The former military leader, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) has disclosed that the late Chief Moshood Abiola was the rightful winner of the presidential election held on June 12, 1993.

Naija News reports that IBB made this revelation in his autobiography, titled “A Journey in Service,” which was launched in Abuja on Thursday, February 20, 2025.

During the book review conducted by former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, Babangida stated that MKO Abiola, who ran for the presidency under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), garnered both the highest number of votes and the necessary geographical distribution to assume the presidency.

He characterized the annulment of the June 12 election as the most difficult period of his life.

“There was no doubt in my mind; MKO Abiola won the election. He satisfied all the requirements,” he said.

IBB expressed his satisfaction that President Muhammadu Buhari recognized Abiola as the rightful winner of the election and bestowed upon him the esteemed national title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), a title typically reserved for presidents.

Meanwhile, former president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has described former military leader, Ibrahim Babangida as one of the charismatic leaders in the country.

Jonathan shared his admiration in Abuja on Thursday during the launch of a book by Babangida titled, ‘A Journey in Service”.

He hailed Babangida over the launch of his memoir and insisted that Nigeria’s history is incomplete without the former military leader’s story.

He said, “So, Ibrahim Bagandiga as we all know, is one of the most charismatic leaders in this country. He is somebody that, up to date, people go as if they are going on a pilgrimage to consult him. We thank God for giving him that grace and the wisdom to continue to mentor people.

“In terms of leadership, Nigerians know you have contributed significantly in terms of the infrastructure development of this country and social mobilisation. We cannot write the history of Nigeria without dedicating a reasonable part to your service as the president of Nigeria, You’ve done well!”

According to him, with the launch of the book, the former head president has contributed immensely to the documentation of the country’s rich history.

A romantic video of Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, and his lover, politician Natasha Osawaru, has sparked reactions online.

The couple was seen dancing intimately in the clip, displaying affection and enjoying each other’s company.

In the viral footage shared on social media, Natasha playfully danced on 2Baba, winding her waist as he responded joyfully.

At one point, the singer rested his face on her stomach while attempting to lift her up. The person recording the moment could be heard hyping the duo as they embraced warmly.

Fans quickly took to the comment section to analyze their body language, with some suggesting that they appeared intoxicated. Others, however, simply appreciated their bond and wished them well.

This development comes after 2Baba openly declared his love for Natasha following the end of his marriage.

Interestingly, a spiritual adviser, Bright Ndibunwa, had previously warned that the relationship might not be destined to last.

Despite this, the couple continues to publicly celebrate their romance, seemingly unbothered by others opinions.

The video has since gained traction, sparking debates and mixed reactions from social media users.

Nigerian music star Burna Boy has officially announced the release of his first single of 2025, titled Update.

The Afrobeats sensation dropped the track ahead of his forthcoming album, No Sign of Weakness, setting the stage for what fans anticipate will be another chart-topping era.

Speculation surrounding Burna Boy’s new release had been building after the singer made a dramatic social media move.

He deleted all his posts on his Instagram account and replaced his profile picture with a cryptic ‘loading’ icon against a black background, fueling discussions across social media platforms.

Fans were quick to predict that new music was on the horizon, and their guesses proved right.

The track Update reportedly features a sample from Soul II Soul’s iconic song However Do You Want Me.

The artist first teased the single on Instagram on February 18, sharing a snippet that showcased a visually striking, tug-of-war-inspired concept.

In the teaser, Burna Boy single-handedly holds his ground against three men pulling on the other end of a rope.

“Burna Boy’s first single of 2025, Update, out now,” the post read.

Professor Okoye, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), has broken his silence after a female student, Precious Mbakwe, was expelled for physically assaulting him.

The incident, which was captured in a viral video, showed Mbakwe assaulting Professor Okoye for interrupting her dance video.

The university management subsequently set up a disciplinary committee, resulting in Mbakwe’s expulsion.

In a recent podcast, Professor Okoye shared his thoughts on the controversy.

He described the attention surrounding him as just another social media buzz. However, he also acknowledged that he is still trying to process the events leading up to the assault.

“As much as I really want to get into this gist, I’m quite careful to get into it because I’m yet to fully process everything that happened “, He stated.

Omowunmi Aloba, wife of the late Nigerian rapper Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad, has finally exposed chilling details about the day her husband tragically lost his life.

In a chat with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Wunmi laid bare the unsettling chain of events that unfolded. She revealed that after Mohbad sustained an injury, a nurse was called in to treat him, but the injection she administered triggered a fatal reaction.

She disclosed that on the night Mohbad died, his father, Joseph Aloba, arrived at their home, and the nurse recounted everything that had transpired.

As the situation spiraled out of control and Mohbad’s condition worsened, she recalled his manager pushing for the nurse’s immediate arrest. Shockingly, Wunmi claimed, her father-in-law intervened,insisted the nurse be allowed to go free.

The next day, in a horrifying twist, Wunmi said she was blindsided when she discovered online that Mohbad was already being buried, without her knowledge. Rushing to the burial site in shock, the mother of one said was met with yet another nightmare.

She alleged that an attempt was made to snatch her son, Liam, from her, an action that forced her to wrap her little boy in a plastic bag just to escape with him.

Consumed with grief and anger, Wunmi expressed outrage over the inconclusive autopsy results, which she blamed on her father-in-law’s hasty burial of Mohbad.

She claimed that by the time an autopsy was performed, the body had decomposed to a point where crucial evidence, especially from injuries Wunmi believed he sustained in a fight with his friend Primeboy, was lost, made it impossible to determine the true cause of death.

Rejecting the inconclusive findings, Wunmi declared she would continue to seek justice because her son, Liam, would one day demand the truth about what really happened to his father.

Sunmary of her words in quote;

“I know that there was a nurse involved in my husband’s demise and that he reacted to an injection. On the night that he died, my father-in-law came to our house and the nurse narrated what happened to him. My husband’s manager wanted to get the nurse arrested that night but my father-in-law said they should let her go.

“The following day, it was online that I knew they wanted to bury Moh. I was not informed. When I got there, they wanted to kidnap Liam from me, we had to wrap him in a plastic bag.

“It is so sad to hear that his autopsy was inconclusive just because my father-in-law rushed to bury him because I know he had an injury from the fight he had with Prime boy. I can’t accept the inconclusive result because Liam will grow up to ask me questions”

WATCH HER LAMENT IN CLIP BELOW

Popular Nollywood actress Mosun Filani, also known as Ayaba Oduoye and her husband, Simeon Oduoye, have taken to social media to celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary in grand style.

Sharing the joyous moment on Instagram, Mosun posted stunning photos of herself and her husband dressed in elegant traditional attire.

She expressed gratitude for their journey together while wishing for more love, grace, endurance, and happiness in their marriage.

“Happy 13th wedding anniversary to us. More wine, more grace, more endurance, more happiness, and more love. Happy 13th wedding anniversary to US,” she wrote.

Her colleagues in the entertainment industry, alongside fans, flooded the comment section with congratulatory messages, celebrating the couple’s enduring love and commitment.

Nigerian singer and songwriter Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has once again brought global recognition to Nigeria with her stunning appearance at the O2 Arena in London.

The Grammy-winning artist performed at Aston Martin’s unveiling event for its 2025 Formula 1 car, which was part of the F1 75 Live celebration.

Tems captivated the audience with a live rendition of Higher, a hit track from her 2020 debut EP, For Broken Ears.

Her powerful vocals and commanding stage presence left the crowd in awe, adding an unforgettable musical moment to the prestigious event.

Several prominent figures attended the unveiling, making it a star-studded affair. Her manager, Muyiwa Awoniyi, shared a clip from the night and expressed his excitement.

He wrote;

 “This one is special @temsbaby unveiling the new @AstonMartinF1 2025 car at the @F1 75 live show at the O2 Arena in London.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria has commenced profiling the chairmen and signatories to the bank accounts of the 774 local government areas in the country, as part of processes to commence local government autonomy.

The Director of Legal Services at the CBN, Kofo Salam-Alada, explained that this was necessary to ensure financial accountability.

However, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria said it had received no communication from the apex bank concerning the opening of bank accounts.

Salam-Alada spoke at a state-of-the-nation discourse on strengthening local government autonomy in Nigeria, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark judgment affirming the financial autonomy of the 774 local government areas in the country and prohibiting governors from further control of funds meant for the councils.

The apex court also directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to pay local government allocations directly to their accounts, declaring the non-remittance of funds by the 36 states unconstitutional.

But eight months after the judgment, the financial autonomy has yet to take effect.

Providing an insight into the delayed fund disbursement, the CBN legal director disclosed that the apex bank had no direct banking relationship with the LGAs.

Salam-Alada stated, “This is all about standard procedure in the form of KYC (Know Your Customer). Anyone who will be a signatory to the account must be profiled. The process is ongoing, and we are collaborating with the AGF’s office. We have also written to the LGAs.”

He urged the Association of Local Government of Nigeria to encourage its members to engage with the CBN at the local level, assuring that once proper documentation is completed, the accounts will be operational within 48 hours.

“We are using this opportunity to call on the 774 local government chairmen to come forward for their documentation. No account can be operationalised without the prerequisite Customer Due Diligence,” he added.

But ALGON’s representative at the event, Sam Akala, disputed the CBN’s claim, stating that he was unaware of any official communication from the apex bank regarding the account-opening process.

“I cannot confirm that such communication has been received officially,” he said, affirming ALGON’s readiness to embrace its new role in grassroots development.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by the Director of Civil Litigation at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Tijjani Gazali, said the LG autonomy would be implemented once the CBN process was concluded.

He explained that the LG autonomy implementation committee, which includes representatives from the Federal Government, ALGON and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, had been working on a framework for the full implementation of the ruling, particularly regarding the direct payment of allocations from the Federation Account to LGAs.

“The committee is expected to complete its mandate any time from now and present its recommendations to Nigerians,” the AGF stated, adding that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained committed to granting LGAs full autonomy.

He said, “Local government structures had almost become extinct in Nigeria, necessitating the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. As a staunch advocate of democracy and the rule of law, the president took decisive action by filing a suit at the Supreme Court in May 2024. On behalf of the Federation, I brought the Attorneys-General of the 36 states before the Supreme Court to secure declarations ensuring the full emancipation of local governments in Nigeria.”

He condemned the continued illegal removal of democratically elected local government councils by some state governors, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling against such actions.

He described this as “worrisome,” criticising the “unconstitutional connivance by state governors and their State Houses of Assembly to dismantle democratically elected local government structures without recourse to the rule of law and replace them with their stooges.’’

“Let me state unequivocally that this act is tantamount to treason and must be treated as such. While it is true that section 308 of the Constitution grants governors immunity from prosecution, I wish to be clear that this flagrant disobedience to the Supreme Court judgment will have unpleasant consequences for the state as a whole, should it persist,” he warned.

Fagbemi highlighted the historical significance of local governments in Nigeria, stating, “Since pre-colonial times, the government has always been close to the people through well-documented traditional institutions that governed various ethnic groups. Today, local governments hold immense potential to drive sustainable development, foster inclusivity, and improve grassroots governance.”

In his welcome remarks, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, emphasised the need for full local government autonomy, warning that failing to strengthen governance at the grassroots level could lead to greater national challenges.

Osigwe warned, “There must be democracy at the local government level. All other tiers of government must allow the LGs to breathe. If we fail to get it right at the LG level, we may be setting the stage for a greater calamity.”

Reacting to the CBN’s statement, the President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Hakeem Ambali, said, “The failure to enforce this judgment is a huge disregard for the rule of law. It is highly disappointing that saboteurs have continued to fight against the implementation of a landmark Supreme Court judgement which allows for financial autonomy for local governments. On whether the CBN has now reached out to LGs for the opening of accounts, I can’t confirm that as of now but it is highly disappointing.”

EFCC urges accountability

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has admonished local government chairmen to be prudent and accountable, saying that they do not have immunity from investigation and prosecution for fraud.

Olukoyede stated that his commission would not wait till the end of the tenure of any local government chairmen before probing them.

A statement on Wednesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale said Olukoyede disclosed this while speaking at the Gombe State Local Government Summit.

The statement said Olukoyede told the local council chairs to be prudent in the management of the huge resources at their disposal stressing that “Local government chairmen do not have immunity and we are not going to wait until you finish your tenure to come after you.”

It said the EFCC’s boss decried the stagnation, poverty and deprivation rampant in rural areas in the country despite the enormous resources that had been deployed to those places over the years.

“The impact of these resources is not felt by the people living in these areas. Councils, instead of becoming catalysts of growth, have become caricatures existing only in name”, he was quoted as saying.

To ensure prudent management of resources and accountable stewardship, he recommended to the chairmen the need to establish a compliance unit to assist them in monitoring the use of resources and the delivery of projects.

He informed them that the commission has established a Fraud Risk Assessment and Control Department, adding that officers of the department will be visiting local government councils in Gombe State to monitor the use of the expected enhanced receipts from the federation account.

Olukoyede further disclosed that the commission would be visiting local governments periodically to monitor their funds.

“EFCC will be paying you visits occasionally to monitor how you are using the funds. We will come in the evening. Sometimes you may even be seeing us in your dreams, “ he said.

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices & Other Related Offences Commission, Musa Aliyu expressed dismay that only seven out of the 774 LGAS have websites, which makes it difficult to monitor their expenditures.

In his opening remarks, Governor Yahaya Inuwa said the summit was designed to improve the capacity of the council administration in the state to meet the expectations of the people.

“For the autonomy to be beneficial and useful, the councils must have capacity and discipline to utilize their resources for the good of the people,’’ he stated, noting that the state was not caught unaware by the Supreme Court ruling as it had already granted financial autonomy to its 11 councils.

Despite having a combined refining capacity of 985,000 barrels per day, the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, has disclosed that the country’s three operational refineries contribute less than 50 per cent of the nation’s daily petrol consumption.

It said the significant shortfall was being filled through the importation of refined petroleum products. This was as it disclosed that Nigerians currently consume 50 million litres of petrol daily.

The NMDPRA Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, said this at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

He noted that the authority, operating under the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, has been granting import licences, emphasising that without these imports, there would have been a fuel shortage.

The PUNCH recalls that in 2024, two state-owned refineries, the 210,000 barrels per day capacity Port Harcourt refinery, and the 125,000bpd Warri refinery, began operations after decades of being moribund.

Earlier in the year, the 650,000bpd Dangote refinery also commenced operations to the delight of Nigerians.

Although officials of these refineries have claimed that the facilities were working at advanced levels of production supplying products to Nigerians, Ahmed, represented by the Executive Director, Distribution System, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, indicated the country was still heavily dependent on petrol imports with over 50 per cent coming in from foreign countries.

He said this is despite the national consumption of the product reducing from an average of 66 million litres per day to 50m/d following the removal of the petrol subsidy.

The executive director, however, specifically noted that none of the owners of these refineries have imported petroleum products this year.

Ukoha said, “Let me speak a little bit about supply.”

All of us experienced a Yuletide free of petrol scarcity. And let me just reconfirm that from year to year, we saw an increase in the demand for PMS from 2021, 2022, up to 2023, just before the current administration came in. The daily PMS supply sufficiency was always in excess of 60 million per day.

“Averaging about 66 million a day for PMS. And following Mr President’s withdrawal of subsidy, the announcement of May 29, 2023, we immediately saw a steep decline in consumption. And between then and as we speak, we have continued to do plus or minus 50 million litres a day. Of these 50 million litres averaging for each day, less than 50 per cent of that is contributed by domestic refineries. And so the shortfall by the PIA is sourced by way of imports.”

Ukoha specifically noted that none of the domestic refineries have imported petroleum products this year.

The confirmation came from the news reports that the state-owned oil firm imported PMS burns faster than that of Dangote Refinery.

“Let me also say that none of the oil marketing companies, the companies that own refineries in the country for this year have imported any PMS. The other OMCs are the ones that are importing the shortfall. And if we do nothing to bridge that shortfall, we will have scarcity in our hands.

“And that’s something that the regulator is mindful of, to ensure that there is sufficient supply of petroleum products across the country. So just for clarity, what I am saying is that the contribution of local refineries towards sufficiency is less than 50 per cent. That is between January and February 2025, is less than 50 per cent of what we require daily. And that shortfall is sourced by way of imports.

“Even though none of the OMCs that own the local refineries have imported PMS this year, we are also minded that if we find ourselves in the situation that the PIA described where you have to resort to the supplier of last resort, we will go to them and require them to bridge the gap. Never mind the fact that every OMC has a right to apply to the authority.”

The NMDPRA said all the petroleum products imported to the country this year are of standard quality.

He said the NMDPRA always insists that all petroleum products meet the specifications of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria and the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.

According to him, the authority does not permit the distribution of products that fall short of quality standards.

Ukoha said some people have been releasing bogus claims concerning product quality on social media.

“People who dabble within the social media space must be reminded that it is disrespectful if you imagine that Nigerians are gullible,” he stated.

The Ogun State Police Command has said an investigation is ongoing as the controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, aka Portable, on Wednesday, turned himself in to the authorities.

The Lagos State Police Command through its spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed in a statement that the singer surrendered himself at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, in the Yaba area of the state earlier in the morning.

Hundeyin added that the Ogun State Command was contacted for onward transfer of the singer to the state.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, in a statement minutes later confirmed Portable’s arrival at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abeokuta.

Odutola stated that the singer arrived at 1:23 pm in connection with an ongoing investigation.

“His presence at the SCID is in connection with an ongoing investigation. The command assures the public that due process will be followed in handling this matter, and updates will be provided as necessary. We urge members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information. The Ogun State Police Command remains committed to upholding justice and maintaining public order,” the statement added.

While responding to an inquiry by PUNCH Metro on the command’s next action after his appearance, Odutola said an investigation would continue.

She added that the singer’s case would be treated like every other Nigerian that he is.

“Police will investigate. Portable is a Nigerian and should not be made like he is too important,” she said.

Odutola upon further inquiries said she could not tell when the singer would be arraigned in court.

Portable in a video on Tuesday declared that he was “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.

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 at Oke-Osa, Tigbo Ilu Ota, Ogun State.

According to the officials, they initially encountered Portable’s father at the Odogwu Bar, where he informed them that his son was unavailable. Moments later, Portable 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 went into hiding.

Odutola had while declaring him wanted stated that multiple formal invitations were sent to Portable, requesting his presence at the command headquarters but he 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 a 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,” he said.

“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.

The police had arraigned nine of Portable’s associates before a Magistrate Court in Isabo, Abeokuta, for allegedly assaulting officers of the Ota Zonal Planning Office of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The defendants – Nurudeen Warris (21), Adetola Alashe (25), Samuel Adeleke (28), Oluwaseun Ayenuwa (19), Oluwapelumi Adeosun (20), Gospel Kanu (20), Precious Ohiegebo (19), Ifeoluwa Babatunde (27), and Fatimo Muhammed (26) – were charged with felony, assault, unlawful restriction, possession of weapons, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.