Nelson Ugwuagbo

Delegates from across West Africa have convened at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), marking a major milestone for the regional bloc dedicated to unity and integration.

Ahead of the main event, President Bola Tinubu, who currently serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, joined other dignitaries and ECOWAS officials at a commemorative gathering held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.

Also in attendance is General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), the only surviving founding leader of ECOWAS. Gowon played a pivotal role in the establishment of the bloc in 1975, following the signing of the original treaty in Lagos.

Following the NIIA event, heads of state, government officials, and ECOWAS representatives will proceed to Eko Hotel for the main celebration.

In a statement released earlier, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed that President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, will deliver the welcome address.

President Tinubu is expected to reflect on ECOWAS’s achievements over the past five decades, while Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Chairman of the NIIA and a former Minister of External Affairs, will review the bloc’s 50-year journey. Panel discussions are also scheduled to further examine the regional body’s progress and challenges.

General Gowon is expected to participate in all ceremonies and deliver a keynote address at the Eko Hotel event.

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has donated three acres of land to the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) for the construction of the World Ifa Temple.

The donation, according to the ICIR, is aimed at promoting traditional religious practices and establishing what is expected to become the largest pilgrimage site for Yoruba traditional worshippers globally.

The development was announced on Wednesday in a statement issued by the President of the ICIR, Fayemi Fakayode, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Fakayode described the gesture as a demonstration of the monarch’s deep commitment to Yoruba tradition, culture, and spirituality.

“This gesture of our revered first-class Oba has demonstrated his love for tradition and Yoruba culture and spirituality,” the statement read.

He added, “On behalf of the Council of Araba and Oluwo, under the chairmanship of His Eminence, Awodotun Aworeni, the Araba/Olu-Isese Agbaye, and all practitioners of Ifa and Orisa worldwide, we thank His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, for this good and historic gesture.”

Fakayode further noted that the temple would stand as a symbol of Ooni’s dedication to preserving and promoting the cultural and spiritual legacy of the Yoruba people.

“This project is going to be the largest World Ifa Temple across the world, and it will serve as a major pilgrimage site for practitioners of Oduduwa’s spirituality across the globe,” he stated.

Controversial Nigerian rapper Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington or Akpi, has sparked widespread anger across Nigeria after confessing on a live stream to engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl in a hotel on Children’s Day, May 27, 2025.

The admission, which included claims of enticing the minor with 2,000 Naira, has ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media platform X, with many Nigerians labeling the act as rape and child prostitution, and calling for his immediate arrest and prosecution.

In a series of posts on X, users expressed shock and disgust, with some accusing the rapper of predatory behavior. One user, @lotxnna, wrote, “Speed Darlington needs to be arrested and charged with rape of a minor. He confessed unprovoked to raping a 15-year-old girl in a hotel recently.

He also enticed her with 2000 Naira which is child prostitution.” Another user, @kelechicollin13, shared a video allegedly showing Darlington confessing to sexual encounters with minors, including a 14-year-old, and urged authorities such as the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (@Lagosdsva) and the Nigeria Police (@PoliceNG) to take action, stating, “Here is a pedophile right in front of you.
He needs to be arrested asap.”

The confession, reportedly made during a live stream, has fueled accusations of selective outrage, with @BENNY7GG
noting, “Speed Darlington really said he made out with a 15-year-old on Children’s Day and Nigerians are still yet to call for his arrest, some are even laughing.

Just another obvious example that selective outrage is a thing.” Others, like @Chiomabonny, expressed frustration with Nigeria’s legal system, stating, “I hope Nigerian police will see this video and take action.

Speed Darlington is a pedo, and he is admitting to sleeping with a minor. Nigeria is a curse.”

The timing of the confession on Children’s Day, a national holiday dedicated to celebrating and protecting children, has further amplified public outrage.

Users such as @YarKafanchan emphasized the severity of the situation, posting, “Speed Darlington admitted to r*ping a 15-year-old child in Nigeria.

This is not a joke, he said it on camera. Please don’t be lax with your job, he shouldn’t be walking free.”

As of now, no official statement has been released by the Nigeria Police or other authorities regarding the latest allegations against Darlington.

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (@naptipnigeria), tagged by several X users, have yet to confirm whether an investigation has been launched.

The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barrister Julius Abure, has stated that Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, does not have the authority to negotiate any coalition or alliance on behalf of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Amid speculation surrounding Obi’s recent declaration of interest to run again in 2027 under the LP platform, Abure clarified that the party’s presidential ticket remains open and will be contested in accordance with its internal rules.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party firmly rejected any coalition talks linked to Obi, stating: “We have consistently maintained that the Labour Party will not engage in any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 general election. Obi’s continued involvement with such coalition efforts is not only inappropriate but unacceptable to the party. It undermines the authority of the party leadership and disregards the internal processes that guide our decision-making.”

The statement further noted that although the party, during its 2024 National Convention, had offered automatic tickets to Obi and its only governor, that decision had been reversed following a review of the party’s constitution and guidelines.

The party also criticised Obi for attending a recent pro-coalition meeting in Abuja without prior consultation or approval from the party’s leadership.

“This move is confusing and suggests that Peter Obi has yet to fully clarify his intentions for the 2027 presidential election,” the statement added.

The LP reiterated that its 2027 presidential ticket is open to all eligible aspirants and will be determined through a transparent and democratic process.

The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) on Monday sealed the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) located in the Zone 5 area of Abuja over non-payment of ground rent.

The development was confirmed by Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

“FCTA seals PDP Secretariat in Zone 5, Abuja. It was revoked for not paying ground rent,” Olayinka said in a statement.

He explained that the property, owned by Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi, had accumulated unpaid ground rent for 28 years, prompting the FCTA to take action.

The sealing of the property comes amid ongoing efforts by the FCT administration to enforce compliance with land use regulations and recover outstanding dues.

More than 200,000 additional candidates have scored above the 200-mark average in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) following a resit conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The resit, held for 379,000 candidates in Lagos and South-East states, was organised to address technical and human errors that affected the original examination. JAMB released the resit results on Sunday.

According to the board, 1,365,479 candidates—representing 70.7 per cent of the 1.9 million total candidates—still scored below 200 after both the original UTME and the resit.

The initial results released on May 9, 2025, showed that over 1.5 million candidates scored below the 200 mark out of a possible 400, sparking nationwide concern.

Amid growing public pressure, JAMB launched an internal review and identified both technical faults and human errors in its system. The discovery led to the decision to conduct a resit for the affected candidates.

The latest figures show a reduction in the number of candidates scoring below 200, from over 1.5 million to 1,365,479—indicating that more than 200,000 candidates improved their scores in the resit.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a bill seeking to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians.

The proposed legislation, co-sponsored with Daniel Asama Ago, aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to boost voter turnout and strengthen the country’s democratic processes.

In a statement released on Monday by his media aide, Musa Krishi, the Speaker said the decision followed wide consultations with individuals and groups across the country.

“From the start, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement read.

The bill had passed second reading in the House on Thursday, but it triggered mixed reactions. While some supported it as a means to improve participation in elections, others criticised it as an infringement on personal freedom and questioned its feasibility in a country as diverse as Nigeria.

Citing examples from countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil where compulsory voting has resulted in higher voter participation, Abbas acknowledged that Nigeria must adopt a system that aligns with its unique realities.

“Lawmaking is about serving the people, and any new law must respect personal freedom,” he said.

He added that rather than enforcing mandatory voting, efforts would now shift towards encouraging electoral participation, particularly among youths and first-time voters.

“This withdrawal gives us time to talk more about how to build a culture of voluntary voting that supports our democracy and respects citizens’ rights,” Abbas stated.

Public opposition to the bill had been strong, with many Nigerians urging lawmakers to address underlying issues affecting voter turnout, such as electoral violence, distrust in the system, and poor election-day logistics.

The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Sunday as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, announced his withdrawal from all reconciliation efforts within the party.

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and prominent member of the G5 group, blamed Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for the ongoing turmoil, accusing him of being the “chief culprit” behind the party’s internal crisis.

In a personally signed statement, Wike alleged that Makinde’s failure to honour agreements reached during previous peace talks was at the heart of the party’s challenges. He also accused other senior party figures, including Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, of betrayal and consistent violation of mutual understandings.

“The Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Seyi Makinde, is the architect of our problems. Non-adherence to agreements reached is the bane of the party, and he is the chief culprit of this anomaly,” Wike stated.

He traced the root of the crisis to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections and vowed to continue fighting until justice is achieved within the party.