PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

Concerns as Nigeria’s power sector decade privatization deal expires There are mounting concerns as Nigeria’s power decade privatisation process is expected to elapse on October 31, 2023. It has become more problematic following the decades-long crisis within Nigeria’s power sector. For over 62 years, the country’s electricity value chain, from distribution to generation and transmission, has been bedevilled with challenges. Meanwhile, the government attempted to break the jinx in the country’s ailing power sector, first with the establishment of the defunct 2005 Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act, then on November 1, 2013, the commencement of the privatisation process. DAILY POST recalls that the government commenced the privatisation of the Nigerian electricity distribution and generation companies in November 2013, benchmarked on a 10-year moratorium of operational licensees with the hope that the decision would halt the age-long power crisis. However, a decade later, the probl

Pray to God to reveal Tinubu’s genuine certificate – Shehu Sani to Supreme Court judges Former lawmaker Shehu Sani has told the judges of the Supreme Court to fast and pray to seek the face of God concerning the conflicting nature of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s certificate. The apex court said on Monday that there are conflicting letters from Chicago State University (CSU) on Tinubu’s certificate. Justice John Okoro, chairman of the seven-member panel hearing the application Atiku Abubakar filed against the victory of President Bola Tinubu, stated this on Monday. Speaking at the hearing on Monday, Justice Okoro said criminal matters have to be proved beyond reasonable doubt. “But in this case, there are two conflicting letters from the CSU—one authenticating the president’s certificate and another discrediting it. Which do we rely on?” he asked. Reacting to this, Sani, who served as the Senator representing Kaduna Central at the Red Chamber, said the situation calls for spiritual att

Mr Ibu’s health critical, rushed in for two surgeries following body decay. The health condition of the ailing Nollywood actor, Mr Ibu is reported to have become critical due to the decay of some parts of his body. Controversial commentator, VeryDarkMan gave the update from his recent visit to the actor’s hospital while soliciting funds for his healthcare. Mr Ibu's health critical, rushed in for two surgeries following body decay According to the VeryDarkMan, Mr Ibu has a condition causing a blood clot in his leg, which has resulted in the decay of some parts of his body. He revealed that the veteran actor has been prepped for two surgeries as of Monday morning as his condition worsened. He further recommended the option of flying Mr Ibu abroad for advanced medical care as his life currently hangs in the balance. “Mr ibu condition has moved from bad to worst, at this point only God knows his fate, I will be rushed in for 2 surgeries this morning,”

Lagos DPP files manslaughter charge against auto dealer IVD The Lagos State Government, through the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), has filed a case of involuntary manslaughter against Lagos-based auto dealer, Ikechukwu Ogbonna popularly known as IVD before the High Court of Lagos, Ikeja over the death of his wife, Bimbo. Late Bimbo died in a fire incident at their residence in the Lekki area of the state in October 2022. The DPP is accusing the auto dealer of involuntary manslaughter, which is contrary to Section 229 of the Criminal Law of Lagos. Ikechukwu pleaded not guilty to the charge and the trial has commenced before Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay.  DSP Fetuga Olatunji, who was led in evidence by counsel to the Lagos State Government, confirmed that the late Abimbola had filed a petition against her husband before her demise.  According to DSP Olatunji; “The AIG gave a directive to effect the arrest of the defendant (Ikechukwu) for attempted murder, threat to life, domestic

Man thanks his woman for "putting your father's house under my name" A man has gone viral on Facebook after he thanked his woman for putting his name as the owner in the deed of her father's house. The South African man shared photos of him posing with his woman. More photos below. 

“She Sent N700k to Her Family”: Insider Narrates How Chef Dammy Fell Out With Her Church Pastor A man who worships in the same church as Chef Dammy has revealed that the cook fell out with her pastor and church because of money, Chef Dammy’s freedom was taken away after the cookathon, according to an article published by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, FIJ. Chef Dammy was the poster girl for the Spirit Word Mission’s 120-hour cookathon. A source from the church told FIJ: “She was restricted, as her phone and ATM card were with the organisers of the cook-a-thon.A lot of people couldn’t reach her by phone calls and she couldn’t reply her social media messages also. She personally told me that she wasn’t enjoying herself anymore and that she wanted to go back to her previous life, where she had her freedom.” After the 120-hour cooking marathon, Chef Dammy’s church started preparing for a new cookathon, in which she would also be the poster chef. This did not go down well with

Mass arrest of kidnap suspects; 33 in Amotekun net in Ondo The Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, says it has arrested no fewer than 33 suspects for various offences across the state, including kidnapping. The state Commander of the outfit, Mr Adetunji Adeleye, made the disclosure on Monday in Akure, while briefing newsmen on the activities of the agency and arrest of the suspects. Adeleye said that the suspects were arrested for allegedly committing offences, ranging from kidnapping to house breaking, stealing of motorbikes and trading in human beings, amongst others. According to him, these 33 criminal suspects were picked up from different parts of the state. “For some of them, we have concluded their investigations and they will go for prosecution, while we make sure that the remaining suspects follow due process of the law. “We have six kidnap suspects and even have some of their victims here. “We equally have about five persons that specialised in stealing mo

Hamas Releases Two More Hostages The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed that Hamas has released two more hostages after it intervened on Monday. The Red Cross on its X handle, said it facilitated the release of two more hostages, saying it is transporting them out of Gaza this evening. “We facilitated the release of 2 more hostages, transporting them out of #Gaza this evening. “Our role as a neutral intermediary makes this work possible & we are ready to facilitate any future release. We hope that they will soon be back with their loved ones,” it tweeted. An Israeli government official confirms to the CBS that the names of the hostages are Nurit Cooper and Yocheved Lifshitz. It brings the total number of hostages released by Hamas to four. Two American-Israelis, mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan, were released from captivity on Friday. In its latest estimate, Israel says that more than 200 hostages are being held by Hamas after its surprise attack on

Supreme Court Adjourns PDP, LP Appeals As APM Withdraws The Supreme Court has adjourned the appeals challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 election. The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election but Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) rejected the result and headed for the court. The duo challenged the election result alongside candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) but the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal struck out their appeals. The trio filed appeals at the Supreme Court, which heard the matter on Monday. However, Chukwuma Umeh, APM counsel, applied to withdraw the suit after the apex court failed to grant its request to void Tinubu’s election. But the PDP and LP continued with their cases. The 7-member panel led by Justice John Okoro adjourned the matter after the arguments of lawyers of respective p

TROOPS OF OPERATION SAFE HAVEN NEUTRALISE BANDITS, ARREST KIDNAPPERS, DRUG PEDDLERS, RECOVER ILLICIT DRUGS, ARMS/AMMUNITION FROM 16 TO 22 OCTOBER 2023 Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH) on Operation HAKORIN DAMISA IV from 16 to 22 October 2023, neutralised suspected bandits and arrested 73 suspects in connection with kidnapping, criminal attacks, cattle rustling, gunrunning, farm destruction as well as recovered arms/ammunitions and illicit drugs.  On 18 October 2023, troops of Operation HAKORIN DAMISA IV arrested 16 suspects in connection with the murder of two women, Victoria Wetsan and Nagung Sale while working on a farmland at Binkwaghas Village, panyam district of Mangu LGA. Also on 19 October 2023, troops arrested 2 suspects, Mohammed Yusuf and Aliyu Adamu in connection with the isolated killing of one Yahaya Adamu at Kibul forest in Riyom LGA of Plateau State. Additionally, troops on 19 October 2023, arrested 4 suspects, Anass Abdullahi, Abdulmalik Abdullahi, Aliyu and Nuhu M

 Today, I had the pleasure of hosting a delegation led by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), at Lagos House, Ikeja.  The delegation included Dr. Julius Marcus Garvey Jr., son of renowned civil rights leader Marcus Garvey, and David Anderson, the Jogbe of Badagry kingdom.  I reiterated our dedication to transforming Lagos State into a global tourism by focusing on making Badagry, in particular, a preferred destination for tourists.  During the visit, I also emphasized our administration's commitment to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including the Diaspora community, to enhance and promote the Door of Return festival and the cultural heritage of Badagry, Lagos, and Nigeria.  I also commended Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa for her initiative and dedication to championing the interests of Nigerians in the Diaspora.- Gov. Sanwo-Olu.  More photos below. 

PRESS RELEASE IGP PARTNERS WITH UN TO EXPAND CRU FOR QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY To Set Up Offices in Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Rivers for Improved Complaint Response System In a concerted effort to enhance the quality of service delivery and extend the reach of the Complaint Response Unit (CRU), the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, NPM, Ph.D., is collaborating with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to establish CRU offices in Enugu, Kano, Rivers States and the expansion of the Lagos CRU office, ultimately making justice and accountability more accessible to the public. The Complaints Response Unit (CRU) has been instrumental in addressing public grievances and concerns related to police misconduct, human rights violations, and other issues in Nigeria. With the generous support and collaboration of the United Nations, the IGP is taking a significant step towards decentralizing and expanding CRU's presence across the country in line with the pr

 Actress Jaye Kuti gushes as son graduates as a lawyer Nollywood actress Jaye Kuti has celebrated her son’s recent graduation from a law program at Afe Babalola University, and her joy knows no bounds. She took to Instagram to share the exciting news, posting a video from the graduation ceremony. In the video, her son is seen in his convocation gown while she captures precious moments with him. The actress also had the honor of greeting the Ooni of Ife during the ceremony, making the day even more special. Kuti’s close friend, Bimbo Oshin, demonstrated the strength of their friendship by providing unwavering support to the proud mother during her son’s graduation. In the video shared by Kuti, Oshin can be seen standing by her side throughout the ceremony, showcasing the true essence of their deep and enduring friendship.

Adeleke suspends foreign trips for Osun officials Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, has barred international visits for key officials in his government for the remainder of the year, with exceptions for emergencies. To improve efficiency in the governance process, the governor also asked the Head of Service, Leye Aina, to produce a document outlining the relationship between the Commissioners and the Special Advisers. Adeleke stated that excessive spending on recurrent and overhead expenses must be avoided during a meeting with members of the State Executive Council to deliberate on 2024 budget proposals from ministries, departments, and agencies as a prelude to the submission of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework to the State House of Assembly. While pushing cabinet members to make personal sacrifices, the governor stated that in light of the state’s dire financial condition, all members of the government must exhibit a willingness to sacrifice. A statement by the spokesperson

Obasanjo urges FG to ban Chinese Adire, revive textile industry Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has urged the federal government to ban the importation of Chinese adire into the country, to save the local market of the fabrics from imminent “bastardization” by the Chinese. Obasanjo begged the government to do its best to protect the local production of Adire from the imported Chinese Adire and all other things that could be produced locally in the country. The elder statesman who made the appeal in his opening speech on Monday in Abeokuta, the state capital at the  ‘Canada Trade Mission ’24’ conference session, lamented that the materials – clothes, for producing Adire that were hitherto sourced in Kano, Kaduna and Ado-Ekiti are not available anymore. The programme was organised by Solteque Nigeria Ltd where Realtor Babatunde Adeyemo of the Pelican Valley and Mrs Oluwatosin Oloko, Permanent Secretary Ogun State Ministry of Culture & Tourism among others were also guest speakers.

Google celebrates Rashidi Yekini’s post-humous 60th birthday with Doodle Google Doodle, on Monday, celebrated iconic footballer Rashidi Yekini, an accomplished forward nicknamed the “Goalsfather” for his ability to sneak shots by the keeper. The iconic goal scorer was born on this day in 1963, in Kaduna, Nigeria. The beginning of Yekini’s life was difficult as he faced homelessness and poverty. To make money, his first jobs were a welder and mechanic, but his true goal was to pursue football. He soon began playing in front of scouts and in 1981, he joined his first football club, UNTL FC, in Kaduna. The talented striker played for the Shooting Stars next, scoring an impressive 45 goals in 53 games. His spectacular scoring abilities earned him the title of African Footballer of the Year in 1983, and he was the first Nigerian player to receive this honor. The next year, he helped bring the Shooting Stars to the finals of the African Champions Cup. Outside of Nigeria, he also played for f

*THE MAIDEN ANAMBRA IRI-JI FESTIVAL*    _Our culture is an embodiment of who we are_ - Gov. Soludo By Paul Nwosu It was a grand panoply of culture and colours at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka on Saturday, October 21 during the celebration of the maiden Anambra Iri-Ji Festival. The New Yam Festival brought out the ennobling panache of Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo (CFR). The Royal Father of the Day, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, Obi of Onitsha was royalty in fine fettle. Governor Soludo was impressive in his advocacy of a joint celebration of the New Yam Festival as an instrument of unity among Ndịgbo across the South-East. For Mr Governor, celebrating the festival in unison would show the world that the Igbo people have a wonderful culture dating back in time. He pointed out that it’s the first time every local government in the state came together to celebrate. According to him, "Our culture is not just a dance display but a totality of who we are, how we dre