Headlines
Recite the National Anthem, Dino Melaye Challenges Keyamo at Ministerial Screening
There was a mild drama on Friday when the senator representing Kogi West, Mr Dino Melaye, asked the Director of Strategic Communication for the All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), who is a ministerial nominee, to recite the second stanza of the national anthem.
The scene played out on the floor of the Senate when Keyamo, a ministerial nominee from Delta State, appeared for screening.
While asking the nominee questions during the screening, Melaye started by describing Keyamo as his good friend and that their relationship dated back to years.
TheCable reported the senator as saying, “I want to start by congratulating my friend, Festus Keyamo. I just want to start by saluting your intellectual sagacity and from your CV, you have practised law in and out and this practice has been so recognised by you getting the highest title any lawyer can earn in this country, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and your being a prosecutor for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for so many years.
“I want to ask you as a qualified lawyer and a man who is even qualified for the office of the Attorney General of the Federation. Peradventure the President sends you to the Ministry of Justice with all your experiences, do you think in the last four years, the power of the Attorney General met these three conditions: public interest, interest of justice and need to prevent abuse of legal process?”
After the questions, Melaye then asked Keyamo to recite the second stanza of the national anthem.
“I just want to say that as a versatile minister, I know you to be intellectually mobile, you recite the second stanza of the national anthem,” he said.
However, the senator’s request was met with a thunderous “no.” But Melaye stood his ground even after his microphone was switched off.
Shouting on the top of his voice, the Kogi lawmaker said, “Mr Chairman, screening as it has been described is meant for us to screen the candidates…”
But the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, overruled Melaye.
“That is not a question. So you have asked about two questions. You have asked very serious questions, so you can disregard the other part,” he said.
Meanwhile, Keyamo at the screening has pledged to unbundle the Supreme Court of Nigeria if appointed as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
Keyamo, who is also a board member of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, said the apex court was congested with frivolous and scandalous cases that should not find their way to it in the first instance.
The Punch
Headlines
US Lawmaker Seeks More Airstrikes in Nigeria, Insists Christian Lives Matter
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
Headlines
Renowned Boxer Anthony Joshua Survives Ghastly Road Accident
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
Headlines
Atiku Warns Against Hasty Re‑gazetting of New Tax Laws
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned that any attempt to hurriedly re‑gazette Nigeria’s new tax laws could undermine parliamentary oversight and set a dangerous constitutional precedent.
Atiku’s warning follows public scrutiny over reports that the Tax Reform Acts signed by President Bola Tinubu differ from the versions passed by the National Assembly. Lawmakers, including Abdussamad Dasuki, raised concerns that the alterations could pose serious legal and constitutional risks, noting that they were not backed by any constitutional framework.
In a statement on X, Atiku said the directive to re-gazette the Acts effectively confirms “that the gazetted version of the Tinubu Tax Act does not reflect what was duly passed by the National Assembly,” calling it “a grave constitutional issue.”
He emphasized that under Section 58 of the 1999 Constitution, a bill only becomes law after passage by both chambers, presidential assent, and gazetting.
“Gazetting is merely an administrative act of publication. It does not create, amend, or validate a law,” Atiku said, adding that any post-passage insertion, deletion, or modification without legislative approval constitutes forgery rather than a clerical error.
Atiku further warned that rushing a re-gazetting while legislative investigations are ongoing “undermines parliamentary oversight and sets a dangerous precedent,” stressing that the only lawful approach is “fresh legislative consideration, re-passage by both chambers, fresh presidential assent, and proper gazetting.”
The former vice president clarified that his position is not opposition to tax reform but a defence of constitutional order.
“This is a defence of the integrity of the legislative process and a rejection of any attempt to normalise constitutional breaches through procedural shortcuts,” he said.
The Federal government has denied wrongdoing, insisting the laws will take effect as scheduled on January 1, 2026, while the National Assembly has directed the issuance of Certified True Copies of the Acts to ensure clarity and accuracy.






