Category: PM News

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the construction of new roads in Abuja is an important part of Nigeria’s plan to host the next Commonwealth Games.

Wike made this known on Tuesday during the flag-off of the Access Arterial Road S1 project, which runs from Ring Road 2 to the FCT Fire Service Station in Kaura District, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

According to him, good roads will make Nigeria’s bid stronger. ‘I hope you know that Nigeria is bidding to host the next Commonwealth Games. We cannot succeed without a good road network,’ he said.

He explained that modern infrastructure would impress the international committee when they visit. ‘If the committee comes and sees that we are providing the basic infrastructure, it will help us get the hosting right,’ he added.

The minister also stressed that the new road will help the Fire Service respond faster to emergencies.

He said that poor road access in the past slowed down fire trucks during incidents.

The 2-kilometre road project includes a 3-span bridge. Wike expressed confidence that it would improve emergency services and make life easier for residents.

He also urged the company handling the project to employ local youths from the area. ‘Please give residents the opportunity to participate by employing our young people,’ he appealed.

Wike further noted that the FCT Administration is working on several other road projects, including the Airport-Kuje Expressway and the Kuje-Gwagwalada dualisation, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘The hope is that before the end of President Tinubu’s first term, Abuja will look very different and compete with other world-class cities,’ he said.

The FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, also spoke at the event. She said the road project supports President Tinubu’s vision for better infrastructure.

She added that it would improve fire response times, boost public safety, and open up Kaura District for more businesses, investments, and a better quality of life.

President Bola Tinubu is reportedly considering Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This comes as the current chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, nears the end of his 10-year tenure.

A presidency source confirmed that Amupitan is being strongly considered. A close associate of the professor also confirmed the development, although no official announcement has been made yet.

Yakubu, appointed in 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, was expected to step down in June but stayed on while the presidency searched for a replacement. His time as chairman saw both innovations and controversies.

He introduced BVAS, the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and simultaneous accreditation and voting. However, he faced criticism for frequent inconclusive elections.

If confirmed, Amupitan will oversee major upcoming polls, including the Anambra governorship election in November 2026, the FCT council elections in February 2026, the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections in 2026, and the 2027 general election.

Who is Amupitan?

Professor Amupitan, born in 1967 in Kogi State, is a legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

He studied law at the University of Jos, where he graduated as the best student in 1987.

He later obtained his Master’s and PhD in Law.

He has worked at the University of Jos since 1989, becoming a professor in 2008. He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university and also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University.

Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Corporate Governance, and Law of Evidence.

He has written several books and published more than 70 academic papers.

He has also served on boards of companies, worked as a government consultant, and been involved in several important legal cases.

He was made a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and has held various leadership roles in academia and law.

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Afrobeats artist Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has been named as the top Afrobeats artist of the year by Spotify.

The list which is dominated by Nigerian artists, ranked Rema as the number two spot. Balogun Ayodeji popularly known as Wizkid was ranked at the third place while Asake and Ayra Starr were ranked at the 4th and 5th spot.

The list, however, became controversial when fans discovered that Davido was missing despite being regarded as one of the top 3 biggest Afrobeats artists.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic chapter, Zaria, Kaduna State, has declared an indefinite strike effective Tuesday.

The branch Chairman, Malam Usman Suleiman, announced this in a statement issued on Monday in Zaria.

Suleiman said the decision followed a meeting with the Kaduna State Government where the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education appealed for patience, saying that Gov. Uba Sani had ‘impliedly approved’ their demands.

He explained that the union resolved to withdraw its services until a formal approval was granted by the Governor.

The chairman recalled that the congress had earlier mandated the leadership to embark on an indefinite strike should the Polytechnic Salary Structure (PSS) not be implemented after payment of the September 2025 salary.

The union’s demands include the implementation of CONPCASS/CONTEDISS salary structures for staff of state tertiary institutions and the extension of the 65-year retirement age to non-academic staff, as approved for academic staff.

‘After due deliberations, the unions unanimously resolved that members shall withdraw their services until the governor’s approval is officially granted,’ Suleiman said.

Veteran Fuji musician, Dr. Adewale Ayuba, has dismissed reports alleging that he divorced his wife, Azuka Ego, over a paternity dispute.

The speculation began after a YouTube channel, Nigerian News, claimed Ayuba had secretly conducted a DNA test that exposed his wife’s alleged infidelity, leading to divorce.

In a statement issued by Bonsue Fuji Entertainment and shared on his Instagram page, Ayuba described the story as ‘baseless and malicious,’ stressing that his marriage remains intact.

‘We want to state this clearly to everyone who supports Dr. Adewale Ayuba, that there is absolutely no truth-not a single iota-in this cooked-up story,’ the statement read.

‘For the record, they have been happily married for over thirty years. This is nothing more than a cheap, despicable attempt to embarrass Dr. Ayuba’s family, malign his character, and bring his united family to public ridicule. We are currently consulting with our lawyers to pursue all available legal remedies against the irresponsible individual.’

Ayuba further emphasized that the paternity of his children has never been in question, warning that he would not allow his integrity to be attacked without consequences.

The Lagos State Government has announced that it will be shutting down both private and commercial terminals and jetties from the 3rd of October.

This closure is in preparation of the upcoming E1 Championship, which is the world’s first all-electric powerboat racing tournament.

In a statement released, LASWA explained that the action will take place from Friday, the 3rd of October till Sunday, the 5th of October.

They explained that there will be a partial closure from Falomo bridge to Oriental Hotel from 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday. there will also be a total closure from Oriental Hotel to Mekwen Bridge between 10 am and 6 p.m.

LASWA further explained that the closure is to ensure the success of the tournament and ensure safety on the waterways and on the roads.

‘The waterways restriction is a vital safety and security measure to ensure seamless event operations, safeguard lives, and project Lagos as a world-class destination for international sporting events,’ the statement read in part.

Popular Nigerian comedian and television host, Teju Babyface, has stirred controversy after advising men against confessing infidelity to their wives or partners.

In a YouTube video shared on Monday, Teju described open confessions about cheating as ‘one of the most catastrophic and damaging things you can ever do in your life,’ stressing that such admissions cause more harm than healing in marriages.

‘If you cheat on your wife or your husband, but especially your wife – especially men – if you cheat on your wife, don’t tell her. Don’t confess. Do not ever do it,’ he said.

The entertainer argued that while many justify confession with biblical references, repentance and forgiveness should be directed to God, not to one’s spouse.

‘People will even quote the Bible to support the idea of confession. They will say that if we confess and repent, then our sins are forgiven. Excuse me, that is to God and from God, not to man. It is confession to God, not to man. Do not do it,’ he emphasized.

Teju further explained that most confessions are not acts of honesty but rather selfish attempts to ease personal guilt.

According to him, ‘You are not being honest; you are being manipulative. What you’re really doing is shedding the weight of your guilt, not helping your spouse. You’re looking for someone else to carry the burden of your wrongdoing.’

Sharing a personal story, the comedian admitted that before marriage, he once cheated in a serious relationship and confessed, a decision he now regrets.

He said the confession was less about integrity and more about subconsciously sabotaging the relationship.

‘I can see clearly now that I confessed because I wanted out of the relationship. If I cheated and then confessed, and she left by herself, I could justify it to myself. That was not honesty – that was cowardice,’ he said.

Teju concluded that confessions rarely mend relationships, instead leaving betrayed partners with long-lasting pain and distrust.

‘There is no benefit to your spouse when you confess. All the benefits are yours. What you give them is pain, heartache, and misery,’ he stated.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday landed at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State, for a one-day working visit. The presidential jet touched down at 12:52 p.m.

During the trip, Tinubu is set to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodimma, including the reconstructed 60-kilometre Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia Federal Road, the Assumpta Flyover, and the 6,000-capacity Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre.

The President will also attend the public presentation of Uzodimma’s book, ‘A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance in Nigeria,’ highlighting governance milestones under the All Progressives Congress over the past ten years.

Ahead of the visit, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President’s itinerary underscores the Federal Government’s partnership with Imo State on infrastructure development, modernisation, and sustainable growth.

Other projects to be commissioned include the Imo Concorde Hilton Hotel and the state-of-the-art Imo Digital Learning Centre, reflecting a shared commitment to enhancing the state’s socio-economic landscape

Police said they have rescued a man abducted by suspected armed hoodlums in Umuru Village, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State seven hours after he was abducted.

The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of ?10 million before the rescue was carried out, Anambra Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Awka.

Ikenga said the victim was rescued by joint operatives from the Police Command and Tactical Team in a coordinated operation in the early hours of Sept. 30. in Oba/Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area, seven hours after his abduction.

‘The victim was rescued seven hours after he was abducted by armed criminals at Umuru Village, Nnobi,’ Ikenga said.

According to him, intelligence-led tactical teams were deployed immediately to comb the location extensively.

‘Under pressure from the advancing rescue team, the kidnappers hastily released the victim and fled into nearby bushes,’ he said.

The victim was rescued unharmed, debriefed, and has since been reunited with his family.

Ikenga said the command was pursuing leads for the possible arrest of the fleeing suspects.

He quoted the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Ortugu, as commending the operatives for their swift intervention.

Ortugu reassured residents of the command’s commitment to tackling crime and safeguarding lives and property across the state.