Author: Citynews

Femi Otedola, chairman of First HoldCo, has revealed he will invest $100 million in Dangote refinery. He announced his plans on Wednesday after leading top executives of First HoldCo to Dangote refinery. Otedola’s planned investment is part of the $2 billion private placement Dangote refinery is targeting from private investors ahead of the initial public offering (IPO), which has no date yet. “From on a personal note, I’ve appealed to him (Aliko Dangote). I’ve been here with him 25 times, so my compensation is he’s going to allocate to me shares worth $100 million in the private placement,” the billionaire…

The Shehu Gabam-faction of the Social Democratic Party,  SDP, has expelled the party’s presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, and 12 others. The faction announced the expulsion on Wednesday during the party’s National Convention and Presidential Primary held in Abuja, where delegates loyal to Gabam also adopted Lagos businessman, Abimbola Atanda, as the party’s new sole presidential candidate through a voice vote. Among those expelled are factional National Chairman, Sadiq Gombe; National Secretary, Olu Agunloye; National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba. Others include Joseph Abu, Maggie Batubo, Sa’adatu Abdullahi, Abimbola Aderemi, Oguchukwu Uba, Huseesini Bello, Alabi Lekan, Rosemary Effiong and Abubakar Modibo.…

Former Rivers State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tonye Cole, has withdrawn from the party’s primary election. Cole made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday, stating that the decision was taken in the overriding interest of peace, reconciliation, and the supremacy of the party following extensive consultations. Describing himself as a committed democrat and advocate of strong institutions, he pledged his full support and cooperation to whoever emerges as the party’s candidate at the end of the primaries. The aspirant expressed profound gratitude to his numerous supporters, including party faithful, women groups, youths, elders, and well-meaning…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has withdrawn from the 2027 governorship race under the All Progressives Congress, APC. Governor Fubara made the announcement in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday. Details shortly…

In a decisive move aimed at alleviating the economic burdens of retired public servants, Zamfara State Governor, Dr Dauda Lawal, has officially approved increased monthly pension payments for all former workers from both state and local government offices. The approval follows an extensive financial review of retirees’ living conditions, with particular attention to those in lower-income brackets who have been disproportionately affected by the prevailing cost-of-living crisis. The decision was precipitated by the findings and recommendations of a special committee empaneled to evaluate the welfare situation of pensioners across the state. The committee’s report highlighted acute financial distress among…

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday debunked claims that a terrorist base exists in the southwest region of Nigeria. The denial was contained in a statement in Abuja by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, who spoke against the backdrop of the recent terrorist attack on some schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. According to him, the incident is an isolated case. This online medium reports that Onoja urged Nigerians to remain calm, united and continue to support security agencies with credible information. He said the military had earlier conducted a comprehensive clearance operation in the Old Oyo National Park,…

An aide to All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Bayo Adelabu, has said reports that the former Minister of Power has been disqualified from the party’s governorship primary are not true. CityNews reports that the aide, Comrade Femi Awogboro, said Adelabu remains in the race and has not been stopped from taking part in the exercise scheduled in the state. He said the information being shared about disqualification did not come from any official source of the party. Awogboro described the reports as misleading and said they were being spread to cause doubt among supporters of the aspirant and…

Lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko has alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary did not follow a fair process. In an interview on Arise News, the senator insisted that he won the election based on results he claims to have gathered from wards across the district. This online medium reports that the lawmaker said the primary was conducted in about 98 wards and that he has video recordings from different areas, which, according to him, show that he had wider support. He stated that he plans to submit the materials to the party for review. Nwoko also explained…

Nigerian entrepreneur and socialite, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has said that President Bola Tinubu does not trust him as an Igbo man. He said that one of the reasons he would not expect the President to receive him with open arms is because he had worked for Mr Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election. Recalll that Cubana Chief Priest picked the All progressive Congress, APC, House of Representatives nomination form to run for the Orsu/Orlu/Oru East Federal Constituency in Imo State. He lost his bid to secure the APC ticket, but later told his…

Oladipo Okpesheyi, the counsel to Sadiya Umar Farouq, the former minister of humanitarian affairs and social development, says his client is currently in Egypt and medically unfit to appear before the court. Faruoq and Bashir Nura Alkali, a permanent secretary in the ministry, alongside one Sani Mohammed, are facing a 21-count charge bordering on breach of trust and abuse of office, as filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The commission had alleged that the former minister and the co-defendants misappropriated about $1.3 million and N746.6 million. The EFCC filed the charges before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)…