Author: Editor

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has fixed February 21, 2026, for the conduct of elections in the 6 Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The council areas are: Abaji Area Council; Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC); Bwari Area Council; Gwagwalada Area Council; Kuje Area Council; and Kwali Area Council. This announcement was made via the commission’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday. According to the statement endorsed by the chairman, the election in the 6 council areas would commence at 8:30am, while voting has been scheduled to take place across all designated polling…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has launched the Abia Fostering Innovation Reform School Transformation (AbiaFIRST) aimed at improving the quality of education in the state. Speaking during the launch Wednesday at the International Conference centre, Umuahia, Governor Alex Otti said that AbiaFIRST is a central plan for a transformational governance initiative for the rapid socioeconomic development of the state. Otti said that the programme was focused  on strategic initiatives aimed at transforming the education sector in the state through sustained investments in education. He said: “AbiaFIRST Transformation Education programme is focused  on strategic initiatives aimed at…

Lawrence Nwimo, Awka Two suspected members of a tricycle-snatching syndicate notorious for dispossessing operators and passengers of their belongings have been arrested by the operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command. The state NSCDC commandant, Olatunde Maku, confirmed the arrest at the command’s headquarters in Awka on Wednesday, stating that the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday after allegedly snatching a tricycle at Araba Umuzocha, Awka. “At about 9 am on Tuesday, acting on a tip-off, operatives of the command intercepted a three-man gang operating along Araba Umuzocha and its environs. “Nemesis caught up with them…

Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki  A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki,  Ebonyi State, has affirmed the expulsion of National Vice Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South-East, Chief Ali Odefa from the party. Odefa was suspended from the party on October 4, 2024, by the executive committee of the party in  his Oguduokwor Ward, Onicha Local Government Area of the state, for alleged anti-party activities.  He described the suspension as to no effect and continued to operate as the National Vice Chairman of PDP in South-East. This  forced the executive committee to expel him from the party after he allegedly failed…

By Promise Adiele Recently, Nigeria’s former military dictator Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida publicly presented his autobiography in Abuja. Unfortunately, what should have passed as a day of mourning, a requiem for the desecration of Nigeria’s human landscape ended up becoming a confluence of eulogies from a few badged members of the country’s hall of infamy. One after another, the guests praised IBB, chronicling his outstanding, ingenious identity as a statesman, astute administrator, distinguished political hero, and exceptional character with all the messianic attribution. The virulent intensity of the encomiums shot straight at the heart of the Nigerian existence, making a caricature…

Ben Ezechime, Enugu  The All Progressives Congress (APC) Enugu State chapter, has dismissed reports in the social media that its state chairman, Mr Ugochukwu Agballah and his EXCO, have been expelled from the party. The state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Titus Ezeagu, while reacting to the expulsion said the report was fake, urging party faithful and the general public to disregard the report. He said: “Our attention has been drawn to a fake publication allegedly signed by Mr Alphonsus Onyeachonam and Charles Solo Ako, purportedly expelling the Ugochukwu Agballah-led state EXCO. “Ordinarily, we would have ignored the error ridden…

By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu It was an outlandish showcasing of knavery by the ruling class of Nigeria when former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida launched his autobiography entitled, A Journey in Service.   There was the dimension that the disgraced dictator was also building a presidential library.  From all accounts available to me, as much as 16 billion Naira was raised on the spot in a matter of less than a handful of hours.  One of the self-confessed Babangida-made billionaires of Nigeria wrote a cheque of 500 million Naira.  The much-ballyhooed richest man in Africa pledged 8 billion Naira, stressing that…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Igbo women under the aegis of Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, have called for immediate reversal of the ban on Igbo language by some private schools in the South-East. This is as IWA, Ala Igbo Development Foundation, ADF, and relevant stakeholders including traditional rulers and university lecturers, have vowed to resist any act that could lead to the extinction of Igbo language and culture. These were part of the highlights of the gathering of the stakeholders at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Abia State to mark this year’s United Nations Mother Tongue Day. The event which was organised…

…Hails BoT chair for wooing Otti  Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress, has knocked the Minister for Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, for accusing the party’s Chairman of Board of Trustees,  Senator Adolphus Wabara, of anti-party over the latter’s commendation of  Gov Alex Otti of Abia State. The group said that, “Wike who claims to be a PDP member but proudly serving under an APC-led Federal Government as a Minister,” had lost the moral impetus to accuse any PDP member of anti-party. It argued that Wabara’s personal opinion on Gov. Otti’s infrastructural strides in Abia…

Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia Member representing South East in the North East Development Commission, Hon. Sam Onuigbo, has lauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, over the Federal Government’s approval of N14.37 billion for the completion of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene federal road. The 51-killometer road which was awarded over nine years ago for total reconstruction has remained a nightmare for motorists and commuters plying the route except few portions of the road which had been fixed recently. This is as the ex-lawmaker appealed to the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, “to ensure the proper award of the 16-kilometer Umuahia-Umudike Dualisation Project, which has…