Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai paid a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari On Sunday at his residence in Daura, Katsina State. This visit occurred less than 24 hours after Buhari hosted Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Author: Editor Francis
Professor Anthony Kila, a distinguished expert in Strategy and development and Director-General/Founder of the Commonwealth Institute for Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), has revealed that decentralising power from the federal center to the states or regions is key to overcoming many of Nigeria’s challenges. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Prof. Kila argued that decentralisation would drive the country’s development more effectively than the proposed rotational presidency, which he referred to as a “turn-by-turn” presidency. According to Kila, the intense competition among regions and states to produce the president stems from the excessive concentration…
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to find a resolution to their ongoing issues to avoid disruptions in the academic calendar. Speaking at a news briefing in Akure, NANS Senate President Mr. Henry Okunomo highlighted the urgent need for both parties to reach common ground. This comes in response to ASUU’s recent three-week ultimatum to the Federal Government regarding unresolved demands. Mr. Okunomo emphasized the importance of immediate and decisive government action to avert any potential strikes that could disrupt the educational sector. He urged…
Madagascar’s capital has a new means of public transport. The first cable car rode over neighborhoods of Antananarivo carrying President Andriy Rajoelina, city officials and project contractors. Capable of carrying up to 75,000 passengers a day, the cars are designed to reduce congestion in the Malagasy capital, which today has a population of over 3 million. “Remove 75,000 passengers every day, at bus level, remove 2,000 cars at Tana road level, it’s already a lot in terms of carbon savings and especially mobility,” said Gérard Andriamanohisoa, Secretary of State for New Towns and Housing at the Presidency. The 152 million…
Nigeria has marked a significant milestone with its first commercial transaction of raw gold sales at the London Bullion Market Association, according to Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development. Announced on Sunday, this transaction has added $5 million to Nigeria’s foreign reserves. The deal involved over 70 kilogrammes of gold, refined to the London Bullion Market Good Delivery Standard, which were sourced from local artisanal and small-scale miners. This initiative has injected approximately N6 billion into the rural economy. Minister Alake revealed these developments while presenting the latest refined gold bar to President Bola Tinubu over the weekend.…
Cuba announced its decision to participate in South Africa’s legal action at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. The Cuban Foreign Ministry released a statement on Friday confirming their involvement in the case. The move is aimed primarily at “stopping the atrocities against the Palestinian people as a result of Israel’s disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force,” said the statement. On December 29, 2023, South Africa initiated legal proceedings against Israel at the ICJ, citing violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention in relation to Palestinians in Gaza. Following South Africa’s lead, other countries…
Sanusi Bature, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, has said that Aminu Ado Bayero was never the Emir of Kano. In an appearance on Arise Television, Bature clarified that former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje had appointed Bayero as the Emir of the eight metropolitan local governments of Kano City rather than the entire Kano Emirate. Bature criticised Ganduje for introducing politics into the historical Kano Emirate, which he said predates Nigeria and its constitution by over a thousand years. “The previous administration under Ganduje decided to compromise that history and politicise the emirate,” Bature stated. He…
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), visited former President Muhammadu Buhari at his Daura residence. The meeting, captured in a viral video, has drawn considerable attention. Following his visit to Buhari, Atiku also called on former Heads of State, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, at their residences in Niger State on Wednesday, June 19. These visits highlight Atiku’s ongoing engagements with key political figures ahead of the upcoming elections. Further details of the meetings are expected to emerge soon.
A year after internal divisions split the opposition Labour Party in Nigeria, with factions led by National Chairman Julius Abure and Deputy National Chairman (South) Lamidi Apapa claiming leadership, both camps have agreed to reunite. Tensions erupted in April 2023 when a court restrained Abure and three others from acting as national officers, prompting a fierce counter-effort by Abure to retain his position, backed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) under President Joe Ajaero. The conflict intensified after a contentious national convention in Anambra, which re-elected Abure and his loyalists, leading to picketing and threats from unionists. In response, the…
The Federal High Court in Lagos has permanently forfeited properties valued at N11.14 billion and an additional N1.04 billion, linked to the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to the Federal Government. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke issued the final forfeiture order after considering a motion filed and argued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) through its counsel, Chineye Okezie. The initial interim forfeiture was granted on June 5, 2024, following a motion by EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN). Oyedepo informed the court that Emefiele was suspected of acquiring the properties through proxies with…
Biafra activist Simon Ekpa announced on Friday that the United States Department of Justice has officially registered the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE) as an entity advocating for Biafra’s independence. This development coincides with an offer from Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to engage in potential dialogue with the Nigerian government. Ekpa, who holds the title of Prime Minister of BRGIE, asserted last week that declaring Biafra’s independence is essential for restoring peace in the West African region. He described the US Department of Justice’s decision to register BRGIE as a significant and…
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has attributed all his achievements over the past year to the support of President Bola Tinubu. Speaking on Friday during a ”thank you tour ” to the Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency, Alia, a former clergyman turned politician, emphasised that his successes were made possible by the President’s backing. Governor Alia highlighted several key accomplishments, including the construction of roads, an underpass, the payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities, as well as the remodelling of the Assembly Complex and State Secretariat. He credited these developments to President Tinubu’s “unimaginable support.” Alia called on the people of Benue…