FocalPoint Reports

Why I Decided To Dump Wike After We Joined Forces To Fight Atiku – Bode George Elder statesman and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George has attributed the unresolved crisis in the party to the national convention in 2022. He accused the then-national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu and the party’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, of orchestrating the problem in the PDP, saying they disrupted the party’s zoning arrangement. He explained that he temporarily supported the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike to spite Atiku because the the party’s top positions were zoned to the northern region. Speaking during an appearance on Arise TV, George, however, stated that he later fell out with Wike when he realised they wanted to support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu. “ The presidential candidate went to the northern zone, and the chairman of the party also went to the same zone; ...

Rabat Process: Nigeria Takes Over Chairmanship From Portugal Nigeria has been chosen to chair the Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development, known as Rabat Process. FocalPoint  reports that the official handover was announced on Friday by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda. Professor Yilwatda said Portugal’s official handover to Nigeria ushered in a new era of strengthened migration governance between Africa and Europe. “Under Nigeria’s leadership, we will champion youth empowerment, climate-related migration, and sustainable pathways for people on the move! Nigeria is honoured to be chosen to chair the Rabat Process (Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development) for 2025–2026, and take over from Portugal, ” he said. In a statement on his X handle, the Minister commended member states for trusting Nigeria with the role. “ On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the good people of Nigeria, I extend our deepest gratitude t...

Nigerians suffering, FG’s economic policies not working – Fintiri The governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, on Thursday, stated that Nigerians are suffering, as the Federal Government’s economic policies are not working. Fintiri said the President Bola Tinubu-led government’s policies are imposing severe hardship on Nigerians. Governor Fintiri said these at the meeting of the National Reconciliation Committee of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, with governors from the North-East and other key stakeholders in Bauchi. At the meeting were the governors of Bauchi and Taraba, as well as the acting PDP National Chairman. Onyilola… Also speaking at the meeting, the committee’s chairman, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, said the party was ready to address its challenges for effective repositioning to enable it to wrestle power in the 2027 general election. He said: “The main purpose of the committee is to reach out to the aggrieved members and those having issues, to re-establish a for...

NLC Blasts FG’s Economic Policies, Vows To Resist 50% Telecom Tariff Increase The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has criticized the Federal Government for enforcing economic policies influenced by international financial institutions, arguing that the removal of subsidies and rising tariffs are making life unbearable for Nigerians. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, NLC spokesperson Benson Upah condemned the recent announcement by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) of a 50% increase in telecom tariffs. He described the move as excessive and proposed a more moderate 5% increase, considering the economic strain already burdening citizens. Upah reaffirmed the NLC’s commitment to its planned nationwide protest on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, to oppose the telecom tariff hike and other unfavourable government policies. He warned that the planned telecom price adjustment would severely affect ordinary Nigerians, manufacturers, and the middle class. “...

What Buhari Told Me When I Asked Him If He Told Osinbajo To Contest Against Tinubu – Bisi Akande Former interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, has disclosed that it wasn’t former President Muhammadu Buhari who instigated former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to contest against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for the party’s 2023 presidential ticket. According to Chief Akande, he asked Buhari many questions, including if he was behind the decision of Osinbajo to contest the APC presidential ticket but the former President replied in the negative. The former Osun State Governor said Buhari told him it was against his culture to contest against your mentor for a position. When asked during an interview with  Edmund Obilo , Akande disclosed that Buhari didn’t oppose Tinubu’s candidacy. He added, however, that Osinbajo did not step down for Tinubu despite efforts to avoid bitterness among Yoruba contenders. “I asked him (Buhari) many questions, inclu...

Tinubu Accused Me Of Running Away After He Became President – Bisi Akande A former interim chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande has disclosed that he advised President Bola Tinubu to run for office. He, however, stated that after Tinubu became president he returned to his village in Ila, Osun State. Speaking in an interview with Edmund Obilo, Akande revealed that Tinubu accused him of running away after he became president. According to Akande, he occasionally visits Abuja, but may not always meet Tinubu. Akande said: “ My goal originally was for a Yoruba man to become president, and my choice was Tinubu. After he won, I was happy and returned to my village in Ila, Osun State. “When he came back, I met him, and he said, ‘Baba, you asked me to run, I did, and became president, but now you (Akande) are running away.’ It’s true! I went back to my village because I don’t want to be a minister or take any other thing.” Speaking further, Akande declared ...

WAHALA!!! Tinubu Is A Desperate Politician – Atiku Fires Back Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has described President Bola Tinubu as a desperate politician. Atiku, in a statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, said Tinubu is no longer the activist that people know as he has turned against the ideals that birthed his political career. He added that President Tinubu has turned the All Progressives Congress (APC) into a party that can not function outside the whims and dictates of Tinubu’s desires. The statement reads: “On the 27th of January, the Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development convened a distinguished gathering of civil society organizations for a two-day national conference. This event was intended to offer a platform for deep and critical reflection on Nigeria’s democracy and the pressing question of its sustainability. “It was meant to be a moment of intellectual engagement, an opportunity for civil society to collaborate with political le...

LP denies collecting N50m bribe from APC, asks Atiku to provide proof The Labour Party (LP) has said its leadership is not aware of the N50m bribe allegedly being doled out by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government to the leadership of opposition parties. The party also said its leadership has never received a kobo from any individual, group, organisation or government who is not a member of the party. National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement in Abuja, on Wednesday, expressed the party’s “shock and disbelief” over the revelation by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. He said, “The party has however expressed shock and disbelief by the revelation from one of the leading political figures and former vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, insisting that it would be improper for the politician to throw a shade at the entire opposition without also putting forward a tangible proof other than a ‘gossip’ from an unnamed source. “...

We Must Make Electricity A Priority – Shettima Vice President Kashim Shettima has said if Nigeria must grow its industrial base, priority must be given to addressing challenges facing stable electricity. FocalPoint reports that  Senator Shettima  stated this on Tuesday while he commissioned a new 15 megavolt-amperes (MVA) injection substation in Maiduguri, Borno State, While condemning the growing vandalism of  electricity assets , the Vice President urged all security agencies and citizens to take active interest in the protection of the nation’s power infrastructure to forestall the resultant power supply disruptions with its economic toll. Speaking during the commissioning of the 1x15MVA, 33/11kV injection substation at the College of Agriculture, he said,  “The widespread power outages experienced across Northern Nigeria at the end of last year due to acts of vandalism serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of our electricity infrastructure. “This invites all...

NiDCOM Assures Readiness To Welcome Deported Nigerians From US Amid Trump’s Crackdown The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has expressed the Federal Government’s readiness to receive Nigerians who may be deported from the United States. The Director of Media and Corporate Affairs at NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, shared in an interview with Vanguard on Tuesday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be overseeing such situations. He also revealed that an inter-agency committee has already been established to handle any cases of deportation, involving key agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the National Security Adviser’s office. “The Federal Government has set up an inter-agency committee, comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NiDCOM, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, should there be mass deportation of Nigerians from the US,” Balogun said. However, Balogun ...