Author: Vardiafrica

Nigeria’s Onyinyechi Mark has shattered the Paralympic record in the women’s 61kg powerlifting category, lifting an astounding 145kg. This remarkable feat surpasses the previous record held by compatriot Lucy Ejike. Mark’s performance has all but secured Nigeria’s first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, with one lift remaining. Her closest competitor is attempting 138kg on her final lift, while Mark aims to further extend her record with a final attempt of 147kg. Team Nigeria has a storied history in the Paralympics, consistently excelling in powerlifting and athletics. At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Nigeria secured ten medals, including four…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Kamala Harris has Russia’s support in the forthcoming US presidential election. Harris is up against Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, in the race for the White House. Trump is widely perceived as Putin’s ally. Speaking in a tongue-in-cheek manner at the Eastern economic forum in Vladivostok on Thursday, Putin said Russia would follow US President Joe Biden’s lead and back Harris ahead of the vote. “We will do the same, we will support her,” Putin said with a chuckle. “She laughs so expressively and infectiously that it means that everything is fine with her.” The…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has questioned the former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, over the award of contracts and jobs racketeering at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) ICPC spokesman, Demola Bakare, confirmed that Ngige was at the Commission’s headquarters to provide details of an ongoing investigation. However, he did not give further details of the allegation, though he added that the ex-minister may be invited again until the investigation is concluded. Bakare said the former Anambra State governor was not detained when he reported to the commission on Wednesday. ICPC…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the Management of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). The inauguration took place on Thursday at the conference room of the Vice President’s office, State House, Abuja. The Management Team of the company was appointed last month by President Bola Tinubu in line with the powers conferred on him by the constitution. Inaugurating the team, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who doubles as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NDPHC, charged the management to ensure they carry out their task with dedication for the benefit of all Nigerians. Also Read: Niger Delta…

President Bola Tinubu said on Thursday that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is committed to upholding good governance and combating terrorism. He stated this in Beijing, China while addressing a high-level meeting on peace and security at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). “ECOWAS remains deeply committed to upholding good governance, combating terrorism, providing humanitarian aid, and engaging in intensive peacekeeping, diplomacy, and mediation,” a statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted Tinubu as saying. “Nigeria’s approach to fostering peace and stability in West Africa is comprehensive, combining military intervention, diplomatic engagement, dialogue, negotiations, and mutually…

The Nigerian Government has unveiled an electronic quality assurance system tagged Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Cloud Server, FEQAS-collect, to boost the quality of basic and secondary education delivery across the nation. Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, who formally launched the platform at the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Digital Resource Centre Abuja, said the innovative system is designed to streamline the collection, analysis, and reporting of data related to the quality of education in schools across the nation. He said that with the automation of the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department and the establishment of…

The National Economic Council (NEC) has given all states until September 9, 2024, to make their positions known on the establishment of State Police NEC gave the deadline on Wednesday at its meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima. Briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the meeting held at the Council Chamber of the State House Abuja, the Acting Governor of Oyo State, Bayo Lawal, said out of the 36 states, 4 states were yet to make submissions to NEC on their stands. According to Lawal, NEC directed that the four states must make their stance on the issue known…

Vice-President Kashim Shettima is currently presiding over the national economic council (NEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja. Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited; and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, are attending the meeting. The vice-president, by the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution, is the chairman of NEC. The NEC meeting, held monthly, deliberates on the coordination of the economic planning efforts and programmes of the various levels of government. The council comprises the 36 state governors, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the minister of finance, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF),…

Esther Nworgu has won Nigeria’s second medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The 21-year-old won a silver medal in the women’s up to 41kg para-powerlifting event at the La Chapelle Arena on Wednesday. She was narrowly beaten by China’s Zhe Cui, who lifted 119kg to set a new Paralympic Games record and take the gold. Nworgu had set two new Paralympic Games records in her last two attempts, lifting 112kg and 118kg, respectively, but the Chinese powerlifter surpassed her feat at every turn. Nworgu’s victory earned Team Nigeria’s second medal at the Paralympics after Eniola Bolaji won the country’s first laurel on…

Victor Osimhen will receive €6 million net seasonal salary at Galatasaray following his season-long loan to the Turkish Super League club from Napoli. The Turkish club disclosed this on Wednesday in an official statement announcing the deal for the current reigning African Footballer of the year. This means that the Super Eagles of Nigeria striker will be earning around €115,000 a week after tax during his one year stay in Turkey. “An agreement has been reached with professional footballer Victor James Osimhen and his club SSCN Napoli SPA for the temporary transfer of the player free of charge. “The football…