Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Review of the Constitution’s Southeast Zone, has called for a constitutional amendment to eliminate local governments as the third tier of government in Nigeria.

He suggests that states should instead have full authority to establish and manage their own councils.

Speaking on Arise TV’s morning program on Tuesday, Senator Nwebonyi argued that the current system promotes inequality and hampers grassroots development.

He highlighted the uneven distribution of local government areas (LGAs) across states as a source of tension, pointing out that Kano State has over 40 LGAs while Bayelsa has only eight, and Ebonyi 13.

“This imbalance fuels continuous grievances and slows progress,” he said. “It’s time we shift control from local governments directly to the states, who can be held accountable for council development.”

Nwebonyi also outlined the constitutional process for creating new states, involving a formal request, a referendum with at least two-thirds approval by residents, and consent from the State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, and the President.

He revealed that 61 state creation requests have been submitted nationwide, with many coming from the Southeast region, including proposals for Adada, Aba, Anim, and Anioma states.

Addressing concerns that the Anioma State proponents were excluded during public hearings, the senator assured that all voices were heard.

He emphasized that the success of any new state depends more on effective leadership than natural resources alone, urging Nigerians to take active roles in driving positive change.

The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly has dismissed reports suggesting that it plans to investigate the immediate past Governor, Udom Emmanuel. Deputy Speaker Kufreabasi Edidem clarified the situation in a statement released in Uyo and made available to newsmen on Tuesday.

Edidem stated, “The attention of the leadership and members of the Akwa Ibom Assembly has been drawn to a report in a newspaper publication of Monday, Aug. 11 that the immediate past governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, is facing a probe by the House.”

He emphasized, “The House wishes to state categorically that there is no scintilla of truth in the publication, in content and in intent and gives clarifications to help properly inform the public as follows: That the publication is speculative, lacks factual basis, and does not reflect any official position or resolution of the house.”

According to Edidem, the issue raised during the plenary session on Thursday, Aug. 7, was unrelated to the former governor.

“What transpired at the plenary session on Thursday, Aug. 7 was that the member representing Mkpat Enin State Constituency, Mr Uwem Imoh-Ita, raised a Matter of Urgent Public Importance that some employees of the Coconut Plantation had not been paid for seven months.”

He added, “As a norm in the house, an ad hoc committee has been constituted to investigate the issue raised and report back within one month. The committee has yet to submit its report to the house for consideration.”

Edidem further urged the media to confirm facts from official sources before publishing stories.

“Inaccurate and sensational reporting not only misleads the public but also undermines the credibility of democratic institutions. Media professionals should thus know where to draw the line between facts and sensationalism. Journalism is a noble profession with its strong ethical bent,” he said.

A High Court in Sagamu, Ogun State, has issued an interim order barring the state government from demolishing or interfering with properties owned by former governor Gbenga Daniel and his wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel.

The ruling was delivered by Justice O.S. Oloyede, following an ex parte motion brought before the court on August 11, 2025.

The motion, filed by Daniel’s legal counsel, A.M. Kotoye (SAN), was accompanied by an affidavit of urgency due to what the applicants described as imminent threats to their properties.

The restraining order applies to the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, the Attorney General of the state, the Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority, and the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development.

It prevents the government and its agents from tampering with three specific properties:

1. Asoludero Court, Daniel’s private residence at GRA, Sagamu.
2. A property owned by Mrs. Daniel, also in Sagamu.
3. The Conference Hotel and Blue Chapel Limited, both associated with the former governor.

The suits, marked HCS/371/2025, HCS/372/2025, and HCS/373/2025, argue that the properties are legally owned and covered by valid documentation, including a Certificate of Occupancy issued on January 20, 2010 (No. LUD3/LR2693).

Justice Oloyede, in granting the interim order, emphasized the urgency of the matter and the need to prevent any action that could jeopardize the applicants’ rights before the case is fully heard.

The legal dispute stems from demolition and quit notices recently issued by the Ogun State government against Daniel’s properties, including the well-known Asoludero Court and Conference Hotel.

The state cited a land audit exercise as the reason for its actions.

However, Daniel has dismissed the move as a case of political persecution, while Governor Abiodun has insisted the action is part of the government’s statutory oversight, asserting that “no one is above the law.”

The case has been adjourned to August 19, 2025, for the hearing of the application for a full interlocutory injunction.

The Nigerian Senate has announced plans to launch an investigation into a series of troubling altercations between airline staff and passengers in recent weeks.

The decision, led by the Senate Committee on Aviation, follows public outrage over two widely reported incidents. On one hand, popular Fuji artist Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (KWAM 1) was involved in a dramatic standoff at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he reportedly blocked a ValueJet aircraft from taking off after refusing to surrender a suspected alcohol-filled flask.

On another flight, a woman identified as Comfort Emmanson was forcefully removed from an Ibom Air flight on the Uyo–Lagos route, after allegedly refusing to turn off her mobile phone.

A viral video showed her slapping a flight attendant who insisted she comply with safety protocols.

Reacting to the developments, Senator Buhari Abdulfatai, Chairman of the Senate Aviation Committee, described the events as serious breaches that could threaten aviation safety and public confidence.

“The last two weeks have witnessed incidents too serious to ignore. These cases raise concerns about safety enforcement, operational discipline, and passenger behavior,” Abdulfatai said in a statement issued Tuesday.

He confirmed that the committee will be engaging with aviation regulators, airline operators, security agencies, and civil society groups to review the facts of the cases, examine existing procedures, and recommend appropriate reforms.

“We won’t tolerate lapses that undermine safety or the professionalism expected in aviation. The committee will ensure thorough accountability at every level,” the statement added.

The committee reassured Nigerians of its commitment to ensuring such incidents do not reoccur and pledged to strengthen oversight of the aviation sector.

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) has issued a stern warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), urging the commission not to exclude the party’s logo and candidates from the upcoming August 16 by-elections.

In a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, cautioned that any attempt by INEC to omit the party’s participation would be met with legal action.

“In accordance with the Electoral Act 2022, any political party excluded from an election has the right to seek redress in court,” Ifoh stated.

He stressed that the Labour Party would not hesitate to pursue the nullification of the election results if its candidates were excluded.

Ifoh also referenced the April 4 Supreme Court judgment, which ruled that leadership disputes within political parties are internal matters, effectively affirming the legitimacy of the Abure-led faction.

He added that the party’s national convention, held on March 27, 2024 in Nnewi, confirmed Barrister Julius Abure as national chairman.

The faction called on Nigerians and stakeholders to pressure INEC to abide by constitutional and legal obligations in the electoral process.

“INEC must respect both the judgment of the Supreme Court and the will of the party’s internal processes,” Ifoh emphasized.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released former Sokoto State Governor and current Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, just hours after he was extensively questioned in Abuja over allegations of ₦189 billion fraud.

Photographs of Tambuwal’s release circulated widely on X (formerly Twitter), triggering both celebration among his supporters and criticism from his opponents.

One user commented, “Sen Tambuwal is back home. Thank you Nigerians for standing against the oppression of the APC.”

SaharaReporters previously reported that Tambuwal was detained after responding to an EFCC invitation at the agency’s headquarters in Jabi, Abuja, on Monday morning.

According to insiders, Tambuwal arrived around 11:30 am and was immediately placed in an interrogation room.

He was grilled over alleged improper cash withdrawals made during his tenure as governor, a highly scrutinized period running from 2015 to 2023.

Investigations reportedly involved multiple years and several state accounts, though the precise timeframe remains undisclosed.

While the EFCC has granted him administrative bail, investigators plan to continue their probe and may call him in again for further questioning.