By Frank Tietie The only way President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be different from former President Goodluck Jonathan, who served one term, is to do things differently than Jonathan did. President Jonathan attempted and failed to remove the petroleum subsidy because misguided civil society activists intimidated him. APC power-hungry politicians led by Tinubu and Buhari desperately sought to unseat him by latching onto any populist grounds. Jonathan also tried to reset Nigeria onto a path of progress by convening the 2014 National Conference. Still, he failed to implement the recommendations when some prominent governors and members of his own ruling…
Author: National Update
Political commentator, Iddy Bassey, has questioned the speed with which Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, allegedly moved to stop 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi from entering the state, asking why similar urgency was not deployed to prevent attacks on Benue communities. Bassey, in a strongly-worded commentary, said he was impressed by what he described as the governor’s “swiftness and alertness” in stopping Obi but questioned why the same level of security response was not evident when armed herders and gunmen attacked communities across the state. He specifically cited Agatu, Logo, Guma, Gwer and Yelewata, asking where the governor’s…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Kogi State Government has come under pressure to address what the Publisher of Policy and Lawmakers Magazine, Prince Ogungbemi, described as critical manpower gaps in schools and hospitals, as well as outstanding gratuities owed to retired workers. Ogungbemi said the government could not claim meaningful development while public schools lacked sufficient teachers, hospitals struggled with inadequate medical personnel and retirees waited for their legitimate entitlements. In a strongly-worded press statement, he challenged the administration to move beyond projects, policy announcements and official pronouncements and focus on the human beings required to make public services work.…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the Federal Government to show Nigerians tangible benefits from the N15.8 trillion it says has been saved since the removal of petrol subsidy. HURIWA argued that the huge savings being celebrated by government mean little to citizens who are still battling high food prices, transport fares, energy costs and declining purchasing power. The group made the demand in a statement on Monday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, while rejecting the Federal Government’s insistence that there would be no return to the subsidy regime. The association said the…
By Ehichioya Ezomon One month after the August 15, 2026, governorship election in Osun State, it appeared some “anarchists” didn’t want peace to reign, and were bent on prolonging the political crisis that almost turned the state into a killing field pre and post-the franchise that surprisingly ended in an anticlimax on Election Day. It defies explanation how, without “authorisation” from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and their respective candidates, some members filed processes before the Election Petitions Tribunal in Osogbo, Osun’s capital city, to challenge the outcome of the poll. In the…
By Lamara Garba_ For Kano pilgrims, the 2026 Hajj was not just a religious obligation fulfilled. It was a journey defined by dignity, comfort, and the quiet confidence that comes from being well cared for. From transit at the Hajj Camp to departure through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), from King Abdulazeez Airport Jeddah to Madinah, from Madinah to Makkah, and through Mina, Arafat Holy sites, and the return home journey, the operation ran with remarkable calm. There were no chaotic scenes, no avoidable crises. What stood out instead was order: order in movement, order in service, and order…
The Peoples Democratic Party has moved to strengthen its challenge in Jigawa State ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with its candidate, Mustapha Sule Lamido, assembling a campaign council featuring a former Inspector-General of Police, ex-ministers, diplomats and other political heavyweights. Lamido will chair the campaign council, with Inuwa Muhammad Tahir as deputy chairman, as the opposition party begins preparations for what is expected to be a major political battle in the state. Former Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, is among the prominent figures on the council, alongside former minister Nuraddeen Mohammed and other notable political actors. Senator Mustapha Khabeeb…
Social commentator, VeryDarkMan, has berated Benue youths for mobilising in large numbers to disrupt Peter Obi’s recent visit to the state, challenging them to deploy the same energy against the bandits and terrorists attacking their communities. VDM said it was painful to see youths who had endured years of killings, attacks and insecurity demonstrate such strong mobilisation against a political figure while, in his view, failing to show the same determination in demanding an end to the violence ravaging the state. “If Benue youths can come out in numbers to chase somebody, tomorrow when bandits or terrorists attack, we know…
Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has defended his decision to lend his vehicle to Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during the latter’s recent visit to the state, saying leadership should rise above petty political differences. Ortom said providing transportation for Obi was a simple act of courtesy to a former governor and presidential candidate who visited Benue on a humanitarian mission. The former governor spoke through his media aide, Terver Akase, following criticism from the Benue State Government over his decision to assist Obi despite publicly supporting President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election. Obi had…
Petrol prices have jumped to N1,430 per litre in Abuja, piling fresh pressure on motorists and households after Dangote Petroleum Refinery raised its wholesale price by N85. The latest increase has triggered a fresh round of pump price adjustments across the Federal Capital Territory, with motorists now paying significantly more for petrol at some filling stations. Dangote Refinery increased its gantry price from N1,265 to N1,350 per litre, representing a 6.7 per cent rise. Following the adjustment, NIPCO outlets raised their pump price from N1,350 to N1,430 per litre, while Mobil increased its price to N1,400. MRS also moved from…