Author: Atoyebi Adenike
By Atoyebi Nike The Independent National Electoral Commission says it completed 2,685,725 voter registrations in the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which ended on December 10. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, announced the figures on Thursday at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room Stakeholders Forum in Abuja. He said the total includes 1,576,137 online registrations and 1,109,588 physical captures, noting that turnout was highest in Osun, Kaduna, Plateau, Imo, Borno and Lagos. Amupitan said Phase One ran from August 18 to December 10, adding that the claims and objections window opens on December 15 to allow citizens…
By Atoyebi Nike The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a no-case submission filed by former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman in his ongoing corruption trial. Justice James Omotosho ruled on Thursday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had presented evidence strong enough to require the ex-minister to enter a defence. The EFCC is prosecuting Mamman on a 12-count amended charge for allegedly conspiring with ministry officials and private companies to divert N33.8 billion earmarked for the Zungeru and Mambilla power projects. He was arraigned in July 2024 and pleaded not guilty. Seventeen witnesses and 43 documentary exhibits…
By Atoyebi Nike The House of Representatives on Thursday moved forward with major amendments to the Central Bank of Nigeria Act after the reform bill passed second reading without opposition. Lawmakers described the proposal as a necessary response to persistent governance failures, FX distortions and controversies that have shaken confidence in recent years. Co-sponsor Jesse Onakalausi said the CBN’s structural weaknesses had become too evident to ignore, citing problems around policy communication, currency redesign issues and poor oversight. He explained that the bill aims to modernize the institution by separating the roles of governor and board chairman to avoid the…
By Atoyebi Nike Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke joined party delegates in Oshogbo on Wednesday as the Accord Party opened its governorship primary ahead of the 2026 election. His deputy, Kola Adewusi, and several political appointees were also present. Security forces sealed off the venue, with armed police officers and operatives of the Department of State Services positioned around the grounds. Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission watched the process. Commissioners, special advisers and senior aides from the state government attended the exercise. The Accord Party’s national chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, led the party’s national delegation. Adeleke confirmed on Tuesday…
By Atoyebi Nike Rwanda on Wednesday accused the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi of breaking the newly negotiated ceasefire in eastern DRC. The allegation came after M23 rebels, backed by Kigali, captured the strategic city of Uvira near the Burundian border on Tuesday night. The fall of Uvira forced thousands of civilians and several Congolese soldiers to flee into Burundi. Burundian forces have since joined Congolese troops in the fight against M23 and its Rwandan allies, military sources reported. Rwanda’s foreign ministry rejected responsibility for the renewed clashes. Its statement on X claimed that forces from the Congolese Army…
By Atoyebi Nike The House of Representatives has ordered chief executives of commercial banks to appear before an investigative panel probing alleged illegal and unexplained deductions from customers’ accounts. The directive came on Tuesday from the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating tax deductions from civil and public servants’ earnings and other bank charges. Committee Chairman Rep. Kelechi Nwogu accused banks of making unauthorized withdrawals through fees such as SMS alerts, account maintenance charges and transfer costs. He said many of the deductions were unclear, unjustified and not properly remitted. Nwogu stressed that the committee aims to verify whether the charges imposed…
By Atoyebi Nike Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption slipped to 52.9 million litres in November 2025, according to new figures from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. The number fell from 56.74 million litres recorded in October, signalling a shift in demand across the country. Local refineries supplied 19.5 million litres daily, up from 17.08 million litres in October. The Dangote Refinery drove this rise with an average output of 23.52 million litres a day as it continued to scale up operations. The regulator noted that the refinery still operates below its planned 35-million-litre capacity but remains critical to…
By Atoyebi Nike United States Congressman Riley Moore has raised fresh concerns about violence in Benue State after meeting displaced Christian communities during a visit to several IDP camps. Writing on X on Wednesday, Moore said he spoke with “dozens of Christians” who described brutal attacks that wiped out families and forced survivors to flee their homes. He recounted the testimony of a woman who said she was made to watch as her husband and five children were killed, escaping only with her unborn child. Another woman told him her family “was murdered in front of her and her baby…
By Atoyebi Nike Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana says Nigeria cannot champion regional democracy if it ignores internal conditions that trigger instability. He made the remark on Channels Television’s Politics Today as West Africa faces another cycle of coups. Falana argued that true stability begins with confronting Nigeria’s socioeconomic realities.“To achieve political stability, you must deal with the economy, poverty, illiteracy, and insecurity,” he said. He warned that shrinking civic freedoms undermine democracy. According to him, authorities must stop treating dissent as a criminal act and allow criticism without intimidation. Falana also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to…
By Atoyebi Nike ECOWAS has declared a state of emergency across West Africa due to escalating political instability and security threats. The announcement came on Tuesday from Commission President Omar Touray during a ministerial security session in Abuja. He cited recent military interventions, failed transitions, terrorism, and growing criminal networks as major risks to regional stability. Touray highlighted UNHCR data showing that 7.6 million people are forcibly displaced across the region, including more than 6.5 million internally displaced. He called for urgent, coordinated action and more frequent security council meetings. Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timothy Kabba, stressed the…