Author: Vardiafrica

The Senate on Sunday said the Federal High Court in Abuja has not served the certified true copy of the judgment which nullified the six-month suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. On Friday, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the Senate to reinstate Natasha, describing her suspension as excessive. But Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the upper chamber has acknowledged the judgement of the court, but are yet to serve the CTC. “Since no party to the case has been officially served the enrolled order of the judgment, none can enforce any perceived order or relief,” he stated. “The…

BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro Sunday warned that US President Donald Trump’s “indiscriminate” import tariffs risk hurting the global economy. The final summit statement condemned last month’s military strikes on Iran as a “violation of international law” without mentioning the US or Israel by name. The BRICS bloc of developing nations on Sunday condemned the increase of tariffs and attacks on Iran, but refrained from naming U.S. President Donald Trump. The group’s declaration, which also took aim at Israel’s military actions in the Middle East, mentioned war-torn Ukraine just once. China’s President Xi Jinping did not attend a…

Gabon’s President, Brice Oligui Nguema, who took power in a coup that ended 56 years of rule by the Bongo family, launched a political party on Saturday. The new party, known as the Democratic Union of Builders (UDB), “embodies a shared desire to rebuild the Gabonese social contract after the brilliant presidential victory that ended more than 50 years of government by the Bongo dynasty”. “It’s motto — inclusion, development, happiness — conveys a simple ambition: to unite, transform, and elevate Gabon,” it added in a statement.Nguema, a former general who overthrew Ali Bongo, son of longtime president Omar Bongo,…

Opposition arrowhead Peter Obi says he will contest for the office of the President in 2027, dismissing rumours that he will be running mate for Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  “I’m going to contest for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I believe I am qualified for it,” Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, said on Sunday Politics programme. When asked whether he was considering becoming the running mate to Atiku, in the 2027 election, Obi said, “This is not in play; nobody has ever discussed that. People assume so many things. Nobody has ever…

Multichoice Nigeria has been fined the sum of N766,242,500 (Seven-Hundred-and-Sixty-Six-Million-Two-Hundred-and-Forty-Two-Thousand-Five-Hundred naira) for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act). A Statement by Babatunde Bamigboye Esq. CDPRP – Head, Legal, Enforcement & Regulations, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) issued today Sunday said. According to the Commission, the fine was imposed following an investigation which commenced in the second quarter of 2024 was triggered by suspected breach of privacy rights of Multichoice subscribers and illegal cross-border transfer of personal data of Nigerians. NDPC found, among others, that Multichoice violated the data privacy rights of subscribers and their friends who are not…

Enugu State’s much-anticipated airline, Enugu Air, is set to officially launch operations on Monday, July 7, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the state’s ambitious push to become a major force in Nigeria’s aviation industry. The launch ceremony will be held at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, with the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, expected to attend alongside other top government officials and dignitaries. The announcement was made in a statement issued by the airline’s management ahead of the event. According to Enugu State’s Commissioner for Transportation Obi Ozor, Enugu Air is a critical part of Governor Peter…

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says coalition leaders are only interested in “rescuing their stomach” and not Nigerians. Wike spoke in Abuja on Sunday at St. James Anglican Church in Asokoro during the thanksgiving service held for the “successful completion of inaugurated projects” in the FCT. The minister urged the congregants to be careful of “propaganda and blackmail” from politicians and appealed for patience and continued prayers for the Bola Tinubu-led administration. He said many of the coalition leaders failed to deliver meaningful results to the country when they had the opportunity to serve, noting that their recent move shows that…

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has put up Nigeria’s ageing Boeing 737-700 Business Jet (BBJ) for sale in Switzerland, following its replacement with a newly acquired Airbus A330 for presidential use. The decision comes amid growing scrutiny over government spending and calls for transparency in the management of Nigeria’s presidential air fleet. According to Controller, a website specialising in aircraft listings, the Boeing jet, purchased in 2005 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is currently undergoing inspections and preparation for sale at AMAC Aerospace in Basel, Switzerland. This private aviation firm also facilitated the acquisition of the new Airbus. The…

Elon Musk says he is launching a new political party, weeks after dramatically falling out with US President Donald Trump. The billionaire announced on his social media platform X that he had set up the America Party, billing it as a challenge to the Republican and Democratic two-party system. However, it is unclear if the party has been formally registered with US election authorities. Musk, who was born outside of the US and is thus ineligible to run for the US presidency, does not say who will lead it. He first raised the prospect of forming a party during his…

Nigeria Immigration Service Announces amnesty window for visa overstayers to regularize immigration status. In a bid to enhance compliance with the New Visa Regime and reinforce a secure and transparent migration system, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service, announces an Expired Visa Initiative (Amnesty). This initiative provides a unique window for foreigners currently residing in Nigeria with expired immigration status to regularize their stay without facing penalties. 2.⁠ ⁠The initiative, which commenced on 1st May 2025, runs until 30th September 2025, and specifically applies to individuals who have either overstayed their visas or violated…