Author: Opalim Lifted

Shell Plc has signalled a major vote of confidence in Nigeria’s economy, with its Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan, praising President Bola Tinubu’s leadership for restoring investor trust and creating a stable environment for long-term investment. Sawan disclosed that Shell and its partners are prepared to commit up to $20 billion in additional investments, citing what he described as the president’s “robust and bold leadership” as the key driver behind the renewed confidence. Speaking during a meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, the Shell boss said Nigeria’s investment climate has undergone a marked turnaround compared with previous years, placing…

Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano state, is set to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday. On Friday, the Kano governor resigned from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) along with 21 members of the state house of assembly, eight members of the house of representatives, and all 44 LGA chairpersons in the state. In a statement on Sunday, Bature Tofa, the governor’s spokesperson, said Yusuf’s political journey across different platforms, including his recent stint in the NNPP, informed his decision to return to what he described as a familiar and structured platform for progressive governance. According to Tofa,…

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday for a state visit to Turkey. In a statement on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesperson, said the “visit is aimed at strengthening the existing cordial relations between the two countries and exploring further areas of cooperation in security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation”. Onanuga noted that finance, communication, trade and investment would dominate political and diplomatic discussions between both countries during Tinubu’s visit. He added that Nigeria and Turkey would also sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in scientific research, energy, technical cooperation, media and communications, military cooperation and protocol. “A business…

Some youths have staged a protest at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanding the removal of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), over alleged disrespect to party leaders. The protesters converged on the APC secretariat on Friday with placards bearing inscriptions such as “President Tinubu, sack Wike now” and “Stop disrespecting APC members”. Other placards read “No minister is above APC”, “APC no be Wike property”, “APC must wrestle order”, “Wike, APC leadership is not your mate”, and “Wike, no more political threats”. The protest followed a public disagreement between Ajibola Basiru, national…

Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins both scored as high-flying Aston Villa ended their long wait for a St James’ Park victory against Newcastle United. The visitors had not triumphed on Tyneside since an infamous afternoon in 2005, when Newcastle went down to eight men and team-mates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer were both sent off for fighting each other. But Unai Emery’s men have won more points on the road than any other Premier League side for a reason this season, and they showed their mettle away from home once again. It was the rejuvenated Buendia who opened the scoring…

A high court in Oyigbo, Rivers state, has adjourned indefinitely the suits filed by Siminalayi Fubara, state governor and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, challenging the impeachment process initiated against them by state house of assembly. At the proceedings on Friday, S.I Amen, counsel to the defendants in the suit, informed the court about a pending appeal filed by the defendants on the same subject. He prayed the court to suspend further hearing pending the determination of the appeal. Paul Erokoro, lead counsel to the claimants, and Lawrence Oko-Jaja, counsel to the 28th, 29th and 30th defendants, did not oppose the…

Rabiu Kwankwaso, national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), says the Kwankwasiyya movement has declared January 23 as “World Betrayal Day”. Kwankwaso spoke while addressing his supporters at his residence in Kano amid the planned defection of Abba Yusuf, governor of the state, to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The NNPP leader said the Kwankwasiyya movement will begin commemorating January 23 to mark those who betrayed the group. “I saw multiple talks regarding betrayal and many more on social media,” he spoke in Hausa language. “But there was one post by someone who said there’s a need to…

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director (MD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), says an artificial intelligence (AI) “tsunami” is reshaping the global labour market and could transform 60 percent of jobs in advanced economies. Georgieva spoke on Friday during a panel session on the global economic outlook at the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. “We are researching what is actually happening in labour markets, and there are three important observations,” she said. “Number one, massive transformation of demand for skills. We expect 60 percent of jobs to be affected by AI (either enhanced or eliminated or transformed) in…

Former lawmakers under the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) have called for Nigeria’s rotational presidency between the north and south to be formally enshrined in the constitution, arguing that it is necessary to reduce political tension and strengthen national unity. The forum made the call at its 2026 national summit held in Abuja on Saturday. The meeting, convened by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president and former speaker of the house of representatives, was themed “National Unity and Nation Building: Beyond 2031.” In a communiqué issued after the summit, the NFFL urged the national assembly to remove…

Abba Yusuf, governor of Kano state, has warned social media influencers and political commentators against making disrespectful or inflammatory remarks about Rabiu Kwankwaso, national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). The admonition comes on the heels of the Kano governor’s resignation from the NNPP alongside 21 members of the Kano state house of assembly, eight members of the house of representatives, and all 44 LGA chairpersons in the state. In a statement on Saturday, Bature Dawakin Tofa, spokesperson for the Kano governor, said the warning was issued during the distribution of 600 motorcycles to social media influencers in…