Author: Lawrence Idoko

The Senate has said it will not reopen the country’s Electoral Act before the 2027 general elections, rejecting pressure for changes after the Supreme Court restored contested provisions governing party membership registers and candidate nominations. It said it has ruled out a fresh review of the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying the current provisions are sufficient to guarantee credible polls. Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu said lawmakers had completed the electoral overhaul and that the statute, already signed into law, would govern the polls scheduled for January and February 2027. Any amendment, he said, would be considered…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described the ongoing strike by FCT primary school teachers as politically motivated, threatening to enforce a no-work, no-pay policy if the teachers fail to return to their posts. The confrontation escalated an industrial dispute that began Wednesday, when the FCT chapter of the NLC called an indefinite strike after a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Administration expired. The union says teachers have faced stalled promotions, redeployments and unresolved welfare concerns. Speaking after a closed-door meeting with area council chairmen and security officials, Wike rejected the union’s characterization of the dispute and…

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has approved a new round of postings for Police Public Relations Officers (PPROs) and Public Relations Liaison Officers (PRLOs), part of an effort to tighten the force’s communications apparatus and improve the flow of verified information to the public. The reassignments, announced by Force Public Relations Officer CSP Ani Ineidu, affect zonal commands, state commands and specialized formations. The police said the move is intended to strengthen strategic communication, expand public access to credible information and deepen engagement with journalists and other stakeholders. Under the changes, SP Johnson A. Doghudje becomes PPRO for Zone…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding the enforcement of the Supreme Court judgment on the membership registers of political parties, insisting that only duly registered and validly documented members should be recognised as legitimate party members. The party is also pressing INEC to enforce the apex court’s ruling that could bar parties from fielding candidates if they fail to submit membership registers on time. The APC, in a letter dated October 9, 2026, asked the INEC to enforce the September 24 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party (Suit No. SC/CV/495/2026).…

The House of Representatives has threatened to impose sanctions on universities and other tertiary institutions found violating the guidelines of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), warning that any attempt to sabotage the student loan scheme will not go unpunished. The House of Representatives Committee on Student Loans, Scholarships and Higher Education Financing said monitoring and engagements with beneficiary institutions had uncovered instances in which schools retained the federal government’s Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) disbursements for verified students, delayed refunds to those who had already paid tuition, or issued only partial refunds. Committee Chairman Ifeoluwa Ehindero said the practices…

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the display of the preliminary voters’ register nationwide and the commencement of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) distribution for newly registered voters. The exercise, running Friday through October 15, lets registered voters inspect their details, file claims or objections and collect cards from the first phase of continuous registration held between August and December 2025. The Independent National Electoral Commission is conducting the preliminary register display and PVC distribution simultaneously across states, including Plateau and Sokoto. In Plateau, the process is taking place in all 207 registration…

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to roll over all unfinished 2026 capital projects into the 2027 fiscal year, as part of new measures to ensure completion and prevent abandoned projects across Ministries, Departments and Agencies. It added that it is a move aimed at ending the long-standing practice of implementing several national budgets at once and restoring credibility to public spending plans. Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele announced the shift during the launch of the World Bank’s October 2026 Nigeria Development Update, acknowledging that repeated extensions of capital budgets and overly optimistic revenue forecasts had undermined fiscal discipline. “Whatever…

The Senate has expressed confidence that at least 24 State Houses of Assembly will support the ongoing constitutional amendment to create state police, paving the way for its establishment to tackle rising insecurity across the country, despite the limited number of approvals recorded so far. The State Police Services Bill is before all 36 state Houses of Assembly after the National Assembly transmitted it on September 16 as part of the constitutional alteration process. The state assemblies have until October 15 –30 days from transmission – to approve or reject the proposal. As of Thursday, only Edo, Oyo, Osun and…

The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Afiz Ogun, has said that President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms are yielding positive results, assuring that Nigerians will be happier after his re-election in 2027. Ogun stated this in Jos on the occasion of the 55th anniversary ceremony of the establishment of the ITF, which also coincides with his 3rd year as Director-General, noting that the pains of the current reforms will soon give way to prosperity. Speaking before an audience of trainers, industry officials and government dignitaries at the Yakubu Gowon Auditorium, Ogun said he was moved to campaign for…

A Nigerian Air Force helicopter made a precautionary landing on farmland in Benue State after completing a close-air-support mission against suspected kidnappers, the military said. The aircraft landed in the Utur Tse-Igboji community near Makurdi, where witnesses reported seeing the helicopter touch down. The operation was conducted in Ogbadigbo Local Government Area, near the boundary between Benue and Enugu states, according to the Air Force. In a statement, Air Force spokesman Ehimen Ejodame said the mission disrupted the activities of suspected kidnappers and supported ground troops advancing against them. The helicopter did not experience an emergency, Ejodame said. After completing…