For many, it was not a shocking move but for others, it was, however, the hottest gist in Nigeria’s political circle right now is that of Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode formally dumping the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
FFK, as he is widely known, served as the country’s Minister of Aviation under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and was a staunch member of the PDP before his latest defection. What is more surprising, however, is the fact that Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode had been one of the strongest critics of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Following his defection, the former minister met with President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, September 16, 2021, at the Aso Villa in the company of the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the APC, and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.
Speaking to correspondents in the State House after presenting FFK to Mr President, Buni said the President was happy with the defection of the former minister as he described it as a welcome development. He said:
“We are here to present our newest member of the party, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode to the President and leader of the party. He is the newest member of APC and we just received him in appreciation and understanding of the President’s vision and magnanimity.
“The President received him very well. The President is a leader who shares his vision and looks toward greater Nigeria, so he received him very well and commended his courage.”
Revealing why he left the opposition party, Mr. Femi said it was an instruction from God. He said his decision was solely based on the directions of the Spirit of God who has instructed him to join the APC for the unity and stability of the country.
“The point is that I felt it was time to do the right thing, to put Nigeria first and appreciate the efforts that have been made, particularly in the last couple of years in terms of security; fighting insurgency and terrorism.
“It is not always negative and when the time is right, we change direction to join forces and join hands to move the country forward.
“Doing this doesn’t mean we are enemies to anybody. Even if we are in another party, the PDP or any other party or group, we can still work together across party, regional, ethnic or religious lines.”
He has also revealed that the APC he is joining today is very much different than the one he has criticized in the past. Talking to Channels TV, he said the current set-up of the APC is “forward-thinking, and accommodating.”
He also denied claims that he defected to the APC for financial reasons.
“I find that very insulting whether it is coming from your or my critics, I am not the first person that would decamp to the APC, have you asked others this same question?”
Reacting to the defection, Engr. Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi State has responded to claims that the former Minister of Aviation was instrumental in his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor labeled the claim ‘a lie from the pit of hell’ and called FFK a liar for insinuating such. Speaking on Channels TV Sunrise Daily, Umahi said:
“For someone to come and say that a whole Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, that he was instrumental to my movement from PDP to APC is an insult on my person, and with all due respect, he has to withdraw that statement.
“He remains my friend and a good one for that matter, but he played no role in my movement and I am sure he didn’t play any role in the movement of the rest of us.”
In other news, Senator Shehu Sani has officially defected from the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
According to POLITICS NIGERIA, the move had been in the pipelines for a while now and he recently invited all the 23 local government chairmen of the PDP in Kaduna State to his residence where he met then to discuss his transition and the 2023 general elections.
Following Pope Francis’s passing, United States Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has emerged as the 267th leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Senior Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced Prevost to a cheering crowd on St Peter’s balcony on Wednesday afternoon, saying the famous Latin words “Habemus Papam,” meaning “we have a pope.”
Picking the papal name Leo XIV, the newly elected Pope becomes the first American to occupy the exalted religious position.
Speaking in Italian, the 69-year-old described his predecessor as always “courageous and blessed Rome.”
1. Prevost was born on September 14, 1555, in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martinez.
2. In 1997, he entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA) and made his solemn vows in 1981.
3. As a former prefect of the influential Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost shared similar views to his immediate predecessor and spent many years as a missionary in Peru before he was elected the head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.
4. The Chicago-born prelate earned his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, before proceeding to Catholic Theological Union in Chicago for his Master of Divinity. He subsequently bagged both a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, with a doctoral thesis on “The role of the local prior in the Order of Saint Augustine.”
5. He was ordained as a priest in 1982 and joined the Augustinian mission in Peru shortly after, where he served as chancellor of the Territorial Prélature of Chulucanas from 1985 to 1986.
6. Between 1987 and 1988, he was in his home country of the US, working as pastor for vocations and director of missions for the Augustinian Province of Chicago. In 1988, he returned to Peru, where he spent the next ten years heading the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and teaching canon law in the diocesan seminary, doubling as prefect of studies. Prevost also served in other capacities there, including as a parish pastor, diocesan official, director of formation, seminary teacher, and judicial vicar.
7. He returned to Chicago in 1999 and was elected provincial prior of the “Mother of Good Counsel” province in the archdiocese, before emerging as prior general of the Augustinian order and serving two terms until 2013.
8. The American prelate returned to Peru in 2014, following his appointment as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo by Pope Francis. He was elevated to Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, where he served as vice-president and member of the permanent council of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023.
9. Prevost served as apostolic administrator of Callao in Peru between 2020 and 2021.
10. In January 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful position responsible for selecting bishops. He held this position until his predecessor died on April 21, 2025. On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis elevated Prevost to the rank of Cardinal.
Wizkid Cancels multiple North America dates on ‘Morayo’ Tour, Sparking Online Debate
Nigerian superstar Wizkid has cancelled several dates on the North American leg of his much-anticipated ‘Morayo’ world tour, sparking concern among fans and insiders alike. The cancelled shows include major venues such as:
June 5 – State Farm Arena, Atlanta
June 7 – Madison Square Garden, New York
June 11 – Scotiabank Arena, Ontario, Canada
June 15 – CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore
While his team has yet to release an official statement explaining the latest development, fans anxiously await clarity and possible new dates.
Despite the setback, sources suggest that the European leg of the Morayo Tour will continue as planned, with no current indications of change.
However, reactions online hint at deeper personal struggles. A close associate, Godson, stirred concern on social media when he responded to a fan’s inquiry about the cancellations by asking for prayers for Wizkid.
“Add him to your prayer. I think he’s still grieving, and nobody is helping him achieve this. Sad,” Godson posted.
Fans have since flooded social media with messages of support, urging the Star Boy to take all the time he needs to heal.
News of Wizkid’s North American tour cancellations has sparked a social media frenzy, with fans and critics flooding platforms like X (formerly Twitter) with mixed reactions, ranging from deep concern to outright mockery
Some fans expressed disappointment over the show cancellations, while others pointed fingers at poor planning, low ticket sales, and questionable timing.
Here are some of the most viral reactions:
@abazwhyllzz: “So none of his fans could buy ticket despite the ticket price reduction??? Brooo, this guy is finished.”
@mafia3O: “Cancelled in the midnight thinking people would not notice.”
@bigHotbaby1: “Wizkid scheduled his tour the same day there’s a big game in New York? Who’s advising this guy?”
@Zillionhood: “WizKid should retire this year with little dignity, by 2026 he will be retiring with mucha shame on him.”
@twnty__one: “Shey dem him fans no see money buy ticket ni or why the cancellation? Lol popsy una.”
Fanbase Rivalries Heat Up The news also reignited the age-old Stan wars between fanbases, with some accusing media platforms of showing bias in their coverage.
@sakpo0007_: “Nah you guys are unreal. No single post on your page about Davido’s ‘5ive’ Spotify streams deduction but yeah it’s Wizkid news, y’all are active now… Fvckers.”
@bisolaa_0: “You updated this faster than Davido deducted streams on Spotify. Smh.”
@1stsonofdavido: “You see Wizkid downfall? I’m always there like Toyota Hilux. If it was Davido, everywhere for don scatter. Like I said, any Wizkid slander, I’m always there.”
Burna Boy gears up for the release of his 8th album with ‘Sweet Love’
Grammy award-winning global icon Burna Boy ushers in his highly anticipated eighth studio album ‘No Sign of Weakness’ with today’s release of the seductive new single ‘Sweet Love.’
The song is set to be followed by a music video, which will complement its breezy feel.
The song produced by Major Seven is a romantic, reggae-leaning track that showcases Burna Boy’s unmistakable vocal charisma and signature blend of global influences with melodic pop sensibility.
‘Sweet Love’ continues Burna Boy’s standout year, building on the momentum of No Sign of Weakness’s first single, ‘Update’.
Produced by P2J (Beyoncé, Tems) and built around a sample of Soul II Soul’s iconic 8 the track blends Afrobeats with anthemic, club-ready energy.
The official video, which weaves together powerful visual vignettes inspired by the album’s central themes, has already surpassed 5 million views on YouTube.
Burna Boy has previously released the bubbling ‘Bundle By Bundle,’ which has amassed over 24M Spotify streams and 8.5M video views.
Most recently, Burna Boy joined French-Haitian singer Joé Dwèt Filé for the remix of the viral hit ‘4 Kampé,’ fusing Afrobeats and Haitian Kompa into a cross-cultural anthem that continues to chart across platforms globally.
Last month, Burna Boy became the first-ever cover star of Billboard France, coinciding with his historic, sold-out show at the Stade de France, making him the first African artist to headline the iconic venue.
The multi-award-winning global star followed up on his Stade De France concert with another historic concert in Manchester, where he sold out the Co-op Arena, which is the biggest indoor Arena in England.
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