Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The member representing Jos South and East Federal Constituency Alfred Illiya Ajang has defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a letter read by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary on Thursday, the now-defected member claimed that the crisis in the Labour Party was the reason for his defection. The House was thrown into a rowdy session as some lawmakers raised eyebrows over the content of the letter. Lending his voice, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda says the letter is not in accordance with the constitution of the House and…

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has said that strong efforts are still being made to secure the release of the leader of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kalu. Kalu reiterated the commitment in Abuja while meeting with the South East Legislators Forum made up of lawmakers from 5 State Houses of Assembly from the South East region led by the Majority Leader of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Kingsley Ikoro on a courtesy visit to his office. He said that a lot is being done behind the scene with the appropriate authorities,…

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, says Nigeria is on track to add 150mw to the national grid before the end of 2024.  Adelabu said this on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. According to him, the upgrade will be made due to the successful completion of the pilot phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI). We have completed the pilot phase of this project, up to 80%. This involves the importation, installation, and commissioning of 10 power transformers and 10…

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance, and Financial Institutions has attributed the worsening cash shortage across the country to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to meet the cash demands of commercial banks. Speaking earlier, ASSBIFI President, Olusoji Oluwole, highlighted the dire impact of the scarcity, particularly as the festive season approaches, with increased demand for cash for shopping and business transactions. “In terms of (the cash) scarcity, this is something that has not ended since the redesign of the naira,” Oluwole said. Oluwole explained that banks have only two primary sources of cash – the CBN and…

Members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) held an in-person meeting at the Forum’s Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday night. Fifteen governors, mainly of the All Progressives Congress (APC), were present at the meeting. Governor Alex Otti of Abia State elected on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) and his Anambra State counterpart, Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), were the only opposition governors in attendance. The agenda of the meeting was not made available to journalists as of press time but the governors have, for weeks, been confronted with the tax reform bills presented by…

The South East Youths Stakeholders Forum, a coalition of youth leaders and progressive voices from the South East region, has noted with grave concern the unwarranted distractions, smear campaigns, and calculated gang-up against the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in relation to the ongoing nomination process for the South East Development Commission (SEDC). We unequivocally condemn these actions, which are clearly aimed at undermining the integrity and leadership of the Deputy Speaker, who has been a steadfast advocate for the development and progress of the South East region. Such divisive tactics not only…

The House of Representatives at the plenary on Wednesday passed through second reading, a Bill seeking to amend the National Eye centre Act, 2004, to provide for the establishment of more specialist eye care centres. The proposed legislation was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Hon. Babajimi Benson and 5 other lawmakers. Leading the debate on its general principles, Kalu noted that the bill seeks to enhance access to qualitative eye care services across the six geo-political zones of the nation. According to him, the proposed amendments seek to address the…

Excitement filled the air as Eastwing Aviation Institute made history in Emene, Enugu, becoming the first private aviation school to hold its inaugural matriculation ceremony. The event unfolded on the school grounds, where new students donned their matriculation gowns, surrounded by family and well-wishers. During the ceremony, the founder of the institute, Dr Christopher Edeh, emphasised the significance of this milestone in the school’s history. “Today, we gather to formally welcome and induct our pioneering students into the Eastwing Aviation Institute family. This momentous occasion marks the start of an exhilarating journey filled with discovery, growth, and transformation,” Edeh stated.…

The Bayelsa State Government has approved the payment of N80,000 as minimum wage for staff of local government councils after pressure from the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress. The government also assured that it would add to the December salaries the differentials arising from the ongoing discussions on the template used in paying the new minimum wage in November. The state’s acting governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made this known on Tuesday, at the Government House, Yenagoa during a meeting with the state minimum wage implementation committee and chairmen of the eight local government councils. The meeting also had representatives…

Kogi State Government has charged Examination Misconduct, Investigation and Disciplinary Committee to investigate the involvement of Schools and Persons indicted in the conduct of the 2024 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in the state. The State Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, who gave the charge on Tuesday while inaugurating the committee in Lokoja the state capital, described examination malpractice as a cankerworm that must be stem in the bud as it affects the future of children. According to him, the committee is to investigate the level of involvement of schools and persons and to recommend the appropriate punishment…