Author: Vardiafrica

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni will run for a seventh term in next year’s election, a senior ruling party official confirmed. Yoweri Museveni, 80, has held power in Uganda since 1986. He is the fourth longest-ruling leader in Africa after Teodoro Obiang from Equatorial Guinea (46 years), Paul Biya from Cameroon (43 years) and Denis Sassou-Nguesso from the Congo Republic (41 years). Under his tenure, the NRM has changed the 1995 constitution twice to allow him to extend his rule.The 2005 amendment removed presidential terms limit and in 2017, the Ugandan Parliament voted to withdraw age eligibility requirements. Museveni was widely…

The Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Bassey Otu, has welcomed the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, and his management team to the Exco Chambers in Calabar. During the meeting with the excos, the Governor had a discussion centered on how best to deepen collaboration between Cross River State and the NDDC in fast tracking infrastructure and social development projects across the state. Otu emphasized that every intervention counts, adding that the state turns every kobo whether from federal allocations or agencies like the NDDC into tangible projects…

The Nigerian Senate has approved a fresh extension of the capital component of the 2024 national budget, shifting its implementation deadline to December 31, 2025. The decision was reached during plenary on Tuesday following the presentation and swift passage of an amendment bill to the Appropriation Act. The bill, read and passed through first, second, and third readings in a single sitting, was supported by the lawmakers. Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who chaired the Plenary, announced the resolution following the adoption of the report by the Senate Committee on Supply. The debate was led by the Chairman of…

A delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently meeting with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The meeting is taking place at the headquarters of the electoral umpire in the Maitama area of the nation’s capital. The sit-down follows the controversy surrounding the proposed national executive committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP. The delegation, led by Umar Damagum, acting national chairman of the PDP, includes four governors: Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau. Other are Bukola Saraki, former senate president; Abba Moro,…

The United States House of Representatives has officially banned WhatsApp from all staff devices, due to security issues tied to how the platform manages user data. In a memo sent to House staff, the Office of Cybersecurity stated that WhatsApp is a “high risk” to users. The concerns are poor transparency around data protection, no encryption for stored data, and a general vulnerability to spyware and surveillance tools. This is not the first time the House has taken this kind of step. In 2022, TikTok was removed from government-issued phones due to similar national security concerns. Now, WhatsApp joins that…

The Vice President of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin and his wife, Maria Alckmin, on Tuesday arrived Nigeria for the  commencement of the Second Session of the Nigeria-Brazil Strategic Dialogue Mechanism (SDM). On arrival at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the delegation was received by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole. Other government officials that received the delegation are the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari; among others. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that…

President Bola Tinubu has flagged off an agricultural mechanisation programme under his administration’s ‘renewed hope’ agenda. Speaking on Monday at the launch of the programme in Abuja, Tinubu said the deployment of modern agricultural equipment across the country will make farming easier and more attractive to young Nigerians. The president said boosting productivity in the sector is essential for national stability and food sovereignty. He said his administration is determined to position Nigeria as a global agricultural powerhouse, while ensuring food security for all citizens. “We envision Nigeria as a global agricultural powerhouse, supplying quality produce to international markets while ensuring…

Iran launched missiles at US military bases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday evening, official media reported, in what state TV called a “powerful” response to recent American strikes on key nuclear sites. “The operation of Iranian missiles against American bases located in Qatar and in Iraq has begun, and is called ‘Blessing of Victory’,” the official press agency IRNA said. AFP journalists reported hearing explosions in Doha, the capital of Qatar, home to the largest US base in the region. Iran’s National Security Council later confirmed it had attacked a major US military base in Qatar on Monday in…

Mali’s military strongman, General Assimi Goita, told Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday that he wanted to “reinforce” ties with the Kremlin, a key supporter of the west African country’s battle against jihadism. Under the general — who came to power after coups in 2020 and 2021 — Mali has steered away from its former colonial master France, mainly in favour of closer ties with Moscow. Goita’s days-long visit comes as Mali struggles to contain the country’s long-running jihadist threat. “I am convinced this visit will be an occasion to reinforce our relations,” Goita told Putin in the…

The United States Mission in Nigeria has advised American citizens to avoid ‘unnecessary travel to Nigerian military and government facilities’ due to increased global security concerns. In a statement released on Monday, June 23, the American Embassy prohibited its employees and their families from visiting military sites or other government venues in the Nigerian capital unless for official purposes. This advisory came in the wake of unspecified global developments that have prompted heightened security measures and a reevaluation of movement around sensitive locations. American citizens residing in or visiting Nigeria are urged to remain vigilant in public places, particularly in…