Author: Lawrence Idoko

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday visited Niger State to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the death of 37 miners who died in the custody of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC), conveying President Bola Tinubu’s condolences to the affected families. Shettima, who was received by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago at the Government House said the President was deeply saddened by the tragedy and assured that the Federal Government would support the state in preventing future occurrences. Tinubu, represented by Shettina, said Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago was not responsible for…

A military aircraft carrying 32 people crashed Monday near a naval base in Igbokoda, Ondo State, after losing contact with air-traffic controllers during a flight from Lagos to Benin, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo said. The aircraft, identified by tail number NGR 931, departed Lagos at 9:13 a.m., according to a statement Keyamo posted on X. It was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members, he said, citing preliminary information. Air-traffic controllers were unable to reestablish radio contact with the aircraft, the minister said. The wreckage was later located near the Naval Base in Igbokoda, with search-and-rescue operations…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has assembled a 228-member campaign council to mobilize support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, placing Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa at the head of a coalition that spans the state’s political establishment. The council, announced Monday by state party Chairman Babatunde Kolawole in Akure, includes serving and former officeholders, legislators, party officials, traditional figures, technocrats, women and youth leaders, and grassroots organizers. Party officials framed the appointments as an effort to consolidate support across Ondo’s 18 local government areas ahead of the vote. Governor Aiyedatiwa will lead the council. Deputy…

President Bola Tinubu has said his administration’s ongoing security drives and reforms are yielding results and strengthening military response to security challenges across the country. The president further stated that the Army has operationalised new formations in Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo and Osun, moving units closer to hotspots and cutting response times when threats emerge. “Our troops are now closer to vulnerable communities in these areas, strengthening our ability to respond swiftly and decisively when our people are threatened,” Tinubu wrote on his verified X account. He added that the government is fast-tracking construction of new barracks and depots in Abuja,…

Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, has said Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to commence grassroots campaigns for the party ahead of the 2027 General elections. Uzodimma made the remarks while briefing President Bola Tinubu at the President’s Lagos residence on developments during his absence and on governors’ activities, and that the meeting turned straight to campaign logistics. “We referred straight to our campaign outing, which will start almost immediately since he is now back,” Uzodimma told reporters after the meeting. The PGF chairman said…

Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodimma has urged commercial transport operators across the states to reduce transport fares to reflect the cost savings from the Federal Government’s Compressed Natural Gas ( CNG) initiative, saying commuters should benefit from the cheaper alternative to petrol. Uzodimma, who is the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, made the remarks after briefing President Bola Tinubu on national developments at the president’s residence in Lagos. “Since the cost of transportation has been reduced by the introduction of CNG, they should now also reduce the fare they charge passengers,” Uzodimma said. “That way, it becomes a…

Minister of Works Dave Umahi has said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is being built with reinforced concrete pavement intended to last 50 to 100 years with minimal maintenance, part of a broader effort to reduce the country’s costly pattern of repeatedly rebuilding asphalt roads. The Minister stated that the technology is central to the government’s strategy for major freight corridors, where heavy trucks and coastal conditions accelerate road deterioration. “We are talking of a 50-to-100-year guarantee for reinforced concrete pavement, with low maintenance,” he said. Work on the 55-kilometre second section of the highway is advancing, with the concrete pavement…

Minister of Works Dave Umahi has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will sweep all five states in the South-East in the 2027 presidential election, declaring that he is personally working to make it happen. Umahi, a former Governor of Ebonyi State and senior member of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) said Tinubu’s administration had improved the region’s federal representation and infrastructure, reversing grievances that helped fuel opposition support in 2023. “My faith is telling me we will win the five states,” Umahi said in an interview with Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. “The president is going to harvest a lot…

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday welcomed a group of prominent opposition politicians into the All Progressives Congress (APC), portraying the defections as evidence of growing support for Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda and a boost for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. The reception took place at the People’s Square at the Katsina Government House during Shettima’s one-day official visit to the state. Addressing party supporters, the vice president linked the influx of new members to Radda’s performance in office and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s support for the governor. “Katsina is for Dikko Radda, it is not…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will outline its final preparations for the 2027 general election at a high-level briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, as the country enters the last 100 days before presidential and National Assembly voting. INEC said Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, will lead a combined World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting starting at 10 a.m. at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre (BAT-ICC) in Abuja. Attendance is by invitation only, with accredited media and guests required to present invitation cards or accreditation badges at security checkpoints. The commission said the session will be broadcast…