Daily News In Brief....

Nigeria’s ambassador designate to Algeria, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, has died after a prolonged illness. Aged 50, Lele passed away in Ankara, Turkey, where he was receiving treatment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Lele died in the early hours of April 19.


Cross River State government says it has identified and isolated 10 persons who interacted with the Chinese national who reimported COVID-19 into Nigeria. Speaking with Daily Trust, the state epidemiologist, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, said they were identified during contact tracing carried out by health officials.

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the appeals and cross-appeals arising from the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after hearing all parties. The case has already reshaped the party’s leadership, with earlier court decisions nullifying its Ibadan convention and upholding the suspension of key officials.

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President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday met with former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The agenda of the meeting held behind closed doors was gathered to be part of a recurring pattern of consultations between the two leaders on West African political affairs and Nigeria’s continental engagements.

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Six defendants on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism and coup plotting before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The defendants were arraigned in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, with the prosecution led by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

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The Senate on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to consider far-reaching emergency measures, including the possible suspension of political activities in eight frontline states, as insecurity continues to escalate across parts of the country. The call, which underscores growing concern within the National Assembly over renewed insurgent offensives, followed a point of order raised by the lawmaker representing Bauchi Central, Abdul Ningi, during plenary.

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The Federal Government has announced plans to waive debts owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies as part of measures to cushion the impact of the ongoing Jet A1 fuel crisis. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, convened to address the astronomical rise in the cost of Jet A1 fuel.

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The Kano State House of Assembly has scheduled Monday for the screening of Murtala Garo, following his nomination for the office of Deputy Governor by Governor Abba Yusuf. This was disclosed in a Facebook post on Wednesday by Kamaludden Shawai, the spokesperson to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Jibril Falgore.

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is currently facing leadership crisis, with parallel factions laying claims to the control of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The dispute is centred around Nafiu Bala and a rival group led by former Senate President, David Mark, both of whom are claiming legitimacy over the party’s national leadership.
Tensions escalated last week when the Mark-led faction announced the expulsion of Nafiu Bala, alongside other members including Leke Abejide and several party officials, during its 8th National Convention in Abuja.

The faction said the action was in line with the party constitution, but Bala dismissed the convention as illegal, insisting it was not recognised by law or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, Bala maintained that those who announced their expulsion lacked the legal standing to do so, arguing that they were not recognised members of the party.

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Labour Party factional national chairman, Julius Abure, says the party under his leadership is not a trouble maker.
Abure made this statement on Wednesday while fielding questions in an interview on Arise Television He was reacting to the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his suit and recognized Nenadi Usman as the authentic national chairman of the party.

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Hamburg winger, Philip Otele has been handed a two-match suspension by the German Football Association, GFA, DAILY POST reports.
Otele was sent off in Hamburg’s North derby defeat to Werder Bremen last weekend.
Hamburg appealed centre referee’s Florian Exner decision after the game, but their their appeal was rejected by the GFA.
The 27-year-old will now miss the Bundesliga fixtures against TSG Hoffenheim, and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Otele joined Hamburg on loan from Swiss club FC Basel in January.
The Nigerian has registered one goal, and one assist in nine league appearances for Die Rothosen.

From dailypost