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Rivers Assembly Shake-Up: 17 Lawmakers Defect To APC Amid PDP Crisis.
Seventeen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly have officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal crises within the PDP as their reason for switching allegiance. The lawmakers made the announcement on Friday, with Speaker Martin Amaewhule confirming the development during plenary.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Ten lawmakers remain in the PDP, while three others, who remained loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara during the height of the political crisis, have not attended any sitting since the suspension of emergency rule in the state. Their current political stance remains unclear.
Tony Okocha, the factional Chairman of the APC in Rivers State, was present in the Assembly chamber to formally receive the defecting members. This marks another significant defection in the state’s political landscape, following a similar episode on December 11, 2023, when 27 lawmakers had reportedly joined the APC, only to later claim that televised reports of their defection were AI-generated. That matter eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the lawmakers, citing a lack of valid proof of defection.
The lawmakers who defected on Friday include Speaker Martin Amaewhule (Obio-Akpor I), Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol (Gokana), Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), Linda Stewart (Okrika), Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt III), Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt II), Enemi George (Asari-Toru II), Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt I), Igwe Aforji (Eleme), Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru I), Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru II), Peter Abbey (Degema), Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo), Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche), Ofiks Kabang (Andoni), and Gerald Oforji (Oyigbo).
Following the defection, the remaining PDP lawmakers appointed Sylvanus Nwankwo of Omuma Constituency as Minority Leader. Speaking on his decision to join the APC, Speaker Amaewhule said he made the move to align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, praising the President for his efforts in security and governance, and expressed his commitment to supporting the APC in advancing development and governance in Rivers State.
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‘Nigeria Is Not A Zoo’ – Dele Farotimi Faults Nnamdi Kanu’s Description Of Country.
Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, has criticised the Nigerian government over what he described as poor leadership and a failure to prioritise the welfare of citizens.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Farotimi argued that the country’s situation was even worse than the description of a zoo previously used by the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The activist expressed his dissatisfaction with the country’s leadership in a post shared on his X account.
He questioned the level of attention government officials pay to the welfare of Nigerians, accusing those in positions of authority of failing to show sufficient concern for the living conditions and well-being of the people.
Farotimi used the management of a zoological facility to illustrate his argument, saying that in countries where the rule of law is upheld, a zoo would not be allowed to operate carelessly without its management being held accountable.
He maintained that such a facility would have its operating licence revoked, its management prosecuted and the animals relocated to a safer environment.
Farotimi wrote: “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was wrong, Nigeria is NOT a zoo. There’s no country ruled by law, anywhere in the world, where a zoo would be ran with careless regard for the welfare of the animals, as Nigeria is ran, without having its license revoked, its management prosecuted, and the animals rehoused.”
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Fresh Leadership Change At LAWMA As Sanwo-Olu Names New MD, Redeploys Officers.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Olajuwon Akinyemi as the acting Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The appointment comes amid growing concerns over the poor management of refuse across the state, with heaps of waste reportedly littering major roads, residential areas and drainage channels.
Akinyemi replaces Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who was asked to resign following the concerns over the worsening waste situation in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu also approved the appointment of Dr Tijani Olorunwa as the acting Director of Operations, while Kunle Adebiyi will retain his position as the Executive Director of Finance.
As part of efforts to reform the authority, the state government has also approved the redeployment of several senior LAWMA officials to other departments and agencies within the Lagos State public service.
Under the arrangement, officers on Salary Grade Levels 13 to 17 will be transferred to the mainstream Lagos State Civil Service, local governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
However, officials in the Legal Department have been exempted from the exercise to avoid disruptions to ongoing court cases and concession agreements being handled by the agency.
The heads of Landfill Operations, LAWMA Operations and Private Sector Participation Operations have also been temporarily exempted from the transfers for an initial period of 90 days.
Akinyemi, who hails from Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State, is an experienced administrator.
Before his latest appointment, President Bola Tinubu appointed him Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in 2025.
He had also served in the Lagos State public service, where he held the position of Deputy Executive Secretary (Technical) for UBEC.
Akinyemi previously worked as Director of Administration and Human Resources at the Lagos State Office of Infrastructure.
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2027 Presidency: Donald Duke Declares Readiness To Step Down For Consensus Candidate.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has declared his willingness to support any candidate who emerges as the consensus choice of the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Duke made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja during the PRP strategic retreat, where he also condemned what he described as deliberate efforts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to weaken opposition parties ahead of the polls.
The former Cross River State governor accused the ruling party of using state institutions to frustrate opposition activities.
He lamented that opposition parties were allegedly being denied access to campaign venues while political violence was allowed to persist.
“Indeed, right now in this country, the only party able to campaign is the APC. They’ve locked out every person,” he said.
Duke warned that the growing political hostility could trigger a national crisis. He drew comparisons between the current political atmosphere and developments that preceded the 1966 crisis and the Nigerian Civil War.
He also expressed hope that the 375 judges recently inaugurated to handle election-related cases would uphold integrity and dispense justice without fear or favour.
Meanwhile, the PRP National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, warned that Nigeria could face serious instability if the rising cases of political violence and intimidation against opposition parties were not urgently addressed.
Baba-Ahmed said attacks on opposition politicians and restrictions on their campaigns could undermine the electoral process, deny Nigerians the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights and plunge the country into deeper political uncertainty.
“We are not scared for the PRP, we are scared for the country,” Baba-Ahmed said when asked about concerns over possible attacks on the party during its campaigns.
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