By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja The Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, has congratulated the government and people of Kogi State on the 35th anniversary of the state’s creation. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, in a statement on Thursday, said the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate the state’s achievements and renew its commitment to development. Prof. Usman, who spoke on behalf of the university’s Governing Council, Senate, management, staff and students, described Kogi as a state with rich human and natural resources and a diverse cultural heritage. He commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his administration’s focus on infrastructure,…
Author: National Update
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Niger State chapter, has condemned the abduction of Muslim worshippers in Borgu Local Government Area and called for their safe rescue. The PFN Chairman, Pastor PeterRock Sadiq, described the attack as wicked and heartless, saying places of worship should never be turned into scenes of violence and abduction. Speaking in Minna on Thursday, Sadiq said an attack on a mosque or church was an attack on all Nigerians. “Whether it is a mosque or a church, an attack on a place of worship is an attack on all of us,” he said. The worshippers…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing Comrade Fabian Ugochukwu Okoye as Director of Civil Society Mobilisation in the 2027 Presidential Campaign Council. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, on Thursday, HURIWA described Okoye as an experienced civil rights activist with the credibility, organisational capacity and network required for the assignment. The group said Okoye’s long involvement in Nigeria’s civil society and human rights community made his appointment significant, noting that he participated in the pro-democracy struggle during the military era of the late General…
The Grassroots Coalition for Change (GCC) has backed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-East Zonal Campaign Coordinator for the 2027 presidential election. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Bello Y. Johnson, the group described the appointment as strategic, citing Sheriff’s political experience, grassroots network and knowledge of the North-East. GCC said Sheriff’s previous roles as governor and national chairman of major political parties had equipped him with experience in party administration, stakeholder engagement and grassroots mobilisation. The coalition also rejected renewed allegations linking…
The Deputy National Chairman (South) of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Prince Nwaeze Onu, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sign a separate justice accord ahead of the 2027 general elections. Onu said INEC must make a clear commitment to fairness, transparency and impartiality if Nigerians are to have confidence in the electoral process. In a statement issued in Abuja, the NNPP chieftain said political parties and candidates should not be the only stakeholders required to sign peace agreements before elections. He argued that INEC, as the body responsible for conducting elections, should also publicly…
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Babangida Nguroje, has urged Taraba residents and political stakeholders to put aside their differences and work together for the continued development of the state. Nguroje made the call in a message marking the 35th anniversary of Taraba State, stressing that the issues that unite the people are greater than those that divide them. The former deputy speaker, who is also an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, commended the founding fathers of the state for establishing a strong foundation for its growth. He described Taraba as a state with enormous potential, citing its…
Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his proposal to reintroduce a targeted petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027. Onanuga questioned the consistency and economic viability of Atiku’s proposal, arguing that statements from the former vice president’s aides had created confusion over whether the proposed subsidy would be temporary or remain in place until certain market conditions were achieved. The presidential aide, in an article published on Thursday, said Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, initially stated that the former vice president would restore petrol subsidy and…
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has tackled the Presidency over its claim that his proposed fuel subsidy policy could cost Nigeria N19.1 trillion annually. Atiku’s camp dismissed the figure as propaganda, accusing the Presidency of deliberately misrepresenting his proposal in an attempt to discredit it ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The controversy followed comments by Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital and New Media, Otega Ogra, who said during an interview with TVC News that Atiku’s proposal would impose a huge financial burden on the country. Ogra also questioned…
The Nigeria Police Force has challenged social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to provide evidence to support his allegation that some police officers are colluding with kidnappers and bandits to facilitate abductions. VeryDarkMan made the allegation while speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He claimed that some officers manning checkpoints along major highways allegedly gather information about travellers and pass such details to kidnappers. Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, described the allegation as “unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging” to the…
Douglas Baye-Osagie dbayeosagie@yahoo.com After almost a decade in the wilderness, Nigerian club football has finally landed a title sponsor again, The EuroMatch Group, a betting company based in Poland. The EuroMatch Group’s $7.5 million, three-season deal may not match South Africa’s R900 million Betway Premiership agreement, but for the NPFL, it is oxygen. If this is to be the final act of this NFF board, then it might just be the best place to draw the curtains on four years that have largely been disappointing and sour for the fans of the game in Nigeria. As chaotic and disorganized as…