Author: Candid Reporters

The Federal Government has disbursed N5.12 billion to 90,689 Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) pensioners under the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to clear their outstanding pension liabilities. The disclosure is contained in a statement on Monday in Abuja by the Head of Corporate Communications of PTAD, Olugbenga Ajayi. He said that the directorate had finalised the disbursement of the money. Mr Ajayi said that the payment to 90,689 pensioners across the four pension departments, reaffirmed the PTAD’s dedication and commitment to pensioners welfare. The Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service and Prisons Pension Department (CIPPD) pensioners totalling 8,626, received…

The Department of State Services, DSS has araigned five men accused of carrying out the attack at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, in Ondo State. The attack which happened three years ago in the state still keeps a sad memory in the hearts of the Catholic faithful across the country. The suspects were paraded before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. The five persons, whose names were given as: Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Otuho Abubakar, are to answer for the killing of 40 worshippers and injuries to no fewer than…

Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State has claimed that Peter Obi, Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, won the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State. Amaechi stated this while speaking during an X Space discussion on Saturday. “I can agree with you to some extent that Obi won Rivers State. “But I don’t know how the results were changed,” Amaechi said. Amaechi’s comments add another twist to the controversy over the outcome of the February 2023 election. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner. INEC declared that the…

Hon. Iheanyi Frank Chinasa, Abia State National Assembly Liaison Officer, has extended warmest congratulations to Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha on his election as Archbishop in the Methodist Church Nigeria. The congratulatory message which highlights Archbishop Onuoha’s unwavering dedication to the service of God also recognizes his forthrightness in promoting the gospel, while uplifting humanity. According to Hon Chinasa, Archbishop Onuoha’s elevation is a clear attestation to his “unwavering dedication to the service of God, the promotion of the gospel, and the upliftment of humanity.” Furthermore, he stated that the Archbishop’s stewardship with the Vision Africa Project has “touched countless lives,…

We had contemplated ignoring the statement issued by the PDP through its State Chairman, Chief Amah Abraham, because he claimed that it was their” Shadow Government Review”. Firstly, a Shadow government does not exist in a Presidential System of Government. Abia State Government had warned against this in 2024 when the idea of the so-called Shadow government was first conceived by the PDP. The government subsequently took the necessary actions to nip their activities in the bud. The Federal Government of Nigeria restated this recently and warned against its formation by anyone anywhere, hence any attempt by the Abia State…

Ude Oko Chukwu, immediate past Deputy Governor of Abia State has resigned his membership from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The resignation was contained in a letter addressed to the PDP Chairman of his ward at Ndi Elu Ward, Nkporo, Ohafia L.G.A of Abia State. The resignation letter was sighted as signed and received by Ama Nweke Ibe on August 7, 2025. CANDID REPORTERS recalls that the immediate past Deputy Governor recently visited Governor Otti and declared that the Otti has through various landmark achievements earned himself a second term in office. Sir Oko Chukwu stated this while answering questions…

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, SSCE, continued yesterday, with parents and some groups calling for the cancellation of some of the papers, especially English Language. This is even as the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, in criticising the conduct of the examination during nighttime hours, described it as unacceptable and detrimental to performance. Recall that only 38.32% passed English language and Mathematics at the credit level. Both papers are key to securing university admission in the country. Commentators on the development, especially parents, blamed the mass failure on lapses on the part of the West African Examinations…

The Federal Government, through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has assured Nigerians that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in food are safe for consumption, provided proper safety evaluations and labeling protocols are followed. Speaking during a live appearance on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television breakfast show, on Thursday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said there is widespread misconception about GMOs, which often results in unnecessary public fear. Adeyeye, a professor of pharmaceutics, emphasised that NAFDAC collaborates closely with the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to ensure that all genetically modified food items are adequately tested and certified…

Over the weekend, Hon Iheanyi Frank Chinasa, Abia State National Assembly Liaison Officer returned to his roots in Bende Local Government Area to condole with some bereaved friends and families, by actively participating in the funeral rites of two beloved individual members of his constituency. At Ndagbo Eluoma Uzuakoli, he joined the Nnochiri Oriaku family to bid farewell to a dear brother and friend, Mr Peter Nnochiri whose sudden death he said “creates a void and vacuum which will be difficult to fill and silence that transcends words”. He encouraged the bereaving family to be consoled by the cherished memories…

As a new month dawns, renowned industrialist and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, has extended heartfelt greetings to the people of Nigeria, urging citizens to embrace August with renewed hope, unity, and a shared commitment to national progress. In a statement released early Friday morning, Dr. Ogah described the beginning of a new month as “another divine opportunity for individuals, communities, and the nation to reflect, reposition, and rededicate themselves to purposeful living.” “I welcome all fellow Nigerians to the month of August, a time traditionally associated with abundance, harvest, and new…