Author: Vardiafrica

 The Supreme Court has dismissed two appeals by the Rivers State Attorney-General and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, who are seeking to set aside the leave granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to challenge an order prohibiting the investigation of Peter Odili’s tenure as governor of the state. In 2007, Odili got a court injunction preventing the EFCC from investigating or arresting him. The court order also restrained the commission from probing the finances of the Rivers State Government when Odili was the governor. However, the EFCC sought leave from the Court of Appeal to…

President Bola Tinubu has called for obedience to the Supreme Court verdict in Rivers State, asking stakeholders to follow the law to the letter. The Supreme Court recently nullified last year’s local government elections in the oil-rich state and also asked that Martin Amaewhule and the lawmakers he leads be recognised as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Weeks after the verdict, Tinubu told leaders of the Niger Delta under the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday to go back and ensure that the ruling is adhered to. “This is a nation…

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi Central, has reported Senate President Godswill Akpabio to United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Union following her suspension from the Nigerian senate. Natasha who reported the case at the Women in Parliament session held at the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations in New York, is seeking justice and the intervention of global democratic institutions. The lawmaker is asking for justice over what she described as injustice meted out to her. Senator Natasha described her suspension from the Senate as “illegal”. After her speech, she expressed worry about her security. The Kogi Central senator claimed…

The Trump administration is repurposing a mobile application – originally created to facilitate asylum appointments – into a way for undocumented migrants already in the US to “self-deport”. The app, known as CBP Home, allows migrants to submit an “intent to depart”, which US Customs and Border Patrol says offers them a chance to leave without “harsher consequences”. US officials have repeatedly suggested that undocumented migrants in the country should leave voluntarily, rather than be arrested and subject to deportation. This is the latest move in the White House’s effort to dramatically overhaul the US immigration system, which has included promises…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has activated its Standby Force to curb terrorism and other transborder crimes in the subregion. The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, who disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Forty-third ordinary meeting of ECOWAS Committee Chiefs of Defence Staff said the economic growth of the region is dependent on stable peace. The minister added that there is a need for members of ECOWAS to close ranks against all forms of threats against the region. On January 29, 2025, ECOWAS recognised the exit of three of its former members Burkina Faso, Mali,…

Following a motion of urgent public importance, the House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling for the suspension of the increase in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction charges and the stoppage of free ATM withdrawals for customers from other banks in Nigeria. The motion moved by a member, Marcus Onobun, drew the attention of the House to a circular by the Central Bank of Nigeria to that effect. Lawmakers were worried that this would impose additional financial burdens on Nigerians. The House asked the CBN to suspend the policy pending proper engagement with the relevant committees on banking, finance,…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed an agreement worth $11.18 million to enhance rice production across the region. ECOWAS made the announcement in a video posted on its social media platforms on Tuesday. Speaking after the signing ceremony in Abuja, Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, highlighted the significance of the partnership in achieving self-sufficiency in rice production across West African nations. “This not the first time or the only response we have received from the African Development Bank, you would recall, African Development Bank is working with us on…

The Supreme Court has dismissed the legal challenge filed by Hon. Agboola Alfred Ajayi, the former Ondo State Deputy Governor and Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the November 16, 2024, election. Ajayi had sought to nullify the election of Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami over alleged discrepancies in his name change, while also challenging the legitimacy of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and the All Progressives Congress (APC). In its ruling, the court held that the appellants lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to pursue the case, making the appeal unsustainable. It also ruled that the case was statute-barred,…

The house of representatives has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to direct internet service providers in the country to block all websites hosting obscene and pornographic contents with immediate effect.  The resolution was passed on Tuesday following a motion sponsored by Dalhatu Tafoki, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Katsina state. Moving the motion, Tafoki argued that cyber pornography was becoming a global problem and that Nigeria had not taken adequate steps to address it. He described Nigeria as a “highly religious country” where major faiths prohibit nudity and obscenity. The legislator said several countries across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East had…

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA)  has gotten approval to establish a renewable asset management company that will sustain its interventions. The Managing Director of REA, Mr Abba Aliyu said this at the signing of a collaborative agreement with some Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) in Abuja on Monday. According to Aliyu, the company is expected to have mega assets, including infrastructure close to 500 million dollars deployed to universities. ”This company will warehouse these assets and REA will leverage on the assets to raise close to N1 trillion, so that we will continue to intervene even if there is no availability…