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I’ll speak on Tinubu govt when I have something to say – Soyinka

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Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, says he will speak on President Bola Tinubu’s government when he has something to say, asking Nigerians not to set a timetable for him.

Soyinka, who made this statement on The Morning Brief, a programme on Channels Television on Monday, also warned those asking him to fulfill his promise to assess Tinubu’s administration after one year in office, which elapsed on May 29, 2024.

“People should stop trying to work on my timetable for me. I have not swallowed an alarm clock. I don’t see why I should put my alarm on and say, ‘One year has passed, now I must make an assessment,’ if there is nothing I feel like talking about and if I am busy elsewhere,” he said.

Recall that on December 24, 2023, Soyinka visited Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos.

When asked during the visit to assess Tinubu’s administration, which started on May 29, 2023, the nonagenarian said he would reserve his comments on Tinubu’s government until after one year, in May 2024.

Meanwhile, critics have accused Tinubu of mismanaging the economy, citing all-time high inflation and an unprecedented cost of living.

Tinubu’s administration will be two years in office by May 29, 2025, and many had expected Soyinka to fulfill his promise.

However, the Nobel Laureate said many conscientious persons had been speaking and that assessing any government is a collective responsibility of like-minded individuals.

“This business of ‘you haven’t come to do this,’ I don’t understand it. Other people are doing the same; this is a collective effort. The Falanas speak consistently. The Baiyewus speak consistently. The Sowores come out and try to lead demonstrations. It’s a collective effort.

“The one year is up, which means you have a right, and I have a responsibility to respond when you call me on certain issues. But if you are saying that I should call a press conference and say, ‘One year is up, let us now make an assessment’—

“The only question I’d ask you is: ‘Did I do that with Jonathan?’ ‘Did I do that with Buhari?’ ‘Did I do that with Obasanjo?’ ‘Did I do that with anybody?’ So why is it expected of me?

“All it means is that one year is up. If I am around and you want to get hold of me, I will speak. That’s all that statement meant,” Soyinka added.

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PDP Holds BoT Meeting, Vows To Restore Confidence, Hold Congress In States

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) is presently meeting in Abuja.

In his opening address, the BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, reaffirmed the commitment of the body to restoring confidence within the party and organizing congresses in states where they have not yet been held.

Senator Ohuabunwa told members that the national leadership is ready to work collaboratively with all state chapters to bring fresh leadership and stability across the country.

He outlined the PDP’s roadmap: conduct overdue state congresses, consolidate ongoing achievements, and support the national leadership to steer the party back on course.

According to him, these steps are critical to ensuring unity, transparency, and strengthening grassroots engagement.

By holding timely congresses and reinforcing organizational discipline, PDP hopes to rebuild trust among members and present a more organized, credible front ahead of future elections.

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BREAKING: Talon safe as loyalist forces regain control after brief coup scare

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Benin’s President Patrice Talon is safe, and security forces are restoring order after a faction of soldiers claimed to have removed him from power, the presidency announced on Sunday.

In a brief statement, the presidency dismissed the soldiers’ declaration as the actions of a fringe group with limited influence.

“This is a small group of individuals who only managed to seize the television station. The regular army is steadily regaining control. Both the city and the entire country remain completely secure,” the statement said.

The clarification follows an earlier broadcast by soldiers identifying themselves as the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” who declared that Talon had been removed from office.

The government has since described the broadcast as an isolated disruption, assuring citizens that the situation is under control.

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Orluzurumee Shifts Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting To December 13

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The leadership of Orluzurumee, the apex socio-cultural body of Orlu Zone, has announced a new date for its much-anticipated Expanded Leadership and Stakeholders Meeting.

In a statement by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Nnamdi Cos-Ukwuoma, the organization said the meeting, earlier scheduled was shifted due to fresh logistical arrangements aimed at ensuring wider participation and seamless coordination.

According to the statement, the meeting will now take place on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the Mayor Eze Hall, Orlu Local Government Headquarters, by 11:00 a.m.

Orluzurumee, under the leadership of its President General, Rt. Hon. Ugochukwu Nzekwe, expressed regret over any inconvenience the postponement may have caused invited stakeholders, stressing that the adjustment was necessary to guarantee a more inclusive and productive engagement.

According to the statement, the meeting is being convened in collaboration with the Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Dr. Emmanuel Okeke, and is expected to bring together traditional institutions, political leaders, community heads and other key actors from across Orlu Zone.

The organization described the gathering as a critical platform for fostering unity, peace and development across the zone, while reaffirming its commitment to the vision of “One Voice, One Destiny, One Orlu.”

Stakeholders and residents of the zone were urged to attend and participate actively in shaping the future direction of Orlu.

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