Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his suggestion that he might seek a third term as US president, NBC News reported, which would defy the two-term limit stipulated in the US constitution.

In a Sunday-morning phone call with NBC News, Trump said “I’m not joking,” when asked to clarify a remark on seeking another term, adding: “There are methods which you could do it.”

The 78-year-old billionaire has a history of suggesting he might serve more than two terms, but Sunday’s remarks were the most concrete in terms of referring to plans to achieve the goal.

Trump has launched his second presidency with an unprecedented blitz of executive power, using the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, to dismantle swaths of the government, and said his supporters want even more.

“A lot of people want me to do it,” Trump told NBC News on Sunday. “But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.”

Amending the US constitution to allow a third presidential term would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, which Trump’s Republican Party does not have.

Trump said it was “far too early to think about it,” but told NBC he had been presented with plans that would allow him to seek reelection.

When NBC asked Trump of a possible scenario whereby Vice President JD Vance would run for president and then abdicate the role to Trump, the US president said “that’s one” method.

He added that “there are others,” but refused to share further details.

If Trump does not approach Congress for the constitutional amendment, he would need to get support from two-thirds of the country’s 50 states to call a constitutional convention that would propose changes to the charter.

Whether he goes through Congress or the states, he would then require ratification from three-quarters of all states.

Both routes appear to be unlikely, given the current number of states and Congressional seats under Republican control.

A constitutional convention has never been successfully called in the United States, where all 27 constitutional amendments have been passed by the congressional method.

In January, days after Trump took office, Republican Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a House joint resolution to amend the constitution to allow presidents up to three terms.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has told former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that it was already too late for him to buy character and integrity that he has lacked from birth.

He stated that no one could have known him better than President Olusegun Obasanjo, under whom he served as Vice President for eight years.

Naija News reports that Wike stated this through Lere Olayinka, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media.

Olayinka was reacting to a statement by the Atiku Media Office that character was the reason the decision of the committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to select its Vice Presidential candidate for the 2023 election was rejected.

Wike’s media aide said one Nigerian that can never be found in the gathering of men of character and integrity is Atiku, and Obasanjo, attested to this in his book; My Watch.

Olayinka said: “One of the reasons Wike first rejected Atiku’s offer to have him as his running mate was his not too impressive character and integrity rating, until he was prevailed upon. And this, Atiku exhibited when he rejected the decision of committee the party set up to pick his running mate even after telling everyone that the decision of the committee will be bidding on him.

“Now, after his lies that he picked his running mate based on the committee report that placed the former Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, as number one was bursted, he is now sermonising about character and integrity, which he, himself does not have.

“Funny that the same Atiku, that his boss described as a ‘blatant and shameless liar,’ is the one talking about character.

“For the records, Obasanjo said in his book, ‘My Watch’ that ‘What I did not know, which came out glaringly later, was his parental background which was somewhat shadowy, his propensity to corruption, his tendency to disloyalty, his inability to say and stick to the truth all the time, a propensity for poor judgement, his belief and reliance on marabouts, his lack of transparency, his trust in money to buy his way out on all issues and his readiness to sacrifice morality, integrity, propriety, truth and national interest for self and selfish interest.’

“Up till today, Atiku has not debunked what his boss said about him.

“Unlike Atiku, Wike does not hide or pretend on where he stands on issues. He is not one that will do a tweet on major issues and rush to delete it. He didn’t pretend about his position on the 2023 election and he won’t pretend on where he will stand in 2027.

“It is Atiku, that should start being truthful and reliable, especially now that he is old, because everything should not be about desperation to be president.”

The Chief of Staff to suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Edison Ehie, has vehemently denied claims that he played any role in the burning of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex on October 29, 2023.

The allegations, made by former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, accused Ehie and Fubara of masterminding the fire that destroyed the state’s Assembly Complex.

However, Ehie, in a live appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, refuted the claims, stating he was not involved in the incident.

“It is very important to clarify that I was not, I had no hand, and was not part of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” Ehie stated, stressing that like many others, he was shocked by the news.

He further stated, “Like everyone else, I woke up in the early hours of 30th October 2023 to hear of the burning down of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

Ehie further revealed that he had instructed his lawyers to initiate a criminal libel suit against Nwaeke, emphasizing that the allegations were baseless and malicious.

“I will not join issues completely with Mr. George Nwaeke because I have already instructed my lawyers to file an issue of criminal libel against George Nwaeke, and I hope he is very prepared to substantiate his claims and his allegations,” he said.

While defending himself, Ehie shifted attention to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, suggesting that he should be questioned about the fire.

Ehie claimed the fire broke out shortly after security officials allowed the speaker’s convoy into the complex. He implied that the speaker’s involvement should be scrutinized further.

Ehie accused Nwaeke of yielding to political pressure and acting to benefit from “emergency riches.” “George is not a contented man,” he stated, dismissing Nwaeke’s motives as politically driven.

Ehie also spoke about the recent public outcry from Nwaeke’s wife over the sudden disappearance of her husband.

He suggested that this situation reflected a man who had “betrayed his conscience” and his family in pursuit of material gain.

Ehie alleged that Nwaeke had solicited financial assistance shortly after resigning as head of service, citing WhatsApp messages that showed Nwaeke asking for money.

“He’s not speaking from his right frame of mind,” Ehie added, implying that Nwaeke’s actions were influenced by personal ambition rather than any genuine political or legal concerns.

In a final remark, Ehie stated that Nwaeke did not hold any significant role or influence in the governance of Rivers State.

“George does not wield any particular or influential role in the governance of Rivers State,” he said, further undermining Nwaeke’s credibility in the political landscape.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for publicly acknowledging his efforts and calling him “Mr Infrastructure.”

Speaking to State House correspondents after the 2025 Eid-el-Fitr homage at the Presidential Villa IN Abuja, Wike described the President’s praise as a strong vote of confidence and a motivation to keep delivering results for residents of the FCT.

“I feel very happy that my boss has confidence in me,” Wike said. “If your boss, in public, says you are doing well, that, of course, is an encouragement for you to continue doing the job you’ve been assigned.”

The Minister, who has spearheaded a series of infrastructure and service delivery reforms across Abuja, said he remains committed to meeting the expectations of both the President and the people of the Territory.

“For us, we’re happy to be identified in this administration, and we’ll continue to do what Abuja people will be happy with,” he said. “So I’m happy each time Mr. President talks about us and tries to say the little we have done. That means he’s watching, and we will not disappoint him.”

When asked about the next wave of infrastructure projects expected as the Tinubu administration approaches its second anniversary, Wike confirmed that a fresh round of projects was already in the works.

“The committee is working,” he revealed. “You can be assured it can’t be less than what we did last time,” Wike added.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has stated that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibom Ibas (retd) is only dismantling all the governance structures put in place by the suspended Governor of the state, Siminialayi Fubara.

PDP also described the immediate past Head of Service of the state, Dr. George Nweke, as a serial betrayer, alleging that Nweke has become a tool for Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to spread false information against Fubara and his team.

The Chairman of PDP in the state, Nname Ewor, spoke while reacting to allegations made by former Rivers HoS Dr. George Nwaeke, against Fubara, PDP and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, Ewor condemned the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in the state and accused the Sole Administrator of dismantling governance structures put in place by Governor Fubara.

Ewor questioned the motive behind the declaration of the state of emergency, which he claimed has no basis in reality, adding that the state is not under war, or threat of war, and no occurrence of natural disaster to warrant such declaration.

He queried if the actions already carried out by the Sole Administrator could ensure restoration of peace and order, or spark more crisis?

The PDP chairman also addressed specific allegations made by Nwaeke, including claims that Governor Fubara was involved in the bombing of the House of Assembly and that he promised to work for Senator Bala Mohammed in the 2027 general election. Ewor dismissed these allegations as false and baseless.

He said: “Nwaeke, highly compromised and a serial betrayer, became a ready tool in the hands of the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, to carry out a campaign of calumny, libel defamation and distortion of facts against our Governor and his team, the chairman of PDP Governors forum, Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State Governor, ljaw nation, Militants etc.”

Tinubu wrong to release Rivers allocation to Sole Administrator — Emiaso, retired judge

Meanwhile, a former President of the Delta State Customary Court, Justice Miakpor Emiaso (retd.), has said that President Bola Tinubu made a blunder in releasing Rivers State allocation to the Sole Administrator of the state.

He said: “It is unlawful, it is unconstitutional, you cannot release funds to a sole administrator, and I mean it is very wrong.

“The constitution does not conceive of a situation where you even appoint a sole administrator to run a state. Appointing a sole administrator is unconstitutional; anything the sole administrator does there is ultra vires, null, and void because there is no arrangement under the constitution for the appointment of a sole administrator to administer a state.

“There is no arrangement in the constitution that permits any authority in this country to suspend an elected officer, least of all a governor, so the president suspending the governor of Rivers State is a very major threat to our democratic system.

“It means that the president can suspend any governor of any state; that is not democracy, and that is not the spirit of our constitution. He has no power to suspend an elected officer.

“There are so many decisions of our courts to that effect that nobody can suspend the governor. Nobody can suspend even members of the House of Assembly if they are elected. There is a process for removing them, and it is not by suspension.”

“By my own assessment Nwaeke is neither under any spell nor under duress. He is a career civil servant in the civil service of Rivers State, whose career span over 40 years service in the state civil service. He rose to the apex of the civil service. Therefore he knows exactly what he has done.

“Mr. Nwaeke procured flight ticket from Port Harcourt to Abuja, left his house on his own, boarded his flight, landed in Abuja and headed straight to his destination to deliver and read out the script already written by his co-conspirators. The aim of the script is to discredit the Governor, make the President lose confidence in him and paint him black before the general public.

“As a party, we know that all what Nwaeke read in the written script were all lies from the pit of hell and cannot stand the test of time. We therefore want to use this medium to set the record straight, and educate Rivers people and indeed Nigerians on the true nature of the man “Dr George Nwaeke and the true state of affairs in the state.

“That George Nwaeke lied when he claimed that he was with the Governor, when he handed over bag of money to Edison Ehie to bomb the House of Assembly. The true position is that when the bombing incident took places in the House of Assembly, men of the Nigeria police made over 7 arrests, transferred the suspects to force Headquarters Abuja.

“The suspects were charged to court in Abuja and remanded in kuje correctional Centre for over 8 months. They were later transferred to Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court.

“They were equally remanded in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre because of lack of diligent prosecution by the police. The presiding judge struct out and dismissed the case early this year and the suspects were set free. Accusing the Governor, Edison and Chijioke Ihunwo of being responsible for the bombing is neither here nor there.”

“His claim that Fubara promise to work for Sen Bala Mohammned in 2027 General election is also a lie. As we know, Bala is the Governor of Bauchi state and chairman PDP Governors forum, Fubara doubles as his Deputy. Both of them are at liberty to meet anywhere, anytime to discuss matters of PDP.

“Besides, Bala has not told Nigerians he is running for the office of president in 2027. Nwaeke and his co-conspirators simply put together this narrative to pitch the president aganst our Governor. It is dead on arrival.”

There is growing anxiety in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector as operators await the Federal Government’s decision on the future of the naira-for-crude deal between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The six-month deal, which began in October 2024, officially ends today, Monday, March 31, 2024, and the parties involved have yet to finalize whether the deal will be extended or discontinued.

The uncertainty surrounding the deal has had a direct impact on fuel prices, with petrol prices rising sharply. Dealers have blamed the recent surge on the government’s failure to extend the naira-for-crude deal, which had previously helped stabilize fuel prices.

Petrol prices have increased from around ₦860 per litre to over ₦930 per litre in just one week, with projections indicating that prices could hit N1,000 per litre if the deal is not revived.

In addition to the concerns over the naira-for-crude deal, industry sources revealed that the Dangote refinery, which produces 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is expected to shut down its petrol-producing unit for maintenance in June.

The maintenance, scheduled to last for 30 days, is expected to further strain Nigeria’s petrol supply.

An insider at the Ministry of Finance who spoke with Punch and familiar with the ongoing negotiations revealed that no significant progress has been made regarding the extension of the naira-for-crude deal.

“Nothing new has happened. Probably after the holidays, the committee will sit and meet,” the source stated, expressing frustration over the lack of resolution.

When the deal was first implemented on October 1, 2024, it aimed to improve supply, reduce Nigeria’s reliance on costly petroleum product imports, and decrease pump prices. However, the deal’s suspension has led to disruptions, including a sharp increase in petrol prices.

On March 19, 2025, the Dangote refinery announced a temporary halt to the sale of petroleum products in naira, citing a mismatch between the naira-denominated sales proceeds and its crude oil purchase obligations, which are denominated in US dollars.

“We must temporarily adjust our sales currency to align with our crude procurement currency,” the refinery said in a statement.

Following this announcement, petrol prices at private depots in Lagos jumped to about ₦900 per litre, from under ₦850 previously. Retail stations across the country quickly followed suit, with prices reaching ₦930 in Lagos, ₦950 in Abuja, and ₦960 in the northern parts of the country.

The situation has sparked widespread concern among industry stakeholders, who are calling for urgent resolution of the deadlock.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chinedu Ukadike, in a chat with Punch expressed frustration over the issue, stating, “We’ve called for a stakeholders meeting. We are going to meet to discuss it and come out with a way forward.”

The meeting, initially scheduled for this week, has been postponed to May 1, 2025, due to the Sallah and Easter breaks.

Ukadike noted that the price fluctuations over the last six months have led to losses exceeding ₦200 billion for marketers, with many bulk buyers being discouraged by the risks involved in purchasing and selling at a loss.

Dealers have also placed blame on the Federal Government for the ongoing increase in petrol prices. According to them, the government’s failure to extend the naira-for-crude deal has led to the current crisis, with many marketers struggling to manage the volatile pricing environment.

The Special Assistant to the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, Jerry Omotsegunwa, has stated that neither Governor Fubara nor the public has been informed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, about the specific reasons behind their ongoing political hostilities.

The political feud between Wike and Fubara, which has escalated since late 2023, led to a state of emergency being declared in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu on March 18, 2025.

This decision resulted in the suspension of Governor Fubara and members of the state’s House of Assembly.

In a recent interview, former Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi suggested that the rift between Wike and Fubara was centered around money-sharing issues.

However, Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, criticized the imposition of emergency rule by President Tinubu, calling it unconstitutional.

Responding to Amaechi’s claims, Omotsegunwa told Punch on Sunday that Wike had yet to clarify the reason for his anger towards Governor Fubara.

Omotsegunwa described Amaechi’s statement as his personal opinion while reiterating that the cause of the rift remains unresolved after almost two years.

He explained, “As it stands right now, I will not dispute Amaechi’s position even though he has the right to his own opinion. This crisis has dragged on for almost two years now, and nobody has told us what the actual problem is.”

He further emphasized, “The FCT minister has not told us anything that led to the crisis, and the governor too has not provided any clarity.” Omotsegunwa also recalled a recent conversation where Wike suggested Fubara had tried to destroy his political structure, but still, no clear explanation has emerged.

Omotsegunwa concluded by acknowledging that Amaechi was entitled to his opinion but emphasized that without Wike providing a detailed explanation, the true cause of the political conflict remains unclear.

“So, as much as I don’t want to say he has lied, I also say he has the right to his own opinion, and that is his personal opinion,” he said.

The World Bank is set to approve a total of $632 million in fresh loans to Nigeria on Monday, aimed at supporting crucial sectors such as nutrition improvement and quality education, despite mounting concerns over the country’s rising debt profile.

According to Punch, the loans consist of $80 million for the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria 2.0 project and $552 million for the HOPE for Quality Basic Education for All programme.

Both projects are currently in the final stages of negotiation and are expected to receive approval later today. These loans are part of a broader strategy by the World Bank to assist Nigeria in achieving its development goals, focusing on healthcare, education, and community resilience.

The funds will enhance the Nigerian government’s efforts to improve nutrition outcomes and increase access to quality education for Nigerian children.

The approval of these loans follows the $500 million loan granted to Nigeria last Friday to support the Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Programme.

This initiative, launched on March 28, 2025, aims to address Nigeria’s economic challenges by providing grants for vulnerable households and supporting small businesses affected by economic downturns.

The Community Action Programme is focused on improving food security and providing economic opportunities for communities most impacted by recent economic fluctuations.

This is part of the World Bank’s broader support for Nigeria’s development amid ongoing challenges like inflation and high living costs.

While the latest loans provide a boost to Nigeria’s economic recovery efforts, the World Bank’s disbursement of earlier loans has raised concerns.

The $800 million approved for the National Social Safety-Net Program Scale Up, which aimed to support vulnerable Nigerians, has experienced delays.

According to Punch, only $315 million has been disbursed out of the total loan amount, with the remaining funds stalled due to issues such as fraud detection under the program.

In addition, former humanitarian minister Betta Edu was suspended following an alleged misappropriation of ₦585 million for palliative distribution, and her predecessor, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, is under investigation by the EFCC for alleged financial misconduct.

These issues have raised questions about the efficiency and transparency of government-managed programs.

As the World Bank continues to offer financial support, Nigeria’s debt burden continues to grow. In 2023, the World Bank approved loans worth $2.7 billion for projects in renewable energy, education, and women’s empowerment.

The figure surged to $4.32 billion in 2024, reflecting Nigeria’s increasing dependence on concessional financing to stabilize its economy and address pressing challenges.

By 2025, Nigeria is set to secure six new loans from the World Bank, totaling $2.23 billion. These loans, aimed at sectors like healthcare, nutrition, digital infrastructure, and education, will bring Nigeria’s total World Bank loans to $9.25 billion over three years.

While these loans provide necessary fiscal relief, they contribute to concerns about the country’s growing debt, with Nigeria spending $5.47 billion on external debt servicing in the past 14 months alone.

The leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the South West has clarified that it is unaware that the Former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, joined the party in the bid to get the presidential ticket for the 2027 general election.

Naija News reports that the zonal leader of the party, Mulikat Adeola Akande, clarified on Saturday during the ifta organised for all party members in the 11 local government councils within Ibadan city.

Adeola said that nobody should be discouraged from joining the party because politics is a game of numbers, and defectors must be ready to play by the rules of the party.

She assured members of the party that tested and trusted candidates would be presented for elective positions in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Hon. Adeola, who represented Ogbomoso North/South and Oriire Federal Constituency between 2007 and 2015 on the platform of the PDP, explained that she called it quits with the party when she was betrayed.

She said, “Politics is a game of number and anybody who wants to come into SDP is welcome as long as they are ready to play by the rules of the party and not with the mind of taking the party from those who are there before.

“As the leader of the SDP in the South West, I’m not aware that the intention of the former Governor to join the party is to get the party’s presidential ticket.

“I ran for Senate and we worked for the present governor of the State, Governor Seyi Makinde. While we were working for him, he was working against me, it was something I have never seen before, it was a total betrayal.”

Flanked by Michael Ogunlade Oyo State Chairman of the party and Akintola Ezekiel, Director of National Mobilisation and Strategy of the Presidential Candidate of the Action Alliance in the 2023 general elections, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd) encouraged members of the party to get registered in their various wards and collect their voter’s cards.

She said, “You don’t just sit down and say you want to win election and then go and bring out anybody. We must have the right candidates, somebody tested and trusted,who has integrity that when people hears his name they can rely on him. Someone who is dependable and reliable; who will work for the people and not for himself. Those are the qualities we are looking for.”