Politics
Court Refuses To Stop Edo Assembly From Impeaching Dep Gov

On Wednesday, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court declined to grant an application by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, directing Governor of the State, Godwin Obaseki, the House of Assembly and others, in the case he (Shaibu) instituted against his impeachment, to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The development occurred after Justice James Omotosho refused to grant the oral application made by Mr Shaibu’s lawyer, Oladoyin Awoyale, to the effect.
In a motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/321/2024, the embattled deputy governor had sued the Edo government, governor, House of Assembly, and Speaker as the first to fourth defendants.
The suit also named the Clerk of the House, Chief Judge, Inspector-General of Police, and Director-General of State Security Service as the fifth and eighth defendants.
In the motion dated and filed March 8, Mr Shaibu sought an interim injunction restraining the third to fifth defendants from interfering with the subject matter of the originating summons.
He also sought an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants jointly or severally from taking any adverse actions in relation to any attempt or process targeted at his removal from office as Deputy Governor of Edo State pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
He urged the court to make an order restraining the 1st to 8th defendants from preventing him from performing his official duties and discharging his responsibilities, including attending the State Executive Council meetings/functions and other duties.
On March 13, the judge refused to grant the ex-parte motion after Mr Awoyale moved it.
Instead, the judge ordered the lawyer to serve all the defendants with the processes and hearing notices and adjourned until March 18 for the hearing.
But on Tuesday, when the matter came up, Mr Awoyale told the court that he could not serve some of the defendants, and the judge adjourned the matter to Wednesday to hear another motion filed.
Upon resumed hearing on Wednesday, Mr Awoyale informed the court that he had a humble application dated March 8. He said the motion sought an order granting leave to them to effect service of the originating summons and other processes on the first and second defendants by substituted means, such as pasting the documents at the gate of the Edo government House or by courier service.
The senior lawyer said the motion also sought an order granting leave to effect service of the processes on the third and fourth defendants by substituted means, through pasting it on the parliament’s gate or by courier service.
He urged the court to grant their prayers.
He said the sixth, seventh and 8th defendants had been served.
Mr Awoyale then prayed the court for an order for parties to maintain a status quo pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
He cited previous cases to back his submission.
But the judge turned down Awoyale’s request for an order for parties to maintain status quo.
“Counsel, you know that it is not possible,” he said.
The judge held that the previous case cited by the lawyer was not applicable in the instant suit.
He said that according to the authority cited about the military administrator of Lagos, all the parties in the suit had been served, but in the present case, some parties had yet to be served.
“Today, we are just seeking leave to serve the parties by substituted means. So, can this court grant this? The answer is no,” the judge said.
The judge, however, advised the lawyer to apply for a fiat through the Federal High Court chief judge so that their case could be heard during vacation, as the court would commence its vacation on Friday.
The judge, who granted the leave for substituted service as prayed by the lawyer, adjourned the matter until April 15 for a hearing.
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar

A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
Politics
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF

For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Politics
Your Lies Chasing Investors From Nigeria, Omokri Slams Obi
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.
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