Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, expressed deep dismay over Nigeria’s inability to provide electricity to even one of its major cities, contrasting it with Tanzania’s achievement of electrifying all its major urban centers. Obi highlighted a World Bank report indicating that while approximately 70% of Tanzania’s rural population has gained access to electricity, Nigeria lags far behind in this regard.

The contrast was underscored by recent news that Tanzania had shut down five hydroelectric stations due to surplus electricity in its grid, a move made possible by adequate power production to meet urban and rural needs. Obi emphasized the need for Nigeria’s government to address and revitalize the electricity sector, lamenting the economic repercussions of widespread power shortages. He cited statistics revealing that 60% of Nigeria’s population lacks access to electricity, as per a 2022 Energy Progress Report.

Obi stressed the urgent necessity for Nigeria to emulate Tanzania’s success by ensuring reliable electricity provision, particularly in major cities across the country. He called for decisive action to reform and rejuvenate Nigeria’s power sector, advocating for competent and dedicated leadership to achieve this critical goal. Ultimately, he emphasized that a stable power sector is indispensable for Nigeria’s progress toward a better future.

A Channels Television journalist, Joshua Rogers, was abducted from his home in Rumuosi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State by unidentified gunmen. The incident occurred on Thursday night around 9 pm, as he returned from work. He was reportedly followed to his residence by the assailants who then confronted him at gunpoint, forcing him into his car and driving off.

Rogers, who serves as the Government House correspondent for Channels Television, had earlier covered an event in Ndoni, Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni LGA, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara inaugurated a primary healthcare center donated to the state by former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili.

The abductors subsequently contacted Rogers’ wife, demanding a ransom of N30 million. Attempts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, for comment were unsuccessful.

The White House has reaffirmed President Joe Biden’s support for the transgender community following Pope Francis’s recent condemnation of gender theory. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, addressed questions regarding the Pope’s declaration during a press briefing reported by Fox News.

The Pope’s document, released on Monday, reiterated the Catholic Church’s stance against altering an individual’s immutable gender, viewing such attempts as misguided efforts to interfere with nature.

Although Jean-Pierre did not explicitly state Biden’s reaction to the document, she emphasized the President’s support for the transgender community, highlighting his commitment to advocating for their rights, safety, and dignity both domestically and globally.

When pressed about the specific comments regarding gender theory and transgender individuals, Jean-Pierre treaded carefully, noting that it’s not the President’s role to intervene in internal Church policy debates.

The document titled “Dignitas Infinita,” which addressed various contemporary issues from a scriptural and doctrinal perspective, was developed over five years by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. It covered topics such as abortion, human trafficking, poverty, euthanasia, and the death penalty, among others, focusing on preserving human dignity in the modern world.