Author: Gbenga Olaleye

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised Nigeria’s health system, describing it as unacceptable that millions of citizens still trek long distances for basic medical services, with many dying from preventable diseases such as malaria. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the unveiling of the Care365 Health Hub, chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), Obasanjo lamented that poor access to healthcare continues to claim the lives of vulnerable Nigerians. “It is no longer acceptable that, in the age of artificial intelligence and space tourism, a Nigerian child should die of malaria because her mother could not afford…

OpenAI has announced plans to introduce parental controls on ChatGPT within the next month, following mounting concerns about the chatbot’s potential role in cases of self-harm among teenagers. The company said the new feature will allow parents to link their accounts with their children’s, restrict functions such as memory and chat history, manage how the chatbot responds, and receive alerts if signs of “acute distress” are detected during use. “These steps are only the beginning. We will continue learning and strengthening our approach, guided by experts, with the goal of making ChatGPT as helpful as possible,” OpenAI said in a…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has explained why it deliberately refrained from fielding candidates in three local government areas during the just-concluded council elections, describing the decision as a calculated political strategy. At a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Tony Okocha, a senior APC chieftain, said the party opted not to contest in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt City, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas because it lacked the capacity to challenge the dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in those constituencies. According to Okocha, presenting candidates in the three LGAs would have amounted to “missing the…

President Bola Tinubu has lauded Vice President Kashim Shettima on the occasion of his 59th birthday, describing him as a loyal partner, dependable deputy, and an exemplar of service-driven leadership. In a goodwill message released on Tuesday, President Tinubu said Shettima’s courage, tenacity and unwavering belief in Nigeria’s greatness had been instrumental to the progress of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda. “Today, September 2, 2025, presents me with another unique opportunity to celebrate you, my brother, partner, and Vice President, as you mark another birthday,” the President wrote. Reflecting on Shettima’s political career, Tinubu recalled his service as Governor of…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State has rejected allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that figures in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise were being manipulated. The ADC had recently raised concerns over what it described as irregularities in the online pre-registration process in Lagos and other states, suggesting possible foul play. Responding on Monday in Lagos, the Head of Voter Education and Publicity for INEC in the state, Mr Taiwo Gbadegesin, dismissed the claims as “unfounded and inaccurate,” stressing that they were nothing more than a figment of the party’s imagination. He explained that…

Kwami community in Gombe State was thrown into mourning on Sunday night after suspected kidnappers attacked the area, killing a resident identified as Adamu Commander during a failed abduction attempt. According to eyewitnesses, locals had mobilised swiftly after learning of the intruders’ presence, attempting to resist the assault before the armed men could carry out their mission. Despite their efforts, the gunmen reportedly overpowered the community. Tragically, Commander was captured amid the confrontation and killed in cold blood. Sources revealed that the assailants slit his throat before fleeing into the night. The victim, regarded as a respected member of the…

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to remain neutral as preparations intensify for the 2026 governorship election in the state. In a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo, the State Chairman of the PDP, Sunday Bisi, commended the Inspector-General of Police and the Osun State Commissioner of Police for their professionalism. However, he expressed concern over what the party described as a disturbing pattern of arrests and detentions of its members in recent weeks. According to the PDP, the trend raises suspicions of collusion between the All Progressives Congress…

Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has criticised Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for maintaining silence on the conviction of Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-born Finnish separatist leader. New Daily Prime earlier reported that 40-year-old Ekpa was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment by the Päijät-Häme District Court in Finland for terrorism-related offences, aggravated tax fraud, incitement to commit crimes for terrorist purposes, and violations of the Lawyers Act. The court also ordered that he remain in custody. According to the judgment, Ekpa sought to promote the independence of the Biafra region in Nigeria’s South-East through unlawful means between August 2021…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, cautioning against any attempt to bring former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, back into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, Wike described such a move as “suicidal” for the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections. Governor Mohammed, who also serves as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, had earlier suggested in an interview on Channels Television that the party was considering Obi and former President Goodluck Jonathan as potential presidential…

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said that although President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms have ushered in tough times for citizens and businesses, they remain necessary to reposition the country’s economy. Chairman of MAN in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, Dr Adoga Inalegwu, made this known at the weekend during a familiarisation visit to member companies in Calabar. According to him, Tinubu has taken bold steps that many past administrations had shied away from, especially in tax and foreign exchange reforms. “I think President Bola Tinubu’s policies are necessary and tough decisions that Nigeria needs presently. This is…