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Senate Halts Screening Of 3 Ministerial Nominees Over Alleged Forgery, Age Falsification

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The screening of at least three ministerial nominees was put on hold for reasons of age forgery and age falsification, among others, as the Senate commenced the exercise yesterday.

Of the 14 nominees listed on the order paper for screening, seven, including immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, were asked to take a bow and go, while four others were screened.

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Others asked to take a bow and go included two-term members of House of Representatives, Abubakar Momoh, from Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State; Senator Abubakar Kyari, who was in the 8th and 9th Senate and currently the Acting National Charman of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC; a senator in the 8th Senate, Senator John Enoh; and the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru.

Also asked to take a bow and go were former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejeocha, who represented Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State; former member, House of Representatives and Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, since 2017, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.

But those whose screening was put on hold and asked to clarify issues were Prof. Joseph Utsev who is currently the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, the home town of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume.

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Utsev, who hails from Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State, is said to be the candidate of Akume.
The nominee in his resume indicated that he was born in 1980 and finished his primary education in 1989 at the age of nine, thereby drawing the attention of the Senate on how he would be in primary one at the age of three.

The two others were Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi, Taraba, who was alleged to have been banned by the Supreme Court from holding public office for ten years and Bello Mohammed from Sokoto State whose case had to do with his secondary school leaving certificate,

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The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio said that those who had issues would have their cases looked into at the stage of confirmation.

The nominees whose names appeared on the Order Paper, but were not screened included Arch. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa – Katsina State; Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji – Enugu State and Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete – Delta State

The screening exercise, which commenced at 1.32 pm ended at 6 pm, starting with a two-term of House of Representatives member, Abubakar Momoh from Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State.

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Tinubu appoints Ajuri Ngelale as Special Adviser on Media, Publicity
Soon after Momoh introduced himself as a former councillor, local government chairman, ex-member, the House of Assembly and a two-time member who represented Etsako federal constituency, he was asked to take a bow and go.

The second to appear before the Senate at the hallowed chamber was the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

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Addressing the senators, Wike said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not regret nominating me as a minister, describing himself as a performer.

Wike, who noted that he executed and commissioned a series of capital projects across Rivers State when he served as governor, said: “Every day I was commissioning projects. Mr President will not regret nominating me as a minister.”

On his part, Senator Mpigi Barinada PDP, Rivers), said that over five million people from the state supported Wike’s ministerial nomination and urged his colleagues to free him.

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Akpabio then asked the former Rivers governor to take a bow and go, following a voice vote.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Senate Forced Into Closed-door Meeting Over Ministerial Nominees

Even when there were shouts of resistance apparently from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators, the Senate president hit the gavel.

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Another nominee who appeared at 2.55 pm was Senator Abubakar Kyari, who was in the 8th and 9th Senate and currently occupies the position of acting National Chairman of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Senator Kyari was asked to take a bow and go as a former senator and the acting national chairman of APC.

The next was the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, Abubakar Badaru, followed by a senator in the 8th Senate, Senator John Enoh; then the former Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Nkiru Onyejeocha who represented Isuikwuato/ Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Abia State; former member, House of Representatives and Nigeria Ambassador to Germany, since 2017, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who were all asked to take a bow and go.

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When the matter of Supreme Court banning him from public office was raised, Senator Abubakar Sani Danladi, who was former acting governor and deputy governor of Taraba State, said: “There was nothing in Appeal Court, they just struck out the case for lack of merit.

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“At the Supreme Court, the same thing happened as Mrs Mary Odili said the Federal High Court Jalingo was wrong to have passed the judgment in that manner because when I was a deputy governor in 2007, they used their executive power at that time to nullify me so from Supreme Court, I had to go back to the Federal High Court, Jalingo since the Supreme Court said there was no basis for the Federal High Court,, Jalingo to do that judgement.

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“Then the same jurisdiction of the Federal High Court Jalingo now sat on the same judgement and set aside that judgement that is hanging on me.”

Responding, Akpabio said: “The Federal High Court, Jalingo, gave a judgement against you that you were not qualified to contest on the basis of perjury, that you lied on oath in respect of your date of birth, then later the Federal High Court sat on the same matter and cleared you?

“What we are saying is that the moment the Federal High Court gave the first judgement they become Funtus Officio in Law and can no longer sit as appellate court over its own judgement, so you will definitely say what you want to say, we will study this because it is in the interest of Nigeria and it is in public interest, We will give him chance to finish, as soon as he finishes, he can take a bow.”

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Senator Danladi continued: “On the same issue , Senator Shaibu Lau took the matter to Federal High Court, Abuja, here sir. The Federal High Court gave me the judgement and he now went to Appeal Court which affirmed the judgement of the Federal High Court.

”He now went to the Supreme Court, the court game me judgement, so there was no judgement from Supreme Court. As I am talking, the Supreme Court is hearing me, there was no judgement. If there is judgement, it is here.”
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After Fallout With Trump, Elon Musk Says He’s Forming ‘America Party’

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Billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk, has disclosed that he is forming a third political party, which he called the ‘America Party,’ after a dramatic falling out with Donald Trump over a tax and spending bill recently signed into law by the President.

Musk, who was the largest individual donor to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, worked with the current US President as the lead of his cost-cutting government agency—the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—until his recent resignation.

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After bowing out of the DOGE role, Tribune Online reports that Musk started criticizing Trump’s “big beautiful bill” because of estimates that he said would add trillions of dollars to the federal deficit.

READ ALSO:Trump Says Will ‘Take A Look’ At Deporting Musk

Speaking via his X social media platform, Musk said, “When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.”

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Musk, a former ‘first buddy’ of the US President, declared that the new party is for freedom: “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.”

Meanwhile, Musk’s rift with President Trump last month after intense criticism of the spending bill appeared to have cooled after Musk regretted and deleted the most incendiary posts he made linking Trump with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and calling for the President’s impeachment. According to Musk, those posts ‘went too far.’

However, the world’s richest man reignited the feud over the last several days as the bill neared passage and eventually passed by the House before it was subsequently signed at a White House ceremony.

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READ ALSO:Elon Musk Deletes Post Claiming Trump Was ‘In The Epstein Files’

According to CNN, the extent to which Musk has taken steps to legally form the party is unclear, as party formation requires registering with the Federal Election Commission. The most recent FEC filings showed no indication that this has happened, CNN reports.

The owner of X, who has made threats during the social media scuffle with Trump, had indicated he wants a party that is fiscally conservative and reins in spending, but has offered few other details about what the party’s platform would be.

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While Musk and Trump reportedly share similar views on contemporary social issues, the former has argued the Republican policy agenda will increase the debt, calling it “debt slavery.”

The two-party system in the United States has long been criticized by both registered Democrats and registered Republicans, but efforts in the last century to form a third party have shown little success. Billionaire Ross Perot ran for president as an independent in 1992, winning nearly a fifth of the popular vote, but carried no states in the election, which was won by Bill Clinton.

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Australian Actor Julian McMahon Is Dead

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Australian actor Julian McMahon, best known for his roles in Nip/Tuck, Charmed, and Fantastic Four, has died at the age of 56.

McMahon passed away in Clearwater, Florida, on Wednesday following a private battle with cancer.

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His death was confirmed in a statement released on Friday by his wife, Kelly.

The statement read,”With an open heart, I share with the world that Julian McMahon, my beloved husband, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Is Dead

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His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible.

“We wish all of those to whom Julian brought joy to continue to find joy in life.

“We are grateful for the memories.”

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Born into a prominent political family, McMahon was the son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William McMahon.

READ ALSO:BREAKING: Renowned Businessman, Aminu Dantata, Is Dead

In a nod to his family’s legacy, he portrayed an Australian prime minister in the Netflix drama ‘The Residence.’

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McMahon’s career spanned decades, earning him international recognition for his roles as Dr. Christian Troy in ‘Nip/Tuck’, Cole Turner in ‘Charmed’, and Victor Von Doom in ‘Fantastic Four’.

He was married three times, including a high-profile marriage to Australian singer and actress Dannii Minogue, sister of pop icon Kylie Minogue.

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Thai Police Rescue Eight-year-old Boy Living With Dogs, Unable To Speak

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An eight-year-old boy has been rescued in Thailand after authorities discovered him living among dogs and only able to communicate by barking.

According to Dailymail on Friday, the boy, whose name has been withheld, was found on Monday during a welfare check at a ramshackle, drug-infested house in Lap Lae District, Uttaradit Province.

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Local reports say the child had been living with his mother, 46, and his 23-year-old brother, both of whom tested positive for drug use after a police raid.

Neighbours revealed that the family had long been isolated from the community, and the boy had no contact with other children. Instead, he spent his days with the family’s six dogs, which he reportedly mimicked.

READ ALSO:24-year-old Thai Lady Arrested At Lagos Airport With Illicit Drugs

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“He didn’t speak, he just barked. It was pitiful to see,” said Paveena Hongsakul, president of the activist foundation which worked with police on the rescue.

Authorities said the boy had only attended school once, despite his mother receiving government stipends of around 400 baht (£9) meant to support his education.

His mother hasn’t allowed him to go to school since he received a subsidy for free education,” Hongsakul explained. “After getting the money, she simply kept him at home.”

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Neighbours were said to have forbidden their children from playing with the young boy due to the family’s behaviour.

The mother was reportedly known in the area for begging at temples and has now been charged with drug use.

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A local teacher described the boy’s environment as a “red zone for drugs” and said that neighbours forbade their children from interacting with him.

‘The house is in a red zone for drugs,’ one teacher explained. ”The boy had no one, just the dogs to play with.”

The disturbing situation came to light after a headteacher raised the alarm, prompting activists and police to raid the house on June 30.

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Images shared in Thai media showed authorities at the shack surrounded by trees and several dogs.

Following the rescue, the boy was taken to a children’s home, where he will receive medical and psychological care.

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Ms Hongsakul, of the Foundation for Children and Women, will work with authorities to ensure the child receives continuous education, and her organisation will monitor his progress.

Images from the scene showed authorities standing around a small family in a wooded area with several dogs on site. Credit: Dailymail
Images from the scene showed authorities standing around a small family in a wooded area with several dogs on site. Credit: Dailymail
The boy will be given a chance at a good life. We’ll follow up with him to make sure he gets everything he needs,” she said.

Cases of so-called “feral children”, youngsters raised with little or no human contact, are extremely rare but often highlight the severe consequences of neglect.

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Experts cite the example of Oxana Malaya, a Ukrainian girl found in 1991 living with dogs after her parents abandoned her. Though she eventually learned to speak and reintegrated into society, she still struggled with some developmental challenges.

Authorities in Thailand say they are committed to giving the rescued boy a fresh start and the chance to live a normal life.

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