Author: New Daily Prime

According to data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the naira appreciated by 0.16 percent to 1530.52/$ at the close of trading on Wednesday, March 19, from 1532.93/$ in the previous session. The naira traded as high as 1545/$ and reached a low of 1500/$, which was lower than Tuesday’s figures. In the parallel market, CardinalStone Research reported that the naira remained unchanged at 1,585.00/$, causing the spread for speculative traders to widen. Analysts noted that the gap between official and parallel market rates had narrowed to about 3.07 per cent from 3.40 per cent earlier in the week.…

By Aanu Adeoye. Illustrations by Diana Ejaita How to navigate everything from greetings to meetings to dress code in the Nigerian megacity So you have decided to come to Lagos for a business trip. Why? But seriously, welcome. You may have heard that Lagos can be chaotic at the best of times. That is true. It’s an inevitability when the country’s smallest state by land area also holds its largest urban population of more than 20mn. There are more people in Lagos, a tiny strip of land surrounded by water, than in London and New York combined. Pack sunscreen…

Radical changes that will cut income for 1mn people may not get many more into work, say analysts UK ministers have set out plans for a radical reform of welfare for the sick and disabled — including a £5bn cut to spending on health-related benefits, a new duty for claimants to engage with job support programmes, and a £1bn investment in back-to-work programmes. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall said the changes would ensure sick and disabled people had “the same rights, choices and chances as everyone else”, while keeping support in place for those who could never work…

Nigerian social media personality and commentator Isaac Fayose has weighed in on the Rivers State controversy, pointing fingers at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the country’s democratic woes. In a video posted on his Instagram page on Wednesday, March 19, Fayose claimed that Obasanjo laid the foundation for the problems plaguing Nigeria’s democracy today, including election rigging, ballot box snatching, and godfatherism. He stated, “All the bad things happening in our democratic system today were started by Obasanjo. Obasanjo derailed this democracy. That is why you can see rigging of elections, snatching of ballot boxes and Godfatherism now, because it…

The Federal Government has defended President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it a timely move aimed at preventing a potential crisis in the state. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made the statement on Wednesday, March 19, while addressing State House correspondents at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja. “We are about two years into the administration in the state, Now, when do you think the President should have intervened? Should it have been when everything had been destroyed? I don’t think so,” Fagbemi said. He added, “I…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio paid a visit to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, at his Abuja residence on Tuesday evening, just hours after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State. The visit was confirmed by Wike’s spokesman, Lere Olayinka, who shared the news on X (formerly Twitter). Olayinka posted, “The Uncommon Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during his visit to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in his residence today.” At the time of reporting, no official statement had been released regarding the specific agenda of the meeting. However, Akpabio’s visit came at…

Just one day after declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, President Bola Tinubu has met with Vice Admiral Ibok-Étè Ibas, the newly appointed sole administrator tasked with overseeing the state’s governance. Ibas arrived at the Presidential Villa at approximately 12:48 pm (local time) for the crucial meeting, which comes amid a tense political crisis in the oil-rich state. On Tuesday, March 18, Tinubu declared the emergency measure, suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for an initial period of six months. In a national broadcast,…

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as the Sole Administrator for Rivers State following the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Mrs. Ngozi Odu, for six months. This move comes in the wake of a state of emergency declared in Rivers to address the ongoing political unrest. Admiral Ibas, a seasoned military officer with an extensive career in the Nigerian Navy, was previously the 22nd Chief of the Naval Staff, a role he held from 2015 until his retirement in 2021. His new appointment places him at the helm of governance in the state,…

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has voiced strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to impose a state of emergency in Rivers State, deeming it an essential step towards restoring stability to the region’s turbulent political environment. In a statement released on Tuesday, March 18, by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Matawalle emphasised the significance of this decisive move in addressing the ongoing political crisis, which has hindered the effective governance and welfare of the people of Rivers. Matawalle reflected on President Tinubu’s address regarding the state of emergency, acknowledging the gravity of the…

Suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Simi Fubara, said despite unwarranted provocation and machinations by those opposed to him to cause trouble in the state, it has been safe, secured and peaceful under his watch. He has also condemned the imposition of the state of emergency in the state. He made the claims in a statement he personally endorsed on Wednesday. Fubara in the statement he personally signed said: “I address you today with a deep sense of responsibility and calm, as we navigate this unfortunate moment in our state’s political history. “Since assuming office as your Governor, all my…