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Benue Killings: Peter Obi Knocks Tinubu Over Neglect For Human Lives

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The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for not visiting Benue state amid the incessant killings.

In a post on X on Monday morning, Obi claimed it showed Tinubu does not value human lives.

He pointed to incidents in India and South Africa, as examples of what good leaders when tragedies happen.

There has been widespread outrage over Tinubu’s response to over 200 people being massacred by herders in Benue state.

The president’s statement came almost 24 hours after the incident, with Pope Leo even sending his condolences much earlier.

Obi wrote: “Sadly, the evidence is right before our eyes. Recently, we witnessed severe flooding in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives, with many still missing. Yet, not even a single presidential visit, this, in a nation where the scene of the tragedy is less than an hour away by helicopter.

“Just days ago, over 200 Nigerians, innocent men, women, children, and even soldiers were massacred in Benue State.

“Again, no presidential visit. No physical presence at the scenes of pain. No genuine national mourning. No leadership face to comfort the grieving or give hope to the people.

“Yet, we have seen what true leadership looks like elsewhere:

“In India, after a plane crash killed nearly 200 people, the Prime Minister was physically at the scene within hours.

“In South Africa, when floods claimed 78 lives, the president went personally to the affected communities, stood with them, and took responsibility.

“That is leadership with compassion. That is leadership that understands the value of human life. But here in Nigeria, we have normalised leadership without empathy, without accountability, and without a human face.

“That is why I insist: Nigeria does not just need another president; Nigeria needs a leader, a leader with competence, capacity, character, and compassion. Until we choose leaders on these principles, the cycle of pain will only continue.”

US Embassy in Tel Aviv Damaged by Iranian Missile Strike as Israel-Iran Conflict Rages On

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Iran strike

The US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Monday said an embassy building in Tel Aviv sustained minor damage from a nearby Iranian missile strike, reporting no injuries to US personnel.

Iran unleashed a barrage of missiles on Israeli cities early Monday, after Israel struck military targets deep inside Iran, with both sides threatening further devastation.

AFP images showed gutted buildings in the coastal hub of Tel Aviv, after Israel’s army warned people to take cover from incoming Iranian missiles.

“Some minor damage from concussions of Iranian missile hits near Embassy Branch in @TelAviv but no injuries to US personnel,” Huckabee said on X.

He said the US embassy in Jerusalem would remain closed on Monday as orders to “shelter in place (are) still in effect”.

After decades of enmity and proxy wars, Israel’s assault on Iran last week has touched off the most intense fighting yet and triggered fears of a lengthy conflict that could engulf the entire Middle East.

Israel says its attacks have hit military and nuclear facilities and killed many top commanders and atomic scientists.

But a senior US official said Sunday that US President Donald Trump told Israel to back down from a plan to kill supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump has urged the foes to “make a deal”, but told reporters Sunday that “sometimes they have to fight it out” first.

AFP

Prestigious Nigeria Youth Leaders’ Group Honours C.O. Adebayo With “Good Ambassador Of Renewed Hope” Award

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The national umbrella body of veteran unionists and young professionals under the auspices of Congress of Nigeria Youth Leaders (CONYL) has conferred the “Good Ambassador of Renewed Hope” award on Hon. Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), in recognition of his outstanding and transformative leadership in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

The award, which celebrates visionary public servants who embody the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda, was awarded to Hon. Adebayo in recognition of his unprecedented achievements at NALDA, which have significantly repositioned the agency as a key driver of agricultural development, youth empowerment, and food security in Nigeria.

The Congress affirmed that since assuming office as the CEO of NALDA, Hon. Adebayo has implemented a series of innovative, inclusive, and high-impact programmes that have reshaped Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, among which are:

  1. Expansion of Integrated Farm Estates Nationwide
    Under his stewardship, NALDA has rapidly scaled the establishment of Integrated Farm Estates across all six geopolitical zones. These estates, equipped with modern agricultural facilities and residential quarters, serve as self-sustaining agro-communities that empower thousands of youths and women with direct access to land, inputs, training, and market linkages.
  2. Youth-Focused Agricultural Empowerment
    In alignment with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Hon. Adebayo has led the charge to equip and empower over 50,000 Nigerian youths through tailored agricultural skills development, mechanization support, and access to funding. The “Young Farmers’ Initiative” under NALDA has become a model of youth engagement in agribusiness across Africa.
  3. Boosting National Food Security
    NALDA has also recorded a remarkable increase in local food production by reclaiming over 200,000 hectares of idle and underutilized land across the country for mechanized farming. This initiative alone has significantly contributed to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on food imports and stabilizing food prices.
  4. Soil and Fertility Mapping
    In an innovative move, Hon. Adebayo spearheaded the introduction of Soil Testing and Fertility Mapping services to farmers at the grassroots level, enhancing productivity and ensuring environmentally sustainable farming practices.
  5. Rural Economy Revitalization
    Through targeted interventions in rural areas, including the provision of solar-powered boreholes, rural road access to farms, and input subsidies, NALDA has transformed several rural communities into active hubs of agricultural commerce and development.

In a press statement released to the Media on Monday, 16th June, 2025, the National President of CONYL, Comrade Yinka Ayeni Dallas, stated that “Hon. Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo represents the true spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda. His passion, integrity, and relentless drive to empower the Nigerian youth through agriculture are truly commendable. His work at NALDA is not just reformative—it is revolutionary.”

He further called on other public officers to emulate Hon. Adebayo’s transparent leadership style and results-oriented approach. “As NALDA continues to roll out groundbreaking initiatives, the leadership of Hon. Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo stands as a shining example of purposeful governance, youth-focused development, and renewed national hope”, his statement concluded.

U-18 Basketball Tourney to Shape Future of Nigerian Youth — CDSBy Joel Ajayi

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The second edition of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Democracy Day Basketball Championship officially tipped off at the Indoor Sports Hall, Package B, of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, with a vibrant and colourful opening ceremony.

The event brought together all 16 participating teams in a lively parade before the organisers, marking the commencement of the annual youth basketball tournament.

In his opening remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (OFR), emphasized that the primary objective of the championship is to strengthen civil-military relations and foster national unity.

He noted that the tournament, themed “Encouraging Grassroots Basketball Talents”, reflects the Armed Forces’ commitment to discovering and nurturing young talents across the country.

“This championship is aimed at building the capacity of our youths to contribute meaningfully to national development,” General Musa stated. “Our goal is to strengthen civil-military cooperation by positively engaging young people through healthy competition, while promoting mutual respect and understanding.”

The CDS added that beyond talent discovery, the championship is designed to promote national cohesion and unity through sports.

“This initiative serves as a platform to strengthen the bonds between the military and civilians. It also provides a non-kinetic approach to addressing future security challenges through the cooperation of good and patriotic citizens,” he explained.

General Musa further highlighted that the tournament fosters togetherness in the spirit of sportsmanship and offers the youths a legitimate means of livelihood.

“In preparation for this event, we have assembled an impressive lineup of talented players, coaches, and officials. The championship features 16 well-selected male and female teams from the North West geopolitical zone and the Federal Capital Territory,” he added.

The 2025 Democracy Day Basketball Championship commenced on Saturday, June 14, and is scheduled to run through Wednesday, June 18, 2025.

Russia Evacuates Citizens, Shuts Tehran Consulate as Israel-Iran Conflict Escalates

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Russian embassy

Russia announced on Sunday that it had evacuated several of its citizens from Iran and halted activity at its Tehran consulate after Israeli attacks on the country sparked retaliatory missile fire towards Israel.

“Due to the current situation, the consular service of the embassy is temporarily suspending its activities. The resumption of consular services will be announced later,” the Russian embassy in Tehran said on Telegram.

Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova said musicians from the Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra were evacuated from Iran.

“The musicians crossed the Azerbaijani border. Yesterday (Saturday), Fyodor Bondarchuk’s film crew left Iran via the same route,” she said on Telegram, referring to the Russian director and actor.

Russia’s civil aviation authority ordered airlines to suspend flights to Iran and Israel and avoid their airspace -– along with that of Jordan and Iraq -– until at least June 26, following official travel warnings issued Friday.

Israel launched unprecedented strikes on Iran’s military and nuclear facilities early Friday, saying it aimed to stop Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Iran has responded with multiple missile salvos targeting Israel.

President Vladimir Putin, who maintains ties with both Iran and Israel, condemned Israel’s strikes and warned of a “dangerous escalation” in the Middle East.

AFP

TINUBU’S ENDORSEMENT FOR RE-ELECTION: Shettima’s Camp Protest As APC Keeps Mum On VP

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…Zulum leads allies

From Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe  

As President Bola Tinubu continues to receive endorsement for his re-election from All Progressives Congress, APC, on another front the crack is getting wider over the APC’s silence on the fate of Vice President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 presidential election.

Irked by the party’s perceived unwillingness to allow Shettima pair with Tinubu for re-election, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, led a protest after the party’s leaders endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a re-election without including Vice President Kashim Shettima,  at the North East stakeholders meeting in Gombe, yesterday.

The APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and National Vice Chairman (North East), Comrade Mustapha Salihu,  endorsed Tinubu for a second term without reference to Shettima.

This stirred anger among Shettima’s loyalists at the meeting, prompting security operatives to whisk away Ganduje and Salihu from the venue under heavy security while delegates demanded Shettima’s endorsement.

AljazirahNigeria reports that Ganduje had recently, at the party’s national summit in Abuja, announced Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate in 2027 and Abdullahi Ganduje and led some key party chieftains to the meeting.

The meeting which was attended by ministers, lawmakers, and governors of the party from the region may have opened another frontier battling the internal wrangling.

Salihu, like the party’s national chairman endorsed Tinubu to emerge as an unopposed candidate of the APC but was silent about Shettima thus prompting furry delegates with some threatening to attack him physically, but he had to be smuggled out of the meeting by security operatives.

In this vein, the meeting ended abruptly. While Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, in the protest, demand the endorsement of Vice President Kashim Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate as preparations for the 2027 presidential election gathers momentum, pundits believe that the prevailing of Tinubu’s endorsement most likely will continue to sweep through Nigeria’s political landscape particularly among the leadership of the ruling APC. 

2027: Sowore Accuses APC Of Crippling Opposition, Says Only AAC Uncompromised

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Former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of controlling opposition political parties in Nigeria, claiming that his African Action Congress (AAC) was the only exception.

But, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s camp declared that the growing strength of Nigeria’s opposition coalition triggered fear within APC and its allies, including former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Speaking on Rubbin’ Minds, a Channels Television talk show, yesterday, the human rights activist claimed that most of Nigeria’s opposition parties were deliberately created or co-opted by the APC as “special-purpose vehicles” for political convenience.

The 2023 AAC presidential candidate said the coalition led by opposition arrowhead, Atiku Abubakar, should not be taken seriously. According to him, most of the members of the coalition, including former governors Nasir el-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, would return to the APC if things didn’t work out for the coalition in the 2027 election.

According to him, the AAC, which he founded in 2018, remains the only genuine opposition among the 18 registered political parties in the country.

Sowore said: “What we found out in our little research is that most of the parties that are left, apart from AAC, are parties that were created by the major parties. They call them feeder parties or special-purpose vehicles.”

He alleged that these smaller parties are often funded during election seasons by the APC to serve strategic interests, such as filing legal challenges that could be manipulated later in the ruling party’s favour.

MEDIA Adviser to Atiku, Paul Ibe, in a chat with newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja, accused APC and its supporters of resorting to baseless attacks on the coalition out of panic over its potential to end their reign.

“They’re scared because they know the coalition represents a formidable platform that could remove this administration. Even if some leaders defect to their political party, the reality is that Nigerians are defecting to the coalition. It embodies their aspiration, a platform to end this failed government,” he said.

Ibe also criticised the government’s handling of critical national issues, particularly security and the economy. He referenced escalating killings in states like Benue and Plateau, as well as the rising cost of living, as evidence of the administration’s failure to protect and provide for citizens.

“The primary responsibility of any government is to protect lives and ensure the well-being of its people. If they can’t do that, why are they in power? The value of human life in our country has hit an all-time low, especially under this administration,” he asserted.

Och’Idoma Showers Blessings On Ochetoha K’Idoma Leadership 

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New leadership of Ochetoha K’Idoma Forum, an apex socio-cultural body for Idoma nation, has continued its consultation with stakeholders across Idoma land, particularly within Benue South Senatorial District, a few days after its emergence.

Latest of its visits was at the ancient Palace of the Och’Idoma in Otukpo, where His Royal Majesty, Agaba Idu, Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, CON, Och’Idoma V., received the Ochetoha K’Idoma top officials, led by the Professor Yakubu Aboki Ochefu.

The visit, which marked the first formal engagement of the Forum’s new National Executive Council with the traditional institution, carried the weight of tradition and the energy of renewal.

It was a symbolic homecoming and an institutional recommitment to mutual respect, unity, and shared responsibility between the royal stool and the socio-cultural custodian of Idoma identity.

In his royal address, he made clear the role of the throne as the moral compass and custodian of legitimacy for all bodies acting in the name of the Idoma Nation. 

He declared with conviction, “The throne is not in competition with Ochetoha K’Idoma. It is your root. And every tree that forgets its root cannot grow”.

He urged the leadership of the Forum to stay focused on the sacred mission of safeguarding Idoma values, enhancing development, and speaking for the voiceless in these uncertain times.

“You are the collective conscience of the people. When you speak, let your words carry both wisdom and the weight of history. Go and succeed with my blessing”, the monarch said, offering prayers and encouragement.

Earlier, President-General of Ochetoha K’Idoma, Professor Ochefu, accompanied by the Forum’s Secretary-General, Chief Dr. Paul Edeh and members of the National Executive Council, extended deep gratitude to His Royal Majesty for his fatherly reception and insightful counsel. 

The President-General assured that under his stewardship, the Forum would not only maintain its foundational principles but also scale new heights of institutional effectiveness.

He highlighted five thematic focus areas of the Forum to include unity of purpose among Idoma people at home and in the diaspora, cultural preservation in the face of modern erosion, policy advocacy on security and infrastructure, youth development through education and innovation, and coordinated engagement with government and private actors for economic revitalization.

“Our customs must not erode in the face of modernity”, Ochefu said. “We will safeguard our heritage while equipping our youth for the future. With your guidance, we shall anchor our agenda on respect, renewal, and relevance”.

The President-General also pledged to maintain a steady consultative relationship with the Palace, recognising the throne as a source of wisdom, stability, and historical continuity.

Also, the Forum’s National leadership met with the elected Chairmen of Local Government Councils in Benue South Senatorial District ,Zone C, with signaling a renewed commitment to building a secure and forward-looking homeland.

Present at the high-level engagement were the Chairmen of Agatu, Apa, Ogbadibo, Okpokwu, and Otukpo LGAs. Representing other Council Chairmen, they brought voices from across the zone into what many described as a long-overdue dialogue on the future of the Idoma people.

Professor Ochefu, while addressing the gathering, underscored the historical context and urgency of unity. 

He stressed that the socio-economic aspirations of the Idoma Nation must be anchored in deliberate planning, educational empowerment, and collective effort. 

Drawing attention to underutilised development assets such as the Federal University of Health Sciences Otukpo, FUHSO, Otobi Dam, and the strategic Oju Road corridor, he called for joint advocacy to make these assets engines of growth.

Electoral Reforms: 6-year Term For Elected Office Holders

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Recently, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, advocated a single term of five or six years for elected political office holders across all levels of government in the country, against the current double term of four years each.

Makinde who advocated this while playing host to Muslim faithful, alongside traditional rulers and political office holders in his Ikolaba private residence in Ibadan, the state capital, shortly after the Eid-el-Kabir prayers recently, postulated that a single term of five or six years is enough for any government to focus and serve the people and deliver on its mandate.

He did not waste time in calling for a constitutional amendment to effect the change immediately and likely to cut short his tenure as governor with two years of his second term.

 “I was just looking at the trajectory for me in government. I have spent six years already, and due to no fault of anybody, we lost the year 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We lost almost one year, campaigning all over the place for the second tenure. Now, people have started distracting us from what I want to do next and all of that. So, I feel that, effectively, the time we can say we are very serious with governance is just about five out of the eight years.

“That is why I feel that if you remove all these distractions, a single tenure of five or six years is actually enough to focus and do the work that we are trying to do in eight years.

It is not entirely a novel proposal, there have been many before now. This position had been canvassed over severally. In a not too distant past a group of 35 members of nation’s green chamber-the House of Representatives under the aegis of “The Reformers” had proposed similarly a six-year term for political office holders across the nation.

They had championed bills to change the tenure of the president and governors to a single term of six years.

The group also proposed the rotation of the presidency between the North and the South as well as the creation of a second vice president.

These proposals are part of six constitutional alteration bills introduced by the lawmakers on the floor of the House.

The members noted their proposals were water-tight and was going to see the light of the day eventually.

Interestingly, ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar leads the pack among distinguished politicians with a similar view in the past. He called for a six-year tenure of rotational presidency and governorship positions.

We align our thoughts with the proponents of a single six-year tenure as most times observers believe office holders are often seen to make the best of their tenures just in the first run while making the second term a sheer jamboree since they are not returning to contest in that office any longer.

These are constitutional issues and we hope the proponents of these bills would follow through with all tenacity to ensure they sail through to curtail the shortcomings the present system attracts-particularly the distraction for getting a second term by all means when the first term is still on course. The current scenario allows office holders to lose valuable time expended on working to secure a second term instead of ensuring a proper grip on governance issues.

Five to six years is considered adequate to deliver on a mandate if the office holders are working on purpose.

While the issue is still at the rudimentary level in the House, we call on its proponents to dust the files and work assiduously to ensure they get the necessary amendments that could expedite the legalisation of that proposition. 

Group Condemns Misleading Media Report On Controversial New A’Ibom Map 

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robbers

By INIOBONG SUNDAY, Uyo

  Ulok Ulok Progressives Assembly, UUPA, an apex socio-cultural association for Ibeno ethnic nationality, has  condemned a social media report on the controversial new map, dismantling the old boundaries around the coastal oil bearing communities of Akwa Ibom State.

The report titled; “Court Judgements, Historical Documents, Validate ‘Controversial’ Akwa Ibom Map Law” has drawn the ire of the elders, leaders and stakeholders of the Ibeno ethnic nationality, who described the report as as “a figment of the purveyors’ imagination and a ploy to intimidate the court which the matter is currently pending”.

The group, in a swift reaction yesterday in Upenekang, headquarters of the local government area, called on the public to disregard the mischievous publication tended to divert attention of the people from the truth of the matter.

Secretary of Ibeno Clan Council, Chief Udofia Okon Udofia, on behalf of the group said, the failed re-mapping project was one of the wrong doings of former Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration.

 “The aim was to reallocate the oil and gas resources belonging to other communities in the litoral local government areas of the State to his home LGA of Onna, in order to access host community benefits under the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021”, he noted

Chief Udofia noted that, the Court had earlier delivered judgement on the matter in favour of the Eastern Obolo ethnic nationality including Ibeno, even before the former governor hurriedly assented to the Bill.

He further explained that, the controversial remapping Law which was hurriedly enacted on the orders of the immediate past administration has continued to generate tensions and crisis in the affected LGAs.

According to him, “the former governor had sent the Executive Bill to the House of Assembly in 2023, seeking the House to enact a law creating a new map to address boundary issues in some oil communities around Mbo, Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Mkpat Enin, Ikot Abasi and other local government areas, with the hope that the new map would diffuse tension and create a sense of belonging amongst the litoral LGAs”.

But rather than bring peace to the state, the Bill which was hurriedly passed by the House of Assembly and signed into law by the then governor,  shortly before leaving office in 2023, according to him, has led to perennial ethnic killings amongst the litoral local government areas of Eastern Obolo, Ikot Abasi, Ibeno, Eket and Esit Eket LGAs, as the contenders argued the mutilated original boundaries in the state High Court.

However, the failed re-mapping project had generated mixed reactions from the people. While a few supported it, majority of the state’s stakeholders have opposed the idea, saying, “it will breed disunity and confrontation amongst the people of the coastal areas.”

The Paramount Ruler of Eket, Edidem ECD Abia; the apex socio-cultural organisation – Ekid People’s Union, EPU, led by the President- General ,PG, Dr. Samuel Udonsak are in support of the new map, arguing that the state never had a map.

But, stakeholders from the oil – rich Ibeno ethnic nationality and their Obolos, and the Ijaw kinsmen in Mbo and Eastern Obolo LGAs, have kicked against the unilateral decision to remap their boundaries, describing the action as “illegal and politically – motivated, rather than necessity”.

For a lasting peace, Chief Udofia, appealed to the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, to use his good offices to address the boundary anomalies to stop further bloodshed around the oil and gas host communities.

He queried the motive behind the creation of a new map, “when Akwa Ibom, as a political entity created by an Act of Parliament, already had a map with the boundary lines of all the LGAs specifically drawn”.

He added that, only political intervention would address the issues in dispute and avert further skirmishes and bloodshed witnessed since the launch of the controversial map.

“We are calling on the governor to withdraw the new map and revert to the old order because more deaths and destruction are looming in the coastal communities.

“The former governor never consulted the people through community engagements before taking the decision to muddle up the boundaries and putting a knife to the values of good neigbourliness as different ethnic nationalities in the same coastal plane.

“The major reason behind the wanton killings and destruction of our ecosystems by the infamous boundary adjustments could be located in the mischievous ploy by the former governor to connect his Onna LGA to the Atlantic because of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, so as to enable his community to access the 3 percent derivation appropriation to litoral LGAs.

“Now, the question is, do states have overriding powers to legislate and alter existing boundaries without recourse the federal laws?

“The matter is currently in Court and the recent sitting has given us cause the justice would served rightly for such impunity to be put to rest.

“That is why we took the matter to court on realization, because the issue is part of the problems we are having now with our Ekid neighbours, who are cashing in on the boundary politics to attempt a take over of our lands at Ndito Eka Iba village in Ibeno East, which they try to rename Okoiyak Ekid, Eket Local Government.

Mr Okon further stated that, “it does not lie within the purview of the State Government to create Local Government Areas boundaries. Before the purported re – mapping, the people of Eastern Obolo LGA, during the period of the House of Assembly public hearing had taken the state government to Court and won”.

“The court judgment then clearly stated that, the State or House of Assembly have no right to entertain or do anything concerning the boundaries between one LGA and another; that, it is exclusively the responsibility of the federal government under the Attorney General/Minister of Justice and the Surveyor-General of the Federation. 

“So, with the judgment, the State Government definitely has no authority to carry out the mapping or re – mapping of any Local Government Area boundaries”. 

He, therefore, advised those behind the illegal re mapping project to focus on the case in court and stop the propaganda.