The award-winning Nigerian author and Beyoncé-sampled essayist is back with her first novel in a decade, which makes now a great time to get to know her work.
She’s won multiple awards for her novels, had her Ted talk sampled by Beyoncé, and was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2015. Now, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is back with her first novel in 10 years - so if you haven’t read anything by the Nigerian author yet, it’s a good time to catch up.

The entry point

Adichie’s second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, not only won the Orange Prize for Fiction (now the Women’s Prize for Fiction) in the year I was a judge, but also its Winner of Winners in 2020, and was made into a 2013 film with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Thandiwe Newton. It begins after Nigerian independence in 1960, telling the story of the Biafran war via “The Master,” a maths lecturer in Nsukka (where Adichie grew up), his London-educated lover Olanna, and teenage houseboy Ugwu. The traumas of war are preceded by joyous intellectual jousting, fuelled by Ugwu’s mouthwatering jollof rice and pepper soup. While Adichie once acknowledged to me her debt to Romesh Gunesekera’s Sri Lanka-set novel Reef for this master chef culinary device, her breakthrough novel earns its place as a West African War and Peace.

The credo

Adichie’s essay The Danger of a Single Story, first given as a 2009 Ted talk (and available as an eBook), sets out her stall as a storyteller as succinctly as Orwell’s 1946 essay Why I Write. Joining novelist Chinua Achebe’s call for a “balance of stories,” it echoes Binyavanga Wainaina’s How to Write About Africa, the 2005 satirical bombshell in Granta magazine - reprinted in a posthumous 2022 collection for which his bereft friend Adichie wrote the introduction. “Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story,” she writes – a flattening of experience that “robs people” of human complexity and dignity while exaggerating their differences. “Africa is a continent full of catastrophes … But there are other stories … just as important.”

The spectacular debut

The consummate coming-of-age novel Purple Hibiscus, which won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for the best first book, explores faith, freedom, sexual awakening and religious hypocrisy through a 15-year-old girl, Kambili, growing up in south-eastern Nigeria after a military coup. Her father, a “Big Man” factory owner, is a patriarch and religious zealot whose wife-beating tyranny devastates the family, even as he garners human rights awards for defying the new regime. Where the Catholic church demands prayer in Latin, not Igbo, and cash-stuffed envelopes get things done, a brother’s act of defiance leads ultimately to prison. Yet Kambili blossoms with a scholarly aunt in Nsukka, a university town where questioning and debate are encouraged not slapped down. To the strains of Fela Kuti, she exults because, for all its potholes, “Nsukka could free something deep inside your belly that would rise… and come out as a freedom song.”

The epic love story

The 600-page, tricontinental novel Americanah, winner of the US National Book Critics Circle award for fiction, is as much sharp observational comedy and critique as romance. Its heroine Ifemelu, a fellow at Princeton, is first seen having her hair braided for the journey home after 13 years away. Fleeing military-ruled Nigeria, she felt the burden and pathologies of race only in the US – as explored in her flâneur’s blog, “Raceteenth, or Various Observations About American Blacks (Those Formerly Known as Negroes) by a Non-American Black”, which ranges from Barack Obama to the vexed politics of black hair. But her homesickness is partly for her first love, Obinze, the “only person with whom she has never felt the need to explain herself”. Having failed in the visa lottery for the Land of the Free, he languished in London before making it as a property developer in his newly democratic homeland. As the novel traces their sundered lives towards reunion, the question is whether their love is beyond rekindling.

The one everyone should read

We Should All Be Feminists speaks to successive generations of women and men in its efforts to reclaim feminism’s high ground from a mighty backlash. Expanded from a 2012 Ted talk – since sampled on Beyoncé’s Flawless – it bristles with outraged anecdotes and observations on how women are still taught to shrink and silence themselves, how gender bias becomes normalised through repetition, and how the cage of masculinity breeds men’s fear of weakness and vulnerability. “We must raise our daughters differently. We must also raise our sons differently,” Adichie writes in a book that could be read alongside her advice for parents, Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions. Embracing her great-grandmother, who ran off to marry the man of her choice, as a feminist avant la lettre, Adichie rebuts notions of feminism as “un-African”.

The one that will make you feel less alone

Published the year after her father’s sudden death from kidney failure, Notes on Grief is a doting daughter’s reckoning with her father’s loss. It contains rare confidences from an author who guards her privacy and a bracing confession of the rage and turmoil of mourning. Though the family met on Zoom, Adichie had not seen her father in the flesh for months when he died during lockdown, and her “leaden heart” feels only fury at condolers’ presumptuousness (“he is in a better place”). Flashes of obituary reveal a man, deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Nigeria in the 1980s and a leading professor of statistics, who had returned from doctoral studies at Berkeley shortly before the Biafran war when all his books were burnt by Nigerian soldiers. Years later, he was kidnapped for ransom because of his famous daughter. Yet his humour, “already dry, crisped deliciously as he aged”. Was he “the reason I have never been afraid of the disapproval of men?” Adichie asks. “I think so.”

‘Cancel culture? We should stop it. End of story: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on backlash, writer’s block - and her new baby twinsHer first novel in 10 years, Dream Count, charts the interlinked lives and desires of four women during the Covid-19 pandemic. Adichie’s mother, who died in 2021, was an inspiration for its mother-daughter relationships. Central is Chiamaka, a Nigerian travel writer living in the US, considering her body clock and missed opportunities. The character of Chiamaka’s housekeeper, Kadiatou, was inspired by Nafissatou Diallo, the Guinean woman who in 2011 accused the then IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault in the New York hotel where she worked as a maid - though the case was dismissed because she was said to have lied about her background. “A victim need not be perfect to be deserving of justice,” Adichie notes in the novel’s afterword, arguing for the need for “imaginative retellings”. Fleshing out this character while preserving as sacrosanct her account of the alleged assault, was, for Adichie, “to ‘write’ a wrong in the balance of stories”.

Dream Count is published by 4th Estate.

British Writer and Critic Maya Jaggi wrote for The Guardian, London

In this piece, Senator Bunmi Adetunmbi, who represented Ekiti North District between 2011 and 2015 in the Senate, urges the National Assembly to consider the imperative of e-voting, instead of using the ‘voice vote’ to arrive at decisions.

Some of the decision-making methods generally employed by parliaments all over the world include voice voting, rising voting, show of hands, roll call, e-voting. All except for voice voting, provides a means to directly measure the voting pattern of individual members of parliament. Since the inception of the 4 Assembly in 1999, the Senate has largely employed voice voting for practically all of its decisions with the notable exception of constitution amendment bills and rare cases of call for division. Majorly, “Say Aye” and “Say Nay” have been the voting habit, which sometime gets challenged and a call for division demanded by members who feel strongly that the Senate President, based on his discretionary interpretation of the relative decibel level of response, has not dispensed his judgement fairly.

In his epochal and widely publicized legislative agenda, Senate President Bukola Saraki identified legislative best practices as one of the pillars of a comprehensive agenda at reforming the legislative business of government. Under this pillar, he promised an E-Parliament “using ICT in the regular conduct of legislative activities of the Senate, such that modern information communication tools will be used across the activities of the National Assembly” He went further to specifically declare that “the Senate will make e-voting a regular feature of Senate legislative business. The adoption of E-Voting is to clear any iota of doubt on the credibility of the voting process in the Senate. The method will ensure transparency and accountability thereby restoring the credibility of the voting activities in the system.” These are laudable initiatives and Dr. Bukola Saraki should be commended for offering these radial steps at reforming the way the business of the Senate is conducted.

The recent passage of the harmonization report on the order of elections, which led to a walk out by 10 senators, brings to the fore the issue of transparency and public accountability in National assembly voting process. One wonders why despite the promised voting reforms of Senator President Bukola Saraki, some of the recent sensitive decisions of the Senate have been dogged with controversy and protests by aggrieved Senators that the Presiding Officer is undemocratic and nursing a hidden agenda. This is a serious allegation that could have been addressed if the proposed e-parliament envisaged by Senator Saraki had been implemented.

Parliamentary vote by roll call to enumerate those that say “yea” or “nay”, on specific issues provides verifiable and empirical record on how parliament voted. It enables the general public, constituents and political parties to know how their representatives voted on issues of interest and concern to them. This form of transparent and open balloting system is considered the best for any deliberative and parliamentary assembly that is accountable and responsible to a constituency. Although Rule 73 of the Senate Proceedings provides for dissenting members to call for division to call for recorded votes, but under the proposed e-voting reform of Senate President Saraki, this should have been the rule of voting rather than the exception. I believe this is the anomaly that the laudable declaration of Senator Saraki intended to address and reverse at the onset of his Senate Presidency in June 2015. Unfortunately, this is yet to happen in the eighth assembly. 

There were many instances during the 7th Senate where I served, that I wished my choices on major issues were placed on record beyond the untraceable “Yeas or Nays have it” that characterized most of the decisions of that era. Only during constitution amendments and a call for division by Senator Babajide Omoworare of Osun State did I recall the use of recorded voting during my four-year tenure of 2011-2015. Calling for voting history of representatives to know their positions on important parliamentary debates is impossible as a result of this casual style of voting. This makes it practically impossible to assess the quality of representation and how much parliamentarians toe party lines on policies and electoral promises. Voice voting, in my view, should be limited to simple decisions such as adoption of record of proceedings and the likes. Other serious business of the parliament such as resolution of motions, passage of bills should be resolved through recorded voting.

For a parliamentarian, the duty of representation, in my view, is superior to that of law making because you have to be elected first as a representative before being law maker, in other words, without being a representative, you cannot be a law maker. Therefore, as representative of constituencies, senators have the primary and sacred duty of advocating the priorities of their constituents and constantly balancing local and national interests, and providing the constituents feedback on the choices he or she makes on their behalf. This is the soft underbelly of democracy and can only be measured if voting records of representatives are recorded and open for scrutiny and compliance trail by those whose mandate he or she carries and the party that gave it expression. Part of the reasons for the current poor public perception of the National Assembly is largely due to poor understanding of their roles and the value attached to it. The e-voting reform initiative proposed by Senator Bukola Saraki, if implemented, will give the media more work to do by creating a wider agenda of issue-based discussion on the deliberations of parliament and specific roles of individual parliamentarians and clusters of partisan and multiparty interest groups. This way, we can further build public confidence in the institution and further demonstrate its value to our democracy as well as justify the cost of running parliament in a democracy.

This is why Senator Saraki’s e-voting reform must be revisited to address a critical need for transparency in our legislative practice, boost the peoples’ confidence in the parliament and deepen our democratic culture. The public needs to be provided with relevant information to measure the quality of representation in the legislative chambers through transparent and responsible accounting of parliamentary votes. This is why, as much as practicable, voice voting should never be allowed to become the popular method for serious decision making in the legislative chambers. To the extent that it veils the voting identity of elected representatives, voice voting is fundamentally flawed and is a form of political corruption that should be discouraged in taking important decisions in the National Assembly. As it has played out in the current issue of the bill on the amendment of the timetable for the 2019 elections, e-voting would have established attendance, whether or not quorum was formed and how members wish to vote. Adoption of a voice call in such a sensitive issue is susceptible to controversies of the interpretational judgement of the Presiding Officer with the undesirable potential of promoting over time, the erosion of trust and confidence in the quality of decision emanating from leader of the deliberative assembly. Worse still, it helps to mask the face, muffle the voice and veil the choice made by each representative, this can promote indolence and non-transparent representation. It reduces public accountability on parliamentary decision to unacceptable minimum and provides undesirable cover for truancy on the part of some representatives.

On the other hand, any other form of decision-making that maintains the record of individual choices provides transparent measure of the representative’s quality of decision making. It becomes easy to know how the choices made by each representative hurt or promote the interest of their constituents, supports or undermines the policy preferences of their political parties. Recorded decision-making tools also promote the emergence of ideological differentiation within the various parties in the assembly and brings into full public glare what side of issues their representatives stand on major social and economic policy debates.

Luckily for us, our Senate and House of Representatives chambers have fully installed, functional e-voting systems which can easily be put to use to put names to votes and give specific identity to decisions in our National Assembly. It must be emphasized that e-voting is just another form of recorded voting that can promote decision integrity in NASS and make our Chambers truly hallowed. It follows logically that even if the e-voting system is not employed for whatever reason, manual recording is very possible, roll call, division and several other manual forms parliamentary vote recording exist that can be utilised.

To improve on the quality of legislative representation and promote transparency and accountability at this critical stage of our democratic evolution, our Senate and House of Representatives must move away from the convenient but controversial voice voting to recorded voting. Every legislator should be identifiable with and account for the choices he or she makes on behalf of the general public, their constituents and the political parties that gave them electoral platform. It is on this score and in the interest of building the institution of parliament, that Senator Bukola Saraki should not abandon his original commitment to e-voting and thereby giving room for imputation of wrong personal motive or partisan interpretation to his role as Senate President. He owes it a duty to his tenure not to allow  drift of a noble mission, and in his own words, he owes the public a legacy that will “clear any iota of doubt on the credibility of the voting process in the Senate.” There is still time for him to make good this ennobling reform.

originally published in The Nation, Feb. 23, 2018.

Programme: City Talks with Dr. Reuben Abati

Time: 12:00pm

Guest : Hilda Dokubo 

Social Activist and Actress

Topic: State of Emergency Declaration in Rivers State

Date: March 22, 2025

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92877141732?pwd=VEJWb29OL2VVekZUTHRpdWYxK0xxZz09

Meeting ID: 928 7714 1732

Passcode: 600206

The Nigeria Customs Service, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, has revealed how it intercepted a total of $578 000 falsely declared from an inbound passenger coming into Nigeria from South Africa.

The Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, John Harrison announced this while addressing journalists at the command on Friday.

He explained that the suspect, Mr. Okorie Sunday, came into the country on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with the money undeclared and hidden in his body.

According to him, the passenger, on arriving at the airport, started acting strange, which warranted a search by the officers on duty.

“The passenger was said to have declared $279,000 and hid $299,000 on his body, bringing the total money to $578, 000. This contravenes the threshold of $10,000 approved by law,” Harrison said.

Harrison added that the suspect also concealed £100 and a counterfeit $250.

The cash that was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was jointly counted and confirmed by customs and the anti-graft agency.

The CAC highlighted that such unlawful behaviour undermines the integrity of the nation’s financial system.

Harrison mentioned that customs has provided forms at the counters of all airlines to allow passengers to make the lawful declaration.

While receiving the intercepted cash, the acting Zonal Director of EFCC Ahmed Ghali, urged members of the public to avoid such crimes advising that any cash over $10,000 should be declared as provided by law.

Ghali added that such an act exposes the country to money laundering and could make the country look like a hub for illicit financial inflows.

He added that the EFCC will investigate and verify if the money is genuine or fake while taking further investigative action.

[TNG]

If you’re scanning the crypto market for the best altcoins to buy now, you’re not alone.

With Ethereum’s Layer-2 scaling solutions gaining traction, investors are hunting for high-potential altcoins before the next bull run sends prices soaring. 

I’ve been in the game long enough to know that catching the next altcoin to explode isn’t about luck, it’s about spotting market trends, liquidity, and institutional adoption before the crowd. 

One project making waves is Dawgz AI, a meme coin with real utility, fast transactions, and a growing ecosystem.

5 Best Altcoins to Buy Now

From coins with solid market capitalization to those poised for explosive growth, we’ve got you covered. Below is a list with 5 best altcoins to buy now!

1. Dawgz AI: The Presale Opportunity You Can’t Miss

If you ready for a game-changing opportunity in the world of crypto assets, meet Dawgz AI, the meme coin with a twist! 

Currently in presale at a price of $0.00345, $DAGZ is already making waves, offering you a chance to invest early and be part of something huge before it takes off. 

This is your chance to invest in a coin that blends AI-powered technology, lightning-fast transactions, and a strong community vibe that’s bound to go big. 

Whether you’re a crypto veteran or new to the scene, $DAGZ is the next big thing.

How to Buy $DAGZ:

Buying $DAGZ is super easy, and here’s how you can get started:

• Select Your Network:
  Connect your wallet to either the Ethereum or Solana network. You can pay with ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, or SOL.
• Purchase Tokens: Input the amount of $DAGZ tokens you want to buy and confirm the transaction with your selected cryptocurrency (ETH or USDT).
• Consider Staking for Extra Rewards: You can stake your $DAGZ tokens for additional rewards, with staked tokens becoming available to claim eight days after the presale ends.
• Claim Your Tokens: If you prefer not to stake your tokens, you can easily claim them using the same wallet and network you used for the purchase

Why Dawgz AI?

Dawgz AI it’s a project with real utility and advanced AI-powered trading algorithms designed to deliver consistent profits for holders. Here’s why $DAGZ is a must-have:

• Meme Coin ROI: With its AI-powered technology, you’re looking at strategic investments that deliver massive growth while still keeping the fun, community-driven energy alive.
• Advanced Technology: Dawgz AI’s high-frequency trading algorithms are designed to run 24/7, 365, maximizing your returns without requiring constant monitoring.
• Accessible Investment: $DAGZ is made for everyone. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced trader, you can join the journey without needing deep technical knowledge.
• Community & Hype: Dawgz AI is backed by a strong community and growing hype. $DAGZ is poised to be a leader in the meme index while also delivering the profits.

2. Solana (SOL) 

Solana (SOL) is steadily holding its ground in the crypto space. 

Currently priced at $130.96, it has experienced a 5.96% increase in the last 24 hours, with a market cap of $66.79B. 

Known for its fast transactions and low fees, Solana is becoming a popular choice.

As we approach the next bull run, analysts predict that Solana could see significant gains, especially as more users and developers continue to adopt its decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

As adoption grows and more projects build on Solana’s platform, it remains a key altcoin to consider for long-term growth.

3. Cardano (ADA)

Cardano, currently priced at around $0.7314 and has recently seen a 6.18% increase in the past 24 hours, has carved out a solid position in the crypto world, particularly with its focus on sustainability and scalability

With a focus on sustainable blockchain development, Cardano’s ecosystem has been gaining momentum, especially with its smart contract capabilities and growing partnerships.

As the DeFi space expands, Cardano’s low fees and scalability position it well for future growth.

As the crypto industry continues to mature, Cardano’s robust ecosystem and commitment to improving scalability make it a promising option for strategic investments.

4. Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin (DOGE), currently priced at $0.1714, has seen a 4.48% increase over the last 24 hours.

Although its price tends to be more volatile compared to other major cryptos, Dogecoin continues to hold its place in the market due to its low transaction fees and its widespread recognition. 

With a total supply of 148.49B DOGE and the same amount in circulating supply, Dogecoin’s price movement often reflects sentiment in the broader crypto market.

It’s not always taken seriously by traditional investors, but DOGE still enjoys a solid following, and its lighthearted nature continues to make it an interesting option in the crypto ecosystem.

5. XRP (Ripple)

XRP, currently priced at $2.51, has experienced a solid 12.21% increase in the past 24 hours, with a market cap of $146.32B.

 As one of the top players in the crypto market, XRP stands out with its focus on facilitating fast, low-cost cross-border transactions.

With a circulating supply of 58.1B XRP and a total supply of 99.98B XRP, it has a large presence in the market. 

Despite the ongoing legal challenges it faces, XRP continues to show strong growth and remains a key asset for those looking for crypto solutions in international payments.

Comparing Top Altcoins: Dawgz AI, Solana, Cardano, Dogecoin and XRP

When it comes to selecting the best altcoins to buy now, there are several options with unique qualities. 

While Solana (SOL), Cardano (ADA), Dogecoin (DOGE), and XRP are all well-known, Dawgz AI ($DAGZ) is quickly becoming a strong contender with its AI-powered technology and early investment opportunity in its presale. 

Dawgz AI offers an exciting chance to be part of a growing community while securing passive income from staking and benefiting from advanced AI trading algorithms.

Which crypto coin will boom?

While it’s hard to predict with certainty, Dawgz AI ($DAGZ) is a strong contender due to its AI-powered technology and early presale momentum. 

Along with Solana (SOL), which has proven scalability and XRP, known for its use in cross-border payments, Dawgz AI stands out with its unique combination of AI-driven trading and meme coin appeal.

Conclusion

As the crypto world keeps evolving, Dawgz AI is shaping up to be the best altcoin to buy now.

With its combination of real utility, AI-powered trading, and a strong, growing community, $DAGZ offers a unique opportunity for those looking to get in early. 

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) says it is investigating TikTok and Truecaller over alleged data privacy violations as part of efforts to enforce compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA).

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Vincent Olatunji, the national commissioner and chief executive officer (CEO) of NDPC, said the agency is assessing the platforms’ compliance with data protection laws and would determine necessary regulatory actions based on its findings.

“As we speak, we have even gone to the extent of investigating multinationals. We are currently investigating TikTok and Truecaller in the area of data privacy,” Olatunji said.

“Depending on our findings, if they are able to go through remediation and do what is right, we are happy to work with them.”

The NDPC CEO noted said when the commission began monitoring data protection compliance, only 4 percent of organisations adhered to regulations.

He, however, said through increased enforcement and stakeholder engagement, compliance levels have now surpassed 55 percent.

Olatunji said the NDPC prioritises remediation over immediate sanctions, evaluating data breaches based on their severity, the number of individuals affected, and the potential economic impact.

Instead of publicly declaring non-compliance, he said the commission provides companies with clear corrective measures to address identified issues.

The commissioner added that organisations found in violation must keep comprehensive records of their data processing activities and rectify any lapses.

“Additionally, they are subject to monitoring for six months to a year to ensure full compliance,” he said.

Olatunji said while the commission prefers a corrective approach, it will not hesitate to enforce stricter actions if necessary.

At the press conference, the NDPC also introduced the NDPA general application and implementation directive (NDP Act GAID), a regulatory framework designed to help data controllers and processors comply with the NDPA.

Olatunji said many organisations lack understanding of data protection regulations, often leading to inadvertent breaches.

The commissioner said the NDP Act GAID addresses technical and organisational measures in the areas of data protection principles, lawful basis of data processing, NDP Act compliance audit, and data subject rights, among others.

He said the directive, which will be available on the NDPC’s portal, intends to provide clarity and reinforce the role of data protection officers in ensuring compliance.

The suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state, has reportedly moved with his family to Bayelsa State.

Naija News reports that the development comes after President Bola Tinubu’s decisive action on March 18, suspending Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months in a bid to restore governance and order to the state.

The state of emergency follows months of escalating political unrest in Rivers State, sparked by a bitter feud between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

The ongoing crisis has led to violent clashes, legislative gridlock, and legal disputes that have effectively paralyzed the state’s administration. The political instability prompted President Tinubu to intervene with the suspension of key state officials.

According to sources cited by TheStreetJournal, Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri offered refuge to Fubara and his family amidst the turmoil.

On Wednesday, March 19, Fubara and his family relocated to the Bayelsa State Government House, leaving the Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt.

The move took place under reduced security presence, with some Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and security personnel still stationed at the premises. However, the Government House was described as relatively quiet following their departure.

In response to the growing crisis, President Tinubu appointed former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

Ibas has been tasked with overseeing the affairs of the state during the six-month emergency rule. His appointment is aimed at resolving the deepening political conflict and restoring stability to Rivers State, which has been struggling with internal divisions and disputes between the governor and state lawmakers.

[NaijaNews]

…Commends Apex Court for Reaffirming Party Supremacy 

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received the Judgment of the Supreme Court which affirmed that the issue of Party leadership positions, including that of the National Secretary is entirely an internal affair of the Party requiring only the Party internal mechanism to which the courts have no jurisdiction.

Today’s judgment of the Supreme Court reaffirms the standing position of the Party and emphatically settles the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye as the substantiative National Secretary of the PDP having been duly nominated, endorsed and ratified through the internal mechanism of the PDP statutory Organs and bodies in line with provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

For clarity, the NWC at its 576th meeting held on the 11th of October, 2023, directed the South East Zonal Executive Committee to nominate a replacement for Senator Samuel Anyanwu upon Senator Anyanwu’s nomination as the governorship candidate of the PDP to contest the November 2023 Governorship election in Imo State.

Consequent upon the directive of the NWC, the South East Zonal Executive Committee at its meeting held on the 20th of October 2023 passed a resolution approving the emergence and forwarding of the name of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye to the NWC as the National Secretary of the Party.

Accordingly, the NWC at its 577th meeting held on 7th of November 2023 pursuant to its powers under the PDP Constitution, duly received, deliberated upon, accepted and approved the emergence of Rt. Hon. SKE Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the Party, which appointment has also since been endorsed by relevant Organs and bodies of the PDP including the Board of Trustees (BoT), South East Zonal Caucus, the PDP Governors’ Forum and officially communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the general public.

The PDP commends the Supreme Court for upholding the principle of the supremacy of the Party in the management of its internal affairs, describing it as victory for democracy.

The NWC urges all patriotic members of the PDP to remain united as we work together to move our great Party forward.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba

National Publicity Secretary

The Federal High Court, Lokoja, has granted an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from receiving petitions for the purpose of initiating a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

DAILY POST reports that the push to recall the suspended senator intensified on Thursday, with more groups in Kogi Central throwing their weight behind the process.

However, a group of Ebira indigenes refuted the claim that the recall process was being sponsored and influenced with money by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s political opponents.

Nevertheless, the court, which gave the order on Thursday, also restricted INEC staff, agents, privies, or assigns from accepting or acting on any petition containing fictitious signatures of purported members of the Kogi Central Senatorial District and from conducting any referendum pending the determination of the motion on notice to the same effect.

The court, according to the order paper made available to newsmen on Friday morning, granted the application following an ex-parte application for an interim injunction supported by an affidavit of extreme urgency.

The court processes were sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State.

However, the application was moved by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co., but the case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for a report of service and further mention.

Reacting to the development, a pressure group, Action Collective, commended the judiciary for granting the order.

The group’s coordinator, Dr. Onimisi Ibrahim, said in his reaction that the order would further expose the impunity of some sponsored individuals behind the failed plot to recall Senator Natasha.

[DailyPost]