Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo  July 12, 2025 – Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday participated in the ongoing local government elections by casting his vote at Polling Unit 006, Ward E, located at St. Stephens Nursery and Primary School, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island. The governor arrived at the polling unit with his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and both cast their ballots at approximately 11:00 a.m. Voting commenced earlier at 8:00 a.m. at the unit, with residents turning out to elect the chairman and councillors for the Lagos Island Local Government Area. The election across Lagos State is being held to…

By Peter Omopo  July 12, 2025 – Former Nigerian diplomats have expressed contrasting views on how the Federal Government should react to the recent United States decision to reduce visa validity for most Nigerian applicants from multiple years to single-entry, three-month visas. The U.S. government announced the new visa policy on Wednesday, affecting non-immigrant categories such as B-1/B-2 (tourism/business), F (students), and J (exchange visitors). This change significantly reduces the validity period previously enjoyed by Nigerians, which ranged from two to five years with multiple entries. According to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, the policy revision is based on the…

By Peter Omopo  July 12, 2025 | Agency Report – The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has attributed its failure to field candidates in Saturday’s local government elections in Lagos State to internal leadership disputes and delays by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in updating the party’s official records. The elections, conducted across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas, did not feature any NNPP contenders — a development the party described as “unfortunate and regrettable.” Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ogini Olaposi, said the…

By Peter Omopo  Saturday, July 12, 2025 – Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has formally petitioned the Senate, urging immediate compliance with a Federal High Court judgment that declared her six-month suspension unconstitutional, excessive, and overreaching. The embattled lawmaker, through her legal counsel, M.J. Numa & Partners LLP, submitted a petition dated July 11, 2025, demanding full reinstatement in line with the court’s ruling delivered by Justice Binta Nyako on July 4. In the judgment, the court held that the senator’s suspension infringed on her constitutional rights and those of her constituents, citing a violation of Section 63…

By Peter Omopo  Saturday, July 12, 2025 – The usually bustling Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and major roads within the Alausa-Secretariat axis of Lagos State were largely deserted on Saturday morning as residents observed movement restrictions imposed for the conduct of the local government elections. A PUNCH correspondent, who monitored the situation firsthand, reported a significant drop in vehicular and pedestrian activity across major transit routes leading into the state capital, including the ever-busy expressway and roads leading to the Alausa Government Secretariat in Ikeja. The quiet streets followed a directive issued earlier in the week by the Lagos State Police Command,…

By Peter Omopo  By Ismaeel Uthman, Bola Bamigbola, and Imoleayo Oyedeyi Saturday, July 12, 2025 A growing wave of political uncertainty has gripped both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State following strong indications that Governor Ademola Adeleke may be planning to defect from the PDP to the ruling APC. Multiple sources within Adeleke’s inner circle, including cabinet members and political aides, confirmed to Saturday PUNCH that the governor had advanced discussions with key APC figures and was weighing a formal defection, though no official date has been set. The rumours, which began…

By Peter Omopo  Saturday, July 12, 2025 – At least 12 Nigerian states, including Lagos, Benue, and Kaduna, failed to meet their first quarter (Q1) revenue targets for 2025 despite collectively spending over N117 billion on debt servicing within the same period, a Saturday PUNCH investigation has revealed. This disclosure is based on an analysis of Q1 2025 Budget Implementation Reports sourced from state government websites and Open Nigerian States, a transparency platform backed by BudgIT for public finance data. The affected states are Abia, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, and Taraba. Reports for the…

By Peter Omopo  Lagos, July 12, 2025 — Vehicular and pedestrian movements came to a standstill Saturday morning at the Berger axis of Lagos as security operatives blocked major entry routes into the city ahead of the local government elections. A PUNCH correspondent monitoring the situation reported that by 7:32 a.m., dozens of commuters were left stranded, with several vehicles turned back at the usually bustling intersection. A combined team of Nigeria Police officers and Federal Road Safety Corps personnel enforced the restriction, while military operatives were also seen patrolling the area to ensure compliance. The barricade led to long…

July 8, 2025 – Legendary Nigerian music icon, Innocent Ujah Idibia, popularly known as 2BABA, has officially announced a new chapter in his illustrious career with the unveiling of a new management team under the banner of A Guy Entertainment. The announcement marks a strategic move aimed at redefining and amplifying the 2BABA brand globally, with a renewed focus not only on his rich musical legacy but also on untapped possibilities in today’s evolving African entertainment scene. With a career spanning over three decades, 2BABA has not only helped define the Afro-pop genre but also inspired countless artists across Africa…

By Peter Omopo  Abuja, July 11, 2025 — Former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has unveiled a newly completed N70 million halfway home in Abuja, designed to provide transitional support for vulnerable young adults. The project, spearheaded by her non-profit organisation, DashMe Foundation, is aimed at bridging the gap between orphanage life and independent adulthood for those aged 18 to 25. Speaking during the foundation’s fourth anniversary on Friday, Adeosun described the facility—constructed for the Sought After Women and Children Foundation—as a major milestone in efforts to restore dignity and opportunity to Nigeria’s most disadvantaged populations. “This halfway home…