Category: PM News

Portugal have announced their squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Cristiano Ronaldo set to make history by appearing in the tournament for a record sixth time.

The 41-year-old forward remains an important player for Portugal and continues to perform at the international level. His inclusion in the squad was expected, but it also marks a major achievement because no male footballer has played in six World Cups before.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez spoke about the emotional side of selecting the squad, especially while remembering former international player Diogo Jota.

“He is our strength and our joy. Losing Diogo was a very difficult moment, but we must continue fighting for his dream and the example he gave to the national team,” Martinez said.

Ronaldo is still expected to play a key role for Portugal, although the coach may carefully manage his playing time during the tournament.

The squad also includes top stars such as Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Joao Felix, Rafael Leao and Goncalo Ramos.

Ronaldo already holds the records for the most international appearances and goals in men’s football. Portugal will hope their talented squad can challenge strongly for the World Cup title.

Portugal World Cup squad

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Jose Sa, Rui Silva, Ricardo Velho.

Defenders: Diogo Dalot, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Nelson Semedo, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Renato Veiga, Tomas Araujo.

Midfielders: Ruben Neves, Samu Costa, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva.

Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Francisco Trincao, Francisco Conceicao, Pedro Neto, Rafael Leao, Goncalo Guedes, Goncalo Ramos.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Olorogun Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, has congratulated the three victorious candidates of the recently concluded APC senatorial primaries in Delta State.

In a statement on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Keyamo commended Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta North), Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central), and Senator Joel-Onowapo Thomas (Delta South) for their “resounding victories,” describing the exercise as “largely free and fair” and the best primaries organised in Delta State since the party’s inception.

Keyamo noted that the primaries saw a large turnout of grassroots APC members at various ward levels, emphasizing that the exercise reflected a truly organic voting process.

He urged all unsuccessful aspirants to embrace the results and support the victors to strengthen party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections. He also called on the winners to be magnanimous, extend fellowship to the losers, and incorporate their supporters into party structures, stressing that “there is always strength in unity.”

The minister praised Governor Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori for his leadership, describing it as “one of the most inclusive political systems ever witnessed in the state” and positioning 2027 as a coronation waiting to happen.

Keyamo further lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promoting internal democracy and ensuring a free and fair process nationwide. He emphasized that candidates who bypassed local leaders and attempted to secure tickets from Abuja were “brought down from their high horses,” highlighting the value of grassroots engagement.

The minister concluded by urging APC members nationwide to remain steadfast, maintain faith, and work hard, declaring: “Victory is in sight. For the opposition, in 2027, everywhere go first blur!”

By Deji Abdulwahab

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris said President Bola Tinubu established the Office of the Tax Ombudsman to ensure equity, fairness and justice in the administration of taxes in the country.

Idris said this on Tuesday when the Nigeria’s Tax Ombudsman, Dr John Nwabueze, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Nwabueze’s visit was to partner with the ministry and its agencies to create public awareness on the roles of the Office of the Tax Ombudsman in the nation’s tax system.

The minister assured the tax Ombudsman that all the heads of the ministry’s agencies would help in using their platforms to ventilate the tax activities to the Nigerian public.

“Tax is a very essential component of our national development, indeed of any nation’s development. We know that the office is new and even for some of us, what the Ombud Office does is actually new.

“Tax administration is part of the major reform initiatives of President Bola Tinubu.

“I recall the early part of last year, when the issue of the tax reform was at the front burner of national discourse, it was indeed a very compulsive period.

“People who didn’t understand what tax administration or tax compliance or tax increase or whatever you call it, became really very negative towards it.”

The minister said the National Assembly had to go back to the drawing board to really begin the process of public enlightenment for people to really understand it.

“Because at that point, what we saw was that even those who were criticising the document hadn’t actually even seen the document.

“So, there was misrepresentation and mischaracterisation and sometimes outright mischief about the whole programme.

“Because the President wants fairness in this issue of tax administration, he said, let us set up this Office of the Tax Ombud.

“Now, the Tax Ombud is not just there for the person collecting taxes. It is also there for the person who is paying taxes, ensuring that there is equity, fairness, and justice in the administration of taxes in this country.

“And this is where we think your role is principally. And for us as a ministry, we have a direct responsibility to making sure that Nigerians get to know about what you do, and how you do it,” the minister said.

The Nigeria’s Tax Ombudsman, Dr John Nwabueze, said the purpose of his visit was to seek the minister’s support and his team in enhancing public awareness of the Office of the Tax Ombud’s mandate and fostering collaboration to improve taxpayer education.

Nwabueze said the ministry and its agencies played a strategic role in deepening public communication, citizen’s engagement, national orientation and democratic accountability in Nigeria.

He commended the President for making policies that stabilised the nation’s economy and set it on the path of posterity.

According to him, the Office of the Tax Ombuds reflects the President’s ingenuity and foresight in pursuing additional tax reforms for fairness, accountability and efficiency.

“The establishment of this office under the new Nigerian tax administration framework represents a significant milestone in strengthening transparency, accountability, fairness and taxpayers’ confidence within our tax system.

“The office serves as an independent mechanism for addressing taxpayers’ complaints, resolving disputes fairly, protecting taxpayers’ rights and promoting trust between tax authorities and the citizens.”

The tax ombudsman said one of the greatest challenges confronting public institutions in Nigeria today was not only policy implementation but also public awareness and citizens’ understanding of government reforms and institutional mandates.

“This is why collaboration between the Office of the Tax Ombuds and the Federal Minister of Information; National Orientation has become strategic and imperative.

“We strongly believe that taxpayer education, public enlightenment and civic communication are critical to improving voluntary tax compliance and strengthening citizens’ trust in government institutions.

“Nigerians must clearly understand that the Office of the Tax Ombuds exists to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability in tax administration while also providing accessible channels for dispute resolution and complaints management.

“In this regard, we seek the support and collaboration of your Ministry in designing and implementing sustained public enlightenment campaigns across the traditional media, digital platforms, community outreach structures and national orientation programmes.

“Such collaboration will help educate citizens’ rights and responsibilities under Nigerian tax laws as well as on the important role of the Office of the Tax Ombuds in promoting justice, fairness and equity within the tax ecosystem.”

Present at the meeting were all heads of the agencies under the Ministry, including Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali M. Ali, Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), among others.

A multi-city training campaign coordinated by Bisola Akeju, a Computer Management Specialist at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) mission in Nigeria, has reached its two hundred and fiftieth implementing-partner trainee, completing one of the more substantial capacity-building sweeps undertaken within the agency’s Nigerian portfolio in recent years.

The training, run in successive cohorts in Enugu, Kano, and Ibadan, has targeted technical and administrative staff drawn from roughly twenty civil society organisations and development partners contracted to deliver USAID-funded programmes across the federation.

Curriculum content has spanned cybersecurity awareness, application security hygiene, the agency’s GLAAS procurement system, and a suite of internal collaboration tools through which partners interface with the mission.

Implementing partners — the network of non-governmental organisations, consultancies, and grantees that translate donor commitments into community-level activity — sit at the operational heart of the USAID delivery model in Nigeria.

The country hosts one of the largest USAID country portfolios on the African continent, with active programmes in health, agriculture, governance, education, and economic growth, whose execution depends on the security posture and digital competence of partner organisations.

Geographic spread has been a deliberate feature of the campaign.

Enugu has served as the South-East anchor, drawing partners working across the broader region; Kano has covered the North and parts of the North-West; while Ibadan has anchored the South-West and central operations.

The three-city footprint mirrors the geographic distribution of USAID programme delivery, which extends well beyond the Abuja administrative core into communities where last-mile implementation actually takes place.

Cybersecurity awareness has emerged as one of the more pressing components of the curriculum.

Donor-funded environments in Nigeria have come under sustained pressure from credential phishing, business email compromise, and ransomware activity targeting both the partners themselves and the financial intermediaries through which programme funds move.

Federal cyber threat data and disclosures from financial sector watchdogs have placed the incident curve on a steady upward trajectory over the past five years, with non-governmental organisations cited as a growing share of victim profiles.

Akeju assumed her USAID role in September 2022 following twelve years at the United States Embassy in Abuja, where she served as Computer Management Assistant, supporting more than four hundred staff and contributing to the embassy’s standing on the Department of State’s internal IPOST performance index.

Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Lagos State University, a Master of Science in Business Information Technology from Middlesex University, London, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of Portsmouth.

Her professional certifications — including the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), the Certificate in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), the Project Management Professional (PMP), and most recently the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) designation — place her among the small group of Nigerian IT professionals with both governance-focused and engineering-focused security qualifications, a combination increasingly sought after in donor-funded technology roles.

Sector observers have identified train-the-trainer models as a more sustainable strategy for closing Nigeria’s cybersecurity hygiene gap than direct hiring initiatives, given the country’s continued exposure to talent migration.

The USAID campaign, by extending cybersecurity practices across twenty partner organisations rather than concentrating expertise within a single team, expands the country’s pool of trained technology personnel and pushes operational knowledge into the field where programme delivery occurs.

The mission is expected to extend the training framework into additional cohorts in the coming financial cycle, with content evolving to reflect the rollout of more partner-facing systems and the tightening compliance requirements outlined under United States federal procurement law.

For Nigerian civil society organisations operating within the donor sector, the development increasingly positions credentialed in-house technology staff as a strategic necessity rather than a routine administrative function.

By Muftau Ogunyemi

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Federal Government, and Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger-Delta (LIFE-ND) Project in Ondo State, have enrolled and trained 697 young farmers to eradicate food shortage in the country.

Dr Olawale Ademola, IFAD State Project Coordinator (SPC), made the disclosure during the learning route for incubates (trainees) of LIFE-ND in the additional financing phase of the project held at Nibanola Farms in Ondo Town on Wednesday.

Ademola, represented by Mr Gbenga Agbotoba, IFAD State Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, said the 697 incubates were drawn from nine Local Government Area (LGA) of 49 communities in Ondo State.

The SPC, who said the learning route was to give incubates further technical skill and also expose them to other business environments, said it would help incubates to be more focused and motivated in their business enterprise.

“Today, about 30 incubates were drawn from Akure North, Akoko North-West, Owo, Ondo East, Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs to participate in a learning route programme,” he said.

Ademola explained that the incubates had been trained in their various centres in their chosen enterprises like cassava, cocoa, fishery and poultry farmers.

He said the learning route was to expose young farmers to practical knowledge and strengthen them in enterprise management and value chain development.

“The 697 incubates enrolled in November 2025, some were trained for one month and some for three months and each received N50,000 stipend per month.

“Now, the project is putting things in order to empower and support them by giving grants to start their business and to put into practice what they have been trained for.

“So, we are encouraging young farmers to go into agribusiness to make a life and good living out of what they are doing.

“Young farmers can engage in agribusiness such as cocoa marketing, production, Cocoa nursery production, cassava production and processing, and poultry production

“Also fish production, processing and marketing as well as vegetable production like tomato, cucumber and pepper. It will be for their benefit and the country at large,” he said.

Also, Mr Segun Akinbinuade, Nibanola Farms General Manager, said the farms were into different agribusiness, and charged the incubates to work on their mindset and see agriculture as a flourishing and profitable businesses.

Akinbinuade, therefore, encouraged the incubates and Nigerian youths to engage in agribusiness, rather than chasing white collar jobs.

One of the incubates, Adebukunola Olowolagba, a Poultry Farmer from Akoko North-West LGA, thanked IFAD for its roles in shaping the life of young people through the agricultural training and empowerment.

Olowolagba, who reflected on the progress made by Nibanola Farms, said the young farmers could also achieve similar success with dedication and effort.

“The visit to Nibanola Farms today has giving me more encouragement in my poultry farming business.

“The farm believes in persistence and consistency, so if we young farmers can put more effort in our various farming areas, definitely, success will be ours too,” she said.

Similarly, Salaudeen Isiaka, from Isuada, Owo LGA , applauded IFAD for the introduction to agribusiness, saying it would help young farmers start their own successful farming business with little capital.

(NAN)

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Violence erupted at the All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries in Lagos on Monday after suspected political thugs allegedly attacked and macheted Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe, during a bloody clash in Alimosho Local Government Area.

Ajigbotafe, popularly known in political circles as “AB Ajigbotafe,” was reportedly left in critical condition after the attack and is currently receiving treatment in hospital following severe blood loss.

PM NEWS gathered that the commissioner was attacked during a tense APC stakeholders’ meeting convened to resolve disagreements arising from the party’s House of Representatives primary election in Lagos West.

Sources said the violence stemmed from lingering tensions generated during Saturday’s House of Representatives primaries involving supporters of former Mosan-Okunola LCDA chairman, Olabisi Adebajo, popularly known as ABISCO, and incumbent lawmaker, Ganiyu Ayuba.

The primaries had reportedly descended into chaos after armed thugs allegedly stormed the venue wielding guns and dangerous weapons, triggering panic and sporadic gunshots.

Party insiders claimed Ajigbotafe was aligned with one of the rival political camps, a development believed to have intensified hostilities ahead of Monday’s reconciliation meeting.

What was expected to be a peace meeting, however, reportedly degenerated into violence after suspected loyalists of powerful political figures allegedly descended on the commissioner with machetes in what witnesses described as an assassination attempt.

“The assassination attempt on the Honourable Commissioner was unsuccessful; however, he sustained serious injuries, his vehicle was damaged and security personnel were severely wounded,” a party member said in a message circulated among APC stakeholders.

Sources disclosed that the commissioner lost a significant amount of blood and had undergone multiple blood transfusions as doctors battled to stabilise him.

The development has thrown the Lagos APC into turmoil, especially in Alimosho, one of the party’s strongest political strongholds in the state.

The attack sparked outrage among party members and stakeholders, many of whom condemned the growing wave of violence, intimidation and hooliganism within the party’s local structures.

In a strongly worded statement addressed to APC leaders in Alimosho, a concerned party member and Certified Protection Officer, Debo Awosheye, described the attack as dangerous and disgraceful.

“These incidents are unacceptable and capable of damaging the unity, reputation, and democratic values of our party,” he said.

“No political ambition or disagreement should ever justify violence, intimidation, harassment, or threats against party members.”

Awosheye warned that if urgent steps were not taken, the crisis could spiral further and damage the APC’s reputation ahead of future elections.

Another APC member described the incident as “barbaric” and called for urgent intervention by party leaders.

“How can you fight a sitting commissioner publicly and injure him to the point of blood flow? This is not acceptable,” he stated.

The incident has renewed concerns over increasing political violence within party primaries in Lagos, with many members demanding investigations and prosecution of those responsible for the attack.

By Ayorinde Oluokun

The declaration of a journalist and former member of House Representatives, Francis Ottah Agbo as the winner of the All Progressives Congress, APC senatorial ticket for Benue South senatorial district has been greeted with excitement, joy and great expectations among the people of the zone. Agbo, who is affectionately known as ‘Ozigizaga’ by his admirers scored over 7000 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Patrick Idoko who could only marshaled 311 votes in the primary conducted to choose the APC candidate for Benue South senatorial district in the 2027 election.

The announcement of the ex-Rep member as the winner of the senatorial ticket was met with dancing and celebrations by those who were present when the results were reeled out. Agbo, who was also present, was lifted high in celebration by party supporters, thus setting off a celebration that dovetailed late into Monday night and has continued across the senatorial district.

Significantly unlike in other places, the other aspirants have no grounds to allege foul play because of the transparency of the process. The massive victory of Agbo, a former special adviser to a governor was also not unexpected.

Since he joined the APC from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Agbo has demonstrated his support for efforts of Governor Hyacinth Alia in the efforts to tackle the socio-economic and security challenges confronting Benue State. He was doing this without the assurance of getting the senatorial ticket of the party while his opponents were nowhere to be found at the time. So, it was not a surprise that some of his opponents have tried to link his victory to support from the governor. But the fact is that they would also have ridden on such support if they have been able to work for it beyond just showing up in the battle for the senatorial ticket.

Even at that, Agbo’s strides as a member of the House of Representatives representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency with facilitation of jobs, massive empowerment and interventions in the areas of health, roads, electricity among others for the benefit of communities across the zone were well documented. These achievements, for which he was variously, nicknamed ‘Mr. Capacity’ ‘Mr. Employment’ ‘Mr. Infrastructure’ in the federal constituency is no doubt the single most important factor in his victory.

Indeed, a group of young people who were beneficiaries of his job facilitation efforts who are gainfully employed with Federal Government’s agencies had in the heat of the campaign for the senatorial ticket presented a N25m cheque to him as a token of their appreciation to support his ambition.

“It was a monumental support that I will cherish for a very long time. It is the spirit behind their visit that matters, not the sum or figure of money donated. We would have still cherished this visit without a donation. The gesture will spur me to do more for the masses, if I emerge a Senator in 2027,” Agbo had remarked. Thus, it was not a surprise that he was endorsed by critical stakeholders including the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, religious groups, veteran political leaders and others across the senatorial district and beyond.

During the campaign, Agbo had also unveiled his agenda tagged ‘Liberation Reloaded’ anchored on 4 Cs of leadership (Capacity, Courage, Character and Compassion) that will turn the senatorial zone huge construction site with delivery of long denied, but crucial infrastructure projects and critical interventions in health, power, and industrialization among others.

“We shall rebrand Benue South in such a way that we shall take our zone to the world and bring the world to Benue South, he said. With such promises, it was not a surprise that Ozigizaga’s victory was met with wild jubilation in the nooks and crannies of Benue South Senatorial District. The next challenge is at the polls in 2027.

Federation Cup: Major Upsets Rock Round of 64 as Katsina United, Tornadoes, Lobi Stars Crash Out

The opening stage of the Federation Cup Round of 64 delivered a series of surprises on Wednesday, as several Nigeria Premier Football League sides suffered unexpected eliminations in dramatic fashion.

Among the biggest casualties were Katsina United, Niger Tornadoes, and Lobi Stars, all of whom bowed out earlier than anticipated in tightly contested encounters.

For Katsina United, their campaign ended in heartbreak after a 22 draw against Sapele Lions forced the tie into penalties. Despite showing resilience during regulation time, they faltered in the shootout, losing 31 as their opponents held their nerve under pressure.

Niger Tornadoes were also stunned, falling 21 to Sunshine Stars U19. The youthful side capitalized on their energy and determination to outplay the more experienced Tornadoes, reinforcing the competition’s reputation for unpredictability.

In another tense fixture, Lobi Stars were held to a goalless draw by Kogi United. The match eventually went to penalties, where Kogi United edged a thrilling 87 victory, leaving Lobi Stars to rue missed opportunities in a closely fought contest.

Elsewhere, Kwara United survived a scare against Sporting Supreme U19, progressing 42 on penalties after a 22 draw in regulation time. Sokoto United also advanced after defeating Mojoda FC via a shootout, while Adamawa United secured qualification with a narrow 54 penalty win following a 11 draw with Agbana Wonderful Academy.

The early rounds of the tournament continue to underline the competitiveness of the Federation Cup, where lower-tier and youth teams frequently rise to challenge established clubs.

With more fixtures ahead, fans can expect further drama as the knockout competition progresses.

The Defence Headquarters of Nigeria has addressed recent reports suggesting the presence of a permanent terrorist base in the South West, following the brutal attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele, and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.

In a statement, Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede, extended his condolences to the victims’ families, the government and people of Oyo State, and all Nigerians affected by the abductions.

He described the attack on innocent children and school staff as callous and reprehensible, vowing that the Armed Forces are fully committed to securing the safe return of all abducted victims.

The statement emphasized that the attacks were isolated criminal acts, and do not indicate the existence of any entrenched terrorist structures in the South West. According to the Defence Headquarters, prior clearance operations of the Old Oyo National Park (OONP) had neutralized criminal elements in the area, and current intelligence does not support claims of a permanent terrorist presence.

“Criminal elements, however audacious, do not constitute an established insurgent presence. The Defence Headquarters cautions against narratives that may create unnecessary public panic or embolden adversaries,” the statement read.

The Armed Forces confirmed that troops are actively deployed across the forests and ungoverned spaces in the region, pursuing perpetrators and searching for the abducted victims. Contact was made with the criminal elements two days ago, and operations continue with determination in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilantes.

The statement also highlighted the importance of community cooperation in intelligence gathering, noting that local support is crucial for the safe and swift recovery of victims.

“The Armed Forces will not relent until every abducted victim is safely recovered, the criminal networks dismantled, and normalcy fully restored across the South West and Nigeria as a whole,” it concluded.

The statement was signed by Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, on 19 May 2026.

Gov. Babagana of Borno Zulum on Wednesday, supervised the process leading to the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for his hometown, Mafa State Constituency.

The process was conducted in Mafa Local Government Area, by the party’s Primary Election Committee, chaired by Chief Emma Eneukwu.

El-Lawan Yakub emerged as the consensus candidate after the incumbent lawmaker, Baba Modu, and another aspirant, Ahmadu Umara, voluntarily stepped down in his favour.

His emergence was thereafter affirmed through a voice vote by a large crowd of party supporters and residents, signalling overwhelming support for his candidature.

The Chairman of the Committee declared El-Lawan Yakub as the APC’s candidate for the state assembly constituency.

“El-Lawan Yakub is validly returned as the candidate for Mafa State Constituency in the 2027 general election,” Eneukwu declared.

Addressing party members and supporters at the end of the exercise, Zulum commended the three aspirants for their maturity, sacrifice, and commitment to party unity, which led to the successful adoption of a consensus candidate.

“I urge you to eschew bitterness and carry everyone along in your discharge of legislative duties and responsibilities and your services to your constituency,” Zulum advised.

The governor also called on politicians and residents of Mafa to avoid tribal divisions and work collectively for the development of the area.

“You should all not look at yourselves with any tribal lens, but as indigenes of Mafa for peace, progress and prosperity to blossom in Mafa,” he said.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after the process, Zulum expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the APC primaries across the state.

“Everything is going well, because I believe almost all of the 28 seats of the members of the House of Assembly will emerge based on consensus, and this is an indication that there is party cohesion and there is party unity,” Zulum said.

“The chairman and members of the team that are here for the primary election, as well as the appeal committees, are doing very well.

“We extend our profound appreciation to them, and we wish them well,” he added.

Also speaking, El-Lawan Yakub promised inclusive representation for the people of Mafa constituency at the Borno State House of Assembly if elected.

He expressed gratitude to the two aspirants who stepped down for him, the Primary Election Committee, and the governor for ensuring a transparent and fair process.

The governor was accompanied by the APC Deputy National Chairman North, Ali Dalori; member representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, Ahmed Jaha; Acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr Babagana Malumbe and other party officials.

NAN