Author: Joy Gyakyor

Professor Terhemba Shija has accepted his party’s governorship nomination for Benue State, pledging to lead a united campaign to “rescue” the Food Basket’ from what he described as escalating insecurity, deepening poverty and poor governance. Announced as the Nigeria Democratic Congress’s (NDC) consensus candidate, Shija said his selection is a call to public service that followed an internal process that involved stakeholders across Benue’s 276 wards, 23 local government areas and state caucuses. He thanked rival aspirants and said the contest had strengthened, rather than fractured, the party. “We are one formidable team determined to rescue Benue from the current…

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu, has redeployed commissioners across the country in a move the force said is intended to sharpen operations and drive through institutional reforms. The Police Service Commission approved Disu’s recommendations for new commissioners in eight state commands and a series of strategic postings at headquarters and specialist formations, the force said in a statement by its spokesman Chief Superintendent Ani Iniedu. “The deployments are aimed at strengthening operational effectiveness and advancing ongoing reforms within the Nigeria Police Force,” Iniedu said. He added that the appointments were designed to “enhance leadership across state commands…

The federal government on Friday confirmed it will begin phasing out electricity subsidies from 2027, as part of efforts to restore financial viability to the power sector and curb mounting debt. Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe, told reporters the removal of the subsidy will be gradual and designed to restore the sector’s fiscal viability without stripping consumers of protections. He also said there are no immediate plans to raise power tariffs. NewsQuest reports that the move signals a significant policy shift for Nigeria, which for years has used subsidies to stabilize consumer prices even as state and private power companies…

Nigeria’s Foreign and Aviation Ministers will host the third Expatriates Business Awards next month, in Abuja to highlight the economic role of foreign businesses and diplomatic missions in the country’s development. The ceremony is set for August 20 at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu serving as chief host and Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo as host. The event’s guest list also includes top ministry officials, diplomats and business leaders, the organizers said. Odunola Abayomi, Director of the awards, described the ceremony as a milestone for “strengthening Nigeria’s relationship…

President Tinubu’s administration has approved ₦46 billion for reconstruction of the second runway at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo who disclosed said the move is aimed at boosting the airport’s competitiveness and operational capacity. At a ceremony to commission the remodeled Muhammadu Adamu Dankabo Domestic Terminal at the Kano airport, Keyamo, said the President had “earmarked Kano Airport for major upgrades” and authorized the funding for runway resurfacing and reconstruction. Tunde Moshood, the Minister’s media aide in a statement quoted Keyamo as saying “The President has approved the sum of ₦46 billion…

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday pressed the newly formed South-West Development Commission (SWDC) to prioritize tangible projects and private-sector investment over internal procedures. The Vice President said Nigerians will judge the body by jobs created and roads completed rather than paperwork. Speaking at a courtesy meeting with the commission’s management at the Presidential Villa Abuja, Shettima described the commission as part of a broader effort by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to unlock regional strengths for national growth. The delegation was led by board chairman Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi. “The South‑West region, with its history of enterprise, innovation, education and industry,…

Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday praised the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for what he called an “almost seamless” execution of the 2026 Hajj season, and urged officials to use the performance as a model for future pilgrimages. Shettima received NAHCON’s board and management, alongside representatives from state pilgrims’ welfare boards, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications Stanley Nkwocha said in a statement that the delegation briefed him on the recently concluded exercise and outlined plans and projections for subsequent years. “You should take this as the…

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, Didi Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, told the House of Representatives Committee Wednesday that her office neither deployed personnel to nor provided office space for a group that has been presenting itself as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. Testifying before a House of Representatives investigative panel, Ms. Walson-Jack disputed claims that the organisation enjoyed formal government recognition. She said the Office of the Head of the Civil Service did not approve an organisational chart for the council and did not authorise staff…

Governor Hyacinth Alia on Wednesday inaugurated a 15-member Economic and Policy Advisory Team charged with delivering evidence-based recommendations to accelerate economic development across Benue State. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Makurdi, Governor Alia described the appointments as “a vote of confidence” in the team’s competence and said the panel will play a central role in sharpening strategic planning and speeding sustainable growth. “The constitution of this Advisory Team is our administration’s resolve to strengthen evidence-based governance, deepen strategic planning and speed up sustainable economic growth,” he said. The Governor urged members to justify the trust placed in them by…

A fresh wave of violence in Benue State that left 15 people dead in Efeyi Ugboju, Otukpo Local Government Area on Tuesday has prompted a sharp public spat between Governor Hyacinth Alia and opposition figures. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its 2027 governorship candidate, Michael Aondoakaa, criticized the Governor in separate statements issued Wednesday, accusing his administration of failing to protect citizens and of a concerning silence on the killings. The PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Bright Antyo, said leadership “is not by words but by decisive action,” adding that residents are seeing neither decisive action nor empathy from the state…