Author: Press Room

Gershom Bassey, who represented Cross River South Senatorial District in the 8th and 9th National Assembly, spoke with TINA AGOSI TODO on how defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have exposed deep-seated structural and ideological weaknesses in the main opposition party. He also blamed impunity and the breach of the zoning principle for the PDP’s loss of power in Cross River State. It has become fashionable for politicians to defect from one political party to another. What do you make of the persistent rumours about your imminent defection from the PDP to either the APC or the African Democratic…

January 9, 2026 3:38 am (FILES) Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez speaks during the presentation of the 2026 fiscal year budget at the National Congress in Caracas on December 4, 2025. (Photo by Pedro MATTEY / AFP) Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez insisted Thursday her country was not “subjugated,” despite US President Donald Trump’s claim to be in charge there after removing her predecessor Nicolas Maduro. “We are not subordinate or subjugated,” Rodriguez said during a ceremony for the 100 Venezuelans that her government says were killed during the US assault. “Nobody surrendered. There was fighting for the homeland” when…

Super Eagles of Nigeria have departed Fez for Marrakech ahead of their 2025 AFCON quarter-final showdown against Algeria, Soccernet.ng reports. This puts to rest swirling speculation around team unrest, unpaid bonuses and travel uncertainty ahead of the crucial encounter. Soccernet.ng can confirm that Victor Osimhen was very much part of the travelling party, alongside Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Ryan Alebiosu and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, as the squad boarded their flight on Thursday. Super Eagles. Photo by Super Eagles media officer Promise Efoghe/WhatsApp Videos shared by Soccernet show the players boarding a Royal Air Maroc flight to reinforce earlier assurances that internal…

A 46-year-old Nigerian man, Osemwengie Irorere, has been shot and killed inside a bus at the Yorkdale GO Bus Terminal, located on the Yorkdale Road and Allen Road area of Toronto, Canada. PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday that the incident occurred last Sunday at about 7 p.m. Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the Toronto Police Service said a 40-year-old suspect, identified as Tyrel Gibson, has been charged with first-degree murder. In a statement, the police said, “On Sunday, January 4, 2026, at approximately 7 p.m., police responded to a report of a shooting at the Yorkdale GO Bus Terminal in…

Gbenga Oloniniran The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Health, Dr. Oluwakemi Ogunyemi, has flagged off an eight-day free healthcare outreach sponsored by the Chairman of Eleganza Group of Companies, Chief Razak Okoya, as part of activities marking his 86th birthday. The outreach, which targets hundreds of residents daily, is being implemented with technical coordination and support from Lagos State Health District III, ensuring that all medical interventions meet approved clinical standards and align with the state’s people-centred healthcare agenda. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Ogunyemi noted that Okoya had demonstrated how philanthropy could be strategically aligned…

A 21-year-old man, ThankGod Destiny, has been arrested by the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) for allegedly abducting a four-year-old boy in the state. Deputy Corps Commander, Operations, ESSC, Richard Balogun, who disclosed this to journalists in Benin on Thursday, said the suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution. Balogun said the incident occurred on January 4, 2026, at Ikpoba Hill, Benin City, and that the arrest followed an alarm raised by a commercial bus driver and a female passenger. According to him, “On January 4, 2026, a woman went out with her son…

Former Nigeria midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has challenged the Super Eagles to make the most of what he describes as a rare opportunity, warning that failure to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations would be a major disappointment for a squad rich in talent, Soccernet.ng reports. Nigeria, three-time African champions, have reached the quarter-finals in Morocco and will face Algeria on Saturday, buoyed by a run of convincing performances led by their star forwards Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen. Onazi, who was part of the team that lifted the trophy in South Africa in 2013, believes the current group has…

The Zamfara State Government has accused the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, of using the Office of the National Security Adviser to harass and intimidate opposition figures in the state, allegations the minister’s aide has dismissed as baseless. The government raised the alarm following the alleged abduction of a technical aide to Governor Dauda Lawal, Mr Saleem Abubakar, in Abuja. In a statement issued on Thursday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, the government claimed that Abubakar, a Technical Assistant in the governor’s office, was taken by operatives believed to be from a special forces unit linked to…

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Olorunnimbe Tawose, has disclosed that for the sake of equity and fairness, the vacant seat of the Ondo South Senatorial District should be zoned to Odigbo Local Council Area of the state, particularly since the council remains the only one among the six councils within the district with no federal representation. Tawose, a foundation member of the party, who dismissed the notion in some quarters that the seat should remain in Okitipupa Local Council, argued Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s elevation as ambassador designate inherently opens the seat for a fresh zoning consideration. The…

Nigeria’s march through the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been impressive, controlled and ruthless but a former international insists mistakes must be avoided against the Desert Warriors Former Roda JC midfielder Garba Lawal says the Super Eagles must combine confidence with caution as they prepare to face Algeria in Saturday’s quarter-final in Marrakesh, Soccernet.ng reports. Nigeria arrive in the last eight with a perfect record: victories over Tanzania (2-1), Tunisia (3-2) and Uganda (3-1) in the group stage were followed by a commanding 4-0 win against Mozambique in the round of 16. Semi Ajayi and Victor Osimhen. Photo Credit:…