ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stated that the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, cleared him of wrongdoing over allegations surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC.

Gbajabiamila made the remark on Saturday during the 2026 Gbaja Mega Empowerment Programme in Lagos State.

“The allegations against me had been investigated, and the reports of the investigations were in the public domain,” he stated.

Gbajabiamila was linked to the establishment of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC, headed by its Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi.

Adeyemi had accused Gbajabiamila of demanding a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion grant to the council.

He also claimed that he paid N400 million to Tinubu’s Chief of Staff through a proxy and owed an additional N200 million.

Following the allegations, Adeyemi was arrested, detained and later released.

After his release, Gbajabiamila dragged Adeyemi to court over alleged defamation.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

By Prosper Olayiwola

A House of Assembly Candidate for Ikole Constituency 1 on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kayode Arewa Sanni, has called on his constituents, party members and supporters to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Arewa Sanni made the call in Ikole-Ekiti while addressing party faithful and supporters at a stakeholders’ meeting convened to strengthen grassroots mobilisation in the constituency.

He said the 2027 elections present a defining moment for the people of Ikole Constituency 1 to chart a new course of inclusive representation, people-oriented legislation and accelerated development.

The candidate noted that disunity among party members and supporters remains the greatest obstacle to victory, stressing that only a united front can dislodge entrenched interests and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

“I appeal to all our party leaders, members, supporters and well-wishers across Ikole Constituency 1 to put aside personal differences and work together as one family. Our strength lies in our unity,” he said.

Arewa Sanni said his candidacy was driven by a desire to give Ikole Constituency 1 a vibrant and responsive voice in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, with focus on youth empowerment, education, healthcare and rural infrastructure.

He assured constituents that if given the mandate, he would prioritise quality representation and ensure that government presence is felt in all communities within the constituency.

He also called on supporters of the ADC across Ekiti State to rally behind the party’s vision of good governance, transparency and accountability as preparations for the 2027 polls gather momentum.

The aspirant expressed confidence that with unity, commitment and collective effort, the ADC would emerge victorious in Ikole Constituency 1 and other constituencies across the state.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

No fewer than six inmates have died within one week following a suspected cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano State.

Amnesty International raised the alarm in a post on its official Facebook page, calling on authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the correctional facility.

Amnesty said several other inmates were currently receiving treatment, warning that the death toll could be higher as the suspected disease continues to spread among prisoners.

It urged the authorities to immediately transfer critically ill inmates to hospitals for proper medical attention to prevent further deaths.

The organisation warned that failure to urgently intervene could amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, which it described as a serious human rights violation under international law.

Amnesty also expressed concern over the broader conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities, particularly the prolonged detention of inmates awaiting trial.

According to the organisation, detainees without financial means face greater difficulty having their rights protected, with some spending years in custody without being convicted of any crime.

It further said many inmates were being held in overcrowded and unhygienic cells without adequate food and healthcare.

Amnesty called for urgent reforms to improve conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities and ensure compliance with international best practices.