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The United States President, Donald Trump on Tuesday said billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will be excluded from space-related decision-making.
Trump made this remark at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in reply to a question about Musk’s potential conflicts of interest amid his efforts to cut government spending, according to media reports.
“So anything to do with possibly even space, we won’t let Elon partake in that,” he told reporters.
The White House has said Musk would recuse himself from any conflicts of interest between his business interests and efforts to reduce government spending via the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
On Monday, regarding Musk’s role in the Trump administration, the White House said he is a White House employee and senior adviser to the president.
It added that Musk is not an employee of DOGE, he has no decision-making authority.
Trump said Tuesday that Musk could be called an “employee” or “consultant.”
(Xinhua/NAN)
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday rejected the request of the embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from giving effect to his removal as the party’s secretary.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, however, directed Anyanwu to notify INEC and other defendants in the suit to allow the court to hear their side of the matter.
Through his counsel, Ken Njemanze (SAN), Anyanwu filed an ex-parte application urging the court to stop INEC or its agents from receiving or acting upon correspondences or submissions from the PDP unless signed by him.
He also sought an order restraining PDP chairman Ambassador Umar Damagun from forwarding any correspondence, documents, or written submissions to INEC without his signature.
After considering Anyanwu’s arguments, Justice Ekwo ruled that while a case of urgency had been established, the court would not grant the requested reliefs through an ex-parte application.
Instead, he emphasised the need to hear from the defendants before making any orders.
Consequently, the judge directed Anyanwu to serve court processes on INEC and Damagun and ordered both parties to appear in court.
Justice Ekwo set February 24 as the date for hearing the case.
[punch]
The White House has released a 41-second video on social media showing undocumented immigrants being shackled and escorted onto a deportation flight departing from Seattle.
Titled “ASMR: Illegal Alien Deportation Flight,” the clip features close-up shots of chains and cuffs on the tarmac, as well as detainees walking with their hands and ankles restrained.
One segment shows an individual walking past an officer with hands cuffed in front and ankles bound by chains. Other shots highlight a close-up of a man’s handcuffs being secured, another individual’s feet in chains while ascending the stairway to the plane, and a detainee preparing to board. The faces of those being deported are not visible.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has intensified deportation efforts as part of his immigration policy. Thousands of undocumented immigrants have already been removed, including more than 300 Indian nationals.
Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to stricter immigration enforcement, stating he will not rest until every “illegal criminal migrant” is “eradicated” from the country. He also claimed that illegal border crossings have decreased under Trump compared to previous years.
Reacting to the video, senior advisor to Trump, Elon Musk, expressed excitement with the words: “Haha wow.”
[Vanguard]
The 2025 budget passed by the national assembly has a new expenditure component: N400 billion for light rail projects.
An analysis by TheCable shows that the sum was allocated to “light rail projects” in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna and Kano states.
It is unclear how the expenditure item entered the budget as it was not in the N49.74 trillion appropriation bill President Bola Tinubu initially presented to a joint session of the senate and house of representatives on December 18, 2024.
On February 5, he sought an upward adjustment of N4.53 trillion, raising the proposal to N54.27 trillion
By the time lawmakers approved the budget, they added another N719.5 billion, pushing the total to N54.99 trillion.
One notable addition to the national assembly’s version is N400 billion allocation to the new light rail projects in four states.
Light rail is a transit system designed for shorter, more frequent trips within a city or state, carrying a lighter passenger load compared to heavier rail systems like commuter or intercity trains.
Given the nature of light rail systems, their financing and construction are typically the responsibility of state governments.
However, in the final approved budget, lawmakers allocated N150 billion for Kano, N100 billion each for Ogun and Kaduna, and N50 billion for Lagos to fund the rail projects.
TWO ZONES TO BENEFIT
It is not clear if it is a loan or a grant, but this is different from the the plan to transfer N146.14 billion to Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) as counterpart funding for the Lagos Green Line Metro Rail Phase 1 contained in the initial budget.
This brings the provision for rail projects in Lagos state alone to N196.14 billion in the 2025 budget.
It is unclear if the federal government will still extend the funding to other states.
There are complaints of bias and marginalisation, and the latest allocation appears to favour two states in the north-west (Kano, Kaduna) and two in the south-west (Lagos, Ogun).
Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central under the Labour Party, had condemned the exclusion of the south-east and adjoining zones from the newly approved federal rail projects.
On November 23, 2023, Umeh sponsored a motion—co-sponsored by 35 senators—calling for the construction of a standard gauge railway from Port Harcourt through Aba and Makurdi to Maiduguri.
However, the 2025 budget passed by the national assembly on Thursday made no provision for the project.
Concerned about the omission, Umeh raised a point of order, urging his colleagues to reconsider and include the Eastern rail line in the budget. However, his appeal was unsuccessful.
While Umeh was advocating for a separate railway project in the southeast, his concerns reflect a broader sentiment of exclusion and marginalization felt by some regions regarding federal infrastructure projects.
[TheCable]
President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that Ukraine was responsible for Russia's invasion of the country three years ago, arguing Kyiv could have made a deal to avoid the conflict.
“You should have never started it,” Trump said of Ukraine while criticizing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had expressed concern that his country was not included in talks between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia.
"I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it's going very well. But today I heard, 'Oh, well, we weren't invited.' Well, you've been there for three years," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort. "You should have never started it. You could have made a deal."
Trump went on to say: "I could have made a deal for Ukraine that would have given them almost all of the land, everything, almost all of the land, and no people would have been killed, and no city would have been demolished, and not one dome would have been knocked down. But they chose not to do it that way."
The president's comments came after Zelenskyy said in a media conference on a visit to Turkey that "we don’t want anyone making decisions behind our backs and I think this is fair."
"Any country has bilateral relations with other countries; please, discuss whatever you want, but you cannot make decisions without Ukraine on how to end the war in Ukraine, the terms, or other conditions," he said Tuesday. "And we weren’t invited to that Russo-American meeting in Saudi Arabia."
The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington and the Ukrainian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump's remarks.
Meanwhile, the reaction in Moscow to the change in direction of U.S. foreign policy has been more upbeat.
The U.S. president is "the first, and so far, apparently, the only Western leader who has publicly and loudly said that one of the root causes of the Ukrainian situation was the brazen path of the previous administration to draw Ukraine into NATO," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a speech to Russian lawmakers Wednesday. "No Western leader has ever said this,”
"This is already a signal that he understands our position," Lavrov added in a speech that covered the broader second Trump administration rather than the president's specific remarks Tuesday.
The U.S. and Russia on Tuesday agreed to re-establish embassy staffing, diverging from previous American policy on the matter. Zelenskyy said earlier Tuesday that “Ukraine did not know anything about it.”
Trump, who said last week that he and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone about ending the war, has made several comments bolstering the Russian president. He said during an interview with Fox News last month that Ukraine should not have fought when it was invaded by Russia.
Trump also criticized Zelenskyy when asked by reporters if the U.S. would support Ukraine holding new elections as part of a potential peace deal with Russia.
“When they want a seat at the table, you could say the people have to, wouldn’t the people of Ukraine have to say, like, ‘You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve had an election.’ That’s not a Russia thing. That’s something coming from me and coming from many other countries also,” Trump said.
In doing so, the president echoed the criticisms of Putin, who has ruled Russia for all but four of the past 25 years, and has repeatedly questioned the electoral legitimacy of Zelenskyy’s continuing leadership.
Ukraine last held a presidential election in 2019 and was due to have held one last April, but Zelenskyy has said in the past that it is not possible for Ukrainians to go to the polls in wartime and that view is also backed up by the country's constitution.
According to an opinion poll released Wednesday by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology research organization, 57% of Ukrainians say they trust Zelenskyy.
[NBC News]
Forbes: Aliko Dangote's wealth surges by almost 100% to $23.9bn, now 86th richest in the world
Admin
Billionaire Aliko Dangote has seen his wealth nearly double to $23.9 billion, according to Forbes, which ranks the Nigerian entrepreneur as the wealthiest person in Africa and 86th in the world. It would be recalled that Forbes ranked Aliko Dangote as the 144th richest person in the world in 2024 with $13.4 billion.
Forbes estimates Dangote's net worth at $23.9 billion, primarily due to his 92.3 percent stake in Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals. At 67 years old, Dangote is once again one of the top 100 richest individuals worldwide, a position he has not held since 2018, according to the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List.
This places him significantly ahead of South African Johann Rupert, who is ranked 161st in the world with an estimated wealth of $14.4 billion and very far above Mike Adenuga, who is the second richest in Nigeria and 481, in the world, with a net worth of $6.8 billion.
Dangote disrupted the government’s oil monopoly by constructing the largest petroleum refinery in Africa. After 11 years, a $23 billion investment, and numerous challenges, the Dangote Refinery began operations last year. Located on a vast 6,200-acre site in the Lekki Free Zone, the refinery, at full capacity, will process a remarkable 650,000 barrels per day (b/d), making it the seventh-largest refinery in the world and the largest in Africa. Additionally, the refinery's adjacent petrochemical complex has an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tons of urea, making it Africa’s largest fertiliser producer.
The Dangote Refinery is already having a significant impact on global energy markets. Imports of petroleum into Nigeria are on track to reach an eight-year low, affecting European refiners that have traditionally sold to Nigeria, according to energy intelligence firm Vortexa. Furthermore, Nigeria has become a net exporter of jet fuel, naphtha (a solvent used in varnishes, laundry soaps, and cleaning fluids), and fuel oil, according to S&P Global.
Dangote sees the refinery as part of a larger vision to transform Nigeria, one of the world's largest crude oil producers, into a major producer of refined petroleum products. This would enable Nigeria to compete with European refineries and supply gasoline to Nigerian consumers.
“I want to provide a blueprint for industrialisation across Africa,” Dangote says in an interview with Forbes. “We have to build our nation by ourselves. We have to build our continent by ourselves, not [rely on] foreign investment.” He believes Africa has long been “a mere dumping ground for finished products,” and his refinery represents “a pivotal step in ensuring that Africa can refine its own crude oil, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for its vast population.”
Dangote said the refinery is the biggest risk of his life and without success, it would have affected him greatly.
“It was the biggest risk of my life,” says Dangote about his decision to embark on the project. “If this didn’t work, I was dead.”
Zainab Usman, director of the Africa Programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, according to Forbes, said Nigerians see Dangote as a hero and a real industrialist transforming the country.
“He is seen in most parts of Nigeria as a hero. He is seen as a real industrialist who builds things,” she said.
A professor of African studies at the Soka University of America, Chika Ezeanya, also corroborated this view, noting that Dangote is meeting the needs of consumers on the continent.
“I think he’s believed staunchly in the fact that Nigerians need products that he has to offer,” he said while adding, “Governments can come and go, policies can be changed, but the needs of the Nigerian consumer will only grow and expand.”
Ayra Starr has made history as the first woman in 16 years to win Best African Music Act at the 2025 MOBO Awards.
The Nigerian star also took home the Best International Music Act award at the ceremony held in Newcastle.
Ayra Starr clinched the award, by beating co-Nigerians Asake and Tems and also South Africa’s Tyla.
She also beat stars like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, and Latto.
Ayra Starr (2025) joins Wizkid (2017, 2021) and Burna Boy (2020, 2022) as the only Nigerian artists to have won the MOBO Award for Best International Act.
The event, hosted by Indiyah Polack and Eddie Kadi, celebrated the best of Black music and culture.
A post on the official MOBO X account read: “Global star, unstoppable force! ?✨ @ayrastarr took home Best African Music Act at the #MOBOAwards – repping African music at the highest level! ??”
Best African music act
Asake (Nigeria)
WINNER: Ayra Starr (Nigeria)
Bnxn & Ruger (Nigeria)
King Promise (Ghana)
Odumodublvck (Nigeria)
Rema (Nigeria)
Shallipopi (Nigeria)
Tems (Nigeria)
Tyla (South Africa)
Uncle Waffles (South Africa)
Ayra Starr’s Speech
In her acceptance speech, the visibly emotional singer said: “Okay, this is my first MOBO. And this is the first time I’m winning a MOBO Award—make some noise! I am actually shaking right now. I am actually nervous.
“Thank you so much to everybody who supported me. Thank you to my team—my amazing MOB-STARS.
“My amazing brothers who make music with me—the producers in the studio—my studio partners in crime; my label—MAVINS record, Embryo, my mummy…
“Thank you so much. Thank you, MOBOs.”
Other Big Winners
According to PUNCH Online, other notable winners at the 2025 MOBO Awards included Bashy, Darkoo, and Odeal.
Darkoo also secured the Best Female Act award.
Another celebratory post from the MOBO X account read: “From bangers to big wins! ?? @Darkoo takes home the Best Female Act award at the #MOBOAwards – a well-deserved victory! ?”
MOBO Awards
The MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin Awards) is an annual British music ceremony that honours excellence in music of Black origin, spanning genres such as hip-hop, R&B, soul, reggae, jazz, gospel, and African music.
Founded in 1996 by Kanya King, the awards have been instrumental in celebrating and recognizing Black artists in the UK and globally, providing a platform that has helped shape the careers of many.
With Ayra Starr’s historic win, the MOBOs continue to showcase the undeniable influence of African music on the global stage.
The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed claims by controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, of being in psychiatric treatment, insisting that he remains a wanted man.
Portable, in a video on Tuesday, declared that he is a “madman” and undergoing treatment at the Federal Neuropsychiatric, Aro, Abeokuta.
He said this while appealing to Nigerians and the Ogun State Government after being declared wanted by the state police command.
Speaking to PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, maintained that Portable remained wanted and would turn himself in for investigation.
She said, “Portable will come and submit himself. He cannot be in the psychiatric hospital in Aro. Everybody knows that he is a wanted person. So, if he is going to be in anybody’s facility, the police will not accept that. He is a wanted man.”
The singer was reportedly involved in a violent altercation with three officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ota Zonal Office—TPL Onabanjo Abidemi, TPL Raymond Lateef, and TPL Ridwan Oyero Akinlesi—during an enforcement exercise at Oke-Osa, Tigbo Ilu Ota, Ogun State.
According to the officials, they initially encountered Portable’s father at Odogwu Bar, where he informed them that his son was unavailable. Moments later, the controversial singer allegedly arrived armed with a firearm and, along with nine thugs, launched an attack on the unarmed officials.
The police reported that the enforcement officers sustained injuries but managed to escape and report the incident to the Ota Area Command, which escalated the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department. While nine of Portable’s alleged accomplices were arrested, the singer reportedly fled the scene and has since gone into hiding.
Odutola had in the statement declaring him wanted stated that multiple formal invitations were sent to Portable, requesting his presence at the command’s headquarters but deliberately ignored them without offering any legal representation.
“Following his repeated evasion, the Ogun State Police Command has obtained a valid court order declaring him wanted,” she added.
Reacting to the allegations, Portable took to Instagram on Tuesday in a series of rants, claiming that he was being set up because he wore a vest featuring the image of the lawmaker representing Ogun West, Senator Adeola Solomon, popularly known as Yayi. He also reiterated that he is mentally unstable and has a medical history at the psychiatric hospital.
“I fear government. I am Federal Government liability. I am a madman; I have medications that I usually take. You can confirm from Aro Hospital. I have a card that certifies me as one of their patients.
“I am from Abeokuta, and they are taking care of me there. I am not a thief; I help people around me without even looking at their background,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Special Assistant to Senator Adeola on New Media, Damilare Oloyede, has distanced the lawmaker from Portable’s predicament.
Oloyede who spoke to our correspondent on Tuesday urged the singer to take responsibility for his actions, adding that name-dropping won’t help him evade justice.
He said, “Portable should be responsible for once. Senator Yayi won’t help him in this predicament that’s purely a result of his irresponsibility, lack of decorum, and sheer display of lunacy (as confirmed by himself). How does one think name-dropping of Senator Yayi would help him evade justice after being declared wanted by law enforcement agencies?”
“For the umpteenth time, Senator Yayi is a law-abiding public servant. He is a responsible leader to his constituents, followers, and admirers. Hence, he won’t, can’t, and will never tolerate irresponsible acts around him,” Oloyede concluded.
Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service have arrested 40 illegal immigrants at different locations in the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
A breakdown of the migrants shows that 27 are Cameroonians, two are Ghanaians, 10 are Beninese, and one is a Togolese.
Of the 40 arrested, eight are female and 32 are male, all between the ages of 18 and 35.
A statement on Tuesday by the Oyo State Comptroller, Tayo Dada, revealed that 10 of them are farmers, while 30 claim to be involved in online marketing.
Dada added that none of the foreigners possessed residence cards or travel documents.
The statement read, “Following credible intelligence, 40 illegal migrants were arrested at their hideouts in different locations within the Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
“Their profiling revealed that 27 are Cameroonians, two are Ghanaians, 10 are Beninese, and one is a Togolese. Of the 40 arrested, eight are female and 32 are male, all between the ages of 18 and 35. While 10 of them are farmers, 30 others claim to be involved in online marketing.
“All 40 foreigners entered the country through unauthorised routes, and none could present residence cards or any travel documents during interrogation.
“The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, has ordered that necessary actions be taken to repatriate the foreigners to their countries of origin.”
In January, the Minister of Interior,Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed that the Federal Government deported 828 illegal immigrants in 2024 as part of its intensified efforts to combat irregular migration and enhance national security.
The National Assembly, on Tuesday, reviewed the 2025 budget, which was passed last week, reducing the capital expenditure component while raise the recurrent expenditure.
The lawmakers said the review became necessary following some errors in the passed budget.
Although the budget size remains N54.99tn, the capital expenditure was reduced by more than N500bn while the recurrent expenditure was increased by the same amount.
At plenary sessions on Tuesday, both the Senate and the House of Representatives effected corrections in the figures earlier passed for some of the ministries, departments and agencies, with some increasing, while others had a downward review.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive (APC, Delta), who presented the motion for the review of the approved items said the action became necessary because “the Joint Appropriation Committee noticed errors in the figures earlier passed.”
“The final figure of N54.99tn as well as the statutory transfer of N3.64tn and N14.32tn remained unchanged, the recurrent (non-debt) expenditure of N13.56tn and capital budget of N23.44tn were affected,” he said.
In the document, the Ministries of Defence and Police Affairs, National Pension Commission, Universities Pensions, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (civilian pensions), Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate and a few other agencies had their budget estimates reduced.
Waive added that the Presidency, Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Office of the National Security Adviser, Office to the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security, Works, Labour and Employment, Transportation, Innovation, Science and Technology, Education, Environment, Health and Social Welfare among others had their budget proposal increased for the 2025 fiscal year.
The Delta lawmaker said it was the duty of the House to make the corrections identified in the document in the process of compilation by the Joint Committee, noting that the rescission and passage will not affect the N54.99tn budget size.
More...
Controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has declared that he is a mad man who is undergoing treatment at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.
Portable said this while appealing to Nigerians and the Ogun State Government on Tuesday after being declared wanted by the state police command.
The zazoo-zeh crooner was reportedly involved in a fight with three officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ota Zonal Office: TPL Onabanjo Abidemi, TPL Raymond Lateef and TPL Ridwan Oyero Akinlesi. They were conducting an enforcement exercise at Oke-Osa, Tigbo Ilu Ota, Ogun State.
The town planners claimed they encountered an elderly man, later identified as Portable’s father, at Odogwu Bar in the area.
Upon identifying themselves and requesting the approved building plan, the father informed them that his son was unavailable.
However, moments later, Portable, armed with a firearm and other weapons, led a gang of nine thugs in a violent attack on the unarmed officials.
The police claimed, “The enforcement officers sustained various bodily injuries but managed to escape and reported the incident to the Ota Area Command, which subsequently escalated the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further action.
“Nine accomplices were arrested, but Portable fled the scene and has since gone into hiding.”
However, reacting to the declaration, Portable in a multiple rants took to his Instagram on Tuesday appealing to Nigerians and the state governor, Dapo Abiodun alleging that he was set up because he was putting on a vest with the face of Senator Adeola Solomon popularly known as Yayi.
The singer also noted that he was a madman and has a card at Aro hospital where he usually takes his treatment.
He said, “I fear government. I am a federal government liability. Then I’m a madman; I have medications that I usually take. You can confirm from Aro Hospital. I have a card that certifies me as one of their patients.
“I am from Abeokuta and they are taking care of me there. I am not a thief, I help people around me without even looking at their background.”
“I AM a Nigerian, I love Nigeria, Nigeria is my country, I am proud to be a Nigerian,”
The family of South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, who died Monday night, aged 97, have revealed his last words before his passing away.
Naija News reports that this came as President Bola Tinubu, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President, Godswil Akpabio, and former Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, and governors mourned the passing of the nationalist.
Others include Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum, SMBLF, where he was also the leader.
According to Vanguard, Clark, who was admitted at DIFF Medical Centre, Abuja, died about 11.45p.m., on Monday, ahead of his 98th birthday that would have been May 25, 2025.
Speaking to the platform, the National Chairman of PANDEF, Amb. Godknows Igali and the first child of the elder statesman, Mrs. Rebecca Clark-Okorodudu, said those he was leaving behind, especially members of PANDEF and SMBLF, must continue with the struggle, and should not rest on their oars in the fight for restructuring.
“I AM a Nigerian, I love Nigeria, Nigeria is my country, I am proud to be a Nigerian,” the family revealed those as part of Clark’s last words.
According to them, “Chief Clark said in his last hours that the people must not have a ‘giving up spirit,’ assuring that they would surely succeed in making Nigeria a better society again”.
Before his death, Clark also warned that no one should mourn when he departs the world, but said there should be celebration all round.
He also advised that anyone who came to his house during the period should be given food and drinks.
These were what he told those around him last Friday before he could no longer speak and was rushed to the hospital where he was admitted when condition had became critical.
Ahead of the 2023 elections, the Obidient Movement has vowed to ensure the emergence of leaders such as former Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The Movement vowed to ensure that competent leaders emerge alongside Obi in 2027.
The National Coordinator of the Movement, Tanko Yunusa, disclosed this via a statement he issued on Tuesday.
The statement reads, “On Wednesday, 12th February 2025, the Obidient Movement took a significant step forward by successfully hosting its first Advisory and Directorate Committees meeting.
“This milestone gathering brought together key stakeholders who reaffirmed their commitment to unity and strategic action in the collective mission to build a new Nigeria.
“The movement has an unwavering commitment to develop and ensure that competent (value-based) leaders such as Peter Obi emerge in our political space as the march towards 2027 general elections.
“The meeting served as a platform for meaningful dialogue, with members aligning on the path forward. Discussions reinforced the importance of organisation, coordination, and active participation to drive the movement’s mission and vision.
“Participants left with a renewed sense of purpose, fully aware of the responsibility ahead and the urgency of action.
“We appreciate all those who have accepted appointments to serve in various directorates and advisory councils, taking on critical roles in shaping the movement’s future.
“We also salute the millions of Obidients across Nigeria and beyond who continue to work tirelessly, mobilising, advocating, and pushing for a better Nigeria every day. Your dedication remains the heartbeat of this movement.
“With renewed energy, the Obidient Movement will continue to strengthening its structures, expanding its reach, and ensuring that every supporter is empowered to play their part.
“This is a collective mission; together, we will deliver the leadership and governance that Nigerians deserve. We encourage all supporters to stay engaged, participate actively, and remain steadfast in their commitment.
“A New Nigeria is within reach if we work for it.”
The Lagos State House of Assembly has distanced the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, from the crisis rocking the assembly.
This was made known in a statement issued by the House spokesperson, Olukayode Ogundipe, on Tuesday.
There have been speculations alleging that President Bola Tinubu’s wife may be backing the ousted Speaker of the Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.
The House distanced itself from such rumour, saying all the lawmakers hold the First Lady in high esteem.
“We categorically dissociate all members of the Lagos State House of Assembly from this false and baseless claim. The report is purely a fabrication and has no basis in truth.
“All members of the Assembly hold the First Lady in the highest regard. As a distinguished former First Lady of Lagos State and now the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has made significant contributions to governance and national development.
“It is, therefore, inconceivable that any member of the Assembly would accuse her of involvement in legislative matters or seek to tarnish her reputation. We firmly state that the First Lady has no role in any internal disagreements within the House. Any attempt to link her to these issues is entirely unfounded.”
Meanwhile, some lawmakers on Tuesday met with the executives of the executives of the All Progressives Congress in the state to brief them about happenings at the House.
The state chairman of the party, Cornelius Ojelabi, in a post on X, said the State Working Committee received members from the Lagos State House of Assembly. “They provided us with updates on the latest developments, fostering official communication between our party and legislative members,” he wrote.
When contacted, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Seye Oladejo, said the meeting was simply to brief the executives of the happenings at the assembly.
“It was just a courtesy visit to brief the party about what’s happening at the House, nothing more than that. And whatever is going on in the House, our position remains that it has to be resolved by the House,” he told our correspondent in a telephone interview.
The PUNCH reports that there was chaos at the House following the mililtarisation of the Assembly complex by DSS officials on Monday.
The crisis deepened following reported moves by ousted Obasa to return to the House on Tuesday.
Obasa, who was removed by the majority of the lawmakers at the House on January 13, 2025, had last week approached the court to seek redress.
The Lagos Assembly and the DSS also differed over the invasion, as the security agency noted it was invited by the House to beef up security.
“Contrary to reports by a section of the media that Department of State Services officers stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, sealing offices of the Speaker and his deputy, it was the Assembly that invited security agents to maintain order.
“The clerk of the Assembly wrote to us that there was a potential security threat to the Assembly and its members and requested to increase the number of operatives there and ensure strict access within and outside the assembly,” a top DSS official who spoke on condition of anonymity for not being authorised, told our correspondent.
In its defence, the House in a statement issued by the spokesperson, Ogundipe, late Monday, clarified why it invited the DSS to the House.
It argued that even though it invited the security agency, it did not ask them to seal the offices of the principal officers of the House.
“We wish to categorically state that this is not the first time the House has sought security support from the DSS.
“However, it is important to emphasise that in all previous instances, the DSS operatives have been stationed at the main gate of the Assembly complex, ensuring that unauthorised persons do not gain entry.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no point did the letter requesting security assistance instruct the DSS to invade the legislative chamber, lock and restrict access to the Speaker’s office, lock the office of the acting Clerk and lock the Deputy Speaker’s office.
“The events of today (Monday) raise serious concerns about undue interference in legislative affairs. The sanctity of the Lagos State House of Assembly was undermined by armed DSS operatives who actively obstructed lawmakers from performing their constitutional duties,” Ogundipe said.
Meanwhile, the DSS, on Tuesday, threatened to take legal action against Africa Independent Television and Channels Television over their reports on the involvement of the service in the Lagos Assembly crisis.
The DSS described the reportage by the broadcast stations as false and malicious.
In a letter to the stations by its lawyer, Adedeji Adedipe (SAN), the DSS alleged that the stations misrepresented its actions during a tense period on February 17, 2025, when concerns arose over the possible return of former Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.
Adedipe stated that DSS’ role was purely to support existing security forces, and it did not engage in any unlawful activities.
The DSS demanded an immediate retraction of the reports and a public apology to be broadcast across all platforms for three consecutive days.
The service, however, warned that failure to comply within seven days would prompt civil and criminal legal actions against the stations under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act
The letter dated February 17 read, “Your publication and/or broadcast has greatly injured the character of our client and tarnished and lowered its esteemed image in the eyes of the public.
“Having regard to the fact that your broadcast was false and coupled with the fact that, you did not ensure balancing in your report, as enjoined by the ethics of journalism, our client has instructed us to demand the following:
“An immediate retraction of your defamatory publication and/or broadcast on all your news platforms.
“The retraction shall be accompanied by an apology which must be published at least five (5) times daily for three consecutive days on all your new channels and platforms, including all the social media handles to which your media House has its presence.
“Please note that should you fail, to comply with the above demands within a period of seven days after the delivery of this letter to you, we shall, on behalf of our client, seek redress by pursuing both civil and criminal actions against your organisation as your conduct also runs contrary to the provisions of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act of 2015, as amended in 2024, without further reference to you.”
Group warns Atiku
Meanwhile, a group, Arise Lagos Movement, on Tuesday, cautioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to refrain from interfering in Lagos State politics.
The warning followed Atiku’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of meddling in state affairs rather than addressing national issues.
“Tinubu should focus on bringing Nigeria out of the mess he plunged the country into rather than interfering in state matters,” Atiku stated in a post on his X.com page on Monday.
In response, the group’s convener, Abe Kolawole, addressed journalists at a press conference in Ogba, Lagos, on Tuesday, reaffirming their support for President Tinubu and describing him as a leader committed to democracy, justice, and progress.
“We stand before you today collectively on behalf of committed loyalists, mentees, and well-meaning Nigerians who recognise the invaluable contributions of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to human capacity development, defence of the rule of law, and the development of Lagos State and Nigeria at large,” Kolawole stated.
He criticised what he described as attempts to drag Tinubu’s name into the Lagos Assembly crisis, suggesting that the controversy was politically motivated.
“You may be aware of the comment made by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on an issue that is local to the Lagos State House of Assembly. This indicates the dimensions and motives of those behind the imbroglio,” he said.
According to Kolawole, the ongoing drama is part of a broader strategy to influence the 2027 elections and seize political control of Lagos, alleging that Monday’s events were deliberately orchestrated to discredit Tinubu.
“We take further note of the Nollywood-style drama orchestrated yesterday in an attempt to drag the name of our leader through the mud. How do you describe an institution inviting security agents to enhance security with clear and specific requests, only to accuse them of following orders from above?
“This was nothing more than an appeal to public sentiment. But we are happy that Nigerians, particularly Lagosians, were not fooled. They know the puppets have a puppet master,” Kolawole noted.
He claimed that, as direct beneficiaries of Asiwaju’s visionary leadership, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to Nigeria, it was necessary to set the record straight, emphasising that President Tinubu remains a statesman committed to national development, unity, and prosperity for all, without bias.
He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their trust in President Tinubu’s leadership and to focus on the collective goal of national progress.