Headlines
Ortom Rubbishes Buhari As Herdsmen Attack IDP Camp, Kill Seven
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Tuesday lamented the continuous killings in the state by suspected herdsmen.
Speaking on the attack on Abegana village, which house one of the eight designated Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in the state, Ortom said that 70 people had been killed in Makurdi, Guma and Gwer West Local Government Areas.
He said the attack on Abegana IDP camp, where seven people were killed on Tuesday, should make President Muhammadu Buhari to convey security summit to discuss insecurity in the country.
Ortom said, “We are being overstretched and the people are fed up. We all cast our votes for President Buhari. He must not continue to be aloof. He must tell us where we are going in this country. The body language of the President shows that he is the President of the Fulani people.”
Meanwhile, it was gathered that the attack on the Abegana IDP camp was carried out by suspected herdsmen numbering about 10.
He said six persons were killed on the spot while one person died in hospital.
When our correspondent visited the village, youths had mounted roadblock to protest against the killing of the seven people.
They also displayed the six dead bodies on the highway.
The roadblock was said to have prevented vehicular movement on Makurdi-Laafia Road for several hours before the Ortom ordered its removal.
One of the victims of the attack who was receiving treatment at the state University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, David Avese, a father of seven, said he lost one kid to the herdsmen, while three others were shot.
“They killed one of my children and shot three others. I have not seen my wife.”
Another victim, Gwabo Matthew said, “They (herdsmen) operated for over two hours. The attackers were Fulani because they were speaking in Fulfulde language.”
The Punch
British Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer on Monday announced his resignation, bringing an abrupt end to a premiership that began with Labour’s landslide general election victory in July 2024.
Starmer made the announcement in a statement outside 10 Downing Street, where he reflected on his time in office and defended his record in government.
“Every decision I have made has been about putting the country I love first,” Starmer said as he confirmed he would step down as both prime minister and leader of the governing Labour Party.
The resignation marks a dramatic political development in the United Kingdom, coming barely two years after Starmer led Labour back to power following more than a decade in opposition.
His departure is expected to trigger a swift leadership transition within the party at a time of heightened political uncertainty.
Addressing supporters gathered outside Downing Street, Starmer described entering No. 10 in 2024 as “the proudest moment” of his life, saying he entered politics with the goal of improving the lives of millions of people.
The outgoing prime minister also highlighted what he considered some of his key achievements, including rebuilding the Labour Party after years of internal divisions and restoring public confidence in the party’s economic and national security credentials.
Starmer said he inherited a Labour Party that was “politically, financially and morally bankrupt” and faced repeated predictions that it was finished as a political force.
He argued that his leadership helped transform the party, including efforts to tackle anti-Semitism and reposition Labour as a credible alternative government.
His resignation has immediately intensified speculation over his successor. Attention has turned to Andy Burnham, who recently won the Makerfield by-election and is due to be sworn in as a Member of Parliament.
Political observers and Labour insiders believe Burnham could emerge as the overwhelming favourite to take over the party leadership. Some party members are already discussing the possibility of a “coronation” process in which Burnham becomes the sole candidate, avoiding a prolonged leadership contest.
If that scenario unfolds, Labour could have a new leader and prime minister in place by September, around the time of the party’s annual conference.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
