News
By Election: Acting INEC boss, Agbamuche-Mbu, provides updates on preparations
The Acting Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, May Agbamuche-Mbu has provided a detailed updates on the upcoming governorship election in Anambra State and the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Agbamuche-Mbu spoke at the Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Political Parties in Abuja on Tuesday.
INEC held its first quarterly meeting on the 22nd January, 2025 while the second meeting was held on 26th June, 2025.
According to reports those meetings were held under the supervision of former Chairman of the Commission, Mahmood Yakubu who, on Tuesday, 7th October, 2025, bowed out of office.
Meanwhile, in less than a month, precisely on 8th November, 2025, the Anambra State Governorship Election will be held.
The timetable and schedule of activities released by INEC for the Anambra State Governorship Election, details thirteen key activities to be carried out by the Commission.
Agbamuche-Mbu said she was glad to announce that the Commission has completed ten of the activities in the timetable.
“The outstanding activities are: the publication of Notice of Poll slated for 25th October, 2025, the Last day for Campaigns – 6th November, 2025 and the date of the Election – 8th November, 2025,” she said.
She added that the Commission was committed to keeping strictly to the remaining activities as detailed in the Timetable and Schedule of Activities.
“Political Parties are therefore called upon to be mindful of the last day for campaigns and keep strictly to it,” she warned, adding that INEC has been working assiduously and making arrangements for the successful conduct of the election and has had several engagements with the Security Agencies at National, State and Local Government levels.
“All non-sensitive materials for the Election have been delivered to the State and Voter Education and sensitization is ongoing,” she added.
She added that the Area Council Election in the FCT scheduled for 21st February, 2026 will be held in 68 constituencies made up of Chairmen and their deputies for the six Area Councils, namely Abaji, the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali as well as 62 Wards drawn on the basis of 10 Wards for each Area Council except AMAC which has 12 Wards on account of its population.
She noted that the timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Area Council Election details thirteen key activities out of which eight have been completed.
“The outstanding activities are last day for the submission of names of Polling Agents for the Election to the Electoral Officer of the Local Government Areas by Political Parties, Publication of Official Register of Voters by the Commission, Publication of Notice of Poll, the Last day for Campaigns and the date of the Election,” she said.
International News
Transfer: Real Madrid , Cucurella Reach Verbal Agreement
Chelsea reliable defender, Marc Cucurella may join Spanish giant, Real Madrid before the end of the current transfer window.if information from transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano are anything to go by.
Romano In a latest transfer update, said Real Madrid has reached verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.
“Verbal agreement in place between all parties, player too — he’s the left back wanted by Mourinho” the update read.
News
Hakimi, Vinicius Barred From Speaking Spanish At World Cup
FIFA has come under scrutiny after several high-profile players, including Achraf Hakimi and Vinicius Junior, were discouraged from speaking Spanish during media engagements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
The issue first surfaced ahead of Morocco’s Group C clash with Brazil when a Spanish-speaking journalist attempted to question Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi in Spanish.
Despite Hakimi, who grew up in Madrid and speaks the language fluently, indicating he was comfortable answering in Spanish, event officials reportedly insisted that questions be asked in English.
Hakimi attempted to reassure organizers that language would not be a barrier, but officials maintained that no Spanish translator was available for the session. A compromise was eventually reached, with the reporter asking the question in Spanish while Hakimi responded in English.
The controversy intensified during Brazil’s media session when Vinicius Junior was also interrupted while responding to a question in Spanish.
The Real Madrid forward, who is more comfortable speaking Portuguese or Spanish than English, was reportedly asked by organizers to switch languages.
Rather than continue in Spanish, Vinicius opted to answer in Portuguese before turning his attention back to Brazil’s World Cup preparations.
The incidents sparked widespread debate among journalists and fans, many of whom questioned why Spanish—a language spoken by millions across North America—was effectively restricted at a tournament being hosted largely in the United States.
According to Spanish media outlet El País, FIFA only provides Spanish-language translation services at World Cup press conferences involving Spanish-speaking nations such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay.
For all other teams, questions and answers are expected to be conducted either in English or the official language of the participating country.
The policy has generated criticism online, with many supporters arguing that multilingual communication should be encouraged at a global event like the World Cup.
The backlash was particularly strong in Vinicius’ case, as the Brazilian forward appeared visibly uncomfortable being asked to communicate in English.
The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise a highly anticipated encounter between Brazil and Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
With the issue now drawing international attention, FIFA may face increasing calls to review its media language guidelines as the tournament progresses.
News
It’s Illegal’…Falana’s Bombshell Indicts Govs, FG.
Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has warned federal and state governments against negotiating with and rewarding terrorists.
According to Falana, the practice is illegal.
He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting in Abuja on June 13, 2026.
Falana claimed it is public knowledge officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits, which has led to thousands of ‘repentant’ criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.
Asserting that the “satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed” under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana insisted that “their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”
Highlighting the legal consequences, he quoted Section 22 of the Act, stating: “A person who knowingly—(a) arranges, manages, assists in arranging or managing, participates in a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, (b) collects, or provides logistics, equipment, information, articles or facilities for a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, or (c) attends a meeting, which in his knowledge is to support a proscribed entity or to further the objectives of a proscribed entity, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.”
-
Health & Wellness10 months agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
News10 months agoPICTURE: In Lagos Couple Sentenced to 22½ Years for Cannabis Trafficking
-
Business3 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
Trending News10 months agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
-
International News2 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
Business3 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
-
Business2 years agoHeritage Bank Customers’ Path to Securing ₦5m Insured Funds: A Step-By-Step Guide by NDIC”
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price
