Author: New Daily Prime

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed its approval of the Federal Government’s decision to rename the University of Abuja after General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), Nigeria’s former Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. In a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, lauded the honour bestowed upon General Gowon. He described him as “a nationalist of exceptional stature, an icon of Nigeria’s struggles for national unity, a man of great humility, a symbol of military professionalism, and a revered hero who gave his all to keep Nigeria united.” “The Arewa…

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigerians paid a staggering N2.23 trillion as ransom over a 12-month period between May 2023 and April 2024. This amount was paid by households affected by kidnapping incidents, underscoring the increasing threat posed by criminal activities across the country. The NBS’s latest Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey report shows that a total of 51.89 million crime incidents were recorded across Nigerian households during the reference period. The North-West region reported the highest number of crimes, with 14.4 million cases, followed by the North-Central region with 8.8 million incidents. In contrast,…

The Federal Government has approved the 2025 budget proposal, which is set to be presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, 19th December. This follows the Senate’s earlier endorsement of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) 2025-2027 on November 22. President Bola Tinubu will present the proposed budget, which amounts to N47.96 trillion, marking a significant 36.8% increase from the 2024 estimate. However, the budget presentation, initially scheduled for today (Tuesday), was postponed to allow the executive to make final adjustments to the document. A senior National Assembly official confirmed the delay, which was further corroborated by…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed eight new permanent secretaries in the federal civil service to fill existing and upcoming vacancies across various states and geopolitical zones. The appointments follow recommendations made by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation after a thorough selection process. In a statement released by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, December 16 evening, the new permanent secretaries were named as follows: These appointments mark the second batch of permanent secretaries appointed by President Tinubu, following the first set announced in June 2024,…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has defended his administration’s four proposed tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly, underscoring their importance in boosting Nigeria’s revenue. The bills, which have sparked significant debate, especially in the northern region, are part of Tinubu’s broader strategy to enhance the country’s fiscal capacity. In a speech delivered on his behalf by the Director General of the Nigeria Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr. Joseph Ochoku, at the 7th annual Senator Abiola Ajimobi roundtable in Ibadan on Monday, the President called for unity and cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government to…

In a significant move towards achieving universal health coverage, the Kogi State Government has announced that it has enrolled 167,000 residents in its health insurance scheme. This milestone was revealed by the Executive Secretary of the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency, Adekunle Aledare, during a briefing in Lokoja on Monday, following his presentation of the agency’s 2025 budget. Aledare further disclosed that the agency aims to extend coverage to an additional 150,000 residents in the coming year, as part of its ongoing efforts to provide equitable access to healthcare services for all Kogi citizens. “So far, we have enrolled 167,000…

The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, has strongly criticised the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, blaming them for exacerbating poverty, unemployment, and hunger in Nigeria. He argued that the President’s policies, particularly the removal of the petroleum subsidy and the floating of the naira, have had negative consequences, including devaluation of the naira and runaway inflation, effectively swallowing any potential benefits. In a statement issued on Monday, December 16, by his Executive Assistant on New Media, Mr Felix Ofou, Governor Oborevwori called for the Nigerian government to embrace new policies aimed at alleviating the suffering of…

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed a lawsuit aimed at removing President Bola Tinubu from office. The suit, filed by Ambrose Owuru, the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) in the 2019 general election, was based on allegations linking Tinubu to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States and drug-related offences. In a unanimous ruling delivered by a five-member panel of justices led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the court declared the suit frivolous and imposed a N5 million fine on Owuru. The court also warned the Registry not to accept any further frivolous claims from…

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the recent visit by former presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, ex- Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, and other political figures to the Abeokuta, Ogun State home of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, as inconsequential in terms of challenging the APC’s hold on power in the upcoming 2027 elections. The visit, which took place over the weekend, raised eyebrows as it was widely speculated to be a strategic meeting ahead of the 2027 general elections. Although the specifics of their discussions remain confidential, sources close to the leaders indicated that the gathering was part…

The newly appointed Principal and Chief Executive of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Dr. Samuel Onoji, has urged students of the institute to take full advantage of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to alleviate their financial burdens. Dr. Onoji made the call during a courtesy visit from the Managing Director of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, and his team to the institute on Monday. He emphasised that NELFUND was established to provide financial support to students across Nigeria, and he encouraged PTI students to explore the opportunity. In his address, Dr. Onoji highlighted the importance of the loan scheme, noting…