The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has unveiled a portrait for his second term tenure, urging offices across the state to use the portrait.
The portrait was officially unveiled by the governor on his Facebook page on Tuesday.
He urged all offices, both public and private, including all government and non-governmental institutions, to discard the old portrait he used for his first term and download the new portrait and hoist it in their offices.
Soludo said, “Ahead of my inauguration ceremony for a second term in office, my new official portrait, captured by my official photographer, Chinedu Eri, has been released.
“This portrait replaces all previous ones and takes immediate effect.
“All government and non-government institutions are kindly requested to take note of this update.”
Soludo and his deputy, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, were sworn in for a second term in office on Tuesday.
Soludo took the oath of office alongside Ibezim.
The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, administered the oaths of office and allegiance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the duo.
The Kugbo Bus Terminal, inaugurated last June by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been destroyed.
It was learnt that the terminal’s roof, which has not been used, was blown down by the heavy rain.
According to Daily Trust, the debris spread to the major road, further compounding traffic chaos and causing heavy gridlock along the Nyanya–Keffi Expressway in Abuja as workers were returning home.
In other news, Wike has ordered the immediate arrest of the owner of a hotel whose multi-story building collapsed last Friday in Jikwoyi, Abuja.
It was reports that he also directed that the land be seized and repurposed for public use.
During a visit to the site on Monday, Wike revealed that the building had been constructed without approval from the FCT Department of Development Control.
He said the developer ignored repeated stop-work notices issued by the authorities, which led to the collapse.
No deaths were reported, but some people suffered injuries and were treated in hospitals.
Wike noted that the situation could have been worse if the collapse had occurred at a busier time.
The minister stated that the FCT Administration would reclaim the land for public projects.
He added that authorities would prosecute anyone involved in the illegal construction.
He also mentioned that the local community would be consulted to decide what public-use project should be built on the site.
Wike called on all developers to follow building regulations and obtain the necessary approvals before starting any project.
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala, has stated that former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has no moral right to advise him.
Speaking in a statement on Tuesday, Bala also refuted claims by Kwankwaso about his age, stressing that he is 46, not 35.
While advising the former presidential candidate to do proper research before making comments, Bala advised Kwankwaso to stop attempting to infiltrate the ADC through the back door.
He further described Kwankwaso as a mole of the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that it is time for politicians like him to give way for the younger generation to lead.
“Even if I were young, Kwankwaso has no right to look down on me,” Bala said.
He reminded Kwankwaso that he and many of today’s political leaders were themselves very young when they took up major public offices.
“They should allow youths to steer the affairs of our parties and the country while they play advisory roles,” he declared.
Bala further described Kwankwaso as “still an APC mole,” recalling that in 2023, Atiku Abubakar and other northern leaders mobilised Arewa elders to prevail on Kwankwaso to step down for the sake of Arewa votes, but Kwankwaso refused.
“Having refused to step down then, he has no moral justification to bully or advise me on the injustice being done to me by impostors in the ADC,” he said.
Bala stated that Kwankwaso is not qualified to intervene in the current crisis rocking the ADC because he does not regard him as a member of the party.
He warned Kwankwaso to join the ADC through the proper channel if he wishes to participate, and urged him to familiarise himself with the party’s constitution, noting that he can’t be bullied.
“I cannot be bullied by anyone,” Bala insisted.
It was reports that the outburst from Bala follows an earlier disclosure by Kwankwaso that Bala failed to show up at a planned meeting between the two of them.
It is understood that the meeting was aimed at resolving the issues affecting the leadership and activities of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
However, Kwankwaso was quoted to have said that he stayed up all night expecting Bala to arrive for the meeting, but the politician didn’t turn up.
Speaking during an interview with DCL Hausa, Kwankwaso called on the Emir of Gombe, other Emirs and Sheikhs to prevail on Bala not to work against the interest of the ADC.
United States President Donald Trump has accused CNN of broadcasting what he described as a false statement from Iran regarding the ceasefire agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.
Trump alleged that the statement, which was attributed to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), originated from what he described as a “fake news site from Nigeria.”
The ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran was announced roughly two hours before Trump’s earlier deadline in which he warned that Iran’s “civilisation” could face destruction if the conflict escalated.
CNN had reported that Iran described the ceasefire as a major victory, quoting a statement attributed to the SNSC.
“The enemy, in its unfair, unlawful, and criminal war against the Iranian nation, has suffered an undeniable, historic, and crushing defeat,” the report quoted the Iranian body as saying.
According to the statement cited by CNN, Iranian authorities claimed that Tehran forced the United States to accept its 10-point proposal as part of the ceasefire arrangement.
Reacting in a post on Truth Social, Trump rejected the report and accused CNN of spreading misinformation.
“The alleged Statement put out by CNN World News is a FRAUD, as CNN well knows,” Trump said.
He further alleged that the report originated from a Nigerian news outlet, which he described as unreliable.
“The false Statement was linked to a Fake News site (from Nigeria) and, of course, immediately picked up by CNN, and blared out as a ‘legitimate’ headline,” the US president wrote.
Trump, however, did not name the Nigerian outlet he referred to and provided no evidence to support the claim.
In another post, he described the outlet as “a new, trouble making site from Nigeria.”
The US president also called on CNN to withdraw the report, stating that authorities had begun examining the matter.
He suggested that investigations would determine whether the publication of the report constituted a criminal offence.
Trump subsequently shared what he described as the official Iranian statement, attributed to Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi.
Araghchi confirmed that Iran would suspend defensive operations if attacks by the United States and Israel were halted.
“If attacks against Iran are halted, our Powerful Armed Forces will cease their defensive operations,” he said.
He also reiterated that Iran would allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz for global shipping for a limited period.
“For a period of two weeks, safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be possible via coordination with Iran’s Armed Forces and with due consideration of technical limitations.”
The Iranian foreign minister said the remarks were made on behalf of the Supreme National Security Council.
Iranian state-linked media outlets also carried statements attributed to the SNSC.
Tasnim News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published excerpts from the council’s message.
“The enemy has suffered an undeniable, historic and crushing defeat in its cowardly, illegal and criminal war against the Iranian nation,” the statement read.
The council also claimed that Iran forced the United States to accept its 10-point plan and congratulated the Iranian people on what it described as a victory.
Meanwhile, Brendan Carr, chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), warned that broadcasters could face consequences if they fail to act in the public interest.
He stated that media organisations risk losing their licences if they do not adhere to professional standards in their reporting.
CNN has defended the report, insisting that the statement was obtained from Iranian officials and was also reported by multiple Iranian state media outlets.
