FEATURES

FEATURES

Gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo, has accused her former manager Ezekiel ThankGod aka Eezeetee of sponsoring false news about her son.

Mercy and her husband, Pastor Blessed Uzochikwa, welcomed their first child, a baby boy, on October 28, 2023. Soon, it was rumoured that the baby was fathered by another gospel musician Nathaniel Bassey.

 

Addressing the rumour, Mercy alleged in a video posted on social media on Tuesday that Mr Ezekiel was behind it.

“One of my major crimes was when I did a song with Pastor Nathaniel Bassey. Because this man hates Pastor Nathaniel Bassey you went as far as sponsoring fake news about an innocent child, my son; and you said my son was not my son and you paid bloggers,” she said, with tears in her eyes.

“Because you hate Pastor Jerry Eze you won’t want me to go for his event. The people you fight I must fight them with you and when I ask you questions ‘Why don’t you like them?’ You will start harassing me.”

She reiterated some of the issues her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, raised in a statement she published on social media on January 25.

Mercy noted that she did not initiate any court action against Ezekiel regarding her music catalogue, adding that he was playing the “victim” despite being a “bully”.

According to the ‘Excess Love’ singer, the toxicity of her relationship with Ezekiel forced her to relocate from Port Harcourt to Lagos.

“You have bloggers, I have God,” Mercy said, assuring that all would be well with her despite the attacks.

[Vanguard]

US President Donald Trump has again hinted at the possibility of running for president for a third time. 

The US Constitution does not permit anyone to be elected president more than twice.

Trump spoke with House Republicans at a gathering on Monday.

“I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100 percent sure,” he said.

 

“I think I’m not allowed to run again.”

“Am I allowed to run again?” he continued, prodding Mike Johnson, house speaker. “Mike, I better not get you involved in that”.

Johnson, a former constitutional lawyer, chuckled at Trump’s comments. Other lawmakers at the event also had a good laugh about it all.

 

Trump previously dismissed insinuations that he would seek a third term. However, after winning the 2024 presidential election, he light-heartedly hinted that he would be open to a third term during a chat with Republican lawmakers.

“I suspect I won’t be running again, unless you do something,” Trump had said.

“Unless you say, ‘he’s so good, we have to just figure it out.’”

Last week, Andy Ogles, a Republican house member, introduced a bill seeking to allow Trump to run for a third term.

 

Ogles said Trump “has proven himself to be the only figure in modern history” capable of “restoring America to greatness”.

[TheCable]

A former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the one-time governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, says he has always been sceptical about the loyalty of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Omipidan added that prior to the 2023 election, he warned President Bola Tinubu about the role of Aregbesola within his political circle.

 

According to the journalist, his position was formed based on what he saw in Ondo and Osun States before, during and after their 2017 and 2018 governorship elections, respectively.

 

He explained that he spoke to Tinubu in 2018 prior to his appointment in 2019 as the CPS to the then Governor Oyetola.

Naija News reports Omipidan shared the details afresh in an extract of his recently unveiled book, ‘Persona Non-Grata’, which he posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

He also shared his experience with Aregbesola in the build-up to the 2014 governorship experience in Osun State.

“Before my appointment as the Chief Press Secretary in 2019, I had always shown more than a passing interest in Osun politics. In 2014, when Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was seeking a re-election, I set up a six-man media team to do an intervention on his behalf six months before the election. I funded the team and deployed my Facebook timeline in support of Aregbesola.

“Once the election was won and lost, members of the team approached me and asked when we would be going to Osun to celebrate. That was the first time I let them
know no one was paying my bills and that I had no link with anyone in government.

“Most of them were shocked at my revelation because for the six months the team worked, in the build up to the election, I made logistics available throughout.

“Prior to joining my principal in 2019, I knew what the issues were. I knew how they struggled to win the 2018 election. In fact, I had predicted in one of my articles before the 2018 election that no clear winner would emerge from the first ballot. I went further to state emphatically that any of the two leading candidates that was interested in winning must negotiate with Senator Iyiola Omisore, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, to carry the day. That was exactly what eventually happened.

 

“For me, the 2018 election was a referendum on Aregbesola. He was faced with what could be regarded as the “battle of his life,” the journalist narrated.

I Have Been Vindicated

Omipidan said Aregbesola’s attitude towards Tinubu’s presidential ambition has vindicated whatever reservations he has about the former Osun Governor.

He also hinted that the political arrogance of Aregbesola, coupled with the failure of Oyetola to heed political warnings, led to his failed bid to be re-elected as the Osun State Governor.

“After the election, I suggested, through my writings on Facebook, to Oyetola to drop the garb of arrogance of Aregbesola and the know-it-all attitude of that administration if he wanted to succeed. I equally admonished Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do an introspection on the role of Aregbesola within the political family.

“I took that position based on what I saw in Ondo and Osun States before, during and after their 2017 and 2018 governorship elections respectively.

“And I want to believe that I am vindicated by Aregbesola’s disposition towards President Tinubu’s presidential ambition four years after my suggestion.

 

“May Allah continue to grant the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi Aljannah Firadus. He did a yeoman’s job in Osun, whereas Aregbesola carried on in that election as if nothing was at stake,” he wrote.

The 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of paying opposition leaders ₦50 million each to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.

He lamented that democracy in the country might collapse soon if urgent action is not taken to combat corruption.

 

Atiku shared his reservation at a national conference on strengthening democracy, organized by various civic organizations in Abuja on Monday.

 

According to Atiku, “I want to say it here publicly. I met with a political party leadership in the present opposition, and they told me flatly that this government gives them N50 million each.

“If we are not careful, we are talking to some of you here, but you are recipients of the N50 million from the APC government. Do we really want to fight for democracy?”

Atiku lamented the erosion of democratic values, criticizing the current National Assembly as a “rubber stamp” for the government and raising doubts about the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral umpire.

He cited an example from Turkey, where the electoral body refused to declare a president-elect who fell short of the required vote threshold, as a benchmark of integrity Nigeria should emulate.

Calling for opposition parties to unite, he reflected on his decades-long struggle for democracy, noting personal sacrifices, including an attempt on his life, the seizure of his businesses, and exile.

“If we don’t unite and take action, we may end up with no democracy at all. God forbid,” Atiku said.

The former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has said democracy fails when it cannot deliver good governance to citizens.

The former Governor Obi stated this on Monday while speaking at the ‘National Dialogue on Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity’, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Abuja.

 

The former presidential candidate noted that for democracy in Africa to thrive beyond its current fragile state, it must operate within its foundational tenets, going beyond ceremonial elections.

This requires building critical institutions that command trust and deliver absolute respect for the people’s will. Governance can only deliver tangible benefits when the will of the people prevails,” he said.

 

The Labour Party chieftain decried that democracy since the commencement of the 4th republic in Nigeria may be failing as poverty continued to plague the citizens.

With about 100 million Nigerians living in absolute poverty and 150 million in multidimensional poverty, democracy is fast losing its essence if it fails to address the fundamental needs of its citizens, particularly in critical areas such as health, education, and poverty alleviation,” he stated.

The former governor of Anambra State called for introspection of the nation’s democracy.

He said to achieve functional democracy in the country, the government must prioritize institutional strengthening and deliver good governance to citizens.

We must confront the fundamental question: is democracy truly addressing the needs of Nigerians? Are we building institutions that uphold accountability, justice, and fairness?

“To achieve a functional democracy, we must prioritize strengthening independent institutions, fostering governance that delivers economic and social progress, encouraging active citizenship to hold leaders accountable, and empowering our youth as drivers of nation-building.

“Now is the time to deepen democracy and build a better future for all Nigerians. Amid the rise of coups across Africa and the growing fragility of democracies globally, it is evident that democracy cannot thrive without trust, robust institutions, and a steadfast commitment to the welfare of the people,” he added.

Last modified on Tuesday, 28 January 2025 09:05

The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has warned that democracy in Nigeria was failing to deliver expected good governance to citizens.

Atiku stated this while speaking as a thematic discussant of a Paper titled ‘Party Politics and Political Integrity: The Role of Political Parties and Opposition in Democracy’ presented by Professor Bayo Olukoshi at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held at the Continental Hotel Abuja, on Monday.

 
 

Atiku noted that the nation’s democracy was at crossroads and must be rescued from its challenges.

 
 
 
 

“There’s no doubt that our democracy is at a crossroads. Put simply, it is at the risk of eroding completely. And it is not caused by one single person or one single administration.

“In fact, a number of us have been warning over the years that we may come to this pass if we lose our vigilance and fail to take corrective actions to protect and deepen our democracy.

“At the risk of sounding modest, I doubt that there are many contemporary senior political leaders who have spoken out and done more to promote democratic governance in our country than me,” he said.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said some of the sacrifices he made for democracy in the country were a result of political struggles.

In addition to public statements and presentations, I brought some actions to our courts which produced landmark judicial decisions intended to uphold democratic principles and practices.

“Some of that effort was thrust upon me by circumstances of political struggles. But much of my effort was because of two things: my participation among other leaders in the struggles to ease the military out of power; and my deep and enduring belief that democracy is the best route to development and unity for our diverse country and peoples,” he stated.

Governance Failure and Electoral Malpractices

Former Vice President Atiku decried that democracy in the country has been devoid of good governance.

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He noted that citizens have also been denied the right to elect their leaders as a result of state capture and electoral malpractices.

One thing we can’t seriously dispute is the serious decline in governance consistent with the erosion of people’s freedoms to choose leaders. Nostalgic references to First Republic’s development strides relative to the subsequent periods are indicative of this decline.

“The deterioration in people’s freedom to choose their leaders has led to what many now regard as state capture in our country, the gravest consequence of which is the increasing difficulty in removing those in power through democratic means.

“This conference is, therefore, very germane indeed. Change through democratic means is still better for democracy and development to endure. The work being proposed by the organizers of this conference is vitally important for safeguarding and deepening our democracy,” Atiku stated.

The Way Forward

On the way forward, the four-time presidential candidate called for institutional strengthening.

Starting from party politics, Atiku called for people-based ownership and funding of political parties to strengthen the nation’s political institutions.

Democracy can’t be sustained without strong political parties, especially opposition parties. Parties need to be strong and democratic enough to be able to fulfill their roles. Ownership of parties by or their subordination to individual big men is the antithesis of democracy. 

 

“Members must invest in and co-own parties. When people start from the point of view that ‘Tinubu is rich or Peter Obi is rich or Atiku is rich, so I don’t have to contribute, they surrender to the big man’s dominance of parties,” he said.

The PDP chieftain further called for a reform of the nation’s electoral laws and judiciary.

He emphasized that these institutions play a critical role for democracy to deliver good governance to citizens.

“If the rot in our judiciary persists without severe consequence for the perpetrators, our parties and our democracy are unlikely to survive,” he warned.

All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Lagos State, Fouad Oki, has urged the impeached speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to return and continue his legislative duties for the good of his constituency or resign.

Recall that Obasa was impeached over gross misconduct and abuse of office, but the lawmaker claims he is still the speaker of the Lagos Assembly.

 

Former Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, who emerged as Speaker of the Assembly following the impeachment of Obasa, formally occupied the office of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday.

 

In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Fouad advised the Agege lawmaker that there is no shame in accepting the current reality and should forget about returning to the speakership position.

Fouad said either Obasa resigns or returns to focus on his duties in the House like other lawmakers in making good laws for Lagos State.

He said, “Matters of the Lagos Assembly are past events… what has played out in Lagos is very clear: there is party organisation, and there’s party with convention. You know conventions are unwritten rules or unwritten laws.

“Now we have different layers of control, of check and ballances in Lagos politics. What has played out is a clear testament of what politics should be…let us learn a few lessons from what has happened.

“For those that are yet to know that in politics there is hierarchy, control, checks and balances the events of last week has shown that…There’s no shame in it.

“Nothing he could do other than go back to the house and continue his job as a legislator. Another side to that is that he should throw in the hat and say ‘I’ve had enough, let someone else take over from me.

“Other than that he should just continue his basic responsibility of continuing to participate in making good laws for the good people of Lagos. He’ll take it like every other human being. It comes and goes. It is gone.”

 

A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled March 12, 2025, for its judgment in a case seeking to stop the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) from arresting and prosecuting commercial sex workers (CSWs) in Abuja.

Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after hearing arguments from the plaintiffs and the defense regarding the suit filed by the Incorporated Trustee of Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protecting the Rights of Children, Women, and the Indigent.

 

The lawsuit, filed on May 14, 2024, names the AEPB, FCT Minister, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as defendants.

 

The plaintiffs, represented by lawyers Rommy Mom, Bamidele Jacobs, and Victor Eboh, sought two key reliefs:

1. A determination of whether the AEPB’s duties under Section 6 of the AEPB Act, 1997, extend to the arrest, detention, and prosecution of women suspected of engaging in sex work.

2. A declaration that Section 35(1)(d) of the AEPB Act, 1997, does not classify women as “articles” or their bodies as “goods for purchase.”

The plaintiffs argued that the actions of the AEPB, including charging suspected sex workers before the FCT Mobile Court and describing them as “articles,” were discriminatory and violated Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits discrimination.

They further sought a declaration that the AEPB’s responsibilities do not include the harassment, arrest, or raid of women suspected of engaging in sex work.

Justice Omotosho will deliver judgment on March 12, 2025, potentially setting a precedent regarding the legal treatment of individuals suspected of engaging in sex work and the scope of the AEPB’s authority.

Yesterday, the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force arrested Mr. Omoyele Sowore for alleged cyberstalking. In admitting him to bail, the suspect was asked to produce a surety who is a Grade Level 17 officer in the Federal Public Service.

It is pertinent to draw the attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in Nigeria to fact that the Court of Appeal declared the involve Force of top level civil servants in the bail of criminal suspects in the the case of Dasuki V. Director-General, S.S.S. [2020]10 NWLR PT.1731 PG. 136-143 where Adah JCA (now JSC) held as follows:

"Let me quickly say that of concern it is to us that as a court we must be ready and sensitive enough not to allow or do anything that will run foul of the law. The issue of involving civil servants or Public Officers in the Public Service of the Federation and the State in bail of people accused of criminal offences has never been the practice in Nigeria or any part of the civilized world. It was an oversight on our part to allow it in. Our Civil and Public Service Rules do not have any room for it. Expecting a Level 16 Servant to own property worth N100,000,000, will be running counter to the Public Service Rules and by extension the war against corruption. It is in this respect that I will act ex debito justitiae to ensure that the aspect of involving serving Public Servant below the status of Level 16 Officer in either the state or Public Service of the Federation or any of its agencies be removed and I so order.”

In view of the clear and unambiguous state of the law, we are compelled to call on the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, to cancel the illegal bail condition for Mr. Omoyele Sowore and release him from police custody without any further delay.

 

OLLOWING the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other prominent Yoruba monarchs, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola has agreed to drop all criminal defamation suit against human rights activist, Mr Dele Farotimi.

The legal luminary said he decided to drop the charges against Farotimi following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi and other prominent traditional rulers in the country.

 

He said: “The Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former president Obasanjo has intervened. The same goes for Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians to ask for the exact thing you have come to ask for this evening. My answer to them has been no, but today my answer is yes.

 
 

“Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in the 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced system of government with each town headed by an Oba who was regarded as a replica of God on earth. His words were commands.

“I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yet I’m corrupt, I was given an oil bloc; when I looked at the money and saw that it was too much, I rejected it, yet I’m corrupt, I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it, yet I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption.

“I have given lectures against corruption with my papers in many universities globally. For someone to allege that I have won my cases through corruption, it’s an attempt to defame me. That was why I rejected all appeals earlier made to me.

“But when I heard that Ooni was coming, I knew I was in a fix today. There is nothing I’m going to gain from his imprisonment and there’s nothing I want from the so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth; I’m rather concerned about managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say yes.”

It’s a welcome devt —Obi

Reacting to the Babalola’s withdrawal of the case against Farotimi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential flag bearer, Mr Peter Obi, yesterday, stated that the decision demonstrated that he (Babalola) is committed to finding peaceful solutions to the conflict.

Obi, who spoke through his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, said: “We are pleased that this matter has been resolved amicably, and we believe that this outcome is a testament to the power of dialogue, and constructive engagement. Let me set the record straight: Obi’s visit to Afe Babalola was not about begging for pardon for Dele Farotimi, but rather a genuine effort at intervention and conflict resolution.

 

“As a leader, Obi recognises the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes, and his actions were guided by this principle. Now, with the news that Afe Babalola has agreed to withdraw the suit against Dele Farotimi, we welcome this development as a positive outcome of Obi’s intervention.

“This decision demonstrates that Chief Babalola is also committed to finding peaceful solutions to conflicts, and we commend him for this gesture. It’s worth noting that Mr Obi’s actions were driven by his desire to facilitate a peaceful resolution that would allow all parties to move forward positively and constructively.”

Afenifere commends Babalola, monarchs

Meanwhile, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organnisation, Afenifere, yesterday, commended Chief Babalola for defering to the Yoruba monarchs on Mr Farotimi.

Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi, in a statement, commended Babalola for demonstrating some ethos of Omoluabi by respecting the wishes of foremost Yoruba Obas.

 

Ajayi said: “By so doing, Aare Afe Babalola has demonstrated, as a true Yoruba son, certain core ethos of being an Omoluabi. “He came to defend his reputation and when he was appealed to by our foremost traditional institutions, he dropped the gauntlet. This is highly commendable.”

Afenifere also applauded Ooni and other monarchs “for the bold step they took.”

He said: “They acted as true elders in line with the saying that elders would not sit by in a marketplace to watch the dangling head of a child.

“This act has further demonstrated the valuable roles that our Obas – who are the custodians of our culture and tradition – can play in the society, if given the chance.”