Author: Vardiafrica

The suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has hailed the honour conferred on the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, during the 35th Convocation Ceremony and 50th Anniversary Celebration of UNIPORT as not only timely but richly deserved, considering Wike’s legacy of service, both as a two-term governor and now a minister. He described Wike as a transformational and visionary leader whose strides in governance and development continue to shape Nigeria’s future. Fubara stated this in a statement he signed on behalf of his family and the people of Rivers State on Saturday, to congratulate his predecessor on the conferment of…

US President Donald Trump has dramatically shifted his stance on the Gaza conflict, urging Israel to “finish the job” against Hamas — just weeks after suggesting that a ceasefire deal was within reach. Speaking to reporters before departing Washington for a weekend trip to Scotland, Trump blamed Hamas for the breakdown in ceasefire negotiations and said the time had come for Israel to escalate its military campaign. “I think they want to die, and it’s very, very bad,” Trump said. “You’re gonna have to finish the job.” This shift comes after Trump’s administration pulled back from U.S.-brokered ceasefire talks, with…

The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has bestowed a Doctor of Science Honourary Degree on Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and others. Wike and Tinubu received the award at the university’s 50th Anniversary and 35th Convocation on Saturday. The lecture topic for the day was ‘The Role of Universities in Nation Building’. Other recipients of the Honourary Degree include: Aminu Masari (Chairman of TETFund), and Umaru Fintiri (Governor of Adamawa State).

The Federal Government has commenced the construction of 250-unit Renewed Hope housing estates in 12 states across the six geopolitical zones of the country. Minister of Housing and Urban Development Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa disclosed this on Friday during an inspection tour of the Renewed Hope City and Estate under construction in Lambu, Kano State. He explained that preparations are underway to replicate the project in the remaining 24 states as part of efforts to ensure affordable housing is accessible to all Nigerians. In addition, the government is developing seven Renewed Hope Cities—one in each geopolitical zone and the Federal Capital…

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has urged the Supreme Court to compel Osun State Government to refund seven months’ local government allocations to the Minister of Finance.The request was contained in a response filed through Fagbemi’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, to a suit instituted by the government via its attorney general.Osun had sued the AGF as the sole defendant, alleging that the Federal Government failed to release the statutory allocation due to its 30 local government councils for March 2025. Fagbemi argued that Osun’s reliance on the 2004 case of AG Lagos…

Foremost entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote has announced his retirement as a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025. He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board so as to focus more attention on the Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser and Government Relations, in order to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height. The board of Dangote Cement Plc has therefore announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman, Board of Directors. In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Aliko…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hosted a high-level meeting with the chairmen of Nigeria’s Power Generation Companies (GENCOs) at the State House in Abuja to address the escalating ₦4 trillion debt crisis threatening the country’s electricity supply chain. The meeting, described as an emergency response to avert a potential collapse of the national power grid, follows earlier discussions between the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and GENCO leaders, where the government pledged immediate action to resolve the financial strain. The ₦4 trillion debt, comprising ₦2 trillion for power supplied in 2024 and ₦1.9 trillion in legacy debts, has severely hampered GENCOs’…

The Federal Government is set to launch a groundbreaking initiative, the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medical Sciences Student Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG), which will provide eligible students with startup funding of up to ₦50 million to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth. Also referred to as the ‘STEMM Up Grant’, the initiative will be formally unveiled in August by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa. The Guardian reports that the pioneering programme is designed to empower students in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions to build the next generation of scalable, job-creating ventures. A statement by the Director, Press and Public…

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, hosted members of the 1999 class of governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The former governors were led to the State House by a former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori. Details of the meeting were not disclosed as of the time of filing this report, but the visit is believed to be part of ongoing consultations by the President with key political stakeholders. The Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun made this known in a post via his X handle on Friday The class of 1999 governors, who assumed…

Bola Tinubu took a swipe at the African Democratic Congress, ADC, describing it as a “coalition of confusion.”  The President said this while speaking at the 14th meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, where Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda emerged as the party’s new national chairman.  The president urged the party’s NEC to postpone the APC congresses until December to allow more members of the opposition to join the ruling party.  Tinubu said: “It’s not a bad idea to abandon a sinking ship and be absent from a coalition of confusion.” The ADC has recently gained support…