Members of the Kogi Central constituency have reportedly submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requesting the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the district in the Senate.

To initiate the recall of a federal lawmaker, the law requires that a petition be submitted to the INEC chairman, signed by more than 50 percent of the registered voters in the constituency.

This is followed by a verification process and, if necessary, a referendum. The law mandates that the entire recall process must be concluded within 90 days from the date INEC receives the petition.

Charity Omole, a representative of the constituents, spoke on Monday, stating that the petition was filed due to the constituency’s need to have an active representative in the Senate.

“We cannot afford to be without representation in the Senate,” she emphasized.

The Secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, received the petition on Monday.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following an altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements.

The suspension came just days after the senator accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her.

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Monday revealed that the Social Democratic Party, SDP, which opposition leaders are currently embracing, will become stronger than the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Labour Party and other political parties but will fail against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Primate Ayodele said the party will fail because those who are decamping there will be more concerned about their personal interests rather than wrestling power from the ruling party.

In a statement by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, the popular prophet warned the party to be cautious of the influx of members and to avoid giving its ticket to candidates who will lead it to failure.

He said: “SDP will be stronger than PDP and Labour. It will be the party to watch, but greed will make the party fail in 2027. Those who will be decamping there will not be focused on winning power but on enriching themselves.

“The party must be careful because of the large number of people joining, and they must be watchful not to give tickets to failures. They must ensure that sentiment and emotions do not influence their selection process.”

Primate Ayodele emphasized that the issue of the 2027 elections cannot be resolved through a mere coalition with another party but requires a strong alliance involving all opposition parties.

He noted that attempting to defeat President Tinubu will not be easy and that following traditional political party structures will lead to failure.

“The issue of the 2027 presidency cannot be addressed through a mere coalition; it won’t be about just one party but rather a strong alliance. Coalitions can break, but alliances cannot. A coalition may not last or deliver the desired outcome, but a solid alliance can.

“Defeating Tinubu is not a joke; he is very strong, and it will not be easy. Following the usual political party approach will not achieve anything. A new alliance must be formed under a new name, and if this is successfully done, victory will be possible,” he said.

Furthermore, he warned that the opposition should not rely on governors for the alliance, as they will betray it.

He advised that the alliance should be built around the people and mentioned some opposition governors who would not be part of it.

“I also want to warn them not to depend on governors, as they will betray any coalition they try to form. They should build this alliance around the people because some governors are already out of it.

“Some governors, like Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, and others that I will mention later, will not be part of the alliance,” he added.

This comes amid moves by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and former PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to form a coalition.

Veteran actor Jide Kosoko has stated that despite his fame and over 60 years of experience in Nollywood, it hasn’t led to significant wealth.

Featuring on The Honest Bunch podcast, Kosoko explained that he is comfortable but doesn’t consider himself rich by Nigerian standards.

“I have been in this [movie] industry for this long. I thank God that I can eat three square meals. But can I claim to be a rich man by Nigerian standards? No,” he said.

The 71-year-old film star emphasized that piracy has significantly impacted the Nigerian movie industry and called for harsher penalties for pirates.

“The punishment in the copyright law for piracy is still not strong enough as far as I am concerned. Somebody who has been pirating people’s works for years is a billionaire, so how much do you want to fine him?

“Fine him N500 million, and he will just bring it out of what he has sold. But if you attach a 20-year jail sentence to it with no option of a fine, people will refrain from piracy,” he said.

Jide Kosoko began his acting career as a child actor in 1964 in a television production named Makanjuola.

Since then, he has featured in hundreds of Nollywood movies in both English and Yoruba languages.

Famous Nigerian gospel musician, Steve Crown, has announced engagement with his lover.

Steve Crown made the announcement in an Instagram post on Sunday night.

The singer in the proposal video was seen placing a crown on his fiancee’s head as they both hold hands affectionately.

While describing the development as the beginning of his best days, he informed his followers that he has been taken and officially off the market.

“Officially off the market, two hearts fused by God. A walk to forever and the beginning of my best days,” he said.

Watch the video below:

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified that he shared $5,000 with members of his committee as a “Sallah gesture” and not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.

A Nigerian investigative journalist, Jaafar Jaafar, disclosed this in a post on his X handle.

Jaafar said Betara explained this to him after the lawmaker reached out to clarify that the $5,000 given to lawmakers was merely a “Sallah gesture” and not an inducement.

According to the investigative journalist, Betara said it was part of a long-standing tradition and had nothing to do with the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.

Jaafar wrote:

“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 with each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah gesture,’ not as an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State.

“According to him, he maintains the tradition—like Santa Claus—every year.

“As we say in Hausa, not thigh but hind leg.”

Media personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, has claimed miracles in Nigerian Pentecostal churches are choreographed.

He said he doesn’t believe the miracles in Nigerian churches, stressing that they are for half-witts.

He argued that the miracles performed by Jesus in the bible were verifiable but no Nigerian cleric has been able to carry out their miracles on a public figure.

Speaking in a recent episode of Outside The Box podcast, Daddy Freeze said, “I’m sorry but I don’t believe in any of the miracles in any Pentecostal church. I don’t have a problem with the pastors but I don’t believe their miracles.

“My IQ is 156. I will have to be pretty dumb to be able to [believe in miracles in Nigerian churches]. Christ walked into the temple on a Sabbath and there was a man with a withered hand and Christ healed him. Christ raised Lazarus from death.

“He raised the Pharisee’s daughter also from the death. He healed blind Bartimaeus. Everybody knew blind Bartimaeus. The woman with the issue of blood, there were some very prominent people who we all know we healed by Christ.

“But in Nigeria today, there’s nobody… Dora Akunyili was dying of cancer, every Nigerian G.O prayed for her, they couldn’t heal her.

“Mr Ibu was deteriorating to the point they have to amputate him and nobody could heal him. And then he died and nobody could raised him.

“Don’t tell me you did miracles. I want proofs.”

Cristiano Ronaldo had an eventful game as he scored a goal, and missed a penalty to help Portugal to a 5-2 win over Denmark in a Nations League quarter-final clash, while he was also handed a Guinness World record award.

The encounter ended 3-3 on aggregate after 90 minutes as Portugal avenged their 1-0 loss in the first leg with a 3-2 win.

Ronaldo missed an opportunity to give the hosts the lead in the sixth minute after he was fouled in the box by Manchester United’s Patrick Dorgu but Kasper Schmeichel saved his effort.

Denmark’s Joachim Andersen headed Bruno Fernandes’ corner into his own net just before halftime.

Ronaldo had a goal ruled out for offside on the stroke of halftime before Rasmus Kristensen made it 1-1 for Denmark after the restart.

The Al Nassr forward finally found joy in the 72nd minute with a close range finish after Schmeichel saved Fernandes’ effort.

Christian Eriksen converted Dorgu’s low cross to make it 2-2 before the game burst into life when Francisco Trincao made it 3-2 in the 90th minute to send the tie into extra time.

He added his second goal of the game in extra time to make it 4-2 before substitute Goncalo Ramos put the icing on the cake for 5-2.

After the game, Cristiano Ronaldo was presented with the Guinness World Record award for the most international wins in history with 132.

Portugal will now take on Germany in the semi-finals of the competition.

In the other Nations League quarter-final fixtures, Germany recorded a 3-3 draw against Italy to advance to the semi-finals despite surrendering a 3-0 lead.

Julien Nagelsmann’s team won the first leg 2-1 to go through on a 5-4 aggregate win, they will battle with Portugal for a place in the final.

Spain defeated Netherlands 5-4 on penalties to seal a place in the last four after the regulation time ended 3-3.

The European Champions earned a 2-2 draw in the first leg and kept their nerves to advance in the shootout to set up a place with France.

Les Bleus overturned a 2-0 loss in the first leg defeat to Croatia in the first leg to qualify for the semi-finals.

Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembele scored in regulation time to give France a 2-0 lead to make the aggregate 2-2 after which Dayot Upamecano scored the winning penalty to send them through.

Germany will take on Portugal on June 4, while France will slug it out with Spain the following day for a place in the final.

…Zimbabwe Vow To Defeat Eagles

Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has banned visitors, and Sports Journalists from the team’s camp ahead of the clash against Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

The team’s media officer, Promise Efoghe confirmed that the coach demanded full concentration from the players as the team round up preparations for the encounter.

Efoghe said: “Coach Eric Chelle is not carried away by the win over Rwanda and he is demanding maximum concentration from the players prior to the next game (vs Zimbabwe).

“To this end, he has imposed restrictions in and around the team’s camp, no visitors, no journalists.

“Monday’s session will be open for the mandatory 15 minutes and this will be shortly after the official press conference. Provisions will be made for mixed zone interaction with the players on match day.”

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe coach, Michael Nees has urged his players to work hard to earn the maximum points against the Super Eagles in Uyo on Tuesday.

Both sides will meet at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo in the second leg of their World Cup qualifiers clash.

The visitors are in search of their first win in the series as they aim to climb out of the bottom position.

Nees admitted that the Super Eagles parade world class players but he is confident that his players can get a positive result if they can fight hard in the encounter.

He said: ”Benin Republic was really strong but with Nigeria and the names they parade is top class and they messed their campaign at the beginning really up, it’s the third coach now involved in this campaign, they won away in Rwanda which was always a difficult opponent so they will come against us with confidence and all their power to turn this campaign around so do we.

“It would be an exciting game, we have to perform to our maximum, but we should expect a really tough opponent who would give everything and must also give everything and we will.”

“We must accept the challenge, the climate, the pace, the conditions, they must accept the challenge and enjoy it, we mustn’t be afraid of anything, we can play football, we will analyze opponents, we would analyze our game, the players don’t need to be nervous. They’ve shown it many times that they are very good players, I’m really looking forward to this match.”

Similarly, Zimbabwe winger Tawanda Chirewa has revealed that the team has no reason to fear the Super Eagles.

He said: “I am just looking at recovery and going again on Tuesday against Nigeria, which is a very good team.

“A lot of players play in England and Europe. Obviously I want to go out there and show what I can do. Our team has got so many good players as well so we can’t fear Nigeria.”

This will be the fourth World Cup qualifier meeting between the two sides, with the Super Eagles emerging victorious in two of the previous three encounters.

The Presidency has alleged that militants in Rivers State were on standby, awaiting directives from Governor Siminalayi Fubara to launch attacks on oil pipelines before President Bola Tinubu foiled their plans by declaring emergency rule in the state.

The state of emergency was declared on March 18. Tinubu invoked Section 305 of the Constitution and appointed retired Chief of Naval Staff Ibok-Ette Ibas as the state’s sole administrator. The National Assembly approved the emergency rule two days later, despite opposition from some lawmakers.

The emergency rule suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly for six months.

According to President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, his principal’s intervention prevented threat to the country’s oil production and economic stability.

Onanuga stated this in an opinion piece defending the declaration of the state of emergency in the oil-rich state amidst criticism from different quarters.

According to him, intelligence reports confirmed that militants had been mobilised and were waiting for Fubara’s signal before carrying out the attacks.

Onanuga stressed that President Tinubu’s action was justified by the political crisis between Governor Fubara and the state House of Assembly which had spiraled out of control and grounded governance in the.

“A responsible leader like President Tinubu, who swore an oath to protect the constitution and corporate existence of the country, can not fail to act when a constituent part of the Federation is careering towards the precipice. The political crisis in Rivers State between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly who owe allegiance to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that blew open barely six months into the administration of the Governor has degenerated by 18 March. A chain of events since the war of attrition started 14 months ago among the combatants had indeed paralysed the government of Rivers State to the point where Fubara, copying from the bad book of former Governor Obaseki in Edo, emasculated an arm of government entirely. This reality informed the Supreme Court’s damning verdict about the absence of government in the State as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, as amended. The court also excoriated Fubara for acting like a despot.

“Rivers was in a grave situation, as the combatants refused to allow reason to prevail, even after the Supreme Court judgment, before President Tinubu declared a state of emergency on 18 March. The President took action in the best interest of the people of the State, who had become victims of the warring politicians, the people they elected to serve them. President Tinubu needed to act. He chose prevention over cure,” he wrote.

Onanuga reaffirmed that President Tinubu’s actions were in line with his constitutional responsibility to maintain national stability.

He dismissed claims that the intervention undermined democracy, arguing instead that it was meant to preserve democracy.

“Section 305 of Nigeria’s Constitution empowers the President to act when the nation faces a breakdown of law, order, and economic security —precisely the case in Rivers, a bastion of Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy. Intelligence confirmed militants, told by Fubara to await signals, were already targeting pipelines, risking a collapse in output and a Niger-Delta domino effect.

“Historical precedents, such as the past emergencies in Plateau and Borno and the doctrine of necessity, support the President’s proactive measures to avert disaster. The President’s oath demands he must not fail in his sacred duty to safeguard national stability, not watch idly as partisan strife strangles our democracy and the material well-being of Nigerians, whose prosperity depends on the social and economic interdependence of every part of the country. Rivers State is a significant hydrocarbon economic artery in Nigeria, and any dislocation and politically motivated disruption of the oil industry in the state will have ripple effects on the national economy,” he wrote.

Responding to critics of Tinubu’s action, Onanuga added: “Critics claim the emergency rule in Rivers undermines democracy. Their position misrepresents reality. The intervention is temporary, surgical, and aimed at restoring—not replacing—democratic institutions. The suspension of political actors for six months is no power grab; it is not a permanent removal but a reset to disarm warring factions. Notably, the same critics who assailed the President’s action for suspending the political actors remain silent on Governor Fubara’s refusal to collaborate with the legislature, exposing their partisan bias. Democracy can not thrive amid lawlessness—anarchy.”

Tinubu’s action had drawn criticism from former President Goodluck Jonathan and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka.
Jonathan, speaking at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium in Abuja, condemned the suspension of democratic governance in the state.

He expressed disappointment that elected officials, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the state House of Assembly, were removed from office.

Jonathan warned that such actions could damage Nigeria’s reputation and deter investment, blaming all three arms of government for engaging in abuse of power.

“These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light,” Jonathan, who was the chairman of the colloquium, said.

“The key actors in Nigeria from the executive to the legislature and the judiciary know the correct thing to do but they are refusing to do it; they are pretending to sleep, and waking such a person is extremely difficult because the person knows the right thing.

“A clear abuse of offices, clear abuse of power, clear abuse of privileges, cutting across the three arms of government — from the executive through the parliament and to the judiciary,” Jonathan said.

Soyinka had also criticised the move in an interview The Africa Report, saying the emergency rule was against the principles of federalism.

He argued that the 1999 Constitution grants excessive powers to the president and called for a national discussion to amend the Constitution to ensure true federalism.

In response, President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, dismissed the criticisms as personal opinions.

“Professor Wole Soyinka and former President Goodluck Jonathan are respected statesmen. Like many Nigerians that have offered varied opinions on the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, the two distinguished Nigerians have also offered their own opinions too.

“President Tinubu has a country to govern, and he has exercised his power under the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“President Tinubu has a duty to preserve the corporate existence of Nigeria. He won’t allow any part of the country or state to descend into chaos.

“The Supreme Court ruled that there is no functioning government in Rivers State known to the constitution of Nigeria. President Tinubu won’t fail in his sacred duty to protect and preserve the country,” said Ajayi.