Category: PM News

By Adejoke Adeleye/ Ogun

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Assembly Primary Election Committee has said no winner will be officially declared in the just concluded National Assembly Senatorial primary elections in Ogun State until all result-related appeals and complaints are properly reviewed.

Chairman of the committee, Shaibu Philip, stated this during a press conference held at the APC Secretariat in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

Philip said although results had been collated from various polling units across the state, the committee was still verifying the outcome of the exercise in line with party guidelines and electoral procedures.

According to him, the committee would not rush to announce winners until every complaint arising from the primaries had been addressed.

Philip also explained that the committee, alongside the party’s National Working Committee and state leadership, monitored the conduct of the elections across the constituencies to ensure compliance with party rules and electoral laws.

Shuaibu said “The results that have been collected are currently being verified. We will return to our office before officially declaring a winner. .Once all appeals and complaints regarding the results have been addressed, we shall then officially announce and declare the winners of the elections.

“No winner will be declared until all result-related appeals have been properly reviewed. We have already communicated this position to everyone involved.

“The National Working Committee of our party, together with the state leadership, has gone around the state and all the constituencies, overseeing the federal and local government elections. We are fully committed to the process, and directives have been issued in line with the electoral laws and party guidelines.”

The Chairman, who reeled out votes polled by contestants from the three Senatorial Districts, announced Governor Dapo Abiodun, Senator Salisu Afolabi Suaib, and Jimoh Ojugbele as winners in Ogun East, Ogun Central and Ogun West respectively.

However, he further clarified that that the announcements of National Assembly winners in the state, were based on results collated from various polling units and constituencies, stressing that the committee was still verifying the results and reviewing complaints arising from the exercise.

Shuaibu added that a comprehensive report on the elections would be submitted to the party leadership before any official declaration is made through the appropriate communication channels.

The Nigerian Navy says it has discovered a suspected criminal camp and recovered ammunition and materials used for making explosives in the creek areas between Rivers and Bayelsa states.

The Navy said the camp may be linked to hostile activities taking place in the Rivers-Bayelsa waterways, where security patrols have recently been increased.

In a statement released by the Navy’s Director of Information, Commodore Abiodun Folorunsho, personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS SOROH, made the discovery during an operation in the Soku area.

According to him, naval officers became suspicious after noticing unusual movements by people travelling in a speedboat powered by a 200-horsepower engine.

The boat was reportedly carrying six people dressed in uniforms that could not be verified as it moved from Sangama Community towards the Russia Community Creek near Olowaseri in Bayelsa State.

The Navy said the suspects later dropped off three people in a suspicious manner before speeding away into nearby creeks.

Folorunsho explained that the strange movement led naval officers to launch a patrol operation to investigate further.During the search, officers discovered a hidden camp inside the creek.

They recovered 50 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition hidden inside a water container, along with other items believed to be used for illegal activities.

Other items recovered included old vehicle batteries, electrical wires, and containers filled with unidentified foul-smelling substances tied with red straps.

The Navy said early findings suggest some of the materials could be used to make improvised explosive devices or for pipeline vandalism and sabotage.

According to the statement, the camp and some of the items found there were destroyed to stop criminals from using them again, while the recovered ammunition and selected materials have been kept for further investigation.

By Jethro Ibileke

The Edo Government has vowed to intensify and sustain total war against cultists and internet fraudsters in the state.

The State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, stated this on Tuesday in Benin, while reacting to the issue of security in the state and the killing of a part time programme student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), penultimate week.

Recall that the political science student identified simply as Alexander, was shot dead on Sunday, May 10, in front of the main campus gate of the University, along the Benin-Lagos Road, Ugbowo, Benin, not long after he reportedly finished his exams.

Following the incident, the state Governor, Monday Okpebholo, vowed that his government will leave no stone unturned to apprehend the perpetrators.

Reacting to the killing during a press briefing, Afegbua noted that following the unrelenting war the state government has been wagging against suspected cultists, they appear to be hiding under the umbrella of internet fraudsters to perpetrate their nefarious activities.

He said: “It is also part of what we are talking about when it comes to issue of youths engaging in Yahoo Yahoo business, cultism and what have you. A young man who went to write his exam, we were told, was affected.

“They said he had some money they made as a group and the money was lodged in his account. Come, let us share the money, they said. He would say today, tomorrow, today, tomorrow. And the others were feeling that the guy was trying to play them.

“So, they had to trace him to the University. After he finished writing his exam, according to information, he had to be attacked in such a gruesome manner.

“They have killed him now. The only thing I don’t know is those who killed him, whether they were able to get the money. I don’t understand. You have exterminated the life of a young man. The money will still be in his account.”

Afegbua reiterated that the state will continue of its stance of zero tolerance for cultism will also continue to check activities of internet fraudsters, popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo.

“We begin to see that cultists, anywhere, is to pursue themselves either inter-cult rampage or inter-cult rampage, and the final destination would be killing.I can’t even rationalize that.

“We are calling on the Edo public that our zero tolerance to cultism is still very much in force, and no amount of persuasion that will take our eyes off that particular decision, that particular agenda, and we’re even going to add the issue of Yahoo Yahoo to that now, because we are seeing that because cultism is being tackled head-on, they now hide under the auspices and umbrellas of Yahoo Yahoo to commit havoc. The one at the UNIBEN gate is a ready example.

“So, Monday Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State, is clear-headed on where he’s taking the state, and no amount of frustration from members of the public or some renegade, so to speak, will take us out of that. We are going to continue our approach, our commitment to ensuring that we nip all of this crisis in the bud.

“We may not have provided answers to all the nagging problems of cultism, but people will bear witness that Edo has been peaceful to a large extent,” he added.

Three women whose bodies were recovered from the sea off Brighton beach have now been formally identified as ‘beloved’ sisters from London.

They are identified as sisters Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walter, 32, and Rebecca Walter, 31, from the Uxbridge area of London, Sussex Police said.

Emergency services were called to the beach near Black Rock car park off Madeira Drive at around 5.45am last Wednesday, 13 May, where the bodies of three women were sadly recovered from the sea nearby.

After extensive enquiries, the women have now been formally identified as: 36-year-old Jane Adetoro, 32-year-old Christina Walter and 31-year-old Rebecca Walter.

Sussex Police said, as of present, there is no evidence to suggest third-party involvement or criminality, but specialist detectives are working hard to gather the full facts and circumstances of their deaths.

While detectives have found no evidence of foul play thus far, they are reviewing extensive CCTV footage and conducting local inquiries to trace the women’s final movements.

Authorities are urging anyone with information, particularly those near Madeira Drive between late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, to contact them to assist with the ongoing investigation.

Their father Joseph has released the following tribute: “Today, with a heart full of sorrow and love, I pay tribute to my beloved daughters — Jane, Christina, and Becky — whose lives ended so tragically far too soon.

“No words can truly describe the pain of losing three daughters in the prime of their lives. Jane, Christina, and Becky were more than daughters to me; they were my joy, my strength, and the beautiful light that filled our family with happiness and love.

“Each of you was unique and precious in your own special way. Your smiles brightened dark days, your laughter brought comfort, and your presence made life more meaningful. Though your time on earth was short, the impact you made will remain in our hearts forever.

“Jane, your strength and loving spirit will never be forgotten. Christina, your kindness and beautiful heart touched so many lives. Becky, your warmth and joyful soul brought happiness wherever you went. You were deeply loved, and you will always be deeply missed.

“The tragedy of losing all three of you has left an emptiness that words cannot heal. There are days when the grief feels unbearable, yet I hold tightly to the memories we shared — the laughter, the conversations, the love, and the bond that death can never take away.

“Though you are no longer here beside us, your spirits live on in our hearts every day. Love like yours never dies. You will forever remain a part of our lives, our prayers, and our memories. Rest peacefully, my precious daughters — Jane, Christina, and Becky. You may be gone from our sight, but never from our hearts. Forever loved. Forever missed. Forever remembered.”

Chief Superintendent Adam Hays, Divisional Commander for Brighton and Hove said: “The thoughts of everyone at Sussex Police are with the family of Jane, Christina and Rebecca following the devastating loss.

Nigerian entrepreneur and socialite Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu does not fully trust him because he is Igbo.

Speaking in a chat with Peller on Tuesday evening, Cubana Chief Priest said one of the reasons he would not expect open reception from the President is his previous support for Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election.

“Let me tell you, as I am now, Tinubu doesn’t really trust me as an Igbo man. He looks at me with one eye. He is still like ‘this one that has worked for Peter Obi before’,” he said.

Cubana Chief Priest earlier picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives nomination form to run for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency in Imo State. He lost his bid to secure the APC ticket but later told followers he never fully contested in the first place.

As the Imo State Coordinator of the City Boys Movement, the nightlife promoter said he threw his weight behind Tinubu, citing a desire not to “lose for a second time” with Peter Obi. He added that he believes strongly that Obi stands no chance of winning the 2027 presidential election.

The news of his failed attempt and political pivot quickly drew social media attention, with users mocking his move and suggesting he had underestimated the ruthlessness of Nigerian politics.

Following the primaries, Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, sent a message of encouragement to Cubana Chief Priest via Instagram, which the socialite later reposted. Seyi advised him not to be discouraged by the outcome, noting that setbacks often pave the way for future success.

Cubana Chief Priest explained that while he previously supported Obi, he abandoned the former Labour Party presidential candidate because he believes Obi cannot defeat Tinubu in 2027.

“I worked for Peter Obi in 2023 but I had to abandon him because I know he cannot beat Tinubu,” he stated.

Former Anambra State governor, Obi stated this on Tuesday night after completing a presidential screening exercise conducted by the The former Labour Party presidential candidate said democracy allows every qualified Nigerian the right to contest elections, stressing that he was not preoccupied with who may eventually join the 2027 race.

“Democracy is about people offering themselves for service and being voted for,” Obi said.

His remarks come amid increasing political conversations over whether Jonathan may return to frontline politics ahead of the next general election.

Obi also rejected claims that he had emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of the NDC, clarifying that the party’s nomination process remained transparent and open to all interested aspirants.

“How can it be based on consensus? The party opened up the expression of interest forms for people to buy. I bought the form. As the party said, I’m the only one who expressed interest. That’s it,” he explained.

The former governor praised the screening committee chaired by former Ebonyi State governor, “At NDC, we are choosing to do things properly. When we say there is going to be a screening, there is going to be a screening. That is democracy in action,” Obi stated.

In a separate post shared on his official X account, Obi disclosed that the screening exercise lasted more than two and a half hours, during which party officials thoroughly examined his credentials and questioned him on his plans for Nigeria.

According to him, the committee reviewed his degree certificates, NYSC credentials and age declaration documents before eventually clearing him and issuing him the party’s presidential nomination form.

“During the process, I also addressed questions regarding my vision for a new Nigeria and the type of leadership our nation urgently needs right now,” Obi wrote.

He further commended the NDC leadership for what he described as its commitment to internal democracy and due process.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, said he will be Bournemouth’s biggest supporter when they play Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Arteta spoke after Arsenal F.C. defeated Burnley F.C. 1-0 on Monday. The win moved Arsenal closer to winning the Premier League title.

Arsenal will become champions if Manchester City fail to beat AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is Arteta’s childhood friend, and his team is unbeaten in 16 matches.

When asked if he would support Bournemouth, Arteta replied: “The biggest ever!”

He added: “For Andoni, the players, and the Bournemouth supporters, we all know how important it is if they get a good result.”

Bournemouth head into the match in strong form, having gone 16 games unbeaten in all competitions, which has boosted their confidence ahead of the big clash.

Manchester City, however, remain one of the toughest teams in the league and will be aiming to secure all three points to keep their title hopes alive.

The result of the match could have a major impact on the Premier League title race, with Arsenal waiting closely for the outcome.

If Bournemouth manage to get a positive result, Arsenal could be crowned champions depending on how other results go in the final stretch of the season.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

Security operatives had already made contact with abductors of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and are pursuing them in operations being conducted across forest corridors, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Armed bandits had attacked some schools and abducted students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State last Friday.

Onoja in the statement, assured Nigerians that ongoing operations are targeted at rescuing abducted victims and neutralising criminal elements.

He added that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, extended condolences to the government and people of Oyo State as well as families of victims affected by the recent attack on some schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

He described the abduction of innocent children and staff as reprehensible, assuring that the Armed Forces were deploying all necessary resources to ensure their safe and unconditional rescue.

“The full weight of the Armed Forces is being brought to bear to ensure the safe return of all abducted victims,” he said.

Onoja urged Nigerians to remain calm, united and continue to support security agencies with credible information.

He also insisted that current intelligence does not support claims of that there is an established or structured terrorist base in the South-West region.

He said the military had earlier conducted a comprehensive clearance operation in the Old Oyo National Park, neutralising criminal elements operating within the area.

“The incident in Oyo State remains an isolated criminal act and does not indicate the presence of an entrenched insurgent structure in the region.

“The Armed Forces caution against narratives capable of creating unnecessary panic or emboldening criminal elements,” he said.

He added that joint operations involving other security agencies and local vigilantes were ongoing to flush out criminal elements and restore normalcy.

He emphasised that community cooperation remained critical, noting that human intelligence from residents would aid ongoing rescue efforts.

“The Armed Forces will not relent until all abducted victims are rescued and those responsible are brought to justice,” he added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

OYS/YMU

Fresh violence erupted across southern Lebanon on Monday as Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah attacks continued despite the commencement of a new 45-day U.S.-backed ceasefire extension aimed at halting the worsening conflict.

Lebanese security sources and state media reported multiple Israeli air raids targeting several locations in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah announced new attacks on Israeli military positions, underscoring the fragility of ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war.

The latest escalation came as Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed that more than 3,000 people have now been killed since hostilities resumed on March 2.

According to official figures released on Monday, the death toll in Lebanon has risen to 3,020, including hundreds of women, children and healthcare workers.

The war, reignited amid the broader U.S.-Israel confrontation with Iran, has continued largely along the Israel-Lebanon border despite repeated international mediation efforts.

A fresh 45-day truce extension brokered through U.S.-hosted negotiations between Israel and Lebanon officially took effect at midnight on Monday following a third round of talks held on Friday.

However, fighting resumed almost immediately.

Overnight, an Israeli airstrike near the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbeck reportedly killed Wael Mahmoud Abd al-Halim, a commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group allied with Hezbollah.

Lebanese security officials said Halim’s daughter was also killed in the strike.

The Israeli military confirmed targeting the militant commander, saying the operation was carried out after measures were taken to minimise civilian casualties.

Hezbollah, in response, announced that it launched an explosive drone attack targeting an Iron Dome air defence position in the Galilee region of northern Israel.

The group also claimed responsibility for several attacks on Israeli forces operating inside southern Lebanon.

Israeli military authorities confirmed that projectiles and an explosive drone crossed into Israeli territory during the attacks.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that Israeli warplanes struck more than six locations across southern Lebanon during the latest bombardment.

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli military said it had targeted more than 30 Hezbollah positions within 24 hours and issued evacuation warnings to residents of three villages in southern Lebanon ahead of further planned operations.

Israeli forces have continued to maintain a self-declared security zone in parts of southern Lebanon, where military operations and village demolitions are ongoing.

Israel says the buffer zone is intended to protect northern Israeli communities from Hezbollah attacks launched from civilian-populated areas.

According to Israeli authorities, at least 18 soldiers, one defence contractor and two civilians have been killed since the conflict resumed in March.

The conflict has also become increasingly tied to wider regional tensions involving Iran and the United States.

Iran has reportedly demanded an end to Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon as part of broader negotiations surrounding the U.S.-Iran crisis.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah has criticised the Lebanese government’s participation in ceasefire negotiations mediated by Washington.

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening diaspora engagement, advancing healthcare development in Nigeria through the introduction of its healthcare investment proposition to the Nigerian-American medical community at the 2026 ANPA Carolinas Symposium held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The ANPA Carolinas Symposium, hosted annually by the South Carolina and North Carolina Chapters of the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA), convenes over 170 physicians and healthcare professionals for medical and scientific dialogue on issues impacting communities across North America, the Caribbean, and Africa, particularly among people of Nigerian descent.

Speaking at the event, UBA’s Head of Diaspora Banking, Anant Rao, made a compelling case for structured diaspora participation in Nigeria’s healthcare transformation, encouraging attendees to expand their contribution beyond remittances toward long-term institution-building.

“The financial infrastructure required to connect your success abroad to sustainable institutional impact at home has not been intentionally designed for diaspora healthcare investors until now,” Rao said.

During his presentation, Rao introduced the ANPAUBA Diaspora Healthcare Investment Platform — a professionally managed investment vehicle designed to channel diaspora capital into specialist hospitals, diagnostic centres, telemedicine infrastructure, and medical training institutions across Nigeria.

“Every dollar invested delivers a dual return — creating value for investors while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s healthcare future. We now have the regulatory framework, banking infrastructure, governance structures, and institutional commitment to make this possible,” he added.

Under the proposed structure, UBA will serve as custodian and structuring bank, while United Capital Asset Management, one of Nigeria’s leading asset managers with over 1.2 trillion in assets under management, will act as fund manager.

As part of deepening engagement with the Nigerian-American medical community, Rao also proposed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UBA and the two ANPA chapters. The proposed collaboration is anchored on six strategic pillars: preferred banking offerings for ANPA members; quarterly financial education sessions; the joint Healthcare Infrastructure Fund; a dedicated ANPA Wealth and Legacy Desk; access to group-rate family healthcare plans through Avon HMO; and a UBA co-matching contribution framework to support qualifying impact vehicles under the Pearl Endowment Fund.

The initiative represents a further expansion of UBA’s diaspora value proposition, which currently includes Non-Resident Nigerian (NRN) accounts in multiple currencies, fixed-income and dollar-denominated investment solutions through United Capital, elder-care trust solutions under the Homeland Anchor Care Trust programme in partnership with Avon HMO, and private wealth management offerings tailored to senior diaspora professionals.

The 2026 ANPA Carolinas Symposium marks another milestone in UBA’s strategic engagement with the diaspora community and reinforces the Bank’s long-held belief that diaspora capital can play a transformative role in accelerating healthcare and infrastructure development across Africa.