The Lagos 2027 governorship race is poised to be a compelling contest among various political parties, as both leading candidates and emerging underdogs have established a coalition aimed at becoming a formidable entity in the upcoming election.

Azeez Olajide Adediran, commonly referred to as Jandor, who was the candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 Lagos State gubernatorial elections, has rejoined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

This announcement follows a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, which reportedly occurred between 2 PM and 4 PM, although it was not publicly disclosed. …Continue Reading.

Jandor articulated that his choice to return to the APC was motivated by the party’s demonstrable viability and capacity to secure electoral victories, stressing that the paramount concern is the welfare of Lagos State. It is noteworthy that Jandor had previously resigned from the PDP on March 3, 2025, citing reasons such as indiscipline and anti-party activities.

According to a source within the APC, who requested anonymity, the strategic combination of Seyi Tinubu and Jandor has the potential to advance the party’s objectives in the 2027 elections.

“Anything can happen, there are serious consultation for Seyi Tinubu and Jandor to contest for APC. People want Seyi to run and they know Jandor has his own base and that formidable partnership could give APC land landslide victory of the noisy opposition who wants to hijack Lagos from us,” he declared.

Jandor challenged PDP leaders, including Chief Olabode George, on their failure to deliver electoral victories for the party in Lagos over the years.

“Ask Chief Olabode George why he has never won his polling unit for PDP in over 20 years. I won mine for PDP in both the Presidential and Governorship elections,” he said.

Suspended Kogi lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has revealed fresh sexual innuendoes allegedly directed at her by Nigeria’s Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan is on a six-month suspension by the Senate over what it termed “unruly behaviour” by the senator.

In a BBC interview, the embattled female lawmaker said Mr Akpabio once referenced her waist.

“There was another time he (Mr Akpabio) made a statement like ‘Natasha, your husband is really enjoying. It looks like you’d be able to make good movements with your waist,” Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged.

Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan, who insisted that her suspension was to silence her sexual harassment allegations against Mr Akpabio, added, “There was a time I forgot to wear my ring because I rushed to work.

“And there were about five senators there. And Akpabio said, ‘Oh Natasha, you are not wearing your ring…is this an invitation to treat?’”

The senator alleged that the Nigerian Senate “operates like a cult.”

She added: “The Senate president runs the Senate like a dictator, not a democrat. There is no freedom of speech. There is no freedom of expression and anyone who dares to go against him gets cut to size.”

The Senate president did not immediately respond to Peoples Gazette’s request for comments on the latest sexual innuendoes. However, Mr Akpabio has repeatedly denied sexually harassing Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The Senate rejected Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition against Mr Akpabio, while it issued the Senate president a clean bill of health.

Source: gazettengr

President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, March 18, made a bold decision on the political crisis rocking Rivers.

He declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state, as the parties involved refused to find lasting peace between the aggrieved camps.

The two political titans in the state, Governor Fubara and the immediate past governor of Rivers and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads barely six months after the former took over the mantle of leadership.

During the broadcast, Tinubu announced the suspension of the governor, his deputy and the lawmakers in the Rivers state House of Assembly. The president subsequently appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice-admiral, as the state’s administrator.

But Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde, has said that the 12 governors elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be challenging the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state by President Bola Tinubu.

Governor Makinde made this known in his monthly newsletter on March 19, adding that he and his colleagues on the platform of the PDP would not sit back and “watch the democracy we built for almost three decades be trampled upon.”

Makinde explained that irrespective of their feelings and loyalty, the tenet of democracy must be protected. He added that “this is the time to take a stand for fairness, equity and justice” and expressed his gladness about the action of the leading opposition party governors.

The newsletter reads in part: “The PDP Governors’ Forum rose from an emergency meeting where we unanimously decided to challenge the actions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a court of competent jurisdiction.”

Makinde’s revelation came days after the PDP governors’ forum, through its chairman and governor of Bauchi state, rejected Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration as the solution to the political crisis in Rivers.

The PDP governors called for the immediate reversal of the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, describing the move as a “grievous mistake” and an “atrocious and retrograde decision”.

Currently, the PDP controls 12 of the 36 states in Nigeria, making it the leading opposition party in the country’s political milieu. Below is the list of the PDP states and their governors:

1 Adamawa – Ahmadu Fintiri PDP

2 Akwa Ibom – Umo Eno PDP

3 Bauchi – Bala Mohammed PDP

4 Bayelsa – Douye Diri PDP

5 Delta – Sheriff Oborevwori PDP

6 Enugu – Peter Mbah PDP

7 Osun – Ademola Adeleke PDP

8 Oyo – Seyi Makinde PDP

9 Plateau – Caleb Mutfwang PDP

10 Rivers – Siminalayi Fubara (Under Suspension) PDP

11 Taraba – Agbu Kefas PDP

12 Zamfara – Dauda Lawal PDP

President Bola Tinubu has declared a state of emergency in Rivers state.

The president made the announcement on Tuesday in a nationwide broadcast over the political crisis and instability in the state.

Below are the six constitutional fact to know about state of emergency in Nigeria. Continue Reading.

The constitution states: 305(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the President may by instrument published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the Federation or any part thereof.

(2) The President shall immediately after the publication, transmit copies of the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation containing the proclamation including the details of the emergency to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall forthwith convene or arrange for a meeting of the House of which he is President or Speaker, as the case may be, to consider the situation and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the Proclamation.

(3) The President shall have power to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency only when:

(a) the Federation is at war;

(b) the Federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war;

(c) there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof to such extent as to require extraordinary measures to restore peace and security;

(d) there is a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger;

(e) there is an occurrence or imminent danger, or the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity, affecting the community or a section of the community in the Federation;

(f) there is any other public danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the Federation; or

(g) the President receives a request to do so in accordance with the provisions of subsection (4) of this section.

(4) The Governor of a state may, with the sanction of a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of the House of Assembly, request the President to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the state when there is in existence within the state any of the situations specified in subsection (3) (c), (d) and (e) of this section and such situation does not extend beyond the boundaries of the state.

(5) The President shall not issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in any case to which the provisions of subsection (4) of this section apply unless the governor of the state fails within a reasonable time to make a request to the President to issue such Proclamation.

(6) A Proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect:

(a) if it is revoked by the President by instrument published in the Official Gazette of the government of the federation;

(b) if it affects the Federation or any part thereof and within two days when the National Assembly is in session, or within 10 days when the National Assembly is not in session, after its publication, there is no resolution supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the Proclamation;

(c) after a period of six months has elapsed since it has been in force:

Provided that the National Assembly may, before the expiration of the period of six months aforesaid, extend the period for the Proclamation of the state of emergency to remain in force from time to time for a further period of six months by resolution passed in like manner; or

(d) at any time after the approval referred to in paragraph (b) or the extension referred to in paragraph (c) of this subsection, when each House of the National Assembly revokes the Proclamation by a simple majority of all the members of each House.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator of Rivers State.

This follows the declaration of State of emergency in the state.

The president had declared state of emergency in the wake of vandalisation of oil pipelines in the state.

Tinubu said amid the destruction of oil infrastructure, ex-Governor Siminalayi Fubara failed to reach out to him.

“By this declaration, the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs Ngozi Odu and all elected members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State are hereby suspended for an initial period of six months.”

“In the meantime, I hereby nominate Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as Administrator to take charge of the affairs of the state in the interest of the good people of Rivers State. For the avoidance of doubt, this declaration does not affect the judicial arm of Rivers State, which shall continue to function in accordance with their constitutional mandate.

“The Administrator will not make any new laws. He will, however, be free to formulate regulations as may be found necessary to do his job, but such regulations will need to be considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council and promulgated by the President for the state.

“This declaration has been published in the Federal Gazette, a copy of which has been forwarded to the National Assembly in accordance with the Constitution. It is my fervent hope that this inevitable intervention will help to restore peace and order in Rivers State by awakening all the contenders to the constitutional imperatives binding on all political players in Rivers State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.”

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has unveiled a new policy aimed at accelerating benefit payments to Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders, enhancing efficiency and service delivery in the pension sector.

Under this directive, Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) will no longer need to seek approval or obtain a “No Objection” from PenCom before processing and disbursing benefits such as Programmed Withdrawal, Retiree Life Annuity, and Temporary Loss of Employment benefits.

BEWARE! Fresh prophecy predicts popular Southwest governor for sack

According to the Circular by the National Pension Commission dated March 13, 2025, the new policy will take effect from June 1, 2025. ..Continue Reading.

However, in accordance with Section 8 (2) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014, PFAs must submit approval requests to PenCom for depleted RSAs and death benefit applications.

Key highlights of the new policy include:

FULL LIST: Rivers, four other states with history of emergency rule in Nigeria since 1999

PFAs must approve eligible benefit applications within two (2) working days of receiving all required documentation.
Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) must process payments within 24 hours after receiving instructions from PFAs.
PenCom will continue to monitor implementation through regulatory technology platforms to ensure full compliance.

Previously, PFAs had to submit all benefit payment applications to PenCom for approval before disbursement by PFCs, which often caused delays. This streamlined approach is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and improve access to pension entitlements for retirees and RSA holders.

PenCom has also reminded RSA holders that timely submission of required documentation is crucial for seamless benefit processing. Prospective retirees are advised to submit all necessary documents at least six (6) months before retirement to avoid delays.

Further details on the new policy are available on the PenCom website: www.pencom.gov.ng.

BEWARE! Fresh prophecy predicts popular Southwest governor for sack

FULL LIST: Rivers, four other states with history of emergency rule in Nigeria since 1999

Source: Proshare