Author: Alade Adisa

Outgoing US President Joe Biden on Saturday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 individuals, bestowing the highest civilian honour in the United States to entertainers, sports stars, politicians, and diplomats. Prominent among the honourees are; Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, senator and US secretary of state, who unsuccessfully ran against Donald Trump for the presidency in 2016, soccer superstar, Lionel Messi, singer and activist, Bono, basketball legend, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, longtime fashion editor, Anna Wintour, actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, and fashion designer Ralph Lauren. The White House said in a statement, ”The honorees are…

For the umpteenth time, President Bola Tinubu has defended his administration’s decision to remove fuel subsidy, insisting that it was a “necessary” move to secure the country’s future. The president had, during his inauguration ceremony in May 2023, declared an end to the subsidy regime, an action that resulted in an instant hike in the cost of petrol and cost of living. Also, the resultant hardship on the generality of the Nigerian people led to pockets of protests and condemnation of the move by critics and a large percentage of the people. However, President Tinubu, during his visit to Enugu…

Things could be a little frosty inside the president’s armored limo on the morning of January 20. President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, his predecessor and successor, have never been friendly. The current commander in chief thinks the president-elect is a mortal threat to America’s soul. Trump has long insulted “Sleepy Joe” Biden and claims he ordered his multiple indictments, despite a lack of evidence. The atmosphere between the two men is worsening by the day as the inauguration nears. Biden keeps landing jabs seemingly calculated to get under Trump’s skin. And the president-elect has been taking his lumps on…

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has declared that nobody enthroned him as governor of Rivers State, contrary to claims that some political leaders in the state made him governor. The minister, who made the remarks during a civic reception he held in honour of some Rivers State politicians loyal to him on Friday in Port Harcourt, however, admitted that he received political support from certain leaders, but maintained that he ultimately fought his way to power. The former governor was quick to contrast his rise politically to that of the current Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, whom he claimed…

In a dramatic turn of events,two out of the 18 suspended Local Government Chairmen in Edo State, yesterday defected to the ruling All Progressives Party, (APC) The chairmen’s defection is coming after they were suspended by Governor Monday Okpebholo after his petition, alleging insubordination, was endorsed by the Assembly. One of the Chairmen, Hon Efida Enowoghomenma of Ovia South West Local Government area, defected to the APC with eight elected councillors including the Leader of the House, Hon. Nosakhare Edobor. In the same vein, the chairman of Owan West local government area Hon Dickson Ahonsi and five elected councillors also…

Like a bolt out of the blue, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has sacked the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Muhammad Aliyu-Ubamdoma, and dissolved the state executive council (SEC). Also, the governor booted out the commissioners, senior special advisers, special advisers, and personal assistants. According to Daily Trust, the announcement was made during an emergency executive meeting at Government House, Lafia, on Friday, following Vice President Kashim Shetima’s departure after inaugurating state projects during a one-day visit. Also, a top government official, speaking anonymously said, “Although the exact reasons for the dissolution are unclear, the governor is known…

Incoming US President Donald Trump will be sentenced on 10 January in his hush-money case in New York – less than two weeks before he is set to be sworn in as president, a judge has ordered. On Friday, New York Justice Juan Merchan signalled he would not sentence Trump to jail time, probation or a fine, but instead give him an “unconditional discharge”, and wrote in his order that the president-elect could appear in person or virtually for the hearing. The president-elect had vigorously attempted countless times, to use his presidential election victory to have the case against him…

Incumbent Mike Johnson was reelected House Speaker on January 3 after a tense roll call, overcoming opposition from hard-right Republicans. Despite Trump’s support, his narrow majority and past struggles signal ongoing challenges as Congress prepares for key tasks. Republican Mike Johnson won reelection to the House speakership on a first ballot Friday, pushing past GOP hard-right holdouts and buoyed with a nod of support from President-elect Donald Trump. A collection of hardline Republicans convened in the back of the House chamber during a tense roll call on the first day of the new Congress, one by one declining to vote…

The governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, on Friday appointed seven new traditional rulers, among whom is Sani Ahmadu Ribadu, the younger brother of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. The new appointments followed the recent creation of seven monarchies by the governor. Governor Fintiri, in response to public outcry, created five chiefdoms and two emirates – comprising four second-class and three third-class statuses on December 23, 2024,. The newly appointed monarchs are Sani Ahmadu Ribadu, Emir of Fufore; Alheri Nyako, ‘Tol Huba’; Bulus Luka Gadiga, ‘Mbege Ka Michika’; Ali Danburam, ‘Ptil Madagali’; John Dio, ‘Gubo Yungur’; Aggrey Ali,…

A wanted convicted leader of an international human trafficking network, Uadiale Christiana Jacob, aka Christy Evan Osagie, has been arrested by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. According to reports, the socialite, whose network operates across the Middle Eastern countries with an operational base in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was arrested on December 31, 2024, on arrival from Dubai for new year celebration. National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said the suspect, who is also called…