Headlines
Reps Call Out Buhari over Pastor to Be Executed by Boko Haram Thursday
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to rescue Pastor Bulus Yikura, who has been in the custody of Boko Haram for over two months and is billed for execution by the insurgents on Thursday.
The call by the House followed the unanimous adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary on Tuesday by the lawmaker representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in Borno State, Mr Ahmad Jaha.
Adopting the motion, the House resolved to “intimate the Federal Government to do everything possible to secure the release of the victim before the deadline.”
It also urged the government to come to the aid of families who lost their members and those whose houses were burnt and food items carted away, to alleviate their suffering.
Moving the motion, Jaha said, “The House is worried by the continuous closing of the one-week period given by the insurgents, which expires on Thursday, March 4, 2021. The House is concerned that at the expiration of the deadline, anything can happen to Pastor Bullus Yikura.”
The Abubakar Shekau-led faction of Boko Haram had on February 24, 2021, issued a one-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to secure the release of Yikura, who was abducted in December 2020.
The insurgents raided Pemi community, about 20 kilometres from Chibok, in Borno State on December 24, 2020, during which the cleric was taken away.
The pastor, in the two videos of him released by the sect in December 2020 and January 2021 pleaded with the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum; and church leaders to rescue him.
In the third video said to have been released on February 24, 2021, the insurgents gave a one-week ultimatum to the government or have him killed.
Yikura, who spoke in Hausa and identified himself as a worshipper at the EYN LCC in Hausa, said the countdown to his execution started on February 24 and ends on March 4.
Boko Haram in January 2020 killed the District Chairman of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, Michika, Adamawa State, Revd Lawan Andimi.
In another development, the House, also on Tuesday adopted a motion of urgent public importance on bandits’ attacks on Amarawa village in the Illela/Gwadabawa Federal Constituency in Sokoto State.
The House appealed to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials to the affected victims in the village to ease their difficult condition of living.
The motion was jointly sponsored by Messrs Abdullahi Salame, Saidu Bargaja, Shehu Kakale and Abubakar Ahmad.
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
