Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and his deputy, Monisade Afuye, have begun their second term in office, making history as the first governor and deputy governor to secure consecutive terms since the state was created 30 years ago. The duo took their oaths of office on Friday at a ceremony presided over by the Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye. Afuye took her oath at 1:25 p.m., while Oyebanji was sworn in at about 1:35 p.m. The governor subsequently inspected the parade of honours at 1:45 p.m. Oyebanji’s second term marks a milestone in Ekiti’s political history, setting…
Author: National Update
***Says rich criminal suspects cannot ride luxury jeeps while poor Nigerians rot in jail ***Challenges activists over Tinubu’s government The 2027 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has accused Nigeria’s criminal justice system of favouring the wealthy while poor citizens face harsh punishment for petty offences. “We cannot have a criminal justice system run by criminals,” he declared, promising a sweeping overhaul if elected president. Adebayo spoke in an address delivered on his behalf by his campaign’s Chief Media and Communications Adviser, Comrade Mark Adebayo, at the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR)…
Nigeria risks losing the benefits of investments in infrastructure and industrial development unless project management standards improve, the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) has warned. The institute said stronger accountability, professional training and effective project supervision were needed to reduce waste and prevent abandoned projects. CIPMN Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, spoke at the National Industrial Manpower Summit 2026 held at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The summit focused on unlocking Nigeria’s human capital for industrial transformation through skills development, innovation and prosperity. Mbadiwe said project management was more than an…
The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned President Bola Tinubu against relying on political allies ahead of the 2027 presidential election, predicting that some prominent figures around him could turn against him two weeks before the poll. Ayodele said the president should look beyond the celebrations, public endorsements and defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that such displays might not translate into genuine loyalty at the ballot box. In a statement issued by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the cleric questioned the sincerity of some members of the APC presidential council inaugurated ahead…
The Idoma nation on Thursday, October 15, 2026, honoured the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Arc. Sonny Echono, and former Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, at a ceremony marking its centenary as a member of the Kwararafa Kingdom. The event, which celebrated the Idoma people’s historical heritage and identity, also recognised distinguished sons and daughters of Idomaland, alongside individuals regarded as friends of the community. Echono, a renowned bureaucrat and public officer, received a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to public service. Adamu, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Education, was…
A prosecution witness in the alleged ₦110.4 billion fraud trial involving former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello has detailed how ₦1.425 billion was used for foreign exchange transactions linked to Abba Adaudu. The witness, Jamilu Abdullahi, a bureau de change operator, told an Abuja High Court that he purchased United States dollars with the funds and delivered the currencies to Adaudu. Abdullahi testified on Thursday as Prosecution Witness 19 (PW19) before Justice Maryanne Anineh of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama. He was led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN. According to the witness, the transactions took…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Kogi State Police Command has intensified security preparations for Saturday’s Local Government Council elections, deploying intelligence assets to identified flashpoints and directing officers to submit hourly situation reports. The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat. Kankarofi said the measures were designed to prevent electoral violence, protect lives and property, and ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process across the state. He said the Command had issued a joint operational order for the Nigeria Police Force…
Nigeria’s democracy came under an embarrassing spotlight on Thursday as senators of the 10th National Assembly moved to reserve the most powerful positions in the next Senate for themselves and their allies, weeks before voters decide who returns to the legislature. In a country where elections are supposed to determine who holds public office, the lawmakers appeared to have taken political succession into their own hands, declaring the Senate presidency, deputy presidency and other principal offices of the 11th Senate effectively occupied before the next Assembly has even been elected. The drama unfolded during plenary when senators rallied behind Senate…
The Senate has returned to two previously passed bills for fresh legislative scrutiny after identifying provisions requiring clarification, before approving both measures again to strengthen the legal framework for workers’ compensation and federal polytechnic administration. The decision followed concerns over ambiguities in the Nigerian Employees’ Compensation Trust Fund Agency Bill, 2026, and the Federal Polytechnics Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, prompting lawmakers to rescind their earlier decisions and reconsider the legislation. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, sponsored the motion for rescission and recommittal, arguing that further review was necessary to ensure the bills were legally sound…
***Demands Army Probe The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded an urgent investigation into a reported terrorist attack on a military post in Mairari community, Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, warning that the incident raises serious questions about Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations. The association called on the Chief of Army Staff and other security chiefs to investigate possible operational lapses, strengthen intelligence gathering and address weaknesses that could expose troops to deadly attacks. In a statement on Thursday, HURIWA said the reported assault, which local sources claimed lasted more than two hours, raised questions about how…