POLITICS
Diri’s Wife Seeks Quick Prosecution of Gender-based Crimes

From TAYESE Mike, Yenagoa
Wife of the Bayelsa State Governor, Dr. Gloria Diri on Friday led a delegation of gender-based advocacy groups to the headquarters of the State Police Command over the need for police to accelerate investigations into cases bothering on sexual and gender-based violence in the state.
According to her, women in the state and other stakeholders led by members of the Gender Response Initiative team are against the attempts by offenders to negotiate out of court with the victims families, demanding that the position of the police and the state as a whole is an affirmative “NO” to settlement of sexual and gender-based violence cases out of court.
In the statement issued by the public relations officer of GRIT, Hajia Maryam Abeki, the delegation the wife of the governor, Dr. Diri comprised members of the Gender Response Initiative team, the Director of Center for women Development, the head of Gender Unit State Ministry of Justice, Pere Amanda Egbuson esq, Female Engineers, State Chairperson of FIDA, Deme Pamosoo Esq, Chairperson FOMWAN and other women led organisations including the Former Vice President, NAWOJ, South-south zone, Mrs Timi Idoko, Mrs Victoria Feboke and all former Chairpersons of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ), Bayelsa State.
A Deputy Commissioner of Police, Administration, who received the Bayesa First Lady and her team in the absence of the State Commissioner of Police, Ben Ikoli, assured the delegation of the command’s readiness to always ensure all cases of gender-based Violence are thoroughly investigated and promptly prosecuted too.
The Chairman of Gender Response Initiative Team Bayelsa State, Dise Sheila Ogbise stated that the action of Mrs Diri was highly commendable and reconfirmed her resolve to end sexual and gender-based violence in the State and a loud warning to intending perpetrators of gender-based violence. “This is indeed a loud positive statement made by the First Lady and which will not be forgotten by all Bayelsans”.
POLITICS
Buhari Felicitates Tinubu at Midterm, Calls for Nigerians’ continue support

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated his successor, President Bola Tinubu, on his midterm, calling for Nigerians’ continue support for his administration’s efforts to address poverty and inflation.
This is contained in a statement issued by Buhari’s former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday.
Buhari also called for steadfast support for the All Progressives Congress-led government as it marks its second year in office, saying reforms would achieve success gradually, not overnight.
He warned that necessary reforms and desired changes must not fall victim to mettlesome domestic politics.
According to him, as the party and the government celebrate, the country should be reminded that leadership is a continuous journey.
Buhari expressed support for the ongoing efforts by the Tinubu-led administration to curb poverty and inflation, which, he said, had hit the poorest families.
Seeking Nigerians’ support for Tinubu-led administration, he said that the task of reducing poverty and inflation mustn’t be left only for the government.
“The private sector and all of us, as citizens, must join in all ways we can,” he said.
The former president urged Nigerians to remain optimistic and stay confident about the country’s future, saying ‘our expectations from our governments should not get heavy’.
While expressing his heartfelt felicitation to Tinubu on his two years in office, Buhari prayed God to keep and grant him the wisdom and care to continue to lead the country. (NAN)

President Tinubu Appoints Ex- Speaker, Enugu Assembly, Odo, as UNN Governing Council Member
President Bola Tinubu has appointed the former speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Eugene Odo, and Mr. Muhammad Tahir, as governing council members of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
The appointment comes as part of the President’s renewed efforts to reposition federal tertiary institutions for excellence and global competitiveness.
Odo served as a two time speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly between 2007 and 2015.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Chieftain also served under the previous administration of Muhammad Buhari as a governing board member of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
Also appointed were the governing councils members of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.
The appointments were contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.
Onanuga said President Tinubu charged the new council members to justify their appointments by ensuring that their respective universities move forward.(NAN)
POLITICS
PDP NEC Gets Under Way in Abuja

By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
All is set for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 99th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today at the party’s Presidential Campaign Office, Legacy House, located in the Maitama District, Abuja. After a marathon meeting of the various organs of the PDP at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, officials of the party have converged on Legacy House for the long awaited NEC meeting, which had been postponed for several times.
Security in and around the house has been beefed up with the deployment operatives from the Police, DSS and NSCDC. Many prominent members of the party, including its 2023 Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, were absent from the marathon meeting.The NEC, one of the highest decision-making organs of the PDP, comprises of Party National Chairman and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state governors, serving and former presidents, former vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT), principal officers of the National Assembly, state chairpersons, former governors, and founding members, among others. The NEC meeting is expected to address critical issues affecting the party, including strategies for upcoming political engagements, leading to the 2027 general elections.On Monday, barely 24 hours to the much expected NEC meeting, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) keep to its threat and sealed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat, Wuse Zone 5 for failure to ground rent, a situation the party described as temporary set back.However, reprieve came to the PDP and others who had their properties sealed as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, intervened and gave them 14 days to pay their ground rent.