Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

President Bola Tinubu said on Monday that he has no regrets about the fuel subsidy removal. Speaking during his first presidential media chat on Monday night, Tinubu expressed his resolve, stating, “I have no regrets whatever removing subsidies. It was necessary.” The President explained that the subsidy regime was unsustainable, likening it to mortgaging the future of the country for present consumption. “We were not investing; we were just deceiving ourselves. The reform was necessary. We cannot have expenditures we don’t have revenue for,” Tinubu said. He further emphasised the importance of fiscal discipline, urging Nigerians to adopt better financial…

President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.  According to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN). All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast. “The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria. “All television and radio stations are requested to hook…

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has listed rules and regulations event organisers must adhere to before engaging in the distribution of palliative in the country. Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, Yilwatda said it is important that organisers register such events, involve security operatives like the police, and carry out a risk assessment and vulnerability checks, among others to avoid future stampedes and deaths. Yilwatda’s advice came following deaths recorded during palliative distribution in Abuja, Ibadan and Anambra last week. He expressed sympathy with the families of the victims but insisted…

Controversial rapper Speed Darlington, whose real name is Darlington Achakpo, has been granted bail after spending nearly a month in police custody.  According to his lawyer, Stanley Alieke, the court granted Speed Darlington bail, marking a significant development in his case. Alieke disclosed this on his Instagram handle on Monday.“ Apki has been granted bail by the court,” he wrote. Speed Darlington was arrested on November 27 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State. His arrest was linked to allegations of abusing Afrofusion star Burna Boy. Speed Darlington’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed that Burna Boy was indeed responsible…

The retail price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, has dropped to N965 per litre in the Federal Capital Territory. A check conducted by newsmen on Monday revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) had implemented this new price at its retail outlets across the capital city, much to the satisfaction of customers. This price reduction marks the second decrease in less than two weeks, following an earlier drop from N1,060 to N965 earlier this month. At NNPC’s mega station located along Wuse Zone 4 and Olusegun Obasanjo Way in the Central Area, petrol was…

By Sam Hart The mediahas been awash with a disgruntled minority trying to kick against the composition of the Board of the South East Development Commission as announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The noise is from usual quarters. Those who have arrogated to themselves the fabled ‘unu dum’ (I represent all of you) appellation of the popular Igbo folk tale. The misnomer is that they have gotten away in times past with dearing heists that they now assume that they can get away with anything. From questionable Governorship coronations from distant positions to nominations of Ministers and other key…

In a heartwarming initiative to reunite families during the festive season, the Abia State Government, under the leadership of Governor Alex Chioma Otti, OFR, has approved free round-trip transportation for nearly 1,000 indigent citizens. This move ensures that Abians without financial means can celebrate the 2024 Yuletide season with their loved ones at home. The initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the Executive Governor, covers selected routes across Nigeria. These routes include Kaduna, Jos, Kano, Niger, Maiduguri, Abuja, and Lagos, with coordinated pick-up and return schedules for the beneficiaries. Pick-Up Locations and Dates: Kaduna – Umuahia: Departure on December 22, 2024,…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned the recent food stampedes in Nigeria, which have resulted in the loss of over 60 lives. The party describes these incidents as a stark reminder of the widespread poverty, hunger, and desperation that have become rampant under the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government. In a statement, PDP spokesman Debo Ologunagba expressed devastation at the state of the economy, which he believes has been mismanaged by the APC administration. The party said, “The PDP is devastated that the APC-led administration has wrecked our once thriving economy and pushed millions of…

The University of Ilorin has urged its graduates, both undergraduate and postgraduate, to promptly collect their unclaimed certificates. In an internal memorandum dated 18 December, the institution stated that it had observed a significant backlog of uncollected certificates, which led to the latest directive. The University Registrar, M.A. Alfanla, has set a final deadline for certificate collection on Friday, 17 January 2025. Graduates who fail to collect their certificates by this date will be charged a penalty of ₦3,000 for each week of delay. “The University Management, therefore, urges all affected graduates to collect their certificates on or before Friday,…

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, on Sunday identified poverty and criminal negligence as the main cause of the stampede that has led to the loss of Nigerians recently. In a statement, the human rights lawyer also called for justice for the dead and injured victims, while chronicling some incidents that involved the distribution of food and cash distribution in the country. He described the events as a national tragedy and called for systemic reforms to protect the dignity and lives of the citizens. “There is also a sociological dimension to this national shame of episodic loss lives…