Author: Damilola

United States President Donald Trump has drawn backlash after sharing an AI-generated image of himself depicted as Jesus Christ, intensifying his ongoing feud with Pope Leo XIV. The image, posted on Truth Social, shows Trump dressed in flowing robes and surrounded by radiant light, appearing to perform a healing. Figures resembling angels or soldiers hover around him, while fighter jets cut across the sky, fireworks explode overhead, and the Statue of Liberty stands in the background—combining religious symbolism with imagery of American strength. The post came shortly after Trump launched a series of attacks on the pope over his stance…

The Nigerian Naira began the new trading week on a mixed note, recording slight fluctuations against the United States Dollar across key segments of the foreign exchange market on Monday, April 13, 2026. At the official window, the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), the local currency opened at about N1,358.84 per Dollar. Early trading data showed minor volatility, with the Naira weakening briefly to N1,362.08 before rebounding toward the N1,358 range. The movement reflects a largely stable trend, supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s continued management of system liquidity. In contrast, the parallel market maintained higher exchange rates, driven…

Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has pushed back against reports claiming he admitted flaws in Nigeria’s newly introduced tax laws, even as a circulating video shows him discussing “problems we identified” during the legislative process. On April 10, the committee issued a statement indicating that errors had arisen from manual processes and multiple layers of review during the drafting of the laws. It added that corrective measures were already being pursued through a proposed finance bill. However, in a follow-up statement shared on his official X account on Sunday, the committee described claims…

The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied reports of internal crisis, describing claims of mass resignations and unpaid delegates’ stipends as false. In a statement on Sunday, State Publicity Secretary Uche Obute said the allegations were “concocted stories” aimed at distracting the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. “There was no agitation whatsoever regarding the welfare of delegates,” Obute stated. The party also dismissed claims of member exits due to marginalisation, insisting its structure in the state had been strengthened. “The Governor is widely known for his inclusive leadership style, carrying along both members…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations that it copied a press statement from Dada Olusegun, a Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media. The commission described the claims as “fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.” The controversy followed INEC’s reposting of a statement debunking claims that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, had endorsed a partisan post on X. “Any circulation of the statement outside the Commission’s official channels was done independently and not coordinated by INEC,” the commission said. “The publication by Peoples Gazette is fake, misleading, and a misrepresentation of facts.” INEC maintained…

UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting has expressed disappointment over stalled negotiations between the United States and Iran, describing recent remarks by President Donald Trump as “extraordinary”. “It’s obviously disappointing that we haven’t yet seen a breakthrough in negotiations and an end to this war in Iran that is a sustainable one,” Streeting told Sky News. “As ever in diplomacy, you’re failing, until you succeed… that doesn’t mean there isn’t merit in continuing to try,” he added. Streeting also criticised Trump’s rhetoric during the crisis. “Over the course of the past week, President Trump has said some pretty bold… incendiary, provocative,…

The United States and Iran have failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of high-stakes negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. US Vice-President JD Vance said Tehran rejected Washington’s terms during the talks. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” he said. Vance added that the US requires a “fundamental commitment” from Iran not to develop nuclear weapons. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct relevant authorities to investigate the alleged missing or diverted N2.9 billion from the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA). In a letter dated April 11 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation also called on the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to account for the funds, and asked the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, alongside anti-corruption agencies, to probe the allegations. “The Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Abuja failed to…

Kenya’s President William Ruto has said the African Union (AU) is not fit for purpose, calling for sweeping reforms to reposition the continental body. Ruto made the remarks while addressing intelligence chiefs at the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Mombasa, noting that African leaders had tasked him with spearheading reform efforts. “My colleagues, heads of state, gave me the assignment to work on the reform of the African Union institutions and organs to make them fit for purpose for a time such as this,” he said. “I can tell you without an iota of doubt that the African Union, as it…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias following its derecognition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership led by David Mark. INEC had on April 1 said it would no longer recognise both the Mark-led leadership and the faction led by Nafiu Bala after the court of appeal ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum. Speaking on BBC Newsday, Abubakar said the commission acted outside its legal bounds. “We are accusing them [INEC] of misinterpreting the law, even though it is not their responsibility to do that. The court has already…