Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
Ghana’s president-elect John Mahama has visited President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Mahama’s visit came weeks after he won Ghana’s presidential election, earning him a return to the seat of power eight years after leading the West African nation. Olusegun Dada, Tinubu’s Special Assistant On Social Media, said the newly-elected Ghanaian president visited his Nigerian counterpart on Monday. “The President-Elect of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama paid a courtesy visit to President Tinubu at his residence, Presidential Villa, State House Yesterday,” Dada wrote on his X handle alongside photos of the two. He, however, did not give…
There was widespread excitement among Ekiti State workers on Tuesday as they began receiving alerts for the December salary reflecting the N70,000 new minimum wage. Hundreds of workers, including permanent secretaries, thronged the Governor’s Office in Ado Ekiti, dancing and singing in appreciation of the new wage payment. They expressed gratitude to Governor Biodun Oyebanji for fulfilling his promise to ensure that workers across all categories benefit from the new minimum wage. Accompanied by Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro; and some state commissioners, Oyebanji stepped out from the State Executive Council meeting…
A group, the University of Abuja Concerned Alumni Comrades, has opposed the Nigerian government’s plan to rename the University of Abuja to Yakubu Gowon University. In a statement by its coordinator, Ogunwoye Samson, the group asked the government to reverse the decision. “The proposed name change is seen as an affront to our collective identity and history,” the statement reads in part. On Monday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has resolved to rename the university. He noted, however, that the move would require the approval of the National Assembly.…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the construction of an airport in the State, a move seen as a significant dividend of democracy for the Southeast region under the current administration. The APC leadership also welcomed the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, to the official flag-off ceremony for the airport’s construction. The party expressed excitement about the project, believing it confirms the reality of Igbo reintegration under President Tinubu’s administration. In a brief statement, the leadership in Abia said “We are excited to welcome the Honorable minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus…
President Bola Tinubu on Monday appointed eight permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service to fill existing vacancies in some states and geopolitical zones. “The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recommended that the new permanent secretaries be appointed after diligent selection,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed in a statement Monday evening. The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu appoints eight new Permanent Secretaries.’ They are as follows: 1. Onwusoro Ihemelandu (Abia State) 2. Ndiomu Philip (Bayelsa State) 3. Anuma Nlia (Ebonyi State) 4. Ogbodo Nnam (Enugu State) 5. Kalba Usman…
Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman was crowned African Player of The Year, while the Super Falcons retained their Women’s National Team of The Year award, and goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie successfully defended her Goalkeeper of The Year title at the 2024 CAF Awards in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday. Lookman’s triumph made him the seventh Nigerian to win the prestigious award and maintained Nigeria’s impressive record in the category following Victor Osimhen’s victory last year. The Atalanta striker’s remarkable year included three goals and two assists as Nigeria reached their eighth Africa Cup of Nations final in February, while his hat-trick secured…
The Federal Executive Council on Monday approved the renaming of the University of Abuja as Yakubu Gowon University. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this to State House correspondents following the council’s last meeting for 2024 at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. The University of Abuja also known as UNIABUJA was established in January 1988 under Decree No. 110 of 1992 as amended, as a dual-mode university with the mandate to run conventional and distance learning programmes. The university started academic work in 1990 with the matriculation of its pioneer students. Yakubu Gowon is Nigeria’s former…
The Defence Headquartres (DHQ) has dismissed reports alleging plans to site a French military base in the north-east. Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, reacted in a statement on Monday. In an X post on Saturday, Mahdi Shehu, a public affairs and political commentator, alleged that a French military base would soon be sited in the north-east after Femi Oluyede, chief of army staff, reportedly received French soldiers. “Yesterday, the Chief of Army staff received the first contingent of French soldiers and immediately deployed them to Maiduguri to ‘HELP NIGERIA IN FIGHTING BOKO HARAM’,” the post reads. “The same…
The Supreme Court, has dismissed a suit seeking to sack President Bola Tinubu from office. The apex court on Monday in a unanimous decision by a five-member panel of justices, awarded a fine of N5 million against the plaintiff, Chief Ambrose Owuru, who was the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party, HDP, in the 2019 general election. The panel, which was led by Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, warned the Registry of the Supreme Court not to accept any frivolous originating summons from the plaintiff again. In the legal action he filed directly at the apex court, Owuru, among other…
Nigeria’s inflation rate increased to 34.6% in November 2024, up from 33.8% in October, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, released on Monday, highlights a 0.72% rise in inflation within a month. The NBS reported a significant year-on-year increase of 6.4 percentage points compared to the 28.2% inflation rate recorded in November 2023. On a month-on-month basis, inflation rose by 2.638% in November 2024, a marginal drop of 0.002 percentage points from October’s 2.64%. “This indicates that while prices are still increasing, the rate of monthly price growth slowed slightly in…