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US announces new visa regime for Nigerians The U.S. Mission will increase visitor visa validity from 24 months to 60 months for Nigerians who want to enter the United States temporarily for business and/or tourism. The new policy takes effect on March 1, 2023, according to a statement issued on Monday, February 27, 2023. The visa validity extension allows Nigerians to use the visa for 60 months to make short trips to the United States for tourism or business purposes before having to renew their visa.... The Federal Government of Nigeria has directed the full implementation of a new visa reciprocity policy for citizens of the United States of America with effect from March 1, 2023. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, gave the directive following the approval for the implementation of the new Bilateral Consular Policy Agreements between the governments of Nigeria and the United States of America. The agreements amongst others include: The reciprocity of five (5) year touri...

2023 Elections Fell Short Of Expectations- US Institutes February 27, 20230 The Joint Election Observation Mission of the International Republican Institute, IRI, and the National Democratic Institute, NDI, led by former President of Malawi, Joyce Banda, says the 2023 election fell short of the reasonable expectations of Nigerians. According to the 40-member delegation of the two United States Institutes, logistical challenges and multiple incidents political violence overshadowed the electoral process and impeded a substantial number of voters from participating. The Joint Election Observation Mission stated these in their preliminary statement and recommendations in Abuja on Monday. They explained that members of the team were deployed across all six geopolitical regions of the country to observe all stages of the voting process; stressing that their observations informed the preliminary findings and practical recommendations to improve future elections. The preliminary statement rea...

Four Policemen  Arrested  Over Involvement  In Electoral Malpractice in Rivers State. Four Policemen have been arrested by the Authority of Rivers State Police command over their alleged Involvement in electoral malpractice  last week Saturday (25, February,2023) during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state. SP Grace Iringe Koko, Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police command in a statement on Monday, 27th February, 2023 said following a video which  trended on social media suggesting  the involvement of some police personnel operating in a Pick Up Vehicle with incscription “RRT 050” in alleged electoral malpractice, Rivers State Police Command has arrested and taken into custody one officer and three Inspectors for interrogation.  SP Koko said the police pick-up van in the trending video has also been impounded for thorough investigation. She said the Command  assures the electorate in Rivers State of its unalloyed commi...

Maiduguri Fire: Zulum hosts victims, presents N1b cheque … Appoints disbursement committee chair  Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Monday in Maiduguri hosted hundreds of victims, most of them traders at the Monday Market whose shops and goods worth billions of naira, were razed by an inferno that engulfed the market yesterday, Sunday.  Zulum while hosting them, presented a cheque of one billion naira for onward disbursement as emergency palliatives to the victims, pending the outcome of an assessment committee.  The governor had, during a statewide broadcast yesterday, announced a palliative of one billion naira which came after he visited the scene and mobilized armed forces to secure the market.  The Maiduguri Monday Market, said to be the largest in the northeast, was completely burnt by fire that lasted for some hours. The fire began between 1am and 2am from yet to be ascertained cause(s).  Zulum received the victims at the premises of Borno State Government...

Governor El-rufai's Son, Bello Wins Kaduna North Federal Constituency Seat  Bello El-rufai, the son of the Executive Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has emerged winner of Kaduna North House of Representatives seat.  Bello secured 51,052 votes, defeating the incumbent Samaila Suleiman of the People's Democratic Party who secured 32, 802 votes. More details shortly.....  

LP Candidate, Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu wins Awka North and South House of Representatives election* Prof. Oby Lilian Orogbu of Labour Party has been elected as Honourable Member-Elect to represent the good people of Awka North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Announcing the results at the Independence National Electoral Commission's (INEC) local government area office at Amawbia, Anambra State, the Returning Officer, Dr. Uche Nnyagu, said out of  59,978 accredited voters, Prof. Orogbu polled a total of 34,713 votes to beat the All Progressives Grand Alliance candidate (APGA) candidate, Hon. Obi Nwankwo, who came 2nd with a total of 24,814 votes. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr. Emeka Igwe came third with 12,850 votes, among other candidates who contested the February 25 National Assembly election. Other parties that participated in the election include Accord party that scored (624), ADC (108), APC (856), NNPP (244), NRM (33), SDP (43...

 February 27, 2023 Text of Press Conference by the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Debo Ologunagba, on the Position of the PDP on the ongoing Collation of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election Results by INEC PDP To INEC: Halt Announcement of Manipulated Results Now …Electoral Commission Pushing Nigerians to the Wall Gentlemen of the Press, we have called you to update you on our observations and concerns on the ongoing collation of results of the February 25, 2023 Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It is very clear from the votes as cast at the Polling Units across the country, that the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar substantially defeated the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in line with the expressed aspiration and Will of Nigerians. However, it is alarming that INEC is aiding and abettin...