Kogi State has entered a three-day mourning period following the death of former governor, Ibrahim Idris, who died at the age of 77. Governor Usman Ododo announced the mourning period on Sunday and ordered the Nigerian and Kogi State flags to be flown at half-mast across government offices and other designated public institutions. The state government also approved a state burial for the former governor, with the government taking responsibility for the burial arrangements and expenses. Ododo had earlier visited the Idris family to offer his condolences following the death of the former governor, who reportedly died in the United…
Author: National Update
Former Jigawa State Governor, Dr Sule Lamido, has warned that Nigeria’s political class may be creating a dangerous leadership gap by using young Nigerians for political battles instead of preparing them to govern the country. Lamido said the youths being mobilised today to defend politicians, attack opponents and fight over political interests would eventually take over leadership, asking what kind of leaders Nigeria was preparing them to become. He spoke in Dutse during activities marking his 78th birthday, at an event chaired by former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi. The former governor challenged political leaders to look beyond their…
The All Progressives Congress strengthened its hold on the five legislative seats contested in Saturday’s bye-elections, winning four seats across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states as opposition parties managed just one victory. The APC retained or captured seats in three geopolitical zones, while the Allied Peoples Movement pulled off the only upset in Sakwa State Constituency of Bauchi State. The results have drawn attention to the organisational strength of the parties as they prepare for the 2027 general elections, although the bye-election outcomes alone do not establish how voters will behave in the wider 2027 contests.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has hailed Nigeria’s victory in the long-running Mambilla hydropower arbitration, calling for further investigation into the findings against former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN. HURIWA also commended the current Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for their roles in protecting Nigeria’s financial interests in the dispute. National coordinator of the group Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko in a statement said the 616-page final award delivered by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal in Paris on September 16 rejected Sunrise Power’s claims. The statement observed that…
The simmering dispute between the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Obi-Kwankwaso (OK) Movement has taken a fresh turn, with the movement openly challenging the party leadership over its authority to regulate its activities. The OK Movement, in a strongly worded response to NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, said it would not be intimidated or surrender its organisational independence. The latest development followed the NDC’s disowning of a Presidential Campaign Council announced by the movement for the 2027 election. Cleopas had warned that only the NDC leadership could constitute and announce a Presidential Campaign Council, saying no support group…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has drawn a line between the party and a purported Presidential Campaign Council announced by the “OK Movement”, insisting that no support group has the authority to create a parallel campaign structure for the party. The party also moved against John Ugulu, referring him to its disciplinary organ over what it described as repeated acts of defiance and alleged excesses during the NDC’s Lagos State primary. NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, announced the party’s position in a statement on Saturday following a publication attributed to Ugulu announcing the purported campaign council. Cleopas said the…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) is moving to modernise Nigeria’s fuel retail sector with the introduction of technology-driven smart stations that combine automated fuelling, digital payments and multiple energy options. The company recently commissioned its first Smart Self-Service Station in Abuja through its downstream subsidiary, NNPC Retail. The facility allows customers to fuel their vehicles through a self-service system while also providing access to digital payment options, electric vehicle (EV) charging, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG). NNPC Ltd. Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, said the initiative formed part of the…
The Obidient Movement has warned that continued attacks on opposition supporters could heighten political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections, calling on security agencies to protect Nigerians exercising their democratic rights. The warning followed the reported attack on members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and other Nigerians during the One Million Man March in Warri, Delta State, on Friday. In a strongly worded statement issued on Saturday, the movement accused the All Progressives Congress of sponsoring political thugs to disrupt opposition activities. The APC has not been quoted as responding to the latest allegation. The Obidient Movement said its supporters…
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Government and state governments to accelerate the expansion of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transport initiatives as part of efforts to reduce transportation costs for Nigerians from October 1. Tinubu said on Saturday that the Federal Government was working with governors, transport unions and other stakeholders to ensure that savings from cheaper energy are reflected directly in transport fares. The President said the decision followed a meeting with the 36 state governors on August 27, where they agreed on the need to expand access to affordable transportation across the country. He said an implementation…
The Northern Senators Forum has demanded a full forensic investigation into the reported deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody in Minna, Niger State, raising questions over what happened after the detainees allegedly cried for help. The senators said the reported deaths had raised disturbing questions that must be answered by the authorities, insisting that the investigation must reconstruct the chain of events from the suspects’ arrest to their final moments in custody. In a statement signed on Saturday by the Chairman of the forum, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the senators demanded an independent probe capable of determining…