Paul Ibe, the media aide to former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, insisted that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, was involved in anti-party activities.

Ibe maintained that Wike was a willing tool being used by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to destroy the PDP.

He was reacting to PDP’s letter to the Independent National Electoral Commissio, INEC, regarding the recently conducted South-South Zonal Congress.

Ibe noted that the letter affirmed Wike and his cohorts worked against the PDP, adding that it was a deliberate plot to create a crisis.

Posting on X, Ibe wrote: *”It is no longer news that Wike is engaging in anti-party activities; that he is a willing tool used by Tinubu’s APC administration to destroy the @OfficialPDPNig and other opposition parties.

“This letter from the PDP to the @inecnigeria is a confirmation that the actions of Wike and his cohorts regarding the party’s South-South Zonal Congress are contrary to the position of the PDP.

“It is a deliberate ploy to create a crisis to serve the interest of his paymaster.”*

In a letter dated February 20, 2025, and addressed to the INEC Chairman, the PDP stated that the scheduled zonal congress was postponed due to operational constraints.

The letter, signed by PDP’s acting Chairman, Umar Damagum, and Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, noted that a new date and venue would be announced, and the commission would be duly notified.

Despite this letter, Wike and his camp went ahead with the South-South Zonal Congress, which was attended by former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke.

During the congress, the South-South Zonal Vice Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, was re-elected.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has distanced the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, from the crisis rocking the assembly.

This was made known in a statement issued by the House spokesperson, Olukayode Ogundipe, on Tuesday.

There have been speculations alleging that President Bola Tinubu’s wife may be backing the ousted Speaker of the Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa.

The House distanced itself from such rumour, saying all the lawmakers hold the First Lady in high esteem.

“We categorically dissociate all members of the Lagos State House of Assembly from this false and baseless claim. The report is purely a fabrication and has no basis in truth.

“All members of the Assembly hold the First Lady in the highest regard. As a distinguished former First Lady of Lagos State and now the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has made significant contributions to governance and national development.

“It is, therefore, inconceivable that any member of the Assembly would accuse her of involvement in legislative matters or seek to tarnish her reputation. We firmly state that the First Lady has no role in any internal disagreements within the House. Any attempt to link her to these issues is entirely unfounded.”

Meanwhile, some lawmakers on Tuesday met with the executives of the executives of the All Progressives Congress in the state to brief them about happenings at the House.

The state chairman of the party, Cornelius Ojelabi, in a post on X, said the State Working Committee received members from the Lagos State House of Assembly. “They provided us with updates on the latest developments, fostering official communication between our party and legislative members,” he wrote.

When contacted, the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Seye Oladejo, said the meeting was simply to brief the executives of the happenings at the assembly.

“It was just a courtesy visit to brief the party about what’s happening at the House, nothing more than that. And whatever is going on in the House, our position remains that it has to be resolved by the House,” he told our correspondent in a telephone interview.

The TheNigerian reports that there was chaos at the House following the mililtarisation of the Assembly complex by DSS officials on Monday.

The crisis deepened following reported moves by ousted Obasa to return to the House on Tuesday.

Obasa, who was removed by the majority of the lawmakers at the House on January 13, 2025, had last week approached the court to seek redress.

The Lagos Assembly and the DSS also differed over the invasion, as the security agency noted it was invited by the House to beef up security.

“Contrary to reports by a section of the media that Department of State Services officers stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, sealing offices of the Speaker and his deputy, it was the Assembly that invited security agents to maintain order.

“The clerk of the Assembly wrote to us that there was a potential security threat to the Assembly and its members and requested to increase the number of operatives there and ensure strict access within and outside the assembly,” a top DSS official who spoke on condition of anonymity for not being authorised, told our correspondent.

In its defence, the House in a statement issued by the spokesperson, Ogundipe, late Monday, clarified why it invited the DSS to the House.

It argued that even though it invited the security agency, it did not ask them to seal the offices of the principal officers of the House.

“We wish to categorically state that this is not the first time the House has sought security support from the DSS.

“However, it is important to emphasise that in all previous instances, the DSS operatives have been stationed at the main gate of the Assembly complex, ensuring that unauthorised persons do not gain entry.

“For the avoidance of doubt, at no point did the letter requesting security assistance instruct the DSS to invade the legislative chamber, lock and restrict access to the Speaker’s office, lock the office of the acting Clerk and lock the Deputy Speaker’s office.

“The events of today (Monday) raise serious concerns about undue interference in legislative affairs. The sanctity of the Lagos State House of Assembly was undermined by armed DSS operatives who actively obstructed lawmakers from performing their constitutional duties,” Ogundipe said.

Meanwhile, the DSS, on Tuesday, threatened to take legal action against Africa Independent Television and Channels Television over their reports on the involvement of the service in the Lagos Assembly crisis.

The DSS described the reportage by the broadcast stations as false and malicious.

In a letter to the stations by its lawyer, Adedeji Adedipe (SAN), the DSS alleged that the stations misrepresented its actions during a tense period on February 17, 2025, when concerns arose over the possible return of former Speaker Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

Adedipe stated that DSS’ role was purely to support existing security forces, and it did not engage in any unlawful activities.

The DSS demanded an immediate retraction of the reports and a public apology to be broadcast across all platforms for three consecutive days.

The service, however, warned that failure to comply within seven days would prompt civil and criminal legal actions against the stations under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act

The letter dated February 17 read, “Your publication and/or broadcast has greatly injured the character of our client and tarnished and lowered its esteemed image in the eyes of the public.

“Having regard to the fact that your broadcast was false and coupled with the fact that, you did not ensure balancing in your report, as enjoined by the ethics of journalism, our client has instructed us to demand the following:

“An immediate retraction of your defamatory publication and/or broadcast on all your news platforms.

“The retraction shall be accompanied by an apology which must be published at least five (5) times daily for three consecutive days on all your new channels and platforms, including all the social media handles to which your media House has its presence.

“Please note that should you fail, to comply with the above demands within a period of seven days after the delivery of this letter to you, we shall, on behalf of our client, seek redress by pursuing both civil and criminal actions against your organisation as your conduct also runs contrary to the provisions of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act of 2015, as amended in 2024, without further reference to you.”

Group warns Atiku

Meanwhile, a group,  Arise Lagos Movement, on Tuesday, cautioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to refrain from interfering in Lagos State politics.

The warning followed Atiku’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of meddling in state affairs rather than addressing national issues.

“Tinubu should focus on bringing Nigeria out of the mess he plunged the country into rather than interfering in state matters,” Atiku stated in a post on his X.com page on Monday.

In response, the group’s convener, Abe Kolawole, addressed journalists at a press conference in Ogba, Lagos, on Tuesday, reaffirming their support for President Tinubu and describing him as a leader committed to democracy, justice, and progress.

“We stand before you today collectively on behalf of committed loyalists, mentees, and well-meaning Nigerians who recognise the invaluable contributions of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to human capacity development, defence of the rule of law, and the development of Lagos State and Nigeria at large,” Kolawole stated.

He criticised what he described as attempts to drag Tinubu’s name into the Lagos Assembly crisis, suggesting that the controversy was politically motivated.

“You may be aware of the comment made by the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on an issue that is local to the Lagos State House of Assembly. This indicates the dimensions and motives of those behind the imbroglio,” he said.

According to Kolawole, the ongoing drama is part of a broader strategy to influence the 2027 elections and seize political control of Lagos, alleging that Monday’s events were deliberately orchestrated to discredit Tinubu.

“We take further note of the Nollywood-style drama orchestrated yesterday in an attempt to drag the name of our leader through the mud. How do you describe an institution inviting security agents to enhance security with clear and specific requests, only to accuse them of following orders from above?

“This was nothing more than an appeal to public sentiment. But we are happy that Nigerians, particularly Lagosians, were not fooled. They know the puppets have a puppet master,” Kolawole noted.

He claimed that, as direct beneficiaries of Asiwaju’s visionary leadership, mentorship, and unwavering dedication to Nigeria, it was necessary to set the record straight, emphasising that President Tinubu remains a statesman committed to national development, unity, and prosperity for all, without bias.

He urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their trust in President Tinubu’s leadership and to focus on the collective goal of national progress.

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, has defended the commission’s ongoing crackdown on internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo boys, despite criticisms from some quarters.

Speaking on Thursday while receiving the management of The TheNigerian at the EFCC’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, Olukoyede stated that the country lost over $500m in one year due to internet fraud.

The EFCC boss noted that the activities of internet fraudsters had evolved beyond online scams, warning that they were now involved in more dangerous crimes, such as kidnapping, ritual killings, and arms trafficking.

“We are doing the work. Last year alone, we had over 11,000 petitions, investigated close to 9,000, and prosecuted nearly 5,000 cases despite our limited manpower. Some people criticise us for going after Yahoo Yahoo boys, but they don’t understand the severity of the crime.

“It is no longer just about scamming people. They are now into kidnapping, banditry, and ritual killings. Some of our investigations have uncovered horrifying details, including cases where young female victims were used for rituals. If we don’t act decisively, in the next 10 years, we may not have a generation we can confidently hand over this country to,” Olukoyede stated.

Olukoyede also stressed the EFCC’s commitment to internal cleansing, revealing that he had sacked 27 commission staff members in the past year over corruption allegations.

“You cannot be fighting corruption and be corrupt yourself. I have publicly challenged anyone to come forward with evidence that I have collected bribes in my years of service. Integrity is key in this fight, and we must lead by example,” he said.

The EFCC chairman urged the media to play a more active role in shaping public perception of the commission’s work, advocating investigative journalism that highlights both corruption and the agency’s achievements.

“The media has always been a key player in the anti-corruption fight. In the early 2000s, before the EFCC was established, it was journalists who exposed many financial crimes. We need to return to that era where the media and law enforcement work together to protect the country,” he said.

 The Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman, Michael Nzekwe, praised the media’s role in sensitisation and advocacy, calling for greater collaboration.

“The media is a critical partner in this fight. The advocacy and awareness you create have helped sustain the anti-corruption movement in Nigeria. We ask for even more understanding in the way our work is reported. The fight against corruption is for the good of all Nigerians, not just the EFCC,” he said.

The newly inaugurated Donald Trump administration has fired more than a dozen United States Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers who worked on two criminal cases against president.

They were fired after Acting Attorney General James McHenry concluded they could not “be trusted to faithfully implement the president’s agenda because of their significant role in prosecuting the president”, a department official told the BBC’s US partner CBS News.

The lawyers were part of former special counsel Jack Smith’s team which investigated Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and his alleged attempt to overturn his 2020 election defeat.

The sack of the officials on Monday was effective immediately.

Smith was appointed as special counsel in 2022 to oversee the two justice department cases into Trump. The president had vowed to fire him “within two seconds” of taking office, but he quit before his inauguration.

Both cases resulted in criminal charges against Trump, who pleaded not guilty.

But the cases were closed following his November election win. Prosecutors wrote that justice department regulations do not allow the prosecution of a sitting president.

It was not immediately clear which members of Smith’s team were fired, many of those who worked on Smith’s teams were career corruption and national security prosecutors who had worked across various administrations and were appointed to the cases.

They reportedly received a letter on Monday which said their role in investigating and prosecuting the president made them unsuitable to work in the department.

“Firing prosecutors because of cases they were assigned to work on is just unacceptable,” former US Attorney Joyce Vance told NBC News. “It’s anti-rule of law; it’s anti-democracy.”

The firings followed a major reassignment of some of the justice department’s top officials with expertise in a wide range of fields including national security and public corruption.

On Monday, one of them, the chief of the public integrity section, reportedly resigned.

Trump and his team have accused the justice department of pursuing politically motivated cases against him, his associates and Republicans. Trump vowed an immediate overhaul of the department, which he says has been “weaponised” against him while campaigning for re-election.

His nominee to lead the justice department, Pam Bondi, has echoed Trump’s view that federal prosecutions against him were political persecution, saying the department “had been weaponised for years and years and years”

Smith has publicly defended his work, in a letter accompanying the final draft of his report into Trump’s actions after the 2020 election, he wrote, “The claim from [Trump] that my decisions as a prosecutor were influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors is, in a word, laughable.”

Also on Monday, Washington DC’s top federal prosecutor announced the launch of an internal review into the charging decisions behind hundreds of Capitol riot cases, according to CBS.

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has declared that individuals involved in illegally collecting money during the selection process for a new Alaafin of Oyo will face prosecution.

Makinde made this statement on Monday during the presentation of the Staff of Office to the newly appointed Alaafin, Abimbola Owoade, at his office in Ibadan.

In his speech, the governor emphasised the significance of the Alaafin stool, not only to the people of Oyo but also to the entire Yoruba race.

He said, “The Alaafin stool is very important, not just to Oyo State but to the entire Yoruba race. So, under my watch, I made it very clear that the stool is not for sale. It is not a stool for us to toy with.

 

“I met the prince for the first time in my life yesterday. I had never met him before. I did not know his profile or the profile of any of the princes vying for the stool. It was deliberate because I didn’t want to add my own opinion or be in any way influenced.”

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The governor strongly condemned the politicisation of the royal institution and assured that, under his leadership, the selection process would remain free from financial manipulation.

Makinde added, “Some people said maybe it was political consideration. No. Politics and electioneering are games, but once you’ve been elected, governance is serious business. So, we will not play politics with governance.

“Those who are still hellbent on destabilising our traditional institutions in Oyo should beware — the government will not relent. We will prosecute them. The money they collected will not go unnoticed. Except the Kabiyesi forgive them, I will not forgive them either.”

He further announced, “The coronation proper will take place in four weeks, but today I will hand over the certificate and staff of office.”

TheNigerian Online reports that Owoade’s appointment as the 46th Alaafin-elect attracted an esteemed gathering of dignitaries, traditional rulers, religious leaders, government officials, and jubilant Oyo indigenes.

Owoade’s ascension follows the passing of the late Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III in April 2022, who ruled the Oyo Kingdom for five decades.

The new monarch’s reign is expected to usher in a new era focused on cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and economic growth for the kingdom.