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NASS Resumes Today, Reps Suspend Sitting to Mourn late Adedoyin

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Members of the House of Representatives will suspend legislative activities for one day on Tuesday (today) to mourn their late colleague, Ms Funke Adedoyin, reports The Punch.

The members had gone on annual recess since July 24 and were to resume fully today after the primaries of their political parties ahead of the 2019 poll.

However, while they were on recess, Adedoyin from Kwara State died of a cancer-related ailment on September 28.

A former Minister of State for Health, the late Adedoyin, who was 54, also served as the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Army till she died.

Findings showed that members would merely resume, register and adjourn sitting immediately after holding a prayer session in honour of their departed colleague.

One source explained that “It is the tradition of the House to mourn a departed colleague by suspending legislative activities. She died while we were still on recess and Tuesday (today) will be the first plenary after her demise.

“In line with our tradition, the plenary and other activities will be suspended till Wednesday as soon as resumption formalities are taken.”

The Chief Whip of the House, Mr Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, confirmed to The PUNCH that proceedings would be suspended to honour the late member.

“Obviously, yes,” Ado-Doguwa stated in a response to inquiries by The PUNCH.

Meanwhile, members of the Parliamentary Democrats Group have called on their colleagues in the All Progressives Congress to forget any plan to seek the removal of the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on account of the latter’s defection to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDG advised members to focus attention on pressing national issues such as the pending N143bn budget for the 2019 polls than bother themselves about Dogara’s seat.

The spokesperson for the PDG, Mr Timothy Golu, who spoke on behalf of the group ahead of today’s resumption of members, noted that the seat of the Speaker belonged to the entire House and not reserved for a particular political party.

He stated, “Our attention has been drawn to statements credited to the All Progressives Congress, that the Speaker should vacate his seat as he is occupying a usurped position.

“We want to again state categorically that any attempt to instigate crisis or undermine the authority, right or position of the Speaker will hit a brick wall.

“The position of the Speaker does not belong to any political party as he was elected by members from all the political parties as provided for in the 1999 Constitution.”

Speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone on Sunday, Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, said there would not be a crisis in the chambers until the APC lawmakers create one.

He said, “We have no knowledge about that (renewed leadership tussle). We are very happy with our leadership. If the APC wants to introduce drama into our normal proceeding, there is nothing we can do until they introduce the drama. They have not told us that they would create a drama, so you are the one speculating.”

Murray-Bruce also said the lawmakers would give some pending legislation a special attention after resumption.

Before the holiday began, the lawmakers were working on the Electoral Act 2010 Amendment Bill, the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies for the conduct of the forthcoming elections, among others.

These Murray-Bruce said were topping the priority list of the National Assembly.

“I have not seen the Order Paper (for Tuesday) but all these issues you have raised are Number One on our priority list of what needs to be done. Yes, these are the issues we want to focus on as soon as we get back (to work). I don’t know what we can accomplish on Tuesday but definitely, the INEC budget, the Electoral Act, and works like that are what we can’t to focus on,” he said.

The Punch

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Shiites Protest in Kano over Killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader

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Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, on Sunday, took to the streets of Kano metropolis to protest the killing of the Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following a joint attack by the US-Israel on Saturday.

The demonstrators, who are simply known as Shiites, trooped out in their numbers at about 2.30pm in and trekked from the Fegge Central Mosque the Islamic Movement headquarters situated at Kofar Waika in the State capital.

The demonstration, adjudged peaceful, lasted for about two hours, terminating after 4.00pm.

The demonstration was followed by speeches by their scholars that spoke about the state of affairs in the Middle East and its implications on the rest of the world. A special prayer was also offered seeking Allahs intervention for the people of Iran.

The Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abudulhi Haruna Kiyawa, resisted attempts to persuade hims for official reaction to the demonstration.

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Innovation Meets Vision As Glo Partners Samsung to Unveil New Galaxy S26

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In a convergence of technology and vision, digital solutions leader Globacom has entered a partnership with global electronics giant Samsung to introduce the much-anticipated Galaxy S26 Series to the Nigerian market. It is a device conceived for a generation that lives, works and dreams in real time.

The unveiling, held at Globacom’s corporate headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, gathered an august assembly of high-net-worth customers, industry figures and members of the media. The atmosphere was not merely ceremonial; it was symbolic — a quiet affirmation that when global engineering meets indigenous connectivity, innovation finds its true signal.

As part of the partnership, Globacom has commenced an exclusive pre-order window for its subscribers. Each Galaxy S26 purchased at any Gloworld outlet nationwide is bundled with 18GB of complimentary data under the Glo Smartphone Festival Data Plans delivered as 3GB monthly for six months.

In addition, customers receive a distinguished Platinum Number eSIM, accompanied by up to 10GB of extra data monthly. It is a proposition crafted not as an afterthought, but as a deliberate statement of value.

The Galaxy S26 Series itself is a study in assured sophistication. It fuses next-generation processing power with a sleek, immersive display, enhanced camera intelligence, durable battery performance and privacy screen technology. Its Agentic AI capabilities introduce a more intuitive user experience, one that anticipates need, protects data and enhances productivity.

In essence, it is a device built not merely to function, but to empower.

Speaking at the event, Samsung’s Product Manager, Sellout Platinum, Mr. Solomon Osibeluwo, described Globacom as the first partner to host the S26 masterclass session — a testament, he noted, to the enduring strength of the relationship between both organisations. He reaffirmed Samsung’s commitment to deepening this alliance, adding that the S26 Series has been meticulously engineered to enrich the calling, browsing and overall digital experience of Nigerians.

In his address, Globacom’s Head of Gloworld, Mr Mohamed Rabie, underscored that the collaboration is anchored on delivering real and measurable value. Premium technology, he remarked, must travel with meaningful benefit. He expressed pride that Globacom stands as the first partner to offer both the masterclass engagement and immediate pre-order advantages following the device’s launch in Nigeria.

Encouraging Nigerians to experience the device firsthand at Gloworld outlets nationwide, Rabie concluded with quiet conviction: “this moment transcends the unveiling of a smartphone. It signals the unfolding of new possibilities powered by intelligence, sustained by partnership, and carried on the dependable wings of connectivity”.

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FCCPC Uncovers Patterns of Price Manipulation by Local Airlines

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The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has uncovered patterns of price manipulation perpetrated by some local airlines during the last festive season.

The findings are contained in the interim report released on Thursday by the Commission’s department of Surveillance and Investigations, according to a statement signed by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, and made available to The Boss.

Recall that the Commission announced an industry-wide investigation earlier in January.

The forensic exercise benefitted from data collated by the Commission from airlines operating local routes in the country.

The report compares domestic airline pricing from the December 2025 festive period with post-peak January 2026 fare levels.

Preliminary analysis indicates that fares recorded during the December peak were materially higher than those observed in the post-peak period across several routes despite relative stability in critical operating variables like fuel price, government taxes and foreign exchange.

The differences observed in fares therefore appear to reflect airlines’ arbitrary pricing decisions, including yield management and capacity allocation, rather than any variation in regulatory fees.

Route-level analysis shows that higher fares coincided with periods of reduced seat availability during predictable seasonal demand peaks. On some high density routes, peak fares were clustered within relatively narrow ranges across several operators.

For instance, on certain corridors like Abuja-Port Harcourt, peak fares were several times higher than corresponding post-peak levels. On selected routes, the difference in the price of a single ticket reached approximately ₦405,000. Median fares across the sampled routes also rose markedly during the festive window when compared with post-peak benchmarks.

However, the interim report recognises that seasonal demand pressures, scheduling constraints and fleet utilisation may also affect pricing during peak travel periods.

These factors remain under consideration as part of the Commission’s ongoing review.

Commenting on the release of the interim report, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the review is part of the Commission’s statutory responsibility to promote competitive markets and safeguard consumers.

“This assessment is intended to provide clarity on pricing behaviour during predictable peak travel periods. The Commission’s role is not to disrupt legitimate commercial activity, but to ensure that market outcomes remain consistent with competition and consumer protection principles under the law,” Mr. Bello said.

He noted that the Commission is conducting further structural and route-level analysis before reaching any conclusions.

“It is important to emphasise that this is an interim report. Our next action will be dictated by full facts established at the end of the review exercise.  Then, the Commission will decide whether any regulatory guidance, engagement or enforcement steps are necessary, strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.

The report identifies the possible relevance of Sections 59, 72, 107, 108, 124 and 127 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which respectively address the prohibition of agreements in restraint of competition, the prohibition of abuse of a dominant position, the offence of price-fixing, conspiracy to commit offences under the Act, the right to fair dealings, and the prohibition of unfair, unreasonable or unjust contract terms.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bello announced that foreign airlines will come under FCCPC radar after the ongoing review of local airlines in view of widespread complaints of exploitative fares they allegedly charge Nigerians on certain routes compared to fares in neighbouring countries that are of equal distance.

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