Author: Vardiafrica

The Senate has passed the National Anthem Bill 2024 to revert to the old national anthem, “Nigeria, we hail thee”. The bill, which speedily passed first and second readings on Thursday, now awaits assent into law by President Bola Tinubu. The Senate passed legislation to swap the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.” The old anthem, composed when Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, will replace the current anthem. The bill seeks to revive the anthem that was dropped in 1978 during Olusegun Obasanjo’s military administration. Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived…

In a dramatic turn of events, both the Federal High Court and the Kano State High Court have issued conflicting interim injunctions regarding the Kano Emirate, escalating tensions and uncertainty in the state. The Federal High Court in Kano, presided over by Justice S. A. Amobeda, issued an order for the eviction of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II from the Kofar Kudu Palace, reinforcing the authority of the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero. “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from inviting, arresting, detaining, threatening, intimidating, harassing the Applicant, or infringing on his rights is hereby granted,” stated…

President Bola Tinubu will address a joint sitting of the National Assembly (NASS) on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. The Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Tambawal, in a statement, said the President will address the lawmakers on state of the nation and commission the NASS Library. “This is to inform Distinguished Senators and Hourable Members that as part the event to commemorate 25 years of unbroken democracy and Legislature in Nigeria, there will be joint sitting of both the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday 29 May, 2024,” the statement partly read. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, will…

The Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has said that a severe infestation of the tomato crop is the reason for the scarcity and elevated prices of the essential commodity in the country. In a statement on Monday via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Kyari referred to the infestation causing tomato scarcity as “Tomato Ebola” or “Tomato Leaf Miner.” Recall that it was reported on Sunday that a basket of tomatoes was selling for as high as N150,000 in some parts of the country, according to a market survey conducted by Nairametrics. Meanwhile, the minister noted that the Federal…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, says the Nigeria Air project remains suspended “indefinitely”. Keyamo stated this while reeling out the achievements of the aviation sector at the 3rd ministerial updates on Monday in Abuja. He also hinted at plans for the resumption of cargo flights between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. Back in January, the minister said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had commenced investigation into the controversial Nigeria Air deal sealed by the Federal Government during the tenure of ex-Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika. He had said “there is a criminal investigation going on. I have called…

The Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, on Monday, affirmed Usman Ododo as the Governor of Kogi State. In upholding the election of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the tribunal dismissed the petition of Muritala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The three-member tribunal led by Justice Ado Birnin-Kudu held that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its governorship candidate, Murtala Ajaka failed to prove their allegations against the respondents. Birnin-Kudu said the election was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act . The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced Ododo, the candidate of…

The Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has affirmed the re-election of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State. The three-man panel led by Justice Adekunle Adeleye dismissed the petition brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Timipre Sylva. In its unanimous decision, the tribunal held that the petitioners failed to adduce any credible evidence to substantiate any of the allegations they raised against the outcome of the Bayelsa state governorship poll. It struck out as incompetent, all the additional proof of evidence as well as statements on oath of some of the witnesses that testified for the…

Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo, has retracted his statement accusing the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, of interfering in the Kano emirate tussle. At a press conference late Sunday, the deputy governor apologised to the NSA, saying he was misguided to have made his initial statement. “The Office of the National Security Adviser has refuted the allegations and distanced themselves from what we have alleged. I have seen it, he has done it through three media, and today, I have seen the one about going to court,” Gwarzo said. “We have to acknowledge that we have been misled…

The Nigerian Army says it is not involved in the emirate tussle in Kano. The army also said soldiers are not in Kano to enforce any court order. Muhammadu Sanusi was reinstated as Emir on Friday by Abba Yusuf, Kano governor, at a colourful ceremony in government house. The Kano house of assembly had repealed the law which Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of the state, used to depose and exile Sanusi in 2020 The repeal paved the way for the reinstatement of Sanusi and the dethronement of Aminu Bayero. On May 23, a federal high court in Kano ordered the state government not to enforce the…

President Bola Tinubu has flagged off the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal road. The event took place in the Victoria Area of Lagos State on Sunday and was attended by top government dignitaries including the Minister of Works Dave Umahi, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio among others. Others include Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos; his Ogun counterpart Dapo Abiodun, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, and the Kwara State governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. During the event, President Tinubu expressed optimism that the road will be completed, describing the flag-off as his “bragging day”. “It’s my bragging day,” he said. “We…