Chief Olu Falae, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and 1999 presidential aspirant, has stirred fresh debate over Nigeria’s 1999 election by asserting that he was the rightful winner, not Olusegun Obasanjo. In an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show during Democracy Day events, Falae revealed that his late lawyer, Chief J.O.K. Ajayi, had meticulously reviewed the official election figures and informed him that he had won by a margin exceeding one million votes. Falae, who ran on a joint ticket of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Peoples Party (APP), alleged that the declared results were…
Author: Oluwadara Akingbohungbe
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed plans to officially launch its campaign for the July 12 local government elections. The campaign will begin with a flag presentation ceremony for the party’s candidates, scheduled for Tuesday at the APC State Secretariat in Ogba. In a statement issued on Saturday, APC Publicity Secretary Mr. Seye Oladejo detailed that the campaign efforts have been strategically decentralized across the three senatorial districts of Lagos State—East, Central, and West. Given the extensive size of Lagos West, it has been further divided into two zones to facilitate more effective campaigning.…
The Nigerian Senate is weighing a bill to expand the number of Supreme Court Justices from 21 to 30, a move intended to reduce the extensive backlog of cases and enhance the operational capacity of the court. Senator Osita Izunaso, the bill’s sponsor, made this announcement during a press conference in Abuja, marking his second anniversary in the 10th National Assembly. He noted that, despite the appointment of 11 new justices in 2023—completing the court’s constitutional quota for the first time—the Supreme Court remains under significant strain. “Even with the full complement of 21 justices, the Supreme Court is overwhelmed.…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecast a series of thunderstorms and rainfall events sweeping across Nigeria starting Saturday and continuing through Monday. The agency’s Friday bulletin from Abuja detailed early morning thunderstorms in northern states such as Taraba, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Adamawa on Saturday. As the day progresses, thunderstorms with accompanying rains are expected to spread to Kebbi, Taraba, Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Sokoto, Gombe, and Bauchi. The North-Central zone will experience early morning thunderstorms over Benue, Plateau, Niger, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Nasarawa. Afternoon thunderstorms and rains will extend to the FCT, Niger, Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara,…
The family of the late Chief Moshood Abiola has called for transparency and detailed information regarding a reported N45 billion debt allegedly owed to them by the Nigerian government. This follows a public appeal by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who urged President Bola Tinubu to settle the debt as a symbolic act of justice and national reconciliation. At the launch of his autobiography Being True to Myself in Abuja, Lamido disclosed that Abiola’s firm, International Telephone & Telegraph, executed major contracts for the military government in the 1970s but was never fully compensated. He added that the debt…
Jamiu Abiola, the son of the late Chief MKO Abiola, has stated that Nigeria’s economic development would have been far more advanced if his father had been allowed to take office after the 1993 presidential election, which was controversially annulled. During a special June 12 forum organized by Channels Television on Thursday to mark 26 years of continuous democracy, Jamiu reflected on the global economic environment of the early 1990s. He described the annulment as a missed opportunity for Nigeria to benefit from a worldwide economic boom. “Nigeria would have been better because, at that time, it was a very…
In a security precaution linked to its ongoing military operations in Iran, Israel has temporarily closed all its embassies worldwide, suspending consular services for Israeli citizens abroad, according to official statements released on Friday. The Foreign Ministry has requested that Israelis overseas complete an online form to update their whereabouts and circumstances. It also advised citizens to avoid public displays of Israeli or Jewish symbols, refrain from posting travel details on social media, and to avoid attending large public events related to Israel. Those needing urgent help should contact the ministry’s situation room. The embassy closures follow Israel’s large-scale strikes…
Lekan Abiola, son of the late Moshood Abiola—the presumed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election—has revealed that former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida privately apologised to the Abiola family for invalidating the election results. The disclosure was made on Thursday during the MKO Abiola Memorial Symposium in Lagos, an event also focused on the forthcoming launch of a book titled “MKO Abiola: Symbol of Democracy.” Addressing journalists, Lekan said the family had recently returned from the United States and met with Babangida, who expressed remorse in a private setting. “We returned from the United States of America,…
In a major transfer coup, Liverpool has agreed to pay Bayer Leverkusen £116 million for the services of German midfielder Florian Wirtz. The deal comprises a £100 million guaranteed fee plus up to £16 million in performance bonuses, which could make it the highest transfer fee ever paid in British football. BBC Sport confirmed on Friday that these add-ons are conditional on Liverpool maintaining elite-level success, which would elevate the deal above Chelsea’s £107 million signing of Enzo Fernandez in 2023. Chelsea’s other major signing, Moises Caicedo, cost an initial £100 million with potential add-ons reaching £115 million. Wirtz’s career…
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Ekiti State governor, has declared that Nigeria, despite its return to civilian governance in 1999, has not yet attained authentic democracy. During a Channels Television event marking June 12, Fayemi stated that while the right to vote was restored, the broader democratic ideals remain unfulfilled. “Elections should not be mistaken for democracy. In 1999, we regained the right to elect our leaders, but true democracy is still out of reach,” Fayemi said. He stressed the importance of building on the progress made under previous administrations, including that of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Fayemi recounted the dangerous…