Author: Festus Adeloye

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called on political parties and their candidates for the Edo and Ondo governorship elections to adhere strictly to established rules. Expressing concern over the hostility and tension characterising the campaigns, Yakubu highlighted the recent attack on the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Edo State, resulting in a security officer’s death. During a quarterly meeting with political party leaders in Abuja, Yakubu emphasised the importance of compliance with the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022, especially concerning rallies, processions, and campaigns. He also noted the delay…

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has announced that the results for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will be released on August 5, 2024. Students throughout the West African region are eagerly awaiting their results, which will be accessible online and through designated WAEC offices, according to Schoolpursuit. This announcement ends a tense waiting period for candidates who took the exams earlier this year. In the announcement, WAEC stated, “The 2024 WASSCE results will be available on Monday, August 5, 2024.” The council also acknowledged that certain challenges caused the delay in releasing the results and…

The National Youth Service Corps has suspended the biometric clearance and the weekly Community Development Services for corps members nationwide. The corps noted that this was necessary in view of the planned protest billed to hold between August 1-10, 2024. This was disclosed in a memo sent to State Coordinators, Local Government Inspectors and Zonal Inspectors across the country. It read, “In furtherance to our earlier memo reminding corps members of the scheme’s policy prohibiting participation in any form of protest, all corps members are informed that biometric clearance and CDS activities are suspended with immediate effect. The date for…

President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to conduct transactions in Naira for the sale of crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other upcoming refineries. This decision was communicated by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Publicity, via his official social media account on Monday. The move aims to stabilise both the pump price of refined fuel and the dollar-Naira exchange rate. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) endorsed this approach, with the Dangote Refinery initially serving as the pilot project. Currently, Dangote Refinery requires 15 cargoes of crude oil annually, costing around…

The organisers of the planned hunger protest in Abuja have told the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that there is nothing that would stop them from using Eagle Square. Recall that a group, Take It Back Movement, had written to the minister requesting the use of Eagle Square for its protest on August 1, as well as the provision of security and utilities for the duration of the protest. In its letter signed by its Director of Mobilization, Damilare Adenola, on Friday, the group also stated that the minister must “ensure the provision of a 24-hour power…

The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed telecommunications operators to immediately restore all phone lines blocked due to non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards. This disclosure was made in a statement on Monday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka. Stay tuned for more details…

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, signed the new Minimum Wage Act into law. Tinubu signed the new law at 2 pm at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The brief ceremony was witnessed by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, among others.

Actor Williams Uchemba, has spoken out against men who intentionally impregnate women without intending to marry them. He condemned the behavior, calling it “madness” and “stupidity,” and warned it can have devastating consequences for both the men and their children. Uchemba emphasised that such actions stem from a fear of commitment and a dislike for marriage, which he believes is a sacred institution established by God. He argued that this behavior not only destroys the lives of the individuals involved but also contributes to the problems faced by society, citing the fact that many issues stem from broken homes. The…

Aggrieved MTN subscribers have flooded the company’s offices across Nigeria to voice their frustration over the blocking of phone numbers. The telecom company restricted access to several users’ mobile lines on Sunday, reportedly due to non-compliance with the National Identification Number (NIN) linkage requirement. The action follows a directive from the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), mandating disconnection of SIM cards not linked to NINs by July 31, 2024. As of now, MTN has not released an official statement addressing the issue, and the exact number of affected lines remains unclear. Subscribers began gathering at MTN offices early on July 29,…

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has refuted claims of being in discussions to supply crude oil to any refinery in Nigeria, including the Dangote refinery. In a statement released on its social media, the NOC asserted that it has not engaged in any talks regarding crude oil supply to Nigerian refineries. The corporation emphasised its adherence to existing contracts with international partners and the official procedures for selling Libyan oil. The Dangote refinery, which began operations in January with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has encountered difficulties in securing local crude supply. As a result, the refinery has…