NEWS

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abayomi Mumuni, has warned against any attempt to replace Vice President Kashim Shettima on religious grounds ahead of the 2027 general elections Mumuni said this on Wednesday in reaction to the controversies erupting from the omission of Vice President Shettima’s photograph from a banner displayed at the North-East Zonal Public Hearing on the amendment of the APC constitution. According to him, the North presently lacks a Christian candidate with the political clout and followership needed to deliver substantial electoral support. He said the idea of dropping Shettima could undermine the APC’s chances of retaining power. There have been speculations about a possible plan to drop Shettima from the party’s 2027 presidential tick...

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has started lectures at Northwest University, Kano, after enrolling as a 200-level law student. Photos shared online show the monarch in class on Tuesday, Jan. 20, with other undergraduates.   The university offered Sanusi special admission into its Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) programme in Common and Sharia Law.   According to the institution, the admission was granted in recognition of his vast experience in governance, economics and public service. Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is already a PhD holder.

Usha Vance, the wife of US Vice President JD Vance, has announced she is pregnant with her fourth child. In a post on X, the second lady said she is looking forward to welcoming a boy in late July. "Usha and the baby are doing well," a statement posted on Tuesday to the second lady's social media account read. Vance and his wife, Usha, 40, have three young children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel, who have often joined them on travels across the country and the globe. This will mark the first time a sitting second lady has had a baby while in office, but it’s not without precedent for first ladies. JD Vance, 41, and Usha Vance, 39, met at Yale Law School and married in 2014. They are the nation's first millennial second family.

US President Donald Trump has sparked global concern by suggesting that his newly formed “Board of Peace” might one day replace the United Nations, raising fears that the body, intended to oversee Gaza reconstruction, could sideline the nearly eight-decade-old international organization. Diplomats had already expressed doubts over the board’s structure, membership, and the controversial provision allowing countries to secure permanent seats for $1 billion. These concerns come as Trump heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos, amid tensions with NATO allies and his repeated insistence that the US should own Greenland. The White House announced the board’s founding Executive Board, which includes Jared Kushner, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and former B...

Several senior officers of the Benue State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, along with some consultants, are currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦4.6 billion fraud. The officials were reportedly arrested about a week ago and are being held at the EFCC zonal office in Makurdi, the state capital. The anti-graft agency is probing the alleged misappropriation of ₦4.6 billion meant for the state’s 23 local government councils. Preliminary investigations suggest the funds were allegedly diverted through consultants under the pretext of auditing local government staff, pensioners, Primary Healthcare workers, and personnel of the Local Government Education Authorities. All 23 local government chairmen hav...

Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has called on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, to set aside disputes over the Oyo State Council of Obas’ chairmanship and focus on tackling insecurity in the South West while promoting regional development. Igboho’s appeal comes amid a disagreement over the rotational leadership of the council, which Governor Seyi Makinde recently addressed by appointing Oba Ladoja as the new chairman. The new arrangement stipulates that the permanent chairmanship will rotate among the Olubadan, the Alaafin, and the Soun of Ogbomoso. In a statement aimed at reducing tensions among the traditional rulers, Igboho described it as unproductive for prominent monarchs—whose lead...

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran, saying the country would face devastating consequences if any attempt is made on his life. Trump made the remarks in an interview with NewNation’s Katie Pavlich after she asked him about reported assassination threats aired on Iranian state television. The broadcast reportedly showed footage from Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania—where he narrowly survived an assassination attempt—alongside a message suggesting a future attack. Responding to the question, Trump said Iran should not be issuing such threats, adding that he had already made his position clear. He warned that any harm to him would trigger an overwhelming response against the country. Trump also criticized his predecessor,...

United States Congressman Riley Moore has revealed plans to soon brief the White House on possible measures to safeguard Christians in Nigeria. Moore made the disclosure on Tuesday via a post on 𝕏 while responding to comments by Bishop Robert Barron regarding the alleged persecution and killings of Christians in Nigeria. He expressed gratitude to Barron for drawing international attention to the plight of Nigerian Christians and confirmed that the issue would be formally presented to the U.S. administration. “Thank you, Bishop Barron, for shining a light on how our brothers and sisters in Christ are being persecuted for their faith in Nigeria,” Moore wrote. “You’re right—I will be briefing the White House on this very soon to present them with options on how to protect Christians ...

Japan is preparing to restart the world’s largest nuclear power station on Wednesday, marking its first operation since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, despite lingering safety concerns among local residents, according to the plant’s operator. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear facility, located in Niigata prefecture, received final approval last month from the provincial governor, even as public opinion remains deeply divided over the move. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) confirmed that following the final authorization on Wednesday, it would proceed with start-up procedures, including removing control rods after 7:00 p.m. to bring one reactor online. On Tuesday, several dozen protesters—mostly elderly residents—gathered near the plant in freezing conditions to oppose the restart. ...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, January 19, expressed concern that US President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland could be distracting from Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, now nearing its fourth year. Trump last week threatened European nations with tariffs of up to 25 percent for opposing the acquisition plan, a move that angered Brussels and placed fresh strain on NATO unity. Ukraine, currently facing sustained Russian strikes on its energy infrastructure, is wary of any diplomatic rift that could weaken support from Western allies. “I’m worried about any loss of focus during a full-scale war,” Zelensky told reporters. He stressed that debates over Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, should not be viewed as interchangeable with the conflict in Uk...