Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has claimed that the Supreme Court did not affirm the victory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, contrary to popular belief. According to Baba-Ahmed, the Supreme Court only upheld what he considers the illegal declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He emphasized that they rejected the Supreme Court judgment and did not view it as a valid ruling. The statement follows the rejection of the ruling by Peter Obi, who had challenged the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which upheld INEC’s declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the election.
2. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, rejected the idea of a general ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at the moment as it would hinder Israel’s efforts to secure the release of the hostages. He believes that the current military pressure on Hamas is effective and emphasized the condition of the release of Israeli hostages as a prerequisite for any significant ceasefire and mentioned the possibility of tactical pauses for specific purposes, such as allowing humanitarian aid or the release of individual hostages.
3. Dangote Industries Limited, owned by Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, announced that it effectively dispersed a significant sum of $687 million through several Nigerian banks, with $576,008,672.41 transferred through various Nigerian banks and $111,968,109.38 involved in a cash exchange transaction with Ethiopian Airlines. The group emphasized that its significant financial investment in Nigeria was necessary for its African Project Expansion. Additionally, the conglomerate noted that various projects were officially inaugurated with the presence of senior government officials from Nigeria, CEOs of prominent banks, industry leaders, and the host nations’ presidents.
4. Sunday night in North London saw a tumultuous match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the Premier League, which resulted in a chaotic 4-1 defeat for Tottenham. Despite the Spurs’ initial optimism and positive start to the season under manager Ange Postecoglou, this defeat has presented a significant challenge for both the team and the manager.
5. Al-Ittihad’s head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is facing pressure after a 2-0 loss at Iraq’s Air Force Club in the Asian Champions League on Monday. Despite leading their group, Al-Ittihad’s performance has been disappointing domestically, with a considerable point gap from the league leaders. In Group D, Al Hilal won 2-0 against Mumbai City in India, keeping their unbeaten record and securing a spot in the knockout stages.
6. Popular Nollywood actor Kelechi Udegbe was involved in a severe car accident, narrowly escaping death. He shared the news on his verified Instagram page on Sunday, along with images of his damaged car and a video of his recovery at a medical facility. Expressing gratitude to God for his survival, he emphasized that the accident could have dramatically changed his life but that he is now recuperating and expected to return to work on screen in a few days.
7. In a statement released on Monday by the family of Nigerian veteran actor, John Okafor, also known as Mr Ibu, has had one of his legs amputated in a series of seven surgeries to save his life. The family expressed gratitude for the support they received and solicited further assistance, as the actor is still in a delicate condition and requires ongoing help. They emphasized their appreciation for the assistance received and mentioned that Mr Ibu plans to personally thank everyone once he has stabilized.
