Category: News

Prominent human rights lawyer Femi Falana has raised alarm over the harsh living conditions faced by schoolchildren kidnapped from Oyo and Borno states and currently held captive in forests by terrorists. Speaking during the EndBadGovernance protest in Lagos on Friday, Falana demanded immediate action to secure their release.

“These children are enduring unimaginable suffering. They have no access to medical care or food,” Falana stated. “As Nigerians, we are all held captive in some way by this situation.”

Falana further criticized the government, asserting that the current economic hardship is artificially created. “We are also protesting the hunger and poverty gripping our nation. There is no justification for poverty in Nigeria,” he said. “Our country possesses vast material, natural, and capital resources that should be used to ensure the happiness of our citizens.”

The lawyer’s remarks highlighted the broader crisis of insecurity and economic mismanagement plaguing the country, calling for urgent government intervention.

Seriake Dickson, the National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has declared that the party provided Peter Obi with the presidential ticket without receiving any payment from him. During a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, Dickson emphasized that the NDC permitted Obi to select his running mate independently, without any party interference.

Dickson expressed bewilderment over the demands from Obi’s supporters, known as Obidients. He stated, “We provided the presidential ticket at no charge and allowed Obi to choose his vice presidential candidate without any party involvement. What more do people expect?”

The former Bayelsa governor noted that neither he nor the national chairman solicited any money from the campaign. He added, “At this stage, our focus should be on collaborating for victory in the 2027 elections. I believe we can achieve this.”

The Court of Appeal in Makurdi has declared the African Alliance Party (AAP) a duly recognized political entity in Nigeria. The judgment, delivered on Thursday, mandates the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of registration to the party without delay.

Rev. Peters Olusegun Iyaobaje, the party’s National Chairman, announced the ruling in a statement. He highlighted that the appellate court’s decision stemmed from INEC’s failure to contest AAP’s registration eligibility within the constitutionally stipulated 90-day period. The court emphasized that this timeline is mandatory, not optional, and INEC’s inaction cannot be used to deny any association its right to registration.

According to Iyaobaje, the judgment reaffirms the rule of law and strengthens Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, especially as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections. The court further ordered that INEC and its officials must comply with the registration directive immediately.

This development comes amid ongoing legal efforts to deregister certain opposition parties before the next election cycle.

In a recent interview on Noire TV, the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, downplayed the significance of gubernatorial support in shaping election outcomes. He asserted that his track record from the last electoral cycle demonstrates that having governors on your side does not guarantee success.

Obi highlighted that despite entering the previous election without a single governor in his corner, he still managed to secure victories in 12 states. He further alleged that two additional states were effectively stolen from him through rigging tactics. “It doesn’t matter whether 36 governors are standing with the president. In the last election, I didn’t have any governor backing me, yet I won 12 states. Even after they rigged two away, I still ended up with 12. And with the Supreme Court decision incorporating Abuja, we now effectively have 37 states,” he stated.

He also referenced the performance of other candidates, noting that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso won only Kano State. According to Obi, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party each secured 12 states, but he lost two due to rigging, which would have given him 14 states in total. “So whether they gather all the governors, it’s irrelevant. What truly matters in this campaign is how to make Nigeria work for the poor,” Obi declared.

A governorship hopeful from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State, Ishaya Durkwa, has initiated legal proceedings against his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The suit seeks to nullify the governorship primary he allegedly lost. Durkwa has approached the Federal High Court in Yola, requesting an order to prevent the declared winner, Omar Suleiman, from presenting himself as the ADC’s gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 elections.

Omar was announced as the winner of the primary election conducted on May 23, 2026, and has since been acknowledged as the ADC’s candidate for the governorship race. In his lawsuit, Durkwa names the ADC, INEC, and Omar Suleiman as defendants, accusing them of violating provisions of the Electoral Act. He argues that the primary was neither free nor fair.

The aspirant is pleading with the court to cancel both the primary election and the subsequent declaration of Omar as the winner. Additionally, he seeks a directive compelling the ADC to organize a fresh governorship primary for Adamawa State, in compliance with Sections 84 and 86 of the Electoral Act. The case underscores ongoing internal disputes within the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed its approval of the appointment of Bayelsa lawmaker Frederick Agbedi as the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives. In a statement issued by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, Agbedi was described as a politician of unwavering integrity and steadfastness. The faction noted that his emergence as minority leader signifies a well-earned trust and strong faith in his capacity to lead.

The statement read in part: “We welcome the announcement made earlier today by Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas during plenary. Agbedi is a trustworthy, resolute, and principled politician who is guided by conviction rather than convenience.”

DAILY POST notes that Agbedi previously served as the state chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa. His new role is expected to bring stability and effective opposition in the House.

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, has declared that every financial contribution to the party must be deposited into its official bank account. He made this announcement during a stakeholders’ meeting, emphasizing that no party official, including himself, is permitted to spend party funds without proper oversight.

Dickson stressed the importance of compliance with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) auditing processes, as stipulated by law. He asserted that this measure will prevent individuals from misusing party resources for personal gains, such as purchasing private residences or luxury vehicles. He stated, “We have directed that all donations be routed through the party’s designated account to ensure they are auditable by INEC when required.” He further explained that this transparency will reassure donors that their contributions are not being misappropriated by party leaders or executives.

Drawing from past experiences with other political parties, Dickson noted that funds often vanish without explanation. He argued, “In other parties, we raised money, but before you knew it, the funds were gone. We do not want the NDC to follow that path. Therefore, we urge everyone to bear with us as we establish these systems.”

This directive aims to foster accountability and trust within the party, ensuring that all financial transactions are transparent and subject to regulatory oversight.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Forum in Adamawa Central senatorial zone has raised alarms that President Bola Tinubu might struggle to secure victory in Adamawa State during the 2027 elections if disputes over alleged candidate imposition are not resolved. The group highlighted that the party risks repeating errors that led to the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) downfall in 2015.

Speaking at a news conference in Yola, forum spokesperson Mohammed Jimeta drew parallels with the 2015 governorship race, noting that then-President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP leaders unilaterally selected Malam Nuhu Ribadu as the governorship candidate from Abuja. However, voters in Adamawa rejected that choice and elected their preferred candidate. Jimeta emphasized that similar top-down decisions could backfire for the APC.

Jimeta questioned the emergence of Mustapha Salihu as the party’s senatorial candidate, arguing that Salihu contested the governorship primary, not the senatorial race. He stated, “The president is aware that Mustapha Salihu ran for governor, not the Senate. Abdulraheem Abbati was the one who contested the Senate primary in the central zone. So how did Salihu become the senatorial candidate?”

The elders demanded that the ticket be awarded to Abbati, who they claimed legitimately won the primary for the Senate seat. They also pointed out that several local government areas in the zone have produced senators, but Yola North has never been given the opportunity. “Salihu and Senator Abbas hail from the same local government area. Why is the APC sidelining the people of Yola North? A few individuals are trying to deny Abbati his rightful ticket,” Jimeta added.

The forum called on National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to intervene and prevent what they described as an injustice. They warned that ignoring the issue could harm both the APC governorship candidate and President Tinubu. “Two people will lose: the APC governorship candidate in Adamawa and the president. To avoid this political setback, the matter must be resolved now,” Jimeta stated.

Jimeta also reminded that Abbati worked tirelessly for Tinubu’s victory in the state during the last election, serving as the returning officer for the president in Shelleng Local Government Area even as some APC members worked against him. The elders urged the party leadership to correct the alleged imposition to safeguard future electoral prospects.

A prominent figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Dr. Jelili Akinola, has identified corruption as the primary impediment to Nigeria’s advancement. Speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday, Akinola offered his reflections on 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule in the country.

He noted that Nigeria’s experience with democratic governance over the past decades has been characterized by both achievements and lost opportunities, largely due to pervasive corruption. According to Akinola, the persistent misappropriation and mismanagement of public funds have stunted progress in critical areas such as road construction, healthcare, education, and other vital sectors across the nation.

While acknowledging that the country has made notable strides compared to the pre-1999 era, Akinola stressed that the continued siphoning of public resources into private coffers is obstructing national development. He called on the federal government to bolster anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau. He also advocated for impartial prosecution of corrupt individuals, emphasizing that political resolve and transparent governance are essential for Nigeria to achieve its development objectives.

The PDP stalwart further urged citizens to hold elected officials accountable, warning that voter apathy during elections paves the way for poor governance. He stated that genuine progress begins with honest leadership and a populace that refuses to condone the theft of public funds.

Akinola remarked that while democratic consolidation since 1999 has been inconsistent, it has achieved irreversible advancements relative to the era of military rule. He highlighted the establishment of regular elections and peaceful transfers of power as the most significant gains of civilian governance. “Since 1999, we have transitioned from one civilian administration to another without military interference. That alone represents consolidation,” he said. “Nigerians now anticipate elections every four years, a mindset that was absent before.”

Nevertheless, Akinola observed that the quality of democracy remains fragile. He recommended that the National Orientation Agency launch nationwide campaigns to promote patriotism and discourage corruption. He also advised Nigerian leaders to set a positive example and govern with integrity and reverence for God. Additionally, the PDP chieftain called for collaborative efforts to tackle the nation’s security challenges, asserting that meaningful development cannot occur amid instability.

The Labour Party in Osun State has issued an urgent plea for calm following a spike in politically charged violence, including gunfire and fatalities, across several communities.

Mustapha Adebayo Muhydeen, the party’s state chairman, released a statement on Thursday voicing deep concern over what he termed a troubling escalation of confrontation among political rivals.

Muhydeen underscored that the situation poses a serious threat to the state’s stability and democratic health, and he called on all political players and their followers to refrain from further aggression.

He recalled that during his swearing-in as chairman on April 25, 2026, he emphasized the critical need for peaceful coexistence leading up to the August 15 gubernatorial election.

The Labour Party chairman explicitly stated that no political aspiration justifies the shedding of a single citizen’s blood, urging stakeholders to prioritize Osun’s well-being over party loyalties.

He appealed to security agencies to ramp up efforts to enforce law and order, and to ensure that perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.

Muhydeen maintained that democracy can only thrive in an environment of peace, tolerance, and mutual respect, and that political competition must never devolve into bloodshed.

He also expressed sympathy for families affected by the recent unrest, calling for justice and support for victims.

The chairman warned youths not to allow themselves to be used as instruments of violence by politicians, cautioning that such actions could have lasting negative consequences.

He reiterated the Labour Party’s dedication to peaceful political engagement and urged residents to remain calm while authorities address the matter. He stressed that dialogue and lawful means remain the proper channels for resolving political differences.