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Worldnews

South Korea Court Clears Opposition Leader In Election Law Violation Case

The court ruling removes a barrier that could have prevented Lee Jae-myung from running for president. A South Korean appeals court has reversed a 2024 legal ruling and found main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung not guilty of violating election laws, removing a barrier that could have blocked him from running for president. Following the verdict on Wednesday, Lee – who had been handed a one-year prison sentence in November – said the decision by the Seoul High Court completely vindicated him and proved the case was politically motivated. “It is truly outrageous that all this energy and national resources were spent for what is an obvious outcome,” he said. The appeals court reversed an earlier ruling that found Lee guilty of making a false claim during a 2021 parliamentary audit about a land development project in Seongnam, where he served as mayor. If upheld, the ruling would have stripped Lee of his parliamentary seat and barred him from running in the next presidential election. For now, opinion polls indicate he is the frontrunner to replace President Yoon Suk-yeol if the embattled leader’s impeachment is upheld. South Korea will hold a snap ballot within 60 days if the Constitutional Court upholds the impeachment of Yoon over his short-lived declaration of martial law in December. Lee, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, is regarded as, by far, the top contender for the next presidential election but faces legal challenges. It was unclear if the prosecution would decide to appeal Wednesday’s High Court decision at the Supreme Court. In addition to the election law violation case, he also faces several other trials on matters ranging from bribery to charges mostly linked to a $1bn property development scandal. In South Korea, if politicians are convicted of violating the election law and given a fine of one million won ($680) or more, or even a suspended sentence, and the conviction becomes finalised, they are barred from running for elections for at least five years and stripped of their parliament seat. Lee, 61, ran against Yoon in the 2022 presidential election and lost by the slimmest margin in history. In 2024, he survived a knife attack when he was stabbed in the neck by a man during an event and underwent surgery. Follow Al Jazeera English:...

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Worldnews

LIVE Israel Must Be Pressured Into Second Phase Of Gaza Truce: Hamas

Israel has sent a delegation to Egypt to see if there is enough common ground to negotiate an extension to the truce. Gaza prepares for Ramadan: Atmosphere different amid devastation in the strip Follow Al Jazeera English:...

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News_Naija

FULL LIST: Oborevwori, Other Sitting Governors Who Dumped One Party For Another

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Wednesday, officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party and joined the All Progressives Congress. Oborevwori’s move isn’t the first time a sitting governor has changed political camps and he likely won’t be the last. Over the years, several governors have crossed party lines while still in office. PUNCH Online has compiled a list of sitting governors who defected from one party to another. See list below: Sheriff Oborevwori The latest on this growing list, Oborevwori, won the 2023 governorship election under the PDP. On Wednesday, he was officially received into the APC by top party leaders. In a press briefing, Senator Ebiowou Manager and Information Commissioner Aniagwu Charles confirmed the governor’s defection, describing it as a move with serious implications for 2027. Aminu Tambuwal The former Sokoto governor first left the PDP for the APC while serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives. In 2018, he returned to the PDP while still governor and aimed for the presidential ticket, which he lost to Atiku Abubakar, who also left the APC for the PDP. Tambuwal wasn’t the only Sokoto governor to switch parties. Others include: Attahiru Bafarawa: All Nigeria People’s Party to PDP Aliyu Wamakko: PDP to APC Abdulfatah Ahmed While governor of Kwara State, Ahmed made headlines for his political switches. He left PDP for APC in 2013. He returned to PDP in 2018 Boni Haruna Governor of Adamawa State from 1999 to 2007, Haruna also defected from PDP to AC while in office. Ikedi Ohakim Governor of Imo State in 2007, Ohakim switched from the Progressive Peoples Alliance to the PDP. Murtala Nyako Nyako ruled Adamawa State from 2007 to 2008. He left the APC and moved to the PDP. Rochas Okorocha Elected Imo State governor in 2011, Okorocha defected from the All Progressives Grand Alliance to the APC during his time in office. Other are: Mahmuda Shinkafi (Zamfara): ANPP to PDP Bello Matawalle (Zamfara): PDP to APC Also, states like Benue, Ondo, Rivers, Cross River, Edo, Kano, Kebbi, and Jigawa have all experienced political defections by sitting governors at various times.    

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News_Naija

NNPCL To Undergo Forensic Audit Soon Edun

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has announced that a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited will begin soon. Edun revealed this at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held alongside the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC. The minister explained that the recent changes in the NNPCL management are part of a broader effort by the Federal Government to clean up and examine the company closely. While addressing top global investors, including representatives from J.P. Morgan, he shared key reforms the government has introduced to revive the economy and restore investor confidence. He told the investors that the government’s bold economic steps have laid a strong foundation to attract private investment. He stated, “Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it. We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.” Edun highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has rolled out major reforms that are already making a difference. He added that the Nigerian economy grew by 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2024 and recorded a 3.4% growth for the year. Edun further stressed the importance of the reforms, describing them as “unprecedented.” He said, “We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course.” He pointed out signs of progress such as lower budget deficits, a better trade balance, and a more stable exchange rate. He also said that the focus is now on growing key sectors, especially agriculture. According to Edun, agriculture is at the top of the government’s agenda, with the aim of improving food supply and increasing productivity. “We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said. On infrastructure, Edun revealed that the government has rolled out 90,000km of fibre optic cable to improve internet access. He said this move is crucial for supporting young Nigerians and tech startups. He also noted that 4,000km of roads have been offered for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.