Folarin Kehinde

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator-elect for Kogi Central, has rejected the congratulatory message sent to her by Governor Yahaya Bello, alleging that he tried to kill her during the 2023 election.

Reacting in Channels TV’s Politics Today program, Akpoti-Uduaghan said that Bello’s attempt to rig the election in favour of his candidate was not the beauty of democracy.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations come after Bello congratulated her on her victory following the dismissal of an appeal by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Abubakar Ohere.

The state Election Petitions Tribunal, in September, had declared Akpoti-Uduaghan winner of the Kogi Central Senatorial election, PUNCH reports. It also invalidated the victory of Ohere.

The tribunal chairman, Justice K. A. Orjiako, delivered the unanimous judgment of the three-person panel, revealing that Ohere’s results were inflated in nine polling units in the Ajaokuta Local Government Area.

President Bola Tinubu has warned top government officials and family members, specifically mentioning his son, Seyi Tinubu, against attending the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Tinubu issued the warning on Monday before the start of the FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“Last week, I noticed people sneaking in and out of this council. People had access to this place when they should not. That is not acceptable.

“I will announce to you here, people who are supposed to be here.

“Hadiza Usman, Special Adviser on Policy Coordination, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Principal Private Secretary and Damilotun Aderemi, Private Secretary.

“These are the people who are granted the exception to be here when we are conducting the business of the nation. Unless I send for you, don’t come.”

Tinubu then asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Folashade Yemi-Esan, to take note of his directive.

The second son of Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Isaac Oyedepo, has opened up on his reported departure from his father’s church to form his ministry.

Isaac has now come out to say that he hasn’t resigned from his father’s church, Living Faith Worldwide.

Isaac, in a statement, said he is still a member of Living Faith Church Worldwide and that the relationship between him, his family and his father was still very intact.

He has warned the media not to publish anything about him without his consent, saying it amounted to a breach of his privacy.

“It is worthy of note that no external statements have been authorized or verified by me. I must state that there are no complications in my relationship with my beloved family, and my beloved dad (Bishop David Oyedepo), who have stood by and supported me over the years; nor are there any in my commitment to my church-turned-home, Living Faith Church (also known as Winners Chapel international).

“I remain a steadfast member of Living Faith Church, dedicated to service in the Body of Christ,” he said.

Isaac added: “I urge the general public to treat information not communicated by me, or from any of my social medic platforms, with extreme caution.

“There should be no further publication (s) on social media, electronic or print media, about any severance of my relationship with the Living Faith Church, or my family, without my express authorization, as it may be considered a breach to my privacy. Thank you so much for understanding.”

A report by Premium Times indicates that the federal government plans to spend N1.5 billion on vehicles for the Office of First Lady amidst economic challenges facing the country.

According to the report, the amount is contained in the supplementary budget sent to the National Assembly for approval.

President Bola Tinubu had on Tuesday asked the National Assembly to approve the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget.

The budget was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its meeting on Monday.

A review of the budget shows that the administration has decided to spend N1.5 billion on vehicles for the Office of the First Lady, an office that is not recognised by the country’s constitution.

Aside from the Office of the First Lady, the government plans to spend another N2.9 billion on Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) for the Presidential Villa and another N2.9 billion to replace operational vehicles for the presidency.

The government is also proposing to spend N4 billion on the renovation of the residential quarters of the president and N2.5 billion on the renovation of the vice president’s residence. In all, N28 billion is proposed for the State House.

It is planning to spend N12.5 billion on the Presidential Air Fleet.

The presidential fleet includes Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-800 or NAF 001), one Gulfstream 550, one Gulfstream V (Gulfstream 500), two Falcons 7X, one Hawker Sidley 4000, two AgustaWestland AW 139 helicopters and two AgustaWestland AW 101 helicopters.

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of Zacch Adedeji as Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.

The confirmation took place at the Senate plenary, presided by Senate President, Godswill Obot Akpabio after his nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

During his screening, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a former governor explained that President Tinubu has honoured his word that there would be a place for the younger generation in his administration, saying that the nomination of Adedeji was one of such promises.

Senator Sunday Katung, representing Kaduna South Senatorial District in his contribution, urged the lawmakers to allow the young man to “take a bow and go”, recalling that his presentation at the lawmaker’s retreat at Ikot Ekpene was brilliant.

Katung said: “Mr Senate President, Distinguished Colleagues, this young man presented a paper at our retreat in which all of us were present and he did it brilliantly. His nomination by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Chairman of FIRS was rightly done and I wish to seek your indulgence for him to take a bow and go.”

After explaining ways to generate revenue for the nation in response to questions by the lawmakers, the Chamber was dissolved into the Committee of Whole and he was confirmed by the Red Chamber.

Before his appointment by President Tinubu on 14 September, Zacch Adelabu Adedeji served as Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has denied claims that it plans to redenominate the naira with effect from January 2024.

This was contained in a statement by the apex bank’s director of corporate communications, Isa AbdulMumin, amid claims suggesting the apex bank plans to introduce new notes to replace the old ones currently in circulation.

“We are concerned that this narrative, which we had refuted before now, appears to be gaining traction with several debates on the implication of such a policy for the Nigerian economy,” the statement read.

“We wish to reiterate that the contents of the message are misleading. The authors of the message, in their mischief, modified text eked from an old policy move by a previous CBN Governor in 2007 to make it appear recent.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is currently no plan by the Bank to restructure and redenominate the naira. The public is hereby advised to ignore the news report, as it is speculative and calculated to cause panic in the polity.”

While the bank may be considering reforms, AbdulMumin said “such are subject to laid down procedures in line with the provisions of the CBN Act, 2007.”

Leading reporters learnt that the CBN redesigned the N200, N500 and N1000 notes in 2022.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has authoritatively rejected calls for a ceasefire with Hamas, as Israeli troops continued to expand operations on the ground.

“Just as the United States will not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11,” Netanyahu declared.

“Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7.

“Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen.

“The Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war, a war for a common future,” Netanyahu told journalists.

He called on all civilised nations to stand with Israel in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages and in drawing a line between the forces of civilisation and the forces barbarism.

“It is a time for everyone to decide where they stand,” Netanyahu said.

Earlier on Monday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said a female Israeli soldier taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, was freed during the deployment of ground forces in the Gaza Strip.

The soldier was medically checked, is doing well, and has met with her family,” the IDF and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, in a joint statement.

Israel’s army heralded a new phase in the war against the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, at the weekend.

In addition to massive airstrikes, Israeli ground forces advanced deeper into the territory.

Terrorists from Hamas carried out a massacre of civilians in Israel on October 7.

More than 1,400 people were killed in the massacre and in the following days.

At least 239 others were abducted to the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli army, which believes most of the hostages to still be alive.

Another 40 people are still missing since the terrorist attacks.

According to Israeli sources, citizens of more than 40 countries are among those killed and missing.

According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza, 8,306 Palestinians had been killed by Monday in retaliatory airstrikes by Israel.

The al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, said they had fired anti-tank missiles at Israeli units in the Zeitoun district south-east of Gaza.

Residents of Jabi Masalachi area of Abuja have been thrown into confusion following the demolition of the chief’s palace by the FCT Task Force on City Sanitation.

Leading reporters understands that the task force had acted on the instruction of FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to pull down illegal structures in the area.

A resident, Ayuba Kefas, noted that the demolition of the palace was a source of concern to the indigenous people of the community as they “now had no place to converge for meetings” that required the attention of the chief.

“This is the first time this kind of thing is happening, especially demolishing the palace of a chief in any settlement in the FCT,” Kefas said.

He added that the situation was more worrisome to residents about their fate as the village was home to hundreds of low income earners.

Effort to speak with the chief yielded no result as he has still not recovered from the shock of losing his house to Wike’s bulldozers.

The taskforce, comprises of officials of the FCT Development Control Department, the DRTS, the police, NSCDC, the AEPB, among others have been demolition illegal structure, some, the authorities say are being used by criminal elements.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reversed the disqualification of former minister of petroleum, Timipre Sylva, as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa state.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had, on October 9, disqualified Sylva from contesting the November 11 election in Bayelsa state.

Delivering judgment, Donatus Okorowo, presiding judge, held that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of the state, would breach the 1999 constitution if allowed to contest again.

The judge held that Sylva was not qualified to run in the forthcoming poll because if he wins and is sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor of the state.

Consequently, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also removed Sylva’s name from amended governorship candidates’ list.