Author: Vardiafrica

Lai Mohammed, ex-minister of information, has insisted that there was no massacre at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos during the #EndSARS protests.  In a report on the October 20, 2020 incident, CNN had alleged that soldiers used live bullets on the protesters. However, the army had repeatedly denied deploying live ammunition, saying it fired blank bullets in a bid to disperse the protesters after the government had announced a curfew. At the time, Mohammed, who was minister of information, wrote to Jonathan Hawkins, VP communications at CNN, to say the report “did not just fall short of journalistic standards but reinforces the…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has named Africa’s leading industrialist, Aliko Dangote, as the pioneer Chairperson of its newly created ECOWAS Business Council. ECOWAS Commission President, Omar Touray, announced the appointment at the 95th Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers in Abuja, saying the move aims to boost private sector investment, strengthen financial stability, and enhance economic integration across the region. Touray said the council will serve as a platform for dialogue between the private sector, governments, and ECOWAS institutions, adding that the region must rely more on intra-African capital rather than unstable foreign investment. He…

President Bola Tinubu has met with All Progressives Congress leaders and governorship aspirants in Osun state and appealed for unity and consensus-building ahead of the party’s primary on December 13. The President met with the aspirants at the State House, Abuja, on Monday night. The Osun State governorship aspirants who attended the meeting with the President include former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Babatunde Hareter Oralusi, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji. Also in attendance at the meeting were the National Chairman of the APC, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda; the…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it will prohibit air ticket taxes to reduce airfares in all airports across the subregion from January 2026. Chris Appiah, the ECOWAS director of transport and communications, spoke in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the ECOWAS council of ministers’ meeting on Wednesday in Abuja. According to NAN, Appiah said the move was part of a sweeping regional policy that was approved by the ECOWAS authority of heads of state and government in December 2024. He said the decision aims to make air travel more affordable and deepen subregional…

The House of Representatives has resolved to summon the Governor of the Central Bank, Olayemi Cardoso, after a rowdy session ensued following a motion seeking to invite Cardoso to explain the non-remittance of identified government revenues and present a concrete plan for immediate payment of all outstanding amounts into designated Federal Government accounts. The resolution was reached following a motion alleging non-remittance of over ₦5 trillion operating surplus and ₦11 trillion government revenue by the CBN. The motion was raised by the Chairman of the Committee on Public Accounts, Bamidele Salam, who informed the house that the CBN governor had ignored several invitations from…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed speculations of a rift between him and federal or state lawmakers from the state, insisting that claims of strained relations are unfounded. Governor Fubara said this on Wednesday at the commissioning of the extended and dualised 28.4-kilometre Ahoada–Omoku Road. The governor said, contrary to insinuations that he was avoiding the lawmakers, arrangements had already been made for a meeting with them. He explained that the plan was for his predecessor and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, along with elder statesman Ferdinand Alabraba and other leaders, to convene the session. According to him, anyone alleging…

President Bola Tinubu has established a multi-ministerial committee to address the mounting backlog of unpaid federal contractors, estimated at over ₦1.5tn and involving roughly 2,000 firms. The decision followed the President’s strong dissatisfaction with revelations presented during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja. Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu was “gravely displeased” upon learning the scale of the legacy debts. “He made it very clear he is not happy and wants a one-stop solution,” Onanuga stated. “The DG of the Bureau of Public…

The screening committee of Accord has cleared Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, to participate in the party’s gubernatorial primary poll scheduled for today in Osogbo, the state capital. In a statement, Ibe Thankgod, the screening committee chairman and national organising secretary of the party, said Adeleke has been cleared as the sole aspirant for the election. He said the governor met all the requirements for nomination. “The committee subsequently cleared Governor Adeleke as the sole aspirant for the party’s governorship ticket and concluded all required documentations with relevant bodies,” the statement reads. Olawale Rasheed, the governor’s spokesperson, also confirmed the development to TheCable.…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has unveiled a $100 million Equity Investment Scheme among a raft of fresh initiatives to bolster indigenous capacity and participation in the oil and gas industry. The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe announced this in a keynote address he delivered at the opening day of the 14th Practical Nigerian Content Forum, which ended on Thursday. The capacity audience included three ministers of state, members of the Local Content Committees of the National Assembly, a representative of the Bayelsa State Governor, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, two former…

President Bola Tinubu has directed ministers and other VIPs who still require security cover for their official assignments to route such requests through the inspector-general of police and obtain his personal clearance. Tinubu, who spoke off-script before the federal executive council (FEC) went into a closed session, asked the minister of interior to work with the IGP and the civil defence corps to replace police officers currently deployed on special duties. He also instructed the NSA and the DSS to set up a committee to review existing security arrangements, noting that the country faces persistent threats from kidnapping and terrorism…