An ally to former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has claimed his supporters were not surprised by his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Recall that El-Rufai has officially resigned from the APC and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing irreconcilable differences with the ruling party’s leadership.
In a resignation letter submitted to his ward in Kaduna State on Monday, El-Rufai expressed disappointment with the APC’s trajectory in recent years.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, played a key role in securing electoral victories for the party in 2015, 2019, and 2023. Reflecting on his tenure as Kaduna governor, he highlighted his administration’s focus on human development, education, healthcare, infrastructure, job creation, and investment.
Despite his contributions, he signaled his decision to part ways with the APC due to growing concerns about governance and internal party dynamics.
Announcing his move to the SDP, El-Rufai expressed gratitude to his mentors, colleagues, and supporters, reaffirming his commitment to advancing democratic principle
An ally, who served as a commissioner under El-Rufai’s administration, told Daily Trust on condition of anonymity that supporters of the former governor have been waiting for his resignation from APC.
“Yes, we are all aware that he (El-Rufai) will tender his resignation from APC today, Monday, 10th March 2025, and join SDP. That is all we have been waiting for,” the source said.
Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed the suit filed by the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for March 25, 2025, for hearing.
The suspended lawmaker had prayed the court for an order, restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Privileges from investigating her over alleged misconduct after a face-off with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over a seating arrangement in the Red Chamber.
The court granted the order last week Wednesday, but the Senate on Thursday suspended Senator Natasha for six months after it considered the report of the Committee.
During the proceedings on Monday, counsel to Natasha, Michael Numa (SAN), informed the court that all parties had been served, adding that affidavits of service were before the court.
After going through the affidavits of service before the court, Justice Egwatu confirmed service of all processes on all Defendants.
At this point, Counsel to the third Defendant, the Senate President, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, prayed the court for an adjournment for all processes to be harmonised.
Other Counsels supported the move, stressing that this will facilitate accelerated hearing at the next adjourned date.
In his ruling, Justice Egwatu, therefore, adjourned the matter to March 25, 2025, and ordered that all the relevant processes should be served on parties before the adjourned date.
The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Peter Nwaebonyi, who was present in court, said legal service was very important. He added that it was only when parties were properly served that they would be able to study the matter and respond accordingly.
He pointed out that it was strange for the court to interfere in the affairs of the Senate as the upper chamber only answered the call of the court for being a responsible and law-abiding institution.
British Monarch King Charles III has expressed love for Pidgin English after listening to music by Nigerian five-time Grammy nominee David Adeleke, popularly called Davido, who is on a 17-track playlist recently launched on Apple Music.
Recalls that King Charles launched his Apple music radio show, ‘The King’s Music Room,’ to share the songs that have brought him joy.
Speaking on the song’s inclusion, the King stated that he loves pidgin English, recalling his attempt to make a speech in Nigerian pidgin English when he last visited the West African country.
He was photographed at Buckingham Palace for the music project, with an “On Air” sign on the desk of the royal DJ saying, “The next is by a Nigerian Artist called Davido, and it is called ‘Kante.’
“It also features lyrics in pidgin, which I love in all its forms and which I attempted to make a speech with when I last visited Nigeria.
“I understand now; thanks to Afrobeats, it is becoming more popular.”
Davido is the only Nigerian on the king’s list alongside late South African music legend Mariam Makeba, whose song ‘The Click Song’ also made the playlist.
‘Kante,’ featuring Fave, is one of the hit songs from Davido’s Grammy-nominated album ‘Timeless,’ released in 2023.
The album enjoyed commercial success and set several streaming and charting records.
The Singapore Exchange plans to list bitcoin perpetual futures in the second half of 2025, targeting institutional clients and professional investors, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.
The firm thinks its offering will "significantly expand institutional market access", a spokesperson for firm told Bloomberg. Retail customers would be barred from trading the instruments, the report said.
(Reuters)
Cryptocurrency prices extended their slide on Monday as escalating tariff war tensions and diminishing prospects of further Federal Reserve rate cuts offset a wave of pro-crypto announcements from President Donald Trump last week.
Risk assets like crypto have been under pressure since the US Fed signalled a pause in rate cuts in mid-December. Adding to the uncertainty, Friday’s labor data showed US unemployment stood at 4.1%, up from 4% last month.
Bitcoin fell as much as 3.7% early on Monday and later pared some of its losses to trade at $82,568 as of 11:30 in London.
“A large spike in ‘underemployment’ to 5 year highs has added fuel to recession fears and driven yields lower as rate cuts were pushed forward into early summer,” said Augustine Fan, a partner at crypto derivatives software provider SignalPlus.
Trump’s crypto-friendly stance, including an executive order to create a US Bitcoin reserve and a separate stockpile of other tokens, along with a high-profile summit with industry executives in Washington, has done little to lift market sentiment. While the administration pledged to capitalize the reserve with crypto seized in legal proceedings, the absence of fresh capital commitments disappointed investors.
“The market perceived the summit as underwhelming and top cryptocurrencies dropped after it was revealed that the widely anticipated crypto reserve would only hold existing government holdings,” said Jeff Mei, chief operating officer at crypto exchange BTSE.
The US currently owns about $17 billion worth of Bitcoin and about $400 million worth of several other tokens, largely attributable to asset forfeitures related to civil and criminal cases.
Investors are rationally more bullish on crypto given recent developments like the reduced US Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement, but other factors are more nuanced or even negative, said Ari Paul, co-founder of BlockTower Capital.
“The apparent capricious favoritism in the administration’s selection of assets for the strategic reserve — especially after the launching of Trump and Melania coins — is a strong deterrent to investors,” Paul said in a message. “It’s created the impression that the Trump administration is engaged in lobbying based selection and promotion of ‘insider’ assets, and that the cryptocurrency market today is largely a short-term trading casino,” he added.
Since February investors have withdrawn a net $4.4 billion from the group of US Bitcoin ETFs, which played a key role in the token’s record run last year. The largest cryptoasset is currently down 25% from its record high of $109,241 and the broader crypto market has lost over a trillion US dollar in market capitalization from its peak, according to CoinGecko.
“Bitcoin could very well drop to the $70,000-$80,000 range in the coming weeks. Only when this tariff war ends and the Fed resumes cutting rates will top cryptocurrencies resume trending towards previous all-time highs,” Mei added.
[Bloomberg]
Bitcoin falls below $83,000 as Trump's pro-crypto push fails to impress and recession fears grow
Admin
Bitcoin tumbled as low as $80,000 on Sunday, slightly bouncing back before hitting a new low this year, as fears of a recession loom.
The cryptocurrency is down almost 2% and trading at around $82,860 as of Monday morning, marking a more than 10% decline over the past seven days and 1% in the last 24 hours. Ethereum has been down 1% over the last 24 hours, as are Tether and XRP, while Solana has been down 4%. Cardano has shed 2% over in that time, adding to a 24% decline over the last week.
Crypto stocks are behaving much like the broader market, as President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China spark fears of a recession. Major business groups have warned that Trump’s planned taxes on imports of foreign goods will hurt their industries and consumers.
Goldman Sachs (GS) said on Friday that the likelihood of a recession within the next 12 months has increased to 20% from 15%. If the White House continues with additional tariffs, such as the planned 25% duties on aluminum and steel set to kick in on March 12, the bank said the risk of a recession could increase.
On Sunday, Trump was asked by Fox News (FOXA) host Maria Bartiromo if he was expecting a recession this year. The president didn’t deny that was a potential outcome.
“I hate to predict things like that,” Trump replied. “There is a period of transition, because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing, and there are always periods of, it takes a little time. It takes a little time, but I think it should be great for us.”
Crypto stocks also didn’t react favorably to the president’s plans to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve and a separate stockpile of digital assets. The U.S. owns more than 198,000 Bitcoin, worth about $16.6 billion, according to Arkham, along with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of other cryptocurrencies.
After a wave of support from the Securities and Exchange Commission, which withdrew litigation against major crypto firms and declared that memecoins are generally not securities, some in the industry had expected something more from the president. Others have praised the initiative and said it would benefit Bitcoin in the long-term.
Trump, who has slapped his name on a few crypto projects, on Friday was somewhat optimistic about the industry, telling a group of industry leaders that “we feel like pioneers in a way.”
“From this day on, America will follow the rule that every bitcoin knows very well: Never sell your Bitcoin. That’s a little phrase that they have,” he said at the White House’s crypto summit. “I don’t know if that’s right or not. Who the hell knows, right? Who knows? Who knows, but so far, it’s been right, and well, let’s keep it that way.”
[Quartz]
A Standard Chartered analyst said that while implementing President Donald Trump's most recent executive order, the U.S. government may buy Bitcoin using multiple budget-neutral approaches.
According to a report by decrypt, Geoff Kendrick, who is the global director of digital assets research at the UK bank, the policies would steer clear of "incremental costs on United States taxpayers," forbidden under Trump's creation of a strategic Bitcoin reserve on Thursday.
The U.S. government could buy Bitcoin via "several budget-neutral means," including selling some of its gold reserves or tapping into the Treasury's ERF, which has $39 billion in net assets, as Kendrick wrote in a Friday research note.
Impact of 'gold card' on global finance
First presenting the idea of the "Gold Card" on February 25, 2025, President Donald Trump proposed a new immigration program providing U.S. residence and a road to citizenship for a $5 million investment.
Targeting wealthy people to enhance economic development, this project seeks to replace the current EB-5 visa program.
Experts are now sharing their thoughts about it.
Adding to the discussion, crypto industry experts like David Balikey, the CEO of Bitcoin Magazine, recommend that the U.S. also use Bitcoin for its immigration policy, suggesting that "President Trump should accept Bitcoin paid into the SBR in exchange for the "Gold Card. "
The Gold Card is a measure that would potentially help net-worth billionaires avoid capital restrictions in more and more developing countries.
"Many elites in emerging markets want to live in the U.S. but struggle to move $5M in USD out of their home countries. Bitcoin offers a simpler, safer, and more discreet solution." Bailey wrote in a recent post on social media.
Drawing on a recent Deutsche Bank report, Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck U.S., also chimed in, saying the economic and geopolitical advantages of a Bitcoin reserve asset for the U.S., noting that Bitcoin could help cement American dominance in digital finance.
Launching the U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to reconstruct the financial markets as such steps would reflect U.S. confidence in Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and dollar devaluation.
[The Street]
2027: Aregbesola, Fayemi, Others Set To Join SDP As Peter Obi, Atiku Factions Join Alliance – Source
Admin
Emerging reports have it that former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi are in talks to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The source in the report also has it that former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, former Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as some former Ministers who served during the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari are in talks to join the SDP.
According to a source, the coalition efforts from the opposition will involve Atiku Abubakar’s faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi’s faction of Labour Party (LP), and Nasir Elrufai, who recently defected to the SDP.
The opposition parties are reportedly planning on joining forces under an existing registered party. However, if they are unable to agree on a shared platform within the party they intend to join, they will opt to align with the SDP instead, according to sources quoted by our correspondent.
Recall that former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has said merger talk from opposition politicians has been gaining success.
Speaking on AIT Focus programme, on Monday, Ologbondiyan stated that the opposition politicians would come out with what would give Nigerians hope.
The former PDP spokesman said defeating the current government would be easy with what the opposition political leaders would be bringing out.
[NaijaNews]
The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a warrant of arrest against the chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (Retired), following his refusal to appear before the House.
The Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led House had during its plenary on Monday, issued the arrest warrant after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for Enebeli to appear before the House.
RSIEC had fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh local government election in the state following a Supreme Court verdict that annulled the October 5, 2024 LG polls conducted in the state.
[Leadership]
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has formerly dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
He announced his resignation in a statement on Monday, titled “Onwards to the Future.”
El-Rufai noted that developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation in the party.
The statement reads: “As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and that of the APC will align up to the time I choose to retire from politics.
“Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party.
“On my part, I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the capricious trajectory of the party. Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish.
“Founders rightly feel attached towards institutions they helped create, but one must be pragmatic enough to admit when a divergence appears unbridgeable. I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform but recognize that the party has since strayed and left me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founding fathers and mothers.
“As a loyal party man, I worked to help secure the APC’s election victories in 2015, 2019 and 2023. I was one of the many governors elected on the party’s platform in 2015 and 2019, that stood for certain democratic and progressive principles to advance nation-building. My eight-year tenure in Kaduna State was devoted to implementing progressive policies to advance human development in education and healthcare, as well as expand infrastructure, promote equality of opportunity, create jobs and attract investments. These records count for little in the current APC that has castrated its organs and treated its membership with contempt in the last two years. I find this no longer acceptable.
“Today, the 10th of March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately. Subsequent to this, I had concluded consultations with my mentors, colleagues and loyalists alike about the future, and have decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements and activities.
“Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027 by the Grace of God. I therefore call on all our supporters and other persons concerned about our country’s future to join us in the SDP in the journey towards making Nigeria flourish as a beacon of pride for Africans and the Black Race.”
[DailyTrust]
More...
Manchester United legend, Wayne Rooney has advised Arsenal to try and hijack the Red Devils’ move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
According to Rooney, Matete is big and strong, adding that he can help the current Arsenal team under manager Mikel Arteta.
Mateta has been heavily linked with a move to Man United in the summer.
Man United have already opened talks with the 27-year-old’s representative.
Mateta, who joined Palace from Mainz in 2022, has scored 34 goals in the past two campaigns across all competitions for the Premier League club.
“Jean-Philippe Mateta is a big, strong lad who scores a lot of goals,” Rooney told BBC Sport.
“From watching Arsenal over the past few games in the Premier League, they have put a lot of balls into the box without having anyone to get on the end of them.
“I am sure he would help from that point of view.”
Arsenal are keen to sign a new top striker in the summer transfer window and it’s yet to be seen if they would go for Mateta at the end of the season.
[DailyPost]
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz has been ruled out for several weeks after suffering a ligament injury in his right ankle during Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Werder Bremen.
The 21-year-old, who was introduced at the start of the second half, was forced off in the 59th minute following a foul. An MRI scan conducted after the game confirmed the extent of the injury.
“That was the diagnosis from an MRI scan following the game. The 21-year-old midfielder will be out of action for several weeks,” the club stated on Monday via its site.
Leverkusen sporting managing director Simon Rolfes acknowledged the setback but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to cope in Wirtz’s absence.
“The loss of Florian obviously hits us hard in this phase of the season, but we will compensate for him with a strong squad. We know Florian and also know he will come back as soon as possible. Everybody will support him in that. We are assuming he will be fully fit again for the end of the season run-in,” Rolfes said.
Leverkusen will now have to navigate the coming weeks without one of their key creative players as they continue their push for silverware.
[Punch]
Mark Carney, a former central banker and economist, has had an illustrious career spanning global finance, climate advocacy, and now, politics.
With a reputation for steady leadership in times of crisis, Carney is stepping into Canadian politics with promises of economic stability and progressive policies.
Here are ten key things to know about him
10 Things to Know About Mark Carney
His Signature is on Canadian Money
As the former Governor of the Bank of Canada, Carney’s signature appears on Canadian currency—a testament to his influence in the nation’s financial system.
He Was the First Non-British Governor of the Bank of England
Carney made history by becoming the first non-British person to lead the Bank of England since its founding in 1694.
He Was Called the “George Clooney of Central Banking”
Known for his charisma and intellect, Carney was once likened to the Hollywood actor. He downplayed the comparison, calling it “a very low bar.”
He Has Never Held Public Office Before
Despite his extensive experience in finance and governance, Carney is stepping into elected office for the first time.
He Served as the U.N. Special Envoy for Climate Action
Carney’s commitment to climate change policies was evident in his U.N. role, where he earned a symbolic annual salary of just $1.
He Played Hockey at Harvard
A passionate hockey fan, Carney was a third-string goaltender on Harvard’s varsity team and once played in a game against Colgate.
In 2011, Reader’s Digest Canada editors voted him the “Most Trusted Canadian,” though readers placed him 19th.
He Completed the London Marathon at 50
Proving his endurance, Carney finished the 2015 London Marathon in 3 hours and 31 minutes.
He Is the Godfather of Chrystia Freeland’s Son
His close political ties include being the godfather of former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s son.
He Entered Politics in 2024, Declaring ‘This Is No Time for Politics as Usual’
On January 16, 2024, Carney officially launched his political career, stressing the need for change and a fresh approach to leadership.
The supposed peace meeting convened by the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, could not hold on Monday as scheduled.
This is following the refusal of the lawmakers invited for the meeting to show up.
The governor had, in a letter signed by the secretary to the state government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, invited the speaker of the state house of assembly, Hon. Martins Amaaewhule, and the other 26 lawmakers for a peace meeting in Government House on Monday.
Danagogo, in the letter dated 7th March, said the invitation came after the governor received Certificate True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgement on the political crisis in the state.
At the top of the agenda of the meeting were the presentation of the 2025 budget to the assembly, payment of allowances of the lawmakers, allocation of a sitting venue for the assembly and others.
However, it was gathered that the meeting that was to hold 10am at Government House, Port Harcourt, could not hold because the lawmakers did not show up.
Although, it was earlier gathered that the lawmakers had turned down the invitation from government, noting that it was not properly handled and only posted on social media platforms.
A video sighted on social media showed one of the invitees, who is the member representing Akuku-Toru Constituency II, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Lolo Isaiah Opuende, stating that the lawmakers would not honour the invitation.
He said, “It is time for us to have our day. ‘When dey your dey started, and our principal said, The time for your day will come, and it has come.’
“How can you write a letter and post it on social media and expect us to come? No, we are not kids. The governor should write to the Assembly in a proper way; that is all.”
However, some other sources alleged that the government that sent out the invitation to the lawmakers was not already for the meeting.
The sources questioned why the governor would schedule a meeting for 10am and at the same time have a project commissioning almost at the same time.
[Vanguard]