Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

As 2027 approaches, the conversation about who should represent the Ohaji-Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency should go beyond personalities, political parties and the simple question of whose turn it is. After sixteen years and four consecutive legislative cycles, we now have enough history to ask a more important question: What has federal representation actually delivered across our three LGAs? What does that record tell us about Oru West? And, most importantly, how can the next four years deliver substantially more for everybody? Our review deliberately concentrates on the sixteen-year period from 2011 to 2027, covering the tenures of…

As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu,has called on Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to nation-building. In his Independence message released on Tuesday, Kalu congratulated President Bola Tinubu,and Nigerians at home and abroad on Nigeria’s 66th anniversary The Deputy Speaker, who represents Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, said the occasion should renew patriotism and faith in the country. “I warmly congratulate our dear President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and Nigerians at home and abroad on the occasion of our nation’s 66th Independence Anniversary. “Today,…

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has commended what it described as Governor Peter Mbah’s exceptional leadership in Enugu State, noting that he had built solid infrastructure needed for growing the state’s economy. The Guild bared its mind at the weekend during an interactive session with Mbah at the Government House after a tour of several mega projects executed by the administration on the sidelines of the 2026 All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC), attended by over 300 editors, senior media executives and veterans. NGE’s President, Eze Anaba, noted that Mbah’s infrastructural revolution was a clear testament to what a sub-national…

The Enugu State Government has empowered 512 young people from the Enugu North political zone through a targeted youth capacity-building and economic empowerment programme designed to equip participants with practical skills, expose them to government enterprise opportunities and provide productive tools to support sustainable livelihoods. The event which happened on the 24th of September, 2026 at the E24 Auditoium, Onuiyi, Nsukka, was coordinated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Strategic Communications. The initiative brought together youths drawn from the 13 Deaneries of the Catholic Diocese of Nsukka, as well as young people from other…

…approves AI, cyber security, others The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the unbundling of Mass Communication at Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) from a single academic department into a full Faculty of Communications and Media Studies, comprising five specialised departments. The approval followed the outcome of a resource verification exercise conducted by the NUC and will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session. Under the new structure, the Faculty of Communications and Media Studies will comprise: 1. Department of Advertising 2. Department of Broadcasting 3. Department of Film and Multimedia Studies 4. Department of Public Relations 5. Department of…

The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims that a recent Supreme Court judgment puts the eligibility of its 2027 governorship candidate, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, in doubt. The apex court, in a judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, stressed compliance with Section 77(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act. The provisions require political parties to submit a verified register of members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at least 21 days before conducting primary elections. The ruling has triggered a legal and political debate over whether it affects Chinda’s bid to contest the 2027…

Built by Nigeria’s irrepressible Chinekezi brothers, JobSeeker AI emerges as a bold new force in artificial intelligence, challenging the conventional belief that the advancement of AI must inevitably come at the expense of human employment. A new chapter in the global conversation around Artificial Intelligence is unfolding with the launch of JobSeeker AI, an innovative employment and entrepreneurship development platform created by the Chinekezi brothers of Nigeria, described as among Africa’s leading AI developers and technology innovators. Launched recently on the World Wide Web under the technology portfolio of Avatar and Qantum AI Technologies Limited, JobSeeker AI seeks to redefine…

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said there is no Rainbow coalition in Ebonyi State, while insisting that his relationship with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike remains strong. Umahi described Wike as his good friend and brother, saying that even if Wike has a political candidate in Ebonyi State, such a candidate cannot break their relationship. He said Wike had not told him that he has a candidate in the state, adding that whoever the candidate may be is not part of the personal relationship between him and Wike. Speaking about the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umahi said he killed the…

The Imo State Government yesterday explained that the local government election scheduled to hold last Saturday, September 26, was stalled by ongoing court process. The Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Declan Emelumba, disclosed that opposition parties had taken the State Independent Electoral Commission to court, seeking to stop the election. He said APGA and NDC specifically asked the court to stop the election on several grounds, adding that the substantive suits have been adjourned to October 30 for hearing. Emelumba said it would have been irresponsible for the government to proceed with the election while the legal…

For years, whenever you mentioned Imo State in investment circles, what you heard was complaints. Bad roads. Insecurity. Young people leaving. But something has changed in the last five years. And it is not just talk. Governor Hope Uzodimma has been quietly fixing the things that any serious investor checks before bringing money into a place. Not the fancy stuff. The core basics. Let’s start with roads, because that’s where everything begins. Over 150 road projects have been delivered. The Owerri-Orlu road. Owerri-Okigwe. Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia. The Owerri-Onitsha Road, the Owerri-Port Harcourt Road and many more. These are roads that used to…