Author: Standard Focus

By Halima Abubakar, Abuja The son of former Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Rep. Bello El-Rufai, has defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The Speaker, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, read their letters of defection at the resumption of plenary on Thursday. The Speaker, said Bello El-Rufai joined the ADC alongside two members... Read more

By Clement John ABUJA- Divergent strategies have emerged within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of its governorship primaries for the 2027 elections, with Rivers State opting for a full direct primary system while Niger State is adopting a hybrid arrangement combining consensus-building with direct voting where necessary. The positions became clearer on Wednesday as aspirants converged on Abuja to... Read more

By Clement John The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, on Wednesday acknowledged that the departure of former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso has dealt the party a political blow, but insisted it remains capable of producing winning candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. Mark spoke at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja... Read more

By Rosemary Nwanpka The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following hours of screening and deliberation by lawmakers at the National Assembly. Tegbe’s confirmation, carried out by the Committee of the Whole, comes as he is expected to take charge of the Ministry of Power, previously overseen by former minister Bayo... Read more

By Edwin Ebulu Vice President Kashim Shettima has described Nasarawa State as a clear example of how Nigeria’s federating units are becoming economically viable under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, citing improved infrastructure, enterprise support and human capital development.Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday while delivering the keynote address at the third Nasarawa Economic Summit held at the Aliyu... Read more

By Clement John, ABUJA- The Federal Government has launched a N250 billion intervention programme aimed at tackling decades of inadequate student accommodation across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the initiative on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of governing boards of agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education, describing it as the most ambitious single-year investment... Read more

By Clement John ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government’s celebration of Nigeria’s reported Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, arguing that the figures do not reflect the harsh economic realities confronting ordinary Nigerians. In a statement issued on Wednesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the government’s economic claims were... Read more

By Kingsley Ojeme ABUJA — The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has cautioned Nigerians and the Federal Government against retaliatory actions targeting South African businesses operating in Nigeria following renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. The Centre, while condemning the attacks, described the incidents as deeply disturbing and inconsistent with the ideals of African unity... Read more

….says We Will Move Beyond Condemnation,” Minister-Designate Promises Tougher Foreign Policy Approach By Rosemary Nwanpka ABUJA — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs following his screening on the floor of the Red Chamber. The confirmation came after hours of deliberation by the Senate Committee of the Whole, during which lawmakers tasked the... Read more

….As Dangote Refinery Denies Petrol Price Increase By Kingsley Andrew Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude price dropped by 16 per cent to $99 per barrel in the international market on Wednesday, following comments by former US President Donald Trump suggesting that the conflict between the United States and Iran could soon come to an end. The sharp decline represents the lowest... Read more