News
Access Bank speaks on Herbert Wigwe’s death

Access Bank Plc has reacted to reports of death of its Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, in a helicopter crash in California, USA.
Wigwe, who has been feared killed in a helicopter crash was said to be with his wife, son, and a former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
The bank in a statement posted on its X handle on Sunday said it has received numerous inquiries concerning the crash and is working with the US authorities for updates.
“We have received numerous inquiries concerning an airplane crash in the USA. Presently, we lack specific information; however, we are actively collaborating with US authorities who will furnish updates.
“Your understanding and support are valued, and we commit to keeping you informed promptly as we receive updates on the situation.”
Wigwe, his wife and others onboard the ill-fated helicopter are reported to have been en route to Boulder City, Nevada from Palm Springs, California, on Friday night when it crashed at about 10 pm, near a small town in California’s Mojave Desert.
This development has dashed the hope of many Nigerians who planned to fly to the country to watch the final match.
There has been an outcry over the high airfare to Abidjan, which is less than one hour, 30 minutes from Lagos.
Nigeria’s Air Peace, Asky and Air Côte d’Ivoire, are few of the airlines flying to Abidjan.
Checks by our correspondent revealed that a one-way ticket from the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA) costs between N890,000 to N1.2million, while a return ticket costs over N2m, depending on the airline.
Checks on the website of Asky on Saturday indicated that a one-way fare is 1,229,811 for Sunday’s flight when the final match would be played, while the same flight costs N890,000.
On Air Côte d’Ivoire, the flight was priced at $913, which is over N1.3m at N1,450 to a dollar.
Yesterday, a Professor of Law, Joy Ezeilo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), decried the price of flight ticket to Abidjan, saying she dreamt of watching the AFCON match live but was shocked with the price of the return ticket, which is estimated at over N2.1m.
She wrote, “I am dreaming of watching AFCON 2024 live and I enquired about flights to Abidjan to watch our Super Eagles play in the final. I believed that Ivory Coast, being so close (an hour and 35 minutes) wouldn’t cost me too much. However, my travel agent of over 20 years sent me a price quotation of N2,183,000.00, which was a huge shock. I did the math and realised that I would need to save my five months’ salary as a Professor of Law on the last professional step to buy one return ticket to a West African country.
“This is a sad reflection of our current economic realities. Please refrain from attempting to convert to US dollars, it is extremely depressing and demystifying of a full professor position. This will push the resolve of brilliant young ones we are training and mentoring to take over from us farther away from the classrooms to becoming political aspirants/election delegates.
She, however, pointed out that she had made an alternative plan which includes recharging her DSTV at N19,800, and to buy 20 litres of fuel to generate power because they didn’t have electricity during the semifinal match.
“The struggle continues! Good luck to our Super Eagles! You are in my thoughts and prayers,” she stated.
However, an aviation management consultant, Babatunde Adeniji, said with the huge demand for flight to Abidjan, the value of a seat on the route also increased.
“Demand and supply of must-watch mean that each seat becomes so much more valuable. The demand and supply principle states that because of this final match, which is coming up just once, the value of your seat has gone up. If you throw a bid now on a 120-seat aircraft for all Nigerians to bid for seats, you know some people would bid much more than this amount you are even talking about, and that’s what is happening with ticketing,” he said.
News
Just in: Finally, opposition leaders adopt ADA as coalition platform

Opposition leaders under the aegis of Coalition Movement have adopted the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), and applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register as a party ahead of the 2027 election.
The coalition’s application letter addressed to INEC chairman and dated June 19 was co-signed by the National Chairman of ADA, Chief Akin Ricketts and Protem National Secretary, Abdullahi Musa Elayo.
The letter which was stamped received by the office of the INEC chairman on June 20, 2025, was titled: “Application for registration as a political party” with ADA name and flag.
“We respectfully write to the Independent National Electoral Commission requesting the registration of our association, the All Democratic Alliance as a political party.
This is sequel to the decision taken by the Nigerian National Coalition Group to sponsor our association for full registration,” the letter read.
Details shortly…
News
England goalie, Keating gets clean bill over nitrous oxide charges

A court case against England goalkeeper Khiara Keating has been dropped nearly a year after she pleaded not guilty to possessing canisters of nitrous oxide.
The 20-year-old Manchester City goalkeeper was charged with possession of a Class C drug on 18 June last year after an investigation by Greater Manchester Police.
In July, Keating appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court alongside her mother Nicola Keating, 48, who also denied the same offence, and both were granted unconditional bail.
Greater Manchester Police has confirmed the case has been discontinued.
In a statement given exclusively to BBC Sport, Keating said: “I’m relieved the charges have been dropped. As I’ve always said, I did nothing wrong.
“It’s been a difficult time, but I’ve always known the truth. Now I’m just looking forward to focusing fully on the Euros and spending time with my family.”
Nitrous oxide was made a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act in November 2023.
Possession with the intention of wrongfully inhaling it for a psychoactive effect became an offence, but it is still possible to use the gas for legitimate reasons, such as in catering or pain relief during labour.
Keating has not made an appearance for England’s senior team yet but is part of the 23-player squad selected to compete at Euro 2025 next month.
She became the youngest player to win the Women’s Super League Golden Glove award last year, after keeping nine clean sheets in 22 league games.
News
Appeal Court throws out APC’s case, affirms PDP’s victories in Osun council polls

The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has dismissed the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), affirming the legitimacy of the February 2025 local government elections in Osun State.
The judgement, delivered on Friday, 13 June 2025, upheld the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its elected Chairmen and Councillors.
The panel of justices — Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye, Peter Chudi Obiorah, and Hadiza Rabiu Shagari — held that the appeal lacked merit, had been overtaken by events, and constituted a mere academic exercise.
The suit, numbered CA/AK/15/2025, was filed by the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Babatunde Nurudeen Idowu, and the APC against the Action Peoples Party (APP), INEC, OSSIEC, APGA, and Prince Adegboye Famodun.
Justice Omoleye ruled, “Critically, this Court had earlier delivered judgment on 10th February 2025 in Appeal No. CA/AK/270/2022, involving basically the same parties and addressing substantially the same issues.
“The said appeal has been dismissed. What is more, the fresh Local Government elections conducted on 22nd February 2025 and the swearing-in of new Chairmen and Councillors have overtaken the substratum of this dispute. Relisting the appeal at this stage would serve no practical purpose.”
She added, “In sum, this application is not only procedurally incompetent and factually unsupported, it is also one rendered otiose by subsequent events. There is no longer any live controversy.
“The matter is, in every material sense, a fait accompli, “I therefore also dismiss the application.”
Justice Obiorah, in a concurring judgement, declared, “Of course, the dismissal of the appeal means that there being no existing appeal against the judgment of the lower court, the said judgment stands as the authority defining the state of affairs as it regards the status of the officers of the various Local Government Councils in Osun State.”
He also addressed the issue of contempt, saying, “However, the issue of violation of the orders of the lower court and the alleged contempt is the 3a Respondent/Applicant’s interpretation of the action of the 3d Appellant/Respondent with respect to their treatment of the judgment of the lower court, particularly after the dismissal of their appeal by this Court on 13/1/2025.
“The said contempt is ex-facie curiae. In INEC & ANOR v. OGUEBEGO & ORS (2017) LPELR-42609(SC) (Pp. 10-12 paras. F), the highly revered and cerebral, Chima Centus Nweze, JSC (of blessed memory) stated.”
Reacting to the judgment in an X post, PDP welcomed the ruling, describing it as a confirmation of the people’s mandate and a defeat for political desperation.
The party said the Certified True Copy of the ruling had “affirmed that the Court has dismissed APC’s appeal and affirmed Chairmen and Councillors elected in the 2025 Local Government Election as the duly elected council officials in Osun State.”
“The Presiding Judge, Oyebisi Folayemi Omoleye in her ruling stated that since a fresh election has been conducted and new Chairmen and Councillors have been sworn in, there is no controversy anymore,” PDP added.
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