These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with embattled Governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

While the purpose of the meeting is yet to be ascertained, there are speculations that the meeting may not be unconnected with recent issues facing the governor over his re-election bid, after reports emerged that the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and political godfather of the governor, Bola Tinubu, had backed down support for  Ambode’s aspiration, making it a tight race for the governor to secure outright victory.

The development has seen two other aspirants, Jide Sanwo-olu who is touted to be endorsed by the National Leader as replacement for Ambode, and former Commissioner, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat pick nomination forms to contest the September 29 APC governorship primary in the state.

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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has formally defected to the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), ending speculations about his stay in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara accompanied by some of his supporters, confirmed this on Thursday when he submitted his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja, explaining that “it will take only someone who has lost his conscience to still support the order that is in the state, as he alleged that the ruling party was yet to fulfill a single promise.

“In the APC, there are wonderful people but equally there are people who I will call ravenous. We have a lot of bouncers, you know bouncers in the party. For me I was in the situation where I will I had serious questions. I will tell you that I’d rather be hated for who I am than be loved for who I’m not. So, I have decided to come back,” he said.

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Amaju Pinnick has been re-elected as President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

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The Nigeria Police on Thursday reacted to the order issued by President Muhammadu Buhari restricting the Inspector General of Police from inviting Senator Ademola Adeleke of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood who disclosed this on Thursday while speaking on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)’s  Good Morning Nigeria, said that the President’s order does not clear Adeleke from the alleged crimes, adding that he could be invited any time the force want.

“But if there is any directive that we should not invite him, that directive does not exonerate him from allegation, court process and the people should know that the rule of law prevails above any other consideration,” he said.

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Benue Governor, Samuel Ortom, has confirmed the receipt of N14.9 billion, being the last tranche of the Paris Club refunds from the Federal government to the state.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Terver Akase revealed this in a statement on Thursday in Makurdi, adding that 80 per cent of the funds would be committed to payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.

According to the statement, the governor has set up a committee, headed by the Deputy Governor Benson Abounu to work out modalities for the immediate disbursement of the funds.

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And stories from around the world:

Theresa May’s proposed new economic partnership with the EU “will not work”, the head of the European Council has said. (BBC)

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Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak has been hit with 25 new corruption charges linked to the 1MDB scandal. (Al Jazeera)

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The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions against a Chinese military agency and its director for buying defense equipment from Russia, in contravention of a sweeping U.S. sanctions bill signed in 2017. (Reuters)

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A confidential report by Belgian investigators confirms that British intelligence services hacked state-owned Belgian telecom giant Belgacom on behalf of Washington, an official said Thursday. (AFP)

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Iran hit back at a U.S. offer of negotiations on Thursday, saying Washington had violated the terms of the last big deal they agreed, the 2015 nuclear accord. (Reuters)