T he Independent National Electoral Commission has turned down former President Goodluck Jonathan’s nomination as PDP presidential candidate for 2027. The rejection came on Friday, a few hours after a group led by Kabiru Turaki said it submitted Jonathan’s name and other PDP candidate lists in person at INEC headquarters. The development has deepened the party’s leadership crisis ahead of the next election. Vanguard Newspaper reports that INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission only accepts online filings.   “Every nomination must be done through our portal. We no longer take physical submissions,” she stated. But the Turaki camp said it was left with no choice. National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, told reporters that INEC refused to release the login codes needed for online upload. He argued the codes are not part of the law. “Because INEC blocked us from the portal, we delivered everything by hand. It is valid...

F ear has gripped students in Ogun State again after gunmen attacked a private hostel and abducted five students of Gateway ICT Polytechnic, Saapade. The National Association of Nigerian Students condemned the attack on Friday, calling it the latest sign that schools are no longer safe.  In a statement signed by NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, the student body said it received the news “with deep sorrow and serious concern.” According to NANS, armed men stormed a private hostel on Paraga Road in Ipara on Wednesday night, July 29, and took away five students. This is the second attack in Ogun State in less than a week. Days earlier, gunmen also attacked D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic in Itori. During that robbery, an HND II student, Miss Ahmed Sekinat, was killed and several others were injured. “As the main body representing Nigerian students both at home and abroad, we totally reject this attack on the safety of students,” NANS said. “It is painful and unacceptable that two s...

U EFA has told FIFA that all 55 European countries will walk away from any FIFA tournament if the world body goes ahead with plans to sell part of the World Cup to private investors.  The clash started on Tuesday when FIFA announced it wants to raise $4.2 billion. To do that, FIFA plans to sell up to 21% of a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprises. This company would run FIFA’s biggest events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. FIFA said it would still keep control, and gave all 211 member countries until September 19 to approve the plan. The idea is to get money to national associations by early 2027. But the plan did not go down well. On Thursday, UEFA held an emergency online meeting and every single one of its 55 members agreed to reject it. In a strong statement, UEFA said the World Cup belongs to the people who built it.  “The World Cup is not something to buy and sell,” UEFA said. “It is one of football’s proudest traditions. Players...

T he Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards in Osun State as preparations for the August 15 governorship election enter the final stage. INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, announced the extension on Wednesday during the Stakeholders’ Forum in Osogbo. He assured residents that the commission is ready to deliver a credible, peaceful and transparent election. According to him, 322,822 people who registered during the Continuous Voter Registration have already collected their PVCs. That represents about 62 per cent of new voters. He explained that this figure is different from an earlier report. INEC had previously said 37.5 per cent of all uncollected cards in the state, including old ones, were picked up during a special distribution. The new 62 per cent covers only those who registered recently, according to details reported by Premium Times. Mr. Amupitan urged residents who are yet to collect their cards to do so quickly.   “...

Ugandan boxer Aziz Abdul alleges bias following Glasgow exit U gandan boxer Aziz Abdul was thrown out of the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday after officials ruled he headbutted his opponent twice during a super-heavyweight quarter-final. The 25-year-old, grandson of Uganda’s former leader Idi Amin, was disqualified in the third round of his bout against England’s Damar Thomas in Glasgow.   The decision ended Abdul’s chance of winning a medal at the Games, which are held every four years for countries in the Commonwealth. Speaking after the fight, Abdul said he felt the decision was unfair and targeted him, according to The Athletic .   “This referee’s decision is not right and I am not happy,” he said. “It’s unfair. I am a black African. I know when officials are scared of a fight.   How can I headbutt someone? I would not. They wanted him to win because he’s at home. This was an away match for me.”   He added: “It’s God’s plan. I wish him good lu...

T he Lagos State Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of 32-year-old dispatch rider Emmanuel Jegede, who died in a crash on Wednesday morning along Ikotun-Idimu Road in Alimosho.   According to a Vanguard Newspaper report, the incident occurred around 10 a.m. shortly after Jegede finished a delivery and was heading to another location.   Eyewitnesses say the trouble began after a minor collision with a tricycle rider near a side street. Residents and some youths intervened and settled the dispute. But witnesses allege the same youths later demanded money from Jegede as “payment” for helping him.  When he reportedly said he had no cash, the situation escalated.   One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that two men waited across the road and shoved Jegede as he rode past the Alhaja section of Ikotun-Idimu Road.   “He lost control, veered off and rammed into the median,” the witness said. “His chest hit a cu...

T eam Nigeria is still making waves at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, holding firm inside the top five on the medal table. This follows our earlier report covering Day 1 to Day 4. The first four days of competition were dominated by weightlifting and para-powerlifting, where Nigeria built an early lead. From Day 5, attention shifted to track and field, and the athletes responded with gold medals, record-breaking performances, and historic firsts. Para-athlete Goodness Nwachukwu delivered Nigeria’s 7th gold medal in the women’s para-discus F42-44/F61-64. She broke the world record twice in the final and recorded a best throw of 39.66 meters to loud cheers from the crowd in Glasgow. Nigeria also celebrated a rare 1-2 finish in the same event. Funmi Oduwaiye threw 38.52 meters to win silver behind Nwachukwu, marking the first time at these Games that two Nigerians finished on the top two steps of the podium. On a wet night at Scotstoun Stadium, sprinter Kanyinsola Ajayi ended a lon...

G rief turned to fear for a 28-year-old widow in Ikorodu after she said members of her late husband’s family began threatening her and trying to force her out of her house.  The Lagos State Government on Wednesday said one person has been detained over the matter. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, confirmed the development hours after videos of the incident circulated online and drew widespread condemnation. DSVA said it got wind of the case on Tuesday, July 28. The complaint alleged that Tosin was being harassed and pressured to give up her home and belongings. Named in the report are her father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law and his wife. Agency officials said they spoke with the survivor, who explained that things got worse for her and her two little boys soon after her husband passed away on July 20. According to her, she faced threats, was assaulted, and was told to move all her property and that of her children into one room. She added that she...

G overnor Peter Mbah has approved the employment of more than 6,500 people for teaching, technical and administrative positions in public primary and secondary schools in Enugu State, with the 267 Smart Green Schools taking priority. The Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board announced the recruitment on Monday. Its Chairman, Prof. Hyginus Okibe Banko, said the move is to ensure the new schools are fully staffed so pupils can get quality learning from day one. Applicants for graduate and HND teaching roles must have a Degree in Education. Those with a Degree or HND in other courses can also apply if they have a Postgraduate Diploma in Education, while NCE holders in relevant subject areas are eligible as well. Every candidate at that level must present a valid NYSC discharge or exemption certificate. The board also made it clear that registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, or proof that registration is ongoing, is compulsory for all teaching jobs. Basic com...

K aduna State Governor Uba Sani has announced Jerry Adams as his running mate for the 2027 polls, saying the choice is driven by equity, unity and broader representation for all communities. In a statement released on Monday, Sani said Adams, a Christian, earned the nomination based on performance and not on faith or background. The governor described him as a tested administrator and one of Kaduna’s most effective revenue chiefs, credited with turning the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service into a benchmark institution. According to the governor, Adams brought fresh ideas, accountability and professionalism to KADIRS. The reforms, he said, significantly boosted the state’s internally generated revenue and gave government room to fund schools, hospitals, roads, farming and other basic services. Beyond his record in public finance, Sani praised Adams for his character. He described him as a modest and principled leader who has worked steadily to promote peace and bridge divides in a s...

T he Senate has responded to public criticism over a provision in the Federal Road Safety Corps Amendment Bill, 2026, saying the ₦50,000 penalty for preaching, hawking and trading inside commercial vehicles is not new and has existed in Nigerian law since 2007. The clarification came on Monday after the bill triggered outrage online and from religious groups, civil society organisations and opposition parties. Many Nigerians questioned why lawmakers were focusing on street evangelism and small traders at a time of rising economic hardship. According to Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, the provision was misunderstood. In a statement attributed to him by News Digest , he said the amendment does not create a new offence and does not ban public preaching or street evangelism. Bamidele explained that Section 10(4) of the FRSC Establishment Act, 2007, and Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, already list preaching and hawking in moving vehicles as traffic violations....

T eam Nigeria has announced itself early at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, powering straight into fourth place on the medal table after a weekend and Monday that belonged entirely to strength. As of Monday night, 27th July 2026, Nigeria has won 10 medals six gold and four silver. Every single one has come from weightlifting and para-powerlifting, and the results have pushed the country into the top four nations in Glasgow. The breakthrough started on Day 1, and it started big. Nigeria’s para-powerlifting team opened the Games with a statement, collecting three gold and three silver medals in one day.  Captain Folashade Oluwafemiayo set the tone in the Women’s Heavyweight. She won gold and broke her own world record twice. Esther Nworgu followed with Nigeria’s first gold of the Games in the Women’s Lightweight, also breaking the Commonwealth Games record twice with a 123kg lift. Riluwan Idris then added a third gold for the day in the Men’s Heavyweight with a huge 208kg lift....

T he National Population Commission has discontinued manual registration of births and deaths across Nigeria, warning that certificates issued outside its new digital platform will no longer be recognized.  According to information from Vanguard Newspaper, the Commission said its Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, E-CRVS, platform, which went live on July 1, 2026, is now the sole approved channel for recording births and deaths in the country. Speaking in Umuahia on Monday during events to mark the 2026 World Population Day, the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State, Rev. Emma Trumps Eke, said the shift to a fully digital system was aimed at ending fraud and providing government with real-time data for planning.  “Anybody giving you manual registration is leading you into trouble. We have stopped everything about manual registration. From now on, every registration must be digital and captured in real time,” he warned. He added that any NPC official fou...

N igeria’s Super Falcons can finally breathe easy.  Authorities in Casablanca have arrested a suspect in connection with the theft that hit members of the national women’s team during their stay in Morocco. The incident occurred on the final day of the Falcons’ training camp in Casablanca, just before the squad departed for Rabat to begin their 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations journey. Several players returned to their hotel rooms to discover cash was missing. Altogether, $1,220 was reported gone. The breakdown: $700 from one player, $200 from the captain, and $100, $100 and $120 from three others. Beyond the loss, the players said their complaints to hotel management were not taken seriously. The frustration grew when one player spoke out online and was met with racist attacks from some social media users. There is now progress. Officials confirmed a suspect has been taken into custody and has admitted to the crime. The money will be given back to the players, and legal proceedi...

F ormer Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is asking the Federal Government tough questions about money. Speaking through his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday, Atiku said the government should explain what it has done with an estimated ₦7.98tn in extra oil earnings, even as it keeps borrowing heavily at home. He noted that between January and June 2026, the government raised about ₦5tn from domestic bonds. That is almost 80 percent of what it borrowed in the same period last year. To Atiku, that level of borrowing only makes sense when revenue is down, not when oil prices are up. The 2026 budget was built on crude selling at $64.84 per barrel from March 1 to July 14. But Nigerian oil has been selling higher. Atiku’s team calculated that the gap added $42.7m every day for 135 days. That comes to $5.76bn, or about ₦7.98tn in additional income. “Why is a government swimming in extra oil money borrowing almost twice as fast as last year, like we are in a crisi...

F or the first time ever, the gates of Computer Village stayed shut for a full week.  Instead of the usual rush of customers and sales on Otigba Street, Ikeja, shop owners stood outside on Saturday and Sunday talking in small groups. Phones, laptops, and accessories were locked inside. The reason: a disagreement with the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, that has now affected hundreds of thousands of people. How it started According to The Guardian , the crisis began last Wednesday when LIRS officials sealed several plazas. The agency said some market leaders failed to honour a tax payment agreement. But the Coalition of Associations in Computer Village, Ikeja CACOVI which represents more than 50 associations and plaza heads, disagrees.  CACOVI President, Timi Famoroti, said traders have been paying rising taxes for years, with many now paying ₦50,100. He alleged that despite an earlier agreement, LIRS later demanded three years of unpaid taxes. Because of that, enti...

C olombian superstar Shakira says Nigerian singer Burna Boy was the right fit for 'Dai Dai' because the 2026 FIFA World Cup song needed a strong male voice She made this known during an interview on Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill aired on July 8. “When I completed the track, I knew it had to have a man singing on it,” Shakira said.   “The World Cup comes with a lot of male energy. So I started thinking about who could give me that power on an Afrobeat record.” According to her, 'Dai Dai' is built mainly on Afrobeat, but also has Caribbean and R&B touches. She added that she has followed Burna Boy’s career for years and had hoped to work with him. “I’ve always loved Burna’s music. I’ve always wanted to do a song with him,” she said. Shakira said she called Burna Boy herself and he accepted. But it took a while to get his part.   “I asked him if he was in. He said yes.   I waited close to 20 days for his verse. There was a time I thought it might no...

N igeria moved a step closer to state-controlled policing on Thursday after the House of Representatives approved an Executive Bill to create state police services. As reported by Champion Newspapers , the approval came amid drama in Abuja, with opposition members storming out over the way the vote was handled. 311 lawmakers participated in the exercise. Speaker Tajudeen Abbas said 276 cast their votes in the chamber, while 35 voted online. Before the vote, the House adopted recommendations from the Constitution Review Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu. The bill “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police Services and for Related Matters (HB. 2797)” seeks to amend the constitution to allow states to operate police forces alongside the Nigeria Police Force. Lawmakers abandoned their own earlier draft and a 12-member harmonization panel set up on July 9. Instead, they adopted the ve...

O yinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, says she will quit immediately if solid evidence shows the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association presidential election was compromised. The incoming NBA leader made the pledge Thursday during a TVC News interview, pushing back against claims from rival candidates and some lawyers that the vote was skewed in her favor. She insisted the electronic balloting faced unprecedented public oversight and revealed no signs of tampering. “This process has been scrutinized more than any NBA election since we adopted universal suffrage and e-voting,” Badejo-Okusanya stated. “My opponents allege it was rigged for me, yet the data tells a different story.” She explained that her lead held steady from start to finish, with no unexplained spikes that typically signal ballot stuffing. “I never fell behind. No opponent overtook me. The margin only grew wider,” she said. “Votes came in gradually, not in suspicious dumps of 20, 30 or 50 at once. The system refreshed every 10 seco...

G etting locked out of your Google Account is about to get less stressful.  Google has launched a new recovery option that lets you get back into your account with a short video selfie. Think of it as a spare key, except this one is your face. The feature is now live at https://g.co/signin-selfie. It was built for those familiar moments  buying a new phone, forgetting a password, or not having your usual device nearby. Instead of searching for backup codes or trying to remember answers to old security questions, eligible users can now prove who they are by recording themselves. Signing up takes less than five minutes. Google asks you to face your phone camera and make a few simple moves, like turning your head slightly or tilting your chin. This helps the system capture your face from different angles and create a secure reference. Later, if you get locked out, you’ll do the same thing. You record a quick live video and Google matches it to the encrypted clip you saved when yo...

  A buja will play host to Africa’s football leadership this November after CAF confirmed Nigeria as the venue for its Ordinary General Assembly. Citing a report by Punch Newspaper, CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe announced the decision on Wednesday during a press briefing in Johannesburg. The briefing focused on the confederation’s roadmap following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. “We are going to Abuja, Nigeria for the Ordinary General Assembly in November,” Motsepe said.   “Nigeria has a rich football heritage. That is why we picked the country. It also guides our plan to deliver real impact in all 54 member nations, from South Africa and Kenya to Cameroon and beyond.” The CAF leader said the organization will continue to prioritize development projects and financial support so every member association feels the benefit. He also weighed in on Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 World Cup, calling it a significant gap for the continent. “I remind my Nigerian friends often a Worl...

T he Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has exposed a widespread payroll fraud that saw 908 fake employees siphon about N942 million from federal coffers, with the Nigeria Police Force leading the list of offenders. ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) said the commission’s audit of 50 ministries, departments and agencies uncovered phantom staff whose names were secretly added to government payrolls. The findings, reported by BBC Pidgin on Wednesday, show how corrupt officials exploited the system to steal public money. Ghost workers are fictitious names inserted into payroll records so insiders can collect salaries illegally. In some cases, staff allegedly enrolled relatives or friends who never worked for the government. One case revealed a man who listed his wife, son and mother-in-law as employees while also drawing wages meant for 12 other workers. The police force topped the list with 570 suspected fake workers. “We identified 570 people we suspec...

G overnor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has approved automatic jobs for seven National Youth Service Corps members who distinguished themselves during their service in the state. The governor also presented N1 million each to 66 outstanding students, teachers and recipients of national honours at an award ceremony held on Tuesday at the Cocoa Conference Centre, Governor’s Office, Akure. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed this in a statement issued after the event. Speaking at the ceremony, Aiyedatiwa said the decision reflects his administration’s belief that talent and hard work must be recognized and retained to drive the state’s development. “Today we are celebrating excellence because it deserves to be encouraged,” he said. “These corps members, students and teachers have shown commitment, creativity and discipline. They are role models for others and true representatives of Ondo State.” The governor paid special tribute to teachers, describing...

N igeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will arrive in Abia State on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to celebrate a heritage that has defined Ukwa East for generations: the Akwete weaving tradition. The Abia State Government announced the visit on Monday. Governor Alex Otti and his wife, Priscilla, will host the First Lady during the one-day engagement. The centerpiece of the visit will be the Akwete Weaving Cooperative Society in Akwete, Ukwa East Local Government Area. There, Mrs. Tinubu will sit with master weavers and witness the intricate handcraft that has made Akwete cloth a cultural symbol far beyond Nigeria’s borders. According to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, Akwete textile has for centuries been one of the country’s proudest cultural exports and a vital source of income for women in the area. From the cooperative, the First Lady and Governor Otti will move to Akwete Central School Field for a civic reception slated for 10:00 a.m. Officials said the gathe...

H istory was made on Sunday. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, has been elected the new president of the Nigerian Bar Association.  For the first time in 35 years, a woman will lead the NBA. And in the association’s 66-year history, she will only be the second. How the votes played out It was a 24-hour online election that ended at 7:34 a.m. on July 19, 2026. Badejo-Okusanya came out on top with 12,317 votes. She defeated two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria. Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe got 7,934 votes, while Olumuyiwa Akinboro got 5,855.  26,184 lawyers out of 82,172 registered members voted. That’s 31.86% turnout. It didn’t start smoothly. Voting was meant to begin at midnight on Saturday, but it didn’t open until 7:35 a.m. The NBA’s Electoral Committee, ECNBA, said hackers launched a “deliberate, coordinated and sustained cyberattack” on the system.  Despite the late start, the election went on. Results were updated live on the ECNBA dashboard for everyone to see. Badejo-O...

A 67-year-old pastor has died following a disputed eviction at Admiralty Homes Estate in Lekki, Lagos, with conflicting accounts from his family and the landlord’s representatives. Punch Newspaper reported that Pastor Bolaji Olukotun passed away in the early hours of Sunday, July 13, after he was allegedly assaulted and thrown out of his apartment on Saturday, July 11. He was taken to a private hospital but could not be saved. According to his lawyer, Barrister Akpobome Deniran, the dispute started over a rent-to-own arrangement. Olukotun had leased the apartment with an option to purchase it once his tenancy ended. When the landlord put it up for sale, he could not meet the asking price. The landlord then demanded he vacate so the unit could be sold to another buyer. Deniran said he received a frantic call from Olukotun around 2 pm on July 11. “I’m dying, please come to the house,” the pastor said in a faint voice. At House B11, Deniran found him lying on the compound floor while his...

S pain won the World Cup again Sunday night, beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time at MetLife Stadium.  The breakthrough arrived in the 106th minute. Ferran Torres finished a sharp passing move to give Spain a second world title, 14 years after their 2010 win in South Africa. Argentina started fast. With a huge crowd in blue and white behind them, they pressed early and played with pace. They created chances and tested Spain’s defense, but could not score. Spain needed time to settle. They kept possession, stayed patient, and waited for openings. Both teams defended well and both goalkeepers made big saves. After 90 minutes it was 0-0, so the game went to extra time. Fatigue opened things up. Spain moved the ball quickly to break Argentina’s line, and Torres was there to score. The Spanish fans erupted. Argentine supporters went quiet. Argentina pushed for an equalizer. They sent players forward and crossed the ball into the box. Spain held firm, blocked shots, and defended until the...

Queen Amina and Ibu Atelier: Hausa embroidered tunics and cushions. Photos: Provided by Ibu Atelier and Queen Amina Embroidery By Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin ‎ I n the city of Zaria, northern Nigeria, 40 women sit side by side. Spread before them is plain cloth. In their hands are needles and thread. Slowly, patterns begin to appear. This is not fast work. It is careful work. It is the same kind of work that has been done here for hundreds of years. ‎This is Queen Amina Embroidery, a women’s cooperative named after Queen Amina, the Hausa ruler remembered for her strength. Today, the women in the workshop are showing that same strength by turning tradition into a business that feeds families. ‎As the cooperative has grown, so has the responsibility of its manager, Hassana Yusuf. A mother of four, she took over when the group had 25 women. Today there are 40, and more women are asking to join.  ‎Her role goes beyond the workshop. She speaks to buyers overseas, handles orders, and makes...