Author: Drum Africa Correspondent

Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as laughable and delusional, the recent statement credited to Mr. Dino Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), claiming that the party would produce a candidate capable of unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election. The party in a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, said: “The statement, coming from a politician whose recent electoral record is nothing short of disastrous, only confirms the growing disconnect between the ADC’s ambition and its political reality. Mr. Melaye, having failed woefully in his own…

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, CFR has congratulated the nation’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, following their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship, where they clinched their fifth consecutive title. Dtigress extended their dominance in African women’s basketball on Sunday, defeating Mali 78-64 in Ivory Coast to win a record fifth consecutive FIBA AfroBasket Women’s title. Kalu in a statement hailed the team’s remarkable display of resilience, determination, and teamwork, describing them as an inspiration to the girl child. The Deputy Speaker also commended the Coach, Rena Wakama and the crew…

Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has lamented the hardship in the country, saying that those in the middle class now beg to survive. While making an appearance on Channels Television’s Amazing Africans, Chimamanda stated that political judgments should be based on how citizens are faring. While brushing off issues like the stock market, she disclosed that her primary concern is how those earning minimum wage are faring. “Life has become so hard in Nigeria, and me I can see it. For example, people who were formerly kind of securely middle class, not that life was rosy for them, but…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned that any staff member who compromises the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State will face the law. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun State, Mutiu Agboke, spoke with journalists shortly after a programme on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, titled “Gbagede Oselu,” in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Sunday. Speaking on the election scheduled for 2026, the REC said INEC had regulations, adding that whoever contravened the process should be handed over to the security operatives. “INEC has regulations. It has stipulated the way…

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga has described former Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi as a liar following his one term presidency remark. Onanuga said Obi is neither Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, nor John Kennedy of the United States. Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has said his vow of one term presidency of four years was sacrosanct. Responding, Onanuga posted on X: “You’re neither a Mandela nor a Lincoln or a Kennedy. You sound as if you have never held an elected office before. You sought re-election as Anambra Governor in 2010, and…

The Federal Government has dismissed speculations that a potential alliance between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi could unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election. The government said this through the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, during a political current affairs show on Sunday, where he described the move as “an unfruitful adventure.” Keyamo, while analysing the emerging political alignments ahead of the next presidential contest, stated that Nigerians were already familiar with the tactics of the African Democratic Congress and would not be swayed by what he described as outdated…

The national Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), Ajibola Basiru, has called on the immediate past governor of Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai, to get a job and stop distracting President Bola Tinubu. Basiru gave this advice on Sunday in an interview with the Tribune. He urged El-Rufai to wait until 2027 before launching any media offensive against the ruling party. The APC scribe also questioned why el-Rufai was usurping strength on a political contest still two years away. Basiru’s remarks were in response to El-Rufai’s comments on Saturday in Sokoto, where he addressed African Democratic Congress, (ADC), supporters in…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given Governor Umar Bago of Niger State 48 hours to reverse what it described as the “arbitrary and unlawful” shutdown of Badeggi FM 90.1, an independent radio station in Minna, the state capital. In an open letter dated August 2 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation asked the governor to reinstate the station’s licence, withdraw threats to demolish its premises, and stop profiling its owner, Shuaibu Badeggi. “Your vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations of ‘inciting violence’ against Badeggi FM and its owner are apparently made to silence the…

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has suspended its seven-day nationwide warning strike. The decision to call off the strike followed a virtual emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) held yesterday, during which the association reviewed recent engagements with the Federal Government. The industrial action was initiated to press for the implementation of key demands, including upward review of shift and uniform allowances, introduction of a separate salary structure for nurses, increase in core duty allowance, mass recruitment of nursing personnel, and the creation of a dedicated nursing department within the Federal Ministry of Health.…

President Bola Tinubu on Friday called on young Nigerians active in the digital media space to harness their platforms as instruments of national unity. Speaking at the opening of the Progressives Digital Media Summit, themed ‘Unveiling the Critical Role of New Media in National Development, Tinubu emphasised the importance of verifying information before amplifying it. He urged the youth to serve as positive catalysts for societal development by building businesses that create employment and producing content that reflects unifying values. “I urge you to continue using digital platforms to advance our nation’s progress. Build businesses that employ others. Create content…