News
Sen Kalu rejects NYLF’s call to run for president, reaffirms support for Tinubu
Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and Senator representing Abia North, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has rejected calls from the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) urging him to run for president in 2027.
The NYLF, a coalition of 40 groups, made the request after a courtesy visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The group’s President, Comrade Eliot Afiyo, named Obasanjo as its patron and listed Kalu and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as their preferred contenders for the 2027 presidency.
The group also suggested that the Governors of Zamfara and Adamawa States, Dauda Lawal and Umar Fintiri, serve as running mates.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday by his media office and signed by George Maduka, Senator Kalu firmly dissociated himself from any presidential ambition, reiterating his commitment to supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Kalu emphasized that there is no division within the All Progressives Congress (APC) regarding the party’s 2027 presidential candidate and urged the opposition to refrain from using his name for political distractions.
The statement read in part: “Nigerian politics operates within a framework of a federal and presidential system, allowing citizens the right to vote and be voted for.
Senator Kalu has the right to decide what position he should be considered for, and the presidency in 2027 is not one of them.
He has publicly endorsed President Tinubu for re-election and remains committed to the work required to support him.”
Kalu further expressed confidence in Tinubu’s economic reforms, stating that achieving long-term stability, inclusivity, and adaptability requires the President to serve a full eight-year tenure.
“Since Nigeria’s return to democracy, no leader has shown the courage to reform the dwindling economy as Tinubu has.
Kalu believes the best Nigerians can do is to support and re-elect the President in 2027 to complete the good work he has started.”
The former Abia State Governor also highlighted his long-standing friendship with Tinubu, dating back to their time as governors in 1999, and reaffirmed his unwavering support for the President’s progressive economic policies.
News
Police Debunk Viral “Terror Attack” Video in Abuja, Launch Investigation
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has dismissed as false and misleading a viral video claiming terrorists were advancing on Abuja with heavy gunfire.
In a statement on Thursday, the Command said there was no terrorist attack or security breach anywhere in the Federal Capital Territory.
Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, described the video as a deliberate attempt to incite panic and spread misinformation.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, preliminary investigations revealed that the gunshots in the footage were manipulated and edited from an unrelated source, then superimposed on visuals of buildings under construction at an unidentified location.
The Commissioner has ordered a full forensic analysis to trace the origin of the video and identify those responsible for prosecution.
The FCT Police warned content creators and social media users against spreading false information that could cause fear and public disorder.
Residents were urged to disregard the video and refrain from sharing unverified content.
The Command reassured residents of its commitment to maintaining safety and security in the FCT.
News
US Declares 23 Nigerian States High-Risk for Citizens
Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.
Photo: President Donald Trump; President Bola Tinubu
The United States Department of State has classified 23 Nigerian states “High Insecurity Risks” for its citizens to go , work and live.
In an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday, the Embassy in Nigeria urged Americans to reconsider travel to Nigeria, with certain states classified under “Level 4: Do Not Travel” due to heightened security risks.
Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba were added to the list, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged.
In Northern Nigeria, the advisory highlighted Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa as particularly high-risk, citing terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara were also flagged due to civil unrest, widespread crime, and kidnappings.
“The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain due to civil unrest. Widespread violence between communities and armed crime, including kidnapping and roadside banditry.
“Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning,” the advisory warned.
Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.
“Crime is widespread in Southern Nigeria. There is a high risk of kidnapping, violent protests, and armed gangs,” the advisory stated.
News
INEC releases updated voters registration figure nationwide
Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has recorded over 3.4 million new voters in the ongoing second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise nationwide.
The figure is disclosed by the Commission in its week 13 update released on Wednesday in Abuja.
” A total of 3,441,121 registrations have been completed as of April 3, covering both online pre-registrations and physical walk-ins,” said INEC .
Given the breakdown, INEC explained that 2,068,384 citizens completed their registration online, while 1,372,737 others registered physically at designated centres across the country.
State-by-state data showed that Jigawa recorded the highest number of registrants with 201,047, representing 5.84 percent of the total.
Lagos followed with 181,095, while Kano ranked third with 177,681 registrations.Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.
Gender distribution indicated a higher turnout among women, with females accounting for 1,922,143 registrations (55.86 percent), compared to 1,518,978 males (44.14 percent).
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