Author: Vardiafrica

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has cited the ongoing legal dispute and crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the primary reason for his defection from the party. The Zamfara State Deputy Governor, Mallam Mani Mummuni, announced the formal defection on Monday after a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Gusau. A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a necessary step for the greater good. The statement noted that joining the APC was a decision made by stakeholders in Zamfara…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, has announced the suspension of the enforcement of helicopter landing fees for two months. He disclosed this during a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and a delegation from the oil and gas industry at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. According to a statement by his Special Adviser On Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, on Tuesday, the delegation from the petroleum sector included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, as well as representatives of…

The United States embassy in Nigeria has warned of a possible terrorist threat targeting US facilities and US-affiliated schools in the country. In a security alert issued on March 9, the US mission in Nigeria advised American citizens to exercise increased vigilance when visiting its diplomatic facilities and affiliated institutions. “The U.S. Embassy in Abuja informs U.S. citizens of a possible terrorist threat against U.S. facilities and U.S. affiliated schools in Nigeria,” the advisory reads. The mission urged American nationals to take additional precautions when travelling to US diplomatic premises in the country. “The Embassy recommends that U.S. citizens take…

President Bola Tinubu on Monday afternoon received in audience the Minister of State for Finance nominee, Taiwo Oyedele, at the State House, Abuja. Oyedele’s visit marked his first official audience with the president since his nomination as Minister of State for Finance was made public last week. The meeting, which took place at the first floor office of the president, according to sources, served as an opportunity for both men to exchange views on Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal reform agenda and the government’s strategy to strengthen public finance management. Before his appointment, Oyedele had been engaged with the president and other…

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). Confirming this in a statement on Monday, the governor’s media aide, Nuhu Anka, said the defection followed his principal’s consultation with stakeholders in the state. “The Government and PDP family of Zamfara State wish to formally inform the general public of an important political development following extensive consultations with stakeholders, political leaders, elders, and supporters across the state,” the statement read. “After careful consideration, and in the over riding interest of stability, progress, and the sustainable development…

The court of appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo state, challenging a federal high court ruling that allowed an amendment in a suit seeking to bar him from contesting the 2028 governorship election. In a unanimous judgment delivered on Monday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the appeal lacked merit and awarded N2 million in costs against the governor. Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, held that Aiyedatiwa failed to show that the federal high court in Akure denied him fair hearing when it exercised its discretion to grant…

The Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) has rejected four out of nine nominees submitted by Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State, for screening and confirmation as commissioners. During plenary on Monday, the Assembly confirmed five of the nominees as commissioner-designates, citing poor performance, petitions and controversies surrounding submitted documents as reasons for rejecting the other four, including Prof. Datonye Dennis Alasia, the immediate past Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). The nominees confirmed as commissioner-designates are Mr. Tonye Belgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth and…

The federal government will on March 27 launch a digital platform designed to integrate government agencies involved in import and export processes into a single portal to streamline trade operations. The platform, known as the National Single Window for Trade, will centralise documentation and approvals required for trade and port operations, allowing traders to submit information once for processing by multiple agencies. In a statement on Monday, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise Nigeria’s trade system through digital technology. The agency said through the system, importers and exporters…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the October 31 judgment by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the national convention planned by the PDP for Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16. In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel of the appellate court resolved the four issues for determination against the PDP. The court held that the appeal by the PDP was without merit and that the Federal High Court was right…

A section of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation building in Abuja has gone up in flames. Eyewitnesses report that the fire was first noticed in one part of the structure at approximately 8:20 a.m., with smoke billowing from the affected area. The incident was said to have occurred at Section C of the head of service building, within the Head of Service complex, as staffers in the building were seen moving away from the affected area while emergency responders were alerted to contain the situation. The media department of the Office of the Head of…