1. A first class monarch in Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru, was on Monday announced dead. Oniru died in Lagos after a brief illness at the age of 82. Under his reign, Iru land, the host of the a highbrow Oniru and Victoria Island, became a mega location with investments and buildings worth hundreds of billions.
2. Some criminals, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on Monday kidnapped about fourteen passengers at Ajeoku junction, along Otan-ile-Okemesi road in Obokun Local Government of Osun State. An eyewitness, Chief Saka Adelu, said that some of the criminals, who pretended as passengers boarded an Abuja-bound bus from Osogbo before striking at the said location around 5pm Sunday evening. He said while 14 of the passengers were taken away, others were left behind who later reported the case at a nearby police station.
3. The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lagos on Monday upheld the election of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and dismissed a petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its candidate, Ifagbami Awarmaridi. The tribunal described the petition as a futile and wasteful exercise, noting that the petitioners could not prove their allegations of mental incompetence against Sanwo-Olu in their evidence before the tribunal. It held that the petitioners also failed to prove their allegations of election malpractice against Sanwo-Olu and the APC.
4. A Federal High Court, sitting in Kano, Monday, ruled that a former governor of the State and serving senator, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau and two others have case to answer in the alleged N950,000,000 fraud preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The Senator was arraigned alongside Aminu Bashir Wali, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mansur Ahmed on May 24, 2018 for allegedly collecting the said sum from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Deizani Alison-Madueke for the purpose of influencing the outcome of the 2015 general election.
5. A businesswoman, Nkeiruka Cynthia Kamalu, on Monday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that she was allegedly raped by a federal lawmaker, Uju Kingsley Chima, on August 9, 2015. Kamalu told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that following an incestuous relationship with Chima, the lawmaker offered to pay her N20 million if she was divorced by her husband, Mr Gabriel Igbibi. Chima is the member, Federal House of Representatives for Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo State.
6. Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi was yesterday named the 2019 FIFA Men’s Best Player of the Year. He won the prize at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy ahead of Liverpool defender, Virgil van Dijk and Juventus forward, Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi had an impressive 2018/2019 campaign with Barca, as they won the he finished highest goalscorer. The 32-year-old also won the La Liga title with Barcelona last season.
7. Following the death of 36 cows which were struck by lightning at Ijare community in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, traditional rites are set to be performed at the scene of the incident. A member of Olujare-in-Council, the Agbaajo of Ijare, High Chief Idowu Awe, said that under the Yoruba tradition, nobody could touch any human or animal killed by thunder. He noted that after three days of the incident, the ritual rites would commence to appease the gods. Also speaking, Kosemani Akinro, a 77-year-old woman in the Community, warned that more cows might still die mysteriously if they failed to vacate sacred places in the town.
8. The National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, Monday, nullified the election of Chris Adaji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the 2019 Ohimini State Constituency election. Adaji is the incumbent Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly. Chairman of the Tribunal Justice R. O. Odudu, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the margin with which Adaji led Musa Alechenu Ohimini of All Progressives Congress (APC) is less than the number of votes cancelled. Justice Odudu held that the declaration and return of Adaji without a rerun in Otega and Ogadagba ward is invalid by reason of non-substantial compliance with Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). The court therefore, issued an order for withdrawal of certificate of return issued to Adaji and an order directing INEC to conduct rerun election in the two polling units where elections were cancelled within 90 days.
9. President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, in New York announced robust plans and initiatives by his administration to reverse the negative effects of climate change in Nigeria. The plans were revealed in his address to the United Nations Climate Action Summit with the theme, ‘A Race We Can Win. A Race We Must Win.’ He said he shares the sentiment expressed by the Secretary-General that the world is on the verge of climate catastrophe, adding that undeniably, Climate Change is a human-induced phenomenon. President Buhari said that it is now imperative that the world leaders must step-up their collective climate actions in line with the request of the Secretary General.
10. A former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, on Monday vowed to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and seek justice after he lost during the concluded governorship primaries in Bayelsa State. Alaibe came second at the primary poll, behind Senator Douye Diri. And in another development, Alhaji Muhammed Aliyu, the Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC) resigned from the party on Monday and withdraws from the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state. Aliyu said that his action was with immediate effect.
