My Journey of Nomination, Withdrawal, and Hope: A Personal Account. I have found myself at the centre of a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s political landscape. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a move that brought me immense honour, chose me as a ministerial nominee. Coming from the traditional, conservative regions of northern Nigeria, this represented a significant stride towards a more inclusive national representation. The sheer joy and pride I felt at my nomination were beyond words. It was a validation of my capabilities, a nod to my vision, and a sign that our great nation was ready to embrace a…
Author: meridianspy
Afrobeats no doubt has become a global phenomenon, and its growing influence on the world stage cannot be underestimated as re-echoed recently by the U.S Consul General in Nigeria, Mr Will Stevens. Stevens, while speaking at the Headies pre-awards reception in honour of the 16th annual Headies Music Award held last Friday at the US Consul General residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, acknowledged the dominance of Afrobeats not only on the American music scene, but also, across the world. He hailed the creative industry collaboration between the United States and Nigeria that is bringing the two countries closer in music, film,…
The police command in Zamfara said its operatives repelled bandits who attacked a Divisional Police Station in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state. The command said it also arrested a 35-year-old suspected female informant. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Yazid Abubakar disclosed this on Friday at a media briefing in Gusau. Abubakar said police operatives attached to the police station acted on credible intelligence that a group of armed bandits were planning to carry out the attack. “The police operatives mobilised, confronted the bandits and engaged them in a gun battle which lasted for hours “As a…
The Taraba State House of Assembly has approved a loan of N206,776,000,000 which the state governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, requested as supplementary budget for the 2023 fiscal year. The required sum would be provided by four commercial banks to fund developmental projects across all sectors in the state. Governor Agbu, in the letter to the House, said the loan facility would be serviced for a period of four years at 18 per cent interest rate. He also noted that deductions by the four financial institutions would be from the state’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC); Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC);…
Tension has been raised in Osi town, in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, due to the abrupt disappearance of the remains of Olajumoke Julianah Ogunsuyi, a 63-year-old woman who was supposed to be buried today (Saturday). Daily Faith According to information obtained on Saturday, Mrs. Ogunsuyi’s body was delivered by family members to the mortuary division of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED) Teaching hospital in the state. A source who spoke on Friday revealed that it was shocking when the family of the deceased returned to the hospital’s morgue to retrieve the body for…
China has executed a South Korean national for drug trafficking, Beijing’s foreign ministry said, the first time such a sentence has been carried out on a citizen of that country in almost a decade. A court in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou “lawfully pronounced a verdict and executed the South Korean defendant… for drug trafficking” on Friday, the foreign ministry said in a statement. “When defendants of different nationalities commit crimes on Chinese territory, Chinese law shall be applied equally”, it added. An official from Seoul’s foreign ministry told reporters Friday that “the death penalty was carried out today…
Niger Coup: ECOWAS Urges Junta to Embrace Diplomacy, Calls for Return of Democracy In an effort to resolve the current military coup in Niger, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, has called on the Niger Coup Junta to opt for a diplomatic resolution. The call comes amidst growing concerns over the stability of the region. He spoke on behalf of Nigerian Government in wrap-up meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Chief of Defence in Abuja on Friday. Following a high-level meeting with the ECOWAS Chief of Defence Staffs, General Christopher…
The Nigerian Immigration Service has bemoaned the unnecessary deaths and hardships facing Nigerians attempting to travel outside the country through illegal means. The Comptroller, NIS Ekiti State Command, Ademola Abdulrashed, who said Nigerians could travel abroad for reasons best known to them, advised that such must be “safe, orderly and regular”. Abdulrashed, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Friday during the grand finale of the three-day celebration of the 60th anniversary of NIS, with the theme, “Enhancing seamless regular migration”, said, “This Japa syndrome is a big challenge to those enrouting illegal ports of exit in the quest for greener…
The President, Bola Tinubu, has written to the Senate seeking its support on the deployment of military personnel to the Niger Republic. He also sought the backing of the legislature on the cutting off of electricity to the country. The Meridian Spy had reported that Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, was toppled by his guards. Tinubu, Nigeria’s president and the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, had on Sunday met with some fellow ECOWAS leaders to discuss appropriate ways to restore democracy in Niger. The leaders of the West African regional bloc met to discuss…
Criticisms have greeted the appointment of 47 media aides by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State. Fintiri had on Thurday night, announced the appointments on his official Twitter handle. He tweeted, “I’m pleased to constitute my media team” The governor added that “I’m confident that this diverse and talented team will play a crucial role in enhancing our communication efforts and strengthening our public engagement, Together, we’ll work towards achieving our goals and serving the people effectively” The development followed approval granted by the Adamawa State House of Assembly to the governor to appoint 50 special advisers on June…
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has warned Nigeria and other African countries to brace up for higher food prices, following recent developments that have temporarily halted Ukraine’s food exports to African countries. USAID’s Deputy Administrator for Policy and Programming, Isobel Coleman, said this on Thursday at a virtual press conference. According to her, Russia’s decision to withdraw from the Black Sea Grain Initiative had already begun to trigger higher food prices around the world. She noted the impact of this food price hike would be more felt in developing countries that were import-dependent, and had conventionally…
The military junta in Niger Republic has cut off ties with Nigeria after the efforts of Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to resolve the ongoing impasse failed. ECOWAS had issued a seven-day ultimatum for the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum to avoid possible clash with the junta. But President Bola Tinubu sent a high-powered delegation to the country to meet with the coup leaders, on Thursday. The delegation led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) only met with representatives of the junta. Subsequently, Niger severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France, its coloniser, and the United States. “The functions…