The Benue State Government has announced free education for pupils in all government-owned public schools from Basic One to Basic Nine. Governor Hyacinth Alia made the declaration on Friday at the maiden Benue Basic Education Summit held at the College of Health Sciences, Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi. Alia said the policy forms part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring that no child of school age is denied access to education. The governor explained that the decision is aimed at supporting poor and vulnerable families while building a strong educational foundation for the state’s future leaders. He highlighted steps already…
Author: Ifeanyi Nwagboso
Human rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has said the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, needs a mayor rather than a minister. Yesufu made the remark in a statement posted on her verified X handle on Friday. Her comment came a few hours before the FCT Area Council election, where residents of the nation’s capital city are expected to go to the polls to elect leaders who will spearhead the activities of the six area councils. The co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign said, “Abuja needs a mayor. This nonsense appointment of a minister as the executive head of FCT needs to stop.” Reacting…
The Rivers State Police Command has announced a restriction of movement ahead of the bye-elections for Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana State Constituency II scheduled for Saturday, February 21. The restriction will take effect from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on election day and will apply within and around Ahoada East and Khana Local Government Areas. According to the police, the measure is aimed at ensuring a peaceful, free, fair and credible election. The Command stated that there will be a massive deployment of security personnel across the two LGAs to prevent any breakdown of law and order…
The chairmanship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Moses Paul, has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that the will of voters must be respected in Saturday’s council election. Paul issued the warning while addressing supporters and residents in Abuja ahead of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council polls, urging citizens to remain resolute and confident in the electoral process. He stressed that votes must count, noting that key political figures were present to safeguard the process. “In terms of protecting the votes, Senator Kingibe is there, Senator…
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged the existence of a N13.7 billion annual payroll fraud under the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke. The allegation was made on Friday during a press conference addressed by the state APC chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, in Osogbo. The development follows earlier claims by the Osun State Government, which strongly refuted allegations of a N13 billion payroll scam linked to Sally Tibbot Limited. In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the government described the claims as fake news sponsored by the APC. The state…
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has expressed concern over the exclusion of the PDP, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party (LP) from Saturday’s Rivers State House of Assembly by-election. George described the development as worrisome and called for clarity on the reasons behind the decision. According to reports, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced that the three political parties would not participate in the February 21 bye-election in Rivers State, citing various reasons. The former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP stressed the importance of transparency and adherence to due…
The African Alliance Party (AAP) says it is set to challenge the registration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in court. The party is demanding the deregistration of the newly registered political platform, alleging that it was deceitfully and mischievously approved by the electoral umpire. AAP disclosed that its National Executive Committee (NEC) has authorised legal action against INEC and warned that the Commission’s Chairman, Joash Amupitan, risks undermining the democratic process. In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Sadiq, the AAP alleged that the NDC was registered on…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a significant rise in voter enrolment under the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, revealing that more than 1.2 million Nigerians have successfully registered in the second phase of the programme. In an update shared on its official X platform on Thursday, the Commission disclosed that as of February 13, 2026, a total of 1,228,648 eligible voters had completed registration during Phase II, Week Six of the exercise. The figure represents a sharp increase from the 884,737 registrants recorded at the end of Week Five. INEC data showed that 673,124 applicants initiated…
The Rivers State House of Assembly has stopped impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu. According to TVC News, the House adopted a motion to halt the impeachment process on Thursday during its resumed sitting in Port Harcourt. The development is believed to be connected to the recent intervention by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. InfoStride News reports that the President recently held a meeting with Governor Fubara, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and leaders of the Assembly. The latest move indicates that the lingering political crisis in Rivers State may be easing.
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the backlash following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assent to the Electoral Act 2026, describing the criticism as politically motivated and disconnected from national interest. In a statement issued on Thursday, the party’s spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, said the Lagos APC observed with “undisguised disappointment” what it characterised as an orchestrated outcry by sections of the opposition over the President’s approval of the amended law. The party maintained that governance is a constitutional responsibility that must be exercised with prudence and accountability rather than shaped by popularity contests, social media…
Controversy has erupted over the ward and local government congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Wednesday across Delta State, as the exercise has divided party leaders. The Secretary of the Committee overseeing the congresses in the state, Simon Chukwuemeka Atigwe, while addressing journalists at Ward 10 in Oshimili South Local Government Area after monitoring activities across the three senatorial districts, described the process as smooth, calm and well-coordinated. According to him, members of the committee toured several wards across Delta South, Delta Central and Delta North senatorial districts without encountering disputes or disruptions. “As part of our…
The United Kingdom has announced that it will stop issuing physical visa stickers to Nigerian nationals from February 25, 2026, replacing them with mandatory electronic visas (eVisas) as part of efforts to create a fully digital border system. In a statement issued in Abuja, the UK’s immigration authorities confirmed that all newly approved Visit visas for Nigerians will be granted as eVisas rather than passport vignettes. Travellers will instead access proof of their immigration status through a secure online account. The change affects only the visa format and not the application process. Applicants will still complete the standard online form,…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promptly signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law. In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister described the President’s action as a demonstration of commitment to deepening the democratic process and improving the credibility of elections. Wike said the passage of the amended Electoral Act by the National Assembly of Nigeria and the President’s swift assent had ended what he described as unnecessary protests by individuals preparing excuses…
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to focus on the country’s future and vote for a change in leadership. Obi made the call on Wednesday during a meeting with Hausa/Fulani chiefs in Abuja. “We have to talk about the future of our country. All of you know what is happening to our country today. That’s why we are campaigning that you vote out this government,” he said. The former presidential candidate described Nigeria’s situation as dire, citing insecurity, hunger and widespread hardship. “Today we have insecurity across Nigeria. We have hunger across Nigeria.…
Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has accused the leadership of the Nigerian Senate of pushing through a section of the Electoral Act without proper amendment despite strong objections from minority lawmakers. Tambuwal made the allegation in an interview with the BBC, stating that tension erupted on the Senate floor after opposition members demanded a review of the controversial section of the bill but were overruled. According to the former Sokoto State governor, the initial proposal was for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adjust the notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days. He explained that the proposed…
The identities of the 15 senators who voted in support of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results during deliberations on the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, have emerged. The lawmakers opposed the retention of a controversial provision that allows manual collation of results as a backup. InfoStride News reports that the Senate, during plenary on Tuesday, approved electronic transmission of election results but retained manual collation as a fallback option following a tense session in the red chamber of the National Assembly of Nigeria. During a division on the floor, 55 senators voted in favour of keeping…
The All Progressives Congress, APC, has suspended its state, local government and ward congresses in Abia State. The decision was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the party’s National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda. According to the statement, the suspension followed ongoing consultations and the need to conclude certain preparatory and administrative processes ahead of the exercise. The party explained that the move was aimed at ensuring the orderly, transparent and credible conduct of the congresses in the state. Yilwatda added that the party would communicate a revised schedule of activities to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,…
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has announced a significant decline in major criminal activities across the state within his first year in office. Jimoh attributed the improvement to intelligence-driven policing, strengthened community collaboration and enhanced operational capacity. He disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja, presenting a performance review covering the period from February 18, 2025, to February 17, 2026. According to him, internal security remained largely stable during the period, with no major breakdown of public order. He noted that public demonstrations were effectively managed to ensure…
The South East leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Federal Government of orchestrating the party’s internal crisis to prevent it from participating effectively in the 2027 general elections. The allegation was made on Tuesday by the party’s South East Vice Chairman, Ali Odefa, during the inauguration of the Abia State PDP Caretaker Committee at the party’s zonal office in Enugu. Odefa claimed that the ongoing disputes within the PDP were part of a calculated plan by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to weaken the opposition. “There are people who are bent on destroying PDP. They…
The Senate has approved the electronic transmission of election results while retaining manual collation as a backup in the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026. The resolution followed a tense plenary session that culminated in a division on Clause 60 of the bill, which addresses the transmission and collation of election results. A total of 55 senators voted to retain the controversial manual backup proviso, while 15 lawmakers opposed it. Among those who stood against the clause was Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South). The red chamber had earlier passed the bill but later rescinded its decision and recommitted…