Headlines
NASS Elections: PDP Sets Up Committee to Investigate Members
The Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday said it has set up a committee to investigate the conduct of its lawmakers in the National Assembly elections.
The party had directed its members to vote Ali Ndume, as the Senate President and Umar Bargo as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
But the anointed candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Ahmed Lawan, emerged as the Senate President while another APC anointed candidate, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, emerged as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, after the ‘PDP 86th National Executive Committee’ meeting in Abuja, told journalists that the PDP would investigate what happened.
He stated that the party had already set up a committee to probe NASS elections as it related to the party.
He, however, declined to name members of the committee.
He said, “The party has set up a committee to investigate what happened in NASS election as it concerns the party.”
The PDP spokesman also said the party had raised the governorship nomination fee ahead of the Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship elections from the initial N5m to N20m.
He added that the expression of interest fee remained N1m, saying the nomination fee for female aspirants remained free.
He stated that the party took into consideration weak Nigeria’s economy, the need to conduct free, fair and credible primaries, as well as rising printing costs before arriving at the new fee.
The Punch
The first hostages freed from Gaza under a long-awaited ceasefire agreement are back in Israel. The news sparked jubilant scenes in Tel Aviv where large crowds gathered ahead of their release.
The three freed Israeli hostages – the first of 33 to be released over the next six weeks – are Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari. They are said to be in good health and are receiving treatment at a medical center in Tel Aviv.
In exchange, 90 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are set to be released by Israel from Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli military withdrew from several locations in southern and northern Gaza after the truce began earlier on Sunday, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Displaced Gazans have started returning to their homes, while the aid trucks laden with much-needed supplies have crossed into Gaza. Here’s what we know about how the ceasefire deal will work.
Hamas, despite suffering devastating losses, is framing the Gaza ceasefire agreement as a victory for itself, and a failure for Israel.
One of Hamas’ main goals for taking some 250 people during its brazen October 7, 2023, attack on Israel was to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. As Israel pounded Gaza in response, Hamas vowed not to return the hostages until Israel withdrew its forces from the enclave, permanently ended the war, and allowed for rebuilding.
Source: CNN
The leader of UK’s Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has said she doesn’t want Britain to be like Nigeria that is plagued by “terrible governments.”
Speaking on Thursday at an event organised by Onward, a British think tank producing research on economic and social issues, Badenoch expressed fears that Britain may become like Nigeria if the system is not reformed.
“And why does this matter so much to me? It’s because I know what it is like to have something and then to lose it,” Badenoch told the audience.
“I don’t want Britain to lose what it has.
“I grew up in a poor country and watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer, despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation.
“I came back to the UK aged 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life.
“So I have lived with the consequences of terrible governments that destroy lives, and I never, ever want it to happen here.”
Badenoch has been in the news of late after she dissociated herself from Nigeria, saying she has nothing to do with the Islamic northern region.
She also accused the Nigeria Police of robbing citizens instead of protecting them.
She said: “My experience with the Nigeria Police was very negative. Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive.
“The police in Nigeria will rob us (laughter). When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”
