Author: Vincent Osuwo

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially confirmed Umar Damagum as its substantive National Chairman. At its 102nd National Executive Committee meeting on Monday, the party decided to elevate Damagum, who has been acting national chairman for over a year, to substantive chairman ahead of the National Elective Convention, which is planned for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State. Kamaldeen Ajibade, the party’s National Legal Adviser, administered the oath of office to him. Details later…

Brazil on Monday rolled out full military honours at the Planalto Palace in Brasília to receive Nigerian leader President Bola Tinubu. This was disclosed in a statement on X by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the president. Onanuga stated that Tinubu was welcomed by his host, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He wrote, “More photos of the official reception for President Tinubu at the Planalto Palace in Brasília, Monday, August 25, 2025. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed President Bola Tinubu with full military honours.” Tinubu landed in Brazil on Monday on…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the Tertiary Institution Loan scheme launched by the Federal Government, describing it as an insult to the sensibilities of tertiary workers and the height of mockery of the Nigerian university system. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, recently established the Tertiary Institution Loan Scheme, which offers interest-free loans of up to N10 million to university employees. The initiative’s goal is to improve employee wellbeing, assist professional development, and promote financial stability, with a one-year moratorium and a maximum five-year repayment schedule. However, while addressing a press conference in Uyo…

Former Super Eagles forward Brown Ideye has refuted media claims that he advocated for retired footballers who go bankrupt to be imprisoned. The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner faced criticism last week when a comment he made during an online debate was extensively distributed by numerous publications, with many accusing him of being insensitive to the suffering of former Nigerian players. In a statement issued on Sunday, Ideye called the reports incorrect and a distortion of his position. “Let me be clear: These statements are completely false and misrepresent my views,” he said in the statement titled Setting the…

The Kaduna State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has denied former governor Nasir El-Rufai’s allegations that the party’s whole structure has collapsed into the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The party, in a sharply worded statement signed by its State Chairman, Adamu Idris, in Kaduna on Monday, described El-Rufai’s claim as “spurious, misleading, and politically mischievous”. Contrary to El-Rufai’s claims, Idris stated that the SDP remained together in Kaduna and had no plans to dissolve into the coalition led by the former governor. The SDP chairman accused the former governor of attempting to foment dissension inside the party for…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami. Following his dismissal for certificate falsification, the agency ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official property of the commission, including an identity card. Folarin worked as a driver for the commission’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate, according to a statement sent on Monday on its official X feed. He was, however, sacked after investigations revealed that he had faked his academic credentials. It…

Governor Hyacinth Alia has congratulated Hon Alfred Emberga, who was elected as the new Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly on Sunday, August 24, 2025. The election followed the resignation of the former Speaker, Hyacinth Dajoh, during an emergency plenary session in Makurdi on Sunday. In a statement on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, Governor Alia described Emberga’s election as a reflection of the confidence his colleagues have in his leadership. Alia expressed hope that Emberga’s administration will prioritise the development of laws and policies to improve the well-being of Benue…

The Osun State Police Command has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a lady named Bidemi Omole in Esa-Oke town, Osun State, at the home of her boyfriend, Yinka. According to sources in the town, Bidemi suddenly became ill after arriving at her boyfriend’s residence on Friday evening and died shortly thereafter. The incident, which occurred around 9:30 p.m., reportedly caused panic in the community, with many residents reportedly rushing to the suspect’s house in the Oke Esa Area as soon as word of the death spread. Taye, a resident of the neighbourhood where the incident…

The Ixchiq vaccination against the chikungunya virus has been halted by US health officials due to reports of “serious adverse events”, according to the drug’s French manufacturer on Monday. Ixchiq is one of only two vaccines licensed by the US Food and Drug Administration for the mosquito-borne virus, which is primarily found in tropical and subtropical climates but has lately been discovered in countries around the globe. Valneva, a French company, won US approval for the vaccine in 2023, but reports of side effects have spurred assessments, particularly of its use in older people, including by the European Medicines Agency…

Nollywood actress Priscilla Ojo and Tanzanian singer Juma Jux welcomed their first child, a newborn boy named Rakeem Ayomide Mkambala, in Canada. Iyabo Ojo verified the news in a message made on her social media platforms on Sunday, August 24, 2025, in which she expressed her excitement and appreciation for the mother and child’s safe delivery. Priscilla and Juma Jux, who married earlier this year with ceremonies held in February and May 2025, revealed their pregnancy in July. Three days ago, the couple held a blue-themed gender reveal party to officially confirm they were having a boy. The announcement elicited…