Author: Drum Africa Correspondent
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, PhD, CFR, says investing in people is the surest way to grow Nigeria’s economy and unlock Africa’s digital future. Speaking at SMFest 2025 in Owerri , a global conference that inspires young people to use technology and innovation to grow their businesses, Kalu said that building the skills and knowledge of citizens directly drives innovation, productivity, and national development. He commended the convener, Ajah Excel, and the SMFest team for their visionary work, which he said has empowered thousands of young Nigerians to turn passion into purpose and…
The Abia State Government has dismissed viral claims suggesting that Governor Alex Otti issued a threat ahead of the 2027 elections, clarifying that his recent “write your will” remark was purely figurative and not meant to intimidate or incite. Governor Otti had stirred controversy during a media parley last Thursday when he warned political actors allegedly planning to rig the next governorship poll to rethink their strategy. What got tongues wagging, however, was his choice of words: “If they truly want to write results, they should write something else before that time. You know what it is? Their will.” Social…
The political atmosphere in Ilorin, Kwara State, took a dramatic turn on Saturday as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) officially opened its state secretariat and used the event to fire serious shots at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking at the launch, former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, accused the APC of mismanaging the country and weaponizing power against opposition voices. “Under the current administration, hunger has taken over the land. Governance has been reduced to personal enrichment and political intimidation,” he said. Aregbesola, who once served as Nigeria’s Minister of Interior…
Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has declared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the “angel” sent by God to rebuild Nigeria, backing his bold economic reforms and vision for a new Nigeria. Speaking on Saturday at a rally in Lokoja, organised to endorse both President Tinubu and Kogi Governor Usman Ododo, Bello urged Nigerians to stop waiting for a miracle and instead rally behind Tinubu’s administration. “We will not wait for God to send an angel with wings to fly into Nigeria to fix it,” Bello told a cheering crowd. “The angel is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” The rally, aired…
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum (CCYF) has declared full support for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in its renewed call for justice over the killings and persecution of Christians across the country. Speaking through a statement released in Abuja on Friday, the Convener of CCYF, James Paul Adama, said it’s time for the Nigerian government and the international community to stop pretending and face the truth. According to him, even people outside the country are beginning to speak up and stand with Nigerian Christians – a sign that no amount of paid propaganda can hide the ongoing bloodshed. “From…
Rights activist and outspoken public figure, Aisha Yesufu, says Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate, now has far better chances in 2027 than he did in the 2023 elections. Yesufu made this bold remark in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, while speaking at the Girls’ Summit organised by the Protect The Precious Foundation, where she charged young girls to find their voice in a nation still battling systemic neglect. According to her, the support Obi enjoys today wasn’t there when he first threw his hat into the 2023 race. “When he started in 2023, they said only four people…
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has come down hard on activist and Sahara Reporters founder, Omoyele Sowore, over his planned protest calling for the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. APC’s Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, in a strongly worded statement, accused Sowore of once again “seeking cheap attention” by jumping on a sensitive issue that is already before the court. “It is both baffling and laughable that Sowore, a man with no cultural or political connection to the Southeast, now parades himself as the rallying point of Ndigbo,” Oladejo said. The party said…
As hunger and violence tighten their grip on millions of Nigerians, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, has delivered a sharp rebuke to Nigeria’s political class, warning them to stop prioritising 2027 elections over the real suffering on the streets. Speaking at the 2025 Ofala Festival in Onitsha, the 24th since his coronation in 2002, the respected monarch didn’t mince words. He said while politicians are busy forging alliances and jostling for relevance, ordinary Nigerians are grappling with poverty, insecurity, and rising food prices. “Political attention has shifted to 2027. Nigerians are left to suffer. Governance is being abandoned,…
As Abia State gears up for another tense political season, the Abia Renaissance Group (ARG) has sent a strong warning to Governor Alex Otti: avoid divisive comments and actions that could endanger the peace the state is known for. In a statement signed by Chairman Kelechi Uwakwe and Secretary Emma Nwangwu, the group expressed deep worry over what it called “inflammatory language” in the political space, urging all leaders to prioritize unity over personal interests. “Abia has enjoyed peace and political tolerance for years,” the group noted. “It is not the time to gamble with our fragile stability.” The group…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed its much-anticipated 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, originally fixed for Wednesday, October 15, 2025. This comes as the party battles internal tremors and external political heat, especially with recent high-profile defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The announcement was made on Monday, October 13, via a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, on X (formerly Twitter). According to him, the decision was reached after an emergency meeting of the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja. “Distinguished members of the NEC may recall that the 103rd NEC…