News
Kalu Backs New South-East State, Floats ‘Animoma’ as Compromise Path
By Gloria Ikibah
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has reaffirmed his support for the creation of an additional state in the South-East, putting forward the ‘Animoma’ proposal as a possible middle ground to advance the long-running debate.
Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, made his position known during a meeting with representatives of the Anioma State Movement, stressing that any progress on state creation must be driven by broad consultation and shared understanding.
He underscored the need for inclusiveness, noting that such a significant constitutional change requires careful dialogue and agreement among affected regions.
The Deputy Speaker further pointed out that the process cannot be pursued in isolation, highlighting the importance of working closely with state governors and other critical stakeholders across both the South-East and South-South to build the necessary consensus.
He urged proponents of separate state to embrace compromise for the greater good, noting that unity would strengthen the case for state creation.
“You can’t do this without the Governors of the South-East and South-South. It is our duty to pass Bills, but critical stakeholders must be involved. If you ask me between having Anioma State and Anim State, I would prefer a fusion—Animoma—so that the two brothers can come together as one.
“Whoever is proposing in isolation must be ready to give up some and accept some, so that brothers can unite and work together. Anything outside this approach is a waste of time. There must be agreement—South-East accepting, South-South accepting—to move forward,” he said.
On the issue of the proposed state capital, Kalu said that the location will emerge through negotiation and democratic consensus.
The Deputy Speaker further noted that while the proposal is achievable, its success depends on the willingness of stakeholders to engage constructively and promptly.
He highlighted the importance of a humanitarian approach in the discussions, noting that the process requires patience, understanding, and empathy.
The Deputy Speaker assured that as Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, he would continue to prioritize the creation of an additional state for the South-East, while commending Sen. Ned Nwoko for his relentless advocacy for the Anioma cause.
He outlined key criteria that must guide state creation efforts, including geographical considerations, historical and cultural identity, economic viability, political dynamics, and regional alignment.
“We must ask: who are our neighbours? Who is joining us? Why should they join us? These are the core indicators we must evaluate as we move forward,” he added
Earlier, the delegation led by the lead proponent of the movement for Anioma State, Sen. Ned Nwoko, said their mission is to show appreciation to the Deputy Speaker.
In their separate remarks, King of Ubulu-Uno Delta, HRM Henry Kikachukwu and President of Izu Anioma, Evang Dr. RCD Nwadavid said that the agitation for Anioma State is not a personal interest but a long overdue need to rightfully and fully identify as Ndi Igbo.
“We are here to let you know that the quest for Anioma has been so long. So many decades. We are Igbos and we want to fully identify as Ndi Igbo. We need Anioma to be created as the sixth state in the South-East,” Nwadavid said
Mr. Suage Badey, son of late Chief Albert Badey, former Secretary to the Rivers State Government, says peace and reconciliation remain the only pathway to sustainable development in Ogoni land.
Badey made the assertion on Saturday in Port Harcourt at the 90th posthumous birthday celebration of his father, alongside the unveiling of the Albert Badey Centre for Development and its inaugural lecture.
He said that the era of grievances and acrimony in Ogoni land should give way to unity and collective progress.
“This is the time to move forward. We have no more grudges in our hearts. There is no need for continuous acrimony,” he said.
Badey urged Ogoni leaders to embrace dialogue in resolving differences, stressing that unity was critical to the advancement of the people.
“As we move into peace, the lives of those committed to this course should not be endangered,” he added.
In case you had forgotten, Chief Albert Badey and three other prominent Ogoni leaders were killed on May 21, 1994, during a meeting at Giokoo in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers.
Badey described his late father as a committed public servant who contributed significantly to the development of Ogoni land.
He said his father played key roles in the creation of four local government areas for the Ogoni people and the siting of a state polytechnic in Bori.
“If my father were alive, he would have called for forgiveness, even for those who took his life,” he said.
Badey said the establishment of the Albert Badey Centre for Development was aimed at immortalising his father and promoting development initiatives in the area.
“This project is inspired by his sacrifices and dedication to the people,” he said.
The court fixed April 29, April 30, May 4, and May 5 for the commencement of trial proceedings and the hearing of bail applications filed by the defendants.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted an accelerated hearing in the trial of six suspects accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The court fixed April 29, April 30, May 4, and May 5 for the commencement of trial proceedings and the hearing of bail applications filed by the defendants.
During proceedings, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution had witnesses available, subject to the convenience of the court.
Counsel for the first defendant, Mohammed Ilayepo, indicated that his client’s bail application was due for a hearing.
Justice Abdulmalik, however, ruled that the trial would commence before any bail applications were considered.
Counsel for the second, third, and sixth defendants, Paul Erokoro, A. I. Yeru, and N. S. Diri, respectively, expressed reservations about their readiness to proceed, citing the short notice given to them and the complex nature of the case.
Justice Abdulmalik then directed all counsel to agree on dates suitable for a speedy trial.
The court subsequently fixed the hearing dates for the accelerated trial.
The Federal Government had last Wednesday arraigned the suspects.
The defendants, including Major General Ibrahim Gana (retd), who was in a wheelchair; retired naval captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, pleaded not guilty to the 13-count charge when it was read in their hearing.
Following their plea of not guilty, Fagbemi asked that they be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and for an expeditious trial.
Justice Abdulmalik, therefore, ordered an accelerated trial and that the defendants be placed in the custody of the DSS.
The case was adjourned to April 27 for trial and an accelerated hearing.
The government filed a 13-count charge against the suspects last Tuesday before the court against the suspects.
Also listed in the charge, but said to be at large, was a former Minister of Petroleum, Timiprye Sylva.
The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accused the defendants of offences ranging from alleged treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
Earlier, journalists were barred from covering the trial of six alleged coup plotters, raising concerns about the transparency in handling the matter.
Judiciary correspondents were on Monday left uncertain about developments in the case, particularly as the suspects’ bail application was pending before the court.
Trump shared photos of the suspect handcuffed on the carpeted hotel floor, lying shirtless and face down.
A California man accused of storming a gala dinner attended by President Donald Trump is expected to appear in court Today over a shooting that marks the latest spasm of political violence in deeply divided America.
Administration officials said the suspect in Saturday night’s shocking attack apparently aimed to kill Trump and senior officials at the press dinner in a Washington hotel, in what would be the third attempt on the president’s life in two years.
Trump, who was rushed out of the ballroom in Washington by Secret Service agents, posted surveillance footage of the gunman attempting to sprint past a checkpoint one floor above the room where the dinner was held.
After a brief exchange of gunfire with agents, the suspect was detained at the scene.
Trump shared photos of the suspect handcuffed on the carpeted hotel floor, lying shirtless and face down.
Members of the FBI knock on the doors of neighbors of a home (out of frame) associated with the suspected White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter in Torrance, California, on April 26, 2026.
In an interview aired Sunday night on the CBS programme “60 Minutes” Trump was asked if he feared there would be casualties as the chaotic scene unfolded before him: Washington’s government and media elite in formal attire ducking for cover at a fancy dinner.
“I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” Trump said.
“He’s not actively cooperating. I expect that he will be formally charged tomorrow morning in federal court in Washington,” acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche told CBS’s “Face The Nation” earlier in the day.
“We do believe, based upon just a very preliminary start to understanding what happened, that he was targeting members of the administration.”
Blanche added that no further motive was known for the attack, and confirmed the suspect — who officials said was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and knives — was staying at the Washington Hilton hotel where the black-tie White House Correspondents’ Dinner was held.
Guests Hid Under Tables
Trump, without providing details, said the gunman had written an “anti-Christian” manifesto.
“The guy is a sick guy. His sister or his brother actually was complaining about it. They were even complaining to law enforcement,” Trump told Fox News.
The New York Post said the suspect, widely named as Cole Allen, 31, had written in a message shared with his family shortly before the attack that his targets would be “prioritised from highest-ranking to lowest.”
In the seconds after the shooting on a floor above, Secret Service agents swarmed into the ballroom, prompting chaotic scenes as attendees dove under tables.
Crowded into the ballroom were Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, several cabinet members and top lawmakers, and hundreds of guests in black tie.
Trump said at a hastily arranged late-night news conference at the White House that he first thought the noise was a tray being dropped, before realizing it was gunfire.
He said he hoped the annual gala, hosted by the White House Correspondents Association, would be rescheduled within a month.
“They seem to think he was a lone wolf, and I feel that too,” the president said.
One officer was shot at close range in his safety vest and appeared to be not seriously harmed.
Trump added that the hotel venue was “not a particularly secure” facility, as questions swirled about the president’s safety protocols.
Multiple Attempts On Trump’s Life
Trump was the target of an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
A gunman fired several shots, killing an audience member and lightly wounding the president in the ear.
Agents draw their guns after loud bangs were heard during the White House Correspondents’ dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, on April 25, 2026.
A few months later, another man was arrested after a Secret Service agent saw the barrel of a rifle poking from the bushes on the perimeter of the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing a round.
The Washington Hilton, where Saturday’s gala was taking place, is the site where Republican President Ronald Reagan was shot by a would-be assassin in 1981.
Trump on Sunday said the shooting underlined the security reasons that he has cited for planning a huge new ballroom next to the White House, a project that has faced legal challenges.
The White House Correspondents’ Association invited Trump to its gala this year despite his repeated attacks on the media.
Before this year and unlike all other presidents from the past 100 years, Trump had never attended while in office.
The dinner brings together journalists and the who’s who of Washington to raise funds for scholarships and awards.
The incident came less than 48 hours before King Charles III and Queen Camilla begin a four-day state visit to Washington.
AFP
Peace, Reconciliation Only Path To Progress In Ogoni land — Badey
Court Grants Accelerated Hearing In Trial Of Alleged Coup Plotters
Alleged Shooter At Trump Press Dinner To Appear In Court
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