NIGERIA NEWS
Gov Mutfwang Reveals Shocking Reason Why He Dumped PDP for APC
Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, has disclosed the reason why he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Mutfwang, after months of consultations and personal reflection, he concluded that leaving the PDP was in Plateau State’s best interest.
Speaking on Thursday shortly after formally joining the APC, the governor stressed that his decision was not driven by personal gain but by respect for President Tinubu, whom he said had shown genuine interest in Plateau State and its challenges.
Mutfwang noted that although the President had repeatedly urged him to join the APC, he had previously declined.
“I respect President Tinubu for honouring our earlier decision not to move to the APC, yet still maintaining cordial relations with us,” he told political appointees and stakeholders at Government House, Jos.
He added that other influential figures, including APC governors, had approached him, but he chose to remain in the PDP until recent developments.
According to him, what finally convinced him to leave was the escalating crisis within the PDP at the national level.
“Once it became clear that the PDP at the national level has undeniable structural problems, the idea of remaining in the party no longer made sense. We have no issues at the state level, but without a solid national structure, our efforts are wasted,” he said.
He argued that remaining in the PDP posed too much risk to the mandate given to him by the people of Plateau.
“No one can say when the crisis will end or what losses it may bring. Given the emotional hardship our people endured, we cannot, by action or inaction, expose them to another round of uncertainty.”
Mutfwang said he could have defected to a different party, but political history had taught him that winning votes is one thing and ensuring they count is another.
“Although we have had disagreements with the Plateau APC, we cannot deny the goodwill and cooperation shown by the Tinubu administration. Since the President did not force us to join before the PDP situation deteriorated, it is only fair that we consider joining the APC.
“We now have an opportunity to attract appointments, support and benefits that will positively impact Plateau. Would it be wise to forfeit that? Certainly not. There is already good news on the way, stay tuned,” he added.
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed his administration’s commitment to uphold accountable, data-based governance to spread development to every nook and cranny of the state.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 second bi-annual meeting of the National Consultative Committee on Statistics with the theme: ‘Harnessing the Power of Statistics for Nigeria’s Sustainable Development and Economic Transformation’, in Port Harcourt yesterday.
Governor Fubara, represented by the state Head of Service, Inyingi S.I. Brown, noted that statistics are critical for the inclusive socio-economic growth of a country like Nigeria with a vast population and diverse ethnicities.
The governor explained that statistics provide the empirical foundation upon which sound policies are built, stressing that they enable governments to identify development gaps, allocate resources efficiently, measure progress, and assess impact.
“For a country like Nigeria, with its vast population and diverse socio-economic realities, the effective use of statistics is critical to achieving inclusive growth, reducing poverty, and fostering economic transformation.
“I am encouraged by the deliberate and purposeful efforts being made by the federal government under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to reposition statistics as a critical driver of national development.
“The present administration has continued to emphasise the importance of credible data in policy formulation, fiscal planning, economic management, and the effective implementation of social and economic reform programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.
The state governor pledged his administration’s readiness to key into the data-based governance revolution sparked by the federal government for sustainable development.
“At the sub-national level, we in Rivers State fully align with this national vision. Our administration is firmly committed to evidence-based governance. We believe that policies must be guided by facts, not assumptions, and by data, not conjecture.
Consequently, we continue to support initiatives aimed at strengthening statistical capacity, improving data collection systems, and promoting inter-agency collaboration for data harmonisation and utilisation,” he said.
The nation’s Statistician-General, Adeyemi Adeniran, in his keynote address, said the bi-annual meeting was a necessary ingredient for the realisation of the vision for a well-coordinated statistical system capable of sharpening analytical tools for development planning.
“We just launched the power of data high-impact initiative as well as the national strategy for the development of statistics (NSDS) in the country. The NSDS is the framework that will guide the way and manner in which data will be produced in the country’s data systems in the next four to five years.
“In that framework, we have put together all the impetus that is required to produce data in a modernised way, to encourage synergy within the system,” he said.
Adeniran called on all stakeholders within the data development ecosystem to work towards strengthening the nation’s data system for sustainable development.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Imaoyani George, said hosting the bi-annual meeting in the state attests to the high premium that Governor Fubara places on statistics and data-based governance, adding that: “No statistics, no development.”
Gov. Dauda Lawal, has signed into law, ₦871.3 billion, 2026 appropriation, following approval of the Bill by the Zamfara legislature.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lawal signed the 2026 bill on Thursday, shortly after it was approved by the State House of Assembly.
NAN recalls that on December 4, the governor presented a proposed budget of ₦861.3 billion for the 2026 fiscal year to the Zamfara house of assembly for approval.
Earlier, the Zamfara House of Assembly had passed the 2026 appropriation bill into law following the presentation of a report by the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation.
The committee had presented the report of the bill with a total estimate of ₦871.337 billion for the 2026 fiscal year before the house plenary.
Presenting the committee’s report, its Chairman, Rilwanu Na-Gambo, explained that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state appeared before the committee and defended their proposals.
Na-Gambo noted that there was a significant improvement in the revenue profile of most MDAs.
He said the committee recommended an additional N8 billion for capital expenditure in the Ministry of Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, and N2 billion for recurrent expenditure for the Zamfara house of assembly.
While passing the bill, the Speaker, Bilyaminu Isma’il said that the legislators considered the strategic priorities of Lawal’s administration, including security, agriculture, health, education, and infrastructure.
The speaker said the budget was designed to reflect the needs and aspirations of the people at the local government level and across other sectors, while ensuring balanced budgeting with a strong focus on equity and inclusion.
NAN reports that the state Deputy Governor, Mani Malam Mumini and the Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, Bilyaminu Isma’il were among top government officials present when Gov. Lawal signed the bill into law. (NAN)
China will impose a 13% value-added tax (VAT) on condoms and other contraceptives from January 1, ending an exemption in place since the nationwide VAT system was introduced in 1993.
The change, included in a VAT law passed in 2024 to modernise the tax regime, comes as Beijing intensifies efforts to raise its declining birthrate. VAT accounts for nearly 40% of China’s total tax revenue.
The move follows years of policy “carrots” after China abandoned its one-child policy, including allowing up to three children per couple, IVF discounts, cash subsidies, and extra paid leave for newlyweds. Still, the prospect of pricier contraceptives has drawn online ridicule. “What is wrong with modern society? They are truly going to extreme lengths just to make us have children,” one Weibo user wrote.
The new law also offers tax breaks for childcare and “marriage introduction services.” This year, the government earmarked 90bn yuan ($12.7bn) for its first nationwide childcare subsidy—3,600 yuan annually for each child under three—and announced plans to expand national health insurance to cover all childbirth-related expenses.
Despite incentives, demographic pressures persist. The birthrate in 2024 edged up to 6.77 per 1,000 people but remains far below historical levels, while an ageing population has driven overall population decline for at least three years. Reports of officials contacting women about menstrual cycles have heightened concerns that authorities may be shifting from incentives to “sticks.”
Experts say the tax is largely symbolic. “Now that China’s birth policy has shifted to encouraging births and no longer promotes contraception, it is reasonable to resume taxing contraceptives,” said He Yafu, an independent demographer in Guangdong. “However, this measure is unlikely to have a significant effect on increasing the fertility rate.”
Yun Zhou, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, said the tax signals “what desirable family behaviour should be,” warning that if access to contraception became harder, “the brunt of the negative effects will be borne by women, particularly by disadvantaged women.”
Revenue gains are expected to be modest. Lee Ding of Dezan Shira & Associates estimates the measure will raise about 5bn yuan annually—tiny against China’s 22tn yuan public budget. “We do not believe revenue generation is the primary motivation behind extending VAT to contraceptives,” Ding said.
Vanguard News
The post China to increase tax on condoms in attempt to boost birth rate appeared first on Vanguard News.
The operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at about 1 p.m., arrested five suspects in connection with a fake and stage-managed kidnapping in the state.
The incident involved a schoolboy pleading for mercy in the fake kidnappers’ den.
The suspects are 20-year-old Anyabike Kingsley; 17-year-old Kosiko Patrick; 15-year-old Victor Aligwo; 19-year-old David Odudu; and 19-year-old Umeh Victor. The suspects, who faked the kidnapping incident, were arrested and are now in police custody.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the incident, which initially generated widespread public concern, was first reported as a case of a missing person at Ago Palace Division on November 26, 2025. Subsequent to the investigation, it was established that the alleged kidnap was deliberately orchestrated by the victim himself, one Victor Aligwo, in collaboration with four of his friends, using the room of his cohort, Umeh Victor, to carry out the fake kidnapping act.
Following diligent, intelligence-led and discreet investigation, the suspects were apprehended on the 17th and 18th of December, 2025, at Volkswagen Roundabout and the Ago Palace area, respectively.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly conspired to stage the fake kidnapping with the intent of extorting money from the mother of the suspected victim, Victor Aligwo, who had recently received the sum of N4 million from a contribution.
To actualise and make the fake kidnapping real, the suspects recorded and circulated a distress video showing Victor Aligwo pleading for help, thereby creating fear and panic in the mind of his mother and his family to pay ransom to the alleged kidnappers.
A ransom of N1.7 million was paid and later transferred to the account of one of the fake kidnappers by the mother to get him freed. The money was later shared amongst them. Following the payment, the police operatives traced the Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal used for the ransom transaction, leading to the arrest of all suspects involved.
Spokesperson for the Command, Abimbola Adebisi, said that investigation into the matter is ongoing, and all the suspects will be charged to court for their prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Olohundare Jimoh, has warned all criminal elements to desist from any form of crime and to curtail any form of criminal activities within the state, assuring that the Command will not relent in ensuring the safety of lives and property.
The Command reassured residents that this incident was not a case of kidnapping and that there is no cause for panic. Members of the public are encouraged to continue their lawful activities and promptly report any suspicious acts or movements to the Police through the Command’s emergency numbers: 0706 101 9374, 0806 515 4338, 0806 329 9264, 0803 934 4870.
With beautiful decorations and lighting already taking over homes, streets and cities ahead of the Christmas celebration, millions of Americans are anticipating gathering with family and friends to celebrate the holiday.
While most grocery, retail and restaurant chains will remain open on Christmas Eve, many of them have adjusted their hours.
READ ALSO: US: Popular retail stores not opening on Christmas Day
Also, many stores will shut their doors on Christmas Day. In case you’re planning a last-minute Christmas shopping at Walmart stores, knowing its opening and closing hours is essential.
Walmart is an option for anyone making a last-minute run for groceries ahead of the holiday. According to USA TODAY, the company said their stores will be open on Dec. 24 but will close at 6 p.m. local time.
READ ALSO: US: Key retail hours for last-minute Christmas shopping
However, Walmart stores will be closed on Dec. 25, the company confirmed.
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Classic canvas wall art photo prints
For the first time, maritime traffic heading into Calabar and the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport will now operate using newly issued Nigerian Electronic Nautical Charts (ENCs) as part of measures to strengthen safety along the country’s eastern coastal approaches.
The development followed the release of three IC-ENC-validated chart cells — NG455150 (Jamestown), NG525190 (Queenstown to Ikot Abasi), and NG542550 (Ports of Calabar) — produced by the National Hydrographic Agency (NHA) for mandatory use by mariners navigating through the eastern channel up to the inner port limits.
After the successful validation by NHA, the newly released ENCs will enhance safety of navigation, improve situational awareness for mariners, and supports more efficient port operations and maritime trade.
According to the Hydrographer of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of NHA, Rear Admiral Ayo Olugbode (Rtd), it also reflected Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the country’s continued commitment to delivering accurate, modern, and internationally compliant hydrographic services in line with #SOLAS, #IMO, and #IHO standards, strengthening the country’s maritime safety architecture and advancing the blue economy.
Olugbode said the charts provided digital navigational coverage that brought together current information on water depths, seabed conditions, navigational hazards, aids to navigation, and harbour facilities.
He stated, “They are designed to support safe passage into Calabar Port and the planned Bakassi Deep Seaport and were derived from a high-resolution survey of the Calabar–Bakassi axis conducted to international standards comparable to IHO S-44 Order 1 for busy approaches and harbour entrances.”
The NHA chief executive said the expanded chart output was the result of increased deployment of specialised naval survey vessels and the expertise of its trained personnel.
Olugbode stated, “The sea is our largest unexplored resource, and if we don’t map it, we can’t manage it.”
He said beyond improving navigational safety, the charts were essential to unlocking the productive exploitation and development of Nigeria’s blue economy.
Olugbode also stated that the focus on charting strategic maritime corridors, such as Lagos, Calabar and the Bonny axis, reflected their importance within NHA’s phased mapping programme.
He disclosed that the efforts contributed to the more than 85,325 square kilometres of Nigeria’s maritime domain already mapped, describing the Calabar sector as a key component in a wider ENC framework intended to minimise navigational risks for vessels bound for Nigerian ports.
The hydrographic survey that informed the new charts formally began on December 21, 2024, with intensive data acquisition starting on January 6, 2025.
The exercise involved combined hydrographic, geophysical and geotechnical measurements, supported by advanced NHA survey and data-processing systems.
The resulting ENCs replaced older chart products with modern digital versions integrated into global ENC networks, providing current seabed, depth and navigational data for access to Calabar and the future Bakassi Deep Seaport.
He said the charting initiative aligned with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthened Nigeria’s standing as a hydrographic leader in the region, while offering direct support to Calabar Port operations and the Bakassi Deep Seaport project.
At the twin events marking the 2025 World Hydrography Day and the maiden West African Hydrographic Summit in Abuja, Olugbode identified the Lagos–Calabar corridor and the Bonny axis survey as central elements of Tinubu’s blue economy agenda, which linked hydrography with safe navigation, economic growth, regional leadership and sustainability.
Through the release of the ENCs, Nigeria reinforced its position as West Africa’s hydrographic powerhouse.
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Armed men have attacked the family of Iorwa Tersen Lawrence of Amafu – Katsina Ala Road community, Katsina -Ala Local Government Area of Benue to demand money contributed for the burial of their mother.
The incident occurred five days after laying their mother to rest.
According to the family’s account, three unidentified gunmen stormed the compound, with two of them armed with firearms.
The attackers reportedly beat and tortured members of the household while demanding money contributed during the burial of their late mother, who died in a motor accident along the Amaafu–Katsina Road.
The attack left several family members injured and Lawrence’s father reportedly sustained a badly swollen leg, while Lawrence himself suffered a swollen hand.
An aunt and the wife of Lawrence’s uncle, who were present at the time, were also beaten and robbed.
Despite resistance from the victims, the assailants made away with all available cash and looted valuables from the house.
Items stolen include smartphones, a power bank, a shuttle bag, clothes, and other personal belongings.
The attackers also allegedly took away the late mother’s clothes.
The gunmen further worsened the family’s situation by stealing their motorcycle, their only means of transportation, leaving them stranded.
Speaking after the incident, Lawrence said the family is now grappling with trauma and uncertainty.
He disclosed that he recently reactivated a new Airtel SIM card after losing his phone during the attack.
The family is appealing to the public and relevant authorities for assistance and justice as they struggle to rebuild their lives following the devastating attack.
The Spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP, Udeme Edet could not be reached to confirm the incident at the time of filing this report.
The Yobe State Police Command has said its operatives successfully repelled a coordinated attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on the Gujba Police Division in Gujba Local Government Area of the state.
Sources told security analyst Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred late on Thursday night and was promptly resisted by officers on duty at the division.
According to the source, no police personnel were killed or injured during the incident, while no arms were lost and no patrol vehicles were damaged.
“The hoodlums were repelled promptly. There was no casualty on our personnel, no arm was lost, and no patrol vehicle was damaged,” the source said.
Naija News reports that the source added that the Divisional Police Officer of the Gujba Division was already carrying out a detailed assessment of the incident and would submit a comprehensive report to the state command.
It was further noted that Gujba and the surrounding communities remain among the notorious flashpoints for insurgent activities in Yobe State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Yobe State Police Command had not yet issued an official statement on the incident, although security presence in the area has been reinforced to prevent further attacks.
- A Nigerian lady sparked a social media debate after discussing her reaction to a kidney transplant test request from her estranged father.
- The lady, identified as @thekingdaughtta on X (formerly Twitter), shared that her father abandoned her when she was five years old.
- He left to start a new family and severed all ties with her.
A Nigerian lady has ignited widespread debate on social media after revealing her reaction to a request for a kidney transplant test involving her estranged father.
The lady, known on X (formerly Twitter) as @thekingdaughtta, disclosed that her father left her when she was just five years old to start a new family, cutting ties with her in the process.
In a post that has since gone viral, she recounted growing up with the pain of abandonment, learning to cope on her own, and eventually building her life without any involvement from him.
According to her, she was recently contacted by her father’s wife, who explained that he needs a kidney transplant and suggested that she could be a possible donor match.
She added that members of her father’s family have allegedly been pressuring her after discovering they are not compatible donors themselves. The messages, she said, accuse her of being selfish and lacking compassion.
The lady also revealed that her mother advised her to think carefully about her decision, expressing concern that she might struggle with guilt if her father does not survive. However, the X user maintained that she does not feel guilty about her stance.
Read Tweet Below…..
My dad abandoned me and my mum when I was five. He left to start a new family and had little to no contact with me growing up. He never asked of me nor paid any bills. I struggled with feelings of abandonment for many years, but I eventually moved on and built a life without him.
Recently, I got a call from his wife telling me my father is very sick and needs a kidney transplant. She told me that I might be the best match and begged me to get tested.
Apparently his own family are not compatible. I told her NO, I don’t owe him anything after the way he treated me. He made his choices when he abandoned I and my mom, and I feel no obligation to put myself through a major surgery for someone who is essentially a stranger to me.
Since then I’ve been bombarded with messages from his side of his family, calling me selfish and heartless. They said I’m letting him die out of spite and that I need to be the bigger person.
Even my mom think I should consider it, not for him, but to avoid carrying guilt if he passes away. I don’t feel guilty, I feel he is reaping what he sowed, but part me wonders if I’m being too harsh.
Being contacted at 28 to give an absent father my kidney isn’t what I bargained for. Should I reconsider?.
See post below:
The House of Representatives has approved far-reaching amendments to the Electoral Act, introducing stiffer penalties for vote buying and selling, including a minimum of two years’ imprisonment or a N5 million fine, or both, alongside a 10-year ban from contesting elections.
The House reached this resolution during the clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the Committee on Electoral Matters at the Committee of the Whole, presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu.
According to the amended Clause 22 (a and c), individuals involved in the buying or selling of votes and voter cards now face significantly tougher sanctions than previously provided, where penalties were capped at N500,000 or a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.
The green chamber further amended the sanctions for presiding officers who deliberately breach procedures on counting, announcement, and transmission of polling unit results.
A new Section 60(6) prescribes a minimum fine of N500,000 or at least six months’ imprisonment, or both, for any presiding officer who willfully contravenes the provisions.
The House also approved a clause mandating the release of election funds to INEC at least one year before a general election, in a bid to enhance early planning and efficient conduct of polls.
To curb electoral fraud, lawmakers increased penalties for multiple voter registration.
Under the amended Clause 12(3), offenders now risk a minimum fine of N100,000 or at least one year’s imprisonment, or both.
Addressing newsmen after the consideration, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balongun, said that the House has shelved plans to repeal the Electoral Act 2022, resolving instead to pursue targeted amendments after far-reaching reform proposals failed to secure broad consensus among lawmakers and key stakeholders.