Headlines

Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), has confirmed that the 2025 budget anticipates the return of suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other political officeholders following the expiration of emergency rule in the state.

Ibas made the remarks during a budget defence session with the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the Rivers emergency rule on Wednesday.

He disclosed that the proposed N1.48 trillion fiscal plan was deliberately structured to accommodate officials expected to resume duties once constitutional governance is restored.

“In anticipation of the eventual return to constitutional order, the draft budget prudently retains provisions for the offices and functions of suspended political actors, some of whom have already drawn on allocated resources in the first quarter and are expected to resume their duties at the expiration of the emergency period,” he said.

Governor Fubara was suspended from office in March 2025 following prolonged political unrest and violent confrontations between factions loyal to Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike. The crisis, which had crippled governance led to President Bola Tinubu declaring an emergency rule in the South-South state. He suspended Governor Fubara and dissolved the State Executive Council. A proclamation was subsequently issued placing the state under emergency rule, with Vice Admiral Ibas appointed to oversee governance pending a resolution of the crisis.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Ibas also disclosed that the 2025 budget aims to regularise expenditures made prior to the emergency declaration. He, however, lamented that efforts to ensure a full accounting were hindered by a lack of cooperation from some state officials.

“Before the state of emergency declaration by His Excellency President Bola Tinubu, regrettably, some state officials withheld critical information required to ensure a more complete capture of those expenditures at the time of submission of the budget estimates,” he said.

Ibas clarified that the budget was developed in line with Section 11, Subsection 4 of the Constitution and formally transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative consideration.

Reaffirming the federal government’s commitment to stability and development in Rivers State, he noted that the budget reflects President Tinubu’s directive to maintain governance structures and support grassroots entrepreneurship.

“God willing, every River citizen with a great idea, carefully thought out, and well-planned will find the funding required to turn their dreams into successful ventures, irrespective of tribe, ethnic, or political divide,” Ibas added.

The Federal Government has cancelled the military parade in commemoration of the 26th Democracy Day holding on Thursday, June 12, 2025.

Details of the celebration released by the Inter- Ministerial Committee on Democracy Day celebration, stated that President Bola Tinubu will deliver a nationwide broadcast at 7am on Thursday without the Democracy Day parade like the previous years.

Instead, President Tinubu will appear at a special joint session of the National Assembly at 12 noon.

The joint session is expected to feature addresses on the State of the Nation, reflections on Nigeria’s democratic journey, and renewed calls for national unity and reform.

Later in the day, a public lecture is scheduled to be held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, by 4pm.

The event will bring together government officials, political leaders, and stakeholders in civil society to reflect on the country’s democratic trajectory under the theme: “Consolidating on the Gains of Nigeria’s Democracy: Necessity of Enduring Reforms.”

The statement encouraged the public to follow the broadcast and participate in the national conversation on deepening democratic institutions and reforms.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has notified electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) serving the six states in the North East that there will be blackout in the region while some places will witness significant drop in the supply of electricity.

A letter sent to one of the DisCos and signed by TCN’s Regional Operations Manager, Bauchi Region, Engr J.O Joseph, said the reduction in supply is due to the erection of 330kV Turn-In and Turn-Out towers at the new Bauchi 330kV Substation transmission lines.

The notice said the outage which will start on June 10 and end on June 14 will affect the Jos-Bauchi-Gombe 132kV line.

“With respect to the above subject matter, an outage has been scheduled from 1000hrs of 10th-1700hrs of 14th June, 2025 to enable EPC contractor erect new 330kV Turn-In and turn-Out Towers at the new Bauchi 330kV Substation and cross the existing 132kV Line.

“Note that after a review of the contractor’s schedule, the breakdown is as follows; Jos-Gombe SC Line will be out for the stated duration to enable the erection of new towers for the turn-in and out at the new Bauchi 330kV substation. This means that Damaturu, Molai, Yola and Jalingo will be out of supply while Gombe and Biu substations will be fed through Dadin Kowa Hydro power plant and Baga Road substation will be fed by MEPP.

Jos-Bauchi-Gombe 132kV line will be out on the 14th for the crossing of the 132kV line. Please, note that this memo supersedes the earlier one,” it said.

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s recent visit to Governor Alex Otti, stating that the engagement was carried out in the senator’s personal capacity and not on behalf of the party.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the party’s Acting Publicity Secretary, Sterling Urakpa, the APC strongly disapproved of Kalu’s commendation of the Labour Party-led administration in the state.

“Senator Orji Uzor Kalu’s visit to Governor Alex Otti was a personal engagement. It does not reflect the position or endorsement of the Abia State APC,” the statement read.

The party maintained that Kalu’s actions and remarks were inconsistent with its official stance on governance in Abia.

“The party remains firm in its position that the Labour Party government in Abia is fraught with unresolved conflicts of interest, a troubling lack of transparency, and the concealment of project costs and contract details,” the statement added.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its presidential ticket to the southern region of Nigeria for the 2027 general elections.

Wike made the call on Monday while reading a communiqué issued after a meeting of party stakeholders under the banner of the “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP.”

“In the spirit of fairness, inclusion, federal character principles, and respect for our party constitution, the party must make an unequivocal pronouncement zoning its presidential candidate to the South in the 2027 elections, after the unbroken years of Northern presidency under President Muhammadu Buhari,” the communiqué stated.

The document also emphasized that only the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, is constitutionally empowered to issue notices for meetings of the National Convention, National Executive Committee (NEC), National Caucus, and the National Working Committee (NWC).

It further declared that any notices or actions not issued by the National Secretary, including correspondences with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), are “null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

Nigerian pilgrims who participated in the 2025 Hajj are set to begin their return journey as Saudi Arabia on Monday officially declared the successful and peaceful completion of this year’s pilgrimage for the Islamic year 1446.

According to Saudi authorities, over 1.67 million pilgrims took part in the sacred rites, including thousands of Nigerians.

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that return flights for Nigerian pilgrims will commence on June 9. The Commission confirmed that all pilgrimage activities had concluded smoothly.

While many pilgrims expressed gratitude for the opportunity to fulfill the religious obligation, NAHCON reported that seven Nigerian pilgrims died during the exercise. The deceased, who were from Oyo, Abia, Edo, Plateau, and Kano States, were said to have suffered cardiac arrest and heart failure. They were buried in Saudi Arabia in accordance with Islamic rites.

Despite the loss, the number of recorded deaths in 2025 is significantly lower than that of the previous year, when no fewer than 30 Nigerian pilgrims died during the Hajj.

A 16-year-old student, Oyindamola Apampa, has recorded an impressive aggregate score of 351 in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), following a resit prompted by technical issues during her initial attempt.

Apampa, a student of Lagoon Secondary School in Lagos, scored 65 in English Language, 98 in Mathematics, 98 in Physics, and 90 in Chemistry.

In a statement on Tuesday, Apampa attributed her success to determination, strategic preparation, and divine favour. She explained that her first UTME attempt yielded a score of 158, but the result was later invalidated by the examination body due to technical disruptions at her centre.

“In my first UTME attempt, I scored 158. However, the results were widely criticised and later acknowledged by the authorities as inaccurate due to technical glitches affecting several examination centres, including mine,” she said.

Apampa noted that a resit was authorised to address the irregularities, during which she secured the score of 351.

She also acknowledged the role of her parents in creating a supportive academic environment at home, which she said contributed significantly to her performance.

“My parents made our home a positive place for studying. We have a full library in the family living room, in addition to a separate multimedia study room where the whole family often gets together to talk about different topics and help each other learn,” she said.

Apampa further credited a learning centre in Lekki, Lagos, for providing her with additional academic support through UTME preparation classes and regular mock examinations.

The Federal Government is set to forfeit $4 million from a World Bank loan due to its inability to meet auditing standards tied to a key revenue reform involving the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The forfeited fund is part of the $103 million Fiscal Governance and Institutions Project, a public financial management initiative financed through a credit facility from the International Development Association (IDA).

According to a World Bank restructuring paper dated June 2025, the revenue assurance audit for the FIRS and Customs, covering the 2018 to 2021 financial years, was deemed unsatisfactory. The report submitted by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation failed to meet international auditing standards and was therefore assessed as “not achieved” by the Independent Verification Agent.

“These Intermediate Results to be implemented by the Office of Auditor-General of the Federation were assessed as not achieved by the Independent Verification Agent because the reports submitted for verification did not meet the requisite international auditing standards,” the document stated.

The failed audit is one of ten performance-based conditions that the Federal Government was required to meet under the project. However, with the project scheduled to close on June 30, 2025, those conditions remain unmet.

As a result, the Federal Ministry of Finance has formally requested the cancellation of $10.4 million in project funds—$0.9 million in unused technical assistance funds and $9.5 million allocated to the unfulfilled performance-based conditions.

Eminent stakeholders and concerned leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have reaffirmed Senator Sam Anyanwu as the duly elected and substantive National Secretary of the party.

The resolution was part of a communiqué issued on Monday in Abuja following a closed-door meeting aimed at resolving the lingering crisis within the party. Participants at the meeting were drawn from across various states of the federation.

Reading the communiqué, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nyesom Wike, said the reaffirmation of Anyanwu’s position was based on the stakeholders’ consensus and in accordance with a judgment of the Supreme Court.

Wike stated that the meeting reviewed the current state of the party and emphasized the need to uphold internal democracy, equity, and justice within its ranks.

He attributed the ongoing crisis in the PDP to the refusal of some individuals to adhere to the party’s constitution. He specifically cited provisions in Section 36(1)(a)(b)(c), Sections 47(3)(5), and Section 48(1)(i), along with the Supreme Court’s definitive ruling on the office of the National Secretary.

The minister expressed concern that the party risked collapse if urgent action was not taken to address what he described as divisive, desperate, and selfish tendencies that undermined the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.