Blog

Opposition candidate Paul Hounkpe on Monday conceded defeat to favourite Romuald Wadagni in Benin’s presidential election.

Wadagni, who oversaw a decade of growth as finance minister, had been the overwhelming favourite in Sunday’s contest after being endorsed by outgoing leader Patrice Talon, who handed on the baton after two five-year terms.

Hounkpe offered “republican congratulations” to Wadagni, saying he noted a clear lead for his sole rival and was therefore acting with “responsibility.”

Official results were expected not before Tuesday but Wadagni’s ability to conjure economic growth in the face of jihadist attacks had given him a clear lead even if the eight million-strong electorate showed scant enthusiasm for either choice before them, notably in the cities.

In the capital Porto-Novo, turnout was between a mere 20 and 40 percent for some polling stations.

Hounkpe only made the contest with help from majority lawmakers to secure the required parliamentary endorsements to stand.

The main opposition The Democrats party did not field a candidate as its leader, Renaud Agbodjo, failed to secure sufficient endorsements.

By midday Monday, the economic capital Cotonou had generally returned to its usual bustling rhythms with shops and businesses reopening after having closed for polling day, an AFP journalist observed.

For the media, in the words of Le Telegramme daily, the election was “generally calm and well-organised,” while Le Matin Libre forecast “Wadagni on his way to the Marina,” the presidential palace.

Le Patriote, however, saw “signs of an electoral heist.”

Earlier, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) election observation mission praised “a peaceful atmosphere” and “the smooth running of the election.”

AFP

The post Benin opposition presidential candidate concedes defeat to Wadagni appeared first on Vanguard News.

Nigerian singer Kcee has revealed that years of being overlooked by award organizers in the industry once left him deeply hurt, despite his consistent contributions to Afrobeats.

Speaking during an interview with Afrobeats Intelligence, the singer shared that the lack of recognition from award bodies affected him emotionally, even bringing him to tears at one point in his career.

According to him, while his work resonated strongly with fans, it often failed to receive the same acknowledgment from industry gatekeepers.

“I grew up in an industry that wasn’t fair to me. There wasn’t any attention given to me at any moment. I was doing a lot that the industry wasn’t recognising,” he said.

Kcee explained that he has since developed a different mindset, choosing to focus less on awards and more on the impact of his music.

He noted that he now prioritizes “rewards” such as fan support and global reach over formal recognition.

“The fans were the ones who were behind me. I did a lot of work; they were not nominating me for awards. And I cried; I was pained.

“Right now, when I win awards, or you don’t nominate me, I don’t care. I prefer the rewards to the awards,” he stated.

Reflecting on a turning point in his career, the artist highlighted the massive success of his hit song Limpopo, which he described as a breakthrough moment that pushed him onto the international stage.

He expressed gratitude for the global attention the track attracted, especially after years of hard work.

Kcee also pointed to the viral success of Ojapiano, noting its rapid rise on TikTok, where it generated significant user engagement within days of release.

He emphasized that the song’s organic popularity, including its views by international audiences, reaffirmed his belief in the value of genuine fan connection over industry validation.

“So, when ‘Limpopo’ came, oh, I was in tears. I was like, no, God has answered my prayer. He took me to the global market straight.

“After all the years I’ve worked with Presh, that’s like the biggest record I’ve ever done. I dropped ‘Ojapiano’ like today, the next day, it was doing 120,000 videos on TikTok in one day. And it happened for seven days non-stop. That’s organic. The white people were vibing to it,” he added.

Nigerian music industry wasn’t fair to me – Kcee opens up

Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South in the National Assembly, has urged President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts to secure the release of over 400 residents from the Ngoshe community in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. Most of those abducted last month by members of Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS), a faction […]

Have you ever walked past a restaurant with a very long queue and wondered how they pulled that off? If yes, then there is a good chance TikTok had something to do with it.

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has advised political parties seeking the votes of Muslims in the South-West to present Muslims as their candidates in the 2027 general elections.

MURIC specifically advised political parties such as All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, Social Democratic Party and others to present Muslims as gubernatorial candidates in Oyo, Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun and Ondo states.

The organisation added that political parties that fail to field Muslims as their candidates should not expect votes from the Muslims in the region.

MURIC made its position known in a statement signed by Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The group maintained that Muslims constitute majority in the region, adding that there are many qualified Muslims to occupy governorship offices in the concerned states.

The statement pointed out that current governors in Oyo, Lagos, Ogun and Osun are Christians.

He added that it is now time for Muslims to take up the positions.

‎”Although Muslims constitute the majority in Yorubaland, the political leadership space of the region has been hijacked by Yoruba Christians since 2023.

“No single space was left for Yoruba Muslims. Sanwo-Olu seized Lagos, Abiodun commandeered Ogun, Makinde took Oyo by storm while Adeleke wrestled Osun from Isiaka Oyetola.

“It was exclusivity par excellence with Muslims as mere onlookers while our common patrimony was shared behind our backs.
‎
“That was not all. Ekiti and Ondo States succumbed easily to Christian governors. Of course that was not a surprise because Muslims are just between 35 and 40% in those two states.

“In essence, today, the whole of Southern Nigeria, with 17 states, has no single Muslim governor. Yet these are the same people who are spreading the false, fictitious and baseless propaganda of Islamisation of Nigeria,” the statement said.

2027: Present Muslims if you want our votes in South-West – MURIC tells APC, PDP, ADC, others

By Adegboyega Adeleye

Special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has heaped praises on Nigerian Afrobeats stars, Wizkid and Tems, while expressing his disbelief over their hit song ‘Essence‘ loss at the Grammy Awards in 2022.

The Presidential spokesperson reacted to the buzz around Wizkid and Tems’ electrifying performance during the weekend at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

“Still wondering why Essence did not win a Grammy. Great song, great rhythm!” Onanuga wrote on X, sharing a clip of the track’s scintillating performance during the first weekend of Coachella.

This year’s Coachella festival runs over two weekends: April 10–12 and April 17–19, 2026, at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

Over the weekend, Canadian pop star Justin Bieber surprised the crowd by allowing Wizkid and Tems to join him on stage for a live rendition of the remix.

‘Essence’ first dropped in 2020 as a collaboration between Wizkid and Tems. It is the 11th track of Wizkid’s fourth studio album, ‘Made In Lagos.’

It was followed by a remix with Justin Bieber, which featured in the Deluxe version of the album in 2021.

The track earned a nomination at the 2022 Recording Academy Awards in the ‘Best Global Music Performance’ category. Wizkid, however, lost the category to Pakistani singer-songwriter Arooj Aftab for her song “Mohabbat.” His album, ‘Made in Lagos’, was also nominated for Best Global Music Album, but he lost the category to Beninese icon Angélique Kidjo.

However, both Wizkid and Tems are Grammy winners. In 2021, Wizkid won the Best Music Video category for his feature on Beyoncé’s “Brown Skin Girl” (from The Lion King: The Gift album).

Tems is currently the Nigerian artist with the most Grammy wins. In 2023, she won the Best Melodic Rap Performance category for her feature on Future’s “Wait for U” (alongside Drake), and in 2025, she also won the  Best African Music Performance category for her song “Love Me Jeje”.

Vanguard News

The post ‘Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ deserves a Grammy’ — Onanuga appeared first on Vanguard News.

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu convened an urgent security meeting on Monday with top brass at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, as Nigeria battles escalating threats nationwide.

The closed-door session was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede; Army Chief Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Naval Chief Vice Admiral Idi Abbas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Anele;

Also present were the Director-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi; Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed; Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu; National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and other key officials.

Though details remain under wraps, the meeting follows a stark US State Department advisory on April 8, authorizing voluntary departure of non-essential embassy staff and families from Abuja amid a “deteriorating security situation.”

It slapped “Level 4: Do Not Travel” on 23 of Nigeria’s 36 states—including new additions Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba—citing Northeast insurgency, Northwest/North-Central banditry, and violence in the South/Southeast oil regions.

It also temporarily stopped Abuja visa services but Lagos office was not affected.

But the Nigeria’s government brushed it off as routine US protocol. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris insisted no nationwide law-and-order collapse exists, with most areas stable despite isolated incidents.

It was also expected that the meeting would address fallout from a Saturday Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Borno’s Jilli Market along the Yobe border, which reportedly recorded casualties mostly civilians while targeting Boko Haram.

The Air Force confirmed “precision mop-up” on terrorist sites but skipped civilian casualty claims. The Presidency defended it, with Senior Special Assistant Tope Ajayi telling Bloomberg the market had morphed into an insurgent logistics hub, making it a legitimate target.

Nigeria’s security woes persist: Northeast insurgency, Northwest/North-Central banditry and kidnappings, Southeast separatist unrest—all straining the nation’s defenses.

The post Borno Airstrike: Tinubu, security heads meet in Aso Villa appeared first on Vanguard News.

John Alechenu
Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intensify efforts to secure the release of over 400 residents of Ngoshe community in Borno State, mostly women and children, abducted by Boko Haram insurgents last month.

Ndume, who represents Borno South, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Abuja yesterday. He noted that the military has rescued the community from the terrorists.

He urged the federal government to support the Borno state government in resettling displaced residents who are willing to return to Ngoshe.

The federal lawmaker said, “It is on record that the Nigerian Army has recovered Ngoshe from the insurgents and now occupies it. Those who escaped from the village are seeking refuge in Pulka.

“It’s appalling that those of us in authority at the federal level have not met our people’s expectations in fulfilling this sacred duty of securing lives and property, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

“We call on the federal government to take urgent action to secure the release of over 400 Ngoshe residents in captivity. We appeal to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to begin reconstructing the Ngoshe community, which was destroyed by the insurgents.

“From my interactions with the people, they’ve indicated willingness to return to Ngoshe and live in improvised tents before their houses are rebuilt. The people really want to go back and live in Ngoshe instead of Pulka.”

Ndume urged the federal government to reconstruct Ngoshe and support the state government’s N100 million reconstruction effort. Ndume commended the Nigerian Army’s resilience and urged the international community, particularly the US, to help combat terrorism in Borno State.

He reiterated his call for the federal government to adopt the TEAM approach – Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Mobilization – to ensure the Nigerian Armed Forces are effective in combating insurgency.

The Borno South Senator urged President Tinubu to reinvigorate his Emergency on Security declaration, saying it has lost steam and that insurgents have resumed attacks.

The post Secure release of 400 Ngoshe abductees -Ndume’s pleads with Tinubu appeared first on Vanguard News.

A senatorial aspirant, Barrister Joshua Mba, has advised the newly elected executive committee members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Enugu State to be patriotic and diligent in discharging their duties.

Mba who is aspiring to represent Enugu East senatorial district under the platform of the ADC, gave the advise while congratulating the executive committee members who were elected during the party’s congresses in the state.

This was contained in a statement Mba personally signed and made available to journalists on Sunday.

The new Enugu ADC executive committee is led by Professor Austin Akubue.

“I heartily congratulate the newly elected EXCO ably led by Professor Austin Akubue. I pray that the Almighty God grants them the wisdom required to discharge their duties without fear or favor.

“I advise the chairman, Professor Akubue and his entire exco members to always be diligent and patriotic in discharge of their functions,” the statement said.

Mba equally thanked the leaders of the ADC in Enugu State for the successful conduct of the congresses.

“I will also like to use this opportunity to congratulate the leaders of our party in the state, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Professor Barth Nnaji, Dr. John Nwokeabia, Ambassador Fidel Ayogu and others for their exemplary leadership and guidance which resulted in the successful conduct of the Ward, LGA and State congresses,” the statement added.

It will be recalled that the African Democratic Congress on April 9, 2026, conducted ward and local government congresses across the country to elect new party leaders.

The state congress followed on April 11, 2026, during which Austin Akubue was elected as the Enugu State chairman.

The party’s National Convention is billed to hold in Abuja on Tuesday, April 14, 2026.

Be patriotic in discharging your duties – Senatorial aspirant urges Enugu ADC exco

By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

The students Union of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, has commenced a 72-hour lecture boycott over hitches experience in transportation, as the buses donated by the First lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu commenced operations.

The University’s spokesperson, Abiodun Olarewaju, had last week appealed to the students to union leadership to give the management time to resolve issues arising from the deployment of the 50 buses and 30 tricycles for transporting students within the campus.

The Union in a statement issued by the President and Secretary, Adelani David and Habeeb Oke dated April 13 instructed students to boycott all academic activities from Monday till Thursday, April 16th, 2026.

According to the union, the decision was reached following our one week observatory mode, and the subsequent joint meeting of the Central Executive Council (CEC), Hall Executive Council (HEC), and the leadership of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC).

The students leadership added that the current transportation system introduced by the University management has continued to subject students to severe conditions, including; nadequate coverage of the campus, ersistent shortage of operational tricycles and buses, vercrowding and discomfort and Insufficient drivers.

It therefore demands, “provision of more vehicles to cater for the over 35,000 members of the University community. Immediate reintroduction of the existing transport system until demand untill more buses are introduced.

“Proper implementation of the new transport system to guarantee adequate, affordable, and reliable intra-campus mobility for all students. Full consultation with the Students’ Union leadership before any further major changes to campus transportation.

The students Union leadership further disclosed that it will review the situation at the end of the 72-hour boycott, after which, “possible mass protest/march shall be considered if the management fails to address the demands satisfactorily within this period”.

The post OAU students to boycott lectures for three days over transportation hitches appeared first on Vanguard News.