Author: Gbenga Olaleye

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has renewed its call on the Federal Government to privatise Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), urging that the process be transparently concluded by the first quarter of 2026. In a statement released on Saturday, PETROAN’s National President, Billy Gillis-Harry, said decades of public investment in the refineries have failed to deliver meaningful commercial output, describing the continued government ownership of the facilities as fiscally wasteful and counterproductive to the growth of the downstream petroleum sector. According to him, sustained public funding of…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that the 17 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) did so without consulting him, despite his longstanding influence in the state’s political affairs. Wike made the disclosure on Saturday while addressing lawmakers at the Assembly Quarters, admitting that the defection personally affected him. The former Rivers State governor is widely regarded as a key political figure in the state and a central player in the crisis that has engulfed the PDP in recent…

Nollywood actress and producer Allwell Ademola has reportedly died, sparking an outpouring of grief across Nigeria’s film industry and on social media. Entertainment sources said Ademola, aged 43, passed away on Saturday after reportedly suffering a heart attack at her residence before being rushed to hospital. As of the time of reporting, there has been no formal statement from her immediate family, but colleagues and associates within the film community have continued to share tributes, describing her death as a devastating loss. News of Ademola’s passing spread quickly online, prompting emotional reactions from fellow actors and fans who remembered her…

As Nigerian states head into 2026 with ambitious spending plans, weak internally generated revenue (IGR) is forcing many to rely heavily on federal allocations, borrowing and other non-recurring inflows to fund their budgets, raising concerns about fiscal sustainability, Sunday PUNCH reports. An analysis of appropriation bills and approved estimates across several states shows that only a few can finance a significant portion of their expenditure from IGR. In most cases, federally shared revenue from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) remains the largest and most predictable source of funding, complemented by value-added tax (VAT) distributions and, for oil-producing states, derivation…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced plans to hold its national convention in mid-2026 as part of wider efforts to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed this on Saturday, saying the ADC is currently focused on nationwide mobilisation, expanding its membership base and strengthening its internal structures. According to him, these efforts are aimed at laying a strong organisational foundation before the next electoral cycle gathers momentum. Abdullahi explained that the party’s immediate priority is to build what he described as a “solid organisational framework” across the country.…

A former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, is set to formally join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as political consultations intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, according to a senior party source. A principal official of the ADC in Abuja said that Obi has concluded plans to defect to the party and is expected to publicly declare his membership at a rally scheduled to hold in Enugu on December 31. Enugu is widely regarded as the political capital of the South-East. According to the source, preparations are already underway, with Obi’s supporters and loyalists making…

The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure, has called on President Bola Tinubu to take firm and decisive action against corruption, urging him to use the broom, the symbol of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to sweep graft out of the country. Abure made the call in a Christmas message issued on Friday in Abuja and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh. He warned that no government could succeed or endure without confronting corruption decisively and bringing it under control. “I called on President Tinubu to use the broom, which…

A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP) in Osun State, Gideon Aloba, has called on the Federal Government to demonstrate transparency and accountability in the management of public resources before proceeding with the implementation of the new tax laws scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026. Aloba warned that any administration which fails to properly account for public funds lacks the moral authority to impose additional tax obligations on citizens. He argued that Nigerians should not be compelled to pay more taxes without first being shown clearly and convincingly how existing revenues are being utilised. The LP stalwart, who…

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has called on the Federal Government to immediately suspend all military cooperation with the United States following reports of US involvement in recent airstrikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria. Gumi warned that American participation in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations could worsen the country’s security challenges and undermine its sovereignty. He made the call in a statement posted on his official Facebook page on Friday, amid growing debate over reported joint military actions between Nigeria and the United States in the North West. While acknowledging that Islam permits the fight against terrorism, the cleric argued that such…

The Armed Forces of Nigeria has said that the recent airstrikes carried out in the North West demonstrate the Federal Government’s unwavering resolve to confront terrorism, in collaboration with the United States. The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, explaining that the operation was based on credible intelligence and carefully planned to weaken terrorist groups while minimising collateral damage. According to Uba, the airstrikes were conducted with the approval of the appropriate authorities and form part of sustained military efforts to rid the country of terrorists and other…