President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to revitalising Nigeria’s economy by implementing strategic measures aimed at reducing inflation, stabilising the foreign exchange market, and improving fiscal management. Speaking at the 17th Annual Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Banking and Finance Conference in Abuja, Tinubu outlined his vision for economic recovery amidst the country’s ongoing financial challenges. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu emphasised the significance of the conference’s theme, “Accelerating Economic Growth and Development: The State of Play and the Way Forward,” describing it as both timely and essential. The President highlighted that Nigeria is…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
A prominent social critic, Aisha Yesufu, has taken to social media to denounce the former National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, for allegedly spreading false information about the handling of party funds. Yesufu’s criticism comes in the wake of Abure’s claims regarding the management of the presidential campaign funds for the party’s 2023 general election candidate. In a post on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Yesufu expressed her dismay at Abure’s assertions, stating, “He thinks one can lie shamelessly without being fact-checked.” This statement was a direct response to Abure’s remarks, in which…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed its preparedness for the upcoming Edo State governorship election, scheduled for September 21, 2024, following the receipt of the necessary funds. Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, made this announcement during an inspection tour of the Commission’s facilities in Benin City, aimed at assessing the readiness of the Commission’s infrastructure and logistics ahead of the election. Professor Yakubu emphasised that INEC had received and disbursed the entire budget for the conduct of the election to the Edo State office and its 18 local government offices well in advance, ensuring that financial constraints…
The Action Peoples Party (APP) in Rivers State has firmly denied allegations made by Prince Favor Reuben, a prominent figure in the Labour Party, who accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of handpicking candidates for the APP ahead of the upcoming local government elections on October 5. Reuben, who serves as the South-South Vice Chairman of the Labour Party, voiced these accusations during a press briefing on Monday in Port Harcourt, sparking a strong response from the APP. In a statement released on Tuesday, the APP’s State Chairman, Sunny Wokekoro, dismissed Reuben’s allegations as baseless and advised him to concentrate on preparing…
The Rivers State Police Command has dismantled a child trafficking network, rescuing 16 children and arresting a female suspect believed to be involved in the operation. This significant breakthrough was confirmed by SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the command’s spokesperson, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Monday. According to Iringe-Koko, the children were discovered in an estate located in the Ozuoba community, within the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The police action followed a tip-off and subsequent intelligence gathering that led officers to the site where the children were being kept. “The…
Oba Taofeeq Olaposi Osunmakinde, a traditional ruler in Osun State, was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday over allegations of illegal gold mining in the Lege Community, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State. Oba Osunmakinde, the Obawore of Ifetuntun in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State, was charged alongside four other defendants on a two-count charge by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The other individuals standing trial with the traditional ruler are Sheu Mustapha, Sabiru Hashim, Danbaba Ibrahim, and Ade Olap Global Resources Limited. The defendants are accused of conspiring with…
The Labour Party (LP) stakeholders have formally communicated with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the establishment of a 29-member caretaker committee to steer the party on an interim basis. This move comes amidst ongoing leadership disputes within the party, aimed at stabilising its operations and ensuring a smooth transition to new leadership. Last week, key figures in the Labour Party, including its presidential candidate Peter Obi, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, as well as several elected Senators and House of Representatives members, convened in Umuahia, Abia State. At this meeting, they resolved to appoint a 29-member caretaker committee,…
The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lodged an appeal against a court order preventing the party from conducting congresses in Rivers State. This legal development follows a recent judgment that dissolved the seven-man caretaker committee led by Tony Okocha and reinstated Emeka Beke and his duly elected executives. The ruling was delivered by Justice Godwin O. Ollor in response to a suit filed by Peter Ohochukwu and Hajja Ndidi-Chukwuma on behalf of themselves and all elected executive members of the APC in Rivers State. The court granted an ex parte order restraining the APC’s national leadership,…
The Labour Party (LP) National Chairman, Julius Abure, has clarified the management of the party’s 2023 campaign funds, stating that prominent activist Aisha Yesufu and Pastor Itua Ighodalo were responsible for overseeing the funds, contrary to widespread speculation about the party’s involvement. bure made these statements during a press conference held after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday, where he addressed allegations of financial mismanagement within the party. Amidst growing concerns and rumours about the handling of campaign finances, Abure firmly denied that the Labour Party had any direct control or involvement in the distribution…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a list of four key demands in response to the arrest of its president, Joe Ajaero, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). Ajaero was detained on Monday at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport while en route to the United Kingdom for an official assignment, a move that has provoked strong reactions from the union and the wider Nigerian public. The NLC, one of Nigeria’s largest and most influential trade unions, has condemned the arrest as a blatant violation of the rights of its leader and a deliberate attempt to stifle the…
Former Senator Shehu Sani has highlighted the contrasting views of Senator Dino Melaye and the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, regarding the ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The differing opinions of the two politicians reflect the deepening discord surrounding the future of Nigeria’s main opposition party. In a post shared on his X handle on Sunday, Sani noted that while Senator Dino Melaye believes the PDP was actively “murdered,” Rabiu Kwankwaso argues that the party died a natural death and has positioned himself as a ‘messiah’ for Nigeria’s political landscape. Sani’s…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sharply criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the recent arrests of Nigerian citizens by security operatives, condemning what it describes as a growing trend of government repression under his administration. The arrest of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Monday, has sparked outrage, with the PDP pointing fingers squarely at President Tinubu for the escalating crackdown on dissent. At a press conference held in Abuja, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, expressed deep concerns over…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stern warning to the All Progressives Congress (APC), cautioning them against continued acts of violence, intimidation, and harassment of Edo State citizens in the run-up to the upcoming governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024. The PDP has accused the APC of orchestrating these actions as part of a broader scheme to undermine the electoral process and intimidate voters, with the aim of rigging the election in their favour. Debo Ologunagba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, addressed these concerns during a media briefing in Abuja. He highlighted a series of…
The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised serious concerns regarding an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma to manipulate the forthcoming Local Government Area (LGA) elections, scheduled for September 21. The PDP claims that Uzodinma’s government is preparing to submit falsified lists and pre-written results to the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC), in what it describes as a blatant subversion of the democratic process. According to a statement released by the PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiaku, the party has obtained credible information suggesting that Uzodinma, notorious…
In a remarkable showcase of agricultural prowess, Mr Kenneth Ifeakandu, a dedicated yam farmer from Okofia village in Obeledu town, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, clinched the top prize of five hundred thousand Naira for harvesting a record-breaking 95kg yam. This feat was achieved during the 2024 edition of the Obeledu New Yam Festival, an annual event that celebrates the rich agricultural heritage of the community. Speaking with reporters after his victory, Mr Ifeakandu expressed immense joy and gratitude, stating that the prize money would be reinvested into his farm to ensure an even more bountiful harvest next…
The Imo State Police Command has successfully apprehended five individuals suspected to be members of the notorious Black Axe Confraternity, a cult group known for its criminal activities in the state capital, Owerri. The arrests, carried out on 2nd September 2024, were the result of a meticulously planned, intelligence-driven operation led by the Quick Intervention Team (QIT) of the command. According to a press release by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Henry Okoye, the operation was part of a broader strategy aimed at curbing the rising tide of cult-related violence and criminality within Owerri and…
In a series of coordinated operations, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted substantial consignments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids concealed in everyday items such as ladies’ sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers. These consignments, which were destined for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus, were seized at three courier firms in Lagos, marking a significant victory in the fight against drug trafficking. The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed in a statement on Sunday that these seizures were part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to clamp down on drug smuggling. According to Babafemi, operatives…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised Rabiu Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), calling him an insignificant figure in Nigeria’s political landscape. This sharp rebuke came after Kwankwaso’s claim that the PDP is a “dead” party, prompting a heated response from PDP’s spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba. Ologunagba argued that Kwankwaso, who is struggling to lead the NNPP—a party with control over only Kano State—lacks the political clout to make such bold statements about the PDP. Kwankwaso, a former member of the PDP, made his controversial remarks during an event in Kano, where he suggested…
As the November 16 gubernatorial election in Ondo State approaches, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Agboola Ajayi, has sharply criticised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa over the recent appointment of 344 aides. Ajayi alleges that these appointments, which include Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs), are part of a strategic manoeuvre by Aiyedatiwa to influence the upcoming election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor’s decision to appoint such a large number of aides just three months before the election has raised eyebrows across the political spectrum. Ajayi contends that the timing and scale of these…
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has launched a scathing critique of the current Nigerian Senate, led by Godswill Akpabio, accusing it of solely serving the interests of President Bola Tinubu. Effiong, known for his outspoken views on governance and human rights, described this Senate as the worst in the nation’s history, claiming it rubber-stamps all executive requests without scrutiny and fails to investigate issues of national importance. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday, Effiong expressed his discontent with the state of the Senate and the broader political landscape. He lambasted those who supported Tinubu’s presidency…