Author: Tunde Akingbondere

Nigerian students under the platform of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Council (JCC) Ondo Axis have made public plans to stage a mass protest from tomorrow, March 27, 2025, challenging what they describe as persistent neglect by the Ondo State Government. An official statement traced to the student body called out the government for falling short of expectations in terms of addressing pressing issues affecting students despite several diplomatic engagements and official correspondences. Their demands include improved welfare policies, renovation of institutional facilities, construction of hostels, better security especially for students on industrial training (SIWES), and…

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions has thrown out Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition, saying the matter was already subject of litigation. The petition was addressed by Mr Zubairu Yakubu, one of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents. Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC – Ebonyi South) and a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, had a clash over the handling of the sexual harassment allegations. Dr Ezekwesili, a witness, had accompanied Yakubu, who appeared before the Senate Committee, to defend the petition. A war of words broke out between Nwebonyi and the former minister, who complained bitterly about how the…

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said he has “no regrets” for turning down Federal Capital Territory Minister and former governor, Nyesom Wike, as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election. Atiku, who lost the keenly contested election to President Bola Tinubu, revealed this in an interview for Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie, set to air today. The fall out between Atiku and Wike can be traced back to the bruising PDP primaries of 2022, when Wike, then the governor of Rivers State, aggressively sought the party’s ticket but was edged out by Atiku. After losing out in the…

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has officially remitted an affidavit before the Notary Public of Nigeria, further restating allegations of sexual harassment, abuse of office, and obstruction of legislative duties against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. In the affidavit, which constitutes part of an ongoing petition which is already before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges & Public Petitions, for consideration, alleges that Akpabio made inappropriate advances towards Akpoti-Uduaghan and subsequently sought to frustrate her legislative activities after she rejected him. In her sworn statement, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan spotlighted an alleged incident on December 8, 2023, when she, accompanied by her husband, visited Senator…

For the past four months, I have grappled with how best to express my appreciation for a man who has profoundly impacted my life and the lives of countless others. His unwavering commitment to transformation, social change, and philanthropy has brought hope to many, often without seeking recognition. It is his destiny to illuminate darkened paths, provide hope to forgotten generations, and evoke happiness through genuine utilitarianism, as articulated by John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. I have dedicated a section of my latest book, “In the Eye of the Storm: Prophet (Dr.) Ebenezer Akinsunlola At 50,” to highlight his…

The Ondo State Police Command has reacted to a viral video insinuating that one of its officers indulged in phone theft in the Idogun part of the State. The Police, according to a statement addressed via its Force Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami, on the 22nd March, 2025, condemned the allegation, saying it is untrue and debunked by stakeholders in the community. The statement reads: “RE: THEFT ALLEGATION AGAINST POLICE MEN ON QUICK INTERVENTION AT IDOGUN,” “The attention of the Command has been drawn to a video circulating online alleging Policemen on quick intervention duty at Idogun of stealing from…

Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, a prominent journalist at Television Commercial (TVC), which is owned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has openly criticized his boss regarding the State of Emergency declaration in Rivers. He asserts that Tinubu does not have the authority to remove a democratically elected governor, deputy, or assembly members. During a recent appearance on the station’s flagship program, “Journalists’ Hang Out,” Otitoju reiterated his stance from a prior episode, emphasizing his right to disagree with the president over what he perceives as a wrongful action. He highlighted that while the president is entitled to clarify his decisions, he believes the…

INTRODUCTION In an era where democracy is supposed to reign supreme giving democracy dividends to beleaguered Nigerians, the nation has once again found itself at crossroads, a sober moment of reckoning where constitutional order is being tested in the most brazen of ways. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, sworn to uphold the Constitution, has taken a most unprecedented and unlawful step: the suspension of a democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor and an entire State House of Assembly under the thin guise of emergency rule. What emergency? Nigerians and Rivers people did not see or feel…

The House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly in full endorsement of the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months following the political crisis that had rocked the state. Two days after the move, Tinubu wrote to the National Assembly, seeking their approval for the emergency rule declaration. The Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbass read the president’s letter during a plenary session on…

In an interview with Citizen Rapporteur today, renowned Political Economy professor Pat Utomi criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers, likening it to the Senate’s suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by Senate President Godswill Akpabio over alleged misconduct. Utomi described both actions as “unbecoming” and “unfortunate,” suggesting that Tinubu has a personal stake in the matter, particularly regarding the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who has acted as his surrogate. He stated, “Tinubu attempted to be a judge in his own case with this declaration, similar to how Akpabio silenced Natasha Akpoti with…