Author: David Akonuche

THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it has indefinitely suspended its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and removed him as director of Radio Biafra as part of efforts to reposition the organisation and strengthen its operations. NEWS POINT NIGERIA reports that the decision was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by Chikadibia Edoziem, Head of the Directorate of State (DOS), which is described by the group as IPOB’s highest decision-making body. According to the statement, the proscribed organisation said the move formed part of broader efforts to safeguard its leadership structure, preserve its mission and prevent actions capable of undermining…

RETURNING Nigerians have narrated what they described as years of hardship, discrimination and neglect in South Africa, saying their experiences were worsened by a recent rise in xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals. News Point Nigeria reports that relief, gratitude and joy filled the atmosphere at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Thursday morning as the first batch of repatriated Nigerians arrived home. Heaves of relief, sighs of gratitude and bursts of laughter erupted among the returnees as they touched down on Nigerian soil after years of living abroad under increasingly difficult circumstances. At least 258 Nigerians made up…

THE leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed allegations that its recently concluded presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State Houses of Assembly primaries were marred by irregularities and the imposition of candidates, insisting that the exercises were conducted in line with the party’s constitution and established guidelines. The party said suggestions that the nationwide primaries lacked transparency were false and misleading, arguing that the narrative was largely driven by a poor understanding of the NDC’s internal processes as well as deliberate attempts by political opponents and critics to undermine the growing popularity of the party. In a statement…

THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, made a costly political mistake by contesting the 2027 presidential primary on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). News Points Nigeria reports that speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike said he foresaw the outcome of the ADC presidential contest from the beginning and would have advised Amaechi against participating had the former governor sought his opinion. Wike, who served as Chief of Staff during Amaechi’s administration in Rivers State, argued that…

THE Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has disclosed that it has put measures in place to prevent political aspirants from riding on the popularity of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to secure elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party said lessons have been learnt from the experiences of the 2023 elections, particularly the wave of defections and the emergence of relatively unknown politicians who allegedly leveraged the popularity of opposition figures to gain political relevance before later dumping their parties. Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily monitored by News Point Nigeria, the spokesman of…

FORMER Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by his Media Adviser, Sunday Areh, Senator Omo-Agege said his decision followed consultations with his political associates and supporters, as well as recent developments within the party in Delta State. The former lawmaker stated that his political aspirations and the interests of Delta Central are better pursued outside the APC, stressing that he could no longer remain in a party where he was unable to effectively advance the interests of his people. He, however, appreciated the…

FORMER Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the outcome of the African Democratic Congress presidential primary election, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement during the exercise held on Monday. News Point Nigeria reports that Amaechi, in a post shared on his X handle on Tuesday ahead of the official announcement of the results, said the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party. “Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” he stated.…

THE Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced an extension of the deadline for the collection of Expression of Interest forms for aspirants seeking to contest elective positions in the State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and Governorship elections. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu (Esq.) sent to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday, the party said the earlier deadline of 6:00pm on Sunday, May 17, 2026, has now been extended to 12:00 midnight on Sunday, May 24, 2026. According to the party, the screening of aspirants who have purchased and…

THE defence and prosecution have closed their cases in the ongoing trial of former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, at the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom. News Point Nigeria reports that Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside Olatimbo Ayinde, an oil executive, and Doye Agama, her brother, on a five-count charge bordering on the alleged acceptance of bribes. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges. British prosecutors accused the former minister of accepting bribes in the form of luxury goods and high-end properties from industry figures who allegedly believed she would use her influence…

JUSTICE Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned proceedings in the suit challenging the eligibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2027 presidential election following the absence of both the plaintiff and his counsel in court. News Point Nigeria reports the the judge subsequently fixed May 15, 2026, for the next hearing and warned that punitive costs could be awarded against the plaintiff if there is another failure to appear before the court. During proceedings, counsel to the defendant, Chris Uche, SAN, drew the attention of the court to the absence of the plaintiff,…

THE Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has zoned the presidential ticket for 2027 to Southern Nigeria. News Point Nigeria reports that the development comes as the leadership of the party, including Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and others, is currently holding in Abuja for the national convention of the party. The convention is expected to rectify some of the recent decisions of the national executive committee of the NDC. According to the agenda made available to journalists, some of the issues on the table for discussion and resolution are zoning, ratification of the amended party constitution, and the election of national executives…

FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, have obtained the African Democratic Congress expression of interest and nomination forms ahead of the 2027 general elections. News Point Nigeria reports that another presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has also picked up the form, pledging to prioritise security, job creation and the rising cost of living affecting millions of Nigerians. The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed to this newspaper on Friday that the three aspirants had already obtained the forms. “Yes, the three of them (Atiku, Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen) have obtained the forms,” he…

FORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged a suit filed by a lawyer, Johnmary Jideobi, seeking to restrain him from contesting the 2027 presidential election. News Point Nigeria reports that Jonathan, through his lawyer, Chris Uche, SAN, told Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, shortly after the matter was called for hearing. Uche informed the court that a letter of conditional appearance, a notice of preliminary objection, a counter-affidavit, and a written address had been filed on May 5, praying the court to dismiss the case. He said they got information about the case through the media and…

A PRESIDENTIAL aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, on Monday consulted former President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of the nation and the 2027 general elections. News Point Nigeria reports that Obi disclosed this after a closed-door meeting with the former president in Abuja. He led a delegation of South-East political leaders to the meeting, including serving and former lawmakers, as well as former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa. Briefing journalists after the meeting, the former Anambra State governor said the visit was part of ongoing consultations ahead of the 2027 elections. “Notable South-East leaders have…

GOVERNOR Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has described the outcome of the 2023 general elections in the South-East as a “wrong national political calculation,” insisting that the voting pattern in the region was a “political accident” that will not be repeated in 2027. News Point Nigeria reports that Uzodimma made the remarks while hosting leaders of the Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, led by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, at the Government House in Owerri. The meeting, convened ahead of the party’s primaries, focused on strengthening unity within the APC in the…

THE Federal Government has criticised the coronation and activities of individuals styled as Eze Ndigbo (Igbo traditional rulers) in foreign countries, describing the practice as embarrassing. News Point Nigeria reports that the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, stated this while presenting the position of the government at a meeting of Imeobi, the highest decision-making body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, held in Enugu on Thursday. In a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze, the minister said, “The situation has become a major embarrassment to the government, Ndigbo, Nigerians, and citizens…

THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said it plans to expand the National Grid, as it commences implementation of Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), including acquisition and clearing of Right of Way (RoW) for the reconstruction and upgrade of 138km Alaoji–Onitsha 330kV transmission line. News Point Nigeria reports that the project is being carried out in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), according to a Monday statement by the Company. The project will upgrade the existing single-circuit line to a 330kV double-circuit quad-conductor transmission line, significantly enhancing the grid’s capacity and efficiency. Compensation for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) was carried…

GUNMEN have killed Eze Josephat Ikegwu, the traditional ruler of Ishinkwo Community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. News Point Nigeria reports that the monarch attacked and killed at his residence on Wednesday night, April 1, by yet-to-be-identified assailants. Sources within the community said the incident occurred at about 10:00 p.m. when armed men stormed the residence and shot the monarch through the window of his bedroom while he was resting with his wife. The Chairperson of Onicha Local Government Area, Ikechukwu Ogbuofia, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview. “Yes, I have heard of it. It is…

A FIRE outbreak has gutted the cold store of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, destroying vaccines and critical medical equipment worth hundreds of millions of naira. News Point Nigeria reports that the incident occurred in the early hours of Friday at Block 5, Centenary City, Abakaliki, significantly impacting the state’s immunisation infrastructure. Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment of the damage, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma, lamented the scale of the loss, noting that the facility housed vital immunisation materials and solar-powered units used for vaccine preservation. Items destroyed in the fire include vaccines, vaccine carriers, cold-chain…

A MASSIVE wave of coordinated political messaging swept across Nigeria’s digital space on Wednesday as thousands of users on X (formerly Twitter) rallied behind former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, urging the African Democratic Congress to adopt him as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. News Point Nigeria reports that the online mobilisation, driven by hashtags such as #Amaechi2027, #AmaechiBuilt, and #NigeriaDecides, dominated Nigeria’s trending charts for hours, reflecting a growing digital push to influence opposition politics ahead of the next election cycle. The trend gained traction through coordinated posting patterns, influencer amplification, and sustained engagement across different…