By Ayomide Otitoju Defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, argued that granting Bello permission to travel abroad without lifting the red notice was contradictory, describing it as “giving with one hand and taking away with the other.” He made the submission after Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, lead prosecution counsel, noted that their application to vacate the previous…
By Ayomide Otitoju For many Nigerians, the dream of owning a home has remained elusive due to rising property prices, persistent inflation, and high commercial lending rates. However, a new mortgage initiative by FirstBank of Nigeria Limited aims to make homeownership more attainable. In partnership with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has said it remains fully exposed to international commodity markets, including crude oil prices, freight charges, insurance, and financing costs, despite Nigeria’s crude-for-naira policy aimed at supporting local refineries. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Managing Director and CEO David Bird explained that while the policy allows…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has described the Court of Appeal judgment on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention in Ibadan as a “wake-up call” and an opportunity for party members to introspect and resolve internal conflicts. Speaking at his residence in Abuja on Monday after…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo State, challenging a November 24, 2025, ruling by the Federal High Court in Akure that questioned his eligibility to contest the state’s next governorship election. In a unanimous judgment, a three-member panel held that the…
By Ayomide Otitoju Lawyers representing former Nasir El‑Rufai, governor of Kaduna State, have accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of spreading unverified allegations linking their client to multi-billion-naira properties in Egypt, describing the claims as politically motivated. In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Esop Akpan,…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging an earlier ruling that restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of the party’s planned national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, scheduled for November 15 and 16. In a unanimous…
By Ayomide Otitoju The British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jonny Baxter, recently visited the head office of Fidelity Bank Plc in Lagos as part of efforts to strengthen economic and trade relations between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. The visit formed part of a broader four-day trip to Nigeria by the UK Trade Envoy,…
By Ayomide Otitoju Four Nigerian business leaders — Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, and Abdulsamad Rabiu — have been listed among Africa’s wealthiest individuals in the 2026 Africa Billionaires ranking released by Forbes. Dangote retained his position as Africa’s richest man, with an estimated net worth of $28.5 billion. According to the ranking, the…
