Author: Gbenga Olaleye

Vice President Kashim Shettima has opened up about the intense political pressure and personal attacks he faced during the final years of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, revealing that he was widely regarded as the most criticised and demonised public figure in that period. Speaking on Thursday at the public unveiling of the book OPL 245: Inside Story of the $1.3bn Nigeria Oil Block, authored by former Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke, Shettima recounted his experiences while serving as governor of Borno State under a challenging political climate. “In the last four years of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s…

The Federal Government has revealed that over one million Nigerians have benefited from various loan and grant schemes under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with funds from the removal of the petrol subsidy being reinvested into major infrastructure projects across the country. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Thursday while addressing State Commissioners of Information at the Progressive Governors’ Forum conference in Minna, Niger State. According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Rabiu Ibrahim, over 900,000 small businesses have accessed the Presidential Conditional Grant and Loan Scheme, while more than 350,000 students…

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday initiated a comprehensive investigation into the surge of Ponzi schemes across the country, sparked by the recent collapse of the Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX), a digital investment platform that reportedly defrauded Nigerians of over N1.3 trillion. Described as one of the largest financial scams in Nigeria’s history, the CBEX debacle has exposed glaring weaknesses in financial regulation and oversight. Senators expressed deep concern over the social and economic fallout, including rising suicide rates and diminishing public trust in financial institutions. The motion to investigate was jointly sponsored by Senators Tokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) and Osita…

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has firmly dismissed rumours suggesting he is seeking the position of National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), calling such reports false and distracting. A statement issued by Akume’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, on Thursday, responded to a publication by a national news outlet which named Akume among top politicians allegedly vying for the APC chairmanship. “The attention of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has been drawn to a publication indicating that he is one of the…

The Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, has announced that funds lost in the now-defunct CBEX investment scheme have been successfully recovered, with the process for final forfeiture currently underway. The CBEX scheme, which collapsed in April 2025, left an estimated 600,000 Nigerians defrauded, with collective losses totalling N1.3 trillion. While Mr Olukoyede did not disclose the specific amount recovered so far, he assured the public that decisive legal and enforcement actions are already in motion. Speaking during an event in Abuja to mark Africa Anti-Corruption Day on Thursday, the EFCC Chairman confirmed that…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 217,980 voters in Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo State, will cast their ballots to elect a new representative to the National Assembly. The commission revealed on Wednesday that 19 registered political parties in Oyo State are eligible to participate in the forthcoming by-election, scheduled for 16 August 2025. Campaigning by the political parties will run from 2 to 14 August. Speaking at a stakeholders meeting with political parties ahead of the by-election, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Oyo State, Dr Adeniran Tella, provided key details about the process and preparations.…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Osun State chapter has officially declared its unwavering support for President Bola Tinubu’s preferred candidate in the forthcoming Osun governorship election, quelling rumours that the President is backing the incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Senator Ajibola Bashiru, the National Secretary of the APC, made the assertion on Wednesday during an interactive session with the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). He categorically stated that whatever directive comes from President Tinubu concerning the Osun governorship race is final and binding on the party members. “Whatever President Tinubu says…

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving 95% digital literacy nationwide by 2030, with an ambitious intermediate target of 70% by 2027. Speaking at a collaborative meeting hosted by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Inuwa emphasised that this goal aligns closely with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s broader agenda of economic reform, diversification, and inclusive growth. The administration’s strategy focuses on accelerating industrialisation, digitisation, creative arts, manufacturing, and innovation as key drivers of national transformation. “We started this journey in 2023 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came…

The Nigerian economy is steadily improving under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, according to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. Speaking on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by members and newly elected executives of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to his office in Abuja, Idris attributed the progress to comprehensive reforms across multiple sectors. While acknowledging ongoing challenges, the minister emphasised that the government is making consistent headway in managing the economy. “The economy is not yet what we want it to be but we can see that there is a steady progression. The President has said…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has categorically rejected claims of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, insisting that any change in leadership will be achieved strictly through democratic means. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised what he called reckless and unsubstantiated allegations made by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. Onanuga had alleged that the opposition was orchestrating a plan to topple the Tinubu administration. Responding to the accusation, Abdullahi dismissed the notion as “a deliberate falsehood” aimed at justifying potential repression of opposition voices.…