Author: Gabby

Sumner Sambo, the Director of News and Political Editor at Arise Television, has declared that opposition political parties need to demonstrate their capability as the 2027 general elections approach. During his appearance as a guest on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ on Monday, Sambo cited the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election as a case in point.

He noted that the opposition’s performance in the Ekiti election was lackluster, highlighting a need for them to intensify their efforts. According to Sambo, the election results should prompt a critical evaluation of the opposition’s strategies.

He questioned why the outcomes from this election differed significantly from the intense races witnessed in 2018 and 2022. Sambo emphasized that opposition parties must show they can mount a serious challenge, rather than merely relying on past performances.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed profound gratitude to the people of the state for their overwhelming support that led to his re-election in the June 20 governorship election. In a message of appreciation, Oyebanji acknowledged the collective effort of Ekitikete in securing a renewed four-year mandate and ensuring a peaceful electoral process across all 16 local government areas.

The governor, in a statement issued by his media aide Yinka Oyebode, noted that the election set a benchmark for peaceful elections in Nigeria. He praised the conduct of citizens before, during, and after the three-month electioneering period, emphasizing that the peace was sustained by leaders and stakeholders from all walks of life.

Oyebanji extended a hand of fellowship to his opponents, Dr. Wole Oluyede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ambassador Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), inviting them to collaborate in building a more prosperous Ekiti. He specifically thanked traditional rulers, political party leaders, religious bodies, and former governors Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Chief Ayodele Fayose, Engr. Segun Oni, and Dr. Kayode Fayemi for their support and commitment to unity.

The governor also commended the security agencies, including the Army, Police, DSS, and paramilitary units, for their professionalism and inter-agency cooperation. He expressed gratitude to his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), for their dedication and magnanimity in victory, as well as to labor unions, workers, teachers, journalists, youth, market women, and transport unions.

Oyebanji acknowledged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a significantly improved electoral process, attributing it to staff dedication and the new Electoral Act signed by President Bola Tinubu. He reaffirmed his commitment to working harder to deliver greater democratic dividends in his second term, thanking God for the achievements of his administration over the past three years and eight months.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed that Omoyele Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, be taken to Kuje prison. This decision was handed down on Monday by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar.

Justice Umar issued the remand order while awaiting the hearing of Sowore’s motion for a stay on the earlier revocation of his bail and the bench warrant. The judge also dismissed a separate application requesting his recusal from the case, citing allegations of bias.

The case has been adjourned to June 24 for the hearing of the stay application, which was filed by Sowore’s new legal representative, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Sowore arrived at the court accompanied by supporters displaying placards. The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting him over claims that he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal in posts on his X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts.

Justice Umar had earlier revoked Sowore’s bail on June 16 after the defendant failed to appear in court. A bench warrant was also issued at that time following an oral request by the DSS counsel, Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN.

In a cautionary statement on Monday, public affairs analyst and civil society advocate Itodo Vincent warned that Nigeria’s escalating security challenges must not be exploited for political gain as the 2027 general elections approach.

Vincent’s remarks come on the heels of a controversial ultimatum issued by House of Representatives Minority Leader Fred Agbedi, who gave President Bola Ahmed Tinubu six months to resolve the nation’s insecurity or face calls to step down. Agbedi also proposed a suspension of all political activities until security improves, a suggestion that has drawn mixed reactions across the country.

The analyst described Agbedi’s comments as both unfortunate and counterproductive. While acknowledging the legitimacy of concerns over insecurity, he argued that senior political figures should not leverage such a sensitive issue for partisan purposes. According to Vincent, Nigeria’s security problems predate the current administration and require a unified approach involving government agencies, security forces, community leaders, and political stakeholders.

“It is regrettable that Hon. Fred Agbedi decided to turn national security into a political football. Nigerians are looking for practical solutions and collaborative efforts from their leaders, not statements designed to score cheap political points,” Vincent stated.

He further criticized the ultimatum as reckless and unbecoming of a statesman, emphasizing that security cannot be reduced to a political tool. “Issuing an ultimatum to the president and suggesting resignation if insecurity isn’t resolved in six months is not constructive. What the country needs now is unity, innovative ideas, and support for ongoing security and economic initiatives, not inflammatory rhetoric,” Vincent added.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has raised the alarm over the alarming rise in substance abuse across Nigeria. According to the agency’s chairman, Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retired), the situation has escalated to the point where it now constitutes a national emergency.

Speaking during the third edition of the “Fly Above the High” conference held in Abuja, Marwa highlighted the grave implications of the drug crisis. He stated that drug dependence is not only destroying individual lives but also threatening the stability of families, communities, the economy, and national security.

“Substance abuse hinders personal growth, stalls societal progress, weakens the economy, and compromises the safety of the nation,” Marwa emphasized. He called for immediate and coordinated efforts to combat the menace, noting that the future of countless young Nigerians is being jeopardized by this scourge.

The NDLEA chairman urged all sectors of society—including government agencies, schools, families, and community leaders—to unite in addressing the problem. He described the situation as a national crisis that demands a collective response.

On Monday, a group of Nigerian citizens in South Africa gathered outside the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria to voice their frustration over the slow pace of repatriation efforts. The protest came amid ongoing xenophobic tensions that have left many feeling unsafe and desperate to return home. Chanting the Pidgin phrase “We wan go, we no go gree” (We want to go, we will not agree otherwise), the demonstrators made it clear they are unwilling to tolerate further delays.

A video from News Central TV captured the tense scene as the crowd demanded answers from officials. Many of the stranded individuals have been waiting for weeks, uncertain when they will be able to leave South Africa. The first repatriation flight, which departed Johannesburg on June 11, carried 268 Nigerians to Lagos, but almost 600 others remain stuck. Meanwhile, neighboring countries like Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have already completed their evacuation operations, with a June 30 deadline looming for undocumented migrants to depart.

The protesters are growing increasingly anxious, as the threat of xenophobic violence continues to loom. They are calling on the Nigerian government and South African authorities to speed up the process and ensure their safe return before the deadline passes. The situation highlights the broader challenges faced by African migrants in South Africa, where anti-immigrant sentiment has flared up periodically.

During a recent trip to Mubi, a city in northern Adamawa, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri declared his administration’s intention to take decisive steps against what he described as increasing instances of same-sex conduct in the state. The governor asserted that such practices would not be tolerated under his watch.

Fintiri emphasized his commitment to preserving the legal framework, cultural heritage, and societal ethics of Adamawa. He pledged to champion norms and principles that align with the convictions and customs of the local population, while tackling social concerns through legal channels.

Calling for broader community involvement, the governor urged parents, along with religious and traditional leaders, to intensify their efforts in guiding the morals and character of the youth. He stressed that safeguarding communal values is a shared duty requiring the active engagement of every sector of society.

The South East Electricity Consumers Association (SEECA) has welcomed the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) decision to compensate eligible Band A customers, calling it a positive step for consumer protection.

In a press briefing in Enugu on Monday, SEECA Coordinator Dr. Sebastine Chukwuebuka Okafor emphasized that the compensation framework—offering token credits for prepaid users and billing adjustments for postpaid accounts—provides relief without disrupting supply arrangements.

Okafor noted that the generation shortfalls between February and March 2026 stemmed from gas shortages and infrastructure vandalism, issues beyond DisCos’ control. He praised NERC for choosing compensation over feeder downgrades, calling it a well-considered regulatory decision.

He urged the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission (EERC) and other South East regulators to adopt similar mechanisms that prioritize compensation rather than downgrading tariffs during systemic challenges.

SEECA warned against the planned mass reclassification of consumers to lower bands as a routine response to generation issues, arguing that such moves create technical, administrative, and operational difficulties that harm consumers across the region.

Okafor stressed that regulatory actions must balance consumer welfare with market sustainability, adding that stable tariffs backed by transparent compensation will attract investment, improve network efficiency, and build consumer confidence.

He reaffirmed SEECA’s commitment to engaging constructively with regulators, DisCos, and stakeholders to promote fairness, accountability, and improved service delivery in the power sector for residents and businesses in the South East.

Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), has declared that he will continue rallying the public even while detained. This statement follows a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja on Monday, which ordered his confinement at Kuje Correctional Centre until Wednesday.

Justice Mohammed Umar issued the remand order after revoking Sowore’s bail last week. The court’s decision came after the judge dismissed Sowore’s request for recusal from the case, which involves allegations by the Department of State Services that Sowore referred to President Bola Tinubu as a criminal in public statements.

Unfazed by the ruling, the human rights activist insisted that imprisonment will not hinder his activism. ‘I am going to prison to keep mobilizing our people. The prosecution insisted on sending me to Kuje Prison until Wednesday,’ he stated.

Sowore revealed that he came prepared for detention, bringing his prison bag. He emphasized that his sacrifices are for the greater good of the nation. ‘All these are happening for a good reason. Somebody must make sacrifices that will benefit this country,’ he added.

The activist explained that his recent absence from court, which led to the bail revocation, was due to legal consultations. He noted that his new lead counsel, Olumide-Fusika, SAN, had formally informed the court about the reason for his absence, but Justice Umar ordered the remand nonetheless.

Sowore expressed that he is not troubled by the development, asserting that imprisonment has never defeated a just cause. ‘I need hardly say that I am the least bothered by this development. Imprisonment has never defeated a just cause, and it never will,’ he concluded.

During the ongoing trial of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, a witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) testified that the accused had openly acknowledged intercepting the National Security Adviser’s phone conversations. Deji Adeyanju, appearing as the second prosecution witness, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he heard El-Rufai admit on a live television broadcast that “we listened to the conversations of the NSA.”

Adeyanju recounted that he was a guest on the same Arise Television program on February 16, 2026, the day El-Rufai made the incriminating remarks. He stated that he later issued a public statement after news broke that security operatives planned to arrest the former governor. The prosecution submitted a subpoena compelling Adeyanju’s testimony, which was accepted as Exhibit G.

The court also played a recording of the Arise TV interview featuring El-Rufai. Adeyanju confirmed the authenticity of the clip and the statements attributed to the former governor. Subsequently, the prosecution presented Adeyanju’s own interview on a flash drive along with a compliance certificate; these were admitted as Exhibits H and H1.

Under cross-examination by defense counsel Paul Erokoro, Adeyanju clarified that El-Rufai did not specifically say he personally hacked the NSA’s phone lines. Instead, the former governor stated that someone else carried out the interception and passed the information to him. When asked whether he knew how the NSA makes calls or if the DSS had asked which device was compromised, Adeyanju replied that those details were not his concern.

The prosecution also submitted an official gazette as Exhibit I without objection from the defense. The trial was adjourned to June 23 for further proceedings.

The DSS charged El-Rufai with three counts under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in wiretapping NSA Nuhu Ribadu’s phone lines, as confessed during the Arise TV interview.