Senator Aliyu Wadada’s return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is already stirring political waters in Nasarawa, with analysts saying it is a signal for an early tightening of the ruling party’s grip on the state ahead of the next general election. Wadada, who currently represents Nasarawa West, was seen at the presidential villa on Tuesday meeting with President Bola Tinubu to formally announce his defection. His move comes amid speculation about his 2027 governorship ambitions. While he described his earlier departure from the APC as “just circumstantial,” the senator wasted no time pledging…
Author: National Update
***Pasture planting initiative hailed as game-changer The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has thrown its weight behind a nationwide push to modernize Nigeria’s livestock sector, positioning the effort as central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s food security and rural peace agenda. At the 2025 National Pasture Planting Day in Kawu Grazing Reserve, Bwari Area Council, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, said the initiative was more than an agricultural ritual — it was a strategic step to ensure year-round access to quality feed, curb overgrazing, and prevent land degradation. She linked the effort directly to conflict prevention, job creation,…
By Umar Muhammed, Lafia Governor Abdullahi Sule’s approval of the 4th Inter-Security Agencies Unity Cup is being hailed by his aides as a gesture of camaraderie and peacebuilding. But critics argue it’s more a calculated PR manoeuvre designed to curry favour with security agencies while glossing over policy gaps in civilian welfare. The tournament, slated for next week in Lafia, will bring together twelve military and paramilitary outfits — up from ten last year — in what has become a yearly tradition under Sule. The governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Sports Development, Hamza Ibrahim-Moyi, said the approval reflects “His Excellency’s…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Kogi State Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, has vowed that security agencies are fully prepared to secure the Dekina-Okura State Constituency by-election this Saturday, in what is being seen as a key test of the state’s political stability and security coordination. Speaking in Lokoja on Tuesday during an interactive session with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dantawaye announced that a comprehensive Operation Order had been drawn up and forwarded to Force Headquarters, signaling that “every officer knows exactly where he will be and what he will do” on…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja For United States–based film director Taiwo Oduala, life’s greatest calling is not fame or fortune — it is service to God and humanity. And he believes Africa’s unsung heroes deserve the spotlight. Speaking in Lokoja, Oduala praised the extraordinary humanitarian work being carried out by philanthropists and corporate bodies for Africa’s less privileged. He said their selflessness proves that leadership is about impact, not titles. Oduala’s conviction led him to create the AFRO Awards, an international celebration held annually in Los Angeles to recognize individuals and organizations whose lives reflect humanitarian values and global excellence. Since…
By detaining former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal over alleged ₦189 billion in cash withdrawals, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has ignited a new front in Nigeria’s long-running battle over the soul of its anti-corruption institutions. What might appear on paper as a straightforward investigation into money laundering has, in reality, become a political Rorschach test — revealing the deep distrust and partisan fault lines that now define Nigerian governance. Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and two-term governor, is no political lightweight. His recent flirtations with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), despite affirming…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has ramped up its anti-corruption offensive, bringing former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, in for questioning over alleged financial irregularities involving ₦189 billion in cash withdrawals. Tambuwal, who governed Sokoto from 2015 to 2023 and previously served as Speaker of the House of Representatives, arrived at EFCC headquarters in Abuja around 11:30 a.m. on Monday. He was immediately taken into a private interrogation session with senior investigators. Sources within the Commission say the inquiries centre on large-scale cash withdrawals said to have violated the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 —…
The Federal Government is throwing its weight behind plans to grow Nigeria’s non-interest finance sector, with Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, praising Lotus Capital Limited for its leadership in the field. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday after receiving a high-powered delegation from the firm, led by Managing Director Hajara Adeola, Edun said collaboration between government and private sector players like Lotus Capital is vital to mobilising sustainable, long-term capital for national development. The meeting explored ways to position non-interest finance as a key driver of inclusive growth, with discussions centring on proposals such as a…
In a political climate where public confidence in the Senate is waning, six Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators have broken through the noise, earning places among the nation’s 20 most impactful lawmakers. The recognition comes from a nationwide public opinion poll by Congress Magazine Nigeria, released to mark the second anniversary of the 10th Senate under President Godswill Akpabio. The survey evaluated senators on legislative productivity, constituency development, and public engagement. Despite 50% of respondents rating the Senate’s overall performance as merely “average” and 83.3% lamenting a lack of genuine representation, PDP senators were singled out for their visibility, advocacy,…
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has claimed that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was the true winner of last year’s general election. Speaking on Politics Tonight on Channels Television on Monday, Lawal said his position is based on facts and data gathered during the polls. According to him, results monitored and collated from the field clearly indicated Obi’s victory, but some figures were allegedly altered to produce the outcome that declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s 16th president. “We monitored the election, collected the data, and the results we had did…