News
Police release LP National Chairman, Abure
The Police has arrested Mr Julius Abure, the National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, who was arrested on Wednesday evening in Benin, Edo State.
He was released at about 3.05am on Thursday, according to information made available to CAPITAL POST in Benin.
He was arrested by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), in charge of Zone 5, Benin City, Edo State, Mr. Arungwa Nwazule.
Also, the State Labour Party Chairman in Edo, Kelly Ogbaloi and three others, were arrested for “conspiracy, brutal assault, attempted murder, armed robbery, grievous harm and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and have not been released as at the time of this report.
Abure told crowd of supporters that his arrest was not unconnected with his freedom battle which he said was normal to people like him all over the world.
According to him, other party officials arrested alongside with him would be released on Thursday as pressure are being mounted on the police for their release.
Abure, who berated the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), for making life unbearable for Nigerians disclosed that since the February 2023 general elections, detractors of the LP had not relented in instigating crises within the party, adding that several petitions bothering on frivolous accusations had been written against him.
The text of the four minutes and 32 seconds video of his release reads:
“Let me appreciate all of you for the solidarity, for the support and your commitment. No struggle to liberate the country comes easy. Many countries of the world where freedom fighters have fought for the emancipation of the people, freedom fighters suffer injustice, suffer persecution and it is what is happening to me and my other colleagues since after the general election.
“After the general election, they have been trying to instigate crises in the party, they try to bring false accusations against us. They have talked about forgery against us at a time when it didn’t work, the came with embezzlement. Any person that is aggrieved in the party, they go and instigate them to write a petition against us. And the irony is that the police even act on those and at the end of the day, they discover that those things are false.
“Yesterday, we were making arrangements for the Edo State primaries and of course the police swooped on us and arrested us over what I will not want to discuss now because the investigation is still going on and therefore we would not want to pre-empt them.
“But I must state clearly that following several interventions, they have graciously released me on bail except for the Edo State Chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi and the youth leader. They (police) have also promised that by the early hours of Thursday, they will release them. We are hoping that they will fulfill their promise and release them.
“Whatever is happening to me will not discourage me from the struggle. We must continue to pursue the cause of the people. We must continue to fight for our people till we liberate them. I have said it and I will say it again, it is not capturing power that matters, it is what you do with power.
“Today, APC is in power, life has become more unbearable for the people. Today, the dollar is exchanging for almost N2000. Fuel today is sold for N700 per litre. There is even scarcity now and it is likely the price is going to increase. Inflation, even though it is double digit, it is now above 31 per cent, unemployment has increased and a bag of rice today is sold for N120,000 and minimum wage is N30,000. You can see the paradox, you can see the irony and Nigerians are in for a difficult time.
“Mr President said recently that Nigerians should continue to bear the loss. It is my prayer that not until Nigerians start eating themselves on the street before they realise that they need to do something about the country. Like I said, it is not capturing power that matters, it is what you do with power,”.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed that the representatives of the petitioners seeking to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District have now provided their contact details.
In a statement on Wednesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said:
“The contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission.”
He added that INEC has formally notified the senator about the recall petition.
“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address,” Olumekun stated.
He further explained that the same letter had been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website.
Speaking on the next step, Olumekun said INEC would now verify the signatures to ensure that more than 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central signed the petition.
“This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission,” he said.
Olumekun reassured Nigerians that the recall process would be conducted in an open and transparent manner.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Senate Matters, Senator Basheer Lado, has commended his principal for assenting to South West and South – South Development Commissions Bills as well as the Nigeria Anti – Doping Bill 2025.
Senator Lado who made the commendation in a personally signed statement, described presidential assets to the bills as monumental milestone and testament to visionary leadership and national progress.
The statement reads: “I extend my warmest congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for yet another historic achievement his decisive and visionary assent to the South-West Development Commission Bill, the South-South Development Commission Bill, and the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025.
“These landmark legislations are a clear reflection of President Tinubu’s relentless commitment to inclusive governance, equitable progress, and Nigeria’s emergence as a global powerhouse.
“His Excellency has once again demonstrated that leadership is not merely about policies—it is about impact, legacy, and a deep-rooted dedication to uplifting every citizen.
“By signing into law the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commissions, President Tinubu has reaffirmed his role as a transformational leader who prioritizes regional empowerment, economic expansion, and infrastructural excellence.
Building on the foundation of his earlier assent to the South-East and North -West Development Commissions, it is evident that President Tinubu is deliberate in bringing development across all regions.
“These commissions will serve as catalysts for industrial growth, job creation, and social advancement—ensuring that every corner of Nigeria benefits from his administration’s progressive vision. This is the mark of a true statesman—one who understands that a nation’s strength lies in its ability to uplift all regions without bias.
“In the same vein, the Nigeria Anti-Doping Bill, 2025 is yet another bold step that solidifies Nigeria’s commitment to fairness, excellence, and integrity in global sports.
“President Tinubu has once again positioned Nigeria as a nation of high ethical standards, ensuring that our athletes compete on the world stage with honor and credibility. By domesticating the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sports, his administration has safeguarded the future of Nigerian sports, protecting our athletes from unfair practices while reinforcing our global reputation as a country that upholds integrity.
“This momentous occasion underscores President Tinubu’s unmatched leadership—one that is proactive, decisive, and deeply attuned to the needs and aspirations of the Nigerian people.
His ability to enact groundbreaking policies that foster unity, drive economic prosperity, and elevate our international standing speaks volumes of his unwavering dedication to national transformation”.
News
BREAKING: Key contact details missing in petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has acknowledged receiving a petition for the recall of the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District but noted that key contact details of the petitioners were missing.
In a press release signed by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission stated that the petition was submitted with six bags of documents containing signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district.
However, the covering letter only provided a general location, “Okene, Kogi State,” without a specific address or multiple contact numbers as required by INEC’s regulations.
INEC emphasized that the recall process is guided by the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.
The commission assured that once the petition meets all requirements, it will proceed with verifying the signatures using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in an open process involving petitioners, observers, and the media.
INEC is currently making efforts to reach the petitioners through other means and urged the public to disregard speculation on social media regarding the recall process.
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