News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Sultan of Sokoto, represented by the Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, alongside other prominent traditional rulers and Islamic scholars, on Sunday led special prayers for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he marked his 74th birthday at the National Mosque in Abuja. Tinubu arrived at the mosque a few minutes after 3:00 p.m., where he participated in the special prayers and later observed the Asr prayer with Muslim faithful before departing the venue. The prayer session, which drew governors, ministers, politicians, and worshippers from across the country, focused on seeking Allah’s guidance, wisdom, good health, and strength for the President as he steers the nation's affairs.  The Etsu Nupe described the gathering as a solemn spiritual exercise rather than a celebration, emphasising the need for continuous prayers for national peace, unity, and development.  He also appealed for government support towards the maintenance and welfare needs of the N...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Tinubu  President Bola Tinubu has established a dedicated support fund for members of Nigeria’s Armed Forces, those wounded in the line of duty, and the families of fallen heroes. This is even as he directed the Accountant-General of the Federation to establish a special account for the fund, which will provide targeted support to injured service members, as well as to widows, widowers, and children of those who lost their lives in service to the country. The President announced the initiative on Sunday, using the commemoration of his 74th birthday, to honour the courage, sacrifice, and service of the nation’s military personnel. As a personal commitment, Tinubu has pledged to contribute all his salaries since assuming office as seed funding for the initiative, reinforcing his resolve to ensure that those who have borne the cost of Nigeria’s peace and security are not forgotten. The President called on State Governors, members of the...

  Bola Tinubu President Bola Tinubu on Sunday delivered a special message to Nigerians as he marked his 74th birthday in Abuja.  Below is the message.  My dear fellow Nigerians, Today, as I clock another year on the journey of life, I'm filled with joy and gratitude for the opportunity to serve this great nation. I want to take this moment to thank Nigerians for their messages, show of love and prayers on the occasion of my 74th birthday. I thank all our citizens for their patriotism, solidarity and support for our administration. To those who have taken space in newspapers or paid for airtime on radio and television to wish me well, I thank you immensely. I must thank my wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, for her kind and loving words. I also thank Vice President Kashim Shettima for all he said about me. Consistent with my tradition of marking my birthday in line with the mood of the nation, I resolved to observe this year's birthday in a low-key manner.  ...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federal Government has fixed March 31, as deadline for the reopening of Enugu–Onitsha Expressway, ending years of intense traffic gridlock on the route.  With the intervention, the Federal Government has proven his stance to upgrade road infrastructure across the Southeast. Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi disclosed this during the inspection of  ongoing projects in Enugu, including the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway and the Eke-Obinagu Flyover. He was confident that the era of consistent fatal accidents, endless traffic, and public frustration along the road will phase-out soon.  "I’m going round the six geopolitical zones assessing what is possibly to be commissioned before May 29th by Mr President. There are mega projects that the President will be available for before May 29th and we mean it,” the Minister said. Once regarded as one of the most dangerous highways in the region, the Enugu–Onitsha road had for years been plagued by ta...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja President Bola Tinubu departed Lagos on Wednesday for Abuja after marking the Eid-el-Fitri, following his historic state visit to the United Kingdom. His plane left the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport at 6.44 pm.  President Tinubu returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom in the early hours of Friday and participated in the Eid-el-Fitr prayers held at Dodan Barracks. As part of his Lagos schedule, Tinubu received 23 governors, including Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji. The President also received Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, an EU delegation and members of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC). Vice President Kashim Shettima also came to Lagos to brief the President on his trip to Borno State, following the recent suicide bombing.  Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, were at the President's residence for the departure...

BY LATEEF O. FAGBEMI The attention of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has been drawn to media reports attributed to the Atiku Abubakar Media Office, which contain misrepresentations concerning the recent resolution of disputes associated with the OPL 245 oil block. In that publication, the former Vice-President sought to downplay what is, by all objective standards, a landmark achievement of the current administration in brokering the settlement of a protracted dispute spanning nearly three decades. It will be recalled that the block was originally awarded to Malabu Oil & Gas Ltd (Malabu) in April 1998, revoked in July 2001, and subsequently allocated to Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep Limited (SNUD) in May 2002. These actions gave rise to extensive litigation and public hearings before the National Assembly. The disputes arising from the revocation and reallocation were eventually addressed through the 2011 Resolution Agreement involving the Fed...