Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The All Progressives Congress in Rivers State has elected Chief Tony Okocha as its new chairman. This was just as the new opposition party chairman declared that the party would take over the seat of power in the state come 2027. Okocha, the hitherto Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party in the state, was elected unopposed alongside other executives during the party’s state delegate congress held in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Saturday. The delegate congress which was conducted through voice vote was presided over by Dr Adoye Omalez, who represented the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje. Speaking after…

Investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, on Saturday, revealed key details of his recent encounter with the Nigerian Army, calling for a complete overhaul of the country’s security structures to tackle illegal crude oil bunkering effectively. Soyombo also shared how the oil bunkers provided him with an account of the sensitive information he had previously shared with the Nigerian Army, aimed at curbing illicit bunkering operations. During an interview on Arise TV, Soyombo confirmed that his arrest occurred while conducting an undercover investigation. He disclosed that he had been investigating the security network that protects illegal bunkers, which he described as a…

The Sly Ezeokenwa faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State is celebrating a recent Supreme Court ruling that validates Ezeokenwa as the authentic National Chairman of APGA. This ruling is seen as a saving grace for the party, preventing further disintegration and distraction. Some of the members, including Nzube Monday and Kennedy Uduma, said they would now concentrate and prepare for the task ahead in 2027. Also speaking on the matter, the former governorship candidate of APGA during the 2023 election, Professor Gregory Ibe, said that Ezeokenwa’s reaffirmation by the Supreme Court is a testament to…

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has congratulated Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on her re-appointment as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to serve for a second term. Kalu in a statement eulogized Okonjo-Iweala who was Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, saying that she has made some footprints in the sands of time and the annals of world’s history as the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization as Director-General. The Deputy Speaker who described Okonjo-Iweala as a unique African Amazon, said…

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has congratulated Comrade Alhasan Yahaya on his emergence as the new National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). Yahaya was elected at the 8th Triennial Delegates Conference of the union held in Owerri, Imo State recently. Kalu in a statement expressed his expectations from Yahaya’s leadership, stating that he looks forward to a strengthened partnership between the media and the legislature. While emphasizing the importance of the media in promoting democracy and good governance, the Deputy Speaker urged Yahaya to prioritize the welfare of Journalists. Kalu who…

Okonjo-Iweala has been reappointed as the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This is her second term in office. Her present stint will end on 31 August 2025. She was first elected as the WTO DG on February 15, 2021. Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman and the first African to head the WTO was the only candidate in the race and had been all but assured a second term. The organisation’s 166 members “today agreed to give incumbent Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala a second term as director-general,” the WTO said in a statement. The 70-year-old Nigerian’s reappointment was approved by consensus during a…

The Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has reportedly arrested and detained investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo. DRUM AFRICA NEWS learnt that  Fisayo, who is the founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has reportedly been detained for three days by the 6th Division of  the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt . According to SaharaReporters, Soyombo’s detention may be linked to his work exposing corruption and smugglers aided by Nigerian Customs Services. The FIJ, in a statement on Friday, called for his immediate release and raised the alarm over the increasing threats to press freedom in the country. Soyombo, known for his investigative…

The media landscape in Abia State is set for a transformative experience as the highly anticipated Abia Media Day 2024 approaches. Themed “Celebrating the Voice of Abia, Empowering the Future of Media,” this prestigious event will unite media professionals, industry stakeholders, and leaders to honor the significant role of media in shaping Abia’s socio-economic development. *Key Event Details* Date: December 7, 2024 Morning Summit: 10 AM at Rapha Hotel, Umuahia Evening Hangout: 8 PM at De Latinos, Umuahia The event will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions designed to provide insights into the challenges, proffer solutions and empower…

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has said the price of Premium Motor Spirit churned out by the old Port Harcourt Refinery which resumed production on Tuesday, is ₦75 per litre higher than that sold by the Dangote Refinery. This was revealed by the association’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Joseph Obele, during the official reopening ceremony of the refinery, which is now operating at a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day. Dr Obele, a former chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) at the Port Harcourt Deport who initially applauded the federal government…

The former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has arrived at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for the hearing on alleged N110 billion fraud preferred against him. This was after he honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Efcc, had instituted a 110bn alleged fraud suit against the former Governor. Adorning a white kaftan and a blue cap, the former Governor was accompanied by officials of the EFCC. He will be arraigned before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court. The former governor, alongside…