Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The National Economic Council has set up a special committee to look into ways of diversifying the generation of electricity in Nigeria. The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, disclosed this while briefing Journalists at the end of this month’s meeting of the Council, presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima. He said the intention is to empower States and regions towards meeting their specific electricity needs. The Ondo State Governor said the council took the decision after it was briefed by the Managing Director of the country’s Rural Electrification Agency on the National Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan. He…

The Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has promised to prioritise social safety nets for citizens to cushion the unintended effects of ongoing economic reforms, as the nation records positive improvements in the economy. President Tinubu stated this on Wednesday night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, paid him a courtesy call on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. While acknowledging that the reforms had weakened Nigerians’ purchasing power, President Tinubu in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said his administration will continue to prioritise the…

Finnish-Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa has been arrested in Finland alongside four others on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing. According to local publication Yle, Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. The publication reported that the Finnish Central Criminal Police confirmed the arrests in a statement on Thursday, noting that the other suspects were apprehended for allegedly financing terrorist activities. “The detention demands are related to a preliminary investigation in which a Finnish citizen of Nigerian descent, born in…

The Senate has granted approval to the ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2b) loan request of President Bola Tinubu after a voice vote in favor of the request. The Senate presided by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, approved the loan after the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North) presented the report of the committee. The request which was submitted by the President on Tuesday is part of a fresh external borrowing plan to partially finance the N9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year. Tinubu had on Tuesday written to the National Assembly,…

The Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the conduct of the Ondo State governorship election on Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling it ‘a sham’. The opposition party, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on Sunday, said it is reviewing the outcome of the poll. According to INEC’s declaration, PDP’s candidate Agboola Ajayi came a distant second with a total votes of 117,845 behind the winner, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 366,781 votes. The opposition party in its statement, described the election as the worst ever to…

Speculation is rife that Inter Miami are close to signing Brazilian forward Neymar Jr, according to a report by Marca on Saturday. The Brazilian, who joined Saudi club Al-Hilal from the big-spending Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, formed a formidable partnership with former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez as the trio dazzled European football during their time at Barcelona with their goal-scoring abilities and strong collaboration. The trio’s partnership was dubbed ‘MSN’ during their time at the Catalan club. Unfortunately, Neymar has struggled with fitness issues, and there are indications that Al-Hilal may terminate his contract, having featured only seven…

The Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, Babatunde Osibodu, declared the All Progressives Congress the winner of the Saturday Local Government elections in the state in the early hours of Sunday. Osibodu said the “APC won all 20 local government seats and 236 councillorship wards in the state.” He announced this at the electoral body’s headquarters in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, the state capital, while presenting the official results in a live broadcast. Osibodu said, “A total of 613,156 votes were cast in the chairmanship elections across the 20 local government areas. “The elections saw participation from 19 political parties,…

President Bola Tinubu is set to attend the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from November 18 to 19, 2024.  This invitation was extended by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, current President of the G20. The summit, themed “Building a Just World and a Sustainable Planet,” will gather leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union and African Union. As a strong advocate for reforming global governing institutions, Nigeria has consistently presented its credentials for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. President Tinubu is expected to push for these…

President Bola Tinubu has conferred Nigeria’s second-highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Tinubu made the announcement during a bilateral meeting with the Indian leader at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja. The President stated that the honour was “to signify our appreciation of India as Nigeria’s partner.” Modi, who arrived in Abuja on Saturday evening, was received at the forecourt of the Villa at around 10:20 a.m. on Sunday. Upon arrival, the Indian leader was welcomed with the Indian anthem, after which a Guard of Honour, mounted by…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the winner of the Ondo State Governorship election, on his victory. Aiyedatiwa, who ran under the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the election held on Saturday. Tinubu commended Aiyedatiwa and the other 17 candidates for demonstrating maturity and a sense of purpose during the campaigns and election.He attributed the success of the polls to the civility displayed by the people of Ondo State and encouraged political actors to maintain their orderly conduct during post-election activities. He praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its handling of the electoral…