***Senator Aniekan Bassey named new Chair as Akpabio finalizes leadership reshuffle The Senate on Thursday concluded another chapter in its ongoing committee reshuffle saga as Senate President Godswill Akpabio formally replaced Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Senator Aniekan Bassey from Cross River State was announced as her successor at the end of plenary, signaling a decisive shift in the Senate’s leadership dynamics and potentially ending what had been a politically charged tenure for the Kogi Central lawmaker. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s removal caps months of turbulence since her arrival in the Red Chamber.…
Author: National Update
While most Nigerian states are sinking deeper into debt, Edo State is rewriting the story—with action, not excuses. In just 90 days, Governor Monday Okpebholo has cut the state’s domestic debt by a whopping ₦30.6 billion, signaling a sharp turn from the borrowing binge that has plagued state governments nationwide. Official data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) indicated that Edo’s debt dropped from ₦113 billion in Q4 2024 to ₦82.4 billion in Q1 2025—the biggest drop by any state in the country during that period. What makes this more striking? At least 10 other states racked up ₦417.7 billion…
The Russian Federation has announced plans to increase its annual scholarship quota for Nigerian students beyond the current 220 slots, as part of a renewed push for bilateral cooperation in education, culture, and the creative economy. The offer was made during a high-level meeting on Thursday in Abuja between the Embassy of the Russian Federation and Nigeria’s Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy. The Russian delegation, led by Ambassador A.L. Podelyshev, expressed readiness to work with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education to finalize scholarship expansions and explore broader partnerships in youth development, cultural exchange, and economic collaboration. Welcoming…
By: Chukwuma Eze By all standards, former Kano State Governor and seasoned statesman, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, remains one of the most formidable political minds of modern Nigeria—a Northern lion, bold and unyielding, yet deeply committed to the silent majority who toil, sweat, and hope for a government that sees, feels, and acts in their interest. Across the Nigerian political terrain, political parties often parade slogans, logos, and mottos. But at the heart of any meaningful governance lies not the colour of a party flag but the calibre of the people waving it. The acronym may read APC, PDP, PRP,…
A High Court in Minna has sentenced teenage housemaid, Joy Afekafe, to death for the brutal killing of Dr. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a senior lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna. Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of High Court No. 4, on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, delivered judgment after convicting the defendant on two counts—armed robbery and culpable homicide—offences contrary to Sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code. It stated that Dr. Adefolalu was brutally killed on October 28, 2023, at her residence in the Gbaiko area of Minna, Niger State. According to court records, Afekafe had served…
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has cried foul over the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the result of the September 2024 election, describing the process as a coordinated robbery of the people’s mandate. In a personal statement issued shortly after the ruling, Ighodalo said he accepted the finality of the judgment but rejected its legitimacy. “Though I will not obstruct any judicial pronouncement, no matter how flawed, I must never fear to speak truth to power,” he said. Calling the outcome a betrayal, Ighodalo accused not only those who “rigged the process” but also the…
***“We used to lose patients on the road. Not anymore.” Lokoja came alive with hope and gratitude as the Federal Teaching Hospital received a long-awaited miracle—a multi-slice CT Scan machine, courtesy of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company. For years, doctors and families in Kogi State watched helplessly as patients in critical condition were rushed to Abuja or Ilorin for urgent CT scans—many not making it. But that sad chapter is now history. The newly installed CT scanner, complete with a backup generator and advanced imaging suite, is already saving lives. Delivered through a powerful partnership between NLNG and…
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has scored a major win in its ongoing war against armed robbery, following the arrest of a key suspect in Uyo and the recovery of a vehicle stolen at gunpoint in another state. Acting on credible intelligence, officers from the Command apprehended 27-year-old Tony John Isaac in the early hours of Monday, 27 June 2025, along Obio Imoh Street by Udoumana Traffic Light in Uyo. The suspect was caught in possession of a blue Toyota Camry, bearing plate number JJJ 412 GX. Police Public Relations Office, DSP Timfon John,in a statement explained tha when…
In a groundbreaking move to transform Nigeria’s cultural and creative landscape, the Federal Government and the European Union have launched a €20 million partnership to revitalize the nation’s museums, amplify film festivals, and accelerate growth in the digital creative sector. The bold initiative was unveiled on Thursday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, to the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa. The landmark agreement signals a new era of international cultural cooperation and investment in Nigeria’s creative potential, aimed at driving job…
The long legal battle for the soul of Edo State ended on Thursday morning in Nigeria’s apex court, as the Supreme Court delivered a final, emphatic verdict: Senator Monday Okpebholo remains the duly elected Governor of Edo State. The courtroom was tense but expectant as the five-man panel of Justices filed in, ready to put to rest months of political uncertainty. In a ruling that pulled no punches, the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, describing it as “lacking in merit.” The PDP had alleged electoral irregularities in 395…