ECOWAS, the West African regional bloc, announced that its leaders are set to convene on Thursday for discussions regarding the ongoing crisis in Niger. The country’s military leaders have disregarded the ultimatum issued by ECOWAS, which demanded the relinquishment of power or the potential imposition of military measures. “ECOWAS heads of state will hold another extraordinary summit on the political situation in the Republic of Niger,” the 15-member bloc said in its first official reaction after Niger ignored Sunday’s deadline to reinstate democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. The summit is to be held in Abuja, Nigeria, whose president, Bola Tinubu,…
Author: Editor Francis
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has announced the release of the results for the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). In a statement on Monday, Patrick Areghan, the Head of Nigeria’s Office at WAEC, revealed that out of the 1,613,733 candidates who took the examination, results for 1,476,565 candidates, which accounts for 91.5%, have been fully processed and released. The announcement was made in Lagos. He further mentioned that the results of 137,168 candidates, constituting 8.5%, are still undergoing processing for some of their subjects. This delay is due to various issues such as shortcomings, lack of…
After the rowdy session during the screening session Festus Keyamo, the former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has issued an apology to the Senate for his past disrespect towards the National Assembly concerning the implementation of the 774,000 special public works program during the previous administration. Speaking after the Senate resumed from closed session, Keyamo said: “I apologise and the apology is without reservation.” He said the entire register of the “beneficiaries of the special public works and their details, including their account number and BVNs are with the NDE.” Senator Godiya Akwashiki (SDP Nasarawa), urged his colleagues…
Drama in the red chamber on Monday over the screening of a Ministerial nominee, Festus Keyamo. The reason behind the rowdy session was when Darlington Nwokocha (LP, Abia Central), moved the motion requesting the suspension of the nominee’s screening. According to the senator, when Keyamo was a minister of state for labour and employment under former president Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration, he insulted the lawmakers from both chambers. He raised concerns over corruption charges and his failure to heed the National Assembly summons in 2020 during the screening process for his ministerial position. The charges were related to the employment scheme…
Festus Keyamo, SAN, a nominee for a ministerial position, has had his screening suspended as the Nigeria Senate enters a closed-door meeting. Amidst multiple summonses allegedly ignored by Barr Keyamo during his tenure as Minister, a heated session ensued in the 9th National Assembly (NASS). Senator Darlington Nwokocha took action to halt Keyamo’s screening. More to come
The US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will deliver remarks during the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. The event will take place at the National Museum of American Diplomacy, located at the Department of State August 7, 2023. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s remarks at the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania will be streamed live on the Department of State’s homepage and the Department’s YouTube channel. Additionally, the event will be made available to in-person press coverage through pooling arrangements.…
The Troika comprising Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States expressed their strongest condemnation of the continued violence in Darfur, with particular concern over reports of killings based on ethnicity and widespread sexual violence perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and allied militias. The Troika urgently called on all parties involved to immediately halt attacks and prevent further escalation of hostilities. They emphasised the need to hold those responsible for atrocities accountable and stressed the importance of providing full access to conflict-affected areas for proper investigation of abuses and the delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid to survivors in…
In an official statement released on August 4, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced that certain foreign assistance programs benefiting the government of Niger will be paused. The interim measure, however, does not affect all U.S. foreign assistance programs in the country, with life-saving humanitarian and food assistance remaining unaffected. The U.S. government will continue its activities in Niger where feasible, including diplomatic and security operations, to ensure the safety of U.S. personnel. Secretary Blinken emphasised that the provision of U.S. assistance to Niger’s government depends on democratic governance and respect for constitutional order. This stance aligns…
On Sunday, thousands of supporters of the military coup in Niger assembled at a stadium in Niamey as the deadline set by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS approached. The deadline was for the restoration of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to power. African news reports that a delegation of members of the now-ruling National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), arrived at the 30,000-seat stadium to cheers from supporters, many of whom carried in Russian flags and portraits of CNSP leaders. The stadium, named after Seyni Kountche, who led Niger’s first coup d’etat in 1974, was almost full…
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday played host to governors of States that share boundaries with Niger Republic. The governors present at the event included Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto, Umar Namadi of Jigawa state, Mai Malam Buni of Yobe state, Idris Nasir of Kebbi state, and Dr. Dikko Radda of Katsina State. It was gathered the meeting held at the State House, Abuja, was part of consultations by the President on the situation in Niger. Recall that the Northern Elites have strongly voiced their opposition to the proposed military offensive against the junta in Niger. They express concerns over the potential…
The Senate has given advice to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to appoint an Auditor General for the Federation (AuGF) as mandated by Section 86 of the 1999 Constitution. The Senate pointed out that the absence of the Auditor-General for the Federation for the past 10 months has exposed the government to possible mismanagement, lack of accountability, and transparency issues. The communication was signed by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Senator Aliyu Wadada. The upper legislative chamber expressed concern that the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, which is the apex audit institution of the country, had…
According to Bloomberg reports, the new national carrier, Nigerian Air, is set to commence operations by October this year. GOVIMA reported that the new carrier was initially revealed at the Farnborough International Airshow in London back in 2018. Then, in May 2023, Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika launched the airline just 48 hours before the end of his administration, along with an aircraft. This move sparked a considerable nationwide controversy. According to ownership breakdown, Ethiopian Airlines holds 49 percent, the federal government holds five percent, and Nigerian private investors (including SAHCO, MRS, and other institutional investors) hold 46 percent…