Author: Opalim Lifted

President Bola Tinubu has asked the National Assembly to approve N1.48 trillion as the 2025 budget for Rivers state. Tinubu’s request was read by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, during plenary on Thursday. Senate President Godswill Akpabio also read the letter on the floor of the red chamber. In the breakdown, Tinubu said N324 billion is proposed for infrastructure, N166 billion for the health sector, N75.6 billion for education, and N31.4 billion for agriculture. The president asked the house to consider and pass the appropriation bill expeditiously. On April 3, Ibok-Ete Ibas, the sole administrator of Rivers,…

The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has formally endorsed President Bola Tinubu as the sole candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 presidential election. Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state and chairman of the forum, announced the decision on Thursday at the APC summit in Abuja. Speaking on behalf of the forum, Uzodimma said the governors were united in their support for Tinubu’s re-election bid. “That for Nigeria to get to her destination faster in prosperity, that the president should be used and adopted as our flag bearer for 2027 presidential election, for a second term in office,”…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a fresh reduction in the pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) nationwide. The new rates now range from ₦875 to ₦905 per litre, depending on location. A breakdown of the revised prices shows, Lagos:₦875, South-West ₦885, North-East: ₦905, North-West & Central: ₦895, and South-South & South-East: ₦905 Prices indicate a ₦15 reduction per litre across all regions and partner retail outlets, applying to all major fuel marketers in partnership with the refinery, including MRS, Ardova, Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde Energy. Before the new price template, Lagos residents paid ₦890 per…

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said that he was confident he was still the right man for the job after the club’s woeful Europa League loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but would quit with no compensation if the club’s board believed otherwise. Amorim and his men had hoped to salvage something from a woeful season that has them languishing 16th in the Premier League with one game remaining. Instead, Brennan Johnson bundled in a first-half goal in a 1-0 win that clinched Spurs a spot in the Champions League next season — leaving United out of European football entirely. “In this…

A high-level meeting intended to thaw frosty relations between the United States and South Africa took an unexpected turn when President Donald Trump ambushed Cyril Ramaphosa, his South African counterpart, with a video supporting claims of a “white genocide” in the black-majority nation. In a theatrical move, Trump ordered the lights dimmed as the video was on standby mode and played on screens in the Oval Office during Wednesday’s bilateral meeting. The nearly five-minute video, later shared on the White House’s X account, was captioned, “Proof of Persecution in South Africa”. Ramaphosa appeared visibly unsettled, his expression revealing confusion and…

President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday presided over a council of ministers meeting at the presidential palace in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital. The Ivorian presidency confirmed Ouattara’s attendance in a statement issued, including pictures showing the president and cabinet members at the meeting. Diversification of electricity sources and adequate housing for citizens were among the topics addressed at the meeting. The high-level meeting took place amid growing coup reports on social media in Ivory Coast. An X-user claimed that Ouattara may have been killed after military forces allegedly took over on Tuesday. “Internet access in the country has…

Professor Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has responded strongly to critics calling for his resignation following challenges during the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Speaking during a meeting with key stakeholders, including chief external examiners and civil society organizations in Abuja, Oloyede dismissed the calls for his resignation, stating that those criticizing his leadership lacked the qualifications to question his stewardship. “Truck pushers cannot direct pilots,” he said, in reference to critics whom he believes are unqualified to advise on matters of education. His remarks come in the wake of demands for his…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has dismissed reports of an ongoing recruitment exercise, stating they are false. The Service urged Nigerians to ignore the reports, describing them as fake. One of the reports had claimed that the Service was receiving applications for electricians, plumbers, mechanics and carpenters. The report also claimed that the recruitment was for primary school and secondary school certificates holders. However, in a post on its official X on Wednesday, the DSS advised Nigerians to disregard reports of the recruitment process. The post read: “The public is advised to ignore any misleading or false information about…

Rumors of a military coup in Côte d’Ivoire swept across social media on Wednesday, stoking fears of political instability and triggering widespread alarm. Unverified claims suggested a violent takeover, with some alleging that President Alassane Ouattara had either been killed, captured, or forced to flee the country. Alleged reports of significant violence, internet blackouts, and growing unrest have only fueled the speculation. Social media platforms, especially X, were awash with panic-inducing posts, despite no confirmation from credible news sources. At the time of writing, no major international or local news outlet had reported a verified coup. A source within the…

Ishaq Oloyede, registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has stated that there is no evidence of ethnic sabotage in the error that comprised its 2024 exam. The results from JAMB’s 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) were released on May 9. A breakdown showed that more than 78 per cent of candidates scored less than 200 points out of the 400 maximum points obtainable. JAMB undertook an early review in response to public protests and uncovered a major “technical error”. Oloyede said, on May 14, that the results of 379,997 candidates across 157 centres in its Lagos…