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Defection: Okpebholo Mocks PDP, Predicts Collapse Of Party In Edo

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Following the defection of the opposition-PDP-members particularly from the Edo State House of Assembly, the state governor, Monday Okpebholo, has predicted the collapse of the party in the state.

Okpebholo made the prediction in his office when he received the member representing Ikpoba Okha State Constituency, Nicholas Asonsere, who dumped the PDP for the APC.

With the deflection of Hon. Asonsere, the ruling APC now controls the majority in the Edo State House of Assembly with 15 members, while the opposition has nine members.

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The Governor, while thanking all new members who joined the APC, assured them that no one will discriminate against.

READ ALSO: Adhere To Project Specification, Okpebholo Charges Contractors

He said they would be given a room to contribute to the development of the State.

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“Thank you for the decision to join the APC. The winning party will not regret it. The party will stand with you as it is a place of unlimited opportunities.

“When I came into the APC, I never had the mind to contest for any position, but look at where I am today. I was pressured by people who love good things to contest as a senator and governor, and I won both elections, and today, look at where the state is.

“Very soon, the opposition PDP will collapse in Edo State because of what the APC represents. My idea for Edo people is development. My focus is on development, and I will not be distracted from making life better for Edo people.

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READ ALSO: Okpebholo’s Administration Will Engender Development In Rural Areas – Idahosa

“I will utilize Edo resources, which is obtained from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Federation Allocation Accounts Committee (FAAC).

“The resources meant for Edo people will be used to develop the State and make life comfortable for the people,” he declared.

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Okpebholo said that since he became Governor, he has not traveled abroad because he is serious with developing the state and making life better for the people.

The Governor noted that former Governor Godwin Obaseki cheated the people, claiming to be doing much in the education sector, while there was actually nothing on ground in schools in the State.

READ ALSO: UBTH: Confusion Trails Mother, Child Medical Bills Offset By Okpebholo

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On Wednesday, I went to Army Day Secondary School in Ikpoba-Okah Local Governments and noticed that Obaseki cheated Edo State as governor.

“JSS 1 and JSS 2 have just one classroom combined. We have just six classrooms in a whole school, and these structures are all dilapidated. With this school, I noticed that Obaseki cheated Edo people,” he said.

APC State Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, who presented the defector to the governor, said the member representing Ikpoba-Okah constituency voluntarily decamped without pressure from anyone.

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Responding , Asonsere said he was glad to join the APC, following the developmental strides of the Governor.

I am here this afternoon to be part of the Progressives. I was not approached by anybody but convinced by the developmental strides of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

“The Governor is developing Edo State and my Constituency where he is building the first flyover in Benin City. With his good works, I cannot be on the other side but rather join hands with him to develop the State.

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“The governor has a vision for the people. He has a good heart to make Edo people happy. I had no choice but to join the governor to move Edo State forward. Your developmental strides have wooed me to the party,” he explained.

 

 

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Nigerian Correctional Service Gets New Spokesperson

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The Nigerian Correctional Service on Monday appointed Chief Superintendent of Corrections Jane Osuji as its new Public Relations Officer.

The announcement was made in a statement released by the Controller-General of the Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, who confirmed that the appointment takes immediate effect.

According to the statement signed by the Deputy Controller-General of Corrections, Ado Sale, on behalf of the CG,

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The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, has appointed Chief Superintendent of Corrections Jane Osuji as the new Service Public Relations Officer with immediate effect.”

READ ALSO:FULL LIST: FG Lists Nigerian Veterans For Honours To Celebrate 100 Years Of Aviation Industry

Osuji takes over from Deputy Controller of Corrections Umar Abubakar, who retired on November 19, 2025.

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A native of Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Osuji holds a BSc in Public Relations and Advertising from Lagos State University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.

The Service highlighted her groundbreaking achievement, stating, “The new Spokesperson, who makes history as the first female Service Public Relations Officer of the NCoS, was enlisted into the Nigerian Prisons Service in 2009 as an Assistant Superintendent of Prisons II (as it was then called) and has attended all the requisite courses required for her rank.”

Her professional development includes specialised training such as the Internal Security/Low Intensity Conflict Operations Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji.

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READ ALSO:Tunde Smooth, Opudu, Lawuru To Grace Ijaw Media Conference As Preparation Enters Top Gear

Osuji has served in multiple key public relations roles within the Service. The NCoS recalled that “CSC Osuji has had a remarkable tour of duty, having served in the following capacities: Assistant Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, and FCT Command Public Relations Officer before her posting to the National Headquarters as the Assistant National Public Relations Officer at the time, and served under four Controllers-General.”

She also spent eight years working closely with the Ministry of Interior.

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“The Spokesperson also worked extensively as Press Secretary to three Honourable Ministers of Interior from 2015 to 2023,” the statement added.

Until her appointment, Osuji was serving at the Public Relations Unit of the Service Headquarters in Abuja. The NCoS noted that “She is happily married with children.”

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Nigeria Urges Respect For Sovereignty At ICC Assembly

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Nigeria has called on member states of the International Criminal Court to respect the country’s sovereignty and constitutional framework as global cooperation on international justice continues to evolve.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), delivered the message on Monday at the opening of the 24th Session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute in The Hague, Netherlands.

Representing President Bola Tinubu, Fagbemi conveyed Nigeria’s appreciation to the ICC and the Assembly for their “tireless efforts in ensuring a successful and meaningful session,” stressing that the country’s commitment to the Rome Statute remains unwavering.

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According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the President (Communication and Publicity), Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kamarudeen Ogundele, Fagbemi said Nigeria is determined to hold accountable those responsible for war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

He noted that cooperation with the ICC is anchored in the principles of international law and the sovereign equality of states.

READ ALSO:Trump To Receive Full Menu Of Options To Stop Nigeria Genocide – US Rep, Moore

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The minister highlighted ongoing national efforts to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian and criminal justice obligations.

These include the High-Level International Humanitarian Law Dialogue convened in May, which brought together ministries, civil society groups and academics to review Nigeria’s adherence to international norms.

Fagbemi added that the government continues to prioritise the protection of civilians during military operations and conducts investigations into alleged violations.

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He cited the six-month Demobilisation, Deradicalisation and Reintegration Programme, which he said has reintegrated more than 6,000 former combatants.

He further noted that legislative processes to domesticate the Rome Statute and Additional Protocols I and II to the Geneva Conventions are ongoing, while domestication of the Kampala Convention awaits presidential assent.

READ ALSO:Genocide: U.S. Lawmaker Alleges Tinubu Lying, Protecting Own Interest

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According to the statement, Nigeria recently endorsed the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and joined the Global Initiative to Garner Political Support for International Humanitarian Law.

Fagbemi reaffirmed that Nigeria has both the capacity and willingness to prosecute serious crimes committed within its jurisdiction in line with the ICC’s complementarity principle.

He said the country looks forward to the “formal conclusion of its situation by the ICC,” adding that Nigeria will continue to cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor.

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Against the backdrop of rising global conflicts, the minister condemned increasing violations of international humanitarian law, the targeting of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.

He also raised concerns over emerging technologies, including lethal autonomous weapons systems, noting that they pose “complex challenges to the protection of civilians and the attribution of responsibility.”

READ ALSO:Alleged Christian Genocide: APC Requests To Testify At US Congress

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Fagbemi urged the ICC and the international community to adopt norms and safeguards to ensure that technology “serves humanity and not the reverse.”

He stressed that global justice mechanisms must remain sensitive to the realities of countries grappling with terrorism, insurgency and mass displacement, adding that effective cooperation—including victim support, technical assistance and information-sharing—remains essential.

The AGF reiterated Nigeria’s support for efforts to strengthen the ICC’s independence and credibility but emphasised that Africa’s “peculiar experiences and challenges must be reflected in ongoing ICC reforms.”

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Fagbemi also condemned the recent cyberattacks on the ICC’s digital infrastructure, describing them as deliberate attempts to undermine the Court’s independence and erode confidence in international justice. He called for greater collaboration with technology and artificial intelligence experts to safeguard the Court’s systems.

Nigeria congratulated the newly elected member of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims and urged increased voluntary contributions to support its work in reintegration and healing for victims.

Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to ending impunity for the gravest international crimes, Fagbemi encouraged states that have not yet joined the Rome Statute to do so “in the interest of global peace, justice, and human dignity.”

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BREAKING: Ex-CDS Musa meets Tinubu At Aso Villa

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Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, is meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Musa was spotted arriving at the State House at 7:03 pm on Monday as he was led into the President’s office area by a senior security official.

Dressed in dark-green traditional northern attire with elbow-length sleeves, Musa is meeting the President publicly for the first time since Tinubu retired him on October 24, 2025.

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READ ALSO:Tinubu Sends Ex-INEC Chair, Former Oyo First Lady, 30 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees To Senate

The purpose of the meeting was not immediately known.

It comes amid heightened security concerns in the North, including the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi, the attack on worshippers in Eruku, Kwara, and the kidnapping of Catholic schoolchildren in Minna, as security agencies intensify counter-terrorism and anti-kidnapping operations across the North-West and North-Central.

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