Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Nigeria’s representative, Chidimma Adetshina, finished as the first runner-up at the 73rd Miss Universe Competition held in Mexico. The final moments of the prestigious event at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico announced early Sunday morning saw an electrifying face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women stood poised to claim the crown. The competition, described as one of the most thrilling in recent years, celebrated the talents, intelligence, and elegance of women from around the globe. In a post via Instagram, the organisers said, “The final two! Nigeria and Denmark, two incredible women, one unforgettable moment.” Miss…

Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was proclaimed the victor of Saturday’s Ondo State gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, made the announcement at the INEC collation center in Akure on Sunday. Akinwumi said the APC candidate secured 366,781 votes to defeat runner-up Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 117,845 votes. Aiyedatiwa, who squared off against the likes of Falaiye Ajibola (Accord Party), Akinuli Omolere (Action Alliance), Olatunji Popoola (All…

The Abia state Chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the just concluded Local Government election in the state. The state Chairman of IPAC Mr Uluocha Chimex who made their position known while addressing the press in Umuahia noted that for the Governor’s party to lose and his own party, the YPP got 2 Chairmanship seats out of 17 LGAs and ZLP getting 15 seats point to the credibility and transparency of the election. Mr. Chimex recalled that they had earlier signed a peace accord to go into the election peacefully and accept the…

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has penned a letter to the Nigerian Army regarding the recent attack on an army checkpoint in Umuahia, which tragically claimed the lives of several soldiers. The letter, dated November 14, 2024, and personally signed by Otti, was addressed to Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, the acting Chief of Army Staff. The governor said, “It is with a deep sense of loss that I write to commiserate with you over the unfortunate and barbaric killing of five soldiers by yet-to-be-identified assailants at the boundary town of Umuopara, in Umuahia South LGA of my state. “Indeed,…

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 33.88% in October 2024, up from 32.7% in September 2024, reflecting a 1.18 percentage point month-on-month increase. This was contained in the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released on Friday. The Bureau attributed the rise in inflation to increased transportation costs and higher food prices. On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 6.55% points higher than the rate recorded in October 2023 (27.33%). This indicates that the headline inflation rate increased in October 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year. On a month-on-month…

The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the emergence of a new terror group known as ‘Lukarawas’ in the Northwestern states of Sokoto and Kebbi. Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Thursday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the new terror group is exacerbating insecurity in the North-West region but the Armed Forces of Nigeria are already containing them. “Troops are confronted with a new terrorist sect in the North-West. This sect is known as Lukawaras, the Lukawaras are affiliated to terrorists in the Sahel particularly from Mali and Niger Republic. “They began incursion into Northern part…

A former governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who is rumoured to have kicked the bucket is rather hale and hearty, says his publicist, Samuel Onwuemeodo. Onwuemeodo in a statement on Thursday November 7, 2024 disclosed that the erstwhile governor was not even sick talk less of joining his ancestors. The publicist wondered why a group of people would contrive such a damning and damaging story about Owelle Okorocha who represented Imo West Senatorial District at the National Assembly between 2019 and 2023. He explained that the Chairman of Rochas Foundation Colleges has not had simple headache since vacating…

Coalition of Civil Society Organizations numbering over 35, have come out to criticize the just concluded Local Government Area election in Abia state, saying the process was marred by Irregularities and violations of democratic principles. The groups who spoke under the umbrella body of Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, said the Local Government election which happens to be the first election the Governor of the State would conduct, was characterized by democratic backsliding and constitutional abuse. In a Press Conference in Umuahia, the Leader of the Coalition group, Engr Simon Diogu, alleged that election did not take place as scheduled…

The Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Austin Meregini, has moved a matter of Urgent Public Importance, calling for a palliative work to be done on the Umuahia-Ikot-Ekpene road. In an interaction with our Correspondent, the Deputy Speaker said the House during its plenary session on Tuesday, resolved to call the attention of the executive arm of government, through the Ministry of Works for a palliative work to be done along the Umuahia -Ikot-Ekpene road to ease movement of road users in the yuletide season. He said the proactive approach would also help to boost…

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday conducted a mock accreditation exercise ahead of the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State. The Chairman of the commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu; state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola and other officials of the commission monitored the exercise at some local government areas in the state. Some of the areas covered by the chairman and his team included polling units in Akure South, Akure North and Idanre Local Government Areas of the state. The INEC boss stressed that the mock accreditation exercise was to further test the functionality of its system. He…