The Labour Party has reacted to the verbal attack on Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate by Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State.

Soludo drew the hornet’s nest when he declared that Obi knew he would not win the election but was merely playing drama.

Several angry reactions have since trailed the outburst.

In a statement, signed by Chief Innocent Sunday Okeke (Duru Agumba), National Vice Chairman, South East, Labour Party, he said Soludo had allowed hatred and selfishness becloud his sense of reasoning.

Okeke said, the Anambra Governor, who was hitherto highly respected had now diminished himself owing to the tirade against Obi.

Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is highly respected and adored by Ndi Igbo as one of the shining lights and great academia from the highly rich culture of the Igbo great kingdom.

He achieved just like many Igbo great men of today coming from the background of nothing to becoming a human dynamo.

He was neither born with a silver spoon nor did he descend from blue blood, but he broke the jinx of poverty. From his rustic village of Isuofia in Aguata LGA of Anambra state, he rose and flew across the world to live his dreams.

With these, Ndi Igbo and the whole of Nigeria see him as one of the great Igbo leaders with dignity and respect.

But just like the story of the crumbling packs, Professor Soludo has started somersaulting from his pinnacle of dignity and respect, falling short of the expectations of the people who looked up to him to be a shining example of the new Igbo leader.

He stated, Soludo, an astute professor of high repute, allowed his narrow-minded nature to betray him.

Okeke added that “hate is a wicked state of mind that when possessed can becloud one’s normal sense of reasoning. And this is exactly what played out in Prof. Soludo’s unreasonable outburst on Peter Obi’s Anambra government investment in 2014.

Soludo through his hate for Peter Obi was quick to forget that the investment and the fiscal savings came together. The incontrovertible fact remains that Obi saved for the future of his state (Anambra) N75b naira, $50m in each of the three existing commercial banks of today, and 3.5b in the International Brewery.

He handed over this investment to a new manager (governor), who has never denied knowledge of the investments. Whether the manager (governor) took good care of the investment is another day’s discussion. And the former handed over to Soludo, now Soludo casting aspersions on Mr. Obi after 9 years he left office with verifiable savings and investment is uncalled for and condemnable by the entire Igbo race and Nigeria at large.

The international brewery as we know it today employing 10,000 Anambrarians is not a bad investment and the depreciation of stocks is a Nigerian issue that have affected every company’s stock

Soludo should have employed the wisdom of silence even if he so much hated Mr. Obi, but for the sake of the Nigerian project stand with the mass of the people.

He advised the Governor to watch it going forward and avoid creating serious embarrassment for himself and governance, considering that he also needs the support of the people to achieve.

Nigerian TV host, Frank Edoho has said he is baffled by the activities of some Igbo politicians towards the former Anambra Governor and currently the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi.

Frank, who hosted the Nigerian TV show, ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire’, stated this in a tweet on his official handle while reacting to the recent outburst by the Anambra Governor, Charles Soludo against Obi.

Recall that Soludo had in an article on Monday, rubbished the presidential ambition of Obi, saying he lacks the capacity to win the election.

Soludo’s article, which apparently set the internet on fire on Monday, is still generating backlash from Obi’s supporters and other stakeholders of Igbo extraction.

Reacting, Edoho wondered why the Igbo political bigwigs would attack their own presidential candidate, amid the rare opportunity for Igbo presidency.

He wrote, Igbo politicians will never stop baffling me. You have the rare opportunity of one of your kin being President but instead of supporting and clamoring for him like Yoruba and Hausa people do with their candidates, you look for ways to disrupt and thwart him! Tufia Kwa!

As Osun State looks forward to a transition of power from the All Progressives Congress-led government of Adegboyega Oyetola to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, residents have expressed mixed feelings.

On Sunday, November 27, 2022, Governor Oyetola will be handing over power to the governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke.

Some residents, expressed anxiety on the fate of the disputed last-minute projects embarked upon by the Adegboyega Oyetola administration.

They also expressed concern regarding the government civil service appointments, recruitments and appointments of traditional rulers.

Adeleke Olagundoye, a clergyman, while baring his mind, urged the incoming administration of Ademola Adeleke to continue where his predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola will stop.

He noted that government being a continuum, it behoves on the incoming administration to make life meaningful for the people of the State even if he disagreed with the projects coming in the twilight of the APC administration.

The projects are for Osun people and not for any other people. I want to believe the projects were started to make life easy for the people. For that reason, the incoming government has no right to stop them and it also has a responsibility to pay the contractors their money.

However, they have the right to probe such a contract but they don’t have the right to withhold contract funds.

Speaking on the appointments and recruitments by the State government, Balikis Iyanda, an Osun-based entrepreneur urged the incoming administration not to make much noise about it.

She charged the incoming administration to retain the newly recruited staff.

If you take a critical look at the whole thing, you will want to ask this question? Does the Osun workforce need more hands? The answer is yes! Were those appointments necessary? Yes! So, I urge the incoming government to take it easy with the noise and threats.

What I’d advise them to do is to take stock and critically appraise those appointments and at the end of the day, if they are in order, they should let go and allow them to stand.

All the noise about laying newly recruited staff off is getting too much. The incoming government should watch it so as not to start off on a wrong footing.

Regarding the appointments of traditional rulers, Isaac Okais urged the incoming administration to allow the courts to decide the matters pending before them and in the appointments, where the residents are in disagreements, the government can interfere and bring peace.

The incoming administration should just let matters lie. No need to talk too much. They should allow the courts to decide pending cases but where there are disagreements, peace and conflict resolution mechanisms should be put in place to bring about peace and stability.

Popular Nigerian singer and record producer Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, professionally known as Burna Boy, has been awarded the ‘Best African Act’ category at the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs).

Burna Boy was nominated in the category alongside Ayra Starr, Black Sheriff, Tems, Zuchu and Musa Keyz.

Announced during the pre-award ceremony, the recognition saw Burna edge other nominees, including Ayra Starr (Nigeria), Black Sherif (Ghana), Musa Keys (South Africa) and Zuchu (Tanzania) following a widely successful 2022.

Taylor Swift earned four awards at the event, which was held at the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany. Taylor Swift took top awards, including “Best Artist,” “Best Video,” “Best Pop” and “Best Longform Video” for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version).

Nicki Minaj was awarded “Best Song” for “Super Freaky Girl” and “Best Hip Hop,” while Harry Styles won ‘Best Live.

Nigeria’s Maverick entertainer and social engineer, Charlyboy, also known as the AreaFada, has predicted the impossibility of conducting general elections in 2023 due to the current state of the nation.

Worried about hunger, poverty, the dollar rise, attacks on the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and a host of other challenges ravaging the entire country, Charlyboy declared that the 2023 election is currently under threat.

The staunch supporter of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, also expressed pessimism that the political bigwigs that have held the country hostage for years are not willing to relinquish power to Nigerians in the forthcoming elections.

He said, There may be no election next year going by what I see. I don’t think that these people who have their stronghold on the nation’s political space are willing to relinquish power to the people.

I repeat, there may not be an election next year. I have been saying this since last year. The way things are going, I doubt it. Nigeria is on a free fall. I have been saying it for years.

Speaking on the dollar rise and the state of the economy, CB said: “I was telling my family that a dollar will get to N1500. Look at what is happening now; it’s almost getting to N1000. There you are. The redesigning of the Naira is not a solution. How can it be a solution when you are producing nothing and you are not exporting? So you just keep printing money to pay salaries and you think that’s a solution.

Do you know what will happen at the end of the day? Because anybody who has money now, will not have tomorrow. If you have 5 million Naira today, some people will think it’s a lot of money, but do you know that every day, that 5 million Naira that you have in the bank keeps depreciating.

If you give it another 4 months, that money will be worth 800k. So where do we go from there? So it looks like there may be no election next year. Everything points to that fact.

The Niger State Police Command has arrested one Shehu Baidu, suspected of being a member of a kidnapping syndicate terrorizing Gurara, Lapai Local government areas and its environs.

The state command, through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement, said the suspect was picked following intelligence.

Shehu Baidu, an 18-year-old from Kango, Lapai LG, the police disclosed, confessed that between May 2021 and August 2022, he conspired with his gang members and invaded Gurara Dam Site and Maijaki village, where they kidnapped 10 persons.

The police spokesman revealed that the suspect and his other seven gang members collected a ransom of N2.6 million before setting the captives free.

The gang members, including Mamman Mallam, Sidi, Buba, Shehu, Abubakar, Kura-Kura and Chede, all males of no fixed address, operated with three AK-47 rifles during the attacks on the communities.

According to him, “he further confessed that in August, 2022, he contacted one Shehu of Saminaka village via Lapai to purchase five soft drinks, five packets of cigarette and two loaves of bread for him to take same to his gang members in their hideout.

Similarly, Abiodun further disclosed that the command arrested a suspected drug dealer, Chinedu Makata, aged 34 years of Enugu State, who resides in Bangi, Mariga LG.

He stated, during the raid, 47 wraps of suspected Indian hemp and some other suspected hard drugs were recovered from the shop.

In the process of effecting the arrest of the said shop owner, he pulled out a locally made gun and threatened to shoot the police operatives. However, he was later disarmed and arrested by the police team.

Suspects have been arraigned in court for prosecution.

Popular Nigerian musician Paul Okoye, a.k.a Rudeboy, has publicly celebrated his estranged wife, Anita Okoye, on her 34th birthday despite their pending divorce.

Paul shared Anita’s birthday shoot on his Instagram story with a special shout-out to celebrate her.

He wrote, Happy birthday Anita Okoye.

Paul had shunned his wife’s 33rd birthday last year in the heat of their divorce saga.

Anita had, in August 2021, requested the dissolution of her marriage with Paul. Details surrounding the crash of the marriage came from the leak of the official petition for the divorce, which cited irreconcilable differences as the basis of the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.

But reacting to her husband’s birthday message, Anita on her Instagram story expressed gratitude to the singer.

Reposting Paul Okoye’s birthday massage, Anita wrote, Thank you.

The couple married in 2014 after dating for ten years, and they share three beautiful children. The news of their pending divorce is a massive shock to families and their close friends.

Famous Nigerian singer and songwriter Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, better known as Wizkid, has disclosed plans to change his song’s lyrics.

While revealing this in his recent interview with Guardian UK, Wizkid said, Now I am more careful with what I put in my songs because my kids listen to my songs.

Following his new album, More Love Less Ego, the multiple-award winner said, Alongside managing my ego, one other aim for this new chapter is to live forever. I recently went to see Bob Marley’s musical, ‘Get Up, Stand Up!’ I was like, ‘Yo, we’re watching a Bob Marley play, and this guy died decades ago.

The 32-year-old said, Bob Marley did so much at a young age I didn’t even know that he died at 36. It just reaffirms what I do, and I have to keep taking this to the highest heights. Because I know one day, they are definitely going to create a play about me.

He added that the standard now is to produce songs that would live in the memories of his fans even after death.

Five Nigerians have been arrested for the possession of drugs in Pretoria, South Africa.

The suspects were arrested, in Garsfontein by the Tshwane Metro Police Drug (TMPD) Unit members.

The unit, in a statement, announced that the illicit substances have an estimated street value of nearly half one million Rand.

TMPD operatives responded to a tip-off about a white Suzuki vehicle that was delivering drugs at Atterbury road.

A team of officers then discreetly traced the transporter to his residence at a complex.

In the apartment, the police found four suspects packaging heroin (nyaope) and crystal meth.

The statement noted.They were all arrested for dealing and possession of drugs. Well done team.