News
2027: Coalition’s bid to unseat Tinubu faces setback as PDP suffers mass exodus
With two years to the next presidential election, mixed reactions have trailed the gale of defections by high-profile politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, into the All Progressives Congress, APC.
This comes as it was hinted that the coalition spearheaded by former PDP’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar may not succeed against the President Bola Tinubu-led APC due to moves by some Fulani interests to escalate the Fulani war that has birthed itself in Nigeria.
Recently, Atiku, his counterpart from the Labour Party Peter Obi, Babachir Lawal, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, announced the formation of the coalition under the Social Democratic Party.
Since the announcement, no political bigwig has joined the party in their push to wrest power from Tinubu in 2027.
This is as the PDP and Atiku’s camp lost two major stakeholders from the South-South, Ifeanyi Okowa and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State.
Okowa, who was Atiku’s presidential running mate in the 2023 election, had dumped the PDP for the APC alongside Oborevwori at a stakeholders’ meeting in Asaba, Delta State.
It was observed that Oborevwori’s defection now puts the APC in the lead in the Nigerian Delta region, Delta, Edo, and Cross River states are APC, while the governors of Akwa Ibom and Rivers states have backed President Tinubu, leaving only Bayelsa State with the PDP.
In the Southwest, the APC may likely retain votes from the region because Tinubu hails from the area.
For the North, there have been agitations over the region’s political leaning ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with former presidential aide Hakeem Baba-Ahmed saying the North will decide its political direction in the next six months because the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari made the region wiser.
Baba-Ahmed said, “In the next six months, the North will decide where it stands. If the rest of the country wants to join us, fine. If not, we will go our own way.”
While Baba-Ahmed, a former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), El-Rufai has been trying to galvanize the North to tilt their votes towards the opposition coalition with his visit to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, and former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Kwankwaso amid talks with other prominent politicians from the rregion.
News
JAMB: UTME Registration Starts January 26
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has confirmed that registration for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will open nationwide on Monday, January 26, 2026.
In an official announcement released today, JAMB encouraged all prospective candidates to visit accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres as early as possible to complete registration, undergo biometric verification, select preferred examination towns, and avoid congestion toward the close of the window.
Applicants are reminded to come prepared with essential documents: valid O’Level results, National Identification Number (NIN), and a functional personal email address.
The board issued a strong warning against fraudsters and fake websites promising expedited or guaranteed registration slots, stressing that only processes completed through official JAMB-approved channels and accredited centres will be valid.
Additional information including exact registration fees, closing date, mock UTME schedule, and the full examination timetable will be published shortly on the official JAMB portal (www.jamb.gov.ng) and verified social media accounts.
Candidates, parents, and guardians are advised to monitor these official sources closely for authentic updates throughout the registration period.
News
JUST IN: Fire Outbreak Reported at Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate, Lagos
Emergency responders are currently battling a fire outbreak at the Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate, located in the Mile 2 area of Lagos State.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the incident and stated that its teams are actively attending to the scene. In an official alert issued earlier today, the service emphasized that the situation is under control.
“We’re assuring the public that we’re currently on top of the situation as the public need not to exercise fear,” the statement read.
The alert was signed by Margaret Adeseye, Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.
Reports from witnesses and social media indicate a significant blaze, with thick smoke visible in the area and videos showing emergency efforts underway. One account suggested the fire may involve an industrial facility specializing in recycling, though official details on the exact cause, origin, or any potential damage or casualties have not yet been released.
Authorities continue to urge residents and nearby businesses to remain calm while operations proceed to fully contain the incident.
Further updates are expected as the response progresses.
News
Olubadan Ladoja tables top three national priorities for Tinubu to defeat
The visit, which took place less than four months after Ladoja’s installation as the 44th Olubadan, was the monarch’s first official meeting with the president since he ascended the throne.
•Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, and President Bola Tinubu / State House Photo
The traditional ruler of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, has expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, but warned that insecurity remains Nigeria’s most urgent national challenge.
The Olubadan was hosted today by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The visit, which took place less than four months after Ladoja’s installation as the 44th Olubadan, was the monarch’s first official meeting with the president since he ascended the throne.
It also came a day after Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde was received by Tinubu at the State House.
Oba Ladoja told President Tinubu that farmers are increasingly afraid to go to their farms, describing the spread of insecurity as a growing threat to livelihoods and food security, including in southern Nigeria.
While praising the President’s track record and governance style, the Monarch stressed that restoring safety, improving healthcare, and addressing food shortages must remain top priorities.
He, however expresses hope that current reforms will deliver tangible results by 2031.
Before he ascended the Olubadan throne, Ladoja served as the Governor of Oyo State between May 2003 and January 2006 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Oba Ladoja became Olubadan in September 2025 following the death of his predecessor, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who died in July after a short reign.
His emergence followed Ibadan’s traditional succession arrangement, which rotates the stool between the civil (Egbe Agba) and military (Balogun) lines. Olakulehin hailed from the Balogun line, making Ladoja’s succession from the civil line consistent with established custom.
Before he became the Olubadan, Ladoja occupied the position of Otun Olubadan, a role he assumed in August 2024 and which placed him next in line to the throne.
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