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The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, has dismissed claims linking him to an alleged plan to unseat Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde. In a press statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, the monarch described the allegation as false and urged those behind it not to drag the Olubadan throne into […]

A prominent governorship aspirant in Adamawa State, Chief Maurice Vunobolki, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress, APC.

During a news briefing in Yola on Tuesday, he expressed concerns over lack of transparency, fairness, and internal democracy within the APC.

Addressing journalists, Vunobolki said his decision was prompted by “recent developments in the APC that contradict earlier assurances of equity and a level playing field.”

Vunobolki said defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDO, into the APC on February 23, 2026 after assurances by the party and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri who was also set to join the APC at the time. He, however, said prevailing actions within the party and the state government undermined those assurances.

Describing the current political climate as a repeat of past patterns, Vunobolki asserted that the system is increasingly driven by imposition rather than democratic choice.

“As a long-standing participant in Nigeria’s political space, I recognise the signs of a system that is tilting towards impositions; there is a growing likelihood that decisions will be made through manipulated consensus rather than a transparent and credible process,” he said.

He said he remains a governorship aspirant but has not decided his next political party.

He urged his supporters across the state to also withdraw from the APC and await further directives on the next political direction.

DAILY POST reports that though Vunobolki’s resignation from the APC may have come sooner than Adamawa public may have expected, prevailing complaints by many who were influenced into the APC by Governor Fintiri signal possible similar resignations in the near future.

APC governorship aspirant, Vunobolki dumps party in Adamawa

By Enitan Abdultawab

Omah Lay has boldly declared himself the greatest Afrobeats artiste of the decade, stressing that his claim is rooted in artistic quality rather than commercial success.

The ‘Soso’ crooner spoke in a recent interview with Capital Xtra, and maintained that his strength lies in his craft, even if conventional industry metrics suggest otherwise.

“I am the greatest Afrobeats artiste of the decade. I am the greatest,” he said.

However, the 28-year-old singer clarified that factors such as streaming numbers, popularity, and public persona might not place him at the top in the eyes of many.

“When you consider numbers, personality, level of fame, and stardom, maybe you would not consider me. But when it comes to the art itself, I am the greatest,” he added.

This is not the first time the Port Harcourt-born artiste has made such a bold assertion. He had previously described himself as Nigeria’s best artiste of the last 20 years, joining a growing list of Afrobeats stars who have made similar claims about their dominance in the genre.

Born Stanley Omah Didia, Omah Lay began his journey in music as a producer at the age of 15 before gaining mainstream attention in 2020 with breakout hits like ‘You’ and ‘Bad Influence’.

Known for his emotive songwriting and distinctive Afro-fusion sound, he has built a strong global fan base and remains one of the genre’s most talked-about voices.

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Omah Lay earned a nomination in the Best African Music Performance category for ‘With You,’ his collaboration with Davido, but lost out to Tyla.

The post I am Afrobeats greatest artiste – Omay Lay declares appeared first on Vanguard News.

President John Mahama has underscored the importance of Nigeria’s stability to Ghana’s security and economic wellbeing, warning that challenges in Africa’s most populous nation could trigger migration pressures across the subregion.

Mahama made the remarks at the African Heritage Awards 2026, where he highlighted the strong historical, cultural, and economic ties between Nigeria and Ghana.

According to him, Nigeria’s progress is directly linked to Ghana’s fortunes, noting that instability in the country could have spillover effects on smaller neighbouring states.

“Nigeria is of keen security interest to us. If Nigeria does well, Ghana does well,” Mahama said.

“I mean, when you have cousins, 250 million of them, you want them to do well so that one million of them don’t come drifting towards a small country like Ghana,” he said, adding that the size of Nigeria’s population makes its stability a matter of regional concern.

Mahama also expressed personal concern over Nigeria’s situation, stating that he regularly reflects on the country’s challenges and hopes for improvement.

He further pointed to longstanding ancestral and migration links between the two countries, particularly connections between Ghanaian communities and the Yoruba ethnic groups in southwestern Nigeria.

The former Ghanaian leader noted that these shared roots reinforce the deep relationship between both nations and underscore the need for sustained stability in Nigeria.

His comments come amid growing concerns across West Africa over insecurity, economic pressures, and migration trends, with regional leaders continuing to stress Nigeria’s strategic role in maintaining balance and prosperity within the subregion.

I pray Nigeria does well so they don’t run to Ghana’ — President Mahama

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has gifted Ekiti-born Miss Adeolu Oluwadamilola, who recently emerged winner of the Africa Spelling Bee competition, her coach, and her school, St. Lawrence Metropolitan College, Ado Ekiti, cash gifts worth N8 million. The governor also pledged to sponsor the Africa Spelling Bee champion, together with her mother and coach, to […]

Provisional results from Benin’s presidential election show Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni securing a crushing victory with more than 94% of the vote, based on 90% of ballots counted.

The electoral commission described the outcome as “irreversible.” Voter turnout stood at 58.75%.

The 49-year-old Wadagni was widely expected to win after being endorsed by outgoing President Patrice Talon, who is barred by the constitution from seeking a third term.

His only challenger, Paul Hounkpè, conceded the race on Monday while votes were still being tallied, congratulating Wadagni and stressing that “democracy requires mutual respect and the ability to rise above partisan divides.”

The election was largely viewed as a formality due to strict rules requiring presidential candidates to secure endorsements from lawmakers.

Benin’s main opposition party, the Democrats, failed to field a candidate after its nominee could not gather the required sponsorships.

Wadagni, a technocrat who has served as Finance Minister, will now lead the West African nation of 15 million people as it grapples with chronic poverty, especially in the north and worsening insecurity.

Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist group JNIM has carried out deadly attacks on soldiers in recent months, including incidents that killed 54 troops last April and 15 more recently.

The security crisis was cited as a key factor in a failed coup attempt by soldiers four months ago.

Benin has stood out as one of the more stable democracies in a region hit by multiple military coups in recent years.

Official final results are expected in the coming days.

Benin’s Finance Minister Wins Presidency In Landslide Victory is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

No fewer than 5,000 households have benefited from empowerment programmes by a female aspirant for

No fewer than 3,000 delegates have arrived at the Rainbow Event Centre, Abuja, for the ongoing African Democratic Congress (ADC) national convention.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegates, dressed in colourful attires, were drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, showcasing unity and diversity within party ranks.

NAN also reports that security personnel conducted thorough checks on all the delegates before being granted access, as accreditation commenced under the supervision of the accreditation subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Austin Akobundu.

The National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, explained that delegates’ allocation across states was determined by the size of the state to ensure equitable representation in the convention proceedings.

Idigo, however, expressed dissatisfaction over the challenges faced by the party in securing a befitting venue, alleging that several private business owners declined hosting ADC due to what he called external pressures and threats.

“We wrote to use the Eagle Square but received no response, and our request for the Velodrome (at the national stadium) was also denied without explanation.

“We approached several venues, including hotels and event centres, but once they realised it was ADC, they declined, citing fear of possible repercussions.

“Even this Rainbow Event Centre initially attempted to cancel after alleged threats, but we insisted on proceeding since payments had already been made,” he stated.

“I do not understand why businesses in Nigeria cannot operate freely without intimidation, as this situation is causing significant financial losses to private operators,” he said.

According to Idigo, the convention will conclude the party’s congresses, ratify a new constitution and set the stage for the party’s primaries. (NAN)(

The post Accreditation begins as 3,000 delegates arrive at ADC national convention venue appeared first on Vanguard News.

Nigeria’s mobile network operators are grappling with mounting financial losses following a surge in the theft of critical telecom infrastructure, raising fresh concerns over the resilience of the country’s digital backbone.

Data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) showed that more than 650 power-related assets were stolen in 2025 alone.

The stolen items include generators, batteries, and other essential equipment required to power base stations nationwide.

With Nigeria’s unreliable electricity supply, telecom operators rely heavily on off-grid power systems such as diesel generators and battery backups to maintain network uptime. The loss of these assets has significantly disrupted operations across the sector.

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) warned that the scale of the theft has escalated beyond routine operational challenges, describing it as an existential threat to the industry.

ATCON President Tony Emoekpere said operators are increasingly adopting defensive strategies to mitigate the impact of the theft.

“Operators are responding, but largely in a defensive mode,” he said. “What you’re seeing now is a combination of increased physical security, technology deployment, and changes to how sites are designed and powered.”

According to him, measures being implemented include the deployment of security guards, collaboration with local vigilante groups, reinforcement of base station enclosures, and the use of remote monitoring systems capable of detecting tampering in real time.

Operators are also redesigning infrastructure by moving away from easily removable components such as standalone batteries toward integrated and hybrid power systems.

However, ATCON noted that even solar-powered and hybrid installations are increasingly being targeted by vandals.

Industry stakeholders, including ATCON, the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, the NCC, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have intensified collaboration to improve intelligence sharing and response mechanisms.

Despite these efforts, ATCON expressed concern that operators are diverting substantial resources toward protecting infrastructure rather than expanding network capacity, raising questions about long-term sustainability.

“We are spending more to protect infrastructure than we should, and that is not sustainable,” Tony said.

The operational impact is already evident, with operators reporting frequent site shutdowns leading to deteriorating service quality nationwide.

“When you lose generators and batteries at that scale, what it means in practical terms is that sites go down,” Tony said. “And when sites go down, you immediately see increased call drops, poorer voice quality, and slower or completely unavailable data services.”

While operators sometimes reroute traffic in urban centres, this often results in network congestion and reduced service quality. In rural areas, the loss of equipment can lead to complete outages.

ATCON noted that subscribers are already experiencing the consequences, even if the root cause is not always apparent. It added that the financial burden of the theft runs into billions of naira annually.

“These losses run into billions of naira annually. While operators are absorbing a lot of it for now, it inevitably feeds into the overall cost structure of the industry,” Tony said.

The association warned that consumers may ultimately bear the cost through declining service quality, increased pricing pressures, and reduced investment in network expansion.

Although telecom infrastructure has been officially designated as Critical National Infrastructure, ATCON stressed that enforcement remains weak.

The group called for stricter measures, including treating telecom asset theft as economic sabotage, alongside stronger collaboration with security agencies.

It also urged authorities to ensure visible deterrence through arrests, prosecutions, and convictions, as well as clamp down on informal markets where stolen telecom equipment is allegedly resold.

ATCON warned that without decisive enforcement, the ongoing cycle of theft, service disruption, and rising costs will continue to undermine Nigeria’s telecommunications sector at a time of growing demand for digital connectivity.

Telecom Infrastructure Theft Deepens Losses For Operators is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

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