Top 5 Stories Of The Day | NASS Faults PDP States Over Rivers Emergency Suit

• NASS faults PDP states over Rivers emergency suit
• Osun monarch, Pastor face jail in US over COVID-19 relief fraud
• EFCC cautions public over $18,000 mentorship offer
• Atiku labels Tinubu ‘Nigeria’s number one enemy,’ urges public resistance
• NLC President laments rising inflation, calls for unity on wage issues

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.

NASS faults PDP states over Rivers emergency suit

The National Assembly has dismissed the lawsuit by 11 PDP-led states challenging the state of emergency in Rivers, saying they lack legal grounds to file the case.

It argued the states weren’t directly affected and defended its approval of the emergency via voice vote.

Rivers Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), said the state remains fragile despite relative calm. The suing states include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, and Bauchi.

Osun monarch, Pastor face jail in US over COVID-19 relief fraud

The Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, and a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, may face prison terms in the United States after pleading guilty to COVID-19 relief fraud.

Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information systems expert, became Apetu in July 2019. He and Oluwasanmi were arrested in early 2024 for fraudulently securing $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

Both men were charged with 13 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and handling money from illegal activities.

EFCC cautions public over $18,000 mentorship offer

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised concerns after a motivational speaker, Stephen Akintayo, offered a mentorship programme for $18,000—about ₦30 million.

EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, advised Nigerians to be careful with such offers, warning they could lead to financial trouble.

The offer stirred strong reactions online, especially as the promotional flyer lacked payment details and asked interested individuals to send private messages.

On April 23, 2025, Akintayo posted on Facebook that he had 10 slots available, allowing an initial ₦2.5 million payment with the rest to be spread over 12 months.

Atiku labels Tinubu ‘Nigeria’s number one enemy,’ urges public resistance

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described President Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s “number one enemy,” accusing him of incompetence and urging citizens to resist his leadership for their collective survival.

In a Friday statement, Atiku said he held no resentment toward his former running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, or Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, who defected from the PDP to the APC. He added that the 2027 election would be a clear contest between struggling Nigerians and Tinubu.

NLC President laments rising inflation, calls for unity on wage issues

Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has voiced concern over how rising inflation is eroding the country’s minimum wage.

Ajaero urged organised labour to remain united in addressing the challenges facing workers. He noted that despite the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage, Nigerians are still burdened with high electricity tariffs and taxes that exceed their earnings.

“We’ve fought for minimum wage and haven’t relented. We’ve taken on fuel subsidy issues and continue to battle unfair tax regimes,” Ajaero said.