***Dismiss reports linking lawmaker to alleged Kogi power deal With political permutations for the 2027 elections gathering momentum, associates of Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke have cautioned against what they described as premature efforts to draft the federal lawmaker into the next Kogi State governorship race, insisting that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should remain focused on President Bola Tinubu’s re-election. The group said the current wave of endorsements, awards and political engagements involving Faleke was part of a calculated attempt to create the impression that he had entered the contest for Kogi’s next governorship, despite there being no…
Author: National Update
Rights group says cleric acted in public interest after meeting with President Defends Arise TV interview, accuses presidential aides of disrespect The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has defended the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, following criticisms by presidential aides Daniel Bwala and Temitope Ajayi over his comments on the recent meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN). The rights group described the attacks on the cleric as disrespectful and unwarranted, insisting that Onaiyekan’s television interview was in the public interest and reflected the concerns of…
Governor Monday Okpebholo has extended Edo State’s political outreach to the United Kingdom, courting the state’s diaspora community in what appears to be an early push to consolidate support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election while positioning overseas Edo indigenes as critical partners in the state’s development. At a town hall-style engagement in London, the governor blended politics with economic diplomacy, urging Edo professionals, entrepreneurs and investors abroad to return home with their expertise, capital and global networks to accelerate development. The meeting, organised under the banner of Shine Beyond Borders and hosted by the London Professional Training Centre, also…
The Women Parliament of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has declared that the official recognition of Prince Adewole Adebayo as the party’s presidential candidate by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set the stage for an intensified nationwide mobilisation ahead of the next presidential election. National Speaker of the SDP Women Parliament, Ambassador Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdullahi, said the publication of Adebayo’s name by INEC marks a defining moment in the party’s quest to present Nigerians with what she described as a credible and principled alternative to the country’s current political leadership. In a statement issued in Abuja, Abdullahi said…
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has seized on President Bola Tinubu’s criticism of indiscriminate flyover construction to renew his call for governments to abandon prestige projects and channel resources into rebuilding Nigeria’s collapsing road infrastructure. Obi said Saturday that while he welcomed the President’s position, the Federal Government must go beyond rhetoric by redirecting public spending towards rehabilitating dilapidated highways that connect the nation’s economic and agricultural corridors. According to him, Nigeria cannot justify investing billions of naira in new, high-profile infrastructure while major federal roads remain riddled with potholes, unsafe for motorists and costly…
The official publication of Prince Adewole Adebayo as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sparked celebrations across the party, with leaders declaring that the race to Aso Rock has formally begun. Leading the congratulatory messages was the Chairman of the SDP in Delta State, Mr. Felix Obuseh, who described INEC’s confirmation of Adebayo’s candidacy as a major milestone in the party’s quest to produce Nigeria’s next president. In a statement on behalf of the Delta State chapter, Obuseh said the development had rekindled hope among Nigerians…
Nigeria’s diplomatic re-engagement under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received a major boost on Saturday as the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 65 of the 69 ambassadorial nominees have been accepted by their respective host countries and are already taking up their assignments abroad. The ministry said the development reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements, with 97 per cent of the presidential nominees successfully obtaining the mandatory approval of their host governments. In a statement, the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, explained that only four appointments remain outstanding, two of which were affected by unforeseen circumstances. He said Grace…
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt what he described as the transfer of “excess funds” to state governors, alleging that many have failed to translate increased federal allocations into meaningful development. Vatsa, a former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said the worsening economic hardship across the country was not due to a lack of resources but what he termed the irresponsible management of public funds and misplaced priorities by many governors. In a statement issued in Minna on Saturday, he was…
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has fired back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent comments, declaring that his opposition to the controversial third-term agenda remains one of the proudest moments of his political career. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said he received Obasanjo’s remarks “with profound sadness, not anger,” accusing the former President of attempting to rewrite history. According to Atiku, the lingering rift between them stemmed from his refusal to support Obasanjo’s alleged bid for a constitutional amendment…
The National Leader of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dr. Chike Okogwu, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concentrate on tackling Nigeria’s deepening economic and security challenges, saying governance should take precedence over political engagements. Reacting to the President’s recent comments on political competition, Okogwu said millions of Nigerians were more concerned about the worsening economic situation than political rhetoric. He noted that soaring inflation, persistent unemployment, rising insecurity and the increasing cost of living have continued to erode the standard of living, calling for urgent and people-centred policies to reverse the trend. The…