Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the construction of the annex office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday, Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, commended Tinubu for attending the ceremony. Yakubu said the commission has long struggled with congestion at its current headquarters, which was commissioned in December 1997. He said the building, originally designed for a smaller structure, has become overstretched due to the expansion of INEC’s operations over the years. “Our present national headquarters is severely congested. Today, there are 13 full-time Commission members, 22 Departments/Directorates and 1,048 staff. Every facility…

China has issued urgent calls for its citizens to leave both Iran and Israel as conflict between the two Middle Eastern nations intensifies, warning that the escalating violence poses serious risks to civilians and could spiral into a broader regional crisis. In a statement posted online on Tuesday, June 17, the Chinese Embassy in Iran announced that it had coordinated with Iranian authorities to facilitate the safe departure of Chinese nationals. “The Chinese Embassy in Iran has coordinated with the Iranian side to facilitate outbound travel and reminds Chinese citizens currently in Iran to leave the country… as soon as…

Benue state governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, says he does not support calls for residents of his state to arm themselves with weapons.  Following the incessant k!llings in some parts of the state, there have been calls for residents of the state to arm themselves with weapons so as to fight off the insurgents whenever they come attacking their communities. However, in a chat with AIT today June 17, the governor said he doesn’t support the calls for self defence but rather for an effective state police to be implemented. ‘’I think we would be rendering ourselves even more vulnerable.…

US President, Donald Trump was gifted a signed Cristiano Ronaldo jersey with a “special message.”  António Costa, president of the European Council, presented the president of the United States with the gift on Monday in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. “To President Donald J. Trump,” the Portuguese soccer star signed the jersey, adding, “Playing for Peace.” On X, António shared photos of President Trump and the jersey, along with a closeup of Cristiano’s message. Alongside the images, he wrote: “To President @realdonaldtrump. Playing for peace. As a team.” Margo Martin, special assistant and communications advisor to President Trump, posted a video of the moment the…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the Nigerian government to implement urgent policy changes and offer better incentives to healthcare workers as a solution to the growing migration of doctors and other medical professionals. Speaking on Tuesday at the commissioning of the Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Zamfara State, Obasanjo warned that infrastructure upgrades alone are not enough to stop the “Japa syndrome” — the wave of skilled professionals leaving Nigeria for better opportunities abroad. “Many Nigerians trained as medical personnel are leaving the country in search of better conditions,” he said. “If we want them to stay, we…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have condemned the brutal attack on Yelewata community in Benue State on Friday which claimed several lives and left hundreds displaced The opposition parties in separate statements released on Monday want President Bola Tinubu to take a decisive action that will see the perpetrators of the dastardly act apprehended and prosecuted. The parties commiserated with the families of the victims of the senseless killings in Benue State and other parts of our country and urged them not to relent in their effort to ensure the security of lives and property…

As deadly hostilities between Iran and Israel entered a fifth straight day on Tuesday, United States president, Donald Trump, issued a stark warning to Iranian civilians: “evacuate the capital city, Tehran, immediately.”  Trump’s message came amid growing global alarm over what many now describe as the worst direct confrontation between the long-time regional adversaries. Using his Truth Social platform late Monday, Trump blamed Tehran’s leadership for escalating tensions, insisting that Iran’s refusal to sign a nuclear disarmament deal had led the country down a destructive path “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame,…

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has declared that the state is now firmly under siege by terrorists, warning that the violence has escalated far beyond the traditional farmer-herder conflict that has plagued the region for years. Speaking in an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Governor Alia recounted the recent massacre in Yelwata community, where at least 151 people were confirmed dead, many burnt beyond recognition, and thousands displaced. Reflecting on the roots of the conflict, Alia explained that while the region had experienced farmer-herder clashes for over two decades, the scale and nature of recent attacks have…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment in the Niger Delta region. Speaking during the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop to commemorate International Women’s Day in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Sir Victor Antai, said the Commission was taking significant steps toward promoting inclusivity and development for women across the region. Antai, represented by the Akwa Ibom State Director, Engr. Evong Evong commended the resilience and hard work of the women in the region. He emphasised NDDC’s dedication to gender inclusivity, stating, “In our sustainable…

Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, on Monday, signed a new law allowing civilians to be tried in military courts that critics said could be used against opposition leaders ahead of next year’s election. The new law comes despite a ruling by the Supreme Court in late January that it was unconstitutional for civilians to be tried in military courts as was the case for opposition leader, Kizza Besigye. Besigye, 69, was abducted by armed men in Nairobi in November and re-emerged a few days later at a military court in Uganda, where he was charged with treason, which carries a potential…