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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims that it unjustly excluded Labour Party candidates from the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, attributing the situation to unresolved leadership disputes within the party and ongoing court cases. In a press statement issued on Wednesday, INEC responded to a protest staged on Monday, January 5, by some Labour Party supporters at its Abuja headquarters. The protesters accused the Commission of deliberately denying the party access codes required to upload the names of its candidates for the FCT Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026. INEC,said the controversy stemmed from prolonged internal crises in the Labour Party, which have persisted since 20...

Iran’s military chief warned on Wednesday that Iran will not stand by and allow itself to be threatened by outside powers, after the United States and Israel backed anti-government protests. “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers the escalation of hostile rhetoric against the Iranian nation a threat and will not tolerate its continuation without responding,” General Amir Hatami said, according to the Fars news agency. Hatami, commander of the Iranian army but not Iran’s most senior officer, warned that “if the enemy makes a mistake” Iran’s response would be more robust than during last June’s 12-day war with Israel. In recent days, US President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if demonstrators were killed, while Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed support f...

Troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army/Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YAMMA have foiled an armed robbery along the Abuja–Kaduna Highway.In a statement on Wednesday, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Shuaib Umar, said, “The troops received a distress call about an ongoing armed robbery at Nasarawan Doka and immediately mobilised to engage the criminals, neutralising the threat.“During the encounter, one of the arrested suspects, Kabiru Zayyanu, who sustained a gunshot wound to the leg, was promptly evacuated to Doka General Hospital, where he received first aid. Other members of the criminal gang fled the scene.” Troops conducted a hot pursuit, but no further contact was made. No casualty or abduction was recorded during the operation, the statement said.The arrested suspe...

A former lawmaker representing Abia Central Senatorial District and a stakeholder in the All Progressives Congress in Abia State, Senator Chris Adighije, has canvassed for a second term for President Bola Tinubu.He also urged residents of Ikwuano and Umuahia South local government areas to align with the party ahead of the 2027 elections, while stressing that the APC does not support a one-party system in Nigeria.Adighije made the remarks in Umuahia during a ceremony where his pro-APC group, Ikwuano/Umuahia Initiative, led by Chief Ako Atuloma, appointed him as their Patron.Speaking on the party’s performance, Adighije said, “The president, Bola Tinubu, seems to know Nigeria better than all of us. And he is going in the right direction. Now, I understand food prices are beginning to g...

US President Donald Trump says Republicans must win the 2026 congressional midterm elections or risk Democrats moving to impeach him. ABC News stated that Trump made the assertion on Tuesday while addressing Republican lawmakers at a retreat in Washington. “You’ve got to win the midterms because, if we don’t win the midterms, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” he said. “I’ll get impeached.” Trump warned that losing control of Congress could stall his legislative agenda and expose his administration to investigations. He urged Republican lawmakers, who narrowly control the US House of Representatives, to put aside internal disagreements. He asked party members to promote Republican policies on gender, healthcare and election integrity to voters struggling with the cost of li...

The Nigerian Army has announced the opening of application portal for its Direct Short Service Commission course 29 2026 recruitment.The Army invites qualified Nigerians to join as officers.According to the army, eligible Nigerians, both civilians and serving military personnel with relevant professional qualifications, can apply to be commissioned as officers in specialised corps, including the Engineers, Signals, Medical Corps, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and Education Corps.“Applications are free, must be completed online, and the portal will remain open from January 7 to February 4, 2026. Interested candidates are advised to apply early and ensure all information is accurate. The Nigerian Army encouraged qualified Nigerians to seize this opportunity to serve the nation, p...

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has defended the United States’ military operation that removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power, describing the raid as “morally right” despite legal and diplomatic controversy. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday, Badenoch said she did not fully understand the legal basis for the operation but argued that Maduro was overseeing a “brutal regime,” and she was “glad he’s gone.” “Where the legal certainty is not yet clear, morally, I do think it was the right thing to do,” she said, adding that her childhood in Nigeria under military dictatorships gave her insight into life under authoritarian rule. “I grew up under a military dictatorship, so I know what it’s like to have someone like Maduro in charge.” However, Bade...

By Vivian Emoni, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) represents a strategic effort to leverage Africa’s vast single market to drive economic diversification, industrialisation, job creation and sustainable growth. The AfCFTA seeks to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers, facilitate the free movement of goods and services, and integrate African economies into regional and global value chain. It also seeks to guard against the continent becoming a dumping ground for finished products. At full implementation, the agreement is expected to boost intra-African trade, raise incomes, expand manufacturing exports, attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and significantly reduce poverty across the continent. As of ...

Super Eagles Head Coach, Eric Chelle, expressed delight after Nigeria’s 4-0 victory, describing it as a clear statement of intent at the tournament. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria mowed down Mozambique with a masterclass performance underpinned by purpose, direction, urgency and clinical delivery in Fès on Monday. Victor Osimhen, who earned his 50th cap for Nigeria at senior level, grabbed a brace, while Ademola Lookman and Akor Adams scored one goal each to ensure the Super Eagles qualified for the quarter-finals of the 35th AFCON finals. “I am happy about this game. This is an important victory with four goals to signal our statement of intent,” Chelle told reporters. The coach praised his players’ display but warned against complacency, stressing that t...

LOTUS Bank, one of the leading non-interest banks in the country, has appointed Dr Isiaka Ajani-Lawal as its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective from December 2025. Its Board Chairperson, Mrs Hajara Adeola, who announced the leadership transition on Tuesday in Abuja, said that Ajani-Lawal’s appointment was sequel to the retirement of the bank’s founding Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Kafilat Araoye, from office. The development, she said, marked the conclusion of Araoye’s distinguished tenure characterised by an impressive performance scorecard. She explained that Araoye, who was appointed as the pioneer MD/CEO of Lotus Bank, played a key role in laying the foundation for its successful market entry and operational growth. ''Under her leade...

The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, has explained that Israel’s proposed support for Nigeria in the fight against insecurity would be based on intelligence sharing.Freeman said his country intends to be working with the Nigerian government.The envoy made the clarification in an interview with ARISE News on Monday, while addressing the global reaction to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent announcement of an “eighth front” against radical Islamist violence. He emphasised that the initiative is intended to support persecuted communities while fully respecting Nigeria’s national sovereignty. “What Prime Minister Netanyahu said, and it was very clear, was that he wants to make sure that all those persecuted around the world, and he highlighted Christians aroun...

Chelsea Football Club has officially appointed Liam Rosenior as the new head coach of the men’s team. Rosenior, who enjoyed a successful playing career across the Premier League and Championship, joins Chelsea with a growing reputation in coaching. He previously held roles in youth development and first-team coaching, earning praise for his tactical acumen and his ability to nurture young talent. The club expressed confidence that the former Strasbourg coach will bring energy, fresh ideas, and a strong leadership presence to the squad as they aim to compete at the highest level domestically and in Europe. In a statement on Chelsea’s official website, the club said: “Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Liam Rosenior as head coach of the men’s team...

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sought the confirmation of the Senate for his nominees for the board of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC).Tinubu made the request in two separate letters to the Senate, seeking confirmation of 21 nominees for the boards.In the first letter, President Tinubu nominated Senator Magnus Abe to serve as the NUPRC board chair. Abe, who represented Rivers South East in the Senate for two terms, is a former NNPC board member and current chairman of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall.Other nominees for the NUPRC board are Engineer Paul Yaro Jezhi, a former Trade Union Congress chairman in Kaduna, and Mr Sunday Adebayo Babalola, a former deputy dir...

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Ajibola Basiru, were on Monday engaged in a war of words over Rivers State Politics.Wike had warned Bashiru to stay off Rivers politics but the APC scribe fired back, asking him to resign his ministerial position and focus on what he described as his obsession with Rivers State politics.‎‎Basiru had declared support for the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, amid ongoing confrontations between him and Wike.‎He also cautioned the South-South Chairman of the APC, Victor Giadom, against making derogatory remarks about Fubara or any other governor, stating that members of the National Working Committee of the party should not take sides in any political crisis.‎Wike, however, during his “thank-yo...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday he had told his US counterpart Donald Trump that Venezuela must not collapse into chaos, days after the US ousted his ally Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Erdogan said he spoke over the phone with Trump about the US operation in that resulted in Maduro being seized in Caracas and transferred to the US. “Any attack on the sovereignty of the people and any violation of international law will generate serious complications within the international order,” Erdogan said he told Trump. “Venezuela must not descend into chaos or instability,” he added in comments to Turkish television after a cabinet meeting. After months of threats and pressure tactics, US forces on Saturday bombed the Venezuelan capital and toppled Maduro, end...

Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State with the State Commissioner of Police, Umar Chuso, shortly after the Expanded State Security Council Meeting. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the 2026 budget is planned to solidify the gains of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reforms.Idris maintained that the various reforms are already yielding positive results.The minister was quoted to have stated this in an op-ed published on Monday in newspapers, titled “A Defining Moment for Nigeria: Why Staying the Course Matters.”A statement by his media aide, Rabin Ibrahim stated: “Our 'Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’ is critical. It is a commitment to double down on what is working, to solidify gains, and to ensu...

By Victor Okoye, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Egypt’s pursuit of a record eighth Africa Cup of Nations title faces a stern knockout examination against a spirited Benin side in the Round of 16 in Agadir. The encounter holds at the Grande Stade d’Agadir on Monday, with kickoff fixed for 6 p.m. (Nigerian time), as experience collides with ambition. Egypt arrive as Group B winners, claiming victories over Zimbabwe and South Africa before drawing with Angola to underline tournament consistency. Coach Hossam Hassan rotated his squad heavily against Angola, making 11 changes and underlining Egypt’s depth and tactical flexibility. “We prepared for this stage from day one,” Hassan said. “Knockout football demands concentration, patience and belief in our identity.” The Phara...

Manchester United have sacked manager Ruben Amorim, with Darren Fletcher set to take charge for Wednesday's Premier League game against Burnley.On Friday Amorim hinted that his relationship with club officials was strained - suggesting he would not be fully backed in the transfer market.And following the 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday, the Portuguese aimed another dig at senior United figures, stating he wanted to work as a manager "not the coach" and was ready to leave when his contract expired in 18 months' time.Less than 24 hours later, the club announced Amorim had "departed his role as head coach of Manchester United" after 14 months in charge."With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club's leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right t...

The Kebbi State Government on Sunday directed all public and private schools in urban centres to resume academic activities on Monday. The announcement was made by the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Halima Muhammad-Bande.She clarified that schools in remote areas and outskirts of towns are exempt from the resumption order until further notice. Muhammad-Bande assured that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of pupils, students, and teachers, and appealed to parents and guardians to release their children for the reopening. The government is doing everything humanly possible to secure all schools that are reopening,” she said.The government had ordered the immediate closure of all public and private secondary schools acr...

The Nigerian Copyright Commission has lament the challenges confronting blind and visually impaired persons in the country.The Director-General of NCC, Dr. John Asein said they are faced with the scarcity of education materials.He spoke on the occasion of the World Braille Day 2026.January 4th every year has been dedicated to celebrating Braille as one of humanity’s most transformative innovations for literacy, independence, and dignity.This year’s celebration has as theme: “Let the Blind Read”.Asein in a statement to commemorate the date said the shortage of learning materials is a reflection of challenges confronting visually impaired persons.He added that the World Braille Day ultimately is a remindet that inclusion is not an act of generosity; it is a legal obligation, a moral imp...