Good morning in Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News Roundup in Nigeria today, February 8, 2025.
Lagos State’s political landscape is facing a major restructuring after the controversial impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa on January 13, 2025.
The move deepened the divisions within all the Progress Conference (APC) ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
Naija News Recall that Obasa led the Lagos State Capitol for a decade, he was removed from his post while leaving the country, filing charges against power within the ruling party.
Despite his removal, Obasa refused to evacuate the Speaker’s official residence and insisted that the improvisation process was flawed.
“I believe I’m still a speaker until I do the right thing. If you want to delete me, delete me the right way, I won’t compete for it,” Obasa told his supporters while dismissing allegations of fraud against him.
Obasa is widely regarded as an unshakable politician as he gained strong support from long-time Lagosian political godfather Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to the president’s aide who spoke with the African Report, Tinub strategically declared Obasa’s power to control the governor and maintain control over state politics.
The National Defense Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has ordered the military to have no mercy in eliminating terrorists, bandits and other criminals who threaten Nigeria’s national security.
General Mousa also revealed that President Bra Tinub had ordered them to do everything possible to eliminate the threat and ensure the security of the country.
Naija News Mousa spoke at the end of the CDS Joint Security Working Group Commander Meeting on Friday.
In the speech, the CD confirmed that a joint operation involving the Nigerian army, the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Navy eliminated the infamous robber leader Kachana Nafaresh and several fighters in the Zamfara Zulu local government forest in Zamfara.
Vice President Kashim Shettima humorously warned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that further verbal exchanges are expected as the 2027 election approaches.
Naija News The report said that the second Nigerian citizen made the statement at a seminar in Abuja.
He is commemorating various VIP guests, including the 2023 People’s Democratic presidential candidate Atiku, at a celebration of the 60th birthday of former Ekiti Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Shettima described himself as an “assisted provocateur” in a relaxed way, with his “hot shot” of Atiku during the 2023 presidential election.
However, he admits that Atiku was gracefully criticized as a respected old politician.
It is worth noting that Shettima affectionately calls Atiku “Dad” (the “father” in Hausa) in their private discussion.
Despite this cute term, Shettima playfully suggests that Atiku should prepare himself for his verbal jab in the future.
Nnamdi Kanu, a troubled leader of Biafra Indigenous Peoples (IPOB), announced that he had received an unexpected summons from the Federal High Court, appearing before Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako in the same court.
Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, revealed this in a statement released on Friday, February 7, after the legal team and Kanu’s family conducted it Routine visit.
Kanu’s legal representative, headed by Ejimakor, has filed a request to be identified as a driver relocation from Abuja, FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015 to any federal court located in the Southeast.
Naija News Kanu’s legal team in a request dated January 30, 2025, was filed under Article 49 of the Federal High Court Rules 2019 and Article 45 of the Federal High Court Act, Kanu’s The legal team said their application was an order issued by Justice Nyako on September 24, 2024, in a public court meeting, where Kanu retracted his order from the case.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) District Court has released bail to the former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs of Saint Sandsan, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, granted one million out of 1 million Dollars, in his claim to false marriage, adultery, adultery, adultery, adultery, adultery, adultery, adultery, adultery, and crime intimidation.
Turaki was arraigned on Thursday and did not plead guilty when he read the first information report (FIR) in court.
The case was prosecuted by the Deputy Inspector General of Abuja and originated from a petition dated August 9, 2024.
According to Prosecutor Chijioke Okorie, the former fine was charged under sections 383, 387 and 389 of the Criminal Code, which criminalizes deceptive marriage, adultery and intimidation.
Former Labor presidential campaign spokesman Kenneth Okonkwo accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of the ongoing internal crisis, accusing its leaders of turning all political subordinates of the Progressive Assembly (APC) into political subordinates.
Experienced actor and politician Okonkwo made a statement on Channel TV’s Sunrise Daily Plan on Friday, February 7, 2025, arguing that the decline in the correlation of PDP was due to its leaders’ willingness to serve the interests of APC .
The former LP spokesman pointed out the appointment of former Riverside Governor Nyesom Wike by President Bola Tinubu, a major turning point that greatly weakened the PDP’s position as an opposition party.
Recall that in the 2023 election, senior PDP member Wike allegedly fought the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, resulting in Tinubu’s victory .
Despite being a member of the PDP, his APC-led government later obtained a portfolio of the Federal Capital Territory Minister (FCT).
Okonkwo insists that Wike’s ministerial role further cements the political vulnerability of the PDP, as party leadership is no longer effective as a real opposition.
Former Mining Minister Kayode Fayemi said all Progressive Party Congress (APC) owed Nigerians apologized for not fulfilling their promise.
Naija News It was reported that Fayemi was asked in an interview Thursday whether the APC owed Nigerians the apology they had for deleting former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, and he said yes.
Recall that former Governor Ekiti once said that Nigeria occupied Nigeria for protests against Jonathan’s government on fuel subsidies was politically motivated.
He noted that they knew Jonathan’s decision to cancel fuel subsidies was correct, but they protested.
The APC Chief admitted in an interview with Channels TV that the party failed to deliver the Nigerian people they promised.
Controversial Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola (known as portable) calls on his fans to pray and support amid allegations of assaulting Ogun state government officials.
Naija News The portable man was reportedly accused of assaulting a government official on duty at his ODOGWU bar in Ogun State.
Portable-carrying guns and knives reportedly attacked government officials in an attempt to kill them.
The singer has since been hiding and may be arrested if he appears publicly.
In an article on Friday’s Instagram page, Portable revealed that his musical performances scheduled for February 7 and 8 were postponed indefinitely.
The singer said he needed to stay behind protecting his family and property, adding that his fans and followers should pray for him as he attempted.
Fulham and Super Eagles midfielder, Alex Iwobi, recently shared his versus Nigeria in an episode of the podcast “Is this seat?” The idea of the national anthem. Hosted by Nollywood actress Chinasa Anukam.
Alex Iwobi admitted in his podcast that he had not learned the reintroduction of the national anthem “Nigeria, we pay tribute to you” and he admitted that he should know that.
When asked about his familiarity with the national anthem, Iwobi frankly replied: “No. When it was turned on, I actually stood there, closing my eyes.”
The national anthem written by Lillian Jean Williams in 1959 was reintroduced in May 2024 after it was replaced by “Arise, o compatriots” in 1978. Recent changes have led to discussions among famous figures.
In the same podcast, Iwobi also talked enthusiastically about his uncle, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, who he considered to be a goat (the greatest goat ever).
He expressed Okocha’s significant influence in life on and off the court.
Nigerian police forces arrested popular singer and dancer Idowu Smart Emmanuel (also known as Lil Smart) for alleged violations of his former record label owner Naira Marley.
Naija News Lil Smart earlier accused Naira Marley of kidnapping and assaulting him.
He also claimed that Naira Marley bribed all police officers in Lagos to evade justice and was involved in credit card fraud schemes.
Police arrested Lil Smart on January 28, 2025 at a residence in a large estate in Aja, Lagos.
Nigerian Police Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the arrest at a press conference, noting that Lil Smart had been defamated for crimes, cyberstalking and naira horse Naira Marley was detained for crimes.
That was the top newspaper headline in Nigeria today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you tomorrow.
