A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has said that “34 and a half” governors are backing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. 

Galadima, while speaking at the inauguration of the national reconciliation committee of the party,  said Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi, has not decided who to work with between the ruling party and the opposition coalition.

The NDC chieftain said Mohammed was advised against aligning with a party that has a strong presidential candidate after a meeting with NDC stakeholders.

Galadima also said Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, has distanced himself from both Tinubu’s camp and the coalition.

“There are thirty-four and a half governors. The one who is not with him, visibly shown, is Seyi Makinde. The half is Bala Mohammed,” Galadima said.

“Mohammed is half, because Bala Mohammed met with us after the wee hours of the night, 3:00 a.m. We parted; we were both at the NDC together. Just for him in the morning to call that he has rescinded his decision, that he was advised not to go into any party with a strong presidential candidate,” Galadima said.

“So, it means Bala Mohammed is on the fence. He may work with us; he may work with them. That’s why he’s half, as far as I’m concerned.

“So if you are in power, you have the authority to say, look, we are only fielding this man; all of you step down. Or they can compensate you. We have nothing to compensate anybody, except we reason, except patriotism, that we need to salvage this country.”

1. Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has defended the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying the anti-graft agency acted within its legal powers by freezing the Osun State Government’s account.

Falana, who appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, said the commission did not act unlawfully, stressing that the President himself acknowledged the legality of the EFCC’s action while expressing concerns only about its timing.

“As far as the law is concerned, the EFCC has not acted illegally. As a matter of fact, that came out in the statement of the President, that whereas, ‘I’m not questioning your mandate and the exercise of your powers; however, I’m embarrassed,’” Falana said

2. Former Nigerian police chiefs have raised concerns about the country’s proposed state police framework and submitted recommendations to strengthen the model before it is finalised, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has revealed.
Mr Disu stated this while delivering his opening remarks at a workshop organised by the National Institute of Police Studies in Abuja on Thursday. In his remarks, livestreamed by the police spokesperson for new media, Ali Giwa, the IGP said the retired police chiefs had reviewed the draft framework and offered inputs that would be incorporated into the final document

3. Thailand has been plunged into mourning after a 14-year-old student carried out the country’s deadliest school shooting in years, killing seven people, including five school staff members, before taking his own life in a shocking rampage that has reignited debate over gun control and mental health. The attack unfolded on Friday morning in Nonthaburi province, northwest of Bangkok, where the teenager first allegedly shot and killed his grandparents at their home before heading to Debsirin Nonthaburi School armed with a handgun legally registered to his grandfather. Once on campus, he opened fire, sending students and teachers scrambling for cover as classrooms descended into chaos

4. A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kano on Friday ordered the remand of a 25-year-old woman, Maimuna Idris, in a correctional centre for allegedly cutting off her boyfriend’s manhood. According to a report by the  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the victim was identified as Ashiru Sani. Idris, who resides in Maigatari Local Government Area of Jigawa, is facing a two-count charge of attempted culpable homicide and causing grievous hurt

5. The South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, has explained why Afrobeats star Ayra Starr was initially denied a South African visa, saying she failed to submit the correct yellow fever certificate. Moroe said the incident occurred in February 2024 and not recently as portrayed in some reports, insisting the singer’s visa application was rejected solely because it did not meet the country’s immigration requirements

6. X has announced plans to discontinue its Revenue Sharing programme and introduce a new Original Content Rewards programme to reward creators for producing original content on the platform. The social media company announced the changes on Friday in a post on its X Creators handle, saying the new programme would reward creators who contribute original content.

7. Some of the rescued victims of the February 3 terrorist attack on Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State have revealed that at least 13 captives died during the nearly six months in captivity, while 12 children were still being held by the terrorists.

8. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an Edo-based self-acclaimed spiritualist, Odigie Moses, for allegedly blackmailing a woman into sending him money by threatening to release her nude video. According to a statement shared by the EFCC on its X account on Friday, Moses allegedly demanded $1,100 (N1.5m) before he was arrested in Ekpoma, Edo State.

9. The Children, Sexual and Gender-based Violence Court sitting at the High Court of Awka, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old final-year Mass Communication student, Wisdom Edem, to 25 years, five years and five years imprisonment, respectively for rape, sexual abuse and inflicting injury on a 10-year-old girl. In the Charge No. A/3C/2024, obtained by our correspondent in Awka, on Friday, the court was presided over by Justice Peace Otti, on Wednesday.

10. Lagos State Government has arrested 27 suspected hoodlums for allegedly vandalising a newly constructed bridge linking Festac Town to Alakija during a midnight enforcement operation. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the arrests followed the discovery of what he described as a “disturbing act of vandalism” beneath the bridge.

Kwara state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has received the 163 kidnap victims recently rescued by the combined security forces, in Ilorin, Kwara state capital.

During the handover by the Nigerian army on Friday, Abdulrazaq congratulated President Bola Tinubu on the success of the operations.

The governor commended the combined security forces for their collaboration, valour and commitment to strengthening peace and security in the state.

The Kwara state government, had on Wednesday, said the residents abducted from Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama LGA had been released.

Olayinka Fafoluyi, media aide to Abulrazaq, announced the development in a Facebook post.

“Alihamdulillaah and kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, security forces, and everyone who played a role in this huge feat. We are grateful!,” Fafoluyi wrote.

The victims were abducted on February 3 when armed assailants launched coordinated attacks on Woro, Nuku and other surrounding settlements in Kaiama LGA.

The attacks claimed the lives of at least 75 people, forced many residents to flee their homes, and left several communities devastated.

Although the exact number of those abducted remains unclear, reports estimated that about 170 women, children and other residents were taken away by the attackers.

In April, a video circulated on social media showed one of the abducted women appealing to the Kwara state government to intensify efforts to secure their release.