FRANCE new Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, and his cabinet resigned on Monday, October 6, just hours after he unveiled his ministerial lineup, a dramatic escalation of the country’s political crisis that sent stocks and the euro tumbling.
According to Reuters, Lecornu, Macron’s fifth prime minister in just two years, held the position for only 27 days, and his government lasted 14 hours, making it the shortest-lived in modern French history at a time when parliament is deeply divided and the euro zone’s second-largest economy is struggling to put its finances in order.
Recall that the ICIR reported that the former Prime Minister François Bayrou’s government collapsed in September following a failed confidence vote, raising uncertainty over President Emmanuel Macron’s future and the stability of the eurozone’s second-largest economy.
The 74-year-old political veteran, who had been in office for just nine months, triggered the vote himself in an attempt to pressure lawmakers into supporting his proposal.
Protesters have taken to the streets across France for weeks, blocking roads, setting fire to rubbish bins, and clashing with police in a campaign to “Block Everything” in anger against President Emmanuel Macron and proposed budget cuts.
Many protesters directed their frustration at President Macron, who is already grappling with political upheaval.
Teachers, train drivers, pharmacists, hospital staff and other workers embarked on strike in France on September 18, while teenagers blocked access to their high schools, joining nationwide demonstrations against planned budget cuts.
Workers and other protesters have continued demanding the suspension of the former government’s fiscal policies, increased investment in public services, higher taxes on the wealthy, and the reversal of a widely opposed reform that raised the retirement age.
Reuters reports that the swift and unexpected resignation followed mounting threats from both allies and opponents to bring down the new government, prompting Lecornu to say the situation made it impossible for him to carry out his duties.
Opposition parties swiftly called on President Emmanuel Macron to step down or dissolve parliament and hold snap elections, insisting those were the only viable solutions to end the crisis.
Reports indicate that French politics has grown increasingly unstable since Macron’s 2022 re-election, as no single party or coalition holds a parliamentary majority. His decision to call a snap election last year further worsened the turmoil, resulting in an even more fragmented legislature.
THE Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bayo Ojulari, has linked the recent surge in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), popularly known as cooking gas, to the nationwide strike action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Ojulari made this known to State House correspondents on Sunday after a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Videos circulating on social media show Nigerians queuing in some cities to buy LPG. According to media reports, the price of LPG per litre has increased to between ₦2,000 and ₦2,300.
According to him, the spike in prices was temporary and largely “artificial,” caused by delays in product movement and loading during the strike period.
“The increase you saw was relatively artificial because, for the period of the strike, what that meant was movements and loading were delayed by about two, three days,” Ojulari explained.
“And because of that, you see that impact as things return to normal. It takes some time for distribution to be fully restored. And of course, as you know, in Nigeria, people take the opportunity. With that delay, some of the people who have existing resources and reserves had to put up the price.”
He, however, expressed optimism that the market would soon stabilise as normal operations resume.
“I expect that now that things are back to normal, prices should return to what they were before the strike,” the NNPC boss added.
Background
Ojulari’s comments follow the temporary suspension of the nationwide strike by PENGASSAN on October 1, 2025, after an intense intervention by the Federal Government.
The ICIR reported that the industrial action, which began on September 28, 2025, was triggered by disputes between the union and the Dangote Refinery over the alleged dismissal of more than 800 Nigerian workers who had unionised, and their replacement with foreign nationals.
The standoff escalated when PENGASSAN ordered its members to cut gas and crude oil supplies to the refinery, resulting in a significant drop in electricity generation nationwide.
By September 30, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) confirmed that the strike had forced several gas-powered plants offline, reducing national power generation by about 1,100 megawatts and plunging cities such as Lagos and Abuja into darkness.
Following negotiations mediated by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, PENGASSAN agreed to suspend the strike after reaching a truce with the refinery’s management and the government.
However, the union warned that it would immediately resume the industrial action if any part of the agreement was breached.
“We are only suspending, not calling off this strike,” he said, adding that “If any part of this agreement is broken, we will not give any warning. We will immediately resume our suspended industrial action.”
Recall that as part of the truce, the Federal Government earlier announced that workers recently disengaged by the refinery will be redeployed to other subsidiaries within the Dangote Group.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, disclosed this in Abuja, confirming that the affected staff would retain their salaries and benefits.
“After examining the procedure used in the disengagement of workers, the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote Group shall immediately begin the process of redeploying the disengaged staff to other companies within the group, with no loss of pay. No worker will be victimised arising from their role in the impasse between Dangote and PENGASSAN,” Dingyadi said.
DATAPRO Limited, a consulting firm in Nigeria and one of the country’s licensed credit rating agencies, will mark its 30th anniversary with a virtual webinar on Wednesday, October 9, 2025.
The event, themed “The Role of Credit Rating Agencies in a Dynamic Global Economy,” will focus on how credit rating institutions can contribute to financial stability and economic development in emerging markets.
A statement signed by the Executive Director Operations of the firm, Oladele Adeoye, disclosed that the keynote address will be delivered by Mahesh Kotecha, a professor and President of the New York-based Structured Credit International Corporation (SCIC) and a respected global authority in financial market development. He is expected to speak on “Leveraging Credit Rating for Economic Growth in Developing Countries.”
He added that a panel session will follow the keynote presentation, featuring prominent industry leaders, including Angela Jide-Jones, CEO of Sewa Capital Limited; Obed Mbuzi, Director at Premier Rating Services; and Vidhyasagar Lingesan, CEO of Care Ratings.
Others on the panel are Zwelibanzi Maziya, COO of Sovereign Africa Ratings, and Dauda Sembene, CEO of AfriCatalyst. Adeoye will moderate the discussion.
The event will also feature goodwill messages from key regulators and stakeholders, including Emomotimi Agama, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria; Halima Singateh, Director at SEC, The Gambia; and Bonaventure Okhaimo, Managing Director of the National Credit Guarantee Company (NCGC).
According to DataPro, the virtual event will be streamed live on YouTube and other social media platforms. It will include the cutting of the anniversary cake and the launch of the biography of the company’s founder, Abimbola Adeseyoju.
All registered participants will receive a complimentary copy of the founder’s autobiography and other 30th-anniversary souvenirs.
Founded in 1995, DataPro is Africa’s first compliance consulting company and a licensed Credit Rating Agency (CRA) recognised by the SEC. The company has provided risk management, compliance, and credit rating services to clients across Nigeria’s financial sector.
The organisation describes itself as a technology-driven agency committed to redefining credit rating standards and promoting transparency and accountability in financial reporting.
Registration for the anniversary webinar is free and open to professionals in finance, banking, investment, and regulatory sectors.
CRIES of neglect echo across Osun State’s Local Government Areas (LGAs), where communities are left stranded in poverty and despair as the Federal Government and the Osun State administration lock horns over political control of local councils.
From dilapidated schools to abandoned health centres and confused workers, ordinary citizens are caught in the middle of a bitter feud that shows no sign of abating.
In towns like Ede, Ilobu, Ejigbo, Osogbo, Ife and Ilesa, residents say life has become unbearable. Markets are shrinking, youth unemployment is on the rise, and basic services are collapsing.
The local councils, which should be the closest tier to the people, have become powerless, stripped of resources, and reduced to spectators in a political tug-of-war.
While the legal and political issues rage on, this investigation focuses on the human dimensions of the crisis—exposing the real cost of partisan powerplay on ordinary people.
Genesis of the crisis that has left citizens in misery
The Federal Government (FG) withheld Osun’s local government allocations earlier in 2025, citing a dispute over council elections.
While billions meant for schools, clinics, and rural roads remain frozen, communities sink deeper into neglect.
The federal government, through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, declared that the local government chairmen elected on the platform of the PDP are illegal.
AGF Lateef Fagbemi and Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke
According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmen elected under former governor Gboyega Oyetola are the legal occupants of the LGAs because their tenure had not expired.
The Osun State government under Ademola Adeleke has continued to challenge that. As far as his administration is concerned, PDP chairmen and councillors that emerged in an election conducted by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) in February are the authentic leaders.
The February election
The ICIR reports that the AGF, Fagbemi, told Adeleke before the February election to direct OSIEC to suspend the election.
In a statement on Thursday, February 20, he warned that conducting a new local government poll would be invalid and unconstitutional.
Voters during the LG poll in Osun State on Saturday, February 22. PC: OSSIEC_INFO/ X
Adeleke went on to conduct the election and inaugurated the newly elected chairpersons and councillors in the state capitalon Sunday, February 23.
Reacting, the director of media of the APC in the state, Kola Olabisi, alleged that the election results were manufactured.
The grass suffers
What began as a policy dispute has now turned into a battleground of political ego, with citizens left abandoned in the ruins.
While the bickering continues, billions meant for schools, clinics, and rural roads remain frozen, and communities sink deeper into neglect.
A dilapidated school in Ede, Osun State
The crisis that has continued to slow down the progress of the state stems from a long-standing conflict over who the authentic local government leaders are — the APC chairmen and councillors’ backed by the FG, or the state government-backed PDP chairmen elected in February 2025.
With dwindling infrastructure and rising insecurity in some communities, the political stalemate is fast turning into a humanitarian crisis.
For many in rural communities, the war between Abuja and Osogbo is more than a headline. It is a daily struggle for survival. Children trek miles to schools without teachers, patients travel long distances to find drugs, and families go to bed hungry. The disconnect between the leaders and the led has never been more glaring.
Supreme Court landmark ruling in favour of LG autonomy
The FG had draggedthe 36 state governors before the Supreme Court over the age-long debate of full autonomy for local governments.
In its ruling on Thursday, July 11, 2024, the apex court said it is unconstitutional for governors to hold council funds. The apex court thereby granted the nation’s 774 LGAs financial autonomy.
Supreme Court of Nigeria
The court also ruled that it was unconstitutional for the state governments to hold on to or manage such allocations and directed the 774 LGAs to commence managing their funds.
The judgement was received with joy across the nation and was supposed to free the LGAs from the grip of the state governors. But for the people of Osun, their joy has been short-lived by the freezing of council funds due to what many termed an unnecessary political power play.
Legal battles for the soul of Osun LGAs
While the FG has insisted that the withholding is necessary pending judicial clarification of the issue, the Osun State government, insists that the elected councils under PDP are valid and that the continued freeze of funds is unlawful.
The APC contested the outcomes, and subsequent actions led to parallel claims over who legitimately controls councils.
There have been Federal High Court decisions in Osun about local government matters referenced by state lawyers as subsisting, which the state says support its position. The AGF and others, however, say further litigation and inconsistencies justify caution.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal have issued rulings that have been used by both sides to press claims of legitimacy. The state points to appellate decisions affirming the legitimacy of councils elected on February 22, 2025, while opponents claim jurisdictional or procedural defects inlower court orders.
Where things stand
In August 2025, the Osun State government headed to the Supreme Court, where it asked the apex Court to order the FG to refund several months of allocations.
Osun State government is seeking an order restraining the AGF, CBN and Accountant General from withholding funds and asking the court to declare the councils duly constituted. The AGF has also pressed the Supreme Court for relief against the state. The case remains live, and the final judicial resolution at the apex court will determine access to the withheld funds.
Parallel LG chairmen and councillors in Osun
The ICIR discovered that while the February 22, 2025,Local government elections conducted by the Adeleke administration produced one set of chairmen and councillors (reported as PDP winners in many accounts), there also exists chairmen and councillors from the APC who are laying claim to the seat.
On March 26, 2025, the AGF, in a letter, directed that Osun’s local government funds be withheld pending resolution of the dispute. This is the administrative action that led to the freeze of statutory transfers.
Many have labelled the existence of two sets of LG chairmen and councillors in Osun State as an aberration.
When The ICIR visited some local council secretariats in Osun, it was discovered that while the PDP chairmen and councillors elected in February are staying far away from the councils as advised by the governor, some of the APC chairmen elected under former governor, Oyetola have taken control of the secretariats which are nearly empty and deserted due to the absence of local government workers under the aegis of NULGE.
Weeds, grass take over LG secretariats
The ICIR observed during a visit that, as the bickering and power play continue, most of the LG secretariats are surrounded by overgrown grass and are a shadow of themselves.
At the Ede South LG secretariat, no single person was available when visited. Abandoned trucks belonging to the council were seen wasting away while the offices remain locked.
Empty Osogbo LG secretariat, Osun state
At Olorunda LGA, apart from policemen who were seen sleeping on duty, the once bubbling LGA was a ghost of its old self.
Similarly, no single activity or person was seen at the Ilesa East LG secretariat, while the place looked abandoned, deserted and neglected.
At Ilesa West, the secretariat looks like a ghost town; completely non-functional and unkempt.
Osun Entrance to Ede South LG Secretariat
Same as the Oshogbo LG secretariat, where policemen were seen chatting with no sign of any activity.
We are suffering, in pains, Osun residents cry out
The political tussle between the Federal and Osun State governments over the authenticity of local government leaders has left citizens across the state stranded, with residents lamenting that the paralysis of local councils has shut down essential services, deepened poverty and cut them off from the tier of government closest to them.
From Osogbo to Ilesa, Ilobu to Olorunda, residents who spoke with The ICIR expressed frustration, pain and helplessness. While their experiences differ in detail, from stalled economic activity to inaccessible council offices, their common cry is that politics has turned them into collateral damage.
“They are not working. Staff are not going there now,”said Ademola Oladejo, who described how the partisan fight between APC and PDP chairmen in the state had crippled local councils.
Ademola Oladejo, Osun State resident
He insisted that,as far as he is concerned, the February elections produced authentic chairmen from the PDP, yet he doesn’t understand why citizens have been left stranded.
“The federal government should release allocation to local government so everything can go smoothly. To me, it’s APC people that caused this,” he added.
For Tahiru Ismail in Osogbo, a motorcycle (Okada) rider who spoke in Yoruba, the breakdown has brought everyday life to a halt.
Tahiru Ismail, Osun State resident
“People who need important documents like a certificate of origin or marriage documents cannot get them. The council secretariats are shut down. People are really suffering, there is no money in town, and you know the local government is the closest to the masses,” he said.
In Ilesa, Komolafe Abiodun painted a picture of lost opportunities. “If local governments are working, new things would have entered this town because they are the closest to the masses. They would have employed new people. In my area we are suffering poor power supply — we would have cried to them to help us, but when they are not functioning, who do we cry to?” he asked.
A food seller in front of one of the local government offices, who also spoke in Yoruba, Lateefah Adeshina (Not real name), said she has been thrown into economic debt and crisis due to the continuous closure of the offices.
The single mother of four said she is not sure her children will be resuming school this session because she cannot afford their school fees and other basic needs.
“I am in pain, I am in debt. I don’t know how to cope. The council has not functioned since February. This is wickedness on the part of the government,” she lamented.
At Ilobu, Ibrahim Muyideen, a Muslim cleric, stressed the toll of the closure.
“It is affecting us badly. Most times, you have something to do at the council secretariat but cannot because the offices are closed. Workers are just idling away at home. Everything is dull. We are not happy at all,” he lamented, urging the federal government to “show mercy on us they are governing.”
For some, like Aminu Semiu in Ede South, the pain is economic. As a trader, he explained how the absence of council workers has hit his pocket.
“Sometimes, they buy through their different cooperatives and since they are not working, we that were benefiting before are no more doing so. I am personally affected because I do business around them. The times are hard due to the frozen funds,” he noted.
Muftau Lawal of Olorunda, likened the crisis to ordinary people being trampled in a battle of giants.
Muftau Lawal of Olorunda LGA, Osun State
“Local governments are the closest to the people. When people need drainage or roads, we go to them, but now none of them is working. The permits they issue to traders are also affected, and that is the cause of the high cost of items everywhere.
“If two elephants are fighting, it is the grass that suffers. We are the grass suffering. We beg them, whatever is between them, they should resolve it for the sake of the masses,” he pleaded.
Across all voices, the themes are clear: citizens want functioning councils, access to basic services, and a stop to what they see as a needless political war. They all agreed that the longer the funds remain frozen and the councils are idle, the more they feel abandoned in their own communities.
We are not partisan, our safety and security paramount – NULGE
Since the crisis began, local government workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) have stayed at home, far away from the LG secretariats where they earn their living.
Speaking to The ICIR in his office at the NULGE Secretariat in Osogbo on behalf of the workers, the Osun State NULGE President, Nathaniel Kehinde Ogungbangbe, said their absence from the secretariats across the state is based on security and safety issues and not political.
Ogungbangbe insisted that their decision to stay at home is driven purely by safety concerns and not politics.
Osun NULGE President, Nathaniel Ogungbangbe
According to him, the union had to act after tensions erupted between rival political camps seeking to take over local government councils.
He recalled that on February 16, NULGE directed its members to stay away from council offices to avoid being caught in political crossfire. His fears, he said, were confirmed the very next day when a violent clash between rival groups left six people dead, including a party chieftain.
“Imagine if my members were on duty, what would have happened? I would not begin to count scores,” he said.
Not a strike, but self-preservation
The NULGE president rejected suggestions that the workers were on strike. “If we say strike, that means we have a problem with our employer. Presently, our employer is the governor of the state, and we don’t have any problem with him. This one, we are afraid of our lives. I cannot endanger the lives of my members,” he explained.
Ogungbangbe said the union would only resume normal duties when there is clarity on who the legitimate political heads of the councils are.
“Our concern is safety. Until we know the authentic or the legal political head of the local government, we will remain at home,” he said, adding that the matter is for the courts to resolve.
The NULGE boss, flanked by some of his excos, also dismissed accusations that the union was taking sides with the ruling PDP.
“That is where they are missing it. Majority of them don’t understand what unionism is about. My duty is to protect my members, not politicians. Politicians did not put me here; it is my members,” he stated.
He underscored that NULGE members are career civil servants and not political appointees.
“As civil servants, we serve any government in power. Which government is in power today? It is PDP. When APC was there, we supported them. We are not supporting any party. Our concern is the safety of our members,” he clarified.
He appealed to members across the state for patience and understanding.
“Whatever the union is doing is for their own good. Death is an irreversible reaction. It is only when you are alive that you can work, collect salary, or enjoy benefits,” he said.
On critics who accuse local government workers of “collecting salary without working,” he maintained that the safety-first stance was legitimate and backed by the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Adeleke accused of blocking LG staff from going to the office, defying court orders
The chairman of Ede North Local Government (APC), Elliot Adeyemi, accused Governor Adeleke of deliberately preventing local government workers from resuming duties despite a Court of Appeal judgment reinstating them (APC) as chairmen.
Speaking in his office in Ede, Adeyemi claimed that the governor’s directive has crippled grassroots governance across the state.
The APC chieftain said that since February 10, 2025, when the Court of Appeal returned them as the authentic chairmen, the governor has insisted that local government staff must not resume work.
Chairman of Ede North LGA, Elliot Adeyemi
“He is still paying them salaries, but they are not allowed to discharge their duties,” Adeyemi said.
He argued that the refusal to comply with the appellate court ruling has robbed communities of vital services such as education, civil registration, and community development.
“Students seeking school documents have been denied. Couples wanting to register their marriages have been denied. Traditional rulers who depend on statutory allocations have been denied their entitlements. This crisis has paralised development not only in Ede North but across the state,” he stressed.
Adeyemi, who insists his tenure legally began in February following the judgment, accused Adeleke of double standard.
“The governor himself is a product of the courts. It was the same court that validated his election. But when the same judiciary reinstated us, he refused to comply. That is disobedience to the rule of law,” he said.
The chairman also stated that despite the legal recognition of APC chairmen, they have yet to access statutory allocations from the Federation Account.
He said he believes that the federal government will act because the APC chairmen are recognised by law.
“Even the Attorney General and the CBN know the judgment is in our favour. It is only a matter of time before the funds are released,” Adeyemi boasted.
For now, Adeyemi explained that his administration is surviving on internally generated revenue (IGR) to handle pressing community needs.
Grassroots in crisis, FG bias, says Osun governor’s aide
The Special Adviser (SA) to the Osun State Governor on Legal Matters, Nurudeen Kareem, in an interview accused the Federal Government of plunging local governance into chaos by unlawfully withholding allocations meant for local governments in the state since February 2025.
Kareem described the impact as devastating, stressing that critical grassroots services have collapsed.
SA Legal to Osun Governor, Nurudeen Kareem
“Governance at the local level has been crippled since February when the federal government withheld allocations.
“Primary school teachers, health workers and even traditional rulers depend on these funds. Today, billions of naira are lying fallow at the Central Bank while our people suffer,” he said.
Kareem, a lawyer, traced the crisis to the controversial local government elections hurriedly conducted by the APC-led administration of former Governor Oyetola in 2022. He explained that the polls violated the Electoral Act, which requires at least 360 days’ notice before such elections.
“Oyetola’s government gave just two months’ notice. Both PDP and APP challenged the illegality in court and by November 2022, two separate judgments nullified the elections and sacked the APC chairmen and councillors,” Kareem noted.
The SA revealed that the Osun State Government had filed suits at the Supreme Court demanding that funds be released directly to the elected PDP chairmen in line with last year’s Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy.
“The NBA itself is not a wing of PDP, but it has said the Federal Government is setting a dangerous precedent. If this continues, any administration could decide to punish opposition states by withholding allocations,” he warned.
Kareem further alleged that the APC’s forceful occupation of local councils with police support earlier this year led to violence that claimed lives. He said to avert further bloodshed, Governor Adeleke appealed to the elected PDP chairmen to stay away temporarily.
He insisted that the matter is no longer about politics but about law, governance and survival at the grassroots.
He blamed the Attorney General of the Federation, who he claimed should uphold court judgments but chose to disregard them.
“Meanwhile, our people, including teachers, health workers and traditional rulers, are bearing the brunt,” he lamented.
Osun LG funds safe with us — OAGF
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), in an interview, has clarified that the statutory allocations meant for local governments in the state remain in its custody and have not been disbursed to any party.
The spokesperson, Bala Mokwa, explained that the funds are being withheld due to a pending court case over the matter.
He dismissed claims that the allocations had been diverted, noting that the money is domiciled in the appropriate office and will be released once the legal process is concluded.
According to Mokwa, “the fund has not been released to anyone… it will be released as soon as the court clears the air.”
NBA demands release of Osun LG funds
In its intervention on the matter, the Nigeria Bar Assoc9atin, NBA, urged the FG to release statutory allocations owed to LGAs in Osun State, describing the prolonged withholding of funds as a violation of constitutional provisions and a blow to judicial authority.
The NBA, in a letter to the AGF and Minister of Justice, Fagbemi, urged the central government to respect the rule of law and refrain from setting what it termed a “dangerous precedent” that weakens confidence in democratic institutions.
The association insisted that, “the continued withholding of the funds is unconstitutional, illegal, and a dangerous affront to judicial pronouncements.”
Afam Osigwe, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
In the letter jointly signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and General Secretary, Mobolaji Ojibara, respectively, voiced concern over unrefuted reports that allocations from the Federation Account meant for Osun councils have been withheld since February 2025 and stressed that the funds were crucial to the effective administration of the grassroots.
AGF’s office declined comment
When contacted, the AGF’s spokesperson, Kamar Ogundele, Asaid he could not comment on a case already before the courts.
He told The ICIR that it would be inappropriate to speak on the issue while litigation is ongoing. “I will not like to talk about it because the matter is in court. You, as a journalist, know that when a matter is in court we don’t discuss it,” he said.
Ogundele confirmed that the dispute has escalated to the Supreme Court, and both parties involved have filed complaints.
“We are talking about a legal matter here… as the other side is complaining, the other side too is complaining. So let’s wait for the court,” he added.
He maintained that further clarifications on the Osun funds will only be possible after the court delivers its judgment.
IMISIOLUWA Eniola Ayanwale, otherwise known as Imisi, has emerged winner of the Big Brother Naija Season 10, walking away with N150 million prize money.
She was announced the winner by Ebuka, the host of the show, at the grand finale.
In her speech, Imisi thanked God, her fans, and everyone who supported her throughout the journey.
“I am very happy, I am very excited… Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I am so shocked, I never expected it. May God bless you beyond your imagination,” she stated.
The ICIR reports that the show began with 29 housemates vying for the prize in the course of ten weeks.
In the ninth week, the top ten contenders for the prize were announced: Isabella, Sultana, Kaybobo, Imisi, Mensan, Faith, Koyin, Dede, Jason Jae, and Kola.
However, during the tenth week, on Thursday, October 2, Faith, a top contender for the prize, was disqualified from the show after a physical altercation with Sultana over a basket, bringing the number of housemates to nine.
The disqualification marked the first time a housemate would be dismissed three days before the show’s end.
Viewers and netizens had mixed reactions to the decision, while some believed it was well-deserved due to his previous altercations with other housemates, others deemed it unfair as he had received no prior warning or strike before the disqualification.
The finale saw Ebuka evicting Kaybobo, Isabella, Mensan and Jason Jae, narrowing the competition to the top five.
Following another round of evictions, with Kola, Sultana and Koyin leaving, Dede and Imisi emerged as the top two finalists, after which Imisi was declared the winner.
The duo had captured viewers’ hearts in distinctive ways, Imisi, with her funny looks and makeup, jovial charm, and street slang; and Dede, with her soft-girl aura and premium demeanour.
Imisi had surpassed the other finalists with 42.8 per cent of the votes from viewers.
How viewers voted
The season came with many twists and turns introduced by its organisers, including a Head of House challenger, the Red Telephone twist that stirred up drama in the house with fake evictions, and various offers and different weekly themes.
A theme that particularly intrigued viewers was the Face Your Fears and Bare Minimum week, during which Big Brother introduced frightening elements to scare the housemates. In the following week, they were deprived of certain privileges such as using the washing machine, cooking gas, and even had to sleep on bare mats instead of mattresses.
The ICIR had earlier reported that as the show reached its tenth season, many viewers were uncertain about what to expect, following widespread complaints about the previous Season 9 concerning the quality of housemates and the game they brought.
But most viewers had applauded the performance of this season while noting that this has been one of the best seasons in recent years.
THE United Kingdom Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has unveiled what she called the “toughest immigration reforms in Britain’s history,” announcing a new border strategy that targets the detention and deportation of 150,000 illegal migrants each year.
In a video shared on her X account on Sunday, October 4, Badenoch outlined the ‘Radical Borders Plan’, which includes the creation of a new Removals Force modelled after the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to strengthen and modernise the UK’s border enforcement system.
“My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported,” she declared in the caption.
Badenoch, who has built a reputation as a staunch immigration hardliner, strongly criticised both past Conservative and Labour administrations for their approach to the migration crisis. She accused the Labour Party of overseeing record-high illegal border crossings and misusing public funds on asylum housing.
“Today, I’m launching our Radical Borders Plan, the toughest reforms Britain has ever seen to border laws and operations.
“Successive governments have failed on immigration. Labour promised to smash the gangs,” Badenoch stated
She further revealed that within just one year, the government had recorded unprecedented small boat crossings, with over 50,000 illegal arrivals and 32,000 people housed in asylum hotels, leading to billions in public spending. She described the situation as a result of “pure weakness,” insisting that Britain needed a serious and credible plan backed by firm leadership.
Under the proposed plan, she said, all illegal arrivals would be deported within a week, with legal obstacles to mass deportations removed and visa sanctions imposed on countries refusing to take back their citizens.
She stressed that the newly proposed enforcement agency would put an end to what she called the “asylum hotel racket,” save taxpayers billions, and restore public confidence in the country’s border system.
She further said that only the Conservative Party had a credible plan to strengthen Britain’s borders, emphasising that anyone who entered the country illegally would be deported.
According to Badenoch, the plan would include banning asylum claims from illegal entrants, repealing the Human Rights Act, and withdrawing the United Kingdom from the European Convention on Human Rights.
Not spared by critics, during an interview on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Badenoch was criticised after she dismissed questions about the destinations of deported migrants. She reportedly said she was “tired of irrelevant questions” regarding where they would be sent, adding that migrants would be returned to “where they should be or another country,” but insisted “they should not be here.” When prodded further, she clarified that they would be sent “back to where they came from.”
According to Sky News, the proposed ‘Removals Force’ would replace the existing Home Office Immigration Enforcement unit and be granted extensive powers, including the authority to use facial recognition technology without prior notice to identify and remove undocumented migrants.
If implemented, Badenoch’s proposal would represent one of the most sweeping reforms of UK immigration policy in decades, further intensifying political debate around border control and human rights protections.
FOLLOWING the latest revelation that Uche Nnaji, Nigeria’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, allegedly used forged certificates to secure his position, questions have again emerged about how the Senate and the State Security Service (SSS) repeatedly fail to detect discrepancies in the credentials of political appointees during screening processes.
The ICIR reports that the case adds to Nigeria’s shameful list of forged credential cases among public officials, as individuals with questionable qualifications or integrity slip through vetting processes put in place to uphold transparency and competence in public office.
On Saturday, October 4, Premium Times’ investigation revealed that Nnaji, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu, presented a Bachelor of Science certificate purportedly from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
The report, however, quoted a response to a freedom of information request sent by the newspaper, which stated that while Nnaji was admitted in 1981, there is no record that he completed his studies or graduated in July 1985, as his certificate claims.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, and signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, UNN disowned the certificate currently being paraded by the minister.
“From every available record and information from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, we are unable to confirm that Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology, graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985, as there are no records of his completion of study in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“Flowing from above, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka DID NOT and consequently, COULD NOT have issued the purported certificate, or at all, in July 1985 to Mr Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the current Minister of Science and Technology. This conclusion is also in consonance with an earlier letter dated May 13, 2025, ref. No, RUN/SR/R/V, issued by the University to the Public Complaints Commission in respect of the same subject matter,” the letter was quoted.
Similarly, the investigation also exposed how the NYSC certificate presented by the minister was found to have contained inconsistencies, including an invalid serial number and a forged signature of a corps official who had not yet assumed office at the stated time of issuance.
The ICIR reports that forgery is a criminal offence under Section 465 of the Nigerian Criminal Code Act, which defines it as the making of a false document or alteration of a genuine one with the intent to deceive.
The offence is punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Act, which states thus: “Any person who forges any document, writing, or seal, is guilty of an offence which, unless otherwise stated, is a felony, and he is liable, if no other punishment is provided, to imprisonment for three years.”
A recurring national disgrace
Recall that then-Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun brought the Muhammadu Buhari administration into national disrepute in 2018 after a Premium Times report revealed that she presented a forged NYSC exemption certificate as part of her credentials.
The purported NYSC certificate was said to have been signed by a former director-general of the NYSC, Yusuf Bomoi, in 2009.
However, Maharazu Tsiga, former NYSC DG, who took over from Bomoi, said Adeosun’s certificate could not have been issued by the NYSC.
Although former President Buhari had referred Kemi Adeosun and other ministerial nominees to the DSS for security screening in September 2015, it was unclear how her forged NYSC exemption certificate slipped through the agency’s scrutiny.
The minister consequently resigned from office after public backlash.
Before that, in December 2017, the same Buhari administration appointed eight persons confirmed to have died sometime ago, into boards of parastatals in the country.
The office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) announced the appointment of 209 board chairpersons and 1,258 board members. It was the largest single appointment made by the President since assuming office in 2015.
The ICIR, however, reported that the appointment, which was made on December 29, 2017, exposed the SSS’s failure to vet the list of appointees.
The appointed members were Reverend Christopher Utova as a member of the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research; late Senator Francis Okpozo as Chairman of the Nigerian Press Council; and late Chief Donald Ugbaja as a member of the Consumer Protection Council.
Aliyu and Alanamu’s ICPC Board Appointment
In a similar development, in 2017, The ICIR investigations exposed how two individuals appointed by then-Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were themselves under corruption investigations.
The appointees, Maimuna Aliyu and Sa’ad Alanamu, were being probed for alleged multi-million-naira fraud by both the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
While Alanamu was being investigated on corruption charges allegedly committed while he headed several institutions in Kwara State, Aliyu reportedly had a longstanding case of abuse of office, misappropriation and diversion of public funds against her.
The ICIR cited sources from the ICPC claiming that charges were being prepared against Alanamu when his name was announced as a member of the new board of the commission.
He allegedly collected bribes from contractors handling TETFUND contracts, which he approved as Chairman of the Board of Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin.
Similarly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Police had also investigated several corruption cases against Aliyu, a former Executive Director of the Aso Savings and Loans.
The report cited police documents at the time, which recommended Aliyu’s prosecution for the diversion of over N120 million.
Apart from the N120 million allegedly misappropriated by her, the bank also lodged several complaints of abuse of office and conversion or diversion of its funds, totalling nearly N1 billion.
The bank alleged that in 2012, Aliyu sought and got a mortgage facility of N40 million to purchase five houses – four-bedroom detached mansionettes. However, after she resigned from her appointment in September 2013, the former Executive Director said she could no longer bear the burden of the payments and requested the bank to cancel the mortgage on four units and take them over. She said she would continue to maintain the mortgage contract on just one unit.
Buhari’s aide Okoi Obono-Obla alleged forgery of certificate
In July 2018, former president Buhari’s Special Assistant on Prosecutions, Okoi Obono-Obla, was indicted by the report of a House of Representatives panel over forgery of his secondary school certificate and wrongful utilisation of public funds.
The panel also found that Obono-Obla and members of the Special Investigative Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, which he chaired, collected N17 million in excess sitting allowances and violated presidential orders by flying business class.
The probe began after the House resolved to examine the activities of the panel he chaired, following accusations that it had exceeded its mandate.
During the inquiry, lawmakers said they received a petition alleging that Obono-Obla used a forged West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate to gain admission into the University of Jos, where he studied Law.
“..the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the result for Candidate No: 094051247 May/June 1982, showed that the candidate was absent from the exam for Literature. In the result with the University of Jos, he claimed to have credit in Literature in English in the statement of result issued to him by Mary Knoll College, Calabar.
“However, WAEC disclaimed the result in the Certified True Copy sent to the committee. This casts doubt as to the integrity and character of the Chairman of the Panel.”
SSS and the Lawmakers’ failure
These incidents, according to critics, showed a consistent pattern of failure by vetting institutions to uphold the standards prescribed by law.
Constitutionally, the Senate is required to screen all ministerial nominees and other political positions, while the SSS conducts background checks.
Under Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), ministerial nominees must be screened and confirmed by the Senate before appointment.
Also, according to international best practices for legislative screening of nominees, the lawmakers are expected to do background checks of nominees and have access to records of asset declaration, and other relevant documents before the screening.
However, many Nigerians have said these processes are often compromised by political considerations.
They noted that the Senate has largely turned the exercise into a ceremonial show, with many nominees asked to “take a bow and go” rather than undergo meaningful scrutiny.
The “bow and go” tradition is an unwritten convention in the Senate that exempts former and serving lawmakers from rigorous screening when nominated for public office.
Under this practice, such nominees are simply asked to take a bow and leave without facing any questions. Although the rationale was that legislators, past or present, should be spared the process since they are part of the body constitutionally empowered to conduct screenings.
However, the privilege over time has been extended to some individuals who have never served in the National Assembly.
Similarly, the National Security Agencies Act of 1986 mandates the State Security Service (SSS) to provide protective and preventive security through background checks on public officials, including verifying the authenticity of their records before appointment.
According to legal expert Onikepo Braithwait,e “the scope of the SSS screening function for any position whatsoever, be it for Minister or the Judiciary or wherever, is ultra vires the functions of the SSS set out in Section 2(3)(a) -(c) of the NSA Act, which concerns matters of the internal security of Nigeria only.
“The SSS also investigates educational qualifications and credentials, financials, moral character, family, reputation, and does security and regulatory checks.”
SUPER Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has made two late changes to Nigeria’s 23-man squad ahead of their final 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho and Benin.
The adjustments follow injuries to Cyriel Dessers and Bright Osayi-Samuel, who have both been ruled out of the fixtures.
In their absence, right-back Zaidu Sanusi has been drafted in to replace Osayi-Samuel, while forward Uche Christantus takes Dessers’ spot in the squad.
The initial 23-man roster had been unveiled on Friday, October 3
Sanusi, who was instrumental in Nigeria’s run to the Africa Cup of Nations final, returns to the national team after recovering from a long-term injury that sidelined him for over a year. His comeback is expected to strengthen the Super Eagles’ defensive setup.
Uche, one of the promising talents among Nigeria’s new generation of players, earned his senior debut earlier in June. His latest call-up presents another chance to cement his place in the national team.
Meanwhile, there are growing concerns over Werder Bremen full-back Felix Agu, who picked up an injury during a Bundesliga clash with St. Pauli. His condition will be evaluated ahead of Nigeria’s opening qualifier.
Coach Eric Chelle’s updated 23-man squad combines seasoned internationals with emerging talents as the Super Eagles aim to secure all six points from their remaining fixtures.
Nigeria will open their campaign against Lesotho on October 10 before heading to Cotonou for their second match against the Benin Republic on October 14
The back-to-back encounters are pivotal to Nigeria’s qualification hopes, as the team must claim victories to remain firmly in contention for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
THE United States Department of Homeland Security is set to launch a new programme offering unaccompanied migrant teenagers a one-time payment of $2,500 each if they agree to return to their home country voluntarily.
According to an internal memo cited by CNN, the pilot initiative will initially focus on 17-year-old migrants and will require authorisation from an immigration judge before any departure takes place.
The payment, intended to support the minors’ reintegration, would be issued only after they return to their home countries, the memo disclosed.
The proposed plan also builds on an existing voluntary return programme introduced during the Trump administration, which currently offers undocumented adults $1,000 “exit bonuses” for choosing self-deportation. Accordingly, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has defended the initiative, calling it a cost-effective alternative to lengthy detention and formal deportation proceedings.
“This programme is strictly voluntary and allows minors to make an informed decision about their future,” an ICE spokesperson was quoted as saying.
As of October 2, official data indicates that around 2,100 unaccompanied minors are currently in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services, awaiting placement or immigration hearings.
However, the new incentive programme has sparked criticism from immigrant rights advocates, who argue that offering payments to children to leave the country could breach legal protections for vulnerable youths under U.S. immigration law.
“There is no legitimate reason for the government to incentivise voluntary departure with a financial payoff,” said Neha Desai of the National Centre for Youth Law, describing the policy as “a troubling precedent.”
Advocates further argued that the payments could pressure minors into returning to unsafe or unstable conditions, potentially undermining the humanitarian principles meant to guide the care of unaccompanied migrant children.
The proposal has also reignited the debate over how the U.S. government handles the growing influx of border arrivals, especially unaccompanied minors seeking asylum or family reunification.
While the Department of Homeland Security insists the initiative is designed to cut detention costs and streamline immigration procedures, critics argue that it raises serious ethical and legal concerns about the treatment of migrant children under federal custody.
When Olusegun Obasanjo took over in the middle of 1976 from the slain Murtala Mohammed as Nigeria’s military Head of State, the regime was already committed as a matter policy to transition power to an elected civilian administration in 1979. This was a big deal alright but not one over which he had much say as such. As military Head of State, General Obasanjo identified two issues to define his personal legacy.
One was food security. To address that, he launched “Operation Feed the Nation”, better known by the acronym (OFN). Those were the same initials of Obasanjo Farms Nigeria, the name of the company under which the General would later pursue his post-retirement vocation in agriculture. The coincidence was not lost on many.
The other issue was education. To pursue this, General Obasanjo launched the Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1976. 40 years later, an independent study determined that the UPE had “a statistically significant impact on schooling attainment of beneficiaries” but there were questions as to its reach and coverage. Quite apart from the usual dysfunctions associated with centrally dictated government programmes, the UPE also faced opposition from traditional and religious leaders in some parts of Nigeria, who reportedly felt “that it is a Christian brainwashing which alienates their children from their own religious beliefs.” Those were also people who largely opposed the education of the girl-child.
The three and a half years of the Obasanjo military regime were too short for such an ambitious programme as the UPE to prove itself. The best he could hope for was that his civilian successors would continue with the idea.
At the launch of the UPE, the country was in the middle of what its rulers believed would be an interminable Oil Boom. In hindsight, the onset of the UPE coincided with the beginning of a bust. The programme became one of the casualties of the rampant corruption and the subsequent austerity that bedevilled the administration of Obasanjo’s chosen successor, President Shehu Shagari.
The military regime that toppled Shehu Shagari four years later paid no heed to basic education. Chronically careening from the twin crises of balance of payments and elite banditry of the Nigerian political class, the system never quite rediscovered the will to invest in basic education as a duty of the Nigerian state. By the time Obasanjo returned as civilian president 20 years after his first tour of duty, the country had begun to reap whirlwind from decades of costly omission.
President Obasanjo appeared to understand this but arguably waited too long to address it. In the fifth year of his eight year tenure, he enacted the Universal Basic Education Programme (UBE), which made basic education compulsory for all children in Nigeria. Basic education under the law was defined as nine years of formal education – six years in primary school and three years of junior secondary education. It also became a federal crime to deny a child in Nigeria access to such education. To encourage uptake by the states, the Federal Government offered generous co-financing incentives to the states. Many failed to take it up.
Two years later, in 2006, President Obasanjo launched a National Policy on Education. By this time, a diagnosis had indicated the depth of the emergency. Of 42.1 million Nigerian children eligible for primary education at the end of 2005, “only 22.3m were in the primary schools. This figure implies that about 19.8m or 47% Nigerian children that should [have] been in primary schools [were] not.”
It is no surprise that this period coincided with the onset of what would later become an Islamist insurgency founded on an ideology opposed to Western education.
As with his first tour of presidential duty, the policy measures implemented by President Obasanjo on his second coming equally relied for their durability on his successors sharing his sense of mission and urgency. It was a tall hope. In the two decades since Obasanjo’s National Policy on Education of 2006, successive administrations neglected it to a point where the country has become the most natural recruiting ground in the world for radicalisation.
On Monday, 13 November, 2017, Muhammadu Buhari, another Nigerian ruler on his second tour of presidential duty, hosted a Cabinet retreat on education. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, himself a teacher of considerable stature, and Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, also addressed the retreat which, however, involved little deliberation and ended with an inconclusive communique.
A high point of the Buhari Cabinet retreat was the presentation of Minister Adamu Adamu’s “Education for Change: A Ministerial Strategic Plan, 2016-2019.” Launched in August 2016 and better known under the acronym MSP, its title was a play upon the “Change” mantra of the then government, and the United Nations’ Education for All campaign. If it had been launched today, the plan would probably have been called “Education for Renewed Hope”.
At over 120 pages, most Nigerians, including senior staff of the Federal Ministry of Education (FMoE), were unlikely ever to read the MSP. In his foreword, Minister Adamu promised to “welcome rigorous discussion with all levels of stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and enduring document.” It never happened.
The MSP offered the government’s vision for education in Nigeria, setting out three strategic outcomes namely: improving access, enhancing quality, and strengthening sectoral systems. The scope covered ten major areas. Under access, in particular, the MSP focused on out-of-school children (OOSC).
The MSP identified a priority in the twin challenges of OOSC and mass illiteracy. The plan estimated the number of OOSC at 10.5 million and illiteracy at 38% or 60 million Nigerians. With reference to OOSC, it proposed “a state of emergency on education in the states most affected by the (Boko Haram) insurgency.” This was an implicit recognition of the relationship of cause and effect between policy failure and national security consequence.
By 2019, the plan hoped to reduce by half the number of illiterate people in Nigeria through the deployment of 170,000 instructors, 100,000 of whom will be mobilised by the Federal Government and another 70,000 by the States. For the first time, the MSP offered a plan for a pre-primary (nursery) education curriculum. Not much has been heard of these since then.
The pivotal planning data on which the MSP was anchored was dubious and dated. On the issue of OOSC, for instance, it claimed that Nigeria had “10.5 million out-of-school children”, a figure first used by the FMoE in its planning in 2006. Contradicting the MSP, however, President Buhari informed the country at the retreat that in Nigeria “an estimated 13.2 million children are out of school.” This was one-third more than the estimate by the MSP.
On the back of this frightening number, President Buhari then touted the goal of the FMoE as “fostering the development of all Nigerian citizens to their full potentials, in the promotion of a strong, democratic, egalitarian, indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God.”
For all its ambition, the MSP was starkly un-costed. Instead, it proposed to increase already bloated education overheads by elevating the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) to a parastatal. It is hardly any surprise that President Buhari’s goal of enlightened governance based on egalitarian civics came to naught.
These and many more flaws in the MSP highlight the reasons why Nigeria’s educational sector drifted into a zone of dangerous incoherence under President Buhari’s watch. In the period since then, the country has descended into a snarling cauldron of inter-ethnic hate.
This past week, President Obasanjo disclosed that the population of OOSC in Nigeria has nearly doubled to 24 million, which is over 10% of the country’s current population estimate. He predictably warned: “You don’t need an oracle to know they will become the recruiting ground for the Boko Haram of tomorrow.”
Education should be a national security priority for all levels of government. States need both a coherent policy environment and a committed partner at the federal level. Yet very few Nigerians can say who the Minister of Education is, what is his or her name and what is their plan for addressing Nigeria’s 24 million reasons to fear the future.
