Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission has declared that any incident of ballot box snatching during Saturday’s local government election will result in a by-election in the affected area. The commission made this known during a press briefing on Thursday, where its Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (retd.), assured residents of LASIEC’s readiness to deliver a free, fair, and credible poll across the 57 local councils in the state. “There will be by-elections if a ballot box is snatched anywhere,” she said while answering questions from journalists at Tripple C Event Centre, Sabo Yaba, Lagos. The LASIEC boss said, “While we…
The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State. In a unanimous decision delivered on Thursday, a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba dismissed, for lacking in merit, the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo. The appeal sought to nullify the outcome of the governorship election held in the state on September 21, 2024. The Supreme Court ruled that there was no justification to overturn the concurrent judgments of both the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had earlier declared Okpebholo of the…
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, yesterday sought the backing of the National Assembly to legislate against unexplained wealth. He said Nigeria cannot win the anti-corruption war without the legal backing to hold public officers accountable for assets far beyond their legitimate earnings. Olikoyede spoke at the National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance organised by the Public Accounts Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives in Abuja. The EFCC chairman described the magnitude of public sector corruption as disturbing. “In the last three weeks, we started a commission-wide investigation into the…
Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, has ordered the immediate reconstruction of the Makera-Kangiwa road linking the state to neighbouring Niger State after it was washed away by recent flooding. Idris issued the directive on Wednesday during an inspection of the damaged section of the road in Makera, describing it as a strategic economic route vital for local and cross-border connectivity. A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, on Thursday noted that the governor emphasised the road’s importance to surrounding communities and regional trade with neighbouring countries. “Governor Idris emphasised its importance not only to local mobility…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction of 146 out of 194 foreigners arrested for cybersecurity attacks relating to financial crimes in the country. “Last year, we arrested about 194 foreigners who were involved in various forms of financial crimes and activities that are inimical to the economic growth and development of our country. “Today, I can tell you that we have succeeded in prosecution and conviction of 146 of them. They will serve their jail terms and will be repatriated to their respective countries.” Olukoyede said. He said majority of the foreigners posed as Nigerians…
Human rights activist and the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has called for an upward review of remuneration of the rank and file of the Nigeria Police. Sowore, who spoke as a guest on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, said there was no reason policemen should not earn ₦500,000 per month when the average senator they protect “earns ₦30 million per month”. He said, “We’re concerned about the people who are really doing the work, and it is time for us to be on their side to ensure that they are well paid,…
The Senate has passed the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (Domestication and Enforcement) Bill, 2025 for third reading. The Kampala Convention, adopted by the African Union in 2009, is a regional treaty aimed at protecting and assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa. The convention establishes a framework for preventing displacement, providing assistance to those displaced, and finding durable solutions for their return or reintegration. Nigeria signed the Kampala Convention in 2009 but hasn’t yet formally domesticated it into its national laws. Concerned about the IDPs plight, the Deputy Speaker of the House…
The Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking an act to establish the Federal Oil and Gas Hospital in Benikrukru, Delta. This followed the presentation of the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Joel Thomas (APC-Delta) at the plenary on Tuesday. Thomas said the bill sought to provide comprehensive and specialised medical services for workers in oil and gas industry and host communities affected by exploration activities. He said the bill would ensure that workers in the oil and gas industry and their host communities have unhindered access to adequate and quality healthcare services. This,…
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has responded to the House of Representatives’ concerns over stalled legislative collaboration, assuring that the Senate is committed to the swift consideration of over 160 House-passed bills currently pending in the upper chamber. Akpabio made the assurance on Tuesday while delivering a goodwill message at the Open Well of the House of Representatives. He revealed that since the House expressed its dissatisfaction last week, the Senate has already considered and passed six of the pending bills. The House, in a rare show of defiance, had resolved to stop considering Senate-passed bills, citing the Senate’s failure to…
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has set 150 as the cut-off mark for admission into universities in the country. JAMB made the decision on Tuesday during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. It said the cut-off mark for colleges for nursing is 140, colleges of agriculture 100, and colleges of education 100. “The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education, and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the…