ENUGU LP HOUSE OF REPS MEMBERS JOIN APC
Enugu LP House of Reps Members Join APC In a decisive political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, prominent Labour Party (LP) lawmakers and political figures from Enugu State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Their defection, announced at a high-profile APC Progressive Governors’ Forum meeting, marks a major boost for the ruling party’s expansion in the Southeast. Facilitated by the leadership of APC in Enugu, the Honorable Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, the Deputy National Chairman South, Chief Emma Eneukwu, and the State Party Chairman, Hon. Ugochukwu Agballah, the move strengthens APC’s strategic positioning in the region. Agballah officially presented five influential LP defectors, including sitting members of the House of Representatives and former political officeholders, who have now pledged their allegiance to APC: The event, witnessed by top APC figures, underscored the party’s growing appeal in the Southeast. Present were APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, Chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdurahman Abdurazaq, alongside Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, and Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, among other high-ranking officials. This defection signals a significant power shift in Enugu, traditionally an opposition stronghold. Political analysts see it as a calculated move that could redefine the state’s political dynamics heading into 2027. Hon. Ugochukwu Agballah welcomed the defectors, emphasizing the party’s commitment to progress, leadership, and inclusive governance.“ The APC is a party of growth and opportunity. We welcome progressive minds who are ready to drive transformation in Enugu and the Southeast,” Agballah stated. With this strategic reinforcement, APC is making bold moves to solidify its influence in Enugu, setting the stage for a competitive 2027 election.
CAMBRIDGE HONOURS NIGERIAN PHD STUDENT FOR BIAFRA HERITAGE PROJECT
CAMBRIDGE HONOURS NIGERIAN PhD STUDENT FOR BIAFRA HERITAGE PROJECT A PhD student at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology, Stanley Onyemechalu, has been recognised for his Legacies of Biafra Heritage Project. According to an article published by the department on Monday, Onyemechalu was recently named runner-up in the Early Career Researcher category at the Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement. Onyemechalu’s project reportedly engaged both young and old in Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria, through creative artistic expressions. “Through workshops and an exhibition, the project aimed to promote intergenerational dialogue and historical awareness on the legacies of the Nigeria-Biafra war, a sensitive part of people’s collective history that has been suppressed by successive Nigerian governments,” the article read. “I am honoured to have received this important recognition from the University of Cambridge for my work with communities in south-eastern Nigeria,” Onyemechalu was quoted as saying. He added, “I am grateful to my collaborators at the Centre for Memories in Enugu, Nigeria, including the project volunteers and participants; my supervisor, Dr Dacia Viejo-Rose, and colleagues at the Cambridge Heritage Research Centre; as well as the Public Engagement team at the University of Cambridge. “I would also like to thank the Royal Anthropological Institute, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the University’s Public Engagement Starter Fund for supporting the project.” Onyemechalu’s award was part of a wider celebration of research excellence at Cambridge. Professor Gilly Carr, a researcher at the Institute of Continuing Education and the Department of Archaeology, was also recognised as runner-up in the Established Academic category for her work on The Safeguarding Sites Project, while Dr Nik Petek-Sargeant, a scholar at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, was similarly honoured as a runner-up in the Early Career Researcher category for his Historical East African Archaeology and Theory Project. The Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement are reportedly presented annually to celebrate innovative research approaches that have significant social, cultural, and academic impact. “The awards, presented by Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice and Professor Sir John Aston FRS, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, recognise innovative practices and partnership working across the engagement, knowledge exchange, and impact space,” the article noted.
NORTHERN EMIR BANS CHURCH ACTIVITIES IN CHRISTIAN FAMILIES
NORTHERN EMIR BANS CHURCH ACTIVITIES IN CHRISTIAN HOMES The Emir of Rano, Ambassador Muhammad Isa Umaru, has placed a strict ban on church activities inside residential buildings within the Emirate. The directive follows a wave of petitions from concerned residents, prompting the Emir to set up a special investigative committee. Findings from the committee confirmed that a church in Yadi Quarters, Rano town, was conducting services in a residential house without adhering to proper legal procedures. Rano Emirate is home to 27 certified churches, where Christians worship freely without interference. Findings from the committee confirmed that a church in Yadi Quarters, Rano town, was conducting services in a residential house without adhering to proper legal procedures. Rano Emirate is home to 27 certified churches, where Christians worship freely without interference. However, unauthorized worship in residential buildings sparked discontent among locals, leading to formal complaints. Acting on the committee’s report, the Emir swiftly ordered an immediate halt to all church activities in residential buildings to prevent any potential breach of peace. Committee Secretary, Alhaji Umar Isa Sarki, revealed that multiple petitions raised concerns over the legality of the services being held in private homes. Efforts to obtain a reaction from the Kano chapter chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
TOO MANY PEOPLE COME TO UK TO WORK ILLEGALLY – PRIME MINISTER VOWS TO END IT
TOO MANY PEOPLE COME TO WORK IN UK ILLEGALLY – PRIME MINISTER, VOWS TO END IT UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to take decisive action against illegal immigration, vowing to put an end to the practice of individuals entering the country to work illegally. In a statement via X on Monday, Prime Minister Starmer emphasized the need for stricter controls, stating: “Too many people are able to come to the UK and work illegally. We are putting an end to it.” In a related development, Kemi Badenoch, UK’s conservative leader, had revealed that the Conservative Party would implement significant changes in the country’s immigration policy. According to her proposal, immigration reforms will include extending the waiting period for ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’ (ILR) from five to ten years. Additionally, immigrants will now have to wait five years after obtaining ILR before applying for British citizenship, increasing the total process to at least 15 years. Badenoch’s proposal also introduces stricter restrictions on eligibility. Individuals with criminal records, those dependent on social housing, or those claiming benefits will be permanently barred from settling in the UK. Furthermore, anyone who enters the country illegally or overstays their visa will be banned from ever obtaining leave to remain or British citizenship
TENSIONS RISE BETWEEN ANAMBRA, IMO OVER KILLING OF TWO RESIDENTS BY SOLUDO’S AGUNECHEMBA
TENSIONS RISE BETWEEN ANAMBRA, IMO OVER KILLING OF TWO RESIDENTS BY SOLUDO’S AGUNECHEMBA The fragile peace between Anambra and Imo States is under threat following the alleged extrajudicial killing of two Imo residents by Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s security outfit, ‘Agunechemba.’ The victims, who were reportedly working on a construction project in Owerre-Ezukala, Anambra State, were shot and labeled as “unknown gunmen” during a security raid. Residents of Owerre-Ezukala in Orumba South LGA expressed outrage, condemning the killings and describing the victims—Malachy Chimaobi Iwuanyanwu and Odinkalu Chinonso from Imo State, along with Kosisochukwu from Isuofia—as innocent individuals caught in a flawed security operation. The raid, initially aimed at kidnapping and ritual crime suspects, resulted in the arrest of nine individuals, but local reports suggest security operatives acted without proper intelligence, leading to civilian casualties. Following the killings, anger has spread to Ehime Mbano LGA in Imo State, where some residents have vowed retaliation against Anambra indigenes entering their area for work. In leaked audio messages, voices threaten reprisal attacks if the Anambra State government fails to address the incident and hold those responsible accountable. Despite repeated attempts, neither Governor Soludo’s Chief Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, nor other government officials have responded to inquiries regarding the killings. As tensions rise, calls for justice and accountability grow louder, with many demanding a full report on extrajudicial killings in Anambra to prevent further violence between the two states.
KENNETH OKONKWO QUITS LABOUR PARTY, GIVES REASONS
KENNETH OKONKWO QUITS LABOUR PARTY, GIVES REASONS A former spokesperson for the Labour Party (LP) Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2023, Kenneth Okonkwo, has announced his resignation from the party. Announcing his resignation from the party on Tuesday, Kenneth Okonkwo thanked Nigerians for the support they gave the Labour Party during the 2023 presidential election. “We were the only party that had 25% foothold in all six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory. I believe that we won the election under the Labour Party with your support but were denied the victory through technical glitch”, he said. He stated that by February 25, 2025, it will be two years after the 2023 presidential election and two years before the next presidential election. “It’s a democratic convention worldwide that effective political consultations, alignments, and re-alignments commence two years to the next election. Unfortunately, the Labour Party, as presently constituted, is not in a position to be part of that political force that will determine the political future of Nigeria. According to him, Labour Party as presently constituted does not exist. “In the constitution of Labour Party, the tenure of the ward, local government, and state party executives is three years. Having conducted no congresses at these levels within the constitutionally allowed tenure of the executives, their regimes have effectively expired. “The former National Chairman of Labour Party, Julius Abure, and his former National Working Committee, having conducted no national convention known to law, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the courts having held that the issue of the leadership of a political party is the internal affair of a political party for which the courts do not have the jurisdiction to entertain, there’s no effective leadership of Labour Party at the national level. “The Senator Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee, which was duly and legally set up by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Labour Party, after the non-recognition of Abure-led National Working Committee (NWC) by INEC, and was given six months to conduct congresses and the convention, was the only viable option towards salvaging the Labour Party. “Unfortunately, Abure and his colleagues, with the collaboration of outside forces, launched unnecessary legal challenges against this Caretaker Committee that have inhibited it from functioning. It’s more than six months after the inauguration of the Committee, and the Committee has not even taken off, leading many to conclude that the objective of these politicians of bread and butter with their outside collaborators is to bog down the serious members of Labour Party with frivolous and unnecessary litigation till the 2027 election is over. Isn’t it curious that a national executive of a political party whose elected members are defecting everyday to other parties, and who can not wage legal battles to recover these seats for their party, is waging ferocious legal battles to maintain their destructive, choking hold on the party. ” It’s obvious that Abure is not interested in the survival of Labour Party as he is interested in the survival of his pocket. If he is interested in the emergence of a southern candidate in Labour Party to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, going by the convention of having a northern national chairman of a party and a southern presidential candidate of the same party, whenever going into election, the first thing he would have done is to cede the position of national chairman to the North since the party is interested in fielding a presidential candidate from the South. “This was the suggestion of people like us who are genuinely interested in the survival and flourishing of Labour Party. Nigerians, especially the North, may have overlooked the combination of both the … national chairman and presidential candidate from…
ABIA PDP SUSPENDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN, ADOLPHUS WABARA
ABIA PDP SUSPENDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN, ADOLPHUS WABARA Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended its Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, over alleged anti-party activities. Confirming the suspension in an interview with Enyimba FM, the state PDP chairman, Abraham Amah, stated that the decision was taken by the State Executive Committee (SEC) due to Wabara’s breach of party loyalty. According to Amah, Wabara publicly endorsed Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party, for a second term in office in October 2023—barely five months after Otti’s inauguration. He described the endorsement as an act of sabotage against the PDP, bringing the party into disrepute. Amah cited Chapter 10, Article 58C and F of the PDP Constitution (2017 as amended), which prohibits such actions and provides grounds for disciplinary measures under Article 59-1. When asked whether the suspension was related to Wabara’s involvement in the ongoing controversy surrounding the national secretary position of the PDP, Amah dismissed such claims, insisting that the decision was based solely on Wabara’s actions. He also explained that while the party had intended to take action earlier, Wabara had been on medical vacation on three occasions, delaying the process. However, the SEC deemed it appropriate to act now that he is available. On why the suspension did not originate from the ward level, Amah clarified that the PDP Constitution empowers the SEC to discipline any member found guilty of infractions, irrespective of their rank within the party. “The constitution provides multiple ways to carry out this type of duty,” Amah stated, emphasizing the SEC’s authority in such matters.
CBN INCREASES ATM TRANSACTION FEES, BANKS BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION MARCH 1
CBN INCREASES ATM TRANSACTION FEES BANKS BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION MARCH 1 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a review on the transaction fees for automated teller machines (ATMs) In a circular signed by John Onojah, acting director of financial policy and regulation department, the CBN said the revised charges will take effect from March 1. The regulator said the move would address rising operational costs and enhance efficiency in the banking sector. The last time ATM transactions charges were reviewed was in 2019, when the CBN reduced the withdrawal fees from N65 to N35. While the latest increase means Nigerians will pay more for ATM transactions, the apex bank said the review is in line with Section 10.7 of the ‘CBN guide to charges by banks, other financial and non-bank financial institutions (2020)’. “In response to rising costs and the need to improve efficiency of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) services in the banking industry, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reviewed the ATM transaction fees prescribed in Section 10.7 of the extant CBN Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions, 2020. (the Guide),” CBN said. “This review is expected to accelerate the deployment of ATMs and ensure that appropriate charges are applied by financial institutions to consumers of the service. “Accordingly, banks and other financial institutions are advised to apply the following fees with effect from March 1, 2025.” According to the new policy, customers withdrawing from their bank’s ATMs (on-us transactions) will continue to enjoy free withdrawals. However, a N100 fee per N20,000 withdrawal will be applied at on-site ATMs (those located at bank branches). For withdrawals at ATMs of other banks (Not-on-Us transactions), an off-site withdrawal will attract a N100 fee plus a surcharge of up to N450 per N20,000 withdrawal. The CBN clarified that the surcharge is the income of the “ATM deployer/acquirer and must be disclosed to consumers at the point of withdrawal”. For international withdrawals using debit or credit cards, the CBN said banks and financial institutions are now permitted to apply “a cost-recovery charge equivalent to the exact amount charged by the international acquirer”. “Furthermore, the three free monthly withdrawals allowed for Remote-On-Us (other bank’s customers/Not-On-Us consumers) in Nigeria under Section 10.6.2 of the Guide shall no longer apply,” CBN added. The apex bank urged all financial institutions to comply with the new directives ahead of the implementation date.
SUSPEND TELECOM TARIFF HIKE – HOUSE OF REPS DIRECTS NCC, MINISTER
SUSPEND TELECOM TARIFF HIKE – HOUSE OF REPS DIRECTS NCC, MINISTER The House of Representatives Tuesday directed the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani and the Nigerian Communications Commissions, NCC, to suspend the impending hike in telecommunications tariffs until services are improved. The decision of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary on Tuesday by Oforji Oboku. Presenting the motion, the lawmaker recalled that speaking after a stakeholders’ meeting with Mobile Network Operators in Abuja on Wednesday 8th of January, 2025, Tijani disclosed that telecommunication tariffs would soon increase. The lawmaker stressed that the argument of the telecommunications companies for the hike includes, the cost of investment, better networks, increasing demand for digital services across sectors such as education, banking and healthcare, amongst others. Oboku recalled that telecommunications companies had been advocating for the hike for the last 11 years, according to the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON, and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON. The lawmaker noted that the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers has rejected the proposed increase in tariffs, describing it as insensitive and a further burden on consumers already grappling with economic hardship, and poor network service delivery. He explained that the telcos need cost- reflective tariffs in the face of adverse economic realities like a record inflation of 34.6 percent in November 2024 and losses resulting from foreign exchange fluctuations. “It is imperative that the telecommunications companies improve on their service delivery (poor network), which Nigerians have been yearning for in years, before embarking on the increase in their tariffs.” The lawmaker expressed concern that the far reaching effects of these price hikes would deepen financial struggles for the average Nigerian, threaten the country’s vision of leveraging technology to drive economic revival, exacerbate poverty and widen existing inequalities, hitting lower income families the hardest. Oboku argued that affordable connectivity is a must for progress in critical sectors like digital banking, education, healthcare, agriculture and e- governance. After a debate, the House resolved: “To urge the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commissions to suspend the impending hike in telecommunications tariffs until their service improved.”