Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu has declined to assent to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Bill, 2025. The President’s decision was contained in a letter read by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary on Thursday. The proposed law seeks to empower the NDLEA to retain a portion of the proceeds from drug-related crimes, a move Tinubu said contradicts existing financial regulations. In Tinubu’s letter, he said under the current system, “All proceeds of crime are paid into the government’s Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account. “Disbursements to any recovery agency, including the NDLEA, can only be made…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company on Tuesday inaugurated a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) aimed at advancing local content implementation during the operational phase of the 650,000 barrels per day refinery plant. The inauguration ceremony which took place on Tuesday at the Dangote Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State marks a pivotal moment in fostering strategic collaboration between both institutions and is a significant move to reinforce local content development in the oil and gas sector. The ceremony presided over by the Executive Secretary of the Board Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and the…

China hosted defense ministers from Iran and Russia for a meeting in its eastern seaside city of Qingdao on Thursday against the backdrop of war in the Middle East and a summit of NATO countries in Europe that agreed to boost military spending. Beijing has long sought to present the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a counterweight to Western-led power blocs and has pushed to strengthen collaboration between its member countries in politics, security, trade and science. The Qingdao meeting of the organization’s top defense officials comes as a fledgling ceasefire between Israel and Iran holds after 12 days of fighting between the arch-foes.…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched the Renewed Hope Social Impact program for Women, Children & Families, a Programme initiated by the Minister of Women’s Affairs Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim. Launching the programme during a presidential visit to Lafiya, Nasarawa State, the President paid glowing tributes to the resilience of Nigerian Women, commended the Minister for all her mobilisation, encouragement and empowerment of women; reaffirming his commitment to a gender empowered Nigeria. ” I salute you women, the backbone of our growth and economy, the strength of our family. I salute you too women for all that you have been doing; you’re…

The Federal Government has finally fulfilled a 31-year-old pledge by handing over houses to members of Nigeria’s 1994 Super Eagles squad, who famously lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and represented the country at its first-ever World Cup in the United States. In a modest ceremony held in Abuja, former national striker Efan Ekoku became one of the latest beneficiaries. Although he was absent, his niece, Lisa Jenifer Nwagbogun, received the housing allocation letter on his behalf. The allocation was presented by Pemi Temitope, Director of the Public Building and Housing Development Department, who represented the Minister of…

The Federal Government says it will advance railway track monitoring system across the country for safe and efficient rail operations. Mr Kayode Opeifa, the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) stated this on Wednesday in Abuja when he received a team led by Mr Murilo Martins, the Managing Director of Loram Maintenance, Brazil at Idu Railway Station. Opeifa said that the government would leverage on advanced technologies and regular inspections of rail operators to ensure integrity of the tracks and provide reliable service to passengers and freight customers. The NRC boss, who said that Nigeria was ready to strengthen…

Eleven members of the national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have rejected the return of Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the PDP, said Anyanwu will resume as the party’s national secretary. Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi and chairman of the PDP’s Governors’ Forum; Abba Moro, lawmaker representing Benue south and minority leader of the senate; and other party officials, were present during the press conference. The acting chairman also said the planned national executive committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30 will no longer hold. Anyanwu, an…

There was an uproar in the Senate on Wednesday following the approval of a non- indigene, Dr. Michael Odey as the Chairman, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC. The confirmation of Odey, who hails from Cross River State, alongside other members of the Commission followed the consideration of the report of the Ad- Hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule in Rivers State presented by its chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central). The development sparked as a few senators objected the appointment of a non-indigene to head a sensitive position as that of a state electoral commission. Those confirmed…

The Senate has passed the 2025 budget of Rivers State, totaling ₦1.485 trillion, following the third reading of the appropriation bill on the Senate floor today. The passage came after the upper chamber considered the report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session. The bill seeks to authorize the issuance of N1,485,662,592,442 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. The approved budget breakdown includes ₦120.8 billion for debt servicing, ₦287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and ₦1.077 trillion for capital expenditure. While supporting the passage…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reinstated Samuel Anyanwu as the National Secretary of the party, following its meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday The party has also suspended its planned National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30th, and instead, the planned meeting will be an expanded caucus. Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagun, announced the reinstatement at a news conference in Abuja. “Anyanwu is resuming as the national secretary,” Damagum said. “At the next caucus, we will make a decision leading to a proper NEC. Like INEC said, they don’t have…