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The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on Tuesday met with shipping companies, freight forwarders, importers, and exporters, stating that the approved 30 percent tariff increase would not destabilize the economy. Speaking at a one-day stakeholders’ forum on the planned increment, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Dr. Pius Akutah, said that the earlier suspension […]

A governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, has urged his supporters to remain calm, steadfast and confident, while he embarked on wide consultations over the announcement of Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state. Isola, a former Nigerian High Commissioner […]

The former AMAC chairmanship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr Moses Paul, has declared that the opposition party is determined to unseat President Bola Tinubu, describing the current administration as “lawless” and out of touch with democratic principles.

Speaking in an interview with THE WHISTLER during the party’s convention activities in Abuja, Paul said the challenges surrounding the event had only strengthened the resolve of party members to mobilise and organise against the ruling government.

He noted that uncertainty over the convention’s venue just hours before the event showed deliberate efforts by the ruling party to frustrate the opposition.

Despite this, he said party supporters turned out in large numbers, insisting that the situation had boosted their determination to push for political change.

“You can see that even 12 to 18 hours ago, people were still unsure whether the convention would hold. The venue was uncertain, yet everywhere is filled. It shows we have gone beyond agitation; we must now mobilise, organise, and remove this lawless regime,” he said.

He urged the Federal Government to create an enabling environment for opposition parties to function effectively in the interest of national development.

“It is in the interest of the government to ensure that the opposition works. During Yar’Adua’s time, he insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be impartial and that opposition parties be allowed to thrive. That is the kind of leadership Nigeria needs,” he said.

Addressing the importance of the ADC convention, Paul described it as critical to the survival of Nigeria’s democracy, warning that any attempt to undermine it could have dire consequences for the country.

He argued that without a functional democratic process, Nigeria risked descending into disorder, adding that the current political climate reflected what he termed “rascality and lawlessness.”

Paul further accused the Federal Capital Territory administration, under Minister Nyesom Wike, of denying the ADC access to public and private venues for its activities.

He alleged that requests by to use facilities such as the Old Parade Ground and other public spaces were either ignored or outrightly rejected, even after payments were made.

He also claimed that private event centres faced threats of sanctions for agreeing to host the party.

According to him, “From stadiums to hotels and even private venues, access has been denied. This clearly shows that the regime has lost its sense of democracy.”

“Even when I contested my election in the last couple of weeks ago as the AMAC candidate under the ADC, I had requested and booked for the usage of the old parade ground and it was not granted, even after some funds were paid and one of the directors told my team directly that the minister is not going to attend to it,” he recounted.

Despite this, the ADC chieftain maintained that the convention, themed “So That Nigeria May Work,” reflects the party’s broader mission to address the country’s challenges.

“So you are asking me how important it is. It is so that Nigeria may work because Nigeria is not working right now, with the insecurity, with the destabilisation of the opposition, with the hunger and poverty. It is Nigerians versus the incumbent,” he stated.

ADC Will Remove Tinubu In 2027— AMAC Chairmanship Candidate is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Lebanese and Israeli envoys held their first direct high-level talks in more than three decades on Tuesday, as Israeli forces continued strikes in southern Lebanon despite the diplomatic opening.

The meeting at the U.S. State Department brought together Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Nada Hamadeh Moawad, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.S. Ambassador to Beirut Michel Issa.

U.S. officials described the talks as a “historic opportunity” to address security along Israel’s northern border and help Lebanon reassert sovereignty over its territory.

Rubio noted that the complexities involved particularly disarming the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group would not be resolved in a single session.

However, the two sides entered the meeting with sharply different expectations. Lebanese officials framed the discussions as a preparatory step focused primarily on securing an immediate ceasefire.

A Lebanese source said Ambassador Moawad was authorised only to discuss halting the violence.

Israeli officials, by contrast, insisted that a ceasefire was not on the agenda. They emphasised the need for Hezbollah’s disarmament in southern Lebanon as a core issue.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar told reporters that the focus would be on ending Hezbollah’s military presence near the border.

A U.S. State Department official stressed that “Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not Lebanon,” adding that there was no reason the two neighbours should not engage in dialogue.

The talks come amid a fragile regional picture. The US, Israel, and Iran agreed to a 14-day ceasefire last week, but disagreements persist over whether it covers the fighting in Lebanon.

Iran and some allies argue that Lebanon should be included, while Washington and Jerusalem maintain it is a separate track.

On the ground, Israeli operations in southern Lebanon have not eased.

Lebanese authorities reported that strikes continued on Tuesday, contributing to a death toll that has surpassed 2,000 since the escalation began on March 2, according to the country’s health ministry. More than one million people have been displaced in the fragile nation.

Hezbollah, which is not participating in the talks, has strongly opposed them.

Acting leader Naim Qassem called the negotiations “futile” and urged the Lebanese government to cancel the meeting.

Anti-government protests broke out in Beirut over the weekend in response to the diplomatic move.

No major breakthrough is expected from Tuesday’s session. Both sides acknowledge deep mistrust and conflicting red lines.

Lebanese officials see the talks as a chance to stop Israel’s attack from escalating further, while Israel views them as a parallel track to its military pressure on Hezbollah.

The meeting marks the most senior face-to-face engagement between Israel and Lebanon since 1993.

The two countries have never had formal diplomatic relations, and Lebanon does not recognise Israel.

Developments from the State Department and reactions from Beirut and Jerusalem are expected in the coming hours as this fast-moving story unfolds.

U.S. Hosts Israel,Lebanon First Direct Talks In Decades is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has approved over N1 billion to cover registration fees for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) for students across the state.

The initiative, announced on Tuesday in Jalingo, covers examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), according to government sources.

The intervention is aimed at removing financial barriers that have prevented many eligible students from sitting the crucial examinations.

Officials said the policy is designed to ease the burden on parents and guardians while expanding access to education for thousands of students across the state.

The state government noted that the move forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen the education sector and improve academic performance among young people.

Observers have described the development as a significant investment in human capital, with expectations that it will boost examination participation rates and support long-term educational advancement in the state.

Education stakeholders also said the initiative highlights the administration’s sustained commitment to making education a central pillar for development and youth empowerment in Taraba.

Taraba approves N1bn for WAEC, NECO registration

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has linked the rising insecurity in Nigeria to the build-up towards the next elections, insisting that the situation will change once the polls are concluded. He made the statement on Tuesday at the official launch of the Nigerian Revenue Service Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, where he also praised President Bola Tinubu […]

Abia State Government has urged the people of Amanato Eziama Nneato in Umunneochi LGA to maintain peace with their neighbors, Umuacha Umuobi autonomous community, following the alleged arrest of some of their kinsmen by security agents.

The Chief of Staff to Abia State Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, made the appeal on Tuesday while addressing a group of women from Amanato Eziama Nneato who came to the Government House to protest the arrest of their people.

He promised that the land matter that caused the reported arrests would be investigated, adding that the state government would also listen to the Umuacha Umuobi people in order to arrive at an amicable resolution of the matter.

He thanked the women for not resorting to violence.

“We have listened to your complaints. We will take your messages to His Excellency and we promise that the matter would be looked into because this government believes in the welfare of the people,” Ajagba said.

Speaking during the protest, the women of Amanato Eziama Nneato said male members of the community have gone into hiding because of incessant arrests by security personnel.

The women who spoke through Mrs Janeth Nwankwo, traced the arrest to a four decade-old land dispute with their neighbors, stressing that the matter is presently before the Court of Appeal in Owerri.

She said that some indigenes including Christian Obidike, Chidiebube Alaebo, Oliver Maduwugwu and Chibuzor Nwafor, among others, were arrested and taken away by security personnel, adding that the President General of the community, Simon Ndubuisi, was recently released after spending two weeks in police custody.

“Because of this incessant arrests, our youths and husbands are now hiding inside the bush while others traveled out in fear.

“We plead with our governor to intervene in the matter as we will continue to support his administration,” Mrs Janeth Nwankwo said.

Women protest arrest of community leaders, youths in Abia community

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that there will be no “coronation of a Kaabiyesi” in the presidential villa in 2027.

The ADC National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja during the party’s national convention.

“There will be coronation in 2027. There will be no Kabiyesi in the Presidential Villa come 2027,” he declared.

Aregbesola’s statement was a direct reference to incumbent President Bola Tinubu, whom he accused of attempts to deny opposition parties participation in the 2027 general elections.

Describing the president’s approach to politics as autocratic, Aregbesola said under Tinubu, it has become a crime to belong in the opposition.

“Under this administration, it is a crime to be in the opposition. But what is happening today is that many people are moving into the ADC. Those who have not moved are preparing to move, even from the APC.”

The former Interior Minister noted that it’s unfortunate that Tinubu, who claims to be a protege of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is doing the exact opposite of what Awolowo stood for.

In contrast, Aregbesola described Awolowo as a principled opposition leader who played politics with a high sense of discipline, purpose and responsibility.

He decried what he described as the high-handedness of the Tinubu administration and its desperate agenda to stifle opposition parties by every foul means.

Ironically, Aregbesola had been one of Tinubu’s long-standing political associates for over 2027 years when Tinubu was first elected governor of Lagos State in 1999.

Tinubu appointed him as the Commissioner for Works in Lagos State for the eight years he served as Lagos governor.

The president also played a key role in Aregbesola’s emergence as governor of Osun State in 2010 and his re-election in 2014 for a second tenure that terminated in 2018.

The former Osun State governor also served as Interior Minister in the Muhammadu Buhari administration up till 2023 when Buhari’s tenure expired.

However, Tinubu and Aregbesola started having their differences during the second leg of the Buhari administration.

Their disagreements dragged up to January 2025 when Aregbesola was expelled from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The development led him to join forces with opposition politicians in the ADC.

No Coronation For You In 2027, Aregbesola Tells Tinubu is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Singer Kingsley Okonkwo, known as Kcee, has opened up about how being ignored by award organisers……

The National Youth Service Corps and the Nigerian Police Force have renewed their commitment to strengthen the existing synergy between both agencies towards enhancing the security of Corps Members nationwide.

The Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, stated this when he paid a courtesy visit on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

While congratulating Disu on his appointment, General Nafiu commended the IGP on the recent inauguration of his crack team.

The Director General added that the Police has been instrumental to the success of NYSC activities and programmes since its inception.

Nafiu appealed to the Police for maximum security of the Corps Members and NYSC officials within and outside the Orientation Camps.

He equally solicited for protection of the Corps Members and their properties, including the Corps Lodges as the nation approaches the 2027 general elections.

Speaking further, the Director General said the NYSC Act stipulates that Members of the Armed Forces and paramilitary agencies are exempted from National Service and so he would like to interface with the Management of the Police Academy to enable the NYSC issue certificates of exemption to graduates of the institution as is statutory.

In his response, the IGP said the Police would continue to secure the Scheme, adding that the addresses of all the Corps Lodges were available with the Police to take appropriate action as occasion demands.

He said the issue of exemption certificates for graduates of the Nigeria Police Academy, was a welcome development, while he assured the DG of more cooperation from the Police to the NYSC.