Author: Friday Omosola

The Ekiti State Government has begun the process of securing a N175.75 billion grant from the Natural Resources Development Fund (NRDF) to diversify the state’s economy through strategic investment in agriculture, solid minerals, and tourism. Governor Biodun Oyebanji disclosed this yesterday during a meeting with officials of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), led by Ambassador Desmond Akawor, in Ado-Ekiti. The RMAFC team was in the state to conduct a feasibility assessment on the proposed projects under the NRDF grant application. READ ALSO: Ekiti govt signs MoU with REA to boost rural electrification Represented by his Chief of Staff,…

Governors from the South-West have championed the urgent need for a constitutional overhaul that would usher in true federalism and the establishment of state policing. Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, and Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti made the call at the South-West Centre B Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review in Akure. The governors argued that the nation’s current centralised police structure is proving unsustainable in the face of escalating insecurity. READ ALSO: INEC announces dates for Ekiti, Osun governorship polls Aiyedatiwa called for a constitutional amendment to permit the creation of state…

Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has provided his rationale for why he and other members of the G5 Governors’ Forum defied the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 general elections. Ortom stated that the G5’s actions were a stand for equity, fairness, and justice within the party. Speaking on Arise TV, Ortom explained that their opposition stemmed from the PDP’s refusal to adhere to the principle of power rotation. READ ALSO: PDP disputes resolved, no coalition — Ortom He highlighted the G5’s insistence that the presidency should shift to the South after eight…

More than 20 individuals, including suspected arms traffickers and their accomplices, have been arrested by the authorities in Kwara State. The arrest followed the renewed security operation targeting criminal networks across several local government areas. The coordinated operation, which began earlier this week, is being carried out in Ifelodun, Ekiti, Edu, and Patigi, as well as other border communities that have recently experienced security breaches. READ ALSO: AbdulRazaq endorses Kwara Kre8 as headline sponsor to empower creative talents Nearly 400 special security operatives have been deployed under the directive of the state government in collaboration with the office of the National…

The Lagos State Ministry of Health has commenced a crucial statewide survey to estimate children’s blood lead levels and assess environmental health. This marks a step in addressing growing concerns over heavy metal exposure among the youngest population. This initiative is being driven by the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on Lead Poisoning Elimination in Nigeria, with support from UNICEF and implementation by the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET). READ ALSO: Lagos govt partners with Diageo Nigeria to empower youth in hospitality, retail The formal launch of preparatory activities for the survey took place during an advocacy visit by the IAWG delegation…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced a significant achievement in its first year of operation, having already allocated over N73.2 billion in interest-free loans to 396,252 students spanning all 36 Nigerian states and the Federal Capital Territory. NELFUND’s Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, shared these figures during a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, reflecting on the substantial progress made since President Bola Tinubu launched the initiative. READ ALSO: More than one million Nigerians have benefited from Loans, Grants — FG Sawyerr reported that the Fund has processed 94% of the 645,692 loan applications received from 206 tertiary institutions across…

The Federal Capital Territory High Court, presided over by Justice Maryanne Anenih, on Thursday clarified that it does not possess the travel passport of the immediate-past Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello. The court stated that the document is, in fact, held by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court. Justice Anenih’s declaration came during the resumed hearing of an alleged money laundering case brought against the former governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). READ ALSO: N80.2bn fraud trial: EFCC opposes Yahaya Bello’s request for medical travel She explained that her court could not consider Bello’s application for…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that Nigeria’s primary constitutional challenge lies not with the document itself, but with the individuals entrusted with its implementation. He spoke yesterday at the commencement of a three-day national summit in Abuja focusing on Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. READ ALSO: Falae claims He, not Obasanjo, won 1999 Presidential election Obasanjo emphasised that even an imperfect constitution can facilitate good governance and enhance citizen welfare if properly operated. Obasanjo’s remarks, delivered by Olawale Okunniyi, the secretary-general of Eminent Patriots, underscored that every constitution, while never flawless, must accurately reflect a nation’s history, aspirations, and constituent parts. “The…

Veteran journalist and businessman, Dele Momodu, has announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared his allegiance to the newly formed coalition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In a letter dated Thursday and addressed to the PDP Ward 4 Chairman in Ihievbe, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State, Momodu confirmed his defection. The 65-year-old media entrepreneur, also the CEO and publisher of Ovation International magazine, cited the hijacking of the PDP by what he described as ‘antidemocratic forces’ both within and outside the party. He lamented that these elements had taken over the party…

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has revealed that he made efforts to attend the burial of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, but was unable to do so due to unforeseen logistical challenges beyond his control. The New Daily Prime reported that Buhari died on Sunday in London and was laid to rest on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State. In a statement posted on his X page on Wednesday following a condolence visit to the Buhari family, the former Anambra State governor explained that after he realised he could not be present…