The Nigerian government, through the Federal Airport Authority, the manager of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), has apologized to passengers and stakeholders following a power outage at Terminal 1 at the weekend in Lagos state.

The Nigerian government agency, in a statement on its official X account on Sunday, attributed the disruption to a fault in the terminal’s changeover circuit.

According to FAAN, the interruption occurred after an issue arose during a power changeover process.

FAAN explained that its technical teams were immediately deployed to bridge the gap and transfer electricity supply to the secondary grid, while interim backup measures were activated to restore services as quickly as possible.

“We acknowledge the power outage at MMIA Terminal 1 yesterday (weekend). The interruption was caused by an issue with the changeover circuit.

“We apologize to all passengers and stakeholders affected by the disruption and any discomfort it caused”, the statement reads on X.

Frontline activist, Aisha Yesufu has warned that hunger and poverty have been deliberately weaponized in Nigeria, describing them as tools used to weaken citizens and suppress critical thinking.

In a post on X, Yesufu said the widespread hunger has left many Nigerians struggling to survive, with little capacity to engage politically or hold leaders accountable.

According to her, this condition has created a society where those who are not hungry must think and act not only for themselves, but also on behalf of those who no longer have the strength or space to do so.

“Hunger that is deliberately inflicted has made many lose their capacity to think,” she said, adding that poverty has become “a cancer that has eaten up the very soul of our society.”

Yesufu accused the political leadership of entrenching poverty while offering temporary relief measures during election periods.

She argued that such interventions are short-lived and designed primarily to secure votes rather than address systemic issues.

She called on Nigerians who are economically stable to come together and serve as the “soul and conscience of the nation,” urging them to take a deliberate stand for the country’s future.

“Nigeria has everything it needs to be great,” Yesufu said, emphasizing the need to confront hunger and revive what she described as the nation’s weakened spirit.

“We must unlock the spirit that has been starved the Nigerian can-do spirit.”

Her remarks come amid growing public concern over rising food prices, deepening poverty, and economic hardship across the country.

The All Progressive Congress, APC, state chairmanship aspirant in Kaduna state, Dr Simon Nuhu Yashim, has urged Kaduna state citizens to support governor Uba Sani’s administration to continue to provide accurate and quality leadership in the state.

Yashim made the appeal while interacting with newsmen during the  book launch for Uba Sani’s two years achievements and presentation, organised by 14-14, held in Kaduna.

According to him, “Governor Uba Sani’s two-year tenure has focused on governance and tangible achievements in security, infrastructure, and human capital development all over the state.”

He pledged to adequately build a party structure that would work tirelessly to amplify and safeguard the governor’s legacy through robust grassroots support and effective communication of government programs to the electorate, when elected as state APC Chairman.

Also speaking, the member representing Zaria city constituency, Barrister Mahmud Lawal Ismail, said “the book launch is timely when the people of Kaduna are witnessing with satisfaction the commitments of governor Uba Sani’s administration to provide infrastructural development.

The Chairman house committee on education also noted that, the book launch would serve as guidelines for some of the activities for his government on health, education social investment, agriculture, security, roads and infrastructures, among others.

The Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has enjoined the faction of the party led by Tanimu Turaki to seek reconciliation rather than pursuing futile legal battle.

Chairman of the caretaker committee, Professor Abdulrahman Akinoso made this declaration via a statement made available to DAILY POST Friday evening.

The convention was held in Ibadan between 15 and 16 November last year.

Our correspondent gathered that the court, led by Justice Uche Agomoh, ruled that the convention and its outcomes were illegal.

The court then nullified the convention and thereafter affirmed the caretaker committee as the lawful governing body of the party.

Akinoso, in his reaction, urged the faction led by Turaki to seek reconciliation rather than pursuing a futile legal battle.

He said that the party remained committed to unity and democratic principles.

Akinoso also reaffirmed the support of the caretaker committee for the National Caretaker Committee.

He said, “We urge the Turaki-led group to seek reconciliation rather than pursuing a futile legal battle.

“The PDP remains committed to unity and democratic principles. The Oyo State PDP Caretaker Committee reaffirms its support for the National Caretaker Committee and pledges to work towards party unity and success in the 2027 general elections.

“We call on all PDP members to rally behind the party’s leadership and focus on rebuilding and strengthening our structures for electoral success”.

Some senators on Friday raised the alarm over what they described as inadequate funding of Senate standing committees, warning that the situation was undermining their work and threatening effective budget implementation.

The complaints came up at a meeting between the Senate Committee on Appropriations and chairmen of various standing committees ahead of the consideration of the 2026 budget.

Leading the pack, Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) said the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission had received no funds since its inauguration.

He said, “Mr Chairman, you have read out the timetable to be followed by the various committees for consideration of the 2026 budget. But the Senate Committee on South East Development Commission that I belong to does not have money to organise a meeting with any agency due to zero allocation since its formation and inauguration.

Ani added that based on credible information, other Senate committees overseeing zonal development commissions had yet to be funded, questioning how such committees were expected to function.

Corroborating his position, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, Titus Zam (Benue North-West), warned that the initial enthusiasm that greeted the creation of the commissions was waning.

“Lack of funding for the committees on zonal development Commissions in the Senate, is gradually turning the excitement that heralded them into disappointment and even into lamentation,” he said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Minority Leader of the Senate, Oyewunmi Olalere (Osun West), extended the concerns to what he described as weak and overlapping budget implementation, urging the Senator Solomon Adeola-led Appropriations Committee to intensify oversight of revenue-generating agencies.

“The promise on single budget implementation from April 1 this year is being threatened because parts of the capital component of the 2024 budget in terms of contracts execution are not paid yet, let alone the 30 per cent capital component of the 2025 budget expected to expire by the 31st of March.

“Today (Friday) is January 30, which means that only two months are left to clear off the leftovers of 2024 and 2025 budgets to pave the way for the promised single budget implementation from April 1st, 2026.

“Mr Chairman, a lot needs to be done between now and next month by your committee and critical stakeholders to prevent the continuation of multiple budget implementation,” he said.

Similarly, Senator Francis Fadaunsi (Osun East) said poor budget funding had persisted, stressing that liabilities from the 2024 budget had yet to be settled.

“I concur with my colleague from our state on the yet to be fully implemented 2024 budget because the affected unpaid contractors are still carrying placards around.

“This committee must reach out to the critical stakeholders for the required tidying up of 2024 and 2025 budgets before 1st April 2026,” he said.

Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, on Friday signed the N758.7 billion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law.

The budget, tagged the “Budget of Socioeconomic Expansion,” aims to stimulate economic growth and improve living standards across the state.
The governor said implementation of the budget would commence immediately to ensure timely delivery of government projects and programmes.

A breakdown of the budget shows that 41 per cent is allocated to the economic sector, 37 per cent to the social sector, and 16 per cent (N122.73 billion) to health.

Health projects include the completion of the Sokoto State University Teaching Hospital in Kasarawa, Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, and general hospitals in Binji, Tambuwal, and Sabon Birni.

The budget also provides for the procurement of 21 ambulances to strengthen emergency response services.

The education sector received N115.95 billion for the rehabilitation of schools, improvement of teaching and learning conditions, and development of tertiary institutions.

Agriculture was allocated N18.74 billion to support farmers with inputs, equipment, and services aimed at boosting food production and food security.

Governor Aliyu noted that 72 per cent of the budget is for capital expenditure and 28 per cent for recurrent spending.

He added that projects executed in the previous year were funded through the Federation Account and the state’s internally generated revenue, keeping Sokoto State debt-free.

The Speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Hon. Tukur Bala Bodinga, said the timely passage of the budget reflected coordination between the executive and legislature.

He noted that the House subjected the proposal to scrutiny to ensure it aligns with the state’s development priorities and pledged continued oversight during implementation.

The Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), on Friday, condemned the decision of Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to shut down the Onitsha Main Market and threaten its permanent closure.

DAILY POST recalls that Onitsha Main Market has remained shut throughout the week following Governor Soludo’s order.

He had announced a one-week shutdown of the market over the continued observance of Monday sit-at-home by traders.

The decision sparked protests by traders, which degenerated into chaos in parts of the state.

In a subsequent speech, the governor warned that the market could be closed indefinitely if the situation persisted, a move that has drawn widespread criticism in recent days.

Reacting, the Prime Minister of BRGIE, Ogechukwu Nkere, in a statement, described Soludo’s actions as unjust and targeted at innocent traders.

Nkere, who was recently elected to replace Simon Ekpa following his (Ekpa) sentencing in Finland, faulted what he described as threats against traders, including alleged plans to demolish shops and markets in Onitsha.

According to him, traders in Onitsha have the right to freedom of expression, including the voluntary choice to observe sit-at-home actions in solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu and to express opposition to what he termed Nigeria’s oppression.

Nkere maintained that the sit-at-home actions were undertaken by the traders of their own free will, insisting that neither the BRGIE nor its affiliates coerced or compelled anyone to participate in the protests.

He further drew parallels with historical examples of civil disobedience, citing India’s independence struggle under Mahatma Gandhi, which involved peaceful resistance, economic boycotts, and non-compliance.

“Charles Soludo, whom the Biafra Republic Government in Exile considers an illegitimate governor, should not be targeting innocent Onitsha traders, including threatening to demolish their shops and markets. Onitsha traders have the right to freedom of expression, including the voluntary decision to observe sit-at-home actions in solidarity with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to express their displeasure towards Nigeria’s oppression.

“These actions are undertaken entirely of the Onitsha traders’ own volition.

“The BRGIE and its affiliates in the homeland did not coerce or compel traders in any way to engage in sit-at-home protests.

“There is historical precedence where people have achieved independence through civil disobedience, such as when Mahatma Gandhi and the people of India achieved independence from Great Britain through peaceful disobedience, which included social and economic boycotts and non-compliance,” he said.

DAILY POST reports that the market closure has been attracting diverse reactions, with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, asking the traders to ignore the governor.

To show their displeasure, IPOB has gone ahead to declare sit-at-home across the South-East on Monday February 2.

It is left to be seen if the people would obey the directive.