Author: Lawrence Idoko

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has tackled former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying the President is clearing outstanding pensions owed to retired workers of the defunct Nigeria Airways—benefits left unpaid during Atiku’s time in government. Keyamo said Tinubu approved and released N36 billion more than a month ago to settle the outstanding entitlements of former workers of the airline. According to the minister, payments have begun reaching beneficiaries, adding that the workers’ union recently honoured the President for the intervention. Reports indicate that the Federal Government has concluded payment of…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has urged Nigerians to prioritize competence over sentiments in the 2027 general elections, calling on voters to reject politicians he described as political gamblers who use deception and political stunts to win office. Speaking at the inaugural Idoma Hall of Fame Induction in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said Nigeria’s pursuit of fairness would remain unfinished if citizens focused only on which region or ethnic group held power, without asking how that power was used. He said the country’s future depends on choosing leaders based on performance rather than ethnicity or entitlement.…

The Federal Government has dismissed reports of a planned hike in electricity tariff, insisting that there is no proposal to increase the cost of electricity for consumers across the country, saying its immediate priority is expanding the country’s strained power infrastructure rather than raising what consumers pay. Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe issued the assurance Thursday at the groundbreaking ceremony for a 17.7-megawatt interconnected mini-grid project in Ibadan. He said the administration is working to shift Nigeria toward reliable, around-the-clock electricity supply. “There is no plan to increase tariffs,” Tegbe said, adding, “Our focus is on building the infrastructure that…

Members of the Senate have thrown their weight behind Senate President Godswill Akpabio for a second term, declaring that there is ‘no vacancy’ in the leadership of the 10th National Assembly ahead of the 2027 elections. The show of support came Thursday during plenary, when Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno and Senator Cyril Fasuyi said the Senate presidency for the 11th National Assembly, due to be inaugurated after the 2027 general elections, was effectively already settled. “There is no vacancy,” Monguno, who represents Borno North, told colleagues. He said he expected most incumbent senators to return and predicted that Akpabio…

The immediate past President of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Mazi Afam Osigwe, has charged judges, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and lawyers to take collective responsibility for the persistent delays in the prosecution of financial crime cases in the country. Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said that persistent delays in major economic-crime cases reflect a shared failure of responsibility across the criminal-justice system. He spoke at a capacity-building workshop organized by the EFCC and the National Judicial Institute ( NJI), where judges and prosecutors examined how Nigeria can pursue financial crimes in an increasingly digital…

The Federal Government has announced plans to harmonise the 2027 secondary school certificate examinations, involving WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS, with a target to release all results by August to fast-track admissions into tertiary institutions. This was disclosed Wednesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education Boriowo Folasade. She said the decision followed a meeting convened by the Minister of State for Education Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, with heads and representatives of the various examination bodies in Abuja. She added that the meeting focused on aligning examination schedules, minimising timetable clashes and ensuring the…

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has said the Nigeria Police Force will build on its past successes in election security to ensure a peaceful, credible and violence-free general election in 2027. Disu made the pledge after attending the launch of “The Origin of Women in Nigeria Police Force,” a book by 96-year-old retired Deputy Commissioner Stella Okuyiga, one of the first 20 women to join the force in 1955. He said the police had recently held a conference with commissioners and senior officers nationwide to review lessons from recent elections. “We brought all these experiences together—where we did…

The Nigerian Air Force says recovery operations are ongoing at the Igbokoda crash site of NAF ATR 42-500 aircraft NAF 931, as residents complain of offensive odour and fears of contamination more than a week after the October 5 crash that killed 25 persons. In a statement Thursday, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the Air Force’s Director of Public Relations and Information, said the service was aware of residents’ concerns and recognized the “discomfort, anxiety and uncertainty” caused by the incident. Search-and-recovery operations remain underway, with the Air Force coordinating with partner agencies to ensure the safe and orderly recovery of…

The Tinubu Must Stay Movement (TMSM) has appointed Marcel Ngogbehei, as Director-General of its alliance with the Directorate of Mobilisation and Integration, a move that signals an effort to consolidate political support ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the movement’s board chairman and convener, announced the appointment, citing Ngogbehei’s experience in Nigerian and British public institutions, technology, grassroots organizing and community development. He said the new director-general would oversee the alliance’s organizational coordination, grassroots engagement and civic-accountability work. Ngogbehei’s appointment underscores a notable shift in Nigeria’s opposition-aligned civic politics. He was a pioneer organizer of the Obidient…

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has ordered stronger flight safety oversight across the Nigerian Air Force to prevent air crashes, following the NAF ATR 42-500 accident of October 5. Air Marshal Aneke directed commanders to strengthen checks on aircraft airworthiness, maintenance, operating procedures and crew competence. He also called for faster reporting of hazards and more active safety monitoring, describing flight safety as a shared command responsibility. The directive followed the October 5 crash of NAF aircraft 931 near Igbokoda in Ondo State where the aircraft was carrying 20 passengers and five crew members,…