Ibadan – A routine ambassadorial screening turned dramatic on Wednesday when one of President Bola Tinubu’s career nominees, Emmanuel Adeyemi, stumbled over a basic question many senators considered fundamental: naming all three senators from his home state of Ekiti.
Adeyemi, currently a deputy director in the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had dazzled the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs with an impressive résumé spanning Hong Kong and France, where he earned a PhD.
The atmosphere shifted the moment he attempted to pay tribute to “the two senators from my state.”
He confidently mentioned Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator Yemi Adaramodu, then froze.
When prodded to name the third senator, Adeyemi appeared startled, prompting senators to remind him that three lawmakers represent every state.
As a member of his delegation scrambled to “Google” the name of the third senator – Senator Cyril Fasuyi, the panel expressed outrage.
Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) condemned the lapse, describing it as emblematic of a troubling decline among public office nominees.
Backlash over my interaction with Adeleke at Ooni’s event ‘needless controversy’ — Remi Tinubu
Wife of the president, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has dismissed public backlash over her interaction with Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, calling the reactions a “needless controversy.”
In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Tuesday, Mrs Tinubu said critics often magnify minor issues and create distractions around leadership. She wrote:
“Those entrusted with leadership understand their duties and how to steer the affairs of society.
“More often, it is the followers and critics who scrutinise every step, amplify minor missteps, and turn them into needless controversy. Ọṣun lè tèǹtẹ̀ – Osun is ahead.”
The comments followed a video clip from the 10th coronation anniversary of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, which showed Adeleke pausing after breaking into a short song during his speech.
Mrs Tinubu walked to the podium, gestured to him, and whispered to him — a moment that quickly went viral and drew sharp reactions online.
Her statement marks her first public response since the video circulated.
President Tinubu orders nationwide security overhaul
President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Inspector-General of Police, heads of security agencies, and the National Economic Council (NEC) to embark on a comprehensive reorganisation of security deployment across the country, including arming forest guards and reviving abandoned grazing reserves into functional ranches.
The directive was issued during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting as part of fresh measures to tackle worsening insecurity, including kidnapping, terrorism, and recurring clashes between farmers and herders.
The president acknowledged the vulnerability of many Nigerians and stressed the urgency of taking extraordinary steps to safeguard lives and property.
President Tinubu re-states VIP police guards withdrawal order
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday reaffirmed his directive that police officers currently attached to VIPs be withdrawn and redeployed to conflict-prone areas, insisting that the nation cannot afford to keep essential security manpower away from pressing security theatres.
The President restated the order just before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, tasking relevant security agencies to immediately implement the directive to strengthen the ongoing fight against terrorism, kidnapping, and violent criminal activity across the country.
Senate queries why Police escorts remain with VIPs despite Tinubu’s order
Days after President Bola Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police escorts and other personnel from Very Important Persons (VIPs) to focus on regular policing duties, the Senate observed on Wednesday that the directive had been openly flouted.
VIPs are not only still moving about with police orderlies but other categories of people, including businessmen, contractors, Chinese nationals, musicians and public figures still enjoy police protection, according to the Senate.
The Senate, in reacting to the development, mandated its Committee on Police Affairs to immediately investigate why the presidential directive was being flouted.
The Senate took the stance at the session presided over by the Deputy Senate President (DSP), Senator Barau Jibrin, following a complaint by Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi-Central) that Tinubu’s directive was being observed in breach.
Professor Wole Soyinka criticises Seyi Tinubu’s large, armed security escorts
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka on Tuesday criticised the large number of armed security personnel that he saw accompanying Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu.
Prof. Soyinka spoke in Lagos while presenting an honorary award to Odia Ofeimun, the famous poet and activist who was honoured by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
Prof. Soyinka mocked the situation by saying that President Bola Tinubu should not have deployed Nigerian soldiers and air force officials to Benin to foil Sunday’s attempted coup there but should instead have asked Seyi Tinubu to go with his armed security escorts to foil the coup.
Prof. Soyinka said he counted at least “15 or so heavily armed to the teeth” security officials who accompanied the president’s son at a hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos.
He said he was so astonished by what he saw that he reached out to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to complain about it.
According to him, he initially mistook the scene for a film production, but a young man detached himself from the group to greet him, and he only learned from his driver afterwards that the individual was Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son.
Senate approves President Tinubu’s request to deploy troops in Benin
THE Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops and air power in the Republic of Benin.
The request, according to the president, was to help protect the neighbouring country’s democratic institutions.
The request, according to the president, was to help protect the neighbouring country’s democratic institutions.
Senators in the Committee of the Whole unanimously approved Tinubu’s request in a voice vote on Tuesday.
Insecurity: We’re not sincere with Nigerians — Sultan blasts faith leaders
The Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Sa’ad III, has blasted faith leaders for not being honest with Nigerians concerning the insecurity ravaging the country.
The Sultan, who is the Co-Chair of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC, stated this on Wednesday at the Second Tri-Annual Meeting of NIREC in Abuja.
He warned that the Council would slip into irrelevance except faith leaders embrace sincerity, accountability and honest engagement.
Kidnapping now major source of financing for terrorists –FG
The Federal Government has disclosed that kidnapping, which was once considered an opportunistic crime, has become a significant source of funding for criminal and terrorist networks in Nigeria.
Speaking on Wednesday at a Stakeholders Workshop of the Multi-Agency Kidnap Fusion Cell in Abuja,the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, said the proceeds from kidnapping had allowed criminals to acquire weapons, sustain acts of terror, and, in some instances, assert territorial control.
He said the initiative is part of deliberate efforts to strengthen coordination, intelligence sharing, and operational synergy in curtailing the menace of kidnapping in the country.
Gov. Adeleke emerges Accord Party guber candidate 2026 Osun election
There was jubilation on Wednesday as Governor Ademola Adeleke emerged the Accord Party’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election.
Adeleke, who was the sole aspirant, secured 145 out of 150 delegate votes to clinch the party’s ticket.
Ex-Anambra governor, Chris Ngige arrested in Abuja
A former Anambra State governor, Chris Ngige, has been arrested in Abuja.
The immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment is currently with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
This was confirmed in a statement obtained by newsmen on Wednesday night and signed by his former media aide, Fred Chukwulobe.
Chukwulobe dispelled the rumours circulating online that Ngige had been kidnapped.
He said, “Former Governor of Anambra State and immediate past minister of labour and employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, is with the EFCC. More details later.”
FG can’t fix airfares — Keyamo
Amidst concerns raised by the Senate over a sharp increase in domestic airfares, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has explained that the Federal Government lacks the statutory power to fix airfares.
Speaking with journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, the Aviation Minister declared that the sector has long been deregulated.
He recalled that the aviation industry was deregulated during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida for seamless private sector participation.
The Senate had on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, alongside key industry stakeholders, for an urgent meeting following widespread public concern over the sharp rise in domestic airfares.
Alleged N5bn fraud: Ex-minister Stella Oduah arraigned, barred from foreign trips
The Federal Government on Wednesday arraigned former Minister of Aviation, Senator Stella Oduah, over an alleged N5bn fraud allegedly committed in 2014.
Oduah, who was aviation minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2011 and 2014 appeared before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama on five counts, including conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.
She was arraigned by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.
Gospel singer Gaise Baba beats Wizkid, Davido on Nigeria’s 2025 YouTube chart
YouTube has unveiled its official 2025 Nigeria Year-in-Review, spotlighting the music videos, digital creators, and entertainment content that dominated viewing trends among Nigerian audiences over the past year.
From the newly released list, gospel singer Akinade “Gaise Baba” Ibuoye and famous Nollywood actress Omoni Oboli emerged as the most outstanding figures on the platform.
The announcement was made through a statement signed by YouTube’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa, Addy Awofisayo.
Gaise Baba dominated the music category with his viral hit “No Turning Back II,” which features Lawrence Oyor, finishing as the most streamed Nigerian music video on the platform for the year.
The video, which was released in mid-May, quickly spread across the country and gathered more than forty-one million views within six months, earning massive engagement from fans.
