General News
LAGOS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, MOJISOLA MERANDA, RESIGNS
In a surprise move, Rt. Hon. Princess Mojisola Lasbat Meranda has resigned as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, effective February 17, 2025. Meranda, who made history as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly on January 13, 2025, cited the need to protect the institution amidst recent political turmoil.
In her resignation letter, Meranda stated, “I did not arrive at this decision lightly… I know that this is the point at which as your leader, I have to make this selfless sacrifice to resign in order to protect this Institution.” She expressed gratitude to her colleagues for their support and collaboration during her tenure, saying, “I value and cherish the solidarity freely given to me.”
Meranda will rejoin the assembly as a member representing Apapa 1 Constituency, where she will continue to serve her constituents and the people of Lagos. Her resignation marks the end of a brief but significant tenure as Speaker, during which she advocated for women’s empowerment and good governance.
RT. Hon. Mojisola Meranda had been elected Honorable Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly by a unanimous decision from majority of the members of the house following the impeachment of the then Speaker, RT. Hon Mudashiru Obasa on grounds of Misconduct, Misappropriation and High-handedness.
Obasa who was out of the country at the time however returned and insisted the impeachment was invalid as due process was not fulfilled. The situation led to several incidents including a recent invasion of the house by security agents.
As Meranda steps down, she leaves behind a legacy as a trailblazing female leader in Lagos politics. Her commitment to public service and her constituents remains unwavering, as she prepares to continue serving in a new capacity.
A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has adjourned the hearing of the bail application of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to March 31, 2026, following his arraignment on alleged corruption-related charges.
El-Rufai was on Tuesday brought before the court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and arraigned before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa.
During the proceedings, the former governor was docked on one count out of a 10-count charge filed by the anti-graft agency. The charge, according to his counsel, Ubong Akpan, relates to alleged deposits into a domiciliary account and the monetisation of earnings.
El-Rufai was arraigned alongside a co-defendant, Joel Adoga.
Despite pending applications earlier filed before the court, Justice Aikawa proceeded with the arraignment and subsequently adjourned the matter to March 31 to consider all outstanding applications, including the bail request.
No bail application was moved or granted during Tuesday’s session.
Speaking to journalists after the court sitting, Akpan maintained that there was nothing unusual about the proceedings, adding that the defence team was yet to be served with processes relating to other potential charges.
The case is expected to resume on the adjourned date for hearing of the bail application and other pending matters.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has introduced an urgent, coordinated strategy to safeguard food security across West Africa and the Sahel, as global economic disruptions and rising oil prices continue to threaten agricultural production.
The decision followed an extraordinary virtual meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Agriculture held on March 23, 2026, where regional leaders assessed the growing risks to food systems.
The high-level meeting, convened by the ECOWAS Commission through its Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture under Commissioner Kalilou Sylla, brought together key regional institutions, development partners, and financial stakeholders.
Participants—including representatives from the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel—reviewed the impact of rising fertiliser costs, driven by global market volatility and increasing energy prices, on agricultural productivity across the region.
Deliberations resulted in the adoption of a medium- to long-term operational framework aimed at strengthening food sovereignty and building resilience within regional food systems.
Key measures outlined in the plan include the immediate establishment of regional agreements to secure strategic fertiliser supplies, as well as the creation of emergency reserves to cushion the effects of future price shocks.
The ministers also approved the introduction of liquidity swap mechanisms through central banks to address foreign exchange constraints faced by importers—an intervention expected to improve access to critical agricultural inputs.
“Our collective response underscores the urgency of safeguarding food security in the face of external shocks,” Sylla said, noting that enhanced regional coordination and targeted interventions would help sustain agricultural production and protect vulnerable populations.
The initiative highlights ECOWAS’ commitment to deepening regional cooperation and implementing sustainable solutions to emerging threats to food security across West Africa and the Sahel.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday paid a Sallah homage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos.
The visit formed part of activities marking the Sallah celebrations, as top government officials and political leaders paid courtesy calls to the President.
During the meeting, President Tinubu also received members of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council, a key political body in Lagos State.
Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council
The engagements provided an opportunity for discussions on national issues and strengthened ties between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The Sallah homage is a long-standing tradition in Nigeria, where political leaders and stakeholders visit the President and other top officials during major Islamic festivities.