Category: PM News

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, has said the party already has systems in place to settle disagreements that may come up after its primary elections.

He spoke after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the President’s residence in Lagos on Wednesday.

Yilwatda said the APC has conflict resolution committees that will help reconcile unhappy members and prevent crises before the 2027 general elections.

According to him, it is normal for some aspirants to feel disappointed after losing elections, but the party will begin an early reconciliation process to keep members united ahead of campaigns.

He described the ongoing APC primaries as the most competitive in Nigeria’s history, saying thousands of people are contesting for a limited number of positions because of the party’s growing popularity across the country.

He also said the primaries have been mostly peaceful and organised, despite a few complaints from some aspirants.

On concerns about consensus candidates, Yilwatda explained that the party followed its rules. He said where consensus fails, the party conducts direct primaries.

He added that aspirants involved in consensus arrangements must sign forms agreeing to step down for chosen candidates.

Speaking about President Tinubu’s reaction, Yilwatda said the President was impressed with the conduct of the primaries, especially the logistics and the low number of incidents recorded nationwide.

He noted that this is the first time the APC is organising direct primaries across the country on such a large scale, with result sheets and logistics similar to those used by INEC.

Yilwatda also thanked Tinubu for supporting the party’s National Working Committee and backing efforts to enforce party rules.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and Bala Wunti, former Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), to contest the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 Bauchi State election.

However, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has withdrawn from the race.

Buba attributed his withdrawal to alleged breaches of the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and constitutional provisions guiding internal democracy.

The development is expected to reshape political calculations ahead of the 2027 governorship contest in Bauchi State, with Tuggar and Wunti now emerging as leading contenders within the ruling party.

Speaking on his vision for the state, Tuggar said that if elected, his administration would prioritise security and agricultural development.

According to him, “The issue of insecurity and how to manage and harness the farmland that we have will be a major focus.”

He added that Bauchi’s vast land resources would be effectively utilised to improve the livelihoods of farmers and herders across the state.

“The 46,000 square metres of land that Bauchi possesses will be used to ensure that subsistence farmers and herders are able to sustain themselves in a way that can be properly managed, so that people are lifted out of poverty,” he said.

“And that the land is not controlled by just a few people while the rest are pushed into poverty and desperation.”

Tuggar also stated that he was open to any mode of primary election, whether direct primaries or consensus, as long as the process remains transparent and credible.

“I hope that the process will be free and fair. Regardless of what the party chooses — whether direct primaries or consensus — what matters is that the process is transparent and fair,” he said.

In an apparent reference to direct primaries, Tuggar stressed the need for the party to present candidates with credibility and genuine grassroots support.

“It is important to ensure that we put forward people with credibility as candidates — people who command respect and enjoy genuine followership,” he added.

By Tiamiyu Prudence Arobani

The United State (U.S.) has said it is “rapidly supporting” the Ebola outbreak response by funding up to 50 treatment clinics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

The U.S. Department of State said it is actively responding to the Ebola outbreak in the affected regions of DRC and Uganda.

The department said the U.S. was also funding associated frontline costs being established in Ebola-affected areas of the two countries.

“These rapidly deployed clinics would enable implementing partners to establish clinical care and containment perimeters around affected areas.

” Clinics will provide emergency Ebola screening, triage, and isolation capacity,” the department said.

The U.S. said its funding commitment will accelerate the delivery of frontline medical care, life-saving humanitarian assistance, and critical outbreak response capabilities to communities at greatest risk.

” Incremental rapid U.S. funding will stimulate the expansion of emergency treatment capacity, strengthen field operations, and accelerate the delivery of protective equipment, diagnostics,” it said.

The department added that the rapid U.S. funding would ensure essential health services where they were needed most.

” We know from previous outbreak response that ensuring partners rapidly scale up containment and treatment efforts in the affected regions is the most critical variable.

” This is to ensure an effective response and that the disease does not spread.”

The U.S. said the additional funding announcement, in the first days of the epidemic, “sent a clear message”.

” The United States has an ironclad committed to ensuring this response is fully resourced, rapid, and cooperative between key global health and humanitarian partners,” it said.

” Healthcare and humanitarian workers heading to the frontline should know that the United States has their back and is urgently mobilizing all available resources to assist frontline providers and response efforts.”

The U.S. said it would deliver the funding primarily via UN’s Central Emergency Response Funds (CERF) pooled funding vehicles administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

It said it was building upon its landmark partnership with OCHA to deliver life-saving assistance faster, more efficiently and more accountable.

” Our combined reforms helped OCHA deliver a record disbursement timeline in our December 2025 funding tranche.

The U.S. said the 2025 funding was disbursed with a “proven speed at scale that will be critical in ensuring resources the frontline in these critical first days of this outbreak response”.

The department said the U.S. continues to mobilize its global resources in support of this outbreak response. (NAN)

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.