Author: Opalim Lifted

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso and the apex bank seven days to account for US$6.23 million allegedly linked to election funding and more than ₦1.63 trillion in other public funds. SERAP said failure to provide the requested explanations and records could lead to legal action. The organisation made the demand in a letter dated 26 September 2026 and signed by its deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare. The allegations are based on findings cited from Volume II of the Auditor-General of the Federation’s 2023 Annual Report, which SERAP said was…

Tyson Fury has vowed to knock out Anthony Joshua within seven rounds when the British heavyweights meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on December 11, but the long-awaited showdown has been thrown into fresh doubt. Fury, speaking publicly for the first time since the bout was confirmed, predicted a one-sided victory over Joshua and described the former two-time world champion as a “stepping stone” towards a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk. The former heavyweight champion said he planned to use the Joshua fight as preparation for another meeting with Usyk, who defeated him twice on points in 2024. “I’m just going…

Nigerian content creator and activist Debo Adebayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has opened up about a deeply challenging chapter of his life, detailing how he navigated severe financial hardship before receiving life-changing support from close friends, colleagues and prominent figures. In a statement on X on Saturday, he said messages from people he had helped moved him to tears. Their accounts also made him reflect on the support he received when he struggled to ask others for help. “I cried so much last night and this morning. I have seen lots of messages from different people about things I…

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his administration is committed to leaving behind a peaceful, united and prosperous country. Tinubu, who is seeking re-election in 2027, spoke through the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who represented him at the 66th Independence Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service held in Abuja on Sunday. The service, with the theme, “Anchored in Hope: The Path to Divine Stability and Shared Prosperity,” was anchored on Hebrews 6:19. The President urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to nation-building, stressing that the challenges confronting the country could be overcome through collective prayers, unity and…

The Anambra state government has criticised Peter Obi, former governor of the state, over his claim that he left more than $150 million in savings when he left office in 2014. Law Mefor, commissioner for information and value reorientation, accused Obi of prioritising savings and interest income while the state faced poverty, insecurity and major infrastructure deficits during his eight-year tenure. In a statement issued on Saturday, Mefor also alleged that Obi failed to disclose some of the debts incurred by his administration in the handover note he left when he exited office. The latest exchange deepens the dispute between…

A woman who accused American rapper Shawn Corey Carter, popularly known as Jay-Z, of raping her when she was 13 has formally withdrawn the allegation, saying the claims she made against the rapper were false. The woman, known in court documents by the pseudonym Jane Doe, made the declaration in a legal case brought by Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, after she previously sued him and Sean “Diddy” Combs over an alleged 2000 assault. In her latest statement, she said she had never met or spoken to Carter and denied that he had behaved inappropriately towards her. She…

David Umahi, minister of works, has dismissed claims of a “rainbow coalition” in Ebonyi State, saying the state remains firmly aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections. Umahi spoke on Friday while inspecting Section Two of the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway project in Ado, Benue State. The rainbow coalition, led by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. In a statement issued on Saturday by Francis Nwaze, his senior special assistant on media, Umahi said politicians were free to campaign in Ebonyi but warned…

Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has dismissed allegations linking him to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), insisting that he never betrayed the President’s trust. Gbajabiamila spoke on Saturday at his 2026 Mega Empowerment Programme at the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, where he also addressed the controversy surrounding the purported organisation. The Presidency had earlier stated that the PFIPC does not exist under the Tinubu administration and that Gbajabiamila’s office did not appoint its alleged director-general, Adeniyi Adeyemi. The House of Representatives committee that investigated the controversy subsequently said it found no evidence…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians not to entrust the nation’s treasury to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of the 2027 election. Felix Morka, APC national publicity secretary, made the call in a statement issued on Friday titled, “2027: Why Nigerians Must Keep Atiku Away From the National Treasury.” Morka cited several controversies allegedly linked to the former vice-president, including the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, the Siemens bribery scandal, the William Jefferson case, the PTDF funds controversy and a 2010 US Senate investigation into financial transactions. The APC spokesperson said the issues…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the conviction and two-year jail term imposed on Cyril Ndifon, former dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), for soliciting pornographic photographs from a female student. In a judgment delivered in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CR/1798/2025, the appellate court affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja on the first count of the charge. In a statement issued on Friday, Okor Odey, spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said the appellate court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to…