Author: Citynews

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed deep concern over the trajectory of governance across the continent, arguing that imported political models have hindered true self-determination. Speaking as a panelist at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue 2026 in Bauchi State, the former Nigerian leader criticized the wholesale adoption of foreign systems, stating: “There is no democracy in Africa, but borrowed and forced liberal democracy that has caged Africans.” Addressing the core premise of political structures on the continent, Obasanjo challenged the notion of a tailored governance model and questioned current trajectories: “Is there African democracy? Let…

Islamic cleric and leader of the Izala Scholars Council, Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir, has stood his ground over his Muslim-Muslim ticket comments and description of Christians as “infidels.” Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Jingir said he had no regrets over his recent declaration of support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket, despite the criticism trailing the statement. He said his position was not politically motivated or intended to campaign for President Bola Tinubu, but was based on what he described as his responsibility as a Muslim. According to the Islamic cleric, he would continue to support and encourage Muslims…

Peller is not happy with the way his family handled his wedding guest list. He said he had asked his parents and  to invite only a few people because he wanted to keep the wedding small. Instead,  they both came with their lovers, and according to him, the whole thing started looking more like a party. In a post, he said: “Mama oh, papa oh, brother and everybody want turn to social media. I dey vex oh, me and my family, I dey vex for them like this, make you know say no be small”. Peller said he had already made…

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on Senator Francis Fadahunsi to retract his alleged inflammatory remarks and apologise to the people of Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. CityNews Nigeria report that Fadahunsi, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, came under criticism after a video surfaced in which he was allegedly heard directing his supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party ahead of the election. The senator, however, denied making a call for violence, saying he instructed his supporters to “kill Accord” with votes, not through physical attacks. Reacting in a statement…

Osun State Police Command has summoned Senator Francis Fadahunsi, representing Osun East Senatorial District, over his alleged threat to kill members of the Accord Party ahead of Saturday’s governorship election. Fadahunsi came under criticism after a viral video showed him allegedly directing supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to “kill” members of the rival Accord Party if they were found in parts of Ilesa during the electoral process. The comment has heightened concerns over the possibility of escalating political violence ahead of the August 15 governorship election in the state. In a letter dated August 11, 2026, the police…

Nigeria spent N3.14 trillion servicing its domestic debt obligations in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 20.3% increase from the N2.61 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. This is according to data from the Debt Management Office (DMO). The Q1 2026 domestic debt-service bill also rose 37.5% from the N2.28 trillion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, highlighting the sharp increase in the  government’s debt-service burden at the start of 2026. Interest payments accounted for N2.97 trillion of the Q1 2026 total, while principal repayments stood at N169.68 billion. What the data is saying The Federal…

Only six of Nigeria’s major listed banks paid dividends totalling about N1.27 trillion to shareholders for the 2025 financial year, while five other profitable lenders were unable to make distributions after failing to satisfy the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) prudential requirements. The banks that paid dividends were Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Zenith Bank, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Wema Bank and FCMB. Financial Vanguard’s review of the banks’ audited financial statements showed that the dividend payments were largely concentrated among the major Tier-1 lenders, with GTCO and Zenith Bank alone accounting for about 81.9 per cent of…

Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has responded to critics questioning why he publicly addressed his dispute with singer Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the former P-Square members. VDM gave the response in the comment section of a video on Instagram after some users argued that Peter Okoye should not respond to him because the singer had allegedly approached him privately to seek his advice. Rejecting the argument, VDM said Peter did not approach him simply as a friend seeking personal counsel but because of his influence and…

A Nigerian Army Colonel, Mohammed Ma’aji, has disclosed the main reason he planned a coup to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. According to Premium Times, Ma’aji said worsening insecurity, corruption and economic hardship are among the grievances discussed by those allegedly involved in the failed coup. Ma’aji stated that discussions about military intervention began in 2023, towards the end of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. “Things particularly got out of control towards the end of Buhari’s administration when corruption and nepotism became the order of the day,” he stated. The Army Colonel expressed the belief that senior military authorities…

The United Nations (UN) has distanced itself from Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew over claims that he was appointed to a position within the UN Youth Office. This online medium reports that the UN Youth Office said Adeyemi, who allegedly self-styled himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), had no appointment, employment or affiliation with the organisation and had never been authorised to represent the office or the United Nations in any capacity. The clarification was contained in a letter dated July 27, 2026, with reference number UNYO-2026-0017, issued by the UN Youth Office through Nigeria’s Permanent…