NEWS

Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd during the weekly general audience at St Peter’s Square in The Vatican on February 18, 2026.Pope Leo XIV will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, the Vatican said Monday, just weeks after serious criticism of the pontiff by US President Donald Trump.The private visit with the top US diplomat, who is a Catholic, will take place at 11:30 am (0930 GMT), according to a calendar published on the Vatican’s media site.A Vatican source on Sunday confirmed for AFP Italian media reports that the meeting was an attempt to “thaw” relations between the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and the US government.Rubio is also expected to meet Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani while ...

A nurse at Uwani General Hospital in Enugu State, Joy Ezeugwu, has been arrested by the Nigerian police after she shared a video exposing poor conditions at the medical facility.Ezeugwu was reportedly picked up by operatives from the Police Force Headquarters Annex in Enugu.An education technologist, Alex Onyia, confirmed the arrest in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, alleging that the operation was carried out on the instruction of the administrator of her former institution, Ezzy College of Nursing, Ifeyinwa Peace Okwudu.According to Onyia, the arrest reflects ongoing concerns about student and staff treatment, which he described as systemic oppression within some institutions.The nurse had earlier been suspended in April after a video she shared went...

Suspected political thugs on Monday disrupted the state congress of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) held in Enugu, causing tension and forcing an initial halt of activities at the venue.The congress, which took place at Aborigene Hall in Enugu, was reportedly underway when delegates and party members gathered for the exercise.The incident comes less than 24 hours after former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, were received into the NDC during a ceremony in Abuja. The new entrants were formally welcomed by the party’s national leader, Seriake Dickson, alongside top party executives.Trouble reportedly began at the Enugu congress when a motion was raised calling for the dissolution of the protem State Work...

Former Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, has agreed to step down from his ambition to contest for the Cross River North Senate seat in the 2027 general elections, following a directive from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.In a statement issued on Monday, Ayade revealed that he was recently summoned to Abuja for a high-level consultation with the Presidency, where the instruction to withdraw from the race was given.He said although he has complied with the President’s request, the decision has left him deeply hurt. Ayade added that he felt compelled to honour the directive despite expressing disappointment over what he described as unfair treatment.The former governor also pointed to his contributions to the growth of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-South re...

A former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, has been selected as the consensus governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State ahead of the 2027 elections.The decision followed nearly three weeks of consultations and internal screening conducted by party leaders and stakeholders across the state. The process included all 11 aspirants who had initially shown interest in securing the party’s ticket.Prominent party figures participated in the deliberations, including former governor Samuel Ortom, Senate Minority Leader Patrick Abba Moro, and members of the state working committee led by Ezekiel Adaji. Lawmakers, alongside influential party blocs such as the G-14 and G-9 elders, were also part of the process....

Former Kano State Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo and the 2023 APC governorship candidate, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, are reportedly preparing to exit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).Their planned move follows recent political shifts involving Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Peter Obi, who were seen in a viral video receiving NDC membership cards, signalling their entry into the party.The development reportedly came shortly after both leaders held a closed-door meeting with key figures of the NDC at the Abuja residence of the party’s national leader, Seriake Dickson.Sources close to the Kano politicians confirmed that Gwarzo and Gawuna are finalising plans to officially announce their defection. Gwarzo’s camp indicated that his decisio...

Controversial Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin has agreed to take part in a proposed celebrity boxing match against fellow actress Iyabo Ojo.The challenge, which carries a ₦10 million prize, was initially suggested in 2024 by Paulo Okoye. In a recent Instagram post, Anjorin confirmed her readiness to step into the ring.However, she attached new conditions to her acceptance, insisting that Paulo must first face her husband, Chief Lawal, in a 10-round bout before she proceeds to fight Iyabo Ojo the following day.Anjorin also intensified the ongoing rivalry by making personal remarks and daring both Paulo and Ojo to publicly showcase evidence of their wealth and accomplishments.The latest development adds another chapter to the long-standing feud between Anjorin and Ojo, which ...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has extended the deadlines for the sale and submission of the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms ahead of the 2027 general elections.This was confirmed in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka.Morka said the party also adjusted its screening schedule to accommodate the revised timeline.According to the APC, “the sale of forms has been extended to midnight on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, while the submission of completed forms will now close at midnight on Thursday, May 7, 2026.”The party said, “The screening of aspirants will take place from Friday, May 8, to Tuesday, May 12, 2026, with the publication of screened aspirants scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2026.”The ruling party fixed its pr...