Author: Vardiafrica

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called on anti-corruption and security agencies to intensify efforts against vote buying and what he described as “vote trading” ahead of upcoming elections. Speaking during a visit by the National Peace Committee, Amupitan said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Police Force had been placed on alert to curb electoral malpractice. “We specifically charged the Nigeria Police, the EFCC, and also the ICPC to be on guard so that we can arrest the menace of vote buying and what…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has achieved a major operational milestone with the full restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block. Both units are now running at optimal performance, further strengthening the steady state operations of Africa’s largest oil refining facility. Following a scheduled maintenance exercise on the CDU and MS Block, the refinery has commenced an intensive 72-hour series of performance test runs in collaboration with licensor UOP. These tests are designed to validate operational efficiency and confirm that all critical parameters meet global standards. Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, noted that…

The United States is planning to send about 200 troops to Nigeria to train the country’s military to fight Islamist militants, weeks after President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against what he called Islamic State targets. The move would add to a small US team already in the West African nation after the first publicly acknowledged US ground presence there since carrying out strikes on Christmas Day. The troops are expected to deploy in the coming weeks to provide training and technical support, a US official told Reuters on Tuesday. The official said the 200 troops will supplement a handful of…

Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, says the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) is set to deploy the Joint Special Task Force, known as ‘Savanah Shield’, to clean up terrorists in Kwara and parts of Niger. Mr Oluyede made this known at the 2026 budget defence session organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Defence in Abuja on Tuesday. He said the military had been doing everything with its best to ensure that Nigeria was safer for citizens and investors. Mr Oluyede said things are currently much better in the North-East zone, adding, however, that there are lingering challenges in…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), at his Uphill Residence in Minna, the Niger State capital. Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Atiku said his visit to Niger State was aimed at strengthening the African Democratic Congress (ADC) structures across the state, stressing that the engagement had nothing to do with his alleged ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election. According to him, the visit was centred on the demand by Nigerians for electronic transmission of election results, which he said would significantly reduce confusion and post-election disputes. “At…

The Nigerian Senate has constituted a 12-member conference committee to harmonise differences between its version of Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill and that of the House of Representatives. The decision was taken during an emergency plenary session on Tuesday and announced by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. While announcing the committee, Senator Akpabio said the number of members had been increased from nine to 12 following consultations with the Senate leadership. “After consultation with the leadership, we have moved the number from nine to 12. I will now read out the names of the conference committee members from the Senate,” he said.…

The senate has approved the electronic transmission of election results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s result viewing portal (IReV), while allowing manual collation to serve as a fallback where technology fails. The decision followed a reconsideration of a controversial provision in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill during Tuesday’s plenary. The amendment was introduced through a motion sponsored by Tahir Monguno, senator representing Borno north, who told the chamber that further scrutiny of clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2026 had revealed the need for adjustments to prevent disputes and operational setbacks during elections. Monguno proposed…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed profound optimism that the persistent political crisis in Rivers State is nearing a final resolution following a decisive fresh intervention by President Bola Tinubu. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja after inspecting several ongoing projects in the territory, the minister underscored the president’s role as a unifying figure whose leadership was essential in addressing the friction between the state’s executive and legislative arms. He said, “I believe that by the grace of God, this will be the last time the president will be bothered with this issue…

The Malaysian government is preparing to roll out a new digital platform that will enable employers to hire foreign workers directly to Malaysia, bypassing private recruitment agents who have long dominated the process. The initiative, announced by Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister, Datuk Ramakrishnan, aims to reduce recruitment costs, curb exploitation, and enhance transparency in the country’s foreign labour sector, according to reports by Economic Times and The Malaysian Reserve. Ramakrishnan highlighted that reliance on intermediaries has left foreign workers vulnerable to abuses, including excessive recruitment fees, debt bondage, and practices associated with modern slavery. “The issue has been raised repeatedly…

Superstar footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly decided to end his boycott of Al Nassr games. The 41-year-old sat out two of the Saudi Pro League club’s matches — Friday’s 2-0 win over Al Ittihad as well as last week’s victory over Al Riyadh, despite raking in an immense £448,000-per-week salary. Ronaldo is said to have been incensed by a lack of action and ambition in the transfer window, after Ronaldo watched league rival – and fellow Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) club – Al-Hilal tempt his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad. According to sources, the Portugal captain…