News
Benue State High Court Upholds Ayu’s PDP Suspension
A Benue State High Court in Makurdi, Friday, ruled that Iyorchia Ayu can no longer hold office as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) having lost membership of the party in his Igyorov Council Ward of Gboko Local Government Area of the state.
A member of the PDP in Benue State, Conrad Terhide Utaan, dragged Ayu to court following his suspension by his Igyorov ward executive committee after passing a vote of no confidence on him.
In suit No: MHC/85/2023, Utaan sought among other reliefs a declaration that, Ayu is no longer fit and qualified to hold office as the national chairman of the PDP, having lost membership of the party in his Igyorov council ward of Gboko, where he first registered as a member of the party.
He also sought a declaration of court that Ayu cannot hold himself out, function and preside over the affairs of the PDP as its national chairman having seized to enjoy all the rights and privileges of membership by virtue of his suspension by the ward executive committee of the party in his Igyorov council ward.
The plaintiff further sought an order restraining Ayu from parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP having lost membership of the party in his Igyorov Council Ward, among other reliefs.
Ayu through his counsel J.J Usman, SAN, filed preliminary objections to the suit bothering on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit, saying it was an internal affair of a political party.
He also challenged the locus standi of the plaintiff, Utaan to institute the action, adding that the plaintiff had not exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanism of the party, among other objections.
Utaan through his counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, argued against the preliminary objections and urged the court to discountenance the preliminary objections and grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
Delivering his judgement that lasted for 2-hours, the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, resolved all the issues raised in the preliminary objections in favour of the plaintiff and accordingly dismissed same.
Justice Ikpambese held that By virtue of Article 8(9)of the constitution of the PDP, Ayu seized to be a member of the PDP with his failure to pay his subscription and membership fee.
He ruled that Ayu’s membership of the PDP elapsed with his failure to pay his membership subscription fee.
On the claim that the ward executive committee of the party cannot discipline a member of the National Executive Committee, Justice Ikpambese held that going by the provisions of Article 46(1)of the PDP Constitution, the ward executive of the PDP have the powers to discipline a member of the NEC of the party.
The Judge pointed out that Ayu did not show proof that he has paid his membership subscription fee, neither did he challenge his suspension before any organ of the party or before any court, thereby leaving the court with the impression that he has consented to his suspension by his ward executive committee.
He said Ayu had lost his membership of the party even before he was suspended by his ward executive committee.
Justice Ikpambese accordingly resolved all the issues in favour of the plaintiff.
“The plaintiff has proven his case, all the questions for determination have been resolved in favour of the plaintiff, he is entitled to all the reliefs sought. I so order”
Reacting to the judgment, counsel to Utaan, Mike Assoh described the judgement as sound, adding that the court has validated the action of the Igyorov ward executive committee of the party against Ayu, for his (Ayu) failure to pay his membership subscription fee.
The ward exco had also accused Ayu of anti-party activities after which they passed a vote of no confidence on him.
While reading their resolution at the time, the secretary of the party in Igyorov ward, Vanger Dooyum, said Ayu’s anti-party activities – alongside his allies – contributed to PDP’s loss in his ward and local government in the governorship election.
They also alleged that the PDP chieftain did not vote during the governorship and state assembly elections held on the 18th of March, 2023.
According to them, most of Ayu’s closest allies worked for the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) which resulted in the abysmal performance of the PDP in Igyorov Ward.
Twelve out of the seventeen exco members signed the documents endorsing his suspension.
……Appoints AIG Tunji Disu as New Inspector-General of Police.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has removed Kayode Egbetokun as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and appointed Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Tunji Disu as his successor, multiple reliable sources confirmed on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
The development followed a directive from President Tinubu asking Egbetokun to resign, reportedly during a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.
Egbetokun, who served as the 22nd IGP, had been in the position since his appointment by Tinubu on June 19, 2023, with confirmation by the Nigeria Police Council on October 31, 2023.
Sources within the presidency and the Nigeria Police Force indicated that preparations were underway for a formal handover ceremony from Egbetokun to Disu. An official announcement from the presidency was expected shortly.
Tunji Disu, who until recently served as the AIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex in Alagbon, Lagos, is set to become the 23rd Inspector-General of Police. Described by some reports as one of Nigeria’s finest contemporary officers, Disu is anticipated to receive swift confirmation from the Senate.
Egbetokun had been appointed at age 58 and was originally due for retirement on September 4, 2024, upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60, though his tenure extended beyond that point.
The leadership change marks a significant shake-up in Nigeria’s security apparatus amid ongoing efforts to address policing challenges across the country.
Further details on the reasons for the removal and Disu’s priorities as the new IGP are yet to be officially disclosed.
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, confirmed Pastor Peter Akpe as the new Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.
The confirmation occurred during a plenary session after Governor Douye Diri nominated Akpe to replace the late Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who died in December 2025.
Pastor Akpe, a clergyman with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and holder of a Ph.D., had served as Chief of Staff to Governor Diri at Government House, Yenagoa.
He is from Ebedebiri community in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa West Senatorial District—the same senatorial district as his predecessor.
Prior to his appointment as Chief of Staff in March 2024, Akpe held several key positions, including Deputy Chief of Staff (2020–2023), Acting Chief of Staff, Head of Administration, and member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, where he also served as Majority Leader during the Seriake Dickson administration.
With the lawmakers’ approval, Pastor Peter Akpe is now cleared for swearing-in, completing the process to fill the vacant deputy governorship position and ensuring continuity in the state’s executive arm under Governor Douye Diri’s leadership.
…..All Control Tower Personnel Safely Rescued.
A fire outbreak at Terminal 1 (also referred to as the old international terminal) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos has been successfully contained, according to officials from the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
The blaze, which originated from the IT server room on the third floor of a five-storey building near the E-wing of the departure lounge, prompted a swift multi-agency response involving the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and other emergency teams.
Controller General Margaret Adeseye of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed in an official update that the fire is now under control. Critically, all 12 personnel in the control tower were rescued alive and uninjured, with no one left trapped in the incident.
“Further updates will be made available in due course,” Adeseye stated.
Related reports from FAAN indicate that a crane was deployed to aid in the rescue efforts at the control tower, where up to 14 individuals were initially reported as trapped in some accounts. All have since been safely evacuated. While some sources mention minor injuries (such as six individuals in stable condition), the primary update from the fire service emphasizes no serious harm to the control tower staff and no fatalities.
The incident led to temporary disruptions, including the closure of the Lagos airspace and suspension of flights at the airfield, as a precautionary measure. Authorities are working to restore operations, potentially through a temporary control tower setup.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with preliminary indications pointing to the server room as the origin. The affected terminal, which has been undergoing renovations, saw emergency evacuations and containment efforts to prevent spread to other sections.
No lives were lost in the incident, and emergency operations continue to monitor the site for full safety. Airport authorities and emergency services have commended the coordinated response that minimized risks to personnel and infrastructure.
Travelers are advised to check with airlines for updates on flight statuses amid the ongoing recovery efforts.
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