Author: Festus Adeloye

A major shareholding change occurred at Nigeria’s oldest banking group, First Holdco Plc as key shareholder  Oba Otudeko, exited the group in a N323.33 billion deal. A total of 10.43 billion ordinary shares of First Holdco  were swapped on the Nigerian Exchange  (NGX) in 17 off-market, negotiated deals at an average price of N31 per share. The transaction, valued at N323.33 billion, represented about 25 per cent majority stake in the group, which currently has 41.87 billion outstanding shares. The negotiated trade window of NGX allows buyers and sellers with significant transactions to pre-arrange the terms, including price and transfer, outside…

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has officially resigned his membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), citing irreconcilable differences and a divergence from the party’s founding principles. In a letter dated July 14, 2025, addressed to the chairman of the PDP, Jada 1 Ward, Jada LGA, Adamawa State, Atiku wrote, “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.” Atiku, who served two full terms as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 and was twice the party’s presidential candidate of the PDP, described his exit as deeply emotional and regrettable. “Serving two…

A Federal High Court in Lagos has discharged and acquitted former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose of all charges in the long-running N2.2 billion money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke in a ruling delivered Tuesday morning, upheld Fayose’s no-case submission, on the ground that the EFCC had failed to establish a prima facie case warranting him to enter a defence. Fayose had faced trial for several years over allegations of money laundering and financial misappropriation during his time as governor of Ekiti State. “The prosecution failed to link the defendant to the…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed London with remains of the former President Muhammadu Buhari. His burial rites are scheduled to take place later today in Daura, Katsina State. This was confirmed in a brief alert on Tuesday morning by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President. “I can only confirm that the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, as directed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has departed London for Nigeria in the company of some family members of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari,” Nkwocha said. He further disclosed…

The Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, was buried on Monday at his private residence in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, following traditional rites. The monarch, who died at the age of 91, was laid to rest in a private ceremony attended by members of the royal family, high chiefs of the Ijebu Traditional Council, and a number of political and cultural figures. Present at the burial were Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori; former Ogun governors, Aremo Segun Osoba and …

Former Delta state governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori on Sunday commiserated with the family, friends, associates, subjects and the government and people of Ogun State over the transition of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona saying the nation and most especially the Yoruba race has lost a rare gem and highly respected monarch. Tne first class monarch joined his ancestors on Sunday, at the age of 91 few hours after the announcement of the death of his longtime friend and former President, Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement he personally signed, Ibori said the late Awujale was a man of…

World number one Jannik Sinner has defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz to win his first Wimbledon title. The Italian won the match in four sets to prevent the Spanish world number two from winning his third Wimbledon final in a row. They played in front of a crowd which included the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children George and Charlotte. Sinner’s Wimbledon success comes only 35 days after he lost to Alcaraz in what many judge to be the greatest ever French Open final. Alcaraz showed incredible reserves of energy to win a five-hour 29-minute match at Roland Garros…

Former President Muhammadu Buhari is dead. His former aide, Bashir Ahmad, announced the passing of the former president on X. He wrote: “The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London”. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus. Amin.” President Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s civilian president from 2015 to 2023 after previously leading the country as a military head of state between 1983 and 1985, was known for his stance on anti-corruption and efforts to stabilise the economy. Further details regarding burial arrangements…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived Abuja in the early hours of Sunday after a fifteen-day diplomatic outreach to Saint Lucia and Brazil. The President who touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at about 1:30am on Sunday, was received on arrival by some senior members of the administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). At the airport to receive the President were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu; the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; the Senator representing Sokoto North, Aliyu Wamakko; Minister of State…

The curtain comes down on the first edition of FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup when reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain, face Chelsea in Sunday’s final at the MetLife Stadium, with Donald Trump among those set to be in attendance. It is the kind of glamour match-up that FIFA president Gianni Infantino would have been hoping for to wrap up the tournament, which on Saturday he labelled as marking the start of “the golden era of club football”. Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca acknowledged ahead of the game that PSG are “probably in this moment the best team in the world”, and…