Author: Opalim Lifted

A new biography of former President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed that the controversial naira redesign policy introduced ahead of the 2023 general election originated from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), not the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as had been widely assumed. The revelation is contained in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, a biography authored by Dr Charles Omole and presented at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The book states that the proposal to redesign the naira was advanced by the then Chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, with the stated…

Kenneth Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and legal practitioner, has criticised the Supreme Court’s ruling, which upheld President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State and the suspension of elected officials. The apex court, in a six-to-one decision delivered on Monday, affirmed that the President has constitutional authority to declare a state of emergency to prevent a breakdown of law and order. It further ruled that elected officials may be suspended during such periods, provided the suspension is for a limited duration. The judgment followed a suit filed by states governed by…

Former President Muhammadu Buhari reportedly did not support Yemi Osinbajo’s bid for the presidency in 2023. In the biography ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’, written by Charles Omole, the former president didn’t back Osinbajo primarily because president Bola Tinubu was in the presidential race. Omole said Buhari found it “strange” that Osinbajo would contest against Tinubu, whom he regarded as the vice-president’s political benefactor. Quoting sources close to the late president, Omole said Buhari remarked: “I don’t know Osinbajo from anywhere; I met him only through Tinubu”. The author said Tinubu’s emergence as the All Progressives…

Agbu Kefas, governor of Taraba, has officially registered as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Kefas, who received his membership card on Sunday, expressed appreciation for the warm welcome from APC party executives and members across the state. “I received my All Progressives Congress (APC) membership card from Hon. Umaru Tanko, the Chairman of the APC Hospital Ward in Wukari LGA,” Kefas said in an X post. “I appreciate the warm welcome from the executives and members of the APC in Taraba state.” The registration took place at the government house in Jalingo, with prominent political figures in…

A former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad (retd.), is dead. The 71-year-old former chief justice of Nigeria reportedly died at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, about two weeks before his 72nd birthday on December 31. Muhammad’s death was confirmed in a condolence statement on Tuesday in Abuja by the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS). In the statement titled “NAMLAS Condolence Message on the Passing of Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria,” the association described his passing as a significant loss for the country. “Indeed, to Allah we belong, and to…

Several senior figures linked to the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari are currently under investigation and prosecution for alleged corruption totalling an estimated N3.47 trillion. The scale of the allegations, unfolding amid the crippling debt burden left behind by the Buhari-led administration, has reignited debates over accountability, selective justice and the true cost of Buhari’s eight-year presidency. At the centre of the storm are former ministers and top officials widely perceived as close allies of the late former president and members of the current ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is…

Manchester United and Bournemouth produced a Premier League classic at Old Trafford as both sides led and had to come from behind before settling for a point from an eight-goal thriller. United’s 2-1 half-time lead evaporated within seven minutes of the restart as Evanilson and Marcus Tavernier struck. But Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick and Matheus Cunha’s effort within two minutes of each other turned the contest on its head a second time, only for 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi to drive home an equaliser six minutes from time to earn Bournemouth a point from a breathless game. Amid the chaos, it was…

The government of Canada has announced plans to open a new Express Entry pathway for foreign doctors in 2026. The announcement was made in a statement by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Under the new measures, Canada will introduce a dedicated Express Entry category for international doctors who have accumulated at least one year of eligible Canadian work experience within the past three years. The category targets physicians currently in Canada on a temporary basis who are contributing to patient care. Invitations to apply under the new stream are expected to be issued in early 2026. Canada flags Nigeria,…

Justice Maryam Aliyu Hassan of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, sitting at Gwarimpa in Abuja, has ordered that the former Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, be kept at Kuje prison till December 18. Ngige will be remanded until the date when his bail application is decided. Justice Hassan issued the order on Monday shortly after taking arguments for and against the bail request of the former governor of Anambra State. Ngige’s lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto SAN, pleaded with the Judge to admit the former Minister to bail on various reasons, but mainly on health grounds. He…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed allegations by some political actors that it is being weaponised against opposition figures, insisting that its operations are guided strictly by law and not partisan considerations. In a statement on Monday, the anti-graft agency said recent claims of “weaponisation of the EFCC,” “erosion of its independence,” and “persecution of opposition politicians” amount to a deliberate misrepresentation of its constitutional mandate to investigate and prosecute economic and financial crimes. The commission stressed that its only operational guide is the EFCC Establishment Act, which empowers it to investigate and prosecute all suspects involved…