THE VIRGIN TIMES AFRICA

  Senate reverses principal offices rule as Oshiomhole slams Akpabio The Senate on Thursday rescinded controversial amendments to its Standing Orders 2026 following concerns by lawmakers that some of the provisions were inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution. The reversal came barely days after the upper chamber amended portions of its rules, a move that had triggered controversy and sharp exchanges among senators. It, however, drew sharp rebuke from the senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, as he called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio to resign from office. The amendments had come amid growing interest by outgoing governors and political heavyweights, many of whom are positioning to enter the Senate in 2027 to contest for top leadership roles such as Senate President and Deputy Senate President. No fewer than 10 governors and several former governors are already angling to secure senatorial tickets, leveraging their influence over party structures to emer...

 The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy and armed robbery, recovering a stolen motorcycle from them. The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued Thursday. According to the statement, “On 4th May, 2026, operatives attached to Ningi Division arrested Moh’d Sani, aged 25 years, and Sani Lawan, aged 20 years, both males from Badungu Village, Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State. “At the time of arrest, a red Boxer motorcycle was recovered in their possession.” Habib explained that further investigation linked the suspects to an earlier robbery incident in Ningi Local Government Area.

  ABUJA  The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, escalated, yesterday as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the faction aligned with Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, traded fierce words over control of the party ahead of 2027. Wike threw an open challenge to the Kabiru Turaki-led camp, daring it to prove its claim to leadership by opening a party secretariat and bank account in Abuja, and vowing to shut any such move. Speaking during a media chat, the former Rivers governor accused the rival bloc of fraud, defiance of court rulings and deliberate deception. “When will people stop being fraudulent? You cannot disobey court judgments and then turn around to deceive Nigerians that you have a legitimate structure. That is not how democracy works,” he said. He insisted the group lacked legal standing to run PDP affairs and challenged it to demonstrate otherwise. “If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them ope...

  The Sokoto State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria has distanced itself from a recent call made by one of its members advocating for Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko’s nomination as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections. In a statement issued in Sokoto on Sunday, the State Chairman of ALGON and Executive Chairman of Tambuwal Local Government Area, Alhaji Abba Shehu Tambuwal, clarified that the call was the personal opinion of Alhaji Abdullahi Yarima, the Secretary of the Association and Chairman of Kebbe Local Government Area. “Our dear colleague, who also serves as our scribe, merely expressed his individual opinion,” the statement clarified. “While he is entitled to his views like every other citizen, it must be clearly stated that he was acting on his own.” ALGON emphasised that Senator Wamakko, who currently represents Sokoto North Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has not declared ...

 🎙️✨ MEET AARE IBIKUNLE ELEREOBA The Creative Powerhouse Behind the Mic! When it comes to originality, cultural depth, and powerful delivery on radio, Aare Ibikunle Elereoba stands tall! He is the Director of Production at Success 105.3 FM, Mokola, Ibadan , and the revered host of highly engaging and culturally rich programs like: 🎧 Ore Aralu 🎧 Ogulutu …and many more captivating shows that have become household favorites across Oyo State and beyond . Aare Elereoba is not just a radio personality — he’s a voice of heritage, a master storyteller, and a content creator who knows how to blend tradition, entertainment, and wisdom with style. 🔥 With every word, he educates. 🔥 With every show, he inspires. 🔥 With every production, he sets the standard. 📻 Tune in to Success 105.3 FM – The Sound of Progress! 📲 Follow and watch exclusive behind-the-scenes content on @mr.virgintv #AareElereoba #OreAralu #Ogulutu #Success1053FM #RadioLegend #VoiceOfIbadan #YorubaCulture...

 OWA OBOKUN ENDORSES IJESALAND DEVELOPMENT FUND AS ICDA SUPPORTS YOUNG FAMERS WITH ABOUT 9 MILLION NAIRA IN GRANT  Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, the Owa Obokun Adimula and Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland, has endorsed the proposed Ijesaland Development Fund as initiator. The Ijesaland Community Development Assembly supported trainees of the Leventis Foundation Agricultural School with about 9 million naira in grants. Owa Clement Adesuyi Haastrup gave the endorsement when the chairman of the ICDA, Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi, led members on a courtesy visit to him. The Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland expressed delight with the interventions of the ICDA in all the sectors, which, according to him, were in tandem with the dreams of the Ijesa progenitors. He urged all the people who had been making generous donations towards the development of Ijesaland not to relent in their efforts.   Earlier, the Asiwaju of Ijesaland had told the Owa Obokun how a small number of Ijesa patriots had...

 No fewer than 22 oil and gas workers died in the line of duty between January and December 2024, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, an agency of the Federal Government, has said. The NUPRC reported a total of 22 fatalities and 31 operational incidents in the country’s upstream oil and gas sector last year, according to a report sighted by our correspondent. This sobering statistic underscores the persistent safety challenges confronting Nigeria’s oil operations, despite regulatory reforms and enhanced safety oversight introduced under the Petroleum Industry Act. The report indicated the NUPRC accredited 150 waste management companies to mitigate environmental impact. It also issued 183 waste discharge permits and granted 67 approvals for Environmental Impact Assessments and Management Plans. NUPRC also confirmed the successful resolution of six environmental and safety violation cases in 2024 and said it was progressing with digital platforms like HostComply to...