Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Two years after Abdullahi Ganduje, then governor of Kano State and current national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), brokered truce between the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdussamad Rabiu, the duo has renewed their rivalry. Elder Statesman and business mogul, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, reportedly played a key role in making the settlement see the light of the day. Dangote and Rabiu, both from Kano, are powerful businessmen not just in Nigeria and the African continent, but across the world. Through their large investment empire that stretches across sectors, they place Nigeria…

The Football Association is investigating whether banned midfielder Sandro Tonali breached betting rules after joining Newcastle in the summer. Tonali, 23, was suspended for 10 months by the Italian Football Federation in October for betting on matches involving his teams Brescia and Milan. The ban was made worldwide. He joined Newcastle from Milan for £55m in July and the FA is investigating whether he was involved in betting on football following that move. Meanwhile, Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth said he did not know if Milan were aware of the betting charges when they sold him. “It’s really difficult for…

Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi has had his contract terminated by Mainz for a social media post about the Israel-Gaza conflict, the club confirmed on Friday. The 28-year-old was suspended on 17 October by the Bundesliga club after a now-deleted post on social media which was perceived to be pro-Palestinian. Mainz said his deal was terminated with “immediate effect” on Friday, despite lifting his suspension on Monday. “‘Stand for what is right, even if it means standing alone’,” El Ghazi said. In social media posts following the termination of his contract on Friday, El Ghazi added: “The loss of my livelihood is nothing…

The value of dollar to naira fell sharply, on Friday, with the local currency exchanging below N1000 in the parallel market. This is the first time in over a month that the local currency would gain remarkable strength since it exchanged above N1000. From N1,150 in the parallel market on Thursday, the dollar exchanged for N950 on Friday evening and below in the morning, gaining over N200. Sources at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos confirmed to our Daily Trust that the dollar exchanged for N750-N800 in the morning before appreciating to N950 in the evening. This happened in…

The French Government has repatriated $150 million stolen from Nigeria by the former military Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha. The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Catherine Colonna, made this known during a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday. Speaking on the Abacha loot, the French Presidential Envoy said the repatriation of the loot followed the completion of long legal processes, stressing that it is a good achievement for France. “It was a long process, but we are glad that it was concluded. Sometimes, justice may be slow, but…

Rwanda has announced that it will allow Africans to travel visa-free to the country. The East African Nation becomes the latest nation on the continent to announce such a measure aimed at boosting free movement of people and trade to rival Europe’s Schengen zone. President Paul Kagame made the announcement on Thursday in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, where he pitched the potential of Africa as “a unified tourism destination” for a continent that still relies on 60 percent of its tourists from outside Africa, according to data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. “Any African, can get on…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have issued a fresh strike notice to the Federal Government. This is coming a few hours after the recent attacks, abduction, and assault on NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and other members of the unions. Speaking during a press briefing on Friday (today), the leaders of NLC and TUC presented the Federal Government with a six-point demand. This includes the immediate removal of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, the Area Commander, and other officials who are believed to be involved in the mistreatment and degradation of Comrade Ajaero and…

Senate Chief Whip, Senator Ali Ndume, has said the agreement, signature, and delivery of the N5 billion presidential yacht provided in the supplementary budget were perfected before the outrage from Nigerians. Ndume, the Senator representing Borno South, made this disclosure while speaking on the issues bordering on the contentious presidential yacht while appearing as a guest on Arise Television’s Morning show on Friday. He said the upper legislative arm raised questions on the amount earmarked for the sailboat, but added that it had been signed and delivered but not paid for before the public outcry. The All Progressives Congress federal…

The Kano State Government has alleged that the immediate past Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, left the state with a debt burden of over N500 billion. The State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, stated this in Kaduna State while chairing the North-West Zonal meeting of the New Nigerian People Party (NNPP) He said the debt owed by the past administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may be more than N500 billion at the end of the ongoing verification process. The deputy governor said the huge debt impeded the smooth take-off of the NNPP government in Kano, insisting the total debt will…

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the 2027 elections are credible and that “the shame of bad elections in Nigeria must stop.” Falana made the call in an interview on Channels TV on Friday, where he said that successive regimes in Nigeria had set up electoral reform committees, but their recommendations had not been implemented. Falana said that the appointment of card carrying members of political parties or loyalists of parties as Resident Electoral Commissioners or National Commissioners complicated INEC’s ability to have credible elections. He said, “The commitment to have…

The Lagos State government, Thursday, said it will increase the passenger operation on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line in Marina to Mile 2 from 52 to 70 trips per day by December. The state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated this during the commissioning of the Yaba Overpass Bridge, saying that the bridge will help the ease of transit upon the commencement  of the LRMT Red Line first quarter next year. “You will recall that on the 4th of September this year, we commenced passenger operation on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Blue Line from Marina to…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is expected to supply the new 650,000 barrel per day capacity Dangote oil refinery with up to six cargoes of crude oil in December for test runs. One of the three industry sources with knowledge of the situation, who spoke with Reuters, said that six cargoes, or 200,000 bpd, would be supplied in December as part of a one-year deal, adding that volumes in future months would be supplied “based on mutual agreement and availability.” According to other sources, 4-5 cargoes, or at least 130,000 bpd, were planned. When queried about the NNPC…