Category: News

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has delivered a stinging rebuke to Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, ruling that she improperly granted reliefs that no party had requested during the hearing of a dispute within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a judgment authored by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, the appellate panel declared that the trial judge overstepped her bounds by validating a factional caretaker committee that was not part of any party’s prayers. The lower court had recognized the committee led by Abdurahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu in its January 30 decision.

Justice Onyemenam noted that the trial judge’s action created a clear legal issue, as she went beyond the scope of the reliefs sought. The court emphasized that such unauthorized recognition of a factional committee undermined the integrity of the proceedings.

The Court of Appeal further stated that the caretaker committee’s legal foundation had been dismantled by a prior Supreme Court ruling that nullified the Ibadan convention, which was the basis for the committee’s creation. Since the Supreme Court had already declared that convention null and void, any structures built upon it, including the caretaker committee, automatically lack legal validity.

Although the appellate court stopped short of explicitly labeling the trial court’s action as ultra petita—a Latin term meaning beyond what is asked—it indicated that the offending parts of the judgment were null and void and liable to be set aside. The panel also refused to order a retrial, reasoning that doing so would invite the lower court to revisit issues already settled by the apex court, which the law forbids.

Justices Mohammed Mustapha and Okon Abang concurred with the lead judgment. The decision effectively nullifies the Federal High Court’s recognition of the caretaker committee aligned with the Abdurahman Mohammed faction of the PDP.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Agege Local Government Area in Lagos State have escalated their grievance over the party’s primary election for Agege Constituency I, marching to the national secretariat in Abuja on Friday. The delegation, spearheaded by Johnson Kolawole, voiced strong objections to the announced outcome of the exercise held on May 20, 2026, which they insist was manipulated to sideline their preferred candidate, Egunjobi Ganiyu Kola.

According to Kolawole, Egunjobi had clearly won the primary with 9,132 votes out of the 10,126 valid votes cast across the five wards in the constituency. Other contenders, Oladipo Tunde Shola and Oluwagbenga Michael Abiola, reportedly garnered 560 and 434 votes respectively. The protesters claimed that the returning officer, Hon. Kayode Kassim Eleshin, officially declared Egunjobi the winner at the venue.

However, frustration mounted when a newspaper publication dated May 25, 2026, named Oluwagbenga Michael Abiola as the APC candidate for the same constituency. The group described this as a blatant contradiction of the authentic results and demanded that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and the national chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, intervene to restore what they termed the true mandate of party members.

Kolawole emphasized that the primary election was monitored by APC officials, INEC observers, security agents, journalists, and other stakeholders, and was conducted in a peaceful, transparent, and credible manner. He added that the delegation is ready to present documentary evidence, video footage from the five wards, and observer reports to substantiate their claims.

Appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC leadership, the protesters urged them to ensure that the genuine will of party members in Agege Constituency I is upheld and protected.

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Kebbi State has officially released the dates for elections to its local government chapters, following the end of tenure of current executives across the state. The election timetable was announced by the state chairman, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar Khalifa, during a press conference at the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.

Khalifa stated that the elections are being conducted in accordance with the council’s constitution to ensure an orderly leadership transition and to sustain youth development initiatives throughout the region. The notice for the polls took effect on June 5, 2026, with the sale of nomination forms beginning on June 6. Voting for local chapter positions is scheduled for June 27 and June 28, 2026.

To be eligible, candidates must be under 35 years of age, physically and mentally fit, and possess at least a school leaving certificate. The chairman also emphasized gender inclusion, noting that the deputy coordinator position and two other executive roles are reserved exclusively for women.

Khalifa encouraged Kebbi youths to actively participate in the electoral process and contribute to the council’s growth. He also called on young people to support security agencies by sharing useful information to combat insecurity and promote peace across the state.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Zamfara State is currently grappling with internal turmoil, as two distinct factions have emerged, each asserting their authority over the party’s operations. The opposing groups are spearheaded by Kabiru Garba Gusau and Shehu Muhammad Maisshanu Guluba, both of whom insist they are the rightful leaders of the ADC in the state.

Despite the ongoing leadership dispute, there is a consensus among the warring parties that Barrister Mahadi Aliyu Gusau remains the party’s official candidate for the upcoming governorship race, having secured victory in the ADC primary election. Speaking to reporters in Gusau, the state capital, Guluba sought to debunk rumors suggesting a change in the party’s candidate, labeling such claims as baseless and misleading. He firmly stated that Mahadi Aliyu Gusau continues to be the ADC flagbearer and urged members and supporters to ignore any contrary information.

Guluba further pointed fingers at unnamed individuals, accusing them of spreading falsehoods to incite confusion within the party ranks. In response, the faction aligned with Kabiru Garba Gusau maintained that he is the legitimately recognized state chairman of the ADC for Zamfara. According to this group, any move to acknowledge a different chairman violates the party’s constitution, as Gusau was duly elected through a proper process.

Gusau additionally asserted that his leadership has the backing of the party’s national secretariat, emphasizing that the congress which affirmed his position was conducted under the supervision of officials dispatched from the national headquarters. This development signals intensifying internal friction within the Zamfara ADC as the factions vie for dominance over the party structure ahead of the 2027 general elections. While the two sides remain entrenched in their positions regarding leadership, they have consistently voiced unified support for the party’s governorship candidate, Mahadi Aliyu Gusau.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has initiated a legal action at a High Court in Abuja, naming the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, as a defendant. This move stems from ongoing internal disagreements over the party’s leadership, with the ADC alleging judicial bias.

The lawsuit, submitted on June 4, 2026, was filed by Nkemakolam Ukandu, the party’s National Welfare Secretary. Ukandu seeks to intervene in an existing case (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025) brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the faction led by former Senate President David Mark. The plaintiff argues that the handling of the matter by Justice Tsoho and the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, undermines trust in the judicial process.

The ADC contends that the assignment of the case to Justice Lifu has raised doubts among party members about the likelihood of an impartial hearing. Additionally, the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been included in the suit, as the ADC claims the council failed to address complaints regarding the case’s management.

A civil society group, the Grassroots Mobilization Network (GMN), has echoed these concerns, alleging that the judiciary is being weaponized against opposition parties. GMN warned that such actions erode public confidence in the justice system and urged authorities to ensure fair treatment of politically sensitive cases.

As of now, neither the Federal High Court nor Justice Lifu has issued an official statement in response to the allegations. The NJC also remains silent on the matter. This legal development adds a new dimension to the ADC’s leadership crisis, which has drawn significant political attention ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, the NDC senatorial aspirant for Edo South, has come forward with serious allegations regarding the party’s recent primary election. In an interview on Arise Television on Friday, he claimed that the entire process was systematically manipulated to favor other candidates. Despite what he described as a deeply flawed exercise, Agbonayinma asserted that he still managed to win convincingly.

According to Agbonayinma, the rigging was extensive, yet the will of the people could not be suppressed. He stated that ward chairmen, local government chairmen, and numerous party leaders have all confirmed his victory. He questioned why the results have not been officially announced since the primaries were held on May 29th, asking what could possibly be hidden or delayed. As of June 5th, the NDC has remained silent on the outcome.

In his own words, Agbonayinma emphasized that if he had lost, he would have gracefully conceded to the rightful winner. However, since he believes he won fair and square, he demands that the party leadership allow him to proceed as the candidate. He urged the NDC to be transparent and announce the results without further delay.

Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju, who previously sought the presidential ticket of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), has announced that the party returned ₦10.8 million of her nomination fee. However, she pointed out that ₦1.2 million remains unpaid.

The refund comes after she stepped down from the 2027 race and quit the party on May 28, citing flaws in the candidate selection process. In a statement released on Friday, she acknowledged the partial payment but insisted that deeper issues persist.

Busari-Akinnadeju claimed that party leaders tried to block her from screening and later used disciplinary measures to push her out after she refused to back a consensus candidate. She argued that the Electoral Act mandates that all cleared aspirants must agree before a consensus can be declared, and this condition was not fulfilled.

She also alleged that state chairmen were told to skip the primary and instead submit numbers to the national secretariat to engineer a predetermined outcome. According to her, the incident underscores the need for stronger protections for aspirants regardless of their financial status or political clout.

While grateful for the refund, she stressed that the focus should not be on money alone. “The refund does not fix the fundamental questions about transparency and fairness in the primary process,” she said. She thanked supporters and civil society groups for their vigilance, which she credited for the partial repayment.

Having exited partisan politics, Busari-Akinnadeju is now turning her attention to the Dare Agenda Movement, a citizen-driven initiative aimed at promoting accountable leadership and active participation in nation-building beyond election seasons.

The United Kingdom has announced a tightening of its immigration policies, which could lead to universities losing their ability to enroll international students, including those from Nigeria, if they do not meet stricter compliance benchmarks.

On Friday, the UK Home Office released a statement outlining the reforms, which are designed to curb visa misuse in study, work, and tourist categories that have been linked to a surge in asylum applications.

Under the revised rules, higher education institutions may lose their sponsorship licenses if more than 5% of student visa applications are rejected—down from the previous allowance of 10%. The Home Office further stated that schools will be evaluated based on their performance, including a required 95% enrollment rate and a 90% course completion rate, up from earlier targets of 90% and 85%.

The Home Office warned that failure to meet these benchmarks could result in penalties, including the revocation of permission to admit foreign students. It noted that high dropout rates often indicate that students are entering the illegal workforce rather than focusing on their studies, while high visa refusal rates or low enrollment suggest that some institutions are not adequately vetting applicants.

This move comes after earlier restrictions on study visa applicants from countries such as Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan. The government also reported a 30% drop in asylum claims from international students following stricter enforcement measures.

Approximately 306,000 students whose visas are expiring have been advised to leave the UK or face deportation if they file unfounded asylum claims.

The Kano State Police Command has issued a stern warning to residents, particularly young individuals, regarding the hazardous trend of roller skating on highways, bridges, construction sites, and other off-limits locations in the Kano metropolis.

In a statement released on Friday, Police Public Relations Officer CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa expressed deep concern over the rising number of minors skating on main roads and even clinging to moving cars for excitement. This behavior, he emphasized, is extremely dangerous and poses serious risks to both skaters and other road users.

While acknowledging that roller skating is a legitimate recreational pursuit, the police underscored that major roads are built for vehicles, not for leisure activities. They highlighted that skaters have limited control and braking capabilities in heavy traffic, making collisions with cars and trucks highly probable.

The command noted that many roads and bridges currently under construction lack dedicated lanes for skating or similar activities, which further elevates the risk. It also condemned the reckless act of latching onto moving vehicles for thrill, noting that such behavior has already led to fatal accidents elsewhere in the country.

The police urged parents, guardians, school authorities, and community leaders to take proactive steps in educating children and wards about the dangers of engaging in these risky practices. The Commissioner of Police warned that anyone caught obstructing traffic, endangering public safety, or participating in harmful activities will be arrested and prosecuted.

Residents are encouraged to report instances of reckless skating to the nearest police station or via emergency hotlines for immediate action.

Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has raised alarm over the growing proximity of terrorists to Government Houses across Nigeria. Speaking on Friday during an interview on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo, Fayemi addressed the escalating insecurity crisis gripping the nation.

He stated, “Terrorists are gradually getting closer to Government Houses. The Jihadists are not far from us. They are already at our borders.” Fayemi emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to reassess its security strategies, noting that jihadist elements are active in neighboring countries such as Benin Republic, Togo, and Burkina Faso.

The former governor called for a more robust foreign relations approach, stressing that national interest must be prioritized to counter the threat. “We must be interested in how to salvage this because of our own national interest. They are not far from us. That’s why we need to re-strategise and ensure that our foreign relations is more robust,” he added.