Author: Olaoluwa Vincent Ajayi

Opposition parties have dismissed the recent wave of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the ruling party will still face defeat in the 2027 general elections despite the growing number of defecting governors and political office holders. Speaking in an interview, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ememobong, said defections do not translate into electoral strength and accused defecting politicians of betraying the mandate freely given to them by the electorate. According to him, elected officials who abandon the political parties on whose platforms they were voted into office raise serious moral and…

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday, January 26, for a state visit to the Republic of Türkiye, barely a week after returning from the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit in the United Arab Emirates. According to a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the Türkiye visit is aimed at strengthening the existing cordial relations between Nigeria and Türkiye while exploring new areas of cooperation. “The visit is expected to deepen bilateral ties and expand collaboration in key sectors such as security, education, social development, innovation and aviation,” the statement said. Onanuga noted that President Tinubu’s visit…

Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system is facing a worsening manpower crisis as the number of practising doctors in the country has dropped sharply to about 40,000, far below the estimated 300,000 required to adequately serve a population of over 220 million. The alarming figure marks a steep decline from the 55,000 licensed doctors recorded in 2024, according to data earlier disclosed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate. The latest revelation, however, was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, who warned that Nigeria lost about 15,000 doctors within just one year. Speaking…

Amid international pressure on Nigeria over allegations that Christians are being persecuted and killed by Boko Haram, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is grappling with deepening internal divisions over whether Vice President Kashim Shettima should remain on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election, exposing early fault lines within the ruling party. The debate moved into the open after comments by the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who warned that dropping Shettima could seriously weaken the APC’s chances of retaining power. Musawa argued that removing the northern Muslim vice-president would risk alienating…

The Office of Abubakar Malami, SAN expresses concern over a series of actions by state agencies which, taken together, amount to a deliberate attempt to frustrate his constitutional right to a fair hearing and effective legal defence. Following charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Federal High Court granted Mr. Malami bail. However, the EFCC delayed the submission of his international passports to the court for approximately one week, despite the passports being a key condition for the perfection of bail. This delay unnecessarily prolonged his detention and obstructed the execution of a valid court order. Read…

A senior United States official has reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to supporting the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) through enhanced training programmes and the provision of modern operational equipment. The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Ms. Maggie Nardi, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Force Headquarters in Abuja at the weekend. Ms. Nardi led a delegation that included Mr. Jacob Wright, Senior Adviser at INL, and Mr. Grane Douglas, Acting Director of INL Abuja. During the meeting, both sides reviewed existing areas of cooperation and explored new opportunities…

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has criticised Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf over his resignation from the party, describing the move as a betrayal of a sacred trust bestowed on him by the people of the state. In a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, the party dismissed Governor Yusuf’s claim of an irredeemable crisis within the NNPP as baseless and an afterthought. Governor Yusuf formally resigned from the NNPP on Friday and is widely expected to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).…

After nearly a decade of bitter public conflict, court battles and sharp exchanges that played out across social media and the courts, Nollywood actress and philanthropist Tonto Dikeh has announced a reconciliation with her former husband, businessman Olakunle Churchill, describing the moment as a “divine restoration” that has brought peace where chaos once ruled. In an emotional statement shared with her followers, Dikeh said the long-running feud that defined their post-marriage relationship had finally given way to forgiveness and mutual respect. She reflected on what she described as ten years of pain, broken communication and public battles, noting that the…

President Donald Trump has warned that Canada could face sweeping 100% tariffs on its exports to the United States if it proceeds with a new trade agreement with China, sharply escalating tensions between the two neighbours. In a social media post on Saturday, Trump said Canada would pay a heavy price if it allowed Chinese goods to enter the U.S. through its territory. He accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of attempting to turn Canada into a “drop-off port” for Chinese products, warning that such a move would not be tolerated by Washington. The threat came despite Trump previously praising the…

The Jigawa State Police Command has arrested a newlywed woman for allegedly poisoning her husband with rat poison in Gauza village, Jahun Local Government Area of the state. The incident occurred on January 23, 2026, at about 5:00 pm, shortly after the deceased reportedly ate a meal prepared by his wife at their home. Confirming the development in a statement issued on Saturday in Dutse, the state capital, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Shi’isu Adam, said detectives from the Jahun Police Division were immediately deployed following a report of the sudden death. Read related News from New Daily…