Author: Vardiafrica

Bauchi State chapter of the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced severance of talks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over planned defection of its members and supporters led by the state governor, Sen Bala Abdulkador Mohammed. The announcement of the decision was made on Saturday by the state chairman of the PDP, Pharmacist Sama’ila Adamu Burga, while addressing journalists at the party’s Secretariat. Sama’ila Burga explained that the APC initiated the talks and extended invitations to Governor Bala Mohammed, PDP members, and elected officials in the State, including National Assembly, State House of Assembly members, and local government…

The Governor stated this when members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on NDDC, led by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Asaba. Members of the National Assembly, accompanied by the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku and the Director of the Commission’s Delta State Office, Engr. Joseph Onoriode, were kicking off a two-day inspection of NDDC Projects in Delta and Cross River States. Governor Oborevwori expressed satisfaction with the ongoing discussions between the state Government, NDDC, and Chevron on the Omadino-Okerenkoko-Escravos Road, which is expected to…

President Bola Tinubu has assented to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion. He also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026. This was announced on Friday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The ₦68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks ₦4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt servicing It allocates ₦15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and ₦32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure. “With capital expenditure accounting for about…

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Apo has issued an arrest warrant against Sadiya Umar Farouq, former minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development. Jude Onwuegbuzie, the presiding judge, also granted an order of arrest against Bashir Nura Alkali, a permanent secretary in the ministry. The order was granted following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the defendants failed to appear in court for their scheduled arraignment on Thursday. Umar Faruoq and Alkali alongside Sani Mohammed are facing a twenty-one-count charge bordering on breach of trust, abuse of office, filed by…

Renowned African industrialist, philanthropist and Founder and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has been named among TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2026. The remarkable recognition reaffirmed the billionaire businessman’s standing as one of the most successful and iconic business leaders of his generation. Dangote joins global influential figures from multiple sectors, including political leaders such as the United States President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, revered Pope Leo XIV, current head of the Catholic Church as well as other business and technology leaders,…

The World Athletics (WA) has ruled against Favour Ofili’s attempt to switch national allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey.  The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) announced the WA ruling in a statement on Thursday. The WA’s national review panel rejected Ofili’s application because it was part of attempts by the Turkish Athletics Federation (TAF) to “induce recruited athletes to switch nationality abruptly and primarily for mercenary reasons.” Ofili was one of eleven foreign athletes whose applications were submitted by Turkey to WA for allegiance switch. In its ruling, WA said Turkey’s recruitment process undermines the integrity of national competitions and discourages…

Britain’s King Charles III will address a joint meeting of Congress and meet privately with US President Donald Trump during his state visit to the United States later this month, Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday. Between April 27 and 30, Charles and Queen Camilla will visit Washington, DC, New York and Virginia, undertaking a variety of public engagements to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence. Their long-planned visit coincides with an unusually delicate time for the “special relationship” between the US and the UK following weeks of Trump repeatedly attacking British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his government for not offering…

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has warned that airlines across the country may suspend operations from April 20, 2026, over what it describes as an “astronomical and unsustainable” rise in the price of Jet A1 fuel. In a letter dated April 14, 2026, and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Mr Clement Isong, AON said the cost of aviation fuel has surged from ₦900 per litre as of February 28 to ₦3,300 per litre — an increase of over 300 per cent within weeks. According to the body, the spike is…

The World Bank Group, in partnership with multilateral development banks, development finance institutions and key partners, today launched Water Forward, a global platform to help improve water security for 1 billion people by 2030. The platform will align policy reforms, financing, and partnerships to expand reliable water services and strengthen systems against droughts and floods—essential conditions for job creation. Water underpins health, food systems, energy, and an estimated 1.7 billion jobs worldwide; yet 4 billion people experience water scarcity. In many countries, unclear policies, weak regulations, and financially unsustainable utilities have slowed progress and deterred investment in the sector. Water…

Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that Europe may have just six weeks of jet fuel left as the airline industry grapples with supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. Birol spoke in an interview with the Associated Press on Thursday. He said a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger the “largest energy crisis” ever experienced. Birol said the disruption would have far-reaching implications for the global economy, warning that prolonged supply constraints could worsen inflation and slow economic growth. He added that the impact would be felt across energy markets, with higher petrol,…