President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, to participate in the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government.

The meeting is slated for February 14 – 18, 2025.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement he signed in the early hours of Friday titled ‘President Tinubu arrives Ethiopia for AU summit.’

“The President was received at the airport by the Ethiopian Deputy Chief of Protocol, Eshetu Legesse, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the charge d’affaires of the Nigerian embassy in Ethiopia, Nasir Aminu,” the statement read.

Tuggar later briefed President Tinubu about the summit and some diplomatic wins for the country, a session that stretched until about 2 a.m. on Friday.

Among these was the re-election of Bankole Adeoye as African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

Nigeria also retained its seat on the African Union Peace and Security Council which, in Tuggar’s words, reaffirmed “Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to peace and security on the continent”.

At the briefing were the Ministers of Finance, Mr Wale Edun; Defence, Abubakar Badaru; Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Aviation, Festus Keyamo; Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris; Environment, Balarabe Lawal and State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anite.

The Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, also attended the briefing.

This year’s AU summit, under the theme ‘Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations,’ focuses on reparatory justice and racial healing.

Tinubu will deliver a speech at the Summit-level meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council, where discussions will focus on current security challenges on the continent, including the escalation of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The President will participate in meetings on health financing, establishing an Africa Credit Rating Agency, and climate change.

“Tinubu will be expected to return to Abuja on Monday, February 17,” the statement concluded.

The Southern caucus of the 10th Cross River House of Assembly has endorsed Governor Bassey Otu for re-election in 2027.

During a news conference on Wednesday in Calabar, the nine lawmakers declared their support for the governor in the 2027 general election.

The declaration was coming on the heels of growing speculations that Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong had the intention to run for the governorship position in 2027.

Mr Ekpeyong currently represents Cross River South in the Senate.

The rumours are gaining traction as the senator’s free transport scheme continues to expand across the state, with many interpreting it as a strategic move ahead of the election.

Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Francis Asuquo, the Odukpani constituency member, said they had endorsed the governor to continue from 2027 to 2031.

Mr Asuquo highlighted some of the reforms carried out by the governor, such as the increased internally generated revenue, among others.

According to him, their recognition is in view of the governor’s remarkable achievements since assuming office.

“As we work towards 2027 and the dynamics of another election in our state, we urge every resident of the state to please think Cross River and the collective good of the state.

“As patriotic and people-driven representatives, we hereby pass a vote of confidence on Governor Otu, and we declare unequivocally that he is our only choice for next term as governor of Cross River.

“We appeal to every other potential gubernatorial aspirant not to hope on us, but to please decline such aspirations and join forces to support Otu for a second term,” he noted.

However, Richard Inoyo, the country director of Citizens Solution Network, a civil society organisation, said there was nothing wrong with people starting to declare their intentions subtly; the lawmakers had no right to ask others to drop their ambitions.

According to Mr Inoyo, the caucus does not represent the overriding thinking of the people of the southern part of the state.

“Even though they claim that the governor has achieved a lot, there are still many things yet undone, and people can campaign on these grounds against the governor and defeat him.

“I cannot really tell how well these members represent their constituents because I can’t see what they are doing; they are only supporting a one-party system ideology that is injurious to our democracy,” he said.

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party took another dimension on Wednesday, as suspected thugs invaded the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, disrupting the 79th Board of Trustees meeting.

The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis, as Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udey-Okoye continue to lay claim to the office of the national secretary.

A high court and the court of appeal, both sitting in Enugu, on December 20, 2024 and January 14 removed Mr Anyanwu from office and recognised Mr Udey-Okoye as the PDP national secretary.

Mr Anyanwu, however, later secured a stay of execution order from the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, in an appeal No. CA/E/24/2024 on the judgment earlier delivered by the Enugu division of the appellate court.

The latest crisis started a few minutes after the opening ceremony of the meeting, when non-BoT members and journalists were asked to leave the hall for a closed-door session.

As the indoor session was about to commence, the party’s former National Youth Leader, Sunday Udey-Okoye, was dragged out of the hall by the political thugs, claiming that he was not a BoT member.

Thereafter, the thugs, suspected to be loyal to Mr Anyanwu, mounted the hall, shouting that Mr Udey-Okoye cannot enter the hall again.

The situation forced the supporters of Udey-Okoye to mobilise themselves to the entrance of the hall to confront one of Mr Anyanwu’s aides who quickly ran inside the hall and closed the door.

Some of the political thugs were also seen scaling the fence of the PDP national secretariat to support their respective leaders.

It took the intervention of the police and other security agents around to bring the situation under control, using pepper spray.

More security operatives from the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the military were mobilised to the party secretariat to restore normalcy.

The meeting was chaired by the acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, and the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara.

As of the time this report was filed, the closed-door meeting was ongoing, but without Udeh-Okoye in attendance.

The United States has officially notified the secretary-general of its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, effective January 27, 2026.

UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric announced this at a news briefing on Tuesday in New York.

The historic accord reached by 193 countries in December 2015 to keep temperature rises below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels was signed by the U.S. on April 22, 2016.

During Trump’s first term, the U.S. withdrew from the Agreement on November 4 2020, before his successor took the country back into the accord on February 19, 2021.

The UN spokesperson said the latest withdrawal would not slow down the UN’s efforts to combat climate change.

“We reaffirm our commitment to the Paris Agreement and to support all effective efforts to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees celsius,” Dujarric said.

The international community continues to work towards the goals set by the agreement despite the U.S.’s decision to withdraw.

In a related development, the UN World Health Organisation has appealed for concerted action to tackle neglected tropical diseases, which impact more than one billion people – often with devastating health, social and economic consequences.

Every year, around 800 to 900 million people are treated for at least one neglected tropical disease, according to the UN health agency, which warned that global warming has emerged as a threat in this field of medicine.

The list of tropical diseases is long and includes Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease, dengue, chikungunya and dracunculiasis.

They tend to thrive among vulnerable people who live in poverty and are caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.

Progress in tackling these diseases remains hampered by a lack of investment and conflict, the WHO said, ahead of World Neglected Tropical Disease Day on Thursday.

Today, 54 countries have successfully eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease; WHO’s goal is for 100 countries to do the same by 2030.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, alongside his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, has paid a visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, at his Abuja residence.

The visit was made known via a post on the X handle of the minister’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, on Thursday, January 23.

The post reads: “Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and his successor, Usman Ododo, visited the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in his Abuja residence today.”

New York mayor Eric Adams has flown to New York to meet President-elect Donald Trump in his Mar-a-Lago residence amid the growing threat to the Democrat politician’s re-election chances and a possible federal indictment against him.

Meanwhile, Mr Adams, who has vowed to cooperate with the incoming Trump administration, especially on efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, did not make any announcement before the trip.

However, his spokesperson, Fabien Levy, said the mayor had only the city’s interests in mind.

“Mayor Adams has made quite clear his willingness to work with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on behalf of New Yorkers — and that partnership with the federal government is critical to New York City’s success,” Mr Levy said.

“The mayor looks forward to having a productive conversation with the incoming president on how we can move our city and country forward,” he added.

Many members of the Democratic Party have been critical of Mr Adams’ perceived cosy up to Mr Trump, including his opponents in the upcoming Democratic New York mayoral primary.

“Eric Adams should state immediately that he will not seek or accept a pardon from Donald Trump,” said Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller. “New Yorkers deserve to know that their mayor is putting their interests ahead of his own.”

Another candidate in the primary, state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, called the trip “a pathetic and embarrassing gambit by a disgraced mayor to keep himself out of federal prison, nothing more.”

United States President Joe Biden on Thursday awarded a former Republican congresswoman, Liz Cheney, with a citizens service medal.

Cheney, who’s a fierce critic of President-elect Donald Trump, bagged the award after the incoming president warned she “could be in a lot of trouble” once he takes office.

The ex-lawmaker from Wyoming, along with 19 other prominent figures, was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal “for putting the American people over party,” an announcer said during a White House ceremony before Biden handed her the award.

Other recipients of the medal — the second-highest civilian award granted by the US Government — included former US senator Chris Dodd, ex-congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and current lawmaker Bennie Thompson, who chaired the House committee that investigated Trump’s role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

Addressing the honorees at the start of the ceremony, Biden said, “Together, you embody, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, the essential truth: we’re a great nation, we’re a great nation because we’re a good people.”

Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, served as the committee’s vice chair.

Describing Cheney, the White House said in a statement Thursday that she “has raised her voice — and reached across the aisle — to defend our nation and the ideals we stand for: freedom, dignity and decency.”

“Her integrity and intrepidness remind us all what is possible if we work together,” it added.

Cheney, 58, has become a prominent anti-Trump voice within the Republican Party in recent years, but she lost her congressional seat in 2022 to a pro-Trump candidate.

She also campaigned alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate who was defeated by Trump in November 2024.

Trump is set to return to the White House on January 20, 2025, and has vowed to get revenge on political adversaries.

The Republican said in a social media post last month that “Liz Cheney could be in a lot of trouble based on the evidence obtained by the subcommittee, which states that ‘numerous federal laws were likely broken by Liz Cheney, and these violations should be investigated by the FBI.’”

A Republican-led congressional panel in December accused Cheney of witness tampering when she helped lead the probe into the deadly attack on the Capitol by Trump’s supporters.

She has denied the accusations.

Gbadebo-Rhodes-Vivour
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in the 2023 Lagos governorship election has hinted at running again in 2027.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, he said he wouldn’t give up on actualising his ambition to be Lagos Governor.

He, however, didn’t indicate if he would still use the LP platform or contest under another political party.

In the 2023 election, Rhodes-Vivour secured 312,329 votes to place second behind the winner, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 762,134 votes.

“By God’s grace, yes,” he confirmed when asked if he would join the 2027 governorship race in Lagos State.

“I believe that if all parties do not come together, it is going to be a waste of time running in 2027 because there is a full state capture happening in this country now.

“We cannot afford for the opposition to be separate. For now, my job is to ensure that I have a strong party – Labour Party.”

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate for the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, has denied any merger talks with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) or any other party.

Obi made this statement during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday morning, where he addressed the state of the nation.

The former Anambra Governor emphasised that no agreement has been reached with any party as of now.

He also called on all Nigerians to unite ahead of the 2027 elections ilto defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi expressed deep concerns over the country’s security situation, describing it as tragic.

In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu came out tops in 12 of Nigeria’s 36 States and garnered significant numbers in other states to claim the highest number of votes—8,794,726, almost two million votes more than his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

The former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday, slammed Reno Omokri, the former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, over comments accusing him of being frustrated for not being appointed a minister by President Bola Tinubu.

El-Rufai described Omokri as “a political mercenary retained by any paying person or government.”

He also referenced a past case of alleged identity theft, where an American woman accused Omokri of using her son’s name, Wendell Simlin, in an attempt to link the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Lamido Sanusi, to the terrorist group Boko Haram.

Omokri had tweeted on Sunday, “Nasir el-Rufai is just being clever by half in expressing his frustration at not being made a minister by attacking the funding of a rail project in Lagos by the Federal Government. Under Buhari, Nigeria took out a $2 billion loan to build a railway in Niger Republic. Did el-Rufai complain, then?

“Not at all! Today, that same Niger is now hostile towards Nigeria. If we can build a railway worth $2 billion (which was 10% of the Niger Republic’s GDP at then) for a foreign country, simply because General Buhari’s father was from the Niger Republic, why shouldn’t the Federal Government contribute towards building a railway in Lagos State?

“After all, 8% of Nigeria’s population lives in Lagos, while 35% of our GDP comes from Lagos, which contributes ₦44.17 trillion to our economy. How much does Niger Republic contribute to our GDP? Did the Federal Government under Jonathan not also spend $1.2 billion building the Abuja-Kaduna superfast 187-kilometre railway?”

In response, El-Rufai shared pictures on X of Omokri protesting against Tinubu’s election and making unflattering remarks about him.

El-Rufai wrote, “The interesting lifecycle of Wendell Simlin, also sometimes retained as a political mercenary by any person or government that can pay.”

El-Rufai’s comments sparked reactions within the political sphere, particularly among All Progressives Congress chieftains. Some viewed his remarks as an affront to President Tinubu’s administration.

Senator Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central, criticised El-Rufai for commenting on alleged nepotism in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Sani accused El-Rufai of hypocrisy, stating that he failed to criticise former President Buhari for nepotism during his eight-year tenure.

Sani, via his X handle, wrote, “There were people who were silent when Buhari was filling political offices with his kinsmen and have now found their voices to speak out when the equation doesn’t favour them. Let’s not make reference to the nepotism that marginalised Southern Kaduna for eight years. Kaduna was an apartheid state for eight years.”

Sani added that while anyone could critique Tinubu on alleged lopsided appointments or nepotism, El-Rufai lacked moral standing.

President Bola Tinubu has penned a birthday tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, vowing to continue to build on the latter’s legacy.

Mr Buhari clocked 82 on Tuesday.

“Dear President Muhammadu Buhari. On behalf of the government and people of Nigeria, I extend my warmest congratulations and best wishes to you on your 82nd Birthday.

“As you celebrate this remarkable milestone in Daura, we reflect on your years of dedicated service and leadership, which have significantly shaped the course of our nation.

“Your steadfast commitment to Nigeria’s advancement and unity inspires many, and your enduring legacy continues to guide our nation’s journey towards prosperity and stability,” wrote Mr Tinubu.

He lauded Buhari for his doggedness and resilience in contesting presidential elections in 2003, 2007, and 2011 before winning them in 2015 and 2019 also inspiring “us never to give up.”

Mr Tinubu added, “I will continue to build on the infrastructure legacy you bequeathed to our nation as the leader of our country’s first All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

“On this special day, may you be surrounded by the love of your family and friends and continue to enjoy good health, happiness, and fulfilment in all your endeavours, now and in the future.

“Happy Birthday, and thank you for your services to Nigeria.”

President-elect Donald Trump has received adequate electoral votes to officially become the 47th president of the United States.

Mr Trump reached a major milestone after Texas’ electors awarded him the state’s 40 electoral votes at their meeting in Austin on Tuesday.

The electors’ decisions in Austin formalised Mr Trump’s victory in the November 5 presidential election which saw him crush her rival Vice-President Kamala Harris.

It takes 270 of the 538 electoral votes to be elected a U.S. president.

Mr Trump won 312 in November’s election. Ms Harris got 226 votes.

So far, every elector has voted for the candidate they were elected to represent.

It is now expected that each state’s votes be sent to Congress on January 6 for a joint session of lawmakers to officially tally the electoral votes and declare Mr Trump the next U.S. president.

Mr Trump will be inaugurated on January 20, 2025.

The electoral college was established in the U.S. Constitution, in part, as a compromise between the election of the president by a vote in Congress and the election of the president by a popular vote of qualified citizens.

This year’s electoral college meeting in Austin was less dramatic than it was in 2020 because Mr Trump won the election. Mr Trump was cantankerous when he lost his previous bid for reelection.

Ms Harris said she had accepted the results in good faith.

The process was also seamless as a result of the Electoral Count Reform Act, a bipartisan law passed in 2022, clarifying how exactly the process should work and making it harder to dispute the results.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is concluding his four-day trip to Africa with a visit to Lesotho on Saturday.

Steinmeier’s visit is the first by a German president to the small mountainous country, which is situated within South Africa.

The trip follows an invitation from King Letsie III, extended during a visit to Berlin last year.

Steinmeier’s visit to Lesotho comes off the back of discussions in South Africa with President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday.

Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1966, Lesotho has suffered from political instability.

Justice, public services, and security agencies suffer from corruption and abuses of power, with crucial reforms systematically undermined by political elites, analysts say.

Many villages remain accessible only on foot or by horse.

The country heavily relies on its large neighbour South Africa and due to limited employment opportunities, many inhabitants have sought work in South Africa for decades, particularly in mining.

Lesotho’s economy primarily depends on agriculture and the export of textiles, diamonds, and water.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi as the Acting Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).

Ogunjimi’s appointment comes after the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AGF, Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.

The appointment was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, on Tuesday, December 10.

The statement partly reads: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi as the Acting Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).

“His appointment is effective immediately following the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AGF, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.

“In announcing Madein’s successor, President Tinubu ensures a seamless transition in the administration of Nigeria’s treasury and consolidates the implementation of the present administration’s treasury policy reforms.

“As a career civil servant and the most senior director in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr Ogunjimi brings over 30 years of extensive experience in financial management across the public and private sectors.

“He has held significant positions, including Director of Funds at the OAGF and Director of Finance and Accounts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Nigeria’s former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated Ghana’s President-elect, John Mahama, on his election triumph shortly after his major challenger, who also doubles as Ghana’s Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, called to concede defeat.

“Your Excellency, Mr. President-elect John Mahama, @JDMahama. My warmest congratulations on your victory,” Mr Abubakar posted on X Sunday morning. “I was told you were on your way to church and thought I could catch up with you before you entered the church for the Sunday service. Once again, kindly accept my hearty congratulations on your landslide victory. – AA”

President Bola Tinubu also congratulated Mr Mahama on his electoral victory.

According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson, on Sunday write, “In a telephone call to Mahama, President Tinubu hoped that Mahama’s ascension to power for the second time would further bring stability to the Economic Community of West African States, of which President Tinubu is the chairman.

Congratulations have continued to pour in from all parts of the world after Mr Bawumia accepted the loss, even though the Electoral Commission of Ghana has yet to announce the official result.

Mr Bawumia, 61, said internal collation indicated that Mr Mahama won the polls in a victory similar to that of the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris at the November 5 polls.

“Let me say that the data from our own internal collation of the election results indicate that former President John Dramani Mahama has won the presidential election decisively,” Mr Bawumia said in his concession statement Sunday morning.

“The NDC (National Democratic Congress) has also won the parliamentary election. Even though we await final collation of a number of seats, I believe ultimately these will not change the outcome.”

Ghanaians believe that incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo’s eight-year term beset by economic crisis set his veep on a path to landslide loss as they were less likely to vote for a party that landed the nation in an economic mess compounded by soaring inflation and a high unemployment rate.

Citizens have blamed Mr Akufo-Addo for the economic crisis bedevilling Ghana, bemoaning prices of goods and services, particularly food, which have since doubled under his watch.

Mr Bawumia, who enjoyed the president’s blessing to become president, was beaten at the polls as Ghanaians believe he was also partly to blame for the nation’s economic woes given his party, New Patriotic Party (NPP), was the one in power.

Mr Mahama, 66, who lost his re-election bid to President Akufo-Addo in 2016, will again be sworn in to lead the West African nation in January.

President Tinubu has arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, to participate in the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC).

He was welcomed by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Roland Lamola, and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Lebanese-American businessman, Massad Boulos, as his senior advisor on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.

“I am proud to announce that Massad Boulos will serve as Senior Advisor to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs,” Trump posted on Truth Social of the appointment, which puts his daughter Tiffany’s father-in-law in a major White House position.

Boulos was a key emissary for the Trump campaign, helping to mobilize Arab American and Muslim voters, many of whom were angry over President Joe Biden’s steadfast support for Israel in the Gaza war even as the civilian death toll rose into the tens of thousands.

The businessman will take over a difficult portfolio, with Israel’s war still raging in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon seeing early violations, and rebel forces in Syria making advances against the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Boulos’s son, Michael, is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany. He is the latest family member to be appointed to a key position.

On Saturday, Trump named real estate executive Charles Kushner — the father of his son-in-law Jared — as his pick to be the US ambassador to France, the latest case of Trump eschewing experience or expertise as the criterion for joining his team.

“Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene,” said Trump of his appointment to the Middle East advisor job.

“He has been a longtime proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community.”

The Republican referred to Boulos as “a dealmaker.”

Boulos was a key emissary for the Trump campaign, helping to mobilize Arab American and Muslim voters, many of whom were angry over President Joe Biden’s steadfast support for Israel in the Gaza war even as the civilian death toll rose into the tens of thousands.

The businessman will take over a difficult portfolio, with Israel’s war still raging in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon seeing early violations, and rebel forces in Syria making advances against the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Boulos’s son, Michael, is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany.

On Saturday, Trump named real estate executive Charles Kushner — the father of his son-in-law Jared — as his pick to be the US ambassador to France, the latest case of Trump eschewing experience or expertise as the criterion for joining his team.

“Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene,” said Trump of his appointment to the Middle East advisor job.

On Wednesday in Abuja, the House of Representatives Committee on Defence began screening the acting chief of army staff, Olufemi Oluyede, for confirmation.

The committee chairman, Benson Babajimi (APC-Lagos), said the screening was a constitutional mandate of the house.

He said that proactive approaches to national security must be prioritised to address insecurity in the country.

Mr Babajimi said that Nigeria continues to grapple with an evolving spectrum of security challenges, ranging from insurgency and banditry to communal clashes and cyber threats.

The lawmaker said that for over a decade, the Armed Forces of Nigeria have been at the forefront of responding to these challenges, launching numerous operations and providing vital support to internal security efforts.

“While we commend the significant successes recorded in recent years, it is clear that more work remains to be done to achieve sustainable peace across all regions of the country.

The chairman said the task before the committee is to assess the qualifications and vision of the chief of army staff nominee and establish a collaborative roadmap for tackling Nigeria’s security challenges.

Mr Babajimi said as a partner in the pursuit of a secure and prosperous Nigeria, the house remained steadfast in its commitment to legislative oversight and support for the armed forces.

The chairman said the committee will ask questions reflecting the concerns of constituents and the nation. He urged the nominee to provide comprehensive and candid responses to guide deliberations, saying the new role is pivotal in Nigeria’s journey toward lasting peace and stability.

Responding, Mr Oluyede pledged to bring peace to the country if confirmed as a substantive chief of army staff. He said the security environment in the country today required a united effort on the part of every Nigerian.

He called for strong bilateral and multilateral alliances with neighbouring countries, deep collaboration, and joint efforts by the services and other security agencies.

Mr Oluyede said that the security environment required a united effort on the part of every Nigerian.

He said there is a need for strong bilateral and multilateral alliances between Nigeria and her neighbours and deep collaboration among services and other security agencies.

On Wednesday, former Governor Yahaya Bello pleaded not guilty to a 16-count fraud charge brought against him by the EFCC.

Mr Bello denied the allegation of fraud before Justice Maryann Anenih at the FCT High Court.

Mr Bello’s defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, moved an application for bail for ex-Kogi governor, but the counsel to the anti-graft agency, Kemi Pinheiro, opposed it, saying that it had already expired since October.

Mr Daudu said, “It is within his rights to enjoy his liberty while preparing for trial.”

The defence counsel said Mr Bello’s bail application was filed on November 22 and was also supported with a written address, adding that “Exhibit A, which is the public summons, is very vital and the appearance of the defendant in Court today, shows he has respect for the law.”

Mr Dauda added, “The prosecution’s objection is based on the fact that he is facing charges at the Federal High Court and has refused to appear to take his plea. The court should not use issues from another court to determine issues before the FCT High Court.”

The defence counsel also objected to the EFCC’s move for the immediate commencement of trial and calling of its first witness because they were served with the charge around 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday and that he would need time to prepare his client.

He also explained that “when the jurisdiction of the court is challenged, the defendant need not to appear until the issues arising from the jurisdiction are resolved.”

G7 foreign ministers are meeting, on Monday, near Rome for two days of talks with regional counterparts in the Middle East, before turning to Russia and the war in Ukraine.

The Group of Seven ministers will also discuss the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas’s military chief, “and the possible effects on the current crises in Lebanon and Gaza”, Italy’s foreign ministry said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend the talks in Fiuggi and Anagni alongside ministers from fellow G7 nations Britain, Canada, Germany, France and Japan, hosted by Italy’s Antonio Tajani.

The first session on Monday afternoon will be dedicated to the situation in the Middle East and the Red Sea, notably efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon.

One session will include ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the secretary general of the Arab League, Rome said.

“We have asked for the presence of partners in the region to foster dialogue with the members of the G7,” Tajani said in a statement.

“Only together can we find concrete solutions that can bring peace and stability to the region.”

On the second day of talks on Tuesday, the discussion will turn to Ukraine in the presence of the war-torn country’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiga.

Officials will discuss ways to continue supporting Kyiv, prospects for peace and initiatives for future reconstruction, Rome said.

The same day in Brussels, ambassadors from NATO countries and Ukraine will hold talks over Russia’s firing of an experimental hypersonic intermediate-range missile.

Tensions in the Asia-Pacific are also on the agenda at the G7 meeting, and the Italians have invited foreign ministers from South Korea, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The G7 ministers are also expected to discuss the ongoing crises in Haiti and Sudan, as well as the political situation in Venezuela.

The ICC issued warrants against Netanyahu and his former defence minister Yoav Gallant as well as Hamas’ Mohammed Deif on Thursday in response to accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the militant Palestinian group’s October 7, 2023, attack.

Israel and its allies denounced the decision, but it was welcomed by Turkey and rights groups.

Several countries have said they would comply with the ICC warrants and arrest Netanyahu should he enter their soil, while other nations were still considering their response to the decision.