Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The House of Representatives at the plenary on Tuesday urged President Bola Tinubu to mandate the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun to ensure that all frozen accounts of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) are unfrozen within 72 hours to enable the smooth recommencement of all programmes and the release of funds to NSIPA for the payment of outstanding stipends owed to 395,731 N-Power beneficiaries nationwide. The House also urged the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management to ensure that all the administrative bottlenecks hindering the smooth operations of all programmes…

The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has declared as null and void the purported suspension of the federal Lawmaker representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Awaji-Inombek Abiante from the Peoples Democratic Party. Abiante, an ally of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and representative of the Governor’s Federal Constituency, was allegedly suspended in May by a parallel PDP Ward Caretaker Executive loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike in his Ward 1, Ngo, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The factional caretaker executive led by its chairman, Dike Bara and 13 others, had announced…

The Chairman of the Tax Reform Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, has debunked speculations that President Bola Tinubu is trying to use consultants to collect revenues for the Federal Government with the proposed Tax Reform Bills. When asked whether the President is trying to empower a consultant to collect revenues like he did in Lagos State with Alpha Beta during Channels Television’s Townhall on Tax Reform Bills on Monday, Oyedele Answered in the negative. “The answer is no, in fact we had interesting debate at the committee level, and we wanted to put a language in the law that says no government…

President Bola Tinubu has said that Nigerians lived fake lives before the petrol subsidy removal in 2023. Tinubu stated this while speaking at the 34th and 35th combined convocation ceremonies of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo state on Saturday. According to the president, the removal of the petrol subsidy and the unification of exchange rates was necessary to save Nigeria from the brink of collapse. Represented by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof Wahab Egbewole, Tinubu disclosed that his administration took decisive action to avert economic disaster and secure the future of Nigerians.…

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has chided the lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial district, Senator Ali Ndume over the latter’s consistent criticism of the President Bola Tinubu’s government. Dogara spoke on Monday at Channels TV’s Town Hall meeting on the controversial Tax Reform Bills introduced by the executive. DAILY POST reports that Ndume and other northern stakeholders, including governors have been vocal against the tax bills. Senator Ndume had in an interview on Channels TV launched an attack on some of his detractors who call him ignorant, saying he schooled in Nigeria and America. Wondering…

Abia pensioners have appealed to Governor Alex Otti to take a second look at the issue of arrears of gratuity of Abia retirees and rescind his decision on it as agreed by the leadership of the Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) The pensioners noted that though these arrears were not incurred by the present government, they want him to extend his compassionate intervention by clearing them like he has done on salary arrears. They said they would not mind if the Governor clears the arrears of gratuity in instalments. Briefing the press in Umuahia, the…

The Presidency has dispelled concerns about the speed of coming up with the Tax Reform Bills, emphasising the extensive efforts that have gone into the process. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, highlighted on Monday via X that the reforms are the result of contributions from over 80 professionals over a 14-month period, warning that any delay in their passage could mirror the protracted 20-year legislative journey of the Petroleum Industry Bill. According to Ajayi, postponing the tax reforms would be a costly mistake the nation cannot afford. “It is very disingenuous to say…

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has emphasized the need for a coordinated effort among stakeholders to achieve meaningful reform in Nigeria’s local government system. Kalu made the submission while delivering his welcome address at the national dialogue on local government and constitution amendment organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review on Monday in Abuja. Delivered on his behalf by the Majority Leader of the House, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, Kalu noted that local governments play a crucial role in delivering essential services, promoting inclusion, and enhancing democratic participation. He however lamented…

Belgium has enacted a law that grants sex workers the same rights and protections as other workers. The legislation, signed into law on Sunday, ensures that sex workers are entitled to maternity leave, pensions, and legal safeguards against exploitation. This decision followed widespread protests in 2022, during which sex workers demanded state support after being excluded from government assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the new law, sex workers are granted the right to refuse clients, decline specific acts, or stop an act at any point. Employers are also required to meet stringent standards, including maintaining hygienic premises, installing panic…

Nigerians across social media platforms have berated popular content creator, Kuye Adegoke, aka Egungun of Lagos, for his leaked private video. In the leaked clip making the rounds on social media, Egungun of Lagos was seen brushing his teeth during a video call with an unidentified woman while dressed in shorts and flashed his private part to the lady on the call. Before the video surfaced online, his wife, Pashotah, had publicly addressed a blackmail attempt involving her husband’s private videos. She took to her Instagram on Sunday to defend the husband, saying, “Hi guys, someone is blackmailing me with…