Why PDP May Lose Another Governor, Other Stakeholders

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May 15, 2025

By Akinwale Kasali

Opposition Party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is going through crisis as stalwarts of the Party are leaving in droves, putting the future of the Party in jeopardy.

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu has announced that he may soon follow the footsteps of other Governors and big wigs in the PDP who have left the Party.

Mbah alongside other leaders in the South-East threatened to defect en mass over unfair treatment by the Party hierarchy.

This was made known by the South East Caucus on Wednesday in Enugu during the Party’s Zonal Executive Committee, ZEC, meeting.

The South East leaders demand that Ude-Okoye be recognized as the National Secretary of the PDP with immediate effect.

All the speakers at the meeting, including Ali Odefa, among others in attendance, re-echoed the stand to dump the Party, if the needful is not done in earnest.

The party said, “However, in the event that our position is not promptly implemented by the Party, the South East PDP, as a family, will be compelled to reconsider our relationship with the PDP going forward”, Governor Mbah alongside the leaders of the South East insist.

Osimhen Breaks 24-Year Old Record In Turkish History, Lifts Turkish Cup

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Akinwale Kasali

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May 15, 2025

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By Akinwale Kasali

After Six years of waiting, Nigeria Super Eagles prolific striker, Victor Osimhen, has helped his Turkish Club Side, Galatasaray, lift the Coveted Turkish Cup with a brace in their 3-0 triumph over Trabzonspor at the Gazientep Stadium, Turkey.

Osimhen also broke the Turkish football’s single-season record for most goals by a foreign player set by Mario Jardel’s long-standing record of 34 goals in a single season by a foreign player, set in the 2000/01 campaign.

The Nigerian lethal striker with his brace have broken the 24 year old record by scoring 35 goals in 39 matches in a competition for Galatasaray.

The loanee from Napoli equalled and then surpassed the record with strikes in the 46th and 63rd minutes, bringing his tally to 35 goals in 39 appearances during a landmark debut season in Turkey.

Galatasaray took an early lead through Barış Alper Yılmaz, who finished off a fine team move in the fifth minute following an incisive pass from Yunus Akgün.

The goal set the tone for a dominant performance from Okan Buruk’s side, who never looked in danger despite a few speculative efforts from Trabzonspor’s Nigerian export, Anthony Nwakaeme and Ozan Tufan in the first half.

After a series of missed chances, Osimhen doubled Galatasaray’s lead just a minute into the second half. The striker timed his run perfectly to latch onto a through ball from Yılmaz, shielding the ball from his marker before firing a low shot past Trabzonspor goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır.

His second came just over 15 minutes later. Following a recycled corner, Yunus Akgün found space on the right to deliver a precise pass into the box, where Osimhen expertly controlled and curled the ball into the top corner, sparking wild celebrations among Galatasaray fans.

With the brace, Osimhen not only helped Galatasaray lift their sixth Turkish Cup since 2000 but also climbed up the club’s list of all-time foreign goalscorers.

With the triumph, Galatasaray is set to complete a domestic double when they host Kayserispor on Sunday, having lead the summit with an eight point lead over Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.

A win would confirm their 25th league title and their first double since the 1998/99 season.

Social Media Influencer Cum Actress, Monalisa Stephens, Dies

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Akinwale Kasali

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May 15, 2025

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Nigeria Movie Industry, popular as Nollywood has been thrown Into mourning following the demise of one of its finest actress, Monalisa Ayobami Stephens.

The demise of the plus size Social Media Influencer cum actress came as a shock to many of her colleagues and fans, who are yet to come to terms with her passing.

Breaking the news of her death was Seun Oloketuyi, Chief Executive Officer of Best of Nollywood, BON, via his Instagram on Wednesday afternoon.

Oloketuyi disclosed that the actress passed yesterday, May 13th, after battling “Low Blood Sugar and Internal Bleeding”.

He added that the deceased actress’ sister confirmed her passing.

He shared the photo, and wrote: “Brand influencer cum actress, Monalisa Ayobami Stephen is dead.

“She died yesterday in Lagos after losing the fight against Low sugar and internal bleeding.

“Her immediate younger sister confirmed the death of this hardworking and beautiful soul.”

Tributes have been pouring in on the demise of the actress, as her colleagues and fans are praying for the repose of her soul.

Zamfara: Bandits Feed Dogs With Newly Born Twins

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Ayodele Oni

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May 15, 2025

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By Ayodele Oni

Residents of Zamfara State have observed that the frequency and brutality of the attacks by bandits suggest a collapse of governance in many parts of the State.

The observation is coming just as bandits terrorising North West residents reportedly fed newborn twins to dogs.

According to the lawmaker representing Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji federal constituency of Zamfara State, Aminu Jaji, the victim was abducted from a community in Zamfara while pregnant.

He explained that while she was delivered of twin babies, the bandits threw the newborns to dogs which ate them.

“That is where we are now. That is the level of inhumanity we are facing.”

He also shared the heartbreaking story of an epileptic boy who was killed because he fell during a seizure.

“The bandit demanded the boy be brought to him to be executed. The father, out of desperation, begged his son to surrender to save the rest of the family. The boy agreed and was shot dead.”

The lawmaker called on the federal government to do more in tackling the situation.

He recalled that during the 2023 general elections, he was part of the Northwest campaign team for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and had given assurances to the people that security would be top priority.

“Now, we are failing those who believed in us. Our people can’t access their farms. Their economy has collapsed. We have many internally displaced persons (IDPs) who are not even recognised by the federal or state governments.”

He said he has tried to engage security stakeholders, including the Minister of Defence, but so far, little has come out of these efforts.

“Zamfara, my state, used to be the most peaceful in Nigeria. Today, we are among the most ravaged. The constitution guarantees the protection of life and property, but that promise is not being kept.”

Responding to a question about arming the residents for self-defence, he said the law must guide actions.

“We are legislators, not vigilantes. We cannot encourage people to take up arms illegally. But the truth is, the people feel abandoned.”

2025 JAMB: The Facts Are Emerging – Osita Chidoka

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The Source

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May 15, 2025

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The Athena Centre has been inundated with messages and calls urging us to speak on the 2025 JAMB results. While we deeply appreciate the growing public confidence in our work, we believe that commentary—especially on such a sensitive national issue—must be based on evidence, not emotion or speculation.

To this end, we refrained from making public statements until we had verified information.

Today, 13 May 2025 at the invitation of the JAMB Registrar, Prof Oloyede, I had the privilege of joining other selected stakeholders, Commissioners for Education, Vice Chancellors, the Parents Teachers Association, the Computer Professionals Association of Nigeria, and Chief External Examiners, at the JAMB headquarters for a comprehensive review of the 2025 examination process.

What I witnessed left me encouraged.

JAMB has embraced transparency, rigour, and accountability in the face of serious public concern. I am proud of the open and honest process they instituted to address the technical issues that affected results in Lagos and the South East. This is the hallmark of institutional integrity and responsibility.

We observed the physical re-marking of randomly selected scripts—a painstaking but necessary process. It showed a commitment to truth over convenience.

We have filed a Freedom of Information request at the Athena Centre through the Arthur Nwankwo Institute. We are reviewing 10 years of past results for comparative analysis with the 2025 results.

So far, I am impressed with the review process and call on all affected candidates to remain calm and await formal communication from JAMB in the coming days.

Our country will grow when public institutions are accountable, citizens are active, and organisations remain vigilant.

I also want to thank Alex Onyia, CEO of Educare, for his consistent advocacy in the education sector and for standing firmly on the side of students and fairness.

Let us build a nation where truth, not speculation, shapes our response to failure and where integrity is the foundation of reform.

Chidoka, former Corps Marshal was Minister for Aviation during the President Goodluck Jonathan Government

“Tinubu’s Government Has No Respect For Buhari, Abhors The Poor” – Babachir Lawal

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The Source

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May 15, 2025

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By Gideon Njoku

“Atiku will leave PDP when the Coalition forms a Mega Party”

Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation under the President Muhammadu Buhari Government, has lamented the disrespect, according to him, accorded to Buhari by the President Bola Tinubu Government.

He said in attacking Buhari, the Tinubu Government lost all decency and decorum.

Speaking in an interview with The Punch, Lawal revealed that among other things, the disrespect for Buhari is one of the reasons his core loyalists in the defunct CPC have decided to stand up for him. In standing up for Buhari, Lawal said they are forming a solid Coalition which would transform into a political party so as to protect Buhari’s dignity and the ideals of the CPC and sweep Tinubu out of office.

One of the arrow heads of the Coalition is Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 Presidential Election. Even though Atiku has kept saying he would not leave the PDP, Lawal said it is taken for granted that Atiku would dump the party once the Coalition transforms into a Party and once Atiku remains a member of the Coalition and so, the mega-party.

He said: “Of course it is clear. It goes without saying that if he (Atiku) joins the mega party we are forming, he is obviously no longer in the PDP. He can’t belong to two parties.”

However, on Buhari, Lawal did not quite say he gave them a go ahead to leave PDP, but he noted that all they need to do is to tell him, which they have done. Note, however, that he did not also stop them from leaving.

On the attacks on Buhari by the Tinubu Government, Lawal said: “This Government, I’m surprised they are behaving the way they are. Initially, they tried to be respectful to Buhari. Eventually, they lost all sense of decorum and decency and started attacking him. You will hear them say: ‘We are doing this because the Government we inherited was terrible. We are doing this because Buhari was allowing the Fulani herdsmen to kill people.’

“Suddenly, they came out with a frontal attack on the man. Even for that alone, we are obligated as his supporters, as his followers, to defend him. These guys have given us a reason to come against them because the CPC is a Talakwa movement. It’s a movement that has the needs and feelings of the lower class at heart. That is our ideology which we learned from Buhari. The primary aim is to serve the disenfranchised, discriminated people in the society which this Government has taken as a religion to cause suffering and marginalization. It is as if the sight of a poor person annoys them. So, they want to starve them to death.”

“Ganduje’s Job Is Queue At The Airport, Shake Hands When Tinubu Travels Or Comes Back”- Babachir Lawal

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The Source

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May 14, 2025

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By Gideon Njoku

Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has dismissed the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, as a man without consequence. Literally, he said Ganduje has no job except two things. One, run in circles around President Bola Tinubu at the Airport and shake hands each time the President was traveling or coming back. And two, wear agbada, go to Kano and cause social disaffection.

Lawal said this in an interview with The Punch when asked why the APC has not expelled him from the party, the verbal war he often wages on the Party notwithstanding.

In response, Lawal said he would have been happy if expelled; that he would walk like he has springs on his heals, especially, knowing the character of the man who chairs the Party.

His words: “I would have been happier. If the APC expels you, it is a chip on your shoulder. I mean, what is this? Who is this man running the APC? The only role of the APC Chairman now is to follow Bola Tinubu and queue up at the airport to shake hands when he’s coming and going. He does nothing else.

“This man doesn’t even even call for meetings or release press statements. All he does is wear an agbada and go to Kano to cause social disaffection.

“You know, I know the man so well. He’s my friend. He has an NGO that they call Ganduje something. They call him Kadbul Islam, the defender of the Muslims. I think Ganduje is better off as a Muslim missionary than as an APC Chairman. He’ll perform better there.

“So, if he had retired as a missionary, given the scandals that followed him, he would have simply gone back to focus on religion to find restitution with God for the evil he did when he was in Government.

“I think it would have been better for him than an old man, half bent, following Tinubu up and down. These are two octogenarian running the country. He’s not even running the country.”

UTME: JAMB Admits Responsibility For Hitches

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Ayodele Oni

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May 14, 2025

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Prof Ishaq Oloyede -JAMB registrar — Prof Ishaq Oloyede, JAMB registrar

By Ayodele Oni

Coming after suicide and other life threatening issues have been recorded, the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, (JAMB), has finally admitted to errors which affected the performance of students during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination,(UTME).

The Registrar of the Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede admitted to this during a media briefing in Abuja.

“What should have been a moment of joy has changed due to one or two errors.”

The UTME is a critical prerequisite for admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria. It tests candidates in four subjects, including the compulsory Use of English, with the other three drawn from their proposed field of study.

Of the 1.9 million candidates who sat the UTME, over 1.5 million reportedly scored below 200 out of the maximum 400 marks, raising concerns across the education sector.

According to the examination agency, a total of 1,955,069 results were processed, out of which only 4,756 candidates (0.24 per cent) scored 320 and above, considered top-tier performance, while 7,658 candidates (0.39 per cent) scored between 300 and 319, bringing the total for those who scored 300 and above to 12,414 candidates (0.63 per cent).

Also, 73,441 candidates (3.76 per cent) scored between 250 and 299 while 334,560 candidates (17.11 per cent) scored between 200 and 249.

A total of 983,187 candidates (50.29 per cent) scored between 160 and 199, which is widely regarded as the minimum threshold for admissions in many institutions.

In the same vein, 488,197 candidates (24.97 per cent) scored between 140 and 159, 57,419 candidates (2.94 per cent) scored between 120 and 139, 3,820 candidates (0.20 per cent) scored between 100 and 119, and 2,031 candidates (0.10 per cent) scored below 100.

Over 75 per cent of all candidates (1.5 million) scored below 200, average score seeing as the examination is graded over 400.

Some affected candidates threatened to initiate a lawsuit against JAMB.

Apart from law suit, there are reports of some candidates that have committed suicide as a result of low marks recorded for them by JAMB.

PDP Re-Nominates Ude Okoye National Secretary

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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May 14, 2025

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

As widely expected, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, South-east Zone, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 re-appointed Hon Sunday Ude Okoye as its choice for the position of the National Secretary of the Party.

The Source reports that the Zone had in 2024, following the nomination of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the PDP gubernatorial candidate for the November 11, 2024, Imo state off-circle polls, opted for Okoye as his replacement.

However, following his abysmal loss at the Governorship race, Anyanwu, staged a come back to the position.

But a Supreme Court verdict ,on March 21, 2025, ended the ensuing legal tussle for the position.

The Apex Court ruled that all issues relating to leadership positions are part of the internal affairs of political parties which can only be determine by them.

Specifically,the Supreme Court held that the courts, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, or any other authorities can not determine for the Political parties the direction of their leaderships.

Consequent upon the ruling, the PDP Governors Forum, at its April 14 ,2025 meeting in Ibadan, resolved to allow the South East to renominate its candidate for the National Secretary to serve out the tenure of Senator Anyanwu.

The decision was in conformity with the Supreme Court’s verdict. Meanwhile, the Party appointed the Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo to hold forth as the Acting National Secretary pending the nomination of a substantive Secretary by the South East Zone

Rising from its Executive Council meeting on Wednesda ,in Enugu, the zonal leadership, while re-nominating Okoye, also expressed the optimism that the National leadership will accord his appointment the honour and the urgency it deserves.

In a Communique issued by the Zonal Chairman Chief Ali Odefa, the zonal executive of the PDP, similarly reaffirmed its confidence in the abilities of Ude Okoye.

” The South-east Zonal Executive Committee, SEC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, met at the Government House Enugu, Enugu State, today Wednesday May 14,2025 to deliberate on the issue of the Office of the National Secretary of the party.

“It is recalled that on March 21, 2025, the Supreme Court brought to a close the protracted legal tussle over the position of the National Secretary of the PDP.

“The apex court in its ruling, held that the issue of the leadership of a political party is the internal affairs of such a party, and that the courts and INEC have no jurisdiction ,and ought not to interfere.

“Following the consideration of the report of the panel it set up to review the Supreme Court judgment, the PDP Governors Forum, at its April 14, 2025, meeting in Ibadan ,Oyo State, recommended that the South-east PDP should nominate a candidate who will serve out the remaining tenure of the National Secretary of the party zoned to the region.

“In adopting the PDP Governors Forum’s recommendation, the NWC, during its 600th meeting held at the Party’s National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Wuse, Abuja, on April 29, 2025 directed the South-east ZEC of our party to nominate a candidate for the Office of the National Secretary accordingly.

“Today’s meeting was, therefore, convened in accordance with this directive. Rising from the meeting, the SEC resolved to issue the following communique:

“The South East SEC exhaustively deliberated on the directive of the NWC, and came to the conclusion that it offered a sure pathway to peace, unity, stability, and progress of our party.

“Consequently, the SEC unanimously recommended Hon Sunday Udeh-Okoye as the candidate to complete the term of office of the National Secretary.

We, also, urged the NWC to uphold its decision at the 600th meeting on April 29,2025 ,by ensuring that the Deputy National Secretary of the PDP functions as the Acting National Secretary pending the ratification of the nominee for the Office of the National Secretary by INEC in line with the recommendation of the PDP Governors Forum as adopted by the NWC”, part of the communique reads.

UTME: MURIC Blames Parents, Students For Poor Performance

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Akinwale Kasali

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May 14, 2025

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By Akinwale Kasali

Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has urged Parents and Students alike to shelve the idea of suing the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB, over the mass failure registered in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. It instead advised Parents to return home to correct their mistakes ahead of 2026 session.

MURIC, through its Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, advised candidates and their parents to lick their wounds and stop blaming JAMB for their failures. MURIC said it was not the fault of the board that the students recorded poor results.

The group’s stance came barely 24 hours before JAMB and Vice Chancellors conclude the review of the results following the outcry that trailed the 1.5 million students that scored below 200 marks after the exam held across the country.

MURIC stated this on Wednesday in a statement released to newsmen by the Executive Director of the human rights organization, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.

According to the statement, “This is crying after the head has been cut off. Their results would have been different if they had been well prepared. But instead of burning candles and reading far into the night, our young ones have been discothequeing and roaming the streets as well as loafing around after they have been assured that magic centers are the answer. Alas, JAMB proved to be smarter than them.

“As for the excuse of technical glitches, the candidates and their parents should know better. Technical hitches at CBT centres cannot be blamed on JAMB whose headquarters is far away. They should blame the CBT centres. The law establishing JAMB may stomach vicarious liability, but the technical nitty gritties will still favour the cat jumping into JAMB’s backyard.

“MURIC advises candidates who failed the examination to lick their wounds, re-examine themselves, throw their hats into the ring once again and stop blaming JAMB. It behoves the parents to stop indulging their children. The future belongs to youths who toil hard and prepare themselves for the challenges of this jet age, not to over pampered ones whose mothers still breastfeed them at 25.

“We charge parents to join hands with JAMB and the Nigerian authorities in cleansing the system already permeated with moral decadence. JAMB is not the enemy of those candidates, the parents who fail to discipline them and the permissive society which idolizes indolence and demonizes dilligence are their foes.

“Lick your wounds, leave JAMB alone”, Akintola stated.