Former Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has dismissed allegations that he directed Senator Ede Dafinone to vote against Senator Godswill Akpabio during the 2023 election for the President of the 10th Senate.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Omo-Agege described the allegation as a “cheap and mischievous fabrication”, insisting that there was no truth to the claim.

He also disclosed that he had kept Dafinone at a distance for nearly three years because of what he described as a “lazy, desperate lie”.

Naija News reports that the former deputy Senate president made the clarification in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications, Godwin Anaughe.

The statement read, “Enough is enough. For a long time, supporters of Senator Ede Dafinone have been going about with a cheap and mischievous fabrication: that the Deputy President of the 9th Senate, His Excellency, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, instructed or commanded Dafinone to vote against His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio in the 2023 election of Principal Officers of the 10th Senate, and that this is why the Senate President kept him at a distance for almost three years. It is a lazy, desperate lie.”

According to the statement, Omo-Agege initially ignored the allegation because he considered it “utterly unwise and misguided”.

It added, “We let it slide at first because it sounded utterly unwise and misguided and came like the grumbling of a pitiably servile man who knew not his right from his left upon arrival in Abuja and facing a litmus test of the power dynamics of the 3-Arm Zone for the very first time.”

However, Anaughe said the situation changed after an individual identified as Ejiro Etaghene took the allegation to Crown FM and Kpoko FM radio stations, where he allegedly used it to attack Omo-Agege.

The statement further maintained that the former deputy Senate president never instructed Dafinone or anyone else to vote against Akpabio.

“For the record, the Distinguished Senator Ovie Omo-Agege never ever commanded Dafinone, or anyone else, to vote against Akpabio. On the contrary, he unequivocally and openly backed Akpabio in line with the leadership of his party then, and he has nothing to apologise for. This is who Omo-Agege is: an absolute respecter of collective leadership decisions and choices of any system he belongs to,” Anaughe said.

The author of the authorised biography of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Udu Yakubu, has revealed that the late Nigerian leader initially rejected several proposals to document his life story.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

However, Yakubu said Buhari eventually agreed to the project after meeting with him in January 2024.

News reports that the author made this disclosure on Wednesday while addressing journalists ahead of the public presentation of Muhammadu Buhari: The Authorised Biography.

Yakubu explained that the three-volume publication offers an independent account of Buhari’s leadership, examining his accomplishments, shortcomings and controversies throughout his military and democratic careers.

He said the project was the result of more than two years of extensive research, interviews, writing and documentary reviews.

According to him, Buhari personally approved the biography in 2024 after their meeting in Daura, Katsina State, where he sought the former president’s permission to document his life and political journey.

Yakubu disclosed that work on the publication began in April 2024 with Buhari’s full participation, adding that the authorisation granted him access to individuals, personal accounts and documentary records that would otherwise have been difficult to obtain.

However, he emphasised that Buhari’s involvement in the project did not compromise the independence of the author.

“Buhari had his voice in the biography, but the biographer had retained his independence,” he said.

The author explained that the decision to publish the biography in three volumes was aimed at adequately documenting the different phases of Buhari’s life, from his early years and military career to his emergence as a democratic leader and his eight-year presidency between 2015 and 2023.

He said the first volume, Buhari: The Phenomenon, explores the former president’s background, military career, rise to national prominence and eventual transition from opposition politics to the presidency.

The second volume, Buhari: The Presidency, focuses on his administration between 2015 and 2023, examining its policies, achievements, challenges, controversies, as well as the individuals and institutions that shaped his government.

Meanwhile, the third volume, Buhari: The Reckoning, assesses his legacy, particularly in the areas of the economy, security, infrastructure, foreign affairs, anti-corruption efforts and institutional reforms.

Yakubu noted that Buhari remained a divisive figure in Nigeria’s political history, attracting both admiration and criticism from different regions and generations.

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has revealed that he was once detained by the police after declaring his intention to contest for the chairmanship of Mafa Local Government Area of the state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

He disclosed that following the incident, he made a decision never to personally announce his intention to contest for any political office again.

Naija News reports that Zulum made the revelation on Wednesday during the inauguration of the Borno State All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council at the Multipurpose Hall of the Government House in Maiduguri.

Recounting his experience, the governor said he was once involved in drawing water from a well in Mafa, leaving his hands blistered and covered in blood, when he decided to express interest in the chairmanship position.

He explained that his ambition was driven by his desire to provide boreholes for the community, adding that he prayed to Allah to grant him the opportunity to address the water challenges in the area.

However, Zulum said some individuals accused him of belonging to the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and attempting to incite residents against local government officials, allegations that reportedly led to his arrest.

He said, “I was in Mafa, drawing water from a well, my hands blistered, soaked with blood. So, I declared interest and prayed to Allah for the position to drill boreholes in Mafa. But some people reported that I joined NADECO or whatever they call it, trying to instigate the public against the local government officials, and I was locked up.”

The governor noted that detention could sometimes be part of the challenges associated with political struggles.

He added, “So, I will not be surprised if police arrest someone during a political struggle.”

Speaking with journalists, Zulum also reflected on the demands of leadership, stressing that governing a state requires considerable sacrifice, patience and commitment.

He disclosed that he often leaves his office between 11:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. because of his busy schedule and the volume of official engagements.

The governor also addressed criticisms directed at his administration, including allegations surrounding the recent arrest of protesters who reportedly chanted “Tinubu Must Go.”

Maintaining that he had no involvement in the incident, Zulum said he only learnt about what happened at the mosque the following morning.

He stated, “God knows, I only got to know about what happened in the mosque the following morning. But I have to absorb it because they voted for me.”

Zulum further recalled a spiritual experience at the holy Kaaba alongside President Bola Tinubu, where he said he prayed and forgave everyone who had wronged him. He added that he also publicly sought forgiveness from anyone he might have offended.

The governor urged aspirants who lost in the APC primary elections to set aside their differences and support the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said, “It’s only God that gives power to whom He wishes, and if you take it in good faith, He will replace it with something better.”