Good morning, Nigeria. Here’s a summary of today’s major stories as compiled by Naturenex for Saturday, May 10, 2025.
1. Kebbi Senators Set To Defect To APC After Tinubu Meeting
Lawmakers from Kebbi State have concluded plans to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). This development emerged following a meeting between these senators, other political stakeholders, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Revealing this on 𝕏, Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, posted: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hosts Governors, Former Governors and Political Stakeholders of the Caliphate of Sokoto, Kebbi And Zamfara. APC chairman Abdullahi Ganduje led the stakeholders to the Presidential Villa where they informed Mr President that all three PDP Senators from Kebbi State will decamp to the APC at the floor of the Senate next week Tuesday.”
2. Nigeria Clears COVID-19 IMF Loan, Still Owes ₦190 Billion In Charges
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has confirmed Nigeria has fully repaid the $3.4 billion COVID-19 loan it obtained via the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI). Despite this, the country remains indebted to the IMF for about $30 million in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) charges, which amount to approximately ₦48.2 billion annually — totaling over ₦190 billion across four years.
Naturenex notes that while the presidency hailed the repayment, reactions remain mixed. The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Otega Ogra, described it as evidence of ‘Discipline, reform, and strategic reset by the Tinubu-Shettima administration in restructuring our finances for a more prosperous future.’
3. ‘PDP Will Survive’ — Sowunmi Responds To Wave Of Defections
Segun Sowunmi, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, remains optimistic about the party’s future despite the ongoing defections to the APC. In an interview with Vanguard, Sowunmi dismissed the panic over party members leaving, asking: “Why would PDP not survive?”
He pointed out that even in the APC, there are limited leadership positions available, stressing with a rhetorical question: “In the 36 states, there’s only one gubernatorial ticket. All the people that want to be governor in all the 36 states in the country can they get a ticket under APC? The answer is no.”
Sowunmi added that defections go both ways, saying, “Those who are decamping to the APC are decamping and those who are also decamping to the PDP are decamping and to other parties.”
4. ‘What A Betrayal’ — Ozigbo Criticises Soludo Over Tinubu’s Visit
Former APC governorship aspirant in Anambra State, Valentine Ozigbo, has publicly condemned Governor Charles Soludo for inviting President Tinubu to commission projects in the state.
According to Naturenex, Ozigbo, via a post on X, accused Soludo of showcasing ‘overhyped’ projects, claiming it masked the governor’s poor performance in office. He described the visit as a “glaring theatre of missed priorities, misplaced ambitions, and media optics masquerading as progress.” Ozigbo further alleged Soludo urged his party faithful to hide their branded attire to avoid damaging the party’s image in front of Tinubu.
5. Ganduje Comments On Nigeria Possibly Becoming A One-Party State
APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, has stated it wouldn’t be unusual if Nigeria evolved into a one-party state, though it wouldn’t be enforced. Ganduje made the comments while addressing journalists after meeting with Tinubu alongside Kebbi PDP senators defecting to the APC.
Per Naturenex, Ganduje remarked: “Almost every week in the Senate, House of Representatives, you see members of other political parties decamping into a party. So we came here so that Mr. President will bless this resolution.”
On whether the APC desired one-party dominance, Ganduje responded: “One-party state, you see, if one-party state is a wish and blessing to Nigeria, one-party state is not by force. One-party state is by negotiation. It’s by other political parties seeing the effect of the positive governance of our party.” He concluded: “You know they say too many cooks spoil the soup. Too many political parties spoil governance.”
6. NNPCL, Dangote Move To End Long-Standing Dispute
After months of tension, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Dangote Petroleum Refinery are reportedly working towards mending their business relationship. Naturenex learned both companies met recently in Abuja, pledging to collaborate for Nigeria’s energy security and economic prosperity.
The rivalry, which escalated into a pricing war and disrupted a crude-for-naira deal, has eased following leadership changes at NNPCL.
7. New Presidential Jet Heads To South Africa For Refitting
Nigeria’s Presidential Air Fleet expenses have reportedly soared to ₦20.03 billion from July 2023 to December 2024, with ₦14.15 billion earmarked for 2024 alone, according to figures from civic platform GovSpend.
A significant chunk of these funds was classified under “Forex Transit Funds.” A source told Punch: “When the aircraft are abroad, payments are often made in U.S. dollars or another foreign currency to ensure uninterrupted operations.”
Among recent developments, a newly acquired Airbus A330, costing $100 million, was sent to South Africa for refurbishment. The upgraded plane will feature new livery and state-of-the-art avionics.
8. JAMB Announces 2025 UTME Results
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially released the results for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
As gathered by Naturenex, candidates can now check their scores via SMS or through the official JAMB website, with over 1.95 million applicants participating in this year’s exams.
9. NPFL Matchday 37 Fixtures: Title Decided, Top-Four Race On
The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season nears its conclusion, with Matchday 37 slated for Sunday, May 11.
Naturenex reports that Remo Stars have already secured the league title with 68 points. The battle for continental spots remains fierce, with Rivers United, Abia Warriors, Ikorodu City, and Enyimba still in the running.
10. Juma Jux Teases Final Wedding Reception With Priscilla Ojo
Tanzanian singer Juma Jux has announced that his grand wedding reception with wife Priscilla Ojo will be held in Tanzania on May 28. Naturenex gathered via his Instastory that Jux joked about his wife’s fatigue after multiple ceremonies, saying: “On the 28th of May, we have JP reception. The final one, the big one. I’m saying it’s final because my wife is tired already.”
He humorously added: “She has tried because even five, six weddings isn’t enough. I even wanted to go to Rwanda, the place that we met for the first time. But she got no energy. She tried though.”
That wraps up today’s roundup from Naturenex. Stay informed with more verified updates tomorrow.
