The battle for the soul of the All Progressives Congress in Abia State has taken a fresh turn, with the party leadership moving against two of its prominent members over their open support for Governor Alex Otti ahead of the 2027 election. The Abia APC State Working Committee has handed Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Chris Nkwonta a 14-day deadline to publicly apologise for remarks the party considers damaging to its electoral interests. The decision followed a meeting of the SWC, led by its chairman, Chijioke Chukwu, in Umuahia on Wednesday. Kalu, a former governor of the state and serving…
Author: National Update
The countdown to Saturday’s Osun State governorship election has taken a troubling turn, with allegations of violence, threats, political arrests and voter intimidation increasingly overshadowing the campaign for the state’s top political office. Across the political divide, parties and civil society organisations are trading accusations over the conduct of politicians and security agencies, raising fresh concerns about whether voters will be able to approach the ballot box without fear or coercion. The tension escalated on Wednesday when Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East, was questioned by the police over a viral video in which he was allegedly heard threatening members…
The kidnappers of the Chairman of Jezco Group, Chief Sir Joseph Ezeokafor, have reportedly raised their ransom demand from N700 million to N1.5 billion, deepening fears over the fate of the septuagenarian businessman. The abductors, who initially demanded N700 million from the family, were said to have later increased the ransom by more than 100 per cent after establishing contact with Ezeokafor’s relatives. A source familiar with the development disclosed on Wednesday that the family had initially agreed to the N700 million demand as part of efforts to secure the businessman’s safe release. However, the kidnappers reportedly changed their demand…
The opposition battle for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027 has entered a new phase, with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) signalling that the door to a broader alliance remains open despite the collapse of its earlier coalition arrangement. The fresh move comes as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) intensifies its campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election and political voices in the North raise questions over the region’s relationship with the administration. ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had not abandoned the idea of bringing opposition forces under one umbrella, arguing that only a sufficiently broad alliance could…
Nigeria’s growing security partnership with the United States is coming under a parallel test of governance and financial transparency, as high-level talks opened in Washington, D.C., even as the U.S. government accused Abuja of falling short in making its public finances sufficiently open to citizens. The development places two increasingly important issues at the centre of Nigeria-U.S. relations—how the two countries confront terrorism and other security threats, and how Nigeria accounts for the public resources deployed in that fight. Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, led the Nigerian delegation to the latest meeting of the Nigeria-U.S. Joint Working Group, while…
More than 100 international investors are expected in Abuja in November to explore investment opportunities estimated at over $100 billion across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy. President of the Business Summit Group, Dato Dr. M. Haider Uzzaman, disclosed this in Abuja while unveiling plans for the International Investor Summit scheduled for November 10 and 11 at the Abuja Continental Hotel. Uzzaman said the summit would showcase bankable projects spanning oil and gas, technology, renewable energy, agriculture, mining, infrastructure, tourism and hospitality. He stressed that the initiative would focus on projects that are properly structured, professionally documented and capable of…
The battle against drug abuse in Kano State is assuming a broader security dimension, with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) warning that the menace is linked to more than 90 per cent of the social vices and security challenges confronting society. The warning came as the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drugs Abuse and Trafficking intensified its campaign against drug trafficking, combining enforcement with intelligence gathering, rehabilitation and youth empowerment. The Kano State NSCDC Commandant, Muhammad Hassan Agalama, gave the assessment when the Task Force visited the command to seek stronger cooperation and intelligence-sharing in the…
Media executives in Kano have thrown their weight behind the newly established League of Kano Veteran Journalists (LKVJ), pledging to work with the association to rebuild professional standards, revive mentorship and tackle the worsening welfare challenges confronting journalists in the state. The commitment was made separately by the managements of Freedom Radio, Arewa Radio and Express Radio when the Interim Management Committee of the League embarked on advocacy visits to the three media organisations on Tuesday. The media executives described the emergence of the League as timely, warning that the journalism profession was increasingly in need of experienced hands to…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Jigawa State, Alhaji Mustapha Sule Lamido (Santurakin Dutse), has challenged Nigerian youths to take ownership of their future and transform their enormous potential into a driving force for national development. Lamido spoke as a special guest at the International Youth Day event organised by the Office of the PDP National Youth Leader at the party’s National Headquarters in Abuja. The gathering brought together young members of the party and other stakeholders to celebrate the contributions of youths while reflecting on their place in Nigeria’s political and socioeconomic future. Lamido said Nigeria’s large…
The political temperature in Osun rose sharply on Wednesday as Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, appeared at the state police headquarters in Osogbo over an alleged threat against members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. Fadahunsi arrived at the command at about 2:35pm, accompanied by the Commissioner of Police in charge of election and security, Samuel Etaifo, following an invitation by the police authorities. His appearance came less than 24 hours after a video attributed to the senator triggered widespread outrage across the state, with political actors and civil society groups demanding an investigation…