Author: Lawan

Human rights activist and lawyer Chidi Odinkalu has expressed doubts about the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), under its chairman Joash Amupitan, to conduct credible elections in 2027. Odinkalu made the remarks on Monday while appearing on Politics Today, where he reviewed the conduct of the recently held area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. “INEC failed,” Odinkalu said while assessing the polls. “Amupitan’s INEC failed woefully. On this evidence, nobody can trust Joash Amupitan to organise credible elections in 2027.” According to him, the shortcomings recorded during the FCT council elections were not primarily legal…

*Breaks fast with state chief executives at Aso Villa*Assures Nigerians his promises will not be postponed ABUJA—President Bola Tinubu yesterday night vowed that his administration would establish state police to tackle insecurity across the country. The President also assured Nigerians that the promises he made before assuming office in 2023 would be fulfilled. President Tinubu spoke while hosting state governors to an interfaith breaking of the fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting was held to observe Ramadan and Lent with the governors, whom he urged to redouble their efforts to ensure that grassroots communities, where hope sometimes flickers,…

The Presidency has defended President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order, which halted revenue deductions by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other agencies. It said the Petroleum Industry Act violates and is not superior to the Nigerian Constitution. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that criticism of the directive by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria demonstrated a lack of understanding of the constitutional supremacy over ordinary legislation. “PENGASSAN is focusing on PIA alone. The President’s action is based on the Nigerian Constitution, which PIA violates in allowing the…

ABUJA — The release of the timetable for the February 20, 2027 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, may have caught most of the registered political parties in the country unprepared for the contest, and they have a tough nut to crack to make up for lost ground. The situation may be dire for the parties, if the electoral commission brings the polls forward to January 2027 following complaints Muslim leaders and groups that the February 20 date would clash with the Ramadan fast and hugely affect voters’ turnout. The inability of most of the political parties…

As Ramadan begins, MAGGI has unveiled a multi-layered national campaign anchored on culturally grounded storytelling, consumer value and community engagement. At the heart of the campaign is Tales of Ramadan Season 2, a six-episode drama series that premiered at a star-studded event at EbonyLife Place. The evening featured elegant abaya-themed dressing and décor inspired by the warmth and serenity of the season, underscoring the cultural significance the brand attaches to Ramadan. The series has since launched nationwide across terrestrial television, cable and major digital platforms.Building on the strong reception of Season 1, the new season expands its creative ambition with…

The British Pound has opened the new trading week with moderate gains against the Nigerian Naira on Monday, February 23, 2026. Data from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) and informal trading desks reflect a subtle shift in momentum as market participants digest the latest supply figures from the central bank. Official Market Performance (NFEM) In the official window, the Naira opened at 1,817.40 per Pound. Trading activity throughout the early morning sessions saw the currency strengthen slightly, reaching a mid-morning rate of 1,810.65 per Pound by 6:00 AM WAT. This represents a recovery from the opening dip, as the…

In a major boost for pension contributors and retirees, the National Pension Commission, PenCom, has announced the launch of a self-service online data recapture platform designed to simplify and fast-track pension record updates. The new platform, known as the Data Recapture Self-Service Platform, PENCAP, officially went live on February 1. Developed in collaboration with Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, the initiative allows Retirement Savings Account, RSA, holders to update their personal records remotely without visiting PFA offices. PenCom said the platform targets RSA holders who joined the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, on or before July 1, 2019, and have yet to…

For decades, Nigeria’s oil theft crisis was largely associated with remote creeks, mangrove swamps and offshore vandalism in the Niger Delta. Increasingly, however, security agencies say the trade is migrating inland-embedding itself within civilian communities, markets and transport corridors where it can operate under the cover of everyday commerce. The recent exposure of Owaza Mami Market in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State as a hub for illegal crude oil bunkering and artisanal refining underscores a broader national trend: oil theft networks are becoming more organised, decentralised and harder to detect. On January 24, 2026, a joint, intelligence-led…

Soldiers, on Sunday, killed a powerful Mexican drug cartel leader, who was one of the most wanted men here and in the United States, several media outlets reported. There was no immediate confirmation from the government of the death of Nemesio Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. He had a $15 million bounty on his head. Oseguera is one of the biggest drug suspects to be taken down since the capture of the founders of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin Guzman ‘El Chapo’ and Ismael Zambada. Both are serving time in the United States.Oseguera, whose nickname was “El Mencho,”…

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently convene a broad-based stakeholders’ meeting to clarify the details of the Executive Order he signed on Wednesday concerning the nation’s oil and gas industry.The union said the directive has generated tension and uncertainty across the sector, with workers in upstream, midstream and downstream operations expressing concern over how the new policy may affect job security, labour agreements and the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA.In a statement by its President, Prince Williams Akporeha, the union said: “NUPENG wishes to call…