News
US Senator Cory Booker breaks record
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Cory-Booker-.jpeg&description=US Senator Cory Booker breaks record', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Cory-Booker-.jpeg&description=US Senator Cory Booker breaks record', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
* Delivers 25-hour longest speech against Donald Trump
By Francesca Hangeior
A Democratic United States lawmaker shattered a record for the longest speech in Senate history Tuesday, staying on his feet for more than 25 hours to deliver a fiery protest against President Donald Trump’s “unconstitutional” actions.
Senator Cory Booker’s display of endurance — to hold the floor he had to remain standing and could not even go to the bathroom — recalled the famous scene in Frank Capra’s 1939 film classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”
The longest Senate speech on record before Tuesday was delivered by South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond, who filibustered for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act of 1957.
Booker, only the fourth Black senator to be popularly elected to the body, blew past that deadline, his voice still strong but emotional as he topped out at 25 hours and five minutes.
“Strom Thurmond’s record always… really irked me,” he later told broadcaster MSNBC.
“That the longest speech on our great Senate floor was someone who was trying to stop people like me from being in the Senate.”
The public galleries of the Senate chamber gradually filled as the moment he broke the record approached, with more Democratic lawmakers joining the session — although Republicans largely stayed away.
“This is a moral moment. It’s not left or right. It’s right or wrong,” Booker said as he wrapped up.
He also quoted his mentor John Lewis, a 1960s civil rights movement leader, who urged campaigners to get into “good trouble,” before finally pronouncing “Madam President, I yield the floor.”
The 55-year-old New Jersey native had found a moment for some humor as he passed the record, joking: “I want to go a little bit past this and then I’m going to deal with some of the biological urgencies I’m feeling.”
Although Booker’s talk-a-thon was not actually blocking the majority Republican Party from holding votes in the Senate, as would be the case in a true filibuster, his defiance quickly became a rallying point for beleaguered Democrats.
Booker, a former presidential candidate, seized command in the chamber at 7:00 pm (2300 GMT) Monday and finished at 8:05 pm Tuesday.
He lashed out at Trump’s radical cost-cutting policies that have seen his top advisor Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, slash entire government programs without consent from Congress.
The senator said Trump’s aggressive seizing of ever-more executive power had put US democracy at risk.
“Unnecessary hardships are being borne by Americans of all backgrounds. And institutions which are special in America, which are precious and which are unique in our country, are being recklessly — and I would say even unconstitutionally — affected, attacked, even shattered,” Booker said.
“In just 71 days the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy,” he said.
But he had words of encouragement for Trump opponents, saying as he concluded that “the power of the people is greater than the people in power.”
Booker later went into detail about how he withstood the physical demands of the speech.
“My strategy was to stop eating. I think I stopped eating Friday and then to stop drinking the night before I started on Monday,” he told reporters in the Capitol.
The approach “had its benefits and had its really downsides… different muscle groups start to really cramp up” with dehydration, he added.
In a statement sent by his office, Booker added that he was “tired and a little hoarse.”
Democratic lawmakers, in the minority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, have struggled over how to blunt Trump’s efforts to downsize government, ramp up deportations and shred much of the country’s political norms.
“I just want to thank you for holding vigil for this country all night,” Senator Raphael Warnock told Booker on the floor.
Booker dedicated much of his speech to criticizing Trump’s policies, but to pass the time he also recited poetry, discussed sports and entertained questions from colleagues.
“If you love your neighbor, if you love this country, show your love. Stop them from doing what they’re trying to (do),” he said.
The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) has affirmed former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Muhammed Ishaq, said the decision was reached by the National Working Committee after reviewing the report of the primaries appeal committee.
According to the committee’s findings, Duke was validly elected as the party’s presidential flagbearer, while the outcomes of four other primary elections were also upheld.
Ishaq added that the PRP had cleared 420 candidates to contest various positions in the 2027 elections, with the exception of the Tarauni Federal Constituency primary, which was nullified.
He said the party remained committed to internal democracy and providing credible leadership for Nigeria.
The European Union and the Federal Government of Nigeria have announced plans to convene the 10th Nigeria–EU Business Forum in Lagos on 25 June 2026, bringing together senior policymakers, investors, and business leaders to deepen trade and investment ties.
Now in its tenth edition, the Forum has evolved into a key platform for advancing economic cooperation between Nigeria and Europe, with a focus on translating dialogue into concrete partnerships and investment outcomes.
The 2026 edition is expected to centre on mobilising private capital, strengthening value chains, and expanding opportunities for businesses operating across both markets. It will feature high-level discussions, targeted business-to-business engagements, and a curated exhibition showcasing investment-ready solutions.
Speaking ahead of the Forum, Gautier Mignot, Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the milestone edition reflects the growing depth of the partnership.
“The Nigeria–EU Business Forum has become a platform where ambition meets execution. This tenth edition underscores our shared commitment to mobilising investment at scale and delivering sustainable economic impact,” he said.
On his side, Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, described the Forum as a strategic opportunity to attract investment aligned with Nigeria’s development priorities.
“Nigeria remains committed to creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth and investment. The Forum provides an important platform for engaging with investors and partners, strengthening economic cooperation, and advancing initiatives that support enterprise, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity,” he said
Organisers say the Forum will build on the outcomes of previous editions, with a strong emphasis on facilitating partnerships and strengthening investment pipelines. It is also expected to provide a space for dialogue on policy, financing, and innovation, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a leading investment destination in Africa.
The Nigeria Police Force on Saturday night confirmed the successful rescue of Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, the sister of the immediate past minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, who were abducted on June 3, 2026, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to a statement by FORCE PPRO, Anthony Okon Placid, the hostages were rescued during a coordinated operation by the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) in Ibadan at approximately 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
Mrs. Adegoke and her children were abducted while she was driving them to school at about 7:30 a.m. on June 3, 2026.
The rescue, the statement stated, was achieved through sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance, and tactical operations which enabled investigators to track the kidnappers’ movements, resulting in a confrontation with FID-IRT operatives.
During the confrontation, two suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded and two rifles were recovered. The victims were rescued unharmed and are now in safe custody, receiving medical care and support.
The Inspector-General of Police commends the courage, professionalism, and effectiveness of the FID-IRT operatives and all officers involved. Their resilience and commitment were instrumental in the safe rescue of the hostages.
Security operatives have intensified efforts in the area to apprehend fleeing members of the kidnapping syndicate. Preliminary intelligence indicates that some suspects escaped with gunshot injuries. Operations are ongoing to track, arrest, and bring all involved to justice.
“The Nigeria Police Force appreciates the public’s support, cooperation, and patience during the operation. We remain committed to combating violent crime, protecting lives and property, and ensuring the safety of all citizens,” the statement concluded.
Former Cross River Governor Donald Duke Emerges PRP Presidential Candidate
Nigeria, EU set to convene 10th Business Forum in Lagos
Police confirms safe rescue of ex-minister of power’s sister, twin children
-
News23 hours agoNigerians Outraged As Bandits Release Videos Of R@pe Of Female Victims
-
Metro23 hours agoDSS And Forest Guards Intercept Medical Supplies Suspected To Be Meant For Injured ISWAP Fighters In Borno State
-
News23 hours agoDoris Ogala Hospitalised After Collapse
-
News23 hours ago397 Nigerians undergo screening to leave S’Africa
-
Metro23 hours agoN36m fraud trial: Court adjourns judgment on Blessing CEO’s bail
-
Foreign23 hours agoTrump says Iran has 22% of missiles left
-
News23 hours agoBandits destroy houses, kidnap pastor’s nine-year-old son in Ondo
-
News23 hours agoSupreme Court upholds death by hanging for kidnapper
Warning: Undefined variable $user_ID in /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login