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US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was calling off strikes on Iran and flagged the signing of a possible deal with Tehran after top-level talks.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have… cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” he added.

Iran Warns Of ‘Endless Quagmire’

Iran had warned Washington on Thursday that it risked wading into an “endless quagmire” of war and soaring energy prices, after Trump vowed to launch a new round of airstrikes and to seize an island oil terminal.

Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the Americans, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued his stark warning after the two sides exchanged overnight fire and Trump threatened that US forces would hit “VERY HARD TONIGHT”.

“Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years,” Ghalibaf said.
The war, which began on February 28 with a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, was paused under an April truce, but efforts to hammer out a permanent end to the fighting have since stalled.

US forces have also, since the ceasefire, hit radar arrays and disabled Iranian ships, and Tehran has maintained a chokehold on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela,” Trump said, in a post on his own social media platform, referring to a Gulf island that hosts Iran’s biggest oil export terminal.

General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Iranian military’s central headquarters, warned that “if the United States once again seeks to carry out attacks against heroic Iran, it would receive a harsher response than before, and the flames of war, in addition to creating insecurity in the region, will become more widespread and far-reaching”.
The conflict has destabilised oil and gas prices, fuelling inflation and fears of recession in many economies.

On Thursday, the World Bank lowered its global growth forecast to its lowest level since the coronavirus pandemic, predicting it would drop to 2.5 percent in 2026, from 2.9 percent last year.

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Hon. Dr. Olotu Akpodiete JP, who’s vying for the Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, has sent his congratulations to Rt. Hon. Frederick Agbedi. Agbedi’s new role as Minority Leader was announced today during plenary by Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.

Dr. Akpodiete said Agbedi’s emergence shows the trust and confidence his colleagues have in him. He described the new Minority Leader as dependable, strong-willed, and a politician of principle who acts on conviction rather than convenience.

Rt. Hon. Agbedi represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State. Before this appointment, he led the PDP Caucus in the House and also served as Bayelsa PDP chairman. He remains a committed PDP member and believes the party has a vital role as a strong opposition.

Akpodiete said he’s confident Agbedi will use his experience, competence and character to serve the House, the legislature, and Nigerians well.

Signed:
Hon. Dr. Olotu Akpodiete JP
House of Representatives Candidate Hopeful
Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency

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Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has said the number of governors supporting President Bola Tinubu will not decide the outcome of the 2027 election.

The former Anambra State governor stated in an interview on Nooire TV that political power comes from the people and not just from elected leaders.Politics

He said his performance in the 2023 presidential election showed that a candidate can win states even without the backing of governors.

The former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate recalled that he secured victory in 12 states during the last presidential election and claimed that the number could have been higher if not for what he described as problems during the voting process.

The NDC candidate also spoke about the growing support around President Tinubu ahead of the next election, saying political alliances among governors should not be seen as the main factor that will determine who wins.

According to Obi, the major issue in the 2027 election should be the condition of Nigerians and how leaders plan to improve the lives of citizens.

He said the country’s challenges, including hunger, poor education, and healthcare problems, should receive more attention than political arrangements among powerful individuals.

He said: “It doesn’t matter whether 36 governors are with the president. I didn’t have one governor in the last election, and I won 12 states. Even after they have taken two from me, I won 12 states. By making Abuja a state, we now have 37 states, because that is what the judgment of the Supreme Court showed. Rabiu Kwankwaso won one state, Kano. APC, PDP, and Labour all won 12 states each.

“It doesn’t matter whether they took all the governors, I’ll still win. What is important is how to make Nigeria work for the poor. A Nigeria where tribe, ethnicity, and religion will not be the issue. The issue will be about the welfare of the people, the education of the people, and the health of the people. Nigerians are hungry today. Nigerians are looking for food.”

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