The Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has cleared aspirants for its July 21, 2025, party primaries ahead of the August 16, 2025, National Assembly bye elections for Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency.
According to a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the state caretaker committee, Chris Nehikhare, on Sunday, those cleared for the Edo Central Senatorial ticket include John Yakubu, Friday Itulah, and Joe Okojie.
He noted that for the Ovia Federal Constituency seat, only one aspirant, Johnny Aikpitanyi, was cleared as the party’s sole candidate.
Festus Edogun was, however, not cleared by the party to contest for the Edo Central Senatorial District ticket.
Edogun was said to have bought the form from PDP headquarters in Abuja, and he was asked to bring the proof of purchase of the form to the appeal committee.
The aspirants were screened on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the state party secretariat in Benin by a five-man panel appointed by the PDP National Working Committee.
The committee is chaired by Prof. Okumoko Tubo Pearce, with Chinomso Odoemelan as secretary.
Other members include Inemo Dede, Evelyn Promise, and David Omare.
Members of the committee presented the certificates of clearance to the aspirants on Friday, July 18, 2025, at the Edo PDP Secretariat.
Speaking on behalf of other aspirants, Aikpitanyi, after receiving his clearance certificate, commended members of the committee for their professionalism, diligence and fairness in the discharge of their duties.
He noted, “I want to sincerely thank members of the screening committee for their professionalism, fairness, and diligence in discharging their duties. With this clearance, we are set for the task ahead.
“I’m fully prepared to carry the PDP flag in Ovia, and with the overwhelming support of our people, we will secure victory and ensure the delivery of quality, purposeful representation to our constituents.
“I am confident of winning. Together, with the support of my people, we will make Ovia shine again, and shine even brighter.
“We will focus on grassroots development and Ovia the envy of all.”
The University of Maiduguri Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has promised to make its decision on the renaming of the institution after late President Muhammadu Buhari by President Bola Tinubu known soon.
In a telephone interview on Sunday with PUNCH Online, the chairman of the university ASUU, Dr. Abubakar MShelia, said their position will be disclosed to the public after the next congress meeting.
He said, “Our members will be meeting, and we shall make our position known to the public.
“We will make our position very clear by the time the congress meets. The excos have met, and the veterans have met.
“We have collectively decided that soon, we will make our position public and convey the message to whom it may concern.”
He, however, declined to comment on what the public should expect.
On his part, the President of the Student Union Government of the university, Yahaya Maigari, said a significant percentage of the students are against the renaming.
“We cannot say all of our students, or 100 per cent of the students, have accepted the change of the university name, but a certain percentage rejected the renaming because of its long reputation.
“As a matter of fact, we will be celebrating UNIMAID at 50 soon, that’s five decades, so you know it’s not easy for some of the students to accept that sudden change,” he said.
He, however, commended Tinubu for renaming the institution, saying Buhari has contributed significantly to education in Nigeria.
“For me as the SUG President, I truly support the decision to rename the university after the late President, particularly in recognition of his lifelong contribution to Borno and Nigeria at large,” he added.
Also, the immediate past SUG President of the institution, Muhammad Bello, hailed the name change, while stating that the former President has made a remarkable impact in the country that is worth recognition
“The renaming of the UNIMAID is a tribute to the late President’s contribution to Nigeria. Though, some may debate the renaming, but for me, it is a gesture that reflects his impact on the nation, not only the nation but the world in general,” Bello said.
PUNCH Online had reported that Buhari died in a London hospital last Sunday after a brief illness.
The Medical Director and Provost of Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, Dr Paul Agboola, on Saturday debunked reports of injustice over an alleged case of physical and verbal assault levelled against the Head of Clinical Services of the hospital, Dr Olayinka Majekodunmi, by a Post Basic Psychiatric Nursing student, Seyi Ogunjobi.
Agboola stated that Majekodunmi has, however, been handed a strongly worded warning letter for admitting to having used foul language such as “You’re stupid, you’re a bastard” on Ogunjobi during the altercation, which reportedly occurred on June 30, 2025.
He stated that the panel that sat over the case, which he chaired, also found the student nurse very inconsistent and evasive, as he could not prove the allegation that the senior consultant hit him with a chair and also pushed him and was therefore was suspended as a corrective measure.
Agboola said that the father of the student nurse had also reached out to him, appreciating him for his fatherly approach to the matter and pleaded that the hospital management temper justice with mercy.
The Medical Director disclosed this on Saturday while addressing journalists over the alleged assault case.
Recall that the hospital chapter of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives, led by its chairman, Narcissus Oluwalegan, had led other nurses on a peaceful protest over the alleged assault of the student nurse.
Oluwalegan had stated that while Majekodunmi had been left to walk freely, Ogunjobi was suspended, claiming that the hospital management had decided to close their eyes to the injustice meted out to one of them.
He had threatened that the nurses would not hesitate to withdraw their services if the hospital management did not lift the suspension placed on the students within 24 hours, while also addressing other concerns of the health workers.
Addressing journalists on Saturday, Agboola said that having received the petition of the alleged verbal and physical assault, a panel which was chaired by him and also had as members Mrs Florence Oladeji, Head of Administration of the hospital, Dr Sunday Amosu, Head of Research and Training, Dr Taiwo Omirin, Principal of School of Psychiatric Nursing, her Vice, Mr Olorunisola, Dr Nurudeen Ibrahim, Head of Servicom and others looked into the allegation.
He explained that the incident reportedly occurred on June 30 during the ward round led by the Head of Clinical Services, Dr Majekodunmi and his team.
Agboola said, “On getting to the ward, there was said to be challenge of lack of chairs as some nursing students had already occupied the seats. The student nurse, Seyi Ogunjobi, reportedly went to get a chair but insisted on giving the chair to another student nurse and not the Head of Clinical Services.
“In the ensuing altercation, Dr Majekodunmi allegedly engaged in physical and verbal assault against Ogunjobi, hit the student and also used some foul language on him.
“During the panel sitting, Dr Majekodunmi came with 12 witnesses and also admitted that out of annoyance, he used the words ‘you’re stupid, you’re a bastard’ but denied ever hitting the student, and his witnesses also corroborated.”
He revealed further that the student nurse who came with one staff nurse as a witness was, however, unable to substantiate the allegation that he was hit because his witness also said that she could not confirm whether the senior consultant hit the student nurse or not.
Agboola continued, “For admitting to have used such foul language on the student nurse, Dr Majekodunmi had been given a strongly worded warning letter to serve as a deterrent, while the nurse was suspended for his inconsistencies and inability to substantiate his claim against the medical doctor.”
He explained that the suspension was not a punitive but a corrective measure, which is aimed at ensuring that the student prioritises integrity, which is a hallmark of nurse training
Agboola said that the suspension is just may be for one or two days and not a kind of suspension that will ensure that the student is sent out of the school for a long time, such that will jeopardise his academic pursuit, adding that “we just wanted to mould the boy to become responsible and a nurse that prioritises integrity.”
The Medical Director also said that the management has met with other unions of the hospital over the ugly incident and will meet with the nurses’ union on Monday to further resolve the crisis.
Prince Al-Waleed bin Khalid Al-Saud, a Saudi royal widely known as the “Sleeping Prince,” has died at the age of 36, nearly two decades after a car accident left him in a coma.
The prince was just 15 years old when he suffered a brain haemorrhage and internal bleeding in a devastating car crash in London in 2005.
He never regained full consciousness and was kept on life support at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until his death.
His father, Prince Khaled bin Talal Al Saud, confirmed the passing in a post on X on Saturday.
“With hearts believing in Allah’s will and decree, and with deep sorrow and sadness, we mourn our beloved son: Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, may Allah have mercy on him, who passed away today,” the post read.
Prince Al-Waleed was a student at a military college in London at the time of the accident.
Despite the grim prognosis, his father remained devoted to his care and consistently rejected calls to withdraw life support, holding out hope that his son would one day recover.
The announcement of his death has triggered an outpouring of sympathy on social media, with the hashtag “Sleeping Prince” trending widely.
“May Prince Al-Waleed bin Khaled, Rest In Peace. Deepest sympathies to his loved ones,” one user wrote.
Another post read, “Your time on earth was a blessing to your family and the world in general.”
“May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” added a third.
Funeral prayers for the late prince are scheduled to take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh.
Political activist, Omoyele Sowore, speaks with ISMAEEL UTHMAN on the claim that the late former President Muhammadu Buhari left behind a legacy of integrity
The late former President Buhari was said to have left a legacy of integrity. Do you agree with that?
Absolutely not. The myth of Buhari’s integrity was one of the most dangerous propaganda projects ever sold to the people. For decades, a carefully curated image of a disciplined, incorruptible soldier-statesman was peddled, essentially to justify his return to power in 2015. But the reality, as Nigerians experienced it, was entirely different. Buhari didn’t just fail the integrity test; he also shattered it.
Under his watch, corruption was not only tolerated but institutionalised. Individuals under investigation or with established records of theft and abuse of office found refuge within his cabinet. His government protected some of the most corrupt figures in Nigerian history. Buhari’s so-called “integrity” never translated into accountability, transparency, or moral leadership.
How well did the former President rule the country?
Buhari ruled with a combination of detachment, arrogance, an iron hand and incompetence. He was never really present—physically or mentally—for the job. When he wasn’t abroad receiving medical treatment on public funds, he was absent from decision-making that affected millions. His regime was marked by economic collapse, growing insecurity, rising debt, and unprecedented suffering.
His idea of governance was nepotism, placing unqualified loyalists in key positions based on ethnic and religious identity. The result was paralysis across all sectors. Buhari ruled as if the nation were a military barracks, not a democracy. He failed to modernise Nigerian institutions, was unable to secure lives, and failed to provide any economic direction. The people bore the brunt of his cluelessness.
The former President respected the rule of law, according to his aide. Do you agree with this?
That statement is not just false, it is insulting. Buhari was one of the worst violators of the rule of law and human rights in the country’s democratic history. Under his watch, court orders were routinely disobeyed. Journalists, activists, and political opponents were jailed without trial. His regime criminalised dissent and weaponised security agencies against the people.
Let’s not forget his infamous statement that “national security is superior to the rule of law.” That alone tells you everything. The Department of State Services became his private Gestapo. Judges were assaulted in the middle of the night. I was also abducted first from my hotel room and also from a courtroom in 2019, after being granted bail. So, if Buhari respected the rule of law, it was only the law he made for himself.
The naira redesign was said to be done to guarantee a free and fair election. How do you react to this?
The naira redesign was never about free and fair elections; it was an economic disaster masquerading as electoral pretence. Beyond that, it was a corruption conduit for Buhari’s Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele. It plunged millions into hardship, destroyed small businesses, and created a chaotic cash crisis that didn’t stop vote-buying. It only changed the players.
If the policy was meant to stop rigging, then why did the same rigged system produce a deeply flawed 2023 general election?
Buhari’s regime weaponised that policy not to protect democracy but to manipulate political outcomes. It was a cynical, ill-thought-out move that brought untold suffering to ordinary Nigerians who couldn’t access their own money. And in the end, the people who had access to the new naira notes were still the ruling elites. So, what exactly was achieved?
Do you agree that Buhari achieved success in his anti-corruption war?
There was no war. There was no battle, just propaganda. Buhari’s so-called anti-corruption campaign was selective, vindictive, and deeply hypocritical. His friends and cronies were protected. His political enemies were hunted. That’s not a fight against corruption; it was a weaponisation of anti-graft rhetoric.
Even the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission lost credibility under him. Major scandals like the Maina pension case, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company contracts, and his Attorney General, Abubakar Malami, were openly and brazenly accused of corruption. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s opaque operations under Godwin Emefiele were swept under the rug until Buhari left office. He enabled corruption on a scale so vast that it will take generations to fully trace.
So no, he didn’t fight corruption. He fertilised it.
You have been criticising the former President even in death. Do you think that is fair to the dead?
Fairness is owed first to the living. Nigeria is filled with mass graves dug by Buhari’s failures and wickedness for victims of extrajudicial killings, banditry, hunger, poverty, terrorism, and neglect. Are we to pretend that the man who supervised so much suffering deserves silence now that he is dead? That would be a greater injustice. History doesn’t stop when a person dies. Memory doesn’t take a break. Those who hold public office, especially at the highest level, must know that their legacy belongs to the people, not their family or fan base or the graveyard.
Buhari betrayed the trust of a nation, and no amount of funeral diplomacy can change that.
I have no personal hatred for Buhari, but I do have a deep responsibility to speak the truth. We must stop canonising failed leaders simply because they are no longer here to defend themselves. Let their actions speak for them. Buhari’s own record is enough indictment.
Buhari came to power on the wings of hope and left on the wings of despair. His tenure was not marked by transformation, but by regression. He used Nigeria to prolong his own life while shortening the lives of millions. He ran a government where empathy died, where dreams were crushed, and where mediocrity reigned supreme.
Now that he is gone, Nigeria must have the courage to tell the truth, if not for the dead, then for the living and the unborn. We owe it to ourselves to stop recycling false legacies. Let Buhari’s story be a warning, not a model.
The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday backed the position of Governor Monday Okpebholo warning Peter Obi from coming into the state without security clearance.
The state chairman of the party, Jarrett Tenebe, stated this on Saturday shortly after Joseph Ikpea and Omosede Igbinedion were announced as the senatorial candidate and the House of Representatives candidate for the Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia Federal Constituency.
Tenebe said also said that the party would campaign “rigorously to prove to all that we actively won the 2024 governorship election.”
“The party also believes that the governor was right warning Peter Obi to get security clearance before coming into the state because of the opinion people have about Obi in the state especially when the last time he came here, three people were killed,” he added.
On the election, he said, “Now that we have our candidates, we will hit the ground running, we are going to campaign as if we have never won elections in this state. We want to let the people know that we actually won the last governorship election.”
Earlier, the Chairman and Chief Returning Officer of the APC Edo Central Primary Election Committee, Ugboaja Stanley, said election was conducted in the 51 wards in the five local government areas in Edo Central and Ikpea emerged the winner with the 255 delegates from the zone affirming the outcome.
His counterpart for the Ovia Federal Constituency, Lucky Ajokperiniovo said Igbinedion emerged the candidate of the party for Ovia Federal Constituency after other aspirants stepped down for her.
The National Coordinator of Obidient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko, has said the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, is open to working with available political forces to rescue the country from crisis.
Tanko, who is a former spokesperson for Obi’s presidential campaign, said salvaging Nigeria required a collective and inclusive effort that transcends party lines.
He stated this in an interview with our correspondent on Friday.
“We want a unifying force that will work together as a team. So, we are ready to work with anyone or group that beckon on us to rescue Nigeria and return it to the right path.
“That has always been the message of Peter Obi. Nigeria is in dire need of rescue. It is a decision that everybody must be involved in, not a singular decision for Obi to take.
“Any means that can get Nigeria on the right path is what Peter Obi will do. The target is to rescue Nigeria,” he said.
Tanko’s comments were in reaction to a renewed push by PDP leaders to bring the former Anambra State governor back to the party ahead of the 2027 polls.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, described Obi as a major political force whose return would strengthen the party’s electoral chances.
“Peter Obi is our product. We want to get him back, indeed, because he is a great asset for any political party.
He acknowledged that Obi’s defection from the PDP to the Labour Party was a major blow during the 2023 election, but emphasised that the former governor still enjoys immense goodwill within the PDP.
Nigeria exported crude oil worth $1.34bn to the United States in the first five months of 2025, maintaining the country’s position as America’s leading African oil supplier.
Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis show that the US purchased a total of 17.39 million barrels of Nigerian crude between January and May 2025.
Although energy-related goods like crude were exempted from recent import tariffs introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump, the volume still declined from the 20.4 million barrels valued at $1.52bn recorded during the same period in 2024.
The 12.7 per cent year-on-year drop in volume and 11.8 per cent decline in value point to shifting market dynamics and a potential reconfiguration of U.S. oil sourcing strategies, even as Nigeria remained top of the pile among African oil exporters.
In May 2025 alone, Nigerian crude exports to the U.S. stood at 4.2 million barrels, valued at $311m, a fall from $368m in April.
Crude oil continues to form the backbone of the country’s exports to the U.S., accounting for more than 62 per cent of American crude imports from Africa during the review period.
Nigeria’s shipments dwarfed those of Libya, Angola and Ghana, whose combined crude exports to the U.S. amounted to $811m.
Customs and C.I.F. (Cost, Insurance and Freight) data show that Nigeria’s oil exports to the U.S. stood at $1.34bn and $1.38bn, respectively, reinforcing its central role in U.S.–Africa energy trade, even as broader Nigerian exports have struggled under the weight of new U.S. trade rules.
While crude oil flows have remained relatively stable, Nigeria’s overall exports to the U.S. have declined sharply.
Total goods imported by the U.S. from Nigeria fell to $2.12bn in the first five months of 2025, compared to $2.65bn in the same period of 2024, a drop of $527m or nearly 20 per cent.
This comes amid a renewed protectionist agenda led by U.S. President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order on April 2 imposing a flat 10 per cent import tariff on most countries.
Nigeria, singled out for its previous trade surplus, was hit with a higher 14 per cent tariff rate.
Although crude oil was spared, the broader tariff regime has dampened U.S. demand for Nigerian non-oil goods, including agricultural produce and manufactured items.
In May 2025, total U.S. imports from Nigeria fell to $400m, down from $517m in May 2024.
The PUNCH observed that while Nigerian exports to the U.S. have weakened, American exports to Nigeria surged in the same period.
U.S. goods exports to Nigeria rose to $2.42bn between January and May 2025, up from $2.05bn in the corresponding period of 2024, a 17.8 per cent increase.
This sharp contrast led to a complete reversal in the trade balance between the two countries.
In the first five months of 2024, Nigeria held a $596m surplus over the U.S. By May 2025, the U.S. had flipped the script, recording a $295m surplus.
Monthly trade data further illustrate the shift. In May 2025, U.S. exports to Nigeria stood at $515m, while imports from Nigeria totalled $400m, giving America a monthly surplus of $115m.
One of the key contributors to the surge in U.S. exports to Nigeria is the automobile sector. In the first five months of 2025, the U.S. exported $426m worth of motor vehicles and parts to Nigeria, comprising $312m in passenger cars, $29m in trucks and buses, and $86m in parts.
Nigeria’s status as a top African trading partner of the U.S. appears to be waning. The country accounted for just 10.8 per cent of U.S. imports from Africa and about 14.8 per cent of exports to the continent during the first five months of 2025, both slightly down from the previous year.
Egypt emerged as the U.S.’s top African export destination, with American exports rising from $1.95bn in the first five months of 2024 to $3.43bn in the same period of 2025 — a staggering 76 per cent increase.
South Africa continues to dominate on the import side. The U.S. imported $8.67bn worth of goods from South Africa between January and May 2025, over four times what it imported from Nigeria.
Nigeria’s total trade volume with the U.S. now stands at $4.54bn, lagging behind Egypt and South Africa, and raising concerns about its competitiveness in the evolving U.S.–Africa trade landscape.
The Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide has called for fairness in key elective and appointive leadership positions in the ongoing constitutional review exercise by the 10th National Assembly.
The group made the call at the South East Zonal Public hearing for Imo and Abia states which was held in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Saturday.
In a submission by its National Executive Committee, presented by Chizoba Iheka, the group commended the Benjamin Kalu-led Committee for its ongoing effort to birth a reviewed constitution for the country.
Ohaneze stated, “We advocate a deliberate service in this constitution to ensure that the key federal positions including the presidency, the Senate president, the Speaker, and other major offices of the country reflect the six geo-political zones.
“This will promote inclusiveness, a sense of brotherhood, and fairness in the distribution of leadership roles.
“It will be recalled that since the inception of the present democratic dispensation in the country, nobody from South-East geo-political zone has ever held the position of a leader.
“Nobody from South-East geo-political zone has ever held the position of Attorney General of the Federation, Head of Civil Defense, Immigration, Customs, and Minister of Internal Affairs and Agriculture, among others.”
The group noted that the proposal will contribute to a more equitable and inclusive federal structure, addressing the historical marginalisation of South-East and promoting national cohesion and development.
The All Progressives Congress has condemned the African Democratic Congress for its criticism of President Bola Tinubu regarding the state burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari, calling it both insensitive and unacceptable.
In a statement released on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC criticised the ADC for politicising what should be a solemn period of national mourning, describing the party’s remarks as senseless and ill-timed.
On Thursday, President Tinubu paid tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a “good, decent, and honourable man” whose values of discipline, patriotism, and integrity will be remembered.
At a Special Federal Executive Council session held in Buhari’s honour at the State House, Tinubu noted that despite his flaws, Buhari’s unwavering commitment to national service set him apart.
However, in a statement on Friday, ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised the tribute, calling it a “deliberate publicity stunt” by what he described as an unpopular administration.
In response, the APC said the ADC’s outrage over the late President’s state burial only highlights the party’s hypocrisy and lack of sensitivity.
The statement read in part, “The party’s criticism of the dignified state burial accorded the late President is as spooky as it is unconscionable.
“Again, the ADC has showcased itself to be without any understanding of customary state practice, and lacking empathy and essential humanity. It has cut its own portrait as a party of mindless political dregs, a dump of Nigeria’s internally displaced politicians, ready to do or say anything in chase of attention but sinking itself deeper in quicks and ignominy.
“That the ADC is blowing up over the state burial of the late President only reflects the party’s duplicity and insensitivity. What would the ADC have had President Tinubu do? Deny the late President Buhari the honour of a befitting state burial? Withhold empathy and support for the bereaved former first family? As a party that can begrudge the dead, the ADC must surely disdain the living.
“It is unacceptable for the ADC to politicize a solemn moment of national grief, more so, as its senseless statement was issued during the week of national mourning for the late President. The party’s reference to heartfelt gestures and activities of the government in honour of the late President as “exploitation” is beyond the pale.
“It falls far outside the widest and wildest stretch of justifiable opposition politics. Clearly, the party and its villainous leaders have allowed their humanity to be corroded by desperation for inordinate and self-serving power.”
APC warns Nigerians to beware of ADC’s deceitful politics and baseless attacks on a hardworking President.
The statement read in part, “The late President Buhari lived a life of illustrious service to country as a soldier, military Head of State, a two-term democratically elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was also just a human being, a father, survived by a loving but grieving family worthy of our collective empathy and support at this difficult time.
“President Bola Tinubu showed compassion and a deep sense of loss of a friend, close political associate and predecessor. He demonstrated patriotism and leadership by overseeing and participating in honouring the late President who gave so much to our dear nation.
“Nigerians must remain wary of the ADC and its band of political marauders prowling for power with nothing to offer Nigerians except peddling falsehood and vilifying a President who is hard at work for the transformation and progress of our nation.”
