IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said he is unsure about contesting the 2027 presidential election.

In an interview for the yet-to-be-aired show Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, Atiku, who has run for president six times, stated that his decision would depend on the existence of a viable political platform.

His comments come shortly after he announced a coalition of opposition leaders aimed at unseating the Bola Tinubu-led APC government.

While not ruling out a 2027 run, Atiku emphasized Nigeria’s urgent need for experienced and credible leadership. He also referenced the successful 2014 opposition merger that led to an electoral victory.

Speculation is growing over whether Atiku will back Peter Obi or Nasir El-Rufai in the next election. 

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has appointed Professor Kamoru Olayiwola Usman as its first Yoruba Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), marking a historic milestone.

Usman, a Mathematics Education expert from Oyo State and former Provost of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, was appointed by Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oguejiofo T. Ujam. The appointment aligns with UNN’s commitment to merit-based leadership and inclusivity.

In a related move, Dr. Mansur Adebowale Saddiq was named Acting Director of the Medical Centre.

During a Senate meeting, Ujam reaffirmed UNN’s mission to restore academic excellence, eliminate sectionalism, and embrace innovation in emerging fields like artificial intelligence. He also commended Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah’s push for experiential learning.

Ujam pledged fairness and transparency, urging collective efforts to advance research, academic collaboration, and institutional growth. 

A fire engulfed a commercial two-storey building on Iweka Road, near Ochanja Main Market in Onitsha South, Anambra, on Tuesday evening.

Anambra Fire Service Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, confirmed the incident, stating that firefighters responded to a distress call at 9:35 p.m. and battled the blaze until 3:05 a.m.

Although the cause remains unknown, the fire affected four shops containing furniture materials, while others were salvaged. 

An Abuja-based lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, has asked the Federal High Court Abuja, to sack the recently appointed Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (rtd). Jideobi is praying the court to set aside and void “all actions and decisions [howsoever described or made] of the 3rd Defendant [Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd)] in the name of Sole Administrator of Rivers State, same being unconstitutional, null and of no constitutional force throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria for all purposes.”

The plaintiff further prayed the court to issue a perpetual order of injunction, restraining the 1st defendant (Tinubu, either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named “from either removing, suspending or otherwise tampering with the tenure of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State [and indeed any other State in Nigeria].”

As well as an order of perpetual injunction, barring President Bola Tinubu, “either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, from appointing any Sole Administrator into any State Government House in the thirty (36) of the Federation for any purpose whatsoever.”

In the Originating Summons he filed through a consortium of lawyers led by Chimezie Enuka, the plaintiff prayed the court to determine: “Whether in view of the combined provisions of the entirety of Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [1st Defendant herein] has any constitutional authority [whatsoever] to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of the duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State [and indeed of any other State in Nigeria] and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described] such as the 3rd Defendant for that State?”

Upon the determination of the question, he prayed the court to declare that upon an intimate reading and complete understanding of the entirety of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, there is NO other circumstance contemplated by the Constitution for the removal OR interruption of the tenure of an elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State EXCEPT the circumstances contemplated under Sections 180, 188, 189 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. 

Luxury detective page, T20Luxury, has accused actress Mercy Aigbe of showcasing a counterfeit handbag.

Sharing her photo on Instagram, the page claimed her Louis Vuitton Capucines bag was fake and also questioned the authenticity of her eyewear.

T20Luxury advised Aigbe to be more cautious when selecting stylists and personal shoppers, emphasizing the harm counterfeit goods cause to creativity.

This comes shortly after the page similarly called out comedian AY Makun for allegedly flaunting a fake Hermès bag. 

Former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili has explained her heated exchange with Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi during a Senate ethics committee hearing on sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Ezekwesili accused the committee of complicating the process for petitioner Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. She confronted Nwebonyi after he dismissed the petitioner’s team as unserious, telling him to “shut up.”

The altercation escalated, with Nwebonyi insulting Ezekwesili, calling her a “disgrace to womanhood.” Speaking on Arise TV, Ezekwesili defended her reaction, stating she opposed the unfair treatment of the petitioner.