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In a definitive statement, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator Azuta Mbata, has clarified that the socio-cultural organization does not possess the authority to prevent any Igbo individual from contesting the 2027 presidential election. This announcement comes in response to circulating reports suggesting otherwise, which Mbata explicitly labeled as fake news. He emphasized that Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a cultural entity, not a political party, and thus cannot dictate or advise on electoral candidacy. Any Igbo person affiliated with a political party is free to run for office in 2027, and Ndigbo are encouraged to continue their lawful political activities within their chosen parties . However, a faction within Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Deputy President General Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, has expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election in 2027. This group argues that the Southeast's optimal opportunity for producing a president lies ...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a new directive requiring all Point of Sale (PoS) terminal operators to geo-tag their devices. This measure is part of a broader strategy to enhance the security of digital payments and reduce fraudulent activities within the financial system. According to a circular released by the CBN and signed by the Director of Payment System Management Department, the new policy gives operators a 60-day deadline to comply, effective from the date of the notice. Geo-tagging involves assigning a specific geographical location to each PoS terminal using GPS coordinates. The central bank stated that this move is designed to strengthen the oversight of terminal operations and provide a clearer framework for managing agency banking services. By knowing the exact physical location of every terminal, regulators and operators can more easily track and investigate suspicious transactions, thereby curbing incidents of fraud and money laundering. This ...

The Nsukka Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a formal strike notice to the federal government, alerting students and parents of a potential disruption to academic activities. The notice was delivered on Thursday during a press conference held at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The zone, which comprises ASUU branches from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State University, Godfrey Okoye University, and the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo, cited the government's continued neglect of its demands as the primary reason for the impending action. Key issues highlighted by the union include the non-implementation of the 2009 FG-ASUU Agreement, the failure to adopt the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for payroll management, and the unpaid arrears of academic allowances owed to its members. The Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Raphael Amo...

A court in Equatorial Guinea has sentenced Carmelo Ovono Obiang, the country's former deputy minister of justice, to eight years in prison for embezzlement and misuse of public funds. The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, marks a significant development in a case that has captivated the nation. The sentence follows an investigation into the misappropriation of over $500,000 intended for government projects. Separately, and in a scandal that brought him initial notoriety, Ovono Obiang was the central figure in a series of leaked sex tapes. The videos, which circulated widely online, allegedly showed him in compromising situations with the wives of several high-ranking government and military officials. The scandal caused a significant political stir within the insular ruling class of the oil-rich nation. While the court's sentence was specifically for the financial crimes, the earlier scandal is widely believed to have damaged his political standing and immunity, makin...

Civil society organizations across Nigeria have united in strong condemnation of a proposed new remuneration package for political office holders, labeling it as insensitive and untimely. The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has proposed a significant increase in the salaries and allowances of elected officials, including the president, vice president, governors, and legislators. The groups, including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transparency International Nigeria, and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), held a press conference in Abuja to voice their outrage. They argue that this move is a profound misplacement of priorities at a time when the federal government is struggling to meet the demands of labour unions for a new minimum wage for ordinary workers and is implementing austerity measures that have removed fuel subsidies and led to a sharp increase in the cost of living for millions of Nigerians. The...

A United States court has sentenced the Apetu of Ipetumodu, a traditional ruler from Osun State, Nigeria, to 56 months in prison for a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme targeting U.S. COVID-19 relief funds. Oba Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven D. Grimberg in the Northern District of Georgia. The monarch, who resides in Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to the charges of wire fraud and money laundering in October 2023. According to court documents and evidence presented during the proceedings, Oloyede engaged in a sophisticated fraud operation between 2020 and 2021. He submitted over 80 fraudulent applications for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. These applications were made on behalf of fictitious businesses with fabricated payroll expenses and tax documents. His scheme successfully defrauded the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and various financial institutions of approx...