Author: Opalim Lifted

Former Kogi West senator Dino Melaye has amplified an open letter urging King Charles III to cancel any proposed President Bola Tinubu United Kingdom (UK) state visit. Melaye shared the letter on his verified X account, drawing fresh attention to mounting criticism of Tinubu amid Nigeria’s political and economic turmoil. The letter, written by Nigerian political scientist Kio Amachree, called for the immediate cancellation or postponement of any state visit, formal invitation or ceremonial reception involving Tinubu in the United Kingdom. In the strongly worded appeal, the author argued that Nigeria is facing deep instability, citing insecurity, terrorism, kidnappings, economic…

A Nigerian political scientist has issued an open letter to King Charles III, urging him to cancel or postpone any proposed state visit involving Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu. Kio Amachree, who describes himself as coming from a distinguished political family in Nigeria, said the planned Tinubu state visit would be a “strategic and moral error” given the country’s current instability. In the letter, Amachree outlines his family’s historic role in Nigeria’s constitutional development. He identifies his grandfather as Chief Sekin Amachree, a prominent Kalabari leader, and his late father, Chief Godfrey Kio JaJa Amachree QC, as Nigeria’s first Solicitor-General and…

Nigeria has secured a $6.2 million arbitration victory against UK-based technology firm European Dynamics UK Ltd over a disputed national e-procurement contract. The ruling, delivered on February 3 by sole arbitrator Funmi Roberts at the International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation, dismissed the contractor’s claims in full. The dispute stemmed from a contract awarded by Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for the design and implementation of a national electronic government procurement (e-GP) platform. The project, backed by the World Bank, aimed to boost transparency and efficiency in federal procurement. European Dynamics had sought $2.4 million for alleged milestone completions,…

President Bola Tinubu has credited the “remarkable achievements” of Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), for boosting the electoral fortunes of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday’s polls. In a statement issued by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the president congratulated winners of elections held in the FCT, Kano State, and Rivers State. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted area council elections across the FCT and by-elections in Ahoada East II and Khana II state constituencies in Rivers, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies in Kano. Tinubu urged the…

Eberechi Eze was Tottenham Hotspur’s tormentor again as Arsenal made a title statement of intent by restoring their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points with victory in the north London derby. The pressure was on the Gunners after they lost a two-goal lead at relegation certainties Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek, while Manchester City closed the gap with victory over Newcastle United on Saturday evening. Spurs had high hopes of turning up the heat further in interim manager Igor Tudor’s first game in charge, but Arsenal simply possessed too much class and threat for their…

A lawmaker in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Cyril Omini, has clarified that his petition against former presidential adviser Okoi Obono-Obla was not limited to allegations of certificate forgery. Omini, who represents Yakurr 1 state constituency, said his complaint to the police was primarily about defamation and what he described as the “malicious fabrication of criminal allegations” against him. His clarification followed the arrest of Obono-Obla by the Cross River State Police Command in Ugep on Thursday. Police said the former aide was arrested over allegations of forgery and obtaining entry into the legal profession by false pretence.…

Alexis Mac Allister scored a 97th-minute winner as Liverpool beat Nottingham Forest in a chaotic finish at the City Ground. The Argentinian, who moments earlier had had a goal disallowed for handball, bundled the ball into the net from close range in front of thousands of delirious Liverpool fans. Those supporters then had a second nervy wait but Virgil van Dijk, whose downward header was saved by Stefan Ortega before Mac Allister tucked in the rebound, was ruled onside. This time his celebrations could continue after his earlier one was cut short when the video assistant referee had intervened. Ortega…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately withdraw the Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations 2019, describing the framework as unconstitutional and a threat to civil liberties. In a letter dated February 21, 2026, SERAP asked the President to direct the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to scrap the regulations and begin a transparent legislative process that meets constitutional standards and international human rights obligations. The group’s intervention followed allegations by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had his phone conversation intercepted. El-Rufai…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says the low voter turnout in Saturday’s area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) reflects a political environment “poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices”. In a statement issued on Sunday by his media office in Abuja, Atiku accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of shrinking the democratic space. “When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” the statement reads. “What we are witnessing is not mere voter apathy. It is a direct consequence of an administration that governs with a chokehold on pluralism. Democracy…

Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State, says the mining site in Plateau State where 37 miners died was shut down during his tenure as minister of solid minerals development. Fayemi served as minister of solid minerals development from 2015 to 2018 under the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. Last Wednesday, at least 37 miners died after being exposed to carbon monoxide while working at an underground mining site in Zurak, Wase LGA of Plateau State. More than 25 miners were hospitalised following the incident, after which the federal government ordered the closure of the mining…