General
CNPP Warns Labour Party Leaders Against Influence of External Forces
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The warring Labour Party leaders have been advised to quickly close ranks and not allow the influence of external forces, who intend to control the political party and put it in disarray.
Two persons are fighting over the control of the party described by some observers as the third force as it disrupted the political scene in the 2023 general elections.
The faction led by Mr Lamidi Apapa, which has been accused of being backed by the President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is claiming to be the authentic leader of Labour Party, while Mr Julius Abure says he is the National Chairman of the opposition party.
While intervening in the matter, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) called on the two factions to “find common grounds and sustain its new position as a third force in the current national politics.”
“There is nothing unusual about a political party having a leadership tussle or any form of disagreement, but its ability to close ranks and make compromises in the interest of the party is paramount,” the group said in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Mr Willy Ezugwu.
CNPP urged “the parties in the leadership crisis to always remember that no individual’s desire is bigger than party’s interest”, saying that “if Labour Party leaders allow external forces to control its internal affairs, the party will be the loser, especially with its newfound love with the majority of the Nigerian youth population.”
Continuing, the CNPP stated that “Every political party at one time or the other gets enmeshed in leadership crisis due to conflicts of interests. However, it is the responsibility of the fathers of the party to rise to the occasion and ensure that the fortunes of the party are not adversely affected.
“The overall interests of a political party must be paramount at all times as power can only be shared when it is taken.
“In the build-up to the 2023 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had a taste of such internal crisis, which eventually affected its outing in the last general elections very negatively.
“In the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the party is currently entangled in its own clash of interests over what certain interests in the party see as arbitrary micro-zoning of elective positions in the 10th National Assembly to individuals.
“It is, therefore, incumbent on a political party’s fathers to weigh options and rise up to the responsibility of cushioning the impact of whatever internal conflicts that may arise without allowing external influences to drive its affairs.
“Obviously, the Labour Party went into the 2023 general elections without deliberately healing its internal grievances, which initially led to the setting up of a Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee.
“Amid the then budding crisis in the party, Labour Party had constituted two committees; a disciplinary committee to handle Ogun State Executive crisis and another tagged the Labour Party Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee (LPSPCRC) to handle every other matter that has to do with grievances and mischief within the party.
“It is then very obvious that the current crisis stems from the inability of the National Executive Committee (NWC) of the party, which constituted the eleven eminent members Committee headed by Chief Friday Toyin Ibadin, to resolve the then brewing crisis despite having a single term of reference “to reconcile all aggrieved members with the aim of a common front to win the 2023 general elections and Peter Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed becoming the President and Vice President of Nigeria.”
“It is therefore expedient that the party elders return the warring parties to the path of reconciliation as the current rigid approach to the conflict resolution will most likely tear the party apart.
“It has been observed that both parties in the leadership conflict have turned the ongoing Presidential Election Petition before the tribunal as their major area of propaganda, whereas the provisions of the law are clear on withdrawal of such petitions.
“The Electoral Act 2022 under ‘Withdrawal and Abatement of Petition’, reads Section 29. (1) An election petition shall not be withdrawn without leave of the tribunal or court. (2) Where petitioners are more than one, no application for leave to withdraw the election petition shall be made, ‘except with the consent of all the petitioners’.
“The CNPP, therefore, advises the warring factions in the ongoing Labour Party leadership crisis to pursue common grounds for reconciliation rather than resorting to the deployment of propaganda tools, using the election petitions at various Election Petition Tribunals across the country, as baits to gain support.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, has approved the declaration of a 16-hour curfew in 10 local government areas of the state, as part of measures targeted at tackling insecurity.
According to a memo issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Musibau Babatunde, the curfew takes effect from Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
The movement restriction, between 4 pm and 8 am, lasts for 48 hours in the first instance and affects local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park.
The affected local councils are Oriire local government (Headquarters: Ikoyi-Ile), Orelope (Headquarters: Igboho), Irepo (Headquarters: Kisi), Saki West (Headquarters: Saki), Saki East (Hq Ago-Amodu), Atisbo (Headquarters: Tede / Ago-Are), Itesiwaju (Headquarters: Otu), Iseyin (Headquarters: Iseyin), Olorunsogo (Headquarters: Igbeti), and Atiba (Headquarters: Offa-Meta, Oyo).
The development followed a series of protests that rocked the state over the abduction of children and teachers in the Orire Local Government Area in May.
The National Coordinator of the movement, Mr Juwon Sanyaolu, who spoke during the latest protest held on Monday, said the demonstration was part of ongoing efforts by the group to push for the freedom of the victims.
According to him, the protest “is a continuation of actions the organisation has embarked upon since the abduction of children and teachers” in the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State in May.”
“We will continue to protest for the release of all abducted victims until they are free. We believe that government officials are in the comfort of their rooms and offices while innocent 46 students and their teachers are languishing in the kidnappers’ den.
“We are demanding freedom for all captives in the North, South, West, and East of Nigeria,” Mr Sanyaolu said.
He also criticised political leaders for focusing on preparations for the 2027 elections while insecurity continues to threaten the lives of Nigerians.
“We will not be sitting until 2027. By that time, we won’t even know how many will be alive.
“So that is why we are at the heart of Ibadan in Oyo State, where the abduction took place. The state and federal governments must act, or they will continue to witness mass action,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Department of State Services (DSS) has closed its case against former Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel, Mr Oluwole Aladedoye, informed the court that the prosecution would not be calling further witnesses in the matter, prompting the formal closure of the DSS case.
Following the development, defence counsel, Mr Paul Erokoro, told the court that the defence intends to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution has failed to establish sufficient evidence against the former governor.
The defence subsequently sought two weeks to file the application, while the prosecution requested two weeks to respond.
The defence also applied for a variation of some of the bail conditions earlier granted to El-Rufai, describing them as stringent and difficult to meet.
They argued that the bail terms were too stringent, particularly the requirements for level 17 civil servants with properties in Maitama or Asokoro, as well as verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna state traditional council.
However, the prosecution opposed the request, insisting that qualified public officers who meet the conditions exist and urging the court to refuse the application.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik declined the request to vary the bail conditions, ruling that there are civil servants who own properties at the said location.
The court, however, adjourned to September 22 for the filing of the no-case submission and continuation of the trial.
In February, the federal government filed a three-count charge against the former governor of Kaduna State over an alleged interception of communications belonging to Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr Nuhu Ribadu.
In a television interview, he confessed that he and other unnamed individuals listened to conversations from Mr Ribadu’s phone after it was tapped by a third party. While acknowledging that such interception is technically unlawful, he argued that illegal surveillance was not unusual.
However, the FG, through the secret police, filed charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The I-Fitness Gym centre around Jakande Roundabout, Lekki Peninsula, Eti-Osa, Lagos, has been sealed by the Lagos State government.
The facility was closed on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, by officials of the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO).
The gym centre was accused of indiscriminately discharging raw sewage into public drains via a pipe, thereby causing public nuisance and environmental pollution as well as endangering human health.
Announcing the closure of the premises of the organisation, the Lagos Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, reiterated the need for the public to adhere strictly to proper wastewater management practices.
He emphasised that any individual or organisation found contravening environmental regulations will be meted out with appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution in accordance with the enabling laws.
The Commissioner has come under fire lately because of the poor waste management system in the metropolis, causing the state to look dirty.
A chief of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, called for his resignation over the issue.
In a related development, Mr Wahab has clarified that the state government has given members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) the authority to arrest environmental violators.
In a statement, he explained that contrary to the misinformation being circulated by some bloggers and commentators, the recent engagement between the Lagos State Government and transport unions across the State is not intended to replace the statutory responsibilities of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC). LAGESC, in collaboration with the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force, remains the duly empowered environmental enforcement arm of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
“As we are all aware, several environmental challenges persist within parks, garages, and the public transportation ecosystem, including illegal trading activities and the indiscriminate disposal of refuse on road medians and within transport facilities. The State Government’s engagement with transport unions is aimed at fostering collaboration, promoting shared responsibility, and ensuring improved cleanliness and proper waste management within their respective parks and garages.
“This partnership does not in any way diminish, transfer, or replace the enforcement responsibilities of LAGESC and the Task Force. Rather, it is a complementary initiative designed to strengthen environmental compliance, sanitation standards, and stakeholder participation in maintaining a cleaner environment across the State.
“We therefore wish to reassure all Lagosians that environmental cleanliness remains a top priority of the Lagos State Government. We will continue to engage relevant stakeholders and partners in our collective effort to build a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos,” he stated.
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