Author: Editor

FIFA on Wednesday confirmed the final line-up for the inter-confederation play-off tournament, naming DR Congo as Africa’s representative. The development by the footballing body has dashed Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In an accreditation notice circulated to journalists ahead of the competition, FIFA detailed the tournament format and listed the six participating nations. DR Congo’s inclusion leaves no room for Nigeria, whose football federation had challenged the result of their defeat in the CAF play-offs in November 2025. The Nigeria Football Federation lodged a formal protest, alleging that DR Congo fielded ineligible players during…

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As the 2027 general election gradually approaches, the political atmosphere in Oyo State is becoming more animated. Campaign drums are softly beginning to beat. Conversations are shifting from performance to projections. Yet, beyond the noise, one fundamental question confronts the good people of our state; Do we move forward with transformative leadership, or risk a return to destructive governance? There is an old proverb: History never forgets the ruler who turned a city into a village nor the one who transformed a village into a city. Governance leaves footprints. Some footprints build roads; others leave potholes. Some inspire hope;…

_Amupitan can’t deliver credible poll in 2027 A former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, to resign over the recently announced timetable for the 2027 general elections. Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja, Hashim rejected the adjusted schedule for party primaries released by INEC on Thursday, February 26, 2026, describing it as an overreach and alleging that it was structured to favour the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to him, INEC does not have the authority to dictate when political parties should conduct their primaries.…

The lawmaker representing Ibadan North-west/Ibadan South-west federal constituency of Oyo state in the House of Representatives, Hon. Adedeji Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide, on Friday observed the congregational Jumat prayer at the Alhaja Hamdalah Jadesola Sunmonu Central Mosque (Iya Mui) in Oyo town, where he called for unity within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following the court judgement concerning the party’s November 2025 national convention. Olajide, who, according to a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs, Tolu Mustapha, was received by muslim leaders and community stakeholders, used the occasion to admonish the muslim ummah on the spiritual significance of…

‎Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has declared that competence and loyalty to the people of Oyo State are the only key factors in consideration concerning who succeeds him in 2027. The governor made this statement on Thursday, at the 12th Omituntun Annual Ramadan Public Lecture, held at the Ibadan North Local Government Motor Park, Agodi Gate, Ibadan. He explained that his (Makinde’s) loyalty to Oyo State enabled him to record many impactful achievements in the almost seven years that he has been in office, including the payment of over N25 billion to clear gratuity arrears owed by previous governments, adding…

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CEOAFRICA, Prince Cletus Iloabanafor, has called on policymakers, corporate organizations, private sector actors, and civil society groups to intensify their support for the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN) as the institution prepares to mark its 20th anniversary. Prince Iloabanafor made the call at the University of Ghana, Legon, during the 2026 Africa Languages Week (ALW), held from February 23 to 24 in Accra. He noted that the ongoing stakeholder deliberations form a critical foundation for the official anniversary celebrations, scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026. A member of the…

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has dismissed claims of electoral victories by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), describing the outcome of last week’s Area Council elections as a “political illusion.” Speaking at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Hashim argued that many of the candidates who emerged victorious on the APC platform were long-standing PDP members who allegedly switched parties under pressure, creating what he termed a false impression of APC strength in the territory. “In reality, the contest was PDP versus PDP,” Hashim said. “What we witnessed…

Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, said on Wednesday that about 65,000 out-of-school children have returned to classrooms in the state. The governor stated this while receiving, on a courtesy visit, the delegation on the BESDA-AF implementation support mission of the World Bank/ Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) at the Executive Council Chamber, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. The governor noted that Oyo State has benefitted from the Better Education Service Delivery for Additional Financing (BESDA-AF) intervention programme, adding that it has enhanced and improved the education sector in the state. While thanking the World Bank and the Universal Basic Education Commission…

Vice President Kashim Shettima says the naira would have appreciated to ₦1,000 in “weeks” if the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had not intervened in the foreign exchange (FX) market on Monday to ensure market stability. He confirmed that the Central Bank of Nigeria had to intervene on Monday by mopping up excess dollars to stabilize the Naira. Accor Shettima said this on Tuesday at the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Renewed Hope Ambassadors Strategic Summit in Abuja. “In fact, if not for the interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday, the 1,000 Naira to a dollar we are going…