By Segun Adewale in Bauchi Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdukadir Mohammed, has cautioned politicians and other stakeholders against using ethnic, religious and sectional sentiments to divide the people of the state ahead of the 2027 general elections. Mohammed gave the caution in his Independence Day goodwill message to the people of Bauchi State on Thursday, as Nigeria marked its 66th Independence Anniversary. The Governor particularly appealed to youths not to allow themselves to be used for political thuggery, violence or activities capable of disrupting public peace during the electioneering period. He said democracy should thrive on the “marketplace of…
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
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By Segun Adewale in Gombe The Gombe State Executive Council (SEC), presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has approved over N10 billion for the payment of outstanding gratuities to retired civil servants in the state and local governments. The approval was one of the major decisions reached at the 56th meeting of the State Executive Council held on Wednesday. The Council’s decisions were disclosed during a post-EXCO press briefing presided over by the Commissioner for Information, Amb. Moses Kyari, where members of the Council whose memoranda were considered and approved took turns to brief journalists. Speaking on the memo…
By: Dr James Bwala As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, political conversations are already gathering momentum. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains one of the country’s most experienced opposition figures and a familiar name in presidential politics. Yet experience, recognition, and persistence do not always guarantee victory. At a certain point, every political leader must confront an important question: Is continued participation an expression of courage, or has it become an unwillingness to accept political reality? For Atiku Abubakar, the 2027 election may represent another opportunity to contest for the presidency, but it may also become the moment when…
ActionAid Nigeria has challenged the Federal Government to attach clear targets, timelines and publicly measurable indicators to President Bola Tinubu’s declaration that Nigeria will “defeat” poverty, warning that economic growth alone cannot demonstrate that millions of Nigerians are becoming more prosperous. The development organisation said President Tinubu’s declaration in his 66th Independence Day address that Nigeria was moving from an “age of reform” to an “age of prosperity” was significant, but insisted that prosperity must ultimately be reflected in the daily lives of citizens through higher real incomes, improved access to food and basic services, decent employment and safer communities.…
The Federal Government’s new mineral investment framework with the United States has come under scrutiny from environmental campaigners, with the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) warning that the drive to attract American capital into Nigeria’s estimated $700 billion mineral resources must not reproduce the environmental and social devastation associated with oil extraction in the Niger Delta. HOMEF said the Nigeria-US agreement, while potentially opening new opportunities for investment and economic diversification, could expose mining communities to environmental degradation, displacement and loss of livelihoods if mineral development is accelerated without stringent environmental and social safeguards. Nigeria and the United States…
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has challenged individuals claiming leadership of a purported “NIDO Worldwide” structure to produce evidence of its legal registration, governing constitution and election, escalating its dispute with some leaders of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO). NiDCOM, in a statement signed by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said it had requested three documents from those presenting themselves as the leadership of NIDO Worldwide but had yet to receive them. The commission demanded evidence of registration of NIDO Worldwide with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or an equivalent authority in the…
By: Dr. James Bwala Political disagreement is an unavoidable feature of democracy. In a plural society such as Nigeria, citizens, journalists, activists, and politicians must be free to question government policies and criticize public officials. However, freedom of expression is not a license for personal abuse, insults, reckless provocation, or the deliberate destruction of public discourse. Democratic freedom becomes meaningful only when it is exercised with responsibility, restraint, and respect for the dignity of others. The VP’s criticism of the former vice president and ADC presidential candidate is healthy and rhetorically accepted in politics, which has never resulted in insults…
South Africa has reaffirmed its enduring ties with Nigeria, declaring that the two countries must continue to draw strength from their shared history, culture and African identity despite challenges that have occasionally strained relations between their peoples. The Deputy High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Ambassador Lindy Mminele, stated this in Abuja at the 2026 Heritage Day celebration hosted by the South African High Commission, where she said her country had chosen unity and Ubuntu as guiding principles for its relationship with Nigeria and the wider African continent. Mminele told diplomats, government officials, tourism stakeholders and South Africans resident…
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and with support from the European Union, has commenced the process of resetting Nigeria’s national border management architecture, with a new five-year strategy expected to guide the country’s response to migration and cross-border security challenges from 2027 to 2031. The move followed a high-level three-day workshop in Niger State where the NIS top management reviewed the expired 2019–2023 National Border Management Strategy (NBMS) and its Action Plan, with the new framework expected to incorporate lessons from the previous policy cycle and respond to emerging threats, migration…
Nigeria has reaffirmed its determination to deepen economic and diplomatic relations with Spain, with the Nigerian Ambassador to the country, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, seeking increased Spanish investment in Nigeria’s renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, technology and creative industries. Ikpeazu made the call in Madrid while speaking at Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary celebration, where he said the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Spain offered significant opportunities for stronger economic cooperation and business-to-business partnerships. The Ambassador said Nigeria’s relationship with Spain had continued to grow on the foundations of mutual respect, constructive dialogue and cooperation in trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people…