
News
Forgive me, Lalong begs Catholics over Pope Gaffe
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has tendered apology to Catholic faithful over a remark he made while defending his appointment as Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
Addressing reporters at Aso Rock on Tuesday, Lalong had said as a born, baptised and confirmed Catholic, who has the highest award from the papacy, Knight of Saint Gregory the Great, the Pope has not told him there was anything wrong being the lead campaigner of the ruling party, especially over the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“For those who are talking about Muslim-Muslim ticket, I don’t even know where they are. I Hold a Papal Night and as a Catholic, everything we do, we do it and we send the advice to the Pope. The Pope has not told me that what I’m doing is bad as Director-General,” he had said.
His comment had attracted widespread condemnation, especially from Catholic faithful who blamed him for dragging the Holy Father into the murky politics.
They had called for his immediate suspension from the Church for alleged blasphemy.
But in a letter to the Catholic Church through the Bishops’ Conference, Lalong said he accepted that he erroneously linked the Catholic Pontiff with Nigeria’s politics.

While promising to be of good conduct, the governor sought the forgiveness and understanding of the church.
“I have followed with some shock and deep regret, the reactions that have trailed my appointment as the Director-General of the Campaign Council for the presidential candidate of our party, the APC, Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Ibrahim Shettima.
“The appointment, understandably was received with mixed reactions across the Christian community, who genuinely feel aggrieved by the decision of our party to settle for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“While many people commended me for the appointment and saw it as a way of remaining within the system to fight for our own interests, others cast aspersions on it on the grounds that our faith had been insulted and denigrated.
“In the course of this, many of my opponents turned the issue into a political weapon with some spreading rumours and questioning the integrity of my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight.
“In trying to make my case, I have granted interviews to justify why I believe that the appointment did not in any way undermine my commitment to the Catholic Church.
“During the week, in the course of defending myself, I had cause to make reference to my credentials as a Catholic and a Papal Knight. In the process, I made reference to the Holy Father. I now realise that this was an error on my part and has caused some level of concern and even embarrassment to many, especially the Members of the family of Papal Knights to which I belong.
“I now understand that I may have overreached myself in the course of trying to defend my personal decision in accepting this appointment and thus, the reference to the holy father was not intended as an act of disrespect to his exalted and revered office.
“Your Grace, by this written letter, I wish to tender my unreserved apologies and ask for their understanding and forgiveness from my brothers in the Catholic faith and, through you, the entire members of the Bishops’ Conference, our Fathers and our leaders.
“My commitment to the Catholic faith, to which I belong, remains unreserved and undiluted. I will continue to uphold the banner of my faith in public life as I have done over the years.
“You may recall, Your Grace, that in the last five or thereabout years, I have been at the forefront of facilitating our dialogue as politicians with you our fathers in the faith. I remain committed to this and pray that you will continue to encourage us as we ascend the slippery slope of politics,” the letter read.

News
UK-based Nigerian divorces wife after viral cheating allegation
A United Kingdom-based Nigerian man, identified on X as Ugo (@heismric), has confirmed the end of his marriage after publicly alleging that his wife was involved in infidelity while he was working abroad and funding her education and family life.
Ugo, who shared a series of emotional posts that later went viral, said the marriage has now been officially dissolved, adding that he received confirmation of the final order from the UK courts.
The couple’s relationship had previously been widely admired online.
According to him, the relationship began with a proposal in January 2023, followed by marriage in December 2023. They later welcomed a child in 2024, after which he relocated his wife to the United Kingdom.
He claimed he took full responsibility for the family’s financial needs, including paying her school fees and supporting her throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
He also said he went as far as developing digital applications to support her well-being and their child, describing his efforts as part of his commitment to building a stable home.

After the birth of their child, he reportedly bought her a car as a “push gift,” a gesture that was widely shared online at the time as a sign of affection.
However, the relationship later deteriorated following allegations of infidelity. In now-deleted posts, Ugo accused his wife of bringing another man into their home while he was working in the United Kingdom.
In one of the viral tweets, he wrote, ”It’s crazy you’re in my house, sleeping with another man, but I’m in London working my ass out to pay your school fees in GBP. No! Send your tuition to that man. He’s man enough to sleep with another man’s wife; he should match it with his funds. Divorce finalised, gtf.”
He also alleged that members of his wife’s family did not condemn the situation, but instead continued to demand financial support for her education.
“Because her family didn’t see anything wrong in it, but have the audacity to ask me about her tuition. Also I know the man, and his stupid ass is on my Instagram and X viewing my posts. Talking about, ‘I miss you, when am I seeing you again’ while she responds ‘as you should,’” he further wrote.
As the story gained traction online, reactions were divided, with some users sympathising with him while others criticised him for airing private marital issues on social media.
Some also revisited his earlier posts showing public displays of affection, noting that he had frequently expressed love for his wife online, while she maintained a relatively low public profile.
In a follow-up post on Monday confirming the separation, Ugo wrote,”UGO’s wife. Divorce is finalised. It’s ex-wife.”
He later shared a screenshot of an official divorce notification from the UK HM Courts and Tribunals Service, confirming that the final order had been granted, thereby legally ending the marriage.

News
Three senators, 16 Reps members who betrayed Obi and should be rejected by NDC — Obi’s aide
The Special Adviser to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, on Media and Publicity, Valentine Obienyem, has argued that politicians who allegedly benefited from Obi’s political popularity in 2023 before defecting to other parties should not be allowed back into the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Obienyem, in an opinion article titled “Why Political Opportunists Must Not Be Allowed to Run Again,” said some politicians secured elective positions during the “Peter Obi wave” of 2022 despite having little independent electoral prospects, only to abandon the political movement shortly after assuming office.
According to him, a number of elected officials rode on Obi’s political momentum to win elections before defecting to the ruling party, while a few others remained loyal and moved alongside the former presidential candidate through successive political transitions.
“During the Peter Obi wave in 2022, many individuals — some of whom never realistically had prospects of electoral victory — secured positions largely on the strength of his popularity and political momentum,” Obienyem stated.
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He added: “Shortly after settling into offices, several of them defected to other political parties. A few, however, recognizing the pivotal role Obi played in their electoral success remained with him. This explains why some have consistently moved with him from the Labour Party to the ADC and subsequently to the NDC. This pattern is often described as ‘following your leader.’”
The presidential aide argued that some of those who defected to the ruling party were now seeking a return to the NDC as another election cycle approaches, alleging that their interest was driven by the desire to benefit again from Obi’s political influence.
“Now, as another election cycle approaches, some of those who previously defected to the APC are either returning to the NDC or signaling intentions to return. Their primary motivation is the desire to once again ride on Obi’s political influence,” he said.

Describing such actions as political opportunism, Obienyem maintained that the NDC should resist granting party tickets to politicians who had previously abandoned the movement.
“This behaviour suggests a tendency to treat Obi as a mere political instrument — useful when advantageous and discarded when convenient. That is not a principled way to follow a leader,” he stated.
He further argued that defectors who left previous political platforms should not be allowed to displace longstanding party members, warning that repeated defections could weaken party cohesion and ideological consistency.
“We cannot continue to indulge opportunism in the name of political strategy,” he said, adding that individuals who felt “betrayed” by their former parties should seek alternative platforms if they believed they retained electoral value independently.
Obienyem listed three senators — Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Kelvin Chukwu and Neda Imasuen — among lawmakers he said defected after benefiting from Obi’s support base.
He also named 16 members of the House of Representatives, including Joshua Chinedu Obika, Chinedu Tochukwu Okere, Bassey Akiba, Ngozi Okolie and others, as politicians who should not be considered for return tickets under the NDC.
The comments signal growing internal debate over loyalty, defections and candidate selection within opposition politics as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

News
10 feared dead as gunmen attack convoy in Zamfara
At least 10 people have been killed after suspected bandits ambushed a convoy along the Gusau–Magami–Dansadau Road in Zamfara State.
Several others are injured in the attack, while an unspecified number of passengers are reportedly abducted by the gunmen.
Eyewitnesses say the incident occurs between 4pm and 5pm as vigilante operatives escort residents travelling through the route, considered one of the state’s most dangerous highways.
The attackers reportedly open fire on the convoy, triggering panic among travellers and security volunteers.
Those killed include five traders, three local hunters and a member of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG).
The injured victims are initially taken to Magami General Hospital for treatment before arrangements are made for their referral to Gusau for further medical care.

However, hospital sources say the victims remain stranded in Magami because there is no available security escort to facilitate their movement safely.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident as insecurity continues to plague several communities across Zamfara State.

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