Author: Friday Omosola

Governor, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State today presented a 2025 budget proposal of N605 billion to the State House of Assembly. Tagged the ‘Budget of Renewed Hope for a Rising Edo’, the proposal marks a 25 per cent increase from the 2024 budget under Godwin Obaseki’s administration. Governor Okpebholo disclosed that N223 billion, representing 37 per cent of the total budget, is allocated for recurrent expenditure, while N381 billion, accounting for 63 per cent, is earmarked for capital projects. Addressing the assembly during the presentation, Okpebholo stated that the budget is aligned with his administration’s five-point agenda, security, infrastructural development,…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has joined a growing number of Nigerians in condemning the detention of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi. Farotimi is being remanded in an Ekiti prison over allegations of defaming the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Afe Babalola. Farotimi’s legal ordeal began with his arrest in Lagos and subsequent transfer to Ekiti, where he was arraigned before a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti. The court, presided over by Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun, denied his bail application and postponed its decision to December 20. The court’s fresh order starkly contradicts an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court…

Governor of Ondo State,Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has presented a budget estimate of ₦655.23 billion for the 2025 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly. In a statement posted on his Footbook page today, Ebenezer Adeniyan, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, said the budget tagged “Budget of Recovery,” aims to address key socio-economic challenges and foster development across critical sectors. During the plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji, Governor Aiyedatiwa outlined the breakdown of the budget. The allocation comprises ₦248.923 billion (37.99 per cent) for recurrent expenditure and ₦406.307 billion (62.01 per cent) for capital expenditure. He said…

Six months after President Bola Tinubu approved an increase in the minimum wage for Nigerian workers from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, the implementation has seen varying responses across states. While some governors have adopted the new wage, others are yet to comply.Although the implementation of new pay across states has been gradual, however, a few governors have pledged to meet the ₦70,000 minimum wage, while others have gone beyond the federal government benchmark, committing to pay amounts higher than ₦70,000. In this analysis, the New Daily Prime lists the governors ( 18)who announced plans and commenced the payment of new minimum…

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has disbursed N140 million in cheques to young farmers engaged in commercial agriculture under the “Bring Back the Youth in Agriculture” initiative. In a statement on the state government’s Facebook page today, the programme, executed in collaboration with YSJ Farms Limited, targets boosting food production and youth engagement in farming across six farm clusters in the state. Presenting the cheques at the Osuntokun Pavilion, Government House, Ado-Ekiti yesterday, Oyebanji highlighted the critical global and national food shortages witnessed this year. He emphasised his administration’s commitment to agriculture as a tool for economic empowerment and food…

A day of reckoning came yesterday for Aisha ‘Mama Boko Haram’ Wakil and two others asJustice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court in Maiduguri convicted and sentenced them to five years imprisonment each for fraud involving N6 million. The Head, Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),Dele Oyewale disclosed this in a statement on the anti-graft agency X page. Mama Boko Haram, the Chief Executive Officer of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, an NGO, alongside Programme Manager ,Tahiru Daura and Country Director Lawal Shoyode, were re-arraigned yesterdayon a four-count amended charge of conspiracy, cheating,…

Ondo State owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) has began its 13th convocation ceremony and 25th anniversary with an impressive record of academic excellence and institutional achievements. Speaking at a press briefing in Akure, AAUA Vice-Chancellor, Olugbenga Ige, announced that 6,882 students from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions will be graduating during the convocation ceremony.Meanwhile, Achievers University, Owo, will also hold its 14th convocation ceremony this week Saturday, with about 71 students earning First Class Honours in various disciplines.Prof lge said 62 students earned First Class Honours, while 1,941 and 3,486 graduates got Second Class Upper and Lower Divisions,…

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has commenced an comprehensive remodelling of public schools across the state. The announcement was made by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, in a statement shared on Facebook today. The project was unveiled yesterday during the distribution of notebooks, textbooks, and other instructional materials in Benin City, the state capital. Speaking at the event, Governor Okpebholo directed the immediate distribution of the materials to schools in all 18 Local Government Areas of the state. He condemned the previous hoarding of educational materials as an act of “wickedness,” emphasising his administration’s commitment to improving education…

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has condemned the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and others for allegedly visiting legal luminary Afe Babalola to plead on behalf of human activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi. The New Daily Prime had reported that Farotimi was arrested at his Lagos chambers over allegations of defaming Babalola in his book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.’ Following his arrest, Farotimi was arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ekiti State and remanded at a correctional facility. He was later granted bail of N50 million yesterday by a Federal High Court court.…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has lauded the significant contributions of Nigerians abroad to the global economy, emphasising their role as economic drivers and global ambassadors excelling in various fields. Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima’s spokesperson in a statement on his X page today said, the Vice President stated this at the 10th Annual National Migration Dialogue with theme “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting Their Rights” held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Shettima stressed the dual essence of migration—its benefits and associated challenges and revealed that in 2022, Nigeria accounted for $21.9 billion in diaspora remittances, representing 64 per cent of total…