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Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, says he is not a politician who likes to pretend like some of his colleagues do. El-Rufai said this on Saturday while appreciating an X user who commended him for a book he authored which was titled ‘Accidental Public Servant’.

The X user had stated that after reading the book, he was convinced that only a politician who intends to develop the country truly would have El-Rufai in his cabinet. “The day I read El-Rufai’s book titled Accidental Public Servant, I concluded that no politician would want @elrufai in their cabinet unless they genuinely intend to develop this country. He doesn’t know how to pretend,” the user wrote.

In his reaction to the post, El-Rufai said he doesn’t pretend, adding that “being a Nollywood actor” in governance is not for him but for some other politicians. “Thanks for your kind words, @irahabib. Truly, I don’t know how to pretend. Being a Nollywood actor in governance is for some others, not some of us. Have a nice day. – @elrufai”

Recently, El-Rufai criticised his party the All Progressives Congress (APC) for abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership. “I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.” The former governor criticised the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, attributing it to unqualified delegates. “You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today,” he said.

El-Rufai’s criticism of the APC had prompted the Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala to ask him if he would have expressed the same view if he were a cabinet member in Tinubu’s government. “My Senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat,” he said. 

The police in Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Edo states have announced the commencement of the enforcement of the mandatory minimum of Third-Party Motor Vehicle Insurance with effect from February 1, 2025. This is in compliance with the directive of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun.

Making this known in a statement, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, noted that vehicle owners in Lagos State are required to possess a minimum of valid third-party insurance. He advised those without any class of Insurance are advised to get insured immediately, while cautioning vehicle owners and operators against non-compliance with this essential regulation.

According to Hundeyin, failure to comply with the regulation will result in strict enforcement actions, including fines, penalties or both. “This initiative aims to ensure vehicle owners comply with stipulated insurance requirements to protect themselves and other road users,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Olanrewaju Ishola, has charged officers on this enforcement exercise to be professional, courteous but firm in the discharge of their duties. He equally warned that no form of incivility to members of the public would be tolerated by the police. 

...as Sports Commissioners Of Niger Delta States Brainstorm In Port Harcourt

The Maiden Edition Of The Niger Delta Sports Festival; A Sports Development Initiative Of The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Has Been Scheduled For Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Between April 1st And 8th, 2025.

The Sports Festival Is Coming As Part Of Events Mapped Out For The 25 Years Anniversary Of The Existence Of The NDDC.

Addressing The Press And Other Participants Friday, 31st Of January, 2025 At The NDDC Headquarters In Port Harcourt, The Chairman Of The Festival Planning Committee; A Former Commissioner For Sports, Who Is Equally The Executive Director, Finance And Administration At The NDDC, Alabo Boma Iyaye hinted that the project was conceived in recognition of the fact that, while the Niger Delta produces a huge percentage of Nigeria’s elite sports men and women, there is urgent need to sustain their output in order to elevate the fortunes of both the region and the nation’s sports, in line with the objectives and drive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He Added that the NDDC had been working with the Project Consultants, Dunamis Icon Limited, for several months, and having achieved several milestones in the preparations, the meeting was called to properly brief the state sports commissioners so that all the stakeholders will be on the same page.

“We considered it imperative to partner with and support the states for the discovery and grooming of talents into national and international stars and enable the region effectively tap into the global sports economy,” he declared.

"So as the NDDC marks its 25th year anniversary, we thought it wise to start with the introduction of the Niger Delta Sports Festival to provide a platform for our teeming youngsters to showcase their talents, and with plans to continue to groom them through support for training and participation in competitions.

"In doing this, one of our major objectives is to drive sports bottom-up from the grassroots, to provide opportunities for our rural folks. In this regard, we have decided that the preliminary trials and selection process shall commence from the local government and federal constituencies."

Iyaye Also Thanked The Managing Director Of The NDDC For The Budgetary Consideration Of Sports Development In The Region, Adding That The Commission Would Continue To Dedicate Attention Towards Sports In The Region As Its Additional Efforts Towards Empowering Youths Of The Region.

He disclosed that the NDDC would be Taking Up A 95% Sponsorship Of The Festival For All The Participating states, While Their States Take Care Of The Remaining 5%. 

The Commission Directed Commissioners To Set Up Their State Organizing Committees To Help Work In Synch With The Consultant For The Success Of The Festival.

The Commission also Charged Them To Commence Immediate Actions At The State Levels, Using The Next Two Months For The Preparations Of Athletes For The Festival.

Earlier, the Festival Consultant had hinted that The Event Is Aimed At Re-awakening And Reviving The Region's Sporting Potentials And Dominance In The Country. 

Also, Fred Edoreh, Director Of Organization And Partner To the consultant Revealed The 'Dolphin' As The Mascot For The Festival, Which He Said can also be Addressed As "Bros".

"The Niger Delta Is Largely Influenced By The Sea, And One Of The Biggest Characters In The Sea Is The Dolphin, Which Itself, Has Human Semblances. 

"Dolphin Is A Friend To Human Beings, And Are Always Available To Defend Man When Under Attack By Sharks As Well As Entertain Us. So, We As Niger Deltans, We Are The Defenders Of This Country. We Are The Oil That Runs The Engine Of Nigeria", The Consultants Explained.

This Is Even As Commissioners Of Sports From The Nine (9) States Of The Niger Delta Comprising Of Imo, Rivers, Cross River, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Ondo And Delta - all endorsed the project on behalf o their various states governments. 

The draw for the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-offs was conducted on Friday, setting the stage for the next round of the competition.

Eight teams have automatically advanced to the Round of 16 after the league phase: Liverpool, Barcelona, Arsenal, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Lille, and Aston Villa. These teams will resume their Champions League campaign in March.

Meanwhile, clubs that finished between 9th and 24th in the standings will compete in a two-legged play-off in February to secure a spot in the next round.

Full Knockout Phase Play-Off Draw:

🔹 Brest vs Paris Saint-Germain

🔹 Feyenoord vs AC Milan

🔹 Juventus vs PSV

🔹 Monaco vs Benfica

🔹 Manchester City vs Real Madrid

🔹 Celtic vs Bayern Munich

🔹 Sporting vs Borussia Dortmund

🔹 Club Brugge vs Atalanta 

The parents of four-year-old Zina Ugwu, who was allegedly murdered in her sleep by a suspected drug addict, Chukwuemeka Nweke, in Nsukka, Enugu State, have appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to ensure justice is served.

According to the grieving parents, the tragic incident occurred on August 18, 2024, when Nweke, allegedly under the influence of illicit drugs, stormed their residence along Orba Road, Nsukka, around 11:30 p.m.. He reportedly broke into their apartment, grabbed the sleeping child, and slit her throat in the presence of her mother, Lovet, and her siblings.

The victim’s father, Dr. Ndubuisi Ugwu, who was away at Federal University Oye-Ekiti, where he lectures, lamented that the police have been demanding excessive amounts of money from him while failing to properly prosecute all those involved.

He expressed frustration over how the police granted bail to their landlord, Emeka Onyeishi, and his wife, whom he accused of directing the suspect to their apartment. Ugwu further claimed that after committing the crime, Nweke publicly stated that the landlord had paid him ₦1 million to carry out the murder.

“The landlord knew about Nweke’s criminal activities and even provided him with accommodation in his house. He later attempted to bribe me with ₦500,000 to drop his name from the case,” Ugwu alleged.

He called on the Inspector General of Police to re-arrest the landlord, his wife, and other alleged accomplices for a thorough investigation, stressing that justice must be served without further delays.

“We are pleading for swift and fair justice for our innocent daughter,” Dr. Ugwu and his wife urged. 

The Anambra State Government is enforcing the Anambra Homeland Security Law, which mandates hotel operators to collect and submit identification details of all guests, including government-issued IDs, to the President-General of the community. These documents will be forwarded to local and state authorities. Hotel owners who fail to comply face penalties, including forfeiture of their facilities.

However, many locals are concerned the law will harm the hospitality industry, as guests may be discouraged from checking into hotels due to privacy concerns. A hotel owner expressed fears that it would drive business away, with Anambra residents already seeking accommodation in neighboring Asaba.