Headlines

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has publicly endorsed Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, for the upcoming Edo State gubernatorial election.

Saraki, a prominent PDP chieftain and 13th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2015 to 2019, made his endorsement known through a social media message.

In his endorsement, Saraki described Ighodalo as a leader with exceptional qualities, including “unquestionable integrity, unparalleled vision, and dedication to make Edo State thrive.”

He also highlighted Ighodalo’s impressive track record of driving positive change and expressed confidence that he would bring pioneering leadership to the public sector as governor.

Saraki’s endorsement is not the only high-profile support Ighodalo has received. Recently, award-winning musician David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, also endorsed Ighodalo.

As a respected figure in Nigerian politics, Saraki’s endorsement carries significant weight.

His leadership experience and influence will likely boost Ighodalo’s campaign and appeal to voters.

With the election approaching, Ighodalo’s campaign will likely continue to gain momentum from prominent endorsements like Saraki’s and Davido’s.

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, also known as KAI, has sealed off Idera Market in Oshodi due to environmental law violations.

Corps Marshal Major Olaniyi Cole announced this decision, citing the need for intensified efforts to maintain environmental cleanliness across registered markets.

According to Cole, LAGESC operatives identified filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around Idera Market during a routine monitoring exercise. This prompted the seal-off until further notice.

Cole expressed concern that the market’s poor hygiene levels pose health risks to vendors and buyers, potentially causing illnesses and disease outbreaks. He emphasized that markets must adopt hygienic practices to prevent disease spread.

The market leadership’s failure to provide a valid waste collection contract was a key factor contributing to the refuse heaps.

LAGESC will continuously monitor market environments for contraventions, warning other markets to maintain acceptable hygiene levels. Non-compliant markets will be sealed off until total compliance is achieved.

This enforcement aims to promote a cleaner, hygienic environment across Lagos State.

Concerns are escalating ahead of the Edo State governorship election, with the hashtag #EdoElectionNoBeWar trending on social media.

Reports alleging the All Progressives Congress (APC) is arming thugs to disrupt the electoral process have sparked widespread alarm.

Citizens are expressing anxiety over potential violence and voter intimidation, particularly following allegations that former deputy governor Philip Shaibu is stockpiling weapons. The election is scheduled for September 21, 2024.

Social media platforms are filled with calls for peace, with users urging political actors to avoid chaos. Examples include tweets like “Let us vote in peace! Thugs have no place in our democracy” and “Elections should be peaceful, not a battlefield.”

Recent violent clashes in Benin City, resulting in a police inspector’s death, have heightened tensions. Voters are worried about their safety on election day.

Security expert Dr. Anthony Dimka warns that armed thugs could undermine the election’s legitimacy. He emphasizes the need for swift action from security agencies to ensure peace.

Civil society groups and community leaders are pressing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to guarantee a fair and peaceful election. They also urge political parties to renounce violence.

The APC has not yet responded to the allegations of arming thugs.

Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has denied allegations of plotting to oust Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano.

A recent social media report sparked these claims, but Ganduje’s team swiftly responded, labeling the accusations as absurd.

Ganduje’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment, Chief Oliver Okpala, released a statement emphasizing that the former Kano State governor has no connection to the alleged plot.

Ganduje’s current position as APC National Chairman, rather than governor or speaker of the state house of assembly, renders him powerless in Kano’s emirship affairs.

The statement clarified that Ganduje has “nothing to do with the present enthronement or dethronement of Emir Mohammad Sanusi in Kano state.” It’s unreasonable to assume Ganduje would mastermind a plot when he hasn’t held the governor’s office for years.

Rumors also suggested Ganduje aimed to advise Alhaji Ado Bayero to relinquish his throne for peace to reign. Ganduje’s team dismissed this claim as absurd, highlighting his focus on leading the APC and contributing to national issues.

Ganduje’s leadership and governance of Kano State are credited as exemplary. Since transitioning from governor to APC National Chairman, he has prioritized national matters, leaving behind local concerns.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, has urged states along the Benue River to increase their vigilance.

The call is coming following the ongoing plan by the management of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon to open the dam for water to gush out.

In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday by the NIHSA, signed by the Director General and the Chief Executive Officer, Umar Ibrahim Mohamed, he said the states likely to be affected by the flow of water from the dam are: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.

The agency also called on governments at all levels to implement adequate preparedness measures to mitigate potential flooding that may result from rising river levels during this period.

The release of water, the statement said, will begin at a rate of 100 cubic meters per second (8.64 million cubic meters per day) and is expected to gradually increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second over the next seven days, depending on inflows from the upstream Garoua River, the primary feeder of the reservoir and a significant contributor to the Benue River.

The Cameroonian dam authorities assured NIHSA that the water releases will be regulated to avoid exceeding the capacity of the Benue River and triggering major flooding downstream in Nigeria