Author: Gbenga Olaleye

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reiterated that the official age for voter registration remains 18 years, in line with provisions of the Electoral Act. This clarification was provided by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, during an advocacy visit to the Emir of Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar-Suleiman, in Gashua on Thursday. The REC’s statement came in response to a query from the Emir regarding whether individuals aged 16 or 17 could register to vote in anticipation of reaching the legal voting age by the 2027 general elections. “Only eligible citizens of 18…

The world’s oldest living person, British great-grandmother Ethel Caterham, celebrated her 116th birthday on Thursday, 21 August 2025, marking yet another extraordinary milestone in a life that spans more than a century of global change. Caterham, who resides in a care home in Surrey, England, became the world’s oldest person earlier this year following the death of Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas in April, who also reached the age of 116. Born on August 21, 1909, in Shipton Bellinger, a village in southwestern England, Caterham was just five years old when World War I began. Her lifetime has encompassed two…

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has firmly stated that he is not engaged in any supremacy battle with any monarch, either within Yorubaland or anywhere in the world. This clarification comes amid growing public speculation following a recent disagreement between the Alaafin and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. The dispute reportedly began after Oba Owoade criticised the Ooni’s decision to confer the chieftaincy title of Okanlomo of Oduwa on businessman Dotun Sanusi during an event in Ibadan. In a statement released on Thursday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin described himself…

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has issued a stern call to the leadership of community development unions across Abia and beyond, urging them to prioritise integrity and good governance within their localities. Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting with the Abia State Association of Igbo Town Unions at the Government House, Umuahia, Governor Otti lamented the continued presence of individuals with questionable character in leadership positions across some communities. The union delegation, led by its President General, George Mgbeorurukwe, met with the governor to discuss issues affecting their operations and collaboration with the state government. Otti made it clear that…

Liverpool legend and former England international, Steven Gerrard, has revealed his top three midfielders in the world at the moment, highlighting players who have consistently dominated the centre of the pitch for both club and country. Gerrard, who is widely regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, made the selections during a quickfire interview session with ESPN, where he was asked to name his current top three midfielders. Without hesitation, the former Liverpool captain named Manchester City’s Rodri, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, and Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha. “Rodri, Mac Allister and Vitinha,” Gerrard simply said, giving a nod…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has strongly cautioned the political support group ADC Vanguard against attributing fabricated statements to him. In a post shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, El-Rufai stated unequivocally that while he maintains active platforms for expressing his opinions, the remarks recently circulated by ADC Vanguard did not originate from him. “Dear ADC Vanguard, please stop fabricating statements and attributing them to me. I have my own social media accounts where I can share my views and opinions,” he wrote. “I am going to disown the statements you created and attributed,…

A prominent figure within Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dominic Alancha, has expressed concerns that a potential alliance between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Anambra State Governor Peter Obi could significantly undermine the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections. Alancha shared his views during an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television, where he noted that such a coalition would represent a formidable challenge to the APC’s electoral strength. According to NewDailyPrime, on 2 July 2025, key opposition leaders, including Atiku, Obi, former Senate President David Mark, as well as former ministers…

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Ibrahim Mani, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating widespread vote buying during the recent by-elections across several states. Speaking during an interview on Trust TV, Dr. Mani claimed that the ruling APC engaged in more voter inducement than any other party, citing observations made by ADC monitors deployed to various polling units during the elections. “In most of the places we monitored, it was the ruling party that benefited more from vote buying. And in Kano, the ruling party in the state also bought votes,” he alleged. Dr.…

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has provided reasons for granting an ex parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to freeze the bank accounts of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, marks a significant turn in the ongoing investigations surrounding Kyari, who has faced increasing scrutiny since his dismissal earlier this year by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Under the court order, funds amounting to ₦661,464,601.50 held across three accounts with Jaiz Bank have been frozen. The…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has cautioned Nigerians against hastily labelling the ongoing Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) probe of former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, as politically motivated. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Wike stressed that investigations by the EFCC are a routine part of governance and do not always signal political targeting. “People should stop claiming that Tambuwal is being witch-hunted because he belongs to the opposition,” Wike said. “Many Nigerians have been invited or investigated by the EFCC, and it does not always mean politics is involved.” Wike referred to…