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LASG Bans Flogging In Lagos Schools

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Babajide Sanwo-Olu

By Akinwale Kasali

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.

Rivers: “Remove Fubara, Face Consequences” – Ijaw National Congress Warns

By
Ayodele Oni
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Benjamin Okaba Prof

By Ayodele Oni

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.”

Siminalayi Fubara
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.

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NNPP Suspends Gov Candidate, Edema, Others Over Petition Against Gov Aiyedatiwa

By
Ayodele Oni
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Olugbenga Edema

By Ayodele Oni

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.

Attack On NANS Convoy: Three Suspects Arrested

By
Ayodele Oni
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NANS Convoy Ambushed and Attacked In Ondo Community

By Ayodele Oni

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.”

Obasa’s Return: Lagos No Longer Centre Of Excellence- Shehu Sani

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Senator Shehu Sani

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.

Tinubu Must ‘Do Eight Years’, Says Orji Kalu

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Orji Uzor Kalu

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 Do Not Support Violence, But When The Time Comes, I Will Lead The Charge” – Fubara To Rivers People

By
The Source
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Governor Siminalayi Fubara

By Charles Igbo

“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.

“For Rejecting N70m To Support Obasanjo’s Third Term, I was Targeted For Assassination” – Prof. Adeyeye

By
The Source
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Olusola Adeyeye and Olusegun Obasanjo

By Gideon Njoku

Also reveals how President  Tinubu helped him survive assassins’ bullets

A former Chief Whip of the Senate, Professor Sola Adeyeye, has insisted that the plot for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to tamper with the Nigerian Constitution, in other to enjoy a third term in office was real. Adeyeye, a NADECO chieftain during the dark years of the General Sani Abacha Regime said he was at the centre of it, and for rejecting the N70 million offered him to support it, he was targeted for assassination five times, but survived all.

The Professor made these revelations Sunday evening I’m an interview with Channels Television.

The allegation has been very strong over Obasanjo’s alleged plan to overturn the Constitution and govern Nigeria for three consecutive term, instead of the constitutionally approved two-terms. But it is an allegation the former President has consistently denied.

However, a number of those allegedly at the centre of the plot, or those who knew about it have also consistently confirmed that it was a done deal, almost, if it had not been courageously thrown out by the Senate.

One of them is Professor Adeyeye. He said knew about the plan and the offer of N70m to each Senator. But he said he rejected the offer and was killed, almost, for daring to reject the millions of Naira. He prided himself, while speaking, as the only Senator from Osun State who rejected the N70m offered to each of thrm. Others took, he revealed.

He also revealed how Tinubu taught him how to survive assassination.

Adeyeye: “I was the one who broke the news. In fact, I had given the news conferences twice. The newspapers did not take it seriously. I broke the news that we met in a hall, and the hall was full to the extent that they had to move the barrier.

“Nobody brought money there but as we were discussing, I said I heard that the presidency had made a plan to give each of us N50 million. A principal officer of the house corrected me that it was not going to be N50 million but, it would be N70 million. That was in 2006.

“So, I said if that is the case, we would lose this battle, Obasanjo would win. Because the only way we should act to make sure Obasanjo lost this battle was for us to make as much noise as possible. That the press, the union, the academia and everybody would join us in fighting Obasanjo.

 “People thought we had been given money. I never said we were given money.

“What I said was that money would be given. But was money given? Oh yes. Not only was money given, but many even fought over the money given.

“I am the only one from Osun who did not take money. Every member of the senate and house of reps from Osun took the money. And I knew the one who gave them the money.

 “I suffered more than any Nigerian Legislator because of the third term. I could not live in my house for two years. I escaped five assassination attempts.

“Thanks to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I went to his house one day and said look: ‘I need a bulletproof vehicle”. And he told me what to do.

“One of the things he told me was: ‘Go and get many used cars — different colours and shapes’. So, if I were coming to your house before I got there, I would have parked a car in your house.

“When I get to your gate, I would wind down and greet everybody to know I came in a green Honda Accord. Nobody would know I had maybe a Mercedes Benz or a Toyota parked in your house in a different colour and I would escape — all windows wound up without anybody knowing I have left your house. That is how I lived in my house for those few years.”

Obasanjo was Nigeria’s President from 1999 to 2007. He was also a Military Head of State from 1976 to 1979.

Adada State is Ripe for Creation – Rep 

By
The Source
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Martin Oke

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Martin Oke, has described Adada State as the most suitable for creation in many ramifications.

Hon. Oke, who is representing Igbo Etiti/Uzo Uwani federal constituency of Enugu state, spoke shortly after submitting a complete document Requesting for the creation of Adada out of Enugu state to the state creation committee of the House of Representatives in Abuja on Monday.

Recall that Hon Oke moved the motion for the creation of Adada state out of Enugu state in the House of Representatives last year.

The Adada State Movement, according to statement issued by its Chairman, Publicity Committee, Ike Abonyi, says it has met the constitutional requirements that are needed to be made a state of its own as required by section 8(1) of the 1999 constitution.

The 40-page document titled ” Request for the creation of Adada State by Adada State Movement: A Re-submission to the 10th National Assembly is signed by its Chairman, Hon. James Ugwu, Secretary, Chief Augustine Alumonah and His Royal Highness Igwe (Dr) Osisi Itodo, the royal leader of the Movement.

In the prayer, the Movement urged the National Assembly to pass an Act creating Adada state out of the present Enugu state and to amend section 3 and any other sections of the 1999 constitution to include Adada State After due processes and protocols.

In addition to the Adada Movement leaders, 144 others required by the constitution, National Assembly Members from the area requesting for the state, members of the state Assembly and Chairmen and Councillors of the seven local Government Areas seeking to be part of the new states all signed the document.

According to the document, the name of the proposed State, Adada, is derived from a River in Uzo Uwani in one of the Local Government Areas within the proposed State, and the proposed capital will be the University town of Nsukka that has been the administrative headquarters of the old Nsukka Province since 1921. The projected population of the proposed state is about three million.

The request for the creation of Adada state is the oldest yet unfulfilled state request in the old Eastern region. In 1983, precisely on March 16, 1983, the then National Assembly moved a motion in its order Paper calling for the creation of an Adada state. Also under Obasanjo’s Presidency, it was to be created but truncated by the third impasse

Aside from education, which the presence of the first Indigenous University in the country, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, helped to develop, the area is noted for its agricultural activities on account of vast agrarian land. The area also has potential for various mineral deposits.

Senators Okechukwu Ezea and Kelvin Chukwu led four other members of the House of Representatives, Hons Martin Oke, Denis Agbo, Chidi Obetta and Paul Nnamchi, to submit the report to the Speaker  House of Representatives, through the House Committee on Constitutional Amendment State Creation Committee.

The Chairman of the Adada state Movement, Hon. James Ugwu, thanked all those who made immense contributions to the constitutional fulfilment as he expressed the Hope that the aspirations of the Adada people will be met.

The requirements to be met before a new state can be created are contained in section 8(1)of the 1999 Constitution and specifies that a bill for the creation of a new state must be passed by the two-thirds majority of both the Senate and the House of Representatives and approved by a simple majority of the state Assembly of the state from which the new state is to be created and a Presidential assent to the bill. There will also be a referendum to be conducted in the affected areas to determine the wishes of the people.

For Building a Hospital that Saved His Life, A US-based Man Thanks Obi

By
The Source
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Peter Obi

Just as the evils that men do follow them, so also the goods that they do trail them. Eleven years after leaving office, the goods Peter Obi left behind as the Governor of Anambra state from 2006 to 2014 continue to trail him.

As a Governor who built the fastest Teaching Hospital in the history of Nigeria’s hospital project development, little did he know that the impact would be glaring a decade later.

A US-based Chief, Sabi Nweke @Email:[email protected], feels he would be doing a disservice to himself and the country if he fails to appreciate Peter Obi publicly for building the Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital to Awka, the state capital.

When asked why, Chief Nweke said “If that hospital wasn’t a teaching hospital, I may not have been alive today. I was in Awka for Christmas on the 10th of December 2024, and by the 15th, I was rushed to Amaku Hospital for treatment of diverticulitis. I was there until the 30th of December. I returned to the US two weeks ago” Obi’s wise decision saved my life. I hope to have surgery here in the States anytime soon.

Chief Nweke said he even sent an appreciation message to His Excellency as an encouragement for him not to relent on his good deeds because he may not know who will be saved by them.

When contacted to react to Chief Nweke’s lavish eulogy on him, the Labour Party Presidential Candidate recalled how he made the building of the hospital a priority to save medical students already in the University.

“I built Nigeria’s fastest-completed teaching hospital from scratch—the first and only teaching hospital owned by Anambra State—Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu Teaching Hospital, Awka. This project was completed within two years, meeting the strict requirements of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, without which the State University Medical School would have been shut down”

“There was no Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria approval or accreditation for the training of medical doctors. The medical students who were admitted at the time were stuck and had lost many years without progress in their studies/ training. Your Administration took up the challenge, worked very hard to meet the requirements of the Medical and Dental Council and delivered a full accreditation within two years. This achievement set the stage for the graduation of the first set of medical doctors from the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University Medical School. It was a very remarkable milestone achievement in the areas of improved healthcare services delivery, medical education, economic empowerment and general well-being of the people and our country.

It goes to show my commitment to development, which remains anchored on the most critical pillars of progress: the Human Development Index (HDI)—education, healthcare, and lifting people out of poverty.

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