Author: Gbenga Olaleye

The Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, has called on Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo to resign following his refusal to defect alongside Governor Abba Yusuf to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking to journalists in Kano on Thursday, Waiya emphasised that effective governance relies on trust, loyalty and mutual confidence among members of the executive council. He argued that a deputy governor who no longer shares the same political alignment as the governor should not continue participating in key government meetings. “This is his personal decision, but there is no way someone who is no longer…

France has announced plans to phase out the use of American video conferencing platforms Microsoft Teams and Zoom across all government departments, replacing them with a domestically developed alternative by 2027. The decision forms part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on foreign technology providers and strengthen national control over critical digital infrastructure. The announcement was made on Monday as France intensified its push for digital sovereignty, a priority that has gained urgency amid rising geopolitical tensions and growing concerns across Europe about dependence on US-based technology firms. Under the new policy, French public sector workers will transition to…

Europe has embarked on a large-scale revival of its defence industry to reduce its long-standing dependence on the United States and strengthen its capacity to respond to Russian aggression. The renewed push, driven by security concerns following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, marks the most significant expansion of European defence production in decades. According to estimates cited by The Wall Street Journal, it would cost Europe around $1 trillion to fully replace US military capabilities on the continent. While that goal remains long-term, Europe’s defence industry—long criticised for underinvestment and fragmentation—is now operating at full capacity. Production of drones, tanks, missiles,…

The Senate on Wednesday deferred consideration of the report on the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, opting for further scrutiny of the proposed amendments before reaching a final decision. Lawmakers resolved to step down debate on the report to allow senators more time to study the bill in detail, with consideration expected to resume on Thursday. The decision followed deliberations during plenary on the report of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, which was presented in the absence of the committee’s chairman, Senator Simon Lalong. The absence of the committee head, combined with the far-reaching nature of…

The Presidency has strongly criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his comparison of the Bola Tinubu administration to military rule, describing the remarks as a “wilful distortion of history” and a reflection of “cognitive dissonance.” The response followed comments made by Atiku on Tuesday at the public presentation of The Loyalist, a book authored by the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, held in Abuja. At the event, Atiku described the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government as the worst administration he had witnessed in nearly four decades of political life, arguing that it had…

The Chairman of the Accord Party in Osun State, Mr Victor Akande, has claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not appear on the ballot paper for the forthcoming governorship election in the state scheduled for 8 August 2026. Akande made the assertion on Wednesday in Osogbo, the state capital, while speaking on The Frontliners, a media interactive programme organised by the Veteran Journalists Association in Osun State. According to him, the PDP logo would be absent from the ballot during the governorship poll. “To the best of my knowledge, the umbrella is not going to be on the…

The Osun State Local Government Service Commission has approved the deployment of five Heads of Local Government Administration (HLAs) to new duty posts, further heightening tensions amid the ongoing struggle for control of council areas across the state. The development was contained in a letter dated 26 January 2025 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the commission, Mudashir Oyedeji. The letter, which was obtained by New Daily Prime in Osogbo on Tuesday, announced the immediate redeployment of the affected local government career heads from their previous postings to new council areas. Although the commission did not state the reasons for…

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday struck out an ex parte motion filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking his transfer from the Sokoto Correctional Centre to a custodial facility closer to the Federal Capital Territory. Justice James Omotosho struck out the application after counsel from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, which was handling the matter, applied to withdraw from the case, citing irreconcilable differences with the applicant. Kanu, who was convicted on 20 November 2025 for terrorism-related offences, was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court.…

The Federal Government has announced that the inaugural ₦501 billion tranche of its Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme has achieved a 100 per cent subscription, signalling strong investor confidence in efforts to resolve long-standing financial challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector. The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen. According to the statement, the bond issuance attracted robust participation from a broad range of institutional investors, including pension funds, banks, asset managers, and other market participants. The bond forms part of a wider government strategy aimed at…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to striking staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), directing them to return to work immediately or risk legal consequences. The warning follows a ruling by the National Industrial Court ordering the suspension of the industrial action that has disrupted public services in Abuja for more than a week. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday shortly after the court’s decision, Wike stressed that the rule of law must be respected, adding that the administration would not tolerate further defiance of the court order. He accused…