Author: Opalim Lifted

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called for the arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in vote buying, describing it as a criminal offence under the Electoral Act. Amupitan made the call in a video while charging security and anti-corruption agencies to take stronger action against electoral fraud, stressing that institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force must ensure offenders are brought to justice. “Vote buyers must be arrested and prosecuted. It is a criminal offence under the Electoral Act.…

Sanusi Bature, spokesperson to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, has alleged that Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), is indirectly advancing President Bola Tinubu’s interests ahead of the 2027 presidential election. In an interview with Arise News on Wednesday, Bature said Kwankwaso may be working behind the scenes in ways that could benefit Tinubu. “There are those who work with Tinubu openly and directly in the public space, and there are those who work for him behind the scenes,” Bature said. “I believe whatever Kwankwaso is doing will ultimately favour Tinubu. Kwankwaso worked for…

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has lamented the growing influence of political thuggery in the country, describing Nigeria as the only nation in Africa where thuggery has evolved into a profession. Jonathan made the remarks on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Law Week in Abuja, where he called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s electoral and judicial systems to deepen democracy and restore public trust in elections. The former president warned that political violence and the empowerment of thugs continue to threaten democratic values and weaken institutions across the country. According to him, the level…

The Football Association is investigating Southampton’s conduct after the club admitted to spying on three other Championship sides during the past season. Southampton have been expelled from the Championship play-offs after admitting observing opponents’ training sessions within 72 hours of a game, with Middlesbrough reinstated to contest Saturday’s final against Hull City Saints have also been deducted four points in the Championship next season. Southampton’s appeal against the punishment on the grounds that it was “disproportionate” was dismissed on Wednesday evening. A spokesperson for the FA, which governs football in England, said it “won’t comment further until we have assessed…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved an additional $3.4 million to combat the growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. This brings WHO’s total emergency funding allocation to $3.9 million, part of a broader international response to contain the spread. Speaking during a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, noted that the organisation has formally classified the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) due to concerns over the possibility of wider regional spread. Already, the suspected death toll has…

President Bola Tinubu has accused beneficiaries of the former fuel subsidy and multiple foreign exchange regime of being behind the growing insecurity in Nigeria. Speaking through former Ogun governor Olusegun Osoba at the launch of The NADECO Story in Lagos on Wednesday, Tinubu said individuals who profited from the old economic system are resisting ongoing reforms introduced by his administration. According to The Nation, the president said the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market disrupted entrenched interests that previously benefited from forex round-tripping and subsidy payments. Tinubu said some of those affected by the…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered and dismantled a massive methamphetamine laboratory hidden inside a forest in Ogun State, recovering drugs and chemical materials valued at more than N480 billion. Nigeria’s anti-narcotics agency said the operation targeted an industrial-scale methamphetamine production syndicate allegedly run by a Nigerian drug cartel in collaboration with Mexican drug experts. In a statement issued on Wednesday, NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi said operatives recovered over 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals estimated at $362.9 million in the international market. According to the agency, the clandestine laboratory was concealed inside Abidagba forest in…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for urgent government action following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Ogbomoso, Oyo warning that insecurity is spreading across communities in Nigeria. In a statement issued by NLC president Joe Ajaero, the labour union described the incident in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as a disturbing sign of worsening insecurity. Ajaero said the attack on schools in Ahoro Esinele and Yawota showed that “no community is safe anymore”, adding that innocent children were increasingly becoming targets of criminal groups. The union condemned the abduction of pupils and teachers from Community…

Dominant Aston Villa dispatched Freiburg to win the Europa League and end a 30-year trophy drought. First-half stunners from Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia gave Villa control before Morgan Rogers’ strike sealed a second major European title 44 years after they won the European Cup. Nine of that team from 1982 were at Besiktas Park in Istanbul to watch Unai Emery win his fifth Europa League. Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in November 2022 with Villa three points above the relegation zone and has transformed them into top five contenders and, now, a European champion. Aston Villa supporter Prince William celebrated…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that some individuals allegedly tried to sow distrust between him and President Bola Tinubu shortly after they assumed office in 2023, claiming that traditional outfits he gifted the president during the election campaign were spiritually manipulated. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of the autobiography of former military ruler Yakubu Gowon, Shettima said the incident happened about three months after their inauguration. According to the vice-president, he had provided northern-style garments and caps for Tinubu during the APC presidential campaign so the then-candidate could better connect with voters across the region.…