Author: Khadija Abubakar

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said it would issue a supplementary regulation to clarify the review process for election results under Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022. The commission stated that its intervention became necessary due to growing concerns over conflicting interpretations of the provision. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this during the second quarterly consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. “As we approach the bye-elections, the off-cycle governorship elections and ultimately the 2027 General Election, the commission is concerned with the various interpretations given to the provision…

THE Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Esq, has commended a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Segun Sowunmi, for his unwavering love for Nigeria and his role in providing constructive opposition that strengthens democracy. The Minister made these remarks on Sunday during an inspection tour of ongoing critical infrastructure projects embarked upon by the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, including the Section-1 Abuja-Kaduna Road and the Suleja-Minna Road. Rt. Hon. Goronyo, who joined the tour at the instance of the Honourable Minister of Works, Engr.…

GA’IB – funeral prayer in absentia – have been observed for the soul of late business mogul, Aminu Dantata, in Kano, on Saturday. The prayer was led by the Chairman of the Kano Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, alongside the Commandant General of Kano Hisbah board, Sheikh Ibrahim Daurawa. The prayer was observed at the Umar bn Khattab mosque, along Zaria Road, Gyadi-gyadi, Kano. Among attendees at the prayer were the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I Jibrin and members of Kano Executive council among many other dignitaries from the business community and others. This newspaper reported…

THE President and founder of Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of elder statesman, business icon, and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata. Professor Gwarzo described the death of the Alhaji Ɗantata as a painful and irreplaceable loss not only to Kano State but to Nigeria as a whole, citing his lifetime of service, generosity, and unwavering commitment to the nation’s progress. He recalled with pride that in 2023, the MAAUN Kano School of Health Sciences was named after the late Alhaji Dantata in honour of his outstanding contributions…

PRESIDENT and Founder of MAAUN Group of Universities, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, has donated a 2-storey building to Alliance Francaise in Kano. Mr Gwarzo, who announced the donation on Thursday, said the edifice which is located at Ahmadiyya Junction along Airport Road in Kano metropolis, would serve as the permanent office of the organization. He explained that the gesture is part of his effort to ensure the organization owns a permanent office of its own instead of staying in rented offices, moving from one place to another. He said it was unfortunate that Alliance Francaise, which has been in Kano…

THE killing of two young men from Kano State in Makurdi, Benue State, has triggered widespread outrage, with Governor Abba Yusuf condemning the attack as “barbaric, senseless, and unacceptable.” The victims, Barhama Suleiman and Jamilu Ahmad, sons of renowned Islamic scholar Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, were reportedly attacked and murdered at around 11:00 p.m. on Monday by unidentified assailants. According to official reports, they were targeted without provocation while living peacefully in the area. In a statement released on Tuesday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf expressed profound grief over the loss. “It is with a heavy…

THE Kano State Government has declared Thursday, June 26, 2025, as a public holiday to mark the beginning of the Islamic New Year, Hijrah 1447 AH. This was announced through a statement signed by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya. Governor Abba Yusuf congratulated Muslims across the state for witnessing the new Islamic year, which begins with the month of Muharram. He urged the Muslim Ummah and the people of Kano to use the occasion for reflection on their actions over the past year and offer prayers for peace, unity, and prosperity in the…

GOVERNOR Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has deeply mourned the death of the ace broadcaster, late Hajiya Bilkisu Babangida who passes on today following a protracted illness in Abuja at the age of 56. This was made known via a statement issued by the governor’s Spokesperson Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa in Kano on Tuesday. In the statement, the governor said late Hajiya Bilkisu Babangida was a trailblazer in the world of broadcasting, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. He added that as a renowned broadcaster, she used her platform to share stories, amplify voices and bring people together.…

THE Kano State Police Command has confirmed that nine unexploded ordnances (UXOs) have been recovered at the site of Saturday’s deadly explosion at Yongxing Steel Company in Mariri Quarters, along Ring Road in Kano. This newspaper reports that the blast, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. on June 21, claimed the lives of five persons and left several others injured. According to the police, the explosion was not caused by an IED bomb as initially feared but by a UXO that accidentally detonated during the offloading of scrap materials. Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Hussaini Abdullahi, In a statement on…

THE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has conferred the “Media-Friendly Governor of the Year” Award on Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, in recognition of his administration’s commitment to press freedom, open governance, and strategic engagement with the media. The award was presented to the Governor at the NUJ’s 70th Anniversary Gala/Award Night and Book Presentation, held at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja. The event was chaired by veteran journalist and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, and attended by leading figures in government, media and civil society. Governor Inuwa Yahaya, represented by Commissioner for Environment, Water and Forest Resources,…

KANO State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has announced a major redevelopment initiative for the Farm Centre GSM Market, pledging an investment of over N2 billion to restore, expand, and modernize the bustling commercial hub. This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa on Saturday. The intervention, according to the governor, is a direct response to recent fire outbreaks that devastated parts of the market and a broader effort to meet the growing needs of traders and customers. Governor Yusuf made the announcement during a visit to the market on Friday where he was…

MINISTER of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has dismissed the formation of the new opposition party, the All Democratic Alliance, as a failed attempt to recreate the 2013 coalition that birthed the All Progressives Congress. In a post shared via his official X account (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Keyamo ridiculed the move, describing it as a “pedestrian joke.” “If they are thinking of recreating what the APC did in 2013, then this is nothing but a pedestrian joke; a complete mockery of that seismic political coalition,” keyamo wrote. The proposed party, driven by the National Opposition Coalition Group,…

A WITNESS in the ongoing trial of Olu Agunloye, former Minister of Power and Steel, on Monday told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja that neither Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria nor the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the controversial $6 billion contract awarded to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited for the Mambilla Hydropower Project. Testifying before J.O. Onwuegbuzie (Justice), Umar Babangida, the third prosecution witness (PW3) and an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), revealed that Obasanjo made it clear, both in writing and during a meeting with investigators, that he…

THE Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 19, 2025, for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s arraignment. The senator is being dragged before the court for alleged defamation. The federal government dragged her to court over the allegation she made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. The date was initially set for June 3 but was adjourned following procedural delays. The charge was a result of the claims made by Akpabio and Bello. The senator has expressed confidence that the truth will prevail, even as civic groups demand that the Attorney General and Inspector General…

SUSPENDED Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi West) has raised the alarm that her official telephone line has been cloned and is being fraudulently utilised to intimidate some Nigerian dignitaries. In a petition to the Director of the National Cybercrime Centre, Nigeria Police Force, Abuja, through his lawyers, M. J. Numa and Partners, dated June 4, 2025, Akpoti-Udughan said the “unknown persons are impersonating her personality to make unsolicited calls and deliver messages pretending to have originated from her.” She added that this deployment of advanced cyber tools collectively suggests the existence of “a coordinated attempt to compromise” her identity and possibly…

THE Federal Government has commenced the payment of N44,000 minimum wage arrears to former members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The commencement of the payment fulfills an earlier promise tied to the recent upward review of corps members’ monthly allowance from N33, 000 to N77, 000. The payment applies to those who completed their service before the new allowance took effect earlier this year. Former corps members have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to confirm receipt of the payment, expressing their gratitude and relief. One user, @Kingpin_black1, posted: ”Thank you NYSC. Thank you President Tinubu. Nigeria will be…

THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested 127 foreign nationals in the Hotoro Ring Road area of Nasarawa Local Council, Kano State, for their involvement in various cybercrimes and irregular migration. This came as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with other stakeholders, received 111 Nigerian returnees from Niamey, Niger Republic, as part of ongoing efforts to support voluntary returnees. This was disclosed on the agency’s X handle yesterday. Meanwhile, the Kano State Comptroller of Immigration, Kabir Danja, said the arrests were made during an operation based on credible intelligence targeting a hideout where the suspects were allegedly…

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has distanced itself from misleading messages circulating via a spoofed version of its 66019 short code. JAMB’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, in a statement on Wednesday, stated that these messages are not from JAMB, describing them as fraudulent and intended to sow confusion. Dr. Benjamin said the messages instruct candidates, some of whom have already sat for the resit examination and received their results, to reprint their examination slips for a resit examination. He added that there are currently no scheduled examinations, and candidates who have successfully completed the resit examination…

TENSION gripped Rano Local Government Area of Kano State following a violent incident that led to the death of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and one other individual. According to a press release issued by the Kano State Police Command on Monday, the crisis began on Sunday evening when a motorcycle mechanic identified as Abdullahi Musa was arrested for alleged reckless and dangerous riding. He was believed to be under the influence of intoxicants at the time of his arrest. The police stated that Musa developed health complications while in custody and was rushed to Rano General Hospital. “He unfortunately…

THE Federal Government has concluded plans to sell a sprawling estate linked to a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, to low and middle-income Nigerians. The massive property, comprising 753 housing units, was recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in December 2024. According to the EFCC, it is the largest single asset recovery since the agency’s inception in 2003. It covers over 150,000 square metres and includes duplexes and other apartment types. The estate was recovered following a final forfeiture order issued on December 2, 2024, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital…