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Woman appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in a historic first for the Church of England

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Sarah Mullally was on Friday named the new Archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England — which can trace its origins to the Roman empire — and the global Anglican community.

Her nomination by a committee tasked with finding a successor to Justin Welby, who stepped down earlier this year over an abuse scandal, has been approved by King Charles III, the UK government said.

The Church of England is the mother church of global Anglicanism. Mullally, 63, becomes the church’s 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, the first having been appointed in the late sixth century.

In a statement, the former nurse acknowledged the “huge responsibility” of her new role, but said she feels a sense of “peace and trust in God to carry me”.


Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed the appointment of the first woman to hold the role.

“The Church of England is of profound importance to this country. Its churches, cathedrals, schools, and charities are part of the fabric of our communities,” he said in a statement, adding the new archbishop would “play a key role in our national life.”

Welby resigned after a report found the Church of England had covered up a 1970s serial abuse case and that he failed to report the abuses to authorities when they came to his attention in 2013.

According to the independent probe, John Smyth, a lawyer who organised evangelical summer camps in the 1970s and 1980s, was responsible for the abuse of as many as 130 boys and young men.

Smyth died aged 75 in South Africa in 2018 while under investigation by British police. He never faced any criminal charges.

The scandal shocked the UK and prompted widespread calls for reform in the Church of England, whose supreme governor is the British monarch.

The Church of England has some 20 million baptised members, but the number of regular churchgoers is estimated at just under one million, according to figures for 2022.

Mullally was appointed by King Charles III following a lengthy selection process under a former head of the MI5 domestic security service.

The Anglican Church became the established state church following King Henry VIII’s split from the Roman Catholic Church in the 1530s.

Mullally was ordained a priest in 2002 and became the first female Bishop of London in 2018.

The church only began allowing women bishops in 2014 after years of bitter factional wrangling.

Some churches around the Anglican world — which collectively boasts some 85 million followers in more than 165 countries — had long permitted women bishops, with the first appointed in the United States in 1989.

More than 40 of England’s 108 bishops are now women, with a similar proportion among priests, after women clergy were first permitted in the early 1990s.

AFP

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Tinubu Will Resolve Generational Grievances, Jimoh Ibrahim Tells UN

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Nigeria’s ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, has said President Bola Tinubu remains committed to resolving long-standing grievances driving insecurity across the country.

Speaking in New York on Monday while presenting his letter of credence to the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, Ibrahim conveyed Tinubu’s message, underscoring Nigeria’s resolve to confront both domestic and global security challenges.

Ibrahim noted that Nigeria would continue to mobilise support to tackle insecurity in the Sahel and West African sub-region.

He added that the country remains committed to advancing peace-building efforts across the continent.

On the economy, Ibrahim highlighted key reforms by the Tinubu administration, including fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification.

The ambassador said tighter monetary policies are also being implemented to curb inflation.

According to him, early indicators show progress, with improvements in debt sustainability and easing inflationary pressures.

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, PhD (Cantab) CFR, on Monday April 20, 2026 formally presented his Letter of Credence to United Nations.

UN Secretary General António Guterres, officially received and accredited him as the Permanent Representative Extraordinary and… pic.twitter.com/FdZ5zNe9YI

— Temitope Ajayi (@TheTope_Ajayi) April 21, 2026

He said investments in infrastructure and the power sector are also being sustained.

Ibrahim reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multilateral cooperation, particularly in promoting peace in sensitive regions such as the Strait of Hormuz.

He assured the UN of Nigeria’s readiness to support global peace initiatives and diplomatic engagements.

Speaking after receiving the letter of credence, Guterres welcomed Ibrahim’s appointment. He said the United Nations is excited to work with him in advancing shared global goals.


The UN chief described Ibrahim’s diplomatic role as timely and important. He expressed confidence in strengthening cooperation between Nigeria and the United Nations.

Ibrahim got his letter of credence from the Nigerian foreign ministry on April 1, following his clearance to assume office.

He, alongside others, was nominated in November 2025.

“In two separate letters to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu asked the Senate to consider and confirm expeditiously 15 nominees as career ambassadors and 17 nominees as non-career ambassadors,” presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said then.

They were subsequently cleared by the lawmakers despite criticisms over some names in the list of ambassadorial nominees.

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Appeal Court dismisses Julius Abure’s suit, affirms Usman as Labour Party leader

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The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has, in a unanimous judgement delivered by a three-member panel of Justices, dismissed the appeal filed by Barrister Julius Abure challenging the leadership of the Labour Party.

It was reported that on 21st January 2026, Hon. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, reaffirmed the earlier judgment of the Supreme Court that removed Barr. Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Senator Nenadi Usman as the legitimate leader of the party, to the exclusion of all others.

Dissatisfied with that decision, Barr. Abure approached the Court of Appeal in suit No. CA/ABJ/CV/255/2026 – Barr. Julius Abure & Anor v. Sen. Nenadi Esther Usman & 3 Ors – seeking to overturn the judgment of the lower court.


In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, with Justices A. B. Mohammed and Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike concurring, the appellate court affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court.

The court held that the Supreme Court had, on 4th April 2025, conclusively settled the leadership dispute within the Labour Party when it nullified the convention that purportedly returned Barr. Abure as National Chairman.


The appellate court agreed with the trial court that the court below had the powers under Section 251 of the Constitution to compel a statutory Federal Government agency to perform its functions when it ordered INEC to recognise Senator Nenadi Usman as the National Chairman of the Labour Party.

The appellate court also agreed with the trial court that the constitution of the Caretaker Committee of the Labour Party, headed by Usman, was a doctrine of necessity needed to provide leadership in the party when there appeared to be a vacuum.

The Justices strongly criticised Barr. Abure for abuse of court process and for engaging in forum shopping at a Nasarawa State High Court on a matter already decided by the Supreme Court, and for persisting in laying claim to the leadership of the party despite the clear and unambiguous pronouncement of the apex court.


The court further held that the appeal was devoid of merit and constituted an abuse of court process.

Consequently, the court, while dismissing the appeal by Barr. Abure, imposed a cost of ten million naira against him for wasting judicial time on a matter that had already been conclusively determined.

Reacting to the judgment, the Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, described the ruling as a victory for democracy and the rule of law. She commended the judiciary for its courage and steadfastness in upholding justice despite attempts by certain elements to undermine its integrity.


Senator Usman also expressed gratitude to party faithful and supporters across the country for their patience, loyalty, and unwavering commitment during the period of uncertainty.

She urged all stakeholders to remain focused on the party’s forthcoming congresses and national convention.

The party further appreciated members of the media for their professionalism and objective reporting and called on Nigerians to continue to place their trust in the Labour Party as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections

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2027: Why Amupitan can’t be trusted – Aisha Yesufu insists

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Activist Aisha Yesufu has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, following its recent statement on a purportedly fabricated X account linked to its chairman, Joash Amupitan.

Reacting via her verified X account on Tuesday, Yesufu said the development raises concerns about the credibility of the electoral body ahead of future elections.

“This more than anything shows INEC under Joash Amupitan cannot be trusted to conduct free, fair and credible election. By this desperation to deny something that is so glaring, Amupitan has offered himself as a tool to be used,” she wrote.

Recall that her remarks come amid ongoing public debate over INEC’s clarification regarding the alleged fake social media account attributed to its chairman.

Recall that INEC had released a statement on Monday detailing how a fabricated X account was used in a coordinated attempt to frame Amupitan following a forensic investigation that it said found no link between him and the viral posts attributed to his name.

The commission said the probe, conducted with the support of independent cybersecurity experts established that the account @joashamupitan and the controversial post, “Victory is sure,” were products of digital manipulation and impersonation.

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