The Eid-el-Fitr celebrations will be observed on Monday, March 31 and Tuesday, April 1 according to the federal government.
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Magdalene Ajani, made this known in a statement released on Wednesday.
The minister thanked all Muslims for carrying out the Ramadan holy month’s fast.
He urged all Muslims to “appreciate the virtues of self-control, compassion, generosity, and peace, while also highlighting the importance of love, forgiveness, and solidarity in the creation of a harmonious society.”
READ MORE: Rivers’ Former LGBT leaders visit Fubara and declare solidarity with him.
Tunji-Ojo urged Nigerians to pray for peace, stability, and prosperity during this time of year.
He expressed hope that people of all religions and ethnic groups would be unified and coexist on Eid-el-Fitr.
In keeping with the real spirit of Ramadan and Eid, Dr. Tunji-Ojo also advocated for citizens to observe the holiday safely and responsibly while remembering the less fortunate through charitable and kind deeds.
Victor Umeh, the senator representing Anambra Central in the Senate, has protested the Senate’s decision to reject a motion that sought to honor late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe raised the motion in response to matters of urgent public importance, and it was co-sponsored by South-East minority caucus members who were primarily from the South-East. It recognized Professor Nwosu’s contributions and brave defense of the democratic electoral process during the 1993 presidential elections.
Senator Barau Jibrin, the session’s deputy president, noted that the motion was contentious and that the public had differed regarding Prof. Nwosu’s involvement in the presidential election that was postponed on June 12, 1993.
The “nays” had the day when the motion was ultimately put to a voice vote, effectively rejecting the idea.
Senator Umeh, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, said the events in the red chamber were incredibly undemocratic.
He said, “It’s a question of people not being fair to a man who has done so well, and we want to be uncharitable to him, even to death.” Because he will be buried on Friday, two days, this motion arrived at the most appropriate time.
Therefore, it is impossible to discuss his contributions to the parliament. Those who oppose his death should express their opinions, and those who oppose his death should also state their views. It is very undemocratic to stop the motion in the manner it was done this morning.
Senator Umeh argued that the Senate leadership should have allowed the lawmakers to discuss the motion, arguing that they do so regardless of what the opposition thinks of it.
He claimed that the late Prof. Nwosu, who he claimed gave his all to Nigeria, is unfairly criticized for rejecting the motion.
Effective immediately, the Rivers State Government has suspended all political figures and appointees.
The governor of Rivers State said in a statement that the suspension was in accordance with the authority that President Bola Tinubu had given the state’s administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
Among the affected officials are:
The SSG, or the Secretary of State,
The Chief of Staff
All Honorable Commissioners,
Chairpersons and members of boards, agency councils, commissions, institutions, and parastatals
All Senior Special Assistants, Special Advisers, and Special Assistants are required.
READ MORE: Rivers’ Former LGBT leaders visit Fubara and declare solidarity with him.
The statement further directed the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to hand over the suspended officials.
The most senior Director or head of administration is appointed in cases where there is no permanent secretary.
Beginning on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, this directive becomes effective.
See the following statement in its entirety:
RIVERS STATE’S GOVERNMENT
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT
The Governor of RIVERS STATE announces the employment of officers and employees in the state.
DURING THE PRESIDENT, ASHIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, GCFR, HIS EXCELLENCE, VICE ADMIRAL (RTD), VICE ADMIRAL (RTD), AND HIS EXCELLENCE, ALLOW FOR THIS, ARE POSSIBLE.
INCLUDE, THOSE SUSPENDED
1. THE STATE GOVERNMENT’S SECRETARY
THE STAFF CHIEF
HONORABLE COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSIONS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PARASTATALS ALL COUNCILS OF AGENCIES, CHAIRMEN AND MEMBERS OF ALL BOARDS.
SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANTS, SPECIAL ADVISERS, AND SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANTS.
THE AFFECTED OFFICERS WILL BE HAND OVER TO THE PERMANENT SECRETARIES IN THEIR MDAS FROM WEDNESDAY, March 26, 2025. They are handing over to the most senior director/head of administrative affairs where there may be no permanent secretary.
Two customs officers and a local were killed and wounded by Gunmen who are believed to be Lakurawa terrorists at Bachaka, a border community in Kebbi State’s Argungu Local Government Area.
On Wednesday, SP Nafiu Abubakar, the Kebbi State Police Command’s PR officer, confirmed the attack.
He claimed the attack took place on Tuesday, but added that details about the slain Customs officers’ specific unit or formation are still undetermined.
He claimed that an attack that involved two unidentified Customs officers and one native of Bachaka village led to the deaths of both.
Also read: A Suspect Is Arrested With $578, 000 Breaks in Court At Lagos Airport
Sani Bello, the attackers’ attacker, stated that the attackers’ actions were a sign of their weakening state as evidenced by the presence of continued security operations. He also reiterated the security forces’ commitment to tackling criminal elements.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has heard from seven governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that they want to challenge Siminalaye Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, for six months.
The President’s authority to carry out such a (suspension) action is being challenged by the governors of Bauchi, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Enugu, Osun, Plateau, and Zamfara.
Bola Tinubu, president, and the National Assembly are named as respondents in the lawsuit.
READ MORE:   Tinubu Swears In Ibok-ete Ibas As Rivers Sole Administrator
The seven state governors urged the Supreme Court to declare that “the President has no power whatsoever or authority to suspend a democratically elected governor and deputy governor of a state in the Federation of Nigeria under the guise of or pursuant to the proclamation of a state of emergency, including the states represented by the plaintiffs.” based on the provisions of sections 1 (2), 5 (2), and 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Governor Siminalayi Fubara
In accordance with Sections 192 (4) (6) and 305 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s 1999 (as amended), the governors also urged the apex court to declare that the president has no authority to suspend a democratically elected state’s House of Assembly.
The appellants (seven state governors) requested a declaration that “the suspension of Rivers State House of Assembly members, his deputy, and their representatives was unlawful, unlawful, and in gross violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)””.
The governors contend that President Tinubu is ineligible to appoint a sole administrator in his place and suspend a serving governor.
The governors urged the Supreme Court to annul the Sole Administrator’s appointment to oversee Rivers State’s affairs.
They objected to the National Assembly’s use of voice votes to ratify President Tinubu’s decisions because they were constitutional.
On January 31, 2025, PDP governors will meet in Asaba, the capital of the Delta State. Credit: X/@RtHonSheriff
They claimed that the defendants’ declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State did not adhere to Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)’s constitutional requirements.
Additionally, the parties claimed that President Tinubu’s proclamation did not adhere to the required terms and procedures for making such a declaration, claiming that it was made for reasons beyond those set forth in the Constitution.
Additionally, they contend that the National Assembly’s voice vote for the state of emergency violated the Constitution’s requirement for a two-thirds majority of the members of each legislative chamber.
They requested the Supreme Court’s request for the following reliefs: “An order revoked the first defendant’s false approval of the second defendant’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.”
An order forbids the defendant from carrying out the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State’s unlawful suspension on himself, his employees, agents, and privies.
An order forbids the defendant from influencing the governor and deputy governor of Rivers State’s execution of their constitutional and statutory duties as well as their electoral mandate by himself, his servants, agents, and privies.
An order forbids the defendant from attempting to suspend any other governor of any state in Nigeria, particularly the plaintiffs, from preventing interference with or compromising their constitutional and statutory obligations.
President Tinubu appointed a sole administrator to carry out the governor’s duties in the state for the duration of the suspension, which included Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers House of Assembly.
On Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received the contact information for the Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s representatives as well as their email addresses.
The electoral body confirmed on Tuesday that it had received the petition to remove Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, but it claimed that it did not comply with the “requirements” for the action.
In accordance with Clause 1(f) of our Regulations and Guidelines, INEC had stated that the petitioners’ representatives did not include their contact information, phone number, or email address in the covering letter that was sent out to the petitioners.
Senator Natasha Did Not Meet Requirements; — INEC
However, Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, stated in a statement on Wednesday that the missing information had been sent to the Commission’s Chairman on Wednesday, March 26th, 2025.
A letter was written to the Senator requested to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address as required by Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024. According to the statement, the same letter was copied and posted online by the Commission to the Senate presiding officer.
The petitioners’ list of signatories, according to the statement, will be reviewed to ascertain whether more than one-half (more than 50%) of the registered voters in the constituency have signed the petition.
The Commission’s next step will be determined by the outcome, according to Olumekun, and this will be done in the coming days.
