Author: Vardiafrica

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has died at the age of 82. President Bola Tinubu, while confirming the development in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Buhari died in London at about 4:30 pm on Sunday. Tinubu also ordered Vice President Kashim Shettima to proceed to the United Kingdom to accompany the former president’s body back to Nigeria. According to the statement, Tinubu has spoken with the former President’s widow, Mrs Aishat Buhari, and offered his deep condolences. He also ordered flags at half-staff as a mark of respect for the departed leader. The statement read in part, “President Bola…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stated that his administration will empower the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to deliver on its mandate of facilitating the development of the Niger Delta region through the Renewed Hope Agenda. President Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Goerge Akume, spoke at the plenary of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the NDDC at the Dr. Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt. He affirmed the central role of the NDDC in the country’s development architecture, stating: “The NDDC remains pivotal to the development of the Niger Delta region,…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in the July 12 local government elections held across Lagos State, clinching all 20 chairmanship positions and 375 out of 376 councillorship seats. The Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Justice Mobolanle Abidemi Okikiolu-Ighile (Rtd.), disclosed this during a press conference in the state today July 13. “The All Progressives Congress won all the chairmanship seats in the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state. They also secured 375 out of the 376 councillorship seats in the Lagos LG polls. The only councillorship…

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday said that the Niger Delta Development Commission must steer youths in the region away from violent behaviours towards entrepreneurship through constructive engagements. He stated this at the grand finale of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Niger Delta Development Commission in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Saturday. Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said the NDDC remained central to the economic growth of the region. “Beyond infrastructural development, the NDDC must continue to prioritise human capital development as it remains the primary index of progress.…

An Air Peace aircraft veered off the runway at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, on Sunday after landing.   Air Peace spokesman, Osifo-Whiskey Efe, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday but said all passengers disembarked safely. “Air Peace confirms that its Flight P47190, operating from Lagos to Port Harcourt this morning, had a runway excursion after landing safely at the Port Harcourt International Airport,” the statement read. “The aircraft veered slightly off the runway without any damage. All passengers disembarked safely and calmly, and no injuries were reported.” The airline reassured the public of its “unflinching commitment to maintaining…

President Bola Tinubu on Sunday morning returned to the nation’s capital, Abuja, after two weeks official visits to Saint Lucia and Brazil. The president’s official aircraft, Nigeria Air Force (NAF) 1, touched down at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by 1.30am and was received by top government officials. Those on ground to welcome President Tinubu included the Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku; his Defence counterpart, Bello Matawalle; National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator Aliyu Wamakko and Alhaji Ibrahim Masari. The president left Nigeria on June 28, 2025 first on…

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central Senatorial District has filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, challenging a ruling by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, which found her guilty of contempt and imposed a fine of N5 million on her. The senator is asking the appellate court to set aside the entire judgment delivered on July 4, 2025, on grounds that it was legally flawed, procedurally defective, and amounted to a miscarriage of justice. The dispute arose from a motion brought by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, chaired…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has described the Arts and Culture Day organised by the Commission as a demonstration of the fact that the Niger Delta region is peaceful. Ogbuku, who stated this during the Arts and Culture Day organised as part of activities marking the Commission’s 25th anniversary in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, described the moment as an indication of peace in the region. The NDDC Chief Executive Officer explained that the day was set aside to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the oil-rich region, in keeping with the anniversary…

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, has expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work at the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) Complex project, describing the progress as “grossly abysmal” and falling far below expectations. The Administrator made the remarks during an inspection tour of the project site along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, on Friday, July 11, 2025. He also inspected key sporting facilities, including the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, and the Alfred Diete-Spiff Sports Complex, to assess their readiness for hosting sporting events. Vice Admiral Ibas in a statement signed by Hector…

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, announced Ghana’s interest in Ukrainian drones and its readiness to finance their production. Ukraine, in turn, is prepared to assist Ghana in securing its borders. The head of state shared this information on the social network X following a phone conversation with Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama. Zelenskyy noted that Ghana seeks to develop bilateral relations with Ukraine. “We discussed areas where we can already deepen our partnership, primarily in the agro-industrial sector and the establishment of a food logistics center in Ghana. Ghana is also interested in our technologies, the production of various…