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Ighodalo to Sue Oshiomole over ‘False, Defamatory and Malicious’ Comments, Demands N20bn

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The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, has asked his lawyers to institute a suit against Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, over defamatory allegations.

Ighodalo said Oshiomole had accused him of involvement in “Planwell,” a ponzi scheme that surfaced in Edo state in the early 1990s.

“People of my age and even younger have not forgotten how Asue Ighodalo and all his associates were involved in what they call Planwell,” Oshiomole said during a campaign rally on Saturday.

“Planwell was set up as an institution where you deposit 10,000 in the morning by tomorrow it becomes 15,000, and after six months, people were defrauded, and the institution disappeared. And they became rich, and Edo people became pauperised.”

In a response to the allegations through his counsel, Ayo Asala, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ighodalo described Oshiomole’s comment as “false, defamatory, and malicious”.

“It is sad to note that despite your status as an elder and holder of a public office, you appear to have developed a pattern of spewing false statements in the public domain purely for the achievement of your political ends,” a letter by Ighodalo’s lawyer and addressed to Oshiomhole reads.

“This baseless, unfounded, false, and malicious allegation has become another in a long line of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by you in respect of our client in the recent past.

“Our client is an accomplished Nigerian legal practitioner and a corporate leader whose impressive resume from birth up till the current day is entirely in the public domain, and our client has absolutely no connection with and could never have been involved in any manner whatsoever with the purported ‘Planwell’ scheme with which you have seriously defamed our client’s reputation.

“It is clear that the fabrication of the unfounded and false story regarding the purported involvement of our client in the said ‘Planwell’ scheme or any other financial scheme whatsoever is a figment of your imagination and a story fabricated purely for the purpose of denigrating the good character and reputation of our client for the achievement of the political purpose of advancing the sinking fortunes of your political party and candidate in the forthcoming Edo state gubernatorial elections.

“Our client has been inundated with calls and other contacts from concerned members of the public who heard your said allegations on electronic and social media, as a result of which our client has suffered enormous unwarranted reputational damage arising from the lies and baseless fabrications of which you have become the purveyor.”

Ighodalo is demanding “an immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for your false, defamatory, and malicious statements, which should be published in at least two national television networks and three nationally circulating newspapers”.

“Pay to our client damages in the sum of 20 billion Naira for your false, defamatory, and malicious statements referred to herein,” the letter further stated.

“Take notice that it is our client’s instructions that we immediately institute appropriate proceedings against you for damages in the sum of twenty (20) billion Naira (N20,000,000,000.00) for your said false, malicious, irresponsible, and damaging statements made against our client without any foundation whatsoever in fact.

“Further take notice that such action will be instituted without further notice or correspondence to you in that regard whatsoever.”

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Obi Tasks Tinubu to Give Account of N15.8trn Subsidy Savings, $100bn Borrowing

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The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to account for the N15.8 trillion saved from the removal of the fuel subsidy and the over $100 billion borrowed by his administration.

Obi’s challenge comes 24 hours after Tinubu took a swipe at the former Governor of Anambra State during an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Akwa Ibom State, saying that while the NDC candidate ran from erosion in Anambra, he (Tinubu) confronted the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos.

In a post on his X handle on Saturday, Obi congratulated Tinubu on spending a night in a Nigerian State outside Lagos and Abuja, while urging him to visit other states and account for the resources available to his administration.

“I congratulate you on spending a night in one of Nigeria’s states outside Lagos and Abuja. I hope you enjoyed the warmth, hospitality, and delicious cuisine of Akwa Ibom, which I am sure is even better than those of the destinations where you have spent over 260 days outside Nigeria since coming into office.

“I sincerely hope this visit will inspire you to travel to the remaining 33 states of the federation, spend time with the people and, more importantly, explain what your administration has done with the ₦15.8 trillion saved from the removal of fuel subsidy, the over $100 billion you have borrowed, the increased revenues accruing to the government from taxing Nigerians, and the additional government revenues which your administration celebrated last year as having surpassed its target,” Obi wrote.

He insisted that Nigerians deserve to know what the government has achieved with the resources, including the number of people lifted out of poverty, children returned to school and functional primary healthcare centres built.

“Nigerians deserve to know how many that were pulled out of poverty within this period, how many out-of-school children were returned to school, and how many functional primary healthcare centres you have built.

“They also deserve to know how much electricity supply has improved, especially given your promise that if you do not fix power, Nigerians should not vote for you. They deserve an explanation of how you have secured the country, which still ranks among the most terrorised countries in the world.

“Mr. President, Nigerians deserve answers. They deserve to know what has been done with the resources entrusted to your government,” he added.

Obi said the new Nigeria he hopes to build would be founded on accountability, transparency and the physical, measurable impact of public resources on the lives of citizens.

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Flamingos Beat Japan 2-1 to Win 2026 U17 Women World Cup

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Nigeria’s under-17 women’s national team, the Flamingos, etched their names into football history Saturday, defeating former champions Japan 2–1 at the Mohammed VI Football Complex to lift the 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

With the victory, Nigeria becomes the first African nation to win the tournament since its inception in 2008.

Led by head coach Akeem Busari, the Flamingos entered the showpiece having already broken ground as the first African side to reach the final, surpassing their previous best finish of a bronze medal in 2022.

After a fiercely contested opening half-hour against a disciplined Japanese side making their fourth final appearance, Nigeria broke the deadlock in the 39th minute.

Midfielder Awawu Bashiru—who had starred with a brace in the semi-final against Brazil—unleashed a long-range strike that slipped past Japanese goalkeeper Kou Kadowaki to give the Flamingos a 1–0 lead at the break.

Nigeria wasted no time doubling their advantage after the restart. Just two minutes into the second half, forward Oluebube Umejiaku latched onto a through ball and lifted a composed finish over the onrushing Kadowaki in the 47th minute to make it 2–0.

Desperate to reclaim a title they last won in 2014, Japan responded with a triple substitution and mounted heavy late pressure.

The Young Nadeshiko eventually pulled a goal back in the 80th minute through setting up a tense finish in front of a crowd that included FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe.

Despite Japan’s late surge, Nigeria’s backline—marshalled by goalkeeper Sylvia Ijirigho and defender Omowunmi Sunday—held firm through stoppage time to seal an unforgettable triumph for Nigerian and African women’s football.

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2027: In spite of Court Ruling, Atiku Takes ADC Campaign to Kebbi

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to restore fuel subsidy, improve security and create employment if elected president in 2027.

Atiku made the pledge on Thursday during a campaign rally in Kebbi State, where he called on voters to support the ADC, describing it as the only party committed to addressing the three issues.

“The people of Kebbi State, let me ask you a few questions. Do you want the return of subsidy? Do you want security? Do you want employment? Therefore you have no option other than the ADC. ADC is the only political party that is committed to these three objectives and more to bring about prosperity, unity and peace to the people of our country,” he said.

The former Vice President and his running mate also criticised some projects being presented as achievements of the President Bola Tinubu administration, describing them as legacies of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

Supporters of the ADC gathered at the party’s secretariat in Birnin Kebbi to welcome Atiku and other party chieftains ahead of the rally.

Speaking at the event, the Director-General of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Austin Akobundu, commended party faithful for what he described as their resistance to intimidation by the state government.

Akobundu said the 2027 general elections would be a referendum between suffering Nigerians and the Federal Government under President Tinubu.

The ADC National Chairman, in his remarks, described the party as a moving train that no amount of intimidation could stop.

He called on the people of Kebbi State to vote for Atiku as president, Abubakar Malami as governor and other ADC candidates in the 2027 general elections.

The rally ended with the ADC National Chairman formally presenting the party’s flag to Malami as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

The campaign in Kebbi came hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led ADC and voided the actions taken by the party’s executives, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.

Atiku rejected the ruling, describing it as an attempt to weaken his political support and frustrate his campaign. He said he would challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.

The ADC also rejected the decision, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to cripple the opposition and vowing to challenge the judgment through all available judicial processes.

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