Author: News Room

There was tension in Omu-Aran, headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area, on Saturday as angry youths and political stakeholders staged a protest over alleged political marginalisation in the Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Isin Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 elections. The protesters, in viral videos obtained by PUNCH Online on Sunday, accused a dominant political bloc within the constituency of monopolising the House of Representatives seat for nearly three decades. The constituency, located in Kwara South Senatorial District, comprises four local government areas—Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Irepodun and Isin—and is broadly divided along the Ekiti-speaking and Igbomina-speaking political blocs. During the protest, chants of “Ekiti Lokan”…

In a recent interview with Reuters, Oando’s Group Chief Executive, Wale Tinubu, set out more than a financing strategy, outlining a structural shift in how Africa must think about funding its future. As Oando advances plans to raise about $750m for an extensive drilling campaign that could significantly increase production, the conversation extends beyond capital availability to the changing nature of that capital and the implications for Africa’s long-term energy security. Global dynamics are already reshaping the funding landscape, as heightened geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions redirect investor attention toward comparatively stable regions such as West Africa, while traditional sources…

Three-time champions Nigeria will discover their opponents for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday when the Confederation of African Football conducts the draw for the tournament to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The qualifying draw will be held at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo ahead of the finals, which are scheduled to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027. Tagged AFCON PAMOJA 2027, it will be the first edition in the competition’s history to be co-hosted by three countries. Nigeria won the tournament in…

The Federal Government has authorised Upperlink Limited as a system integrator for the country’s national electronic invoicing platform, positioning the indigenous technology company at the centre of a sweeping tax digitisation programme aimed at tightening compliance, improving transparency and modernising revenue administration. The company disclosed the approval on Thursday in a statement, saying the authorisation was granted under the Nigeria Revenue Service’s electronic invoicing framework as the government moves ahead with the phased implementation of mandatory e-invoicing for businesses across the country. The approval enables Upperlink to connect organisations to the Nigeria Revenue Service Merchant Buyer Solution framework, which is…

Crypto analysts are divided over whether markets will see a major Bitcoin sell-off in May, a pattern that has emerged in the last two bear markets during US mid-term election years. In May 2018, Bitcoin crashed from nearly $10,000 to about $7,000 by the end of the month. It happened again in May 2022, when Bitcoin fell nearly 30% from about $40,000 to $28,500 before falling further in June to $20,000. With 2026 also a bear market year coinciding with a US mid-term election, there are concerns it could happen again. “The most brutal pattern in Bitcoin history. Nobody wants to hear this.…

Country music’s hottest couples enjoyed date night at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards. Thomas Rhett and his wife, Lauren Akins, were among the many A-list duos who got cozy on the red carpet ahead of the Sunday, May 17, ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, making a rare red carpet outing after welcoming their fifth baby at the start of the year. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Shania Twain is lined up to host the 61st ACM Awards for the very first time, streaming live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET. The evening will…

Tension has escalated within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State as aggrieved senatorial and House of Representatives aspirants from both the southern and northern zones have rejected the party’s consensus arrangement for the forthcoming primaries. The group, led by Senator Danjuma La’ah, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the state government and party leadership to withdraw the consensus process or risk a full-blown internal crisis ahead of the senatorial primaries. The aggrieved aspirants said the selection process used in picking candidates violated both the APC Constitution and the official nomination guidelines governing party primaries. “We, the undersigned House of…

The Central Bank of Nigeria says 63.3 per cent of Nigerians want interest rates reduced ahead of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting scheduled for May 19 and 20, 2026. The apex bank disclosed this in its April 2026 Inflation Expectations Survey Report, released by its Statistics Department under the Economic Policy Directorate on its website and obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday. The report found that most respondents preferred lower borrowing costs despite persistent inflationary pressures across the economy. It stated, “The survey revealed high public engagement with CBN communications (92.1 per cent), a general perception of transparency (93.3 per…

Residents of Oke Egan in the Ilogbo-Eremi area of Badagry, Lagos State, were thrown into shock on Friday after the body of a sexagenarian woman, Victoria Adegoke, was found abandoned in a nearby bush. PUNCH Metro learnt from community sources on Sunday that the deceased was allegedly found naked and was suspected of having been raped and strangled before her body was dragged into the bush. One of the photographs obtained by PUNCH Metro on Sunday showed what appeared to be marks indicating that the victim’s hands had been tied by her assailants. A community leader, who spoke on condition…

There is a popular misconception in Nigerian politics that elections are won a few months before voting day. Many still believe that once posters flood the streets, campaign jingles begin to dominate radio stations, and convoys start moving from town to town, victory is already within reach. But experienced politicians know better. Real elections are won years before the first ballot paper is counted. What happens during campaigns is often only the final examination of work that has been going on quietly for years. Relationship building, grassroots penetration, emotional connection with voters, strategic visibility, and the careful cultivation of political…