Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The United States’ Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Molly Phee, has visited Nigeria to mediate on the political situation in Niger Republic, which has been under military rule since July 26. This was disclosed in a statement on the website of the US Secretary of State. According to the statement, the US envoy arrived in Nigeria on Friday and will hold talks with the Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, as well as leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The meeting with regional leaders gathering for the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit is slated for Monday,…

The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the state requires about a N7 trillion budget size to meet up with infrastructural and basic amenities in 2024. Sanwo-Olu spoke at the eighth Lagos Corporate Assembly, a business forum, tagged ‘BOS Meets with Business Community’, at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja. The governor, however, noted that despite the uncertainty in the global business world, his administration cannot give excuses ‘but must work to achieve its set out goals as promised during the campaign period’. He also expressed his administration’s readiness to ensure ease of doing business despite current global challenges.…

Over 86 percent of 2024 budgetary allocation for the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources would be spent on personnel and overhead costs. The details of the 2024 Appropriation Bill have shown that the Petroleum Resources Ministry was allocated N44.172 billion with capital expenditure receiving just N5.872 billion or 13.29 percent of the total budget, according to Vanguard. The ministry has only two agencies, the Petroleum Training Institute, Warri and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, listed under it with the budgets of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, not captured in…

President Bola Tinubu has commiserated with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and the Royal House of Saudi on the passing of His Highness, Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz bin Bandar Al Saud. Tinubu described Prince Al Saud as an excellent and dedicated leader who served his country throughout his outstanding career in the Royal Saudi Air Force and the Saudi Intelligence Agency. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known on his Facebook page on Saturday. The post read, “As his memory is forever etched in the annals…

Nigerian Breweries Plc has announced changes to the composition of its board of directors with the resignation of the Chairman, Mr. Asue Ighodalo. The Company’s Secretary, Mr Uaboi Agbebaku, made this known via a notification to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) on Friday in Lagos. Agbebaku said Ighodalo informed the company of his decision to resign and offer himself for public service. He said Ighodalo would be resigning from the board and in his capacity as the Chairman in line with proper corporate governance practice, on December 31, 2023. Agbebaku quoted Ighodalo as saying that the decision came with mixed emotions…

Gov Dikko Radda of Katsina State has directed for immediate suspension of a staff of Ministry of Education in the state for alleged sexual harassment of a female student. The directive is contained in a statement issued by the Director Press, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Abdullahi Aliyu-Yar’adua, and made available to newsmen on Friday in Katsina. The statement said, “Gov Dikko Radda has received a report of alleged sexual harassment against one Lawal Ibrahim, now a staff of the Ministry of Education.” It said Ibrahim was the then Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Dantankari, Dandume Local…

The House of Representatives says it will monitor the investigation into the military drone attack that killed over 80 Nigerians in Kaduna State on December 3. Rep. Babajimi Benson, Chairman, House Committee on Defence, gave the assurance in a statement titled, “Tudun Biri tragedy elicits profound sorrow” in Abuja on Saturday. He expressed regrets over the ugly incident while tasking authorities of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to prioritise the safety of civilians during operations. Benson urged them to exercise utmost caution and implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. He said, “The unfortunate incident in…

President Bola Tinubu has celebrated the President of the 10th Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on his 61st birthday. This is contained in a statement by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Friday in Abuja. He described Akpabio as a political leader whose antecedents and achievements continued to attract recognition at home and abroad. Tinubu affirmed the outstanding leadership qualities of the former Governor of Akwa Ibom and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, who became a Governor at 45 after serving as a Commissioner in three different ministries. He appreciated the loyalty, dedication, and commitment…

The Federal Government has revealed its intention to close down public buildings that fail to adhere to the minimum standards of accessibility for Persons with Disabilities starting from January 17. The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, James Lalu, made this announcement during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday. The decision comes as part of the activities for the sixteenth day of activism in commemoration of the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Lalu clarified that the commission would take immediate action following the expiration of the five-year ultimatum set by the federal government, which…

The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani has declared that the recent accidental bombing of Tudun Biri village by the Nigerian Army has no link with ethnic or religious cleansing. The Governor made the declaration on Friday while speaking during an interview on Channels Television. He assured that his administration is working with the people of the state to ensure religious and ethnic harmony. “Let me make it clear (that) in Kaduna State, we don’t have any religious or ethnic differences,” Governor Sani said. “At the beginning, a lot of people particularly the religious and ethnic merchants, I’m not surprised if some…

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ondo State, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, has stated that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu will not resign due to his health issues, as he is not incapacitated. In an interview on Arise TV, the commissioner emphasized that Governor Akeredolu continues to fulfill his responsibilities, despite not attending social events. She confirmed he has been managing official duties, reviewing memos, and staying in contact with his cabinet. The governor’s health has been a topic of public concern, particularly since he has been residing in Ibadan, Oyo State, following his return from a medical trip to Germany in September 2023.…

The draw for next summer’s Copa America has placed tournament host United States in a group with the competition’s joint all-time champion Uruguay, while fellow Concacaf invitee Mexico will face Ecuador. Current titleholder and defending champion Argentina – tied with Uruguay for the most Copa titles of all time – is set for a clash against two-time winner Peru in the group stage, and in the fourth group, nine-time winner Brazil will take on 2021 third-place finisher Colombia. CONMEBOL’s Copa America will have 16 teams, including six Concacaf invitees: 2023-24 Nations League semifinalist Mexico, the U.S., Jamaica and Panama, as well as the two winners of play-in games (Canada vs. Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica vs. Honduras) that…