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NDDC MD, Pondei, Discharged From Hospital Hours After Fainting At Reps Committee Hearing

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Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei, has left the hospital.

Prof Pondei, who slumped early Monday afternoon as the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC grilled him on alleged mismanagement of funds up to the tune of N81.5bn in NDDC, is said to have left the hospital where he was taken, during the evening.

Pondei was being grilled for over an hour when he slowly slumped over his desk, appearing to have fainted.

Several people present at the hearing rushed to his aid, propping him up and attempting to stabilize him, while the proceeding was halted.

Soon after, Pondei appeared to be in a seizure with a man holding open his mouth as others held him upright.

Afterward, he appeared to regain and lose composure intermittently and had to be moved out of the session held in the Conference Room 231 of the House.

It later emerged that Prof Pondei shunned medical advice to attend the legislative hearing.

Reacting in a statement on Monday night, NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, said Pondei has been ill for two weeks now.

The statement titled ‘Prof Pondei has been ill’ partly reads: “The Commission wishes to disclose that Prof Pondei has been ill for the past two weeks. This morning, his condition deteriorated, and his doctors advised against attending the hearing.

“However, he ignored his doctors’ advice because of the realization that his traducers will use his absence at the hearing to soil his name and reputation. He thought he could make it through the hearing and take care of his health later.

“As it turned out, his doctors were right. Prof Pondei is in a stable condition at a clinic in Abuja.”

Pondei became the Acting Managing Director of the commission on February 20, 2020, following the termination of Joy Nunieh’s appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari.

-PUNCH

BIG STORY

Obasa Bolsters APC’s Membership E-Registration With Strategic Tech Support

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In a decisive show of leadership and commitment to the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s ongoing membership e-registration exercise, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudasiru Obasa has donated eighty (80) 5G-enabled tablets and forty (40) LaserJet printers to aid the registration process across the state.

The items were presented earlier today, Tuesday, January 20, on the Speaker’s behalf by Hon. Mufutau Egberongbe, a former member of the House of Representatives; Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi, a two-term state lawmaker and former secretary of the APC in Lagos; Hon. Johnson Babatunde, former executive chairman of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area; and Hon. Abdoulbaq Ladi Balogun, Managing Director, Lagos State Ferry Services (LAGFERRY).

Additionally, Speaker Obasa also deployed eighty (80) well-trained personnel, comprising computer-savvy youths, to complement the existing party staff and ensure extensive coverage across all local government areas.

Speaker Obasa reckons that equipping the party with cutting-edge technology and skilled manpower will eliminate bottlenecks, enhance efficiency, and guarantee that every eligible member of the APC in Lagos State is captured. More importantly, the intervention, he says, will position the Lagos APC to achieve a comprehensive and transparent registration outcome.

Party stakeholders have lauded Speaker Obasa’s foresight and dedication, noting that his contributions reflect loyalty to the APC, proactive leadership that enhances political mobilization with technology, and a broader vision of youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and grassroots political participation.

“Speaker Obasa’s strategic tech support underscores his reputation as a leader who prioritises innovation, inclusivity, and the growth of the party at the grassroots level,” said Hon. Babatunde.

The membership e-registration exercise, scheduled to conclude by the end of January, is expected to significantly expand the APC’s database and strengthen its organisational capacity ahead of future political engagements.

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BIG STORY

Court Adjourns Trial Of Anthony Joshua’s Driver To February 25

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A Magistrate Court in Sagamu area of Ogun State has adjourned the trial of Adeniyi Kayode to February 25, 2026.

Kayode is a 46-year-old driver involved in the fatal accident that killed heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua’s personal trainer, Latif Ayodele, and strength and conditioning coach, Sina Ghami.

The driver was charged to Sagamu Magistrates Court on January 2, with Magistrate Olufunilayo Somefun presiding over the case.

He was on trial for a four-count charge, which includes dangerous driving causing death, contrary to Section 5(1) of the Federal Highway Act, Cap F: 135, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as applicable in Ogun State), reckless and negligent driving, contrary to Section 6(1) of the same Act.

The other two charges included driving without due care and attention, causing bodily harm and damage to property, contrary to Section 7(1) of the Act, and driving without a valid national driver’s licence, contrary to Section 10 (1) of the Federal Highway Act.

When the case came for hearing, the prosecution counsel, Nijiwe Richard, called for the adjournment of the case to allow the prosecution counsel to duplicate the case tile to the office of the Attorney General of the state through the office of the Department of Public Prosecution for advice and in the interest of justice

The request was initially rejected by the counsel to the defendant, Abiodun Olalekan, who expressed the readiness to forge ahead with the case.

Giving her ruling on the request for adjournment, the court granted the application and adjourned the case to the 25th of February for further hearing.

The defendant was granted bail for ₦5,000,000 with two sureties.

Joshua lost his two friends, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, along the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on December 29, 2025.

The Lexus SUV collided with a stationary truck, and Joshua and the driver sustained minor injuries.

Anthony Joshua was later discharged from the hospital after being deemed clinically fit to continue his recovery at home.

The former world heavyweight champion, along with his mother, visited the funeral home in Lagos to pay their final respects to Ayodele and Ghami, as their bodies were being prepared for repatriation.

He later travelled to the United Kingdom for their funeral.

The remains of Ghami and Ayodele were flown back to the United Kingdom, where a funeral prayer service was held on January 4, 2026, at the London Central Mosque.

Ghami, Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer and close confidant, were widely regarded as central figures in the boxer’s camp. Their deaths sent shockwaves across the international boxing community.

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BIG STORY

Ex-Minister Diezani Appears In London Court For ‘£100,000 Bribery’ Trial

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Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom, for the preliminary hearing of her trial premised on bribery charges.

Alison-Madueke, who served from 2010 to 2015, was the first woman to hold the office of oil minister in Nigeria and the first female president of the global oil cartel, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The case was listed on the cause list for Court 8 before Justice Thornton on Monday.

Alison-Madueke was in court for the preliminary hearing ahead of her full trial, scheduled to commence on January 26, 2026.

Preliminary proceedings, including technical matters and jury selection, began this week, with Alison-Madueke in attendance.

The 65-year-old has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015. She has denied six charges against her.

She was formally charged in 2023 by the UK’s National Crime Agency with offences of accepting bribes between 2011 to 2015.

“We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts,” the NCA said at the time.

According to the indictment, Alison-Madueke benefitted from at least £100,000 ($134,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, and the use of multiple London properties.

The charges also detailed financial rewards including furniture, renovation work, and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from top designer shops such as Louis Vuitton.

The trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 26, and is expected to last 10 to 12 weeks.

Two others are also being prosecuted on bribery charges linked to the case: Doye Agama, who appeared in court via video link on Monday, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who was present in the dock.

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