Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
All eyes are on Dodoma as President Samia Suluhu Hassan prepares to be inaugurated on Monday after a fiercely disputed election that opposition parties and rights groups say was marred by deadly crackdowns. The electoral commission claims she won with an astonishing 98 percent of the vote, but the opposition party CHADEMA, which was barred from competing, has rejected the result and called for a rerun. Unlike past celebrations at packed stadiums, the ceremony is expected to hold inside the State House, with no public attendance – a decision state TV says is for “security reasons.” For nearly a week,…
In unexpected international stir, the threat by Donald Trump to deploy U.S. troops to Nigeria has drawn sharp criticism from Nigeria’s Senior Advocates, who say such a move would trample the country’s sovereignty and violate international law. On Friday, President Trump announced that the U.S. was designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged killings of Christians and threatened that American forces might “go intro that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists.” Itse Sagay (SAN), a renowned constitutional lawyer, said any foreign military action without Nigeria’s consent would be “an act of aggression” under…
The Association of Resident Doctors of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has announced that it will embark on an indefinite strike starting at 12 midnight on Saturday, 1 November 2025, over unresolved welfare and administrative issues affecting its members. The notice, dated 30 October 2025 and addressed to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was signed by President Dr George Ebong and General Secretary Dr Agbor Affiong. The strike call comes in response to the national body of resident doctors, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), also declaring an indefinite strike from the same date.…
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR has said that proponents of State creation from the South East will make a presentation to defend their request before the National Assembly members. He made the disclosure when the leaders of Aba State Movement from Ukwa/Ngwa bloc in the current Abia State led by the first Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State, Chief Theo Nkire paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Tuesday. Kalu said that an invitation will be extended to everyone to defend their request. Recall that a Joint Committee…
Former and current U.S. President Donald Trump has told reporters aboard Air Force One that he is “not allowed” to run for a third term in 2028, effectively acknowledging what the U.S. Constitution already makes clear. He said: “I have my highest poll numbers that I’ve ever had… I guess I’m not allowed to run, so we’ll see what happens.” The legal foundation for Trump’s admission lies in the Twenty‑second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states: “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Trump has already served one term from 2017-2021 and…
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has dismissed claims that recent police promotions were tainted by favouritism or irregularities. Speaking at the decoration ceremony for newly promoted senior officers in Abuja on Tuesday, Egbetokun said every officer elevated under his watch earned it through merit, performance, and discipline – not connections or tribal ties. “The Nigeria Police Force has nothing to hide and nothing to defend,” the IGP said firmly. “Every promotion exercise under this administration has followed due process, guided by transparency and merit.” In recent weeks, some officers and social media commentators had accused the Force of “backdoor”…
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, PhD, CFR has said that Nigeria’s energy and creativity is a reflection of Africa’s promising future. Kalu stated this on Wednesday when he received on a courtesy visit, delegation of young leaders from the Torchbearers of liberty fellowship. He cited a United Nations report which states that by 2030, 1 in every 3 new entrants into the global labour force will be African. He said to harness this potential, deliberate policy and legislation are expanding opportunity through initiatives such as the 600 million dollar iDICE partnership with the African…
Only a Governor desperate for public validation stages grand receptions three years into office while his counterparts across the country are commissioning meaningful, people centered legacy projects. Instead of delivering real results, Governor Alex Otti seems fixated on optics and perception, using state resources to orchestrate weekly gatherings of rented crowds, all in the name of popularity. This spectacle in Aba, featuring residents of Old Bende clapping on cue, is a poor substitute for real governance. Let’s be clear: governance is not about parading people in markets to sing your praises; it’s about tangible progress like roads, schools, healthcare, economic…
The Labour Party has thrown the political table into fresh turbulence, warning that the 2027 presidential election could slip through the opposition’s fingers again; unless heavyweights like Atiku Abubakar swallow their pride and unite behind one candidate – Peter Obi. The call came from a camp within the LP, loyal to former Anambra governor Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti, who believe time is running out to avoid another divided opposition and another win for the ruling APC. “Atiku should search his conscience. If he truly loves Nigeria, let him support Obi,” said Prince Tony Akeni, LP’s interim…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has handed a fresh four-week ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding it wraps up all ongoing negotiations with unions in the tertiary education sector. The move comes amid growing frustration over the prolonged failure to implement past agreements and the controversial no-work-no-pay policy currently affecting members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). ASUU and other unions in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector have been in long-standing disputes with the government over issues like unpaid salaries, poor funding, failed agreements, and inconsistent government policies. The most recent major ASUU strike in 2022 lasted eight months…