IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The caretaker committee of the Labour Party, led by Senator Nenadi Usman, has launched an investigation into Barrister Julius Abure over allegations of misconduct, including corruption, misappropriation of party funds, and anti-party activities. At a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Senator Usman accused Abure of persistently parading himself as the national chairman of the party despite being removed, and of running the Labour Party as a personal enterprise to pursue selfish ambitions. 

She stated that rather than fostering unity, Abure allegedly exploited his position for personal enrichment. To address these allegations, the caretaker committee has set up a disciplinary panel, chaired by Senator Ireti Kingibe, with Peter Ameh serving as secretary. The panel is tasked with investigating the allegations against Abure and recommending appropriate disciplinary measures.

The committee has summoned Abure to appear before the disciplinary panel to respond to various petitions and charges brought against him. Furthermore, the caretaker committee criticized Abure’s alleged hijacking of party structures without following due process, including the failure to conduct ward, local government, state, and zonal congresses ahead of a national convention. 

The Nenadi Usman-led team pledged to restore internal democracy, announcing that a timetable for proper congresses and the election of national executives will be released soon. This is coming a few days after the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party set up a disciplinary committee to investigate allegations of anti-party activities against Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and other members. 

An evenly fierce matchup looms large between the nation's topflights, Heartland Queens and Ibom Angels in Wednesday's May 07, 2025 President Federation Cup Women's quarterfinals clash at the mainbowl of the Enyimba International Stadium in Aba, Abia state.

The Wednesday's Cup showdown will be the first time ever the premier leaguers are meeting themselves in the oldest and glamorous Cup competition in the land.

The Owerri mainstreams have somehow a lesser pedigree in the Cup game as their subsisting best record was the quarterfinals performance in 2022 version of the yearly showpiece while the opponents are eminently endowed as two-time losing finalists in 2017 and 2018.

Coming into the last eight clash, the Owerri landladies taught the rookies from Akure, Onimarge FC some rude lessons with five unanswered goals in the round of 16 game in Benin City, Edo state while the Uyo-based side piped former Nigerian champions, Delta Queens 1-0 in Enugu to prepare the ground for the bragging rights to the semifinals spot.

The gaffers on both ends are veterans who understand very well the nitty-gritty and jungle-like terrain of the Cup game and are going to conjure the best out of the artisans in their own end for the tough duel. 

Of course, the Owerri side tactician, Obi Ogbala will want to go, at least, a step higher than the previous quarterfinals performance, and this time around he will still rely on his best performers and responders of late to prosecute the Cup game.

His opposite in Ibom Angels, Edwin Okon is himself a conjurer of high repute, so the men in the dugouts may turnout to the decisive decider on which end the pendulum will swing.

Winners of the last eight showdown between Ibom Angels and Heartland Queens will be facing the winners in the encounter involving perennial champions, Rivers Angels and NWFL Premiership Super Six playoffs debutant, Remo Stars Ladies.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a Nigeria First economic policy targeted at prioritising the use of locally manufactured goods and services in all government procurements. Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said this on Monday after the FEC meeting in Abuja. 

Mohammed said the policy would soon be backed by an executive order. “This policy means Nigeria comes first in all procurement processes; no foreign goods or devices that are already being produced locally will be procured without a clear and justified reason,” the minister said while briefing correspondents at the State House. “Now this seeks to foster a new business culture that will be bold, confident, but also very, very Nigerian. It aims at making the government invest in our people and our industries by changing how the government spends money, how we procure, and how we also build our economy,” the minister added.

“Going forward, Nigerian industry will take precedence in all procurement processes. Where local supply falls short, contracts will be structured to build capacity domestically. Contractors will no longer serve as intermediaries sourcing foreign goods where local factories die.” According to him, the policy aligns with President Tinubu’s objective of driving industrialisation, insulating the economy from global disruptions, and boosting local production in the country. FEC directed the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to revise and enforce fresh guidelines to favour local manufacturers and service providers.

He said, “The BPP has been immediately directed to revise and enforce procurement guidelines to prioritize locally made goods and homegrown solutions. It has also been directed to create what is called a local content compliance framework for all government procurements.” “Number three, the BPP has also been directed to maintain a register of high-quality Nigerian manufacturers and service providers regularly engaged by the Federal Government. 

Number four, the BPP, has also been directed to deploy all procurement officers from the MDAs; all the procurement officers posted to MDAs will be reverted to the Bureau of Public Procurement as a line agency without jeopardizing the possibility of efficiency,” the minister added. 

An oil spill has been reported in the Ikata community of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Rivers State, sparking concern among residents and environmental groups over yet another ecological threat in the state.

The spill, which occurred in the early hours of Monday, is believed to have originated from a 14-inch pipeline along the Okordia-Rumuekpe right of way, now operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (RAEC). RAEC recently took over assets from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in a $2.4 billion divestment deal that has raised hopes and concerns in equal measure across oil-producing communities.

Environmental advocacy group, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface.

According to the group, members of its One Million Youth Volunteers Network and Crude Oil Spill Alert System (COSAS) in the area reported that the pipeline had been vandalised, possibly by oil thieves. Dr. Fyneface described the spill as “seriously spewing crude oil into the environment and destroying the ecosystem.”

Field volunteers who visited the scene early Monday reportedly found signs of excavation around the pipeline, suggesting third-party interference. 

Real Madrid are aiming to complete the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold before the start of the Club World Cup. The England defender has confirmed he will leave Liverpool when his contract expires later this summer and the 26-year-old is expected to join the Spanish club as a free agent.

Alexander-Arnold's contract with Liverpool expires on 30 June but the Club World Cup begins 16 days earlier. BBC Sport understands Real have approached Liverpool with a view to negotiating a deal to release Alexander-Arnold in time for the full-back to be part of their plans for the Fifa-organised tournament in the United States.

It is understood the Spanish club are considering an offer of about €1m (£850,000) to release Alexander-Arnold early from his deal. It has also been suggested Real might be willing to pay the wages Liverpool owe to Alexander-Arnold as they seek a solution. Discussions between all parties are described as amicable. World football governing body Fifa has confirmed there will be a short initial transfer window this summer - running from 1 to 10 June - which is designed for competing clubs to amend their squads in time for the competition.

Real's desire to land Alexander-Arnold in time for the tournament presents an opportunity for Liverpool to recoup at least some money for a high-value player who will otherwise leave Anfield for no fee. 

The United Nations Children’s Fund has said Nigeria now stands as the country with the highest burden of malnourished children in Africa. The international agency disclosed this on its website on Tuesday, adding that only two out of every 10 children affected currently have access to treatment.

It said with an estimated two million children in Nigeria suffering from severe acute malnutrition, the world’s most populous black nation has the second-highest number of stunted children in the world. “Nigeria has the second highest burden of stunted children in the world, with a national prevalence rate of 32 percent of children under five. “An estimated two million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), but only two out of every 10 children affected is currently reached with treatment.

“Seven percent of women of childbearing age also suffer from acute malnutrition,” it said.

UNICEF described malnutrition as a direct or underlying cause of 45 percent of all deaths of under-five children. It explained that exclusive breastfeeding rates had not improved significantly over the past decade, with only 17 percent of babies being exclusively breastfed during their first six months of life. “Just 18 percent of children aged six to 23 months are fed the minimum acceptable diet,” it added.

It further explained that states in northern Nigeria were the most affected by the two forms of malnutrition – stunting and wasting. It also said that high rates of malnutrition posed significant public health and development challenges for the country. UNICEF added, “Stunting, in addition to an increased risk of death, is also linked to poor cognitive development, a lowered performance in education and low productivity in adulthood – all contributing to economic losses estimated to account for as much as 11 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).