Author: Citynews

The Presidency has released an artificial intelligence, AI, generated image of First Lady Oluremi Tinubu depicting her as an akara seller. The AI image was shared on Friday by the official X handle of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Media Centre. In the image, the First Lady is seen wearing an apron while frying akara, with a sign beside her reading, “Iya Alakara – Hot and Fresh Akara.” The post came just hours after President Bola Tinubu, while addressing guests at the inaugural Presidential Press Corps Dinner held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, jokingly referred to the First Lady as…

Nigeria failed to record public spending equivalent to about 2% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in recent official budgets, creating a gap between the country’s reported fiscal deficit and its actual financing needs, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The disclosure was made on Wednesday by the IMF Resident Representative in Nigeria, Christian Ebeke, during an engagement with business executives in Lagos. According to the IMF, the omission makes Nigeria’s fiscal deficit appear smaller than the government’s actual borrowing requirement because some public expenditures, particularly capital projects, were executed outside the official budget framework. What the IMF is…

The Federal Government has listed the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and 10 others as witnesses in the criminal case against the self-styled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. A copy of the charge sheet filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja was obtained by Punch. Adeyemi and two others, identified simply as Femi and Anu, who are said to be at large, are facing an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, impersonation and related offences. According to the charge, the defendants allegedly operated a fictitious Federal Government agency and forged official…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday drew attention during an event at the State House in Abuja after referring to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara,” a Yoruba expression that translates to “mama akara seller.” The remark was made during the inaugural Presidential Press Corps Dinner held at the State House Banquet Hall. While addressing journalists, government officials, and invited guests at the dinner, Tinubu acknowledged his wife in a light-hearted manner that immediately caught public attention. “Gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, the Iya Alakara.” The President delivered the remark…

A counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), Fidelis Adedipe, has faulted human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, over his alleged defamatory statement against President Bola Tinubu. Adedipe, who spoke on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Thursday, said there was a thin line between freedom of expression and committing an offence. He said Sowore crossed the line by allegedly describing the President as “a criminal” in posts on his and Facebook accounts. Adedipe said, “Mr Sowore actually crossed the line. He tweeted, calling the president a criminal, and that is a joke taken a bit too far. “You may not like the occupant…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s media aide, Paul Ibe, has taken a swipe at former senator Shehu Sani over his reaction to a Federal High Court ruling that affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Ibe maintained that certain members of the judiciary had been instrumental in sustaining President Bola Tinubu’s mandate. He made the remarks on Thursday in a post on X while responding to Sani’s comments after the court upheld the leadership of the ADC led by former Senate President David Mark. Following the judgment, Sani wrote: “Now that the High Court has ruled in favour…

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Kenneth Okonkwo, says the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, saw value in him. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Okonkwo said former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi betrayed him. The Nollywood veteran-turned politician said this barely 24 hours after Atiku appointed him as his spokesman. He said he had publicly ended his relationship with Obi in 2024 after concluding that the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate lacked the decisiveness required to lead Nigeria. “As a public affairs analyst that I have been from 2009 before I ever met Peter Obi, I proceeded with…

The United States has confirmed the withdrawal of its military troops deployed for a joint counterterrorism operation in Nigeria. However, they will continue intelligence sharing and other forms of security cooperation with Nigeria. The Commander of US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson made this disclosure on Thursday at a press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026. Anderson highlighted the role of US-Nigeria intelligence cooperation in counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh), noting that while the specific military operation had ended and most US personnel involved had left, America…

A Kaduna State High Court has dismissed a fresh bail application filed by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai, after the National Hospital Abuja disowned a medical report submitted in support of his request. Justice Darius Khobo rejected the application, which was based on claims that El-Rufai was suffering from advanced metastatic prostate cancer requiring specialised treatment allegedly unavailable in Nigeria. During the proceedings, counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) presented documentary evidence from the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Muhammad Raji Mahmud, challenging the authenticity of the medical report relied upon by the defence. According to the…

Security agencies on Thursday (today) explained the heavy deployment of personnel and barricades across parts of Abuja’s city centre, saying the measures were routine and aimed at maintaining law and order. The agencies assured residents and visitors that there was no security threat warranting panic. CityNews understands that the barricades, mounted at strategic locations in recent days, have caused gridlock and delays for motorists, civil servants and other workers moving to and from offices in the Federal Capital Territory. ‘No Cause For Alarm’ Speaking during a joint media briefing by security and intelligence agencies, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said…