Author: Tunde Akingbondere

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been stripped of her position as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations. The announcement was made on Thursday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who refused to offer any explanation for the decision. He named Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim, representing Akwa Ibom East, as her replacement. This change comes months after the Kogi Central lawmaker was suspended from the Senate in March for six months—a move that sparked controversy and legal backlash. SaharaReporters previously revealed that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had submitted a formal petition to the Senate during plenary, accusing Senate President Akpabio of…

The Presidency on Thursday faulted the United States government over its claim that Nigeria failed to reciprocate its five-year, multiple-entry visa policy. It also dismissed reports claiming that President Bola Tinubu cancelled the issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas for United States citizens, describing such claims as “misinformation and fake news.” “We want to reiterate that the US government’s claim of reciprocity as the reason for its current visa policy towards Nigeria does not accurately reflect the actual situation,” it said in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The statement is titled ‘President…

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirmed the victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2024 Edo State governorship election. In a unanimous decision delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, on the ground that the appeal “lacked merit.” The court upheld the previous decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, both of which had declared Okpebholo the validly elected governor. The court stated that Ighodalo and the PDP…

The Federal Government has declared that Nigeria’s economy is showing signs of steady recovery under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, attributing the positive momentum to wide-ranging reforms spearheaded by the administration. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, while receiving members and newly elected executives of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, during a courtesy visit to his office. In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Idris stated that although Nigeria’s economy was not yet in “El-dorado”, no one could say that there was no progress, adding that international rating…

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, has fixed July 18 for ruling on a motion seeking to restrain the National Assembly from approving budgets or appointments of the Rivers State Government under the current Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd). Ibas was appointed as Rivers’ Sole Administrator by President Bola Tinubu following the six-month suspension of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara. Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after counsel for the applicants, Ambrose Owuru, and the defence lawyer, Mohammed Galadima, presented their arguments for and against the motion for interlocutory injunction. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the…

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has revealed that a preliminary probe into the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has exposed “mind-boggling” corruption in the organisation. Speaking on Wednesday during the third day of the National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance—organised by the Public Accounts Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives in Abuja—Olukoyede said the EFCC had only just begun examining the NNPC Limited’s books. Yet, early findings already pointed to entrenched financial malfeasance. “In the last three weeks, we launched a commission-wide investigation into the extractive industry, particularly the…

The Ondo State Police Command has apprehended three suspected members of a transnational human trafficking syndicate and rescued a Ghanaian national believed to be one of their victims. In a statement issued on Saturday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the arrest was carried out by operatives of the Tactical Intelligence Response Squad of the command. According to Ayanlade, the suspects, Hayford Nyamekye, Awine Alex, and Kojo Felix, allegedly lure their victims from Ghana into Nigeria under the pretext of securing employment, only to defraud them upon arrival. Ayanlade said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were…

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has reaffirmed his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while dismissing reports alleging that he is defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Adeleke, in a statement on Saturday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, expressed concern about the widespread rumour and reassured his supporters and admirers that he remains a member of the PDP and the leader of the party in the state. Reiterating his commitment to implementing his administration’s five-point agenda, the governor urged the people of Osun to disregard fake news. This was as he promised to deliver more good governance…

The Federal Government has revealed that it is open to negotiating the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu on the condition that it will not be dangled as a precondition for political support. Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, made this known on Friday night while addressing journalists in Lagos. He dismissed reports suggesting that the South East was making Kanu’s release a prerequisite for backing President Bola Tinubu’s administration. “Somebody asked me about Nnamdi Kanu, and I said his matter is not a condition for the South East to support the President.…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, has reduced its premium motor spirit price. We gathered that the NNPCL retail outlets in Abuja on Saturday slashed their petrol pump price to N910 per litre from N945. This was the case in NNPCL filling stations in Zone 6, Kubwa Expressway, Wuse Zone 4, and other parts of Abuja. The new petrol price at the state-owned oil firm represents a N30 drop from its earlier N945 per litre price. The development comes barely four days after Dangote Refinery reduced its petrol ex-depot price to N840 per litre from N880 following a drop…