Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
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…
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is on a mission to ensure the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. He emphasized that President Tinubu’s inclusive approach to governance, evident in his strategic appointments, has earned him the support of the South East region. Levinus Nwabughiogu, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, in a statement on Sunday, May 4, 2025, said that Kalu gave the indication while addressing party stakeholders in Umuahia, Abia State capital and underscored the need for unity and collective effort…
President Bola Tinubu is poised to meet the country’s power-generating companies to address the N4 trillion debt affecting Nigeria’s electricity supply chain. The meeting comes after a high-level meeting on Tuesday between the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and the chairmen of GenCos in Abuja over concerns of a potential collapse of the national grid due to liquidity constraints in the sector. Speaking on the development, Adelabu’s Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, disclosed that the federal government has decided to settle a substantial portion of the debt immediately. Tunji added that the remainder would be…
Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, has denied collecting bribe to back Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator. Ezekwesili has been outspoken in the demand for an investigation into the sexual harassment allegations made by Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She has also called for Akpabio to step aside for an impartial probe and for the senator’s petition to be handled. Last Thursday, Sandra Duru, a UK-based activist, better known as Professor Mgbeke, alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan fabricated the sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio. Duru also claimed that the senator told her the former minister was paid to back the…
Ovation magazine publisher Dele Momodu has expressed doubt about President Bola Tinubu’s knowledge of his administration’s performance amid the gale of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Momodu, who spoke on Soni Irabor Live, a programme on News Central, on Saturday, hinted that Tinubu may have a false perception of things and may not fully grasp the extent of Nigeria’s current predicament. He added that Tinubu should not be blamed if he feels he is the greatest thing to ever happen to the country, given the number of defectors being welcomed to the APC. “If you are joining a…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has announced the disbursement of the 2024 scholarship to 164 indigent students selected from branches of the union across the country. This was disclosed by the Convener of ASUU Grant, Research and Publications Committee, Professor Christopher Piwuna on Saturday during a press conference at the Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, Bauchi State. Piwuna explained that of the 79 ASUU branches, two successful applicants were selected in every university through a rigorous screening process. He said each recipient of the scholarship went home with a non-refundable cash-backing of N200,000. The Convener, who was represented by…
Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, has responded to a reported statement by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) urging the airline to improve its domestic flight operations amid claims of chronic delays and cancellations. In a press release issued by the airline’s management, Air Peace expressed appreciation for the NCAA’s role in maintaining aviation safety and regulatory oversight, but emphasised the need to correct perceived misrepresentations regarding its operational capacity and safety practices. “While we hold the NCAA in the highest regard… we believe it is essential to set the record straight,” the statement read. The airline reiterated that safety remains…