Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
Former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the poor performance in the recently released Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results, calling them a reflection of Nigeria’s deteriorating education system. According to data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), 1,955,069 candidates sat for the 2025 UTME. Of this number, only about 420,000 scored above 200, while over 1.5 million candidates failed to meet the 200-mark threshold — representing more than 78% of all candidates. In a statement shared via his verified social media handle, Obi described the results…
The Nigerian Senate has constituted an 18-member committee tasked with overseeing the activities of the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), in a bid to strengthen transparency and accountability in the state’s governance. Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, was named as chairman of the committee. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during the resumption of plenary. He highlighted the importance of the committee’s mandate, stating that its role is critical in ensuring effective legislative oversight in Rivers State. Akpabio also hinted that the composition of the committee…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) inauguration of the NIMC NIN Authentication (NNAuth) for secure and seamless identity verification and authentication. This is contained in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday, by the Head, Corporate Communications, NIMC, Dr Kayode Adegoke. Adegoke said that similarly, the presidency had directed the use of NIN Authentication for verification and authentication across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). He explained that this was in line with the commission’s mandate of regulating a reliable national digital identity for citizens and legal residents to affirm their identity. According to him,…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed the arrest of Martins Otse over what it described as “grave allegations of financial malfeasance,” following his repeated refusal to honour several invitations extended to him. In a statement issued by the Commission on Tuesday, the anti-graft agency said Otse was invited in connection with a series of petitions it received, all bordering on alleged financial crimes. In a tone typical of its responses to public scrutiny, the EFCC urged Nigerians to refrain from speculating about its motives and allow it to carry out its constitutional duties. “The EFCC should be allowed…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulates the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, on his birthday. President Tinubu in a statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy described Hon. Kalu as a seasoned parliamentarian who has demonstrated outstanding legislative acumen and commitment since his election in 2019 to represent Bende Federal Constituency. President Tinubu acknowledged the Deputy Speaker’s pivotal role in enacting transformative laws such as the Student Loan Act of 2024, the Nigerian Startup Act of 2022, and the South East Development Commission Act. “Honourable Kalu has been a worthy ambassador of…
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Bolaji Tunji, on Monday said the new tariffs will reflect the true costs of electricity. Adelabu during a meeting with the Chairmen of Nigeria’s Generating Companies (GenCos) in Abuja said the country’s economy can no longer afford to pay for electricity subsidies. “We have to understand that our economy cannot sustain subsidies indefinitely,” the minister said, adding that the FG presently has an outstanding debt exceeding N4 trillion to GenCos for overdue subsidy payments. Tunji also quoted Adelabu as saying during his meeting with the GenCos that,…
President Bola Tinubu has approved the deployment of two newly appointed Federal Permanent Secretaries to key ministries. This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Eno Olotu, Director, Public Relations, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), on Monday in Abuja. Olotu said the move aimed at enhancing governance and promoting effective service delivery. According to him, the permanent secretaries were appointed following a competitive selection process and are expected to bring experience, professionalism and innovation to their respective roles. Listing the names of the officials and their postings, Olotu said Mr Rafiu Adeladan…
Out of 1,955,069 candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), over 1.5 million of them scored less than 200 in the exam. The statistical analysis of 2025 UTME result released by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday indicated that only 420,415 candidates scored above 200 in the 2025 edition of the UTME. The data showed that 75% of candidates scored below 200 in the exam, with less than 1% scoring above 300.” In the statement accompanying the data, JAMB said “40,247 underage candidates were permitted to demonstrate their exceptional abilities. However, only 467…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday confirmed that social critic, Martins Ortse aka VeryDarkMan, will soon be charged to court. EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale said VDM as he is popularly called was arrested due to multiple petitions against him. Speaking to BBC News Pidgin, Oyewale said VeryDarkMan was taken into custody following complaints from several petitioners on the allegation of cyberstalking. He said, “We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners. “We will release him when he meets the bail conditions and we will take the case to court…
The United Kingdom Government has launched new Premium Visa Application Centres by VFS Global in Enugu and Port Harcourt, allowing residents easier access to services. The UK Home Office confirmed in a statement on Monday that the new centres, located at Omedel Luxury Hotel in Enugu and Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, aim to meet the growing demand for UK visas from Nigeria, especially ahead of the busy summer travel season. These centres join the UK Visa Application Centres in Abuja, Ikeja, and Victoria Island, Lagos, which have been operational since November 2024. According to the Home Office, Nigeria remains…