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 PRESS RELEASE Otti's Re-election Claim By Sen. Orji Kalu Is Wishful Thinking, Not Political Reality. The Abia State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress wishes to categorically dissociate itself from the comments credited to one of our respected leaders and serving Senator, His Excellency, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, suggesting that the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti of the Labour Party, will be re-elected in 2027. While His Excellency, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is entitled to his personal opinion as guaranteed by the Constitution, we wish to make it abundantly clear that his remarks do not represent the position, aspirations, or official stand of the APC in Abia State. As a party, we consider the statement as very unfortunate and at variance with the collective resolve of our members and teeming supporters who are working tirelessly to rescue Abia State from a government built on propaganda rather than measurable performance. The APC in Abia state remains united, focused, and...

 Uzodimma Tells Davido: Prepare to Sign Uncle Adeleke as Dancer After Osun Poll Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has responded to comments by Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, over the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, advising the singer to prepare to sign his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, as a dancer after the poll. Davido had, during a press conference on Wednesday, appealed to an unnamed politician from Imo State to allow a free and fair election in Osun. He said he had heard rumours of plans to interfere in the August 15 governorship poll and urged the politician to promote peace so that the people of Osun could freely elect their preferred candidate. Although the singer did not name Uzodimma, the remarks were widely interpreted as directed at the Imo governor. Reacting in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Electronic and Creative Media, Ambrose Nwaogwugwu, Uzodimma said Davido should direct his appeal to Osu...

 NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICE SANCTIONS 3 OFFICIALS OVER IBARA CUSTODIAL CENTRE SECURITY BREACH The Nigerian Correctional Service has taken disciplinary action following the unauthorised use of a mobile phone by an inmate at the Ibara Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abeokuta. In a statement, the Service Public Relations Officer, Jane Osuji, says preliminary investigations confirmed that the inmate, who is on death row, illegally possessed a mobile phone used to access social media while in custody. The statement says the phone has been recovered, the inmate transferred to another custodial facility under enhanced security, while investigations continue. The Nigerian Correctional Service adds that the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, has ordered the immediate removal of the Officer-in-Charge of the custodial centre and two other principal officers pending the outcome of the investigation. The Service assures Nigerians that anyone found to have facilitated ...

STATEHOUSE STATEMENT PRESIDENT TINUBU DIRECTS EFCC TO VACATE THE COURT ORDER FREEZING OSUN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT    It has come to my notice that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained a court order on August 5, 2026, freezing the accounts of the Osun State Government. I must state that I feel deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC's exercise of its mandate backed by a court order, but by the timing of the agency's action. This is so because every action taken by an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action. Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference. I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activ...

Fulani Man Arrested For Allegedly Stabbing Elder Brother To Death In Kaduna A 20-year-old Fulani man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing his elder brother to death following a domestic dispute in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. According to intelligence sources, the incident occurred at about 8:00 a.m. on August 2 in Ungwan Hausawa Village, Gidan Waya District. Troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), Sector 7, reportedly responded to a distress call after receiving information that a man had been stabbed by his younger brother. Upon arrival, they found the victim critically injured and immediately evacuated him to the General Hospital in Kafanchan. The victim was later confirmed dead by medical personnel. The suspect, identified as Abubakar Usman, 20, was arrested at the scene and is currently in custody as investigations continue. Authorities say the motive behind the fatal stabbing has not yet been established, while efforts are ongoing to determine the circumst...

 VIGILANTE RE-ARRESTS SUSPECTED VANDAL ALONG BENIN–ONITSHA TRANSMISSION LINE The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has commended the Omelu Community Vigilante for its vigilance and swift response, which led to the arrest of a suspected vandal allegedly attempting to vandalise a transmission tower along the Benin–Onitsha 330kV Transmission Line. The incident occurred during a routine patrol by members of the Omelu Community Vigilante, who noticed a suspicious individual beneath one of TCN’s transmission towers allegedly attempting to loosen the tower base bracing  when he was apprehended. The suspect has been handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation. The suspect had been apprehended by members of the same community about two months ago for a similar alleged offence.  On that occasion, he was released after pleading for leniency following medical treatment, only to be apprehended again for an alleged repeat offence.

 Infantino should quit as FIFA president - Canadian prime minister Mark Carney Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he no longer has confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino following controversy over a now-abandoned proposal to sell part of FIFA's commercial interests to private investors. Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, August 5, Carney criticised Infantino's handling of the proposal, which would have seen the creation of a commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage competitions including the FIFA World Cup. The proposal sought to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling a 20 per cent stake in the subsidiary, valuing the business at approximately $20 billion. "[FIFA] have their own procedures for making those determinations but certainly I don't have confidence in Mr. Infantino after this point, given what transpired and given the nature of what transpired," Carney said. The plan drew widespread opposition from football g...

  An Indian parliamentary panel has called on Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg to apologise for the temporary removal of July 23 video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.   Modi’s video, addressing students during youth-led protests on July 23, was briefly removed from Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, but was later restored.   The panel, led by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, said the deletion of PM Modi's video - who is the representative of 1.4 billion Indians - is an "attack on democracy".   "If Facebook does not take action against those responsible in this matter, the Safe Harbour Clause will be removed. Mark Zuckerberg will have to apologize. Otherwise, a case may be filed," it said.   The removal of the safe harbour clause gives the green light to file FIRs directly against social media platform officials. The central government will provide the green light, the committee warned.   Dubey said Meta has been "misusing" the "privilege" of safe harbour p...

A 15-year-old footballer was shot dead "by mistake" after playing in a friendly match. Former São Paulo youth player Micael Leandro da Silva was k!lled after a Taça das Grotas amateur football tournament game. According to police, he was not the intended target and was mistakenly shot in Maceió, Brazil, on Saturday, August 1. He was taken to hospital but di£d from his injuries. Several other people were also hit by gunfire during the attack. Investigators believe the shooting was carried out by members of rival drug trafficking gangs. Police stressed there is no evidence the teenager had any involvement in criminal activity. Micael was the youngest of five children and lived in Maceió, as reported by NeedToKnow. His father, painter Marcos Antônio Leandro, told local media: "My family has been torn apart by two criminals who came and shot my son in the back. "The match had just finished and he was getting changed, so he had no chance to run. I'm devastated. His s...

 Music executive Diddy paid his lawyers $8 million to defend him in criminal case Sean "Diddy" Combs reportedly spent between $7 million and $8 million on legal representation during his nearly two-year federal criminal case, according to reports citing sources familiar with the matter. The reported legal fees covered a team of trial and appellate attorneys, including Marc Agnifilo, Teny Geragos, Brian Steel and Nicole Westmoreland, who represented the music mogul from the time of his arrest in New York in September 2024. Combs was charged in a federal indictment with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Following an eight-week trial in 2025, a jury acquitted him of the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges but found him guilty on two counts of violating the Mann Act for transporting individuals across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. In October 2025, a federal judge sentenced Combs to 50 months in pr...

 Kim Kardashian’s 10-year-old son, Saint West, joins Instagram despite Meta age-limit policy Kim Kardashian is celebrating her son Saint West’s first steps into social media. The 10‑year‑old recently launched his own Instagram account, even though the platform’s age policy technically restricts users under 13.  To keep things safe, Kim is personally approving every post before it goes live, ensuring her son’s debut is carefully managed. Saint’s initial uploads highlight his love of dirt biking, including clips of him riding his custom purple Ronster electric bike and showing off a wheelie. The account quickly drew thousands of followers, with Kim among the first to interact by liking the posts and leaving a purple heart emoji.  Unlike many celebrity kids who run their own accounts, Saint’s profile is overseen by his mother, reflecting her cautious approach to her children’s online presence. This milestone follows Saint’s earlier public appearance in Nike’s 2026 FIFA World...

 Rod Stewart's wife fights back tears as she makes emotional marriage admission Penny Lancaster recently opened up about her marriage to Rod Stewart during an appearance on Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast. She admitted that, like any couple, they have disagreements, and recalled one particularly emotional moment while driving their children to school.  In the middle of an argument, Rod asked her to stop the car, turned to their sons, and apologized to Penny, telling them he should not have spoken to her that way. She explained that Rod used the moment to teach their children about respect, emphasizing that while disagreements happen, it’s important to acknowledge mistakes and say sorry.  Penny described this act as proof of his character, calling it what makes him “the best man you can be.” The story resonated with listeners, especially given recent concerns after Rod canceled a concert. When the clip was shared on Instagram, fans praised Penny and her relationship wi...

 Perez Hilton’s family says he is able to communicate after medical emergency as recovery continues Perez Hilton's family has shared a positive update on his condition, saying he is able to communicate as he continues to recover in hospital. In a statement published on his blog on August 5, the family thanked people for their prayers, messages and support, describing the past few days as emotionally difficult while expressing hope about his recovery. The family said they had confirmed Hilton was communicating and asked for continued privacy, understanding and support as they await further updates. The update follows an emergency response to Hilton's home on August 4 after viewers became concerned during one of his TikTok livestreams. Authorities later confirmed that he was taken to hospital under Florida's Baker Act, which allows a person to be held for evaluation if they are considered at immediate risk of harming themselves or others. TikTok said its automated moderation ...

 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSURES PAYMENT OF  OUTSTANDING WAGE AWARD / PROMOTION ARREARS The Federal Government has assured public servants that the outstanding wage award will be paid before the middle of August, while promotion arrears are being processed as part of ongoing efforts to fulfil its commitments to workers. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Taiwo Oyedele gave the assurance during a meeting with the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council.  He said the necessary release for the wage award is being concluded and eligible workers should start receiving payment before the middle of the month. Oyedele further confirms that promotion arrears, including Batch 7 which was earlier omitted, are being processed alongside Batch 9. Work is also ongoing on the peculiar allowance and other outstanding matters.  The Minister stressed that the government is committed to fulfilling its promises to workers through dialogue and promp...

 Two toddlers spent days alone inside of a Pennsylvania home alongside their deceased mother and her ex-boyfriend. Authorities in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, are searching for answers after making a disturbing discovery at an area home on the afternoon of Monday, August 3rd. Officers responded to the home around 2:30 p.m., and after making entry, they were startled to find a 1-year-old girl and her 3-year-old sister inside of the home with two deceased adults.  The adults were determined to be the children's mother, 31-year-old Lamara Baldwin, and her ex-boyfriend, 42-year-old Lamont Dunlap. Authorities say there were no obvious signs of trauma on either victim. Evidence inside the home suggest they passed away on July 31st. This means the two young girls were left alone with their deceased mother and Lamont for days. The two young girls were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation before being placed into the custody of Allegheny County Children, Youth and Family Services....