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APC out in Rivers, Zamfara as INEC Releases 2019 Gov’ship, State Assembly Candidates

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7 years ago

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The electoral commission, INEC, has released the full list of candidates cleared to contest the state assembly and governorship elections.

The governorship and state assembly elections are scheduled to hold on March 2 across Nigeria.

In the list sent to PREMIUM TIMES by the commission, no candidates of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, were listed for Rivers and Zamfara states.

INEC had said it would not allow the APC field candidates in Zamfara because the party did not hold primaries within the stipulated time. Internal wrangling among leaders of the APC in Zamfara led to the inability to hold the primaries within the stipulated time.

Although the APC faction loyal to Governor Abdulaziz Yari claims it held congresses and has candidates, the faction loyal to a senator, Kabiru Marafa, has insisted no primaries held. The party headquarters also said no primaries held but said it adopted consensus candidates within the stipulated time.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how two separate courts in Abuja and Zamfara gave conflicting judgements on INEC’s stance. While the court in Abuja said the commission acted right, that in Zamfara ruled that the APC did conduct primaries and INEC should ensure the party presents candidates for the general elections. The electoral commission, however, says it would abide by the judgement of the Abuja court.

In Rivers, a federal high court recently ruled that the APC disobeyed a high court order on its congresses and so its primaries that produced its candidates were null and void.

The APC in Rivers is split into two, with a faction loyal to the transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi, and another loyal to a senator, Magnus Abe.

It is based on the high court ruling that INEC refused to recognise any APC candidate in Rivers. The commission, however, said it would wait to see if the appeal court would give a different ruling on the controversy.

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Mike Adenuga, Emmanuel Macron Hold High-Powered Meeting in Paris

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3 hours ago

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December 18, 2025

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Accomplished billionaire businessman and Commander of the French Légion d’Honneur, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., GCON, CdrLH, has held a private meeting with the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

The two powerful citizens of the world held the meeting on Wednesday at the historic Élysée Palace in Paris.

The high-level engagement underscores the longstanding relationship between Dr. Adenuga and the French Republic, as well as his continued relevance in global business and diplomatic circles. 

A respected industrialist and philanthropist, Adenuga has been widely acknowledged for his contributions to economic development, telecommunications, energy, and humanitarian causes across Africa and beyond.

The meeting adds to Dr. Adenuga’s growing profile as a bridge between African enterprise and international leadership.

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Free at Last: Burkina Faso Releases 11 Nigerian Soldiers, Aircraft

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4 hours ago

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December 18, 2025

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Burkina Faso has released Nigerian soldiers who were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country earlier this month, Nigerian officials said.

The release followed a diplomatic intervention by President Bola Tinubu, who dispatched a high-level delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, to meet Burkina Faso’s Military Leader, Ibrahim Traoré, on Wednesday.

In a statement, Alkasim Abdulkadir, Tuggar’s spokesperson, said both sides resolved the matter amicably and secured the release of the Nigerian Air Force pilots and crew.

The soldiers had been held for nearly two weeks after the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) described the aircraft’s landing as an “unfriendly act” carried out in defiance of international law.

The Nigerian Air Force, however, said the crew encountered a technical issue that required a precautionary landing in Bobo-Dioulasso, the nearest available airfield. It said the landing complied with standard safety procedures and international aviation protocols.

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Corruption Allegations: NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed Meets Tinubu, Resigns

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17 hours ago

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December 17, 2025

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The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has resigned following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu amid corruption allegations.

Tinubu, on Wednesday, summoned Ahmed to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following allegations of economic sabotage and corruption.

Also caught in the web of resignation was the CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, according to a statement on Wednesday by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy.

Tinubu was said to have nominated successors to the senate for approval.

“Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” the statement reads.

“The requests followed the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.

“Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.”

Onanuga said the two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.

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