NEWS

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has held ward congresses in Ahoada East and Khana Local Government Areas of Rivers State to select delegates for the forthcoming House of Assembly bye-elections slated for February 21.The congresses took place across all wards in Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana State Constituency II and were described by party officials as peaceful and well-organised.In Ahoada East Constituency II, the exercise was overseen by the APC Congress and Primary Committee led by Shehu Dange, with Smart Iheanazor serving as secretary. Members of the party’s appeal panel were also in attendance.Observers from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by the Assistant Electoral Officer for Operations, Okogbule Emilia, monitored the process a...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sought more air defence support from allies on Sunday as hundreds of buildings in Kyiv were without heating in freezing temperatures for a second day after Russian strikes.Russia has hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure throughout the nearly four-year war, but Kyiv says this winter has been the toughest, with hundreds of Russian drones and missiles overwhelming air defences during particularly fierce frosts.“This week alone, the Russians have launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs, and 69 missiles of various types,” Zelensky said as he arrived in Vilnius.“That is why missiles for air defence systems are needed every day, and we continue working with the United States and Europe to ensure stronger protection o...

The only member of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Askira-Uba/Hawul Federal Constituency in Borno State, Usman Midala Balami, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).Balami’s move came as a surprise to many of his supporters after he was spotted at an APC stakeholders’ meeting held on Sunday at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Government House in Maiduguri.In a resignation letter dated January 24, 2026, addressed to the PDP chairman of Bwalahizhi Ward in Hawul Local Government Area and copied to the party’s local and state leadership, the lawmaker formally announced his exit from the PDP.He explained that the decision was reached after extensive consultations with political leaders across party line...

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, stating that the current federal government does not encourage open and honest engagement.Makinde made the remarks on Saturday at an event in Ibadan, where he compared the present administration with what he described as a more consultative approach under the late President Muhammadu Buhari. The event was attended by several prominent figures, including former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, whose leadership style Makinde openly commended.According to the governor, the handling of the federal government’s tax reform bills illustrates the challenge of offering constructive criticism under the current dispensation.“You cannot speak truth to power in this dispensation,” Makinde said, while ...

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has announced an extension of the registration period for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) into technical colleges.The development was confirmed by the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr Aminu Mohammed, in a statement issued on Sunday in Benin through the board’s Deputy Director of Media and Protocol, Uchechukwu Olisah.Dr Mohammed said the board approved a four-month registration window after receiving clearance for the 2026 examination and registration schedule from the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa.According to him, registration will open on January 26 and end on May 24, while the examination is scheduled to hold nationwide on June 6.He explained that the decision...

Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has returned to Nigeria following her release from a United Kingdom prison, The Punch has reported.Mrs Ekweremadu arrived in the country on Tuesday, January 21, 2026, after serving the custodial part of her sentence linked to a widely publicised organ-harvesting case.She was welcomed by family members and close associates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, marking her first return to Nigeria since her legal troubles began in mid-2022.Her arrival has reportedly triggered celebrations in her hometown of Mpu, located in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, even as her husband continues to serve his sentence in the UK.Mrs Ekweremadu was convicted in May 2023 by the Old Bailey ...

The Lagos State Government has defended the demolition of structures in Makoko and other waterfront communities, describing the action as a necessary measure to protect lives and property.Government officials made the defence during Ask Lagos, a weekly X-space discussion designed to engage residents on governance issues. Participants at the session included the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Olajide Abiodun Babatunde.Addressing the controversy surrounding the demolitions in Makoko and similar communities, the officials said the exercise was carried out for security, environmental, and safety reasons, and forms part of broader efforts to make Lagos a safer and more sustainable megacit...