Author: Our Reporter
Local government congresses of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state are expected to proceed peacefully on Saturday, despite simmering factional rivalries over the party’s state leadership. James Orguga, the party’s organising secretary in Benue, is working closely with state chairman Benjamin Omale to ensure the exercise runs smoothly, sources close to the leadership said. A senior aide to Governor Hyacinth Alia, speaking anonymously, praised Omale’s efforts to build a robust party base. “We have over 380, 000 registered members ready to make a difference,” the aide noted. “Governor Alia remains the people’s choice for a second term.”…
President Bola Tinubu has called for restraint and orderliness as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), conducts bye-elections and local polls on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano and Rivers States. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Startegy Bayo Onanuga in a statement said the INEC is due to conduct voting in the FCT’s six area councils, alongside bye-elections in Rivers’ Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies, and Kano’s Municipal and Ungogo seats. The statement, said Tinubu urged voters to turn out “without fear”, fostering an atmosphere of “calm, tolerance and mutual respect”. President Tinubu…
By Adebayo Abubakar Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has been appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order — a rare honour personally conferred by King Charles III — at an investiture ceremony hosted by Catherine, Princess of Wales. The distinction recognises Edun’s longstanding contribution to global youth development through his service with The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation. Beyond the international recognition, however, it also underscores a broader reality: he has quietly emerged as a central stabilising force in Nigeria’s economic reset. At a time of global volatility, Nigeria’s reform trajectory…
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Thursday met with the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to finalise details of a national community food bank programme aimed at tackling child malnutrition. Speaking to journalists after the closed door meeting, Sotinrin praised Mrs. Tinubu’s agricultural initiatives for boosting food security and maternal and child healthcare. He described the upcoming food bank launch, which will promote bio-fortified crops from the production stage to address malnutrition at its source. Sotinrin expressed optimism that the scheme, alongside Oluremi Tinubu’s “Every Home a Garden” campaign, will lead to…
Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Shehu Dikko said on Thursday that the prospects of Nigeria reaching the 2026 World Cup finals now rest with FIFA’s judicial bodies after the Super Eagles’ controversial penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the African play-off final last November. Dikko stated this while briefing State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He outlined the sports sector’s robust 2025 performance – including a 1.2% contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the third quarter and the creation of 140,000 jobs across…
There are indications that officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) have rearrested and detained former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai moments after his release on bail by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). El-Rufai, held by the EFCC since Monday on graft suspicions, walked free around 8pm Wednesday. IA source had told our reporter that the operatives who picked him up were from the Department of State Services (DSS). Witnesses described an ambush-style operation at the commission’s Abuja base, underscoring the intense scrutiny facing the former Governor. NewsQuest reports that the latest detention of the former Governor…
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has held talks with Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new opportunities in investment, technology and infrastructure. The Ambassador paid a courtesy visit to the Governor at Lagos House in Marina, accompanied by Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Timubu on foreign policy and protocol. Governor Sanwo-Olu highlighted Lagos’s pivotal role as a hub for Japanese firms, voicing keen interest in collaborations across culture, fashion and entertainment. “We had a good discussion on strengthening the relationship between Lagos and Japan, particularly in the areas of investment, technology,…
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement in the North Central, Dr Abiodun Essiet on Wednesday said that the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has made significant strides in extending electricity to rural and underserved areas in the North Central region. The intervention aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for inclusive growth. In a statement, Dr. Essiet said across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the agency has completed 85 grid extension projects, installed 6,089 standalone solar home systems and deployed 10,470 solar streetlights. “It has also developed 131 solar mini-grids,…
President Bola Tinubu has named Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani as “Renewed Hope Ambassador” and Director Director General for party outreach, engagement and mobilisation within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga said the appointment is with immediate effect: President in making the appointment praised Governor Sani for his “salient leadership and organisational abilities”—in a key role to bolster the party’s messaging ahead of the 2027 elections. The statement said Governor Sani will work closely with the APC’s national chairman and the initiative’s Director General to foster “harmony, inclusiveness and…
The Revenue Service (NRS) is pressing ahead with its electronic invoicing system, targeting medium-sized taxpayers from April in a bid to modernise tax collection and boost compliance. The phased rollout of the invoicing and electronic fiscal system (EFS) – dubbed the merchant buyer solution (MBS) – follows a successful launch for large taxpayers last year. It aims to enhance transparency and voluntary tax payments, aligning with the NRS’s mandate under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act. Executive Chairman of the NRS Zacch Adedeji announced in Abuja that large taxpayers, onboarded after an August 2025 go-live (later extended to November), are now…