By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Veteran actor, Columbus Irisoanga is dead.

His family made this disclosure via a statement saying:

“It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we report the passing of Nollywood actor Columbus Irisoanga.

” The talented actor has left this world to be with his fore-fathers beyond, as he passed away in the early hours of today at 1am.

“Columbus Irisoanga was a well-known figure in the Nigerian film industry, having appeared in numerous movies and TV shows that have touched the hearts of many. His performances were always captivating, and his presence on screen will be greatly missed.

“His sudden departure has left his fans and colleagues in shock and disbelief. Columbus Irisoanga will always be remembered for his talent, dedication, and passion for his craft. His legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Columbus Irisoanga’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.

“May he rest in peace and may his soul find eternal peace in the arms of his fore-fathers beyond.

The deceased actor was popularly called Igbudu

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Thursday proposed the creation of 31 new states in the country.

If the proposal scales through, the Nigerian state will be made up of 67 sub-national governments.

The proposal for new states was contained in a letter read during Thursday’s plenary session by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session in the absence of the Speaker, Mr Tajudeen Abbas.

The committee chaired by Kalu proposed six new states for North Central, four in the North East, five in the North West, five in South East, four in South-South and seven in South West.

The letter read in part, “The committee proposes the creation of 31 new states. As amended, this section outlines specific requirements that must be fulfilled to initiate the process of state creation, which include the following:

1. New state and boundaries

An act of the National Assembly for the purpose of creating a new state shall only be passed if it requires support by at least the third majority of members.

“2. The House of Representatives, the House of Assembly in respect of the area, and the Local Government Council in respect of the area are received by the National Assembly.

“Local government advocates for the creation of additional local government areas are only reminded that Section 8 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, applies to this process.

Specifically, in accordance with Section 8 (3) of the Constitution, the outcome of the votes of the State Houses of Assembly in the referendum must be forwarded to the National Assembly for fulfilment of state demands.

“Proposals shall be resubmitted in strict adherence to the stipulations. Submit three hard copies of the full proposal of the memoranda to the Secretariat of the Committee at Room H331, House of Representatives, White House, National Assembly Complex, and Abuja.

Sub-copies must also be sent electronically to the Committee’s email address at info.hccr.gov.nj. For further information or contact, please contact the Committee Clerk at 08069-232381.

“The committee remains committed to supporting the implementing efforts that align with the Constitutional provisions and would only consider proposals that comply with the stipulated guidelines. This is coming from the Clerk of the Committee on Constitutional Review

The proposed new states are Okun, Okura and Confluence states from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa states from Benue; FCT state; Amana state from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi states and Savannah states from Borno and Muri State from Taraba.

Others are New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna State; Tiga and Ari from Kano, and Kainji from Kebbi State; Etiti and Orashi as the 6th state in the South East Adada from Enugu, Orlu and Aba from the South East.

Also included are Ogoja from Cross River State, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers; Torumbe from Ondo; Ibadan from Oyo, Lagoon from Lagos, Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun state as well as Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun States.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A Federal Judge on Wednesday, blocked the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship in the United States.

The ruling indefinitely halts one of Trump’s most contentious policies, which was set to take effect nationwide on February 19.

The New York Times reported that in her decision, District Judge Deborah Boardman stated that denying birthright citizenship would cause irreparable harm and emphasized that Supreme Court precedent upholds the right of citizenship for those born on US soil.

She noted that Trump’s order conflicts with the plain language of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the country.

“The denial of the precious right to citizenship will cause irreparable harm.

“No court in the country has ever endorsed the president’s interpretation,” Boardman said. “This court will not be the first,” as reported by The New York Times.

The ruling follows a similar decision by a federal judge in Washington state, who issued a 14-day stay on the order in January.

Judge John Coughenour described the measure as “blatantly unconstitutional,” prompting Trump to announce his intention to appeal.

The legal challenge centers on the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, which grants citizenship to all individuals born in the United States.

Trump’s executive order argued that those in the country illegally or on temporary visas were not subject to US jurisdiction and therefore not entitled to citizenship.

Opponents of the order have pointed to an 1898 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Wong Kim Ark, a Chinese-American man who was denied reentry to the United States on the grounds that he was not a citizen.

The court ruled in his favour, affirming that birthright citizenship applies to children of immigrants