By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Social Democratic Party’s candidate for Ife Federal Constituency, Akintola Najmud-deen Akinjide, has condemned the violent attack on The Gazelle News reporter, Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola, who was assaulted by suspected hoodlums while covering the Osun State governorship election. Akinjide made the condemnation in a press release issued on Saturday, 12 September, 2026, describing the assault, which occurred on election day, as a direct attack not only on the journalist but on press freedom, democracy and citizens’ right to information. He said targeting a journalist who was at the election venue to document events for public accountability…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
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By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has released the organisational structure of its 2027 State Campaign Council, outlining the party’s leadership hierarchy ahead of the 2027 general election. The structure, made public at the weekend, listed former Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba as Grand Patron, with Senator Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun as Deputy Grand Patrons. Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola was designated Assistant Grand Patron, while Governor Dapo Abiodun leads the council as Chairman, alongside Senator Solomon Adeola as Co-Chairman. Chief Bode Mustapha and Dr Sikirulahi Osundele were listed as Assistant Chairmen, while Hon.…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed readiness to welcome more than 10,000 members of various political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), who are set to formally join the ruling party under the auspices of the Maji Johnson Bello (MJB) Movement. The development followed a courtesy visit by the executive members of the MJB Movement to the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja on Tuesday, where they met with the leadership of the party ahead of the planned formal defection ceremony. The visit was part of ongoing consultations…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Nigerian dancer, Iweh Pascal Odinaka, popularly known as Poco Lee, has been released after spending weeks in detention in the United Kingdom over an alleged sexual assault case. News of his release emerged a day earlier, weeks after reports first surfaced that he had been arrested in the UK in connection with the charge. His management had previously acknowledged that the case was being heard in a UK court and urged the public to await the conclusion of the legal process. Reacting to the development, an Instagram user with the handle lifedramar wrote: “Freedom at last!…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Public affairs commentator, Reno Omokri, has urged contestants in the 2027 presidential election to focus on issues rather than age-shaming their opponents, releasing a 1993 photograph of Bola Tinubu, then a senator, to make his point. Omokri made the call in a post on X on Saturday, 12 September 12, 2026, at 2:39pm, sharing the black-and-white photograph with a caption describing it as an image of “then-Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu from 1993, thirty-three years ago.” “Many more photos like this, along with their metadata, exist. I therefore urge the major contestants to make the 2027 elections…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola Nigerian skit maker and content creator, Carter Efe, has explained his shifting support for different Nigerian artistes, insisting that the street title “Machala” now belongs to him and not Wizkid, to whom it was originally linked. Carter Efe made the declaration during an interview on TVC News, where he was asked about his shifting support for Burna Boy, Wizkid’s “Machala” persona, Davido’s 30BG and, more recently, Olamide. Responding, Carter Efe said he no longer commits to standing with any single artiste, recalling a past experience with Wizkid that changed his approach. “I am not in any…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has urged residents of border communities in Ogun State to collaborate with authorities in the fight against human trafficking and violence against persons. The Ogun State Commander of NAPTIP, Bose Jimoh, made the call on Friday, 11 September, 2026 at a two-day town hall meeting and community engagement on trafficking in persons and violence against persons, held in Idiroko, Ipokia Local Government Area. The meeting was organised in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and drew traditional and religious leaders, community…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Federal Government has set a target of creating two million jobs in the creative industry by 2030, as part of efforts to turn the country’s cultural assets and creative talent into commercially viable enterprises. The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, disclosed this on Friday, 11 September, 2026 at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Kano Creative Summit, organised by the National Theatre to strengthen Nigeria’s creative economy and equip practitioners with skills for sustainable businesses. The two-day summit, themed “Beyond Lagos: Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Creative Economy,” ended the same day.…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The Nigeria Police Force has clarified that Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, is not opposed to citizens recording police officers, stressing that his concern is the misuse of such recordings. The Force’s New Media Officer, Aliyu Giwa, gave the clarification in a series of posts on X on Saturday,12 September, 2026 following controversy over the IGP’s recent comments on Nigerians filming police officers. Giwa said Disu’s position had been misinterpreted, stressing that the Force was not seeking to shield officers from accountability or deny citizens their rights. The controversy traced back to a March 17 judgment…
By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola The management of Streams of Joy International, the church led by Pastor Jerry Eze, has reacted to a viral video in which a lady accused the church of failing to refund an alleged erroneous transfer into its account. The controversy trailed a video circulating online in which the lady, identified as Sandra Okpara, claimed she mistakenly transferred N1.640 million into the church’s account and was yet to get the money back. She insisted the sum was not an offering and appealed for its return. “I mistakenly sent N1,640 million into Pastor Jerry Eze’s church account. Please,…