Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has overturned the judgement of a Federal High Court which ordered the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to allow the participation of 381 ad-hoc delegates in its February 22 primary election in Edo State. The primary election produced Asue Ighodalo as the candidate of the party in the September 21, 2024 governorship election in the state. A three-man panel of the appellate court set aside the judgement of Justice Inyang Ekwo delivered on the 4th of July, 2024, on the grounds that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit of the aggrieved…

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new Directors-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS). Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed is the new Director-General of the NIA while Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi is the new Director-General of the DSS. Ambassador Mohammed has had an illustrious career in the foreign service since joining the NIA in 1995. He had served in various roles, culminating in his promotion to the rank of Director and his subsequent appointment as the head of the Nigerian mission to Libya. The 1990 graduate of Bayero University, Kano, had served in…

Senator representing Abia North Senatorial zone, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has dissociated himself from different controversial remarks made by the Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Chief Okey Ezeala This is even as the senator warned that the publicity secretary should make efforts to separate personal opinions from party’s opinion. In a statement issued from Kalu’s media office and signed by George Maduka on Sunday, Kalu called on Ezeala to discontinue using his name to promote his controversial opinions According to the statement, “ Okey Ezeala does not work in the senate office of Senator Orji…

Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmad Rufai Abubakar, on Saturday evening tendered his resignation to President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja. Speaking to newsmen after meeting with the President, Abubakar disclosed that his decision to resign was due to personal and family issues, emphasizing that nothing was seriously amiss. He revealed that President Tinubu graciously approved and accepted his resignation, acknowledging the rarity of serving two presidents consecutively, a testament to his dedication and expertise in national intelligence. His wirds: “It’s a routine thing, from time to time to brief Mr Presidnet on situations and…

President Bola Tinubu has commiserated with the people of Ningi Emirate and the Bauchi State government over the passing of the Emir of Ningi, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammad Danyaya. The first-class monarch passed away in the early hours of Sunday. In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu described the deceased as an illustrious leader who deployed the power and resources of his throne in the service of his community. The President prays for the repose of the soul of the departed traditional ruler and condoles with his family and all those grieving the…

The Emir of Ningi, Alhaji Yunusa Muhammadu Dan Yaya has died, the palace authorities announced on Sunday. The first-class Bauchi Emir died on Sunday morning in Kano. He was aged 88 years. Confirming this in a statement to Channels Television, the Secretary of the Palace, Usman Sule, said the traditional ruler died in a hospital two days after returning from a medical trip to Saudi Arabia. The Bauchi State Government has expressed profound grief at his passing, recognising his immense contributions to peace, unity, and development in the Ningi Emirate and the state at large. In a statement, Mukhtar Gidado,…

A Socio-Political group identified as United Igbo Elders Council (UNIEC) has outlined a 5-point plan to achieve meaningful peace and development in Nigeria. This comes amid debates over a constitutional amendment, restructuring, Local Government autonomy and the need for economic diversification to make various component units of Nigeria’s federation viable to support the growth and well-being of citizens. The group in a statement titled, “New Governance Model for Nigeria”, said it arrived at the decisions after a series of consultations and detailed analysis of diverse proposals over the dire situation in today’s Nigeria, adding that restructuring, regionalism, and referendum are…

Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov is expected to appear in court Sunday after being arrested by French police at an airport near Paris for alleged offences related to his popular messaging app, sources told AFP. The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of the French capital on Saturday evening. Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov is expected to appear in court Sunday after being arrested by French police at an airport near Paris for alleged offences related to his popular messaging app, sources told AFP. The Franco-Russian billionaire, 39, was detained at Le Bourget airport north of…

Love or hate him, he’s of a stellar cast from the South East. And therefore, a huge asset to the political powerhouse and in the configuration of the current leadership of the region. At every turn, generations have always received the Divine benevolence of a virile political persona in such a magnanious stance. And now is no exception. Time was when Dr. Nnamdi Benjamin Azikwe, the Zik of Africa whose name still resonates was the toast of the world. Ditto Dr. Micheal Iheonukara Okpara, the premier of the defunt south eastern region. In their quest for the development of their…

The Acting Governor of Niger State, Yakubu Garba, has called on the Federal Government to urgently redeploy military forces to the Alawa community in the Shiroro Local Government Area of the state. The community was recently overrun by armed bandits. The federal government had withdrawn troops from the area five months ago, a decision that has left the community vulnerable to incessant attacks by bandits. Governor Garba’s appeal came in the wake of a fresh devastating attack on Wednesday, where 13 farmers were brutally killed while working in their fields on the outskirts of the Alawa community. The attack has…