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FULL LIST: Lagos PDP Spokesman, Others Join APC

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The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party’s spokesman, Hakeem Amode, has dumped his party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Amode, along with other PDP chieftains announced their defection at a news conference on Monday in Ikeja, Lagos.

He disclosed that he and other defectors were motivated and inspired by the visionary leadership of the 2023 PDP governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, who had earlier moved to the APC.

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It is with great honour and a profound sense of responsibility that we stand before you today to announce a pivotal decision; one that marks a significant turning point not just for us as individuals, but for many committed political stakeholders who have journeyed with us over the years.

“Today, we have decided to collapse the entire PDP structure in Lagos State, from ward to the state level , to allign with His Excellency Jandor to decamp en masse to the APC.

“The PDP, both at the national and state levels, has lost its way.

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“The party has deviated from the founding ideals that once made it the largest and most respected political platform in Africa.

“Today, its future is riddled with tension and uncertainty.

“The PDP is in a coma and may not survive unless urgent measures are taken,” Amode said.

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According to him, the tenure of the defectors within the PDP had been lengthy and eventful, characterised by both achievements and setbacks.

READ ALSO: Delta Rep Defects To APC, Says Labour Party Has No Direction

He said that majority of the defectors had the privilege of serving the PDP in various capacities, worked for change and did their best for their former party

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He said, “However, after thorough introspection and extensive consultation, we believe it is time to chart a new course.

“This decision has not been made lightly.

“It reflects our commitment to taking control of our political destinies in order to better serve our people and the loyal supporters who continue to stand by us.”

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Amode said that the PDP in Lagos, under the leadership of Philip Aivoji, had been fractured and disunited.

Poor leadership and a lack of cohesion have cost us dearly

“Today, we, alongside several former PDP candidates at various levels, national, local government executives, ward leaders, and key stakeholders across Lagos, formally resign from the PDP and align ourselves with the APC.

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“We have submitted our letters of resignation to our respective ward chairmen, local government chairmen, and the state leadership of the PDP,” he said.

Today, we have decided to collapse the entire PDP structure in Lagos State, from ward to the state level , to allign with His Excellency Jandor to decamp en masse to the APC.

“The PDP, both at the national and state levels, has lost its way.

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READ ALSO: VIDEO: Moment Tinubu Observed Akwa Ibom Gov’s Defection To APC

“The party has deviated from the founding ideals that once made it the largest and most respected political platform in Africa.

“Today, its future is riddled with tension and uncertainty.

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“The PDP is in a coma and may not survive unless urgent measures are taken,” Amode said.

According to him, the tenure of the defectors within the PDP had been lengthy and eventful, characterised by both achievements and setbacks.

He said that majority of the defectors had the privilege of serving the PDP in various capacities, worked for change and did their best for their former party

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He said, “However, after thorough introspection and extensive consultation, we believe it is time to chart a new course.

“This decision has not been made lightly.

“It reflects our commitment to taking control of our political destinies in order to better serve our people and the loyal supporters who continue to stand by us.”

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Amode said that the PDP in Lagos, under the leadership of Philip Aivoji, had been fractured and disunited.

Poor leadership and a lack of cohesion have cost us dearly.

READ ALSO: Edo Senator, Neda Imasuen Defects To APC, Says LP In Shreds, No Direction

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“Today, we, alongside several former PDP candidates at various levels, national, local government executives, ward leaders, and key stakeholders across Lagos, formally resign from the PDP and align ourselves with the APC.

“We have submitted our letters of resignation to our respective ward chairmen, local government chairmen, and the state leadership of the PDP,” he said.

Amode, who noted that the decision to leave the PDP was not driven by personal ambition, clarified that defecting to the APC was to serve the society better.

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We are determined to work with our new partners in the APC to deliver the true dividends of democracy to every corner of our great state.”

Safurat Abdulkareem, a two-time State PDP deputy governorship candidate, said that the defectors were determined to follow the progressives to make the state better.

Also speaking, a former state PDP Deputy Chairman, Chief Ola Apena, said the PDP had no relevance in the state anymore.

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The PDP is dead. There is no more PDP.

“The party is in complete limbo and we don’t know whether it will be up,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of 2023 PDP state House of Assembly candidates, Mr Ibrahim Balogun, who flew the party’s flag in Kosofe, said he wasted time by staying in the PDP for 18 years.

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We will work for Tinubu in 2027. We are going en masse into the APC.

READ ALSO: Akwa Ibom Commissioner Resigns After Gov’s Defection To APC

“Jandor is a visionary leader to follow because he is a man of the people,” Balogun said.

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Jandor, who congratulated the defectors, said, ” We have successfully collapsed the entire structure of the PDP into the APC now.

“There is no point in belonging to a political party that has no determination and purpose of winning elections. The PDP is a social club, not interested in winning.

“Lagos State PDP leadership is ensuring that the party does not win and the party had been doing this for over two decades now, wasting people’s destiny.

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“I congratulate these PDP leaders for joining me in the APC.

“The PDP is a sinking ship. In Nigeria of today, there is no other viable platform apart from the APC,” Adediran said.

Other PDP leaders, who dumped the party for the APC included Prince Rufus Adeniyi, a former PDP Assistant State Organising Secretary (Lagos West) and Mr Jerry Afemikhe (Olori Odo), a former PDP House of Representatives Candidate in Surulere Constituency I.

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Some 2023 PDP Lagos State House of Assembly candidates who dumped the party included Messrs Keshinro Abiodun (Epe 1);Akeem Jinadu, (Eti-Osa 1); Ibrahim Balogun (Kosofe 2).

Messrs Taofeek Obanikoro (Lagos Island 1); Tunde Pratt (Lagos Mainland 2); Saheed Aregbesola (Oshodi-Isolo State 2), Sulaimon Thompson (Surulere 1)and Taofeek Kuye ( Ajeromi-Ifelodun State 1) also dumped PDP for APC.

Mr Adeyemi Kazeem:former PDP Chairman, Ojo Local Government;Pastor Gbenga Ogunleye,media aide to the 2023 Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate were also among those who defected.
(PUNCH)

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Ex-soldiers Fume Over Lifetime Benefits For Sacked Service Chiefs

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The sacked Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, and two other service chiefs, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, are set to receive generous retirement benefits.

The benefits include bulletproof vehicles, domestic aides, and lifetime medical care.

Their exit follows President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of new service chiefs on Friday.

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General Olufemi Oluyede has been named the new Chief of Defence Staff, while Major-General W. Shaibu takes over as Chief of Army Staff.

Air Vice Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke becomes the new Chief of Air Staff, and Rear Admiral I. Abbas the Chief of Naval Staff. The Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major-General E.A.P. Undiendeye, retains his position.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said in a statement on Friday that the removal of the service chiefs was in furtherance of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.

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According to the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers and Enlisted Personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces, signed by President Tinubu on December 14, 2024, the service chiefs are entitled to substantial retirement packages upon disengagement.

The document stipulates that each retiring service chief will receive a bulletproof SUV or an equivalent vehicle, to be maintained and replaced every four years by the military.

They are also entitled to a Peugeot 508 or an equivalent backup vehicle.

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Beyond the vehicles, the package includes five domestic aides — two service cooks, two stewards, and one civilian gardener — along with an aide-de-camp or security officer, and a personal assistant or special assistant.

They will also retain three service drivers, a service orderly, and a standard guard unit comprising nine soldiers.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tinubu Sacks CDS Musa, Names New Army Boss

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The benefits extend to free medical treatment both in Nigeria and abroad, as well as the retention of personal firearms to be retrieved upon their demise.

However, while officers of lieutenant-general rank and equivalents are entitled to international and local medical care worth up to $20,000 annually, the benefits for the service chiefs, though not stated in the document, are believed to be considerably higher.

The HTCOS reads, “Retirement benefits for CDS and Service Chiefs: The following benefits shall be applicable: one bulletproof SUV or equivalent vehicle to be maintained by the Service and to be replaced every four years. One Peugeot 508 or equivalent backup vehicle.

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‘’Retention of all military uniforms and accoutrement to be worn for appropriate ceremonies; five domestic aides (two service cooks, two stewards, and one civilian gardener); one Aide-de-Camp/security officer; one Special Assistant (Lt/Capt or equivalents) or one Personal Assistant (Warrant Officer or equivalents); standard guard (nine soldiers).

“Three service drivers; one service orderly; escorts (to be provided by appropriate military units/formation as the need arises); retention of personal firearms (on his demise, the personal firearm(s) shall be retrieved by the relevant service); and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad.”

However, the policy specifies that such entitlements apply only if the retired officers have not accepted any other appointment funded from public resources — except when such an appointment is made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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In such cases, the officers, according to the document, will only receive allowances commensurate with the new role rather than a full salary.

Retired soldiers protest lavish perks

Reacting, some retired soldiers decried what they described as the luxurious benefits and entitlements reserved for service chiefs and senior military officers.

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They lamented that junior personnel continued to suffer neglect and unpaid entitlements despite years of service to the nation.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Tinubu swears In New INEC Chairman, Amupitan

The retired officers expressed frustration over the disparity in welfare and treatment between senior and junior ranks within the military.

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One of the leaders of the discharged soldiers demanding their owed entitlements, Sgt. Zaki Williams, expressed frustration over the entitlements reserved for the service chiefs.

Speaking in an emotional tone, Williams, who claimed to be speaking for more than 700 soldiers in his group, said many retired non-commissioned officers had been abandoned despite dedicating their lives to defending the country.

He said, “I don’t really understand how our people in Nigeria do things. The people at the top always do things to favour only themselves. They don’t care about the poor or the junior ones who sacrificed everything.”

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The retired sergeant recalled that government officials had made several promises to improve their welfare, but none had been fulfilled.

“Since the day they made those promises to us, we went back home and didn’t hear anything again. Everything just ended there. We’ve been waiting till now, but nothing has happened,” he added.

Williams said the situation had left many of his colleagues demoralised and divided over whether to continue pressing for their entitlements.

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Some of us said we should protest again, but others refused. We told them that day that we were not going for another protest. If the government wants to help us, they should help us. If not, we’re done,” he said.

He also accused senior military officers of frustrating efforts by the defence ministry to address the concerns of retired personnel.

According to Williams, life after service has been extremely difficult for most of them who retired voluntarily or were discharged without compensation.

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READ ALSO:Tinubu Approves Tenure Extension For Surveyor-General

How can someone retire after years of service and still not get their entitlement? Many of us can’t even build a house. The senior officers have houses, cars, and everything good, but the rest of us have nothing,” he said.

He added that the little compensation given to some was not enough to rebuild their lives.

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“If they give you N2m today, what can you really start with it in this country? You have children, family, and responsibilities, yet you can’t even afford a plot of land,” he said.

Expressing disappointment, he said most junior officers had lost faith in the system.

“We’ve handed everything over to God,” he said quietly. “We’ve cried and done our best. They promised us, but in the end, it’s still zero. We haven’t seen anything. That’s why many of us are now silent.”

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Another retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, lamented that promises made to retired personnel had remained unfulfilled, leaving many struggling to survive.

He said, “All you said they would give to them would be done promptly, and they are more than what we need to sustain our lives. This is very unfair. We have suffered a lot, and they’re yet to give us our entitlements after leaving the service. What is our offence? Is it because we are junior officers?”

The former sergeant said the senior officers continued to enjoy generous retirement packages while lower ranks were denied their due benefits.

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We are preparing for another protest for them to pay us. This is very bad,” he said.

(PUNCH)

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Alleged Misappropriation: MFM Accuses UK Agency Of Discrimination

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The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International has accused the UK Charity Commission of bias and being discriminatory in its report that alleged the church engaged in financial mismanagement.

MFM denied that its UK branch’s accounts were frozen due to financial mismanagement by its trustees.

According to a report by The Cable, the UK Charity Commission had frozen assets belonging to MFM over transparency concerns.

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The commission said it opened an inquiry after financial concerns were identified, including the alleged misappropriation of charity funds.

The inquiry found that trustees in the MFM charity wing could not demonstrate that they had adequate oversight or control over more than 100 bank accounts operated by individual branches.

READ ALSO:UK Police Hunt Asylum Seeker Mistakenly Freed For Sex Offence

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But reacting to the allegations in a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Dan Aibangbe, the church described the commission’s action as “a gross distortion of facts and a deliberate mischaracterisation of a closed chapter.”

MFM insisted that no wrongdoing or fraud was ever found against its trustees.

“The issues raised were related to administrative governance, not a finding of fraudulent activity by the trustee body. This matter is old and not a fresh development. It is misleading to present it as a current scandal,” the church said.

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In the statement titled ‘A Point-by-Point Rebuttal: Setting the Record Straight on the MFM–UK Charity Commission Matter,’ the church said none of its bank accounts were frozen, describing such claims as “a complete fabrication.”

The statement added, “No bank accounts belonging to MFM were ever frozen. The commission’s report identified no evidence of systemic financial misconduct by the trustees. The entire process was a display of overreach, not an exposure of fraud.”

READ ALSO:UK Is A Home, Not Hotel, Kemi Badenoch Tells Immigrants, Starmer’s Govt

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MFM maintained that the Charity Commission acted “not on concrete evidence but on rumours and gossip,” claiming that the regulator’s expectations of uncovering large-scale fraud proved unfounded after it gained access to the church’s financial records.

“When the Commission examined the records, it found nothing of the sort. Rather than close the case honourably, it embarked on a fault-finding mission, highlighting minor administrative discrepancies to justify its intrusion,” it added.

The church further described the commission’s actions as part of a pattern of procedural flaws, recalling that MFM had previously challenged the regulator’s methods in a British court and secured a judgment against what it described as “improper procedures and overreach.”

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MFM disclosed that following the probe, the Charity Commission appointed an interim manager to oversee MFM’s UK operations, but the individual’s five-year tenure was more about revenue generation than stewardship.

“The interim manager showed no genuine interest in the church’s ministry, never visiting a single MFM branch in the UK throughout his tenure. Yet, he charged the church a staggering £2 million for his ‘services’—a colossal fee for a process that yielded no evidence of wrongdoing,” the church said.

READ ALSO:UK Cuts Post-study Work Period For Foreign Students

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“The five-year ordeal was not about protection but predation. What the Commission spent half a decade attempting to prove could have been resolved through cooperative guidance in a single month.”

The church emphasised that the concerns identified by the Commission were administrative in nature, arising largely from the rapid growth of MFM’s UK operations, which had outpaced its volunteer-run governance framework.

The most powerful testament to the church’s integrity is this: not a single penny was mismanaged by the trustees,” Aibangbe said. “The issues raised were purely related to governance and record-keeping in a fast-growing organisation, not the diversion or theft of funds.

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“Crucially, the leadership was already aware of the administrative gaps and had started taking steps to professionalise its governance structure. The Commission’s premature and heavy-handed investigation punished the church for being a victim of its own success,” the church added.

READ ALSO:UK Links Nigeria, Others To Poisonous Alcoholic Drinks

Describing the investigation as “a biased, costly, and ultimately baseless persecution,” MFM said the experience reflected deeper prejudices against African-founded churches operating in the UK.

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The church said it remains committed to transparency and accountability but called for fair treatment of faith-based organisations, regardless of their ethnic or cultural origins.

“The entire ordeal reeks of discriminatory and arrogant oversight,” Aibangbe said. “It was a display of institutional overreach, leveraging state power to burden and punish a thriving faith community.

“The truth has prevailed, and the church marches on—stronger and wiser,” it added.

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Resident Doctors Declare Nationwide Strike

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The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has declared that it would embark on a nationwide indefinite strike starting from November 1, following the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal Government.

NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Saturday.

Suleiman stated that the association’s National Executive Council reached the decision after reviewing the government’s response to their demands during its virtual emergency meeting.

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He noted that the strike notice would be formally issued within 24 hours as mandated by the NEC.

READ ALSO:NMA, NERD, Others React To UK Restriction Of Doctors’ Migration

The NEC of NARD has declared total and indefinite strike action starting November 1st of 2025. As a matter of fact, the NEC said all the 19 points are our minimum demands, and there is no going back. The notice for the strike will be out maybe later today or tomorrow,” Suleiman said.

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The looming strike is expected to heavily impact services in hospitals across the country where resident doctors form the backbone of clinical care.

NARD had on September 26 given the Federal Government one month to address a series of unresolved issues affecting the welfare and training of resident doctors and medical officers across the country.

NARD noted that resident doctors and medical officers across the country continued to endure excessive and unregulated work hours, spanning several consecutive days, which endanger both their health and patient safety.

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READ ALSO:FG Introduces Chinese Language Into School Curriculum

The association also raised concern over the nonpayment of the outstanding 25 per cent and 35 per cent upward review arrears of CONMESS, which should have been settled by the end of August 2025, despite several engagements with the Federal Government.

NARD described as unjust the dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, saying the action came amid widespread burnout and the ongoing migration of medical professionals abroad.

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Other grievances include the non-payment of promotion arrears owed to medical officers in various federal tertiary hospitals and the failure of the government to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance, despite repeated assurances from the Ministry of Health.

It also cited bureaucratic delays in upgrading resident doctors’ ranks following successful completion of postgraduate medical examinations. The association said these delays have led to non-payment of new salary scales and accumulated arrears.

READ ALSO:FG Introduces Chinese Language Into School Curriculum

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It further decried the exclusion of resident doctors from the specialist allowance, despite their vital role in delivering specialist-level clinical care to patients nationwide.

Similarly, NARD faulted the exclusion of medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme, a policy that has denied them rightful emoluments, professional recognition, and timely payment of salaries.

The association also condemned the downgrading of newly employed resident doctors from CONMESS three Step three to CONMESS two Step two, which has resulted in salary shortages and arrears in several federal hospitals.

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