Victim and suspect A 19-year-old lady, Miss Ugo (not her real name), has found herself torn between seeking an end to years of alleged sexual abuse by her father and seeing him sent to prison. Ugo alleged that her father, Uche Didie, a 43-year-old man from Delta State, first sexually abused her in 2019 when she was 12 years old. According to her, the abuse continued for years until Sunday, September 6, 2026, when she finally found the courage to disclose her ordeal to someone outside the family. Ugo, who lives with…
Read MoreOPINION: Ultra-processed Foods Fortification: Public Health Solution or Health Risk?
Photo: Humphrey Ukeaja By Humphrey Ukeaja Over the past few years, a growing number of food manufacturers, health advocates, and sections of the media have increasingly presented the fortification of ultra-processed products such as bouillon cubes, noodles, sugary beverages, and pre-packaged snacks as a public health response to curb the hidden hunger crisis. Fortification is the practice of adding essential vitamins and minerals to staple foods during production to prevent health problems caused by nutrient deficiencies and the health problems they cause. Advocates now propose extending this intervention to industrially…
Read MoreAiyedatiwa’s aide urges council officers on discipline as 178 complete training
Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa The Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Igbekele Akinrinwa, has called on local council officers to uphold discipline, punctuality, and commitment to duty as part of efforts to enhance service delivery at the grassroots level. The charge came on Tuesday during the graduation ceremony of 178 council officers who successfully completed an intensive eight-week in-service training program at the Local Government Staff Training School in Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Council Area. The graduating officers, who are transitioning from Grade Level…
Read MoreRufai Oseni and the ‘gbewudani’ metapho
Photo: Rufai Oseni Rufai Oseni and the ‘gbewudani’ metaphor By Niran Adedokun Amongst many others, two things sicken me about Nigerian politicians. The first is their capacity to approbate and reprobate. You know that inclination to blow hot and cold in the same breath. The second, which flows from the first, is their compulsion to assume that Nigerians are too dumb to read between the lines. I could cite endless examples of these annoying attempts to hoodwink Nigerians in virtually every aspect of our politics, but I’ll restrain myself and…
Read MoreOsun Guber: APC, PDP file petitions to challenge Adeleke’s victory in court
Photo: Governor Adeleke By: Mandy Park Legal fireworks over the August 15 Osun State governorship election have begun, with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging the declaration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as winner of the poll. The petitions, dated September 5, 2026, were displayed at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Osogbo yesterday, effectively opening another legal battle over an election involving Adeleke. Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the petitions showed that APC candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, and his…
Read MoreObi’s Convoy Blocked in Benue, Presidential Candidate Condemns ‘Rascality’
Photo: Thugs confronting Obi’s convoy security By: Mandy Park The convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, was reportedly prevented from entering parts of Benue State on Tuesday by a group of suspected political thugs. The incident occurred along Boko Road, near the Air Force Base, as Obi and members of his team attempted to proceed to communities affected by recent killings to pay a condolence visit to victims and their families. According to reports, the suspected thugs, some of whom were allegedly armed…
Read MoreNigerians Better Off In 1999…‘We’re Really Not In Democracy’ says Duke
Photo: Donald Duke. Nigerians were better off in 1999 than they are now despite 26 years of constitutional democracy, Donald Duke, Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate has said. Duke, former Governor of Cross-River State, spoke on Friday during an interview on the Policy Without Politics (PWP) podcast, a clip of which circulated on Sunday. Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999 after years of military rule, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo took over from Abdulsalami Abubakar, then military Head of State. The country has had six civilian presidents since…
Read MoreObi Rejects Datti’s Verdict, Says Anambra Record Proves He Can Transform Nigeria
By Mandy Park Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has dismissed the assessment of his former running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, that none of the politicians seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, including himself, has the capacity to improve Nigeria. Obi, while outlining his vision for the country, said his record as governor of Anambra State demonstrated that he had the experience and capacity to deliver meaningful development if given the opportunity to lead at the federal level. Baba-Ahmed, who was Obi’s…
Read More26 states lean on FAAC as wage bills outstrip IGR
By: Mandy Park At least 26 state governments could not generate enough internal revenue to cover their personnel costs in 2025, as they continue to depend on allocations from the Federation Account despite a significant improvement in their finances. An analysis by The PUNCH showed that only eight of the 34 states covered by a new BudgIT report generated Internally Generated Revenue higher than their personnel expenditure during the year. The eight states were Lagos, Enugu, Ogun, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Abia and Anambra. The remaining 26 states generated about N1.16tn…
Read MoreGov. Otu placing culture, tourism at heart of Cross River development – Obudu Chair
Photo: Gov. Otu The Chairman of Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State, has commended Governor Bassey Otu for placing culture and tourism at the centre of the state’s development agenda. The council chairman said the governor’s administration had demonstrated a renewed commitment to harnessing Cross River State’s rich cultural heritage, natural attractions and tourism potential as key drivers of economic growth and sustainable development. He noted that Obudu, with its renowned mountainous landscape, cultural heritage and tourist attractions, remained strategically positioned to benefit from the state government’s renewed…
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