Ridoola's blog

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has clarified that the 2027 presidential ticket remains open to all interested aspirants, despite a wave of endorsements for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term bid. Speaking at an interactive session with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, APC’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Mohammad Argungu , stressed that the party would not shut its doors to competition during the primaries. He said while Tinubu had earned wide recognition for his performance in office , the APC remained committed to democratic principles. “We will definitely not close our doors (to other presidential aspirants. When the time comes, our timetable will be made known. READ ALSO: FULL LIST: 7 crucial endorsement backing Tinubu's 2027 presidential bid "Anybody who wants to aspire for the presidency under the APC will not be denied the opportunity to purchase the expression of interest and nomination forms to exercise ...

The political temperature in Abia State is rising as traders in Aba, the state’s commercial hub, mount stiff resistance against what they describe as a suffocating ₦3.1 billion annual levy imposed by Governor Alex Otti’s administration. The pushback has gained momentum after a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Professor Uche Ikonne openly criticised Otti for “ placing undue burdens on struggling business owners at a time of biting economic hardship.” For years, Aba has been the lifeline of Abia’s economy, home to tens of thousands of traders, artisans, and small-scale manufacturers. However, the new levy has triggered outrage, with many business owners warning that it could cripple the already fragile local economy. Professor Ikonne echoed these frustrations, arguing that no government that claims to represent the people should demand such payments during a time of inflation and widespread unemployment. “Aba traders cannot be paying ₦3.1 billion annually amid econ...

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South has stirred fresh controversy, unearthing the competing interests, deep-seated anxieties, and constitutional debates that continue to shape Nigeria’s political future. At first glance, the resolution, announced after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, appears to be a concession to unity. Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who chairs the PDP Governors Forum, confirmed that he “sacrificed” his ambition for the sake of consensus. “Politics is not about personal interest, it’s about self-actualisation within the framework of party decisions, manifesto, and national development,” Mohammed said, urging Nigerians to see zoning as an instrument of peace rather than exclusion. Yet, behind the rhetoric of sacrifice lies a much messier reality. Security expert and public affairs analyst, Dr. Mohammed Sani, paints a very different picture. He argues that what l...

Adamawa State-born entrepreneur and industrialist, Bashir Abdullahi Haske, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of peddling falsehoods over claims that he's evading justice under the guise of a medical emergency. The businessman also rejected the anti-graft agency's allegations of his involvement in multi-million-dollar fraud, describing the claim as a political witch-hunt. In a statement issued by his legal representative, Nkemakolam Okoro, on Monday, August 25, 2025, Haske categorically denied the allegations, explaining that, contrary to EFCC’s claims, he voluntarily honoured the agency's invitation, appeared before investigators, and provided comprehensive answers to all questions. Okoro said, despite submitting documentary evidence clearly proving the legitimacy of his financial dealings and businesses, the commission denied his client administrative bail, even after he satisfied all the conditions imposed. He alleged that the accused was...

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to activate a 260,000-strong rapid deployment counter-terrorism brigade, backed by an annual $2.5bn funding requirement, in what could become Africa’s boldest regional security initiative yet. The decision was unveiled at the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja, themed “Combating Contemporary Threats to Regional Peace and Security in Africa: The Role of Strategic Defence Collaboration.” ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray, represented by Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah , warned of the rising threats. “West Africa, particularly the Sahel, has emerged as the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51 per cent of worldwide terrorism deaths in 2024. We cannot afford inaction,” Touray said. Escalating Terrorism Burden: Nigerians Paid N2.23 Trillion In Ransom In 2024 A December 2024 survey report from the National Bureau of Statist...

There is growing unrest in Nigeria following the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission’s (RMAFC) proposal to raise the salaries of President Bola Tinubu, governors, ministers and other senior government officials. The move has been met with stiff opposition from labour unions, political figures, and activists who argue that such a review is ill-timed and insensitive, given the current economic hardship facing millions of Nigerians. The RMAFC Chairman, Mohammed Shehu, while addressing journalists in Abuja, said the current pay structure for top government officials is “inadequate, unrealistic, and outdated”. He disclosed that the President currently earns ₦1.5 million monthly, while ministers receive less than ₦1 million, figures that have remained unchanged since 2008. “Paying the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ₦1.5 million a month, with a population of over 200 million people, is a joke,” Shehu argued. He maintained that while the commission is n...