Author: Hamza Rufai

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate’s confirmation of appointees to lead the South West, North Central, and South South development commissions. In a correspondence to the Senate on Thursday, President Tinubu nominated a total of 55 individuals across the three commissions. For the North Central Development Commission, 19 nominees were presented, with Cosmos Akiyir named as Chairman and Cyril Yeltsin as the Managing Director. In the South West Development Commission, 18 appointees were nominated by the President including Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi as Chairman and Charles Akinola as Managing Director. Similarly, 18 nominees were proposed for the South South…

THREE members of the House of Representatives from Katsina State on Thursday announced their defection from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmakers blamed deep-seated crises and leadership failures within the PDP for their defection. The lawmakers were Salisu Yusuf Majigiri, representing Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency, Aliyu Iliyasu Ruma (Batsari/Safana/Danmusa), and Abdullahi Balarabe Dabai representing Bakori/Danja federal constituency, made their decision known in separate letters read during plenary by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. This is coming two days after six lawmakers from Delta State dumped the PDP for the APC, while two lawmakers from…

THE trial of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, continues before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the prosecution, tendering key exhibits linking the defendant to acts of terrorism. Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adegboyega Awomolo, the prosecution’s witness with Code name BBB, resumed testimony, focusing on a petition allegedly authored by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and addressed to the Department of State Services (DSS). The letter accused Kanu of terrorism, murder, and incitement to violence…

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday erupted into a fiery debate as lawmakers from conflict-hit regions raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation. Leading the charge was Ahmed Jaha (APC, Borno), who warned that Boko Haram has not only resurged but returned with deadlier tactics, including the use of weaponised drones. This followed the debate on a motion of urgent public importance moved by Ahmed Satomi on the recent fire incident at the armory at Giwa Barracks and the escalating attacks on military formations in Borno and Yobe state. Jaha, who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, said 10 peasant farmers…

SIX members of the House of Representatives from Delta State and their two counterparts from Enugu have announced their defection from their former parties to new political platforms. While the six members from Delta state announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, the two members from Enugu state swapped the Labour Party for the PDP. The letters of defection from the members were read on the floor of the House at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday. The defecting members from Delta were led by the Leader of the Southern regional caucus of the…

THE Federal Ministry of Finance has vehemently refuted recent online reports alleging irregularities in the award of contracts amounting to ₦13 billion between February and June 2024. In a statement on Monday, the Ministry dismissed the claims as “unfounded” and “malicious,” reaffirming its unwavering commitment to transparency and due process in all its operations. The online report suggested that the Ministry, under the leadership of Minister the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and Permanent Secretary Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, violated procurement procedures. Responding with a firm denial, the Ministry emphasised that every contract awarded…

THE National Assembly has urged the Supreme Court of Nigeria to dismiss the suit filed by 11 governors from the Peoples Democratic Party, challenging the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State. In its response, it contended that the suit was procedurally flawed and lacked merit. It further argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit and should award N1 billion in costs against the plaintiffs for filing what it termed a frivolous and speculative suit. In a preliminary objection, the National Assembly argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case, particularly…

VICE President Kashim Shettima on Saturday represented President Bola Tinubu at the inauguration of Brice Nguema as President of Gabon President. The inauguration ceremony, which held at the Stade de l’Amitié sino-gabonaise in Libreville, Gabon, saw military parades, marchpast and display of Gabon’s rich cultural heritage. Vice President Shettima, was joined on the short trip by Chairman, House Committee on Police Affairs, Hon Usman Bello Kumo and the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), Aliyu Modibbo. Other African Leaders who attended the event were President Teodoro Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, Paul Kagame of…

THE House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions has summoned the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, and his counterpart in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, over the crisis in the State Houses of Assembly. Also summoned were the leadership of both legislative houses. They are to appear before the lawmakers on Thursday, May 8, to explain why the functions of the Houses of Assembly should not be taken over by the House of Representatives. This is sequel to a petition written by a civil rights organisation, Guardians of Democracy and Rule of Law, urging the House to take…

THE Forum of Former ANPP stakeholders has disowned an alleged fake ANPP renuion meeting led by one of it’s members. In a statement signed by the Forum’s National Coordinator, Dr Umar D Duhu and National Secretary, Chief Livinus Agala Opuakpa made available to News Point Nigeria, Friday, the forum Pledges its support to the government of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President, Kashim Shettima. According to the statement, the initiative, spearheaded by an individual whose intentions and ulterior motives, seeks to subvert, ridicule and bring to disrepute the current APC Government and its Leadership. “The concept behind this meeting is…

A FORMER Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, says he does not regret working with the President but would not accept the opportunity to return if offered again. Baba-Ahmed, who was appointed in 2023 to serve under the office of Vice President Kashim Shettima as a Special Adviser on political matters, resigned from his position in April. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday monitored by News Point Nigeria, Baba-Ahmed said he stepped down because the Tinubu administration lacked the zeal to fix Nigeria. Baba-Ahmed said he has no regrets about working with Tinubu.…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the retirement age of all civil servants to be increased to 65 years or 40 years of service, aligning with current provisions for teachers, health workers, and judges. The demand was made by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration at Eagle Square, Abuja. Ajaero also raised concerns about the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, warning that citizens and workers are increasingly unable to express themselves freely due to heightened security crackdowns on peaceful protests. Speaking a day before, at the Pre-May Day Lecture themed “Reclaiming the Civic…

THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to initiate legal proceedings against the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other key stakeholders who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The party’s leadership, after a marathon six-hour closed-door meeting at its national secretariat in Abuja on Tuesday, directed the PDP National Legal Adviser to commence the process of reclaiming what it termed the party’s stolen mandate in Delta State. In a communiqué released following the meeting, the party directed its national legal adviser to initiate a legal process to reclaim its mandate from…

NASIR el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna state, says, “Kano is critical of any serious political formation because of its consistently high voter turnout”. The former leader of Kaduna said this while he visited the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, at his palace on Monday. El-Rufai recently quit the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He believes Nigeria urgently needs a better political option to solve its major problems. “Kano is critical to any serious political formation because of its consistently high voter turnout,” he said. After switching to the SDP, El-Rufai felt…

THE House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has directed the Federal Ministry of Transportation to recover and remit N33,563,469.10 to the Federal Government treasury after it was discovered that the funds were spent on unauthorised foreign travel. The directive was issued on Monday during the committee’s hearing Chaired by Representative Bamidele Salam on the 2021 Auditor-General’s report. The audit revealed that three officials from the ministry were paid a total of $3,000 in contingency allowances for trips to Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, Greece and France without the necessary approvals or documentation showing how the funds were utilised. This action forms…

GUNMEN have reportedly kidnapped commuters travelling in two vehicles along Eleyin village, Isanlu-Isin, Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State. The attack is coming in the wake of a similar incident near Obbo-Aiyegunle in Ekiti Local Government of the state last week involving seven travellers heading for Offa from Abuja. The latest incident, it was gathered, occurred around 5:45 pm on Friday, when the fully armed kidnappers blocked the highway, stopped two private vehicles and forcefully matched the occupants into the forest. The present location of the victims said to be travelling inside Honda and Toyota vehicles were still unknown…

DELTA Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednesday, April 23, officially dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Over the years, several Governors have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while still in office. Here are seven sitting Governors who defected from PDP to APC: 1. Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State) Sheriff Oborevwori shocked many by dumping the PDP for the APC on Wednesday. His defection marks a significant political shift in Delta, a core PDP state since 1999. 2. Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State) Umahi defected to APC in…

THE National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has dismissed claims that the ruling party is steering Nigeria towards a one-party system. The party’s secretary made the remarks on Wednesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the APC’s political activities and dismissed suggestions of state-backed intimidation of opposition parties. Earlier on Wednesday, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy, Monday Onyeme, and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, along with commissioners and key stakeholders in the state. When asked whether he was concerned by…

THE Management of Air Peace has announced the suspension of all flight operations nationwide following the industrial action by staff of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). The suspension, according to the airline, is due to the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) report required for safe landings. The announcement of the suspension is contained in a notice by the Head of Corporate Communication of Air Peace, Dr. Ejike Ndiulo. The notice posted on the official X handle of the airline @flyairpeace reads: “Due to the ongoing NiMet strike and the unavailability of QNH (hazardous weather) reports required for safe landings, Air…

THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the withdrawal of mobile police officers from VIPs. In a statement on Tuesday, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Muyiwa Adejobi, said the move is part of the reorganisation of the Police Mobile Force (PMF). “He expressed concern over the diversion of PMF personnel to non-core roles, including escort and guard duties for private individuals and VIPs, a trend which has undermined the unit’s effectiveness,” the statement read. “To address this, the IGP has announced a series of measures including the immediate withdrawal of PMF personnel from unauthorized deployments,…