Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says plans have been concluded to introduce reforms in the FCT transportation sector to improve safety and comfort. Wike said this in Abuja on Friday, after he inspected the completed Kugbo and Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminals in preparation for inauguration to celebrate President Bola Tinubu second year in office. The minister also inspected the completed access road to Giri District, which is also ready for inauguration. Wike said that there would be a lot of reforms, adding that a lot of things would happen in the transportation sector…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states for Saturday, July 20, and Saturday, August 8, 2026, respectively. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Friday, during the swearing-in of six newly appointed Resident Electoral Commissioners, recently confirmed by the National Assembly. Yakubu also said the commission is finalising arrangements for bye-elections to fill vacant seats in the National and State Houses of Assembly. According to the schedule, the Ekiti State governorship election will take place on June 20, 2026. The final list of candidates will be published on January 18,…

By Chief Charles Ogbonnaya (Evulogu Ibeku) In logic, fallacy is a heinous crime because it renders an argument invalid. It is a reasoning that comes to a conclusion without the evidence to support it.  Most times, writers resort to it when they lack empirical evidence to support their presentations.  Oftentimes, such people wobble through hasty or sweeping generalizations in a bid to sound convincing.  Invariably, they end up exposing their shallowness and, in the process, become a victim of their own plot. Anyone who was unfortunate to read the trash written against the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative,…

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has dismissed recent criticisms of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration by former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, describing them as driven by personal animosity rather than objective assessment. Atiku had accused the Tinubu-led administration of failing Nigerians, being incompetent, inflicting hardship on Nigerians, and lacking accountability and transparency. Responding to the PDP presidential flag bearer for the 2023 Presidential Elections, Onanuga, in a statement, noted that Atiku allowed his personal grievances to cloud his judgment. “Atiku’s sweeping criticism is unfair and appears to be driven more…

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has extended its condolences to the government and people of Niger State following the devastating flood that claimed numerous lives and destroyed property in Mokwa Local Government Area. At least 21 people lost their lives and property worth millions of naira was destroyed in the flood. In a statement issued on Friday and signed by NGF Chairman, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, the forum expressed shock over the scale of destruction caused by the flood. AbdulRazaq wrote, “The Nigeria Governors’ Forum stands in solidarity with the government and people of Niger State on the…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the recent incident where Nigerian students were forced to sit for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, in dark and unfit conditions, calling it a ‘national disgrace.’ This came as the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies gave WAEC, a 24-hour ultimatum to appear before it on Friday, to address concerns surrounding the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE. Meanwhile, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, slammed WAEC, for the delay in the conduct of English Language examination in the ongoing SSCE. In a statement, Atiku urged…

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has emphasized the need to strengthen parliamentary cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK) to foster mutual benefits. Kalu made the call on Thursday when he received in audience the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa) for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, United Kingdom, His Excellency, Lord Collins of Highbury accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery and other officials. It will be recalled that the Deputy Speaker in January this year led a delegation of the Nigerian lawmakers from the House to the…

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to appear before it and address mounting concerns over irregularities in the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Oboku Abonsizibe Oforji, made this known in a statement on Thursday, expressing strong displeasure over WAEC’s failure to honour an earlier invitation to clarify issues affecting the credibility and conduct of the exams. According to Oforji, the Committee had invited WAEC to a hearing scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2025, following numerous complaints from…

The Constitution Review Committee of the House of Representatives is set to meet with the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) on July 23, 2025, to present bills currently under consideration and seek their support for passage.  The Committee will also meet with the Speakers of the 36 State Houses of Assembly in a joint retreat with Senate Constitution Review members to harmonize bills and ensure consistency across the country. The House Committee has also slated an engagement with media executives, including the Guild of Editors, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ); the civil society organizations and the diplomatic community, amongst others to…

Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has said that the Federal Government is making serious efforts to break Nigeria’s pharmaceutical dependency on foreign countries. According to pharmaceutical experts, the Nigerian healthcare system is highly vulnerable because 70 per cent of medicines consumed in the country are imported. However, the Health Minister has maintained that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is making efforts to address the de-industrialisation of the Nigerian pharmaceutical sector. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Prof Pate said the President has initiated an effort to unlock the healthcare value chain…