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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a major setback in Enugu State as Governor Peter Mbah and all top government officials are set to officially join the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.

Dr. Ben Nwoye, the newly appointed Chairman of the Enugu APC Caretaker Committee, confirmed this in Abuja after his inauguration at the party’s national secretariat.

According to Nwoye, Governor Mbah’s defection will include 260 councillors, 24 state lawmakers, National Assembly members, and the entire state executive council.

He described the move as a ‘historic alignment’ that will end Enugu’s long stay in the opposition and strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Southeast.

‘For the past 10 years, Enugu State has been in opposition.

That ends on Tuesday when Governor Mbah joins APC. This is the beginning of the Southeast’s political reawakening,’ Nwoye said.

He praised Governor Mbah for his impressive reforms that have boosted the state’s internally generated revenue, saying the partnership between Mbah’s Transformation Agenda and Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Vision would bring faster development to the region.

APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, urged the new Enugu leadership to turn the defection into a ‘lasting political victory,’ adding that the party welcomes all new members equally.

APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Emma Eneukwu, said the move marks the Southeast’s return to national political relevance. ‘With Enugu in APC, the Southeast has found its voice again,’ he said.

Uncertainty in Benue Over Suswam’s, Orhii’s Alleged Defection

In Benue State, rumours are spreading that former Governor Gabriel Suswam and former NAFDAC boss Dr. Paul Orhii might also leave the PDP for the APC.

Although banners announcing their defection appeared on the streets of Makurdi, Suswam’s media aide, Bede Bartholomew, denied the claim.

He explained that the governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, had only invited Suswam to a state banquet, not a political event.

‘There is no truth to the rumour. It’s a lie from the deepest pit of hell,’ Bartholomew said, urging supporters to ignore the speculation.

Suswam, who has been with the PDP since 1999, represented Katsina Ala, Logo, and Ukum Federal Constituency before serving two terms as governor and later as a senator.

PDP, APC Trade Blame Over Defections

Meanwhile, the PDP has accused the APC of intimidating and coercing its governors to defect.

The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the ruling party was using threats and blackmail to lure its members.

However, APC’s spokesperson, Felix Morka, dismissed the accusation, saying the PDP’s problems are self-inflicted.

‘The PDP is falling apart because of its years of corruption, failed leadership, and disregard for democracy,’ Morka said. ‘Those leaving the PDP are doing so by choice to avoid being part of its collapse before the 2027 elections.’

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has described party leaders remaining in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as undertakers waiting for the final burial of the opposition party.

The APC Spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Saturday in Lagos, said this while reacting to the recent defection of some PDP leaders into APC.

Oladejo urged the former ruling party to stop downplaying ‘the wave of defections currently rocking its already fractured structure’.

He said: ‘The PDP’s claim that defections cannot break it is not only laughable but also betrays the party’s chronic state of denial , delusion and self-deception.

‘What is happening to the PDP today is not mere political migration, it is the inevitable consequence of years of internal deceit, lack of ideology, and serial betrayal among its leaders.

‘When a house is built on quicksand, it does not take much for it to collapse.

‘The ongoing exodus from the PDP is only a confirmation that even its loyalists have lost faith in a party that has consistently failed to reform itself or offer a credible alternative to Nigerians.

‘The few remaining members of the PDP are perhaps the undertakers – staying behind only to perform the final rites and fittingly dispose of what remains of a once-dominant but now lifeless political carcass.’

According to him, the APC is not surprised at the wave of defections from PDP as the opposition party has only thrived on propaganda and empty rhetoric.

He claimed that the former ruling party had mismanaged the nation for 16 years before the coming of APC.

Oladejo said that PDP could not suddenly reinvent itself as a credible opposition ‘when it remains a cesspool of confusion and leadership vacuum’.

‘The recent defection of key figures from the PDP to the APC is a testament to the growing confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘It will serve the PDP’s best interest to start learning to walk alone on the dark, bumpy road to 2027.

‘The party is obviously over for the former ‘largest party in Africa,’ and the sooner it confronts that reality, the less humiliating its final exit will be,’ he added.

According to him, PDP should look inward, conduct an honest post-mortem of its failures, and come to terms with the reality that its relevance in Nigeria’s political space has drastically waned.

‘The opposition cannot claim to be unshaken when its members are fleeing in droves to a party that represents progress, stability, and genuine leadership.

‘For the APC, these defections are not just political victories – they are endorsements of our party’s enduring commitment to national renewal and people-centered governance.

‘The Nigerian people are speaking loudly and the message is clear: the era of deceitful opposition politics is over,’ Oladejo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a number of PDP governors and members of the House of Assembly as well as other key figures have recently dumped the party for APC.

On Thursday, two remaining PDP members in the Ondo State House of Assembly,defected to APC, citing internal crisis in the opposition party.

They are former House Minority Leader,Mr Olajide Oguntodu, representing Akure South 1 Constituency, and his deputy, Mr Oluwatoyin Daodu, representing Akoko South West 1 Constituency.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, is set to undergo radiation therapy after doctors confirmed that his prostate cancer has aggressively spread to his bones.

According to a statement from his spokesperson on Saturday, the former president will also begin hormone therapy alongside the radiation treatment, which is expected to last five weeks. Biden has already started taking hormone medication in pill form.

The development follows his May announcement revealing the cancer’s spread, coming just weeks after doctors found a ‘small nodule’ on his prostate during a routine medical examination.

‘President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason Score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,’ his office stated.

A Gleason Score of 9 indicates one of the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer. However, Biden’s medical team noted that the disease appears to be hormone-sensitive, making it potentially manageable with treatment.

In recent months, Biden was also treated for skin cancer, and he was spotted at public events with a visible bandage on his forehead.

Now nearing his 83rd birthday, Biden remains the oldest man ever to have served as U.S. president. Health experts note that prostate issues are common among men of his age, with over half of all cases diagnosed in those older than 65.

The former president’s health has long been a topic of political discussion. Concerns over his age and fitness for office reportedly influenced his decision to drop out of the 2024 re-election race, paving the way for his former vice president, Kamala Harris, to lead the Democratic ticket.

Insiders within the party have since admitted that Biden’s advisers shielded his declining health from the public, maintaining that he was fit to run. Reports from The Washington Post suggest that the ex-president still feels bitter about stepping down, often debating with his aides about how to respond to current President Donald Trump’s actions and policies.

Since leaving office, Biden has focused on writing his memoir and laying plans for a presidential library.

His personal battle with cancer carries painful echoes of his late son, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. The elder Biden has previously linked his son’s illness to exposure to military burn pits during his service in Iraq.en

Mavin Records singer, Crayon, has shared a heartbreaking story about losing his mother, Evelyn Chukwu, just four days before his birthday.

The 29-year-old singer poured out his pain in an emotional tribute as he laid his mother to rest, describing her death as the ‘darkest day’ of his life.

‘July 4th was the darkest day of my life. I lost my soldier, my backbone, my angel and my pillar,’ Crayon wrote. ‘I spoke to you days before, and like you always do, you prayed for me. I didn’t know that would be your last prayer.’

The singer revealed that his mother appeared healthy during their last conversation, making her sudden death even more painful.

‘You sounded so fine, like nothing was wrong. Only for my world to suddenly crumble before my eyes,’ he said.

Crayon, visibly broken at the burial, recalled watching his mother carry the family’s burden for years, calling her a ‘warrior’ and his ‘best friend.’

‘Seeing you lie lifeless on that hospital bed broke me to pieces – it was my greatest fear. I’ve asked God ‘why?’ so many times. Why now, when it’s finally time for you to enjoy the fruits of your labour?’ he lamented.

The singer said his mother’s death has left an unhealable scar, admitting that every achievement from now on will never feel the same.

‘Nothing will ever be the same. Every milestone, every success – it will all feel different without you, mummy,’ he wrote.

Crayon ended his tribute with a promise to take care of his siblings and uphold his mother’s legacy.

‘As we lay you to rest today, I know you’d want me to be strong. I promise to take care of Naza and the rest of the family. I’ll never say goodbye, because I know you live through me.’

He described Evelyn Chukwu as his ‘sweetheart, angel, and best friend,’ saying he would miss her prayers and unconditional love forever.

Maj.-Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, led troops in a successful rescue operation of two abducted persons in the Babasango Forest area of Kwara State, the Nigerian Army has announced.

Nnebeife, who also serves as Commander of Sector 3, Operation FANSAN YAMA, led the operation during an official visit to Patrol Base Babanla on Thursday, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Division, Lt.-Col. Polycarp Okoye.

Okoye explained that the visit followed a bandit attack near Idofin in Omu-Aran Local Government Area, where three traders were killed at Olegbede village.

He said the GOC led troops deep into Babasango Forest, where they rescued the two kidnapped victims, who were later handed over to the traditional ruler of Ayekale, Oba Pius Oluwole Oni Dofin of Idofin Odoeshe Ayekale.

‘Oba Oluwole attributed the repeated attacks to the community’s proximity to Babasango Forest and appealed for sustained military presence,’ Okoye added.

Maj.-Gen. Nnebeife, while commiserating with the royal father, assured that the Nigerian Army would maintain ongoing operations to clear the forest of bandits and other criminal elements.

Senate Seeks Military Base in Kwara South

Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in Kwara South Senatorial District, particularly around the forest belts of Ifelodun Local Government Area, following persistent cases of kidnappings and other criminal activities.

The call followed the adoption of a motion on the urgent need to address insecurity in the area, sponsored by Senator Ashiru Oyelola (APC-Kwara South).

In his motion, Oyelola expressed concern over the rising insecurity in the senatorial district, noting that bandit attacks, kidnappings, and killings had reached alarming levels in recent weeks, forcing thousands of residents to flee their communities.

According to him, no fewer than 12 forest guards and members of local vigilance groups were killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Oke-Ode. Victims included the Baale of Ogba-Ayo community and several other traditional and community leaders.

He listed affected areas to include Babanla, Sagbe, Oro Ago, and Ganmu-Alheri in Ifelodun, Isin, Ekiti, and Oke Ero Local Government Areas.

Oyelola disclosed that 142 persons were kidnapped and more than 70 killed in the last 12 months across Kwara South, with at least 25 communities deserted as a result of recurring attacks, leading to severe humanitarian displacement and disruption of social and economic life.

Other lawmakers, including Senators Mustapha Salihu (APC-Kwara), Sadiq Umar (APC-Kwara), Garba Maidoki (APC-Kebbi), and Deputy Senate President Barau Jubrin (APC-Kano), supported the motion and called for urgent security interventions.

In its resolutions, the Senate urged the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police to deploy additional troops and special units to clear the forests and restore normalcy in affected communities.

It also mandated its Committees on Defence, Police Affairs, and National Security and Intelligence to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the affected areas and report back within two weeks.

Additionally, the Senate resolved to invite the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Inspector-General of Police to brief it in plenary on coordinated federal responses to insecurity in Kwara and other affected regions.

The session ended with a minute of silence in honour of forest guards, vigilance group members, traditional leaders, and innocent citizens who lost their lives to bandit attacks in Kwara South Senatorial District.

A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has admitted written statement of Mr. Samuel Aruwan, the third prosecution witness in the ongoing money laundering case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against Mr. Jimi Lawal and three others.

Mr. Lawal, a former Senior Special Adviser/Councilor to the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is standing trial alongside the former Accountant-General of the State, Mr. Umar Waziri, and the former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Yusuf Inuwa, over allegations of abuse of office and diversion of public funds through fraudulent estacode payments.

Also joined in the suit is Solar Life Nigeria Limited, a company whose account allegedly received the diverted funds.

In the case marked FHC/KD/16C/2025, ICPC accused the defendants of conspiring to divert the total sum of ?64.8 million in three tranches of ?10,000,000.00, ?47,480,000.00, and ?7,320,562.00 into the account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Mr. Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.

During the proceedings, the prosecution presented three witnesses, including former Kaduna Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs. Aisha Dikko Kalil, Former Head of Service in the State, Mrs. Bariyatu Yusuf, and Aruwan.

The three witnesses have so far denied receiving estacodes from Mr. Lawal, who had claimed that the contentious ?64,800,562.00 were earmarked as estacodes for the trainings embarked on by the former Senior officials of the Kaduna State government.

Mr. Aruwan, in his testimony, specifically stated that his professional trainings were sponsored by the United States Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and not the Kaduna State Government.

He further clarified that although he was professionally acquainted with Mr. Lawal, he neither received estacode allowances from him nor from the State Government.

Following his testimony, ICPC’s prosecution team sought to tender Mr. Aruwan’s written statement as evidence. The defence objected on procedural grounds, arguing that the statement was obtained during the pendency of the trial.

In his ruling, Honourable Justice R. M. Aikawa dismissed the objection, holding that PW3 was not an interested party in the matter.

The Court therefore admitted the statement as evidence, marked Exhibit 9, and allowed the prosecution to conclude its examination-in-chief.

Subsequently, when the matter was called for cross-examination, counsel to the 2nd defendant, J. J. Usman, SAN, who was represented by a junior from his chambers, sought an adjournment on the ground of his absence.

The Court consequently adjourned the case to 3rd November 2025 for cross-examination and continuation of hearing.

The ICPC is prosecuting the case as part of its sustained efforts to promote integrity, transparency, and accountability in the management of public funds across all levels of government.

Dansol High School, in partnership with the Lagos State Government, joined the global observance of the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, reaffirming the call to empower young girls through education, health, and equal opportunities.

This year’s celebration, themed ‘Empowering the 21st-Century Girl,’ centred on issues of health, safety, and overall well-being, key areas considered vital to ensuring that girls reach their full potential.

Speaking at the event held at Dansol High School Hall, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr. Oluwatoni Adeyemi, said that good health remains the foundation upon which girls can build successful and meaningful lives.

According to her, a healthy girl is better equipped to make informed choices and pursue her dreams with confidence and clarity.

‘You must be healthy to reach your dreams. Health is not just the absence of disease but a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being,’ Ogunyemi said.

She urged the girls to prioritise personal, hand, and food hygiene while maintaining healthy relationships with others, describing good health as ‘a source of energy, confidence, and focus.’

Ogunyemi also underscored the importance of self-love, saying it helps girls resist peer pressure, abuse, and discrimination while empowering them to aspire for leadership and innovation.

She called on leaders, parents, and mentors to model confidence and fairness, ensuring inclusion and gender balance in all spheres of life.

Reaffirming the Lagos State Government’s commitment to promoting gender equity, she noted that under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the state continues to lead with programmes that protect, educate, and uplift the girl child.

In her remarks, the Chairperson of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Mrs Risqat Jimoh, described the 2025 theme as a ‘call to action,’ stressing that a healthy, confident, and valued girl has the power to transform her world.

Jimoh identified health as the first pillar of empowerment, noting that proper nutrition, access to healthcare, and accurate knowledge about reproductive and mental health are essential to building confident and capable young women.

She also addressed menstrual hygiene, calling for an end to the stigma that prevents girls from attending school.

‘No girl should ever have to leave school because of her period. Her education and dreams must not be interrupted by stigma or lack of resources,’ Jimoh said.

On security, she maintained that every girl deserves safety at home, in school, and online, urging parents and educators to teach personal boundaries and digital awareness.

Jimoh further advocated for the inclusion of boys and men in the empowerment process, describing them as crucial allies in fostering respect, equality, and protection for girls.

‘True empowerment is not about competition but collaboration built on respect and equality,’ she concluded.

The event featured discussions, educational presentations, and interactive sessions designed to inspire girls to embrace leadership, self-awareness, and resilience in shaping their future.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described reports on the court order for the arrest of its former chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu for disobeying a judgement on a case involving the Action Alliance party (AA) as ‘misleading and a ‘mischievous portrayal of a corporate matter as an individual one’.

INEC said this while also denying allegation that it disobeyed an order from the Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State on AA in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Friday in Abuja.

According to INEC, while the reports made reference to the Sept. 29 court order, it failed to acknowledge INEC’s subsequent actions toward compliance.

Olumekun said: ‘In line with its long-established tradition of always obeying court judgements and orders, the Commission on Monday Oct. 6, which was still within the deadline, filed processes at the Federal High Court, Osogbo to show that we had complied with its judgement and order of recognising the AA executive elected on Oct. 7 2023 at Abeokuta, Ogun State

‘The dashboard of the Commission’s website showing compliance was tendered as evidence.

‘However, when the judgement creditors filed a counter affidavit to complain that the Commission partially complied by listing the names of only four national executives without the National Chairman, Rufai Omoaje, the Commission responded.

He further explained that INEC responded by attaching the Notice of Appeal filed by the same Omoaje at the Supreme Court, challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal sacking him as the National Chairman of the party.

Olumekun said that the judgement of the Court of Appeal was superior to that of the Federal High Court, hence, the commission could not list Omoaje’s name as the Chairman of the AC when the judgement of the Appeal Court was still subsisting.

He appealed to media organisations to fact-check their reports before publication to avoid misleading the public.

Foreign nationals living illegally in the country can still regularise their stay thorough a new initiative tagged ‘Post-Amnesty Voluntary Return and Documentation Programme (PAVRDP), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said

PAVRDP was designed for foreign nationals who failed to regularise their stay or exit the country during the Expired Visa Initiative, which ended on Sept. 30, 2025, the Service said in a statement on Friday.

In the statement signed by its Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (ACI), Akinsola Akinlabi, the Service also informed that the PAVRDP which commences on Oct. 13, was designed to provide an opportunity for affected foreign nationals

This, the service said, would be to report themselves voluntarily at the nearest Immigration Command for registration and documentation.

Upon documentation, the NIS each individual’s circumstances would be assessed on a case-by-case basis before an appropriate action was determined in line with the provisions of the Immigration Act, 2015, and related regulations.

The NIS warned that any foreigner who had breached the conditions of his or her visa and failed to report to the NIS would be arrested.

‘They will be detained, and removed from Nigeria as provided by extant immigration laws, with long-term entry bans applied,’ NIS said.

The NIS further cautioned that aiding and harbouring illegal immigrants remained a punishable offence under Nigerian law.

The service added that the breach of conditions of regularization of stay also constituted an offence, advising individuals, companies, and organisations to desist from such acts to avoid prosecution.

‘The NIS remains committed to promoting humane, seamless, and orderly migration, ensuring compliance with extant immigration laws, and strengthening national security through effective migration management,’ the NIS said.

Yinka Theisen, who was formerly engaged to actor Linc Edochie, has stirred controversy on social media after shading May Yul-Edochie, the estranged wife of Nollywood actor Yul Edochie.

In a lengthy post shared online, Yinka mocked May for still bearing Yul Edochie’s last name despite publicly seeking a divorce and filing a cease and desist letter against her estranged husband.

She wrote:

‘Linc Edochie is my ex-fiancé. I have an ex-husband. Your queen granted an interview and could not call Ezedike her ex. She wrote a cease and desist and called herself Mrs. Yul-Edochie. She still carries not only the man’s last name but his first name. Her followers are still fighting that Judy is not Ezedike’s wife but his mistress.’

Yinka went on to accuse May’s supporters of hypocrisy, claiming they were refusing to accept that Yul had moved on with actress Judy Austin.

‘What exactly are you folks fighting for? You should be worried for your queen. She has NOT let go. Rather than focus on me, gather around her and encourage her. Yul picked Judy because he was given an ultimatum by your queen,’ she added.

In her fiery post, Yinka also alleged that May’s actions during the years of her marriage contributed to the turmoil surrounding the Edochie family, hinting that Yul suffered emotional strain from the online drama.

‘If Yul had kpaied, she would have continued her life. What you guys did to that man for the past four years could very well have ended his life,’ she wrote.