assault and indecent treatment of a child,” urging the public to ignore any story suggesting otherwise. He also cautioned Fabiyi and any platform repeating the false report to stop immediately.

Speaking further, Pedro said that his office would consider criminal charges under Lagos law if the misinformation continues, especially because spreading false news that can cause fear or confusion is an offence.

He reaffirmed the State’s commitment to protecting children and ensuring that the outcomes of criminal cases are presented correctly to the public.

Toxic Cocktail In Ondo Claims Life

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Lucky Aiyedatiwa

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Government has alerted that a dangerous alcoholic mixture now circulating in some parts of the state has claimed life and led to collapse of body organs.

The State Government, in a statement, raised the alarm over the circulation of highly dangerous alcoholic cocktails popularly called “ogogoro mix” across parts of Akure.

It pointed out that the substances have already led to multiple cases of collapse, organ damage and suspected deaths.

A statement, signed by the Chairman of the Ondo State Governor’s Taskforce,  Oluwapelumi Babafemi Elemide, cautioned that the drink contains deadly chemical substances which are dangerous to human health.

In a public safety advisory issued by the Governor’s Taskforce, the state explained that the toxic mixtures reportedly contain tramadol, codeine, cannabis extracts and methylated spirit—ingredients that pose severe health risks and can be fatal when consumed.

The Taskforce noted that the rising trend of the concoction among young people has become a major public health concern.

It urged parents, schools, youth organisations and community leaders to immediately caution young persons against consuming the illicit brew.

Residents are also encouraged to report any known distribution points to the nearest police division or directly to the Governor’s Taskforce.

According to the advisory, a joint security and regulatory operation has already been launched to identify and shut down illegal sellers of the toxic cocktail.

Bus Rams Into Tipper, Kills One, Injures Six

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Accident - Ripper Ram into a Bus in Lagos

By Akinwale Kasali

Tragedy struck at Majidun, inward Ogolonto on Ikorodu Road, Lagos, as a Volkswagen Commercial Bus with Registration Number EPE 494 XM and a stationary tipper truck collided, claiming the life of  a female passenger, and   critically injuring six.

The accident occurred directly opposite the MRS Filling Station

According to preliminary findings by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, the commercial bus—chartered to convey passengers to a programme in Ogijo—suffered sudden brake failure.

The driver was said to have been speeding excessively, and reportedly lost control before crashing into the parked tipper which had stopped to buy diesel.

The impact killed an adult woman instantly, while five other female passengers and a male occupant sustained serious injuries.

The injured persons were immediately rushed to Benic Special Hospital, while the deceased was evacuated by security personnel to the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for formal procedures.

It was gathered that the LASTMA Officers at the scene apprehended the Tipper Driver after he attempted to flee the scene on realizing the gravity of the crash.

The bus driver was also arrested, and both men have been handed over to the Ipakodo Police Division for further investigation.

LASTMA personnel later cleared the wreckage to restore traffic flow toward the Ikorodu Garage corridor.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep sadness over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved family and wishing the injured victims a speedy recovery.

He urged motorists to avoid speeding, noting that excessive velocity reduces a driver’s ability to manage sudden mechanical faults or road hazards.

Bakare-Oki reiterated LASTMA’s commitment to safeguarding lives and ensuring safer road use across Lagos State.

For emergencies, LASTMA advised the public to call its toll-free hotline: 080000527862.

Yoruba Group Urges US To Investigate Sheikh Gumi Over Bandits, Terrorists Hideout, Activities

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi with Bandits in the North

By Akinwale Kasali

A Yoruba Group, Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has urged the United States of America, USA, to investigate and interrogate Sheikh Ahmad Gumi Over the activities and hideouts of bandits and terrorists in the North East.

The Sociocultural Organization said it was necessary for the US to compel the Kaduna-based Cleric to lead Security Forces to the hideouts of armed Fulani Militias who have, for years, unleashed terror across Nigeria.

The Group, in a statement released on Sunday by the Union Convener, Olusola Badero, through its Home Director, Princess Balogun, described Nigeria as “a near–banana republic,” where Government Officials in the Northern Region routinely pose for photographs with terrorists in broad daylight while negotiating with people who have killed, kidnapped, ra×ed, and maimed innocent citizens.

It added that Gumi’s repeated public defence of terrorists and self-proclaimed role as a mediator proves he has intimate knowledge of where the armed groups operate.

The Group, in the statement, insisted that if Gumi could escort journalists and government officials into remote forest enclaves for “peace missions,” then he should be compelled to help dismantle the very networks he claims to negotiate with.

It further stressed that Sheikh Gumi must be held to account for repeatedly defending armed bandit groups simply because they share ethnic ties.

According to the statement, Gumi’s continued justification of terrorist actions has emboldened criminal networks that have devastated rural communities across the country.

The group noted that while Gumi claims to have facilitated the surrender of over 600 bandits, he has also consistently dismissed calls for his arrest as intolerant and politically driven. “His own words confirm his closeness to these killers,” the group said.

Condemning the spate of insecurity in the country, the Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá said that terrorists have turned vast regions into killing fields with little resistance from government authorities.

“Every day, Nigerians are seen on social media with guns pointed at their heads, begging for ransom.

“Many are murdered even after ransom is paid. The same Fulani militias have destroyed farmlands, taken over ancestral homes, raped women, burnt villages, invaded churches and mosques, and kidnapped worshippers.”

It dismissed Gumi’s argument that terrorists are reacting to a lack of social amenities.

“There is no state in Nigeria without communities lacking water, roads, electricity, or hospitals.

“But no other ethnic group has turned mass murder, kidnapping, and land occupation into an industry.”

The organisation accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of turning a blind eye to the worsening crisis while terrorists enjoy celebrity treatment in the North.

“President Tinubu continues to deny the mass killings and atrocities being committed,” the union said.

“He goes on television claiming there is no genocide, while entire communities are wiped out. The government has failed to arrest any of the major commanders of these militias. This silence is complicity.”

It called on the U.S. President to pressurise President Tinubu to order Gumi’s arrest and prosecution for allegedly shielding terrorists, knowing their hideouts, and being aware of their financiers and weapons suppliers.

It also added that if the Nigerian government continues negotiating with terrorists instead of dismantling their networks, the international community must take notice.

“If sending U.S. troops and fighter jets will end these mass killings—since the Nigerian government has failed—then the U.S. should step in.

“Nigeria needs help, because our government is too weak or unwilling to confront those destroying the nation”, the statement reads.

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