President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace peace and unity, urging them to eschew violence and divisive tendencies in the quest for a prosperous and harmonious nation. 

His appeal came as the country commemorated the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day, a solemn occasion to honor those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of Nigeria’s sovereignty. 

In a message he posted on his verified X handle, @officialABAT, the President emphasized the critical need for national and global peace, reminding Nigerians of the ultimate sacrifices made by the country’s ex-servicemen and women. 

He noted that the observance is not only an opportunity to express gratitude, but also to reflect on the ongoing efforts of military personnel who continue to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

Highlighting the significance of unity, President Tinubu urged all citizens to become ambassadors of peace, stressing that collective efforts could pave the way for a future filled with hope and optimism. 

He reaffirmed his commitment to fostering a nation where peace and unity serve as the foundation for development.

Tinubu extended heartfelt gratitude to the nation’s armed forces and called for renewed dedication to the ideals for which they stood. 

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to honoring the sacrifices of the nation’s heroes.

“The Armed Forces Remembrance Day allows us to express our gratitude and pay tribute to our ex-servicemen and women who selflessly sacrificed their lives to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria and other nations.

“Our nation is in dire need of peace, and so is the World. As we mark this solemn event today, remember that people laid down their lives, and many still do so to guarantee our peaceful co-existence. 

“Therefore, let us eschew violence and divisive tendencies for a peaceful and prosperous nation. Let us all become ambassadors of peace. We can build a future of hope and optimism together, where peace and unity reign supreme.

“Thank you, and long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he said.

Gunshots erupted near the venue of the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led, three-member Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Wednesday morning, causing widespread panic.

Lawyers, litigants, politicians, and reporters scrambled for safety to avoid being hit by stray bullets. 

However, swift intervention by fully-armed security operatives restored calm, allowing the tribunal sitting at the Edo High Court Complex on Sapele Road, Benin, to continue.

Edo APC Chairman Jarret Tenebe, condemned the incident, describing the shootings as deeply disturbing and unacceptable.

Tenebe said: “The tribunal is a sacred space, where justice is meant to be administered impartially. Any act of violence within its walls undermines the very foundation of our legal system and threatens the safety of all involved.

“Regardless of political affiliation, resorting to violence to resolve disputes is never justifiable. We must all condemn the shootings in the strongest possible terms.”

Edo chairman of APC also stated that violence had no place in a civilised society, while declaring that the people that were responsible for the heinous act must be brought to justice swiftly and without exception.

The former representative of Edo Central Senatorial District, Senator Monday Okpebholo, of the APC, won the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo, and was inaugurated on November 12 last year.

Seven of 18 political parties that participated in the election, which filed petitions at the tribunal, were Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Accord (A), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Action Alliance (AA), which wanted their candidates to be declared winner of the keenly-contested poll.

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has approved the dissolution of the State Executive Council with immediate effect.

This was announced in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Wednesday in Akure.

The governor, according to the statement, exempted two members of the cabinet from the dissolution due to the critical nature of their duties.

DAILY POST reports that the retained commissioners are the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kayode Ajulo, SAN, and the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Omowunmi Isaac.

“All the affected cabinet members are to hand over all government properties in their care to the accounting officers of their respective ministries,” the statement added.

The governor thanked the EXCO members for their service and contributions to the development of Ondo State under his administration and wished them well in their future endeavours.

Kemi Badenoch has attributed the grooming gangs scandal to individuals from “peasant backgrounds” and “sub-communities” within certain foreign countries.

The Conservative leader reiterated her call for a national inquiry, emphasizing the need to investigate “two cultural issues” – the origins of the perpetrators and what she termed a “culture of silence.”

Speaking to GB News, Mrs. Badenoch stated, “There are two cultural issues which I believe have been identified. One is on the perpetrators’ side – where do these abusers come from? There’s a lot of misinformation, there’s a lot of generalisation, many innocent people end up being grouped in with them.

“But if you look at it, there is a systematic pattern of behaviour, not even just from one country but from sub-communities within those countries. People with a particular background, particular class background, work background. People very, very poor, a sort of peasant background, very, very rural, almost cut off from even the home origin countries that they might have been in.

“They’re not necessarily first generation. The jobs that they were doing, taxi drivers, jobs which allowed them to exhibit this predatory behaviour. That is just one side.”

Mrs. Kemi Badenoch also highlighted the “culture of silence” that she believes has allowed the issue to persist, describing it as a “culture of ‘move along, nothing to see here.’”

She called for a national inquiry to address both aspects simultaneously.

Elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has called for the immediate suspension of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), alleging that it has deviated from its founding principles and lost its purpose.

In a statement titled “Our Governors’ Forum: An Open Appeal for Reform” released on Monday, Chief Clark criticized the NGF for becoming a divisive force in Nigeria’s political landscape. He argued that the forum, originally envisioned as a platform for collaboration among governors, has degenerated into “power without accountability and influence without responsibility.”

“The NGF’s potential to unify state governors under one banner could have been its greatest asset,” Clark stated. “Instead, it has often been used to undermine constitutional order. I strongly advocate for the immediate suspension of the Governors’ Forum to prevent further crises between state governments.”

Clark, a former Federal Commissioner of Information, noted that the NGF has reached a crossroads, urging it to embrace reform and recommit to democratic values. “The NGF stands at a critical juncture. Its survival—and indeed ours—depends on its willingness to reform and adhere to the principles of democracy and good governance,” he said.

He accused the NGF leadership of lacking focus and urged state governors to redeem their image. Clark lamented that while the forum once played a positive role in the country, it has now become a notorious cabal resistant to reform, secretive in its operations, and more concerned with power than service.

Clark further alleged that the NGF undermines legislative independence by turning state assemblies into mere extensions of the executive branch. According to him, governors routinely handpick Speakers and assembly members to ensure unwavering loyalty, eroding the checks and balances vital for democratic governance.

He also criticized the Senate for becoming a “retirement plan for former governors,” asserting that this cycle entrenches personal gain over public service.

“The NGF has failed to condemn critical issues, such as the crisis in Rivers State, which underscores its lack of focus and disregard for accountability,” Clark added.

Despite his criticism, Clark expressed hope for the forum’s redemption, urging governors to embrace reforms that prioritize the people’s needs over political maneuvering. “Let us envision a revitalized NGF, one that aligns with constitutional ideals and serves as a genuine platform for collaboration rather than control,” he said.

He emphasized that reform is an opportunity to recalibrate and rebuild. “This vision is within our reach, but it demands clarity of purpose and determination. Reform is not a reproach; it is an opportunity to recommit to the principles of good governance.”

Attempts to get a response from the NGF Secretariat were unsuccessful. The Director General of the NGF, Alhaji Abdullateef Shittu, did not respond to calls or messages. Meanwhile, the NGF Acting Director of Media and Public Affairs, Hajiya Halima Ahmed, stated that the Director General is the appropriate person to address the allegations.

Chief Clark’s statement has reignited calls for accountability and reform within the NGF, putting pressure on its leadership to respond to the criticisms and chart a new course for the organization.

Latest data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown that headline inflation rose to 34.80% in December 2024 relative to the November 2024 headline inflation rate of 34.60%.

The food inflation rate in December 2024 was 39.84% on a year-on-year basis, a 5.91% points higher compared to the rate recorded in December 2023 (33.93%).

The NBS said the rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of some food items, including yam, sweet potatoes and beer.

The December 2024 inflation figure indicated a marginal increase of 0.20% compared to the November 2024 inflation rate. “This was due to December festive period increases in demand for goods and services,” the bureau said in a statement on its X handle on Wednesday.

On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 5.87% higher than the rate recorded in December 2023 (28.92%). This shows that the inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in December 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2023).

On the contrary, the month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in December 2024 was 2.44%, which was 0.20% lower than the rate recorded in November 2024 (2.64%).

This means that in December 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is slightly lower than the rate of increase in the average price level in November 2024.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted popular Nigerian singer, Darlington Achakpo, also known as Speed Darlington, a ₦20 million bail with one surety in like.

The decision was made on Wednesday, following his detention on cybercrime charges. Justice Ekerete Akpan delivered the ruling after Speed Darlington pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge related to alleged cybercrime activities.

In his ruling, Justice Akpan set strict conditions for the bail, requiring the surety to be a Level 10 civil servant residing in Abuja.

The surety must depose to an affidavit of means, and their address must be verified by the court registrar. The individual must also be either a staff member of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) or a federal employee.

“The surety should deposit their letters of appointment and last promotion, which must be verified by the deputy chief registrar of the court,” the judge stated.

Passport And Photographs To Be Submitted

Speed Darlington is required to deposit his international passport with the court. Additionally, both the singer and his surety must submit two recent passport photographs to the court registrar.

While the bail conditions are being perfected, Speed Darlington is to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre. The court has adjourned the matter until March 18 for trial, with the singer facing legal proceedings for the cybercrime charges.

Mrs Abosede Aloba, the mother of the late singer Ilerioluwa, popularly known as Mohbad, and actor Yomi Fabiyi have clashed over the cause of the singer’s death.

Fabiyi, at a World Press Conference held on Wednesday at Radisson Blu in Ikeja, Lagos State, to demand justice for Mohbad, accused the late singer’s brother, Adura Aloba, of messaging him on Instagram, claiming to know the root cause of his brother’s death.

In response, Aloba denied the claim, stating that Adura wouldn’t have known the cause of Mohbad’s death and should remain silent.

The visibly angry mother pointed her finger at Fabiyi while shouting, “They killed Mohbad, and you want me to lose his brother unjustly. He knows nothing about his brother’s death; do not implicate my son.”

“I am not happy that I lost Mohbad because if he were alive, I wouldn’t be sitting here with you. They took my precious gift away, and I won’t let them take Adura, too,” she added.

Fabiyi responded, saying he wasn’t concerned about the sender of the message but rather the content itself, maintaining that he wasn’t convinced that it wasn’t Adura who sent him the message.

Details later…

The Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has made history by producing 18 all-female first-class graduates for the 2023/2024 academic session.

This remarkable feat was unveiled during the award of first-degree honours at the university’s 55th convocation ceremony, which commenced on Tuesday.

The convocation, spanning three days, will see 16,590 students conferred with degrees and diplomas. Of this number, 9,865 will receive first degrees and diplomas, while 6,659 will be awarded postgraduate degrees. Additionally, 66 students will graduate from the UNILAG Business School (ULBS).

The exceptional Mass Communication graduates include Feranmi Abiola, Ahuruele Akani, Oyindamola Arikawe, Ifedayo Ayilaran, Demiladeogo Bankole, Olaide Bankole, Eniola Daramola, Faith Enang, Temiloluwa Igbinlade, Joy Imanah, Ifeoma Iwelunmor and Chelsea Jegede.

Others are Opeyemi Kareem, Eunice Obidi, Frances Odogu, Mofesola Olanrewaju, Funmilola Onabanjo and Peace Onuoha.

The university commended the graduates for their diligence and resilience in achieving academic excellence.

Speaking at the ceremony, UNILAG’s Vice-Chancellor, Folasade Ogunsola, celebrated the university’s groundbreaking achievements in innovation, infrastructure, and academic excellence.

She highlighted the MED-AFRICA GMP Laboratory, the first of its kind in West Africa, located in the Faculty of Pharmacy. “The $450,000 state-of-the-art facility facilitates groundbreaking research on HIV prevention,” she said.

The Vice-Chancellor also mentioned the inauguration of the African Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development and Regulatory Science (ACEDHARS), funded by the World Bank, and the launch of the Green Air Initiative, which introduced eight electric buses for campus transportation.

In addition, she acknowledged contributions to the university’s development, including Tunde Fanimokun’s N14.5 billion pledge for hostels and research centres, and support from the Lagos State Government for various projects.

TikTok is gearing up to shut down its app for United States users this Sunday if the Supreme Court does not intervene to block a planned federal ban, ‘The Information’ reported on Tuesday.

The move came as the social media giant faced mounting pressure under a law signed by President Joe Biden, requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US operations by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban.

The shutdown, as planned by TikTok, would go beyond the requirements of the law, which mandated a ban only on new downloads from Apple (AAPL.O) and Google (GOOGL.O) app stores. Under the legislation, existing users would still have access to the platform for a limited time.

If the shutdown proceeds, users attempting to open the app will reportedly encounter a pop-up message directing them to a website with detailed information about the ban. Additionally, TikTok plans to offer users the option to download their personal data, ensuring they can retain a record of their information.

In a court filing in December, TikTok estimated that one-third of its 170 million American users would stop accessing the app if the ban lasted a month. The company and ByteDance argued that the law infringed upon the First Amendment, which protects against government restrictions on free speech. They are seeking a delay in the law’s implementation, asserting that it violates constitutional rights.

TikTok and ByteDance did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters regarding the report.

The impending ban marked a significant escalation in the U.S. government’s scrutiny of TikTok, as concerns over data privacy and national security continued to fuel bipartisan support for tougher measures against the platform.

For now, millions of US users are left in limbo, awaiting clarity on whether the app will indeed disappear from their devices this Sunday.