News
Edo LG Crisis Deepens as More Chairmen Face Impeachment
The crisis in the Edo State local government councils took a different dimension on Thursday.
Several persons were wounded as gunmen allegedly invaded the Uhunmwode Local Government Council headquarters in Egor.
The chairman of the council, Kenneth Adodo, alleged that the people involved in the shooting were policemen from the Edo State Government House.
This followed reports of impeachment of the chairmen of Uhunmwode and Orhionmwon local government councils by the elected councillors.
Their Owan East counterpart; Prince Aminu Okodo-Kadirihas, reacted swiftly to his impeachment. He maintained that his purported impeachment and that of his Vice, Hon Clement Ojebuovbo was unconstitutional and illegal.
The councillors in Orhionmwon had on Wednesday impeached the Leader of the house, Hon Daniel Osariemen, and replaced him with Hon Chuks Isan as they claimed that Osariemen was being mobilised to impeach the chairman, Hon Newman Ugiagbe, and his vice Midwest Ogbebor.
The purportedly suspended leader, Osariemen was alleged to have led unknown persons to take over the secretariat of the council in Abudu where he purportedly resumed as the acting chairman of the local government area.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Orhionmwon LG Chairman, Roy Osariemen, the action in Abudu was illegal and that Neeman Ugiagbe remained the chairman of the local government area.
Addressing journalists in Benin City on Thursday, the chairman of Owan East LGC, Okodo-Kadiri, said his purported impeachment processes were full of irregularities which, according to him, went against the provisions of the law.
He referenced the Edo State Local Government Law of 2000 (as amended in 2002) which outlined specific procedures for the removal of council executives.
Okodo stressed that the councillors failed to establish a seven-member investigative panel, noting that the mace used during the impeachment was not the official mace of the Owan East Local Government Council.
“The governor alleged that council chairmen embezzled ₦50 million meant for salaries, but this claim lacks merit,” he said.
“Monthly salary expenditures far exceed ₦50 million in most councils and salaries were paid promptly up to November, contrary to the governor’s claims.
“If funds were misappropriated, where is the proof? Our bank records are clear, and no salaries are owed.
“Moreso, the purported impeachment revealed that two key councillors were involved in the process—Hon. Haruna Mohammed and another member from Ward Seven who had been suspended for gross misconduct prior to the session.”
He argued that the participation of the suspended councillors in the process rendered the proceedings invalid and emphasised that his office was never notified of their reinstatement, as required by due process.
He expressed confidence in the courts to do the needful and reverse the illegal impeachment proceedings.
Edo Assembly Suspends LG Chairmen
The latest incident comes about three weeks after the Edo State House of Assembly passed a resolution suspending all chairmen and vice chairmen of the 18 local government councils of the state for two months.
The house also mandated leaders of the legislative arms to take over the leadership of their respective councils.
The suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies followed a motion moved by the member representing Esan North East one, Isibor Adeh, and seconded by the member representing Akoko-Edo two, Donald Okogbe.
The governor of the state, Senator Monday Okpebholo had written a petition to the House over the refusal of the chairmen to submit financial records of their local government to the state government.
In the letter, the governor who described their action as an act of insubordination and gross misconduct, requested the House to look into the matter.
When the matter came up for debate, 14 members voted in favour of the motion for their suspension, six opposed the motion and three members did not participate in the voting.
The speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, had earlier told the members that all of them must speak on the matter.
After they had all spoken, the speaker directed the clerk of the House, Yahaya Omogbai, to do a head count of the members who supported or opposed the suspension of the council’s chairmen and their deputies.
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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