General
Fani-Kayode Cites Ideological Reasons for Choosing S’Africa Over Germany
By Adedapo Adesanya
The former Minister of Aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, has been redeployed from Germany to South Africa as Nigeria’s ambassador.
Mr Fani-Kayode disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday, stating that President Bola Tinubu has approved his reassignment to South Africa upon his request, contrary to reports that he was rejected by the European nation.
The request, he said, was put forward days after his posting was announced in March alongside that of 64 other ambassadorial appointees.
The former aviation minister said he “personally sought” redeployment due to personal and ideological reasons.
“I expressed the fact that I would rather serve in a country that shares some of my convictions, beliefs and values when it comes to world affairs, that has the biggest economy in Africa, that has closer ties to Nigeria, and that is more proximate to my political thinking when it comes to foreign affairs and a pan-African vision,” Mr Fani-Kayode stated.
He also said, “I was not comfortable with Germany for several personal reasons. Given that I have lived in Europe most of my life, I would prefer to go to South Africa, which is a country that I have never been to and for which I have so much interest.”
He disclosed that he had presented his request and reasons to the then former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who was still in his seat at the time.
He said Mr Tuggar considered his request favourably and subsequently presented it to President Tinubu, who approved the redeployment.
The former minister said he had spent much of his life in Europe and wished to serve in a country within Africa that aligns more closely with his views on foreign policy and Pan-Africanism, describing South Africa as a country with strong bilateral ties with Nigeria and as occupying a strategic position on the continent due to its economic influence.
He expressed gratitude to both the president and the foreign affairs minister for what he described as a “gracious” consideration of his request.
He also acknowledged Mr Sam Enang, the appointee initially posted to South Africa, for agreeing to swap places with him. This thereby makes Mr Enang the ambassador-designate to Germany.
He also denied the report that Germany rejected him for previously making tribalist and ethnic slurs. He insisted that the decision to switch was made solely by him.
“Germany never rejected me,” he wrote, adding that the report published by People’s Gazette in March was inaccurate.
The report stated that Germany rejected Mr Fani-Kayode’s ambassadorial posting due to his past “rabid ethnic and religious slurs as well as his erratic behaviour.”
Responding to this, however, Mr Fani-Kayode said, “The story was not only irresponsible and insulting but was also a total and complete fabrication based on hearsay, beer parlour talk and cheap gossip and designed to embarrass me, the President.
“Worse still, they listed a number of clearly outlandish and absurd reasons for this purported and fake ‘rejection’ which they patched together and concocted reflecting the malevolent condition of their perverse imagination.”
The minister claimed that preliminary findings from an internal investigation showed that the report was sponsored and written with malicious intent.
He also added that petitions had been submitted to relevant security agencies regarding the publication and the individuals allegedly responsible for the report.
“I have also briefed my lawyers…and we shall be suing them in a civil action for defamation,” he said.
The former minister maintained that no formal rejection was ever issued by Germany, stating that the report emerged after diplomatic communication relating to his redeployment to South Africa was leaked and misrepresented.
“What actually happened was that the day an “agreement” was sent to South Africa by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was on March 13th, it was leaked to them and they falsely and maliciously reported that it was sent only because I had been formally rejected by Germany, which they knew to be false,” he noted.
He added that he looks forward to serving Nigeria in South Africa, which he described as a country with a “remarkable and inspiring history.”
Meanwhile, Mr Fani-Kayode’s posting to South Africa comes amid growing tension of xenophobia and anti-black immigrant campaigns in the country.
The Foreign Minister, Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria following the murder of two Nigerian nationals allegedly by officials of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
One of Mr Fani-Kayode’s first tasks will likely be addressing the xenophobic violence as it affects the lives and interests of Nigerians in the country.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
