What’s believed to be the last power line operating into Gaza has been cut off by Israel, threatening the operation of a key water facility. Palestinians in Gaza have been living without proper power supplies since the start of the war.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the embattled Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Anyanwu, challenging his sack from office.
Anyanwu, in the appeal, is seeking to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu, which upheld the Federal High Court judgment that removed him as the Secretary of the party.
In a ten-ground appeal filed through his counsel, Ken Njemanze (SAN), Anyanwu prayed the apex court to allow the appeal and overturn the decision of the lower court.
Listed as respondents in the appeal, marked SC/CV/82/2025, are Aniagu Emmanuel, PDP, Iliya Damagun (National Chairman), and Ali Odefa (National Vice Chairman, Southeast Zone, PDP) as first to fourth respondents, respectively.
In the appeal, Anyanwu challenged the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, delivered on December 20, 2024, that affirmed the judgment of the High Court, which removed him from office as the PDP National Secretary and recognised Sunday Udey-Okoye.
Dissatisfied with the majority decision of the Court of Appeal, Anyanwu approached the Supreme Court to set aside the appellate court’s judgment.
Anyanwu argued that the appellate court erred in law when it upheld the trial court’s jurisdiction over a matter dealing with the internal affairs of the PDP.
He contended that issues related to party leadership and membership are non-justiciable and fall outside the jurisdiction of any court.
Additionally, the appellant criticized the lower court for failing to rule on whether the plaintiff had complied with the mandatory internal dispute resolution mechanisms stipulated in the PDP constitution before filing the suit.
Anyanwu also faulted the court’s decision for holding that the plaintiff had the locus standi to institute the case, asserting that such issues are fundamental to the court’s jurisdiction to adjudicate the case.
The appellant further contended that the lower court erred in interpreting Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act 2022, arguing that he neither resigned nor was he removed from his position as National Secretary.
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He emphasised that the PDP constitution outlines specific procedures for vacating executive offices, which include removal or resignation.
He also argued that Article 47 of the PDP constitution provides for a four-year single term for party officers, and there was no basis for the concurrent findings of the lower courts that deemed him to have vacated his office.
At the resumed hearing of the appeal, all parties in the suit adopted their processes, except for PDP and Damagun, who did not file any processes.
The respondents unanimously urged the court to dismiss the appellant’s appeal.
Specifically, citing Ali Modu Sheriff vs PDP, senior counsel Erokoro urged the apex court to depart from its earlier decision, which holds that political party issues are internal and no court has jurisdiction to entertain such matters.
He further stated that Anyanwu had resigned, and the trial court had already made a pronouncement on that.
He said, “The lower court says he has resigned because the constitution says you must resign if you are going to conduct an election”.
The apex court, however, questioned, “Does the court have the power to decide who should hold an office”?
On his part, Njemanze insisted that the lower courts did not have jurisdiction to entertain the suit, as it is an issue that borders on the internal affairs of the party.
Njemanze said, “My Lords, I have identified all the processes filed by the appellant. I adopt all these processes and, with the greatest respect, urge my Lords to allow this appeal.
” There are procedures for this sort of thing. My Lords, in all your judgments in the past year, you have consistently maintained that issues of leadership in political parties are not justifiable. The lower court and the trial court have no jurisdiction over the issue. “
Upon Njemanze’s submission, the five member panel of the Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, proceeded to reserve the case for judgment.
She said”, Judgment is reserved to a date that will be communicated to the parties. “
Meanwhile, earlier, the apex court struck out Anyanwu’s motion for a stay of execution.
Erokoro had called the attention of the court to the motion.
At first, the apex Court held that the motion for the stay of execution could not be taken.
Erokoro, however, explained that” the stay of execution application is pending. It should be withdrawn so that it can be struck out. “
Upon his submission, Njemanze proceeded to apply for the motion to be withdrawn.
He said”, I apply to withdraw the application for a stay of execution filed on the 5th day of February 2025. “
Erokoro and the other respondents did not object to the withdrawal.
The apex court proceeded to strike it out.
In his BBC Sport column, World Cup winner Matt Dawson reflects on England’s thumping Six Nations victory over Italy, and assesses the final-day title race.
This England team haven’t had much practice of being in the position of dominance they had over Italy.
They scored 47 points with seven very good tries and showed some great attacking ‘ intent’, a word they used a lot in the post-match interviews.
The victory will be a good experience for the players, and for 60 minutes they can be very pleased with themselves.
But some of them may be reflecting on the last 20 and know they could have done a bit more.
I found myself getting frustrated when I was commentating. I don’t know whether that is because my expectations of this England side are so high because of the talent in the squad, but we didn’t do it for longer periods of time.
We scored a brilliant first try and then had a lapse of concentration and Italy score back. We score another try and then they hit back again.
It felt like England always had Italy at arm’s length and it wasn’t ‘ are England going to win this? ‘ It was by how many?
But then my expectation was of more accuracy and discipline in how England were going to play. Dotted in amongst all of that there were some brilliant moments.
I think there was more cohesion in a backline, which included five Northampton Saints players. I loved the first five minutes where Ollie Lawrence and Elliot Daly synced into the Saints way really well.
Daly set the tone at full-back and you could feel the way they were trying to play and Italy were not going to survive.
The changes they had to make because of Lawrence’s injury took the wind our their sails a bit. They regrouped at half-time and had a good 10 minutes to put the game away, but then they just sort of, shut up shop.
Twickenham felt a bit flat and I think that was reflected in how England played in the last 20 minutes. I remember Ollie Chessum making a break from a line-out and then we slow it down and go to the box kick.
Four phases of that intensity and England stroll in somewhere for another try, like they did in the first half and like the top teams do. It was a feeling of, we have done enough to win the game, let’s lock it up and not give anything away.
They had an Italy side on the ropes, lacking in motivation after their pumping by France, before giving the likes of Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello and some proud Italian players a bit of life to not make it difficult, but a bit awkward.
England had an opportunity to grab them by the scruff of the neck and make it all about them.
You can see what that type of total dominance against Italy did for France in their build-up to facing Ireland. What it fixed for France by having on an absolute demolition mode in Rome was going to a tough away game in Dublin full of confidence.
If England had absolutely demolished Italy, you are then potentially going to Wales with a slightly different mindset.
It was a good win, but you could dissect what England were trying to do into 20-25 minutes of the second half at Allianz Stadium. It is just a very subtle difference, but I still truly believe this England squad have the personnel to win trophies and to be able to do that they have tor recognise scenarios of dominance.
The likes of Ellis Genge might whinge and moan about former pros not understanding what it takes, but unfortunately they do because they have been successful in the past and won trophies.
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Selfishly, for Marcus Smith, the Lawrence injury couldn’t have worked out any better for him because he got to play most of the game.
When you get dropped from the side, it’s a tough week. To have started the campaign at fly-half and then be dropped out of the team, it was understandable because of how other people had played but it happens in sport sometimes.
He bounced back well and caused Italy problems but I would caveat that with, whether he is at 10 or full-back, he needs to show a bit more control over the game at international level.
He can still be electric and beat people one on one but maybe for 5% of his game, he just needs to back off, take stock and really focus on getting the team in the right position and get the balance a bit better along the line. I saw him go for a high ball and I think he knocked it on or Italy caught it and he was frustrated with himself.
Two rucks later he is in trying to jackal for the ball as a full-back because he is annoyed he hasn’t caught that kick. I love that enthusiasm but as a 10 or 15 your team needs you on your feet in your position.
It’s just a tiny tweak to his game that will put him back in that side, no question.
It’s to play with more control but still with a few spikes of that enthusiasm of beating people like he did for his try, which you never want to quash.
England are certainly building momentum at Allianz Stadium and have not lost at home in the Six Nations since their record defeat by France in 2023.
But those England players who have played in Cardiff will know there is an enormous home factor there as well, and particularly when England are in town.
It is notoriously a tricky place for England to play rugby.
It was probably my favourite venue to play at outside of Twickenham because you are challenged to the max and it is incredibly intimidating, but also rewarding when you play well.
Wales have proven they can score tries and cause problems. In a neutral venue I’m saying England are winning by 10-15 points, but at the Principality, it makes it a one score game either way.
The players who have played there before will be advising those that haven’t as to what to expect but you can times that by 10 because next Saturday is going to be ferocious.
It is fantastic for the Six Nations that three teams are still be in the title race, but realistically, for France to lose at home to Scotland after that performance against Ireland, seems like such an impossibility.
This tournament is so unique and France showed up to Twickenham and coughed up a few opportunities, so you never know.
But I’ve not seen them play like that for a couple of years.
They all tapped into their inner super human powers and it all came together, even with the loss of Antoine Dupont.
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The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a warrant for the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), to appear before it.
The Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly issued the arrest warrant on Monday during plenary, after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for the electoral chief to appear before the House.
Enebeli had fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh Local Government (LG) poll in the state following a Supreme Court verdict that annulled the October 5, 2024 local government poll conducted in the state.
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The Amaewhule-led Assembly had vowed to probe the conduct of Enebeli regarding the conduct of the annulled LG poll last year.
Over the weekend, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, invited members of the Assembly to a dialogue on the implementation the Supreme Court’s verdict.
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The Supreme Court had also barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other agencies from releasing funds to the government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court had unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
Ireland’s Kate O’Connor admits she “wasn’t expecting” to win a pentathlon bronze medal but is “ecstatic” with her performance at the European Indoor Athletics Championships.
O’Connor produced a superb run to win the 800 metres and beat Great Britain’s Jade O’Dowda to bronze in the final event in Apeldoorn.
The 24-year-old had previously set personal bests in the 60 metre hurdles, high jump and long jump, as well as a strong performance in the shot put, to move into medal contention.
“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to get a medal but I’m buzzing that I did”, said O’Connor.
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Despite her strong performance in the Netherlands, O’Connor was still outside the medal placings heading into the 800 metres..
The Newry-born athlete, who won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games for Northern Ireland in 2022, put in a storming run to win the race and edge O’Dowda to third place overall.
O’Dowda is a former training partner of O’Connor, who said they had a conversation before the 800m that they would be “friends no matter what happens”.
O’Connor set a new Irish record of 4781, surpassing her own tally by 98 points, as she won bronze behind Finland’s Saga Vanninen (4922) and Dutch athlete Sofie Doktor (4826).
“To be honest, no”, O’Connor said when asked if she expected to win a medal.
“After the long jump I was a little upset. I had done four world class performances and was still trailing. I knew all those girls had great 800s.
” I had a plan to go out and run as hard as I could and try not to be disappointed with myself.
“It was insane. Four girls with those kinds of scores are unbelievable. So to be part of that is amazing, to be part of the medals is even better.
Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned the suit filed by the Senator Representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to March 25, 2025.
Senator Natasha had approached the Federal High Court, seeking an Order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges of the Senate from investigating her.
The Court subsequently grant the order last week but the Senate on Thursday suspended the Senator for six months after it considered the report of the Committee.
At the day’s proceeding, counsels for the first, Second and third defendants told the court that they had not been served.
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Counsel for Natasha, Michael Numa, (SAN), informed the court that all parties had been served, adding that affidavits of service were before the court.
After going through the affidavits of service before court, Justice Egwatu confirmed service of all processes on all defendants.
At this point, counsel for the third defendant, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, prayed the court for an adjournment for all processes to be harmonised.
Other counsels supported the move, stressing that this will facilitate accelerated hearing at the next adjourned date.
In his ruling, Justice Egwatu therefore, adjourned the matter to March 25, 2025 and ordered that all the relevant processes should be served on parties before the adjourned date.
The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Peter Nwaebonyi, who was present in court, said legal services were very important. He added that it was only when parties were properly served that they would be able to study the matter and respond accordingly.