News
2027: 32 Govs, over 8,000 Delegates, Set For APC National Convention
No fewer than 8,433 delegates are expected to participate in the 2026 national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Eagle Square, Abuja.They will be led by President Bola Tinubu, 31 governors, and members of his cabinet.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this at a meeting with journalists at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja to unveil plans and expectations for the upcoming event, scheduled for March 27 and 28.
Idris, who serves as Co-Chairman of the convention’s Media and Publicity Committee, outlined readiness, logistics, and the party’s democratic messaging ahead of the event.
He called on members of the committee to work together in unity to ensure effective communication and successful delivery of the convention.
“A lot of sacrifice is expected from all, in line with the party’s vision for a united and disciplined approach to communicating to Nigerians,” he said.
The minister reminded members that the APC must continue to uphold strong internal democratic values.
“As party members, we must reflect a significant attribute of our president,” Idris said.
He added that the forthcoming convention represented an important milestone for the party as it continues to strengthen its internal structures and democratic processes.
Already, the party has confirmed it will adopt a consensus approach for selecting national leaders during the convention.
Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity, Mary Ikoku, who disclosed the plan on Wednesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, added that the party has not yet decided how elective positions during primaries will be handled, noting that decisions may vary with local political dynamics.
The meeting on Thursday had governors, the leadership of its 2026 National Convention Central Coordination Committee, with its chairman and vice chairman, among other stakeholders.
The event also had in attendance the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; the Minister of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; and the Special Adviser on Public Communication and Orientation, Sunday Dare.
The convention will allow APC members to choose national executives who will pilot the affairs of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The new national officers would be expected to conduct the party primaries that will produce candidates for the presidential, governorship, House of Assembly, and National Assembly elections.
Entertainment
Kate Henshaw Explains Fallout With Genevieve Nnaji
Seasoned actress Kate Henshaw has opened up about her fallout with colleague Genevieve Nnaji.
Appearing on the Tea with Tay podcast, Henshaw reflected on the end of their friendship, saying it faded quickly.
Henshaw who could not identify the exact cause of the breakdown, stated they may have grown apart or that some level of mistrust existed, but she remains unsure of what happened.
“We grew apart. Maybe she had some kind of mistrust about me… I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what came over her but I’ve moved on,” Henshaw said.
The actress did not give further details on when the fallout occurred.
Both actresses are icons of Nollywood and have featured in several notable films since the late 1990s.
News
Court Orders FG Take Over Of Ogun Illegal Mining Site
Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of properties recovered from Chinese and Nigerians involved in illegal mining activities in Ogun State to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The forfeited assets include a mining site located behind the Baale’s Palace on Ileposo Street, adjacent to 59 Street, Ode-Remo, Ogun State; a Toyota 4Runner SUV with registration number AWE 261 AE; two trucks laden with substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones; and a 40-foot container containing substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones.
The judge made the order, following a motion filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ikoyi, through its counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, seeking an order for the custody and disposal of the properties pursuant to Section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and other relevant laws.
The Commission also sought an order empowering the EFCC, in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and court officials, to dispose of the forfeited assets and deposit the proceeds into an interest-bearing account pending the conclusion of the criminal proceedings.
According to an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, intelligence reports revealed that several individuals, including Chinese and Nigerians, were involved in the illegal mining and trade of mineral resources, particularly mica and lithium stones.
The affidavit further revealed that the syndicate mined and transported the mineral resources from various locations across Nigeria to a site in Ode-Remo Local Government Area of Ogun State, where the minerals were sorted, processed and prepared for export through Apapa Wharf and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
It was also revealed that operatives of the Commission carried out a sting operation in the early hours of Friday, May 9, 2025, leading to the arrest of two Chinese alleged to be kingpins and six Nigerians at the mining site.
Items recovered during the operation included the Toyota SUV, three trucks loaded with substantial quantities of mica and lithium stones, as well as a 40-foot container containing 3,210 bags of the mineral resources.
According to the affidavit, the properties listed in the schedule were at risk of rapid deterioration due to the rainy season and were already losing economic value.
It was also stated in the affidavit that the principal actors involved in the illegal activities had already been arraigned before the court on charges relating to the unauthorised dealing in mineral resources.
After reviewing the affidavit evidence and submissions by the Commission, Justice Osiagor granted the application and ordered the final forfeiture and disposal of the assets.
The judge also directed that the proceeds be paid into an interest-bearing account pending the criminal trial of the defendants.
Business
MTN Adamant As Airtime Lending Restored By Telecom Operators
Telecommunications subscribers across Nigeria have regained access to emergency airtime lending services as major operators, Airtel and Glo, quietly restored the platforms following the suspension of the controversial Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending, DEON, Regulations 2025 by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC.
The development comes amid mounting legal pressure on the Commission after a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos ordered a halt to the enforcement of the regulations pending the determination of a suit challenging its powers over telecom-based airtime advances.
Confirming the restoration of the services, Chairman of the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria, WASPAN, Ayo Stuffman, disclosed on Monday that the platforms had resumed operations on both networks.
“As we speak, the services in question are already active on Airtel and Glo,” he said.
The return of the services has brought relief to millions of subscribers who depend on emergency airtime credit for daily communication and small-scale business operations.
Industry estimates put the annual airtime lending market at over ₦400 billion.
The FCCPC had earlier moved to regulate airtime lending platforms under the DEON Regulations 2025, insisting that such services fall within the scope of digital consumer credit and therefore require oversight to protect users from alleged abuses, including data privacy violations and unfair lending practices.
The Commission claimed it had received more than 11,000 consumer complaints linked to digital lending operations.
However, the enforcement triggered resistance from stakeholders in the telecommunications ecosystem, particularly WASPAN and other operators, who argued that airtime advances are telecom value-added services and not conventional consumer loans.
The legal dispute escalated after Justice A. Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, issued an order restraining the FCCPC from enforcing the framework, while Form 49 contempt proceedings were reportedly initiated against the Commission’s Executive Vice Chairman, Tunji Bello.
As at the time of putting this story together at about noon on Tuesday, MTN was yet to comply with the court order.
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