BELLO El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representative and son of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has admitted that he was naive in his criticism of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency said that his naivety prevented him from realising that there was governance in the country during Jonathan’s administration. According to him, he came to the realisation of his naivety in criticising Jonathan after he saw his father going to visit the former president for political talks. “I visited my father after I became a member and I saw…
Author: Maimuna Bashir Isa
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NIGERIA’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has declared Nigeria’s democratic tradition a stabilising force in the West African region, calling it a model worthy of emulation as the subcontinent faces growing political uncertainty. He made the statement in a press release signed by his spokesman, Alkasim Abdulkadir, on Wednesday during the celebration of Democracy Day. Tuggar noted that despite recent challenges across West Africa, including a surge in unconstitutional changes of government, Nigeria has maintained its democratic trajectory through regular elections, peaceful transitions of power, and adherence to constitutional norms. “Nigeria stands as a beacon of hope and…
THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has debunked a news story in circulation suggesting that the Bank has extended the deadline for the recapitalisation of Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to December 31, 2025. The CBN, through its Acting Director of the Corporate Communications Department, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, described the information as false and misleading, adding that it should be disregarded. According to her, the Bank has not granted any such extension beyond the previously communicated deadline of June 3, 2025. She consequently urged the general public, journalists, media platforms, and all stakeholders to consistently verify information directly from…
THE Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy mourns the passing of Nigeria’s highlife legend, Mike Ejeagha, who departed this life on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the age of 95. The Minister extends condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Mike Ejeagha, praying that his soul rests in peace. Musawa describes the late icon as a legend whose contributions to Nigeria’s culture through music and folklore cannot be set aside. “The nation has lost a treasure trove of cultural heritage and musical genius. Mike Ejeagha’s contributions to Nigerian music are immeasurable, and his legacy will continue to…
THERE is a looming electricity blackout in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, as electricity workers under the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies have declared their intention to embark on strike. The two unions who work for the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) said the strike is related to the company not implementing its demand following the suspension of another strike in November 2024. This newspaper reports that AEDC supply electricity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi states. The suspended strike in November saw the picketing of AEDC’s headquarters…
THE National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the QNA and other stakeholders have mapped out strategies to tackle the threats posed by cybercrime and cyber-attacks in Nigeria through a national conference. A 4-day event scheduled to be held in Abuja from July 7 to 10, 2025, with the theme “Building a Resilient Digital Future”, which is the maiden edition, highlights the urgent need for strong cybersecurity measures in a rapidly evolving digital world. Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday ahead of the National Conference, the Director General…
MARYAM Abacha American University of Nigeria has achieved yet another remarkable feat as it has so far signed no fewer than 50 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with academic and institutional partners across 21 countries worldwide. These countries include United States of America, Afghanistan, Brazil, Cyprus, Cameroon, China, Chad, France, India, Iraq, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, the Sultanate of Oman, Ethiopia, the Republic of Niger, Somalia, Gambia, Thailand, and Uganda. MAAUN has so far implemented a considerable number of agreements outlined in the MoU drafts signed with various agencies, universities, and research centers across the globe. Recall that the…
THE suspended Nigeria Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has alleged that Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President asked her to harass ministers and heads of agencies in exchange for kickbacks and favours for his personal benefit. Speaking in an exclusive interview with US-based Nigerian journalist Adeola Fayehun, Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed what she noted as systemic coercion within the National Assembly, alleging that as the then chairman of the Senate committee on Local Content, she was expected to extract returns from ministries and agencies under her oversight, including the Minister of Petroleum,Gas, and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). She disclosed that her…
THE Katsina State Government on Saturday called for the cancellation of the English language examination recently conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC). The call was made after the examination commenced several hours behind the time it was scheduled to start. The position of the state was announced in Katsina by Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, during a visit to WAEC office in Katsina. This newspaper reports that the position was based on a petition signed by Hajiya Ummukhair Ahmed, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry. NAN recalls that WAEC blamed the situation on…
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states for Saturday, June 20 and Saturday, August 8, 2026, respectively. INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Friday, during the swearing-in of six newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners, recently confirmed by the National Assembly. “For Ekiti State, the election will be held on Saturday, 20th June 2026. However, party primaries will start on 20th October 2025 and end on 10th November 2025 to enable political parties to upload their nomination forms to the dedicated portal, which automatically shuts down by 6.00 pm on…
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to cultural revival, economic advancement, and global engagement. In his address on Thursday, marking the second anniversary of his administration, President Tinubu said that the Motherland 2025 Festival, billed for December, aims to position Nigeria as a world-class destination for tourism, investment, and creative exchange. “In the spirit of democracy and national renewal, we are preparing to welcome the world to Nigeria soon for the Motherland Festival. This landmark gathering will spotlight our rich heritage, dynamic creative industries, and the vibrant energy of our people. It will showcase Nigeria’s beauty through tourism,…
THE Federal Capital Territory Administration, on Monday, sealed an Access Bank branch and a Total petrol station located in Zone 6, Wuse, Abuja, over non-payment of ground rent spanning 34 years. The property occupied by Access Bank is officially allocated to Rana Tahir Furniture Nigeria Limited, not the bank directly, according to official documents. A letter dated March 13, 2025, signed by the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated: “The Minister of Federal Capital Territory has in the exercise of powers conferred on him under the Land Use Act No. 6 of 1978, Cap. L5, Laws of the Federation…
THE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a fresh directive mandating telecom operators to compensate subscribers when major service outages last longer than 24 hours. The directive titled “Directive on Reportage of Major Network Outages by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs),” made available to LEADERSHIP on Sunday, stated that affected consumers are to receive proportional compensation, including extensions of service validity, in accordance with the Consumer Code of Practice Regulations. The new regulation applies to Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers, and other operators delivering last-mile services across the country. The move, the NCC said, was part of efforts to improve…
THE honeymoon between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government may soon be over, as the former has hinted on embarking on an industrial action to press home its demands over the unresolved 2009 Agreement. This is even as the union in its assessment of the President Bola Tinubu two-year administration lamented the institutional weaknesses, bureaucratic inefficiencies and endemic corruption that has undermined governance at all levels. The union asked the Federal Government to release the N150 billion revitalisation fund. The New President of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna, stated this at a press conference in Abuja,…
THE President of the Association of African Private Universities (AAPU), Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has commended the Vice Chancellor of Nile University, Professor Dilli Dogo, for enhancing the quality of education in the university. Gwarzo stated this during a courtesy visit to the university in Abuja, where he urged universities across the continent to stop working in isolation and instead build stronger ties with one another. He emphasised that collaboration was key if African countries hoped to improve their education systems and tackle broader social and economic issues. Gwarzo praised the Vice Chancellor Professor Dilli Dogo for raising the institution…
VICE President Kashim Shettima has paid tribute to Africa’s richest man and Founder of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, describing him as the “greatest black man in the past 300 years”. Shettima stated this while speaking at the Taraba International Investment Summit, tagged ‘Taravest,’ in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, on Wednesday. Dangote was on Tuesday named on TIME Magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognising the world’s most influential individuals shaping the future of charitable giving. He is the only Nigerian featured on the prestigious 2025 list, which honours 100 philanthropists from 28 countries under four categories—Titans, Leaders, Trailblazers, and…
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that it will on Wednesday release the results of 379,000 candidates who sat the rescheduled Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination between Friday and Monday. JAMB rescheduled the exam following widespread outcry over mass failure during the initial UTME. The board admitted to technical and human errors, especially in Lagos and South-East states, which significantly affected candidates’ performance. Out of the 1.9 million candidates who sat this year’s UTME, over 1.5 million scored below 200 marks out of a possible 400, prompting widespread concern among stakeholders. Following sustained pressure, JAMB investigated the mass failure…
THE Federal Government has commenced a revalidation exercise of the National Social Register as part of efforts to strengthen the ongoing conditional cash transfer programme aimed at cushioning the impact of economic reforms. So far, a total of 2.3 million households have been confirmed and cleared for payment under the renewed scheme. The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this at a recent press briefing held at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. The revalidation exercise comes amid concerns raised by the World Bank over the slow implementation of the cash transfer programme, which was launched…
THE Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy and the National Sports Commission will embark on a groundbreaking partnership to build infrastructure for creatives. This historic collaboration was forged during a meeting between Barr Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, and Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, in Abuja, on Thursday. The Minister emphasised that the two sectors that capture the attention of Nigerian youth are sports and creativity, particularly through music, film, and entertainment. She noted that sports and entertainment have become an integral part of the mindset of young…
THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has admitted that errors affected candidates’ performance during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, which was held across different centres in the country. The Registrar of the board, Ishaq Oloyede, who disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, also broke down in tears while admitting to the error. “Once again, we apologise and assure you that this incident represents a significant setback…. We remain committed to emerging stronger in our core values of transparency, fairness and equity. “It is our culture to admit errors because we know that in spite of…