Politics

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declined to recognize the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party that is led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, citing multiple pending court judgments as the basis for its position. INEC’s decision was communicated in a letter dated December 22, 2025, in which the electoral body said it could not act on requests to upload or

Governor Seyi Makinde has signed the Oyo State Appropriation Bill 2026 into law, approving a total budget of N892,085,074,480.79 for the 2026 fiscal year. The bill was signed on Monday, marking the formal commencement of implementation preparations ahead of January 1, 2026. Makinde commended the Oyo State House of Assembly for what he described as a people-centered and timely legislative process, noting that the early passage of the budget would ensure smooth execution from t

Peter Obi has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Farouk Ahmed, chief executive officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, calling for accountability, transparency, and a broader national reflection on public responsibility. In a statement shared via his verified X handle, Obi referenced claims by Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, that Farouk allegedly spent about $5 million on the education of his four children in Swit

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has clarified that recent U.S. visa restrictions affecting Nigerian applicants are not meant to single out Nigerians but are focused on strengthening security protocols, a statement that comes amid broader adjustments to U.S. entry requirements ahead of the new year. The ambassador spoke at a news conference in Abuja during a visit by a U.S. Congressional Delegation, responding to concerns about the impact of the forthco

Peter Obi has raised concerns over alleged alterations to Nigeria’s tax laws, questioning the integrity of the process through which recently enacted legislation was finalized and published. In a statement shared via his verified X handle, the former LP presidential candidate said Nigeria was witnessing what he described as a troubling shift from controversies over budget padding to allegations of laws being altered after legislative approval. He warned that discrepancies bet

Peter Obi has paid the NECO examination fees for 148 inmates across correctional centres in Anambra State, following appeals from inmates seeking access to secondary school certification as part of their rehabilitation process. In a statement shared via his verified X handle, the former Anambra State governor explained that representatives of inmates from several correctional facilities in the state had reached out to him, prompting him to formally write to the National Exami

The Peoples Democratic Party has criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2026 budget presentation, describing it as disconnected from the economic realities faced by most Nigerians. In a statement issued on Thursday by the Party’s Spokesman, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said the proposal, which the president themed “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” does not reflect the hardship citizens have experienced since the administrati

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday presented the 2026 Appropriation Bill, titled “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” to a joint session of the National Assembly in Abuja, underscoring the urgency of converting fiscal plans into tangible outcomes for Nigerians. The presentation at the Senate Chamber brought together members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, fulfilling the president’s constitutional duty to lay before the l

Senate on Friday confirmed the appointments of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as chief executive officers of Nigeria’s key petroleum regulatory bodies, marking the conclusion of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s request to fill leadership vacancies at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. The approvals came after both nominees were screened by relevant Senate commit

The House of Representatives has approved an increase in campaign spending limits for candidates contesting elective offices in Nigeria, raising the ceiling for presidential election expenses from N5 billion to N10 billion as part of amendments to the Electoral Act 2022. The decision was taken on Thursday during plenary following a clause-by-clause review of proposals to reform the electoral law ahead of the 2027 general elections, with lawmakers saying the adjustments reflec

The Nigerian Senate has approved the appointment of 64 ambassadorial nominees forwarded by President Bola Tinubu, a development that clears the way for the deployment of a new cohort of envoys to represent the country in foreign capitals and international organisations. The confirmed list comprises 34 career diplomats and 30 non‑career appointees, as outlined in the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which conducted detailed screenings before presenting its fi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday evening presided over a national caucus meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, bringing together senior party leaders, ministers, former office holders and lawmakers in a strategic gathering ahead of key electoral and organisational activities. The meeting, which began shortly after 7:30 pm, drew top APC figures including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Yemi O

Senator Ireti Kingibe has formally defected from the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress, completing the process with her official registration at the ADC national headquarters in Abuja in the presence of party leaders, supporters and political associates. Kingibe, who had announced her intention to leave the Labour Party in July as part of her broader political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, said the timing and manner of her registration were in

Burkina Faso has released all 11 Nigerian Air Force personnel who were detained after their aircraft made a forced landing in the Sahelian country earlier this month, the Federal Government and diplomatic sources confirmed on Wednesday night. The development followed sustained high-level diplomatic engagement led by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who met with Burkina Faso’s transitional leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, in Ouagadougou on

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has received the resignation of Farouk Ahmed as chief executive officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority following a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja amid mounting controversy surrounding the regulator’s leadership. Farouk Ahmed stepped down on Wednesday after being summoned by Tinubu, a development confirmed by the Presidency’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga. The resignation came amid public allegations of

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has said he found more than N600 billion in the state’s coffers when emergency rule was lifted earlier this year, insisting that his administration remains committed to transparent and responsible management of public funds. The governor spoke on Wednesday during the commissioning of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road, which links Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas. Fubara said he left about N300 million in government

Peter Obi has called on the Federal Government to publish the full terms of the tax administration cooperation agreement Nigeria signed with France, emphasising the need for transparency on matters that directly affect public revenue and institutional credibility. Obi made his appeal on Wednesday via his verified X account, after reports emerged that the Federal Inland Revenue Service had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with France’s tax authority, Direction Généra

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday night held a meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress at the State House in Abuja in a bid to address a planned nationwide protest by the union over worsening insecurity ahead of its scheduled commencement on Wednesday. Tinubu met the labour leaders as part of last-minute efforts to avert the demonstration, which the union had said was intended to highlight what it described as escalating security challenges across the country

The Senate has instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to investigate the origin of widely circulated social media posts alleging that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had collapsed or died, after the matter was raised during plenary by Senator Titus Zam. Zam drew the attention of his colleagues to the reports, saying they had been spreading within the past 48 hours and describing them as “disturbing and unacceptable,” noting that the office of the Senate Pres

Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has stated that her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, briefly accepted a rumour circulating within the Presidential Villa that she had intended to harm him, an account she shared in the context of the recent launch of a book documenting his legacy. The biography, titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari and written by Dr. Charles Omole, was unveiled at the State House in Abuja and chronicles the late presid