News
Battle rages in PDP NWC
The relative peace in the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been disrupted.
The latest setback arose from last month’s judgment of the Court of Appeal which declared Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary in place of Samuel Anyanwu.
While Anyanwu is at home in Imo State observing the holiday, Ude-Okoye has seized the initiative.
Although Anyanwu said he would return to the secretariat this week after the break, Ude-Okoye who could not access the secretariat, took along with him some NWC members and visited three governors at the weekend.
The team was well received by Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Bala Muhammed (Bauchi) and Duoye Diri (Bayelsa).
It was learnt that the trips did not receive the blessing of Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum.
According to a source, the pro-Atiku forces bent on shoving aside Anyanwu, were behind Ude-Okoye’s action.
Justifying his reception for Ude-Okoye, Makinde said he believes in the rule of law. He referred to the subsisting judgment which declared Ude-Okoye as National Secretary.
With Ude-Okoye on the trip to Ibadan were: Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Deputy National Chairman; Mrs Amina Bryhm, National Women Leader; Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), National Legal Adviser; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Alhaji Ahmed Yayari, National Treasurer; Obi Okechukwu, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Dr Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary; Dr. Bovoa Emmanuel, National Vice Chairman PDP Northeast and High Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman PDP South-East.
On rule of law I stand, says MakindeUrging party faithful to maintain their fidelity to the platform, Makinde, who reflected on the challenges facing the main opposition party, said only adherence to the rule of law can resolve the lingering leadership tussle.
He recalled advising the party to always abide by the law, even before the court pronouncement.
Makinde spoke in Ibadan, the state capital, when he received some national party officers, purportedly led by Okoye.
The officers were in the state to commiserate with the governor on the death of 35 children during last month’s stampede and to present Okoye to him as national secretary.
He said Nigerians wanted the PDP to put its house in order and provide an alternative route for good governance.
Makinde told reporters: “There is a court pronouncement on the issue of the National Secretary.
“My position was clear from day one and I will always follow the rule of law.
“This is the new National Secretary by court pronouncement. I said without mincing words that we would stay on the side of the law.
In a somber development for Nigeria’s journalism community, Yakubu Mohammed, a co-founder of the iconic Newswatch magazine and its former deputy chief executive officer, has died at the age of 75.
Mohammed’s passing, announced recently, follows closely on the heels of the death of his longtime colleague and fellow co-founder, Dan Agbese, who succumbed to a prolonged illness on November 17, 2025, at age 81.
This marks yet another significant loss among the pioneering generation that launched Newswatch in 1984, revolutionizing investigative journalism in Nigeria.
Alongside Dan Agbese, Ray Ekpu, and the late Dele Giwa (who was tragically assassinated via a parcel bomb in 1986), Mohammed helped establish Newswatch as a trailblazing weekly newsmagazine known for its bold, fearless reporting and commitment to truth during a turbulent era in Nigerian history.
Reports indicate that Mohammed had been battling an undisclosed ailment before his death. Just months prior, in October 2025, he released his memoir, Beyond Expectations, which provides deep insights into the magazine’s founding, its challenges, and its enduring impact on Nigerian media.
The deaths of Agbese and now Mohammed represent profound blows to the legacy of Newswatch, which set new standards for ethical, investigative, and interpretative journalism in the country.
Tributes are expected to pour in from media practitioners, political leaders, and the public as the nation mourns another pillar of its press freedom movement. May his soul rest in perfect peace.
News
U.S. delivers ‘critical military assets’ to battle terrorists, bandits
Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, visited the U.S. to quicken the process for the supply of 12 AH-1Z fighter jets by Bell Textron of California.AH-1Z, a modern attack helicopter, is equipped with advanced sensors and precision-guided weapons with night-fighting capabilities.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM), has confirmed the delivery of critical military supplies to Nigeria to support the ongoing security operations against terrorists and other non-state actors.
“This delivery supports Nigeria’s ongoing operations and emphasises our shared security partnership,” said AFRICOM on its official X account yesterday.
AFRICOM, however, did not name the “critical military” tools.
Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, visited the U.S. to quicken the process for the supply of 12 AH-1Z fighter jets by Bell Textron of California.AH-1Z, a modern attack helicopter, is equipped with advanced sensors and precision-guided weapons with night-fighting capabilities.
The supply of the critical military tools came after Washington launched deadly strikes on terrorists in the Northwest on December 24.
News
World Bank projects Nigeria’s urban population to reach 264m by 2050
According to the report entitled ‘Multi-sector analytical review and pathway to transformation’, Nigeria’s urban population has grown exponentially over the last 65 years – from just under seven million in 1960 to over 128 million in 2024, with nearly half the urban population living in slums.
• Lagos Business District
The World Bank says that people living in Nigerian cities will over the next 25 years reach 264 million from the current 140.3 million people.
The Bank made the projection in its Global Economic Prospects report, released yesterday, also forecasts that the Nigerian economy will grow by 4.4 percent in 2026 and maintain that pace in 2027.
In the report, Nigeria is expected to be the third most populous country in the world, after China and India
According to the report entitled ‘Multi-sector analytical review and pathway to transformation’, Nigeria’s urban population has grown exponentially over the last 65 years – from just under seven million in 1960 to over 128 million in 2024, with nearly half the urban population living in slums.
It is projected that 70 percent of the population will live in urban areas by 2050, with cities at the centre of the country’s economic future.
BREAKING: Another Newswatch Magazine Co-Founder Passes Away – Yakubu Mohammed Dies at 75
U.S. delivers ‘critical military assets’ to battle terrorists, bandits
World Bank projects Nigeria’s urban population to reach 264m by 2050
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