Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Hon. Chief Joseph Ikunna is the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ohaji-Egbema, Oguta, Oru West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives election of 2027. In this interview with DRUMAFRICANEWS, he explains his agenda and several things he has to offer to his constituents if elected.  Beyond party lines, what is your four-year legislative agenda specifically for your constituency, and how will you measure if you’ve succeeded? I am not contesting simply to represent people in Abuja. I am contesting to fundamentally change the economic direction of our constituency. My agenda rests on five pillars: security…

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has officially handed over the project site for the construction of a state-of-the-art research laboratory and demonstration farm, valued at ₦2.5 billion, to Afri-Fruits Limited, managed by an Israeli.  The landmark project, which has been described as a major boost to agricultural innovation and food security research, is funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). DrumAfricanews gathered that the fund came following the approval of President Bola Tinubu after it was attracted through the strategic advocacy of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Uchenna Ortuanya.  Our correspondent gathered from sources at UNN that the facility…

The Ebonyi State Government has ordered the immediate confiscation of substandard construction materials discovered at the Ogbaga Road project site in Ebonyi Local Government Area. This is even as the government also directed the contractor handling the project to suspend work until full compliance with approved engineering designs and specifications is guaranteed. The directive came during a statewide inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects by the Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Sunday Inyima. Speaking during the inspection, Inyima accused some contractors of using inferior construction materials to undermine the infrastructure development agenda of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration. He described the…

Enugu State Governor has significantly scaled up its annual agricultural support programme, approving the free distribution of over 63,000 bags of organic and inorganic fertilisers and a wide range of agricultural inputs to registered farmers across the 17 local government areas of the state. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Dr. Patrick Nwabueze Ubru, said the distribution, approved by Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, underscores the administration’s commitment to food security, agricultural transformation, and improved livelihoods for farmers. He disclosed that the programme would be officially flagged off on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at 9:00 am at Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.…

…Approves 10.5km Igogoro-Amachara-Ikpamodo-Okpo-Amaada road project …1,000 housing units at Enugu Smart City, 18,000 mass housing units at Gateway Estate …Set to construct Ovu Lake Golf Resort at Akpawfu In another major push for infrastructural transformation, the Enugu State Government has approved the commencement of several projects cutting across roads, tourism, housing, and administrative infrastructure in various parts of the state. The government gave the approval during the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting at the weekend. Briefing Government House Correspondents, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Malachy Agbo; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke; and Commissioner for Works…

…calls for Umahi’s Suspension The Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD) has commended the Ebonyi State Police Command for insisting on autopsy on the remains of Mary Habila. YSAD hailed the police over the decision stressing that the case Habila who was allegedly found dead naked, with blood smear in her mouth, right on the premises of Minister David Umahi’s country home at Uburu, Ebonyi State, deserves thorough investigation. Nwagbara Obinna, Executive Director YSAD said the closure it seeks in this matter follows disturbing explicit videos and pictures obtained from traditional and online news sources. “We note with…

By Moses Ayodele ORJI My painful experience yesterday evening wading through the murky sludge at Ariaria International Market, ABA,took me down memory. I reflected on Abia and our loud claims to having transformed. And I remembered Governor Otti’s campaign promise to the traders at this market that he would commence his “transformational journey” from Ariaria. And I remembered that we are on the threshold of yet another campaign period. One of the great tragedies of our lives is that we seldom bridge the gap between practice and profession. This persistent moral gulf leaves so many of us tragically dividend against…

Paul University, Awka, an Anglican Church owned higher institution has suspended a member of its academic staff, Venerable Cornelius Eze, over allegation of sexual molestation in the institution. DrumAfricanews gathered that Eze, who is a Practical Biology Technologist in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, has been placed on indefinite suspension pending the outcome of both the university’s internal disciplinary process and investigations by relevant law enforcement agencies. A video circulating on social media showed the alleged suspended staff dressed only in his boxer shorts and allegedly fleeing from his office after the incident, where he allegedly jumped out…

Minister of Works,Engr. David Umahi, has spoken publicly for the first time on the death of a female staff member linked to him, insisting that an autopsy must be conducted to establish the cause of death while rejecting allegations that he or his family had any involvement. Speaking on Thursday, Umahi said his lawyers had already responded to the allegations but that he felt compelled to address what he described as misinformation surrounding the incident. Recall that reports had it that two young women from Kaduna state – Mary Habila and Mary Baski – left home and visited the country…

The Office of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has faulted a recent “field tracking” report on Federal Government projects in Bende Federal Constituency by Tracka, describing it as politically motivated, misleading and deliberately done. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Office said the report which has now been deleted from Tracka’s Facebook page barely 24 hours after it was published on July 15, 2026 for reasons yet to be ascertained is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. The Office added that the report reflected a misunderstanding of how federal projects are…