Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta, met with President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja. The meeting was Oborevwori’s first official visit to Tinubu since his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor described the meeting with the president as “insightful” and said it was aimed at unlocking long-term opportunities for growth. “It was an honour to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) earlier today at the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Abuja,” he wrote in a post on X. “We engaged in an insightful conversation that will unlock sustainable growth for the…

The Youth Assembly of Nigeria (YAN) yesterday issued a seven-day ultimatum to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and the House of Assembly to sign into law, a bill to tackle exploitation by landlords and house agents concerning rent. The Speaker of YAN, Hammed Fatomi, addressing reporters at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel, Osun State, lamented over the unchecked activities of landlords and house agents, noting that they were making life unbearable for residents. According to him, ‘’we are speaking with one voice to end the unchecked exploitation in the housing sector that continues to plague the people…

Cardinals will today move into the Conclave at the Vatican to elect a new Pope in succession to Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday. One hundred and thirty-three cardinal electors will perform the sacred assignment of picking the leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide and the head of state of the Vatican. Nigeria’s Peter Okpaleke, the Bishop of Ekwulobia, Anambra State is the only one of the four Nigerian candidates qualified to participate in the process. The 133 elector-cardinals are spread across 71 countries. Eighty per cent of them were appointed cardinals by Pope Francis. What will confront…

The Senate has resolved to establish an ad hoc committee tasked with organising a two‑day national security summit in Abuja.  The summit is expected to include federal, state, and local governments, as well as traditional institutions, and stakeholders in the sector to develop viable solutions to the country’s persistent insecurity challenges. During the plenary session on Tuesday, the lawmakers debated the merits of convening another security summit, noting that previous assemblies had produced summits with limited impact. Proponents argued that fresh engagements that would bring together a wider cross‑section of stakeholders could yield new ideas, forge a unified national security…

Following the current realignment of political stakeholders in Delta State, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, and 21 other members formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The development has effectively transformed the Delta State House of Assembly into a one-party legislature, as the remaining seven members were originally elected on the ticket of the APC. “With this action, the Delta State House of Assembly is now composed entirely of members from the All Progressives Congress. We thank our constituents for endorsing this progressive course of action,”…

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…