News
Ahead Of NEC Meeting, Saraki to chair PDP Reconciliation Committee
A committee headed by a former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, have been set up by The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile aggrieved members ahead of its National Executive Committee NEC meeting.
This was disclosed at the end of a meeting held at the Abuja lodge of the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, on Sunday night.
The meeting also had the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in attendance. He, however, did not speak to journalists.
Some of the governors present at the meeting included Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Peter Mbah (Enugu).
Others were former governors of Cross River, Liyel Imoke, Achike Udenwa of Imo, Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa
The PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ahmed Markafi, and some other members of the party’s National Working Committee also attended the meeting.
Briefing journalists, the Bauchi governor said the meeting was convened ahead of the party’s scheduled NEC, which has been slated for the end of May.
According to him, the invitation of the former governors was done to tap from their experiences, so they could resolve some of the internal challenges and prepare the ground for a rancour-free NEC meeting and a national convention later in the year.
Asked about the recent defection of PDP members, the Bauchi state governor said the development would rather make them stronger.
He, however, disclosed that the party was strategising to ensure that some of the states where the party had governors were reclaimed.
There have been concerns over the defection of the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and his cabinet to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party has been battling internal crises since the 2023 general elections.
The situation worsened with the conflict between a former governor of Rivers State and his successor, Sim Fubara.
Several attempts by the party’s leadership, including the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee, and the PDP Governors’ Forum, to mediate have not resolved the crisis.
On April 23, Oborevwori, a former governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa, and other officials from the state joined the APC.
At the National Assembly, three Kebbi lawmakers, Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South), joined the ruling party after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
Many opposition leaders saw the development as a plot to turn the country into a one-party state
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.”
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