Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has said it is disheartening to hear the reports of an incident involving a Federal High Court judge in Abuja and a defence lawyer, insisting that no judge has the power under Nigerian law to order a legal practitioner to kneel in court. NBA in release by its President, Afam Osigwe, said the association was disturbed by reports that Justice Mohammed Umar allegedly directed a lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, to kneel in the courtroom during proceedings. The incident reportedly occurred on Monday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, when Abubakar appeared as lead defence counsel for…

Labour Party’s (LP) National Executive Council (NEC) has set May 23 as the date Senior Special Adviser (SSA-Media) to the Interim National Chairman, Ken Asogwa, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. He said this was part of the approved timetable for the party’s primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections. Asogwa said that the timetable was fixed at a statutory NEC meeting observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to Asogwa, the party, in compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, also approved April 15 for submission of the membership register to…

What can be described as a new dawn for rural connectivity is coming up in Isiala-Mbano and Ehime-Mbano in the Okigwe Zone of Imo State, as the Imo State Government has intensified efforts towards the recovery of the area. As part of efforts to ensure sustainable project delivery, the Commissioner for Works, Ralph Nwosu, made an unscheduled inspection visit to the ongoing rehabilitation of the Amaraku/Umuelemmai road in Isiala Mbano LGA and the construction of the Agbaja, Mgboroko, and Umuezeala Umukabia road in Ehime Mbano LGA. The visit, as gathered, is focused on the progress of works along the Amaraku/Umuelemmai…

The Imo State chapter of the City Boy Movement has refuted allegations of violence and stampede linked to the recently concluded Renewed Hope National Youth Tour in Owerri, insisting that the reports are unfounded and driven by political mischief. Speaking at a media briefing, the State Coordinator, Prince Francis Uzor, alongside the State Leader, Dr Ijeoma Kalu, and the State Organizing Secretary, Dr Moses Odeghe, maintained that the programme was conducted in a peaceful and orderly atmosphere. They insisted that no form of violence disrupted the activities, contrary to circulating claims, stressing that the South-East edition of the youth tour,…

Ahead of 2027 Enugu State governorship election, the incumbent governor, Peter Mbah is showing a strong political mobilisation and grassroots alignment as his Peter Mbah Progressive Movement (PMPM) formally inaugurated its Nsukka (Enugu North Senatorial Zone). The event which took place at the Dome Hall of the International Conference Centre, Enugu, drew the attendance of top government functionaries, party leaders, stakeholders, and a large crowd of supporters, signalling growing momentum around Governor Mbah’s second-term bid. Speaking at the inauguration, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government and Convener/Grand Patron of the movement, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, described the PMPM as a…

Some people in Imo State has cultivated a dangerous habit: when progress isn’t immediately visible in their own backyard, they convince themselves it’s not happening anywhere. This narrow lens blinds them to real transformations unfolding across the state, fueling cynicism instead of celebration. Just as visible work progresses in many parts of Imo State—with completed roads, installed streetlights, and active construction sites under Governor Hope Uzodimma’s administration— stories of tangible delivery are emerging in many places and sectors in Imo State. Under Governor Hope Uzodimma, Imo is experiencing a remarkable wave of infrastructure renewal that drives inclusive growth for all…

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, PhD, has said that the signing the Kampala Convention Domestication Act into law is a significant step towards restoring the dignity of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and upholding their welfare. Giving the commendation on Tuesday when he received the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Nigeria, led by Doris El Doueihy on a courtesy visit in Abuja, added that the Act will be domesticated at the state level for easy implementation. Kalu also expressed gratitude to the Attorney General of the Federation, Chief…

Awka, Anambra State capital, got more than it bargained for in hosting dignitaries during Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s second term inauguration. DrumAfricanews reports that it was grandeur, pomp and pageantry as elites of Nigeria converged for the inauguration ceremony of Soludo and deputy governor Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim for a second term in office as Anambra governor and deputy governor. Vice President Kassim Shettima; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Nations Chief Emeka Anyaoku; serving and former members of the National Assembly; captains of industry; traditional rulers; business magnets; and the clergy were in…

The Orashi Electricity Company Limited has announced a major breakthrough in the Light Up Imo project, confirming that the New Owerri pilot scheme is now operational and actively supplying electricity to critical infrastructure in the area. Built around a 15MVA, 33/11KV injection substation commissioned earlier this month on February 6th, 2026, the substation as gathered is now successfully feeding power into the New Owerri corridor, marking a tangible step toward ending the power challenges in the state capital. An update from the company and the Ministry of Power and Electricity says that several high-profile locations are now connected to the…

The Imo State Health Insurance Agency (IMSHIA) has sealed a landmark agreement with the Heartland Hospital Management Corporation (HHMC) to eliminate barriers to medical care and ensure that quality health services are a reality for every citizen under the Shared Prosperity Agenda. The agreement, which was sealed after a high-intensity strategic session ably led by the Executive Secretary/CEO, Prof. Uchenna Ewelike, officially concluded a transformative management agreement with the Heartland Hospital Management Corporation, a move said to have the capacity to directly execute the mandate of Governor Hope Uzodimma. Prof. Uchenna Ewelike, while speaking, said, “It was a pansystolic meeting…