The joy of freedom based on the bail granted Jude Okoye, elder brother and former Manager of the defunct P-Square Musical Group, has been wiped out as he was ordered remanded in prison custody, following his arraignment on fresh fraud charges amounting to $1,019,763.87 and £34,537.59.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had filed a four-count charge against Okoye, accusing him of dishonesty, and converting music proceeds from three companies to personal use.
The alleged conversion of the music proceeds of the three companies led to the deprivation of his brother, Peter ‘Mr. P’ Okoye, of his rightful earnings.
Appearing before Justice Ramon Oshodi at the Ikeja High Court on Tuesday, Okoye pleaded “not guilty” to the charges leveled against him. h3is defense counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, argued for bail, citing an ongoing related case at the Ikoyi court, where Okoye had already been granted bail.
However, prosecuting counsel, MK Bashiru opposed the application, stating he had yet to file a response.
Justice Oshodi, however, ruled that he could not “hastily grant the bail application” without reviewing the necessary filings.
The prosecution was directed to submit a response before the next hearing on March 6, while the trial is set for May 16 and 23.
The remand of the former Manager of the defunct P-Square Music Group is coming barely 24 hours after he was granted N100 million bail on separate alleged fraud charges, involving the laundering of N1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59.
As parties in the petition relating to the year 2024 Edo state’s Governorship election are awaiting judgement by the Tribunal, the State Government has cautioned against violence and heating the polity.
The State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paul Ohonbamu, specifically called on the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to refrain from heating the polity with the yet to be delivered judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal hearing the Edo State governorship election petitions in Abuja.
The Commissioner, in a statement in Benin City, stated that it has become necessary to desist from heating up the polity with their own judgment before the delivery of the judgment of the three – member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi.
According to the Commissioner, “in a democratic system, the opposition plays a crucial role in providing a check on the ruling party and ensuring that the government is accountable to the people. However, this role must be fulfilled in a responsible and constructive manner.
“The Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo is a peaceful and purposeful driven administrator, who desires the best for Edo state and his administration will not condone any act that is likely to cause instability and insecurity of lives and property in the state.
“The heating up of the polity through inflammatory rhetoric or actions over the outcome of the tribunal judgment can have severe consequences, that can divide the state along party lines leading to social unrest and conflict.
“The inflammatory statements by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) leadership and their supporters can create an environment of uncertainty and fear, which can undermine economic growth and development, as well as undermining the credibility of institutions, such as the Judiciary.”
Government advised every one to remain calm and patient for the judgment without fanning embers of crisis from any quarter, and to engage in constructive criticism of government policies and programmes, focusing on the issues rather than embarking on vindictive attacks.
“The Governor, in his determination to restore the lost glory of the state, is prepared to work with development partners across political parties to find common ground that will be of immense benefit to the people of the state.
“Therefore every one should refrain from using language that can incite violence or hatred, but instead promote a message of unity and peace
“There is no doubt that the political developments in the state has generated reactions following the election of Senator Monday Okpebholo by the Edo people, it is instructive to note however, that we must not allow some persons to set the state ablaze merely to satisfy their thirst for power and control.
“The inciting statements by some hired persons in the social media alleging attempts by Governor Okpebholo to interfere with the judgment of the tribunal is laughable because the Panel is expected to do the right thing and not to be stampeded to do otherwise.”
Also Dismisses Lagos Assembly Members as “clowns of Baba Sala hue”
A disappointed and angry General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, rtd, has dismissed Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly as a bunch of “clowns of Baba Sala hue”. He also advised them to quit their Party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and find succour somewhere else where they would breathe and enjoy freedom of the mind.
The retired General also advised Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to watch his back as he could be the target of the political intrigues which engulfed Lagos, through its House of Assembly in the past few weeks.
Olanrewaju, a former Minister for Communication during the General Sani Abacha Regime, was reacting to the return and reinstatement of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly on Monday, March 3, 2025, after more than the required 2/3 constitutionally required number of his colleagues voted to impeach him for alleged misconduct, arrogance, high-handedness, and another, which boarderd, almost, on corruption.
Mudashiru Obasa
After he was impeached on January 6, 2025, his Deputy, Mojisola Meranda was picked by his colleagues as his successor. But weeks after, Obasa, in a dramatic comeback, stormed the Assembly Complex with scores of Security Operatives in tow, zoomed into the Speaker’s Office and later, Assembly Chambers. He declared himself Speaker. This was after, on return from where he was when he was impeached, he addressed the Press, declared his impeachment null and void, and proceeded to Court.
But while the case was still in Court, in a “solution” that confounds, a teary Meranda was forced to resign, re-elected as Deputy Speaker, and Obasa was re-elected as Speaker.
In a statement which he, personally, signed, Olanrewaju, who also dismissed the GAC as powerless and dead said: “To me, Obasa may stay for good. GAC is powerless and dead. They are employees of the owner and leader of the Party. They are on paid salaries from the CEO.
“As for the Assembly members, they are clowns of Baba Sala hue, and the other employees (members) of the company, APC, are simply on hire, sidon looking conglomerates.
“Seriously, the State Assembly Members are advised to move out of the company to another party and have their freedom from the tyranny of one family’s authoritarian political cult, from the deaf, dumb and powerless GAC, and from the loud cheering but spell-invoked footman party members.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
“That is a suggested model for the Assembly members to stand out – freedom, peace of mind, self-reliance and responsibility and self-respect and independence for themselves, for their constituencies, and for the citizens that voted for democracy and for the best standard of service in the State.
“The State Governor, with due respect, can join them and lead them conscientiously without looking over his shoulders. I suspect he might be the target if he does not watch his back.”
General Olanrewaju, along with both late Lt General Oladipo Diya and Major General Abdulkareem Adisa, among others, were condemned to death by the Abacha regime over an alleged coup plot to overthrow that regime. They were snatched from the jaws of death by General Abdulsalmi Abubakar who took over as Head of State following Abacha’s sudden passing.
The Lagos State Government has prohibited corporal punishment in public schools, emphasising counselling as a more effective disciplinary measure.
Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, reiterated this stance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
He further stressed that flogging students for indiscipline and other misbehaviours remains strictly prohibited to prevent injuries, fainting or even fatal incidents.
“There is a policy here in Lagos and other parts of the country prohibiting teachers from giving corporal punishment to students/pupils.
“Against flogging, we have adopted counselling as a measure of correction.”
He, however, endorsed a non-violent approach. The commissioner noted that minor corrective measures such as kneeling, picking up litter or cutting grass within school premises could be employed as alternatives.
Alli-Balogun described these as part of “positive reinforcement,” a strategy aimed at shaping student behaviour and encouraging desirable outcomes.
“The idea is to bring to the student’s knowledge, reasons he/she must not misbehave,” he explained. “The counselling is basically to correct.”
He also attributed most cases of student misbehaviour to poor parental upbringing and urged parents to be more involved in their children’s lives.
He further noted that since the ban on flogging, discipline among students has improved significantly, with students becoming more conscious of their actions and the potential consequences.
LASG has now officially banned corporal punishment in both public and private schools in 2022.
In the same year, it launched the Safeguarding and Child Protection Programme in Schools to reinforce child safety and promote alternative disciplinary measures.
The political tension in Rivers State, occasioned by the Supreme Court judgement, has continued to hieghten, as the Ijaw National Congress (INC) threatened that any attempt to undermine Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration would have dire consequences for national peace and economic stability.
It condemned the Supreme Court ruling on the Rivers State political crisis, warning that it could lead to widespread instability in the Niger Delta.
The INC, through its President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, declared that the judgment failed to acknowledge the historical and political sacrifices made by the Ijaw people in Rivers State’s governance.
Tracing the roots of political dynamics in Rivers State, the INC emphasized that the Ijaw people have played a crucial role in shaping the state’s leadership for decades.
The Ijaw leader stated that the Ijaw people will defend Governor Fubara “with every pint of blood in their veins”, emphasizing that they would not stand by and allow their long-awaited tenure to be truncated.
Prof. Okaba also cautioned that while the INC has worked tirelessly to preserve peace in the Niger Delta, leading to increased oil production and revenue for the nation, “regrettable, the same resources are now being used to marginalize the Ijaw people.”
Governor Siminalayi Fubara
He specifically pointed out that this trend extends beyond Rivers State to Ondo, Edo, Delta, and Akwa Ibom, where Ijaws continue to face political exclusion.
Prof. Okaba stressed the situation in the state has gonebeyond ordinary politicking adding that the Ijaw people, numbering over 40 million worldwide, would not tolerate any attempt to undermine their place in Nigerian politics.
He enjoined Fubara to, in the spirit of sportsmanship, work with all duly constituted arms of government in the State but that, if Governor Fubara’s tenure is truncated by the Amaewhule-led Assembly or anybody else, the INC cannot guarantee the sustenance of the current peace in the Niger Delta, nor the continued rise in oil production.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), has suspended, indefinitely, its Ondo State Governorship Candidate, Olugbenga Edema, and Rotimi Adeyemi, Deputy Governorship Candidate in the November 16, 2024 election in the State.
The party also suspended one of the Chieftains in the State, Isreal Oluwatosin Ayeni.
The three top notchers were suspended during the State Working Committee meeting held in Akure on Monday.
Announcing the decision to newsmen at the party’s Secretariat in Akure, the State Chairman of NNPP, Peter Olagookun, said the Governorship Candidate, his running mate and Ayeni were sanctioned for violating the Party’s ’s constitution and alleged anti-party activities.
He said, “We, the State Worting Committee Of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) Ondo State Chapter hereby announce the suspension, indefinitely, of the following party members:
“Hon. Olugbenga Edema, the Governorship Candidate in the just concluded Ondo State Governorship Election.
“Barrister Rotimi Adeyemi; the Deputy Governorship Candidate and Mr. Isreal Oluwatosin Ayeni.”
Olagookun explained that the SWC also suspended them on three grounds namely; “suing in the name of the party without recourse to the appropriate stakeholders in both the state and National level according to our party constitution.
“Suing the party without exhausting internal resolution mechanism as provided by the party’s constitution; and Involving in anti-party’s activities.”
The State Secretary of the party, Adekunle Oluwayomi said the Party ’s constitution must be respected, saying nobody would be allowed to use the party’s name recklessly.
The Ondo Central senatorial Chairman, Dr Tunde Adejuyigbe and the Ondo North Senatorial Chairman, Akpata Johnson said the decision was the best and the constitution of the party remains supreme, describing the suspension of the three chieftains as long overdue decision of the SWC under Olagookun.
Edema and others had approached the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal handling cases related to the November election, filed petition against the victory of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, his Deputy, Mr Adelami and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their victory in the election.
The leadership of the party later came out to disown the petition and withdrew it from the tribunal.
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the attack on members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who were on their way to Abuja.
The students’ convoy was attacked last week at Ogbese, Akure North Local Government, while traveling to Abuja for their annual convention.
The Command, in a statement explained that “On Sunday, 23rd February 2024, the Command received a distress call from one of the NANS members, reporting an unprovoked attack by some youths in the Ogbese area.”
The statement, signed by the conmand’s spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami stated “The police swiftly moved to the scene, restored calm, and ensured the safety of the victims.
“Following the incident, a manhunt was immediately launched to apprehend the masterminds behind the attack.
“Intelligence gathered revealed that this was not the first time NANS members had been targeted in the same community. Through intelligence-led policing, the Special Squad of the command successfully arrested three suspects linked to the incident.
“The three suspects are currently undergoing interrogation and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
“The NANS team, led by the Zonal Coordinator for the South-west, Comrade Owolewa Taiwo, expressed appreciation to the Commissioner of Police, CP Wilfred Afolabi, for the swift intervention and the Command’s efforts in maintaining security across the state.
“He further pledged NANS’ support in collaborating with the Police to combat crime and criminality in Ondo State.
“In his remarks, CP Wilfred Olutokunbo Afolabi, reassured NANS members of a thorough investigation to uncover the full details behind the attack and to bring all those involved to justice.
“He reaffirmed the commitment of the command to ensuring the safety of all residents and travelers passing through the state.”
Rights activist Shehu Sani has denounced crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly following the return of Mudasiru Obasa as Speaker.
In a post shared on his X handle on Monday decried a situation where the former Speaker had to return after his impeachment in early January.
The magazine reported that Obasa’s return to his former position was made possible after Mojisola Meranda, who was elected Speaker by the members of the Assembly, stepped down on Monday.
Reacting to the development, Sani, a former senator said Lagos was no longer what it used to be as the country’s Centre of Excellence.
He wrote:”Lagos is supposed to be the Center of Excellence. What is happening at the State Assembly is not excellence.”
Following a protracted leadership struggle in the Assembly, Meranda who became Speaker of the Assembly resigned today, citing intervention by leaders of the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, that she stepped aside for Obasa to come back to the position.
Senator Orji Kalu says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must complete eight years in office, whether he likes it or not.
Kalu, who was recently appointed as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission, SEDC, by the Nigerian Senate noted that the president deserves a second term in office for turning the country around for good.
The former Abia state governor made the remark on Channels TV programme, Politics Today, saying the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, had already passed a vote of confidence on him to run for a fresh four year term.
According to the senator, the president has yet to declare his interest in the next presidential election but the party has mandated him to run, urging Nigerians to support Tinubu to run again because of what “he has done to the economy and things are starting to pick up again.”
‘It’s a must’ for Tinubu to run for the Nigerian Presidency, Kalu said, even though the president has yet to show interest in the 2027 presidential election.
He added that Tinubu is the sole presidential candidate of the APC as the ruling party is not considering any other candidate to run under its umbrella.
“Well, in our party we have only one presidential candidate now. And Tinubu has to do eight years. It’s a must. You can see the repairs he has done to the economy and things are starting to pick up again. This president is not even doing politics. He has never told anybody he wants to run for election or not,” he said.
“But as a party, we have mandated him to run and given him a vote of confidence. The NEC has given him a vote of confidence, through a motion proposed by the Governor of Imo State and announced by Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, who is the National Chairman of the party. So things cannot just get better in one night.”
President Tinubu tenure expires on May 29, 2027 but can run again for the nation’s highest office if he chooses to as the Constitution allows for eight years maximum terms for whoever is occupying the office.
“I am not scared of anything. The worst that can happen is I leave office” Fubara
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has told the people of Rivers State that the time has come for them to take their destiny in their hands.
“No matter how much we have been deceived in this State, we have now reached a point where the people have decided to take their destiny into their own hands.”
The Governor spoke Monday while inaugurating residential quarters for Government House Staff in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Capital.
He spoke in the aftermath of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on Friday, February 28, 2025, which humiliated his Government in the eyes of most people.
The Local Government Election his Government conducted on October 5, 2024, was annulled; he was asked to represent the 2025 Budget which he had earlier conducted and winners sworn-in, and the worst, stopped the Federation Allocation of the State until the Governor re-presents the Budget to the Martin Amaewhule- led House of Assembly, whose members are not only fiercely loyal to Nyesom Wike, but wants the Governor out of office.
The Supreme Court upheld that they remain as Lawmakers.
But speaking Monday, Fubara said he is prepared for the worst. And the worst, he said, is to remove him from office. But he said removing him will neither be the end of the world nor of his life.
Sounding like one who has been pushed to the wall, he said he was prepared to face the worst and noted that each time his administration attempts to stabilise, obstacles are thrown, taking the State back to square one. But he said it has reached the point where the people have now decided to take their destinies in their own hands. He is ready to lead that move, he said.
Fubara: “In as much as I do not support violence, when the time comes to make a decision, I will lead the charge.
“I’m not scared of anything. The worst that can happen is for me to leave office. Am I leaving the Earth?.Will it stop me from existing? I’m not bothered about that. The right thing must be done and said when the opportunity is given to us.”
And addressing the hundreds of people who thronged Government House Monday morning in support of the Governor, Fubara asked them to prepare and brace up for what is coming because it will be worse than the past.
He told them not to be deterred or disheartened by the reinstatement, for now, of the pro-Wike Lawmakers by the Supreme Court.
He said: “I want to assure all our supporters. I know that the news that broke out on Friday must have dampened your spirit. Brace up, for what is ahead is more than what we just passed.
“As human beings, I know you will feel somehow. But just relax. God has our backs. Our back is not on anybody but God.
“If there is anybody on this planet earth that will stand by you, I will be that person. I assure you that I will leave you with honor, respect and integrity.”
Meanwhile, at its first plenary after the Supreme Court gave them the wings to fly, the Lawmakers issued an ultimatum to the Governor to re-present the 2025 Budget before the whole House within 48 hours.
