Politics

The Senate has confirmed Muttaqha Rabe Darma as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following his screening on Thursday. The approval came after a question-and-answer session during plenary, after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu submitted his nomination to the upper chamber. The request, read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was referred to the Committee of the Whole, which later recommended his confirmation. During the screening, Darma pledged to collaborate closely with the National Assembly to tackle Nigeria’s housing challenges. “We will work together with the National Assembly to ensure that the issue of housing is addressed,” he said. He noted that more than 100 million Nigerians are affected by inadequate housing, stressing the urgency of expanding access t...

Factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has attributed the party’s internal crisis to actions taken by its former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti. Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television, Abure alleged that the dispute began after Obi and Otti visited Umuahia to establish a caretaker committee. He insisted that the party had been stable and effectively performing its opposition role under his leadership prior to that move. Abure stated that the formation of the caretaker committee in Umuahia led to the emergence of factions within the party, which he believes triggered the ongoing crisis. He maintained that he played a unifying role in building the party and strengthening its structure before the disagreement. ...

Nigerian music star Davido has announced his appointment as Head of Youth Mobilisation for the re-election campaign council of Ademola Adeleke. The singer shared the news on Tuesday via his official 𝕏 (formerly Twitter) account, expressing confidence in the governor’s chances at the polls and optimism about a smooth campaign process. In his post, Davido revealed that he was personally appointed by the Osun State governor and campaign flagbearer, pledging his support toward securing a second term victory. Meanwhile, the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to allegations made by Governor Adeleke regarding the handling of local government funds. Adeleke had earlier accused APC-affiliated council officials of diverting funds meant for local governm...

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to recent remarks by Atiku Abubakar, who described him as a “decent” but “inexperienced” leader. Atiku, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the statement during an interview on Arise TV, linking some of the challenges faced during Jonathan’s administration to what he termed inadequate leadership preparation. Speaking on Monday at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria (ARCAN) awards in Abuja, Jonathan addressed the criticism without mentioning Atiku directly. He acknowledged that mistakes are inevitable in leadership, stressing that no president or governor can claim to have governed without errors. Jonathan questioned the notion that age determines leadership capability, asking whether on...

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its support for its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, stating that a forensic investigation has confirmed that viral social media posts attributed to him were fabricated. According to the commission, the independent forensic report established that Amupitan does not operate any personal account on X (formerly Twitter). It described the alleged posts as fraudulent, unverifiable, and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign. In a statement issued by the Chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, INEC maintained that its Chairman has no presence on any social media platform. Both internal reviews and external forensic checks reportedly confirmed this position. The commission explained that Amupitan had earlier d...

Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun East Senatorial District have unanimously endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun as their preferred candidate for the Senate ahead of the 2027 general elections. The endorsement was announced on Monday during a large gathering at Adeola Odutola Hall in Ijebu-Ode, which brought together party leaders, grassroots mobilisers, and key stakeholders from across the district. The meeting was attended by members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, current and former local government chairmen, lawmakers at both state and national levels, councillors from all wards, as well as youth and women leaders. Speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, former Ogun East senator, Lekan Mustapha, said the decision was based on a shared belief...

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has reportedly turned down an appeal by Peter Obi to step aside ahead of the 2027 presidential election. According to sources cited by Leadership, the request was made during a private meeting held over the weekend at Amaechi’s residence in Abuja. Obi was said to have attended the meeting alongside former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, and Senator Victor Umeh. Amaechi, Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have all shown interest in contesting the 2027 presidency under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Senator David Mark. The development comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled party primaries to take place between April 23 and May 30, with political partie...

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to convene its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at its national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, following the recent reopening of the secretariat by the police. The party’s office had been shut since November last year after a violent clash between factions loyal to Tanimu Turaki and those backing Abdulrahman Mohammed, both claiming leadership of the party. Tensions escalated further in March when the Court of Appeal nullified the Ibadan convention that produced the Turaki-led leadership. Leveraging that judgment, the Mohammed faction—reportedly supported by Nyesom Wike—went on to organise a parallel convention in Abuja. Monday’s NEC meeting is expected to be attended largely by members aligned with the Mohammed-led camp. Key f...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has affirmed his readiness to contest the 2027 presidential election in pursuit of a second term in office. Speaking on Thursday, Tinubu said his ambition is driven by a commitment to tackle ignorance and poverty, inspire hope among Nigerians, and safeguard democratic governance in the country. He also took a swipe at opposition parties, stressing his intention to offer leadership beyond what he described as the “noise and disorder” often associated with political gatherings. The president emphasized the need for adherence to the principle of separation of powers and respect for judicial decisions, even when they are unfavorable. Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with leaders and coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors at the Presidential Vi...

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has issued a scathing critique of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar following the latter's recent remarks regarding Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement. In a strongly worded statement, Onanuga accused Atiku of attempting to undermine the established North-South formula to suit his personal political interests ahead of the 2027 general elections. The presidency's reaction was triggered by Atiku’s Wednesday interview on Arise TV, where the former Vice President argued that he is not bound by the rotation principle because the South has theoretically held power for more years than the North since 1999. Onanuga dismissed this logic as "dubious arithmetic," noting that the North’s shorter tenure was a result of t...