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9th Assembly: I’ll Emerge Senate President, Says Ndume

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Former Senate leader, Ali Ndume, is confident that he will emerge as president of the Ninth Senate, next month.

Although the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has settled for Senator Ahmad Lawan, as its preferred candidate for the number one seat in the Red Chamber, Ndume banks on the support of his colleagues and party leaders.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, Ndume, who said he is not in the race to bargain for any juicy position, reiterated he consulted with President Muhammadu Buhari, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other leaders of the ruling party, on his ambition and, “they all gave me their blessings” to his ambition.

Ndume further disclosed that, so far, nobody has asked him to withdraw for anyone.

The former senate leader said even the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, had explained that the party only recommended senator Lawan as its preferred choice and not trying to impose him on the senators.

He said: “We have 109 senators and each of them has one vote.

“If you are contesting to be the senate president, you have to reach out. But, at the beginning, I was cautious because I am a party man. So, when the party said ‘don’t go there, because if you do, you will be disciplined,’ I stayed back.

“But, the party came out again and said, ‘you can reach out to them now, and so, I reached out to them. So far, I thank God that the response I’m getting from my colleagues from the other party is very encouraging, same thing from my colleagues in APC. I’m in this race to win.

“So, I’m talking to everybody. I have all the phone numbers of the 109 senators-elect and I call them’

“I’ve written the party, indicating my intention to contest. Even my national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, publicly said they only recommended Lawan and are not stopping anybody from contesting for the position.

“As I speak with you, nobody has consulted me to say, ‘don’t run for senate president’. Every senator-elect has the constitutional right to do that,” he said.

Speaking on his nine-point agenda, Ndume, who currently represents Borno South senatorial district, promised to improve upon the performance of the Eighth Senate, and added that he will make the office of the senate president less attractive by reducing unnecessary privileges attached to the office.

While promising to uphold the independence of the legislative arm of government, the third-tern senator promised to “work harmoniously and inter-dependently with the Executive without undermining the principle of Separation of Powers.”

The lawmaker, who said the North East deserves an articulate representative as senate president, added that the region has suffered huge devastations with property worth over N2 trillion destroyed by insurgents and that there is need for an articulate candidate from the zone, as senate president, to galvanise global support for the restoration of the North East.

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Third Explosion In A Week Rocks Dansadau-Gusau Road, Claims Lives Of Travellers

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Tragedy struck yet again on the Dansadau-Gusau road as another explosion killed multiple travellers on Friday, marking the third such incident in less than a week.

The explosion occurred between Dansadau to Malele road, causing significant damage.

A resident of the area who pleaded anonymity for security reasons told Channels Television that a truck vehicle conveying about 100 bags of grains and passengers to Dansadau market hit an improvised explosive device (IED) planted along the route, resulting in a devastating explosion.

Authorities and locals have yet to confirm the exact number of casualties, but the resident said several travellers killed during the blast.

“Till now, we are yet to confirm the exact number of people killed, we are waiting for the people from Malele community to give us the actual figures,” the source said.

“The incident happened around 8:30 am, the distance between the scene of the explosion to Dansadau is just few kilometres.”

The source added that the second explosive planted by the terrorists was discovered by the troops who defused it.

“The soldiers who rushed to the scene of the bomb discovered another bomb that was yet to detonate, they used their machine to check and took it inside the bush to defuse it,” he stated.

The recurring blasts have heightened fears among residents and commuters, who now consider the highway a death trap.

Just two days ago, a similar incident claimed the lives of six persons, sparking widespread calls for urgent government intervention.

The police authorities in the state had earlier accused the newly formed terror group Lakurawa as the mastermind of the recent explosions that occurred along the Dansadau-Gusau Road.

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Nigeria’s Economy Still Facing Crisis, CBN Admits

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Yemi Cardoso has acknowledged that Nigeria remains in a financial and economic crisis, a situation inherited by the current CBN administration.

Speaking at the 14th Annual Bankers’ Committee Retreat in Abuja, Cardoso explained that the role of the bankers’ committee remains critical towards addressing the challenge as well as reflating the economy.

The CBN boss said that the nation faces challenges in how to address poverty, rising inflation, infrastructure deficits, insecurity, and unemployment, among others.

He called on members of the bankers’ committee to reflect on the past year’s challenges and devise actionable tools to address them effectively.

On his part, the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs Tope Fasua expressed concerns over excess charges by point of sale operators (PoS) while calling on the apex bank as well as deposit money banks to make cash available at all ATM points.

The three-day event brings together key players in the banking sector and has the theme “Contract and Commitment to National Development and Economic Growth”.

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Alleged Mass Killings: NHRC Demands Justice For Victims

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A member of the NHRC Governing Council, Kemi Okonyedo, speaks in Abuja on December 6, 2024 at the presentation of the report from the investigative panel on human rights violations in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East, to the army.


The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has demanded justice and accountability for civilian victims who were allegedly killed by operatives of the Nigerian Army in the Abisari community in Borno state.

A member of the NHRC Governing Council, Kemi Okonyedo, made the demand at the presentation of the report from the investigative panel on human rights violations in counter-insurgency operations in the North-East, to the army.

The report had vindicated the military of forced systemic abortions administered on women but indicted them of intentionally killing civilians in the Abasari community

Okonyedo is demanding that those affected, be compensated.

“The killing of civilians in Abisari remains a grave violation that demands justice, accountability and immediate action,” she said.

“These are not abstract issues, they are real. Lives affected are real, families impacted exist, and communities impacted are still suffering and must be acknowledged and addressed.

“The recommendations of the panel provide a roadmap for addressing these violations, holding perpetrators accountable and ensuring that similar violations do not occur in the future.

“Among the panel’s key recommendations is compensation for the victims of the Abisari killings with the Federal Government ensuring that the families and communities affected are provided adequate reparations.”

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