Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The United States has released its list of eligible countries for the 2025 Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), notably excluding all African nations and the United Kingdom. While the UK remains eligible under specific conditions, countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa are not included in the visa-free travel initiative. The 2025 VWP welcomes Romania as a new participant but otherwise largely maintains the existing list of eligible countries. The US has emphasised enhanced security checks and prioritised nations demonstrating strong diplomatic ties and robust border security standards in its selection process. The Visa Waiver Programme allows citizens of participating countries…

An All Progressives Congress chieftain, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on the Federal Government to release monthly allocations to the court-reinstated APC-elected local government chairmen in Osun State. Oyintiloye made this appeal in a statement issued on Tuesday after addressing newsmen in Osogbo, the state capital. While making the appeal, he insisted that the state government would, at the appropriate time, be held accountable for the funds spent on the recently conducted local government election, noting that it is a waste of taxpayers’ money. “I want to appeal to the Federal Government to start releasing the monthly allocation to the APC-reinstated…

Kachollom Gang, the Commissioner for Education in Plateau State, has decried the increasing proliferation of illegal schools and hospitals in the state. Gang made this statement on Tuesday in Jos during the inauguration of an investigative panel on the proliferation of private primary and secondary schools in the state. The commissioner explained that the exercise aimed to ensure that private schools operating in the state met the required standards. She particularly emphasized that the verification exercise was crucial to ensuring that children in Plateau received quality education. “There are so many illegal schools and hospitals in Plateau; the state is…

Abia State Government (ABSG) has shortlisted 9,371 applicants for the teachers’ recruitment exercise and informed that the shortlisted candidates would be invited for a Computer Based Test (CBT) on a soon-to- be- announced date. The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu disclosed this while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti. He said that the portal for application was shut down on 12th of February  and the applications processed. “The portal for the recruitment of teachers was shut down on the 12th February 2025 and at the last…

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Marvis Ossai, on Monday, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to declare the Delta North Senatorial seat vacant, following the defection of the senator representing the district Ned Nwoko to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Mr Ossai filed the suit marked FCH/ABJ/CS/325/2025, seeking the lawmaker’s removal, having defected from the party on which platform he came into the Senate. The plaintiff also urged the court to direct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, within 60 days from the delivery of judgement in the matter, conduct a by-election for the Delta…

Lucky Aiyedatiwa has officially taken the reins as the governor of Ondo State, marking the start of his first full four-year term. This follows his initial assumption of the governorship after Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s passing in 2023. Aiyedatiwa’s inauguration ceremony took place on Monday, February 24, 2025, at the Ondo State Sports Complex in Akure, the state capital, two months after his victory in the governorship election as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate. Aiyedatiwa’s journey to becoming the Governor of Ondo State is marked by a series of significant events. Initially serving as Deputy Governor under Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa assumed…

The management of the Federal University Dutsin-ma Katsina State, on Monday, shut down the school following violent protests by students over an alleged killing of their colleague. Reports said two students were allegedly shot by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force operating in the area, leading to the death of one. A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue told reporters in Katsina on Monday morning that “some officials of the CJTF shot two students in error, thinking they were bandits’ informants. “One of the students died on the spot while the…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University branch has suspended the strike action it embarked upon a few days ago. The union had on Tuesday embarked on an indefinite strike over some unresolved issues with the management of the university which dated back from 2009 and 2017. However, the strike was called off on Sunday following the intervention of the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani. In a statement, the Chairman of ASUU Kaduna State University branch, Dr Peter Adamu, said the state government demonstrated goodwill in resolving the impasse by immediately releasing funds to pay 60…

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Dr. Daniel Bwala, his Special Adviser on Policy Communication, on his 50th birthday. In a statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu praised Bwala’s contributions to public communication, highlighting his role in articulating government policies and enhancing public understanding of the administration’s agenda. The President also commended Bwala’s background as a lawyer, political analyst, and public affairs commentator, noting that his expertise has strengthened public engagement and clarified government initiatives. “On this milestone birthday, I join family, friends, and colleagues in celebrating Daniel, whose insights into government policies and…

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, on Sunday, expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would complete eight years as Nigeria’s leader.  Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Phase 1 at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, the minister said President Tinubu must be re-elected in the 2027 general elections by the “power of God.” Umahi said, “A man that has the courage to do what was dreamt 45 years back is the only man that will have the courage to finish it. “I say we must vote for him in 2027. The President must be re-elected by…