***If judges are perceived to be procured, then everything is gone At the inaugural African Institute for Statecraft International (AISI) lecture in Abuja, themed “Reinventing Political Leadership and Democratic Governance,” Chief Segun Sowunmi delivered one of his bluntest speeches yet, declaring that Nigeria is “in deep trouble” because it has lost the essence of true leadership. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart and former spokesman for the Atiku Campaign said the country’s woes are not caused by the absence of people in positions of power but by the bankruptcy of values, vision, and responsibility among those who occupy them. According…
Author: National Update
Tension is brewing in Nigeria’s oil belt as youth leaders from the Niger Delta have given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum over the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). At a press conference in Abuja, the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint what they described as a “credible Niger Delta professional” to head the national oil company. They also called for a review of what they alleged were irregularities linked to the tenure of Bashir Bayo Ojulari, who recently resigned as Group Chief Executive Officer. Forum chairman, Sir Jothan…
Former National Treasurer of the Labour Party, Oluchi Oparah, has condemned the brutal assault of a female corps member in Anambra State by operatives of Agunaechemba, the state security outfit established under Governor Chukwuma Soludo. The corps member was reportedly beaten and stripped naked by the operatives, sparking outrage across the country. In a statement, Oparah described the act as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” insisting that no Nigerian should be subjected to such degrading treatment. “Regardless of any perceived infraction, no one deserves to be dehumanized,” Oparah said. She urged the Anambra State government to take full responsibility for the…
Nigeria’s political and traditional leaders have joined the people of Kogi State in mourning the passing of Alhaji Ahmed MomohSani Alabi, father of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who died on Monday at the age of 83. From the Presidency to the grassroots, the condolences spoke not just of a man’s death, but of a life that shaped both family and community. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu described the loss as “deeply painful,” urging the governor to take solace in his father’s enduring legacy of humility, discipline, and service. Vice President Kashim Shettima echoed those sentiments, calling Alhaji Alabi “a devout Muslim…
Nigeria’s leadership crisis has pushed the country to the brink, and only a reinvention of political leadership and governance can restore hope, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and scholars declared at the inaugural African Institute for Statecraft International (AISI) lecture in Abuja. The event, themed “Reinventing Political Leadership and Democratic Governance,” became a rallying call for reform, with speakers warning that weak institutions, reckless borrowing, and personality-driven politics were eroding democracy and deepening poverty. Acting PDP National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, represented by Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi, said Nigeria’s governance failures had left citizens in “a state…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Chief Imam of Ebiraland, Sheikh Salihu Abere, has reminded Muslims of the fleeting nature of life, urging constant remembrance of Allah’s injunctions in preparation for the final day of accountability. He gave the charge on Tuesday while leading the Janazah prayer for the late Alhaji Ahmed Momohsanni Ododo, father of Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, at Upogoro in Okene Local Government Area. The solemn rites, conducted in strict accordance with Islamic tradition, drew a large crowd of mourners including respected clerics, traditional rulers, political leaders, and community members from across the country. Governor Ododo,…
The Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, Esq., has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap to reposition Nigeria’s creative economy and tourism sectors as global drivers of growth, job creation, and cultural influence. Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Ministerial and Sectoral Retreat held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, Musawa identified critical bottlenecks including limited access to funding, inadequate infrastructure, piracy, insecurity, and insufficient data on job creation. She announced a set of strategic interventions to address the gaps in investment in modern film studios, digital infrastructure, and global distribution networks, stronger…
Nigeria’s push for economic revival gained momentum Tuesday as PepsiCo and DP World commissioned a $20 million production facility in Lagos, underscoring renewed investor confidence in Africa’s largest economy. The new plant, dedicated to producing PepsiCo’s popular Cheetos snack with over 90% locally sourced inputs, is expected to create jobs, strengthen local agriculture, and boost Nigeria’s footprint in regional export markets under AfCFTA. Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said the project reflects the impact of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms on investor sentiment. “This is a clear demonstration of what is possible when Nigerian ambition…
The National Assembly is considering sweeping reforms for legislative aides, including a distinct salary structure and protection from arbitrary dismissal by lawmakers. Over 300,000 aides serve the 469 senators and members of the House of Representatives, but their conditions of service have long mirrored those of career civil servants, a framework critics say fails to reflect the political and unstable nature of their work. At a three-day capacity building workshop in Abuja, Clerk to the National Assembly, Barr. Kamoru Ogunlana, said it was time to fix the systemic issues that leave aides vulnerable. “Your tenure depends on your principals, your…
Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Delta State was rattled on Tuesday by a spurious letter claiming that Hon. (High Chief) James Asika Onwordi, the Onishe (Traditional Prime Minister) of the kingdom, had been suspended by His Royal Majesty, Agbogidi Chukwuka Noah Akaeze, the Obi of Ubulu-Uku. Chief Onwordi has swiftly denounced the letter, describing it as ‘a mischievous plot aimed at destabilising the peace of Ubulu-Uku and blackmailing the institution of the Onishe.’ He pointed out that the document was purportedly signed by one G. U. Ofulue, “a man who holds no authority whatsoever in the palace or within the Obi-in-Council,” stressing…