Author: New Daily Prime

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation has announced the postponement of the National Council for Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy meeting, initially scheduled to take place in Osun State from February 25 to 27, 2025. The decision follows rising political tensions in the state, triggered by the ongoing local government elections. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the postponement through an internal memo titled ‘Urgent Action Against Hosting of National Council for Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy from 24-27 February 2025, in Osun State’. The memo, directed to State Commissioners, Directors of…

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has given the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) a seven-day ultimatum to settle outstanding bridging claims amounting to N100 billion. The association has warned that failure to fulfil the payment within the specified time frame will result in a nationwide withdrawal of services. The announcement came after the NMDPRA failed to honour a commitment made 40 days ago in the presence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to clear the debt. According to IPMAN, the situation, if unresolved, could lead to a severe scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit…

By Alade Adisa In the bid to find a solution to the crisis rocking the Lagos State House of Assembly, leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, within and outside the state are considering either Mr David Setonji from Badagry or Wale Rauf from Amuwo Odofin to step in as the speaker of the House.Both lawmakers are from Lagos West Senatorial District, where the ousted Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, hails from. The need to allow any of the duo to become the speaker is for political balancing in the state.Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is from Lagos Central Senatorial District, just like Mojisola…

By Adeniyi Yusuf After Hashim Abioye, the Osun State Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, declared the 30 chairmanship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party as winners in Saturday’s local government election, opposition groups have voiced their disagreement with the conduct of the election. This is as Abioye, in a short video, noted that the PDP cleared the 332 councillors seats in the poll. He said, “From the available results as obtained from the field, the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 332 wards emerged as winners. Their names as listed, I as the returning officer of the…

President Donald Trump has fired Air Force General CQ Brown Jr., the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in a sweeping shake-up of military leadership that has sparked controversy over the administration’s stance on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Brown, who had been widely respected for his leadership and combat experience, was abruptly removed on Friday as part of a broader effort to purge top military officials who supported diversity initiatives within the armed forces. The move follows remarks by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, who had openly questioned whether Brown was…

By Alade Adisa The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set for a showdown in Osun State on Saturday over the conduct of the local government election. This follows a ruling by the Osun State High Court in Osogbo on Friday afternoon, granting approval for the election to proceed. The PDP, the ruling party in the state, is determined to contest the election, while the APC is relying on a directive from Abuja stating that no such election should be held at this time. This development comes against the backdrop of a court order mandating…

By Muhammed Adeniyi Some Nigerians have criticised former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida for annulling the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which resulted in Moshood Abiola losing his victory. This is as Babangida expressed regret over the annulment of the presidential election, acknowledging that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, MKO Abiola, won the poll. In the concluding section of the 12th chapter of his autobiography launched Thursday in Abuja, titled, ‘A Journey In Service,’ the former leader described the annulment of the election as an “accident of history.” Recall that Abiola, a successful businessman, showed his commitment to creating jobs,…

BEIJING – In a major geopolitical shift, China has expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate a peace deal with Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. The announcement came during the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa on Thursday, where U.S. allies reaffirmed their backing of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Less than a month into his presidency, Trump has drastically altered U.S. policy on Ukraine, reversing a long-standing strategy to isolate Russia. His approach has included direct engagements with Russian President Vladimir Putin and high-level discussions between U.S. and Russian officials—moves that have largely…

A three-man delegation from the World Bank has concluded a five-day visit to the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (LASPPA) to evaluate the state’s electronic procurement system. The delegation, led by Procurement Specialist Akin Onimole, was following up on a previous visit by the Bank’s Regional Manager last year, during which the agency requested the World Bank’s support. Onimole, a former General Manager of LASPPA, expressed his admiration for the agency’s progress, particularly its implementation of the e-Government Procurement (e-GP) system. He commended LASPPA for its achievements, especially the live demonstration of the e-GP system by agency officials and the…

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to call off Saturday’s local government elections, warning that the poll would be unconstitutional and invalid. In a statement issued on Thursday, Fagbemi emphasised that conducting the election would breach the Constitution, as the tenure of the allegedly sacked local government officials remains valid according to a recent Court of Appeal ruling. The judgement, delivered on February 10, 2025, restored the ousted chairmen, rendering any new election unnecessary and unlawful. The political crisis in Osun State, sparked by a…