Literary legend, Wole Soyinka has expressed his sadness over the outcome of the administration of the 47th President of the United States of America, Donald Trump.

In an interview with Laura Collins-Hughes which was published in the New York Times, Soyinka said what is happening in the US currently should not be happening in such a progressive nation.

Recall that in 2016, the Nobel Laureate had threatened to destroy his American green card should Trump win the election at that time.

However, speaking to Collin-Hughes, “I just feel very, very sad that what’s happening in the States should be happening in such a potentially progressive country.”

Speaking on whether he feels safe in the US following the tense political atmosphere involving the nation and governments of other countries, he said, “Oh, I’ve lived in a constant state of nonsafety.

“So I’m used to that. If I’m walking through the street and they pick me up, I have no problem whatsoever. You know, my laptop is where it is. It’s up in the clouds,” Soyinka added.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has received backing from leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun West Senatorial District to seek re-election in 2026.

The endorsement came during a PDP zonal meeting held in the district and hosted by Senator Akogun Lere Oyewumi.

Adeleke, who became governor in November 2022, is expected to complete his first term in 2026. The PDP leaders said he deserves a second term because of his performance so far.

During the meeting, Hon. Alidu Adeoye, chairman of the PDP in Iwo Local Government, officially moved the motion for Adeleke to be given the party’s ticket again in 2026.

Adeoye said the governor had achieved a lot in just two years, and he believes a working governor should automatically be allowed to run again. “A performing governor deserves the ticket automatically,” he stated.

The motion was seconded by the party’s state legal adviser, Ebenezer Bolarinwa. Others who supported the endorsement included Hon. Sunday Oroniyi, who spoke for commissioners, and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, who represented party elders.

The endorsement was received on behalf of the governor by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Kazeem Akinleye, who thanked party members for their support.

“Mr Governor is elated by this endorsement and he humbly accepts it as a further call for him to serve the good people of Osun State. The Governor will build on his present successes to provide good leadership for Osun State till 2030,” Akinleye said.

He promised that Adeleke would continue delivering good governance under the PDP’s five-point development agenda.

Senator Oyewumi, the host of the meeting, praised the governor and described him as a symbol of progress in Osun.

“This endorsement is a confirmation of the popularity, acceptance, and support of Mr Governor from his home zone of Osun West,” he said. “We are here telling the state that we are re-presenting our son, our leader, Ademola Adeleke for a second term in July 2026.”

Alhaji Akinbade, speaking for the elders, also praised Adeleke for his mature and effective leadership. He said the governor had strengthened the image of the PDP through his achievements and added that re-electing him would be the best decision for the future of Osun State.

The meeting was attended by several key figures in the party, including commissioners, advisers, and local government party chairmen from across Osun West.

Tony Elumelu, chairman of Transcorp Group, says Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy target cannot be realised without urgent and sustained efforts to address challenges in the country’s electricity sector.

Elumelu spoke on Wednesday at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) held in Abuja.

The business mogul said access to reliable power remains the single most critical factor in transforming the Nigerian economy, particularly as the country pushes for increased contribution from the non-oil sector.

“I want to use this opportunity to reiterate that access to electricity remains the single most critical factor in fixing the Nigerian economy, especially as we seek to have the non-oil sector make greater contributions to our economy,” he said.

“We must, therefore, have the power to fix and transform Nigeria. We know that to grow a $1 trillion economy, electricity must be fixed. That is not the case today.”

Elumelu added that although President Bola Tinubu had directed last year that all impediments to the power sector be removed, the pace of implementation remained slow.

“The president directed last year that all impediments to the power sector should be removed,” he added. 

“But I’m afraid to say that critical people who should help to see the president’s vision come alive are afraid to do so. 

“May I use this opportunity to call on them to help translate the President’s initiative idea into action?” 

‘FG OWES TRANSCORP N600BN FOR ELECTRICITY SUPPLY’

Elumelu also said the federal government owed the company N600 billion for electricity supplied to the national grid.

“As of date, federal government owes your company over N600 billion. That is $400 million,” he said. 

“Much as we, patriotic Nigerian investors, are committed to supporting the efforts of the federal government in fixing the economy, we have a rather excruciating burden of subsidising the sector. It requires urgent attention.”

Elumelu acknowledged efforts by the present administration to address liquidity issues in the power sector, including the presidential metering initiative and transmission reforms.

He added that implementation must be swift to prevent further deterioration.

Speaking on the company’s performance, Elumelu said it experienced significant growth within the group despite economic challenges. 

He said Transcorp Plc’s market capitalisation had risen to over N4.5 trillion from less than N20 billion in 2011 when his group took over the company.

Elumelu added that since the takeover, the company has consistently paid dividends, declaring N1 per share for the 2024 financial year.

“By the time we took over the company in 2011, they had not paid dividends one day. But since we took over the company, we have consistently paid dividends to shareholders,” he said. 

“We have declared N1 dividend for 2024. And 2025 will definitely be better than 2024.”

According to Elumelu, Transcorp Power now has a market value of over N2.7 trillion and has fully repaid its foreign exchange (FX) acquisition loan of $215 million in 2024.

“When we say that Transcorp is about transforming lives, improving lives and transforming Nigeria and Africa, it is based on the role we play in catalysing development. Power is critical for the development of every economy,” he said.

He also announced the completion of a new 5,000-capacity event centre at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, aimed at positioning Nigeria as a hub for global events.

“Rwanda, Dubai, and Kenya have become event centres. So, we want to put your country on that mark. And you have succeeded,” he said.

Elumelu also said the company was considering expanding into other critical sectors, including agriculture and renewable energy, following recommendations from shareholders.

On her part, Owen Omogiafo, president and group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Transcorp Group, said the firm is committed to excellence and innovation.

Omogiafo said the firm is exploring strategic diversification into agriculture, targeting high-impact opportunities.

The Nigerian presidency has continued to debunk the claim by Senator Ali Ndume who alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s appointment since assuming office was lopsided.Nigerian cultural tours

Recall that Ndune in a recent interview had said that appointments by the Tinubu’s administration were mainly from the Southwest region.

The lawmaker also accused the president of violating the principles of the Federal Character.

However, in a reaction to Ndume’s allegation, Sunday Dare, an aide to the president said Tinubu is a detribalized leader.

Dare said, “His antecedents before he even became president speak to this fact. As Lagos Governor, President Tinubu populated his government with competent hands both from within and outside Lagos not minding which tribe you come from.”

He noted that Tinubu has remained the same and he is not blinded by tribe or religion.

He also stated that a lot of people have failed to examine recent appointments made by the presidents and that it is too early to conclude that Tinubu’s appointments are lopsided.

Continuing, Dare said that a review shows the president is on track as far as Federal character is concerned.

“A glance at this list of 134 federal appointments shows that the Northern part of this country has a total of 71 appointments compared to 63 for the entire South.

“When you break down the 63 positions given to the South, the South West leads marginally with 26 slots while the South-South has 21 positions. The South East with five states has 16 positions,” he said.

He added that an unbiased analysis of the appointments made by the president will show Nigerians that there is no cause for alarm

A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Buba Galadima has slammed former President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly not paying his daughter during the time she worked for him.Nigerian political art prints

Speaking on AIT’s Jigsaw program watched by Politics Nigeria, the politician said he was treated badly by the former president who was also his friend.

“We are friends and will continue to be friends, if I want anything from him, I will ask,” Galadima said about Buhari.

Continuing, he said his daughter had called the former president after they graduated from school and were unemployed for a long time.

“In fact let me confess to you on television, my daughter did NYSC, the one who lost her passport. That’s why she wanted us to go to Mecca to thank God.

He said his daughter searched for a job in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) but could not get one and decided to call the president.

Galadima noted his daughter and her sister at that time scrolled through his phone contacts,saw the president’s phone number and decided to call him.

According to him, the former president picked the call thinking it was him calling.Political candidate merchandiseNigerian political art prints

“Then they said they are my children and they were calling him because country hard.

“They said, Baba country hard oo! Our father cannot get any job for us oo! And he told us that you’re his friend,” he said.

To this, Galadima said the president affirmed that they were friends and the younger daughter further explained to the president that she could not get a job with the NUPRC

“He (the president) just asked, to call Komolafe (the DG of NUPRC) and give my friend’s daughter a job. That was why she wanted to go to Mecca – to thank God and even to thank Mr President,” the NNPP chieftain noted.

He explained that he worked for former President Muhammadu Buhari for 13 years while his daughter worked for four years.

“My daughter worked for him for four years and he instructed that she should not be paid salary.

“Let them bring any voucher where she was paid. She worked for Buhari for four years in Osinbajo’s office without payment,” he added.

Asked why his daughter was not paid a salary, Galadima advised the interviewer to go and ask former President Buhari.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has started a grassroots campaign to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, openly rejecting other likely contenders such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

The governor made the declaration on Wednesday in Benin City during a ceremony to welcome Hon. Kaycee Osamwonyi, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), into the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The 2027 presidential election is not far off, and here in Edo, we are already getting to work.

“We’ve begun early mobilisation for President Tinubu’s second term. Our resolve is clear: the APC remains the path forward for sustainable development,” Okpebholo said.

He also hinted that more opposition members would soon join the APC, calling the movement “a carnival of political realignment.”

Central American migrants in the United States sent home around 20 percent more in remittances in the first quarter of 2025, official data showed this week, a trend economists said reflected their fear of deportation by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Nearly one-quarter of the GDP of impoverished Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua is made up of money sent from US-based migrants to relatives in their homelands. 

Guatemala’s central bank said this week it had recorded $5.64 billion in remittances in the first quarter, a 20.5 percent increase over the same period in 2024.

Honduras’s central bank, for its part, said the country received $2.62 billion, a 24 percent increase on the first quarter of 2024.

El Salvador and Nicaragua do not yet have complete data for the first quarter, but in January and February, remittances to both countries increased by 14.2 percent and 22.6 percent respectively, compared to the same months in 2024.

El Salvador received $1.4 billion and Nicaragua $909 million in the first two months of 2025, according to their central banks.

In Nicaragua, the figure includes remittances not only from the United States, but also from Costa Rica ($68.2 million) and Spain ($48.6 million).

The president of Guatemala’s central bank, Alvaro Gonzalez, attributed the increase in remittances to migrants’ fear of being deported from the United States.

Guatemalan economic analyst Erick Coyoy took a similar view, telling local media that the surge was “an anticipated reaction by migrants to the perceived risk of deportation.”

It is unclear, however, whether they sent more money home to ensure that, if deported, they would be able to access their savings or whether it was to help their relatives benefit from their situation in the United States while they can.

Trump returned to the White House in January on a promise to conduct the biggest wave of migrant deportations in US history.

Fearing deportation, some migrants from Central and South America have cut short their journeys to the United States and returned home.

The senior pastor of the Fountain of Life church, Jimmy Odukoya, has reiterated that God instructed him not to cut his dreadlocks.

The Nollywood actor cum clergyman in a recent sermon recalled seeking divine clarity about his appearance before resuming pastoral duties at the church.

Jimmy, who succeeded his late father, Taiwo Odukoya, said his sister had raised concerns about how his hairstyle might affect public perception, and he told her to pray about it.

Odukoya also narrated how God used his dreadlocks to save a woman who travelled from Zimbabwe to Nigeria to attend service.

He said, “Before I came back, one of the things I asked the Lord was whether or not I should cut my hair. And the Lord told me not to cut my hair.

“I knew what God had said to me so I told my sister to go pray and that God will speak to her. She goes back and told me I wasn’t supposed to cut my hair, to which I replied, ‘I know, because God already told me.

“A couple of weeks ago, someone had come to see me all the way from Zimbabwe just to come to church. I said please bring the lady in and she begins to tell me her story.

“She says, ‘People think I’m crazy. I told everybody I am coming to Nigeria for the next three to four weeks. I’m just coming to church’.

“She says, ‘It was 2016, I was in New York, it was Thanksgiving and I had a vision, it felt so real. In this vision, I see you with your hair and you’re speaking to me and I have been dealing with somethings in my life.

“There was this dog on my shoulder. I knew the dog represented the weight I was carrying and you had this long sword. You began speaking to me and it looked like thunder and lightning was coming out of the sword and it burnt the dog into ashes. And you began to declare over me and gave certain instructions’.

“She said, ‘Fast forward 2025, after that vision I went through a tough break-up, I lost everything in a divorce. My ex took the house.’ She said, ‘Everything I worked for… It was a tough time. To compound issues, my mom got sick and I watched her die in my arms’.

“She said she was trying to find God so she went on YouTube to hear sermons. And all of a sudden my preaching popped up.

“And she said, ‘You don’t understand, because when I had this vision, I didn’t know you existed. The person I saw, I did not know it was a real person. So when I saw the man from the vision with a long hair I screamed. I didn’t know any pastor would have long hair.

“The God who sees, hears and knows, knew at some point in February 2025, one of His children will have to see a man preaching. Guess what? If He did not ask me to keep my hair, I would have cut it.

“And when I popped up on the screen, she would have seen me with no hair and it would have meant nothing. God was making me keep my hair to save a life.”

The Rivers State Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) came under scathing criticisms on Wednesday following the sacking of the 23 local government caretakers and the head of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

The caretakers were replaced with administrators in the 23 LGAS in the state, while the RSIEC chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), was replaced by Dr Michael Odey.

Odey will work with six members, four of whom are professors.

This came less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt ordered Ibas to appear before it to justify why the court should not grant a motion seeking to stop him from appointing administrators for the 23 LGAs.

Justice Adamu Muhammed issued the order on Tuesday in suit no. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Msirimovu, against the Sole Administrator.

Ibas’s decision was contained in a special government announcement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika.

The statement read, “His Excellency, the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the appointments of Administrators for the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

“He has also approved the reconstitution of some boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals, earlier suspended. All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025.”

Last week, the sole administrator suspended all heads of ministries, departments and agencies in the state.

In a separate development, Ibas also cancelled all pending procurement and tender processes carried out by ministries, departments and agencies in the state.

He said the cancellation became necessary following the Supreme Court judgment and the absence of an appropriation law within the period.

The sole administrator, according to a previous statement also issued by the SSG, directed all MDAs that carried out such tender processes for projects in their respective offices to refund such fees to the respective contractors immediately.

Ibas also approved the appointment of chairmen and members of the civil service and local government service commission.

Reacting to the appointments, Governor Siminilayi Fubara’s Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, described the development as impunity taken too far.

Omatsogunwa said Ibas had become a lord unto himself by his actions, especially as a court had summoned him over the appointments.

He expressed happiness that the National Assembly has faulted the planned budget preparation that the sole administrator talked about recently.

The governor’s aide stated,  “Well, we have seen impunity ‘pro-max’ in Rivers State, and I think the National Assembly had also said that the budget presentation that he said he was preparing will not stand because that is not the purpose for which he was sent here.

“And the court has asked him not to do anything and to come and answer. You know the rest of the story; 23 names were released as administrators of the LGAs signed by him (Ibas).

“So, for me, it is impunity taken too far. He is now a lord unto himself, and we cannot have that in a democratic setting. I think all well-meaning Rivers people must condemn such acts by the sole administrator, and it will not stand at the end of the day. “

Ibas dismantling democratic structure – PANDEF

The National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Amb Godknows  Igali, berated Ibas for dissolving the democratic structure in the state.

In a letter to the sole administrator, he frowned on what he termed the undemocratic steps he has taken so far in the state.

Igali said he observed “A systematic tearing down of various structures, which are important for the continued building and consolidation of democracy in Rivers State right now taking place under your watch.”

Igali, in the open letter issued on Wednesday, stated that more troubling was the “unbelievable level of dismantling, disassembling, and razing down all the institutions of democracy that have been in existence in the state.”

The retired diplomat flayed the removal of the photographs of the elected governor from all offices when he had not yet been removed from office.

He added, “This I saw first-hand at the Port Harcourt International Airport, where I often pass through and was told this was at the behest of your administration. On inquiry, I was told that this has happened in all other government offices around the state.

“Beyond that is your most recent decision to suspend the boards of existing statutory institutions such as the State Independent Electoral Commission, governing councils of tertiary institutions, and even the revered traditional rulers council.’’

“I do not claim to be an expert on constitutional matters but as one who has been atop in the country’s bureaucracy and from best global practices around the world which I know too well from my diplomatic career of nearly half a century, the duties of a sole administrator as a placeholder are making decisions in an interim manner regarding the management and day-to-day administration of the state, financial control, especially receiving money, making payments, and ensuring transparency; managing personnel and ensuring other human resource functions; and taking measures to ensure peace, particularly using the office to intermediate and bring back peace to the realm in question; in this case, Rivers State,” he enumerated.

The PANDEF leader added, “This is more so as I have thoroughly read the Gazette dated 19th March, 2025 appointing you as Administrator as well as extracts of National Assembly proceedings of Thursday, 20th March, 2025 and do not find the kind of wide and sweeping powers being deployed by your office.’’

He expressed the hope that Ibas would have the courage to “undo some of your actions that have so far proven to be over the bar.”

 In the same vein, an elder statesman and member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has condemned the appointment of administrators for the 23 LGAs, saying Ibas has no power to hire or fire anybody.

 Sara-Igbe said the appointment of Ibas as Sole Administrator of the state by President Bola Tinibu is conditional.

He described the situation in Rivers State as a coup, wondering how such an illegality was thriving as if there were no law in the country.

 He said, “The man who is appointing them (LGA administrators) has no locus. He came unconstitutionally, and his appointment is not covered by the constitution, so it’s null and void.

 “Since he has no constitutional bearing, he has no power to either remove or appoint anybody into any office. But what is happening is to tell the world that they had an orchestrated plan for a coup.

 “And Mr President has come short of the constitution. Section 10 says that nobody can take the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any part of it without the due process of the law.

 “So, if somebody is taking undue advantage without following the due constitution, it’s null and void, it’s ultra vires.

 “Then, depending on section 305; section 305 doesn’t give the President power to suspend or to dissolve any elected office.

 “So, the authorities that appointed them do not even have the power to say they want to dissolve, suspend or appoint at the state level. He doesn’t have those powers.

 “All they are doing is to see that there’s impunity, they don’t respect the law. They don’t respect the constitution. They can breach the constitution anyhow they like but there’s a court injunction not to go ahead with this appointments and yet he flouted the court orders.”

 Group threaten mass action

A group, the Rivers Emancipation Movement, threatened a mass action over the latest appointments by the sole administrator.

The National President of the group, Solomon Tamunotonye, alleged that the appointees are loyalists of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, saying this would further deepen the political crisis in the state.

He stated, “The REM strongly and unequivocally rejects the appointment of sole administrators to oversee the affairs of the local governments in Rivers State.

“This decision is a brazen violation of the Nigerian constitution and stands in direct contradiction to the Supreme Court ruling on the sanctity of democratic governance at the grassroots.

“This appointment is largely populated by known allies of former governor Nyesom Wike, clearly exposing the sole administrator’s lack of neutrality and further deepening the political crisis in the state.

“By effectively handing over the LGAs to Wike’s loyalists, the sole administrator has demonstrated an unacceptable level of partisanship and disregard for democratic principles.”

However, the member representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Mr Kingsley Chinda, asserted that Ibas’ decision to appoint caretaker chairmen was in order.

Chinda, who doubles as the House Minority Leader, also stated that the appointment of a new RSIEC boss did not violate the provision of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended).

Asked if the retired admiral’s action did not amount to contempt of court, Chinda said, “What court order? What was in place before his appointments? Don’t you want the local government area’s elections conducted?

“I speak as the member representing Obio/Akpor Fed Constituency, as the Minority Caucus or its leadership has not taken a position on this.

“The Supreme Court judgement is that funds should not be released to non-democratic local government councils as provided in the constitution.

‘’The administrator never met an elected chairman in council. How is he expected to administer? Even where he administers the local government areas from the Government House, it does not meet the constitutional requirement.

“He met the council areas without chairmen and an election timetable announced by the state electoral commission. Unfortunately, three members of the commission resigned, and the chairman absconded.

“He had no option but to return democratic rule to the grassroots in compliance with the court judgement, which informed the immediate inauguration of the state electoral commission.

“In the circumstances, he had no reasonable option than to appoint administrators at the local government areas in the interim as long as there are no elected chairmen.”

That said, the federal lawmaker challenged anyone to “Point out the constitutional provision that bars him (sole administrator) from dissolving political appointees and appoint persons of his choice to help him deliver services.”

“The administrator has done nothing in breach of section 305 of the Constitution,” he insisted.

Following a recent meeting between former President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, a report has indicated that the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc might leave the party.

Naija News understands that the meeting which took place on Monday in Kaduna, was initially perceived as a routine courtesy call but has since sparked speculation about its deeper purpose.

According to Daily Trust, the governors reportedly sought Buhari’s intervention to halt defections from the party, particularly by key members of the CPC bloc

The governors’ appeal reportedly arose from growing concerns about potential defections ahead of the 2027 general elections. The defunct CPC, a key bloc within APC, remains highly influential, with Buhari regarded as its central figure.

There are fears within APC that the exit of this bloc could spell disaster for the party on a national scale.

Several former ministers who served in Buhari’s cabinet are also reportedly finalising plans to join the Social Democratic Party.

A source told the aforementioned publication that the governors feared Buhari’s enduring cult-like followership in the North could become a major liability for APC if he backs his CPC associates. His bloc vote, they feared, could be catastrophic for the party in 2027.

It was gathered that the governors specifically urged Buhari to dissuade his CPC associates from leaving APC.

However, the former president reportedly declined to make any such commitment. While reaffirming his loyalty to APC, he insisted that others must be allowed to make their own political choices, a principle he said he has upheld throughout his political career.