The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, says any call for him to contest the governorship of Abia State will have to come from the party. Speaking with journalists in his Bende town, Bende LGA, Kalu said that while the governorship is important, his political ambition extends beyond holding the office. “It is the call from the party that will make me run if they find me worthy. My call for him to join the APC is borne out of sincerity of purpose. He commended South East governors for their efforts in maintaining peace in the zone, an aspiration aligned with his PISE-P (Peace in South East Programme).

Napoli have intensified contacts with Atalanta to sign Ademola Lookman as the Serie A side look to strengthen their attack before the transfer window closes, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The newspaper adds that Lookman remains the real target for Napoli, but the formula presents a problem as the club’s “zero balance” policy until February 2 complicates any economic manoeuvre. Fichajes reports that Napoli see Lookman as a player who could make an immediate impact on the squad and believe the forward’s profile matches their sporting project. Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen revealed he has tried to convince Lookman to join him at the Turkish champions. I told him everything about my experience at Galatasaray; how amazing the club and the fans are, and that when he comes here, he’ll feel right at home,” Osimhen told Turkish publication Forza Cimbom.

He Had Gun Before He Punched Me!!! Play video content TMZ.comComic Cristina Payne says comedian Corey Holcomb is threatening her and making her fear for her life ... and she got emotional watching a video that appears to show Corey punching her square in the face. Cristina joined us on "TMZ Live" Friday, and she got emotional when we asked her about surveillance video from the alleged Hollywood street brawl finally surfacing. The raw emotions flowed as soon as we asked Cristina if she was going to take the video to police or a lawyer ... she told us she's afraid to even leave her house these days, claiming Corey has her running scared. As we told you ... Cristina filed a battery report with LAPD, but Corey was never arrested ... and he attempted -- but failed -- to get a temporary restraining order against her ... claiming Cristina put hands on him first, while his back was turned to her.

Sanusi stated this on Friday while speaking with journalists after attending classes at Northwest University, Kano, where he was recently admitted to study Common and Sharia Law. The monarch, who already holds a PhD, explained that his decision to study Law was the fulfilment of a long-held personal ambition, noting that pursuing a Law degree later in life is not unusual. “I am at my happiest in the classroom either studying or teaching because it is a process of learning. Sanusi stressed the importance of legal knowledge in everyday life, saying law provides the framework that shapes human interactions, governance, and civic responsibility. In a light-hearted moment, the emir joked that studying Law could help him better confront his critics.

Newly surfaced video allegedly captured comedian Corey Holcomb punching a female comic in the face outside a Hollywood club. 3 Video allegedly captured comedian Corey Holcomb punching a female comic in the face outside a Hollywood club. Instagram/thebiziroom3 Several bystanders rushed at comedian Corey Holcomb and tackled him to the ground, the video shows. 3 The clip shows a group of people standing outside the Hollywood Improv while a woman identified as Cristina Patyne appears to shout at Holcomb. Payne filed a battery report with the Los Angeles Police Department following the attack, but authorities never arrested Holcomb, TMZ reported.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has announced plans to introduce a new regulatory policy aimed at sanitising debit card issuance and ATM operations across Nigerian banks, in a bid to address persistent cash access challenges. The announcement was made by CBN Governor Yemi Cardoso through his Special Adviser, Fatai Karim, at the 2026 Committee of Heads of Bank Operations Conference on Friday. According to the apex bank, the policy will ensure that the number of cards issued by banks corresponds with their deployed ATM infrastructure, helping to reduce congestion, downtime, and uneven cash availability nationwide. When cash access fails, whether due to prolonged ATM outages or uneven distribution, the credibility of the entire payment system is weakened,” the bank said. The move is expected to enhance ATM reliability, improve cash distribution, and restore confidence in Nigeria’s electronic payment system, benefiting both banks and customers nationwide.

The National Power Grid collapsed once again, leaving parts of the country in darkness and disrupting electricity supply to millions of households and businesses. Checks by our correspondent revealed that electricity generation dropped sharply from over 4,500 megawatts to as low as 24 megawatts as of 1:30 pm. All 23 power generation plants connected to the grid reportedly lost output during the incident, resulting in zero power allocation to each of the 11 electricity distribution companies. This is the first grid collapse recorded in 2026, coming barely weeks after a similar incident on December 29, 2025, which had also caused widespread power outages across the country. PUNCH Online reports that in recent years, grid collapses have been attributed to a combination of technical faults, inadequate maintenance of transmission lines, and fluctuations in generation capacity.

The Nigerian Navy has stepped up efforts to expand its indigenous shipbuilding programme as part of plans to strengthen its operational capability and reduce dependence on foreign-built naval platforms. A statement on Thursday by the Nigerian Navy spokesman, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, said that during the four-day exhibition, Abbas held engagements with maritime solution providers on emerging technologies, with emphasis on the acquisition of modern naval platforms and technology transfer to boost the Navy’s local ship production capacity. According to the statement, expanding technology transfer arrangements would further reposition it to scale up indigenous shipbuilding and achieve its long-term objective of becoming a leading warship manufacturer on the African continent. “The prospects of technology transfer would further reposition the NN to become a leading manufacturer of warships on the African continent.”The PUNCH reports that the Navy has successfully constructed five seagoing vessels locally. These are: MV Sauka Lafia, inaugurated in 2010; NNS Andoni, in 2012; NNS Karaduwa, in 2016; MV Tug Commander Ugwu, also in 2016; and NNS Oji in 2021.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has explained the reason he extended an invitation to Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to join the All Progressives Congress, insisting that the move was driven by friendship, party interest and a broader political vision for Abia State. Addressing the allegation directly, the Deputy Speaker said the suggestion that he was working against Otti’s entry into the APC was unfounded. Otti has, however, on several occasions publicly stated that he has no intention of joining the APC, maintaining his position clearly and consistently. The Deputy Speaker also revealed that his ongoing APC membership drive in Abia State led to the defection of former Governor, Senator Theodore Orji, to the party, a move that shifted the political balance in the state. “ Any decision about future ambition would be left to the APC and the people of Abia State, not personal calculations,” the Deputy Speaker maintained.

The national electricity grid collapsed again on Friday, triggering widespread power outages across Nigeria as power generation dropped sharply nationwide. The day also witnessed the death of a young woman in Abuja after visiting her boyfriend, a fatal accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that caused heavy traffic disruption, and a Federal Government directive banning electricity meter installation charges. Here are the top stories this afternoon, among others:Woman dies after visiting boyfriend in Abuja:A young woman died after visiting her boyfriend in the Dei-Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory. https://punchng.com/national-grid-collapses-again-power-generation-drops-to-24mw/FG bans meter installation chargesThe Federal Government has banned electricity meter installation charges, warning distribution companies against violating the directive and threatening sanctions for defaulters. https://punchng.com/stop-addressing-me-as-bro-or-blood-22-year-old-ondo-monarch-warns-public/Ruling house protests Awujale successionMembers of a ruling house in Ijebuland protested alleged moves to impose the next Awujale, raising fresh tension over traditional leadership succession.

The concerned sons and daughters of Fusengbuwa ruling house protesting over the alleged imposition plot on Awujale's selection. Fusengbuwa, one of the four ruling houses of Ijebu Ode, is next in line to fill the vacant Awujale stool. Speaking on behalf of the ruling house, Mrs Adejugba Obileye said the protest aimed to demand the reopening of the palace and to urge the government to stay clear of any imposition plot. “Fusengbuwa ruling house rejects any plan of imposition. The Fusengbuwa ruling house and the kingmakers should be allowed to pick the next Awujale.

According to Maina, a formal whistleblower agreement was signed, which entitled him to five per cent of the recovered funds—about $65bn—as his fee. I was asked to return and help Nigeria recover stolen public funds. Working under that agreement, I helped recover $1.3tn for the Nigerian people and secured additional assets valued at $88bn. Commenting on the prosecution of Malami, Maina said the current government was right to pursue accountability. My speciality is the recovery of public funds.

The Accomplished variant brings added styling upgrades and a larger infotainment system to the Punch lineupThe 2026 Tata Punch facelift brings design updates along with a reshuffled variant lineup. It is offered in six variants: Smart, Pure, Pure Plus, Adventure, Accomplished and Accomplished Plus S. We’ve previously detailed the Adventure trim in images and this time we’ll explain the one-below-top Accomplished variant in this report. The Accomplished variant adds more features and comfort-focused elements, but misses out on the new engine option offered with the 2026 Punch. If you are interested in one, here’s a closer look at what the 2026 Punch Accomplished variant:FrontThe Accomplished variant looks similar to the top model when viewed from the front. Notable Accolade: The 2026 Tata Punch facelift has also secured a 5-star safety rating in the Bharat NCAP crash tests.

The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organisation, citing the global health body’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and failure to implement necessary reforms, the White House announced on Thursday. Over the year, the U.S. stopped funding the organisation, withdrew personnel, and redirected activities previously conducted with WHO to direct engagements with other countries and organisations. WHO was also faulted for failing to implement reforms after the pandemic. PUNCH Healthwise reported that WHO said the U.S. has not paid membership fees for 2024 and 2025, totalling roughly $260 million. WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, expressed regret, saying, “I hope that the US will reconsider its decision and rejoin WHO.

“No, I’m comfortable in the PDP,” Makinde told journalists after closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Thursday. In October, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah announced his defection, describing President Tinubu as “a partner in purpose.”By year-end, additional governors had switched allegiances. Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, also defected from the PDP to the APC later in December. Makinde had previously alleged that Wike, during a private meeting with President Tinubu, promised to “hold down the PDP” for the President ahead of the 2027 elections. Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose publicly alleged that Makinde received N50bn from the FG as relief funds but had not fully accounted for the disbursement.