The 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army in the Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has announced plans to hold this year’s first quarter range classification exercise.

The exercise will begin today, March 19 and last till March 28, 2025, according to a statement by the acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lt Adebowale Adejimi.

Adejimi appealed to residents within the range area to stay off designated areas and not to panic at the sound of gunshots, adding that adequate preparations had been made for their safety.

“The headquarters 2 Brigade, 2 Brigade Garrison, and other Sub-units are scheduled to hold the First Quarter Range Classification Exercise for the year 2025 at 6 Bn Range Area in Abak LGA, from 19 – 28 Mar 2025.

“Consequently, the good people of Abak LGA are pleased requested to stay off the designated exercise area. They are also requested not to panic at the sound of gunshots.

“They are also to note that adequate measures have been emplaced for safety and security at the range area and environs.

“You are please requested to disseminate this to the general public for their awareness and safety. Thank you for your usual cooperatiom,” the statement added.

It urged residents not to panic at the sight of moving troops and gunshots.

A shift in leadership is imminent in the Edo State House of Assembly as the All Progressives Congress has formally informed the Assembly of its new majority status.

On Tuesday, Speaker Blessing Agbebaku confirmed the receipt of a letter from the APC, notifying the Assembly of the party’s increased membership following the defection of four lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Although the letter was not made public, it marked a significant political shift in the House.

The PDP lawmakers who joined the APC are Donald Okugbe (Akoko Edo Constituency II), Bright Iyamu (Orhionmwon South Constituency II), Richard Edosa (Oredo West Constituency), and Sunday Ojezele (Esan South East).

With this development, the APC now has 13 members, while the PDP has 11 members. The Labour Party also lost its sole representative to the APC.

The letter from the APC, titled “Notification of APC Majority Status in the Edo State House of Assembly,” formally declared that the party now holds the majority following the defections.

It also mentioned that the APC would notify the House of any consequential actions regarding this new reality at an appropriate time.

Speaker Agbebaku acknowledged the APC’s majority status, stating, “Going by this letter, it means APC now has a majority in the House.”

He expressed his well wishes to the defected lawmakers, saying, “I want to wish the decampees well, and I wish them good endeavours.”

The Speaker also indicated that he was awaiting another letter from the APC to officially nominate its principal officers, signaling further changes in the House’s leadership.

The Kaduna State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has dismissed allegations by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai that Governor Uba Sani diverted local government funds to acquire properties abroad.

ALGON, through its spokesman, Alhaji Muhammad Shehu, described El-Rufai’s claims as “false, patently absurd, and ill-intentioned,” aimed at misleading the public and discrediting the current administration.

“The allegations are meant to mislead the public, create disaffection, and ridicule the all-inclusive, pro-poor and people-oriented administration in Kaduna State,” Shehu said.

Also, the state House of Assembly threatened legal action against El-Rufai over his recent comments describing lawmakers as “stark illiterates” and questioning their capacity to probe his administration.

The Assembly insisted it was acting within its constitutional mandate and maintained that the former governor remained indicted unless he successfully challenged the findings in court.

El-Rufai, who recently defected to the Social Democratic Party, also faced criticism from the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress.

The APC dismissed his defection as a “non-event,” arguing that it signified his political decline rather than a threat to the party.

The political tensions in Kaduna continue to intensify as El-Rufai, following his defection to the SDP, continues to stir controversy in the state.

In a recent interview on Freedom Radio, Kaduna, El-Rufai alleged that Sani diverted local government funds to purchase properties in Seychelles, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

“As I speak, no local government in Kaduna receives more than N50m per month. Once the allocation arrives, they siphon it, exchange it into dollars, and use it to buy properties in Seychelles, South Africa, London, and other places,” El-Rufai alleged.

But Shehu, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday, noted that the Sani-led administration stood for transparency, accountability, and respect for the financial autonomy of local governments.

“Transparency and accountability are its watchwords. It supports and respects the financial autonomy of local governments. It has never tampered with the funds of the local governments,” he said.

Shehu added that the administration had been working to revitalise rural economies, create jobs, and restore security and peace.

“Governor Uba Sani’s administration’s Rural Transformation Programme has been pivotal in revitalising rural economies and giving rural dwellers a new lease of life,” Shehu added.

He recalled that during El-Rufai’s administration, local government chairmen received less than half the monthly allocation they received now, and operated under an atmosphere of harassment and intimidation

“Some of us served as LG chairmen when Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was in office as governor. We can testify to the fact that what we have been receiving as monthly allocation since Senator Uba Sani became governor is more than double the amount we received during El-Rufai’s administration.

“Apart from enhanced monthly allocations, we have been operating in an atmosphere devoid of harassment and intimidation, unlike Mallam El-Rufai’s era that was marked by high-handedness and coercion,” he added.

ALGON advised the public to disregard El-Rufai’s allegations, stating that they were “wild allegations not supported by facts.

The state House of Assembly, carpetting El-Rufai for calling them “stark illiterates,” described the allegation as a defamation of their character.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Henry Marah, in a response on Tuesday, said “I wish to remind the former governor that all the honourable members of the Assembly met constitutional requirements to contest and win their various elections.

“(This is) enshrined in Section 106 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

“It is also disheartening to note that the former governor is ignorant of the provision of constitution, specifically Sections 128 and 129 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). (This) empowers the assembly to conduct investigations on any matter or thing with respect to which it has power to make laws.”

Marah denied the former governor’s allegation that the report of the ad hoc committee that investigated his government was written by someone else.

He said the assembly was discharging its duties and constitutional responsibilities by carrying out the investigation.

According to him, the former governor remained indicted until the committee report was successfully challenged in court.

He added that all findings of the committee against the former governor were in the public domain.

The state APC, in a statement signed by the Chairman, Air Commodore Emmanuel Jekada (retd), and Secretary, Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate, in Kaduna on Tuesday, described the SDP’s claims as “vituperations of political non-starters who have demystified themselves by pushing their lucks too far.”

The APC stated that the defection of El-Rufai to the SDP has proved to be a “non-event”, with no person of substance or political relevance following them to the SDP.

The party also warned that by accommodating El-Rufai, the SDP has “sown the seed of its own destruction,” stating that El-Rufai would soon “throw a cat amongst the pigeons” in the SDP.

“Nasir El-Rufai’s motivation for leaving APC is self-interest. He is eager to extract a political ‘pound of flesh’ from those he holds responsible for his descent into the political wilderness.

“We will not be distracted by the vituperations of political non-starters, who have demystified themselves by pushing their luck too far. The good people of Kaduna State will not fall for their game of manipulation,” the statement added.

The APC also stated that the party was committed to the promotion and protection of the principles of democracy and stood for the rule of law and due process.

According to the APC, the party had been creating a conducive atmosphere for all parties to thrive in the state.

The APC also recalled that recently, top political figures from the Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party moved to the APC in large numbers.

“We believe that a vibrant and constructive opposition is vital to the strengthening and consolidation of democracy, as well as accelerating the pace of development.

“It is a known fact that Governor Uba Sani runs an all-inclusive, people-centered and pro-poor administration.

“We received defectors from the National Assembly and the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The movement to our party from significant parties in Kaduna State has been overwhelming,” the statement read.

The party further stated that with its party reaching the state of near saturation, there was no need to bother about individuals running from pillar to post in search of political relevance.

“Rather than desperately searching for who to pull down, they should engage in soul searching and atone for their past misdeeds. In doing so, they will have peace,” the statement added.