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PFIPC puzzle: Budget allocation, public activities contradict Presidency’s denial

Mustapha USMAN
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PFIPC puzzle: Budget allocation, public activities contradict Presidency’s denial

THE Presidency has defended the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, against allegations linking him to the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), insisting that no such council ever existed under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

However, the Presidency’s defence, contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, July 1, did not explain why the council appears in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation of more than ₦1.3 billion.

The development comes days after Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who had identified himself as Director-General of the PFIPC, accused Gbajabiamila of demanding part of the council’s alleged take-off grant and challenged the Presidency’s claim that the agency did not exist.

Adeyemi had questioned how Gbajabiamila could describe him as an impostor while he was demanding 58 per cent of the agency’s alleged N27.4 billion take-off grant. 

He further alleged that the Chief of Staff received N400 million through proxies to facilitate his appointment as director-general of the council, with an outstanding balance of N200 million yet to be paid.

Responding to the allegations and outrage, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described Adeyemi as an impostor who had created a fictitious government agency and used forged documents to deceive government institutions, foreign missions and the public.

According to Onanuga, the Office of the Chief of Staff first became aware of the alleged activities of the council in October 2025 after officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) raised concerns that another agency appeared to be carrying out similar responsibilities.

He said Gbajabiamila subsequently petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force on October 17, 2025, requesting an investigation into individuals allegedly forging appointment letters purportedly issued from his office.

According to the statement, the petition was accompanied by copies of the alleged forged appointment letter, a request seeking a note verbale from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate visa applications for members of the council, and photographs of engagements obtained from the organisation’s website.

The Presidency said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also become concerned about the council’s activities after Adeyemi reportedly convened a meeting with ambassadors at the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja on October 10, 2025, without involving the ministry.

It said the ministry wrote to both the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Office of the Chief of Staff on October 15, seeking clarification on the status of the organisation.

According to the Presidency, the Office of the National Security Adviser subsequently referred the matter to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), which also sought clarification from the Chief of Staff after receiving enquiries from government and non-governmental organisations about the council.

The Presidency said Gbajabiamila responded that he neither appointed Adeyemi nor recognised the council, adding that appointments into such offices fell within the responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

It added that police investigations established that the council was fictitious and that Adeyemi allegedly forged appointment letters and other government documents, falsely represented himself as a presidential appointee and used the documents to solicit official recognition.

The statement further said police investigations found that Adeyemi operated 34 bank accounts, including nine allegedly opened in the names of fictitious organisations such as the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership (FIPA-APP).

The Presidency also stated that Adeyemi allegedly used forged documents to open a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation but maintained that no public funds were transferred into the account.

According to the statement, Adeyemi and two other persons were arraigned before the Federal High Court on November 27, 2025, on an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence. The matter is scheduled to come up in court later this month.

No explanation on budget allocation

However, the Presidency in its statement did not address the inclusion of the council in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

A review of the Appropriation Act had shown that the Presidential Economic Advisory Council/Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council is listed under the Presidency with a total allocation of N1,302,978,784.

The allocation consists of N802,978,783 for personnel costs, N200,000,001 for overhead expenditure and N300 million for capital expenditure.

The inclusion of the council in the budget has drawn attention because the federal appropriation process requires spending proposals from ministries, departments and agencies to pass through multiple stages before becoming law.

Budget proposals are first prepared by the relevant institutions before being reviewed by the Budget Office of the Federation. They are subsequently considered by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative approval and later signed into law by the President. 

The Presidency’s statement did not indicate how the council came to be listed in the budget or whether its inclusion is being reviewed.

It is also surprising that details of the accused’s trial were not made public. The alleged impostor has continued to move freely across the country, including addressing press briefings and attending other public events, despite facing such serious allegations. This stands in contrast to the treatment of suspects accused of less serious offences, some of which are non-bailable under Nigerian law.

Conflicting claims

The controversy first gained public attention after Gbajabiamila, on June 11, publicly disowned Adeyemi’s claim that he had been appointed director-general of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The Chief of Staff stated that no such office existed under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and urged foreign missions, development partners, financial institutions and the public to disregard any claims made by Adeyemi on behalf of the Presidency.

“It has come to the notice of the Federal Government of Nigeria and specifically the Office of the Chief of Staff to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR that a certain Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, under the auspices of an alleged organisation styled as the “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” is portraying himself to the general public, as having been appointed by my office,” the statement reads. 

But Adeyemi reportedly rejected the disclaimer, insisting the council had offices at the Federal Secretariat, operated accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria and received approval for more than 300 staff members from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, June 25, he argued that if the council did not exist, it would have been impossible for it to appear in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

“If Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, who is supposed to be the Chief of Staff to the President and also the administrative gateway to the Presidency can make such an administrative error, by allowing the president to sign a document with a fake agency in it, he should possibly resign his appointment now,” he said.

He challenged the President to establish an independent investigative panel to review official records relating to the council and determine how it appeared across multiple government documents.

He also claimed that the council maintained both Treasury Single Account and domiciliary accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, and obtained approval for more than 300 personnel through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

He questioned at what stage references to a supposedly non-existent agency entered official government records.

“The national budget does not emerge in isolation. It passes through multiple layers of technical drafting, executive coordination, ministerial inputs, budget office review, and finally legislative scrutiny by both chambers of the National Assembly, where COS has meritoriously served for good 20 years and rose from Minority to Majority leaders and Speaker for four years.

“So, the question becomes unavoidable: at what point in this process did references to a non-existent agency allegedly enter the official record? And if they are indeed present in official documentation, what does that imply about the integrity of the process that produced and approved those documents?”

Official engagements

Although The ICIR could not yet find any official statement announcing his appointment like many other Tinubu’s appointments, the council has engaged with public institutions and officials in the previous year. 

Publicly available information shows that Adeyemi, while acting as Director-General of the council, held meetings with officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and representatives of the China Investment Business Development Commission (CIBDC).

In September 2025, the EFCC said its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, received Adeyemi and members of his delegation during discussions on promoting foreign direct investment.

On September 9, 2025, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) also announced engagements with the said council over preparations for the proposed World Investment Summit.

He also met with Chinese investment officials on plans to establish a Nigeria-China Investment Group.

The Presidency’s statement did not comment on those engagements.

Questions trail presidency’s defence

Meanwhile, many Nigerians on social media, particularly on X, have called for further explanations from relevant government institutions.

The Executive Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Akintunde Babatunde, in his reaction on X, questioned why government institutions continued exchanging official correspondence over the status of the council after Adeyemi had reportedly been arrested in October 2025.

He also asked how the alleged agency operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat, held meetings with foreign diplomats and reportedly opened a CBN account if it was fictitious.

According to him, while the Presidency’s statement addressed allegations against Adeyemi, it did not explain whether there were lapses in institutional verification processes within agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Also, a social media user, Oluomo of Derby, questioned how the alleged fictitious agency was able to operate within government premises and appear in the federal budget.

“Are we seriously expected to believe that fake documents were used to open an account with the CBN without any internal checks?” he further asked.

Another X user, Nimsy, questioned how the disputed council remained in the 2026 Appropriation Act if, as the Presidency stated, investigations into the alleged fraud had commenced months earlier.

“If he was caught as a scam in 2025, how did the 2026 Budget (signed months after his arrest) still allocate N1.3 billion to this exact same setup?” the user wrote.

Similarly, another commentator, Abdulherphyz, questioned the budget allocation in light of the Presidency’s position that the council never existed.

Applications open for Africa-China trade, political relations reporting workshop for W/African journalists

Blessing OTOIBHI
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Applications open for Africa-China trade, political relations reporting workshop for W/African journalists

THE Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), in partnership with South Africa-based Wits Centre for Journalism (WCJ), invites applications from journalists across Anglophone West Africa for a three-day capacity-building workshop on reporting critically on the multiple dimensions of Africa-China relations.

Dubbed “Building Capacity to Cover a Complex Story – Africa and China relations”, the workshop is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, in the last quarter of 2026.

Funded by the University of Witwatersrand, the workshop aims at strengthening the capacity of journalists to better understand Africa-China relations in an increasingly multipolar global setting, and the implications of these developments for African communities and development. It will offer both subject matter knowledge and journalism techniques in covering stories pertaining to Africa-China relations.

Beyond the training, participating journalists will have the opportunity to apply for reporting grants to support the production and publication of in-depth stories on Africa-China relations and related issues. Three excelling journalists may also have a fully funded opportunity to participate in the Africa Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) scheduled for 10-12 November 2026 in Kenya to speak to their stories.

Applications are invited from journalists who are based in an Anglophone West African country, that is Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Gambia; work in print, radio, television, or digital media; and report on areas such as politics, economy, business, trade, development, environment, extractives, infrastructure, or international affairs.

The call is also open to those who are available in the last quarter of 2026 (September – October) and can secure a formal permission letter from their editor to participate fully in the training workshop in Accra.

They must be ready to produce in-depth stories upon completion of the training.

Deadline for applications is July 30, 2026. Interested applicants can apply here.

Full list: CBN revokes licences of 46 microfinance banks

Mustapha USMAN
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Full list: CBN revokes licences of 46 microfinance banks

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operating licences of 46 microfinance banks nationwide over their failure to meet regulatory requirements for continued operations.

The apex bank announced the decision in a press statement on Wednesday, July 1, stating that the revocation took effect immediately.

According to the CBN, the action was taken pursuant to Sections 12 and 13 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020, and was approved by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso.

The bank said the affected institutions failed to satisfy one or more of the regulatory conditions required for continued operation as licensed financial institutions.

It listed the reasons for the revocation to include insufficient assets to meet liabilities, closure of operations without the approval of the CBN, inactivity and cessation of financial intermediation, failure to commence operations within 12 months of licence approval, and failure to maintain minimum capital funds unimpaired by losses.

“The revocation of the licenses is part of the Bank’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the stability of the financial sector, protect depositors, and ensure that licensed institutions comply with current laws and regulatory requirements,” the statement read.

The CBN added that it remained committed to promoting a safe, sound and resilient financial system and would continue to take appropriate supervisory and regulatory actions where necessary to maintain public confidence in Nigeria’s financial system.

Full list of affected microfinance banks

  1. Minji-Se Churchill MFB – Rivers (Tier 1)
  2. Merchant MFB – Abia (Tier 2)
  3. Janmaa MFB – Kwara (Tier 1)
  4. Busu MFB – Niger (Tier 2)
  5. Gold MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  6. Zain MFB (formerly Dawakin Tofa MFB) – Kano (Tier 2)
  7. Bompai MFB – Kano (Tier 1)
  8. Ajwa MFB (formerly Gezawa) – Kano (Tier 2)
  9. NOW NOW Digital MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  10. Crystabel Microfinance Bank – Bayelsa (Tier 1)
  11. Chanelle MFB – Lagos (State)
  12. Abia SME MFB – Abia (Tier 1)
  13. Kamba MFB – Kebbi (Tier 2)
  14. Iwade MFB – Ogun (Tier 2)
  15. Winview MFB – FCT (Tier 1)
  16. Zuru MFB – Kebbi (Tier 2)
  17. Minjibir MFB – Kano (Tier 1)
  18. Shamono MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  19. Sumaila MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  20. Rimin Gado MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  21. Mwaghavul MFB – Plateau (State)
  22. Sycamore MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  23. TOFA MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  24. Safegate MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  25. Creekline MFB – Delta (Tier 2)
  26. Bestar MFB – Oyo (Tier 1)
  27. Livingspring MFB – Cross River (Tier 1)
  28. Apple MFB – Ogun (Tier 2)
  29. Stanford MFB – Akwa Ibom (State)
  30. Frontline MFB – Anambra (Tier 2)
  31. Zafec MFB – Kaduna (Tier 2)
  32. Supreme MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  33. Bejin-Doko MFB – Niger (Tier 2)
  34. Kanopoly MFB – Kano (Tier 1)
  35. Bellbank MFB (formerly Tsanyawa) – Kano (Tier 2)
  36. Yeneng MFB – Plateau (Tier 2)
  37. Creditville MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  38. MBAG MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  39. Straight Sahara MFB – Benue (Tier 1)
  40. OurPass MFB – Ondo (Tier 2)
  41. Verdant MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  42. Basawa MFB – Kaduna (Tier 2)
  43. CASHA MFB – FCT (Tier 2)
  44. Esteem MFB – Kano (Tier 2)
  45. Entrepreneur MFB – Lagos (Tier 1)
  46. Avantus MFB – Osun (Tier 2)

Oyo teachers end strike as abducted pupils, teachers remain in captivity

Marcus FATUNMOLE  and  News Agency
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Oyo teachers end strike as abducted pupils, teachers remain in captivity

 THE Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has suspended its strike and directed public primary and secondary school teachers to resume duties on Thursday, July 2.

The NUT directed teachers in public schools to suspend their services in the aftermath of the abduction of teachers and schoolchildren in three schools in Oriire Local Government Area in the state in May.

The union announced the suspension of the strike in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Fatai Hassan, and Secretary, Olukayode Salami, on Wednesday in Ibadan.

It said the suspension followed assurances by the state government to strengthen security in schools.

According to the NUT, the strike was suspended after renewed engagements with the Oyo state government, appeals by key stakeholders and a directive from the union’s national leadership after reviewing the prevailing security situation.

It said the decision was taken in the collective interest of teachers, learners and the general public.

“The government assured the union that sustained efforts were ongoing to secure the safe release of the abducted teachers and learners while strengthening security around schools and surrounding communities. The government pledged to strengthen the Safe School Initiative through public sensitisation and early warning systems, improve emergency response mechanisms, address criminal hideouts, upgrade school infrastructure, tackle illegal mining and open grazing in forest reserves.

“Also, the government would enhance community intelligence gathering, ensure speedy prosecution of criminal suspects, improve the welfare of security personnel and deploy technology to improve school security,” it said.

The union listed government commitments to include intensified rescue efforts for the abducted victims and the establishment of a well-equipped Joint Security Task Force to patrol vulnerable schools and access routes.

Other measures, it said, included continuous engagement with affected families, psycho-social support and rehabilitation for rescued victims, and payment of gratuities and other entitlements to the families of deceased teachers.

The union commended its members, as well as the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), and the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), for their discipline, solidarity and compliance during the industrial action.

It described their support as instrumental to advancing the welfare and security of teachers and learners.

The group urged teachers to remain vigilant, obey the law and promptly report any security threats within their schools and communities to the appropriate authorities.

It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the welfare and security of teachers, adding that it would continue to engage the government until all outstanding concerns over the safety of teachers and students are fully addressed.

The ICIR reported that terrorists launched a coordinated raids on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esiele; and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15 and whisked away 39 pupils and seven teachers. The attackers reportedly killed at least one teacher during the operation before marching the victims into the forest.

The attackers also beheaded one of the teachers they abducted days after they struck the LGA.

The ICIR reports that the kidnappers have continued to hold the victims for nearly 50 days, with coordinated efforts by tiers of government yet to secure their release.

Oyo State teachers downed tools in solidarity with public outrage that greeted the attack. The continued detention of the victims prompted teachers in the state to embark on industrial action.

The teachers argued they could not continue normal academic activities while their colleagues and pupils remained in captivity. They insisted that schools would not reopen in the state until the security situation improves.

Attack on schools by terrorists has continued unchecked in Nigeria since the nation first experienced the crisis with the Chibok school abduction in 2014.

A report by The ICIR details how gunmen have unleashed mayhems on schools in Nigeria, kidnapping children and teachers for ransom and other purposes.

On the same day terrorists stormed the Oyo schools in May, another group of attackers swooped on Primary and Junior Day Secondary School, Mussa, and surrounding communities in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting 42 students and teachers. The terrorists have since held the victims.

In a related development, the Borno State Police Command confirmed the abduction of students sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination after terrorists attacked a secondary school in Lassa community, Askira/Uba LGA of the state on Monday, June 29.

These incidents are just a few of the many cases of insecurity that Nigeria records almost daily, with the nation’s security forces battling tirelessly to confront the menace.

 

 

Dozens dead in Accra, Abidjan, Lagos floods

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Dozens dead in Accra, Abidjan, Lagos floods

FLOODS triggered by days of torrential rainfall have killed dozens of people and displaced hundreds across three major West African cities – Lagos, Accra and Abidjan – raising fresh concerns over climate change, poor urban planning and inadequate drainage infrastructure.

In Ghana, authorities confirmed that at least 13 people have died after intense rainfall submerged large sections of the capital, Accra, with emergency officials warning the death toll could rise as rescue operations continue and several people remain missing.

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) said it had rescued more than 470 residents trapped by floodwaters, while emergency teams drawn from the military, police, fire service and the National Disaster Management Organisation remained on the ground searching flooded communities.

The government urged residents to remain indoors where safe or move immediately to higher ground, warning that another storm system approaching from the east could trigger additional flooding.

President John Mahama disclosed that preliminary data showed approximately 140 millimetres of rainfall fell on Accra within a short period more than double the city’s highest single-day rainfall recorded in 2025.

“That increase points to climate change,” Mahama wrote on X, while also blaming clogged drainage channels and illegal construction on waterways for worsening the disaster.

Following an aerial assessment of the city, the president ordered the demolition of structures obstructing natural waterways.

The floods also forced the temporary shutdown of electricity in parts of Accra after floodwaters damaged key power substations, while a major fire broke out at a rubber factory amid the flooding.

Residents described scenes of widespread devastation, as authorities braced for further rainfall forcing markets, businesses and roads to remain closed.

Ivory Coast records about 20 deaths

Neighbouring Ivory Coast also suffered deadly flooding after heavy rains that began over the weekend.

Although authorities had yet to release an official casualty figure, a source close to firefighters and the country’s Interior Ministry told Journalist that about 20 people had died in the commercial capital, Abidjan, following floods and landslides.

The disaster has compounded concerns over increasingly frequent extreme weather events affecting coastal West Africa.

In Lagos, hours of heavy rainfall on Tuesday submerged roads, homes and businesses across several parts of the state, disrupting transportation, knocking out electricity in several communities and forcing some residents to abandon their homes.

Communities affected included FESTAC, Gbagada, Ikeja, Ajah, Evans, Olushi, Anikantamo, Adeniji Adele, Victoria Island, Lekki, Mushin and Mafoluku, where videos circulating online showed residents wading through knee-deep floodwaters while stranded motorists struggled to navigate submerged roads.

Residents blamed the recurring floods on blocked drainage systems, poor road construction and unchecked urban development.

“The way the road was constructed contributes to the flooding,” Ikeja resident Abidemi Raji said, alleging that construction activities had obstructed an important drainage channel connecting neighbouring streets.

In FESTAC, resident Okeke Mmesoma described the flooding as an annual ordeal.

“Anytime it rains heavily, this place gets flooded. My shoes were soaked this morning on my way to work,” she said.

The flooding also disrupted electricity supply after floodwaters damaged critical equipment at the Oworo 132/33kV Transmission Station.

Power distribution company Ikeja Electric confirmed that two transformers and multiple 33kV feeders were affected, resulting in outages across communities including Ladilak, Bariga, Oworo, Pedro, Agboyi, Araba and Gbagada.

In neighbouring Ogun State, residents of Gloryland Estate in Ibafo appealed for urgent government intervention after floodwaters damaged homes and forced some families to relocate temporarily.

The ICIR reports that flooding is a recurring yearly tragedy in Nigeria.

Between January and August 2025, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said at least 165 people had died and 82 were missing due to flooding.

In a data dashboard released on August 1, the agency said 119,791 people were affected, with 138 injured and 43,936 displaced across 43 Local Government Areas in 19 states.

Former minister Uche Nnaji arrested

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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Former minister Uche Nnaji arrested
FORMER Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uche Nnaji, has been arrested.
He was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, shortly after his arrival on a chartered flight from Enugu State.
Nnaji was a cabinet member in President Bola Tinubu’s government until he resigned on October 7, 2025, following a certificate forgery scandal.
He is expected to be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution, following a recent Federal High Court order in Abuja directing the ICPC to arrest him for certificate forgery.
The court gave the ruling following an ex parte motion by the ICPC in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1160/2026.
The ICIR reports that the embattled former minister is the governorship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State for the 2027 poll.

On October 4, The ICIR reported how a two-year-long investigation by Premium Times found that both Nnaji’s university certificate and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate were forged.

According to the report, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) disowned the Bachelor of Science certificate Nnaji claimed to have obtained from the institution, stating that there were no records showing he graduated in July 1985 as alleged.

The report quoted a response to a freedom of information request sent by the newspaper, which stated that while Nnaji was admitted in 1981, there was no record that he completed his studies or graduated in July 1985, as his certificate claimed.

In a letter dated October 2, 2025, and signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, a professor, UNN disowned the certificate paraded by the minister.

Further checks by the newspaper showed that although Nnaji was admitted to study Biological Sciences, he failed several courses before he was advised to withdraw.

The case has since been at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where Nnaji is challenging the accusation.

 

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2027: ADC, NDC upbeat as presidential candidates’ particulars hit INEC portal

Mustapha USMAN
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2027: ADC, NDC upbeat as presidential candidates’ particulars hit INEC portal

THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have uploaded the particulars of their presidential candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.

The ADC confirmed that it had successfully uploaded the names and particulars of its presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi.

Announcing the development on his X account on Tuesday night, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the upload as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the election.

“We are pleased to announce that we have successfully uploaded the names and particulars of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar (GCON), and our Vice Presidential Candidate, Rotimi Amaechi (CON), to the nomination portal of the @INECNigeria,” Abdullahi said.

Similarly, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) announced that it had uploaded the particulars of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to the INEC portal.

The party’s National Leader, Seriake Dickson, disclosed this in a post on his X account, adding that the name of the vice-presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, would be uploaded after the completion of the required documentation.

He also said the submission of candidates for other elective offices was ongoing.

Dickson said the party had complied with the INEC timetable and assured members that there was sufficient time to submit the names of candidates for the National Assembly, governorship and state Houses of Assembly before the respective deadlines.

He also revealed that the NDC had filed an appeal against a court ruling affecting the party, alongside an application for a stay of execution, which had been served on the INEC chairman.

According to him, the party remains a duly registered political party and had concluded its nationwide primaries under INEC’s supervision.

The ICIR reports that the latest developments come amid legal uncertainty surrounding both parties.

On June 27, a Federal High Court in Lokoja set aside its earlier judgment that had directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.

The presiding judge, Isah Dashen, ruled that the earlier decision was constitutionally defective because it was delivered without hearing all parties with an interest in the matter.

The court upheld an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that its interests were affected by the registration of the NDC, particularly over the party’s logo. The judge ordered that the status quo before the December 2025 judgment be restored and directed that the substantive suit begin afresh, with INEC, the PMP and the NDC joined as parties.

Despite the ruling, the NDC National Leader has maintained that the party remains duly registered, noting that it has appealed the judgment and filed an application for a stay of execution.

He also disclosed that the appeal and stay application had been served on the INEC chairman and insisted that the commission should act in accordance with the law while the appeal is pending.

Similarly, the ADC is also facing legal hurdles. On June 15, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered INEC to deregister the ADC, alongside the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), citing their poor electoral performance in previous polls.

The judge, Peter Lifu, held that the parties failed to meet the constitutional requirements for retaining their registration and directed INEC to remove them from its register, effectively barring them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general election.

The judgment followed a suit by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties no longer satisfied the constitutional thresholds required to remain registered.

APC drops Suswam, 5 other senatorial candidates on final list to INEC

News Agency
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APC drops Suswam, 5 other senatorial candidates on final list to INEC

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has dropped former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam, and five other senatorial candidates from the party’s final lists of candidates forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a former Ondo State House of Representatives member, Gbenga Elegbeleye, was also dropped from the list among others.
Also contained in the final lists of dropped and replaced candidates forwarded to INEC are 19 House of Representatives candidates that emerged victorious in the party’s primary elections held in May 2026.
According to the document forwarded to INEC, the states affected were Abia, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger and Kwara.
In the letter sent to INEC and signed by the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, a professor, and its National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, the party attributed the changes to the report of its Primary Election Appeal Committee.
The letter was titled: “Forwarding of approved list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates”.
it read in part, “We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.
“Following the determination of appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the party’s NWC as its final position on the affected constituencies.”
The party said it transmitted the list of the approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies to INEC in compliance with the amended Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations and guidelines,
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, his deputy, Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno and the senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, received their Candidate Affidavit Forms (EC9).
Four state governors are among the candidates whose names were uploaded by the APC to the INEC portal,
The four governors are AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe who had all been cleared by the party to contest Senate seats.
Also cleared are former Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero, former senator Shehu Sani and serving senator Sunday Katung to contest Senate seats in Kaduna State.
Former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, secured the party’s ticket for the Kogi Central Senatorial District. He is among the 109 senatorial candidates running on the APC platform.
The uploading of candidates’ particulars, a continuous process, followed the ratification of the results of the April shadow polls and a review of the list in line with the outcome of the Primary Appeal Reports and INEC’S guidelines.
NAN reports that for the House of Representatives, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Mudashiru Obasa and James Faleke are among candidates to fly APC’s flag.
Political parties are expected to upload names and particulars of their presidential and National Assembly candidates on INEC’S nomination portal between 9 a.m. from June 27 to 6 p.m. July 10, when the portal would be closed.
The documents to be uploaded include Form EC9, containing candidates’ personal particulars, and Forms EC9A, EC9B, EC9C, EC9D and EC9E, containing the names and lists of nominated candidates.
According to the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members on the ongoing process.
(NAN)

US Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s birthright citizenship order

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA
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US Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s birthright citizenship order

THE United States Supreme Court has struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented immigrants and temporary residents.

In a 6-3 decision delivered on Tuesday, the court ruled that the US Constitution guarantees citizenship to anyone born on American soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

The ruling is a major setback for Trump’s efforts to narrow the scope of the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said birthright citizenship remained a fundamental constitutional guarantee.

“Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ‘every free-born person in this land’,” Roberts wrote.

“We keep that promise today.”

The Fourteenth Amendment provides that all persons “born or naturalised” in the United States are citizens of the country.

Trump, however, has repeatedly argued that the provision encourages “birth tourism,” with foreign nationals travelling to the US to give birth so their children automatically acquire American citizenship.

Hours after returning to office in January, Trump signed an executive order seeking to end the practice. The order was immediately challenged in court and blocked by lower court injunctions.

Despite the legal challenges, the administration continued to discourage birth tourism. In July, the US Embassy in Nigeria warned that visa applications could be denied if consular officers believed the primary purpose of travel was to secure US citizenship for a child through birth.

Tuesday’s ruling effectively nullifies Trump’s executive order, reaffirming that any attempt to alter birthright citizenship would require a constitutional amendment rather than executive action.

Protesters reject Jabi Lake privatisation, demand transparency, consultation

Mustapha USMAN
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Protesters reject Jabi Lake privatisation, demand transparency, consultation

INFORMAL workers, residents and civil society prganisations on Tuesday, June 30, staged a peaceful protest at the Jabi Lake Recreational Park in Abuja, demanding that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration halt the proposed redevelopment and privatisation of the park until the full details of the project are made public and affected communities are consulted.

The protesters, led by the Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON) and Accountability Lab, among others, marched through the park carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Displacement Without Good Resettlement Is Murder. Stop It,” “Protect Abuja’s Last Green Lungs,” “Tinubu, Governance by Fiat Is Not Democracy,” “Tinubu, Small Businesses Matter. Stop Demolition,” and “Jabi Lake Fed Our Families—Don’t Take It Away.”

They called on President Bola Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to protect women, youths, children and informal workers from displacement, insisting that any redevelopment of the park should be preceded by transparency, meaningful public consultation and adequate protection for those whose livelihoods depend on the facility.

Background

The protest came months after the FCTA signed development agreements with Suburban Broadband Limited and Akida Hills Limited to transform the Jabi Lake waterfront into what officials describe as a world-class recreational and tourism hub.

The agreements, signed in February 2026 at the office of the FCT Minister, reportedly form part of the administration’s urban renewal agenda aimed at redeveloping the lake into a major destination for recreation and tourism.

According to the FCTA, the project will include waterfront commercial developments, tourism and leisure facilities, modern recreational infrastructure, environmental clean-up, urban renewal around the lake, and the removal of illegal settlements and abandoned structures.

The administration argued that the redevelopment would beautify Abuja, attract investment, boost tourism and create employment opportunities.

During the signing ceremony, Wike said the initiative would reposition the nation’s capital while addressing land speculation, warning that allocated lands left undeveloped would be revoked.

The redevelopment, however, attracted widespread criticism from residents, traders, religious leaders and advocacy groups, who fear the concession could limit public access to one of Abuja’s few remaining public recreational spaces and threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of informal workers operating around the lake.

Earlier in June, Daily Trust reported that preparatory work had commenced at the site, with sections of the park barricaded, perimeter fencing installed, and construction equipment moved into the area despite public opposition.

Commissioned in 2007, Jabi Lake Recreational Park spans about 1,300 hectares in Abuja’s Jabi District and has become one of the city’s most popular public leisure destinations. Besides providing free recreational access to residents, the park supports dozens of small businesses, including food vendors, artisans, boat operators and other informal workers who depend on daily patronage for their survival.

Rights group demands transparency

Addressing journalists during Tuesday’s protest, Accountability Lab Nigeria Country Director, Friday Odey, said the groups were not opposed to development but insisted that the process must be transparent, inclusive and accountable.

According to him, although the FCTA entered into an agreement with two private companies in February, the details of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) were not made public.

“We are not against development,” Odeh said, adding, “What we are saying is that the MoU has not been published. Under the Open Government principles, citizens have the right to know what agreements have been entered into concerning public assets.”

He said Nigerians also deserve to know whether the government conducted any assessment of the social and economic consequences of the project before allocating the park to private companies.

Odeh further argued that informal workers whose livelihoods depend on activities around the park were neither informed nor consulted before the decision was taken.

“These workers have not been communicated with or consulted. Civic space matters, people’s voices matter, and those who will be directly affected deserve to be heard,” he said.

He also urged the FCTA to publicly disclose any relocation or resettlement plans for people who may be displaced by the redevelopment.

The Chairperson of FIWON, Blessing Yusuf, also condemned what she described as the privatisation of one of Abuja’s last major public recreational spaces.

She argued that Jabi Lake serves not only as a business hub for informal workers but also as a public space where residents exercise, socialise and interact freely.

Residents who use the park for recreation also expressed concern that unrestricted private control of the facility could reduce public access.

“This is where people come to exercise, socialise and do business. Many people earn their living here while residents also come to relax and relieve stress. The government should allow the public to continue using this place while ensuring there is proper planning and engagement before any redevelopment takes place,” Akpotu Mobo, a resident said.

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