Author: Opalim Lifted

The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu is planning to replace Vice-President Kashim Shettima ahead of the 2027 presidential election. In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele reiterated his warning to Tinubu against adopting a Muslim–Muslim ticket, noting that ignoring the advice could lead to Shettima’s removal from office. He warned that an acrimonious removal of the vice-president could negatively affect the ruling party, as Shettima might work against its interests. “I warned Tinubu against a Muslim–Muslim ticket, but most people did not listen. If Shettima…

Peter Obi stands at a political crossroads. The path to his 2027 presidential ambition is narrowing, and while much of his predicament stems from his own choices, Nigeria’s complex opposition politics has also played a decisive role. Many observers trace Obi’s troubles to his defection to the Action Democratic Congress (ADC). Yet, the unraveling arguably began after the 2023 election. The former Anambra governor’s rise as Labour Party presidential candidate was almost effortless. Other aspirants stepped aside, granting him the ticket unopposed. Fresh from leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after failing to secure its nomination, Obi presented himself as…

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, says he is confident in the state’s ability to overcome its governance challenges, declaring that divine support will sustain its leadership, institutions, and communities. Fubara, who was represented by his deputy, Ngozi Odu, spoke on Sunday at the 2026 Holy Ghost rally organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, the state capital. He said the state government draws strength from its faith in God, describing the theme of the rally, “The All-Sufficient God,” as timely and reassuring. “With the Almighty God on our side,…

Paul Ibe, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over the Presidency’s handling of information regarding President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to the Republic of Turkey. In a post on his official Facebook page on Monday, Ibe disclosed that President Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday, January 26, 2026, for a multi-day diplomatic engagement in Turkey. He noted that while the Presidency, in a statement issued on January 25, confirmed the President’s departure date, it did not specify the duration of the visit or an expected return date. According to Ibe, the official statement…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kajuru on Sunday held special prayers for the safe return of 177 worshippers abducted from churches in Kurmin Wali community, even as armed bandits abducted six more residents from Mararaba Kajuru in the early hours of the same day. The incident in Mararaba Kajuru occurred at about 1:00 a.m. when the bandits stormed Unguwar Barkonu, breaking into homes and forcibly taking six people to an unknown location. A resident, Steven Kefas, said: “This incident didn’t occur in a remote village with no access road; it happened right at the heart of Kajuru, in…

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…