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Kalu Clamours for African-Led Security Initiative

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By Gloria Ikibah 
 
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, has proposed a fundamental reorientation of the security partnership between Africa and the European Union, to strengthen peace and security in Africa.
 
Kalu made the proposal at a meeting with Ms. Ingeborg Ter Laak and Mr. Benjamin Oppermann on the sidelines of his series of engagements at the European Union (EU) Parliament in Brussels, Belgium on Wednesday.
 
LaaK is a member of European Parliament as well as Vice Chair of the Delegation to the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and of the Delegation to the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly while Oppermann is Policy Adviser in the European People’s Party Political Group on Foreign Affairs (AFET Committee) and Security and Defence (SEDE Committee). 
 
Kalu emphasised the need for an African-led, EU-supported framework, where the EU acts as a strategic enabler rather than a direct military intervenor.
 
The Deputy Speaker who is leading as a delegation of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) noted that the prevailing model of direct European military intervention has proven unsustainable and largely ineffective. 
 
He said: “The prevailing model of direct European military intervention has proven unsustainable and largely ineffective. The G5 Sahel initiative and the broader EU Sahel Strategy (2015-2020) have failed to contain extremist groups in the region, often lacking local ownership and being perceived as neocolonial, ultimately leading to rejection by local populations”.
 
Kalu however proposed that the EU should focus on strengthening African institutions, rather than creating parallel structures. 
 
The Deputy Speaker also identified several key areas for collaboration between Africa and the European Union. 
 
They included strengthening African institutions through enhanced financial support, such as the ECOWAS Standby Force and Logistics Base, and the AU Peace Fund Enhancement; developing joint financial instruments, such as blended finance mechanisms to de-risk European investment in Africa; promoting trade and investment framework reform, including modernizing trade agreements and protecting intellectual property rights.
 
He said: “We propose a fundamental reorientation toward an African-led, EU supported framework where the EU acts as a strategic enabler rather than ‘boots on ground’; European nations sell, not just donate, necessary kinetic equipment including Italian UAVs and German Eurofighter Typhoon jets for effective counter-terrorism operations; focus shifts to strengthening African institutions rather than creating parallel structures. 
 
“Key areas for collaboration include srengthening African Institutions through Enhanced Financial Support (EDF). 
 
“The PAP Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs would like to collaborate with EU Parliament committees to ensure sustained funding for the ECOWAS Standby Force
 
“Current challenges include the need for accelerated operationalisation, with the EU having committed significant
support through the 10th EDF
 
“Joint parliamentary oversight is needed to ensure effective implementation and accountability. 
 
“The EU has provided over €3.5 billion through the African Peace Facility since 2004, with an additional €600 million approved for 2022-2024 under the European Peace Facility.
 
“Parliamentary cooperation should focus on creating sustainable financing mechanisms that reduce reliance on external funding
 
“The PAP’s Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs should work with EU counterparts to develop innovative financing instruments, support for the AU naval base in Douala, Cameroon; recognition of Nigeria’s strategic sealift services agreement with the AU and joint parliamentary oversight of these continental security assets”.
 
Kalu also emphasized the need for parliamentary institutional strengthening, including enhanced inter-parliamentary cooperation mechanisms, capacity building, and knowledge exchange. 
 
“We propose the establishment of regular joint committee meetings between the Pan-African Parliament’s Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs and relevant EU Parliament committees,” he said.
 
The Deputy Speaker also outlined several specific proposals for immediate action.
 
The proposals include rhe establishment of quarterly joint meetings between the PAP Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs and EU Parliament committees, and the creation of joint fact-finding missions to assess the effectiveness of EU-funded African security operations. 
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Love Over ‘Spec’: Aproko doctor shares the reason he married his wife

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By Francesca Hangeior  

Nigerian medical doctor and content creator Aproko Doctor has sparked conversations online after revealing that his wife, Chef Amaka, did not fit the image of his ideal partner when they first met.

Speaking during an interview, Aproko Doctor explained that although his wife didn’t match the physical “spec” he had imagined, he fell in love with her because of her personality, values, and compassion.

“My wife didn’t look anything like the spec I created in my head. It was what she was saying, her thoughts, and most importantly, her heart for people. She was peace for me.”

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His remarks have generated mixed reactions on social media.

While some applauded him for highlighting the importance of character over physical appearance, others argued that publicly stating one’s spouse was not their “spec” could be hurtful, regardless of the intended message.

The comments come shortly after Chef Amaka shared her emotional journey living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and the hurtful remarks she endured about her appearance and fertility after their marriage.

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Just in: Court confirms Mark-led leadership of ADC, dismisses Abejide’s suit

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed Sen. David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Justice Musa Liman, in a judgment, also dimissed the suit filed by Rep Leke Abejide challenging Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as national chairman and national secretary of the party for lacking in merit.

Justice Liman upheld the preliminary objections filed by ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark and Aregbesola which challenged Abejide’s suit.

The judge held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to dabble into the internal affairs of ADC, as the suit was non-justiciable.
He also held that Abejide lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit, having failed to show to the court that his rights had been violated in any way as a result of the emergence of Mark-led leadership.

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He equally held that Abejide, who is a member of House of Representatives, failed to explore the party’s internal mechanism for dispute resolution.
Justice Liman also resolved the three issues in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On whether Mark, the former Senate president and Aregbesola, who was former Governor of Osun, emerged as leaders of the party in compliance with the enabling laws, the judge resolved this against Abejide, the plaintiff in the suit.

He held that the handing over of the leadership of the party by Nwosu to Mark did not violate the provisions of the party’s constitution.
The judge agreed that the disputed July 2, 2025 meeting of the party was a stakeholder meeting which preceded the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025, that produced Mark and Aregbesola as party’s leaders which was monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Justice Liman, therefore, declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of ADC was valid and in accordance with the constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026 and party’s law.
The judge consequently awarded a fine of N2 million each in favour of all the defendants which shall be paid by Abejide.

He also awarded a N10 million fine against Abejide’s lawyer in compliance with the Electioral Act, 2026.
Abejide had instituted the suit to stop Mark-led leadership of ADC.

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In the originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 filed on Feb. 15 by Idris, the lawmaker sued ADC, Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola and INEC as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
Nwosu was the former national chairman of ADC who stepped down for Mark, the ex-Senate president.

Abejide, among the eight reliefs, sought an order nullifying Nwosu’s handover or transfer of ADC’s leadership to Mark and Aregbesola as interim national chairman and intenm national secretary respectively on July 2, 2025, at Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja for being illegal, unlawful, null and void.

He sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as leaders of the party “as thelr purported appointment, selection or election was unlawful, illegal, null and void.”
He also sought perpetual injunction, restraining INEC from recognising Mark and Aregbesola as ADC’s interim national chairman and interim national secretary “.
He alleged that their appointment. selection or election did not meet the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022,” among other prayers.

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Pilot in Beijing Tower crash had written about self-harm, says Govt

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By Francesca Hangeior
 
The pilot who died after crashing a small plane into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper, injuring 13 people, had mental health issues and had written about suicide in his diary, authorities said Thursday.

The 66-year-old man flew a light aircraft into the 528-metre (1,732-foot) CITIC Tower in Beijing’s Central Business District on Friday at 5:55 pm (0955 GMT).

The plane crash raised questions about aviation safety in tightly secured Beijing, with the CITIC skyscraper around seven kilometres (4.3 miles) away from Zhongnanhai, the government compound which houses top Chinese leaders.

AFP journalists at the scene had seen a hole in the windows of one of the building’s upper floors, with witnesses reporting plane debris and a small fire at the foot of the tower.

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The pilot — surnamed Liu — was divorced, lived alone in Beijing and “had long suffered from insomnia and anxiety, and his diary contained multiple references to ‘ending his life’”, the capital’s Chaoyang district government said in a statement.

“This was an incident endangering public safety caused by personal reasons,” it added.

Liu worked as a freelancer and had obtained a sport pilot license in 2021 and a private pilot license in 2024, according to the statement.

On the afternoon of the incident, Liu took off from a general aviation airport in suburban Pinggu district and conducted both supervised and solo flights, the statement said.

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During his last solo flight, Liu “deviated from the designated area and lost contact with the airport” before the crash, it added.

He was flying a two-seat propeller-driven light aircraft.

Chinese social media was rapidly scrubbed of photos and videos of the plane crash shortly after it took place, while police at the scene stopped journalists and onlookers from taking pictures of the building.

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