Author: Lawan

The Supreme Court has restored key provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 on party membership registers and candidate nominations, creating fresh grounds for challenges to the 2027 tickets of the APC, PDP, NDC and other parties. The ruling does not automatically disqualify any candidate. The court distinguished between an individual’s qualification to contest and whether the candidate’s party met the legal requirements for nominations. A ticket may therefore be challenged where a party or candidate is shown to have breached the law. INEC has received the certified true copy of the judgment and is reviewing its implications. The commission is…

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has demanded a full breakdown of the N11.2 trillion reportedly owed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) by the Federal Government, alongside disclosure of government contractors’ contributions to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign. In a statement by the Director of Strategic Communication, ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said Nigerians deserved to know how much of the claims related to pipeline protection, who received the payments and what services were delivered.“NNPC’s 2024 accounts recorded roughly N17.5 trillion across different claims on the Federation, including petrol under-recovery and…

Portuguese Minister of Economy, Manuel Castro Almeida, has said many people might not know Portugal exists if not for Cristiano Ronaldo. According to Almeida, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus forward is the most popular person in Portugal. Ronaldo has been at the centre of controversy following his departure from the Portugal national team’s training camp amid an alleged disagreement with head coach Jorge Jesus.The Portuguese veteran chose to leave the camp following remarks made by coach Jorge Jesus during a press conference ahead of their UEFA Nations League victory over Denmark. “Many people only know Portugal thanks…

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has pushed for far-reaching constitutional and electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, including a review of the process for appointing the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and changes to the handling of election disputes.It also wants limitations preventing ordinary voters from challenging election results reviewed, provision made for independent candidacy and electoral disputes resolved within appropriate timelines before declared winners are sworn into office. These formed part of the resolutions of the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC 2026), held in Enugu from September 24 to 26 under the…

The Nigerian flag flew proudly at Winnipeg City Hall on October 1, when the Canadian city celebrated Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and honoured the growing contributions of Nigerians to the city. The historic flag-raising ceremony brought together Winnipeg Mayor, Scott Gillingham; President of the Nigerian Association of Manitoba (NAMI), Vera Obehi Keyede; Deputy Premier of Manitoba and Minister of Health, Uzoma Asagwara; Oloro of Oro and Paramount Ruler of Oro Kingdom. Oba Joel Olaniyi Oyatoye Titiloye Olufayo II, community leaders and members of the Nigerian diaspora. Welcoming the gathering, Mayor Gillingham described Winnipeg’s Nigerian community as “large and growing”, saying…

…Says it exists as public document The Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), has dismissed claims that its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, did not approve or co-sign the Sokoto Declaration. In an official statement issued on behalf of Kanu, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the claim that the declaration is a “fraud flyer” is false and a deliberate attempt to create confusion. According to the statement, the documentary record shows that Kanu’s Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, had publicly announced before its release that he was authorized by Kanu to disclose that Kanu had been working with Mike…

Chief Yemi Farounbi•Our country won’t make progress until we return to true federalism•No president should stop citizens from probing his past, but opposition should focus on issuesElder Statesman and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Chief Yemi Farounbi, is not happy with the present state of the nation. Farounbi turned 84 on October 1, on a day Nigeria would get its independence from Great Britain. But looking back at the trajectory of the nation, he says Nigeria ought to have progressed more than its present state, given the abundant resources and manpower God has blessed Nigeria with. In this interview,…

Kidnappers of 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from Oyo State have demanded N1 billion ransom and given their parents 24 hours to pay or risk harm coming to the victims. The distressed parents disclosed the development on yesterday when they visited the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan, alongside the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, and the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Adeyeri. The 20 graduates were travelling from Ibadan to their NYSC orientation camps on Thursday when gunmen attacked the two buses conveying them along the Owerri-Onitsha…

•Confusion, uncertainty loom as ruling sets tribunal landmines for defectors, latecomers The 24 September Supreme Court ruling on Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 has finally settled the controversy over political parties’ autonomy in relation to membership registers and internal electoral processes, returning strict statutory discipline to Nigeria’s candidate nomination system. The apex court set aside the 16 July 2026 judgement of the Court of Appeal, which had voided several restrictive sections of the Electoral Act as unconstitutional, and fully restored the statutory requirements for candidate nominations and party primary processes. By overturning the lower court’s decision, the Supreme…

The co-pilot of the FlyDubai plane who allegedly attacked the plane’s captain and attempted to crash a flight bound for Israel on Wednesday is an Omani national who was previously suspended from flying by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk, according to senior intelligence and law enforcement officials. Multiple sources familiar with the investigation identified the suspected attacker as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami. The officials told ABC News that Al Hammami, while working as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air in 2024, was found to be in possession of extremist materials. The suspect was allowed to continue…