Politics
China raises national flag on disputed reef near Philippine base, escalating tensions in South China Sea
Manila [Phillipines], April 27 (ANI): China has “implemented maritime governance and asserted its sovereign authority” over an uninhabited reef in the contested South China Sea, as it raised the national flag on the small sandbank located just a few kilometers from a major Philippine military base, according to a report by The Japan Times.
Images released by Chinese state media on Saturday depicted officers from the China Coast Guard unfolding the flag to effectively assert control over Sandy Cay reef, known as Tiexian Jiao in China, earlier this month. The reef is situated in the contentious Spratly Islands chain, which is also claimed by Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines, as reported by The Japan Times.
Sandy Cay is positioned slightly over 3 kilometers from Thitu Island, referred to as Pag-asa by Manila, which hosts Philippine military installations, including a military-grade runway and approximately 250 residents.
China‘s Global Times stated that coast guard personnel had arrived on Sandy Cay “to carry out an on-reef inspection and record illegal activities on video” while also cleaning up “plastic bottles, wooden sticks, and other litter scattered across the reef flat” as referenced by The Japan Times report.
In January, Beijing claimed that Chinese forces had intercepted and “dissuaded” Philippine naval vessels that had “entered” the waters near the reef, which they alleged were attempting “an illegal landing and sand sample collection”.
The Philippines has stated that it has dispatched coast guard vessels to the region to monitor and investigate whether China is attempting to carry out minor island reclamation projects in the area. China asserts that the approximately 200-square-meter Sandy Cay is a natural formation and not a man-made structure, granting it a 12-nautical-mile (22-km) territorial sea under international law, which would overlap with Thitu Island.
Between 2013 and 2016, China engaged in a significant land reclamation initiative in the South China Sea, constructing several military outposts in a concerted effort to strengthen its claim over roughly 90 per cent of the resource-rich waters, through which trillions of dollars in trade pass annually, as also mentioned by The Japan Times.
“One of the ironies is that China‘s interest in claiming Sandy Cay is about reinforcing the legitimacy of their claims to the adjacent Subi Reef, which now accommodates a major artificial port and airfield.
This results in lawfare that supports further expansionism,” wrote Euan Graham, a regional security analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, on X. (ANI)
EVENTS
PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES SENATOR IFEANYI ARARUME ON HIS BIRTHDAY
President Bola Tinubu felicitates Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume, astute politician and accomplished businessman, on his birthday, December 16.
Senator Ararume’s odyssey in politics began in the late 1980s, when he served as the State Treasurer of the Liberal Convention in old Imo State. He later joined the National Finance Committee of the defunct National Republican Convention.
He represented Imo North in the 9th National Assembly. He was first elected in May 1999 and re-elected in April 2003. He also served on several committees and held other official roles.
President Tinubu commends the former senator for his years of service to the nation and contributions to its peace, unity, and progress.
The President describes Senator Ararume as a resolute and shrewd politician, highlighting his courageous and remarkable political journey through the years.
President Tinubu wishes Senator Ararume a happy 67th birthday and prays that God Almighty will grant him more years of good health and strength.
Politics
Ndigbo are no longer spectators in the Nigerian project- Minister Dave Umahi dismisses calls for Biafra under Tinubu’s administration
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says the all-inclusive style of governance being practiced by President Bola Tinubu has made the agitation for Biafra an unnecessary clamour.
While speaking at the inspection of the Enugu-Anambra road last Saturday, December 13, Umahi said the Tinubu administration had given Ndigbo what they had sought for decades, not through secession, but through what he described as unprecedented inclusion in national governance and development.
He explained that the agitation for Biafra was historically driven by neglect, exclusion and underrepresentation at the federal level, but insisted that the situation had changed under the current administration.
“When a people are fully integrated, respected and empowered within the structure of the nation, the dream they once chased through agitation has already been achieved through cooperation.
The push for Biafran secession over the years was borne out of neglect, exclusion and underrepresentation but today the narrative has changed dramatically under President Bola Tinubu.
The President has deliberately opened the doors of national development to the South-East. Appointments, policy inputs and infrastructure priorities now reflect true federal balance.
Every sector now bears visible Igbo footprints. The emergence of Igbo sons and daughters in strategic positions is a testament to this inclusion.
Biafra was never about breaking Nigeria; it was about being counted in Nigeria. Through inclusion, equity and concrete development, Ndigbo are no longer spectators in the Nigerian project; they are co-authors of its future. When justice finds a people, agitation loses its voice.”he said
Politics
ADC Launches 90-Day Membership Drive, Fixes Dates For Congresses, National Convention
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced a 90-day nationwide membership mobilisation, revalidation, and registration exercise as part of preparations for its internal party activities ahead of 2026.
The party also approved provisional dates for its congresses and the election of delegates at the polling unit, ward, and local government levels across the country.
In circulars issued by its national secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, the ADC said the congresses are expected to hold between January 20 and January 27, 2026.
The process, the party said, will lead to the emergence of delegates who will participate in its non-elective national convention scheduled for February 2026 in Abuja.
A statement by Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the party, said the decisions were reached at a meeting of the national working committee (NWC) held on November 27, 2025.
Abdullahi said the timetable and activities were approved in line with the resolutions of the NWC and in accordance with relevant provisions of the party’s constitution.
The ADC said further details on the membership exercise, congresses, and convention will be communicated to party members and stakeholders in due course.
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GOVERNOR FUBARA APPOINTS COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR KEN SARO-WIWA POLYTECHNIC BORI
