PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 Anambra Assembly passes State Electoral Law Amendment 2 Bill 2024, Local Government Amendment 9 Bill 2024 into Law By Anastasia Agunwa/Chizoba Okeke/Gloria Abugu  A Bill for a Law to amend the Anambra State Electoral Law, 2024 and for other connected purposes has been passed into law on the floor of the Anambra State House of Assembly. This followed the necessary amendments of clause 2 and various Sections 24(3), 25(1), subsection 27(3), 31 and 56(a,b,c, d) of the Principal Law considered at the "Committee of the Whole" by the lawmakers, after which the bill read for the third time before it was passed into law during plenary on August 13. The Speaker of the House, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze who presided over the plenary said that the law shall be cited as " Anambra State Electoral Law Amendment No.2 Law, 2024 and shall come into force on the 13th day of August, 2024. The Majority Leader of the House, Mr  Ikenna Ofodeme had moved a motion for the bill to be read a third time

 Mohbad’s family rejects Yomi Fabiyi’s call for protest The family of the late singer Mohbad has kicked against the recent call by actor Yomi Fabiyi for a protest at the next court hearing.  Mohbad passed away under mysterious circumstances on September 12, 2023. His body was later exhumed for an autopsy at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. The toxicology report, however, revealed no significant findings that could be attributed to his death. Rejecting the report, Mohbad’s family demanded an independent autopsy. Fabiyi in preparation for Mohbad’s one year anniversary, urged the public to peacefully protest at the upcoming court hearing. He also proposed that a peaceful protest should be organised for the first anniversary of Mohbad’s death to further press for justice. Reacting to the actor’s call in a statement on Wednesday by a member of its legal team, Monisola Odumosu, the family warned that staging protest within the court environment poses threat to smooth pro

 Transfer: Osimhen’s preferred club revealed Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen’s preferred club in this summer’s transfer window has been revealed. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Osimhen is keen to join Paris Saint-Germain ahead of other clubs. He disclosed this in a tweet via his X account. Osimhen has been linked with PSG, Arsenal and Chelsea this summer. Taking to X, Plettenberg provided insight into Osimhen’s future at Napoli amid interest from several top clubs. “[I] understand that Victor Osimhen still wants to join PSG until deadline day as PSG is definitely his desired destination. Chelsea [are] still trying to sign the [25-year-old] striker and [I have] been told that there was also a loose approach from Arsenal weeks a go,” he tweeted. “But Osimhen is not currently pushing for a move to the Premier League. His preference is [moving to] Paris but [PSG] can’t proceed as [Randal] Kolo Muani [and Goncalo] Ramos are under contract.”

 Lagos woman Oluchi Okoye in trouble for biting 15-year-old housekeeper A 51- year-old Lagos woman, Oluchi Okoye, who allegedly inflicted bodily injuries on her 15-year-old housekeeper, on Thursday appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court. The defendant who resides at Olukosi Street in Shasha area of Lagos, is facing trial on a two-count charge of assault and threat to life. The prosecutor, Insp. John Iberedem, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on July 15, at 8:00 a.m., in her residence. Iberedem said that the defendant bit the housekeeper on her shoulder and inflicted injuries on her body. He said that the defendant also threatened to stab the girl with a kitchen knife during the altercation. The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Section 10(a) of the Child’s Right Law of Lagos State, 2015 and Section 56(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge leveled against her by the police. The Chief Mag

The Presidency said it’s aware of the various failed plots by a certain Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Limited, to take over offshore assets of the Federal Government of Nigeria through subterfuge. According to the Federal Government, it is not under any contractual obligation with the company, adding that the case in which Zhongshan tries to use every unorthodox means to strip our offshore assets is between the company and the Ogun State Government. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a statement on Thursday, August 15, 2024, said the Federal Government is fully aware of efforts being made by the Ogun State Government to reach an amicable resolution on the matter. “It must be said without any equivocation that Zhongshan has no solid ground to demand restitution from the Ogun State Government based on the facts regarding the 2007 contract between the company and the State Government to manage a free-trade zone “Wh

  We Will Not Accept Anambra Man As Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese – Worshippers  The election of Ven. Prof. Sam Ike, an Anambra man, as the new Bishop of Enugu Diocese has sparked widespread outrage and protests. The election, which took place on Aug. 13, 2024, in Abuja, has been rejected by the indigenes of Enugu state, who claim that the process was unfair and did not reflect the will of the people. According to a petition written by Kingsley Okah, a justice advocate, on behalf of the people of Enugu, the election outcome is a clear indication of the church’s insensitivity and disregard for fairness and justice. The petition alleged that Ven. Prof. Ike is a puppet of the retired Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, who was allegedly accused of issues during his tenure in Enugu. This development comes years after Bishop Peter Okpaleke from Anambra state was rejected by the Ahiala Diocese of the Catholic Church in Imo state. The protesters argued that the Anglican Church has consistently margi

 Four arrested after knife attack on Barca star, Yamal’s father Four people have been arrested after a knife attack on the father of young Spanish football star Lamine Yamal in Catalonia, local police told AFP Thursday. The attack took place at 1910 GMT on Wednesday in a car park in the Catalan town of Mataro, around 30 kilometres from Barcelona, in the Rocafonda neighbourhood where Lamine Yamal is from, said a spokesman for the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan regional police force. Yamal’s father Mounir Nasraoui was stabbed several times the police said, and is being treated at the Can Ruti hospital, could not be reached by AFP for comment. A source close to the family told newsmen that Nasraoui is now “out of danger” and “remains under observation” but in a “stable” condition. Asked about the events and the victim’s possible release date from the hospital, the source did not wish to say more. Three people were arrested Wednesday night and were being questioned at Mataro police station

 5 people charged in death of Matthew Perry including his assistant and 2 doctors. Arrests have been made close to one year after the untimely death of Matthew Perry. According to the U.S Attorney, Martin Estrada, all the defendants knew what they were doing and used Perry's addictions to benefit themselves.  Among those charged were Matthew Perry's live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, and two medical doctors, Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez. Matthew Perry had been undergoing ketamine therapy to treat his severe anxiety and depression.  As a result he became addicted to the drug and when doctors cut off his supply he sought out the drug from illegal sources. Allegedly, the doctors that are charged were selling the drug illegally to Perry's assistant.  Police have released that Matthew received several injections of ketamine administered by his assistant on the day of his death. This resulted in his having an amount of ketamine that would be used as anesthesia dur

 Isese: Oyo govt. declares Aug. 20 work-free day Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared August 20, 2024, as a work-free day in celebration of Isese Day. This announcement was made through a statement issued by Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the governor’s Special Adviser on Media. The circular, released by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo, emphasized the Governor’s commitment to annually observing August 20 as a work-free day to honor Isese Day. Governor Makinde encouraged traditional worshippers and all citizens to use the day for prayers, focusing on the peace, unity, and stability of Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.

 Two suspects arrested for stealing police station signpost in Kano Two suspects have been arrested for stealing a police station signpost at Bachirawa in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State.   The spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who disclosed this on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, said the suspects were arrested with the help of residents in the area.    "We are grateful to the people of Bachirawa,' he added. More photos below.

 ‘It’s false’ – GTB debunks hackers seizing website, customers’ data Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, has described as entirely false report of its website being seized by hackers. The clarification comes amid a report that its website has been compromised by hackers and customers’ data intercepted in a massive phishing operation. A source from GTB said that the claim was entirely untrue. He clarified that the bank was having a connectivity issue but that it had nothing to do with hacking. “It’s false. What we are experiencing is a connectivity issue and has nothing to do with the alleged hacking”, The incident which happened on Wednesday night made the site inaccessible as some customers lamented on social media. Multiple attempts to log on to www.gtbbank.com returned error signs as of 10:30pm on Wednesday. The incident happened after the domain name was renewed for another five years from August 13, 2024, through March 21, 2029, according to platforms that ana

 Mbappe scores on debut as Real Madrid win the European Super Cup Kylian Mbappe scored on his debut as Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup for a record-breaking sixth time with a 2-0 win over Atalanta on Wednesday. Carlo Ancelotti’s Champions League winners took the lead in the 59th minute through Fede Valverde, before Mbappe’s strike secured victory in Warsaw. The reigning UEFA Champions League holders had to wait until the second half to find the opening goal as Federico Valverde put them in the lead. Following some great work from Jude Bellingham, Mbappe doubled their lead soon afterwards to wrap up a dominant display. Federico Valverde was also on target for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who lifted the trophy for a record-breaking sixth time. Mbappe endured a quiet first half at Warsaw’s National Stadium, Isak Hien blocking his 15th-minute shot, while the woodwork denied both teams inside the opening 45 minutes. All the build-up to this game surrounded Mbappe’s impending debut since his b

 Gov. Tim Walz, Sen. JD Vance agree to VP debate hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1 The vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News is set for Oct. 1 in New York City, with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and GOP Sen. JD Vance of Ohio both agreeing to participate. On Wednesday, CBS News proposed four dates for a debate between the two vice presidential nominees: Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, and Oct. 8. The Harris-Walz campaign soon agreed to the Oct. 1 date. "See you on October 1, JD," Walz wrote on X. A campaign official said Walz "looks forward to debating JD Vance — if he shows up." On Thursday, Vance posted on social media that he accepted the CBS News debate on Oct. 1, and said he also wanted to debate on CNN on Sept. 18.  "The American people deserve as many debates as possible, which is why President Trump has challenged Kamala to three of them already," Vance wrote on X. "Not only do I accept the CBS debate on October 1st, I accept the CNN deba

 Watch Adele Perform in the Pouring Rain in Munich On Wednesday, Aug. 14, the singer, 36, performed to thousands of fans in Munich, Germany despite the arrival of a huge storm midway through her outdoor show. In a video shared on X,Adele walked down the steps as the rain fell. Using one hand to hold her long black gown and the other on her microphone, she then moved to the beat as she sang her song, “Oh My God.” In another video, per Billboard,Adele joked that the rain shouldn't stop her singing one of her most famous hits. “If it stops raining when I do ‘Set Fire to the Rain,’ I’m going to be f----- furious,” she joked. who normally performs without shoes — decided to put sneakers on midway through the show due to her feet feeling cold. She also shared a snap on her Instagram Stories ahead of the show. “ADELE IN MUNICH,” the post read. “I will be ON stage 7:30pm tonight,” she wrote alongside love heart and rain emojis. This isn’t the first time Adele has had to perform in rain. Ba

 PRESS RELEASE 15:08:2024 The editors, KIDNAPPING: Arrest Made in Case of 8-Year-Old Killed in Toro. ...Commissioner of Police CP MM Auwal orders a thorough investigation. The Bauchi State Police Command has successfully arrested the perpetrator responsible for the death of 8-year-old Kamal Aliyu in the Runjin Gani area of Toro LGA. On August 4, 2024, Kamal Aliyu was reported kidnapped by unknown individuals in Runjin Gani village in Toro LGA of Bauchi state. In response, the Division Police Officer (DPO) of Toro Police Divisional headquarters launched an intensive search and rescue operation in the area. Acting on credible intelligence and a tip-off on August 15, 2024, the Divisional Police Officer apprehended Ibrahim Mohamed Liman, a 23-year-old male resident of the same Runjin Gani community and a close neighbour to the victim's family. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to conspiring with another individual, whose identity is still unknown, to kidnap Kamal Aliyu by lur

 OUR STAND ON ZHONGSHAN'S SUBTERFUGE AND PARIS COURT'S SEIZURE ORDER - OGUN STATE GOVERNMENT  On 14 August 2024, the attention of the Ogun State Government was drawn to the provisional attachment of three Nigerian government owned aircrafts in France by the Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. (“Zhongshan”).  Ogun State also learned of two orders of the Judicial Court of Paris dated 7 March 2024 and 12 August 2024 respectively, both obtained by Zhongshan without notice being duly given to the Federal Government or Nigeria, Ogun State or their legal counsel.  This is the latest in a series of ill-advised attempts by Zhongshan to attach Nigerian-owned assets in foreign jurisdictions, none of which have to date led to the recovery of any sums from Nigeria. Each of the three aircrafts is used solely for sovereign purposes and as such are immune from attachment under international and French law.  In obtaining the provisional attachments, Zhongshan delib

 Monticello, Illinois police officer arrested on Child P--nography charges.  39-year-old William Griswold,  an officer with Monticello P.D., was arrested on August 13th on charges of CP. These serious charges come after an Illinois State Police Zone 5 criminal investigation regarding multiple tips received through the National Center for Missing and Endangered Children. After taking Griswold into custody the Illinois State Police executed a search warrant on his home. He was charged with Dissemination of CP and was transported to the Piatt County Jail.

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU AND PRESIDENT MBASOGO SIGN AGREEMENT ON GAS PIPELINE FOR GULF OF GUINEA President Bola Tinubu and Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo on Wednesday evening in Malabo signed an agreement on Gulf of Guinea Pipeline Project, further affirming partnership for mutual development.  The agreement covered legislative and regulatory measures for the gas pipeline, establishment and operation, transit of natural gas, ownership of the gas pipeline, and general principles.  In his remarks at the event, President Tinubu, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, said the signing of the agreement will open up new opportunities for gas exploration and employment. The President stated that the two leaders had discussed issues related to the creation of employment, food security, multilateral relations, and conflict resolution mechanisms on the continent during a private meeting that preceded the signing of the agreement.

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE  PRESIDENT TINUBU GREETS SIR (DR.) PETER ODILI ON HIS BIRTHDAY President Bola Tinubu extends his heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Peter Otunuya Odili, CON, on his 76th birthday.  Dr. Odili, a respected leader and statesman, was the governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007. President Tinubu joins family, friends, and the people of Rivers State to celebrate the former governor on this momentous occasion. The President salutes Dr. Odili, recalling his valiant strides in ensuring the infrastructural development of Rivers State, especially by connecting major parts of the state through durable roads and providing sustainable electricity through independent power projects. The President acknowledges the landmark efforts of the founder of the PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Rivers State, in developing human capacity in health and education for the benefit of the present and future generations. President Tinubu celebrates the statesman renowned for his unaffec

 Troops serving in North East  Nigeria under Operation HADIN KAI proceeding on annual leave from the front lines, being airlifted on Nigerian Army's chartered ValueJet aircraft from  Maiduguri Airport to various destinations across the country under the Chief of Army Staff's bi-monthly  Welfare Flights Initiative. Secure, fast and reliable way for the gallant warriors to travel down and reconnect with their families.  Nigerian Army, Pride of the Nation. More photos below. 

 I’m tired of pretending to be my husband’s ‘bestie’ – Kassia Big Brother Naija contestant Kassia has opened up about the challenges of pretending to be just “besties” with her husband and partner, Kellyrae, in the house. The couple, known as DoubleKay, adopted this strategy to avoid revealing their marital status to fellow housemates. However, after two weeks of maintaining the charade, Kassia confessed to Biggie during a diary session that it’s becoming difficult for her to cope. She expressed frustration at not being able to show affection to Kellyrae, citing tasks like the Aquafina Padi of Life challenge where she had to restrain herself. “This whole bestie thing that we are doing is really getting to me, sometimes I just wanna jump on him [Kellyrae] but I can’t because of this whole bestie thing,” she lamented. “Most of the tasks that we are asked to do, like the Aquafina Padi of Life task we did yesterday, I couldn’t really express myself because I didn’t want the house to know t

 Police arrest notorious ‘one chance’ robbers in Nasarawa The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested two notorious ‘One Chance’ robbers and recovered their operational vehicle following a rapid response to a reported robbery incident. DSP. Ramhan Nansel, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, made this known to newsmen on Wednesday in Lafia, the state capital. “On August 13, 2024, at approximately 2030hrs, the Police received information about suspected armed robbers operating in a Toyota Corolla 1994 model with registration number Benue MKD 77 TF. “The suspects had picked up an unsuspecting passenger from New Nyanya, en route to Area 1, Abuja. “During the journey, they robbed the passenger of her handbag, iPhone, and other valuables before forcefully ejecting her from the moving vehicle,” Nansel stated. He added that upon receiving the report, Police operatives attached to the New Karu Area Command, in collaboration with public-spirited individuals, launched a pursuit of the crim

 EFCC’s Twitter account disappears after Yahoo Boys threatened cyber warfare against anti-graft agency ......It was unclear if the incident was directly linked to the threats or resulted from rules violations or deactivation by those running the page on behalf of the anti-graft office. The X (Twitter) handle of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vanished from the frontline social media platform.  Checks throughout Wednesday by Peoples Gazette showed the organisation’s handle, with its 2.2 million followers, was no longer accessible. “This account doesn’t exist” was the page’s message instead.  Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s chief spokesman, confirmed that the handle, @officialEFCC, has been down for three days. He attributed the issue to a network problem and noted that the agency’s ICT department is working to resolve it. “Our ICT department is working on it. They have been on it for almost three days now,” Mr Oyewale told The Gazette on Wednesday night. “We are hoping It w

 Edo governorship poll: Defection of Igbinedion’s daughter rattles PDP Less than 48 hours after the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) expressed confidence that the party’s governorship campaign in Edo State was gathering momentum, the exit of former federal lawmaker, Omosede Igbinedion, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, has rattled PDP. On Sunday, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, said the party’s candidate for the September 21 governorship election ‘’is coasting home to victory and that his APC opponent is nowhere to be found in the electoral contest.’’ However, according to sources close to the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, there is now major cause for concern because the unexpected exit of Omosede, daughter of the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Sir Gbriel Igbinedion, who once represented Ovia Federal Constituency, also implies a shift by the influential Igbinedion family, which once produced a governor for Ed

 We won't abandon displaced persons - Shettima Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured donor organizations and development partners that the President Bola Tinubu’s administration will fully support initiatives aimed at alleviating the suffering of persons displaced by conflict and natural disasters within and outside Nigeria’s borders. The Vice President gave the assurance on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees led by its Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Mr. Raouf Mazou, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Commending the UN for its assistance to Nigeria over the years, the VP said, “I know how vital the UN system is. You have assisted us tremendously in addressing our challenges in the northeast and the nation as a whole.” He assured the delegation of President Tinubu’s continued collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders in addressing critical issues affecting the well-being of citiz

 Security needs 350m rounds of ammunition yearly, says minister The Nigerian Armed Forces, para-military and the police need 350  million rounds of ammunition yearly for effective operations, Minister of State for Defence Bello Matawalle said yesterday. The minister spoke on the imperative of self-sufficiency in defence production during the signing of a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of weapon production plant in Abuja. The MoU was between the Ministry of Defence and two agencies  – the Defence Industries Corporations of Nigeria (DICON) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering (NASENI). The ceremony was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, service chiefs and heads of security agencies. Also yesterday,  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu explained why he signed the DICON Bill within six months, saying that he was driven by his vision of self-reliance in defence production. The president shed light on his security priorities at the

 Junior federal workers’ new minimum wage details ready The  computation of the new minimum wage for junior federal  workers  have been completed by the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC). That of workers  in the senior cadre will be ready in the next two or three weeks. A Presidency source, who made these known to The Nation yesterday, said both data would be collectively  be forwarded to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) for further processing and implementation. The source  added that the NSIWC  is waiting for the conclusion of negotiations between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress(TUC) on one side and the federal government on the other to ensure that workers’  remuneration were proportionately aligned with the new minimum wage, known as consequential adjustment. Junior workers are those on grade levels one to five while senior staff members are those on six and above. Depending on the organisation. The Pres

 Massive protests in India over alleged rape, murder of doctor Thousands of people protested in the eastern city of Kolkata to condemn the rape and murder of a doctor in a state-run hospital that also provoked demonstrations across India demanding better safety for women. The protests were held at more than 100 locations across Kolkata and spread to surrounding towns in the state of West Bengal late on Wednesday and rallies took place in several other Indian cities early into Thursday morning. The 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, her brutalised body discovered last week. Large crowds of women and men marched through the streets of Kolkata, with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of India’s Independence Day celebrations on Thursday. The protesters in Kolkata and other cities, who marched under the slogan “reclaim the night”, called for a wider tackling of violence against women and held up handwritten signs