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Benin Republic not aspiring to be Nigeria’s 37th state – FG
Nigeria has no intention of making the Republic of Benin or any other country a part of its territory, the spokesman for Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, has said.
He stated this, following reactions trailing the statement earlier made by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama, suggesting that Benin wanted to become Nigeria’s 37th state, after a meeting of both countries’ presidents and their respective ministerial delegations earlier in the month.
Onyeama had told reporters after the meeting, “The President of Benin said as far as they are concerned, they want (not just saying it like that but in reality) Benin should be the 37th state of Nigeria.
“We should really be one. They charged us to come together at ministerial level, to work out a framework for a sustainable relationship.”
But the ministry said in the new statement that Onyeama was quoted out of context.
It stated, “The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin granted a press interview after a very fruitful meeting between ministerial delegations from both countries and stated therein… ‘The President of the Republic of Benin said he would like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was 37th state of Nigeria’.”
The Nigerian government in 2019 had shut its borders after accusing its Benin counterpart of not doing enough to check smuggling into Nigeria.
The action was criticised and seen as an economic sanction on the small African nation.
The Nigerian government reopened the border last year after over a year of closure.
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Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas
Just in: Tinubu swears in Rivers Sole Administrator Ibok-ete Ibas
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Vice Vice Admiral Ibok-ete Ibas (Retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The administrator was sworn in on Wednesday after a short meeting with the President.
Tinubu announced the appointment of the retired naval chief at a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday, when he declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor, Ngozi Odu, and the state House of Assembly members.
The President said his decision was based on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, saying he could not continue to watch the political situation in Rivers escalate without taking concrete action.
The suspension of Fubara and other elected representatives has been rejected and condemned by many eminent Nigerians, legal luminaries, groups such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian Bar Association.
However, the emergency rule has been praised by the pro-Nyesom Wike Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule, accusing Fubara of contravening the Supreme Court ruling on the political situation in the state.
Ibas was the Chief of Naval Staff from 2015 to 2021.
He is from Cross River State where he had his early education.
The new sole administrator went to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1979 from where he proceeded to have a successful career in the Navy, rising through the ranks to the very top.
He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed him as Chief of Naval Staff conferred him with the National Honour of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2022.
News
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state.
Tinubu made the declaration during a nationwide broadcast, saying it is for six months.
He announced the suspension of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
He immediately named an administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd), to take charge of the affairs of the state for the six-month period.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.
A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. (Channels TV)
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BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night will hold a nationwide broadcast to address the crisis in Rivers state.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the broadcast will be transmitted by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The broadcast is expected to be held by 7pm today.
Video: President Tinubu has declared state on emergency on Rivers state effective immediately, suspends Governor Fubara, his deputy governor and house of assembly members for six months.
He also nominated an administrator pic.twitter.com/jD1g9FHOez— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) March 18, 2025
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