Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has placed cost-cutting and personal sacrifice at the centre of his 2027 campaign, promising to radically reduce the cost of governance and dismantle what he described as unnecessary privileges attached to public office. Obi made the declaration during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today with Seun Okinbaloye on Sunday, as he outlined what he would do differently if elected president in 2027. Channels Television confirmed Obi as the NDC presidential candidate ahead of the programme. The former Anambra State governor said his administration would begin cutting government expenditure from…
Author: National Update
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Fresh concerns over alleged cult activities, sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct at Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, have unsettled the institution, with management confirming the suspension of seven lecturers amid ongoing investigations. The development has heightened anxiety among students and staff, following allegations that cult-related activities are resurfacing on campus and that some female students are being subjected to sexual advances in exchange for academic favours. While the more serious allegations remain under investigation, the Polytechnic’s Public Relations Officer, John Amos Onimisi, confirmed that management had already taken disciplinary action against lecturers over some of…
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to explain why it has accelerated domestic borrowing despite what he described as an estimated **₦7.98 trillion windfall from higher-than-budgeted crude oil prices**. Atiku, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, questioned the rationale behind the Federal Government’s reported borrowing of about ₦5 trillion from the domestic bond market in the first half of 2026, arguing that the scale of borrowing was difficult to reconcile with improved oil earnings. He said the government’s borrowing spree would…
The battle for the APC senatorial ticket in Kogi West has taken a fresh turn, with Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro asking the Federal High Court in Lokoja to overturn the party’s nomination of Senator Sunday Steve Karimi for the 2027 election. Aro, in an originating summons filed before the court, is challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC), Karimi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct and outcome of the party’s May 18, 2026 senatorial primary. At the heart of the suit is Aro’s claim that the primary produced him as the winner and that the subsequent submission…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused the Federal Government of prioritising international image management over the protection of Nigerians, demanding explanations over a reported ₦500 million emergency strategic communications campaign aimed at countering claims of Christian persecution in the country. HURIWA said the reported expenditure was difficult to justify amid continuing attacks in parts of the North and Middle Belt, arguing that government resources should be directed primarily towards preventing killings, protecting vulnerable communities and bringing perpetrators to justice. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the rights group said the…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as his new Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), in a move aimed at strengthening the Presidency’s working relationship with the lower chamber. Olanrewaju-Smart succeeds Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who resigned his appointment to pursue an elective political ambition in his home state. The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was announced in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy. At 40, Olanrewaju-Smart brings extensive experience in legislative affairs, public policy and executive-legislative engagement to the new assignment. His career in the…
As the race for Imo State Government House gradually gathers momentum, the political calculations are already being shaped around familiar names, established structures and candidates with years of experience in the state’s political arena. Then comes Charles Obinna Chiemenem. He does not yet possess the political weight of the biggest names being discussed for 2027. He does not command the most recognisable political machinery. And he is certainly not the candidate most observers would immediately place at the front of the pack. That, however, may be precisely what makes his emergence worth watching. Chiemenem is entering the conversation as the…
Former Chief of Staff to the Imo State Governor, Hon. Uche Nwosu, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of the traditional Igbo apprenticeship system to make it more responsive to the demands of the modern economy. Nwosu, who spoke at the 2026 Igbo National Convention in Canada, described the apprenticeship system as one of the most powerful expressions of Igbo enterprise, ingenuity and communal responsibility, saying it had historically helped produce entrepreneurs, business owners and employers across the South-East. Speaking on the theme, “Rebuilding the Igbo Apprenticeship System for a New Generation,” Nwosu said the traditional system, popularly known as…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has challenged the Nigerian Army to translate its renewed emphasis on professionalism and discipline into strict respect for constitutional rights during internal security operations. The rights group, while commending the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, for unveiling a new operational direction centred on professionalism, troop welfare, discipline and public confidence, said the success of the doctrine would ultimately be measured by how soldiers conduct themselves in communities where they are deployed. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, on Sunday, HURIWA said the Army’s…
Suspected bandits have abducted the Chairman of Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Hon. Nura Umar Bungudu, after attacking his residence in Bungudu town and killing four security personnel. The gunmen reportedly stormed the chairman’s residence in the Zango area late Thursday night, overpowering the security team attached to him before taking him and members of his family away. A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said two police officers and two vigilantes were killed during the attack. According to the source, the security personnel engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle but were eventually overwhelmed by…