Author: Gbenga Olaleye

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has publicly criticised the Minister of Works, David Umahi, over the handling of questions relating to the cost of the controversial Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. In a viral video from an event held on Friday, Governor Makinde expressed his disapproval of the minister’s evasive responses during a recent live television interview. The incident, which aired earlier in the week on Arise TV, involved a heated exchange between Umahi and broadcaster Rufai Oseni, who had requested a kilometre-by-kilometre breakdown of the highway’s cost. Rather than provide a straightforward answer, Umahi dismissed the question as “elementary” and…

Former Vice President and presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has condemned the ongoing detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing it as a “stain on our belief in the rule of law” and an abuse of judicial authority. Atiku lent his full support to the campaign led by activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore calling for Kanu’s immediate release or lawful prosecution. In a strongly worded statement, Atiku lamented the defiance of court orders that granted bail to Kanu, calling it “an abuse of power and an assault on justice.” He stressed that the prolonged detention of Kanu remains an open…

Activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has announced that a protest march demanding the release of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu will take place on October 20 in Abuja. The African Action Congress (AAC) founder shared the date on his X handle on Thursday, describing the demonstration as a “historic” and peaceful march to the Aso Rock Villa. “We now have a date for the historic #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest march to the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. It is October 20 at 7 am,” Sowore wrote, urging Nigerians to join the call for Kanu’s release. In the…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a stern warning to marginal oil field licence holders who lack the capacity to operate, urging them to leave the sector rather than waste valuable time and resources. The President made this declaration on Wednesday during the commissioning of Green Energy International Limited’s (GEIL) $400 million crude oil export terminal in Otakikpo, Rivers State. Tinubu was represented at the event by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri. In his remarks, Tinubu emphasised the need for serious commitment from marginal field operators, stating that those who cannot meet the minimum…

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Fidelis Oditah, has emphasised the urgent need for the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be a person of unquestionable integrity, independence, and professional competence, not a political loyalist. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, Oditah stated that President Bola Tinubu has a constitutional and moral responsibility to appoint a credible and impartial figure to head the country’s electoral body, especially in light of the controversies surrounding the 2023 general elections. “The INEC chairman needs to be someone who is impartial, independent, competent, accountable, professional and trustworthy.…

Dozens of Nigerian youths under the banner of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) staged a protest at the headquarters of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in Abuja on Thursday, demanding the immediate reversal of the council’s deregistration and the removal of the Registrar-General, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN. Led by NYCN President, Ambassador Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, the protest marks the beginning of a 30-day nationwide demonstration aimed at pressuring the CAC to reinstate the council’s corporate status. The deregistration came amid an ongoing legal dispute, prompting accusations from the protesters that the action amounts to contempt of court. Displaying…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Northern Support Group has officially declared its unwavering support for former President Goodluck Jonathan to emerge as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections. The endorsement was made in a communiqué released following the group’s 8th meeting held in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, spanning Wednesday and Thursday. According to the communiqué, jointly signed by the group’s Northern Coordinator, Yusuf Abubakar, and North-West Zonal Secretary, Adamu Narayi, Jonathan remains “the only man capable of redeeming the PDP and restoring Nigeria’s unity.” The coalition, made up of loyalists and support groups from all 19 northern…

The Federal Government has issued a 30-day ultimatum to all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to submit comprehensive reports on unutilised intervention funds received from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). This directive was given by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during a strategic meeting held with heads of tertiary institutions in Abuja on Thursday. Dr Alausa expressed deep concern over the persistent issue of idle funds that have not been deployed for developmental projects within institutions. According to him, the Ministry of Education has faced ongoing challenges due to financial allocations remaining unused, which has hindered critical infrastructure…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has requested Senate approval for a new external loan of $2.3 billion to support the implementation of the 2025 national budget. The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to the Senate and read during plenary on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. READ ALSO: Tinubu seeks lawmakers’ approval for fresh $2.2bn loan In the letter, Tinubu said the loan was part of the 2022–2024 borrowing plan earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council. He explained that the loan would be used to finance key infrastructure and development projects in sectors such as power, transportation, health,…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu, over the practice of naming roads constructed by the FCT Administration without authorisation. Wike gave the warning on Wednesday during the official flag-off of the construction of Road A09 in the Asokoro district of Abuja. The Minister, visibly displeased, said the naming of roads funded and executed by the FCT Administration without proper coordination was inappropriate and would no longer be tolerated. “We cannot be doing roads, putting infrastructure, and then you wake up…