Author: Aminu Imam

Tinubu seeks Senate confirmation of Amupitan as INEC Chairman

Aminu Imam
Tinubu INEC Chairman

President Bola Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, seeking the confirmation of Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).  The request was read on the floor of the 10th Senate by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, during plenary on Tuesday. Akpabio also read other communications from the President regarding appointments that require legislative approval. According to the letter, the nomination is in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, which mandates Senate confirmation for such appointments. The request has been…

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“Renewed Hope Peace: B’Gwari Emir demands restoration of telecoms, banking services

Aminu Imam
B Gwari Emir demands

Emir of Birnin-Gwari, His Royal Highness, Zubair Jibril, has called for the immediate restoration of telecommunications and banking services, two critical infrastructures that have been suspended since 2021 in the area as a result of insecurity. The Emir made the plea in a national message titled: “Renewed Hope, Renewed Peace: Lessons from Birnin Gwari for a Stronger Nigeria”, issued to newsmen in Kaduna. The monarch stressed that while physical security has significantly improved, socio-economic reconnection is essential, in order to consolidate the gains of peace. “Restoring banking and telecommunications services,…

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Enugu: Gov. Mbah dumps PDP for APC

Aminu Imam
Mbah dumps PDP

Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, yesterday formally announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing the move as a “bold and conscious step” towards securing a stronger political alignment for the state’s continued transformation. Speaking at a well-attended event in Enugu, Mbah expressed deep gratitude to the people of the state for their support over the past 28 months, noting that their trust had been the foundation for the remarkable progress witnessed across various sectors since the inception of his administration. “Today,…

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Federal High Court adjourns suit seeking to stop PDP convention till Thursday

Aminu Imam
Court adjourns PDP suit

The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday adjourned hearing in a suit seeking to stop the Peoples Democratic Party’s planned national convention to Thursday, October 16, to allow parties to resolve an internal dispute over the party’s legal representation. Justice James Omotosho made the decision after a heated disagreement between two senior lawyers, Chris Uche and Kamaldeen Ajibade, both claiming to represent the PDP in the case. Uche told the court that he was instructed by the PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, while the party’s National Legal Adviser, Ajibade, insisted…

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ASUU, FG in fresh showdown:  lecturers declare ‘No pay-No work’

Aminu Imam
FG ASUU showdown

…As FG enforces ‘no work-no pay’ A new confrontation is brewing between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), as both sides dig in over the ongoing nationwide strike. The Federal Government, yesterday, directed Vice-Chancellors of all federal universities to immediately enforce the “no work-no pay” policy against striking lecturers.  The directive, contained in a circular signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, mandates university heads to conduct roll calls and physical head-counts of academic staff, identifying those who are absent or participating in…

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NASS proposes Nov. 2026 for 2027 general elections

Aminu Imam
NASS proposes

Nigeria’s next presidential and governorship elections may be held in November 2026, following a proposal by the 10th National Assembly to move the polls six months earlier than usual. The draft amendment was unveiled yesterday, during a public hearing jointly organised by the Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters in Abuja. The move, contained in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, seeks to ensure that all election petitions are concluded before the May 29, 2027, handover date. The draft amendment read, “Elections into the office of the President and…

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Lagos-Calabar coastal highway costs ₦7.5bn/kilometre – Umahi 

Aminu Imam
Umahi on Lagos Calabar highway

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has justified the ₦7.5 billion per kilometre cost of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, insisting that the ₦1.067 trillion budgeted for the first 47.47-kilometre section is fair, and even below global benchmarks. Addressing newsmen in a recent briefing, Umahi explained that the project’s cost reflects its complex design – a 6-lane reinforced concrete expressway featuring flyovers, underpasses, shoreline protection, solar lighting, and landscaping. “A standard coastal road costs ₦7.5 billion per kilometre. This includes all fillings, shore protections, solar streetlights, and the planting of trees”, Umahi…

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Kaduna: Over 1,000 women defect to APC, laud Gov. Sani’s leadership

Aminu Imam
KD women defect

More than one thousand prominent women from across the 23 local government areas of Kaduna State have defected from various political parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), citing the exceptional leadership qualities and developmental strides of Governor Uba Sani as their motivation. The new entrants were formally received into the APC by the Kaduna State Woman Leader, Hajiya Maryam Suleiman, popularly known as (Mai Ginau), during a brief but colourful ceremony held in state party office, Kaduna. The women, who represented different political backgrounds and professional groups, said…

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Flood Disaster: FG to disburse ₦6.3bn interest-free loans to 21,000 victims

Aminu Imam
FG to disburse

21,000 Nigerians affected by flood disasters across the country are to benefit from a Federal Government interest-free loan totalling ₦6.3 billion. Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sanunu, disclosed this yesterday, at a roundtable event to mark this year’s ‘International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction’, in Abuja. The event had in attendance Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, Governor Dauda Lawal, of Zamfara State, lawmakers and international partners among others. Sununu said the intervention is to mitigate the impact…

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Nigeria secures €190m EU funding for agricultural devt.

Aminu Imam
FG on agric devt.

Nigeria’s agricultural sector is set for a major financing boost as the European Union has approved a €190 million (about N320.5bn) credit line to expand lending to farmers and agri-businesses through Nigerian commercial banks and development finance institutions. The facility, provided by the European Investment Bank, (EIB) was announced during a bilateral meeting between senior EIB executives and a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning on the sidelines of the Global Gateway Forum held recently in Brussels, Belgium. A statement issued yesterday by the Minister of…

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